AFL-CIO Now Blog

03/27/2024 - 9:30pm
Long Overdue: In the States Roundup 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:

Colorado AFL-CIO:

Connecticut AFL-CIO:

Florida AFL-CIO:

Georgia State AFL-CIO:

Illinois AFL-CIO:

Maine AFL-CIO:

Massachusetts AFL-CIO:

Michigan State AFL-CIO:

Minnesota AFL-CIO:

Missouri AFL-CIO:


03/27/2024 - 3:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Medical School Residents at Western Michigan University Vote to Unionize

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.

Residents at Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine voted to unionize with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Over 90% of residents voted for the union. The primary concerns the workers are seeking to address are safety conditions and compensation.

“We essentially sign a contract before we even know where we’re going just by entering the match system, saying we’re going to work at a place for 3 to 5 years. And we can’t leave our job once we get there if we’re not satisfied with the conditions or the pay. We don’t really have much of an ability to negotiate,” said resident physician in psychiatry Jamil Khondker.

Wed, 03/27/2024 - 10:17

03/27/2024 - 3:30pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Jessica Ackler Jessica Ackler

This year, for Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Jessica Ackler of the Heat and Frost Insulators (HFIU).

Jessica Ackler, a 16-year member of HFIU Local 14, embodies the spirit of resilience and service as a U.S. Army veteran, a devoted mother of three and a trailblazer in her union. Both of her grandfathers and her father were insulators and Ackler carries on the family legacy with pride and dedication. Her marriage to a fellow insulator reflects a shared commitment to hard work and strong union ethics. Ackler's unwavering determination, coupled with her passion for empowering women in traditionally male-dominated industries, serves as a beacon of inspiration and advocacy not only for her fellow union members, but for women everywhere. 

Wed, 03/27/2024 - 10:19

Tags: Women's History Month


03/26/2024 - 9:30pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Addie Jewell Britt

For Women's History Month, BCTGM member Addie Britt talks about how joining the labor movement has improved her life.

Watch this video to hear her story:

Tue, 03/26/2024 - 15:23

Tags: Women's History Month


03/26/2024 - 3:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Florida Paramedics Win Never Quit Awards for Rescuing Tornado Victims Heath Schmidt and Paul Tucker

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.

From AFSCME:

AFSCME members Heath Schmidt and Paul Tucker were in the Florida Panhandle on Jan. 9. The two paramedics, who work for UF Health ShandsCair in Gainesville, were off-duty and had traveled to the Panama City area, some 200 miles away from home, on union business.

It was 5 o’clock in the morning when their cell phones went off announcing a tornado warning. Soon the electricity went out. Then Tucker’s cell phone rang—it was one of their co-workers back in Gainesville.

“He’d heard that we were in the Panhandle area, and he told us that his son was in a campsite where a tornado had gone through and now he was trapped under the roof of his cabin, and he couldn’t get help,” Tucker said. “It turned out his son was only five miles away. I told him we would head there.”

Tucker and Schmidt knew that what they were about to do was risky because the storms were still coming.

“We knew we could get ourselves into a bad situation,” Schmidt said. “When you’re working with your department and you need assistance, you always know there’s someone coming behind you. But in this case, we were on our own.”

As they drove out there, “There were power lines all over the ground, and we came across a washed-out bridge,” Tucker recalled. “What we walked into was mind-blowing: buildings collapsed, RVs flipped over. It looked like a war zone.”

They arrived at the campsite as their colleague’s son was being loaded for transport to a hospital—he had some pretty bad lacerations to his legs, Tucker said. Then he and Schmidt talked to the first responders who had done a primary search of the area.

“Paul and I decided to do a secondary search, and we ended up finding two people who were injured inside RVs that had rolled over from the tornado,” Schmidt said. “They were able to holler back and say they were injured. And we were able to assist them.”

For their service to their community, Schmidt and Tucker, who are vice president and president, respectively, of Local 260 (AFSCME Florida), are winners of our union’s Never Quit Service Award, which recognizes public service workers who go above and beyond the call of duty to make their communities better.

Tue, 03/26/2024 - 10:08

03/26/2024 - 3:00pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Blayne Joseph Blayne Joseph

This year, for Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Blayne Joseph of the Laborers (LIUNA).

Balancing a Laborers apprenticeship with caring for her children, Blayne Joseph graduated top of her class in pipeline training and became the first female stringing foreman on the Alaska North Slope. She is a true trailblazer, breaking barriers and promoting gender equality in traditionally male-dominated professions.

Tue, 03/26/2024 - 10:28

Tags: Women's History Month


03/25/2024 - 8:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Celebrating CLUW's 50th Anniversary

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.

It's CLUW's 50th anniversary! Founded March 24, 1974, the Coalition of Labor Union Women is America's only national organization for union women.

Watch this video to learn more:

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 10:02

03/25/2024 - 2:00pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Judy Beard Judy Beard

This year, for Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Judy Beard of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU).

Judy Beard is a founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) and she currently serves as the organization's treasurer. She is the director of the political department of APWU. She is also a founding member of APWU's women's committee, Post Office Women for Equal Rights (POWER). She teaches fiduciary responsibilities for both CLUW and women's programs around the country.

Mon, 03/25/2024 - 10:13

Tags: Women's History Month


03/25/2024 - 2:00pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Teresa D'Asaro Teresa D'Asaro

This year, for Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Teresa D'Asaro of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

Teresa D’Asaro is a fourth-generation union member and recent retiree from UFCW Local 99. D'Asaro started in the labor movement in 1994, working at a Smith’s grocery store. After becoming a shop steward, D'Asaro was recruited to work for her union as a special project union representative signing up new members to join Local 99. In 1997, she was hired as a union representative and, over 27 years, she worked as a field coordinator, field director and community outreach director. Following her retirement in 2023, D'Asaro has continued to be a champion for working Arizonans through her role on the board of the UFCW Women’s Network and as co-chair of the Maricopa Area Labor Federation. 

Sun, 03/24/2024 - 09:57

Tags: Women's History Month


03/23/2024 - 6:00pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Alana Schaeffer Alana Schaeffer

This year, for Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Alana Schaeffer of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA).

In 2020, UA Local 788 member Alana Schaeffer of Kittery, Maine, became the first woman elected president of the Metal Trades Council, an association of a dozen unions representing 3,000 employees across 10 trades at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She and her members are currently working on passing state legislation to allow federal employees to qualify for state-backed, no-interest loans when they are furloughed or forced to work without pay during a federal government shutdown.

Sat, 03/23/2024 - 09:57

Tags: Women's History Month

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