AFL-CIO Blog

  • The Unfinished Story of Women at Work: 9to5 Yesterday, Today the PRO Act
    The Unfinished Story of Women at Work: 9to5 Yesterday, Today the PRO Act If you’ve never had to make coffee for your boss, it’s thanks to women who organized in the 1970s. And while the electric typewriter is no more, how women of that era organized is relevant—to current battles like organizing Big Tech, building care infrastructure and winning labor reform by passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act—so women can form and join unions now without fear. A new documentary, "9to5: The Story of a Movement," captures the history of an organization started by a group of secretaries in the 1970s, and their sister union, SEIU District 925, and offers powerful insight for us today. They were the biggest sector in the workforce, but women office workers in the 1970s were seen as servants or, like the wallpaper, they weren’t seen at all. The 9to5 organization changed the culture by using creative tactics like public awards for horrible bosses to name and shame bad behavior. They used humor to call it what it was: ridiculous and unacceptable. The organization became a cultural phenomenon, with a movie starring Jane Fonda. It inspired Dolly Parton’s iconic song.  9to5 developed leaders from the bottom up, it was intersectional. Women with high school educations and college degrees were committee co-chairs, Black and White women led campaigns together, older and younger women worked together to plot strategy.   They recognized the power of a union. Women were organizing throughout the workforce, often building new organizations that collaborated with existing labor unions.  Unions leverage the power of workers standing together. If you are in a union, your employer has to negotiate a contract with wages, benefits and working conditions. It’s one of the most powerful tools for guaranteeing equal pay. That’s why the best way to close the gender pay gap is by joining a union.  And that’s why the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States, is also the largest working women’s organization in the country.   Look at UNITE HERE, the AFL-CIO’s powerhouse hotel and hospitality union affiliate. Bartenders, servers and room attendants—mostly women of color—stood up to a powerful hotel chain in 2019 to win pay increases and protect health benefits. More than that, they demanded panic buttons be put in the hands of housekeepers, one of the greatest victories of the #MeToo movement.  In the 1970s, language for sexual harassment didn’t even exist. 9to5 helped pioneer it. That legacy lives on in #MeToo and the power to say #TimesUp. Ultimately, 9to5 grew nationally and voted to align with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) as an independent chapter. But the promise of the 1970s met the fierce resistance of a growing conservative movement and an all-out attack on unions. That union-busting tradition continues today.   For example, Google fired workers who tried to organize in 2019. And Big Tech is the biggest growth factor in the U.S. economy where there is almost no union presence. Without unions, we’re seeing a gluttony of power and profit.  But this corporate greed in the pandemic is stirring a renewed sense of worker solidarity. In Bessemer, Alabama, 6,000 workers at Amazon will vote to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW).  Following Kickstarter and Glitch, workers at Google and other Alphabet companies have started the Alphabet Workers Union, with the full support and investment of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Taking a page from women organizing in the 1970s, it’s an innovative model for organizing.  One difference between now and then: The 1970s saw 12 million more women in the workforce by the end of the decade. In the pandemic, there are 4.5 million fewer women in the U.S. workforce than just 12 months ago.  One reason is the care crisis. Care jobs make all other jobs possible. And without paid family leave and good-paying care jobs, the burden of care is crushing women. We need a care infrastructure that covers everyone and makes sure all care jobs are good jobs with living wages.  So if we’re going to learn anything from history, it’s this: We need labor empowerment laws for the 21st century. A bill in Congress called the PRO Act will remove barriers to organizing and make it easier for the millions of working women who want to join and form unions. That, in turn, will help create unions in Big Tech and in the care economy, empowering the next generation of working women with equal pay and opportunities on the job.  The effort that defined a movement, for women, by women, lives on in the language we use even today at work. Through the 2020 organizing efforts, we have the newest term added to our vocabulary: Madam Vice President. And by continuing to tell the stories about women organizing, we continue to define our power to shape the future. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/26/2021 - 13:58 — Jan 26
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: NFLPA Boosts RWDSU’s Campaign to Organize Amazon Workers in Alabama
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: NFLPA Boosts RWDSU’s Campaign to Organize Amazon Workers in Alabama 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. Members of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) are lending their voice to support Amazon workers who are voting to form a union in Bessemer, Alabama. Lorenzo Alexander, a retired football player and member of the NFLPA Executive Committee, said: “I’ve been an active member of my union for the past ten years, and I understand that taking a vote on such an important decision can be difficult. But I find comfort and conviction that being a part of a union has protected our workers and our rights, especially during these challenging times.” All eyes are on the workers in Bessemer as they get ready to vote on forming a union. Earlier today, The New York Times shared the critical story of how the fight to form a union—supported by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW)—came to be. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/26/2021 - 09:23 Tags: COVID-19, Community Service — Jan 26
  • Raising Standards for the Tech Industry: Worker Wins
    Raising Standards for the Tech Industry: Worker Wins Despite the challenges of organizing during a deadly pandemic, working people across the country (and beyond) continue organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life. This edition begins with: Tech Workers Union Local 1010 Launched to Raise Standards for Tech Industry: Workers in the tech industry will get a boost with the launch of Tech Workers Union Local 1010, a new initiative from the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU). The new local's mission is to raise industry standards and provide tech workers with a better future. OPEIU President Richard Lanigan said: “OPEIU has been investing resources in supporting tech workers as they organize to gain rights and raise standards in the workplace for many years, but now we’re focusing and strengthening that effort by having an organization dedicated to, created for and run by tech workers who understand the unique challenges facing the industry. We’re proud to be building solidarity with working people across the sector so together we can ensure tech workers have a strong voice in their workplaces.” Emily's List Employees Win Voluntary Recognition from Management: Workers at Emily's List have joined OPEIU and secured voluntary recognition after a card-check process. Contract negotiations will begin soon and the new union, officially OPEIU Local 2, will seek open and protected discussions about race and inequality in the workplace, salary and promotion transparency and other protections. Samantha Bauman, an organizer at Emily's List, said: “I’m inspired by my colleagues who organized during one of the most consequential elections in our lifetimes and during a pandemic. Unionized workspaces empower employees. Voluntary recognition is a huge achievement and I look forward to what comes next.” ACLU Staff United Votes to Join Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU): A supermajority of workers at ACLU voted to form ACLU Staff United, an affiliate of NPEU. They are requesting voluntary recognition and intend to focus on staffing diversity and a clear and equitable process for salaries, benefits, promotions and layoffs. In a statement, the Organizing Committee of ACLU Staff United said: “Every day, the workers of the ACLU work tirelessly to defend all of our rights. Today we have formally asked management for the support we need to do our job by forming ACLU Staff United. We are proud to carry on the ACLU’s 100-year legacy of supporting the rights of employees to unionize and bargain collectively. The ACLU began with our founders taking action to fight the anti-union crusades of the 1920s. As the workers of the ACLU of today, we believe in our mission, the work we do, and each other. We believe that the principles and values we promote and defend through that work should govern our offices as well: justice, equity, transparency, cooperation, and respect. To that end, we have come together to represent, support, engage and empower all ACLU workers.” Housing Works Employees Form a Union with RWDSU-UFCW: More than 600 workers across all Housing Works locations in New York City voted to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW) by an overwhelming margin on Dec. 23. This organizing victory was the largest union election in New York in 2020 and marked the end of two years of organizing by the workers for fair representation and a seat at the table. Housing Works is a nonprofit that works with people living with and affected by HIV or AIDs and homelessness, and the workers in the bargaining unit handle maintenance, legal work, casework, social work, health care and retail at Housing Works facilities. “We’re proud to finally and officially welcome the 605 workers employed by Housing Works into our union,” said RWDSU-UFCW President Stuart Appelbaum. “These workers experienced a needlessly long fight to unionize their workplace. Their tenacity and fortitude never wavered in this unnecessarily long process, which was stalled by their employer at every turn. Together, they are ready to win a strong contract that will only enhance their ability to care for the Housing Works community.” USW Strike at Constellium Ends with New 5-Year Contract: A strike of United Steelworkers (USW) who work at Constellium in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, ended after the members ratified a five-year contract with 15% raises, the elimination of wage tiers, seniority protections and other wins. The strike began on Dec. 15 when USW Local 200 went on strike after months of negotiations failed. Crescent City Nurses Join California Nurses Association (CNA): With a vote of 85%, registered nurses at Sutter Coast Hospital in Crescent City, California, voted to join CNA, an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU). The new unit is negotiating for safer staffing, a collective voice in patient care conditions, workplace violence protections, proper infectious disease controls and other health and safety protections. Niki Pope, an RN at Sutter Coast, said: “We are thrilled to be joining our 8,000 Sutter RN colleagues to bring a unified voice for advocating for safe patient care for our patients here in Crescent City, as well as throughout the Sutter system, which is even more critical in the midst of this deadly pandemic.” Google Workers, Demanding Change at Work, Are Launching a Union with CWA: Workers at Google and other Alphabet companies announced the creation of the Alphabet Workers Union, with support from the Communications Workers of America (CWA)—the first of its kind in the company’s history. It will be the first union open to all employees and contractors at any Alphabet company, with dues-paying members, an elected board of directors and paid organizing staff. The new union is part of CWA’s Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) project, and workers will be members of CWA Local 1400. It follows successful union drives by other Google workers—like HCL Technologies contract workers in Pittsburgh and cafeteria workers now with UNITE HERE in the San Francisco Bay Area—as well as unions formed by workers at other tech companies like Kickstarter and Glitch. “We are a democratic, member-driven union, with experience building and sustaining worker power at some of America’s largest corporations,” said Local 1400 President Don Trementozzi. “This is a historic step toward making lasting improvements for workers at Google and other Alphabet companies.” Live TV Musicians Ratify Contract with Streaming Residuals for the First Time: Members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) who perform live music for shows on ABC, CBS and NBC have ratified a new contract that provides streaming residuals for the first time. The contract covers musicians who appear on live shows that are streamed, including house bands, guest artists, backing musicians and others who work in the preparation of musical performances on the shows. Ray Hair, president of AFM, said that the win “is a fundamental, structural contract change that would not have been possible without the solidarity, activism, hard work, and enormous time investment of all involved in the negotiations, including musicians who created the #RespectUs campaign to highlight the inequities in their contract. I am thankful for the steadfast commitment of the Federation’s negotiating team towards protecting and improving the benefits our great musicians receive for their talented contributions to the television industry.” New Jersey's Garden State Parkway Toll Collectors Win New Contract with Wage Increases: International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 196 members who work as toll collectors and other jobs unanimously approved new contracts with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. The new contracts provide wage increases, back pay and other benefits. Chapter 1 of Local 196 represents toll collectors and maintenance workers. Chapter 12 represents technicians and craft persons.Members of both locals have ratified the contract, he said. The old contract expired in 2019 and has roots back to a contract agreed to in 2011. New Jersey Meals on Wheels Delivery Drivers Win New Contract: After a two-and-a-half year organizing drive, 80 drivers who deliver Meals on Wheels for the South Jersey Transportation Authority have voted to be represented by IFPTE. The divers are mostly African American women and are considered essential employees who deliver Meals on Wheels, shuttle seniors to doctors and other related tasks. The drivers unanimously ratified their first contract. “This victory could not have been possible without the assistance provided by New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech [IUOE],” said President Sean P. McBride of IFPTE Local 196. Staff at Queens Defenders Join Growing Trend of Unionized Public Defenders: Some 70 staffers at Queens Defenders in New York city joined the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (UAW Local 2325), becoming the fourth of the city's public defender agencies to unionize. A number of other New York metropolitan-area nonprofit legal groups have also joined UAW recently. The staffers have asked for voluntary recognition from management. “A lot of offices have unionized and we were becoming one of the outliers. This helps us negotiate with the city for fair pay and reasonable caseloads and to be able to represent our clients better,” said staff attorney Christopher Van Zele. In addition to negotiating for their first contract, the lawyers and social workers will be seeking more organizational transparency and diversity in hiring and management. More Than 100 Registered Nurses in Washington State Organize with IAM: More than 110 registered nurses (RNs) from CHI Franciscan Hospice Care Center in University Place, Washington, joined hands to vote to join the Machinists (IAM) by an 82% majority. Just two and a half weeks earlier, their co-workers who work as master social workers and bereavement counselors at the same facility chose the IAM as well. "I couldn’t be happier for these nurses and healthcare professionals who worked so hard to join the Machinists Union and have a seat at the table," said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. "I am so proud of this organizing team that helped these workers join together and have their voices heard.” Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/25/2021 - 11:44 Tags: Organizing — Jan 25
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Union Veterans Council and Pride At Work: End Ban on Transgender Service Members
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Union Veterans Council and Pride At Work: End Ban on Transgender Service Members 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. The Union Veterans Council and Pride At Work issued a joint statement Thursday calling for the immediate reversal of the Trump-era ban on patriotic Americans serving in the military. Banning transgender Americans from volunteer military service is an insult to our troops, the LGBTQ community and our nation’s founding principles, the constituency groups said. They added: “We call on the Biden administration to fulfill their campaign pledge to immediately reverse this failed and unprincipled policy and to commit the federal government to rebuilding the careers of service members already affected.” Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/25/2021 - 09:34 — Jan 25
  • Big Tech Organizing: The Working People Weekly List
    Big Tech Organizing: 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. Big Tech Unionizing: "Workers at Google and other Alphabet companies have started the Alphabet Workers Union, in partnership with the Communications Workers of America. This is a breakthrough. It includes all workers. It follows union victories at Kickstarter and Glitch. This is Labor 2.0. Unions are for everyone, in every field. That’s why the labor movement is working to organize Big Tech and fighting for a fair and equitable future of work, in every sector. The AFL-CIO is even starting a technology institute, to leverage innovation for the labor movement, because the benefits of technology should create prosperity and security for everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful." President Biden Picks Former United Steelworkers Safety Official to Lead OSHA: "President Joe Biden has tapped James S. Frederick, a Pittsburgh-area workplace safety advocate who spent 25 years with the United Steelworkers, to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, signaling tougher federal enforcement on employers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The nomination of Mr. Frederick, 53, to the federal workplace safety agency was announced Wednesday in a union press release a few hours before Mr. Biden took the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol." Biden Moves to Oust Top Labor Board Attorney Peter Robb: "The Biden administration has asked for the resignation of the National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel, Trump-appointee Peter Robb, according to four people familiar with the decision. The White House notified Robb of its decision by letter, which specified he had until 5 p.m. Wednesday to voluntarily resign or be fired, two people with knowledge of the correspondence said. The NLRB enforces private-sector workers’ rights to organize, and its general counsel has sweeping authority to determine which types of cases the agency does or doesn’t pursue. Robb, a former management-side attorney who helped Ronald Reagan defeat the air traffic controller’s union, has pushed an aggressive, pro-business agenda at the labor board." Biden Names Gensler as SEC Head in Push Toward More Scrutiny: "His appointment was cheered by Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, in a sign that he was considered palatable on the left of the Democratic party. 'We applaud Joe Biden for choosing a man who stands up for public interest against Wall Street excess, is knowledgeable and has shown through his work during the Obama administration that he supports working families,' Mr Trumka wrote in a tweet on Monday morning." Biden, AFL-CIO Labor Law Agendas Track Each Other: "Go to incoming Democratic President Joe Biden’s 'Building Back Better' agenda on his website and read through it. The word 'union,' the phrase 'right to organize' and especially the word 'worker' run through it like a constant thread. No wonder AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, in a Jan. 12 telephone press conference, considered Biden the most pro-worker president in decades. 'And in one week and one day, Joe Biden will be inaugurated and we’re ready to work with him.' That’s because two key items of pro-worker legislation top both Biden’s agenda and the Workers First Agenda Trumka unveiled at the press conference. And so does a lot of other legislation—from job safety and health rules to new infrastructure–the incoming U.S. chief executive advocates." AFL- CIO Secretary Treasurer Liz Shuler Touts Workers First Agenda: "Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO was featured on today’s edition of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast. She spoke with host Ed 'Flash' Ferenc about how heartbreaking it was to hear President Trump incite violence at the Capitol, the 'worker first' agenda of 2021, and the Orsted Wind Farm project being a union job. New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento also joined the podcast today. He discussed improved technology to communicate with workers and union members through an app called Union Strong, the NYS legislative agenda for 2021 and preventing layoffs in the future." Biden must pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act: "So America today needs more than anything solidarity and human dignity—the church's core teachings. The teaching that we are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, that we are not commodities whose value is determined by a flawed and arbitrary market, but human beings, souls, created in the image of God, and each of our worth is beyond price. And it is high time our nation's laws promoted solidarity and human dignity. That is why as Biden prepares to take office during a devastating pandemic and defining moment for our country, this is the moment to rewrite America's labor laws and pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. This piece of legislation would protect and empower workers to exercise our right to organize and bargain. It would make sure that workers can reach a first contract quickly after our union is recognized, end employers' practice of hiring permanent replacements to punish striking workers and hold corporations responsible. And it would ban so-called 'right to work,' a regime of state laws rooted in racism, that has left working people poorer and weaker." Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/22/2021 - 10:16 — Jan 22