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Black History Month Profiles: Timothy A. Williams
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 Timothy A. Williams of the Heat and Frost Insulators.
Timothy Williams started his career in the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in 1978. He was also a company owner in Virgina. He became a member of HFIU Local 30 when he relocated to the Syracuse, N.Y., area. He was a proud and dedicated member of the local until he retired in May 2019. In December 2019, Williams' services were called upon once again. He was asked to serve the local as an organizer, a position that he still works in to this day. He is currently taking classes to become an MC3 certified instructor, so that he can better help serve the local and its apprentices.
Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/19/2024 - 10:26Black History Month Profiles: Faye Brooks
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 Faye Brooks of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS).
A 24-year veteran of the Federal Aviation Administration, Faye Brooks specializes in aircraft cabin safety, ensuring that regulations are followed to keep passengers safe onboard. She has been a PASS member for just as long, which has allowed her to invest in her future. Now a union contract representative, she has more of a voice and protects her fellow bargaining unit employees.
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/16/2024 - 09:55Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Howard County (Maryland) Public Library Employees 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.
Workers for the Howard County Library System in Maryland voted overwhelmingly to join AFSCME. The vote was 151 to 19 in favor of the union. More than 200 workers will be represented by the new unit. The workers are seeking a voice in the decision-making process and for fair wages, better job protection, reasonable schedules, adequate staffing, paths to promotion and a safe work environment.
“To me, one of the biggest impacts I’m hoping the union will have is improving communication,” said Eliana Holgate, a children’s instructor and research specialist in the library system. “It feels like there’s a disconnect between our leadership and the staff facing the community in the branches. We want our voices to be heard in the decision-making process and better understand decisions made that aren’t explained to staff. We want all staff to be safe and supported.”
Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/16/2024 - 09:49Black History Month Profiles: Sheria Smith
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 Sheria Smith of AFGE.
Sheria Smith is the president and chief negotiator of AFGE Local 252, which represents approximately 3,000 employees at the Department of Education. She serves on several AFGE committees, including the District 10 Advisory Committee, the Unity Committee and AFGE B.L.A.C.K. Smith is a recipient of AFGE's Woman of Labor award and a 2019 graduate of the Texas AFL-CIO Ruth Ellinger Labor Leaders class.
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/15/2024 - 10:38Service & Solidarity Spotlight: University of the Arts Faculty in Pennsylvania Ratify First Contract in School’s History
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.
Faculty at the University of the Arts (UArts) ratified a new contract with a near-unanimous vote. It’s the first contract for faculty in the school’s nearly 150-year history and runs through June 2026. The faculty are represented by United Academics of Philadelphia (UAP), American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 9608. The contract includes, on average, 11% wage increases for full-time faculty in the first year and part-time faculty raises of 13%.
“This contract will realize double-digit raises for most faculty at UArts,” said Daniel Pieczkolon, president of the union. “Eighty-five percent of UArts faculty are part-time and have worked at rates well below nearby schools, without benefits or long-term contracts. This is a step in the right direction after three years of stalling from UArts administrators.”
Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/15/2024 - 10:19Black History Month Profiles: James Allrich
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 James Allrich of the American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA).
It took James Allrich 15 attempts to be appointed a principal, but in the end, he was named Maryland’s Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and a Washington Post Principal of the Year finalist. His leadership skills had been long on display. Still, “it was hard to become a principal because of my looks,” he says, referring to his hair locs and his overall style.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/14/2024 - 10:30Service & 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 - 10:02Black 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 - 10:25Service & 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 - 09:16Worker 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 - 12:07Tags: Organizing
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 - 11:26Service & 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 - 10:57A 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 - 13:33Black 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 - 10:44Service & 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 - 10:3625 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 - 11:05Black 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 - 10:27Service & 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 - 10:07Black History Month Profiles: Beverly Williams
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 Beverly Williams of the Southern Nevada Labor Council.
Beverly Williams is the secretary-treasurer of the Southern Nevada Central Labor Council. She the vice president of Teamsters 986 and a business representative. She is the first African American woman to hold both positions.
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:19Service & Solidarity Spotlight: WGAE Members at Onion Inc. Ratify New Contract with G/O Media
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.
Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at Onion Inc., ratified a new contract with parent company G/O Media. The Onion Inc. Union, the 36-member bargaining unit representing the creative staff at The Onion, The A.V. Club, Deadspin and The Takeout, voted to authorize a strike if a new deal could not be reached. The new three-year agreement includes raising the minimum starting salary by $10,000 to $60,000 in the first year of the contract, and up to $64,000 in the final year of the contract, 3% raises in each subsequent year of the contract, a minimum of 12 weeks severance pay with no cap in the event of layoffs, successorship language that allows workers to receive full severance if their employment is terminated in the event of a sale or within 30 days of working with the new entity, the establishment of a policy on the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) within 12 months, a gender-neutral increase in parental leave, WPATH standard of care in health benefits, and increased guaranteed holidays.
The Onion Inc. Union said, “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.”
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:05