Today's AFL-CIO Press Clips
POLITICS
What Does a Likely Harris-Trump Matchup Mean for Labor?
KQED
By Farida Jhabvala Romero
July 24, 2024
In statements endorsing Harris, leaders at various unions praised her record in elected office. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, whose organization represents dozens of unions and 12.5 million workers nationwide, said Harris had been a “true partner.” “From taking on Wall Street and corporate greed to leading efforts to expand affordable child care and support vulnerable workers, she’s shown time and again that she’s on our side,” Shuler said in a statement. “At every step in her distinguished career in public office, she’s proven herself a principled and tenacious fighter for working people and a visionary leader we can count on.”
U.S. House GOP spending cuts a preview of Project 2025, lead Dem appropriator says
Nevada Current
By Lia Chien
July 24, 2024
The cuts to labor, health care and education proposed in a U.S. House Republican bill this week are previews of what would happen to federal agencies under a second Trump term, a key House Democrat said Tuesday. Fred Redmond, the secretary-treasurer of AFL-CIO, a national labor coalition, highlighted the elimination of $900 million for youth job training programs, saying it took away a program “at the exact moment that young people are looking for good, stable jobs.”
Labor unions start to unify behind Kamala Harris. Here's why.
ABC6
By Max Zahn
July 23, 2024
AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor organization, which boasts 60 affiliate unions with 12.5 million members, issued a statement on Sunday speaking of Harris in favorable terms but remains in the midst of its endorsement process. "It's safe to say things are moving pretty quickly," Steve Smith, deputy director of public affairs at AFL-CIO, told ABC News, noting that several of the affiliate unions had endorsed Harris. "She has close ties to many, many unions."
Iron Workers International Endorses Kamala Harris for President
PR Newswire
By Iron Workers Union
July 24, 2024
The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers proudly announces its endorsement of Kamala Harris for President of the United States. As Vice President, Harris has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the values and needs of working people, earning our enthusiastic support for her candidacy. As Vice President, Harris voted with us to restore and protect the pensions of millions of workers, including Ironworkers across the nation. She stood with us to support investments in infrastructure, energy, and advanced manufacturing. And she fought by our side to keep workers safe. Thousands of Ironworkers are on the job today thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and other investments that Vice President Harris was instrumental in securing.
ORGANIZING
Activision Blizzard’s ‘World of Warcraft’ game developers vote to unionize
Los Angeles Times
By Suhauna Hussain and Samantha Masunaga
July 24, 2024
The more than 500 game developers at Blizzard Entertainment who work on the blockbuster video game “World of Warcraft” have elected to form a union, marking the latest entrant in a wave of unionizing efforts in the video game industry. Three hundred workers cast votes in favor of joining the Communications Workers of America Local 9510, according to a ballot count conducted Wednesday by a third-party arbitrator, the union said. Eighteen voted “no.” Microsoft-owned Blizzard Entertainment has recognized the union.
Essentia clinic and hospital providers vote to unionize across northeast Minnesota
Star Tribune
By Jeremy Olson
July 24, 2024
More than 400 nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin voted to unionize in an effort to gain leverage over how they practice medicine at their Essentia Health clinics and hospitals. The Minnesota Nurses Association announced Monday night that the group voted overwhelmingly to join its union. Essentia countered with plans to appeal a federal labor ruling and possibly undercut the entire organizing movement. "We will and often do have to sacrifice ourselves and our families to care for those that have placed their lives in our hands," said nurse practitioner Eric Griffith, who accused his health system of preying on providers' compassion by forcing them to care for more patients with less time and resources. "It is time to tell Essentia that enough is enough."
Variety
By Jennifer Maas
July 24, 2024
Following a majority vote to unionize under the Communications Workers of America (CWA), “World of Warcraft” gaming staff at Microsoft have received a show of support from the tech company. “We continue to support our employees’ right to choose how they are represented in the workplace, and we will engage in good faith negotiations with the CWA as we work towards a collective bargaining agreement,” a spokesperson for Microsoft said Wednesday.
‘World of Warcraft’ Development Team Unionizes In Notable Step for Game Worker Organizing Efforts
The Hollywood Reporter
By Katie Kilkenny
July 24, 2024
In a major step forward for the still-nascent video game unionizing movement, hundreds of development team members at massively multiplayer online role-playing game giant World of Warcraft have unionized. A majority of workers voted to join a union aligned with the Communications Workers of America in a contest that took place between June 24 and July 23, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The CWA now reps 1,750-plus game workers at Microsoft.
NEGOTIATIONS & STRIKES
Disneyland workers reach tentative deal with company, averting strike
NBC News
By Daniel Arkin
July 24, 2024
Disneyland employees have reached a tentative deal on a new contract with the company, according to a coalition of unions, averting what would have been the first strike to hit the Southern California theme park in 40 years. "We have shown Disney that we are the true magic makers of the park and today proves that when workers stand together for what they deserve, we win," the Disney Workers Rising Bargaining Committee said in a statement. "We look forward to making our voices heard during the voting process to ratify this contract."
Disneyland, employees avert strike with tentative contract deal
Los Angeles Times
By Christi Carras and Ryan Faughnder
July 24, 2024
Disneyland and its employees said they had reached a tentative contract deal, averting what could have been the first major work stoppage at the Anaheim theme park in 40 years. Members of the Master Services Council — an alliance of unions representing custodians, ride operators, candy makers, merchandise clerks and other Disneyland employees — on Friday voted 99% in support of a walkout. On Wednesday, the unions’ bargaining committee said it had reached an agreement with Walt Disney Co.
Hotel workers in four US cities to hold strike authorization votes
Reuters
By Doyinsola Oladipo
July 24, 2024
About 13,500 unionized hotel workers in four U.S. cities plan strike authorization votes next month as contract talks with Marriott International (MAR.O), opens new tab, Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT.N), opens new tab and Hyatt Hotels Corp (H.N), opens new tab stall, the union said. UNITE HERE, a union representing workers in hotels, casinos and airports across the U.S. and Canada, said the votes will begin the first week in August in Boston, San Francisco, Honolulu and Providence, Rhode Island.
University System of Maryland employees ratify tentative agreement with university
The Baltimore Sun
By Lilly Price
July 24, 2024
Maryland higher education employees are on the cusp of finalizing one statewide union contract for nine public universities across the state, a “historic” agreement that took years of bargaining and changes to state law. The contract would be the second-largest collective bargaining agreement in Maryland, according to union officials. Nearly 6,000 employees voted Friday to ratify the deal, which covers both hourly and salaried workers. “This contract is historic,” said Debbie Michaels, a program administrative specialist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s division of information technology. She’s also a member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland Council 3 bargaining team.
Thousands of Oahu hotel workers could walk off the job as strike vote looms
Hawaii News Now
By Eddie Dowd
July 24, 2024
Hotel workers on Oahu are moving closer to a possible strike while the hotel industry continues to adjust to post-pandemic market forces and impacts of the Maui wildfires. Nearly 5,000 hotel workers at some of Waikiki’s biggest hotels, such as Hilton Hawaiian Village and Sheraton Waikiki, could walk off the job if they vote to strike on Aug. 8. Their union, Unite Here Local 5, says workers have not gotten a raise in two years to meet rising inflation and want better staffing conditions.
Missouri UAW workers go on strike at a Lear factory for better working conditions
KCUR
By Eric Schmid
July 24, 2024
Roughly 460 United Auto Workers at the Lear seating assembly plant in Wentzville went on strike early Monday morning after the company and union failed to reach an agreement during contract negotiations. “Since we did not make any headway on some of the big issues, the membership said they wanted to walk and go on strike,” said UAW Local 282 President Bill Hugeback. Lear supplies seats for several makes of cars including those manufactured at the nearby General Motors plant. Hugeback said the repetitive nature of the work at Lear’s facility has led to union workers with injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and others to their elbows, backs or spines.
Thousands of SF hotel workers may soon take strike vote, union says
NBC Bay Area
By Ruth Dusseault
July 24, 2024
Housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, banquet workers and other workers at eight San Francisco hotels managed by Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott might vote to go on strike as soon as their current contract expires Aug. 14. The planned strike vote was announced Tuesday by Unite Here Local 2, which represents approximately 3,000 San Francisco hotel workers. The hotels affected are the Grand Hyatt, Hilton Union Square, Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, Marriott Marquis, Marriott Union Square, Palace Hotel, Parc 55, and Westin St. Francis.
Union workers reach contract agreement with Optimum
WOAY
By Micah Leith
July 24, 2024
Members of Communications Workers of America have ratified a contract with workers under the Optimum brand of Altice USA, Inc. It came after workers voted to authorize a strike in May. That strike never took place, and now the new contract will keep workers on the job for the next three years over the course of the contract.
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Union trades celebrate funding that got Couture project off the ground
Finance & Commerce
By Ethan Duran
July 24, 2024
Construction unions held a celebration for the labor and investment from organized labor for the 31-story Couture project, which is starting to wrap up in Milwaukee. The luxury tower broke ground in 2021 and is located at 909 E. Michigan St. overlooking Lake Michigan. The project, led by Barrett Lo Visionary Development, was a deal in the making for at least eight years. Officials with general contractor Findorff said the project will be fully completed in September. Before the final ribbon cutting, dozens of trades workers and elected officials gathered on the first floor to celebrate the $104.5 million commitment from the AFL-CIO’s Housing Investment Trust. The HIT is an investment fund focused on creating union construction jobs and building housing.
RETIREMENT SECURITY
NBC News
By Gretchen Morgenson
July 24, 2024
Trustees at U.S. public pension funds with over $3 trillion under management are ramping up their oversight of labor practices at companies owned by private-equity firms after a report from the country’s second-largest teachers’ union detailed recent lapses at 10 of the largest firms’ acquired entities. “The AFT fights every day to uphold workers’ retirement security,” Randi Weingarten, the union’s president, said in a statement. “But that future and our investments cannot be dependent upon practices that harm fellow workers in the name of profit.”