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.

Labor Leaders Stand Up, Show Out for Kamala at DNC: “The Democratic National Convention’s (DNC) nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the next vice president commenced with a wave of endorsements from the nation’s largest labor unions. On the very first night of the convention, an impressive gathering of union presidents took the stage. AFSCME’s Lee Saunders, SEIU (Service Employees International Union) President April Verrett, LIUNA (Laborer’s International Union of North America) President Brent Booker, Ken Cooper of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Claude Cummings Jr. of the Communication Workers of America (CWA), and Liz Shuler of the AFL-CIO stood on stage together, they displayed the power of unions.”

NWSL, Players Reach New CBA That Includes Elimination of Draft: “The National Women’s Soccer League and its players agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that will grow salaries and further expand player rights regarding free agency and trades, the sides announced Thursday. The deal includes the elimination of the college draft, a first for a major North American professional sports league. The new CBA will extend the current contract, which was negotiated in 2022 and was set to expire in 2026, through 2030. Some of the new terms, such as the elimination of the draft and free agency for all players when their contracts expire, will go into effect immediately; others will begin in 2025.”

How Tim Walz Saved Workers’ Lives and Limbs: “In 2023, with a narrow Democratic majority and working closely with the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the state legislature passed several innovative laws that greatly strengthen the safety and health protections provided to Minnesota workers employed in high-hazard jobs. These include: Protecting Workers from Ergonomic Hazards: About 30% of all serious injuries reported by employers to the Bureau of Labor Statistics are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). These are injuries to the back, wrist, neck, or arm caused by exposure to lifting, twisting, repetitive motions, and other ergonomic hazards.”

Union Leaders at DNC Push Back Against Trump Overtures to Organized Labor: “Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is highlighting its pro-union stance at the Democratic National Convention this week, pushing back against Republican Party overtures to organized labor at their own convention last month. It’s an attempt to refute former President Donald Trump’s claims that he will work with organized labor amid recent meetings with the president of the Teamsters union, and an effort by Harris to hitch onto President Joe Biden’s labor record, which includes being the first president to walk a picket line. Addressing the Wisconsin delegation to the DNC Wednesday morning, U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su argued Harris had fought wage theft as attorney general of California, and would enact worker-friendly policies as president.”

Venetian Las Vegas Reaches Tentative Deal with Workers for First Union Contract: “The Venetian Resort has agreed to its first union contract with more than 4,000 hospitality workers. The Culinary Union announced that a tentative agreement was reached Tuesday morning for workers at The Venetian and Palazzo. A contract ratification vote will be scheduled soon, according to a union spokesperson. Culinary and Venetian leadership reached an agreement in June last year for ‘card check neutrality.’ That meant the resort would not take a position as employees explored possible unionization.”

University of Alaska and Graduate Student Union Reach Three-Year Contract: “A new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the University of Alaska and the Alaska Graduate Workers Association-UAW Union (AGWA-UAW) took effect on July 1. This is the first time the University of Alaska and AGWA have negotiated a CBA. The agreement comes less than a year after University of Alaska graduate student employees voted to form a union.”

Union Leaders Frame Harris as Champion of the Working Class in Night 1 of DNC: “Union leaders championed Vice President Kamala Harris as the choice for working class folks in a series of speeches on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention. ‘This election is about two economic visions,’ said Liz Shuler, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or AFL-CIO. Her union represents nearly 13 million American workers, she said.”

Kamala Harris Names a Unionist as Her VP: “Just hours after Vice President Kamala Harris named Tim Walz as her running mate Aug. 6, AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler celebrated the pick in a press statement, calling Walz a ‘principled fighter and labor champion’ who’s not just an ally but a union brother. Walz is a former public high school teacher and football coach who has been Minnesota’s governor since 2019. As governor, he signed lots of pro-worker legislation, including: Paid family and medical leave and mandated paid sick days; A ban on noncompete clauses; A ban on employers from holding mandatory anti-union meetings; Letting teachers unions bargain over class size; and $2.6 billion in infrastructure investments.”

The Rev. Barber: Kamala Harris Isn’t Just Listening to Workers. She’s Sounding Like Them: “With its rallies that pack arenas, Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign has harnessed an energy that many have compared to Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign. Polls in battleground states indicate that the dynamics of the presidential race have fundamentally shifted, but skeptics question if the good vibes can last once the vice president starts to detail policy. Is this burst of excitement, they ask, just the momentary enthusiasm of voters surprised by an unexpected transition? When we pay attention to what Harris and Walz have already said, though, it’s clear they have tapped the energy of worker-driven movements that want to create an economy that works for all of us. The good vibes and the economic vision of this campaign are, in fact, deeply connected.”

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.

We are CWA members on strike at AT&T Southeast because AT&T is refusing to engage in good faith negotiations for a new contract.

We are a big part of AT&T’s success, but we have been at the bargaining table since June, unable to make any progress because of the Company's bad faith bargaining.

The National Labor Relations Act requires companies to bargain in good faith. We have filed an unfair labor practice charge against the company and are on strike to protest the Company's unfair bargaining tactics.  

We want to be on the job, providing the quality service that our customers deserve and getting to work making sure every household and business in the Southeast has reliable high-speed internet service.

Tell AT&T to show us the respect we deserve and get serious about bargaining.

Tags: Organizing

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.

Employees of the city of Memphis, Tennessee, are celebrating much-needed wage hikes and bonuses they secured through the union they formed—a testament to the power of a union.

They are celebrating $5,000 bonuses along with pay raises of at least 5%. Workers who keep Memphis’ hospitals, schools and roads running saw this increase last month.

Employees of the city’s Solid Waste Department, who keep Memphis clean, saw pay raises ranging from 6% to 34%.

Corrections officers and deputies saw raises of 6%.

These well-deserved pay raises and bonuses are thanks to AFSCME Local 1733 members, who had been negotiating with the Memphis City Council since April and came to an agreement.

Tomorrow Bonds, a member of Local 1733’s negotiations team and a crewperson in the Memphis Public Works Department, said that she and her co-workers were not going to back down from their proposals.

“We came to the table with our proposals for the wage increases that we wanted, but the city kept turning it down,” Bonds said. “But we decided we weren’t going to take their counterproposals for less, and we wanted a fair wage.”

On June 18, Local 1733 members ratified a memorandum of understanding that they reached with the city for these pay increases and bonuses to take effect on July 1.

For Bonds, these wage increases are only the beginning. The fight for a livable wage continues.

“It’s very important to me that everybody has a livable wage, and right now, we’re still not at a livable wage,” Bonds said. “But I can see that fighting for this pay increase has opened up a path for us to get there.”

This post originally appeared on the AFSCME blog.

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 National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) announced their historic new collective bargaining agreement, which ensures free agency for all players, revenue sharing on top of salaries, important health and safety protections, and other provisions that will help create a more equitable League. For the first time ever in American professional sports, this contract also eliminates the draft, empowering athlete workers to have a real say over their futures.

“The new Collective Bargaining Agreement is a reflection of the collective power of the Players,” said NWSLPA President Tori Huster. “Together, we secured freedoms that empower the Players to have autonomy over their careers and in doing so, reshaped American sports.”

“Just weeks after some members of the NWSLPA became Olympic champions with Team USA, these athletes have made history yet again,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “This game-changing collective bargaining agreement sets the gold standard for all professional sports and affirms what workers in unions can accomplish when we stand together. The revolutionary victories they secured—from eliminating the draft to requiring player consent for trades to safeguarding player health—advance the critical work of professional sports associations to let players decide what’s best for their families. Collective bargaining is a powerful tool in achieving women’s equality in any workplace, and these results are a testament to the visionary leadership of President Tori Huster, Executive Director Meghann Burke, Vice President Simone Charley, the bargaining committee and all members of the Players Association who are dedicated to creating a better, fairer League. The AFL-CIO is beyond proud to count the NWSLPA among its Sports Council and affiliate unions, and we look forward to continuing to support the NWSL players to ensure fair implementation of this contract. It’s a damn good day for union women in America!”

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

NWSL Players Association Scores Historic New Contract: This morning, the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) announced that they have secured an historic new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that ensures free agency for all players, revenue sharing on top of salaries, important health and safety protections and other provisions that will help create a more equitable league. “Just weeks after some members of the NWSLPA became Olympic champions with Team USA, these athletes have made history yet again,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “This game-changing collective bargaining agreement sets the gold standard for all professional sports and affirms what workers in unions can accomplish when we stand together….The AFL-CIO is beyond proud to count the NWSLPA among its Sports Council and affiliate unions, and we look forward to continuing to support the NWSL players to ensure fair implementation of this contract. It’s a damn good day for union women in America!” Read the AFL-CIO’s full statement here.

Las Vegas Venetian Workers Win Historic TA with Major Pay Boosts: On Tuesday, Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165—Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE—announced with The Venetian Resort Las Vegas that they have reached a tentative agreement (TA) on a new four-year contract. Before workers organized in June 2023 through a card-check neutrality agreement, the Venetian Resort Las Vegas—which includes both The Venetian and The Palazzo properties—had been a decades-long holdout under the previous ownership as the Las Vegas Strip’s only nonunion property. If ratified by members, this would be the first union contract covering the more than 4,000 food, beverage, housekeeping, bar, lounge and bell department workers at the casino resorts. A committee of more than 100 staff participated in every main table negotiating session and subcommittee meeting over the past year, resulting in a milestone TA with standard protections, such as health care benefits, language on increased worker security regarding sexual harassment and immigration, a pension and more. The deal also secured wins including the largest wage increases ever, workload reductions, daily room cleaning for guest room attendants, safety protections for workers on the job and recall rights. “I’m happy to have the union protections and voice we deserve,” said Sergio Javier Andrade, floor attendant at The Venetian Resort for 17 years, in a union press release. “This new contract is a game-changer for all of us—getting such a significant wage increase and a pension, is something we’ve been working toward for a long time, and to see it happen this morning is exciting, and I appreciate the Culinary Union and The Venetian Resort working together to make it happen. We’ve worked hard for this for over a year, and I feel very proud of what we were able to accomplish together. By voting yes to ratify, we’re setting ourselves up for a better, more secure future.”

WMATA Metro Workers Ratify New Contract: With 90% in approval, Washington Metro workers overwhelmingly ratified a new contract between the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board and their union, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689. The ratification vote took place Monday, and Local 689 announced Wednesday that the WMATA Board has concurred, making the new agreement official. ATU represents over 8,500 workers across the regional transit system who are indispensable in keeping the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area moving. The new contract includes major victories to improve members’ livelihoods, WMATA’s fiscal responsibility and system accountability. “The contract overwhelmingly approved by Metro workers is a huge win for the dedicated transit professionals who move our region day in and day out,” said ATU Local 689 President Raymond Jackson. “We negotiated a fair and equitable deal with the Authority ensuring our members continue to receive fair compensation they’ve earned while also enforcing accountability throughout the system. Notably, we were able to get retiree healthcare back for many of our members while also guaranteeing that everyone would see raises through the life of this contract.”

Workers at Hyatt Regency Crystal City Vote Decisively to Organize Despite Anti-Union Campaign: Despite weeks of aggressive anti-union campaigning from hotel management, a majority of housekeepers at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, voted Friday to join UNITE HERE Local 25. After a supermajority of staff signed union authorization cards, housekeepers at the hotel filed for a union election on July 12. Hyatt then began an intensive anti-union crusade inside, which included regular anti-union meetings and distribution of anti-union literature. In the face of these attempts at undermining their organizing, workers picketed outside the hotel every Saturday with the support of labor allies and local lawmakers until their scheduled National Labor Relations Board election this past Friday. While the fight isn’t over, housekeepers are hoping that forming a union will help them address their workload and benefits concerns. “We are so excited and proud,” said Olga Ortiz, a housekeeper at the hotel and a leader on the organizing campaign. “It didn’t matter what the company threw at us—we stood strong and stood together. Now we are preparing to win our first contract with fairer workloads, higher pay and affordable benefits.”

TA Reached Between OHSU and Postdoc Workers United: After almost a year of negotiations, postdoctoral researchers reached their first tentative agreement (TA) last week on a four-year contract with Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Members of OHSU Postdoc Workers United—an affiliate of the Oregon AFSCME Council 75—certified their union back in May 2023. After repeated lowball proposals from the public research university, workers earlier this month voted with 87.5% support to authorize a strike that would have started Thursday. But thanks to the dedication of the bargaining committee, the 250 members of Postdoc Workers United have avoided a strike and will now decide whether to accept an exciting new agreement. The deal includes a 6% pay increase upon ratification, with annual increases of 3.5% through the life of the contract, provisions that support international postdocs, increased paid time off, a commitment to forming a joint labor-management committee and more. “It’s been a long haul,” said Paige Arneson-Wissink, a pancreatic cancer researcher who is on the bargaining team. “Our union was able to stand strong in our belief that this is what we deserved. There were a lot of smiles in the room last night.”

New Mexico School for the Deaf Educators Form Union: Staff at the New Mexico School for the Deaf (NMSD) joined AFT New Mexico earlier this month, forming a wall-to-wall union at the Santa Fe campus. The New Mexico School for the Deaf Faculty & Staff Association bargaining unit includes all workers, from educators to bus drivers to administrative secretaries and more. The state Public Employee Labor Relations Board voted Aug. 6 to ratify the results of a union card-check, and the union has described the organizing process as a “relatively amicable” one. The workers who staff the school—which serves students from prekindergarten to 12th grade—really united over the need to secure wages that keep up with the high costs of living in Santa Fe. Funding for the institution comes from the state, but unlike other public schools, the NMSD doesn’t get money on a per-student basis. So, if the New Mexico Legislature passes a raise for teachers, it doesn’t necessarily mean these staff will receive a pay increase. Members are hoping that with the union, they can better negotiate for transparency and consistency in their salaries and benefits.

Torrance Nurses Ratify New Contract by Overwhelming Majority: Registered nurses (RNs) at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, California, voted late last week with 89% supporting the ratification of a new three-year contract. The RNs are represented by the California Nurses Association, an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), and have been bargaining for this agreement since April of this year. Thanks to the bargaining unit’s unfaltering unity—including during an informational picket in June—members are celebrating a powerful new contract that secures critical provisions members need to continue delivering quality care to patients. Highlights of the deal include strengthened health and safety measures, the establishment of an equity and inclusion committee focused on diversity, language to ensure nurses can take their breaks with safe staffing levels and a 14.5% across-the-board wage increase over the three-year term. “We’re very proud of what we were able to achieve,” said Maria Chavez, an RN in the telemetry oncology unit. “We now have an agreement that we think will improve our recruitment and retention rates of RNs, including our vastly expanded educational program that offers RNs tuition assistance and more.”

Maine Can Now Order Employers to Pay Workers Back Pay and Damages for Missed Wages: A new law went into effect Friday in Maine that will give the state Department of Labor more tools to hold businesses accountable for failure to pay workers the wages they are rightfully owed. Aimed at fighting wage theft, this legislation empowers the Labor Department to order an employer to pay both the unpaid wages as well as damages equal to twice the amount of those wages with interest. The bill is a major win in the effort to combat a widespread issue. The Maine Center for Economic Policy reports that minimum wage violations in Maine amounted to an estimated $30 million in 2017. Additionally, they found that between 2021 to 2023, employers who were caught violating wage and hour laws paid an average penalty of just $9.61 per violation. To make it worse, only 10.7% of the assessed fines were actually paid. “In my 25 years working in the construction industry I have seen countless examples of disreputable contractors taking advantage of non-union workers and cheating them out of their hard-earned wages and benefits,” said Maine AFL-CIO vice president and Ironworkers Local 7 member, Grant Provost. “When the punishment for violating wage and hour protections is just a slap on the wrist, companies have a perverse incentive to break the law and treat fines as a cost of doing business. This law will finally put some teeth in our labor laws to hold corporate lawbreakers accountable and ensure working Mainers are paid fully for an honest day’s work.”

NLRB Rules in Favor of NPEU Over Member’s Illegal Termination: The Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU) is celebrating a huge win after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled on Wednesday that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) acted illegally when it terminated a worker who was punished for raising concerns about poor working conditions at the nonprofit. NPEU, a local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), represents professionals employed at more than 50 nonprofit organizations. An administrative law judge for the agency found that the ACLU did in fact violate the National Labor Relations Act by denying NPEU member Kate Oh a transfer and discharging her in retaliation for exercising her right to engage in protected concerted activities. As a remedy, the judge ordered the ACLU to offer her reinstatement and to make her whole for any loss of earnings and other benefits. “This decision sends a clear message: no one is above the law, including and especially powerful management officials claiming to champion civil liberties with their words while illegally doing the opposite with their actions,” said Oh. “I am deeply grateful for my union having my back and for an NLRB that seeks to vindicate workers' rights.” Amy Chin-Lai, president of NPEU, added: “We are thrilled with the NLRB’s decision, which protects the fundamental rights of workers to advocate for better working conditions and speak out without fear of retaliation. Kate Oh’s dedication to her colleagues and her resilience in the face of unlawful treatment exemplify the spirit of our union. I am proud to call her a union sister. We look forward to finishing a first contract for all of our ACLU workers who fight for civil liberties, including Kate.”

Tags: Organizing

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:

Each month, Equity shares the names of recently deceased members in order to honor their passing and pay our respects. You may read about the losses in our community reported to Equity for July 2024 on the member portal. https://t.co/myvtrd4Ufv pic.twitter.com/Ck1c3B8GWp

— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) August 21, 2024

AFGE:

Thank you @RepMarkTakano for working tirelessly to improve our VA medical centers and the workplace rights of those who serve our nation’s heroes. pic.twitter.com/G2zo9Rqu5I

— AFGE (@AFGENational) August 21, 2024

AFSCME:

ICYMI: AFSCME backs @KamalaHarris for president because she believe in “more freedom for working people,” President Saunders said at #DNC2024. https://t.co/86PYM4udOz

— AFSCME (@AFSCME) August 20, 2024

Alliance for Retired Americans:

Affordable health care and protections for people with pre-existing conditions are on the ballot this year. https://t.co/JVPEeqg7tB

— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) August 20, 2024

Amalgamated Transit Union:

Day 2 of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was just as exciting as the first. Representing the ATU were #DNC New Jersey Delegate International President John Costa, International Vice President Yvette Trujillo, Secretary-Treasurer Ken Kirk, International Vice… pic.twitter.com/wnkQQCx9pf

— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) August 21, 2024

American Federation of Teachers:

Are you absolutely sure that you're registered to vote?

Couldn't hurt to check. 

Visit https://t.co/lfN1JDpjKD to confirm your voter registration status, and share this to your friends so they do the same! #AFTvotes pic.twitter.com/XV0o3rtfPt

— AFT (@AFTunion) August 14, 2024

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:

Flight Attendants save lives. 

We are aviation’s first responders and the last line of defense in aviation security. We are the first impression and the smile of aviation connecting the people of our nations.

Happy National Aviation Day to Aviation’s First Responders! pic.twitter.com/EmNC7roE7l

— AFA-CWA (@afa_cwa) August 19, 2024

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:

No one in government fought as hard as @SenSherrodBrown did for our pensions. https://t.co/RRMETZS2rA

— BCTGM International (@BCTGM) August 21, 2024

Boilermakers:

‼️ Breaking News: IBB announces leadership changes: https://t.co/QMz9Hcpvqq pic.twitter.com/kAnuH7Fuxz

— Boilermakers Union (@boilermakernews) August 20, 2024

Bricklayers:

Happy #WorkSiteWednesday! This week, Justin Guillermo, Jeris Orian, and Joe Ermitano from BAC local 1 Hawaii are working on the Wahiawa Civic Center!

Thank you for your hard work!#Unionstrong #thebesthandsinthebusiness pic.twitter.com/wevdu6PwPL

— Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union (@IUBAC) August 21, 2024

Coalition of Labor Union Women:

Sylvia Lieberman Recalls First CLUW Convention. #CLUW50 https://t.co/Xt7NNGc6ki

— CLUW National (@CLUWNational) August 19, 2024

Communications Workers of America:

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.

After almost a year of negotiations, postdoctoral researchers reached their first tentative agreement (TA) last week on a four-year contract with Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

Members of OHSU Postdoc Workers United—an affiliate of the Oregon AFSCME Council 75—certified their union back in May 2023. After repeated lowball proposals from the public research university, workers earlier this month voted with 87.5% support to authorize a strike that would have started Thursday. But thanks to the dedication of the bargaining committee, the 250 members of Postdoc Workers United have avoided a strike and will now decide whether to accept an exciting new agreement. The deal includes a 6% pay increase upon ratification, with annual increases of 3.5% through the life of the contract, provisions that support international postdocs, increased paid time off, a commitment to forming a joint labor-management committee and more.

“It’s been a long haul,” said Paige Arneson-Wissink, a pancreatic cancer researcher who is on the bargaining team. “Our union was able to stand strong in our belief that this is what we deserved. There were a lot of smiles in the room last night.”

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).

Alabama AFL-CIO:

August 12, 2024 downtown Montgomery Alabama with a room full of labor leaders from across the state to endorse candidates for this years election and not one candidate #inattendence pic.twitter.com/IURccTxlrd

— Alabama AFL-CIO (@AlabamaAFLCIO) August 12, 2024

Alaska AFL-CIO:

When someone shows you who they are, believe them. https://t.co/2uNEll3ylH

— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) August 14, 2024

Arizona AFL-CIO:

Today @ActSecJulieSu visited Arizona to discuss the dangers workers face from extreme heat, both indoor and outdoors. Heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in Arizona the U.S. 
A THREAD

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 Sheraton Vancouver Airport, members of UNITE HERE Local 40, ratified a new contract after striking for 14 months. The new three-year contract gives all workers a 30.5% wage increase, a return-to-work bonuses, an increase in banquet workers’ gratuities, transparency and other tip protections, and new health benefits. More than 85% of the union members voted in favor of the new contract.

“This new agreement sets the union on a new path with Larco Hospitality, and we look forward to forging ahead in a productive and positive working relationship with them,” said Zailda Chan, president of UNITE HERE Local 40.

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.

Stark Comparison: Union Leaders Praise Tim Walz as J.D. Vance Tries To Rebrand GOP As Pro-Labor: “As a former high school teacher, Walz was once a union member himself. Long before Walz joined the national ticket, he helped make Minnesota one of the most worker-friendly states in the country. ‘He's done great work here with labor, and we appreciate his willingness to always be at the table with us,’ said Bernie Burnham, the president of Minnesota AFL-CIO, the president of Minnesota American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). ‘When you see Tim Walz, you can see he's as comfortable getting down the floor and talking to a toddler as he is listening to senior citizens and hearing about what their needs are,’ Burnham said.”

Striking SAG-AFTRA Video Game Actors To Hit Picket Lines for Second Day: “Striking SAG-AFTRA video game performers plan to picket outside Disney Character Voices Thursday—the union's second picketing event since it walked off the job on July 23 to highlight a dispute it says focuses on an unwillingness by top gaming companies to protect voice actors from the emergence of artificial intelligence.”

UAW Suit Against Trump and Musk Breaks New Ground: “Trump’s praise of Musk’s illegal firings didn’t surprise the AFL-CIO. ‘Scab recognizes scab,’ it tweeted. ‘Greedy bosses aren’t just laughing at workers in smoke-filled backrooms anymore,’ federation President Liz Shuler elaborated in a statement. ‘They’re broadcasting it for the world to hear. It’s no surprise coming from Trump and Elon Musk—two notorious union-busters who boast a combined record of crossing picket lines, underpaying workers, flouting health and safety laws, and retaliating against workers for demanding the rights and fair pay we deserve.’”

Trump Gutted Federal Employee Unions. They Believe He'd Do It Again: “Labor unions are among Kamala Harris’ most fervent backers in her run for president, and federal employee unions especially so. Not only do they love her unabashed support for labor, they also fear what her opponent Donald Trump might do if he’s elected president again. It’s not hyperbole to say that since becoming vice president, Harris has played a key role in bringing federal employee unions back from the brink.”

Walz Gives Remarks at Labor Union Convention in Los Angeles: “Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz addressed members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union at their convention in Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon. The visit by the Democratic vice presidential candidate comes as the Harris-Walz ticket looks to solidify its base, including with organized labor. AFSCME is one of several major labor organizations, including other constituent unions within the AFL-CIO, that have given strong support to the Democratic Party ticket.”

The Animation Guild Starts Negotiating with Studios: “Following a weekend of solidarity events, The Animation Guild (IATSE 839) officially began its contract negotiations yesterday with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. TAG members and supporters turned out in droves at a rally in Burbank on Saturday (August 10), with support also pouring in online through the #StandWithAnimation hashtag. Industry veterans like Genndy Tartakovsky (Samurai Jack), James Baxter (The Lion King), Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Rebecca Sugar (Steven Universe) were among an estimated 2000-plus attendees—more than double the crowd that showed up for a previous rally in March 2022. ‘To look out at this sea of people the weekend before we actually go in for negotiations was really inspiring,’ says storyboard artist Kaitrin Snodgrass (My Little Pony: A New Generation).”

Recent Contracts Give Amtrak Workers Big Raises: “Two recently ratified contracts, one with the Transport Workers and the other with the Electrical Workers, have given on-board Amtrak workers and the passenger train system’s electricians historically large raises, the unions stated. Both contracts feature 34.1% compounded raises over seven years, retroactive to July 2022 and run through the end of 2028. The contract with Transport Workers Local 1460 covers 360 Amtrak on-board service workers, including train attendants and cafe car workers. Amtrak’s pact with IBEW’s of Railroad System Council 7 covers 1,200 electrical workers. ‘Amtrak on-board workers are a critical part of our nation’s transportation system and this contract includes essential quality-of-life wins,’ TWU President John Samuelsen said in a statement.”

Woodland Park Zoo Workers Reach Tentative Agreement On New Contract: “The Joint Crafts Council (JCC) Coalition of Unions, representing approximately 200 Woodland Park Zoo employees, has reached a tentative agreement with zoo management on a new contract, according to a statement released by the union on Monday. The agreement, which is fully recommended by the union’s negotiations committee, is now subject to ratification by the union members. The proposed contract follows months of negotiations centered on key issues, including affordable healthcare, equitable wages, and the long-term well-being of the animals. The JCC Coalition of Unions represents 34 different classifications of zoo workers, including animal keepers, veterinary technicians, carpenters, and laborers.”

S&P 500 CEOs Made 268 Times What the Typical Worker Made Last Year, Report Says: CEO Payflation Strikes Again: “‘Today, the very CEOs who benefited most from Trump’s tax gift to the wealthy are making 268 times what their workers are making. And while corporate profits and stock prices surge, working people’s wages aren’t keeping up,’ Fred Redmond, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, said in a statement.”

I Helped Organize An Architect's Union: “Unionization in design industries is approaching a tipping point. In July, three different sectors achieved major victories for the labor movement. At Blizzard, a video game developer where other members have already unionized, more than 500 employees formed a ‘wall-to-wall’ union. Workers at the Apple Store in Towson, Maryland—the first such store to unionize at the world’s most famous design company—ratified their first contract. And finally, my colleagues and I at Bernheimer Architecture (BA) ratified the first collectively bargained contract at a private-sector architecture office.”