AFL-CIO Blog

  • Black History Month Profiles: Annie Anderson
    Black History Month Profiles: Annie Anderson 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 Annie Anderson of AFSCME. Annie Anderson is head custodian at the Columbus Spanish Immersion Academy in Columbus, Ohio, where the students know her as “Miss Annie.” She makes sure her students know they are loved and can achieve great things. As an AFSCME member, Anderson uses her voice to ensure that she and her co-workers have the tools they need to provide a safe and colorful environment where kids can thrive. Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/01/2023 - 09:44 Tags: Black History Month — Feb 1
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFGE Seeks 8.7% Raise for Federal Workers to Close Gap Between Public and Private Sector Workers
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFGE Seeks 8.7% Raise for Federal Workers to Close Gap Between Public and Private Sector Workers 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. AFGE is seeking an 8.7% pay increase for federal workers in 2024. The raise is part of the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act recently re-introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly (Va.) and Sen. Brian Schatz (Hawaii). AFGE applauded the legislation, which National President Everett Kelley said was needed to close the double-digit pay gap between federal employees and their private sector counterparts.  “The latest report of the Federal Salary Council shows that federal worker pay lags behind the private sector by over 23%⁠—making it difficult for agencies to recruit, hire, and retain top talent and hurting the quality of services Americans receive,” Kelley said. “The 8.7% pay increase included in the FAIR Act will not only reward federal employees’ hard work and help them keep pace with inflation, but it will also help government agencies remain competitive and deliver high-quality services to the American public. We wholeheartedly endorse this bill.”  Kenneth Quinnell Wed, 02/01/2023 - 09:31 — Feb 1
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: International Unions Call for Justice for 42 Miners Killed in October
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: International Unions Call for Justice for 42 Miners Killed in October 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. International unions, led by IndustriALL Global Union, are calling for justice for 42 miners who were killed in October in Turkey’s Amasra district. The deaths were a result of an explosion at the mine and four mine workers are still in the hospital, two in intensive care. IndustriALL Global Union Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan (pictured above, third from left) and IndustriAll Europe General Secretary Luc Triangle (second from left) visited the mine and met with local officials, mine employees and family members of the killed miners. “It is the duty of the trade union movement to commemorate our lost fellow miners and to protect their rights. We came here to show our solidarity and express our readiness to work together to prevent future accidents. We will do our best to ensure that mine workers can work in healthy and safe conditions,” Özkan said. A fire still rages in the mine and efforts are underway to extinguish it so coal production can restart. Workers and the local community want the mine to reopen and for life to return to normal. A prosecutor is asking for a sentencing between 16 months and 1,062 years for 19 suspects, including the manager of the mine for “causing death and injury to more than one person by conscious negligence.” “We are here to join the demand for justice. The International and European union movement, public opinion and the families of victims want to know why these 42 miners were killed. We will continue to follow this case closely. Every mine worker has the right to return home healthy and safe,” Triangle said. Kenneth Quinnell Tue, 01/31/2023 - 09:48 — Jan 31
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Historic Job Growth in 2022 Reflects Strong but Uneven Economic Recovery
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Historic Job Growth in 2022 Reflects Strong but Uneven Economic Recovery 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. On Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state and unemployment data for December 2022, which the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) used to analyze employment changes for the entire year. EPI found that nationwide, the U.S. economy added 4.5 million jobs in 2022. This makes 2022 the second-strongest year for job growth in the past 40 years (2021 was the first). Public sector employment continues to lag behind private sector employment. According to EPI, state and local government employment is still 2.3% below pre-pandemic levels as state agencies, school districts and local governments have struggled to fill vacancies. The American Rescue Plan earmarked $350 billion for the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. However, as of October 2022, state and local governments have only used 40% of the available funds. EPI calls on state and local lawmakers to use the remaining funds to invest in filling public sector vacancies. Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 01/30/2023 - 09:37 — Jan 30
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Help HuffPost Union Members Secure Fair Contract
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Help HuffPost Union Members Secure Fair Contract 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 current contract between the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), and HuffPost expires at midnight on Jan. 31. WGAE members have been bargaining for a new contract for months, and important issues remain that must be resolved: fair guaranteed wage increases, an industry-standard 401k, health and safety provisions, and the ability to grieve out-of-title work. Management has refused to come to a fair resolution on those issues and has proposed wage increases that are lower than those in previous contracts. The WGAE members at HuffPost are asking for your help. They deserve a fair contract and would like you to send a letter to Jonah Peretti, chief executive officer of HuffPost’s parent company, BuzzFeed. Take a few minutes today to show your solidarity and send a letter in support of the members of HuffPost Union. Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 01/27/2023 - 09:33 — Jan 27