01/20/2026 - 8:00pm
Dignity and Importance: 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.
Alaska AFL-CIO:
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:
Florida AFL-CIO:
Illinois AFL-CIO:
Maine AFL-CIO:
Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
Michigan State AFL-CIO:
Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Missouri AFL-CIO:
Nevada State AFL-CIO:
New York State AFL-CIO:
Ohio AFL-CIO:
Oregon AFL-CIO:
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
Texas AFL-CIO:
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:
West Virginia AFL-CIO:
01/20/2026 - 8:00pm
Making Safer Workplaces: 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.
85% of Eligible Fort Worth Report Employees Seek Union Recognition for Job Protections: “An overwhelming majority of eligible staff at the Fort Worth Report announced on January 15 that they are forming a union. This move is part of a growing wave of labor actions in newsrooms across North Texas, as media workers reportedly face growing layoffs and ownership changes. The Fort Worth Reporters Guild said in a January 15 press release that 85% of eligible employees signed union authorization cards and are seeking voluntary recognition from the nonprofit newsroom’s CEO, publisher, and board of directors. The union is affiliating with the Media Guild of the West and The NewsGuild-CWA, which represents journalists across Texas and the Southwest.”
Museum Educator Sierra Schiano on the Structural Pressures Behind LACMA’s Union Vote: “Over the holiday break, the staff at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) voted overwhelmingly in favor of starting a union. Their move is part of a larger trend of unionization efforts at museums and other art institutions across the country. It makes sense in a nation where job stability is on the wane and inflation is on the rise—with little support from Washington, D.C., and in an art world that isn’t flush with cash. We caught up with Sierra Schiano, who works in the education department at LACMA, before the vote to hear more about the museum’s unionization efforts.”
Aspirus Ironwood Nurses Approve New Contract: “Nurses have voted to ratify a new union contract at Aspirus Ironwood Hospital. A Thursday morning press release says the Aspirus Ironwood nurses voted on January 14 to approve the contract. That takes effect immediately and runs through July 19, 2028. ‘Our goal was always to get a contract that supports Ironwood nurses so we can recruit and retain the skilled nurses our community needs,’ said Sarah Trudgeon, RN, and president of the local Michigan Nurses Association union at Aspirus Ironwood. ‘A strong nurses’ contract is a big part of protecting access to health care that we currently have in our area.’”
New Jersey Labor Unions Announce New Coalition Dedicated to Climate Action, Affordability and Union Jobs: “‘New Jersey has a long history of building and innovating, but when it comes to building our own energy, we have lost our way. We import far too much of our energy from out of state, which exacerbates high prices and sends jobs in the energy industry away. With this new agenda from Climate Jobs New Jersey, we can take control of our energy future and get back to building our own energy. This will create local union jobs, bring economic growth to our communities, and give us the clean energy we need to meet rising energy demands and confront the climate crisis,’ said Charles Wowkanech, president of New Jersey AFL-CIO and President of Climate Jobs New Jersey.”
Examining the Rise in Unionization Among Local Organizations: “Employees at the Columbus Dispatch newspaper and the Columbus Metropolitan Library have recently announced plans to unionize. This follows growing unionization efforts both locally and nationally. Places like Amazon and Starbucks have made national news over their unionizing efforts. Locally, everyone from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream employees to nurses at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have started a push towards organized labor. We're talking about the factors pushing Columbus employees toward unionizing on this hour of All Sides.”
New Mexico Hospital Nurses Vote to Unionize: “Nurses at San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, New Mexico, have voted to join the Communications Workers of America in District 7, according to a January 8 union news release. The vote covers about 350 nurses at the nonprofit hospital. CWA said the group will now focus on organizing four smaller satellite clinics and negotiating a first contract. San Juan Regional is a 198-bed, level 3 trauma center. In a statement shared with Becker’s, the hospital said it respects employees’ rights to decide whether to unionize and will negotiate with the union in good faith once a request to bargain is made.”
Providence Portland Medical Techs Unionize: “Around 270 medical techs at Providence Portland Medical Center unionized with the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) in a 181-49 vote January 7. The new unit includes more than a dozen occupations, including surgical technicians, respiratory therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and technologists who operate ultrasound, MRI and mammogram equipment. Priorities for the new unit include increasing staffing levels and fair wages and benefits, ONA spokesperson Myrna Jensen said in an email to the Labor Press.”
Actors' Equity Praises Gov. Hochul’s Initiative to Invest in Theatre Spaces: “‘NY SPACE is a visionary program that recognizes the importance of the live arts all across New York State,’ said Brooke Shields, president of Actors' Equity Association. ‘For our members, it means greater job opportunities as more employers know they can keep their lights on. For the communities where these theatres operate, this is both a cultural enrichment and a financial investment; the average non-profit arts event attendee spends $38.46 in the local economy beyond tickets on their evening out. Furthermore, when employers can put down roots in a physical space, they can invest in those spaces, making for safer workplaces for our members. Thank you to Governor Hochul for this act of leadership. We look forward to seeing this initiative in full swing.’”
AFGE Urges Appellate Judges to Uphold Injunction Against Trump’s Anti-Union Executive Orders: “The nation’s largest federal employee union on Monday urged a panel of federal appeals judges to affirm a lower court ruling that found that President Trump’s executive orders purporting to strip two-thirds of the federal workforce of their collective bargaining rights amounted to retaliation for protected speech under the First Amendment. Trump’s edicts, signed in March and August, cited a seldom-used provision of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act to exclude most federal agencies from federal sector labor law under the auspices of national security. A federal judge in California in June issued a preliminary injunction blocking the orders’ implementation, but a three-judge panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed that decision last summer, finding that the lower court did not adequately consider whether the president would have taken the same action against labor organizations absent their various legal challenges against the president’s personnel policies.”
U.S. HHS Reverses Deep Cuts to CDC Safety Research Agency NIOSH: “The Trump Administration is reversing its deep staffing cuts to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, reinstating hundreds of employees. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon confirmed the reversal in an email Tuesday. NIOSH conducts or funds most research into U.S. workplace health and safety. Among other duties, the agency’s scientists are responsible for evaluating the risks of new chemicals, testing and certifying the effectiveness of N95 masks, monitoring mine cave-in hazards and administering the health-care program for Sept. 11 responders and survivors. Labor advocates and businesses had warned of devastating consequences after the government moved to eliminate most of NIOSH’s staff last year.”
U.S. Teachers Union Says It Is Leaving X Over Sexualized AI Images of Children: “The American Federation of Teachers says it is leaving X, citing the social media site's creation and dissemination of ‘sickening’ images of children in various states of undress. In an interview with Reuters, AFT President Randi Weingarten said that the site had already been degraded by extremists and trolls since Elon Musk's 2022 takeover, before which the platform was known as Twitter. But the recent proliferation of nonconsensual images of women and children in bikinis or underwear generated by X's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, had made the site unusable, she said.”
Maine Med Nurses Ratify Union Contract with 21% Pay Increase, Workplace Protections: “Nurses at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland recently ratified a new contract that includes a 21% pay increase over three years and measures to guard against workplace violence. The contract, which runs through the end of 2028, is the second contract for nurses at the state’s largest hospital since they voted in 2021 to join the Maine State Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee. Nurses at the hospital, MMC nurses, signed their first contract in September 2022 and secured the latest contract after four months of bargaining.”
Streetcar Operators Finalize First Union Contract: “After successfully unionizing in 2024, streetcar workers are close to finalizing a contract. In February 2024, more than two dozen workers who operate and maintain the city of Milwaukee’s streetcar, called The Hop, organized a union with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 (ATU), which also represents Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) workers.”
How Vets in Labor Have Joined the Fight Against Trump: “The U.S. is home to 17 million military veterans. About 1.3 million of them currently work in union jobs, with women and people of color making up the fastest-growing cohorts. Veterans are more likely to join a union than non-veterans, according to the AFL-CIO. In half a dozen states, 25% or more of all actively employed veterans belong to unions. In the heyday of industrial unionism in the decades following World War II, hundreds of thousands of former soldiers could be found on the front lines of labor struggles in auto, steel, meatpacking, electrical equipment manufacturing, mining, trucking, and the telephone industry. Many World War II vets became militant stewards, local union officers, and, in some cases, well-known union reformers in the United Mine Workers and Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers.”
Springfield's 3M Workers Vote to Unionize Under United Steelworkers: “Springfield's 3M plant has been a major employer in the city since 1967. Now, the plant's 370 employees will be represented by a union following a successful organization effort. On December 20, workers elected to be represented by the United Steelworkers union, the nation's largest industrial labor union, joining a coalition of employees at other 3M plants across the country in seeking union representation. According to the National Labor Relations Board election results, there were 370 eligible voters, though 332 ballots were counted. Out of those, 233 votes were cast for the labor union and 99 against.”
Kaldi’s Coffee Workers Vote to Form Union, Accuse St. Louis Chain of Union-Busting: “Workers at Kaldi’s Skinker Boulevard location appear headed to unionization. On Friday, workers at the St. Louis specialty coffee chain location voted 7-2 in favor of unionization with the National Labor Relations Board. The results are not yet certified, however, and the union is challenging multiple ballots that it said were from employees who shouldn’t have been eligible to vote. The NLRB and Unite Here Local 74 are accusing Kaldi's of anti-union actions, including bringing in new or transferred employees in order to sway the outcome of the vote.”
Graduate Student Workers Secure First Contract with University of Maine System: “After more than 700 days of negotiations, the University of Maine System reached a tentative agreement with the graduate student workers union for its first-ever contract. ‘It took lot of organizing power for years. Hundreds of grad workers came together for each of the issues, and we fought really hard,’ Andrea Tirrell, a bargaining committee member for the University of Maine Graduate Workers Union, said.”
Science News Media Guild Ratifies First Contract, Securing Major Gains in Pay and Leave: “85% of the 27 members in the Science News Media Guild, workers who publish Science News and Science News Explores, have voted to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement. The historic contract establishes increases in pay, including cost of living raises and equity raises, sick and parental leave and importantly, codifes just-cause protections. The union launched on November 14, 2023, after more than 80% of non-management employees voted to unionize with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild. The ratification follows 625 days of negotiating with the Society for Science, which included a successful 24-hour walkout on November 5, 2025.”
SAG-AFTRA Leaders Sean Astin and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland on Their Negotiating Approach, Disney-Open AI Deal, Chance of Longer Contract Term & More: “The Hollywood labor landscape will have different contours this year as above-the-line guilds try to reach deals with the studios and streamers and avoid a repeat of the damaging strikes of 2023. For one thing, SAG-AFTRA will be the first union to negotiate, taking the spot normally occupied by the Directors Guild. SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union’s national executive director and chief negotiator, have confidence that their early start (talks kick off February 9) will be a difference-maker. The current contract won’t expire until June 30. ‘Part of the reason we wanted to go first is that we wanted to be able to have the time we feel is necessary,’ Astin told Deadline in an interview during CES in Las Vegas. ‘We appreciate that [AMPTP members] are willing to engage early in order to properly examine each item.’”
IAM Alstom Members Ratify First Contract: “Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union at Alstom Transportation in Plattsburgh, New York, have voted to ratify their first-ever three-year collective bargaining agreement, ‘marking a major milestone for rail manufacturing workers in upstate New York.’ This ratified agreement, the union says, ‘is the direct result of member solidarity and the successful IAM organizing effort that brought these rail production workers into the IAM Union. Together, members stood strong to secure enforceable rights, clear standards, and meaningful improvements that will raise wages and strengthen job protections for years to come.’”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 01/20/2026 - 11:30
01/20/2026 - 8:00pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: UFCW Celebrates New Cannabis Worker Protections Law
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.
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 152 is applauding New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy for signing legislation that extends critical labor rights to cannabis cultivation workers across the state.
Currently, the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 excludes agricultural workers, leaving them without clear and enforceable labor protections. This new law prohibits cannabis employers from interfering in their staff’s right to organize, increases potential penalties for labor law violations and protects the freedom to collectively bargain. Local 152 played a pivotal role in advancing this legislation to stop companies from taking advantage of unintended loopholes in New Jersey’s cannabis regulations.
“Today’s signing is a victory for all working people in New Jersey,” said Daniel Ross Jr., president of UFCW Local 152. “Cannabis cultivation workers were building a new industry without labor protections many take for granted. Local 152 made it clear to lawmakers that fairness should not be avoided, and Governor Murphy’s signature ensures these workers now have the rights, dignity and legal clarity they deserve.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 01/20/2026 - 10:22
01/20/2026 - 2:00pm
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Major League Soccer 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 Soccer Players Association (MLSPA).
Name of Union: Major League Soccer Players Association
Mission: We empower the players by establishing a supportive community and unified voice that positively impacts the lives of our past, current and future members.
Current Leadership of Union: The players on each team vote by secret ballot to elect a player representative, and those player representatives elect a nine-player executive board. The current executive board includes Alex Bono, Earl Edwards Jr., Cristian Espinoza, Matt Freese, Mark-Anthony Kaye, JT Marcinkowski, Eric Miller, Paxton Pomykal and Dayne St. Clair.
The daily operations of the association are run by Executive Director Bob Foose, who has filled this role since the association’s formation in 2003. During his tenure, the association has successfully negotiated four collective bargaining agreements, substantially broadening player rights and compensation with the establishment and expansion of overall league salary spends, minimum salaries, bonuses, free agency, retirement benefits, a grievance and arbitration system, group licensing, and the protection of player rights under the workers’ compensation system. During this time, the budget and staff of the association have more than quadrupled and the association has maintained near 100% membership among MLS players.
Current Number of Members: More than 800
Members Work As: Professional soccer players
Industries Represented: Men’s professional soccer
History: On April 17, 2003, the MLS Players Union was recognized as the exclusive collective bargaining representative of all MLS players, becoming the first labor organization formed by MLS players. On Dec. 1, 2004, the union and MLS signed the first collective bargaining agreement in MLS. The agreement raised the minimum salary, increased incentive bonuses, guaranteed fully paid health insurance for all players, created the first grievance and arbitration system in MLS, and created a 401(k) plan for players. On March 20, 2010, the union and MLS agreed to terms on a second collective bargaining agreement. This agreement significantly increased the number of players with guaranteed contracts, limited the number of options in players’ contracts, increased all economic terms, created new benefits for players, and increased player rights to move within the league by creating the reentry draft.
From Dec. 8–15, 2010, for the first time in MLS history, players had leverage to negotiate fair terms with their current teams when their contracts expired and had the ability to move within the league if they chose to do so through the reentry draft. On March 4, 2015, the union and MLS agreed to terms on a third collective bargaining agreement. Under this agreement, restricted free agency was introduced for the first time in league history. Players who were 28 with at least eight years of MLS for the first time could choose which team within MLS to play for when signing a new contract. In addition, the number of players with guaranteed contracts increased, and all economic terms increased. On Dec. 14, 2015, the first free agent in MLS history, Justin Mapp, signed the first free agent contract in MLS history with Sporting Kansas City. On Dec. 14, 2017, the MLS Players Union changed its name to the MLS Players Association and launched a full rebranding.
On Feb. 6, 2020, the union and MLS agreed to the fourth collective bargaining agreement in MLSPA history. This historic deal dramatically increased free agency rights and more than doubled the number of eligible players. The agreement steadily increases salary budgets and player compensation, with the average salary reaching over $500,000 and the senior minimum salary over $100,000 by the end of the deal.
Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The MLSPA provides health and safety resources for both current and former players. Additionally, the MLSPA offers a host of other programs for players and provides a player salary guide. The Player Programs department also hosts biweekly Career Conversations with current and former players to highlight and encourage off-field pursuits. The players association works closely with the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring mini-pitches to local communities to ensure safe places to play are available to all.
Learn More: Website, X, Instagram, LinkedIn
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 01/20/2026 - 11:56
01/17/2026 - 3:00am
2026 AFL-CIO MLK Conference Kicks Off in Baltimore
The 2026 AFL-CIO Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference is officially underway in Baltimore!
Day 1 started off strong with opening remarks from AFL-CIO Civil, Human and Women's Rights Director Alex Rias, followed by a warm welcome from Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. The afternoon wrapped up with an Evening with Labor Legends panel—moderated by the Rev. Mark Thompson—featuring powerful reflections by former Maryland State Sen. Michael Mitchell, AFT Secretary-Treasurer Emerita Dr. Lorretta Johnson, Maryland State Sen. and Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 24 member Cory McCray, and American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 181 member Rictarsha (Rikki) Westmoreland.
“This weekend we will reflect on the work of the leaders and organizers who came before us and to learn from the struggles of the activists who fought for us to be in this very room,” said Rias. “And now, we must do everything in our power to ensure that their sacrifice is honored as we fight for our own future.”
Dr. King’s leadership showed us that civil rights and labor rights are deeply connected. That’s why America’s unions are on the front lines fighting for justice for all, and why we’ll keep fighting so all working people have the dignity and respect they deserve.
You can listen live to Day 2 of the conference at aflcio.tv and TheMLKConference.org.
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 01/16/2026 - 16:02
Tags:
MLK conference
01/16/2026 - 8:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Optimum Workers in Greenwood Lake, New York, Organize with IBEW Local 363
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.
Cable, telephone and broadband workers at Optimum in Greenwood Lake, New York, voted to organize with Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 363.
The union election was held Jan. 7. The Greenwood Lake employees join Optimum workers in nearby West Nyack, who organized with the local last September.
“This victory shows that Optimum workers want a real voice on the job,” said Sam Fratto, business manager of Local 363. “Like the workers in West Nyack, Greenwood Lake employees are standing together to win fair wages, strong benefits and clear protections through a union contract.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 01/16/2026 - 10:11
01/16/2026 - 2:30pm
International Cooperation Critical to Global Labor Standards
On Jan. 7, the Trump administration announced it would withdraw the United States from 66 international organizations, conventions and treaties, including the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development. International spaces like these are where the United States—together with other countries—has, for nearly a century, set and maintained global standards for workers. We regret the administration’s decision to withdraw from these critical mechanisms of international cooperation.
U.S. engagement in multilateral institutions provides stability and advances our national interests, including the economic and social interests of America's workers. U.S. leadership in the UNFCCC negotiations, for example, catalyzed clean energy investment and export opportunities around the world, creating good union jobs for America's workers. Without the U.S. government at the table, our competitors will move forward and negotiate agreements about the future of energy without us.
The trade union movement is and will continue to be an international movement, based on the shared interests of the working class. In order to address global problems like workers’ rights, inequality, the environment and security, the AFL-CIO remains committed to working together with partners in global fora.
Additional References:
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 01/15/2026 - 16:47
01/15/2026 - 8:00pm
Tune In: 2026 AFL-CIO MLK Conference Begins Today
In the midst of attacks on voting rights, worker protections and civil liberties nationwide, union members and labor leaders are convening in Baltimore today for the start of the 2026 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference.
For four days, faith and civil rights advocates and working people across the country will gather to talk about the Trump administration’s coordinated efforts to roll back working people’s freedoms and strategize how our movement will fight back and build a better world for us all. Attendees will hear from compelling speakers, participate in workshops and sit in on panels discussing some of the most pressing issues facing our movement today.
You can listen live at aflcio.tv and themlkconference.org.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 01/15/2026 - 14:25
Tags:
MLK conference
01/15/2026 - 8:00pm
Worker Wins: Having Our Voices Heard
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Science News Media Guild Ratifies First Collective Bargaining Agreement with COLA Adjustments, Paid Sick Leave and Other Benefits: The workers behind Science News and Science News Explores—who are represented by the WBNG, TNG-CWA Local 32035—have ratified their first union contract. Members have been fighting for this moment since first voting to form the Science News Media Guild in 2023. Highlights of the agreement include cost-of-living adjustments, paid sick leave, just-cause rights, parental leave, artificial intelligence protections and more. “The road to this first contract was not a short one, but it was incredibly inspiring to see our guild unite in pursuit of a better workplace. I’m so grateful to all of my colleagues, especially the negotiations team, and everyone else who has supported us along the way,” says Nikk Ogasa, a staff writer for Science News.
Kaldi’s Coffee Workers Vote to Join UNITE HERE: Despite union-busting from management, staff at a Kaldi’s Coffee location in St. Louis have voted to form a union with UNITE HERE Local 74. Eight of the coffee chain’s storefronts in the city publicly announced their intent to organize in November 2025—this is the first National Labor Relations Board vote to be held so far. Workers cite low pay and poor working conditions as core motivators for joining UNITE HERE. “Today’s vote proves that workers are stronger united and that when we stand together, we win,” said Aliyah Wilcox, an employee at Kaldi's. “We will keep fighting for better conditions at the workplace that we love, and we hope that Kaldi’s will stop fighting us and start negotiating. We love this community, and we’re here to stay.”
IAM Members at Alstom Ratify Strong First CBA with Wage Increases and Other Benefits: IAM Union members who work at Alstom Transportation in Plattsburgh, New York, voted last week to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement. Workers at this facility are essential to the manufacturing, assembly and repair of passenger rail cars and locomotives. As IAM Union members, they finally have a contract that reflects and compensates the skilled labor that keeps public transportation running nationwide. Their agreement includes wins like wage increases, shift differentials, expanded sick leave, layoff protections and so much more. “This agreement replaces uncertainty with enforceable rules and real protections,” said IAM Special Assistant to the International President for the Rail Division Josh Hartford. “More importantly, it establishes a solid foundation from which IAM Union members at Alstom can continue to build power, improve working conditions, and raise standards across the rail industry. Congratulations to the members, stewards, bargaining committee, and IAM Organizing Department on this important victory.”
West Virginia Mine Wars Museum Staff Join UMWA: Staff at the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum have been sworn in as members of Mine Workers (UMWA) Local 1440. The museum is the largest exhibition in the United States about a series of bloody clashes in the early 20th century between coal companies and miners seeking fair working conditions. Local 1440’s union hall is just blocks from the museum itself (which was previously owned by the union) and the site of a historic shootout during the Mine Wars. These newly minted members will be part of UMWA District 17, which has a powerful legacy of militant labor history. “We are honored and excited to represent the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum staff as members of the United Mine Workers of America,” said UMWA International President Brian Sanson. “These workers protect and share the story of sacrifice, solidarity, and courage that defines our union. We are proud to stand with them, to represent them, and to welcome them home to the UMWA family.”
Pittsburgh City Workers Ratify New Three-Year Agreement with New Minimum Wage, Other Benefits: Members of AFSCME Local 2719—part of AFSCME Council 13—who work for the city of Pittsburgh have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new contract. Highlights of the agreement include a new minimum wage, stronger grievance language, a sick bank for members in times of need, longevity payments, preferential bidding opportunities for all city jobs for AFSCME members and more. Members stood together and ensured there were no significant givebacks in the three-year deal. And if that weren’t enough to celebrate, AFSCME also succeeded in expanding the contract’s coverage to new bargaining unit positions. “Our local members showed up, not only at the bargaining table through our bargaining team, but also at the ballot box to have their voices heard,” said Craig Sippel, president of Local 2719. “We as a team put in the work, and it paid off big for our members.”
South Florida Nurses Reach Tentative Deal with HSA, Averting Strike: National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) members at three Healthcare Systems of America (HSA) facilities in South Florida successfully reached a new tentative agreement with management on Thursday, calling off their threat to strike as they prepare for a ratification vote. Registered nurses at Florida Medical Center, Palmetto General Hospital and Coral Gables Hospital flexed their unity and proved to administrators they were willing to walk off the job to secure the safe staffing ratios. The hospitals were previously owned by Steward Health Care and then sold to HSA during bankruptcy proceedings. Members hoped new management would improve conditions, but they were forced to threaten a strike in order to get the contract they needed to ensure quality patient care. “We were ready to show HSA management that we are serious about safe staffing with our strike,” said Lazaro Garcia, RN at Palmetto General Hospital. “Safely staffing every unit on every shift is the number one way to improve patient care and working conditions at our hospitals. We’re glad to have safe staffing measures in this new deal.”
IBEW, Laborers and IUOE Celebrate Solar Project Groundbreaking: Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 575, Laborers (LIUNA) Local 83 and Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 are celebrating the start of construction on the Palomino Solar Energy Project in Highland County, Ohio. The three unions worked closely with the developer to ensure the project would prioritize local hiring and be built by skilled union members working under the highest labor standards. “The groundbreaking is the culmination of years of work. We’re not just planning a project, but fighting to keep these jobs local and supporting families right here in Highland County,” said James McGraw, business manager of LIUNA Local 83. “This project gives our Laborers an opportunity to head into work today, building the foundation for Ohio’s energy future, while earning the wages and benefits they deserve. We’re proud to put our members’ expertise to work.” “IBEW members are uniquely trained for the highly specialized, high‑tech work required to build a utility‑scale solar facility like Palomino,” said Joe Dillow, business manager of IBEW Local 575. “This project secures at least a year of work for our members and provides critical on‑the‑job training in the energy sector. We’re not just building a project, we’re building a career pipeline for the next generation of Ohio’s electricians.” “Projects of this scale require the best equipment operators and the safest standards, which is exactly what our members at IUOE Local 18 deliver,” added Kip Siesel, business representative for IUOE Local 18. “This project is moving forward because our three unions came together with the best expertise to get the job done right. We are proud to support this project for our members and for the economic health of the entire region.”
Sun Sentinel Journalists Ratify Historic First Contract, Secure Pay Increases, Bonus: Members of The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) who work at the South Florida Sun Sentinel have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with the newspaper’s management and parent company, Alden Global Capital. The SunSentinel Guild bargaining unit unanimously approved the two-year deal, which establishes annual raises and landmark protections from artificial intelligence. This is the first union contract in the newspaper’s 115-year history. “I could not be more proud of our unit membership for voting unanimously to ratify this contract,” said AmyBeth Bennett, a Sun Sentinel photographer who led a bargaining committee that negotiated with Alden management. “Being able to give our membership 3% raises this year and next, as well as a $1,500 bonus, seems like a pretty great holiday present to me!”
Milwaukee Discovery World Workers Vote to Join IAM Union: Museum staff at Discovery World in Milwaukee have overwhelmingly voted to join the IAM Union, becoming the latest cultural workers to form a union to secure a voice on the job. Despite repeated union-busting tactics from management—including the shameful termination of an outspoken supporter of the organizing drive—workers stood together and won their election. The newly minted IAM Union members are looking forward to bargaining a contract that ensures fair pay, a path to career advancement and protections from retaliation. “Congratulations to the Discovery World workers on making their voices heard and officially winning their union election,” said IAM Midwest Territory Special Representative Adante Balke. “These dedicated employees are coming together to demand respect, fair wages, better benefits, and greater transparency in promotions and hiring. By standing united, they are now preparing to bargain collectively for a stronger future.”
New Haven Teachers Secure 13.53% Raises: Members of the New Haven (Connecticut) Federation of Teachers (NHFT), AFT Local 933, have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with city officials. The NHFT bargaining unit covers educators who serve more than 18,000 students across 40 schools. The city’s Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved the deal, which includes a 13.53% pay increase over three years, more prep days and improved health care provisions. “This is a fair contract that will benefit all 1,175 members in the years that come,” said Jenny Graves, NHFT vice president. “We also know there is a lot of work to be done. Our students shouldn’t have to learn in buildings with no heat and leaky ceilings. Our educators shouldn’t have to dig into their own pockets to fund their classrooms.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 01/15/2026 - 11:38
Tags:
Organizing
01/15/2026 - 1:30pm
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: New Haven Teachers Secure 13.5% Pay Increase
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.
Members of the New Haven (Connecticut) Federation of Teachers (NHFT), AFT Local 933, have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with city officials.
The NHFT bargaining unit covers educators who serve more than 18,000 students across 40 schools. The city’s Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved the deal, which includes a 13.53% pay increase over three years, more prep days and improved health care provisions.
“This is a fair contract that will benefit all 1,175 members in the years that come,” said Jenny Graves, NHFT vice president. “We also know there is a lot of work to be done. Our students shouldn’t have to learn in buildings with no heat and leaky ceilings. Our educators shouldn’t have to dig into their own pockets to fund their classrooms.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 01/15/2026 - 10:50
