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.
Lee Saunders: The Latest Assault on Working Parents: “This is a blatant, targeted attack on working people. It’s an attack on children who deserve a safe space to learn and grow. It’s an attack on all of the childcare providers—thousands of whom are AFSCME members—who rely on this funding to keep their doors open. And it’s an attack on every working parent who counts on reliable, affordable childcare so that they can go to work each day and earn a living.”
Growing Number of Education Groups Criticize Impact of ICE Operations on Students: “American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said in an emailed statement that immigration enforcement needs reform ‘immediately,’ including more protections for schools, and urged lawmakers to work together to avoid a shutdown.”
CWA’s Cummings Urges Union Members to Unite, Fight Back in Battle for Soul of Democracy: “Communication Workers of America (CWA) International President Claude Cummings Jr. is urging union members to unite and fight back in today’s battle for the soul of democracy. Cummings was the keynote speaker for the 46th Annual Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Awards banquet in St. Louis. The event was held Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, at Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 union hall. Here are some excerpts from his lively speech: ‘We, as Black trade unionists, know that the Labor Movement and the Civil Rights Movements are two sides of the same coin. As Dr. King was declaring that he had a dream, many forget that the stated purpose of the March on Washington was to demand jobs and freedom: economic and social justice.”
Unions Sue FEMA Over Work Force Cuts They Say Threaten Readiness: “A coalition of unions, scientific groups and local governments filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to block the Federal Emergency Management Agency from cutting its staff, arguing that, by doing so, agency leaders are violating laws mandating that FEMA maintain capabilities to respond to disasters. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, seeks to block the dismissals of hundreds of contract workers at FEMA that began at the start of the year. About 1,000 employees were expected to lose their jobs this month, although the agency paused the cuts last week in anticipation of a winter storm that raged across the country, according to internal FEMA emails reviewed by The New York Times.”
SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin Talks AI, Residuals, Pensions and More Ahead of 2026 Labor Negotiations with AMPTP: “SAG-AFTRA will head into another round of labor negotiations with the major Hollywood studios in around two weeks, led by newly elected leader Sean Astin. ‘My mission going into this negotiation is to make sure that the companies spend as much time as necessary to fully hear the issues that each of our groups represent,’ he recently told Deadline in a sit-down ahead of next month’s formal start to negotiations.”
AFGE Demands Resignations of Noem, Miller Following Member’s Slaying: “The nation’s largest federal employee union on Monday called for the resignations of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over the two officials’ statements denigrating VA nurse Alex Pretti just hours after he was slain by a U.S. Border Patrol agent Saturday. Trump told reporters Tuesday that Noem would remain at her post, saying, ‘I think she's doing a very good job.’”
Workers Unionize at Columbus-Based Jeni’s Ice Cream: “Workers across eight central Ohio ice cream shops have voted to unionize. The 81 employees across Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams shops in central Ohio voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union local chapter. According to the Ohio AFL-CIO, a union advocacy coalition, Jeni’s workers voted with a nearly 2-1 margin to unionize on Jan. 14. ‘We respect our employees’ rights and the outcome of this election,’ a spokesperson for Jeni’s said. ‘As negotiations begin, we will engage in good faith, and work constructively toward an agreement.’”