AFL-CIO Now Blog
04/09/2026 - 3:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Workers Ratify First 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.
Staff at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago—who are represented by AFSCME—have successfully ratified their first union contract. Workers first announced the formation of Museum of Contemporary Art Workers United/AFSCME in February 2024, which was organized with support from AFSCME’s Cultural Workers United campaign. Highlights of the contract include a 12% across-the-board wage increase, additional pay for members assigned bilingual duties, four weeks of paid parental leave, an improved retirement plan and more. “Chicago’s cultural workers are proving that when workers come together, they can win better wages, stronger protections and a voice on the job,” said AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch, who’s also an AFSCME vice president. “With the ratification of their union contract, Museum of Contemporary Art employees have won an agreement that reflects their dedication, rewards their hard work, and gives them a real seat at the table.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 04/09/2026 - 10:14
Tags:
Organizing
04/08/2026 - 8:00pm
AFL-CIO Congratulates Inaugural Class of Labor and Immigration Policy Fellows
The AFL-CIO is proud to introduce our first class of Labor and Immigration Policy fellows. While the fellows come from different parts of the country, different unions and different sectors, they all share one thing in common—they are all on the front lines of building the labor movement through organizing and defending immigrant workers. Each fellow was nominated by their home union, state federation or central labor council.
The fellowship supports these activists coming together, both virtually and in person, over a one-year period to build connections and support each other; strengthen their knowledge and skills through exchange and training; contribute to national and local pro-worker immigration policy advocacy; and amplify the critical work happening around the country. In March 2026, the inaugural class of 27 fellows gathered in Washington, D.C., where they engaged with each other, as well as with union leaders, policymakers, advocates and organizers. Together, the fellows shared their experiences and strategized about how to defend our communities in a way that builds for a future in which all workers have full rights in this country. The fellows will continue to build together in 2026 and beyond. The first class of fellows includes: - Adrian Sauceda, director, inside construction organizing, Electrical Workers (IBEW)
- Angel Castillo, organizing director, UNITE HERE Local 1
- Anthony Samperio, political organizer, Oregon and Southern Idaho District Council of Laborers
- Ashley Snider Hamilton, senior campaign lead, IUE-CWA; vice president, Kentucky State AFL-CIO
- Belinda Lum, chief negotiator, Los Rios College Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 2279
- Brandon Johnson, trustee and shop steward, IAM Union (IAM) Local 2022
- Chris Lee Daniel, strategic organizer/trainer, Georgia AFL-CIO
- Cindy Marquez, financial secretary-treasurer, business agent, organizer and political director, Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 83
- Danie Tarrow, collective bargaining representative, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW)
- Darrin Howell, organizing director, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
- Dulce Gutiérrez, union, community and naturalization organizer, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
- Emily Markwiese, senior organizer, Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 277
- Israel Flores, lead organizer, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73
- Jessica Márquez-Muñoz, office manager, Laborers (LIUNA) Local 386
- Julissa Velazquez, community service liaison, Milwaukee Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO
- Len Harris, young worker and community organizer, Colorado AFL-CIO
- Maira Rivera, executive vice president, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association; secretary-treasurer, Florida AFL-CIO
- Marcelle Vielot, political trainer and lead organizer, Charlotte-Metrolina Labor Council, AFL-CIO
- Natalia Berthet Garcia, communications director, SEIU Local 509
- Octavio Chung Bustamante, marketing representative, LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota, Great Lakes Region
- Oscar Morales, organizer, Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 77
- Pia Rivera-Jones, deputy executive director, People’s Organizing Center, MLK Labor
- Raul Lopez Jr., assistant member program director, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW; president, Yakima South Central Counties Central Labor Council
- Rick Hernandez, president, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Louisville, Kentucky, chapter; organizer, Bricklayers (BAC) Local 4
- Roxana Rodriguez-Torres, shop steward, Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT Local 5017
- William Martinez Perez, international organizer, Ironworkers
- Zavier Myles, business representative, IAM District 776
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 04/08/2026 - 11:08
04/08/2026 - 8:00pm
Giving Back To Their Community: 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: Equity publishes member-written letters reflecting on the lives of their fellow members who have passed away. Fill out the member commemoration form in the member portal to share your letters of remembrance. https://members.actorsequity.org/member-commemoration
[image or embed] — Actors' Equity Association (@actorsequity.bsky.social) April 8, 2026 at 11:29 AM
AFSCME: Air Line Pilots Association: Alliance for Retired Americans: Amalgamated Transit Union: American Federation of Musicians: American Federation of Teachers: Student loan borrowers are being removed from Biden’s repayment plan that many depended on. Many are now scrambling to figure out their next steps. Is this what borrowers deserve after investing in their futures? www.businessinsider.com/student-loan...
[image or embed] — AFT (@aft.org) April 8, 2026 at 12:20 PM
American Postal Workers Union: Association of Flight Attendants-CWA: Boilermakers: Bricklayers:
04/08/2026 - 1:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Sage and Coombe Architects Workers Ratify Contact
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.
Members of Architectural Workers United (AWU)—an affiliate of IAM Union—who work at New York-based firm Sage and Coombe Architects (SCA) have unanimously voted to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement. The SCA Union bargaining unit won voluntary recognition with AWU in 2023 and is the second U.S. studio in the private architecture industry to successfully form a union. In a field of work where long hours are common and union contracts are not, members are celebrating a deal that will give them a powerful voice on the job. “Today, after unanimous ratification by the union, the collective bargaining agreement at Sage and Coombe Architects takes effect,” AWU said in a social media post. “This is the culmination of countless hours of organizing, brainstorming, and collaboration. This contract, the second in the industry, sets a standard for workers at Sage and Coombe and beyond. A heartfelt thanks to everyone at Sage and Coombe for their work to raise the bar of this profession.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 04/08/2026 - 10:00
04/08/2026 - 1:30pm
Strikes Work: 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.
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO: Colorado AFL-CIO:
04/07/2026 - 6:30pm
Unions Are Out There Fighting: 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.
More Than 160 Harvard Club Workers Vote to Unionize with UFCW Local 1445: “Workers at the Harvard Club of Boston voted overwhelmingly to unionize with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 earlier this month, bringing more than 160 employees at the private Back Bay club into the union. The unit includes workers across dining, wellness, athletics, and lodging operations at the Harvard-affiliated social club, which serves alumni and other members with restaurants, event spaces, and athletic facilities.” SAG-AFTRA Communications Staff Union Voluntarily Recognized: “SAG-AFTRA has voluntarily recognized a union for its communications and marketing staffers after a card count found that a majority were in support of organizing. After a third-party checker examined union support cards this week, the union, aligned with National Organization of Legal Services Workers, United Auto Workers Local 2320 (NOLSW), was certified. NOLSW already represents organizing staffers at SAG-AFTRA.” Employees Attempting to Unionize Toledo Parts Supplier: “Employees with ValuePoint Material Solutions are preparing a vote to unionize, but some say it’s been an arduous effort. ValuePoint Material Solutions supplies parts for machines used by General Motors. The employees will vote on Wednesday to join the United Auto Workers Local 14. But throughout the organizing process, some former employees say the company’s management has resented their efforts.” A Democratic Electrician Nabs a State Senate Seat in Republican Florida: “Democrats on Monday officially claimed a second upset in Florida’s recent special elections when The Associated Press declared an electrical workers union leader to be the winner of a tight state senate contest in reliably Republican West Tampa. Brian Nathan, a Navy veteran and member of a new cadre of working class Democrats, will join Emily Gregory, a small-business owner with a public-health background, as upstart Democrats in Tallahassee.…Mr. Nathan, 45, is one of many blue-collar Democrats and anti-Republican independents vying for U.S. House and Senate seats, as well as state legislative posts. Those include Bob Brooks, a retired firefighter, and Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker, who are running for House seats in Pennsylvania and Ohio; Graham Platner, an oysterman, and Dan Osborn, an industrial electrician, running for the Senate in Maine and Nebraska; and Sam Forstag, a smokejumper and union leader, who is vying for the Democratic nomination for a House seat in Montana.” Educators Join the Biggest Day of Mass Protest in U.S. History to Raise Their Voice Against the Trump Administration: “Speaking at the flagship event, Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), stated: ‘Standing up, and showing up, being in solidarity like millions of [us] are doing today is so important. It is the only way we can get the government to act in our interest.’” Union Workers Ratify Contract at Exxon Louisiana Complex, Sources Say: “Union workers at Exxon Mobil’s (XOM.N) refining and chemical plant complex in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ratified a new four-year contract on Friday, sources familiar with plant operations said.…The contract provides a 4% pay increase in the first and fourth years and a 3.5% increase in the second and third years and was negotiated between Marathon Petroleum (MPC.N) and the United Steelworkers union (USW). The workers at the Baton Rouge refinery and chemical plant are represented by USW Local 13-12.” ‘Sheroes’ of the Labor Movement: Women Have Long Legacy of Representing Workers: “Organized labor is a growing force in the United States. In 2025, labor unions recorded the highest membership in 16 years. Liz Shuler is leading the charge. ‘They see that unions are out there fighting, right? We’re out there raising people’s voices,’ Shuler said. Shuler represents the voices of 15 million of those people as president of the AFL-CIO—a federation of 65 national and international labor unions.” Liz Shuler Defines ‘No Kings’ Movement, Says It’s About ‘Standing Up to’ Trump and Reshaping Economy: “AFL–CIO President Liz Shuler expressed her support for the ‘No Kings’ movement and said it represents a challenge to the leadership of the White House. Meanwhile, she also asked for a large-scale economic transformation that will assist workers in general. During her speech at a ‘No Kings’ rally, Shuler also condemned the disparity in wealth between the rich and poor in the United States, claiming that many of the current policies benefit affluent Americans and that many working Americans have been neglected.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:14
04/07/2026 - 12:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Workers at Two Michigan Auto Supply Chains Join UAW
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 the span of 24 hours, workers at Ground Effects and Webasto Detroit both voted in National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) elections to join the UAW. Ground Effects workers make spray-on truck bedliners, in addition to other aftermarket parts and customizations, while members who work for Webasto Detroit produce hard top roofs, primarily for the Ford Bronco. Both sets of auto supply workers came together in their respective facilities to organize for a fair voice on the job. “I’m thrilled we finally won our union. I’ve worked at Webasto for many years. We’re overworked and underpaid. We’re the ones who make money for the company. For too long, we’ve gotten nothing but disrespect from management. I’m ready for some mutual respect,” said Shara Bell, a quality technician for Webasto Detroit. “Ground Effects workers just showed what courage and determination can do,” said UAW Region 1D Director Steve Dawes. “These workers stood together and stood strong against the underhanded anti-union tactics coming from the boss and their hired guns. Now, Ground Effects workers will have the right to sit with management as equals and negotiate a contract that gives them the dignity and respect they deserve.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:43
04/06/2026 - 11:00am
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association
This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we’ve covered all 65 of our affiliates. Next up is the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association (PWHLPA).
Name of Union: Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association Mission: The PWHLPA strives to protect the rights and well-being of all PWHL players, on and off the ice. Led by the collective voice of the players and their interests, the union is committed to the advancement of the league and the opportunities it creates. Together the players aim to leave the game better than they found it for future generations. Current Leadership of Union: Laura Stacey serves as president, Lee Stecklein serves as vice president, Savannah Harmon serves as treasurer, and Hayleigh Cudmore serves as secretary. Malaika Underwood serves as executive director. Each team elects a player representative. Current Number of Members: 184 from the United States, Canada and Europe Members Work As: Professional hockey players Industries Represented: Professional sports History: In 2019, players walked away from existing professional leagues and formed the precursor to their current union. Under the umbrella of that initial association, those players trained and organized their own competitions independently for multiple years. As part of that effort, they advocated for a viable, professional league with proper investment, resources, infrastructure and labor standards. They were not simply asking for opportunity. They were demanding sustainability and dignity. When the PWHLPA was ultimately established in 2023, the players brought with them years of collective action experience. They understood that if the PWHL was going to be a success, their voice must always be heard. Before the first puck ever dropped, the players organized the PWHLPA and they negotiated and ratified a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), making the PWHL the first professional women’s sports league in North America to have a CBA in place before its inaugural game. Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The PWHLPA works to strengthen the future of professional women’s hockey through player advocacy, education and leadership. Current efforts include supporting professional standards across the league, certifying and regulating contract and marketing agents who work with PWHL players, and helping ensure players are equipped to make an impact both within their communities and across the sport. Learn More: Website, Facebook, Instagram, X
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:31
04/06/2026 - 11:00am
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: University of Michigan Student Research Assistants Win Union Election
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.
On Monday, graduate student research assistants (GSRAs) at the University of Michigan voted to join the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), AFT Local 3550. In 1981, GSRAs were barred from organizing after the Michigan Employment Relations Commission ruled that they were not employees under the Public Employment Relations Act. However, that decision was reversed in 2023, restoring their collective bargaining rights. This victory was a product of decades of campus organizing and now adds more than 2,000 additional members to the GEO bargaining unit. “No matter what job title graduate students hold, we face the same pay, same healthcare, same advisors, and same workplace issues,” said Kevin Zheng, a Ph.D. student in the School of Information. “Furthermore, each of us switch between these positions each semester: I worked as a Fellow last year, as a Research Assistant this year, and will be working as a Graduate Student Instructor in the fall. It only makes sense for us to be represented and organized together under the same union.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 04/06/2026 - 09:51
Tags:
Organizing
04/02/2026 - 9:00pm
Worker Wins: ‘We Fought and Won’
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Faculty at Portland Community College Reach Tentative Contract Agreement, Secure Wage Increases: Faculty at Portland Community College (PCC) reached a tentative agreement Monday night, effectively ending a strike that began March 11 and lasted nearly three weeks. “[T]onight we reached tentative agreement on a very strong contract with our members,” the PCC Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals (PCCFFAP) said in an email. “We're thrilled to get back to our students, and a PCC community with a revitalized sense of community.” The tentative agreement includes a 2% cost-of-living adjustment this year and 3% for 2026–27; lump sum payments of $5,475 for full-time faculty, $5,000 for academic professionals and $1,400 for part-time faculty; doctoral pay for faculty and academic professionals; an increase in the pay scale for part-time faculty: 40 vacation hours that academic professionals can cash out; full health care coverage at the most common tier; a new option for college contributions to a health savings account; and additional insurance contributions for part-time faculty. PCC has roughly 1,600 faculty and academic professionals. The agreement is subject to ratification by union members. PCCFFAP is Local 2277 of the AFT. Bangladesh’s Garment Workers Form First Union Under New Law: Garment workers at the Fashion Pulse factory in Bangladesh have formed the country’s first labor union under amended laws that make it easier for workers to organize. The 160 garment workers received legal recognition for the Fashion Pulse Limited Sramik Union in February after organizing with the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation (BIGUF), with legal and technical support from the Solidarity Center. “Despite recent amendments to the law, officials still appear reluctant to grant registration without unnecessary hurdles,” says Rashadul Alam Raju, BIGUF general secretary. “In this context, the Solidarity Center’s timely and precise legal support, together with the proper preparation of documentation under the new format, proved crucial and ultimately decisive.” The workers joined together to negotiate for better wages and safer conditions. “Our next priority is to organize more workers to join the union and strengthen it so that we can effectively engage with the employer and negotiate on behalf of the workers,” said Tanzila, general secretary of Fashion Pulse Limited Sramik Union. Improvements to the Bangladesh Labour Law were passed in November as a result of years of engagement by the Solidarity Center with the government’s Labour Reform Commission, its assistance for workers serving on reform councils and its long-standing involvement with its partner unions and federations. UFCW Pharmacy and Other Workers Ratify 4-Year Contract with Kaiser; Secure 21.5% Wage Increases Over Life of the Contract: Workers at Kaiser Permanente locations across Southern and Central California ratified a new four-year contract Saturday. The contract lasts through March 2030 and includes 21.5% wage increases over the next four years, including 6.5% raises in March and October of this year. Additional wage grid and market adjustments bring the total increase to 25% to 30% for many members. The agreement also includes provisions to safeguard against the impact of artificial intelligence. “We came together with Kaiser Permanente workers across the country to achieve these strong successor contracts,” said the union in a statement. “It reflects the months of hard work that went into negotiations and the solidarity shown by all of us at the bargaining table and the Alliance of Healthcare Unions.” The union represents workers across Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura and Kern counties, including pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians, clinical lab scientists, medical lab technicians and clinical and administrative staff. In February, workers staged a three-day strike at Kaiser Permanente facilities across Southern California and Bakersfield. AFA-CWA Reaches Tentative Agreement with United Airlines: Members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) have reached a new tentative agreement with United Airlines. The deal will now move to the AFA United Master Executive Council who will decide if it can progress to a general membership ratification vote. United crew have been in federal mediation since 2023. Highlights include improvements to base pay, guardrails around red-eye flying, higher retroactive payments, compensation for long wait times between flights and more. New Jersey State AFL-CIO Celebrates New Laws Protecting Immigrant Workers: The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is applauding Gov. Mikie Sherrill for signing into law three pieces of legislation that will protect the rights and safety of immigrant workers in the state. In response to unidentified federal agents swarming neighborhoods around the country to conduct immigration raids, the Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act will ban all law enforcement officers from wearing masks when conducting official duties and require them to provide identification prior to arresting or detaining a civilian. The Privacy Protection Act limits data sharing by government and health care facilities to ensure residents are not discouraged from seeking necessary services out of fear that their documentation status would be disclosed. Similarly, the third bill—the Immigrant Trust Directive—codifies the attorney general’s 2018 directive that limits the voluntary assistance New Jersey law enforcement may provide to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to prevent immigrant residents from feeling unable to seek out help from local law enforcement. “New Jersey has one of the highest populations of immigrants in the nation and we were proud to support these important pieces of legislation,” the New Jersey State AFL-CIO said. “[We] will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in solidarity with immigrant workers to ensure they are treated with respect and dignity and are not fearful to reside in our communities.” NYU Faculty Reach a Tentative Agreement to End Work Stoppage: Contract Faculty United-UAW (CFU-UAW) members reached a tentative agreement with New York University (NYU) administrators on Wednesday after two days on strike. The union represents approximately 950 full-time, nontenure track faculty at the institution. While the agreement is still pending ratification, it includes wins like substantial salary increases, 3.5% annual raises starting next year, a new family care benefit fund, professional development resources, comprehensive health and welfare benefits, and more. “We fought, and won,” said Brendan Hogan, an NYU philosophy professor. “Everyone in our union will get a minimum raise of $14,000 by the start of the next academic year.” Mystic Seaport Museum Workers File to Join AFSCME: Staff at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut went public last week with their effort to form a union with AFSCME Council 4. As part of the AFSCME’s Cultural Workers United (CWU) organizing campaign, the union filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on behalf of workers at the country’s most prominent maritime museum. Staff cite concerns around transparency, job security, health care and wages as core motivators for organizing for a voice on the job. “Mystic Seaport Museum is a great place to work, but it could be an incredible place to work,” said Ashley Giordano, a docent at the museum, in a press release. “We need more protections for our staff and a voice to ensure the museum continues to be a place that visitors want to go to! The thing that makes the museum so special is the people who work here. Time and time again, that is what visitors say they value the most.” “We hope that the Mystic Seaport Museum will [stay neutral] to recognize the right of these workers to organize rather than pursue a divisive campaign,” Council 4 said. “But make no mistake: we are ready to fight to ensure these workers are heard, respected, and empowered to protect the programs and staff that make the museum what it is.” New York Transit Museum Workers Vote Unanimously to Join AFSCME: Workers at the New York Transit Museum in downtown Brooklyn voted unanimously to form a union last week as the Transit Museum Collective, part of AFSCME District Council 37. The members of the new unit include 30 full- and part-time museum employees who work in its education, collections, and visitor experience departments. They are seeking to bargain for higher wages and better job security. “While we celebrate this victory, we also have our eyes firmly set on bargaining our first contract, which will codify the rights and protections we have fought so hard for and know we deserve,” the Collective said on Instagram. “We want to thank everyone who has been supportive of us throughout this process. Without the wider community our union wouldn’t be as strong as it is.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 04/02/2026 - 13:39
Tags:
Organizing
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