AFL-CIO Blog

  • AFL-CIO Bus Tour Rolls Through Maine for Training Event and Rally to Fight Back on Public Sector Worker Attacks
    AFL-CIO Bus Tour Rolls Through Maine for Training Event and Rally to Fight Back on Public Sector Worker Attacks The Maine AFL-CIO, the Eastern Maine Labor Council and the Western Maine Central Labor Council kicked off Labor Day early with the AFL-CIO “It’s Better In a Union” bus tour as it made its way to the cities of Brewer and Jay this week. In Jay, workers and union leaders gathered at Local 14 Solidarity Center for a rally and attended a training entitled Power with Purpose: Safety, Security & De-escalation for Picket Lines and Collective Actions. Over in Brewer, the members spoke out against attacks on public sector workers and rallied to uplift the University of Maine (UMaine) graduate students fighting for a first union contract, Maine State Nurses Association members bargaining for their next union contract, and workers organizing at Northern Light Health and the city of Bangor. “Authoritarian regimes always attack labor unions because union workers joined together in common cause, have great power,” said Cynthia Phinney, president of Maine AFL-CIO. “And it's not power that will be wielded to help concentrate the wealth of a country or the world at the top. It's power that will be wielded to share prosperity widely and fairly.” Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 08/28/2025 - 13:50 Tags: Better in a Union Bus Tour — Aug 28
  • Worker Wins: Hard Work and Dedication
    Worker Wins: Hard Work and Dedication Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. Philadelphia Teachers Union and School District Reach Tentative Agreement: The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), AFT Local 3, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the city’s school district on Sunday, averting a potential strike. Members are celebrating the historic deal, which was finalized just hours before the start of a new school year. The old contract covering education professionals was set to expire on Aug. 31, and workers had been preparing to walk out after Labor Day if they didn’t receive a fair offer. “The PFT is thrilled that we have been able to reach a tentative agreement with the School District of Philadelphia on a three-year pact ensuring that school will open on time, as well as three years of labor peace,” PFT President Arthur Steinberg said. “This contract recognizes the hard work and dedication our members bring to the district and allows them to have peace of mind that they will be able to provide for their families while continuing to educate the children of the School District of Philadelphia.” Mission Local Staff Secure Voluntary Union Recognition: Staff at Mission Local—the largest nonprofit newsroom covering news in San Francisco—won voluntary recognition last week for their union with the Pacific Media Workers Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521. Members of Mission Local Guild said their organizing efforts aim to establish frameworks for professional development, as the award-winning newsroom continues to grow. “The union is a step forward for us and for Mission Local. We look forward to starting conversations with the leadership to create a contract that is fair to both the organization and the workers,” said Oscar, a reporter. “Forming a union is a natural next step as we grow from a small, scrappy team into a highly professionalized outlet,” added Vicky, Mission Local’s donor engagement lead. “On the business side, we have big plans to expand our operations and having a union will ensure we are centering the well-being of our budding team in our goals for the future.” Wyoming Cement Plant Workers Vote to Form Union: Workers at the Mountain Cement Company plant in Laramie, Wyoming, have voted to join the Boilermakers (IBB), and the local labor movement is celebrating this victory in a “right to work” state. While the facility has been considered a cornerstone of the town’s economy for almost a century, workers have remarked that over the past decade management’s attitude toward their essential contributions has gotten worse. The newly minted IBB members cite high rates of turnover, safety concerns, unscheduled overtime and alleged intimidation from management as core motivations for organizing their workplace. “Just to talk about [the successful vote to organize] makes me teary eyed,” said Alex Hicks, who works in maintenance as a mechanic and welder. “I was threatened with my job, so now that this is here, I feel like it’s a big weight off my shoulders. Now I don’t have to worry about looking over my shoulder everyday wondering, ‘Is this going to be my day or not?’” “This means so much to Wyoming workers who feel voiceless, like there’s nowhere to turn,” added Marcie Kindred, executive director of the Wyoming State AFL-CIO. “We’re the reddest right-to-work state in the nation, and they just proved that, even in Wyoming, you can fight and freaking win.” GoJet Flight Attendants Ratify New Contract: GoJet Airlines flight attendants, who are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), successfully ratified a new contract last week, with 90% of voting members approving the agreement. The regional airline is operated under the United Express brand of United Airlines. AFA-CWA members won major victories, such as double-digit pay raises, increased per diem, minimum pay protections, greater schedule flexibility and more. “While GoJet Flight Attendants continue to work flights branded as United Airlines, we deserve to solidify significant pay increases, boarding pay, and benefits that our mainline counterparts across the industry are seeing,” said Melissa Higgins, AFA GoJet president. “This new tentative agreement ensures aviation’s first responders at GoJet are receiving the benefits we deserve and lifting up standards for regional Flight Attendants.” Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 08/28/2025 - 11:54 Tags: Organizing — Aug 28
  • Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Mission Local Staff Secure Voluntary Union Recognition
    Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Mission Local Staff Secure Voluntary Union Recognition Working people across the United States regularly step 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. Staff at Mission Local—the largest nonprofit newsroom covering news in San Francisco—won voluntary recognition last week for their union with the Pacific Media Workers Guild, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39521. Members of Mission Local Guild said their organizing efforts aim to establish frameworks for professional development, as the award-winning newsroom continues to grow. “The union is a step forward for us and for Mission Local. We look forward to starting conversations with the leadership to create a contract that is fair to both the organization and the workers,” said Oscar, a reporter. “Forming a union is a natural next step as we grow from a small, scrappy team into a highly professionalized outlet,” added Vicky, Mission Local’s donor engagement lead. “On the business side, we have big plans to expand our operations and having a union will ensure we are centering the well-being of our budding team in our goals for the future.” Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 08/28/2025 - 09:56 — Aug 28
  • Fighting for Our Future: What Working People Are Doing This Week
    Fighting for Our Future: What Working People Are Doing This Week Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week. Actors' Equity:
    Yesterday was the first day of bargaining between Equity and the Broadway League. Shout out to our negotiating team who will be making sure that your voices are heard every time they sit at the table. Thank you to our friends from @local802.bsky.social who were there to stand in solidarity.[image or embed] — Actors' Equity Association (@actorsequity.bsky.social) August 26, 2025 at 5:26 PM
    AFSCME: Alliance for Retired Americans: Amalgamated Transit Union: American Federation of Musicians: American Federation of Teachers: American Postal Workers Union: Association of Flight Attendants-CWA: Boilermakers: Bricklayers: Communications Workers of America: Department for Professional Employees:
    "They’re attacking us because they know we are one of the last lines of defense against their effort to dismantle America’s public health system... As a union, we’re not going anywhere." www.govexec.com/workforce/20...[image or embed] — Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (@dpeaflcio.bsky.social) August 26, 2025 at 4:36 PM
    Electrical Workers: Fire Fighters: Heat and Frost Insulators: International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers: International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers: Labor Council for Latin American Advancement: Machinists: Major League Baseball Players Association: Musical Artists:
    Call for AGMAzine Submissions! ✍️🎨📸 The winter issue of AGMAzine is coming, and we want to hear from members. Submit by 9/26. Full details: www.musicalartists.org/call-for-agmazine-submissions-2025/[image or embed] — American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) (@weareagma.bsky.social) August 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
    National Air Traffic Controllers Association: National Association of Letter Carriers: National Domestic Workers Alliance: National Hockey League Players’ Association: National Nurses United: NFL Players Association: North America's Building Trades Unions: Painters and Allied Trades: Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union: Roofers and Waterproofers: SAG-AFTRA: Service Employees International Union: The NewsGuild-CWA: Theatrical Stage Employees: Transport Workers Union: Transportation Trades Department: UAW: Union Label and Service Trades Department: UNITE HERE: United Food and Commercial Workers: United Steelworkers: Working America: Writers Guild of America East:
    We're calling on members, friends & allies to join us to march to protect free speech at the New York City Labor Day Parade Saturday, September 6, 2025. It is clear that the only people who will protect workers are workers ourselves. RSVP: wgaea.st/ldp-2025[image or embed] — Writers Guild of America East (@wgaeast.bsky.social) August 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM
    Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 08/27/2025 - 12:02     — Aug 27
  • Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Philadelphia Teachers Union and School District Reach Tentative Agreement
    Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Philadelphia Teachers Union and School District Reach Tentative Agreement Working people across the United States regularly step 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 Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), AFT Local 3, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the city’s school district on Sunday, averting a potential strike. Members are celebrating the historic deal, which was finalized just hours before the start of a new school year. The old contract covering education professionals was set to expire on Aug. 31, and workers had been preparing to walk out after Labor Day if they didn’t receive a fair offer. “The PFT is thrilled that we have been able to reach a tentative agreement with the School District of Philadelphia on a three-year pact ensuring that school will open on time, as well as three years of labor peace,” PFT President Arthur Steinberg said. “This contract recognizes the hard work and dedication our members bring to the district and allows them to have peace of mind that they will be able to provide for their families while continuing to educate the children of the School District of Philadelphia.” Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 08/27/2025 - 09:49 — Aug 27