09/09/2024 - 10:00am
The Year of the Union Member: 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.
Kamala Harris and Labor Unions Need Each Other: “Union members should not allow themselves to be deceived by Trump again. But their leaders acknowledge that even with his track record, Trump’s allure for some is strong. ‘He’s been very effective at messaging working-class people,’ AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler told Politico recently, particularly on unfair trade policies and offshored jobs.”
How Tim Walz Showed He Has Workers’ Backs: “Many of Cliff Tobey’s friends and neighbors struggled over the years to get their children to doctor’s appointments or pick them up when schools closed early during Minnesota’s brutal winters. Lacking paid sick and family time, the United Steelworkers (USW) activist recalled, they used vacation days to cover family emergencies even if that meant working themselves to the bone the rest of the year without a real break. That all changed in 2024 because of Governor Tim Walz. He signed a paid family leave act and other legislation that’s not only making Minnesota the ‘best state for workers’—as his administration declares—but showing working people across the country the kind of ally he’d be if elected vice president in November.”
Infrastructure Law Creates Union Jobs : “As a union member for 37 years, I know the difference a good-paying, pro-worker job can make. I am proud to be a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and, for the last 12 years, business manager of Local Union 388 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This year has been extraordinary for our union. We are just over halfway through the year and we have seen a great number of union job commitments across the state. Gov. Tony Evers coined this year ‘the year of the worker.’ I would add it is also the year of the union worker.”
Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Encourages Boeing and Workers to Reach 'Fair Contract': “Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su on Wednesday encouraged Boeing and more than 30,000 of the planemaker’s factory workers to bridge a divide in negotiations and reach a fair contract, as a vote on a new deal looms on Sept. 12. Boeing’s Seattle-area workers, who produce the planemaker’s strongest-selling 737 commercial jet, are voting next week on their first new contract in 16 years, with the two sides still tackling demands such as job security.”
UAW Members at Cornell Approve New Contract, Ending Strike: “UAW members at Cornell University have voted to approve a new contract with the university, officially ending the strike that disrupted campus operations at the start of the fall semester. The vote, conducted on September 1 and 2, saw 77% of union members favor ratifying the deal, which was reached on August 28 after weeks of negotiations. ‘The tentative agreement has been ratified, and the strike is officially over,’ said Lonnie Everett, UAW International Servicing Representative for Region 9, in the statement announcing the voting results. ‘Your unwavering solidarity and unity have led us to this historic moment.’”
Lawmakers Unveil Federal Warehouse Workers Protection Bill: “Alarmed at the safety threats warehouse workers face nationally, especially if they work for Amazon and Walmart, a bipartisan group of four representatives unveiled federal legislation to mandate bosses disclose production quotas and banning production methods that endanger warehouse worker health and safety. ‘Businesses can keep workers safe and earn a profit, but that’s only possible with more transparency and more accountability to bring warehouse safety standards up to date,’ explained Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), a union electrical worker and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. ‘The increasingly dangerous working conditions at warehouses across the country that result from these quota systems are wholly unacceptable,’ added Norcross, former president of the South Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council and the measure’s lead sponsor.”
Unions Are Taking More Prominent Roles in U.S. Politics as Support for Labor Rises: “Democrats need labor to turn out. Liz Shuler is the president of the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization. She says, in key battleground states, union members make up 20% of the vote. Plus, it's also significant that public support for unions is the highest it's been since the 1960s. LIZ SHULER: We've had historic highs. The last several years, young people under the age of 30 are the most pro-union, so what does that speak to? It speaks to the fact that the economy has been broken for young people for way too long.”
AFL-CIO President: Union Members Are Powerful. We Will Decide This Election: “The AFL-CIO represents nearly 13 million workers in our federation across 60 unions. This time every year, we come together to put the labor back in Labor Day. As much as we love the barbecues, the mattress sales—this is our week. This is about recognizing and appreciating the workers who make this country run. Last year, we started a conversation about how workers are doing in this country. Some of these numbers may surprise you: 70% of Americans support unions, among young people under the age of 30, it’s nine in 10. Union workers are continuing to find their power in two very distinct ways.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 09/06/2024 - 10:17
09/05/2024 - 7:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: UAW Members at Cornell Approve New Contract, Ending Strike
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 the UAW at Cornell University voted to approve a new contract with the university, officially ending a 15-day strike. More than 75% of the members voted yes. The $43 million contract covers four years and provides raises of 21%-25.4%. The contract also eliminates the tiered wage system that had been a major sticking point in negotiations, provides lump sum transition payments, and cost-of-living adjustment protections.
“I’m disappointed by Cornell’s commitment to not paying its workers a living wage, but I’m incredibly proud of my union and so grateful to the community that had our backs,” said UAW member Stephanie Heslop.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 09/05/2024 - 10:02
09/05/2024 - 7:30pm
Standing Strong and United: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week.
Actors' Equity:
AFGE:
AFSCME:
Alliance for Retired Americans:
Amalgamated Transit Union:
American Federation of Musicians:
American Federation of Teachers:
American Postal Workers Union:
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
Boilermakers:
09/04/2024 - 7:00pm
Worker Wins: We Wanted a Fair Wage
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Democratic Party of New Mexico Staff Form Union: The Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) announced on Friday that workers at the state party joined the Machinists (IAM) Local Lodge 794, and have successfully bargained a contract that protects staff and improves working conditions. Workers began this process nearly two years ago, hoping to strengthen the DPNM and ensure more sustained future victories. The collective bargaining agreement contains multiple provisions aimed at improving staff quality of life, economic stability and well-being. Highlights include codification of workplace standards, prohibiting artificial intelligence from replacing human labor, improved leave, better health care coverage and more. “It is exciting to be here at the Party while we are making this historic effort that will have a positive, lasting impact for future staff,” said DPNM Finance Assistant Clayton Caté. “As DPNM staff, now we will know that management decisions will have accountability and a codified process to adhere to going forward.” “It is truly historic that the Democratic Party of New Mexico staff is finally unionized, and I am so proud to welcome them to the IAMAW family with a unique collective bargaining agreement that took into account many different aspects of their mission and political day-to-day work,” said Local Lodge 794 President Directing Business Representative Ashley Long. “DPNM employees have been working hard to get pro-Labor candidates elected for years, without having union representation themselves, so this was very well-deserved and long overdue for the staff.”
Thousands More Nevada State Employees Win Union Election: A group of nearly 3,000 state employees—including those working for the welfare agency and Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)—won union representation as AFSCME Local 4041 this week in an election overseen by the state’s Government Employee-Management Relations Board. Nevada state workers won collective bargaining rights back in 2019, and since securing their first contract, AFSCME members have seen more than 30% wage increases as well as other new benefits and improved grievance procedures. The new bargaining unit that will join negotiations in the fall includes engineering technicians from the Department of Transportation, DMV service technicians, family support specialists in the Division of Welfare and Support Services (DWSS), and library technicians throughout Nevada System of Higher Education institutions and more. This election victory almost doubles the size of Local 4041, increasing their power to deliver victories for these critical public sector workers. “We see the benefits of having a union contract and voice on the job; that’s why we’ve organized as AFSCME and voted to have union representation. I’m excited tech workers now get to join our fellow AFSCME members at the bargaining table this fall,” said Austin Krehbiel, a family support specialist at the DWSS.
UAW Members Secure Tentative Agreement with Cornell University: After more than a week on strike, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Local 2300 members who are responsible for food service, building upkeep, grounds maintenance and other duties at Cornell University secured an historic tentative agreement (TA). The deal includes massive economic victories, such as record wage increases of up to 25.4%, a cost-of-living adjustment and elimination of the two-tier wage system. Additionally, the union secured significant improvements to policies regarding time off, uniforms, inclement weather and workplace safety. The TA makes major strides to raise the quality of life and working condition standards for critical workers who make the prestigious Ivy League university run. Over the past four years, Cornell’s endowment has ballooned by 39% to almost $10 billion, and tuition for students has increased 13%. In contrast, UAW members’ buying power has fallen by 5% in that same period. Workers will vote on whether to ratify the contract on Sunday and Monday. “The workers at Cornell used their power to push back on Cornell’s arrogance and win a great contract,” said UAW Region 9 Director Daniel Vicente. “They stood together and showed the university that they were willing to do what was needed to win what they deserve.”
SMART-TD Announces Tentative Deal for Conductors with Amtrak: Last week, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) announced a tentative agreement for a seven-year contract with Amtrak that covers conductors and assistant conductors. Details of the agreement will go out to membership for a ratification vote over the next few weeks. Key economic highlights of the contract include substantial wage increases that are retroactive to July 2022, greater new hire training per diem, more conductor certification pay and improved training pay. SMART-TD also secured major wins relating to worker health and work-life balance, such as more paid parental leave, designating Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday, improvements to bereavement pay and expansion of overtime.
Guitar Center Workers in Six Locations Ratify New Contract: Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU-UFCW) members at six Guitar Center locations in Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada and New York ratified a new three-year contract. The agreement includes multiple meaningful wins for staff, like an increased minimum wage rate for every position—which will continue to go up every year throughout the life of the contract—and an additional seniority wage adjustment for more tenured workers. Additionally, members are maintaining their union health care plan with the addition of a new short-term disability benefit. Other highlights are an updated attendance policy that increases the grace period for being late, provisions protecting the right to call additional labor-management meetings during the year, work schedule transparency, upward mobility opportunities, protections for the current commissions policy and more.
Memphis City Workers Celebrate Across-the-Board Pay Raises and Bonuses: AFSCME members who work for the city of Memphis, Tennessee, are celebrating much-needed wage hikes and bonuses they secured through their organizing efforts. These critical public sector workers secured $5,000 bonuses along with pay raises of at least 5%. Staff who keep Memphis’ hospitals, schools and roads functioning saw this increase hit their bank accounts starting last month. Those who keep Memphis clean by working for the city’s Solid Waste Department saw pay raises ranging from 6% to 34%. These well-deserved wage bumps and bonuses are thanks to AFSCME Local 1733 members, who had been hard at work negotiating with the Memphis City Council since April. “We came to the table with our proposals for the wage increases that we wanted, but the city kept turning it down,” said Tomorrow Bonds, a member of Local 1733’s negotiations team. “But we decided we weren’t going to take their counterproposals for less, and we wanted a fair wage.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 09/04/2024 - 15:13
09/03/2024 - 5:30pm
Labor Is the Hope of the World : 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 on X (formerly Twitter).
Alaska AFL-CIO:
Arizona AFL-CIO:
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Florida AFL-CIO:
Georgia State AFL-CIO:
Illinois AFL-CIO:
Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO:
09/03/2024 - 11:00am
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Thousands More Nevada State Employees 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.
A group of nearly 3,000 state employees—including those working for the welfare agency and Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)—won union representation as AFSCME Local 4041 this week in an election overseen by the state’s Government Employee-Management Relations Board.
Nevada state workers won collective bargaining rights back in 2019, and since securing their first contract, AFSCME members have seen more than 30% wage increases as well as other new benefits and improved grievance procedures. The new bargaining unit that will join negotiations in the fall includes engineering technicians from the Department of Transportation, DMV service technicians, family support specialists in the Division of Welfare and Support Services (DWSS), and library technicians throughout Nevada System of Higher Education institutions and more. This election victory almost doubles the size of Local 4041, increasing their power to deliver victories for these critical public sector workers.
“We see the benefits of having a union contract and voice on the job; that’s why we’ve organized as AFSCME and voted to have union representation. I’m excited tech workers now get to join our fellow AFSCME members at the bargaining table this fall,” said Austin Krehbiel, a family support specialist at the DWSS.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 09/03/2024 - 09:50
09/03/2024 - 11:00am
Shuler: Union Workers are Powerful. We Will Decide This Election.
The AFL-CIO represents nearly 13 million workers in our federation across 60 unions. This time every year, we come together to put the labor back in Labor Day.
As much as we love the barbecues, the mattress sales—this is our week. This is about recognizing and appreciating the workers who make this country run.
Last year, we started a conversation about how workers are doing in this country. Some of these numbers may surprise you: 70% of Americans support unions, among young people under the age of 30, it’s nine in 10.
Union workers are continuing to find their power in two very distinct ways.
First: We are the ones who are going to decide this presidential election. In swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nevada that are going to come down to 1% or 2%, union voters are 20% of the electorate. That’s one in every five voters.
And second: Our workers are powerful because they have something that is so rare today—the trust of those around them. Union members are credible political messengers. They can connect with each other and with the people in their communities in a way no one else can.
Having the hard conversations
Many of us have felt like it’s hard to just have a conversation about politics with someone we disagree with. Or we’ve talked to someone who has figured out what team we play for, and then just tuned us out. Or—let’s admit it—maybe we’ve done it to someone else.
Yet in a room full of union members, that’s not how it plays out. When you ask a union member who their most trusted source in the world is on politics, it’s not their friends, family or loved ones. It’s their fellow union members.
It’s not hard to see why union workers trust each other.
We talk to each other in the break room every morning. We carpool home. We’re on the factory floor together, or in the teacher’s lounge, or outside on a construction site, braving the elements, while everyone else is asleep. We know each other, inside and out.
And when you combine that trust with this organizing machine we’ve built, this ability to connect with our members, our families, our neighbors and mobilize on a dime, you have a movement that can actually deliver voters—and win an election.
The power of unions
Workers are growing our power in this country in a way we haven’t been in a generation. Almost a quarter of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago were union delegates, more than we’ve had in a long, long time. We are seen as a force to be reckoned with.
And it’s about damn time.
When I travel the country and talk to working people—our members, but also people who aren’t yet in a union—they tell me they’re tired of the way things have been going. They're tired of going to the grocery store, and seeing it take more out of their paychecks than it ever has. They’re tired for people their peers in the sandwich generation, trying to care for their kids and their parents at the exact same time.
What I hear from the young generation of workers coming up is that they can’t believe there used to be a time when you could work one full-time job, and afford to make a down payment on a home.
That’s the daily reality for people all over this country.
Workers in this country have never been more productive. We have never created the kind of wealth for companies that we are creating right now. But it’s not benefitting our workers.
We need to fundamentally re-write the rules—by winning elections, by passing laws, by having the right to stand up for ourselves—if we’re going to balance the scales.
All over the country, people are realizing there’s a movement where you actually can fight back, where you actually can get some power and some control over your future.
It’s not about your race, your gender, age, orientation or, religion, it’s just about standing up for your freedom.
Strategy, organizing pay off
If you feel tired or alone right now, think about autoworkers in Chattanooga, right after they made history at Volkswagen, voting for representation by the United Auto Workers.
Or our Machinists in Seattle, who filled a baseball stadium to tell Boeing to give them a fair contract.
Or our sisters in the National Women’s Soccer League players association, who rewrote the sports rulebook and got rid of their draft, setting a new standard that gives them a voice in where they work, like every other worker in this country.
These wins are not accidents.
We’ve invested in our grassroots network all over the country, building local power and organizing capacity.
Nearly half a million workers went on strike in 2023, a year that saw more than 2,700 union election filings, the most we’ve ever seen. Some 900,000 workers in unions won double-digit pay increases last year alone.
That is power.
What’s the point of building all this power on the ground, if we don’t use it when it really matters? When absolutely everything is on the line?
In those swing states we talked about earlier—Michigan. Pennsylvania. Michigan. Wisconsin. Nevada—union support is driving up the margin of support for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
We are the difference.
How we win
Our movement is full of joy and love, a way to have some fun and make your life better at the same time. We have the trust—with our union members, and the spouses, children and parents that we bring along. There’s a reason they call it “a union household,” which doubles and triples our impact.
We have a well-oiled organizing machine in every state, especially in battleground states. We have workers who are actually trained in how to have those tough conversations, how to steer them toward kitchen-table issues, and how to challenge someone, respectfully, if we need to.
A few months ago I walked up to a guy in a MAGA hat on a picket line. In any other situation, the two of us probably wouldn’t have much to talk about. But as we started to talk about politics, he looked at me and said, “I’ll hear you out, because I know we both love our unions.”
Those conversations are the key to everything.
Talking to each other again. Empathy and grace, instead of vitriol. Coming together to solve problems that actually matter to our families.
When we fight, we win.
This post originally appeared in te Detroit Free Press.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 09/03/2024 - 10:06
08/30/2024 - 3:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Hampton Roads Transit Workers Score Major Raises with New 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.
Hampton Roads Transit drivers and mechanics in Virginia secured huge pay raises in their new union contract. Starting pay for maintenance workers and operators will increase by 27%. The three-year contract also reduces the amount of time for bus and light-rail operators to reach the top of the pay scale and provides more sick leave and additional days off. The workers are represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1177.
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 08/30/2024 - 10:15
08/30/2024 - 3:00pm
The Road to the White House Runs Through America’s Union Halls: 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.
Project 2025 Provides a GOP Blueprint for Destroying the American Labor Movement: “Consequently, the nation’s labor movement saw Trump’s past record and agenda for the future for what they were. In a statement issued on July 18, 2024, Liz Shuler, president of the national AFL-CIO, declared, ‘In his first term as president, Donald Trump was a disaster for workers and our unions.’ Moreover, ‘the Trump Project 2025 agenda lays out his plan to turbocharge his antiworker policies, eliminate or control unions, and eviscerate labor laws and workers’ contracts.’ Consequently, ‘a second Trump term would put everything we’ve fought for―good jobs, fair wages, health care, retirement security, worker security―on the chopping block.’”
Thousands of Fred Meyer Employees Go on Strike Through Labor Day Weekend: “Nearly 5,000 employees at 28 Fred Meyer stores in and around Portland, Oregon, went on strike early Wednesday morning. The employees, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555, plan to continue the strike for almost a week. Unless a deal is reached with Fred Meyer management, the grocery store workers won’t return to work until 8 a.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 3. UFCW says employees are striking over Fred Meyer’s violation of labor laws amid contract negotiations between grocery store management and the union. The union has filed several unfair labor practice charges against Fred Meyer, claiming that the company is ‘refusing to provide essential information for current negotiations’ and advertised benefits to employees the company hasn’t actually proposed at the bargaining table.”
Americans’ Approval of Labor Unions Near Highest Level Since 1960s: “Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, argued in a speech in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday that union influence would be pivotal in the race for the White House. The federation, which includes 60 unions, says that 22% of voters in Pennsylvania are either union members or retirees who’d been in unions. ‘We can run up the margins where it counts, we have built an organizing machine that can mobilize on a dime and we have built a singular trust and connection with workers, families and neighbors,’ Shuler said. ‘There is no question that the road to the White House runs through America’s union halls.’”
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler Delivers State of the Unions Address: “AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler urged union members to vote and get others to the polls for the Harris-Walz ticket because the unions and workers’ rights are on the line in the 2024 elections. Shuler stressed the importance of the labor movement and the role of unions in communities across America during a speech at the AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, D.C.”
Missouri AFL-CIO President Looks Ahead to Labor’s Impact on 2024 Elections: “Missouri holds a unique distinction among Republican-dominated states: having a robust and politically significant organized labor community. Individual unions often play a major role in campaigns for statewide and state legislative offices. And although organized labor is a core constituency of the Democratic Party, labor unions in Missouri have gotten involved in Republican primaries—especially when GOP contenders have pro-labor views. During an episode of the “Politically Speaking Hour” on St. Louis on the Air, Missouri AFL-CIO President Jake Hummel discussed how labor unions are approaching the upcoming election cycle. And that includes how his group endorsed Democrat State Rep. (Mo.) Crystal Quade and Republican Lt. Gov. (Mo.) Mike Kehoe during last month’s primary races for governor—something he said was somewhat unusual.”
The Real Reason NWSL Players Are Walking Out in ‘We Said Now’ Shirts: “On Aug. 25, Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, congratulated the players from the Washington Spirit and Kansas City Current (the first teams to play since the new collective bargaining agreement was announced) on such an historic accomplishment. ‘By ending the draft, they’ve won the right to shape their own futures—a victory for all workers,’ Shuler wrote on Twitter. ‘This is the power of unity! #wesaidnow.’”
‘Barely Surviving’: Some Flight Attendants Are Facing Homelessness and Hunger: “America’s largest flight attendants union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), said in a recent news release that many members working with Alaska Airlines have reported financial insecurity, including some who have ‘experienced homelessness, lived in their car, lived in a shelter or endured some combination of these circumstances.’ An employment verification letter from American Airlines showing a projected starting pay of $27,315 per year recently went viral, with some calling it a ‘poverty verification’ letter that could be used to apply for government assistance programs such as food stamps. American Airlines confirmed that the letter reflects the current base rate for first-year flight attendants on reserve, without premiums or incentives.”
The Workers’ Mic Reflects on the DNC: “Listen in while Phil shares his interviews with AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter Jr., Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Choose Chicago Richard Gamble and many others.”
Interview with AFL-CIO President Shuler: “My [Sari Beth Rosenberg’s] exclusive interview with Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 08/30/2024 - 12:05
08/28/2024 - 7:00pm
Fighting for a Fair and Just Contract: What Working People Are Doing This Week
Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week.
Actors' Equity:
AFGE:
AFSCME:
Alliance for Retired Americans:
Amalgamated Transit Union:
American Federation of Teachers:
American Postal Workers Union:
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
Boilermakers:
Bricklayers:
Communications Workers of America:
Department for Professional Employees:
Electrical Workers:
Heat and Frost Insulators:
