‘This Is Everyone’s Win’: 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.

Starbucks Workers Strike at Dozens of U.S. Stores on ‘Red Cup Day’: “More than a thousand unionized Starbucks workers walked off the job across the country on Thursday, demanding concessions from the coffee chain in their contract negotiations. Starbucks Workers United, the union representing the baristas, said that the strike would affect 65 stores in over 40 cities, and that it was ‘prepared to continue escalating its protests if the company failed to deliver a fair new contract.’”

Breckenridge Ski Patrol Union Plans Tentative Picket Sunday Depending on Negotiations with Vail Resorts: “Breckenridge Ski Patrol Union president Ryan Dineen said his organization is planning a tentative picket at the bottom of the BreckConnect Gondola on Sunday, Nov. 16. The protest is dependent upon the outcome of a Thursday, Nov. 13, bargaining session with Vail Resorts.”

24 Graduate from Missouri Works Initiative’s Pre-Apprentice Programs in Dual Ceremony: “Twenty-four students graduated from the Missouri Works Initiative’s (MWI) Apprentice Ready in Construction (ARC) and Apprentice Ready in Manufacturing (ARM) programs in a dual ceremony on Nov. 1 at Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 union hall. The programs, supported by the Missouri AFL-CIO, are designed to address critical workforce shortages in the general supply chain, aerospace, manufacturing, transportation and construction sectors. It focuses on bridging the gap between underrepresented, underemployed and unemployed individuals and high-paying union jobs by providing resources, support and access to opportunities to build sustainable careers.”

Governor Pritzker Cuts Ribbon at IATSE Local 2’s New Training Center: “Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) joined the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 2 Chicago Stagehands to celebrate the opening of their new training center, which was supported by a $5 million grant from the State of Illinois.”

Some Labor Unions Remain Committed to Recruiting Women Despite Policy Rollbacks: “Some labor unions say they're committed to growing the share of women in construction jobs, even as President Trump rolls back policies that opened doors for women.”

Staffers at 9:30 Club, Other Iconic D.C. Concert Venues Win Voluntary Union Recognition from IMP: “Workers at some of the most renown music venues in Washington, D.C., have won their unionization efforts. IMP notified some of its staffers at the 9:30 Club, The Anthem, The Atlantis and Lincoln Theatre Wednesday that the company would voluntarily recognize the employees’ desire to form a union with Unite Here Local 25, Deadline understands. Now, they will move to negotiate their first union contract with IMP.”

‘Workers First’? Don’t Make Us Laugh: “Donald Trump made 30,573 false or misleading statements during his first term, according to The Washington Post. One of the biggest Trump whoppers is his continuing claim that he’s pro-labor. Unions have taken Trump to court over his mass firings of federal employees and stripping away their collective bargaining rights, the latter a move AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler called ‘the single biggest act of union-busting in history.’”

‘This Is Everyone’s Win’: Striking Post-Gazette Workers Celebrate a Big Victory: “Four minutes before placing the call, Pass received notification that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit had denied the newspaper’s appeal of a National Labor Relations Board decision in favor of the strikers. This was a big win for the workers and likely just about the end of the line for the Post-Gazette’s attempts to overturn earlier decisions. The conversation ended quickly. Tanner had much to do in the next few minutes. The striking workers meet online every weekday at 10 a.m. to check in with each other and go over organizing tasks. It was a perfect time to share the good news. At 9:58, Tanner sent out a message to all strikers: ‘Everybody come to this morning’s meeting.’”

Air Traffic Controllers Are Resigning Due to Shutdown Stress, Union President Warns: “The head of the air traffic controllers union said Friday that some members were resigning from their jobs due to the stress inflicted by the government shutdown, worsening the already troubling staffing situation at airports. ‘We’re seeing air traffic controllers resign,’ Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told CNN.”

Empire Technical Fabrication Voluntarily Recognizes Shop Workers’ Union: “Empire Technical Fabrication, a commercial scenic shop servicing Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, and touring productions, has voluntarily recognized the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 632 as the collective bargaining representative for shop employees at its Wayne, New Jersey facility. The newly organized bargaining unit includes 30 workers across several classifications, including carpenters, mechanics, logistics specialists, integrators, CNC operators, and fabricators. Both parties worked in tandem to ensure a fair and transparent process, culminating in Empire Technical Fabrication’s voluntary recognition of IATSE Local 632.”

Oklahoma State Rep. Forrest Bennett to Resign as He Takes AFL-CIO Position: “Oklahoma State Representative Forrest Bennett announced he plans to resign from the Oklahoma legislature after being elected president of the Oklahoma State AFL-CIO on Friday. ‘It’s an immense honor, and I’m incredibly grateful to my Union family for the trust they’ve put in me. This is the start of a new chapter. I’ll be going to work full-time for Oklahoma’s unions—helping them grow, engage with policymakers, and build a better future for Oklahoma’s working families.’”

Pima Area Labor Federation Hosts Drive-Through Food Bank; Congresswoman-Elect Adelita Grijalva Assists: “As snap benefits stay paused for millions across the country...including right here in Tucson...local food banks have stepped up to help feed our communities. The Pima Area Labor Federation and AFL-CIO have joined in, hosting a drive-through food bank to support families through the longest government shutdown in U.S. History.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/17/2025 - 13:14

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Staffers at Iconic D.C. Concert Venues Win Voluntary Union Recognition

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 at renowned Washington, D.C., music venues have secured voluntary recognition of their efforts to organize with UNITE HERE Local 25. The workers will next move on to negotiate their first union contract with IMP.

The workers include production, food service, box office and door staff at IMP venues: the 9:30 Club, The Anthem, The Atlantis and Lincoln Theatre. They first petitioned IMP last month and their efforts were assisted by IATSE locals 22 and 868.

“IMP venues are world-class venues, but some workers are scheduled inconsistently, juggle multiple jobs, and earn wages as low as $18.25 per hour, which is just 30 cents above D.C.’s minimum wage,” the workers said in an online statement. “The work can be sometimes dangerous or stressful, with workers lifting heavy materials, supporting patrons who have serious emergencies, and catching crowd surfers. For production workers, especially the riggers who work high above the stage, the work carries other risks from high voltage, items falling, and the uncertainties that come from always dealing with concert tours bringing with them different equipment in varying states of repair.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/17/2025 - 10:02