Fight to Lower Health Care Costs: What Working People Are Doing This Week

Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week.

Actors' Equity:

Each month, Equity shares the names of recently deceased members in order to honor their passing and pay our respects. You may read about the losses in our community reported to Equity for December 2025 on the member portal. https://bit.ly/3N15pZ3

[image or embed]

— Actors' Equity Association (@actorsequity.bsky.social) January 7, 2026 at 10:52 AM

AFSCME:

Now’s our chance for Congress to restore funding for ACA premium tax credits and lower health care costs for millions of Americans. Email your member of Congress now and demand they vote YES. https://t.co/Wcrzi1VDeK pic.twitter.com/7avxCx2tgU

— AFSCME (@AFSCME) January 7, 2026

Alliance for Retired Americans:

By the time the wealthiest Americans get their first paycheck this year, they'll have finished paying into Social Security until 2027. It's time for Congress to #ScrapTheCap and make sure everyone pays their fair share!

— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) January 6, 2026

Amalgamated Transit Union:

Tonight, ATU International President John Costa was honored to swear in the newly elected officers of ATU Local 241 in Chicago. This ceremony is a powerful reminder that union democracy matters, and our strength comes from members having a voice in choosing their leaders.… pic.twitter.com/JDz7SM94pz

— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) January 7, 2026

American Federation of Teachers:

Congratulations to Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota on a tentative agreement that avoids a strike and delivers a better path forward for students and the educators who serve them! @EducationMN https://t.co/AZWgbBxxJM

— AFT (@AFTunion) January 7, 2026

American Postal Workers Union:

USPS updates about postmarks clarify their policy, but mail is moving more slowly. Service cuts and potential delays in processing mail raise serious concerns for time-sensitive Election Mail nationwide. We're calling on USPS to fully engage its “extraordinary measures” this… pic.twitter.com/JpIijyoSgj

— The American Postal Workers Union - APWU (@APWUnational) January 6, 2026

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:

In January 2025, PSA Airlines announced plans to move its headquarters from Dayton to Charlotte. While the airline now celebrates the opening of its new headquarters, it has forgotten the workers who keep the airline flying. #ContractNow pic.twitter.com/dL3BwAWgon

— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) January 5, 2026

Boilermakers:

ICYMI: #Boilermakers gave back to their community this holiday season

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Boston Firefighters Ratify New Collective Bargaining Agreement with City

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

Boston firefighters—members of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 718—have ratified a new contract that includes major wins for the dedicated first responders.

The new agreement will boost firefighter pay by 8.5% over the course of the contract lifetime, establish longevity step raises, increase line-of-duty death benefits and create a new streamlined pay system.

“Local 718 is very proud of this contract that we were able to negotiate with the City of Boston,” union President Sam Dillon said. “It recognizes the services and sacrifices that our firefighters deliver every single day, as well as taking care of their families.”

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 01/08/2026 - 10:15