Service & Solidarity Spotlight: UFCW Pharmacy and Other Workers Ratify 4-Year Contract with Kaiser; Secure 21.5% Wage Increases Over Life of the 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 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.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 04/01/2026 - 10:21

Tags: Organizing

‘The Goal Is to Spread the Joy of Reading’: 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.

Teachers Union Leader Blasts Melania Trump's Robot Pitch: 'Every Parent's Nightmare': “Randi Weingarten, president of one of America’s most powerful teachers unions, strongly pushed back Thursday against first lady Melania Trump’s comments that humanoid robot teachers could soon become central to children’s education. Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, delivered the sharp rebuke at Thursday’s inaugural Workers First AI Summit. Hosted by the AFL-CIO, the meeting of labor representatives and civil society organizations aimed to bring workers across industries together to build a unified front against AI’s unchecked growth and its growing impact on American workers. ‘What she did yesterday was every parent’s nightmare,’ Weingarten said at a session exploring the policies that should protect workers’ rights in the midst of fast-moving AI development.”

United Airlines, Flight Attendants Reach Labor Deal for First Raises Since Pandemic: “United Airlines and its flight attendant union have reached a tentative labor deal that will include their first raises in roughly six years. If ratified by flight attendants, it would make United the last of the major carriers to secure a labor deal with cabin crew members since the COVID-19 pandemic ended. United said the agreement will include immediate raises and top pay of $100 an hour at the end of the contract, as well as pay for flight attendants during boarding and ‘a signing bonus for every flight attendant worth a total of $740 million.’ The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the flight attendants union, didn’t provide specific details about the deal but said that in addition to higher base pay, it includes additional compensation for flight disruptions and new restrictions on overnight flight assignments.”

New York University Professors Reach a Deal on a Contract to End Strike After 2 Days: “Faculty members at New York University reached a tentative agreement on Wednesday to end a two-day strike at the private school, winning substantial salary increases after hundreds walked off the job over a contract dispute. The union, the Contract Faculty United-UAW, represents about 950 full-time faculty members who teach roughly a quarter of classes at New York University. and are not on track for tenure. Many complained that their salaries were falling far behind their tenure-track colleagues, and failing to keep up with the steep costs of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities.”

New Group of Alexandria City Workers Vote to Unionize: “A group of Alexandria city workers voted to unionize this month in Virginia as a bill to lift the ban on public-sector collective bargaining awaits the signature of Gov. Abigail Spanberger. On March 3, Alexandria professional employees voted 155-1 in favor of unionizing with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 20. The Alexandria professional employees union includes urban planners, therapists in the city’s Department of Community & Human Services, and accountants like Tia Littlejohn-Adams.”

Nearly 200 New Jersey Health Care Workers Vote to Unionize, Citing Unrealistic Workloads: “Nearly 200 employees who work at Inspira Health and Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice voted to unionize earlier this month, according to labor officials. The workers cited increasing workloads and critically low staffing among their reasons for choosing to organize and join the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union, New Jersey’s largest health care union.”

More Than 10,000 Free Books Are Distributed to Hundreds of Philadelphia Students: “More than 10,000 free books were distributed on Tuesday to hundreds of Philadelphia students. The giveaway was hosted by Murrell Dobbins CTE High School in North Philadelphia. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and Philadelphia Federation of Teachers delivered the books during the ‘It's a Lit Day’ book fair. Students in kindergarten through eighth grade were invited to pick out a book, and take it home to enjoy. The giveaway was part of AFT's ‘Reading Around the World.’ It is the union's national literacy partnership with First Book. The goal is to spread the joy of reading by providing millions of free books to students and families.”

Oregon Nurses Union Reaches 'Historic' Agreement with Kaiser Permanente After Year of Bargaining: “The Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) and Kaiser Permanente reached the final tentative agreement after a year-long bargaining process, the union announced on Monday. Now, all that remains in the negotiation process is for the six OFNHP employee groups to ratify the agreement in a vote. Union representatives said that vote is likely to succeed.”

Braxton Winston: Stop Giving Free Lunches to North Carolina Tech Manufacturer Corning: “Corning, which has more than 3,000 employees in North Carolina, recently announced a $6 billion agreement to supply fiber optic cables to tech giant Meta to fuel the company’s rapid expansion of data centers. Corning’s fiber optic manufacturing is headquartered in North Carolina and they continue to build out fiber optic manufacturing plants across the state, including in Catawba County. This new agreement should be an economic boon for all of North Carolina, but that won’t happen automatically.”

The Largest Federal Workers Union Says 'Untrained, Armed' ICE Agents Should Not Replace TSA: “‘ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security. TSA officers spend months learning to detect explosives, weapons, and threats specifically designed to evade detection at checkpoints—skills that require specialized instruction, hands-on practice, and ongoing recertification,’ Everett Kelley, president of AFGE, said on Sunday in a statement posted online.”

New AFSCME 189 Contract at Portland Auditor’s Office: “Members of AFSCME Local 189 who work in the City of Portland Auditor’s Office ratified a new collective bargaining agreement March 16—after 11 months of bargaining. The contract covers 30 auditors and administrative support staff. They conduct performance audits of city services, manage the city’s Fraud Hotline, oversee city elections, and manage city records.”

Breakthrough First Contract at Labcorp: “Several years after the Legacy and Providence hospital chains outsourced their jobs, about 500 medical testing lab workers have a first union contract. Ratified March 9-15 by 86% of members voting, the contract between Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) and Laboratory Corporation of America (Labcorp) provides wage increases and a $800 signing bonus. Minimum starting pay will now be $20 an hour, up from just over $18.”

HarperCollins Union Wins New Contract: “Workers in the Association of HarperCollins Employees, members of Local 2110 of the UAW, voted to ratify their most recent union contract last week after several months of bargaining. It is the first contract negotiated between the company and the union since the historic strike at HarperCollins that ended with a contract agreement in February 2023. Under the new contract, HarperCollins employees now have one of the highest base pays in the publishing industry.”

ASTTU and Georgia AFL-CIO Launch Workforce Stability Initiative to Protect Skilled Labor: “The Association of Skilled Trade and Transportation Unions (ASTTU) today announced a formal partnership with the Georgia AFL-CIO, whose affiliated unions represent more than 60,000 workers across the state, to implement a coordinated workforce stability initiative designed to protect and retain skilled labor at a critical time for Georgia's economy.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/31/2026 - 09:58

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Tens of Thousands of Union Members Participate in Nationwide No Kings Rallies

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 Saturday, tens of thousands of union members participated in No Kings rallies across the nation. Americans rallied in opposition to the radical pages of Project 2025 and the fever dreams of America’s corporate billionaires, which have come to life with a relentless assault on America’s workers.

“No Kings is about standing up to the guy in the White House,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who attended the event in Minnesota with labor leaders and thousands of union members. “But No Kings also means tearing down an economy by and for the billionaires—and instead, building it for working people. More money in our pockets—because no one in the richest country on Earth should struggle to get by. More time off—to spend with our friends and family and kids and loved ones. Equal pay for Black and Latina women—who make 58 cents on the dollar—because opportunity in this country should not depend on the color of your skin. And you know where it all starts? With a good union job for every worker in this country—because we all know, it's better in a union!”

Many labor leaders and members spoke at events across the country. AFT President Randi Weingarten and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President April Verrett joined President Shuler to speak at the Minnesota rally, which also featured Bruce Springsteen, Sen. Bernie Sanders and others. AFSCME President Lee Saunders spoke at the event in Washington, D.C., while IAM Union International President Brian Bryant addressed the rally in Savannah, Georgia.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/31/2026 - 09:59

Women's History Month Profiles: Amber Glennon

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 Amber Glennon of the Laborers (LIUNA).

Amber Glennon has risen through the ranks at LIUNA, first working in the field as a construction laborer, becoming a journey worker in 2021 and most recently being brought on as a staff member at her regional office. She has served as a leader on Local 252’s women’s committee, where she helped to create an inclusive and supportive environment for other women in the construction industry.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/31/2026 - 10:12

Tags: Women's History Month

Women's History Month Profiles: Martina Taite

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 Martina Taite of the Boilermakers (IBB).

Martina Taite is the first African American and first woman to be elected as president of the Pascagoula Metal Trades Council, and she is president of IBB Local 693, which represents 1,700 boilermakers at Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She is a shrewd negotiator and keen advocate for shipyard workers, her local lodge and her union sisters across the labor movement. Taite commands a room when she stands up for working people.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/31/2026 - 10:12

Tags: Women's History Month

Women's History Month Profiles: Teesha Foreman

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 Teesha Foreman of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Teesha Foreman has been a civil servant with the New York City Housing Authority since 2000. From shop steward to staff representative, supervisor, executive board member and now second vice president, Foreman’s journey has been rooted in ensuring that women—especially women of color—have a strong voice at every decision-making table. She serves on the CWA National Human Rights/Civil Rights and Equity Committee and as a trustee for Local 1180’s benefit funds.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/31/2026 - 10:12

Tags: Women's History Month

Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Transport Workers

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 Transport Workers Union (TWU).

Name of Union: Transport Workers Union of America

Mission: Moving the American economy forward, keeping the traveling public safe and offering working people a voice on the job.

Current Leadership of Union: John Samuelsen serves as international president. He was sworn in as TWU’s 10th international president in 2017, and was reelected in 2021 and 2025. He is also the former president of TWU Local 100 in New York. A Brooklyn native, Samuelsen was hired by the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) in 1993 and was assigned to a track gang in Brooklyn, where he and his fellow union members worked under difficult and unsafe conditions. Managers ignored safety regulations, disciplined workers who spoke up, and had no respect for the workers or their union. Samuelsen was still in his probationary period when his co-workers elected him shop steward, and he fought vigorously for a safer subway workplace. From 2001–2006, Samuelsen served as chair of the Track Safety Committee and chair of the Track Division. From 2002–2005, he was acting vice president of the Maintenance of Way Department. During that time, he also served as lead negotiator for all safety-related issues during contract bargaining between Local 100 and NYCTA, and authored the comprehensive track safety bill passed by the New York Legislature. He was elected president of Local 100 in 2009, and was reelected overwhelmingly in 2012 and 2015. He served as Local 100 president until 2017.

Alex Garcia serves as international executive vice president, Jerome Lafragola serves as international secretary-treasurer, and Curtis Tate and Mike Mayes serve as international administrative vice presidents.

Current Number of Members: 165,000

Members Work As: Mechanics, car cleaners, baggage handlers, disease control inspectors, bus operators, ramp agents, flight attendants and more.

Industries Represented: The airline, railroad, transit, university, utility and service industries.

History: TWU’s founding president, Michael J. Quill, formed the union in New York in 1934. It was the height of the Great Depression, and through his active, militant approach to organizing, Quill brought together thousands of the city’s transit workers to fight back against the greedy companies taking advantage of them and of the nation’s dire economic situation. The workers—underpaid, overworked and mistreated—were being hired and fired at will; several previous attempts to organize a union had failed.

With Quill at the helm, the union led strikes and sit-ins that brought the city to its knees, demonstrating once and for all that without transit workers, New York—and the entire American economy—wouldn’t move. The TWU won that battle, and they have been winning ever since.

Expanding its reach outside of New York, TWU began to organize transit and railroad workers in cities across the country in the 1940s. Later, as the nation’s fledgling aviation industry took off, TWU was right there, organizing flight attendants, baggage handlers, grounds crews and dispatchers. Soon after, public utilities providing energy to transit companies came under TWU’s protection, as did maintenance workers at colleges and universities, and civilian employees on military bases.

Looking beyond transit, health department employees and museum curators are just some of the many dynamic workers across the country who know the benefits of TWU representation. In a new century, new transportation models have begun to emerge, and TWU has brought workplace rights to bikeshare workers in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C.

At every step of the way, TWU fought for equality in the workplace, and has spoken out against discrimination based on race, job title and ethnicity ever since its founding. The TWU’s record on civil rights is unparalleled. Two of the union’s proudest moments were when Martin Luther King Jr. addressed the TWU convention in 1961 and when members marched with King in Selma, Alabama, in 1965.

From Quill’s fight to open up trades and job titles to minorities in the 1930s to the contractual guarantee of maternity leave in the 1980s, the TWU has always recognized that discrimination for any reason has no business in the workplace.

Current Campaigns: TWU has a committee on political education (COPE), and has campaigns focused on toxic cabin air, fleet electrification, Amtrak reforms, assault protections for transit workers, transit operation funding, reshoring aircraft maintenance jobs and railcar safety. TWU reports on victories and provides opportunities to take action.

Community Efforts: TWU fights for civil and human rights. The Future Leaders Organizing Committee gives the next generation of union workers the tools, resources and relationships that will prepare them to take action and further workers’ rights. TWU has a Veteran’s Committee, a Working Women’s Committee and resources for retirees. TWU sponsors state conferences and a national legislative and COPE conference. TWU’s print magazine, the TWU Express, publishes four times per year. TWU provides resources for health and safety.

Learn More: Website, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 03/30/2026 - 16:26

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: New Jersey State AFL-CIO Celebrates New Laws Protecting Immigrant Workers

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 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.”

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 03/30/2026 - 09:49

Women's History Month Profiles: Bobbye Hall

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 Bobbye Hall of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).

Bobbye Hall’s rhythms have been a driving force behind dozens of Billboard Top 10 songs across soul, rock and pop. A current member of AFM Local 47, Hall established her reputation in Detroit’s legendary Motown scene and has since built a career spanning over five decades of landmark musical achievements. “On my 15th birthday, I was handed my union card, and that’s when I truly became a professional. I was so proud to be a young percussionist making my way,” Hall said.

Kenneth Quinnell Sat, 03/28/2026 - 09:49

Tags: Women's History Month

Women's History Month Profiles: Lisa Cuales

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 Lisa Cuales of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS).

Lisa Cuales joined PASS when she arrived at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2023. She hit the ground running as a union activist and has never looked back, committing herself to service, advocacy and leadership. She is president of the PASS New Mexico chapter and the local PASS representative at the Albuquerque air traffic control tower. During the government shutdown, while on furlough, Cuales delivered meals to employees working without pay at local FAA facilities.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 03/30/2026 - 09:53

Tags: Women's History Month