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 at General Motors Aramark won a historic tentative agreement that raises the standards for all UAW GM members in sanitation. Under the new contract, workers will receive raises of up to 43% over the life of the three-year deal. It would take a worker just 90 days to reach the top wage rate. Workers will receive retroactive back pay from March 15.

“If ratified, this deal will be a major victory for our UAW members in sanitation, not just at Aramark,” said Mike Booth, UAW vice president and director of the GM Department. “Of the 10 sanitation companies the UAW bargains with, Aramark is the largest. We took the fight to Aramark head-on to win a contract that recognizes your hard work and dedication.”

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).

Alaska AFL-CIO:

"Joining the Nurse Licensure Compact is smoke and mirrors, disguising dangerous working conditions and calling it a workforce shortage." #akleg 

Nurse Licensure Compact is bad for workers and bad for Alaska! https://t.co/DVENu1mgk0

— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) April 23, 2024

Arizona AFL-CIO:

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.

‘He Has Our Backs’: Pennsylvania Steelworkers Cheer Biden’s Proposed Tariffs on Chinese Steel: “Darrin Kelly, the president of the Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council, told PennLive that Biden’s tariffs proposal ‘is just one further acknowledgment that this is the most worker-friendly president in the history of our great country.’ Kelly praised Biden’s commitment to labor and the middle-class, saying that, ‘Every step and every breath this man takes has the American worker in his blood, in his heart. That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’ll always stand with him.’”

Shedd Aquarium Employees Launch Union Drive: “Employees at the Shedd Aquarium announced plans to unionize Thursday, the latest in a series of unionization campaigns at Chicago’s prominent cultural in recent years. The employees eventually plan to file for a union election with the American Federation of Sate, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, which since 2022 has unionized workers at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Institute and its affiliated school, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Field Museum, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park and the Newberry Library, a research library on the Near North Side.”

Disneyland Character Workers File for a Union Election with the National Labor Relations Board: “The workers who play characters like Goofy and Mickey Mouse and cheer and dance at parades at Disneyland have taken a step forward in their push to unionize with Actors’ Equity. The group of organizers, which is seeking to represent 1,700 employees, filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, Actors’ Equity president Kate Shindle announced at a press conference in Anaheim on Wednesday. According to Shindle, a ‘supermajority’ of eligible employees have signed union authorization cards, supporting the move to be represented by Actors’ Equity in collective bargaining. Beyond performers, the group—which calls itself ‘Magic United’—also includes workers who help facilitate character performers’ interactions with park patrons and trainers who work with them.”

Graduate Student Workers Vote to Authorize Strike: “Fordham Graduate Student Workers (FGSW) announced its members had approved a 98% vote in favor of authorizing a strike on April 9 after polls had closed. The vote is an effort to pressure the university to meet the union’s demands in ongoing contract negotiations for higher compensation, healthcare benefits, childcare subsidies, and more. The strike authorization vote will allow union leaders to call for a strike at any moment if Fordham does not move closer to meeting FGSW’s demands—both parties have been in negotiations for 19 months. If a strike were to occur, union members would not work until both parties negotiate a satisfactory contract with Fordham.”

MSHA Final Rule Lowers Limit for Miner Exposure to Silica: “To Cecil Roberts, president of United Mine Workers of America, the rule protects miners both in the short-term and throughout their lives. ‘Young miners in their 30s and 40s are getting lung diseases that are being exacerbated by silica dust,’ Roberts said in a release. ‘What was thought to be a disease of the past is coming back with a vengeance because miners are cutting more rock than ever before.’ In a separate release, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler calls the rule ‘a definitive step toward safeguarding the health and well-being of our nation’s miners.’”

U.S. Antitrust Funding Jump Urged by Unions, Lobbies, Trade Groups: “The Justice Department’s antitrust enforcers need more funding to crack down on illegal mergers and conduct, unions, small business and advocacy groups told members of Congress Tuesday ahead of Attorney General Merrick Garland’s expected testimony. In a pair of letters to the leaders of the House and Senate appropriations committees, the groups urged lawmakers to increase the antitrust funding for the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission.”

Nebraska Steamfitter Running for U.S. Senate Against GOP Incumbent Is Gaining Traction: “In Nebraska’s U.S. Senate race, something extraordinary is happening—Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan candidate, is gaining traction at the polls, attracting national media attention, and, most importantly, securing cross-over voters. A former union president who led a 77-day strike at Kellogg’s in 2021, Osborn was fired from the company last year and is currently an apprentice for a local steamfitter’s union in Omaha. Now, the 48-year-old father of three is spending all of his free time outside his 40-hour workweek campaigning against incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer.”

Another Group of St. Louis Public Radio Employees File to Organize Despite University of Missouri Resistance: “Another group of St. Louis Public Radio employees has filed to organize, following the newsroom’s historic unionization last year. The St. Louis Public Radio Guild announced it has filed for a second election to add the radio station’s non-supervisory fundraising, events and support staff to its ranks. The St. Louis Public Radio Guild organized the 37 newsroom workers who bring local, national and international news and programs to the airwaves and online, including journalists, producers, on-air talent and marketing professionals. Last year, they made history by becoming the first public media union to file for and win union recognition in the state of Missouri.”

America's Newest Doctors Fuel Efforts to Unionize: “A new generation of doctors struggling with ever-increasing workloads and crushing student debt is helping drive unionization efforts in a profession that historically hasn't organized. Why it matters: Physicians in training, like their peers in other industries, increasingly see unions as a way to boost their pay and protect themselves against grueling working conditions as they launch their careers. It also comes amid a wave of unionization and labor actions by nurses and other caregivers across a health care system that's still dealing with high levels of burnout.”

Sault Saint Marie Nurses Strike for Fair Pay Amid Negotiation Standoff: “Nurses in Sault Saint Marie are now on strike. This follows negotiations between the Michigan Nurse's Association and MyMichigan Health that ended in a deadlock. About 120 nurses work at MyMichigan Health, and they could be striking outside the hospital for five days if an agreement is not reached.”

Marquette Employees Launch Union Organizing Drive Amid Budget Uncertainty and Job Cuts: “A group of more than 50 Marquette University employees have launched a union organizing drive in hopes of gaining federal recognition—allowing them to negotiate over wages, benefits and workplace conditions. The effort announced this week comes shortly after Marquette laid out plans to cut $31 million from its budget over the next seven years. ‘It just seems like we need this now more than ever,’ said Grant Gosizk, a union steering committee member who teaches in the university's English department. ‘There’s an amount of pressure to the campaign now that we haven't had for the past year or two. It’s been in the works for a long time, but now it seems essential.’”

WGA Strike Leaders Chris Keyser and David Goodman Warn Members to Stay Vigilant: ‘The Strike Is Over, the Fight Goes On’: “Chris Keyser and David Goodman, the veteran showrunners who steered the five-month Writers Guild of America strike last year, warned guild members on Sunday to stay vigilant in a fast-changing business landscape despite the gains of last year’s historic labor action. ‘Though this strike is over, the fight goes on. If we take our eye off the ball, everything we gained can literally go away tomorrow,’ Goodman told the crowd at the Writers Guild Awards at the Hollywood Palladium.”

'Overworked, Underpaid': Flight Attendants Picket at Newark Airport: “If an airline has the cash to give its executives a big pay bump, its employees also deserve a raise. This was the call from dozens of unionized flight attendants with United Airlines at a picket line outside Newark Airport on Thursday. As part of a national day of action held at airports across the U.S., the flight attendants held up signs reading ‘Pay Us Or Chaos’ and chanted ‘Overworked, underpaid—pay us a living wage.’”

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.

Grocery workers, members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663, reached a tentative contract agreement with management of Quisberg’s and Miner’s grocery stores in Brainerd, Baxter, Crosby and Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. The contract agreement comes after the workers went on a four-day strike in December. The workers rejected management's offer in January and fought until they secured the new agreement on Monday. Details of the tentative contract are to be released after members are informed of the details through in-person meetings.

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.

In a historic victory, 73% of Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to join the UAW. The Volkswagen workers are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win a union.

“This election is big,” said Kelcey Smith, a worker in the paint department at Volkswagen (VW). “People in high places told us good things can’t happen here in Chattanooga. They told us this isn’t the time to stand up, this isn’t the place. But we did stand up and we won. This is the time; this is the place. Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life.”  

“We saw the big contract that UAW workers won at the Big Three and that got everybody talking,” said Zachary Costello, a trainer in VW’s proficiency room. “You see the pay, the benefits, the rights UAW members have on the job, and you see how that would change your life. That’s why we voted overwhelmingly for the union. Once people see the difference a union makes, there’s no way to stop them.”    

“This is a movement for every blue-collar worker in America,” said Doug Snyder, a body worker at Volkswagen. “Our vote shows that workers everywhere want a better life on and off the job. Fair pay is important, but so is time with our families. So is a voice for safety in our plant. We’re looking forward to getting to the bargaining table with the company and winning a contract that makes things right at Volkswagen.”

“We congratulate the Volkswagen workers, our UAW family and UAW President Shawn Fain for this monumental victory in Chattanooga,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “The victory at Volkswagen’s plant in Tennessee marks a historic milestone for workers across the state and the broader South. Led by a diverse coalition of young activists, this triumph challenges outdated labor laws and sets new standards for collective bargaining power. It symbolizes a shift away from the old economic model that prioritizes the profits of big corporations to a new era where working people have the power to shape our futures.”

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.

UNITE HERE Local 8 reached a tentative contract agreement that raises wages and restores automatic daily room cleaning at the Hilton and Duniway hotels in downtown Portland. The contract covers about 125 workers across the two hotels, including housekeepers, cooks, bellhops and reception clerks. The contract would provide a 50-cent-an-hour raise every February and August though Feb. 1, 2027, for non-tipped workers and includes retroactive raises dating back to Aug. 1, 2022.

Andi Tiffany, a cook at the Duniway, said low wages in the kitchen have led to high turnover, chronic short staffing and increased workloads for those who stick around. “We’ve lost a lot of really excellent cooks from the kitchen because we wore them out so quickly,” Tiffany said.

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.

The Machinists (IAM) union, which represents Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) workers, is celebrating the passage of the Library Workers Empowerment Act, a milestone piece of legislation initiated by the IAM last year that will grant library staff across Maryland the right to organize.

The legislation, cross-filed as H.B. 609 and S.B. 591, received bipartisan support in the Maryland General Assembly. Once the bill is signed by Gov. Wes Moore, it will empower public library workers to be able to form unions and collectively bargain for the wages, benefits and working conditions they deserve. Currently, library staff in only four counties and Baltimore City can organize, but this bill extends this critical right to libraries throughout the state.

“The IAM and its members extend their deepest gratitude to the legislators who supported this piece of legislation and to the library employees who have tirelessly advocated for their rights,” said IAM Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) Local 4538 President and Library Service Assistant Anita Bass. “This achievement is a testament to the power of solidarity and the importance of standing together for the betterment of all workers.”

Writers at Sesame Workshop—the incredibly talented team that gives Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, and all our favorite Muppets the words that change our kids’ lives forever—are on the verge of a strike.

These writers are fighting for a contract with industry-standard annual raises, improvements to residuals and coverage of all writing work performed for Sesame Workshop—including animation and social media segments.

Their current contract expires this Friday, April 19.

If the company continues to refuse to engage on core issues and a deal can’t be reached by that deadline, Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) and Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) members at Sesame Workshop have unanimously voted to authorize a strike.

Organizers are hopeful they can reach an agreement by the end of the day on Friday—but they need your support to win their contract.

Help Sesame Workshop writers reach a deal before the strike deadline!

Please take a moment to send a letter to Sesame Workshop’s executive staff and board calling for a fair union contract that protects all writers at Sesame.

Your support will ensure that the negotiating committee has the leverage they need to make the strongest possible deal before their contract expires on Friday—or to have the WGAE Council and WGAW Board call for a strike if the company is still unwilling to meet its workers' reasonable demands.

For updates about the campaign and ways for WGA members, union allies and fans of Sesame Workshop to support the fight for a fair contract, visit wgaeast.org/sesame2024.

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

AFSCME Maryland Celebrates Pro-Worker Legislation Victories During 2024 Session: Following the end of Maryland’s legislative session, AFSCME members and leadership are celebrating the passage of bills securing collective bargaining rights for state supervisory employees and public library workers. More than 7,000 state workers will be gaining the right to join a union later this year, in what AFSCME Maryland Council 3 called the largest legislative expansion of collective bargaining rights in the past few decades. State employees in supervisory roles expressed that because they previously haven’t had collective bargaining rights, there hasn’t been a clear way to address workplace issues or push for policy reforms. Similarly, library workers around the state are hoping access to a union will allow them to advocate for better pay, grievance processes and other workplace improvements. AFSCME hopes these policy changes will help the state retain and attract a quality public sector workforce who can continue to deliver essential services to local communities. “Once again, AFSCME members showed up and made their voices heard in Annapolis,” said AFSCME Maryland President Patrick Moran. “We also thank Governor Moore for including negotiated raises for state workers in his budget, and we look forward to continuing our work together to ensure Maryland’s working families are not left behind.”

Wisconsin Gov. Evers Protects Child Labor Law with Senate Bill 436 Veto: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivered remarks Monday at the Wisconsin State Council of Machinists’ 2024 spring conference in Madison and vetoed S.B. 436, which would have eliminated the requirement that employers obtain a work permit in order to employ 14- or 15-year-olds. The work permit process keeps young workers safer at work through parental oversight and gives critical information about where kids work and what jobs they’re doing to Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development, so it can better enforce child labor laws. In 2017, then-Gov. Scott Walker, a national disgrace, signed a bill passed by fellow Republicans in the state Legislature that eliminated the work permit requirements for 16- and 17-year-olds. The bill Evers vetoed would have expanded and built on this exemption. “Governor Evers continues to stand up for the safety of our kids by protecting child labor law in Wisconsin,” said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale. “The dangerous push to weaken child labor law in Wisconsin and across the country comes at a time when more children are harmed at work or work hazardous jobs.” “Eliminating these permits would have been a reckless gamble with the well-being of young people,” said Machinists (IAM) International President Brian Bryant in a press release. “Work permits are not merely red tape. They are essential shields protecting our children from exploitation, unsafe conditions, and disrupted education. By vetoing this bill, Gov. Evers has shown clear leadership in prioritizing the safety and welfare of Wisconsin’s future workforce.” 

DreamWorks Animation Production Workers Form Union Under IATSE: Production workers from DreamWorks Animation have officially voted to form a union with The Animation Guild (TAG), also known as Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 839, and the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700). In total, 160 workers are joining the ranks of their DreamWorks artist, technician and editor colleagues who are already union members. This victory also marks the largest unit to date with a seat on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to join the union. Production staff organized with the goal of preserving their workplace culture at DreamWorks amid recent announcements of significant company policy changes like increased outsourcing and a retraction of most remote work for production staff. DreamWorks and The Animation Guild have had a relationship since the studio started. In those first days, DreamWorks was interested in offering the same working conditions as the other studios in order to attract the best talent possible. Today, we extend that coverage to ensure the production staff can enjoy the best working conditions we can negotiate with the company,” said Steve Kaplan, The Animation Guild’s business representative.

Austin Pets Alive Workers File to Become Nation’s Largest Animal Shelter Union: On Thursday, Austin Pets Alive (APA) animal shelter employees in Texas filed to form a union with Machinists (IAM) District 776, taking a first step toward creating the largest animal shelter union in the country. Austin Pets Allied Workers (APAW) members are calling for voluntary recognition from management. Their core bargaining goals include implementing policies supporting the well-being and safety of both animals and workers, increasing wages, improving benefits and codifying fair employment practices. “I want to join with my co-workers to form a union because workers like me who are on the front lines of animal care deserve to feel safe and supported in our mission-fulfilling work at APA,” said Ryan Martinez, an APA staff member. “I know that a strong union contract negotiated by affected employees is the best way to make that happen, which will ultimately improve conditions for the animals in our care.”

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $20 Billion Investment to Create Good-Paying Clean Energy Jobs: On Thursday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its selections for $20 billion in grant awards to fund tens of thousands of clean energy and transportation projects in communities across the United States. The grants, made available through the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, will create a national clean financing network of recipients that will help kickstart projects across the country to reduce pollution while providing local communities with quality, good-paying jobs. AFL-CIO Chief of Staff Julie Collier sits on the board of the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC), one of the eight recipients. Of the $20 billion allocated for the largest federal climate investment in the history of the United States, at least $4 billion will be dedicated to investment specifically in rural areas. “President Biden and Vice President Harris have put communities at the center of their Investing in America agenda,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The selectees announced today will deliver transformational investments for American communities, businesses and families and unleash tens of thousands of clean technology projects, like putting solar on small businesses, electrifying affordable housing, providing EV [electric vehicle] loans for young families and countless others. That translates to good-paying jobs, energy bill savings and cleaner air, all while delivering on President Biden’s historic agenda to combat climate change.”

AFM Musicians Ratify New Motion Picture Agreements: The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) announced Tuesday that members have voted to ratify the Basic Theatrical Motion Picture and Basic Television Motion Picture Agreements contract that was unanimously recommended by the bargaining committee in February. This deal represents a massive victory for musicians working in film and television. Some of the wins members have secured include residuals for content made for streaming, enhanced health care coverage, performance bonuses and new protections to safeguard against generative artificial intelligence. “This agreement is a monumental victory for musicians who have long been under-compensated for their work in the digital age,” AFM International President and Chief Negotiator Tino Gagliardi said in a statement. “It wouldn’t have been possible without our members’ unwavering strength and unity, along with the tireless organizing efforts that led up to this historic contract.”

Workers at Oakland’s Creative Growth Form a Union: Staff members at Creative Growth—a nonprofit based in Oakland, California, that supports artists with disabilities—are requesting voluntary recognition as they join AFSCME Council 57. Creative Growth United’s bargaining unit would cover an estimated 34 workers, including art facilitators, instructors, program coordinators, gallery staff members and other direct-service providers at Oakland’s second-largest arts organization. The union delivered its announcement to the interim executive director and board of trustees on Tuesday, with workers citing concerns such as high turnover rate for management and the need for more equitable hiring practices and standardized benefits. “Unionizing will improve working conditions for all staff at Creative Growth. It will also improve conditions for all artist-clients, who benefit from a more harmonious and rooted organizational culture, reflected in better planning and more effective and committed direct care staff,” said Creative Growth United in a community petition. “We believe every worker deserves a living-wage, and every worker has the legal right to form a union, without fear of retaliation or intimidation.”

Rail Labor Applauds Final Two-Person Crew Rule for Train Operations: In a victory for rail workers’ safety, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a final rule establishing a minimum requirement of two-person crews for most Class I freight and passenger railroad operations. Workers have been sounding the alarm for years on the necessity of federal regulation to improve working conditions both on the tracks and in rail yards. This move from the Biden administration is in sharp contrast to the administration of former President Trump, who in 2019 withdrew a proposed regulation on crew staffing, saying that no additional safety regulations were “necessary or appropriate for railroad operations.” “This rule acknowledges that crew size is fundamentally a safety issue at its core. Rail workers experience the risks of the job daily, and have made it clear that two-person crews are inherently necessary to ensure the safe operation of our rail systems,” said Greg Regan, president of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD). “We thank President Biden for ensuring that his Administration delivered this essential rail safety rule.” “This final rule is essential for safety and is long overdue,” said Transport Workers Union (TWU) International President John Samuelsen. “The TWU looks forward to the swift implementation of a two-person crew requirement.”

Transit Workers in Arlington, Virginia, Vote to Join ATU: Arlington Transit (ART) workers have voted overwhelmingly to be represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, joining the ranks of their organized counterparts at multiple other local transit systems in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. A whopping 99% of ART workers voted in favor of joining Local 689, including bus operators, mechanics, fuel island attendants, technicians and cleaners. The staff are employed by private transportation company Transdev, who is contracted to operate Arlington’s local bus service. Just last month, ATU members at Northern Virginia transit system Fairfax Connector—who are also employed by Transdev—ratified a well-bargained new contract after a successful 15-day strike. “On behalf of Local 689, congratulations to the ART workers on their election victory and welcome to our family,” said Local 689 President Raymond Jackson. “Local 689 will continue to fight to ensure that every transit worker in our region has fair wages, strong benefits, and protections on the job so that they can support their families and be treated with dignity for the hard work they perform every day to move our region.”

Nashville East Bank, LIUNA Agreement Hailed as ‘New Way of Doing Business in This City’: Laborers (LIUNA) Local 386 and the company heading up a massive development of the East Bank property in Nashville, Tennessee, have agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) related to worker safety, pay and other benefits for the construction project. The Fallon Company is responsible for handling hiring and managing development of the roughly 95 acres of land on the East Bank riverfront that’s owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Construction will include a Tennessee Performing Arts Center and 695 affordable housing units, among other commercial and public uses. The MOU establishes a priority in the bidding process for contractors looking to work for Fallon based on their track record of and future commitments to things like worker safety, on-time pay and quality health care benefits. Additionally, a company also could get a leg up in the bidding process if it agrees to work with local registered apprenticeship programs. “It’s refreshing to us that the developer saw this as a priority,” Local 386 Vice President Ethan Link said. “We had shared values around that, which for years has not been the norm here in Nashville.…It’s a totally different posture than what we’re used to.” “Having that East Bank job, if it was set up in those ways, it would make me feel secure,” said Cydney Jenkins, a 2022 graduate of Music City Construction Careers, a certified apprenticeship readiness program. “It would make me feel appreciated on the job, but it would also give me the chance to not be so far away from my children.”

Equitas Health Workers United Members Ratify Their First Contract with the LGBTQ+ Health Provider: Union staff at one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS-serving health care providers, Equitas Health, have ratified their first contract with the nonprofit health system. Equitas Health Workers United (EHWU), a local of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, which is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), represents more than 200 front-line, client-facing workers at 15 Equitas Health locations across Ohio. The union announced the victory on Friday—workers first began organizing in 2021, filed for a union election in May 2022 and then won their vote in August of the same year. The agreement includes retroactive wage increases, signing bonuses, a binding grievance and arbitration process, a labor-management committee with direct participation from the board of trustees, and more. “We started organizing our union three years ago because we are committed to providing our clients with the best care possible, and we couldn’t do that while management was making poor decisions without input from staff who work directly with clients,” said Breann Smith, a medical case manager and member of the EHWU bargaining team. “That’s why we prioritized contract language that gives us different ways to have an impact on the decisions that affect our work and our clients’ care.”

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:

Disneyland cast members have filed for an election with the NLRB. https://t.co/tsWErejmdA

— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) April 17, 2024

AFGE: