MUST READ
AFL-CIO backs Biden in early 2024 endorsement
The Hill
By Alex Gangitano
June 16, 2023
The nation’s top union organization, the AFL-CIO, endorsed President Biden’s reelection campaign on Friday, a major win for the president as he works to shore up support from big labor for his 2024 White House bid. The endorsement comes ahead of Biden rallying with union members on Saturday in Philadelphia. It is the earliest the AFL-CIO’s general board has ever voted to endorse in a presidential election, according to the union. “There’s absolutely no question that Joe Biden is the most pro-union president in our lifetimes,” AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler said in a statement. “From bringing manufacturing jobs home to America to protecting our pensions and making historic investments in infrastructure, clean energy and education, we’ve never seen a president work so tirelessly to rebuild our economy from the bottom up and middle out.”
Biden kicks off reelection bid with union rally in Philadelphia
CNN Politics
By Kevin Liptak
June 17, 2023
“There’s absolutely no question that Joe Biden is the most pro-union president in our lifetimes,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “From bringing manufacturing jobs home to America to protecting our pensions and making historic investments in infrastructure, clean energy and education, we’ve never seen a president work so tirelessly to rebuild our economy from the bottom up and middle out.”
POLITICS
Ahead of Philadelphia visit, labor vows ‘largest ever’ 2024 ground game for Biden, Harris
Pennsylvania Capital-Star
By John L. Micek
June 16, 2023
As President Joe Biden revs up his 2024 re-election campaign, labor leaders say they’re preparing their “largest campaign ever” to engage the working-class voters who will be key to helping Democrats hold onto the White House in a high-stakes year. On Friday, in an early show of confidence, the general board of the AFL-CIO voted to endorse Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, a move that labor leaders described as the “earliest ever” such vote. In a statement, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler attested to Biden’s pro-union bona fides, pointing to the actions the administration has taken over the last three-plus years to help working families. “We’ve never seen a president more forcefully advocate for workers’ fundamental right to join a union. Now, it’s time to finish the job,” Shuler said. “The largest labor mobilization in history begins today, supercharged by the excitement and enthusiasm of hundreds of thousands of union volunteers who will work tirelessly to re-elect a president they know has our backs and will always fight for us.”
AFT backs Biden for reelection in latest union endorsement
The Hill
By Brett Samuels
June 16, 2023
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second-largest teacher’s union in the country, endorsed President Biden and Vice President Harris for reelection Friday in another show of organized labor strength for the president. The AFT offered its endorsement of Biden on the same day the AFL-CIO, the country’s largest federation of unions in the country, did the same, reflecting a broader strategy to show support for Biden among organized labor.
Actors’ Equity Joins Unions Endorsing Biden-Harris Second Presidential Term
Deadline
By Greg Evans
June 16, 2023
Actors’ Equity Association has joined with other unions of the AFL-CIO in endorsing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential campaign. “President Biden and Vice President Harris listened to Equity when our industry was in crisis, on issues like Covid relief and federal arts funding,” said Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity Association, said in announcing the union’s support for a second Biden-Harris term. “But four years of a pro-worker administration is simply not enough to put labor laws back on the side of workers, safeguard our democracy and our climate, address systemic racism, protect gender identity and bodily autonomy and so much more.”
Biden held his first big reelection rally in Philly. Here are four takeaways.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
By Julia Terruso
June 17, 2023
The president picked Philadelphia and a friendly union crowd at the Convention Center for the first large-scale campaign rally, which came a day after the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest union, and 17 others endorsed his campaign. And Pennsylvanians can expect to see a lot more of Biden between now and next November, as he’s sure to continue focusing on the key swing state.
Joe Biden rallies with union workers in Philadelphia: ‘You built America’
The Guardian
By Michael Sainato and Maya Yang
June 17, 2023
At his first political rally since announcing his re-election campaign for president in April, Joe Biden told a crowd of labor union supporters: “Wall Street didn’t build America – you did.” Saturday’s rally was hosted by the AFL-CIO, a federation of 60 labor unions representing 12.5 million workers in the US, which has endorsed Biden and the vice-president, Kamala Harris, for re-election in 2024.
Biden finds receptive union crowd at first big event of his 2024 reelection campaign
WSFA
By The Associated Press and Seung Min Kim and Will Weissert
June 17, 2023
President Joe Biden delivered an unapologetically economic populist message Saturday during the first rally of his reelection campaign, telling an exuberant crowd of union members that his policies had created jobs and lifted the middle class. Now, he said, is the time for the wealthy to “pay their fair share” in taxes. The event, which organizers said included unions representing 18 million workers nationwide, recalled then-candidate Biden opening his 2020 presidential campaign at a union hall in Pittsburgh. Several of the nation’s most powerful unions — including the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — officially endorsed Biden’s campaign on Friday. The first-of-its-kind joint endorsement among the unions, and the backdrop of hundreds of workers are part of a meticulously choreographed effort to show the support of labor behind what Biden himself calls the most pro-union president in history.
As Biden holds a flurry of events, his campaign slowly takes shape
The Washington Post
By Matt Viser and Tyler Pager
June 17, 2023
On Saturday, Biden sought to continue that sense of acceleration as he held a rally with the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest federation of unions. “We’ve got a fight on our hands, and my question to you is simple: Are you with me?” he said as a crowd of about 2,000, clad in colored T-shirts to represent their respective trades, cheered and chanted, “Let’s Go, Joe!”
Biden Kicks Off First 2024 Campaign Rally With Pro-Union Message
Vanity Fair
By Jack Mccordick
June 18, 2023
President Joe Biden kicked off the first campaign rally of his bid for re-election to union workers in Philadelphia on Saturday with a focus on a core constituency: working-class voters. Hosted by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, representing more than 12.5 million workers, Biden addressed approximately 2,000 union members assembled at the Philadelphia Convention Center. “I’m proud to be the most pro-union president in American history,” Biden said. “But what I’m really proud about is being re-elected the most pro-union president in American history.”
AFL-CIO to formally endorse Biden-Harris ticket
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
June 16, 2023
“Working people, across race and place, know it makes a massive difference when we elect leaders who have our backs. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have built the most pro-union administration in modern history,” the AFL-CIO said in announcing the Philadelphia event. The three-hour convocation will feature rank-and-file unionists alongside federation President Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond and other leaders.
Biden returns to Philadelphia to rally with union workers in first big event of his 2024 campaign
Centre Daily Times
By Seung Min Kim and Will Weissert
June 17, 2023
Ahead of the event, several of the nation's most powerful unions — including the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — officially endorsed Biden's campaign. The first-of-its-kind joint endorsement among the unions and the backdrop of hundreds of workers are all part of a meticulously choreographed effort to show the support of labor behind what Biden himself calls the most pro-union president in history.
JOINING TOGETHER
Spirit AeroSystems and machinists union reach a tentative 4-year contract
KAKE
By Amy Webb
June 15, 2023
Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. on Thursday presented a 4-year contract for approval by company workers in Wichita who are represented by Local Lodge 839 of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM). Leaders of the IAM informed Spirit that they're recommending approval of the contract to its members. The tentative deal includes a 34% pay increase over four years, voluntary overtime on Sundays, job benefit increases, and a $7,500 ratification bonus. IAM said in a statement that they believe the contract is the result of negotiations "built on respect for employees and their families, their IAM representatives and Spirit's business."
SAG-AFTRA Negotiations With AMPTP May Extend Past June 30 Contract Expiration Deadline
Variety
By Gene Maddaus
June 16, 2023
SAG-AFTRA’s master contract with Hollywood’s largest employers is due to expire in two weeks, and negotiators who have been in bargaining talks since June 7 have a lot of proposals to work through before that deadline. The time crunch has raised the possibility that the union’s talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers could go past the June 30 deadline, according to multiple sources who asked not to be identified. The SAG-AFTRA board has the power to call a strike starting on July 1 if no agreement is reached. That would immediately shut down all film and TV production that has not already been halted by the writers strike.
Barnes & Noble Manhattan flagship store workers unionize with RWDSU
People’s World
By Press Associates
June 16, 2023
With an overwhelming vote, workers at Barnes & Noble’s flagship Manhattan store, a multi-story emporium crammed to each ceiling with books, unionized with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. When certified as their rep, the union will represent 185 workers, and it said 97% of those casting ballots supported going union. It’s the third B&N store to go union this year, and there soon may be a fourth. On June 5, the National Labor Relations Board certified United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459 had won the election at the B&N store in Hadley, Mass., 11-0. And the board’s regional office just set a June 29 election date, for RWDSU versus no union, among the 32 workers at B&N’s store on Seventh Ave. in Brooklyn. The other unionized store, and third with RWDSU, is the Barnes & Noble College Bookstore at Rutgers University in New Jersey. The college bookstore division is separate from the B&N chain.
Museum of Science and Industry workers vote to unionize
CBS News Chicago
BY CBS Chicago Team
June 19, 2023
Workers at the Museum of Science and Industry have voted to unionize. Museum of Science & Industry Workers United posted on Twitter calling it an incredible achievement for cultural workers and said they are calling on museum management to collaborate. In a statement, museum officials said: "We respect an employee's right to choose or decline union representation."
IN THE STATES
Mike Williams, a transformative labor leader in FL, dies
Florida Phoenix
By Diane Rado
June 19, 2023
Mike Williams, the longtime president of the Florida AFL-CIO and a giant in the labor movement, died Saturday, June 17. AFL-CIO official Rich Templin said in a statement that Williams died from a water accident at his home in St. Marks, Florida. “Mike served as the federation’s President since 2009. He has been one of the most transformative labor leaders in Florida history and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of working families across the state, union and non-union alike,” Templin said. Dan Reynolds, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Florida AFL-CIO said, “Mike Williams dedicated his life to the fight for justice and dignity for Florida’s workers. He was our leader and our friend, and his passing is a massive loss for our movement. We will dedicate ourselves to continue the fight for workers just as he would expect and will do everything we can to honor his incredible legacy of courage, dedication and service.”
Frances Orenic takes on role as legislative director at the Illinois AFL-CIO
Labor Tribune
By Staff
June 19, 2023
Frances Orenic has been promoted to legislative director at the Illinois AFL-CIO, working to advance the organization’s policy and legislative strategy. “The Illinois AFL-CIO is thrilled to support Frances in her new role,” remarked President Tim Drea. “Frances has been steeped in the Labor Movement from a young age and understands the diverse needs of working families fighting for equitable wages, safety conditions and the ability to bargain. Frances brings a unique perspective to the table and ensure that we are advancing the needs of working Illinoisans in the legislature.” Orenic previously served as the organization’s coalitions director. Before joining the Illinois AFL-CIO, Frances worked as coalition director for the Vote Yes for Workers’ Rights campaign helping to pass the Illinois Workers’ Rights Amendment.