Today's AFL-CIO Press Clips

MUST READ
Nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin vote by landslide to unionize

CBS Austin

By Stephanie Becerra

Sept. 22, 2022

Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin has become the largest private-sector hospital in Texas to unionize. Nurses at ASMCA voted by a landslide this week, with 72% in favor, to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), the largest nurses' union in the United States. They formed a union to win improved patient care standards and strong contracts given the proven track record they've seen by NNOC/NNU in Texas and throughout the country.

JOINING TOGETHER

6 months later: Nurses union at University of Michigan reach tentative contract agreement

WXYZ

By Jenn Schanz

Sept. 22, 2022

After more than six months of negotiations, the nurses union at the University of Michigan has finally reached a tentative agreement. Negotiations have been ongoing since March 15, but overnight a contract was presented. The contract includes an end to mandatory overtime, improved protocols for maintaining reasonable workloads, and more competitive wages according to the Michigan Nurses Association.

Ascension nurses in Texas vote to unionize

Becker’s Hospital Review

By Kelly Gooch

Sept. 22, 2022

Nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas, have voted to unionize. The vote was 72 percent in favor of joining the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United, according to a Sept. 21 union news release. The vote covers 800 nurses at Ascension Seton. "As nurses, we always have and always will stand committed to providing the highest quality of care to our patients," Geovana Hill, a registered nurse in the renal unit, said in the release. "We are looking forward to bargaining for a fair contract to improve patient safety, as well as competitive wages to keep Austin nurses working here in our community. We are more than ready to win a strong first contract, which will help with nursing staff retention." National Nurses United has more than 175,000 members nationwide, including more than 2,500 other Texas-based union members in El Paso, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Ascension Seton is part of St. Louis-based Ascension.

IN THE STATES

Labor unions are increasing in numbers, a UW-Milwaukee professor explains why

WUWM

By Mallory Cheng

Sept. 21, 2022

More unions are forming across the country and right here in Milwaukee. Workers are organizing, from establishments like Colectivo Coffee and the Pabst Theater Group to corporations like Starbucks and Amazon – laborers are using their collective power. John Heywood is a UW-Milwaukee distinguished professor of economics and the director of the graduate program in human resources and labor relations. He points out there are two major reasons why we're seeing such a quick and large increase in union presence: increased militancy by existing unions and a resurgence in organizing itself.

LABOR AND COMMUNITY

Rent expense a top concern for agencies assisting residents

News Press-Now

By Alex Simone

Sept. 22, 2022

Rent and utility expenses are an increasing concern in St. Joseph, and local agencies are working together to increase awareness for available resources. The focus for this week's United Way campaign is "basic needs," and being able to handle rent payments is one of the biggest necessities for many residents. It's the most common concern when people call the AFL-CIO's Help Me Hotline, AFL-CIO Executive Director Nichi Seckinger said.