AFL-CIO Now Blog
03/13/2025 - 12:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Hundreds Rally Outside VA in Wisconsin to Stop DOGE Cuts
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.
Union members and community allies rallied outside the Zablocki Veterans’ Administration (VA) Medical Center in Milwaukee on Friday to protest President Trump and Elon Musk’s cuts to our critical federal workforce. Workers at the medical center are members of AFGE Local 3, the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP), American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 5000, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Wisconsin. Even before these latest funding attacks, nurses, supply technicians, social workers, housekeepers and other staff were already sounding the alarm about low-staffing levels impacting patient care. A recent internal memo published by the Associated Press showed that Musk’s DOGE is pushing to cut an additional 80,000 jobs—a staggering 20% of the VA department staff—which would make caring for the approximately 62,000 patients that come through the Milwaukee facility every year even more difficult. “Quality health care is a critical need for our veterans,” said Monica Luecking-David, a nurse at the facility and the chapter president of the WFNHP. “None of us are disposable. The VA’s mission could not be achieved without each and every one of us.” “Federal workers and public sector workers make our country right in countless ways that too often go unnoticed until they are not there. And then our country will come unglued,” said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 03/13/2025 - 09:53
03/13/2025 - 12:30pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Sandy Laemmel
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 isÂ
Sandy Laemmel’s journey with NALC spans 50 years, starting when she was a teenager running an errand to buy stamps at the post office, where a “We’re Hiring” sign changed her life. From letter carrier to steward and president of Detroit Branch 1, she has dedicated herself to helping others. Since 2022, she’s served as a national trustee. “The common thread is people,” she said. She’s been the person others relied on, but “they’ve given me more in return. It’s truly better to give than receive. From teenager to trustee, I’ve been blessed in ways words can’t express.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 03/13/2025 - 10:47
Tags:
Women's History Month
03/12/2025 - 6:00pm
AFT and AFL-CIO Respond to Department of Education Reduction in Force Announcement
Labor leaders and education advocates American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler condemned the Department of Education’s reduction in force announcement.
Weingarten said: Many of America’s global competitors — and adversaries — are no doubt cheering President Donald Trump’s plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. They know that countries who out-educate the rest of the world will out-compete it. And now brand new Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Trump want to neuter, if not completely shutter, the entity that helps give all children in the United States access to the great public school education they deserve. On Tuesday, the department announced plans to cut nearly half of its staff. McMahon says these catastrophic firings, alongside hundreds of so-called "buyouts," are about "efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers.” The reality is far more cowardly. ... A gutted department would mean fewer teachers, more crowded classrooms and increased mental health and behavioral challenges for students. We’d most likely see increased absenteeism and decreased graduation rates. Fewer students would be able to obtain the degrees or credentials they need for well-paying jobs, meaning more students would have to settle for low-wage work or simply drop out of the workforce. And many cities and states would have to increase school budgets to make up for these cuts, resulting in higher state and local taxes. Instead, this move sends a clear message that, in Trump’s America, only kids from wealthy families are entitled to opportunity. How does that help make America great? ... My union will continue to fight to protect our kids and to fund their future, because it is both the smart and the right thing to do. Last Tuesday, we held over 100 events across the country to protect our kids. Diverting billions from our children to pay for tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy is a callous decision that short-changes everyone. If we want to engage kids, if we want America to be a nation of “explorers, builders, innovators [and] entrepreneurs,” as Trump said in his inaugural address, then logically it follows that we should be investing more in education, not less. The dreams of millions of kids, and the promise of America, depend on it.
Read the rest of Weingarten's statement. Shuler said: Firing half of the staff so that the Department of Education cannot function will jeopardize the resources, programs and protections that give millions of students the opportunity to succeed. Public schools are the cornerstones of our communities: they provide the free, universal education that working families depend on, feed and care for our kids, and create millions of good union jobs. The Department of Education provides critical support to educators and school staff, and financial aid and student loans that put college and trade schools within reach for working families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it. Access to quality public education is a top priority for the American people, but billionaires like Elon Musk are pushing a Project 2025/DOGE agenda that only boosts the rich and powerful. We urge members of Congress to safeguard our taxpayer dollars by quickly acting to protect services that are essential to American life and provide vital support to our nation’s students, parents and educators.
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 03/12/2025 - 12:53
03/12/2025 - 6:00pm
Get Organized: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week.
Actors' Equity: AFGE: AFSCME: Alliance for Retired Americans: Amalgamated Transit Union: American Federation of Musicians: American Federation of Teachers:
03/12/2025 - 6:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers in Utah Ratify State’s First Cannabis Industry Union Contract
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 WholesomeCo in Bountiful, Utah, ratified a union contract, becoming the first cannabis industry workers in Utah to do so. The workers are members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99. The agreement provides guaranteed wage increases over three years; company-provided medical insurance coverage, dental and vision coverage; paid bereavement and parental leave; paid time off and paid holidays and meal breaks; and a ratification bonus. The contract covers delivery fulfillment agents, demand inventory agents, inventory compliance agents, pharmacy fulfillment agents, pharmacy agents and retail display agents at the Bountiful facility. Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin said the contract was “an important milestone not just for WholesomeCo employees, but for all Utah cannabis workers. With the ratification of this historic contract, WholesomeCo will continue to be a great place to work while helping raise the standard of living for employees industry-wide.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 03/12/2025 - 09:54
03/12/2025 - 12:00pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Anna Rose Sullivan
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 Anna Rose Sullivan of AFSCME.
For Anna Rose Sullivan, being a public defender is about fairness. Many of her clients lack the financial means to hire a private lawyer. Sullivan works every day to ensure that everyone—regardless of their economic background—receives fair and equal treatment under the law. And through her union, she and her co-workers have negotiated for sustainable caseloads so they can give each case the time and attention it deserves.
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 03/12/2025 - 10:08
Tags:
Women's History Month
03/12/2025 - 12:00pm
Worker Wins: Taking Back Their Power
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Vestas Wind Techs Vote to Join UWUA: Vestas wind turbine technicians in Michigan voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to join Utility Workers (UWUA) Local 223, becoming the international company’s first technicians in North America to do so. Denmark-based Vestas is the largest wind turbine company globally—these newly minted UWUA members perform routine operations and maintenance on 128 different turbines, including major part replacements. Workers initially contacted the union about organizing, with concerns over work-life balance, training and the company’s safety culture. “These workers took a remarkable step forward to take back their power,” said UWUA National President James Slevin. “They were up against a strong anti-union campaign. The company pulled all the usual stunts to try to get them to vote against this union campaign. We welcome these Vestas wind techs to our membership, and we look forward to addressing their key concerns when we sit down to negotiate their first contract.” AGMA and Cincinnati Opera Announce New Contract: The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and Cincinnati Opera released a joint statement last week announcing the ratification of a new three-year contract. This collective bargaining agreement comes as the opera company is in preparation for its 105th anniversary Summer Festival that will feature the talent of AGMA members onstage and behind the scenes. Highlights of the deal include wage increases, improved workplace protections, new policies addressing core member concerns like artificial intelligence and more. “These negotiations were a testament to the strength and solidarity of the artists of Cincinnati Opera,” said AGMA Counsel Martha Kinsella. “We advocated strongly for meaningful wage increases and achieved the best contractual raises in recent memory. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our Negotiation Committee, which represented nearly all working groups, for their dedication, strategic thinking, and unwavering advocacy throughout this process.” Walt Disney Animation Studios Production Workers Ratify Contract: In a vote taken last week, production workers represented by The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, officially ratified their first union contract with Walt Disney Animation Studios. The unit covers production coordinators, production supervisors and production managers who first started organizing in 2022—the next year, a supermajority of production workers voted to join TAG. The newly minted contract includes victories like a pension, health care benefits and double-digit increases to minimum wage rates for all job roles. “In Hollywood, we love an underdog story. Our ratification was just that — the underrepresented and underpaid coming together and demanding better pay and equity with our artistic counterparts,” said production supervisor Nicholas Ellingsworth. “In the end, we were heard and seen, and we have a pathway to further improving the conditions in which production management works.” UAW Members at Ultium Cells Approve Collective Bargaining Agreement: Nearly 1,000 UAW Local 1853 members who work at Ultium Cells in Tennessee voted on Wednesday to ratify their first contract with the electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer. A joint venture of General Motors and South Korea's LG Energy Solution, Ultium Cells produces battery cells for EVs at a neighboring assembly plant. The agreement’s highlights include a one-time $3,000 lump sum payment and wages that align with what Ultium Cells workers make at a plant in northeast Ohio, which was the first to unionize. The wages currently start at $26.91 and include increases every year to reach $35 per hour by September 2027. “Ultium workers are setting the bar for Southern workers and charting a brighter future,” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “From Georgia to Kentucky to Texas, folks in these new EV plants know they deserve fair pay and benefits, just like union workers before them. And you can bet the UAW is going to stand with them to make sure they get their fair share and a collective voice on the job." Court Rules Trump’s Firing of NLRB Member Illegal: A federal District Court in Washington, D.C., ruled on Thursday that President Trump acted illegally when he suddenly terminated National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Gwynne Wilcox. Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered her to be reinstated to the independent agency tasked with protecting the rights of working people to organize unions. “The court also sent an important message that a president cannot undermine an independent agency by simply removing a member of the board because he disagrees with her decisions,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “Working people around the country count on equal justice and fair decision-making from an independent NLRB—and today, because of Wilcox’s commitment to the mission of the NLRB and her refusal to stand by as Trump illegally removed her from the board, the NLRB can get back to work.” Read AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler’s full statement here. Barnes & Noble Workers Win Historic Union Contracts: On Thursday, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW) members announced that they have successfully ratified historic, first-in-the-nation collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) at three New York City Barnes & Noble stores. These new contracts collectively cover more than 200 workers, including staff at the Flagship Union Square store located below the Barnes & Noble corporate headquarters. A central focus for members of the Barnes & Noble Union during negotiations was workplace safety—the union was also active in lobbying for the passage of the Retail Worker Safety Act. Highlights of the CBAs include wages increases, RWDSU-UFCW union health care coverage, language requiring de-escalation training and late night transportation, layoff protections, and more. “Workers at Barnes & Noble should be incredibly proud of what they’ve accomplished together in these historic first union contracts,” said RWDSU-UFCW President Stuart Appelbaum. “United in their fight for increased safety in their stores, it was their voices among others across our union that won increased protections for everyone in the industry through the Retail Worker Safety Act. Today, we can finally say those safety protections are codified in their union contracts, which also include industry standard setting wage increases, union healthcare, and more. A union is the only way to ensure workplace protections are secure—especially now, while laws protecting workers are under attack.” Gannett Journalists Win Tentative Two-Year Contract Deals: After three years of bargaining and a walkout pledge, journalists represented by The NewsGuild of New York, CWA Local 31003, at six of the largest Gannett-owned papers in New Jersey and New York have reached tentative agreements. The APP-MCJ Guild and the Hudson Valley News Guild bargained separately but have been coordinating closely to secure victories for all the covered newsrooms. Wins include life-changing wage increases, strong salary floors, artificial intelligence guardrails, just cause provisions and more. “This agreement is a testament to their strength, tenacity and solidarity and should serve as proof-positive for other Gannett newsrooms, who should stop asking nicely and start using their collective power to demand what they deserve,” said Asbury Park Press reporter Mike Davis, acting unit chair of the APP-MCJ Guild. “We fought for Gannett to invest in our communities, and in us,” said Journal News reporter Nancy Cutler, acting unit chair of the Hudson Valley News Guild. “And we won.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 03/11/2025 - 13:07
Tags:
Organizing
03/11/2025 - 11:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: American Guild of Musical Artists and Cincinnati Opera Announce New Three-Year Agreement
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 American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and Cincinnati Opera announced a new three-year contract. The contract was ratified by the AGMA Board of Governors on March 3, after being approved by the members. The contract secures wage increases, better financial support for non-local artists, stronger workplace protections, new policies addressing artificial intelligence, data security, and bereavement leave, expands rights for chorus members, corps dancers, and principal artists, enhances conditions for staging staff, and ensures fairer policies across all working groups. “These negotiations were a testament to the strength and solidarity of the artists of Cincinnati Opera,” said AGMA Counsel Martha Kinsella. “We advocated strongly for meaningful wage increases and achieved the best contractual raises in recent memory. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our negotiation committee, which represented nearly all working groups, for their dedication, strategic thinking, and unwavering advocacy throughout this process. I also want to thank Cincinnati Opera’s management team, who bargained in good faith from start to finish, demonstrating their commitment to the artists who bring these productions to life.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 03/10/2025 - 09:48
03/11/2025 - 5:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Walt Disney Animation Studios Production Workers Ratify Contract
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.
In a vote taken last week, production workers represented by The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, officially ratified their first union contract with Walt Disney Animation Studios. The unit covers production coordinators, production supervisors and production managers who first started organizing in 2022—the next year, a supermajority of production workers voted to join TAG. The newly minted contract includes victories like a pension, health care benefits and double-digit increases to minimum wage rates for all job roles. “In Hollywood, we love an underdog story. Our ratification was just that—the underrepresented and underpaid coming together and demanding better pay and equity with our artistic counterparts,” said production supervisor Nicholas Ellingsworth. “In the end, we were heard and seen, and we have a pathway to further improving the conditions in which production management works.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 03/11/2025 - 10:03
03/11/2025 - 5:00pm
Women's History Month Profiles: Helene Brown
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 Helene Brown of the Bricklayers (BAC).
“I began my journey as a tuck pointer in 1999,” said Helene Brown, a member of BAC Administrative District Council 1 of Illinois. “After 26 years of hard work and dedication, I now have the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience as an instructor. Tuck pointing has allowed me to create a life and legacy that myself and my children can be proud of. I am proof that women can excel in a male dominated trade!”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 03/11/2025 - 10:06
Tags:
Women's History Month
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