Today's AFL-CIO press clips
POLITICS
Biden pushes on 'blue wall' sprint with Michigan trip as he continues to make the case for candidacy
ABC News
By Joey Cappelletti, Zeke Miller and Seung Min Kim
July 12, 2024
But in a swing state that he won by close to 3 percentage points in 2020, Biden continues to command support. Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell, Rep. Haley Stevens, Rep. Shri Thanedar and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler will all attend the Detroit event, which marks Biden's fourth trip to the state this year. Also planning on attending is Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer. And over a dozen Detroit-area state lawmakers signed onto a joint letter Thursday “to express our unwavering support for President Joe Biden.” “As the Detroit Caucus, we are committed to mobilizing our communities, raising awareness, and advocating for policies that benefit Black Michiganders,” the state lawmakers wrote in the letter. “We encourage all our members and allies to join us in supporting President Biden and Vice President Harris.”
AFL-CIO calls on Democrats to unite behind Biden
Good Morning America
By Beatrice Peterson
July 10, 2024
The AFL-CIO for the second time in a week put out a statement in support of President Joe Biden after unanimously voting to reaffirm their support for the Biden-Harris ticket, saying that they are the "most pro-union administration in our lifetimes." The union, which endorsed the Biden-Harris campaign in June 2023, urged Democrats to support Biden saying, "The labor movement is united behind President Biden and Vice President Harris. We urge his party and the American people to join us."
PA political leaders react to shooting that injured Trump at rally
The Morning Call
By John Misinco
July 14, 2024
In a statement, Angela Feritto, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, said she was “stunned and appalled.” “Regardless of where your politics fall, there is — unequivocally — no place for political violence,” she said. “As Americans, and as Pennsylvanians, we settle our differences at the ballot box. “In the coming days and weeks, this attack may prove to have a profound impact on how we characterize ourselves as Americans, what we hold closest to our hearts, and our norms as a democracy. This is not a path forward any of us want.”
'Workers for Sherrod;' Dayton AFL-CIO endorses Sen. Brown for re-election
Dayton 24/7 Now
By Joshua Richardson
July 12, 2024
Union workers on Friday said it's clear who is best for Ohio in the race for U.S. Senate. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat and the incumbent in the race, takes on corporations and even his own party for workers' rights, said Thomas Ritchie Sr., president of Dayton-Miami Valley AFL-CIO. Ritchie said that a vote for Brown is good for job security and a protection of pensions.
Local delegates stand by their president (Opinion)
The News-Gazette
By Jim Dey
July 13, 2024
Devaney, the secretary/treasurer of the state AFL-CIO, expressed similar sentiments, saying: “President Biden has been the most pro-labor president in our lifetime. The IL AFL-CIO is running a robust political program and working closely with the national AFL-CIO to re-elect the president.”
ORGANIZING
Northern Nevada Legal Aid becomes first such organization in Nevada to unionize
The Nevada Independent
By Kelsea Frobes
July 12, 2024
An organization providing legal services to those in need has become the first group of its kind in Nevada to unionize in an election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board. Taylor Marie Bassell, staff attorney at Northern Nevada Legal Aid (NNLA), has been pushing to unionize the organization since March. Bassell said she was able to present more than half of the staff’s signatures to authorize a union in association with the National Organization of Legal Service Workers. However, when Bassell presented the signatures to the management team at NNLA in March, they refused to voluntarily recognize the legal aid union.
NEGOTIATIONS & STRIKES
American Airlines Awaits Contract Talks With 35,000 Fleet Workers And Mechanics
Forbes
By Ted Reed
July 12, 2024
Even as contract talks between American Airlines and its flight attendants appear to be moving towards a conclusion, another round of important talks is looming. “The Association” is a group of 35,000 workers jointly represented by the Transport Workers Union and the International Association of Machinists. The group works under seven different contracts: about two thirds of the members are fleet service workers. The current contract becomes amendable in March 2025. Normally talks would begin six months early, in March, but the parties have agreed to start on Aug. 27th and 28th. “We’re going to be demanding significant wage increases and also protection of our work,” said TWU President John Samuelsen. “But we’re not looking for a fight.
Strike during Comic-Con averted as union reaches ‘unprecedented’ deal for convention workers
San Diego Union-Tribune
By Lori Weisberg
July 12, 2024
The threat of a strike during Comic-Con was averted Friday when the union representing workers at the San Diego Convention Center secured a lucrative deal that will give them a pay raise of 55 percent or more over four years. Just two days ago, food and beverage workers at the convention center voted overwhelmingly to walk off their jobs in the event their wage and benefit demands could not be met. “This is unprecedented, I’ve never seen money like this before,” Unite Here Local 30 president Brigette Browning said of the tentative agreement. The four-year deal was hammered out Friday following five hours of bargaining with Sodexo Live, a food and beverage services company that the San Diego Convention Center Corp. contracts with for the many events and conferences held at the bayfront facility. The contract will be effective immediately once it’s formally ratified and will be retroactive to July 1.
Negotiations could soon resume between Minneapolis park workers, board
KARE 11
By David Griswold
July 12, 2024
Negotiations could resume after the union representing more than 300 Minneapolis park workers said it would present a counteroffer to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's last proposal. MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura released a statement Friday urging the union to present a "substantial and meaningful counteroffer" by Monday, July 15 so that both sides can return to the negotiation table. In response, A.J. Lang, the business manager for LIUNA Local 363, said the union intends to present a counteroffer and continue discussions after nine days of being on strike.
Union workers thank Vallejo council for ‘working out a fair deal’ in new contract
Vallejo Sun
By Ryan Geller
July 12, 2024
The Vallejo City Council approved a three-year contract with the city’s largest union that includes an immediate 8% raise for a broad range of city workers at a meeting on Tuesday. The city’s prior contract with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245 ended on June 30. Days before that, union workers filled the city council chambers to urge the city to move forward in negotiations, which they said were at a standstill. That night workers and union negotiators passionately addressed the council arguing that a pay increase was long overdue and that a better wages would ameliorate the high turnover rates in many departments. The workers’ remarks were not wasted on council members. Days later, negotiators reached a tentative contract agreement that union members overwhelmingly approved with 88% of the membership vote. “Some people were moved to tears, because this is one of the best contracts that IBEW has seen in decades,” said Kim Camatti, co-chair of the IBEW Local 1245 negotiating committee.
Met Council AFSCME workers vote to authorize strike
KSTP
By KSTP
July 12, 2024
More than 700 employees of the Metropolitan Council could go on strike. AFSCME Council 5 and AFSCME Local 668 say 94% of union members voted to authorize a strike after not being able to reach an agreement on a contract. The hundreds of union employees represent many divisions of the Met Council, including wastewater workers, Metro Transit accident investigators, payroll, Information Technology and more.
Eugene Symphony Announces 3 Year Contract with American Federation of Musicians Local 689
The Violin Channel
By The Violin Channel
July 12, 2024
The board of directors at the Eugene Symphony has ratified a new three-year contract with its 82 players. The contract includes pay rises and provision to begin hiring for vacant positions, and takes the orchestra through to 2027. By the end of the contract, players will have received annual raises totaling 10.5%. At present, 18 chairs in the orchestra are vacant, and hiring processes to fill those jobs will begin immediately. The contract also makes provision for greater flexibility, allowing smaller groups of players to perform concerts in the community.
STATE LEGISLATION
Pennsylvania Passes Bill to Fund Solar Panels in Schools, Creating Jobs and Saving Money
My Ches Co
By Maryann Pugh
July 12, 2024
The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO praised the legislature for passing House Bill 1032, known as Solar for Schools. Introduced by Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, the bill will create a grant program to fund solar panel installations at schools across the state. This initiative aims to accelerate the construction of solar projects, create well-paying union jobs, and revitalize local communities.
IN THE STATES
Kids in the workforce: Child labor laws differ in Iowa and Illinois
WVIK
By Brady Johnson
July 12, 2024
Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea says kids should be in the classroom not the workforce. "I'm (going) to call them student workers, a very, very exploitive population," Drea said in a phone interview with WVIK. "It doesn't make sense that student workers work past 9 pm. It doesn't make sense that kids should be working more than 20 hours a week."
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH
Delta Changes Uniform Policy After Employees Seen With Palestinian Flag Pins
The New York Times
By Emmett Lindner
July 13, 2024
In a letter dated July 11 to Ed Bastian, the company’s chief executive, a steering committee from the Delta Association of Flight Attendants, a union, asked for an apology and a ban on unauthorized photography of crew members. “Under current rules, Delta management leaves flight attendants vulnerable to harassment,” the letter said.
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
UAW hosts car show benefiting disabled Michiganders
ABC12
July 14, 2024
UAW Region 1D held its 17th annual American Muscle Cruise & Car Show on Saturday. From 2 to 8 p.m., visitors checked out the high-powered out cars on display at the Birch Run Speedway and Event Center. In addition to all the muscle, there were plenty of activities for the entire family to enjoy, including a live DJ, concessions and vendors, a cornhole tournament, and even a burnout contest.