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 Rosa Serai of NATCA.

Rosa Serai began a remarkable 32½-year career as an air traffic controller in Honolulu. As a dedicated member of NATCA, she became pivotal in the organization—helping to plan the construction of a new facility, training new controllers, serving as a subject matter expert, contributing to labor relations and designing simulation problems. She also served as the safety representative for the Honolulu Control Facility. Today, Serai continues to serve the labor movement as a retiree.

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 Annawa Naing of AFT.

Annawa Naing is a United Federation of Teachers (UFT) chapter leader and member of the New York State United Teachers, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA) and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA). As a teacher and a unionist, Naing believes in advocacy work—such as fighting for special education services for the students at her school and advocating for fellow members to make sure their union rights are not being violated.

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 Jacob Kaleikini of AFSCME.

United Public Workers (UPW/AFSCME) Hawaii member Jacob Kaleikini is a lead pipefitter at the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, where he has worked for more than 30 years. Kaleikini's passion for his job and colleagues motivated him to get more involved, and he was elected chief steward of his unit. He then took on the role of chair of UPW’s election committee.

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.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement on the budget reconciliation bill passed overnight in the House of Representatives:

“House Republican leaders passed this shameful bill in the middle of the night for one reason: They didn’t want the American people to see the deep and harmful cuts they’re imposing in the light of day. This budget gave Congress a choice: stand with the working people, seniors and kids, or deliver another massive giveaway to billionaires and big corporations. Every single member of Congress who voted for this bill chose to write the richest 10% a fat check on the backs of working-class families already struggling to pay their bills.

“They voted to throw millions off their health care, put millions of American jobs on the chopping block, gut investments in energy jobs, raid federal workers’ pensions, and reverse years of progress to protect workers’ privacy, health, and safety. Even policies that should help keep money in workers’ pockets, like no tax on tips or overtime, are temporary—and will only help people pay the much higher costs of health care and energy bills resulting from this deal if they are fortunate to keep their coverage and jobs at all. The fight to beat this is now in the Senate, but working people won’t give up on tough fights. Our jobs, our health care and our families are on the line.”

Read the full press statement here. 

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 opposes Governor Newsom's surprise proposal to make massive cut to California Arts funding. Read our full statement - https://t.co/TSe7Q7DoOG pic.twitter.com/P41xdBUcHh

— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) May 19, 2025

AFGE:

7 reasons why America’s workers need the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ⬇https://t.co/dzC7JBMMif

— AFGE (@AFGENational) May 20, 2025

AFSCME:

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.

Northwestern University Food Service Workers Ratify New Contract: After a 12-day strike this year, members of UNITE HERE Local 1 who staff dining facilities at Northwestern University have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement. Cooks, cashiers, dishwashers and catering staff on campus are employed by food service contractor Compass Group. Highlights of the new agreement include wage increases of $8 per hour over the lifetime of the contract, a 250% increase in employer pension contributions and more. “Thank you to all the students and community leaders for their support throughout the fight,” the union said in a social media post. “Congratulations, Compass Northwestern workers—when we fight, we win.”

VFX Workers Ratify First Three Contracts with Major U.S. Studios: Visual effects (VFX) workers for Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures and movie franchise Avatar voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first contracts as Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) members. The agreements are a major step forward for the VFX industry, establishing important standard union protections such as overtime pay, a pension and health plan, enforceable rest periods and more. Marvel workers voted unanimously to join IATSE in 2023, and their counterparts at Disney secured a similar election victory one month later. Avatar VFX workers joined the union in January of last year. “I am so proud of my fellow union members for all their hard work through which we have achieved this contract,” said Patrick DeVaney, a postvis coordinator, in a press release. “While we are used to pouring our blood and sweat into our work, unionizing requires something more: our courage. It takes an incredible amount of courage to stand up to management who will always seek to devalue labor in the pursuit of profit margins and your own coworkers who have labored for so long as a part of a non-unionized workforce that they were convinced unionizing would be impossible.”

UAW Members Reach TA with General Dynamics Electric Boat: UAW Local 571 reached a tentative agreement (TA) with submarine manufacturer General Dynamics Electric Boat on Sunday ahead of the union’s midnight strike deadline. More than 2,400 members who build nuclear submarines at the Groton, Connecticut, shipyard would be covered by the new five-year contract. The deal includes major wins such as a 30% wage increase over the lifetime of the agreement and improved wage progression provisions. UAW credits last month’s unified strike authorization vote and strong member mobilization as a major determining factor in securing this TA. “This contract is going to change the lives of our members,” said Bill Louis, president of Local 571. “After years of sky-high housing costs and record inflation, our members are finally seeing the recognition they deserve for their hard work.” 

U Is for Union: Sesame Workshop Staff Win Union Election: Workers at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the beloved children’s educational program “Sesame Street,” voted 55–19 to join the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 153. Despite management attempting to cancel the National Labor Relations Board election twice and trying to turn away eligible staff on the day of the vote, members of Sesame Workers Union (SWU) stood strong and secured a powerful victory. “With a history of unions at Sesame Workshop like WGA and SAG-AFTRA, SWU was founded on the basis of inclusion of the most Sesame workers as possible. The union is the people in your neighborhood, friends, colleagues, coworkers,” said member Kristen Sandmeier. “Our union shows how we can come together in community and collectively negotiate working conditions that are truly responsive to the needs of all of our workers. We are so excited to certify the union and to begin working in harmony with Sesame leadership to ensure a timely first contract.”

Divers at Orlando’s Discovery Cove Theme Park Vote to Join IUOE: Divers at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove theme park unanimously voted to join the Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 30 last week, forming the first union at the Orlando, Florida, resort. With a 100% turnout rate for the election, divers and dive technicians are celebrating this milestone victory. These workers perform essential underwater maintenance duties at the aquatic-themed resort, and cite concerns around wages and lack of a voice on the job as core motivators for joining IUOE. During the organizing drive, parent company United Parks & Resorts retained union-busting legal counsel and tried to exclude some workers from union eligibility. But workers persisted through these delay tactics, and the National Labor Relations Board ultimately dismissed the eligibility complaint, ordering an election. “Workers, once they find out they have rights and they can get their fair piece to get a fair wage for their skill, they want that,” said Jonathan Ellingwood, an organizer with IUOE Local 30. “They were just tired of not getting raises, constantly being underpaid [compared] to what the other parks are paying.…The second you get together with the union and file, your voice is immediately heard.”

Norse Atlantic Airways Flight Attendants Ratify New Contract: U.S.-based Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) members who work for Norse Atlantic Airways voted overwhelmingly in support of ratifying a new contract. The Norwegian low-cost, long-haul airline was founded in 2021 and has a flight attendant base in John F. Kennedy International Airport. Highlights of the deal include provisions that ensure job security, raise total compensation with the highest per diem in the industry, increase the number of sick days and more. “This contract provides Norse Flight Attendants with certainty and guaranteed economic and work rule improvements. The contract provides much-needed quality of life as Norse charts the path forward,” said Norse AFA President Katarzyna Mroczek.

Washington State Governor Signs Striking Worker UI Benefits Bill into Law: Washington State Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill into law Monday that will extend unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to striking workers. Senate Bill 504, which goes into effect Jan. 1, provides up to six weeks of benefits to workers starting 15 to 21 days after a strike or lockout begins. Having access to this financial resource levels the playing field for union members walking the picket line, giving them more time to settle the fair contract they are owed. “Workers joining together in union and collectively bargaining to improve working conditions is as American as apple pie,” said April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council. “But with stagnant wages and a rising cost of living, many workers don’t have a safety net if they are pushed to strike. Providing UI for striking workers will level the playing field by encouraging employers to bargain in good faith and making it harder for bad bosses to starve workers out. UI benefits will help striking workers survive while they fight for the union contract that will help them thrive. We’re grateful to Sen. Riccelli for his leadership on this bill, and to all the legislators who listened to working people and supported its passage.”

Tags: Organizing

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 Greta Ladrillono of PASS.

A near 20-year member of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), Greta Ladrillono was born in the Philippines, raised in California and now lives in Florida, where she has worked in different positions for the Federal Aviation Administration. She’s active in her local chapter and is not only a proud union member, but joined PASS as soon as she was eligible.

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.

Washington State Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill into law Monday that will extend unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to striking workers.

Senate Bill 504, which goes into effect Jan. 1, provides up to six weeks of benefits to workers starting 15 to 21 days after a strike or lockout begins. Having access to this financial resource levels the playing field for union members walking the picket line, giving them more time to settle the fair contract they are owed.

“Workers joining together in union and collectively bargaining to improve working conditions is as American as apple pie,” said April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council. “But with stagnant wages and a rising cost of living, many workers don’t have a safety net if they are pushed to strike. Providing UI for striking workers will level the playing field by encouraging employers to bargain in good faith and making it harder for bad bosses to starve workers out. UI benefits will help striking workers survive while they fight for the union contract that will help them thrive. We’re grateful to Sen. Riccelli for his leadership on this bill, and to all the legislators who listened to working people and supported its passage.”

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 Lenny Guerrero of the Bricklayers.

“My father was a supervisor for a masonry company, and he used to take me with him on weekends when I was growing up. I fell in love with the trade and became fascinated by the idea of building structures that stand the test of time. Masonry has shaped who I am today. Training is my way of giving back to the trade and community that have given so much to me,” Guerrero said.
 

This week, we delivered an AFL-CIO Department of People Who Work for a Living report to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, detailing in workers’ own voices how Elon Musk’s DOGE is gutting essential services, putting lives at risk and triggering mass firings that threaten local economies. 

DOGE is Project 2025 on steroids. From delayed veterans’ care to missing Social Security checks, the consequences of DOGE’s illegal mass firings go far beyond Washington. 

Read the Report. 

After holding field hearings across the country, here’s just a few of the things we heard from working people: 

• Since January, thousands of federal workers who we rely on for key services—such as processing Social Security checks, ensuring food gets inspected and providing veterans’ health care—have been illegally fired or pushed out.
• They’ve attacked workers’ rights to stand up to big corporations and organize and collectively bargain, shutting down the National Labor Relations Board and destroying its independence, and crushing the federal mediation agency.
• DOGE has attacked workers' health and safety, including gutting the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, closing worker safety offices and gutting regulations that protect workers.
• DOGE has attacked health care, eliminating jobs at the VA, repealing programs to lower drug prices, directing Congress to gut Medicaid and ending health coverage for millions of people to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.
• They’ve dismantled the Department of Education, tearing down public education and attacking our universities.
• DOGE has undermined investment and jobs in the next generation of American energy innovation and manufacturing, and undermined workers’ rights across the world.

With budget negotiations ongoing in Congress, this report puts a spotlight on what’s really at stake: the people who make government work and the communities that depend on them. Read it now. 

The people who work for a living want an agenda that works for them—not big corporations and billionaires. We are calling on lawmakers to fully restore the programs that make our country run. Make a call to say, “no cuts that hurt working families.”