It’s Here! Your Union-Made Gift Guide

It’s that time of year! No matter what you celebrate or how, we know many of you are looking for that perfect gift for your friends and family. And we’d like to suggest—in what has become our annual tradition—gifting union made.

We’ve expanded our gift guide this year. In addition to the usual assortment of delicious union-made food and drinks, toys and games, and more, we also have gifts for big spenders. Gifts that you can make at home, with union products! Gifts for those who’d rather have an experience. Find that perfect gift, from stocking stuffers to sports equipment to a unique book or theater performance.

Best of all, you can feel proud knowing your gifts are made by workers who stood together for family-supporting wages and good benefits. Supporting union-made goods will help workers and communities across the country—you are essentially voting “Union Yes” with your wallet.

It’s a big comprehensive guide, and it’s all here, so we hope this will be your one-stop shopping list this holiday season. We’ll make your gift-giving easy, and you can support union members with your hard-earned dollars—it’s a win-win!

Check out our Union-Made Holiday Gift Guide here.

And remember: If you’re shipping gifts this year, make sure to use a union carrier like the U.S. Postal Service or UPS.

Happy shopping! And happy holidays to you and yours, from our union family.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 12/01/2023 - 12:00

Native American Heritage Month Profiles

Throughout Native American Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Native Americans have made to the labor movement and toward expanding the rights of working people. 

Here are the profiles we've featured this year:

• Donna Lahr, PASS
• Robert Gilson, CWA
• Russell Denny, USW
• David Midthunder, IATSE
• Eric Moore, IATSE
• DeLanna Studi, SAG-AFTRA
• Patricia Salway, AFGE
• Christina Riley, LIUNA
• Richard Reynolds, LIUNA
• Collin Smith, AFSCME
• Margaret Jaramillo, UNITE HERE's Culinary Union

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/27/2023 - 10:28

Native American Heritage Month Profiles: Collin Smith

Throughout Native American Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Native Americans have made to the labor movement and toward expanding the rights of working people. Today's profile features Collin Smith of AFSCME.

Whether he’s operating the snowplow, responding to traffic accidents or filling potholes, Collin Smith—a highway maintenance worker for the New Mexico Department of Transportation—does everything he can to keep the roads safe, the same roads his family and neighbors drive on. Smith can draw his heritage back to the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians and takes great pride in working to maintain the critical roads that run through New Mexico’s native communities, including the Pueblo of Isleta. As a steward for AFSCME Local 1211, Smith ensures that he and his coworkers have everything they need to do their essential work safely and effectively.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 11/28/2023 - 16:28

Native American Heritage Month Profiles: Margaret Jaramillo

Throughout Native American Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Native Americans have made to the labor movement and toward expanding the rights of working people. Today's profile features Margaret Jaramillo of UNITE HERE.

"I grew up in New Mexico with my grandfather (who is Apache and Navajo) about 2 miles away from the Pueblo of Isleta reservation, and I learned a lot about my Indigenous culture," said Margaret Jaramillo. "I have been a union shop steward for years, and I’m proud that we won a great contract because it protects us, our pension, our raises, our safety and everything else that is important. I’m proud to say that I’m part of the Culinary Workers Union, and I’m proud of my Native American heritage."

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 11/28/2023 - 16:28

Native American Heritage Month Profiles: Richard Reynolds

Throughout Native American Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Native Americans have made to the labor movement and toward expanding the rights of working people. Today's profile features Richard Reynolds of LIUNA.

"I enjoy being a part of the Laborers union, not only as a source of income for myself and family, but it's also helped me over the years learn so many different skill sets," said LIUNA member Richard Reynolds. "Along with using many different hand tools to equipment, I've gotten the chance to work with many companies and learn their trade, including road work, dirt work, pipe laying, scaffolding, and bridge work. I've gained lifelong friendships and skill sets in this workforce, and it helped me be a better worker every day."

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/27/2023 - 10:12

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: After 11 Weeks on Strike, UAW Members at Blue Cross Blue Shield Reach Tentative 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.

After 11 weeks on strike, the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) reached a tentative agreement on Tuesday with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network (BCN). The contract includes the reduction of wage progression from 22 years to five, significant general wage increases, a $6,500 ratification bonus for Blue Cross Blue Shield workers, a $5,000 ratification bonus for BCN workers, inflation protection bonuses of $1,000 each year of the contract and protections against outsourcing. Members will remain on strike during the ratification process.

“Our members have proven that when workers stick together, they can achieve historical gains at the bargaining table,” said UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock, who also serves as the director of the union’s Technical, Office and Professional (TOP) Department. “There were difficult times during this strike, especially with the cold weather, but our members never gave up hope and they continued to stand with one another for as long as it took to enable our bargaining team to win an equitable contract that our members deserve.”

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 11/30/2023 - 09:52

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Arlington County and Alexandria City Workers Secure First Contracts

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 in Arlington County, Virginia, and the city of Alexandria, Virginia, ratified their first contracts. They unionized last year with AFSCME, and the two units represent more than 500 workers who work on essential public services such as water treatment, traffic enforcement, and parks and recreation. The Arlington contract includes 12.25% across-the-board wage increases over the course of the three-year agreement, 6% increases to all starting and maximum salaries for every position, a new grievance procedure and other gains. In Alexandria, the three-year contract guarantees an 8% raise over three years, plus a $1,000 bonus in 2024. 

“With inflation and this ‘silent recession’ that no one wants to talk about, having those raises be automatic is definitely going to make me feel a lot more at ease,” said Jaleesa Morris, a parking enforcement officer with the city of Alexandria for more than six years.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 11/29/2023 - 10:00

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Maine’s Woodland Pulp Union Members Vote to Accept Improved Contract Offer; Strike Is Over

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.

After weeks of negotiations, members from Machinists (IAM) Local 1490, in collaboration with 20 millwrights from Millwrights Local 1121 and 38 oilers and steam and water plant operators from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 330-3, have accepted the latest offer from Woodland Pulp, ending the strike that commenced on Oct. 14. The contract includes job classification improvements, wage increases, improved vacation benefits, paid sick leave and other benefits.

“I appreciate the Baileyville community, SEIU, Millwrights, Maine AFL-CIO and our IAM members and staff for their support,” said IAM District 4 Business Representative Danny Loudermilk. “I am grateful to the Food AND Medicine organization for providing groceries and turkeys for the 86 members and their families during this strike. Their donation was greatly appreciated."

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 11/28/2023 - 10:45

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Medieval Times Buena Park Workers End Strike, Return to Work

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.

Show performers and stable hands at Medieval Times in Buena Park, California, ended their nine-month strike and returned to work Wednesday morning without a contract agreement, said the union representing the workers, the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA). The union made an “unconditional offer to return to work.”

“We felt that it was in our best interest to continue to try to work toward the collective bargaining agreement while returning to work,” said Erin Zapcic, who plays a queen at the Buena Park castle and serves as a union steward. “Our fight’s not over, and just because we’re going back to work doesn’t mean we’re not 1000% committed to getting a collective bargaining agreement that makes Medieval Times as safe and equitable as it possibly can be.”

 

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/27/2023 - 10:02

This Is the Story of How Workers Win

It has been a monumental month for American labor.

UAW ratified powerful new contracts with each of America’s Big Three automakers: Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.

SAG-AFTRA reached an industry-defining tentative agreement with the television and film industry studios.

The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 (UNITE HERE) reached its best tentative agreements ever with three Las Vegas titans: Caesars, MGM and Wynn.

And just last week, the Detroit Casino Council reached a terrific tentative agreement for thousands of casino workers in Michigan.

This is all incredible news with deals that will provide life-changing gains for America’s workers. And it was made possible by the unwavering strength of union members standing united for a better future, with all of our union family and people across the country standing in solidarity with them.

This moment is even bigger than these huge victories. This is about a labor movement. We’ve seen more than 300 strikes so far this year, involving more than 450,000 workers. Every industry. Every state.

Working people are reclaiming their power, taking on the companies that have given them the short end of the stick for too long:

• Look at WGA, who won an extraordinary deal for Hollywood writers with the major film and television companies.
   
• Look at OPEIU, IFPTE, and SEIU, who won a groundbreaking deal for health care workers with Kaiser Permanente.
   
• Look at the Teamsters, who won a historic deal for delivery and warehouse workers with UPS.
   
• Look at Starbucks stores all over this country. Two years ago, there were zero unions. Today, we have more than 360. And last week, the Red Cup Rebellion was the largest strike in Starbucks history.

And we’re not done. Workers are still holding the line and standing in solidarity as one labor movement so that every worker gets the fair contract they deserve. And we are growing our movement to bring in more working people, to elect more pro-labor leaders and to lead in the future of work on key issues like artificial intelligence (AI) and green energy jobs.

We can’t remember a moment when our movement had this kind of momentum. This is the story of how workers win.

So this Thanksgiving, we couldn’t be more grateful for workers and activists across the country and for every single person like you who has joined the fight. It truly is better in a union. THANK YOU.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 11/22/2023 - 11:12