Today, March 4, educators, students, parents and community allies will stand up against assaults on public education and on opportunity for America’s kids. 

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is calling on lawmakers to strengthen, not undermine, our local public schools and the services they provide to children, families and communities. Find an action near you happening today!

Find a Local Action.

The government can work for billionaires or it can work for working people—but not both. 

So when Elon Musk created his own unaccountable pseudo-government department, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to fire federal workers and jeopardize the programs working people rely on, we launched our own “Department of People of Who Work for a Living (DPWL)” to hold these billionaires accountable.

The DPWL was out in force last week as working people participated in more than 104 actions in 31 states and Washington, D.C. Some unions and working people planned rallies, others scheduled meetings with their members of Congress, and some attended town halls to speak out. 

Here are some highlights from workers who spoke at last week’s protests against DOGE’s actions: 

“I'm sad that I lost my job. But I'm also sad I'm not going to be able to help these people anymore who desperately need it,” said fired Environmental Protection Agency employee Nyla at a rally in Chicago.

“I’ve wanted to work for [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] NOAA a long time,” said an anonymous protester in Juneau, Alaska. “If I cared about money, I would have gone to Wall Street, but I care about our environment and our people. And NOAA provides a lot of services to Alaska, the rural and coastal communities here really get a lot of information from us, and I’m worried.”

“I had to apply for unemployment, and on the very same day I did that, Elon Musk tweeted a meme calling the 10% of the poorest Americans members of the parasite class,” said Kristin Jenn, a fired federal worker in Austin, Texas.

When you think of federal government workers, you may think of Washington, D.C., but the truth is 85% of federal employees live and work all over the country, with large numbers in states like California, Texas, Florida and Georgia. 

Job cuts are being felt nationwide, hurting communities, local economies and services in red and blue states alike.

That’s why we’ve launched the DPWL website to share information and resources for workers and communities affected by these attacks on federal workers. 

See our map, take action and learn more about how unelected billionaires and their agenda are affecting working people.

LEARN MORE

Thank you for supporting America’s working families.

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.

In a victory more than a year in the making, nearly 5,000 supervisors who work for the state of Maryland have voted to form a union with AFSCME Maryland Council 3.

State supervisors worked with AFSCME to pass legislation last year that granted them collective bargaining rights in Maryland.

“With our AFSCME union, we as supervisors can finally have a say in workplace policies that affect us, such as expanded hours, how our scheduling works, how comp time works, and more,” said Michael Lawson, acting assistant superintendent and a bus maintenance supervisor at the Maryland Transit Administration. “We are experts at how our agencies and offices operate, and now we have a seat at the table to weigh in on decisions that shape our work, our services, and our agencies.

Tags: Organizing

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 Sylvia J. Ramos of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Sylvia J. Ramos began her career in 1981 at Southwestern Bell in San Antonio, where she held various roles, including bilingual service representative and job steward with CWA Local 6143. She chaired the organizing and mobilizing committees, led successful organizing campaigns, and received the AFL-CIO “A Woman’s Place Is in Her Union” award in 1998. Ramos later became an AT&T strategist and CWA staff representative, and chaired many bargaining committees. In 2023, she made history as the first Latina chief of staff at CWA, where she advocates for workers’ rights, including the impact of artificial intelligence on labor.

Tags: Women's History Month

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

Alaska Flight Attendants Overwhelmingly Ratify Contract: Late last week, Alaska Airlines flight attendants—who are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA)—ratified a new three-year contract with 95% of members in favor of the deal. With a remarkable 91% voting participation, this industry standard-setting deal is being celebrated across membership. Highlights of this agreement include double-digit raises for the 7,000-member bargaining unit, boarding pay, company 401(k) match increase, higher per diems and more. “This contract will immediately and significantly improve the lives of Alaska Flight Attendants,” said Jeffrey Peterson, AFA-CWA MEC president at Alaska Airlines in a press release. “Alaska Flight Attendants’ solidarity pushed management to recognize our critical role to the safety and success of this airline. This contract also raises the foundation for the new joint Alaska-Hawaiian negotiations following the merger.”

NBC Digital NewsGuild Secures Tentative Three-Year Contract Deal: Editorial staff at NBC News, NBC News NOW and Today, represented by NewsGuild of New York, TNG-CWA Local 31003, reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the network on Friday. The scope of the deal covers approximately 300 digital staff who work as reporters, producers, editors, designers, videographers and in other roles. This victory has been years in the making: NBC NewsGuild members first organized in 2019 and, if this TA is ratified, it will be their first contract. The contract includes wins like the establishment of minimum salary floors, job security protections, an end to forced arbitration in cases of discrimination and harassment, and more. “This contract is a huge step forward for journalists at NBC News,” said Tate James, documentary video editor and unit chair in a NewsGuild of New York press release. “We will now have the job security essential to fighting for transparency and accountability without fear.” “NYGuild members contribute to the reach and value of NBC News every day,” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York. “I’m glad that NBC is finally recognizing their essential work by agreeing to a contract that enshrines the wages and workplace protections they deserve.”

Maryland State Supervisors Overwhelmingly Vote to Join AFSCME: In a victory more than a year in the making, nearly 5,000 supervisors who work for the state of Maryland have voted to form a union with AFSCME Maryland Council 3. State supervisors worked with AFSCME to pass legislation last year that granted them collective bargaining rights in Maryland. “With our AFSCME union, we as supervisors can finally have a say in workplace policies that affect us, such as expanded hours, how our scheduling works, how comp time works, and more,” said Michael Lawson, acting assistant superintendent and a bus maintenance supervisor at the Maryland Transit Administration. “We are experts at how our agencies and offices operate, and now we have a seat at the table to weigh in on decisions that shape our work, our services, and our agencies.”

Equity Reaches New Developmental Work Agreement with Broadway League: The National Council of Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) voted last week to ratify a new five-year Development Agreement with The Broadway League, ending an eight-month strike against early-stage development work. This agreement is used during the development of new works by members of The Broadway League—the trade organization representing theater producers and owners—before entering into an intended Production Contract engagement. The previous version of this contract expired in February of last year, after which the union unanimously voted to authorize a strike. Highlights of the new agreement include a cumulative pay increase of over 8%, more pre-production time for stage managers and the establishment of a new joint working group between the union and employers. “Today is a day to celebrate the hard work of Equity’s team in getting us back into the rehearsal halls and making some magic,” said Equity Negotiating Team Chair Stephen Bogardus in a press release. “The talent and commitment our members bring to their work is vital in transporting what’s on paper to the stage, and Development work sessions are a crucial step in that process. This was a long strike, but it was worth it. I know our members are looking forward to digging into the work we love doing while being more fairly compensated for that labor.”

Victory: Federal Court Finds Firing of Probationary Federal Employees Illegal: On Thursday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted a temporary restraining order against the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and its acting director, finding that the termination of probationary federal employees was illegal because OPM had no authority to order it. The coalition of plaintiffs on the case include AFGE, AFSCME, United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) and various community ally groups. “This ruling…is an important initial victory for patriotic Americans across this country who were illegally fired from their jobs by an agency that had no authority to do so,” said Everett Kelley, national president of the AFGE. “These are rank-and-file workers who joined the federal government to make a difference in their communities, only to be suddenly terminated due to this administration’s disdain for federal employees and desire to privatize their work.” “We know this decision is just a first step, but it gives federal employees a respite,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “While they work to protect public health and safety, federal workers have faced constant harassment from unelected billionaires and anti-union extremists whose only goal is to give themselves massive tax breaks at the expense of working people. We will continue to move this case forward with our partners until federal workers are protected against these baseless terminations.”

UAW Members Reach Tentative Agreement with Rolls-Royce, Averting Strike: UAW Local 933 announced that it secured a last-minute tentative agreement (TA) with Rolls-Royce late Wednesday night, right before their current contract expired. Local 933 represents over 800 workers at the Indianapolis facility where members manufacture aircraft engines for contracts with the U.S. government. Highlights of the deal include the elimination of wage tiers, profit-sharing, improved retirement benefits and a cost-of-living adjustment. In a huge victory for the bargaining unit, under this new TA, the lowest-paid workers would see a wage increase of nearly 70% over the lifetime of the contract. “Winning strong agreements is only possible when our members are organized and united,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “It only happens when the company looks over the shoulder of our bargaining team and sees an army of fired up and fed up members who are ready to do what it takes to win what they deserve. That is exactly what happened here this week when hundreds of members showed up to rally in support of their bargaining team and show the company that they were ready to strike if needed.”

Workers at St. Anselm Secure Election Victory Despite Aggressive Union-Busting: In the midst of intense anti-union pressure from management, workers at popular Washington, D.C., restaurant St. Anselm successfully voted to form a union with UNITE HERE Local 25. The lucrative dining spot is operated by STARR Restaurant Group—which refused to voluntarily recognize the union earlier this month—and the new bargaining unit covers both the front- and back-of-house workers. This victory was the first of three STARR-operated restaurants in the city to hold elections to join Local 25 as part of a larger DC Restaurant Workers Rising organizing effort. Staff are celebrating this powerful victory, and are eager to sit down at the bargaining table and secure a contract with improvements to working conditions and wages. “I’m so proud of what we won today because I know it means real change is coming—in our paychecks, our benefits, and how workers at STARR restaurants are treated,” said Bridget Killburn, a baker at St. Anselm. “I’m excited for my colleagues at Pastis and Le Diplomate to join us in winning their union in the coming weeks.”

Reconsidered Goods Thrift Store Workers Unanimously Vote to Form Union: On Monday, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW) announced that workers at Reconsidered Goods in Greensboro, North Carolina, voted unanimously to form a union. Staff at the thrift store have become the second retail location in the city to join RWDSU-UFCW this year after their union brothers, sisters and siblings at REI Greensboro won their election last month. But the path to get here wasn’t easy: management attempted to exclude two people from the proposed bargaining unit, forcing workers to go on strike until all eligible staff could vote. Members cited concerns like safety issues, working conditions, wages and scheduling as core focuses for when they enter bargaining. “There has been no doubt in my mind that we would win this election,” said fabric specialist Yvonne Rabel. “We’ve been working hard for over a year to build a sense of community and camaraderie with each other….Our community has been nothing but supportive of our goals to ensure a safer work environment, and we’re going to continue to work toward these goals during negotiations. I can’t say whether I expect our directors to be collaborative or not, but I’m hopeful we can work on a solution that includes the workers having a say in the decisions that affect them.”

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 Patricia Redding of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).
 

Patricia Redding has been an IATSE member for seven years. She serves on her local’s women’s and diversity, equity and inclusion committees, and volunteers with food pantries and holiday toy drives her local participates in. Her inspirations are Michelle Obama, retired IATSE Vice President C. Faye Harper and fellow Local 479 sister Jennifer Hutchins. “Being an IATSE member means a lot to me. I was hungry to learn more about my union and wanted to be in a position to give more to our union members.”

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 Brittney Davidson of the Heat and Frost Insulators (HFIU).

Brittney Davidson isn’t just breaking glass ceilings—she’s smashing them with a sledgehammer. First female executive board member of Local 119? Check. First female trainer of the local? Check. Financial trustee? Sergeant-at-arms? You bet. Trailblazing comes naturally to Davidson. She isn’t just good at the job—she’s great. She trains the next generation, makes sure the work’s done right and keeps the union’s future positive. She’s got the grit, the know-how and the leadership to back it all up.

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.

Brightline's 'Onboard Service' Employees Vote to Join Union: “About 100 Brightline employees will join the Transport Workers Union (TWU) following a vote with the National Mediation Board last month. In a news release after the Jan. 14 vote, the Transport Workers Union of America said, ‘this is the largest newly organized group of railroad workers nationwide in over 20 years.’”

Actors’ Equity And The Broadway League Reach Agreement On Thorny Issues Around New Work Development: “Actors’ Equity Association has reached a deal with the Broadway League on a new five-year Development Agreement, resolving an eight-month strike prohibiting Equity members’ participation in early stages of development work. The National Council of Actors’ Equity Association, the labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, announced today that it had voted to ratify a new five-year Development Agreement, concluding an eight-month strike against The Broadway League, the trade organization representing theater producers and owners.”

The U.S. Postal Service Is More Efficient Than You Think. Privatizing It Could Cause Problems for Many: “‘The Postal Office remains the most affordable way to ship,’ Brian Renfroe, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, told CNN. ‘The destruction of any part of the public service we provide is going to have one bottom line result for the customers, it’s going to cost more and take longer to get there.’ ‘It really comes down to the core meaning of a public service,’ he said. ‘The Post Office is going to serve you at the same cost no matter where you are. That really should be the very definition of a public service.’”

Reconsidered Goods Unionizes: “Reconsidered Goods is nestled on the corner of the Food Lion on Spring Garden Street, across the street from Pho Hien Vuong. Unlike its surrounding businesses, Reconsidered Goods is a 501c nonprofit organization that takes donated materials and helps divert them from landfills, putting them into the hands of artists, makers, teachers, children, and other reuse advocates to create something new. Their mission is to promote sustainability, environmental awareness, community engagement, and creative expression through reuse, education, and the arts. Unfortunately, despite the organization’s noble morals, the staff of Reconsidered Goods have had enough. Due to safety regulations, lack of training, and more the workers have banded together to try and unionize to get these policies changed.”

Workers at D.C.'s St. Anselm Secure Unionization as STARR Group Challenges Vote Outcome: “Hundreds of employees at some of D.C.'s most lucrative restaurants are overjoyed following the news of their union vote. On Friday, St. Anselm employees voted 51-42 in favor of unionizing. In mid-January employees with five restaurants: Le Diplomate, Pastis, and St. Anselm, operated by STARR Restaurant Group; and Rasika and Modena, operated by Knightsbridge restaurant group, announced they were organizing a union with UNITE HERE Local 25. The unit covers the front and back of house and includes servers, bussers, dishwashers, cooks and bakers.”

Keystone Ski Patrol Union Votes to Ratify New Contract Following Negotiations: “Nearly all 81 members of the Keystone Ski Patrol Union voted to accept a new contract with Keystone Resort that will last through the 2026-2027 ski season. The announcement follows months of back and forth between management at Vail Resorts and the union that formed in 2024. Union bargaining team member Jake Randall said that after workers at Keystone’s sister resort in Park City Utah went on strike, Vail Resorts was ready to come to the table. ‘We actually came to an agreement pretty quickly after the strike ended,’ Randall said. ‘We put it to a vote with overwhelming support. We did have a couple no votes in there, but the sentiment of the group is that we made a lot of progress with this contract.’”

Picketing May Have Peaked but Union Strike Totals Remain High: “Unions led fewer strikes against U.S. employers last year than in 2022 or 2023, according to Bloomberg Law labor data. But the 236 walkouts called in 2024 still represent the third-highest annual total in almost two decades, suggesting that the post-pandemic trend of labor unrest is still far from over. After unions initiated only 86 strikes in shutdown-riven 2020, strikes took place with increasing frequency in the ensuing three years—from 164 in 2021 to 317 in 2022 to 356 in 2023—as workers sought to assert more control over their job security and compensation. It took until 2024 for the tide of strikes to subside (to 236) rather than rise.”

Children’s Theatre Company Ratifies 1st Ever Contract With IATSE: “A state theatre company has ratified its first-ever contract with a theatre union. The Children's Theatre Company (CTC) in Minneapolis has completed an almost two-year process and come to terms with the International Alliance of Theatrical State Employees (IATSE) Local 13.”

For Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently actively making Black 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 Alfred Winters of the Heat and Frost Insulators (HFIU).

Alfred Winters is currently in his fourth year of HFIU Local 1's apprenticeship program. Since starting, he has proven to be an asset to the local. Winters works with Brand Safeway in the field. In 2024, he represented Local 1 at the Regional Apprentice Competition, showcasing both his expertise and his commitment to excellence in the trade. He serves as a delegate to the Southwestern Illinois Building Trades Council, where he plays a key role in advocating for the interests of the union. His representation of Local 1 at career fairs has been instrumental in attracting and encouraging minority workers to join the trade.

Tags: Black History Month

For Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently actively making Black 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 Yusuf Al-Shabazz of UNITE HERE.

Yusuf Al-Shabazz got his start with UNITE HERE Local 11 when he helped organize to bring the union into the American Airlines (AA) airport lounges at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. He was fired unfairly from the AA Lounges for organizing the union in 2023, and his case is still pending with the NLRB. He then got a job as a cook at the Hyatt Tempe Mission Palms and now serves as a chief shop steward of his co-workers. In the recent contract fight at Hyatt, 21-year-old Al-Shabazz helped lead his co-workers out on strike. They went on to win an incredible contract with life-changing raises and a pension. His sister is also a member of Local 11 with Starbucks at the Phoenix Airport.

Tags: Black History Month