Today's AFL-CIO press clips
POLITICS
Labor’s reaction to Trump Labor, Transportation cabinet picks mixed
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
Nov. 27, 2024
Trump administration labor policy, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler warned, will draw on the heavily anti-worker Trump campaign platform, a.k.a. Project 2025. That’s the tome of radical right schemes to disassemble government and concentrate power in presidential hands, written by ideologues marshalled by the corporate-backed Heritage Foundation.
Trump Labor pick surprises unions, rattles business
The Hill
By Tobias Burns
Dec. 1, 2024
The AFL-CIO, a top U.S. labor federation, threw some cold water on the nomination, describing the incoming administration as “dramatically anti-worker.” “Donald Trump is the President-elect of the United States — not Rep. Chavez-DeRemer — and it remains to be seen what she will be permitted to do as Secretary of Labor in an administration with a dramatically anti-worker agenda,” the group said in a statement.
Will Trump’s pick for labor secretary be able to act on her pro-union ideas?
Vox
By Li Zhou
Nov. 27. 2024
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for labor secretary, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), is a pro-union Republican, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Trump’s administration will be pro-worker. Although Cabinet secretaries can do their best to influence the commander-in-chief, they ultimately have to execute on the president’s policies, multiple labor experts told Vox. If they disagree with the president — especially if they refuse to implement a new policy — there’s a high likelihood that they’d be removed from that position.
Biden says Trump's tariff threat against Canada and Mexico is 'counterproductive'
NBC News
By Megan Lebowitz and Tara Prindiville
Nov. 28, 2024
President Joe Biden on Thursday criticized President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he will implement 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, saying the comments were "counterproductive." "I hope he rethinks it, and I think it's a counterproductive thing to do," Biden said, responding to a reporter's question about his reaction. "The last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships," he said during a Thanksgiving Day visit to a fire station in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Trump Disavowed Project 2025 During the Campaign. Not Anymore.
The New York Times
By Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Erica L. Green
Nov. 29, 2024
During the campaign, President-elect Donald J. Trump swore he had “nothing to do with” a right-wing policy blueprint known as Project 2025 that would overhaul the federal government, even though many of those involved in developing the plans were his allies. Mr. Trump even described many of the policy goals as “absolutely ridiculous.” And during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, he said he was “not going to read it.” Now, as he plans his agenda for his return to the White House, Mr. Trump has recruited at least a half dozen architects and supporters of the plan to oversee key issues, including the federal budget, intelligence gathering and his promised plans for mass deportations.
Project 2025 purge: Public sector firing spree and massive service cuts loom
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
Nov. 27, 2024
“We’ve faced challenges like this before, and we know what’s at stake. We know what’s coming—and we’re ready,” said AFGE President Everett Kelley. “This time, we’ll be even more prepared” for Trump’s onslaught. But “the American people should brace themselves for cuts to their benefits and services if President-elect Trump implements his anti-families policies,” Kelley explains.
CNN
By Hadas Gold and Rene Marsh
Nov. 27, 2024
“These tactics are aimed at sowing terror and fear at federal employees,” said Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 800,000 of the 2.3 million civilian federal employees. “It’s intended to make them fearful that they will become afraid to speak up.”
Nonprofit groups are in the Trump administration's crosshairs (Opinion)
MSNBC
By Basil A. Smikle Jr.
Dec. 1, 2024
Last month, the House passed a bill that would give the Treasury Department nearly unfettered ability to snatch the tax-exempt status of nonprofits, based on little more than whatever the incumbent administration considers “support” for terrorism. If the Senate passes a version of the bill, this power will soon be in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who repeatedly mused on the campaign trail about exacting vengeance on his political opponents. While votes largely fell along party lines, 15 congressional Democrats broke from their party to support the bill, including Reps. Tom Suozzi of New York, Colin Allred of Texas and former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida. Even more Democrats had initially expressed support for the bill, but withdrew their endorsements after outcry from organizations like the NAACP, AFL-CIO, United Auto Workers and Planned Parenthood sent a letter to Congress voicing strong opposition. Even Amnesty International raised concerns that H.R. 9495 would harm organizations that document human rights abuses globally.
ORGANIZING
Maryland video game studio reacts to volatile industry by unionizing
The Baltimore Sun
By Dylan Shulman
Nov. 29, 2024
Welling said that in addition to the personal devastation of layoffs, there are also “downstream effects” for the industry. “People who are trying to get into the industry are now finding it hard to get their foot in the door because they have to compete with people who have a bunch of experience. So that’s difficult for them, but then it’s also difficult for the people who don’t get laid off, because … they’re expecting us to do the same amount of work in the same amount of time with fewer people involved.” Bethesda then became a leader of another burgeoning trend in the video game industry: unionization. Unionization efforts at Bethesda began in November 2023 following management’s decision to require three in-person work days, Welling said. By July 2024, Bethesda was recognized as “the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft video game studio,” Communications Workers of America (CODE-CWA) said in a news release.
Logan Regional Medical Center joining USW will bring wanted change for employees
WV Metro News
By Morgan Pemberton
Dec. 1, 2024
Three hundred employees of the Logan Regional Medical Center will now get the chance to have their voices heard after voting to join the United Steel Workers union. USW represents over 850,000 workers who are employed in many different occupations, ranging from metals to pulp and paper and have now been growing their numbers in health care, higher education, public sector, tech and the service industries.
UNION NEGOTIATIONS
Hotel worker strike continues in San Francisco amid Thanksgiving festivities
NBC Bay Area
By Sergio Quintana
Nov. 27, 2024
This could be a very loud and sleepless Thanksgiving holiday for those visiting or staying in the San Francisco’s Union Square. The sound of banging drums and people shouting on loudspeakers has been constant in the neighborhood for the last two months as members of a local hotel workers union have been striking in front of local hotels.
AFSCME union organizes two-day strike over unfair practice charge
New University
By Makyla McLeod
Nov. 27, 2024
Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 began a two-day Unfair Labor Practice strike across University of California (UC) campuses and Medical Centers on Nov. 20 and 21. The UC campus-wide strikes were organized after AFSCME Local 3299 filed an unfair practice charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) in October. The union alleges that the UC violated labor practices by “failing and refusing to bargain in good faith” in light of the expiration of the Patient Care Technical contract in July and expiration of the Service contract on Oct. 31.
San Francisco Ballet's ‘Nutcracker' season in jeopardy amid stalled contract talks
NBC Bay Area
By Terry McSweeney
Nov. 27, 2024
An AGMA negotiator responded and about 81% of ballet artists are considered low income in San Francisco. Now, both sides do agree that the ballet has some of the best dancers in the world, but the best way to care for them is in dispute. Management said it’s expanded the ballet’s wellness center, added a registered nutritionist and a performance psychologist among other things. Not enough, says AGMA.
WKBW
By Eileen Buckley
Nov. 27, 2024
While many of us are getting ready to pass the turkey and gravy at Thanksgiving Day tables Thursday, striking Milk-Bone workers in Buffalo will be out in the cold, walking the picket line calling for fair wages and affordable healthcare. The Milk-Bone employees walked off the job on October 28 after failing to reach a new contract agreement with Milk-Bone's parent company J.M. Smucker, after their contract expired in September.
Workers at a Las Vegas casino are on strike. Here’s what to know
Los Angeles Times
By Suhauna Hussain
Nov. 28, 2024
Hundreds of hospitality workers at a Las Vegas casino walked off the job Nov. 15, launching the first open-ended strike in more than two decades for Nevada’s largest union. The workers are members of the Culinary Workers Union as well as an affiliated bartenders union, which together represent some 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. The strike has grabbed headlines. Video of a protest last week posted to social media by the union showed members blocking a road in front of the hotel and police arresting union members.
Strike Authorization Vote Called by Caltech Postdocs and Grad Workers Union
Pasadena Now
By Staff
Nov. 29, 2024
C/GPU-UAW, the union for more than 2,000 postdocs and graduate workers at Caltech, announced Wednesday that it intends to hold a strike authorization vote on December 4 and 5. A majority vote in favor would authorize the union’s Bargaining Committee to call a strike, should circumstances justify, according to the union-authorized statement.
JOINING TOGETHER
Culinary Union hosts Thanksgiving dinner for Virgin Las Vegas strikers
News 3 LV
By News 3 Staff
Nov. 30, 2024
On the 16th day of the ongoing strike, the Culinary Union hosted a holiday dinner for Virgin Las Vegas strikers on Saturday. Some Virgin Hotel employees spent Thanksgiving protesting in front of the resort. “Tonight is different because it’s the holidays so the Union brought us all together, showed us that we could all be strong together and we just all enjoyed a meal all together,” said culinary union strike worker Alaia Lopez. “It gives us reassurance to see people like Dina [Titus] and other senators come out here and support us.”
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Seattle's jazz community finds strength in togetherness
KNKX
By Lawrence Peryer
Nov. 27, 2024
That sense of family – of finding one's tribe through the music – runs through conversations with Seattle's jazz artists. But it's a family that requires active nurturing and sometimes tough love to maintain its bonds, especially as rising costs push artists out of traditional cultural neighborhoods. "We can't separate the economics from the emotional and social aspects of what we do," explained bassist Nate Omdal, president of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 76-493. "So much of what we seek emotional support for is drawn from the challenges we have economically."
The holidays are here. So is Local 98.
Philly Voice
By Mark Lynch, Jr.
Nov. 29, 2024
The holiday season is upon us. That means the public will once again be seeing the members of IBEW Local 98 throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, lighting up the night and providing for the less fortunate in our community. The fun kicked off November 26th when Local 98 members delivered 300 frozen turkeys to WMGK’s annual Turkey Drop, a charity event started more than 20 years ago by recently retired WMGK morning host John DeBella. Working with City Team Philadelphia, the turkeys were delivered to soup kitchens and small non-profits throughout our region. Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the oldest in the nation, had that special Local 98 touch again this year. The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s brightly colored steps that provide the stunning backdrop to the television coverage of the parade were installed gratis by Local 98.