Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Shoppers Grocery Workers Ratify New Contract: Workers at grocery store chain Shoppers, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400, overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new contract last week. The vote was a powerful endorsement of the bargaining advisory committee’s efforts, with 98% of members in favor of this new agreement, which contained a number of huge wins. The new two-year deal includes better pay scales, a fully funded pension, no out-of-pocket health care cost increases or other changes to health coverage, and more. In addition, the collective bargaining agreement also has new language to develop procedures, training and protocols that would protect workers in case of a shooting or other similar in-store violence emergencies. The new contract took effect retroactively on July 14, 2024, and expires July 11, 2026.
Arborists in Virginia Make History with Vote to Join IAM: Arborists working at Truetimber in Richmond, Virginia, have become the first residential tree care workers in the country to be represented by a union after voting to join the Machinists (IAM). Tree care industry workers serve a vital role in managing tree growth in our communities, so homes and public infrastructure are safe, and often work alongside power linemen to restore stability after storms or other severe weather. However, there are few regulations governing safety standards for arborists or what sort of credentials are required to start a tree care business. Truetimber staff began organizing after the company’s founder broke a promise to sell the business to workers and instead sold it to a private equity firm. Once new ownership took over, the profit-sharing program was scrapped with no notice, prompting workers to reach out to IAM Local 10 (District 2020) and start organizing their co-workers. Despite management’s attempt to union-bust, 80% of the prospective bargaining unit members signed cards within two weeks, and ultimately an overwhelming majority of arborists voted to join the union. “I would advise any workers who are seeking respect and a voice on the job to contact your local union rep and get a conversation started,” said IAM member Nathan Salle. “In all honesty, it was a stressful time at work, but in the end, it was gratifying and uplifting to see the unity of everyone shown through the percentage of employees who voted for the union. If you are feeling unheard and disrespected at work, I would encourage other workers to reach out to one another on a safe platform and start discussing joining a union and reaching out to a union rep to learn more about what the process would look like.”
Pineapple Street Studios Union Ratifies First Contract: Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members who work for Pineapple Street Studios overwhelmingly voted to ratify their first contract Monday, gaining critical protections against artificial intelligence (AI) and other wins. The bargaining unit includes producers, editors, engineers and other staff who make possible award-winning podcasts such as “Classy,” Wondery’s 'Ghost Story,'” Paper Kite’s “Million Dollar Advice” and HBO’s “Succession Podcast.” When broadcasting company Audacy acquired Pineapple Street Studios in 2019, workers cited this as a major turning point in their organizing efforts and announced their intent to join WGAE in 2022. This January, Audacy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and laid off 25% of its staff at Pineapple Street. But workers remained committed to securing a first agreement and that dedication has paid off. The new contract includes victories like increased minimum starting salary, better severance payments, successorship language that requires any new employer to bargain with the union in the event of a sale, language that ensures that generative AI will not be allowed to be used to perform bargaining unit work without the express consent of the union, and more. “After nearly a year and a half of negotiations, we are thrilled to have a contract that sets industry standards in both pay and policy,” said Pineapple Street Union member Emerald O’Brien. “While this contract is exceptional in many ways, we feel strongly that, in an industry dominated by massive corporations, no podcast worker should be receiving less than what we’ve been able to agree to here.”
Bethesda Officially Becomes the First Microsoft Game Studio to Fully Unionize: Workers at Bethesda Game Studios—a developer that has produced popular titles such as Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Starfield—have joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA), forming the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft video game studio. Microsoft has voluntarily recognized the unit, which includes 241 developers, artists, engineers, programmers and designers. Staff in Maryland will be members of CWA Local 2108, and those based in Texas will join CWA Local 6215. They join the ranks of other video game workers at Sega of America, Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax Media Inc. and Tender Claws who also have joined CWA as part of the union’s Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) initiative. “We are so excited to announce our union at Bethesda Game Studios and join the movement sweeping across the video game industry,” said Mandi Parker, a senior system designer and CWA member. “It is clear that every worker can benefit from bringing democracy into the workplace and securing a protected voice on the job. We’re thrilled to get down to brass tacks and win a fair contract, proving that our unity is a source of real power to positively shape our working conditions, our lives and the company as a whole.”
Alaska State Employees Association Wins Big Pay Bumps for Wildland Firefighters: Thanks to the hard work of Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA/AFSCME Local 52) members and staff, Alaska’s wildland firefighters this month received a critical pay increase that will help recruit and retain workers who serve an important role in protecting the state against wildfires. ASEA represents about 106 wildland fire and resource technicians and wildland forestry technicians who are employed by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Fire Protection. As of July 1, per the new agreement between the state and the union, members have secured an incentive pay increase of 30% above their base hourly rate, a hazard pay increase from 15% to 25% in four-hour increments and a 5% cost-of-living adjustment. Additionally, the contract now reflects that members are eligible for hazard pay any time they take part in or help firefighting operations or are exposed to firefighting hazards. This is a massive win for wildland firefighters, who have cited low pay as a key cause of the forestry division’s longstanding recruitment and retention problems, which in turn puts Alaska residents at risk. “I hope this news aids in the recruitment and retention of more firefighters in the Division of Forestry so you have the support you need to continue doing the critical and important work you do to protect lives and property,” ASEA Executive Director Heidi Drygas wrote in an email to members.
IATSE Members Overwhelmingly Ratify Hollywood Basic and Area Standards Agreements: On Thursday, members of the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) overwhelmingly voted to ratify both the 2024–2027 Hollywood Basic Agreement (HBA) and the 2024–2027 Area Standards Agreement (ASA). With historically high turnout, 85.9% of members voted in favor of the HBA, and 87.2% voted in favor of the ASA. The HBA is an umbrella contract covering about 45,000 behind-the-scenes film and television workers located primarily in Los Angeles. The ASA covers approximately 25,000 film and television workers across the United States, excluding Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Chicago. Major wins coming out of bargaining for the HBA deal include high minimum wage increases—7% in the first year, 4% in the second year and 3.5% in the third year—and a $700 million infusion of funding into the union’s health and pension plans. Additionally, the contract also establishes critical language governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and new penalties for long workdays to protect member safety. The ASA deal’s also secured the same wage rate increases, AI regulations, a standardized benefit contribution rate and some of the same penalties on long workdays. “IATSE’s rank-and-file members have spoken, and their will is clear,” said IATSE International President Matthew Loeb. “Between significant wage increases in addition to several craft-specific adjustments, bolstered health and pension benefits with new funding mechanisms, improved safety provisions, critical protections preventing misuse of artificial intelligence from displacing IATSE members and more—the gains secured in these contracts mark a significant step forward for America’s film and TV industry and its workers. This result shows our members agree, and now we must build on what these negotiations achieved.”
Mass. Gov. Maura Healey Swears in Members of Labor Advisory Council: Last week, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey swore in the members of her new Labor Advisory Council, becoming the first governor in the state in more than 50 years to create such a council. The chairs are Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch and UNITE HERE Local 26 President Carlos Aramayo. Gov. Healy announced that she was signing an executive order to create this body to advise her on labor-related issues earlier this year while at the Massachusetts Building Trades Council’s annual convention. It includes representatives from both private- and public-sector workers across a broad range of industries. The other members of the council are Rich MacKinnon (president, Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts); Joe Byrne (executive secretary-treasurer, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters); Frank Callahan (president, Massachusetts Building Trades Council); Beth Kontos (former president, American Federation of Teachers [AFT] Massachusetts); Dan Leary (president, Utility Workers [UWUA] Local 369); Joe Bonfiglio (business manager, Massachusetts and Northern New England Laborers’ District Council); Jim Evers Jr. (president and business agent, Amalgamated Transit Union [ATU] Local 589); Steve Finnigan (sub-district director, United Steelworkers [USW] District 4); Fernando Lemus (president, United Food and Commercial Workers [UFCW] Local 1445); Max Page (president, Massachusetts Teachers Association); Tim Foley (executive vice president, SEIU District 1199), Dave Foley (president, SEIU District 509); Chris Cook (president, SEIU/National Association of Government Employees Local 282); Mark Bernard (executive director, AFSCME Council 93); Colleen Glynn (international vice president and business representative, Theatrical Stage Employees [IATSE] Local 11); Lou Antonellis (business manager and financial secretary, Electrical Workers [IBEW] Local 103); Jessica Tang (president, Boston Teachers Union and AFT Massachusetts); and Katie Murphy (president, Massachusetts Nurses Association). “This Labor Advisory Council is representative of Gov. Healey and Lieutenant Gov. Driscoll’s recognition that working people are critical to every aspect of life in Massachusetts,” Lynch said. “I’m proud to be leading this impressive group of leaders who will make sure that the voices of union members and working people are front and center in policymaking.” “The organized labor community in Massachusetts is strong, innovative and diverse—just like this Labor Advisory Council,” said Aramayo. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve as chair and am grateful to Gov. Healey for making this a priority.”