AFL-CIO
Solidarity Forever: In the States Roundup
Solidarity Forever: 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.
Alaska AFL-CIO:Electric May Day celebration in Anchorage, Alaska yesterday! Our community came together to stand up for workers in every sector and demand answers from our federal delegation.One Union. One Alaska. One Fight. ✊#MayDay #UnionStrong #1u pic.twitter.com/rZW2pYFvZF— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) May 2, 2025Arizona AFL-CIO:✊Today is International Workers’ Day! We celebrate the strength and solidarity of the labor movement and say “enough.” We are fighting back on illegal attacks on our jobs, our unions, our contracts, and our freedoms.https://t.co/HSVGdh5wLs pic.twitter.com/LumNIfOyxW— Arizona AFL-CIO (@ArizonaAFLCIO) May 1, 2025California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:We stand in strong solidarity with @UPTECWA and @afscme3299, who are on strike today protesting unfair labor practices at the University of California. Here’s a photo from the UPTE action in Sacramento! #MayDay pic.twitter.com/Xa6NhhY85l— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) May 1, 2025Colorado AFL-CIO:The Colorado House just heard the Worker Protection Act! This bill is a fair shot at strong unions and an economy that works for all of us. @GovofCO , sign this bill & stand with the workers who power our economy every day. @baconforco #coleg pic.twitter.com/tDSB15jjiS— Colorado AFL-CIO ✊ (@AFLCIOCO) May 5, 2025Connecticut AFL-CIO:Incredible support from Day 1 on the IAM strike line in East Hartford! We appreciate you all and we’ll be here every day until the members get a fair contract! pic.twitter.com/uxzysvFbjR— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) May 5, 2025Illinois AFL-CIO:Senate Labor Chair Robert Peters joined the @AWFUnionPodcast to talk about his journey into politics, Illinois’ pro-worker legislation and efforts to prepare Illinois residents for careers in the trades.Tune in here: https://t.co/HGhieHGQH1 pic.twitter.com/JfFG78lRV7— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) May 5, 2025Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:Happy International Workers’ Day! Today the world celebrates the courage and resolve of workers who have fought for safety, dignity and justice at work. Solidarity Forever! ✊#MayDay #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/X0XUpTtW2E— Iowa AFL-CIO ✊ (@IowaAFLCIO) May 1, 2025Maine AFL-CIO:”Unfortunately, [our staffing is] subject to potential reductions through the [Congressional] budget reconciliation process,” said Bangor air traffic controller Bryan Loquet, @NATCA State Coordinator for Maine. https://t.co/D7dV9vNhpm— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) May 6, 2025Massachusetts AFL-CIO:Support Macy’s Workers Fighting for a better future! @ufcw1445https://t.co/ygvXwKmbe6 pic.twitter.com/7vMgCsWkjh— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) May 6, 2025Michigan State AFL-CIO:Satellite company CEOs are being greedy and pushing to funnel more of the money intended for fiber buildout to unreliable satellite internet service. Enough is Enough. Protect our work and reliable, affordable internet service NOW: https://t.co/XNR6akvDqw pic.twitter.com/fSnqHaFXMS— Michigan AFL-CIO ✊ (@MIAFLCIO) May 6, 2025Minnesota AFL-CIO:Join us on June 29th! #BetterInAUnion https://t.co/zf8GmzOBtp— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) May 5, 2025Missouri AFL-CIO:As Trump & his DOGE team attack our union contracts and basic freedoms, we must stand united in our fight for a better future for all workers. Our solidarity is our strength. You come for one of us, you come for ALL OF US. https://t.co/atG8VHy6AT— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) May 2, 2025Nebraska State AFL-CIO:Our rights weren’t given. They were fought for and won by workers who refused to accept dismal working conditions.On International Workers’ Day and every day, the labor movement carries their strength in our fight for worker justice. #MayDay2025 pic.twitter.com/brlO5XBLAC— NE State AFL-CIO (@NEAFLCIO) May 2, 2025Nevada State AFL-CIO:This afternoon we joined SEIU 1107 at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center professionals at their rally for quality patient care and tetention! pic.twitter.com/OUgUg73XLP— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) May 6, 2025New York State AFL-CIO:Statement of President Mario Cilento on Unemployment Insurance Benefit: https://t.co/gKfivGHCjv— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) May 5, 2025North Carolina State AFL-CIO:Workers, veterans and retirees are speaking out about how North Carolinians are being hurt by DOGE cuts to our essential services. Why is @SenThomTillis so afraid of hearing from his constituents? pic.twitter.com/DUFqSDOyQQ— NC State AFL-CIO (@ncstateaflcio.bsky.social) (@NCStateAFLCIO) April 29, 2025Oregon AFL-CIO:Oregon State Representatives are considering a key labor bill, SB 916A, which extends unemployment benefits to striking workers. Stand with Oregon workers today and send a letter asking lawmakers to Vote YES on SB 916A. https://t.co/TEH1DkhEjk pic.twitter.com/cEWmV0lND4— Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) May 5, 2025Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:The U.S. Department of Labor exists to protect workers—like coal miners. But they are trying to dismantle those protections piece by piece. Without a strong DOL, worker safety isn’t just at risk—it’s gone. pic.twitter.com/5MOJn1KqMl— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) May 5, 2025Texas AFL-CIO:Solidarity with workers at Austin’s @alamodrafthouse Slaughter Lane who just voted to join @UAW! Welcome to Texas labor, y’all! (via @KVUE) #ATX #UnionStrong https://t.co/hbMjuBXvve— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) May 6, 2025Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:NIOSH keeps Workers safe. Call and demand Congress save NIOSH from DOGE’s reckless cuts! https://t.co/hSCyIRrMKQ— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) May 5, 2025Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:Worker safety agency NIOSH lays off most remaining staff https://t.co/3blbSUikep via @CBSNews— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) May 5, 2025
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 05/06/2025 – 11:15
Pressure Comes from the People: The Working People Weekly List
Pressure Comes from the People: 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.
U.S. Labor Unions Demand ‘Brother’ Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Return from El Salvador: “The letter was signed by Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO labor federation; James Williams, Jr., president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, or IUPAT; Gwen Mills, president of the hospitality union Unite Here; and Michael Coleman, president of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, or SMART, which is Abrego Garcia’s union.”Writers Guild Voluntarily Recognizes Staff Union: “The Writers Guild of America West has voluntarily recognized its staff’s intent to unionize with the Pacific Northwest Staff Union, allowing the bargaining unit to move forward on its first labor contract. ‘We have an agreement on our first demand, and we’re excited to take this important step towards having a voice in improving our workplace and organizing without fear of retaliation,’ WGAW Operations Coordinator II and Writers Guild Staff Union leader Doug MacIsaac said. ‘We’re happy to be able to advocate for ourselves and look forward to negotiating our first collective bargaining agreement.’”AFL-CIO President Visits Maine to Highlight Potential Impacts of Veterans Administration Cuts: “Union officials are warning that potential cuts to the veterans’ administration will result in longer wait times for services and benefits. Last month, the federal Department of Veterans Affairs announced a reorganization plan that calls for reducing the VA workforce by 83,000 employees this year, one of many federal cost cutting measures. In response, members of the AFL-CIO gathered in Augusta Wednesday to share their stories as part of a roundtable discussion with National President Liz Shuler. She’s been traveling the country to meet with workers in places like Maine, that ‘aren’t strongholds for either political party,’ she said. ‘This is about capturing workers’ voices and bringing their stories to life because often they are left out of the conversation,’ she said.”Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Musicians Agree on New Contract: “Established in Kansas in 1944, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra has recently come to an agreement with its musicians to increase their salaries, among other deals. In all, 45 members of the Wichita Musicians’ Association, local union No. 297 of the American Federation of Musicians, unanimously approved the contract, which will run through June 2028 and cover around 80 orchestra musicians.”Coalition of Nonprofits, Unions Launch Challenge to Trump’s ‘Unlawful’ Attack on Government: “‘The Trump administration’s reckless attempt to dismantle our government without congressional approval threatens vital services Americans depend on every day—from caring for veterans and safeguarding public health, to protecting our environment and maintaining national security,’ said AFGE national president Everett Kelley. ‘This illegal power grab would gut federal agencies, disrupt communities nationwide, and put critical public services at risk. AFGE is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this coalition to protect not just the patriotic public servants we represent, but the integrity of American government and the essential services that our nation deserves.’”Too Many Workers Die on the Job Every Year. Trump’s Attacks on OSHA Will Kill More: “This Monday marked Workers Memorial Day, an annual international day of remembrance of workers who have died on the job, as well as a day of action to continue the fight for workplace safety. An estimated 140,587 U.S. workers died from hazardous working conditions in 2023, according to a new AFL-CIO report. This amounts to roughly 385 workplace-related deaths a day. While mourning these lives lost, there is also reason to fear this death toll will only rise due to aggressive Trump administration attacks on basic health and safety protections long taken for granted in most U.S. workplaces.”Referendum to Repeal Anti-Union Law Meets Threshold to Qualify for 2026 Ballot: “Labor groups have met the requirements to put a measure on the 2026 ballot to repeal a law banning police, firefighters and teachers unions from representing their members in contract negotiations. As of Monday morning, the referendum backers had reached their target in the required 15 senate districts, in addition to the 146,480 verified signatures statewide, according to the lieutenant governor’s office.”SAG-AFTRA National Board Overwhelmingly Approves Commercials Contracts Deal: “SAG-AFTRA’s National Board overwhelmingly approved 2025’s Commercials Contracts tentative agreements reached with the Joint Policy Committee April 12, meaning the agreements will now move on to the membership for ratification. The decision, made at the regularly scheduled, two-day, in-person assembly, yielded a deal valued at an increase of $218.4 million in new earnings and benefit plan contributions over three years. If ratified, the agreements would provide compounded increases in performer compensation at a rate of 5% in year one, 4% in year two and 3% in year three.”AFL-CIO President on Mass Protests: ‘Pressure Comes from the People’: “AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler joins The Weekend to discuss how to keep the momentum going following massive anti-Trump protests this month.”Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Its Attack on Union Rights: “Trump’s executive order, which AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler called ‘the most significant attack on workers’ rights in history,’ applied to workers at a wide swath of agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Treasury Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Shuler applauded Friedman’s injunction. ‘We commend the court for recognizing the Trump administration’s executive order stripping collective bargaining rights for what it was: illegal, retaliatory union-busting,’ Shuler said in a statement. ‘This was the most significant attack on workers’ rights in history, and if Trump was allowed to do it to federal workers, he would be able to do it to every worker in America, in every workplace and every industry.’”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 05/06/2025 – 11:11
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Ili Meaole
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Ili Meaole
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans 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 Ili Meaole of AFGE.
Ili Meaole has dedicated more than 21 years of her life to the labor movement, fighting tirelessly for the rights of workers. Her journey began in 2002 when she joined the union and became a steward, driven by a desire to advocate for her colleagues. In 2008, she was elected as local secretary, working relentlessly to ensure equality in the workplace. Meaole continues to lead with determination as AFGE District 11’s elected National Fair Practice and Affirmative Action Coordinator. She is also a proud member of the AFGE Council of Prison Locals.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 05/06/2025 – 09:42
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Members at Pratt & Whitney Go on Strike
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Members at Pratt & Whitney Go on 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.
Approximately 3,000 members of Machinists (IAM) locals 700 and 1746 in Connecticut rejected the latest proposal from their employer, Pratt & Whitney, and launched a work stoppage early Monday morning to secure a fair contract.Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of defense company RTX, produces engines for both commercial and military jets. Workers at the aerospace manufacturer voted with about 77% in support of a strike after management failed to provide a deal that sufficiently addressed concerns over wages, retirement and job security.“Pratt and Whitney is a powerhouse in military and commercial aerospace products because our membership makes it so,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “This offer does not address the membership concerns, and the membership made their decision—we will continue to fight for a fair contract.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 05/06/2025 – 09:32
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Actors and Artistes
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Actors and Artistes
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 63 of our affiliates. Next up is the Actors and Artistes (4As).
Name of Union: Associated Actors and Artistes of America.Current Leadership of Union: Gabrielle Carteris, president.Mission: The 4As works to advance and protect the welfare of the people who work to entertain and inform others in person and through every medium of recording and transmission. There are five member unions that make up the 4As. Actors’ Equity Association, the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and SAG-AFTRA are directly affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Two other unions are part of the AFL-CIO through their membership in the 4As: the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) and the Italian American Actors (GIAA). Administrative functions of the 4As are handled by the Department for Professional Employees (DPE).
American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA)Mission: To represent performing artists and stage managers for live performances in the variety field.Current Leadership of Union: Judy Little serves as executive president. Other officers include Christopher Johnson (executive vice president), Susanne K. Doris (executive secretary-treasurer), Thania Guzman (director of membership) and Darlene Wendy Frank (national comptroller).Members Work as: Variety performers, including singers and dancers in touring shows and in theatrical revues, theme park performers, skaters, circus performers, comedians and stand-up comics, cabaret and club artists, lecturers, poets, monologists, spokespersons, and those working at private parties and special events.Industries Represented: Any performances in the variety area.History: AGVA was founded in 1939.Current Campaigns and Community Efforts: The AGVA Welfare Trust Fund is a self-funded major medical insurance plan, governed by a board of trustees, for the purpose of providing medical, optical and dental insurance coverage to eligible AGVA performers. AGVA offers current and previous members assistance through the Margie Coate Sick and Relief Fund, which is also regularly involved with other industry-related charities that benefit AGVA members, such as the Entertainment Community Fund, Episcopal Actors’ Guild, Catholic Actors Guild, Better Wellness, the New York Health Fair, Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative, Central Labor Rehabilitation Council, St. Malachy’s Actors’ Chapel and various telethons. The fund also presents regular variety shows using the talents of AGVA member performers (for which they are paid a fee for expenses) at various senior citizen facilities, hospitals, care centers, schools and public service locations throughout the country. AGVA also provides members with visa application assistance. Learn More: Website, Facebook, X
Italian American Actors (GIAA)Mission: Helping advance, promote, foster and protect the welfare of its members within its own jurisdiction and its sister unions. To preserve the history and awareness of Italian heritage among its members.Current Leadership of Union: Carlo Fiorletta is the president of GIAA. Other officers include Carolyn McDonough (first vice president), Debbie Klaar (second vice president), Mara Lesemann (secretary/treasurer), Simcha Borenstein (councilor), Ashley Wagner (councilor), Ron Piretti (alternate councilor), Regina M. Cafarelli (alternate councilor), Elaine LeGaro (alternate councilor) and Paul Borghese (president emeritus).Members Work as: Actors.Industries Represented: The arts and entertainment industries.History: GIAA was founded in 1937 as the Italian Actors Union to provide a voice for small ethnic theater groups. Since the 1990s, the group has been known as the Guild of Italian American Actors. Current Campaigns and Community Efforts: GIAA provides news and casting opportunities to its members. If members choose to have their headshot and resume included on the website, their information will be available to casting directors and agents who regularly use the site as a resource.Learn More: Website, Facebook
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/05/2025 – 13:05
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Angie Nguyen
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Angie Nguyen
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans 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 Angie Nguyen of AFSCME.
Angie Nguyen is a home care provider in California, caring for her mother and aunt, both in their 80s. Originally from Vietnam, she moved to California in 1993 through help from the Humanitarian Operation Program. Nguyen has been a proud United Domestic Workers (UDW/AFSCME) member since 2008 and currently serves as a board member, committed to lifting up home care and family child care providers, clients and communities through collective action. She has helped grow the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance’s (APALA’s) membership in Orange County, organized activists for community actions and local elections, and worked with the Orange County Labor Federation to advance APALA’s mission.
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/05/2025 – 10:24
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Unions Ask Congress to Demand That President Trump Reinstate Fired NIOSH Workers
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Unions Ask Congress to Demand That President Trump Reinstate Fired NIOSH Workers
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.
On Thursday, the AFL-CIO and 27 labor unions urged members of Congress to pressure the Trump administration to reverse its effort to gut the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). More than 85% of NIOSH staff have been placed on administrative leave and will be terminated in June without action. NIOSH plays a crucial role in protecting workers on the job, and without a fully staffed and functioning agency, the number of tragic and avoidable workplace injuries and fatalities will increase.“[I]n its attempt to restructure the Department of Health and Human Services using artificial intelligence, the so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ functionally dismantled NIOSH—one of the most critical and impactful agencies to every worker in America, their families and to industries alike,” the labor organizations wrote. “This decision must be immediately reversed as it will take working conditions back centuries, when chronic occupational diseases and fatalities skyrocketed with no government agency to help identify causes and research interventions.”Read the full letter and list of signatories here.
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/05/2025 – 09:53
May Day Means Solidarity
May Day Means Solidarity
Today is May Day, or International Workers’ Day, the day the world celebrates the bravery of workers throughout history who have sacrificed for safety, dignity and justice on the job.
We’re united in our resolve to fight for a better future for ALL workers abroad and at home, including those targeted by the DOGE/Project 2025 Agenda.That includes our International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) brother Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was ripped away from his family in Maryland and sent to a prison in El Salvador, and our Service Employees International Union (SEIU) sister, Rümeysa Öztürk, taken while walking to dinner in Massachusetts and thrown into a detention center thousands of miles away.Neither of these workers committed a crime. Our solidarity is our strength. We take pride in knowing that we are a global movement standing up to the billionaires who are threatening our rights and freedoms. Here are a few important ways you can get involved this May Day:Find an event near you! Get involved and join the fight for a better future for workers. President Trump’s executive order to eliminate the collective bargaining rights of hundreds of thousands of federal workers is blatant union-busting. Fill out this form to call your representative and tell them to overturn this executive order by supporting the Protect America’s Workforce Act! Or dial 844-896-5059. DOGE is gutting the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the agency that conducts job safety research on things like asbestos, lead and silica. This is a gift to corporations that want to slash worker protections to create more profits. Call your member of Congress and demand that they save NIOSH! Fill out this form to receive a call or dial 844-292-9097.Working people won’t allow billionaires to divide us based on where we’re from.This May Day, we’re standing together to send a message loud and clear across the country and the globe: We’re united in our resolve to fight for a better future for all workers.Thank you for getting involved.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 05/01/2025 – 14:44
Worker Wins: A Pivotal Opportunity
Worker Wins: A Pivotal Opportunity
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
RWJBarnabas Clinicians Vote to Join AAUP: On Tuesday, 150 clinicians from RWJBarnabas Health voted to join the American Association of University Professors—Biomedical Health Sciences of New Jersey (AAUP-BHSNJ). RWJBarnabas is a network of independent health care providers in New Jersey, and after a 2018 agreement forged with Rutgers University, it became the largest academic health system in the state. Clinically Focused University Practitioners (CFUPs) are physician faculty members with 10% employment at Rutgers and 90% employment at RWJBarnabas. This role was created during the COVID-19 pandemic, depriving academic physicians of the union-negotiated benefits and protections that their 100% Rutgers-employed colleagues in the exact same departments and clinics enjoyed. They were previously excluded from union representation, a move that the union decried as illegal. CFUPs faced intimidation as management attempted to suppress union support, but ultimately they emerged victorious in their fight for equal benefits and protections. “We do not tolerate union busting or creating new inequities in the workforce,” said Todd Wolfson, national president of the AAUP and local president of the Rutgers AAUP. “The corporatization of academic medicine has worsened physician working conditions, patient care, and the training of medical students and residents. The AAUP and our physician faculty members are going to change that. We are already hearing from other RWJBH physicians about wanting to join our union, and we welcome them with open arms.Public Sector Union Referendum Clears Thresholds for Ballot Vote in Utah: The Utah lieutenant governor confirmed this week that a coalition of unions have gathered enough signatures for a referendum to overturn state legislation restricting collective bargaining rights for public sector workers. Labor unions across the state banded together to fight H.B. 267, which was authored by out-of-state anti-worker think tanks. This bill was passed by the state legislature in February and severely weakens the rights of public sector workers to bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions. Organizers submitted 320,000 signatures from voters calling for a vote to repeal the legislation. Unless opponents to the referendum remove enough signatures to disqualify it, voters will consider the measure either this fall or next.Showbox and Showbox SoDo Stage Crew Join IATSE and Ratify Contract: Workers at historic Seattle music venues, The Showbox and Showbox SoDo, are celebrating the ratification of their first union contract as Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 15 members. This victory, which has been more than two years in the making, is historic because it marks the first nightclub to have a union-represented stage crew in the Seattle area. Technicians and stagehands successfully secured meaningful wins like substantial wage increases, vacation pay, retirement contributions and more. “This moment—it’s exciting, it’s historic, and it’s a pivotal opportunity for the union to build relationships and worker power with a previously un-represented subsector of the live event industry,” said Tiffany Youngblood, Showbox house steward and stagehand. “We organized because we wanted to improve conditions, increase transparency, and introduce industry-standard practices and benefits.”Judge Blocks Trump Executive Order Gutting Federal Unions: A federal judge issued an injunction Friday afternoon that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ripping away collective bargaining rights from hundreds of thousands of federal workers. Judge Paul L. Friedman, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said the directive that aimed to invalidate union contracts covering federal workers at dozens of agencies was “unlawful.” The executive order was issued last month under the guise of protecting national security, but many impacted members don’t perform jobs related to counterintelligence or domestic defense. The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) filed the initial complaint, and this ruling should prevent agencies from implementing the policy for now. “We commend the court for recognizing the Trump administration’s executive order stripping collective bargaining rights for what it was: illegal, retaliatory union-busting,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a press statement. “This was the most significant attack on workers’ rights in history, and if Trump was allowed to do it to federal workers, he would be able to do it to every worker in America, in every workplace and every industry. So this ruling to restore federal workers’ collective bargaining rights and reinstate their existing contracts—even if temporarily while the case continues in court—is an important first step.”Road Crew for ‘Chicago: The Musical’ Win Voluntary Recognition: Ten stage and wardrobe professionals, members of the Theatrical Stage Employees’ (IATSE) Associated Crafts and Technicians (ACT) Local, who work on Chicago Razzle Dazzle II LLC’s production of “Chicago: The Musical,” won voluntary recognition of their union. The voluntary recognition is part of a growing trend within North America’s live‑events sector. In recent years, the owners of concert tours, festivals and theatrical productions have recognized the tangible benefits of a unionized workforce. “We are elated to be joining the IATSE after longing for representation and a voice on the job,” the crew members said in a statement. “We are proud to finally be a part of this organization that stands for fair labor practices [and] worker representation and provides community in an ever-growing profession. We hope to be an example of the strength that comes from a united front in the fight for workers’ rights and are excited to return to the ‘Chicago’ tour with a union contract.” “Chicago: The Musical” debuted on Broadway in 1975 and remains one of the longest-running musicals in history, and these IATSE ACT members are part of the revival that first opened in 1996. “It’s an honor to welcome these workers into the IATSE family and provide a path for collective representation,” said IATSE Assistant Director of Stagecraft Stasia Savage. “While the workers on this production are overall quite happy, we standby to provide training, advocacy and protections.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 05/01/2025 – 11:50
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Organizing
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Wichita Symphony Orchestra Musicians Agree on New Contract
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Wichita Symphony Orchestra Musicians Agree on New 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.
A total of 45 members of the Wichita Musicians’ Association, Local 297 of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), voted unanimously to approve a new contract, which will run through June 2028. In total, the contract covers some 80 orchestra musicians.The contract stipulates structured wage increases over three years, improved rehearsal pay policies, musician protections and refined language around artistic evaluations, a change in the hourly pay to a flat service rate for all musicians participating in rehearsals, among other improvements.“We are incredibly pleased with this outcome, which will further enhance our orchestra’s artistic quality and provide important stability for the years ahead,” the orchestra’s executive director, Tim Storhoff, said.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 05/01/2025 – 10:01