President Biden Reaffirms Commitment to Working People During State of the Union Address

In his address to the nation on Tuesday, President Biden reiterated his commitment to improving the lives of working people across the country. After opening the speech with a rally of support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict against Russia, Biden moved into how his administration has delivered on its promises for working families.

He emphasized the successes of his first year, such as signing the American Rescue Plan and the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. Biden also took the opportunity to lay out his strategy to lower costs for working families and build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out. In his words, he called on businesses to “Lower your costs, not your wages.” Here are some of the highlights: 

Remove Barriers to Good-Paying Jobs: The president promised to lead the most pro labor administration in history, and last night, he announced his plan to advance the strong labor market by ensuring that every worker has access to good-paying, family sustaining jobs. The plan includes:

• Calling on Congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act to update our nation’s outdated labor laws and make it easier for workers in both the private and public sectors to organize or join a union.
• Creating more paths into the middle class by encouraging more skills-based hiring and connecting more workers to registered apprenticeships and labor-management partnership training programs.
• Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour to ensure that America's workers, particularly the front-line workers who kept our country running during the pandemic, are earning sufficient wages to take care of ourselves and our families.
• Passing the Paycheck Fairness Act to end pay discrimination and ensure that women are paid equally for their work.  

Invest in Infrastructure Projects: The president outlined goals for 2022 under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, announcing that states, territories, tribes and local governments will begin work to improve 65,000 miles of roads and 1,500 bridges using federal funding. These projects will be powered by and executed using union labor, fulfilling the president’s promise to create thousands of good-paying jobs for working people nationwide. Over the next year, the Biden–Harris administration also will direct the following:

• The Federal Aviation Administration will invest in over 600 airport infrastructure projects.
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will fund more than 400 new water projects, including replacing lead pipes and upgrading drinking water systems.
• Communities will allocate funding toward 15,000 new buses, ferries and subway cars to improve transportation access for working people.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will fund more than 500 projects in states and territories to decrease flooding, enhance waterways and reinforce supply chains.

Expand American Production: The president emphasized the need to Buy American and doubled down on his promise to revitalize American manufacturing. He touted the addition of more than 360,000 manufacturing jobs to the U.S. economy last year and highlighted major investments from companies like Intel, which will spend $100 billion building a semiconductor mega site in Columbus, Ohio. Strengthening the manufacturing sector means thousands of high-quality jobs for workers and families.

Lower Costs for Working Families: As working families continue to feel the squeeze from inflation brought on by the pandemic, the president laid out his plan to bring relief. His strategy will build on the successes of the American Rescue Plan and reduce costs of everyday expenses by:

• Capping the cost of lifesaving prescription drugs like insulin and closing the coverage gap by cutting health care premiums.
• Decreasing energy costs by $500 for families by increasing investments in the fight against climate change.
• Strengthening our nation’s care infrastructure by lowering the cost of child care, extending the child tax credit and ensuring that no family pays more than 7% of their income for care of young children.  
• Ensuring that no one making under $400,000 a year pays more in taxes and that wealthy corporations pay their fair share.

Create a Path to Citizenship: Biden also highlighted the economic imperative to fix our nation’s broken immigration system and finally guarantee a path to citizenship for "Dreamers," essential workers, farmworkers and workers on temporary status.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 03/02/2022 - 13:29

Tags: State of the Union

Women's History Month Profiles: Fallon Ager

This year, for Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Fallon Ager of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

Fallon Ager is the first Black woman and one of the youngest to be appointed regional director at the UFCW. She also was recently appointed international vice president, a major distinction for the union. As a young leader under 40, she has dedicated over 20 years to labor—starting at RWDSU Local 338 and serving now in one of the top positions at the international.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 03/02/2022 - 10:00

Tags: Women's History Month

Service + Solidarity Spotlight: West Virginia Mine Workers Stand Up Against Attack on Their Safety

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Mine Workers (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts rejected the idea that West Virginia needs less safety enforcement in the coal mining industry, calling a proposal to cut mine safety regulation “outrageous.” West Virginia HB 4840 would eliminate the ability of the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety & Training to enforce the state’s mining safety laws.

“I cannot understand why any responsible legislator would believe the outright elimination of an entire state agency’s enforcement power would keep miners safer at work,” Roberts said in a statement. “Last year, West Virginia alone accounted for 50% of all coal mine fatalities in America. [On Monday] morning, we received a call that a miner in southern West Virginia, with twenty years of experience, died in a mining accident. The first agency on the scene this morning was not MSHA, it was the state. The state inspectors arrived on-site almost an hour before MSHA was able to get there. So, to say we need less protection from the state, less safety and less enforcement in the coal mining industry makes zero sense.”

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 03/02/2022 - 09:34

Women's History Month Profiles: Pam Fendt

This year, for Women's History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making women's history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Pam Fendt of the Laborers (LIUNA) and the Milwaukee Area Labor Council.

Pam Fendt has worked for the Laborers since 2010 and is a third-term president and delegate to the Milwaukee Area Labor Council (MALC). She also is a delegate to the Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council for LIUNA Local 113. Fendt is proud to help LIUNA’s organizers in their work to bring new members into the union, and she has had an innovative voice as president of MALC since 2017. She is a fierce supporter of women in labor and is a founding member of empowHER, an organization dedicated to the promotion and advancement of construction tradeswomen.

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/01/2022 - 10:00

Tags: Women's History Month

Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFT Calls for Passage of African American History Act

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

As Black History Month ends today, the need to celebrate and learn from the lived experience of Black Americans will never end. But some are working hard to erase Black history, with hundreds of bills being introduced across the country toward that end.

That’s why the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is calling on Congress to pass the African American History Act, and is asking members and allies to contact members of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor the legislation.

“With the African American History Act, students, parents and educators will receive the support and resources they need to learn and teach full, honest American history,” Weingarten said. “Black history is American history. Not every piece of that history is pleasant to remember, and some events may spark difficult emotions and conversations, but we must still teach it to our students, in age-appropriate ways, to ensure we don’t repeat our mistakes.”

Contact your senators or representative today!

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 03/01/2022 - 09:35

Working People Support the Nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

Last week, President Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court. Here is what working people across the country said about the nomination: 

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler:

We applaud the historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Jackson has had a distinguished legal career, and she is eminently qualified for this critical lifetime position. Working people need a champion on the bench who will defend and protect our civil rights, including our right to organize in the workplace. Judge Jackson has a strong legal track record of fighting on behalf of working people, including during her tenure as an assistant federal public defender in Washington, D.C., and we are confident that she will bring that leadership to the highest court in the land. Representation matters and that is especially true in our nation’s legal system, which can disproportionately impact or lift up Black and Brown communities. Today’s nomination aligns with President Biden’s ongoing efforts to diversify the roster of individuals who are nominated and confirmed for the judiciary.

Being the first is never easy and Judge Jackson is doing what so many women have done before her, breaking barriers to ensure that she is not the last. We call on the U.S. Senate to deliver a speedy and fair confirmation process.

AFGE National President Everett Kelley:

We applaud President Biden for nominating Judge Jackson to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Her previous work as a public defender, as an advocate for reforming our criminal sentencing laws, and prior judicial rulings show she will affirm the rights of regular American workers and everyday citizens while holding accountable those who break the law—even the most powerful among us.

While serving as U.S. district judge for the District of Columbia circuit, Judge Jackson issued a deciding ruling in a lawsuit brought by AFGE and a dozen other unions challenging a set of executive orders issued by the Trump administration that illegally denied workers their right to representation. That single ruling safeguarded federal workers’ union rights and demonstrated the limits of a corrupt administration. Her reasoning demonstrated exactly the kind of principled, independent judicial thinking that should be a hallmark of the highest court in our land.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders:

Representation matters. There have been 115 Supreme Court justices in the nation’s history, and not a single one has been an African American woman. The nation’s highest court must reflect the backgrounds and experiences of all the people whose lives will be affected by its decisions. President Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson corrects a historic injustice and makes a bold statement about the power of inclusion.

Working people have gotten a raw deal from the Supreme Court in recent years. The court has been part of a rigged system that has silenced our voices, rolling back our rights and freedoms while putting a thumb on the scale in favor of the super-wealthy and large corporations. At a moment when we must empower workers, making it easier to organize and stand together in strong unions, it is critical that the next Supreme Court justice interpret the law accordingly.

Judge Jackson has a deep commitment to public service as the daughter of two public school teachers and the niece of two uncles who served in law enforcement. As a public defender and during her time on the federal bench, Judge Jackson has built an extensive record of protecting the rights and freedoms of all people, including working people.

This includes issuing a 2018 ruling blocking an attempt by the Trump administration to decimate the collective bargaining rights of federal employees. As a consensus builder, just a few weeks ago, Judge Jackson authored a unanimous D.C. Circuit opinion overruling a new, heightened standard for federal employees that was improperly adopted and severely limited their collective bargaining rights.

Judge Jackson is a brilliant, fair-minded jurist committed to advancing civil rights and protecting equal justice under the law. Her lived experience and professional background reflect the nation’s diversity and show a deep understanding of the challenges facing everyday working families. She is uniquely qualified to serve on the highest court in the land, and we urge the Senate to move quickly on her nomination.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten:

The work of the Supreme Court impacts all of our daily lives. In nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the bench, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have chosen an experienced, exceptionally qualified jurist who is devoted to the rule of law, the Constitution, and our country’s rich history of democracy and freedom. Her life story is the story of America.

During her 8 1/2 years as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Jackson presided over civil and criminal trials. She wrote nearly 600 opinions and was rated ‘unanimously qualified’ for the nomination by the American Bar Association (link is external). Judge Jackson has demonstrated an impressive judicial record and a particular understanding of the laws affecting working people. As the daughter of Florida public school teachers, a proud public school graduate and a former law clerk of Justice Stephen Breyer, Judge Jackson is uniquely qualified to serve on the bench and has been confirmed by the Senate several times already. She has deep experience across the judicial system: She comes from a family of police officers, worked as a public defender, and has been called ‘an unwavering voice for justice and fairness.’ We need justices on the Supreme Court who have a demonstrated commitment to equal justice under the law and who will ensure that our rights are protected, and Judge Jackson’s judicial record upholds that ideal.

Our country is eager for a Supreme Court justice who will not pick and choose whose rights they care about—a justice who will put justice first. Progress does not always move quickly, but with this nomination, we take an important step forward in building a court that looks more like America and serves us all.

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) International President Sara Nelson:

In nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, President Biden makes good on two major campaign promises.

As I wrote for the New York Times, 'America needs more judges who understand and support the rights of workers. For too long, the courts have sided with corporations over labor, fundamentally and perniciously reshaping American law, life and liberty.'

AFA first noticed Judge Brown Jackson in AFGE v. Trump when she ruled in favor of federal workers, issuing an injunction to halt three Trump executive orders that gutted collective bargaining rights, due process, and union rights.

Judge Brown Jackson has a long record of protecting the constitutional rights of workers and everyday people. We urge swift confirmation of this eminently qualified jurist.

Electrical Workers (IBEW) International President Lonnie Stephenson:

The IBEW and its 775,000 members congratulate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on her historic nomination to the Supreme Court. As the first African American woman nominated to the highest court in the land, Judge Jackson is breaking barriers and giving a voice to an entire generation of Americans.

Judge Jackson has long stood with working people and is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Judge Jackson clerked for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer before working as a public defender in Washington, D.C., where she won uncommon victories for her clients. She has served as Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission, as a judge for the United States district court for the District of Columbia, and as a United States circuit court judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. It was in this role that she invalidated a 2020 rule by the Federal Labor Relations Authority that had restricted the bargaining power of federal-sector labor unions. These exceptional credentials, combined with Judge Jackson’s unimpeachable character and unwavering dedication to the rule of law, will serve her well as she serves the American people on the highest court in the land.

For far too long, the makeup of our nation’s highest court has not accurately represented the vast diversity of America’s working families. America needs a Supreme Court justice that supports workers’ rights and collective bargaining. The IBEW encourages the Senate to quickly confirm Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court.

International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Matthew Biggs: 

IFPTE joins union members and working families in enthusiastically applauding the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Having served for several years as a federal District judge, followed by her current position on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Brown Jackson is highly qualified to serve on the nation’s highest court.  As evidenced by her 2018 ruling of the Trump union-busting Executive Orders as illegal, she is a reasoned and thoughtful jurist who makes rulings based on the law, not ideologically biases.  IFPTE applauds President Biden for this nomination and the thoughtful consideration that he and his administration put into the selection of Judge Brown Jackson.  Numerous Senators, including Republican members, have stated their willingness to consider and support a qualified nominee.  Judge Brown Jackson clearly exceeds that standard.  IFPTE expects those Senators to live up to their word and looks forward to urging all Senators to vote to confirm her.

Ironworkers:

The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers applauds President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Judge Jackson has distinguished herself as a hard-working and tireless advocate for the American people. From her days working as an assistant federal public defender in Washington, D.C., to today, Judge Jackson has a long history of fighting on behalf of working people. She brings an exceptionally wide breadth of experience at all levels of the judicial system to the Court, as well as the energy and resolve needed to get the job done.

Our nation’s highest court ought to look like the citizens it is bound to protect. A diverse  combination of judges, from all walks of life and all areas of the country, is the best way to ensure our Supreme Court unwaveringly protects liberty and justice for all.

We urge the Senate to act swiftly and confirm Judge Jackson without delay.

Machinists (IAM) International President Robert Martinez Jr.:

President Biden promised to nominate an extremely qualified candidate to the U.S. Supreme Court, who will also move the Court toward a more accurate representation of the American people. The President has delivered on that promise.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, one of our nation’s brightest legal minds, is eminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. As a federal judge and in both private and public practice, Judge Jackson has built a lifetime record of fighting for the freedoms of all people. IAM and NFFE-IAM members in the federal sector saw her stand with them to block the Trump administration’s campaign to gut their collective bargaining rights.

As the daughter of public school teachers, Judge Jackson knows what it means to serve and the challenges facing working people. She will help restore balance to the Supreme Court and ensure that working peoples’ voices are heard on the High Court. The IAM urges the Senate to move quickly on Judge Jackson’s nomination.

School Administrators (AFSA) President Ernest Logan:

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court offers our nation a jurist with great experience and extraordinary qualifications. It shows America is moving forward, expanding representation and adding the voices of those who have not had an opportunity to serve on the nation’s highest court. It is inspiring not only for me, but also for the next generation of children, who will understand they can do anything if the playing field is level.

Judge Jackson first shined as a high achiever in Miami-Dade public schools—the same place her parents worked as teachers and administrators offering her great insight on the challenges school leaders face every day in their jobs around fair funding, equity and inclusion. This experience and understanding will help in decision making on issues regarding schools and the children we serve.

Having served nearly nine years as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Jackson has an established record on civil rights, equality, fairness and rule of law, especially around topics tied to people who work every day to move this country forward— but who often are passed over in the judicial system.

International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART):

We commend President Biden’s historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her experience, credentials, dedication to public service and commitment to the rule of law illustrate that she will safeguard the rights and freedoms of working people. While serving as an appeals court judge, Judge Jackson issued a ruling ending a Trump administration policy that restricted collective bargaining rights of public-sector workers. The U.S. Supreme Court should reflect the diversity of the communities that it serves, and this nomination is an important step in helping achieve a fair judicial system. We urge the Senate to swiftly confirm her nomination.

UAW President Ray Curry:

Today’s historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court gives Americans a jurist with broad experience across the legal profession who has a strong understanding of the everyday lives of working families.

Judge Jackson played a key role in the U.S. Sentencing Commission on criminal justice reform and showed a keen understanding of the implications of the law on everyday lives. She has been a private Attorney and a public defender and is recognized as one of the bright legal minds of our generation.

It matters a great deal who serves on the most powerful court in the land. In recent years the Supreme Court allowed employers to terminate retiree health benefits at the expiration of the collective bargaining agreements and prevented public-sector unions from collecting fees from nonunion members they represent.

The United States Senate has confirmed Judge Jackson three previous times and we hope that the Senate will move swiftly on this historic nomination. And working families should sleep well knowing a respected jurist such as Judge Jackson will serve on our Nation’s highest court.

UNITE HERE International President D. Taylor: 

The Supreme Court is a crucial institution in the ongoing fight for a country where justice for all may prevail one day. The impact of the Court’s decisions on workers’ lives cannot be overstated, from immigrant justice to LGBTQ+ equality, to rights on the job, and more.

It’s more important than ever that the next appointee to the Highest Court be a person whose influence cannot be bought by corporate interests; someone who shares the vision of the Biden Administration’s pro-worker agency and cabinet appointees.

This is why we are excited by President Biden’s choice in Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. We knew that the President would first and foremost consider the everyday working families most impacted by the Supreme Court’s decisions when making his choice.

We also knew that he would fulfill his promise of nominating a Black woman, as it is past time for us to see a Supreme Court that reflects more of what America looks like—as well as what our own Union’s diverse membership looks like.

We call on the U.S. Senate to confirm Judge Jackson without delay.

United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway:

The USW is proud to support the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Throughout her legal career, as an attorney in private practice, as a federal public defender, and now as a federal jurist, Judge Jackson repeatedly demonstrated her deep commitment to the rule of law and to protecting our citizens’ most sacred Constitutional rights.

As union members, we know all too well the profound impact that Supreme Court decisions can have on the everyday lives of American workers and families. We look forward to having an even-handed justice in Judge Jackson who is committed to upholding the American ideals of democracy, liberty, and equal opportunity for all.

Judge Jackson has proven time and again that she has the credentials and the character to serve on our nation’s highest court. She has, for good reason, received bipartisan support for her two previous nominations. Senate leaders should move forward as soon as possible to make sure that her nomination to the Supreme Court receives the fair hearing and the swift confirmation that it deserves.

Alliance for Retired Americans President Robert Roach Jr.:

Judge Jackson is exceptionally qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. We have every confidence that she will safeguard the civil rights of all Americans, including protecting older workers from discrimination and defending the right of every worker to join a union. We call on the Senate to confirm her quickly.

Jackson’s resume includes an extensive background in criminal defense and public interest law. President Biden elevated her in 2021 from the trial court bench to the appeals court, which is regarded as second in power only to the Supreme Court. The selection is also historic, since no other Black woman has ever been nominated for the U.S. Supreme Court.

A. Philip Randolph Institute Philadelphia Chapter President Thelma Clements (UFCW):

Today President Biden has selected Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the Supreme Court, to replace Justice Breyer. This decision sets in motion a historic confirmation process for the first Black woman to sit on the highest court in the nation. Judge Jackson will bring a voice to the voiceless, protect the rights of all Americans including the vulnerable.

We congratulate Judge Jackson on her nomination. She will bring exceptional credentials and extensive litigation experience at every level of the federal court system. As a District Court judge, she ruled on over 550 cases and is renowned for her careful, methodical approach to ensuring equal justice under law on reproductive rights, disability rights, and workers’ rights. This historic nomination confirms an end to the omission of women, especially black women in our legal institutions.

The A. Philip Randolph Institute Philadelphia Chapter is hopeful this will be a bipartisan effort from the nominating committee to appoint President Biden’s selected nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson and not use any delays or blocking methods to support this selection as they have done with past nominees.

Democracy Initiative Executive Director Charly Carter:

President Biden's nomination of the U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court will bring an eminently qualified jurist to the nation’s highest court.

Judge Jackson will not only be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She will also be the first ever justice with a background as a public defender, bringing a vital perspective on individual rights to our nation’s judicial system. Her recent decision affirming the workplace rights of federal employees shows that Judge Brown Jackson is sensitive to the needs of working people, a welcome addition to a Court that has too often ignored the needs of working families.

Of the 115 people who have served on the Supreme Court in our nation’s history, 108—or 93.9 percent—have been white males. Judge Jackson was confirmed by the Senate to her current post on the U.S. Court of Appeals, DC Circuit, less than a year ago. Any senator who attempts to block swift approval of this highly qualified judge will have to explain why a Black woman is being held to a different standard than other nominees.

Michigan State AFL-CIO President Ron Bieber (UAW):

President Joe Biden is a true champion of the labor movement, and his historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court further proves that. The highest court in the land needs Justices that will advocate for our country’s working families. We need Supreme Court Justices who understand the importance of a union contract, who will defend our right to collectively bargain, and protect our right to organize our workplaces.

Judge Jackson has already proven her dedication to working families in the United States during her tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals and as an assistant federal public defender. The Michigan AFL-CIO is confident that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will use her years of legal experience to fight for working people as our country’s next U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey (IUPAT):

North America’s Building Trades Unions applauds President Biden’s historical nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the  Supreme Court.  Throughout her career, Judge Jackson has called balls and strikes fairly in our justice system, stood up for democracy and upheld the Constitution for the betterment of the American people.  Her record demonstrates a deep understanding and concern for economic justice, workers’ rights, and the right to collectively bargain. Judge Jackson’s remarkable reputation and impeccable experience will serve America well at the highest court, and we look forward to her swift and bipartisan Senate confirmation.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/28/2022 - 12:35

Black History Month Profiles: Belle Allen

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Belle Allen of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

As the training director for the newly formed IATSE Local 480 Training Center, a 10,000-square-foot facility located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Belle Allen is a proud and active nine-year member of the local in New Mexico. Allen also currently serves as the co-chair of the local’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. “Our committee took to the streets, organizing and marching with Black Lives Matter and participating in ecumenical marches designed to bring knowledge and unity. We have so much more that unites than divides us. I’m also proud to share that this local and its leadership, are striving to lead the way toward equality and unity in their dedication to outreach and solidarity," she added.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/28/2022 - 10:00

Tags: Black History Month

Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Oregon AFL-CIO Partners with Environmental Coalition to Strengthen Heat and Smoke Rules for Worker Safety

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (Oregon OSHA) released final draft rules and opened a comment period on rules to protect workers from excessive heat and wildfire smoke. Comments can be submitted now, and there will be public hearings between now and March 18. The Oregon AFL-CIO has teamed up with Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, Oregon Environmental Council, Northwest Workers’ Justice Project and Climate Jobs PDX to make sure the rules protect workers.

“We know that Oregon’s excessive heat and smoke problems will continue in the summer months, and workers must be protected,” said Graham Trainor (IBEW), president of the Oregon AFL-CIO. “Oregon’s unions are firmly committed to making sure Oregon OSHA creates the strongest rules possible so that outdoor or indoor workers who are exposed to excessive heat and wildfire smoke are protected as best as possible. The stakes are too high for anything less.”

Excessive heat and smoke from wildfires have been shown to harm a variety of workers, including farmworkers, warehouse workers, people who work at hazardous waste facilities, bus drivers and more.

Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 02/28/2022 - 09:30

Black History Month Profiles: Yvonne Kinston

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Yvonne Kinston of the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

Yvonne Kinston is the executive vice president of CWA Local 3680 and for the past 18 years has been a sales and service agent at AT&T Mobility. Since November 2019, she also has been serving as the District 9 representative to the Fayetteville City Council. She serves as an executive board member of the North Carolina State AFL–CIO and plays a critical role in the Racial Justice and Political Planning committees. In recognition for her activism and passion for community service, Gov. Roy Cooper appointed her as a commissioner to the state's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service in 2017. She was awarded the CWA District 3 Karen J. Murphy Woman of the Year Award.

Kenneth Quinnell Sun, 02/27/2022 - 11:00

Tags: Black History Month

Black History Month Profiles: Wendy Webb

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Wendy Webb of the Laborers (LIUNA).

Wendy Webb is an Army veteran who became a member of LIUNA in 1988. She became her local’s first woman business agent and apprenticeship coordinator. For nearly 25 years, she has mentored and trained laborer apprentices in New York City, including many Black women and men who had little or no prior experience in construction or unions. In the past year Webb became the director of LIUNA Local 79’s Apprenticeship Program and the first woman on the executive board, holding the position of recording secretary.

Kenneth Quinnell Sun, 02/27/2022 - 10:00

Tags: Black History Month

Black History Month Profiles: Jeffrey Dukes

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Jeffrey Dukes of the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters.

Jeffrey Dukes embodies everything great that's associated with organized labor. As an apprentice with UA Local 85, he has worked on the election committee and has been involved in community activities and events such as food drives and restoration of the Sanford Dam. As a delegate to the Mid-Michigan Area Labor Council, he not only attends meetings, but is an active participant who encourages others to get involved in food packaging, ramp builds and supporting our brothers, sisters and siblings from BCTGM on the picket line.

Kenneth Quinnell Sat, 02/26/2022 - 11:00

Tags: Black History Month

Black History Month Profiles: Dawn Cook

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Dawn Cook of the Air Line Pilots (ALPA).

ALPA volunteer and First Officer Dawn Cook made history in 2017 as a pilot operating one of the first mainline flights with two Black women on the flight deck. In addition to working with the ALPA President’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, Cook is also an author and the president and co-founder of Female Aviators Sticking Together, a nonprofit founded to elevate, encourage and empower female aviators, and actively coach professional female pilots.

Kenneth Quinnell Sat, 02/26/2022 - 10:24

Tags: Black History Month

Black History Month Profiles: Sybill Hyppolite

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Sybill Hyppolite of the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU).

Sybill Hyppolite is a thoughtful and compassionate public health expert and advocate, dedicated to empowering and defending Black, Brown and Indigenous workers, and workers with disabilities. She was among the first labor leaders to sound the alarm on COVID-19 as it would impact workers, and her guidance and know-how have led Washington’s labor movement’s pandemic response, directly benefiting the lives of thousands of essential, at-risk working people and demonstrating the power of unions in crisis.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/25/2022 - 10:00

Tags: Black History Month

Service + Solidarity Spotlight: National Nurses United Fights for Safe Staffing Levels

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

One of the many challenges nurses have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic is increasingly unsafe levels of staffing. The evidence is quite clear that creating and enforcing valid RN-to-patient staffing ratios save lives, especially during a pandemic. The California Nurses Association/NNU successfully pushed for adequate safe staffing ratios, and both nurses and patients have benefited from the better level of care provided.

National Nurses United (NNU) is pushing for national RN-to-patient safe staffing ratios based on science: “Every patient deserves a single standard of high-quality care. Decades of research have documented how safe staffing reduces patient mortality, re-admission to the hospital post discharge and recovery. Ratios, coupled with nurses’ powerful voice of advocacy, and secured in federal law and regulation and in our union contracts, would protect our patients from complications that arise from missed care such as medical errors, health care disparities, infections and so much more.”

Learn more about safe staffing ratios.

Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 02/25/2022 - 09:29

Black History Month Profiles: Cedric Hogan

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Cedric Hogan of the Ironworkers.

Since the early 1990s, Cedric Hogan has played an important role in the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, area labor movement. He served on his local union’s examining committee for nearly two decade. Hogan is known among his union siblings as Uncle Ced and he lovingly devotes time to his nieces and nephews.

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/24/2022 - 10:07

Tags: Black History Month

Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFT Celebrates Public Schools Week

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

This week, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), led by President Randi Weingarten, celebrates Public Schools Week. It is a time to recognize the students, teachers, staff and education community who make our public schools such a vital part of our nation. Public schools are always central to our communities, and while the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have been Herculean, our public schools have risen to the task. This year’s theme is “Creating Safe, Equitable and Engaging Public Schools.”

“This week and always,” Weingarten said, “AFT is proud to join educators, parents, community advocates, businesses and others in celebrating the schools that 91% of U.S. students attend. We celebrate not just the great things happening in our public schools, but [want] to remind our elected officials and others that our public schools can be transformational when they are well-resourced, recognized and respected for the important incubators they are. At their best, our public schools provide a ladder of opportunity; a place where young people develop the muscle of civic participation; and a safe and welcoming place where our diverse country forges a common identity. Public education is indeed foundational to our democracy.”

There is more work to do but we are public school proud. As Weingarten said, we must “promise to keep up the fight for the resources and support necessary so that every public school is one where parents want to send their kids, educators want to work, and students can truly thrive.”

Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 02/24/2022 - 09:30

Black History Month Profiles: Roshan “Roc” White

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Roshan “Roc” White of the Plumbers and Pipefitters.

Roshan “Roc” White has been a member of UA Local 24 for the past 25 years. White is the president of the Union County AFL-CIO Council. As a Marine Corps veteran of the Gulf War, White now serves on the New Jersey State AFL-CIO’s Union Veteran Council. A 2018 graduate of the state federation’s Labor Candidates School, White successfully ran for town council in Scotch Plains.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/23/2022 - 11:00

Tags: Black History Month

Black History Month Profiles: Dante Harris

This year, for Black History Month, we're taking a look at a group of leaders who are currently active making Black history across the labor movement. Check back daily for a new profile and meet some of the people working to improve not only their community, but also to improve conditions for working people across the country. Today's profile is Dante Harris of AFA-CWA.

Dante Harris believes that each generation has a responsibility to preserve and grow the labor movement. His goal during his 22 years as a labor leader has always been to mentor, motivate and inspire the next generation of leaders.

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/23/2022 - 10:00

Tags: Black History Month

Service + Solidarity Spotlight: IBEW in Massachusetts Provides Van for Technical/Vocational High School

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 worked with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Greater Boston Chapter to provide a new van filled with electrical equipment, tools and supplies to the electrical department of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The van and equipment will benefit Madison Park students and help the electrical program provide students with the best possible education.

Graduates of Madison Park’s electrical program often go on to rewarding careers in the construction industry. They also can apply to an industry-leading apprenticeship partnership between Local 103 and NECA.

“As Boston’s premiere institution dedicated to technical and vocational education, Madison Park is absolutely critical to the fabric of public education in our city,” said Lou Antonellis (pictured above, right), business manager and financial secretary for Local 103. “Local 103 and NECA are proud of our longstanding partnership with Madison Park, and we want to do anything we can to support its mission and to help further prepare the future of our industry. We’re very happy to donate this electrical equipment that students will be able to use for years to come.”

Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/23/2022 - 09:03

A New Hope: The Working People Weekly List

Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.

Warrior Met Coal Strikers ‘Keep This Company Profitable,’ Union President Tells U.S. Senate: “Today is the 323rd day of the strike, and Wright, along with Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, was in Washington to bring attention through the hearing. About 1,100 miners with the United Mine Workers of America began a strike against Warrior Met Coal last April 1. Roberts told the committee that Warrior Met has advertised job openings around the country to replace the union members on strike, offering higher pay and benefits. ‘I think it’s disgraceful that these workers have been on strike for this long a time,’ Roberts said. ‘There are 800 of these families that have suffered through this strike, but they have suffered for five years because of what happened to them when these investors rolled into town, couldn’t spell coal, couldn’t tell you what color it is...all they knew was that there was some money to be made here, and they’re gone now. Now we’re tasked for how we keep this company profitable.’”

Lynn Rhinehart Chronicles Journey from Midland to U.S. Dept. of Labor: “Every day, Midland native Lynn Rhinehart looks at her grandfather’s union pins before she starts her workday. The union pins of a Dow Chemical mechanic are a gentle reminder of the importance of Rhinehart’s work at the U.S. Department of Labor as well as her Midland roots. As a senior counselor in the Office of the Secretary in the U.S. Department of Labor, Rhinehart supports Secretary Marty Walsh, who is the vice chair of the White House Task Force on Organizing and Empowerment. After college, Rhinehart began looking for jobs that dealt with labor movements. She was employed as a paralegal at Bedhoff & Kaiser, one of the leading labor law firms in the country. She then worked at the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) in the health and safety department and as a lawyer.”

AFT President Randi Weingarten Announces Six-Figure Investment in Newark Public Schools Teacher Education Academy: “Today, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten announced spring and summer stipends to support Newark Public Schools Red Hawks Riding Teacher Academy where students can enter a dual-enrollment program with Montclair State University. This high school experience with a high-quality teacher preparation program helps create a pipeline to educate, train, prepare and retain future teachers, and to diversify the teacher workforce. These stipends will provide up to $125,000 for students in the program during the 2022 spring and summer terms: ‘The students of today are the teachers of tomorrow, and there’s a deep yearning among so many high schoolers to serve and give back to the communities where they live,’ said Weingarten.”

Employer-Dominated Union Ousted at Mexican GM Plant: “AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler called the SINTTIA win a significant victory not only for workers in Mexico but around the world: ‘In a democratic union, workers will advocate for higher wages and improved health and safety standards at the Silao facility, helping to set new standards in the automobile industry,’ Shuler said in a statement.”

Marybe McMillan: Rare Opportunity for Congress to Help American Competitiveness: “On behalf of North Carolina workers, this legislation is critical to meet the challenges of the 21st century, lower costs for North Carolinians, and create good-paying jobs here at home. The COMPETES Act will empower North Carolina workers by creating more training opportunities for in-demand skills, while also providing American businesses the chance to build technologies that industries across the country need to innovate and lead in the global economy. As the President of North Carolina AFL-CIO, I advocate for over 100,000 members in the collective fight for good jobs and an economy that works for everyone. By voting against the COMPETES ACT, Congressman Ted Budd has dealt a blow to union members and working people across the state.”

Young Workers Give Unions New Hope: “Workers in their 20s, and even in their teens, are leading ongoing efforts to unionize companies large and small, from Starbucks and REI to local cannabis dispensaries. The Alphabet Workers Union, formed last year and now representing 800 Google employees, is run by five people who are under 35. Multiple polls show union approval is high, and growing, among the youngest workers. And U.S. union membership levels are even ticking upward for workers between 25 and 34, even as they decline among other age groups. Between 2019 and 2021, the overall percentage of U.S. union members stayed flat. But the percentage of workers ages 25-34 who are union members rose from 8.8% to 9.4%, or around 68,000 workers, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Young workers say they see unions as the best way to combat wage inequality and poor working conditions.”

Murphy: ‘Norcross has Dedicated His Life to Fighting for NJ’s Working Families’: “‘I am proud to join with Governor Murphy to support the reelection of Donald Norcross. Don is not the typical career politician. He spent most of his life as a blue-collar electrician and he knows the enormous challenges that our working families are under. From making a decent wage, rising health care costs, providing safe neighborhoods, providing education for our children, to just simply putting food on the table – Donald knows the issues that affect us and he takes care of us.’ – Charles Wowkanech, President NJ AFL-CIO.”

Biden Pro-Union Panel’s Recommendations: Boost Organizing, Hit Union-Busters: “The report also wants all of Biden’s administration to follow his lead and use the ‘bully pulpit’ to advocate unionizing, including in speeches, appearances, interviews, and public service announcements. That’s what Biden did in the Bessemer campaign. ‘The choice of forming a union is the worker’s choice, full stop…There should be no intimidation, no coercion, no threats, and no anti-union propaganda,’ he said then. ‘This unprecedented report recognizes the critical role unions play in creating a fairer economy,’ AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said in a prepared response. ‘Now, Congress must do its part. In order to fully empower workers, it is time to pass both the Protecting the Right to Organize Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which will ensure every worker who wants to join a union may freely do so.’ The Communications Workers made those points, too, and others.”

For These LA Fans, Work, Work, Work is Their Ticket into the Super Bowl: “Williams is one of thousands of workers who will descend on the stadium Sunday, some in the pre-dawn hours, to work as bartenders, dishwashers, janitors, servers and cooks. Unlike the more than 70,000 fans expected to attend, they’ll catch a peek at the game during their shifts or while on break. Collectively, they’re the engine that keeps the stadium running. As part of its development agreement, SoFi pledged to hire local workers, according to Inglewood city officials. More than 1,200 Inglewood residents helped build the stadium; SoFi staff did not release the number of Inglewood residents currently employed there.”

Culinary Union Icon Retires After 32 Years: “Geoconda Argüello-Kline, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, has retired after 32 years of advocating for hospitality workers with the influential union. Argüello-Kline, who has served as the secretary-treasurer of the union for the last decade, retired on Feb. 3, the union announced Friday. ‘It is with so much love in my heart that I say it has been an honor of my life to represent Culinary Union members as an elected officer,’ Argüello-Kline wrote in a letter to union members. Nevada State AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer Susie Martinez said that workers across Nevada ‘are better for having Geoconda Argüello-Kline’s service in our labor movement.’ ‘In Nevada, we often look at our Culinary union siblings for inspiration on what can be achieved. Just the past two years with the odds stacked against them fighting the pandemic they set national precedent on how to fight for worker safety and job protections under the leadership of Argüello-Kline,’ Martinez said in a statement.”

Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 02/22/2022 - 14:14