Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Thousands of Workers at 45 Nursing Homes Across Pennsylvania Win New Union Contracts: Over the past two months, more than 4,000 SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania members working at nursing homes across the state have won powerful new union contracts. Workers at 45 nursing homes overwhelmingly ratified new agreements that contain standards that will help solve workforce challenges amid larger industry instability and impending Medicaid funding cuts. This includes across-the-board raises, secure retirement plans and further training opportunities. Strong contracts that ensure fair wages and the retention of experienced care providers will remain a critical part of Pennsylvania’s elder care infrastructure as the median age of Americans continues to rise. Especially since Pennsylvania has lost 31 nursing homes since 2021, with more closures expected. “I’m proud of our new contract because it helps us work toward our shared goal of our residents receiving the best care,” said Cheila Martinez, a certified nursing assistant and housekeeper at Spruce Manor in Reading. “My message to nursing home owners refusing to raise standards is: Our residents deserve a safe, clean, and stable home. We, the workers, need the support to give them the care they deserve.”
Raven Software Workers Secure First CBA at Microsoft: Workers at Microsoft-owned Raven Software, who are members of the Game Workers Alliance-CWA (GWA-CWA), voted unanimously on Monday to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Quality Assurance (QA) testers at the video game studio known for the Call of Duty franchise first formed their union in January 2022, making history as the first bargaining unit within Activision Blizzard. After three years of negotiations, GWA-CWA members have secured a contract with a guaranteed 10% wage increase, guardrails for mandatory overtime on time-sensitive work, expanded disability accommodations, layoff protections and much more. “Going from organizing to sitting across the table from one of the largest tech corporations in the world was a huge learning curve, but we never lost sight of why we were there,” said Autumn Prazuch, QA tester and bargaining committee member, in a press release. “We fought hard for raises and job structures that will finally make QA a sustainable career path, and we were able to negotiate limitations on mandatory crunch. Ratifying this contract is a win for game workers everywhere who are ready to take the first step toward a better future.”
Unions Reach Labor Agreement with Washington Commanders Over RFK Stadium Construction: A coalition of Washington, D.C., unions have reached an agreement with the Washington Commanders to create hundreds of union-protected jobs tied to the NFL team’s proposed stadium project. The 190-acre RFK Stadium first opened in 1961 as a multi-purpose venue and hosted multiple professional sports teams, concerts and other events over the course of several decades. The stadium has been largely out of use since 2017, but now that ownership has been transferred over to the District of Columbia, there have been efforts to revitalize the space to bring the Commanders’ home field back to the nation’s capital. Hours before the D.C. Council prepared to vote on whether to move the redevelopment proposal along, the Metropolitan Washington Council, the Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council, 32BJ SEIU and UNITE HERE Local 25 announced that they had reached an exciting labor agreement with the team to ensure that the work created by this project are good-paying union jobs with quality benefits. “After several months of negotiations, our labor organizations have reached and signed agreements with the Commanders ownership team, ensuring that the stadium and adjacent hotels create quality construction and post-construction jobs for District residents,” said the coalition in a joint statement. “We now have a truly transformative development project that will bring the Commanders back home to the District of Columbia and ensure that those who will build and who will work at these properties have decent wages, health insurance, and a pension.”
Lighting Design Group Workers Join IATSE: Workers at the Lighting Design Group (LDG), a television lighting design firm, voted to form a union with United Scenic Artists, IATSE Local USA 829. The bargaining unit includes 34 staff members who work as lighting designers, systems designers, coordinators, draftspeople and assistants at the Emmy Award-winning company. Workers first started organizing in 2019, and their efforts gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic and the LDG’s partial acquisition by a venture capital firm. “It’s one of the hardest times in U.S. history to form a union—and also one of the most crucial,” said Casey Duke, a lighting designer. “By coming together, we’ve built the power to have a say in what matters most on the job.” “This is a proud moment for our local,” said Carl Mulert, national business agent of Local USA 829 and international vice president of IATSE. “The LDG team’s solidarity and commitment to building a voice at work reflect the strength and growth of our organizing culture. We look forward to supporting them in negotiating their first contract.”
Challenge Manufacturing Workers Secure Tentative Agreement: UAW members who work for Challenge Manufacturing—a parts supplier for General Motors and Stellantis vehicles—in Michigan secured a tentative agreement last week after weeks of stalled bargaining. These workers play a vital role in the production of major vehicle models, including the Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee, GMC Hummer EV and Corvette. Despite their major contributions to Challenge Manufacturing’s success, the 400-person bargaining unit has been working under an expired contract since June and has dealt with bad-faith bargaining from management. But UAW members preserved and won a tentative agreement that includes powerful victories like wage increases up to $3 an hour, improvements to job security and greater union protections. “Four weeks ago, the company called their offer ‘last, best, and final.’ It wasn’t good enough—and we fought back,” said James Gonzales, president of UAW Local 653, in a press release. “We stayed united, rejected their proposal, and organized non-stop to hold them accountable. That pressure stopped them in their tracks. Now, we have a tentative agreement with 80% higher wage increases than what was on the table a month ago. Because we stood together in solidarity, we have a much stronger contract to bring to our members.”
Journalists at The Hill Ratify First-Ever Contract: Members of the Washington Baltimore NewsGuild, part of The NewsGuild-CWA, overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to ratify their first-ever collective bargaining agreement with Nexstar Media Group at political news outlet, The Hill. The Hill Guild bargaining unit—which includes reporters, editors and other newsroom staff—voted 46–1 to accept this contract. Highlights include salary floor increases, annual raises, double the previous amount of parental leave, protections around artificial intelligence usage and provisions guaranteeing job security. “Thanks to this contract, I’m going to get the first three months at home with our new baby,” said Saul Elbein, a member of The Hill Guild’s bargaining team. “It means more than I can say to be able to be at home for those first crucial months.”
Meow Wolf Workers in Houston Announce Organizing Effort to Join CWA: Workers at Meow Wolf, an immersive tourist attraction, announced on Monday that they are organizing to form a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7055. Meow Wolf’s Radio Tave in Houston is a surreal radio station–themed art experience. Staff who are organizing to join Meow Wolf Workers Collective (MWWC-CWA) work across a number of departments, including guest services, tech, art and scenic, facilities, events, food and beverage service, and security. Their counterparts at four other Meow Wolf locations have already won union recognition. “We are so excited and proud to be joining our fellow employees at the other Meow Wolf locations in forming a union. Me and my fellow organizing committee members have been working hard to get to this point, and it’s been a labor of love over the past few months,” said organizing committee member and bartender at Meow Wolf Houston’s Radio Tave Marleigh Flowers in a CWA press release. “We want to have a seat at the table when decisions that impact our day-to-day lives are being made and to be able to voice the concerns and issues that are important to us.” “The workers at Meow Wolf’s Radio Tave location in Houston are carrying forward a momentum that has already brought change to Meow Wolf workplaces across the country,” said CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister. “By standing together, they’re ensuring that the company lives up to its founding values and that the people who bring its art to life are treated with the fairness, dignity, and respect they deserve.”
WGAE Members at CBS News Digital Secure First Contract: Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at CBS News Digital have unanimously ratified their first collective bargaining agreement. The 46-member bargaining unit includes writers, reporters, editors and producers who make possible CBSNews.com, its mobile website, social media channels and the CBS News app. Their new contract contains a number of powerful wins, including annual raises, guaranteed minimum severance and protections around generative artificial intelligence. “After organizing in 2024 with the goal of securing critical workplace protections, we’re proud to have won a strong first contract for our members at CBS News Digital,” says Beth Godvik, WGAE vice president of Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News, in a press release. “Establishing protections like guaranteed raises and pay that actually matches the job duties being performed will allow our members to build sustainable careers in News.”
WeDriveU Workers Vote to Ratify New Agreement: Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689-represented MetroAccess workers operating under WeDriveU voted to ratify a new master contract over the weekend that brings all three Washington, D.C., metro area locations under a single agreement. A paratransit service offered in the region as part of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), MetroAccess is an essential resource for passengers with disabilities. This exciting win comes after workers showed their unity and voted to authorize a potential work stoppage. The new contract ensures that workers at all locations are treated fairly, raises wages and strengthens retirement security. “Our MetroAccess members came together not once, but twice and showed their strength and solidarity to win a strong master contract that treats them with dignity and respects their expertise,” said ATU Local 689 President Raymond Jackson. “First, workers showed near unanimously that if they weren’t treated with respect, they would be willing to strike. Then, again, workers stood together to ratify a strong contract proposal.”