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NewsFeed - Labor
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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Michael Carandang
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Michael Carandang.
Michael Carandang is one of 30 Federal Aviation Administration employees who work in Guam to support the U.S. aviation system. He is an active member of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) and a union representative for his fellow employees, most of whom are also PASS members. He is proud of his Pacific Islander heritage and is a dedicated federal employee, serving his country since 1982.
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: BAC Joins Forces with Indian Union to Demand Justice for Construction Workers in New Jersey
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) and Indian labor union Pathar Gadhai Mazdoor Suraksha Sangh (PGMSS) are joining forces to raise the alarm about forced labor allegedly taking place at a construction site in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The unions are fighting for the more than 200 Indian immigrant workers there who are being exploited in the construction of a new Hindu temple. In their legal filing on Tuesday, the workers allege shocking levels of wage theft, coercion and fraud by an employer who lied to them and to the U.S. government, claiming that they were religious volunteers who did not seek or expect pay in return for their skilled labor.
“The shocking levels of exploitation alleged in this case are a stark reminder that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We applaud the BAC and PGMSS for their work to support these brave temple stone workers, and America’s unions will stand proudly with them in their fight,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (UMWA). “To fix the systems that have failed working families, we must be united across borders. Only then can we rewrite the rules of the economy and ensure that workers are no longer treated like disposable commodities in our global supply chains. The labor movement will remain steadfast in this struggle until all people, regardless of where we were born, are able to live and work safely and with dignity.”
Click here to read more.
CWA President Chris Shelton: It's Time to Bust the Filibuster
At a Defend Democracy Town Hall hosted by Our Revolution, CWA President Chris Shelton called on CWA members and allies to hit the streets to "bust the filibuster."
CWA Launches 5G Technician Brigade
CWA technicians from all over the country joined a training last month to learn how to engage their local governments to advocate for transparency and accountability in their local permitting processes.
Organizing Update
The latest information about who is voting to join with CWA.
New Program Helps Households Afford Broadband Service
Throughout the pandemic, CWA members who work in telecommunications have been keeping our country's broadband networks up and running.
15 Ways the American Families Plan Will Help Working People
President Biden recently announced the American Families Plan, legislation that is designed to invest in children, families and our economic future. Here are 15 provisions from the proposal that will help working people:
- Invests in education from early childhood to postsecondary so that young people can learn, grow and gain skills they need to succeed.
- Provides universal, high-quality preschool for all three- and four-year-olds, which not only helps prepare those children to be lifelong learners, it lessens the stress on working parents.
- Provides Americans two free years of community college, including to Dreamers.
- Investments in making college more affordable for low- and middle-income students, including providing assistance to colleges that serve communities that have been historically marginalized, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), institutions such as Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs).
- Invests in teacher training and support.
- Provides direct support to families to insure that we spend no more than 7% of our income on child care and to ensure that this child care is of high quality.
- Creates a national paid family and medical leave program that will bring us in line with similar countries.
- Reduces childhood hunger by providing nutrition assistance to families in need.
- Extends key tax cuts that benefit lower- and middle-income working families, including the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.
- Extends expanded health insurance tax credits, which would help 9 million people maintain health insurance and allow 4 million more to gain it.
- Expansion of Pell Grants for students seeking a certificate, two- or four-year degree.
- Modernize the unemployment insurance system to make access more equitable while continuing to prevent fraud.
- Lowers prescription drug costs by letting Medicare negotiate prices.
- Extends health care tax credits and invests in various health care programs so that millions of Americans will gain health insurance.
- Reforms the tax code, which will result in fewer loopholes for the wealthy and create more opportunity for working families.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Sheila Ivy Traister
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Sheila Ivy Traister.
Sheila Ivy Traister has given 44 years of cumulative service to the labor movement. She has held elected positions in the Colorado AFL-CIO and she has served SAG-AFTRA since before the merger. She has served on dozens of local committees across the broad spectrum of activities SAG-AFTRA participates in. Traister particularly focuses on committees that help expand the inclusiveness of her industry and the labor movement, including committees for performers who are Asian American and Pacific Islander, performers with disabilities and expanding equal opportunity in the industry. She created the acting department at the Colorado Film Schools and she conducts workshops and lectures for film students, educating them about SAG-AFTRA and the benefits of union membership. Traister is an actor, director and writer who works in television, film and theater. She is also a highly sought-after coach and mentor.
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFM Members Rally for a New Contract in Fort Wayne
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
With wages, benefits and working conditions on the line, members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) were joined by the Hoosier Heartland Labor Council as they rallied in Fort Wayne, Indiana, over the weekend to draw attention to their fight for a new contract with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. AFM International President Ray Hair spoke at the rally in support of the orchestra musicians, who have been furloughed because of the pandemic since August 2020. “Why are these musicians out on the street? Why haven’t they had paychecks since last summer? It’s because the management doesn’t want them to,” Hair told WPTA. “They’re lining their own pockets. Nobody in management would have a job if it weren’t for us.”
Detroit Postal Workers Push to Dump DeJoy and His Ten-Year Plan
Last fall, the Detroit local of the Postal Workers (APWU) stepped out with a rally and flyer calling on workers to defend democracy and warning of a possible coup. National APWU picked up that flyer and copied it in a national publication.
Now we can only hope that the national union will begin to echo our call from the heartland to Dump DeJoy.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Sharon Soper
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Sharon Soper.
Hired by Hawaiian Airlines in 1965 as a flight attendant, Soper retired 55 years later in 2020. She served in the leadership of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) for more than 50 years, including time as president of her local. She helped negotiate nearly every AFA-CWA contract with Hawaiian Airlines to date. She has been a leader and voice for several generations of flight attendants and continues to be an inspiration for flight attendants today.
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Raises About $100K for Southern Maryland Veterans Home
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Machinists’ (IAM’s) commitment to military veterans was on full display at the IAM 2021 International President’s Capital Classic Golf Tournament. More than 130 golfers and 50 sponsors joined together on Monday, May 3, at Breton Bay Golf and Country Club in Leonardtown, Maryland. The tournament raised about $100,000 for capital improvement projects for U.S. military veterans at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in southern Maryland. “The Machinists union has a special bond with the military and the men and women who serve in our armed forces,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., a U.S. Navy veteran. “Many of our members are veterans themselves and help support the mission of service men and women every day. This is just one more way we can give back to our community here in Maryland and to our nation’s heroes.”
A Very Bad Joke: The Working People Weekly List
Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.
Elon Musk Hosting SNL: A Very Bad Joke on Working People: "Before we even find out if Elon Musk can do comedy, we know this: Letting him host 'Saturday Night Live' is a joke. Musk has used his social-media megaphone to spread misinformation about COVID, endanger employees’ health and violate their organizing rights. He’s exactly the kind of union-busting CEO who proves why American workers need the PRO Act, a bill sitting in the Senate that will help us reclaim our power."
Nurses Are Striking Across the Country Over Patient Safety: "On May Day outside of St. Vincent Hospital here, there was a sing-along going on. It was the 55th day that the nurses, members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, had been on strike at the hospital, and the sunny weather and blooming flowers meant morale was high."
Sports Unions Come Together to Fight for the PRO Act: "The PRO Act is about as important a piece of labor legislation as we’ve seen in some time. It holds the potential to open the door for workers and organizers to step up and reverse 40 years of losses for organized labor. The law, whose initials stand for Protecting the Right to Organize, aims to do just that: protect workers from being harassed or fired if they try to organize a union or if they try to help their already existing union become more active in their workplace. This is seen as the number one legislative priority for organized labor. Its chances of passing are regarded as slim in the Senate, but that isn’t stopping the union movement from trying to get it passed. Now the PRO Act has very loud and proud support from another group of 'pros,' the major sports unions of the United States. The Major League Baseball Players Association, the NBA Players Association, the NFL Players Association, and the NHL Players Association."
Death on the Job Report: Years of Progress, Long Way to Go: "In the decades since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established, there’s been a lot of progress in cutting worker deaths and injuries on the job. However, there’s still a long way to go. That’s a big conclusion from the data in the AFL-CIO’s 30th annual Death on the Job report, released May 4, a week after OSHA’s 50th anniversary. The Occupational Safety and Health Act, strongly pushed by organized labor, has helped cut deaths on the job from nine per 100,000 workers 30 years ago to 3.5 per 100,000 in 2019. The report with the latest available data shows this. The death rate has stalled at that level ever since the anti-worker anti-safety GOP Trump regime took over in 2017. And the 3.5/100,000 rate still translates into having 275 workers die every day from hazardous working conditions, the report says. Those figures actually understate the case, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler told the Zoom press conference unveiling the report. 'About 95,000 workers a year die from occupational illnesses,' often contracted long before, she pointed out. And illness and death disproportionately hit workers of color, she added."
COVID-19’s Full Effect on Workers Will Likely Remain Unknown, AFL-CIO’s Death on the Job Report Claims: "The full extent of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the nation’s workforce will likely remain unclear because of the lack of a comprehensive national system to gather such information, according to the AFL-CIO’s annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers. The 30th edition of Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect―released May 4―states that 'employer reporting of COVID-19 cases still is mandatory only in a few states with specific standards or orders.' During a May 4 press conference, AFL-CIO Safety and Health Director Rebecca Reindel noted that the Bureau of Labor Statistics states on its website that it won’t produce COVID-19 estimates. 'The Survey of Occupational Illnesses and Injuries relies on OSHA recordkeeping requirements, which mandate employers record certain work-related injuries and illnesses on their OSHA 300 log,' BLS says on its website. 'While the SOII may capture some recordable COVID-19 cases reported by employers, the SOII will not produce estimates specifically covering COVID-19 illnesses.'"
AFL-CIO Demands OSHA Boost After Worker Deaths Report: "The AFL-CIO on Tuesday called on the Biden administration to take action to strengthen federal enforcement of workplace safety standards, on the heels of a report showing more than 5,300 workers died on the job in 2019. The report the labor organization released at a virtual press conference found that workplace deaths rose slightly in 2019, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the rate of injuries per 100,000 workers remained steady. The report found the fatality rate for Latino workers hit its highest level since 2008 at 4.2 per 100,000. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's power eroded under the administration of President Donald Trump and she is hopeful President Joe Biden will help lead the agency to take a more forceful stance. 'Obviously, we'd like to rebuild the agency, and the commitment does come from the top,' Shuler said."
Unemployment Benefits Are Not Creating a Worker Shortage: "William Spriggs isn’t buying that. The chief economist at the AFL-CIO labor federation, Spriggs said it is 'self-evident' that millions of people are trying to find work. Just because an employer hasn’t found them yet―at the wages the employer is willing to pay―doesn’t mean the workers aren’t out there. Spriggs said the normal hiring networks that employers rely on were blown up by the pandemic. Some employers who received forgivable government loans were able to keep their workers on the payroll, but many firms simply let them go during lockdown. A year later many of those workers have taken other jobs, moved on or even died."
President Richard Trumka Joined Bloomberg TV to Discuss the PRO Act: "President Richard Trumka joined Bloomberg TV to discuss the PRO Act, worker safety and how President Joe Biden is delivering for working people."
Elon Musk Might Be Hosting SNL, but Tesla Workers Aren’t Laughing: "Saturday Night Live recently announced its upcoming lineup, and I was shocked to see that none other than Elon Musk—the brash CEO of Tesla, my former employer—would be hosting on May 8. There’s a lot to be impressed by when it comes to Tesla’s electric vehicles (EVs) and other cars of the future. But in my mind, there’s nothing funny about how Tesla has treated workers."
Thank You, Mom: In the States Roundup
It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on Twitter.
Alabama AFL-CIO:
— Alabama AFL-CIO (@AlabamaAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
Alaska AFL-CIO:
The House voted down an amendment that would have allowed the #akgov to waste more money on frivolous lawsuits seeking to undermine our rights to bargain collectively. #UnionStrong #akleg https://t.co/gjYYUjtPBz
— Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
Arizona AFL-CIO:
Pass the #PROAct https://t.co/xStwc58JHf
— Arizona AFL-CIO // #PassThePROAct (@ArizonaAFLCIO) April 29, 2021
California Labor Federation:
To all the Moms out there, we're so grateful for everything you do. We appreciate you and thank you! From all of us @CaliforniaLabor, #HappyMothersDay! pic.twitter.com/ymzjbHbA4f
— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) May 9, 2021
Colorado AFL-CIO:
Pass #SB87 #coleg #copolitics #agworkersrights https://t.co/nfBgVJwSra
— Colorado AFL-CIO (@AFLCIOCO) May 5, 2021
Connecticut AFL-CIO:
Barry Williams, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, passed away last week. Our thoughts are with his family going through this difficult time. https://t.co/O5ONdf38fw
— Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
Florida AFL-CIO:
"We still have an unemployment insurance system that is not working," Templin contended. "And it doesn't matter if we're in a pandemic or the normal ups and downs of our economic cycles. Our unemployment insurance system is a joke."https://t.co/nz5Fw0qY71
— Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
Georgia AFL-CIO:
Georgia's hair and makeup artists deserve dignity and respect on the job, in real time. It’s past time for The Georgia Opera to do better for their workers. Take action! #1u pic.twitter.com/SEVY5pkOtW
— Georgia AFL-CIO // Pass The #ProAct (@AFLCIOGeorgia) May 7, 2021
Indiana State AFL-CIO:
Protect your coworkers, get vaccinated. 💉
— Indiana AFL-CIO (@INAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
Iowa Federation of Labor:
Iowa Federation of Labor Hall of Fame 2021 https://t.co/85ZpKRRcCB
— Iowa AFL-CIO (@IowaAFLCIO) May 11, 2021
Maine AFL-CIO:
Beautiful story about Senate President Jackson (@GoIUPAT) & his mother Colleen.
— Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
“He was always a champion for the underdog,” she said, relating that when in second grade Troy wrote to President Carter when he felt a student with special needs was being mistreated at school. https://t.co/RuJCwG9uJf
Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO:
Happy #InternationalWorkersDay!
— Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO (@MDDCStateFed) May 1, 2021
Massachusetts AFL-CIO:
Secretary Walsh is 100% right. Gig workers are employees and deserve the same benefits and protections as other employees. @SecMartyWalsh #mapoli #1u https://t.co/XXAUQS0LXY
— Massachusetts AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@massaflcio) April 29, 2021
Michigan AFL-CIO:
.@GovWhitmer has proclaimed it Nurses Week in Michigan! Everyone in the Michigan labor movement is so grateful for the selfless sacrifices our frontline heroes have made over the last year. THANK YOU!! pic.twitter.com/hS8IO7l5WZ
— Michigan AFL-CIO 😷 (@MIAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
Minnesota AFL-CIO:
Labor Law Is Stuck in 1947. It’s No Surprise Companies Keep Winning. https://t.co/OrHdj642OO Pass the #PROAct #1u
— Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
Missouri AFL-CIO:
Paying workers a living wage attracts workers, good for business, and boosts the economy. #1u pic.twitter.com/X3NtPrfS9f
— Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) May 11, 2021
Nebraska AFL-CIO:
Support LB 241 today in the Nebraska Unicameral, Meatpacking workers deserve safe jobs during COVID. #1u #passtheproact #EssentialWorkers pic.twitter.com/00MQB7KpKk
— NE State AFL-CIO (@NEAFLCIO) May 6, 2021
Nevada State AFL-CIO:
AB227 is up for a work session this morning.
— Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) May 11, 2021
This legislation as written is NECESSARY to curbing contractor misclassification, exploitation, and abuse.
Will you show your support? ⤵https://t.co/mGPRvLW5kD https://t.co/LJMRcCABrl
New Hampshire AFL-CIO:
The @steelworkers are right—"right to work" is WRONG for New Hampshire.
— NewHampshire AFL-CIO (@NHAFLCIO) May 10, 2021
All NH working families will suffer if SB-61 is passed. We're not standing for it. #NHPolitics pic.twitter.com/st9AuF2WuE
New Jersey State AFL-CIO:
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO shares our deepest gratitude for all the ways these essential workers stepped up throughout the last year of the pandemic.https://t.co/PUE7tDASWA
— New Jersey AFL-CIO (@NJAFLCIO) May 6, 2021
New Mexico Federation of Labor:
We support our Sisters and Brothers @UA_UNM in their fight for a fair contract.@AFTNM @AFLCIO https://t.co/V3kBXWl0d1
— NMFL \\ Pass the PROAct // (@NMFLaflcio) April 29, 2021
New York State AFL-CIO:
NYS AFL-CIO Pres. Cilento Applauds Signing of NY HERO Act - “We thank the Dem Majorities in both houses, the bill sponsors, @SenGianaris and Assemblymember @KarinesReyes87 and @NYGovCuomo for making workplace health and safety a priority, particularly now during the pandemic.” https://t.co/CmEYyxlkt0
— NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) May 6, 2021
North Carolina State AFL-CIO:
🚨🚨🚨 URGENT: A self dealing NC Senator, himself the target of multiple retaliation lawsuits, is trying to take away your right to pursue legal action when you experience retaliation at work! ACT NOW -> https://t.co/HPN6pWJfk5 #ncga #ncpol #1u
— NC State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct! (@NCStateAFLCIO) May 6, 2021
North Dakota AFL-CIO:
Today, April 28th, Workers Memorial Day and the 50-year anniversary of OSHA, we remember the 18 workers who died on the job in North Dakota last year.
— North Dakota AFL-CIO (@NDAFLCIO) April 28, 2021
Ohio AFL-CIO:
The #Ohio @AFLCIO is proud to be a part of the #Votercade to stop voter suppression. pic.twitter.com/jUitA9AsjJ
— Ohio AFL-CIO (@ohioaflcio) May 8, 2021
Oklahoma State AFL-CIO:
The Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO did a good job of compiling the best parts of of President Biden's Address before Congress yesterday.
— Oklahoma AFL-CIO (@OK_AFL_CIO) April 29, 2021
Click below to hear highlights of one of the most Pro-Union Presidential Speeches!https://t.co/IGRdPCbsul
Oregon AFL-CIO:
Learn more about the incredible work Oregon’s entertainment unions have done to support members out of work and keep workers safe on the job during the pandemic on our latest podcast episode. #1u @IATSE @sagaftra @The_AFM @AFLCIOhttps://t.co/5NcP11LEWN pic.twitter.com/twY1B8CFfX
— Oregon AFL-CIO / PASS THE PRO ACT (@OregonAFLCIO) May 9, 2021
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
U.S. Steel should honor the generations of PA workers who made them a global leader in the industry and reinvest in our Commonwealth.
— PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) May 6, 2021
We stand with the @steelworkers ✊https://t.co/plA83A86Ef
Rhode Island AFL-CIO:
At-will employment is a pandemic tragedy for older workers https://t.co/EQFJdAvFbR via @OnLaborBlog
— Rhode Island AFL-CIO (@riaflcio) May 10, 2021
Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council:
Do not be fooled by this false narrative. Tennesseans want to work. Unfortunately, our state leads the country in the # of minimum wage jobs & this overflow of available jobs pay wages that are not able to sustain an individual, let alone a family. #1u https://t.co/UZWXFjVSH4
— Tennessee AFL-CIO (@tnaflcio) May 11, 2021
Texas AFL-CIO:
Solidarity! The @steelworkers @USWBat light 🦇 shines bright tonight on Exxon Mobil who is locking out over 600 workers in Beaumont, TX. #1u #UnionStrong #solidarity pic.twitter.com/UfMkNKOgck
— Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) May 11, 2021
Virginia AFL-CIO:
.@MarkWarner , may the 4th be with you today to sign on to the #PROAct pic.twitter.com/pkLXyyor3J
— Virginia AFL-CIO (@Virginia_AFLCIO) May 4, 2021
Washington State Labor Council:
A well-deserved shout out for the entire staff of @TheStandWA aka the one-man powerhouse David Groves, WSLC Communications Director. #1u https://t.co/0sxAP0LIxf
— Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) May 5, 2021
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:
PRO Act will protect workers, their bargaining rights, and their bank accounts https://t.co/H5qdL86Mdv #passthePROAct
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) May 11, 2021
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Angela Chan
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Angela Chan.
Angela Chan joined the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 369 in Las Vegas in 2002 when she joined a touring show of "South Pacific." After some time in Dallas, she moved back to Las Vegas and, in 2015, she won a seat on the local’s board of trustees. About her union membership, Chan said: “Unions exist so that you can have fair wages, and fair and safe working conditions. A lot of times, especially for musicians, we want to play so badly that we forget we should be treated as professionals.” Recently, Chan founded The Cre8sian Project, with the goal of increasing the number of Asian women in the arts world “by creating a cast of diverse superheroes for children.” She is a classically trained pianist and an active theater musician.
Labour and the Working Class in the UK
The Postmaster General’s New Attack on the Mail is a Fig Leaf for Privatization
The battle over the future of the Postal Service, which was a focus of American political life last year, is still on.
CWAers Hit The Streets to Pass the PRO Act
On May Day, CWA members and activists held rallies and participated in phone and text banks to draw public attention to the fight to pass the PRO Act.
GE CEO's $47 Million Bonus Rejected After IUE-CWA Members Protest
On Tuesday, in a rare move for S&P 500 companies, GE shareholders rejected a $47 million bonus package for CEO Larry Culp.
Maximus Worker Joins Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to Discuss $15 Minimum Wage
President Biden's executive order will transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of federal contract workers who have been earning poverty wages for far too long.
CWAers Beat Back Anti-Union Attacks on Florida Workers
With the end of the legislative session last week, Florida CWAers succeeded in fighting off some of the most vicious attacks we've ever seen on working people.
Why Didn't AT&T Do Anything to Prevent These Workers' Deaths?
A new report issued by the AFL-CIO, its 30th annual Death on the Job Report, reveals that every day, on average, 275 U.S. workers die from hazardous working conditions.
CWA District 6 Election Update
CWA Local 6143's endorsed candidates won big!
Duke University Press Workers Organize with NewsGuild
Update May 5: The Duke University Press Workers Union officially filed for an election on May 3.—Eds
After years of high turnover, low pay, and discriminatory practices affecting people of color and queer people, workers at Duke University Press in Durham, North Carolina, are organizing a union.
The 120 workers do a wide range of jobs: editorial work on journals and books, sales and marketing, IT and business tech. Most are women and most are white—although mostly men occupy the upper-level positions, a reflection of the university publishing industry.
Jordanian Teachers Union Leaves Behind Legacy of Wins
One of the Middle East’s most active and militant labor unions has come and gone.
The Jordan Teachers’ Syndicate (JTS) was outlawed and dissolved by the government in July 2020. It represented around 140,000 teachers in the small country of 10 million people.
Amazon and the Southern Key
Steward's Corner: Outwitting Management’s Anti-Union Games
Amazon’s anti-union campaign in its Bessemer, Alabama, warehouse shined a national spotlight on the tactics that companies deploy to fight union drives. Below, a newspaper reporter explains how he and his co-workers exposed management’s routine with a humorous tool: a Bingo card.
Can Postal Vehicles Help Us Fight Climate Change?
The question of whether the Postal Service acts as a business or as a public service is playing out once again—this time in the discussion over fighting climate change.
The Postal Service has more than 200,000 delivery vehicles, many of which are 30 years old and overdue for replacement. They expose workers to exhaust fumes that are a rarity elsewhere in 2021. Hundreds have caught fire, in part due to age. The question of what to replace them with has become a topic of debate.
TV Review: The Class Struggle at Superstore
The hit NBC show Superstore ran for six seasons before being cancelled after star America Ferrera departed. It won praise for showing problems faced by retail workers such as low wages, poor benefits, short staffing, racial and gender discrimination, automation, and the challenges of serving as essential workers during the pandemic.
Don’t Compromise on Farmworker Rights
I covered the immigrant “mega marches” as a freelance reporter in 2006. In response to some horrific, punitive legislation passed by the House of Representatives, millions of immigrants took to the streets of Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and other cities.
But unions didn’t take advantage of that energy in the streets to build a movement. Instead, union officials reacted—some for, some against—to policies coming from DC.
English Football and Working-Class Culture
Interview: 'Things Shouldn't Be Like This': Why One Amazon Driver Walked Out on Easter
Working conditions at Amazon have been under a spotlight for months—not only for workers in the company’s warehouses but also for its delivery drivers, who face extreme quotas, long hours, and intense surveillance.
The National Guard Came to St. Paul to Repress Protests. We Kicked Them Out of Labor’s Hall.
Within days of the police killing 20-year-old Daunte Wright, the streets of the Twin Cities metro area were once again filled with National Guard units.
Democratic Governor Tim Walz and other officials claim this is to protect from the threat of “outside agitators”—a phrase that should be familiar to anyone who has sat through anti-union propaganda. But more and more local residents are calling it a military occupation.
How AI Impacts Workers’ Rights
Artificial intelligence has largely celebrated across industries. Businesses recognize the benefits of AI in all kinds of automation and performance-boosting processes. However, the impact of AI on workers and their rights is less discussed. As much as AI stands to benefit businesses, the trade-offs can mean lost work and working hours for millions of workers. […]
The post How AI Impacts Workers’ Rights first appeared on Today's Workplace.Migrant Women Are Holding Society Together During This Pandemic
The past year has seen several lockdowns as a result of the pandemic, which have had a deep impact on education, employment and the way we work globally. These factors have had an especially stark effect on women. For more than 168 million children worldwide, schools have been closed for almost a year, forcing them to resort […]
The post Migrant Women Are Holding Society Together During This Pandemic first appeared on Today's Workplace.Is Neoliberalism Dead? Class Struggle and a Wealth Tax
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Nebraska AFL-CIO Rallies with Meatpacking Workers in Lincoln
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. On April 8, Nebraska State AFL-CIO President/Secretary-Treasurer Martin spoke at a rally in Lincoln, Nebraska, with members […]
The post Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Nebraska AFL-CIO Rallies with Meatpacking Workers in Lincoln first appeared on Today's Workplace.Pathway to Progress: The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
History has long been portrayed as a series of “great men” taking great action to shape the world we live in. In recent decades, however, social historians have focused more on looking at history “from the bottom up,” studying the vital role that working people played in our heritage. Working people built, and continue to build, […]
The post Pathway to Progress: The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 first appeared on Today's Workplace.A Debate Over Carbon Capture in the Infrastructure Bill Could Test the Labor-Climate Alliance
In late March, President Joe Biden unveiled a $2.3 trillion infrastructure package, the American Jobs Plan, that his administration hopes to move forward this year. The plan would make major investments in improving physical infrastructure such as roads, schools and bridges while also creating good-paying jobs, expanding collective bargaining rights and funding long-term care services under Medicaid. […]
The post A Debate Over Carbon Capture in the Infrastructure Bill Could Test the Labor-Climate Alliance first appeared on Today's Workplace.Pennsylvania Nurses Near Their Breaking Point
On top of the typical stresses, intense work, and long hours common to the profession, nurses working at smaller hospitals in more remote parts of the country face many unique challenges. With fewer staff and 24?–?7 services, facilities like the two Lehigh Valley Health Network hospitals in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, rely on nurses, nursing assistants, and other […]
The post Pennsylvania Nurses Near Their Breaking Point first appeared on Today's Workplace.Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Northern Valley Labor Council Distributes Food to Families in North Dakota and Minnesota
Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The Northern Valley Labor Council in North Dakota, led by President Mark Froemke (BCTGM), plans […]
The post Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Northern Valley Labor Council Distributes Food to Families in North Dakota and Minnesota first appeared on Today's Workplace.The Long Struggle Against Giving Up
Watching on Zoom late last week as an NLRB official spent hour after hour pulling paper ballots out of a cardboard box and hollering ?“NO” at high volume was excruciating. But it was not the most excruciating part of losing a big campaign like the Amazon union drive in Bessemer, Alabama. That would be right now, when the pundits descend […]
The post The Long Struggle Against Giving Up first appeared on Today's Workplace.Unions eye Brookings, Urban Institute as push to organize think tanks grows
Workers at two of the largest, most influential think tanks in Washington, D.C. are forming a union, adding to a growing trend in white-collar collective bargaining. Staff at the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute on Tuesday asked their employers to grant them voluntary recognition — which doesn’t require a secret ballot election — of their unions, which are […]
The post Unions eye Brookings, Urban Institute as push to organize think tanks grows first appeared on Today's Workplace.The Message from the Amazon Union Defeat in Alabama Is Clear: Keep Organizing
On April 9, the National Labor Relations Board announced the results of a mail ballot certification election that concluded on March 29 for workers at the Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama. With 3,215 votes cast, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) was defeated with at least 1,608 votes against the union, enough to crush the drive. The result was not shocking given […]
The post The Message from the Amazon Union Defeat in Alabama Is Clear: Keep Organizing first appeared on Today's Workplace.