News

Worker Wins: Collectively Standing Together Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. Federal Court Orders DOE and OPM to Stop Sharing Private Data with DOGE Affiliates: On Monday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Department of Education (DOE) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from disclosing sensitive personal information to employees affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—which is the lead plaintiff in the case—argued that the DOE and OPM violated the Privacy Act by granting DOGE affiliates unauthorized access to systems containing sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers, bank account information, health records and other private data. In a post shared to social media, AFT President Randi Weingarten said: “The Department of Education is prevented from sharing personal information of AFT members and members of the other plaintiffs with Elon Musk and DOGE. This is huge news in the fight against Elon Musk stealing our private information.” In addition to AFT, the lawsuit's plaintiffs include the Machinists (IAM), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association and the National Federation of Federal Employees.Oregon Nurses Vote to Approve Tentative Agreement After 46 Days on Strike: Members of the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA)—an affiliate of the AFT—approved a tentative agreement with Providence Health & Services on Monday night after over a month on the picket line. The agreement covers nurses at all eight striking facilities across the state who walked off the job earlier this year to secure a contract that ensures fair treatment and working conditions. Highlights include wage increases ranging from 20% to 42% over the life of the contract, guaranteed penalty pay for missed breaks and meals, improvements to nurse workloads, and more. “This milestone represents a significant achievement for ONA nurses, marking a powerful step forward in their ongoing commitment to fair wages, safe staffing, and high-quality patient care,” ONA said in a press statement. “These hard-won agreements reflect the dedication and determination of ONA nurses who stood strong in their fight for fair treatment, safe working conditions and better healthcare for their communities.”Children’s Theatre Company Staff Ratify First Union Contract: Front-of-house workers at the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC), who are represented by Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 13, have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. This bargaining unit at the country’s largest theater for young audiences includes ushers, ticket takers, performance supervisors, concessions leads and other critical staff who work directly with customers. Organizing began in February 2023, and by April 80% of eligible staff had signed union authorization cards. IATSE then requested voluntary recognition in December, which Children’s Theatre Company acknowledged a month later. “While bargaining began slowly, we have appreciated the consistent attention to these negotiations from CTC throughout and since the company underwent a change in both the artistic and managing director roles last summer,” said a representative from the union. “We are pleased that our work together has produced meaningful gains for member employees and strengthened CTC’s workforce.”UFCW Strike Secures Return-to-Work Agreement; Union Will Continue Bargaining with King Soopers: United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7, which represents over 10,000 striking King Soopers workers in Colorado, announced Monday that the union secured a return-to-work settlement and will be back at the negotiating table with management. The strike-ending settlement includes provisions that ensure no workers will lose their health care during bargaining and prevent the Kroger-owned grocery chain from locking out staff so the union can resume talks over the new contract. UFCW members initially walked off the job earlier this month after management’s repeated bad-faith tactics—including intimidation, gutting retiree health benefits and illegal disciplinary threats—forced them into an unfair labor practice strike. “We have taken a big step forward and ensured that Kroger knows that staffing is a key concern to workers and customers alike,” said UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova in a press release. “We will go back to the bargaining table and continue our fight for a fair union contract for us, our customers and the communities we serve. This strike was about thousands of everyday grocery store workers, collectively standing together and facing one of the largest corporations in America and saying ENOUGH. Our strike was just the beginning of this effort and elevated staffing in grocery stores to a national level with more workers and allies joining together.”Ski Patrol Union Reaches Tentative Agreement with Keystone Ski Resort: Members of the United Professional Ski Patrols of America (UPSPA), Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7781, who work at Keystone Resort have reached a tentative agreement (TA) on their first contract with Vail Resorts. Organized under the name Keystone Ski Patrol (KSP) Union, workers have been in negotiations with the largest resort operator in North America since September 2024. Over the course of bargaining, patrollers have staged a protest and filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. “Keystone Resort and the Keystone Ski Patrol Union are pleased to announce that they have reached a new tentative agreement through May 31, 2027,” the union and management said in a joint statement. “Together, the resort and union are looking forward to a great rest of the season.”Labor Defeats Right to Work Legislation in New Hampshire: In a win for working people, the latest version of “right to work” legislation introduced in the New Hampshire Legislature last week has been indefinitely postponed, effectively killing the bill. Different iterations of House Bill 238-FN have been introduced dozens of times since the 1980s, all seeking to undermine union negotiating power and make New Hampshire the region’s only right to work state. “For the fortieth consecutive time, so-called ‘Right-to-Work’ is dead,” said New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Glenn Brackett in a joint statement with other labor leaders. “Once again, today, a bipartisan coalition of legislators did their job, listened to their constituents, and voted to kill House Bill 238-FN, this year’s version of the fraudulently titled ‘Right-to-Work.’ Every new legislature for the last 40 years has seen this attack on workers’ rights and every legislature, regardless of which party is in the majority, has rejected it.”IAM Becomes First Labor Union Recognized as VSO: Last month, the IAM became the first union to be recognized as a national Veterans Service Organization (VSO) for its work advocating for veteran members across the country through IAM’s Veterans Services Program. This designation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) means IAM will get access to more vital resources, support securing benefits for members and the formal backing of the VA. It also signifies that the union is now able to increase its support of veteran members through assisting with claims, advocating for benefits, pushing for legislative changes and more. “We will now be able to grow our organization and set a new standard of care for all IAM Veterans,” said IAM Veterans Services Coordinator Richard Evans. “For the IAM itself, this recognition is a testament to our hard work, dedication, and tireless advocacy on behalf of those who have served in our military. It shows that this organization is equipped with the tools, knowledge, and resources to effectively help Veterans navigate the challenges they face after service. Whether it’s securing healthcare, disability benefits, or educational opportunities, this recognition strengthens our ability to fight for veterans’ rights and ensure they receive the care and support they deserve.” Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/25/2025 - 14:11 Tags: OrganizingContinue reading→

Black History Month Profiles: Tryshanda Moton For Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently actively making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Tryshanda Moton of the Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA/IFPTE Local 29). Tryshanda Moton currently serves as president of GESTA. She is a senior aerospace systems engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. She has 25 years of proven technical expertise in various systems. Moton attended college at the University of Alabama, where she became the first African American to graduate with a bachelor's degree in physics. She completed graduate research in nuclear thermal propulsion concepts for human spaceflight missions to Mars. In 2012, Tryshanda joined GESTA and later was elected to the executive council, where she served two terms as area vice president and two terms as executive vice president. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/25/2025 - 09:54Continue reading→