AFL-CIO Blog

  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Support Journalists and Local Journalism in Milwaukee
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Support Journalists and Local Journalism in Milwaukee Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Over the past 15 years, more than 1,800 local newspapers have shut down. Many others have seen huge staff cuts. Entire communities have no coverage of local government, schools and business. In Wisconsin, Gannett, which runs the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and 10 other newspapers in the state, has cut the size of the newspaper’s bargaining unit by 25% in recent years. Meanwhile, Gannett chief executive officer Mike Reed was paid $7.7 million last year, while the median Gannett journalist’s salary is less than $50,000 per year. Journal Sentinel workers are fighting not only to save their own jobs, but to save local news. You can help. Please send a message to Gannett, telling it to support vibrant local news at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by ensuring adequate hiring, a career path for journalists who work for the newspaper, and diversity, equity and inclusion for staff. Support local news today. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/24/2023 - 09:41 — Jan 24
  • Explainer: New Report on Union Members
    Explainer: New Report on Union Members The Bureau of Labor Statistics just released their annual report on union membership. A lot of people are lamenting union density, which declined slightly—but that isn’t the whole story. Here are our three takeaways from the report: 1. Union membership grew by 273,000. Corporate giants like Starbucks and Amazon are spending millions of dollars to intimidate and harass workers when they organize. Despite that, 273,000 workers were able to win their union in the face of blatant union-busting. We have the momentum. That is a sign of worker power and resilience that we celebrate. 2. Union density declined because of broken labor laws, not because of disapproval or disinterest. Unions currently have a 60-year high approval rate. Last year there was a 53% rise in union elections. It’s clear: Workers want unions. So why did union density decline? Because non-union jobs were added faster than we could unionize them. This isn’t surprising. Workers face a stacked deck when they organize a union. And corporations know that stalling an organizing drive is an effective union-busting tactic. 3. We have work to do. If we want higher union density and more union members, we need labor laws that actually protect our right to organize and that hold union-busting corporations accountable. Every worker in America who wants to join a union should be able to. It’s as simple as that. We’re ready to fight corporations, bad bosses, paid-off politicians and anyone who wants to take away our right to organize and join a union. Tell us if you’re with us. Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/23/2023 - 10:39 — Jan 23
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Registration Now Open for NALC’s Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Registration Now Open for NALC’s Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Registration is now open for the 31st Annual National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive. On May 13, letter carriers across the country will pick up donations for the largest annual single-day food drive in the United States. NALC branch presidents can now register to participate in the drive through the members-only portal at nalc.org. For the actual Stamp Out Hunger Drive on May 13, anyone can make a tax-deductible food donation, and the collected food items will be distributed to more than 10,000 food agencies across the country. NALC’s website for the campaign contains more information and useful links for organizers, partners, sponsors and working people Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/23/2023 - 09:43 — Jan 23
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: The Animation Guild Secures Voluntary Recognition for Union Drive at Nickelodeon
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: The Animation Guild Secures Voluntary Recognition for Union Drive at Nickelodeon Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The Animation Guild, Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 839, has secured voluntary recognition for a group of unionizing production workers at Nickelodeon Animation Studios. The company agreed to recognize the bargaining unit of 177 workers that includes production coordinators, production managers, asset production coordinators and others. This will be the largest unit of production workers to join The Animation Guild so far and they will now begin negotiations for their first union contract. “By doing this, the studio has shown that they are willing and ready to recognize the hard work, time and love we pour into our productions,” said the organizing committee in a statement. “We are so excited to work with them and our artist colleagues to come to an agreement that reiterates their support for what we do.”   One of the primary goals for the new unit will be to increase inadequate pay, which makes it challenging for production workers to afford living in Los Angeles. Many animation workers must seek overtime, additional jobs, loans or financial help from friends and family. Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/20/2023 - 09:38 — Jan 20
  • New BLS Data: Union Membership Grows by More than 200,000 in 2022
    New BLS Data: Union Membership Grows by More than 200,000 in 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today showed union membership in the United States grew by more than 273,000 in 2022, despite fierce and often illegal corporate union-busting. While the data also showed a slight dip in nationwide union density, the real story is that hundreds of thousands of workers overcame the odds to join a union last year in a system rigged against them. Corporate giants such as Amazon and Starbucks are spending millions of dollars to thwart collective action in the workplace, harassing, intimidating and even illegally firing workers trying to form unions to improve their lives. Still, many workers found a way to have a voice on the job.  Despite broken labor laws and rampant union-busting, working people are undeterred in their pursuit of a union. The year 2022 saw a reinvigorated labor movement, one led by young workers and workers of color, who organized at a clip not seen in years.  Last year there was a 53% rise in union elections, including groundbreaking wins at corporations that were once viewed as impossible to organize.  Unions are more popular with the public now than at any point in the past five decades because working people are fed up with low pay, unsafe working conditions and shoddy treatment on the job. This momentum won't wane; in fact, workers are doubling down on standing together.  “In 2022, we saw working people rising up despite often illegal opposition from companies that would rather pay union-busting firms millions than give workers a seat at the table,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “The momentum of the moment we are in is clear. Organizing victories are happening in every industry, public and private, and every sector of our economy all across the country. The wave of organizing will continue to gather steam in 2023 and beyond despite broken labor laws that rig the system against workers.”  This year, the labor movement is going all in on an organizing agenda that will ensure every worker who wants a union has the chance to join or form one. Now’s the time for elected leaders to fix what’s broken by reforming our outdated labor laws that for far too long have stacked the deck against working people.  Rhetoric in support of working people isn’t enough. We need leaders who will fight to pass laws like the PRO Act and Public Sector Freedom to Negotiate Act that level the playing field and give workers a real chance to better our lives, strengthen our communities and create a more equitable economy.  If last year taught us anything, it’s that you should never bet against the American worker. Despite the odds, we’ll organize until we win.   Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 01/19/2023 - 12:25 — Jan 19