Today's AFL-CIO press clips: Cecil Roberts announces his retirement
EDITOR'S NOTE: Our friend, ally and union brother Cecil Roberts, longtime president of the UMWA, has announced his retirement. See story under LABOR LEADERSHIP. If you've ever attended a state AFL-CIO convention where he was a featured speaker you know that nobody fires up a union crowd like Roberts, who is a close friend of Bill Londrigan, state AFL-CIO president emeritus.
POLITICS
AFL-CIO rolls out week of mass action vs. Trump’s war on workers
People’s World
By Mark Gruenberg
March 11, 2025
Taking the fight against the GOP Trump regime’s war on workers from Congress and the courts but also to the streets, the AFL-CIO’s new Department of People Who Work For A Living—a title satirizing Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency”—plans a week of actions nationwide from March 17-23. The events will include town halls, mass mobilization to descend on congressional offices–especially those of its ruling Republicans–a “Democracy Board,” where people can share stories of the personal impact of the Musk-Trump carnage, and flooding Capitol Hill with calls and e-mails.
OPM Chief Must Testify in Challenge to Mass Federal Layoffs
Bloomberg Law
By Bernie Pazanowski
March 11, 2025
The layoffs also violated the separation of powers and the Administrative Procedures Act, the lawsuit says. When Alsup blocked the layoffs at a number of federal agencies, he ordered Ezell to appear and testify about the firing memos. The plaintiffs are American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO; American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO; AFGE Local 1216, and United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals.
Trump's Education Department crusade is a cowardly betrayal of America's children (Opinion)
MSNBC
By Randi Weingarten
March 11, 2025
Many of America’s global competitors — and adversaries — are no doubt cheering President Donald Trump’s plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. They know that countries who out-educate the rest of the world will out-compete it. And now brand new Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Trump want to neuter, if not completely shutter, the entity that helps give all children in the United States access to the great public school education they deserve. On Tuesday, the department announced plans to cut nearly half of its staff. McMahon says these catastrophic firings, alongside hundreds of so-called "buyouts," are about "efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers.” The reality is far more cowardly.
Education Department to Fire 1,300 Workers, Gutting Its Staff
The New York Times
By Michael C. Bender and Dana Goldstein
March 11, 2025
The Education Department announced on Tuesday that it was firing more than 1,300 workers, effectively gutting the agency that manages federal loans for college, tracks student achievement and enforces civil rights laws in schools. The layoffs mean that the department, which started the year with 4,133 employees, will now have a work force of about half that size after less than two months with President Trump in office. In addition to the 1,315 workers who were fired on Tuesday, 572 employees accepted separation packages offered in recent weeks and 63 probationary workers were terminated last month.
What Trump's CDC, health program cuts could mean for Atlanta’s role in disease research
WABE
By Jess Mador
March 7, 2025
Georgians in public health are reeling as the administration also slashes tens of thousands of current workers at federal agencies, including the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. Some fired CDC employees are now being told they can return to work, at least for now. But all of the uncertainty has many Georgia researchers worried about the future of Atlanta’s robust public health and science community.
US judge says Musk's DOGE must release records on operations run in 'secrecy'
Reuters
By Nate Raymond
March 11, 2025
A federal judge on Monday ordered the government-downsizing team created by U.S. President Donald Trump and spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk to make public records concerning its operations, which he said had been run in "unusual secrecy." U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington sided with the government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington in finding that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was likely an agency subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Musk Suggests His Team Will Scrutinize Social Security and Entitlement Spending
The New York Times
By Zach Montague
March 11, 2025
Elon Musk, the world’s richest individual, suggested on Monday that his government cost-cutting team would scrutinize Social Security and other entitlement spending, describing the expenditures as rife with fraudulent transactions and repeating a conspiracy theory that Democrats were using the programs as a “gigantic magnet to attract illegal immigrants and have them stay in the country.”
Education Department cutting nearly half of workforce
CNN
By Sunlen Serfaty, Rene Marsh, Kaanita Iyer, Alayna Treene and Kevin Liptak
March 11, 2025
The US Education Department announced Tuesday it is cutting nearly 50% of its workforce, according to senior agency officials, as President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating the agency altogether. Hundreds will be laid off starting Tuesday evening, in addition to those who took voluntary “buyouts.” Those actions would cut the workforce of about 4,100 in half. The layoffs will take effect in 90 days. Those fired will begin teleworking starting Wednesday and go on paid administrative leave starting March 21, according to the officials, who added that the employees will receive severance pay.
Sanders Warns Musk's Call for $700 Billion in Cuts Is a 'Prelude' to Social Security Privatization
Common Dreams
By Jake Johnson
March 11, 2025
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees—a union engaged in a legal fight against the Trump administration's purge of the federal workforce—wrote Monday that Musk's latest comments show that he "doesn't just want to cut the SSA workforce." "He wants to eliminate Social Security entirely," Kelley added.
US judge temporarily halts Trump plan to cut hundreds of millions of dollars for teacher training
AP
By Michael Casey
March 11, 2025
A federal judge in Boston on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration’s plan to cut hundreds of millions of dollars for teacher training, finding that cuts are already affecting training programs aimed at addressing a nationwide teacher shortage. U.S. District Judge Myong Joun sided with the eight states that had requested a temporary restraining order. The states argued the cuts were likely driven by efforts from President Donald Trump’s administration to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Trump, a Republican, has said he wants to dismantle the Education Department, and his administration has already started overhauling much of its work, including cutting dozens of contracts it dismissed as “woke” and wasteful.
CNN
By Shania Shelton
March 11, 2025
Elon Musk on Monday highlighted the cost of federal spending on entitlement programs, the latest sign of the tech billionaire and presidential adviser’s focus to downsize the federal government amid fears of cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. “Most of the federal spending is entitlements. So that’s the big one to eliminate. That’s the sort of half trillion, maybe six, 700 billion,” Musk said on Monday in an interview with Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow. Musk’s comments came in response to a question from Kudlow about whether there would be a report on targeting waste, fraud and abuse in federal spending.
US Education Department to cut half its staff as Trump eyes elimination
Reuters
By Alexandra Alper, Tim Reid, Marisa Taylor and Nathan Layne
March 11, 2025
The U.S. Department of Education said on Tuesday it would lay off nearly half its staff, a possible precursor to closing its doors altogether, as government agencies scrambled to meet President Donald Trump's Thursday deadline to submit plans for a second round of mass layoffs. The terminations are part of the department's "final mission," it said in a press release, alluding to Trump's vow to eliminate the department, which oversees $1.6 trillion in college loans, enforces civil rights laws in schools and provides federal funding for needy districts.
Education Department, with mass layoff, cuts nearly half of its staff
The Washington Post
By Laura Meckler and Danielle Douglas-Gabriel
March 11, 2025
The Education Department said Tuesday that it is cutting its staff by about half, a major step toward President Donald Trump’s goal of shrinking the federal role in education and one that was denounced as damaging to American children. Trump said he wants to eliminate the department altogether, but that is unlikely, as it would require an act of Congress and 60 “yes” votes in the Senate, where Republicans hold only 53 seats. Absent that, the administration has been working to gut the agency by cutting grants and contracts and reducing staff.
U.S. Education Department says it is cutting nearly half of all staff
NPR
By Cory Turner and Jonaki Mehta
March 11, 2025
AFGE Local 252, a union that represents Education Department employees, released a statement in which its president, Sheria Smith, said, "We will fight these draconian cuts and urge all Americans to stand up and contact their Members of Congress…to protect the Department of Education's vital work, working people, and our Nation by rejecting these political games." Minutes later, AFGE Local 252 told NPR that Smith was laid off, along with all five of the chapter's other union officers.
The US Postal Service helped build the Black middle class. Trump could end that legacy
The Guardian
By Gloria Oladipo
March 11, 2025
In recent weeks, the fate of the United States Postal Service (USPS), a revered and vital public institution, has been uncertain. Since the start of his second presidency, Donald Trump has launched major changes to the federal government. Along with billionaire Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge), the president has carried out widespread layoffs at agencies such as the Small Business Administration and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with the purported goal of cutting costs and boosting efficiency. Now, Trump is turning his focus to the post office, an agency he has long been critical of and one that he may be privatizing.
ORGANIZING
Flagstaff's Fourth Street Wells Fargo location officially joins Wells Fargo Workers United
Arizona Daily Sun
By Daily Sun Staff
March 11, 2025
Voting 5-1 in favor of becoming the 25th unionized branch in the company, Flagstaff's North Fourth Street Wells Fargo location officially joined Wells Fargo Workers United following its Feb. 13 election. The election came a month after a letter addressed to Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf asked for the union to be recognized voluntarily and three weeks after a notice of election was filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Wells Fargo Workers United, affiliated with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and its Committee for Better Banks, launched in 2022 and added its first unionized location in December 2023. In the weeks following the east Flagstaff location's election, two more locations in Southern California have delivered letters to the company and filed for elections.
UNION NEGOTIATIONS
RA union begins bargaining negotiations with NYU
Washington Square News
By Aashna Miharia
March 11, 2025
Student Workers at NYU kicked off its negotiations with the university on Friday, demanding that senior leadership compensate its resident assistants by establishing a stipend to mitigate disparities in their housing and job responsibilities. Representatives of the bargaining committee, consisting of eight RAs across various residence halls, discussed SWAN’s priorities in a meeting with lawyers and administrators, including Dean of Students Rafael Rodriguez and Executive Director of Residential Life Kate Baier. While the union did not propose any specific articles to include in the contract, committee members told WSN that they will present concrete demands in the upcoming bargaining session on April 1.
Union members on strike at Knappen Milling Company in Augusta (Audio)
WKZO
By Michael Arney
March 11, 2025
BCTGM Local 3G union members have gone on strike at Knappen Milling Company in Augusta. Lisa Gregory is an international representative for BCTGM and came out to the picket line to support them yesterday.
Geisinger Wyoming Valley nurses vote to authorize second strike 'if necessary' as negotiations stall
WVIA
By Lydia McFarlane
March 11, 2025
Geisinger's registered nurses in the Wyoming Valley voted to authorize a second strike "if necessary" after contract negotiations stalled. The union says Geisinger has not moved on the nurses' biggest priorities, including pay, health insurance and workplace safety. The nurses’ healthcare provider is Geisinger, and they say healthcare costs have increased by 38% since 2023.
Workers in Utah Ratify State’s First Cannabis Industry Union Contract
Ganjapreneur
By TG Branfalt
March 10, 2025
Workers at West Bountiful, Utah-based WholesomeCo last week ratified their union contract with United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 99, becoming the first cannabis industry workers in Utah to do so. Workers had voted to unionize in November 2023 by a 21-1 vote. In a statement, UFCW Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin called the contract “an important milestone not just for WholesomeCo employees, but for all Utah cannabis workers.”
SWC-UAW holds rally at Sundial ahead of contract renegotiation
Columbia Spectator
By Dora Gao, Harriet Engelke, and Spencer Davis
March 11, 2025
Dozens of demonstrators gathered at the Sundial on Wednesday for a rally organized by Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers to condemn the University’s treatment of faculty, students, and staff following the Trump administration’s attacks on unionization, diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, federal funding, transgender inclusion, and immigration.
The Strip Is Now Completely Unionized Thanks to a New Agreement at Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Eater Las Vegas
By Mona Holmes
March 11, 2025
In late February, the Culinary and Bartenders Unions reached a monumental agreement with the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. The year-long effort secured a new contract for 3,300 Fontainebleau employees, including guest room attendants, bartenders, food servers, porters, cocktail servers, bellmen, cooks, and kitchen workers. The agreement is a milestone for casino workers, marking the first time in Las Vegas’s 90-year history that every major resort on the Strip is unionized. As reported by KSNV, the agreement is from January 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028. The powerful coalition places Fontainebleau workers under the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 umbrella. In an email statement, the Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Union, Ted Pappageorge stated, “This milestone agreement not only guarantees job security and fair wages, but also upholds the high standards the Culinary Union has tirelessly fought to establish across Las Vegas.”
Unionized Barnes & Noble workers secure contracts as other retailers hold out
Modern Retail
By Melissa Daniels
March 11, 2025
Barnes & Noble reached another contract with unionized workers this week, giving its employees more certainty in a tumultuous retail environment while forgoing the drawn-out negotiating tactics seen at other retailers. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union announced on Monday that the union at a Bloomington, Illinois Barnes & Noble reached a contract with the corporate bookseller. Separate contracts were ratified with three unionized New York City locations last week.
Santa Clara County Transit Grinds to a Halt as VTA Workers Strike
KQED
By Joseph Geha
March 10, 2025
More than 1,500 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority employees walked off the job on Monday, bringing transit in the South Bay to a halt. Bus drivers, light rail train operators, maintenance workers, dispatchers and other members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 began picketing in the dark, early morning hours outside of five VTA yards and offices. The strike comes after a monthslong contract dispute with the agency.
2 unions finalize COVID hazard pay agreements with Hawaiʻi County
Hawaii Public Radio
By HPR News Staff
March 10, 2025
The County of Hawaiʻi has reached an agreement for COVID-19 hazard pay with the Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association and Hawaiʻi Fire Fighters Association. Hazard pay negotiations had been a contentious issue. In December, outgoing Mayor Mitch Roth announced an arbitration decision that would provide HGEA members with 15% hazard pay over a six-month period.
JOINING TOGETHER
Annapolis rally calls for workers' rights (Video)
WBAL-TV
By Kai Reed
March 11, 2025
Hundreds of union members from across Maryland met on Lawyers Mall in Annapolis for the "Whose Side Are You On" rally. They're urging state lawmakers to stand with workers by passing labor-friendly legislation. Those in attendance were asking for policies that protect workers' rights, strengthen collective bargaining and promote economic justice. The goal was to make sure lawmakers are supporting fair wages, safe working conditions and the right to organize for Maryland workers.
Fox2
By IFPTE Local 21
March 11, 2025
On Thursday, March 13, city workers and the union members of IFPTE Local 21, MEF-AFSCME Local 101, and San Jose Firefighters IAFF Local 230 will rally to defend San Jose's public services, in response to the City Manager's hiring freeze, proposed budget cuts, and the needless threat of layoffs coming from City Hall. Who: City of San Jose employees represented by IFPTE Local 21, MEF-AFSCME Local 101, and San Jose Firefighters IAFF Local 230, including library staff who run programs that support children, seniors, university students, and the diverse communities of San Jose.
Montefiore Nurses Rally to Oppose Planned Cuts
Norwood News
By Síle Moloney
March 10, 2025
Montefiore Bronx-based nurses held a rally organized by the NYS Nurses Association on Friday, Feb. 28, outside the private hospital group’s Moses campus, located at 111 East 210th Street in Norwood. They said their goal was “to save hospital beds and services, and end overcrowding in the emergency departments and hospital floors at Montefiore Moses and Weiler.” Montefiore’s Weiler campus is located in Morris Park.
IN THE STATES
Mass. Governor signs order promoting union labor for public construction projects
Boston Globe
By Samantha J. Gross
March 11, 2025
In a statement, Frank Callahan, president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Union, said the order “will make a huge impact on the quality of life” for construction workers. “Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves the opportunity to earn good wages and benefits under good and safe working conditions,” he said. Chrissy Lynch, president of the powerful Massachusetts AFL-CIO echoed the sentiment. The agreements “guarantee good wages and benefits, safe working conditions, and sustained investment in the local economy,” she said.
Worker’s Bill of Rights, $20 minimum wage in Tacoma? Union begins gathering signatures
The News Tribune
By Becca Most
March 11, 2025
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union 367 chapter, with support of the Tacoma Democratic Socialists of America, is working to put a $20 minimum wage on the city ballot in November. According to two initiatives filed with the city of Tacoma last month, activists want to establish a Worker’s Bill of Rights, which would raise the minimum wage in Tacoma, give workers more rights to fair scheduling and full-time hours, and improve workplace safety. Medium and small businesses would be phased into the $20 an hour minimum wage requirement over several years.
CIVIL, HUMAN, & WOMEN’S RIGHTS
Labor Leaders Commemorate 60th Anniversary of Selma to Montgomery March
Calhoun Journal
By Lee Evancho
March 11, 2025
Labor leaders, civil rights activists, and faith communities will gather on Friday, March 14, to mark the 60th anniversary of the historic Selma to Montgomery march and “Bloody Sunday.” The event will take place at 11:30 a.m. CT in front of the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, near the Alabama State Capitol. Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, will be joined by Alabama AFL-CIO President Bren Riley, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) President Stuart Appelbaum, and Dr. Ericka Wills from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School for Workers. Together, they will reflect on the legacy of the march and the intersection of the labor movement with the civil rights struggle.
LABOR LEADERSHIP
Longtime leader of United Mine Workers to retire
WCHS-TV
Bu Staff Reports
March 11, 2025
The longtime leader of the United Mine Workers of America, Cecil Roberts, is retiring. Roberts, a West Virginia native who has served as president of the United Mine Workers of America since 1995, announced that he will be retiring in October 2025, according to a news release. The Kanawha County native announced the retirement in January to the International Executive Board, and said the retirement would be effective following the International Special Convention in October. He is currently in his seventh consecutive term as international president of the union.
LABOR AND ENTERTAINMENT
Writers on at Least 5 TV Shows Have Received Streaming Bonuses, Thanks to the WGA Contract
Indie Wire
By Brian Welk
March 10, 2025
Writers spent 148 days on strike in 2023 in a push to get a bigger share of the pie of money made from streaming, and after all that time, some writers may still be wondering what it was all worth. One of the wins from contract negotiations with the studios was that shows and films that reach a certain tier of success on streaming platforms will qualify for a bonus on top of the existing residuals they receive. Data about how these shows perform also had to be shared with members, but not publicly, so what shows have qualified since the contract went into effect on January 1, 2024 haven’t been revealed.