SOLIDARITY ALERT: Sesame Workshop writers Writers at Sesame Workshop—the incredibly talented team that gives Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, and all our favorite Muppets the words that change our kids’ lives forever—are on the verge of a strike. These writers are fighting for a contract with industry-standard annual raises, improvements to residuals and coverage of all writing work performed for Sesame Workshop—including animation and social media segments. Their current contract expires this Friday, April 19. If the company continues to refuse to engage on core issues and a ..read more

Worker Wins: A New Way of Doing Business Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.  AFSCME Maryland Celebrates Pro-Worker Legislation Victories During 2024 Session: Following the end of Maryland’s legislative session, AFSCME members and leadership are celebrating the passage of bills securing collective bargaining rights for state supervisory employees and public library workers. More than 7,000 state workers will be gaining the right to join a union later this year, in what AFSCME Maryland Co ..read more

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Hails Passage of Library Worker Rights Legislation Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. The Machinists (IAM) union, which represents Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) workers, is celebrating the passage of the Library Workers Empowerment Act, a milestone piece of legislation initiated by the IAM last year that will grant library staf ..read more

Fighting for Our Rights: What Working People Are Doing This Week Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week. Actors' Equity: Disneyland cast members have filed for an election with the NLRB. https://t.co/tsWErejmdA — Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) April 17, 2024 AFGE: ?The numbers are in!  AFGE grew by 5.5% in 2023, making our union the fastest growing large unio ..read more

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Wichita Nurses Ratify First-Ever Union Contracts at Ascension Hospitals Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Registered nurses (RNs) at two Ascension-owned hospitals in Wichita, Kansas, voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying new two-year contracts. The RNs, represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/N ..read more

Thank A Union: In the States Roundup It's time once again to take a look at the ways working people are making progress in the states. Click on any of the links to follow the state federations on X (formerly Twitter). Alaska AFL-CIO: The list goes on and on. #UnionStrong #1u pic.twitter.com/3G0nv8Vbrf — Alaska AFL-CIO (@AKAFLCIO) April 12, 2024 Arizona AFL-CIO: Internet access is vital in today's world, and the Affordable Connectivity Program has helped millions get online. But it's running out of funding in TWO WEEKS. Call/email Congress to fund the ACP now to ensure access for all! #F ..read more

We Need Shared Governance Back: 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. New Rule Would Stop Civil Service from Turning into Spoils System: “‘One reason for the stability of our federal government is federal employees continue doing their jobs and serving the American public even as political administrations come and go,’ said AFGE President Everett Kelley after OPM formally published its new rule on April 8. ‘Turning po ..read more

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Machinists Local 811 Gives Back to Houston Shelter Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Every year, the Machinists (IAM) Local 811 Women’s Committee does a community service event in Houston. This year, the committee chose the Mission of Yahweh, which is a sanctuary for homeless women and children. “We contacted the shelter to find out what t ..read more

Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Arizona Labor Unions Host Successful Citizenship Fair, with More in the Works Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. Arizona labor organizers, union members, immigration lawyers and their clients filled the Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 86 hall in Phoenix last month for the Arizona AFL-CIO’s inaugural citizenship fair. Nearly two doz ..read more

A Big Thumbs Up: What Working People Are Doing This Week Welcome to our regular feature, a look at what the various AFL-CIO unions and other working family organizations are doing across the country and beyond. The labor movement is big and active—here's a look at the broad range of activities we're engaged in this week. Actors' Equity: Each month, Equity shares the names of recently deceased members in order to honor their passing and pay our respects. You may read about the losses in our community reported to Equity for March 2024 on the member portal. https://t.co/PivaaaK22T pic.twitte ..read more