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.
AFL-CIO’s ‘It’s Better in a Union’ Bus Tour Coming to St. Louis: “The AFL-CIO’s ‘It’s Better in a Union’ bus tour is coming to the St. Louis area July 25. Union leaders, members and allies held a kickoff rally July 9 at AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, D.C., just a block away from the White House, where President Trump is waging an all-out assault against working people, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler rallied the crowd around how a union contract gives workers the freedom, fairness and security that working people need and deserve. ‘We’re here today because we believe that change can happen,’ Shuler said. ‘And the answer is not a political party—the answer is not more of the broken status quo—the answer is a good union job!’”
Rep. Golden, Union Leaders Seek to Force House Vote on Bill Restoring Collective Bargaining: “Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which represents 2,000 workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, said unions and frontline workers also often reveal problems in federal agencies. ‘And so when you take away collective bargaining rights you are attempting to destroy our unions, obviously, and it will hurt transparency and accountability to the U.S. taxpayer,’ Biggs said.”
Kentucky Governor Speaks at South Carolina AFL-CIO Convention in Greenville: “Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was in Greenville this morning to speak at the annual South Carolina AFL-CIO convention as part of the AFL CIO ‘It’s Better in a Union’ bus tour. Beshear spoke out against President Trump’s agenda and recent actions during his speech, pushing for South Carolina to other states like Kentucky in pushing for union-supporting legislation.”
Beaumont Baristas and Union Supporters Host ‘Sip-In’: “The front of house staff at a large-chain coffeehouse on Dowlen Road invited supporters and regulars to ‘order small and tip big under the ‘Union Strong’ name” in support of their unionization efforts on June 29. Workers at the Starbucks in the shopping center at 3935 Dowlen Rd. Westfield organized a ‘sip-in,’ a play on the sit-in tactic popularized during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s and the sit-down strikes of the 1920s labor movement, to generate an unexpected rush of business in support for the workers.”
UFCW Local 400 Plans Rally Aimed at Saving Gassaway, West Virginia Kroger Store: “The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 is working to convince Kroger to reverse plans to close one of their smallest stores in Gassaway, West Virginia. A rally is set at the store in Braxton County at 5 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The store is one of 60 stores the company has announced they will close across America. ‘This is a decision that Kroger has to make and what we’re doing through our rallies and petitions is making it clear that it’s not just the union that wants to see this store open, it’s the entire community,’ said Jonathan Williams, Spokesman for UFCW Local 400.”
Toledo City Council Approves Contract with Firefighters Union: “Toledo City Council approves a firefighter wage raise to match police, ending lengthy negotiations.”
Labor Activists: ‘We Have a Lot of Work to Do’ in Trump Era: “The AFL-CIO national bus tour stopped Monday in Charlotte on behalf of unions as promoters of community, fairness and security. The tour coincides with the 116th NAACP national convention in Charlotte, whose theme is ‘The Fierce Urgency of Now.’ AFL-CIO Secretary and treasurer Fred Redmond said working people built the United States from the ground up, which gives them reason to align and be proactive. That’s the tour’s message as it continues to 26 states before Labor Day. ‘It’s workers that wake this country up every morning and tuck this country to sleep at night,’ he said. ‘We have a lot of work to do, and we’re going to tell the truth and go around this country, because if not laborers, then who?’”
AFL-CIO Report: Is DOGE’s Antonio Gracias Mishandling Retiree Investments?: “This past June, the AFL-CIO published an informative report on Gracias, highlighting his role at DOGE and proposing due diligence questions regarding its impact on his capacity to appropriately fulfill his fiduciary responsibilities to Valor. Even excluding his time at DOGE, Gracias’s work portfolio paints a picture of a man stretched thin indeed. He serves as both CEO and chief investment officer at Valor and is a member of each of the firm’s investment committees. According to his Valor biography, Gracias is also director of several companies in Valor’s portfolio, including SpaceX, AI infrastructure company WEKA, and delivery drone manufacturer Zipline. He’s a trustee of the Aspen Institute, board member of World Business Chicago, and a member of the board of visitors for Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and the University of Chicago Law School. Quite a busy schedule.”
Union Rally in Newport News Launches National AFL-CIO Bus Tour Opposing Trump’s Labor Policies: “A major union rally brought together steelworkers, veterans and labor leaders in Newport News Saturday, kicking off a nationwide campaign opposing what organizers describe as dangerous threats to worker protections, veterans’ benefits and core labor rights. The AFL-CIO’s ‘It’s Better in a Union: Fighting for Freedom, Fairness & Security’ bus tour made its first stop at USW Local 8888’s union hall, just blocks from the shipyard where thousands of steelworkers build nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy. Many of those workers are also military veterans. ‘The 10,000 members of Local 8888 truly understand the power of solidarity and collective action,’ said Local 8888 President Charles Spivey, addressing a crowd of union members, elected officials and supporters.”