John, 

Not really sure which hashtag to use? #OnStrikeSummer, #SolidaritySummer, or #HotStrikeSummer? I kind of like #Don’tMessWithTheNanny, personally! Hashtags aside, in this time of record-breaking heat, workers are bringing even more heat on greedy employers everywhere! This is serious business, folks; this isn’t a fad; this isn’t just the result of the Union’s high favorability numbers, though that doesn’t hurt. This is the manifestation of years of worker abuse at the hands of greedy, profits over people, ruthless corporations and investors. This is the result of history repeating itself in the worst possible way, with total disregard for labor laws, child labor, immigrant labor, worker safety, and the continued misclassification of workers. Taking advantage of workers and consumers as a result of the worst pandemic in our lifetimes and the continued elimination of workers with the use of technology and AI.

So there is a line drawn in the sand, on the sidewalks, in the streets, on the roadways, and on the runways, and with labor strife at an all-time high in recent memory, so is Worker Solidarity at an all-time high! Whether it's Hospitality Workers, Teamsters, Air Line Workers, the Writers Guild, or SAG-AFTRA. Whether it’s Baristas or Nurses, Cannabis Workers or Teachers, Labor is unified like never before, and it has to be!

And from President Shuler and Secretary Treasurer Redmond to every State Fed and Central Labor Council, and Area Labor Federation, we stand with you all in Solidarity!

For more information, click here to read the article, 'How did we get to "Hot Strike Summer" Anyway". 

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita
Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

Block Party Fundraiser- Unemployed Workers United

Join Unemployed Workers United for an in-person fundraiser on Friday, July 21st at 7 PM to celebrate their 'Take back Our Homes' campaign! This packed City Hall and resulted in the passing of an anti-discrimination source of income ordinance which took effect in April. 

There will be food, music and get a chance to hear from organizers on the ground and workers fighting for their right to save, accessible and affordable housing. 

Vermont Relief Efforts

Vermont residents are again facing the reality of destruction on a massive scale. Roads are gone, cities and towns are flooded, and many residents remain cut off from the outside world. 

Brave and heroic union members on the Department of Public Works and Agency of Transportation crews, utility workers, power plant workers, first responders, and hospital staff are working around the clock to make sure basic life-sustaining services continue to function, lives are saved, the power is kept on and roads are rebuilt.

You can help today by making credit card contributions to the Union Community Fund at
go.aflcio.org/relief or by mail:
Union Community Fund
Note in the memo line: "Vermont Relief Efforts"
815 Black Lives Matter Plaza NW, Washington, DC 20006.

How to Win HUGE Cash prizes from Union Plus

The 2023 Union Plus Labor Day campaign is here! The Unions Power America Contest is kicking things off, running through July 26. Union Plus is awarding $140,000 in cash prizes, including a $40,000 grand prize. The past few years have been hard for workers—so we want to help hardworking union families dream big.

Union Plus wants to hear your stories—of going above and beyond for others and powering your communities, workplaces and families. Members can nominate themselves to win, or people can nominate any current or retired union member in their life to win by sharing their inspiring stories.

2023 MALF Andy Ward Scholarship Packet AVAILABLE NOW!

The Maricopa Area Labor Federation is still looking for union members or dependents of union members to apply for the Andy and Dorothy Ward Scholarship to help with educational and vocational expenses.

The essay, cover sheet, and application have been extended and are now due by 5PM on July 24th, 2023. Please send them to the MALF Education Committee Chair, AFT Arizona President Ralph Quintana, at [email protected].

Join the Arizona AFL-CIO Labor Book Club

Our goal is to explore the history, impact, and ongoing struggle of the labor movement. This is an open community event, inviting union members, potential members, and anyone interested in the labor movement to come together and discuss books that highlight the lives of workers and the many facets of unionized labor.

Don't miss out on the fun; we hope to see you there, and be sure to spread the word!

Petition: Pass the Richard L. Trumka PRO Act

The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act is landmark worker empowerment, civil rights and social justice legislation. It is an essential part of creating an economy that works for everyone. 

If we want to build up worker power, our outdated labor laws must keep up with the times. If you think we need to protect working people, take 30 econds to add your name in support of the PRO Act 

Julie Su Needs Your Help!

We know Su is the right person to support America’s workers. She’s never backed down from a fight when workers’ fundamental rights are on the line—and with your help, we’re not backing down either.

The problem? Well-heeled lobbyists and corporate special interests are spending big to block Su's confirmation because they know she puts working people first. Workers deserve a labor secretary who will fiercely defend us. 

Call your senators now and tell them to vote to confirm Julie Su as secretary of the Department of Labor. 

Union Events and Action

We want to uplift what you are doing for our members and our community!

Please fill out all the required information to have your Local's event uploaded to our Arizona AFL-CIO website or featured in our next Labor Dispatch. If you have any questions please reach out to Alina Cordoba, Communications & Operations Director at [email protected].

With COVID-19 Behind Us, Now Is the Moment to Rebuild the Public Service Workforce 

"When Casey Gotcher of Austin, Texas, went into cardiac arrest, his wife Tonya dialed 911 and was left on hold for 15 minutes. Casey did not survive his heart attack—in part because the city didn't have enough dispatchers to ensure that all emergencies receive a timely response. Nikita Chase, a single mother from rural Alaska, waited hours to speak with a representative at the state Division of Public Assistance to resolve a delay in the nutrition benefits she needs to put food on the table for her children. Eventually, she was told there was a backlog of more than 18,000 cases." 

It Isn't Just Actors and Writers on Strike. Workers Are Rising Up Against 'Greed-Flation'

"I never discussed with my grandparents why they immigrated to America. I believe they wanted to get a foothold on the first rung of the capitalist ladder, at least for their progeny. Through their suffering and hard work, I’m fortunate to have climbed several rungs higher. Sadly, statistics show my luck is rare today. Highly educated people are stumbling. Those without an education or special skills flounder from paycheck to paycheck, sometimes finding themselves employed but homeless. Why has this happened?"

Universal Under Investigation After It Trimmed Trees that Shaded SAG-AFTRA Protesters 

"The Los Angeles City Controller’s office is investigating after NBCUniversal severely trimmed a row of trees outside its studios where members of SAG-AFTRA were picketing company executives, eliminating shade during a searing heatwave. “Trees are essential to providing Angelenos with significant environmental and public health benefits, especially during a heatwave,” LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia wrote on Twitter.”

The USWNT Already Earned Their Biggest Win of the Year -- Over Equal Pay, Not Soccer 

"On July 12, just about a week before the US Women's National Team take the field at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, they received an award for their work off the pitch. At the 2023 ESPY Awards, the USWNT were honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage — not for their soccer prowess, but for their resilient fight for equal pay, which culminated in a history-making agreement with US Soccer in 2022."

Biden and Sanders Meet Union Organizers Amid Labor Turmoil 

"With labor turmoil roiling industries from coast to coast, President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders met with organizers at the White House on Monday to talk about ways to boost union membership. The organizers represent industries and workplaces that have not traditionally been represented by unions, such as Starbucks coffee shops and video game companies. "

16 Year-Old Boy Dies in Accident at a Mississippi Poultry Plant

"A 16-year-old boy from Guatemala died as a result of an on-the-job accident at a poultry plant in Mississippi, authorities said Tuesday. It happened at about 8 p.m. on July 14 at the Mar-Jac Poultry plant in Hattiesburg, Forrest County deputy coroner Lisa Klem said. Workers under the age of 18 are not allowed to work in poultry plants because it’s deemed to be too dangerous and therefore a violation of child labor laws."

Julie Su and the Summer of Strikes 

“The White House needs acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to stick around this summer, as labor strife across the country continues to intensify. Why it matters: Su was instrumental in averting a West Coast port worker strike in June — both labor and business groups gave her accolades — and will likely play a key role in the coming season of high-stakes union negotiations. She's already in touch with both UPS and the Teamsters union, which are on the precipice of what could be an economically devastating strike as soon as August. A White House official said Su remains “indispensable to the administration’s outreach to labor.'"

Arizona Film Industry Professionals Weigh in on Looming Actors' Strike

“TV and movie productions are coming to a halt.The Screen Actors Guild—the union that represents American film and TV actors—is going on strike tonight at midnight.They're joining the Writer's Guild of America, who have been on strike for 74 days. It comes at a time when film and TV production in Arizona was just starting to ramp up again. "Everybody's going to be walking off sets. So this is shutting down Hollywood," Tucson Filmmaker Mark Headley tells me."

TSMC Phoenix Cuts Electrician Pay and Sends in Taiwanese Workers

“As temperatures blow past 115 degrees in Phoenix, union electricians at the construction site of chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) are feeling double-crossed. TSMC has complained for months that its second plant, located at the northern outskirts of America’s fastest-growing city, is delayed by a costly labor crunch. Last month, the company announced plans to send in 500 or more workers from Taiwan to speed the construction of the sprawling semiconductor foundry, which aims to churn out leading-edge chips by 2026."

DoorDash Fired an Employee for Trying to Organize a Union

“Bloomberg reports a regional director for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed a complaint alleging that DoorDash illegally fired an office employee who tried to organize a union in Arizona. The complaint also says DoorDash threatened to reprimand workers who attempted to assemble and lied to them, saying it’s unlawful to discuss worker conditions on days off. "

Auto Parts Distributor Owes Back Wages to More Than 1,300

“The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking people now or once employed by a national auto parts distributor and its delivery company who may be owed their share of more than $5.6 million in back wages and damages recovered on behalf of more than 1,300 drivers."

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If you'd like to promote an event for your union in our weekly newsletter, fill out our submission form or email AZ AFL-CIO  Communications & Operations Director Alina Cordoba at [email protected]