WNYLaborToday News

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

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

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

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

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

Michigan Bricklayer Apprentices 'Can Get College Credit In New' Program

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

Charles Ramirez at The Detroit News reports Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan is the first in the State to adopt a new program that aims to enable future Bricklayers to earn school credit during their Apprenticeships. The program and Schoolcraft's participation were announced by Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2, the Michigan Community College Association and Michigan’s Labor and Economic Development Office. The Union and the Community College Association signed an agreement to create the program, and the Schoolcraft College Foundation helped secure support and funding for it. Susan Corbin, who serves as Director of the Department of Labor and Economic Development, believes the agreement to create the program is one of the first in the country to facilitate a transfer agreement to Union Workers. Bricklayers Local 2 President Brett Gierak said: "This partnership is one more tool for us to recruit and train Union Workers. (It) is an opportunity for our Workers to continue their education without having to start over." Under the program, Apprenticeship Training and a learner’s experience count as credit toward an Associate Degree at 24 Michigan Community Colleges.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Michigan bricklayer apprentices can get college credit in new program - AOL

Trump Agency 'Under Fire For Blocking' Sexual Harassment Lawsuits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He called the Union “enemies.”

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

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

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

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

New York City 'Could Force Amazon & FedEx To Directly Employ Its Delivery Drivers'

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

Kishalaya Kundu at TechSpot reports a Bill pending before the New York City Council could make The Big Apple the first U.S. City to regulate the last-mile operations of E-Commerce and Logistics Giants, such as Amazon and FedEx. Supported by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the Bill aims to mandate businesses with door-to-door operations must directly employ their Delivery Personnel rather than outsourcing the job to third-party contractors. Proponents of the Delivery Protection Act claim it will offer major benefits to E-Commerce Employees working for companies like Amazon, FedEx, DHL, FreshDirect and DoorDash. These include higher wages, better work hours, safer working conditions, improved health care benefits and more paid time off, especially in cases of injuries while on duty. Mamdani has thrown his full support behind the proposed legislation, calling it a much-needed measure to hold multibillion-dollar corporations accountable for their actions. In a statement, he said the legislation will prevent Amazon and other businesses from "insulating themselves from accountability through a system of exploitative sub-contracting." Describing it as "common-sense regulation," Mamdani argued that the bill will protect delivery workers, as well as safeguard the communities where these companies operate. He added it will also ensure "the corporations benefiting from Workers' labor are responsible for the consequences of their business practices." Backed by Labor Organizations like the Teamsters, the proposed legislation has secured super-majority support among New York City’s Council Members and drawn more than 30 co-sponsors, mostly from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. It is expected to be presented for a formal vote as soon as this Fall.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: NYC could force Amazon and FedEx to directly employ its delivery drivers | TechSpot

Federal Judge 'Blocks' New York State NLRB Trigger Law Following A Lawsuit Filed By Amazon

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

Chris Wade at The Center Square reports a Federal Judge has overturned New York State's NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) Trigger Law following a lawsuit from Amazon, which claimed it was an unconstitutional "power grab" by the State's Labor Board. In the ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Eric Komitee said the 2025 State Law giving the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (NYSPERB) authority to oversee Union Elections and resolve Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charges is pre-empted by a 1959 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, that deemed Federal Employee Labor Rights to be the "exclusive domain" of the National Labor Board. Komitee, a Trump appointee, had previously blocked New York Labor Officials from enforcing the law after Amazon won a preliminary injunction in November, but his latest ruling makes it permanent. It wasn't immediately clear if the New York Labor Board or the Teamsters, which was also a party in the lawsuit, would appeal the ruling. The lawsuit was one of many legal challenges to New York's law, which was signed into law by Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul last year. The law authorizes the State's Labor Board to assert jurisdiction over disputes between employers and recognized Employee Organizations if the NLRB is "unable" to resolve the dispute. The NLRB filed a lawsuit against New York last year, claiming the law stripped the Agency of its "statutory duties" to investigate ULPs by Public and Private Sector Unions. The outcome of that case is still pending.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Federal judge blocks New York labor law

'Worlds Of Fun' Workers 'Vote Overwhelmingly' To Join IATSE Local 31 In Kansas City

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

(KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI) – In a victory for Entertainment Workers in the region, Employees at the Worlds of Fun Amusement Park in Kansas City voted 21-to-1 to join International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 31.

The newly-formed Bargaining Unit covers 37 Workers across Technical Services, Wardrobe and Stitchers, Costumes and Creative Services.

The road to this victory was hard-fought at every turn, led by IATSE Representative Thomas Guidugli and Local 31 Leadership.

Conversations with workers began in early 2025, setting the campaign in motion, and by Summer a majority of Workers had signed and submitted cards to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The employer immediately moved to contest the composition of the Bargaining Unit and subsequently sold the company to new ownership, effectively resetting the campaign.

The employer’s efforts to delay and disrupt the Union did not end there.

The day before the scheduled vote the Park fired a lead Organizer, an action that constituted an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP), which was addressed accordingly.

Rather than walk away, the Crew regrouped and ultimately delivering a resounding answer and winning their Union.

Together, the Workers are now moving forward with bargaining a fair contract.

IATSE represents more than 170,000 Technicians, Artisans and Craftspersons in the Entertainment Industry, including live events, motion picture and television production, broadcast and trade shows in the United States and Canada.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: ‘Worlds of Fun' Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join IATSE Local 31 in Kansas City - IATSE

City Of Decatur, Illinois 'Launches Firefighter Training Program For High School Students'

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

WSB Radio News reports the City of Decatur Fire Department is partnering with Decatur High School’s Career Academy on a new program designed to prepare students for careers in the Fire Service - while helping address a Firefighter shortage. Decatur Fire Chief Toni Washington says the Firefighter Apprenticeship Program will allow students to earn their Firefighter Certification while still in high school: “We wanted to develop some kind of Firefighter Apprenticeship Program, which students will be able to get their Firefighter Certification while they’re in high school.” Washington says the Department is facing a shortage of applicants and hopes the program will help build a pipeline of future Firefighters. Students in the program will complete physical training and hands-on practice while working toward their certification.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Decatur launches firefighter training program for high school students

File Photo.

Laborers' Unions In Buffalo & The Hudson Valley Receive A Combined $1 Million-Plus In New York Power Authority Funding 'To Support Workforce Development & Prepare New Yorkers for Clean Energy Careers'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the New York Power Authority (NYPA) has approved $13 million in funding to support Clean Energy Workforce development across New York State.

The funding, approved by NYPA’s Board of Trustees, includes $3 million to be directed to six Workforce Development Programs that will equip more than 450 New Yorkers with the training, job placement resources and technical skills needed for careers in New York’s growing Clean Energy Economy.

The awards also include $10 million that will support the New York State Department of Labor’s (NYSDOL) expanded training and retraining initiatives to prepare Workers for employment in Clean Energy Careers.

“Our Clean Energy future depends on the people who will build it and we’re committed to preparing them for the good‑paying careers of tomorrow,” Governor Hochul said. “This ($13 million) investment will open doors for New Yorkers, expanding access to valuable training, strengthening workforce pathways and helping communities across the State benefit from the momentum fueling our clean energy economy.”

Laborers Local 210 in Buffalo received $540,000, which will used to support a Pre‑Apprenticeship Program that provides certification‑based training for participants.

Laborers Local 17 in the Hudson Valley received $500,000, which will be used to strengthen Pre-Apprenticeship pathways in the Construction Trades, offering foundational training and support services to prepare participants for Union careers.

Both Laborers’ programs build on proven models to expand access to skilled labor opportunities.

Last year, NYPA allocated more than $1 million in funding support to the Laborers’ existing workforce training initiative, stimulating the expansion of its Pre-Apprenticeship Program, which prepares Members of disadvantaged communities for careers as Union Construction Craft Laborers in Buffalo, the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region.

New York Power Authority Chairman John Koelmel said: “By supporting organizations that provide Apprenticeships and technical training, NYPA is strengthening New York’s talent pipeline and expanding opportunities for workers in communities across the State to gain the skills needed for high‑demand jobs in the growing Clean Energy Economy.”

New York State Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon said: “Creating clean energy infrastructure is both necessary and an economic opportunity for our State, creating thousands of jobs and strengthening local economies. I applaud Governor Hochul's commitment to New York’s Clean Energy future. The New York State Department of Labor stands ready to provide the training and resources necessary to ensure our workforce is prepared to support the State’s clean energy development.”

To Read This Press Release In Its Entirety, Go To: Governor Hochul Announces $13 Million in NYPA Funding to Support Workforce Development and Prepare More Than 450 New Yorkers for Clean Energy Careers | Governor Kathy Hochul | New York State

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Electeds 'Back' NYU Adjunct Faculty's 'Push For Paid Family Leave'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Adjunct Faculty employed at New York University (NYU), who are campaigning to win Paid Family Leave, have received support from 34 New York City Lawmakers who argue that the added benefit would help both Academic Workers and students at the University.

The Workers have been pushing for around a year to secure a side letter to their ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement with the University that would grant around 3,000 Adjunct Faculty Paid Family Leave, said David Palmer, the Adjunct Faculty Union’s Unit Chair.

Palmer said without the paid leave, Faculty are forced to choose between their positions at the University and caring for sick family members, bonding with their newborns or stepping in when a family member in the military is deployed abroad.

If a Faculty Member takes leave from their job for a family matter, it can mean losing out on reappointment to key classes or losing a position at the University - entirely.

“These are decisions that Adjunct Faculty face on a regular basis,” Palmer said.

The letter sent to NYU President Linda Mills was signed by over two dozen Members of the City Council, the Borough Presidents of both Manhattan and Brooklyn and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

The letter reads: “NYU’s failure to provide Paid Family Leave (PFL) to the thousands of Workers who make up its Adjunct Faculty reflects a clear misalignment between those values and the treatment of a significant portion of its workforce. Without PFL, Adjunct Faculty at NYU face significant financial, physical and emotional hardship, and are forced to make untenable choices between caring for sick family members or bonding with new children - and maintaining their income."

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Electeds back NYU adjunct faculty's push for paid family leave - The Chief

Ambulance Workers In Suburban Rochester 'Go Union,' Join The Teamsters

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

(ROCHESTER, NEW YORK) – A group of 65 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Workers employed at Penfield Webster EMS have voted to join Teamsters Local 118 to fight for fair pay, improved workplace protections and a real voice on the job.

“These Workers stood strong and fought hard to win their union, and we could not be prouder to welcome them,” Local 118 President Timothy Barbeto said. “Now, we are ready to fight for a strong first contract that addresses their concerns and secures the wages, benefits and respect they deserve.”

The Workers voted to organize to address workplace favoritism, retaliation and arbitrary management decisions, Teamster Officials said.

With Teamster representation, the EMS workers will have the collective strength to demand fair treatment and lasting improvements on the job.

“We joined the Teamsters to build sustainable careers in EMS,” said Michael Waterhouse, an EMS Worker and Member of Local 118. “Fair pay, fair scheduling and respect from management are essential to our success as both an agency and individual employees. With the Teamsters behind us, we are ready to fight for those priorities in our first contract.”

Teamsters Local 118 represents more than 5,000 Workers across Upstate New York and in Northern Pennsylvania.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Ambulance Workers in New York Join Teamsters - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Warehouse Workers At The Sphere In Las Vegas 'Go Union,' Join The Teamsters

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

(LAS VEGAS, NEVADA) – Warehouse Workers employed at the Sphere in Las Vegas have voted overwhelmingly to Unionize with Teamsters Local 986.

The 22 Warehouse Workers are responsible for receiving and managing all deliveries that keep the Music and Entertainment Arena operating. The Workers joined the Teamsters to secure higher wages, safer working conditions and respect on the job.

“These workers ‘are the heartbeat’ of the Sphere and the reason every show is successful,” said Tommy Blitsch, who serves as Director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division. “They set the standard at one of the most high-profile venues in the world. They are part of a growing movement of Workers across convention centers, arenas and casinos standing together to demand their fair share.”

Beverly Wilson, a Warehouse Worker and new Member of Local 986, said: “My Co-Workers and I are proud of what we’ve accomplished in this campaign. Together, as Teamsters, our voices will be heard. This win is just the beginning and I’m excited for the positive changes ahead.”

Local 986 Vice President Tim Vera said: “Since the Sphere opened, it’s been ‘printing money.’ It has become ‘one of the biggest venues on the planet’ because of the Workers who keep it operating. Our newest Members won’t settle for scraps. We’re taking our fight to the table to win a strong first contract.”

The Sphere is the highest-grossing arena in the world, generating $781.4 million in revenue and 1.7 million tickets sold in 2025.

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

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Workers at the Sphere Join Teamsters - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Gen Z 'Faces AI-era Job Squeeze As Trades Gain Appeal'

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

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Transforms Entry-Level: Automation is replacing routine junior roles, pushing Gen Z toward specialized skills or adaptable, multi-disciplinary careers.

Trades Gain Traction: Rising pay and shorter training for Trades and Health Care Support Roles are drawing Gen Z away from traditional degree paths.

Labor Market In Flux: Boomer retirements, AI layoff reversals and shifting employer needs are creating both risks and openings for young jobseekers.

Routine tasks in corporate environments are increasingly being automated by AI, leading to a reduction in entry-level job opportunities. This trend is reshaping the early career landscape for new workforce entrants. Seventy-five-percent of technology job postings now require AI fluency, representing a 178% increase compared to the previous year. This reflects a rapid shift in the skills demanded by employers in the Tech Sector. Economist Ed Yardeni has observed a structural skills mismatch emerging as companies replace generalist Employees with specialized talent in response to AI adoption - and this shift is altering workforce composition and hiring priorities.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Gen Z faces AI-era job squeeze as trades gain appeal

'After Three Years,' NABET-CWA Members 'Near First Contract' At WROC-8 In Rochester

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

(ROCHESTER, NEW YORK) - After three years locked in a Union certification battle with TV Station Operator Nexstar Media Group, a Federal Appeals Court sided with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), ordering the company to recognize and bargain with National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET-CWA) Local 51022. The Unit, representing Broadcast Media Workers at WROC-8 in Rochester voted in February 2023 to be represented by NABET-CWA. Nexstar raised challenges that delayed the certification - but when the NLRB certified the Unit, Nexstar refused to recognize the Union. The company began litigation that made arguments about alleged Supervisors, Board Agent misconduct and improper influence on the election by a promised reduction of dues rates. On June 30th (2026), the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued its Order and Opinion enforcing the NLRB's decision in NLRB v. Nexstar (WROC-TV). The Appellate Court addressed and dismissed Nexstar's arguments, including alleged Board Agent misconduct. Members of the Bargaining Unit hope Nexstar representatives will learn from this Appellate Court ruling. The Unit has issued a new request to commence bargaining with WROC-8 on a first contract, for which these Members have fought for nearly 42 months.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New York City Ferry Workers 'Go Union,' Join The Transit Workers Union

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Marine Diesel Technicians and Welders employed at the New York City Ferry have voted unanimously to join the Transit Workers Union (TWU). The Union’s International President, John Samuelsen, said: “The TWU has a message for any politician that fights against Blue Collar New York - we will fight you and we will win. We are growing our ranks at the New York City Ferry with this latest organizing victory, as Technicians and Welders can see the day-in-day-out fight we bring on all fronts and want to be a part of it. We will now begin work on a critical first contract to bring big gains for New York City Ferry Workers, just like we have for decades with New York City subways, trains, buses, planes and bikes.” The Ferry Workers are primarily based in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and work for the contractor Hornblower. The Ferry service was launched in 2017 and operates six routes and one seasonal route. The TWU is the first Union on property at the Ferry. TWU Special Projects Coordinator Alejandro Arroyo said: “The highly-skilled New York City Ferry Workers are trusting in the industrial power of the TWU in New York to deliver a crucial first contract while showing up to fight for them on all fronts, no matter what. Across New York City and New York State, the TWU is showing - over and over again, why we are ‘America’s Fightback Union, organizing the unorganized and standing up for every Worker against powerful interests.’”

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: NYC Ferry Workers Vote to Join TWU – LaborPress

CSEA Members Ratify New Five-Year Contract With New York State

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Members have overwhelmingly approved a new five-year contract with New York State, ratifying an agreement that will provide annual pay increases, health insurance improvements and other workplace benefits for more than 55,000 State Employees.

The agreement - which run through April 1st, 2031, follows months of negotiations between CSEA’s Negotiating Team and the State.

Members approved the contract after a statewide education campaign and ratification vote.

Among the contract’s provisions are annual salary increases, Paid Prenatal Leave, increased location pay and changes to health insurance that reduce Members’ out-of-pocket costs.

The agreement also includes workplace and contractual improvements aimed at strengthening employee protections and supporting the State’s efforts to recruit and retain Workers.

CSEA President Mary Sullivan said: “Today’s ratification is a victory for CSEA Members and for every New Yorker who depends on these dedicated Public Employees who keep our State running. Our Union Members spoke with one voice, and together we secured a contract that recognizes their value, protects important benefits and makes meaningful investments in the people who provide critical services in every corner of New York.”

The contract builds on CSEA’s efforts to improve compensation and working conditions for State Employees while addressing workforce shortages across State Government.

Sullivan credited Governor Kathy Hochul and her administration for working with CSEA throughout the negotiations: “I appreciate Governor Hochul and her Administration for working with us in good faith throughout this process. By working together, we reached an agreement that invests in New York’s workforce and helps ensure the state can continue to attract and retain Employees who serve our communities every day.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: CSEA members ratify new five-year contract with New York State - CSEA NY

WGA East & The ABC Network News 'Announce Recognition' Of The ABC Network News Digital Staff Union

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) has reached an agreement with American Broadcasting Companies, Incorporated regarding the Union Representation process for Employees at ABCNews.com and ABC Network News’ Social Media Platforms.

Since the beginning of this process, ABC Network News and WGAE have engaged in productive and constructive discussions, reflecting a shared commitment to maintaining a collaborative and supportive workplace, Union Officials said.

In a Union Election counted on July 31st (2026), voters in ABC News Digital’s 50-Member Bargaining Unit voted unanimously to be represented by the WGAE.

The Unit includes Digital Reporters, Digital Editors, Digital Video Producers, and Social Media Producers who contribute to the content and operation of ABCNews.com and ABC Network News Social Media Platforms.

In a statement, Bargaining Unit Members said: “The industry is changing at a rapid pace and we want to help shape the version of ABC News that will emerge from this transition. We are excited to join hundreds of our ABC News Broadcast Colleagues and thousands of our fellow Disney Employees who are represented by Unions.”

WGAE President Tom Fontana said: “The WGAE has represented Unionized Workers at ABC News since the 1960s. We appreciate that management engaged in productive conversations for recognition and we look forward to winning Union protections for ABC News’ Digital Staff.”

In its Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Sector, the WGAE also represents Workers at 1010 WINS, ABC News, Audacy (WCBS-AM, WBBM-AM, and KNX-AM), CBS News, CBS News Digital, CBS News 24/7, Fox 5 WNYW-TV, MSNOW, NBC Promo Writers, Thirteen Productions (Thirteen/WNET) and WBBM/CBS 2 News.

The WGAE represents more than 7,500 Members who work in Film, Television, News, Podcasts and On-Line Media.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Report, Go To: ABC Network News and the WGA East Announce Recognition of ABC Network News Digital Staff Union | Press Room

CSEA 'Partners With The NYS Department Of Civil Services On New' Testing Centers

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

(BUFFALO & ROCHESTER, NEW YORK) - The Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) is partnering with the New York State Department of Civil Service in the opening of new computer-based testing centers in both Buffalo and Rochester.

Western Region Treasurer Bob Pazik represented CSEA at the Buffalo ceremony (Pictured Above/CSEA-Provided Photo), while Western Region Executive Vice President Tim Finnigan attended the Rochester opening.

These centers, among 12 that will be opening across the State by the end of 2027, will provide modern and convenient access to State Employees seeking to further their careers by taking promotion exams, while allowing interested candidates to self-schedule their own tests.

CSEA has partnered with Governor Kathy Hochul’s Administration to improve Worker recruitment and retention efforts, including through reforms to Civil Service.

CSEA President Mary Sullivan said: “CSEA applauds the State’s continued efforts to address retention and improve the outcome by opening modern, computerized testing facilities. This is a much-needed positive step forward to keeping State Employees and making it easier for them to advance their employment through Civil Service.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: CSEA partners with Department of Civil Services on new testing centers - CSEA NY

And Click Here To Watch DCS Computer-Based Testing Center – What to Expect

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

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

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

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

'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.

ProPublica Guild 'Wins First Contract On Third Anniversary Of Its Union Recognition'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - NewsGuild of New York-represented Staff at ProPublica have won a first contract with the Non-Profit Investigative Newsroom in a deal that gives Staff up to 24% raises over the life of the agreement, mandates transparency around the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), protects hybrid work, offers significant health-care savings and more.

The ProPublica Guild, which represents more than 150 Reporters, Video Journalists, Development Professionals, Copy Editors and other Staff, also overwhelmingly voted to ratify their four-year contract.

“This contract is a major step forward for our Members,” said Agnel Philip, a Data Reporter and Unit Chair of the ProPublica Guild. “What we won is a testament to our hard work and shows what we can achieve when we stand together.”

Ratified three years to the day since the Union was officially recognized, the deal is the culmination of a campaign in which Union Members launched a petition and letter-writing initiatives that brought thousands of supporters into their fight, recorded and published testimonials from Members, and staged a 24-hour Strike - the first work stoppage in ProPublica’s history.

NewsGuild of New York President Susan DeCarava said: “ProPublica Guild Members deliver incredible journalism for the public good and have fought for and won a strong first contract that acknowledges the value of their collective work. This contract is life-changing for many of our Members and will allow them to continue to produce the journalism that’s making a real difference at a time when readers need it the most.”

The NewsGuild of New York Local 31003 of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) represents nearly 6,000 Media Professionals and other Employees at New York area news organizations, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Reuters, The Nation, TIME, PEOPLE and Wirecutter.

To View The Highlights Of The New Contract, Go To: ProPublica Guild wins first contract on third anniversary of its union recognition | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

NYSNA Holds Maimonides Vigil To 'Protest Health Care Shortages Caused By End Of Temporary Protected Status For Haitian Immigrants'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Nurses represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) held a vigil at Maimonides Medical Center to protest the Trump Administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 350,000 Haitian Immigrants in the U.S., leaving them vulnerable to increased enforcement activity and subject to deportation.

Nurses and their allies also called for immediate Federal action to reverse the termination and renew work authorizations.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans (pictured above) called the move an attack on health care that has already had a chilling effect on Workers and begun to create massive shortages in Health Care Facilities, disrupting care in and around New York City: “Six years ago, we stood here demanding the recognition and Safe Staffing Health Care Workers deserved during a Global Pandemic. We're back because our Hospitals are once again facing staffing shortages - this time because the Federal Government has chosen to end Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian Immigrants. When Health Care Workers live in fear of going to work, patient care suffers. This is more than an immigration issue - it’s an issue of public health.”

During the event, Nurses spoke about the contributions Haitian Health Care Workers make to our Health Care System and the effects the termination of Haitian TPS will have on patients.

Staci Wright, who serves as a NYSNA Executive Committee Member and an EP Lab Nurse at Maimonides, said: "This Administration would have you believe Immigrants do nothing but take from the system, but as a proud daughter of Guyanese Immigrants, and a second-generation Nurse, I know that's not true. My parents spent years working hard and contributing to society - just like so many of our Haitian Brothers and Sisters who are now squarely in harm's way because of a dangerous political decision. It’s time for the Trump Administration to stand up for public health and the selfless Caregivers who deliver quality care, by reversing course on ending TPS for Haitian Immigrants."

A number of Elected Officials and Community Advocates also spoke on the impact of the termination on New York City’s Immigrant Communities, patients and Health Care Workers, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, who said, “Haitian TPS holders are Community Leaders, small business owners and a foundational part of our Health Care System. They have built lives and grown families in New York. The way this Administration has targeted them is a cruel injustice and my office has fought back against it from the start. We will continue to work with our partners in Government and Community Organizations to ensure TPS holders know their rights and get the legal assistance they need.”

The Trump Administration has the power to immediately rectify this Health Care Worker shortage by restoring TPS for Haitian Immigrants, thereby reauthorizing work permits and providing legal protection from deportation, NYSNA said.

NYSNA represents 45,000 Members in New York State and is the State’s largest Union and Professional Association for Registered Nurses (RNs).

NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the country's largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of RNs, with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: NYSNA Holds Maimonides Vigil to Protest Healthcare Shortages Caused By End of TPS for Haitian Immigrants | New York State Nurses Association

Photo Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

At The World's Largest Washing Machine Factory, Whirlpool 'Showcases The Start Of Its $300 Million Ohio Investment' & The 'Licensed Skilled Trades Professionals Building The Next Generation Of American-Made' Appliances

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

(CLYDE, OHIO) – The Whirlpool Corporation highlighted its nearly 70-year-old Apprenticeship Program during a visit from Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling to its Clyde facility, the largest Washing Machine Factory in the world. Joined by State and Local Leaders, Sonderling took a firsthand look at how the only remaining major American-owned Appliance Manufacturer builds and maintains its skilled workforce. The Clyde Plant, in operation since 1952, employs 2,600 people and has run a formal Apprenticeship Program since 1958. Sonderling met with current Apprentices and Journeymen in the Plant's tool room, walked a section of the Facility being modernized through the Company's recent $300 million investment in its U.S. Laundry Operations and reviewed the Training Academy for new Production Employees.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: ‘Everybody Wants That Money’: AI Companies Promise Blue-Collar Workers Salaries Up to $280,000

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

Upper Darby Township & Sellers Memorial Free Public Library Workers In Pennsylvania 'Go Union' With AFSCME

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

Workers employed at the Upper Darby Township & Sellers Memorial Free Public Library in Pennsylvania have organized with AFSCME Council 13, marking a victory for Library Workers seeking a stronger voice on the job and a brighter future for the communities they serve. The Workers voted overwhelmingly in favor of their Union after months of organizing and having one-on-one conversations with each other about the issues facing their workplace. “We wanted to form a Union because we felt like we’d have more bargaining power to change our situation,” Program Coordinator Jean Kosha said. “People are really interested in forming a Union and they’re excited about what it will bring.” While fair wages and a strong first contract are top priorities, Library Workers say their organizing effort is also about protecting and strengthening a vital public institution. “We serve everybody,” Kosha said. “It’s not only about checking out books. It’s about serving the community.” More than 50,000 Workers employed in Libraries, Museums, Zoos and Other Cultural Institutions across the country have gained a seat at the table and a voice on the job through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United Campaign, the largest Organizing effort of its kind in the Nation. 

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Organizing victory: Pennsylvania library workers win their AFSCME union - AFSCME

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

File Photo.

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.

Registered Nurses At Guthrie Lourdes 'Go Union,' Vote 2-To-1 To Join 1199 SEIU

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

(UPSTATE NEW YORK) - Registered Nurses (RNs) at Guthrie Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton have voted by a 2-to-1 margin in favor of joining 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) United Healthcare Workers East, the largest Health Care Workers Union in the country.

The new Bargaining Unit includes 340 RNs at Guthrie Lourdes Hospital who provide care in Inpatient/Acute Care, Wound Care, Cardiac Catheterization, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Diagnostic Radiology, Radiology Administration, Medical Oncology, Hem/Oncology Services and Radiation Oncology.

The Hospital is a 197-bed Acute Care Facility that joined the Guthrie System in early 2024.

RN Candice Mozes said: "Nurses need a real say in how our Hospital is run, down to how and where resources are allocated. Forming our Union means that we will be partners in decision-making with hospital management. When our voices are heard and we have the tools we need to do the job, patients will receive more appropriate care.”

Guthrie Lourdes Hospital Nurses now join their 1199 SEIU Colleagues at Corning Hospital, located just down the 86 freeway.

Workers at Guthrie’s Corning Hospital have been represented by the Union for many years, recently negotiating a new contract that improves working conditions, benefits and wages needed to retain and recruit Workers at the Hospital.

Now the Guthrie Lourdes Nurses will begin to identify the key issues for contract talks with their employer and elect a Member-led Bargaining Committee.

Once the election results are certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Lourdes Gutherie Hospital and 1199 SEIU will begin negotiations.

“Change isn’t coming without us having a seat at the table,” RN Katie Thepsombat said.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Registered Nurses at Guthrie Lourdes Vote 2 to 1 to Join 1199SEIU, Largest Healthcare Workers Union :: 1199SEIU

Guam Awarded $600,000 Federal Grant For Apprenticeship Training

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

The Pacific Daily News reports the Guam Department of Labor (DOL) has secured a more than $600,000 grant to support Registered Apprenticeship Programs on Guam. The new funding will help cover costs for related training instructions in both Pre-Apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship. The Guam DOL will partner with other employment and training programs to enroll at least 150 Pre-Apprenticeship participants. Pre-Apprenticeship is a model for the recruitment pipeline for Registered Apprenticeship and this program will also expand Apprenticeship opportunities for high school students, DOL Officials said. Guam has tapped into Federally-funded Apprenticeship Programs in the past to address affordability issues faced by Workers, families and businesses by initiating programs that make use of competitive Federal dollars to provide training, support services and financial incentives to participating employers. This latest $609,335 grant award is acknowledgement Guam is among States and Territories nationwide that are leading the way in implementation and expansion of Apprenticeships to grow their economies and create more good-paying jobs. These latest grants are part of a nationwide effort to build a modern American Workforce that focuses on in-demand, high-growth industries including: Artificial Intelligence infrastructure; Shipbuilding; Advanced Manufacturing; Information technology; and Other industry Sectors.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Guam awarded $600K federal grant for apprenticeship training | News | guampdn.com

The WNY Area Labor Federation's 25th Anniversary Celebration: "As Different As We Are, We Are A United Movement. We Do Justice For Those Who Came Before Us And We Are Building For Those To Come. This Federation Is Stronger Because You Are In This."

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

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, past Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) President Richard Lipsitz and current WNYALF President Denise Abbott helped celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Labor Federation over the weekend. The WNYALF oversees 145 local Union Affiliates - including Public and Private Sectors and the Building Trades, that combined represent more than 140,000 Union Members and Retirees across a six-County Region of Western New York. (WNYLaborToday.com Photos)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Unionists from across the Public and Private Sectors and the Building Trades gathered over the weekend to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF), giving a tip of the hat to how far it has come while vowing to continue “to build for those to come.”

“Where does time go?,” WNYALF President Denise Abbott, the first Woman to head the Area Labor Federation in its history, said to those in attendance at the Suburban Buffalo River Grove where all gathered on Saturday (August 1st). “As ‘different as we are, we are a united’ movement. ‘We do justice for those who came before us - and we are building for those to come.’ This Federation ‘is stronger because you are in this.’”

Union-represented Health Care Workers, Painters, Teachers, Civil Servants, Stagehands and University Staff were just some of the Unionists at the event. A number of Elected Officials, Political Candidates and Friends of Labor also attended the celebration that featured a Summer menu of Working People fare and sudsy beverages as they chatted at tables and shared stories of the WNYALF’s history and the gains made by the Labor Federation over the years.

The WNYALF was established in July 2002 by the National AFL-CIO and chartered to provide centralized authority and a leadership core for Organized Labor across six Western New York Counites that now includes 145 local Affiliates combining to represent more than 140,000 Union Members and Retirees.

The WNYALF was formed to oversee and uphold the work of the existing Central Labor Councils in Buffalo and Erie County, Niagara and Orleans Counties, Dunkirk and Northern Chautauqua County, Jamestown and Southern Chautauqua County, as well as Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties.

The purpose of the WNYALF was and is to coordinate the economic, social, political and cultural programs of its Affiliates, based on the principles of consensus building and respect for the independence and non-interference in the internal affairs of those Affiliates.

The first task of the founding conference of the WNYALF was to establish a structure to coordinate ongoing National, Statewide and Regional Campaigns, such as Strike support, Corporate Campaigns against Employers, Political/Legislative Activities, Social and Community Alliance Programs and Cultural work that advances the living standards and working conditions of the Working Class.

There have been five WNYALF Presidents who have served over the course of the past 25 years: Now-retired International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 4 Business Manager Dan Boody was the first; followed by Angelo Vellake, past Buffalo Area Director of the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW); who was succeeded by the Teamsters’ Richard Lipsitz (who served 10 years as WNYALF President); Peter DeJesus of 1199 SEIU (Service Employees International Union); and Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1168’s Abbott.

“‘We make the voices of Working Families heard.’ ‘We are here to help secure economic equity.’ ‘We are here to organize the unorganized and fight for public policy in an agenda for all, as well as for Social and Economic Justice.’ ‘I cannot thank (the past WNYALF Presidents) enough for what they have done and for what we have built.’ ‘It is such an honor (to serve),’” Abbott said.

Lipsitz also addressed those in attendance, speaking about the many “struggles” that now face the Labor Movement across the Nation, as well as here in Western New York - and pointing to the upcoming and all-important Mid-Term Elections in November.

“Our ‘struggle (now) is to stop the assault on Democracy itself,’” he said. “We are ‘balancing on the edge of a knife because of the current Administration in Washington (D.C.).’ ‘We must unite to stop this list that goes on and on - we must and we can against this madman’ (Republican President Donald Trump). Our Labor Movement ‘is poised to play a pivotal’ role.”

Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Grace Bogdanove (Pictured Above/Photo Courtesy Of IUPAT DC4 Member William Mayer) of 1199 SEIU (the second Woman - Abbott was the first, to head the Buffalo Labor Council) told those in attendance: “The ‘challenges we face are the greatest we have ever seen.’ The ultra-rich ‘continue to profit off the backs of Working People and we are playing defense to keep what we have.’ ‘It will take sacrifice, but we need this Labor Movement now more than ever before to build power in all our Sectors and with those who support a vision of a better world.’ ‘We have the power to shut everything down in order to protect our Democracy.’ ‘So, let’s stop leaving it on the table and embrace our work ahead.’”

Also addressing the gathering was United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9 International Representative Lonnie Everett, who said: “This is a ‘defining moment’ for the Labor Movement, which has brought about the eight-hour workday and safety on the job. ‘We are not the problem.’ Wages ‘are not’ the problem. ‘Corporate greed is’ the problem. ‘Everyone deserves a living wage and to retire with dignity.’ The rich ‘are trying to divide us, but we must organize the unorganized, hold our politicians accountable and refuse to accept crumbs from the table.’ ‘This is our moment and our time to lead.’ ‘We’re fighting to make people better around the world.’”

Republican Budget 'Worsens Underfunding' Of Worker Protection Agencies

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

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

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

New York City Home Care Workers 'Urge An End To The Torture' Of 24-Hour Shifts'

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

The Gothamist reports New York City Home Care Workers are ramping up protests to end 24-hour work shifts that they liken to "torture" and to pressure New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin to advance a local law capping their shifts at 12 hours. A dozen current and former Home Care Workers began a hunger strike last week to draw attention to their bid to end the 24-hour shifts, for which the Workers say they also are undercompensated. The Workers and their supporters have also protested in front of Menin’s Upper East Side Home and rallied in front of City Hall, urging the Speaker to fulfill a pledge she made to bring the Bill to a vote. At a rally launching the hunger strike, protesters argued that 24-hour shifts are bad for Workers’ health and chanted: “No more torture! No more 24!” But the Bill's critics say the legislation risks disrupting the services thousands of elderly and disabled New Yorkers rely on to remain in their homes and to perform everyday tasks such as eating, bathing and getting out of bed. Menin’s Office said last week that there’s no timeline for moving the legislation forward, despite her announcing support for the measure in the Spring. Home care is both a major industry in New York, employing more than 600,000 Statewide as of last year, and is a lifeline for many elderly and disabled New Yorkers. The Legal Aid Society and 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) - both of which represent Home Care Workers in different contexts - have argued that any changes to 24-hour shifts need support from the State because home care is largely regulated and funded through the State-run Medicaid Program.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: NYC home care workers urge end to 'torture' of 24-hour shifts - Gothamist

File Photo.

Workers Employed At Dallas-Area Contractor Stratus Systems 'Go Union,' Join SMART

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

Workers employed at Dallas-area contractor Stratus Systems overcame the challenges in their path to organize with International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 68. Since 2023, the Workers partnered with Local 68 Organizers to build an organizing campaign through sustained outreach, relationship building and the determination of trusted Worker Leaders. Following Worker-to-Worker outreach in early 2023 that quickly turned into an Organizing Campaign by the end of the year, the Workers filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In January 2024, they lost that vote. But the Organizing Team rebuilt support by strengthening Worker engagement, forming an internal Organizing Committee and expanding Worker-led communication. Out of 168 Workers at the company, 96 signed Union Authorization Cards. In early 2026, Organizers secured a new NLRB Election, then executed an intensive campaign featuring daily strategy meetings, rapid-response jobsite outreach, Worker-to-Worker messaging and strong support from volunteer Leaders. “Everyone was feeling excited because we knew that the Workers knew the Union had their backs by the Workers’ smiles, honks and waves,” Organizer Yadriel Carrasquillo said.

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Texas workers build strength together, organize with SMART Local 68 - SMART Union

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

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

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

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

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

Tentative Contract Agreement Reached Between Five Teamster Locals & Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits - Picket Lines Are Down After A Short Strike Involving Locals In Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany & Middletown

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

The Teamsters have announced on Social Media (Facebook) that a tentative contract agreement has been reached between five Teamster Locals and Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirts, ending a short Strike that involved its Locals in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Middletown. Those Teamster Locals included Buffalo Area Teamsters Local 449, Rochester Area Teamsters Local 118, Syracuse Area Teamsters Local 317, Albany Area Teamsters Local 294 and Middletown Area Teamsters 445. Details on the tentative agreement were not immediately available. On July 31st, Teamster Members had overwhelmingly rejected a previously-bargained tentative agreement, according to Union posts on Social Media. No specific reasons were given for the rejection. Southern Glazer's is the largest Alcohol Distributor in the U.S., with projected revenue of $25.5 billion. Industry estimates often put the company in the neighborhood of $50 billion to $60 billion. Its annual revenue is ranked about $25 billion to $26 billion, making it one of the 10 largest Private Companies in the United States.

Here's A Listing Of 18 Jobs That You Can Train For In Under Two Years That Pay At Least $30 Per Hour

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

Katy Willis at W.S.M. reports a four-year degree is not always practical when you have bills due now - yet plenty of short training programs seem to lead straight to low-paid work with shaky hours. Many adults in mid-life or beyond just don’t have the resources or the desire to retrain for four long years, but that doesn’t mean there are no decent options for starting over. Some of the better jobs with shorter learning periods are hidden in equipment rooms, testing labs, utility sites, rail yards, hospitals and industrial plants. The work can be repetitive, technical and far from glamorous, but that’s part of what keeps the applicant pool smaller. The pay listed here is typical for trained Workers, not always the first-week Trainee rate. You may need a license, certification, supervised hours or company training before reaching it. For example, one of the jobs: Non-Destructive Testing Technicians look for cracks, weak welds, corrosion, and hidden damage without cutting equipment apart. You might use ultrasound, magnetic particles, liquid dye, or industrial X-rays to examine aircraft parts, pipelines, pressure vessels, bridges and factory equipment. A Level II Technician earns an average of about $31 per hour.

To Find Out What The Remaining 17 Occupations Are, Go To: 18 jobs you can train for in under 2 years that pay at least $30 per hour

The United Public Service Employees Union 'Reaches Impasse' In Contract Talks With Batavia Downs Gaming - Union 'Feels Betrayed After Standing With' Downs President & CEO Byron Brown 'For Legislation To Reduce The Corporation's Tax Liability'

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

(BATAVIA, NEW YORK) - The United Public Service Employees Union (UPSEU) has reached an impasse in contract negotiations with Batavia Downs Gaming after months of bargaining failed to produce a fair agreement for the Employees who the Union says have helped drive the corporation’s continued financial success.

Batavia Downs is once again celebrating another year of record revenue while Employees have continued working without a contract since January 1st, 2026.

When Batavia Downs President and CEO Byron Brown, the former Democratic Mayor of the City of Buffalo, sought the UPSEU’s support for legislation to reduce the corporation’s tax liability, management committed that those tax savings would be directed back to Employees through higher wages, Union Officials said.

Now, despite the Union’s support and Batavia Downs’ tax savings and record revenues, the corporation has failed to honor that commitment, the UPSEU said.

Instead, the corporation’s current wage proposal offers Employees less than they received under the previous contract, the Union said.

UPSEU - whose Members held an informational Picket outside Batavia Downs last week, is seeking an agreement that provides fair wages, honors the commitments made to Employees, recognizes longevity and experience, and addresses wage compression so that senior Employees who train and mentor new hires are appropriately compensated for their years of service.

During negotiations, UPSEU Members continued to show up every day, providing excellent service and helping Batavia Downs achieve record financial results, the Union said.

The Employees kept their promise by supporting legislation that benefited the corporation, now it’s time for Batavia Downs and Byron Brown to keep their promise to the Employees whose hard work has made that success possible, the Union said in a distributed statement.

UPSEU remains ready to continue bargaining in good faith and hopes the mediation process, now scheduled for September 17th (2026) will provide an opportunity to reach a fair agreement that recognizes the value dedication, and contributions of Batavia Downs Employees, Union Officials said.

For More On This Labor news Story, Go To: Two sides headed to mediation Sept. 17 in labor dispute at Batavia Downs | The Batavian

Photos Provided By The UPSEU.

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

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

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

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

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

NYC Immigration Non-Profit & OPEIU 'Reach Voluntary Recognition Agreement'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) management and the Union seeking to represent dozens of Workers employed at the organization have reached an agreement for voluntary recognition pending a third-party review of Workers’ Union Authorization Cards.

But the agreement kicks the can down the road on a central issue that created the original dispute between management and the nascent Union - determining what the exact number of workers in the Bargaining Unit will be.

Under the agreement, management has withdrawn its petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold an election that was originally scheduled for this week and the Union has removed its Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charge alleging NYIC was bargaining in bad faith, according to a management official and Sam Heyne, a Staff Organizer and Business Agent at the Office & Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153.

But a dispute remains between management and OPEIU over 10 Workers who NYIC does not think legally should be in the Union, Heyne said.

“We did get back a handful of people,” Heyne said. “There's still ten contested Employees."

More than 40 NYIC Workers notified management in June that they intended to Unionize with Local 153 and in the weeks that followed, NYIC and the Anti-Union lawyers they hired pushed to exclude over a dozen Members of the Bargaining Unit, including the entirety of the Non-Profit's Communications and Development Teams.

Members accused management of weaponizing the law and vowed to fight so that all of their Co-Workers could be included in the new Union.

The reached agreement solidified that some of the originally excluded Workers will be a part of the Union, but the remaining 20% of Workers who the Union wants to include in the Unit will still have to be bargained over, which the Local 153 is hoping will work out in their favor.

The compromise agreement allows the voluntary recognition process to move forward and for the two sides to begin bargaining for a first contract once that process is completed.

"This is a really positive development,” Heyne said. “We are going to resolve the eligibility question for those ten people at the bargaining table."

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Immigration non-profit and union reach voluntary recognition agreement - The Chief

The Salamanca School District 'Pauses Plan to Deploy Human-like AI Robot Teacher After Backlash,' Including From The New York State United Teachers Union

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

The Associated Press (Via WKTV-NewsChannel 2 Utica) reports the Salamanca School District in Western New York has hit pause on plans to deploy an AI (Artificial Intelligence)-powered, humanoid robot in the classroom after New York State Education Officials, Teachers and local residents raised concerns, including the maker's ties to a company that produces hyper realistic sex bots. The School District's Board had approved the nearly $60,000 purchase from Realbotix with visions that “Sally,” as the stationary robot with long brown hair has already been nicknamed, would enhance the education of high school students studying robotics and technology fields.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: New York School Pauses Plan to Deploy Humanlike AI Robot Teacher After Backlash | Local | wktv.com

Meanwhile, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person sent the following letter to New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa and the members of the New York State Board of Regents, which read - in part:

We call on the Department and the Board of Regents, and/or the Governor and the Legislature, to establish clear, enforceable statewide guardrails for Artificial Intelligence in our schools with specific, heightened protections wherever AI is humanoid, embodied or designed to mimic human relationships so that these questions are asked before a purchase order is signed, not after a news story breaks.

Educators, parents and students must be at the table when those rules are written.

“Implement first, ask questions later” cannot become New York’s de facto education technology policy.

NYSUT is not anti-technology.

We are pro-child.

On one point, we agree with Salamanca’s Superintendent: Schools should teach the proper use of technology, not simply exclude it.

So teach students about AI.

Have them build it, code it, question it and understand it.

Our Members do that every day.

That is profoundly different from installing a machine engineered to befriend children and our State’s rules should know the difference.

The tide is already running in this direction.

In New York, we have made great strides in reclaiming human-centered education, from restricting cellphone use in classrooms to signing Nation-leading online child safety protections into law.

Across the country, parents are organizing to demand stronger oversight of AI in their children’s schools.

In May, NYSUT and its more than 700,000 Members called for strict limits on AI and screen time in schools.

And just this month, the largest School District in the Nation froze new educational technology purchases entirely until guidance on Artificial Intelligence is in place.

To Read The Full Text Of NYSUT’s Letter, Go To: Letter to Commissioner Betty A. Rosa and the Members of the New York State Board of Regents

Mississippi Sawmill Workers 'Go Union,' Vote To Join The USW

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

(GLOSTER, MISSISSIPPI) – About 140 Workers employed at Big River Forest Products have voted to join the United Steelworkers (USW), becoming the latest Workforce in the South to Unionize in the fight for better working conditions and stronger communities.

The Workers serve in a variety of roles, including Operator and Mechanic, at the two-year-old Sawmill.

But while the Workers fuel the success of the Mill with their skill and dedication, management refuses to invest in them.

USW International President Roxanne Brown said: “More and more Workers across the South are doing what our new Members at Big River elected to do - leverage the power of solidarity and collective action to build better lives. The entire community benefits from a Union contract. Fair wages and working conditions enable Workers to share their resources with neighbors.”

The USW represents hundreds of thousands of Workers across numerous sectors in the U.S. and Canada and is particularly strong in paper, lumber and forestry.

USW International Vice President Luis Mendoza, who oversees paper-related bargaining for the Union, said: “Members in these industries collaborate across companies and borders to negotiate better contracts and safer workplaces. We’re excited to welcome the workers at Big River, knowing they will both contribute to our mission and draw strength from their colleagues Unionwide.”

The Big River Forest Products Workers overcame strong resistance from management to join the USW.

“These Workers persevered,” said USW District 9 Director Daniel Flippo, who leads USW Members in Mississippi, six other Southern States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Now, we expect the company to come to the table in good faith and bargain the contract these Workers earn every day.”

The USW represents 850,000 Workers in North America employed in many industries, including Metals, Mining, Rubber, Chemicals, Paper, Oil Refining, The Service, Public and Health Care Sectors and Higher Education.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Big River Forest workers form union - United Steelworkers

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.

NYSNA Nurses At The Adirondack Medical Center Hold A 'Speak Out For A Fair' Contract - 'Call For A Contract With A Plan To Recruit & Retain Nurses, Including Respectful Wages & Affordable Health Benefits For Front-Line Nurses'

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

(SARANAC LAKE, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses employed at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake held a speak-out for a fair contract earlier this week and called for an agreement with a plan to recruit and retain Nurses, including respectful wages and affordable health benefits.

This is the first time in more than 25 years that Adirondack Medical Center Nurses have spoken out or rallied in front of the Hospital. Their previous contract expired on December 31st, 2025.

Adirondack Medical Center is the last NYSNA-represented Hospital in the North Country without the NYSNA Benefit Fund, which will deliver better and more affordable health benefits to nurses. Instead, Nurses are forced onto an expensive employer-provided health plan. And the Nurses report being denied coverage for medically necessary procedures and high co-pays for services not provided at the Adirondack Medical Center.

Registered Nurse (RN) Bill Schneider, a NYSNA Second Vice President, said: “Our Hospital must work harder to draw Nurses into our community and keep them here. Saranac Lake is beautiful and the people are welcoming, but other Hospitals in the region provide more generous packages. Adirondack can change that by settling a fair contract that includes an affordable benefits package and respectful wages, especially in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.”

RN Denise Velez, who lives with a progressive auto-immune condition that may lead to a liver transplant in the future, said:. “If we stay on Adirondack’s medical plan, I will have to make a decision between putting my family into debt to get the medical care I need or, very frankly, dying. I wouldn’t have to make that decision if our health insurance was provided by the NYSNA Benefit Fund.”

An affordable benefits package that helps to recruit and retain qualified, experienced Nurses is a priority for NYSNA Members during contract negotiations.

Currently, the Nurses’ only option at Adirondack is an expensive, employer-provided plan.

Nurses believe that as Front-Line Health Care Workers, they should have access to the affordable health care benefits they need to stay safe and healthy, not a plan that their employer profits from, Union Officials said.

In addition to being denied coverage and the expensive co-pays, some Nurses have reported enrolling their children in the Child Health Plus plan, New York’s State Health Insurance Plan for kids, because Adirondack’s plan is too expensive

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “It’s time for (the) Adirondack Medical Center to listen to its Nurses and settle a fair contract that includes an affordable benefits package. Nurses are Front-Line Health Care Workers and need health benefits that will keep them, their families and their patients safe and healthy.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: NYSNA Nurses at Adirondack Medical Center Speak Out for a Fair Contract | New York State Nurses Association

Photo Courtesy Of NYSNA’s Facebook Page.

SMART Opens Apprenticeship Training Facility In Lubbock, Texas

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

Alana Edgin at The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reports that once known as the "best kept secret" in the local Trades, future Sheet Metal Workers now have a place in Lubbock, Texas to learn the craft. Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation (SMART) Local Union 49 JATC has officially opened their new 9,000-square-foot Training Facility. Members of the Union and attendees cut a ribbon of metal to celebrate after several people spoke on the importance of the facility. “We were the ‘best kept secret’ for the longest time,” said Shawn Smith, who serves as Business Representative for Sheet Metal Workers Local 49 and as President of the West Texas Building and Construction Trade Council. “Now, it’s no longer a secret. We want this opportunity to be provided to anybody that's interested in the Trade.” The need for Sheet Metal Workers has grown amid the data center boom, though it goes beyond that. Locally, Members work can be seen at local Medical Centers, Texas Tech University and at Galaxy Stadium, previously known as Jones AT&T Stadium.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: SMART union opens apprenticeship training facility in Lubbock

NYS Attorney General Secures $440,000 For Denny's Workers In Western New York - Franchise Owners 'Failed To Pay More Than 1,900 Workers For Shifts Spanning Over 10 Hours'

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

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) - New York State Attorney General Letitia James HAS secured $440,000 from Denny’s Franchise Owners Reveille Management, LLC (Reveille Management) and Top Line Restaurants, Inc. (Top Line Restaurants) for failing to pay their Restaurant Workers the full wages they were owed.

Reveille Management and Top Line Restaurants, both owned by Arizona-based couple Glenn and Tina Beattie, operate Denny’s Restaurants in at least five States, including 23 locations across Western New York, and employ thousands of New Yorkers as Cooks, Dishwashers, Servers, Hosts And Supervisors.

An Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found these Franchise Owners repeatedly failed to pay more than 1,900 Denny’s Workers the extra pay they were owed for long shifts, known as “spread of hours” pay, as required by New York law.

As a result of OAG’s investigation, the Beatties must pay $440,000 in restitution to current and former Employees whose wages were unlawfully withheld and overhaul their policies and procedures to ensure the violations do not continue.

Attorney General James said: “Denny’s Workers kept these restaurants running through long days and late nights, and they deserve to be paid every dollar they earned. These Franchise Owners ignored clear wage laws and shortchanged hard-working New Yorkers. My office will continue to stand up for Workers and hold employers accountable when they cheat people out of their pay.”

Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) President Denise Abbott said: "As a (Labor) Federation representing more than (145,000) Union Workers and Retirees across this region, we applaud Attorney General James for her office's continued work to hold law-breaking employers accountable and make Workers whole. When Workers face abuse and exploitation on the job, their families and our communities suffer immeasurable harm. We are proud to stand with Attorney General James as she fights for Working Families across New York, returning tens of millions in stolen wages, tips and benefits to the hard-working people who keep this State running."

New York State law requires Restaurant Workers to receive one additional hour of pay for any workday longer than 10 hours.

This “spread of hours” pay is calculated at the State’s Minimum Wage Rate and applies by day, not by shift, meaning it covers consecutive shifts worked within a single day and includes meal breaks, rest periods and time between shifts.

Employers must provide spread of hours pay for every qualifying workday, whether or not the Employee requests it.

The OAG had opened an investigation in December 2024 after a Denny’s Employee filed a complaint alleging the company wasn’t paying for extended shifts.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Attorney General James Secures $440,000 for Denny’s Workers in Western New York

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

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

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

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

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

Workers deserve more power.

To get it requires 21st Century solidarity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our collaboration is a growth strategy for IUPAT and LIUNA.

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

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

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

Wiki Workers United's U.S. Branch 'Demands Voluntary Recognition' From The Wikimedia Foundation, The Non-Profit That Hosts Wikipedia

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

(SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA) - Wiki Workers United U.S. (WWU-US)/Communications Workers of America (CWA) has demanded voluntary recognition from the Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit organization that hosts Wikipedia and sister projects.

This request comes from a super-majority of Union-eligible Workers who have signed Union Authorization Cards.

WWU-US is organizing with the CWA to represent eligible U.S.-based Workers.

Recent events at the Wikimedia Foundation have drastically escalated Worker concerns regarding transparency, trust, the organization’s future and leadership’s commitment to the free knowledge movement.

The Foundation’s Workers are calling on the organization to uphold its stated values and recent public commitments supporting the right to form a Union, giving Workers a promised and long-deserved voice.

This announcement follows a similar request for voluntary recognition made by WWU-UK, the UK Branch of WWU, represented by the United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW), a national branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

Together, the two branches reflect a growing movement among Wikimedia Foundation Workers to establish collective bargaining through the legal frameworks available in their respective countries.

CWA Organizing Director Tim Dubnau said: "We are hopeful that the Wikimedia Foundation will honor their stated values and quickly come to the table so that we can verify that an overwhelming majority support the Union. We are proud to support this group of dedicated and talented Workers. We are also deeply grateful for the strong solidarity of the volunteer community, the backbone of Wikipedia and its sister projects, that has pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder with these brave Workers.”

Wiki Workers United is a Global Solidarity Union of Wikimedia Foundation Workers committed to strengthening worker voice, transparency, equity and shared stewardship.

The WWU-US/CWA branch represents eligible U.S.-based Workers seeking Collective Bargaining Rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Wiki Workers United U.S. Branch Demands Voluntary Recognition from Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that hosts Wikipedia | Communications Workers of America

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And more than 80% are Unionized.

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

File Photo.

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

The Association Of Teachers & Staff Union Reaches A Tentative Contract Agreement At The New York Film Academy

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The Association of Teachers & Staff (ATS.NYFA/UAW) has reached a tentative contract agreement with the New York Film Academy. Pending ratification, Members will have their first contract after 18 months of fierce bargaining and tireless organizing to demonstrate Workers’ collective power. The Union Members have secured an agreement that will make NYFA a better place to work. Throughout the last year, ATS Members saw the NYFA outsource Employees and issue mass Worker furloughs with virtually no notice. Their collective action compelled NYFA to act with more transparency and provide evidence to explain the actions. With new information confirming the school’s financial challenges, the final stretch of the Union's first contract campaign focused on preserving as much of the Members’ current compensation and winning protections in case of ongoing financial instability. The Members won, for the first time at the NYFA, guaranteed severance pay for layoffs and notice for any layoff (or pay in lieu of). Even though they were limited by financial constraints, their collective courage, hard work and solidarity has resulted in real gains for the Membership, including gold-star protections from bullying, abuse, discrimination and harassment, protections from overwork and fair scheduling practices, increases in vacation days and an expansion of who’s eligible to accrue vacation, new titles, Just Cause protections, notice for layoffs and severance pay for laid-off Full-Time Employees.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Association of Teachers & Staff Reaches Tentative Agreement at New York Film Academy | New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO

United University Professions Members 'Overwhelmingly Ratify' A New Five-Year Contract With NYS: "We Bargained A Solid Agreement That Will Provide Our Members With Fair Compensation, Increased Job Protections And Security For The Future"

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - Members of United University Professions (UUP), which represents more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty at State University of New York (SUNY) State-operated Campuses, have ratified a new five-year contract with New York State.

The contract was approved by 97.7% of eligible voters who cast ballots, one of the Union’s largest contract ratification percentages in its 53-year history.

Of those voting, 13,445 members voted for the new contract and 305 voted against it.

The contract is retroactive to July 2nd, 2026 and runs through July 1st, 2031.

UUP President Fred Kowal said: “Once again, UUP Members stepped up in record numbers to vote in favor of our new contract. This victory is further proof of the power of UUP and of Organized Labor. Standing together, we collectively bargained a solid agreement with the State that will provide our Members with fair compensation, increased job protections and security for the future. I would like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her willingness to work with us on a contract agreement that was embraced by our Members and rewards the important work they do. The Governor understands the importance of Public Education and she’s been a champion for SUNY since taking office. We appreciate her strong support.”

UUP’s new contract directly addresses the threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Members and includes wording that all SUNY courses will be under the “direction and responsibility” of humans, and that humans will have the “ultimate accountability” for work done by AI Systems.”

UUP is one of the first unions in the country to negotiate such stringent AI protections for its Members, said Kowal: “One of our biggest concerns heading into negotiations was the threat of Artificial Intelligence to our members and to the quality of a SUNY education. We will build upon these protections in future negotiations, because we believe that these protections will go far in safeguarding the jobs of our Members.”

Other highlights of the contract include: Across-the-board salary increases in each year of the contract, including a 4.5% salary increase in 2026, 4% in 2027, 3.5% in 2028 and 3% increases in each of the last two years of the agreement; A new Retention Award for Bargaining Unit Members with 17 years at SUNY and increased compensation for previously negotiated Retention Awards at seven and 12 years; A $600 annual lump sum payment for Full-Time Bargaining Unit Members with a Master’s Degree or higher; Part-Time Members with at least a 0.5 FTE appointment will receive a $300 payment; Increases in part-time academic course minimum rates and across-the-board minimum salary increases; Expanded Downstate and Mid-Hudson location pay, including SUNY New Paltz Members in Ulster County for the first time; Hospital-specific compensation (including gains for UUP-represented Residents and Fellows) and increases in on-call, recall and inconvenience pay; Lowering the Employee share of health care premiums for approximately 6,500 UUP Members; Expanded due process and job security protections; Minimizing the role of student surveys in Teacher Effectiveness Evaluations; and Expanded provisions for telecommuting and remote work.

UUP, the Nation's largest Higher Education Union, represents more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees.

UUP Members work at 29 New York State-operated Campuses, including SUNY’s Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.

UUP is an Affiliate of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Press Release | UUP members overwhelmingly ratify new five-year contract

UUP-Provided Photo.

The State Of Massachusetts Receives A $1 Million-Plus USDOL Grant For Its Registered Apprenticeship Efforts

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

(BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS) - The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has awarded $1.5 million to Massachusetts to support Registered Apprenticeship as a training and employment strategy for emerging industries. This grant builds on Governor Maura Healey’s Administration’s commitment to expand Registered Apprenticeship, a proven workforce strategy that combines technical and on-the-job training for workers, delivers industry-recognized credentials, and increases access to progressive wage increases and good-paying jobs. The Governor’s Office also announced it is making Apprenticeship more affordable for Veterans by eliminating all renewal registration fees. Previously, the Division of Apprentice Standards eliminated the initial or first-year registration fee for Veterans. Currently, there are more than 450 Registered Apprentices who are Veterans. Governor Healey said: “Registered Apprenticeship is one of the best pathways to a good-paying job and today’s investments will help more workers gain the skills employers need while eliminating costs that can stand in the way for Veterans. We’re proud to support those who served our country while helping businesses build the workforce they need to grow.”

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Massachusetts Awarded More Than $1 Million for Registered Apprenticeship - BusinessWest

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

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

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

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

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

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

In response, President Huerta released the following statement:

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

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

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

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.

Schneps Media Workers 'Go Union' With The NewsGuild-CWA

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The Schneps Media Union has won their Union Election and joined the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (IAPE), Local 1096 of The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Workers held an in-person ballot election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on July 24th at both their Brooklyn and Long Island Offices.

The formation of the Unit marks an important step forward toward better pay and news standards for Community Newspapers in the greater New York City area.

In recent years, Schneps has continued to increase its share of New York City and Long Island’s local publications.

The publisher’s New York City footprint extends through five Boroughs including amNY, amNY Law, Brooklyn Paper, The Bronx Times, Brownstoner, QNS, Noticias, New York Family, Staten Island Parent and Caribbean Life.

On Long Island, its outlets include the Long Island Press and Dan’s Papers.

amNew York reporter and Organizing Committee Member Ethan Stark-Miller said: “We, the reporters of Schneps Media, are elated to finally have won a seat at the table to negotiate for livable wages, affordable health care and stronger Editorial guardrails. After a year and a half of Worker-led organizing and a robust public campaign, Schneps reporters voted overwhelmingly in favor of securing improved working conditions. Our campaign also overcame a concerted Anti-Union effort from management.”

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Schneps Media Workers Vote to Unionize with NewsGuild – LaborPress

Harlem Climbing Gym Workers 'Unite In North America's First Wall-To-Wall Strike'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers employed at the Movement Harlem Climbing Gym held a one-day Strike on July 18th to protest Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs) in what the Workers United Union claimed was the first-ever wall-to-wall Strike at a North American Climbing Gym.

Standing in pouring rain, the Workers picketed outside the gym at 256 West 125th Street in Manhattan on a day when Movement offered free access to its facilities nationwide.

Managers kept the store open even though no Rank-and-File Workers staffed the gym.

Workers at the Harlem Facility voted to Unionize in summer 2025 and have been negotiating for around a year for their first contract.

They’re seeking better pay, more consistent scheduling and better training and safety standards.

Aliya Hunter, a Union Organizer and Front Desk Worker at Movement Harlem said: “Doing something bigger and bigger and bigger is going to show (Movement) that we’re not slowing down. We have the energy to keep on doing this and they really, really need to start taking it seriously.”

Molly Rosenshein, who’s worked at the Movement Harlem location for about two years, told The Chief she works multiple jobs as she isn’t consistently scheduled at Movement and doesn’t earn a livable wage.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Harlem climbing gym workers unite in North America’s first wall-to-wall strike - The Chief

Swaybox Workers In Louisiana 'Go Union' With IATSE, 'Winning One Of The Largest Organizing Campaigns In Recent Film & Television History'

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

(NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA) - Workers employed at Swaybox Studios in New Orleans have voted to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), securing Union Representation through a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Election and marking one of the largest Film and Television Organizing victories in the Union’s recent history.

The newly-organized Bargaining Unit includes 136 Workers, a number expected to grow significantly as Swaybox moves deeper into production on current and future projects.

The group includes a broad cross-section of Animation, Visual Effects, Editorial, Puppet and Set Fabrication, Costume, Prop, Technical, Engineering, Production Support, Information Technology, Facilities and Administrative Workers who bring Swaybox’s stop-motion productions to life.

Workers voted to Unionize after reaching out to IATSE, seeking support for industry standard wages, working conditions, benefits and a stronger voice on the job - conditions that are standard at Warner Brothers and other major studios agreements with the IATSE.

The margin of victory of counted ballots was 71.4%.

IATSE International President Matthew Loeb said: “Too many Workers in this segment of the Entertainment Industry believe they have to accept low pay or poor conditions because they’re told that’s how the job works. The Workers at Swaybox proved otherwise. If you’re working Non-Union and things aren’t right, if pay is low, take the first step and call the Union. We’ll have your back.”

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Swaybox Workers in Louisiana Vote to Unionize, Winning One of the Largest Organizing Campaigns in Recent Film and Television History - IATSE

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

Nvidia CEO Tells College Grads That Electricians, Plumbers & Iron Workers 'Have A Leg Up - And There's No Degree Needed For Any Of Them'

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

Emma Caplan-Fisher at Moneywise reports When Jensen Huang showed up at Carnegie Mellon, the Nvidia CEO used his commencement address to the Class of 2026 to make a case for a very different kind of career: One that requires a hard hat, not a laptop. "AI (Artificial Intelligence) gives America the opportunity to build again," Huang told the assembled crowd in Pittsburgh. "Electricians, Plumbers, Iron Workers, Technicians, Builders - this is your time. AI is not just creating a new computing industry - it is creating a new industrial era." It's a striking message to deliver at one of the country's top Computer Science and Engineering Universities. But the data suggests Huang is onto something, and for anyone weighing their career options, the numbers are hard to ignore. The scale of infrastructure being built to power AI is staggering. Fortune reports capital spending from the largest U.S. Tech Companies could hit $700 billion this year alone, driven by data center construction and the infrastructure needed to train and deploy AI models. Worldwide, McKinsey projected the data center boom could generate close to $7 trillion in investment by 2030. But none of that gets built without people swinging hammers, pulling wire and laying pipe. Randstad's March analysis of more than 150 million U.S. job postings found demand for the Skilled Trades is now growing three times faster than for professional desk-based roles.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Nvidia CEO tells college grads that electricians, plumbers and iron workers have a leg up – and there’s no degree needed for any of them

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

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

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

Every single part of our lives is political.

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

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

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

Our job security is political.

Our Union contracts and right to organize are political.

Our ability to afford groceries is political.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Bowl Stagehands 'Go Union,' Join IATSE Local 4

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

(BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) - Production Workers employed at Brooklyn Bowl’s flagship Williamsburg location have voted 15-to-1 to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 4.

The newly-formed Bargaining Unit covers 24 Production Workers at the popular Brooklyn venue. Opened in 2009, Brooklyn Bowl Williamsburg has grown into one of New York City’s premier live music destinations, hosting up to 1,000 guests and welcoming notable acts including Les Claypool, The Roots, and Elvis Costello, among many others.

The path to this IATSE Organizing victory began years before the election.

Around 2022, Local 4 planted the seed with the Crew, and over time, interest grew steadily, with Local 4’s leadership providing the support needed to run an effective campaign.

Once a super-majority of Workers signed Authorization Cards, Local 4 submitted a letter to the employer requesting voluntary recognition, with a response deadline of May 1st.

The employer requested an extension to May 15th, which was granted, but provided no further response.

Local 4 then filed a petition with National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region 29, accompanied by the signed Authorization Cards, and won the subsequent election by an overwhelming margin.

“This victory shows once again that when Workers come together to improve their conditions, anything is possible,” IATSE Special Representative Joseph Juntunen said. Local 4 and the IA “stand ready to assist and represent Stagehands and Workers throughout the Entertainment Ecosystem to build a stronger future for all.”

Crew Member Ryan Ramirez said: “Union representation for me means I have support and protection as a Working-Class person. Working within an organization that earns when I earn rather than being a red line item against profitability.”

IATSE represents more than 170,000 Technicians, Artisans and Craftspersons in the Entertainment Industry, including Live Events, Motion Picture and Television Production, Broadcast, and Trade Shows in the United States and Canada.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Brooklyn Bowl Stagehands Vote to Join IATSE Local 4 - IATSE

Photo Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

The NewsGuild Of New York Says Top Editors At Reuters 'Have Repeatedly Stolen Work From Unionized Staff' - Union 'Takes Legal Action For The Third Time In Two Months Against The News Organization'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – Top-level Editors at Reuters - including Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni - have repeatedly big-footed Unionized Journalists by cherry-picking stories, taking bylines and doing reporting and writing instead of managing their Staff, all in violation of Labor Law, the NewsGuild of New York says.

The NewsGuild of New York has taken legal action against Reuters, filing an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charge that accuses management of illegally taking away work from Union Members and failing to bargain with Reuters Guild first.

Along with keeping plum assignments for themselves, Reuters managers have also persistently taken primary bylines over Bargaining Unit Members on stories.

The Guild has documented more than 250 separate contractual byline violations since 2025.

In addition, the company has misclassified several managers who spend a majority of their shifts doing Union work, according to the Guild.

“We want our bosses to know that we take our work very seriously,” said Scott DiSavino, who serves as Unit Chair of the Reuters Guild and works as an Energy Correspondent. “And protecting that work is fundamental to our rights as Union Members.”

Reuters Guild, which represents over 300 Media Workers at the award-winning News Organization, has been bargaining a new contract for nearly a year.

Their current contract expired on December 27th, 2025.

The ULP is the third such legal action the NewsGuild of NY has taken against Reuters in the last two months.

The Reuters Guild is a Bargaining Unit of the NewsGuild of New York.

NYGuild President Susan DeCarava said: “It’s a new low for Reuters’ bosses. Instead of working with our Members as a team to produce the journalism Reuters readers count on, management is putting themselves and their egos first. Their disrespect for their own staff is emblematic of the fear they have of our Members’ power and solidarity.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Top editors at Reuters have repeatedly stolen work from unionized staff, NewsGuild of New York says

Photo Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

Audio Engineers At Three Denver Music Venues 'Go Union,' Vote To Join IATSE

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

(DENVER, COLORADO) - Over a dozen Audio Engineers at three of Denver’s most prominent Independent Music Venues have voted overwhelmingly to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 7.

Workers at The Oriental Theater, The Federal Theatre and HQ Denver each cast their ballots separately, delivering decisive majorities across all three venues.

The results were: The Federal Theatre: 11 Yes, 2 No; The Oriental Theater: 5 Yes, 1 No; and HQ Denver: 5 Yes, 1 No (Some Workers were eligible to vote in more than one election).

The three venues share common ownership and together represent a significant presence in Denver’s Independent Rock and Roll Market, operating outside the Live Nation and AEG Ecosystem that dominates much of the City’s entertainment landscape.

The Federal Theatre, which had sat vacant for several years, reopened last year as a music venue, making this Organizing victory part of its new chapter.

Workers first reached out to a Local 7 Organizer about Unionizing the venues following staffing changes at the properties.

A majority of Authorization Cards were collected in early May 2026 and the successful votes followed on June 30th.

“The Live Music Industry has long left its Crews behind. Unstable conditions, little to no benefits, and wages that fall well short of what a skilled workforce deserves,” Local 7 President Bryant Preston said. “We look forward to sitting down with the employer and getting to work on the issues these Workers face every day on the job.”

IATSE represents more than 170,000 Technicians, Artisans and Craftspersons employed in the Entertainment Industry, including Live Events, Motion Picture and Television Production, Broadcast and Trade Shows in the United States and Canada.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Audio Engineers at Three Denver Music Venues Vote to Join IATSE Local 7 - IATSE

Indiana Governor Announces $9.1 Million In Grants To 'Boost' Apprenticeships

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

(INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA) - Governor Mike Braun has announced $9.1 million in new grants that will expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs throughout the State of Indiana, helping Hoosiers skill up and enter higher wage careers.

A portion of the funding will also go toward connecting formerly incarcerated adults with employment.

Governor Braun said: “Indiana has a nationally-recognized Apprenticeship System that works for employers, helping them build talent pipelines across industries, and for Hoosiers, putting them on a path to higher wage careers. With these new grants, my Administration will continue developing Indiana’s tremendous workforce, preparing them for the careers of the future.”

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded Indiana a $4 million State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula Round 4 (SAEF4) grant. 

With the funds, the State plans to enhance Indiana’s Apprenticeship System by increasing opportunities within advanced manufacturing, the sector most underserved by Apprenticeships in Indiana.

In addition, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development has secured a one-time, $5.1 million Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships, and Training Initiative (RESTART) Grant, which will support the State’s workforce by connecting formerly incarcerated adults 25 and older with employment, training and Registered Apprenticeships in high-demand industries.

SAEF4 funds will also be earmarked for the creation of Capacity Building Grants, which will reinforce the work of Indiana's Local Workforce Boards by supporting Apprenticeship Navigators who will focus on engaging advanced manufacturing employers.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Gov. Braun Announces $9.1 Million in Grants to Boost Apprenticeships - State of Indiana

NYSUT Responds To The Salamanca School District 'Being One Of The First To A Bring Humanoid Robot & Avatar Teaching Assistant Into The Classroom' This Fall: "A Robot Built By A Company Associated With Sex Dolls Has No Business In Our Classrooms"

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person has released the following statement in response to the Salamanca School District's plan to bring a humanoid robot into classrooms this coming school year:

“A robot built by a company associated with sex dolls has no business in our classrooms.

Our students don't need robots.

They need real relationships with caring adults.

Educators notice when students are struggling, celebrate when they succeed and help them discover who they can become.

No robot can do that, no matter how lifelike its skin or specific its regional accent.

NYSUT is committed to fighting thoughtless expansion of this technology and we will explore every avenue necessary to protect human-centered learning in Salamanca and in every classroom across this State."

The move by Salamanca's School District comes at a moment when parents, Educators, researchers, policymakers and advocates are increasingly coming together to confront what is now widely recognized as a serious problem: The overuse and misuse of technology in educational settings, children's rising exposure to AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the toll both are taking on learning and mental health.

As part of NYSUT’s ongoing efforts to develop real, student-centric solutions, NYSUT will be hosting a conference this September.

Unplugged: Reclaiming Human-Centered Education brings together stakeholders to examine the evidence, challenge assumptions and explore what it takes to create healthier, more balanced learning environments.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: NYSUT releases statement on Salamanca School District's plan to introduce humanoid robot into classrooms

And For More, Go To: Rural NY School To Launch Humanoid Robot Teacher

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

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

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

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

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

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

That will change, the two Leaders promised.

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

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

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

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

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

Unionized Brooklyn Defender Services Staff Reach Tentative Contract Agreement, Calls Off Five-Day Strike

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Staff represented by the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys–UAW (ALAA)-United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2325 at Brooklyn Defender Services have reached a tentative contract agreement, ending a Strike at New York City’s second-largest Public Defender Group. Staff Attorneys, Social Workers and Support Staff at the organization serve more than 40,000 people across Brooklyn and Queens each year. Members walked off the job for five days to secure a contract that will allow them to continue their critical work. The new deal includes pay increases, more sick leave, higher retirement contributions and remote work options. “We reached a Tentative Agreement on a contract and our STRIKE IS OFF,” the Union post on Social Media. “We owe this win to the tireless work of our Bargaining Committee, the dedication of our Rank-and-File Members who held down the picket line and the support of our Elected Officials, Union Siblings and Community Members.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Brooklyn Defender Services strike ends after tentative labor deal reached — Queens Daily Eagle

Long Island Fire Fighters Local 287 'Secures Contract After 16-Year Impasse' - Agreement 'Raises Wages & Gives Local 287 A Stable Foundation For Future Bargaining'

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

(LONG BEACH, NEW YORK) - For the first time since 2010, members of Long Beach Professional Fire Fighters Local 287 are working under a current contract.

Long Beach City has approved a successor agreement, officially ending one of the longest bargaining efforts in the Local’s nearly 100-year history.

The contract provides long-awaited stability for the 24 career Fire Fighters who serve their Long Island Community.

The new contract includes wage increases, restructures the City’s pay charts and addresses other key priorities for Fire Fighters.

Local 287 President Sam Pinto said: “The road to get here was long and, at times, incredibly difficult. Yet through it all, our Fire Fighters continued to answer every call and serve this community with professionalism and pride. Today is about recognizing what can be accomplished when people stay committed to the process and remain focused on the future.”

As one of the only career Departments on Long Island, Local 287 Members protect a densely populated Coastal Community with unique emergency response challenges.

Ensuring the Department had the personnel and resources needed to meet the evolving needs of Long Beach was a top priority throughout the Local’s negotiations.

Reaching an agreement became increasingly difficult as Superstorm Sandy, a Department restructuring, multiple changes in the City’s Administrative and political leadership, and the COVID-19 Pandemic reshaped the Long Beach Community over the past 16 years.

Without a contract in place, the City and Local relied on multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MOMs) and other negotiated arrangements to address immediate issues as they came up over the years.

While those agreements resolved pressing concerns, they also created a patchwork of policies and financial obligations that complicated negotiations.

“This was an incredibly complex negotiation,” Local 287 Vice President Catherine Lewis, who served as the Lead Negotiator, said. “We had so many different short-term agreements to navigate through that it created a lot of unknowns. But now, with this new successor agreement, we have an easier starting point for future negotiations.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Long Island Local secures contract after 16-year impasse - IAFF

Half Price Books Workers In Minnesota Win Union Election - Workers 'Seek Higher Wages, Better Staffing & A Voice On The Job'

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

(APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA) – Workers at Half Price Books in Apple Valley have voted to Unionize with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663, becoming the fifth Unionized Half Price Books Store in Minnesota and the 10th nationwide.

The Workers organized to win a voice on the job and to negotiate a first Union contract that includes higher wages, improved staffing levels, and a seat at the table when making decisions about their workplace.

“Half Price Books is attempting to iron out the individuality that shapes our community by standardizing our roles and incorporating AI (Artificial Intelligence) in our workplace,” Bookseller Drew Schmidt said. “Unionizing is our way of encouraging Half Price Books to correct its course.”

Apple Valley joins a growing nationwide movement of Unionized Half Price Books Workers at nine other locations nationwide, including four others in Minnesota, as Booksellers continue pushing for a voice in their workplace.

Workers at the Company’s Stores in St. Louis Park, Coon Rapids, St. Paul and Roseville organized in 2021, won their Union elections in 2022, and ratified their first contract in 2024.

“My Co-Workers at the Coon Rapids Half Price Books are thrilled that the Apple Valley Workers are joining us,” Bookseller Terell Paris said. “We know that our Union will be stronger together and that we can use that strength to make our workplaces better.”

Half Price Books, a privately-held Company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, now has five Unionized locations in Minnesota.

The UFCW - the largest Private Sector Union in the U.S., represent 1.3 million Members in health care, grocery stores, meatpacking, food processing, retail shops and other industries in all 50 States, and Canada and Puerto Rico.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Half Price Books Workers in Apple Valley Win Union Election - UFCW 663

Photo Courtesy Of The UFCW.

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

From Our Friends North Of The Border: "We Are Equipping Workers With The Tools Needed To Succeed" - Ottawa 'Commits A Massive $2 Billion Investment In New Trades Funding As Skilled Labor Shortage Looms'

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

Jim Wilson at The Canadian HR Reporter writes the Canadian Government has announced $2 billion in new funding for Provinces and territories to expand Skilled Trades training, a commitment HR Professionals should watch closely given projections of a shortfall of more than 1.4 million Trades Workers by 2033, according to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). ESDC says the funding will be delivered over five years through new bilateral agreements with Provinces and Territories. The money falls under Team Canada Strong, a national initiative to recruit, train and certify between 80,000 and 100,000 new Red Seal Trades Workers over five years. The initiative previously received $6 billion in funding and ESDC says this new investment is meant to increase Provincial and Territorial capacity to train and certify Workers. “As the world of work evolves, nobody will be left behind,” said Patty Hajdu, who serves as Minister of Jobs and Families and is the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Ottawa commits $2 billion in new trades funding as skilled labour shortage looms | Canadian HR Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

Midtown Towers' 'Safety Record, Non-Union Status Scrutinized'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Crews worked through the weekend to stabilize the Midtown Office Building where two structural columns buckled last week, as New York City's Department of Buildings (DOB) announced the implementation of additional safety measures.

The DOB said contractors are working around the clock in shifts to install additional support inside 235 East 42nd Street and to construct an exterior netting enclosure along the building's north side.

East 43rd Street between Second and Third avenues remains closed and vacate orders for several neighboring buildings remain in effect while they continue to evaluate next steps.

In the days since the columns buckled and the area was evacuated on July 7th, a chorus of Union Officials have derided the use of Non-Union labor at the site by the building's owner and developer MetroLoft.

"My team sees it all the time," said Michael Piccirillo an Area Standards Manager with the New York City District Council of Carpenters. "You have projects like this that are (100%) Non-Union. The Workers are afraid to speak up. They're afraid to be deported and these contractors know that."

Tafador Sourov, an Organizer with the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), posted on Social Media that Workers without Union Representation are often reluctant to report unsafe conditions.

"The root of it all starts with Workers not having a voice on the job," Sourov said, arguing Non-Union construction sites are more likely to cut corners on safety.

Billy Erwin, Market Development Director for Laborers Local 79, contrasted Union Apprenticeship Programs with Non-Union training: "We train everybody. You don't do profit over safety. Your wallet is not important over someone's safety."

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Midtown towers' safety record, nonunion status scrutinized - The Chief

The New York State Nurses Association 'Condemns' Ogdensburg's Northstar/Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center's Proposed Cuts To Its Maternal Health Services

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

(OGDENSBURG, NEW YORK) – The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) is condemning Ogdensburg’s Northstar/Claxton-Hepburn’s proposed cuts to its Maternal Health Services with NYSNA President Nancy Hagans releasing the following statement:

NYSNA Nurses are outraged to hear Northstar/Claxton-Hepburn is planning to eliminate Maternal Health Services at the Hospital. Our demand throughout this bankruptcy is that the Hospital cuts waste and mismanagement and saves essential Health Care Services. This proposed closure continues the devastating trend of North Country patients losing access to care. This region needs Maternal Health Services and we encourage Community Members and Hospital Workers to weigh in on this proposed closure to defend these vital Health Care Services and good jobs in the North Country.

In addition, NYSNA - New York’s largest Union and Professional Association for Registered Nurses (RNs) that represents 45,000 Members across the State, posted the following on its Social Media Outlets:

The North Country already struggles to get the care we need.

If we lose Maternal Health Services at Claxton-Hepburn, patients will have to travel far distances to give birth and receive Maternal Care, even in emergency situations.

This is an essential Health Care Service that we cannot afford to lose.

Our Community deserves a Hospital that offers all the services we need.

We can’t allow Northstar to chip away at our health care piece by piece.

The North Country is not expendable.

We need quality care that our Community can rely on.

Stand with the NYSNA Nurses at Northstar/Claxton-Hepburn to demand the Hospital maintain Maternal Health Services.

This region needs these vital services and the planned closure would have devastating effects on the Community.

NYSNA Editor’s Note: To Learn More And Sign The NYSNA Petition, Go To: Sign the Petition to Protect Maternal Health Services at Northstar/ Claxton-Hepburn | New York State Nurses Association

Photo & Graphic Courtesy of NYSNA.

University Of Chicago Press Workers 'Overwhelmingly' Vote To 'Go Union'

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

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) - The University of Chicago Press Workers Guild (UCPWG) has won their Union Election, with a majority of their 134 Members voting to become a Unit of the Chicago News Guild (The Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America (TNG-CWA) Local 34071, joining the Nationwide Labor Movement for a stronger Publishing Industry.

In a decisive victory, 89% of Workers voted in favor of Union Representation.

Workers held a mixed-manual-mail ballot election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Onsite and hybrid Workers based at the University of Chicago Press’s Campus Office voted in person on June 9th and 10th, while out-of-state, remote, and eligible Chicago Distribution Center Workers voted by mail.

The formation of this Unit marks a significant moment, as it is the first Union for most of the Departments at the Press, following certain Chicago Distribution Center Departments that are already organized with the Teamsters.

Workers will soon begin bargaining for the first UCPWG contract.

“I’m immensely proud of my fellow Workers for their hard work and dedication to winning this election,” said Meredith Nini, Senior Promotions Manager at the Press. “These election results show that Press Workers are bound together with a common mission. We look forward to bargaining for a contract that ensures a sustainable and equitable workplace for years to come.”

“I am so excited to have these Workers join the Chicago Guild,” Chicago News Guild President Owen Schmidt said. “This result demonstrates that these Workers are ready for real change and a voice in their workplace. I’ve been so impressed by the Organizing Committee for their persistence and commitment to Democracy. They are going to do so many great things at the local level and I stand with them in their fight for pay equity, better working conditions and a more Democratic workplace.”

University of Chicago Press Workers had their ballots counted one day after Workers at Hachette Book Group unionized with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: University of Chicago Press workers overwhelmingly vote to unionize | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

Photo Courtesy Of The TNG-CWA.

'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

North Carolina's Governor Announces The 'First' Health Care Apprenticeship Created By State Government

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

Elijah Skipper at WLOS Asheville/Greenville reports during a visit to Broughton Hospital in Morganton, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced a new Apprenticeship Program aimed at building a pipeline of Health Care Workers as State Facilities continue to face staffing shortages. The STEP-NC: Health Care Program is the first Health Care Apprenticeship Program created within State Government. The Pilot Program is launching at Broughton Hospital and J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, both located in Morganton, with the goal of connecting students and adult learners with careers in Health Care. State leaders say the program is designed to create a workforce pipeline earlier by introducing students to careers in Behavioral Health, Maintenance, Nursing and Other Health Care Fields. Broughton Hospital CEO Dr. Timothy Miller said the Apprenticeship Model could help address staffing challenges while giving students career opportunities close to home. These include jobs in direct care, administrative support and maintenance.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Gov. Stein announces 1st health care apprenticeship created by state government

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

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

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

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

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

She labeled those foes outright fascists.

And it’s not just Trump, Weingarten explained.

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

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

“The stakes are very high,” Weingarten exclaimed.

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

Hotel And Gaming Trades Council-Represented Workers at Jewel Hotel in Midtown Manhattan 'Win Their First' Union Contract

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – Hotel and Gaming Trades Council-represented Workers employed at the Jewel Hotel in Midtown Manhattan have won their first Union contract - a victory seven years in the making. In June, the Jewel Hotel Workers authorized a Strike for a fair contract. Jewel management saw the Workers were united, serious, and ready to Strike. They watched as the Jewel Workers showed up day after day to the nearby picket line at the Fairfield & Four Points Times Square in solidarity with their Union Brothers and Sisters. And, fearing an impending Strike outside their own hotel, management caved and has signed the Industry Wide Agreement (IWA). While nothing about their fight was easy, everything about it has been life-changing. Workers organized in 2019 and stayed strong throughout the Hotel closing during COVID and the multi-year fight to get the Hotel to sign the IWA. “I was one of the first ones to come and try to unite, to get the crew together,” said Edward, a Houseman at the Jewel. “And I just can’t believe the time has come. I mean it’s surreal.”

NYC Central Labor Council’s Editor’s Note: Watch video of the workers finding out they won their contract here!

New York Immigration Coalition Management 'Seeks To Shrink Workers' New Union'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers employed at New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) who Unionized last month say management's bad-faith bargaining and attempts to carve over a dozen members out of the nascent Union show the Immigrant Rights Organization is failing to live up to its professed Pro-Worker values.

In June, over 40 NYIC Workers notified management they had signed Union Authorization Cards to join Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153 and requested voluntary recognition of their Union.

There were signs management would quickly offer that recognition, but those hopes dissipated when NYIC retained a law firm known by Local 153's leadership for its delay and Union-Busting tactics and then requested to revise the Bargaining Unit.

Lawyers with Kauff McGuire & Margolis have since argued that under Federal Law, more than a dozen workers - including NYIC’s entire Communications and Development Teams, should be excluded from the Union, Workers said.

"Management is really just trying to weaponize the law and slow down our Union process,” said Kaija Groom, a Community Programming Manager at NYIC for almost five years. “The longer they draw out this process, the more they'll beat people down and wear down our Union. It's a well-known tactic.”

The Union has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging NYIC management was bargaining in bad faith about the Bargaining Unit size.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: New York Immigration Coalition management seeks to shrink workers' new union - The Chief

Production Assistants On The Set For A New CBS Legal Drama File To 'Go Union' With LIUNA

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

Production Assistants (PAs) on the set of CBS’ new Silicon Valley legal drama – Cupertino, have filed for an election to join Production Assistants United (PAU), an Affiliate of Laborers (LIUNA) Local 724. “Health care, turnarounds and fair wages are all safeguards for Workers to ensure that they are given a high quality of life,” the Organizing Workers said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. If the vote is successful, the Bargaining Unit would cover 23 PAs. “The Entertainment Industry on the production level is full of incredibly hard-working Craftspeople and Laborers,” the PAs said. “Why have Production Assistants been conditioned to think they don’t deserve those things as well? Especially right now, studios are actively eroding the old standard for PA contracts - taking away twelve-hour guarantees and lowering pay rates. Our Union effort is a way for us to ensure that we can have a voice in these conversations that determine our livelihoods.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Production Assistants File for Unionization on CBS’ ‘Cupertino’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

500 Unionized Brooklyn Defender Services Workers 'Strike For A Fair' Contract

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The Public Defender Union representing hundreds of Attorneys and Staff across Brooklyn and Queens have walked off the job after a 21-hour marathon bargaining session this week failed to result in a contract agreement. The Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) Union represents around 500 Staff, including 280 Attorneys - as well as Social Workers, Investigators, Paralegals and Support Staff who provide services to Brooklyn and Queens residents in Criminal, Family, Housing and Immigration Court. “Despite significant compromises from the Union, management refused terms that would ensure our lowest-paid Staff can sustain themselves and their families,” Maria Gorman and Andrew Eichen, Brooklyn Defender Services Union Co-Chairs, wrote in a statement. The Union posted the following on Instagram: We are striking we believe our clients deserve Advocates who can afford to stay in this work. Too many BDS Staffers burn out and leave, taking years of trust and case knowledge with them. Sustained, quality representation requires sustainable jobs. Our Members don’t deserve unlivable pay and overbearing, ruthless management and our City cannot afford the consequences of their continuance. That is what we are fighting for.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Brooklyn Defender Services union goes on strike — Queens Daily Eagle

New Teacher Certification Pathways To Launch At Six Oklahoma Universities

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

Christian Hans at NewsOn6.com reports six Oklahoma Universities will begin offering new Teacher Preparation Programs in August as part of a Statewide effort to strengthen Oklahoma’s Educator Workforce and create more pathways into the profession. The new programs include accelerated certification options for career changers and alternative certification candidates, along with Apprenticeship-style models that allow aspiring Teachers and current School Employees to earn teaching credentials while continuing to work. Officials say the new pathways are designed to help career changers and aspiring teachers earn certification more quickly. Some participants will be able to work in schools while completing their teacher training through Apprenticeship-style programs. State Leaders say the initiative will also improve recruitment efforts.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Six Oklahoma Universities Launch New Teacher Certification Programs - NewsOn6.com

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

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

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

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

Tripling Union Membership would:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

'It Should Concern Every Patient Who Cares About Their Quality Of Care' - Twelve Laid Off NYSNA-Represented Nurses At Montefiore Hospital In The Bronx 'Are Being Replaced By Artificial Intelligence'

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

Michael Sainato at The Guardian reports on Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx where 12 Nurses - who were laid off - are now being replaced with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered software, according to the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), which represents Nurses at the Hospital. National Nurses United (NNU), the parent Union of NYSNA, has been raising the alarm about the effects AI will have on Nurses. This would be one of the first AI-related layoffs handled by the Union, which developed an AI Bill of Rights for patients and Nurses. The Union has been pushing for protections and guardrails in contracts - as well as through legislation, and protested against employers using untested AI in patient care settings. “NNU Nurses, like the Nurses at Montefiore, have been on the frontlines of fighting Hospital employers’ efforts to force unregulated and untested AI into patient care settings,” NNU President Jamie Brown, herself a Registered Nurse, said. “Nurses know from experience that Hospital employers will find any opportunity to cut costs and cut corners on patient care and Nurse staffing.” The layoffs at Montefiore come in the wake of a massive Nurses’ Strike across several Hospitals in New York City in January 2026. The new Union contracts written after the strikes included safeguards against AI.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The New York nurses replaced by AI: ‘It should concern every patient who cares about quality of care’ | Nursing | The Guardian

AFSCME-Represented Pittsford Department of Public Works Employees 'Rally To Demand Better Pay'

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

Union-represented Public Workers employed in Pittsford’s Department of Public Works rallied earlier this week in front of the Suburban Rochester Town Hall to demand better pay. As the first Union in Pittsford's 200-year history, the Workers are making history while fighting for a fair contract and the respect they have earned, Union Officials said. They deserve a voice on the job and a contract that recognizes the essential services they provide every day, added American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 66 Representatives. The Union says despite Pittsford being a largely wealthy community, its Workers remain among the lowest-paid Public Works Employees in Monroe County, making it a challenge to retain Employees. Council 66’s Maria Fisher said two Workers just resigned this week due to low wages. “And they love this town, you know, they were even asked by the attorney: ‘Why do you even stay when you make low wages?’ They say: ‘We love each other and we love this town’ and they want to stay,” Fisher said. “These Workers are doing the work that keeps Pittsford running, so we believe the wages should be reflective of that work.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Pittsford Department of Public Works employees hold rally

Chicago Nurses At Saint Mary Of Nazareth Hospital 'Go Union,' Join NNOC/NNU

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

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) - Registered Nurses (RNs) employed at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago have voted overwhelmingly - 96% - to join National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC), an Affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the Nation’s largest and fastest-growing Nurses Union.

“Today is a great day to be a Union Nurse in Chicago,” said Anna Bilanicz, an RN in the Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. “We’re so excited to join NNOC because we know we’ll be able to win the kind of contract that will be a gamechanger for our patients and for us as Nurses.”

Nurses at the Facility in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village just held a historic Strike to protest the illegal firings of six Co-Workers who were unlawfully terminated for Union Organizing.

Despite these retaliatory tactics by Prime Healthcare, the Hospital’s owner, Nurses demonstrated their clear unity and solidarity that carried them to this massive win.

“Prime Healthcare thought they could scare us into silence,” RN Chris Williams said, “but now that we’re part of the country’s largest Nurses Union, our voice is louder than ever and we’re still turning the volume up. We’re ready for a contract that makes sure our patients get the care they deserve, not the shortcuts Prime has been taking.”

With their election victory, Nurses will continue to demand the reinstatement of their Co-Workers and, moving forward, good faith bargaining on a first Union contract.

NNOC/NNU now represents nearly 500 Nurses in the Bargaining Unit at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital.

Nurses from Saint Mary of Nazareth join many over 3,000 Health Care Workers in the Prime system who are already represented by NNOC/NNU at Hospitals nationwide, more than 1,800 of whom are already in active contract negotiations.

The NNU represents more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

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

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Chicago nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital vote overwhelmingly to join NNOC/NNU | National Nurses United

NNU Provided Photo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NNU Photo.

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

The U.S. Department Of Labor Awards $40 Million To 'Expand' Shipbuilding Apprenticeship Programs

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

WorkBoat reports the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has awarded nearly $162 million through five cooperative agreements to expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs, with shipbuilding and the defense industrial base among the primary industries targeted for workforce growth. Administered by the USDOL's Employment and Training Administration, the Pay-For-Performance Incentive Payments Program ties Federal funding to measurable Apprenticeship outcomes. Registered apprenticeship sponsors will receive incentive payments as Apprentices reach verified retention and progression milestones. The USDOL said the initiative supports its goal of surpassing one million active Apprentices nationwide.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Labor Department awards $40 million to expand shipbuilding apprenticeship programs | WorkBoat

Unionized Workers 'Decry Trump's War On Wind'

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

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

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

IUOE Local 17 Windmill Project File Photo.

32BJ SEIU-Represented Broadway Cleaners Reach A Tentative Four-Year Contract That Features A 'Wage Increase & Protection For Their Employer-Paid Family Health Care'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Broadway Cleaners, represented by 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU), have reached a tentative contract agreement with theater owners. Members across more than 30 venues voted in late June to authorize a potential work stoppage if the Broadway League refused to settle a fair contract. Highlights of the agreement include a $5-an-hour wage increase, a 21% increase from the current rates by the end of the new four-year contract, as well as improved paid leave, and protection for its employer-paid family health care. Martha Aristizabal, a Porter at the Ambassador Theatre, said: “We risked our lives during COVID to make sure Broadway could safely reopen. We work long nights and weekends, often missing major milestones with family and loved ones, to do the hard work it takes to put on each and every performance. This victory honors all that we’ve put in over the years. By winning wage and pension increases, improving paid leave, and protecting our health care, we can dedicate more to taking care of ourselves and enjoying time with the people we care about.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Broadway Cleaners Reach Tentative Agreement After Holding Strike Vote

'No Fight For Working People Is Too Hard Or Too Risky' - AFSCME 'Mourns The Loss Of Trailblazing DC 37 Leader' Lillian Roberts

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Lillian Roberts, the former Executive Director of American Federation of State, County & Municipal Workers o(AFSCME) District Council 37 - and a giant of the Labor Movement, has died.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders announced her passing in a special message to Members and honored her legacy as a trailblazer: “Her leadership at DC (37) and across AFSCME left a lasting mark on this Union and on generations of Labor Leaders who followed her.”

Roberts built power for Working People at a time when very few Black Women held positions of leadership.

She helped found the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) and made history as the first Black Woman to serve as New York State Industrial Commissioner.

She organized Hospital Workers in Chicago and later in New York City.

In 1969, she went to jail for two weeks for defying New York’s governor and leading a Strike of State Hospital Workers.

Roberts believed no fight for Working People was too hard or too risky.  

Saunders said Roberts led DC 37 in New York with “extraordinary toughness, vision and commitment to Working People.”

She spent decades fighting for Public Service Workers, for African American Workers, for Women in leadership, and for the idea that Unions should be a force for justice in every corner of American life. 

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Rest in Power: AFSCME family mourns the loss of trailblazing leader Lillian Roberts - AFSCME

San Francisco Public Press Workers 'Form A Union To Seek A Voice In Their Workplace'

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

(SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA) – Investigative Newsroom Workers employed at the Non-Profit San Francisco Public Press have Gone Union as part of the Pacific Media Workers Guild Local 39521, joining the nationwide Labor Movement for a stronger Media System.

The successful Organizing Drive follows in the footsteps of other local Newsrooms that have recently Unionized, said Union Officials, who added the Workers’ Union has been voluntarily recognized by management.

“I love this work and I want this Newsroom to thrive,” Reporter Audrey Mei Yi Brown said. “I hope to set up the Public Press to be sustainable and retain its talented, passionate Staff long-term.”

Seeking a greater voice in the Newsroom, a super-majority of eligible Staff signed Union Authorization Cards and a mission statement in support of forming the San Francisco Public Press Workers Guild.

“So much of our reporting centers on recognizing the dignity and rights of people in our communities,” said Madison Alvarado, a Reporter who has worked at the news outlet for nearly five years. “I believe a Union will help further that mission a little closer to home.”

San Francisco Public Press Guild Members said their organizing effort was rooted in the same values that define their Journalism: Transparency, Accountability, Consistency and Rigor – and their organizing effort was guided by increased transparency, a stronger Editorial voice, fair pay and protections, and a sustainable work-life balance.

The Pacific Media Workers Guild, Local 39521 of The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA) represents Journalists and Media Workers across the U.S.

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: San Francisco Public Press workers form union, seek voice in the workplace | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

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.

Investment 'Expands Skilled Trades Pathways' In Hamilton County, Tennessee

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

(SODDY-DAISY, TENNESSEE) – Hamilton County students will soon have expanded opportunities to prepare for careers in the Skilled Trades thanks to a new $9 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Chattanooga-Hamilton County is one of just nine communities selected for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ new $90 million national initiative designed to help high school students transition into high-wage, in-demand Skilled Trades careers through hands-on learning and Registered Apprenticeship Pathways. The local partnership includes Chattanooga 2.0, Hamilton County Schools, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 175 and UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 43. The initiative is free for students and will expand career pathways in electrical work, construction, plumbing, welding, HVAC and Line work. Leaders say the investment will strengthen hands-on learning by giving students more opportunities to develop real-world skills through classroom instruction, work-based learning and training that leads to Registered Apprenticeships after graduation.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Investment Expands Skilled Trades Pathways - WDEF

O-AT-KA Teamsters 'Secure Strong' Contract - New York Dairy Workers 'Win 46% Wage Increase & Better Benefits'

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

(BATAVIA, NEW YORK) – A group of 338 Workers at O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia, represented by Teamsters Local 118, have ratified a five-year contract that delivers wage increases up to 46%, improves health care benefits and increases retirement funding.

“This contract is a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by our negotiating committee and the entire unit,” Teamsters Local 118 President Tim Barbeto said. “Our Members made it clear that they deserved a contract that protected their quality of life and recognized the essential work they do for the company.”

Local 118 Members at O-AT-KA help manufacture and package dairy-based products and ingredients for customers nationwide, including ready-to-drink beverages, evaporated milk, butter, milk powders and other dairy products.

“These are the best raises that we’ve seen since I began working here,” said Russ Salway, a 30-year O-AT-KA Employee and Member of Local 118. “This contract will make a real difference for our families, especially with the cost of living continuing to rise. It also shows what we can accomplish as Teamsters when we stay united throughout the bargaining process.”

Local 118 represents over 5,000 Workers across Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: O-AT-KA Teamsters Secure Strong Contract - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

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

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

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

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

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.

Harper's Magazine Staff Hold One Day Strike Action

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The Editorial Staff of Harper’s Magazine, Union Members of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2110, held a one-day Strike to protest the Magazine’s contract offer. Workers Unionized in 2024 and have been trying to negotiate a contract for almost two years. Workers cite low wages as a primary cause of the dispute. The Entry Level Editorial position for an Assistant Editor pays just $45,000 per year, well below the $71,000 that New York City Hall’s recent report on the True Cost of Living estimates as the amount necessary for a single adult to afford to live in the City. Earlier this month, Staff sent a letter to Management urging them to revise their offer (View the letter here). Management has argued that increases in minimum salaries must be paid for by Workers giving up their employer-paid health insurance.

Photo Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Labor Council.

Public Defender Union Representing More Than 500 Workers In Brooklyn And Queens Authorizes Strike

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – Ninety-six-percent of Staff at Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS), Members of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2325, have voted to authorize a Strike if their contract demands are not met. The wall-to-wall Union represents more than 500 Workers representing indigent clients in Criminal, Immigration and Family Court cases in Brooklyn and Queens, including 280 Attorneys. Months of negotiations had come to a standstill prior to the vote, with salary and health insurance proposals that were patently unacceptable and no agreement over hybrid work schedules. Brian Holbrook, a Public Defender and Union Member, said: “The phrase in the Labor Movement is ‘the boss is the best Organizer.’ It’s management’s inflexibility and a series of very bad proposals that have brought us to this moment where such an overwhelming majority of the office is ready to authorize a work stoppage.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Public defender union representing nearly 300 attorneys in Brooklyn and Queens authorizes strike | amNewYork

Nurses Employed At The HCA Swedish Medical Center In Colorado 'Go Union,' Join The Nation's 'Largest' Nurses Union

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

(ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO) - Registered Nurses (RNs) at HCA HealthONE Swedish (Swedish Medical Center) in Englewood, Colorado have voted to join National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) - the country’s largest Nurses’ Union.

NNOC/NNU now represents nearly 800 Nurses at HCA HealthONE Swedish, a 504-bed Level 1 Trauma Center.

The Union already represents more than 10,000 HCA Nurses employed at 19 facilities in seven States from coast to coast.

“This is a huge victory for the Nurses at our Hospital and across the HCA System nationwide,” said Christina Michas, an RN who works in the General Rehabilitation Unit. “We showed HCA that, even when they try to illegally interfere with our elections, Nurses will hold them accountable and keep fighting until we win the Union protections we need.”

The second election comes after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled the employer - HCA Healthcare (the country’s largest Hospital System), illegally interfered with a previous Union Election that was held back in 2024.

That now-invalidated 2024 election was marred by illegal interference by the employer.

Nearly 800 Nurses work at Swedish, and, since the first election, Staff turnover at the facility has been so high that only about only one third of Nurses who worked at the Hospital in 2024 still work there today.

Nurses at Swedish say the high turnover is emblematic of the issues they face at the facility and are excited to address those issues in bargaining.

With their election victory in hand, Nurses will be able to start negotiations on their first Union contract, which could address several of HCA’s issues that are driving Nurses away from the facility and endangering patients.

HCA has appealed the NLRB’s ruling to hold a second election, the one now won by the nurses.

This is another nasty attempt by HCA to trample Nurses’ Union Rights, said the NNOC/NNU – which intends to stand by Nurses until the end.

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

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

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Nurses at HCA Swedish Medical Center join nation’s largest nurses union | National Nurses United

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

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

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

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

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 Steamfitters 'Prevent Catastrophic' Midtown Manhattan Building Crash

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - In all the worries and angst over loss of jobs nationwide, what is often overlooked is that there are certain skills, observations and alertness only humans can perform - such as preventing a catastrophic building collapse in Midtown Manhattan.

That’s what happened at 235 East 42nd Street on July 7th, when two Members of Steamfitters Local 638 discovered buckling beams, sagging floors and falling concrete at a massive condo conversion project’s 21st story.

They alerted supervisors, got out and got every other Worker - Union and Non-Union - out, fast.

And then, responding to a 911 call, Police and Fire Fighters arrived and evacuated several blocks.

Traffic snarled for hours, and people fled hotels and businesses - but nobody got hurt.

The building, the former headquarters of the Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company, was being converted from a 22-story office tower to a 37-story future residential building.

But to add 15 floors, you need to reinforce the building’s structural steel - Local 638 President Robert Bartels and Cliff Johnsen, the Local’s Business Agent for Midtown East, said in a telephone interview with People’s World.

Apparently, that didn’t happen.

There was also no exterior bracing on the building.

On July 7th, the two Steamfitters “started to notice the windows were cracking. And then the concrete was dropping down to the next floor,” said Johnsen. “And the walls were collapsing.”

When you add 15 or 16 floors to an existing building, its steel reinforcing vertical structure “has to be buoyed up or changed,” one of the two said.

It wasn’t.

The two Steamfitters on the 21st floor alerted Johnsen and an unidentified supervisor called 911.

The two Workers got out and got everyone else out.

The Steamfitters and the Elevator Constructors are the only Union Workers on the condo conversion project.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Union Steamfitters prevent catastrophic midtown Manhattan building crash – People's World

In Michigan, Electrical Apprenticeship 'Demand Grows As Industry Expands'

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

Matt Prysiazny at FOX 47 News reports the Ann Arbor (Michigan) Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Center receives up to 1,200 applicants annually for just 30 to 60 available slots, according to its Training Director. Electrician demand is rising, driven by data centers and new technology. Due to a number of constraints, including training space, staff availability and job obtainability limit how many Apprentices the Training Program can accept at one time, Representatives said.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety & Watch A Video Report, Go To: Electrician jobs are in demand — but training slots are scarce

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Than 600 Hachette Book Group Employees 'Win Election To Establish The Largest Union In Trade Publisher History'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - More than 600 Union-eligible Employees at the Hachette Book Group (HBG), the third-largest Trade Publisher in the U.S., Workers have voted 388-to-130 to Unionize with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild.

The newly-certified Hachette Workers Coalition (HWC) will now begin negotiating its first Collective Bargaining Agreement with the company.

With Workers represented across every HBG Office and remote location, HWC is the largest Union in Trade Publishing history and makes Hachette the second of the Big Five Publishers to Unionize.

Brenna Haney, a Metadata Associate in Hachette’s Digital Sales Department, said: “This is the culmination of years of hard work by Employees who came together to fight for better working conditions for ourselves and the Publishing Industry as a whole. We withstood months of Anti-Union campaigning from the company and we march forward united, ready to bargain for better benefits, stronger protections and increased equity, transparency and agency in our workplace.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Hachette Book Group employees win election for largest union in trade publisher history - Washington-Baltimore News Guild

NYSNA-Represented Nurses Employed At Long Island's Catholic Health/St. Charles Hospital Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

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

(PORT JEFFERSON, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses have reached a tentative contract agreement at Long Island’s Catholic Health/St. Charles Hospital, averting a Strike that was set to begin on Monday (July 13th).

Nurses will vote on whether to ratify the contract on Friday (July 10th).

Highlights of the three-year tentative agreement include: Improved enforceable Safe Staffing Standards, including hiring more Nurses, creating a float pool of Nurses to maintain safe staffing levels, and a new expedited staffing enforcement process; New workplace violence protections, including enhanced security rounding and personal panic buttons; New protections against discipline for use of sick time; New safeguards on Artificial Intelligence (AI), including provisions to protect Registered Nurse (RN) clinical judgement and requirements to provide notice and discussion when implementing new technology or AI; Annual base wage increases of 4%, 3% and 4% over the three-year contract; Additional wage increases to help recruit, train and retain experienced Nurses; and Increases to Retiree Health Benefits.

Additional details on the tentative agreement will follow ratification, NYSNA said.

Nurses at Catholic Health/ St. Charles had negotiated for months, with talks intensifying over safe staffing.

On June 12th, St. Charles Nurses announced that a near-unanimous 99.7% of Nurses voted to authorize a Strike.

On June 30th, they delivered a Strike Notice, notifying the hospital they would Strike beginning July 13th if they were not able to reach a fair contract agreement.

RN and Intensive Care Nurse Rob Barone, who serves as President of NYSNA’s Local Bargaining Unit at St. Charles Hospital, said: “NYSNA Nurses at St. Charles fought ‘tooth and nail’ for a fair contract that will help us fix the staffing crisis at the Hospital we love. We are proud of what we accomplished and encourage our Members to ratify this contract. We are looking forward to improving accountability for safe staffing, so we can deliver the best possible care to our friends, families and community. As we move forward with our transition with Good Samaritan University Hospital, Saint Charles Nurses’ goal is to ensure a strong future for this Hospital based on quality care with enough Nurses - and this contract will do just that.”

Approximately 1,000 Catholic Health Nurses at three hospitals on Long Island have been in contract talks.

The contract for NYSNA Nurses at St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage expired on March 31st and the contract for NYSNA Nurses at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown is set to expire on July 31st.

Negotiations are ongoing at those two Hospitals.

NYSNA Nurses are united in demanding contracts that deliver safe staffing, protections from workplace violence and fair wages.

NYSNA represents 45,000 Members in New York and is the State’s largest Union and Professional Association for RNs.

NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the country's largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of RNs, with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Victory: Nurses at Catholic Health/St. Charles Hospital Reach Tentative Contract Agreement | New York State Nurses Association

The International Federation Of Professional & Technical Engineers Organizes More Than 100 NOAA Fisheries Workers In Hawaii

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

Workers employed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries Pacific Island Region in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and CNMI have voted -overwhelmingly, to be represented by International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 8A. Local 8A President Nick Tolimieri said: “Local (8A) congratulates the (126) Federal Employees at the Pacific Island Fishery Science Center and Pacific Islands Regional Office locations for voting to join Local (8A). It is as important now more than ever Federal Employees band together and strengthen not only our working conditions - but protect the vital work that we all perform on behalf of American taxpayers. We look forward to getting the bargaining process started.”

To Read This Labor Organizing News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: IFPTE Local 8A Successfully Organizes NOAA Fisheries Workers — IFPTE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Johnson did not provide any proof of such fraud.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other numbers are higher.

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

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

United Steelworkers File Graphic.

The Mamdani Administration 'Recovers $2.3 Million In Restitution For 1,600 Workers' Employed By Four Individual Employers In New York City

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The Mamdani Administration has secured more than $2.3 million in restitution for Workers from four employers accused of violating New York City's Worker Protection Laws, with more than 1,600 Workers set to receive compensation.

The settlements, reached by the City’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, require Walgreens, Allstar Security, Consulting, Calzedonia - the parent company of lingerie retailer Intimissimi - and Kinship Coffee to pay a combined $2.1 million in restitution to workers, along with more than $218,000 in Civil Penalties and costs.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the City's Labor Laws are intended to provide workers with stability, arguing that unpredictable schedules and denied time off can have significant consequences for Working Families: "When a company shorts a worker on their schedule or their time off, that Worker pays for it. These laws exist because Working Families deserve stability on the job. If corporations choose to break them, they will pay what they owe."

The largest settlement was with Walgreens, which will pay more than $1.6 million to more than 570 Workers at three Brooklyn stores after investigators found the company repeatedly violated the City's Fair Workweek Law by failing to provide required advance notice of schedules and assigning additional hours without proper notice or Employee consent.

Allstar Security & Consulting agreed to pay $270,000 to more than 900 Workers after failing to provide paid protected time off required under City Law.

Calzedonia will pay more than $154,000 to over 50 workers for Fair Workweek violations, while Kinship Coffee will pay more than $67,000 to more than 90 Workers at three Queens locations for violating the city's Protected Time Off Law.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Mamdani administration recovers $2.3 million for workers in labor enforcement - The Chief

Teamsters Employed At Bimbo Bakeries In Baldwin 'Ratify Strong New' Agreement - Entenmann's & S.B. Thomas Workers 'Secure Up To 40% Wage Increase'

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:00:00 -0400

(BALDWIN, NEW YORK) – A group of 200 Teamsters employed at Bimbo Bakeries in Baldwin have ratified what Union Officials are called a “significant” new contract.

The Route Sales Professionals, Route Riders, Field Merchandising Representatives and Utility Drivers are employed by Entenmann’s and S.B. Thomas, brands under the Bimbo umbrella.

The new six-year agreement includes up to a 40% wage increase, more employer-paid contributions toward health care, a uniform allowance, and an increase in pay for holidays, sick days and personal days.

The contract also includes a no layoff clause for the first year of the agreement.

Jeff Padellaro, who serves as Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery and Soft Drink Conference, said: “Through their consistent bargaining and strong solidarity, this determined group was able to close their deal without a Strike and win an excellent agreement. This contract shows what Teamsters can achieve when we refuse to back down. Our Members should be proud of this accomplishment.”

Teamsters Local 802 President James Shannon said: “The Teamsters Committee and our Members were tenacious in their approach to solidifying the best contract possible. This group stuck together and because of that they have obtained an impressive agreement.”

David Halwick, who’s worked as a Route Sales Professional at Entenmann’s for 34 years and serves as a Shop Steward, said: “By standing united we secured a powerful contract that truly recognizes our dedication. This agreement delivers concrete improvements, especially for our newer Members.”

Teamsters Local 802 represents Bakery Drivers and Food Production Workers in New York and New Jersey.

Local 802’s major employers include Entenmann’s, S.B Thomas, Frito-Lay and Krasdale Foods.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Teamsters at Bimbo Bakeries Ratify Strong New Agreement - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

'Competition Grows' For U.S. Solar Industry Workforce

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

Anne Fischer at pv magazine reports the U.S. Solar Industry now supports more than 280,000 Workers, yet the Industry struggles to find an adequate number of qualified personnel to keep up with accelerated project timelines, according to the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (USEER) and the IREC National Solar Jobs Census. The study finds the Industry will require 355,000 Workers by late 2026 to support installation targets of 60 GW to 70 GW, leaving a projected near-term gap of 53,000 positions. While the Solar Industry looks to fill this gap with skilled Workers, other Sectors are recruiting from the Solar Workers who have the technical skills needed in other Power Sectors. According to USEER, the Electric Power Generator (EPG) Sector employed 933,800 Workers in 2024 - with close to 40% of them in solar. According to the USEER report, most Solar EPG Employees were found in the Construction Industry, which accounted for 181,700 Workers (49.0%), followed by Professional and Business Services, including Engineering, Financial and Investment Services, Permitting and Compliance, and Consulting, with 58,500 Workers (15.8%).

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Report, Go To: Competition grows for U.S. solar industry workforce - pv magazine Global

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photograph Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

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

Grocery Workers At Two Albertsons' New Mexico Locations 'Go Union' With The UFCW

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

(THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO) – Ninety Employees at Albertsons Grocery Stores in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, New Mexico have voted to join United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1562 in their quest to attain better wages, benefits and workplace protections that come with a Union contract.

Workers at the Albuquerque Eubank Boulevard location are employed as Meat Cutters, Meat Wrappers, Butcher Block Clerks and Deli Clerks.

At the Rio Rancho Ridgecrest Drive location, the Workers are employed in the Checking, Stocking, Receiving, Produce, Bakery, Deli and E-Commerce Departments, and include Head Clerks and Departmental Leads.

Organizers expect to have the employer at the bargaining table in the coming months to negotiate a contract for Workers at the Rio Rancho location and bargaining could begin as soon as this month for the Albuquerque Meat Unit Employees.

UFCW Local 1564 staff said effective communication through text messaging enabled them to quicky send out warnings about Union-Busters and to educate Workers about the tangible benefits of joining a Union.

Workers at these latest New Mexico locations have seen how a strong contract benefits Unionized Albertsons’ Employees throughout the state.

“The success we are seeing with Albertsons is a result of successful contract negotiations with Albertsons in 2025, a strong and respected Organizer and Union Leadership committed to organizing and bargaining to increase leverage for Albertsons’ Members in 2029,” UFCW Local 1564 President Greg Frazier said.

Market Street Workers at the Rio Rancho Unser Boulevard location joined UFCW Local 1564 earlier this year.

Market Street is a subsidiary of Albertsons.

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Grocery Workers at Two New Mexico Locations Vote to Unionize - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

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

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

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

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

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

One year later, the Big Ugly Bill has:

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

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

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

Hotel & Gaming Trades Council Members Picketing Two Times Square Hotels

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – Union-represented Hotel Workers employed at the Fairfield by Marriott New York Manhattan Times Square and at the Four Points by Sheraton Midtown-Times Square on West 40th Street - who are calling for an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) boycott, are picketing outside the Times Square Hotels. The Workers voted to become Members of the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council (HTC) in October of 2022. Throughout years of negotiations for their first Union contract, the HTC has filed multiple charges accusing the hotel of committing unfair labor practices - including failing to bargain in good faith, discriminating against Workers because of their support for the Union, encouraging Workers to get rid of the Union, replacing Union positions with sub-contracted Workers, and more. The Workers decided to organize with HTC in 2022 because they wanted a living wage, affordable health care, safer working conditions, and fair treatment. The Hotel’s long-time workforce earns an average wage of just $20.56 per hour in housekeeping. This is $21.81 less per hour, and nearly $40,000 less per year, than a Union Housekeeper. María De Leon, a Room Attendant employed at the Fairfield New York Manhattan Times Square, said: “Management wants to keep the money to themselves while we live in poverty. I’ve worked at the Hotel for seven years and I make ($17.82) per hour. After I pay my rent, I’m left with nothing. I can’t sleep at night worrying - what am I going to do? How am I going to eat? We need the Union.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Hotel Workers | Hotel Workers Begin Picketing at Two Times Square… And Hotel and Gaming Trades Council Members Begin Picketing at Two Times Square Hotels

Photo Courtesy Of The HTC’s Facebook Page.

"This Agreement Delivers Meaningful Wage Increases And Helps Address Affordability Challenges Working People Are Facing" - The Civil Service Employees Association & New York State Reach A Five-Year Tentative Contract Agreement

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – The Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) has reached a tentative five-year contract agreement with New York State that delivers improvements in wages, benefits and workplace protections and addresses affordability challenges facing State Workers.

CSEA President Mary Sullivan said: “We applaud Governor (Kathy) Hochul’s recognition of the hard work CSEA Members provide to the State every day through this fair contract. This agreement delivers meaningful wage increases and helps address affordability challenges Working People are facing.”

The proposed agreement, which covers more than 55,000 CSEA-represented State Employees and runs through April 1st, 2031, was negotiated following months of discussions between the Union and the State.

The contract must now be reviewed and ratified by the Membership before it can take effect.

Union Leaders said the tentative agreement reflects the essential work performed by CSEA Members in agencies and facilities across New York.

Among its highlights are: Annual salary increases throughout the life of the agreement; Enhanced location pay for Workers in higher-cost regions; Paid Prenatal Leave; Improvements to health insurance benefits; and continued investment in Employee Benefits.

The agreement also includes provisions aimed at strengthening workplace protections and modernizing language to address emerging issues such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The contract also includes: Health insurance enhancements designed to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for Members and their families; No increase in Employee premium contribution rates; Several changes to Empire Plan coverage that would lower costs for routine medical services and laboratory testing; Expansion of reduced premium contribution rates to additional salary grades; Provide 20 hours of Paid Prenatal Leave each year for eligible Employees and increase the Sick Leave Accumulation Cap.

Additional provisions address seniority protections, tele-commuting, Labor-Management cooperation and workplace safety concerns.

Members would also see improvements through the CSEA Employee Benefit Fund.

If ratified, increased State contributions to the Fund would support expanded dental coverage, including new Adult Orthodontic Benefits, higher dental allowances and additional covered services.

Changes to the Prescription Drug Co-Pay Reimbursement Benefit would also make it easier for Members to receive reimbursement for eligible expenses.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Tentative agreement invests in state workers - CSEA NY

Becoming An Electrician 'Looks Smarter Now That AI Is Eating Desk Jobs'

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

April D. Lee at the Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls Press reports becoming an Electrician looks smarter as Artificial Intelligence (AI) changes office work and pushes more money into power-heavy infrastructure. The Trade offers strong pay, paid training routes and work that still requires human skill, judgment and hands-on problem-solving. A serious look at becoming an Electrician shows why the career is gaining attention: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a $62,350 median annual wage for Electricians in May 2024, with the highest 10% earning more than $106,030. The BLS also projects 9% job growth from 2024 to 2034, with about 81,000 openings each year. Interest is growing for one clear reason: The Digital World still depends on physical systems. Data Centers, renewable energy projects, EV chargers, factories, homes, hospitals and commercial buildings all need safe electrical work.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Becoming an electrician looks smarter now that AI is eating desk jobs | Coeur d'Alene Press

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As Negotiations On A New Contract Continue, 32BJ SEIU-Represented Broadway Cleaners Vote To Authorize A Strike - 'If Needed'

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

Nicole Rosky at BroadwayWorld reports more than 250 Union-represented Cleaners have voted to authorize a Strike that would impact 30 Broadway Theaters showing Tony award-winning productions like Schmigadoon, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Wicked and The Lion King. This marks the first time Broadway Cleaners have authorized a Strike in nearly two decades. Negotiations started in early June between 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Union representing the Workers, and the Broadway League, which represents employers ATG, Nederlander, Shubert and Circle in the Square. As the parties are not close to resolving the outstanding issues and the agreement has already expired, Broadway Cleaners voted to Strike if needed "to keep up with the cost of living and secure the contract that they need."

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Broadway Cleaners Union Votes to Authorize a Strike; Negotiations for New Contract Underway

Photo Courtesy The National AFL-CIO Via BroadwayWorld.

'The Bronx Needs Real Nurses, Not AI!' - NYSNA-Represented Nurses At Montefiore Hospital 'Sound The Alarm' On The Medical Facility's Plans To 'Replace Nurses With Artificial Intelligence-Powered Software'

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

(THE BRONX, NEW YORK) - Montefiore Hospital is planning to lay off real Nurses and replace them with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered software, so says the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).

NYSNA Nurses just hosted a virtual town hall with directly-impacted Nurses to discuss Montefiore’s plan, its negative impact on jobs and patient care in the Bronx, and how Health Care Practitioners and communities can fight back against untested AI in their Hospitals.

Community members and elected officials joined NYSNA Nurses at the town hall.

The Nurses use their decades of bedside experience and clinical judgement to review insurance denials and make sure patients get the care they need covered by insurance, Montefiore Hospital Nurses said. Replacing real Nurses with AI is terrible for Workers and the economy in the Bronx, NYSNA said. In the end, it could also have negative consequences for patients in the Bronx.

Registered Nurse Marilyn Shuler, a Utilization Review Nurse who is slated to be laid off after working at Montefiore for 39 years, said: “What we want from Montefiore is simple: Stop the layoffs, keep a Licensed Nurse on the final review, use AI to support us instead of replacing us, and sit down with the Nurses who actually do this work.”

Shuler is one of 12 Nurses that Montefiore intends to replace with AI-powered software.

Utilization Review Nurses read patient charts and make the case for a patient’s insurance company to cover the care a Doctor orders.

Montefiore is gambling - without evidence - that AI can do a better job.

Nurses raised concerns about the potential negative impact on patients.

If AI replaces Nurses’ clinical judgement, complicated cases may be dropped, and that means a missed diagnosis or a surgery never gets approved, NYSNA Officials said.

Nurses at the town hall also raised concerns about the company Montefiore selected.

Datavant, a Private Equity-backed Technology Company, has two partnerships with Palantir - the company U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) uses to surveil and deport Immigrants. It also has a history of data breaches.

Nurses expressed concerns about Montefiore outsourcing access to private medical records that could include Immigration status, to Datavant.

Registered Nurse Shaiju Kalathil - a NYSNA Executive Committee Member at Montefiore, said: “We are outraged about these layoffs because these dedicated Nurses are being replaced by AI. This is a violation of the contract that we recently won by going on Strike. It should also concern every Practitioner and patient who cares about the future of health care and the quality of care they receive.”

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “Artificial Intelligence should never replace real human caring from a Nurse. The (45,000) Members of NYSNA fully support this fight to protect our patients and practice from AI.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The Bronx Needs Real Nurses, Not AI! | New York State Nurses Association

'Magic!' - The Gathering Arena Developers 'Go Union,' Vote To Join The CWA

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

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has confirmed that Magic: The Gathering Arena Workers have won their Union Election to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in a landslide victory. Under the banner of United Wizards of the Coast-CWA (UWOTC-CWA), workers first filed for a vote in April and requested management voluntarily recognize them. Members have cited concerns around lack of layoff protections, threats to remote work, generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and heavy workloads as core motivators for organizing. “After months of planning, waiting and organizing, our dream is finally a reality. The votes have been counted and our Union of UWOTC-CWA has been officially elected,” the Union said in a social Media post. “From this day forward, we have a Union. ‘We stand on the shoulders of giants’ and we can only hope that our victory in turn inspires others to start Unionizing at their own workplaces. Change is possible when Workers stand together!”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Magic: The Gathering Arena devs' union officially elected, following claims Wizards of the Coast were dragging their heels on voluntary recognition | Rock Paper Shotgun

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 State Of Pennsylvania 'Invests Millions To Train' Workers For Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Industry Facility That's Slated To Open In 2031

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

A job-training model that launched North Carolina Workers straight into the Pharmaceutical Industry is coming to Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley - and could be the blueprint for landing a career at Eli Lilly and Company’s new $3.5 billion plant. The Pharmaceutical Giant is building a massive Drug Production Facility in Upper Macungie Township that’s expected to employ about 850 people when it is completed in 2031. To ensure local residents are prepared to compete for those jobs, the State awarded Lehigh Carbon Community College a $5 million grant to train Maintenance Technicians for the facility. The program bypasses traditional degree requirements, emphasizing accelerated, hands-on training instead. Apprentices learn to operate and maintain mechanical, electrical and automation systems, earning industry certifications in smart manufacturing and programmable logic controllers. LCCC will model its curriculum on Wake Technical Community College’s BioMechatronics Apprenticeship in Raleigh, North Carolina. That program, created in partnership with Eli Lilly and other Biotech Firms, pays students from the start of the program. In March, Wake Tech’s inaugural class of nine Apprentices graduated from the eight-month program and immediately transitioned into full-time roles at their respective companies, including Eli Lilly’s Concord, North Carolina Campus.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: This apprenticeship gave workers Eli Lilly jobs. Pennsylvania is next. - pennlive.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Labor Movement has been here before.

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

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

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

The National AFL-CIO '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

More Wage Theft Allegations: New York City 'Seeks To Shut Down Delivery App Over Alleged Wage Violations'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The Mamdani Administration is asking a Federal Court to block a Delivery App from operating in New York City, alleging the company paid Workers as little as $3.67 an hour in violation of the City's Minimum Wage Laws. The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) and the City's Law Department have filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction that would prohibit Patio Delivery Incorporated, which operates under the name Motoclick, from continuing to do business in the City unless it complies with the City's Delivery Worker pay requirements. The filing marks the first time DCWP has sought a preliminary injunction to enforce New York City's Delivery Worker Protections. "Paying New York Delivery Workers poverty wages is not only wrong - it's illegal," DCWP Commissioner Samuel Levine said. "DCWP is asking the Court to shut Motoclick down unless and until it comes into compliance. New York will not allow this company to continue underpaying New Yorkers.” The motion stems from a lawsuit the City filed against Motoclick in January, alleging the company systematically underpaid Workers and took fees from their earnings. According to the City, Motoclick's own reports submitted to DCWP showed Workers earning between $3.67 and $4.67 an hour in May - far below the required minimum of $22.13 an hour. The City estimates the company and its Chief Executive Officer, Juan Pablo Salinas Salek, owe Workers millions of dollars in unpaid wages.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: City seeks to shut down delivery app over alleged wage violations - The Chief

New York's Court Of Appeals 'Rules Prevailing Wage Obligations Apply Whether Contracts Say So Or Not'

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

The New York Court of Appeals has issued a significant decision in Walton v. Comfort Systems USA (Syracuse), Incorporated, answering previously unsettled certified questions from the Second Circuit with important implications for employers performing work on public projects in New York. The Court held that under Labor Law § 220, the statutory requirement to pay Prevailing Wages is incorporated into every covered public works contract by operation of law - even when the written contract is silent on the issue or expressly disclaims a Prevailing Wage obligation. New York’s Prevailing Wage requirement for public work projects has deep roots. Article I, § 17 of the New York Constitution, first adopted in 1905, declares that “[l]abor of human beings is not a commodity nor an article of commerce” and mandates Workers on public projects receive “not less than the rate of wages prevailing in the same trade or occupation in the locality.” Labor Law § 220 codifies and expands on this constitutional protection, which courts have long recognized. Walton is a significant decision for contractors and sub-contractors performing work on public projects in New York. The Court made clear employers cannot avoid Prevailing Wage liability by simply omitting - or even expressly disclaiming - Prevailing Wage Language in their contracts. If Labor Law § 220 applies to the work, the Prevailing Wage obligation becomes part of the contract by operation of law and Workers can enforce that obligation through third-party beneficiary breach of contract claims. The decision also underscores employers cannot rely on shortened contractual limitations periods to defeat Prevailing Wage claims.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: No Escape Clause: NY’s Highest Court Rules Prevailing Wage Obligations Apply Whether Contracts Say So or Not | Proskauer - Labor Relations Update - JDSupra

Members Of The Printing Packaging & Production Workers Union of North America 'Overwhelmingly Vote To Affiliate' With The International Association Of Machinists

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Members of the Printing Packaging & Production Workers Union of North America (PPPWU) have voted to affiliate with the 600,000-Member International Association of Machinists (IAM), creating the IAM/PPPWU and marking a historic new chapter for 16,000 Workers across the Printing, Packaging, Paper Converting, Graphic Communications and related Manufacturing Industries across North America.

The affiliation strengthens the resources, support, and opportunities available to IAM/PPPWU Members while preserving the Union’s Leadership, autonomy, assets, identity and proud history representing Workers in some of North America’s most essential Production Industries.

“This is a historic day for our Union and our Members,” IAM/PPPWU International President Israel Castro said. “After careful consideration and discussion across our Union, our Members have chosen a path that strengthens our future while protecting everything that makes the PPPWU unique. This affiliation gives our Members access to additional resources, training, bargaining support and opportunities for growth while ensuring our Union remains led by the Members who built it. We are proud of our history and excited about what we can accomplish together with the IAM.”

The affiliation takes effect immediately and provides IAM/PPPWU Members with access to the full resources of the IAM, including education and leadership development through the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, as well as expanded bargaining, organizing, legal, communications, safety, legislative and Strike support.

Just as importantly, the affiliation preserves the identity and structure of the PPPWU.

The Union’s Leadership remains in place, its assets remain under its control and its Members will continue to be represented by the Leaders and Local Unions they know and trust, IAM/PPPWU Officials said.

The partnership also creates new opportunities for the IAM and IAM/PPPWU to coordinate efforts at common employers, strengthen bargaining power, and build Worker Power across industries where both Unions have long fought for better jobs, stronger contracts and greater respect on the job.

To Access This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: PPPWU Members Overwhelmingly Vote to Join Strengthening IAM Union, Become IAM/PPPWU - IAM Union

Introducing Young People To A Lifelong Career In The Building Trades: 25 Las Vegas-Area Teens Graduate From The 'Heavy Metal Summer Experience Skilled Trades Program'

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

Warren Tennyson at KSNV-TV in Las Vegas reports 25 Southern Nevada teenagers are a step closer to careers in the Skilled Trades after completing this year’s Heavy Metal Summer Experience, a week-long, hands-on Training Program for youth age 15 to 19. The program, now in its third year, selected 25 students from a total of 119 applicants. Over five days, participants took part in welding and fabrication training, equipment demonstrations and job-site instruction while being introduced to some of the region’s fastest-growing career opportunities. The students worked alongside Skilled Professionals, toured Apprenticeship Facilities and learned what it takes to build careers in Construction and the Mechanical Trades. The program drew more than 100 applications for 25 spots, reflecting growing interest in high-demand careers that can’t easily be replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Organizers add that the participants leave the program with a clearer understanding of Apprenticeship opportunities and the many rewarding careers available in the Skilled Trades.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: 25 Las Vegas-area teens graduate from Heavy Metal Summer skilled trades program

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

O: Organize new labor strongholds led by Workers.

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

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

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

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

We are in the fight of our lives.

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

Let’s get this done.

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.

Luxury NYC Clothing Brand Salon 1884 Indicted For Wage Theft, Worker Exploitation - 'Allegedly Forced Employees to Work Long Hours While Stealing Up to $54,000'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The owner of Luxury Clothing Brand Salon 1884 was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for allegedly forcing Employees to work long hours while stealing up to $54,000 of wages.

Andrea Marshal, 44, has been charged with one count of grand larceny, one count of scheming to defraud, one count of effect of failure to secure compensation, and five counts of failure to pay wages in accordance with Labor Law.

Marshal allegedly stole 924 hours of time worked from nine Workers.

Employees worked consecutive overnight shifts, Bragg alleged, with Seamstresses in the Company's 39th Street Warehouse working more than 40 hours a week, including shifts that lasted between 12 and 17 hours.

In at least two instances, Bragg alleged, Employees worked more than 100 hours in one week.

“As alleged, Andrea Marshall, the owner of Salon 1884, exploited and stole approximately ($54,000) in wages from her Employees while selling luxury garments," Bragg said. “She preyed on the significant power imbalance of her Employees who relied on the promised wages for housing and basic living expenses, feared retaliation and lacked the financial resources to pursue legal recourse. Hard-working New Yorkers deserve every dollar they earn."

Marshall directly controlled her Employees by setting their schedules, overseeing their punch-ins and punch-outs as well as determining their rates of pay, Prosecutors allege.

She paid Workers through Zelle, checks or cash, but delayed Workers' payments after their work had already been completed.

Prosecutors allege, at times, Marshall offered clothing in lieu of wages and proposed partial payment plans that she did not honor.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Luxury clothing brand owner indicted for wage theft, worker exploitation - The Chief

NYSNA-Represented UVM-Alice Hyde Medical Center Nurses In Malone 'Overwhelmingly Ratify' New Contract Agreement

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

(MALONE, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses employed at the University of Vermont (UVM)-Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new four-year contract.

This victory comes after months at the bargaining table and a late-night bargaining session on June 17th when Nurses reached a tentative contract agreement.

Highlights of the contract include: Maintained health benefits; Fair wages to help recruit and retain Nurses for safe staffing, including yearly wage increases of 3%; Additional pay incentives to maintain safe staffing and encourage Nurse retention and education; Improved protections against workplace violence; New protections against Artificial Intelligence (AI); and Increased notification in the event of a layoff.

UVM-Alice Hyde Registered Nurse Kim Bouvier-Barnes said: “NYSNA Nurses at UVM-Alice Hyde work hard to care for our community and ensure they receive the best care possible. This contract will help us deliver on that commitment. We’re proud of our Members for staying united and advocating for a contract that will help us protect patient care and retain experienced Nurses.”

NYSNA Nurses are united across the North Country and are fighting to improve care for their communities.

NYSNA Nurses at UVM-Elizabethtown Community Hospital settled a new contract on March 31st that included entrance into the NYSNA Benefit Fund, which will deliver better and more affordable health benefits to Nurses and their families.

Now that UVM-Alice Hyde Nurses have settled their contract, UVM-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) is the only New York Hospital in the UVM Health System that has yet to settle a fair contract with its Nurses and Health Care Workers.

UVM-CVPH Nurses and Health Care Professionals recently spoken out for safe staffing and held an informational picket in front of the Hospital to demand a fair contract with safe staffing, good health benefits, and protections against workplace violence, AI and layoffs.

UVM recently announced system-wide layoffs that impact five NYSNA Members at CVPH, including Registered Nurses at the Adirondack Blood Donor Center, which UVM is threatening to close, further eroding health care services in the North Country.

NYSNA Members at CVPH and community and patient advocates in the Plattsburgh area are planning a speak-out to ensure the Center, which provides 95% of the blood supply to North Country hospitals, stays open.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “North Country Nurses are leading the way in winning great contracts that protect quality patient care and deliver good Union jobs and good family-sustaining health benefits. NYSNA is proud of our Members’ fierce patient advocacy and will continue to support the fight to preserve access to quality care in every corner of the State.”

NYSNA, which represents 45,000 Members in the State, is New York’s largest Union and Professional Association for Registered Nurses.

NYSNA is an Affiliate of National Nurses United, the country's largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of Registered Nurses, with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: UVM-Alice Hyde Medical Center Nurses Overwhelmingly Ratify New Contract Agreement | New York State Nurses Association

Editorial Staff Employed At Ocean State Media In Rhode Island 'Goes Union' With SAG-AFTRA

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

Editorial Staff at Ocean State Media (OSM) - Rhode Island’s joint NPR and PBS organization, have decisively voted to form a Union with Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Hosts, Reporters and Producers at the News Outlet delivered a petition to management last month declaring their intent to organize. In a petition to leadership, Staff said: “At a time of unprecedented challenges for Public Media and Journalism in general, we seek a more active role in decision-making about the organization and the future of our work. We approach this process in a spirit of collaboration and professionalism, hoping we can work together to ensure OSM is always a place where people are excited to build a great career in Journalism and Broadcasting. We truly believe in the mission of Ocean State Media and our goal is the realization of our organization’s ideals.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Ocean State Media, Rhode Island’s NPR and PBS organization, has voted to unionize | New England Public Media And Ocean State Media Petition | SAG-AFTRA

'AI Boom Needs 130,000 More' Electricians, But The Six-Figure Trades Jobs' Come With A Catch - Most Data Center Construction Jobs End When The Build Does'

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

Eloise Jones at Tech Times reports Fortune Magazine just republished its deep-dive on AI (Artificial Intelligence) infrastructure labor and the updated numbers hit harder than the original: the U.S. needs hundreds of thousands of Electricians, Plumbers and Construction Workers to build the data centers that make AI run - and it does not have them. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has made that argument and a Fortune commentary from former U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss puts the stakes plainly: The race for AI leadership against China may not be decided in a chip lab, but on a job site, by whoever has enough licensed Electricians to string the wire. And the labor gap is not a future risk. A March 2026 analysis by Staffing Firm Randstad of more than 150 million U.S. job postings from 2022 through 2026 found that demand for skilled Trades Workers grew 27% over four years - outpacing the overall Labor Market by 11 percentage points - and Desk-Based Professional roles by 19 points. Robotics Technician vacancies climbed 113% in the U.S. during that period. Electrician openings grew 18%, construction roles rose 30% and across the country, the shortfall of people qualified to fill those jobs is already stalling billion-dollar projects. The standard framing - "AI needs more Construction Workers" - undersells what is actually required. A hyperscale AI Data Center is not a warehouse or an office building. It is a purpose-built electrical facility whose complexity has no comparable precedent in commercial construction.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: AI Boom Needs 130,000 More Electricians: Six-Figure Trades Jobs Come With a Catch

IBEW File Photo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Raise A Fist And A Glass:' Liquor Store Workers In Indiana Join The UFCW

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

(BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA) - Workers employed at the Big Red Liquors Store on West 17th in Bloomington, Indiana have joined United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 700, marking the first Big Red Liquors Unit to join the UFCW.

The Workers - who stock the shelves, back fill the coolers, run registers and clean the store, joined the UFCW over concerns involving insufficient working conditions, including cuts to work hours, and the want for better wages and benefits that come with a Union contract.

The Organizing Campaign focused on building solid relationships with the Workers.

The UFCW Local 700 Organizers consistently followed up with the Workers about workplace conditions and also checked in on them personally, demonstrating the Union genuinely cared about them.

The Organizers also prepared workers for the company’s Union-Busting tactics ahead of time so they would be ready once the Anti-Union efforts began.

“After watching, not just our location, but all the Bloomington locations cut hours and then proceed to do better in yearly sales over the prior year, we were hoping for a positive reaction,” said Justin Fisher, who works at the Big Red Liquors Store. “However, not one person received an increase for store hours, despite being told as an incentive to perform better sales than the year before would get us more help. We upheld our end of the agreement - but feel the company did not. We decided it was time to organize and get a Union contract.”

UFCW Local 700 President Tracy Bartak said: “UFCW Local (700) is excited the Workers at this Big Red Liquors location chose us as their Union. We look forward to working with them to secure a first contract. No matter the industry in which you work, UFCW Local (700) is committed to fighting for better working conditions and a better life for our Members.”

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Liquor Store Workers in Indiana Join Local 700 - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

Photo Courtesy Of The UFCW.

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

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

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

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

'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

Here Are 12 'Boring' Trade Jobs 'That Are Desperate for Workers' & That 'Pay $60,000 Or More A Year

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

Nobody grows up dreaming of spending their career fixing boilers or pulling wire through conduit, but a lot of people are leaving serious money on the table by overlooking those jobs - money that could be used to grow your wealth instead of servicing student loan debt. A persistent shortage of Skilled Trade Workers has pushed wages in some of the least glamorous corners of the labor market well past what many office jobs pay. The Trades on this list don't get a lot of attention in high school guidance offices, but they come with something more useful than prestige: Wages that outpace many jobs requiring a four-year degree, genuine job security and entry paths that start with an Apprenticeship rather than a tuition bill. A solid Trade income can put you on track for retirement without the financial head start that a college salary supposedly provides. The shortage of trained Tradespeople is real and it means employers are actively competing for Workers who are willing to learn a technical skill and show up reliably. That's a better position than most job markets put you in. The 12 careers all come with median salaries of at least $60,000 a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - and most can be entered through an Apprenticeship or technical program rather than a four-year degree.

Click This Link To Learn What Those 12 Careers Are: 12 'Boring' Trade Jobs That Are Desperate for Workers Paying $60,000 or More a Year - AOL

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

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

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

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

New York State Nurses Association File Photo.

"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.

After New York City Carriage Horse's Death, The Transit Workers Union Says Carriage Drivers Face Threats & Anti-Immigrant Harassment As The TWU 'Battles Against A Bill To Shut Down' The Carriages

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - The death of Deniz, a carriage horse that collapsed and died in Central Park, has reignited debate over New York City's Horse-Carriage Industry. But for the Carriage Drivers represented by Transit Workers Union (TWU) Local 100, the days following the horse's death have also brought a wave of threats, harassment and anti-Immigrant attacks on-line. Deniz died on June 9th after collapsing while carrying two passengers through Central Park. The horse's cause of death has not yet been determined - and a full necropsy is being conducted at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. According to TWU Local 100, Deniz had last been examined by a NYPD Veterinarian in March and was deemed fit for work. The death of an 18-year-old tourist following a horse-drawn carriage accident in Central Park has intensified calls from Animal Welfare Advocates to ban the industry - but the Union representing Carriage Drivers says the tragedy underscores the need for stronger safety measures, rather than eliminating hundreds of Carriage Driver jobs.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Tourist's death intensifies debate over future of horse-drawn carriages - The Chief

In New York City, Unionized Caregivers 'Demand A Fair Contract That Covers 86,000 Workers Before September 30th Expiration'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Thousands of Health Care Workers rallied near City Hall in Foley Square, urging the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes of New York to reach a new contract covering 86,000 Service Employees International (SEIU) Union Local 1199 members who are employed at Hospitals and Nursing Homes across New York.

The Workers - Registered Nurses, Emergency Medical Technicians, Certified Nursing Assistants, Social Workers, Housekeepers, Technicians, Dietary Staff and other Front-Line Caregivers - filled the plaza in a sea of purple shirts and signs that read: "Care Lives Here, But We Can't Afford To," as negotiations continue ahead of the current contract's September 30th expiration.

"There is no health care without workers," Local 1199 President Yvonne Armstrong told the crowd. "We will not be taken for granted or disrespected. Every Health Care Worker should be able to afford to live in the communities we serve."

Armstrong said Health Care Workers kept New York's Hospitals and Nursing Homes operating through the COVID-19 Pandemic and continue to provide essential care every day, arguing employers must invest in the workforce that makes patient care possible.

"We are united, we are organized and we are ready to fight to win health care justice," she said.

The contract covers 86,000 Workers employed at 90 Hospitals and Nursing Homes across New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley, including facilities operated by Montefiore, Mount Sinai, Northwell Health, NewYork-Presbyterian and NYU Langone.

According to the Union, negotiations began on May 28th and management has rejected the Bargaining Committee's economic proposals.

Union Leaders say their "floor" for wage increases is 5% annually, while also seeking to preserve employer-paid health insurance and pensions, strengthen safe staffing enforcement, establish job security protections related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and expand workplace violence safeguards.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Healthcare workers demand fair contract before Sept. 30 expiration - The Chief

Staffers At The Catapult Book Group In Brooklyn 'Go Union' With The UAW

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

(BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) - An overwhelming majority of Workers employed at the Catapult Book Group have voted to join United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2110 via a Union Election with the National Labor Relations Board. The Catapult Workers Collective, which encompasses around 20 Staffers spanning Editorial, Design, Marketing, Publicity, Production, Operations and rights at the Brooklyn-based publisher expressed excitement to begin the collective bargaining process. In an announcement, Staffers cited "job security, wages and a need for greater transparency from company leadership as reasons for Unionizing." UAW Local 2110 also represents Workers employed at HarperCollins Publishers and the New Press. “Publishing Workers deserve a contract,” Senior Production Editor Laura Berry said. “It’s not sustainable to depend on good intentions when it comes to our livelihood and a Union can protect the conditions of our employment during a time of political hostility against books.” The Catapult Book Group, founded in 2015, encompasses the imprints Catapult, Counterpoint, Soft Skull and, since last Fall, Hawthorne Books.

For More Background On This Organizing Effort, Go To: Catapult Employees Move to Unionize

'Trading Summer Break For Hands-On Learning' In Agriculture - University Program Provides Education, Workforce Development & Farmer 'Training Opportunities For Students & Agricultural Producers'

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

University Training Programs are helping build Nevada’s next generation of Agricultural Professionals and Farm Operators. While some Students are basking at the beach this Summer, others, such as University of Nevada, Reno Student Wyatt Diaz, are choosing to toil in the soil. Diaz is working at the University’s Desert Farming Initiative as part of the Student Summer Farm Crew. “I wanted to spend my Summer working at the farm because it’s giving me a real hands-on experience in the kind of work I want to do in my career and I am able to apply my education to the real world,” said Diaz, an Agricultural Science Student. “My goal is to one day own and operate a farm.” Diaz and the rest of the Student crew will be harvesting crops, managing irrigation systems and gaining hands-on experience in Northern Nevada agriculture. The program, part of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources’ Experiment Station Unit, is expanding applied training in organic fruit and vegetable production as Nevada’s Agricultural Industry faces workforce shortages. Besides the Student Summer Farm Crew, the Initiative has hosted more than 25 Student Interns since 2019 through Academic Internships providing immersive, work-based learning in diversified Organic Production Systems. Students in these internships, as well as those in the paid Farm Crew positions, gain experience alongside Staff on hoop house production, field crops, orchard management and plant propagation.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training News Story, Go To: Trading summer break for hands-on learning in agriculture | University of Nevada, Reno

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

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

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

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

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

The 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

Editorial Workers Employed At New York's Schneps Media 'Launch Union'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – An overwhelming majority of eligible Staff at Schneps Media Network of hyperlocal news outlets spanning New York City and Long Island have announced the creation of a Union to secure competitive wages, sustainable working conditions and strengthen the news organization’s mission of providing objective local Journalism in the public interest.

With a team of about 30 across its Editorial Department, Schneps has taken on an increasingly critical role in the New York City and Long Island media landscape as part of its community-focused coverage of the Greater New York area.

The Publisher’s New York City footprint extends through five Boroughs – including: amNY, amNY Law, The Brooklyn Paper, The Bronx Times, Brownstoner, QNS, Noticias, New York Family, Staten Island Parent and Caribbean Life.

On Long Island, its outlets include the Long Island Press and Dan’s Papers.

The Schneps Media Union is joining with the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (IAPE), Local 1096 of The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Guild Locals represent nearly 6,000 Media Workers in the Greater New York area.

The Schneps Media Union has asked Josh and Victoria Schneps, the CEO/Publisher of Schneps Media, to voluntarily recognize the Union so both parties can quickly begin negotiating in good faith toward improved working conditions.

The request follows a decision by 81% of eligible Staffers to sign a mission statement and 85% Union Authorization Cards, clearly demonstrating their desire for representation.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Editorial workers at New York’s Schneps Media launch union | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

With An 'Expired' Contract & Hospital Management 'Proposing Outrageous and Unsafe' Staffing Standards, NYSNA-Represented Putnam Hospital Nurses 'Speak Out For Safe Staffing And A Fair Agreement'

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

(CARMEL, NEW YORK) - Approximately 200 New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses employed at Northwell/ Putnam Hospital are fighting for a fair contract that delivers safe staffing for quality patient care.

Safe staffing is a priority for Putnam Nurses who often work short-staffed, NYSNA said.

For example, in December 2025, Nurses working in the Hospital’s two Medical Surgical Units started their shift understaffed nearly half the time, the Union said.

The Hospital is fighting against having enforceable Safe Staffing Standards in the contract and proposing to make standards even less safe in State Law.

During a Staffing Committee meeting that took place on June 11th, Hospital Executives proposed making Nurse Staffing in their State Staffing Plan, enforceable by the New York State Department of Health, less safe, Union Officials said - proposing an outrageous and unsafe 1-Nurse-to-8-patients standard in Medical/Surgical Units.

The widely recognized Safe Staffing Standard in Med/Surg Units is 1:5.

Putnam’s current standard is 1:6.

Most Hospitals in New York state set their standards at 1:5 or 1:6.

Meanwhile, the Nurses’ contract expired on December 31st, 2025.

Registered Nurse Nicole Cadella, who serves as President of the NYSNA Local Bargaining Unit at Northwell/ Putnam Hospital, said: “I live in this community, and my parents and I have been patients at Putnam. I want this Hospital to be the best it can be, but it can’t be the best if it is understaffed. On our main Hospital floors - the Medical/Surgical Units, Nurses sometimes have eight patients each, when the safe standard is five or six. I just imagine my father in that Hospital bed.”

Nurses believe Northwell Health, the largest private employer in the State and one of the wealthiest Health Care Systems, can well afford to safely staff Putnam Hospital - and put it in writing.

Northwell’s resistance to basic safety standards is raising concerns among Nurses about what other changes Northwell may make now that they have taken over the small Community Hospital, NYSNA said.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “Northwell should be ashamed that after acquiring a small Community Hospital - and the only Hospital in Putnam Country - they are now trying to lower Safety Standards for Nurses and patients. We know they have the resources to staff safely and deliver the quality care this community deserves.”

NYSNA, which represents 45,000 Members across New York, is the State’s largest Union and Professional Association for Registered Nurses.

NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the country's largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of Registered Nurses, with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Putnam Hospital Nurses Speak Out for Safe Staffing and a Fair Contract | New York State Nurses Association

Photo Courtesy Of NYSNA’s Facebook Page.

CPC Logistics Workers In Missouri 'Go Union,' Join The Teamsters

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

(JACKSON, MISSOURI) – Drivers employed at CPC Logistics in Missouri have voted to join Teamsters Local 600. The 49 Workers distribute cargo for Proctor & Gamble and other companies throughout the Midwest. “CPC Workers overcame a vicious Anti-Union Campaign by uniting for better wages, benefits and job security,” Local 600 President John Kelting said. “These brave Men and women have already demonstrated that they’re not afraid to do whatever it takes to get a first contract, so we look forward to negotiations.” Teamsters already represent CPC Logistics workers in California, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas. The organizing victory in Jackson builds upon the momentum of CPC Drivers who joined Teamsters Local 179 earlier this year. “There are thousands of people in logistics who are doing the exact same work as us, but are better off because of their Teamsters contract,” said Jeremy McDonald, Local 600’s Shop Steward for CPC Jackson. “We deserve what Teamsters have - the best jobs in the trucking - and that’s what we’re going to get.” Teamsters Local 600 represents Workers in the Beverage, Dairy, Freight and Hospitality Industries throughout Eastern Missouri.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: CPC Logistics Workers Join Teamsters Local 600 - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Apprenticeships 'Help South Bend, Indiana Grow Its Own Teachers During Shortage'

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

Rayleigh Deaton at The South Bend Tribune reports that at 57 years old, Traci Nagy is going back to school. Nagy is in her first year of the Teacher Apprentice Program at South Bend Schools, which allows participants to earn their teaching degree on-line while working in a South Bend Community School Corporation (SBCSC) classroom. In Nagy's case, she teaches Fourth Grade at Nuner Fine Arts Academy, and, she said, the program has been a good fit for her now that she's an empty nester. Nagy and Apprentice Teachers like her are part of a program that SBCSC says addresses, and hopefully helps counteract, the Teacher shortage seen in schools across Indiana. The District also says the program will decrease the number of Teachers holding Emergency Permits (EPs) - a group that officials say currently accounts for roughly 10-15% of the total teaching population at SBCSC. Jessica Hoover works as SBCSC's Teacher Mentor Facilitator, overseeing initiatives like the District's Apprentice Teacher Program. She said the program was designed to address the teacher shortage, creating opportunities for people who "want to be a teacher, but they don't know where to start."

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Apprenticeships help South Bend grow its own teachers during shortage

The Niagara-Orleans AFL-CIO Labor Council's 2026 'Labor's Night At The Races' Fundraiser To Support The United Way Of Greater Niagara 'Tallies Nearly $24,000'

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

(RANSOMVILLE, NEW YORK) – The Niagara-Orleans AFL-CIO Central Labor Council’s 2026 Labor’s Night at the Races fundraiser that’s held annually to support the United Way of Greater Niagara at Ransomville Speedway raised nearly $24,000.

Labor Representatives said more than 900 tickets were sold for the event and the dollars raised will help the United Way of Greater Niagara carry out its mission to continue offering an array of youth development programs throughout Niagara County and the City of Tonawanda.

Labor Council President Jim Briggs told WNYLaborToday.com: “It’s testament to our (individual Union) Affiliates. They and their Members ‘are doing good so they believe others should do good and this event supports that belief.’ ‘And it also happens because of those people who get the work done.’ ‘So many’ of our Locals ‘came out to make it such a great event, including a lot of young Members who get the chance to learn what Organized Labor does.’ ‘Their participation is just nothing more than a plus.’”

Since its inception, Labor's Night at the Races has raised more than $241,000 in support of the non-profit United Way Greater Niagara, which invests in foundational youth programming and critical community initiatives throughout Niagara County and the City of Tonawanda, helping improve lives and strengthen local communities.

New at Labor’s Night at the Races 2026 was a gift card raffle to benefit the Labor Council's Union Polar Plunge team, which supports Special Olympics New York. It raised $2,005, providing an early boost toward the team's fundraising efforts ahead of the Union Polar Plunge that is scheduled for early December.

And this year’s Labor’s Night at the Races drew one of the largest crowds in the event’s history, serving nearly 900 chicken dinners throughout the evening before those in attendance headed to the stands to watch the dirt-track racing.

From setting up tables and hundreds of chairs, to operating a well-oiled food assembly line, taking tickets, distributing beverages, managing clean-up efforts and everything in between, each volunteer from a variety of Labor Affiliates, Friends of Labor and the United Way played a vital role in creating an unforgettable evening, Union Officials said.

Special recognition went out to Iron Workers Local 9, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Locals 237 and 2104, United Auto Workers (UAW) Locals 686 and 2571, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 9434 and 277, USW District 4 Staff, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1115, and the Wilson Teachers’ Association.

And, the Labor Council extended its sincere appreciation to presenting sponsor Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, as well as the event’s associate sponsors: The Law Firm of Lewis & Lewis; The Maxwell Murphy Law Firm; USW District 4, IBEW Local 2104, and Niagara Falls Redevelopment LLC.

The Labor Council also thanked Ransomville Speedway for its continued partnership in hosting this annual tradition - and to Chiavetta's for once again providing the outstanding chicken dinner that has become a hallmark of the event.

"Labor ‘has a long and proud tradition of giving back to the communities where our Members live and work,’" Labor Council President Briggs said. "Labor's Night at the Races ‘is a shining example of the core values of the Labor Movement - solidarity, service, and community.’"

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

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

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

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

The PCSA would:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nurses Employed At St. Mary's Hospital In Madison 'Go Union' With SEIU, Making It The 'Largest' Union Election In Wisconsin 'In At Least A Quarter Century'

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

(MADISON, WISCONSIN) - Nurses employed at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison have voted for Union Representation in what was the largest National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Representation Election in Wisconsin in at least a quarter century. According to a vote tally from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Wisconsin, 511 St. Mary's Nurses voted yes while 63 voted no - an 89% majority in favor of Unionizing. A total of 754 Nurses were eligible to vote, according to the Union. St. Mary's, which is part of the St. Louis-based non-profit chain SSM Health, had campaigned against the Unionization effort. Union supporters said in interviews that concerns Nurses had raised about procedures, staffing and compensation had not received an adequate response from SSM Health management. "The landslide election is part of a growing national trend of Health Care Professionals - including Nurses, Doctors and others - organizing Unions to have a strong voice in improving patient care, staffing and retention," SEIU Wisconsin stated in a press release issued after the election.

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: St. Mary’s hospital nurses choose union representation in NLRB election

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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.

New York City Amazon Driver 'Fired Over Pro-Union' Social Media Posts

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

Claudia Irizarry Aponte at The City Reporter reports that for more than a year, Esly Paredes shared regular dispatches of her life as a Delivery Driver for Amazon to her small following on TikTok - dishing on her preferred lunch spots and fashion scores among hundreds of videos of herself hauling packages and killing time between shifts. In one post in late April - filmed, like many of her videos, in full uniform inside a parked Amazon truck - a man she describes as her boss smiles and waves at the camera. Paredes said her bosses never raised any issues about her fledgling Social Media presence. That is, until she posted a series of videos supporting a City Council Bill fiercely opposed by Amazon and a consortium of groups representing the company’s sub-contractors. Paredes was fired in late May for violating her employer’s solicitation and Social Media policies, according to a copy of her termination letter obtained by The City Reporter, a charge she says violates her Free Speech Rights. She filed a formal complaint to the National Labor Relations Board with the help of the Teamsters, which has been organizing Amazon Delivery Drivers in New York and California for the last several years. “They thought I would stay quiet and they thought that by firing me they would silence me,” Paredes, a 31-year-old single Mother from Jamaica, Queens, said in Spanish. “But I’m raising my voice, speaking out in my videos even more to explain to fellow Drivers why these protections are necessary.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: NYC Amazon Driver Fired Over Pro-Union Social Media Posts | THE CITY — NYC News

"New York's Students And Public Schools Deserve Better Than This Kind Of Maneuvering, (We) Will Not Stand By While Bad Actors Try To Rewrite The Rules To Suit Themselves" - NYSUT & The UFT 'Charge SUNY With Violating The State Charter Cap'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – The New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) have filed a legal challenge to stop a scheme by Success Academy Charter Schools and the State University of New York’s Charter School Committee that attempts to circumvent the State’s Charter Cap.

The petition, filed in New York County Supreme Court, charges the State University of New York’s (SUNY) Charter School Committee illegally approved the "transfer" of a Success Academy Charter in the Bronx to a brand-new entity called Strive Charter School - even though New York City has already reached its statutory cap on Charter Schools and State law does not allow for the transfer of an existing Charter to a new entity.

Strive's founder, Eric Grannis, is the husband of Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz.

SUNY approved the transfer over the explicit objections of the New York State Board of Regents, which found the action was likely illegal and recommended it be abandoned.

While Strive received approval from SUNY, there is no evidence that it completed any of the competitive application requirements that State law mandates for each new Charter School, including community outreach, public hearings and demonstration of demand.

The petition seeks to void the transfer and prevent Strive from opening.

NYSUT President Melinda Person said: "New York's students and Public Schools deserve better than this kind of maneuvering and NYSUT will not stand by while bad actors try to rewrite the rules to suit themselves. This is yet another example of SUNY’s Charter approval process being used to sidestep State law - something NYSUT has already challenged in State Court and will continue to confront as long as we must.”

UFT President Michael Mulgrew said: "Success Academy has to follow the law. Clearly, they are trying to go around the Charter cap, but that's not how this works. Charter Schools drain resources from District Public Schools - and the cap was created to minimize harm."

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: NYSUT, UFT charge the State University of New York violated state charter cap

USA Truck Announces New Military Apprenticeship Program To Support Transitioning Service Members & Veterans - Program Provides Paid Training, Mentorship & A Pathway To Long-Term Success In The Transportation Industry

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

(VAN BUREN, ARKANSAS) -USA Truck has launched a new Military Apprenticeship Program, an initiative designed to provide robust civilian career pathways for personnel transitioning out of active-duty military service.

The comprehensive, two-year career track specifically targets high-demand roles for Professional Drivers and Diesel Technicians.

Through this initiative, eligible transitioning Service Members can seamlessly enter the civilian workforce without sacrificing financial stability during their transition.

A key benefit of the program is its unique dual-income structure.

Participants will be eligible to receive their full Military Housing Allowance (MHA) stipend, typically valued at $1,600 per month, directly from the military while simultaneously earning their full standard compensation and pay from USA Truck.

This dual support system ensures Veterans and their families remain financially secure during their critical first 24 months of civilian employment.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: USA Truck Announces New Military Apprenticeship Program to Support Transitioning Service Members and Veterans

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

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

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

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

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

State, Tribal and Territorial Governments are eligible to apply.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Municipal Union 'Demands' NYC Hall 'Release Pay Disparity Report Amid Affordability Crisis' - Most Recent City Pay Disparity Report, Released In 2024, 'Showed City Workers Of Color Were Paid 84 Cents For Every $1 Paid To White City Employees'

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

Amir Khafagy at Documented reports New Yorkers continue to struggle with an affordability crisis and the City’s Municipal Workers are no exception. Now, one Union is calling on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to finally release a report that could give better insight into pay disparity among City Workers. Since 2019, the Mayor’s Office has been legally required to publish an annual Pay Disparity Report that breaks down compensation across City Agencies by race and gender. The last time the report was released was in 2024, which compiled City data from 2020, 2021 and 2022. Since taking office in January, Mamdani has yet to release a Pay Disparity Report. Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1180 Secretary-Treasurer Robin Blair-Batte told Documented she was disappointed the Mayor hadn’t yet released the annual report, after former Mayor Eric Adams skipped the previous year. “It’s important because it affects a lot of our Members and most of our Members are Minorities and Women,” she said. The report’s release would highlight the fiscal struggles of the Union’s more than 9,000 City Employee Members, Blair-Batte said. The CWA’s Members serve as the backbone of the City’s bureaucratic infrastructure. Several Members, many of whom are Caribbean and Hispanic Women of Color, deal directly with the public, working across various Municipal Agencies in Administrative roles - such as Health and Hospitals, Board of Education, Housing, Transit and the School Construction Authority.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Municipal Union Demands City Hall Release Pay Disparity Report

Dairy Workers 'Rally Behind Bill To Fight Exploitation At New York Farms' - The State 'Has The Fifth Largest Dairy Industry In The Country And Its Farm Workers Say They Face Fear, Exploitation Lost & Wages'

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

Austyn Gaffney and Anna Watts at Documented report: Lazaro, a 67-year-old Dairy Worker in New York, has hopped between 20 different farms in the 12 years he’s been in the United States. But his work on a Dairy Farm in Western New York this Fall was the worst he’s experienced, he said. Eighteen people shared one house. He was paid the legal minimum wage of $15.50 an hour, but he worked about 70 hours a week and wasn’t given overtime pay. In the Winter, he switched farms - and now works 52 hours a week at $16 an hour - the State’s current minimum wage. He also shares a home with 12 other people. He said the lower hours are better because working too much negatively impacts his health. Like many of the Dairy Workers in New York who spoke with Documented for this article, Lazaro does not have legal status. They are part of the labor force powering the State’s $3.9 billion dairy industry, the fifth largest in the country. For years, this workforce has been trying to Unionize to address what they see as rampant mistreatment in the industry, but under the second Trump Administration, fear and suspicion have become more constant in the lives of Immigrant Dairy Workers, hampering local efforts. Now, Lazaro and other Farm Workers have pivoted to rally around the New York For All Act, proposed State legislation meant to protect Immigrants without permanent legal status, including Farm and Food Workers, from Immigration Enforcement, which detained dozens since January 2025, including raids at a Confectionery and a large-scale Vegetable Farm. The Bill hasn’t moved out of Committee. “I have that fear that follows you everywhere of not knowing whether Immigration is going to come,” said Lazaro, who was one of about 10 Farm Workers who traveled to Albany in March to rally in support of the Bill, holding up a sign and demonstrating near the Capital. He asked to only use his first name only for fear of Immigration Enforcement.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Immigrant Dairy Workers Rally to Fight Mistreatment at N.Y. Farms

Schnellecke Logistics Workers In Tennessee 'Go Union,' Join The UAW

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

(CHATTANOOGA, TENNESEE) - Workers employed at Schnellecke Logistics voted 2-to-1 in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Election to form a Union with the United Auto Workers (UAW).

The final vote count was 183-to-91.

Schnellecke Logistics Workers provide all materials handling for the Volkswagen Assembly Plant in Chattanooga.

“Today history was made and we are very grateful for this,” said Quincy Quarles, a Forklift Driver for Schnellecke Logistics.

Schnellecke Workers began organizing their Union after they saw the historic and life-changing contract won by VW Workers earlier this year.

They overcame a strong Anti-Union Campaign from the company and outside Anti-Union consultants in the final weeks before the election.

Workers were motivated to organize their Union due to a persistent lack of raises, disrespect and favoritism from management, and being forced to switch to lower-paying jobs.

“I’m so happy that we got our Union voted in so we can have a better quality of life for workers in this company,” said David Minshew, East Dock Put Away Driver.

UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith said: “Schnellecke Logistics Workers voted to join their Brothers and Sisters in UAW Local (42). They watched VW Workers organize their Union and win their first contract, and they decided they wanted that for themselves.”

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Schnellecke Logistics Workers in Chattanooga Vote to Join the UAW - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America

Rowan University & Finishing Trades Institute Of DC 14 Chicago Expand Degree Pathways For Union Apprentices

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

(BERKELEY, ILLINOIS) - Rowan University and Finishing Trades Institute of District Council (DC) 14 Chicago (FTICHI) have formalized a new academic partnership during a ceremonial signing ceremony at FTICHI’s Training Center in Berkeley, Illinois that creates a new educational pathway for Union Apprentices to earn a college degree in Construction Management by recognizing Apprenticeship training as college-level learning.

Members who complete the Painters’ Union’s FTICHI’s Commercial Painting, Drywall Finishing and Industrial Painting Apprenticeships will earn credits toward Rowan’s nationally-ranked Construction Management Programs offered through the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering.

Designed around the realities of Union Members’ schedules, the program offers fully on-line classes for self-paced learning.

“Today’s workforce needs education models that are adaptable, career-focused and aligned with real industry demands,” said Mina Saleeb, who serves as Director of Construction and Engineering Management at Rowan. “By combining industry training with academic pathways, we’re creating stronger outcomes for Employees and the communities they serve.”

Credits can be applied to the Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, Master of Engineering Management and Construction Management Certificates in project management and leadership, providing FTICHI Members with a flexible route to a degree without leaving the field.

Daniel Penski, Jr., who serves as Director of Training and Apprenticeship for FTICHI, said: “Agreements like this promote growth from within, cultivating the next leaders of our industry. When our Apprentices, past and present, have an opportunity to reach their full potential, it is the priority of our institution to ensure they have all avenues available to them to maximize that - whether that be through certifications, skills training, or now, a path to a degree.”

Programs like this strengthen pathways from Building Trades to higher education while affirming the academic rigor of Union Training Programs and strengthening career mobility across the Building Trades.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Rowan and Finishing Trades Institute of DC 14 Chicago expand degree pathways for union apprentices | Rowan Today | Rowan University

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

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

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

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

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

In New York City, Workers Employed At A Leading Asian American Pacific Islander Advocacy Organization Win Voluntary Union Recognition

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers employed at a local Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Advocacy Organization - the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), have demanded voluntary recognition of their Union: CACF Workers United (CACF WU).

The organization is led by Co-Executive Directors, Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung.

CACF’s Board of Directors includes Art Chang, who ran for New York City Mayor in 2021.

The mission of CACF, which supports more than 90 member organizations, is “to advocate for equity and opportunity for marginalized AAPI children and families.”

This May, the organization helped secure $30 million in funding from New York State for AAPI communities.

At the organization, most of the Employees are AAPI-identifiying.

In their petition for management to recognize their Union, the CACF WU states a desire “to ensure that the things we practice and preach externally reflect what we practice and preach internally.”

The Bargaining Unit represents 14 Employees.

Their petition for Union Representation represents a further expansion of Union Drives taking place across non-profit organizations, where burnout, low pay, workplace discrimination and toxic culture are often cited as workplace complaints.

Unionization efforts by CACF WU are led in collaboration with Workers United NY/NJ (WU NY/NJ), a Joint Board of Workers United that has its origins in the historic International Ladies Garment Workers’ Union and the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union.

WU NY/NJ also represents non-profit Workers at Garden State Equality and The Baffler.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: WORKERS AT LEADING AAPI ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION LAUNCH UNION CAMPAIGN – Workers United NY NJ Regional Joint Board

New York Immigration Coalition Staff 'Launch' NYIC United, 'Forming First-Ever Union In Organization's History'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - With 80% of eligible Members on cards and 70% signing a voluntary recognition letter, a super-majority of New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) Employees have announced the launch of their effort to form a Union - NYIC United with Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153.

For the first time in the organization’s almost 40-year history, Workers are launching their Union to secure a formal collective voice in the workplace, marking a historic milestone for Staff.

NYIC is a New York City-based non-profit with offices throughout New York State - including in Albany, Buffalo and Rochester, that brings together more than 200 diverse member organizations to advance justice and opportunity for all.

Many Workers are Immigrants themselves and their Union represents Workers from all of the NYIC’s Offices Statewide and from every department, including Advocacy, Programs, Policy, Development, Operations, Membership and Capacity Building, Communications and Legal.

NYIC also relies on Government funding coming from contracts at the State and City levels.

NYIC United has presented a voluntary recognition letter to management and is calling on executive leadership to recognize the Union swiftly and without any interference.

Workers are organizing for increased protections for Immigrant Workers, support for their immigration cases, financial transparency and pay equity.

The Union reflects a shared commitment to both Labor Rights and Immigrant Rights, rooted in the belief that the values the organization champions externally must also be upheld in the workplace.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: New York Immigration Coalition Staff Launch NYIC United, Forming First-Ever Union in Organization’s History — OPEIU Local 153

A+E Factual Studios Workers 'Win Their NLRB Election To Unionize With The Writers Guild Of America East'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – Workers employed at A+E Factual Studios, the Non-Fiction Television Production Arm of A&E Global Media, have voted overwhelmingly to Unionize with the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Election.

With the NLRB reporting 84% yes votes, the WGAE will officially represent these Freelance Creative Professionals for the purpose of collective bargaining.

A+E Factual Studios, co-owned by Disney and Hearst, produces popular series such as: DANCE MOMS: A NEW ERA; THE PRISON CONFESSIONS OF GYPSY ROSE BLANCHARD; HISTORY’S GREATEST MYSTERIES; and COLD CASE FILES.

WGAE VP of Film/TV/Streaming’s Michael Rauch said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Workers at A(Plus)E Factual Studios to the Writers Guild of America East. We look forward to bargaining a fair first contract that reflects the value of their work and continues to build on the momentum we’ve grown across non-fiction television production.”

In addition to A+E Factual Studios, the WGAE represents Workers at Non-Fiction Production Companies ITV America, Jigsaw, Lucky 8, McGee Media, NBC News Studios (Peacock Productions), RadicalMedia, Sharp Entertainment, Story Syndicate and Vox Entertainment.

The WGAE represent more than 7,500 Members working in film, television, news, podcasts and on-line media.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Report, Go To: A+E Factual Studios Workers Win NLRB Election to Unionize with the Writers Guild of America East | Press Room

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That proposal was later withdrawn in 2021.

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

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

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

Houston City College Launches $17 Million Program 'To Expand Apprenticeship Pathways For Students'

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

Ashley Soebroto at The Houston Chronicle reports Houston City College has received $17 million - its largest investment ever, to support career and technical education and get more high school students from across the region into Apprenticeships. Officials said the Gulf Coast TradeUp Careers initiative was designed to provide more support to students looking to join the workforce after graduation. It does that by strengthening Registered Apprenticeship pathways and expanding opportunities for employers to connect with students. The program will serve more than 1,350 career and technical education students in the Houston area over three years.

To Read This Apprenticeship Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Houston City College launches $17M program to expand apprenticeship pathways for students

From The National AFL-CIO Convention In Minneapolis: Unions To 'Mobilize Army Of 22,500 Election Workers By July 3rd'

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

(MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA) - The National AFL-CIO has set a target of 22,500 people by July 3rd, eight times that number by Labor Day, and even more after that, to pound the pavements for Pro-Worker candidates and issues this Fall.

The Labor Federation’s Convention Delegates, meeting in Minneapolis, approved the mobilization plan President Liz Shuler announced.

The mobilization figures were the sole ones she offered.

Not immediately available were figures on how much money the AFL-CIO would spend on other communication methods this Fall, notably over-the-air and Social Media advertising

In past campaigns, before the rise of Social Media, the AFL-CIO spent on ads for Pro-Worker causes without specifically saying a particular candidate supports or opposes them - but urging voters to put the candidates on the record.

The mobilization is important because, as Shuler and other speakers at the conclave noted, the Labor Movement is a trusted source of information for both its Members and for swing voters whom its organizers contact.

Opinion polls back that up.

Some 70% of U.S. Workers say they would join a Union if they could.

Even more notable was a survey earlier this year, which showed Unions as the only institution with a positive view from voters.

All the others - Congress, the Presidency, the Supreme Court, corporations and the Mass Media among them - were underwater.

The political organizing target complements a separate target the AFL-CIO set the day before: To add two million new voters from Union households to the 14 million who cast ballots in the last off-year election, in 2022.

Shuler called that “a very tangible goal.”

The first stage of the political organizing aims to mobilize 1,500 people by July 2nd/3rd.

Shuler set a goal for each of those people to recruit 15 more, for a total of 22,500.

“If they recruit eight more people by Labor Day, we’ll have an army,” Shuler said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Unions to mobilize army of 22,500 election workers by July 3 – People's World

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

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

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

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

'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

RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102-Represented Food Service Workers Ratify Contract At Chartwells Compass Group At Iona University In New Rochelle With AI Protections

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

(NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK) – Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union/United Food & Commercial Workers (RWDSU/UFCW) Local 1102-represented Food Service Workers employed at Chartwells Compass Group at Iona University in New Rochelle New York, and Union Leadership, have taken a lead in labor negotiations by ratifying a contract with Artificial Intelligence (AI) protections.

“AI has the potential to impact all of our jobs,” RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 President Jack Caffey said. “That’s why we are making sure we get in front of the changes AI is bringing, so Members don’t get hurt and our contracts stay strong.”

The three-year contract delivers unprecedented wage increases, while fully maintaining the Members’ excellent health and benefit coverage, Union Representatives said.

In addition, Workers secured an increased uniform allowance, a key quality-of-life improvement that reflects the professional value of their work.

The agreement also addressed a growing concern of Membership: The impact of technology in the workplace.

Following the August 2025 opening of a new dining hall featuring AI-powered ordering kiosks and Just Walk Out grab-and-go technology, the RWDSU/UFCW saw firsthand how automation can displace experienced Staff.

Recognizing this potential threat to the Union Members at the college, RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 negotiated and secured a critical new contract that protects Members from the effects of future technological changes.

The agreement addressed a future concern: Even when jobs are not eliminated, automation can lead to arbitrary reassignments that disrupt seniority and could create difficult working conditions.

The language utilized in the contract codifies seniority protections and addresses future changes in the workplace, Union Officials said.

By securing safeguards in the agreement, RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 has set a critical standard for Union Members in the Digital Age.

This agreement will provide stability, fairness and dignity of work for the employees at Iona University, the RWSDU/UFCW said.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: RWDSU/UFCW Local 1102 Ratifies Contract with AI Protections – LaborPress

The New York State United Teachers & The Illinois Federation Of Teachers 'Lead A More Than 30 Educator Union Coalition That's Urging Democratic Governors To Reject Trump's Federal Voucher Scheme'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – The New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) have mobilized Educator Union Leaders from across the U.S. in urging Democratic Governors to reject participation in President Donald Trump’s Private School Voucher Tax Credit Program and publicly reaffirm their commitment to Public Education.

In an open letter to all 24 Democratic Governors, more than 30 Educator Union Leaders representing millions of Teachers, School Staff and Public Employees are urging the Governors to opt out of the program, which would provide Federal tax credits for donations to organizations that fund private school tuition.

The educators warn participation would legitimize a Federally-subsidized voucher scheme that diverts resources away from Public Schools and accelerates the privatization of education.

The President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers - Stacy Davis Gates, and the President of New York State United Teachers - Melinda Person, spearheaded the multi-State effort.

“Public education is one of the Democratic Party’s defining commitments,” the national letter states. “At this moment, Educators, parents and communities across the country are asking a simple question: Will Democratic Governors stand up for Public Schools?”

The Federal Voucher Program was established as part of the Republican education agenda and is a cornerstone of Project 2025.

Evidence from States that have implemented similar Voucher Programs shows that while they’re billed as “school choice,” they overwhelmingly subsidize families already enrolled in private schools while creating significant fiscal pressures on Public Education Systems.

"Let's be honest about what's happening here: This could completely change how Public Schools are funded and the biggest winners will be the people trying to privatize Public Education,” NYSUT President Melinda Person said. “This is a choice about whether we're willing to normalize vouchers and move further down a path that has already hurt Public Schools in State after State. Democratic Governors should not help legitimize a scheme that benefits private interests while undermining the public schools that serve ninety-percent of our children."

In the letter, Union Presidents note that the 2024 Democratic National Committee platform explicitly opposed “private-school vouchers, tuition tax credits, opportunity scholarships, and other schemes that divert taxpayer-funded resources away from Public Education.”

“Democratic Governors are being handed a test right now: Will you stand up for Public School students or will you help Donald Trump normalize a voucher scheme that Illinois has already rejected?,” IFT President Stacy Davis Gates said. “The Democratic Party platform opposes vouchers, our Governors should too.”

The Illinois General Assembly already rejected vouchers because they funded discrimination and diverted $315 million from the State’s General Revenue Fund to private schools.

“Now Trump is repackaging the same failed experiment as a Federal tax credit and Democratic Governors across the country are being asked to give it a stamp of approval,” Davis Gates said. “Every Governor who opts in colludes with Donald Trump at the expense of their own public schools. Illinois should not be one of them.”

The letter concludes with a call for strength: “Democratic Governors have long served as a firewall against efforts to dismantle public institutions. We urge you to continue that leadership now.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: NYSUT, IFT lead educator coalition urging Democratic governors to reject Trump's federal voucher scheme

100,000 'New' Teamster Members 'In Just Four Years Has This Union Growing Rapidly'

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Teamsters have announced 100,000 Workers have joined the Union since March 2022, marking one of the most successful organizing periods in modern Labor History - and underscoring the growing demand for strong Union representation across the U.S. and Canada.

The milestone is the result of an aggressive organizing strategy led by Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, who made Union growth a top priority and invested heavily in organizing, bargaining and contract enforcement.

“If anyone is still questioning whether the Teamsters are breaking through, they’re not paying attention. We’re negotiating record contracts, building powerful bipartisan coalitions and organizing more than (100,000) new Members,” O’Brien said. “The old complacent guard that ran this Union before us spent a decade organizing (50,000) Workers and we’ve doubled that in just four years. You don’t see this kind of growth, energy, or militancy anywhere else in the Labor Movement. The Teamsters are coming for what our Members deserve - so get out of our way.”

The Teamsters’ growth has extended far beyond traditional industries.

While the Union continues to expand in freight, warehousing, delivery and logistics, tens of thousands of new Members have organized in other sectors that include health care, public services, cannabis and Amazon.

The Union is also expanding through internal organizing in Southern Right-To-Work (for less) States and negotiating neutrality agreements at employers that include DHL, the American Red Cross and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.

“There’s no stronger Union in North America than the Teamsters. If workers want the best contracts, the highest wages, the most reliable benefits and protections on the job, they need to become Teamsters and join the (100,000) new Members we’ve organized in just four years,” Zuckerman said. “We are protecting one another and holding corrupt, greedy corporations accountable. This is the just the beginning of a brighter future for this organization.”

The organizing surge includes victories at major companies throughout North America, including UPS, DHL, Costco, Sysco, UNFI, the American Red Cross, and hundreds of smaller employers.

It also reflects the Teamsters’ continued success organizing younger Workers who are driving a new generation of Rank-and-File militancy across nearly every industry.

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

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: 100,000 New Members. Four Years. Teamsters Growing Rapidly. - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

'Exploding Demand For Electricians Calls For More Highly-Skilled' Tradespeople

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

Lettecha Johnson at The Bonner (Idaho) County Bee reports data center expansion, a thirst for clean energy and a wave of retiring Electrical Professionals are causing a huge demand for Electricians. A growing power demand in homes and commercial facilities requires more Electrical Professionals. Older Workers are retiring, but a shortage of existing vocational talent leaves a huge gap that makes it easier for a fresh labor pool to come in. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the need for professionals in the Electrical Industry is expected to grow 9% until 2034, a faster rate than other occupations. This growth includes an expected 81,000 new openings annually over the decade, making the acquisition of electrical licenses a smart career and financial move. As clean energy production and Artificial Intelligence (AI) become the norm, Professional Electricians are needed to connect everything. Additionally, there isn't enough new blood to replace the natural transition of Retirees. Massive retirement isn't the only culprit. There was declining Trade interest for decades, often due to cultural bias that pushed more people to four-year college degrees. High schools once had shop classes, which declined massively in the 1980s, often due to budget cuts and equipment maintenance. However, as people rethink education and career stability, the Trades as a whole, including Electricians, are making a comeback. The national median salary for this field is around $63,000, but you can get into the six-figure zone if you live and work in the following States: California; Oregon; New York; and Washington.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Exploding demand for electricians calls for more highly skilled tradespeople | Bonner County Daily Bee

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

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

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

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

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

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

SAG-AFTRA Members 'Overwhelmingly Approve' 2026 TV/Theatrical Tentative Contract Agreement That Features 'Significant & Meaningful Gains For A Variety Of Member Categories While Protecting & Celebrating Human Performance'

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

(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA) – Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Members have ratified the 2026 TV/Theatrical Agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

Members approved the new, multi-year contracts covering television, theatrical and streaming production by a vote of 91.42% to 8.58% - with a return of 19.25%.

The new contract includes significant meaningful gains for a variety of Member categories while protecting and celebrating human performance, SAG-AFTRA Officials said.

The contract builds on previous Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital replica protections to include new terms that further restrict use of synthetics, giving added protection against AI replacing Members' work, they added.

The contract also creates a pathway for merging the SAG-Producers Pension Plan and the AFTRA Retirement Fund - a crucial achievement that has been a goal since SAG and AFTRA merged back in 2012.

This means that once the merger is finalized, SAG-AFTRA Members will no longer have earnings split between two plans.

SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin said: “I’m proud of our SAG-AFTRA Membership and the strength they continue to show when we move together with a shared purpose. This agreement builds on the foundation members fought to establish and carries that work into the next chapter of our industry. It delivers meaningful gains in compensation, strengthens protections around Artificial Intelligence and digital identity, reinforces the long-term security of Members’ benefit plans and recognizes the realities of how performers work today. Our Members have always understood that protecting the future of this profession means preparing for change before it arrives. This agreement reflects that commitment and the collective power of this Union.”

SAG-AFTRA represents 160,000 Actors, Announcers, Broadcast Journalists, Dancers, DJs, News Writers, News Editors, Program Hosts, Puppeteers, Recording Artists, Singers, Stunt Performers, Voiceover Artists and other Entertainment and Media Professionals.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: SAG-AFTRA Members Approve 2026 TV/Theatrical Contracts Tentative Agreement | SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA Editor’s Note: For a full list of the provisions achieved in this contract, please see the summary or the full Memorandum of Agreement.

The New York State United Teachers Union 'Calls For Limits On Screen Time, Student-Facing Artificial Intelligence In Schools'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – The New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) has announced it is committed to advancing developmentally appropriate limits on educational technology in New York Schools.

NYSUT’s 82-Member Board of Directors has passed a resolution that calls for developmentally appropriate limits on screen time and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in New York Schools - especially for the youngest learners - while affirming Educators, parents and families, not technology companies, should drive decisions about how technology is used in the classroom.

Specifically, the resolution calls for: No one-to-one screen/device use for students (including on-line assessments) in Pre-Kindergarten through second grade except to support students with documented needs such as translation or special education services; Requiring paper-and-pencil assessment/testing options be provided for all students as called for by NYSUT’s More Teaching, Less Testing report; No student-facing AI for Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade students; No non-educationally based AI for students in grades three through eight; Requiring the use of AI in any grade must be supervised, Educator-led and designed to promote critical thinking, digital literacy and civic readiness, rather than replace human instruction, creativity or judgment; and No so-called “social companion” chatbots - computer programs that simulate human relationships, for children under 16.

NYSUT will work with parents, experts, community partners, and other organizations to lead New York State and national conversation on the appropriate role of technology in learning, especially for younger children.

"Educators are not anti-technology. We are pro-child," NYSUT President Melinda Person said. "Every decision made in the name of innovation must actually serve the students in our classrooms and NYSUT will lead that fight.”

American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten recently laid out a bold 10-point framework for Public Education calling for a "devices-down, eyes-up, hands-on" strategy for the AI era.

The Surgeon General has also recently raised alarms about the effects of excessive screen exposure on children's health, development and mental well-being.

"What President Weingarten outlined is a vision we are proud to stand behind and New York has both the opportunity and the obligation to make it real," Person said. "This isn't a debate about whether technology belongs in schools. The question is who decides how it's used: Educators and families or EdTech companies with billions of dollars at stake? The answer has to be us."

At least a dozen States have introduced or enacted legislation to limit unnecessary classroom screen time, and the Los Angeles Unified School District recently moved to ban screens through First Grade.

New York created momentum last year with a bell-to-bell cellphone ban, a foundation NYSUT intends to build on.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: NYSUT calls for limits on screen time, student-facing AI in schools

Smart City Networks Workers Employed At The San Diego Convention Center 'Go Union,' Vote To Join IATSE

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

(SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA) - In a decisive victory for Workers employed at one of the West Coast’s premier convention venues, 12 IT Technicians and Event Coordinators employed by Smart City Networks at the San Diego Convention Center have voted to join International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 122.

The election resulted in a vote of 10 in favor and two opposed.

With this organizing victory, Smart City Networks becomes the last in-house employer at the facility to be Unionized, completing a fully-Unionized Convention Center floor.

The newly-formed Bargaining Unit covers Workers across four classifications: Technician I, Technician II, Event Coordinators and Customer Service Representatives.

These Workers are responsible for designing, deploying and maintaining the high-speed internet infrastructure, Wi-Fi networks and event technology systems that serve the thousands of planners, exhibitors and attendees who pass through the San Diego Convention Center each year for events - including the San Diego Comic-Con, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and the ESRI User Conference, among many others.

Smart City Networks is a national company operating in 25 Convention Centers across the United States, delivering high-speed internet, Wi-Fi and cutting-edge event technology to trade shows and exhibitions nationwide.

Their Workers are the backbone of that operation, ensuring seamless connectivity and expert support for Planners, Exhibitors, and Attendees at every event.

In the lead-up to the Union vote, Smart City Networks retained the Union-Avoidance Law Firm Littler Mendelson, spending an estimated $58,000 on an Anti-Union consultant in an effort to discourage organizing.

Ultimately, the Workers held firm, rejected the employer’s campaign and delivered an overwhelming mandate for representation

“At the end of the day, everyone deserves to have a Union,” IATSE Local 122 President Greg Sowizdrzal said. “We’re proud that the workers at Smart City took their first step in having a voice on the job and having representation.”

In a statement, the Smart City Crew Members expressed what this victory means to them: “To us, having a Union means having a voice. It means being united and being able to stand on equal footing with the company. It has shown us the importance of solidarity and we look forward to taking an active role in the decisions that will impact our future.”

IATSE representing over 170,000 Technicians, Artisans and Craftspersons in the Entertainment Industry, including live events, motion picture and television production, broadcast and trade shows in the United States and Canada.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Smart City Networks Workers at the San Diego Convention Center Vote to Join IATSE Local 122 - IATSE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

In Los Angeles, UNITE HERE Local 11-Represented SoFi Stadium Workers 'Authorize Strike Ahead Of World Cup Opener'

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

Michele McPhee at Los Angeles Magazine reports 2,000 Union-represented SoFi Stadium Workers have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a Strike just a week before the venue will stage the first FIFA World Cup game in the United States in more than three decades. Negotiations are continuing on a contract between UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents the Hospitality Workers, Cooks, Dishwashers, Concession Workers and Bartenders at the stadium’s food-service operators for Legends Global. Much of the dispute is not centered on wages and benefits - Workers want guarantees U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be barred from the stadium. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said enforcement will be centered on human trafficking, which is a common law enforcement issue during large sporting events. The timing is critical because the United States Men’s National Team is scheduled to play its opening World Cup match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, which, because of FIFA rules, will be rebranded Los Angeles Stadium, on Friday (June 12th). If negotiations fail and Workers Strike, it will create a major headache for FIFA. Because FIFA requires strict, pre-approved background checks for all stadium personnel, Legends Global’s backup plan to use temporary replacement Workers could run into massive delays, threatening to disrupt operations for the 70,000 fans expected at the opening match.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: World Cup Strike Threat Looms Over SoFi Stadium Opener

Photo Courtesy Of UNITE HERE Local 11.

Wake Tech Launches North Carolina's 'First' Community College Dental Assisting Apprenticeship

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

(RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA) – Wake Tech has launched North Carolina's first Community College Dental Assisting Apprenticeship Program in partnership with Lane & Associates Family Dentistry.

The new pathway reflects Wake Tech's continued commitment to workforce development and innovative health sciences education.

It expands Apprenticeship opportunities into a field that has historically been limited by accreditation requirements.

With evolving guidance and strong employer collaboration, the College is helping lead the way in creating an "earn-while-you-learn" model for Dental Assisting students.

Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls said: "This new Dental Assisting Apprenticeship Program reflects Wake Tech's commitment to innovative education that connects students directly to career opportunities. By partnering closely with industry, we are creating pathways that meet critical workforce needs while helping students succeed in the classroom and on the job."

The program allows students to gain clinical experience while completing their accredited education.

Apprentices work directly in dental practices, receiving mentorship, hands-on training and a paycheck while building professional experience.

Employers play a central role by helping train the next generation of Dental Assistants while strengthening their talent pipeline.

Through the Apprenticeship model, practices can mentor and evaluate students throughout their educational journey.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Wake Tech Launches N.C.'s First Community College Dental Assisting Apprenticeship | Wake Tech

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

San Diego REI Workers Win Union Election, 'Become The Largest Unionized Store In The U.S.' - 'Comes Days After Historic Worker-Led Boycott Turns Away Thousands Of REI Customers Across 30 States'

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

(SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA) – The REI Union has announced Workers at REI’s San Diego Store have voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 135.

The San Diego location is REI’s third-largest in the country by revenue and the 12th and largest REI Store in the country to Unionize with the UFCW/Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) for fair pay, sustainable scheduling practices and better working conditions.

Jae Michael, a REI worker at the Co-Op’s San Diego Store, said: “We’re so stoked to have won our Union! It’s been a long road, but we all want to make REI the best version of itself that it can be and that is what brought us to this moment. We are the ones stewarding the values of this Co-Op every single day, especially when we cannot rely on executive leadership to do the same. With our Union, we’ll have a say in the decisions that affect our jobs and our lives. When we first started to organize, I knew we were joining a nationwide movement to hold REI accountable to its green vests and Co-Op Members. I’m beyond proud to be a part of the REI Union so we can achieve that mission together.”

REI San Diego’s Union win comes days after the REI Union concluded its nationwide boycott of the company’s Anniversary Sale to demand REI bargain in good faith.

More than 70,000 Co-Op Members pledged not to shop, reportedly causing stores across the country to miss sales targets.

REI received a clear message: Shoppers support Unionized green vests’ right to a fair contract.

The REI San Diego Store is the third in California and the 12th in the country to Unionize with the UFCW/RWDSU since 2022, along with: SoHo, New York; Berkeley, California; Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; Durham, North Carolina; Maple Grove, Minnesota; Bellingham, Washington; Castleton, Indiana; Santa Cruz, California; and Greensboro, North Carolina.

Since the first REI Store Unionized in SoHo, the REI Co-Op has engaged in a scorched-earth Union-Busting Campaign both in-Store and at the bargaining table, complete with the intimidation of Workers and lies about Unionization.

REI Union Members are represented by the UFCW Locals 5, 135, 663, 700, 1208, 1445, 3000, and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: San Diego REI Workers Win Union Election— Becoming the Largest Unionized Store in the Country - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

32BJ SEIU New York City Members 'Ratify Historic' Real Estate Industry Contract That Covers 34,000 Workers & Secures A $4.50-An-Hour Wage Increase, Provides A 15% Increase In Their Guaranteed Pension And More

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – Unionized Residential New York City Building Workers have overwhelmingly approved their historic new contract that covers 34,000 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Members.

Union Officials said 94% voted in favor of the contract that wins a 15% increase to guaranteed pension, protects 100% employer-paid health care, and secures $4.50-an-hour wage increases while maintaining all existing benefits, including free legal services and training programs.

The contract was reached in April (2026) after months of negotiations with the Residential Real Estate Industry, averting a Strike that would have impacted the homes of 1.5 million New Yorkers.

New York City Labor Council Editor’s Note: Read More About The Newly Ratified Contract Here & For Full Details, Go To: 32BJ SEIU+1.

"It's An Affront To Workers' Rights And Catholic Values On Every Level" - St. John's University 'Raises The Stakes In Its Fight Against Its Faculty Union'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - St. John’s University (SJU) has escalated an on-going fight against its Faculty Union by going into Federal Court to sue the New York State Labor Board in order to evade the basic tenets of State Labor Law on religious grounds. The two SJU Chapters of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) have been fighting for survival for the past four months after University leadership abruptly revoked recognition of the Unions that represent more than 1,100 Faculty Members - and broke off negotiations for a new contract in February. The Union responded by filing charges with the State Public Employees Relations Board (PERB) in April that allege the University violated State Labor Law when it unilaterally ceased recognizing the Union and engaged in a pattern of illegal surveillance and intimidation of Union Members. The Union called the lawsuit another form of Union Busting. “We remain steadfast and this is just one more instance where now our employer wants to sue the State Labor Board to bust the Union,” SJU/AAUP President Sophie Bell said. “We think it’s dangerous behavior. It’s an affront to Workers’ Rights and Catholic values on every level.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: St. John’s University raises the stakes in fight against faculty union with federal lawsuit | amNewYork

Administrative & Clerical State Workers In Nevada 'Go Union,' Join AFSCME

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

(LAS VEGAS, NEVADA) - More than 3,500 State Workers in Nevada will form a Union through American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 4041 after a successful organizing effort and a strong, decisive Union vote.

Maria Behic, an Administrative Assistant employed at the Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center in Las Vegas, said: "I am proud of my Co-Workers for coming together to organize our Union. As Admin Assistants, we are the backbone of our offices – nothing happens without us - and we deserve the dignity and respect that comes with having a unified voice on the job. We look forward to joining our AFSCME Family in building our power in the workplace.”

State Employees in the new Bargaining Unit B include Administrative Assistants in all State Agencies, Departments, State Colleges and Universities, as well as other Assistants, Clerks and Clerical Staff.

Most of them are Women.

The vote count was 91% in favor of AFSCME as exclusive representative.

Workers in Bargaining Unit B filed for their Union election during Women’s History Month in March.

They seek fair wages, good benefits and better working conditions that will help them support their families and serve their communities.

Once the Employee Management Relations Board certifies the election results, the State will have up to 60 days to begin contract negotiations.

The Workers will now begin forming their Bargaining Team to negotiate for pay raises, lower health care costs, come up with ways to improve Staff recruitment and retention, and win more equitable paid time off policies.

Workers in Bargaining Unit B will join their Colleagues in other State Worker Bargaining Units who have also organized in recent years with AFSCME in Nevada.

Since winning Collective Bargaining Rights in 2019, AFSCME Members have secured wage increases, four annual personal days, bi-lingual pay, a fairer grievance process and other lasting improvements.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Victory! Administrative and clerical state workers in Nevada win union | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

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

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

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

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

Unite HERE 'Uses World Cup As Leverage Versus ICE & For Strike Votes'

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

Mark Gruenberg at People’s World reports Unite HERE Locals, whose Members - most of them Workers of Color and almost all among the Nation’s most-exploited employees, in hotels, restaurants and stadiums, are using the pending World Cup soccer games in the U.S. as leverage to ban Republican President Donald Trump’s vicious and violent ICE Agents from host cities, to take Strike Authorization Votes, or both. And their parent International Union is warning travelers to those soccer games that there may be picket lines and labor disputes at those facilities and at airports, too. Unite HERE President Gwen Mills said: “The World Cup should be a major economic opportunity for the Hospitality Industry, and a chance to recover some from decreased tourism numbers and lower-than-projected demand for hotel rooms, restaurant reservations and the like caused by disastrous Trump immigration policies. Unite HERE Members are prepared to give a warm welcome to fans to their cities, but may not be able to do so if they are still struggling for good contracts that ensure good wages and benefits.” Or if the Workers are scared away by Trump’s ICE agents and cooperating local Police. Mills explained heavy Police and ICE Agent presence outside stadiums, hotels and restaurants “may discourage attendees and/or intimidate Workers as they try to do their jobs.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Union uses World Cup as leverage vs. ICE and for strike votes – People's World

'Is A College Degree Still Worth It?' - Why The Skilled Trades Are Winning The Job Market'

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

Bruce Crumley at Inc. reports new data showing work for Skilled Workers - especially those supporting AI (Artificial Intelligence) use - has grown by triple digits, even as openings for recent college grads dry up. Compounding evidence is reinforcing suspicions that the post-WWII era of college degrees providing a ticket to higher-paying jobs may be coming to an end. Not only does recent employment data indicate salaries for Skilled Laborers are rising at the strongest rates in the workforce, but now a growing number of the world’s university graduates are also expressing buyers’ remorse over their investment in higher education, and the decreasing occupational returns those are generating. People who develop manual skills that are now being increasingly sought by businesses are feeling pretty good about their decisions - and the income those are producing. According to data crunching by Dutch Employment Company Randstad, the demand for Workers with high-growth application skills - particularly in areas vital to AI deployment - have benefitted from huge salary increases in the last few years. Those include a 30% pay bump for many Skilled Workers in the U.S.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Is a college degree still worth it? Why skilled trades are winning the job market

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

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

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

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

Union Leaders To Be Included In A New Construction Safety Committee That's Being Created By New York City Mayor Mamdani

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - As part of his broader Block by Block housing agenda, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced New York City will establish a new Committee on Construction Safety aimed at reducing fatalities and injuries in one of New York’s deadliest industries.

“At a moment when Working People are being pushed out of the City they built, New York cannot afford half-measures or delays,” Mamdani said in a statement announcing the plan. “We are setting the most ambitious housing production and preservation targets in the City’s modern history while also protecting tenants and homeowners, investing in public housing and ensuring the Workers building that housing have good-paying, safe jobs.”

City Officials said the Committee, expected to convene in Fall 2026, will study recurring causes of injuries and fatalities and recommend legislative, enforcement and accountability reforms.

The body will be overseen by Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su and Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.

The Committee will include Workers and Union Representatives, who have said some contractors evade accountability by dissolving companies after receiving stop-work orders and reopening under new names to continue bidding on City contracts.

The Mayor’s Office plans to strengthen enforcement against repeat offenders through the City’s Buildings Tech Lab, which uses data analytics to identify contractors operating unsafe sites.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Mamdani, DOB creating construction safety committee - The Chief

United University Professions & New York State Reach Agreement On A Five-Year Tentative Contract That Includes Annual Wage Increases & Makes 'Common Sense Changes' To Health Insurance To Help Control Premiums, And More

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has announced her administration has reached a contract agreement with the United University Professions (UUP) for a five-year term running until July 1st, 2031.

The agreement is subject to ratification by Union Membership, which includes 42,000 State University of New York (SUNY) System Faculty and Professional Employees.

The contract includes annual increases in basic annual salary for Employees throughout the agreement. It also includes other increases in compensation, such as location pay - and provides for additional leave for prenatal care. It also makes common sense changes to health insurance to help control premiums, eliminate co-pays and reduce the use of out-of-network providers.

“This agreement with United University Professions is good for both the hard-working Faculty and Professionals of SUNY and for the taxpayers of New York State,” Governor Hochul said. “I thank the leadership of UUP for working toward this fair deal and I thank their talented Members for their dedication and commitment to New York’s college students, ensuring a bright future for those pursuing a SUNY education.”

UUP President Fred Kowal said: “I am very pleased to announce UUP has reached a tentative agreement with the State on a new contract. All our efforts to get to the table early and conclude an agreement before our present one expired have succeeded. Thanks to so many of you, and especially to Bret Benjamin, Jeremy Ginsburg and our entire Negotiations Team. This historic agreement addresses many of the priorities Members shared with us throughout the negotiations process and reflects our Union’s commitment to securing the strongest possible contract for our Members. We got some very big wins and that testifies to the importance of our collective efforts. And it's vitally important that I emphasize how much I personally appreciate Governor Hochul’s continued support for UUP Members and the important work we do every day.”

SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr. said: “SUNY’s extraordinary Faculty and Staff are the heart of our ability to deliver affordable excellence and serve as New York State’s engine of upward mobility. New Yorkers rely on SUNY for a world-class education, ground-breaking research and scholarship, medical support and expertise, and other essential needs and services. I applaud Governor Hochul for achieving a fair contract that respects and recognizes the Faculty and Staff who make SUNY such an extraordinary place for our students.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Governor Hochul Announces Five-Year Labor Agreement With United University Professions | Governor Kathy Hochul | New York State

And For More, Go To: UUP, state reach tentative agreement on new contract

Starbucks Workers United Celebrates '700th' Union Election Victory

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

Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) has announced Baristas at more than 700 locations across the U.S. have now voted to join the Union. The Workers responsible for this major milestone are based out of stores in: Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Chicago and Bolingbrook, Illinois; and Houston, Texas. While Starbucks executives continue to drag their feet on reaching a contract, more and more Workers at the massive Coffee Chain are joining the fight for a fair contract. “Baristas are leading the fastest-growing Union Movement in modern history because Starbucks SHOULD do better,” SBWU said in a Social Media post that featured a video of Workers at the 700th Union location. “We work at a company with the highest CEO-to-Worker pay gap, and despite this, Baristas nationwide are seeing working conditions at our stores get worse while we deal with low pay, inadequate hours, inaccessible benefits and more. It’s time to do something and that’s why we’re organizing!”

Nearly 40 1199 SEIU-Represented Rural Erie County Health Care Workers Notified The Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home In Springville Will Close

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

(SPRINGVILLE, NEW YORK) – Nearly 40 rural Nursing Home Workers - represented by 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East, have been notified the Jennie B. Richmond, an 80-bed facility in rural Springville, is closing.

The Unionized Workers employed at the facility in Southern Erie County work as Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nurse Assistants, Occupational Therapy Aides, Dietary Aides, Activities Aides, Patient Care Assistants, Housekeeping Aides and Unit Secretaries.

The Union Caregivers learned the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) had approved a plan to close the Springville Facility after 1199 SEIU Leaders were informed the closure plan had already been submitted to the NYSDOH and that the plan was approved.

Under the Worker Adjustment & Retraining Act (WARN), an employer must provide at least 60 days’ notice before closing.

At this time, 1199 SEIU has not received a WARN notice.

1199SEIU Administrative Organizer Nora Moore said: “Critical health care services for our most vulnerable are being eliminated and jobs may be lost. We will bargain with the employer over effects of this planned closure to protect the rights, benefits and pay for every Worker at the Nursing Home. These closures are overwhelming for our rural communities. The New York State Department of Health must create a system that does more to protect not only the residents, but the dedicated Health Care Workers who care for them.”

Licensed Practical Nurse Lucille Schindler, an Employee at the facility, said: “It’s very sad news for the residents, the community and the Workers. We are devastated. No one thought this would happen. Most of us have worked and lived here for a very long time. These residents are like our family and their families become our families. Our Staff is very caring, very loving and we are dedicated to our residents. I’m so distraught that my residents must endure a move to another home. We have so many patients for rehabilitation and they may be transferred an hour away. Our residents deserve a place to live and the respect and dignity they have earned throughout their lifetime.”

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East - the largest and fastest-growing Health Care Union in the United States and whose mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for al, represents more than 400,000 Nurses and Caregivers throughout the States of Florida, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and in Washington, D.C.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Nearly 40 Union Healthcare Workers Notified That Jennie B Richmond Nursing Home In Springville Set To Close: 1199SEIU

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

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

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

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

UAW Strike At Axel Plant In Michigan 'Threatens General Motors Truck Production' - GM 'Has Two Weeks Before A Strike Could Hit Silverado & Sierra Production'

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

From CNBC: Nearly 1,000 United Auto Workers (UAW)-represented Workers employed at a Michigan Supplier Plant that makes parts for General Motors (GM) pickup trucks went on Strike Monday (June 1st) after failing to reach a new contract with the company. Workers at an Axle and Components Plant in Three Rivers, Michigan for Dauch Corporation - formerly known as American Axle and Manufacturing - walked out of the factory and onto picket lines. The UAW did not release a full list of demands - but said in a press release Workers are still trying to regain wages lost during the Great Recession. “We’ll stay out on Strike until this company comes to its senses,” UAW President Shawn Fain said during a video announcement. “The full force of the UAW International Union will be standing with these Workers. So, American Axle, time is up. No contract, no axles.” The Union said long-time Workers who were making as much as $29 an hour saw their wages slashed to $14.50 in 2008. Current wages top out at $22 an hour after a five-year progression.

From Autoblog: GM has about two weeks of axle inventory to keep building trucks unhampered, which was confirmed by two people familiar with the matter to Reuters. GM is said to be monitoring the situation closely and assessing any potential impact, while the Dauch Corporation called the work stoppage a disappointment. The spokesperson went on to say: "We remain committed to negotiating with the Union in good faith and hope to promptly reach a fair agreement." As a result of the Strike, GM's shares dropped by 2% after trading. Dauch took a bigger hit, losing 6%. The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models are built in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and make up one-third of the GM group's sales, giving more importance to this work stoppage and its effect on the overall business.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To:

UAW strike: Union work stoppage threatens GM truck production

UAW American Axle Bargaining Update

GM has two weeks before a strike could hit Silverado and Sierra production

Nearly Half Of America Has Quietly Considered The Trades, So What's Stopping Them?

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

Daniel Donovan at Skillit Stacker reports that for decades, the dominant story about the Skilled Trades in America has been a story of decline: Shop class has disappeared from high schools; Career Counselors pushed four-year degrees; and Parents quietly steered kids away from work boots and toward laptops. The cultural script was simple: Trades were what you did if college didn't work out. Now, that script is unraveling - and faster than the industry seems to realize. A new national survey from Skillit of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted in April found that 47% of Americans have at some point considered a career in the Skilled Trades. Most never told anyone, and then they did nothing, because nobody told them where to start. That silent demand collides with a workforce crisis that's getting louder by the month. JLL projects roughly 2.1 million Skilled Trades positions could go unfilled by 2030, with potential economic losses reaching $1 trillion annually, according to U.S. Department of Education estimates. The supply gap is staggering: Last year, nearly 600,000 jobs were posted for major Skilled Trades positions while only about 150,000 new Workers entered through Apprenticeships. The interest is there, but what's missing is the on-ramp.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Nearly half of America has quietly considered the trades. What’s stopping them? | Raleigh News & Observer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Printing Packaging & Production Workers Union Merges With The IAM

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

The Printing Packaging & Production Workers Union of North America (PPPWU) is merging with the 600,000-Member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).

PPPWU International President Israel Castro said: “I believe that together, the IAM and PPPWU will be a true force for our Members.”

PPPWU Members will be entitled to all of the many resources of the IAM, including negotiations, training, legal, communications, political and legislative, and other support.

The PPPWU and IAM represent Workers in several common industries with Collective Bargaining Agreements at many shared employers, which is a point of strength for the two Unions coming together, Representatives said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: A Stronger Future—Built Together: PPPWU Initiates Affiliation, Merger as IAM Union Continues Growing Power for Membership - IAM Union

New York City Fast Food, Retail Workers To Receive $1.8 Million From Settlements For Violations Of The City's Fair Workweek Law

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

Harper Freeman at The Chief reports a Franchisee operating Taco Bell and Dunkin’ locations in New York City will pay $1.5 million in restitution to more than 760 Workers under a settlement reached with the City’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) for violations of the City’s Fair Workweek Law, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine announced. On a livestream filmed inside City Hall while lunching on Crunchwrap Supremes, Mamdani and Levine shared that the Franchisee Salz Management LLC violated the rights of Workers across 24 Dunkin’ and Taco Bell locations in Manhattan and Queens by failing to provide the Workers with schedules 14 days in advance and failing to obtain consent for schedule changes. “The Workers didn't have predictable schedules,” Levine said. “They were forced to close the store, then open it the next day without compensation. That's why we're getting money back in their pockets.” As part of a second Fair Workweek settlement reached by DCWP, more than 60 Workers employed at two Manhattan locations of the Fashion Retailer Theory LLC will receive over $277,00. The Franchisee and Fashion Retailer will also pay $176,000 in civil penalties directly to the City for legal violations. Individual payments for some Workers covered by the settlements, Mamdani said, will be more than $10,000.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Fast food, retail workers to receive $1.8 million in from settlements - The Chief

Amazon Lawsuit 'Details Federal Labor Board's Dysfunction' In New York

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

Max Parrott at amNewYork reports the New York Attorney General’s Office and the Teamsters have turned a lawsuit over a State Labor Law into an appraisal of the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) failures. Recent filings by the Union and the State Attorney General in Amazon’s Federal case against New York’s recent attempt to expand Labor Relations enforcement capture a damning level of dysfunction in the local NLRB Offices’ ability to respond to alleged Labor Rights violations. A complaint that one Unionized Amazon Employee filed with the NLRB 29 months ago has not advanced past the first step of enforcement, and other Employees’ charges remain at that stage after 24 and 16 months, according to Court papers. In its lawsuit against New York, Amazon has successfully gotten a Federal Judge to pause the enforcement of the State Employment Relations Act (SERA) during litigation. That law would allow the State-level Employee Relations Board to have jurisdiction over Private-Sector labor disputes through the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) - the Federal Law governing Union formation and collective bargaining. State and Union Lawyers argue the Federal Court should dismiss the challenge to SERA, which they say takes a step to mitigate what they describe as a “labor enforcement no man’s land” due to the atrophy and political capture of the NLRB.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Amazon lawsuit details federal labor board’s dysfunction in New York | amNewYork

Seattle Hospitalists Vote To Join The American Federation Of Teachers, Make State History - 'Hospitalists Become 1st Providence Physicians In Washington To Unionize'

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

Swedish Medical Group Hospitalists have voted to join Northwest Medicine United/American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 6552, making history as the first Physicians in the Providence system to Unionize in Washington. Swedish Medical Group is part of Providence Swedish, Providence’s Health System in the western part of the State. Approximately 115 Medical Professionals across five campuses in the Seattle area participated in the Union Election. AFT President Randi Weingarten said: “Physicians at Swedish Medical Group are organizing because they want a stronger voice in the decisions that affect patient care, Physician autonomy and the future of health care. I'm proud to stand with these Hospitalists as they work to protect quality care and Physician autonomy.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Hospitalists become 1st Providence physicians in Washington to unionize

Union Coalition Brings 'Billionaires Tax' Proposal To Illinois

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

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

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

The Union Avoidance Industry 'Is Worth $1.7 Billion' And 'Florida Union Busters Are Cashing In' - Union Avoidance Firms 'Based In The Sunshine State Reported Millions Of Dollars In Earnings From Companies Like Amazon In 2025 Alone'

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

McKenna Schueler at Orlando Weekly reports U.S. employers collectively spend an estimated $1.7 billion each year to prevent their Workers from Unionizing, according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute and Non-Profit Watchdog Group LaborLab. The $1.7 billion figure includes spending on law firms such as Littler Mendelson that specialize in so-called Union Avoidance services, as well as an estimated $442 million on professional Anti-Union consultants who are contracted by employers to directly persuade Workers against Unionization, often at rates of $400-plus an hour or upward of $3,000 per day. Federal records indicate several of the most active Union Avoidance consultants in the U.S. are based in Central Florida - or at least affiliate their consultancy firms with Florida-based addresses. Some of these consultants rake in millions of dollars each year from big companies like Amazon, which reportedly spent at least $26 million on Union Avoidance consultants in 2025 alone. RoadWarrior Productions, a Union Avoidance firm based out of Florida’s Space Coast, reported being paid nearly $8 million by Amazon last year to thwart Unionization efforts at various Amazon Facilities in the States of California, New York, North Carolina, Michigan, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Illinois and Pennsylvania. The firm does most of its work through individual sub-contractors, many of whom are also based in Florida. One of the firm’s sub-contracted consultants, Jared Rodriguez, is a sitting City Council Member in the small Florida City of Layton, as Orlando Weekly reported.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: The ‘union avoidance’ industry is worth $1.7 billion. Florida union busters are cashing in. - Orlando Weekly

Gulf Copper Apprenticeship Program 'Offers Inside Look' At Southeast Texas Shipyard Jobs

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

Aaron Barnhill at KFDM-TV reports on a new Shipfitter Apprenticeship Program in Port Arthur that is offering Southeast Texans a paid path into shipbuilding, combining college coursework with hands-on training. Gulf Copper’s Shipfitter Apprenticeship Program, which is certified by the U.S. Department of Labor, runs six semesters over 22 months - teaching skills needed to build ships, including pipe-fitting, plate-fitting, tack-welding, blueprint reading and light machining. The company started the program in response to workforce challenges as older generations retire, aiming to invest in education and training for younger Workers. The Apprenticeship Program is a partnership with Lamar State College Port Arthur. Apprentices spend 16 hours a week in classroom and laboratory work at the college and 36 hours a week in on-the-job training at Gulf Copper. Training includes time in the welding lab and shop, as well as tasks such as grinding, learning calculations and blueprint analysis, and the assembly process.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Gulf Copper apprenticeship program offers inside look at Southeast Texas shipyard jobs

The NLRB Rules The Buffalo AKG Art Museum 'Violated Federal Labor Law With The Retaliatory' Layoff Of 13 Union-Represented Employees

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

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has determined the Buffalo AKG Art Museum violated Federal Labor Law and retaliated against the Workers’ Union - AKG Workers United, by laying off 13 Union-represented Workers employed in the Visitor Experience Department in the Spring 2025.

The Museum has been ordered to reinstate all of the Visitor Experience Workers and provide them full back pay.

This decision comes after over a year of providing hundreds of documents of evidence and dozens of hours of testimony from the negatively-impacted Workers, Representatives of AKG Workers United said.

Museum leadership had an opportunity to settle these charges weeks before - but refused, Union Officials added.

Melinda Wright, a Visitor Experience Associate and President of AKG Workers United, said: “This is a major win for Workers and our community! We - AKG workers - work so hard to support Buffalo and our Museum. We are so glad that the (NLRB) found merit and hope that with the return of our Visitor Experience Staff, we can turn a new leaf and have a truly collaborative relationship with the Museum. (And) We are so appreciative of the solidarity and support our community has shown us through this fight.”

AKG Workers United also said it is hopeful the AKG Board and its Leadership Team will end the years long crusade against the Union, stop spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees to fight their own Workers, and finally respect the Workers’ right to organize a Union.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Strike By Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers-Represented Members 'Becomes The Longest In The Union's History'

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

Members of Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers (HGSU-UAW) Local 5118 continue to hold the line for a fair contract as their Strike enters its sixth week and becomes the longest work stoppage in the Union’s History. Graduate Workers first walked off the job following 14 months of ongoing negotiations and nearly a year of working under an expired contract. University Administrators have continued to refuse to make meaningful progress around paid immigration leave, an agency shop, a formal grievance process for harassment and discrimination, paid medical leave and pay parity between Teaching Fellows and Research Assistants. A bargaining session was scheduled for late last week. “I sincerely hope that the University comes to the table before commencement and offers us movement really on any of our core issues,” HGSU-UAW Vice President Evan Lemire said. “In the absence of that, yes, we will still be on Strike and still be engaging in Strike activities on Commencement.”

Meanwhile, Wyeth Renwick and Claire L. Simon at The Harvard Crimson report HGSU-UAW has informed the University it would consider a Membership vote to end the Strike if Harvard moved on those five core issues outlined above. But University representatives are holding firm on two of those demands, declining to advance proposals on an agency shop or a Union-supervised grievance process for Title IX cases, according to Harvard Officials. The University’s lawyers told the Union the prior week that they were “considering” the grievance proposal - but were not prepared to make a counter-offer. On the remaining three issues, the University signaled limited openness. Harvard rejected the Union’s paid immigration leave proposal - but indicated it might discuss paid medical and family leave for non-citizen Graduate Students. The possibility was also raised of bringing Teaching Fellow pay closer to Research Assistant levels - the first time the University has engaged on pay parity, Officials said.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: HGSU-UAW Strike Becomes Longest in Union History as Harvard Holds Firm at Bargaining Table | News | The Harvard Crimson

NYSNA Nurses Hold Candlelight Vigil Outside NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital 'To Speak Out Against The Rise in Workplace Violence & To Demand A Fair Contract that Protects Both Nurses & Patients'

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

(BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses employed at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP)-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital held a candlelight vigil outside the hospital last week to call attention to the rise in workplace violence.

The contract for 1,400 Nurses at the Hospital expired on April 30th and Nurses are demanding a fair contract that delivers enforceable Safe Staffing Standards, protections from workplace violence and more.

Several recent incidents of workplace harassment and violence have focused NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital Nurses on improving safety at the Brooklyn Hospital.

Earlier this month, hundreds of Nurses picketed the Hospital and spoke out, detailing recent violent incidents that have left Nurses injured and shaken.

Nurses at the candlelight vigil recounted being attacked at work and witnessing a police-involved shooting at the hospital in early January.

Several of Brooklyn’s Elected Officials, who joined NYSNA Nurses on the picket line, have sent an open letter to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital executives to “express strong support for the Nurses at your facility and to urge Hospital Administration to bargain in good faith and swiftly reach a fair contract.”

NYP-Brooklyn Methodist NYSNA President and Registered Nurse Aldrich Crispino said: “Nurses are resilient, but we also need better protection on the job and support from management when we are threatened, attacked or injured at work. We want NYP-Brooklyn Methodist to negotiate a fair contract that protects patient and Nurse safety.”

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “It’s past time for NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital to negotiate a fair contract with NYSNA Nurses. Nurses in Brooklyn and everywhere deserve to work in safe conditions with staffing standards that protect their patients and practice.”

NYSNA represents more than 42,000 Members across the State and is New York’s largest Union and Professional Association for Registered Nurses.

NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the country's largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of Registered Nurses, with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: NYSNA Nurses Hold Candlelight Vigil at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital to Highlight Workplace Violence | New York State Nurses Association

NYSNA-Provided Photo.

New York State United Teachers On New York State's 2026-27 Enacted Budget: 'This Budget Proves What's Possible When Educators, Public School Allies & Communities Stand Together & Fight For What Students And Working Families Deserve'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person released the following statement on the 2026-27 enacted New York State Budget:

New Yorkers made their voices heard and this budget proves what’s possible when Educators, public school allies and communities stand together and fight for what students and Working Families deserve.

From important fixes to Tier 6 that strengthen retirement dignity for Public Workers, to investments in public education - Pre-K through Post-Grad - this budget reflects a commitment to supporting the people who make our communities work every day.

We are especially proud of our Members and New York's Labor Movement.

We secured the biggest pension reform victory since Tier 6 was enacted in 2012 - including reducing the retirement age for most teachers and Teaching Assistants by five years, lower contribution rates for Members and, for SUNY (State University of New York) and CUNY (City University of New York) Optional Retirement Program Members, and an additional 1% State contribution to their accounts.

We are not done fighting, but we are pleased to see historic progress being made toward a fairer future for all Public Workers.

This budget also doubles down on the promise of public education.

The 3.9% increase in Foundation Aid - with a minimum 2% increase to all Districts - and important updates to the funding formula will better recognize and support students experiencing homelessness, children in foster care and English language learners.

A major 40% expansion in universal pre-kindergarten and increased support for our public colleges and universities, including increased access to higher education for adult learners through an expanded SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program, reinforces what we know to be true: When we invest in public education, we invest in opportunity and in New York’s future.

This budget moves New York forward.

It reflects years of advocacy and organizing by NYSUT Members and our partners who never stopped pushing for policies that strengthen public education, protect Working People and create brighter futures for our children.

We look forward to building on this momentum in the years ahead.

Budgets are statements of values - and we thank the Elected Leaders who stood up and made clear that New York’s students, Educators and public schools remain worth investing in.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: NYSUT President Melinda Person releases statement on 2026-27 enacted state budget

Staff At Comic Book Publisher Dark Horse Media 'Go Union,' Petition To Join The CWA

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

(MILWAUKIE, OREGON) - A super-majority of Staff at Comic Book Publisher Dark Horse Media, including associated Comics Retailer Things From Another World, have announced their intent to Unionize with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7901.

Dark Horse Workers United sent a letter to interim CEO Jay Komas requesting he voluntarily recognize the Union by June 3rd.

Absent voluntary recognition, Dark Horse Workers United will petition the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for an election.

In a show of solidarity, 59 eligible Employees signed onto the letter, which explained the Staff’s motivations for forming Dark Horse Workers United.

Among these is a desire for equitable pay, workplace Democracy and a continued commitment to creator-owned comics.

“We, the Workers of Dark Horse Media, have come together to form one Union, Dark Horse Workers United (DHWU), with our parent Union, the Communications Workers of America (CWA). In solidarity we stand together to contend for our rights as Workers, vote as a Democratic body and improve our material conditions,” the Union said.

Founded by Mike Richardson in 1986, Dark Horse has remained one of the world’s premier Comic Book Publishers for 40 years.

The company has earned a massive fan base publishing creator-owned titles (Hellboy, Umbrella Academy), licensed books (Star Wars, Aliens) and manga (Berserk, Trigun).

Dark Horse was purchased by Vanguard Visionary Group in 2018 and then by Embracer Group in 2022.

On March 4th (2026) it was announced Richardson was no longer with the company.

In their letter to interim CEO Jay Komas, Dark Horse Staff expressed their desire to improve conditions for Workers and maintain Richardson’s legacy of publishing creator-owned comics: “The looming uncertainty from recent layoffs, wage/hiring freeze, change in leadership power, emergence of Artificial Intelligence and return-to-office policies (despite their economic impact on employees) have fueled us to organize and collectively address our concerns. These are just a few examples of why we are seeking a Democratic workplace.”

CWA Local 7901 President Meg Ward said: “CWA Local 7901 is proud to support the Staff behind the beloved Comic Book Publisher, Dark Horse. Dark Horse Workers United was formed because of the love Dark Horse Employees have for their work, their Colleagues and the Comic Book Industry. DHWU wants to see the company be a leader well into the future. We look forward to working collaboratively with Dark Horse leadership."

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Announcing Dhwu! — Dark Horse Workers United

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

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

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

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

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

NALC and the Senators want to keep it that way.

Trump doesn’t.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

University of California Information Technology Workers 'Go Union,' Join UPTE-CWA To 'Form The Largest Tech Union In The U.S.'

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

In California, 2,100 Information Technology (IT) Professionals employed at the University of California (UC) have voted overwhelmingly to join the University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America (UPTE-CWA) Local 9119.

This is the largest Tech Industry Organizing Campaign in U.S. history and brings the total number of IT Workers in the Bargaining Unit to 8,400, making it the largest Tech Union in the United States.

The IT Workers cited layoff protections, wage increases and Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance as key issues.

Worker titles Include Application Programmers, Business Systems Analysts, Data Systems Analysts, Database Administrators, Information Systems Analysts and Instructional Designers.

These Workers keep California’s Public University running by building and maintaining the digital infrastructure behind patient care at UC’s Medical Centers, powering the Research Systems Scientists across the State that they rely on, and by designing the learning tools that serve hundreds of thousands of students.

UPTE-CWA Local 9119 President Dan Russell said: “We know when you try to make quick, dirty decisions to cut labor through AI, you're actually creating a more vulnerable system. On paper, AI can make us more 'productive' at our jobs, but the people making those recommendations to UC are management consultants who don't have the knowledge or expertise we have as Workers. With the right to bargain over our working conditions, we can set the right tone not just for our workplace and tech organizations, but also for the millions of Californians who turn to UC every day for critical research, health care and educational opportunities.”

The Union Organizing campaign involved dozens of IT Workers who reached out to their colleagues via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, e-mail and Social Media, as well as physical outreach across departments and by knocking on doors, UPTE-CWA Officials said.

Condé Workers 'Reinstated After Illegal Terminations And Suspensions As Management 'Settles With The NewsGuild Of New York'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Unionized Condé Nast Workers who were illegally fired and disciplined after taking part in a “march on the boss” in November 2025 have been vindicated as part of a substantial agreement won by The NewsGuild of New York.

“Our fight as a Union is about more than a single contract. It is about ensuring Workers’ rights to a just workplace,” NewsGuild of New York President Susan DeCarava said. “When employers attempt to undermine our rights, we will organize, fight back and hold them accountable. This settlement sends a forceful message: Workers united in solidarity have the power to push back against bully Union-Busting bosses and demand their workplaces be governed by respect rather than fear.”

Condé Nast management illegally terminated four Condé Union Leaders and suspended five others for coming together to demand answers from executives at 1 World Trade Center about abrupt layoffs at multiple brands including WIRED and the consolidation at Teen Vogue.

By abruptly, and unlawfully, firing and suspending nine Employees, management violated the Union Members’ contractual Just Cause protections, as well as Federal Labor Law to engage in protected concerted activity as Workers.

The NewsGuild of New York immediately filed grievances related to the firings and suspensions, as well as Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charges at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Guild Members at Condé Nast were also supported by NewsGuild parent Union - the Communications Workers of America (CWA), through a Member Relief Fund Program that provides aid to Workers targeted by Union Busting.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: CONDÉ WORKERS REINSTATED AFTER ILLEGAL TERMINATIONS AND SUSPENSIONS; MANAGEMENT SETTLES WITH NYGUILD

After Nearly Three Months Since Their Last Contract Expired, Unionized New York Times Staff 'Rallies To Demand A New Contract"

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - More than 100 Union-represented New York Times Employees walked out of the newspaper's Midtown Headquarters this week to rally for a new contract, almost three months after their last one expired.

The Staff are members of the Times Guild, the largest Bargaining Unit of the NewsGuild of New York, that represents more than 1,500 Editorial, Advertising and Support Staff at The Gray Lady.

The Guild has been bargaining for a new contract since January with five core priorities: Raises to keep up with rising cost of living; Affordable health care; Guaranteed hybrid work; Artificial Intelligence (AI) guardrails; and Expansion of the Guild across the newspaper.

Near-weekly bargaining has yielded little progress, Raoul Anchondo - a Times Staff Editor and Member of the Guild’s Bargaining Committee, told The Chief: “This was an attempt to send a clear message to management that their current approach to bargaining is unacceptable and that we need to see real movement around all of our core priorities and expect a fair contract.”

This was the third action taken by the Guild this week, following a mass e-mail to the administration by more than 500 Staff Members and a silent protest at the recent all-hands meeting while CEO Meredith Kopit Levien spoke.

The Guild is also seeking pay increases that both keep up with inflation and reflect Staff contributions to a company that saw more than $431 million in profits last year, according to public filings.

The company’s proposed 3% annual salary increase doesn’t meet the Union's needs, Anchondo said, pointing to factors like housing inflation, which rose 4.4% last year.

“Essentially, if we accepted the current proposal we’d be taking a pay cut,” he said.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: New York Times staff rally to demand contract - The Chief

Nearly 700 Mid-Continent Public Library Workers 'Go Union,' Vote To Form CWA's 'Largest' Library Unit

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

Workers employed at Missouri’s Mid-Continent Public Library (MCPL) have decisively won their Union Election, with more than 65% of Union-eligible Workers voting yes to join Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6360. The MCPL is one of the largest Public Library Systems in the U.S., covering three counties across the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and serving over 880,000 residents. The new Bargaining Unit represents nearly 700 Part-Time and Full-Time Librarians, Early Literacy Associates, Information Technology Staff, Delivery Services Staff and other Workers who keep the Library System running. MCPL Workers United-CWA Local 6360 Member and MCPL Green Hills Early Literacy Associate Kelli Mulligan Lindsey said: “From everyone that was there in the beginning four years ago to those that started supporting this week, we couldn't have done it without each and every one of us. Together we can do anything, and together we can continue to make the library a place for everyone in our community.” In March, Workers gathered at the North Independence Branch to announce that more than 60% of Union-eligible Employees had signed a public declaration in support of forming a Union. Overall, the Library Workers say a Union gives them a stronger voice in decisions that shape services, staffing, safety and access across the system.

Baltimore-Based Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 486 To Convert A Shuttered Sports Arena Into A $30 Million Union Training Center

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

Joe Ilardi at WBAL-TV reports Baltimore-based U.A. Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 486 is planning to spend almost $30 million to transform a shuttered sports arena in White Marsh into a Training Center as its Apprenticeship enrollment grows. Local 486 will soon start work to convert the former Freestate Sports Arena on Allender Road. A holding company tied to the Union acquired the nearly eight-acre property for $7.45 million in February 2025. The Union says it plans to pour another $22 million or so into the conversion, according to Charlie Petrovia, who serves as the Training Director for Local 486's Apprenticeship Program. The converted arena will be used to pump out future generations of HVAC Technicians, Plumbers and Steamfitters, welders and more. Local 486 represents 2,800 Members and Retirees in Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Sports arena to be converted into $30M union training center

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

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

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

OPM continues its efforts to silence Federal Employees.

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

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

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

We know that will not be true.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NYCOSH's 2026 'Deadly Skyline' Report 'Reveals High Numbers Of Construction Fatalities Across The State' & 'Outlines Actionable Recommendations To Help Prevent Future Injuries & Deaths While Creating Safer Job Sites Throughout New York'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – The New York Committee for Occupational Safety & Health (NYCOSH) has released its annual Construction Fatality Report - The 2026 Deadly Skyline Report, which reveals high numbers of construction fatalities throughout New York State. In 2024, 55 Construction Workers died on the job across New York State, down from a peak of 74 deaths in 2023, but still high among totals recorded over the past decade. Since 2015, at least 587 Construction Workers have died on the job Statewide. In New York City alone, 19 Construction Workers died in 2024, following 30 deaths in 2023 - the highest single-year total in the City in the decade covered by the report. The 2026 report examines the latest construction fatality data, uncovering systemic safety failures that continue to place Workers at risk, particularly Immigrant and Latinx Workers. The report also outlines actionable recommendations to help prevent future injuries and deaths while creating safer job sites throughout New York.

NYCOSH 2026 Deadly Skyline Report - Key Findings:

Fatalities & Trends:

2024 totals: 55 Construction Worker deaths Statewide (down from 74 in 2023) and 19 in New York City (down from 30 in 2023) www.worksafety247.com+1.
New York City’s 2024 fatality rate was 9.4 per 100,000 and New York State’s was 8.9 per 100,000 www.worksafety247.com.
Since 2015, at least 587 Construction Workers have died Statewide New York City Central Labor Council.
In New York City, 2024 saw the highest single-year total in a decade New York City Central Labor Council.

Heat-Related Deaths:

In 2024, four construction fatalities in New York State were linked to heat events (temperatures ≥80°F) www.worksafety247.com+1.
Two occurred in New York City: One in Manhattan at 83°F and another in Long Island City at 86°F Portside.
Heat stress can begin at temperatures below 87°F. Three of the four heat-related deaths happened in that range Portside.
NYCOSH urges passage of the TEMP Act to mandate water access, rest breaks, shade and other protections during dangerous heat www.worksafety247.com.

Demographics & Risk:

Latinx Workers make up ~18.6% of NY State’s Workforce, but accounted for 25.8% of 2024 fatalities www.worksafety247.com.
They are over-represented among Immigrant and Non-Union Workers, often in Non-Union job sites with weaker enforcement s3.amazonaws.com.

Systemic Issues:

Common causes include inadequate fall protection, insufficient training, unsafe work conditions and pressure to work quickly s3.amazonaws.com.
OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration) inspection activity remains below pre-pandemic levels and fear of reporting is high s3.amazonaws.com.

Recommendations:

Strengthen workplace safety standards and enforcement.
Improve training for high-risk demographics.
Prevent construction owners tied to incidents from obtaining permits or public funds www.worksafety247.com.
Implement heat safety measures under the TEMP Act.
Increase inspections and accountability in Non-Union sites.

The Bottom Line: While fatalities have declined slightly from 2023, the 2026 report warns that preventable deaths remain alarmingly high, especially among Latinx Workers and in heat-exposed conditions. NYCOSH calls for structural reforms, stronger enforcement and targeted protections to reduce future risks NYCOSH+2.

To Directly Access This Report, Go To: NYCOSH-Construction-Fatalities-Report-2026_final.pdf

The NYS Labor Movement's Fight To Fix Tier 6 'Results In Victory:' Deal 'Will Increase Pensions For More Than 830,000 Public Employees Statewide, Among Other Gains'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – A deal has been reached to increase Tier 6 pensions for more than 830,000 New York State Public Employees, as well as allow Teachers with 30 years on-the-job to retire at age 58 rather than 63 - and increase the amount of overtime that can be counted towards every Municipal Tier 6 Member’s pension throughout the State.

New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento released the following statement: The Union Movement’s fight to fix Tier 6 has always been about dignity, self-respect and financial independence in retirement. Whether it's a reduction in pension contribution rates, lifting the cap on pensionable overtime or reducing the retirement age, these changes are a clear victory for Public Sector Workers across this State. I am extremely proud of the unity and solidarity displayed by all our affiliated Unions in the Public and Private Sectors, as well as in the Building Trades Unions, throughout this campaign. We were able to build upon previous pension improvements over the past five years, including improvements to vesting and final average salary. This demonstrates what the Union Movement can achieve when we stand together and raise our voices to improve the quality of life for all Working People. I want to thank Governor (Kathy) Hochul and acknowledge the collaborative efforts of (State) Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and the Democratic Majorities in both Houses of the Legislature for recognizing the importance of these changes, which will address the recruitment and retention challenges of Public Employees and thereby improve the services we all rely on.

United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Teachers Michael Mulgrew also released a statement: Albany heard us and took a major step in correcting the injustice of Tier 6. Lowering the retirement age for educators from 63 to 58 after 30 years of service will make the pensions better and fairer for current and future Employees. It shows that progress is possible when we stand together.

When the original Tier 6 reforms were first put in place, the retirement age of Public Workers hired after April 2012 was pushed from 55 to 62 to earn a full pension.

The cost-cutting measures also raised the Employee contribution and slimmed down benefits for recent hires.

The lowered retirement age only applies to Teachers and Teaching Assistants, not other Government Workers in different retirement systems.

The plan is estimated to cost the State $118 million year and $440 million to local Governments and School Districts.

The agreement is different depending on job title.

Only Educators are expected to have a reduced retirement age.

All other Workers currently eligible to retire at 63 without penalty will remain at that age.

However, pensions for all Public Employees will increase under the revised Tier 6 Program.

The deal included in the Fiscal Year 2027 State Budget features reductions in pension contributions for hundreds of thousands of Workers within Tier 6 and an increase in the amount of overtime pay that can count towards the final calculation for Workers’ Pension Benefits.

The finalized agreement is a fraction of the $1.5 billion in changes Labor Leaders pushed that would have lowered the retirement age to 55 for all Workers within Tier 6 - but the agreement is a substantial pension increase for all Municipal Workers in New York State.

“This victory is the result of diligent lobbying efforts and Member support” Transit Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 President John Chiarello said. “These changes do not happen overnight, but together we will keep fighting for the equity we deserve.”

Starting January 1st, 2027, 25% of overtime earnings for Police and Firefighters will count towards their final calculated retirement benefit, up from 15%.

For all other Employees, the amount of overtime included in the retirement benefit calculation will increase from $22,000 to $30,000.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: NYS and Unions Change Tier 6 – LaborPress

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

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

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

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

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

Massachusetts Rideshare Drivers 'Make History As App Drivers Union Becomes First Certified Union Of Rideshare Drivers In The U.S.' - 'Nearly 70,000 Become Largest Private Workforce To Win Union Recognition Since Ford Auto Workers In 1941'

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

(BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS) - In a watershed moment for the Nation’s Labor Movement, Rideshare Drivers in Massachusetts with the App Drivers Union (ADU) have become the first Statewide Rideshare Union in the country to win official recognition, creating a path toward negotiating better pay, job protections on behalf of nearly 70,000 Rideshare Drivers across The Commonwealth.

At a rally Tuesday (May 26th), Rideshare Drivers - alongside allies Governor Maura Healey, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President April Verrett and International Association of Machinists (IAM) International President Brian Bryant, marked the historic turning point for the modern-day Labor Movement and major step forward in the fight to hold Big Tech companies accountable.

Rideshare Drivers in Massachusetts are the largest private workforce to win Union recognition since the United Auto Workers (UAW) at Ford in 1941.

With as many as 70,000 Rideshare Drivers in Massachusetts, recognition of their Union is a historic win for Working People that gives momentum to the nationwide push among Rideshare Drivers for Union Rights.

Victoria Acosta, a Member Leader of the App Drivers Union, said: “I never dreamed that this day would happen. I once thought it was impossible that we would have a seat at the table with these two big corporations in front of us - but nothing is impossible when you are united. For me, it’s a dream come true, seeing the hard work of all my Colleagues collecting cards, talking to the drivers and making sure we can achieve what we dream.”

Following Union recognition, Drivers with the ADU will begin contract negotiations with the Rideshare Companies where they will seek to raise standards around pay, safety and deactivations.

In doing so, Rideshare Drivers will pave a path for millions of Drivers across the country to join together, organize a Union and win important protections on the job.

Rideshare Drivers in the Commonwealth first made history in November 2024 when they won Union rights through the passage of Question 3.

In the months since, Rideshare Drivers have organized by the thousands through conversations in airport parking lots, car washes, stadiums, churches, community centers and more.

A defining feature of the Massachusetts law is its mandate Rideshare Companies come to the table and bargain in good faith.

Unlike organizing under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the voter-approved law includes interest arbitration.

If the ADU and the companies do not reach an agreement within six months, the dispute goes to an independent arbitrator to help set the terms of a CBA, which avoids the often-protracted fights and barriers Workers have to overcome to reach a first contract.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Massachusetts Rideshare Drivers Make History as App Drivers Union Becomes First Certified Union of Rideshare Drivers in U.S. - IAM Union

More Than 400 West Coast Workers Employed At Planned Parenthood's Largest Health Care Affiliate With More Than 25 Clinics That Serve 300,000-Plus Patients 'Go Union' With SEIU

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

(OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA) - In a resounding victory for reproductive rights and Worker Power, more than 400 Front-Line Health Care Workers have secured their Union as Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Workers United (PPMMWU).

The victory has drawn strong support from broader Labor and Civil Rights Communities, who view the organizing of Health Care Workers as a vital front-line defense for marginalized populations.

“Our Union gives us the collective power to negotiate our first Collective Bargaining Agreement, focusing on securing the staffing, resources and wages necessary to sustain our vital work into the future,” said Isabel Elias, a Clinician and Member of the Union’s Organizing Committee at the Capitol Plaza Clinic in Sacramento.

“As the Chief Elected Officer at SEIU Local (521), I am proud to welcome over (400) Planned Parenthood workers to our union,” Riko Mendez said. “These courageous Front-Line Health Care Advocates - primarily Women and People of Color - have sent a powerful message about dignity, equity and ‘having a real voice at work’ and to organize in service of patients and community. We recognize Planned Parenthood Mar Monte’s executive leadership for respecting Workers’ Rights and maintaining a fair, non-interfering election process. Together, we look forward to building workplaces that strengthen Workers, protect patients and supports the communities they serve.”

This Union win comes at a critical moment for reproductive health care, as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs access to mail-order mifepristone and the Trump Administration pushes to eliminate or severely restrict Medicaid reimbursements.

The newly-Unionized workforce aims to leverage its collective bargaining power to advocate and protect essential health care amid nationwide attacks on reproductive freedom.

“Securing our Union secures decisions about our work like staffing, resources and ensuring a sustainable level of care our patients depend on,” said Ryah Issa, a Health Services Specialist at the Planned Parenthood San Jose Clinic. “While Courts and politicians continue to police our work, our Union gives us the power to defend clinical integrity and guarantees our patients receive the comprehensive care we all deserve. Many Workers are patients in our clinics, too.”

Workers say that Union Election wins are directly linked to tangible improvements in pay, safe staffing levels, and robust improvements to workplace conditions - factors that are directly correlated with high-quality patient outcomes.

Workers will join thousands of Planned Parenthood Employees nationally who successfully organized their Union.

As a result of the super-majority Union vote approval, the Workers are urging Planned Parenthood Mar Monte to voluntarily recognize the Union and allow for the beginning of contract negotiations.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Workers at Planned Parenthood’s Largest Healthcare Affiliate Vote as Supermajority to Form Union With SEIU Local 521, Includes Clinics from Bakersfield to Oakland, Reno, NV to Sacramento, and Fresno to San Jose – SEIU Local 521

'From Catching Symptoms Early & Savings Lives' To 'Producing Amazing Health Care Cost Savings,' Union Health Care/Wellness Centers Across The Country 'Are Having An Extremely Positive Impact On Membership'

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - Every Union in the United States is dealing with a plethora of problems when it comes to providing health care for their Members and getting them to take advantage of it - but something is happening across the country that’s saving Unions and their Members a great deal of money when it comes to health care, and - in the process, is helping save lives by discovering physical problems before they become life-threatening.

A number of Unions’ Health and Pension Funds are partnering with a leading Advanced Primary Care Provider - Marathon Health, to offer their Members an array of “exclusive and consistent” managed health care services - incredibly with no deductibles, co-pays or out-of-pocket costs, extended personal access to Caregivers and all that goes with it in their own on-site/near-site Health Care/Wellness Centers, which they invest in to make happen.

Marathon Health and their Union clientele co‑design and operate the Centers that are tailored to the individual Union’s needs, with negotiated pricing, comprehensive services and a focus on preventive, pro-active care.

Labor Representatives tell WNYLaborToday.com the Marathon model improves access, engagement and health outcomes - while helping Unions control their health care costs.

Case in point #1, U.A. Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 7 in Latham, New York - which has 1,300 Members, including 950 who are active.

One of them – 39-year-old Local 7 Member Mike Keary was diagnosed with pneumonia during an appointment he made at the Union’s brand new 2,500-square-foot Health Care Center (Pictured Below/Courtesy Of Marathon Health).

“I’m ‘really glad I went and didn’t wait any longer,’” Keary, a 13-year Union Member, told WNYLaborToday.com. “I ‘wasn’t on my death bed, but I’d gotten sick and let it linger for three weeks.’ I ‘couldn’t walk up the stairs without being out of breath.’ My lungs ‘were full of fluid.’ I saw the Doc who told me I had pneumonia and he put me on antibiotics.”

Keary (Pictured Below - On The Left, With Local 7 Business Manager Ed Nadeau/Joe Wild Photo), who said he was more than happy his Union now has its own Health Clinic, had not-so-good experiences going to the Doctor’s Office in the past - which possibly delayed him from initially going to Local 7’s Clinic: “I ‘did not get great care where I was’ (before). In fact, they ‘dropped my bloodwork four times and they couldn’t provide me with any results each time.’ ‘Now, knock on wood, I’m absolutely happy.’ ‘So many times you sit and wait to see your Doctor for like (45) minutes and then he only sees you for three minutes.’ ‘Now, my Doc (at the Union Clinic) takes (45) minutes talking to me and I leave with my medication in hand instead of heading out to a pharmacy’ (to get a prescription filled). I’m telling (his fellow Local 7 Brothers and Sisters) who didn’t know all about it: ‘Hey guys, you get more time to spend with your Doctor and you don’t have to wait (for a long period of time in a waiting room). ‘They cater to us and you can’t beat that.’ I worked (10) years Non-Union, ‘so I can speak first-hand to this – a Union provides you with more benefits and this is just one of them.’”

Ed Nadeau, who serves as Business Manager and Financial Secretary for Local 7, tells WNYLaborToday.com: “(The Clinic) ‘was one of the best things we have ever done.’ ‘Our Members - and their families, can now go there for everything from physicals to blood work and I think they are now doing so because of word of mouth.’ ‘This saves us money too because you don’t have your Members going to Hospital Emergency Rooms or Emergency Care Centers.’ We were spending ($500,000 to $600,000) a year on ‘non-emergency’ visits for our Members, ‘but now we’re making our Members healthier, including some who we have found are pre-diabetic.’ ‘We want to make sure they enjoy their retirement and live to see it.’”

Case In Point #2, while this may be hard to believe, Carl Pecoraro - who serves as Chairman/Trustee of the Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Health and Welfare Fund, tells WNYLaborToday.com that over the past 10 years, the total increase – each year to his Union’s medical costs have been less than 1% because of the two Health Care Clinics his Union operates on Cleveland’s East and West Sides.

“The ‘whole idea here was to get our Members in and identify their health conditions early - and we’ve had great results because it helps control (health care) costs.’ ‘Our plan really works.’ Our Members call Marathon and ‘get every question answered.’ Our Physicians ‘find things early instead of dealing with it later.’ We even have a virtual Nutritionist ‘who’s helped one of our Members drop (60) pounds.’ Wellness ‘drives savings and it’s showing in our health care rates, which results in better wages for our Members.’ We had one Member come in for a physical and they ‘immediately called for an ambulance because he was on the verge of a heart attack.’ We had another who needed a knee replacement who we hooked up with an Orthopedic Surgeon and ‘he didn’t pay a penny’ (for the surgery). ‘It’s unheard of.’ ‘I recommend this (to any Union) in a second.’ I get asked all the time: ‘How do you do it?’ ‘It’s a better way to deliver health care to our Members, but it all only works if our Members take advantage of it,’” Pecoraro said.

In the end, strong primary care leads to better clinical outcomes and lower costs, according to Representatives of Marathon Health, which partners with employer and Union plan sponsors - including the Albany Plumbers & Steamfitters and Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters - to improve the health of Working People and Union Membership.

With their on-site/near-site network Centers, as well as offered virtual primary care, Marathon provides its updated list of 150 Union clients with a value-based model that enhances the health care experience for Union Members, while driving meaningful cost savings for plan sponsors.

Marathon Health’s national network of Centers also includes 70 Taft-Hartley Welfare Funds that collectively represent more than 450,000 Union Members and their families, as well as 225-plus Public Sector Organizations with an additional 600,000 eligible members.

In all, Marathon Health serves three million eligible members across 41 States while touting its deep “experience serving” Taft-Hartley Funds and Labor-affiliated Trusts - populations their Representatives say share many of the Fund’s defining characteristics, including diverse eligibility rules, multiple stakeholders and a strong emphasis on stewardship of Plan assets.

And it would seem their success is continuing as Marathon Health just announced an expansion of its open-access Centers and services to Detroit, Kansas City, Raleigh-Durham, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

This move continues Marathon Health’s focus on bringing best-in-class primary care to areas especially challenged by access, supply, quality and affordability.

“We’re ‘driving a different perspective, looking at preventative care and changing behaviors,” said Brian Cappel, who serves as the Vice President of Taft-Hartley Plans for Marathon Health. “We’ve ‘made access convenient with brick-and-motar locations, which Unions can own, that eliminates the need for urgent’ care visits. ‘You have to take care of your equipment on the job and we need to do the same thing with our bodies.’ ‘With most all of our Union clients, it gets back to us that these Centers save people’s lives.’”

With more than 20 years of Taft-Hartley experience, Cappel brings a uniquely informed perspective shaped by extensive work inside multiple Fund Offices.

Prior to joining Marathon Health, he served as Director of Operations for the Midwest International Union of Operating Engineers Fringe Benefit Fund (IUOE) Local 150, leading a team of over 100 Staff Members delivering services to more than 55,000 individuals - annually.

Throughout his career, Cappel - whose work is centered on improving health care access, quality and outcomes for Union Members and their families, with a strong emphasis on lifestyle improvement and chronic condition management, has overseen the launch of dozens of new Centers and has provided strategic support to more than 100 Centers a years across the U.S

“This ‘has just taken off,’” he said.

Joe Wild, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of National Labor Solutions Group - which is working with Marathon Health, has approached several Unions here in Western New York and in Rochester about the possibility of investing in and creating their own Health Care/Wellness Centers in partnership with Marathon Health.

While Wild, who declined to specifically say which Unions he’s had discussions with, tells WNYLaborToday.com the Union Centers “don’t conflict” with what their health care providers offer.

“It’s ‘just unbelievable,’” said Wild, who personally toured Union Health Centers in Philadelphia with a 12,000-Member IUOE Local and in Albany with U.A. Plumbers Local 7, and is more than upbeat on what the Centers can do for a Union and its Members.

“You ‘can get to see a Doctor the same day or the next day - guaranteed.’ ‘And that goes for a Member’s Family, age three and up.’ The average appointment is (42) minutes and you talk to a Doctor all that time, ‘not the usual (10) minutes or so that you get elsewhere.’ ‘In the end,’ it ‘minimizes the noise’ and serves their Memberships,” said Wild, who’s built a track record of working with and helping a variety of Labor Unions with their health care needs.

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: To Learn More, Go To Marathon Health’s Website At: https://marathon.health. And, Watch CBS 6 News in Albany’s Report On Local 7’s New primary care clinic opens in Latham for UA Local 7 members ahead of hiring boom

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

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

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

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

In Atlanta At Its 55th International Convention, Members Of The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists 'Deliver A Sobering Message:' The Labor Movement 'Is Under Its Most Severe Attack In A Generation & No One Is Coming To Save Them But Themselves'

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

In Atlanta, Cameron Harrison at People’s World reports hundreds of mostly Black Trade Unionists from across the country packed the Hyatt Regency Downtown last week as the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) opened its 55th International Convention with a sober assessment: The Labor Movement is under its most severe attack in a generation and no one is coming to save them but themselves. At this year’s convention, the CBTU is dedicating itself to building its own political roadmap that is rooted in the understanding Labor Rights and Civil Rights are one fight. And, according to the Workers here, they are not waiting for permission. “Workers today are facing some of the worst conditions imaginable,” CBTU President, the Reverend Terrence Melvin (who also serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the New York State AFL-CIO), declared from the main stage. “The rising cost of living has priced many out of obtaining basic necessities. Health care has become unavailable for millions. The price of gas has bled many of our bank accounts. Yet somehow there is always enough money to enrich the richest few.” Melvin said the Trump Administration is “demolishing Unions with the stroke of a pen and a deaf ear to the Workers” - a reference to Executive Orders that have shredded Union contracts and canceled bargaining rights for more than a million Public Service Workers. “Now is not the time to bend,” he said. “Now is not the time to forget the obstacles we have hurdled and the victories we have achieved. Instead, we need to lean on those victories to help pave the way for new accomplishments.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Coalition of Black Trade Unionists: Labor rights and civil rights are one fight – People's World

"Students Deserve To Be Educated On The History Of Organized Workers In Our Country; It's Important To Champion Awareness For Workers' 'Collective Power'" - The NYC Council Passes A Resolution To Mark The Month Of May As Labor History Month

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Under a City Council resolution that was just passed, the Department of Education (DOE) would mark May as Labor History Month in public schools across New York City.

The month of May includes International Workers Day, known as May Day, celebrated every May 1st, that honors the commemorates the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago.

The resolution was sponsored by Council Member Alexa Aviles who called it “crucial” to pass so that young Workers can have knowledge of past labor struggles when they enter the workforce.

“We owe so much to the Labor Leaders of history who have stood up to demand protections we take for granted now - two-day weekends, Child Labor Laws and workplace safety protections, to name a few. Students deserve to be educated on the history of Organized Workers in our country. It’s important to champion awareness for Workers' collective power,” she said.

The resolution’s passage does not automatically create the commemorative month.

In order for Labor History Month to become official, the DOE would have to establish the designation itself.

New Yorkers can fill out a form to express support for the DOE doing so on-line.

According to a CUNY (City University of New York) School of Labor and Urban studies report published last year, just under 22% of Workers in New York City are Members of Labor Unions, slightly higher than the statewide figure of 21.5% - that’s more than double the national figure of 10%.

The majority of Unionized Workers in both the City and the State are part of the Public Sector, as over 65% of Civil Servants in the City and State are Unionized - while just 11.6% and 13.7% of Workers in the Private Sector are Unionized in the State and City, respectively.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Council passes resolution to mark May as Labor History Month - The Chief

Graphic Courtesy Of Traliant.com.

NYSUT Film 'Honors' UUP Member's 'Advocacy Against ICE'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - Nearly 2,000 Unionists at the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Representative Assembly stood in sustained applause for United University Professions (UUP) Upstate Chapter President Mindy Health, who was honored for her tireless advocacy for two Unionists arrested by ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

Created by Emmy-nominated Filmmaker Matt Reynolds - the short, but powerful, documentary-style film includes footage and photos shot and supplied by UUP and NYSUT, which featured Heath’s efforts.

Upstate UUP Member Alcibiades “Alex” Lazaro Ramirez González, and his husband, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Member Yannier “Yan” Vázquez Hildago, were arrested by Federal Agents in October 2025 in Syracuse as they waited to attend an immigration hearing on their asylum cases.

The men, who are from Cuba, had valid work permits and asylum status, but ICE nonetheless them and sent them to a Federal Detention Center in Batavia, near Buffalo.

Ramirez and Vázquez, who were ordered deported to Ecuador by different Federal Judges - even though they’ve never been to the country - were held for more than three months before they were released on bond in February pending their appeals of the rulings.

Heath wasted no time getting involved.

Working closely with UUP President Fred Kowal and Labor Leaders in Syracuse and Albany, Heath hastily organized a November 10th rally for Ramirez and Vázquez that drew hundreds of supporters and was widely covered by Syracuse media.

Heath did numerous news interviews with Syracuse media and UUP quickly became a clearing house of information to Salt City Reporters about the status of the two men.

She also designed T-shirts with the silhouettes of the men on the front and the words: “We Stand with Alex and Yan.”

She also visited the men at the detention center.

Heath was there when they were released on bond.

“I grew up in a Union Family and to me, that meant you were part of something bigger than yourself,” Heath says in the opening scene of the seven-minute film. “When things got difficult you had others at your side.”

In one scene, Heath described meeting with Ramirez through a glass wall in the detention center and feeling helpless but also fired up with determination as she watched him try to make sense of his plight: “That image is burned in my head of Alex sobbing with his hand on the glass.”

“We don’t have words to say ‘thank you’ to everybody that brought support for us,” a teary-eyed Ramirez says in the film. “When I saw Mindy, I saw in her eye the power of the UUP Union.”

UUP will continue to follow the case of these two fellow Union Members.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: NYSUT film honors UUP member’s advocacy against ICE

Marlborough, Massachusetts Students 'Get A Closer Look' At A State-Funded Highway Construction Training Program

Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(MARLBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS) - Jessie Castellano at Patch reports Assabet Valley students are getting a closer look at highway construction through a State-funded training program. A total of 18 Assabet juniors from six Trade Programs participated in the Massachusetts Pre-Apprenticeship and Vocational School Training Program at the Marlborough School. The program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and aims to expose students to careers in highway construction through hands-on training and industry instruction. Students are learning about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), concrete work, stripping forms, old-fashioned demolition and CPR/AED and first aid as part of the program. They were also to visit the New England Laborers Training Academy where construction-related instruction for Laborers is offered. MassDOT's 2026-2030 Capital Investment Plan states its Pre-Apprenticeship Program is a collaborative effort designed to expand access to training and employment opportunities in the Construction Trades and the Transportation Sector.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Marlborough students join state-funded highway construction training program And Massachusetts Pre-Apprenticeship & Vocational School Training Program

Photo Courtesy Of The Massachusetts Pre-Apprenticeship & Vocational School Training Program’s Website.

University Of California IT Workers 'Go Union,' Join UPTE-CWA 'To Form The Largest Tech Union In The U.S.'

Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

More than 2,100 Tech Workers employed at the University of California have voted to join University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE)-Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9119. With the addition of these System Analysts, Database Administrators and other Information Technology (IT) Workers, UPTE-CWA has become the largest Tech Union in the U.S. The Workers across the UC System voted in the Unionization Campaign in May - 96% of whom supported joining UPTE-CWA. If California’s Public Employment Relations Board recognizes the addition of these Workers to UPTE, it would bring the Union’s size to roughly 26,000 Workers. Max Belasco, a Business System Analyst at UCLA, said: “Millions of Californians rely on the University of California for their health care and education. Until now, we haven’t had the opportunity, as the people who understand AI (Artificial Intelligence), to say: ‘We want a seat at the table.’ If the Workers who provide these critical services to the people of California don’t have the power to demand transparency and advocate for the safe deployment of AI tools, there will be no safeguards in place to ensure AI will be used as anything more than a poor cost-saving measure. Unionized Health Care Workers have set new quality standards across UC Hospitals that save lives - Tech Workers can play the same role when it comes to AI.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: UC tech workers vote to join existing university union | Sacramento Bee

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

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

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

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

Biden's OSHA Chief Tells The GOP "Don't Sideline Job Safety And Health"

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Douglas Parker, President Joe Biden’s Occupational Safety and Health Administrator, is warning Congressional Republicans against massive cuts - which GOP President Donald Trump proposes - in job safety and health enforcement and in the research that backs it up. Parker raised those points at a House Sub-Committee hearing on job safety and health, called by the Republican-run House Workforce Protections Sub-Committee. Unlike other hearings by that panel’s parent committee - Education and the Workforce, questions from both sides of the aisle lacked Right-Wing fireworks. The future of job safety and health protections is in doubt. Republican witnesses before the panel - led by Pat Sughrue, the Health and Safety Director for the Cianbro Corporation of Maine, speaking for the Anti-Union and Anti-Worker Associated Builders and Contractors, proposed looking forward to preventing hazards, rather than enforcement. Other witnesses sang that line, too, if less strongly. Trump proposes a $50 million (13.5%) cut in enforcement money at OSHA for the fiscal year starting October 1st and a 36% cut in inspections nationwide. Trump would cut research on safety and health hazards, which Workers and OSHA Inspectors depend upon, by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) by 75% in that fiscal year. Trump, through multi-billionaire Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), wanted to completely kill NIOSH. But the United Mine Workers of American and furloughed NIOSH Workers led a mass protest in Downtown D.C. against that elimination. It drew so much publicity Congress retreated. “Thankfully, through the efforts of the public, including leading voices from Labor and management, this decision was reversed,” Parker said. “This non-partisan recognition of the critical role of a public institution in providing value to both Workers and employers was a welcome departure from the current climate of divisiveness.” But in his budget for fiscal 2027, Trump is trying again.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Biden’s OSHA chief tells GOP: Don’t sideline job safety and health – People's World

Home Care Workers, Labor & Disability Activists 'Demand' The New York City Council 'Reject' Intro. 303 - Legislation 'That Would Jeopardize Workers' Jobs, Benefits & Care For Thousands Of Disabled New Yorkers, If Passed'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 37, Home Care Employees Local 389, Disability Advocates and Labor Allies rallied at City Hall Park to urge the New York City Council to reject Intro. 303, legislation that would jeopardize Workers’ jobs, benefits and care for thousands of disabled New Yorkers - if passed.

The proposed Bill aims to eliminate 24-hour shifts and institute two split shifts of 12 hours in an attempt to protect Workers from wage exploitation.

The measure, while well-intentioned, would conflict with Medicaid requirements and as written does not provide a funding solution.

Home care services in New York City are regulated and paid for by the State.

The majority of the 5,000 Home Care Workers represented by District Council 37 are Women of Color, specifically Black Workers, who depend on Medicaid-funded shifts to support themselves and their families.

Intro. 303 would also cause a disruption in care for approximately 13,000 severely-disabled New Yorkers who rely on Home Health Aides for assistance and their quality of life.

Without Medicaid coverage for split 12-hour shifts, some patients could be forced into hospitals or nursing homes, losing the continuity and personal care provided by these Workers.

Home Care Employees Local 389 President Margaret Glover, a Home Care Worker for last 46 years, said: “You don’t know what it’s like to work as a Home Care Worker, to see our clients who need our help for their basic needs- we do this work because we want to help them. A lot of my Members work (24)-hour shifts and are worried about what losing those shifts will mean for their families and the clients they support. We do not want this Bill.”

AFSCME District Council 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido said: “We oppose any legislation that will upend the lives of thousands of hard-working Caregivers and their families, as well as the clients who rely on this high standard of personal care, without any funding secured to pay for these changes. We have a duty to stand not only with our Members in the Home Care Sector to fight this legislation, but also to the communities they serve.”

New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Brendan Griffith said: “Home Care Workers deserve fair pay, respect on the job and protection from the exploitation and abuse which we know is unfortunately too common. Home Care Aides are overwhelmingly Women of Color, and the Labor Movement has spent decades fighting for stronger conditions and protections in this industry. But you can’t fix a flawed system by implementing new requirements without a sustained funding solution and hoping everything works itself out - and that is exactly what Intro. (303) would do. If we’re going to make major changes to how home care works in this City, it needs to be done with the state involved, appropriate resources and all stakeholders involved as part of the effort.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Home Care Workers, Labor, and Disability Activists Demand New York City Council Reject Intro. 303 - District Council 37

NYSUT's President On The Tier 6 Changes Coming In The 2026 State Budget: "This Tier Six Agreement Is Proof That When Workers Organize And Stay United, Change Is Possible. This Is A Victory For Public Workers Across New York"

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person has released the following statement in response to reported fixes to Tier 6 in the State Budget:

This Tier 6 agreement is proof that when Workers organize and stay united, change is possible. This is a victory for Public Workers across New York. Because Members across New York refused to give up, we secured meaningful progress for Public Workers - including lowering the retirement age from 63 to 58 after 30 years of service for Members in the New York State and New York City Teachers’ Retirement Systems - and reducing contribution rates for many other Public Employees. This victory belongs to every Member who spoke out, rallied, lobbied and kept the pressure on. We are taking an important step toward building a fairer future for the next generation of Public Workers. And we’re going to keep fighting.

While final language and details will be included in the enacted State Budget, several Tier 6 changes are expected to be included based on reporting from several media outlets and confirmed by the Governor's Office.

Tier 6 pension reforms vary by Member group:

For Tier 6 Members in NYSTRS and NYCTRS - a group that includes most teachers and Teaching Assistants - the retirement age will be reduced by five years, from 63 to 58, for Members with 30 years of service (without penalties).

For Tier 6 Members in NYSERS, NYCERS and NYCBERS - many School-related Professionals, Support Staff and other Workers - contribution rates will be reduced across most salary bands.

New NYSERS/NYCERS/NYCBERS Contribution Bands: $75k or less: 3%; $75k - $100k: 4%; $100k - $125k: 5.25%; and $125k or more: 5.75%.

For Tier 6 Members in the SUNY (State University of New York) and CUNY (City University of New York) Optional Retirement Program (ORP), contribution bands will be adjusted to align with changes in the other retirement systems, and Members will receive an additional 1% State contribution to their ORP accounts.

And For Tier 6 Members eligible for overtime, the overtime cap used in final average salary calculations will increase from $22,500 plus CPI to $30,000 - plus CPI.

NYSUT Editor’s Note: Tier 5 TRS Members' retirement age is currently 57 and Tier 5 ERS Members have fixed contribution rates at 3%. We are awaiting final information to assess how Tier 5 Members eligible for overtime may be affected by current changes and we will continue to advocate for full fixes to Tier 5 along with further improvements for our Tier 6 Members.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: NYSUT President Melinda Person's statement on Tier 6 changes coming in 2026 state budget

'Why' Skilled Trade Careers 'Are Becoming Some Of America's Best-Paid Jobs'

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

Sebastian Mansilla at MiBolsilloColumbia reports that for years, Americans were told that a college diploma was the safest path to financial success. But today’s labor market is rapidly changing, and many Blue-Collar careers are offering extraordinary salaries without requiring a traditional University education. Across industries like energy, health care, construction and infrastructure, employers are struggling to fill skilled positions, pushing wages higher and creating major opportunities for Workers willing to learn technical trades and hands-on skills. One of the most lucrative Blue-Collar careers in the country is elevator and escalator installation and repair. According to recent labor data, these Workers now earn a median annual wage of $106,580, making the profession one of the highest-paid skilled Trades in America. The job requires strong mechanical and electrical knowledge and most Workers enter through multi-year Apprenticeship Programs that combine paid training with hands-on experience. Demand remains high as cities continue expanding residential towers, hotels, airports and commercial buildings.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: These blue-collar jobs now pay over $100,000 a year. Is college still worth it?

"We Will Continue To Stand Strong And Speak Out Against All Types Of Racism And Gun Violence" - UUP Joins The Community On The Fourth Anniversary Of The 'Racially-Motivated & Horrific Mass Shooting' At A Tops Grocery Store On Buffalo's East Side

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

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) - The fourth anniversary of the horrific mass shooting at a Tops Grocery Store in Buffalo on May 14th was both solemn and joyful.

During an afternoon ceremony, Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan and others addressed survivors, families and the media in a tent outside the Jefferson Avenue Store.

That was followed by a reading of the names of the 10 people who were killed on May 14th, 2022 by a shooter motivated by racism and hate.

More than 600 volunteers - including UUP Members, took part in 12 service events across the City on May 14th.

UUP President Fred Kowal, former Statewide Vice President for Professionals Tom Tucker, and a small group of Buffalo-area Members, were on East Utica Street throughout the day - talking with people and waiting to clean up after a street party that was part of the event that was established in 2025 as Buffalo’s official day of service and remembrance.

Kowal, along with Buffalo Center Chapter President Kathleen “Kat” Kieler, Buffalo HSC Chapter President Jim Lichtenthal and others moved and stacked dozens of tables and folding chairs used for the street festival, where despite temperatures in the 40s.

Volunteers spent the afternoon painting faces, making balloon animals, making crafts with kids, serving food, playing music and cutting hair for free.

“UUP is a part of the Buffalo Community so we should be here today and we belong here today,” Kowal said. “Our Members who work at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo State University and SUNY (State University of New York) Fredonia live and work in this community and what happened on (May 14th, 2022) affected - and still affects - them and our entire Union very, very deeply. We will not forget and we will continue to stand strong and speak out against all types of racism and gun violence.”

Tom Melendy of the Buffalo HSC Chapter remembered hearing about the shooting while he was in his office.

Melendy is a Microbiology and Immunology Professor and works at the Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, located not far from the Tops on Jefferson Avenue.

He could hear the sirens wailing as police arrived and ambulances carried the wounded to the Erie County Medical Center.

Melendy joined a community response team after the shooting.

He was one of many UUP Members, along with Kowal, who helped bring and distribute food to the neighborhood while Tops was closed.

He joined with the thousands of mourning, angry people who marched in the streets surrounding the store.

He said he witnessed a spirit of coming together throughout the City and a change in the way the HSC interacts with the community around it.

There is more outreach now.

Vans from the Medical Center park offer free dental care, women’s care and pediatric services.

The HSC has also opened its spaces to show movies.

Instead of Starbucks products, the café at the Medical Center serves coffee from the Golden Cup, a local business a block away from the Jefferson Avenue Tops store.

UUP Organizer Danielle Judge-Freeman provided UUP T-shirts to volunteers and made crafts with kids while her own family and life-long friends visited.

The day was both professional and personal for Judge-Freeman, who is deeply connected to the Buffalo Community, raised her children in the City and guided many others as a former Employee of the Boys and Girls Club.

She displayed a large photograph in the UUP tent of DonnaSue Crawford, her best friend’s Mother.

Crawford was in the Tops the day of the shooting, standing in line at the customer service desk when the shooter entered the store.

He shot the Woman behind Crawford.

She dropped everything and ran to the back where she hid with other people in a break room.

They barricaded the door.

Outside, her daughter, Tracey Adams waited for news, unsure if her Mother survived.

Crawford was physically unharmed that day, but Adams said she was never the same.

She never went back into the store.

Seemingly in perfect health, she died suddenly at 71, in January 2024.

At the afternoon ceremony, Hochul announced the State will add another $3 million toward the construction of the 5/14 Memorial and Living Center planned for a site at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Best Street, bringing New York’s contribution to $9 million.

The building is expected to cost $15 million.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: UUP, East Buffalo observe mass shooting anniversary

UUP-Provided Photo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Economic Policy Institute/LaborLab Report: U.S. Employers 'Spend More Than $1.5 Billion Annually On Union Avoidance'

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

Many U.S. employers hire Union Avoidance Consultants to keep their Workers from organizing and bargaining for better pay and working conditions. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) and LaborLab estimate employers spend roughly $1.7 billion a year on Union Avoidance Consultants and law firms for this purpose, which has an undeniable impact on Workers’ ability to organize and bargain collectively. Over the past several decades, large law firms have developed substantial business specializing in Union Avoidance Services. This includes exploiting the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) administrative processes and creating nearly endless delays for Workers who are trying to form a Union. Large law firms - such as Littler Mendelson, Morgan Lewis, and Jackson Lewis, have represented employers in their fights against some of the largest organizing efforts over the last decade, including Amazon, Starbucks and Trader Joe’s.

To Read The EPI/LaborLab Report, Go To: U.S. employers spend more than $1.5 billion annually on union avoidance | Economic Policy Institute

Unionized New York City Hotel Housekeepers 'Will Earn More Than $100,000 Under A Historic & New Union Contract'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – The International Business Times reports Unionized Hotel Housekeepers in New York City will earn more than $100,000 annually under a groundbreaking and new contract reached between the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC) and the Hotel Industry of New York City, marking a significant victory for Workers grappling with the City's soaring cost of living. The contract covers 25,000 Workers in more than 300 Hotels, including major properties in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. The deal includes substantial wage increases, improved benefits and enhanced working conditions for thousands of Housekeepers and other Hotel Employees. HTC President Peter Ward described it as one of the most transformative contracts in the sector's history: "This is a game-changer for Working People in this City. Housekeepers are the backbone of New York's Hospitality Industry. They deserve pay that reflects the true cost of living here and the hard, physical work they do every single day."

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: NYC Hotel Housekeepers to Earn Over $100K Under Historic New Union Contract

United University Professions Honors New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky With The Statewide Union's 'Friend of UUP Award'

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - United University Professions (UUP), the Nation’s largest Higher Education Union, has honored New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky with its Friend of UUP Award.

Senator Stavisky, the first Woman from Queens County elected to the State Senate and the first Woman to chair the Senate Higher Ed Committee, was elected in 1999 and has served ever since.

As Senate Higher Ed Committee Chair, Senator Stavisky has been a strong supporter of Public Higher Education and the State University of New York (SUNY) - and she’s been a long-time friend of UUP.

Under her leadership, she’s worked to increase State funding to SUNY, providing the University System with resources necessary to offer a word-class educational experience to students. She has also increased student access through reforms to the State’s Tuition Assistance Program and by keeping tuition reasonable for Working Families.

UUP President Fred Kowal (Pictured Above With Senator Stavisky/UUP-Provided Photo) said: “Senator Stavisky really deserves this Friend of UUP Award. She’s been there for UUP and her hard work has benefitted SUNY, our Members, students and communities across our State. UUP’s relationship with State Lawmakers matters to this Union the whole year round and not just during budget season. We cultivate good friendships with Lawmakers whose ideals and goals match our own, on both sides of the aisle. It’s a bonus for us when these friendships are based on years of trust and mutual respect. We are fortunate indeed to have such a friendship with Senator Toby Ann Stavisky of the Eleventh Senate District.”

Senator Stavisky said: “Together we have made great strides and I'm optimistic about the future, the Faculty and Support Staff are the reason. They teach the students, they conduct the research and they care for the patients in our Public Teaching Hospitals. The strength of New York's future is a result of our Public Colleges and Universities, and I will keep doing my part in Albany to make sure New York lives up to that responsibility.”

UUP’s non-partisan award recognizes distinguished service rendered to SUNY by those who strengthen and enlarge the political community devoted to the progressive development of Public Higher Education in New York State.

Past winners include State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

UUP represents more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees.

UUP Members work at 29 New York State-operated Campuses, including SUNY’s Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.

UUP is an affiliate of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Press Release | UUP honors Stavisky with Friend of UUP award

130 Front Desk Workers Employed At The Mandalay Bay Hotel In Las Vegas 'Go Union,' Join The Teamsters

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

(LAS VEGAS, NEVADA) – A group of 130 Front Desk Workers at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas have voted overwhelmingly to Unionize with Teamsters Local 986.

The newly-organized Workers join more than 250 Teamsters in valet, horticulture, warehouse and call center positions.

With this victory, the Teamsters now have wall-to-wall representation at the property.

“We’re building power across the Casino Industry and Workers are stepping up because they know the Teamsters fight and deliver,” said Tommy Blitsch, who serves as the Director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division.

“This victory at Mandalay Bay is part of a growing movement of Hospitality Workers demanding respect, security and a stronger future,” he said.

The Front Desk Workers, who play a critical role in the guest experience by handling check-ins and check-outs, upkeeping operations and ensuring visitors receive a hospitable stay, joined the Teamsters to secure higher pay, better benefits and a strong voice in the workplace.

“Front Desk Workers are the face of the property and the heartbeat of the guest experience,” Teamsters Local 986 President Tim Vera said. “These Workers deserve strong representation and a contract that reflects the value they bring every single day. Local (986) is proud to welcome them into our family and we’re ready to fight alongside them for the future they deserve.”

“We joined the Teamsters to win a fair contract and have a stronger voice on the job,” said Sylvia Hinojosa, a Guest Front Services Representative and new Member of Local 986. “Being a Teamster means having the representation, protections and benefits we deserve - and I’m proud to stand with my Co-Workers in this fight.”

Nationwide, the Teamsters represent nearly 6,000 Members at casinos and casino hotels.

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

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Report, Go To: Workers at Mandalay Bay Join Teamsters - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AFGE File Photo.

Iowa's 'Work That Improves Housing' Program Trains Carpenters, Electricians 'While Fixing Up Run-Down' Houses

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Maura Curran at Iowa Public Radio reports on a new program in Central Iowa will train people for a Trade Apprenticeship and preserve low-income homes. Participants in the Work That Improves Housing Program will go through residential and commercial training in construction. They’ll spend four months doing tasks like repairing low-income homes and doing commercial training in carpentry or electrical work. The Polk County Housing Trust Fund’s Julian Neely says the program is unique because it prioritizes adults. “What are some gaps,” he says, “and what we saw was adults and so this is an opportunity for adults to make that transition, that leap, that career change.” Participants also get paid for the program, which includes Apprenticeship readiness by repairing lower income homes in select Des Moines neighborhoods. Neely says he intentionally chose those areas. “We are driving resources to underserved neighborhoods,” he says, “or neighborhoods that might just need a little bit more investment.” Neely added that he wanted to find a way to remove barriers for workforce development and improve lower income housing in the area. At least 26 people have applied for the program.

To Directly Access this Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Program trains carpenters, electricians while fixing up Iowa's run-down houses - Radio Iowa

Teamsters With The Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers And Trainmen & Their Union Coalition 'Win Historic Strike At The Long Island Railroad - 3,500 Worker Walkout 'Forces LIRR To Offer Fair' Contract

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – Teamsters with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and their Union Coalition have reached a tentative contract agreement with the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to end the Carrier’s first Strike in more than three decades.

The LIRR is the busiest Commuter Railroad in America, with 300,000 daily passengers.

The Teamsters represent over 500 of the LIRR’s Locomotive Engineers.

The agreement provides Workers with raises that maintain their standard of living while strengthening work rules and improving benefits, Union Officials said.

The Coalition spent years bargaining with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for a new agreement.

The process included two Presidential Emergency Boards that ruled in favor of the Unions.

In that time, Workers went without raises as inflation ate away their standard of living.

The thousands of Workers from five Unions were forced to Strike by the MTA’s refusal to offer them a fair contract.

BLET Teamsters and their Coalition partners set up picket lines at major LIRR hubs immediately after midnight on Saturday, May 16th.

Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said: “BLET Teamsters and their Brothers and Sisters across four other Unions just showed this entire country what ‘Worker Solidarity looks like in action.’ These Union Railroaders made it clear from the start they would not accept a deal that shortchanged them and undercut their standard of living. For three long days they bravely withheld their labor on picket lines across the New York Metropolitan Area. Every Worker in America is reminded of what can be achieved through courage and conviction to fight for a better way of life.”

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

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: BLET Teamsters & Union Coalition Win Historic Strike at LIRR - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

St. John's Faculty Rallies At Board Of Trustees Meeting To 'Demand University Return To The Bargaining Table' After 'De-Recognizing' The Unions In February

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – More than 100 Faculty Members of the St. John’s University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Faculty Association (FA) - along with students, community members and Labor allies from PSC-CUNY (Professional Staff Congress-City University of New York) and Fordham Faculty United, gathered at the main entrance to the St. John’s University Queens Campus during the final Board of Trustees meeting of the 2025-2026 academic year, demanding the University come back to the bargaining table after de-recognizing the Unions in a February e-mail. Scabby the Rat stood tall at the entrance to the campus while passing cars honked in support. The rally also featured support from a number of Elected Officials. John Waters, a Clinical Associate Professor of English at New York University, was one of the featured speakers. Waters’ Father was a Catholic Social Justice Lawyer at St. John’s and was among the founders of the AAUP Chapter at St. John’s that is currently under attack. He told the crowd that St. John’s University is betraying its principles – and: “We have to speak clearly to the administration that this will not stand. The Faculty is the University!”

Photo Courtesy Of The AAUP.

Detroit's Michigan Science Center Workers 'Go Union' With The UAW

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(DETROIT, MICHIGAN) - Workers employed at the Michigan Science Center (MI-SCI) voted 24-to-1 to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Election. The new Bargaining Unit includes Guest Relations Workers and Educators. MI-SCI Workers had approached the UAW about forming a Union at their workplace due to ongoing bullying and harassment by management, scheduling issues and lack of a voice at work. In addition, management constantly implemented new policies and programs without seeking feedback from the Workers, Union Officials said. UAW Region 1 Director LaShawn English said: “The victory at MI-SCI proves that when Workers stand together, Workers win. The Employees at MI-SCI organized because they wanted their voices heard, their work respected and a real seat at the table. Their courage and unity made this moment possible. Every Worker deserves dignity, respect and the opportunity to help shape their workplace. UAW Region One proudly stands with the Workers at MI-SCI as they begin this new chapter. They believed in each other, stayed united and they won.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Report, Go To: Michigan Science Center Workers Vote to Join the UAW - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America And Detroit’s Michigan Science Center Workers win union victory under UAW – People's World

Photo Courtesy Of The UAW.

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

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

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

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

An 'Historic' Union Election: The 'Largest' Union Election In Pennsylvania's Public Sector 'In Nearly Five Decades, More Than 5,000' Penn State Faculty 'Vote To Join SEIU'

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

(THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA) – More than 5,000 Faculty across Penn State University’s many campuses - including University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses, have Gone Union with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 668.

The Penn State Faculty Alliance (PSFA) announced 2,510 Faculty Members voted yes and 847 no.

Union Officials called it a “historic” Union Election and the largest Union Election in the State of Pennsylvania’s Public Sector in nearly five decades.

The Union will include Faculty Members across all ranks and Departments, tenured and contingent, full-time and part-time, at University Park and across the Commonwealth Campuses.

Marissa Baez, Adjunct Lecturer in Arts and Architecture at Penn State University Park and PSFA Organizing Committee Member, said: “I am very excited about the results of the election. As Faculty, we all came together to achieve a collective voice in Penn State’s decision-making. Now, we can move forward as educators to create a better work environment for all Faculty and support the best learning environment for our students.”

Beth Seymour, Teaching Professor of Anthropology at Penn State Altoona and PSFA Organizing Committee Member, said: “This is a win for all Penn State Faculty and an incredible opportunity to advocate for Higher Education in Pennsylvania. We encourage all faculty to join PSFA and get involved, as we look forward to working with the University and quickly negotiating a strong contract for the Faculty. Together we will build a strong future for our entire University Community.”

SEIU Local 668 is a Statewide Public Sector Union representing 25,000 workers, with Members in all 67 Counties across the Pennsylvania Commonwealth.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: We Won!!!

Unionized Elevator Mechanics 'Can Make Up To Nearly $159,000 Annually' & This CEO Says 'They Can't Hire Them Fast Enough'

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

Ana Altchek at Business Insider reports Judy Marks, the CEO of Elevator Giant Otis, says there is a growing demand for skilled Elevator Mechanics - around the world. Otis offers an Apprenticeship Program, starting at age 18, and tuition perks for Workers. Elevator Mechanics can earn wages up to just under $159,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In the United States, Otis Elevator Mechanics are Union-represented. Marks said Elevator Mechanics tend to stay in the profession for decades. She said Otis has roughly as many Mechanics with zero to five years of experience as it does Workers who have been with the company for more than 30 years. "We don't have this kind of 'silver cliff' that's coming," Marks said, referring to how some older Workers struggle in other Trades. "Most of them stay in the Trade the rest of their life, and a lot of them, their fathers or mothers or grandfathers were in it."

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: AI Poised to Tilt Job Market Leverage Toward Older Workers

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

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

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

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

Houston Labor Organizers Allege More Than 100 Workers On The LBJ Hospital Project 'Were Denied Full Pay, Benefits & Vacation Time - A Total Of $1.6 Billion'

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

(HOUSTON, TEXAS) - Labor Unions representing Construction Workers on the $1.6 billion LBJ Hospital expansion project are urging Harris County's Public Health Care Entity to address allegations of stolen wages and a fear of retaliation on the construction site. Union Officials say the issue could be negatively impacting potentially hundreds of Workers who were hired by contractors McCorvey Sheet Metal Works LP and Chapparal Insulation. In response to concerns raised by Workers in the past few months, Harris Health has engaged a third-party auditor to field complaints and to assist in reviewing wage-related claims. Sheet Metal Workers Local 54 Business Manager Armando Aguirre said: "Workers must be paid what they are owed without any further delay. But that's not enough. There must be a full investigation and an audit into the sub-contractors accused of misconduct on this project and they must be held responsible." Unions are urging Harris County to send a message to contractors that the alleged behavior - including underpayment, intimidation, retaliation and gaslighting - won’t be tolerated. “Whatever a contractor is stealing from Workers should not be worth the consequences when they inevitably get caught,” Aguirre said. “Taxpayer-funded projects must have a zero tolerance policy for wage and hour violations or retaliation.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Workers allege wage theft on $1.6B Houston hospital project And Stolen wage allegations made against contractors hired by Harris County for $1.6B hospital construction – Houston Public Media

Kickstarter United 'Rallies Against Retaliatory' Firings

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Kickstarter United (Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 153) Members and supporters gathered on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall to demand the immediate reinstatement of Union Leaders fired by Kickstarter in what the Union characterizes as illegal retaliation. The terminations came just months after Kickstarter United secured a landmark contract following a 42-day Strike in November 2025. The contract, ratified by an overwhelming majority of Members, included a codified four-day work-week, strong protections against the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to displace Workers, and an escalating salary floor tied to cost of living. It is widely considered to be one of the strongest labor agreements in the Tech Industry. On February 11th (2026), Kickstarter management announced the termination of four Union Members and the reassignment of several others out of the Bargaining Unit, offering no business-need justification for the decisions. The Union has filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and multiple grievances related to the company's use of Non-Union contractors and AI to undermine Bargaining Unit work. At the rally, Kickstarter United Members and other speakers - including Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Brendan Griffith, called for the immediate reinstatement of all terminated Union Members and for Kickstarter to cease-and-desist the retaliation - immediately.

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Kickstarter Fired Employees as a Retaliation to Organizing, Union Says - BKReader

Washington, D.C. Pottery Studio Workers 'Go Union' With SEIU

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

Staff at All Fired Up, a Washington, D.C. Paint-Your-Own Pottery Store, have won their National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Election to form a Union with Service Employees International Union’s (SEIU) Workers United. Workers, under the name All Fired Up Workers United, voted unanimously to Unionize. Staff cited low wages and a lack of benefits as core motivation for their effort. Despite a lack of support from the business owner, sudden layoffs after the public announcement of the Union Drive and concerning comments made by the owner’s family during the election, the Workers stood strong and refused to back down. “All Fired Up Workers United is proud to announce our workers unanimously voted “Yes!” for the Union at today’s (NLRB) facilitated election,” the Union said in a Social Media post. “Big thanks to all of our Workers who voted, (Workers United, Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board) for their support and expertise, and (Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America) for cheering us on. We’re excited to prepare for contract negotiations! The real work is about to begin.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Employees of DC Paint-Your-Own Pottery Studio Vote to Unionize - Washingtonian

Five Unions Strike The Long Island Railroad After Contract Negotiations On A New Contract 'Fail By Deadline, Causing The First Strike At The Carrier In 32 Years'

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK) - After hours of last-minute negotiations, no agreement on wage increases was reached between a coalition of five unions and the Long Island Railroad (LIRR).

The coalition of Unions has gone more than three years without raises throughout the process of bargaining for a new contract.

This is the first Strike at the carrier in 32 years.

In accordance with the terms of the Railway Labor Act, the Coalition’s 3,500 Members then went on Strike just after midnight today (Saturday, May 16th).

The LIRR is the Nation’s busiest Commuter Railroad with 300,000 daily passengers.

The LIRR is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Transit Agency (MTA).

The Labor Coalition includes the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Transportation Communications Union (TCU).

As part of the negotiating process, both parties argued their case before two Federally-appointed Presidential Emergency Boards (PEB).

Both Boards sided with the Labor Coalition as having the most reasonable contract offer.

BLET and the Teamsters Rail Conference President Mark Wallace said: “This Strike would not have happened if the MTA and LIRR offered our Members the reasonable terms the Government recommended multiple times. But management refused. We hope (the) LIRR gets serious soon to avoid further unnecessary disruptions for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. They know where to find us when they’re ready: On the streets.”

Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said: “The LIRR owns this Strike. Union Workers have sacrificed so much for the railroad for years while consistently bargaining in good faith for a fair contract. Hundreds of thousands of commuters rely on our Members’ labor every day. The LIRR is stranding passengers while denying wages, benefits and respect to BLET Teamsters and other hard-working Union Members. All (1.3 million) Members of the Teamsters Union are standing with every Worker on Strike. We will win this fight and the LIRR will give these essential Workers the contract they’ve earned.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: BLET members on strike at Long Island Railroad - Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen And New York commuter rail system ceases operations as workers strike | AP News

North America's Building Trades Unions Join With Bechtel 'To Launch A Nuclear Apprenticeship Push As Power Demand Rises'

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

Keith Loria at Construction Dive reports North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) and Bechtel have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at modernizing Apprenticeship Programs for nuclear construction projects, including both traditional reactors and small modular reactors. The initiative comes as nuclear construction activity accelerates alongside rising electricity demand tied to Artificial Intelligence (AI), data centers and electrification. Bechtel said the partnership is designed to align training programs with evolving nuclear construction methods while maintaining strict safety and quality standards required on nuclear projects. The agreement also reflects broader growth across the Power Construction Market. Utility and gas construction starts increased 59.3% during the 12 months ending February 2026, while non-building construction starts climbed 17% overall, according to recent data from the Dodge Construction Network. Additionally, Dodge reported electric power and utility construction activity surged more than 350% month over month in March due to several mega-project starts. According to NABTU, the effort is intended to help Workers adapt to increasingly digital jobsites while reinforcing AI is meant to support skilled Craft Labor rather than replace it.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Bechtel, NABTU launch nuclear apprenticeship push as power demand rises | Construction Dive

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

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

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

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

The Virginia Public Sector Labor Coalition Says Governor Has 'Betrayed More Than Half a Million' Public Service Workers 'By Vetoing Historic' Collective Bargaining Legislation

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

(RICHMOND, VIRGINIA) - The Virginia Public Sector Labor Coalition, which collectively represents hundreds of thousands of Workers across the Commonwealth, issued the following joint statement in response to Governor Abigail Spanberger’s betrayal of half a million Virginia Public Service Workers - including Teachers, Firefighters, Home Care Workers, State Workers, County Workers, City Workers and some Higher Education Workers - by expressing her plan to veto historic legislation that would have allowed Workers to collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits and working conditions:

The Virginia Public Sector Labor Coalition - which comprises the: Virginia AFL-CIO; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the American Federation of Teachers; the American Federation of Teachers-American Association of University Professors; the Communications Workers of America (CWA); Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Virginia 512; the Virginia Education Association (VEA); the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters (VPFF); UNITE HERE; and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 - released the following statement:

Shame.

Governor Abigail Spanberger (has) betrayed half a million of Virginia’s Public Service Workers by going back on her campaign promise to support Collective Bargaining Rights for the people who keep our Commonwealth and communities running every day.

Instead of aligning herself with General Assembly Democrats who unanimously supported this Bill, Spanberger instead vetoed the Bill just as her predecessor Glenn Youngkin did, sending Virginia Workers the crystal-clear message that they are no better off than they were under a Republican Governor.

Many Workers were excited by her promise to finally give them a voice on the job and are now left questioning why she has left them behind.

It is Orwellian for the Governor to suggest that she supports Collective Bargaining Rights while introducing a version of the Bill that delayed extending those rights to local Workers until the next decade, inserted a kill-switch into the bill that would have effectively allowed a future Governor to end Collective Bargaining without a single vote from the General Assembly, and took Workers’ rights in Virginia backwards by weakening existing Collective Bargaining Agreements and reducing Worker protections across the Commonwealth.

To then hide behind local politicians who are scared to sit down with their own Workers, instead of acknowledging the many local Elected Officials who called on her to sign the Bill and the half a million Public Service Workers whose lives could have been made better by this Bill, is cowardly.

The Governor thinks she knows what is best for Workers and that is precisely the problem.

She is not listening to Workers.

Virginia’s ban on Collective Bargaining is rooted in the efforts of Black Hospital Workers to organize the University of Virginia Hospital in the 1940s.

Until 2020, Virginia was one of only three States with a blanket ban on Collective Bargaining, with the other two being North Carolina and South Carolina.

It is shameful the Governor turned her back on an opportunity to undo this remaining legacy of Jim Crow in Virginia.

The right to Collectively Bargain is foundational to all other Workers’ Rights.

To be clear: In the middle of an affordability crisis, the Governor has denied half a million Public Service Workers the freedom to bargain for a living wage, affordable health care and safe workplaces.

Working Families thank General Assembly Democrats, especially the Legislation’s patrons Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell and House Democratic Caucus Chair Kathy Tran, who have stood with and fought alongside Virginia’s Workers.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Gov. Spanberger Betrays More Than Half a Million Public Service Workers By Vetoing Historic Collective Bargaining Legislation | American Federation of Teachers

Unions 'Demand' Apollo Global Management 'Respect Workers' Rights'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - A group of Workers and Unions - including LiUNA Local 79, City University of New York’s Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY), St. John’s University’s Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (SJU-AAUP), and the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, rallied against Worker mistreatment outside of Apollo Global’s Manhattan Headquarters. Apollo Global is partnering with RXR on the office-to-residential conversion project at Five Times Square, which will transform the 39-story office tower to 1,290 housing units. Twenty-five-percent of the new units are slated to be earmarked as affordable housing, but many of the Workers constructing the project are paid sub-standard wages too low to afford to live in the building once the conversion is completed. “I worked as a Construction Laborer for a Non-Union body shop at Five Times Square and jobsites around New York City, I was making close to minimum wage,” Construction Worker William White said. “It was difficult to survive and support my kids. I asked the company for a raise multiple times, but I never received one. I had to rely on Medicaid even though I was working full-time. I was afraid to lose my job because of my incarceration history. Construction Laborers at Five Times Square should be treated with the dignity they deserve and should be paid just wages with benefits.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Construction Workers Demand Apollo Global Respect Worker Rights – LaborPress

Photo Courtesy Of Laborers Local 79’s Instagram Page.

"In A Profession Where We Give Ourselves To Caring For Others, Nurses Should Have The Ability To Care For Our Loved Ones When We Need To" - NYSNA-Represented Erie County Medical Center Nurses In Buffalo 'Continue Their Fight For Paid Family Leave'

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

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) - Nearly a year after voting to opt-in to New York’s Nation-leading Paid Family Leave (PFL) Program, New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Nurses are still fighting for Hospital Management to implement the benefit.

New York’s PFL Program - which was signed into law in 2016 and enacted on January 1st, 2018 - provides eligible Workers with up to 12 weeks of paid, job-protected leave to care for a new child or Family Member with a serious health condition, or to assist when a Family Member is on overseas military deployment.

While the law that implemented the benefit makes it mandatory for private employers, the same courtesy is not extended to Public Sector Workers, who must petition their employer for the benefit and then vote to opt-in.

At ECMC, this process has proven more difficult than the law lays out.

While Nurses voted overwhelmingly to opt-in to the program, Hospital Management has drawn out the process, leaving Nurses without PFL, Union Officials said.

Last May, NYSNA Nurses at ECMC successfully got Hospital Management to agree to offer PFL.

After winning this agreement from management, Nurses informed their fellow Members about the program and their ability to vote to opt-in.

Nurses spoke about the critical need for the program and the peace of mind it would offer to their colleagues looking to start new families or caring for elderly loved ones.

After a weeks-long campaign to educate Members, the vast majority of Union Nurses voted to opt-in to the PFL program.

Kate Panicali, a NYSNA Member at ECMC, said: “In a profession where we give ourselves to caring for others, Nurses should have the ability to care for our loved ones when we need to - without worrying about our bills being paid, keeping food on the table or losing our jobs.”

But despite their successful vote, Nurses at ECMC are still without PFL.

While management initially agreed to provide the benefit, ECMC has since gone back on their commitment, citing financial uncertainty stemming from the cuts to Federal health care funding and the cost associated with administering the benefit.

Though not unlawful, management’s broken commitment is a serious affront To Public Sector Nurses who voted for PFL and work hard to care for Western New York’s most vulnerable patients, day in and day out.

But ECMC’s Nurses are not giving up.

Earlier this year, they launched an e-mail campaign demanding management follow through on their commitment and provide PFL.

More than 550 NYSNA-represented Nurses participated in the action, sending nearly 1,700 e-mails to Hospital Administrators.

Nurses followed the success of their digital action with in-person meetings to confront management and engage stakeholders.

In mid-April, Nurses brought their demands to a Labor-Management meeting, once again calling for ECMC to provide the benefit they committed to one year ago.

Nurses also delivered copies of the 1,700 e-mails produced in their digital campaign.

At the meeting, NYSNA Western Regional Director and ECMC Registered Nurse John Batson (Pictured Below/WNYLaborToday.com File Photo) said: “This has been a sixteen-month fight for Nurses here at ECMC, but we won’t be deterred. We won’t be denied. And we’ll continue to push forward. This benefit is the law - it’s not an option. It’s applied to every Nurse at every Private Health Care Facility in Western New York. If they can manage it, ECMC can manage it as well.”

Later in April, Nurses held a briefing for Elected Officials to update them on the campaign to implement PFL at ECMC.

The briefing was attended by New York State Assembly Member Jon Rivera and representatives from the offices of New York State Senator April Baskin, New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal People-Stokes and the Erie County Legislature.

Representatives from the Western New York Area Labor Federation also attended.

In the meantime, ECMC Nurses are continuing the fight for management to follow through on their commitment and grant Nurses' access to this life-changing program.

ECMC Nurses “work hard, day in and day out, to care for patients from all over Western New York (and) deserve paid leave to care for their own families when they need it the most,” Union Officials said.

NYSNA Editor’s Note: You can show your support for ECMC Nurses by signing the petition and demanding Hospital Management make good on their word and implement Paid Family Leave here: Erie County Medical Center Nurses Deserve Paid Family Leave! | New York State Nurses Association

Photo Of ECMC Nurses Provided By NYSNA.

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

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

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

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

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

AFA-Represented United Flight Attendants Ratify New Contract That Features A 31% Average Wage Increase For Nearly 30,000 Flight Attendants

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - United Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America (AFA-CWA), have voted by 82% to ratify a new contract that provides a 31% average wage increase for the nearly 30,000 Flight Attendants - plus boarding pay (additional 7%-8% compensation on average) this Summer, and $741 million in retroactive pay, among many other improvements.

“The contract will immediately change the lives of United Flight Attendants, especially our thousands of new hires who have been hired since the pandemic,” AFA President Ken Diaz said. “Our solidarity delivered the goods.”

“The United Airlines Flight Attendant contract now leads the industry in total value for Flight Attendants - and it should,” said AFA-CWA President Sara Nelson, whose Union represents more than 55,000 Flight Attendants who are employed at 20 Airlines. “We will continue to press forward with all of our contracts and build power with our organizing to ensure Flight Attendants are respected with meaningful return for our work as Aviation’s First responders.”

The five-year contract includes: 31% base pay rate increase this Summer - Average increase in base pay with June and August 2026 raises compounded; Boarding pay (on average 7-8% increase to compensation); $741 Million in Retro Pay; Expanded job security aligned with United Pilots, including limits on Express flying, code and revenue share; Restrictions on red-eye flying; Sit Pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits over 2.5 hours (incentive to decrease long, unpaid sits); Per Diem and 401k contribution increases; 10 weeks paid maternity and two weeks paid parental and adoption leaves; Elimination of 24 hour on-call reserve with 14 Hours Reserve Availability Periods; Improved language in Hotels and Electronic Notification; and Increased Pay for premiums including International Purser and Language position.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: United Flight Attendants Ratify New Contract - Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

NewsGuild Of NY-Represented Journalists Employed At Sports Illustrated Win New Contract With Publisher Minute Media - Agreement Includes AI 'Guardrails,' 'Increased' Family Leave, Remote 'Work Protections,' 'Higher' Salary Floors & More

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

(NEW YORK CITY) - Unionized Journalists employed at Sports Illustrated (SI) have won a new three-year contract that raises salary floors, saves on health care, protects remote work and enshrines protections on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Sports Illustrated Union, which represents 64 Journalists at the legendary Sports Media Organization, ratified the contract deal with Publisher Minute Media that wrapped up nearly a year and a half of bargaining with Minute, which took over as Publisher in 2024 after the previous Publisher, The Arena Group, lost its license to publish SI.

“This contract upholds the principles and protections we fought so hard for four years ago,” says Dan Falkenheim, a Fact Checker and the SI Union’s Unit Chair. “After our Members have experienced more than their fair share of instability because of ownership changes beyond our control, we are thrilled to have a contract that values our work and provides a strong foundation for Sports Illustrated’s future at Minute Media.”

Highlights of the deal include: Every Unit Member is now earning $70,000 or more, and the average member gets a raise of 5.22% upon ratification, with 3% guaranteed increases in 2027 and 2028; The contract enshrines Minute Media’s commitment that SI’s journalism must be created by humans. The company must follow journalistic ethics and contractual editorial integrity protections if it uses AI for editorial work, and a Unit Employee will sit on the company’s AI Board; Current Employees at SI, who have been working remotely since 2020, can stay remote; Service at prior operators of SI is credited in full, and long-time Employees are able to earn additional severance beyond the severance cap of 26 weeks; The contract preserves Just Cause Protections and provides for enhanced severance if a layoff is due to AI or out of seniority order; and The deal increases parental leave (to 16 weeks for primary caregivers and 12 weeks for secondary caregivers), caps annual increases on medical premiums, lowers premiums for family plans and provides new funding for HSAs on high-deductible plans.

NewsGuild of New York President Susan DeCarava said: “Thoroughout the transition between Publishers, our Members at Sports Illustrated remained focused on what was most important: Dedication to one another and to the value of their work. It is this solidarity that won us a strong new contract and which allows our Members to continue to produce the quality journalism for which they are known.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: NewsGuild of NY-represented journalists at Sports Illustrated win new contract with publisher Minute Media

University Of Missouri Librarians 'Go Union,' Join LiUNA

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

Librarians at the University of Missouri (UM) have voted to join LiUNA Local 955, a Union that represents a number of Public Employees in the Mid-Missouri area. “We are hopeful that the UM System voluntarily recognizes our Union and bargains in good faith,” Engineering Librarian Noël Kopriva said in a press release that added the Workers had filed with the State Board of Mediation in early December 2025. The Workers cited low wages - with some Library Information Specialists earning around $16-an-hour and others $18-an-hour, and the loss of benefits such as a sliding parking fee system and expanded leave.

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: MU librarians vote to join LiUNA 955 - ABC17NEWS

The State Of Kansas Is Selected For One Of 10 National Apprenticeship America Initiatives

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

KSNT in Topeka, Kansas reports the State of Kansas is gaining national recognition for its growing Apprenticeship Programs after being selected as one of 10 States participating in a new workforce initiative aimed at expanding career training opportunities across the country. The Apprenticeship America Program aims to help States grow Registered Apprenticeship Programs as part of the Federal Government’s goal of reaching one million active Apprentices nationwide. The initiative is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and will provide each participating State with $200,000 to help develop and strengthen career training systems focused on hands-on learning and workforce development. At the Topeka Electrical Joint Apprenticeship interest in Apprenticeships has steadily grown in recent years. Currently there are about 90 Apprentices in the initiative, with 50 to 60 people coming through the Training Center each week. Representatives say younger generations are becoming more aware of trade careers and realizing that a four-year college degree is not the only path to success.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Kansas selected for national Apprenticeship America initiative | KSNT 27 News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Full Letter Can Be Viewed Here.

AFSCME Local 3299 - Which Represents More Than 40,000 Workers In The University Of California System, Plans An 'Open-Ended' Strike Starting Thursday At UC Santa Cruz, 'Accusing The University Of Bad-Faith' Bargaining

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

The American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 - which represents more than 40,000 Workers employed in the University of California (UC) System, including 530 at UC Santa Cruz, is planning an open-ended strike starting Thursday (May 14th). The Union accuses the University of bad-faith bargaining. Workers are employed in a span a range of occupations, such as food service, transportation, Electricians, Custodians and Patient Care Workers, like Nurse’s Aides and Radiology Technologists. AFSCME says wages simply don’t keep up with rising housing and health care costs. The Workers have filed two Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charges against UC, including: Unlawful imposition of health care increases and other unlawful terms and refusal to bargain over housing benefits. AFSCME Local 3299 Executive Director Liz Perlman told Lookout Santa Cruz: “It’s the first time, not only for our Union, but also for an open-ended hospital Strike in the Public Sector in California. This is really a last resort. After two years, we’ve tried everything else. Their average salary is ($62,000), which, you know, in Santa Cruz County is just nearly impossible to live on. The UCs are in some of the most expensive real estate in the country. They don’t move, but everything gets more and more expensive around them.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Open Ended Strike! – AFSCME 3299 And UC workers prepare for systemwide open-ended strike on Thursday, with local impacts to patients, buses, dining services - Lookout Santa Cruz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Courtesy Of The IAM.

United Natural Foods Incorporated Teamsters 'Ratify Strong First' Contract - Warehouse Workers 'Win 23%' Wage Increase, Teamsters Health Care & Pension

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

(LANCASTER, TEXAS) – Teamsters Local 745 Members employed at United Natural Foods Incorporated (UNFI) in Lancaster, Texas have overwhelmingly ratified their first Teamsters contract that covers 300 Warehouse Workers and delivers a 23% wage increase, Teamsters health care, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan and strong job protections.

“This contract is going to change our lives for years to come,” said Laqurria Marshall, a Warehouse Worker and Member of Local 745. “We organized because we wanted better wages, affordable health care and real retirement security. By standing together as Teamsters, we secured all of that and more.”

Workers at UNFI’s Lancaster Distribution Center voted to join the Teamsters in December, following an earlier organizing victory by Drivers at the same Facility.

With the ratification of this agreement, the Lancaster Facility is now a wall-to-wall Teamsters Shop.

“Our Members at UNFI fought hard and stayed united from Day One. This agreement proves what Workers can accomplish when they fight together as Teamsters,” said Brent Taylor, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 745 and Teamsters Southern Region International Vice President. “We promised these Workers we would fight to win the wages, benefits and protections that they deserved and that is exactly what we delivered.”

UNFI is the primary distributor for Amazon-owned Whole Foods.

Since 2022, more than 3,500 UNFI Workers have organized with the Teamsters, bringing total Teamsters Membership to more than 5,500 nationwide.

Newly organized Workers at UNFI Facilities across the country continue to win strong first contracts that raise standards at the company, Union Officials said.

“We are continuing to win strong contracts at UNFI and across the entire Food Distribution Industry,” said Tom Erickson, who serves as Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. “This victory in Texas is another example of the power Workers have as Members of our Union.”

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters represents 1.3 million Members in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: UNFI Teamsters Ratify Strong First Contract - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

IBEW Local 3 Is Working With New York City To Construct Solar Rooftops On Its Public Schools - Currently, 130 Are Done 'With Another 86 More In Progress'

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

(NEW YORK CITY) – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3 is playing a big role in New York City’s Solar Schools Program, where its highly-trained-and-skilled Members have completed installation of 130 solar rooftops on the City’s Public Schools since the passage of Local Law 99 a year and a half ago.

New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) recently celebrated a milestone in the City’s Solar Schools Program.

Officials say the 130th installation at Marie Curie High School in the Bronx will generate more than 50% of the school’s annual energy needs and also marked the addition of 27.5 Megawatts (MW) to the City’s solar energy generation capacity on Public School property, with the ultimate goal of 100 MW by 2030 and 150 MW by 2035.

IBEW Local 3 Business Manager Christopher Erikson, Jr. said: “For the last several years, DCAS has been a great partner to Local (3) and our signatory contractors, as they’ve continued to expand key solar energy infrastructure on schools throughout the City. Our highly-trained Union Electricians bring the expertise needed to build complex projects like the installation at Marie Curie High School, helping the City tackle the dual climate and energy crises we face. DCAS’s commitment to using Union Labor ensures the work associated leads not to short-term, dead-end solar installer jobs but family-sustaining, Middle-Class Union careers for New Yorkers.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: IBEW 3 Working with NYC to Construct Solar Rooftops on Schools – LaborPress And NYC Public Schools Add 130 Solar Rooftop Arrays, 86 More in Progress | Local Union No. 3 IBEW

U.S. Senator Gillibrand 'Stands With Organized Labor Across New York State To Urge The Passage Of The Federal Faster Labor Contracts Act'

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

(ACROSS NEW YORK STATE) - Standing with Labor Leaders and Advocates at Teamsters Local 118 in Rochester, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 43 in Syracuse and the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) in Albany. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged the swift passage of the Faster Labor Contracts Act, which would require employers to come to the negotiating table quickly and ensure that they engage in good faith negotiations with Unions.

“Everything from groceries to gas costs more now than it did before President Trump took office, and American Workers are feeling the pinch,” Senator Gillibrand (Pictured Above, Speaking In Rochester) said. “Instead of focusing on lowering costs and helping people get ahead, President Trump has spent his time launching a full-frontal assault on Organized Labor. In the face of these attacks, we must not back down, which is why the passage of the Faster Labor Contracts Act is so critical. Every step forward for the American Worker - from every weekend off to every safe workplace and every living wage - came because Workers showed up, fought back, and refused to be silent.”

IBEW Local 43 Business Manager and Financial Secretary Alan Marzullo said: “On behalf of IBEW Local (43), I thank Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for visiting and for her strong support of the Faster Labor Contracts Act. This common-sense legislation protects Workers’ right to not only organize, but to secure a first contract in a timely manner. We appreciate Senator Gillibrand’s leadership and remain committed to working together to strengthen the Middle Class across our region.”

Senator Gillibrand has had a long-standing partnership with Organized Labor.

As a champion of Bills such as the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act, Gillibrand has been a leader in the U.S. Senate, urging her colleagues to pass bipartisan legislation that would bolster and protect New York State Workers.

Meanwhile, Senator Gillibrand said she has sent a letter to the Department of Defense condemning the termination of Collective Bargaining Agreements for American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Members at Fort Drum and the Defense Finance Accounting Services (DFAS) in Rome.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: On May Day: Senator Gillibrand Stands With Labor Across New York State - Kirsten Gillibrand | U.S. Senator for New York

Photo Courtesy Of New York State Assembly Member Harry Bronson’s Facebook Page.

Ocean State Media Staff Members Announce Intent To 'Go Union,' Join SAG-AFTRA

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

Staff employed at Ocean State Media - Rhode Island’s NPR and PBS station, have announced their intention to form a Union with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). A majority of Workers - including Hosts, Reporters, And Digital, Audio and Video Producers, have signed a petition to Unionize. Ocean State Media was formed following a merger between The Public’s Radio, Rhode Island’s NPR affiliate, and Rhode Island PBS. The combined organization provides news and cultural coverage on the unique stories of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. “We are proud to create public media every day for, and with, the people of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts,” the Organizing Committee said. “We believe that in order to sustainably and effectively serve that mission, the voices of Staff need to be represented in our organization's decision-making.” Ocean State Media joins Public Media Outlets nationwide in Unionizing with SAG-AFTRA. NPR, PBS NewsHour, and member stations WBUR (Boston), PBS NewsHour (Washington, D.C.), WHYY (Philadelphia), NHPR (New Hampshire), Texas Public Radio (San Antonio, TX) and Northwest Public Broadcasting (Washington State) are just some of the Public Media Outlets that have Unionized with the SAG-AFTRA.

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Ocean State Media Workers Form Union with SAG-AFTRA | SAG-AFTRA

University Of Vermont's Health IDX Campus Welcomes First Surgical Technologist Apprenticeship Cohort

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

Vermont Business Magazine reports aspiring Surgical Technologists have taken their first step into careers in Health Care during a celebration of an injection of Federal funding that will expand Health Care careers training across the State of Vermont. At the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Health’s IDX Campus in South Burlington, leaders from Health Care, Workforce and Government gathered to welcome six Surgical Technician Apprentices. The group is the first cohort of the Health System’s Surgical Technologist Registered Apprenticeship Program. The new earn‑while‑you‑learn pathway underscores UVM Health’s commitment to collaborative, grow‑your‑own workforce development strategies that expand access to local training for high-skills Health Care careers. The program is intended to be a scalable model for similar training pipelines supporting other clinical roles, such as Sterile Processing Technicians.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: UVM Health welcomes first surgical technologist apprenticeship cohort | Vermont Business Magazine

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

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

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

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

REI Outdoor Equipment Retail Workers 'Launch Consumer Boycott Of The Chain After Management Fails Reach A Contract By A Deadline Set By The RWDSU'

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

Mark Gruenberg at People’s World reports that in Bellingham, Washington, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers (RWDSU) - which represents REI Retail Outdoor Equipment Chain Employees, have asked REI’s 70,000 Co-Op Members and other consumers to vote with their feet and stay away from its stores. The boycott began on May Day after management failed to reach an agreement with the Union by a deadline set by the RWDSU. The Workers now plan to Strike from May 15th through the 25th against the chain, which likes to advertise itself as Pro-Worker and ecologically friendly. Those dates coincide with REI’s big anniversary sale. Meanwhile, Workers employed at REI’s big San Diego Store have filed for a Union Recognition Election. Key issues for the 119 Workers are staffing, working hours, low pay and questionable working conditions. If they win, they’d be REI’s 12th Store to Unionize, but with United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 135, San Diego media reported, rather than the RWDSU, a semi-independent UFCW Sector. RWDSU has organized REI’s flagship SoHo Store in New York City and 10 others. The flurry of moves involving REI marks yet another instance of low-paid Retail Workers finally being fed up with low pay - especially in expensive Cities like New York, Chicago and San Diego, and unfavorable working conditions.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: REI workers launch consumer boycott of chain – People's World

Snapshot Courtesy Of UFCW Local 3000’s Facebook Page.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Voting rights are Workers’ Rights.

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

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

The National AFL-CIO refuses to accept that future.

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

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

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

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

'AI Is Taking Jobs:' 'Tens Of Thousands' Of Tech Workers 'Are Being Laid Off In 2026' & The $725 Billion That Replaced Them Is Going To 'Four' Companies

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

Don Lair at 24/7 Wall St reports Mark Zuckerberg told 8,000 Meta Employees in early May that their jobs were a casualty of the company's AI (Artificial Intelligence) infrastructure budget. And Amazon has cut roughly 30,000 roles in the last five months. Microsoft has shed about 125,000 through "voluntary" departures. And Alphabet is in the middle of an ongoing 1,500. The headlines compress into a single phrase: AI is taking jobs.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Tens of Thousands of Tech Workers Are Being Laid Off in 2026. The $725 Billion That Replaced Them Is Going to Four Companies.

"The SEIU Family, The Labor Movement And The Global Fight For Social Justice Have Lost A Giant" - 1199 Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers East President George Gresham Passes Away After A Long Illness

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

Long-time Service Employees International Union United (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East President George Gresham has passed after a long illness. Gresham, who was born in 1955, began his career in Organized Labor as a Rank-and-File Members who worked at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City before rising to lead the largest Health Care Local Union in the U.S. He tirelessly advocated for Workers’ Rights, Social Justice and Economic Equality and his leadership helped secure industry-leading contracts and improved working conditions for more than 450,000 Health Care Workers up and down the East Coast. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul called him a “legendary Labor Leader” whose voice shaped the State’s Labor Movement and strengthened the rights of Health Care Workers. The State Assembly highlighted his decades-long commitment to progressive causes and Social Justice. Gresham’s legacy will be remembered not only for his professional achievements, but also for his mentorship, moral leadership and dedication to empowering Working Families. His impact continues to resonate in the Labor Movement and among the Health Care Workers whose lives he improved.

SEIU International President April Verrett released the following statement:

The SEIU Family, the Labor Movement and the global fight for Social Justice have lost a giant.

It is with a heavy heart and profound gratitude for his life of leadership that we mourn the passing of George Gresham, former President of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

George was more than a Labor Leader.

He was the moral compass of our movement.

From his humble beginnings in the Housekeeping Department at Presbyterian Hospital to leading the largest Health Care Local in the Nation, George’s journey embodied the very essence of the Union Power he spent four decades building.

He never forgot where he came from and he never stopped fighting for those who are too often left behind.

Under George’s visionary leadership, 1199SEIU was a powerhouse for progressive change.

He understood that the fight for Economic Justice is inseparable from the fight for Racial, Immigrant and Social Justice.

He didn’t just win industry-leading contracts, he won dignity, respect and a voice for over 450,000 Health Care Workers across the East Coast.

On a personal note, George was family to so many of us.

He was a mentor, a Brother and a source of unwavering strength to me and countless others.

His wisdom was matched only by his kindness.

He taught us that to lead is to serve and that our greatest strength lies in our unity.

Because George chose to fight, generations of Working Families will live with greater dignity, opportunity and security.

George has joined the ancestors, but his legacy lives on in every Home Care Worker who now earns a living wage, every Nursing Home Worker providing care in a safer environment, and every Hospital Worker who stands a little taller because they have a strong Union contract.

Our hearts go out to George’s family, his loved ones and the entire 1199 SEIU Membership.

We honor him not just with our words, but by recommitting ourselves to the work he loved so dearly.

WGAE, SAG-AFTRA, DGA & The NewsGuild 'Rally In Albany To Pass' The New York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements In News Act

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - Journalists and leadership from the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the NewsGuild of New York joined New York State Senator Patricia Fahy (Democrat-Albany) and Assembly Member Nily Rozic (Democrat-New York City) to urge the State Legislature to pass the New York Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Requirements in News Act (The NY FAIR News Act) - bipartisan legislation that establishes critical protections for Journalists, Media Professionals and the broader public to ensure that the integrity of the news and its Workforce are safeguarded against Artificial Intelligence. During a press conference held on The Million Dollar Staircase inside the State Capitol, Fahy and Rozi were joined by Slate’s What Next podcast Host and Managing Editor Mary Harris, Ziff David Senior Editor and Union Chair Jason Cohen, CBS News Associate Director Scott Berger, Berlin Station Writer and the Co-Chair of the WGAE AI Task Force Larry Cohen, WGAE Executive Director Sam Wheeler and SAG-AFTRA Chief Labor Policy Officer and Executive Director and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher. Said Fahy: “Perhaps one of the industries at most risk from the use of Artificial Intelligence is Journalism - and as a result, the public’s trust and confidence in accurate news reporting. According to the National Broadcasters Association, more than (76%) of Americans report being concerned about AI stealing or reproducing Journalism and local news stories, as AI continues to reshape our daily lives and careers across industries. To protect the public’s trust in reporting and the news they read every day and the Journalists who do the work, I’m proud to sponsor the NY FAIR News Act with Assembly Member Rozic and I look forward to working with my Colleagues in the State Senate to enact common sense guidelines that protect New Yorkers from the unintended consequences of AI.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Statement on The NY FAIR News Act And WGAE, SAG-AFTRA, DGA & NewsGuild Rally Albany to Pass the NY FAIR News Act | Press Room

Penn Live Arts Crew Members 'Go Union,' Join IATSE

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

Production Workers employed at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Live Arts Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts have voted unanimously to join Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 8. The new Bargaining Unit includes full-time and part-time Audio Engineers, Digital Production Supervisors, House Electricians, Production Coordinators and Theater Technicians. “When Production Workers come together and choose Union representation, it benefits more than one workplace,” IATSE International Representative Daniel Little said. “It strengthens the Arts Community and helps ensure professional standards across Non-Profit and University venues.” Added Theater Technician Tait Adams: “There are a lot of great aspects of working here at Penn Live Arts. There is also a lot of room for improvement. As the organization continues to grow the Workers deserve to have a say in our conditions. Being represented by IATSE means that we have the necessary support and resources to make sure our voices are heard and recognized.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Penn Live Arts production workers unanimously vote to unionize - The Daily Pennsylvanian

General Motors Announces New $1 Million Investment On National Skilled Trades Day

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Johathan Lopez at GMAuthority.com reports General Motors (GM) has announced a new $1 million investment in support of workforce development as part of a broader effort to strengthen Skilled Trades careers across its U.S. operations and surrounding communities. The announcement was made in conjunction with National Skilled Trades Day, with the Automaker also highlighting the nearly $200 million it has invested over the past year to grow and modernize Skilled Trades roles, including investments into manufacturing, vehicle service, technical operations and design work. The latest commitment provides the Local Initiatives Support Corporation with a $1 million grant aimed at expanding the Bridges to Career Opportunities Program that provides hands-on training, career coaching and financial coaching for job seekers pursuing Skilled Trades careers. GM also recently added 90 Skilled Trades Apprentices to its various U.S. facilities, providing a four-year Apprenticeship Program that will mix formal coursework with practical training and supervised work alongside veteran Tradespeople.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: GM Announces $1M Investment On National Skilled Trades Day

Teamsters-Represented Brookfield Zoo Workers Reach Tentative Contract Agreement To End ULP Strike

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sara Tenenbaum at CBS News Chicago reports Teamsters Local 727, which represents about 100 Members employed at the Brookfield Zoo, has reached a tentative contract agreement to end a three-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike. The four-year agreement reportedly includes a 20% wage increase over the course of the contract. The Zoo has also agreed to continue to ensure health care plans through an increased contribution, as well as to enhancements to staffing for the Animal Care and Facilities Teams. The Teamsters represent Animal Care Specialists, Patrol Officers, Custodians, Groundskeepers, Patrol Officers, Aides and Seasonal Workers.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Brookfield Zoo, Teamsters Local 727 union reach tentative agreement to end strike And Teamsters at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago Launch ULP Strike - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

"I Want A Union To Ensure That Our Jobs Are Protected And That We Are Paid Fairly For Our Profit-Generating Labor" - University of Chicago Press Workers 'Go Union' With Chicago News Guild

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) - Workers employed at the University of Chicago Press are Going Union with the Chicago News Guild (The News Guild-Communications Workers of America) Local 34071, joining the nationwide Labor Movement for a stronger Publishing Industry.

The UCP Workers Guild represents Staff across the Press’s Divisions and marks the first Union in the Press’s 130-year history.

The UCP Workers Guild has requested that leadership agree to voluntary recognition and work with Staff to negotiate a first contract. If not recognized voluntarily, the Workers are seeking an election monitored by the National Labor Relations Board by mail.

The University of Chicago Press is a leader in academic publishing, boasting a rigorous program of trade and specialist titles, a portfolio of highly regarded scholarly journals, and the Chicago Distribution Center, which includes the Digital Scholarly Book Repository BiblioVault.

In a mission statement, the UCP Workers Guild outlined the following organizing principles that are guiding its efforts: Pay equity; Sustainability; and transparency.

Griffin Reed, a UCP Workers Guild Member, said: “I dreamed for years of getting a job in academic publishing and I’m thrilled to be working not only in my chosen industry but at one of the most prestigious presses in the country. However, that excitement is too often exploited by employers and particularly by our employers at the University of Chicago. My Co-Workers and I face low, stagnant wages, a lack of standardization across the press regarding our ability to work from home and potential precarity in the form of layoffs, outsourcing, or the introduction of AI (Artificial Intelligence) into our workflow. I want a Union to ensure that our jobs are protected and that we are paid fairly for our profit-generating labor.”

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: University of Chicago Press Workers Announce Union with Chicago News Guild | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

Stamp Out Hunger 2026: NALC Branch 3 President Shares 'Personal' Story Of What The Letter Carriers' Annual Food Drive 'Means To Those In Need Across' Western New York

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

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – In all the years WNYLaborToday.com has interviewed National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 3 President David Grosskopf, Jr. on the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, he had never before shared his personal story as to why the event is so important not only to him - but to so many across Western New York who are in need.

On Saturday (May 9th), Branch 3-represented Letter Carriers across the eight-county Western New York Region will pick up donations of non-perishable foods during the day while, at the same time, delivering thousands and thousands of letters and packages to their customers.

Last year, NALC Letter Carriers picked up 425,925 pounds of food - 168,725 pounds more than the previous year, which placed Buffalo-Western New York in third place among NALC Branches with 1,999 or more Members.

And with homelessness across the region rising to what is being reported locally as the most severe crisis in decades (homelessness increased by 24% to the highest level recorded since tracking began in 2025, local media reported this week), the need now is even greater.

Grosskopf (Pictured Above/WNYLaborToday.com Photo) - whose Branch 3 represents more than 2,000 Members, shared a personal story with Your On-Line Labor Newspaper that occurred while growing up and after his Father lost a very good-paying job at Roblin Steel in Tonawanda when it closed in the mid-60s.

“My Dad ‘had a very difficult time finding a new job,’” Grosskopf said, “and ‘I vividly remember going to our church’s food bank and getting jars of peanut butter and bread.’ ‘We were tightening our belts and it really gave (he and his family) a different perspective’ (to food insecurity).”

Grosskopf is extremely proud of his Union’s Membership for what they do in the community, including the annual food drive: “Our Members ‘are out in the community and they see those who are less fortunate and those who aren’t doing as well as themselves.’ ‘Every day they see why people need this kind of help.’ ‘As Public Servants, we see the need for this safety net - and in all honesty, we should be ones doing this.’ I ‘bounce around a number of different stations (during the Saturday drop offs) and I do get goosebumps.’ ‘I see a lot of smiles and we all feel good about what we are doing - especially when you talk to those who run the small food banks because what they receive from Stamp Out Hunger helps them get through the entire year.’”

Since its launch in 1993, NALC’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive has grown into the Nation’s largest one-day food drive, helping fill the shelves of food banks in cities and towns across the country.

On Saturday, NALC asks you leave your donation of non-perishable food in a bag near your mailbox and your Letter Carrier will do the rest.

Grosskopf suggests boxes of pasta and “anything canned,” but asks all to “please check expiration dates.”

NALC’s effort to help fight hunger in America grew out of discussions in 1991 by a number of leaders at the time, including NALC President Vincent Sombrotto, National AFL-CIO Community Services Director Joseph Velasquez and Postmaster General Anthony Frank.

A pilot drive was held in 10 cities in October of 1991 and it proved so successful that work began immediately on making it a nationwide effort.

Input from Food Banks and pantries suggested late Spring would be the best time because most Food Banks start running out of the donations received during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday periods by that point in the year.

A revamped drive was organized for May 15th, 1993 - the second Saturday in May - with a goal of having at least one NALC Branch in each of the 50 States participating.

The result was astounding, NALC Officials said.

More than 11 million pounds of food was collected - a one-day record in the U.S. - involving more than 220 Union Branches.

From Alaska to Florida and Maine to Hawaii, Letter Carriers do double duty - delivering mail and picking up donations.

From that point, Stamp Out Hunger grew and grew.

In the more than 30 years since it began, Stamp Out Hunger has collected around two billion pounds of food for those in need.

Over the years, Buffalo/Western New York has historically held either one of the top three spots in donated food collected and Grosskopf anticipates another round of tremendous donations on Saturday, with a little help from Organized Labor.

“We have a ‘long history here in Western New York of being one of the best in the Nation,’” Grosskopf said. “And this event ‘is right at the top, for me because it is near and dear to my heart’ (for the personal reasons he shared earlier with WNYLaborToday.com).”

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

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

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

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

Their letter read:

Dear Member of Congress:

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

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

These risks posed by technological change are not new.

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

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

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

It is urgent that Congress take action.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Do You See Us Now, Nike?:' Why Oregon Educators & Asian Garment Workers Are 'Fighting Nike Together'

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

Jasmin Malik Chua at Footwear News reports that for decades, Nike told the world to "Just Do It." Now, Oregon Educators and Asian Garment Workers say they're just done. If the affinity between the two groups-backed by the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, Global Labor Justice, the Portland Association of Teachers and Jobs With Justice isn't obvious, it's only at first glance. Both charge the Sportswear Goliath with fueling a "race to the bottom" by cutting tax deals that siphon funds from public education and underpaying the people who make its sneakers and clothes. Their Just Sign It Campaign calls on Nike to sign a legally binding fair tax and wage agreement that funds Oregon's Schools and pays a living wage to Workers across its supply chains in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Instead of bossing others around, they say, it's time to heed the predominantly Female Workers who churn out its merchandise and the working Oregonians who have subsidized its profits. "The Garment Industry in Asia and public education in Oregon have a shared problem," said Abiramy Sivalogananthan, South Asia Coordinator for the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, a coalition of Trade Unions and Labor Rights Organizations. "Nike has built a system of extraction that benefits executives and investors at the expense of Working People. We each have power, but together we have a lot of power."

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: 'Injury to one is injury to all': Why Oregon educators and Asian garment workers are fighting Nike together And #SeeUsNike: Garment Workers Risk Going Public, Demanding Wage Justice – Asia Floor Wage Alliance

Mayor Mamdani 'Celebrates New York City's Garment Workers' On Met Gala Monday - 'Because Fashion Is More Than Clothes, It's The People Who Made Them'

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

Steff Yotka at i-D reports New York City was abuzz with celebrities, designers, stylists and fans at the annual Met Gala on Monday night (May 5th), which was hosted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. It is, without question, the most popular fashion event in the world, celebrating celebrity, design and creativity alongside luxury and exclusivity. But what about the people whose labor - behind-the-scenes, to make the glamour real? “The Fashion Industry is made possible by the thousands of Workers behind the scenes - Seamstresses, Tailors, Retail Workers, Delivery Drivers - whose immense talent and dedication deserves to be celebrated,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani tells i-D, exclusively. The Mayor’s Office spotlighted six local Fashion Industry Professionals in a portrait series by Kara McCurdy: Tailor and Union Organizer Christopher Anderson; Macy’s Employee and Union Organizer Earnestine Gay; Tailor Hafeez Raza; Former Amazon Delivery Employees; Delivery Protection Act Activists Latrice Johnson and Lamont Hopewell; and tailor Sonia Castrejón. “From true love found on the picket line, to an entrepreneur running a tailoring school out of her Brooklyn basement, we’re proud to feature the stories of these hard-working New Yorkers who make our City’s Fashion Industry second to none,” the Mayor continues. Anderson, a Master Tailor at Saks and a Union Organizer who encourages their colleagues and younger employees to fight for equality, said: “Union Workers, especially Garment Workers, built this country.”

To Read This Unique & Important Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Mayor Mamdani Celebrates New York City’s Garment Workers on Met Gala Monday

40 Unifi Customer Service Workers Employed At The Westchester County Airport 'Go Union,' Vote To Join The International Association Of Machinists

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

(WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK) - The International Association of Machinists (IAM) Air Transport Territory is welcoming 40 new Members at Unifi - North America’s largest Aviation Service Provider, who are employed at the Westchester County Airport (HPN), marking another strong IAM organizing win for Working People in the Airline Industry.

The Customer Service Workers perform critical work supporting Airline operations, including at Delta Air Lines and Breeze Airways.

The Unifi Workers won their Union Drive despite a brutal Anti-Union campaign by the company - one so aggressive the IAM was forced to file an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charge to hold the employer accountable and protect the Workers’ rights.

This victory was led by the Workers themselves, with strong support from the IAM Air Transport Territory and District 142.

IAM Air Transport Territory Associate Rachel Arnold said: “Unifi Workers fought hard for this and we did it together. This is about having respect on-the-job and a ‘real voice’ in our workplace. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished with Unifi Workers and excited for what comes next.”

The victory comes on the heels of several other IAM organizing wins with Unifi Workers, including in Fresno and San Jose, California and in Cleveland.

“Every organizing win strengthens the IAM Union and raises standards for all Workers in this industry,” IAM Air Transport Territory Chief of Staff Edison Fraser said. “We’re proud to welcome these new Members and stand with them as they move forward.”

To Read this Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Workers Win at Westchester County Airport: Unifi Customer Service Votes to Join the IAM Union - IAM Union

NY Creates, Micron Start Workforce Training Program In Albany To Supply Future Workers For Memory Chip Plant Currently Being Built In The Syracuse Suburb Of Clay

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

Larry Rulison at The Albany Times Union reports NY Creates and Idaho-based Chipmaker Micron Technology have started a 16-month Apprenticeship Program in the Capital Region. The goal is that 70% of the participants will end up with jobs at Micron, which is planning to build several Memory Chip operations in the Syracuse Suburb of Clay. The program will be held at NY Creates' Albany NanoTech Facility in Albany and at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy. There will be no cost for participants. Micron is headquartered in Boise, Idaho and also has operations in Manassas, Virginia. Micron is spending $200 billion expanding and building at the three sites, requiring the hiring of tens of thousands of Workers. The Apprenticeship Program will begin in August. There will be three 16-month courses with 10 participants each, NY Creates and Micron announced. The training is not exclusive to future Micron Workers, as the courses are designed for any Worker looking to become a technician at a Chip Factory. Construction of the Micron operation in Clay is not scheduled to be finished until 2030.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: NY Creates, Micron start workforce training program for chip workers

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

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

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

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

160,000-Member SAG-AFTRA & AMPTP Studios Reach A Tentative Contract Deal That Covers Motion Pictures, Scripted Prime Time Dramatic TV, Streaming Content & New Media

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

Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have reached a tentative agreement on terms for a successor contract to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Contracts covering motion pictures, scripted prime time dramatic television, streaming content and new media. The tentative agreement is subject to approval by the SAG-AFTRA National Board, which will meet in the coming days to review the terms. The specific details will not be released in advance of the Board’s review. Negotiations began February 9th and recessed on March 15th. Talks resumed on April 27th and concluded May 2nd (2026). SAG-AFTRA represents 160,000 Actors, Announcers, Broadcast Journalists, Dancers, DJs, News Writers, News Editors, Program Hosts, Puppeteers, Recording Artists, Singers, Stunt Performers, Voiceover Artists and other Entertainment and Media Professionals.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: SAG-AFTRA and studios reach tentative contract deal

Workers Employed At New York City's Two Largest Prison Re-Entry Organizations Unionize, Call For 'Improved' Wages, Benefits & Working Conditions

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

The Chief reports more than 600 Workers from New York City’s two largest Prison Re-Entry Organizations have gone public with their Unionization efforts. Staff at Fortune Society and the Osborne Association are calling for improved wages, benefits and working conditions. The two Unions represent more than 400 Workers at Fortune Society and around 200 Workers at the Osborne Association. They’re joining forces in Local 153 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU). Osborne Association’s Workers began organizing last Summer and their peers at Fortune Society followed in the Fall. Many of them went through the Justice System themselves. Caleb Knight, the Creative Arts Senior Associate at Fortune Society, is among the 50% of the organization’s Staff with a history in the Justice System: “We are the lifeblood of the agency. We’re here because ‘we care and believe’ in the work we do. This is why we’re building our Union, because we as Workers deserve the same respect, dignity and care that we show to the participants we work with.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Workers at city’s two largest prison re-entry organizations unionize - The Chief

Tucson Orchestra Members Prepare For NLRB Union Election

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

After nearly two years of requesting voluntary recognition, Musicians with True Concord Voices and Orchestra (TCVO) are now voting in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Election to join Tucson Federation of Musicians-American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 33. Members initially formed a Union with the AFM in Spring 2024, but TCVO’s Board of Directors has yet to do right by their Musicians and start the bargaining process. In fact, the non-profit has actively attempted to block the NLRB process that ordered a vote and spread misinformation about what Union Membership would mean. “When I go to work for an AFM orchestra, I know when I need to show up to work, I know that I’m going to be guaranteed my work year over year, I know how much I’m going to get paid, I know when I’m gonna get a break, I know how long my break is gonna be,” said Ellen Ensey, a Professional Violinist with TCVO who also plays in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, which operates under an AFM contract. “With Non-Union orchestras, you don’t have any of that. They give you a contract that’s dictated on their terms and you kind of take it or leave it.”

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

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

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

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

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

NYSNA-Represented North Country Health Care Workers Employed at UVM-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital In Plattsburgh 'Speak Out for Safe Staffing & A Fair Contract'

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

(PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK) - New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Health Care Workers employed at UVM (University of Vermont Health)-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) recently held a speak-out to demand safe staffing and a fair contract. NYSNA Nurses, Health Care Professionals and IT Professionals have been fighting for a fair deal that protects patient care and ensures access to care for North Country patients since earlier this year. Northeast Center AFL-CIO Central Labor Council Secretary Kim Hartshorn joined NYSNA Members in solidarity at the speak-out. Last year, CVPH unilaterally changed staffing ratios in four Medical-Surgical Units over the objections of NYSNA, which the Union said violated their contract and in the process made the Hospital less safe. Nearly a year later, understaffing remains a widespread problem at the Hospital and puts safe, quality patient care at risk. At the bargaining table, CVPH management refuses to be held accountable for safety standards at all and has proposed changes to the contract that only stand to make staffing worse, Union Officials added. NYSNA Members at CVPH care deeply for their community and say they will not allow Hospital management to put patient care at risk. Nurses are calling attention to the current understaffing problem and to CVPH’s refusal to work with Nurses on a solution that prioritizes Nurse and patient safety over profits. NYSNA Members are continuing to push back against management’s proposed staffing changes until they reach a solution that ensures access to care and safe, quality patient care for the communities CVPH serves. Like NYSNA Members at CVPH, NYSNA Nurses at the Adirondack Medical Center and at UVM-Alice Hyde Medical Center continue to bargain for fair contracts that protect patient care in the North Country.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: North Country Healthcare Workers Speak Out for Safe Staffing and a Fair Contract | New York State Nurses Association

Speak-Out Photo Courtesy Of NYSNA.

35th Annual Niagara-Orleans Labor Council's Workers' Memorial Event Highlighted By Debut Of An 'Emotional & Heart-Breaking Documentary That Focuses On The Direct Impact On-The-Job Deaths Of Loved Ones Have On Their Families'

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

(NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK) – Anyone who’s ever attended one of the previous 34 Workers’ Memorial Events held by the Niagara-Orleans AFL-CIO Central Labor Council at Reservoir Park in Niagara Falls knows what traditionally happens: The names of dozens of area Workers who died on the job are read aloud, followed by a number of addresses made by Labor Leadership and an array of Elected Officials inside a big, white tent adjacent to the impressive monument that features a huge bronze eagle rising silently to honor those fallen Workers.

But this year, at the 35th such annual observance, something very different took place.

First, by simple observance, it appeared to be the largest attendance ever - further evidenced by the number of vehicles that entirely filled a nearby parking lot - and a very long line of cars, SUVs and trucks parked one behind the other along a winding roadside leading to the memorial on Saturday (May 2nd).

But instead of a long list of speakers who pledged to fight like hell for the living, Niagara-Orleans Labor Council President Jim Briggs stood before those assembled inside the tent to introduce a 42-minute, untitled documentary produced by the Council and a Video Professional (Kevin Krisnosky) from the United Way of Greater Niagara that focused directly on the impact on several families following the on-the-job death of a loved one in three American Cities.

In the end, it was both emotional and heart-breaking.

“We traveled across the country ‘to tell a story about a few families who lost someone,’” Briggs said. “When we watch the news reports of a Worker who died on the job, ‘we forget they have families too.’ ‘These folks were just doing their job.’ ‘So, when we leave here, we have to go with a vengeance’ to call on our Elected Officials (to pass stronger on-the-job safety laws).”

The Niagara-Orleans Labor Council’s Documentary Team traveled to Waltham, Massachusetts, Baileyville, Maine and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to tell the story of Workers who lost their lives while at work, including a highway Worker killed in a hit-and-run vehicle crash, two at a chemical plant due to a toxic chemical leak, and another who died in a fireball explosion.

Each accident was recounted by family and Union/United Steelworkers (USW) Representatives, who underscored the fact employers will not agree to the Union’s demands for increased on-the-job safety protections during contract negotiations.

“‘We just lost the most important person in our lives,’” a family member of the Worker killed in the hit-and-run incident said in the documentary.”

“We’re constantly thinking about him,” said another.

“And we’re waiting for justice,” added another, noting the person responsible will go on trial sometime in 2026.

“‘We should be working together so both (the Union and management) has an equal voice when it comes to safety at the plant,’” said one USW Official in the documentary.

“‘On paper,’ management ‘wants to be good on safety, but doesn’t want to hear about it.’ ‘It’s a struggle - every day,’” the Union Representative added.

Said another: “‘Workers lose their lives while at work - every year.’ ‘They’re not statistics - they’re Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Aunts and Uncles.’ ‘We need change and that will come by telling their stories.’”

The National AFL-CIO just released its 35th annual Death on the Job-The Toll of Neglect report, which alarmingly finds workplace hazards kill approximately 140,000 Workers each year in the United States - more than 380 Workers each day.

Findings include: 5,070 Workers died from traumatic injury on the job in 2024, the latest year of data available, and an estimated 135,000 died from occupational diseases. An estimated 530 Workers died from heat alone; Black Workers still die on the job at a disproportionately higher rate than the national average; Latino Workers continue to face the greatest risk of dying on the job in 2024, at a rate 30% higher than the national average. Of the Latino Workers who died, 68.5% were Immigrants, a larger percentage than in previous years. The rate of young Worker deaths has nearly doubled since 2020 and Workers age 65 and older are nearly three times as likely to die on the job than other Workers; Workplace injuries create an enormous burden on the economy, costing an estimated $177 billion to $354 billion a year; and Under-reporting is widespread and the true toll of work-related injuries and illnesses is estimated to be between five million and 7.5 million each year in private industry.

There are currently 54 names inscribed on the Niagara-Orleans Labor Council’s Workers’ Memorial, which were each read aloud during a pre-documentary screening ceremony, including 22 Workers who lost their lives building the New York Power Authority Project many years ago.

The latest was recognized Saturday: USW Member Andrew Stayzer, who lost his life on the job back in January 2024.

Briggs (pictured below), meanwhile, also took the opportunity to focus a spotlight on industrial diseases, such as bladder cancer caused by working with toxic chemicals.

He recounted a story involving the USW, which conducted research that not only uncovered the problem within a plant, but showed it was also impacting families as the Workers were bringing it into their homes due to the residue that settled in their work clothing.

“‘This has gone on for too long in our country - with little resolve,’” Briggs said. “‘We’re not doing enough about it, but the only way to fix it is to enact health and safety legislation with teeth in it - real language.’ ‘We have to put pressure on our Elected Officials that will allow us to take a stand because going to work shouldn’t be a grave mistake.’”

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: All Photos Featured In This Labor News Report Were Taken By WNYLaborToday.com, Which Is Awaiting The Opportunity To Post The Niagara-Orleans Labor Council’s Workers Documentary On Its Front Page For Our Readers/Visitors To Watch. Hopefully That Will Come Sometime Over The Next Several Weeks.

In Maryland, Howard County's $43 Million Trades Hub 'Gears Up To Fix Jobs Crunch'

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

Kevin Harris at hoodline Baltimore reports on Howard Community College’s (HCC) Cathy and Danny Bell Workforce Development and Trades Center, a 50,000-plus-square-foot complex built with one goal in mind: To move local residents straight into skilled-trade jobs. Students who will be welcomed in the Fall will find hands-on labs for automotive, welding, plumbing and electrical work, along with Registered Apprenticeships and short-term certificates that are designed to lead directly to paychecks instead of long years in lecture halls. The Workforce Development & Trades Center will house automotive bays, welding bays, more than 100 work-stations, mechatronics and cyber-security labs, and space for Registered Electrical, HVACR, and Plumbing Apprenticeships. The school says it will include simulators and industry-grade equipment that mirror real job sites. HCC also plans to build green-technology modules into Trade training programs so students pick up skills employers say they need - right now. The project carries a $43 million price tag and has been financed with a mix of private donations and public support, WBAL-TV reported.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Howard County’s $43 Million Trades Hub Gears Up To Fix Jobs Crunch

Artist’s Rendition Courtesy Of Howard Community College’s Website.

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

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

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

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

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

May Day 2026: U.S. Labor Movement 'Reclaims' International Workers' Day

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

For most of the 20th Century, May Day - International Workers’ Day - was largely absent from the official calendar of the U.S. Labor Movement.

While Workers around the globe marched on May 1st to honor the martyrs of Chicago’s 1886 Haymarket uprising, bosses here at home pushed their Employees to only observe Labor Day in September, leaving May Day - the original Workers’ holiday - to the Left, Immigrant Rights Activists and the occasional Socialist rally.

That era is over.

On May 1st of this year, Labor Councils from Milwaukee to North Carolina, from United Food & Commercial Workers’ UFCW Locals to Teachers’ Unions, marched with a demand that cuts to the heart of today’s crisis: Workers Over Billionaires.

The scale and character of this year’s mobilizations represent something new: The formal re-entry of U.S. Organized Labor into International Workers’ Day, on a national scale, for the first time in generations.

When the people of Minnesota shut down their State to protest ICE occupation in January, the AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union, Teachers, Unite HERE and the Amalgamated Transit Union were in the lead, showing what’s possible.

In temperatures of minus-30 degrees, more than 100,000 Workers and residents marched and brought much of the economy there to a halt, forcing a partial Federal retreat.

That action is the model for today.

The demands Workers are carrying into the streets reflect the weight of the current moment.

Corporations are waging a coordinated offensive on wages and benefits even as profits soar.

The National AFL-CIO has documented Working Women and People of Color stand to lose the most as employers race to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) - often without Workers’ consent - to hire, monitor, evaluate and even fire Employees.

Nearly 80% of those who will see their jobs erased by AI in the next decade could be earning less than $38,000 a year.

Unions from the Longshoremen to the Las Vegas Culinary Workers have begun writing AI protections directly into contracts, requiring bargaining before any AI implementation.

Meanwhile, corporations have raced to roll back DEI commitments and equal-opportunity programs with barely a word of public accountability.

Workers and community groups are boycotting the companies leading that retreat, particularly Target.

And Immigrants from coast to coast continue to be marked for deportation and harassment as the ruling class tries to split Workers and turn us against one another.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: May Day 2026: U.S. labor movement reclaims International Workers’ Day – People's World And For More, Go To: Hundreds Of Thousands March In May Day “Workers Over Billionaires” Boycott — Schools Shut Across Five States As NEA Leads Largest Labor Mobilization In A Decade - USA Herald

'The Clock Is Ticking:' 'Strike Looms' As Unionized LIRR Workers 'Face Another Year Without A Raise'

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

Matthew Euzarraga at PIX 11 reports there are just over two weeks until a potential Strike by Unionized Long Island Railroad (LIRR) Workers, who’ve gone three years without a raise. Union Leaders met last week with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) following heated discussions at a recent Board meeting. During the public comment period, Gil Lang, who serves as General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) for the LIRR, criticized the MTA for its lack of urgency. He spoke on behalf of the five Unions currently engaged in contract negotiations. Currently, the BLET and four other Unions - the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; the Transportation Communications Union; the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen - are trying to hammer out new contract agreements.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: LIRR strike looms as MTA and unions at odds over wage increase

Kowal 'Unanimously Re-Elected' United University Professions President - Statewide Officers Also Elected At 2026 Spring Delegate Assembly In Albany

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

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - United University Professions (UUP) President Frederick E. Kowal has been re-elected by a unanimous vote of Delegates April 25 at UUP’s 2026 Spring Delegate Assembly in Albany.

Delegates of UUP, America’s largest Higher Education Union, elected Kowal by acclamation, with UUP Statewide Secretary-Treasurer Jeri O’Bryan-Losee casting one symbolic vote for the body.

Kowal, who ran unopposed, was elected to his fourth three-year term as UUP President.

Kowal was first elected in 2013.

Said Kowal: “I am grateful for the support and the trust that our Delegates have placed in me by re-electing me as UUP’s President. I look forward to continuing the vitally important work of this Union for our Members, our students, our patients and our communities. We will continue to fight for necessary funding for our cash-strapped campuses and for a strong, multi-year contract that provides job security and protections, superior affordable health care and well-deserved salary increases for our Members. Now, let’s get to work.”

O’Bryan-Losee and another Statewide Officer, Membership Development Officer Patrick Romain, were also elected by unanimous votes.

Both candidates ran unopposed and were elected to three-year terms by acclamation.

UUP Delegates also elected two new Members to the Union’s Statewide Executive Board, for three-year terms that start June 1st. They are: Brendan McGovern of Binghamton University, the President of UUP’s Binghamton Chapter; Matthew Smith of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). Smith serves as President of UUP’s ESF Chapter.

Six other Executive Board Members were re-elected to three-year terms. They are: Redetha Abrahams-Nichols, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. She is President of UUP’s Downstate Chapter; Bret Benjamin, University at Albany. He is UUP’s Chief Negotiator for a new contract with the state; Rebecca Bryan, SUNY Cortland; Mindy Heath, Upstate Medical University. She is President of UUP’s Upstate Chapter; Pamela Malone, SUNY Empire State University; and Samuel Marquez, SUNY Downstate

UUP represents more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees who work at 29 New York State-operated Campuses, including SUNY’s Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.

UUP is an affiliate of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Press Release | Kowal unanimously reelected UUP president

UUP File Photo.

Harvard Club of Boston Workers 'Go Union' With The UFCW

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

Workers employed at the Harvard Club of Boston have voted overwhelmingly to join United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1445, fueled by concerns over the rising cost of living. The Bargaining Unit covers Workers in the dining, wellness, athletics and lodging operations at the membership-based social club for Harvard University alumni. While the exclusive gathering space is filled with the connected and powerful, the Staff - who are central to the club’s experience, have been struggling with low wages, sub-par benefits and a lack of fair representation. “Harvard Club has been a good place to work, but recently many of us have been feeling the crunch with our pay not matching the increased cost of living,” said Susana Cabrera, a Waitress of 25 years at the club’s Veritas restaurant. “We worked hard to engage our Co-Workers throughout this process and we’re overjoyed now that we see the light at the end of the tunnel and a way to improve pay and benefits with the help of the Union.” Local 1445 President Fernando Lemus said: “We’re thrilled to welcome these Members to our UFCW Family. Harvard Club members pay a premium for the exclusive environment and these workers make that experience worth their money. We look forward to bargaining a strong contract to ensure they are paid accordingly.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: More Than 160 Harvard Club Workers Vote to Unionize With UFCW Local 1445 | News | The Harvard Crimson

The USDOL Launches An AI Apprenticeship Skills Portal

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Cris Tolomia at Quartz reports a new on-line resource for building Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills in the workplace is now available, after the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) unveiled the AI in Registered Apprenticeship Innovation Portal. Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling called the portal "a major step forward in preparing the American Workforce for the jobs of the future." Three categories of resources are available through the portal: Tools focused on AI skills and literacy within Registered Apprenticeship programs; Industry-specific AI skill-building content; and Guidance on incorporating AI into Apprenticeship Programs - both new and existing. Training modules have been tailored to specific industries, including education, finance, health care and advanced manufacturing, the USDOL said. Through the portal, businesses have the option of enrolling in a National Apprenticeship Program that is already established, standing up a new program centered on AI roles or retrofitting a current program to incorporate AI competencies.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Labor Department launches AI apprenticeship skills portal

A May Day Message From National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler: "We Have A Weapon More Powerful Than Anything The Billionaires And Greedy CEOs Could Dream Up - Our Unity"

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler released the following statement to commemorate May Day 2026:

While the struggle of the 19th-century Working Class may feel like ancient history in our Digital Age, the economic conditions that led to the creation of May Day aren’t so far off from our current fight.

Workers at the height of the industrial revolution in America endured long hours for low pay, new technology that completely upended the previous economy, and bosses who were quick to exploit immigration status as a means to depress wages and divide their workforces.

Sound familiar?

While much has changed since the 1880s, the spirit of May Day continues to resonate with Working People because our movement is still organizing for the dignity and respect we all are owed.

Right now, Working People around the country are juggling jobs while still struggling to make ends meet.

Everything is too expensive, and even though we work harder, our wages don’t budge.

Meanwhile, billionaire CEOs continue to get richer.

Federal Workers’ jobs are under attack and the essential services we rely on are in jeopardy.

And the Trump Administration’s mass deportation agenda is trampling on Working People’s fundamental freedoms.

But we have a weapon more powerful than anything the billionaires and greedy CEOs could dream up: Our unity.

Workers built this country and we keep it running.

And today we’re coming together to celebrate our solidarity and stand together for our rights and freedoms.

Artificial Intelligence's 'Negative Impact' On Working People: Meta Chief Mark Zuckerberg Says AI Costs 'Contributed To Layoffs Of 8,000 Staffers'

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Antonio Pequeño IV at Forbes reports Meta Chief Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged his company’s spending on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has contributed to layoffs at Meta, according to a recording of an internal meeting reported by The Wall Street Journal. Zuckerberg said “compute and infrastructure” and “people-oriented things” were the main drivers of cost at Meta, acknowledging the company’s increasing investments in AI and saying “that means that we do need to take down the size of the company somewhat,” according to The Journal. Meta is slated to reduce its workforce by 10% soon, cutting 8,000 Employees to offset its spending on AI, according to multiple outlets. Zuckerberg also told Employees Meta could reduce team sizes to take into account the speed and efficiency of AI tools to take care of work, noting: “If a team used to take fifty or one-hundred people and now it takes ten, having fifty or one-hundred people on that team can actually be counterproductive going forward so I think we need to fix that.” Meta’s job cuts are slated to begin on May 20th as the company also ditches plans to fill 6,000 open roles.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Mark Zuckerberg says AI costs contributed to layoffs of 8,000 staffers, report says

New York City Construction Workers 'Who Tragically Lost Their Lives On The Job Are Remembered' At The Annual Hardhat Mass Held At St. Patrick's Cathedral

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Hundreds of New York City Building and Construction Trades Workers processed into St Patrick's Cathedral in hardhats earlier this week, gathering for the annual Memorial Mass and Procession honoring their fellow Workers who have tragically died on the job over the past year. It was the 18th annual mass which has taken place at St. Patrick's since the crane collapse in March 2008 that claimed seven lives, six of them from the industry. A row of chairs was positioned above the pulpit steps, each displaying a white hard hat with the name of a lost Construction Worker, along with a red rose. At least 10 Workers lost their lives on the job this year. Families of the deceased who were in attendance were invited to come up at the end of the Mass to collect the hard hat and rose in memory of their loved one. The Mass, which is bilingual (English and Spanish) was led by Father Brian Jordan, the Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish and Chaplain to the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, and included reflection on the critical importance of the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the resources available through the newly-established Building Trades Peer Support Network, and the disproportionate impact on Latino, Immigrant and Undocumented Workers, who often face exploitation and fear of deportation.

New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council Editor’s Note: Click here to read more about the risks that New York building and construction trades workers face every day in NYCOSH's annual construction fatality report, "Deadly Skyline."

Photos Courtesy Of The NYC Buildings Facebook Page (Click Here For More Photos: Facebook)

'Fallen Workers Honored' At Workers' Memorial Day Event In New York City

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers, Labor Leaders and Government Officials gathered for a Workers’ Memorial Day event in Midtown Manhattan to honor New Yorkers who have died or suffered injury or illness on the job, and to renew the fight for strong workplace safety protections.

The event was organized by the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council and the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH).

The program included remarks by New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su and 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Executive Vice President Israel Melendez.

Held in front of 345 Park Avenue, the site of a workplace shooting last Summer that claimed the lives of four Workers, the event honored New Yorkers who have died on the job over the past year.

The names of more than 40 Workers were read aloud, including 32BJ SEIU Member Aland Etienne and PBA Member Detective Didarul Islam (promoted posthumously), who were among those killed at this site and whose Unions were in attendance.

Once again, construction was the most dangerous industry, with at least 10 known fatalities.

At least 11 Workers that were honored were from a variety of industries died as a result of workplace violence.

Workers’ Memorial Day comes at a time of growing concern over weakened workplace safety enforcement.

More than 380 Workers are killed every day in the U.S. due to preventable workplace hazards, and Federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) resources and staffing have declined to historic lows, leaving too many employers unaccountable.

Speakers called for stronger enforcement, stronger standards and the protection of Workers’ right to organize – noting Black, Latino and Immigrant Workers face disproportionate risks on the job.

New York City AFL-CIO Labor Council President Brendan Griffith said: “Workers’ Memorial Day is about remembering the workers we’ve lost and recommitting ourselves to the fight for the living. But we’re also at a moment when the systems meant to keep workers safe are being weakened. OSHA was created to guarantee every Worker the right to a safe job and that promise only matters if it’s enforced. Right now, we’re seeing fewer Inspectors, fewer inspections and fewer consequences for employers who break the law. A safe job is a fundamental right and the best way to keep jobs safe is through membership in a Union. The New York City Labor Movement will keep organizing and fighting until every Worker can return home safely at the end of the day.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Fallen Workers Honored at Workers’ Memorial Day Event in New York City | New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO

Photos Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

"Unions Are The Missing Counterweight To Protect Our Craft:" Wizards Of The Coast Developers 'Launch Effort' To Join The CWA

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This is the first organizing effort at Wizards of the Coast, a Hasbro Subsidiary and popular Digital and Tabletop Studio known for developing Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons. The United Wizards of the Coast-Communications Workers of America (UWOTC-CWA) Bargaining Unit would cover Game Designers, Programmers, Producers, Artists and other Workers who are critical to the Studio’s success. Staff Members are requesting voluntary recognition from management so they can begin bargaining a contract that will ensure they can entertain fans for years to come. “At Wizards, we’re organizing for a say in layoffs, accountability that runs up and down the chain and a living wage that actually lets people build a life. I’m hopeful about what we can build here and being clear-eyed about why it’s necessary,” UWOTC-CWA Member Damien Wilson, a Senior Software Development Engineer, said. “This isn’t just something that affects Wizards of the Coast, it’s how most American workplaces are set up - investor profit above all, even if it hurts those behind the products we all know and love. Unions are the missing counterweight to protect our craft.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Wizards of the Coast Developers Form Union with CWA | Communications Workers of America

'In Stark Contrast' To What The Trump Administration 'Is Doing,' United University Professions 'Has & Is Embracing' DEI 'While Looking To Grow The Statewide Union's Leadership & Membership In The Months To Come'

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

Much has been reported on the Trump Administration’s attack on Diversity, Equity and Inclusions (DEI) Initiatives, including its purging of 300,000 Black Women from the Federal Workforce by demolishing DEI Affirmative Action.

For example, WNYLaborToday.com recently published a report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) in Washington, D.C. that detailed how Trump is weaponizing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EOCC) against the Workers it was built to protect, most notably: Accusing employers of reverse racism against White Workers and targeting People of Color employed in a variety of Federal positions within the U.S. Government (Read: From The Economic Policy Institute: How Trump ‘Is Weaponizing The EEOC Against The Workers It Was Built To Protect’ - ‘A More Diverse Workforce Isn’t DEI-Motivated Discrimination, It’s Just Demographic Change’ - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York)

It is an unsettling - and frankly, shameful, move by the Trump Administration as it is diversity that makes our country great.

But in stark contrast, United University Professions (UUP) - the Nation’s largest Higher Education Union that represents 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees across New York State, is continuing to grow its ranks by including and reaching out to not only increase the number of People of Color and Women in its Rank-and-File Membership, but within its group of Officers and on its Executive Board.

Of its five-Member group of Statewide Officers, UUP currently counts three Women and one African-American Member - and on its 15-Member Executive Board, 10 Women and two African-Americans. And among those Officers and Executive Board Members there are Latin, Native American and LGBTQ+ Members.

“We’re ‘Union’ and ‘we have to be the best’ employer,” UUP President Fred Kowal told WNYLaborToday.com during a recent telephone interview from the Union’s Statewide Headquarters in Albany. “We’ve had a DEI Committee ‘for more than fifteen years now and this is all happening in the spirit of solidarity - no matter what race or gender one is.’ ‘And it makes sense’ because SUNY (the State University of New York with 29 State-operated campuses, including SUNY’s Public Teaching Hospitals and Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse) ‘is more diverse.’ ‘It’s important what we do.’”

UUP also maintains a Black Faculty and Staff Committee, a Women’s Action Committee, a LGBTQ+ Club (which works to protect the rights of UUP Members employed at institutions located in “‘deep’ Trump Country,” which can be “scary,” Kowal says) and a Human Rights Committee “that all coordinate together.”

UUP also maintains an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) that helps those within the Union who are interested in running for UUP Chapter Office positions.

UUP’s “‘grassroots culture of exceeding’ diversity” in its ranks “caught fire” in 2013 when Kowal became President and since that time, the Union has “worked as hard as we can to develop a pipeline” to ensure its Leadership continues to become as diversified as it can be.

“It’s ‘been a bit of a struggle, but we have a Union Movement that’s committed to this,’ including the State AFL-CIO and its President, Mario Cilento, and its Secretary-Treasurer Terry Melvin. They’re ‘phenomenal.’ NYSUT (The New York State United Teachers Union, which UUP is affiliated with) ‘has the same outlook,’” noted Kowal to other Unions that are creating opportunities and pipelines that help develop “new Union Activists of Color.”

“We’ve ‘got to turn it up now because of what Trump has done,’” the UUP President continued. “Unions are ‘melting pots’ (made up of all kinds of different races and cultures) and ‘it will make our Unions stronger and our country better.’ ‘I want to see continued’ diversity (in Labor’s ranks).”

However, Kowal (Pictured Below) “misses those who have moved on” from UUP/SUNY - most notably because of the rate of pay, who he believed had a bright future in his Union - but suggests New York State should take advantage of those who’ve lost their jobs due to Republican DEI purges in the States of Florida and Texas, for example.

“Let’s ‘look at those who worked in Higher Ed and take advantage of those States’ brain drain that will help continue to build our’ diversity,” he suggests. “We’ve ‘got to reach out to people who have it tough (working in Non-Union States) to get them to understand the value of Unions and if we do now - in two to three years, we will be headed in a direction of not only more diversity, but with youth.’”

When it comes to getting Workers, from People of Color to young Workers, “seeing the value” of what Labor Unions bring to the table for them, you have to take them back to the days of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Janus and Fredericks’ rulings, which allowed Public Employees to be represented by the Unions in their workplaces- but were excused from paying Union dues.

As a result, an array of Public Employee Unions were forced to come up with a new game plan to revisit each and every Member in order to educate them as to why their Union was not only important, but was always there for them when they needed them - which, in the long run, make perfect sense as to why Union Members pay Union dues.

“We also ‘took the lessons’ of Wisconsin and Michigan (where Public Employees were under similar attack by Republicans in their State Legislatures) ‘and began a very diverse organizing effort.’ ‘Our work has paid off, but there’s still a lot of work to do,’” Kowal said.

“Look, I’m a ‘White’ guy - with heritage from Greece and Africa, ‘but the point is we are fighting for all of us by making Unions more popular.’ ‘We are a welcoming place for everyone and we do good stuff,’” he concluded.

DEI Graphic Courtesy Of The Daily Citizen By Focus On The Family’s Web Site.

From The National AFL-CIO: The U.S. Supreme Court Ruling On The Voting Right Act Is An 'Outright Attack on the Fundamental Rights of Working People'

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond issued the following statement:

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

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

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

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

The Justices rewarded that decades-long campaign to lock in the underrepresentation of Black, Latino and Native American Communities in our Democracy and open the door for State Legislatures to continue to weaken voting protections.

Voting rights are Workers' Rights.

This ruling gives Anti-Worker and Anti-Democratic actors new tools to do so.

The National AFL-CIO refuses to accept that future.

We will keep fighting for legislative reforms, including on the State and Federal level, to create a Democracy where every Worker’s voice matters just as much as the wealthy and well-connected.

And we will mobilize on jobsites, at doors and in the streets from now until November to elect candidates who will stand up for Working People and against these attacks on our freedoms.

To Directly Access The National AFL-CIO’s Statement, Go To: AFL-CIO: Supreme Court Ruling Is an Outright Attack on the Fundamental Rights of Working People | AFL-CIO

'A Win for Working People Nationwide:' Virginia AFL-CIO 'Celebrates Passage' Of Redistricting Referendum

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Virginia AFL-CIO is applauding the successful passage of the referendum to temporarily adopt new Congressional Districts in order to fight back against Donald Trump’s redistricting war. Virginia AFL-CIO President Doris Crouse-Mays issued the following statement: This is a win for Working People nationwide. Over the last year, the Trump Administration and his loyalists have attacked Union-powered clean energy projects, ripped up Federal Worker Collective Bargaining Agreements and given even more power to corrupt billionaires. It’s clear the White House is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain control of Congress, even if it means suppressing the voices of Working People. Virginians know that if Trump is allowed to continue to use his influence to redraw maps in his favor, we’re going to see more of the same Anti-Worker agenda that has already wreaked havoc on our jobs and communities. I am proud to say that Working People stood together and demanded an end to billionaires playing games with our Democracy.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Multiple lawsuits challenge Virginia’s redistricting election. Here’s where each case stands.

Jefferson Community College 'Highlights' State University Of New York Apprenticeship Program

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Jefferson Community College in Watertown, New York is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by showcasing its role in the State of New York (SUNY) Apprenticeship Program, which aims to address New York’s workforce needs. Through partnerships with regional employers, JCC offers Registered Apprenticeships that combine paid training and classroom instruction, allowing Apprentices to gain experience and industry-recognized credentials while often incurring little to no student debt. Employers benefit from tailored training that enhances Employee skills and retention. Research indicates such Apprenticeship Programs can yield significant returns, averaging $1.47 for each dollar invested. The New York State Department of Labor approves and oversees Registered Apprenticeships, ensuring training is consistent, high-quality and meets industry requirements. According to Joanna Brislan, who serves as Director of Military Enrollment and Workforce Solutions, Apprenticeships effectively link education to real-world workforce needs. She says that through the partnership with SUNY and local employers, they are assisting individuals in earning while learning and developing a robust talent pipeline to foster economic growth in the North Country. The College offers Apprenticeship Programs in various industries such as manufacturing, health care, education, IT, digital imaging, agriculture, hospitality and business services. Typically, Apprentices undergo at least 2,000 hours of supervised training and over 144 hours of classroom instruction, with program durations from one to six years.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Jefferson Community College highlights SUNY Apprenticeship Program

From The IAM: Save Spirit Airlines By 'Protecting' Worker Paychecks & Customer Affordability, 'Not' Executive Pay

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Richie Johnsen, who serves as Air Transport General Vice President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), North America’s largest Airline Union, has issued the following statement regarding potential Federal relief for Spirit Airlines:

Spirit Airlines Workers, including IAM Ramp Service Employees, are the backbone of this Airline and a lifeline for millions of travelers who depend on affordable air service.

Every day, our Members help make air travel accessible for Working Families, students and communities who rely on Spirit to stay connected.

When Spirit flies, more Americans have access to affordable air travel.

The IAM strongly supports Federal relief for Spirit Airlines, but it must come with clear, enforceable protections for Workers, just like the CARES Act’s Airline Payroll Support Program.

That means no furloughs, no layoffs and no shifting the burden onto the very people who keep this Airline running.

We’ve seen this model work before.

Protecting Workers also protects service.

Keeping experienced Aviation Workers on the job ensures reliability, safety and the affordability passengers count on.

IAM Members at Spirit, and all Front-line Aviation Workers, did not cause this crisis.

They should not be the ones forced to pay the price.

Any Federal assistance must prioritize protecting jobs, preserving pay and benefits, and maintaining the affordable air service that millions of Americans rely on.

The IAM stands ready to work with Policymakers to ensure any relief package puts Workers and passengers first.”

The IAM represents 600,000 Active and Retired Members in aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, rail, transit, health care, automotive, and other industries across North America.

To Directly Access This IAM Statement Of Spirit Airlines, Go To: IAM Union: Save Spirit Airlines by Protecting Worker Paychecks and Customer Affordability, Not Executive Pay - IAM Union

Spirit Airlines Photo Courtesy Of The IAM.

Organized Labor Joins With Performers & Lawmakers To 'Condemn' Paramount's $110 Billion Mega-Merger With Warner-Discovery

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In an orgy of tons of money being thrown around, one monster Hollywood Entertainment Conglomerate, Paramount, bought another, Warner Bros. Discovery, in a $110 billion mega-merger, which could leave Unions, Workers, consumers and Lawmakers on the outside looking in while CEOs enrich themselves and an oligopoly’s clout grows larger.

And that’s even without taking into consideration that big Donald Trump pal David Ellison, the Paramount CEO, hosted the President at a Downtown D.C. bash the night of the deal (April 23rd).

That’s not a coincidence.

The sale drew protests in New York in the morning and outside the White House in the evening.

Paramount, which also owns CBS - and which has turned that network’s news division in a Trump-pleasing direction - and CNN, gobbled up Discovery just months ago.

It won the bidding for Warner by offering $31 a share.

That was four times the trading price of Warner on Securities Exchanges.

The Warner Board, meeting by Zoom on the morning of April 23rd, took just minutes to seal the deal.

Voting numbers were not disclosed.

The loser in the war for Warner - Netflix, didn’t do too badly.

In an indication of the massive amounts of money capitalists throw around in such transactions, Netflix’s Board okayed using the funds it saved from its losing bid for Warner for a $25 billion stock buyback, enriching its investors and its honchos.

In a minor revolt, the Warner Board okayed the Paramount deal, but shareholders, a larger group, revolted against the $551 million golden parachute for Warner’s CEO, David Zaslav, and nine-figure sums for his team.

The stockholder votes are non-binding, though.

Left outside looking in as all this money and clout were exercised were Lawmakers, the Writers Guild of America and 4,000 top performers, led by long-time Political Activist Jane Fonda.

They signed an open letter against the merger.

And other Workers besides the stars fear their jobs could disappear into “economies of scale” - i.e., layoffs and increasing use of Artificial Intelligence to replace them - or both.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Union, lawmakers, performers condemn Paramount’s $110B mega-merger with Warner-Discovery – People's World

"Like Nailing Jell-O To A Wall" - 'Why Unions Are Struggling To Protect Journalists' Rights In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence'

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Gretel Kahn at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reports: Will AI (Artificial Intelligence) come for my job? This is the question at the heart of AI anxieties across many industries right now. For Journalists, this question is constantly being re-pondered and re-examined as more companies are incorporating AI into their workflows. AI can help with research and background. It can do transcriptions and translations, generate illustrations, and produce podcasts with non-human hosts. It can now even write and edit pieces itself. And yet, AI-related job cuts in Journalism seem to be marginal - for now. Around two-thirds of the Media Managers the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism surveyed for its Trends and Predictions report said they haven’t cut any jobs due to AI. This might be starting to change. Earlier this month, the Union that represents Associated Press Journalists said that more than 120 Staff Members received buyout offers, just as the company expressed its intention to pivot toward AI and video. But changes are going beyond potential job cuts. AI adoption is widespread and Journalists are protecting themselves from becoming collateral damage in this new era of disruption. As usual, things are moving especially fast in the U.S. where Unionized workers are revolting against their company’s efforts to introduce AI in their workflows. Unions at three newspapers - The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee and The Kansas City Star - filed grievances against their parent company McClatchy over the implementation of a new AI tool.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: “Like nailing jell-o to a wall”: Why unions are struggling to protect journalists’ rights in the age of AI | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Graphic Courtesy Of The Reuters Institute For The Study Of Journalism.

A Memorial Day 'Call To Action' From CSEA President Mary Sullivan: "When CSEA Members Raise Our Voices Together, We Make Workplaces Safer For Everyone"

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) – Mary Sullivan, who serves as President of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) - which represents 250,000 Public Workers across New York State, released the following on Workers Memorial Day 2026:

April 28th is Workers Memorial Day, when we remember Workers who were killed, injured or made ill on the job.

But it must be more than a day of remembrance.

It must also be a call to action.

For CSEA Members, workplace safety is not an abstract issue.

Every day, our Members serve their communities in demanding and sometimes dangerous jobs.

Every one of those Workers deserves the right to go home safely at the end of their shift.

Yet far too often, that doesn’t happen.

This past year alone, 10 CSEA Members tragically died while on the job and hundreds more were injured while doing the work our communities rely on every day.

Too often, these incidents are preventable.

They happen because of unsafe conditions, reckless behavior or protections that simply aren’t strong enough.

That should make every one of us angry.

It should make every one of us determined to do something about it.

CSEA is pushing for stronger Worker Safety Laws, including expanding workplace violence protections, increasing penalties for assaults on Public Employees and holding reckless drivers accountable when they endanger Workers in work zones.

Members can help by calling on Elected Officials to support stronger Workplace Safety Laws and by refusing to stay silent when something isn’t right.

But laws alone won’t keep Workers safe.

Real safety also depends on Members speaking up - reporting hazards, raising concerns about unsafe conditions and standing together to demand better protections.

The best way to honor the Workers we have lost is to keep fighting until every Worker can do their job safely and return home to their family.

When CSEA Members raise our voices together, we make workplaces safer for everyone.

To Directly Access This CSEA Statement, Go To: Mary E. Sullivan: Workers Memorial Day: A call to action - CSEA NY

Mid-Continent Public Library Staff Are Unionizing & 'They Could Make Missouri History'

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Savannah Hawley-Bates at KCUR/NPR reports Librarians and Staff employed in the Mid-Continent Public Library System have announced their intent to Unionize for better wages workplace protections - which would make it the largest Library Union in the State of Missouri. About 60% of the more than 700 Union-eligible Staff Members have signed a public petition of support for Unionizing with Communications Workers of America Local 6360. They’re also hoping to win more time off and bring the Library System up to full Staffing levels. Mid-Continent is one of the largest and busiest Library Systems in Missouri with more than 35 locations. It serves more than 840,000 people in Jackson, Clay and Platte Counties. If they win their election, Mid-Continent Workers will be the third - and largest, Library Union in the State. The Daniel Boone Public Library, which primarily serves Boone and Callaway Counties, was the first in Missouri to Unionize in 2022 and Workers employed at the University of Missouri Library Unionized in 2025. “We got into this work because we love our communities and we see our Libraries as a fantastic way to build those communities,” Shelby Fordham, a Youth and Early Literacy Associate at the East Independence Branch of the Mid-Continent Library, said. “We just want to be able to do that without constantly counting pennies at the end of every month and without having to worry about whether or not we're going to have electricity and running water at work.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Mid-Continent Public Library staff are unionizing. They could make Missouri history | KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR

The National AFL-CIO's 2026 'Death On The Job-The Toll Of Neglect' Report: Workplace Hazards 'Kill 140,000 Workers Each Year In The U.S., More Than 380 Workers Each Day'

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The National AFL-CIO has released its 35th annual Death on the Job-The Toll of Neglect report, which alarmingly finds workplace hazards kill approximately 140,000 Workers each year in the United States - more than 380 Workers each day.

Findings in the 2026 report include: 5,070 Workers died from traumatic injury on the job in 2024, the latest year of data available, and an estimated 135,000 died from occupational diseases. An estimated 530 Workers died from heat alone; Black Workers still die on the job at a disproportionately higher rate than the national average; Latino Workers continue to face the greatest risk of dying on the job in 2024, at a rate 30% higher than the national average. Of the Latino Workers who died, 68.5% were Immigrants, a larger percentage than in previous years. The rate of young Worker deaths has nearly doubled since 2020 and Workers age 65 and older are nearly three times as likely to die on the job than other Workers; Workplace injuries create an enormous burden on the economy, costing an estimated $177 billion to $354 billion a year; and Underreporting is widespread and the true toll of work-related injuries and illnesses is estimated to be between five million and 7.5 million each year in private industry.

The National AFL-CIO also released the following statement:

We need to do more to keep Workers safe - but the Trump Administration is doing the opposite, gutting funding for the agencies responsible for job safety: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

This year, the Administration has: Pushed out so much Staff that staffing at these safety agencies is at new lows, leaving fewer Inspectors than ever to cover a growing workforce; Instructed Inspectors to focus on employer outreach and assistance, taking time and resources away from inspections with citations; Reduced the fines corporations pay when they violate OSHA Rules; Stopped conducting MSHA impact inspections at mines with a poor history of compliance; and Proposed twice to eliminate Worker safety and health training grants, even though Congress has rejected these cuts so far.

These policies and the gutting of Workplace Safety Agencies will only increase the numbers of loved ones we lose on the job - and these deaths are preventable.

As we honor those who have fallen this Workers Memorial Day, we remain committed to holding corporations accountable so that all jobs are safe jobs - where every Worker can return home safely at the end of the day.

Click Here To Read The 2026 Edition Of Death On The Job: The Toll Of Neglect Report.

The International Association Of Machinists Files An Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Apple 'Over Discriminatory Treatment of Unionized Workers' At Apple's 'First Unionized Store In The U.S.'

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Apple, alleging the company unlawfully discriminated against Unionized Workers at its Towson, Maryland Retail Store, which is the first Unionized Apple retail location in the United States. The Workers employed there are represented by the IAM. According to the ULP Charge, Apple has denied Towson Employees the ability to access transfer rights and other opportunities provided to non-represented Employees affected by Store closures at other locations. The IAM alleges these actions, taken in retaliation for the Workers’ protected Union activity, constitute discrimination in violation of Federal Labor Law. The ULP charge follows Apple’s decision to close the Towson Store while offering transfer opportunities to Employees at two Non-Union Apple Stores closing in the same timeframe. The Towson Workers, by contrast, have been told they must reapply for positions through the same process as external candidates. “This is about whether Workers are treated fairly under the law or punished for exercising their rights,” IAM Union International President Brian Bryant said. “Apple is denying Union-represented Workers the same opportunities it is giving to others - and doing so because these Workers chose to organize. That is discrimination, and it is exactly what Federal Labor Law is designed to prevent.” The Towson Store employs nearly 90 Workers and serves as a key retail and service hub for the Baltimore Region, providing critical access to Apple products and support for students, Working Families and small businesses. The IAM is calling on Apple to reverse course and treat its Towson Workers fairly.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: IAM Union Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Apple Over Discriminatory Treatment of Unionized Workers - IAM Union

Hachette Book Group Employees 'Announce Largest Unionization Campaign In Trade Publisher History' With The NewsGuild-CWA

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - The Employees of Hachette Book Group (HBG), the third-largest Trade Publisher in the U.S., have announced they have Unionized with Washington-Baltimore NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 32035 in order to ensure better benefits, protections and rights for Workers - as well as increased equity, transparency and agency in the workplace.

The Hachette Workers Coalition (HWC) is the largest Union in Trade Publisher History, inclusive of Workers in every physical office and remote location, across the U.S. and Canada.

The HWC demands a livable wage regardless of work location, better working conditions, a cap on workload hours, a clear and neutral grievance process, Artificial Intelligence (AI) protections, follow-through on Diversity, Equity and Inclusions (DEI) policies, and more.

The Hachette Workers Coalition has signed hundreds of cards in support of forming a Union at HBG.

For too long, Hachette Employees have been forced to accept sub-standard working conditions, overwhelming workloads, and compensation not commensurate with the exceptional success and growth that Workers have brought HBG.

The Union intends to actualize the Hachette Book Group mission pillars of Understanding Consumers, Changing the Story, Growth Mindset, and Owner Mentality for the benefit of the Workers and book lovers - not only the corporate shareholders.

From the successful campaign canceling HBG’s publication of Woody Allen’s memoir in 2020 to the powerful campaign amending return-to-office work in 2022, HBG Workers know how to organize and advocate in their own best interests.

The way Hachette Book Group and the Book Publishing Industry as a whole currently functions - where shareholder profit is prioritized over product quality and Workers’ Rights - is unsustainable.

HBG Designer Andy Wang said: “As Employees of the Hachette Book Group, we take great pride in working with talented authors and artists to create books that spark conversations, educate and inspire. As united Members of the Hachette Workers Coalition, we reject our current industry model, which actively undermines the long-term development of Employees’ skills and their ability to support themselves and their families in pursuit of unsustainable profit-driven growth. Both across the Publishing Industry - and especially at HBG, we have felt the crush of increased workloads while our compensation, career growth and opportunities have stagnated. Instead, leadership has continued to spin the revolving door with callously-handled layoffs, hushed dismissals and has regressed on common-sense policies such as the right to work from home, or to even have your own desk!”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Hachette Book Group employees announce largest unionization campaign in trade publisher history with NewsGuild | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

Organized Labor 'Celebrates' New York City Mayor Mamdani's 'Veto Of A Buffer Zone Bill That Was Opposed' By Unions

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced he would veto a City Council Bill criticized by Unions representing Academic Workers that would have tasked the NYPD to erect “security perimeters” around Educational Facilities across New York City.

Intro 175-B's critics warned the Bill would stifle free speech and possibly affect the ability of Unions to picket and organize.

In a statement announcing his veto, Mamdani said the “problem” with the Bill is that it defines Educational Institutions too broadly as well as the “Constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest.”

“This could impact Workers protesting ICE or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights,” Mamdani said. “(Int. 175-B) is not a narrow public safety measure, it is a piece of legislation that has alarmed much of the Labor Movement, Reproductive Rights Groups and Immigration Advocates, among others, across this City. Nearly a dozen Unions have raised the alarm about its impact on their ability to organize.”

The Mayor added he would allow a similar law that applies to Houses of Worship, and that passed the Council by a much larger margin than the Bill on Educational Institutions, to come into effect.

Professional Staff Congress (PSC) of City of New York (CUNY) President James Davis, who was one of several outspoken Union Leaders opposing the Bill, praised Mamdani for vetoing the legislation: “Mayor Mamdani proved himself a champion of students, Faculty and Staff once again when he vetoed (Intro 175-B). This ‘Buffer Zone” Legislation would jeopardize First Amendment Rights to free expression for all New Yorkers irrespective of religion, race or nationality, imposing new restrictions near any vaguely defined ‘educational facilities.’ That includes CUNY Campuses, which are worksites and sites of political expression”

The PSC was one of more than 200 local groups to send a letter to Mamdani urging him to veto the legislation.

The City reported Labor Leaders from more than a half-dozen Unions and the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council had met with City Hall Officials via video call to urge Mamdani to veto the Bill.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Mamdani vetoes buffer zone bill opposed by unions - The Chief

In Maryland, Workers Receive IBEW Training Through Voice-Data-Video Apprenticeship Program

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Education Reporter Tim Tooten at WBAL-TV in Baltimore reports from Lansdowne, Maryland that as the economy rebounds both in Maryland and across the Nation, there's become a need for more skilled Workers, which includes the field of Voice-Data-Video. Workers in Baltimore City are being trained through a popular Job Apprenticeship Program. It turns out the program helps meet the needs for Workers with slightly more technical skills. Since Summer, more than half a dozen residents have signed up to be trained in the field of Telecommunications, more specifically Voice Data-Video. "The reality is that our hospitals, the colleges - all of the spaces that we see and walk through every day utilize voice data video," Maryland State Senator Cory McCray (Democrat-Baltimore City) said. Maryland State Secretary of Labor Jim Rzepkowski recently helped kick-off the Job Training Apprenticeship Program through International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 24, a program in need of a reboot in Baltimore City. And it's already caught the attention of those being paid to learn. The first-class Voice-Data-Video class meets most evenings at the IBEW joint Apprenticeship and Training Center on West Patapsco Avenue. It's a program Rzepkowski believes is worth the investment: "With the workforce shortage out there, we're electrifying our residential and commercial world, buildings are being built smart and it's not just running electrical for heating and lights, it's about connecting the workplace.” Voice-Data-Video Apprentice Raymond Johnson said: "It gives you education that you would normally have to pay thousands of dollars every year for free and gives you a job at the same time."

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Workers receive technical training through apprenticeship program

IBEW Local 24 Photo Via Facebook.

National Council For Occupational Safety & Health's Annual 'Dirty Dozen' Report: 'Every 104 Minutes Corporate Neglect Kills Another Worker'

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - A Worker dies from corporate negligence every 104 minutes: The suppliers of auto parts for Hyundai and Kia cars; The Subway Restaurant Chain; The Nation’s largest Homebuilder, which let Donald Trump’s vicious and violent ICE Agents raid its job sites; and a Snack Food Company that puts Migrants’ children into hazardous factory jobs.

“Workers are still being poisoned, injured, exploited and killed on the job. When employers say ‘the system is working,’ we have to ask: ‘Working for who?,’” says Jessica Martinez, the Executive Director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH), which released its annual Dirty Dozen report on the worst job safety and health violators nominated by its local councils and allies, and why those corporate bad actors made the list - though they’re not alone.

The Auto Parts Firm, Subway, the Snack Food Firm and the Homebuilder who let ICE Agents raid its job sites - especially during Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities - are all in the report, which doesn’t even include the worst of the worst: Amazon.

The monster Retailer and Warehouse Firm, which employs one-third of all U.S. Warehouse Workers - but accounts for almost half of the workplace injuries in that industry, had such a bad job safety record for so long that NACOSH put it last year into a special category of permanent violators.

Amazon and its multi-billionaire majority owner, Jeff Bezos, a Trump pal, is also virulently Anti-Union.

Amazon’s “absence” gave NACOSH and its allies a chance to spotlight other firms who put profits before people and shirk job safety measures, including warnings and fines from the Federal and State Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHAs).

The fines, Martinez says, are declining.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Every 104 minutes corporate neglect kills another worker – People's World

Auto Workers Employed At Tesla, BMW & More 'Move To Join The UAW' - Union Campaigns 'Increase To Involve Employees At 13 Non-Union' Automakers

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Victor Ordonez at ABC News reports thousands of Workers employed at 13 Non-Union Automakers - including Tesla, Toyota, BMW and Nissan, have moved to join the United Auto Workers (UAW). The Auto Workers are signing Union Cards on-line at the UAW's website as part of simultaneous campaigns across the 13 Automakers. The UAW called it an "unprecedented move." "To all the Auto Workers out there working without the benefits of a Union: Now it's your turn," UAW President Shawn Fain said. The drive encompasses nearly 150,000 Auto Workers across BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Lucid, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. The push comes after UAW's weeks-long labor dispute with the Big Three U.S. Automakers - General Motors, Stellantis and Ford, which brought tens of thousands of its Union Members to picket lines. The dispute ended with similar labor deals across the Big Three, which called for a roughly 25% raise over four years, as well as significant improvements on pensions and the right to protest the closure of plants.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Autoworkers at Tesla, BMW and more move to join UAW, union says - ABC News

St. John's Faculty Unions 'Take Legal Action Against The Administration' - AAUP & FA 'File Multiple ULP Charges After University Leadership Ignores' Unions

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Nicholas St. Cyr at The Torch reports that after more than two months after St. John’s University’s Administration’s decision to no longer recognize the Unions during the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiation process, they have decided to take legal action. The St. John’s Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Faculty Association (FA) have filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) offenses with the New York State’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) against University President Reverend Brian J. Shanley and the University’s Board of Trustees. The Unions have played a role in the St. John’s community for 56 years, but their involvement has been challenged during the most recent negotiations that have left Faculty and Staff working without a contract for almost 300 days. They argue Shanley’s dismissal of Union recognition and decision to end negotiations with them is not only unlawful - but also goes against the University’s mission. “Father Shanley has torn up our Union contract, attacked the rights of our Faculty and unlawfully abandoned our negotiations despite fifty-six years as the State-certified and University-recognized Faculty Unions at SJU,” SJU-AAUP Acting President & SJU Professor Sophie Bell said. “SJU is abandoning the very values our University was founded on and our Faculty impart to students every single day.” Union Members also accuse the University Administration of aggressively threatening and targeting Faculty who attended AAUP-hosted demonstrations in response to the Board of Trustees’ initial decision. Apart from this alleged violation of Labor Rights, they also call into question the creation and recruitment of a working group to unilaterally change University employment without negotiation, while bypassing the Unions.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: St. John’s Faculty Unions Take Legal Action Against Administration – The Torch

'Inside The Long Retreat' Of Workers' Compensation In New York State: 160,000 Injured New Yorkers 'Seek Workers' Compensation Each Year - But In Recent Years, Regulators Have Tilted The Scales Towards Employers & Insurers'

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Brook D’Angelo was driving to a distressed property in Niagara Falls, where she worked as a Neighborhood Inspector, when her City-owned car slammed downward into a deep sinkhole in an unpaved alley. The impact broke her lower back and ripped her abdominal wall. So, like some 160,000 injured New Yorkers each year, D’Angelo filed a claim in 2018 for New York State’s oldest guaranteed labor benefit: Workers’ Compensation. Every day counts with an injury like hers, but it took D’Angelo six months to find a doctor in the area willing to take on the hassle of getting paid through the State’s Workers’ Comp System. She had serious doubts about the surgeon she finally found but went ahead with treatment because she couldn’t find anyone else who accepted the benefit. The first surgery “butchered” D’Angelo, she said. It required three more surgeries and resulted in a 14-inch incision and the use of porcine dermal collagen - pig skin - to hold her abdomen together. Each attempt left her body with irreversible scar-like adhesions and left her unable to bear children. New York became the first State in the Nation to set up a Workers’ Compensation System in the wake of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. In the century since, the Social Insurance Program has covered medical bills and cash for recovery time for countless injured Construction Workers, Prison Guards, Nurses and other Workers. Yet - in recent years, the program’s benefits have quietly shrunk by over a third. From 2014 to 2023, the dollar amount of benefits insurers pay to Workers fell by $1.4 billion per year - a 37% drop, according to the latest available insurance data compiled by Economist James Parrott and shared with New York Focus. In that same period, Parrott calculated, insurers pocketed nearly $11 billion in profits. (Parrott is not related to this Reporter.)

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Inside The Long Retreat of Workers’ Compensation in New York

Mid-Continent Public Library Staff Announce Organizing Effort With The CWA

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Librarians and Staff employed in the Mid-Continent Public Library System - serving Jackson, Clay and Platte Counties in Missouri, have announced their intent to form a Union. Sixty-percent of Union-eligible Staff Members have signed a public petition supporting efforts to organize with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6360. The Workers are Unionizing to win better wages, more time off, safety protections at work and full staffing across the Library System. “We got into this work because we love our communities and we see our Libraries as a fantastic way to build those communities,” said Shelby Fordham, a Youth and Early Literacy Associate at the East Independence Branch. “We just want to be able to do that without constantly counting pennies at the end of every month and without having to worry about whether or not we're going to have electricity and running water at work.” If they succeed in their Union Election, the Mid-Continent Workers will become the State’s third - and largest, Library Union. The Daniel Boone Public Library, serving Boone and Callaway Counties, became Missouri’s first Library to organize in 2022, followed by the University of Missouri Library Workers in 2025.

North America's Building Trades Unions & Microsoft 'Expand Nationwide Initiative To Strengthen AI Training & Career Pathways Across The Skilled Trades'

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) and Microsoft have announced an expanded partnership to support a strong workforce pipeline and help Workers across North America build the skills needed to succeed in an AI (Artificial Intelligence)-powered economy.

Building on a partnership that has already trained 1,500 Instructors in hands-on Training Centers nationwide, NABTU and Microsoft are now launching no-cost AI literacy courses and industry-recognized credentials to help make foundational AI skills accessible to millions of Skilled Craft Professionals across North America.

The partnership also extends to TradesFutures, a non-profit 501(c)(3), to expand awareness of careers in the Skilled Trades.

This partnership will build AI literacy across TradesFutures' Apprenticeship Readiness Program network that connects people to Union Construction Apprenticeship Programs and careers in 34 States.

The collaboration reflects a practical, long-term approach to ensuring people and communities building the AI economy share in its benefits.

Together, Microsoft and NABTU are creating real career pathways and access to AI skills training designed with and for the Skilled Trades, grounded in the realities of the jobsite, focused on safety and quality, and delivered through trusted Union Apprenticeship Systems and Microsoft's on-line LinkedIn learning platform that can help millions of people enter family-sustaining careers.

The expanded partnership is aligned to Microsoft's Community-First AI Infrastructure commitments, reflecting a focus on helping ensure the communities where new infrastructure is built benefit from the jobs created.

NABTU President Sean McGarvey said: "NABTU's training model has always been about scale, quality and lifelong opportunity. Through this expanded collaboration with Microsoft, we are making AI training available to Instructors, Apprentices and Journey-Level Workers across our system. This work helps keep the Building Trades at the forefront of innovation while advancing our mission to deliver family-sustaining careers and help shape how new technology expands opportunity for every Worker."

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: NABTU and Microsoft expand nationwide initiative to strengthen AI training and career pathways across the skilled trades

"Nothing Funny About It!" - Indiana Democratic Congressman 'Scolds' Commerce Secretary Lutnick 'For Laughing At Union Job Losses'

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

David Edwards at RawStory reports that during a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday (April 23rd), U.S. Representative Frank Mrvan scolded Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick after the Trump Administration Official appeared to laugh at job losses in his District. Mrvan observed Lutnick had been supportive of Union jobs outside of government. The Indiana Democrat said: "British Petroleum in my District, which is an energy producer, the third largest oil refinery, has locked out the United Steelworkers - approximately (1,000) families, Men and Women, because of contract negotiations. My Republican Governor came to the picket line, Governor Braun. I agree with him in a bipartisan way that British Petroleum is putting our community at risk by having replacement Workers who are non-trained. Will you join me and ask the President of the United States to tell British Petroleum, a foreign company, energy producer, to go back to the bargaining table so that those very valuable Union jobs you were just theatrical vote will be saved?" Lutnick responded with a hearty chuckle. "Don't laugh!," Mrvan exclaimed. "There's nothing funny about it. Don't laugh at my situation about a thousand families out of work."

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: 'Nothing funny about it!' Dem scolds Commerce Secretary for laughing at union job losses - Raw Story

Teamster-Represented Costco Workers 'Vote To Authorize Nationwide Strike Over Fair Wages & Benefits' In A New Contract

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Leah Sarnoff and Darren Reynolds at ABC News reports Teamster-represented Workers employed at Costco Wholesale locations across the country have voted to authorize a Strike, with more than 85% of Members in favor of hitting the picket lines. The Teamsters represent more than 18,000 Costco Employees nationally. Union President Sean O’Brien said: "Our Members have spoken loud and clear - Costco must deliver a fair contract or they'll be held accountable." The Teamsters said "fair wages and benefits" are the catalyst for the Strike. According to the Union, the Wholesale Giant recently reported $254 billion in annual revenue and $7.4 billion in net profits, which marked a 135% increase since 2018. "Yet, despite these record gains, the company refuses to meet the Teamsters' demands for fair wages and benefits that reflect the company's enormous success," the Union said.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Costco's unionized workers vote to authorize nationwide strike - ABC News

Unions Meet With Mamdani Team Over Protest 'Buffer Zone' Bill

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Claudia Irizarry Aponte and Katie Honan at The City report City Hall Officials met with Union Leaders who are pushing Mayor Zohran Mamdani to veto a controversial City Council Bill that would establish anti-protest buffer zones around schools and educational facilities. A representative of Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su met via video call with leaders of more than a half a dozen Unions and the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, according to multiple sources who were at the meeting or briefed on the talks. Su’s representative gave no indication whether Mamdani would issue a veto, according to multiple sources. Last month the Council approved two Bills creating protest buffer zones, one affecting Houses of Worship and the other targeting schools and “educational facilities.” The meeting came amid a growing pressure campaign from Organized Labor and other allies of Mamdani to veto the Bill. Several Labor and community groups had also sent a letter urging him to veto the Bill, describing it as a “radical overreach” that limits free speech and endangers New Yorkers. Two Unions that represent large numbers of college and University Teaching Staff - United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9A and Professional Staff Congress/City University of New York - are leading the opposition to the Bills, claiming that they would restrict their rights to Strike or protest in their workplace.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Unions met with Mamdani team over protest ‘buffer zone’ bill

CUNY File Photo.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli: 'Despite Third Straight Year Of State Workforce Expansion, OT Costs Increased By $1.6 Billion' In 2025 - Department Of Corrections 'Accounted For Over 87% Of Total Increase' In OT Earnings

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - New York State Agency overtime costs increased 22.7% in 2025 for a total of $1.6 billion, while the number of overtime hours increased by 5.9%, or 1.4 million hours, higher than the previous year, according to the annual report issued by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli examining State agencies’ overtime and workforce trends. The size of the state workforce - not including the State University of New York and City University of New York, grew for a third straight year in 2025 increasing by 2.7%, or 4,139 positions, from 2024, to an average annual total of 155,448. “The use of overtime by State Agencies continued to climb with overtime as a share of payroll at its second highest rate since at least (2007),” DiNapoli said. “Agencies need to ensure usage is justified while continuing to safely and effectively provide the services New Yorkers expect and deserve.” Overtime hours and earnings have continued to surge at the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (Corrections), growing by 1.3 million hours and $264 million in 2025, the most of any Agency. The Agency experienced a 29.8% decrease in workforce since 2020 when there were 8,544 more Employees than in 2025. Between 2024 and 2025, the Corrections Workforce decreased by over 2,700 while overtime hours per Employee grew 32.7% to reach an average of 432 hours - nearly triple what it was in 2020. These figures were influenced by the Strike by some Corrections employees that took place between February 17th, 2025 and March 10th, 2025.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: DiNapoli: Despite Third Straight Year of State Workforce Expansion, OT Costs Increased by $1.6 Billion in 2025 | Office of the New York State Comptroller

Clean Water Action Staff 'Across The Country Join Together To Form A Union And Seek Recognition' As The Clean Water Guild

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Workers of Clean Water Action and the Clean Water Fund have announced the formation of the Clean Water Guild, uniting employees of Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund as a part of The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA).

As the boots-on-the-ground force behind one of the Nation’s founding grassroots Environmental Non-Profits, the work done by the Staff of Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund is essential.

However, Clean Water Action and the Clean Water Fund cannot enact change externally if its Workers are not unified within and throughout the organization itself.

It is therefore vital to the organization’s success in daily operations, and success in the wider Environmental Movement as a whole, that the Workers apply the same skills utilized to safeguard the ecological environment in order to protect, nourish and sustain their workplace ecosystem.

Ellie Zarrow, a Field Canvass Trainer with Clean Water Action in Philadelphia, said: “I am organizing for a Union at Clean Water Action because it is essential that we practice what we preach. Advocating for the power of the people, the importance of making our voices heard, starts in our own offices.”

As such, the leadership of Clean Water Action and the Clean Water Fund has been invited to continue standing tall in the legacy of uplifting people, action, and justice in voluntarily recognizing the Clean Water Guild as a National Bargaining Unit, with the support of both the Minnesota Newspaper and Communications Guild Local 37002 and the Pacific Media Workers Guild Local 39521.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Clean Water Action staff across the country join together to seek recognition as the Clean Water Guild | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

An 'America First' President? - 'Backlash Over' Trump's 'Decision To Use Foreign' Steel To Build His Proposed White House Ballroom

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Joe Sommerlad at The Independent reports President Donald Trump is receiving backlash over his suggestion a European Metals Company has donated foreign steel for the construction of his White House ballroom. According to The New York Times, the Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal has donated materials to help with the $400 million project, which would appear to run counter to Trump’s past championing of the American Steel Industry, given the materials were reportedly produced in Europe. Trump has long spoken up for U.S. steel, part of his broader support for traditional Blue-Collar Industries, imposing tariffs on foreign metal imports last year in the interest of shielding domestic manufacturers from overseas competition. “While the White House imports foreign steel to build Trump’s ugly Epstein Ballroom, California is opening its first new steel plant in fifty years,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said via his official press office account, referring to Pacific Steel breaking ground on a new mill in his State. Newsom also responded on his personal account, suggesting a new slogan for the Trump Administration: “Make America Luxembourg Again?” Another pointed criticism was offered by Minnesota State Senator Grant Hauschild: “Foreign steel in the White House? Are you kidding? We’ve got Iron Range mines shut down & 100’s of United Steelworkers laid off. Instead, they’re outsourcing one of the most iconic American buildings overseas! American steel built this country, it should build the White House too.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Trump the ‘America First’ president will be using foreign steel to build his White House ballroom

After A Three-Week Strike, JBS 'Concedes' To Meatpacking Workers - Company 'Gives In To Nearly Every Demand,' Plus A $1.50 An Hour Wage Increase & 'Ground-Breaking' Policy On Personal Protective Equipment

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Caitlyn Clark and Lisa Xu at LaborNotes report on the 3,800 Meatpacking Workers who are represented by United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 in Greeley, Colorado - who launched the industry’s first major Strike in 40 years. Their three-week Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike was the first time Workers had ever struck the JBS Greeley Beef Packing Plant, one of the company’s largest. ULP Charges against JBS included the illegal termination of a Bargaining Committee Member and surveillance and intimidation of Workers for participation in Union activity. With 57 languages spoken under one roof, the Strike united the Plant’s largely Immigrant Workforce to take on the biggest Meatpacking Company in the world. The Local had spent nearly a year in negotiations following the contract’s expiration in July 2025. JBS returned to the bargaining table after the Strike - and when the dust settled, the company had conceded to almost every demand. In addition to $1.50 an hour in wage increases over the short two-year agreement, workers won a ground-breaking policy on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), challenging JBS’s previous system of garnishing wages to replace necessary PPE when it was lost, damaged or stolen. JBS was charging Workers up to $1,100 to pay for mesh vests, gloves, arm guards and knife sharpeners.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: After 3-Week Strike, JBS Concedes to Meatpacking Workers | Labor Notes

Photo Courtesy Of UFCW Local 7’s Facebook Page.

In Reno, Nevada: Laborers Local 169 Is Preparing Workers For A New Solar Project "That Will Bolster The Local Economy"

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Noah Bond at KOLO-TV reports From Reno, Nevada that Laborers Local 169 is ramping up training efforts to prepare Workers for a major solar project near Yerington that will bring hundreds of jobs to the region. Local 169 is seeking between 200 and 300 Workers for the Libra Sol Project, a large-scale solar field spanning 4,000 acres. The positions offer $35.45 per hour - plus $6 in remote area pay. Workers can earn anywhere from $500 to $2,500 a week. “This is going to do great things for Northern Nevada and our local communities,” said Chase Rowe, Field Representative and Business Agent for Local 169. “(250, 300)-plus jobs for our local Laborers. The Town of Yerington is going to grow and expand.” The Building Trades Union has been preparing Workers through its Northern Nevada Apprenticeship and Training Program, which offers free classes to Members. The program has been putting on solar racking and pile driver classes to get Workers ready for the project.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Report, Go To: Union preparing workers for new solar project near Yerington

The National AFL-CIO On The Resignation Of U.S. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer: "We Need A Labor Secretary Who Understands Working People And Will Work To Make Our Lives Better - Not Just Be A Rubber Stamp For Corporations' Wish Lists"

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement in response to Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation as U.S. Secretary of Labor:

When we’re in a crisis of costs going up, job insecurity due to AI (Artificial Intelligence) and technology, and uncertainty across the economy, we need a Labor Secretary who understands Working People and will work to make our lives better - not just be a rubber stamp for corporations’ wish lists and gut the protections we count on.

The news of Secretary of Labor Chavez-DeRemer stepping down came amid a months-long investigation into her leadership of the Federal Agency that stemmed from allegations of misconduct. It follows a series of civil rights complaints inside the Agency under her leadership, as well as an investigation conducted by the Agency’s Inspector General’s Office into the conduct of Chavez-DeRemer and her senior aides. The claims against her include allegations that she had an affair with a subordinate, who was a member of her security team, as well as allegations that she drank alcohol during the workday. Chavez-DeRemer was also accused of using Department resources for personal travel.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Trump’s Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigns following misconduct allegations

Federal Employee Unions 'Sue To Block 'FLRA's 'Political Seizure' Of Union Elections - 'Warn Fast-Track Changes With The Agency's Political Appointees Will Bog Down, Rather Than Streamline,' The Election Process

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Erich Wagner at Government Executive reports a coalition of Labor Groups are suing the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) in an effort to block new regulations granting the Agency’s political appointees control over Union Elections at Federal Agencies, arguing both that the Agency robbed stakeholders of the opportunity to weigh in on the changes and that the measure would have the opposite effect from its stated aim. Since 1983, the handling of petitions for Union Elections and other petitions relating to the composition of Bargaining Units at Federal Agencies have primarily been handled by the FLRA’s Regional Directors and their Staff - career Employees, with a process by which parties can appeal their decisions to the Authority’s three-member Board, Presidential Appointees confirmed by the Senate. But last month, the FLRA issued an interim final rule wresting control of those petitions from Regional Directors, who the Agency said will now work “collaboratively” with the three-member authority to process, and remove the appeals process. The rule, set to take effect on Thursday (April 23rd), bypassed the notice-and-comment period agencies traditionally employ when they consider major changes to their operating rules. “After reexamination of its practices, the FLRA finds the memorandum of delegated authorities and responsibilities to the (Regional Directors), and the related regulations governing representation matters, merit revision,” the rule states. “The FLRA envisions a streamlined process in which representation matters are resolved through the collaborative efforts of the Regional Offices and the authority - rather than a strict separation of an initial decision by an RD, followed by a possible appeal to, and potentially duplicative decision by, the authority.” The legal challenge - filed by the American Federation of Government Employees, National Association of Government Employees, National Federation of Federal Employees and other Unions, argues the interim rule’s “threadbare” justification for upending four decades of precedent, the peremptory implementation window and failure to seek public comment before finalizing the regulations all amount to the type of “arbitrary and capricious” decision making forbidden by the Administrative Procedure Act.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Labor groups sue to block FLRA’s political seizure of union elections - Government Executive

Unions 'Urge' Governor Hochul 'To Tax The Rich' - Letter Signed By DC37, HTC & More 'Pushes For Several Revenue-Raising Initiatives'

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Harper Freeman at The Chief reports New York City Labor is calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to tax the rich. Nearly a dozen Unions have signed a letter that was sent to Hochul urging her to get behind revenue-raising measures proposed in the one-house budgets of the State Assembly and State Senate - as well as other additional tax increases. Raising taxes on New York State’s wealthy has been a key priority for Mayor Zohran Mamdani amid a $5.4 billion City budget gap, but Hochul has been resistant to the measures during a year she is campaigning for re-election. However, Hochul has proposed a pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes valued at over $5 million that could raise $500 million a year for New York City, signaling some flexibility on tax increases. While appreciative, the Unions are calling for even more including a bump in the Statewide corporate tax, the personal income tax, the City corporate tax and additional loophole closures and revenue-raising programs. “The agreement on a pied-à-terre tax in New York City was an important first step but doesn’t address New Yorkers’ needs or municipal shortfalls,” the letter reads “At this pivotal moment in the budget process, New York’s leaders face a clear choice: Stand with Working Families confronting an escalating affordability crisis or protect the ultra-wealthy and most profitable corporations that have long avoided paying what they owe.” The signatories include District Council 37, and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, politically powerful establishment Unions that had not publicly backed tax increases this year until the letter was released. Other Unions that signed on are the New York State Nurses Association, Communication Workers of America (CWA) District 1 and CWA Local 1180 - as well as progressive-leaning Unions like the Professional Staff Congress, United Auto Workers Region 9A, the Committee of Interns and Residents-Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Doctors Council SEIU. Raising the statewide corporate tax rate to 9%, as proposed by the State Senate, increasing personal income taxes for those over $5 million and making three new brackets for those making between $10 million and $25 million, $25 million and $100 million, and over $100 million, as proposed by the State Assembly, as well as raising the City’s corporate tax rate over 10%, would altogether raise $6.75 billion a year, the Unions wrote. By adjusting the State Pass Through Entity Tax, ending the gold bullion sales tax exemption and increasing the mansion tax could raise more than $3.5 billion more.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Unions urge Hochul to tax the rich - The Chief

From NYSUT: Schools 'Work To Meet New Drinking Water Standards'

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - Schools across New York State are working diligently to comply with new, more stringent lead standards that will make school drinking water even safer for students, educators and others who spend time in school buildings.

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Health and Safety has created: A fact sheet to help schools familiarize themselves with required sampling, remediation, reporting and record-keeping requirements; review State Department of Health’s (DOH) resources on the topic; and Recommit to ensuring their drinking water meets the State’s new, safer standards.

The fact sheet includes definitions of key terms, links to related DOH resources, and frequently asked questions on the topic.

Lead is a known toxin that has the potential to affect multiple organ systems in the body.

It can be especially harmful to children, whose neurological systems are still developing.

Elevated lead levels in children often stem from exposure to chipped or peeling lead paint, especially in older homes, but can also happen due to consumption of lead-contaminated water.

Lead gets into drinking water as lead pipes, fixtures, and the solder used to connect pipes corrode over time.

This is of greatest concern in older buildings - including schools - built before 1986, when the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act was amended to prohibit the use of materials in plumbing that were not “lead free.”

That amendment significantly decreased the risk of lead contamination in drinking water for new buildings, but it did not address the risk in existing buildings.

For that reason, schools across New York have long been required to test their drinking water regularly for lead.

Until recently, New York’s “action level” for lead in drinking water - the level at which a school is required to undertake remediation, including repair of pipes and fixtures - was 15 parts per billion (ppb), which aligned with Federal regulations for school drinking water.

In December 2022, New York revised the Public Health Law governing School Potable Water Standards and Testing to reduce the action level for lead from 15 ppb to 5 ppb.

Schools were required to test using the new threshold during a three-year compliance period that ended on December 22nd, 2025.

The updated law also removed previous exemptions for some buildings previously considered “lead free,” and instituted new requirements for reporting test results to the public and providing alternative water sources free of charge when drinking water outlets are taken out of service.

“Schools around the State are adjusting to these new regulations and the procedures and requirements that come along with them,” NYSUT Second Vice President Ron Gross, said. “Our Members are taking action to ensure their drinking water is safe for students and all who pass through their buildings. It’s beneficial for the whole school community.”

NYSUT’s Program Services Department is available to provide support to Members and answer questions that come up as they work through this important process, he added.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Schools work to meet new drinking water standards

NYSUT-Provided Graphic.

Lush Cosmetics Workers In Maryland 'Go Union,' Vote 'Unanimously' to Join The UFCW

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(BALTIMORE, MARYLAND) - Workers employed at the Lush Cosmetics Store in Baltimore’s Harbor East Neighborhood have voted unanimously to join United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 27.

Workers organized around key issues on the job, including fair pay, consistent and reliable scheduling, and a need for dignity and respect in the workplace.

Despite Anti-Union efforts by the company, the Workers remained united throughout the campaign and delivered a unanimous result, sending a clear message about their desire for a voice on the job.

Hazel Schalow, who works at the Baltimore Lush Cosmetics Store, said: “It’s been a joy working at Lush since I joined as Floor Leader in the 2024 Holiday Season. I value all my Co-Workers so much, which is why Unionization feels like the right thing to do so that our Store can continue succeeding. I want to make sure everyone who’s a part of Lush Harbor East can have the proper pay and scheduling to build a life for themself here in the City we love. I’m so proud of us all for taking this big step forward together! We support all our fellow co-workers in raising issues to be improved, and we have each other’s back.”

UFCW Local 27 President Jason Chorpenning said: “This is what happens when Workers stand together and refuse to be pushed around. These Workers faced Union-Busting head-on and still won unanimously. That sends a message to this company and every employer in retail: Workers are done accepting low pay, unpredictable schedules and disrespect on the job.”

The Lush Cosmetics Workers in Baltimore will now begin negotiating their first Union contract, with a focus on improving wages, addressing scheduling concerns, eliminating out-of-pocket parking costs, and ensuring respect on the job, the UFCW said.

The UFCW also represents Lush Cosmetics Workers in: St. Louis, Missouri; Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky; and Friendswood, Texas.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Lush Cosmetics Workers in Maryland Vote Unanimously to Join Local 27 - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

UFCW-Provided Photo.

National Nurses United's 'Red Alert: Save Our Hospitals' Bus Tour: Nurses 'Across The Country Are Coming Out & Speaking Up To Protect Our Communities From Federal Health Care Cuts'

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

President Donald Trump and Republicans in the House and Senate have slashed Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and gutted Health Care Programs like Medicaid, all to fund billionaire tax breaks and ICE terror. This has left more than 400 Hospitals at risk of service cuts or closure, threatening vulnerable patients and communities. But Nurses, patients and their allies are fighting back! The National Nurses United (NNU) has launched a national Red Alert: Save Our Hospitals Bus Tour to build the community power necessary to reverse health care cuts, protect our lifesaving hospitals, and create a future that works for everyone, with Medicare for All and more. Nurses, patients, and allies are making their demands public, holding Elected Officials accountable for protecting public health over corporate or political interests. The Red Alert tour is stopping in communities across the country in 2026 and beyond to host family-friendly events where everyone who is concerned can make their demands heard. The NNU encourages all to join the movement at a tour stop near you and by signing NNU-represented Nurses’ Vision for a Healthy Society petition to hold Elected Officials accountable for protecting the people’s health, not billionaires’ wealth.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Red Alert tour, KRON 4 News at 10pm, March. 21, 2026 | Videos & Movies on Vimeo

Scientific American Editorial Workers 'Go Union' With Writers Guild Of America East

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – Reporters, Editors, Producers and other Professionals involved in producing a successful print and digital product at Scientific American have Unionized with the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), which represents more than 7,500 Members working in film, television, news, podcasts and on-line media.

Scientific American’s 40-Member Bargaining Unit has called on Springer Nature management to voluntarily recognize their Union, without delay or division.

An overwhelming majority of the Unit signed Union Cards and asked management to recognize their Union on Monday, April 13th.

In a “Why We’re Organizing” letter to management, the SciAm Union wrote, in part: “We, the Employees of Scientific American, are excited to share that we are Unionizing with the Writers Guild of America East. We are the Reporters, Editors, Producers, Designers and other Professionals involved in producing a successful print and digital product. Our journalism reaches millions of readers, listeners and viewers, and we take pride in the vital role we play in communicating scientific discovery to the public. To sustain this work and the impact it has for our audience, we request voluntary recognition of our Union. By forming a Union, we aim to create a transparent, equitable and collaborative framework for addressing workplace issues. These issues include compensation, workload, job security, editorial independence and career development. We also intend to establish clear expectations and protections around workplace conduct, respect and professional boundaries. We believe these measures are essential not only to ensure the well-being of Employees but also to maintain the quality, credibility and impact of our journalism.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Scientific American Unionizes with WGA East, Demands Voluntary Recognition | Press Room

LanguageLine Interpreters Unionization Push Backed By New York City Lawmakers - Interpreters 'Cite Low Pay, High Stress & Deteriorating Service Conditions'

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – Carter Myers-Brown at The Chief reports on New York City LanguageLine Interpreters: When a patient walks into a New York City Hospital and doesn't speak English, or when a resident calls 911 in a language other than English, it falls to a LanguageLine Solutions Interpreter to bridge the gap. Now, many of these Interpreters are calling for their company to respect their right to Unionize - and they have found empathetic ears inside the New York City Council. The Communications Workers of America (CWA), which is supporting the organizing effort, and City Lawmakers are escalating pressure on LanguageLine Solutions and its parent company, Teleperformance, as the Interpreters point to new data revealing low pay, high stress and deteriorating service conditions. At a press conference held on the steps of City Hall earlier this month, Council Members joined Comptroller Mark Levine and LanguageLine Interpreters to call on the company to recognize Workers’ Organizing Rights and address workplace concerns. Officials also highlighted the formation of a Worker-led Health and Safety Committee, which Interpreters say is intended to formalize discussions with management over conditions affecting their work. LanguageLine Solutions provides telephonic interpretation for more than 30,000 clients worldwide, including New York City Agencies with more than $19 million in active contracts. Its Interpreters help ensure language access for roughly 1.79 million New Yorkers with limited English proficiency, facilitating communication in hospitals, courts and across City services.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: LanguageLine interpreters unionization push backed by lawmakers - The Chief

Make-Up & Hair Workers At ESPN Vendor 'Go Union' With IATSE

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT) - Hair and Make-Up Artists employed by Distinct Artistry at ESPN have voted overwhelmingly in favor of Unionizing with International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE) Local 798 by a 19-to-4 margin. The 27 Hair and Make-Up Artists are employed regularly by Distinct Artistry to create, apply and maintain the on-screen appearances of ESPN’s Studio Hosts, Commentators and guests at ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, as well as at major sporting events, such as the NBA Finals. This all-Women workforce seeks to bargain for health insurance, retirement benefits and workplace protections secured under a Union contract. For nearly two decades, Distinct Artistry has been ESPN Network’s primary contractor for Make-Up and Hair Workers, many of whom are heads of household and parents, work around the clock to ensure on-air talent is ready to deliver ESPN viewers with high quality content - whether it’s 3 p.m. or 3 a.m. "Local (798) has stood in solidarity with the Distinct Artistry Hair and Make-Up Artists and is thrilled they have voted for Union representation," IATSE Local 798 President Angela Johnson said. "We’re optimistic that Distinct Artistry will meet us at the bargaining table and negotiate a contract in good faith." IATSE Local 798 represents Make-Up Artists and Hairstylists in the Entertainment Industry in motion picture/film, television, commercials and live theatrical events throughout the Local's jurisdiction.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Make-Up and Hair Workers at ESPN Vendor Unionize with IATSE Local 798 | Connecticut AFL-CIO

Union & Apprenticeship Fair Held At The Brooklyn Navy Yard Provided Access To Skilled Trades Training & Jobs

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Karen Juanita Carrillo at The New York Amsterdam News reports on the third annual Union & Apprenticeship Fair that was held last week at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The event provided New Yorkers with access to stable, well-paying, Skilled Trades and Industrial-Union careers. The Fair gave those in attendance a chance to connect with Union Recruiters from New York City’s leading industries and offered access to training, Apprenticeships and jobs in a City known for its Labor History. When it was initially launched, the Union & Apprenticeship Fair was in response to community calls for access to real jobs. It has since grown, welcoming hundreds of Career and Technical Education (CTE) students and community members each year. Last year, nearly 100 CTE students and about 200 residents participated. Nikki Evans, who serves as Senior Vice President for Workforce Development and Education at the Navy Yard, has directed the fair for the past two years. Under her lead, the event has broadened its focus, welcoming not only traditional Trade Unions - but also Public Utility and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs. Establishing connections with Labor Unions is also crucial for the job seekers. Unions provide stable wages, benefits and opportunities for advancement in traditional trades like electrical work, plumbing, and construction - as well as in emerging areas such as climate technology and sustainability infrastructure. Starting wages in machining, for instance, range from $24 to $25 an hour and rise with experience. Said Evans: “Apprentices are coming in to learn the technology and existing Union Members are making decisions about upskilling into new fields.”

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Union & Apprenticeship Fair at Brooklyn Navy Yard set for April 16

Photo Courtesy Of The New York Amsterdam News.

Via The Economic Policy Institute: 'Misclassifying Workers As Independent Contractors Is Costly For Workers & Social Insurance Systems'

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The type of misclassification addressed in this report occurs when an employer wrongly classifies an Employee as an Independent Contractor.

The problem of Workers being misclassified as Independent Contractors is pervasive and widespread.

An analysis from the National Employment Law Project focusing on State-level reports on misclassification estimated that as many as 10%-to-30% of employers misclassify their Workers.

The way a Worker is classified has serious implications for their labor rights and economic security.

Federal, State, and local Labor Laws provide extensive protections for Employees that are not available to Independent Contractors.

For example: When a Worker is misclassified as an Independent Contractor, they are stripped of minimum wage and overtime protections; These misclassified Workers are no longer eligible for Unemployment Insurance or Workers’ Compensation; They do not qualify for paid sick or family leave, even in places where those benefits are statutorily prescribed for Employees and they are extremely unlikely to receive employer-provided health insurance or retirement benefits; They are no longer protected by the National Labor Relations Act, which ensures Workers’ Rights to form Unions and bargain collectively to improve their working conditions; In most States, misclassified Workers are not covered by anti-discrimination and sexual harassment protections; and Workers misclassified as Independent Contractors also must assume the full financial cost of Social Security and Medicare contributions, rather than split it evenly with their employer.

Losing these benefits and protections leaves Independent Contractors in a far more vulnerable position than Employees when it comes to their basic rights on the job.

Employers have argued that many Workers prefer being classified as Independent Contractors because they value flexibility over fundamental Labor Rights.

But this so-called flexibility is often illusory, given the degree of control many employers retain over Workers and their schedules.

Misclassification remains pervasive in part because its costs to individual Workers can be hard to quantify and thus easy to obscure.

Prior research has estimated the costs of misclassification by quantifying the number of Workers misclassified, the amount of wage theft experienced by misclassified Workers and the loss in Federal and State tax revenues resulting from employers not paying payroll taxes and Workers’ compensation insurance.

This report presents estimates of two types of costs caused by misclassification for 11 commonly misclassified occupations: What Workers lose when they are misclassified - that is, the difference in the value of a job to a Worker if the Worker is classified as an Independent Contractor rather than as an Employee; and What social insurance funds lose when Workers are misclassified - that is, the difference in payments to social insurance funds if a Worker is classified as an Independent Contractor rather than as an Employee.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Misclassifying workers as independent contractors is costly for workers and social insurance systems | Economic Policy Institute

AFA-CWA Reaches Tentative Contract Agreement With United Airlines, 'Winning Boarding & Sit Pay'

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Flight Attendants employed at United Airlines and represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America (AFA-CWA) have reached a tentative contract agreement with the company after more than four years of bargaining. The agreement came during mediated bargaining and is expected to: Improve base pay rates; Place restrictions on red-eye flying; Provide for sit pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits over 2.5 hours; Increased compensation for retro payments; and Improved language in hotels and electronic notification. This contract would also continue to solidify boarding pay as a new standard for compensation going forward. If ratified, the improved pay scales and boarding pay would go into effect on May 31st. The tentative agreement will go to AFA-CWA Members for a vote starting on April 23rd, with voting concluding on May 12th. The tentative agreement was made possible by the determination of AFA-CWA United Airlines Flight Attendants and the hard work of the AFA-CWA United Master Executive Council.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: United Flight Attendants Reach Tentative Agreement - Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

Strike Averted: 32BJ SEIU-Represented New York City Doormen, Porters & Maintenance Workers Reach Tentative Contract Agreement With Building Owners, 'New Four-Year Deal Would Give Doormen Yearly Wage Increases'

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michelle Kaske at Bloomberg reports New York City Doormen and building owners have reached a potential agreement on wage and benefit increases, avoiding a possible Strike as soon as April 21st that would have upended day-to-day operations at 3,500 co-ops, condos and apartment properties. The current contract is set to expire late Monday night (April 20th). 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents 34,000 Doormen, Porters and Maintenance Workers across New York City, and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations have been in ongoing negotiations. During contract discussions, Workers stressed the need for wage increases that would keep up with rising prices on groceries, gas and other household needs. The potential new four-year contract will give Employees wage increases every year, so that they’re making $4.50 more per hour in the last year of the agreement compared to now. A Doorman making $62,000 a year now will earn $9,000 more in the final year. Monthly pension checks for future Retirees will increase by 15%. Union Members will vote on the new contract over the next month and 32BJ SEIU will begin counting the ballots on May 28th.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: NYC doormen, building owners land tentative deal to avoid strike

New York City 'Touts Nation-Leading' Hotel Worker & Consumer Protections

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is focusing a spotlight on the suite of laws it enforces to protect consumers and Workers across City hotels as New York looks ahead to another busy year for tourism and hospitality. In a new Op-Ed in The Nation, DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine joined Hotel and Gaming Trades Council (HTC) President Rich Maroko to remind hotel operators of the City laws and rules that guarantee critical protections for Hotel Workers and consumers. The DCWP also issued compliance warnings to more than 760 licensed hotels citywide, notifying them of their obligations. With tens of millions of visitors to New York City each year, the DCWP is committed to strong enforcement of these standards to ensure the industry’s continued recovery from COVID-19 benefits Working People and businesses across the City. The DCWP also pledges to continue to enforce safety and transparency in the Hospitality Sector for Workers and consumers.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: DCWP Touts Nation-Leading Hotel Consumer and Worker Protections | City of New York

And To Learn More About Your Rights As Consumers And Workers At nyc.gov/dcwp.

Photo Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

Cleveland's MetroHealth Doctors & Nurses 'Push To Unionize' Over Workload & Patient Care 'Concerns'

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(CLEVELAND, OHIO) – Taylor Wizner at Ideastream Public Media reports Primary Care Providers employed at MetroHealth are organizing to form a Union, saying it is needed to improve working conditions and patient care. The group includes physicians, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants - who say they are organizing because of increasing workloads and limited time with patients. “We are coming together to form our Union because when Primary Care Providers have the time, support and voice in our jobs, our patients are going to get better care,” Nurse Practitioner Alyssa Osysko said. “By coming together we're fighting for a stronger future for primary care here at MetroHealth and for better care for the community that we serve.” The Health Care Workers want a greater role in decisions affecting patient care, as well as conditions that allow them to spend more time with patients and retain providers in the system. About 13% of U.S. Health Care Workers are in Labor Unions, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, with Health Care Union activity increasing in recent years. Behavioral Health Nurses at MetroHealth Unionized last year.

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: MetroHealth doctors and nurses push to unionize, citing workloads and patient care concerns | Ideastream Public Media

'Republican Attacks On Working People,' Part Two: Defense Secretary Hegseth 'Orders Termination Of Union Contracts' - AFGE President 'Decries' Decision As 'Cowardly'

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Erich Wagner at Government Executive reports Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed leaders to terminate most of the Department’s Collective Bargaining Agreements, more than a year after President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order banning Federal Employee Unions from many agencies on national security grounds. Spared are Unions like the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers and the Federal Education Association, who both secured preliminary injunctions blocking implementation of the Executive Order, which cites a seldom-used provision of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act to strip two-thirds of the Federal Workforce of their Collective Bargaining Rights on national security grounds, last Fall. But not so for the Nation’s largest Federal Employee Union. American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley decried Hegseth’s decision as “cowardly.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Hegseth orders termination of union contracts - Government Executive

'Republican Attacks On Working People,' Part One: President Trump 'Yanks Dollars From Minnesota Unless It Kills' Project Labor Agreements

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(HIBBING, MINNESOTA) - In what could be a portent for other Counties and Cities seeking Federal funds for infrastructure projects, the GOP Trump Administration’s Transportation Department is threatening to yank $7.7 million for five County road and bridge projects, unless the County drops its requirements that contractors sign Project Labor Agreements (PLAs). And, given the strong Union Tradition in Minnesota’s Northland, the County Board is - so far - refusing. But it also faces the fact that $7.7 million is a lot of money for a Rural County and that it may seek more Federal funds for other projects down the line and face the same dilemma. Nevertheless, the Trump Administration’s demand “is Union-Busting 101,” said County Board Chair Mike Jugovich, a Steelworker. “I don’t bust Unions. I build them.” Members of the area’s Building and Construction Trades Unions jammed the March 24th meeting of the County Board in Hibbing to speak up strongly for PLAs, which guarantee projects finish with set budgets, high quality, good pay for local Union Workers - not imported cheaper labor, and Labor-Management disputes jointly worked out through cooperation on the job. The requirement about dropping PLAs appears to have come from a series of e-mails from former TV reality star Sean Duffy, now Trump’s Transportation Secretary, and his office, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Trump yanks dollars from Minnesota unless it kills Project Labor Agreements – People's World

32BJ SEIU Members Authorize Strike Of 34,000 New York City Residential Building Service Workers

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

More than 10,000 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Members rallied earlier this week on Park Avenue and voted to authorize a Strike that would paralyze the homes of 1.5 million New Yorkers. The Union Members are demanding fair wage increases, pension improvements, protection of all benefits and that the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB), representing the Residential Real Estate Industry, drop proposals that would shift the cost of health care onto Workers and undermine the Union contract through a Two-Tier Workforce. In the event of a Strike, 1.5 million New York City residents would be without the essential services 32BJ SEIU Members provide in 3,500 residential co-ops, condos and apartments buildings, including visitor screening, package intake, removing trash, building maintenance, recycling and compost, and maintaining heat, electrical and air conditioning systems. While the thriving Real Estate Industry continues to enjoy record high rents, high property values and historic low vacancy rates, 32BJ SEIU Members are falling behind due to the rising cost of living. 32BJ Members rallied to highlight key issues and authorize the Bargaining Committee to call a Strike if necessary. The current four-year industry-wide contract between the RAB and 32BJ SEIU expires at midnight on April 20th (2026).

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: New York City apartment building workers authorize a possible strike as contract talks stall | Stuff

Rally Photo Collage Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

The Amherst Compact: United University Professions 'Joins A Coalition Of More Than 50 Higher Ed Unions To Back First-Ever Higher Ed Union Contract Bargaining Priorities Pact'

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - United University Professions (UUP) - America’s largest higher Education Union, is strongly supporting the Amherst Compact, a first-ever agreement by leaders of more than 50 Unions to coordinate bargaining priorities that raise the floor for Workers of all job categories across the most-densely Unionized Region of the country for Higher Education.

Higher Ed Unions from Maine to Pennsylvania are part of the Amherst Compact, which comes as UUP and three Rutgers University Unions are negotiating new contracts.

UUP’s Negotiations Team and New York State Representatives have been working on a new agreement since February.

The contract runs through July 1st.

The timing for the initiative is good - dozens of Higher Education Unions across nine Northeast States - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania - will be negotiating new contracts over the next year.

“By standing together, Higher Education Unions can use their collective power to push for gains that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise,” UUP President Fred Kowal said. “A regional bargaining strategy can help raise the standards of employment for Unions out there negotiating new agreements. As a founding member of Higher Education Labor United, UUP believes in working together with our Union colleagues to help each other realize the best possible agreements we can negotiate for our Members.”

UUP Chief Negotiator Bret Benjamin said: “As UUP is at the bargaining table right now, it’s great to know that Higher Ed Unions across the Northeast are working in collaboration to set new standards for bargaining demands.”

The Amherst Compact was drafted in January at the Northeast Regional Bargaining Summit in Amherst, Massachusetts.

The summit was organized by Higher Education Labor United (HELU), a National Higher Ed Union Organization formed in 2021 to create and pursue a unified vision for Higher Education.

More than 225,000 Higher Ed and Allied Workers are affiliated with HELU through their Unions and organizations.

More than 50 Unions - representing Higher Ed Workers in jobs ranging from Food Service and Custodial Work to Doctors, Researchers, Academics and Professional Staff - attended the summit and voted to approve the Compact.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Press Release | UUP backs higher ed union contract bargaining priorities pact

California Announces Apprenticeship Grant Opportunity For Youth

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Jeremy Loudenback at The Imprint reports California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a $37.2 million investment in Apprenticeship and Workforce Training opportunities, including new spending on job readiness for youth. One program will train and place young adults into health care careers. The Miguel Contreras Foundation will use a $3.5 million grant through the California Workforce Development Board’s High Road Training Partnerships program to address health care staffing shortages while improving access to high-wage careers for underserved young people. “California’s Health Care System depends on a skilled, supported workforce - yet too many young people face barriers to accessing these careers,” the Foundation’s Executive Director, Armando Loza, said. “We are redefining workforce development through an innovative holistic approach.” The two-year program aims to place 210 Southern California participants into jobs. The Training Program also includes “wraparound” services, stipends for transportation and childcare and job-readiness coaching. Over the past several years, Apprenticeship opportunities have become an increasingly popular strategy at the State level. California has created roughly 670,000 Apprenticeships since Newsom took office in 2019 through two different initiatives involving Organized Labor, employers and Educational Institutions.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: California Announces Apprenticeship Grant Opportunity for Youth

Amid Debate, The American Postal Workers Union To Launch A National TV Ad Campaign 'Promoting' Voting By Mail

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Associated Press reports the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) is launching a national TV ad campaign promoting voting by mail, stepping into a politically charged debate as skepticism about mail-in ballots has been raised by President Donald Trump and others. The 30-second message features a variety of voters, among them a Farmer and a Flight Attendant, explaining why they cast their ballots by mail. Sponsored by the 200,000-member APWU, the advertising campaign will begin airing this week in Ohio, where Union Army Soldiers during the Civil War cast the first mail ballots in 1864. It will then move to other States. The ad ends with the message: "Vote by mail - keep it, protect it, expand it." It comes two weeks after Trump signed an Executive Order that seeks to create a nationwide list of verified eligible voters and subsequently bar Postal Workers from sending absentee ballots to those who are not on each State's approved list. APWU President Jonathan Smith said his Union's TV ad was produced before Trump's Executive Order was issued, not in response to it. An Executive Order on elections that Trump signed last year also targeted mail ballots by seeking to require they be returned by Election Day, even though more than a dozen States allow a grace period. Smith said the Union wants to encourage people to continue voting by mail.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Postal union to air ad promoting mail voting amid debate | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - Arkansas' Best News Source

'Power In The Hands Of People': Union Leaders 'Push To Revive' The U.S. Labor Movement, Organizers 'Unveil New Drive To Reverse Decline' In Union Membership 'As Workers Seek To Combat Growing Wealth Inequality'

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michael Sainato at The Guardian reports leaders of some of the largest Unions in the U.S. have unveiled a drive to jumpstart the country’s Labor Movement and combat growing wealth inequality under Donald Trump. To make it easier for Workers to join a Union and strengthen the hand of new Unions negotiating with powerful businesses, a string of prominent Organizers have joined together to launch Union Now, a non-profit designed to increase Labor Union Density. “This is really about trying to put power in the hands of people,” said Sara Nelson, the President of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA)-Communications Workers of America (CWA) - the largest Flight Attendants Union in the U.S. and one of the leaders of the push. She suggested the time had come for Workers to start thinking - in some ways - more like the companies that employ them. “There’s (70%) of Workers who want a Union and (10%) have them,” she said. “If it were a company, they would figure out how to get the product into the hands of the (70%) who wanted it.” The architects of Union Now hope it will provide mobilizing Workers with financial firepower. “The reality is that even if Unions spent all of their money on organizing and all of their efforts on organizing, it wouldn’t be enough,” Nelson said. “They have to also do all the representation of their current Members, have contract fights and all the rest.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: ‘Power in the hands of people’: union leaders push to revive ailing US labor movement | US unions | The Guardian And UNION NOW

SAG-AFTRA Leaders Join New York City & Federal Officials At 'Rock The City' Celebration

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Dade Hayes at Deadline reports the topic of contract negotiations with studios and streamers was off the table earlier this week as Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Leaders put the focus on unity and celebration at the Union’s annual Rock the City event in New York. Contract talks were recently put on pause and are set to resume April 27th ahead of the June 30th expiration of the current agreement. The Rock the City celebration has been hosted for more than a decade at the Union’s Headquarters in Manhattan, bringing together the disparate communities all under the Union’s umbrella - spanning Broadway, film, television, digital, advertising, music and other areas. This year’s edition also drew: U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler; Rafael Espinal, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment; and New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin. Among the SAG-AFTRA Representatives in the room were: New York Local President Ezra Knight; Executive Vice President Linda Powell; and Rebecca Damon, Chief Labor Policy Officer and Executive Director, New York Local. Despite uncertainty about the next contract’s specific provisions and concerns about the state of production in New York, a mood of celebration prevailed. A 10-minute series of remarks was punctuated by whoops and cheers.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: SAG-AFTRA leaders join New York and federal officials at 'Rock the City' celebration

Syracuse University Professors & Researchers 'Aim To Make' SU 'A Union Campus' - 'If' They Vote To Unionize, 'They Could Add Another 350 Union-Represented Workers To 4,000 Others Who Have Already Unionized'

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Eddie Velazquez at Central Current reports hundreds of Educators and Researchers that make up almost 20% of Syracuse University’s (SU) Faculty want to form a Union. The Union would include around 350 Postdoctoral Researchers, Teaching Professors, Professors of Practice and Research Professors, if a majority of those Workers vote to Unionize at an election on April 22nd and 23rd. They’re seeking transparency and fairness around contract renewals, more lenient contracts for International Faculty, more equitable pay and a say in how decisions in their workplace are made. Their Union drive comes at a time when University Administrators plan to cut or pause almost 100 academic programs in a move administrators have said is a re-alignment to accommodate student demand. If successful, Non-Tenure Track, Full-Time Workers would join the close to 4,000 Unionized Workers at SU. Some Workers say they see wall-to-wall Union Representation at SU as a way to collectively cope with uncertainty around research funding, a difficult job market, volatile changes to labor and Immigration Laws.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Another 350 workers at Syracuse University could unionize

Nurses At Chicago's Rush University Medical Center Look To Form A Union

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Nurses at Rush University Medical Center have announced they’ve filed a petition for a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Union Election to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). This is Chicago’s largest NLRB filing on record for a Union Election in the Health Care Sector and one of the largest in any industry in the City. “We are proud to work at Rush and give our patients excellent care,” said Dan Hurowitz, a Registered Nurse (RN) in General Medicine at Rush. “We know that by forming a Union with (the) National Nurses Organizing Committee, we can do even better for our patients.” Keeley Binion, an RN in Medical Observation at Rush, said: “We are so excited to file for a Union Election. Nurses are essential to patient care. We want to ensure that management prioritizes staffing and retention so we can give our patients the best care possible.”

For More On This Unionizing Labor News Story, Go To: Nurses at Rush University Medical Center Hold Rally, File Petition to Unionize | Chicago News | WTTW And Rush University nurses file petition for union election | National Nurses United

"It Puts Workers' Lives In Danger - Plain And Simple" - The National AFL-CIO Says A 'Dangerous New' Trump Administration OSHA Directive 'Abandons Workers Facing Extreme' Heat

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler has issued the following statement in response to a new directive from the Trump Administration’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) through its National Emphasis Program that leaves Workers vulnerable to heat:

This new policy limits OSHA’s ability to hold bosses accountable when they fail to protect Workers from heat on the job. It puts Workers’ lives in danger - plain and simple. As climate change accelerates and heat-related illnesses rise alongside temperatures, the Trump Administration is willfully putting Workers’ lives at risk to pad the pockets of corporations. The new directive turns a once pro-active enforcement approach into a reactive one, removing specific targets that inspectors rely on to conduct independent investigations, speak directly with Workers and enforce health and safety laws - especially critical at a time when the Trump Administration is already issuing fewer warnings and citations to employers. By shifting to “self-audit” and voluntary participation, corporations get a free pass from following the law, while Workers pay the price. This month, the Labor Movement will commemorate Workers Memorial Day and honor those who suffered injury, illness or lost their lives on the job - including the more than 2,600 Workers who died from heat exposure in the past five years alone. We call on the Trump Administration to renew the previous directive and actually make good on its promises to Working People.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFL-CIO: Dangerous New Trump Administration OSHA Directive Abandons Workers Facing Extreme Heat | AFL-CIO

Los Angeles School Strike 'Averted' - The Service Employees International Union & United Teachers Los Angeles Reach Tentative Contract Agreement With The L.A. Unified School District

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA) - In the early hours of Tuesday (April 14th) morning, Members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 reached a tentative contract agreement (TA) with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). With a TA also in place for their Union Brothers, Sisters and Siblings in the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) - an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the planned work stoppage at the county’s second-largest School District has been called off. The deal covering 30,000 Custodians, Food Workers, Special Education Assistants and Bus Drivers was reached just hours before the Strike deadline. LAUSD settled contracts with 38,000 Member-strong UTLA and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles over the weekend. SEIU and UTLA both won wage increases, protections against subcontracting and more. “The truth has always been clear - the District CAN afford these changes. With this agreement, resources will begin to be redirected away from unnecessary spending and toward the students and classrooms that need them most,” UTLA Vice President Julie Van Winkle said. “This contract fight has never been about prolonging conflict. It has always been about securing the respect and investments that Educators and students deserve. This TA is a powerful step forward and a momentous win for the Los Angeles School Community.” Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias said: “This agreement was won through the bold action and courage of thousands of Workers who were willing to sacrifice to improve conditions in their schools and their lives. A Strike was always the last resort and we are proud that we could work with the School District and Mayor Karen Bass to reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions of Front-Line Workers in our schools.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: LAUSD strike averted: Tentative deal reached with SEIU Local 99, schools to open Tuesday - ABC7 Los Angeles

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

In Rhode Island, IBEW Training Director Robert Cruz 'Is Devoted To His Job' That He Says "Changes Lives - Every Day"

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In Cranston, Rhode Island - Robert Cruz is devoted to his job as Training Director at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 99/National Electrical Contractors Association’s (NECA) Joint Apprenticeship Training Center. "It's the best job. I change lives every day. I teach people ‘how to fish,’" said Cruz - who had a rough childhood, spending part of it in foster care - one reason he's committing his professional life to this. "My whole mission is to be the person I needed to find when I was a kid," he said. Over the years, thousands of people have been trained at the Joint Apprenticeship Training Center. Apprentices go to class two nights a week. They don't pay tuition, so there's no big loans to pay off in the end. When they graduate, they'll make about $61 an hour to start and $122 an hour on Sundays, plus benefits. Their education is funded by Local 99 and NECA. Somebody believed in Cruz along the way and got him into a training program. Today, he's doing the same for others. "I love what we do," Cruz said. "This is God's work."

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Apprentices learn to be electricians at Joint Apprenticeship Training Center And Our Facility | IBEW Local 99

AFSCME Local 1095 Membership 'Overwhelmingly Ratifies New' Five-Year Agreement With Erie County - 'Features Pay Raises In Each Year' Of The Contract

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) - A new five-year contract has been agreed to by American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1095 after Union Membership voted 444-to-83 to approve the new deal, which covers the period from January 1st, 2027 through December 31st, 2031.

The new contract includes pay raises in each of those years as well as job upgrades to Motor Equipment Operator positions and other changes.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said: “My Administration has a long track record of successful negotiations with the Bargaining Units that make up the County Workforce and we have always approached these talks with a reasonable budget outlook paired with great respect for the Men and Women who work for Erie County. As we have seen in the past, strong negotiations result in good outcomes for all parties and this new AFSCME agreement benefits Workers while being fiscally prudent for the County. I thank Commissioner of Labor Relations Kola Jesutowo Adeniji and his team for their work with AFSCME President Rich Canazzi and their team to reach this deal - and AFSCME Membership for their ratification vote. We are moving Erie County forward, together.”

Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Unit Members will occur on January 1st of each year: January 1st, 2027: $1.20 added to base pay; January 1st, 2028: A 2.75% increase; January 1st, 2029: A 2.5% increase; January 1st, 2030: A 2.5% increase; and on January 1st, 2031: A 2.5% increase.

Other components of the new contract include: On January 1st, 2027, Motor Equipment Operator 1 (MEO 1) will be upgraded from Job Group 5 to 6; and On January 1st, 2027, Motor Equipment Operator 2 (MEO 2) will be upgraded from Job Group 7 to 8.

And regarding Voluntary Approved Unpaid Leave Time (VAULT): Beginning January 1st, 2027, the County will be able to offer Voluntary Unpaid Leave during periods of downtime within any Department or program area (voluntary for the Employees).

This option may be used at management’s discretion during periods of reduced operational demand or temporary facility closures.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: AFSCME LOCAL 1095 REACHES LABOR AGREEMENT WITH ERIE COUNTY | Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz

AFSCME & The American Library Association 'Prevail In Their Fight To Protect Libraries & Museums - Nationwide'

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Here’s a huge win for libraries, museums and the communities they serve nationwide.

Members of American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have succeeded in protecting funding from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

That’s a Federal Agency the Trump Administration tried to dismantle over a year ago.

AFSCME’s victory comes a little over a year after President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order to decimate the IMLS.

In response, AFSCME sued to stop IMLS from being dismantled.

To AFSCME Members who work in public libraries and museums, the IMLS is vitally important.

A Non-Partisan and Independent Agency created by Congress in 1996, the Agency provides grants to library and museum programs across the country, especially in smaller and rural institutions that rely on Federal funding for a greater share of their budgets.

IMLS grants support the essential services these AFSCME Members provide, which help pay for Summer reading programs, infrastructure and technology upgrades, and more.

The Executive Order, which led to almost the entire IMLS Staff being placed on administrative leave, was yet another example of the Trump Administration’s efforts to target essential public services that AFSCME Members provide.

These efforts are supported by Anti-Union extremists and their billionaire friends, but they are harming communities and the Workers who provide the public services these communities need.

AFSCME Members fought hard to reinstate funding for the IMLS.

As the Nation’s largest Union of Cultural Workers, AFSCME will continue fighting to protect cultural institutions around the country, as well as essential public services.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: AFSCME members stop cuts, protect funding for libraries and museums | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

The Bronx's Budweiser Beer Sales Team 'Goes Union,' Joins UFCW Local 2D

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(THE BRONX, NEW YORK) - Seventy Workers employed at the Budweiser Beer Distribution Facility in the Bronx have voted to join United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 2D - marking the first Beer Wholesale Salesforce to join the UFCW in the U.S.

Budweiser is a global brand of Anheuser-Busch and the facility is owned by Southern Glazer’s Beverage Company.

The Employees, who work as Sales Representatives, Portfolio Managers and On-Premise Draft Technicians, sell Budweiser beer to supermarkets, delis, service restaurants, hotels, sporting venues, airports and casinos.

They joined the UFCW over concerns regarding cuts to benefits and compensation after the facility was purchased by Southern Glazer’s Beverage Company.

The campaign to organize the Workers began after UFCW Local 2D President Stephen Booras was contacted by one of the Budweiser Sales Representatives about workplace concerns.

Booras and UFCW Local 2D Staff maintained communication with the Workers via phone calls and Zoom meetings about the benefits of joining the UFCW.

Members of UFCW Local 2D who work as Sales Representatives at other beverage facilities also reached out to the Budweiser Workers about the benefits of being a UFCW Union Member.

“UFCW Local 2D is proud to welcome the first Beer Wholesale Salesforce to our Union. Our Local takes pride in trying to make sure that every Member is heard and able to achieve a contract that includes workplace protections. This is an important victory for the UFCW’s Distillery Division,” Booras said.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Budweiser Beer Sales Team in New York Joins Local 2D - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union | The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

Nation's 'First Deliverista Hub' Opens At New York City Hall

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – The Workers’ Justice Project-Los Deliveristas Unidos is celebrating a historic milestone for Delivery Worker Organizing in New York City with the launch of the City Hall Park Deliverista Hub - the first Worker-designed Hub of its kind in the Nation. Developed through organizing by App Delivery Workers and in partnership with City and Federal Leaders, the Hub provides critical infrastructure for New York City’s 80,000 App Delivery Workers, including safe e-bike battery charging, rest space, bike repair and access to Worker support services. The launch featured remarks from a number of Elected Leaders, including U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City partner agencies and Organizers with Los Deliveristas Unidos. The opening marks an important step toward improving safety, supporting Worker-led innovation and advancing sustainable last-mile delivery across the City.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Schumer Thanks Mamdani as Deliverista Hub Finally Opens

Photo Collage Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Mechanics In New Jersey 'Go Union,' Vote To Join the Transit Workers Union

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY) - Mechanics employed at the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail in New Jersey have voted overwhelmingly to join the Transport Workers Union (TWU), fulfilling the TWU’s goal of wall-to-wall Industrial Trade Union Organizing.

All Workers at the privately-operated New Jersey Transit Light Rail System are now part of the TWU. Local 229 represents Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Workers and with the successful Union Election behind them, their ranks have grown by 30%.

The Mechanics at the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail work for North Central Transit Services, a private operator that also oversees TWU-represented Car Cleaners on the Light Rail Line.

Operators and Maintenance of Way workers at the Light Rail are also part of the TWU, though they work for ACI-Herzog.

TWU International President John Samuelsen: “The TWU knows that ‘Worker Power’ comes from a unified front, all crafts and classes in one big Union. With Mechanics at Hudson-Bergen Light Rail joining the TWU, we now have a unified workforce ready to fight more effectively. (this) successful vote now sets up bargaining for a first contract that will lead to better pay, quality-of-life, and working conditions for New Jersey Transit Mechanics.”

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Mechanics Vote to Join the TWU – Transport Workers Union

This May Day, 'Workers Will Take To The Streets Against MAGA'

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

This May Day, International Workers’ Day, we are calling every Worker, organized and unorganized, employed and unemployed, to hit the streets!

On May 1st, Workers, Students, Immigrants and Families in more than1,000 Cities nationwide will join May Day actions.

They will march, rally, and refuse business as usual to demand one thing: Workers Over Billionaires.

Some will take the pledge: “No Work. No School. No Shopping.”

May Day Strong, the Coalition leading this year’s actions, includes: Demands of taxing billionaires so Working Families - not Big Business, come first; No ICE; No war; No private army serving authoritarian power; Expand Democracy; and hands off our vote.

Workers over billionaires is an important slogan.

The biggest beneficiary of the Trump Regime is monopoly capital itself - the financial oligarchy of trillion-dollar corporations and billionaires who rig the political system, bust our Unions, profit from division and war, and bankroll MAGA Fascism.

Because Working People are under the most intense assault in generations.

We are producing more wealth than workers ever have - in history.

Yet, as many of us are painfully aware, our wages have flatlined, and layoffs are rising.

The share of value returned to us as wages has hit a historic low.

Full-time work has grown precarious, and the prices for essential goods and services continue to skyrocket.

The rich are getting richer and we continue to lose ground.

And now, the same Big Tech monopolies driving rapid automation through the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) - which analysts say will displace 25% of working hours, are leading the charge to strip our basic Democratic Rights in service of the Anti-Democratic MAGA agenda.

The attacks on our Labor Movement are intensifying.

Last year, the Trump Regime launched the largest Union-Busting Campaign in recent history, stripping collective bargaining from 1.3 million Federal Workers.

They have gutted the National Labor Relations Board.

They have purged over 300,000 Black Women from the workforce by demolishing DEI and Affirmative Action.

They have escalated ICE raids to terrorize Immigrant Workers Into Silence.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: This May Day, workers will take to the streets against MAGA – People's World

And For More, Go To: MAY DAY STRONG

UFCW Local 7 & JBS Reach Tentative Contract Agreement For 3,800 Striking Union-Represented Workers Employed At The Company's Northern Colorado Meatpacking Plant, Which 'Processes As Much As 8% Of The Country's Beef'

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Katie Langford at The Denver Post reports United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 - which represents thousands of Northern Colorado Meatpacking Workers, and JBS has reached a tentative contract agreement. The UFCW announced the agreement following two days of negotiations that resumed after a three-week Strike at the Flagship Beef Processing Plant in Greeley. The Union represents 3,800 Workers at the Plant, who Union Officials say face unsafe working conditions and inadequate pay. Thousands of the Company’s Workers walked off the job on March 16th after the UFCW said JBS refused to increase minimum wages and committed Unfair Labor Practices during negotiations. The Strike was the first at an American Meatpacking Plant in four decades and the first walkout at the Greeley Facility, which is also the City’s top employer. JBS is the world’s largest Meatpacking Company and has an estimated value of $17 billion. The Greeley Plant, which operates as Swift Beef Company, processes as much as 8% of the country’s beef.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: JBS, union reach tentative deal for Colorado meatpacking workers

In Seattle, Reach University & The Training Fund 'Launch The Nation's First Apprenticeship College of Health to Address National Health Care Workforce Shortages'

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(SEATTLE, WASHINGTON) - Reach University, the Nation's Non-Profit University advancing Apprenticeship Degrees, and the Training Fund, a Labor-Management partnership with expertise in employer-driven Health Care Apprenticeship Programs, has announced the launch of the Nation's first Apprenticeship College of Health (ACH), which is designed to address the country's acute shortage of job-ready, locally representative and credentialed Health Care Professionals. By turning existing health care jobs into affordable and locally-based education-to-career pathways, the ACH will enable working adults to earn low- or no-cost, work-based degrees and progress toward state and national licensure, beginning with Behavioral Health. The program will launch in the State of Washington, initially offering Reach University's existing Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies, with a focus on Social Science, embedded within a Behavioral Health Apprenticeship that prepares learners for careers as Substance Use Disorder Professionals. The program is expected, subject to accreditor and state approval, to expand to additional degree pathways and health care fields.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Reach University and Training Fund Launch Apprenticeship College of Health to Address National Healthcare Workforce Shortages

The USPS 'Temporarily Suspends' Pension Contributions Amid 'Severe Financial Crisis' - NALC President Responds: "It Is Time For Congress To Act On Common-Sense Policy Changes To Protect The Essential And Reliable Service We Provide To Every American"

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has temporarily suspended contributions to its Employee Pension Plans in an effort to "conserve cash" due to an "ongoing, severe financial crisis." "There will not be any immediate detrimental impact to our current or future Retirees if normal FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System) cost payments are temporarily withheld," USPS Postal Service Chief Financial Officer Luke Grossmann said. "The risk to the Postal Service and the American Public from insufficient liquidity for postal operations dramatically outweighs any longer-term risk to the pension funds from not making the currently due payments." Officials warn the USPS is on course to run out of cash by around February 2027. The temporary suspension went into effect on Friday (April 10th), but current and future Retirees will not be immediately impacted, Grossman said. The USPS estimates it will save $2.5 billion through September 30th with the suspension.

Subsequently, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Union President Brian Renfroe released the following statement: The Postal Service announced it will temporarily pause employer contributions to the defined benefit portion of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) account through the end of the fiscal year. This pause has no immediate impact on any current or future retired Letter Carriers. This move is necessitated by the Postal Service’s current financial situation and is a direct result of continued inaction by Congress to fix the legislative constraints that inhibit the Postal Service's ability to invest in its infrastructure and modernize to meet the needs of its Employees and the American People. If Congress were to allow for a new investment strategy for USPS Retiree Health and Pension Funds, a fair recalculation of the Agency’s Civil Service Retirement System Pension obligations, and an increase in the Agency’s borrowing authority, this pause in FERS contributions would not be necessary. It is time for Congress to act on these common-sense policy changes to protect our jobs, retirements, and the essential and reliable service we provide to every American.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: USPS temporarily suspends pension contributions amid ‘severe financial crisis’ | FOX 29 Philadelphia

CWA Members Employed At DirecTV 'Authorize Strike If' Contract Negotiations 'Fail To Reach A Fair' Agreement

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Communications Workers of America (CWA) Members employed by DirecTV have voted overwhelmingly to give Union Leaders the authority to call a Strike if negotiations between the CWA and the company fail to reach a fair agreement. The Strike Authorization Vote comes as CWA's contract with DirecTV - covering nearly 300 Customer Service Call Center Workers in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Minnesota, and Colorado, expired on February 14th (2026). The top priorities for Workers at the bargaining table include higher wages, lower health care costs and fair working conditions - including the ability to take their hard-earned days off and take reasonable breaks between calls. The Union Members demonstrated their commitment to these goals by voting to reject a tentative agreement on March 27th that failed to provide fair working conditions. “We are the Workers DirecTV customers contact when they have problems using the service,” said Dallas Morgan, a Customer Service Representative at DirecTV and member of CWA Local 2009 in Huntington, West Virginia. “The results of the Strike Authorization Vote send a clear message to DirecTV that if the company values the work we provide, they will get serious about negotiating a contract that allows us to take more than a ten-second break in between calls and secures wages that reflect the real cost of living.”

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: DirecTV CWA union workers authorize strike if contract talks fall short - WV MetroNews

Workers Unionize At Top New York City Cocktail Bar - Employees At Attaboy 'Hope' To Succeed Where Other High-End Hospitality Drives Have Failed'

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Dave Infante at Fingers reports the Staff of one of the world’s best cocktail bars has gone Union. Workers employed at Attaboy, an influential cocktail bar in New York City that is often ranked among the global hospitality industry’s most elite outfits, went public with a Union drive. They are organizing independently as Attaboy Local 134. A press release issued by the Union did not include the number of Workers involved in the drive, or the overall headcount at the prestigious bar, which was founded in 2013 and recognized as North America’s best in 2022 by The 50 Best Awards. Bartender Zack Gelnaw-Rubin told Fingers the proposed Bargaining Unit is composed of 18 roles - but declined to share the percentage of Workers who signed Union Cards. The drive is significant both because of Attaboy’s global prominence in cocktails/hospitality - and because that sector has been especially resistant to organizing even amid historic popular support for the Labor Movement.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Workers unionize at top NYC cocktail bar Attaboy

Union-Represented Long Island Rail Road Workers Warn Of 'Disaster' If They Go On Strike Next Month - Meanwhile, Unionized Subway & Bus Operators In New York City 'Kick Off' Negotiations On A New Contract

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Workers could go on Strike as early as May 16th if they cannot reach a deal. During a press conference held last week - Kevin Sexton, who serves as the National Vice President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), said Workers would walk off the job on May 16th if they don’t reach a new contract with the Transit Agency. Sexton said a Strike would halt service on the country’s busiest commuter railroad, which “would be a disaster for Long Island.” “No one wants a Strike,” he said. “Our friends, our families, our neighbors, our communities rely on this system.” Workers want a retroactive 9.5% wage increase that covers the past three years. They also want an additional 5% raise - starting this year. LIRR Workers last went on Strike in 1994. The Federal Government can prevent a work stoppage, but Congress did not intervene last year when New Jersey Transit Workers went on Strike. Meanwhile, contract talks with Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100, which represents Subway and Bus Operators, are getting underway. Negotiations officially began late last week with an exchange of demands at the Union's Brooklyn headquarters. Union Leaders say rising costs and workplace conditions will be the center of discussions.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: LIRR workers, TWU 100 could go on strike next month if they cannot reach a deal - ABC7 New York

And

LIRR workers warn of 'disaster for Long Island' as they prepare to strike in May - Gothamist

Workers At Two Michigan Auto Supply Chains 'Go Union,' Join The UAW

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In the span of 24 hours, Workers at Ground Effects and Webasto Detroit both voted in National Labor Relations Board Elections to join the United Auto Workers (UAW). Ground Effects Workers make spray-on truck bedliners, in addition to other after-market parts and customizations, while Members employed at Webasto Detroit produce hard top roofs, primarily for the Ford Bronco. Both sets of Auto Supply Workers came together in their respective facilities to organize for a fair voice on the job. Shara Bell, a Quality Technician for Webasto Detroit said: “I’m thrilled we finally won our Union. I’ve worked at Webasto for many years. We’re overworked and underpaid. We’re the ones who make money for the company. For too long, we’ve gotten nothing but disrespect from management. I’m ready for some mutual respect.” UAW Region 1D Director Steve Dawes said: “Ground Effects workers just showed what courage and determination can do. These workers stood together and stood strong against the underhanded Anti-Union tactics coming from the boss and their hired guns. Now, Ground Effects Workers will have the right to sit with management as equals and negotiate a contract that gives them the dignity and respect they deserve.”

For More On These Individual Organizing Labor News Stories, Go To:

Ground Effects Workers Vote to Join the UAW - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America

And

Webasto Detroit Workers Vote to Join the UAW - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America

Walstrom Marine & Northwest Michigan Works! 'Launch' USDOL Registered Marine Services Technician Apprenticeship

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Janis Reeser at The Petoskey News-Review reports Northwest Michigan Works! and Walstrom Marine have launched the region's first U.S. Department of Labor Registered Marine Services Technician Apprenticeship. The program offers hands-on training and classroom instruction to prepare Workers for careers in the Marine Industry. Apprentices will complete 6,000 hours of on-the-job training under the guidance of experienced mentors. They also will complete 435 hours of coursework through the employer and vendor partners. The program is designed to meet industry needs and strengthen the Skilled Trades pipeline in the region. Brian Johnson, Lead Marine Technician, said: “Walstrom Marine truly gets what this industry needs - by investing in an Apprenticeship Program, we’re showing the next generation that we’re serious about their future and that a career in the marine industry can offer a lifelong connection to the water. I’m grateful to be part of a company that has been such a strong foundation for me and my family, and I’m excited to help give back by showing others that a life on the water isn’t just a dream - it’s a real and rewarding career path."

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Walstrom Marine, Northwest Michigan Works! launch technician apprenticeship - AOL

Union Coalition 'Challenges' FCC Approval Of Nexstar's 'Takeover Attempt' Of TEGNA

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA) has joined a growing coalition suing to appeal the largest broadcast merger in the history of the United States. The Coalition also includes the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the National Association of Broadcast Employees (NABET)-CWA, The Free Press, the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry Incorporated, Public Knowledge and several Broadcasters. They’re calling for an emergency stay of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) approval of Nexstar Media Group’s takeover of TEGNA Incorporated. This planned merger would give Nexstar control of news stations reaching more than 80% of U.S. television households, more than twice the Congressional mandate cap on national reach for any single company. NewsGuild (TNG)-CWA President Jon Schleuss said: “We aggressively oppose this takeover which would grant monopoly powers for one broadcaster at the local level. The partisan FCC is not acting for the American People, instead it is trying to appeal to major corporations and violate the law. One company should not be granted massive political and media control.” NABET-CWA President Charlie Braico said: “Our Members have seen time and time again what happens when corporations are allowed to consolidate media ownership. In the service of Wall Street profits, newsrooms shrink, Workers lose jobs, wages decline and local news suffers. Communities rely on quality local news for information on emergencies, weather - and maybe most importantly, as a Democratic check on political leaders. When we starve our newsrooms, we weaken our local communities and our Democracy. This merger doesn’t comply with the law - and it will create an unprecedented shift in this country and dramatically change local television stations for the worse.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: NewsGuild joins broad coalition challenging FCC approval of Nexstar’s takeover attempt of TEGNA | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

'After No Kings,' Detroit Unions 'Are Mobilizing For May Day'

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

An estimated eight million people turned out to protest at more than 3,000 U.S. destinations on No Kings Day III on March 28th (2026).

It’s described as the largest protest in U.S. History and the largest rebuke of Trump’s Presidency.

As many as 200,000 turned out for the flagship protest in Minneapolis - site of the videotaped ICE murders of Human Rights Supporters Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

The anger expressed in the streets is a response to masked ICE aggression against Immigrants and people wrongly identified as Immigrants, and their defenders.

Minneapolis was particularly targeted for occupation by 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol Agents in retribution against the public display of resistance during the protests of the killing of George Floyd back in 2020.

It was also targeted for its large Somali population, described by President Donald Trump as “garbage.”

The No Kings protesters were also expressing anger over the military attacks against Iran at the hands of the U.S. and Israel and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, in tandem with the deteriorating living conditions for the broad masses across the country.

The overwhelming messaging in the many creative signs held by the demonstrators was in opposition to the Billionaire Class, Trump’s threats to illegally thwart voting rights come the Mid-Term Elections in November - and fascism.

In Detroit and the surrounding region, there were over 25 demonstrations - Downtown, in the suburbs and even the rural sectors where Trump enjoyed electoral support in 2024.

At Woodward Avenue, just north of Detroit, site of the internationally-renowned classic car and hotrod event - the Woodward Dream Cruise, thousands took over the sidewalks and the median of the four-lane boulevard.

Many more in cars, trucks and even semi-truck trailers cruised by with blaring horns and holding their own signs or displaying fists in solidarity.

The overwhelming number of participants were White and ranged considerably by age.

LGBTQ contingents were also present.

While Union Members were among the attendees, Unions were not formally represented.

And, Pro-Trump or MAGA counter-protesters were extremely scarce.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: After No Kings, Detroit unions are mobilizing for May Day – People's World

NYSNA Nurses At Elizabethtown 'Overwhelmingly Ratify' Contract Agreement 'That Delivers Good Health Benefits For Nurses'

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ELIZABETHTOWN, NEW YORK) – New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses employed at the University of Vermont (UVM)-Elizabethtown Community Hospital have voted to overwhelmingly ratify a new contract after bargaining for months.

UVM-Elizabethtown Nurses fought for a fair contract that maintains Safe Staffing Standards and secures respectful wages and benefits to recruit and retain Nurses, Union Officials said.

NYSNA Nurses also secured access to the NYSNA Benefit Fund, which will deliver better and more affordable health benefits to Nurses.

NYSNA Nurses at Adirondack Medical Center, the last North Country Hospital represented by NYSNA without the Benefit Fund, continue to fight for strong Union benefits.

Highlights of the contract include: Safe Staffing Standards maintained; Entrance into the NYSNA Benefit Fund starting January 1st, 2027; Wage increases of $3 an hour as an immediate market adjustment, plus yearly wage increases of 3%; and Additional pay incentives to maintain safe staffing and encourage Nurse retention.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said, “We are so proud of our North Country Nurses who continue to improve health care in their communities while raising standards for Nurses. Over the last few months, Nurses have held speak-outs and raised their voices to bring attention to the crisis of care in the region. Improving care for our communities also requires ensuring Nurses receive wages and benefits that respect their work and ensure that Nurses can continue to do the work they do best. This contract shows that when NYSNA Nurses fight, we win!”

NYSNA represents more than 42,000 Members across the State and is New York’s largest Union and Professional Association for Registered Nurses.

NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the country's largest and fastest-growing Union and Professional Association of Registered Nurses, with more than 225,000 Members nationwide.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: NYSNA Nurses at Elizabethtown Overwhelmingly Ratify Contract Agreement that Delivers Good Health Benefits for Nurses | New York State Nurses Association

University Of Michigan Student Research Assistants Win Their Union Election, 'Adding More Than 2,000 Additional' Members To The Bargaining Unit

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Graduate Student Research Assistants (GSRAs) at the University of Michigan have voted to join the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO)/American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 3550. In 1981, GSRAs were barred from organizing after the Michigan Employment Relations Commission ruled that they were not Employees under the Public Employment Relations Act. However, that decision was reversed in 2023, restoring their Collective Bargaining Rights. This victory was a product of decades of campus organizing and now adds more than 2,000 additional Members to the GEO Bargaining Unit. Kevin Zheng, a Ph.D. Student in the School of Information, said: “No matter what job title Graduate Students hold, we face the same pay, same health care, same Advisors and same workplace issues. Furthermore, each of us switch between these positions each semester: I worked as a Fellow last year, as a Research Assistant this year, and will be working as a Graduate Student Instructor in the Fall. It only makes sense for us to be represented and organized together under the same Union.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Student research assistants vote to join University of Michigan graduate employees union • Michigan Advance

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

The Department Of Veterans Affairs 'Reverses Course' & 'Restores' Union Contracts Following Federal Judge's 'Rebuke'

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is restoring Collective Bargaining Agreements with six of its Unions - including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 300,000 VA Employees - after a Federal Judge said the Department was defying her order to do so.

The contracts will temporarily remain in effect while these cases proceed through the Court.

AFGE’s National VA Council (NVAC) told its Members in an e-mail that VA’s Central Office is “instructing facilities to return to the status quo for all AFGE-represented Employees,” including everyone covered by the Master Agreement before VA unilaterally terminated it on August 5th, 2025.

“It appears that VACO is finally providing guidance and instructing facilities to take immediate steps to comply with the Court’s orders,” AFGE/NVAC wrote.

According to an updated memo from VA’s Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, obtained by the Federal News Network, Collective Bargaining Agreements have been restored for the following Unions, while the preliminary injunctions remain in effect: The AFGE; The Western Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP), Veterans Affairs Staff Nurse Council (VASNC) Local 5032 at the VA Medical Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin; The United Nurses Association of California/Union of Healthcare Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) at the VA Medical Center, Loma Linda, California; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 2168 at the Cheyenne, Wyoming VA Medical Center; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, (IAMAW) Local 1998 at the VA National Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Locals 572, 1029 and 1322.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: VA reverses course, restores union contracts following judge’s rebuke | Federal News Network

AFGE Photo Via Facebook.

'Five Ways' Trump's Proposed Budget 'Hurts' The Working Class

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Monica Potts at The New Republic reports President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget proposal that he has sent to Congress doubles down on MAGA pet projects while taking a sledgehammer to a number of programs that help the Working Class. Among the casualties could be new Moms trying to buy food and families with moderate incomes trying to buy homes. But Congress doesn’t have to pay attention to this budget proposal. In fact, White House budget requests are often ignored - but they reveal where a President’s priorities lie and this one shows how unserious Trump is as a champion of the country’s Working Class. Here are just five ways this proposal would hurt the Working Class if Congress takes him up on it as Trump is targeting Food Programs, Assistance for Electricity Bills, Career and Technical Education, Grants for Rural and Minority-run Small Businesses, and Low-Income Housing Programs.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Five Ways Trump’s Proposed Budget Hurts the Working Class | The New Republic

ProPublica Union Launches 24-Hour ULP Walkout After AI Talks 'Stymie' Contract Talks

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Unionized Staffers at ProPublica, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Non-Profit Newsroom, launched a 24-hour Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) Strike today (Wednesday, April 8th) after authorizing such an action last month.

The Union, which is part of the NewsGuild of New York, has been negotiating its first contract with the company since late 2023 and represents 140 Staffers across the Editorial and Business Divisions.

Guild Staffers said ProPublica management has refused to agree on restrictions on replacing jobs with Artificial Intelligence (AI), job security provisions, seniority clauses for potential layoffs and wage increases.

The Union said last month that 92% of its Members authorized a Strike over the prolonged negotiations.

NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA) President Jon Schleuss said: “Today our Members at ProPublica are on a twenty-four-hour Unfair Labor Practice Strike over management’s refusal to agree to a fair Collective Bargaining Agreement. Join them holding power to account by respecting their picket line. Do not click on ProPublica’s website, newsletters or Social Media today. Our (140) Members at the Non-Profit News Organization have bargained for more than two years while management has dragged its feet. Workers are fighting for a contract that includes: AI job protections and contractually guaranteed guardrails; Wages that keep up with inflation and resolve long-standing inequities; and Standard job protections that include due process and seniority provisions in layoffs.”

Staffers are picketing the company’s offices in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Jeff Ernsthausen, a Senior Data Reporter at ProPublica and Secretary of its Union, said: “Our Members are standing together to demand that management agree to very basic, very standard Union protections. We care deeply about our work, so we call on management to understand the gravity of this walkout and to come to the table ready to take our concerns seriously.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: ProPublica Union Launches 24-Hour Walkout After AI Talks Stymie Contract Negotiations

ProPublica Guild Photo Via Instagram.

New York City District Council Of Carpenters Rally At Vanderbilt University Construction Site In Manhattan 'To Put Pressure On' Project Developer 'To Ensure Workers Are Paid Standard Wages'

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – The New York City District Council of Carpenters rallied at a high-profile construction site tied to Vanderbilt University in Manhattan’s Chelsea Neighborhood, calling on the project’s developer to ensure workers are paid standard wages.

The Carpenters gathered at the site to protest what they described as sub-standard pay and benefits provided by General Contractor Gotham Drywall, warning such practices could undermine wage standards across the City’s Construction Industry.

The demonstration drew support from several local Elected Officials - including Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Assembly Member Alex Bores and City Council Member Erik Bottcher, along with Labor Advocates and representatives from the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

At the center of the dispute is Gotham Drywall, which Union Leaders allege is compensating Workers below established area standards.

Union Officials argue such practices not only impact Workers on the project - but also creates downward pressure on wages industry-wide.

Union Members emphasized that maintaining area standard wages is critical to preserving fair compensation, benefits and working conditions in one of the Nation’s largest construction markets.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: NYC Carpenters Rally at Vanderbilt Site Over Pay Dispute

Photo Collage Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

The California State Association Of Electrical Workers 'Opposes' A State Bill That The Union Organization Says 'Would Increase Job Site Safety Risks While Undermining California's Long-Standing, Highly Effective' Apprenticeship Training System

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA) – The California State Association of Electrical Workers (CSAEW) - which represents 83,000 Unionized Electricians Statewide, has announced its strong opposition to SB 1065, which the organization warns would jeopardize Apprenticeship safety on construction sites, put untrained Workers in life-threatening situations, undermine existing worker protections and allow contractors to use lower-paid Apprentices for complex skilled Journeyperson work for which they are not trained.

The CSAEW joins the State Pipe Trades and Western Sheet Metal Workers in opposition to SB 1065, which Union Officials say would allow Apprentices to perform the “full scope” of a Journeyperson’s duties, which could lead to Apprentices being assigned potentially dangerous tasks for which they are not trained.

“The safety implications alone could be catastrophic,” said CSAEW President Neal Lauzon - who serves as President of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 441 in Orange County, who pointed to 400 Construction Worker deaths over the past five years.

“This Bill is a dangerous departure from established law and practice. Apprentices will be placed in situations where they lack the necessary training, supervision and classroom instruction to safely execute assigned tasks. The result is predictable: Increased risk of workplace accidents; Injuries; and Long-term harm to Workers who are still in the process of learning their craft,” he said.

CSAEW Secretary Treasurer John Doherty - who serves as Business Manager of San Francisco’s IBEW Local 6, added: “Construction sites are inherently hazardous environments that demand precision, skill and training. Allowing Apprentices to perform work for which they are untrained is not merely a policy change. It is a direct threat to their physical safety and well-being. Apprentices rely on structured progression and proper supervision to build competency. SB 1065 strips away these safeguards and exposes them to unnecessary and avoidable risk.”

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Citing Safety Concerns for New Apprentices, State Electrical Workers Call to Stop SB 1065 – California & Nevada State Association of Electrical Workers

America's '2026 Construction Gap'- 'Building Faster Than Training'

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Daniel Donovan at Skillit reports that across the U.S., cranes are rising in some of the same states year after year and housing permits remain concentrated in high-growth regions, particularly across the South and Mountain West. But at the same time, the labor pipeline is not expanding at the same pace. A new 50-state comparison of housing permits and Registered Apprenticeship activity analyzed by Skillit shows 40 States have demand signals that exceed workforce pipeline signals. This is not a localized labor story but a national pattern with regional intensity. In simple terms, most of the country is permitting more homes than its formal training pipeline appears positioned to support. That imbalance varies by State. In some markets, it reflects sheer volume. In others, rapid growth collides with limited training capacity.

For More Information On This Labor News Report & The Listing Of States, Go To: America’s 2026 construction gap: Building faster than training | Miami Herald

WNYLaborToday.com File Photo.

Trump 'Proposes To Cut 9,400' TSA Workers & $1.5 Billion From The Federal Budget While AFGE Leaders 'Slam Congress For Vacationing While DHS Workers Go Unpaid'

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The White House is proposing to cut more than 9,400 Workers and just over $1.5 billion from the 60,000-Employee Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that handles airport security operations, according to budget documents, Reuters’ David Shepardson reports. The details are part of a budget ‌document for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees TSA, that is part of the White House budget ⁠proposal for the next fiscal year. Congress will hold hearings on the White House ⁠budget request later this month as Lawmakers aim to reach a new budget deal ‌before the fiscal year ‌ends on September 30th. Some Republican Lawmakers have pushed to privatize TSA ⁠completely. The budget details were unrelated to the funding ⁠impasse in Congress over DHS for the current year, which has caused airport delays as TSA Workers went without paychecks.

Following President Donald Trump’s Executive Order announcement, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley issued a statement expressing gratitude TSA Officers represented by AFGE would be paid - and called on Congress to pass a measure to pay all DHS Employees, including thousands of Workers represented by AFGE at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and at the Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and others. “Congress needs to continue working to pass a real, bipartisan appropriations deal that funds DHS, pays all DHS Workers and keeps these vital Agencies running - even if that means canceling their upcoming vacation,” Kelley said. On April 3rd, Trump signed a memo directing DHS to pay all remaining Employees, including back pay. Following Congress’s departure for a two-week vacation amid their failure to pass a Spending Bill, Kelley immediately called on them to return to Washington to fund DHS. “Come back to Washington. Honor your oath. Do your job,” Kelley said.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Trump proposes to cut 9,400 TSA workers, $1.5 billion from budget | KSL.com And AFGE | AFGE Leaders Slam Congress for Vacationing While DHS Workers Go Unpaid; Urges Immediate Return to Washington

DHL-Represented Teamsters Reach Tentative Contract Agreement That Union Officials Say 'Delivers Higher Wages, Stronger Job Protections And Averts A Nationwide Strike'

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Teamsters National Negotiating Committee has reached a tentative contract agreement with DHL that averts a national Strike that would have involved thousands of Workers across 26 Locals across the country.

“Our Members at DHL held management’s feet to the fire and demanded a contract that recognizes the hard work they perform every day,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said. “This agreement sets a new benchmark at the company and proves once again that no one fights harder for Workers in the Delivery and Logistics Industry than the Teamsters. With our Members ready to take action, we secure real gains and force corporations to respect the people who make their profits possible.”

The new four-year agreement includes a 20% wage increase, higher health and welfare contributions and critical job protections.

It also establishes robust safeguards against AI (Artificial Intelligence)-driven routing systems that undermine seniority and explicitly prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles that threaten Teamsters jobs.

“I’ve worked at DHL for twenty-six years and this is by far the best contract we’ve ever negotiated,” said Eric Camarena, a DHL Dock Worker and Teamsters Local 986 Shop Steward. “I’m proud to have been part of this Negotiating Committee and of what we achieved together. We stood united and demanded what we’re worth.”

The DHL Teamsters National Master Agreement protects thousands of Workers nationwide and was set to expire on March 31st.

Teamsters at DHL had voted by a 96% margin to authorize a Strike, demonstrating their readiness to take action to secure a fair agreement.

“This contract is the result of Rank-and-File power and a clear reminder to DHL that we are always ready to Strike, if necessary,” said Bill Hamilton, who serves as Director of the Teamsters Express Division. “Our Members were united and forced DHL to deliver real gains. The agreement protects jobs, raises standards and puts DHL Teamsters in a stronger position for the future.”

DHL Teamsters will vote on the agreement in the coming weeks.

The Teamsters represent 1.3 million Members in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: DHL Teamsters Reach Tentative Agreement on Strong New Contract - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Writers Guild Of America East Members At CBS News 24/7 Reach Tentative Agreement With CBS/Paramount Management On A New Three-Year Contract

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY)— Writers Guild of America East (WGAE)-represented Members at CBS News 24/7 have reached a tentative agreement with CBS/Paramount management on a new three-year contract. The 60-Member CBS News 24/7 Union and the WGAE Council’s Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Sector Representatives will vote to ratify the contract in the coming days. Full details of the agreement will be released upon ratification. The tentative agreement follows a 24-hour walkout by Members in New York City and San Francisco, a Strike Pledge signed by 95% of the Unit and more than 3,000 solidarity letters sent to management from Journalists and Labor Supporters across the industry.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: CBS News 24/7 Union Reaches Tentative Agreement on New Contract | Press Room And CBS and 24/7 writers reach tentative contract deal

Faculty 'Fight Anti-Union Tactics' At St. John's University - University Administrators 'Abruptly Cancel' Labor Negotiations, 'Pushing Faculty To Scale Up' Actions

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(JAMAICA, QUEENS) - Sixty-two years ago, St. John’s University (SJU) in New York City became the site of the first major Faculty Strike in U.S. History - a year-long conflict that followed the firing of 33 Teachers, including three Priests, without due process.

Now, the struggle over labor conditions has forced the Faculty to once again mobilize, a move precipitated by the current College Administration’s abrupt announcement that it will no longer recognize two Faculty Unions or continue negotiations to hash out a new contract.

St. John’s President, the Reverend Brian J. Shanley, and Provost and Senior Vice President Simon Geir Møller, told the National Catholic Reporter the move was necessary to give the college “the flexibility required to innovate and deliver on our promise to our students.”

But Faculty Members, who had been demanding improved wages and greater transparency in how their share of health insurance premiums are calculated, call it Union Busting.

Sophie Bell, acting President of the Campus American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Chapter, says the Union was surprised by the February suspension of bargaining and the decision to end Union Recognition, telling Truthout: “This was my second time bargaining for a contract and in the earlier negotiation I felt like management was a real partner at the bargaining table. This time it felt different and I got the impression that Shanley does not want a Union.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Faculty Fight Anti-Union Tactics at St. John’s University in New York | Truthout

The Architecture World 'Just Got Its Second' Union: Sage & Coombe Architects Becomes The Second Firm In The U.S. To Unionize By 'Unanimously Approving' A Contract

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

María José Gutierrez Chavez at Fast Company reports Sage & Coombe Architects, a Women-led Firm based in New York City, unanimously approved a Collective Bargaining Agreement. It’s the second American practice to ratify a contract, after Bernheimer Architecture in 2024. “This contract, the second in the industry, sets a standard for Workers at Sage and Coombe and beyond,” Architectural Workers United (AWU), a group that has been helping firms organize, announced. The agreement’s details have yet to be made public. The milestone marks a significant move in the Design Industry’s Unionizing efforts, especially after high-profile setbacks. In 2022, the New York-based Firm SHoP abandoned its Unionizing efforts following what AWU called a “powerful Anti-Union Campaign.” Then in 2023, the American arm of the Multi-Disciplinary Design Firm Snøhetta voted against Unionizing. In January, the National Labor Relations Board filed a formal complaint against Snøhetta, alleging the firm illegally dismissed eight Employees in relation to organizing.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: The architecture world just got its second union - Fast Company

NLRB Rules Amazon 'Must Negotiate With' Staten Island Warehouse Workers

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – In a historic decision, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled Amazon illegally refused to recognize the Staten Island-based Amazon Labor Union-International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1 (ALU-IBT 1) and ordered it to begin negotiations with the Teamsters.

“Four years ago, Amazon Workers at JFK8 won an NLRB Election. Now, on this monumental anniversary, they have become the first group ever to force the company to recognize their Union, and they did so as Teamsters,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said. “This fight is far from over but this ruling from the NLRB is an historic victory for Amazon Teamsters nationwide and a testament to ‘Worker Power.’”

Over 5,000 Warehouse Workers at the JFK8 Facility in Staten Island formed their Union on April 1st, 2022.

In June 2024, they officially affiliated with the Teamsters Union, which officially chartered ALU-IBT Local 1.

Over the past four years, NLRB has repeatedly found Amazon has illegally and willfully ignored the Union’s legitimacy while attempting to coerce JFK8 Teamsters into ending their organizing efforts.

“Amazon’s strategy these last few years has been to delay, delay, delay - and the NLRB confirmed it because the law is not on their side,” said Randy Korgan, who serves as Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division. “Amazon Teamsters know that this company will try to do anything it can to worm out of its responsibilities. The Teamsters will continue to build ‘Worker Power’ at Amazon and hold the company accountable wherever it violates the law.”

Amazon is also required to post notice of the NLRB’s ruling in a visible location for Workers at the JFK8 Facility informing them of their rights to Unionize.

With this ruling, Amazon has exhausted its options to appeal to the NLRB on the issue of Unionization Teamsters at the facility.

“We are making history at Amazon and we are doing it through undiluted ‘Worker Power,’” said Connor Spence, President of Amazon Labor Union-Teamsters Local 1. “This company has used every resource it has to try and break us over the past four years and it continues to fail because vicious rapacity is no match for collective action.”

The decision came only one day after the Union announced another historic victory that upheld Amazon Teamsters’ right to Strike.

The Teamsters represent more than 1.3 million Members in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Amazon Teamsters Become First Union to Win Bargaining Order Against E-Commerce Giant - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Here Are 14 Blue-Collar Jobs 'That Pay At Least $100,000 A Year'

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Jenny Cohen at FinanceBuzz Money asks the question: Are you considering a career change to find a job that can help you make more money? Then don’t rule out Blue-Collar work. Some Blue-Collar jobs might not require a four-year college degree and Apprenticeships or Trade schools can make switching to a Blue-Collar job even easier. Here are a few options that can pay you at least $100,000 a year: Air Traffic Controllers; Radiation Therapists; Police and Detectives; Elevator and Escalator Installation and Repair; Mail Superintendents; Airline Pilots; Construction Manager; Nuclear Technician; Power Plant Operators; Petroleum Engineers; Firefighting and Fire Prevention Supervisors; Farmers and Ranchers; Power Line Installation and Repair; and Mechanics Supervisor. Blue-Collar work may not be for everyone, but it could be a good option for you if you're ready to change careers. Learn whether you need training at a Trade school or if you can learn on the job through Apprenticeship Programs in your area. If you land one of these lucrative positions, you might be able to lower your money stress and progress toward a brighter future.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: 14 Blue-Collar Jobs That Pay at Least $100,000 a Year

United University Professions 'Condemns' President Trump For The 'Unprovoked And On-Going' War With Iran - UUP President Kowal 'Questions Why' Trump 'Plunged' The U.S. Into An 'Unnecessary And Illegal' War

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - United University Professions (UUP) President Fred Kowal is condemning President Donald Trump and his Administration for Trump’s unprovoked and ongoing war with Iran - which, in its first month, has claimed thousands of lives, including the lives of at least 13 U.S. Soldiers.

Kowal, who leads America’s largest Higher Education Union, questioned why Trump plunged the U.S. into an unnecessary and illegal war.

Not only did Trump launch the war on February 28th without Congressional approval - which is constitutionally mandated, he did so without providing cogent, coherent and concise reasons for why he started what is quickly becoming an indefensible war with a country that had no imminent plans to attack the U.S., UUP’s President said.

“Can Trump or anyone in his Cabinet clearly articulate in a sentence or two what the goal of this war is?,” Kowal asked. “Is it to change the leadership of Iran? To remove the country’s nuclear threat? To liberate the Iranian People? And his pronouncements have only added to the deadly confusion.”

Kowal called the deaths of at least 175 people - many of them children - at the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab, Iran - “murder.”

The school was destroyed in a U.S. missile strike.

As many as 1,900 civilians have been killed in Iran and more than 10,000 people have been injured, with millions more having been displaced.

Said Kowal: “Cities in Iran are being leveled. Civilians are being killed by the thousands. Furthermore, colleges and universities are now being targeted. His threats to bomb Iranian power lines and desalination plants would be war crimes if they are carried out. The cruelty and barbarism of how this war is being waged and the sick way it’s being portrayed in pornographic snuff-style videos emanating from the White House - or what’s left of it, should make us all ashamed of our so-called leaders. Further, statements by administration officials are blatantly Islamophobic and add to the divisions in our society.”

Kowal said a tiny fraction of the more than $16 billion that’s been spent on the war in Iran so far - the U.S. has spent much as $1 billion a day - could be used to transform the lives of countless Americans, including thousands of State University of New York (SUNY) students.

“UUP is calling for ($41 million) to eliminate multi-million-dollar structural deficits at four SUNY campuses, caused by cuts during (former Governor Andrew) Cuomo years,” said Kowal. “The Trump Administration is spending roughly ($41 million) each hour in this inane war. Just a small percentage of that could expand offerings and create greater opportunities for young and not-so-young students to ensure they get the education they deserve and need to be productive citizens of the world.”

Trump’s recent demand for another $200 billion to fund the war has prompted Congressional Republicans, who hold a majority in the House and Senate, to consider new spending cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act for the ask.

One option being considered, cutting Affordable Care Act (ACA) cost-sharing reductions - could leave 300,000 Americans uninsured.

“Last year, Congressional Republicans cut health care spending by nearly ($1 trillion) over the next ten years, which will leave millions without health insurance,” Kowal said. “That those same Lawmakers are now seriously considering gouging Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare again, this time to scrounge up ($200 billion) for Donald Trump’s war in Iran is insane but not at all surprising.”

UUP represents more than 42,000 Academic And Professional Faculty And Retirees.

UUP Members work at 29 New York State-operated campuses, including SUNY’s Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.

UUP is an affiliate of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: Press Release | UUP stands against ongoing Iran war

Organized Labor On Birthright Citizenship: "Elimination Of Birthright Citizenship Would Transform Promising Future Generations Into A Permanent Underclass"

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Mark Gruenberg and John Wojcik at People’s World reports pundits are saying President Donald Trump is likely to lose his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in a case over his Executive Order taking away the right of automatic Birthright Citizenship that is spelled out in the U.S. Constitution. But the Department of Justice is pursuing the case anyway, though, because the Trump Administration sees political benefits - even if it loses. By Trump’s Lawyers grandstanding before the Supreme Court, observers note, Trump aims to strengthen the support Republicans get from Right-Wing xenophobes and racists, parallel to how the GOP seeks votes in those same circles by campaigning against Diversity Programs and backing ICE roundups. At the Supreme Court on Wednesday (April 1st), led by the National AFL-CIO, the Nation’s Unions are siding with the Constitution and against the Trump regime in the controversial Birthright Citizenship case. The Labor Movement backs the case challenging Trump’s order, which is being argued by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). “Elimination of Birthright Citizenship would transform promising future generations into a permanent underclass,” the National AFL-CIO and its allies warn. Underlining the realization by Organized Labor of the importance of this issue to all Workers, Unions on the friend-of-the-court brief include the Communications Workers of America, the Laborers, the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Workers, the United Food and Commercial Workers, the United Farm Workers, Actors Equity, the Bricklayers, the Professional and Technical Engineers, the Service Employees International Union, Unite HERE, the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades, the United Auto Workers, and Writers Guild of America East. All unite around the basic proposition that eliminating Birthright Citizenship is against the interests of the entire Working Class.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: DOJ on birthright citizenship case: Constitution doesn’t mean what it says – People's World

'It's A Record' - Amazon 'Spent More Than $26 Million On Anti-Union' Consultants In 2025

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Dave Jamieson at The Huffington Post reports Amazon spent more than $26 million on Anti-Union Labor Consultants in 2025, according to new Federal disclosure forms, marking the largest such expenditure by a U.S. employer reported in a single year. The filings with the U.S. Labor Department show Amazon hired at least six firms that specialize in helping corporations defeat Union Organizing Campaigns. The company issued hundreds of payments throughout the year, averaging more than $56,000 apiece - higher than the average annual wage of one of its Warehouse Workers. Amazon has spent years battling Union Campaigns by the Teamsters, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and other Unions. Early on, much of that organizing focused on the Retail Behemoth’s Fulfillment Centers, where Workers pick, pack and ship orders - but has since spread to its Distribution Hubs and subcontracted Driver network. Bob Funk, who serves as the Executive Director of LaborLab - a non-profit that tracks the Anti-Union Consulting Industry, described the Amazon spending as “huge.” He also noted the persuader work captured in the Federal filings typically does not include spending on Labor Attorneys who fight Union Campaigns through the National Labor Relations Board, which is often more expensive.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Amazon spent more than $26 million on anti-union consultants in 2025

'After Tragedy & Survival,' CSEA Members 'Call For Greater' Roadside Safety

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(COMMACK, NEW YORK) – The Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) has thousands of Members working in positions that require them to work in dangerous outdoor environments, leaving them vulnerable to reckless drivers.

CSEA Department of Transportation (Babylon) Local Vice President Randy Acum and CSEA Nassau County Local Crossing Guard John Miro were both struck by impaired drivers, sending them to the hospital with serious injuries.

Sadly, Miro later died.

Miro was performing his duties when an impaired driver sped through a road crossing, striking him with a pickup truck.

Miro, who was 70, held on for a week before passing away.

“Nassau County Crossing Guards work for the Police Department, so we’re setting up meetings with them to discuss what we can do to improve safety for the Crossing Guards,” CSEA Nassau Local President Kris Kalender said.

The Nassau County Local has been working with Project Thank a Cop and a local diner to provide donated meals to the Miro Family during their time of grief.

To thank the Doctors and Nurses where Miro received care, the Miro Family asked that at least one of their meals be delivered to the hospital.

For his funeral, Miro received many of the same ceremonial observances as a First Responder, although the Family’s modesty prevented them from accepting all the traditional formalities.

When Acum received a call from local Police asking for the DOT’s help closing the road and detouring traffic away from the site of a drunk driving crash, he quickly assembled a crew.

While Acum was at the back of the DOT truck checking to see that the blinking arrow and the “Move Over” sign were on, he was hit by another drunk driver.

Acum recalled that his head hit the windshield, and he was thrown forward about 30 to 40 feet, maybe more.

Luckily, two Officers conducting an investigation of the previous accident spotted Acum, pulled him to the road shoulder and performed CPR.

Soon after, an ambulance rushed Acum to the hospital, where he was whisked into surgery.

“Had everyone not acted so quickly, I don’t know if I would have made it,” Acum said.

The hours that followed were traumatic for Acum, his Family, and his colleagues.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they were told that he was alive and made it through surgery successfully.

Acum was released from the hospital almost two weeks later.

He was surprised to find his fellow DOT Local Members lining the hospital exit, clapping and cheering as a Nurse - who is also a CSEA Member, escorted him to his car.

As a sign of respect, Acum received a police escort home.

“This is the beginning of what will be months and months of OT (Occupational Therapy) and PT (Physical Therapy),” Acum said. “I’ll need to strengthen my body to walk and use my right arm again. There could be some other issues going forward, but we’ll see what happens.”

CSEA has consistently been in contact with the Governor’s Office to improve safety for Road Workers, but true safety is contingent on the cooperation of the public.

“People aren’t following the rules of the road,” Acum said. “They’re speeding or driving on the shoulder or through our work zones. People need to take accountability for what they do behind the wheel. You are responsible for your own safety and the safety of others around you.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: After tragedy and survival, CSEA members call for greater roadside safety - CSEA NY

Discourse Coffee Workers In Milwaukee Vote To Unionize, Company Will Voluntarily Recognize Union

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sam Woods at WUWM 89.7/NPR Milwaukee reports Employees at Discourse Coffee Workshop have voted to Unionize. The company has agreed to recognize the Union without a National Labor Relations Board Election after more than 70% of the Employees signed Union Authorization Cards and will soon begin negotiations. The 23 Employees at Discourse are Unionizing under Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Organization (MASH), which also represents recently Unionized Workers at Anodyne Coffee and Employees in the Deer District. Discourse Coffee Workship was founded in 2017 in Sister Bay, Wisconsin, before moving to Milwaukee in 2021. It currently has two locations in Milwaukee and a residency location in Chicago. Only the Milwaukee-area Employees will be covered by the Union. MASH President and Business Manager Peter Rickman said Discourse Workers Unionized primarily to ensure their workplace conditions wouldn’t deteriorate in the future: “Workers formed a Union at Discourse Coffee to have a voice and a seat at the table to protect what they love about their work and this company.”

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Discourse Coffee workers vote to unionize, company will voluntarily recognize union | WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR

AFA-CWA-Represented United Airlines Flight Attendants Reach New Contract Agreement 'For Their First Raises Since The Coronavirus Pandemic'

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Leslie Josephs at CNBC reports United Airlines and its Flight Attendants’ Union have reached a tentative contract agreement that will include their first raises in roughly six years. If ratified by Flight Attendants, it would make United the last of the major Carriers to secure a contract with Cabin Crew Members since the COVID-19 Pandemic ended. United said the agreement will include immediate raises and top pay of $100 an hour at the end of the contract, as well as pay for Flight Attendants during boarding and “a signing bonus for every Flight Attendant worth a total of ($740 million).” The Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America (AFA-CWA) didn’t provide specific details about the deal - but said that in addition to higher base pay, the agreement includes additional compensation for flight disruptions and new restrictions on overnight flight assignments. The deal comes as United is planning an aggressive expansion of its higher-touch premium cabins, with new seats featuring elevated dining options and seats that convert into beds. United Flight Attendants last July rejected a previous contract agreement that would have included immediate 26% raises.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: United Airlines, flight attendants reach labor deal, with raises

Union-Represented Pharmacy Workers Ratify Four-Year Contract with Kaiser Across Southern & Central California, Secure 21.5% Wage Increases Over Life Of Contract

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Union-represented Workers employed at Kaiser Permanente locations across Southern and Central California have ratified a new four-year contract that lasts through March 2030 and includes 21.5% wage increases over the next four years, as well as 6.5% raises in March and October of this year. Additional wage grid and market adjustments bring the total increase to 25% to 30% for many Members. The agreement also includes provisions to safeguard against the impact of Artificial Intelligence. “We came together with Kaiser Permanente Workers across the country to achieve these strong successor contracts,” said the Union said in a statement. “It reflects the months of hard work that went into negotiations and the solidarity shown by all of us at the bargaining table and the Alliance of Healthcare Unions.” The Union represents Workers across Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura and Kern Counties, including Pharmacy Assistants, Pharmacy Technicians, Clinical Lab Scientists, Medical Lab Technicians and Clinical and Administrative Staff. In February, Workers staged a three-day Strike at Kaiser Permanente Facilities across Southern California and Bakersfield.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Pharmacy workers, others ratify four-year contract with Kaiser – San Diego Union-Tribune

More Than 17,000 Teamsters 'Avert Nationwide Strike' At First Student, Reach Tentative Agreement On A Contract That 'Delivers Key Improvements'

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Teamsters First Student National Negotiating Committee (TFSNNC) has reached a tentative contract agreement with First Student, averting a nationwide Strike that could have included thousands of School Bus Workers across 96 Locals.

The National First Student Master Agreement protects more than 17,000 Bus Workers across the country and was set to expire today (March 31st).

The deal comes after the Teamsters-represented Workers voted by an 88% margin to authorize a Strike, sending a clear message to the company that they were prepared to take action to win a fair contract.

“First Student Teamsters were unified and prepared to take on this company nationwide. Our solidarity forced real movement at the bargaining table and we delivered a contract in the eleventh hour that honors the critical work our Members do every day,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said. “Teamsters set the standard for the entire School Bus Industry and this agreement raises the bar for School Bus Transportation Workers everywhere.”

The new agreement establishes a national foundation for economics that will be applied across all Local agreements, including stronger retirement benefits, improved access to health care benefits and robust contractual protections for all Members.

These improved national minimum standards only serve to boost bargaining on important issues at the local level.

Teamsters at First Student will vote on the agreement in the coming weeks.

The Teamsters represents 1.3 million Members in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico

To Directly Access This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Over 17,000 Teamsters Avert Nationwide Strike at First Student, Reach Tentative Agreement - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

'This Is How We Build A Future That Works For All Of Us' - The National AFL-CIO Convenes Workers First AI Summit

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

On Thursday (March 26th), the National AFL-CIO and the AFL-CIO Tech Institute brought together Workers, Lawmakers and Policy Experts for the Workers First AI Summit. This landmark gathering comes after the National AFL-CIO released a first-of-its-kind set of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Principles last year. The Summit was dedicated to discussing how to ensure AI creates widespread prosperity for Working People and their communities rather than just further enriching the wealthiest technology companies and their investors. National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and AFL-CIO Tech Institute Executive Director Lauren McFerran delivered remarks alongside Labor Leaders, Non-Profit Heads, Academics, Corporate Representatives and more. “Everyone in this room is a leader. The question today is: Can we lead together,” Shuler said in her remarks. “(There’re) so many different skill-sets in this room - folks from different backgrounds and perspectives. That’s on purpose. We want to push ourselves to find unconventional partnerships, challenge each other in ways we haven’t before, build that big coalition we need! That is how we build a future that works for all of us.”

Here are the National AFL-CIO’s Key Priorities for Worker-Centered AI:

Strengthen Labor Rights And Broaden Opportunities For Collective Bargaining
Advance Guardrails Against Harmful Uses Of AI In The Workplace
Support And Promote Copyright And Intellectual Property Protections
Develop A Worker-Centered Workforce Development And Training System
Institutionalize Worker Voice Within AI R&D
Require Transparency And Accountability In AI Applications
Model Best Practices For AI Use With Government Procurement
Protect Workers’ Civil Rights And Uphold Democratic Integrity

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Artificial Intelligence: Principles to Protect Workers | AFL-CIO

National AFL-CIO-Provided Photo.

What's Next Up After 'No Kings 3.0?' 'Could It Be A General Strike Held On May Day?'

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

C.J. Atkins at People’s World reports that on the heels of the massive No Kings mobilizations that saw millions take to the streets over the weekend, the fight against the MAGA agenda and the spiraling economic crisis is entering a new phase. Standing before a crowd of thousands at the flagship rally in Minnesota, Indivisible Co-Founder Ezra Levin issued a call that seemed to echo the sentiments of a growing Labor-Community Alliance: A nationwide “General Strike” on May 1st. “The next major national action of this movement is not just going to be another protest,” Levin declared. “It is a tactical escalation. It is an economic show of force.” The call for action on May Day - which is International Workers’ Day, is being organized under the banner of the May Day Strong Coalition with the demand of “No Work, No School, No Shopping.” The goal is to shut down the engines of profit that sustain the current Trump Administration’s agenda and to demand a government that invests in health care, housing and schools - rather than war, blockades and the intimidation of Immigrants. The momentum for a national walkout is rooted in the recent Minnesota General Strike, which started in Minneapolis. In January, Minnesota residents and workers electrified the movement by launching a citywide General Strike against the brutal tactics of Federal Immigration Enforcement. Despite temperatures plunging to -30 degrees, over 100,000 people marched and hundreds of businesses closed down.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Next up after No Kings? A May Day general strike – People's World

Unions & City Council Members 'Call For More' DCWP Funding, 'Want To Double The Department's Budget & Add More Than 300 Positions'

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers, Union Leaders and politicians rallied on the steps of City Hall Monday (March 31st) to call for increased funding for New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), which investigates exploitative labor practices and enforces Worker protections in the City.

The rally comes after Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s preliminary budget for the next fiscal year proposed an 8% cut to the Department, from $82 million to $75 million.

Representatives from a myriad of Unions joined, including Residential Building Services Workers Union Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9A, to call for a budget of $135 million and more Staff for the Department.

On the campaign trail as recently as three months before his inauguration, Mayor Mamdani pledged to double the budget of the DCWP, in recognition of its key regulatory role.

As Mayor, Mamdani has also consistently highlighted the work of the DCWP in eliminating hidden hotel fees, probing exploitative sick leave policies, and combatting wage theft and other labor violations.

Just last week, the Mayor and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine announced a $1.8 million settlement secured by the Department for around 800 Workers who had their scheduling rights violated by Franchisees of Dunkin’ Donuts and Taco Bell.

But now, faced with a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall, and with Governor Kathy Hochul unlikely to fill the gap with the revenue generated by his proposed higher tax on the wealthy, Mamdani has been left to make difficult budgeting choices.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Unions, City Council members call for more DCWP funding - The Chief

More Than 760 Fast Food & Retail Workers To Receive $1.8 Million In Settlements For Their Employers 'Violating New York City's Fair Workweek Law'

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - A Franchisee operating Taco Bell and Dunkin’ locations in New York City will pay $1.5 million in restitution to more than 760 Workers under a settlement reached with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) for violations of the City’s Fair Workweek Law.

On a livestream filmed inside City Hall while lunching on Crunchwrap Supremes, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine said the Franchisee Salz Management LLC violated the rights of Workers across 24 Dunkin’ and Taco Bell locations in Manhattan and Queens by failing to provide Workers with schedules 14 days in advance and failing obtain consent for schedule changes.

“The Workers didn't have predictable schedules,” Levine said. “They were forced to close the store, then open it the next day without compensation. That's why we're getting money back in their pockets.”

As part of a second Fair Workweek settlement reached by DCWP that was announced by the duo, more than 60 Workers at two Manhattan locations of the Fashion Retailer Theory LLC will receive more than $277,00.

The Franchisee and Fashion Retailer will also pay $176,000 in civil penalties directly to the City for legal violations.

Individual payments for some Workers covered by the settlements, Mamdani said, will be over $10,000.

“Too often, there are Workers who are either not informed of these protections, or it is made clear to them that were they to use these protections, they would face retaliation,” the Mayor said. “And that is illegal under the law here in New York City. And we don't just pass laws and sign them. We also enforce them.”

Since Mamdani took office at the beginning of the year, the DCWP has secured more than $8.5 million in restitution for workers in New York City, including $5 million for more than 49,000 wrongfully-deactivated Delivery Workers and $500,000 for late payments to 350 Freelancers.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Fast food, retail workers to receive $1.8 million in from settlements - The Chief

American Library Association Employees In Chicago Are 'Going Union' With AFSCME

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) - Joining the wave of Union Organizing among Cultural Workers, Employees of the primarily Chicago-based American Library Association (ALA) have announced they are forming their Union with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31.

The announcement came in an open letter to Co-Workers and was signed by 40 ALA Employees.

When certified, the Union - which will be known as American Library Association Workers United (ALAW)/AFSCME, will represent more than 100 ALA Workers.

In their letter, the Library Association Employees said they’re forming their Union to “protect Staff’s work, well-being and ALA’s future.”

AFSCME represents more than 35,000 Library Workers nationwide - more than any other Union, including some 3,000 AFSCME Council 31 Members who work in Libraries in Chicago, its Suburbs - Peoria, Rockford, Aurora, at State Universities, the Newberry Library and elsewhere.

The Union also represents thousands of Employees of Non-Profit Organizations throughout Illinois.

Founded in 1876, the American Library Association is the world's oldest and largest member organization for libraries. It promotes libraries and the freedom to read, offers professional development opportunities, publishes several periodicals, oversees many awards - including the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, advocates for libraries and Library Workers at the State and Federal levels, and more.

Members of the ALAWU Union Organizing Committee will begin gathering signed Union Cards from their Co-Workers. When they have gathered super-majority support, they will ask ALA leadership to voluntarily recognize their Union.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: American Library Association employees forming union with AFSCME | AFSCME Council 31

AFSCME-Provided Photo.

Expert Says We're 'Witnessing A Swinging Pendulum' In Work Due To Artificial Intelligence Where A 'Higher Value Is Now Being Placed On Blue-Collar Work'

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sydney Lake at Fortune reports that for decades, the standard formula for financial success was the same: Go to college, get a degree and land a prestigious white-collar job - probably a Lawyer, Consultant or Investment Banker. But Entrepreneur and Author Daniel Priestley is sounding the alarm on a major job-market shift - suggesting the traditional hierarchy of labor (White-Collar over Blue-Collar) is actually flipping. Priestley, Founder and CEO of Dent Global, an entrepreneur accelerator, said he’s observed that the nature of the economy is changing so rapidly that he envisions a future in which “Plumbers regularly earn more than Lawyers,” as Blue-Collar roles are elevated while professional services face unprecedented disruption from Artificial Intelligence (AI). He argues we’re witnessing a “swinging pendulum” in which the high value once placed on “White-Collar work behind a screen” is moving toward “Blue-Collar work with your hands.” Other CEOs - like Ford’s Jim Farley, have sounded a similar alarm, arguing there’s far more demand for Blue-Collar work than there are people who want to do it.

To Continue This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Plumbers regularly earn more than lawyers: Top entrepreneur makes a bold prediction that AI will flip the American dream

Photo Courtesy Of UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 22.

No Kings Day 3.0: Union Members Across The Country Were In The Streets 'To Powerfully Say That Our Government Doesn't Answer To A King - It Answers To Working People'

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Mark Gruenberg at People’s World reports sponsors of No Kings Day 3.0 that was held on Saturday (March 28th) had urged all to increase their activism and recruit even more people for what they hope will be the largest demonstration in U.S. History. Their objective with the protest, again, was to show the leader of the corporate-backed ruling class, President Donald Trump, that the U.S. people are unafraid of him and that they mean to take the country back. The National AFL-CIO and the Nation’s four largest Unions agreed. A major objective this time around, organizers said, is to recruit those who until now have just been standing on the sidelines - uninvolved. And as a result, they said they received positive responses from people who say they have voted for Trump as many as three times. On the No Kings website the following was posted: “The President thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings - and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.” Dr. Maria Steffens, an academic who studies mass movements in the U.S., said: “Each No Kings has gotten bigger and spread to more communities in rural and deeply conservative parts of the country. That includes those who voted for the present President. This is not about red versus blue. It’s about need versus greed and about freedom versus authoritarianism.”

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler released the following statement before the rallies took place on Saturday: Since Inauguration Day, the corporate-backed, Anti-Worker agenda laid out in Project 2025 has been playing out day after day in news headlines. The Trump Administration has made it a priority to upend hard-fought Union contracts that protect both Federal Workers and the integrity of our Government agencies, drain our social safety nets in favor of tax breaks for the richest people on the face of the Earth, and rip away health care from millions. This is an all-out assault on Working Families. And the Labor Movement is taking action, speaking up and fighting back! Union Members across the country will be in the streets on Saturday, March 28th for No Kings Day to powerfully say that our government doesn’t answer to a king - it answers to Working People.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Labor pushing hard for No Kings Day III on March 28 – People's World

Photo 1: Via Facebook.

Photo 2: Via IUPAT District Council 4’s William Mayer – No Kings Rally In Buffalo, NY.

Labor 'Wins When They Run Union Members For Office'

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Ned Rust at Jacobin reports in Maine, polls show Graham Platner - a Union-recruited Oysterman, trouncing both current State Governor Janet Mills, the establishment Democrat pick, and Susan Collins, the incumbent Republican Senator.

It’s not just Blue States either.

Down in deep-Red Alabama, dues-paying Plumber Andrew Sneed is outraising his GOP opponent, incumbent Representative Dale Strong, all while forgoing corporate donations.

And in Texas, Taylor Rehmet, a Local President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, stunned pundits by handily winning a runoff for the State Senate.

Time will tell how Rehmet fares in office and whether Platner and Sneed notch victories at the ballot box.

Regardless, something seems to be happening out there for the very few Union-linked Candidates we have put out in the field - and in not exactly Labor-friendly regions either.

A new report from the Center for Working-Class Politics (CWCP), Arizona State University’s Center for Work and Democracy, and Jacobin titled Can Unions Make a Difference? that appears to get to the crux of the matter.

By way of diagnosing the problem, the study demonstrates the insane wealth stats highlighted by Senator Bernie Sanders and his compatriots on the Fighting Oligarchy Tour are of similar disproportion to the in-real-life class composition of our government.

Today, less than 10% of the Nation’s voters are in a Union - down from more than 30% in the 1960s when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. saw the writing on the wall and decried “Right-To-Work” as a false slogan meant to eviscerate Labor Unions.

And yet right now, the percentage of candidates we’re trying to send to Congress who also happen to be Union Members is nowhere close to 10%.

The CWCP took the trouble to identify all Congressional Candidates between 2010 and 2022 and found that just 5% have been Union Members.

CWCP Director Jared Abbott says the Center is now accumulating evidence that in 2026, Platner and Sneed are among just 3.5% of declared political candidates with Organized Labor ties.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Labor Wins When They Run Union Members for Office

Organized Labor Commemorates The 115th Anniversary of New York City's Triangle Fire

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, Workers United, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition hosted the 115th Anniversary Commemoration of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire on Wednesday (March 25th) at Washington Place and Greene Street in Lower Manhattan. More than 400 attendees from across the Labor Movement and the broader community gathered to honor the 146 Workers, mostly young Immigrant Women, who lost their lives in the 1911 tragedy - which helped spur critical labor and fire safety protections that continue to protect Workers today. The program featured the traditional reading of the victims’ names, with flowers laid at the site as a bell tolled in remembrance. A fire truck ladder was raised to the sixth floor of the building, marking the highest point it could reach at the time of the fire. The ceremony also included music from the New York City Labor Chorus and a performance from the Italian Opera Camicette Bianche, along with a presentation by young activists from El Puente telling the story of the fire. Speakers included Edgar Romney of Workers United/SEIU, New York State Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon, New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten, Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah and Union Theological Seminary, New York City Labor Council President Brendan Griffith, NYPD Chief of Fire Prevention Thomas Currao, New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)/Mount Sinai Member-leader Darla Joiner, Emily Bass of the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition, and Contract Faculty United-United Auto Workers (CFW-UAW) Member Emily Bauman.

New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council: You Can View The Full Livestream Of The Event Here And See More Photos From The Day In Our Album Here. You Can Also Find Additional Coverage Of The Commemoration From AMNY, THE CITY, Washington Square News, And CBS NY.

Photo Collage Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.

New York City 'Faces Possible Strike by 34,000 Doormen & Building Workers' - Union Calls Realty Advisory Board's Contract Proposal 'Insulting'

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michelle Kaske at Bloomberg News reports New York City apartment residents are being put on notice of a potential Strike by Unionized Building Staff as soon as next month as the Union representing the Workers and an Advisory Board to building owners negotiate a new contract. Property owners are alerting occupants of 3,500 co-ops, condos and apartment buildings that services will decrease if a work suspension begins on April 21st. That’s the day after the four-year-old contract expires for nearly 34,000 Doormen, Porters and Maintenance Workers. If there’s a Strike, residents will need to wear badges to enter buildings.

And from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle: the Union that represents 34,000 Superintendents, Maintenance Workers, Front Desk Staff and Resident Managers in most of New York City’s residential buildings says it is preparing for a Strike after receiving “insulting” contract changes from the Realty Advisory Board (RAB) on Labor Relations, which represents building owners. According to a release from 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the RAB’s proposals include: Shifting the cost of health care onto Workers via premium sharing; The introduction of a lower-paid Tier II Workforce; The expansion of Temp Workers; The weakening of contract enforcement; and The lack of a commitment to pension improvements. The Union points out the Real Estate Industry is enjoying “record high rents, high property values and historic low vacancy rates.” The current four-year master contract agreement between the Union and building owners expires on April 20th. A Strike would affect roughly 600,000 New York City households, according to 32BJ SEIU.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: NYC Faces Possible Strike by 34,000 Doormen, Building Workers And NYC’s residential building workers call contract offer ‘insulting’

Graphic Courtesy Of 32BJ SEIU’s Facebook Page.

Mystic Seaport Museum Workers 'Go Union,' Join AFSCME

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT) - Workers employed at one of the Nation’s leading Maritime Museums - the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut, are seeking to form a Union through American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 4.

On March 20th, Council 4 announced it had filed a Union Petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on behalf of the Museum’s Workers: “We are honored to stand alongside these dedicated professionals as they exercise their right to organize and secure a meaningful voice in their workplace.”

The Mystic Seaport Museum was recently voted one of the Nation’s best museums by readers of USA Today.

Workers there teach the public about our country’s maritime heritage and care for ships and related artifacts.

Despite their commitment, Workers worry about their future - and want stronger job security, more affordable and reliable health care, and wages that better reflect their skills and contributions.

Council 4 said these concerns have intensified as Workers’ questions about the museum’s financial picture have gone unanswered.

Ashley Giordano, a Docent at the museum, is among the Activists leading the Organizing Drive: “Mystic Seaport Museum is a great place to work, but it could be an incredible place to work. We need more protections for our staff and a voice to ensure the museum continues to be a place that visitors want to go to.”

More than 50,000 workers at museums, libraries, zoos and other cultural institutions across the United States have gained a voice on the job through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign - the largest of its kind in the Nation.

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Forming a union at CT maritime museum would give workers a say in its future | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

The Apprenticeship (R)Evolution - 'Once Synonymous With Hard Hats And Tool Belts,' Apprenticeships 'Are Branching Into Health Care, Artificial Intelligence, Business Services, Advanced Manufacturing & More'

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sara Weissman and Colleen Flaherty at Inside Higher Ed report on Apprenticeship training efforts at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) where Tesla Employees are being trained in advanced manufacturing skills - year-round. And while Tesla itself may be polarizing, the growth of the program is undeniable: In 2023, TMCC trained 85 Tesla Apprentices; Today, completers number 1,000-plus and growing - quickly. “They choose the courses from our catalog à la carte, and we train their Workers five days a week, all day long, in four-week increments,” TMCC President Jeffrey Alexander said of Tesla. Apprentices “come to us, usually thirty to thirty-five per cohort, and we train them in the basics of automated production, programmable logic control and electro-mechanical systems, so that they are able to get to work at the Gigafactory and really be very capable from day one.” The Manufacturing Development Program is a Registered Apprenticeship funded by the U.S. Labor Department’s Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant. Intended for certain high-demand occupations that offer above-average pay and benefits, the grant covers participants’ tuition and the cost of instruction. Program completers earn a Tesla Advanced Manufacturing Certification and 11 credits to put toward a degree, should they seek one. Starting in the Fall, Apprentices will earn the College’s new Industrial Operations Skills Certificate. Such programs are challenging stereotypes about Apprenticeships - namely that they’re only in construction, an earn-and-learn catchall for traditionally Apprenticeable occupations such as Bricklayer, Plumber, Carpenter and Electrician. In integrating robotics, automation, machining and logistics, the Manufacturing Development Program is a bridge to understanding how apprenticeships are evolving to support some of the Nation’s fastest-growing industries - including advanced manufacturing, health care, information technology and other business services. “Apprenticeships are advanced, they are high-tech. They are a very viable strategy for employers to find the right talent that they keep complaining they can’t find,” said Steve Jurch, who serves as Associate Vice President of the Association of Community College Trustees’ Center for Policy and Practice.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The Apprenticeship Glow-Up

Artwork Courtesy Of Inside Higher Ed.

Annual Variety Club Telethon Raises More Than $1 Million, Including More Than $75,000 From Organized Labor Across Western New York - Donations Support Buffalo's Golisano Children's Hospital & Other Area Children's Charities

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

WNYLaborToday.com Editor's Note: Pictured above, Variety Club Telethon President and Labor Co-Chair Tony Vaccaro - who serves as a Business Agent at Teamsters Local 264 (on the left), and Labor Co-Chair William Mayer of International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 4 (on the right), finally take a breather after working hard to help raise more than $1 million during the annual Variety Club Telethon that was held over the weekend to support Buffalo’s Golisano Children’s Hospital and other area children’s charities. Western New York Labor came together to donate a combined $75,390 to this year’s telethon. (Photos For This Labor News Stories Provided By William Mayer)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Organized Labor came out in force over the weekend to donate more than $75,000 to the 64th annual Variety Club Telethon, which raised more than $1 million that directly supports Buffalo’s Golisano Children's Hospital and other Children's charities.

Throughout just 15 hours, the locally-televised Variety Kids Telethon raised $1,014,326 through various corporate matches and donations made across the Buffalo and Western New York Community, Variety Club announced.

Of that total, $73,390 was raised by Labor Unions and Organizations and their Members.

Variety Club President and Labor Co-Chair Tony Vaccaro, who serves as a Business Agent at Teamsters Local 264, said: “‘Once again, Labor came through and exceeded my expectations.’ ‘Honestly, with the economy the way it is, we were expecting less, so we were pleasantly surprised.’ ‘Like I’ve said for years, Labor is about people helping people.’ And Variety ‘has become what I like to think’ as ‘the preferred’ charity of the Western New York Labor Movement.”

Vaccaro also praised Labor Co-Chair William Mayer of International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 4, who also sold, himself, hundreds of Labor Loves Variety Kids Magnets and Hard Hat Stickers that totaled $2,748 in donations.

Said Mayer: “I am ‘so humbled.’ It showed the ‘love of all Labor - the Building Trades and the Public and Private Sectors - people were generous as all get out.’ Everywhere I went people were ‘so receptive (to giving) and there was an absolute outpouring of support for these kids.’ ‘It’s so inspiring.’ When it comes to kids, it’s ‘all hands-on-deck.’ ‘Our kids are our future and it’s up to us to protect these kids.’ ‘But if it wasn’t for all of us working together, it wouldn’t get done.’

AFGE President 'Slams' Trump's Deployment Of ICE To Airports To Perform Passenger Security Functions - TSA Officers 'Deserve To Be Paid,' "Not Replaced By Untrained, Armed Agents Who've Shown How Dangerous They Can Be"

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — In response to President Trump’s deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents to Airports to help with long security lines caused by Congress’ refusal to pass a measure that would pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Employees, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley, whose Union represents TSA Officers, issued the following statement:

More than 50,000 TSA Employees have worked without pay for over five weeks. Hundreds have quit. And Washington’s answer isn’t to pay them. It’s to send ICE Agents to do their jobs. ICE Agents are not trained or certified in aviation security. TSA Officers spend months learning to detect explosives, weapons and threats specifically designed to evade detection at checkpoints - skills that require specialized instruction, hands-on practice and on-going recertification. You cannot improvise that. Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap. It creates one. Our Members at TSA have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe. They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed Agents who have shown how dangerous they can be. Congress has the power to fund TSA today. It’s time for them to stop playing politics and do their jobs.

The AFGE is the largest Federal Employee Union, representing 820,000 Workers in the Federal Government and the Government of the District of Columbia.

Photo Courtesy Of The National AFL-CIO.

Unionized Kaiser Mental Health Therapists Strike In California 'To Uphold' Patient Care

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Marilyn Bechtel at People’s World reports out of Oakland, California that some 2,400 Mental Health Professionals employed at Kaiser Permanente took to the picket line in Northern California and the Central Valley to participate in a one-day Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) Strike aimed at upholding and strengthening patient care safeguards they won in a 10-week strike four years ago - and meeting new challenges posed by technology. The therapists, represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), have been without a contract since September. The Union says Kaiser is seeking to roll back improvements the therapists won in 2022, including more time for patient support work and measures to ensure that. After the intake process, patients can receive timely follow-up for ongoing care. The NUHW says the Health Care Giant is also looking to open the door to replacing therapists’ work with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and subcontracting more care to providers outside Kaiser. The Psychologists, Social Workers, Chemical Dependency Counselors and other Mental Health Clinicians were joined on the picket lines by some 23,000 Registered Nurses represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United and by Stationary Engineers represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39. Picket lines were launched in Santa Rosa, Fresno, Sacramento, and Santa Clara - as well as Oakland.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Kaiser mental health therapists strike to uphold patient care – People's World

Photo Courtesy Of The California Nurses Association Via Facebook.

SoHo Patagonia Workers 'Vote Unanimously To Join' The RWDSU - Workers Become Outdoor Retailer's 'First Unionized Shop in the East,' Win 'Follows a National Surge in Outdoor Retailer Organizing'

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) has announced Workers employed at the Patagonia Store in SoHo have voted unanimously to join the Union. The vote marks a historic milestone for employees of the Outdoor Apparel Giant, as they become the first Unionized Patagonia location in the Eastern United States.

The victory comes as Workers at the store seek to address a growing disconnect between the company’s public values and the daily realities of its Retail Staff.

In their push for a Union, Workers have cited a desire to regain lost benefits, including the restoration of previous Paid Time Off (PTO) policies and health care coverage that had been rolled back.

Workers also organized to secure guaranteed professional development opportunities and tuition reimbursement, benefits that were once a staple of the Patagonia experience - but have recently been eliminated.

In Unionizing, Workers at Patagonia’s SoHo store are fighting to ensure their jobs are as sustainable and respected as the products they sell.

“We voted ‘Union Yes’ because we believe in Patagonia’s mission, but a mission is only as strong as the people who carry it out every day on the floor,” said Morgan Skelton, a Customer Experience Guide at the SoHo Patagonia store. “We’ve secured our seat at the table to ensure our expertise is respected and our livelihoods are protected. We aren’t just selling gear - We’re providing a better experience for customers while building a sustainable future for Retail Workers in our industry.”

RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum said: “The Workers at Patagonia SoHo have proven that even at a company with a 'progressive' reputation, a Union contract is the only way to guarantee a ‘voice on the job.’ These Workers are part of a powerful movement of Retail Workers across New York City and the Outdoor Industry who are refusing to let their benefits and workplace culture be stripped away.”

Patagonia SoHo joins a growing wave of Unionized Retail Workers in New York City who are represented by the RWDSU, including workers at REI, Barnes & Noble, McNally Jackson and Goods for the Study. They also join their Colleagues at the Patagonia Store in Reno, Nevada, which Unionized in 2024.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: SOHO PATAGONIA WORKERS VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO JOIN THE RWDSU — Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)

Unionized New York University Professors Reach Tentative Contract Deal That Ends Two-Day Strike - Contract Secures First-Year Raise of 20% For 930 Faculty Members

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

George Weykamp at Bloomberg Law reports more than 900 Non-Tenure Track Professors have reached a tentative contract with New York University (NYU), ending a brief work-stoppage that affected roughly half of NYU’s Full-Time Faculty. The Contract Faculty United-United Auto Workers (CFU-UAW), which represents about 930 Faculty Members who aren’t eligible for tenure, said the Bargaining Committee has secured an average first-year raise of 20%. CFU-UAW Members teach about 25% of all classes across NYU, according to the University. The Faculty Members walked off the job on March 23rd, asking for higher wages and housing benefits to offset the cost of living in New York City. According to the CFU-UAW, its agreement includes “historic economic improvements and establishes important new workplace right for all Contract Faculty.” “It not only improves our lives as Faculty, but also makes NYUY a more equitable, stronger and freer University,” the Union said in a statement on its website.

For More On This Labor News Story & A Breakdown Of Bargained Items, Go To: New York University Professors Reach Deal to End Two-Day Strike And CFU-UAW Tentative Agreement Highlights | NYU Contract Faculty United, CFU-UAW

Journalists & Staff At The Fort Worth (Texas) Report 'Go Union'

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) – Journalists and Staff employed at The Fort Worth (Texas) Report have overwhelmingly voted to form a union, according to election results from the National Relations Labor Board (NLRB). The Workers voted 11-to-1 in favor of Union Representation as part of the Media Guild of the West and The NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The Fort Worth Report’s Board of Directors challenged the Union eligibility of two Staff Members - one of whom cast a ballot and another who didn’t.

Because the Board and the Guild could not reach an agreement on eligibility, those two Members were not counted in the vote’s final tally.

Staff will now have the right to negotiate as the Fort Worth Reporters Guild for a Union contract governing their pay and working conditions.

“These results were not based on mob rule, but rather a reflection of every single Unit Member who has been heavily involved in this process since its launch,” the Guild’s Organizing Committee said. “This is the next and vital step for our Community Newsroom and we look forward to steering trusted news forward in Tarrant County together.”

The secret ballot election was triggered when the Fort Worth Report Board of Directors and CEO/Publisher Chris Cobler declined to voluntarily recognize the Union in late January.

Staff at The Fort Worth Report have faced several Union-Avoidance measures from management in recent weeks, including the hiring of a national third-party Labor Relations Firm that specializes in advising employers on how to oppose Unionization and keep workplaces “Union free.”

Union Organizers launched the Unit to improve workplace conditions in one of the state’s few non-profit newsrooms.

The Union will advocate for a transparent pay scale and regular raises, protections against layoffs and unjust firings, fair hiring standards and essential benefits for its 12 Members.

The Fort Worth Report becomes Texas’ sixth Unionized Newsroom, joining The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, The Texas Tribune, The San Antonio Report and The Austin American-Statesman.

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA

The Lane Transit District Launches Oregon's 'First-Ever' Apprenticeship Program For Bus Operators

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Karen Richards at KLCC News reports the Lane Transit District (LTD) has been planning this first-of-its-kind Apprenticeship Program for well over a year. The Agency worked with Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries to certify the program, then trained Peer Mentors who will advise Trainees for their first 18 months. LTD Spokesperson Anni Katz said eight new Employees recently graduated from the nine-week training program. Those newly-minted Bus Operators, representing Oregon’s first class of Public Transportation Apprentices, will each be paired with a Mentor. Katz told KLCC: “That Mentor can be someone who, you can come back after a long day and kind of bounce ideas off them as a sounding board. You know, ‘I had this tough situation with someone today. What would I do?’ And in the long-term, it really helps with our retention of our Bus Operators.” Katz said the program isn’t a traditional Apprenticeship - but rather focuses on providing a support system for new Employees. Applications are open for the next LTD Bus Operator Apprenticeship training, which starts in July.

To Directly Access This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: LTD launches Oregon's first-ever apprenticeship program for bus operators

United Farm Workers' Co-Founder Dolores Huerta On The Cesar Chavez Allegations: "The Movement Is Bigger Than Any Individual"

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

People’s World Editor’s Note: On March 18th (2026), The New York Times published an extensive article - the result of years of investigative journalism, detailing accusations of sexual abuse by the famed and the late United Farm Workers (UFW) Leader Cesar Chavez. In the course of The Times Reporters’ interviews, Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder of the UFW, said that she, too, was a survivor. Her statement to the Labor Movement and the public appears below. In response to the allegations by Huerta and other Women, the UFW has cancelled its upcoming celebration of Chavez’s birthday and the National AFL-CIO and several Labor Organizations, along with Government Officials in California and other places, are calling for a full investigation into what happened decades ago. Huerta’s statement defends the Farm Workers, the Latino Community and the broader Labor Movement against those who might try to use the alleged failings of an individual leader to undermine their collective achievements and rights. Her experiences and those of others also point to the unfinished work of securing and protecting the dignity and equality of Women, including in spaces that are often assumed to be progressive or egalitarian.

I am nearly 96 years old and for the last 60 years have kept a secret because I believed that exposing the truth would hurt the Farm Worker Movement I have spent my entire life fighting for.

I have encouraged people to always use their voice.

Following The New York Times’ multi-year investigation into sexual misconduct by Cesar Chavez, I can no longer stay silent and must share my own experiences.

As a young Mother in the 1960s, I experienced two separate sexual encounters with Cesar.

The first time I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him and I didn’t feel I could say ‘no’ because he was someone that I admired, my boss and the leader of the movement I had already devoted years of my life to.

The second time I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped.

I had experienced abuse and sexual violence before and I convinced myself these were incidents that I had to endure alone and in secret.

Both sexual encounters with Cesar led to pregnancies.

I chose to keep my pregnancies secret - and, after the children were born, I arranged for them to be raised by other families that could give them stable lives.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to develop a deep relationship with these children, who are now close to my other children, their siblings.

But even then, no one knew the full truth about how they were conceived until just a few weeks ago.

I carried this secret for as long as I did because building the movement and securing Farm Worker Rights was my life’s work.

The formation of a Union was the only vehicle to accomplish and secure those rights and I wasn’t going to let Cesar or anyone else get in the way.

I channeled everything I had into advocating on behalf of millions of Farm Workers and others who were suffering and deserved equal rights.

I have never identified myself as a victim, but I now understand that I am a survivor - of violence, of sexual abuse, of domineering men who saw me, and other Women, as property, or things to control.

I am telling my story because The New York Times has indicated that I was not the only one -there were others.

Women are coming forward, sharing that they were sexually abused and assaulted by Cesar when they were girls and teenagers.

The knowledge that he hurt young girls sickens me.

My heart aches for everyone who suffered alone and in silence for years.

There are no words strong enough to condemn those deplorable actions that he did.

Cesar’s actions do not reflect the values of our community and our movement.

The Farm Worker Movement has always been bigger and far more important than any one individual.

Cesar’s actions do not diminish the permanent improvements achieved for Farm Workers with the help of thousands of people.

We must continue to engage and support our community, which needs advocacy and activism now more than ever.

I will continue my commitments to Workers, as well as my commitment to Women’s Rights, to make sure we have a voice and that our communities are treated with dignity and given the equity that they have so long been denied.

I have kept this secret long enough.

My silence ends here.

To Directly Access UFW Co-Founder Huerta’s Opinion Piece, Go To: Dolores Huerta on Chavez allegations: The movement is bigger than any individual – People's World

File Photo Courtesy Of The United Farm Workers Union.

More Than 68,000 Union-Represented Los Angeles Educators & Staff Members Announce April Strike Date 'If' School Administrators 'Refuse To Settle A Fair' Contract

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA) - More than 68,000 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Educators and Staff Members - represented by United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99, respectively - are ready to Strike if School Administrators refuse to settle a fair deal by April 14th. In the past decade, Los Angeles-area residents have seen inflation rise by more than 40%, putting a major financial strain on Workers. Local 99 - which has been bargaining for a new contract for 2.5 years - says that 99% of its Members are unable to afford a one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles. ULTA shares 56% of its Members are dealing with credit card debt and 30% have worked a second job. LAUSD has so far failed to offer meaningful proposals around salaries, class size enforcement, limitations on sub-contracting, staffing ratios and support for Special Education Programs. UTLA Vice President Julie Van Winkle said: “This is definitely to fight for public schools - a fight to make sure that we get the resources that we need at our schools. But it’s also a fight for working people. It’s not okay to live in the biggest City, in the richest State, in the richest country in the history of the world, and to have Public Educators that can’t even afford to live in the City where we teach.” During a Fight for LA joint rally that featured a crowd in different Union T-shirts, SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias said: “Now, this is what solidarity looks like. All of us here together, all colors ready to go!”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Los Angeles Unified faces potential strike by 68,000 teachers, other employees starting April 14 | EdSource

Photo Courtesy Of The United Teachers Los Angeles’s Facebook Page.

'This Is A Profound Tragedy' - Unions 'Mourn' The Two Air Canada Pilots Who Were Killed In A LaGuardia Runway Collision With An Emergency Vehicle On The Tarmac

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Two Pilots aboard Air Canada Regional Express Flight 8646 were killed after their plane collided with a Port Authority rescue and firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday (March 22nd), prompting a shutdown of the Airport as investigators began piecing together what happened.

LaGuardia remained closed into Monday morning while the Port Authority and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) examined the scene.

The Airport was closed until about 2 p.m., compounding delays for travelers already facing long security lines tied to staffing shortages during the partial Federal Government shutdown.

Captain Jason Ambrosi - who serves as President of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), released the following statement on the Union’s Facebook Page: “The loss of our two fellow Crew Members onboard Flight 8646 is a profound tragedy. These Pilots dedicated their careers to the safe transport of passengers and we are all thinking of their families, loved ones and colleagues at Jazz Aviation during this devastating time. ALPA's accident investigation team is on scene assisting the National Transportation Safety Board with its work and our Critical Incident Response Program is working to support ALPA Members and the families involved.”

Air Canada Flight 8646, operated by Regional Carrier Jazz Aviation as Air Canada Express, was arriving from Montreal when it struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle around 11:40 p.m. on Runway 4.

The vehicle, driven by sergeant Michael Orsillo and Officer Adrian Baez, had been dispatched to assist a United Airlines aircraft whose Pilot had reported an unusual cabin odor after multiple failed takeoff attempts.

According to the Port Authority, the plane was carrying 72 passengers and four Crew Members.

In total, 41 people from the flight and both Officers were taken to nearby hospitals.

Garcia said at a press conference the collision occurred during landing, adding that most of those hospitalized had since been released.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Unions mourn pilots killed in LaGuardia runway collision - The Chief

'1 IN 5' - New NYSUT Film 'Confronts Childhood Poverty In New York'

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A student in Ilion missed school for a week. When he finally returned to class, he explained he hadn’t had access to a washing machine and he couldn’t come to school in dirty clothes.

Another student - a 9-year-old in Rochester - missed school because he felt the need to stay home to protect his Mother in a house with no locks.

These are just two of the stories captured in 1 IN 5, a new long-form New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) film about the devastating impact of childhood poverty in New York State.

New York is one of the wealthiest regions in the world, a global leader in industry, finance and innovation - yet, one in five Children in our State lives in poverty, meaning more than 760,000 students aren’t getting their basic needs met.   

And the number of families living in poverty in New York has grown 10% since 2010, while the number struggling to make ends meet has grown even faster, at 21%.

Every day, Educators see first-hand how unmet basic needs keep their students from thriving, and NYSUT’s timely film - which took a year to complete and includes the voices of Educators, parents and advocates - explores the stark reality these students face in rural, suburban and urban communities.

In the film, Music Teacher Zachary Arenz, a Member of Rochester Teachers Association, talks about how what happens to students at home bleeds into their academic life, and keeps them from reaching their full potential: “I’m honored to have had even a small part in this project. (1 IN 5) reflects what educators are seeing every day: Students’ academic success is often tied to their lived experiences and that meaningful change will require partnership between schools, families and policymakers.”

The film also captures the perspectives of Teachers at Syracuse STEM at Blodgett Middle School where 95% of students live below the poverty line.

Syracuse has the worst childhood poverty rate in the U.S. among larger cities.

“I feel like subconsciously our kids deal with, ‘I’m not meant to be here. I’m not loved. No one really cares about me,’” said Leeza Roper, an ELA Teacher and Member of Syracuse Teachers Association.

The film also shows to what lengths dedicated Educators are going every day to help address poverty’s effects on their students, including clothing closets, coat drives, food distribution programs, back-pack programs and more.

Finally, the film introduces some of the most promising policies for addressing this issue, including Community Schools, which have proven to be remarkably successful when it comes to improving student outcomes.

“One of the most effective tools we have is the Community Schools model (which) serve as vital hubs, providing wraparound services that support family health, community safety and children's needs,” NYSUT President Melinda Person said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: New NYSUT film confronts childhood poverty in New York

To Watch The Film, Go To: 1 in 5: Confronting Childhood Poverty in New York

Two Groups Of Health Care Workers In New Jersey 'Go Union,' Join AFT Affiliate - The Health Professionals And Allied Employees

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Health Care Workers employed at New Jersey’s Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice and Inspira Health have both voted to join the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE), an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). In two separate National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Elections, Registered Nurse Case Managers at Inspira Health Medical Centers and Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Social Workers and other Staff at Samaritan both won their votes to form Unions. HPAE President Debbie White said: “These elections show tremendous solidarity and commitment. We congratulate them on the wins! Unions give Workers a voice and when Health Care Workers have a greater voice in their workplace, patients always benefit.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: 2 groups of New Jersey healthcare workers vote to unionize

New York Transit Museum Workers 'Go Union,' Join AFSCME

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers employed at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn have filed for a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Election to form a Union with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 37. Following a successful Organizing Drive by their Co-Workers in the museum gift shop to join Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 last year, Museum Educators, Visitor Experience Staff and others are now fighting for Union Representation, too. Workers went public with their effort to form the New York Transit Museum Collective in early February. Management has yet to voluntarily recognize AFSCME as their Bargaining Representative, but Staff remain committed to fighting for a contract that addresses low wages, lost benefits and other core concerns. “Our Museum tells stories that wouldn’t exist without Organized Labor,” said Ava Dennis, a part-time Museum Educator. “We tell these stories, we uplift them and remember them. We deserve that same sort of opportunity.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go to: Union Effort at New York Transit Museum Heads to a Vote - BKReader

Photo Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council

BP 'Locks Out' 900 USW-Represented Oil Workers In Indiana - Union Members 'Have Been Working Without A Contract Since February 1st', BP 'Hires Replacement Workers & Solicits The Services Of A Union-Busting Firm'

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Paul Kaczocha at People’s World reports Energy Giant BP - once known as British Petroleum, has locked out 900 United Steelworkers (USW)-represented Employees at its Whiting, Indiana Oil Refinery, the largest in the Midwest. Negotiations have been underway between the Workers and management since the Union’s contract ended on February 1st. USW Local 7-1 President Eric Schultz said the lockout followed a proposal the Union made: “We presented BP with an offer that included accepting several of their proposals, only for them to reject that after just four hours and serve us with a lockout notice.” BP has been seeking a six-year contract and 150-day notice before a Strike or lockout, saying that “industrial peace” would bring stability to its operations. The USW says the Union will not accept BP’s proposals, including cutting 100 Union jobs, eliminating all Union jobs in its Environmental Department, cutting pay for most job classifications and stripping away bargaining rights. Said Schultz: “They continue to demand we cut more than (100) jobs, accept pay cuts to nearly all positions and give up our bargaining rights. That’s just unacceptable. We are prepared to keep fighting for a fair agreement that protects local jobs, protects wages and protects the rights of our Members.” Management has already hired replacement Workers and solicited the services of a Union-Busting Company called Starcon, Union Officials said.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: BP locks out 900 oil workers in Indiana – People's World

Nitehawk Cinema Workers Rally For First Contract - Part Of A Wave Of Unionization At New York City Theaters

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Hilal Bahctepe at The Chief reports that since Unionizing in 2024, Employees at the Nitehawk Cinema’s Prospect Park Branch have been bargaining for a first contract that would increase Worker safety conditions, hourly pay and health care benefits - concerns which have yet to be met by management. Last week, Nitehawk Workers gathered in front of the theater’s Prospect Park location to demand attention to the contract, which Workers argue has been at a standstill for almost two years due to stalling and bad faith negotiating on part of the owners. “They do the legal bare minimum,” said Lydia DeKok, a Nitehawk Bartender and one of the original Union Organizers who began working at the Independent Cinema Chain in 2024. “Some of the biggest things that we’ve been asking for since the beginning are substantial hourly raises for everyone in the building. Our boss's reaction to that was that we were trying to bankrupt him.” Nitehawk Prospect Park Workers are represented by United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2179, which also represents Workers at Alamo Drafthouse and Cinema Village, local Cinemas that have been part of the surge in Unionizing over similar workplace concerns in local Movie Theaters within the past couple of years.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Nitehawk Cinema workers rally for first contract - The Chief

Stakeholders 'Urge' The U.S. Department Of Labor 'To Do More' On Apprenticeships

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Parker Purifoy & Chris Marr at Bloomberg Law report the U.S. Department of Labor’s (USDOL) newest guidance aimed at easing administrative burdens for employers launching Registered Apprentice Programs may not go far enough to achieve the Trump administration’s lofty job creation goals. The three guidance documents told businesses they don’t have to adhere to strict requirements about the length of Apprenticeship Programs - and laid out expectations for the role of State Governments in the Administration’s efforts to balloon the number of participants. But people who’ve overseen workforce development efforts say the guidance doesn’t solve underlying issues with the Apprenticeship Program that keep it from being more popular. “For a program that has struggled for decades, I don’t think a handful of small circulars that address annoying or bureaucratic issues are going to fundamentally change the adoption and expansion of the model,” said John Pallasch, who oversaw the USDOL’s Employment and Training Administration during President Donald Trump’s first term. “The Department needs to lean into it and commit to fundamentally changing the program, changing how it’s perceived by employers and job seekers.” It’s the Trump Administration’s first round of new guidance around the structure of Apprenticeship Programs, which some employers consider to be too cumbersome to use. President Trump has signed an Executive Order calling for the creation of one million new Registered Apprentices.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Punching In: Stakeholders Urge DOL to Do More on Apprenticeships

The Workers First AI Summit - National AFL-CIO President Shuler: "We Are Coming Together To Discuss The Foundational Principles That Drive Our Outlook For Worker-And-Equity-Centered AI Innovation That Leads To Opportunity For Everyone"

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler has released the following statement:

For the past couple of years, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has exploded - in our workplaces and our everyday lives.

Economists, Politicians, Silicon Valley Venture Capitalists, Higher Education Leaders and Public Health Experts alike all have their eyes on these emergent tools.

But few discussions around AI center the most important voices: Those of Working People.

Even though our labor and spending power scaffold the economy, Workers’ well-being has been treated as an afterthought in these policy conversations.

That’s why we have been laser focused on this issue for the past decade: Forming our Commission on the Future of Work and Unions in 2017; Starting our Tech Institute in 2021; and Now, in just a few days, hosting the inaugural Workers First AI Summit.

We first released our set of AI principles last year to lay out a vision of technological development where the preservation of Working People’s economic security is a central goal - and where new tools make work better and safer, with good Union jobs that have fair pay and better job quality.

On Thursday, March 26th, we will come together to discuss these foundational principles that drive our outlook for Worker-and-equity-centered AI innovation that leads to opportunity for everyone, rather than just enriching the world’s wealthiest technology companies and their investors.

National AFL-CIO Editor’s Note: Visit workersfirstai.org for more details.

Nearly 10,000-Represented Teamsters Nurses Employed At Corewell Health In Michigan Authorize A Strike, 'Sending A Clear Message They Are Prepared To Walk If A Fair Contract Isn't Bargained'

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(DETROIT, MICHIGAN) - Cameron Harrison at People’s World reports that after 16 months of contract negotiations and what Workers describe as continued bad-faith tactics by Corewell Health, nearly 10,000 Registered Nurses (RN) have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a Strike. The Nurses, who are Members of Teamsters Local 2024, announced nearly 90% of voting Members supported the Strike Authorization. They hope to send a clear message to the Michigan Health Care Conglomerate that they are prepared to walk off the job if a fair contract isn’t secured. The authorization does not mean a walkout is imminent, but it gives the Union’s Bargaining Team the power to call one if negotiations continue to stall. The newly-organized Nurses, who work across nine Hospitals and Campuses in Southeastern Michigan, have been fighting for their first Union contract since June 2025. Their demands center on safe Nurse-to-patient ratios, fair wages, affordable health insurance, arbitrary disciplinary protection, and improved workplace safety for Workers and patients alike. Rachel Szadyr, a Cardiac ICU Nurse and Bargaining Committee Member at Corewell, said: “This overwhelming Strike vote shows Nurses are done being bullied into silence while executives put profits over patients and gamble with our safety and our licenses. It’s no secret Nurses everywhere are struggling. We keep losing incredible Nurses because of a rigged system that lets so‑called non-profit Hospitals pile more responsibility onto Nurses, while stripping away the resources we need to provide safe care.” The Strike vote marks the latest escalation in a high-profile battle between the newly-Unionized workforce and one of Michigan’s largest Hospital Systems - a virtual health care monopoly. In November 2024, the Nurses made history by beating back an aggressive, $1.7 million Union-Busting campaign to join the Teamsters. That first victory, with nearly 63% of the vote going to the Union, was hailed as one of the largest single Union Elections in the U.S. in decades.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Patients before profits: 10,000 Teamsters nurses at Corewell authorize strike – People's World

NYSNA-Represented Nurses At The Brooklyn Hospital Center 'Win Back' Their Health Care Benefits 'Following March On CEO's Luxury Condo To Call Out Hospital Execs'

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) – After more than 45 days, New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center have won back their health care benefits. This comes after Nurses took their demands directly to the luxury condo of CEO Gary Terrinoni last week. Nurses marched alongside their Labor Allies and Elected Officials to call out hospital executives, who earlier had received millions in New York State funding - but failed to fully pay and reinstate Nurses’ benefits. Almost immediately, the hospital finalized the payments to restore the Nurses’ health coverage. But the NYSNA Nurses are not done. They will continue fighting to ensure the hospital covers past medical expenses, never lets their health care lapse again and fully pays the pension contributions owed, Union Officials said.

Background Story:

NYSNA-Represented Nurses At The Brooklyn Hospital Center ‘Bring Their Message To Restore And Secure Health Benefits To The CEO’

NYSNA News

(BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) - On St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th), New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)-represented Nurses at the Brooklyn Health Center, who’ve been without health insurance for more than 45 days, took their demands to reinstate coverage to CEO Gary Terrinoni’s luxury condo.

Nurses have been working without health insurance after hospital executives failed to pay into their benefit fund.

The Brooklyn Hospital Center has cited financial constraints and requested emergency funds from New York State.

The Hospital received millions in funding - more than enough to pay for Nurses’ health coverage, but only made a partial payment that was not enough to restore benefits.

On March 16th, after increasing pressure from NYSNA Nurses and State and Elected Officials, hospital executives finally made another necessary partial payment that should finally reinstate Nurses’ health benefits in the near term.

Now, NYSNA Nurses are demanding hospital administrators follow through on their commitment to restore health coverage, cover Nurses’ medical expenses and continue making future payments to the Benefit Fund to keep Nurses healthy and able to care for Brooklyn into the future.

While Nurses work without health coverage, the CEO and other top executives continue to take home millions of dollars in pay.

Together, executives at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, a Safety-Net Hospital, made more than $8 million a year in 2024.

In 2024, CEO Gary Terrinoni brought in nearly $2 million in executive pay.

Terrinoni owns a luxury condo in Brooklyn, a mansion in Pennsylvania and a house in a golf and beach resort community in Delaware.

There is no reason why the CEO of a Safety-Net Hospital should be living large while Front Line Nurses who care for the Brooklyn Community are forced to sacrifice their own health in order to care for patients, Union Officials said.

NYSNA Nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center averted a Strike earlier this year when management agreed to a fair contract that protects health care benefits.

Although the hospital promised benefits, they have since reneged on their promise, NYSNA said.

Meanwhile, Nurses have made difficult decisions over the past month and a half.

Many have sought out insurance on the ACA Marketplace, others have paid for COBRA coverage, while others are working without any coverage, hoping the hospital pays their bills.

Nurses and their families have also put off essential doctor appointments and medications.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said: “When hospitals break their promises to Nurses, it’s patients who pay the price. The CEO put the lives of Nurses and patients in danger, while mischaracterizing the Hospital’s finances to the public. We should all be alarmed that this level of irresponsibility is behind the helm of such an important Hospital. Nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center should know that they have the power of NYSNA Nurses across the State behind them in this fight.”

New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Brendan Griffith said: “For more than forty days, Nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center have been forced to delay their own care, their children’s care and critical medical appointments because hospital executives have not honored their commitments. That is wrong. It’s wrong for Workers and it’s wrong for patients because Nurses need to be able to focus on their work, not worry about whether their own families can get medical care. Brooklyn deserves hospitals that respect the people who make care possible. The New York City Labor Movement says clearly to the leadership of The Brooklyn Hospital Center: ‘Keep your commitment. Pay what you owe. Restore Nurses’ health benefits now.’”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: NYSNA Nurses at the Brooklyn Hospital Center Bring Their Message to Restore and Secure Health Benefits to the CEO | New York State Nurses Association

Photo Courtesy Of NYSNA’s Facebook Page.

'Ain't I A Woman?' - Homecare Workers 'Pressure' Governor Hochul & The New York City Council 'To End The 24-Hour Workday'

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - On International Women’s Day, Homecare Workers took to New York City Hall to pressure Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York City Council to pass the No More 24 Bill, which would abolish the 24-hour workday and force employers to repay $90 million in stolen wages.

The proposal was introduced to the Council in 2024, though it has since sat in the Committee on Civil Service and Labor unaddressed until this past December.

The language of the Bill would limit the total hours an employer can assign to a Worker for one shift to 12 hours - while leaving room for exceptions and emergencies.

Homecare Workers are often assigned to patients who need “around-the-clock care,” resulting in assigned 24-hour shifts without notice or consent from an aide.

Workers are only compensated for 12 to 13 of these hours, the remaining 11 considered “time off” for sleep and meals.

Mostly middle-aged or elderly themselves, these Workers - mostly Women - spend these consecutive hours doing back-breaking physical labor in a high-stress health care environment.

The struggle to end the 24-hour workday is led by the Ain’t I A Woman? Campaign (AIW), Youth Against Sweatshops (YAS and the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops (NMASS).

The movement they constitute began its fight more than 10 years ago, with three Home Attendants filing a Class-Action Lawsuit in 2015 which alleged their employer - the Chinese American Planning Council, failed “to pay them under the New York Labor Law: Minimum wages; Overtime wages; Spread-of-hours wages; and Straight time wages, among other claims.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To: Homecare workers pressure Hochul and Mamdani to end 24-hour workday – People's World

Photo Courtesy Of The Ain’t I A Woman Campaign Via Facebook.

Workers Employed At Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital In Oregon 'Go Union,' Join The SEIU

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Workers employed at the Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital in the State of Oregon have overwhelmingly voted to form a Union with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49, successfully securing fair representation for Staff at all Samaritan Facilities. The new Bargaining Unit covers roles like nutrition services, housekeeping and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). Workers were motivated to organize to secure the fair pay and affordable health care that their counterparts at other locations have won in their Collective Bargaining Agreements. “The Union is something so cool because you can make decisions together with administration,” CNA Adilson Nuñez said, “and we both create something that is good for us as Employees. We work together for a purpose - we work together for the same goal.” Local 49 Communications Director Alan Dubinsky said: “One of the ultimate goals in all of this is providing Workers with a better life through their contracts with good benefits and recognizing how that also helps the communities that they serve.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Samaritan workers in OR join SEIU, uniting 5 locations | Public News Service

SMART President Coleman Says The Trump Administration's Labor Department 'Is Issuing Dangerous Guidance' On Registered Apprenticeship

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Earlier this month, the Trump Administration’s Department of Labor (DOL) issued new guidance regarding Registered Apprenticeship Programs. In response, SMART (Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation) General President Michael Coleman released the following statement:

“I’ve said since January 2025 that I’m committed to calling balls and strikes with this Administration.

Calling for one million new Apprentices?

That’s a strike.

Getting to one million Apprentices by lowering the standards and potentially damaging our Union’s Apprenticeship Programs?

That’s a ball, no question.

Our Union’s Registered Apprenticeship Programs are the bedrock of the Sheet Metal Industry - for Workers, for Union Contractors and for our country.

Through our strong Registered Apprenticeships, Working Americans get trained at the highest standards, make a living while learning the Trade and build the infrastructure that our communities rely on.

This has set the bar for our industry and our Nation for generations.

But this model depends on rigorous standards that Apprenticeship Programs must meet to avoid undermining our high-quality training - and the Department of Labor’s guidance puts those standards at risk.

This guidance would encourage Apprenticeship Programs to focus on speed instead of skill development, create a 30-day ‘shot clock’ for the Department of Labor to rubber stamp new programs in a rush and increase flexibility for employers - potentially reducing the current emphasis on protecting Workers and creating opportunity for all Apprentices.

There’s a lot more to be said about this dangerous guidance.

But I’ll get straight to the point: This is a threat to SMART Members, our families, our Apprenticeship Programs and Tradespeople everywhere.

We urge the Department of Labor to change course, and we call on the President to stand up for our Nation’s Workers by strengthening the standards that protect them.”

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Trump administration’s Labor Department issues dangerous guidance on registered apprenticeship — GP Coleman responds - SMART Union

From The United Steelworkers: The SAVE Act 'Silences Eligible Voices At The Ballot Box'

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

On February 11th (2026), the House of Representatives passed the SAVE Act by a vote of 218-to-213 after stripping the contents of a bipartisan Veterans Bill and using it as the vehicle for the legislation. The SAVE Act would require documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote or update voter registration - documents that an estimated 21 million eligible voters do not have easy access to. These requirements would disproportionately impact Working Class Americans, including rural voters, Naturalized Citizens, young voters, Women whose names have changed, Seniors and Communities of Color that already face barriers accessing official records. The United Steelworkers (USW) believe elections must be secure, but every eligible voter deserves a fair and equal voice at the ballot box. The SAVE Act creates unnecessary barriers that could silence millions of Working People.

USW Editor’s Note: To Access the Above Flier, Go To: http://usw.to/5ma

Tuskegee University 'Breaks Ground With Innovative' Nursing Apprenticeship Program

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Bolarinwa Oladeji at The Grio reports a collaboration with Baptist Health System is bringing Tuskegee students early clinical experience and financial support, preparing them for successful careers in health care. Tuskegee University has made history as the first historically Black College or University (HBCU) in Alabama to offer a Nursing Apprenticeship Program, a move designed to give students hands-on experience and expand access to the Health Care Workforce. The program, launched in partnership with Baptist Health System, allows students to pair one-on-one with experienced Nurse Mentors, providing early clinical training while still in school, according to Montgomery, Alabama’s WSFA 12. The Registered Nursing Apprenticeship Program builds on Alabama’s broader Student Nurse Apprenticeship initiative, which began in March 2022. Unlike traditional nursing tracks, Apprentices start practical training earlier in their academic careers, gaining exposure to specialty departments and earning wages during clinical rotations. This approach not only strengthens students’ clinical readiness but also helps reduce financial barriers that can prevent many from completing Nursing Degrees. Baptist Health System serves as the program’s “last-dollar” scholarship provider, covering remaining tuition and school-related expenses not paid through other aid. “This Apprenticeship represents a different way of thinking about how we prepare Alabama’s Health Care Workforce,” said Meredith Smith, who serves as Director of the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. Smith notes the program combines structured mentorship, practical experience and financial support, creating a pipeline for well-prepared Nurses entering the State’s Hospitals and Clinics.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Tuskegee University breaks ground with innovative nursing apprenticeship program

Annual Celebrations Have Been Cancelled Nationwide After The Iconic & Late Labor Leader Cesar Chavez Stands Accused Of Decades Of Sexual Abuse

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Latino Leaders, Labor Leaders and Elected Officials are voicing shock over “deeply troubling” sexual misconduct allegations against the late Cesar Chavez, one of the Latino Community’s most prominent Civil Rights Icons, as planned annual celebrations of the late Labor Leader have now been canceled and his legacy as a Labor Movement Hero is thrown into question.

The cancellations came just hours before The New York Times published an investigative story that included allegations Chavez abused and molested multiple Women over the course of decades - some of them minors - including long-time United Farm Workers (UFW) Activist Dolores Huerta, a legend of the Farm Workers Movement in her own right.

The UFW, co-founded by Chavez (who died in 1993) and Huerta, is among several groups now saying it will not participate in annual celebratory events this month.

Posted on its website: the UFW said it had learned of deeply troubling allegations that one of the Union’s co-founders, Cesar Chavez, behaved in ways that are incompatible with our organization’s values.

Some of the reports are family issues and not our story to tell or our place to comment on.

Far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young Women or minors.

Allegations that very young Women or girls may have been victimized are crushing.

We have not received any direct reports and we do not have any first-hand knowledge of these allegations.

However, the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose.

The United Farm Workers will not be taking part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities.

Instead, we call on our allies and supporters to take part in immigration justice events and acts of service to support Farm Workers or empower vulnerable people in their own communities.

Over the coming weeks, in partnership with experts in these kinds of processes, we are working to establish an external, confidential, independent channel for those who may have experienced harm caused by Cesar Chavez during the early days of the UFW’s history.

This channel is for those who wish to share their experiences of harm, to identify their current impacts and needs, and, if desired, to participate in a collective process to develop mechanisms for repair and accountability.

We are grateful to the support of experts who can help us seek the truth that is the first step toward healing.

These allegations have been profoundly shocking.

We need some time to get this right, including to ensure robust, trauma-informed services are available to those who may need it.

We understand this will be tremendously painful for many and we encourage our community to seek mental health support if they experience distress.

Today’s UFW is a modern and progressive Labor Union and we will seek to learn from our history.

Farm Workers are winning new Union contracts and the United Farm Workers is fighting to protect Immigrant Communities from the wage cuts, violence and attacks Farm Workers face today.

The work to support the Farm Workers who feed our Nation is more important than ever and this work will continue.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond released the following statement:

These horrific, disturbing allegations come as a deep shock to us. Our thoughts are first and foremost with any victims of assault and abuse who have described experiencing what no one - especially children - should ever have to survive. No legacy can excuse it. The National AFL-CIO unequivocally condemns the actions described in The New York Times article and supports a full investigation into these allegations. The National AFL-CIO will not participate or endorse any upcoming activities for Cesar Chavez Day. The National AFL-CIO will always stand in solidarity with Farm Workers who have fought for and won critical rights over generations through collective action, resilience and extraordinary determination - a history that cannot be erased by the horrific actions of one person. The Labor Movement was organized not only to protect Workers’ paychecks and benefits, but also to ensure they are safe from any form of harassment, inappropriate conduct or assault. Our commitment to safety and justice for Farm Workers, Immigrant Workers and all in our workplaces will never waver.

For More On This Labor News Report, Go To:

Iconic labor leader Cesar Chavez accused of decades of sexual abuse as annual celebrations are canceled nationwide

AFL-CIO on Allegations Against Cesar Chavez | AFL-CIO

Statement from United Farm Workers: March 17, 2026 – UFW

The WNBA & Its Players' Union Reach Tentative Agreement On A New Contract

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The WNBA and its Players' Union have reached an agreement in principle on a transformational new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The deal comes 17 months after the Players opted out of their previous agreement and five months after the previous deal was initially set to expire, with talks often becoming contentious. A new salary cap will start at $7 million, up from $1.5 million under the previous agreement, according to a person with knowledge of the agreed-upon terms who was not allowed to comment publicly, the Associated Press reported. Additionally, Players will make an average salary of around $600,000 and minimum contracts will be above $300,000. Across the life of the deal, Players will earn an average share of 20% of gross revenue. A term sheet should be done in the next day or two. It will then need to be ratified by the Players and then approved by the WNBA's Board of Governors.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: WNBA and players' union reach tentative deal on a new collective bargaining agreement

CBS News Workers 'Hold 24-Hour Walkout For New Contract' - The Writers Guild Of America East Says Management 'Failed To Offer Fair Wages & Basic Job Protections'

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michael Sainato at The Guardian reports Workers at CBS News walked out for 24 hours after a new contract agreement was not reached following the expiration of the contract last week. About 60 Workers at the Streaming Service CBS News 24/7 are represented by the Writers Guild of America East. The Union is holding rallies and walkouts at the CBS News Broadcast Center in Manhattan and at KPIX-TV CBS News Bay Area in San Francisco. The Union contract expired earlier this month and the Union delivered a Strike pledge to management shortly thereafter after 95% of the Unit signed the pledge and 2,900 Union Members and supporters signed letters to management to reach a contract with the Union. “CBS News (24/7) Journalists are walking off the job on both coasts today because management refuses to agree to a new contract with essential work protections and fair wages,” the Union said, further alleging management continues proposing worse terms than their previous contracts.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: CBS News workers hold 24-hour walkout for new contract | CBS | The Guardian

Writers Guild Of America East-Provided Photo.

Organized Labor 'Joins Allies To Demand Workers Receive A $30-An-Hour Minimum Wage As The Cost-Of-Living Surges' In New York City

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) – Carter Myers-Brown at The Chief reports Labor Leaders, Elected Officials and Community Advocates recently gathered on the steps of New York City Hall to launch the $30 For Our City Campaign, backing legislation that would gradually raise the City’s Minimum Wage to $30 an hour. The Bill would nearly double the City’s current $17 hourly minimum and phase in the increase over several years, reaching $30 by 2030 for large employers. Supporters say the proposal is a response to the City’s worsening affordability crisis, arguing wages have failed to keep pace with the cost of living: “Costs are up and wages are down, pushing New Yorkers out of our City. Earning the minimum wage shouldn’t mean living in poverty.” The push has drawn support from a broad coalition - including The Alliance for a Greater New York (ALIGN), the Amazon Labor Union, Make the Road New York, New York Communities for Change, Teamsters Local 804 and the Workers Justice Project, along with several City Council Members. Under the proposal, companies with more than 500 Employees would be required to pay Workers at least $20 an hour by 2027 and reach $30 by 2030. Smaller employers would follow a slightly slower schedule, paying $21.50 by 2028 and reaching $30 by 2032. Future increases would then be tied to Cost-Of-Living Adjustments.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Workers demand $30 minimum wage as cost of living surges in NYC - The Chief

Workers At California's WomanHaven Domestic Violence Resource Center 'Go Union' With OPEIU

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Workers at WomanHaven, a prominent Domestic Violence Resource Center in the Imperial Valley of California, voted to organize with Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 30. The new Union Members fill a broad range of Staff roles - from Mental Health Counselors to Thrift Store Clerks. The election was split into two voting groups to account for the different roles within the organization. The larger of the two groups, composed of 22 Employees who are the front line of the organization’s daily operations, include Client Advocates, Lead Case Managers, Shelter and Housing Advocates and Mental Health Technicians, as well as Thrift Store and Warehouse Staff. These Workers voted 13-to-7 in favor of Unionization. The second voting group consisted of the organization’s Professional Staff, specifically its Mental Health Counselors. WomanHaven provides essential services to the El Centro Community, including emergency shelter, counseling and legal advocacy for victims of domestic violence. “From the first time I met with the group in the Fall of (2025), the employees at WomanHaven expressed their desire for a collective voice in the workplace and a clearer way for their concerns to be heard,” Local 30 Director of Organizing Jamie Campbell said. “Serving the clients they help every day is their passion, and now, with Union representation, we hope this will ease some of the tensions they’ve experienced on the job.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Womanhaven employees vote to unionize | News | ivpressonline.com

'The Conduit To The Trades Wall' - New Union Skilled Trades Posting At A Michigan High School 'Helps Students Explore Career Options In The Building Trades'

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Andy Jeffrey at The Port Huron Times Herald reports on a unique and new installation at Algonac Junior/Senior High School in Clay Township that is giving Michigan students a closer look at Skilled Trades career and connecting them directly with Apprenticeship Programs across the State. The school recently installed a Conduit to the Trades Wall, an interactive display highlighting Building Trades such as welding, plumbing and electrical work. The wall was installed in early March with the District hosting a community open house on March 12th to showcase the new resource. School officials say the goal is to expose students to career paths that don’t necessarily require a four-year college degree. “We saw an opportunity to expand opportunities for our students and expose them to broader ideas they might not actually see,” said Joe Ogilvy, Assistant Principal at Algonac Junior/Senior High School. The display features information about local Union Apprenticeship Programs and includes QR codes students can scan to learn more about each Trade.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: New trades wall at Algonac school helps students explore career options

Photo Courtesy Of The Port Huron (Michigan) Times Herald.

National AFL-CIO President Liz Schuler On The February Jobs Report: "It's Clear That This Administration Couldn't Care Less About Addressing Affordability For Everyday People"

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Schuler has released the following statement regarding the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) February Jobs Report:

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released the February jobs report.

It provided more proof of exactly what Working People have been saying for more than a year: Trump’s economy isn’t working.

Nearly 100,000 jobs were cut last month and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%.

The Trump Administration has been governing with a billionaires-first agenda and now we’re seeing the consequences.

Jobs are down in nearly every sector and more cuts are coming as funding that industries need dries up.

For months, the only growing area has been health care and those jobs are being ripped away, too - which disproportionately affects Women Workers, especially Women of Color.

At the same time, energy prices are spiking and the cost of living overall is crushing Working People.

And, if that weren’t bad enough, Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill” is slashing essential public programs like food assistance and Medicaid, further weakening the social safety nets that keep working families from losing everything.

Regardless of the message Trump ran his re-election campaign on, it’s clear that this Administration couldn’t care less about addressing affordability for everyday people.

From The Economic Policy Institute: How Trump 'Is Weaponizing The EEOC Against The Workers It Was Built To Protect' - 'A More Diverse Workforce Isn't DEI-Motivated Discrimination, It's Just Demographic Change'

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – President Donald Trump’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently opened a Federal investigation into Nike and its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives - alleging systemic discrimination against White Workers. This is the first time the EEOC has targeted a large private employer with a Federal investigation and subpoena explicitly linked to their DEI initiatives and hiring goals. Shortly thereafter, the EEOC sued a Coca-Cola Bottling Company for sex discrimination following a networking event it held for Female Employees. The EEOC Chair closed a busy February with a letter to Fortune 500 companies, warning them about “unlawful discrimination” related to their use of DEI initiatives. These recent EEOC actions reflect Trump’s undue control over the Agency and his Administration’s effective weaponization of the EEOC to fight against DEI, a broad set of programs and initiatives designed to remedy the long and well-documented history of systemic injustices against People of Color and Women in the labor market. Established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC has operated as an independent Federal Agency throughout its 60-year history enforcing Employment Non-Discrimination Laws - until last year.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: A more diverse workforce isn’t ‘DEI-motivated discrimination’—it’s just demographic change: How Trump is weaponizing the EEOC against the workers it was built to protect | Economic Policy Institute

'From Construction Site To Advocate' - New York City District Council Of Carpenters Samantha Martin 'Leads A New Generation Of Women In The Trades'

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Carter Myers-Brown at The Chief reports when Samantha Martin entered the Construction Industry at the age of 21, she was stepping into a world where Women were still a rarity on most job sites. The path from Apprentice Carpenter to Union Leader would require long days, physical labor and the confidence to prove she belonged in a field where many Workers had never seen a Woman do the job. Twelve years later, Martin now serves as a Council Representative for the New York City District Council of Carpenters, helping organize Workers and advocate for their rights across the City. But her career began the same way as thousands of other Carpenters: Arriving early on construction sites, learning the craft and finding her place in an industry still learning how to make space for Women. When Martin joined Local 45, she completed a four-year Apprenticeship Program that trained her in framing and drywall installation. Much of the work involved building the interior skeletons of rooms - measuring, installing studs and preparing walls for drywall. As her skills developed, she moved into more specialized work, including quality control. Construction work, she said, often involves a mix of physical labor and problem-solving. Different Trades - Electricians, Plumbers, Carpenters - must coordinate closely, and small miscalculations can create challenges for everyone else on the job. “Nothing better than an Electrician installing something exactly where the door has to go,” she said with a laugh.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Carpenter Samantha Martin leads a new generation of women in the trades - The Chief

Westchester Construction Boss 'Convicted Of Scamming Workers Is Re-Arrested For $50,000 In Wage Theft'

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Amir Khafagy at Documented reports a Westchester contractor, exposed by Documented for continuing to operate his construction business despite a conviction for stealing thousands from Immigrant Workers, has been arrested again on new wage theft charges. Artemio Fuerte, 40, was arrested for allegedly stealing $51,720 in wages from five Employees between 2022 and 2025. Fuerte was re-arrested on March 3rd and charged at New Rochelle City Court on one count each of second-degree grand larceny - which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, and first-degree scheme to defraud - which carries a maximum of four years in prison. He was also charged with five counts of Failure to Pay Wages When Due Under Labor Law. District Attorney Susan Cacace said: “These hard-working employees were taken advantage of by the defendant to the tune of over ($50,000). Deliberately withholding wages from your employees is not a book-keeping trick, it is a crime. I stand with the Labor Community in demanding that all Workers in Westchester be paid fairly, in accordance with the Labor Law.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Construction Boss Convicted of Scamming Workers is Rearrested for $50,000 in Wage Theft - Documented

174 Workers Employed At The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest In Nevada 'Go Union' With The International Association Of Machinists

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In a significant victory by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) Organizing Department, 174 Non-Professional Employees at the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada and Eastern California have successfully organized under the IAM. “We are extremely motivated to bring Union representation to more and more Federal Workers in the National Parks and Forest Service,” IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett said. “Federal Workers have been under attack by the current Administration and we are determined to bring the security of a Union contract to the dedicated people who maintain and conserve our Nation’s protected lands.” Jerry McCarty, the IAM Assistant Organizer Coordinator who coordinated the process of Union representation for the group, highlighted the grassroots nature of the campaign: “This was an Employee-driven effort. The Workers felt the need for a Union to protect their rights and improve their working conditions.” Amid the current Trump Administration’s attacks on Federal Workers, the IAM Organizing Department has been strategically organizing Workers across National Parks and the Forest Service since early 2025.

To Read This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: 174 Workers at Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Secure Victory with IAM Union in Grassroots Organizing Department Win - IAM Union

IAM-Provided Photo.

Court 'Orders Restoration' Of AFGE Veterans Affairs Collective Bargaining Agreement - AFGE 'Applauds' Judge's Decision Ordering VA Secretary To Restore AFGE National VA Council Contract 'That Covers More Than 320,000 Employees'

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The American Federation of Government Employees National Veterans Affairs Council (AFGE/NVAC), the largest Union representing more than 320,000 Employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs, is celebrating Judge Melissa DuBose’s decision granting the Union’s motion for a preliminary injunction.

Judge DuBose ordered the reinstatement of the Master Collective Bargaining Agreement between the AFGE/NVAC and the VA, as well as all local and mid-term agreements, finding that Secretary Doug Collins and the VA likely violated the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act.

On August 6th, 2025, Secretary Collins terminated the AFGE/NVAC Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Secretary Collins, however, did not terminate all VA Collective Bargaining Agreements, but only those with Unions that had opposed the Trump Administration’s attacks on VA Workers and the Veterans they serve.

Shortly thereafter, AFGE/NVAC filed a lawsuit in Providence, Rhode Island alleging Secretary Collins’ decision to terminate the agreement was unlawfully based on AFGE and NVAC’s protected First Amendment activity, and that the termination further violated the Administrative Procedure Act and requested the Court issue a preliminary injunction reinstating the agreement while the case is litigated.

Judge DuBose’s decision rightly found that AFGE/NVAC is likely to succeed on these claims and that the actions of Secretary Collins and the VA are causing irreparable harm to AFGE/NVAC and the Employees it represents.

In her decision, Judge DuBose found that “the termination of the Master CBA on August 6th seems substantially motivated by the Plaintiffs’ history and frequency of vocally opposing changes to labor policies."

AFGE National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement: "Secretary Collins singled out AFGE and our Members for retaliation because we refused to stay silent about cuts and changes at the VA that would harm Veterans. His decision to exempt other Unions from the President's Executive Order and then terminate AFGE/NVAC's Collective Bargaining Agreement made the retaliation impossible to deny. When the VA signed its contract with AFGE/NVAC, it made a binding commitment to provide AFGE/NVAC-represented Nurses, Doctors and other VA Staff with the rights and support they need to care for our Veterans. That contract cannot be unilaterally torn up. The VA's actions didn't just violate the law. Those same actions put Veterans' care at risk by undermining the very people dedicated to serving them. Today's ruling holds this Administration accountable and makes clear: No one can retaliate against Workers for standing up for their rights. We are pleased the court has restored the largest Union contract of VA employees and protected both the Federal Workforce and the Veterans who depend on them."

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: AFGE | Court Orders Restoration of AFGE Veterans Affairs Collective Bargaining Agreement

Labor Perspective From AFGE President Everett Kelley: The System Is 'Failing' TSA Workers - 'And Travelers Are Paying The Price'

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

MS NOW Editor’s Note: Everett Kelley is the National President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest Union representing Federal and Washington, D.C. Government Employees. Kelley recently authored a Labor Perspective that appeared on MS NOW, which reads - in part:

In the most recent pay period, many TSA (Transportation and Security Agency) Officers received only a fraction of their normal pay.

Now, the checks have stopped entirely.

If you’ve traveled through airports such as New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong or Houston’s Hobby recently, you may have seen something unusual.

Security lines stretching farther than you, or anyone, would expect.

In you flew out of New Orleans on Sunday, you may have seen those security lines stretch out into the parking garage.

They also stretched outside at least one terminal in Houston.

Maybe you were worried about missing your flight.

Maybe you were frustrated and stood there wondering what was going on.

Across the country, TSA Officers are once again being asked to report to work without a paycheck.

Let me tell you what was going on.

Those lines were not a fluke.

They were a warning about what happens when the people responsible for keeping our Aviation System safe are forced to choose between performing a public service that keeps us all safe for no pay - or flipping burgers with pay.

Across the country, TSA Officers are once again being asked to report to work without a paycheck.

In the most recent pay period, many Officers received only a fraction of their normal pay.

Some Members of the American Federation of Government Employees took home as little as $5.

Now, the checks have stopped entirely.

Instead, we have partisan gridlock once again.

It’s long past time for Congress to get together and pay the folks keeping American air travelers safe.

So, if you are frustrated standing in that long security line, I understand.

But I hope you will also think about the Officer at the end of that checkpoint lane.

They showed up for work without knowing when they will be paid.

They showed up because they take their mission seriously.

They showed up because protecting the traveling public matters to them.

A long airport line is an inconvenience.

What politicians are doing to these Workers is far worse.

To Read AFGE President Kelley’s Labor Perspective In Its Entirety, Go To: Long TSA wait times during this shutdown are a warning of worse to come

Photo Courtesy Of The AFGE’s Facebook Page.

Combat Veteran & U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth 'Helps Lead Bipartisan Push To Increase Veterans' Access To Benefits & Encourage Participation In Apprenticeship Programs'

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (Democrat-Illinois) recently joined U.S. Senators Tim Sheehy (Republican-Montana), Elissa Slotkin (Democrat-Michigan) and Kevin Cramer (Republican-North Dakota) in leading a bipartisan push to increase access to Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for Veterans pursuing Apprenticeships. The Senators’ Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to Apprenticeship Act would allow Post-9/11 GI Bill beneficiaries pursuing On-the-Job Training (OJT) or Apprenticeship (APP) Programs to have access to the full Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) amount without a semi-annual reduction and without a monthly work hour requirement. Said Duckworth: “When our Veterans hang up their uniform, they deserve our full support as they transition back into Civilian life, and that includes cutting unnecessary red tape that makes it harder for them to access the benefits they’ve earned. Our bipartisan legislation would support Veterans’ employment by making Post-(9/11) GI Bill benefits more widely accessible to Veterans pursuing Apprenticeship or on-the-job training, encouraging broader participation in these life-changing programs.”

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Duckworth Helps Lead Bipartisan Push to Increase Veterans’ Access to Benefits, Encourage Participation in Apprenticeship Programs | U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois

Photo Showing Senator Duckworth With Our Military Courtesy Of The Senator’s Facebook Page.

From WGRZ-TV: Mental Health In Construction - SMART Local 71's Business Manager 'Chimes In On The Bills Stadium Project That Highlights Need For On-Site Support'

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK) - A new approach to Worker well-being is gaining attention at the construction site of the new stadium for the National Football League Buffalo Bills, where organizers say mental health support is becoming just as important as physical safety. Last week the Anti‑Stigma Coalition held a discussion about the mental health challenges facing Construction Workers and praised the presence of a dedicated Mental Health Counselor at the stadium construction site. Advocates say the initiative could serve as a model for other large construction projects across the country. In Orchard Park, Workers have direct access to a licensed Mental Health Counselor stationed in a trailer on the property. The Counselor is available regularly to speak with Workers who may be dealing with stress, anxiety or personal issues. Union Leaders hope the effort at the Bills stadium site encourages other construction projects to adopt similar programs. SMART (the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers) Local 71 Business Manager Tim Benes took part in the discussion and emphasized that the benefits of mental health support that go beyond Worker well-being: “There's definitely dollar and cents involved and I think that we need to get general contractors and users seeing the value of it and honestly in getting them to make it happen.” Supporters say improved morale, fewer workplace conflicts, and better overall productivity can all come from addressing mental health in the workplace.

To Watch WGRZ-TV’s Report In Its Entirety, Go To: Mental health in construction: Bills stadium project highlights need for on-site support | wgrz.com

And For A Look At The Construction Of The Bills’ New Stadium, Go To:

Inside Look At Construction Of The New Highmark Stadium | Built For Buffalo Episode 3: The Structure

And

2025 New Highmark Stadium Progress REVEALED: Exclusive Inside Access | Built for Buffalo Episode 4 - YouTube

Screen Capture Photographs Via The Above Buffalo Bills’ Posted Videos On YouTube.

Federal Worker Unions 'Vow To Fight Pro-Trump' Court Ruling

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Two top Federal Worker Unions - the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), are vowing to fight on for their Collective Bargaining Agreements and rights despite a pro-Trump Federal Appeals Court ruling tossing most of those contracts out. But AFGE, led by President Everett Kelley, and NTEU, headed by President Doreen Greenwald, still are hashing out what their next legal moves will be. The need for further struggles occurs after a three-Judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco overturned a prior Lower-Court Pro-Union ruling. That means the Unions and Workers now have no protections against mass firings - or against pressure from corporate special interests, acting through dark money and campaign contributions - to get Trump-supporting top officials to order Workers to disobey the law, or else. That Pro-Union decision by Judge James Donato also produced an injunction banning Trump from dumping 21 Union contracts. That injunction is now gone, too. A Federal Court in Washington, D.C. is weighing the fate of 16 other contracts. The fate of all Union contracts covering Federal Workers is important not just to them, but to everyone in the U.S. Without protections of a contract, the Federal Workers can be fired, regardless of what the law covering them or the law they enforce says.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Federal worker unions vow to fight pro-Trump court ruling – People's World

Photo Courtesy Of The AFGE’s Facebook Page.

3,800 UFCW-Represented Meatpacking Workers Are Set To Strike At A Colorado Plant Monday, 'The First Labor Strike In The Meatpacking Industry In Decades'

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Michael Sainato at The Guardian reports 3,800 Workers employed at JBS USA, the world’s largest meat producer, are set to begin an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike Monday (March 16th) in Greeley, Colorado - in what will be the first Labor Strike in the industry in decades. The walkout threatens to put further strain on U.S. meat prices - ground beef prices soared 15% last year - and could prove a headache for the Trump Administration as it struggles with poor polling on cost-of-living issues. The decision came after 99% of the Workers represented by United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 voted to authorize a ULP S strike after nine months of negotiations over a new contract. Local 7 President Kim Cordova said it will be the first Strike action ever carried out at the plant. Workers say JBS has forced them to pay out-of-pocket for expensive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), discriminated against Immigrant Workers and tried to force through low-ball contract options.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Nearly 4,000 US meatpacking workers to strike at plant run by top Trump donor | US unions | The Guardian And JBS Workers to Strike over Unfair labor Practices beginning March 16, 2026 — UFCW Local 7

Columbia-United Auto Workers-Represented University Student Workers 'Overwhelmingly Approve Potential' Strike

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Dora Gao at The Columbia Spectator reports Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers (SWC-UAW) have voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a potential Strike following months of stalled contract negotiations with the University. Union Members voted 1,129-to-105 (more than 91%) in favor, according to the SWC-UAW, which represents 3,000 Graduate and Undergraduate Students who provide research or instructional labor to the University. Although the vote does not immediately trigger a Strike, it allows Union Leadership to call one if negotiations continue to stall. Negotiations are still ongoing for a contract that began in March 2025 - ahead of the June 30th, 2025 expiration date of the previous contract between the University and the SWC-UAW - which was the first of its kind at Columbia. The Union is pushing for higher wages, expanded health care benefits and protections for Non-Citizen Workers, among others. However, the University and the Union are said to remain far apart on virtually all issues.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers overwhemingly authorizes potential strike

March Madness! Faculty Unions Hold 'Hands Off St. John's' Rally Outside Madison Square Garden

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Last week, the St. John’s University (SJU) American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Chapter - along with students, allies in the Labor Movement including the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, Political Candidates and Religious Leaders - kicked off the SJU’s Men’s Basketball Team’s participation in the Big East March Madness Tournament by demanding Father Shanley get back to the bargaining table, because Union-Busting is a flagrant foul. The rally was held outside Madison Square Garden, site of the Big East Tournament. Speakers called on the University Administration to reverse its decision to end recognition of its two Unions that were formed in 1970 - the SJU-AAUP and the Faculty Association (FA) - and to return to negotiations. Faculty Members warned the move threatens decades of collective bargaining at the University and undermines the rights and working conditions of the Educators who teach and mentor St. John’s students. The rally was part of an ongoing campaign by Unionized Faculty and their supporters to defend the Unions and push the Administration back to the bargaining table.

For More On This Labor News Report & To Watch Video Labor News Coverage Of This Event, Go To The AAUP’s Facebook Page.

Photo Courtesy Of the AAUP’s Facebook Page.

Editorial Workers Employed At The Chemical & Engineering News 'Go Union' - 'Win Election In A Landslide'

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Editorial Workers employed at the Chemical & Engineering News, the independent magazine of the American Chemical Society, have overwhelmingly voted to Unionize with 96% of participants voting in favor of the Union of the Chemical & Engineering News Guild. The win is a historic victory for the Reporters, Designers, Production Staff and Platform Editors who work diligently to craft news and features about the science, business and policy of chemistry. Importantly, it is also a victory for American Chemical Society Members, who’ve shown their support and enthusiasm for a strong and independent chemistry publication. “This is an important first step for the (C&EN) Guild,” Life Sciences Reporter Rowan Walrath said. “We look forward to securing the protections we need to make (C&EN) a great place to work - and an influential publication - for the next (100) years.” Community Content Editor Liam Conlon added: “I’m excited to get to work alongside the rest of the (C&EN) Guild to make sure everyone’s got a seat at the table when it comes to the future of (C&EN).”

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Chemical & Engineering News Guild wins union election in landslide - Washington-Baltimore News Guild

WGAE Members At CBS News 24/7 'Deliver Strike Pledge' To CBS/Paramount Management

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) Members employed at CBS News 24/7 have delivered a Strike pledge to CBS/Paramount management demanding a fair contract. The pledge was signed by 95% of the 60-Member Bargaining Unit. The current CBS News 24/7 Union contract expired on March 9th. The Strike pledge addressed to management read: “We, the undersigned Writers Guild of America East Members at CBS News 24/7, sign this Strike pledge calling on the company to meet us where we are at on our most important issues: Guaranteed wage increases; Meaningful overtime rules; Protected Union jurisdiction; and Flexible work from home protections. Our colleagues on the Bargaining Committee have put in significant time and effort to negotiate our new contract. We pledge to support them and will participate at minimum in a 24-hour walkout and Strike if necessary to win a contract that protects the things that matter to us the most. We call on management to reach a fair deal with our Union at our last scheduled bargaining date. We pledge to walk out and, if necessary, Strike for a fair contract.” The WGAE represents more than 7,500 Members working in film, television, news, podcasts and on-line media.

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: WGAE Members at CBS News 24/7 Deliver Strike Pledge to CBS/Paramount Management | Press Room

American Federation Of Musicians Members 'Rally With Live Music' In Times Square, 'Fighting To Prevent Artificial Intelligence From Stealing Musicians' Creativity'

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) and AFM Local 802 held a solidarity rally with live music in Times Square this week, demonstrating a unified front as the second round of negotiations for the AFM's Sound Recording Labor Agreement resumed with Record Labels - including Sony, Universal, Hollywood Records and Warner. The Union’s top demands include fair wages and preventing Artificial Intelligence (AI) from stealing Musicians’ creativity. In addition to AFM International President Tino Gagliardi and Local 802 President Dan Point, speakers included U.S. Congressman Jerry Nadler, Actors' Equity Executive Director Al Vincent Jr., Writers Guild of America (WGA) East Secretary-Treasurer Sasha Stewart and other Union Officials and Musicians. Live music was provided by Five Borough Brass by Local 802 Musicians, performing with a Union contract. Local 802 President Point said: "Musicians are leading the fight for fair wages, health care, retirement benefits, protection against AI theft, and - most important of all, a voice at the table. We demand consent, compensation and credit when AI is trained on our creative work. If AI learns, we should earn!”

AFM Musicians Are Asking The Public To Sign Their Petition Here!

Current Affairs Magazine Workers 'Go Union,' Join The Chicago News Guild-Communications Workers Of America

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Workers employed at Current Affairs magazine have announced formation of a Union with the Chicago News Guild-Communications Workers of America Local 34071. The new Union Workers received immediate voluntary recognition from the Editor-in-Chief and Current Affairs’ Board of Directors. In an announcement, the Staff said: “Membership in the News Guild will allow us to maintain the high standards in wages and working conditions we’ve experienced at Current Affairs, allowing us to do our best work and provide you with the high-quality writing, art, graphic design and political analysis you’ve come to expect. Unionization will allow us to preserve the magazine’s editorial independence and continue serving our readers with integrity in the years to come. In a time when the journalism and Publishing Industries are becoming increasingly dominated by corporate capital and precarious for Workers, we are proud to be moving in the opposite direction.”

For More On This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Current Affairs has Unionized with the Chicago News Guild

"$16 Million 'Is A Pittance For The Next Generation'" - UUP Rallies With Buffalo State Students, Labor Leaders & Community Representatives To Call On NYS To Provide The 'Cash-Strapped Campus With Aid To Clear Its Deficit & Save 160 Jobs In The Proces

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, United University Professions (UUP) Statewide President Fred Kowal addresses a rally held outside Buffalo State University’s Rockwell Hall earlier this week that attracted hundreds of students, area Labor Leaders, Elected Officials and Community Activists, who came together to call on New York State to provide $16 million in aid to clear the Buffalo College’s deficit - and in the process save 160 jobs. (WNYLaborToday.com Photo)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Hundreds of Buffalo State University students were joined by their United University Professions (UUP)-represented Faculty and Professors on Tuesday (March 10th) outside Rockwell Hall to call on New York State to send $41.8 million in State aid to four State University of New York (SUNY) cash-strapped campuses in order to clear multi-million-dollar deficits - including $16 million for Buffalo State that would also save 160 jobs.

“($16 million) ‘is a pittance for the next generation,’” UUP Statewide President Fred Kowal told the very loud and boisterous gathering that assembled before him. “‘Instead of spending ($1 billion) a day (in a war) fighting Iran, we could use that money to educate people instead of committing genocide.’ ‘It’s us against the Epstein Class.’ ‘How much more do they need?’ SUNY ‘owes us’ and our State Legislators ‘need to do the right thing.’ Let’s put ($16 million) in the budget ‘to serve this community.’ ‘This is about justice.’ ‘Let’s get it done!’”

UUP estimated nearly 400 SUNY/Buffalo State students, Faculty and Staff joined area Labor Leaders - including Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Grace Bogdanove, and Elected Officials at the rally to urge Albany to send $41.8 million in aid to the SUNY campuses (notably SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Environmental College of Science and Forestry) that would work to clear multi-million-dollar structural deficits - including $16 million to Buffalo State, whose deficit, UUP said, is a direct result of drastic Great Recession-era cuts and more than a decade of flat funding.

Many in the crowd waved signs that read: Stop the Cuts!, Fair Funding for Buffalo State, Some Cuts Never Hea” and Hear Our Roar! - as speaker after speaker pointed to Buffalo State’s recent enrollment gains and the University’s role as a powerful economic engine in Buffalo Community and the Western New York Region.

Such an infusion of cash would allow Buffalo State to plan for the future and focus on growing its enrollment, which saw a 3.7% increase in first-time and freshman enrollment and a nearly 8% bump in first-year retention rate in Fall 2025.

SUNY’s plan will thwart the Buffalo Campus’ enrollment growth - which Kowal had attributed to three years of increased State funding to SUNY.

“Buffalo State ‘has always been a place of opportunity,’” Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope told those at the rally. “It’s a place where ‘first-generation’ College students have walked through these doors ‘and realized that higher education belongs to them too.’ It’s a place where students ‘from every background find a path forward.’ ‘So, when I hear about programs being placed on a deactivation list, when I hear that admissions are rescinded overnight and decisions are announced before any decisions have been had, people have a right to ask why?’”

SUNY’s Board of Trustees has decided against allocating those funds based on need - and that has negatively impacted Buffalo State, where SUNY has deactivated Undergraduate and Master’s courses, cut Staff, implemented a hiring freeze and is offering an early retirement incentive with no plans to fill those vacancies.

Buffalo State Chapter President Lisa Marie Anselmi said 160 jobs could be cut, which amounts to about 25% of the University’s Staff: “Eliminating these positions ‘will hurt’ students, Employees, their families and local businesses ‘for years to come.’ We are told that with this deficit that cuts ‘are necessary and that there’s no other choice, but we know that with the support of the State and SUNY behind us there is a different choice.’ Public education ‘is a public good.’”

Buffalo Labor Council President Bogdanove (Pictured Above) told those at the rally: “‘When one Union is under attack, all Unions are under attack.’ (President Donald) Trump ‘made the largest cut to health care in our country’s history to give tax breaks to the wealthiest one-percent.’ ‘This is warfare against the Working Class by the Billionaire Class.’ ‘This is about (160) jobs and the future of hundreds of thousands of students.’ ‘It’s a planned extinction and that’s why the Western New York Labor Movement stands with you.’”

Nick Smith, who serves as President of United Student Government at Buffalo State, said: “Buffalo State ‘is the best campus in the SUNY System.’ ‘It is unlike any other and it is the people who make Buffalo State.’ ‘Diversity makes Buffalo State.’ Buffalo State ‘is full of opportunity with people who believe in you.’ Buffalo State ‘is’ Buffalo.”

Buffalo State Student Welfare Committee Chair Elisha Martin said: “‘We don’t need more cuts that will gut’ our campus community, our Professors and our programs. ‘This is how we thrive.’ ‘We’re asking for crumbs.’ ‘We cannot afford to lose - Buffalo State is worth fighting for.’”

UUP - the Nation's largest Higher Education Union, represents more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees.

Its Members work at 29 State-operated Campuses, including SUNY's Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.

UUP is an Affiliate of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Information provided by UUP in a press release was also used in this Labor News Story.

The Pennsylvania Department Of Labor And Industry Announces More Than $4.1 Million In Schools-To-Work Grant Awards Supporting 17 Projects Across The State

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry has announced more than $4.1 million in Schools-to-Work Grant Awards supporting 17 projects across the State. The Manufacturers’ Association was awarded $250,000 to expand its Applied Manufacturing Technology Registered Pre-Apprenticeship and strengthen school-to-work pathways that prepare high school students for family-sustaining careers in Advanced Manufacturing. The Schools-to-Work Program bridges classroom learning with real-world opportunity by aligning education and training with in-demand industries and workforce needs across Pennsylvania. The Program strengthens partnerships so students can graduate with a clear path into their chosen field through a Registered Apprenticeship, Post-Secondary Education or employment. Through this grant, the Manufacturers’ Association will deepen collaboration among schools, employers, intermediaries and workforce partners to create clear on-ramps into Registered Apprenticeship, Post-Secondary Training and employment. Manufacturing remains a major economic driver in South Central Pennsylvania, with more than 2,500 manufacturers employing 122,000 Workers and generating an estimated $16 billion in annual economic output. Over the next decade, the region is projected to need to replace 37,000 Manufacturing Workers due to retirements, exits and growth, underscoring the urgency of expanding early career exposure, credential attainment and work-based learning opportunities for students.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The Manufacturers’ Association Awarded $250,000 Grant to ExpandAdvanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeships for High School Youth - Franklin County Free Press

This Women's History Month, Nevada's Female State Workers 'Begin A New Chapter By Voting To Go Union' With AFSCME

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(LAS VEGAS, NEVADA) – March is Women’s History Month and right now thousands of Women who work for the State of Nevada are getting ready to make history as Administrative and Clerical Workers - a large majority of whom are Women, have filed to hold an election to vote for their new Union with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 4041.

Across Nevada, these Workers have been organizing for months, talking to their Co-Workers and building Union Power and their hard work has brought them one step closer to winning a Union contract and the freedom that comes with fair wages, benefits and working conditions.

The fact that the filing happened during Women’s History Month brings added meaning to this Organizing Campaign.

“Women are moving up in the world, but you can still see in some cases, people don’t take Women seriously - and we have a lot to offer,” said Melanie Frame, an Administrative Assistant at the Nevada Department of Social Services.

The State’s Administrative and Clerical Staff help dozens of agencies run smoothly and efficiently and the crucial work they perform ensures communities in every part of Nevada receive quality public services they need to thrive.

Once they vote yes for their new Union, they will fight for a first contract that increases wages, lowers the cost of State health benefits, boosts recruitment and retention, and gives equitable paid time off.

For this mostly Female Bargaining Unit, the freedom that comes with a fair Union contract will help Clerical and Administrative Workers provide for their families and keep their communities moving forward.

And, it will help future generations of Public Service Workers.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: This Women’s History Month, Nevada’s women state workers begin a new chapter | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

AFSCME Provided Photo.

From National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler: 'With Only 17%' Of Americans 'Trusting The Federal Government To Do What's Right,' Pro-Worker & Union Member Candidates 'Are Securing Powerful' Election Victories

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler has released the following statement:

There are only a few things that mostly everyone can agree on these days - one of them is an overall pessimism about the current set of Lawmakers in Washington, D.C.

According to Pew Research Center, only 17% of Americans now say they trust the Federal Government to do what is right “just about always” or “most of the time” - one of the lowest recorded figures in nearly seven decades.

With the ultra-rich spending record-breaking amounts to influence our elections and a staggering number of members of Congress being millionaires themselves, it’s not hard to see why voters feel so disillusioned.

But all is not lost.

More than almost any institution in this country, voters say they trust and believe in Unions.

And we can see the power of that trust in action right now as Pro-Worker and Union Member candidates are securing powerful election victories.

Whether it’s International Association of Machinists (IAM) Union Leader Taylor Rehmet delivering a resounding Special Election upset in a Texas Senate District that Donald Trump carried by 17 points in 2024 - or the numerous Mid-Term Primary successes we’re already seeing in States like North Carolina, Union Members are running - and winning.

You don’t have to be a political analyst to see what’s happening: Voters are hungry for common sense economic policy platforms that center Working Families and Lawmakers who know what it means to work for a living!

It’s more critical than ever that we invest in developing Union Activists into Elected Representatives and mobilize around candidates who will fight for us, not corporate donors.

Labor Perspective: 'One Simple Way To Heal' American Politics - 'Run More' Union Members, 'Research Shows Candidates Who Come From The Union Movement Are Exactly What Many Americans Crave'

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Guardian Editor’s Note: Jared Abbott is the Director of the Center for Working-Class Politics, while Dustin Guastella is a Research Associate at the Center for Working Class Politics and the Director of Operations for Teamsters Local 623. Abbott and Guastella wrote an interesting Labor Perspective that recently appeared in The Guardian, which reads - in part:

American politics feels hopelessly broken.

Extreme political polarization, enormous amounts of PAC money sloshing around during elections and the increasing power of the rich make it seem like nothing - and no one, can set the country on the right track.

But a new report from the Center for Working-Class Politics (CWCP) looks at a surprisingly simple way that ordinary people might have more influence in our political system: Run more Union Members for office.

The forthcoming CWCP report - co-authored by Jared Abbott, Benjamin Y Fong, Fred DeVeaux, Dustin Guastella and Sam Zacher, and sponsored by Arizona State University’s Center for Work and Democracy, looked at the broad political impact of political candidates with a Labor Union background.

We found that candidates who come out of the Union Movement are exactly what many people in the country desperately crave: Politicians who sound like them, who advocate for Working People, and who provide solutions that actually work to fix our broken system.

Unions have been involved in politics for a long time, but their influence is diminishing - not because they are spending less, but just because of the explosion of individual donor and independent expenditure spending over the past 20 years.

In this environment, many Unions have taken a highly defensive posture toward elections, almost exclusively limiting their support to incumbent politicians they view as less bad than the alternative.

But this is misguided.

Unions - which have long relied on the assumption that organized people can trump organized money, are overlooking their greatest political asset: Their people.

We found that Union candidates invoked Pro-Worker themes 159% more than their Non-Union candidates

Our work has shown that one of the main reasons people get turned off by politicians, and in particular Democratic Party politicians, is that they just can’t relate to those candidates.

And that’s for good reason.

Our research finds Working-Class candidates make up just 8%-to-14% of Democratic and 5%-to-8% of Republican Congressional candidates, despite roughly half of Americans working in manual labor, service or clerical jobs.

These numbers have barely budged since 2010, in stark contrast to gender and race, where Democrats have roughly doubled their share of Female and Non-White candidates over the same period.

The vast majority of candidates, then, come from elite social circles, and they very often fail to impress Working-Class voters.

To Continue Reading This Labor Perspective, Go To: One simple way to heal American politics: run more union members | Jared Abbott and Dustin Guastella | The Guardian

34,000 32BJ SEIU-Represented Residential Building Service Workers Launch Negotiations On A New Contract, Union 'Prepares For A Potential Strike, If Necessary, To Protect Their Benefits & Catch Up On Cost-Of-Living/Inflation'

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Residential Building Service Workers have kicked off negotiations for a contract covering more than 34,000 Porters, Doorpersons, Superintendents, Handypersons and Resident Managers who maintain 600,000 households across 3,500 Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island Co-Ops, Condos and Apartment Buildings.

The current four-year, industry-wide contract between 32BJ SEIU and the New York City Residential Real Estate Industry - represented by the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB), expires on April 20th (2026).

The RAB was created in response to 32BJ’s 1934 Elevator Operator Strike.

Union Officials say 1,100 - and counting, 32BJ SEIU Strike Captains are preparing for a possible Strike if necessary to protect their benefits and catch up to the cost-of-living in New York City and inflation.

32BJ SEIU Members want: Safeguarding comprehensive paid family health care that currently covers thousands of Members and their families; A fair wage increases to catch up and keep pace with the cost of living and inflation; Strengthening their pension benefit; Protection of their legal and training benefits; Protecting their Immigrant Members; and Improving work conditions and paid leave.

The 32BJ SEIU Residential Building Service Workers - who keep New York City homes safe and secure through all imaginable emergencies - maintain historic pre-war Co-Ops on Park Avenue, new developments, Condos on the Upper West Side and luxury Apartment Complexes across the four covered Boroughs.

Their day-to-day duties include cleaning all surfaces, clearing snow and ice, collecting and taking out the trash, welcoming residents and guests at the door, keeping residents safe, maintaining building heat, AC, electrical, sprinkler and other systems, as well as painting walls, guarding and organizing packages, and much more.

The Workers are often called upon to respond to emergencies - be it an act of violence, a power outage, a snowstorm or medical emergency - notifying and coordinating with police and medical personnel when necessary.

Follow The Workers' Fight For A Fair Contract On Twitter, Instagram, And Facebook!

'Awaiting Impending' Layoffs & Program Cuts, Union-Represented New School Faculty & Staff 'Rally With Students Against Austerity Measures'

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(NEW YORK CITY) - In response to drastic cuts at The New School, University students, Faculty and Staff recently marched down West 12th Street to hand deliver a gigantic letter and petition addressed to University President Joel Towers that was signed by more than 1,650 people and read, in part: “While the President’s Office characterizes this as a ‘transparent’ process of ‘restructuring,’ the reality for Workers and students has been much different: Vague promises, few details, closed-door meetings and unannounced changes - including course cancellations, planned cuts to student medical services and other austerity measures. None of these changes serve the needs of any part of our community, but instead harm students and place Management’s financial burden on vulnerable members of the University’s workforce."

The New School cuts include goals to slash student medical services, fire Health Workers and merge and cancel several courses, majors and programs. They also include the elimination of 20% of Full-Time Faculty and both Union and Non-Union Staff by the end of the academic year.

As part of those reductions, last November, University leadership sent 169 Full-Time Faculty and Non-Unionized Staff a voluntary separation and early retirement package offer, demanding a response in less than two weeks.

The accepted offers didn’t match the School’s target, so Workers are now waiting for further layoffs along with other austerity measures to meet the School’s budget hole of $48 million, according to United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 7902, which represents hundreds of Workers at The New School.

“Show us what you're up to because we keep getting surprises,” Raha Rafii, a Part-Time Faculty Member at The New School said during the rally. “We want true transparency. Why should we believe that the only way to manage this budget deficit is to get rid of the most vulnerable members in the University?”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: New School faculty, students and staff rally against austerity measures - The Chief

In San Diego, 'There's More Of A Demand For Electricians Amid Advancements' In The 'AI World' & Data Centers

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Ryan Hill at ABC 10 News in San Diego reports we live in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) world and it’s taking over many facets of life - including certain jobs. It’s also having effect on some Blue-Collar jobs while opening a pathway to more demand - like Electricians. "It all boils down to like me taking a leap of faith,” Shawn Barton said. It's never too late to start something new or learn something new - that's what Barton is doing in some of the classrooms at the Electrical Training Institute of San Diego & Imperial Counties. "Walking out with not only one but two State certifications where I can take my knowledge here and work anywhere internationally with our (IBEW) Brotherhood is a pretty cool opportunity. This next big boom l feel should be with the Trades," said Barton, a four-tear Apprenticeship student who is in the Joint Labor-Management Apprenticeship Program at the Institute. IBEW Local 539’s Jeremy Adams said: "We're taking in record numbers, both at the Union Hall and at the Apprenticeship. (There is such a) huge demand for electricians right now in San Diego.” IBEW 569 owns and operates the Institute with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). Abrams told ABC 10 News the Union is seeing more people applying to learn the (Electrical) Trade at the Institute. "With not only renewable energy and solar battery storage projects, but with data centers coming down the pipe - we’ve had more work right now than we have had in the local,” Abrams said.

To Read This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: More demand for electricians amid advancement in AI world, data centers

Photo Courtesy Of IBEW Local 569’s Facebook Page

Coalition 'Urges' NYS Leaders 'To Allocate $2 Billion In Health Care Funding In State Budget To Prevent Further' Hospital, Clinic & Nursing Home 'Closures'

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Governor Kathy Hochul’s budget is on path to offset devastating U.S. Congressional Republican cuts to health care, but State Leaders must act now to provide critical investments, so says a coalition of Front-Line Health Care Workers, employers, Faith Leaders and Community Advocates who joined together to call on State leaders to fill a $2 billion gap in health care funding to support care and services for New York residents.

Nearly 100 Health Care Workers from Western New York’s Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Homecare and Clinics packed a conference room at 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East in Governor Hochul’s hometown Friday (March 6th) to encourage New York State Senate and Assembly to fund health care for all New Yorkers.

Many participating in the news conference were represented by major Labor Unions – including the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), 1199 SEIU, the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), the Communication Workers of America (CWA), The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), the Public Employees Federation (PEF), the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW), United University Professions (UUP), the Union of American Physicians & Dentists and the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF). They were joined by representatives of the Healthcare Education Project.

The Governor’s budget proposal has put New York on a path to overcome the devastating impacts of HR1, said those who spoke at the news conference, who also urged State Legislators to strengthen the budget in order to protect health care for all New Yorkers.

State Leaders must stabilize New York ’s Health Care System by providing critical investments in Nursing Homes, Homecare, Hospitals, Safety Net Facilities and Clinics, they said.

As such, those Caregivers who spoke declared Code Red for health care services in Western New York after more than $1.8 trillion in Federal health care cuts were passed.

Without State action, historic health care cuts in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) that all seven New York Republicans in Congress voted for last year will cause devastating harm to Western New York’s Health Care System, the speakers said.

Congressional Republican Representatives Claudia Tenney and Nick Langworthy of Western New York were invited - but did not attend Friday’s event.

Health Care Professionals across the country have nicknamed the OBBA the Big Ugly Bill as it threatens to rip away health care coverage from at least 17 million Americans - including 1.5 million New Yorkers.

Nearly 406,000 people in the eight-county Western New York Region rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage.

A number of area Labor Representatives spoke at the news conference, including:

Todd Hobler - who serves as 1199 SEIU’s Executive Vice-President for Upstate New York, said: “Our Western New York Health Care System has been under-funded and under-resourced for a long time resulting in multiple Hospital and Nursing Home closures, cuts to essential services and layoffs, increasing workloads and stress on already overburdened Caregivers. To make matters worse, Congress passed a budget that was signed into law on (July 4th) cutting more than a trillion dollars from health care to fund huge tax cuts for the wealthy, mass deportations and big budget increases for the Department of War. Now our Western New York Health Care System faces a crisis, a Code Red that threatens the well-being of our community and the health of hundreds of thousands of Western New Yorkers.”

CWA Local 1168 President Cori Gambini (Pictured Above/Photo Courtesy Of 1199 SEIU): "Shutting down clinics and reducing Medical Rehab Unit beds goes beyond merely cutting services. It hinders recovery, deprives patients of their independence and places immense pressure on families and an already overwhelmed Health Care System. It is imperative New York State fills in the gap that the Federal Government took from this community. Medicaid funding from the State must ensure these vital services remain open and accessible.”

CWA Local 1133 President Brian Magner: “Medicaid cuts are directly worsening short staffing in our facilities. When positions go unfilled and workloads grow, patients wait longer, complications increase and lives are put at risk. We are calling on New York State to increase Medicaid funding in this year’s budget to protect safe staffing and patient care.”

CWA Local 1122 President Tom Antonio: “Home health care is one of the most cost-effective investments in our entire Health Care System - it prevents hospitalizations, keeps people out of Nursing Homes and preserves dignity and independence. When Medicaid funding is cut, case management shrinks, families are left without support and preventable hospital visits increase. New York State must increase Medicaid funding in the budget to strengthen home and community-based care before more patients slip through the cracks.”

1199SEIU is planning a massive rally later this month in Albany as thousands of Health Care Workers from every corner of the State are expected to take part in a massive display of unity on March 19th to demand New York Leaders fund health care.

If not, health care jobs and services for the entire State are at risk if Albany does not take action in the upcoming budget cycle, those speaking at the news conference said.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Coalition Urges State Leaders to Allocate 2 Billion in Healthcare Funding in State Budget to Prevent Further Hospital, Clinic, and Nursing Home Closures :: 1199SEIU