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Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Restaurant Workers in Kentucky Join UFCW Local 227

AFL-CIO - Wed, 02/14/2024 - 08:02
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Restaurant Workers in Kentucky Join UFCW Local 227

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Workers at two restaurants in Louisville, Kentucky, recently joined United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 227. More than 20 workers at Feast BBQ and more than 15 workers at Royals Hot Chicken are employed as front and back of house service crew, dishwashers, cooks and shift leaders. The workers are concerned about insufficient wages and scheduling, and poor treatment by management.

“We are excited to welcome workers from Feast BBQ and Royals Hot Chicken to the labor movement,” said Local 227 President Bob Blair. “Despite stall tactics from their employer, these workers stood together and won their union. Together, we will negotiate a great union contract that will help to raise restaurant industry standards for workers in our city.”

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/14/2024 - 10:02

Planned U.S. Steel Sale Meets Anger, Skepticism: USW Vows to Fight to Make Sure Company Lives Up to Obligations

USW Blog - Tue, 02/13/2024 - 12:22

USW leaders and lawmakers across the political spectrum were united in voicing their disapproval when U.S. Steel announced in December that Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp. was planning to purchase the iconic American company for $15 billion.

“To say we’re disappointed in the announced deal between U.S. Steel and Nippon is an understatement,” International President David McCall said when the bid was announced on Dec. 18. “It demonstrates the same greedy, shortsighted attitude that has guided U.S. Steel for far too long.”

Fighting for Jobs, Benefits

While the union voiced its strong objections to the planned acquisition, McCall assured members and retirees that the union would fight with every tool at its disposal to protect good jobs, benefits and retirement plans.

“Our union intends to exercise the full measure of our contract to ensure that whatever happens next with U.S. Steel, we protect the good, family-sustaining jobs we bargained,” McCall said. “We also will urge government regulators to carefully scrutinize this acquisition.”

Nippon Steel is Japan’s largest, and the world’s fourth-largest, steel company, with an annual output of more than 44 million metric tons. By comparison, U.S. Steel’s output in 2022 was about 14.5 million metric tons. 

Supporting Cliffs Bid

McCall pointed out that U.S. Steel management failed to consult with USW members before moving ahead with its plans.

“Neither U.S. Steel nor Nippon reached out to our union regarding the deal, which is in itself a violation of our partnership agreement that requires U.S. Steel to notify us of a change in control or business conditions,” McCall said. “We remained open throughout this process to working with U.S. Steel to keep this iconic American company domestically owned and operated, but instead, it chose to push aside the concerns of its dedicated work force and sell to a foreign-owned company.”

In January, less than a month after U.S. Steel announced the planned sale, the USW filed grievances against the company, in part because of management’s failure to live up to its obligation to notify the union.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio agreed and said that if U.S. Steel must be sold, the winning bid should go to Ohio-based Cleveland Cliffs, which announced an effort, with the strong support of the USW, to purchase U.S. Steel after the 123-year-old company announced in August that it was on the market.

“Nippon and U.S. Steel have insulted American steelworkers by refusing to give them a seat at the table and raised grave concerns about their commitment to the future of the American steel industry,” Brown said.

In a letter to members at U.S. Steel, McCall and District 7 Director Mike Millsap noted that the company has a history of broken commitments, including shutting down steelmaking and other operations at Great Lakes and Granite City. U.S. Steel also broke a promise of more than $1 billion in new and updated technology in Western Pennsylvania, and instead purchased Big River Steel. 

USS has shut down the East Chicago Tin Mill, the UPI Tin Mill and idled tin operations at the Gary plant. In addition, the company shut down Lone Star Steel, the Lorain, Ohio, plant and coke batteries in Clairton, Pa.

Rather than changing course, Nippon intends to follow the current U.S. Steel business plan, McCall said.

National Security Concerns

In addition to the issue of jobs, shifting ownership of U.S. Steel, once the world’s most valuable company, outside the United States raises national security concerns, given the need for steel in infrastructure, military and defense applications.

For their part, many government officials reacted with similar skepticism when they learned of U.S. Steel’s plans, echoing the USW’s concerns about jobs as well as economic and national security.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a longtime USW ally whose home sits across the street from the entrance to U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thompson Works in Braddock, Pa., said he would work vigorously to prevent the sale.

“It’s absolutely outrageous that U.S. Steel has agreed to sell themselves to a foreign company. Steel is always about security — both our national security and the economic security of our steel communities,” Fetterman said. “I am committed to doing anything I can do, using my platform and my position, to block this foreign sale.”

Fetterman’s fellow Pennsylvanian, Sen. Bob Casey, also voiced strong objections to the sale, as did a group of Republican lawmakers who wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asking her to actively oppose the acquisition.

The government “can and should block the acquisition of U.S. Steel by NSC, a company whose allegiances clearly lie with a foreign state and whose record in the United States is deeply flawed,” a group of three conservative Republican senators wrote to Yellen.

Dan Simmons, president of Local 1899 at U.S. Steel’s Granite City Works in Illinois, said he initially hoped the potential sale would bring a “fresh vision” to the company, but the Nippon acquisition did not present that opportunity.

“This entire process was not conducted as it should have been, but rather in typical USS fashion of keeping the union in the dark,” Simmons said. “We now find ourselves facing a new owner with the same USS leadership and business plan that, frankly, got us here in the first place.”

In addition, McCall said, trusting an iconic U.S. company to overseas control raises concerns about fair trade. The United States currently imposes 12 different anti-dumping tariffs on Japanese steel, McCall said. 

U.S. Steel, he said, “has been an active participant in these anti-dumping cases. We should question if Nippon Steel gets control of U.S. Steel, it could use its status as a ‘domestic producer’ to work against the trade cases from the inside,” he said. “Nippon Steel could order U.S. Steel to change its longstanding position.”

Regulatory Review

Still, the agreement between U.S. Steel and Nippon is not yet a done deal. Federal regulators, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which includes leaders from the Departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security and Justice, will review the bid, as will President Joe Biden.

Lael Brainard, director of the National Economic Council, said the president “believes the purchase of this iconic American-owned company by a foreign entity — even one from a close ally — appears to deserve serious scrutiny in terms of its potential impact on national security and supply chain reliability.”

Regardless of what the future holds for the company, McCall vowed that the USW will continue to fight to make sure that its owners live up to their obligations to workers and retirees.

“This includes not just the day-to-day commitments of our labor agreement but also significant obligations to fund pension and retiree insurance benefits that are the most extensive in the domestic steel industry,” he said. “No union has actively engaged in more acquisitions in its core industries than the USW, and rest assured, our union will hold management at U.S. Steel accountable to every letter of our collective bargaining and other existing agreements.”

Members Ratify WestRock Contract: New Master Agreement Covers 5,500 Paperworkers in 24 States

USW Blog - Tue, 02/13/2024 - 12:11

Members at more than four dozen WestRock locations across 24 states voted in December to ratify a new four-year master agreement covering more than 5,500 USW members.

The agreement, which members ratified by a more than 3-to-1 margin through mail-in ballots, covers paperworkers at 15 mills and 36 converter plants.

Aggressive Agenda

International Vice President Luis Mendoza, who leads bargaining in the union’s paper sector, credited members for setting an aggressive bargaining agenda and demonstrating unwavering solidarity despite challenging circumstances.

“This bargaining team was determined to win a contract that would create stability and security for members now and into the future,” Mendoza said. “And they achieved that goal by working together.”

The new master agreement went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and covers contracts with scheduled expirations through the end of 2027. The first year of the agreement includes a 3.25percent wage increase, with a 3 percent wage increase in each subsequent year.

The master agreement covers workers at WestRock mills and converter plants in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Best Deal in Years

Member Tim Cooks, chief steward for Local 819 in Fresno, Calif., has worked for WestRock for 17 years and said it was the best agreement he’s seen during his tenure with the company.

“All in all, we are moving in the right direction,” said Cooks.

In addition to raising wages, the contract held the line on health care costs and provided members with significant improvements to retirement contributions and vacation.

“In this environment, this was as good a deal as we could have gotten,” said Billy Smith, president of Local 9-0425 in Roanoke Rapids, N.C.

In addition to the across-the-board financial gains, the contract contained no concessions and eliminated a two-tier wage system that members had made it a priority to abolish.

The agreement also improved life insurance and short-term disability benefits, while accelerating benefits for new hires.

Smith said that eliminating two-tier wages and improving benefits – particularly for newer workers – would improve members’ lives while also strengthening the union.

“That’s a big deal,” Smith said. “We brought a lot of people up, and that’s what we’re here to do.”

New Ownership

An added challenge that members faced as negotiations got underway was the announcement of a proposed merger of WestRock with Smurfit Kappa, one of the largest producers of containerboard in Europe, with additional operations in Mexico, Central America and South America.

Smurfit Kappa announced in September that it had reached an agreement to acquire WestRock, with a plan to close the transaction in mid-2024.

Mendoza said that the union still has concerns about the planned merger, which would make the new company one of the largest, if not the largest paper and packaging company in the world by revenue.

“This transaction raises questions for workers, including who will be leading the combined company into the future, how they will manage their work force, and how the results could affect USW members,” Mendoza said.

The USW’s agreement with WestRock does include a successorship clause that requires any new owners to act in accordance with the terms of the union’s existing collective bargaining agreements.

SAVE THE DATE: PAPER CONFERENCE

The USW will hold the 2024 National Paper Bargaining Conference from Aug. 5 to Aug. 8 in Austin, Texas. The conference marks the first time in six years that USW paperworkers will gather in person to network, learn, build solidarity and, importantly, set the union’s National Paper Bargaining Policy. For more about the conference, including registration, hotel and travel information, visit usw.org/events.

Brewing Success: USW Members Turn Out High-Quality Beer at Historic Minnesota Company

USW Blog - Tue, 02/13/2024 - 12:00

Customers who purchase beer from Minnesota’s August Schell Brewing are getting far more than just a high-quality, union-crafted beverage.

In each case, buyers get a package of top-to-bottom USW-made products, including the beer, the boxes, the bottles – even the sand used to make the glass. Down the line, USW members ensure customers receive the highest quality merchandise on the market.

“It all starts in the brew hall, and we follow it right on through to the package on the dock,” Eric Stade, president of Local 11-118, said of the brewery workers’ dedication to making top-of-the-line suds.

Stade’s local, which represents the approximately 25 hourly workers at the Schell brewing site in New Ulm, is one of four USW units involved in producing the contents of those cases of Schell beer. The others include Local 1259, which makes boxes for PCA, Local 129M, which produces bottles for Anchor Glass, and Local 460G, which supplies the sand used in the glassmaking process. All four are located in Minnesota.

Historic Location

The Schell brewery, which sits along the Cottonwood River in the small, picturesque town of New Ulm, is the oldest brewery in the Midwest, and the second-oldest in the country. The company, founded by German immigrant August Schell in 1860, is still owned and operated by Schell’s descendants. The charming 22-acre worksite resembles a Victorian-era German village, giving visitors the feeling they’ve been transported back in time.

The company regularly celebrates that heritage with annual Bock Fest and Oktoberfest events, while maintaining an on-site museum, open to the public, that tells the colorful story of the brewery’s history.

Inside the production facility, the beer-making process is far from old-fashioned. USW members combine old-school recipes with new technologies to create an award-winning lineup of beers. The Schell brand is a legacy that workers hope to uphold for generations to come.

Stade, who has worked at the brewery for more than 20 years, said he takes pride in knowing that he’s contributing a chapter to that story.

“This is my little thumbprint on the continuation of something,” he said. “That’s kind of neat.”

Dedicated to Quality

Like Stade, the other two dozen or so USW members at the Schell site take similar pride in their work, whether their role is in brewing, maintenance, bottling, distribution or the warehouse.

“The pride runs far deeper than just the family,” said company Vice President Kyle Marti, a sixth-generation descendant of founder August Schell. “We are very lucky to have the employees we have here.”

The family puts their company's future directly in those dedicated workers’ hands, entrusting them with century-old recipes and encouraging them to develop new beer flavors of their own creation.

Brewer Jordan Walls, who started working at Schell in September of 2022, created the company’s peanut butter porter, one of the brewery’s more popular limited-edition flavors.

Extensive Lineup

Walls and the other USW members at Schell put in five- or six-day weeks, producing between 6,500 and 7,500 cases per day, as well as kegs. During a recent USW@Work visit to the site, the brewery had 19 varieties of beer available in the public tap house, along with two non-alcoholic sodas. One of those, the 1919 draft root beer, is a throwback to when the company had to survive Prohibition by selling root beer and other non-alcoholic beverages.

Schell’s offerings are available for purchase in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and North and South Dakota.

Many of the workers at Schell are also regular customers, sometimes stopping in the tap house at the end of their shifts to socialize with co-workers before heading home. The large room, resembling an old German beer hall, is also where Local 11-118 members gather for their union meetings.

On weekends, the taproom, and the adjacent outdoor beer garden, are packed with locals and tourists sampling Schell’s craft brews and soaking in the atmosphere, which includes peacocks, deer and other wildlife roaming the grounds.

One of Schell’s products, its Nordeast amber lager, has become so popular locally that local distributors once had two- to three-week waiting lists for customers. The company eventually ramped up production to catch up with the growing demand.     

Partners with USW

Marti said he was proud of the fact that the family-owned company has a strong partnership with its small USW work force, pointing out that negotiations for their most recent contract took 45 minutes, with only two proposals passing across the table between the two sides before they reached a tentative agreement.

“These are great people,” he said, gesturing toward USW members at work. “People come here with the idea that it’s a lifetime job.”

Many of the workers at Schell express a similar level of respect for their employers. Production worker and soon-to-be brewer David Widner said the good wages and benefits at Schell allowed him to buy a home, and his union contract provides him with a sense of security.

“I’ve always wanted to work for a company that’s morally sound,” said Widner. “There’s a lot of honor and pride in working here.”

District 11 Director Cathy Drummond said that USW members should be proud of their history at Schell as they look forward to continuing the tradition of brewing the highest quality products for the next generation.

“Our union has a proud history of bargaining with employers to improve working conditions for members without compromising the viability of the company and sacrificing job security,” Drummond said. “August Schell is clearly committed to keep brewing and providing good, union jobs in New Ulm, and USW members are excited to be part of continuing the tradition.”

In addition to the pride they feel, the small, close-knit work force at Schell also genuinely seems to enjoy their jobs. 

As Slade, the local president, put it, “there’s a lot worse things you could be doing than making beer.”

Nurses Win Staffing Fight: Members Overwhelmingly Approve Contract to End Strike, Raise Standards at RWJ Hospital

USW Blog - Tue, 02/13/2024 - 11:46

Nurses who work at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey voted overwhelmingly in December to ratify a new contract that ended a four-month unfair labor practice strike and established staffing standards to protect workers and patients.

Local 4-200 President Judy Danella credited the solidarity of the local union’s 1,700 members, as well as the support of other union members and the New Brunswick community, with helping to bring about the groundbreaking agreement that ended the nurses’ unfair labor practice strike.

“This contract would not have been possible if the nurses hadn’t stood together and demanded what our patients deserve,” said Danella. “This campaign has always been about safety and quality care, and we are ready to get back to work doing what we love.”

Return to Work

Nurses began returning to work in early January under new staffing rules and enforcement mechanisms to help ensure that the hospital maintains safe nurse-to-patient levels, as well as infrastructure to facilitate greater communication between front-line nurses and the hospital administration.

“We are very excited to go back to work with those rules,” Danella said. “It’s a start. We are the only contract that I know of in the state of New Jersey with these staffing ratios.”

Under the agreement, the hospital also will add 70 registered nurse positions, effective May 1, 2024. Those positions will be a mixture of full-time and part-time employees.

“We are particularly proud that this contract includes accountability and communication, which will ensure that staffing will remain a top priority moving forward,” Danella said.

International Visit

The nurses got a lift in their fight from workers across the world. In late August, USW members who were attending the Congress of UNI Global Union in Philadelphia led a delegation of 38 workers from 16 countries to join the Local 4-200 picket line. 

In addition, the RWJ nurses received strong support from their fellow USW members across the country as well as workers in their own backyard. Students and unionized faculty members at Rutgers University offered continuous support, as did members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), which includes workers who live just a short drive or train ride from the RWJ New Brunswick facility.

“We should not have to strike to win common sense solutions to protect our patients and communities,” said Nancy Hagans NYSNA president. “It is the responsibility of our government to enact policies that will protect us.”

New York nurses successfully pushed their state legislators to enact such policies, which went into effect in January 2023. Members of Local 4-200 have long been advocating for New Jersey to adopt similar safe staffing rules.

Staffing Fight

Last spring, before the strike began, USW members joined hundreds of other health care workers for a large rally in Trenton urging state lawmakers to pass measures similar to the New York law.

“Quite simply, safe staffing is good for patients and good for workers,” said International Vice President Kevin Mapp, who oversees the USW’s health care sector, which includes more than 50,000 workers across North America. “Health care workers put themselves on the line every day because they love what they do. Safe staffing improves patient outcomes and reduces burnout and turnover for nurses.”

Danella promised that, following the victory at RWJ, the fight would continue for safe staffing across New Jersey and the United States.

“Now we’ll take safe staffing to the next level,” she said. “We will continue to try to get the state of New Jersey to pass the safe staffing bill.”

As the strike neared the three-month mark in late October, USW members and other health care workers packed a nearby Rutgers University auditorium as U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont led a Senate committee hearing on safe hospital staffing.

“Nurses at Robert Wood Johnson and workers all over this country want better wages and better benefits, but that is not the primary reason for the strike,” said Sanders, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. “What nurses have told me, and I’ve had the opportunity on several occasions to sit down and talk with these nurses, is that what this strike has everything to do with is the safety of their patients.”

Strong Contract

In addition to delivering on the nurses’ safe staffing priorities, the new three-year agreement includes annual wage increases, limits health care costs and boosts retirement benefits.

Though the fight was a difficult one for members, it also brought them together like never before, Danella said.

“People that you would never know, people you met on the picket line, we formed little families along the way,” she said. “Some days, being on the picket line, it gave people the boost they needed to continue.”

Now, Local 4-200 will shift the fight for safe staffing from the picket lines in New Brunswick to the halls of New Jersey government.

“It just kind of started a movement,” Danella said. “It has been 20 years in the making, but I’m hopeful that it’s taken to the next level. Every nurse and every patient in the state of New Jersey deserves safe staffing.”

The Power of Our Union: On the Island of Puerto Rico, USW Members are Stepping up the Fight for Workers’ Rights

USW Blog - Tue, 02/13/2024 - 09:11

Miguel Cruz spent 31 years as a union worker with Puerto Rico’s electric power authority.

Although he reached an age at which he could retire for good, Cruz still serves as president of his unit and continues to champion the labor movement on the island of 3.3 million citizens, working alongside other USW members and prospective members to build worker power.

“This is my passion,” Cruz said of his union work. “It isn’t about money. It’s about representation.”

Stronger Together

The representation that Cruz fights for – what he calls “the power of our union” – is essential for the 1,000 USW members across Puerto Rico. That’s a number Cruz believes could more than double in the next few years as multiple organizing drives begin to bear fruit on the island, an area about twice the size of the state of Delaware.

Sharon Pérez, Local 6135 president and journalist for GFR Media, said that extending the benefits of collective action to more workers in Puerto Rico will benefit everyone.

“When you’re at the table, you’re negotiating the future for our families,” Pérez said. “There’s no turning back.”

With an amalgamated local that includes workers at Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper as well as more industrial workplaces, Pérez faces the challenge of a diverse membership that is spread out geographically across the island.

For pressroom worker Agustín Santiago and many of his 120 USW siblings at GFR, the topics they typically discuss at the bargaining table – wages, benefits, health and safety, work-life balance – are the same as at other bargaining sessions. Other issues, however, are unique to a work force with a growing number of young, tech-savvy communicators in an ever-changing media landscape.

“We have to get more young members involved,” Pérez said, “so they know the union work is worth it for them.”

Organizing Efforts

Helping more workers – of all ages and industries – gain the benefits of unionism has been part of the USW’s mission in Puerto Rico for more than five decades. However, that work has taken on a greater urgency in recent years.

Before becoming international secretary-treasurer in 2019, John Shinn served for seven and a half years as director of District 4, which includes Puerto Rico and nine northeastern U.S. states. As director, he began to shift more USW resources toward servicing and organizing members on the island, an effort that continued under his successors, including current Director David Wasiura.

“It’s been clear for a long time that more workers in Puerto Rico want and deserve the benefits of unionism,” Shinn said. “With only about three percent of the private sector represented, the situation there offers tremendous opportunities for the labor movement to lift up the voices of working families across all sectors of the economy. Organizing more workers in Puerto Rico is good news for everyone on the island and beyond.”

Strengthening Bonds

Shinn and Wasiura recently joined International President David McCall, along with International Vice President Luis Mendoza, District 10 Director Bernie Hall and a handful of other USW leaders, on a weeklong trip to Puerto Rico to meet with members, visit workplaces, learn about workers’ issues, and strengthen the bond between members on the island and those on the mainland.

As part of that effort, Wasiura said, members in District 4 want to be attentive not just to the needs of workers, but those of people throughout the communities where they live.

“If we truly want to make a difference in people’s lives, that work can’t end when we walk out the door at the end of the day,” Wasiura said. “We must be invested in the communities where workers live and focus on their well-being day in and day out.”

It was that approach that led Wasiura and other District 4 leaders to become supporters of the GoGo Foundation, an organization named in honor of a childhood cancer patient who passed away. The organization founded a clinic that provides comprehensive pediatric medical care to families in need.

Mayra Rivera, president of Local 8198, which represents municipal employees in Ponce, received a 2021 Multiplying Good award for her tireless activism on behalf of Puerto Rico’s workers and families, particularly in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Maria six years ago, when she created a community alliance to bring supplies, support and hazard education to residents.

Rivera chose to donate her $500 Multiplying Good prize to the GoGo Foundation, a decision that caught the attention of other leaders in her district and led them to get involved in the foundation’s fundraising.

“It was Mayra’s dedication and generosity that got the ball rolling,” said Wasiura, who joined USW leaders for a tour of the GoGo Pediatric Institute facility last fall. “We hope that the USW’s partnership with the foundation continues for many years to come.”

Series of Setbacks

Despite the hard work of Rivera and many others across the island, some parts of Puerto Rico still have not fully recovered from the devastating effects of Maria, a Category 5 storm that tore through the area in September 2017. It was the region’s worst storm in more than 100 years, killing 3,000 and inflicting more than $90 billion in damage.

Maria destroyed entire neighborhoods and laid waste to much of the island’s electrical grid. A lack of resources and a woefully inadequate federal relief effort only intensified those problems. Five years later, Hurricane Fiona, though not as deadly, brought with it days of massive flooding and more power outages.

For much of the time between those two storms, Puerto Ricans faced a series of earthquakes as well as another deadly crisis – the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While that series of setbacks dealt devastating blows to the people of Puerto Rico, the island’s significant financial and infrastructure problems pre-dated those disasters. More than a decade of debt-related austerity, a 2017 bankruptcy and widespread poverty also made the island’s population vulnerable.

So far, the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has earmarked nearly $700 million in funding for projects in Puerto Rico over 10 years, with more to come.

“Ensuring a strong future for the people of Puerto Rico depends on modernizing infrastructure, providing more strong, family-supporting jobs, and making sure the island is better prepared the next time a disaster strikes,” said Mendoza, the first USW international vice president of Puerto Rican descent. “These investments also will provide a significant economic boost to Puerto Rico’s working families and ultimately benefit every resident.”

Mendoza was one of about 20 USW leaders and activists whose stories were included in a USW-produced Spanish-language book “De Acero” (or “Of Steel”) – United Steelworkers En Puerto Rico.”

The publication – meant to be circulated widely to members on the island – was just one part of an effort by USW leaders and activists to educate themselves and other workers in Puerto Rico about the USW’s history and to ensure that the voices of Steelworkers are leading the way in strengthening the union’s presence on the island.

Mariel Cruz, who recently became the first woman president of Local 6871, was one member who shared her story in the book.

Cruz, also District 4 Women of Steel coordinator, said the most important thing union members can do is learn about their rights and how to fight for them. 

“You have to educate,” she said. “That is the key to everything, to educate and sow the seed for just causes, if we want to have a broad and powerful trade union movement.”

Another story was that of Ernesto Sepulveda Rivera of Local 6588, who produces luxury hand-made carpets for V’Soske Inc.

Those USW-made carpets can be found in the White House, the Vatican, and in the homes of some of the wealthiest people on the planet.

Before he went to work at V’Soske, Rivera already knew the collective power of the USW through stories from his father and grandfather, both of whom made carpets for V’Soske and were proud USW members.

Union Proud

USW members who work at Peerless Oil & Chemicals, Inc., outside of Ponce, express similar pride in the work they do, and in their USW connection. The workers there manufacture and distribute Castrol brand lubricants, detergents, and other petrochemical products at a sprawling site on the southern coast of the island.

Laborer Vladimir Salcedo, who has been a USW member at Peerless for more than 12 years, said he is thankful the union is there to ensure that he and other workers earn fair wages and benefits that allow them to take care of their families, and that they have the equipment necessary to make them safer at work.

“Thanks to the union, we have the PPE we need,” Salcedo said.

Knowing that he and his co-workers have a voice on the job is the most important reason to support the union, said mechanic Esteban Acevedo.

“We have a stable salary that we can count on,” Acevedo said. “And we have someone to stand up for us.”

The USW has a long history of standing up for workers on the island, despite the relatively small number of members there compared to other parts of the United States. That is a situation that members hope they can improve in the coming years as the political climate shifts in favor of unions, and the USW organizes across a number of sectors, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paper, and other manufacturing sites.

Over the past year, USW members have held training sessions for rank-and-file organizers and launched an effort to reinforce to workers what it means to be a Steelworker by convening focus groups, seminars, meetings and other educational efforts.

“The working people of Puerto Rico have such a rich history, and the USW is proud to be a part of that,” said International President David McCall. “As we build on that success and continue to organize, workers will have an even brighter future.”

‘The Fight is Coming’

The fallout from Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy led to a push to privatize utilities such as power generation and distribution. That was part of what led Miguel Cruz’s former union, Unión de Empleados Profesionales Independiente (UEPI), to affiliate with the USW in March 2023.

Former UEPI members serve various roles as instrument technicians, construction inspectors and civil engineers.

Miguel Cruz said the USW’s effective representation of thousands of workers in energy and municipal government drove the decision to join the USW.

“We knew about the work they achieved representing thousands of workers in the energy sector,” he said.

He said the USW was attractive to the members of the formerly independent union because workers were able to maintain their identity and autonomy, while also growing their power by seeking out others to join the fight.

Puerto Rico’s effort to modernize its electrical grid to make it less vulnerable to weather makes the energy sector a hot spot for union organizing.

“As the transition to the private sector happens, the fight is coming,” Cruz said.

Black History Month Profiles: Javonta Gatson

AFL-CIO - Tue, 02/13/2024 - 08:25
Black History Month Profiles: Javonta Gatson

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Javonta Gatson of the Bricklayers and Allied Crafts (BAC).

Javonta Gatson of BAC Local 4 joined the union in April 2017, when his second daughter had just been born. “I was struggling before joining the BAC. The union apprenticeship program taught me tile setting skills, helping me pay my bills and made a down payment for my house—not to mention the pension and health care for me and my family,” Gatson said. “The amount of BAC signatory contractors gave me opportunities to work on different jobs. I hope more high school graduates will consider trades jobs as their careers.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/13/2024 - 10:25

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Graduate Researchers and Postdocs at Caltech Vote to Form Union

AFL-CIO - Tue, 02/13/2024 - 07:16
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Graduate Researchers and Postdocs at Caltech Vote to Form Union

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

More than 2,000 graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers at Caltech voted to join California Institute of Technology Graduate Researchers and Postdocs United-UAW. More than 76% of the graduate students voted for the union, while nearly 83% of postdocs voted in favor of the union. The workers want to secure rights and protections in the workplace, improve compensation and health care, and provide support for academic parents.

“We are incredibly proud of the hard work that led to this overwhelming ‘yes’ vote. We love our research, but too many of us have been made to withstand abuse in the name of passion. Now, we finally have the ability to determine our working conditions, which will improve our research and our lives,” said Nadia Suryawinata, an international graduate student.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/13/2024 - 09:16

Worker Wins: There Is Power in a Union

AFL-CIO - Mon, 02/12/2024 - 10:07
Worker Wins: There Is Power in a Union

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. 

CBS News Digital Unionizes with Writers Guild of America East: CBS News Digital writers and editors announced last week they are organizing with the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) and are calling on management to voluntarily recognize them. The 46-member bargaining unit includes staffers for CBSNews.com as well as CBS’ mobile website, social media channels and news app. WGAE—which already represents their colleagues at CBS News and CBS News Streaming—emphasized that especially amid a recent spike in layoffs and corporate mergers in the news industry, forming a union is critical for journalists to protect themselves and ensure they can keep doing the work they care about. In a statement delivered to management, CBS News Digital Union said, “As a union, we want to ensure that all of CBS News Digital’s staff are protected and treated fairly as we continue on this journey together. We look forward to meeting you at the bargaining table.”Workers at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin Vote to Unionize: Workers at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin have voted overwhelmingly in favor of forming a union with the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals Local 5000 (WFNHP), an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). In a press release from early last month, staff cite wanting to provide their patients with the absolute best care possible as a core motivation for unionizing. WFNHP emphasizes that Planned Parenthood and the labor movement have both faced an onslaught of political attacks historically and presently, and that this organizing victory is a critical step toward fortifying the strength of both. “While health care workers are struggling through unprecedented challenges, many are coming together to improve their lives and better care for their patients by forming a union,” WFNHP President Connie Smith said. “There is power in a union, and our union will continue to use our power to guarantee that all health care is a human right.”Faculty at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts Reach Tentative Agreement, Averting Strike: Faculty at the University of the Arts (UArts) in Philadelphia—members of United Academics of Philadelphia, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 9608—reached a tentative agreement hours before a strike authorization vote that was scheduled for Monday. Over the past three years, unionized faculty have been in negotiations with school administrators for a first contract. Members have organized multiple actions, demonstrations and picket lines in the face of slow-moving bargaining to remind UArts that they were holding firm in their commitment to contract goals, including regarding job security, higher wages and health care. If the tentative agreement is ratified, it will be retroactive from Jan. 1, 2024, and will be in effect through August 2026. “More than three years after first forming, our UArts faculty union has won an agreement that helps establish pay equity, guarantees annual wage increases and builds real power and fairness for arts educators at University of the Arts,” said Bradley Philbert, adjunct professor of critical studies and member of the bargaining committee.IGN Staff Votes to Form Union with The NewsGuild-CWA: Workers at IGN, a popular video game and entertainment media site, have announced that they are organizing with The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA). The IGN Creators Guild includes editorial and creative workers at the outlet, which is owned by digital media parent company Ziff Davis. There were 87% of the eligible members who signed union authorization cards in hopes of winning better pay, layoff protections, meaningful steps to increase staff diversity and more. “IGN is an incredible place to work! But so many of the talented creators that make it so incredible need more support than they’re currently getting, especially when it comes to competitive pay and adequate time off,” said senior reporter Rebekah Valentine. “And at a time when our industry faces so much uncertainty amid mass layoffs and the rise of generative AI, it’s more important than ever for us to ensure IGN remains a great place to work not just today, but for the future IGN that doesn’t exist yet.”NLRB Ruling Affirms Freedom to Join a Union for Dartmouth Men’s Basketball Team: “Yesterday’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision affirming the right of Dartmouth men’s basketball team to join a union is game-changing. College athletes put their heart and soul into excelling for their schools, working long, grueling hours and risking bodily injury each and every day. These athletes, like so many other young workers, are standing together to improve their lives. The labor movement stands in firm solidarity with student worker-athletes seeking a voice on the job.” Read AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler’s full statement here.San Diego Signs Construction Labor Agreement with Unions: In a victory for workers in San Diego, the City Council unanimously passed a blanket project labor agreement (PLA) on Wednesday. This agreement reverses a years-old ban on PLAs and will cover projects that have a construction value of at least $5 million for the first two years, and then include projects with a construction value of $1 million or more starting in July 2026. The city is expected to award 111 contracts for construction projects during the current fiscal year that are estimated to cost about $635 million total, providing workers with good union jobs with better wages, safety protocols and regulations. “This PLA won’t erase the injustices of the past, but it can write a better and more equitable future,” said Carol Kim, the business manager for the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council. She’s the second woman and first Asian American to lead the council.U.S. ‘Avatar’ Workers Vote for a Union in Boost for VFX Organizing Effort: The visual effects (VFX) artists who helped bring James Cameron’s “Avatar” epics to life voted to organize late last week with the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) in a National Labor Relations Board election. These workers include creature costume leads and environment artists as well as others in the stage, environments, render, post viz, sequence, turn over and kabuki departments. VFX artists cited waiting to gain comparable benefits and pay as their union brothers, sisters and siblings and have greater input into working conditions as core reasons for their decision to organize. This victory is just the latest unionization in the largely nonunion VFX space—in fall 2023, artists at Marvel and Walt Disney Pictures voted unanimously to join with IATSE. “This is a huge step forward for our industry as a whole—we’ve come together as a united front to affirm our worth to not just the studios, but to the public as a whole. For too long I’ve been scared about where VFX is going, and even considered leaving. Now I actually feel like there’s a future for us, and I’m excited for it,” lab generalist Kristin Kamera said in a statement.The Onion Union Reaches Tentative Deal with Management, Averting Strike: Hours before their current contract was set to expire, as workers prepared for a strike, the Onion Inc. Union—an affiliate of Writers Guild of America East (WGAE)—reached a tentative agreement with owner G/O Media. The deal will now go to the 36 creative workers in the bargaining unit and the WGAE Council for a ratification vote. The union represents the creative staff at The Onion, The A.V. Club, Deadspin and The Takeout. Core issues for staff members are common ones for a lot of news outlets right now, including regulating artificial intelligence usage, increasing wages and improving benefits. Brown University Prepared to Voluntarily Recognize Postdoc Union: Brown University has announced it would recognize the Brown Postdoc Labor Organization (BPLO)—made up of university postdoctoral researchers and Dean’s Faculty Fellows—once the National Labor Relations Board certifies collected signatures. If successful, BPLO will join Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP) Local 6516—an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—which also represents graduate workers, community coordinators and teaching assistants at Brown. “Our generation (is) realizing that you can’t just rely on the benevolence of institutions to protect your rights,” said Caroline Keroack, a postdoctoral research associate and BPLO organizer. “You have to stand up and be in solidarity with your co-workers to get what you deserve.”Duke Raleigh Hospital Maintenance Workers Organize: Maintenance workers at Duke Raleigh Hospital became the first in North Carolina to organize this year after voting Friday to join Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 465. This victory comes after another recent win last year in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, which includes Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, where roughly 2,400 graduate student workers at Duke University won their election to join SEIU Workers United Southern Region Local 27. Maintenance workers now will be able to collectively negotiate a contract that addresses pay, job security and fair treatment within the Duke University Health System. “We’re just trying to provide for our families, be treated fairly and have our hard work respected,” said longtime Duke Raleigh worker Corey Brown. “People have kids, houses and lives at stake, and before the hospital could do pretty much whatever they wanted. Now we will have the power to secure our future together.”Trulieve Magnolia Workers Organize in First Election for Arizona Cannabis Agricultural Workers: Workers at Trulieve’s central cannabis production facility in Phoenix made state history last week when they voted in favor of organizing with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99. In a 37–4 vote, they became the first cannabis agricultural workers in the state to form a union; it was only the second union election to be administered by the Arizona Agricultural Employment Relations Board. This is a massive win for the cultivators and post-harvest workers who make the more than $1 billion industry in Arizona possible. “Today, employees [at the] Trulieve Magnolia [facility] have proved that no matter the obstacle, when working people stand together in solidarity and demand better for themselves and their families, there is nothing they cannot achieve,” said Jim McLaughlin, president of Local 99.Emerson College Resident Assistants Win Union Election in Unanimous Vote: Residential assistants (RAs) at Emerson College voted unanimously to join Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 153, becoming the first student workers to organize at the Boston campus. Members of the Emerson Union for Resident Assistants (EURA) play a number of essential roles at Emerson, acting as support networks for first-year students, first responders in emergency situations in the dorms, mentors and more. EURA is the eighth cohort of RAs to form a union with Local 153 since 2022. They join their union brothers, sisters and siblings at Boston University and Tufts University in the fight to improve working conditions, policy transparency and wages for student workers. “Now that we have won our union, we will be able to start the bargaining process….We want to make the RA position more equitable for future RAs that step into the role while also preserving the parts of the job that we love, and we believe that collective bargaining will help bring meaningful change to this role,” said Casper Apodaca, a third-year RA and member of EURA’s Organizing Committee. Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/12/2024 - 12:07

Tags: Organizing

Black History Month Profiles: Jarel Sanders

AFL-CIO - Mon, 02/12/2024 - 09:26
Black History Month Profiles: Jarel Sanders

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Jarel Sanders of AFSCME.

Jarel Sanders is the vice president of Pride at Work, where he works on creating space for Black, queer workers within our unions. Sanders was recently featured in a Labor Heritage Power Hour podcast discussing Bayard Rustin as not only being a significant part of the civil rights movement, but the importance of Rustin being a Black, gay man in the civil rights movement.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/12/2024 - 11:26

Rapid Response Action Call: It’s Time to Act. Labor Unions in Georgia Are Under Attack

USW Blog - Mon, 02/12/2024 - 09:25

Click here to download this Action Call as PDF.

 Rapid Response Action Call: It’s Time to Act.
Labor Unions in Georgia Are Under Attack.

Last week, we told you about Senate Bill 362, a bill that violates federal labor laws, discourages economic growth in Georgia, and rewards union busting. Thursday, the bill was voted out of Senate by a vote of 31-23. It will now move to the House for a vote.

Why are they doing this?

Recently, a State Senator shared that this bill is a "message to the federal government”. As federal dollars are being sent to states as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the CHIPS Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), it’s become clear the language in these bills connecting the funding to supporting workers who want to unionize is problematic for corporations. We worked hard during the crafting of these bills to ensure companies who received these funds allow workers who want to organize have the ability to do so without pushback. This bill is clearly a way around that.

We know better and we see right through this. The new era of the Georgia labor movement is here and S.B. 362 is evidence that anti-union legislators funded by corporations are scared of workers getting their fair share.

Here are two ways you can join the fight! It's time to take action and reach every state representative.

A majority of Americans would join a union right now if they could, and working people across all sectors of the economy are organizing like never before. The reason for this was simple: Union contracts are life-changing opportunities for pay raises, better benefits, safer workplace standards, and more. Yet, anti-labor state legislators are working to weaken organized labor and worker power in the state of Georgia. We must stop this legislation!

  1. Tell your state representative to OPPOSE S.B. 362. Click HERE to send a pre-written email to them.
  2. Join us for a Labor Lobby Day on February 22 in Atlanta! Click HERE to register.

For more information on this issue or how you can get more involved with Rapid Response, please contact District 9 Rapid Response Coordinator, Shane Mitchell at smitchell@usw.org.

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Amalgamated Transit Union Local 616 Members Ratify New Contract with Transit Windsor

AFL-CIO - Mon, 02/12/2024 - 08:57
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Amalgamated Transit Union Local 616 Members Ratify New Contract with Transit Windsor

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 616 workers at Transit Windsor ratified a new collective bargaining agreement hours before a strike was set to begin. The contract was approved with a 90% vote in favor. The new deal includes wage increases and improvements to benefits. ATU Local 616 represents almost 300 members at Transit Windsor who work as operators and in customer service, administration, maintenance and skilled trades positions.

"Our members showed up in large numbers [Sunday] morning and they voted overwhelmingly to ratify the tentative agreement that the bargaining committee negotiated last weekend. So we're very pleased with the outcome," says Manny Sforza, ATU international vice president. "And it's a very well balanced contract. Something that the bargaining team should be proud of. A contract that the membership should be proud of. They stood together. They showed that they were willing to strike for a fair deal and I believe that's what we accomplished."

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/12/2024 - 10:57

A Historic Union Victory: The Working People Weekly List

AFL-CIO - Fri, 02/09/2024 - 11:33
A Historic Union Victory: 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.

Bitter Battle Rages Over Effort to Raise Pilot Retirement Age to 67: “The battle over whether pilots older than 65 should fly commercial jets is still raging, although many in the airline industry say the pilot shortage has ended, ending the need. The contentious issue is being addressed as part of Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization, which has become one more area where the Senate version is in conflict with the House version. The Senate version has the support of labor including the Air Line Pilots Association. ‘Raising the pilot retirement age is a solution in search of a problem,’ ALPA President Jason Ambrosi said Wednesday. ‘Labor doesn’t want it; airlines are not calling for it, and the FAA says it shouldn’t happen. I’m not sure why we should be arguing about this.’ At the press conference, Ambrosi was joined by Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, and Greg Reagan, president of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, an indication of labor backing. ALPA represents 77,000 pilots at 43 U.S. and Canadian airlines.”

CBS News Digital Staffers Form Union, Demand Voluntary Recognition from Management: “Amid a wave of layoffs sweeping across the media industry, writers and editors at CBS News Digital have formed a union with WGA East for the purpose of collective bargaining. An ‘overwhelming’ majority of CBS News Digital’s 46-member bargaining unit signed union cards on Monday, Feb. 5, according to WGA East—and they are asking management to recognize the union. The union covers workers at CBS News digital platforms including CBSNews.com, its mobile website, social-media channels and the CBS News app.”

Unionized Hospitality Workers in Baltimore to March for Better Pay: “Hospitality workers in Baltimore, from hotels to stadiums, are set to march Thursday for equal pay. The unionized workers say they're struggling financially since they last bargained, pointing to rising prices nearly everywhere. ‘Prices for gas and groceries have gone up so much since we last bargained,’ La'Tan Smith, a cook at the Hilton Baltimore, said in a statement announcing Thursday's demonstration. ‘As a cook, I make more than a lot of my co-workers, and I still have to choose between paying my car payment and buying food. We shouldn't have to struggle this much just because our bosses think they get away with paying Baltimore workers less.’”

After Three Years, Unionized Faculty at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts Reach Tentative Contract Agreement: “After three years of negotiating, unionized faculty at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts (UArts) announced on Instagram Sunday that they have reached a tentative contract agreement with school administrators for a first contract. The agreement came hours before a strike authorization vote slated for Monday. This would be the first contract passed since UArts faculty unionized in November 2020. The union has been fighting for such issues as job security, wages, and healthcare. Previously, there were also wage disparities between departments, as well as those teaching studio and lecture courses. They have held multiple actions, demonstrations, and picket lines, with contract negotiations beginning in March 2021. The union is organized under the United Academics of Philadelphia, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 9608.”

IATSE Puts Strike Authorization Vote on the Table as Negotiations Near: “The major Hollywood crew union IATSE is planning on a potential strike authorization vote if deals on two major labor contracts are not reached around the time they expire on July 31. The union indicated that it is factoring the possible vote into its negotiations strategy in new contract campaign websites for its upcoming Basic Agreement and Area Standards Agreement talks. Both websites present a timeline of events before and after negotiations begin on March 4 for the Basic Agreement (covering West Coast workers) and, after, for the Area Standards Agreement (applying to workers outside of New York and L.A. and projected to begin in late April). Around the July 31 expiration date for the two deals, which collectively apply to more than 60,000 industry workers, IATSE says it expects either a ratification vote for a tentative deal or a vote that will gauge members’ interest in a walkout, ‘depending on the status of negotiations.’”

Roosevelt High School Launches Pre-Apprenticeship Program with Local 66: “The Roosevelt School District and Laborers Local 66 celebrated this week the launch of an impactful new construction pre-apprenticeship program at Roosevelt High School. The LEARN Program, created by the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), equips students with applied academic, work and life skills that provide them with a solid foundation to enter a U.S. Department of Labor-Recognized Apprenticeship program. The Roosevelt School District is the first school district on Long Island to offer the LEARN Program, which has had success in school districts throughout the country.”

Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW) Union Vote Passes: “On Jan. 30, Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW) announced that the vote for a WOAW-UAW union had passed. ‘This historic union victory is an expression of our desire for a stronger, more connected community where everyone can thrive,’ read an email from Erin Battat, Heather Bryant and Annie Brubaker on behalf of the WOAW-UAW organizing committee.”

‘This Is Life-Changing’: Emerson Faculty Union and College Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement: “After working off-contract for more than half a year and making gradual progress in negotiations, Emerson’s full-time faculty union ratified the ‘life-changing’ terms of a new collective bargaining agreement with the college at the start of the month.”

Allegiant Stadium Workers Push for Union Ahead of Hosting Super Bowl: “With the spotlight on Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, workers at one of the NFL’s newest venues are pushing to unionize. During a press conference Tuesday morning inside the local culinary union’s headquarters, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations Sports Council, UNITE HERE and the NFL Players Association came together and called on Allegiant Stadium to allow its workers to join a union.”

Biden Meets with Culinary Workers on Eve of Nevada Primary: “President Biden met on Monday with members of Nevada’s powerful culinary workers union, after the union averted a planned strike by reaching contract agreements with Las Vegas properties over the weekend. Biden visited the Vdara Hotel, one of the properties where the union agreed to a contract for its members, and greeted workers in an employee cafeteria—shaking hands, taking photos and at one point appearing to FaceTime with someone on a worker’s phone. ‘Wall Street did not build America. The middle class built America. Unions built the middle class. There would be no middle class without the unions,’ he told the crowd. ‘So I came to say thank you. Not just to say thank you for the support that you’ve given me last time out, but to thank you for having the faith in the union.’”

Guest Editorial: The Power of Workers and Unions in 2024: “Last year, scenes of striking workers and picket lines dominated the news. Workers from all corners of the American economy—from writers and auto workers, to teachers and health care professionals—came together to fight for their fair share. The labor movement had a big moment in 2023. I hope we can say the same in 2024.”

IGN Staff Votes to Unionize with NewsGuild-CWA: “Employees at IGN, the popular video game and entertainment media site, have announced that they are unionizing with the NewsGuild-CWA labor union. The IGN Creators Guild consists of editorial and creative workers at IGN, which is owned by digital media parent company Ziff Davis. The guild is currently made of over 80 employees, with 87% of the eligible members signing union authorization cards. The union will be fighting for better pay, layoff protections, measurable steps that increase staff diversity and more.”

Alabama Arise Announces Newly Formed Staff Union: “The staff, leadership and board of Alabama Arise are thrilled to announce the launch of Alabama Arise Workers United-Communications Workers of America (AAWU-CWA), the newly formed Arise staff union. AAWU-CWA is an affiliate of CWA Local 3908. ‘I am honored to be a part of an organization that allowed us to make our own choice about whether or not to join a union,’ said Formeeca Tripp, Arise’s southeast Alabama organizer. ‘Even though we have a safe work environment, it is reassuring to know I have job security and a voice as a union-represented worker.’”

Teachers Strike at Two Chicago Instituto Charter Schools After Failing to Reach Deal: “More than 40 members of the Chicago Teachers Union at two Instituto charter schools went on strike Tuesday after the union said it failed to reach a new agreement with the school’s operator. ‘We want to have the administration respect not just us but also the students that are here,’ said science teacher Louis Lucas. Teachers hit the picket lines in front of Instituto Health Science Career Academy and said they’ve been working without a contract for two years.”

The Onion Union Ratifies Strike-Averting Contract: “Creative workers at The Onion, The A.V. Club and Deadspin and other titles owned by G/O Media have ratified the tentative deal that averted a potential strike. Out of 36 members in the Writers Guild of America East-represented bargaining unit, 33 voted ‘yes’ on the labor agreement reached Jan. 31 while three rejected the deal, the WGA East announced on Tuesday. ‘We’re thrilled about this deal that addresses our unit’s top concerns, and we’re so grateful to every person who showed support throughout our bargaining process. Our unit’s strength and solidarity, together with our incredible labor allies, got us here,’ the Onion Union said in a statement. Members of the bargaining unit work at The Onion, Onion Labs, The A.V. Club, Deadspin and The Takeout.”

Union Membership Grew by 139,000 in 2023, Thanks to Worker Wins: “Union membership grew by 139,000 in 2023, according to a report on union density released Jan. 23 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Union membership in the private sector increased by 191,000 members, with a majority of new members under the age of 45. More than 900,000 union members won double-digit wage increases through new contracts last year. ‘Workers are fed up with low wages, few benefits, and a lack of dignity and respect on the job, which is precisely why more are interested in joining a union now than ever before,’ said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO.”

The Latest Union Shop on Broadway? Phoenix Comics Workers Organize for Retail Representation: “Broadway still might be a union street. After last spring’s celebration of ten successful years at 113 Broadway E, Phoenix Comics staff are kicking off the next ten having successfully formed a union represented by UFCW 3000. Elise Oziel, one of Phoenix’s six staff members, told CHS the team began discussing the formation of a union last summer.”

Is Dance Poised for a Union Boom?: “Lots of dancers are union members—that isn’t new. Many of the country’s largest dance companies are unionized with the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), and dancers who work on Broadway are members of the Actors’ Equity Association. The Radio City Rockettes, Cirque du Soleil performers, and dancers at Disney and Universal theme parks are members of the American Guild of Variety Artists, and many other commercial dancers are members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).”

Las Vegas Culinary Union Avoids Strike After Agreeing with Properties on New Contracts: “Ahead of a Monday morning strike deadline, the Culinary Union announced deals over the weekend with several Downtown Las Vegas properties, and said they will not go on strike, even though workers at one Las Vegas resort do not have a contract. On Sunday night, the union announced a tentative five-year agreement with the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino, hours after announced a deal was reached with the Golden Nugget Las Vegas. ‘These were tough negotiations,’ Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge said in a statement. ‘It took over 2 years of preparation, 10 months of negotiations, lots of hard work, committee meetings, sleepless nights, and worker-led organizing. No victory in our union’s history is ever guaranteed and thousands of workers who participated in rallies, protests, civil disobedience, picketing, surveys, picket sign making, strike voting, and delegations inside the properties sacrificed to win a better future for themselves and our families.’”

Labor Market Grew 353,000 in January, Soaring Past Expectations: “The U.S. economy added 353,000 jobs in January, a shockingly strong pickup, even as higher interest rates continue to ripple through the economy. The unemployment rate held at 3.7%, and has now been below 4% for two years, the longest stretch of unemployment since the 1960s.”

Smith College Student Dining Workers Vote for Union: “Dining workers at Smith College voted overwhelmingly Thursday in favor of organizing as United Smith Student Workers (USSW), a new union affiliated with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153. ‘I am so excited that my co-workers and I are joining the wave of undergraduate workers unionizing to fight for a better workplace and a better campus,’ Sasha Rtishchev, a sophomore on the organizing committee who works at the Dawes dining hall, said in a statement.”

Sign That Strikes Are Back in Fashion: Workers Walk Out at Vogue Magazine: “The NewsGuild organized the strike to protest what they say is Condé Nast’s bad faith bargaining in negotiations over layoffs. The company is proposing to lay off 94 members, nearly 20% of the bargaining unit. In January management reduced its own proposal for severance pay, a classic case of ‘regressive bargaining’ that violates the requirement under federal law to bargain in good faith.”

Virginia House of Delegates Passes Bill to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 by 2026: “The Virginia AFL-CIO today celebrated the advancement of Delegate Jeion Ward’s bill to raise the state minimum wage as it successfully passed the House floor by a vote of 51-49. Virginia’s minimum wage has incrementally increased from $7.25 per hour to $12 per hour over the last three years. HB1 builds on the progress started in 2020 by raising the minimum wage to $13.50 by 2025 and $15 per hour by 2026. ‘No one who works a full-time job should struggle to make ends meet, but wages have not kept up with inflation,’ said Virginia AFL-CIO President Doris Crouse-Mays. ‘We commend the House of Delegates for standing with workers and passing our union sister Delegate Ward’s legislation. The governor has said he wants to address the cost of living, so he can start by signing this bill and giving Virginia’s minimum wage workers a raise.’”

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/09/2024 - 13:33

Black History Month Profiles: Brittani Murray

AFL-CIO - Fri, 02/09/2024 - 08:44
Black History Month Profiles: Brittani Murray

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Brittani Murray of the United Steelworkers (USW).

Brittani Murray from USW is the co-president of Pride at Work. Recently, Murray led a panel on the intersections of queer, labor and Black liberation at the Creating Change Conference. Murray does the work every day to empower and uplift her union brothers, sisters and siblings and work toward creating an inclusive space for all people in their union.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/09/2024 - 10:44

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Front of House Staff Union Voluntarily Recognized, Join IATSE

AFL-CIO - Fri, 02/09/2024 - 08:36
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Front of House Staff Union Voluntarily Recognized, Join IATSE

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

The 29 front of house, ticketing staff and public-facing workers at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis are joining  Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 13 after management agreed to voluntarily recognize the group’s union.

“This organizing campaign would not have gone as smoothly if it was not for the complete solidarity of this unit,” said IATSE Representative Amanda Sager. “They were on top of everything from the start. I am personally very proud of them.”

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/09/2024 - 10:36

All-Hands-On-Deck: Arizona Part 1- Election Connection

USW Blog - Fri, 02/09/2024 - 07:28

While both chambers of Arizona’s state legislature have been controlled by an anti-worker majority for more than three decades, significant progress has been made in recent years to elect lawmakers who are committed to advancing an agenda that favors working people. 

In fact, in 2024, only a handful of seats across both chambers need to be flipped to secure an historic union-friendly trifecta consisting of a pro-union governor, and a majority in both legislative chambers in the state. 

Statewide elections in Arizona have also become much more competitive in recent years, with labor-backed candidates winning the gubernatorial and presidential elections in 2022 and 2020, respectively, for the first time in numerous election cycles. 

Momentum Builds to Benefit Hard-Working Arizonans 

Although her ability to pass labor-friendly laws has been limited because of the current composition of the state legislature, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has fought aggressively on workers’ behalf throughout her first year in office. 

In November, Gov. Hobbs spearheaded an effort to ensure workers have access to quality, affordable child care options, especially those in the state’s growing semiconductor industry. 

While the effort is new, Hobbs envisions a plan tailored for workers across all industries that will be adaptive to the state’s diverse and growing economy.

Unprecedented federal funding from President Joe Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have helped spur massive job growth in Arizona’s construction and semiconductor industries. Gov. Hobbs has already committed $4 million to support the Build it Arizona apprenticeship and job training program to ensure a pathway to securing these jobs. 

Hobbs has collaborated with several unions to improve transparency, oversight and enforcement of workplace health and safety rules in the semiconductor industry. 

Additionally, Hobbs’ administration has initiated the state’s first-ever comprehensive program to protect workers from excessive heat. 

Hobbs will not face reelection until 2026. 

Last year, another labor-backed ally who was first elected statewide in 2022, Attorney General Kris Mayes, received the Arizona AFL-CIO’s Elected Leader of the Year Award

Upon receiving the award, Mayes announced the creation of a new worker protection unit inside the Arizona Attorney General’s office which will focus on issues including misclassification, wage theft, employer tax and payroll fraud, workplace safety, workers’ rights, and more. 

Arizona Voters Face Consequential Election in 2024 

In addition to Arizona’s contentious state and federal elections, we should also pay attention to an effort that was announced in October to give Arizonans the opportunity to decide whether to remove “Right to Work” language from the state constitution. 

In order to put the decision on voters’ ballots in November, the coalition of lawmakers and worker advocates leading the campaign would need to gather nearly 400,000 signatures. 

Needless to say, Arizona will be a battleground on all fronts in 2024, and Steelworkers are prepared to work tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome on Election Day.

25 Years in the Labor Movement, Over 100 Years in the Making

AFL-CIO - Thu, 02/08/2024 - 09:05
25 Years in the Labor Movement, Over 100 Years in the Making

Shari Semelsberger’s journey at the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) began on February 8, 1999, but her roots in the labor movement date back much further. On either side, Semelsberger’s family’s history within the American labor cause dates back to more than a century ago.  Her identity and her values are intertwined with the principles of labor unions. 

“My first experience in the labor movement was when I was six years old. My mother took me  to the first Solidarity Day March in Washington D.C.in  1981,” she recalled. 

Each branch of Semelsberger’s family tree tells the story of a blue-collar worker, beginning with her maternal great-grandfather’s arrival to the United States from Italy in 1913. Roughly a decade later he became a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, where he worked on the street car tracks in Washington, D.C. Three generations of men on her father’s side worked for Washington, D.C.’s railroad and transit systems. 

Her paternal great-grandfather was a police officer at Washington Railway Terminal and her grandfather began his career at the young age of 17 working on the railroads and after 48 years of service retired as Yardmaster in Charge at Union Station. Her parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins have belonged to over a dozen local unions since the early 20th century, including IAM, ATU, IAFF, CWA, various units of the AFL-CIO, OPEIU, Letter Carriers, Operating Engineers, Teamsters, and Yard Masters under SMART-TD. They have worked in public service sectors such as firefighting, postal service, and law enforcement, as well as news publication and union administration.  Members of her immediate family, including Shari, collectively have over 200 years of membership in OPEIU Local 2 alone. 

“[Unions] provided a life for me, for my family,” Semelsberger said. “I remember when I was little, every time I was able to go to work with my mom or go to conventions or see my aunt, it was always exciting, I guess because they were proud of where they worked. People were happy to be there– to see you. You could take your kid to work.” 

Semelsberger insists that thanks to unions, the women in her family broke through the financial constraints and societal expectations of the status quo. Semelsberger’s maternal grandmother, Toni, a single mother of six, had no choice but to begin working full-time the same year her youngest son was born. An occupation that provided anything less than fair wages, good benefits, and job security would not be enough. As a shop steward, Toni spent two decades at the International Association of Machinists and  Aerospace Workers  (IAM) headquarters. 

Semelsberger’s father, Alton “Moe” Grimes, a veteran and a member of multiple union chapters throughout his life, served in the Vietnam War during the Tet Offensive campaign. During that time, Semelsberger’s mother, Marie, secured her first job within the labor movement, serving as a temp at the D.C. Labor Council. 

“Back then, most women stayed at home. She was a young mother and considered a single mother while my dad was overseas. She had to work, she had to provide,” Semelsberger said. By chance, her placement at the DC Labor Council turned into a 16-and-a-half-year stint, and Marie became secretary to the President.  After her 16-and-a-half-year stent, she continued her dedication to the labor movement when she joined the International Association of Fire Fighters.  Marie retired in March 2007 after 23 and half years at the IAFF, and 40 years in the labor movement. 

Semelsberger’s mother was adamant about buying American-made, union-made goods. Semelsberger speaks to her mother’s passion and dedication to workers, a trait she would inherit herself. 

“When she was in management, she still gave a voice to the workers. She has always been very dedicated to the labor movement. If you think about it, it was the foundation that gave us a good life,” Semelsberger said. 

Before joining the Transportation Trades Department, Semelsberger worked as a marketing associate in a non-unionized workplace. She was overworked, underpaid, and sacrificed her health for the sake of her job on multiple occasions.

“I wouldn’t take lunch or bathroom breaks,” she said. “I ended up in the hospital with kidney stones.” 

Semelsberger’s mom found a job posting for a receptionist position at TTD, and the labor federation hired her in February of 1999. From an entry-level position, Semelsberger worked her way up the ranks in office positions, including assistant to the executive director and office administrator. Shari would go on to earn a union administration degree from the National Labor College, graduating in 2003. She learned about the business side of unions: PAC and FEC reports, prevention of misused funds, negotiations, and mediation. 

On November 30, 2020, her and her colleagues’ worlds would shift when Larry Willis, TTD’s president, tragically and unexpectedly died from injuries sustained in a bicycle accident. Then secretary-treasurer, now President Greg Regan asked Semelsberger to be his partner in leadership—and she initially refused. 

“I hesitated and said I didn’t want to sacrifice time with my kids or my own time. My commute is long, I volunteer at my children’s schools, and I don’t have the extra time—but Greg said, “You’re already doing the work,” she said. Previous TTD leadership told Semelsberger that her talents were best suited for numbers, for business, and for working with people. 

She ultimately accepted Regan's offer and ran alongside him in the election. TTD’s Executive Committee, comprised of (then) 33 union leaders, unanimously elected her as their secretary-treasurer on February 17, 2021. 22 years after starting at the Transportation Trades Department, she was now second-in-command at the largest transportation labor federation in the country.

Semelsberger's leadership journey began amid the COVID-19 pandemic when many transportation workers were deemed essential. 

“During the pandemic, you had people who were proud to be workers and proud of their jobs. They did it with dignity and their lives on the line,” she said. Despite the sacrifices made by employees during the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown era, some companies failed to show up with benefits like hazard pay, paid sick leave, or even basic safety precautions. 

“You’ll never get back the time you spent away from your family or what you went through physically and emotionally,” Semelsberger said. 

Though the labor movement saw momentum in 2023, union membership rates within the last few years are the lowest ever recorded. Steady gaps in wealth inequality and extreme CEO-to-worker pay gaps come at the brunt of employees’ labor and often exploitation. 

“For these companies not to give employees a share of their profits, it’s wrong. Because of that, people should not have to be pushed to go on strike. The wealth of these companies is in the workers. Without them, what do you have?” she asked. 

Semelsberger pointed to changes she witnessed over the years and the commonality of union-busting tactics used by employers today.

“At the height of the labor movement, when one guild went on strike, the entire job would grind to a halt,” she said, citing construction projects as an example. She notes that solidarity slowly diminished as companies forced workers to cross picket lines and participate in union action only before or after work. 

Companies continue to breadcrumb benefits or wage increases in lieu of supporting organizing workers, promising attributes of union membership while simultaneously intimidating employees from forming one. Current organizing campaigns include Starbucks Workers United, a tri-union campaign at Delta Airlines, and the UAW’s fight to unionize workers at more than a dozen automakers, including Tesla. .

 “Union workers are so essential because they are skilled in their craft, dedicated, and loyal because of what they get back from their employer. In order to receive, you have to give,” Semelsberger insisted. “When workers are disposable, your company will eventually become worthless.” 

Legacy in Labor

“If I had one word to describe the labor movement…it would be family,” Semelsberger said. She recalled a story from September of 2022, during Category Five Hurricane Ian. Her father-in-law, Steve Semelsberger, “Popie,” who lives alone in Rotonda West, Florida—between Ft. Myers and Sarasota—was unreachable after the storm hit Ft. Myers. The next day, Semelsberger’s sister-in-law Jennifer Grimes, who works at the IAFF headquarters, mentioned her worry over losing contact with her father-in-law during a meeting with Pat Morrison, Operations Chief for the International Association of Fire Fighters. Morrison immediately sprung into action, informing General President Ed Kelly, and reaching out to  firefighters on the ground in Tampa. He said, “I will go get him myself if I have to!”  The firefighters went out into the field and found Mr. Semelsbeger safe and at home. 

Semelsberger and her husband Paul, who retired from the AFL-CIO in 2017 after dedicating 32 years in the labor movement, ensure that unions are part of their kids’ lives. “We were so excited when both were learning  about Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers at school.” In addition, When ATU Local 689, her great-grandfather’s union, went on strike, she and her husband visited the members, bringing their two children to drop off food in person at the union hall. On another occasion, Semelsberger joined the picket line alongside Regan and spoke to the members about how proud she is to be part of this movement and honored to stand with and join their fight.  “That was a full circle moment for me.  Local 689 was part of the foundation that started my family’s roots within the labor movement. Not long after being elected secretary-treasurer, I was standing with that same local nearly 100 years later.”  

Semelsberger spoke to the momentum we saw last year in the labor movement and the enthusiasm coming from Generation Z and Millennials around organizing. In a 2023 poll conducted by GBAO on behalf of the AFL-CIO, 88% of Americans under 30 viewed unions favorably, while 7 in 10 Americans overall were supportive of unions. She noted that union jobs are a sustainable option for those who may not be able to afford college or simply do not want to enroll in higher education. The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently published a study showing how unions aid in closing the wealth inequality gap and growing the middle class: 

“Treasury’s report shows that unions have the potential to address some of these negative trends by raising middle-class wages, improving work environments, and promoting demographic equality.” 

Racial, gender-based, and general socioeconomic inequality can be alleviated through good union jobs, while union contracts raise the bar for non-union workers. 

“The good thing about a union contract is that it’s not biased. It’s for everyone,” Semelsberger said. “The trades, the crafts, and the training they provide give workers an opportunity to enter a variety of industries making a great wage and having benefits and a pension to retire on.” 

She believes that every person should get a chance at fair wages, benefits, and the American dream. After 25 years of serving the transportation labor movement and following generations of union membership, she asserts that belonging to the labor family is the best way to do that.

This post originally appeared on the Transportation Trades Department's website.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/08/2024 - 11:05

Black History Month Profiles: Keturah Johnson

AFL-CIO - Thu, 02/08/2024 - 08:27
Black History Month Profiles: Keturah Johnson

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Keturah Johnson of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA).

Keturah Johnson is AFA-CWA's international vice president and Pride at Work's national executive board secretary, making her the first queer woman of color and combat veteran elected to serve in both roles. Johnson says it's an honor to work to make all spaces, including union spaces, safe and supportive for all people, including immigrants, trans people, Black and Indigenous people and the LGBTQ+ community.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/08/2024 - 10:27

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: RWDSU-UFCW Post Cereal Workers in Michigan Ratify a New Contract

AFL-CIO - Thu, 02/08/2024 - 08:07
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: RWDSU-UFCW Post Cereal Workers in Michigan Ratify a New Contract

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Members of Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW) Local 374 who work at the Post Cereal plant in Battle Creek, Michigan, ratified a new contract. The three-year contract includes an immediate $1.50 per hour raise for maintenance employees, who will receive an additional 6% increase over the life of the agreement. Employees in other departments will see an 8.75% increase. The workers also achieved a three-year reduction in the time it takes new employees to achieve the full wage rate. Starting wages were also increased by $2.37. Other benefits include improvements to eligibility for additional vacation time; limits on mandatory overtime; a reduction in employee insurance premiums; the elimination of the company’s ability to increase insurance out of pocket premiums; an increase in disability benefits; and the elimination of the previous five-year waiting period for eligibility for disability benefits.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/08/2024 - 10:07

Mapping Labor’s Top Electoral Priorities in 2024- Election Connection

USW Blog - Thu, 02/08/2024 - 06:51

In December’s Election Connection newsletter, we touched upon the critically important 2024 election cycle, and how our efforts to elect union-friendly lawmakers at all levels of government will be vital to lifting all working families for years to come. 

Union voters will be on the front lines, as we set out to defend those who have stood with us to secure a long list of legislative victories such as protecting worker pensions, investing in American manufacturing, strengthening workers’ rights, and helping forge a path for more workers to win the protection of a union contract. 

In addition to the presidential election, voters will decide who controls Congress with all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives up for election along with 34 in the U.S. Senate. 

Voters will also weigh in on who they believe is best suited to control 86 legislative chambers spread across 44 states, 11 of which will be choosing their next governor. 

With so many important elections happening this year, we are thinking strategically about where we focus our work in an effort to ensure the biggest impact on behalf of our members and families.

With consideration for a variety of factors including union membership density, past election outcomes, state and federal legislative goals, and more, the USW plans on coordinating a robust electoral campaign in many states across the country, including the following: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

In the coming months, we will be dedicating a portion of our monthly newsletter to discuss what is at stake.

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