A New Wave of Unionization: The Working People Weekly List

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.

After Decades of Decline, Is There a New Wave of Unionization In America?: “Liz Shuler is the president of the AFL-CIO, which represents over 12 million workers, and she joins Michel Martin to discuss what lies ahead for America’s labor force. Unions and collective bargaining are the most powerful tools for social change, economic and racial justice and really being at the forefront of innovation in the workplace.”

Newsom Signs UFW Bill Aimed at Helping California Farmworkers Organize: “Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law Wednesday that will make it easier for agricultural laborers to join unions, a hard-fought win for the United Farm Workers. The signature came after union members and their supporters made a 335-mile pilgrimage from Delano, Calif., to Sacramento and then camped out in front of the state Capitol for weeks as dignitaries visited—a vivid and theatrical display of political heft.”

U.S. DOL Launches Black Lung Regulations Awareness Initiative: “The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday announced an effort to raise awareness of regulations that give coal miners with development of pneumoconiosis, or black lung, the right to work at a section of a mine with lower levels of dust without having their pay reduced or fearing discrimination or termination. Part 90 of the Title 30 Code of Federal Regulations protects miners diagnosed with pneumoconiosis, a disease caused by inhaling dust, officials said. The regulation applies to all miners at the nation’s surface and underground coal mines, including loadout facilities and preparation plants.”

Staff for Rep. Andy Levin Form First Ever Congressional Office Union: “The federal labor movement reached a major milestone on Monday after staff in the office of Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) voted to unionize, creating the first congressional office union in history. The vote was unanimous, according to Congressional Workers Union, an independent organization created to represent the staffers of Congress.”

1,000 SFO Restaurant Workers Go on Strike: “Restaurant workers at San Francisco International Airport declared a general strike early Monday morning after more than nine months of negotiations with their employers. UNITE HERE Local 2, the union representing SFO’s food service workers, announced in a press release that 1,000 of SFO’s cashiers, cooks, baristas, bartenders, servers and dishwashers are participating in the strike. The workers are employed by 84 airport restaurant outlets, all of whom are represented by the SFO Airport Restaurant Employer Council.”

Inside the Drive: The Minor Leaguers Who Sprung a Union on MLB: “The conversations happened in dugouts and on backfields, through group chats and during bus rides, over the phone and on Zoom. They had to be loud enough to reach every corner of the clubhouse but not so loud that they tipped off management. There were some players ready to jump in right away—whatever the risk—and others nervous to draw attention to themselves, fearful that they might imperil their one shot at the majors. They played for different organizations, came from different places and had different needs, resources and experiences outside of baseball. But they all had the same goal. They wanted to unionize the minor leagues.”

Illinois Workers’ Rights Amendment Goes Before Voters in 2022 Election: “‘Worker safety and economic security is a fundamental right of all workers from domestic workers to PHDs,’ said Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea in a statement. ‘Everybody deserves a safe workplace and economic security.’ If the amendment were to pass, it would effectively ban ‘right-to-work’ laws, according to experts.”