AFL-CIO Blog

  • The Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Reminds Us that the Fight for Workers’ Rights Continues
    The Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Reminds Us that the Fight for Workers’ Rights Continues The 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade should have been a day of celebration.  A day where we felt energized and ready to build on this historic victory for women’s rights and   increase the number of working people who could access safe abortion and quality, affordable reproductive health care. But as we recognize the 50 years since the constitutional right was passed, this day also falls just seven months short of when the U.S. Supreme Court stripped millions of working women, people and families of this fundamental freedom in a country with zero guaranteed paid family or sick leave or a national standard for affordable and accessible child care and early childhood education. We must now use this time to coalesce around a plan to organize and mobilize, not only against attacks on abortion but also on the far-reaching and sustained attack on workers’ rights.  In the months since the high court’s decision, working people have experienced chaos and uncertainty, and it is part of a larger campaign to deny us security and control over our own destinies. Each day, we hear unsettling stories from across the country about patients being denied lifesaving care; people’s choices being decided on the whim of right-wing judges; and extremist politicians floating dangerous legislation to criminalize women and medical professionals, and ban contraceptives. At the same time, many of those same judges and politicians also have joined forces with corporate interests to weaken workers’ ability to have a voice on the job through a union. The court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization posed an imminent threat to collective bargaining agreements, and the justices heard arguments earlier this month in a case that could deal a devastating blow to workers’ right to strike.  These fights are deeply connected, and in many states where abortion has been restricted, workers’ rights are also severely limited. Working people have the ability to respond and that’s why we launched a new map to help workers make informed decisions to better advocate for ourselves and our families.    The map demonstrates how anti-worker policies such as failing to raise the minimum wage, the lack of paid family and medical leave, “right to work” laws and poor access to critical programs like Medicaid interact to shrink democracy and create environments where working families struggle to thrive. Many of these states have lower life-expectancy rates, higher rates of poverty and low voter turnout.  This map is a powerful resource that will give you the information you need to fight back and includes trainings on how to have productive conversations on the issue of abortion and the economy with your community; collective bargaining language to strengthen union contracts; and a voter guide to help you connect these issues to state, local and federal elections.  Your quality of life should not depend on where you live. The labor movement will continue to be a force for progress and economic equality for working women and gender-oppressed people everywhere.   Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/24/2023 - 14:20 — Jan 24
  • 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