08/28/2025 - 5:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Mission Local Staff Secure Voluntary Union Recognition
Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Staff at Mission Local—the largest nonprofit newsroom covering news in San Francisco—won voluntary recognition last week for their union with the Pacific Media Workers Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521.
Members of Mission Local Guild said their organizing efforts aim to establish frameworks for professional development, as the award-winning newsroom continues to grow.
“The union is a step forward for us and for Mission Local. We look forward to starting conversations with the leadership to create a contract that is fair to both the organization and the workers,” said Oscar, a reporter.
“Forming a union is a natural next step as we grow from a small, scrappy team into a highly professionalized outlet,” added Vicky, Mission Local’s donor engagement lead. “On the business side, we have big plans to expand our operations and having a union will ensure we are centering the well-being of our budding team in our goals for the future.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 08/28/2025 - 09:56
08/28/2025 - 5:00pm
Worker Wins: Hard Work and Dedication
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Philadelphia Teachers Union and School District Reach Tentative Agreement: The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), AFT Local 3, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the city’s school district on Sunday, averting a potential strike. Members are celebrating the historic deal, which was finalized just hours before the start of a new school year. The old contract covering education professionals was set to expire on Aug. 31, and workers had been preparing to walk out after Labor Day if they didn’t receive a fair offer. “The PFT is thrilled that we have been able to reach a tentative agreement with the School District of Philadelphia on a three-year pact ensuring that school will open on time, as well as three years of labor peace,” PFT President Arthur Steinberg said. “This contract recognizes the hard work and dedication our members bring to the district and allows them to have peace of mind that they will be able to provide for their families while continuing to educate the children of the School District of Philadelphia.”
Mission Local Staff Secure Voluntary Union Recognition: Staff at Mission Local—the largest nonprofit newsroom covering news in San Francisco—won voluntary recognition last week for their union with the Pacific Media Workers Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521. Members of Mission Local Guild said their organizing efforts aim to establish frameworks for professional development, as the award-winning newsroom continues to grow. “The union is a step forward for us and for Mission Local. We look forward to starting conversations with the leadership to create a contract that is fair to both the organization and the workers,” said Oscar, a reporter. “Forming a union is a natural next step as we grow from a small, scrappy team into a highly professionalized outlet,” added Vicky, Mission Local’s donor engagement lead. “On the business side, we have big plans to expand our operations and having a union will ensure we are centering the well-being of our budding team in our goals for the future.”
Wyoming Cement Plant Workers Vote to Form Union: Workers at the Mountain Cement Company plant in Laramie, Wyoming, have voted to join the Boilermakers (IBB), and the local labor movement is celebrating this victory in a “right to work” state. While the facility has been considered a cornerstone of the town’s economy for almost a century, workers have remarked that over the past decade management’s attitude toward their essential contributions has gotten worse. The newly minted IBB members cite high rates of turnover, safety concerns, unscheduled overtime and alleged intimidation from management as core motivations for organizing their workplace. “Just to talk about [the successful vote to organize] makes me teary eyed,” said Alex Hicks, who works in maintenance as a mechanic and welder. “I was threatened with my job, so now that this is here, I feel like it’s a big weight off my shoulders. Now I don’t have to worry about looking over my shoulder everyday wondering, ‘Is this going to be my day or not?’” “This means so much to Wyoming workers who feel voiceless, like there’s nowhere to turn,” added Marcie Kindred, executive director of the Wyoming State AFL-CIO. “We’re the reddest right-to-work state in the nation, and they just proved that, even in Wyoming, you can fight and freaking win.”
GoJet Flight Attendants Ratify New Contract: GoJet Airlines flight attendants, who are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), successfully ratified a new contract last week, with 90% of voting members approving the agreement. The regional airline is operated under the United Express brand of United Airlines. AFA-CWA members won major victories, such as double-digit pay raises, increased per diem, minimum pay protections, greater schedule flexibility and more. “While GoJet Flight Attendants continue to work flights branded as United Airlines, we deserve to solidify significant pay increases, boarding pay, and benefits that our mainline counterparts across the industry are seeing,” said Melissa Higgins, AFA GoJet president. “This new tentative agreement ensures aviation’s first responders at GoJet are receiving the benefits we deserve and lifting up standards for regional Flight Attendants.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 08/28/2025 - 11:54
Tags:
Organizing
08/27/2025 - 4:30pm
Fighting for Our Future: 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:
Yesterday was the first day of bargaining between Equity and the Broadway League. Shout out to our negotiating team who will be making sure that your voices are heard every time they sit at the table. Thank you to our friends from @local802.bsky.social who were there to stand in solidarity.
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— Actors' Equity Association (@actorsequity.bsky.social) August 26, 2025 at 5:26 PM
AFSCME:
Alliance for Retired Americans:
08/27/2025 - 4:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Philadelphia Teachers Union and School District Reach Tentative Agreement
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 Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), AFT Local 3, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the city’s school district on Sunday, averting a potential strike.
Members are celebrating the historic deal, which was finalized just hours before the start of a new school year. The old contract covering education professionals was set to expire on Aug. 31, and workers had been preparing to walk out after Labor Day if they didn’t receive a fair offer.
“The PFT is thrilled that we have been able to reach a tentative agreement with the School District of Philadelphia on a three-year pact ensuring that school will open on time, as well as three years of labor peace,” PFT President Arthur Steinberg said. “This contract recognizes the hard work and dedication our members bring to the district and allows them to have peace of mind that they will be able to provide for their families while continuing to educate the children of the School District of Philadelphia.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 08/27/2025 - 09:49
08/27/2025 - 4:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Wyoming Cement Plant Workers Vote to Form Union
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 the Mountain Cement Company plant in Laramie, Wyoming, have voted to join the Boilermakers (IBB), and the local labor movement is celebrating this victory in a “right to work” state.
While the facility has been considered a cornerstone of the town’s economy for almost a century, workers have remarked that over the past decade management’s attitude toward their essential contributions has gotten worse. The newly minted IBB members cite high rates of turnover, safety concerns, unscheduled overtime and alleged intimidation from management as core motivations for organizing their workplace.
“Just to talk about [the successful vote to organize] makes me teary eyed,” said Alex Hicks, who works in maintenance as a mechanic and welder. “I was threatened with my job, so now that this is here, I feel like it’s a big weight off my shoulders. Now I don’t have to worry about looking over my shoulder everyday wondering, ‘Is this going to be my day or not?’”
“This means so much to Wyoming workers who feel voiceless, like there’s nowhere to turn,” added Marcie Kindred, executive director of the Wyoming State AFL-CIO. “We’re the reddest right-to-work state in the nation, and they just proved that, even in Wyoming, you can fight and freaking win.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 08/25/2025 - 09:36
08/26/2025 - 3:00pm
Find a Labor Day Event Near You: 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.
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
Colorado AFL-CIO:
Illinois AFL-CIO:
Maine AFL-CIO:
Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
Michigan State AFL-CIO:
Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Missouri AFL-CIO:
Nevada State AFL-CIO:
New Hampshire AFL-CIO:
New York State AFL-CIO:
Ohio AFL-CIO:
Oregon AFL-CIO:
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
Texas AFL-CIO:
Virginia AFL-CIO:
08/26/2025 - 3:00pm
Fred Redmond Joins Connecticut Unions to Call for Education Funding at AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stop
![Fred Redmond [second from right] speaking during the bus tour event.](https://aflcio.org/sites/default/files/2025-08/bus-tour-conn.jpg)
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond joined the Connecticut AFL-CIO and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) for a roundtable discussion Friday on federal cuts and the lack of sufficient state funding in K-12 and public higher education, as part of the AFL-CIO “It’s Better In a Union” bus tour.
The stop in Hartford came the week before nearly all Connecticut students returned to the classroom. The event included a direct demand for a special session this fall, and for Gov. Ned Lamont and the Connecticut General Assembly to raise state revenue in the wake of the Trump administration’s slashes to federal funding. Roundtable participants spoke about how more resources are necessary to avert harmful cuts that will impact students, educators and the broader community.
“We want to urge the governor to take immediate action without delay in a special legislative session,” said Redmond.
“This amount we are quibbling over on what to invest is ridiculous. It is needed,” said Stuart Beckford, the second vice president of Hartford Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1018.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 08/26/2025 - 10:06
Tags:
Better in a Union Bus Tour
08/25/2025 - 8:00pm
More Important Than Ever: 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.
Brooke Shields, Actors’ Equity Rally in Times Square Ahead of Broadway Contract Negotiations: “The rally came as part of AFL-CIO’s—the largest federation of unions in the U.S., which includes Equity—national bus tour to rally workers in the two months leading up to Labor Day. On Thursday, several union leaders, including Shuler, spoke to the idea of ‘attacks,’ on workers across the country. Speaking after the rally, Shuler pointed to the mass layoffs of government workers, as well as the struggles among many workers, including the rising cost of living, healthcare costs, retirement insecurity and more.”
SAG-AFTRA Members Overwhelmingly Approve 2025 Broadcast TV Code: “By an overwhelming margin, SAG-AFTRA members nationwide have approved the 2025 broadcast television code, which covers recorded and live programming throughout the broadcast day. The code was ratified by 96.48% of members who voted, with just 3.52% voting against.”
Airline Pilots Outraged Over One-Pilot Proposal: “A federal advisory committee of pro-corporate aviation ‘experts’ is telling the corporate-friendly Trump regime there should be only one pilot, not two, in an airplane’s cockpit. Citing safety reasons, the Air Line Pilots (ALPA) strongly oppose that scheme. And so do 43 senators, from both political parties. The plan came to light when ALPA disclosed the lawmakers’ July 24 letter to Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, urging him to reject the scheme. They said having only one pilot in the cockpit while the other rests elsewhere on the plane is dangerous. Capt. Jason Ambrosi, the ALPA president, agrees vehemently.”
Local Labor Unions Join Together with Fundraiser for Homeless Families on Labor Day: “The Big Bend Central Labor Council is celebrating Labor Day on Sept. 1 by giving back to some of the most vulnerable members of the community. The group will be collecting donations from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the American Legion Hall to support homeless families in partnership with Capital City Youth Services, a local nonprofit that offers support to local youth and families in crisis.”
'It's Better in a Union' Bus Tour Comes to Hudson Valley: “‘Ripping away food from our children and our seniors, cutting funding from our schools...that our hospitals need...voting to give tax cuts to billionaires. Instead of working families who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads,’ said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO.”
Maine Trust for Local News Workers Rally to Expand Their Union: “About three dozen reporters, photographers, page designers and union activists gathered on a brown lawn adjacent to the Portland Press Herald offices and printing plant Tuesday morning to announce their drive to unionize news workers at all of the Maine Trust for Local News’ weekly and daily paper operations around the state. The News Guild of Maine, which is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America, already represents about 150 workers at the Trust’s papers and aims to include the 50 or so remaining non-union jobs at the Sun Journal in Lewiston, The Times Record in Brunswick and the Trust’s 17 weekly publications. Workers at the daily Kennebec Journal are represented by a separate branch of the CWA and are in the process of merging with the guild.”
Labor Day 2025: More Protests Than Parades and Picnics: “Traditionally, parades, picnics, and barbeques happen on Labor Day, but this year will be significant for the more than 500 protests that will happen form one end of the country to the other. The AFL-CIO is backing events sponsored by labor federations in many cities and by coalitions like May Day Strong, Indivisible, the organizers of No Kings Day, and many other formations. Federation President Liz Shuler will be where the action is in Los Angeles and Teachers/AFT President Randi Weingarten will join Chicago Federation of Labor President Rob Reiter as headliners in the Windy City.”
Member-Organizers Drive a NewsGuild Surge: “The news industry has undergone a sea-change in the last two decades. Print readership of newspapers has declined sharply, while their digital readership has edged up slowly. Local newspapers have consolidated into ever larger chains controlled by private equity and vulture funds. Newer digital-only media sites have multiplied. Into this changing news landscape has come an influx of new journalists who bridle at the poor working conditions and low pay inflicted by media moguls building their empires on the cheap. Thousands of these media workers are finding a home in the NewsGuild.”
Groups Rally to Protect Social Security Benefits: “‘We’re here with the (American Federation of Government Employees) to really lift up how important it is to protect Social Security right now with so many other cuts being made to the social safety net,’ said Jessica Brittain, organizing director of Action Together NEPA. ‘It is more important than ever, especially after Medicaid now has been decimated. It’s not hard to see that Social Security is one of the next things on the chopping block.’ Groups attending the rally, which coincided with the 90th anniversary of the Social Security program, included Action Together NEPA, Affordable Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Policy Center, Pennsylvanians Together, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, and For Our Future Pennsylvania.”
Danny Donohue, 81, Led CSEA for a Quarter-Century: “The tough-talking labor leader rose from the ranks to lead one of New York's most powerful public sector unions. Donohue died on Aug. 10 at age 81, according to a family obituary. In a release, CSEA praised him as ‘a towering figure in the labor movement, a fearless advocate for working people and a beloved friend to so many people.’”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 08/22/2025 - 10:49
08/25/2025 - 1:30pm
EPI Report: Strong Unions Benefit Communities and Democracy
A new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) finds that labor unions don’t just improve the economic security of workers covered by collective bargaining agreements, they also promote civic and political engagement that has long-term positive impacts on our communities and democracy.
EPI outlines a strong correlation between higher levels of union density and a range of economic, personal, and democratic well-being metrics. The authors argue that because unions give workers the ability to influence our direct working conditions, this empowerment also facilitates our ability to shape our broader communities, leading to more equitable economic, social and democratic structures.
“High union density is consistently associated with a much broader set of positive spillover effects across multiple dimensions: from higher wages and better benefits; to more equitable tax systems; safer workplaces; stronger public services; and healthier, more inclusive democracies,” the report concludes. “Unions don’t just improve workers’ paychecks—they shape the social and political fabric of the communities they operate in, lifting standards for union and nonunion workers alike, while their political advocacy helps to drive an array of strongly positive outcomes, especially in states where unions represent a sizeable share of the workforce.”
Read the full report here.
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 08/25/2025 - 10:46
08/25/2025 - 1:30pm
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Operating Engineers
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 63 of our affiliates. Next up is the Operating Engineers (IUOE).
Name of Union: International Union of Operating Engineers
Mission: To serve the needs and develop the skills of a constantly expanding and varied group of construction and maintenance professionals through collective bargaining, legislative action and extensive skills training programs.
Current Leadership of Union: John L. Downey serves as general president of IUOE. He started as a member of Local 542 in eastern Pennsylvania. In 2005, he became a business representative for the local. In 2010, he took on the role of international representative for the Northeast Region. He was promoted to assistant construction director in 2014 and to director of the Construction Department in 2021. Downey was appointed as chief of staff by former General President James Callahan in 2023 and elected general president himself in January 2025.
James M. Sweeney serves as general secretary-treasurer. IUOE also has 14 vice presidents: Daren Konopaski, Michael Gallagher, Greg Lalevee, Terrance E. McGowan, Douglas W. Stockwell, Charlie Singletary, Dan Reding, William Lynn, Patrick J. Kelly, Thomas A. Callahan, Joshua VanDyke, James J. White, Edward J. Curly and David K. Sikorski.
Current Number of Members: 410,000
Members Work as: Members who are operating engineers work as heavy equipment operators, mechanics and surveyors in the construction industry. Stationary engineers work in operations and maintenance in building and industrial complexes, and in the service industries.
Industries Represented: Private industry and in various public projects, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools and government complexes.
History: In the late 1800s, working conditions were harsh for construction and stationary workers. Low wages, no benefits and 60- to 90-hour workweeks were the norm. In 1896, 11 individuals met in Chicago and formed the National Union of Steam Engineers of America, the first step in the creation of IUOE.
A year later, the first Canadian members joined and the union became the International Union of Steam Engineers. After the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, operating engineers flocked to the city for rebuilding jobs. They also were a key part of digging the Panama Canal.
In 1912, the union changed its name to the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers. As technology advanced, steam became less a part of the industry, and steam was dropped.
During the era of the two world wars and beyond, IUOE members were a significant part of the defense effort, from the Navy Seabees, who created the bases, airfields and roads, to the federal Highway Trust Fund program, which created thousands of jobs for operating engineers. They also were part of many other important construction projects, including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Chicago’s Sears Tower (renamed Willis Tower in 2009), Toronto’s CN Tower and SkyDome (renamed Rogers Centre), New York’s Empire State Building and Holland Tunnel, the Statue of Liberty, Vancouver’s Lions Gate Bridge, the Alaskan pipeline, the Hoover Dam and countless others.
Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: IUOE runs extensive training programs and maintains the International Training & Education Center. It also focuses on recruiting women workers into apprenticeship programs. The International Operating Engineer publication provides information and news for working people in the industry.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 08/25/2025 - 13:20
