WNYLaborToday News - National Labor News

Coalition Of Unions 'Sue To Block New Department Of Education Student Loan Rule'

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Nurses United (NNU) and the National AFL-CIO have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, challenging the Agency’s new rule that limits the amount of Federal loans students can borrow for graduate education in some of our most critical and understaffed professions.

The new Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule designates Nursing, Teaching, Public Health and other Public Service Degrees as “graduate,” rather than “professional,” which would cap the amount of loans students can take out to pursue those fields.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders said: “The same Administration that cut health care to give billionaires more tax cuts is now trying to make it impossible for Advanced Practice Nurses, Social Workers, Public Health Professionals and others to afford the education they need to care for our communities. The Court must strike down this illegal rule to protect quality patient care, social services and public health, and ensure Workers aren’t priced out of these Critical Public Service Professions.”

AFT President Randi Weingarten said: “One of the most cynical, cruel components of the Trump Tax Bill was the cuts to the Higher Education Student Loan Program. Now the effect is clear: By ‘de-professionalizing’ nursing, architecture, social work, teaching and countless other careers, the Trump administration is eviscerating education access for poor and Working-Class students and their families and dismantling pathways to the Middle Class.”

NNU President Jamie Brown said: “This decision to exclude graduate Nursing students from professional loans is an attack on the Nursing Profession. The rule change affects Nurses pursuing a graduate degree to be a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife or Certified Nurse Anesthetist.”

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said: “This rule shuts out the next generation of Nurses, Social Workers and Public Health Professionals before they even get started. The Department of Education may have decided these degrees don’t count as ‘professional,’ but communities who rely on these essential services know that this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The AFL-CIO is in this fight because no Worker who dedicates their life to public service should be priced out of it.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Unions Join Legal Fight Against Trump’s Student Loan Limits Rule

The Pittsburgh (Union) Progress 'Comes Roaring Back'

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

(PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA) - The Pittsburgh Union Progress is back in business, still written and published by Members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, but without the word “Union” on its masthead.

That’s because the Staffers didn’t just make it a Strike paper, as it was for the last three years of their five-year-plus struggle with the Block Brothers, the Right-Wing owners of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

As of July 27th, The Progress’s first day on the streets of the Steel City, the Workers are publishing a real, regular paper – on-line, owned as a Co-Op by its Workers and its readers.

It’s now just The Pittsburgh Progress, in honor of the Strike paper.

And all the Workers are still Members of the NewsGuild of Pittsburgh-Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 38061.

And they’re ready to give the new owner of The Post-Gazette - who went Non-Union - and the conservative Pittsburgh Star-Tribune a run for their money.

The Pittsburgh Progress will “feature Worker-centered reporting hard to find elsewhere,” the CWA reports.

It will “serve as a source of communication and connection that reflects the needs of Working-Class People in the region.”

CWA Local 7250 Members at the Sassafras Collective, a Unionized Co-Op, designed the new website of The Pittsburgh Progress.

If the Pittsburgh Progress succeeds, Pittsburgh will be one of the few cities in the U.S., in the shrinking Newspaper Industry, with three papers.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: The Pittsburgh (Union) Progress comes roaring back – People's World

And For More, Go To: Home - Pittsburgh Union Progress

Judge 'Rules In Favor Of Organized Labor' - Republican Ballot Measure In Arizona 'Aimed At Teachers Union Unconstitutionally Guts Police, Fire Unions Too'

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

(PHOENIX, ARIZONA) – In a major victory that allows State and Local Government and School District Employees in Arizona to keep their Union Rights, a Judge has blocked an effort to outlaw Collective Bargaining for Public Employees throughout the State. 

The Arizona Legislature had until Monday (August 10th) to appeal the ruling but declined to do so after facing unrelenting activism from American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Members and other Public Service Workers.

All five AFSCME Local Unions in the State came together to file the lawsuit to protect Public Service Workers in Arizona.

A Maricopa County Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of AFSCME, holding that putting this attempt to ban Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector on November’s ballot would violate the Arizona Constitution. 

The plaintiffs in the case were AFSCME Locals 449, 905, 2384, 2960 and 3282, as well as the Arizona Education Association. 

“At a time when Arizona Workers are struggling to keep up with the skyrocketing cost of groceries, gas and health care, the last thing we need is to have our voices silenced at work,” Members of AFSCME Arizona said in a joint statement when the ruling was handed down. “We are grateful that this effort failed but with so many Arizonans still struggling, we will continue to advocate and organize for safer workplaces, fair wages and good health care.”

Now that Public Workers’ Union freedoms won’t be on the ballot in November, AFSCME Members in Arizona will focus on electing candidates who stand with Public Service Workers - which is the best way to ensure that attacks like this don’t happen again or are defeated if launched.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Victory! AFSCME members defend union rights in Arizona - AFSCME

And For More, Go To: Judge: GOP ballot measure aimed at teachers union unconstitutionally guts police, fire unions too

IBEW Member Brian Nathan 'On Successfully Running For The Florida Senate:' "The Voters Can Smell if You're Authentic"

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

After a hard-fought Special Election sent him to the Florida Senate in March, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker’s (IBEW) own Brian Nathan is determined to beat the odds again in November. Reporters and pundits declared his first win a major upset: A Pro-Worker, Pro-Union political newcomer prevailing in a Deep-Red District against a cattle rancher with rich and powerful backers. Even the Chair of the State’s Democratic Party considered it a “shocking victory.” The media called the race for Nathan when he was up by 408 votes, less than 1% of the ballots cast. A pub-packed with his supporters erupted - family, friends and fellow Union Members jumping up and down, waving signs and chanting “Brian!” “It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” the Tampa IBEW Local 915 Organizer said. “We knew it was going to be close. She (opponent Josie Tomkow) out-fundraised and outspent me. But when we saw the early returns, we thought, ‘OK, we’re actually in this.’ We did the work, and it was paying off.” While he’d never been a candidate, he was far from a political novice. He’d been interacting with Lawmakers for years, fighting for the IBEW and Labor more broadly as part of the Florida AFL-CIO’s Working Families Lobby Corps. The program expands the practice of lobby days to a week or longer, ensuring that there’s always a Union Voice in Tallahassee when the Legislature is in session. “You can’t be afraid to push back and say no, even if you think it might hurt you a little bit. The voters can smell if you’re authentic or not from a mile away and at the end of the day you have to remember that those are the people you’re representing, those are the people you’re fighting for.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Florida Senator, IBEW Brother: ‘The Voters Can Smell if You’re Authentic’ - International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

'Chaos In The Magic Kingdom:' Disneyland 'Threatens To Take Away' Paid Leave From Its Costumed Characters Who Work Full-Time & Part-Time As Their Union --Actors' Equity - Continues To Bargain A New Contract

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

The Los Angeles Times reports Disneyland, one of the most popular destinations for families, has long provided their Employees behind its parades and Costumed Characters with Paid Parental Leave in the weeks after they become new parents. But now those Full-Time and Part-Time Workers, organized under their Union - Actors’ Equity, say Disney has threatened to take that benefit away as they negotiate a new contract that includes proposals for higher wages, among other items. The 1,700 Workers in the Unit known as Magic United began bargaining their first contract in October 2024 and have yet to reach agreement with Disney over key issues. They are the people supporting Disneyland’s parades, shows and character operations, including some who perform as iconic characters such as Mickey Mouse, Snow White and Cinderella. They organized over several issues, including safety and health concerns. The start rate for Parade and Pageant Helpers is $26 an hour, while the start rate for Stage Scheduling Assistants is $28.25 an hour, according to the Union. About 60% of the Unit are Part-Time Workers. Disney’s current proposal does not include Paid Parental Leave, eliminates a paid holiday and reduces how much Disney matches Employee contributions to their 401(k) plans, Union Members said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Contract offer for Disneyland costumed characters doesn't have paid parental leave - Los Angeles Times

From The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council:

The Character and Parade Cast Members who help bring the magic of Disneyland to life have been bargaining for their first Union contract since October 2024.

While there has been some progress at the negotiating table, Disneyland management will not come to terms for a deal.

In fact, management is now trying to eliminate Worker benefits!

Disney has carefully crafted their public persona to emphasize that they are truly committed to making the world a better place.

They have an entire website about their social impact (www.impact.disney.com/investing-in-our-people), where they speak about how highly they think of their Employees and how much they invest in them both professionally and personally.

But behind closed doors, Disney management has dragged out negotiations and disrespected their Workers because they think no one is watching.

Disney is not afraid to harm their Workers to enlarge their profits, which is why they want to eliminate Paid Parental Leave, reduce retirement and Personal Time Off Benefits and keep wages insultingly low.

Sign your name today and show your solidarity with the Cast Members of Disneyland!

By signing your name, you let the Workers know that we have your support.

And by signing your name, you let the Disneyland management know that, if they truly cared about making the world a better place, they would stop being hypocrites and treat their Workers fairly.

Could This Happen In The United States? - Warehouse Workers In Canada 'Approve Collective Bargaining Agreement With Walmart'

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(MISSISSAUGA, CANADA) - In a historic moment for Organized Labor, 800 Walmart Workers employed at a warehouse in the Toronto Suburb of Mississauga have voted -overwhelmingly, to approve their first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Retail Giant.

The Workers are Members of Unifor Local 252 and their vote marks the first time a Union Contract has been reached with Walmart anywhere in North America.

The contract vote, which passed with 93% approval, caps a nearly two-year Organizing Drive at the Walmart Facility.

Workers here first voted to Unionize in 2024, marking a breakthrough in Labor’s long and difficult history with the company, which is one of the most Anti-Union corporations in the world.

The new two-year agreement includes several hard-won provisions: Wage increases of up to $5 per hour in the first year with a 3% increase in the second, A “Me Too” Clause ensuring all Walmart Warehouse Workers receive wage increases (not just some); Job security protections; and Reparations for Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs) stemming from Walmart’s denial of wage increases to its Workers.

Both the U.S. and Canadian Trade Union Movements have historically struggled to organize Walmart, the largest Private Sector Employer and one of the largest monopolies in North America.

In the United States, the Teamsters, the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) all launched campaigns, with the Teamsters beginning organizing efforts in the 1980s.

But Walmart founder Sam Walton, whose Anti-Union stance was shaped by his exposure to Anti-Union Tobacco Companies in the South, stifled progress.

In Public Affairs, Rick Wartzman described Walton’s tactics: “All of this was illegal, but that didn’t seem to give Walton any pause.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Warehouse workers in Canada approve collective bargaining agreement with Walmart – People's World

AFSCME Members 'Win First Cost-Of-Living Increase For Pennsylvania Retirees In 20 Years'

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

(HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA) – Pennsylvania State Employees who retired before 2001 are getting Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) they haven’t received in years, which will help them weather the current affordability crisis - and that’s thanks to working and Retired Members of American Federation of State, County & Municipal (AFSCME) Council 13, who fought for the COLAs to be included in Pennsylvania’s most recent budget.

The COLAs range from 15%-to-24.5%, depending on the date when each beneficiary retired.

It’s the first pension increase for this 60,000-strong group of Retirees in more than 20 years and a significant step in helping them keep up with rising costs of housing, health care, groceries and other necessities.

“Our Retirees devoted their careers to serving the people of Pennsylvania and for far too long they were asked to shoulder the burden of rising costs without any adjustment to their pensions,” said Jeanne Weaver, who serves as President of the Retired Public Employees of Pennsylvania Chapter 13.

“This victory has been years in the making. While it should have happened much sooner, we are grateful Lawmakers finally recognized the need to provide relief to the Men and Women who spent their working lives serving this Commonwealth,” Weaver said after Governor Josh Shapiro signed the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget on July 12th.

“This COLA won’t erase more than two decades without an increase, but it is an important and long-overdue step forward,” Weaver said, adding AFSCME Members will keep fighting for more.

The COLA victory is a testament to the power of AFSCME Members coming together to advocate for investments that support Workers, Retirees and the services that the public depends on.

Members of AFSCME Council 13 who work in K-12 and Higher Education also applauded the latest budget’s investments in Public Education, including $78 million for Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education debt relief.

Brian Brocato, who serves as President of AFSCME Local 279 - which represents Workers at Pittsburgh Public Schools, said: “Passing a budget on time gives School Districts the certainty they need to plan for the year ahead, and that’s good news for students, Workers and communities. As Federal cuts begin putting additional pressure on State and Local budgets, Pennsylvania must continue investing in Public Education, Worker safety and the dedicated Employees who keep our schools running. We can’t afford to fall behind when our students and communities are counting on us.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFSCME members win first cost-of-living increase in 20 years for 60,000 PA retirees - AFSCME

AFSCME-Provided Photo.

The Teamsters Reach A Tentative & Historic First Union Contract With Corewell Health East That Covers 10,000 Registered Nurses In Michigan

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

The State of Michigan’s largest Health Care System has reached a tentative and historic first Union contract with the Teamsters that covers 10,000 Registered Nurses (RNs). The agreement comes after about a year of bargaining between Corewell Health East and Teamsters Local 2024. And the three-year deal comes after 10,000 Nurses voted three-to-one to join the Teamsters in November 2024 - and after 13 months of collective bargaining. The Nurses had also voted to authorize a Strike earlier this year if a fair contract was not reached. Highlights of the contract include: A 15% wage increase over the agreement; Caps on the average out-of-pocket health care premiums; A staffing committee that allows Nurses from each campus to raise staffing issues to management directly and effect change; and Protections on benefits like Personal Time Off, bereavement, jury duty and others so changes cannot unilaterally be made to their policies without bargaining.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Teamsters get tentative deal at Corewell Health for wage bumps

Ascend Wellness Teamsters 'Win Biggest Cannabis Strike In U.S. History' - Workers 'Ratify Strong Contract With Improved Wages, Benefits & Protections'

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

(BARRY, ILLINOIS) – More than 300 Workers at Ascend Wellness’s Grow House in Barry, Illinois have overwhelmingly ratified their first contract with Teamsters Local 916 and ended a 30-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike that was the largest in the history of the Legal Cannabis Industry.

“This victory belongs to the Men and Women at Ascend who stood together and refused to accept anything less than a fair contract,” Local 916 President J.P. Fyans said. “Our Members showed tremendous courage and determination throughout this fight. Their solidarity compelled Ascend to deliver on pay, benefit and protection of Union Rights.”

Teamsters at the Grow House are responsible for every stage of production, from cultivation and processing to packaging and distribution, for one of the largest multi-state Cannabis Companies.

The contract includes higher wages, lower health care costs, protection against unjust discipline, improved policies for paid time off, and a new process for settling disputes.

Jesse Case, who serves as Director of the Teamsters Food Processing Division, said: “Cannabis Workers are building a powerful movement across this industry. This Strike demonstrates what can be achieved when Workers stand together and fight back. This contract sets a new and improved standard for Cannabis Cultivation and Manufacturing Workers across the country.”

Teamsters Local 916 Vice President Kyle Bollinger said: “What our Members did on the Strike line was extraordinary. For thirty days, they stood shoulder to shoulder and their courage forced Ascend to bargain a fair contract. This Strike sends a clear message to Cannabis Companies that Workers who drive their profits deserve to be treated with respect.”

Cory Hill, an Ascend Cultivator and Member of Local 916, said: “We went on Strike because we knew the value of our work and we knew we deserved better. This contract proves that by refusing to give up, Workers can win the respect, job security and opportunities we deserve.”

Teamsters Local 916 represents more than 4,000 Workers throughout Illinois from Chicago to Carbondale and East Saint Louis to Champaign.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Ascend Wellness Teamsters Win Biggest Cannabis Strike in U.S. History - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Ghirardelli Closes Flagship San Francisco Shop As Union-Represented Workers Strike

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Aidin Vaziri at The San Francisco Chronicle reports Ghirardelli has closed its flagship Chocolate and Ice Cream Shop in San Francisco after Union Workers walked off the job, prompting Picketers to move to another company location that remained open in Ghirardelli Square. The Original Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop shut down after Workers began a three-day Strike, according to Unite Here Local 2, which represents Employees at the store. Ghirardelli directed customers to the nearby Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience and Ghirardelli Chocolate To Go, the Union said. The Workers subsequently moved their picket line to the Chocolate Experience. Local 2 is accusing Ghirardelli of bargaining in bad faith by refusing to provide information about how much money the surcharge generates while proposing changes the Union says would weaken Workers' health coverage. The Union is asking customers not to patronize Ghirardelli locations while its Members are picketing.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Ghirardelli closes flagship San Francisco shop as workers strike

Photo Courtesy Of Unite Here Local 2’s Facebook Page.

New Cornell University Research Asks: Would You Work Harder If You Knew Your Boss Was Anti-Union?

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

Pavithra Mohan at Fast Company reports Unions have grown more popular in recent years, with 16.5 million Workers represented by a Union in 2025 - the highest share of the overall workforce in 16 years. As Workers have mounted high-profile Union Campaigns at companies like Starbucks and Amazon, some employers have openly pushed back on those efforts, in turn becoming increasingly vocal about their opposition to Unions. But new research from Cornell University indicates a company’s stance on Unions can have a measurable impact on its workforce and shape Worker productivity. In an experiment that involved asking participants to act as Workers and managers, Researchers found when a company disclosed its opposition to Unions, some Employees took a cue from that and responded by working harder - but only if they were skeptical of Unions or thought collective bargaining was not in their best interests. “Workers use the manager’s public stance to infer how managers intend to set pay under individual bargaining,” Xinyu Zhang, an Accounting Professor at Cornell and Co-Author of the research paper, said in a statement. “Managers’ opposition gives Workers information and that information can change their behavior.” The Workers who were already in favor of individual bargaining seemed to interpret their employer’s stance as a sign that they could negotiate higher wages if they increased their productivity. But when Workers were in support of collective bargaining, their employer’s position on Unions did not change their behavior, in part because that knowledge seemed simply to affirm what they already believe - that individual bargaining puts managers at an advantage.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Would you work harder if you knew your boss was anti-union?

And To Access The New Research From Cornell University Directly, Go To: When Managers Publicly Oppose Collective Bargaining: Effects on Worker Productivity and Wages by Martin Wiernsperger, Xinyu Zhang :: SSRN

A U.S. Appeals Court' Rejects An NLRB Rule Locking New Owners Into' Union Bargaining

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

Regielyn Santiago at Human Resources Director reports a Federal Appeals Court has thrown out a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that forced new business owners to bargain with an inherited Union, even without majority support. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled the NLRB's "successor bar" is inconsistent with Federal Labor Law. The rule forced a company that buys a business to recognize and bargain with the existing Union for up to a year - even if most workers no longer backed it. The Court found the NLRB had no authority to impose it. The case involved a hospital that became a successor employer in 2017. The incumbent Union claimed to represent Staff across five Bargaining Units. Two of those Units had never had a contract and the deals covering the other three had expired more than four years before the sale. But the hospital said it later obtained evidence that a majority of Employees in each Unit - and everyone in one Unit - had rejected the Union. It refused to bargain and withdrew recognition.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Appeals court rejects NLRB rule locking new owners into union bargaining | Human Resources Director

Skagit News Workers In The Pacific Northwest 'Go On Strike For Fair Pay, AI Protections & More'

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

News Workers at The Skagit Valley Herald, Anacortes American and Stanwood-Camano News, who are represented by the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild, are on Strike. After nine months of negotiating with owner Adams MultiMedia, the company has continued to insist it wants “no limitation on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI),” including the generation of news content and has denied its Journalists any protections from AI at these newspapers. Management’s reckless refusal to put any safeguards on AI within the contract threatens the future of the newspapers, its accuracy, readers’ trust, and its Journalists’ careers. Workers found this unacceptable. They’re bargaining for 2% annual wage increases to keep up with rising costs of living and a minimum wage of $20 per hour so they can afford to live in the communities they cover. Members approved the Strike by unanimous vote. They’re asking readers and subscribers to refrain from clicking on any articles from The Skagit Valley Herald, The Anacortes American and The Stanwood-Camano News during the length of the Strike.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Skagit news workers go on strike for fair pay, AI protections and more | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

Photo Courtesy Of The TNG-CWA.

There's A 'Major Drive Underway To Unionize 10,000 Doctors' On The West Coast

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA) - The ills of the Nation’s Medical System, especially privatization of hospitals and nursing homes whose investors put profits over patients, are driving increasing numbers of Doctors to Unionize.

But it’s not just 500 Physicians in Minnesota or several hundred more in Chicago.

Now, the Service Employees International Union’s (SEIU) SEIU Doctors United is pursuing Unionization of 10,000 Doctors at the University of California Medical System.

The Union recently unveiled its campaign at San Francisco’s General Hospital where Doctors at the University of California in San Francisco shared their frustrations with the Medical System.

The object of the Organizing Drive is “to give Doctors a voice in health care decisions and to protect patient care,” but even Unionizing may not solve all the ills due to financialization of health care.

Just to give one example, even Congress has finally woken up to the role and profit skimming of one key group of so-called middlemen, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs).

PBMs act in the name of the insurers, banning payment for certain procedures, including medications they keep off the list of so-called formularies.

But that isn’t stopping SEIU and the Doctors.

It only makes them more determined.

The Doctors emphasize the heavy workloads they suffer - and the impact on patients - along with safety, staffing, workload and other problems.

They suffer “unsustainable patient loads, staffing shortages, administrative burdens” from the insurers and the PBMs, plus “burnout and the increasing corporatization of health care.’

Their vision for Unionization is the opposite of that.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Drive underway to unionize 10,000 doctors on West Coast – People's World

Detroit IBEW Local 'Transforms Blighted Neighborhoods With Solar Power'

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

(DETROIT, MICHIGAN) - One of Detroit’s latest revitalization projects is transforming vacant and blighted areas of land into solar arrays and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 58 Members are helping to make that happen.

Billions of dollars have been funneled into Detroit’s coffers to fund a number of projects aimed at invigorating the City’s Downtown, but much less attention has been paid to the underserved neighborhoods that are farther from the City’s core.

Now, with the help of Local 58 and its Membership, those overlooked areas are getting a boost in the form of solar arrays.

“This project speaks to Detroit’s commitment to renewable energy and our local Union Workforce,” Local 58 Business Representative Byron Osbern said. “We are partners in a more sustainable initiative for this City.”

The initiative will install nine solar arrays in five neighborhoods, covering a total of 167 acres.

The undertaking is expected to generate 31 megawatts of solar energy, which will be used to power just under 130 municipal buildings, including City Hall, Police and Fire Stations, recreation centers, health clinics and transit centers.

The effort is part of a goal set by the City to power 100% of its municipal buildings with clean energy by 2034.

Local 58 Members will be handling panels, connecting to inverters, grounding and bonding, connecting the solar array to the utility, and installing underground conduit.

The initiative is being done under the Tri-Trade Solar Agreement, under which the IBEW works with the Laborers Union (LIUNA) and the International Union of Operating Engineers to delineate which Union is responsible for different aspects of a solar construction project.

IBEW Signatory Contractor Motor City Electric (MCE) has been chosen for all of the work on the project and is partnering with DTE, the area Utility that employs Members of Detroit Local 17.

Matt Beck, MCE Senior Project Manager, it has 20 to 30 Members working on the arrays so far, and will likely have 40 at the peak.

“Local (58) has a great relationship with DTE,” Beck said. “They knew they could trust us with the work.”

For people living in the designated areas, various forms of compensation have been offered, based on where they live in relation to the sites.

Some homeowners were relocated and given market value for their homes.

Others received $15,000 to $25,000 in energy efficiency upgrades, including roof repairs and upgrades to windows, furnaces and water heaters.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Detroit Local Transforms Blighted Neighborhoods With Solar Power - International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

University Of California Resident Doctors 'Win Historic' Statewide Contract 'After Year-Long Fight' - 6,400+ Resident & Fellow Physicians 'Secure Crucial Support for Fair Wages, Benefit Protections & Workplace Safety With A Focus On Improved' Patient

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

(THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA) - After a year of tough negotiations, coordinated collective actions and increasing political support, the Unionized Resident Physicians and Fellows at the University of California (UC) have reached a tentative agreement on their first statewide contract with UC Health.

Represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU), the Doctors say the deal - which includes 18% salary increase, preservation of fertility benefits, improved access to radiation exposure equipment, Immigrant protections for patients and critical improvements to address Emergency Room capacity, among others - will directly impact their well-being and their ability to provide the best patient care for the 2.5 million Californians they serve across the State in the largest Public Health Care System in the U.S.

UCLA Emergency Medicine Resident Dr. Diana Dayal said: “We are very happy with what we were able to negotiate for our futures, including the wage increases, better access to properly-fitting lead and enshrining our fertility benefits in this contract. However, we’re also really proud we were able to win language for our patients, especially for the Immigrant Communities we serve so that they can receive care with less fear, and for all our patients who have had to contend with issues related to Emergency Room capacity. This is a great starting point and we look forward to ratifying this contract and to continuing to advocate for all our patients at the UC’s from San Diego up to Sacramento.”

This victory for UC Residents and Fellows comes after a 12-month-long contract fight, marked by UC executive representatives’ attempts to claw back existing benefits and protections while also submitting to pressures from the Trump Administration around DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

However, over the course of negotiations, the UC Residents and Fellows participated in a series of escalating collective actions that culminated most publicly in June in a series of 18 unity breaks at multiple UC sites in Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno, Riverside, Los Angeles, Irvine, and San Diego, and neighboring Hospitals where the UC Residents and Fellows work.

CIR is the largest House Staff Union in the U.S., a Local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), that represents more than 40,000 Resident Physicians and Fellows nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: UC Resident Doctors Win Historic Statewide Contract after Year-Long Fight – Committee of Interns and Residents

The Teamsters 'Land An Industry-Leading Deal' At United Airlines - Union 'Secures Agreement In Principle For 11,000 Mechanics & Related Employees Nationwide'

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Teamsters Union has reached an agreement in principle with United Airlines (UA) on a new contract for more than 11,000 Mechanics and related Employees nationwide, delivering a major victory after nearly two years of relentless bargaining and Member-led contract action.

The full Bargaining Committee, made up of UA Business Agents and Rank-and-Filers, voted 19-to-12 to recommend the agreement in principle to Members for ratification.

The victory secures industry-leading wage increases and clear job protections, accelerates progression to top pay from eight years to five, and delivers a $54 million signing bonus upon ratification, which will provide payments of $5,000 to each Member.

The contract breakthrough follows an aggressive campaign by the Teamsters. Throughout bargaining, the Union fought for an industry-leading agreement that reflects its Members’ critical work maintaining one of the largest airline fleets in the world and keeping millions of passengers safe.

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien said: “For nearly two years, Teamsters at United stared down a multi-billion-dollar corporation and demanded a contract worthy of their skills and the huge profits they generate. Our Members took on one of the biggest Airlines in the world and won. This agreement will raise the bar for every Airline Worker in America. The Teamsters standard just went up again. We are proud to recommend this powerful, industry-leading contract.”

The new agreement in principle secures significant gains for Members, including: A $54 million signing bonus upon ratification; Industry-leading wage increases; An accelerated wage progression to top-of-scale pay; A two-year extension of the Retiree Bridge Medical Plan; and An expedited grievance and arbitration process.

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

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Teamsters Land Industry-Leading Deal at United Airlines - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Members Of ESC/IFPTE Ratify New Contract With Pacific Gas And Electric That Includes The Union's 'Highest-Ever' Wage Increases

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

(OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA) - Members of the Engineers and Scientists of California (ESC)/ International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 20, have voted to ratify a new contract with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) that includes the Union’s highest-ever wage increase.

The ESC represents nearly 5,000 highly-skilled Professionals at PG&E, which provides utility services to 16 million California residents.

ESC President John Mader said: “With this agreement, ESC Members have secured the highest three-year wage increases of any PG&E contract in the Union’s (74)-year history. The newly ratified contract also protects the benefits that make ESC jobs at PG&E such great careers, including our pension, health coverage and disability benefits. Members chose to extend our contract multiple times in the context of PG&E’s bankruptcy and the pandemic, so this is the first full contract ESC has negotiated in ten years. We are proud that it is a very strong agreement and that Members have overwhelmingly voted in favor of ratification.”

Among the highlights of the new contract are: A general wage increase of 5% for 2026, 5% for 2027 and 5% for 2028 - with full retroactive pay back to January 2026; A retroactive pension adjustment for those Members who have retired since February 2026; A $1,500 ratification bonus per Employee; Preserved or increased health care benefits, though premium co-pay has increased from 7.5% of premiums to 10% of premiums. Union Officials say this increase is far outweighed by the General Wage benefit; Preserved sick time, short-term disability, and long-term disability; and more.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: ESC Members Ratify Tentative Agreement with PG&E | Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20, IFPTE

'Let's Brew It In The United States" - Teamsters 'Target' Modelo & Corona 'In Push For Mexican Beer Tariffs' - Union President Says 'U.S. Workers Can Brew The Same Recipes, Wants Production Shifted To American Breweries'

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters wants President Donald Trump to make one of America's favorite imports a lot more American. The Teamsters are urging the Administration to impose significant tariffs on Mexican beer, arguing more of it should be brewed by U.S. Workers instead of across the border. The Teamsters argue Mexico has fueled its Brewing Industry through Government-backed investment incentives, lower labor costs and export-focused policies that have expanded production and exports, helping imported beer capture a growing share of the U.S. market. The tariff push could have implications for some of America's best-known imported beer brands - including Modelo, Corona, Pacifico and Tecate, much of which is brewed in Mexico before being shipped to retailers across the U.S. "We can brew Modelo beer. It's the same recipe. Let's brew it in the United States," Teamsters President Sean O'Brien told Fox News Digital. "We are very good at producing goods and services in this country." In its filing, the Union said Mexican beer production has increased 85% since 2014, with about 80% of the country's beer exports shipped to the U.S. Meanwhile, capacity utilization at major U.S. breweries fell from 82% in 2013 to 65% in 2023, a trend the Teamsters say threatens thousands of well-paying Union jobs.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Teamsters urge Trump to impose steep tariffs on Mexican beer imports | Fox News

The AFT 'Posts Highest-Ever Membership Of 1.88 Million As Union Popularity Surges' - 'Eight Years After' Janus Decision 'Meant To Decimate' Public Sector Unions, Educators, Health Care Workers & Public Workers 'Organize In Record Numbers'

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has topped the highest Membership in its 110-year history as Workers across America flock to organize with the 1.88 million-strong Union that cares, fights, shows up and “gets shit done.”

At the AFT’s 89th Biennial Convention this week, Union President Randi Weingarten announced a record Membership number of 1,875,209, with nearly 60,000 members in 179 new Units organized over the last two years.

Since Weingarten was first elected in 2008, the AFT has grown by 340,000, with close to half a million Members added during the last two decades.

After the June 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Janus - a case funded by Far-Right front groups - eliminated 94,000 fee-paying AFT Members with the stroke of a pen, the Union quickly recovered that shortfall and piled on an additional 65,000 Members for a net gain of 159,000 over eight years.

The AFT, with 3,786 Locals, is now the fastest-growing Union in the 65-Member National AFL-CIO, with major new Affiliates in States that include Hawaii, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania - and new organizing across Health Care, Higher Education, Early Childhood Education and K-12 Sectors from Coast to Coast.

“‘Life is better in a Union,’” Weingarten said. “The AFT is a ‘big, bad, big-hearted’ Union made up of people who’ve dedicated their lives to caring for others. They see the value of belonging to the AFT because they want to win a ‘voice at work’ and in our Democracy.”

The extraordinary growth comes against the backdrop of relentless political attacks from extremist lobby groups funded by dark money billionaires and pumped out verbatim by a dishonest conservative media ecosystem.

But this PR strategy has backfired spectacularly: The level of vitriol directed at Weingarten and the AFT has only raised the public profile of the Union and its leaders - buttressing new organizing efforts and stiffening the spines of existing Members.

Coordinated disinformation campaigns by Far-Right special interest groups, including the Freedom Foundation, to coerce existing Members to opt out of dues-paying Union Membership and “free ride” on their Union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, have also proven unsuccessful, with nominal yearly losses swamped by a deluge of new internal and external organizing.

Meanwhile, Union approval is surging with the American Public to levels not seen since the 1960s, with a level of bipartisan support uncommon among the country’s core institutions.

Fifty million Non-Union Workers say they’d join a Union tomorrow - if they could.

Union Workers’ wages are 11% higher than Non-Union Workers - and Non-Union Workers in Unionized States earn more by virtue of the Union’s presence.

Unionized Teachers earn 24% more in States with collective bargaining and Education Support Professionals earn 13% more.

The Economic Policy Institute found this week that tripling Union Membership would deliver a 14.5% raise for the average Worker, reverse one-third of the increase in inequality experienced since 1979, significantly narrow racial wage gaps, boost the number of people with health insurance, strengthen communities and protect Democracy.

AFT Affiliates have consistently secured path-breaking contracts with premium-free health care for their Members and families, Paid Parental Leave, Safe Staffing Ratios in Health Care Facilities and guaranteed retirement security through robust pensions.

“The AFT is going from strength to strength - and the attacks from our billionaire enemies only make us stronger,” Weingarten said. “For eighteen years, I’ve been proud to lead a Union that fights for a better life, not only for its Members - but for all Americans. And we’re just getting started.”

To View A List Of Nearly 180 New AFT Organizing Victories Since 2024, Go To: AFT Posts Highest-Ever Membership of 1.88 Million as Union Popularity Surges | American Federation of Teachers

Photo Courtesy Of The AFT.

"It's A Grass-Roots Campaign, Boots On The Ground" - The American Postal Workers Union Launches The 'Protect Our Public Postal Service' Drive

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

(DETROIT, MICHIGAN) - Well, now we know why U.S. mail delivery has been so slow in Downtown Detroit: At one point, the United States Postal Service (USPS) closed 10 of the 11 local Post Offices there - including the one serving the rapidly growing business and residential area around the Renaissance Center.

But then the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) mobilized the City’s businesses and residents, picked up political support and got the decisions reversed, says James Stevenson, a Postal Clerk and the Union’s National Business Agent for Michigan, Illinois and surrounding States.

‘It’s a grass-roots campaign, boots on the ground,” Stevenson told Union Executive Vice President Debby Szeredy at a July 14th planning session for the Union’s larger Protect Our Public Postal Service Drive.

And the Detroiters won.

They couldn’t get the Renaissance Center Branch reopened - “But there’s an alternative at (500) Woodward Avenue. It’ll be a mecca,” Stevenson said.

The Detroit victory and other local successes in saving Post Offices from planned closures are models for the Union’s larger national effort.

It will culminate in rallies and demonstrations nationwide on a National Day of Action on July 28th around the Protect Our Public Postal Service theme.

Details and toolkits are available at www.apwu.org/nopostofficeclosures.

It’s wins like that, in areas large and small, with which the Union plans to gain momentum as it launches its second drive to save the Postal Service.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: APWU launches ‘Protect Our Public Postal Service’ drive – People's World

The Writers Guild Of America 'Files A Lawsuit To Block' The Paramount-Warner Brothers Discovery Merger

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

(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA & NEW YORK CITY) - The Writers Guild of America East and Writers Guild of America West (jointly WGA), have filed suit to block the proposed merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Brothers Discovery on the grounds that it violates Federal Anti-Trust Law and would cause specific harm to Writers.

“With fewer competitors, the merged Paramount-Warner Brothers entity would have both the incentive and the ability to lower costs by suppressing Writers’ wages and reducing output. Writers will be paid less and have fewer employment opportunities,” the WGA complaint states.

The complaint details how the merger would reduce opportunities, lower pay and worsen working conditions for writers.

The elimination of a key competitor and the creation of a new dominant firm would result in reduction in the quantity and variety of theatrical films and television series as the merged company would have a greater ability to reduce output, the Union said.

Furthermore, the complaint asserts that merger would increase the ability for the few remaining companies to tacitly coordinate to further suppress competition for Writers’ work, it added.

WGAW President Michele Mulroney said: “If Paramount succeeds in buying Warner Brothers, the merged firm will be the largest buyer of original film and television programming in the United States. This would eliminate competition in an already consolidated industry, threatening the livelihoods of Entertainment Workers and the creative diversity of TV and film. We applaud the dozen state Attorneys General who have stepped up to enforce our antitrust laws and are proud to file suit alongside them.”

Since Paramount’s proposed acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery was announced, the WGA has raised awareness about this threat to State Attorney General Offices and Federal Legislators, submitted comments to Regulatory Agencies and Congress, and participated in press events as part of a Coalition of Democracy and Arts Organizations.

The WGA complaint focuses on the anti-competitive effects of the merger in three markets for writing services: Anticipated top grossing films; Episodic television and streaming series; and Overall deals.

WGAE President Tom Fontana said: “The Writers Guild of America will not stand idly by as Paramount attempts to violate our country’s Anti-Trust Laws and deepen the contraction Entertainment Workers already feel. This proposed combined entity would be the largest employer of Writers, with tremendous power to suppress our wages, eliminate opportunities for emerging Writers, cut jobs across the industry, and produce less programming, affecting the range of storytelling. This merger is not inevitable and we are fighting to stop it.”

The WGA has also publicly opposed the recent mergers of Disney-Fox, Amazon-MGM, AT&T-Time Warner, and Comcast-Time Warner Cable, among others.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: WGA Files Lawsuit to Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger | Press Room

Michigan Republicans 'Vote To Strip Child Labor Protections'

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(LANSING, MICHIGAN) - In a blatant move that puts corporate profits far ahead of children’s safety, Michigan House Republicans have passed legislation that would gut the State’s Youth Work Permit System before it even takes full effect.

House Bill 5727, sponsored by Republican Representative Mike Hoadley, would eliminate the requirement for minors to obtain work permits - both the current school-issued permits and the new State-issued system are set to go into effect on October 2nd.

Instead, the bosses would simply verify a child’s age themselves, essentially creating a system that Child Advocates warn amounts to little more than an honor system for greedy corporations with a documented history of exploiting young people.

The Bill passed along party lines, with every House Democrat voting against it.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Michigan Republicans vote to strip child labor protections – People's World

U.S. Department of Labor-Provided Photos Via People’s World.

More than 4,000 Nurses Employed At Brigham And Women's Hospital In Boston Strike & Then Are Locked Out In The 'Largest Health Care Walkout In Massachusetts History'

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

(BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS) - More than 4,000 Nurses employed at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston initiated the largest Strike last week by Nurses and Health Care Professionals in Massachusetts History, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA). But when they tried to return to work Thursday (July 16th) morning, the Hospital locked them out.

The Strike also involved 450 Clinicians at Mass General Brigham (MGB) Home Care, who began a separate seven-day walkout.

Both groups of Workers are represented by the MNA.

The dispute is over wages and benefits.

MGB has proposed no wage increase for Nurses, the MNA said.

The Hospital is also seeking to raise monthly health insurance premiums by 2.5 percentage points for Nurses on the Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - roughly half the Union's Members.

Nicolette Dickerhoff, a Neo-Natal Nurse Practitioner at Brigham and Women's, said the financial pressure on Staff was already acute: "Most of us are living paycheck to paycheck because of how expensive Boston and Massachusetts in general is. The Hospital wants to increase the premiums on our health insurance - that essentially equates to a pay cut for us."

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: 4,500 Brigham and Women's Nurses Strike and Face Lockout in Largest Healthcare Walkout in Massachusetts History | The LabourPulse And Brigham Nurses Prepare for End of Lockout on Monday with Solidarity Walk-In as MGB Home Care Clinicians Demonstrate Power with Ongoing MGB HQ Strike Picketing - Massachusetts Nurses Association

Photo Courtesy Of The MNA’s Facebook Page.

CWA-Represented Piedmont Airlines Members 'Win Historic' Wage Settlement

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - After nearly three years of negotiations with the company, Piedmont Passenger Services Workers who are represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have won a historic settlement totaling nearly $2 million in wages owed to Workers.

CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia Ramos, who led the settlement negotiations, said she was informed this was the largest award to CWA Passenger Services Members in the Union’s History.

During new contract negotiations in late 2024, the CWA Bargaining Team noticed errors with the flex-and-freeze and flex-and-progress adjustments made by the company.

To resolve these errors, Ramos placed immense pressure on the company to submit full and complete audits of all Employees - which the company dragged its feet on for months.

Ultimately, the audits revealed hundreds of Workers had been placed on the wrong step or were earning the wrong wage rates.

CWA President Claude Cummings, Jr. said he believes this settlement is the result of the Members’ mobilization efforts and resilience in the face of a lengthy bargaining process.

Continue To Show Your Support For A Fair And Just Contract With Piedmont Airlines By Sending A Letter To CEO Eric Morgan To Tell Him You Stand With CWA members: Take Action: Stand With Piedmont Airlines Workers Fighting for a Fair Contract

Union-Represented Michigan Nurses On Strike, 'Fight For Freedom From Unfair Wages & Union-Busting'

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

(ALMA, MICHIGAN) - While much of the country fired up grills and watched fireworks this Independence Day weekend, most of the 178 Registered Nurses (RNs) employed at MyMichigan Medical Center Alma walked the picket line instead, fighting for their own kind of freedom - freedom from unfair wages, unsafe staffing and a Hospital Administration they say has conducted illegal Anti-Union action.

The three-day Strike, which began on Friday, July 3rd and ran through Monday (July 6th) morning, came after 16 grueling negotiating sessions for a new contract and a 98% Strike Authorization Vote from Nurses who say they have simply run out of patience.

This weekend Strike is the latest escalation in a months-long battle between the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) and MyMichigan Health, which Nurses accuse of violating their contract and engaging in unlawful conduct throughout negotiations.

They join Nurses around the country - whether represented by the National Nurses United (NNU), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) or the Teamsters, in fighting back against a Health Care System that doesn’t work for its Workers or patients but simply tries to maximize profits.

The MNA filed six Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which remain under investigation.

The charges include withdrawing contract proposals after the Union gave a legally-protected Strike Notice, stopping advance shift trades without bargaining before the Strike, and changing policies regarding the assignment of Psychiatric Care Nurses to other Departments without required bargaining beforehand.

The Union also said that the Hospital refused to allow paid time off accrual on weekend overtime despite clear contract language, communicated directly with Hospital Staff about proposals not made at the bargaining table, and that a Hospital Representative made an unlawful threat against a Union Representative, stating Alma Nurses would never get a contract after the legally required notice of picketing was given.

“MyMichigan’s actions show nothing but disrespect and disregard for our Nurses, our Union and our community,” said RN Shenan Shinabarger, who serves as the President of the MNA Local at the Hospital and who is also a Member of the Statewide MNA Board.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Michigan nurses fight for freedom from unfair wages and union-busting – People's World

The UAW Indicts 'Free' Trade, Demands 'Pro-Worker Deal Or None At All'

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

Cameron Harrison at People’s World reports the United Auto Workers (UAW) is challenging the Big Capitalist-driven trade policies that have gutted American manufacturing and wrecked Working-Class Communities across the country.

In a new white paper: Trade and the American Dream: NAFTA, the USMCA, and the Future of the Working Class, the Union lays out its indictment of free trade policies and proposes an alternative: “NAFTA and the like are the social contract as written by multi-national corporations,” UAW President Shawn Fain said. “It’s time we rip it up and start over.”

The 36-page document, released as the six-year review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) approaches, argues the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was “one of the most dramatic Anti-Union Laws since the notorious Taft-Hartley Act of 1947” - and that its successor, the USMCA, has also failed Working-Class Communities.

Since NAFTA’s passage in the early 90s, the U.S. has lost more than 4.2 million manufacturing jobs.

Every plant closure, the paper argues, “is a bomb dropped on a Blue‑Collar Community.”

Studies show that rates of alcohol and drug abuse, divorce and suicide all rise dramatically after factories shut down.

One recent study - Trading Goods for Lives - found that communities “more exposed to NAFTA experienced sustained increases in mortality.”

“The fact is NAFTA hollowed out U.S. manufacturing, driving a ‘race to the bottom’ - making it easy to move production for the U.S. market to Mexico, where companies can suppress wages and violate Workers’ Rights with impunity,” the paper states.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: United Auto Workers indict ‘free’ trade, demand pro-worker deal or none at all – People's World

Production Assistants Ratify Three Warner Brothers TV Union Contracts

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

Members of Production Assistants United, an affiliate of Laborers Local 724, who work on three Warner Brothers’ shows have ratified their first Union contracts. Staffers on Abbott Elementary, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage and All American all unanimously approved their separate agreements. Highlights include a minimum wage rate of $20 an hour for new hires, double pay for working holidays and establishment of a Sub-Committee to explore career advancement for Production Assistants. “You cannot run a production without Production Assistants,” Production Assistants United Director of Organizing Ethan Ravens said. “The idea that the Workers holding productions together should have a Union, a voice, health care and a pension is not radical. It is inevitable. These contracts prove the momentum is real and it’s only going to keep growing.” Laborers Local 724 Secretary-Treasurer Alex Aguilar, Jr. said: “The unanimous ratification of these agreements sends a powerful message: Workers want a voice and they want representation. The unity shown by Production Assistants demonstrates the strength of this movement and the power of Workers standing together in solidarity.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: NABET-CWA Members Ratify Major Contract with ABC-TV | Communications Workers of America And Production Assistants Ratify 3 Warner Bros. TV Union Contracts

UNITE HERE-Represented Philadelphia Hospitality Workers 'Unanimously Ratify A New Contract To End A Nine-Day Strike' - Deal Features 'Wages Increases To $30-Per-Hour For Non-Tipped Employees By January 2028'

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

(PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA) - After a nine-day Strike, Members of UNITE HERE Local 274 have unanimously ratified a new contract that covers 170 Workers employed at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel that will run through January 2028. The Hospitality Workers walked off the job at the City’s largest Union Hotel as World Cup games started and during preparations for Fourth of July celebrations. The new deal includes wage increases to $30 per hour for Non-Tipped Employees by January 2028, a reduction in Room Attendants’ daily quota, an 18% banquet gratuity, pension plan improvements and more. Workers will also receive better benefits for dependents' health care and "major increases in pension," according to a Union press release. Shafeek Anderson, a Union Steward at the Sheraton, said: “When we said we were fighting for ($30 per) hour at the beginning of this campaign, a lot of people told us we were asking for the impossible. With this victory, we have shown the whole industry that nothing is impossible when Workers stick together.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown reaches tentative deal with union | Local News | phillytrib.com

The National AFL-CIO 'Applauds The U.S. Supreme Court's Decision To Uphold Birthright Citizenship'

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision affirming Birthright Citizenship:

The Supreme Court upheld one of the fundamental promises of our Constitution: That every child born in the United States is a Citizen of the United States.

This decision rejects the Trump Administration's latest attempt to divide Working People and attack the Immigrant Families who are part of the fabric of our communities, our workplaces and our Unions.

At a time when Working People are facing relentless attacks on their fundamental freedoms, the Court made clear that Constitutional Rights cannot simply be erased by Executive Order.

One in five Workers is an Immigrant.

They are our Co-Workers, our neighbors, our family members and our fellow Union Members, integral to our economy and our workplaces.

Working People know that it’s not Immigrants who stand between Workers and a good job - it’s the bosses who exploit Workers.

When politicians target Immigrant Communities, they are targeting all of us.

(This) ruling holds the ground on hard-won gains from our long-term struggle for human dignity and racial equality, and we know that work is far from over.

Millions of Workers and families still live with the uncertainty our broken Immigration System causes, which leaves their lives and futures subject to the whims of bosses and politicians.

Congress must finally act to create a pathway to citizenship and ensure every Worker can live and work with dignity, freedom and opportunity.

The Labor Movement will continue to fight until that becomes a reality.

To Directly Access This National AFL-CIO Statement, Go To: AFL-CIO Applauds Supreme Court Decision Upholding Birthright Citizenship | AFL-CIO

It's The 'First ILWU Strike In Decades Against A Major' California Sugar Producer Sugar Giant 'As A Walkout By Union Workers Centers On Wages & Benefits'

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

Stuart Chirls at FreightWaves reports a walkout by Workers represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) over wages and benefits is marking the first Strike in decades against a major California Sugar Producer. The ILWU Strike at C&H Sugar in Crockett led by Warehouse Local 6 is reportedly over health care, retiree benefits, sick leave, overtime rules and Union protections as part of a new three-year contract. The Strike by the Unionized Warehouse Employees at the massive Bay Area Complex began around mid-June, with about 90 to 100 workers involved. The historic Plant, which famously figured in the Sugar Wars of the 1930s, receives rail service from Union Pacific and generates 25,000 truckloads of sugar per year. It’s the first C&H Sugar Strike by Warehouse Workers in decades. The last comparable shutdown at the site was in 2003, when Workers walked out in solidarity with Sugar Employees rather than over their own contract.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: California: First ILWU strike against sugar giant in decades - FreightWaves

ILWU Photo Via Facebook.

'Automation Is Displacing Union Workers' - The UAW Is 'Furious After GM Replaces More Than 1,000 Workers At Detroit Assembly Plant With 50 Robots'

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

Stefan Milovanovic at Geek Spin reports more than 1,000 Workers at General Motors’ (GM) flagship Detroit Assembly Plant were idled, many of them indefinitely, as the company installed 50 robots. The United Auto Workers (UAW) is calling the move exactly what it appears to be: automation is displacing people. The robots in question, known as “Cobots” (short for Collaborative Robots), have been installed on the assembly line at Factory Zero, the Detroit-Hamtramck EV Plant where GM builds its electric trucks. At Factory Zero, the Cobots are now bolting body panels onto vehicles as they move down the assembly line, working alongside the people who haven’t been laid off, as per AutoBlog. GM, however, has been careful in its framing, insisting the machines are not replacing Workers - but are instead helping the plant stay competitive while improving safety and ergonomics for the remaining Workers. The laid-off Workers are only temporarily idled, according to the company, but GM has yet to provide a timeline for their return. UAW Local 22 President James Cotton isn’t buying any of it. To him, the Cobots are about one thing: Taking away jobs from Union Members.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Unions are furious after GM replaces 1,000 workers with 50 robots

"We Are Going To Fight For What We Deserve" - Unionized Hotel Workers In Philadelphia Go On Strike Amid World Cup, America 250 Celebrations

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

UNITE HERE Local 274 Members are on Strike at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown - the largest Union Hotel in the City. Hospitality Workers are demanding wages and benefits in line with the new city-wide standard, which five other Union Hotels have already secured, including: A $30-per-hour wage For Non-Tipped Employees by 2028; A decrease from a 16-room to a 15-room quota per day for Housekeeping Staff; and An 18% banquet gratuity. Union Members walked off the job on Sunday (June 21st), the day before France and Iraq faced off in a World Cup match at Lincoln Financial Field. “We told them we were ready to Strike the World Cup. They could have easily avoided this by signing the contract,” Sheraton Room Attendant Francine Heason said. “We are not worth less than the other Hotel Workers in this City and we are going to fight for what we deserve.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Hotel workers in Center City go on strike amid World Cup, America 250 celebrations - 6abc Philadelphia

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

The American Federation Of Teachers & The Minnesota AFL-CIO 'Slam' The Federal Indictment Of 'Metro Surge' Protesters

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

(ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA) – The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Minnesota AFL-CIO are slamming a grand jury indictment of 15 Minnesotans for opposing President Donald Trump’s “Operation Metro Surge” that targeted Immigrants in the Twin Cities. Daniel Rosen, Trump’s U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, told reporters the 15, whom he characterized as members of “Antifa,” were “charged not for what they said but what they did” in protesting the mass roundups by ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and Border Patrol agents. AFT President Randi Weingarten, a New York City Civics Teacher who also holds a law degree, virtually called that statement a lie - though she didn’t use that exact word. The top count provides details of what it calls “a conspiracy to impede or injure Federal Officers carrying out their duties” - i.e. the Immigration roundups. No Officers were injured and few were impeded, the details in the 94-page indictment show. Other counts charge the protesters, who tried to block ICE Agents from jailing people in the Federal Whipple Building, with posting inflammatory videos on Instagram, following an Agent from the building to his home in Hudson, Wisconsin, kicking and denting an ICE car, side-swiping another Agent’s vehicle on the road, and knocking a third Agent’s notes out of his hand.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: AFT, Minn. AFL-CIO slam federal indictment of ‘Metro Surge’ protesters – People's World

The UFCW 'Celebrates Passage Of First Statewide Self-Checkout Legislation In Rhode Island' - Bill 'Mandates 1:3 Staffing Ratio For Self-Checkout Stands,' Heads To Governor's Desk For Signature

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

(PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND) – The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and UFCW Local 328, which represents Grocery Workers across the State of Rhode Island, is celebrating the Rhode Island Legislature’s passage of S. 2342/H. 7290, which mandates a staffing ratio of one Grocery Worker for every three self-checkout stations.

This is a major win for both consumers and Workers, allowing self-checkouts and Workers to better serve shoppers, the UFCW said.

The measure will also help recoup millions in tax revenue in The Ocean State.

Retail theft cost Rhode Island $17.1 million in lost sales taxes in 2022, with thefts 16 times more likely to take place at self-checkouts than Employee-managed cash registers.

The Bill, led by Senate President Valarie Lawson and Representative Megan Cotter, now awaits Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee’s signature and would become the first Statewide Self-Checkout Staffing Ratio in the country.

UFCW Local 328 Secretary-Treasurer Domenic Pontarelli said: “This Bill means better service for customers and stronger support for Grocery Workers. UFCW Local 328 Members in the Grocery Industry are often overburdened, having to monitor too many self-checkouts while shoppers face delays. Staffing ratios fix this issue for all parties. We thank Senate President Lawson and Representative Cotter for their tremendous leadership standing up for both consumers and Workers across Rhode Island.”

UFCW International Vice President Ademola Oyefeso said: “Staffing ratios are common sense for self-checkouts. This technology has always been a raw deal for shoppers and Workers, shifting the labor onto customers while taking hours away from Workers. We applaud the Rhode Island Legislature for passing this Bill, making it easier and faster for families to put food on the table, and we look forward to Governor McKee’s signature.”

1.2342/H. 7290 is part of UFCW’s Affordable Groceries and Good Jobs Campaign.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: UFCW Celebrates Passage of First Statewide Self-Checkout Legislation in Rhode Island - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

"We Are In A Fight For Humanity" - United Auto Workers President Fain 'Warns Of Artificial Intelligence Threat'

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

Luke Ramseth at The Detroit News reports United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain is calling Artificial Intelligence (AI) and humanoid robots a "profound threat" that imperil more than just jobs. "We need to be clear about this: We are in a fight for humanity," the labor leader told UAW members gathered at the UAW's Quadrennial Constitutional Convention. Protections around AI and other automation are set to be a central focus for the influential Union heading into its next round of Detroit Three bargaining in 2028, alongside other key priorities such as winning back pensions. It will also be a major issue as the Union decides who to support in upcoming elections - including in the race for the White House in two years. "The fruits of our labor have multiplied like never before, but Workers aren't reaping the harvest," Fain said. "And if AI continues to be used as an accessory to that crime, it has to be stopped. It doesn't have to be this way. In a just society, when workers create more value, they see more of the benefit." At the same convention, National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler also underscored to UAW Members that stronger protections around AI were needed to protect jobs across all types of Unionized industries. Though they raised concerns about the technology and called for an aggressive response, neither Labor Leader detailed specific policy plans or bargaining demands.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: UAW's Shawn Fain warns of AI threat: 'We are in a fight for humanity'

Photo Courtesy Of UAW President Fain's Facebook Page.

NewsGuild President Says 'Media Consolidation Threatens Democracy'

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

Mark Gruenberg at People’s World reports intense pressure from the Trump Administration and the consolidation of Mass Media ownership into “four or five” newspaper chains - as some owners, in pursuit of profits and permissions, play along with President Donald Trump, poses a big threat to independent news in the U.S., NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss says. In an exclusive interview with People’s World, Schleuss, whose rapidly growing Union has campaigned for years to “Save Local News!”- added that not just Journalists, but readers and voters are the victims of such pressure. That pressure, he said, robs Journalists and the public of the protection they need to hold government and business accountable. “They work in a double symbiosis,” Schleuss says of Trump and the chains, particularly the billionaire owners of the news organizations. Meanwhile, “The chains are continuing to self-destruct because of bad management, while the need for local news coverage” and the accountability it demands from both government and business “is higher than ever,” Schleuss says. In the last several decades, the Mainstream Print Media has consolidated into two big chains listed on Securities Exchanges, McClatchy and Gannett, and a third, Tribune, owned by the Private Venture Capital Fund Alden Global Capital. Two smaller chains - including one non-profit group, own other papers. Schleuss has nicknamed Alden “Vulture Capital.” It swoops in on distressed papers, buys them, cuts their Staff in half or more, eliminates coverage, and leaves ruined families and jobless Workers. It also sells off valuable real estate and then pockets all the proceeds from those moves.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: NewsGuild President Schleuss: Media consolidation threatens democracy – People's World

C-SPAN Screengrab of NewsGuild President Schleuss Courtesy Of NABET-CWA’s Website.

Major Resolutions Passed By At The National AFL-CIO Convention 'Reflect A Strong, Growing Labor Movement'

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

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA) – Last week’s 30th National AFL‑CIO Constitutional Convention was a step towards strengthening Organized Labor’s fight back against the Anti-Worker Trump regime and building Working-Class unity. Convention Delegates re-elected President Liz Shuler and Secretary‑Treasurer Fred Redmond, welcomed the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) back into the fold after two decades, and set ambitious organizing goals for the Mid-Term Elections and new Union organizing. The spirit of solidarity was also proclaimed in several important resolutions passed at the convention. One affirmed that fighting racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia is central to economic justice and Trade Union dignity. Another demanded a pathway to citizenship and denounced the mass deportation agenda and ICE terror by the Trump Administration. A third laid out an industrial policy, called for guardrails on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and recognized the need for new jobs in climate‑resilient infrastructure. A fourth declared health care as a basic right, demanded single-payer health care and defended the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from corporate attacks. And - in a sharp rebuke to a Democratic Governor, the convention condemned Virginia’s Gov. Abigail Spanberger - a former CIA Agent, for vetoing Collective Bargaining Legislation for Public Workers that she had promised to support. Virginia’s ban on Public Sector Bargaining, the resolution correctly noted, is inextricably tied to the State’s history of segregation and racism. All of this reflects a Labor Movement that is increasingly willing to take on the billionaires and the political establishment.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Major resolutions passed by AFL-CIO reflect strong, growing labor movement – People's World

'After 10 Days Holding The Line, UAW Local 2093 Members 'Lock In $30 By 2030 With Tentative Agreement At American Axle'

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

(DETROIT, MICHIGAN) - After walking out on Strike at midnight on June 1st, United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2093 Members employed at American Axle/Dauch Corporation have reached a tentative contract agreement with the company that secures the Workers’ top-line demand of $30 per hour by 2030 - a more than 36% increase to the top wage rate over four years - among other historic gains in a record contract at the Tier 1 Parts Supplier to G.M.

UAW President Shawn Fain said: “After ten days on Strike, I am proud to announce UAW Local (2093) has reached a tentative agreement at American Axle. And, after eighteen years of sacrifice, these Workers are finally winning back a big chunk of what was taken from them.”

In 2008, Workers at American Axle took major sacrifices to save the facility from closure during the Great Recession.

Many long-time Workers who were making as much as $29 an hour in 2008 saw their wages slashed to $14.50.

Legacy UAW Members hired before May 31st, 2012 - including those who went from $29 per hour in 2008 to $14 - will see an immediate $8 per hour increase on ratification.

Workers also achieved gains in other core demands with more paid days off and without any concessions on their current health care costs, something the company insisted at the table couldn’t be done, UAW Officials said.

In the coming days, nearly 1,000 UAW Local 2093 Members will fully review the tentative agreement before taking a vote on whether to ratify the deal.

“This contract will change lives in Three Rivers and across Southwest Michigan,” said Josh Jager, UAW Local 2093’s Bargaining Chair. “I am damn proud of this agreement, and I am damn proud to be a member of UAW Local (2093).”

Over the 10-day strike, UAW Local 2093 Members attracted the interest and support of local community and political allies from across the state, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, State Senator Sean McCann, Three Rivers Mayor Angel Johnston, U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, candidate for Michigan Attorney General Eli Savit, among others.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: After 10 Days Holding the Line, UAW Local 2093 Members Lock In $30 by 2030 with Tentative Agreement at American Axle - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America

Just Days Before The Start Of The World Cup/FIFA Soccer Matches In The U.S., UNITE HERE-Represented SoFi Stadium Workers In Los Angeles 'Win A Historic Contract' That Also 'Reserves The Right To Strike If ICE Threatens Safety'

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

(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA) - With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just days away, UNITE HERE Local 11 has announced a tentative agreement has been reached with Legends Hospitality that covers 2,000 Food and Beverage Workers employed at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The agreement secures massive wage increases, landmark job protections and ground-breaking privacy rights, Union Officials said.

Notably, it includes an explicit right to Strike if ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) or U.S. Border Patrol activity at the worksite threatens Worker safety - a provision legal experts say is unprecedented in modern American Labor History.

Key Improvements, include:

Historic Wage Increases: The largest increases for Stadium Workers in history, with significant premiums for World Cup and Super Bowl events.

A Workforce Housing Fund: Legends will make a multi-million-dollar contribution to fund to develop housing for Hospitality Workers.

Landmark Job Protections: A 75% reduction in subcontracting over the life of the agreement, enforced by an industry-first penalty mechanism.

Restrictions On Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Automation: No new self-checkout, kiosks or Cashier-less technology can be deployed, safeguarding jobs.

Groundbreaking Privacy Rights: Workers cannot be forced to surrender Social Security numbers, immigration status or country of origin for accreditation of mega events like the World Cup. FIFA’s accreditation demands are prohibited by the contract.

And An Unprecedented Right To Strike: Workers have the contractual right to walk off the job if the Union determines in good faith that Federal Immigration Agency actions threaten Worker safety during a World Cup match.

UNITE HERE Local 11 Co-President Kurt Petersen said: “These Workers are heroes. They stood up to FIFA. They stood up to ICE. They won a historic contract and they are ready for whatever comes during the World Cup. If Federal Immigration Agencies threaten Workers’ safety, our Members have the right to walk off the job. That is now in their contract.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: SOFI STADIUM - UNITE HERE Local 11

Photo Courtesy Of UNITE HERE Local 11.