WNYLaborToday News - National Labor News

State Workers Take Part In A One-Day Strike Across California, 'Accusing' The Newsom Administration Has 'Failed To Bargain Over Fair Pay, Affordable Health Care & Telework That Works For The People Who Keep California Running'

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

State Employees across California took part in a one-day Strike on Wednesday (October 21st) to protest the (Governor Gavin) Newsom Administration’s “Unfair Labor Practices, including failure to bargain in good faith over fair pay, affordable health care and telework that works for the people who keep California running,” according to a statement from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 - The Golden State’s largest Public Sector Union. It was SEIU Local 1000’s first-ever Statewide Strike - one was authorized back in 2016, but it did not go through on a Statewide level - and it was approved by more than 96% of State Employees. Local 1000 represents more than 100,000 State Employees - including Cooks, Custodians, Nurses and Office Staff. According to SEIU, State Workers have been negotiating a new contract with the Newsom Administration, represented by CalHR, For Months. However, the Union says it has “faced resistance at the bargaining table as CalHR has failed to bargain fairly over key issues, such as pay.” The Union listed its following demands as: A 20% pay increase over three years (7% this year, 7% in 2027 and 6% in 2028); Increased State contributions toward health care costs, as well as new solutions for State Workers in rural communities who Union Officials say face limited options and higher costs for health care; and Transparent Telework Policies based on operational needs. Workers representing over 140 State Departments and Agencies have been clear with the Administration that wage increases, expanded health care benefits and other cost-of-living provisions are necessary to ensure State Workers can continue to deliver high quality services to Californians for years to come, Union Officials said.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: California state workers to go on strike Wednesday | KTLA

UNITE HERE-Represented Hotel Workers Are On Strike, Which Is 'Expanding Over Pay, Benefits & Workloads'

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) - Chicago’s Hotel Strike is expanding, with Union-represented Workers employed at the Hilton Chicago and Hyatt Regency Chicago joining an ongoing Labor dispute over wages, health care, pensions and working conditions. The latest walkouts add to Strikes that began earlier this month at six other Downtown Hotels. The broader contract fight covers more than 7,000 Workers across 46 properties, including Room Attendants, Cooks, Dishwashers, Front Desk Agents, Servers and Bartenders. Workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 1 are seeking better pay, stronger benefits, Civil Rights protections and safer workloads. The Union says 85% of its Members voted in September to authorize the Strike action after contracts with major Hotel operators expired on August 31st. For many workers, the dispute is about whether hospitality jobs provide enough stability to keep up with the cost of living. The strike is unfolding as Chicago’s Tourism Industry continues to generate billions in visitor spending and hotel revenue. That contrast is central to the Union’s argument: The industry is thriving, while many of the people cleaning rooms, preparing meals and serving guests say they are still struggling to make ends meet.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: As Chicago Tourism Booms, Hotel Workers Expand Strike Over Pay, Benefits and Workloads | Chicago Defender

And For More, Read Chicago hotel workers one week on strike, more could walk out – People's World

Photo Courtesy Of UNITE HERE Local 1’s Facebook Page.

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

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

If it feels like Nurses are walking out more often than they used to, you are not imagining it. The numbers prove it and the pace is picking up. Nurse.org tracked 100+ confirmed Registered Nurse (RN) walkouts from 2017 through 2026. In 2017, our database records five confirmed Nurse Strikes. In 2025, there were 21. By mid-October 2026, the year was on pace to match or pass that total. Two honest notes on that climb. Some of the recent increase comes from the same Hospitals striking more than once, often several short walkouts during a single contract fight, which lifts the yearly count. And Strikes from the late 2010s are simply harder to document than today's, so the earliest years may still be undercounted, even after a full review of annual Strike roundups and Union archives. Even allowing for both, the direction is unmistakable - and independent trackers see the same thing. Cornell University's Labor Action Tracker found Health Care Strikes rose 58% in 2025 over the year before, with the number of Workers involved more than doubling. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports education and health services accounted for 64% of all Workers idled by major Strikes in 2025, more than any other sector. The jump follows the staffing crisis Nurses have lived with since 2020. When we looked at the reasons behind every walkout, staffing came up in nearly every one. Pay and patient care each came up in more than half, but unsafe assignments and being stretched too thin are what Nurses name most often.

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

WNYLaborToday.com File Photo

Incumbent United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain 'Claims Re-Election With Two-Thirds Of The Vote'

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(DETROIT, MICHIGAN) - Incumbent United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain has declared victory in the Union’s second-ever one-member, one-vote for top leadership jobs, with unofficial tallies showing he won 68% of the vote. His United UAW slate also won every race it contested, garnering enough votes each to secure spots for Secretary-Treasurer, Vice Presidents and Regional Directors. That’s a far cry from the Union’s first-ever popular election in 2022, when reformer Fain and his slate barely beat incumbent Ray Curry, candidate of the Union’s long-time ruling Administrative Caucus - a caucus brought down by a massive payoff scandal involving Union Officers and Stellantis (formerly Fiat-Chrysler) management. This time, Fain easily defeated four other hopefuls for the Union Presidency. The runner-up, Rich Boyer - head of the Stellantis Division, received 26% of the vote in Michigan’s Region 1, which contains Warren Truck and Sterling Heights Assembly, but reportedly received only 14% overall. Fain’s platform was: “End remaining tiers, Win retiree health care, Fight forced overtime, More time with family, Combat Artificial Intelligence and automation, Protect our jobs, Bargain for our Retirees (and) Significant wage increases no matter what sector.” It also included: “Grow the Union - More Members = Better contracts.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: UAW’s Fain claims re-election with two-thirds of the vote – People's World

And For The Unofficial Results Of The 2026 UAW International Officer Election, Go To: Unofficial Results of the 2026 UAW International Officer Election - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America

UAW File Photo.

The State Of California 'Looks To Block SEIU Public Worker Strike, Asks Labor Agency To Halt Walkout'

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Corey Schmidt at The Sacramento Bee reports thousands of California State Workers are preparing for a planned one-day Strike. Now State Officials are trying to halt the walkout before it begins. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 called the Strike after 96.2% of voting Members approved the action, capping months of escalating tension. Contract negotiations have been strained since late July, when the Union filed an Unfair Bargaining Charge accusing the State of rejecting budget-related proposals at the last minute. Bargaining subsequently stalled for more than two months before a formal impasse was declared on October 2nd. Seeking to block the October 21st one-day Strike, the California Department of Human Resources has turned to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), the State’s Public Labor Referee. State Officials contend the walkout is unlawful because the Union failed to exempt Employees deemed essential to public safety and is not properly engaging in mediations due to the call for a one-day Strike. When a Union goes on Strike, it generally meets with the State to discuss which Workers are essential for public safety and prohibited from walking out. SEIU Local 1000 and the State met - but didn’t come to an agreement.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: California looks to block state worker strike, asks labor agency to halt walkout

Photo Courtesy Of SEIU Local 1000’s Facebook Page.

LABOR NEWS UPDATE: IBEW-Represented Members Ratify New Five-Year Contract With Duquesne Light In Pittsburgh Area To End 11-Day Walkout That Impacted 1,000 Workers

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Workers represented by International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 29 who work at the Duquesne Light Company (DLC) have voted to ratify a new five-year contract with the Pittsburgh area Utility, ending an 11-day Strike over salary, pension, staffing and other issues. Nearly 1,000 Local 29 Members returned to work Monday (October 12th) for the first time since striking on October 1st after their previous contract with DLC expired. They reached a tentative deal with the North Side-based Utility late last week after several days of negotiations. The IBEW said a total of 717 Workers voted, but seven of their ballots were voided or not turned in. Of the remaining 710 ballots in the ratification vote, 526 - or about 74% - were cast in favor of accepting the contract, while 184 - or nearly 26% - rejected it, according to the IBEW. No details of the new contract were publicly released.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: IBEW workers ratify contract with Duquesne Light to end strike | 90.5 WESA

And For More, Read: Nearly 1,000 IBEW-Represented Duquesne Light Workers ‘Strike For Better Pay & Safety’ In Pennsylvania - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York

'A Dark Day For Hollywood Labor' - Paramount-Warner Brothers Mega Merger Approved

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA) - “In years to come, we’ll be able to point to this failure to put consumers over the monied interests of corporate consolidation as the tipping-point moment for media in this country.” Those were the stark words from the Block the Merger Coalition after Judge Martínez-Olguín removed the last roadblock to the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The $110 billion+ merger closed, creating what is now Skydance Corporation. Billionaire CEO David Ellison will now control an estimated 17 media entities, including CNN and CBS. Although many opposed to the merger vow to keep fighting, a dark cloud looms over Hollywood as the newly-formed monopoly could cost some 4,500 film and TV jobs in Los Angeles alone over the next three years. As previously reported in July, California led a coalition of States to Court to stop what they considered a disastrous move for Entertainment Workers and consumers. The Writers Guild of America West and the Writers Guild of America East joined, alleging the merger violated Federal Antitrust Law and would specifically harm Writers. Unions and Artists spoke out strongly against the consolidation, saying it would mean fewer jobs, less competition and less diversity. At the time of the suit, California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed concern about one company controlling so much of the Corporate Press, asserting: “Combining cable news channels would mean fewer Journalists informing our electorate and fewer opportunities for Americans to hear the full breadth of information and opinions on a subject.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Dark day for Hollywood labor: Paramount-Warner Bros. mega merger approved – People's World

Graphic Courtesy Of Democracy Defenders Action’s Website.

Two Week-Plus Strike 'Forces New Contract' For Union-Represented Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital Caregivers - Ratified Contract 'Features Nearly 11% Wage Increases Over The Next Three Years'

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Dave DeNatale and Tyler Carey at WKYC3 reports Union Caregivers employed at the Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital have announced they’ve ratified a new contract and are "preparing to return to the work they care deeply about" after a Strike that lasted just over two weeks. According to a press release from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 1199, the new agreement includes the following: Nearly 11% in wage increases over the next three years; An additional 50-cents-per-hour for Employees with six or more years of service; New certification pay; A ratification bonus; Increased shift differentials; Improved PTO (Paid Time Off) protections and benefits; Stronger protections for the Union's right to bargain throughout the life of the contract; Recognition and protections for religious holidays; and Many other workplace improvements. "Lutheran Hospital Workers showed tremendous courage throughout this fight," SEIU 1199 Officials said. "They stood together, sacrificed together and took on one of the largest and most powerful Health Care Systems in the country to demand a contract that better reflects the value of the work they do every day."

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital union caregivers ratify contract, ending strike

SEIU 'Fights Back Against Wage Theft' At The Miami International Airport As Fellow Airport Workers 'Rally To Demand Living Wages'

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(MIAMI, FLORIDA) - Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ Members who work for Alliance Ground International (AGI) at the Miami International Airport (MIA) have filed wage theft complaints against the Ground Handling Company. The Cargo Workers announced their complaints while joining fellow Airport Workers to demand living wages. MIA is one of Florida's largest economic engines, generating $212 billion in Statewide business revenue. It's also the busiest Cargo Airport in the U.S. Three current and former Employees at AGI Cargo say they are owed about $13,200 in unpaid wages. The Airport Contractor was recently named in the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health’s “Dirty Dozen 2026” report due to numerous workplace safety violations across the country. SEIU argues the company requires some Staff to remain available between flights without pay and calculates overtime using a lower rate than their regular pay. SEIU says AGI employs 900 Workers at MIA, who handle everything from pharmaceuticals to seafood flying into the Airport. “I don’t have a life. All I do is work. But even so, I struggle to pay my bills,” said Carlos Builes, a Ramp Agent. “I’m behind on my property taxes. Sometimes I skip meals because I can’t afford groceries. I have to donate plasma for money just to survive.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Miami airport workers allege wage theft, ask for pay protections - Axios Miami

West Coast Nurses 'Celebrate A Massive & Historic Wage Theft Victory Against' Kaiser Permanente - More Than 1,000 Registered Nurses Across The State Of California 'To Recover Millions Of Dollars In Stolen Wages'

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA) - Registered Nurses (RNs) employed at Kaiser Permanente Hospitals across the State California are celebrating a historic victory against wage theft committed by their employer.

The California Nurses Association (CNA), which represents more than 25,000 Nurses who work at 22 Kaiser Facilities, have successfully won an arbitration agreement that mandates Kaiser pay stolen wages dating back to at least 2021 - potentially totaling a sum in the tens of millions of dollars to be paid out to more than 1,000 Nurses.

Michelle Gutierrez Vo, an RN employed in Adult/Family Medicine at Kaiser Fremont Medical Center and a President of CAN, said: “Unfortunately, Kaiser wants to normalize stealing from Nurses. They changed their payroll system, messed it up and let the mistake steal millions of dollars from Nurses. When we called them on it, their fancy lawyers fought us tooth and nail for every single dollar. Nurses wouldn’t take no for an answer. We won back millions of dollars in stolen wages and we went above and beyond Kaiser’s earlier attempts to settle for less.”

CNA was first notified by Kaiser Nurses several years ago of issues with wage theft following a change in Kaiser’s Payroll System dating back to at least early 2021.

Because the Union does not have direct access to Kaiser’s Payroll System, it took years of Nurses working together to piece together the true scale and extent of the problem, which Kaiser repeatedly tried to minimize and obscure, the Union said.

The CNA believes the final sum could total in the tens of millions of dollars.

Despite this victory, Nurses remain outraged Kaiser spent years and untold sums in legal expenses in their effort to avoid paying the wages they had stolen, which, while substantial, were still only a fraction of the organization’s billions of dollars in profits.

It took years of Nurse advocacy to force Kaiser to even admit that more than 1,000 Nurses were being shorted on their pay.

Said President Gutierrez Vo: “This entire experience has been a reminder for us that Kaiser would rather pay lawyers to fight Nurses than pay Nurses to take care of our patients. It is another disgusting reminder of this company’s priorities. And, for us, it’s also another powerful reminder of what’s possible when Nurses work together to demand what we’re owed from companies like Kaiser.”

CNA represents more than 25,000 RNs who are employed at 22 Kaiser facilities in California and currently is in active contract negotiations with the company.

Nurses at Kaiser Hospitals protested wage theft and other key bargaining issues at informational pickets that was held earlier this year.

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of RNs in the Nation with more than 100,000 Members in more than 200 facilities throughout California - and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Nurses celebrate massive, historic victory against disgusting Kaiser wage theft | National Nurses United

Nearly 1,000 IBEW-Represented Duquesne Light Workers 'Strike For Better Pay & Safety' In Pennsylvania

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Marcie Cipriani at WTAE-TV reports from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania that nearly 1,000 Duquesne Light Workers - including Linemen, are on Strike, demanding fair wages and better safety protocols as negotiations with the Utility Company continue. Duquesne Light says their Non-Union Crews have been filling shifts during the Strike. Michael Goodwin, whose International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 29 represents 259 Overhead Line Workers, as well as Apprentices and other Local 29 Members, said the striking Workers are the lowest-paid Linemen in the State of Pennsylvania and face significant risks on the job. “They put their lives at risk every single day for the public to give them reliable, safe electricity. They do a very dangerous job. It's not like any other Utility almost in the country or the State. We're ‘hot stick’ Linemen here. There's usually not outages when we work on the line,” he said. Goodwin also highlighted the Union’s safety concerns, saying the Workers want a seat at the table to address these issues: “We lose probably about one Lineman every week throughout the entire United States and Canada. Very dangerous job. The safety concerns we're facing here is we have inaccurate maps. We have inexperienced supervisors.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Duquesne Light workers on strike in Pennsylvania - WTAE

Photo Courtesy Of IBEW Local 29’s Facebook Page.

NewsGuild-Backed Bill Providing Tax Credits To California Newsrooms Becomes Law

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA) - California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a Bill into law that will create tax credits to support Journalism jobs in the State.

Newsom supported the Community NEWS Act after local and international outreach from the Guild and a Coalition led by Rebuild Local News.

Local Guild Leaders pressed Newsom to sign the legislation.

The law creates Job Retention Credits of up to $20,000 each year for every employed Journalist and creates a $15,000 credit for every new Journalist hired.

Part-time Journalist positions are supported with $7,500 credits.

NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA) President Jon Schleuss said: “I’m proud that my old home state of California will actively support Journalism jobs. Journalism is facing an extinction-level event and the only way to reverse course is to create tax credits to support Journalism jobs. This law is a model for every other State and the Federal Government.”

Annie Sciacca, President of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521, said: “This is one of the largest investments a State has made into actual working Journalists. In tying dollars to the number of people doing the work of Journalism, California can help remedy the decline of local news, We cannot do the work of Journalism without Journalists.”

Media Guild of the West President Sean Emery said: “This is a much-needed lifeline for newsrooms across California, where waves of drastic cuts have threatened the vital role of Journalists within local communities. By providing a financial incentive to not only maintain but also grow newsroom staffing, the Bill will help ensure that our dedicated journalists are providing Californians the in-depth coverage they deserve.”

The new law follows similar legislation passed by New York and Illinois two years ago.

The United States has lost more than 80% of its local Journalists since 2002.

Back then, the U.S. had about 40 local Journalists for every 100,000 residents.

Today that number has fallen to just 7.8, leaving many communities without reliable sources of information.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: NewsGuild-backed bill providing tax credits to California newsrooms becomes law | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

TNG-CWA-Provided Photo.

In California, The United Steelworkers & The Bluegreen Alliance 'Beat Oil Refiners' Looser Safety Plans'

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA) - Two United Steelworkers (SW) Locals and the BlueGreen Alliance scored a win in California when the State’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board rejected Oil Refiners’ looser safety plans.

The Board’s unanimous vote overturned an agreement between the Refiners’ lobby, the Western States Petroleum Association, and State Officials to bar Union Reps or other Workers from participating in comprehensive safety reviews at Californian refineries - and to weaken two other safety requirements.

USW Locals 5 and 675 and the BlueGreen Alliance, a Coalition of Unions and Environmental Groups, fought hard and successfully to have the Board reverse the State’s pro-corporate decision.

The Union’s Oil Sector represents tens of thousands of U.S. Refinery Workers.

The reviews, to implement Process Safety Management standards, mandate inspections of an entire Refinery Complex - pipes, tanks, ladders, superstructure, everything - top to bottom.

The PSM Standards also require Refinery Owners to fix any problems.

The Board’s decision means the tougher Safety Standards will stay in place and the Union and/or Worker Reps will still accompany State Safety Inspectors and make PSM recommendations.

And that in turn will help protect Workers and surrounding communities from refinery explosions, fires and accompanying dangers.

Process safety management, or lack of it, has long bedeviled the Petroleum Industry nationally.

With few PSM inspections, refinery explosions occurred, killing Workers and losing dangerous chemicals and gases into surrounding communities.

At one point, the Industry averaged an explosion a week, nationally - though not all were fatal.

A 2012 refinery explosion and fire at the Chevron plant in Richmond, California injured 19 workers and forced the evacuation of 15,000 people for medical treatment after they inhaled hazardous smoke and gases.

That led to California’s PSM Standards in 2017, which the Refiners tried to weaken.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Steelworkers, Bluegreen Alliance beat oil giant ‘safety’ plans – People's World

The New Mexico Building And Construction Trades Council & Green Data Centers 'Partner To Set A New Standard For Responsible Data Center Development' In New Mexico

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO) - Green Data Center Real Estate Incorporated, a developer of Autotrophic Data Centers that generate their own renewable power and produce their own water, and the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council - the Statewide Alliance of 14 of New Mexico’s Building and Construction Trades Unions, has announced a partnership to set a new standard for how Data Centers are built in New Mexico: Responsibly, transparently, sustainably and with the State’s Skilled Union Workforce at the center of the work.

“This is the conversation New Mexico should be having about Data Centers,” New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Director Jeffrey Steele said. “The question shouldn’t simply be whether or not we build them. The question should be how we build them, who benefits, who does the work and what commitments developers must make to New Mexico communities. Green Data Centers has come to the table prepared to make those commitments.”

Green Data Centers CEO Jason Bak said: “We came to New Mexico to prove that a Data Center can be built responsibly: Powered by the sun, producing its own water and open to independent verification of every one of these claims. The Building Trades are asking the right question: Not whether New Mexico should host Data Centers, but how they get built, who does the work and who benefits. Our answer is that the people who build and operate these facilities should be New Mexicans, trained in New Mexico, earning family-sustaining wages. This partnership puts that commitment in writing.”

The partnership is grounded in the development model Green Data Centers has committed to for its New Mexico projects: Power: On-site solar generation designed to exceed 100% of each project’s annual electricity use; Backup: Battery storage as the predominant form of backup power, reducing reliance on the grid and conventional fossil-fuel backup generation; Water: Atmospheric water generation designed to make each facility water-neutral, producing its own water rather than drawing down local aquifers or municipal supplies, with the potential to supply water beyond the facility’s own needs to the surrounding community; and Transparency: Radical transparency, using technology that allows stakeholders to independently validate the Company’s energy, water, and environmental commitments.

In its announcement, the Trades Council framed the partnership as proof New Mexico does not have to choose between economic development, environmental responsibility, protection of its natural resources and good Union jobs.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Green Data Centers and the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council Partner to Set a New Standard for Responsible Data Center Development in New Mexico | Markets Insider

800 Canadian Walmart Workers 'Make History' - They're Now Working Under A Union Contract

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Eight hundred Canadian Workers employed at a Walmart Distribution Center in Mississauga, Ontario have succeeded where others have not: They are now working under a two-year contract with North America’s largest Logistics Giant. The landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement went into effect on July 1st, nearly two years after Workers won Union representation, joining Unifor Local 252. The Workers were motivated to Go Union by low wages and unsafe working conditions. As punishment two years ago, Walmart bumped the pay of every Logistics Worker in Canada - except those who Unionized. This was an effective maneuver to halt further Union drives. “Walmart gave all the wage increases to all the Non-Union folks and everything fell apart,” said Angela Drew Kimelman, a Unifor Organizer who worked on Organizing Campaigns at multiple warehouses, including one in Cornwall, near Montreal. But now, the new contract prevents Walmart from raising wages at other warehouses without doing the same at this one. The Unionized Workers have received a matching raise and back pay for the months when other Warehouse Workers received raises that they didn’t. Unifor has restarted its organizing efforts at other Ontario warehouses.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Canadian Walmart Workers Make History: A Union Contract | Labor Notes

Organized Labor Is 'Confronting Artificial Intelligence As An Existential Danger To Workers' As The National AFL-CIO Calls AI "The Single Biggest Threat To Working People Of Our Lifetime."

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Rebecca Davis O’Brien at The New York Times reports Tim Suitter knows change is coming to Bath Iron Works, creeping up the adjacent Kennebec River in Maine like a foreboding fog. Suitter, the President of the Union that represents more than 4,400 Workers who build ships for the U.S. Navy at the shipyard, knows Workers must be prepared for the arrival of Artificial Intelligence (AI). "It's going to be here," said Suitter, 50. "You have to wrap your head around it." Last month, when Local S6 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) negotiated a new five-year contract with the Defense Company that runs the shipyard, the Union insisted on updating long-standing language about technology. Now the Union must be informed at the "conceptual stage," rather than at implementation, of "any proposed addition or modified technology, equipment or process," including AI and robotics. Unions are confronting AI as an existential danger to Workers, not only because of the possibility of massive job losses but also because of its hand in the widening gap between wages and corporate profits. In April, National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler called AI "the single biggest threat to Working People of our lifetime."

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Unions combat AI as risk to workers | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - Arkansas' Best News Source

7,000 Chicago Hotel Workers Employed At 46 Downtown Locations 'Vote To Strike' - 'With 85% Approval, UNITE HERE Local 1 Members Could Walk Off The Job At Any Time, Constituting The Largest Strike Threat Since 2018'

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

UNITE HERE Local 1 says Hotel Workers in Downtown Chicago properties could go on Strike any day now. Contracts at 46 Hotels, which cover some 7,000 Workers, expired on August 31st, according to The Chicago Tribune. Earlier this week, the Hotel Workers voted to Strike by an 85% margin and an “overwhelming majority” of the 46 Hotels were represented in the vote, according to The Tribune. The Union did not specify which Hotel’s Workers authorized strikes. The Unionized Workers are a combination of Room Attendants, Cooks, Dishwashers, Front Desk Agents and Food Service Workers. The Strike would be the most significant Labor action in the Chicago Hospitality Industry since 2018, when 97% of Union-represented Hotel Workers at upwards of 24 Hotels voted to walk off the job. Now, Workers could walk off the job at any time. With separate bargaining agreements per Hotel Chain, it’s possible for the strikes to come in waves or for some, but not all, to walk off the job.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Downtown Chicago Hotel Workers Vote to Strike & Chicago hotel workers vote to strike

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro Joins With AFSCME President Moran & Union Retirees 'To Celebrate Huge Pension Victory'

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA) - The strength and dogged advocacy of American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Retirees was recently showcased during an event with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who signed an (AFSCME)-endorsed Bill giving 60,000 Retirees across the Commonwealth a double-digit Cost-Of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase.

This brings closure to a decades-long fight led by the Chapter 13 Retirees to receive the COLA they’ve needed for so long and earned over years of service.

The much-delayed pension increase offers comfort to Retirees in need now, but Chapter 13 Retirees’ Members took this moment to honor the Retirees who fought beside them but died before seeing victory.

AFSCME President Patrick Moran and International Executive Board Retiree Representative Jeanne Weaver hosted Shapiro during the Retired Public Employees of Pennsylvania, Chapter 13’s 45th Annual Convention in Harrisburg.

Moran applauded the Chapter 13 Retirees for their relentlessness in their pursuit to pass the long-overdue COLA, including testifying before Lawmakers, writing letters and sharing their stories about the struggle to afford groceries, housing and health care.

“Your victory means tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians can breathe a little easier. And it proves something important: When Working People stick together, commit to organizing and refuse to quit, we can win,” Moran said.

The new COLAs range from 15%-to-24.5% for those who retired from Public Service before 2001, depending on their retirement date.

It is the first pension increase for these Retirees in more than 20 years.

Working and Retired Members of Council 13 fought hard for the COLAs to be included in Pennsylvania’s most recent budget.

This COLA is a significant step in helping Retirees keep up with rising costs of housing, health care, groceries and other necessities during the affordability crisis.

“This COLA will make a huge impact on them and their ability to support themselves after a lifetime of hard work,” Weaver said.

Shapiro said the Retirees would see the increase in their pensions starting this month and he commended AFSCME Retirees for their tireless advocacy, posting on his Social Media accounts: “That’s an extra ($2,000) on average each year for retired Teachers, Cops, Firefighters and State Workers who, for (25) years, squeaked by on the same pension payment. These fine Public Servants have more than earned this - and this COLA will make sure they can live out their retirement with dignity and peace of mind.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: PA governor joins AFSCME retirees, President Moran to celebrate huge pension victory - AFSCME

'Labor History In The Making:' NY Caregivers 'Launch Largest Union Election In U.S. History' - Nearly 190,000 'Could Win Union Representation With 1199 SEIU To Raise Pay & Improve Care As The Demand For Care Skyrockets & Medicaid Is Under Attack'

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Faced with rising costs and struggling to make ends meet, nearly 70,000 Caregivers in New York’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) - most of whom care for relatives, have filed for a Union Election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), seeking representation with 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) United Healthcare Workers East.

If the vote is successful, nearly 190,000 Caregivers across New York State would win representation in the largest Union Election in U.S. History.

The CDPAP Caregivers, who give older adults and people with disabilities who qualify for Medicaid and need assistance at home the ability to choose, train and direct their own Caregivers, would be united with 450,000 other Health Care Workers in 1199 SEIU (Service Employees International Union), giving them a strong voice to advocate for higher pay and improvements to care as demand for care skyrockets and Medicaid - which funds CDPAP - is under attack.

Under Federal Labor Law, the NLRB must hold an election for Union Representation once 30% of Workers in a Bargaining Unit sign Union Authorization Cards, a benchmark surpassed by the Caregivers who are organizing.

According to a survey conducted by 1199 SEIU of more than 31,000 of the CDPAP Workers who signed Union Cards, nearly 64% reported they were just getting by or finding it difficult to get by financially over the past year, 62% said the hardest part of being a Caregiver was not getting paid enough to make ends meet, and 66% said the most important thing in a Union contract for them was higher pay.

America is in the midst of a caregiving crisis as an estimated 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day in the United States until 2030 and millions more families will need support to help their loved ones live safely and independently at home.

For generations that work has been provided disproportionately by Women and family members, largely out of public view, whose labor has too often been treated as less than real work.

New projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimate America will need nearly 850,000 more Home Care Workers by 2035 as the aging population explodes in size, more new jobs than any other occupation in the United States.

Now, across every corner of New York, CDPAP Caregivers who enable parents, grandparents, siblings, children, friends and neighbors with disabilities to live safely and independently in their own homes, are coming together to assert that their work has value.

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East President Yvonne Armstrong said: “These are Essential Workers doing work families cannot live without, yet they are struggling to put food on their own tables. They are watching the cost of groceries, rent, gas, and health care climb while their pay falls behind. Someone who is a lifeline for another person should not have to choose which bill goes unpaid, or question whether they can afford to keep doing this work. Programs like CDPAP cannot be a sustainable answer to our care crisis if the Workers providing that care cannot sustain themselves. Caregivers are organizing because they are ready to change that. They are ready to fight for the wages, benefits and economic security they deserve, and they are demanding a voice in shaping the future of care work. What they are building in New York can set a new standard for how we view care and the people who provide it across this country.”

The scale of the organizing drive is something the country hasn’t seen in decades.

The 70,000 Workers who’ve signed cards to trigger the NLRB election is an unprecedented show of support for Union representation.

The closest historical parallels are the mass Organizing Drives that took place in America’s Auto Industry, the largest being 137,000 Workers at General Motors who voted to form their Union in 1940, and 80,000 Workers at Ford who followed suit in 1941.

The largest election in modern U.S. History was in 1999, when 74,000 Los Angeles County Home Care Workers voted to form their Union with SEIU.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said: “Caregiving is one of the most important jobs in our economy. This is deeply human work that cannot be automated away. Caregivers make it possible for older adults and people with disabilities to live with dignity and independence, yet too often the people doing this essential work have little say in the decisions that shape their jobs and their futures. Caregivers have a fundamental right to organize. They deserve the same thing every Worker deserves: A collective voice and the power to fight for a better future for themselves, their families and the people who depend on them.”

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest Health Care Union in the Nation, representing more than 450,000 Health Care Workers, with Members working in hospitals, nursing homes, home care and other health care settings.

In New York State alone, 75,000 Home Care and CDPAP Workers have come together to successfully raise wages and negotiate Union contracts under 1199 SEIU.

In 2022, 1199 SEIU Home Care Members advocated in Albany for additional Medicaid funding and won a wage increase of $3 per hour above the minimum wage for New York Home Care Workers.

1199 SEIU-Provided Photo.

'How Unions Help Young' Working-Class Men 'Buy Homes & Start Families'

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Young Men - especially Working-Class young Men - worry about reaching financial stability and being able to afford major life goals such as getting married, having kids or owning a home, but Union Membership makes all of these achievements more likely, according to new analysis from the Center for American Progress.

Data shows for Men under age 35 without a Bachelor’s Degree: Men in Unions are nine percentage points more likely to be married; Are 6.3 percentage points more likely to have children; and Are 10.1 percentage points more likely to own their own home.

For all Men under age 35, regardless of education, Men in Unions are six percentage points more likely to be married, 5.6 percentage points more likely to have children, and 8.6 percentage points more likely to own their own home.

And new CAP polling finds that among voters, 63% of Men under age 35 support making it easier to Unionize.

Polling from the Young Men Research Project, meanwhile, shows 55% of Men under age 30 would support Unionizing their workplace, and 64% of Men younger than age 30 who are in a Union household describe themselves as “financially stable,” compared with only 46% of Men younger than age 30 who are not in a Union household.

Union Membership offers a way for young Men to reach financial stability and afford their life goals.

Unions offer substantial economic gains for all Workers, but the boost for young Men is especially large.

The Union wage premium, or the additional income a Worker could expect to earn if they are covered by a Union contract (other things such as occupation and industry being equal), was 11.3% for Workers between ages 18 and 34 between 2016 and 2021.

For Men younger than age 35, Union representation increased wages by 17.6%.

Men under age 35 represented by Unions were also far more likely than those not in Unions to have access to health insurance and retirement plans through their employers.

These economic benefits go some way toward explaining why young Men in Unions are more likely to achieve life milestones.

A 2014 study found Union Membership increased the likelihood of getting married for Men, which can be attributed to the increased economic security offered by Union Membership.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: How Unions Help Young Working-Class Men Buy Homes and Start Families - Center for American Progress

NLRB 'Orders Saltchuk Tanker Companies to Bargain With The Masters Mates & Pilots Union' - Federal Bargaining Orders 'Come As Iran Identifies OSG in Warning Aimed At Commercial Shipping Supporting U.S. Military Operations'

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(BALTIMORE, MARYLAND) - The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ordered both the Alaska Tanker Company (ATC) and the Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG), Saltchuk Resources subsidiaries, to immediately recognize the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P) and bargain in good faith with more than 125 Licensed Deck Officers.

The International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots represents U.S. Coast Guard-licensed Masters and Mates aboard U.S.-flag vessels nationwide.

The Officers voted decisively for MM&P representation in separate NLRB-certified elections in 2024, winning 70% at OSG and 80% at ATC.

Instead of beginning first-contract negotiations, ATC and OSG challenged the results and unlawfully refused to bargain.

Following the Union filing Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charges, the NLRB issued a formal bargaining order against ATC on May 19th (2026), followed by a second bargaining order against OSG on August 4th (2026).

The Bargaining Units cover Chief, Second, and Third Mates aboard 17 U.S.-flag Oil Tankers carrying critical energy cargo and militarily useful supplies.

The risks these Mariners face are increasingly direct: On August 18th, Iranian State Media reported an Iranian Military Official identified OSG among Shipping Companies under scrutiny for supporting U.S. Military logistics and warned of potential retaliatory measures.

“Two groups of Licensed Deck Officers voted overwhelmingly for (MM&P) by (70% and 80%) and now the Federal Government has ordered both companies to bargain,” MM&P International President Captain Don Josberger said.

“These Mariners have waited more than two years while navigating active conflict zones to support our Nation. Saltchuk needs to respect their choice, comply with the Board’s orders, and come to the bargaining table,” he said.

Saltchuk subsidiaries receive millions of dollars in Federal subsidies through the Tanker Security Program (TSP).

MM&P maintains that companies benefiting from taxpayer support should not be permitted to violate Federal Labor Laws while denying basic bargaining rights to the American Mariners risking their lives at sea.

While Saltchuk seeks to drag the dispute into Federal Court and further delay compliance with the NLRB, pressure mounts with numerous Elected Officials and Labor Federations - including U.S. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and the Transportation Trades Department of the National AFL-CIO, which are calling on corporate leadership to end its stalling tactics and begin good-faith negotiations immediately.

A Year On The Picket Line: Teamsters-Represented Henry Ford Nurses In Michigan 'Are Still On Strike'

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN) – Unionized Nurses employed at Henry Ford Health in Michigan - one of the State’s largest Health Care Systems - have been on Strike for more than a year, but their spirit remains solid both on the picket line and at the bargaining table.

Represented by Teamsters Local 332, they met with management for a negotiation session on September 11th (2026) as their Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike passed its first anniversary.

They also returned to the picket line after the Labor Day holiday, with the Union blaming continued stalling by Hospital Bosses for the lack of a contract.

The Union’s Negotiating Team and Henry Ford met twice in August after one cancelled session, then met again on September 1st and the 11th.

The Michigan Labor Mediation Board was present for the latter session.

Leading up to the one-year anniversary, Henry Ford filed a restraining order against the Local.

On August 18 - which was Day 352 of the Strike- Teamsters Local 332 President Dan Glass and 50 Nurses appeared at the Genesee County Courthouse to testify against the company’s claims.

“It’s really disappointing at this point that, instead of talking about the information they need to provide for us, talking to us about the concerns our Nurses have with ratios which impacts the community” the company is instead filing restraining orders, Glass said in a video posted to Facebook.

Despite the slow pace of bargaining, Glass and other Union Members note some progress has been made, but several key issues remain on the table, including the Position Control List and Nurse-To-Patient Ratios.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: A year on the picket line: Henry Ford nurses still on strike – People's World

GE Appliances & The IUE-CWA Announce A $1 Billion Investment In Its Louisville Plant, 'Creating The Largest Home Appliance Manufacturing Site In The U.S.'

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY) – GE Appliances and the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers-Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) have jointly announced a major transformation of Appliance Park with a $1 billion investment by the company to expand high-output production of laundry products and reinforce its long-term commitment to manufacturing in both Kentucky and the U.S.

With new and expanded production across Buildings 1, 2 and 5, the investment will establish Appliance Park as America’s largest Home Appliance Manufacturing Site, reflecting its scale across production output, employment and campus footprint.

As part of its plans, GE Appliances will: Invest more than $400 million to transform Building 5 into a high-output manufacturing operation for dryers, bringing production from Mexico to Kentucky; Invest $112 million in Building 1 to add new equipment and redesign existing washer and dryer platforms; and Continue its previously announced $490 million investment in Building 2 to produce frontload washers and Combo washer/dryers that begin production in 2027.

IUE-CWA President Carl Kennebrew said: "Investment in American manufacturing is critical to our economy and our communities. Our Union Members are proud to manufacture American-made GE appliances in Louisville and this new investment will ensure that our Members keep delivering these high-quality products to American consumers for years to come."

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: GE APPLIANCES AND IUE-CWA ANNOUNCE $1 BILLION INVESTMENT IN LOUISVILLE PLANT, CREATING THE LARGEST HOME APPLIANCE MANUFACTURING SITE IN THE U.S. | GE Appliances Pressroom

San Francisco Opera Orchestra Musicians Go On Strike

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA) - Members of American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 6 have gone out on Strike right as the San Francisco Opera was set to begin its 2026-2027 season, escalating their fight for a fair contract. These World-Class Musicians have been working under an expired agreement since the end of July. Before the Strike, Members firmly rejected management’s proposed five-year wage freeze, which would be equivalent to a double-digit wage cut in a City where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $4,250 a month. “A Strike is not something we take lightly and we are deeply sorry to everyone who planned to spend this evening at the opera,” the Union said in a statement. “We have been clear throughout these negotiations that management’s offers were insufficient and that without a fair contract we would have no choice but to stop work. Management’s insistence on cuts has left us no other option.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: San Francisco Opera strike cancels performances through Sept. 20

Workers 'Take Artificial Intelligence Training Into Their Own Hands' In New Jersey - Labor Officials Say 'First-In-The-Nation Program Could Be A National Game Changer, Preparing Workers To Use AI While Protecting Jobs, Privacy & Human Judgement'

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(TRENTON, NEW JERSEY) - More than 2,500 miles from Silicon Valley, New Jersey Workers are claiming a seat at the table in one of the biggest debates shaping America’s future: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) will change the way people work - and who will have a say in shaping that change.

Rather than waiting for Technology Companies and employers to write the rules, Workers, State Officials and Educators are joining forces to help Working People understand AI, use it on the job and protect themselves from its risks.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and Rowan College of South Jersey are launching the Nation’s first Statewide AI Training Program developed with Workers and Unions at the table.

The initiative could provide a national model for helping Workers benefit from AI without allowing the technology to dictate the future of work without them.

The program will teach Workers how to use AI on the job while preparing them for risks ranging from biased hiring systems and workplace surveillance to job displacement and the replacement of human judgement.

New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech said: “AI is changing the workplace whether Working People have a say in it or not. We believe they deserve to have a say. Workers should know how to use new technology to make their jobs safer and more productive. They should also know their rights and how to protect themselves when that technology is used unfairly.”

The initiative offers a Worker-focused alternative to AI training developed solely by Technology Companies or employers.

Union Members who are already seeing AI introduced in their workplaces will help shape what is taught and how the training is delivered.

Participants will learn how employers are using AI to screen job applicants, track productivity, evaluate performance and make other decisions affecting Workers.

They will also receive practical training in how to use AI tools without giving up their own experience, expertise or judgement.

Funded through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the program will be developed by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and Rowan College of South Jersey. The training is expected to begin in October 2026.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO represents more than one million Union Members and is a Chartered State Federation of the National AFL-CIO, which represents more than 12.5 million Workers nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Press Release: Workers Take AI Training Into Their Own Hands in New Jersey - NJ AFL-CIO

'Inside' Google AI Workers' 'Union Drive To Instill Company Ethics Over Concerns Involving The Provision Of Cloud & AI Technologies To The U.S. & Israeli Militaries'

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Google DeepMind (GDM) Employees are using collective bargaining as a means of “establishing morals” at the Company in response to its “material support for Israel’s genocide” in Gaza - but now face “classic Union Busting” tactics from management. In May (2026), DeepMind Employees launched a Unionization bid to end use of the Firm’s technology by Israel and the U.S. Military, seeking to be recognized under the United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW) - a National Branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Unite the Union. Computer Weekly talked with multiple Google DeepMind Workers who shared concerns related to the Firms’ provision of Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to the Israeli Military, which they say have been used to support its genocide against the Palestinian People. However, Google so far has not responded well to the Union effort, with Workers telling Computer Weekly the Company has been trying to shut down or sideline internal opposition to the use of its technologies by Israeli Authorities.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Inside Google AI worker’s union drive to instill company ethics | Computer Weekly

"Toledo Deserves Better" - The Toledo (Ohio) Blade NewsGuild Addresses Management's Decision To 'Cease' Operations After Workers 'Were Asked To Vote On A Contract That Would Have Amounted To Giving Their Work Away To Artificial Intelligence'

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(TOLEDO, OHIO) - The Toledo Blade ended their Employees’ Labor Day Weekend with an e-mail announcing management would close the newspaper on December 31st if it is not sold by then.

Prior to the announcement, the company asked Union Employees to vote for a contract proposal that would have cut their severance in half, in addition to greenlighting giving away their work to Artificial Intelligence (AI), among other out-sourcing.

The Newspaper Employees voted that down by a tally of 46-to-25.

Union members’ objections were largely non-economical, which was reflected in Guild counter-proposals.

Following the vote, Blade Guild Members returned to the bargaining table offering yet another compromise.

Blade Features Writer and Toledo NewsGuild Bargaining Chair Lillian King said: “It’s disappointing Block Communications would rather shutter the paper than work toward an equitable contract. The company’s proposal would have axed seniority, halved severance for its most experienced Employees and allowed the outsourcing of all Guild work. All content at The Blade could be created or edited with Al, with no protections for Journalists or requirements to disclose Al usage to its readers. Signing that contract would have meant signing away our self-respect and with it, Toledo’s mandate for ethical journalism. After nearly (200) years of operating one of the Nation’s great newspapers, Toledo deserves better.”

In its attempts to pressure Workers into voting to cut their severance in half, Blade management also made clear that doing so would not necessarily keep the paper open, either.

“Blade Workers would welcome new ownership that shares our commitment to local news as well as to the people of Toledo and would look forward to working with any such prospective buyers,” Blade Outdoors Writer and Toledo NewsGuild President Mac Arnold said.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Statement from the Toledo NewsGuild on Block Communications’ decision to cease operations of The Blade | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

CWA-Provided Photo.

New Union-Buster Search Tool & Cost Calculator 'Offer Organizing Firepower To Workers'

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

LaborLab, a Workers’ Rights Watchdog, is launching new tools to give Workers a clearer picture of what they’re up against when they organize and shine a brighter light on the $1.7 Billion Union-Avoidance Industry in the United States.

Many U.S. employers hire Anti-Union consultants and law firms to discourage Workers from organizing and bargaining for better pay and working conditions.

These specialists, typically paid more than $400 per hour, coach supervisors on Anti-Union messaging, track Union support, prepare campaign literature and speeches designed to sow fear and doubt, and sometimes directly persuade Workers while presenting themselves as educators.

By law, many of these relationships must be disclosed, but this information is scattered across Federal databases that are notoriously difficult to search.

But now, LaborLab has launched a free on-line Union-Buster Search Tool that brings that information into one place, allowing Workers to research the attorneys and consultants their employer has hired, see how much they’re paid (when available) and identify patterns in their activity.

Debuting as a complement to the Search Tool is LaborLab’s new Cost Calculator, which allows Workers to generate an estimate of the full cost of their employer’s Anti-Union Campaign.

Together, the tools help Workers better understand, expose and push back against the specialists and resources mobilized by their employer to deny them a voice in the workplace.

LaborLab Executive Director Bob Funk said: “These tools advance LaborLab’s vision of providing resources that can help directly empower Workers to organize their workplaces. We envision Worker-Organizers, Union Staffers and Labor Attorneys using the search tool to identify Unions that have previously dealt with a particular Anti-Union attorney or consultant, learn from their experience and share that information with other Workers.”

Drawing on filings from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), the search tool compiles data on more than 800 consultants, 8,000 law firms and 21,000 attorneys.

Users can also view those employers that Union-Busters represent, the rates they charge, their campaign history, the Unions they target most often and, where available, their win-loss records, with direct links to NLRB cases and USDOL disclosures.

LaborLab’s Union-Busting Cost Calculator estimates up to seven costs employers bear by fighting a Union rather than voluntarily recognizing one upon proof of majority support.

These include direct expenditures on attorneys and consultants and hidden internal costs, such as paid Employee time spent in Anti-Union one-on-ones and Staff meetings.

The calculator also estimates a wage increase that the employer could have provided with those resources instead.

LaborLab’s estimates have been presented to the Minnesota Senate and cited in coverage of Organizing Campaigns by Nurses, Therapists and Mechanics.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: New Union-Buster Search Tool and Cost Calculator Offer Organizing Firepower to Workers - LaborLab

LaborLab Editor’s Note: You can access the Union-Buster Search Tool here and the Cost Calculator here - and an in-depth explanation of the Calculator’s cost categories and default assumptions is available here.

'Unions Are Extremely Popular' - 56 Million Workers 'Would Join A Union If They Could'

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - New Gallup polling finds 71% of people in the U.S. approve of Unions, continuing the highest period of favorability in over 60 years.

This coincides with the greatest number of Workers represented by a Union in 16 years.

The Gallup polling showed Unions are favorable across generations and party lines with 77% of adults ages 18-to-34, 74% of adults ages 35-to-54 and 67% of adults ages 55 and older approving of Unions - and 89% of Democrats, 70% of Independents and 52% of Republicans also approving of Unions.

This is just one of many recent surveys demonstrating the broad popularity of Unions: Unions are more popular than Big Business. People in the U.S. favor Unions over Big Business by more than 16 percentage points - the greatest gap ever recorded; 56 million U.S. Workers would join a Union tomorrow if they could. 43% of Non-Union Workers would vote to Unionize their workplace if given the opportunity; and Majority views Union decline as bad for the U.S. Most people in the U.S. say the decline in Union Density is bad for the country (60%) and bad for Working People (62%).

It should be no surprise that the public views Unions favorably: Unions help Workers win higher wages, advocate for safer and healthier workplaces, support a thriving Middle Class, and strengthen Democracy by boosting civic participation.

To Continue Reading this Labor News Report, Go To: Unions are extremely popular: 56 million workers would join a union if they could | Economic Policy Institute

'For The First Time,' The International Trade Union Confederation Places The United States On The Workers' Rights Watchlist

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has placed the United States on its "Watchlist" of countries with a measurable increase in Workers' Rights violations, marking the first time the country has appeared on the list since the index began in 2014, the Global Union Body announced in its 2026 Global Rights Index.

The 13th edition of the index rates the United States at 4 - "systematic violations of rights" - on the ITUC's six-point scale, its lowest score since the report was first issued.

The Watchlist, a category introduced to flag countries where violations are rising sharply, also includes Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Liberia, the Republic of Moldova, the Philippines and Zimbabwe.

The Global Rights Index, described by the ITUC as the world's only comprehensive database of Workers' Rights, assesses 151 countries against 97 indicators drawn from International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions and case law.

According to the report and subsequent statements from the ITUC and its U.S. affiliate, the National AFL-CIO, the U.S. Watchlist placement reflects several developments over the past year, including more than one million Federal Workers have lost Collective-Bargaining Rights following a series of Presidential Executive Orders issued since March 2025, according to the National AFL-CIO and Labor outlets that have reviewed the index.

Litigation challenging those orders is ongoing.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been significantly weakened in its capacity to enforce Workers' Rights protections, the National AFL-CIO said.

Immigration enforcement has been used in ways that affect Immigrant Workers and Union Members, including actions cited by Labor outlets covering the report as amounting to pressure on visa holders who engage in Workplace Organizing.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: ITUC Places US on Workers' Rights Watchlist for First Time | The LabourPulse

What A Surprise! House Republicans 'Are Ramping Up Labor Union Investigations Before' The Mid-Term Elections

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michael Sainato at The Guardian reports House Republicans are investigating several Unions based on claims from Far-Right non-profits alleging Union Dues are being used for illegal political funding. Republicans on the House’s Education and Workforce Committee opened the investigation this Summer after multiple reports from the Conservative Think Tanks targeted Unions and their spending, claiming Unions are using Member Dues to support Democratic causes. While Unions are allowed to advocate for political causes, they are prohibited from using Union Dues to directly fund specific candidates or Political Action Committees (PACs). Union Members can voluntarily donate to Labor Unions’ PACs. Those under investigation include the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the United Auto Workers (UAW), the United Steelworkers (USW), Smart Transportation Division (SMART-TD), the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWED).

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: House Republicans ramp up labor union investigations before midterms | US unions | The Guardian

The Illinois Teachers Union Wants The $768 Million Meta Settlement 'Used For Education Funding To Help The Budget-Strapped' Chicago Public School System

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sean Reed at The Center Square reports Social Media Giant Meta has agreed to a deal with 47 States to settle a joint lawsuit, with Illinois set to receive up to $768 million. As the funds were announced, some in Illinois began calling for it to be used as additional education funding for a budget-strapped Chicago Public Schools. A bipartisan coalition of State Attorneys General announced a $17.1 billion settlement with Meta Platforms Incorporated, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, in a lawsuit over risks its platforms pose to young users. Illinois’ portion of the settlement totals $768 million, though the funds aren’t being directly given to impacted users or their parents. Instead, the State gets to choose how to use the funds. The Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) said the new funds could fund a Statewide education gap, which has been a focus of State Lawmakers, the Governor and at Chicago Public Schools. IFT President Stacy Davis Gates, who also serves as Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President, said in a statement the State should use the funds for Illinois students: “The Governor has said he supports more funding for education but didn’t know where it would come from. The settlement with Meta just made that answer even easier. Schools from Peoria to Belleville to Chicago are counting on the Governor and the General Assembly to prioritize students the way we’ve seen them prioritize Big Tech and billionaire stadium owners.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Teachers union wants $768M Meta settlement used for education funding

Nurses 'Protest Nationwide Against Palantir, Citing ICE Surveillance & Hospital Automation'

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Registered Nurses, patients and community allies mobilized in eight cities across the country last week to demand Hospitals and Elected Officials cut ties with the Big Tech Firm Palantir. The nationwide demonstrations, organized by National Nurses United (NNU), represent the Union’s largest coordinated action against the company to date. Protests took place in: Palo Alto, California; Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Portland, Maine; Asheville, North Carolina; Austin, Texas; and New Orleans. In Chicago, Nurses and their allies rallied outside the Cook County Pension Board, where millions of dollars in Nurses’ Pension Funds are invested in Palantir. Protesters blocked West Madison Street for about 15 minutes, chanting: “No ICE, no war, no Palantir!” “No part of the country has been untouched by the terror and violence of ICE and CBP, enabled by Palantir’s technology,” NNU President Jamie Brown said. “While Nurses have had to witness the fear and desperation of our patients and neighbors facing the threat of immigration raids, we have also seen hospitals start to buckle under conditions of extreme scarcity.” At the heart of the Nurses’ concerns are Palantir’s dual roles in providing surveillance technology used by ICE to identify people for arrest and expanding its footprint in the Health Care Industry through its contracts with Hospital Systems.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Nurses protest nationwide against Palantir, citing ICE surveillance and hospital automation – People's World

Photo Courtesy Of NNU’s Facebook Page.

1199 SEIU-Represented Cleveland Public Library Workers 'Avoid Threatened Strike' After Workers Ratify New Contract

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Tyler Carey at WKYC3 reports that after months of negotiations and a looming Strike that was called off at literally the last possible minute, Union-represented Workers and Trustees at the Cleveland Public Library have officially ratified a new contract that includes salary increases, Paid Parental Leave and health care coverage protections. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 1199 announced their ratification vote Wednesday night before the Library Board of Trustees unanimously followed suit during a special meeting Thursday afternoon, bringing to a close the threat of a walkout by the Union's roughly 400 Library Employees. Those Workers had been set to Strike at noon this past Monday before both SEIU 1199 and the Library struck a tentative deal less than 30 minutes prior to the deadline. The Employees instead stayed at their posts until the full details of the contract were eventually finalized. According to the Union, all SEIU 1199-represented Employees will receive 5% retroactive wage payments dating back to January and see their overall salaries rise by an average of 15% over the duration of the contract. Full-Time Workers will also enjoy immediate $500 bonuses while Part-Time Workers will get $250 checks. SEIU 1199 President Becky Williams said: "This contract is a testament to the strength, determination and solidarity of our Members. The Library came to the table seeking significant concessions, but our Members and Bargaining Team refused to back down. This is what ‘Union Power’ looks like - and it is a model for what Workers can accomplish when they stand together."

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Cleveland Public Library officially avoids union worker strike after both sides ratify new contract

'The First Strike In The 145-Year History Of The Boston Symphony Has Been Averted' As Union-Represented Orchestra Musicians 'Ratify A New Three-Year Contract'

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Asher Klein and Thea DiGiammerino at NBC Boston reports the Unionized Musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra have ratified a new contract and avoided a Strike, which would have been the first in the 125-year history of the Orchestra. The Boston Musicians’ Association contract was originally set to run out Monday. Union Members had authorized a Strike, but instead, the Union announced its Members had voted in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract. “This groundbreaking agreement offers unprecedented artistic collaboration through all aspects of the artistic process, which we believe will set a new standard for American Orchestras. The agreement guarantees the Musicians a meaningful role engaging collaborators and planning repertoire that ensures artistic excellence,” Union President David Rufino said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians ratify contract, avoiding historic strike

And For More, Go To: Vote on union contract for Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians 'pending' | WAMC

Seattle Hotel Workers' 'Strike Hits Two Months As UNITE Local 8-Represented Workers Continue To Demand Better Pay & Health Care'

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Jim Nelson at KING 5 News reports Union Workers employed at one of Seattle's busiest Hotels are doubling down on their fight for better pay, year-round health care and protections from Federal Immigration Agents as their Strike now reaches two months. More than 100 Members of UNITE HERE Local 8 went on Strike just before Seattle hosted six World Cup matches at nearby Lumen Field. The group just held an event outside the Embassy Suites Hotel to mark two months of picketing. A Union Employee said the company hasn't participated in negotiations with the Union in about seven weeks. The open-ended work stoppage began just before the first of six FIFA World Cup matches earlier this Summer. "It's very important to be clear about what the reasons for the Strike are from the Union's point of view, so it makes it much easier for the members of the public to grab on to what's at stake," said Elizabeth Ford, an Associate Professor of Law at Seattle University. Ford said as of this year in Washington, the Unemployment Law was amended to allow striking Workers to receive Unemployment Benefits. While it won't make up for everything, she said, it may help Workers endure a very long Strike.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Seattle hotel workers strike hits 2 months, demanding better pay and healthcare

And For More, Go To: Seattle hotel strike possibly the longest in history | Watch And UNITE HERE Local 8

Photo Courtesy Of UNITE HERE Local 8

Union-Busters 'Are Using ICE To Intimidate' California Wine Industry Workers - The Wine Industry 'Runs On Immigrant Exploitation, Now Migrant Workers Are Unionizing'

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA) - Well-known California Union-Buster Raul Calvo called Workers at the Rodney Strong Vineyards into a meeting. Salvador Ramirez, who’d labored among big wine tanks for 12 years, says he was shocked by what he heard. “He said he was just going to give us the information that he got in an e-mail three days ago, that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) was here outside,” Ramirez remembers, noting Calvo told workers the Vineyard was technically in a border zone due to its proximity to the ocean.

Ramirez says Workers were very upset - not just by Calvo’s implied threat, but because the company’s attitude had changed drastically. Last October, when there were rumors ICE Agents planned a wave of raids in the San Francisco Bay Area like those underway in Los Angeles, the company had called everyone into a meeting. Ramirez recalled: “‘You’re our Workers,’ they told us. ‘We have to support you and we’re not going to allow them to come in (without a Judge’s warrant). We’re going to take care of each other.’”

In the months afterwards, however, Workers began talking with each other.

They then reached out to North Bay Jobs with Justice (JwJ), a Coalition of Community Organizations and Unions in Sonoma and Napa Counties with a long history of fighting for Workers’ Rights.

North Bay JwJ helped them organize a Workplace Committee and put them in touch with Teamsters Local 665, a Union with Representatives on the Organization’s Board.

Ramirez and 31 of the Winery’s 50 Workers signed a petition asking that the company agree to a Card Check process for recognizing the Union they’d formed and for a “fair process to exercise our right to organize and form a Union without threats and intimidation.”

At the beginning of June, they took it to management.

The company’s response was to hire a Union-Buster, who held two meetings with the Workers.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Union-Busters Are Using ICE to Intimidate California Wine Industry Workers | Truthout

The American Federation Of Teachers Launch 'Shop Smart, Not Target' Campaign For Back-To-School - New Website Offers Teachers & Families 'Community-Friendly Shopping Alternatives After Target Fails to Speak Out About ICE Activity'

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - As Teachers and families head back to school, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has launched a nationwide campaign to urge them to shop at retailers other than Target for their school supplies.

The Shop Smart, Support Working Families Campaign was created in response to Target’s refusal to condemn the unlawful Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity that continues to roil communities around the country.

A new website, ShopSmart.AFT.org, along with an associated digital and print ad initiative, helps Educators and families shop for school supplies at local stores and outlets that respect Labor Rights, instead of at Target.

The AFT’s 1.875 million Members spend an average of $895 of their own money on school supplies each year and hold billions in Target stock via their pension accounts.

In March, the AFT passed a resolution demanding the Minneapolis-based business speak up against the ICE atrocities in their own backyard and called for a comprehensive Back-To-School Campaign if it failed to take meaningful action.

AFT President Randi Weingarten wrote to Target CEO Michael Fiddelke in January - and again in March, outlining the Union’s concerns, but did not receive a constructive response.

In June, the 15 million-Member National AFL-CIO, affiliated with the AFT, passed its own resolution at its Constitutional Convention in Minneapolis, backing the plan and championing the AFT’s push.

“We gave Target ample time to stand with the communities in which they operate and help their neighbors, but its silence about Federal Immigration abuses has been deafening,” Weingarten said. “We wrote letters, passed resolutions and reached out to management in good faith but have yet to see any meaningful movement.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: AFT Launches ‘Shop Smart, Not Target’ Campaign for Back-to-School | American Federation of Teachers

The Virginia State Attorney General 'Launches Unit To Protect Workers From Wage Theft, Abuse & Employee Misclassification'

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has announced the creation of a new Worker Protection Unit within his office. Jones said this new Civil Enforcement Team would hold employers accountable when they violate State Labor Laws. “This is an enforcement operation that we are putting half a million dollars behind, hiring a Unit Manager, an Assistant Attorney General and an Investigator,” Jones said. “And their mission is simple: To protect people on the job, to enforce Virginia law ‘and to hold bad actors accountable.’” Jones said the new Unit would go after cases of wage theft, Employee misclassification and Worker abuse. The Unit will review records, interview witnesses and conduct inspections. If it finds wrongdoing, the Unit will seek back pay, civil penalties and injunctions. Jones said the idea for a Worker Protection Unit came from the Labor Community. “You showed us how complaints could bounce from office to office to office while someone was still waiting for help,” Jones said. “You told us about companies counting on no one enforcing the fact that they were cheating their people.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Virginia AG Jay Jones announces new worker protection unit

More Than 2,000 Unionized Meat, Seafood & Deli Workers At 60-Plus ShopRite Supermarket Locations Across Southern New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania & Delaware Ratify A 'New Contract That Features Annual Wage Increase & Rewards Seniority'

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

More than 2,000 Meat, Seafood and Deli Workers represented by United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 152 and employed at more than 60 ShopRite supermarket locations across Southern New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract. The agreement raises starting rates for Department Managers and Classified Positions - and includes annual wage increases that reward seniority and help close wage compression gaps. It also protects employer-funded Union Health Benefits and expands vacation, leave of absence and bereavement policies. Organizers credit the outcome to extensive preparation, including conversations with UFCW Local 1776 about the successful blueprint from its Philadelphia-area agreement, and a deliberate effort to build on the gains UFCW Local 152 previously secured in the South Jersey Clerks’ contract. Those prior victories laid a strong foundation for this round of bargaining, and coordination with UFCW Local 1500 ensured a unified approach at the table. “This win belongs to our Members. Their solidarity, strength and determination allowed our Negotiating Committee to deliver a historic new contract. When Workers are engaged and stand together, they win together,” Local 152 President Daniel Ross said.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Over 2,000 Grocery Workers in Region 2 Approve New Contract - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union