Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Chicago Museum of Science and Industry Workers Ratify First Union Contract

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.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) workers, represented by AFSCME Council 31, have successfully ratified their first union contract.

Staff at the Chicago institution first formed MSI Workers United in 2023 and faced strong headwinds from an aggressive union-busting campaign. Nevertheless, members persevered and ratified their new agreement with a near unanimous vote right before Thanksgiving. The agreement includes major wins like wage floor increases, holiday pay, establishment of a joint labor-management committee, a grievance procedure and more.

“No longer can management just act on a whim with no recourse for workers,” said Council 31 Public Affairs Director Anders Lindall. “Overall, I would say that it’s a really strong agreement that lays the foundation for employees to transform MSI into an even better workplace going forward.”

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 12/04/2025 - 10:38

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Minneapolis Airport Food Service Workers Reach Tentative Deal; Secure Highest Wages in Airport’s History

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.

Food service workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 17, at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport have reached a tentative contract agreement that averts a potential strike during the busy Thanksgiving travel week. 

“We have a tentative agreement that averts the HMS Host Thanksgiving Week strike. It is an historic agreement that includes the HIGHEST wage increases ever won at the airport,” the union said in a statement. HMS Host operates dining venues at dozens of airports across the country.

The deal comes after more than a year of bargaining, according to the union, and covers approximately 250 workers. The deal includes a tip line for fast food and barista workers for the first time; a higher tipped benefit rate; historic wage increases for cooks, utility workers and engineers; and access to affordable dependent health insurance.

“This agreement is a long time coming,” said Victor Arreole, a cook who works for HMSHost. “We fought for more than a year to win back what we lost during the pandemic, and we’re finally getting the wages and benefits our families deserve. This contract is going to change lives.” 

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 11/25/2025 - 10:39