Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Pono Kodani

For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Pono Kodani of AFSCME.

Deeply connected to the ocean and his Hawaii Island community, Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA/AFSCME) member and lifeguard Pono Kodani says the most rewarding part of his job is saving a life, especially with drowning being the No. 1 cause of death among children in the islands. Born and raised on the east side of Hawaii Island, Kodani grew up going to the beaches that he now patrols.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/15/2025 - 10:00

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: University of Minnesota Resident Physicians Union Certified by State Labor Board

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.

The Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services officially certified on Friday that a majority of resident physicians at the University of Minnesota have signed cards to join the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU).

A supermajority of the nearly 1,000-person bargaining unit filed for union recognition late last month. Their exciting organizing campaign was made possible by the reform of Minnesota’s Public Employment Labor Relations Act, which was passed in 2024.

“We went into medicine because we want to take care of people, but at the heart of it, we just don’t think that great patient care should have to come at the expense of our well-being,” said Dr. Sofia Haile, a family medicine resident, in a press release. “In fact, we believe our health and our patients’ health are actually intertwined. Creating a system where physicians can be our best for patients and be our best for ourselves is what we’re hoping to achieve as a union.”

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 05/15/2025 - 09:53