Today's AFL-CIO press clips
POLITICS
Trump's Order Ending Union Contracts Ripe for Legal Challenge
Bloomberg Law
By Courtney Rozen and Chris Marr
March 31, 2025
“This executive order is plainly retaliatory,” said American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley, which represents more than 800,000 federal workers. “They are taking this action because AFGE is standing up for our members.”
Trump seeks to dismantle federal unions
Axios
By Cuneyt Dil
March 31, 2025
Federal unions are fighting a new executive order from President Trump that tries to ban collective bargaining for agencies that deal with national security matters. Why it matters: The executive order clashes with the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which created a structure for labor organizing in the federal government, unions say. "AFGE is preparing immediate legal action and will fight relentlessly to protect our rights, our members, and all working Americans from these unprecedented attacks," the head of AFGE, Everett Kelley, said in a statement.
Insider NJ
March 31, 2025
New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech Responds to the Federal Collective Bargaining Executive Order
Today, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Wowkanech issued the following statement on President Trump’s executive order that strips virtually all federal workers of their collective bargaining rights: “By issuing this Executive Order, the Trump administration has openly engaged in a retaliatory attack on the fundamental rights of 700,000 workers across the federal government at more than 30 agencies. This is not just an attack on federal workers, but an attack on the entire labor movement. While this attack on union members is unprecedented, it is unsurprising that President Trump has resorted to bullying unions for their refusal to stay silent as he continues to indiscriminately fire tens of thousands of their rank-and file members. His disdain for union members has been made clear from day one, and his intention to strip union members of their rights was plainly stated in his Project 2025 Agenda.
Pa. AFL-CIO reacts to Trump’s stripping of collective bargaining rights
Central Penn Business Journal
By Ed Gruver
March 31, 2025
Responding to the Trump Administration’s recent executive action removing the collective bargaining rights of over a million federal workers, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Angela Ferritto and Secretary-Treasurer Maurice Cobb issued the following statement: “American workers are under attack – and we will not back down. The Trump Administration is going after for collective bargaining rights, because they know the power of unions. “Unions are the strongest defenders of workers’ rights and the economic vitality of our communities. United, the PA AFL-CIO is stronger, and we will not back down or cede our hard-fought rights to collectively bargain, nor will we back down on veterans rights’; the rights of older Americans to collect the social security they earned; the right to peacefully protest; the right to strike; the right to fair and equitable pay; and the right to free speech. We will fight on the front line defending the rights that all Americans rely on.
Union sues to block Trump from ending collective bargaining for many federal workers
Reuters
By Daniel Wiessner
March 31, 2025
A union that represents 150,000 U.S. government employees filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block President Donald Trump from stripping hundreds of thousands of federal workers of the ability to collectively bargain with government agencies through their unions.
The National Treasury Employees Union said in the lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. federal court that Trump's executive order last week exempting more than a dozen agencies from collective bargaining obligations violates federal workers' labor rights and the U.S. Constitution.
Labor Tribune
By Tim Rowden
March 31, 2025
“The Department of Education plays a crucial role supporting our students and their families at schools and universities in every community across this nation,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “President Trump’s directive to eliminate this small but mighty agency would destroy our education system and devastate future generations of students.”
Postal Workers Rally Against Trump’s Proposed Privatization of the Postal Service
Workday Magazine
By Isabela Escalona
March 31, 2025
U.S. Postal Service workers with local branches of the National Association of Letter Carriers rallied at the Minnesota State Capitol on March 23, along with hundreds of community allies, Minnesota unions, and politicians to demand a strong contract—and oppose the Trump administration’s recent threats to privatize the postal service and reduce services. “Public sectors are the frontline, they will go after private sectors next,” said Tyler Vasseur, a postal worker with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Branch 9. Vasseur led the crowd with rallying cries for better pay, and denunciations of privatization and possible layoffs. For the upcoming contract, Vasseur stated that postal workers are fighting for a $30-per-hour starting wage and the right to strike. The rally was part of a nationwide day of action to oppose the dismantling of the postal service, organized by NALC.
Federal Workers Union Sues Trump Over Attack on Collective Bargaining
Common Dreams
By Jessica Corbett
March 31, 2025
According toFederal News Network, during a Friday press conference, AFGE national president Everett Kelley called the executive order "plainly retaliatory" and pledged to keep challenging the administration. "The executive order says plainly that they are taking this action because AFGE is standing up for our members," Kelley said. "But I want to assure everybody that AFGE will always stand up for its members."
What to know about the Wisconsin Supreme Court race — and Musk’s involvement
The Washington Post
By Niha Masih
March 31, 2025
Other major issues that could end up in front of the court include the union rights of public employees and redrawing a congressional map that has given Republicans six of the state’s eight seats.
Wisconsin Voters See State Supreme Court Race as Referendum on Trump
The New York Times
By Ernesto Londoño
March 31, 2025
But the outcome will also show how voters in one of the most evenly divided battleground states in the nation are feeling about Mr. Trump’s sharp cuts to the federal work force, his crackdown on illegal immigration and the administration’s crusade against diversity initiatives in government programs and higher education. Mr. Trump won Wisconsin by less than a percentage point last November and narrowly lost it in the 2020 election. “The pendulum swings back and forth in U.S. elections, and I think this election will be a good indicator of whether the pendulum is going to swing back the other way based on Trump’s actions in office,” said Michael Orwig, 40, a federal worker and Schimel supporter who lives in a suburb south of Milwaukee. “This is going to be the first litmus test.”
TRANSPORTATION
Congress Seeking to Limit Public Charter Operators
Flying Magazine
By Caleb Revill
March 31, 2025
“Gaming the system to get a competitive leg up by putting all of us at risk can’t fly!” said Sara Nelson, president of the AFA, in the release. “We applaud Representative Langworthy for taking action to stop outrageous attempts to skirt safety and security requirements that were put in place following September 11th. Never again. The irony should be lost on no one that those attempting to game the system are creating an aviation model grounded in the idea that if you have money the rules don’t apply to you. This is about crew and passenger safety and the security of the entire country.”
ORGANIZING
The push to unionize doctors at Mass General Brigham
Common Weath Beacon
By CommonWealth Beacon staff
March 31, 2025
With health care systems growing more corporatized, financialized, and consolidated, doctors across the country are turning to unionization. The primary care crisis – prompting many physicians struggling with overwork and stress to leave the field – has left doctors looking at their hospitals and seeing little help coming. Pointing to overwhelming workloads with insufficient pay, staff shortages, and a lack of input into hospital decisions, almost 300 primary care physicians at Mass General Brigham petitioned the National Labor Relations Board last year to allow a vote on unionization.
UNION NEGOTIATIONS
CPS, teachers union reach proposed contract deal after a year of tough negotiations
Chicago Tribune
By Nell Salzman, Alice Yin and Gregory Royal Pratt
March 31, 2025
Chicago Teachers Union educators voted on a final proposed contract deal with the school district Monday, capping off months of contentious negotiations and leadership conflicts that threatened to destabilize the nation’s fourth-largest district. The road to a tentative agreement — which could still fall through — has seen almost a year of false starts and mounting pressures over how the district will afford both the teachers contract and a $175 million pension payment for nonteaching staff that’s at the center of a game of political football between City Hall and Chicago Public Schools.
Physicians at WMed reach union contract agreement, calling off strike
Arc West Michigan
By Ivy S. Fowler and Donald Ede
March 31, 2025
Striking physicians have reached a tentative union contract agreement. After delivering a 10-day strike notice on March 21 to Dean of Homer Stryker School of Medicine at Western Michigan University (WMed) Robert G. Sawyer and to Kimberly K. Hatchel, senior vice president of Bronson Methodist Hospital, the Resident & Fellow Alliance (RFA) have reached a "tentative contract agreement with management.," and called off the strike, according to RFA officials. The residents and fellows union, the Resident and Fellow Alliance (AFT, AFL-CIO), cited inadequate management proposals after months of "very minimal" progress when they originally submitted their 10-day notice.
NCCC, IAM Reach Tentative National Agreement
Railway Age
By Marybeth Luczak
March 31, 2025
The National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) on March 31 reported reaching a tentative national agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), covering approximately 4,900 freight rail members. The agreement, which is subject to ratification, is consistent with the terms set by dozens of local and national contracts between railroads and unions that have been ratified as part of the 2025 bargaining round, according to the NCCC.
University of Oregon union faculty, administration reach tentative agreement
KEZI
By Ryan Bonham
March 31, 2025
It should be normal classes as usual for students returning from spring break on Monday morning as the University of Oregon’s faculty union and administration reached a tentative agreement on Sunday evening. The university had a deadline of March 31 to reach an agreement with the faculty union and there were worries that a strike would disrupt students’ first day back from spring break. According to the university’s provost and senior vice president, Christopher P. Long, they are grateful to the bargaining teams for the hours spend to reach a deal and avoid a strike. Around 1,500 union faculty members were fighting for more than a year for a new contract with better pay. The tentative deal includes salary increases for career instructors and career researchers through at least 2026.
Variety
By Jennifer Maas
March 31, 2025
The SAG-AFTRA strike against major video game companies has nearly reached the 250-day mark and there’s no deal yet. And while nothing seems to have changed from the outside, real progress is being made behind the scenes.
SMART-TD, Keolis Reach Tentative Agreement
Railway Age
By Carolina Worrell
March 31, 2025
The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division (SMART-TD) on March 24 announced that it has reached a tentative agreement with Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), which employs 450 SMART-TD GO-769 represented conductors and assistant conductors on behalf of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in Boston.
University of Oregon faculty union reaches tentative deal, strike averted for now
OPB
By Nathan Wilk
March 31, 2025
The University of Oregon’s faculty union has reached a tentative agreement on a contract, and a strike has been averted for now. The announcement came Sunday, after days of last-minute bargaining between the university and its faculty.
Journalists sign first union contract at nonprofit news outlet Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Examiner
By Erik Gunn
March 31, 2025
Journalists at Wisconsin Watch — a nonprofit news organization that includes the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service — have ratified their first union contract. The agreement, signed on Friday, March 28, includes minimum salary guarantees and annual cost-of-living increases along with layoff restrictions, severance pay and benefits as well as “just cause” protections against arbitrary terminations, according to the Wisconsin Watch Union. The contract also includes provisions for medical, parental, caregiver and bereavement leave. The union is a subunit of Milwaukee NewsGuild Local 34051, which also represents newsroom employees at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts Expiration Date Extended
The Hollywood Reporter
By Katie Kilkenny
March 31, 2025
Performers’ union SAG-AFTRA and advertisers have extended their current labor deals as negotiations continue for successor agreements. The union and the Joint Policy Committee — which bargains on behalf of advertisers and advertising agencies — announced that they were prolonging their current three-year contracts until the end of the day on Friday. The contracts were initially set to end at the end of Monday, with the change allowing union performers to continue working under the old contracts as negotiations carry on.
UC workers set for one-day strike Tuesday
San Diego Union-Tribune
By Paul Sisson
March 31, 2025
Citing what they say are unfair labor practices, union workers plan to stage a one-day strike Tuesday at University of California medical and academic campuses statewide, including UC San Diego. UC San Diego Health said Monday that it expects little impact to patients from the strike with all facilities expected to remain “open and operational.” It was not clear Monday afternoon whether some scheduled appointments set for Tuesday have been rescheduled. A statement from the UC San Diego academic communications office said that “some disruption” is expected outside main medical facilities, which may require adjustments “based on staffing levels.”
Aramark and Philly stadium workers union reach a tentative agreement
The Philadelphia Inquirer
By Ariana Perez-Castells
March 31, 2025
Philly stadium workers could soon have new contracts. On Monday, Unite Here Local 274, the union representing stadium workers at the Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park, and the Wells Fargo Center, announced it had reached a tentative deal with the workers’ employer, Aramark.
UI worker unions rally, negotiate for wage increase
The Daily Illini
By Anna Ceja
March 31, 2025
Over 60 union members demonstrated outside Provost John Coleman’s office Wednesday afternoon to call for higher wages and demand a new employment contract. The rally included university employees from two American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Unions, AFSCME Local 3700 and AFSCME Local 698. “University of Illinois employees say they deserve fair and livable wages, and they’re going public in that fight for fairness,” said the unions’ media advisory. “The university employees — members of two AFSCME local unions — are calling on Provost John Coleman and university administrators to quit delaying and settle a fair union contract now.”
IN THE STATES
AFT-WV and WVEA announce merger to form Education West Virginia
WV News
By Staff
March 31, 2025
The American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia (AFT-WV) and the West Virginia Education Association (WVEA) on Monday announced the merger of their two organizations. The merger becomes official this Sept. 1when Education West Virginia formally begins operations. AFT-WV and WVEA have long shared the same values and mission — to advocate for WV’s public schools and the dedicated professionals who serve students, officials said. The merger was approved by delegates from both organizations during their respective assemblies on Saturday at the Embassy Suites in Charleston. In addition to state delegates of each organization, guests in attendance included West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword, AFT President Randi Weingarten, NEA President Becky Pringle and NEA Executive Director Kim Anderson.
Commissioners Court approves Living Wage Policy for county workers
The Leader
By Staff
March 31, 2025
With strong support from union leaders, Harris County Commissioners Court approved a Living Wage Policy on Thursday that will increase the minimum wage to $21.65 an hour for workers on county-contracted jobs and $20 an hour for county employees. “Today’s historic measure to establish a living wage in Harris County is a step toward justice for all working people, especially the Black and Brown workers and working women who power our economy,” Commissioner Ellis said. “We will continue to fight for working people so that they can afford housing, health care, childcare, utilities, and other necessities so they will be able to spend time with the people they love. These are the building blocks for families to thrive. And when families thrive, we all do.”
LABOR HISTORY
SEIU workers participate in Cesar Chavez Day rally (Video)
CBS News
March 31, 2025
“Con Estas Manos” is the theme for Cesar Chavez Day rally in Delano
LABOR AND COMMUNITY
Local union celebrates 125 years of service in community
Fox 21 News
By Dara Korn
March 30, 2025
Local Union #113 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) celebrated 125 years of commitment to workers, community, and industry on Saturday, March 29. The celebration took place at the historic Antlers Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs. Originally chartered with only nine founding members, Local #113 grew over the years to more than 1,000 members working across various industries.