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Crowd of people viewed from behind, holding blue AFGE sign. One says "Proud Government Worker, Proud Union Member. Another says "Stand, Unite, Fight." In front of them is the U.S. Capitol building.

Viewpoint: Federal Workers Need a Functioning Federal Labor Board »

October 13, 2022 | Chris Dols, Mark Smith, and Morgan Stewart

Federal workers are in unfamiliar territory with the wind at our backs.

‘We Are Not Done Yet’: Railroad Track Workers Reject Deal »

October 11, 2022 | Jonah Furman

Members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, who build and maintain tracks and bridges, have voted down a national tentative agreement with the freight rail carriers.
People in neon yellow and orange vests stand in front of clouds of purple smoke outside a warehouse at night.

Three Amazon Warehouses Catch Fire; Workers Protest Unsafe Conditions with Sit-in »

October 7, 2022 | Luis Feliz Leon

Amazon warehouses caught fire in New York and Alabama this past week, endangering hundreds of workers.
A wreath of flowers with a UMWA International sash around it sits in front of a monument to remember the 13 miners who lost their lives at the Jim Walter Resources No. 5 Mine in September 2001.

After 18 Months, Striking Warrior Met Miners and Families Hold the Line »

October 7, 2022 | Ericka Wills

A somber bell toll broke the silence outside the West Brookwood Church in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.

'Society Has Shut Down On Us:' Prison Strikers Across Alabama Demand Change Despite Severe Retaliation »

October 6, 2022 | Haley Czarnek

Across the state of Alabama, where the state’s longest-ever strike is currently ongoing at Warrior Met Coal after over 18 months, another historic labor stoppage is

Employers' Productivity Standards Are Not Real Science. Here's How to Push Back »

September 30, 2022 | Michael Childers

This article, the first in a series on how to deal with workplace monitoring technology, focuses on grievances. Future articles will discuss organizing and preparing to bargain over these issues.

GEICO Workers Launch Union Effort, Management Says Call the Cops »

September 28, 2022 | Jonah Furman

GEICO insurance sales rep Lila Balali first started thinking about a union early in the pandemic. “I didn’t really know what a union was,” she says, “just that it was something for the employee.”

Before Your Strike Vote, Consider a Practice Strike Vote »

September 27, 2022 | Labor Notes Staff

The below is excerpted from the Labor Notes book How to Jump-Start Your Union: Lessons from the Chicago Teachers. Available at labornotes.org/store.
Crowd of people poses outside in the sun. Many carry signs with CWA logo that say "Grievance strike at Frontier."

Frontier Strikes Get First Aid Kits Updated, Win Back Work »

September 23, 2022 | Thomas Ham

“Safety first” is a principle you’ll always hear on the job. And it’s true—safety can save your life, if it’s taken seriously. But if action isn’t taken, it’s just an empty phrase.

Florida Letter Carriers Won Back Our Sunday Breaks with Direct Action »

September 22, 2022 | John Murphy

A simple grievance can take many months to get results. But at the post office where I work, we got fast results defending our breaks with a different approach: direct action.
Workers march in downtown streets behind a big blue banner that says "UNITE HERE Local 2." They are wearing red T-shirts that say "Come back stronger" and some carry picket signs saying "Full service now!" or "Hotel rooms should be cleaned every day." Most wear masks, one holds a bullhorn, and there is a child near the front of the crowd.

Viewpoint: UNITE HERE International Should Keep Its Hands Off Local 2’s Pension Fund »

September 21, 2022 | Marc Norton

I have been a proud member of UNITE HERE Local 2 in San Francisco since 1976, working at several hotel, restaurant, and food service jobs over the years, and now at the Giants’ ballpark. Without Local 2, my life would have been much harder.

'Bro, How Do I Fix This?': Home Depot Workers Form Independent Union »

September 21, 2022 | Jonah Furman

On September 19, workers filed a petition to organize a union among 276 workers at a Home Depot in northeast Philadelphia. If successful, the independent union would be the first at the home repair chain, the fifth-largest private employer in the U.S with 500,000 employees.
A freight train passes along a track under an overpass. The orange engine is labeled BNSF. It is pulling many white freight cars.

Joe Biden Thinks a Rail Strike has Been Averted. Do Rail Workers? »

September 16, 2022 | Jonah Furman

Just after 5 a.m. on Thursday, Marty Walsh tweeted that the railroad companies and the railroad unions had come to a tentative agreement, less than 19 hours from a potential shutdown:
Large group of people outdoors, most wearing red shirts, some holding picket signs, on a sunny day. They are posed for a group photo on the steps of a school. The photo shows more than 200 people and it looks like there are more outside the frame.

Seattle Teachers End Week-Long Strike »

September 14, 2022 | Barbara Madeloni

Six thousand Seattle educators walked out on strike September 7, which would have been the first day of school. The top issue was the district’s proposal—disguised in social justice language—to end student-teacher ratios for many categories of special education.

Workers at Big South Florida Hotel Boost Minimum Pay to $20, Retain Union Jobs »

September 14, 2022 | Luis Feliz Leon

Weeks after a big strike vote, 450 hotel workers at the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, have reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract that boosts minimum hourly pay to $20, halts subcontracting, and restores daily housekeeping.

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