For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Sandy Kim of SAG-AFTRA.

Sandy Kim is vice president of the SAG-AFTRA Arizona-Utah local. She is also chair of the local’s agent/professional representatives committee, having previously served as vice chair. She is a fierce advocate for educating and organizing. Detailed and thorough, she has been a fantastic asset to the local’s leadership team. She is also a working actor whose recent bookings include “Law and Order” and “Best Medicine.”

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 Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-United Food and Commercial Workers (RWDSU-UFCW) Local 1102 who feed students in the Hampton Bays School District have ratified a new union contract.

Highlights of the agreement include raises, longevity benefits and more paid time off, including improvements to holiday, sick and personal days. These major wins will help provide greater financial stability for members and reflect the important role they play in the local community.

“Our Hampton Bays members should be proud of what they accomplished together through solidarity and unity,” said Local 1102 President Jack Caffey. “This agreement recognizes the essential work they do every day and delivers meaningful improvements that support them and their families.”

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.

California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:

Working people should choose who represents us in office, not Big Tech billionaires and their super PACs. Exercise your right to vote and help elect pro-worker, pro-union candidates endorsed by @CaliforniaLabor! pic.twitter.com/6ZcIFpgTBS

— California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) May 24, 2026

Illinois AFL-CIO:

Earlier this month, the IAM Mechanics Local 701 Technician Training Center concluded Apprenticeship Week 2026 by graduating 29 technicians who successfully completed the program. These individuals will go on to become mechanics on our aircrafts, cars, trains and more. #1u pic.twitter.com/IFdz1Lm8IM

— Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) May 24, 2026

Maine AFL-CIO:

APRI-Maine Chapter has launched some exciting new programs to tutor immigrant workers in English & support union members of color in the workplace! https://t.co/L1PXTVWyIZ

— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) May 22, 2026

Massachusetts AFL-CIO:

Last night, @ClimateJobsMA was honored by @EnviroLeagueMA, our President @chrissylynch29 was on hand to accept

Working people don’t want much, just union jobs, affordable and reliable energy, and flood resilient communities where they can drink clean water
and breathe clean air pic.twitter.com/hHVI7lN2Pk

— Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) May 22, 2026

Michigan State AFL-CIO:

A word you should know (and live by) pic.twitter.com/vgN5TsbMat

— Michigan AFL-CIO ✊ (@MIAFLCIO) May 23, 2026

Missouri AFL-CIO:

“A computer-generated image doesn’t have a mortgage to pay or groceries to buy, but our members do. To use our symbols to promote a policy that hurts working families is a moral insult & a desperate attempt to manufacture support for a dangerous proposal” - Brandon Flinn, MKLDC pic.twitter.com/BA5sxpdi3q

— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) May 26, 2026

Nevada State AFL-CIO:

Happy Memorial Day from the Nevada State AFL-CIO. 

We thank and honor those who fought for our freedom

For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Karen Cross of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Karen Cross is currently the secretary-treasurer of the Boston Teachers Union and has been a math teacher for the past 24 years. She is also treasurer of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Massachusetts chapter and a trustee of the Boston Retirement Board. In addition, she has been part of a cohort of the Trustee Leadership Forum at Harvard Law School’s Center for Labor and a Just Economy for the past two years.

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.

More than 2,100 tech workers at the University of California have voted to join University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE)-Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9119. With the addition of these system analysts, database administrators and other information technology (IT) workers, UPTE-CWA has become the largest tech union in the United States.

“Millions of Californians rely on the University of California for their healthcare and education,” said Max Belasco, business systems analyst at UCLA. “Until now, we haven’t had the opportunity, as the people who understand AI, to say: we want a seat at the table. If the workers who provide these critical services to the people of California don’t have the power to demand transparency and advocate for the safe deployment of AI tools, there will be no safeguards in place to ensure AI will be used as anything more than a poor cost saving measure. Unionized healthcare workers have set new quality standards across UC hospitals that save lives—tech workers can play the same role when it comes to AI.”

Tags: Organizing

For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Seung Lee of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Seung Lee was born in Seoul, Korea, and raised in New York City. He has served as a special education and science teacher for 20 years. Lee is an executive board member with the United Federation of Teachers (UFT, AFT Local 2) and a board member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) New York chapter. He is chair of the UFT Asian American Heritage Committee and the AFT Asian Caucus. He is currently APALA’s national treasurer.

For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Anita Seth of UNITE HERE.

Anita Seth is president of UNITE HERE Local 8, representing over 9,000 hospitality workers in Washington and Oregon. Of South Asian heritage, she is the first woman of color to lead her local. She got her start organizing the union as a graduate worker at Yale University, a long-running drive that reached victory in 2023 after over 30 years of struggle.

For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Sharon Sugiyama of the IAM Union (IAM).

Sharon Sugiyama has dedicated her life to service, leadership and advocacy for others. She began her career in the airline industry in 1992 when she joined Continental Micronesia as an airport sales agent. In 2013, she became a member of IAM and was elected president of Local 2339G. She became District 141 vice president in 2015. Her peers elected her as a delegate to the 2026 AFL-CIO national convention, a testament to the trust she has built through years of principled advocacy, mentorship and service.

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.

U.N. Top Court Says Workers Have the Right to Strike Under Main Labour Law Treaty: “The United Nations's highest court on Thursday said workers and unions have a right to strike under the main international labour law treaty, ‌in an advisory opinion that could influence labour laws around the world.”

Bakersfield, Statewide Planned Parenthood Clinic to Unionize Under SEIU: “More than 400 healthcare workers have unionized with the California labor group Service Employees International Union, forming Planned Parenthood Mar Montes Workers United. Esmeralda Diaz Avalos, a clinician at one of the clinics, said securing the union ensures that Planned Parenthood clinics across the state have access to resources, staffing and ‘ensuring a sustainable level of care’ for patients.”

Q&A With Bernie Burnham: Solidarity Goals of Minnesota’s AFL-CIO: “A post-legislative session news release from the AFL-CIO pointed out key wins for Minnesota’s working people. An AFL-CIO–led Workers Compensation bill passed with a 20% increase in benefits to make life more affordable for workers with a permanent partial disability while expanding the pool of professionals who can diagnose work-related post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Boulder Library Union Recognized by Trustees: “Employees in the Boulder Public Library District have a union. The BPLD Board of Trustees voted unanimously during its Tuesday meeting to recognize an employee union, an effort that first went public seven months ago. In the card check for the union—the vote to unionize—80% of 124 employees voted to unionize. This is the first public library district union in Colorado, which meant the board had to navigate complicated legal waters as it crafted rules for collective bargaining. Those rules were ratified in April. The union will be a member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME. Now, union leaders and the Board of Trustees will work on negotiating a contract.”

Florida Ironworkers Give Back Through Take Kids Fishing Day: “Over 200 attendees were introduced to fishing and the outdoors at the 2026 Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) Ironworkers Local 397 Take Kids Fishing Day on April 25 at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center. All 128 kids in attendance took home a free rod and reel. In addition to fishing, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission held three educational stations about fish identification and regulations, knot tying and casting. Twenty-five volunteers from Ironworkers Local 397 provided instruction, including financial secretary-treasurer and business agent Keven Barber. The day was especially meaningful for Barber, who fished with his 5-year-old grandson, Bryar, for the first time.”

Hundreds of Kentucky Kids Participate in Union-Sponsored Fishing Events Across State: “Members of SMART Local 110 hosted youth fishing events across Kentucky on May 16, drawing hundreds of children and families to lakes in Paducah, Lexington and Louisville. Organizers said 279 children participated in the three 2026 Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Take Kids Fishing Day events, with each child receiving a free fishing rod and reel. Participants caught bass, bluegill, trout, crappie and catfish throughout the day. The events are part of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Work Boots on the Ground conservation program, which organizes free community outreach events focused on outdoor recreation and conservation.”

Rapid City Firefighters to Raise Money for Muscular Dystrophy, ALS Through Fill the Boot: “The Rapid City Fire Department Local 1040 is once again asking the community to support its annual Fill the Boot fundraiser benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Firefighters will collect donations from Wednesday, May 20, through Friday, May 22, at several locations across Rapid City. Crews will be stationed at donation sites from 9 a.m. to noon and again from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day.”

Rush University Medical Center Nurses Vote to Unionize: “Registered nurses at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago voted May 14-16 to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United. Of 1,830 eligible voters, 1,540 ballots were counted, with 1,190 votes cast in favor of unionization, according to the National Labor Relations Board, which conducted the election. Eleven ballots were challenged. ‘We are proud to join a strong union for RNs in National Nurses Organizing Committee that will give us the tools and resources to be powerful advocates for our patients,’ Jennifer Pearl, RN, a nurse in the hospital’s medical-surgical float pool, said in a May 18 union news release. ‘We call on all nurses in Chicago to join us in our union and organize for safe staffing, nurse retention and improved patient care.’”

Rush University Medical Center Nurses Celebrate Successful Vote to Unionize: “When it became clear Monday that Rush University Medical Center nurses had secured enough votes for union representation, two of Olivia Bouchard’s co-workers ran up and gave her a hug. ‘You just won your union,’ one of the women said to a beaming Bouchard, who helped organize the nurses. They were in a jubilant crowd of about 50 nurses gathered Monday at the Billy Goat Tavern in the West Loop for a watch party as the National Labor Relations Board tallied the union election votes.”

N.Y.C. Hotel Housekeepers Will Earn Over $100,000 Under New Contract: “The average pay of housekeepers in New York City hotels will increase to more than $100,000 a year as part of a contract settlement between an industry trade group and a powerful union. The deal, which the group ratified on Monday, averts a threatened strike this summer that could have disrupted the influx of tourists expected for the World Cup and America 250 festivities. The owners of nearly 250 hotels in the city reached agreement with the union, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, on an eight-year contract that would increase wages by more than 50 percent for workers, union officials said. The hotel owners will continue to pay the full cost of providing health-care benefits for 27,000 union members and their families.”

For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Joelle Naeole-Corona of the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU).

Joelle Naeole-Corona is an OPEIU Local 30 trustee and steward at Kaiser Permanente, where she works as a hospital aide. Hailing from a union family, Naeole said the best way to empower Asian American and Pacific Islander workers is to ensure “members are valued, recognized for their hard work, and empowered in the workplace.”