Today's AFL-CIO press clips
POLITICS
Punching In: A 1,000-Lawyer Battalion to Help Federal Workers
Bloomberg Law
By Rebecca Rainey and Chris Marr
April 21, 2025
With mass reductions in force across the federal government on the horizon, the AFL-CIO, federal workers’ unions, and advocacy groups have mobilized a network of more than 1,000 volunteer attorneys to provide legal services to laid off federal employees. Leaders behind the new Federal Workers Legal Defense Network launched last week say they saw a need for more federal-sector labor law resources based on the sheer number of federal workers being let go and the Trump administration’s response to lawsuits seeking to restore these jobs. More than 100,000 federal workers have left or been fired from the federal government so far. Craig Becker, general counsel at the AFL-CIO, said advocates recognized the need for more individual legal representation because “the administration is arguing that cases have to be brought before the agencies and therefore can’t proceed on a class action basis in federal court.”
Trump administration ordered to retract 'sham' rationale for firing workers
Reuters
By Daniel Wiessner
April 21, 2025
The lead plaintiff in the case is the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 800,000 federal workers. AFGE President Everett Kelley in a statement praised the ruling for "dismantling the false narrative that these employees were terminated for poor performance when no such thing occurred."
Court blocks DOGE access to sensitive personal data at Social Security Administration
CNBC
By Lorie Konish
April 21, 2025
A federal judge has once again blocked Department of Government Efficiency staffers, operating inside the Social Security Administration, from accessing sensitive personal data of millions of Americans. U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander on Thursday granted a preliminary injunction to block the so-called DOGE from further accessing sensitive personal data stored by the agency. As a result, DOGE will have to comply with certain legal requirements when accessing SSA data. The order applies specifically to SSA employees who are working on the DOGE agenda. The lawsuit was brought by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; the AFL-CIO; American Federation of Teachers and Alliance for Retired Americans.
DOGE layoffs of federal mediators leave grocery chain talks and other labor disputes in limbo
Los Angeles Times
By Suhauna Hussain
April 21, 2025
In late March, Isael Hermosillo received an ominous message from his supervisor around 7 a.m. ordering him to cancel all his meetings scheduled that day. Hermosillo rushed to notify several locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers union as well as attorneys for Albertsons and Kroger that he would not be able to attend a session in Buena Park later that morning — the third consecutive meeting set to be held that week for labor talks between major Southern California grocery chains and unions representing their workers. Two hours later, Hermosillo found himself on a video conference call where he was informed by his supervisor that he would be put on a monthlong paid administrative leave, and that his job would be terminated.
Trump administration lacks standing to sue to enforce anti-labor executive order, union says
Government Executive
By Erich Wagner
April 21, 2025
In a court filing Monday, AFGE urged U.S. District Judge Alan Albright to dismiss the case, arguing that the administration lacks standing and that a declarative judgment would amount to an advisory opinion, which is barred in federal courts. “The Declarative Judgment Act was enacted to provide a judicial pathway when the plaintiff faces a specific kind of injury: ‘the Hobson’s choice of foregoing their rights or acting at their peril’ of being ‘subjected to some significant liability,’” the union wrote. “Here, the government faces no such peril. It has alleged no ongoing or prospective liability, financial or criminal, that the declaration it seems would redress.”
Interior secretary gives DOGE aide sweeping powers to remake department
The Washington Post
By Dino Grandoni and Maxine Joselow
April 21, 2025
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has given a former oil executive and aide to Elon Musk broad latitude to cut costs and consolidate work within his vast department, which oversees more than 500 million acres of land across the United States. In an order issued Thursday, Burgum put Tyler Hassen, who came to the Interior Department as a representative of the U.S. DOGE Service, in charge of a sweeping effort to “create significant efficiencies” and eliminate “redundant efforts” across the department. Hassen’s broad portfolio includes IT, human resources, training, financial management, international affairs, contracting, communications and other tasks.
Civil Rights Coalition Launches Unity Pact to Defend Against Trump Assault on Nonprofits
Common Dreams
By Jessica Corbett
April 21, 2025
A coalition of 75 civil rights groups on Monday responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's "escalating threats and actions" targeting nonprofit organizations by launching "The Pact: A Civil Rights Coalition Unity Commitment." Led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the groups represent "millions of people of every background in every ZIP code across America, exist to serve our communities, protect rights, and advance opportunity for all," the pact explains. "Today we face a campaign by the government to silence and isolate us, stop us from doing our jobs, and hurt the people we serve."
Trump Admin Will Garnish Struggling Borrowers' Wages as Student Loan Payments Resume
Common Dreams
By Brett Wilkins
April 21, 2025
The Trump administration on Monday announced that it will resume involuntary collection measures against defaulted federal student loan recipients, including garnishing wages, tax refunds, and Social Security benefits and "other actions to help borrowers get back into repayment," as the U.S. Department of Education euphemistically said.
IMMIGRATION
Justice Dept. agrees to let DOGE access sensitive immigration case data
The Washington Post
By Hannah Natanson, Jeremy Roebuck and Rachel Siegel
April 21, 2025
Representatives of the U.S. DOGE Service have received permission to access a highly sensitive Justice Department system that contains information including the addresses and case histories of millions of legal and undocumented immigrants, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.
Her husband was mistakenly deported. Now she’s caught in a political frenzy.
The Washington Post
By María Luisa Paúl
April 22, 2025
Vasquez Sura sent out his résumé to a sheet metal workers union, which, last year, granted him an apprenticeship and a stable job “he absolutely loved,” Vasquez Sura said. Health insurance from the new job allowed him to consider seeking therapy.
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH
Unions: NIOSH cuts will harm Kentucky workers
Public News Service
By Nadia Ramlagan
April 22, 2025
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health could be trimmed from around 1,400 employees to fewer than 150. At the state level, House Bill 398 would also have dismantled Kentucky's worker protection standards and requirements. Dustin Reinstedler, president of the Kentucky AFL-CIO, said similar proposals down the road are now more concerning. "To think that Kentucky was supposed to fall back on the federal OSHA guidelines, and to think that it's under attack now, it's pretty alarming," Reinstedler stressed. The federal cuts are expected to include the agency's 9/11 firefighter program, also known as the World Trade Center Health Program. The American Industrial Hygiene Association, the AFL-CIO and Laborers' International Union of North America have all launched campaigns to urge the feds to restore the agency's staff and funding.
As Trump eyes coal revival, his job cuts hobble black lung protections for miners
Reuters
By Valerie Volcovici
April 21, 2025
Reuters interviews with more than a dozen people involved in medical programs serving the coal industry, and a review of internal documents from NIOSH, show that at least three such federal programs have stopped their work in recent weeks. A decades-old program operated by NIOSH to detect lung disease in coal miners, for example, has been suspended. Related programs to provide x-rays and lung tests at mine sites have also shut down and it is now unclear who will enforce safety regulations like new limits on silica dust exposure after nearly half of the offices of MSHA are under review to have their leases terminated.
SUPREME COURT
Supreme Court Wrestles With Challenge to Affordable Care Act Over Free Preventive Care
The New York Times
By Abbie VanSickle
April 21, 2025
The Supreme Court appeared divided during arguments on Monday over the constitutionality of a provision of the Affordable Care act that can require insurance companies to offer some types of preventive care for free. At issue is a part of the 2010 health care law that established a task force that determines certain kinds of preventative health measures that insurance companies are required to cover.
NLRB
NLRB: Hearst employees can proceed to union election
Hartford Business Journal
By Harriet Jones
April 21, 2025
Journalists at papers owned by Hearst Connecticut will be voting early next month on whether to form a union. The reporters first launched a union campaign in August of 2024, and last week won a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board that they can proceed to an election to become part of the News Guild-CWA.
Primary care doctors at Mass General Brigham score victory on path to unionization
Boston Globe
By Dana Gerber
April 21, 2025
The National Labor Relations Board dealt an unequivocal victory to primary care doctors seeking to unionize at Mass General Brigham, ruling that the proposed bargaining unit of about 400 physicians can proceed with an election next month. The health system, the state’s largest, had tried to pare down the size of the bargaining unit vying to join the Doctors Council. In December, lawyers for MGB argued before the National Labor Relations Board that 18 of the 29 locations in the proposed bargaining unit were actually part of MGB’s acute-care hospitals, rendering those doctors ineligible to join the primary care physicians unit with the rest of their colleagues.
UNION NEGOTIATIONS
Three unions ratify deals with Santa Clara VTA
Trains Magazine
By Trains Staff
April 21, 2025
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority announced three of its four unions have ratified new contracts, while negotiations continue with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265. Agreements have been reached with Service Employees International Union Local 521, representing more than 300 workers in information technology, communications and finane; the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 1101, representing more than 250 supervisory and managerial staff, and the Transportation Authority Engineers and Architects Local 21, representing more than 21 professional technical staff members.
Healthcare workers hold informational picket at Butler Hospital
ABC6
By Cate Hanewich
April 21, 2025
District 1199 SEIU New England, a union representing over 5,000 health care and service workers in Rhode Island, held an informational picket outside Butler Hospital on Monday afternoon. Hundreds of Butler Hospital healthcare workers gathered at the picket, calling for an end to the “workplace violence epidemic,” which SEIU 1199NE said stemmed from short staffing and low wages.
IN THE STATES
‘Mass confusion’ at the Asheville VA
Mountain Express
By Greg Parlier
April 18, 2025
A March 27 order effectively eliminated collective bargaining for much of the federal workforce, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). That means Local 446 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) — whose membership has grown 20% since Trump took office — may lose its full-time employees. The union is suing the Trump administration over the order.
Protest Rally Scheduled In Westport
Patch
By Alfred Branch
April 21, 2025
The Westport rally is one of several National Day of Action events scheduled throughout Connecticut, beginning on May 1, including in Greenwich and Bethel, among others. "May Day 2025 we are standing united," organizers wrote in a statement about the national effort. "We're organizing for a world where every family has housing, healthcare, fair wages, union protection, and safety—regardless of race, zip code, or immigration status.
Wayne State University unions fight Trump’s attacks on higher education
People’s World
By Cameron Harrison
April 21, 2025
Working-class students, faculty, and staff at Wayne State University (WSU) are under attack. The Trump administration is slashing funding, targeting research, and threatening free speech on campuses across the country. But the faculty unions at Wayne State aren’t backing down without a fight. The Wayne Academic Union (AAUP-AFT) and the Union of Part-Time Faculty (UPTF-AFT) held a joint informational public meeting last Thursday to build awareness and unity with the students and the general public. They’re demanding that the university stand up to the Trump administration’s attacks on higher education before it’s too late.
UNION BUSTING
Birmingham Starbucks workers describe a concerted anti-union campaign
Alabama Political Reporter
By Chance Phillips
April 21, 2025
“There’s been times when partners have come in and worn face masks to protect themselves from COVID-19, and [the district manager] says, ‘Oh, if you’re wearing a mask, you’re sick,’” Naomi recounted. “And I’ve seen him chew out workers on the floor and kick them off and short staffing us because they have union buttons, or because they have a union lanyard.” A member of Starbucks Workers United at the Birmingham Starbucks on 20th Street, Naomi related several similar incidents during an interview with APR on Thursday, describing them as part of a general anti-union campaign. APR has previously spoken to her about being a member of the union-wide bargaining committee mid negotiations on a first contract and about a one day strike last Christmas Eve meant to spur further progress in the negotiation process.