WNYLaborToday News - Labor News From Washington, D.C.

'Years Of Advocacy' From SMART-TD & The ATU 'Lead to Critical Bus Operator Safety Legislation'

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Following years of vocal advocacy by Bus and Transit Members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ Transportation Division (SMART-TD) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Lawmakers have now introduced the bipartisan Bus Operator Safety and Security Act. This legislation would require newly-purchased, Federally-funded fixed-route buses - with a length of 30 feet or longer - to include protective barriers fully enclosing the Operator’s workstation. The legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (Rhode Island) and Josh Hawley (Missouri). Its House of Representatives companion Bill was introduced by Representatives Shomari Figures (Alabama) and Jefferson Van Drew (New Jersey). SMART-TD is hailing the tireless efforts of its Bus Department, National Legislative Department and Bus and Transit Assault Prevention and Safety (BTAPS) Committee as key to helping this issue breakthrough in the halls of Congress. “Not a day goes by that I don’t hear about one of our Members being shot, stabbed, spit on, verbally abused and more. Every day, at least (42) Transit Workers are assaulted on U.S. Transit Systems,” ATU International President John Costa said. “The Bus Operator Safety and Security Act invests in critical transit security measures, including an enclosed Driver workstation, to better protect our Transit Workers, riders, and communities. Operator safety is about public safety.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Critical Bus Operator Safety Legislation Results from Years of Advocacy - SMART Union And ATU Applauds the Introduction of the Bipartisan Bus Operator Safety and Security Act | Amalgamated Transit Union

Trump Agency 'Under Fire For Blocking' Sexual Harassment Lawsuits

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Given the terrible track record of President Donald Trump’s regime in enforcing Civil Rights Laws - except for alleged discrimination against White Men - an ongoing lawsuit by two Female Federal Workers, their Attorneys and their Union is no surprise: They charge the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the leading Federal Civil Rights Enforcement Agency, is blocking anti-discrimination lawsuits covering sexual harassment on the job.

In this case, Deanna Chelette and Alexzandria Boyd, who are both Correctional Officers at the Federal Prison in Pollock, Louisiana, are part of a Class Action Sexual Discrimination Complaint against their bosses at the prison for failing to restrain and discipline inmates who harass the Officers.

But that complaint has gone nowhere at the EEOC, thanks to Andrea Lucas, the Commission’s Trump-named Chair.

The EEOC investigates cases of sexual, racial, gender and other discrimination on the job, including Class Action claims.

But this past December, Lucas froze all such Class Action complaints from Federal Workers.

Which means Chelette, Boyd and other Female Corrections Officers at the prison are still subject to discrimination and harassment by the inmates.

And it’s bad and has only gotten worse since the two Workers went to the EEOC.

The lawsuit says Chelette and Boyd “could be assigned to work anywhere within the Prison Complex with the male inmates who expose her and her Female colleagues to exceptionally vulgar sexual harassment including demeaning sexual comments and lewd gestures, exhibitionist nudity and masturbation and rape threats. Despite class action certification and the inmates’ ongoing sexual harassment, Pollock management’s response to the sexual harassment has worsened.”

So Chelette, Boyd, their Union - the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and their lawyers went to the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C for an injunction to force the EEOC to resume its real job: Enforcing Anti-Discrimination Laws.

Ending Civil Rights enforcement shows another side of the Trump regime’s racism, as well as its disdain for its own Federal Workers and their main Union, the AFGE.

He called the Union “enemies.”

That hasn’t stopped the Workers, or their lawyers, or the AFGE.

“Whether in a Federal Prison or elsewhere, Women do not need to endure sexual harassment in the workplace,” said Heidi Burakiewicz, one of two lead Attorneys representing the two Women.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Trump agency under fire for blocking sexual harassment lawsuits – People's World

From The Economic Policy Institute: Congress 'Has Long Underfunded' Worker Protection Agencies. The Republican Budget 'Would Deepen The Damage.'

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Back in June, the Republican majority on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved a 2027 Budget that slashes funding for Worker Protection Agencies.

The Bill includes a combined $71.9 million cut for the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Further, the measure implements a 3% cut to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

While the legislation slightly increases funding for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that the Trump administration has weaponized for political reasons, the amount overall remains insufficient.

The appropriations measure now moves to the Senate, where the budget cuts face an uncertain future.

If enacted, these reductions would further strain these Agencies that have faced over a decade of flat funding that hasn’t accounted for inflation or rising labor force participation.

This chronic underfunding has severely impacted their ability to enforce Worker Protection Laws.

The Consequences Of Underfunding Worker Protection Agencies: The Department of Labor serves the Nation’s Workers by administering and enforcing most Federal Worker Protection Laws - such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Within this framework, WHD ensures Workers receive wages earned while OHSA evaluates safe workplace conditions and standards.

Moreover, independent Agencies such as the EEOC enforce a range of Anti-Discrimination Laws while the NLRB enforces Private-Sector Labor Law, including Workers’ Rights to a Union and collective bargaining.

Together, these Government Agencies are designed to equip Workers with the tools to combat workplace abuses and rectify unequal bargaining power.

However, Enforcement Agencies are unable to fulfill their mandates with reduced staffing and resources.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Congress has long underfunded worker protection agencies. The Republican budget would deepen the damage. | Economic Policy Institute

The National Treasury Employees Union 'Sues The IRS To Protect IRS Workers & The Integrity Of The Tax System'

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has joined Floyd v. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The NTEU joins as a plaintiff to defend Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Employees who administer Tax Laws fairly, impartially and free from political interference - and to protect the integrity of the Nation's Tax System.

Through the amended complaint, the NTEU is challenging the provisions of an Immunity Order that broadly grants immunity to President Donald Trump, his family and his family's business interests from tax audits.

These previously unchallenged provisions are widely believed to be unconstitutional and unlawful under the Internal Revenue Code - and they will force NTEU Members who conduct audits covered by the Immunity Order into an untenable position: Carry out an unlawful directive and violate their oath of office or defy a direct order and risk losing their job.

NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald said: “At its core, this case is about protecting the integrity of the Federal Civil Service and IRS Employees. NTEU is joining this lawsuit to make it clear: IRS Employees should never be forced to choose between following a political directive to keep their job and following the law and their oath to the Constitution. The integrity of our Tax System depends on one fundamental principle: Every taxpayer is subject to the same laws and the same standards. When political actors direct Employees to treat certain taxpayers differently, it undermines public confidence in our Tax System and places dedicated Civil Servants in an impossible position.”

The NTEU's participation in the lawsuit reflects a long-standing commitment to protecting the rights of Federal Employees and preserving public trust in the Federal Agencies that serve the American Public.

The NTEU represents Federal Workers employed in 38 Agencies and Departments, working as Law Enforcement Officers, Scientists, Attorneys, Cyber-Security Experts, Revenue Agents, Food Inspectors, Bank Examiners, Park Rangers, Tax Examiners and others.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: NTEU Sues the IRS to Protect IRS Workers and the Integrity of the Tax System - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU

Federal Workers Union 'Sues The TSA Over Secret' Airport Privatization Plan

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Leslie Bolden at The Tampa Free Press reports the Union representing Federal Airport Screeners have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), demanding the release of Government records about a program that would replace Public Officers with Private Security Contractors. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 47,000 TSA Officers across 400 U.S. Airports, filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The suit claims the TSA failed to comply with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) after ignoring a request submitted in May regarding the Agency’s GoldPlus initiative. According to Court documents, the GoldPlus Program aims to hand passenger screening and security technology operations over to private companies. The Union stated the public first learned about the initiative when a TSA briefing flier was found at Orlando International Airport and was leaked to news outlets earlier this year. Records cited in the lawsuit show TSA began soliciting vendor information for the program in August 2025 and presented details at an industry conference in March 2026. The Agency did not formally notify the AFGE about GoldPlus until late July, when it disclosed plans to launch the program next year at Airports in Tampa, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina and Des Moines, Iowa.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Federal workers union sues TSA over secret airport privatization plan

NABET/CWA & The NewsGuild/CWA Join With Public Interest Groups 'To Challenge Trump's Threat Against ABC-TV'

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - In a major confrontation over President Donald Trump regime’s schemes to censor and cow the Mainstream Media, two Locals of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians/Communications Workers of America (CWA), plus The NewsGuild/CWA, are challenging the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) threat to yank the broadcast licenses of ABC’s eight company-owned TV Stations because ABC and its parent - the Disney Company, do not bend the knee to Trump.

The issue may come to a head at the August 6th FCC meeting in D.C., even though the petition to yank the licenses of the eight Stations - including WABC-TV in New York, WLS-TV in Chicago and KABC-TV in Los Angeles and stations in Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and Fresno, California, is not officially on the meeting agenda - yet.

Public comments closed on July 30th and the FCC was inundated with at least 170,000 comments.

They were overwhelmingly negative, Commissioner Anna Gomez, who also objects, said.

Trump-named FCC Chair Brendan Carr wants to yank the eight station licenses, in retaliation against ABC.

What is on the agenda, though, is a plan for the FCC to give local over-the-air TV stations, which are more susceptible to political pressure (they don’t have the money to fight the Feds) more ways to expand at the expense of the Networks.

Trump himself repeatedly denounces the Mainstream Media as liars - or worse.

He’s forced several into humiliating settlements and strong-armed ABC last September into firing Late-Night Host Jimmy Kimmel.

The uproar against that move was so large and included so many cancellations of Disney and ABC pay services that ABC backtracked and restored Kimmel’s show and his job.

The case has important constitutional implications, says the complaint from NABET Locals 43 and 53 and The NewsGuild, three public interest groups and Democracy Forward, a leading legal-battler against Trump’s tyrannical moves.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Unions, public interest groups challenge Trump threat vs. ABC – People's World

File Photo.

Republican Budget 'Worsens Underfunding' Of Worker Protection Agencies

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Margaret Poydock and Christina Ayon at People’s World report that in early June, the Republican majority on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved a 2027 budget that slashes funding for Worker Protection Agencies. The Bill includes a combined $71.9 million cut for the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Further, the measure implements a 3% cut to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). While the legislation slightly increases funding for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that the Trump Administration has weaponized for political reasons, the amount overall remains insufficient. The appropriations measure now moves to the Senate, where the budget cuts face an uncertain future. If enacted, these reductions would further strain these Agencies that have faced over a decade of flat funding that hasn’t accounted for inflation or rising labor force participation. This chronic underfunding has severely impacted their ability to enforce Worker Protection Laws. The Department of Labor serves the Nation’s Workers by administering and enforcing most Federal Worker Protection Laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Within this framework, WHD ensures Workers receive wages earned while OHSA evaluates safe workplace conditions and standards. Moreover, independent Agencies such as the EEOC enforce a range of Anti-Discrimination Laws while the NLRB enforces Private-Sector Labor Law, including Workers’ Rights to a Union and collective bargaining. Together, these Government Agencies are designed to equip Workers with the tools to combat workplace abuses and rectify unequal bargaining power. However, Enforcement Agencies are unable to fulfill their mandates with reduced staffing and resources.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Republican budget worsens underfunding of worker protection agencies – People's World

From The Economic Policy Institute: 'Unions Are Key To High-Quality Public Education'

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – A recent report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) asks a bold question: What would the United States look like if we tripled Union Membership? The EPI found a range of economic and social benefits - such as higher wages, greater access to health insurance and a stronger democracy. This post examines another social good generated by Unions: Strong investment in Public Education. Investment in Public Education was one of the key reasons the U.S. became the richest country in the world in the 20th Century. Universal education has many positive effects, including creating a more productive workforce and a more informed and engaged Democratic Society. Unions play a key role in advocating for public spending in education. States with higher Unionization rates spend substantially more per student on education. In sum, there are many ways Unions support Workers and their communities, and their consistent support of Public Education shouldn’t be discounted. From advocating for enough funding for high-quality education to defending against education privatization, Unions support our Nation’s commitment to universal Public Education - which not only improves students’ academic achievement, but also their economic outcomes well into adulthood.

To Read This EPI Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Unions are key to high-quality public education | Economic Policy Institute

National Nurses United 'Drives To Protect Workers, Patients Vs Corporate Greed'

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - National Nurses United (NNU) has begun an intensive campaign to protect their patients and Worker safety on the job against the dangers and ravages of corporate greed. In letters to Both Congressional Committees dealing with Workers’ issues and in an on-line petition the Union wants viewers to send to Lawmakers, NNU warns “corporate greed could compromise patient safety.” And Workers, too. “Under the Trump Administration, OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration) is moving policies that help corporations profit at the expense of Worker health and safety,” NNU reports. Since 2025, OSHA has: Lessened enforcement and reduced penalties; Proposed to exempt certain industries from OSHA enforcement entirely, leaving the door open for expansion to other industries; and Proposed to weaken protections for Workers who need respirators to protect them from toxic chemicals, infectious diseases and other respiratory hazards at work. “This is part of the Trump Administration’s fascist plan to rig the economy for billionaires, at the expense of Working People. Workers need more OSHA inspections, standards and enforcement focused on holding corporations accountable to protect Working People, not less. If these changes are made permanent, more Workers will get sick, injured and die,” the NNU warns. NNU, the Nation’s largest Union for Registered Nurses, demands Congressional reversal of all those Anti-Worker actions, and more.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: National Nurses United drives to protect workers, patients vs corporate greed – People's World

LIUNA & The IUPAT 'Unite With Historic Memorandum Of Understanding To Build More Working Class Power' - "The Old Playbook Isn't Working Anymore, So We Must Build A New One: A Fighting Movement Of Workers United By 21st Century Solidarity"

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) have issued the following statement after signing a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their historic industry-wide collaboration:

IUPAT and LIUNA stand as two pillars of the North American Labor Movement, each with proud histories of building nations and strengthening Working Class power.

We recognize the challenges we face today, including aggressive Anti-Union legislation, corporate consolidation and technological disruption.

Workers deserve more power.

To get it requires 21st Century solidarity.

Our two Unions are bound by an unwavering belief that every Worker deserves a family-sustaining wage, a secure retirement, world-class health care and a safe workplace free of exploitation.

We believe this is attainable if we harness our Unions’ collective strength to build more power for Working People.

With LIUNA’s dominance in the Infrastructure and Energy Sectors and IUPAT’s expertise in the Construction Finishing Trades, we aim to create a formidable force capable of setting higher Industry Standards and prosperity for our Members and for all workers in our Industry Sectors.

LIUNA and IUPAT commit to: Joint organizing efforts to help Workers who do not have a Union win the superior wages, benefits and working conditions that come with a Union; Recognizing that our competitiveness and the competitiveness of Union Contractors requires a highly-trained, safe and efficient workforce that delivers projects on time and on budget; Unifying communications to amplify the voice of Workers, reach a broader audience and counter Anti-Union propaganda; Recruiting new Members that ensure our Unions reflect our communities across the United States and Canada; Aligning contract expiration dates and bargaining priorities to increase Workers’ leverage at the bargaining table; Directing our pension fund investments be used in the interest of our Members and refusing to place Members’ pension funds in investments that work against Unions; and Coordinating lobby efforts to push for Pro-Labor legislation and jobs-creating funding, and pooling resources for Political Action Committees and political mobilization.

The Construction Industry has adopted a model to exploit Workers and divide Unions.

The old playbook isn’t working anymore, so we must build a new one: A fighting movement of Workers united by 21st Century solidarity.

Our collaboration is a growth strategy for IUPAT and LIUNA.

We seek to aggressively expand Union market share and grow our Membership by reaching unorganized Workers with a compelling, unified message of a better, more secure way of life.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Laborers’ Union, Painters' Union Unite With Historic Memorandum of Understanding to Build More Power for the Working Class

Unions 'Lead Nationwide Protests To Demand Action To Save The U.S. Postal Service'

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - From Portland, Oregon to Miami and from Chicago to Washinton, D.C., tens of thousands of people rallied Tuesday (July 28th) in a Union-organized campaign to save the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) by pressuring Congress to give it a temporary financial lifeline while keeping it out of the clutches of Wall Street and the billionaire class.

Organized by the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the campaign drew both active Unionists, Retirees, families, and friends from Postal Unions, Central Labor Councils, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and other Unions.

“The U.S. Postal Service is not a business, it’s a service” to the people of the U.S. and should be treated that way, declared Nannette Corley, the long-time former President of APWU Local 3630 in Montgomery County, Maryland.

“It’s a service for the community,” Corley said.

Which is not how President Donald Trump, his corporate and financial backers, new Trump-named Postmaster General David Steiner - the former CEO of Waste Management - or the Trump nominees to the USPS Governing Board see it.

The USPS foes see billions of dollars in red ink, too many workers, too many Post Offices, too much service - including Saturday mail delivery - and too little opportunities for them to profit.

The APWU, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), the Postal Mail Handlers and two smaller Unions are additional targets for them.

These Unions represent the Nation’s 600,000 USPS workers, most of whom are People of Color, Women, Veterans, or combinations of those characteristics.

And more than 80% are Unionized.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Nationwide protests demand action to save U.S. Postal Service – People's World

File Photo.

Federal Charges Against SEIU-USWW President David Huerta To Be Dismissed: "The Charge Against Me Was Baseless, Meant To Intimidate Anyone Who Dares To Speak Out, Organize Or Demand Justice"

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California has announced it has moved to dismiss the charges against Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) President David Huerta, who was arrested while protesting the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown in California.

SEIU-USWW has more than 750,000 Members, including Janitors, Security Officers and other Workers.

The U.S. Government will seek to have the case permanently withdrawn within weeks if Huerta continues to comply with the terms of his pre-trial release and stays out of trouble, prosecutors said.

Huerta said he was tackled, pepper-sprayed and detained for exercising his Constitutional Rights to protest and cast the case against him as part of a broader “weaponization of The Judicial System.”

In response, President Huerta released the following statement:

The U.S. Department of Justice announced it is dropping its charge against me. This means the Government is finally admitting what we knew from day one and what was obvious to anyone who saw the videos: The charge against me was baseless, meant to intimidate anyone who dares to speak out, organize or demand justice. There was never a real case, only an attempt to punish and silence me for exercising my Constitutional Rights. I’m grateful for the support of SEIU Members, our community, my family, my friends and everyone who has stood with me this past year. To every Worker, every Immigrant, everyone who’s ever been marginalized or discriminated against - now is not the time to keep your head down or to keep silent. Now is the time to keep organizing. To keep showing up. To keep fighting. We will not be silenced. We will not be divided. And we will keep fighting until every Worker and every family is safe from raids, separation and fear.

National AFL-CIO Editor’s Note: You Can Read The Full Statement Here And For More, Go To: Federal prosecutors move to dismiss charge against labor union leader | AP News

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler: "Our Job Security Is Political. Our Union Contracts And The Rights To Organize Is Political. Our Ability To Afford Groceries Is Political."

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler has released the following statement with there now being 100 days before the Mid-Term Elections:

Every single part of our lives is political.

Even simple things - like the quality of the air our kids breathe, how many potholes we hit on our way to work and how long it takes to get to the doctor - are all directly impacted by who is in office and what their priorities are.

Right now, we have 56 days until early voting begins in some States.

The last two years have proven that none of the rights and freedoms we have can be taken for granted.

Our job security is political.

Our Union contracts and right to organize are political.

Our ability to afford groceries is political.

Which is why we are launching the strongest, baddest, single largest mid-term program that the Labor Movement has ever led.

There’s no denying that we’re up against a tough fight this year.

In the face of blatant attacks on our voting rights and heavy political spending from power-hungry billionaires, it’s going to take a big ground game to put Pro-Worker candidates into office.

There’s only one movement that has the know-how, the message, the infrastructure and the people power to win - and that’s us.

So if you’re ready to help elect Lawmakers who will actually fight for us and our families this November, head over to betterinaunion.org/unionpower to take the P.O.W.E.R. pledge, access important resources and get plugged in.

Organized Labor & The NAACP 'Plan Closer Cooperation' As November Election Looms

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) - The NAACP, the Nation’s oldest Civil Rights Organization, and the Union Movement plan closer cooperation in the fight to defeat MAGA and the Trump Administration, which both call an enormous threat to Workers and People Of Color.

NAACP Executive Director Derrick Johnson and Board Chair Leon Russell announced that closer collaboration in back-to-back remarks at a special Labor-oriented session during the organization’s convention here.

Both said while Unions and the NAACP share the same goals and that Labor has often worked hand-in-hand with Civil Rights Leaders - providing money and People Power - the reverse was not always apparent.

And there needs to be more collaboration at the local level between Union Locals and NAACP Local Chapters, they said.

That will change, the two Leaders promised.

And the change could appear in a variety of ways, and not just in the electoral battle to defeat the MAGA forces of Donald Trump and his retrograde Republicans, who want to take the country back to Jim Crow or before.

“Let’s keep our eyes on the same prize,” Johnson urged.

The cooperation with Labor will be “around more than collective bargaining,” Johnson said. “For instance, now they (the Right Wing) are even using your pension dollars against you” in investments and also refusing to invest in homes or businesses of Communities pf Color, he said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: NAACP and unions plan closer cooperation as November election looms – People's World

The U.S. Labor Market 'May Soon Face A New Crisis' - 'Too Few' Workers

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Megan Cerullo at CBS News reports that even as many Workers are fearful Artificial Intelligence (AI) could endanger their jobs, there's a potentially bigger employment crisis on the horizon: A severe labor shortage that is set to emerge over the next 10 to 15 years, according to a leading demographer. Demand for young Workers is going to "explode" during that period, leaving employers with a shortage of qualified Workers, according to Steven Ruggles, a Professor of History and Population Studies at the University of Minnesota, and the creator of the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS), the world's largest and most widely used population database. A wave of Baby Boomer retirements will coincide with smaller cohorts of young people entering the labor market, resulting in a smaller overall workforce. That will lead to an "unprecedented situation" where, for the first time in U.S. economic history, more Workers will leave the workforce than enter it, Ruggles said. The labor force is set to shrink by 2.7 million Workers, or 1.3%, from 2030 to 2040, according to Ruggles' analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data and population growth projections from the Congressional Budget Office. That will come after the labor force grows by just 9.1 million people from 2020 to 2030, marking the smallest number of net entrants into the workforce since the 1960s. "Some people think AI is going to take away all jobs. But there are going to be very few people who are searching for jobs, relative to the size of the economy," Ruggles told CBS News. An average of 10,000 Boomers a day are turning 65 from 2011 through 2029, according to Census data. In 2025, a record 4.18 million Americans, or more than 11,400 people per day, turned 65. "Baby Boomers are quickly leaving the scene and there aren't very many young people," Ruggles said.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The US labor market may soon face a new crisis: Too few workers

"This Election Will Decide Whether We Are A Country Governed By The People Or Ruled By The Powerful. A Country Of Opportunity Or Oligarchy" - AFT President Weingarten 'Urges Mobilization To Defend Democracy'

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Sounding the alarm over threats to Democracy, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten is urging her Union’s 1.88 million Members to hit the streets between now and Election Day to defend it.

Specifically, in her keynote address on July 16th to the Union’s Convention, she wants 25,000 Teachers and other AFT Members out on the streets whenever they can - along with phone banking, ringing doorbells, e-mails, voting rights cards and more - to campaign for Pro-Worker Lawmakers and against the oligarchs and billionaires who now rule U.S. politics.

And to make sure those Anti-Working-Class elements, led by Anti-Union Republican President Donald Trump, the Union will recruit an additional and special 5,000-Member brigade to keep a sharp eye on and try to halt intimidation, repression and other tactics of the elite and their political puppets.

She labeled those foes outright fascists.

And it’s not just Trump, Weingarten explained.

“This election will decide whether we are a country governed by the people or ruled by the powerful. A country of opportunity or oligarchy. A country whose people live in freedom or in fear,” she declared, adding: “Do we want a future in which elections are rigged to maintain one-party control and Government is for sale to the highest bidder? Or one in which every person’s vote matters and Government serves the people? That’s what’s at stake in November (2026).”

And in 2028, when the Presidency will be on the ballot, too, she later added.

“The stakes are very high,” Weingarten exclaimed.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Teachers’ President Weingarten urges mobilization to defend democracy – People's World

The National AFL-CIO Responds To Trump's National TV Address On Elections: The Labor Movement 'Rejects The President's Agenda To Deny Working People's Fundamental Rights'

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement in response to President Trump's nationally-televised address on elections:

President Trump pushed years-old, thoroughly debunked, alarmingly dangerous conspiracy theories in an effort to undermine our elections and deny Americans their fundamental freedoms.

The purpose is clear: Divide, scare and intimidate Working People to stop the election of Public Officials who will hold the rich and powerful accountable for their greed.

It’s also a blatant attempt to distract from the fact that everything is too expensive, Working People are struggling, and his Administration’s policies are only making it worse.

The Labor Movement rejects any attempt by the President of the United States or anyone else to weaken our Democracy.

We demand a Government where Elected Leaders answer to Working People - not billionaires, corporate CEOs or special interests.

Every day until November, the National AFL-CIO and our Affiliated Unions are organizing and mobilizing, in our communities and to the ballot box, to turn out Union Voters and elect Pro-Worker candidates.

We’re using our boots on the ground in every corner of this Nation to run an extensive Election Protection Program that ensures every vote is counted and every voice is heard.

And we are standing up for one another - with the strength and solidarity of the Workers who built this country - to defend the fundamental freedoms of all Working People.

To Directly Access This Statement, Go To: AFL-CIO: The Labor Movement Rejects the President’s Agenda to Deny Working People’s Fundamental Rights | AFL-CIO

From The Economic Policy Institute: 'The Case For Tripling' Union Membership - 'How Rebuilding Union Power Would Strengthen Workers, The Economy & Our Democracy'

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Union Membership in the U.S. ticked up in 2025, breaking a decades-long trend of declining Unionization, but today’s Unionization Rate doesn’t reflect the tens of millions of Workers who want a Union - but can’t get one.

This Economic Policy Institute (EPI) report examines what we stand to gain if we triple current Union Membership to 30% - restoring it to 1950s levels, when Union Strength delivered rising wages, narrowing racial wage gaps and a thriving Middle Class.

Tripling Union Membership would:

Deliver A 14.5% Raise For The Median Worker: Amounting to more than $7,700 annually or nearly $270,000 over a 35-year career. These life-changing increases would benefit Union and Non-Union Workers alike.

Shift $1.2 Trillion To Workers Annually: This would reverse a third of the increase in inequality experienced since 1979.

Significantly Narrow Racial Wage Gaps: Because Unions tend to boost wages more for Black and Hispanic Workers than for White Workers, tripling Union Membership would close racial wage gaps by more than one-third.

Boost The Number Of People With Health Insurance: Since Unions increase other forms of compensation, like health insurance benefits, the number of non-elderly people without health insurance would fall by about 25%. Unions further reduce uninsured rates by advocating for increased public benefits like Medicaid.

Strengthen Communities: States with high Union Density invest more in public education, have higher unemployment insurance recipiency rates, and have all adopted Medicaid expansion.

Protect Democracy: Unions boost voter turnout, equip Workers with civic skills and actively defend voting rights. States with high Union Density have passed far fewer Voter Restriction Bills than low-density States.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The case for tripling union membership: How rebuilding union power would strengthen workers, the economy, and our democracy | Economic Policy Institute

National Nurses United 'Condemns The ICE Murder Of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo' In Houston As 'The Nation's Largest Nurses Union Reaffirms Its Calls For The Abolition Of ICE'

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND) - National Nurses United (NNU), the largest Union of Registered Nurses (RNs) in the United States, is condemning the murder of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Houston.

NNU maintains that the only way forward on this issue of fascist authoritarian violence is the abolition of ICE.

“ICE has continued to operate with deadly force and apparent complete impunity despite mass calls for their abolition,” NNU Executive Director Puneet Maharaj said. “Their ongoing campaign of lethal violence against everyday people is needlessly ending lives, causing harm, and endangering and terrifying the communities where we live, work and take care of patients.”

A GoFundMe has been established to support Araujo’s Family.

The Trump Administration continues to spread terror in our communities by targeting innocent People of Color and criminalizing dissent, Union Officials said.

From Federal charges against Anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota to sentencing protesters and activists in Texas to raiding the offices of non-profit organizations in Ohio, these coordinated attacks are aimed to undermine our Democracy and strip away our freedoms, NNU said.

Nurses are committed to building the solidarity needed to protect our patients and communities from these escalating attacks by officials under the Trump Administration, the Union said.

The NNU has consistently called for ICE’s abolition and Nurses have taken several actions to demand an end to this campaign of community harassment and endangerment.

The NNU represents more than 225,000 Nurses across the Nation and advocates for policies and legislation that improve the lives of Nurses and communities everywhere.

The NNU is the largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of RNs in the United States with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

NNU Affiliates include the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, the DC Nurses Association, the Michigan Nurses Association, the Minnesota Nurses Association, and the New York State Nurses Association.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: National Nurses United condemns ICE murder of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo | National Nurses United

NNU Photo.

Unionized Workers 'Decry Trump's War On Wind'

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michael Sainato at The Guardian reports President Donald Trump has blamed everything - from “national security” issues, the deaths of birds and whales, and cancer - in his decades-long campaign against wind farms. But as the Trump Administration continues to undermine the industry, what worries Workers most are their jobs. Since taking office for a second term, Trump has issued an Executive Order aiming to halt all wind-energy leases and permits, attempted to issue stop-work orders on wind projects under construction, and paid more than $2.6 billion in settlements to buy out wind energy leases. Hundreds of Workers have been affected. Trump’s Department of Interior has completed four deals so far to cancel wind project leases, paying energy corporations a sum of more than $2.6 billion, including paying $765 million to Invenergy to abandon four wind projects in California, New York and Maine and nearly $900 million to Bluepoint Wind and Garden State Wind to cancel off-shore wind leases in New York and California. “I think it’s a foolish policy the Trump Administration is engaging in trying to buy out these leases,” Rhode Island AFL-CIO President Pat Crowley told The Guardian. “These projects are not only helping to reduce our carbon emissions, they’re providing good-paying Union jobs for thousands.” Crowley said Workers would have had long-term job stability from working on these projects, noting the Trump administration had lost in Court in its attempts to issue stop-work orders on five wind projects in the Rhode Island area.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: ‘Why take those jobs away?’: the unionized workers decrying Trump’s war on wind | Wind power | The Guardian

IUOE Local 17 Windmill Project File Photo.

Nurse Strikes 'Have Quadrupled Since 2017, Here's Why It Keeps Growing'

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Jay Wiley at Nurse.org reports that if it feels like Nurses are walking out more often than they used to, you are not imagining it. The numbers prove it and the pace is picking up. Nurse.org tracked 107 confirmed Registered Nurse (RN) walkouts from 2017 through 2026. In the three years before the Coronavirus Pandemic, the U.S. saw about four Nurse Strikes a year. In 2025, there were 19. And by the middle of 2026, there had already been 16. Two honest notes on that climb: Some of the recent increase comes from the same hospitals striking more than once, often several short walkouts during a single contract fight, which lifts the yearly count; and Strikes from the late 2010s are simply harder to document than today's, so the earliest years may be undercounted. Even allowing for both, the direction is unmistakable - and independent trackers see the same thing. Cornell University's Labor Action Tracker found Health Care Strikes rose 58% in 2025 over the year before, with the number of workers involved more than doubling. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports education and health services accounted for 64% of all Workers idled by major Strikes in 2025, more than any other sector. The jump follows the staffing crisis Nurses have lived with since 2020. When Nurse.org looked at the reasons behind every walkout, staffing levels were at the heart of 95 of the 107 strikes. Pay and patient safety come up too, but unsafe assignments and being stretched too thin are what push Nurses to the picket line.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Nurse Strikes Have Quadrupled Since 2017. Here's Why It Keeps Growing | Nurse.Org

A New Analysis Finds The NLRB 'Is More Likely To Dismiss Worker & Union Charges Under Trump' - Report 'Points To Staffing Shortages, Procedural Changes & Lack Of A Board Quorum As Contributing Factors'

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michael Sainato at The Guardian reports dismissals of Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charges have surged at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) under Republican President Donald Trump, according to a new analysis. From January 2025 to April 2026, the NLRB dismissed 34.7% of all ULP Charges filed by Labor Unions, a 14.2 percentage-point increase from 2024. The NLRB dismissed 67.4% of ULP Charges filed by Workers, 10.7 points higher than 2024. The analysis of more than 40,000 cases conducted by the Center for American Progress cited several issues at the NLRB since Trump began his second term in office. The NLRB was left without a quorum required to issue decisions for 345 days after Trump fired Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black Woman to ever serve on the Board. Labor Lawyers have noted ULP Charge cases are being thrown out due to glitches or technicalities with the Board’s Docketing System. Bloomberg reported in February 2026 that NLRB Regional Offices are understaffed by 23%, but Congress has continued slashing the Board’s budget. About 150 Workers left the NLRB in 2025 and only eight workers were added, a loss of more than 10% of the NLRB’s workforce, leading to worsening backlogs of cases.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: US labor board more likely to dismiss worker and union charges under Trump, analysis finds | US unions | The Guardian

A Federal Judge 'Sides With AFSCME Workers To Protect' The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Members will continue to be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program after a Federal Judge blocked the Trump Administration’s effort to unfairly disqualify certain government and non-profit employers from the popular program. 

The Court’s ruling - in a lawsuit brought by AFSCME and others - ordered the U.S. Department of Education to abandon a rule change that would have allowed the Administration to exclude organizations for political reasons and denied their Workers access to The Student Debt Relief Program that makes college more affordable and attracts skilled Workers to Public Service careers. 

AFSCME President Lee Saunders called the ruling a major victory for Public Service Workers and the communities they serve: “We applaud the Court for blocking this illegal, partisan effort to strip Public Service Workers of critical debt relief. Countless Public Service jobs require Workers to get degrees, leaving many in crippling debt even as they do the work necessary to keep our communities running. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program is a promise that those who dedicate their careers to helping others will receive the backing they need.”

Saunders said the ruling ensures “the door remains open for the next generation to step into these critical roles with confidence that they will be able to provide for themselves and their families - a major victory for communities nationwide.” 

The ruling is yet another example of how AFSCME Members, in solidarity with allied groups, are fighting back against the Trump Administration’s Anti-Worker policies and supporting the Employees who deliver vital services that keep our communities running. 

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Judge sides with AFSCME workers to protect Public Service Loan Forgiveness program - AFSCME. You can read the court’s opinion here and learn more about the case here. 

Unions Join With Civil Rights Groups 'To Fight Trump's SAVE Act Voter Suppression Bill'

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Labor Unions and Civil Rights Groups are girding for another battle over a massive Republican Voter Suppression Bill, the so-called SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act.

Right-Wing House Republicans demanded the GOP attach the SAVE Act to the annual Military Authorization Bill, but their leaders said “no.”

The Right-Wingers then revolted, joining the Democrats to scuttle the Military Bill on a procedural vote just before the July 4th congressional recess.

So, House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican-Louisiana) - to appease his radicals who are led by U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna (Republican-Florida) plans to insert it into yet another so-called “Reconciliation” Bill when Lawmakers return on July 11th.

Reconciliation Bills are immune from Senate filibusters - but they’re supposed to only deal with tax and spending limits, such as President Donald Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” did last July 4th.

The SAVE Act is now Trump’s top priority and Johnson is scrounging for ways to enact it.

Johnson says key parts of the SAVE Act would virtually kill mail-in balloting and force voters to provide proof of citizenship every time they register to vote and/or go to the polls.

He also contends it would eliminate “fraud in Blue States.”

Johnson did not provide any proof of such fraud.

Neither did the measure’s top sponsor, Trump, who’s made it his #1 cause and who still lies about the 2020 Presidential Election being “stolen” from him.

But the SAVE Act “will guarantee the Mid-Terms” for the GOP, he declares, and ensure that Republicans won’t lose for “a hundred years.”

Former Trump Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem disclosed the real objective of the SAVE Act, though, four months ago.

It’s “to make sure we have the right people voting, that we have the right people to lead this country.”

In plain English: Right-Wing MAGA Republicans and a few others.

Estimates of how many people would lose the right to vote via the GOP’s Voter Suppression Bill start at 21 million, the number of Women whose last names on their original Voter Registrations do not match their current names.

Other numbers are higher.

The GOP plan has drawn the ire of the National AFL-CIO.: “We must defend rule by the people and the right to vote. We strongly oppose restrictive Voter ID Laws that disenfranchise segments of the population by disproportionately impacting Workers, Women, People with Disabilities and Communities of Color.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Stop the SAVE: Unions, civil rights groups fight voter suppression bill – People's World

United Steelworkers File Graphic.

AFGE & NFFE-IAM Affiliates 'Sue' The U.S. Defense Department 'Over Illegal Termination Of Employees' Union Rights'

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) have sued the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) over the unlawful termination of hundreds of Union contracts.

The lawsuit alleges Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s April 9th memo canceling virtually all Civilian Workforce Collective Bargaining Agreements violates the Administrative Procedure Act.

AFGE National President Everett Kelley said: "The Department of Defense's termination of AFGE contracts, carried out under Pete Hegseth's unlawful directive, is an insult to the hard-working Men and Women who serve our military. I am proud to stand with AFGE's Affiliates fighting for their rights. In many cases, the Affiliates have had contracts in place for more than fifty years before they were unlawfully terminated. As we celebrate our Nation's (250th) anniversary, we should not be attacking those who help us protect our freedoms. In attacking DOD Civilian Employees, the Administration is attacking Veterans, Military Families and the workers our Warfighters rely on every day. This not only makes America less safe, it is antithetical to our values as a Nation."

NFFE National President Randy Erwin said: “For decades, workers at the Department of Defense have had the right to Unionize and employees exercising that right has never been detrimental to U.S. National Security. The Trump Administration unilaterally and illegally stripping Collective Bargaining Rights from DOD Workers only serves to weaken morale, harm recruitment and retention, and reduce accountability - jeopardizing our National Security and the critical mission of the Agency. NFFE Locals are proud to join their AFGE Brothers and Sisters in challenging the cancellation of their Collective Bargaining Agreements and we are confident the rule of law will prevail.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Unions sue DoD over termination of collective bargaining agreements | Federal News Network

Photograph Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

The National AFL-CIO 'Details The Harm To Working People On The One-Year Anniversary Of The Passage Of Trump's Big Ugly Bill'

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - One year ago, President Donald Trump signed the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, commemorating the July 4th Holiday by throwing millions off their health care and food assistance and cutting hundreds of thousands of health care jobs.

The National AFL-CIO is marking the anniversary by detailing the damage the law has done to Working Families, while the wealthiest few continue to cash in.

In a statement, National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said: It’s been one year since President Trump signed the worst job-killing bill in American History. It was made possible by every Senator and representative who voted to sell out Working People and pick their pockets to hand another payday to corporations and billionaires. Since the passing of the Big Ugly Bill, the U.S. economy has had one of the worst years of job growth in decades. Black Workers have been hit the hardest, with an unemployment rate now more than double the rate for White Workers. Millions of Americans have lost their health care and access to the food programs they rely on, all while dealing with higher costs on everything from gas and groceries to electricity. With even bigger cuts going into effect after the Mid-Term Elections, States’ budgets are getting blown up and local Lawmakers are planning devastating cuts to even more essential programs to cover their residents’ SNAP and Medicaid costs. Meanwhile, the people at the top are doing better than ever. This Bill handed billionaires, one trillionaire and the country’s wealthiest corporations massive tax giveaways paid for by The Social Programs Working Families depend on to survive. In 1776, Americans stood up against a powerful king who thought he could steal from us, trample on our rights and get away with it. We refused to be silenced. Two hundred and fifty years later, that same spirit is alive in American Workers who organize their jobsites, fight for policies that actually help Workers and show up at the ballot box to hold their Elected Representatives accountable. This Independence Day and every day, America’s Unions continue to fight the damage this Bill has caused and build an economy that actually works for Working People.”

One year later, the Big Ugly Bill has:

Contributed to one of the worst years for the job market in decades, with the U.S. economy experiencing almost zero job growth in 2025, and the gap between Black and White unemployment doubling.
Stripped food assistance from more than four million Americans through SNAP cuts, with participation dropping in every State and the steepest losses in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Forced about three million people off their health insurance and drove up costs for people who get their coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Premiums rose by 58% and deductibles reached a record high of nearly $3,800 a year.
Cut State Medicaid budgets by nearly $679 billion, with new bureaucratic red tape projected to strip coverage from up to 10 million more people by 2028 and put hundreds of hospitals at risk of closing.
Raised electricity bills by more than $110 a year after repealing clean energy investment incentives that created good Union energy jobs, all while Americans get slammed by inflation at a three-year high.
Gifted $1 trillion in tax breaks to the top 1% and raised taxes on Americans earning under $15,000 a year, while adding $3.4 trillion to the deficit.
Is still on track to throw 600,000 health Care Workers out of a job, along with threatening 1.75 million construction jobs and 840,000 energy jobs in the years to come.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: AFL-CIO Details Harms to Working People for One Year of Big Ugly Bill | AFL-CIO

Seventeen States & Localities 'Are Increasing Their Minimum Wage In July'

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - On July 1st, the Minimum Wage rose in the States of Alaska, Oregon and in our Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C. - lifting wages for more than 361,000 Workers and collectively raising their earnings by more than $221 million.

In addition to these two States and Washington, D.C. - 14 Cities and Counties also increased their Minimum Wage this Summer, including Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

These increases continue to be crucial for low-wage Workers as they contend with the affordability crisis.

The average increase in annual wages for a full-time, year-round Worker resulting from these Minimum-Wage hikes ranges from $573 in Oregon to $811 in Alaska.

These pay raises directly boost Workers’ incomes, giving them a leg-up in the race against rising prices - a straightforward example of how policymakers can often more easily tackle affordability challenges through policy decisions that boost wages, such as setting strong wage floors.

A higher Minimum Wage has a positive impact on more than just the Workers who currently earn the Minimum Wage - indirectly affected Workers will see their pay go up too as employers adjust their wage ladders to the new wage floor.

The Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) analysis of the increases in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., accounts for these spillover effects and finds:

Women make up more than half (56.3%) of affected
The wage increases disproportionately benefit Black and Hispanic Workers. Black Workers make up 15.3% of affected Workers, despite making up 10.4% of the workforce across the three areas. Hispanic Workers make up a similar percentage of the workforce (12.4%) - but make up more than a fourth (26.0%) of affected
The vast majority (89.3%) of affected Workers are age 20 or older - and more than three in five Workers (62.1%) are 25 or older.
More than half (52.9%) of the affected Workers work full-time.
The increases will raise wages for those who need it the most. Half (50.5%) of affected Workers belong to households whose incomes are less than 200% of the poverty line.
More than one in five (23.6%) of affected Workers are parents.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Seventeen states and localities are increasing their minimum wage this July | Economic Policy Institute

The United Auto Workers 'Vote To Divest' From Israeli Bonds

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(DETROIT, MICHIGAN) - Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) have voted to remove hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Union's investments in Israeli bonds because of the country's war in Gaza.

The vote to divest came at the just-held Union's 39th Constitutional Convention at Huntington Place in Downtown Detroit as one of the UAW's last orders of business.

The measure was passed by a raised-hand vote of the thousand-or-so Delegates, amalgamated from UAW Locals across the United States.

As early as December 2023, the Union had criticized Israel's prosecution of the war, which started with an attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023, signing onto a petition advocating for a ceasefire.

At the time, the Union also formed a group to study the UAW's financial connections to Israel.

"From opposing fascism in World War (Two) to mobilizing against apartheid South Africa and the CONTRA war, the UAW has consistently stood for justice across the globe," Region 9A Director Brandon Mancilla said in a news release back in 2023. "That is why I am proud that the UAW International is officially calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine."

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: UAW convention votes to divest from Israeli bonds

The National AFL-CIO 'Slams Supreme Court Ruling That Threatens To Give Trump Power Over The Federal Agencies That Protects Labor Rights'

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. Slaughter, which allows the President to fire members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The Labor Federation submitted an amicus brief in the case in November calling on the Supreme Court to uphold the independence of Federal Agencies:

The Supreme Court sided with President Trump in Trump v. Slaughter, giving the President the power to fire members of the FTC for any reason, or no reason at all - with presumably widespread consequences for many independent Federal Agencies, including potentially those that protect Workers’ Rights.

The Court’s ruling will further embolden big corporations that willingly break the law to trample our rights.

For 90 years, the independence of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been central to the Agency’s mission of protecting the fundamental rights of Workers to organize on the job free of political interference.

Along with the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) and National Mediation Board, the NLRB provides the legal avenue for Workers to fight back against bad bosses and violations of their rights in the workplace.

(This) ruling threatens their independence and ensures that every future member of these Boards will wonder whether the President is watching over their shoulders, ready to try to fire them for any ruling they disagree with.

Workers seeking to organize their workplace or file charges against an employer could ultimately face boards that answer to the President, not the law.

Giving Trump the power to hand-pick political loyalists to decide those cases - and carry out his own Anti-Worker agenda - corrupts the entire process.

The Labor Movement has been here before.

Decades of Worker organizing and Strikes forced Congress to act, creating a legal path to justice that didn’t exist before.

No Supreme Court decision can take away Workers’ will to organize or stop our fight for Workers’ Rights on the job.

To Directly Access This National AFL-CIO Statement, Go To: AFL-CIO Slams Ruling That Threatens to Give Trump Power Over the Federal Agencies That Protect Our Labor Rights | AFL-CIO

The National AFL-CIO's P.O.W.E.R. Program 'Is Recruiting 50,000 Election Protection Volunteers & Turning Out At Least Two Million More To Ensure Working People Have Their Voices Heard At The Ballot Box & Put Pro-Worker Candidates Into Office'

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler has released the following statement regarding what must be done by Organized Labor prior to the November Mid-Term Election:

We have less than 130 days - that’s how long we have until Election Day to launch the biggest, most organized electoral campaign that our movement has ever created to elect lawmakers who will fight for us, not the unchecked billionaires running the White House.

Every hard-fought contract this Administration has shredded, every dollar it has taken from essential Social Services to cut taxes for the rich and every Working Person who has been targeted by campaigns of terror, all of it is why we need to show up like never before this November.

At our Convention earlier this month, the AFL-CIO launched its 2026 Mid-Term Political Campaign - The P.O.W.E.R. Program:

P: Protect the vote and ensure every Member can safely cast their ballot.

O: Organize new labor strongholds led by Workers.

W: Win crucial races that determine the future of Workers' Rights.

E: Engage our baseline through authentic, peer-to-peer contact.

R: Right Now: Mobilize Right Now. Action today creates victory tomorrow.

We’re recruiting 50,000 Election Protection Volunteers and turning out at least two million more new Members to ensure Working People have their voices heard at the ballot box and put Pro-Worker candidates into office.

We are in the fight of our lives.

What happens in November will directly impact our lives, our Unions and our communities.

Let’s get this done.

The National AFL-CIO 'Condemns' The Supreme Court's 'Decision To End Temporary Protected Status For Immigrant Workers'

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump Administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections:

Today’s decision is a devastating blow to Working Families and the stability of our economy.

We stand proudly with the valued members of our Unions and communities with TPS as we continue the long-term fight for justice.

By allowing the Trump Administration to disregard the law, the Court has put the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Workers at risk.

TPS holders from Haiti, Syria and other countries came here fleeing danger, instability and crisis.

They have built lives here, joined Unions, and become integral to our workplaces and economy.

Let’s be clear about who pays the price for this decision: Working People.

It’s not just wrong - it is a recipe for economic disaster that will create chaos in workplaces, disrupt key industries and make it easier for bad bosses to exploit fear and drive down workplace standards and conditions for everyone.

The Trump Administration’s Anti-Immigrant agenda seeks to pit Working People against each other - but the Labor Movement rejects that politics of fear.

Congress must act immediately to protect TPS holders and stabilize our workforce by creating a broad and swift pathway to citizenship for those whose labor helps our country to prosper.

We will keep fighting alongside Immigrant Workers and their families, because an injury to one is an injury to all.

To Directly Access This National AFL-CIO Statement, Go To: AFL-CIO Condemns Supreme Court Decision to End TPS for Immigrant Workers | AFL-CIO

New Trump Rule 'To Cost Workers $3.7 Billion - Yearly'

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - In another Donald Trump regime slam at Workers, a proposed U.S. Labor Department (DOL) “Joint Employer” rule could cost at least 595,000 more Workers, already exploited by low pay, no benefits and bad conditions, at least $3.7 billion - yearly, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) says. The yearly loss to individual Workers would range from “a minimum of $6,294 for Retail Sales Workers, under extremely conservative assumptions, to a minimum of $23,266 annually for Truck Drivers,” EPI calculates. And all that money would stay in corporate pockets, the Labor-backed Think Tank protested to Daniel Navarrete, the Regulations Director for the Trump DOL’s Wage and Hours Division. The only joint employers under the Trump DOL’s proposal would be those who directly control all aspects of the Worker’s job, from uniforms to hours scheduled to working conditions to delivery vehicles. Democratic President Joe Biden’s “Joint Employer” rule, which Trump would repeal - thus evading Congress, includes indirect control of the Worker and more factors the employer must meet to get away with not obeying Labor Laws. EPI President Heidi Shierholz, a former Chief Economist for the DOL, and two of her top Analysts urged Navarrete to dump the proposed rule and keep the Biden-era Worker Joint Employer Protections that Trump demands to erase.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: New Trump rule to cost workers $3.7 billion yearly – People's World

'Here's Why You Trust Your Nurse More Than Your Doctor'

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Anyone who’s spent time in a hospital knows that the heart of a patient’s Care Team is the Nurse, who shows up at any hour to adjust an IV, answer panicked questions or simply sit at the bedside while a patient tries to make sense of what’s happening to their body. That proximity - physical, emotional, and constant, turns into something powerful: Trust. “The Doctor is treating the disease,” says Marlo Robinson, who serves as Dean and Vice President of Purdue Global School of Nursing. “We’re the ones who are with the patients living with the disease.” That dynamic helps explain why Nurses have consistently ranked as America’s most trusted profession in Gallup’s annual Honesty and Ethics Poll - 25 times since 1999, with the lone exception of 2001, when Firefighters briefly took the top spot after the September 11 attacks. In the most recent poll, 75% of Americans rated Nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “very high” or “high.” Doctors came in at 57%, a roughly 20-point drop from their Pandemic-era peak and among the lowest the profession has scored in nearly three decades. The trust gap isn’t new, but it’s widening. Experts say the reasons for it have to do with how American medicine is structured, taught, and paid for and because the people patients see most aren't always the ones making the decisions. Given these differing responsibilities, Nurses simply spend more time with patients than Doctors do. Doctors work in episodes, Robinson says: They pop in for morning rounds, an afternoon procedure, or a seven-minute consultation. Nurses, on the other hand, often work in 12-hour shifts that allow them to notice changes big or small. “We’re with patients moment to moment,” she says. American Nurses Association President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy adds: “We are physically and emotionally closer to patients than almost anyone in the system. We’re there during their fear and their pain and their uncertainty, not just the decision points.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Why Americans Trust Nurses More Than Doctors, According to Experts

New York State Nurses Association File Photo.

'More Money For ICE?' Unions 'Say They'll Remember In November'

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA) - James Early, a California Public Worker and a Member of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000, had a blunt message for Federal Lawmakers, all Republicans, who just approved $70 billion more for President Donald Trump’s violent ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Agents: We’ll remember in November. And it’s a good bet the rest of the National AFL-CIO will, too, especially since the Labor Federation just finished its convention in Minneapolis, an epicenter of Trump Administration violence against Migrants and Citizens -killing two, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Pretti, a VA Hospital Registered Nurse, was a Union Member. The SEIU picked up Early’s message and posted it on the International Union’s website after the House sent the so-called “Reconciliation” Bill, with the ICE money and with no strings attached to President Trump on June 9th. The party-line vote was 214-to-212. He signed it the next day. Said Early: “What happened in the House is frustrating for Working Families like mine, but it’s also getting us activated for November. We’ve been saying we want health care, relief from these high prices and respect. Their response has been to pour even more money into ICE to fund more hate. We’ll turn our frustration into action by organizing and sending a clear message at the ballot box. It’s time to put our country back on the right path by electing leaders that stand up for Working People, not billionaires.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: More money for ICE? Unions say they’ll remember in November – People's World

File Photo Courtesy Of The Minnesota AFL-CIO's Facebook Page.

The National AFL-CIO Sports Council On The Federal Protect College Sports Act

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Leadership at the National AFL-CIO Sports Council released the following statement on the Protect Sports Act (PCSA):

We are the AFL-CIO Sports Council, representing Athlete Workers across Professional Sports in the United States and Canada. We came together to build power across Professional Sports and fight for the rights of the Workers who put their bodies on the line to create the profit sports Leagues collect. All Workers deserve safe workplaces, equal pay, fair benefits and a share of revenue, freedom from harassment and discrimination, and a voice on the job - including Professional and College Athletes. While we appreciate the thoughtful engagement that has gone into improving Federal legislation to strengthen protections for College Athletes, we believe there needs to be more work done on the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA). As written, the Bill further silences College Athletes’ voices on the job, undermines their right to Collective Bargaining to improve their workplace conditions, jeopardizes fair compensation and stops States from passing laws that would protect and advance their rights.

The PCSA would:

Provide the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), NCAA Conferences and Schools with the ability to solely determine College Athletes’ compensation, including: Name, image and likeness rights; Working conditions, including health and safety issues and transfers; and Eligibility without any negotiations or Collective Bargaining.

Reverse progress that has been made toward ensuring that workplaces are free from harassment and discrimination by placing the burden on Athletes rather than creating meaningful oversight and accountability for Title IX violations.

Create an arbitrary cap on College Athletes’ compensation, limiting the share of the revenue they generate, while Schools, Conferences, broadcasters, sponsors and the NCAA itself capitalize on their labor by raking in billions of dollars.

Prohibit State Legislatures from passing laws that would advance College Athletes’ Worker rights, including workplace protections and fair name, image and likeness compensation.

The National AFL-CIO Sports Council was formed in 2022 to build power across Unions in Professional Sports, amplify the voices of athletes and shine a light on the challenges they face as Workers.

It also aligns the interests of Athletes in Professional Sports industries and beyond.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: AFL-CIO Sports Council on the Protect College Sports Act | AFL-CIO

SAG-AFTRA 'On The Threat Of AI In The Workplace' - "If Your Voice Can Be Copied, If Your Image Can Be Replicated, If Your Data Can Be Harvested, If Your Work Can Be Used To Train Systems That May One Day Replace Or Undercut You - This Is About You."

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

During the recently-held 30th National AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention in Minneapolis, Minneapolis - Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland led a presentation titled AI Should Work for Us for Union Delegates.

Following its opener, which asked attendees to offer their thoughts on the presence of AI in the workplace and showed real-world examples of generative tools, he went on to outline a multi-pronged strategy that centered on Collective Bargaining, public policy and Member and public engagement, and to explain how SAG-AFTRA has utilized this approach in its negotiations, at the State and Federal Legislative levels, and among its Members and the public.

“Laws alone are not enough if Workers do not understand the technology and do not have the power to enforce their rights,” Crabtree-Ireland said. “That is why we need an organized, educated, mobilized Labor Movement. If your voice can be copied, if your image can be replicated, if your data can be harvested, if your work can be used to train systems that may one day replace or undercut you - this is about you.”

At the AFL-CIO Convention, Union Delegates unanimously passed Resolution 28, calling on the Nationwide Labor Federation to support Federal legislation creating tax incentives for domestic film and television production.

SAG-AFTRA proposed the resolution, which was supported by a coalition of Entertainment and Media Unions.

SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and Crabtree-Ireland joined International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) President Matt Loeb, Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) Secretary-Treasurer Sasha Stewart, and American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 99 Secretary-Treasurer Mont Chris Hubbard in speaking in favor of the resolution.

SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President Linda Powell also spoke in support of the Nurture Originals, Foster Art and Keep Entertainment Safe, or NO FAKES, Act, which the National AFL-CIO Delegations reaffirmed.

SAG-AFTRA has been a leading advocate for the legislation's passing, which would establish a Federal right of publicity and create meaningful legal recourse for Performers and other Workers whose digital likenesses are exploited without consent.

The show of support underscored the National AFL-CIO’s commitment to protecting Workers from the unauthorized use of their voices and likenesses by AI Systems.

The NO FAKES Act is expected to be presented to a Senate Judiciary Committee vote later in June.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: SAG-AFTRA Gives Presentation on AI in the Workplace at the AFL-CIO Convention | SAG-AFTRA

U.S. Department Of Labor Announces $10.5 Million In Funding Availability 'To Support Mine Safety, Health Training For Nation's Miners'

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has announced its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is making $10.5 million in grant funding available to help States provide Mine Safety Training for the Nation’s Miners.

Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling said: “Through our ongoing commitment to safety training, we achieved a historically low all-injury rate for mining last year. This latest investment demonstrates we’re doubling down on our efforts to protect our Nation’s hard-working Miners. The (USDOL) will continue to put American Miners first by keeping them safe on the job.”

The MSHA will award these grants as part of its Fiscal Year 2026 State Grants Program to fund the delivery of Federally-mandated training and re-training for Miners who work at surface, underground coal and metal and non-metal mines throughout the U.S.

State, Tribal and Territorial Governments are eligible to apply.

The MSHA may fund up to 80% of the program costs under a State grant.

The grant recipient is required to provide at least 20% of the total program costs.

The MSHA recognizes State Training Programs are a key source of mine safety, health training and education.

The USDOL is encouraging State programs to use grant funds to prioritize training assistance for new and small mining operations, as well as to support a State’s broader Health and Safety Training Programs.

MSHA also recommends grantees develop or create Training Compliance Assistance Programs to assist operators who are extracting critical minerals, including coal, to support the Administration’s goal of increasing the discovery and mining of critical minerals.

The USDOL also emphasizes training on Miners’ Statutory Rights under the Mine Safety and Health Act.

Grant applications must be submitted by August 10th (2026) and will be awarded on or before September 30th (2026).

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: US Department of Labor announces $10.5M funding availability to support mine safety, health training for nation’s miners | U.S. Department of Labor

From The Economic Policy Institute: State Lawmakers 'Continue To Weaken Child Labor Protections In 2026 As Efforts To Strengthen Protections Have Stalled'

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) reports that so far - this year, at least 13 States have introduced bills weakening Child Labor Protections, and four have enacted them. Meanwhile, only three States have introduced Bills to strengthen standards in 2026, compared with 15 in 2025. Industry-backed attacks on Child Labor Standards have followed four troubling trends: 1) Lowering minimum wages for Teen Workers; 2) Weaponizing “Youth Apprenticeships;” 3) Eliminating youth permits; and 4) Weakening safeguards for Teen Child Care Workers. The Trump Administration has undermined Federal enforcement of Child Labor Standards, even amid rising violations. Meanwhile, the State of Oregon enshrined current Federal Child Labor Standards into State law, offering a replicable model for States to hold the line against potential Federal rollbacks.

To Read This EPI Report In Its Entirety, Go To: State lawmakers continued to weaken child labor protections in 2026: Efforts to strengthen protections have stalled | Economic Policy Institute

The National AFL-CIO 'Sues' The Trump Administration 'Over Illegal' Reporting Requirements For Unions

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National The AFL-CIO has sued the Trump Administration over a new U.S. Department of Labor rule that violates Federal law in an effort to drain Union resources away from organizing and representing Workers.

The rule adds excessive, burdensome financial reporting requirements on Unions in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act and other laws, the Labor Federation said.

The policy, known as the LM-2 Long Form, is designed to drown Unions in paperwork and drain them of resources needed to organize, collectively bargain and advocate for their Members - especially for smaller Unions that are particularly challenged to take on the additional administrative burden.

Meanwhile, wealthy corporations continue to go under-scrutinized, allowed to get away with minimal reporting requirements compared to the Unions who represent the Workers that create their profit.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said: “The Trump Administration is hellbent on making it harder for Working People to come together in a Union and take collective action and this new policy is just the latest example. Whether they’re stripping one million Federal Workers of their Collective Bargaining Rights or illegally springing unnecessary reporting requirements on Unions, they’re using every tool in the toolbox to come after Workers. But the Labor Movement doesn’t back down and will fight every one of these attacks. We’ll see the Administration in Court.”

The National AFL-CIO submitted comments condemning a version of this rule when the Trump Administration first proposed it back in 2020.

That proposal was later withdrawn in 2021.

Now the Administration has performed a bait-and-switch on Workers and their representatives: First releasing a manageable, legally founded LM-2 rule in 2025 - which the National AFL-CIO supported - only to swap it out with this new version, without the required public comment period.

The National AFL-CIO lawsuit asks the Court to immediately halt the implementation of the new rule while litigation continues.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFL-CIO Sues Trump Administration Over Illegal Reporting Requirements for Unions | AFL-CIO

House Republicans 'Buck Leadership, Join Democrats To Pass Pro-Labor' Faster Labor Contract Act

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Dave Jamieson at The Huffington Post reports 20 Republicans joined House Democrats to pass a Bill aimed at making it easier for workers to secure Union contracts, a rare showing of bipartisan support in Washington, D.C. for rebuilding Organized Labor. The Faster Labor Contracts Act would require employers to start bargaining with a new Union within 10 days. If they don’t reach an agreement in three months, the two sides would go before a mediator to help broker a deal. If that fails, the dispute would head to binding arbitration. The legislation is being pushed by the Teamsters and Democratic U.S. Representative Donald Norcross of New Jersey, who serves as Co-Chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. But it would not have gone anywhere without the help of more moderate Republicans willing to buck the Republican Party’s employer-friendly line. The bipartisan coalition used a maneuver known as a discharge petition to force the vote over the objections of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. It ended up passing 230 to 193. However, the legislation isn’t going anywhere while Republicans still hold the Senate and President Donald Trump wields veto power, but the Teamsters celebrated the House vote as a sign Republicans were willing to work with Democrats to strengthen Unions.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: House Republicans buck leadership, join Democrats to pass pro-labor bill