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

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

The National AFL-CIO 'Lays Out Its Most Ambitious Union Organizing Targets - Ever'

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA) - The National AFL-CIO’s new organizing resolution is supposed to help Workers win - with a goal now of two million new organized Workers by 2031.

Organizing the unorganized is one of the biggest, if not the biggest question facing the Union Movement - and it’s no secret that Union Density in the U.S. is bottoming out.

So, it is rightfully on everybody’s minds here, from the Rank-and-File Workers in attendance, to Worker and Staff Organizers, to the Union Affiliates and their leadership.

The organizing resolution, called We are the Organized Power of Working People, encourages the Labor Federation to coordinate multi-Union Campaigns, align bargaining dates across sectors, launch a mass training program for Rank-and-File Organizers, draw a hard line on political endorsements - no candidate gets Labor’s support unless they’re willing to fight for Collective Bargaining Rights - and even organize outside the traditional National Labor Relations Board process.

The one million new organized Workers the National AFL-CIO is citing reflects growth in sectors such as auto, health care, public service, as well as newer ones like Video Game Developers, Tech Workers, Baristas and other Service Industries.

But, as previously mentioned, Union Density in the U.S. still sits at just 10% of the workforce - which is barely up from the historic lows of the last decade, albeit a sign the bleeding has stopped for now.

Questions about whether the National AFL-CIO’s new goal is achievable, whether it is ambitious enough, and what the nuts-and-bolts and resource allocation will actually look like were central to discussions among Delegates in the halls and bars outside the convention hall this week.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: AFL-CIO lays out most ambitious union organizing targets ever – People's World

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO’s Facebook Page.

The National AFL-CIO 'Condemns' President Trump's Executive Order To 'Replace Federal Workers With Political Loyalists'

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order instating Schedule P/C that would allow his Administration to fire thousands of career Federal Workers and replace them with political loyalists:

President Trump's Executive Order betrays a foundational American value: Our Government works for the people, not for one man’s political agenda. Schedule P/C is the next phase in Trump’s Anti-Worker agenda to replace Government Workers with political loyalists who answer only to him. As we’ve seen from his first day in office, the President is determined to tear down the architecture of our Federal Government and replace it with a system of corruption to benefit powerful CEOs and billionaire Union-Busters. Hundreds of thousands of Federal Workers were fired or pushed out of their jobs and a million were robbed of their Collective Bargaining Rights and had their Union contracts ripped up. The Workers who run our country’s essential services have already suffered enough at the hands of this Administration. When the Administration tried to implement Schedule P/C earlier this year, we sued alongside our Affiliate Unions and Partner Organizations. Now Trump is trying again - but the Labor Movement will continue to stand in the way. The AFL-CIO is staying in this fight because we know the Federal Workers who serve America deserve better.

To Directly Access This National AFL-CIO Statement, Go To: AFL-CIO Condemns Executive Order to Replace Federal Workers with Political Loyalists | AFL-CIO

And For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Federal unions battle Trump’s attempt to muzzle federal workers – People's World

Liz Shuler & Fred Redmond Re-Elected As President & Secretary-Treasurer Of The National AFL-CIO - Under Shuler-Redmond's Leadership, The AFL-CIO 'Grew The Federation To 65 Unions & 15 Million Workers In Their First Full Term'

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA) - Convention Delegates from across the Nation’s largest Labor Federation have re-elected Liz Shuler and Fred Redmond to lead the National AFL-CIO as President and Secretary-Treasurer, respectively.

When elected to their first full terms in 2022, the team made history: Shuler as the first elected Woman President of the AFL-CIO and Redmond as the highest-ever ranking Black Labor Leader.

During their time in office, they have grown the AFL-CIO from 57 to 65 Affiliated Unions, including the affiliation of the two million Service and Care Workers of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and supported new organizing to bring the collective Membership of the Federation to 15 million Workers and growing.

Said Shuler: “Serving as President of the AFL-CIO has been the honor of a lifetime and I am deeply moved to be re-elected for a second term. My Union story is like so many others, growing up in a Working-Class Family that scraped to get by from paycheck to paycheck until our lives were changed by an IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Apprenticeship. Our family lived the ‘Union difference.’ Financial stability overnight, a career with skill and dignity for my Dad, and a passion for organizing - that turned into a lifelong mission - for me. I am extraordinarily grateful for the trust that this Movement has placed in me and I will continue to lead our Federation in delivering that ‘Union difference’ and changing lives for Working Families across this country just like mine.”

Said Redmond: “In just two generations, my family went from Mississippi sharecroppers to living in poverty on the South Side of Chicago to me becoming the highest-ranking African American in the history of the American Labor Movement - and it’s all because my Dad got a union job at an aluminum mill and became a member of United Steelworkers Local (3911). When I joined my Dad at the mill, I also joined a movement and a legacy of Trade Unionists who sacrificed and fought to make our jobs safer, our workplaces more equitable and our society more just. At this unprecedented moment, with attacks on Worker and Civil Rights from the most Anti-Labor Administration in history and the wealthy and well-connected consolidating power and profit, we will be led by that history and continue their fight. I’m honored to be able to do that alongside my partner President Shuler and my Union Brothers and Sisters.”

In their second term, President Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Redmond are committed to: Mobilizing to put more Pro-Worker candidates into office; Organizing to ensure Working People can make their voices heard and have their votes at the ballot box count, without fear or intimidation; Continue to grow Union Power in every workplace, organizing millions more Members and building an economy for Working People; and Fighting back against corporate greed and pushing forward the AFL-CIO’s Workers First AI Agenda, so Workers are empowered with a seat at the table and a say in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and implementation on the jobsite, training and upskilling, and protections for their Civil Rights and basic right to organize.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Liz Shuler and Fred Redmond Reelected as President and Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO | AFL-CIO

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

"With You" - The National AFL-CIO's 30 Constitutional Convention Kicks Off Today In Minneapolis, Minnesota - "Our Solidarity Is Critical. Our Labor Built America And Our Unions Have Kept It Strong And Will Continue Pushing It Forward."

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA) – Today (Sunday, June 7th), Union Delegates from across the country are gathering in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the National AFL-CIO’s 30th Constitutional Convention.

This quadrennial convening is an essential part of maintaining the Labor Movement’s foundational Democracy, Union Officials said.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said: “Our Federation’s strength is rooted in the diverse coalition of Working People who are a part of it. All (65) Affiliated Unions and every single one of our Members are part of our fight for a stronger economy and brighter future.”

In the three days following the start of convention, an array of workers, leaders and allies will address Union Delegates, who will also take part in panel discussions and training on crucial issues like Artificial Intelligence, Immigration, Organizing, Worker Safety and much more.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said: “We’re assembling as our country sits at a crossroads and the location of this year’s event holds an especially meaningful weight. We’ll do the work to define a Labor Movement agenda that empowers Working People, changes lives and builds an America that works for all of us. We’ll talk about what’s happening in Minnesota and how Labor and allies have come together to fight injustice and oppression, and to stand up for Working People. Our Union Siblings in Minneapolis and across Minnesota have been at the forefront of a nationwide fight against attacks on our communities. Their bravery and willingness to fight for what is right, even in the face of violence, represent what our Movement has always been about. We can’t do this work alone. That’s why the theme of our convention is ‘With You.’ Our solidarity is critical. We know the power Unions have to change lives. Our labor built America and our Unions have kept it strong and will continue pushing it forward.”

The National AFL-CIO Convention will be streamed on aflcio.tv on:

Sunday, June 7th: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT

Monday, June 8th: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT

Tuesday, June 9th: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CT

Wednesday, June 10th: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CT

Writers Guild 'Blasts' CBS News For Pelley Firing & 'Cruel' Layoffs

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sanjana Karanth at The Huffington Post reports the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), which represents Unionized Employees at both CBS News and CBS News Digital, slammed the network's new Right-Wing leadership for enacting "cruel and needless layoffs" and recently firing major 60 Minutes Correspondents like Scott Pelley. In a letter to Members, which include HuffPost's Union, WGAE President Tom Fontana said it's clear "CBS brass is engaged in a near-constant level of editorial interference that would have previously been unthinkable" - and that the decision to fire Pelley for calling out such behavior shows management is "apparently too thin-skinned to handle the honest scrutiny of their own Journalists." "Thousands of your Union Brothers, Sisters and Siblings have your backs," Fontana told the Network's Employees, calling the shakeup "more than a mere ideological interference with the news" - but rather a display of "profound contempt for the Journalism Profession, for our Members who have dedicated their lives to informing the public about the world and for the ethics that underpin true Journalism." Neither Paramount nor CBS News appear to have yet commented on the Labor Leader's message.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Writers Guild blasts CBS News for Pelley firing and 'cruel' layoffs

Trump 'Formalizes Move Of Career Federal Workers Into At Will' Roles - AFGE Says: "This Is A Blatant Attempt To Corrupt The Federal Government By Eliminating Employees' Due Process Rights So They Can Be Fired For Political Reasons"

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Rebecca Beitsch at The Hill reports President Donald Trump has formally moved to implement his plan to make it easier to fire Federal Workers in policy roles, signing an Executive Order (EO) moving them into a new class that critics say will be akin to that of political Employees. Schedule Policy/Career, or Schedule P/C, an effort pushed under the first Trump Administration as Schedule F, allows some 8,000 Federal Workers to be hired and fired like current political appointees, stripping workplace protections they would otherwise enjoy under the Civil Service Reform Act. The EO seeks to move those Workers into the new class, saying they would be “exempted from the adverse action procedures that make removals for poor performance or misconduct so difficult.” Those positions are among the highest-ranking positions in Government, with some 97% of these “reclassified” Federal Workers in so-called GS-15 roles, the top level on the government’s pay scale. Federal Worker Unions called it a clear attack on Employees and an attempt to intimidate Federal Workers who will now risk their jobs in reporting any malfeasance. AFGE President Everett Kelly said: “This is a blatant attempt to corrupt the Federal Government by eliminating Employees’ due process rights so they can be fired for political reasons. Thousands of Employees who were hired under the non-partisan, professional civil service will be converted to a new hiring schedule where they can be fired ‘at will’ by political appointees or other overseers with essentially no procedural or appeal safeguards that have long protected the integrity of Government operations.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Trump formalizes move of career federal workers into 'at will' roles

New National Nurses United Fact Sheet 'Shows There Is A Nurse Retention Crisis, Not A Nurse Shortage'

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

New data analysis by National Nurses United (NNU) shows nearly 1.15 million Registered Nurses (RNs) with active licenses are not currently working as Nurses - which shows this serves as compelling evidence that there isn’t a labor shortage in the field, but rather there is a widespread retention crisis. NNU developed its fact sheet with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and peer-reviewed medical journals. When taken with the personal stories and lived experiences of Nurses, the numbers paint a troubling picture of how hospitals’ failure to invest in safe staffing levels is pushing qualified Nurses out of the field. “The data is clear that the U.S. Nursing profession has a retention crisis, not a Nurse shortage,” NNU President Jamie Brown said. “We want the public to know our working conditions are so unsafe and unsustainable that they are driving new and experienced Nurses away from hospitals, both large and small. Hospital employers have the power to immediately address the retention crisis by taking concrete steps to improve patient care conditions, including improving RN-to-patient ratios and providing appropriate support to Caregivers.”

To Read The NNU Fact Sheet, Go To: Copy of 2026_0515 Nurse shortage / BLS data fact sheet

From The Economic Policy Institute: 'Setting High Standards For A Federal' Minimum Wage - 'Raising The Wage To Two-Thirds Of The National Median Wage Would Lift Pay For Nearly 40 Million Workers'

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Federal Minimum Wage, frozen at $7.25 since 2009, is now at its lowest real value in 77 years and a major driver of the affordability crisis facing low-wage workers.

For over a decade, the senior Democrats on the House and Senate’s Labor Committees have consistently introduced and championed the Raise the Wage Act, which would significantly raise the federal level (most recently, to $17 an hour in 2030) and index it to median wage growth going forward.

But Congress as a whole has failed to take action on the legislation.

In the absence of federal movement, states have moved on their own, thanks in large part to the Fight for $15 Campaign, 21 States and the District of Columbia - home to half of all U.S. wage earners, will have a minimum wage of at least $15 by 2028.

But that patchwork still leaves 20 States - home to about 55 million Workers - at $7.25, and updating the Federal floor to a modern benchmark is the only way to reach these Workers.

Raising the Federal Minimum Wage to two-thirds of the national median wage would lift pay for nearly 40 million Workers - about a quarter of the workforce.

Two-thirds of the median - equivalent to roughly $17.70 today, a projected $20 in 2030 and a projected $25 in 2038, matches the benchmarks used in other high-income countries and tracks the direction of recent minimum wage research.

Indexing to median wage growth thereafter would keep the floor from losing ground to inflation or falling behind the broader economy.

A Federal minimum at two-thirds of the national median would eliminate poverty wages and move the floor meaningfully toward a living wage in much of the country: A single adult working full time could cover modest expenses in half of U.S. Counties under the Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) Family Budget Calculator thresholds; Maintaining the two-thirds minimum-to-median ratio would lock in those gains, improving affordability for U.S. Workers and their families; and It would also durably narrow the gap between low-wage Workers and the typical Worker, with Black workers and women seeing the largest benefits.

The two-thirds benchmark is also well-supported by economic research.

Decades of studies of State and Federal Minimum Wages find higher floors raise pay for low-wage Workers with little to no effect on employment, and a smaller but growing body of work on minimum wages approaching two-thirds of the median reaches the same conclusion.

Setting the Federal floor at two-thirds of the median, and updating it annually, would raise incomes at the bottom and prevent the kind of decades-long slide that has left the current minimum at its lowest real value in 77 years.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Setting high standards for a federal minimum wage: Raising the wage to two-thirds of the national median wage would lift pay for nearly 40 million workers | Economic Policy Institute

Union Coalition Brings 'Billionaires Tax' Proposal To Illinois

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Mark Gruenberg at People’s World reports from Chicago that the Billionaires Tax idea, which has been gaining support in several States - including Washington State, where it’s now law - has come to Illinois, courtesy of several Chicago-area Unions. Busloads of Members from the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Illinois, Cook County College Teachers Union Local 1600, SEIU Local 73, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Warehouse Workers for Justice and assorted progressive Chicago-area Community Groups descended on the State Capital of Springfield. There, as the Illinois Revenue Alliance, they staged a mass rally in front of the Capitol Building before fanning out to lobby lawmakers to make the State’s tax code more progressive by raising taxes on corporations and the rich. A parade of sympathetic lawmakers lent their support. Whether they’ll succeed or not is the $4 billion question. That’s how much they want to garner. “When we say tax the uber-wealthy, that’s what we’re talking about,” CTU Vice President Jackson Potter said. “How do you close the (State) deficit? Tax the rich.” The heavily Democratic State Legislature faced an end-of-May deadline to approve a State budget, and that came first on its agenda. But lawmakers in the Land of Lincoln have been known in past years to “stop the clock” when budget talks go down to the wire. The tax the rich idea has been gathering momentum in various States, especially as lawmakers are wrestling with cuts in Federal Social Welfare Programs, notably Medicaid and Food Stamps, mandated by the Right-Wing GOP Donald Trump regime, its pliant Republican-majority Congress, and their so-called Big Beautiful Bill that was passed last year.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Union coalition brings ‘billionaires tax’ proposal to Illinois – People's World

The U.S. Department Of Labor 'Finalizes Rule Protecting Union' Workers

Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has announced a final rule that increases financial transparency for Unions regulated by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) of 1959 and enhances Union Worker protections.

Issued by the USDOL’s Office of Labor-Management Standards, the final rule modernizes the reporting requirements of the Form LM-2, an annual financial disclosure form which larger Labor Organizations use to report their financial conditions and operations under the Act.

The final rule also creates an enhanced Form LM-2 Long Form for the Nation’s largest Labor Organizations and increases filing thresholds for Forms LM-2, LM-3, and LM-4 to alleviate the burden on smaller Labor Organizations.

The final rule increases transparency for America’s Union Members by making practical reporting adjustments to reflect the growth and expansion of Labor Organizations’ financial operations since the passage of the LMRDA.

The Office of Labor-Management Standards last substantially revised the Form LM-2 in 2003 and has not updated reporting thresholds for Forms LM-3 and LM-4 since 1992.

“Modern Unions are financially complex organizations,” Office of Labor-Management Standards Director Elisabeth Messenger said. “The final rule fine tunes reporting requirements for larger Labor Organizations - many of which report tens of millions of dollars in assets each year - and adjusts thresholds for smaller Labor Organizations to increase transparency for America's Union Members and ensure reporting requirements keep pace as Labor Organizations evolve.”

Additionally, the rule allows Union Members to stay better informed of their Union’s financial conditions and operations by making it easier to see how their Union Dues are spent.

The reforms also serve as a deterrent to fraud and embezzlement - and aid in their detection.

Click Here To Read the final rule on Form LM-2, Labor Organization Annual Financial Reports.

And To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: US Department of Labor finalizes rule protecting union workers | U.S. Department of Labor

The Absentee Mail Voter Protection Act: The National Association Of Letter Carriers 'Launches A Campaign To Protect Vote-By-Mail'

Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Letter Carriers and their allies in the U.S. Senate have launched a campaign for legislation to permanently halt President Donald Trump’s attempts to disrupt mail-in voting.

The Absentee Mail Voter Protection Act, introduced on May 22nd by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (Democrat-Michigan), the top Democrat on the Senate panel that writes Postal Legislation, would overturn Trump’s March 31st Executive Order mandating the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) become involved in determining which mail-in ballots are legitimate.

The Constitution says, deliberately, that States run elections, without manipulation by the President or interference by the USPS.

NALC and the Senators want to keep it that way.

Trump doesn’t.

The measure, co-sponsored by Senator Alex Padilla (Democrat-California) and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Democrat-Illinois) would also ban such Executive Orders in the future.

And the Union convinced the three lawmakers to get 34 Democratic Senators, including themselves, to sign a letter urging the USPS Board to reject any and all mail-in voting bans.

“NALC appreciates Senators Peters, Padilla and Durbin’s leadership in fighting to protect Americans’ access to mail-in ballots,” NALC President Brian Renfroe said. “Voting by mail is safe, secure and makes it easier for tens of millions of Americans to participate in our Democracy. As this Executive Order is considered in the Courts, NALC supports this legislation that focuses on protecting Americans’ right to vote by mail.”

Trump has long tried to end mail-in balloting even though, ironically, he uses it himself when voting from the White House in Florida elections.

One of his conspiracy-theory lies revolves around mail-in ballots.

He lies by calling mail-in ballots a route to vote fraud, especially in cities with majorities of People of Color.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Letter Carriers, allies launch campaign to protect vote-by-mail – People's World

The AFGE 'Blasts' The Trump Administration's 'Proposed NDA Rule As Yet Another Attack On Non-Partisan' Federal Employees - Rule 'Would Require Employees At Participating Agencies To Sign Non-Disclosure Agreements As Condition Of Employment'

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley has issued the following statement in response to a proposed rule by the Trump Administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to be published in the Federal Register, that would require current and prospective Employees at participating agencies to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) as a condition of employment:

OPM continues its efforts to silence Federal Employees.

This proposed NDA is another attempt by the Administration to purge the civil service of non-partisan career Employees and replace them with loyalists who won’t speak out against waste, fraud and abuse.

Federal Employees do not surrender their First Amendment rights when they accept Federal employment and the public has a right to know about this Administration’s abuses.

OPM claims the form will be ‘optional’ for agencies to use and merely restates existing law.

We know that will not be true.

OPM will pressure agencies to make the NDA mandatory and then fire Employees who refuse to sign it.

Moreover, Federal Agencies already have extensive policies and procedures in place for preventing the unauthorized release of classified or privileged information.

This proposed rule sweeps in an extraordinarily broad category of information, extending restrictions to the very material the public relies on to learn when an Administration is causing harm.

The AFGE will submit comments on the proposed rule and urges OPM to withdraw it.

The AFGE is the largest Federal Employee Union, representing 820,000 Workers employed in the Federal Government and the Government of the District of Columbia.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: AFGE | AFGE Blasts Administration’s Proposed NDA Rule as Yet Another Attack on Non-Partisan Federal Employees

And For More, Go To: White House proposes NDAs for federal workers to crack down on leaks to journalists | Trump administration | The Guardian

From The National AFL-CIO: Pope Leo XIV's 'First Encyclical' On Artificial Intelligence 'Echoes the Fears & Realities Of Working People'

Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler has issued the following statement on Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which focuses on the moral and practical danger of unregulated Artificial Intelligence (AI):

Pope Leo’s choice to issue his first encyclical on the threat of unregulated AI is a testament to the urgency of this issue for Working People. Workers are being surveilled, fired, hurt and have even died in workplaces that recklessly use AI without guardrails and Worker input. It’s clear if we don’t harness it properly, AI is the single biggest threat to Working People of our lifetime. This is what Pope Leo recognizes, echoing the same things I hear from Working People around the U.S. and globally. He names the ‘culture of power’ driving the AI arms race, the corporate greed that puts profit over people, and the dehumanization that working people feel every time they are told to trust untested AI technology over their own experience and skill - even when lives are on the line. The guardrails he calls for - ’responsible planning, the assessment of human and social impact, the inclusion of the most vulnerable’ - are the same principles for which the Labor Movement has advocated. Pope Leo writes: ‘Solidarity, then, is the concrete recognition that the future of each individual is connected to the future of all.’ The AFL-CIO and our 65 Affiliated Unions have and will continue to answer his call to defend the dignity of Working People.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFL-CIO: Pope’s First Encyclical on AI Echoes the Fears and Realities of Working People | AFL-CIO

Pennsylvanians Who Voted For The President Last Time Around 'Revisited' - 'Is The Working Class Finally Turning On Trump?'

Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Eyal Press at The New Yorker reports in a recent exchange with reporters, Donald Trump insisted his policies to fight inflation are working “incredibly” and that America is on the cusp of a “golden age.” This sunny appraisal is not widely shared. Trump’s tariffs are broadly unpopular. So is his decision to go to war with Iran, particularly as the ripple effects of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global shipping and caused the price of oil to soar above a hundred dollars a barrel, have spread to American shores. In an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll published in early May, 81% of respondents said higher gas prices were straining their household budgets; with 63% of those feeling the strain blamed the problem on Trump. In another recent poll, carried out by CNN, three-fourths of Americans - including a majority of Republicans, said Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living in their communities. Such surveys have alarmed some Republican strategists, but they do not appear to be troubling Trump, who, when asked recently how much thought he gives to Americans’ financial situations when negotiating with Iran, replied: “Not even a little bit” - a comment consistent with his view of the affordability crisis, which he dismissed last year as a Democratic “con job” and a “hoax.” These are the words of a President whose populist rhetoric has long been at odds with the substance of his policies and the concentration of billionaires in his Cabinet. They are also a reminder of how confident Trump remains that his supporters will stay loyal to him regardless of what he does, an assumption that until recently seemed warranted. During his first term, Trump passed tax cuts for the rich and appointed Anti-Union, management-side attorneys to run the U.S. Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. Union Leaders decried these developments, but many Rank-and-File Workers were more forgiving, continuing to place Trump signs on their lawns and to show up at his rallies wearing MAGA hats.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Is the Working Class Finally Turning on Trump? | The New Yorker

In Washington, Union Protesters Gather On Capitol Hill To Tell Lawmakers "No More Business As Usual"

Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Declaring Government is broken and responds now to the rich, but not Working People, a group of several dozen protesters - many from the National Education Association (NEA) - gathered on Capitol Hill to urge massive structural reforms. Their point and their command: “No more business as usual.” No more half-measures, no more filibusters, no more rigged elections by Plutocrats or the Republican Donald Trump regime, no more bans on a Woman’s right to govern her own body, and no more gerrymandering, preventing it by law. Change the U.S. Supreme Court, one speaker said. And, especially, no more massive assaults on voting rights. Those assaults, in Southern and/or Deep Red States, would take the U.S. back to the days of Jim Crow, speakers warned. The protest came as Southern States continued their Trump-ordered assaults on Congressional Districts represented by People of Color. The latest battle erupted in South Carolina, where the GOP-run State House again approved a redistricting plan to eliminate the seat of influential Democratic U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn, the only African-American and Democrat in the State’s seven-member delegation. Other Southern States have already redistricted Black Lawmakers out of their chairs by abolishing their Districts, leading to protests and lawsuits region-wide. Trump ordered the destruction, which began in Texas, to preserve the slim and overall Republican U.S. House majority. But redistricting is only one facet of a much wider net of repression, speakers said. “Educators feel” the impact of racism and oppression by the wealthy and well-connected - and their destruction of the safety net that helps the rest of us “every day,” said Noel Candelaria, an El Paso, Texas Special Ed Teacher and Secretary-Treasurer of the NEA, the Nation’s largest Union. “They feel it when students come to school hungry, when Teachers have to hold two or three more jobs to make ends meet, when billionaires get what they want. When the political system fails, it’s part of a larger story of who gets heard in America. And no one should be silenced because of who they love versus how much money they have.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Union protesters to lawmakers: ‘No more business as usual’ – People's World

Teamsters 'Celebrate Bipartisan Push to Advance' The Faster Labor Contracts Act - Discharge Petition 'Secures 218 Signatures Needed To Force Vote In U.S. House'

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The U.S. House of Representatives has reached the 218 signatures needed on a discharge petition to advance the Faster Labor Contracts Act.

The petition, filed by U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (Democrat-New Jersey), will force a vote on the Bill in the coming weeks.

“Securing the support needed to move the Faster Labor Contracts Act forward is a significant milestone for millions of Teamsters and Workers across this country,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said. “This is one of the most consequential Labor Bills to come before Congress in generations. It has the potential to hold Corporate America accountable for endlessly dragging out negotiations and denying workers the first Union contracts they deserve. The Teamsters Union thanks every Democrat and Republican who signed the discharge petition and made the choice to stand with Workers.”

The Faster Labor Contracts Act would amend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to require employers to bargain with newly organized Workers within 10 days of voting to form their Union.

The Senate version of the Bill, introduced last year by U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (Republican-Missouri) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (Democrat-New Jersey), continues to gain bipartisan and bicameral support.

The Teamsters applauded House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat-New York), Representative Donald Norcross, Representative Bobby Scott (Democrat-Virginia) and House Democrats for supporting the Teamsters and Working People across America.

The Teamsters represents over 1.3 million Members in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Teamsters Celebrate Bipartisan Push to Advance Faster Labor Contracts Act - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

The AFGE National VA Council 'Celebrates Appeals Court Decision Upholding Reinstatement Of Its Union Contract' - Court 'Denies' VA's 'Request To Reinstate Termination Of AFGE NVAC Contract Pending Appeal'

Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The American Federation of Government Employees National Veterans Affairs Council (AFGE/NVAC), the largest Union representing more than 320,000 Employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs, is celebrating the unanimous decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to uphold the reinstatement of the largest Collective Bargaining Agreement of VA employees.

The VA filed a motion for an emergency stay with the First Circuit following a March 13th preliminary injunction that ordered the VA to reinstate AFGE/NVAC’s master Collective Bargaining Agreement pending resolution of a lawsuit filed by AFGE/NVAC challenging its retaliatory termination by VA Secretary Doug Collins on August 6th, 2025. 

The VA argued that it was likely to prevail on the merits of AFGE/NVAC’s Constitutional and statutory claims, and further, that it would suffer “irreparable harm” by having to comply with the Union contract while its appeal was adjudicated by the First Circuit.

In their decision denying the VA’s emergency motion to stay the preliminary injunction, the three-Judge panel stated: The defendants have not shown that the preliminary injunction likely was issued in error. Accordingly, we must separately account for the public's interest in the CBA - which is provided for and governed by Federal law - being kept in place as a binding agreement until lawfully terminated. The defendants have not made the requisite ‘strong showing’ in their stay motion that they are likely to succeed in challenging the preliminary injunction in their pending appeal. Nor have they shown that staying that injunction in the interim would not cause substantial injury to the plaintiffs or the public.

To Read Statements Issued By AFGE National VA Council President MJ Burke And AFGE National President Everett Kelley, Go To: AFGE | AFGE National VA Council Celebrates Appeals Court Decision Upholding Reinstatement of Its Union Contract

AFGE File Photo.

IUPAT Rep 'Concerned About Safety Of Workers Repainting' D.C.'s Reflecting Pool: "The Chemicals Are Hazardous. My Concern Is Usually the Level Of Risk When It's Rushed. Are Workers Taking The Rightful Steps To Protect Themselves?"

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Robert Tait at The Guardian reports a Union Representative is concerned about the safety of Workers who are rushing to repaint Washington, D.C.’s Reflecting Pool blue for President Donald Trump’s 250th celebration of the United States. International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Business Development Director Herbert Zaldivar, who has visited the site as an observer, voiced his concern for the safety of the Non-Union Workers on the project, none of whom had been willing to talk to him: “They are afraid to touch the subject, although I will continue to come and try to have conversations with Workers. With this project, they are trying to rush on a timescale that is most likely to leave some liability with the contractor. The chemicals are hazardous. My concern is usually the level of risk when it’s rushed. Are Workers taking the rightful steps to protect themselves?” Zaldivar also told The Guardian he had questions about the no-bid contract that was given out by the Trump Administration as well: “This didn’t go through the right processes, I’m here to verify if the company is in compliance and following the right guidelines. It’s very rare that a job like this, which is a publicly funded contract, doesn’t go to a competitive bid.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Workers racing to turn reflecting pool blue for Trump may be at risk, union warns | Washington DC | The Guardian

What's Going On In The State Of Texas? - Union Membership 'Reaches 25-Year High'

Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(THE STATE OF TEXAS) – A report on Union Density released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows the number of Texas Union Members is at the highest it’s been in 25 years. In 2025, the number of Texas Members of Unions reached 673,000 - marking a 70,000 Member jump from 2024 and continuing a four-year period of growth. Texas also now has the fourth-most Union Members of any State in the U.S., following California, New York and Illinois (surpassing New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania in 2025). The Texas Labor Movement is steadily growing - all despite Governor Greg Abbott’s Anti-Worker attacks, broken Labor Laws and corporate Union-Busting, Texas AFL-CIO President Leonard Aguilar said: “We can change our State for the better by investing in and growing our Union Movement, because as Texas goes, so does the country. Our work to organize Texas workplaces and build ‘Worker Power’ is more important than ever before.” Whether you’re a Teacher, Firefighter, Farm Worker, Actor, Public Employee, Nurse, Construction Worker or any other profession - joining a Union is your right. Nothing about Texas’s status as a so-called Right-to-Work (for less) State prevents Union organizing and Unions are at historic levels of popularity in polls. The rise in Texas Union Membership reflects that popularity. These numbers also reflect the growing influence of Labor Unions in the State. As State parties try to reconnect with the Working Class, Union endorsements mean more than they ever had before - and Union candidates like Texas State Senator-elect Taylor Rehmet carry messaging that uniquely resonates with Texas voters.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Texas Union Membership Reaches 25-Year High | Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation

CNBC Survey Shows 65% Of Workers Have Avoided Using Artificial Intelligence For Moral, Environmental, Privacy Or Other Reasons

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sarah Jackson at CNBC reports nearly two-thirds of Workers have at some point avoided using Artificial Intelligence (AI) because of moral, environmental, privacy, accuracy or other concerns, according to CNBC and SurveyMonkey Quarterly AI and Jobs Survey. The survey polled 3,597 students and Workers across the U.S. Of the respondents, 3,365 said they were employed and 232 said they were students. When asked if they’d ever avoided using AI, 36% of students polled said they’d done so over environmental concerns, compared to 19% of Workers. The environmental impact of AI Data Centers includes significant water and land use, energy consumption and heat waste. In addition, 36% of students said they avoided using AI out of moral or ethical concerns about the technology, versus 28% of Workers. Some Gen Zers want to abstain from AI use because they worry about AI plagiarizing or stealing work made by people. When it comes to practical applications, 37% of students and 26% of Workers said they’d avoided AI because it isn’t accurate or useful. Using AI can sometimes create more work, experts say or lead to a kind of mental strain and fatigue researchers have called “brain fry.”

To Continue Reading This labor News Report, Go To: 65% of workers have avoided AI for moral, environmental, other reasons: CNBC survey

From The National AFL-CIO: New Polling Shows 'More Than 9 In 10 Favor Pro-Worker' AI Agenda, 'Trust Unions More Than Either Party To Deliver'

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The National AFL-CIO has released new polling showing more than 90% of Working People favor job and privacy protections from Artificial Intelligence (AI) - and overwhelmingly trust Unions, over either political party, to deliver them. The research - conducted in collaboration with David Binder Research, focus groups and surveys from Data for Progress, amount to the most in-depth study of Workers’ attitudes toward AI. The polling surveyed Working People on the National AFL-CIO’s Workers First Initiative on AI, the Labor Movement’s principles for the development and implementation of AI that ensures Workers reap the benefits of the technology. More than nine in 10 respondents support most of these guardrails, including requirements for training, transparency and accountability. Key findings include: 1. Unions are the most credible messenger on AI for Workers; 2. The National AFL-CIO’s Workers First Initiative on AI has a broad consensus among voters; 3. Across the political spectrum, Workers are concerned about AI as an issue of freedom and privacy - and don’t believe their employers are doing enough.

For More, Click Here: The Guardian Reported On The Polling Data.

A Detailed Memo Outlining The Findings From The Survey And Methodology Can Be Viewed Here.

National AFL-CIO 'Demands' FIFA 'Protect Workers & Keep ICE Out Of Host Cities'

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler is calling on FIFA leadership to keep Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration Agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), out of World Cup host cities.

Shuler also pushed back on the Trump Administration’s use of the FBI background check database during the games, which compromises the privacy of Workers.

In a new letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and 2026 World Cup Chief Strategy and Planning Officer Amy Hopfinger, Shuler highlighted the serious risk that FIFA’s planned collaboration with the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement poses to the thousands of Workers employed in hospitality, transportation, event production and other industries for whom the World Cup will be their jobsite.

Shuler demanded FIFA: “Publicly call on the Administration to commit to keeping Immigration Enforcement Agents, particularly ICE, out of host cities;” Called on the International Soccer Governing Body to “publicly clarify what role (the Department of Homeland Security) will play,” with the expectation that it be “strictly limited to providing operational security in accordance with the Special Event Assessment Rating framework”; and Urged FIFA to commit that “the Administration will not launch immigration enforcement operations targeting Workers, spectators or the general public anywhere in the host cities.”

In the absence of action from FIFA, Shuler wrote “some Unions have signaled that this would create an unsafe work environment that may require them to take collective action to ensure that no Members are put at risk.”

“Given the racial profiling, warrantless arrests and other unconstitutional tactics the Trump Administration is using to detain and deport people with no regard for due process, our Affiliate Unions are deeply concerned about ICE being engaged for any purpose during the World Cup,” wrote Shuler. “The tactics of discrimination, violence and intimidation used by Immigration Agencies to target Working People across the country cause fear and chaos in our communities, and directly affect Workers, business operations and local economies.”

Shuler also pushed back on FIFA’s plans to open its Worker records to the Trump Administration’s FBI background check database: “Given the ways in which Federal Agencies are violating Workers’ privacy rights to build datasets to support unconstitutional immigration enforcement activity, and FIFA’s relative silence on the scope and implications of these checks, we are asking you to commit to working with Unions so that they can ensure Workers’ privacy and safety are respected. Specifically, we seek assurances from FIFA that no information reported in these checks will be shared with any constituent part of DHS that engages in immigration enforcement or used for immigration enforcement purposes.”

“Union Members working in stadiums, hotels, event production, transportation and many other industries will be critical to the success of these games. They deserve respect, dignity and safety on the job so they in turn can provide a safe and welcoming environment for all players and fans,” the letter concludes.

The National AFL-CIO is the Nation’s largest Labor Federation, representing nearly 15 million Workers and 65 Affiliated Unions across the country and industries.

It is also a founding member of Dignity 2026, a national coalition of Labor and grassroots community groups advocating on behalf of workers, community members, and other groups at heightened risk of adverse impact from the FIFA World Cup.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFL-CIO Demands FIFA Protect Workers, Keep ICE Out of Host Cities | AFL-CIO

The Full Letter Can Be Viewed Here.

"Working People Are Done Being Left Behind In An Economy Dominated By Corporate Greed" - The International Union Of Machinists Launches Its 'Workers Vs. Billionaires' Campaign

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(HOLLYWOOD, MARYLAND) - The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has officially launched its Workers vs. Billionaires Campaign with a high-energy kickoff rally led by International President Brian Bryant at the William Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, Maryland.

The launch date coincided with the IAM’s founding on May 5th, 1888 - 138 years ago.

The event marked the beginning of a coordinated series of mobilization efforts across all IAM Territories and Departments in the months leading up to the Mid-Term Elections.

Hundreds of IAM Members, Labor Leaders and Community Allies gathered both in person and on-line to rally around a unified message: Working People are done being left behind in an economy dominated by corporate greed.

“Today, we are living through the greatest concentration of wealth in history,” IAM International President Bryant said. “A small group of people has accumulated more money than entire national economies and they are using it to buy politicians, break Unions, off-shore jobs and gut the regulations that protect Working Families.”

The kickoff event was held on the IAM Union’s birthday, founded in a locomotive pit by 19 Railroad Workers who took a stand against industry tycoons in the Gilded Age, creating one of the world’s most influential Labor Unions.

Another rally speaker - Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO President Donna Edwards, told those in attendance: “Nothing has ever been given to labor. We have fought for everything - safer work conditions, time off, overtime pay, benefits and sick leave. Everything has to be a fight and then we do win. In (our) Unions, you never stand alone. You never fight alone. We are in this together.”

The IAM’s Workers vs. Billionaires Campaign aims to mobilize IAM Members and allies in every community where the Union operates, focusing on issues such as fair wages, strong labor protections, retirement security and the right to organize.

The campaign will also highlight the vast economic imbalance in the U.S. where CEOs earn, on average, 285 times more than the typical Worker and received an average raise of $1.24 million last year.

As the campaign moves forward, the IAM Union is expected to host dozens of rallies, actions, and organizing events to build Worker Power and hold corporations accountable.

“Billionaires have the money, but we have the people,” Bryant said. “They have the lobbyists, but we have the votes. They have the politicians, but we have each other - and that is why we will win.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: IAM Union Launches ‘Workers vs. Billionaires’ Campaign on 138th Birthday - IAM Union

Photo Courtesy Of The IAM.

'Whose Land Is It Anyway?' - Union Leadership 'Calls On Congress To Stand Up To President Trump In Order To Protect Public Lands Across The U.S. That Are Owned By The People'

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Mark Gruenberg and John Wojcik at People’s World report President Donald Trump is moving the business of preserving national forests from Washington, D.C. to Utah with the expectation is that those who would privatize public lands will be better able to rake in profits from the privatization. And - how dare Working People think that public forests and national parks belong to them? Not when they are just waiting to be grabbed by privatizers aiming to turn them into profit machines. The Trump Administration’s plan to chop down not just a bunch of trees but to chop down the entire U.S. Forest Service is “reckless, illegal” and a prelude to giving away public lands to private hands, says the United States Forest Service Workers’ Union President, Randy Erwin, who heads the National Federation of Federal Employees/International Association of Machinists. Erwin wants Congress to step in, assert its Constitutional authority over Federal spending, launch investigations and refer appropriate Trump Officials to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. Said Erwin: “The bottom line is that Congress must do their jobs. We view this as not just a policy disagreement that will result in the collapse of the Forest Service as we know it, but also a breach of the Constitution. President Trump is blatantly attempting to ignore the laws his own party passed. Congress must stand up for their authority and protect the public lands of the American People.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: This land is not your land – People's World

The National AFL-CIO On The U.S. Supreme Court Delivering 'A Devastating Blow' To The Voting Rights Act, Calling It An "Outright Attack On The Fundamental Freedoms Of Working People"

Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Voting Rights Act:

The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a devastating blow to the Voting Rights Act and an outright attack on the fundamental freedoms of Working People.

The decision strips Black and Latino voters in Louisiana of having a fair say in their Elected Representatives and will be used to further hollow out Americans’ voting rights across the country.

The Voting Rights Act came out of a triumph of organizing and activism, a victory the people of the Civil Rights Movement - with Labor standing shoulder to shoulder, fought and died for over decades.

But from the moment it was signed into law, there has been a concerted, insidious effort to reverse that progress.

Voting rights are Workers’ Rights.

When Working People have a real voice at the ballot box, we can elect leaders who will protect our right to join a Union, fight for fair wages, ensure safe workplaces, live free from discrimination and harassment, and retire in dignity.

When politicians - backed by the Supreme Court - are able to undermine our voices, they can dismantle everything we’ve worked for and further consolidate power for the corporations, billionaires and special interests at our expense.

The National AFL-CIO refuses to accept that future.

We will keep fighting for legislative reforms, including on the State and Federal levels, to create a Democracy where every Worker’s voice matters just as much as the wealthy and well-connected.

We will mobilize on jobsites, at doors and in the streets from now until November to elect candidates who will stand up for Working People and against these attacks on our freedoms.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Clyburn: Roberts to join ranks of 'infamous' Supreme Court justices over voting rights decision

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

40 Organizations - Including Several Major Labor Unions - Call On Congress To 'Center Workers In Federal AI Legislation'

Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Forty organizations - including several major Labor Organizations, led by the Economic Policy Institute, have delivered a letter to Congress that urges Federal Lawmakers to center Workers in Federal Artificial Intelligence (AI) legislation.

A number of Labor Organizations signed the letter, including: The National AFL-CIO; The AFL-CIO Tech Institute; The American Federation of Teachers; The American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees; The Communications Workers of America; The National Association of Voice Actors; The Service Employees International Union; The United Food & Commercial Workers; and The Writers Guild of America West.

Their letter read:

Dear Member of Congress:

Employers’ increasing use of AI systems has the potential to affect the lives and livelihoods of Workers across the country.

Without appropriate guardrails, employers’ integration of these technologies may jeopardize Workers’ rights, put Workers at risk of discrimination, violate privacy rights, and dramatically impact the economic stability of Working Families.

These risks posed by technological change are not new.

For years, employers have used algorithmic or automated systems and similar technologies in ways that harm Workers.

Now, the pervasive and growing integration of AI into the workplace is amplifying these risks.

These impacts on Workers are further exacerbated by persistent power imbalances in the labor market that favor employers.

It is urgent that Congress take action.

It has been nearly two years since the Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group released its roadmap for AI policy, but the Senate has yet to consider comprehensive legislation.

AI adoption is moving forward at breakneck speed and America’s Workers cannot afford to wait.

We applaud members of Congress who have introduced Worker-focused legislation addressing issues like Civil Rights, surveillance in the workplace and improvements to labor market data.

Efforts at broader Federal reform must also center the impacts of AI on Workers.

Under these circumstances, we urge the newly formed House Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy to center the recommendations of members with expertise in Workers’ need for strong labor protections and AI’s impact on the economy.

The urgency of this moment is further compounded by the Trump Administration’s decision to prioritize corporate capture over the public good.

To Continue Reading This Letter, Go To: Forty organizations call on Congress to center workers in federal AI legislation | Economic Policy Institute

'Could 'The Federal Minimum Wage 'Reach $25?' - What To Know About The 'Living Wage For All Act'

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Chris Williams at Fox 5/New York reports that in Washington, D.C. a coalition of more than 100 Organized Labor, Civil Rights and Advocacy Groups is backing new Federal legislation to raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour. Democratic Lawmakers have introduced a Bill aimed at boosting pay nationwide and eliminating sub-minimum wages. U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (Democrat-Illinois) and Representative Analilia Mejia (Democrat-New Jersey) introduced the Living Wage For All Act, legislation that would raise the Federal minimum wage to $25 per hour and eliminate sub-minimum wages. The Living Wage for All Coalition describes itself as a national campaign made up of more than 100 organizations advocating for a living wage for all Workers in the U.S. Among the most prominent groups backing the legislation are the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. Another coalition member, One Fair Wage, is pushing for higher minimum wages nationwide. "This is a Worker-led movement that has grown from the ground-breaking Fight for ($15) into a nationwide push for a true living wage," One Fair Wage President Saru Jayaraman said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Federal minimum wage could reach $25: What to know | FOX 5 New York

From The Air Line Pilots Association: Spirit Airlines Closure 'A Devastating Blow To More Than 2,000 Pilots, As Well As Thousands Of More Workers'

Mon, 04 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Captain Jason Ambrosi, he President of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), has issued the following statement after Spirit Airlines ceased operations: The news that Spirit Airlines has ceased operations is a devastating blow to more than 2,000 ALPA Pilots and thousands of other hard-working Employees who dedicated their careers to this Airline. Spirit’s highly-trained-and-skilled Pilots believed in the Airline’s future enough to put their own livelihoods on the line, contributing tens of millions in annual concessions to help secure a path through restructuring. They did their part. They deserved better than this outcome. The pain of this decision will not be felt in boardrooms. It will be felt by Pilots, Flight Attendants, Mechanics, Dispatchers and Ground Crews, and by the families and communities that depend on them. ALPA fought at the highest levels of government to ensure Workers were the first priority in any resolution. We made clear that the human cost of liquidation was real, serious and preventable. ALPA will not stop fighting for the Pilots impacted by this closure. We will pursue every tool available to protect their jobs, their contracts and their futures - and we will continue to help them navigate what comes next.” Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest Airline Pilot Union in the world and represents more than 80,000 Pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian Airlines.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Spirit Airlines Closure a Devastating Blow to More Than 2,000 Pilots, Thousands More Workers

'What Have Fifty Years Of Labor Union Documentaries Shown Us?' - Over Time, An Array Of Film-Makers 'Have Captured Workers' Tenacity & Solidarity'

Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Rory Doherty at The Guardian reports: “We better start pulling together - or, by God, they’re going to bury us,” says a Meat Packer during a Union meeting in Barbara Kopple’s 1990 documentary American Dream. It’s a desperate plea for survival. “They” are the Hormel Foods Corporation, who took advantage of Union disorder to replace a huge portion of their workforce during a costly Strike. American Dream sees the 1985-86 labor crisis in Austin, Minnesota as symbolic of the state of Organized Labor in the United States - call it an alternative State of the Union address. The film, which has been restored and is re-released by Janus Films, was Kopple’s follow-up to Harlan County, USA, about the 1973 Brookside Strike in a Kentucky coal mine. The film, which celebrates its 50th anniversary later this year, is a more empowering watch than American Dream. In both works, Kopple uses roving, cinema vérité camerawork to capture the standoffs in all their frustration and perseverance, an extended, condensed timeline encapsulating the pressure that emboldens Workers together in solidarity, even as some grow weary of Union stubbornness. But the DNA of Harlan County, USA is also present in the many Union and Strike documentaries that followed it: Final Offer, about the 1984 contract negotiations with General Motors; and American Standoff, about a fraught Teamsters Strike against company Overnite Transportation beginning in 2000. More recently, Union followed the Amazon Labor Union’s historic attempt to Unionize an Amazon Warehouse on Staten Island, while the upcoming Who Moves America is a nationwide survey of UPS Drivers preparing to Strike as Teamster negotiators fight for an acceptable contract.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Strength in numbers: what have 50 years of labor union documentaries shown us? | Documentary films | The Guardian

And For More, Go To: 10 Essential Labor Union Documentaries: A Critic's Guide - Movies and Collections