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

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

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Michigan AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute Holds First Annual Workers Gala

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.

On Friday, May 12, the Michigan State AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute (WDI) hosted its first workers gala, bringing together business leaders, union members, legislators and government officials, along with WDI staff, program graduates and current students to celebrate the accomplishments and rapid growth of the institute and its programs, like Access for All and Women In Skilled Trades.

“The individuals we are celebrating tonight truly embody the greatest Michigan success stories,” said Chong-Anna Canfora, WDI chief executive officer. “Our program participants, partners and staff are a powerhouse, working tirelessly every day to carry out our mission and build bright futures, not only for themselves, but for their communities and working people across Michigan.”

Throughout the evening, WDI’s program participants were recognized for their achievements. Other honorees were legislative, labor and workforce allies who have been instrumental in WDI’s success and growth, including Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity Director Susan Corbin, who was recognized with a Trailblazer Award.

“On behalf of the entire LEO team, we are proud to be recognized for the critical partnership and work being done to make sure everyone has a path to rewarding careers and prosperity,” Corbin said. “The Michigan State AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute has played a key role in helping us expand opportunities for Michiganders, empowering and preparing them to achieve employment in high-demand, high-wage careers, ultimately helping to build a better Michigan.”

WDI’s programs provide services to job seekers and employers throughout the state of Michigan and are a collaborative effort between the labor movement, businesses, and dedicated instructors and staff. By providing pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship and occupational skills training, as well as career exploration and job placement services for youth and adults, WDI has helped open up pathways to prosperity in the skilled trades for people across the state. WDI’s programs have served more than 60,000 Michigan job seekers since its incorporation in 1988.

The gala was sponsored by the Michigan State AFL-CIO, a growing federation of 40 labor organizations, 18 central labor councils and eight constituency groups representing more than 1 million union members and their families. Many other supporters include LIUNA Training Michigan, Ironworkers Local 25, Operating Engineers Local 324, the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, and the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council.

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of the work WDI does each and every day to empower the next generation of workers, open up paths to the middle class for working people and grow the skilled trades,” said Michigan State AFL-CIO President Ron Bieber. “Tonight’s celebration is truly a testament to our ability to change lives when the labor movement, job creators and our state government join forces.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/18/2023 - 10:27

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Maria Teresa Hank

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 Maria Teresa Hank of Transport Workers Union (TWU).

Maria Teresa Hank has been a Southwest Airlines flight attendant based in Las Vegas for 33 years. She is of Filipino and Hawaiian heritage. Hank graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is an elected TWU Local 556 shop steward. Hank fought for Nevada’s Kin Care Leave Law (AB 190) and worked to reform workers’ compensation to better help Local 556's membership.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/18/2023 - 10:14

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Pa Luh

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 Pa Luh of the Heat and Frost Insulators (HFIU).

Pa Luh has been an apprentice for four years and a model student and employee, often going well above and beyond requirements.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/17/2023 - 10:10

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Los Angeles' Star Garden Dancers Become Nation's Only Unionized Strippers

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.

After a 15-month effort, dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood, California, have gained union recognition and become the nation’s only unionized strippers.

"If you have been following our journey, then you know this has been a long, exhausting fight, which is why this victory is so sweet,” said Reagan, one of the Star Garden dancers. “We put everything we have into this campaign, and we were fortunate to have the support and solidarity from the club’s patrons, our allies and friends, the labor movement, and our union, Actors' Equity Association.”

Lawyers representing the owners of the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar agreed to recognize the union and will meet with Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) across the bargaining table within 30 days to negotiate a first contract. The club also will reopen for business and bring back dancers who were dismissed last year.

As a result of the settlement, the National Labor Relations Board will count the votes this week and is expected to certify Equity as the bargaining agent for Star Garden’s dancers.

This also is a first for Equity: “Strippers are live entertainers. While some elements of their job are unique, they are essentially performance artists, and have a lot in common with other Equity members who dance for a living,” said Actors’ Equity Association President Kate Shindle. “Every worker who wants a union deserves a union. The Star Garden dancers have been absolute warriors throughout this long process, and I'm thrilled that we’ve won recognition of their rights to safety and democracy in the workplace and representation at the bargaining table.”

Dancers at Star Garden and other strip clubs routinely have issues with health and safety as well as compensation, including wage theft. Like workers in other occupations, they want health insurance and other benefits. And probably more than most, they need protection from sexual harassment.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/17/2023 - 10:10

Fighting Against the Gigification of the Entire Economy: 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.

Want Your Hotel Room Cleaned Every Day? Hotel Housekeepers Hope You Say Yes: “In the tourism heart of Washington, D.C., ringed by posh hotels and globally famous landmarks, they marched to a familiar beat, chanting ‘What do we want? Clean rooms! When do we want it? Every day!’ Their demand may have sounded simple: that the D.C. council extend a temporary ordinance that in effect required hotels to clean rooms daily, unless a guest opts out. (The council complied just days later.) But for the hospitality union UNITE HERE, that requirement is so important to its members, it's waged a fight over the issue across the U.S. and Canada.”

U.S. Lawmakers Call to Modernize OSHA as Hundreds Die on the Job Each Day: “The AFL-CIO’s Death on the Job 2023 report, released on 26 April, outlines the ‘toll of neglect’ that comes from inadequately addressing workplace safety issues amid aggressive opposition from industry groups and employers against improving and enforcing workers protections. The report cites low civil penalties for safety violations issued by OSHA, understaffing and underfunding at OSHA, the millions of workers who are currently not covered under OSHA, which include independent contractors and federal, state and local public workers, inadequate retaliation protections for workers to speak out and report safety issues, and the need to improve and expand data on worker injuries and illnesses. For Black workers, the workplace fatality rate increased from 3.5 per 100,000 workers in 2020 to 4.0 in 2021, the highest rate in a decade, while Latino workers currently have a worker fatality rate of 4.5 per every 100,000 workers, 25% higher than the national average.”

Black Workers Died on the Job at the Highest Rate, AFL-CIO Report Says: “People of color are dying while at work more than others, the AFL-CIO said in its latest report: ‘Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect.’ Looking at the number of worker deaths in 2021, the union found that ‘Black workers died on the job at the highest rate in more than a decade’ and ‘Latino workers continue to be at greater risk of dying on the job than all workers.’”

Actors’ Equity to Join WGA Picket Line at NYC’s HBO and Amazon Offices: “Actors’ Equity Association, the union representing theater actors and stage managers, is inviting its members and allies to join the WGA picket line outside HBO and Amazon offices tomorrow. In tweets yesterday and this morning, Equity writes, ‘New York Members (and allies): Join us on Wednesday, May 10 from 11 .m. to 2 p.m. ET on the #WGAStrike picket line’ at the HBO and Amazon offices in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards neighborhood. ‘Join Equity in standing with The WGA on Strike,’ the tweet states.”

Rutgers Unions Vote to Ratify New Contracts: “It took nearly a year of tough negotiations and the first strike in school history, but three unions representing 9,000 Rutgers University educators, researchers, clinicians and librarians overwhelmingly voted to ratify new contracts with the school May 8. As NJBIZ reported, the Rutgers AAUP-AFT, which represents full-time faculty, graduate workers, postdoctoral associates, and counselors; the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union, which represents adjunct faculty; and AAUP-BHSNJ, which represents health science faculty in Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences facilities, announced Monday that some 93% of members who cast ballots voted yes to ratify a total of five tentative agreements with the university.”

Nurses Feel Worse Off Now Than They Did During the Height of the Pandemic, Survey Shows: “National Nurses United says there are one million registered nurses with active licenses who are not working as nurses. ‘I would say the job has gotten increasingly harder since I started nursing,’ said Jean Ross, a nurse in Minnesota and one of the presidents of National Nurses United.”

UMass Dartmouth Grad-Student Employees Form Union: “UMass Dartmouth graduate student employees let out cheers of joy on Thursday, April 27, after they voted to officially become a labor union after months of effort. Of the 122 certified votes received at the on-campus election only three were against unionizing, said AJ Vincelli, a seventh-year PhD student in Protein Engineering who is among those leading the unionization drive. That high favorability for a union ‘speaks very loudly of how horribly mistreated our graduate students have been,’ said Vincelli. UMass Dartmouth could not be reached for comment. The students will join the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts union. Prior to this vote, UMass Dartmouth was the only UMass campus other than the medical school that did not have a union for grad-student employees and had among the lowest compensation rates of the four main campuses, organizers said.”

The WGA Strike Is a Fight Against Silicon Valley’s Gigification of the Entire Economy: “Thousands of Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers in New York City and Los Angeles are on strike fighting the impact of technological innovation on their industry and earnings. These entertainment writers are in many ways the original gig workers. Even for unionized writers, job security never lasts more than a few weeks. Much like other gig workers including Uber drivers and DoorDash delivery workers, technological innovations driven by Silicon Valley firms have been used to drive down wages and to justify rewriting the terms of employment in the industry to workers’ detriment. Where taxi drivers saw their work moved onto apps like Uber and its independent contractor model, writers saw their shows moved from broadcast networks to streaming services—with entertainment bosses insisting that residuals, the compensation writers receive on reruns and other future revenue generated from their work, no longer need to be paid.”

Why Julie Su’s Nomination as Secretary of Labor Matters to Asian-Pacific Americans and Beyond: “As an Asian-Pacific American, I’m filled with pride to support Julie Su as Secretary of Labor. Julie Su is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her mother came to the United States on a cargo ship because she couldn’t afford a passenger ticket, her parents later built a small laundromat business and raised a daughter who became a worker’s advocate and civil rights leader. Su’s unwavering dedication to confronting corporate greed and championing workers’ rights is genuinely inspiring.”

Focus Organizing Drives on Workers Without College Degrees, U.S. Unions Told: “‘Just because we’re not seeing many wins yet in blue-collar doesn’t mean things aren’t happening’ said Cindy Estrada, a former UAW vice-president who was recently named director of the AFL-CIO’s Center for Transformational Organizing. ‘There’s a lot of stuff happening on the ground. I’m excited about this moment.’ That center will seek to spearhead and coordinate large, more innovative unionization campaigns. Estrada voiced confidence that her center will work with various unions to organize thousands of workers in new jobs created by the infrastructure act, the Chips Act to encourage semiconductor production in the US, and the climate-change provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. ‘We’re looking at how do we capture this moment right now when federal dollars are subsidizing whole industries,’ Estrada said. She talked of ‘sectoral strategies’ to unionize electric bus factories and battery plants as well as workers modernizing the electric grid and making schools more energy-efficient. ‘We have this narrative about manufacturing that it’s going to rebuild the middle class,” Estrada said. ‘That’s not going to happen unless workers have democracy in the workplace and an ability to bargain.’”

Overturning Labor Laws: A New Republican Assault on Children: “Now, advocates of fair labor standards are aghast, watching in horror at the Republican-led rollback of laws protecting children. Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa AFL-CIO, told the Guardian newspaper, ‘It’s just crazy to me that we are re-litigating a lot of things that seem to have been settled 100, 120, or 140 years ago.’”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/16/2023 - 12:06

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Kim You Taing

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 Kim You Taing of UNITE HERE.

Kim You Taing said: "I came to the United States in May 1981 from Cambodia. I decided to become a shop steward to help my co-workers. I have helped to organize my co-workers and fought through many contract negotiations. I am proud to be a Culinary Union member."

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/16/2023 - 10:31

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: What do Julie Su, Starbucks and McDonald’s Have in Common?

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.

Corporate special interests are spending big to block the confirmation of Julie Su for secretary of labor. Will you take two minutes to call your senators?

The law firm Littler, which describes itself as “excel[ling] in union avoidance and elections,” signed an open letter against Su, along with countless other special interests.

This is the same firm that represented Starbucks and McDonald’s in their anti-union efforts as they tried to retaliate against Fight for $15 organizers.

Luckily, union members are coming together to do what we do best. More than 20,000 of you have signed our petition calling for Julie Su’s confirmation as labor secretary.

We need you to keep up the pressure. Will you take two minutes to call your senators?

Su is an incredibly qualified candidate—and just the person workers need as our country experiences this incredible groundswell of labor organizing.

Call and ask your senators to vote to confirm Julie Su when her nomination comes up for a vote in a few weeks. Thank you for doing your part.

Make a call!

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/16/2023 - 10:24

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Steve Wong

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 Steve Wong of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

For the past 40 years, Steve Wong has worked on a diverse array of projects, from major motion pictures to television shows and commercials. At IATSE Local 600, he is the national secretary-treasurer, chair of the Finance Committee and has served on the National Executive Board for over 15 years.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/15/2023 - 10:10

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Blue Bird Workers Vote to Join USW

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.

Working people at Blue Bird Corp.’s Fort Valley, Ga., facility voted to join the United Steelworkers (USW), so they can address urgent concerns, including workplace health and safety, work-life balance, and fair pay. Some 1,400 workers will be represented by the USW. Blue Bird workers make school buses, including low-emission and zero-emission models.

“We work hard, and we deserve fair pay, safe working conditions and to be treated with respect on the job,” said Patrick Watkins, a Blue Bird worker who served on the volunteer organizing committee. “It was clear that our only path forward was to take our future into our own hands—and that’s what we did today when we voted to organize.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 05/15/2023 - 10:05

We’re Fighting for a Better Future for Working Moms

Mother’s Day is about appreciating the care, sacrifices and support mothers provide to their families every single day. We see you, we support you and we thank you.

But even as we celebrate, there is still so much more work to be done to ensure that working mothers and caregivers are able to thrive in our economy. Whether you’re a mother yourself, a primary caretaker or caring for a loved one, we must do better to ensure that we all have the support we need and deserve.

Care workers, who are disproportionately women of color and immigrants, are among the hardest-working workers in our country. They are the backbone of our economy because of the life-supporting work they do of looking after and teaching our children, and providing around-the-clock care for seniors and people with disabilities. Care jobs should be good jobs with strong benefits and pay.

This work should not be a burden that women and families shoulder alone.

That’s why we’re fighting for a future where all working families have access to paid family leave, affordable child care and good union jobs.

A better care system ensures America’s working mothers, care workers and family caregivers aren’t left behind.

This Mother’s Day, we see and we support mothers and caregivers everywhere.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/12/2023 - 15:30

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Sheila Ivy Traister

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 Sheila Ivy Traister of SAG-AFTRA.

Sheila Ivy Traister has been an integral part of the Colorado AFL-CIO over the past several years. She led the process to interview affiliates at our past COPE Convention and created video to show unaffiliated unions the value of the state federation. Traister provided public speaking training for Colorado labor leaders, and has been a crucial voice on our Inclusion and Diversity Committee.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 05/12/2023 - 10:10

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Louie Afusia

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 Louie Afusia of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

Louie Afusia is an organizer with UFCW Local 1496. Afusia moved to Alaska in 1988 and joined Local 1496 as meat cutter in 1994. He joined the hall as an organizer in 2021. Afusia is a dedicated member of the Alaska labor movement and regular volunteer with the Alaska AFL-CIO's political program.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/11/2023 - 10:10

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Letter Carriers' Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Is This Saturday

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.

This Saturday, May 13, is the National Association of Letter Carriers' (NALC's) 31st annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the nation's largest annual one-day food drive. Held annually on the second Saturday in May, the drive collects tens of millions of pounds of food to assist food pantries.

One in eight Americans, including millions of children, senior citizens and veterans, are unsure where their next meal will come from. Since 1993, NALC's drive has helped relieve shortages that food pantries experience in the spring and summer after holiday donations have been depleted.

Help your local community food pantry or bank by leaving donations of nonperishables at your mailbox for your letter carrier to collect on Saturday, May 13. Your donations stay in your community and help your neighbors and community members overcome food insecurity.

Stamp Out Hunger is co-sponsored by the AFL-CIO, the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association, the United Food and Commercial Workers, the U.S. Postal Service, the United Way, Valpak, Vericast, Kellogg's and CVS Pharmacy.

Visit the NALC's website to learn more.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/11/2023 - 09:38

Take Action: Stand with Striking Writers

Writers are facing the most comprehensive assault on compensation and working conditions they have seen in a generation. The studios have taken advantage of the transition to streaming to underpay entertainment industry workers in every area of work—including writers.

Like too many working people across our economy, as corporate profits grow, pay for writers is just not keeping up. That’s why 97.85% of members of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) voted to authorize a strike.

Stand with the 11,500 members who write and produce the TV shows and films that entertain the world. Add your name if you support the striking workers and think they should get a fair deal.

Our union brothers, sisters and siblings are putting everything on the line, and we need to support them until they win the respect and treatment they deserve.

Sign the petition.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/10/2023 - 11:00

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Renee Hamel

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 Renee Hamel of AFSCME.

Renee Hamel is an Indonesian-American labor activist who serves as associate director of communications for AFSCME Council 4, representing 30,000 workers in Connecticut. Prior to Council 4, she worked with the Western Connecticut Area Labor Federation. Hamel is passionate about helping members, by uplifting our voices and telling our stories so we can advocate for better pay, retirement security, health care and working conditions. She also serves as vice chair of the board of directors for the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, which brings labor, environmental and social justice groups together to combat climate change, create jobs, and promote racial, economic and environmental justice.

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

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: New Jersey Gov. Murphy Signs Landmark Bill Improving Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Striking Workers

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.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO was the driving force behind this critical bill and proudly stood with Gov. Phil Murphy as he signed A-4772 into law. The legislation, the strongest of its kind in the United States, awards unemployment insurance (UI) benefits immediately to workers who are on strike or locked out if the employer hires replacement workers. It also reduces the waiting period for unemployment benefits from four weeks to two weeks if replacement workers are not hired and closes several loopholes employers use to deny UI benefits. The bill’s prime sponsors were New Jersey Assembly members Anthony Verrelli, Joseph Egan and Wayne DeAngelo and state Sens. Paul Sarlo and Fred Madden. 

“Workers and their families often struggle financially when they go on strike to protest injustice in the workplace. Going on strike is a very difficult decision, but it is sometimes necessary when workers are pushed to their limits,” said New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech (IUOE). “This law will help ease that financial hardship, and we applaud Gov. Murphy for standing with working people and enacting this legislation.”

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 05/10/2023 - 09:23

Every Worker Deserves Strong Workplace Safety Protections: 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.

More Than 250 Business Leaders Back Julie Su for Labor Secretary as Nomination Hangs in the Balance: “More than 250 business leaders are urging the Senate to confirm acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to helm the department, according to a letter obtained by CNBC. If confirmed, Su would be the first Asian American and Pacific Islander Cabinet secretary in the Biden administration. She would join Cabinet-level AAPI officials Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and Arati Prabhakar, Office of Science and Technology policy director. Su also has the backing of labor unions including the United Mine Workers, NABTU, LiUNA, the IBEW and AFL-CIO, as well as the Small Business Majority to the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.”

Striking Writers Are on the Front Line of a Battle Between AI and Workers: “‘We basically came to the table and said ‘scripts are written by writers and writers are people’ and they came back with the dystopian proposal of ‘well, what if they weren’t,’ Josh Gondelman, a TV comedy writer and a member of WGA East Council, told Motherboard at Wednesday's protest (VICE union workers are WGAE members). Rather than opening up a discussion about how AI can be integrated into the industry and what protections for writers need to be in place once that happens, Gondelman said the AMPTP’s reaction was, ‘Just, once a year we’ll update you with how many of you we’ve replaced with machines.’ Many writers at the strike emphasized that their stance isn’t anti-AI as a whole, but pro-regulation in order to support working people. ‘Technology is changing very fast, the writers are aware of that, we know that AI is a thing and will probably be a tool that’s used in the future and all we want to do is make sure that’s fairly regulated,’ Sasha Stewart, a TV writer, comedian, and WGA East Council member told Motherboard. ‘We want to make sure that at the end of the day, a script is written by a human being, and that human being is a writer’s guild member.’”

Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Musicians Reach Agreement After Years of Negotiations: “After three years of waging a heated and public debate, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and its 64 union musicians jointly announced a collective bargaining agreement on Thursday. A significant sticking point had been the number of concerts performed, per season. The musicians wanted 10, the symphony said five. They agreed to eight. Violinist and local American Federation of Musicians President Beth Welty said both sides had to compromise. The standoff had been going on too long. ‘I think had we kept being at loggerheads—if it's gonna kill the orchestra what's the point?’ she said. ‘Better to sacrifice a couple of concerts now in the hopes we're gonna rebuild to [be] even better later.’”

Rhode Island House Passes Domestic Worker Minimum Wage: “The Rhode Island House of Representatives today passed a bill by Rep. Leonela Felix to ensure domestic workers are paid at least the state’s minimum wage. For most workers, Rhode Island’s minimum wage is currently $13 per hour and on track to reach $15 by 2025. But for domestic workers, most of whom are women and people of color, the minimum wage is less than half that, at just $7.25. ‘Since this nation’s founding, workers have been coming together to organize and advocate for better conditions,’ said Patrick Crowley, secretary treasurer for the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. ‘We have won many important victories improving working conditions, but too often jobs primarily done by women, immigrants and people of color have been excluded from these gains. This bill is an important step in rectifying past wrongs that will benefit the almost 1,500 Rhode Islanders working in domestic service.’”

‘Unconscionable’: Uncle Sam Spends Just $3.99 on Job Safety as Black and Latino Worker Deaths Soar: “‘The true impact of COVID-19 infections due to workplace exposures is unknown,’ the AFL-CIO asserted. ‘Limited data show that more than 1.5 million nursing home workers have been infected.’ ‘Every American should be alarmed and outraged by the tragic data unearthed in this report,’ said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. ‘It is unconscionable that in the wealthiest nation in the world, Black and Latino workers are facing the highest on-the-job fatality rates in nearly two decades. This report is more than a wake-up call, it is a call to action. No one should have to risk their lives for their livelihoods. There is no corporate cost-benefit analysis that should put human life and worker safety on the wrong side of the ledger.’”

Every Pennsylvania Worker Deserves Strong Workplace Safety Protections: “The National AFL-CIO’s 2019 Death on the Job Report shows that state and local public-sector employees are 64% more likely to be injured on the job than private-sector workers. Public sector workers face higher rates of workplace violence in comparison to workers in the private sector, with an incidence rate 745% higher for state employees and 535% higher for local government workers.”

Writers Strike: Other Guilds Pledge Support for WGA on Day 1: “Here’s what the AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who leads the country’s largest federation of unions, said Tuesday: The 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO stand in strong solidarity with members of the WGAE and the WGAW who went on strike this morning to fight for a fair contract that recognizes the tremendous value these writers bring to the entertainment industry. Writers are the lifeblood of film, television and other entertainment, and they deserve a fair contract that ensures these vital jobs pay family-supporting wages and include decent benefits like health care and retirement. Producers make billions in profits off the words that bring the magic of film and television to life for audiences in the United States and around the world. It’s deeply disappointing that Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) isn’t bargaining in good faith to deliver a fair contract. We call on the producers to immediately reach an agreement with the WGAE and the WGAW that respects the vital work the writers do to entertain millions of people every single day.”

Why Julie Su’s Nomination as Secretary of Labor Matters to Asian Pacific Americans and Beyond: “As an Asian-Pacific American, I’m filled with pride to support Julie Su as Secretary of Labor. Julie Su is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her mother came to the United States on a cargo ship because she couldn’t afford a passenger ticket, her parents later built a small laundromat business and raised a daughter who became a worker’s advocate and civil rights leader. Su’s unwavering dedication to confronting corporate greed and championing workers’ rights is genuinely inspiring.”

Nearly a Third of Nurses Nationwide Say They Are Likely to Leave the Profession: “Unions representing nurses have long warned about the problem facing the profession, said National Nurses United President Deborah Burger and President of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Jane Hopkins. Both women are also RNs. National Nurses United has issued a number of its own reports and surveys about the current state of the profession, which have come to similar conclusions to the AMN survey. The union has lobbied Congress hard to pass legislation that address staffing ratios and improve workplace safety provisions.”

The Fight for Justice Is a Global One: “That tradition of solidarity lives on, and today, more than 100 countries celebrate the first day of May as International Workers’ Day. Working people and their unions around the world take action to show that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. It is an opportunity for workers in the United States to recommit ourselves to solidarity among all working people. And a reminder that we can only vanquish oppression in all its forms when we stand together and speak out and march forward for the economic rights and dignities that all working people deserve.”

Hollywood Hit with Writers Strike After Talks with AMPTP Fail; Guild Slams Studios for ‘Gig Economy’ Mentality: “The Writers Guild of America is on strike. News of the strike, which takes effect in a few hours, came late Monday after the guild’s negotiations with the AMPTP failed to reach an agreement on a new film and scripted TV contract. It’s the WGA’s first strike since the 100-day walkout of 2007-08. Less than an hour after talks with the studios ended and over three hours before their current contract officially expires, the guild made the labor action announcement public:  Following the unanimous recommendation of the WGA Negotiating Committee, the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Council of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2.”

AFL-CIO’s Liz Shuler Calls GOP Demands an ‘Affront to Working People’: “AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler is describing the GOP demands to undo the progress made by the Biden administration in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling as an ‘affront to working people’ and she has branded those demands as a complete cave-in by Speaker Kevin McCarthy to the radical right in his party. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler was blunt about the bill’s impact, criticizing House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who pushed the legislation through at the behest of his radical right Freedom Caucus, the 40-lawmaker tail that wags the Republican House dog. ‘House @SpeakerMcCarthy’s default debt ceiling plan is an affront to working people,’ Shuler tweeted at 3:16 pm, just before the vote. ‘The AFL-CIO is strongly urging Congress to reject this plan to careen our nation into default, which would tank the economy and put millions of workers at risk. The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 poses an imminent threat to the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of Americans, life-supporting benefits, and programs for veterans, seniors, children, and low-income.’”

Shuler on Deaths on the Job: ‘This Report Should Not Have to Exist’: “Flourishing a copy of this year’s AFL-CIO Deaths On The Job report, a very moved federation President Liz Shuler had a blunt message for the nation’s errant employers: ‘This report should not have to exist…These pages should be blank.’ She had good reason to say so. Shuler joined a large crowd in the U.S. Labor Department’s main auditorium to honor the 5,190 workers killed on the job in calendar 2021, the latest federal data available, and the data the AFL-CIO uses for its annual report.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 05/09/2023 - 11:15