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 Kaman’s Art Shoppes—who bring magic to the San Diego Zoo experience through creating caricatures, letter brush art and body art for guests—voted overwhelmingly to form a union with Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 122.

The 30-person bargaining unit began organizing in May of this year and faced an aggressive anti-union campaign from management, which included harassing emails, one-on-one conversations and even a visit from their Ohio-based CEO. But workers persisted and are now looking forward to bargaining a contract that raises wages, establishes paid time off and provides fairer scheduling protocols.

“Everyone deserves a union, whether it’s a stagehand, a rigger or a body artist—we all deserve to have a voice on the job,” said Taylor Resenbeck, Local 122’s business agent.

This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we’ve covered all 63 of our affiliates. Next up is the Roofers and Waterproofers (Roofers).

Name of Union: United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers 

Mission: The union is committed to improving wages, working conditions, pensions, health care, safety, training and overall benefits for its members.

Current Leadership of Union: James A. Hadel serves as international president, and Mitch Terhaar serves as international secretary-treasurer. The organization also has 10 international vice presidents: Douglas Ziegler (First), Paul F. Bickford (Second), Daniel P. O’Donnell (Third), Robert Peterson (Fourth), Brent R. Beasley (Fifth), Joseph Pozzi (Sixth), Gary W. Menzel (Seventh), Michael Kujawa (Eighth), Shawn McCullough (Ninth) and Mark Conroy (Tenth). 

Number of Members: 22,000

Members Work As: Applying all types of roofing and waterproofing systems, including but not limited to all low-sloped roofing systems (vegetative and solar photovoltaic roofs), structural waterproofing, steep-sloped roofing systems and air barrier applications.

Industries Represented: The construction industry across the United States.

History: On June 5, 1903, the American Federation of Labor chartered the International Slate and Tile Roofers Union of America, and on Nov. 6, 1906, AFL chartered the International Brotherhood of Composition Roofers, Damp and Waterproof Workers. In 1919, the two unions met in Pittsburgh and merged to become the United Slate, Tile and Composition Roofers, Damp and Waterproof Workers Association. By World War II, the combined union had grown to more than 7,000 members. The postwar construction boom led to membership doubling by 1950, with membership peaking in 1978. That year, the union adopted its current name, the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers. The union continues to focus on training, safety and cooperation in an effort to provide the safest and best-trained roofers and waterproofers in the industry.

Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The Journeyman Waterproofer and Roofer magazine, Women in Roofing, political action, community outreach, apprenticeships, health and safety, Research and Education Trust, and jobs.

Learn More: Website, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube

Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to the labor movement. Today's profile features Zarai Santos of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Zarai Santos is a dedicated union organizer and community advocate for SEIU based in Las Vegas. With a background in sociology, years in the labor movement, and a passion for empowering workers at Levi’s and T.J. Maxx warehouses, she’s known for her commitment to building strong, inclusive workplace communities. Santos has played a pivotal role in modernizing steward trainings and creating bilingual union orientation programs that resonate with a diverse workforce.

Tags: Hispanic Heritage Month

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 Mine Workers (UMWA) announced on Tuesday that union members who work at American Consolidated Natural Resources Inc. (ACNR) and Iron Senergy have ratified new, hard-fought contracts.

Union members at ACNR operations in West Virginia and Ohio and at Iron Senergy’s Cumberland mine in Pennsylvania secured a number of major victories, including higher wages and retention of current benefits.

“This is a critical win for our members and their families,” said International President Cecil E. Roberts. “At a time of growing uncertainty in the coal industry, these agreements are the result of hard-fought negotiations that protect the rights and futures of UMWA miners. I want to congratulate Secretary-Treasurer Brian Sanson, his Executive Assistant Mike Phillippi, and the rest of the UMWA negotiating team for their outstanding work in securing these contracts. Their persistence and dedication made all the difference.”