AFL-CIO Tour Bus Stop in St. Louis Fights to Hold Lawmakers Accountable

St. Louis-area union members held a rally and press conference Friday to hold Rep. Ann Wagner accountable for betraying working people by voting for the disastrous federal budget bill and delaying its cuts until after the 2026 midterms, when she’s up for re-election.

A part of the AFL-CIO’s “It’s Better In a Union” bus tour, the event featured remarks from a variety of local unions, including the St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council, American Postal Workers Union (APWU), AFGE, and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). After the speeches, a group of union members delivered an oversized letter to Wagner, outlining workers’ grievances with the harmful legislation she supported.

“We are here to advocate for safe workplaces, comprehensive benefits and job security for the working people,” said St. Louis Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer Robbie Robertson. “The goal is to provide working people with the stability and peace of mind they need to support themselves and their families. The unions are here to build a stronger economy by fighting for freedom, fairness, and security for the working people.” 

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 07/29/2025 - 09:27

Tags: Better in a Union Bus Tour

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Norfolk Botanical Garden Workers Vote to Form a Union with IAM

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.

Workers in Norfolk, Virginia, who work at Norfolk Botanical Garden, become the second botanical garden in the state to organize in as many years, with nearly two-thirds of them supporting the formation of the union with IAM Union (IAM).

Workers had a powerful outpouring of community support during their effort—hundreds of people signed a petition backing their union drive and lawmakers like state Sen. Angelia Williams Graves and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott also stood alongside them in their fight. Members are looking to have more input on the garden’s direction and to improve workplace safety, notably raising concerns about opaque or lacking inclement weather policies. Better pay was also a driver for the unionization push.

“We need to be a voice for everyone,” said Bridget Fitzgerald, the union organizer working with Norfolk garden employees. “If you can’t include everyone’s voice, then you’re still excluding those same 23 people who are essentially a third of the bargaining unit, and you don’t want to do that. You want everybody to come together in unity.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 07/29/2025 - 09:22