AFL-CIO
Worker Wins: With A Clear Voice They Achieved Those Goals
Worker Wins: With A Clear Voice They Achieved Those Goals
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
REI San Diego Store Votes to Form Union: Workers at REI’s San Diego store voted last week to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 135, making it the largest union-represented location for the retailer in the country. This victory for REI Union’s growing organizing efforts comes just days after the conclusion of a nationwide boycott of the company’s Anniversary Sale. More than 70,000 co-op members pledged not to shop and stood in solidarity with workers calling for the company to bargain in good faith. “It’s been a long road, but we all want to make REI the best version of itself that it can be, and that is what brought us to this moment,” said staff member Jae Michael. “We are the ones stewarding the values of this co-op every single day, especially when we cannot rely on executive leadership to do the same. With our union, we’ll have a say in the decisions that affect our jobs and our lives. When we first started to organize, I knew we were joining a nationwide movement to hold REI accountable to its green vests and co-op members. I’m beyond proud to be a part of the REI Union so we can achieve that mission together.”Netflix Production Workers Ratify First Contract: Members of The Animation Guild (TAG), Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 839, who work at Netflix Animation Studios (NAS) have voted to ratify their first union contract. Feature production workers at the streaming platform approved the new deal with an overwhelming 89% casting ballots in favor. The agreement contains provisions establishing wage minimums, dismissal pay and critical workplace protections. “Since I started at NAS in 2019, production workers had undergone constant change, and the shifts in the industry made it clear that we needed to unionize,” production coordinator Thalia Nalapraya said. “It was a heartbreaking experience to see my colleagues laid off from projects without any safety net. Now that we have ratified our contract, I feel so proud and grateful—to the organizing committee who guided us through the Union vote, the Negotiations Committee for taking the seat at the table and setting the foundations for future negotiations, and the production workers at DreamWorks, Disney, Nickelodeon and others who unionized before us. We wouldn’t have gotten here without learning from their experiences.”Seattle Hospitalists Vote to Join AFT, Make State History: Swedish Medical Group hospitalists have voted to join Northwest Medicine United, AFT Local 6552, making history as the first physicians in the Providence system to unionize in Washington. Swedish Medical Group is part of Providence Swedish, Providence’s health system in the western part of the state. Approximately 115 medical professionals across five campuses in the Seattle area participated in the union election. “Physicians at Swedish Medical Group are organizing because they want a stronger voice in the decisions that affect patient care, physician autonomy and the future of healthcare,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten in a social media post. “I’m proud to stand with these hospitalists as they work to protect quality care and physician autonomy.”Nevada Administrative and Clerical Workers Join AFSCME: More than 3,500 Nevada state employees in administrative and clerical roles have voted to join AFSCME Local 4041. The new bargaining unit covers administrative assistants in all state agencies, departments, state colleges and universities, as well as other assistants, clerks and clerical staff. Once the Employee Management Relations Board certifies the election results, the state will have up to 60 days to begin contract negotiations. “I am proud of my co-workers for coming together to organize our union. As admin assistants, we are the backbone of our offices — nothing happens without us. And we deserve the dignity and respect that comes with having a unified voice on the job,” said Maria Behic, an administrative assistant in Las Vegas. “We look forward to joining our AFSCME family in building our power in the workplace.”Weyerhaeuser Workers in Pacific Northwest Ratify Historic Four-Year Agreement: IAM Union (IAM) District W24 members who work for Weyerhaeuser have overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year collective bargaining agreement. The bargaining unit covers 1,160 workers at the timber company’s sawmills, trucking operations, export yards and logging camps across Washington and Oregon. Highlights of the deal include an 11% total wage increase over the life of the contract, stronger pension and retirement benefits, expanded bereavement leave and more. “Weyerhaeuser IAM members wanted key family and financial issues addressed in the contract,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “With a clear voice they achieved those goals with help from District W24, the Western Territory and the International. We’re proud of our entire Weyerhaeuser membership at District W24.” “Strength and power were with this negotiating committee during the whole process,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. “The Committee told the company they needed to listen to the membership, and the ratified contract speaks clearly that those issues were heard.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 06/04/2026 – 10:37
Tags:
Organizing
Pride Month Profiles: Miranda Schubert
Pride Month Profiles: Miranda Schubert
For Pride Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ workers who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Miranda Schubert of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
Miranda Schubert did what is asked of many unionists—she ran for office! And she won. She represents Ward 6 on the Tucson City Council and continues to be a member of United Campus Workers of Arizona, CWA Local 7065. She never fails to be a voice for the working class and will continue to advocate for labor and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 06/04/2026 – 09:44
Tags:
Pride
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Staff at Illinois School District Win Powerful First Contract
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Staff at Illinois School District Win Powerful First Contract
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.
Members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 who work at Downers Grove (Illinois) Community High School District 99 (CSD99) have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement.Staff in the Custodial, Maintenance and Grounds (CMG) department first organized with SEIU last year, motivated by concerns around outsourcing. Highlights of the deal include raises, a guaranteed uniform allotment, a guarantee of no outsourcing for the duration of the contract and more.“When we got the news about being outsourced, with a strong support from teachers and staff, a large group of CMG personnel from the three schools decided it was time to Unionize,” said custodian Steve Elmer. “SEIU Local 73 has lifted a great weight off our shoulders, being a union will make us stronger and better than ever for future CSD99 CMG employees.”“I never [thought] highly of unions before, but after going through our first bargaining contract with our union representative Shea Marshall, it has changed my mind about unions,” said maintenance worker Jesse Eliasson.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 06/04/2026 – 09:38
Pride Month Profiles: Mariela Duran
Pride Month Profiles: Mariela Duran
For Pride Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ workers who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Mariela Duran of the Bricklayers (BAC).
“Being part of the BAC has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” Mariela Duran said. “From day one, I have always been treated with respect, professionalism, and equality. I’ve never felt excluded or judged for being myself; instead, I’ve been given opportunities to grow, learn, and succeed in every aspect of my journey. The BAC has shown me that inclusion is not just something we talk about—it’s something we truly practice every day.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 06/03/2026 – 09:55
Tags:
Pride
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Nevada Administrative and Clerical Workers Join AFSCME
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Nevada Administrative and Clerical Workers 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.
More than 3,500 Nevada state employees in administrative and clerical roles voted to join AFSCME Local 4041.The new bargaining unit covers administrative assistants in all state agencies, departments, state colleges and universities, as well as other assistants, clerks and clerical staff. Once the Employee Management Relations Board certifies the election results, the state will have up to 60 days to begin contract negotiations.“I am proud of my co-workers for coming together to organize our union. As admin assistants, we are the backbone of our offices—nothing happens without us. And we deserve the dignity and respect that comes with having a unified voice on the job,” said Maria Behic, an administrative assistant in Las Vegas. “We look forward to joining our AFSCME family in building our power in the workplace.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 06/03/2026 – 09:46
Tags:
Organizing
Happy Pride Month! In the States Roundup
Happy Pride Month! In the States Roundup
It’s time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations.
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:IT’S ELECTION DAY!Did you know that California law protects your right to take time off of work to go vote?Under the law, you may take up to two hours off to vote without losing any pay.Don’t miss your chance to exercise your right to vote! https://t.co/KAN6yjKNdg to find… pic.twitter.com/DYNDUpye6e— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) June 2, 2026Florida AFL-CIO:🚨ENDORSEMENT ALERT🚨The Florida AFL-CIO is proud to announce its endorsement of @JoseJavierJJR as the Attorney General for our working families! Read more on our website post here: https://t.co/2c64c1E3EZ pic.twitter.com/z2RjKxBL4X— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) May 27, 2026Illinois AFL-CIO:Earlier this month, the IAM Mechanics Local 701 Technician Training Center concluded Apprenticeship Week 2026 by graduating 29 technicians who successfully completed the program. These individuals will go on to become mechanics on our aircrafts, cars, trains and more. #1u pic.twitter.com/IFdz1Lm8IM— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) May 24, 2026Maine AFL-CIO:Every day working-class Mainers back @TroyJackson207 because they know he fights every day for them! pic.twitter.com/IcPQ4scINt— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) May 29, 2026Massachusetts AFL-CIO:Happy Pride Month! Every worker deserves a safe workplace where they can be themselves, free from discrimination and harassment. pic.twitter.com/KD24B03NFk— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) June 1, 2026Michigan State AFL-CIO:When union membership is strong, workers get a bigger piece of what they produce. Funny how that works. pic.twitter.com/JpIc2Si5qj— Michigan AFL-CIO ✊ (@MIAFLCIO) June 1, 2026Minnesota AFL-CIO:Across the state, reports have described restaurants losing significant revenue, cutting workers’ hours, and, in some cases, closing entirely. https://t.co/omAl6soQsW— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) June 2, 2026Missouri AFL-CIO:“A computer-generated image doesn’t have a mortgage to pay or groceries to buy, but our members do. To use our symbols to promote a policy that hurts working families is a moral insult & a desperate attempt to manufacture support for a dangerous proposal” – Brandon Flinn, MKLDC pic.twitter.com/BA5sxpdi3q— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) May 26, 2026Nevada State AFL-CIO:We are proud to announce the Grace Mactal Continuing Education Scholarship, established to honor the legacy of Grace Mactal who is a lifelong advocate for workers’ education, professional development, and leadership within the labor movement.Apply below:https://t.co/SPcdsrnnJ8 pic.twitter.com/VyjLZDES5m— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) May 28, 2026New York State AFL-CIO:Thank you to all of the union members who volunteered at LABOR WALKS across the state today! Join the next one: https://t.co/XzFqhz1LSU pic.twitter.com/sgoW587XOU— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) May 30, 2026North Carolina State AFL-CIO:”I’m originally from NC, and I’ve lived in Western NC since 2007. I’m a UPS delivery driver, a rank-and-file Teamster (IBT), and I serve as the recording secretary of the Western NC CLC.” Meet Thomas Lupton (@Teamsters): https://t.co/rW713opN0n #1u @aflcio— NC State AFL-CIO (@ncstateaflcio.bsky.social) (@NCStateAFLCIO) May 29, 2026Oregon Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:Oregon Labor Federation, AFL-CIO President Graham Trainor issued the following statement following the Nippon Dynawave implosion in Longview, WA on May 26, 2026:“My thoughts are with the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers members and their families impacted by the…— Oregon Labor Federation, AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) June 2, 2026Texas AFL-CIO:Registration for the next Texas-based Organizing Institute (OI) Training is NOW OPEN!Over three days, labor organizers will learn skills to empower workers to WIN respect and dignity on the job!Details: https://t.co/QPhSR3zIL7 pic.twitter.com/6BXPl5sH8U— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) June 1, 2026Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:This Pride Month, we celebrate the queer and trans workers whose leadership and organizing strengthen our labor movement every day.HAPPY PRIDE!! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️Photos: Mike Andrew, @PrideatWork pic.twitter.com/CF9VzJOugc— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) June 1, 2026Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:Working families need affordable child care. https://t.co/WamOYxIds0— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) June 2, 2026
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 06/02/2026 – 12:32
Pride Month Profiles: Eliana Holgate
Pride Month Profiles: Eliana Holgate
For Pride Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ workers who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today’s profile is Eliana Holgate of AFSCME.
Eliana Holgate has been a leader for AFSCME Local 6359 since its inception. She was an organizing committee lead for Howard County Library Workers United and bargained their first contract. She has been devoted to defending members’ rights, working as a union steward, chapter chair and local vice president.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 06/02/2026 – 09:45
Tags:
Pride
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Seattle Hospitalists Vote to Join AFT, Make State History
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Seattle Hospitalists Vote to Join AFT, Make State History
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.
Swedish Medical Group hospitalists have voted to join Northwest Medicine United, AFT Local 6552, making history as the first physicians in the Providence system to unionize in Washington.Swedish Medical Group is part of Providence Swedish, Providence’s health system in the western part of the state. Approximately 115 medical professionals across five campuses in the Seattle area participated in the union election.“Physicians at Swedish Medical Group are organizing because they want a stronger voice in the decisions that affect patient care, physician autonomy and the future of healthcare,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten in a social media post. “I’m proud to stand with these hospitalists as they work to protect quality care and physician autonomy.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 06/02/2026 – 09:44
Tags:
Organizing
A Fundamental Human Right Grounded In International Law: The Working People Weekly List
A Fundamental Human Right Grounded In International Law: 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.
Over 3500 Nevada State Admin Workers Join Union After Vote: “More than 3,500 administrative and clerical workers with the state of Nevada will join a union after a recent vote. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) announced that the staffers will now be part of Local 4041. ‘I am proud of my coworkers for coming together to organize our union,’ Maria Behic, an administrative assistant at the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center, said in a statement. ‘As admin assistants, we are the backbone of our offices—nothing happens without us. And we deserve the dignity and respect that comes with having a unified voice on the job.’”Minuteman Press Employees Join Union: “Athens’ local printing shop employees are once again union members: Minuteman Press announced May 22 that its workers have joined the Communication Workers of America Union. Minuteman Press owner Eva Bloom told the Independent the two-decades-old business had previous union representation under its first owner, too. Minuteman is a franchise with just over 1,000 locations worldwide. ‘It was previously owned by William Bowers, and then I purchased the business in October [2025],’ Bloom said. Previously, the shop’s workers were members of the Graphic Communications Conference. ‘When Bill sold the business, we were then not unionized, and then we kind of looked at our options to rejoin a union, and settled with Communication Workers of America,’ Bloom said. ‘The reason we ended up with Communication Workers of America specifically is because they had some really great additional benefits for the team.’”Steelworkers Ratify 3-Year Contract with Arconic: “United Steelworkers (USW) at four Arconic plants, including Davenport Works in Riverdale, have a new labor contract with the aluminum maker after union members ratified the tentative agreement on Wednesday, May 27. The three-year master contract covers roughly 3,400 workers across the four operations. In addition to Davenport Works, the contract covers union members at Lafayette Operations in Lafayette, Indiana; Tennessee Operations in Alcoa, Tennessee; and Massena Operations, USW Local 420, Massena, New York. ‘The unity of our membership across all of the Arconic locations gave us power to negotiate more secure jobs with improved wages and excellent benefits,’ USW International Vice President Ramirez said in a news release issued Wednesday night after the votes were counted. ‘When union workers stand together in the name of fairness and justice, there are no limits to what we can accomplish.’ The USW members cast their votes throughout Wednesday with USW Local 105 voting at the Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center. The union did not release specific vote totals.”Teachers’ Union Urges Schools to Curb A.I. Chatbots and Screen Time: “Warning that young people ‘are drowning in tech,’ Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, called on schools on Wednesday to stop giving digital devices like iPads to children in prekindergarten through second grade. In a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, Ms. Weingarten also urged elementary schools to avoid using artificial intelligence tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Khan Academy’s Khanmigo with children. And she called for new national privacy and safety standards for A.I. tools in all schools.”Dark Horse Employees Form Union: “A supermajority of staff at comics publisher Dark Horse Media, including its retailer Things From Another World, announced today their intent to unionize with Communications Workers of America (CWA), Local 7901. Dark Horse Workers United said its members have sent a letter, signed by 59 eligible employees, to interim CEO Jay Komas requesting voluntary recognition of the union by June 3. In the absence of that recognition, Dark Horse Workers United will petition the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for an election.”ALA Workers Vote Yes on Union: “American Library Association (ALA) employees voted overwhelmingly to approve the formation of ALA Workers United (ALAWU), a new union representing staff at the 150-year-old association. The final vote count, tallied on May 27, was 77–4, with 81 out of 87 votes counted. (Six votes were challenged.) The National Labor Relations Board will now certify the union, a process that may take approximately 10 days, allowing workers to begin collective bargaining.”Lobbyists Are Silencing the Voice of Working Kentuckians: “Twenty years ago, when I started my apprenticeship as a bricklayer, I never imagined my career would lead me to Frankfort as a part-time lobbyist for working people. Throughout my career in construction, I witnessed things that changed how I see the world. I’ve seen everything from minor injuries to a fatal fall from 65 feet. I’ve seen workers forced to work 16-hour days and then sleep in cargo vans on the job site because they were undocumented and had no other choice. I’ve seen workers develop debilitating illnesses after years of exposure to hazardous chemicals.”AFL-CIO Community Services to Help Kids Feel Ready Ahead of the School Year by Distributing Tennis Shoes: “With the FIFA World Cup just around the corner, AFL-CIO Community Services is making sure local kids and future soccer players have a good pair of shoes for the school year. Through its Soles for Christ shoe distribution program, the organization will once again provide brand-new tennis shoes to students across northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas. Nicki Seckinger, executive director, said this is the 24th year they have been doing the program.”Labor Unions Celebrate World Court’s Ruling That Enshrines the Right to Strike: “‘At a moment when workers’ organizations face sustained attacks around the world, this opinion reaffirms that the freedom to withhold one’s labor is not a privilege granted by the powerful, but a fundamental human right grounded in international law,’ AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a statement.”Weingarten and Wolfson: Higher Education Must Be Rebuilt to Restore Public Trust. Here’s How: “Last month, Yale University released a striking report acknowledging that public trust in higher education is eroding—and that universities themselves bear responsibility. The report’s authors offer a candid recognition of the depth of this crisis, citing a recent Pew Research Center poll indicating that 70% of Americans believe higher education is heading in the wrong direction. Reports like Yale’s point to real issues: cost, transparency and questions about academic culture. But recognition is not the same as a reckoning.”Please Stop Touching the Flight Attendants: “Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said there may be several factors at play. Passengers and crew are in close quarters on a plane. Travelers may feel like flight attendants are ‘a part of the furniture.’ People are out of their ordinary routines. ‘All of those things sort of come together to also create this dynamic where you might do something that you would never think to do in another situation,’ Nelson said. Flight attendants would prefer that passengers interact with them like they would with employees at any other place of business, said Sam Wilkins, a flight attendant for 28 years and first vice president of TWU Local 556, the union that represents Southwest flight attendants.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 06/01/2026 – 12:09
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Women’s National Basketball Players Association
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Women’s National Basketball Players Association
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 the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA).
Name of Union: Women’s National Basketball Players AssociationMission: To leverage the collective wisdom and vision of WNBA players and fully commit to affirming, defending, and advancing player interests on and off the court.Current Leadership of Union: Nneka Ogwumike serves as president. Kelsey Plum serves as first vice president, Elizabeth Williams serves as secretary, Brianna Turner serves as treasurer, and the WNBPA has three vice presidents: Alysha Clark, Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart. Each team’s players select a primary player representative and an alternate. There is a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. Terri Carmichael Jackson serves as the union’s executive director.Current Number of Members: 180Members Work As: Professional basketball players.Industries Represented: Women’s professional basketball.History: The WNBPA was created in 1998 to protect the rights of players and assist them in achieving their full potential on and off the court. It is the first labor union for professional women athletes. Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The WNBPA secured a transformational new CBA on March 19, 2026. The WNBPA monitors and enforces the CBA, files grievances on behalf of its members’ interests, and counsels players on benefits and post-WNBA career opportunities. The WNBPA also serves as a resource for current players competing internationally during the offseason. The WNBPA screens the backgrounds of agents, certifies them to work with WNBA players and monitors all player contracts. The Union offers resources for continued education, workers’ compensation, retirement, travel, and other opportunities. In addition, the WNBPA supports the off-the-court passions of its members by working with social justice and civil rights organizations, uplifting foundations that various players have formed, and promoting products sold by players in the Players’ Market. The WNBPA forms partnerships with corporate sponsors to promote players through its group licensing business. Learn More: Website, Instagram
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 06/01/2026 – 14:20