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Fed Up and Taking Action The government can work for billionaires or it can work for working people—but not both. So when Elon Musk created his own unaccountable pseudo-government department, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to fire federal workers and jeopardize the programs working people rely on, we launched our own “Department of People of Who Work for a Living (DPWL)” to hold these billionaires accountable. The DPWL was out in force last week as working people participated in more than 104 actions in 31 states and Washington, D.C. Some unions and working people planned rallies, others scheduled meetings with their members of Congress, and some attended town halls to speak out. Here are some highlights from workers who spoke at last week’s protests against DOGE’s actions: “I'm sad that I lost my job. But I'm also sad I'm not going to be able to help these people anymore who desperately need it,” said fired Environmental Protection Agency employee Nyla at a rally in Chicago.“I’ve wanted to work for [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] NOAA a long time,” said an anonymous protester in Juneau, Alaska. “If I cared about money, I would have gone to Wall Street, but I care about our environment and our people. And NOAA provides a lot of services to Alaska, the rural and coastal communities here really get a lot of information from us, and I’m worried.”“I had to apply for unemployment, and on the very same day I did that, Elon Musk tweeted a meme calling the 10% of the poorest Americans members of the parasite class,” said Kristin Jenn, a fired federal worker in Austin, Texas.When you think of federal government workers, you may think of Washington, D.C., but the truth is 85% of federal employees live and work all over the country, with large numbers in states like California, Texas, Florida and Georgia. Job cuts are being felt nationwide, hurting communities, local economies and services in red and blue states alike.That’s why we’ve launched the DPWL website to share information and resources for workers and communities affected by these attacks on federal workers. See our map, take action and learn more about how unelected billionaires and their agenda are affecting working people.LEARN MOREThank you for supporting America’s working families. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/04/2025 - 11:10Continue reading→

Action Alert: Protect Our Kids: Find an Action Today Near You! Today, March 4, educators, students, parents and community allies will stand up against assaults on public education and on opportunity for America’s kids.  The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is calling on lawmakers to strengthen, not undermine, our local public schools and the services they provide to children, families and communities. Find an action near you happening today!Find a Local Action. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/04/2025 - 11:00Continue reading→

Women's History Month Profiles: Sylvia J. Ramos For Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's 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 Sylvia J. Ramos of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Sylvia J. Ramos began her career in 1981 at Southwestern Bell in San Antonio, where she held various roles, including bilingual service representative and job steward with CWA Local 6143. She chaired the organizing and mobilizing committees, led successful organizing campaigns, and received the AFL-CIO “A Woman’s Place Is in Her Union” award in 1998. Ramos later became an AT&T strategist and CWA staff representative, and chaired many bargaining committees. In 2023, she made history as the first Latina chief of staff at CWA, where she advocates for workers’ rights, including the impact of artificial intelligence on labor. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/04/2025 - 10:27 Tags: Women's History MonthContinue reading→

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Maryland State Supervisors Overwhelmingly Vote to Join AFSCME 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 victory more than a year in the making, nearly 5,000 supervisors who work for the state of Maryland have voted to form a union with AFSCME Maryland Council 3.State supervisors worked with AFSCME to pass legislation last year that granted them collective bargaining rights in Maryland.“With our AFSCME union, we as supervisors can finally have a say in workplace policies that affect us, such as expanded hours, how our scheduling works, how comp time works, and more,” said Michael Lawson, acting assistant superintendent and a bus maintenance supervisor at the Maryland Transit Administration. “We are experts at how our agencies and offices operate, and now we have a seat at the table to weigh in on decisions that shape our work, our services, and our agencies. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/04/2025 - 10:21 Tags: OrganizingContinue reading→

Women's History Month Profiles: Patricia Redding For Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's 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 Patricia Redding of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).  Patricia Redding has been an IATSE member for seven years. She serves on her local’s women’s and diversity, equity and inclusion committees, and volunteers with food pantries and holiday toy drives her local participates in. Her inspirations are Michelle Obama, retired IATSE Vice President C. Faye Harper and fellow Local 479 sister Jennifer Hutchins. “Being an IATSE member means a lot to me. I was hungry to learn more about my union and wanted to be in a position to give more to our union members.” Kenneth Quinnell Sun, 03/02/2025 - 10:46Continue reading→

Women's History Month Profiles: Brittney Davidson For Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's 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 Brittney Davidson of the Heat and Frost Insulators (HFIU). Brittney Davidson isn’t just breaking glass ceilings—she’s smashing them with a sledgehammer. First female executive board member of Local 119? Check. First female trainer of the local? Check. Financial trustee? Sergeant-at-arms? You bet. Trailblazing comes naturally to Davidson. She isn’t just good at the job—she’s great. She trains the next generation, makes sure the work’s done right and keeps the union’s future positive. She’s got the grit, the know-how and the leadership to back it all up. Kenneth Quinnell Sat, 03/01/2025 - 10:46Continue reading→