AFL-CIO
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Oshawa Power Workers Ratify New Union Contract
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Oshawa Power Workers Ratify New Union 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 Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 636 who work at Oshawa Power in Ontario, Canada, ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement. The old contract was set to expire in February 2025. The new contract goes into effect Nov. 1 and runs through Nov. 1, 2027. It provides the workers with increases in wages, benefits, premiums and allowances.
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 09/16/2024 – 10:02
Help Make Air Travel Safe: The Working People Weekly List
Help Make Air Travel Safe: 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.
Boeing Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Strike, in Defeat for Troubled Company: “Boeing workers picketed outside the company’s plants in Washington state early Friday morning after voting overwhelmingly to strike. Tens of thousands of machinists voted Thursday to reject a proposed deal between the company and the union that would have significantly boosted pay and benefits even as it fell short of other union demands. Some 96% of members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751 voted in favor of the strike—far more than the two-thirds needed to launch the work stoppage.”Harris Pushes for Labor Reforms, Union Support: “In an election year, Labor Day kicks off the official campaign season, and Vice President Kamala Harris kicked hers off with a bang. She had rallies in Detroit, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh, all major cities in battleground states. Joined by local elected officials in each place, vice presidential nominee Tim Walz in Milwaukee, and President Biden in Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, flanked by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, teachers’ union leaders Becky Pringle (National Education Association) and Randi Weingarten (American Federation of Teachers), Harris gave a rousing speech that reminded us that we have organized labor to thank for the eight-hour workday, pensions, paid vacations and health care, worker benefits that have now become standard.”Trump and Harris, with Divided Labor Records, Grapple for Pennsylvania’s Union Voters: “The AFL-CIO, the largest umbrella organization for U.S. unions, gave Harris a lifetime score of 98% on her Senate voting record. Walz got a 93% rating for his votes from the AFL-CIO when he served in the House of Representatives. He belonged to the National Education Association, the nation’s largest labor union, while working as a high school teacher.”TSA Officers Help Make Air Travel Safe. Workers Deserve Protections from Congress: “As the vice president for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 777, which represents Transportation Security Officers at airports across Wisconsin and Illinois, I work on behalf of the hundreds of transportation security officers who ensure that our passengers fly safely in and out of airports in those states. We take pride in on our work, and with over six million passengers flying in and out of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in 2023 alone, there’s a lot of work to take pride in.”AFL-CIO, Entertainment Unions Unveil Federal Priorities for Nonprofit Artists and Journalists: “The Department for Professional Employees, a trade department of AFL-CIO, the largest labor federation in the U.S., has put forward a slate of new federal policies it hopes can create more sustainable careers in the nonprofit arts and media sectors. The policies, which speak to concerns from nonprofit workers across 12 unions, including Actors’ Equity, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE and more, call for stronger labor protections as part of federal funding received through the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, gaining seats on federal grantmaking councils for working professionals and updating federal grants in these areas, so that the funds are not limited to just one production or project.”White House Calls for Stronger Labor Standards Across Federal Agencies: “President Joe Biden signed an executive order Sept. 6 calling on federal agencies to adopt a series of ‘high-road labor standards,’ according to an announcement from the White House, continuing the administration’s push toward expanding the federal workforce while pushing certain standards. The announcement calls the move the ‘first in history to specify a clear list of labor standards that all Federal agencies should look to prioritize.’”Tim Walz Is a Dream Pick for the Labor Movement: “Walz has a strong Labor record to match. In a July 29 letter urging Harris to choose Walz, 26 Minnesota Labor leaders noted that Walz enacted paid family and medical leave for all families, provided unemployment insurance to hourly school workers, expanded the collective bargaining rights of Minnesotans, provided free school meals to every Minnesota student, appointed a Labor lawyer to lead the state Department of Labor and Industry, signed a tough law against wage theft by corporations and developers, and made it illegal for employers to force working people to attend anti-union meetings. The centerpiece of Walz’s Labor policy is… a law he signed in May 2023 that the news website Minnesota Reformer described as potentially ‘the most significant worker protection bill in state history.’”Approval of Labor Unions Nears Record High: Gallup: “Seven in 10 Americans say they approve of labor unions, just shy of the record-high approval rating for organized labor, according to a new Gallup poll. The survey, released Monday, found 70% of Americans approve of labor unions, while 23% disapprove and 7% have no opinion. This is 1 point shy of the 71% reading in 2022, which marked the highest approval rating since 1965.”A Campaign Kickoff, an Ode to Labor: “In an election year, Labor Day kicks off the official campaign season, and Vice President Kamala Harris kicked hers off with a bang. She had rallies in Detroit, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh, all major cities in battleground states. She was joined by local elected officials in each place, Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz in Milwaukee, and President Biden in Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, flanked by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, teachers’ union leaders Becky Pringle (National Education Association) and Randi Weingarten (American Federation of Teachers), Harris gave a rousing speech that reminded us we have organized labor to thank for the 8-hour workday, pensions, paid vacations and health care, worker benefits that have now become standard. Those benefits didn’t come without a fight, nor did the establishment of Labor Day.”Walkout for Washington: “On Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 12 p.m. PT, AFSCME Council 28/WFSE-represented public service workers at state agencies, community colleges and four-year universities will Walkout for Washington to demand livable wages, safe staffing levels, and respect for the Washingtonians that depend on their services. Public workers organized in other unions are also joining these walkouts in a show of solidarity.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 09/12/2024 – 11:05
Service & Solidarity Action: 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding
Service & Solidarity Action: 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding
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 the wake of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, tens of thousands of emergency workers, construction workers and others rushed to the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to assist in rescue and recovery operations.Those near ground zero were exposed to a toxic mix of dust and fumes from the collapse of the twin towers and the fires that lingered. Twenty-three years later, many of these individuals are suffering from serious cancers, respiratory diseases and other serious health problems.We made a promise to provide medical care and take care of those who became ill because of that tragic day in American history. Unions led the fight to create the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, and now we need to act again.The WTC Health Program is once again facing a budget shortfall that will start to impact care and lead to budget cuts in 2028. The shortfall would occur just as we expect more people to need the program’s care due to an increasing number of 9/11 cancers.Survivors of 9/11 live in every single state and in 434 of 435 U.S. congressional districts. Every member of Congress should support legislation to fully fund this program.In partnership with Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act, will you call your members of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor the bipartisan 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2024?We hold in our hearts the memory of the flight crews of the four hijacked jetliners; the heroic firefighters, police officers, and other first responders who put themselves in harm’s way; and everyone we lost on that terrible day. We also remember the construction workers who worked tirelessly to move the wreckage and reclaim bodies, and the health care workers who saved so many lives. Their sacrifice and solidarity will never be forgotten.We cannot leave behind anyone still suffering today.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 09/12/2024 – 10:50
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Eos Workers Vote to Join USW
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Eos Workers Vote to Join USW
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.
Some 160 workers at Eos Energy Enterprises in Pittsburgh voted to join the United Steelworkers (USW) last week to ensure they have a voice in shaping the future of their role in the rapidly expanding clean energy sector.Workers at the zinc battery company manufacture batteries used to store electricity generated from renewable sources like solar and wind energy. The vote comes right as Eos is eligible for billions of dollars in clean energy federal investments from legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act. UAW members fought back against attempts to undermine their right to a free and fair union election, demanding that corporations receiving taxpayer money should respect the rights of their workforce. Their victory represents a powerful milestone in ensuring this emergent sector has high standards for labor rights.“We’re proud to be contributing to our nation’s energy future, but for that future to succeed, we need to earn fair wages and be treated with respect on the job,” said Dante Williams, an assembly operator at Eos. “Unionizing puts our future into our own hands, and now we’re looking forward to sitting down and bargaining a fair contract.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 09/11/2024 – 12:25
Labor Votes Debate Bingo
Labor Votes Debate Bingo
This election is crucial for working people. It’s about protecting our future: strong unions, better wages, affordable health care and a secure retirement. It’s about whether we’re going to build things in America and create millions of good union jobs doing it. It’s about standing up for our fundamental freedoms, including the freedom to join a union.
That’s Vice President Kamala Harris’ vision, and it’s why the labor movement is leading the way to mobilize millions of voters across the country to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.We’ll be following the #ABCDebate tonight at 9 p.m. ET and reacting in real time. And at our own union watch parties and in homes across the country, we’ll also be playing Labor Votes Bingo as a fun way to track what both candidates are saying.Try your luck by downloading a Labor Votes Bingo card.Want to play Labor Votes Bingo with friends? Download our five-pack of bingo cards here.Follow the AFL-CIO and President Liz Shuler on X/Twitter for live updates, and share your debate and bingo photos with us! The AFL-CIO will be posting reactions on Threads, Instagram and Facebook.And visit our BetterInAUnion.org website for all the facts on Vice President Harris and former President Trump’s records of working for working people, what the Trump Project 2025 Agenda would mean for working families and unions, and ways that you can take action between now and Election Day.Thanks for tuning in this evening ahead of this critical election for working people!
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 09/10/2024 – 16:02
Never Forget: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Never Forget: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here’s a look at the broad range of activities we’re engaged in this week.
Actors’ Equity:Rest in Peace, James Earl Jones. Through countless iconic roles on stage and on screen, he was an inspiration to so many over his 60-year career. In addition to his EGOT, Jones was awarded Equity’s Paul Robeson Award in 2011. He will be missed.https://t.co/xyKgf0v61o— Actors’ Equity (@ActorsEquity) September 9, 2024AFGE:Our union’s very existence depends on the outcome of the November election.Find out more about our Election 2024 volunteer opportunities ⬇https://t.co/DIZXFZ9oaI— AFGE (@AFGENational) September 6, 2024AFSCME:Brittney Kilfeather, a social worker and member of AFSCME Local 2663 (Council 4) in Connecticut, won our union’s Never Quit Service Award for her extraordinary dedication to her clients. https://t.co/qnQtP1GxU9— AFSCME (@AFSCME) September 9, 2024Alliance for Retired Americans:Remember as we head into tomorrow’s debate: Republican plans may have different names but they all have the same goal — to privatize Medicare and/or cut Social Security. https://t.co/2zrNwyOPcj— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) September 9, 2024Amalgamated Transit Union:John Costa, the International President of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), which boasts a membership of 200,000, emphatically stated, “Vice President Harris is without question the best candidate to beat Donald Trump… We must protect our job security, healthcare,…— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) September 10, 2024American Federation of Teachers:If you’re an AFT member and concerned about the impact of gun violence on higher education, join us Sept 30 for a discussion with the @WhiteHouse and @usedgov. https://t.co/O6CiI5fzYs— AFT (@AFTunion) September 10, 2024American Postal Workers Union:APWU Members – today we are flooding the lines of Congress to bring justice to our retirees! Call the APWU Legislative Hotline and tell your House representatives to sign the discharge petition, H.Res. 1410, to bring the Social Security Fairness Act directly to a vote. This bill… pic.twitter.com/8HGcp9XLwf— The American Postal Workers Union – APWU (@APWUnational) September 9, 2024Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:The AFA Honor Guard held our annual Remembrance ceremony at the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial to honor Flight 77. We were joined by our @APFAunity and @unionveterans siblings. We will #NeverForget. pic.twitter.com/1HA1nq4cZQ— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) September 10, 2024Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:ORGANIZING ALERT: On August 27th, 22 maintenance unit workers employed at Hearthside Food Solutions in Michigan City, Ind. filed for an election to be represented by the BCTGM. https://t.co/t5qeOQghBY— BCTGM International (@BCTGM) September 4, 2024Boilermakers:Tomorrow, many will remember where we were and what we were doing 23 years ago. Local 5 #Boilermaker Frank Kotnik remembers. Read about Brother Kotnik’s work as a Blacksmith in New York City, and what he saw on that fateful September day. https://t.co/Qht2jNbGxt pic.twitter.com/nEdBvWqzPk— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) September 10, 2024Bricklayers:We agree with the next President @KamalaHarris – When unions are strong, America is strong! ✊Like and Share if you agree!#UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/cBof7TvIFG— Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union (@IUBAC) September 10, 2024Communications Workers of America:https://t.co/MiacvfG1dQ pic.twitter.com/ud4CbX9Jpn— CWA (@CWAUnion) September 10, 2024Department for Professional Employees:Today, with our 12 AEMI affiliates we’ve launched the Reimagining Federal Support for the Arts and Public Media policy agenda, which advocates for policies to ensure professionals can have sustainable careers in the nonprofit arts & public media sector. https://t.co/VybNpJv7Hk— Department for Professional Employees (@DPEaflcio) September 10, 2024Electrical Workers:It’s true and working people are seeing the results. https://t.co/lamELK5IzB https://t.co/7z2gazYimR— IBEW (@IBEW) September 9, 2024Heat and Frost Insulators:Gear up for U.S. Election Day! 🇺🇸 🗳️ Register to Vote ✅ Check Registration 🏠 Update Address ✍️ Update Name ➡️ Check your registration today: https://t.co/YyeZccjAsR #InsulatorsUnion #Insulators #InsulatorPride #voterregistration #electionday pic.twitter.com/HoQ4xTz4nX— Insulators Union 🦎 (@InsulatorsUnion) September 10, 2024International Labor Communications Association:Our final workshop of the day is all about building union websites to engage, inform, and empower our members, presented by our friends from @CanLabourMedia! pic.twitter.com/5dITQJwpui— International Labor Communications Association (@ILCAonline) September 6, 2024Labor Council for Latin American Advancement:September 17 is #NationalVoterRegistrationDay! Help celebrate democracy by getting every eligible American registered & #VoteReady for 2024! #Empower24 https://t.co/YgZKZMpEyP pic.twitter.com/BhbIdAxOQ1— LCLAA (@LCLAA) September 10, 2024Labor Heritage Foundation:📚 LISTEN NOW! “Shift Happens: The History of Labor in the United States” 👧🧒https://t.co/W1Caz5Yx4X @JAlbertMann @FoundationWals #LaborRadioPod #History #WorkingClass #ClassStruggle @GeorgetownKILWP #LaborHistory @AFLCIO @StrikeHistory #LaborHistory @wrkclasshistory pic.twitter.com/2pQSg9CkLb— Labor Heritage (@LaborHeritage1) September 8, 2024Laborers:Twenty-three years after the September 11 attacks, we mourn and honor those lost in that cowardly assault on our nation. We will #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/dlgy1GIg4u— LIUNA (@LIUNA) September 11, 2024Machinists:IAM National Legislative & Political Director Hasan Solomon represented the IAM at today’s National Black Labor Leaders Breakfast hosted by @CBTU72 and @CBCInstitute. The breakfast addressed important discussions on Black wealth, Labor rights, and skills training to empower… pic.twitter.com/8ksAw6pSo3— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) September 11, 2024Metal Trades Department:Harris campaign website now outlines policy platform, including support for the PRO Act. The page lists Harris’s economic, immigration and foreign policy agendas, contrasting each section with the far-right Project 2025 policy proposal. https://t.co/RNOIhHeMWb— Metal Trades Dept. (@metaltradesafl) September 10, 2024Mine Workers:Matewan is one of the best labor movies in history and James Earl Jones is a reason why. https://t.co/9AR2YjpZ92— United Mine Workers (@MineWorkers) September 10, 2024Musical Artists:San Francisco Symphony Chorus Director Emeritus Vance Y. George sent a message to Symphony CEO and SFS Board Officers, expressing his concern about the drastic proposed Chorus budget cuts: https://t.co/kebVYjoOyc pic.twitter.com/PQTEOGCppf— AGMA (@AGMusicalArtist) September 10, 2024National Air Traffic Controllers Association:Today marks 23 years since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. We remember those who lost their lives and commend the aviation safety professionals that were on duty that day for their bravery and hard work. https://t.co/WuJ6CtIEHb pic.twitter.com/kDs1FCuf7q— NATCA (@NATCA) September 11, 2024National Association of Letter Carriers:NALC honors and remembers the victims of the terror attacks that took place on Sept. 11, 2001. In recognition of their heroism, we salute the first responders and individuals who bravely jumped into action to help others that day and throughout the recovery efforts that followed. pic.twitter.com/VHPWf6t23G— Letter Carriers (@NALC_National) September 11, 2024National Domestic Workers Alliance:.@aijenpoo: We want to make childcare more affordable and accessible and ensure that families don’t have to pay more than 7% of their income on childcare. Right now, in every state, people are paying more for childcare than housing. https://t.co/oBFFdkKVqO— Domestic Workers (@domesticworkers) September 9, 2024National Nurses United:Minnesota nurses are fired up at tonight’s @mnnurses #NursesForKamala debate watch party! 🔥 #Debate2024 pic.twitter.com/B2BzRQADUt— NationalNursesUnited (@NationalNurses) September 11, 2024NFL Players Association:It matters where you play.Despite 92% of surveyed players calling for high-quality grass, over half the league continues to use artificial fields.Players: check the playing surface at every NFL stadium so you know what you’re facing when you go to work each week. pic.twitter.com/EUSKDB5jWC— NFLPA (@NFLPA) September 7, 2024North America’s Building Trades Unions:September is Suicide Prevention Month. For resources visit: https://t.co/b7Bfvv5hwu pic.twitter.com/yIDPFtr6o2— The Building Trades (@NABTU) September 9, 2024Office and Professional Employees:We are proud to launch the AEMI Reimagining Federal Support for the Arts and Public Media policy agenda with our siblings @DPEaflcio & advocate for policies to ensure professionals can have sustainable careers in the nonprofit arts and public media sector. https://t.co/GjD1aoqmpd— OPEIU | #UnionStrong (@OPEIU) September 10, 2024Painters and Allied Trades:Unions like ours are central to our communities and how they live!We’d like to spotlight DC50 members who volunteered their time to paint the exterior and interior of the Lahaina Aquatic Center located in Maui, Hawaii, after it was destroyed during the 2023 wildfires. pic.twitter.com/xwN2NkafKJ— IUPAT (@GoIUPAT) September 11, 2024Plasterers and Cement Masons:Our democracy depends on ordinary people who make sure every election runs smoothly & everyone’s vote is counted. You can make sure we have safe, fair, efficient elections for all voters. Step up & become a poll worker for the next election today!https://t.co/RqaE1geilg— OPCMIA International (@opcmiaintl) September 8, 2024Pride At Work:What does it mean to you to have Inclusive contract language? #union #solidarity #collectivebargaining pic.twitter.com/1L83VIbMAE— Pride at Work (@PrideatWork) September 10, 2024Professional Aviation Safety Specialists:On 9/11/01 terrorists used 4 planes as weapons—deliberately crashing World Trade Center, Pentagon, a field in Penn. A dark day for America but aviation’s finest hour. PASS-represented workers at @FAANews helped guide over 4,500 planes to safe landings. #NeverForget #September11 pic.twitter.com/ex3VDvfEVy— PASS (@PASSNational) September 11, 2024Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union:On the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we honor and remember all the lives lost – including our brave first responders, many of whom were part of our NYC union family. We will #NeverForget! pic.twitter.com/7S6ZlJUqCw— RWDSU (@RWDSU) September 11, 2024Roofers and Waterproofers:How do we elect people who care about workers and our families? By showing up on Election Day.Register to vote here. It takes less than two minutes on average. If you want to check your registration status, you can do so here. https://t.co/HXCUXIqCDc— Roofers Union (@roofersunion) September 10, 2024SAG-AFTRA:Both Houses in the CA Legislature adopted bill #AB2602, ensuring proper representation and informed consent prior to licensing a performer’s digital voice & likeness. This fight goes hand-in-hand with our #VideoGameStrike 🎮🤝 Share and tag Governor @GavinNewsom to sign AB 2602! pic.twitter.com/0xu6u5aNwz— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) September 11, 2024Solidarity Center:Union activism can be felt far beyond the workplace. Unions & their members help shape local & national policies that make communities stronger & create more democratic societies.#WorkerRights #Solidarity #LaborMovement #1u pic.twitter.com/qYHgkLmvN1— Solidarity Center (@SolidarityCntr) September 9, 2024The NewsGuild-CWA:🚨 We’re on strike at @law360union! 🚨 @Law360 laid off 10% of our Guild-represented staff and violated U.S. labor law — right after LexisNexis boasted record revenue. We’re holding power to account and on the picket line today!✊Sign the pledge: https://t.co/qDzhhj7vWN pic.twitter.com/GE0iYt4pDK— NewsGuild-CWA (@newsguild) September 10, 2024Theatrical Stage Employees:Today, we remember our kin who worked tirelessly to keep Ground Zero bright. https://t.co/kbcM2OLXBl pic.twitter.com/ROj5pL4PtH— IATSE // #IASolidarity (@IATSE) September 11, 2024Transport Workers Union:The TWU Honors 9/11 Heroes pic.twitter.com/FIWshknN9N— TWU (@transportworker) September 11, 2024Transportation Trades Department:Congratulations to @IAFFPresident Ed Kelly and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Líma on getting reelected last week at the 57th @IAFFofficial Convention. Firefighters and IAFF members protect the public every single day, and together we’ll fight to protect their rights as workers. https://t.co/GVRUXjMesk— TTD | America’s Transportation Unions (@TTDAFLCIO) September 9, 2024UAW:Why are prices sky high? Because corporations are jacking up prices. And why do they do it? Corporate greed. If we’re going to fix the cost-of-living crisis, we’re going to have to take on Wall Street and corporate America head on.@KamalaHarris is up to the task. pic.twitter.com/iK6ozu3cJr— UAW (@UAW) September 9, 2024Union Veterans Council:With over 1 million union veterans in our ranks, we will ensure our voices are heard. This isn’t about politics—it’s about standing against anyone who believes they’re above our nation’s core values.As our oath states, we will “support and defend the Constitution.” https://t.co/CKVdaA2gzK— Union Veterans Council🪖✊ (@unionveterans) August 30, 2024UNITE HERE:“Workers aren’t making enough to support their families. Many can no longer afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to, and painful workloads are breaking their bodies.” – @GwenMillsUH https://t.co/d5RiWXyYD5— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) September 10, 2024United Food and Commercial Workers:Michigan Planned Parenthood said “Union YES!” Medical assistants at the Planned Parenthood health center in Livonia, Michigan, recently became the first Planned Parenthood unit to be represented by UFCW Local 876. Congratulations!➡️ https://t.co/OwDhtKw59d pic.twitter.com/rUWYrrCkbB— UFCW (@UFCW) September 6, 2024United Steelworkers:Today, we honor the bravery, resilience, and unity that define us as a nation. On this Patriot’s Day, we pay tribute to the lives forever changed by September 11, 2001. pic.twitter.com/cezaYRjHSR— United Steelworkers #EverybodysUnion (@steelworkers) September 11, 2024Utility Workers:Twenty-three years ago today, heroes including many utility workers rushed towards danger at ground zero. Please contact Congress to make sure that survivors and first responders receive the healthcare that they deserve. https://t.co/wlAHiLl90H pic.twitter.com/FavR71B0zH— UWUA National (@The_UWUA) September 11, 2024Working America:Healthcare is way too expensive – that’s what millions of working people like LaRonda are dealing with in neighborhoods across the country. It’s time to make health care cheaper for everyone, regardless of income. #HealthCare #WorkingAmerica pic.twitter.com/tyA6N9JjUM— Working America (@WorkingAmerica) September 9, 2024Writers Guild of America East:Writing is writing, whether it’s for animation or live-action. We’re fighting for a @PBS contract that gives animation writers the union coverage they deserve and for AI protections, paid parental leave and higher streaming residuals for ALL PBS writers. #PBSWritersUnited #1u pic.twitter.com/8viYaySryi— Writers Guild of America East (@WGAEast) September 9, 2024
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 09/10/2024 – 12:32
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Central Vermont Medical Center Support Staff Votes to Join Union
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Central Vermont Medical Center Support Staff Votes to Join 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.
Support staff at Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) overwhelmingly voted last week to join the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Vermont.This unit will cover licensed nursing assistants, mental health technicians, phlebotomists, front desk staff and food service workers across CVMC’s locations—including the hospital, 27 community-based medical practices and a nursing facility. The resounding election victory comes just over a year after CVMC nurses and technical staff also joined the state chapter of AFT. Core issues for these invaluable workers are largely based around lack of employment protections other hospital personnel have, the need for safer patient-to-staff ratios, and demands for higher wages and better benefits.“We are passionate about our jobs, and we value being in service to our central Vermont community, so we are hoping to work collaboratively with the CVMC administration to come to mutually beneficial agreements that will impact our community positively,” said Spencer Starr, a patient service specialist and organizing committee member.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 09/10/2024 – 10:36
It’s Better In A Union: In the States Roundup
It’s Better In A Union: 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 on X (formerly Twitter).
Alaska AFL-CIO:Week 2 of #LaborMonth2024 will be all about the #UnionDifference. Union members make more than their non-union counterparts and are more likely to have fringe benefits like healthcare. Simply put, #LifeIsBetterInAUnion! pic.twitter.com/Q19twRnteE— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) September 8, 2024California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:Support striking @unitehere hotel workers! https://t.co/oPh4lygtqh— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) September 4, 2024Colorado AFL-CIO:Tonight we talk to Sophie Mariam, a labor policy analyst for the Colorado Fiscal Institute, about a study called The Rise of the Union Curious. https://t.co/M8v456DrPsLabor Exchange tonight KGNU 6:00 PM 88.5 FM / 1390 AM Denver and online on the podcast. https://t.co/xu9gEqEhK3— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) August 5, 2024Connecticut AFL-CIO:More union members are out hitting doors for pro-worker candidates in Meriden! #1u #LaborVotes pic.twitter.com/XKeLu5j987— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) September 7, 2024Florida AFL-CIO:Floridians increasingly can’t afford Florida. This has to change. https://t.co/wcqH9G0IgC— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) September 9, 2024Georgia State AFL-CIO:We stand with you ❤️💪🏽#1u #unionstrong #unionproud #solidarity https://t.co/p0PNlH1QIA— Georgia AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOGeorgia) September 4, 2024Illinois AFL-CIO:We believe everyone should have access to a good paying job and the ability to retire with dignity. In fact, we believe that your ability to succeed in a job should depend on your craft and quality of work, not your gender.Learn more here: https://t.co/AVUklnHkWs#1u pic.twitter.com/2j2qyZ9xWo— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) September 7, 2024Indiana State AFL-CIO:#ItsBetterinaUnion pic.twitter.com/fYenQZNxqE— Indiana AFL-CIO (@INAFLCIO) September 4, 2024Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:You’re damn right they do! 💪 Order your shirt today: https://t.co/jbvyJIiTbo pic.twitter.com/odm25YisPF— Iowa AFL-CIO ✊ (@IowaAFLCIO) August 29, 2024Maine AFL-CIO:Anti-labor Federalist Society goon Leonard Leo, who helped tilt the Supreme Court against workers, is now bankrolling efforts to kill offshore wind & the thousands of local union jobs it will support in Maine.https://t.co/QRWnjdiZWm— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) September 6, 2024Massachusetts AFL-CIO:Excited to kick off our annual SkillsBuild Pre-Apprenticeship Program today @IUOELocal4! pic.twitter.com/nQOB8N8orQ— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) September 9, 2024Minnesota AFL-CIO:Great day on the doors across Minnesota! When we elect Labor-endorsed candidates, working people win in St. Paul and Washington, DC! #BetterInAUnion #1u #Labor2024 #mnleg pic.twitter.com/ycCIEXLPYQ— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) September 7, 2024Missouri AFL-CIO:#Unions work best when we oppose #RightToWork and support policies that support #Workers. #1u #Solidarity pic.twitter.com/nmI7FLomX0— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) September 8, 2024Nevada State AFL-CIO:This morning we had a giant shredding truck in front of our offices & union workers demonstrated how Donald Trump’s Project 2025 would destroy workers’ rights and other freedoms affecting all Nevadans. We’re not going back! pic.twitter.com/gnmTDqdZqJ— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) September 7, 2024New York State AFL-CIO:The Retail Worker Safety Act has been signed into law! Congratulations to @sappelbaum and @RWDSU; and a big thanks to @NYSenatorRamos and @KarinesReyes87 for sponsoring the bill, to @GovKathyHochul for signing it, and to the Senate and Assembly majorities for their support. pic.twitter.com/pVfFi6nPtR— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) September 6, 2024North Carolina State AFL-CIO:”NC should be the #1 state for both workers and businesses. These two ideas are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are interconnected.” @votebraxton #ncpol #1u Read more at: https://t.co/pAJwADk1Ce— NC State AFL-CIO // #CountMeIn (@NCStateAFLCIO) September 9, 2024Ohio AFL-CIO:#ItsBetterInAUnion https://t.co/x8P0CyIot6— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) September 7, 2024Oregon AFL-CIO:Join #OregonLabor to kick off election season at a canvass in Portland for State Rep. and union member @Rep_HoaNguyen and @DanRayfield, our next Attorney General!Coffee, lunch and training provided.Sign up and get more info at https://t.co/B1B90w7Rqn pic.twitter.com/BC8sOS3paX— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) September 9, 2024Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:We need to talk to our fellow union members, our neighbors, our friends, and make sure they understand what’s at stake.Let’s get to work with @AlleghenyLabor and across the Commonwealth! #Labor2024 https://t.co/pfXwfq2Fiy— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) September 7, 2024Texas AFL-CIO:Strong take by @AustinChronicle as @afa_cwa seeks to improve working conditions at United Airlines by authorizing strike. Three years and still no contract?!? #FairContractNow #1u https://t.co/0C4JcUZHqP— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) September 6, 2024Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:Tim Walz Champions Unions in Milwaukee Labor Day Appearance https://t.co/pHPD7ypVsS— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) September 3, 2024
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 09/09/2024 – 10:42
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM and Boeing Reach Tentative Labor Deal, Potentially Averting Strike
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM and Boeing Reach Tentative Labor Deal, Potentially Averting Strike
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 the Machinists (IAM) at Boeing reached a tentative contract agreement that averts a strike that would’ve begun Thursday if no deal was agreed to. The contract covers approximately 33,000 workers and includes 25% raises over four years and improvements to health care costs and retirement benefits, and a commitment from Boeing to build its next airplane in the Pacific Northwest. The workers will vote on the deal on Sept. 12.“Financially, the company finds itself in a tough position due to many self-inflicted missteps. It is IAM members who will bring this company back on track,” the union said. “When a plane leaves the factory, it’s our reputation on the line. This proposal helps keep our legacy alive.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 09/09/2024 – 10:06
The Year of the Union Member: The Working People Weekly List
The Year of the Union Member: 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.
Kamala Harris and Labor Unions Need Each Other: “Union members should not allow themselves to be deceived by Trump again. But their leaders acknowledge that even with his track record, Trump’s allure for some is strong. ‘He’s been very effective at messaging working-class people,’ AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler told Politico recently, particularly on unfair trade policies and offshored jobs.”How Tim Walz Showed He Has Workers’ Backs: “Many of Cliff Tobey’s friends and neighbors struggled over the years to get their children to doctor’s appointments or pick them up when schools closed early during Minnesota’s brutal winters. Lacking paid sick and family time, the United Steelworkers (USW) activist recalled, they used vacation days to cover family emergencies even if that meant working themselves to the bone the rest of the year without a real break. That all changed in 2024 because of Governor Tim Walz. He signed a paid family leave act and other legislation that’s not only making Minnesota the ‘best state for workers’—as his administration declares—but showing working people across the country the kind of ally he’d be if elected vice president in November.”Infrastructure Law Creates Union Jobs : “As a union member for 37 years, I know the difference a good-paying, pro-worker job can make. I am proud to be a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and, for the last 12 years, business manager of Local Union 388 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This year has been extraordinary for our union. We are just over halfway through the year and we have seen a great number of union job commitments across the state. Gov. Tony Evers coined this year ‘the year of the worker.’ I would add it is also the year of the union worker.”Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Encourages Boeing and Workers to Reach ‘Fair Contract’: “Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su on Wednesday encouraged Boeing and more than 30,000 of the planemaker’s factory workers to bridge a divide in negotiations and reach a fair contract, as a vote on a new deal looms on Sept. 12. Boeing’s Seattle-area workers, who produce the planemaker’s strongest-selling 737 commercial jet, are voting next week on their first new contract in 16 years, with the two sides still tackling demands such as job security.”UAW Members at Cornell Approve New Contract, Ending Strike: “UAW members at Cornell University have voted to approve a new contract with the university, officially ending the strike that disrupted campus operations at the start of the fall semester. The vote, conducted on September 1 and 2, saw 77% of union members favor ratifying the deal, which was reached on August 28 after weeks of negotiations. ‘The tentative agreement has been ratified, and the strike is officially over,’ said Lonnie Everett, UAW International Servicing Representative for Region 9, in the statement announcing the voting results. ‘Your unwavering solidarity and unity have led us to this historic moment.’”Lawmakers Unveil Federal Warehouse Workers Protection Bill: “Alarmed at the safety threats warehouse workers face nationally, especially if they work for Amazon and Walmart, a bipartisan group of four representatives unveiled federal legislation to mandate bosses disclose production quotas and banning production methods that endanger warehouse worker health and safety. ‘Businesses can keep workers safe and earn a profit, but that’s only possible with more transparency and more accountability to bring warehouse safety standards up to date,’ explained Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), a union electrical worker and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. ‘The increasingly dangerous working conditions at warehouses across the country that result from these quota systems are wholly unacceptable,’ added Norcross, former president of the South Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council and the measure’s lead sponsor.”Unions Are Taking More Prominent Roles in U.S. Politics as Support for Labor Rises: “Democrats need labor to turn out. Liz Shuler is the president of the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor organization. She says, in key battleground states, union members make up 20% of the vote. Plus, it’s also significant that public support for unions is the highest it’s been since the 1960s. LIZ SHULER: We’ve had historic highs. The last several years, young people under the age of 30 are the most pro-union, so what does that speak to? It speaks to the fact that the economy has been broken for young people for way too long.”AFL-CIO President: Union Members Are Powerful. We Will Decide This Election: “The AFL-CIO represents nearly 13 million workers in our federation across 60 unions. This time every year, we come together to put the labor back in Labor Day. As much as we love the barbecues, the mattress sales—this is our week. This is about recognizing and appreciating the workers who make this country run. Last year, we started a conversation about how workers are doing in this country. Some of these numbers may surprise you: 70% of Americans support unions, among young people under the age of 30, it’s nine in 10. Union workers are continuing to find their power in two very distinct ways.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 09/06/2024 – 10:17