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.

In yet another win for video game workers, staff in Activision Blizzard’s Platform and Technology department voted last week to form a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The newly recognized union members perform a number of essential roles for the game developer and are represented by CWA locals 9510 and 6215. Their roles include software engineers, project and product managers, and graphic designers for Battle.net, the platform that houses all of Blizzard’s online products and services. Workers within the new bargaining units also work on localization, quality assurance testing and customer support for the company’s other products.

“I’ve been at Blizzard for nearly 20 years, and I’ve seen so many incredible colleagues in the industry come and go for preventable reasons—either for better compensation or as a result of layoffs. Our culture is our people, and we can’t afford to lose that,” said organizing committee member and Principal Software Engineer Daniel Weltz in a press release. “We are forming a union to hold leadership accountable and to ensure that we can focus on building amazing experiences for the gaming community.”

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.

More Than 30,000 Kaiser Permanente Workers Strike for Better Pay and Staffing: “In the largest strike in its union’s 50-year history, more than 30,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and health workers on the West Coast walked off the job for a five-day strike, demanding better pay and safer staffing levels.”

Labor Unions Sue U.S. Over Monitoring Social Media of Visa Holders: “Labor unions filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government on Thursday, alleging that the Trump administration violated the First Amendment rights of people who are legally in the United States by searching their social media for specific viewpoints, including criticism of Israel. The complaint is the latest legal challenge to the broad immigration crackdown initiated since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, which has seen unprecedented deportations of migrants, including some who had valid visas.”

Missouri AFL-CIO Helping Collect Signatures to Put Redistricting Changes on the Ballot: “The unions of the Missouri AFL-CIO are helping collect signatures to put the People Not Politicians referendum on the ballot. House Bill 1, the mid-decade gerrymandered congressional map passed during last month’s special session of the legislature. It targets, and essentially dismantles, Kansas City’s 5th District and redraws the lines of other districts to lock in a 7-1 Republican stranglehold on Missouri’s U.S. House delegation. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the bill into law Sept. 28, but it doesn’t take effect until Dec. 11—just in time for candidate filing in the 2026 elections.”

Major Federation of Unions Calls for ‘Worker-Centered AI’ Future: “‘We reject the false choice between American competitiveness on the world stage and respecting workers’ rights and dignity,’ AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler says in the press release. The AFL-CIO’s membership includes 63 unions and nearly 15 million workers, ranging from pro hockey players to nurses to merchant mariners.”

Build It All: Rhode Island Unions Champion ‘All-of-the-Above’ Energy Approach: “In the building trades, we don’t take sides in energy politics. We build it all—gas, nuclear, solar, wind—and we do it well. Our members have powered this country for generations, and we’ll keep doing it no matter how the technology evolves. If it’s a project that supports American jobs and keeps energy affordable, we’re all in. With work resuming on Revolution Wind, hundreds of skilled union tradesmen and women across Rhode Island are back at work, building energy infrastructure our region desperately needs. These are local workers, trained in the Ocean State, earning family-supporting wages and building an affordable energy future for our communities. For all our sakes, we hope Revolution Wind remains on track.”

Broadway Enters An Anxious Time As Labor Action Threatens To Roil Theaters: “Broadway is a tense place these days after two major labor unions authorized strike action amid ongoing contract negotiations with producers. Actors’ Equity Association—which represents over 51,000 members, including singers, actors, dancers and stage managers—and American Federation of Musicians Local 802—which represents 1,200 musicians—have voted in favor of a strike authorization, a strategic step ahead of any work stoppage. No strike has been called.”

Government Shutdown Is Having An Outsized Impact on Black Americans: “Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, noted that Black Americans make up a larger share of the federal government than their total U.S. population at more than 18%. ‘It’s going to disproportionately affect the Black community in so many ways…They’re going to be suffering from, ‘How do I pay my mortgage bill? How do I pay my medical bills if I don’t have a paycheck coming in?’’ Kelley told theGrio.”

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:

The members of @kickstarterunited.org have been on strike since October 2nd. Sign their letter and tell management to meet Kickstarter United's demands of codifying their schedule and raising the minimum salary. https://bit.ly/3LbV1MN

[image or embed]

— Actors' Equity Association (@actorsequity.bsky.social) October 15, 2025 at 1:15 PM

AFGE:

Our statement: https://t.co/is7Hy2J4WL

— AFGE (@AFGENational) October 10, 2025

AFSCME:

When one union fights, we all fight! AFSCME 3299 stands in solidarity with our siblings in UNAC/UHCP 31,000 RN’s and other healthcare workers at Kaiser, striking across California and Hawaii this week#afscme3299 #solidarity #UNACUHCP #UNAC #Kaiser #Strike #solidaritystrike… pic.twitter.com/L5fX222hNY

— AFSCME Local 3299 (@afscme3299) October 14, 2025

Alliance for Retired Americans:

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 NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) members who work for the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC) are celebrating the ratification of their first-ever collective bargaining agreement.

Staff at the statewide nonprofit work to achieve a healthy and safe environment for vulnerable residents in the state. Their contract established a number of wins that will ensure they can continue this important work such as wage increases, remote work flexibility, retirement security and more.

“This contract was hard won. Every member of our unit (past and present) has their hands on these pages. I am elated for our shared success in securing protections and benefits for workers at MEJC,” said Aiko Fukuchi, operations associate at MEJC. “The severance language we were able to confirm was a priority for us in this contract. We wanted to ensure workers had some security they could rely on, especially in such unpredictable times as these. It must be noted that through this process, we benefited greatly from the past efforts and successes of other units in The NewsGuild.”

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

More than 4,700 SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) members at eight Sutter Health facilities across Northern California have successfully leveraged a major strike threat to reach a tentative agreement on their new contract.

Nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, environmental services, food services, x-ray technicians, respiratory therapists and other essential staff voted overwhelmingly earlier this month to authorize a work stoppage in response to bad faith bargaining from Sutter executives. The power of their unity paid off, and members will now vote on a deal that includes wins like a 14% across-the-board raise, protections for health care and retirement benefits, and more.

“This tentative agreement shows that when we stand united, we can win improvements that protect both healthcare workers and our patients,” said Dinora Garcia, a dietary clerk from Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport. “Reaching this agreement wasn’t easy but we stood together to advocate for worker and patient safety, improved staffing levels, and fair wages and benefits that reflect the vital work we do every day.”  

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

UNITE HERE Members at Hilton Americas-Houston Win New Contract and End 40-Day Strike: After bravely holding the line for 40 days in what was the first hotel strike in Texas history, members of UNITE HERE Local 23 who work at Hilton Americas-Houston successfully secured a new collective bargaining agreement on Friday. Hospitality workers won a number of major victories including a $20/hour minimum wage—with increases that will bring workers to $22/hour by the end of the contract—job security protections, improved housekeeping workloads and improved safety standards. “This victory is an attestation of our members’ strength, their will, and determination. They held the line for over a month in the heat and rain, as they fought to secure better standards after being left behind for so long. It was an incredibly hard fight, and the outcome reflects just that. Now we expect all the players in Houston’s hospitality industry to follow suit and pay workers a living wage,” said Franchesca Caraballo, Texas Chapter President of Local 23.

Michigan Home Care Workers Win Election to Join SEIU: On Thursday, 32,000 home care workers voted to form a union with SEIU Healthcare Michigan, 13 years after former Gov. Rick Snyder ripped away their collective bargaining rights by reclassifying them. The current governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, reversed her predecessor’s attack on these workers last year, paving the way for them to fight for the wages and benefits they deserve. “This is a proud day for Michigan. If anyone needs a union, it’s home care workers. When the union was stolen from us, I was devastated. But I didn’t lose hope. I knew we would reclaim our union one day—and that day has finally come.” said Phyllis Pride, a home care worker from Ecorse. “This all happened because we took a stand: home care workers and the people we care for deserve better. We deserve respect and dignity. That starts with a union. Together, in SEIU Healthcare Michigan, we can now build the long-term care system Michigan deserves.”

Sutter Health Workers Secure New Tentative Agreement: More than 4,700 SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) members at eight Sutter Health facilities across Northern California have successfully leveraged a major strike threat to reach a tentative agreement on their new contract. Nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, environmental services, food services, x-ray technicians, respiratory therapists and other essential staff voted overwhelmingly earlier this month to authorize a work stoppage in response to bad faith bargaining from Sutter executives. The power of their unity paid off, and members will now vote on a deal that includes wins like a 14% across-the-board raise, protections for health care and retirement benefits, and more. “This tentative agreement shows that when we stand united, we can win improvements that protect both healthcare workers and our patients,” said Dinora Garcia, a dietary clerk from Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport. “Reaching this agreement wasn’t easy but we stood together to advocate for worker and patient safety, improved staffing levels, and fair wages and benefits that reflect the vital work we do every day.”  

Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition Workers Ratify First Contract: The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) members who work for the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MEJC) are celebrating the ratification of their first-ever collective bargaining agreement. Staff at the statewide nonprofit work to achieve a healthy and safe environment for vulnerable residents in the state. Their contract established a number of wins that will ensure they can continue this important work such as wage increases, remote work flexibility, retirement security and more. “This contract was hard won. Every member of our unit (past and present) has their hands on these pages. I am elated for our shared success in securing protections and benefits for workers at MEJC,” said Aiko Fukuchi, operations associate at MEJC. “The severance language we were able to confirm was a priority for us in this contract. We wanted to ensure workers had some security they could rely on, especially in such unpredictable times as these. It must be noted that through this process, we benefited greatly from the past efforts and successes of other units in The NewsGuild.”

SAG-AFTRA Announces New Verticals Agreement for Mobile Content: SAG-AFTRA announced an upcoming new media contract Monday specifically designed to protect and empower performers in the rapidly growing, mobile-optimized micro-dramas industry. The Verticals Agreement would cover serialized short-form dramas that are designed to be watched on mobile devices with production budgets under $300,000. Vertical storytelling opportunities have increasingly been of interest for members in a tight entertainment job market, and this new contract will ensure they still benefit from SAG-AFTRA standards in these roles. “Our members are always on the lookout for good work opportunities,” said SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin. “As technology develops and our industry looks for creative ways to engage audiences, new formats emerge. SAG-AFTRA perceives the advent of so-called ‘verticals’ as an exciting new space. This fast-evolving format is catching on, and we are here to support our performers as they pursue their craft and engage this new business model. By offering a contract that is tailored to the unique needs of these projects, our union is meeting the moment. As the business of verticals experiences substantial growth, so too will our relationship with the producers.”

Tags: Organizing

The AFL-CIO launched today the “Workers First Initiative on AI,” the first comprehensive labor movement agenda establishing principles on artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The Initiative provides a blueprint for how employers and legislators should advance AI implementation in the workplace to the benefit of America’s working people and economy.

Developed with input from workers and unions across industries and public services, the Workers First Initiative on AI is designed to ensure that working people reap the benefits of AI technology and its use in the workforce. The Initiative includes first-of-its-kind guiding principles and resources for the responsible development of AI and its use in the workplace, and a nationwide education and mobilization program. It also will be integrated with the AI task force the AFL-CIO launched this summer to fight for commonsense, strong AI safety policy at the state and local level.

“No one understands how to build the future of work better than America’s labor movement,” said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO. “We reject the false choice between American competitiveness on the world stage and respecting workers’ rights and dignity. We know that for AI—or any other technology—to truly boost our economy, it needs to benefit everyone, not just a select few at the top. That’s why I’m thrilled to launch the Workers First Initiative on AI, which will advance the labor movement’s vision for this technology and a path forward for equitable, human-centered innovation in our workplaces and communities.”

Read the full press release here.

Read more at the Verge: “Major federation of unions calls for ‘worker-centered AI’ future.”

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 bravely holding the line for 40 days in what was the first hotel strike in Texas history, members of UNITE HERE Local 23 who work at Hilton Americas-Houston successfully secured a new collective bargaining agreement on Friday. Hospitality workers won a number of major victories including a $20/hour minimum wage—with increases that will bring workers to $22/hour by the end of the contract—job security protections, improved housekeeping workloads and improved safety standards.

“This victory is an attestation of our members’ strength, their will, and determination. They held the line for over a month in the heat and rain, as they fought to secure better standards after being left behind for so long. It was an incredibly hard fight, and the outcome reflects just that. Now we expect all the players in Houston’s hospitality industry to follow suit and pay workers a living wage,” said Franchesca Caraballo, Texas Chapter President of Local 23.

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.

Rail Union Asks FAA to Ban Drone Flights Over Rail Infrastructure: “A rail union has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to ban the use of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, above rail yards and main lines. The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, submitted comments earlier this week on a proposed FAA rule that would allow expanded drone use of beyond visual line of sight. Such a proposal was a condition of the FAA Authorization Act of 2024.”

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, St. Louis Labor Movement Rally Around Striking Machinists Members at Boeing: “AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler urged striking Machinists District 837 members at Boeing to continue standing in solidarity and hold the line last week during a rally here at the union’s hall. Hundreds attended the Oct. 1 event, which featured several speakers from the international Machinists union as well as state and local Labor leaders, including Missouri AFL-CIO President Jake Hummel and St. Louis Labor Council President Patrick Kellett.”

Federal Workers’ Unions Call for Compromise on a Shutdown Deal: “‘Do your damn job, and pass a budget that’s going to require a little compromise,' Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees-IAM, said. His union represents more than 110,000 federal employees across the country who work at agencies including the National Park Service, the Defense Department and Health and Human Services.”

‘Dangerous Game’: Unions Warn Shutdown Risks Aviation Safety: “‘This is a dangerous game,’ Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), said during a news briefing Wednesday outside the headquarters of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) in Washington, D.C. Nelson joined representatives from AFGE, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and other public and private unions to urge Congress to reopen the federal government, warning that a prolonged shutdown could endanger aviation safety. Nelson said air traffic controllers (ATCs)—nearly 11,000 of whom are directing traffic without pay, per the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA)—are working under ‘increasingly unsafe’ conditions.”

AFL-CIO Opposes Major Crypto Legislation: “The AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor federation, addressed a letter to members of the Senate Banking Committee Monday night opposing the Senate's draft legislation to create a regulatory framework for the trading of digital assets. The big picture: Citing the ‘volatility of the assets class,’ the labor giant says it worries about the retirement funds of its millions of members if cryptocurrency were to become more common in portfolios. What they're saying: The group argues that the bill, the Responsible Financial Innovation Act, ‘provides the facade of regulation’ that could cause cryptocurrency to become more mainstream in investment funds. ‘Passing this legislation will allow the proliferation of assets that investors will wrongly perceive as safe,’ Jody Calemine, AFL-CIO's director of government affairs, writes in the organization's legislative alert.”

AAUP, Other Unions Sue Trump Admin Over H-1B Fee: “A slew of unions, including three that represent university faculty and staff, are suing the Trump administration over its proposed $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas, The New York Times reported. The plaintiffs, which include the American Association of University Professors, UAW International and UAW Local 481, allege in the lawsuit that numerous researchers and academics will lose their jobs as a result of their institutions not being able to afford the new fee. (An H-1B visa previously cost $2,000 to $5,000.) Universities, along with national labs and nonprofit research institutions, were also exempt from the annual cap on the number of new visas, and it’s unclear whether the new fee will apply to higher ed.”

Rhode Island AFL-CIO Sues Trump’s EPA Over Termination of $7 Billion Solar for All Program: “The Rhode Island AFL-CIO and the Rhode Island Center for Justice on Monday sued the US Environmental Protection Agency, challenging the Trump administration’s decision to kill the $7 billion Solar for All program. The lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Rhode Island, aims to reverse the termination of a program launched during President Joe Biden’s administration to help pay for residential solar projects for more than 900,000 lower-income US households. Massachusetts had been one of the biggest intended recipients of the program: More than $156 million had been obligated to the state, and Rhode Island expected to receive $49 million. ‘Solar energy is key to Rhode Island’s march towards a carbon-free economy,’ Rhode Island AFL-CIO President Patrick Crowley said in a statement. ‘The Solar for All program is critical to meeting the mandates of the Act on Climate and could lead to hundreds of good paying union jobs, that is why the Rhode Island AFL-CIO is happy to join this court action.’”

Federal Unions Sue White House, Demand Immediate End to Shutdown: “Federal unions say the current government shutdown is like no other. The National Treasury Employees Union said poor communication around agencies’ shutdown contingency plans caused ‘upheaval’ for federal employees. And after the new threat of reductions in force, the American Federation of Government Employees is now suing the Trump administration, calling the White House’s directive illegal, and raising concerns that it will ‘inflict further pain’ on government workers. Both federal unions are demanding an immediate end to the shutdown.”

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.

Last year, union members partnered with the Des Moines chapter of Homeless Veterans Stand Down to fill backpacks with winter clothing and other essentials to distribute to those in need. District 6 expanded their commitment to this cause in 2025 by holding another event with the national organization where members donated $1,150 that went to feeding and getting critical resources to former service members in the area who are experiencing homelessness.

“Our veterans deserve more than gratitude, they deserve action,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “I’m proud of the IAM members in District 6 who stepped up to honor their service by ensuring they and their families receive the support they need.”

As part of the IAM Union Midwest Territory Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing and Servicing (HELPS) initiative, members of IAM District 6 gathered donations and distributed resources to homeless veterans in Des Moines, Iowa.