Today's AFL-CIO press clips
POLITICS
Trump’s safety research cuts heighten workplace risks, federal workers warn
The Guardian
By Michael Sainato
May 27, 2025
Drastic cuts at a federal workplace safety research agency increase the risk of illness and injury for workers across the US and undermine preparations for public health emergencies, fired employees warn. The Trump administration ordered widespread layoffs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, inside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when it issued a “reduction in force” notice to some 85% of the agency’s 1,100 workers employees on 1 April.
At Veterans Affairs, plan for sweeping cuts tanks morale
The Washington Post
By Meryl Kornfield and Lisa Rein
May 27, 2025
On Friday, a federal judge extended a pause on mass layoffs in 22 federal agencies, including VA, in a lawsuit against the administration’s cuts filed by a federal workers’ union. The pause could be short-lived, however, as the Trump administration has appealed to the Supreme Court.
TSA union urges judge to block ‘retaliatory’ order outlawing bargaining at agency
Government Executive
By Erich Wagner
May 27, 2025
In March, Noem issued a determination stripping TSA employees of their collective bargaining rights, arguing that union representation presented an impediment to responding “swiftly and effectively” to security threats and insinuating without evidence that the American Federation of Government Employees was wasting workers’ voluntary union dues. Following the determination, TSA unilaterally sought to terminate its 2024 contract with AFGE, leading to the union filing a legal challenge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. At a hearing to weigh the labor group’s request for a preliminary injunction to restore the collective bargaining agreement and employees’ rights, Abigail Carter, an attorney for the union, highlighted statements from Noem—as well as the White House in a subsequent effort to outlaw unions across two-thirds of the federal workforce—as evidence that the administration’s stated goals are a “pretext” for attacking a union that has challenged its policies in court.
NPR sues Trump, says funding cut violates First Amendment
Reuters
By Reuters
May 27, 2025
National Public Radio and three Colorado public radio stations are suing the Trump administration over the president's executive order to cut federal funding for public broadcasting, NPR said on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump's order against NPR and fellow public broadcaster PBS earlier this month barring the use of Congressionally appropriated funds violated the First Amendment, it said.
Trump Intends to Cancel All Federal Funds Directed at Harvard
The New York Times
By Stephanie Saul
May 27, 2025
The Trump administration is set to cancel the federal government’s remaining federal contracts with Harvard University — worth an estimated $100 million, according to a letter sent to federal agencies on Tuesday. The letter also instructs agencies to “find alternative vendors” for future services. The additional planned cuts, outlined in a draft of the letter obtained by The New York Times, represented what an administration official called a complete severance of the government’s longstanding business relationship with Harvard.
Trump’s Medicaid Cuts Will Gut a ‘Medical Lifeline’ for Millions
Rolling Stone
By Andrew Perez
May 27, 2025
Penn and Bishop, a member of AFSCME Local 3930/United Domestic Workers, met with several California lawmakers and congressional offices in Washington last week to warn about the impact that the Medicaid cuts will have on home health care workers and their patients.
Civil service workers: Front-line against union busting and corporate domination
People’s World
By Cameron Harrison and Emma Glazer
May 27, 2025
“If they can bust our unions, how long before they come for the rest of us?” asked American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) president Everett Kelley during the second session of the 54th International Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Convention. Both Kelley and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) president Lee Saunders were keynote speakers at Friday’s session to make the case for labor to rally its entire force behind the defense of the civil service workers currently under direct assault by the billionaire-backed Trump administration.
Mike Johnson claims Medicaid cuts are teaching a ‘moral’ lesson to young men
MSNBC
By Ja'han Jones
May 27, 2025
The Republican speaker of the House says his party is going to achieve its deeply unpopular cuts to Medicaid via the “moral component” of protecting manhood. Speaker Mike Johnson went on “Face the Nation” on Sunday and defended the House’s passage of a bill that institutes massive cuts — potentially $880 billion over 10 years — to Medicaid, a program 1 in 5 Americans rely on, claiming there are no cuts. Rather, he said, Republicans’ new work requirements are meant to end “fraud, waste and abuse” by forcing “able-bodied workers, young men” to get a job. In the interview, Johnson responded to a question about the potential widespread loss of health care, including tens of thousands of people who stand to lose health care in his home state, by baselessly insisting the only people who stand to be impacted by the GOP’s proposals are “able-bodied workers, many of whom are refusing to work because they’re gaming the system.”
IMMIGRATION
Maryland congressman says he was denied access to Kilmar Abrego Garcia during trip to El Salvador
CBS News
By Tara Lynch, Christian Olaniran and JT Moodee Lockman
May 27, 2025
Ivey appeared in the video alongside Abrego Garcia's attorney and a member of a Maryland-based workers' union, which Abrego Garcia is also a member of. The Prince George's County congressman said he also wanted to check on the conditions at the lower-security facility Abrego Garcia was moved to last month.
Trump administration halts scheduling of new student visa appointments
Reuters
By Humeyra Pamuk
May 27, 2025
President Donald Trump's administration has ordered its missions abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants as the State Department prepares to expand social media vetting of foreign students, according to an internal cable seen by Reuters on Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the cable that the department plans to issue updated guidance on social media vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants after a review is completed and advised consular sections to halt the scheduling of such visa appointments.
LABOR AND TECHNOLOGY
Driverless Semi Trucks Are Here, With Little Regulation and Big Promises
The New York Times
By Tim Balk
May 27, 2025
“It’s potentially disastrous from a safety perspective,” said John Samuelsen, head of the Transport Workers Union of America, who is also worried about trucking jobs being automated out of existence. Mr. Samuelsen appears to have public opinion on his side. A survey conducted by AAA this year found that 61 percent of motorists in the United States feared self-driving vehicles and that 26 percent were unsure about them.
ORGANIZING
Stellantis battery joint venture workers in Indiana authorize UAW representation
The Detroit News
By Breana Noble
May 27, 2025
A majority of workers at Chrysler parent Stellantis NV's electric vehicle battery joint venture in Kokomo, Indiana, have signed authorization cards to join the United Auto Workers, the Detroit-based union said Tuesday. StarPlus Energy, the partnership between Stellantis and Korean battery maker Samsung SDI, has agreed to recognize the union as representing the 420 workers at the site, the UAW said in a news release. The organizing victory is a product of the 2023 contract between the union and Stellantis following a 44-day targeted strike, which paved the way for the card check system at the Kokomo plant by having the maker of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram lease employees to the joint venture.
Washington Post Tech Guild overwhelmingly votes to certify union in historic election
Editor & Publisher
By The NewsGuild-CWA
May 27, 2025
In a 171-38 blowout vote, The Washington Post Tech Guild has officially won its union election, marking a significant milestone for over 300 technology workers across engineering, product design and data roles at The Washington Post. After weeks of aggressive union-busting tactics from Washington Post management, tech workers at The Post persevered and have been recognized by the National Labor Relations Board. This is the first successful organizing effort to take place at The Post under Jeff Bezos’ ownership. Washington Post tech workers first announced the formation of their union on April 7.
Quirk Books Employees Elect to Form a Union
Publishers Weekly
By Claire Kirch
May 27, 2025
Employees at Quirk Books have announced via social media that 13 of the 22 employees in nonsupervisory positions at the Philadelphia-based independent press have elected to form a union and join the NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia, Local 38010. The NewsGuild filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board on May 22, one day after the employees requested that the company’s management voluntarily recognize the union or else agree to an election.
Portland Starbucks baristas vote to unionize at Multnomah Village
KPTV
By FOX 12 Staff
May 27, 2025
Workers at the Starbucks in Portland’s Multnomah Village voted unanimously to unionize on Friday, becoming the 39th location in Oregon and 26th in the Portland area to join Starbucks Workers United. The 9-0 vote adds to a national movement of more than 590 stores in 45 states and D.C. that have won union elections. “The Multnomah Village Starbucks is excited to share the announcement of our unionization,” barista Zoe Huntington said. “We hope to stand together in order to seek better working conditions, and to support our fellow union workers who fight for our rights.”
Nurses at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital announce intent to unionize
WESA
By Kiley Koscinski
May 27, 2025
Nurses at one of Pittsburgh’s largest labor and delivery centers are launching a union push this week, citing concerns about staffing and quality of patient care. SEIU Healthcare PA filed a request for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board Tuesday on behalf of nearly 1,000 registered nurses and advanced practice professionals at Magee-Womens Hospital.
Stagehands at Arizona Theatre Company vote to unionize
Tucson Sentinel
By Natalie Robbins
May 27, 2025
Stagehands at Arizona Theatre Company’s Tucson branch voted this month to unionize with the local chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE. Crew members on the lighting, sound, set, props, transport, costume and makeup teams approved union representation in a May 15 election. Bargaining will begin soon, said Ian Fritz, business manager for IATSE Local 415 in Tucson.
UNION NEGOTIATIONS
Pratt & Whitney machinists end 3-week strike after approving a new contract
The Washington Post
By Associated Press
May 27, 2025
About 3,000 machinists at jet engine-maker Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut approved a new four-year contract Tuesday, ending a three-week strike over wages, job security and other issues. Union members were expected to return to work Wednesday after 74% of them voted in favor of the new deal, according to locals 1746 and 700 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Pratt & Whitney says it has reached a tentative contract deal with machinists union
Hartford Business Journal
By Greg Bordonaro
May 27, 2025
East Hartford jet-engine maker Pratt & Whitney announced Friday that it has reached a “tentative agreement” on a revised contract offer to striking machinists. In a statement, Pratt & Whitney said it resumed negotiations on Thursday with leaders representing more than 3,000 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) members, and that a tentative deal on a new contract had been reached.
Unions, Kaleida extend current contract amid negotiations
WIVB
By Aidan Joly
May 27, 2025
Unions representing some 8,000 healthcare workers and Kaleida Health have agreed to extend the current labor agreement until mid-June amid negotiations for a new one, union representatives said Tuesday. Healthcare workers began a strike last Tuesday at five facilities across Western New York, including Elderwood in Williamsville, after the three-year contract ran out. The sides agreed Tuesday to extend the contract until June 14 at 11:59 p.m.
IBEW Touts “Landmark” New Tentative Agreement With CBS
Deadline
By Katie Campione
May 27, 2025
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the largest union representing CBS employees, has reached a new tentative agreement with the network that it calls a “landmark” deal with “one of the most significant wage packages in the nearly 90-year history of the relationship.” “This tentative agreement reflects a new era of partnership and progress that recognizes the important contributions of IBEW-represented technicians while embracing the challenges and opportunities of the future,” IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper said in a statement Tuesday.
Nursing home workers at 5 WNY facilities return to work after strike without new deal
Spectrum News
By Spectrum News Staff
May 27, 2025
Employees at five Western New York nursing homes returned to work Tuesday after a week-long strike. And they returned without a deal. Workers represented by 1199 SEIU protested what they call unfair labor practices. Contracts expired for the workers at Absolut Care in Gasport, North Gate Manor, Garden Gate Manor and the Elderwood Facilities in Lockport and Williamsville.
Blue Hill Grow Store workers unionize in a unanimous vote
News Center Maine
By News Center Maine Staff
May 27, 2025
Workers at a grow store in Blue Hill have signed their first union contract. Nine employees at Gravelwood Farm Grow Store voted unanimously on May 15 to ratify their first union contract, according to the Maine AFL-CIO. The workers have joined the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 4.
Blue Hill farm store workers ratify 1st union contract
Bangor Daily News
By Kasey Turman
May 27, 2025
The employees of Gravelwood Farm Grow Store unionized as part of the International Association Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 4.
Major U.S. Airline Reaches Deal With Thousands Of Flight Attendants After Strike Threats
Patch
By Eric Kiefer
May 27, 2025
A major U.S. airline has reportedly reached a deal with tens of thousands of unionized flight attendants, who have been threatening to strike if their demands aren’t met. United Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) announced that they reached an agreement that would cover 28,000 workers on Friday, just before the start of a busy Memorial Day weekend.
Safeway, Albertsons union workers to vote next weekend on possible strike
Western Slope Now
By Heather Willard
May 27, 2025
Union employees of Safeway and Albertsons locations across the state are being asked to consider striking during a series of scheduled meetings that begin Friday. According to UFCW Local 7, which represents the union workers of Safeway and Albertsons, the company and union have been negotiating for eight months, most recently meeting on Friday, May 23. The union stated in an update posted to Facebook that Safeway agreed to “important language items” sought by the bargaining committee, “including a new drug and alcohol rehabilitation policy and protection of Drive Up and Go shopper work.”
JOINING TOGETHER
Union-led rally challenges North Battleford transit cuts
Northeast Now
By Kenneth Cheung
May 26, 2025
A union-led rally outside city hall drew dozens of North Battleford residents Monday, protesting recent cuts to the city’s public transit system that they say have left them stranded and struggling to afford basic transportation. The demonstration was organized by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 615 after the city slashed its transit service in March — eliminating one of two routes, reducing service hours, and laying off half the workforce. The changes took effect May 1, shortly after transit workers voted to unionize.
STATE LEGISLATION
Philly mayor signs POWER ACT legislation, giving city workers better protections
The Philadelphia Tribune
By Marco Cerino
May 27, 2025
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed the POWER Act Tuesday, giving the city's workforce some of the most potent protections in the country. City Council passed the legislation on May 8, which includes harsher penalties for employers retaliating against whistle-blowers, expansion of sick time for tipped workers, and more avenues for city enforcement. The legislation also provides more protection for undocumented workers who find jobs through agencies in less regulated fields like domestic labor. While Philadelphia does have many laws on the books to support workers, this act bolsters their protections and provides additional oversight and enforcement.
IN THE STATES
'Really get the plans together': AFSCME Maryland is educating workers on new heat safety standards
WBAL
By Tommie Clark
May 27, 2025
Marylanders can expect new heat safety standards at work after Maryland became the first state in the region to adopt them. "Unfortunately, workers are dying to heat illness. Anything we can do to protect workers when they're working in hot temperatures, we want to get the word out and make sure we do that," AFSCME Maryland Council 3 legislative and political director Denise Gilmore said.
CIVIL, HUMAN, & WOMEN’S RIGHTS
DOGE comes for historic civil rights board
Politico
By Hassan Ali Kanu, Ben Johansen, Sophia Cai and Irie Sentner
May 27, 2025
DOGE’s blitz on independent agencies has reached a historic federal civil rights commission responsible for investigating modern patterns of discrimination and guiding the response from Congress and law enforcement. Two members of DOGE’s beachhead team, Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Aimonetti, landed at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights last week, according to two people with knowledge of the interactions who were granted anonymity to describe DOGE’s outreach. The eight-member, bipartisan commission is an authoritative voice that can drive the national agenda on contemporary civil rights issues. Created in 1957, it was instrumental in developing bedrock civil rights laws, including the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act.
UNION BUSTING
Workers accuse eBay of union-busting, harassment in closing of TCGplayer center
Spectrum News
By Spectrum News Staff
May 27, 2025
The union representing workers at eBay's TCGplayer authentication center in Syracuse says it filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging the center's closing, which will cut 220 jobs from the region, was done "to bust the union and evade contract negotiations with the union after more than 600 days of bargaining." eBay announced last week that TCGplayer, an online trading card game marketplace, would shut its Syracuse Authentication Center and consolidate its operations within a center in Kentucky. In a statement posted Sunday, the Communications Workers of America accused eBay of deploying security guards to physically and verbally harass members of TCGunion-CWA Local 1123 members at the authentication center