-
It's Better in a Union: The Bus Tour It's Better in a Union: The Bus Tour The AFL-CIO is traveling around the country on the "It's Better in a Union" bus tour. Check back here for coverage of the stops on our trip. Where we've been so far:
- Secretary-Treasurer Redmond Joins NYC Labor Day Parade as Bus Tour Concludes with Massive Union Member March
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Visits Wisconsin to Rally Against Funding Cuts to Public Services
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Rolls Through Maine for Training Event and Rally to Fight Back on Public Sector Worker Attacks
- Fred Redmond Joins Connecticut Unions to Call for Education Funding at AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stop
- Las Vegas Unions Say ‘Trump Slump’ Is Hurting Workers During AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stop
- Empire State of Mind: President Shuler Rallies at AFL-CIO Bus Stops in Hudson Valley, Times Square
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Joins AFSCME for a March on Rep. Kim’s Office to Demand Accountability for Service Cuts
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stops in Philadelphia as Teachers Prepare to Strike; Travels to Long Beach to Defend VA Union Contracts
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Fights Back Against Medicaid and Social Security Cuts with Nurses in Bakersfield and AFGE in Wilkes-Barre
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stops at Rep. Calvert Accountability Rally
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour: Harrisburg Workers Demand Accountability from Rep. Scott Perry for Selling Out Working Class
- Dropkick Murphys Headline Bus Tour Rally for Union Rights in Cleveland
- AFL-CIO Tour Bus Stops in Tucson for Rally to Hold Electeds Accountable
- AFL-CIO Bus Stops for Historic Rally with Chicago History Museum Workers
- Secretary-Treasurer Redmond Rides into Chicago with Busload of Solidarity for Local Strikes
- AFSCME Members Hold Arizona Lawmakers Accountable for Budget Votes at AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stop
- AFL-CIO Tour Bus Stops in Navajo Nation for Union Fair
- AFL-CIO Tour Bus Joins AFSCME in Iowa to Hold Lawmakers Accountable
- Bus Tour Picks Up Checkered Flag Racing to Indianapolis in Support of UFCW Grocery and Retail Workers
- AFL-CIO Tour Bus Stop in St. Louis Fights to Hold Lawmakers Accountable
- AFL-CIO Tour Bus Races Through Derby City with BOSK Workers Ahead of Their Landmark Election
- Bus Tour Hits Atlanta on the Road to Labor Day
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Rolls into Steel City with Big Union Energy
- Workers Blast Trump Cuts in Tennessee at Latest Bus Tour Stop
- The Bus Tour Stops in Michigan for Two Electric Events
- Bus Tour Joins South Carolina AFL-CIO Convention to Highlight New Initiative on Union Rights
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Joins CWA Members in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Rally for a Contract at Wells Fargo
- AFL-CIO Bus Tour Stops at NAACP Convention in Charlotte to Highlight ‘Fierce Urgency’ of Worker Solidarity
- AFL-CIO Launches ‘It’s Better in a Union’ Bus Tour to Fight for Freedom, Fairness and Security Across the Nation
-
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: New Jersey Governor Signs Two Pro-Labor Bills into Law Service & Solidarity Spotlight: New Jersey Governor Signs Two Pro-Labor Bills into Law 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. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law two bipartisan, pro-labor bills on Wednesday that will benefit working people in the state. One of the pieces of legislation bans captive audience meetings, requires that employers clearly communicate to their staff that attendance is voluntary and also protects workers from retaliation if they choose to not sit in on these meetings. The other bill requires that social studies classes for grades 6–12 provide education on the rich contributions, history and heritage of the labor movement. “Governor Murphy has signed a significant amount of pro-labor legislation into law over the past seven and a half years, and the addition of these two laws further illustrates his commitment to working families and unions,” said Charles Wowkanech, president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO. “We sincerely appreciate his support, as well as the leadership of the prime sponsors of these bills for their advocacy….Collectively, these two new laws illustrate that New Jersey continues to be a strong union state.” Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 09/08/2025 - 09:46 — Sep 8
-
Worker Wins: I Could Not Be More Proud Worker Wins: I Could Not Be More Proud Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. Atlanta Airport’s Plane Train Workers Vote to Form Union: Late last month, IAM Union’s Rail Division and TCU/IAM announced that workers who operate and maintain the Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have successfully voted to form a union. Employed by French transportation systems manufacturer Alstom, these workers ensure the operation of the Plane Train, which carries passengers between terminals at the world’s busiest airport. Newly minted TCU/IAM members are eager to negotiate a contract that addresses their concerns around job security, wages, working conditions and more. “This victory marks a historic moment as the first joint organizing effort between TCU and the IAM, and we could not be prouder of the outcome,” said TCU/IAM National President Artie Maratea. “The Alstom workers, who operate and maintain the Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, perform vital work keeping hundreds of thousands of passengers moving safely every day through the world’s busiest airport. We proudly welcome these workers into our union family and look forward to negotiating a strong first agreement that secures the wages, benefits, and protections they deserve.” BCTGM Local 1 Members Ratify New Contract: After 11 weeks on the picket line, members of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 1 who work at Teasdale Latin Foods in Hoopeston, Illinois, have voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement. Workers stood together and fought back hard against the food supplier’s attempt to outsource union jobs, change scheduling practices and establish a two-tier wage system. “These hard-working members put it all on the line in their fight for a fair contract,” said BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton. “This settlement is the result of their dedication, and the solidarity of the labor movement and the community. When you attempt to dismantle a BCTGM Union contract, we will fight back. When private equity owners with no ties to the local community try to undermine the negotiating process, we will fight back. Our members in Hoopeston sacrificed their jobs to stand up for working people everywhere. I could not be more proud.” Diablo Game Developers Form Union with CWA: In the latest victory for video game worker organizing, more than 450 game developers behind the popular series Diablo voted last week to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The new bargaining unit—which is one of the largest wall-to-wall unions at a Microsoft-owned studio—includes game developers, artists, designers, engineers and support staff across the video game franchise. These workers join colleagues at other major game studios who have asserted their power by organizing as part of the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) network. “With every subsequent round of mass layoffs, I've witnessed the dread in my coworkers grow stronger because it feels like no amount of hard work is enough to protect us,” said Kelly Yeo, Team 3 game producer on Diablo and organizing committee member. “I am overjoyed that we have formed a union—this is just the first step for us joining a movement spreading across an industry that is tired of living in fear. We are ready to begin fighting for real change alongside our Diablo colleagues.” BlueOval SK Workers Vote Union Yes!: Late Wednesday night, the UAW announced workers at the BlueOval SK Battery Park in Kentucky won their election to join the union. The UAW released the following statement after the victory: “BlueOval SK workers won a majority of votes in an NLRB election to unionize their plant in Glendale, Kentucky, securing a hard-fought victory. This is a major step forward for workers who stood up against intense company opposition and chose to join the UAW. “There are 41 challenge ballots still outstanding. We believe they are illegitimate and represent nothing more than an employer tactic to flood the unit and undermine the outcome. We will fight these challenges to defend the democratic choices of these workers, as we always do when corporations try to interfere with workers’ democratic choice. The challenged ballots are not part of the group of workers who built their union from the bottom up. They deserve to have their own union, in an appropriate bargaining unit with a representative of their own choosing. “The UAW is calling on Ford to acknowledge the democratic decision of its workforce. They should immediately drop their anti-democratic effort to undermine the outcome of the election and recognize a majority of BlueOval SK’s production and maintenance employees have chosen to join the UAW and ensure battery jobs in Kentucky are good, safe, union jobs.” Yosemite Workers Vote to Join NFFE-IAM: In response to the Trump administration’s attacks on federal workers across agencies, park rangers, educators, researchers, first responders, and other staff in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks have voted overwhelmingly to join the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). Across the parks, more than 97% of ballots cast were in favor of joining NFFE-IAM. The votes were certified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority on Monday. This powerful display of unity comes in the wake of steep staffing cuts and broader efforts from the White House to undermine the collective bargaining agreements of federal workers. “We just want to be protected from this administration,” said an anonymous Yosemite worker who helped with the organizing effort. “It comes as no surprise workers in the National Park Service are overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing, as federal employees across the country have been faced with reductions in force, threats to workplace protections, and slashed agency budgets under this administration,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “NFFE will be taking every step possible to increase both staffing and resources, and to defend employees from actions that threaten their rights and the incredible work they do stewarding our public lands. I look forward to working with the dedicated men and women who carry out the important mission of maintaining Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.” Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 09/04/2025 - 12:47 Tags: Organizing — Sep 4
-
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: BCTGM Local 1 Members Ratify New Contract Service & Solidarity Spotlight: BCTGM Local 1 Members Ratify New Contract 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. After 11 weeks on the picket line, members of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 1 who work at Teasdale Latin Foods in Hoopeston, Illinois, have voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement. Workers stood together and fought back hard against the food supplier’s attempt to outsource union jobs, change scheduling practices and establish a two-tier wage system. “These hard-working members put it all on the line in their fight for a fair contract,” said BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton. “This settlement is the result of their dedication, and the solidarity of the labor movement and the community. When you attempt to dismantle a BCTGM Union contract, we will fight back. When private equity owners with no ties to the local community try to undermine the negotiating process, we will fight back. Our members in Hoopeston sacrificed their jobs to stand up for working people everywhere. I could not be more proud.” Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 09/04/2025 - 10:06 — Sep 4
-
Happy Labor Day! In the States Roundup Happy Labor Day! In the States Roundup It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X. Alaska AFL-CIO:
Happy Labor Day! Today, we honor the achievements of organized labor and the countless individuals who have fought for fair wages, safe working conditions, and workers' rights.Let's continue to stand together in solidarity and strive for a better future. #1u #UnionStrong pic.twitter.com/4mJ9eaDix7 — Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) September 2, 2025
California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO:This Labor Day, Labor turned out IN FORCE across California to send a message that this country is for workers, not billionaires. And always remember that when we fight, we win! #UnionStrong #FFS pic.twitter.com/eRYvPEg9DW — California Federation of Labor Unions (@CaliforniaLabor) September 3, 2025
Colorado AFL-CIO:Labor Day vibes ✊✨ Across the country yesterday, America's unions stood up, spoke out and fought for ALL working people, because everyone deserves freedom, fairness and security. pic.twitter.com/KSR6jEWQcn — Colorado AFL-CIO ✊ (@AFLCIOCO) September 2, 2025
Connecticut AFL-CIO:A MESSAGE TO ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS:This #LaborDay, don't just thank a worker. Stand with us. Fight for us. And do it each & every day.Support our right to organize, fight for fair wages, & build an economy where no one who works has to live in poverty.https://t.co/KhPpHSWmSm — Connecticut AFL-CIO (@ConnAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
Florida AFL-CIO:Labor Day belongs to YOU, the workers who've built our country and make it happen every day. Solidarity, now and forever! pic.twitter.com/X4lo5BXlkm — Florida AFL-CIO (@FLAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
Illinois AFL-CIO:The Illinois Department of Labor annual report is out! We've made major strides in IL, and these wouldn't be possible without the department enforcing the law and keeping us all safe. Full report here: https://t.co/7kZ4PuWjqJ pic.twitter.com/coI9cspZiJ — Illinois AFL-CIO (@ILAFLCIO) September 3, 2025
Maine AFL-CIO:Portland Museum of Art workers have turned things around at the museum & are making good progress after unionizing in 2021.https://t.co/D60EdZ5CaJ — Maine AFL-CIO (@MEAFLCIO) August 28, 2025
Massachusetts AFL-CIO:TODAY: Support striking @32BJSEIU and @UAW2322 workers at Mount Holyoke College!These workers are the backbone of Mount Holyoke. They kept the campus running through the toughest times. Now they are taking a stand for dignity, respect, and fair contracts. #mapoli pic.twitter.com/nkp4gEycAA — Massachusetts AFL-CIO (@massaflcio) September 2, 2025
Michigan State AFL-CIO:Nurses put themselves on the line and the picket line for their patients. Understaffed hospitals are unsafe hospitals. That's why Teamsters Local 332 nurses are on strike, and why we stand with them. #Solidarity #UnionStrong #1U pic.twitter.com/wMMwe5fahY — Michigan AFL-CIO ✊ (@MIAFLCIO) September 2, 2025
Minnesota AFL-CIO:Happy Labor Day from the #MNStateFair! #BetterInAUnion #WorkersLaborDay pic.twitter.com/7EbjKXOFa4 — Minnesota AFL-CIO (@MNAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
Missouri AFL-CIO:Americans know that fighting for fair wages, safe workplaces, and better benefits makes EVERYONE stronger. New data shows that 68% of U.S. adults support labor unions … a level last reached in the late 1950s and early 1960s. 💪💪💪https://t.co/XBADkP4JfJ pic.twitter.com/7uFWWIHFZk — Missouri AFL-CIO (@MOAFLCIO) September 3, 2025
Nebraska State AFL-CIO:Today, we celebrate the workers who make America run and make our labor movement unstoppable. We’ll keep fighting so ALL working people get the freedom, fairness and security they need and deserve. #LaborDay2025 #WorkersDeserve pic.twitter.com/GeRk49oHOm — NE State AFL-CIO (@NEAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
Nevada State AFL-CIO:Better wages, benefits, & the peace of your mind that your union always has your back is what you can celebrate today on this Labor Day! Congrats to the Northern Nevada CLC putting on another amazing LaborFest to show everyone that #LifeisBetterinAUnion pic.twitter.com/wSVJOWFMlg — Nevada State AFL-CIO // Pass the #PROAct (@NVAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
New York State AFL-CIO:"As billionaires and corporations continue to concentrate their wealth and influence, unions have never been more important in fighting for the fair treatment that all workers deserve." Read President Mario Cilento's full #LaborDay op-ed: https://t.co/gDMU8vHKXj — NYS AFL-CIO // #UnionStrong (@NYSAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
Oregon AFL-CIO:👉Manufacturers are calling the current business environment "worse than the Great Recession" thanks to Trump's erratic and unpredictable use of tariffs👉Hundreds of thousands of workers are losing their jobs thanks to his federal cuts👉Coal miners are dying thanks to his… https://t.co/z4P1m0ZQpr — Oregon AFL-CIO (@OregonAFLCIO) September 2, 2025
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:These leaders know how important it is to BUILD YOUR UNION!!What a great Labor Day Pennsylvania, we will be sharing photos throughout the week from events across the Commonwealth! ✊🏼@AFSCME @AFLCIO @STRedmond @PhillyAFLCIO pic.twitter.com/l5OFxO42UI — PA AFL-CIO (@PaAFL_CIO) September 2, 2025
Texas AFL-CIO:This Labor Day, we choose #WorkersOverBillionaires! Texas union members are fed up and ready to fight for freedom, fairness, and security for all workers! pic.twitter.com/2qpr4vV1TE — Texas AFL-CIO (@TexasAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
Virginia AFL-CIO:Happy #LaborDay! 💪 Today we honor Virginia’s workers — the backbone of our communities & economy.Unions built the middle class, and we’re not done yet. ✊ #UnionStrong #VALabor https://t.co/dCdEaTJoPl — Virginia AFL-CIO (@Virginia_AFLCIO) September 1, 2025
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:Workers >>> billionaires on Labor Day and EVERY day Labor and community came together on #WorkersLaborDay in Seattle to protest billionaires and corporations like Palantir fueling ICE, demonizing immigrants, and attacking workers rights. pic.twitter.com/lGNlvHiS7a — Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (@WAAFLCIO) September 1, 2025
West Virginia AFL-CIO:Paden City Labor Day Parade today – Marshall-Wetzel-Tyler, AFL-CIO, a participant. 🇺🇸 #wvpol #unionstrong #BetterInAUnion #LaborDay2025 pic.twitter.com/D5ompzeyaX — West Virginia AFLCIO (@WestVirginiaAFL) September 1, 2025
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO:📸from Kenosha Laborfest pic.twitter.com/behtw5qzyB — WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) September 3, 2025
Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 09/03/2025 - 12:45 — Sep 3