AFL-CIO
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: UNITE HERE
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: UNITE HERE
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 65 of our affiliates. Next up is UNITE HERE.
Name of Union: UNITE HEREMission: UNITE HERE believes that one job should be enough. Too often, workers are forced to hold down two or three jobs just to get by, but being a union member changes people’s lives. Over the years, UNITE HERE has fought to win good union contracts with competitive wages and necessary benefits for its members in the hospitality industry across the United States and Canada. It is also growing: In recent years, UNITE HERE has been the fastest-growing private sector union in the United States.Current Leadership of Union: UNITE HERE is governed by five elected general officers, an elected Canadian director, an elected executive committee, and an elected general executive board with representation from across the union. Gwen Mills is the president of UNITE HERE and the first woman to lead the union in its 130-year history. Nia Winston is secretary-treasurer and the first Black person to serve in that role.Current Number of Members: 300,000Members Work As: Hotel housekeepers; bellmen; porters; front desk agents; concierges; banquet servers; airport concessions workers; airline catering workers; cocktail and food servers; cooks; pastry chefs; dishwashers; bartenders; baristas; casino slot attendants; laundry and textile workers; graduate workers; postdoctoral researchers; service attendants, food specialists and chefs aboard Amtrak trains; and more.Industries Represented: The hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation and airport industries.History: UNITE HERE is the product of many unions coming together, and its roots date back more than 130 years. In 1891, waiters and bartenders were tired of working 15 to 16 hours every day serving food and drinks, with barely a moment to eat a meal themselves. They came together to form what would later become the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE).A few years later, immigrant women led the way to form the first garment workers’ union in North America, the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU). The ILGWU is one predecessor to the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile workers (UNITE). In the early days of industrialization, many immigrants toiled in dangerous sweatshops for meager wages. Such conditions led to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in 1911, which killed 146 workers in New York City. The fire was a turning point in the union and in the labor movement, as workers—led by young immigrant women—fought to win safe workplaces and union rights that continue to benefit workers today. Together, the union’s ancestors laid the groundwork to make textile, garment, laundry and hospitality jobs good, safe, family-sustaining jobs. In the 1960s, New York’s HERE locals marched in support of lunch counter sit-ins to end segregation in the South. Forty years later, UNITE HERE helped lead the labor movement to reverse its position on immigrant labor and advocate for immigration reform, organizing the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride in 2003 to counter anti-immigrant bigotry and xenophobia in the wake of 9/11.Soon after, in 2004, UNITE and HERE joined to form UNITE HERE: workers in the hospitality and garment industries fighting together for a different and more just life, both inside and outside the workplace.In modern times, UNITE HERE has held the line on strikes at the Las Vegas Frontier Hotel & Casino and in Atlantic City. The union also led in 2024, when more than 10,000 hotel workers were on strike at hotels nationwide. It has built political power to engage entirely new generations and demographics of voters and supported members through tragedies like the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, the Great Recession, the 2017 shooting on the Las Vegas Strip and the COVID-19 pandemic.More than 100 years ago, the union’s immigrant founders led the historic Bread and Roses strike. Today—as they lead campaigns that take on some of the world’s most powerful billionaires and institutions—immigrant workers, Black workers and other people of color have been at the center of UNITE HERE’s efforts to end poverty and change lives.Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: UNITE HERE consistently works toward building power for its members in their workplaces and their communities. It accomplishes this through implementing ambitious ground-up organizing campaigns; fighting for great union contracts for all of its members; and strengthening a political program that supports long-term, grassroots organizing and leadership development. Check out current projects of UNITE HERE and campaigns led by UNITE HERE locals. Find socially responsible union hotels at FairHotel.org.Learn More: Website, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/11/2026 – 14:14
A Long and Lasting Relationship: The Working People Weekly List
A Long and Lasting Relationship: 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.
MU Librarians Vote to Join LIUNA 955: “Librarians at the University of Missouri voted to join LiUNA Local 955, a union that represents a number of public employees in the Mid-Missouri area. LiUNA announced in a Thursday social media post that library workers voted to join the union. Workers had announced their intent to unionize in December. MU librarian Taira Meadowcroft said the preliminary results came in on Thursday and that it will take a few days to certify.”Capital Times Agrees to Recognize Reporters Union: “The Capital Times Co. agreed Thursday to voluntarily recognize a union formed by its reporters. As a result of the company’s decision, the eight staff reporters agreed to withdraw a petition for an election submitted to the National Labor Relations Board. The reporters, organized as the Cap Times News Guild, presented the petition to their managers April 30. They had already filed the petition with the federal labor board at that point, but in a letter to managers the reporters wrote that they preferred to ‘build a long and lasting relationship with the company’ and would withdraw the document if recognized before an election would take place.”Strip Casino Reaches New Deal with More Than 100 Union Workers: “More than 100 workers at a Strip megaresort secured a new, multi-year labor deal, the employees’ union announced Thursday. Members of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 501 working at The Cosmopolitan hotel-casino voted to ratify their second union contract with the property, according to a news release. The agreement, which covers engineers, support engineers and laborers, will expire in 2029. The union had been negotiating with The Cosmopolitan since January.”Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, Glaziers Local 513 Volunteers Partner with Rebuilding Together to Help Needy St. Louis Homeowners: “Volunteers with Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 and Glaziers Local 513 spent their day April 25, repairing and updating plumbing, installing water heaters and repairing and replacing windows for those less fortunate, marking 31 years of partnership with Rebuilding Together-St. Louis. ‘This morning is about a lot of things, but it’s 100% about the homeowners we’re going to, the life they live, where they are in their life and how we’re going to change their life today,’ Local 562 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer John O’Mara told the huge group volunteers who turned out to help at Local 562’s offices and training center in Earth City, Mo.”Dover Council Approves Firefighter Contract, TIF Changes: “Dover City Council suspended the rules to approve Emergency Ordinance 18-26 at its May 4 meeting, finalizing a contract with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 324, AFL-CIO, which represents Dover Fire Department personnel. The contract covers Feb. 16, 2026, through Feb. 16, 2029. Firefighters will receive a $2 raise in the first year, a 3% increase in the second year and a $1.10 raise in the third year.”Bulletin, Union Agree on Labor Contract: “The Bulletin and its employees who are members of the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild agreed on a three-year labor contract Friday. The negotiation between the company and the union took nearly two years to complete. But reporters, photographers and news assistants at the Bulletin and Redmond Spokesman now have their first union contract. It became official on Friday. Like most union contracts, the biggest hurdle was finding a middle ground on the economic package, including wages, according to Bulletin management.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/11/2026 – 11:19
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Local 778 Members Ratify New Contract at Olin Winchester, Winning Raises, Mandatory Overtime Relief
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Local 778 Members Ratify New Contract at Olin Winchester, Winning Raises, Mandatory Overtime Relief
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.
IAM Union Local 778 members voted to ratify a new four-year contract with Olin Corp.’s Winchester division, ending their strike.The victory for more than 1,300 skilled workers at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant was approved by the membership on May 6.“This ratified agreement met the needs of our membership and they are ready to get back to work under these new terms,” said IAM Local 778 Directing Business Representative Scott Brown. “Our members fought for a contract that includes improvements to pay and relief to mandatory overtime scheduling.”“I am proud of these members for their courage and sacrifice,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “The members of IAM Local 778 took the necessary action to make their workplace better and make each other’s lives better. ”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/11/2026 – 11:04
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Andy Misiluti
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Andy Misiluti
For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Andy Misiluti of the Laborers (LIUNA).
Andy Misiluti, an 18-year member of Laborers Local 242, is a Pacific Islander who moved from American Samoa to Washington state in 2000 and built a remarkable career with Skanska USA. Starting as a laborer in 2007, he advanced from carpenter tender to concrete nozzleman and then to general foreman at Boeing Renton. Today he’s a LIUNA trainer, mentoring others. “Being a laborer gave me purpose, stability, and a path to become someone I never thought I could be,” he said.
Kenneth Quinnell
Sun, 05/10/2026 – 10:41
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Waylon James Keahi Mudget
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Waylon James Keahi Mudget
For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Waylon James Keahi Mudget of the Bricklayers (BAC).
“Joining the union was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made 21 years ago,” said Waylon James Keahi Mudget, vice president of BAC Local 1 Hawaii. “Working with my union brothers and sisters, I learned craft skills that benefit me in and out of the field in my daily life. The trades men and women I have worked with have truly become a part of my Ohana. The union has made me who I am today and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Sat, 05/09/2026 – 10:41
Worker Wins: You Deserve Worker Protections
Worker Wins: You Deserve Worker Protections
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Nonprofit Youth Action Fund Organizes with CWA: Staff at the Generation Z-led organizing nonprofit Youth Action Fund organized with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). “Since 2023, Florida Youth Action Fund (FYAF) has emerged as a critical player in the Florida youth organizing landscape,” the workers said. “With the dedication and drive of our staff, FYAF has mobilized thousands of students across the country and trained hundreds to become skilled youth advocates.” Youth Action Fund staff filed a petition for a union election to join CWA Local 3108 on May 1. They asked Youth Action Fund management to voluntarily recognize their union. “We’re excited to, you know, to hopefully get workers’ protections,” said Giancarlo Rodriguez, a Central Florida campaign adviser for Youth Action Fund. “And to let young people know too—and people all across Florida, regardless of age—that you can form a union, and it’s possible. No matter what kind of worker you are, no matter what industry, you know, you deserve worker protections. We want to have better wages, better working conditions, job security—all these really critical things that unions can bring.”AFSCME Local 1110 Workers Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contract with Illinois State University: Approximately 350 workers at Illinois State University, members of AFSCME Local 1110, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract following a nearly monthlong strike. Building services, dining services and grounds workers walked off the job on April 8. After six meetings with a federal mediator, AFSCME and the university reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. Workers voted to ratify the contract on Tuesday. The new five-year contract includes a $1,500 signing bonus, an immediate pay raise of 3.5%, and 3% pay increases in 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029. In 2028 and 2029, if the university provides more than a 3% pay hike to nonunion employees, AFSCME members will get the same raise. “This struggle was about fair pay, and we won that,” said Chuck Carver, a building service worker and president of AFSCME Local 1110. “Even more importantly, it was about respect, and we earned it.”University of Chicago Press Workers Form Union with Chicago News Guild: Workers at The University of Chicago Press are forming a union with the Chicago News Guild (TNG-CWA Local 34071) and have requested that management agree to voluntary recognition of the union. The University of Chicago Press is a leader in academic publishing, responsible for a program of trade and specialist titles, a portfolio of highly regarded scholarly journals, and the Chicago Distribution Center, which includes the digital scholarly book repository BiblioVault. The UCP Workers Guild represents staff across the press’s divisions and marks the first union in the press’s 130-year history. In their mission statement, the UCP Workers Guild outlined the organizing principles of pay equity, sustainability and transparency. “I dreamed for years of getting a job in academic publishing, and I’m thrilled to be working not only in my chosen industry but at one of the most prestigious presses in the country,” said Griffin Reed, a UCP Workers Guild member. “However, that excitement is too often exploited by employers, and particularly by our employers at the University of Chicago. My coworkers and I face low, stagnant wages; a lack of standardization across the press regarding our ability to work from home; and potential precarity in the form of layoffs, outsourcing, or the introduction of AI into our workflow. I want a union to ensure that our jobs are protected and that we are paid fairly for our profit-generating labor.”Penn Live Arts Crew Members Vote Unanimously to Join IATSE: Production workers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Live Arts Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts voted unanimously late last month to join Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 8. The new bargaining unit includes full-time and part-time audio engineers, digital production supervisors, house electricians, production coordinators and theater technicians. “When production workers come together and choose union representation, it benefits more than one workplace,” said Daniel Little, international representative for IATSE. “It strengthens the arts community and helps ensure professional standards across nonprofit and university venues.” “There are a lot of great aspects of working here at Penn Live Arts,” said Tait Adams, a theater technician. “There is also a lot of room for improvement. As the organization continues to grow, the workers deserve to have a say in our conditions. Being represented by IATSE Local 8 means that we have the necessary support and resources to make sure our voices are heard and recognized.”AT&T Orange Mobility Workers Secure Tentative Agreement: Communications Workers of America (CWA) members have reached a tentative agreement on a new AT&T Mobility Orange contract. The bargaining unit includes thousands of AT&T technicians, customer service representatives and retail workers across 36 states and Washington, D.C., who have been organizing for months to secure a fair deal. “This strong tentative agreement is a reflection of our members’ dedication to holding AT&T accountable for their corporate greed,” said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor. “Whether handing out flyers at AT&T-sponsored March Madness basketball games or holding informational picket signs at busy intersections, CWA members mobilized for higher wages, stronger benefits, job security, and more. This is a tentative agreement that reflects their fight and delivers for both AT&T workers and the customers they serve.”Westchester County Airport Unifi Workers Join IAM Union: Unifi customer service workers at the Westchester County Airport (HPN) have voted to join IAM Union (IAM) to secure a voice on the job. New York-based staff at the country’s largest aviation service provider are essential to daily HPN operations, including at Delta Air Lines and Breeze Airways. With the support of IAM Air Transport Territory and IAM Union District 142, these newly minted members overcame an aggressive union-busting campaign and are now looking forward to bargaining a fair contract that reflects their contributions. “Unifi workers fought hard for this, and we did it together,” said IAM Air Transport Territory Associate Rachel Arnold. “This is about having respect on the job and a real voice in our workplace. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished with Unifi workers and excited for what comes next.” “Unifi workers at HPN stood strong in the face of anti-union propaganda and intimidation, and they never backed down,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “Their courage sends a powerful message to workers everywhere—when you stand together, you can win.”USL Players Association Reaches Tentative Agreement: The United Soccer League (USL) and the USL Players Association (USLPA), a Communications Workers of America (CWA) affiliate, announced on Wednesday that they had reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). “The United Soccer League and the USL Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on key terms of a new collective bargaining agreement for the USL Championship and USL Premier, pending final ratification,” the union and league said in a joint statement. “This milestone represents a significant step forward for the league and its players, reflecting a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game and the advancement of professional standards. Both sides will now work through the remaining steps required to finalize the CBA, and additional updates will be shared at a later time.”Concessions Workers at Houston’s Bush Airport Secure Powerful New Contract: On Tuesday, concessions workers at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) ratified a new contract with their employer, OTG, securing a $20 per hour minimum wage. OTG is one of the largest employers at IAH, with 700 cooks, servers, bartenders, baristas, cashiers and dishwashers under the contractor’s management. In addition to raises, UNITE HERE members also won reductions to family health care costs, Juneteenth as a paid holiday and more protections for workplace rights. “I am excited and proud of what we have accomplished in this contract,” said Kia Howard, a cashier at the airport. “I will go from $14.50 an hour to $20 an hour now….That is life-changing.” “I am very happy to learn that the contract between UNITE HERE Local 23 members and OTG at IAH airport has been settled,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire. “The food service and retail workers at IAH are ambassadors of our city. I thank them for their hard work welcoming and serving millions of visitors every year. Congratulations to all!”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 05/08/2026 – 11:26
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Sasha Kahele-Manners
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Sasha Kahele-Manners
For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Sasha Kahele-Manners of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA).
Sasha Kahele-Manners is a flight attendant with Hawaiian Airlines and proud member of AFA-CWA. Kahele-Manners currently serves as the reserve committee chair for Council 43 in Honolulu, where she supports AFA-CWA members by helping them understand and navigate their collective bargaining agreement. Kahele-Manners’ union work is driven by a deep respect for the protections her contract provides—ensuring balance, preventing burnout and affirming the value of flight attendants’ work.
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 05/08/2026 – 10:34
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Nonprofit Youth Action Fund Organizes with CWA
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Nonprofit Youth Action Fund Organizes with CWA
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.
Staff at the Generation Z-led organizing nonprofit Youth Action Fund organized with the Communications Workers of America (CWA).“Since 2023, Florida Youth Action Fund (FYAF) has emerged as a critical player in the Florida youth organizing landscape,” the workers said. “With the dedication and drive of our staff, FYAF has mobilized thousands of students across the country and trained hundreds to become skilled youth advocates.”Youth Action Fund staff filed a petition for a union election to join CWA Local 3108 on May 1. They asked Youth Action Fund management to voluntarily recognize their union.“We’re excited to, you know, to hopefully get workers’ protections,” said Giancarlo Rodriguez, a Central Florida campaign adviser for Youth Action Fund. “And to let young people know too—and people all across Florida, regardless of age—that you can form a union, and it’s possible. No matter what kind of worker you are, no matter what industry, you know, you deserve worker protections. We want to have better wages, better working conditions, job security—all these really critical things that unions can bring.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 05/08/2026 – 10:29
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Cindy Datangel
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Cindy Datangel
For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Cindy Datangel of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU).
Born in Myanmar, Cindy Hwang Datangel immigrated to the United States in 1980. In 1998, she became a member of APWU. Today she is the general president of APWU Local 2 in San Francisco, the first woman to hold this position. Her primary goal is to maintain a strong and united APWU and ensure the long-term sustainability of the San Francisco local for future postal workers.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 05/07/2026 – 10:08
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Westchester County Airport Unifi Workers Join IAM Union
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Westchester County Airport Unifi Workers Join IAM Union
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.
Unifi customer service workers at the Westchester County Airport (HPN) have voted to join IAM Union (IAM) to secure a voice on the job.New York-based staff at the country’s largest aviation service provider are essential to daily HPN operations, including at Delta Air Lines and Breeze Airways. With the support of IAM Air Transport Territory and IAM Union District 142, these newly minted members overcame an aggressive union-busting campaign and are now looking forward to bargaining a fair contract that reflects their contributions.“Unifi workers fought hard for this, and we did it together,” said IAM Air Transport Territory Associate Rachel Arnold. “This is about having respect on the job and a real voice in our workplace. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished with Unifi workers and excited for what comes next.”“Unifi workers at HPN stood strong in the face of anti-union propaganda and intimidation, and they never backed down,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “Their courage sends a powerful message to workers everywhere — when you stand together, you can win.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 05/07/2026 – 10:01