04/30/2024 - 12:30pm
Memorializing Lost Workers: In the States Roundup
It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter).
Alabama AFL-CIO:
Alaska AFL-CIO:
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Florida AFL-CIO:
04/29/2024 - 6:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: TWU Local 556 Overwhelmingly Ratify New Contract
Working people across the United States have stepped 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.
Flight attendants at Southwest Airlines represented by Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556 ratified a four-year contract that includes a 22.3% raise on May 1, $364 million in retroactive wages, industry-first paid maternal and parental leave, additional compensation for extra time spent on the ground while on duty, higher pay for irregular operations, premium pay for an extended duty day, pay protections for flight attendants who experience an on-the-job injury, and provides holiday pay for three more holidays: July Fourth, Memorial Day and Labor Day. The contract was approved, with 81% of votes in favor.
“This deal provides significant raises and critical quality-of-life improvements for TWU’s Southwest Flight Attendants who worked through historic operational meltdowns and a global pandemic,” said TWU International Executive Vice President Alex Garcia. “TWU Local 556 won quantifiable compensation throughout all phases of the day that will put real money into our Flight Attendants’ pay checks. This is the least they deserve after years of hard work and negotiations.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/29/2024 - 10:02
04/29/2024 - 6:00pm
Top 14 Things You Should Know from the Death on the Job 2024 Report
Today, ahead of Workers Memorial Day on April 28, the AFL-CIO released our 33rd annual report, Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect. This annual report serves as a national and state-by-state profile of worker safety and health, offering direction to policymakers and regulatory bodies as they strive to address the scourge of working people facing death, injury and illness at work.
“Despite workers’ hard-won safety and health rights, this report shows the fight is far from over,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “Too many workers face retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions or injuries, while low penalties fail to deter employers from following the law. The alarming disparities in workplace fatalities among workers of color are unacceptable, symptomatic of deeply ingrained racial inequity and the need to pay increased attention to the dangerous industries that treat workers as disposable. As we honor those who have fallen this Workers Memorial Day, we remain committed to holding corporations accountable so that all jobs are safe jobs—where every worker can return home safely at the end of the day.”
Here are 14 things you need to know from the 2024 Death on the Job report:
- 344 workers died each day from hazardous working conditions.
- 5,486 workers were killed on the job in the United States.
- An estimated 120,000 workers died from occupational diseases.
- The job fatality rate increased again to 3.7 per 100,000 workers.
- Workers of color die on the job at a higher rate: Black and Latino worker job fatality rates are disproportionate compared with all other workers and are continuing to increase.
- Employers reported nearly 3.5 million work-related injuries and illnesses, an increase from the previous year.
- 43 workers died from heat on the job; fatal and nonfatal data are an undercount of the real problem.
- Workplace homicides and workplace suicides increased 9% and 13%, respectively, from 2021 to 2022.
- Separately, unintentional overdoses at work increased 13% from 2021 to 2022.
- The rate of serious workplace violence injuries has increased to 4.3 per 10,000 workers.
- Musculoskeletal disorders from repetitive motion injuries continue to be a major problem, accounting for 28% of all serious work-related injuries and illnesses in private industry.
- Underreporting of all workplace injuries and illnesses is widespread—the true toll of work-related injuries and illnesses is 5.6 million to 8.4 million each year in private industry.
- Chemical exposures continue to plague working people, leading to debilitating, life-threatening diseases that are totally preventable.
- The cost of job injuries and illnesses is enormous, estimated at $174 billion to $348 billion a year—an undercount of the real impact on society, families and communities.
“This report exposes an urgent crisis for workers of color and reaffirms what we’ve long known: When we talk about justice for workers, we must prioritize racial equity,” said AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond. “The fact that Black and Latino workers continue to die on the job at disproportionate rates demands a reckoning with the failure of employers to protect them. We must honor the lives lost on the job with action, as we recommit ourselves to advancing safety, health and equity for all workers.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 04/25/2024 - 10:15
04/25/2024 - 9:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: GM Aramark Workers Win Major Gains
Working people across the United States have stepped 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.
Workers at General Motors Aramark won a historic tentative agreement that raises the standards for all UAW GM members in sanitation. Under the new contract, workers will receive raises of up to 43% over the life of the three-year deal. It would take a worker just 90 days to reach the top wage rate. Workers will receive retroactive back pay from March 15.
“If ratified, this deal will be a major victory for our UAW members in sanitation, not just at Aramark,” said Mike Booth, UAW vice president and director of the GM Department. “Of the 10 sanitation companies the UAW bargains with, Aramark is the largest. We took the fight to Aramark head-on to win a contract that recognizes your hard work and dedication.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 04/24/2024 - 09:48
04/25/2024 - 3:00pm
Win A Better Future: In the States Roundup
It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter).
Alaska AFL-CIO:
Arizona AFL-CIO:
04/24/2024 - 9:00pm
The Fight Goes On: 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.
‘He Has Our Backs’: Pennsylvania Steelworkers Cheer Biden’s Proposed Tariffs on Chinese Steel: “Darrin Kelly, the president of the Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council, told PennLive that Biden’s tariffs proposal ‘is just one further acknowledgment that this is the most worker-friendly president in the history of our great country.’ Kelly praised Biden’s commitment to labor and the middle-class, saying that, ‘Every step and every breath this man takes has the American worker in his blood, in his heart. That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’ll always stand with him.’”
Shedd Aquarium Employees Launch Union Drive: “Employees at the Shedd Aquarium announced plans to unionize Thursday, the latest in a series of unionization campaigns at Chicago’s prominent cultural in recent years. The employees eventually plan to file for a union election with the American Federation of Sate, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, which since 2022 has unionized workers at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Institute and its affiliated school, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park and the Newberry Library, a research library on the Near North Side.”
Disneyland Character Workers File for a Union Election with the National Labor Relations Board: “The workers who play characters like Goofy and Mickey Mouse and cheer and dance at parades at Disneyland have taken a step forward in their push to unionize with Actors’ Equity. The group of organizers, which is seeking to represent 1,700 employees, filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, Actors’ Equity president Kate Shindle announced at a press conference in Anaheim on Wednesday. According to Shindle, a ‘supermajority’ of eligible employees have signed union authorization cards, supporting the move to be represented by Actors’ Equity in collective bargaining. Beyond performers, the group—which calls itself ‘Magic United’—also includes workers who help facilitate character performers’ interactions with park patrons and trainers who work with them.”
Graduate Student Workers Vote to Authorize Strike: “Fordham Graduate Student Workers (FGSW) announced its members had approved a 98% vote in favor of authorizing a strike on April 9 after polls had closed. The vote is an effort to pressure the university to meet the union’s demands in ongoing contract negotiations for higher compensation, healthcare benefits, childcare subsidies, and more. The strike authorization vote will allow union leaders to call for a strike at any moment if Fordham does not move closer to meeting FGSW’s demands—both parties have been in negotiations for 19 months. If a strike were to occur, union members would not work until both parties negotiate a satisfactory contract with Fordham.”
MSHA Final Rule Lowers Limit for Miner Exposure to Silica: “To Cecil Roberts, president of United Mine Workers of America, the rule protects miners both in the short-term and throughout their lives. ‘Young miners in their 30s and 40s are getting lung diseases that are being exacerbated by silica dust,’ Roberts said in a release. ‘What was thought to be a disease of the past is coming back with a vengeance because miners are cutting more rock than ever before.’ In a separate release, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler calls the rule ‘a definitive step toward safeguarding the health and well-being of our nation’s miners.’”
U.S. Antitrust Funding Jump Urged by Unions, Lobbies, Trade Groups: “The Justice Department’s antitrust enforcers need more funding to crack down on illegal mergers and conduct, unions, small business and advocacy groups told members of Congress Tuesday ahead of Attorney General Merrick Garland’s expected testimony. In a pair of letters to the leaders of the House and Senate appropriations committees, the groups urged lawmakers to increase the antitrust funding for the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission.”
Nebraska Steamfitter Running for U.S. Senate Against GOP Incumbent Is Gaining Traction: “In Nebraska’s U.S. Senate race, something extraordinary is happening—Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan candidate, is gaining traction at the polls, attracting national media attention, and, most importantly, securing cross-over voters. A former union president who led a 77-day strike at Kellogg’s in 2021, Osborn was fired from the company last year and is currently an apprentice for a local steamfitter’s union in Omaha. Now, the 48-year-old father of three is spending all of his free time outside his 40-hour workweek campaigning against incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer.”
Another Group of St. Louis Public Radio Employees File to Organize Despite University of Missouri Resistance: “Another group of St. Louis Public Radio employees has filed to organize, following the newsroom’s historic unionization last year. The St. Louis Public Radio Guild announced it has filed for a second election to add the radio station’s non-supervisory fundraising, events and support staff to its ranks. The St. Louis Public Radio Guild organized the 37 newsroom workers who bring local, national and international news and programs to the airwaves and online, including journalists, producers, on-air talent and marketing professionals. Last year, they made history by becoming the first public media union to file for and win union recognition in the state of Missouri.”
America's Newest Doctors Fuel Efforts to Unionize: “A new generation of doctors struggling with ever-increasing workloads and crushing student debt is helping drive unionization efforts in a profession that historically hasn't organized. Why it matters: Physicians in training, like their peers in other industries, increasingly see unions as a way to boost their pay and protect themselves against grueling working conditions as they launch their careers. It also comes amid a wave of unionization and labor actions by nurses and other caregivers across a health care system that's still dealing with high levels of burnout.”
Sault Saint Marie Nurses Strike for Fair Pay Amid Negotiation Standoff: “Nurses in Sault Saint Marie are now on strike. This follows negotiations between the Michigan Nurse's Association and MyMichigan Health that ended in a deadlock. About 120 nurses work at MyMichigan Health, and they could be striking outside the hospital for five days if an agreement is not reached.”
Marquette Employees Launch Union Organizing Drive Amid Budget Uncertainty and Job Cuts: “A group of more than 50 Marquette University employees have launched a union organizing drive in hopes of gaining federal recognition—allowing them to negotiate over wages, benefits and workplace conditions. The effort announced this week comes shortly after Marquette laid out plans to cut $31 million from its budget over the next seven years. ‘It just seems like we need this now more than ever,’ said Grant Gosizk, a union steering committee member who teaches in the university's English department. ‘There’s an amount of pressure to the campaign now that we haven't had for the past year or two. It’s been in the works for a long time, but now it seems essential.’”
WGA Strike Leaders Chris Keyser and David Goodman Warn Members to Stay Vigilant: ‘The Strike Is Over, the Fight Goes On’: “Chris Keyser and David Goodman, the veteran showrunners who steered the five-month Writers Guild of America strike last year, warned guild members on Sunday to stay vigilant in a fast-changing business landscape despite the gains of last year’s historic labor action. ‘Though this strike is over, the fight goes on. If we take our eye off the ball, everything we gained can literally go away tomorrow,’ Goodman told the crowd at the Writers Guild Awards at the Hollywood Palladium.”
'Overworked, Underpaid': Flight Attendants Picket at Newark Airport: “If an airline has the cash to give its executives a big pay bump, its employees also deserve a raise. This was the call from dozens of unionized flight attendants with United Airlines at a picket line outside Newark Airport on Thursday. As part of a national day of action held at airports across the U.S., the flight attendants held up signs reading ‘Pay Us Or Chaos’ and chanted ‘Overworked, underpaid—pay us a living wage.’”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/22/2024 - 15:17
04/23/2024 - 9:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Minnesota Grocery Workers Reach Tentative Contract Agreement
Working people across the United States have stepped 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.
Grocery workers, members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663, reached a tentative contract agreement with management of Quisberg’s and Miner’s grocery stores in Brainerd, Baxter, Crosby and Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. The contract agreement comes after the workers went on a four-day strike in December. The workers rejected management's offer in January and fought until they secured the new agreement on Monday. Details of the tentative contract are to be released after members are informed of the details through in-person meetings.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 04/23/2024 - 09:54
04/22/2024 - 9:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Volkswagen Workers Become First Southern Autoworkers to Win Their Union
Working people across the United States have stepped 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.
In a historic victory, 73% of Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to join the UAW. The Volkswagen workers are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win a union.
“This election is big,” said Kelcey Smith, a worker in the paint department at Volkswagen (VW). “People in high places told us good things can’t happen here in Chattanooga. They told us this isn’t the time to stand up, this isn’t the place. But we did stand up and we won. This is the time; this is the place. Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life.”
“We saw the big contract that UAW workers won at the Big Three and that got everybody talking,” said Zachary Costello, a trainer in VW’s proficiency room. “You see the pay, the benefits, the rights UAW members have on the job, and you see how that would change your life. That’s why we voted overwhelmingly for the union. Once people see the difference a union makes, there’s no way to stop them.”
“This is a movement for every blue-collar worker in America,” said Doug Snyder, a body worker at Volkswagen. “Our vote shows that workers everywhere want a better life on and off the job. Fair pay is important, but so is time with our families. So is a voice for safety in our plant. We’re looking forward to getting to the bargaining table with the company and winning a contract that makes things right at Volkswagen.”
“We congratulate the Volkswagen workers, our UAW family and UAW President Shawn Fain for this monumental victory in Chattanooga,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “The victory at Volkswagen’s plant in Tennessee marks a historic milestone for workers across the state and the broader South. Led by a diverse coalition of young activists, this triumph challenges outdated labor laws and sets new standards for collective bargaining power. It symbolizes a shift away from the old economic model that prioritizes the profits of big corporations to a new era where working people have the power to shape our futures.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/22/2024 - 09:53
04/19/2024 - 7:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers at Portland Hilton Secure New Contract After Two Years of Bargaining
Working people across the United States have stepped 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.
UNITE HERE Local 8 reached a tentative contract agreement that raises wages and restores automatic daily room cleaning at the Hilton and Duniway hotels in downtown Portland. The contract covers about 125 workers across the two hotels, including housekeepers, cooks, bellhops and reception clerks. The contract would provide a 50-cent-an-hour raise every February and August though Feb. 1, 2027, for non-tipped workers and includes retroactive raises dating back to Aug. 1, 2022.
Andi Tiffany, a cook at the Duniway, said low wages in the kitchen have led to high turnover, chronic short staffing and increased workloads for those who stick around. “We’ve lost a lot of really excellent cooks from the kitchen because we wore them out so quickly,” Tiffany said.
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 04/19/2024 - 10:01
04/18/2024 - 12:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Hails Passage of Library Worker Rights Legislation
Working people across the United States have stepped 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.
The Machinists (IAM) union, which represents Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) workers, is celebrating the passage of the Library Workers Empowerment Act, a milestone piece of legislation initiated by the IAM last year that will grant library staff across Maryland the right to organize.
The legislation, cross-filed as H.B. 609 and S.B. 591, received bipartisan support in the Maryland General Assembly. Once the bill is signed by Gov. Wes Moore, it will empower public library workers to be able to form unions and collectively bargain for the wages, benefits and working conditions they deserve. Currently, library staff in only four counties and Baltimore City can organize, but this bill extends this critical right to libraries throughout the state.
“The IAM and its members extend their deepest gratitude to the legislators who supported this piece of legislation and to the library employees who have tirelessly advocated for their rights,” said IAM Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) Local 4538 President and Library Service Assistant Anita Bass. “This achievement is a testament to the power of solidarity and the importance of standing together for the betterment of all workers.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 04/18/2024 - 09:07
