For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Dr. Amanda Lowrey of AFSCME.

Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA/AFSCME) member Dr. Amanda R.K. Lowrey has been working in food safety in Honolulu since December 2009. Dedicated to protecting the community from foodborne illnesses and conserving Hawaii’s fragile ecosystems, Lowrey’s work has helped to revive the state's local shellfish industry.

For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Matt Kimball of IATSE.

Matt Kimball has been a Theatrical Stage Employees ( IATSE) member for almost eight years and has been the Political Activism Committee chair for Local 720 since 2018. In 2024, Kimball focused on working to elect candidates who support union values and ensuring IATSE members voted. Kimball has been actively involved in electoral politics and issue advocacy in Nevada since 2008. 

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.

Join the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) this Saturday, May 10, for the 2025 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive!

Each year, letter carriers across the country head out on their routes on the second Saturday in May to collect donations of nonperishable food items to benefit local food pantries. Since launching in 1993, the NALC’s annual program has grown into the nation’s largest one-day food drive, helping to fill the shelves of food banks in cities and towns throughout the United States. 

Simply leave your donation of nonperishable food in a bag near your mailbox this Saturday, and your letter carrier will do the rest.

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

SAG-AFTRA and Nickelodeon Reach Tentative Agreement: SAG-AFTRA announced on Wednesday that it has reached a tentative agreement with Nickelodeon Animation Studio Inc. on the terms of its 2025 Basic Cable Television Animation Agreement. The agreement covers SAG-AFTRA members working on animated programs for Nickelodeon basic cable and Paramount+. This includes popular shows like “The Loud House,” “The Patrick Star Show,” “Rugrats,” “Dora the Explorer” and more. The new three-year tentative contract now moves to SAG-AFTRA’s national board for ratification consideration. “I’d like to thank our hardworking negotiating committee for their dedication to their colleagues who provide their voice artistry to Nickelodeon’s programming,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “I’m especially pleased that Nickelodeon agreed to commonsense A.I. protections for voice actors.” The chair of SAG-AFTRA’s Nickelodeon Animation Agreement Negotiating Committee, David Jolliffe, added: “We’re thrilled that productive bargaining has resulted in a very strong contract for voice actors that includes A.I. guideline enhancements that protect voice performers. There’s much to celebrate about this deal, and we look forward to sending it to the Board for review.”

HealthPartners Workers Ratify Contract, Win Record Gains: Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 12 members who work at HealthPartners in Minnesota have overwhelmingly ratified a new contract. This victory comes after nearly eight months of bargaining with the nonprofit health care provider and health insurance company. During negotiations, members took a strike pledge, two strike authorization votes and worked for five months under an expired agreement. “This is the hardest we have ever fought for the contract we deserve and in return we've just ratified the largest contract ever,” the Local 12 bargaining team said in a social media post. “Together we have built out new networks of our colleagues and activated and inspired each other to get involved. Let's keep up the energy and solidarity as we work to transform the culture of HP and live up to the promise of Be Well.

IfNotNow Staff Form Union with NPEU: The staff at IfNotNow, an American Jewish advocacy organization, have joined the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 70. The movement-based organization uses direct action to end U.S. support for the apartheid system in Israel, and call for equality for all Palestinians and Israelis. Workers are looking forward to starting the process of negotiating a first contract now that executive leadership has voluntarily recognized the union. “We are grounded in the long history of Jewish labor organizing as we formally join the labor movement,” said Eli Newell, a member of the organizing committee. “We are building justice in our own workplace so that we can continue to fight for equality, justice, and a thriving future for all in Israel, Palestine, and the U.S.” “We are honored to welcome IfNotNow workers to NPEU. Their decision to organize reflects a deep commitment to their values and to each other. We commend IfNotNow management for respecting their employees’ voices and setting a powerful example in the nonprofit sector, even as the industry faces threats from the Trump administration,” added Amy Chin-Lai, president of NPEU.

NLRB Sides with Whole Foods Workers in Amazon’s Union Election Challenge: Last week, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overruled every objection filed by Whole Foods regarding a landmark January election where workers at a Philadelphia location voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 1776. After a majority of workers at the Amazon-owned grocer’s flagship storefront cast ballots in support of organizing a union, the corporate giant filed numerous objections with the NLRB to challenge the election results. Amazon argued that UFCW unfairly offered workers transportation to the polling site, that the NLRB could not certify the union because it lacked quorum and more. Following a two-day hearing that included testimony from 10 witnesses, Philadelphia-region Hearing Officer Deena Kobel rejected those arguments. “This ruling is definitive—Whole Foods lost, the workers won, and it’s time for the company to respect the results,” said Local 1776 President Wendell Young IV. “Amazon’s tired playbook of delay and obstruction has failed. We call on Whole Foods to stop wasting time and taxpayer resources with baseless legal challenges and sit down at the bargaining table to negotiate a fair contract.”

Detroit Free Press Staff Ratify New 2-Year Contract: On Wednesday, staff represented by the Newspaper Guild of Detroit, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 34022, at the Detroit Free Press ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with parent company Gannett. The bargaining unit—which includes reporters, photographers, assistant editors, web editors and other staff—approved the new deal, with 90% member support. Workers secured increased starting wages, with all employees receiving at least a 2.6% raise and the lowest-paid seeing up to 29%, as well as improvements to benefits like parental leave. “Free Press members have gone for years without a raise — so this rectifies that, but also adds some important things that folks were looking for,” said Eric Lawrence, the Free Press unit chair and president of the Guild. “We had a robust and engaged group of people who worked hard to get this done. We think that the overwhelming ratification vote shows that the members appreciate and recognize it as the significant win that it is.”

Martz Gold Line Workers End Strike; Ratify Strong Contract: Following a powerful six-day work stoppage, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 members have secured a new contract with Martz Gold Line. Operators, mechanics and service technicians at the fixed-route commuter bus service in Maryland went on strike last week over unfair labor practices committed by the company during negotiations, including bad faith bargaining. On Tuesday, ATU members and management returned to the bargaining table with a mediator, and after a daylong session, workers won a deal that improves working conditions, wages and benefits. “Throughout the negotiations and strike, Martz workers stood shoulder to shoulder in solidarity and together they won a strong contract,” said Local 689 President Raymond Jackson. “Once again, workers have proven that workers bonded together and speaking with one voice are undefeatable.” “All of the ATU spread across America and Canada are proud of what Martz Gold Line workers accomplished,” added ATU International President John Costa. “On the picket lines last week, I saw firsthand their strength, unity, and solidarity. United, the workers stood up to the company and through the strength on the strike line, forced the company to the bargaining table and won a strong contract. These workers demonstrated the strength of collective action and its impact on working people.”

Tags: Organizing

For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Kevin Ancog of AFSCME.

United Public Workers (UPW) Hawaii member Kevin Ancog is a building maintenance worker at the Department of Defense in Honolulu, where he has worked for nearly 20 years. He developed his leadership skills and discipline during his 23 years in the Army National Guard, where he was a well-respected and trusted leader. Ancog is chief steward and chair of UPW/AFSCME’s education committee, helping his fellow union members understand their rights and benefits.

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

On May Day, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler visited Vermont, where she witnessed the passage of a historic constitutional amendment and attended a May Day rally on the State House lawn. Proposal 3 would enshrine the right to form a union and collectively bargain into the state constitution, just as Illinois did in 2022.

The Vermont House took the final legislative action last week needed to make this a reality by passing the amendment in a landslide 125–15 vote. This effort has been a four-year legislative process, with the last step being a ballot measure that Vermont voters will decide in November 2026. President Shuler sat in the gallery with Vermont union leaders for this exciting moment in state history and was introduced to the entire House by Vermont Worker's Caucus co-chair Rep. Conor Casey. After the vote, more than 1,500 people gathered on the State House lawn in Montpelier for the Vermont State Labor Council's May Day rally. 

Right now, Congress is considering a reckless budget package that would make the 2017 tax giveaway to billionaires and giant corporations permanent, and expand the tax cuts for the rich by cutting $1.5 trillion from essential programs like Medicaid.  

Medicaid is the single largest source of health care coverage in the United States, and a major source of funding for hospitals, community health centers and nursing homes.

It’s Medicaid—not Medicare—that is the primary payer for 63% of nursing home residents. It’s Medicaid that pays for 42% of births in the United States each year. And it’s Medicaid that provides health care for nearly half of all children in our country.  

The proposed cuts would tear health care away from millions of people, including kids and our most vulnerable Americans. It would raise health care and insurance costs for everyone else. And massive cuts to Medicaid would cause hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and home-health agencies to close or downsize, especially in rural and lower-income communities—causing 477,000 health care jobs to be lost in 2026 alone.

We would all suffer the consequences if Medicaid is harmed. 

Call your representative at 231-400-0602 to tell them, “no cuts to Medicaid,” or click here and fill out the form to be connected. 

The domino effects of these cuts would be severe and wide-reaching. If you spoke out to protect the Affordable Care Act, we need you to speak out even louder to protect Medicaid. 

For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Kristy Pham of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Kristy Pham is a member of Communications Workers (CWA) Local 9510. Currently, she serves as the District 9 representative of the CWA National Minority Caucus, the secretary-treasurer of Local 9510 and the chair of the Women's Committee. Her union experience includes roles as a shop steward and executive board member. In 2022, Pham was honored as the Orange County Labor Federation Delegate of the Year. Pham is a passionate advocate for equity, fair wages and social justice. 

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:

Join us for the next Embracing Equity Series Event: "Out of The Shadows: Our Unique Mental Health Challenges," a mental health panel moderated by Sean Hayden, host of Stage Combat: The Podcast.

Advance registration required! Sign up on the member portal: https://t.co/71lOT0fHH4 pic.twitter.com/8GOXFz9FEJ

— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) May 3, 2025

AFGE:

This is the largest and most significant challenge to Trump’s attempt to remake the government without congressional approval.

Here's what you need to know ⬇https://t.co/MquNHrBrPq

— AFGE (@AFGENational) May 7, 2025

AFSCME:

Saving Medicaid from reckless cuts was the purpose of a trip 70 AFSCME members made to Capitol Hill last week. https://t.co/vyhmxRr4Mk

— AFSCME (@AFSCME) May 6, 2025

Alliance for Retired Americans:

Today's Senate vote to confirm Frank Bisignano as SSA Commissioner is deeply troubling for seniors.

Read our statement to learn more: https://t.co/q6bzNQ22j2 pic.twitter.com/3jsq914RWi

— Alliance for Retired Americans (@ActiveRetirees) May 6, 2025

Amalgamated Transit Union:

Stay informed about the latest news, campaigns, politics, and all the issues impacting our Union, our members, and our industry by subscribing to our e-newsletter, the ATU Dispatch today at https://t.co/2zRvpNDZrE #1u #canlab pic.twitter.com/HPiW9qZ0xm

— ATU, Transit Union (@ATUComm) May 7, 2025

American Federation of Musicians:

President Trump, in his Fiscal Year 2026 Budget request, has called for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA is essential to our livelihoods and our democracy. Without it, communities across the country, both rural and urban, will lack access to arts… pic.twitter.com/UMderdRkW8

— AFM (@The_AFM) May 3, 2025

American Federation of Teachers:

As we continue to celebrate healthcare professionals this #NationalNursesWeek, today we want to thank the thousands of nurses and healthcare professionals working in our schools to keep kids healthy.

Happy #NationalSchoolNurseDay, and thank you for all you do! @AFTHealthcare pic.twitter.com/FjHV3A08qz

— AFT (@AFTunion) May 7, 2025

American Postal Workers Union:

☎️

Join workers, advocates, and community partners at the Airport Workers United's Virtual Roundtable on May 7th at 12 pm ET featuring SEIU International President April Verrett, airport worker leaders from across the country, elected champions and other partners for an important conversation about the intersecting crisis of poverty and safety at our nation's airports. 

Special guests will share their experiences within the aviation system and highlight a new report Flight Path to Safe, Secure and Accessible Airports: The Case for centering fair workplaces, community needs, and passenger choice over airline's soaring profits. This comprehensive report highlights workers' experiences and conditions at PHX, DFW, and CLT airports and illustrates how lifting standards and enforcing protections for this workforce advances the safety, security, and needs of the entire airport ecosystem -- workers, passengers, and surrounding communities all benefit.

 Special Guests confirmed to participate in the virtual roundtable:

• Airport Service Worker Leaders from each featured airports in white paper PHX, DFW, CLT

• April Verrett, SEIU International President

• US Representative Yassamin Ansari, (AZ 3)

• Enrique Lopezlira, Ph.D., Director, Low-Wage Work Program, UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education

• Colleen Flanagan, Disability Rights Advocate

RSVP today HERE!

For more information about the roundtable or SEIU's Airport Workers United please contact Isaiah Wilson at isaiah.wilson@seiu.org.