News & Updates

Demonstrators in New York this year after the Supreme Court dealt public-sector unions a major blow by ending mandatory union fees for government workers nationwide.Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images A federal district judge in Washington struck down most of the key provisions of three executive orders that President Trump signed in late May that would have made it easier… Continue reading NYT: “Trump’s Power to Fire Federal Workers Curtailed by Judge”

Disney reached a deal with unions that would hike the minimum wage for Walt Disney World Resort workers to $15 an hour by 2021, signaling an end to contract negotiations that have dragged on for nearly a year. The agreement, which covers thousands of park and resort employees, would increase starting wages by 50%. Workers… Continue reading CNN: “Walt Disney World workers land deal for $15 minimum wage”

We Stand Together: Since the Supreme Court’s decision in Janus vs AFSCME last week that attempts to weaken our voice as union members by making “fair share” agency fees unconstitutional we have been standing together–stronger than ever. The Anti-Union Forces Trying to Divide Us aren’t Done In the northwest, one of the most public and active… Continue reading We Stand Together Against Anti-Union Forces

Pro-union organizers in New York City protested the Supreme Court’s decision on union financing in June. CreditJeenah Moon for The New York Times First of all: We should all be celebrating that last night voters in Missouri rejected a right-to-work law by a 2-to-1 margin. Why? The average person in the United States has essentially zero power in society. That’s why millions… Continue reading NYT: “Why You Should Care About Unions (Even if you’re not in one.)”

Conservative, free-market groups across the country have launched campaigns aimed at persuading teachers to drop out of their unions, in the aftermath of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that will put a dent in unions’ finances and membership numbers. For the past year, union officials had been preparing to face both an adverse ruling in Janus… Continue reading PBS: “Teachers are getting targeted anti-union emails from conservative groups”

Especially for professional workers, when your main strike issue is pay, attracting public support can be a challenge. Savvy employers paint union members as spoiled. They like to point out that you’re already making more than many of your nonunion neighbors. Yet when 1,800 nurses and technical staff struck for better wages July 12-13 at… Continue reading “Vermont’s Striking Nurses Want A Raise for Nonunion Workers Too”

Maybe you’ve heard the founding slogan of the AFT: “Democracy in Education; Education for Democracy.” AFT delegates brought their passion and intellect to the convention floor on Sunday as they exercised their democratic values, voting to approve the three top resolutions from our union’s Political Action/Legislation Committee. Resolution 52: The Defense of Democracy Given that… Continue reading AFT: “AFT will defend democracy and rev up the vote”

Action on resolutions for Monday, July 16. Resolution 9—Protect Staff and Students from the Health Risks of Agricultural Pesticides, adopted. Resolution 10—Opioids: A Global Epidemic, adopted as amended by committee. Resolution 11—In Support of the Affordable Care Act and Expanding Healthcare for All, adopted as amended by committee. Resolution 14—Condemning the Actions of Student Loan Servicer Navient, adopted. Resolution… Continue reading AFT: “Action on Resolutions for Monday, July 16”

New evidence shows that unions played a major role in reducing income inequality in the United States in the decades when organized labor was strong. But it also demonstrates that the decline in union power since the 1960s — which may be exacerbated as a result of a recent Supreme Court decision — has contributed to the widening gap… Continue reading New York Times: “Fresh Proof That Strong Unions Help Reduce Income Inequality”