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.

Hospitality workers represented by the Culinary Workers Union, the Nevada affiliate of UNITE HERE, voted overwhelmingly this week to ratify the first union contract at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas.

With a stunning 99.6% of members voting in favor of the deal, workers celebrated the new protections and benefits that they won over the course of 18 hours at the negotiating table. The tentative agreement was reached in mid-December after the Culinary Workers Union forged a card-check neutrality deal with the casino resort in 2023.

“It’s finally happened. It’s a long time coming,” housekeeper Zachara Lewis said in a video posted by the union. “Housekeeping is a hard department, and it’s very hard on our bodies, so [we’re] glad that we are able to get paid what we deserve. The pay matches the work.”

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

PBS Writers Ratify Groundbreaking New Deal: On Wednesday, Writers Guild of America (WGA) members at the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) overwhelmingly ratified a new contract with management at member stations WGBH, THIRTEEN and PBS SoCal. In an exciting first, the WGA was able to secure critical union protections for PBS animation writers, who were previously not covered under the WGA–Public Television Freelance Agreement. The deal includes wins such as language ensuring that writer-producers will be paid a writing fee separately from their producing fee, artificial intelligence protections, paid parental leave and more. “This historic contract is the result of the strength and solidarity shown by our fellow PBS writers, the members of the Writers Guild of America and the animation writing community,” said the WGA-PBS bargaining committee in a press release. “With the support of the dedicated WGA East [WGAE] staff, we were able to secure a deal that provides key protections for all PBS writers. At a time when the mission of public television is more important than ever, we look forward to working with the stations to continue creating programs that inform, educate and inspire.”

Cannabis Workers in California Join UFCW: In another successful organizing effort for the emergent industry, more than 20 workers at the Cannabis 21+ dispensary in the Mission Valley area of San Diego have voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 135. This is a major step for workers to secure the improved wages, benefits and working conditions they deserve. UFCW Local 135 now represents the first of two Cannabis 21+ dispensaries in San Diego County and is already aiming to further assist workers at other locations who are interested in building power in their workplaces. “The workers at Cannabis 21+ in Mission Valley have demonstrated incredible courage and solidarity in their decision to unionize,” said Maribel Mckinze, UFCW Local 135’s organizing director. “This is an important victory not only for them but also for the growing movement to ensure that cannabis workers across California have a voice at work and access to better wages, benefits and working conditions. We look forward to supporting their journey to a strong contract and standing with their colleagues in Sorrento Valley as they organize next.”

Workers at Illinois Library Organize with AFSCME: Staff at the Urbana Free Library in Illinois voted unanimously to join AFSCME Council 31 last month, marking yet another victory at a critical public institution through the union’s Cultural Workers United campaign. The library has been Urbana-Champaign’s public library since 1874, and the staff who make its services possible cited unfair treatment from management as the reason for organizing. With patrons squarely on the side of their beloved library staff, workers are ready to start bargaining a contract that will help them better serve their community. 
“Our staff love the library. We care about that place. We care about our patrons,” said Carol Inskeep, a librarian who has worked for the library for 30 years. “That’s why it’s so disheartening when you see decisions get made that result in turnover or demoralize us so much that we lose the most committed people. We know if we have a stronger voice, we’ll be able to make better decisions for our library and our patrons.”

ZeniMax Online Studios Workers Form Union with CWA: The Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced on Thursday that an overwhelming majority of workers at Microsoft’s ZeniMax Online Studios (ZOS) have signed union authorization cards. Microsoft voluntarily recognized ZOS United-CWA, coming just months after CWA brokered a labor neutrality agreement with Microsoft for ZeniMax Media Inc. workers. This victory at the studio behind popular multiplayer game, The Elder Scrolls Online, marks another exciting win for organizing in the video game industry for the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA). The ZOS United-CWA union covers 461 staff who work as web developers, designers, engineers and graphics artists. “By coming together and forming a union, we’re able to take a powerful step forward in ensuring a better future for ourselves and for our families, to create protections against layoffs and workplace exploitation, and to provide additional layers of support for workers beyond what FMLA and workplace policies already provide,” said senior motion graphics artist Alyssa Gobelle. “At ZeniMax, unions belong here.”

TD Garden Concession Workers Ratify New Contract: After months of intense negotiations, TD Garden arena concessions workers represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1445 voted to ratify a new contract Sunday with their employer, Delaware North. Workers at the Boston venue are responsible for providing guests with food, beverages and team gear, in addition to serving visitors in the suites, Legends Room, Press Room, VIP areas and more. The three-year contract includes wins like increased commission rates for the first time in 20 years, improved seniority protections, increases in event minimums and better hourly rates for noncommissioned employees. “The members appreciate the media pressure and community support in securing improvements for the years ahead and look forward to strengthening the labor movement across Massachusetts in the years to come,” said Local 1445 in a public statement following the ratification vote.

New York Times Tech Guild Secures Tentative Agreement on New Contract That Includes 8.25% Raises: The NewsGuild of New York, an affiliate of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), said on Wednesday that it had reached a tentative deal on a three-year contract with The New York Times. More than 600 tech workers at The Times went on a weeklong strike in November. The strike was conducted by workers, including software engineers, designers and product managers, amid stalled contract negotiations over pay and job security. Members will vote to ratify the contract on Dec. 19. The tentative agreement is a first for the Times Tech Guild, which is part of The NewsGuild of New York, and represents nearly 6,000 media workers. The new contract includes enhanced job security with just cause protections and wage increases of up to 8.25%, among other benefits. “We not only won a first contract that set new standards for workers within the New York Times, but we've also established a strong foundation for what is possible for tech workers in the future when they organize and bargain collectively,” said Susan DeCarava, president of The NewsGuild of New York.

RadicalMedia Voluntarily Recognizes WGAE Union: Members of the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) at the nonfiction entertainment division of RadicalMedia had their new union voluntarily recognized by management on Dec. 6. The bargaining unit of 65 staffers in production and postproduction roles was recognized. They went public with their organizing drive Oct. 23, after an “overwhelming majority” of workers in the proposed bargaining unit had signed union cards. Organizers said they wanted to negotiate pay, benefits, working conditions, job security and professional advancement. “We are pleased to share that RadicalMedia voluntarily recognized our union,” the union’s organizing committee said. “We look forward to negotiating a fair contract that addresses our concerns and lives up to the values espoused in the Nonfiction content produced by this progressive production company.”

Evansville Fire Fighters Secure New Contract with 7% Raises in First Year: Firefighters from Evansville, Indiana, will see a hefty pay raise with the new three-year contract approved by the members and the City Council. The members of the Fire Fighters (IAFF) will receive 7% raises in 2025, followed by additional 4% increases in 2026 and 2027. “The vote we had from our membership is something I haven’t seen in 13 years as union president, and longer than that as an executive board member. Over 99% passing on this contract vote," said IAFF Local 357 President Larry Zuber. "I appreciate Mayor Terry placing the value on public safety, and especially Evansville's bravest, the men and women of the Evansville Fire Department….You're going to get a return on that. Our membership, the fire department people, we're second to none in the state of Indiana and across the whole country." 

Strand Bookstore Workers Reach Tentative Agreement, End Strike: Workers at the Strand bookstore in New York city, members of UAW Local 2179, tentatively agreed on a new contract and ended a strike. Members will vote whether or not to approve the contract later this week. The new contract would last through Aug. 31, 2028. If approved, the contract would provide an increase to the store’s per hour hiring rate, amounting to a roughly 37% wage increase over four years for Strand workers who begin at the base salary. Unfair labor practice charges filed by the union also will be dropped.

Wrongfully Terminated Dancers Reach Settlement with Dallas Black Dance Theatre: After months of a coordinated public pressure campaign, members of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) who were wrongfully fired by the Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) have won a settlement agreement. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) brokered the agreement after finding that the dance company committed unfair labor practices, including when it fired the entire dance company in August. The settlement includes more than a half million dollars in compensation, personal apologies from leadership, labor rights training for managers and more. “This has always been bigger than us,” said the fired dancers in a written statement. “We voted as one to unionize, we fought as one through months of intimidation and retaliation, and we’ve made this decision to move forward as one. We exposed what was happening behind closed doors, and people took to the streets to stand with us. While this settlement allows our lives to go on and gives us some sense of much-needed closure, we recognize that the fight for accountability and justice at DBDT is far from over.”

WESA and WYEP Staff Approve First Union Contract: SAG-AFTRA announced on Thursday that after nearly two years of negotiations, workers at two Pittsburgh radio stations announced they have voted to ratify their first contract. Radio hosts, music directors, reporters, editors, digital content staff and other staff at WESA-FM and WYEP-FM—which is owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation (PCBC)—first organized in 2022. The PCBC board of directors unanimously approved the contract Wednesday, which includes across-the-board raises, more time off, preserves telework flexibility, expands the parental leave policy and more. “This is a historic day for PCBC, for those of us who work here, and for the community we serve,” said the Pittsburgh Public Radio Union bargaining committee in a press release. “Pittsburgh is a union town, and we are proud to serve it as a unionized station. We’re proud as well of this contract, which underscores the value our members offer to the station and the region as a whole.”

Lush Cosmetics Workers in Missouri Join UFCW in Historic First: Workers at the Lush Cosmetics location at Saint Louis Galleria mall in St. Louis voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 655, making history as the first beauty chain store staff in the state to organize. In addition to the new unit in St. Louis, the UFCW also represents Lush Cosmetics workers in both Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky, and in Friendswood, Texas. Members say their organizing efforts align with the company’s corporate values and a union will help them ensure a dignified work environment. “Lush is very open about supporting animal rights, environmental justice, and human rights,” said Harshini Abbaraju, a Lush Cosmetics employee who has worked for the company in three states and is now employed at the Saint Louis Galleria. “Now they need to put their money where their mouth is and recognize our union, because there are no human rights without workers’ rights.”

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.

On Dec. 5, the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council held its annual "Stuff the Bus" toy drive for families in need. Hundreds of new toys were loaded by volunteers onto double buses driven by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 85 members and delivered to distribution centers around the Pittsburgh area. This charitable event has grown over the years, providing thousands of local families with gifts to put under the tree. Santa Claus himself even made an appearance this year and posed with labor council volunteers in front of a standing-room-only bus. 

Buying union-made is an important act of solidarity that helps support good union jobs in America.

Working people value the hard work and craftsmanship that goes into the products and services we make and provide. That’s true during this holiday season and every day of the year.

That’s why we’re pleased to share our annual Union-Made Holiday Gift Guide.

Check It Out

No matter what you celebrate or how, we want to help you find the perfect gift for your friends and family that you can also feel good about buying. The gifts listed in our guide are made by workers who stood together for family-supporting wages and good benefits.

And these workers’ contracts helped other nonunion workers, too. When union members secure higher wages, it influences employers in the same industry to raise wages for nonunion employees in order to stay competitive. When you buy union, you’re supporting workers everywhere—and lifting their communities.

This is a big, comprehensive guide with a newly added video game section, in light of big recent organizing wins in the video game industry, as well as our very own AFL-CIO Union Store.

Here is the full list of categories in the 2024 guide:

• Apparel and Accessories
• Beauty Products
• Big Spender
• Books, Stationery Stores and Subscriptions
• Games and Toys
• Homemade Gifts
• Kitchen and Homeware
• Sports Equipment
• Stocking Stuffers
• Tickets
• Video Games
• Wine, Beer and Spirits

Happy shopping! And remember: If you’re shipping gifts this year, our letter carriers, mail handlers and postal workers at the U.S. Postal Service are union members, too.

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.

Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Workers Finalize First-Ever Union Contract: “After nearly two years of negotiations, Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation and its unionized employees have reached an agreement. ‘Pittsburgh is a union town, and we are proud to serve it as a unionized station,’ workers said in a press release. ‘We believe this is a strong first contract that rewards the dedicated professionals at WESA and WYEP with immediate wage increases, while also helping to shape the stations' direction for years to come.’”

Danbury Firefighters Get 2.85% Raises, City Residency Stipend in New Union Contract: “The city’s firefighters union has a new contract, giving firefighters a new 2.85% annual general wage increase that starts in the current fiscal year and continues over the next three years. The City Council approved funding for the city’s new four-year pact with the Local 801, International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, union Tuesday night. The vote was unanimous, with Democratic City Council member Jeffrey Tomchik, who is a city firefighter, abstaining.”

U.S. Looks to End Subminimum Wage for Workers with Disabilities: “Federal law currently allows the agency to issue certificates that let employers pay certain workers less than the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour based on the notion that their disabilities hinder productivity. Intended to help those with disabilities gain employment, the law currently has about 40,000 American workers laboring for half the minimum wage or less, according to the Labor Department.”

A Wisconsin Judge Just Ripped Up Scott Walker’s Anti-Union Law: “Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale announced, ‘Nearly 14 years after Scott Walker, in his own words, "dropped the bomb" on Wisconsin public employees, Wisconsin workers can celebrate as the judicial branch restores collective bargaining rights to public employees in Wisconsin. Declaring Wisconsin’s union-busting Act 10 unconstitutional and void, over 60 sections of the 2011 anti-union law have now been struck down.’”

One-Day Strikes Are In: Why Unions Are Keeping It Short on the Picket Line: “Strikes can be long, grueling wars of attrition to see who blinks first—the workers or the employer. They can also be a party. Nurses from LCMC Health System’s University Medical Center New Orleans went with the latter in October. Their picket line included a stage, live music and a DJ in front of the university hospital’s campus. ‘It’s multiple holidays rolled into one,’ said Terry Mogilles, a nurse at the hospital’s trauma orthopedic clinic. ‘Mardi Gras. Christmas. Birthday.’ Another way strikes can be different? Keeping them brief. This strike was scheduled to only last 24 hours. While long-running strikes have dominated the headlines in the Gulf South region in the past few years, short strikes have become the norm. Since at least 2021, most strikes have lasted less than five days, according to the labor action tracker run by Cornell University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The majority of those short strikes last no more than a day.”

Rigging the Tax Code: “Of all the attacks working people can expect from the incoming Trump administration, none will come as fast and furious as their attempt at ‘tax reform’—their code for further rigging the tax code in favor of billionaires. On Nov. 20, I testified before Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s banking subcommittee and told our elected officials what working-class people already know: A repeat of Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 would be a disaster for families across America. Let’s be clear: Our tax code is already massively unfair. While 60 percent of workers live paycheck to paycheck and 100 million of us are being crushed by medical debt, billionaires in this country are paying a lower tax rate than most teachers and retail workers. Trump’s 2017 law did nothing but expand the gap between the uber-rich and the rest of us.”

Maryland Video Game Studio Reacts to Volatile Industry by Unionizing: “Welling said that in addition to the personal devastation of layoffs, there are also ‘downstream effects’ for the industry. ‘People who are trying to get into the industry are now finding it hard to get their foot in the door because they have to compete with people who have a bunch of experience. So that’s difficult for them, but then it’s also difficult for the people who don’t get laid off, because… they’re expecting us to do the same amount of work in the same amount of time with fewer people involved.’ Bethesda then became a leader of another burgeoning trend in the video game industry: unionization. Unionization efforts at Bethesda began in November 2023 following management’s decision to require three in-person work days, Welling said. By July 2024, Bethesda was recognized as ‘the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft video game studio,’ Communications Workers of America (CODE-CWA) said in a news release.”

Culinary Union Hosts Thanksgiving Dinner for Virgin Las Vegas Strikers: “On the 16th day of the ongoing strike, the Culinary Union hosted a holiday dinner for Virgin Las Vegas strikers on Saturday. Some Virgin Hotel employees spent Thanksgiving protesting in front of the resort. ‘Tonight is different because it’s the holidays so the Union brought us all together, showed us that we could all be strong together and we just all enjoyed a meal all together,’ said culinary union strike worker Alaia Lopez. ‘It gives us reassurance to see people like Dina [Titus] and other senators come out here and support us.’”

It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter).

Alaska AFL-CIO:

LABOR ACTION ALERT

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

A group of 11 workers at Whiteboard Geeks in Virginia filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to form a union with The Animation Guild (TAG), an affiliate of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

Whiteboard Geeks specializes in hand-drawn whiteboard animation videos. The group of workers looking to join TAG includes script writers, video editors, production assistants and managers. They are seeking to improve workplace conditions, secure fair wages and enhance the rights of animation professionals in Virginia.

“We have already come together to declare our intentions and are determined to see our strength recognized at the bargaining table,” said script writer Phillip Hilliker. “As the first animation union in Virginia, we hope this action will not only improve the working conditions at WBG but also help set a new, sustainable path for creatives across the Commonwealth.”

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

Griffith Observatory Lecturers Ratify First CBA with the City of Los Angeles: Lecturers represented by Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) who narrate the planetarium shows at Griffith Observatory’s Samuel Oschin Planetarium theater have unanimously ratified their first contract. The Los Angeles City Council voted to approve the new deal on Wednesday, making this Equity’s first public sector collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in its 111-year history. The planetarium’s storytellers first announced their intent to organize in September 2022 and won voluntary recognition in April of last year. Their contract includes wage increases of 46.2% compounded over the agreement’s lifetime, as well as provisions ensuring regular meetings to discuss workplace concerns and a formalized grievance process. “Our work as artists is unique to this amazing cultural landmark, and we cherish it,” said lecturer Suzanne Ford. “For audiences from all over the world, we are privileged to create an experience like no other—a live performance that, every day, brings the wonders of the universe to life in an immediate and truly dramatic way. This contract affirms the value of our power as actors in the service of education and inspiration.”

Cliff Divers and Other Entertainers at Casa Bonita Unionize: Workers at Casa Bonita voted to unionize with Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) and Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7. The workers, about 80 cliff divers, magicians, actors, puppeteers and others at the Lakeland, Colorado, Mexican eatery, are seeking to address pay and other concerns, such as insufficient training, scheduling and safety from “abusive patrons emboldened by alcohol.” The restaurant was recently bought by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. “IATSE Local 7 couldn’t be more humbled and thrilled by the incredible crew of Casa Bonita,” said Local 7 Business Agent Max Peterson. “The days and weeks leading up to this election have been an inspiring example of solidarity.…This result shows that the crew is ready for a brighter future through bargaining collectively to bring safety, security and lasting improvements to their workplace. We are excited to stand with and beside them as we prepare for and begin negotiations!”

Workers at Whiteboard Geeks to Form a Union with the Animation Guild (IATSE): A group of 11 workers at Whiteboard Geeks in Virginia filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to form a union with The Animation Guild (TAG), an affiliate of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Whiteboard Geeks specializes in hand-drawn whiteboard animation videos. The group of workers looking to join TAG includes script writers, video editors, production assistants and managers. They are seeking to improve workplace conditions, secure fair wages and enhance the rights of animation professionals in Virginia. “We have already come together to declare our intentions and are determined to see our strength recognized at the bargaining table,” said script writer Phillip Hilliker. “As the first animation union in Virginia, we hope this action will not only improve the working conditions at WBG but also help set a new, sustainable path for creatives across the Commonwealth.”

Hundreds of Logan County Hospital Medical Workers Vote to Join USW: Nearly 300 staff members at Logan Regional Medical Center in West Virginia voted on Thursday to join the United Steelworkers (USW). The new unit includes registered nurses (RNs), nursing assistants, patient care technicians, phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, respiratory therapists, patient transporters, unit secretaries and others at the acute care facility. Workers launched this organizing campaign almost a year ago, citing issues such as safe staffing levels, equitable wages, fair seniority policies, a voice on the job and enhancing workplace transparency. “With our victory, we’ve shown the hospital, the community and ourselves what it means to stand together and fight for what’s right,” said Canaan Varney, an RN, in a USW press release. “This isn’t just a win; it’s a turning point. Now that we’re unionized, we expect change. We expect fair wages for our work and a voice in the decisions that impact our lives and our community. This victory is about more than us; it’s about the patients we serve and the community we love. Together, we’re building something better, and I couldn’t be prouder to stand with all of my coworkers as we take this next step forward.”

Point Park University Faculty Union Approves New Contract: Full-time faculty members at Point Park University—who are represented by The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) of Pittsburgh Local 38061—overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new three-year contract last week. The agreement includes 3.6% annual across-the-board wage increases, increased just-cause protection for nontenure-track faculty, more pay for overload courses, an established pathway for nontenure-track faculty to be considered for promotion to tenure track and more. Professors at the private university in Pittsburgh saw powerful displays of support from students on campus and credited that solidarity to part of the union’s success. “Faculty fought for months over the summer and into the start of the fall semester for the gains in this new contract, and I’m so excited that we get to reap the rewards of that fight today,” said Zack Tanner, president of TNG-CWA of Pittsburgh. “It’s not just wages that we won, but increased job protections and major improvements to the professional life of full-time faculty members. This is a contract that every faculty member at Point Park should be proud of.”

2K Motion Capture Workers Vote to Join IATSE: Motion Capture (MoCap) Studio workers at 2K, the video game company behind blockbuster franchises such as “NBA 2K” and “WWE 2K,” have voted to join the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). This victory at MoCap Studio in Petaluma, California, marks the first successful organizing effort at a workplace of this kind in the video game industry’s history. The election took place Friday morning, and the bargaining unit will include stage technicians, engineers, animators and recording and audio specialists. 2K MoCap Studio workers have cited the need for higher wages, greater job security, better working conditions and greater clarity on the job responsibilities attached to certain titles as core reasons for organizing. “This victory is not just about one studio; it’s about the future of work in the video game industry,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb in a press release. “2K MoCap workers have shown what many other entertainment workers already know—that collective action is the best way to secure fairness, equity and respect in the workplace. Their courage will inspire others in the industry to follow suit. This outcome also demonstrates what can be achieved when workers exercise their right to organize, a right that we will continue to fight to defend and expand.”

Washington Area Bicyclist Association Staff Win Voluntary Recognition: Workers at the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) secured voluntary recognition from their employer just days after announcing their intent to join Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 320. This win marks the first bike-related nonprofit union drive for TWU after years of successfully organizing mechanics, technicians and other staff at bikeshare companies. The local already represents workers at Capital Bikeshare DC. “A few of us started conversations about organizing our workplace and got connected with TWU Local 320, and their willingness to work with us was exciting,” said Kevin O’Brien, who works for WABA as their Virginia organizer. “We saw their work with bikeshare groups and felt like it was a good fit. This could be a really challenging four years ahead of us. A lot of WABA’s funding comes through grants. We want to ensure that whatever comes, we’re navigating it together.”

Pitt Grad Workers Vote to Join USW in Landslide Vote: Almost a year after going public with their organizing efforts, graduate workers at the University of Pittsburgh have voted overwhelmingly to join the United Steelworkers (USW). The Pitt Graduate Workers Union victory comes after university faculty organized with USW in 2021 and staff across all five of Pitt’s campuses also successfully joined in September. The roughly 2,100 graduate workers launched this organizing effort to secure a contract that would establish a voice on the job, the ability to negotiate over funding security, stipend increases, protections against discrimination and harassment, improved family benefits, affordable health insurance and more. “My colleagues and I are a critical part of the research and education that makes the University of Pittsburgh a world-class academic institution,” said Caroline Layding, a graduate researcher in Pitt’s biostatistics department, in a press release. “We are so proud to join the Steelworkers, and we can’t wait to meet the university administration at the bargaining table.”

Workers at Kentucky EV Battery Announce Intent to Join UAW: The UAW announced Wednesday that a supermajority of workers at BlueOval SK (BOSK) in Kentucky have signed union authorization cards, launching their public campaign to organize. BOSK, a Ford Motor joint venture battery plant, produces batteries for the auto manufacturer’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet. This new campaign comes on the heels of Ultium workers in Ohio winning a contract in June and an election victory at an Ultium plant in Tennessee in September. BOSK workers are joining together to secure the standards UAW autoworkers enjoy as part of their hard-fought union contracts and to set a precedent for labor standards in the rapidly expanding EV battery industry. “I want a union because I want representation,” said Joseph Morgan, who works in maintenance–formation at BOSK. “I’ve been in the hot seat before without anyone to represent me. I don’t want to see anyone leave the company because of a lack of representation where the truth is decided in a one sided fashion. With a union, some of our coworkers, working next to us, will receive training to know how to implement the contract and help enforce it. I want to see my brothers and sisters at work united so strongly that the company can’t neglect our needs whether it be safety or benefits.”

Chicago Tribune Journalists Secure First Contract: Members of the Chicago Tribune Guild, part of The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA), won their first contract with Alden Global Capital last week after six years of bargaining. Alden Global Capital, which has a well-established reputation of gutting and slashing newsrooms, began buying into the Tribune Publishing Company in 2019. The hedge fund fully acquired the paper in May 2021. This landmark contract was ratified with near-unanimous approval on Friday, providing two years of consecutive raises and an immediate signing bonus. The agreement also retains Guild members’ 401(k) match, raises minimum salary floors and establishes essential protections against artificial intelligence outsourcing. “We won because we fought, and we fought because we believe in the work we do for Chicago,” said Unit Chair Jake Sheridan. “The world needs people to push for truth right now. That’s what we do. This contract gives us a little more stability and a little more pay so we can keep doing it.”

Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrollers File to Form Union: On Monday, staff at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol announced their decision to file for union representation with the United Professional Ski Patrols of America (UPSPA), Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7781. Ski professionals at the iconic alpine ski area in the Arapaho National Forest of Colorado are responsible for ensuring the safety of thousands of visitors each year. These workers are organizing to negotiate for important workplace issues such as benefits, compensation and respect on the job. “The union will guarantee that we have a voice at the table to negotiate for what is important to us as a staff,” said Kali Flaherty, an Arapahoe Basin ski patroller. “We hope to work closely with management to ensure we receive the benefits, compensation, and respect we deserve for our hard work. We also hope that our community—both in Summit County and the surrounding areas—will come together to support the values and goals we stand for.”

St. Louis University Graduate Workers Vote to Join UAW: Late last week, St. Louis University graduate students overwhelmingly voted in favor of joining the United Autoworkers (UAW). The Graduate Workers of St. Louis University Union-UAW (GWSLUU-UAW) unit covers more than 500 people who work for the school as teaching and research assistants. This landslide victory came right before the National Labor Relations Board reported Monday that more than 50,000 students who work at U.S. universities have unionized during the past two years, proving that this win is part of a much larger national effort to organize increasingly precarious higher education institutions. Members cite the need for better working conditions and increased pay as core motivators, saying that before the organizing effort, graduate workers had not received a raise in more than a decade. Concerns around uncertainty in science funding and unstable regulation of visas were also issues that spurred the campaign. “This feels like the greatest achievement of our lives,” said Zach Davis, a doctoral candidate in American studies. “For the first time in this university’s history, grad workers will have a seat at the table in all decisions that affect them. There will no longer be any conversations about us in which we are not an active participant and so long as this union is around, that is not going to change.”

Rite Aid Workers Secure Tentative Agreement: Rite Aid workers in Southern California, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), secured a tentative agreement (TA) on Friday after months of intense negotiations with the drugstore chain. The deal covers more than 3,500 UFCW members across locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442. Workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike a month ago, building on months of strategic actions, rallies and community conversations. Their endurance has paid off—the Rite Aid TA includes improved wages, health care benefits protections and pension security. “This tentative agreement would not have been possible without the strength we showed during the bargaining process,” the UFCW Rite Aid Bargaining Committee said in a joint statement. “We stood up to the company’s unfair labor practices and showed them we were willing to fight for the contract we deserved. The power we showed at our stores translated to power at the bargaining table. Our solidarity and this victory will send a strong message to workers everywhere—when we fight, we win!

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 Casa Bonita voted to unionize with Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) and Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7. The workers, about 80 cliff divers, magicians, actors, puppeteers and others at the Lakewood, Colorado, Mexican eatery, are seeking to address pay and other concerns, such as insufficient training, scheduling and safety from “abusive patrons emboldened by alcohol.” The restaurant was recently bought by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

“IATSE Local 7 couldn’t be more humbled and thrilled by the incredible crew of Casa Bonita,” said Local 7 Business Agent Max Peterson. “The days and weeks leading up to this election have been an inspiring example of solidarity.…This result shows that the crew is ready for a brighter future through bargaining collectively to bring safety, security and lasting improvements to their workplace. We are excited to stand with and beside them as we prepare for and begin negotiations!”

Throughout National Native American Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Native Americans have made to the labor movement and toward expanding the rights of working people. Today's profile features Janna Lopez of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

Janna Lopez is a nontribal card member of Yaqui and Taos Pueblo tribes. Lopez was sworn in to IATSE Local 695 in 2016 and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, where she trained as a sound designer. Lopez has worked as a day player for drama television series “NCIS” and the Marvel show “Runaways.” “My motto is ‘if you are not working, be learning,’” Lopez said. “I have been able to take classes presented by my local to better do my job as a Y-7A, sound utility.” Lopez has volunteered with the LA Sound Mixers Facebook group, Cinema Audio Society and LA Skins Fest during Native American Heritage Month.