When Ronald Reagan ran for president in 1980, the Republicans put out a TV commercial in which a union guy said Reagan was for working stiffs like him.

Unions warned that the far-right-wing Reagan was notoriously anti-union. "A union member voting for Ronald Reagan would be like a chicken voting for Col. Sanders," said a sign in a Paducah, Kentucky, union hall.

Nine years ago today, then-President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, restoring working women’s right to sue over pay discrimination. It was the first piece of legislation enacted during his presidency, and he noted the significance of the moment: "It is fitting that with the very first bill I sign...we are upholding one of this nation’s first principles: that we are all created equal and each deserve a chance to pursue our own version of happiness."

The Mexican government has filed legislation that would substantially weaken rights for working people. In response, the AFL-CIO filed a complaint alleging that Mexico is violating the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation, the NAFTA labor side deal.

“Working people are ready to turn the tide, go on offense and win. We see it every day from coast to coast, in industries far and wide,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said to the crowd of more than 400 labor union activists gathered in Detroit, for the AFL-CIO Great Lakes District Meeting. “This much is clear: Our job has never been more important. Our unity has never been stronger. We are ready to do the hard work of rebuilding the American Dream."

As the #MeToo movement surges across the nation, working women are finding power in their union to speak out and fight back against sexual harassment and assault on the job. In the hospitality industry, housekeepers have been pursuing protections for years, and their union, UNITE HERE, has been shedding light on their struggle.