Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
University System of Maryland Workers Ratify First Systemwide Contract: AFSCME Maryland Council 3 and the University System of Maryland (USM) officially signed the first systemwide union contract Friday after a nearly two-year-long negotiating process. Members voted overwhelmingly to ratify the historic contract in late July and, soon after, the USM Board of Regents also ratified the deal on their end. Highlights of the agreement include an increase to the minimum wage, upward of 5% or more in pay bumps, improved annual leave accrual, workplace privacy protections, new health and safety protocols, and more. This victory also marks a major shift from negotiating individual union contracts for each campus in the USM to having one unified deal that more effectively addresses disparities in pay and working conditions between schools. “This historic accomplishment is many years in the making,” said Patrick Moran, president of Council 3. “And now for the first time, the hardworking staff at these University System of Maryland schools will have a strong union contract that raises the bar across the board when it comes to pay, benefits, and working conditions. Gone are the days of each university trying to divide us because they know we’re stronger when we advocate together.”
UFCW Members Reach Agreement with Hanover Foods, Avoid Strike: United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1776 avoided a strike last week after ratifying a new contract by a 2-to-1 margin on a new three-year contract with food processing corporation Hanover Foods. The union reached an agreement on Wednesday, after an extended period of negotiations. Since the prior contract expired at the beginning of the year, workers have remained steadfast in their fight for a fair deal, voting twice to unanimously reject proposals from the company that included cuts to benefits and salaries. Because of their unity, members are now celebrating wins like 3%-5% wage increases in the first year of the contract—with up to 5% in the second and third years—additional vacation time for long-term workers and retention of the union’s health care plan. “UFCW 1776 stood together with our members to bring Hanover Foods to the table to negotiate a settlement,” said Wendell Young, president of Local 1776. “This significant achievement wouldn't have been possible without the outstanding dedication and hard work of our member bargaining committee.”
Nurse Case Managers at St. Charles’ Four Hospitals Vote to Join Union: Nurse case managers at St. Charles’ hospitals in Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond overwhelmingly voted to join the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA)—an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—last week. The 19 registered nurse (RN) case managers are joining ONA’s bargaining unit at St. Charles Bend, which already represents more than 1,100 front-line nurses at the private, nonprofit health care company's flagship hospital. These workers serve a critical role in their hospitals and in central Oregon’s broader community health. RN case managers partner with patients, family members and caregivers to help them navigate the health care system, coordinate different medical services, take lead in patient education about health management, and provide assistance with follow-up care after discharge. By joining ONA, these new members are aiming to raise health care standards and secure better wages, benefits and working conditions. “We are so happy to have the nurses in case management join the Bend ONA! They are hard-working and dedicated nurses who deserve fair treatment, better wages, benefits, and working conditions,” said Rosa Lasso, chair of ONA’s St. Charles Bend bargaining unit. “We support them completely, and with them, the Bend ONA becomes even better.”
Under New Law, Illinois Employers Can’t Force Workers to Sit Through Anti-Union Meetings: This week, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law the Worker Freedom of Speech Act, a bill aimed at curtailing the practice of captive-audience meetings, during the Illinois AFL-CIO’s biennial convention. When the law goes into effect on Jan. 1, it will make the state the eighth to ban mandatory workplace meetings where managers discuss political and religious topics, including union membership. The bill also creates a right of action for individual workers to sue employers if they are punished for refusing to attend these meetings. Staff also can report their employer to the state Department of Labor, which can levy fines of $1,000 per violation. Importantly, the legislation additionally prohibits both state and local governments from ever enacting “right to work” laws, a critical protection for working people. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea, local lawmakers and workers joined Pritzker at the signing to celebrate this milestone. “People go to work to work, not to be indoctrinated,” Drea said in a statement. “Now, workers will not have to choose between their livelihood and personal values when employers use mandatory meetings to advance their political and religious interests.”
Prism Reports Staff Organize with Pacific Media Workers Guild: Workers in the nonprofit newsroom Prism Reports announced on Wednesday they are forming a union with Pacific Media Workers Guild, Local 39521 of The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA). After 100% of bargaining unit members signed cards in support of joining Prism Workers United, management voluntarily recognized the union. Prism Reports writers, editors, copy editors and social media editors are organizing in order to have a seat at the table and a voice in the conversation at the independent news outlet so they can play a role in shaping what a fair, equitable workplace can look like. “I am unionizing to make sure that Prism continues to be a leader in our industry,” said senior climate features reporter Ray Levy Uyeda. “In a professional field where our jobs are treated like our identities, Prism has always shown that journalism is what we do; people—in all expressions of humanity—are who we are. I’m also excited to unionize to demonstrate solidarity with workers everywhere who know that organizing is how we build toward a liberated future.”
TWU Wins Largest Wage Increase for On-Board Workers in Amtrak History: Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 1460 secured the largest wage increase Tuesday for Amtrak workers in the rail service’s 53-year history after on-board service workers overwhelmingly voted to ratify their new contract. The seven-year agreement covers critical Amtrak staff like train attendants and café car workers, the vast majority working on Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor, and was approved with more than 85% of TWU members voting favorably. Wins in the contract include a 34% compounded wage increase over the life of the deal, retroactive back pay, an industry-leading paid parental leave provision, no increases to health care costs, improved bereavement leave and more. When all the wage increases, bonuses and other forms of compensation are calculated together, workers will have received an additional $80,000 at the end of the contract compared to what they were making before the new agreement was ratified. “I think this was a great win for us and our members at Amtrak on-board service,” said Local 1460 President Amy Griffin, who has worked for Amtrak since 1988. “It’s been a long, hard-fought battle, but I know we came out on top. The paid parental leave is phenomenal, and we got a few work rules changed that haven’t been touched in 30-plus years.”
Bronx Defenders Union Ratifies Historic Contract: Members of The Bronx Defenders Union–UAW Local 2325 (BxD Union) last week voted to ratify a historic two-year contract with their public defender nonprofit employer, one month and a day after workers voted for strike authorization. There were 92% of BxD Union members who participated in the ratification vote, with a resounding 91% of those members voting to approve the new contract. The old agreement expired at the beginning of July after months of management stonewalling negotiations with staff. This new contract victory agreement was secured just days before a strike deadline, in which BxD Union’s Collective Bargaining Committee had authorized an unlimited strike based on a number of unfair labor practices, including retaliation, unilaterally changing employment terms and more. Wins include 8%–10% salary increases for Bronx Defenders workers—formerly the lowest-paid public defenders in New York City—and other hard-fought provisions like free speech protections. Additionally, the deal includes a one-year salary reopener with a right to strike and an expiration date that aligns with Association of Legal Aid Attorneys–UAW Local 2325 contracts at Brooklyn Defender Services and Neighborhood Defender Services, queuing up some 800 workers to strike in 2026. “It took each and every worker to make this contract possible, and we salute the BxD Union membership for their tireless advocacy in defense of the Bronx,” said Babatunde Aremu, chapter chair of BxD Union. “We look forward to joining sectoral bargaining negotiations with our fellow New York City legal services workers in both 2025 and 2026 as we aim to make the City more equitable and just for all New Yorkers.”
South Florida Sun Sentinel Workers Win Union Election by Unanimous Landslide: A supermajority of workers at the South Florida Sun Sentinel voted to form a union Monday with The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA). Journalists announced their intention to organize earlier this month so that they can better protect their own rights and ensure their community’s access to quality local journalism. The news outlet is owned by hedge fund Alden Global Capital, which purchased parent company Tribune Publishing in 2021. Alden has an established reputation for decimating small newsrooms, slashing jobs and cutting costs to increase returns for its stockholders. Over the past several years, staff at the South Florida Sun Sentinel have continued to deliver powerful, award-winning journalism despite attacks on their wages and benefits. Now that members of the Sun Sentinel Guild have proved their solidarity with one another, they’re ready to join together to secure workplace transparency, better pay and benefits, job security, better work-life balance and more. “This is a historic day at the Sun Sentinel,” said veteran education reporter Scott Travis. “For years, we have suffered layoffs, the loss of a 401K match and even pay cuts during the pandemic. Before, we just had to accept it without a fight. Now our hard-working journalists will finally have a seat at the table to negotiate a better future.”
ATU Members in Lewiston–Auburn Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contract: Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 714 members who work as drivers for the Citylink transit service in Maine reached a tentative agreement (TA) late Friday after they held a powerful rally that morning outside a Western Maine Transportation Services (WMTS) facility. Citylink, which is operated by WMTS, is a bus line that connects the towns of Auburn and Lewiston. Drivers for this service formed a union with ATU in November 2023, but reported that since then, management had refused to budge on worker wages, which are below those of drivers in similarly sized communities. So, the union organized a rally Friday morning to put pressure on WMTS to settle a fair contract with better wages, improved benefits and a more reliable transit system for our riders. That same day, Local 714 announced it had reached a strong deal with management that included an increase of more than $3 per hour over the next three years.
Maryland Apple Retail Store Workers Reach Historic Tentative Agreement: The International Association of Machinists’ (IAM’s) Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) made history on Friday as it reached a tentative agreement (TA) with Apple. In 2022, retail workers at the Towson, Maryland, Apple location were the first in the country to form a union, and IAM CORE has been negotiating with the tech giant since January 2023. The new three-year contract includes wins like an average raise of 10% over the life of the contract, increases in starting pay for 80% of job classifications, a fair and clear disciplinary process, better work-life balance and more. “From the beginning, IAM CORE’s mission has been to improve Apple for our employees, customers and communities,” said the IAM CORE Negotiating Committee. “By reaching a tentative agreement with Apple, we are giving our members a voice in their futures and a strong first step toward further gains. Together, we can build on this success in store after store and grow the power IAM CORE has started here in Maryland.”
Saint Louis University Hospital Nurses Ratify New Contract: After more than a year of negotiations and two strikes, Saint Louis University Hospital (SLUH) nurses overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract on Saturday. SLUH nurses have been represented by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) since 2012. Members have proved their commitment to securing a fair contract for more than a year, staging informational pickets as well as work stoppages. And that unity has paid off in this new agreement. Contract victories include critical safe staffing provisions that protect both nurses and patients, retention of their current health care plan, wage increases that average 17%, provisions that address workplace violence and more. “This new contract is a huge win for patients and nurses,” said Earline Shepard, an RN in the cardiac catheterization lab. “It was a long time coming but we finally won an agreement that will let us recruit and retain experienced nurses. With improved staffing, we can give our patients the care they deserve.”
Gate Gourmet’s Airline Catering Workers Reach TA, Averting Strike: More than 8,000 airline catering workers employed by catering subcontractor Gate Gourmet at 30 airports have a new tentative agreement (TA) that was reached late Friday night, averting a potential strike that could have kicked off as soon as July 30. These workers are represented by a coalition of labor unions—including UNITE HERE; the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM); the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW); and the Teamsters—called the Employee Representatives’ Council. They prepare, pack, and deliver food and beverages to aircraft departing airports across mainland U.S. and Hawaii, an essential role in commercial air travel that requires skill in provisions to keep flights running smoothly. Despite the fact that Gate Gourmet is the world’s largest independent provider of airline catering services, members reported struggling with low wages and lack of access to quality, affordable health care. After more than six years in bargaining sessions, and intervention by the National Mediation Board, workers now have a tentative contract. However, the unions report there are several details that still need to be hammered out before the deal can be finalized.
LIUNA, Minneapolis Park Board Reach Tentative Agreement: Laborers (LIUNA) Local 363 announced Friday that after more than three weeks on strike, members have secured a tentative agreement (TA) with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB). Earlier last week, park workers shut down a scheduled park board meeting after an effort to discuss a resolution that would have pushed MPRB negotiators to drop proposed anti-worker contract language was rejected by commissioners. The contract language put forth by the MPRB—which has remained a sticking point for LIUNA members—would erode workers’ rights through making automatic step increases discretionary and limiting the number of stewards who can be paid to do union work. Workers later delivered a no-confidence petition to the board before returning to the bargaining table. “I think it was our collective action and voice. I think it was the workers that pushed through,” said Local 363 Business Manager A.J. Lang. “...I think we put in more work on this contract than probably any other contract, in terms of negotiating, but the members on the picket line, at the board meetings, with petitions in the community gathering signatures...that’s what pushed this over the top.”
Workers at Bernheimer Architecture Ratify Contract: Workers at Bernheimer Architecture made history last week when they unanimously ratified the first-ever collective bargaining agreement at a private-sector architecture firm. Staff first announced their decision to form a union with the Machinists (IAM)—aided by IAM’s architectural industry campaign, Architectural Workers United (AWU)—in 2022 and were soon voluntarily recognized by Andrew Bernheimer, the firm’s founder. Members said they wanted to organize in part to draw attention to labor issues across their industry and beyond so all workers can see the power of collective bargaining. Their landmark contract establishes important standards for issues like respect in the workplace, health and safety, performance reviews, wages, layoff protections, and more. “We’re excited to share what the collective bargaining process can do for workers, and not just in our industry,” said members of the Bernheimer Architecture staff union’s bargaining unit. “Over the past two years, we’ve seen a new sense of democracy at our workplace, with everyone having a real avenue for having their voices heard on the issues that are most important to them.” “This is a historic moment for this industry,” said Andrew Daley, an organizer with AWU. “One that will set the benchmark for what’s possible, and it’s all because of these brave and dedicated workers who put in all the effort to make this contract a reality.”
Microsoft’s World of Warcraft Workers Vote to Form Union: Workers on the team behind World of Warcraft—one of the most popular video games in the world—have voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA), creating the first wall-to-wall union at Activision Blizzard and the largest wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft-owned studio. On Wednesday, a neutral arbitrator confirmed that a majority of staff had either signed a union authorization card or indicated via an online portal that they wanted union representation. The bargaining unit, World of Warcraft Gamemakers Guild-CWA (WoWGG-CWA), organized under the labor neutrality agreement forged in 2022 between CWA and Microsoft, which took effect upon the completion of the company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Members work as designers, engineers, producers, artists, quality assurance testers and other game developers for the multiplayer role-playing game that was originally released in 2004. “What we’ve accomplished at World of Warcraft is just the beginning,” said Eric Lanham, a test analyst and member of WoWGG-CWA. “My colleagues and I are embarking on a quest to secure better pay, benefits and job security through a strong union contract. We know that when workers have a protected voice, it’s a win-win for employee standards, the studio and World of Warcraft fans looking for the best gaming experience.…Like the legendary heroes of Azeroth, our union is forged in the fires of perseverance and resilience, and together, we will stand strong as the Alliance and the Horde to ensure a bright future for all.”