Today's AFL-CIO Press Clips
POLITICS
‘An invigorating reminder’ of why we support President Biden (Opinion)
The Stand
By April Sims
March 8, 2024
Last night, I had the experience of a lifetime — and my head is still spinning from it. I had the honor of attending the State of the Union address of the first president to ever walk a picket line: President Joe Biden. I was the guest of Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, who represents the fighting 10th District where I live in Tacoma.
‘Born a Badger’: Secretary of Labor Julie Su’s Madison roots inspire federal worker advocacy
The Badger Herald
By Cat Carroll
March 6, 2024
Some of U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su’s earliest memories took place while she lived in Madison. She remembers feeding ducks on Lake Mendota, and describes herself as being “born a Badger.” Her family later moved to California, but Su returned to Madison Wednesday — this time a member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet. She accompanied Vice President Kamala Harris in a visit that celebrated initiatives in Madison to build infrastructure and combat the climate crisis.
AFSCME union president says Biden's success on jobs is unparalleled (Video)
MSNBC
By Staff
March 9, 2024
Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, joins MSNBC's the Rev. Al Sharpton to discuss President Joe Biden's economic policy.
LABOR AND ECONOMY
US unions woo female workers on gender pay gaps
Financial Times
By Miriam Rozen
March 7, 2024
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That evidence includes US Department of Labor statistics showing that women earn 18 per cent more when represented by a union — although they still generally earn less than men. Unions are what “cuts into that gender pay gap,” argued Liz Shuler, the first woman president of the AFL-CIO union federation, as part of her “State of the Unions” speech last August, ahead of Labor Day.
U.S. economy adds 275,000 jobs, in latest sign of robust labor market
The Washington Post
By Lauren Kaori Gurley
March 8, 2024
The U.S. economy added 275,000 jobs in February, a sign of strength in the labor market, which continues to benefit workers despite high interest rates. The unemployment rate rose to 3.9 percent, continuing the longest stretch of unemployment below four percent in decades.
Bad laws are the main obstacle to the unions workers want (Opinion)
The Washington Post
By Lynn Rhinehart
March 8, 2024
With all due respect to former National Labor Relations Board chairman William B. Gould IV, his Feb. 29 Thursday Opinion essay, “This is how unions can win — and grow,” misses the mark. Even before the recent boom in union organizing, research showed that 52 percent of nonunion workers — 60 million people — wanted a union at their workplace. This sentiment has not yet translated into significant growth in union membership because our weak labor laws allow employers to campaign against and interfere with workers forming unions. And there are no monetary penalties when employers break a law and violate workers’ rights.
ORGANIZING
About 600 Workers Unionize at Microsoft-Owned Activision
The New York Times
By Karen Weise
March 8, 2024
About 600 workers at Activision Publishing, the video game maker owned by Microsoft, are unionizing, forming the largest video game workers’ union in the United States, the Communications Workers of America said on Friday. Microsoft recognized the union after the vote count was finalized.
Jefferson County library and Denver Art Museum workers vote to form union Thursday
Denver 7
By Katie Parkins
March 8, 2024
Jefferson County library and Denver Art Museum workers voted to form a union Thursday, the AFSCME Council 18 announced in a news release. The council represents American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) in New Mexico and Colorado. "Jefferson County library workers made Colorado history by becoming the first group to organize a union under the state's new collective bargaining law for county employees," AFSCME 18 said.
Activision QA workers form the largest US video game union yet
The Verge
By Ash Parrish
March 8, 2024
Around 600 workers in Activision Publishing’s quality assurance department have formed a union. Assisted by the Communications Workers of America, the employees completed their vote with the results certified on Friday, March 8th. With that, Activision Quality Assurance United – CWA becomes the latest union to arise out of Microsoft’s gaming division and the largest video game union in the United States.
Activision QA workers form largest video game union so far
Games Hub
By Leah J. Williams
March 10, 2024
Hundreds of quality assurance (QA) employees working at Activision Blizzard have voted to form a union, with the assistance of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Known collectively as Activision Quality Assurance United, this union is the largest video game-related union to form so far, with the group encompassing 600 staff.
JOINING TOGETHER
Spotify’s Unionized Staff Reaches Tentative Deal, Including 5.7% Pay Hike.
Inside Radio
By Staff
March 7, 2024
One week after their previous contract expired, union members at The Ringer and Spotify Studios – formerly Gimlet Media and Parcast – have both reached tentative agreements with Spotify on new collective bargaining agreements. The tentative deals, reached after more than two months of bargaining, call for pay increases that average 5.7%, which union staffers point out is higher than the rate of inflation. It says they also made gains on severance, won new protections for employees who are on visas, and secured “groundbreaking” safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence. In a statement, the Spotify Studios Union credited the “solidarity and strength” of the union, saying to win the gains, 100% of Gimlet Union and Parcast Union employees signed a strike pledge and were “prepared to walk” if no agreement could be reached with Spotify.
Boeing machinist union contract negotiations begin for the first time in 16 years
KIRO
By Bridget Chavez
March 8, 2024
For the first time in 16 years, full contract negotiations are under way for the machinists union and Boeing. The president of the union, John Holden, said wages are at the top of their priority list. He said they are proposing a 40 percent increase over three years. Holden said they also want to bring back Boeing’s pension which was done away with years ago.
Food 4 Less workers rally in Baldwin Park ahead of union contract negotiations
ABC7
By Ashley Mackey
March 8, 2024
Hundreds of Food 4 Less workers rallied in Baldwin Park Thursday, demanding better pay and safer work environments as they prepare for contract negotiations with Kroger, the grocery store's parent company. "Fair pay, our safety, we got a lot of people robbing and coming in," said Clara Vega, a warehouse clerk at a Southern California Food 4 Less. "Safety for our equipment in the store. Right now, our real big thing is fair pay." The workers who attended Thursday's rally are from seven different United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) unions. They said workers at other union grocery stores make about $4 more an hour doing the same jobs.
REI workers march on co-op headquarters, bringing contract goals
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
March 8, 2024
Workers at REI Cooperative stores, some from as far away as New York, Chicago, and New Castleton, Ind., marched on company headquarters just outside Seattle on March 7, demanding the co-op bargain in good faith with them, and bringing their contract goals. “This is a large-scale movement in REI’s face,” demanding that the co-op live up to its progressive outdoors-oriented and “green” goals, said Victor Delgado of the Cleveland REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) store, one of eight—so far—whose workers voted to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
USW rally to save Weirton Steel on Saturday amid looming idling at local tin plant
WTOV
By Paul Giannamore
March 8, 2024
The “Save Weirton Steel” USW rally will take place at the Millsop Community Center and in front of the Irish Pub on Main Street near the mill on Saturday. The Cleveland Cliffs Weirton tin plant faces idling in April following a U.S. International Trade Commission ruling against tariffs on tin imports.
Unionized workers, Ilikai Hotel reach deal after hours-long strike
Hawaii News Now
By HNN Staff
March 8, 2024
Unionized workers at the Ilikai Hotel will return to work Friday night after UNITE HERE Local 5 and the company reached an agreement, ending a brief strike. The workers walked off the job on Friday at 6 a.m. “We’ve been fighting for six years to show that all of us workers at the Ilikai Hotel are not second-class citizens, and today we finally won that fight,” said Merlinda Castro, Ilikai Hotel housekeeper.
Deadline
By Katie Campione
March 9, 2024
There may soon be another actors strike in Hollywood — this time against the video game industry. SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland weighed in on the possibility while giving updates on the union’s negotiations on its Interactive Media Agreement during a Saturday panel at SXSW.
Jimmy Kimmel Says “We Will Stand With You” to IATSE Members Amid Strike Threat at Oscars 2024
The Hollywood Reporter
By Mia Galuppo
March 10, 2024
During the telecast for the 2024 Oscars ceremony, host Jimmy Kimmel, in his opening monologue, addressed the current IATSE contract negotiations and the possibility of an impending strike, telling below-the-line workers: “Know that in your upcoming negotiations we will stand with you.” After feting the nominees at the top of the awards show, Kimmel turned his opener towards the subject of last year’s work stoppages, praising the actors and writers resilience in getting contracts with fair protections from artificial intelligence, among other contract points.
STATE LEGISLATION
Unemployment cuts in West Virginia remain up in the air
WBOY
By Mark Curtis
March 8, 2024
“And we are talking about an earned benefit that workers in West Virginia have earned over the duration of their working career. Politicians in Charleston just think they can steal that from them. It’s wrong. It’s absolutely wrong for this legislature to be taking away earned benefits,” said Josh Sword, President of the AFL-CIO of West Virginia.
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Sacramento Power Academy Hosts Graduation For Smud/Ibew Lineworker Scholarship Program
Roseville Today
By Staff
March 10, 2024
Today, SMUD will celebrate the achievements of the inaugural graduating class of the Lineworker Scholarship Program in partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1245. The event got under way at 1:00 at the Sacramento Power Academy located at 9268 Tokay Lane. The ceremony marks the culmination of an intensive training designed to equip the 26 graduates with essential skills to enter and thrive in apprenticeship programs in a variety of utility trades and ultimately clean energy careers.