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.
‘Pro-Worker Priorities’? Trump’s Budget Bill Offers the Exact Opposite: “Not surprisingly, that sign made no mention of Trump’s many anti-worker policies that will do serious harm to millions of workers and their families. Trump’s ‘big, beautiful budget bill’, which is advancing in the House, includes the biggest cuts ever to Medicaid, a nearly 30% reduction in food assistance, and a $350 billion cut in aid that helps working-class kids afford college. Trump has also pushed to end home-heating assistance and to make it harder for millions of Americans to afford Obamacare. If that isn’t painful enough, GOP deficit hawks have vowed to torpedo the budget bill unless it includes even more cuts. Under the current Trump House bill, at least 13.7 million people would lose health coverage—and the deficit hawks’ demands would increase that number.”
How Medicaid Helps to Empower Americans and Build a Stronger Nation: “Along with other USW members, Clark turned out in April when the AFL-CIO organized a hearing at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport to oppose Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce as well as the potential gutting of Medicaid and other vital programs. The group urged Trump to stand with working people, not billionaires, and to ensure everyday Americans have the support they need to thrive. Clark took home one of the signs distributed to participants that day—‘Hands off Medicaid,’ it says—and stuck it in her living room window so everyone passing by can see it. ‘It’s important,’ she said of the program that helped her navigate her way from despair to well-being. ‘That help goes a long way. It goes a very long way.’”
Hearst Connecticut Media Group Employees Vote to Unionize: “Hearst Connecticut Media Group editorial staff members have voted to unionize with The NewsGuild-CWA. The employees voted 68-17 in favor of unionizing, according to results of the mail-in balloting announced Thursday by the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB said a total of 101 ballots were cast among the 119 eligible employees. Sixteen ballots were challenged and were not included in the vote tally.”
Construction Unions Grab Hold of Clean Energy Jobs: “State and local governments have begun taking concrete steps towards a clean energy economy, and for now, even under Trump, green union jobs are increasing. Meanwhile, unions have partnered with climate activists to win legislation for more such jobs. Six states have passed ‘climate jobs’ bills to expand renewable energy and raise labor standards for that construction. Four more have union coalitions advocating for such legislation.”
Kern County, SEIU Local 521 Reach Tentative 2-Year Agreement: “Kern County reached a tentative two-year agreement with SEIU Local 521. SEIU Local 521 represents over 5,200 county employees. It comes after a year of negotiations and with SEIU Local 521 agreeing to return to the bargaining table.”
Americans Favor Labor Unions Over Big Business Now More Than Ever: “For decades, Americans were evenly divided in their relative support of labor unions and big business, but that’s no longer the case. Now, Americans are more likely to side with labor than at any time in the past 60 years. For people whose instincts about economic and political conflicts between unions and big business were honed more than a decade ago, it’s time to update your understanding.”
L.A. Mayor Vows to Cut Red Tape and Make It Easier to Shoot Movies and Shows In the City: “L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is advancing efforts to streamline film and television production in Los Angeles amid cries for further policymaker intervention on the issue of runaway production. Bass calls for a reduction of city staffers on shoots and improved access for crews to iconic Los Angeles locations like the Griffith Observatory, the Central Public Library and the Port of Los Angeles in an executive order that was signed Tuesday at the L.A. headquarters of performers’ union SAG-AFTRA. The directive further enlists city departments to cut red tape and help ease basic production headaches in a bid to improve the city’s friendliness to filmmakers.”
More New Jersey Cannabis Workers Vote to Unionize with UFCW Local 360: “United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 360 announced today that more New Jersey cannabis workers have voted to unionize as part of its long-running Cannabis Workers Rising campaign. Employees at Fresh Eatontown LLC, a licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary, are the latest to join the labor movement as it continues to expand across the state’s legal marijuana industry. The latest vote in favor of union membership with Local 360 came at the Fresh Eatontown LLC dispensary in Eatontown, New Jersey. Fresh Eatontown is one of two dispensaries in New Jersey operated by multi-state cannabis company Fresh Cannabis, which also has locations in Colorado and Delaware. Fresh Cannabis’ other New Jersey dispensary, Fresh Elizabeth LLC, voted to join UFCW Local 360 towards the end of 2024.”
‘When We Fight, We Win’: Northwestern Service Workers Get New Contract: “After a historic 12-day strike, hospitality and food service workers at Northwestern University ratified their new contract with Compass Group Friday. According to the union representing the workers, Unite Here Local 1, the employees and Compass Group began contract negotiations in fall 2024 in hopes to obtain a fair contract with sustainable wages and increased pension contributions. The new collective bargaining agreement was put in place on May 16.”
Ending Migrant Parole Would Spell Workplace Chaos, AFL-CIO Warns: “The Trump administration’s bid to nix deportation protections for half a million immigrants would cause unprecedented disruption to the U.S. workforce, the nation’s largest federation of labor unions told the U.S. Supreme Court. Employers in the automotive, manufacturing, and airport contracting sectors would face sudden labor shortages if the Department of Homeland Security is allowed to summarily rescind parole grants and work permits for immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, the AFL-CIO said in a brief to the high court Friday.”
Employees at DC's Kennedy Center Seek to Unionize Amid Job Security Concerns: “Employees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts are moving to unionize, citing concerns about job security and the future of artistic programming under new leadership. In a statement posted Thursday to Instagram, the newly formed Kennedy Center United Arts Workers (KCUAW) announced its intent to unionize in partnership with the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), one of the largest labor unions in North America.”
Sesame Workshop Employees Approve Vote for Union Representation: “Sesame Workshop employees won certification of their vote for representation under the Sesame Workers Union Thursday and will now seek their first collective bargaining agreement with management. In votes cast in April and counted in a National Labor Relations Board office in New York City, the group formally joined the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 153. The bargaining unit includes early childhood education experts, fundraisers, facilities staff, producers and paralegals.”