‘Working People Had the Power’: 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.

Democrats’ Blue Wave Carries Several Union Members to Congress: “Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the federation of 65 unions, argued that organized labor’s infrastructure was a key ingredient in what became a historic blue tsunami. And she said the candidates with union backgrounds were perfect for an election cycle that revolved around the rising cost of living and overly stretched paychecks.”

‘Blue Wave Was Union-Made’: Record 639 Union Members Won Elections, AFL-CIO Says: “‘This blue wave was union-made. The billionaires had the money in this election, but working people had the power,’ said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. ‘The people who make this country run issued a clear mandate… Speaking with a unified voice, workers demanded that their elected leaders fight to raise their wages and lower costs, expand access to healthcare and unions, hold billionaire CEOs accountable, and check the Trump administration’s attacks on their freedoms.’”

UFCW Celebrates Election Results, Outlines Priorities: “Officials with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union celebrated the results of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, which gave Democratic Party candidates control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, led by pro-union legislators. UFCW said it is optimistic about what the results mean to the 1.2 million frontline workers it represents across the country who will benefit from the Democrats’ commitment to address affordability issues and protect U.S. workers. ‘By successfully flipping both chambers of Congress and electing union-backed candidates to governors’ mansions and state legislatures across the country, American workers sent a resounding message that they are ready for a new path,’ said Milton Jones, UFCW International president. ‘They expect lawmakers to show up for them by making life more affordable, protecting their rights on the job and standing with them against the megacorporations.’”

How a Logger from Maine Toppled a Giant of the Senate: “Troy Jackson was nobody’s first choice to run for the U.S. Senate from Maine. Only weeks before stumbling into one of most consequential races in the country, he had come in third in the Democratic primary for governor. He looked like a political washout. But today he is a giant slayer, having toppled a five-term Republican incumbent, Senator Susan Collins, in Tuesday’s election. How Mr. Jackson, a former logger and state lawmaker from a struggling northern outpost, got from there to here—in just 101 days, no less—is an extraordinary story of the man meeting the moment.”

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO Achieves a Historic 91% Win Rate for 2026 Labor Candidates: “We are proud to announce that as of this morning, our union brother Charles Hassler (IBEW Local 94) won his election for Salem County Commissioner. This brings our total number of wins for our labor candidates to 40 out of 44, resulting in a staggering 91% win rate for our labor candidates this year. To view the New Jersey election results click here. To date, our Labor Candidates’ Program has resulted in the election of 1,396 union members to office who have gone on to pass pro-worker legislation at every level of government, and protect our fundamental rights as union members, resulting in equality for all working people, and a raised standard of living. Their continued contributions demonstrate the importance of our Labor Candidates Program. With each labor candidate victory, we are ensuring that generations of union members to come will continue to exercise the freedoms that members of our movement have fought and died for. Together, we will continue to build a stronger labor movement.”

Ann Arbor Reaches Tentative Agreement with Union, Potentially Ending Long Standoff: “The city of Ann Arbor and AFSCME Local 369 have reached a tentative agreement for a new three-year labor contract after several months of negotiation, mediation and public demonstrations by the union at city hall.”

‘Which Side Are You On’: D.C.’s Top Union Boss on What Comes After the Election: “Liz Shuler, who leads the largest labor coalition in the country, has a warning for politicians hoping to run in 2028: The next two years will be a ‘which-side-are-you-on moment.’ The AFL-CIO president is laser-focused on how artificial intelligence could reshape the workforce, a topic she said is a ‘litmus test’ heading into the next presidential election. The goal, she said, is avoiding the same kind of disruptive pain that workers experienced during globalization, when people saw their jobs outsourced while the government provided little in terms of a safety net.”