12/16/2025 - 1:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Unifi Fresno Workers Vote to Join IAM Union
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.
Aviation staff who work for Unifi at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport have voted to form a union with IAM Air Transport Territory.
Despite the turbulence that came from the government shutdown and a high turnover rate, members fought together to secure a collective voice. Unifi workers credit the support of other union brothers, sisters and siblings at the airport as a key component to their victory.
“Congratulations to District 142, Local 1782 and especially our new members at UNIFI Fresno,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “Bringing UNIFI Fresno into our union is another powerful step in strengthening worker power across the industry. We’re proud to welcome them into the IAM family.”
“The vote in Fresno sends a clear message, Air Transport workers want the power and protection that only the IAM can deliver,” said IAM District 142 President and Directing General Chair John M. Coveny Jr. “We’re honored to represent these new members and are ready to get to work on their first contract.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 12/16/2025 - 09:54
12/15/2025 - 12:00pm
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Major League Baseball Players Association
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 64 of our affiliates. Next up is the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).
Name of Union: Major League Baseball Players Association
Mission: The MLBPA represents players on the 40-man Major League rosters, as well as approximately 5,500 Minor League players employed by the 30 Major League baseball teams. The MLBPA also oversees MLB Players Inc., which exclusively represents the group commercial and licensing activities involving active players.
Current Leadership of Union: The MLBPA Executive Board of Player Representatives is the governing body of the union. The Major League Executive Board is composed of 38 total representatives—one player representative from each of the 30 clubs, and an eight-member executive subcommittee elected by the 30 player representatives. Each of the 38 board members has equal voting authority.
Marcus Semien, Chris Bassitt, Jake Cronenworth, Paul Skenes, Brent Suter, Pete Fairbanks, Cedric Mullins and Tarik Skubal currently make up the eight-member executive subcommittee.
The Minor League Board is composed of 34 total representatives and a four-member executive subcommittee. Adam Stone, Ryan Long, Eli Trop and Florencio Serrano currently make up the four-member executive subcommittee.
Tony Clark is the first former player to serve as the union’s executive director, overseeing all aspects of the union’s operations, including contract administration, grievance arbitration, and pension and health care matters.
Current Number of Members: 6,700
Members Work As: Professional baseball players
Industries Represented: Professional baseball
History: In opposition to baseball’s reserve clause, which bound players to their respective clubs, and a growing movement to cap players’ salaries, John Montgomery Ward and eight other players in 1885 formed the first players union in baseball—the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players. Other attempts to organize players included the creation of the Players’ Protective Association in 1900, the Fraternity of Professional Baseball Players of America in 1912 and the American Baseball Guild in 1946. None of those efforts proved sufficient in bringing an end to the reserve clause.
Players regrouped in 1965 and sought outside expertise to help their cause. Their search led them to Marvin Miller, a highly respected economist for the United Steelworkers (USW) who immediately began to mold the players into a bona fide labor union. His first steps were to shore up the union’s finances by beginning a group licensing program and educating the players about the fundamentals of organizing and solidarity.
In 1968, Miller helped players negotiate the first collective bargaining agreement in professional sports. The agreement raised the minimum salary in baseball from $6,000—the level at which it had been stuck for two decades—to $10,000. In 1970, Miller helped players negotiate the right to arbitration to resolve grievances, which paved the way for future gains.
The successful founding of the MLBPA changed the landscape of professional sports forever, serving notice that highly skilled athletes would seek the same basic employment rights that people in other professions had long taken for granted. Miller served as the MLBPA’s executive director from 1966 through 1983, and during his tenure, base salaries, pension funds, licensing rights and revenues were brought to new levels.
In December 1975, the players won the right to free agency, when arbitrator Peter Seitz ruled the reserve clause granted a team only one additional year of service from a player, putting an end to perpetual renewal rights the clubs had claimed for so long.
In 1977, Miller hired Don Fehr to join the association as general counsel. Fehr served in this capacity until 1986, when the players named him executive director. Fehr continued Miller’s legacy of keeping players united by keeping them informed, listening and developing a strong consensus on issues important to them as a group. Fehr led the players during a period of unprecedented growth, in which industry revenues climbed to $6.5 billion, while players’ salaries went from an average of $413,000 in 1986 to nearly $3 million when he retired from the position in 2009.
After work stoppages in each of the eight rounds of bargaining between 1972 through 1995, the next round of bargaining, in 2002, brought a contract without a strike or lockout, as did the agreement reached in 2006. That was Fehr’s final contract negotiation as executive director, and it ensured 16 years of labor peace in baseball.
Fehr also played an important part in spreading the popularity of baseball beyond North America, including efforts to help create and develop the World Baseball Classic, the sport’s first World Cup-style international tournament featuring active Major Leaguers.
Fehr retired in December 2009, and the players named Michael Weiner, a longtime counsel with the MLBPA, as their new executive director. Weiner negotiated his first agreement as executive director in 2011, steering an unprecedented level of player involvement to reach perhaps the most comprehensive agreement in the union’s history. He helped negotiate a deal that addressed, among many issues, league realignment, expansion of post-season play, numerous health and safety issues, and benefit plan increases for current and former players, among others. Weiner died in November 2013 after a 15-month battle with brain cancer. He was only 51, but he left on the baseball community a lasting impression of his warmth, compassion, sense of fairness and fierce intellect.
In December 2013, the Executive Board voted unanimously to appoint Tony Clark as the union’s next executive director. Clark had worked alongside Weiner, who indicated his wish for Clark to succeed him. Following a 15-year playing career, Clark joined the MLBPA as director of player relations in March 2010, leading the union’s efforts to expand and improve the areas of membership communications and education.
After attending his first Executive Board meeting in 1999, Clark became active in union affairs. He became a player rep and during his final seven seasons served as an association representative, the union’s most senior leadership position. As a player, Clark was actively involved in collective bargaining in 2002 and 2006, as well as in negotiations over the joint drug agreement.
Clark retired from his playing career in 2009, after spending 15 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres as a switch-hitting first baseman and designated hitter. He was named deputy executive director in July 2013, and became executive director in December 2013.
In the early years of his tenure as executive director, Clark sought to broaden the Players Association’s services to future and former players, and modernize its business operations. He unified players in their efforts to return to the field following the pandemic in 2020, and guided Major League players through a 99-day lockout to achieve a fair contract in March 2022. Later that year, he led a drive to unionize approximately 5,500 Minor League players and led the MLBPA to affiliate with the AFL-CIO, amplifying the voice and influence of baseball players within the broader labor movement. He was appointed president of the World Players Association in June 2023.
Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The Players Trust, the union’s charitable arm, provides programs and resources that champion the individual and collective passions of players toward a common goal of making a positive impact on the world and inspiring others to do the same. The Playmakers Classic, an annual marquee event of the Players Trust, includes live performances from top talent, food and drink features from renowned culinary partners, interactive gaming competitions and casino action, custom experiences from presenting partner Fanatics, and live broadcasts and behind-the-scenes access. MLB Players Inc., the union’s business arm, is charged with managing all commercial activities of the MLBPA. The Players Choice Awards, voted on by the players, recognize the on- and off-field achievements of their peers. The MLBPA also certifies all agents who work with professional baseball players.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 12/15/2025 - 13:07
12/15/2025 - 12:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Nurses at St. Joseph Health Vote Decisively to Join NNU
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.
Registered nurses (RNs) at St. Joseph Health in Brazos Valley, Texas, are celebrating a powerful victory this week after they voted to form a union with National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).
The medical facility is owned by CommonSpirit Health, one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the nation that generated $1.1 billion in profits in 2024. Newly minted NNU members cited concerns around lack of decision-making power in patient care and staffing and the need to recruit and retain experienced nurses as core motivators for organizing.
“This is a great day for the nurses at St. Joseph Health and for the patients in our community,” said Tara Cassell, an RN in the labor and delivery unit, in a press release. “Nurses have come together to ensure that our voices are heard as we advocate for our patients. We were compelled to organize and form a union because of our deep concerns about our patients’ safety and well-being. We are excited to build a strong contract that protects nurses and patients so we can provide the best care possible.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 12/15/2025 - 09:40
12/12/2025 - 5:00pm
Back to Basics: The Working People Weekly List
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.
Republican-Led House Votes to Overturn Trump Executive Order on Bargaining Rights: “Liz Shuler, the president of the AFL-CIO, which represents nearly 15 million workers, commended ‘the Republicans and Democrats who stood with workers and voted to reverse the single largest act of union-busting in American histories.’ ‘As we turn to the Senate—where the bill already has bipartisan support—working people are calling on the politicians we elected to stand with us, even if it means standing up to the union-busting boss in the White House,’ Shuler said in a statement Thursday.”
‘We Would Like to Make a Home for Ourselves:’ Nearly 90% of Columbus Dispatch Staffers Sign Union Cards: “Amid a wave of organizing at the national level in newsrooms and beyond, The Columbus Dispatch and sister publication The Newark Advocate presented a letter to management on Wednesday requesting voluntary recognition of an employee union under the NewsGuild/Communications Workers of America Local 34001. Bailey Gallion, morning breaking news reporter at the 154-year-old Dispatch, said 36 of 40 staffers have signed union cards as of Thursday. Two of those comprise the nearly the entire full-time staff of The Advocate, which includes two sports reporters and a single news reporter. Employees have asked New York City-based parent company USA Today to recognize their union in an attempt to avoid the formal election process.”
AFL-CIO Joins Defense of Somali-Americans After Trump Hate Attack: “Minnesota public officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz, both DFLers, jumped to defend both Omar and Somali-Americans. So did state AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham. ‘In the labor movement, an injury to one is an injury to all. By vilifying our Somali-American co-workers and neighbors and threatening military-style raids in Minnesota’s communities, President Trump is attacking our state’s entire labor movement,’ Burnham declared.”
More Than 700 St. Joseph Registered Nurses Vote to Unionize: “Registered nurses at CommonSpirit Health’s St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital in Bryan have voted decisively to join National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United, the nation’s largest and fastest-growing union of registered nurses. ‘This is a great day for the nurses at St. Joseph Health and for the patients in our community,’ said Tara Cassell, a registered nurse in the labor and delivery unit. ‘Nurses have come together to ensure that our voices are heard as we advocate for our patients. We were compelled to organize and form a union because of our deep concerns about our patients’ safety and well-being. We are excited to build a strong contract that protects nurses and patients so we can provide the best care possible.’”
AFGE Urges Congress to Vote Against House Rule for 2026 NDAA: “The nation’s largest federal employee union is urging Congress to vote against the House rule for the 2026 Defense policy bill. The American Federation of Government Employees said negotiators removed a bipartisan House provision that would have restored collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of Defense Department civilian employees. The union said removing that language means the legislation fails to protect basic rights of workers who maintain ships and aircraft and support service members. AFGE is calling on lawmakers to reject the procedural rule and restore the worker protections before the National Defense Authorization Act moves forward.”
SEPTA and Workers Union Reach Tentative Two-Year Deal: “SEPTA and its largest workers union reached a tentative deal on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, avoiding a strike, NBC10 confirmed. Transport Workers Union Local 234, which represents about 5,000 SEPTA employees, had been working without a contract since Nov. 7, 2025, when its last contract expired. The union then threatened on Friday, Dec. 5, that a strike was ‘imminent’ unless a deal was reached. On Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, SEPTA confirmed with NBC10 that both sides reached a tentative two-year deal. A day prior, they also said intervention by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was crucial in their negotiations.”
Union Urges ‘Back-to-Basics’ Approach to Pilot Skills: “The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) is calling for a renewed emphasis on fundamental flying skills as automation becomes more common in air carrier operations. In a recent interview at the Skift Aviation Forum in Fort Worth, Texas, ALPA first vice president Wendy Morse, a Boeing 787 captain, said the union is advocating for pilots to ‘go back to our roots’ by maintaining strong manual-flying proficiency throughout their careers. The union represents over 80,000 airline pilots at 43 carriers.”
Indianapolis Symphony and Its Musicians Reach a New Labor Agreement: “Three months after the previous contract extension expired and hours before the first Yuletide Celebration performance of 2025, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and its musicians announced that the parties have reached a new three-year labor agreement. Chief among the contract's key components is a 9.6% salary increase for the musicians over three years that ends at a $74,000 minimum salary. The agreement covers the 78 musicians who are represented by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Players Association and Local 3 of the American Federation of Musicians, according to a Dec. 5 release from the symphony.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 12/12/2025 - 11:06
12/12/2025 - 5:00pm
Protect America’s Workforce: What Working People Are Doing This Week
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:
Four times a year, we gather online to remember those we've lost. Our Memorial Gatherings are held on Zoom and open both to Equity Members and our friends. Join us December 22 to read names, share stories and hold space for the people we miss. https://bit.ly/44QpKpM
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— Actors' Equity Association (@actorsequity.bsky.social) December 11, 2025 at 8:43 AM
AFGE:
AFSCME:
Alliance for Retired Americans:
Amalgamated Transit Union:
American Federation of Teachers:
American Postal Workers Union:
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA:
Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers:
Boilermakers:
Bricklayers:
Coalition of Labor Union Women:
Communications Workers of America:
Department for Professional Employees:
The House is voting on the Protect America's Workforce Act today! Call your Representative now and tell them to pass this critical legislation which will restore federal employees' union rights. act.aflcio.org/call_campaig...
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— Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (@dpeaflcio.bsky.social) December 11, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Electrical Workers:
12/12/2025 - 5:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Dancers of Dayton Ballet Unanimously Cast Ballots in Favor of Forming Union with AGMA
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 performers who bring the magic to the Dayton Ballet in Ohio have voted unanimously to join the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).
Dancers of the city’s professional ballet company—which is part of the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA)—cast their ballots on Dec. 10 in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election, just days before they are set to debut the company’s run of “The Nutcracker.”
“We are so proud of our unity and that we are now joining the ranks of AGMA companies across the country! We are looking forward to negotiating our first collective bargaining agreement with the DPAA,” the Dancers of Dayton Ballet said.
“Congratulations to the magnificent Dancers of Dayton Ballet!” said Jeffrey Boyd, AGMA’s national executive director. “Your unity, your resolve, and your absolute clarity of purpose are inspiring. We are honored to welcome you into the AGMAverse, and we look forward to supporting you every step of the way.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 12/12/2025 - 09:52
12/11/2025 - 10:30pm
AFL-CIO Observes International Human Rights Day 2025
On Dec. 10, the AFL-CIO observes International Human Rights Day, which underscores the labor movement’s conviction that protecting working people is essential to protecting human rights everywhere. Since its earliest days, the federation has argued that the dignity and freedom of working people are fundamental human rights, aligning our mission with the principles later enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today, those rights are under attack. From escalating union-busting to the weakening of child labor protections to devastating violations in our immigration and civil rights systems. But the legacy of this day offers a path forward.
“On International Human Rights Day, we honor a truth our movement has carried since long before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948: workers’ rights are human rights. The right to come together and organize, to bargain collectively, to earn a fair wage, to work and live with dignity and safety—these are not privileges reserved for the few, but fundamental freedoms owed to every person,” said AFL-CIO Director of Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Alex Rias.
Here's a closer look at how unions protect those rights:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It set out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.
- The Declaration outlines 30 rights and freedoms that belong to all of us and that nobody can take away from us. The rights that were included continue to form the basis for international human rights law. Today, the Declaration remains a living document. It is the most translated document in the world.
- Article 23 of UDHR declares that everyone has the right to work, to equal pay, to protection against unemployment and the right to form and join trade unions. Article 24 says that everyone has the right to rest and leisure. Article 25 says everyone has the right to a decent standard of living, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and social services.
- Trade unions are critical to protecting and promoting human rights including economic, social, and cultural rights and the right to be free from discrimination. Unions not only cover issues relating to working conditions and pay, but also the right to be free from discrimination more generally as well as the right to freedom of association and expression. The power of trade unions and collective bargaining cannot be understated. We are more powerful when we work together. When individual complaints and concerns are ignored, trade unions can shine a light on abuses and make sure those responsible are held to account. When states and employers respect the right to unionize, they make it possible to realize a workplace where everyone benefits from honest and trusting negotiations between business leaders and their workers. To fulfil their human rights responsibilities, businesses should work with union members and representatives as allies in creating solutions to challenges.
- Unions aren’t just good for workers—they also benefit communities and democracy. Rebuilding worker power by strengthening unions is not just good policy—it is a democratic imperative in the face of authoritarian backsliding.
- Unions provide better benefits. Union workers have greater access to health care. More than 9 in 10 workers covered by a union contract (95%) have access to employer-sponsored health benefits, compared with just 71% of nonunion workers.
- Union workers have greater access to paid sick leave. More than 9 in 10 workers—92%—covered by a union contract have access to paid sick days, compared with 78% of nonunion workers.
- Union employers are more likely to offer retirement plans. More than 9 in 10 workers—95%—covered by a union contract have access to employer-sponsored retirement benefits, compared with 70% of nonunion workers.
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 23% of all workers in 2021 have no access to paid vacation time, while 21% have no access to paid sick leave. Due to their collective bargaining power, unions play a pivotal role in securing paid time off for workers. Union contracts almost universally include guaranteed paid time off in the form of sick and/or vacation days.
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 12/10/2025 - 08:59
12/11/2025 - 4:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Airport Lounge Workers in Texas Ratify New Contracts
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.
UNITE HERE Local 23 members who work in lounges at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport have successfully ratified new three-year contracts.
More than 200 baristas, cooks and other food service staff employed by Flik Hospitality Group at the United Club lounge and Eurest at the American Airlines Admiral Club are covered by the agreements. Local 23 members will receive an immediate $4 hourly pay increase and will make $22 an hour by the end of the contract.
"This increase represents real relief for many of our families, allowing us to cover essential needs and improve our quality of life. It also confirms that organizing and working together truly leads to positive and lasting results," said Carmen Barralaga, a lounge cook.
"I feel incredibly happy and proud of the fair contract and wage increase we were able to win. Thanks to our union and the strength we showed together, this raise will allow us to spend more time with our families and afford our rent, bills, groceries, mortgage, car payments, medical insurance, and more," said Klaudi Barrientos, a lounge floor attendant.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 12/11/2025 - 08:52
12/09/2025 - 8:00pm
A Joyful, Safe, and Restful Holiday Season: In the States Roundup
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.
Arizona AFL-CIO:
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
Colorado AFL-CIO:
Florida AFL-CIO:
Illinois AFL-CIO:
Maine AFL-CIO:
Michigan State AFL-CIO:
Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Missouri AFL-CIO:
Nevada State AFL-CIO:
Ohio AFL-CIO:
Oregon AFL-CIO:
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
12/09/2025 - 8:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: More Than 750,000 Philadelphia Domestic Workers Have New Labor Protections
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 three years of organizing led by domestic workers, Philadelphia passed the POWER (Protect Our Worker-Enforce Rights) Act.
The groundbreaking law expands protections against retaliation for workers that speak out against abuse; strengthens labor enforcement of existing labor laws; holds violating employers accountable; ensures that the city government has the tools and resources to protect workers; and protects over 750,000 workers across the city.
"This victory was made possible by a powerful, cross-sector coalition of workers, led by domestic workers, restaurant staff, warehouse workers, and more, who have long been excluded from basic labor protections and have organized to demand change," said the National Domestic Workers Alliance on their website.
"The POWER Act is a groundbreaking law that sets a precedent for how cities can step in where federal labor protections have fallen short. At a time when workers across the country—particularly immigrant workers, domestic workers, restaurant and service workers, and other low-wage laborers—face rollbacks in rights and limited paths to justice, Philadelphia is leading the way."
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 12/08/2025 - 10:00
