Bill Bumpus Somerville MA - An injury to one is an injury to all

Pride Month Profiles: Alicia Mijares

For Pride Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ union members who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Alicia Mijares of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART).

After being a hardworking journeyperson at SMART (formerly Sheet Metal Workers) Local 104 for nearly two decades, Alicia Mijares was the first female organizer on staff, and later she was elected as the first female full-time officer. She's been breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings her whole life in a male-dominated industry, and her passion for workers' rights and the labor movement is unmatched.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/02/2023 - 15:20

Economy Gains 339,000 Jobs in May; Unemployment Up Slightly 3.7%

The U.S. economy gained 339,000 jobs in May, and the unemployment rate was up slightly to 3.7%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This strong jobs report shows there is still room to expand job opportunities for Americans. Wage growth continues at levels that are consistent with low levels of inflation.

May's biggest job gains were in professional and business services (+64,000), government (+56,000), health care (+52,000), leisure and hospitality (+48,000), construction (+25,000), transportation and warehousing (+24,000), and social assistance (+22,000). Employment was little changed over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; information; financial activities; and other services.

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for Black Americans (5.6%) and adult women (3.3%) rose in May. The jobless rates for teenagers (10.3%), Hispanics (4.0%), adult men (3.5%), White Americans (3.3%), and Asian Americans (2.9%) showed little change over the month.

The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) was little changed in May and accounted for 19.8% of the total people unemployed.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/02/2023 - 11:32

Pride at Work

The labor movement is intersectional. This means we fight for all working people—no matter the gender, race, ethnicity or any other identity. Those identities intersect with your own identity as a worker, as a parent, as a sibling.

In America, we believe all people should be able to work without fear of discrimination or violence. You should be able to work without hiding your light and without hiding your true, authentic self.

LGBTQ+ people still lack basic federal legal protections in the workplace, which make them vulnerable to recent appalling and shameful actions by state legislatures. We have no tolerance for hate in our movement.

The labor movement is fighting back with everything we have. And the best tool we have is a union contract. Union contracts are legally enforceable in every state. They protect LGBTQ+ workers from harassment, and can mean real progress for workers and our families to gain health care, savings, a future, and so much more. Check out some model contract language from our constituency group, Pride at Work.

LGBTQ+ workers face retaliation and fear getting fired for standing with their co-workers. It’s hard for workers to see the very same corporations that celebrate pride turn around and hire anti-union-busting consultants and deny their workers the promise of a union contract.

That’s why, this Pride Month, we want you to share what your union means to you.

Share your story.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/01/2023 - 10:00

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: AFT Offers Free Resources for Pride Month

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Today begins Pride Month, and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is offering free resources for educators. The AFT resources are particularly important in the face of a recent trend of state legislatures attacking LGBTQ+ rights. The Share My Lesson website offers lesson plans, webinars, LGBTQ+ history lessons and blog posts on a variety of topics, such as how teachers can support LGBTQ+ students.

Visit Share My Lesson for more.
 

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/01/2023 - 08:28

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: James Ikehara

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 James Ikehara of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

James Ikehara has been an AFA-CWA flight attendant based in San Francisco since 2011, when he started his career with Virgin America. Having triple heritage from a Filipina/Chinese mother born in Manila and an Okinawan father born on the island of Molokai. Ikehara is proud of his Asian American Pacific Islander heritage and the diversity he brings as secretary of AFA-CWA Local 29011 in San Francisco. He currently lives on the Big Island of Hawaii and was one of many volunteers at a recent “Malama Mauna Kea” event to protect the resources of the sacred mountain.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/31/2023 - 11:29

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: AFGE Wins Union Election at EPA Facility in Michigan

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Tricia Paff, president of AFGE Local 37, discovered that remote workers at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan, were about to lose their union protections. Paff was on the AFGE-EPA contract negotiations team when she learned that remote workers at multiple EPA facilities were going to be removed from the bargaining unit after their duty station was changed.

As Paff and the AFGE EPA Council were investigating the issue, the Ann Arbor human resource director confirmed that her facility was indeed one of the locations that would be affected. Paff was able to get the action postponed, and 19 remote workers were able to vote and retain their union protections. 

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/31/2023 - 08:50

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Rena Zacarias Youngblood

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 Rena Zacarias Youngblood of AFGE.

Rena Youngblood is a U.S. Air Force veteran and executive vice president of AFGE Local 3511. She works in Inpatient Behavioral Health-Nursing Services at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, where she represents more than 6,000 Veterans Administration (VA) workers. She was recognized as a top organizer through the AFGE National VA Council and received the Augusta Y. Thomas Civil Rights Award for organizing. Youngblood currently serves as the co-chair of AFGE A.P.O.W.E.R., the union’s Asian American constituency group, and is an active member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA).

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/30/2023 - 11:29

Trade Policy Should Center Workers: 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.

UAW, AFL-CIO Leaders Say Workers Need to Be at Center of Trade Policy: “UAW President Shawn Fain and AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond called for trade policies Thursday that improve the lives of workers and benefit their communities rather than force a ‘race to the bottom’ through deals that boost the fortunes of wealthy people at the expense of others. ‘Here in America, free trade deals, they had a disproportionately negative impact on communities and particularly workers of color. These trade deals, they gutted communities, and they really deepened inequality in this country amongst workers,” said Redmond, whose union represents 12.5 million members. ‘We have the opportunity to reverse the damage through trade policies with workers at the center.’”

The Labor Movement Just Scored One of Its Biggest Victories in the South This Century: “After a bruising three-year fight, workers at school bus manufacturer Blue Bird in Fort Valley, Georgia, voted May 12 to join United Steelworkers (USW) Local 697. ‘It’s been a long time since a manufacturing site with 1,400 people has been organized, let alone organized in the South, let alone organized with predominantly African American workers, and let alone in the auto industry,’ said Maria Somma, organizing director with the USW.”

NLRB Sues Colleges, Says Athletes Are Workers: “The big business of college sports is back in federal court again. And this time it’s over the right of the athletes to organize. That’s because the National Labor Relations Board’s top enforcement official, General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, sued the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the PAC12 conference, and several colleges to court in federal court in Los Angeles, seeking approval of its stand that college athletes are ‘employees’ and have the right to organize under labor law.”

Palms, Culinary Union Reach Agreement on New Contract: “Union leaders reached an agreement early Friday with The Palms for a new three-year contract. The agreement affects about 900 employees and on Tuesday 95% of Palms workers voted to ratify the new contract, according to a statement from Culinary Local 226. ‘We celebrate this historic agreement with Palms, which protects workers with the best health care in Nevada, strong job security, and fair wage increases,’ Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for Culinary Local 226, said in the statement. ‘The San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority and Palms Casino Resort have done the right thing by respecting their employees and recalling workers back to work with their seniority intact.’”

The New York Times Reaches a Contract Deal with Its Newsroom Union: “The New York Times reached a deal on Tuesday for a new contract with the union representing the majority of its newsroom employees, ending more than two years of contentious negotiations that included a 24-hour strike. The agreement, if ratified, will give union members immediate salary increases of up to 12.5% to cover the last two years and 2023, and will raise the required minimum salary to $65,000, up from about $37,500. The previous contract expired in March 2021, and union members have not received contractual raises since 2020. The union negotiating the deal, which is part of the NewsGuild of New York, represents nearly 1,500 employees in the newsroom, advertising and other areas of the company. More than 1,800 people work in the Times’s newsroom.”

‘Your Fight Is Our Fight’: John Leguizamo, Busy Philipps, Tony Kushner and Unions Show Solidarity with WGA: “John Leguizamo, Busy Philipps, Tony Kushner, Neil Gaiman, Al Franken and Wanda Sykes were among those who took to the stage during WGA East’s Rally at 30 Rockefeller Center on Tuesday, appearing alongside union leaders from SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Actor’s Equity and more pledging that ‘all of labor stands behind the writers.’ Cynthia Nixon, Ilana Glazer, Warren Leight and labor leaders Rebecca Damon from SAG-AFTRA, Kate Shindle of Actors Equity and Matt Loeb of IATSE were also among those who spoke, with Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon making crowd appearances.”

Hispanic Society Museum Workers Approved a New Union Contract, Ending a Grueling Two-Month Strike: “After eight long weeks, workers at New York’s Hispanic Society Museum and Library have ended their strike and voted to approve their first union contract. The fraught labor battle recently led to a demonstration outside the home of Philippe de Montebello, the institution’s chairman and former director of the Met Museum. ‘We are elated about the new contract,’ Patrick Lenaghan, the museum’s curator of prints, photographs, and sculptures, said in a statement. ‘It provides the security we never had before. With this, we can concentrate on the work we love and dedicated so many years to.’ The Hispanic Society first organized in May 2021 amid a groundswell of unionization at museums across the U.S. Workers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to join Local 2110, part of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) union. A few months earlier, the museum had ended its pension plan for staff members, and staff sought improved benefits and salaries.”

Epic Games' Bandcamp Has Unionized: “Fortnite and Unreal developer Epic Games now has a union. Bandcamp, the music distribution platform aimed at bringing artists to the world, has formed Epic's first union after holding a successful union vote. ‘Today, a majority of eligible Bandcamp workers voted 31-7 in favor of forming Bandcamp United, a union represented by the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU),’ the new union wrote in a statement. ‘The vote results now await certification by the National Labor Relations Board, with a collective bargaining process to follow.’”

Wisconsin AFL-CIO Stands in Solidarity with OPEIU Local 39 Members on Strike at CUNA Mutual in Madison: “Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, released the following statement of solidarity as members of OPEIU Local 39 take strike action: ‘OPEIU Local 39 members at CUNA Mutual in Madison are on strike for good union jobs to remain in Wisconsin, for quality and affordable healthcare for all, for fair wages, and for the ability to retire with dignity after a lifetime of work. As union men and women, we do not take the decision to strike lightly. The history of our union movement has clearly demonstrated that only by standing shoulder to shoulder have working people gained the family-supporting wages, pay equity and other benefits which we are rightly due. The Wisconsin labor movement proudly stands in solidarity with our sisters and brothers of OPEIU Local 39 on strike at CUNA Mutual as they take brave action to secure a fair contract. We urge CUNA Mutual to come to the table and negotiate in good faith.’”

Carnegie Museums Workers Approve First Union Contract, Including Pay Raises: “The United Museum Workers union announced Thursday its members had ratified their first contract with the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The more than 500 union members voted to approve the four-year pact, which raises base pay at the museums from $12 an hour to $16 an hour. Most workers will see immediate raises ranging from 15% to 35%, according to the union. Union members already earning more than $16 an hour will also receive raises, according to the museum.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/30/2023 - 09:36

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Veterans Affairs Registered Nurses Sign 3-Year Contract with NNOC/NNU

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Registered nurses with National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) at the Department of Veterans Affairs signed a three-year contract, which covers more than 14,000 RNs at 23 hospitals. 

“We are pleased that this protracted process is finally over and this agreement is signed,” said NNOC/NNU-VA Chair Irma Westmoreland, RN. “We are proud to have a new contract in place, but our work as registered nurses is never done. We must now keep our sleeves rolled up to tackle the understaffing conditions our nurses are facing across the country. We look forward to working with Secretary [Denis] McDonough to implement alternative work schedule flexibilities that will retain nurses and improve staffing levels for veterans.

“Throughout the pandemic, VA nurses have worked tirelessly in extremely difficult conditions to provide care for the sickest of the sick. While providing this care, we have had to fight for optimal personal protection equipment, appropriate training and staffing, notification and testing following exposures, and proper infection controls. This has put us, our families, and our patients unnecessarily at risk. We hope the signing of this contract marks the beginning of a new era of renewed respect for the rights and lives of the nurses who advocate and care for our nation’s heroes.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/30/2023 - 09:16

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Aina Iglesias

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 Aina Iglesias of the Office and Professional Employees  (OPEIU).

Aina is a labor relations specialist with Hawaii Nurses' Association (OPEIU Local 50) and serves as OPEIU's representative on the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) board. "APALA gives a space to talk about issues that are important to AAPI members," she said.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/29/2023 - 11:29

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Douglas K. Correia

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 Douglas K. Correia of AFSCME.

Doug Correia, a proud member of United Public Workers in Hawaii, knows the meaning of solidarity. When UPW members went on strike this year, Correia was up early every day to help set up, serve food and stand with his co-workers. Whether taking care of his community or helping people understand their rights on the job, he is always there for his union family.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/26/2023 - 11:29

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles

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. 

Below are the profiles we've featured so far. Check back throughout May for more,

• Mai Xiong
• Capt. Robin Kim
• David Kim
• Donson Ha
• Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
• Renee Hamel
• Louie Afusia
• Sheila Ivy Traister
• Steve Wong
• Kim You Taing
• Maria Teresa Hank
• Fred Yamashita
• Michelle Gutierrez-Vo
• Douglas K. Correia
• Aina Iglesias
• Rena Zacarias Youngblood 
• James Ikehara

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/26/2023 - 10:25

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Michelle Gutierrez-Vo

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 Michelle Gutierrez-Vo of National Nurses United (NNU).

Michelle Gutierrez-Vo, a registered nurse at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fremont, California, is a longtime RN leader, an inspiring mentor to Filipina and other AAPI nurses, and a member of the board of directors of the California Nurses Association, an affiliate of National Nurses United. She was also a member of the bargaining team that recently won a historic four-year contract for 21,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses in Northern California, including the creation of a new regional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/25/2023 - 11:29

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Tell TCGplayer to Respect Workers’ Right to a Union

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

In March, workers at eBay-owned TCGplayer organized with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1123, becoming the first eBay workers to unionize in the U.S. Since then, management has s

In a statement, the TCGplayer workers said, “TCGplayer presents itself as a company defined by its ideals, claiming to empower its employees to make a difference both inside their workplace and through their impact on our customers’ experience. However, the Core Values now ring hollow for too many of us who work at the Authentication Center every day. We have seen our fellow workers unfairly disciplined and consistently ignored when they try to make their voices heard. Our mental health has been impacted by the relentless insistence on metrics, creating a culture of anxiety as we desperately try to keep up with unfair standards of performance.”

Stand with TCGplayer workers and send a message to the CEO of TCGplayer, Robert Bigler, telling him to respect the union and stop the obstruction.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/25/2023 - 10:07

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Fred Yamashita

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 Fred Yamashita of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

Fred Yamashita is a native of Detroit who has served as the executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO since November 2017. Yamashita brings more than 25 years of union organizing experience to the federation, starting his career in organized labor with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99. From 2015 to 2017, Yamashita served as chair of the Pima Area Labor Federation in Tucson. Prior to working in the labor movement, Yamashita worked on the floor in the grocery industry for 20 years.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/24/2023 - 11:29

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: UNITE HERE's Culinary Union Announces Palms Casino Resort Has a Union Contract

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

UNITE HERE's Culinary Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 reached a new agreement with Palms Casino Resort on a first time three-year contract to protect workers with health care benefits, provide fair wages and job security, and to respect the seniority rights for more than 900 employees.

The new agreement covers guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders and stewards. The contract includes standard union language on worker security regarding subcontracting, safety buttons, sexual harassment, workload, technology and immigration. Workers voted by an overwhelming majority of 95% to accept the new contract.

“We celebrate this historic agreement with Palms, which protects workers with the best health care in Nevada, strong job security, and fair wage increases,” said Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union. “The San Manuel Gaming and Hospitality Authority and Palms Casino Resort have done the right thing by respecting their employees and recalling workers back to work with their seniority intact. The Culinary Union is proud to have reached an agreement for a strong union contract at Palms, which protects workers with the union standard we have fought to build and strengthen over 88 years. Congratulations to the workers on your new union contract and welcome to the union family!”

Palms workers voted in April 2018 to unionize with the Culinary Union and Bartenders Union by an 84% majority under its previous operator, Station Casinos, the worst labor law violator in the history of the Nevada gaming industry. 

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/24/2023 - 10:04

Take Action: Don’t Default on Working People

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has introduced legislation that forces deep cuts to health care, retirement and many other kitchen-table priorities for working people. It is an economic crisis in the making, and it is completely unnecessary.

Working families shouldn’t be asked to pay the price before the rich are asked to pay their fair share. If you agree, please send an email to your representative.

Defaulting would throw the day-to-day lives of our veterans into limbo, as the Department of Veterans Affairs could potentially grind to a halt. This would mean seniors would worry about whether their Social Security check would show up in the mail: money they need to live and that they’ve earned by making Social Security contributions their entire adult lives.

Not only that, it also would preserve tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans at workers’ expense. There is a real debate to be had about our deficit, but playing a dangerous game with the lives of working people is not the way forward.

If you agree that we should choose veterans, retirees and families over corporations, email your representative now. Ask them to vote to raise the debt ceiling without preconditions and to reject McCarthy’s devastating spending cuts.

Thank you for standing up for working families.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/23/2023 - 12:54

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: AFSCME’s Saunders: Help EMS Workers Help Our Communities by Ensuring Safe Staffing

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement in honor of National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week:

“When disaster strikes, EMS professionals are the first on the scene. Through fires, storms, car accidents, health emergencies and more, our communities depend on their bravery to get us through crisis—and they always deliver. We cannot thank them enough for their tireless service to our communities.
 
“However, while EMS professionals do lifesaving work every day, severe staffing shortages are stretching them dangerously thin. They are working exhaustingly long hours, leading to burnout and high turnover rates. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of EMS job openings will continue to grow by about 20,000 annually in the coming years. There’s no sugarcoating it: the increase in EMS vacancies will mean an increase in lives lost.
 
“We have the resources to solve this problem, and it starts with getting EMS workers the pay they deserve, along with improved safety standards and a protected voice on the job. This will help turn EMS into a more sustainable career, keeping workers from leaving this honorable field and attracting other skilled, passionate individuals. To help EMS workers help our communities, we need to take steps to staff the front lines.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/23/2023 - 10:14

A Great Week for American Labor: 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.

SAG-AFTRA Board Asks Members to Authorize Strike Ahead of AMPTP Negotiations: “SAG-AFTRA’s National Board unanimously voted on Thursday to ask members to authorize a strike, ahead of negotiation talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Those negotiations are set to begin on June 7. ‘An affirmative vote does not mean a strike would necessarily happen, but it would allow the National Board to call one if deemed necessary during the negotiations process,’ the board announced in a statement on the SAG-AFTRA website. ‘The action comes following a unanimous agreement by the TV/Theatrical negotiating committee that the strike authorization would give the union maximum bargaining leverage as it enters this round of negotiations with the AMPTP.’”

In Georgia, 1,400 Electric Bus Manufacturing Workers Have Just Won a Union: “After a bruising three-year fight, workers at school bus manufacturer Blue Bird in Fort Valley, Georgia, voted May 12 to join United Steelworkers (USW) Local 697. ‘It’s been a long time since a manufacturing site with fourteen hundred people has been organized, let alone organized in the South, let alone organized with predominantly African American workers, and let alone in the auto industry,’ said Maria Somma, organizing director with the USW. ‘It’s not a single important win. It’s an example of what’s possible—workers wanting to organize and us being able to take advantage of a time and a policy that allowed them to clear a path to do so.’ The high-turnout vote was 697 to 435.”

A Great Week for American Labor: “Two signal union victories last week suggest that, against all odds, the American labor movement may have a future. The first confirmed a new trend in worker organizing; the second could mean that the government has finally found a way to help workers to join a union. The second of last week’s union victories is even more astonishing. Last Friday, largely African American workers at a rural school bus factory in Southwest Georgia joined the United Steelworkers by the decisive margin of 697 to 435. As a New York Times report noted, the landmark legislation and agency rulings of the Biden presidency have tilted the playing field just a bit in the workers’ favor.”

Labor Victory: Minnesota Lawmakers Approve 9 Major Worker-Friendly Changes: “Minnesota Democrats say a sweeping labor bill they passed on Tuesday could be the most significant worker protection bill in state history. ‘This bill is a big damn deal,’ said Sen. Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul) during a news conference. The labor bill (SF3035) includes a Democratic wish list years in the making that will affect virtually every worker in the state. The bill mandates paid sick days, bans noncompete agreements, boosts funding for workplace safety inspectors and increases protections for workers in nursing homes, Amazon warehouses, meatpacking plants, construction sites, hospitals and public schools.”

Steelworkers Win Vote at Blue Bird Bus Plant in Georgia: “In a big win for the Steelworkers and a big break in the normally union-hostile South, workers at the Blue Bird school bus company plant in rural Fort Valley, Georgia, voted for the union on May 12, 697-435. The bargaining unit would cover 1,350 workers, the National Labor Relations Board reports. Total employment at the plant is 2,400.”

James Holbrook: Protect Our Fight for a Fair Deal; Confirm Julie Su as Secretary of Labor: “Workers across our state are fighting for better contracts, fair pay and safer working conditions every day. We need elected officials and those appointed by President Biden to protect our freedom to fight for what we’ve earned. That’s why we’re calling on Sen. Daines and Sen. Tester to vote to approve the nomination of Julie Su for secretary of labor. As prices soar and the wealthiest corporations are trying to rig the economy in their favor through stock buybacks, union busting and corporate monopolies, we need those we’ve elected to take action and protect Montana's working families and our local economies. That starts by making sure our leaders are crafting policy and legislation that puts working families first and protects our freedom to bargain for a fair deal.”

So You Want to Go on Strike? Philadelphia’s Union Council Is Teaching Workers How: “Work stoppages by labor unions are having a moment. Several high-profile strikes have taken place locally in less than a year, including Temple University graduate student workers, Philadelphia Museum of Art staff, Rutgers University faculty, and Teamsters at the Liberty Coca-Cola distribution center. Noticing this, leaders of the AFL-CIO Philadelphia Council figured a lot of workers might have questions. Their solution: Strike School. ‘People who are involved in and leading unions haven’t gone on strikes in many many years,’ said Jana Korn, organizing director for the council, which comprises over 100 local labor unions. ‘There’s this generational, institutional knowledge that’s missing.’”

Public Transit Automation Must Not Come at the Expense of Safety: “While the recent train derailments in East Palestine and other communities throughout the country have highlighted a number of issues regarding transportation safety, one is deserving of particular focus—the inherent danger in reducing our transportation workforce. Over the past few years, freight railroads have been laying off workers in massive numbers while simultaneously moving to a dangerous, profit-at-all-costs business model called precision scheduled railroading. In the case of the East Palestine derailment, this led to Norfolk Southern tasking only three workers, one of whom was a trainee, with ensuring the over 1.75-mile train got to its destination safely. As we all know, it unfortunately did not.”

Carnegie Museums Workers Union Announces Tentative Contract Agreement: “The United Museum Workers Union on Saturday announced it had reached a tentative contract agreement with the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The more-than-500 union members are scheduled to vote this week on whether to ratify the contract. The union represents curators, scientists, art handlers, educators, gallery attendants, grant writers and other workers at the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural history, The Andy Warhol Museum, and the Carnegie Science Center. It was formed in 2020 and has been in negotiations with the museum since September 2021.”

New Jersey Nurses Demand Safe Staffing Law in Hospitals: 'Stop the Bleeding': “‘Our nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system,’ New Jersey AFL-CIO President Charlie Wowkanech said. ‘But current staffing levels are threatening our health care system’s ability to provide the level of care we need, and it is taking its toll on already strained health care workers.’ ‘Unfortunately, some hospitals are opposed to improving staffing ratios because they are choosing to prioritize profits, even as we reach a post-pandemic health care staffing crisis point,’ Wowkanech added. ‘[This bill] would establish the fair patient-to-nurse ratios we need to improve our health care system.’”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/22/2023 - 11:05

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Secretary-Treasurer Redmond Joins Sofitel Workers at D.C. Rally

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Last week AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond joined workers at the Sofitel Hotel in Washington, D.C., rallying in favor of the workers’ right to organize. The hotel workers, overwhelmingly immigrants, women and people of color, are organizing to join UNITE HERE and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE). The hotel, operated by Accor and owned by Brookfield Asset Management, has held mandatory anti-union meetings and threatened to change the schedule of an employee who is leading the union organizing effort.

“I am organizing a union because I want consistency with my schedule and to feel that my time is respected,” said Francisco Rivas, an engineer at the Sofitel. “I want to spend more time with my family.” 

UNITE HERE represents workers at Accor-managed and at Brookfield-owned hotels in 11 cities across the United States and Canada. The Sofitel workers don’t have a guarantee of the same affordable health insurance, fair scheduling, regular raises, and pensions that union workers at hotels in these cities, and at over 30 union hotels in D.C., already enjoy.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/22/2023 - 09:53