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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Angela Chan
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Angela Chan.
Angela Chan joined the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 369 in Las Vegas in 2002 when she joined a touring show of "South Pacific." After some time in Dallas, she moved back to Las Vegas and, in 2015, she won a seat on the local’s board of trustees. About her union membership, Chan said: “Unions exist so that you can have fair wages, and fair and safe working conditions. A lot of times, especially for musicians, we want to play so badly that we forget we should be treated as professionals.” Recently, Chan founded The Cre8sian Project, with the goal of increasing the number of Asian women in the arts world “by creating a cast of diverse superheroes for children.” She is a classically trained pianist and an active theater musician.
Kenneth Quinnell
Tue, 05/11/2021 - 09:30
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFL-CIO and Others Announce Filing of First USMCA ‘Rapid Response Mechanism’ Labor Case
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 AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Sindicato Nacional Independiente de Trabajadores de Industrias y de Servicios Movimiento 20/32 (SNITIS) and Public Citizen announced Monday that they have filed the first complaint under the Rapid Response Mechanism of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) against Tridonex, an auto parts factory located in Matamoros in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. The case will test whether Mexico’s labor reforms and USMCA’s Rapid Response Mechanism can deliver for Mexican workers denied their fundamental right to organize and bargain for better wages and working conditions.
“USMCA requires Mexico to end the reign of protection unions and their corrupt deals with employers,” said AFL-CIO President...
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Bethany Khan
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Bethany Khan.
Bethany Khan is the director of communications and digital strategy at the Culinary Workers Union, UNITE HERE Local 226. She graduated from the University of Minnesota and used the skills she learned in college to fight for justice. Khan has family members who are undocumented immigrants and this has inspired her to work with the Culinary Workers Union to fight for comprehensive worker-centered immigration reform. Khan was named one of "40 under 40" to watch at the American Association of Political Consultants in 2018. She serves as a board member for Planned Parenthood of Nevada, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Advisory Board and the Las Vegas Sun’s Community Editorial Review Board, where she represents the...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFGE Local 2328: Union Holds Workers Memorial Day Event at VA Medical Center
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.
Dozens of workers from AFGE Local 2328 showed up and showed out for a rally at the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Virginia commemorating those who lost their lives on the job, while urging U.S. Sen. Mark Warner to pass the PRO Act, in an April 28 rally.
“[We honor] all workers who died over the past year in the line of duty, committing and doing their jobs,” said Local 2328 President Sheila Elliott in an article by the Virginia Daily Press. “We are working on regulations and guidance that are many years old, and a lot of this stuff needs to be updated. We still have a long way to go.”
“At the very beginning of the pandemic, it was chaos. There was mixed messaging, there was not enough equipment,” added Local 2328 Vice President Stacy Shorter. “It’...
Economy Gains 266,000 Jobs in April; Unemployment Little Changed at 6.1%
The U.S. economy gained 266,000 jobs in April, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 6.1%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In response to the April job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs said: "There was no progress in reducing the number of long-term unemployed, they remained nearly unchanged at 4.2 million and are 43% of the unemployed. That number will be difficult to clear by September when key provisions of federal support for unemployed workers will lapse." He also tweeted:
@BLS_gov reports those unemployed fewer than 5 weeks grew by 237,000, another sign of layoffs being an issue. Labor force participation remained about flat at 61.7% So this data shows the labor market is still sluggish and reports of labor shortages exaggerated. @AFLCIO— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) May 7, 2021
More signs the labor market is sluggish because of job losses, the only continued growth was in leisure & hospitality (mostly restaurants) which is the lowest wage industry....
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Jeffrey Omura
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Jeffrey Omura.
Jeffrey Omura was recently elected to his second term as a councilor of Actors’ Equity Association. Omura came to labor leadership through his work in member organizing as one of the creators and leaders of the #FairWageOnstage campaign. Realizing that arts workers were being forgotten in pandemic relief efforts at every level of government, Omura helped create the Be An #ArtsHero campaign to organize the industry to collectively lobby Congress for arts relief. He is currently running for New York City Council.
Kenneth Quinnell
Fri, 05/07/2021 - 09:28
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profiles: Betty Tam
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Betty Tam.
Betty Tam works as a marketing data analyst at Union Plus and is a member of the Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU). Tam is an essential asset at Union Plus and always has an uplifting, positive attitude, and co-workers say it is a joy to work with her. Tam's expertise in data analysis helps Union Plus promote union benefits to the right union audiences across many platforms. Her hard work deserves much praise and respect.
Kenneth Quinnell
Thu, 05/06/2021 - 10:28
Fighting for Worker Power: 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.
A. Philip Randolph Institute:
pic.twitter.com/aF814euF9x— APRI National (DC) (@APRI_National) April 27, 2021
Actors' Equity:
Members looking for notices for video audition submissions for chorus parts can now find them in the Auditions section of the member portal.Visit the member portal to learn more about these updated audition submission steps - https://t.co/pEqingpoQ0 pic.twitter.com/2QuFKXPszl— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) May 5, 2021
AFGE:
The latest edition of the Government Standard has arrived – and it’s packed with information! Inside this issue, you’ll read about locals that are capitalizing on this momentum to recruit more members NOW and learn what you can do to get involved! https://t.co/...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: SMART and AFSA Team Up to Tackle Indoor Air Quality in Schools
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.
Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools not only can get students and educators sick, but it also impacts the teaching and learning of our children. The COVID-19 crisis has put a spotlight on decades of neglect and the growing deficiencies of school infrastructure, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning, also known as HVAC systems. The vast majority of classrooms in the United States fail to meet minimum ventilation rates, and those inadequacies have a major impact on our ability to provide safe learning environments as the virus remains in our communities.
Working with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), the School Administrators (AFSA) union is educating school leaders on what can be done in our communities. State...
Service + Solidarity Spotlight: AFM Members Rally for a New Contract in Fort Wayne
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.
With wages, benefits and working conditions on the line, members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) rallied in Fort Wayne, Indiana, over the weekend to draw attention to their fight for a new contract with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. AFM International President Ray Hair spoke at the rally in support of the orchestra musicians, who have been furloughed because of the pandemic since August 2020. “Why are these musicians out on the street? Why haven’t they had paychecks since last summer? It’s because the management doesn’t want them to,” Hair told WPTA21. “They’re lining their own pockets. Nobody in management would have a job if it weren’t for us.”
Kenneth Quinnell
Wed, 05/05/2021 - 08:33
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