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Black History Month Profiles: Christon Jones 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 Christon Jones of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Christon Jones has worked as a carpenter on “Get Us Home” and is an IATSE Local 873 health and safety instructor trainer. Since joining IATSE in 2017, he has worked with the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals outreach program and helped some of his mentees join IATSE. Jones says being an IATSE member means building his wildest dreams, which have brought great artistry into his life. “My proudest career moment was seeing my name on the credits reel, it was a big ‘I’ve arrived’ moment.” Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/24/2026 - 09:18 Tags: Black History MonthContinue reading→

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: PSA Flight Attendants Reach Tentative Agreement with 30%-50% Wage Increases Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) members reached a tentative agreement on Thursday for a new three-year contract with PSA Airlines.The regional airline is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, that operates flights under the American Eagle brand. The deal includes a 30% to 50% increase in compensation over the lifetime of the contract, scheduling improvements, increased flexibility and other critical wins.“PSA Flight Attendants save lives every day and serve as the face of American Eagle in ever increasingly difficult conditions,” said Lee Wilkes, president of AFA-CWA PSA. “This tentative agreement starts to recognize what we do every single flight to get people to their destination safely. We fought extremely hard to set a new industry standard for contract duration.”“PSA Flight Attendants need these improvements and we fought hard to get them in their hands for a ratification vote,” said Sara Nelson, international president of AFA-CWA. “Although it was extremely difficult bargaining with PSA, American CEO Robert Isom demonstrated his longstanding commitment to recognize the work of frontline employees who make it possible for American to fly. We appreciate his direct engagement to make this agreement possible.” Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/24/2026 - 09:10Continue reading→

Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: School Administrators This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we've covered all 64 of our affiliates. Next up is the School Administrators (AFSA). Name of Union: American Federation of School AdministratorsMission: To champion student success by empowering school leaders to speak up, lead with integrity and advocate for the professional, legal and economic rights they need to create safe, equitable and high-quality public schools for every student.Current Leadership of Union: Mark Cannizzaro serves as president of AFSA. With more than 38 years in public education, Cannizzaro has been a dedicated advocate for strong public schools, effective school leadership and the students and communities whom schools serve. Cannizzaro began his career as a physical education teacher and progressed through key leadership roles as an assistant principal and principal. He taught and served as assistant principal at Totten Intermediate School 34 before leading Frank D. Paulo Intermediate School IS 75 as principal. From 2003 to 2012, his leadership at Paulo fostered a culture of academic excellence, collaboration and shared responsibility. A respected and nationally recognized voice in education, Cannizzaro has long been active in union leadership. He held multiple roles within the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, AFSA Local 1, including secretary, executive vice president and president, the latter of which he held for more than five years.Donis Coronel serves as executive vice president, and Karl E. Perry serves as secretary-treasurer. AFSA’s leadership team also includes the following 16 general vice presidents: Clarence Allen, Kia Banks, Jody Covington, Moira Coogan, Victor Cristofaro, Carey Cunningham, Fran DiFiore, Carver Farrow, Brian Galbraith, Christine Handy, Diane Hauser, Richard Jackson, Luis Orengo, Elda Perez-Mejia, Henry Rubio and Caroline Satoda.Current Number of Members: 25,000Members Work as: School leaders, including principals; assistant principals; directors of student services, student activities, food service and transportation; and administrators and supervisors who manage the day-to-day operations and academics of schools.Industries Represented: Public schools in the United StatesHistory: July 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of AFSA. However, AFSA’s roots go back to 1962, when the Council of Supervisory Associations (CSA) was formed in New York City to fight for collective bargaining rights for school supervisors. By 1968, the CSA formally became a union and adopted the name Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, representing principals, assistant principals, directors, supervisors and other school leaders and advocating for fair pay, benefits and professional recognition. In 1971, the CSA, along with four other local unions in Washington, D.C.; Chicago; San Francisco; and Providence, Rhode Island, were granted a charter by then AFL-CIO President George Meany, formally establishing the School Administrators and Supervisors Organizing Committee (SASOC). The SASOC became a national organization dedicated to giving school leaders across the country a unified voice in education and labor matters. By 1976, the SASOC had grown to include 47 local unions nationwide and petitioned the AFL-CIO for full national union status. On July 7–8, 1976, delegates convened for the SASOC’s first constitutional convention and adopted a constitution, elected a general executive board and officially renamed the organization the School Administrators. At that time, then AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland granted the union a national charter, solidifying AFSA’s status as a national AFL-CIO affiliate.Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, AFSA has focused on organizing the unorganized and affiliating independent unions to create a stronger national voice for school leaders. This effort has been highly successful, bringing in thousands of new members, including leaders from some of the nation’s largest school districts. On the community side, the School Leadership Forum supports principals and other school leaders by providing research, resources and training needed to improve learning environments in classrooms across the country. The forum also funds the Diann Woodard AFSA Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to children of AFSA members. In addition, the AFSA Political Action Committee gives members a political voice on education issues, ensuring that school leaders can influence policies that affect their schools, staff and students.Learn More: website, Facebook, X Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/23/2026 - 14:38Continue reading→

Black History Month Profiles: Wynn Thomas 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 Wynn Thomas of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Wynn Thomas has been working in the film industry for over 40 years and in IATSE since 1981. He says being an IATSE member has been inspiring and allowed him to work with the most talented artists and craftspeople in the industry. Thomas has worked to train young men and women from different communities so that they too can become union members. “I believe that part of my responsibility is to train the next generation.” Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/23/2026 - 10:16 Tags: Black History MonthContinue reading→

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Volkswagen Workers Ratify First Union Contract at Major Southern Auto Plant; Scure 20% Wage Increase Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. In a powerful victory, UAW members who work for Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted by 96% to ratify their first union contract. The contract is a major milestone in Southern union organizing and delivers a number of powerful, life-changing wins. This includes a 20% wage increase, health care cost reductions, job security guarantees, an enforceable grievance procedure and much more.“This victory shows what happens when workers stand up and refuse to be ignored. We didn’t just win better wages and raise standards at our plant—we forced respect onto the table and got it all in writing,” said Yogi Peoples, a bargaining committee member. “Our victory here at Volkswagen should send a message to autoworkers everywhere: don’t let management divide you. When workers fight together—united and unafraid —we can beat the odds and win!”“This is just the beginning,” said Chattanooga Area Labor Council President Geoffrey Meldahl. “No more business as usual. Working people are sick and tired of begging for scraps to keep their lights on while the richest of the rich buy themselves yet another mega yacht. The future of the south is union strong!”“This isn’t just a win for Chattanooga autoworkers,” Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council President Billy Dycus said. “It’s a win for our entire state because these workers have proven that when we band together, Southern workers have the power to win the wages, affordable healthcare, job security and respect we all deserve.” Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/23/2026 - 10:08Continue reading→

Making Life a Little Easier: The Working People Weekly List Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List. Bill Calling for Time and a Half Pay on Federal Holidays Gains Rail Union Support: “Several rail unions are among organizations that have announced support for the Holiday Pay Act, a bill introduced last week by U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) that would require employers to pay time and a half for working federal holidays. ‘Many Americans are working holidays because they need the money and giving up precious time with family and loved ones to do so,’ Gallego said in a press release. ‘They deserve to be fairly compensated for their sacrifice. The Holiday Pay Act ensures hardworking people are rewarded for the extra hours they put in—raising paychecks and making life a little easier for those who keep our country running.’”New Jersey Unions Create a Coalition Focused on Decreasing Energy Costs and Creating Solar Jobs: “‘This is an opportunity for us to work together and tackle head-on one of the most pressing issues facing our state today,’ said Charlie Wowkanech, president of both the New Jersey AFL-CIO and Climate Jobs NJ. ‘We need to act quickly, and state generation is key to solving our problems.’”AFL-CIO Remembers Legendary Civil Rights Leader, the Rev. Jesse Jackson: “America’s unions mourn the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering moral force whose lifelong commitment to justice reshaped both the labor and civil rights movements and left a lasting mark on the nation. Jackson was a full-time organizer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference before being appointed national director of Operation Breadbasket by his mentor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this role, Jackson led boycotts and campaigns that secured thousands of new jobs for Black workers. His two presidential campaigns would break barriers and expand the political imagination of our country. Through Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition—later united as Rainbow PUSH Coalition—he brought communities together with a simple, powerful truth: economic justice and civil rights are inseparable.”U.S. Union Membership Soared to 16-Year High in 2025 Despite Trump Assault: “The number of workers covered under union contracts increased to a 16-year high in 2025, despite ongoing attempts by the Trump administration to wipe out collective bargaining agreements for tens of thousands of federal workers, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 16.5 million workers were covered by a union contract in 2025, up from 16 million in 2024 and the highest level since 2009. The increase stems from workers joining unions as members—14.7 million U.S. workers were union members in 2025, up from 14.2 million workers in 2024. The percentage of all workers in the U.S. covered by a union contracts ticked up to 11.2% in 2025, compared with 11.1% in 2024. Union membership increased from 9.9% in 2024 to 10% in 2025.”Graduate Student Workers at Penn Reach a Tentative Agreement, Avoiding a Strike: “Penn’s graduate student workers have reached a tentative agreement on a first union contract, averting a strike. The two-year tentative agreement includes increases to wages among other benefits. ‘I am so proud of what we were able to accomplish with this contract,’ Clara Abbott, a Ph.D. candidate in literary studies and member of the bargaining committee said in a statement. ‘We won a historic contract that enshrines gains for grad workers.’”Florida Bill Targeting Unions Could Be Unconstitutional, Staff Analysis Warns: “A new proposal from Florida lawmakers that would make it harder for most public employees to form or retain a union poses several constitutionality concerns, according to a staff analysis from the Florida Senate. Namely, the analysis warns the bill (SB 1296) could infringe on Florida workers’ collective bargaining rights, which are enshrined in the state Constitution. It could also run afoul of the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause and free speech rights.”Union Station Homeless Services Staff Vote to Unionize, Join SEIU Local 721: “Staff at Union Station Homeless Services, the Pasadena-based nonprofit that serves as the San Gabriel Valley’s largest agency for the unhoused, voted Thursday to unionize with the Service Employees International Union Local 721, according to both the union and the organization’s management. An independent arbitrator confirmed that a majority of the nonprofit’s nearly 200 employees had signed union authorization cards, the union said in a press release Thursday. CEO Katie Hill said the organization voluntarily recognized the union under a previously established neutrality agreement and would begin collective bargaining.”Stop & Shop, Union Have Tentative Deal to 2030: “Stop & Shop supermarkets reached a tentative four-year agreement Thursday with five union locals representing a total of 28,500 workers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Members meet Sunday for a ratification vote at locations across the three states. The local vote is in Chicopee. If approved, the contract will last until 2030.” Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/20/2026 - 13:19Continue reading→