John, 

As we reflect on the recently released U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annual union density report of 2023, it is an exciting time for the labor movement to see such a significant growth in union membership by 139,000 workers. This surge represents a fundamental truth - workers across America are recognizing the power and impact of union representation in the workplace.

More than 70% of Americans now express their support for unions, with an overwhelming 90% of younger workers approving of unions as well. This is a testament to the growing strength of the labor movement, which is organizing workers in every geographical region and new industries like technology and clean energy, partnering with communities, and raising living standards for all. Last year, more Black, Hispanic, and women overall showed up like never before. Joining unions and contributing to a positive growth towards increased representation and support.

The 2023 Union Density Report is not a true representation of the actual growth in union membership. But rather a reminder to stay the course and continue to organize. Of course, we know that there are those who try to undermine the progress we have made. We are fighting back against anti-union tactics, those who retaliate against workers who support a union, and those who threaten workers with job losses, wage cuts, and deportation. But we will not be deterred. Workers and unions alike have built a momentum that will continue far into the future!

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

Join us on Tuesday, February 13, at more than 30 airports for a worldwide day of action and picketing event.

More information to follow! 

Flight Attendants across the industry are fighting to raise the standards for our career. More than two-thirds of the U.S. Flight Attendants are in contract negotiations right now, including red-hot contract fights at American, Alaska, Air Wisconsin, United, Omni, Southwest, Frontier, PSA, Mesa, and more.

2024 Legislative Committee Meeting Alerts - AZ AFL-CIO 

Join us every Friday at 9:30 AM via Zoom to get updates and alerts on the 2nd Regular Session of the 56th Legislature. Click on the button below and complete the form. 

For additional questions, contact our Political Director, Joe Murphy at [email protected].  

2024 AZ AFL-CIO Day of Action at the Capitol - Monday, February 19th! 

Join us! This event allows union members to make their presence known in the legislature and advocate for the issues that matter most to working families in Arizona.

We will have special guest speaker, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the California Labor Federation,  Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, and offering two informative workshops.

• "Empowering Advocacy Through Labor-Led Wins" facilitated by AFSCME's Arizona Political & Legislative Director Briona Parkinson  
• "Common Sense Economics" facilitated by AZ AFL-CIO Staff Esau Gutierrez, Rasean Clayton, and Ryan Kelly

*Lunch Provided*

If you would like to participate as a volunteer and make this event a success, please please click on the following link and fill out the Google Form. You will be contacted with more information: https://bit.ly/3voc1aZ

Cookbook Seeks Recipes to Benefit Striking Journalists - Deadline Jan. 28th

Striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette journalists and labor allies are seeking recipes for a Seasoned With Solidarity dessert cookbook, proceeds of which will go to the Pittsburgh Striker Fund.

Journalists represented by the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, an affiliate of The NewsGuild-CWA, have been on strike since October 2022. They have been striking since the Post-Gazette cut their wages, took away earned vacation time and forced them onto a more expensive health insurance plan with less coverage. The cookbook is an extension of a bake sale held last year by United Steelworkers (USW) Local 3657’s fundraising and organizing committees and USW District 10.

🚨 FINAL CALL: 2024 Union Plus Scholarship - Deadline January 31st

For it's 33rd year, the Union Plus Scholarship Program is gearing up to review thousands of applications from inspiring current prospective college, university, and technical or trade school students. The program has awarded ov er $5.4 million in educational funding to more than 3,800 students from union families since 1991. Last year, the program awarded $200,000 in scholarships to 205 students representing 41 unions! 

Click the button below to learn more and access the application. 

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].

As Head of the Labor Department Julie Su Has a Tough Task: Filling the Economy with Good Jobs. She's Up For the Challenge 

"Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su knows firsthand the importance of a good job."

Coming Full Circle: Retired Labor Organizers Advise a New Generation of Unionizing Workers

"Debra Bergen remembers the exact date when she first learned about the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee: November the ninth, 2022."

US University Faculty Celebrate 'Victory' After Deal Reached in One-Day Strike 

"California State University faculty members reached a tentative contract agreement with the university system, after nearly 30,000 professors, librarians, coaches and other workers struck at the nation’s largest public university system."

Another Hollywood Strike? Musicians Union 'Prepared To Do Whatever It Needs' for AI Protections and Streaming Residuals 

"The American Federation of Musicians (AFM), a union representing musicians across the entertainment industry, will begin negotiations Monday on a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The union said it is seeking a deal to better reflects the current state of streaming media. The AFM is also seeking AI protection, increased wages, health care improvements, improved working conditions and residual payments for streaming content."

Ben & Jerry's Reaches Union Contract With About 40 Workers At Its Original Location in Vermont

"Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s has reached its first contract agreement with workers at a retail shop in the Vermont city where it was founded after the employees petitioned to unionize last year, Scoopers United and the brand announced Thursday."

Trader Joe's Illegally Closed New York Store To Stop Union Organizing, Feds Say

"The general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board argues that the grocer’s decision to close the store amounts to unlawful retaliation, and that Trader Joe’s should have to reopen the store and make the affected employees “whole” for any wages they lost."

Anne Hathaway Walks Out of Vanity Fair Photo Shoot in Solidarity with Condé Nast Union Work Stoppage 

"Nearly 400 union members who work at Condé Nast are currently holding a 24-hour work stoppage to protest negotiation practices they claim are unlawful."

'We're Not Just Numbers, We're Not Robots, We're People': Workers at Sky Harbor Strike Over Job Conditions 

“UNITE HERE Local 11, the union that represents the strikers, filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board for alleged “unilateral changes” made to the SSP America payroll system. The changes were reportedly made without negotiating with the union and resulted in paycheck delays for workers. Cynthia Reyes is one of the workers who experienced the delays."

Arizona Cannabis Workers Vote to Unionize

"On Thursday, January 25, Arizona cannabis workers at the Trulieve Cannabis Corp. central Phoenix production facility voted 37-4 in favor of unionizing with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 99."

Hobbs Hopes New Child Care Funding Will 'Pay Off' Through the Workforce 

“Arizona families are struggling to find affordable and reliable child care, and when there’s no one to watch the kids, the state’s economy takes a hit – as parents are forced to miss work or leave the workforce entirely to care for them. This issue continues to cost Arizona families $3 billion annually in forgone earnings."

Arizona Secures $95 Million Grant for I-10 Expansion Between Phoenix and Tucson

“The funding is for an expansion of Interstate 10 to improve the safety and conditions on the 26-mile stretch of highway located within the boundaries of the Gila River Indian Community south of Phoenix. The section of the I-10 freeway that will be expanded is recognized as a main corridor of traffic in the area, seeing up to 120,000 vehicles daily."

Thank you for reading the Arizona Labor Dispatch! Can you help us grow our readership by sharing our sign-up form? 

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]