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

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

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

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

Number of Members: 22,000

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

Industries Represented: The construction industry across the United States.

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

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

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

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

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

Tags: Hispanic Heritage Month

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

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

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

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

On Nov. 1, Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces in most states will begin to open for enrollment for next year.

Unless Congress acts, more than 90% of people enrolled in ACA health care plans will see out-of-pocket premiums jump by 75% on average. Millions could lose coverage altogether when a key tax credit drops at the end of the year. And higher costs for Affordable Care Act health care plans ultimately will result in higher health care costs for everyone—including people who get their health insurance through their jobs. The last thing families need is health care bills soaring at a time when we’re also dealing with rising food, housing, electricity, gas and other costs.

Congress must act. Please make a call to tell your senators and representative to stop the health care price spike NOW! Call 855-493-4407.

Across the country, news of double-digit health care cost increases already is making headlines. But national Republican leaders refuse to acknowledge that they must address this tidal wave of rising health insurance prices. President Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are refusing to commit to preserving these tax credits for working people.

We cannot stand by as working families are being forced to spend extra on health care. Fill out the form on this page to make a call or dial 855-493-4407.

You don’t need to be an expert to make a big difference. Our message is simple: “Stop the health care price spikes working families are facing.”

But here are some talking points to help you, if you choose to use them during your call:

• We demand a permanent, clean extension of the ACA tax credits. Leadership must commit to a plan to make the tax credits permanent, without reducing their value or scaling back eligibility.
• If nothing is done, millions will face skyrocketing prices and millions more will lose health care altogether. About 22 million people with health care through the Affordable Care Act would see their out-of-pocket premium costs increase by an average of 75%. And the Congressional Budget Office estimates that higher costs would cause 4.2 million people to drop coverage and become uninsured—the participation drop itself then would cause massive damage to the Affordable Care Act.
• Everyone will pay more for health care if the ACA tax credits disappear. Combined with the Medicaid cuts that Republicans in Washington passed this year, ending the Affordable Care Act tax credits would raise health care costs as much as $485 per person a year for the 179 million people with employment-based insurance. That’s nearly $2,000 more a year in health care costs for a family of four.
• We ask you to protect affordability and continuity of coverage. Small groups of Republicans in the House and Senate have called for a one-year extension or a cap on who can get the credits. That’s not good enough. This would lead to instability in the health care industry and insurance companies could stop offering Affordable Care Act health plans. In short, people would lose their doctors and other medical providers. We need a permanent fix now.
• Slashing the health care system again would cost even more health care jobs. Cuts to ACA credits would result in a loss of 130,000 health care jobs. Combined with the $900 billion in Medicaid cuts the Trump administration and Republicans passed earlier this year, this means approximately 607,000 health care jobs in total would be lost.
• More hospitals, nursing homes and clinics would close. A second tidal wave of red ink for the health care system would make the devastating health cuts in the Big Ugly Bill even worse, forcing hospitals, nursing homes and community health clinics to close.
• How would your state be affected? Here is a list of premium rate impacts by congressional district and state.

Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to the labor movement. 

Here's who we featured so far:

• Andrea Vasquez

• Anibal "Sonny" Guadalupe

• Esthela Hernandez

• Zabdiel Martinez

• Jennifer Dickerson

Tags: Hispanic Heritage Month

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

Andrea Vasquez, a member of OPEIU Local 42 and bookkeeper at UAW Local 598 in Flint, Michigan, grew up immersed in the labor movement, particularly with @UFWupdate’s campaigns to improve the lives of farmworkers. “We will always stand to fight another day,” she says, “because this is who we are.” 

Tags: Hispanic Heritage Month

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

IAM Union recently announced the successful ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement covering members who work for Greyhound nationwide, calling it the “strongest contract yet.”

The three-year deal includes major victories such as wage increases of more than 3% every year, a new vacation schedule, boosted tool allowance and more.

“This was a challenging negotiation due to Greyhound’s transition to its new parent company Flix SE, but our team secured the best contract to date for our members,” said IAM Automotive Director Craig Hughes. “I want to thank IAM leadership for expanding our department and bringing on Special Representative Heather Hildebrand. Heather did an outstanding job leading these negotiations for the first time.”

“Our members stood strong, and we delivered real gains in pay, benefits, and career opportunities,” Hildebrand added. “It was an honor to lead this negotiation alongside such a committed bargaining committee. This agreement reflects the strength of IAM members at Greyhound and the value they bring to the company every day.”

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

Striking UAW Members at GE Aerospace Secure Tentative Agreement: After two weeks of walking the picket line, UAW Local 647 members have secured a tentative agreement with GE Aerospace that addresses workers’ core issues. The new tentative deal would cover more than 600 workers across GE’s Erlanger, Kentucky, and Evendale, Ohio, facilities. Members staged this powerful work stoppage to ensure that their new contract contained improved language around job security, health care costs and work-life balance. “After 31 years at GE, I was tired of their corporate greed,” said Don Luknis, a strike captain. “I’m proud of our teamwork to keep each other going along the way. UAW Local 647 is a stronger union now than the day we walked out on strike against this corporate giant. One day longer, one day stronger!” “I’m so proud of how UAW Local 647 stuck together,” said Local 647 President Brian Strunk. “Our members held strong and had the courage to fight for more. Our bargaining team delivered on our members’ main demands: strong job security, more time off the job to spend with families, and money to offset the health care cost increase. My message to my entire UAW family: Continue to do the right thing, speak the truth, stand in unity, and you will prosper!”

Delaware DOJ Workers Form Union with AFSCME Council 81: Professionals at the Delaware Department of Justice (DOJ) who perform a number of duties to support the state’s attorneys voted with near unanimity to join AFSCME Council 81. The bargaining unit includes nearly 200 staff at the department, including clerks, code enforcement officers, maintenance workers, accountants, administrative assistants and others. Their union election was certified at the end of August, and workers are now focused on negotiating a contract with provisions around higher pay, better training and increased promotion opportunities. “We’re considered the backbone of the department,” said Monica Walker, a legal assistant in Delaware’s Special Victims Unit. “We make sure all the paperwork, files, copies and videos are ready, and that our attorneys are fully prepared for their court cases.” “We work for the largest law firm in the state, and we want to be compensated fairly,” added paralegal Liz Ghione. “We want to be a part of the conversation and have a seat at the table.”

Park City Mountain Bike Patrol Vote to Join CWA: Summer bike patrollers at Park City Mountain in Utah have voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA) to secure year-round union representation. Many bike patrollers are already members of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA), United Mountain Workers-CWA Local 7781, during winter operations, but despite performing a lot of the same essential duties during the warmer month, they didn’t have the same union protections. This victory is the first step to ensuring patrollers receive the fair compensation and respect they deserve, regardless of the time of year. “We have a livable wage in the winter after the successful negotiations last season,” said Joe Kim, a business manager for PCPSPA and a member of the resort’s trail crew. “And we are using similar skill sets. So we are looking for a wage that is more in line with the skill sets we are employing every day.”

UFCW Members Reach Tentative Agreement with California Grocers: United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 8-Golden State announced that the union has secured a tentative agreement with The Raley’s Companies, covering 6,000 workers at supermarkets across Central and Northern California. Members work at Raley’s locations as well as Bel Air and Nob Hill stores, which are two other retail banners under the grocery holding company. The new deal includes victories such as $4 per hour in wage increases over the lifetime of the contract, ratification bonuses, retirement security, improved scheduling and more. “This agreement is the direct result of members remaining united throughout the process,” UFCW Local 8-Golden State President Jacques Loveall said in a statement. “Our members don’t just keep these stores running, they’re the heart of their communities. This agreement honors their dedication and ensures they’re treated with the respect they deserve.”

Florida Nurses Decisively Vote to Join NNU: Registered nurses at HCA Florida Fort Walton–Destin Hospital voted last week to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), marking yet another victory for medical professionals at HCA Healthcare hospitals. HCA Healthcare is the largest for-profit operator of medical facilities in the country. Based on Medicare cost reports, the corporation’s Florida-based hospitals made nearly $15 billion in profits, including $616 million at Fort Walton-Destin Hospital from 2019 to 2023. Nurses cite concerns around unsafe staffing levels, broken equipment and workplace violence as core motivators for forming a union. “I am absolutely overwhelmed and elated that we are now part of National Nurses United,” said Paige Campbell, a registered nurse in the emergency department. “We now have the opportunity to make real changes at our hospital so we can provide the highest quality of care to each and every one of our patients. We know that with a seat at the bargaining table, management must address our concerns. And while we rejoice in this victory, we know in the end, it is our patients who will be the biggest winners.” “We are so proud to welcome the hundreds of nurses at Fort Walton-Destin Hospital to our NNU family,” said Marissa Lee, a registered nurse in Kissimmee, Florida, who is also an NNU vice president. “Now when nurses stand up to advocate for better patient care, they are not standing alone. They are standing with 10,000 other HCA nurses and more than 225,000 registered nurses across the country.”

Children’s Animation Workers Secure Voluntary Union Recognition: Writers at Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures, who make possible multiple beloved public access children's animation programs, have won voluntary recognition for their union with the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE). These newly minted members work on shows like “Alma’s Way,” “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” and “Carl the Collector.” They will now work under the contract provisions reached between WGAE and PBS in 2024, which included coverage of PBS Kids’ animation for the first time, but didn’t cover writers at outside production companies. This exciting development will now ensure that Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures workers’ contributions to PBS Kids are compensated with union-quality benefits and wages. In a press release, WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen said, “PBS KIDS writers have been a bedrock in educating children around the world, and we are glad they can work under a Writers Guild contract that provides them with fair pay, pension and health coverage and residuals. All animation writers deserve union protections just like their colleagues in live action television.”

Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Hispanics and Latinos have made to the labor movement. Today's profile features Anibal "Sonny" Guadalupe of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC).

Anibal "Sonny" Guadalupe has been a member of NALC Branch 36 for more than 44 years. He has played a leading role in fundraising for NALC's official charity, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and participates in the union's annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. He loves giving back, both to his fellow branch members and his community. He has served as a translator for members of the Latin community and has given speeches in Spanish to accommodate non-English speakers.

Tags: Hispanic Heritage Month

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

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 8-Golden State announced that the union has secured a tentative agreement with The Raley’s Companies, covering 6,000 workers at supermarkets across Central and Northern California.

Members work at Raley’s locations as well as Bel Air and Nob Hill stores, which are two other retail banners under the grocery holding company. The new deal includes victories such as $4 per hour in wage increases over the lifetime of the contract, ratification bonuses, retirement security, improved scheduling and more.

“This agreement is the direct result of members remaining united throughout the process,” UFCW Local 8-Golden State President Jacques Loveall said in a statement. “Our members don’t just keep these stores running, they’re the heart of their communities. This agreement honors their dedication and ensures they’re treated with the respect they deserve.”