AFL-CIO Blog

  • Pride Month Profiles: Alicia Mijares
    Pride Month Profiles: Alicia Mijares For Pride Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various LGBTQ+ union members who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Alicia Mijares of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART). After being a hardworking journeyperson at SMART (formerly Sheet Metal Workers) Local 104 for nearly two decades, Alicia Mijares was the first female organizer on staff, and later she was elected as the first female full-time officer. She's been breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings her whole life in a male-dominated industry, and her passion for workers' rights and the labor movement is unmatched. Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/02/2023 - 15:20 — Jun 2
  • Economy Gains 339,000 Jobs in May; Unemployment Up Slightly 3.7%
    Economy Gains 339,000 Jobs in May; Unemployment Up Slightly 3.7% The U.S. economy gained 339,000 jobs in May, and the unemployment rate was up slightly to 3.7%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This strong jobs report shows there is still room to expand job opportunities for Americans. Wage growth continues at levels that are consistent with low levels of inflation. May's biggest job gains were in professional and business services (+64,000), government (+56,000), health care (+52,000), leisure and hospitality (+48,000), construction (+25,000), transportation and warehousing (+24,000), and social assistance (+22,000). Employment was little changed over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; information; financial activities; and other services. Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for Black Americans (5.6%) and adult women (3.3%) rose in May. The jobless rates for teenagers (10.3%), Hispanics (4.0%), adult men (3.5%), White Americans (3.3%), and Asian Americans (2.9%) showed little change over the month. The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) was little changed in May and accounted for 19.8% of the total people unemployed. Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 06/02/2023 - 11:32 — Jun 2
  • Celebrating Pride: In the States Roundup
    Celebrating Pride: 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 Twitter. Alabama AFL-CIO: Alaska AFL-CIO: Arizona AFL-CIO: California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO: Connecticut AFL-CIO: Georgia State AFL-CIO: Illinois AFL-CIO: Indiana State AFL-CIO: Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO: Maine AFL-CIO: Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO: Massachusetts AFL-CIO: Michigan State AFL-CIO: Minnesota AFL-CIO: Missouri AFL-CIO: Nevada State AFL-CIO: New Hampshire AFL-CIO: New York State AFL-CIO: North Carolina State AFL-CIO: North Dakota AFL-CIO: Ohio AFL-CIO: Oregon AFL-CIO: Pennsylvania AFL-CIO: Texas AFL-CIO: Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO: Wisconsin State AFL-CIO: Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/01/2023 - 14:50 — Jun 1
  • Pride at Work
    Pride at Work The labor movement is intersectional. This means we fight for all working people—no matter the gender, race, ethnicity or any other identity. Those identities intersect with your own identity as a worker, as a parent, as a sibling. In America, we believe all people should be able to work without fear of discrimination or violence. You should be able to work without hiding your light and without hiding your true, authentic self. LGBTQ+ people still lack basic federal legal protections in the workplace, which make them vulnerable to recent appalling and shameful actions by state legislatures. We have no tolerance for hate in our movement. The labor movement is fighting back with everything we have. And the best tool we have is a union contract. Union contracts are legally enforceable in every state. They protect LGBTQ+ workers from harassment, and can mean real progress for workers and our families to gain health care, savings, a future, and so much more. Check out some model contract language from our constituency group, Pride at Work. LGBTQ+ workers face retaliation and fear getting fired for standing with their co-workers. It’s hard for workers to see the very same corporations that celebrate pride turn around and hire anti-union-busting consultants and deny their workers the promise of a union contract. That’s why, this Pride Month, we want you to share what your union means to you. Share your story. Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/01/2023 - 10:00 — Jun 1
  • Service & Solidarity Spotlight: AFT Offers Free Resources for Pride Month
    Service & Solidarity Spotlight: AFT Offers Free Resources for Pride Month 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. Today begins Pride Month, and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is offering free resources for educators. The AFT resources are particularly important in the face of a recent trend of state legislatures attacking LGBTQ+ rights. The Share My Lesson website offers lesson plans, webinars, LGBTQ+ history lessons and blog posts on a variety of topics, such as how teachers can support LGBTQ+ students. Visit Share My Lesson for more.   Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 06/01/2023 - 08:28 — Jun 1