The Power of the People Leads: 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.

AFL-CIO’s Shuler Tells Tucson to Vote Now Because ‘Shit’s Too Expensive’: “A standing room-only crowd of union members and retirees greeted AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in Tucson to kick off a labor walk as part of Saturday’s No Kings Day observations. Over a hundred campaigners gathered at the IBEW union hall to meet Shuler, while thousands more Tucsonans turned out at a half-dozen other locations to protest against President Donald Trump and MAGA. The event included a spirited short welcome by Congresswoman Adelita Grrijalva, who next went to campaign with Arizona’s progressive attorney general, Kris Mayes. Local labor federation President Cecelia Valdez followed, encouraging everybody to mail their ballots now and to join the canvassing or phone calling.”

Supporting R.I.’s Ballot Question 1 Means Investing in Workers and the State’s Economy: “Rhode Island’s economy runs on hardworking people who show up every day to care for our families, build homes and infrastructure, and provide the critical services our communities depend on. Maintaining that strong workforce in the years ahead means investing today in the people who will carry that work forward. We see the need across our economy. Health care is a profession that changes lives every day. Rhode Island is fortunate to have dedicated nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and other health professionals caring for our communities. But persistent workforce shortages are making their jobs harder and, in some cases, making it more difficult for Rhode Islanders to get the care they need.”

Cait Conley Joined by NYS AFL-CIO and Leading Labor Unions for Rally and Canvass Launch: “Cait Conley, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 17th Congressional District, was joined by the New York State AFL-CIO and hundreds of members of New York’s leading labor unions on Oct. 17 for a rally and canvass launch. ‘Growing up in the Hudson Valley, the daughter of a postal worker and a construction worker, I learned the values of hard work and service to community at a young age—values I’ve carried with me throughout my lifetime of service to our country. That’s why I have the utmost respect for our organized laborers, the hardworking men and women who are the backbone of our communities. I am incredibly proud to have the support of the New York State AFL-CIO, NYSUT, UFT, CSEA, 32BJ SEIU, and so many more of New York’s leading labor unions in this race. In Congress, I will stop at nothing to defend the right to organize, lower costs for working families, protect our public schools, and create a better, more affordable future for the Hudson Valley,’ said Conley.”

Missouri AFL-CIO’s Jimmy Lappe Running for State Representative: “Jimmy Lappe, program coordinator for the Missouri AFL-CIO Dislocated Worker Program, is running as a Democrat for state representative in 81st District. Lappe has 25 years of experience working in grassroots movements for economic justice and workers’ rights, and has been endorsed by the Missouri AFL-CIO, the St. Louis City Labor Legislative Club and several unions. The 81st District seat is currently held by Rep. Steve Butz, who is term-limited and running for Missouri State Senate. The district takes in portions of south St. Louis neighborhoods, including areas near the Mississippi riverfront, Dutchtown, Marine Villa, and Gravois Park.”

Kamala Harris Rallies Culinary Union Members in Final Push Before Election Day: “Former Vice President Kamala Harris rallied hundreds of Culinary Workers Union Local 226 members as part of a concerted push for Nevada’s Democratic candidates in Las Vegas today, urging them to keep up the support for Democratic candidates with less than two weeks left before the Nov. 3 election. ‘This is the moment where the power of the people reigns,’ Harris said. ‘Where the power of the people leads.’”

Troy Jackson Rallies with Dropkick Murphys as Senate Campaign Enters Final Stretch: “With the debates behind them, Maine’s candidates for U.S. Senate have a little more than 2 weeks to make their final case to voters before Election Day on Nov. 3. Democrat Troy Jackson spent Friday night with some Boston musical royalty, joining the Dropkick Murphys at the ‘Rally for the Working Class’ in Biddeford hosted by the Maine AFL-CIO.”

Corvallis City Workers Ratify Tentative Contract Agreement After Six-Day Strike: “City of Corvallis workers are set to return to their jobs after ratifying a tentative contract agreement following a six-day strike. Oregon AFSCME Local 2975 said the agreement was reached after the union bargaining team met with the city’s bargaining team during an all-day mediation session on Wednesday. The union said the parties worked together to reach a deal that delays increased health care costs for workers and makes investments in long-term employees.”

Rhode Island Hospital Resident Physicians Ratify First Union Contract: “Union officials announced Tuesday that almost 700 resident physicians and fellows ratified their first contract with Rhode Island Hospital. The contract includes pay increases, better retirement benefits and other improvements for the early career doctors working at Rhode Island’s largest hospital in Providence, also the flagship facility of Brown University Health. The contract follows months of negotiations and was approved last week by 95 percent of physicians who participated in the vote, according to a news release by the union which represents the doctors, the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU).”

WGA East Is Trying to Help Writers Make Their Work ‘Unreadable’ to AI Models: “The Writers Guild of America East is seeking to help its members make it more difficult for their work to be ingested by artificial intelligence models. The union has just begun offering members free access to a software called Cloak, which renders documents ‘unreadable’ by AI models while preserving the formatting. Writers can upload a script and receive back a copy that is resistant to AI analysis, scraping and training.”

City Colleges of Chicago Faculty and Staff Reach Tentative Contract Agreement with School System, Avoiding Strike: “The union representing faculty and staff at City Colleges of Chicago reached a tentative agreement with the school system early Monday morning, hours before a strike was scheduled to begin. After months of drawn-out negotiations, the Cook County College Teachers Union, Local 1600, and the City Colleges of Chicago settled on terms for a new four-year contract for faculty and professionals.”