Today's AFL-CIO press clips
POLITICS
As corporate class carts cash to Trump, labor drafts fightback plans
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
Jan. 6, 2025
“It is up to us—not politicians in Washington—to fight for a raise, or better health care, or security on the job. The labor movement must be poised to help workers see that unions can and will deliver the change they need,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond wrote in their year-end report, available on www.aflcio.org.
Social Security Fairness Act signed into law by Biden, enhancing retirement benefits for millions
CBS News
By Kate Gibson
Jan. 6, 2025
President Biden on Sunday signed legislation expanding Social Security benefits for millions of retired Americans, including firefighters, police officers and teachers. "Americans who have worked hard all their life to make an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity," Mr. Biden told a gathering at the White House before signing the Social Security Fairness Act, which he said would mean an average monthly increase of $360 for more than 2.5 million Social Security recipients.
Retirees flex muscle to win Social Security Fairness Act
People’s World
By Stu Becker
Jan. 6, 2025
Although many groups have advocated for the Social Security Fairness Act, kudos for the main victory goes to organized labor, and particularly to its retiree organization, the Alliance for Retired Americans. ARA, based in the AFL-CIO’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, has active chapters and supporters all over the nation who planned, lobbied, and carried out actions for the bill. In response to the passage and signing of the bill, the ARA said that “for too long, the government has taken away Social Security benefits from millions of retired federal, state, and local government employees who worked as teachers, police, firefighters, postal workers, and general employees—benefits they earned when they worked other jobs.”
Millions of public workers are set to get higher Social Security benefits. Here's why
NPR
By Juliana Kim
Jan. 6, 2025
A new bill signed into law by President Biden will increase Social Security payments for nearly 3 million current and former public employees. The law, named the Social Security Fairness Act, repeals a pair of provisions that had limited benefits for recipients with other pensions. That means workers who previously received reduced payments, including those who served as teachers, firefighters and police officers, among other public-sector occupations, will soon receive benefits in the full amount. In all, the changes are estimated to affect roughly 2.8 million beneficiaries.
3 ways workers’ rights are on the chopping block under President Trump (Opinion)
Labor Tribune
By Samantha Sanders
Jan. 6, 2025
Much of the Trump-Vance campaign’s platform was designed to provoke outrage rather than to supply policy details. So, if you’re trying to figure out what to actually expect from the coming second Trump administration, it’s helpful to look at the record of Trump’s first term in office, as well as the individuals and organizations that influenced the 2024 GOP campaign. When it comes to workers’ rights, that record is crystal clear: from attacks on unions and workers’ freedom of speech to rolling back laws that would have boosted paychecks or expanded worker safety protections, Trump has been a disaster.
Social Security Fairness Act: Who will see boosted payments? What to know as Biden signs law
NBC 5
By NBC Chicago Staff and The Associated Press
Jan. 6, 2025
President Joe Biden on Sunday signed into law the Social Security Fairness Act, a measure that boosts Social Security payments for current and former public employees. It affects nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and in other public service jobs. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put strain on Social Security Trust Funds, which face a looming insolvency crisis. The bill rescinds two provisions — the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset — that limit Social Security benefits for recipients if they get retirement payments from other sources, including public retirement programs from a state or local government.
ORGANIZING
Journalists for the Athletic push to join the New York Times union
The Washington Post
By Ben Strauss
Jan. 6, 2025
The editorial staff of the Athletic, the sports-media outlet owned by the New York Times, has signed cards signaling its intention to unionize. Staffers sent a letter to Times management Monday asking them to recognize them as part of the Times Guild, the same union that represents the Times newsroom. The Athletic’s bargaining unit is around 200 people and would grow the Times Guild to around 1,700 members. Times reporters are represented by the NewsGuild of New York, which was part of the Athletic’s organizing effort.
Nurses at 3 Legacy Health hospitals in Portland push to unionize
OPB
By Amelia Templeton
Jan. 6, 2025
Nurses at Legacy Health’s three largest hospitals are planning to unionize, according to an announcement from the Oregon Nurses Association Monday. The union says more than 70% of the nurses from Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Legacy Emanuel Medical Center and Randall Children’s Hospital have signed union authorization cards, triggering the right to hold a union election per federal law. Nurses are seeking voluntary recognition of the union by Legacy management. “We respect our nurses’ rights to determine union representation through an election to be held by the National Labor Relations Board,” a Legacy spokesperson wrote in a brief statement emailed Monday.
Legacy nurses at 3 Oregon hospitals announce intent to unionize
KOIN
By Aimee Plante
Jan. 6, 2025
More than 2,200 nurses from three different Legacy hospitals have announced their intent to unionize as of Monday morning, according to the Oregon Nurses Association. Nurses with the Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, and Randall Children’s Hospital each delivered a letter to management to seek recognition of their unionization. “Legacy nurses have waited decades for this moment,” said Sarah Zavala, a registered nurse in the Emergency Department at Legacy Emanuel. “Unionizing with ONA is about empowering nurses to provide the highest standard of care, ensuring safe staffing, and protecting the well-being of both staff and patients.”
UNION NEGOTIATIONS
Ushers at Ensemble Arts prepare to strike after rejecting latest contract proposal
Philly Voice
By Michaela Althouse
Jan. 6, 2025
Unionized ushers are preparing to strike if they can't reach an agreement for a new contract with Ensemble Arts Philly by Wednesday. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local B29, which represents about 100 ushers in the area, authorized a strike Thursday after rejecting the organization's latest proposal on Dec. 30. Ensemble Arts is the nonprofit organization that manages performances from the Philadelphia Orchestra and others at venues including the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music and the Miller Theater.
Wilcox, Queen's nurses set to strike
Spectrum News
By Michael Tsai
Jan. 6, 2025
Nurses at Wilcox Medical Center and The Queen’s Medical Center are set to stage independent three-day strikes next week following stalled negotiations with their respective employers. The nurses are represented by the Hawaii Nurses Association, OPEIU Local 50. Notifications to both Wilcox and Queen’s were transmitted following strike-authorization votes over the last two weeks. Some 99% of Wilcox’s 160 nurses participated in a strike-authorization vote that closed on Jan. 2, with 76% supporting a strike. The nurses are scheduled to strike from Jan. 14 to 16. Union nurses at The Queen’s Medical Center also voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Of the 98% of nurses who participated, 90% voted affirmatively. Queen’s nurses will strike Jan. 13 to 15.
Vail stock struggles as strike leads to long lines at Park City Mountain ski resort
CNBC
By Alex Harring
Jan. 6, 2025
Vail Resorts shares have dropped in recent weeks as a labor dispute has roiled one of America’s most prominent skiing destinations. The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association, a union representing patrollers at the Park City Mountain resort in Utah, went on strike in late December. The work stoppage has spurred social media complaints of long lines, closures and delays from patrons on costly ski trips. This situation has raised awareness of the consolidation of America’s ski resorts under Vail and a handful of other companies. Vail’s history of involvement with a notable private equity firm has also stoked the ire amid the meltdown at Park City, which is billed as the largest U.S. mountain by lift access and has a storied history that includes hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics.
In Rare Move, Some Providence Physicians Prepare to Strike Alongside Nurses
Oregon Business
By Garrett Andrews
Jan. 6, 2025
Thousands of Providence healthcare professionals around the state are preparing to strike, and for the first time in recent history, physicians are among their ranks. In late December, nearly 5,000 Providence healthcare professionals represented by the Oregon Nurses Association voted to approve a strike at all eight Providence hospitals to begin Jan. 10. The called strike came after several weeks of unsuccessful contract negotiations. The union claims the health care system fails to follow state staffing guidelines and doesn’t offer competitive wages and benefits. On Dec. 30, ONA gave the required 10-day notice to strike.
JOINING TOGETHER
Supporters step up to fill our bellies — and those of our pets
Pittsburgh Union Progress
By Pittsburgh Union Progress
Jan. 6, 2025
People sometimes ask us, “How do you survive a strike that’s now gone on for more than two years?” Our answer: “With lots of help.” This has certainly been the case the past month. We’ve already written about the New York Times Tech Guild’s donation to our strike fund. Other efforts are more local. In early December, we received a phone call from a former newspaper writer and editor named Cris Hoel. “Do you need any food?” he asked. “Certainly,” we responded. So Hoel brought us a carload of groceries, just in time for our holiday meals. Our furry friends ate well, too, thanks to the volunteers who maintain a pet food pantry for Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities. They figured strikers have pets, so they organized a food drive for our cats and dogs.
SIUE employees come together in one strong union
The Labor Tribune
By Staff
Jan. 6, 2025
On the heels of winning new contracts with significant wage increases, two local unions representing employees of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) are merging to form one, strong union – and gaining some 100 new members in the process. SIUE clerical support and building service workers, represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2887 and AFSCME Local 2232, overwhelmingly ratified new four-year contracts with the university that includes some of the biggest gains in the union’s history. The new merged local will represent more than 350 SIUE clerical, building service and other workers. The newly added union members include nearly 100 SIUE employees who work in IT, grant writing and other areas.