John, 

In a groundbreaking move that signals a paradigm shift in the relationship between technology and labor, the AFL-CIO announced a partnership with Microsoft aimed at ensuring the future of work is one that not only embraces artificial intelligence (AI) but also proactively safeguards jobs. This monumental agreement, as outlined in the joint press release by the AFL-CIO and Microsoft, marks a significant step toward bridging the gap between technology and workers, demonstrating a commitment to preserving the authenticity and value of the human workforce in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

One of the key aspects of this collaboration is the proactive approach to protecting jobs in the face of advancing technology. We are confident that the agreement will serve as a model for other industries, showcasing how strategic partnerships can be formed to ensure that technological advancements benefit workers rather than replace them. As stated in the official press release published on the AFL-CIO website, “According to new polling by AFL-CIO, 70% of workers worry about being replaced by AI. At the same time, a recent Microsoft study of workers found that 70% would delegate as much work as possible to AI to lessen their workloads. To improve work while creating richer possibilities for our lives on the whole, the transition to an AI-assisted future must center workers’ voices. That’s why Microsoft and the AFL-CIO have created this labor-tech partnership—to make sure workers have a voice in the process and that their needs are understood.” 

As the second-largest tech company globally, Microsoft's decision to partner with the AFL-CIO is a clear acknowledgment of the crucial role that workers play in driving ongoing technological growth. We are excited about the possibilities that this partnership with Microsoft opens up for the future of work. By leveraging the power of AI in a way that protects and empowers workers, this collaboration sets a new standard for how technology and labor can work together synergistically. It is a testament to the shared commitment of the AFL-CIO and Microsoft to innovate, collaborate, and ensure that workplaces not only survive but thrive in the face of technological advancements.

Click here to read full press release.

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

Union-Made Holiday Gift Guide 

It's that time of the year! No matter what you celebrate or how, we know many of you are looking for that perfect gift for your friends and family. And we'd like to suggest - in what has become an AFL-CIO annual tradition - gifting union-made! 

Find that perfect gift, from stocking stuffers to sports equipment to a unique book or theater performance. Best of all, you can feel proud knowing your gifts are made by workers who stood together for family-supporting wages and good benefits. 

LCSA Annual Santa's Helper Program 

Labor's Community Service Agency has been planning for their annual Holiday Santa's Helper program to provide gifts to children in their affordable housing program. This year there are over 150 children on the list! 

They have made it simple to contribute: 

1. You can request a gift tag and purchase the present. They will pick up or you can deliver to their office - 3117 N. 16th St., STE 100, Phoenix, AZ 85016 
2. You can donate money and they will shop for you 
3. You can donate via check or PayPal on their website, www.lcsaphx.org- use donate button and specify "Santa's Helper"

Click on the button below to access the form to donate. 

2024 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil & Human Rights Conference

Registration is now open! The theme for the conference is "Our Voice, Our Ballot, Our Future," and will take place on Jan. 12-14 in Montgomery, Alabama. The conference will occur at a crucial moment for the labor and civil rights movements, as workers across the country are organizing at historic rates for dignity, respect and justice, both on the job and in our communities. 

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].

There's No Stopping the Newspaper Death Spiral

"About 750 members of the Washington Post Guild staged a one-day strike against the paper on Thursday to publicize their position that management is not bargaining with them in good faith. Staffers who picketed were joined by Scabby the Rat, and many Post reporters withheld their bylines from the paper’s Thursday and Friday editions in protest."

American Union Workers Are Tapping Into Their Power and Fighting Back. It's Paying Off 

"This emerging social justice unionism is guided by a larger sense of solidarity and can serve as a light in the present darkness to lead us forward to hope."

Microsoft Agrees to Remain Neutral in Union Campaigns

"Roughly 100,000 workers would be eligible to unionize under the framework, which was disclosed Monday by Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, and the A.F.L.-C.I.O. president, Liz Shuler, during a forum at the labor federation’s headquarters in Washington. The deal effectively broadens a neutrality agreement between Microsoft and a large union, the Communications Workers of America, under which hundreds of the company’s video game workers unionized early this year without a formal National Labor Relations Board election. Officially, it provides a framework in which any group of Microsoft workers can negotiate their own neutrality agreements with similar terms. As part of Monday’s announcement, Microsoft and the A.F.L.-C.I.O. said they would collaborate to resolve issues that arise from the adoption of artificial intelligence in the workplace."

Netflix Production Accountants Unionize With IATSE

"A third party certified that a majority of the group of assistant production accountants, payroll accountants and clerks supported joining IATSE Local 161 in a card count Wednesday. The move came after the group initially approached the streamer with a request for voluntary recognition on Nov. 13 and Netflix agreed to voluntarily recognize the group if a majority voted to join the union."

UAW Auto Union Targets Every Automaker With Bold New Plan 

"After securing record contracts with the Big Three Detroit automakers in October, the United Auto Workers union, keen to build upon its momentum, last month launched an organizing drive across 13 non-unionized automakers. "

Federal Regulators Seek to Force Starbucks to Reopen 23 Stores 

"Federal labor regulators accused Starbucks on Wednesday of illegally closing 23 stores to suppress organizing activity and sought to force the company to reopen them. A complaint issued by a regional office of the National Labor Relations Board argued that Starbucks had closed the stores because its employees engaged in union activities or to discourage employees from doing so. At least seven of the 23 stores identified had unionized."

Lawsuit Alleges Forced Prison Labor Scheme Involving Private Employers

"Ten current and former Alabama prisoners say they were forced to participate in work programs that raised money for the state while providing cheap labor to public- and private-sector employers, including franchisees of Burger King, McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday."

IBEW Union Members to Help Build SunZia Transmission Line 

“Developer Pattern Energy estimates the $5 billion project, the largest renewable energy project in North American history, will power more than 3 million homes annually when complete, all while creating more than 2,000 construction jobs."

Arizona Gets Federal Funding for Phoenix-Tucson Passenger Rail Planning

“Arizona has received more than $349 million to improve public transportation via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was passed in 2021, according to the offices of U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly."

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Invests $2M in Teacher mentoring After Task Force Issues Findings

“Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs didn’t take long to act after her Educator Retention Task Force reported its findings, but there are plenty of issues left to address as the state grapples with a teacher shortage. Expanding statewide induction and mentoring programs was one of 11 recommendations made by the task force in its final report, which the panel presented during its wrap-up meeting last week."

New Call Center Will Provide Jobs to 1,000 Arizonas with Disabilities

“A 2019 study by the Institute for Community Inclusion found that increasing Arizona's labor force participation rate for people with disabilities by 6 percentage points over a 10-year period could increase the state's GDP by as much as $819 million each year."

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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]