John, 

As we approach Workers' Memorial Day on Sunday, April 28th, the Arizona AFL-CIO reflects on the profound significance of this day. Today, Labor came together in solidarity at Teamsters Local 104 to remember and honor the lives of workers who have tragically lost their lives due to work-related hazards or illnesses.

Originating from the advocacy of the labor movement for safer workplaces, Workers' Memorial Day became a nationally recognized day of remembrance in 1970, coinciding with the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Since then, it has served as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for workplace safety and the necessity of protecting workers' rights.

This year's breakfast carried particular weight as we not only commemorated those we have lost but also reaffirmed our commitment to fighting for safer working conditions. We had guest speakers Guy Testini, Executive Director of the Industrial Commission of Arizona, and Harris Harrigan, Arizona State Director of SEIU, who spoke about the crucial role of the ICA in ensuring workplace safety and the significance of recent legislative victories such as the Phoenix Heat Ordinance. Harris also spoke on the ongoing work that remains to be done by legislators to further protect workers across our state.

As part of our commemoration, the Teamsters honored a beloved member, Juan Carlos Mendoza, also known as Sapo by his close friends and family. Sapo tragically lost his life while on the job, reminding us of the real and lasting consequences of inadequate workplace safety measures.

The AFL-CIO's recent report, "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect," emphasizes the urgent need for action. The report finds that workers of color are dying on the job at increasingly higher rates. Black workers’ job fatality rate is the highest it’s been in nearly 15 years, while Latino workers continue to face the greatest risk of dying on the job compared to all other workers.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler highlighted the report's findings, stating, "The alarming disparities in workplace fatalities among workers of color are unacceptable, symptomatic of deeply ingrained racial inequity, and the need to pay increased attention to the dangerous industries that treat workers as disposable." Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond echoed this by emphasizing the importance of prioritizing racial equity in the fight for worker justice.

Our Workers' Memorial Day event at Teamsters Local 104 was not just a moment of remembrance but a call to action. Together, we reaffirm our dedication to the ongoing struggle for safer workplaces and stronger protections for all workers. Juan Carlos Mendoza, along with countless others, will forever remain in our hearts as we continue this important work.

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

AFL-CIO Governance, Education, and Training - Spring 2024

Click on the button below to access a list of over ten virtual and in person trainings that the National AFL-CIO is offering this spring! 

No More Stalled Negotiations: Tell Congress to Stand Up for Our Rights 

Over 100,000 Flight Attendants have been in drawn-out negotiations across the industry. But without the credible threat of a strike, management across airlines is perfectly happy to prolong negotiations for years. There have only been two releases from mediation with strike deadlines since 2006, compared to dozens of releases in the 1980s and 1990s.

Tell your Representative in Congress to sign on to a letter that urges the National Mediation Board (NMB) to utilize all provisions of the Railway Labor Act, including "self help" and workers' right to strike at the end of a 30 day cooling-off-period, to help encourage negotiations for a fair contract for Flight Attendants and other aviation workers.   

Ask REI's Board: Will You Agree to Reach a Fair Union Contract in 2024? 

REI is hosting its annual meeting on May 9th, and they set aside time during this meeting to answer questions submitted by Co-op members. This year, they need your support asking REI when they’re going to commit to reaching a deal with workers at union stores. 

The goal here is to have as many Co-op members, customers, and REI Union supporters as possible all submit the same question, as outlined above.

Tell Your Legislators to VOTE NO on HB2274! 

HB2274 deals with creating special tax districts for theme parks and stadiums. These special tax districts can levy as much as a 9% sales tax within the district's bounds, which can be used by developers to recover construction-related debt. Currently, for a development company to get this kind of deal, it would have to get approval from the city that wants to bring this project in. This legislation would remove City input on the ability to approve that surcharge, even if it is fully within that city’s limits.   

How Critical Is the ACP to Americans? 

Access to the internet is crucial in today's interconnected world. The Affordable Connectivity Program has been a lifeline for millions, but its funding is about to dry up in just TWO WEEKS. Without it, many will have to choose between the internet and other essentials. We can't let that happen. Contact Congress today and urge them to fund the ACP to ensure everyone stays connected!

Protect Tipped Workers: Oppose SCR 1040 NOW! 

Tipped workers across Arizona face a critical threat to their livelihoods, and they urgently need your support. SCR 1040 poses a grave danger, casting a shadow over the financial security of these hardworking individuals.

In 2016, voters approved The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act (Proposition 206), a vital step toward ensuring fair treatment for all workers, including tipped employees. SCR 1040 now looms, potentially eroding the hard-won progress of fair compensation for workers.

We urge you to take action now by writing to your legislators. Stand in solidarity with tipped workers by opposing the SCR 1040. Your voice matters, and together, we can protect the rights and dignity of hardworking individuals who rely on tips to make ends meet.

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].  

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].

Why the Renewable Energy Industry Needs Unionizing 

"Renewables are big business in the US, stoked by many tens of billions in federal funding. But insiders know that renewables companies are often chaotic, with underpaid, demoralized workers, unsustainably high turnover, and difficult, dangerous working conditions. Solar installers’ median income is just under $45,000 — 40% less than fossil fuel workers. Getting off fossil fuel will require fixing the renewables industry’s labor problems, which requires unions."

Elon Musk Wants to Gut the National Labor Relations Act

"Elon Musk is challenging the New Deal legislation that establishes the National Labor Relations Board. Experts warn that this is 'a serious threat.'"

AFL-CIO Releases 2024 Death on the Job Report Ahead of Workers Memorial Day

"Report find that workers of color are dying on the job at increasingly higher rates. Black workers' job fatality rate is the highest it's been in nearly 15 years. Latino Workers continue to face the greatest risk of dying on the job than all other workers."

Biden Administration Expands Overtime Pay To Cover 4.3 Million More Workers. Here's Who Qualifies

"Businesses are required to pay workers 1.5 times their pay if they work more than 40 hours a week, but that protection has been limited to hourly workers and lower-earning salaried employees. Because of the salary cutoff, many salaried workers were performing the same duties as their hourly coworkers, but weren't able to qualify for overtime, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su said in a statement."

UAW Conquers Hostile Political Terrain with Tennessee Win

"For decades the labor movement has seen its power diminish in the South. The United Auto Workers on Friday jump-started efforts to reverse that decline. The UAW delivered one of the labor movement’s biggest organizing victories in the South in years when Volkswagen workers in Tennessee voted overwhelmingly to join the union, despite efforts by the state’s Republicans to doom the effort. The UAW has eyed the Chattanooga facility for over a decade, and the union narrowly lost a pair of previous elections in 2014 and 2019, the latter of which was decided by about 60 votes. This time, workers voted 2,628 to 985 to join the UAW out of more than 4,000 who were eligible, marking a key victory for union President Shawn Fain’s ambitious strategy to take on non-union automakers in the U.S."

Coal Miners Have Long Faced Rist of Black Lunch Disease. Now They're Getting New Protections 

"Coal miners will be better protected from poisonous silica dust that has contributed to the premature deaths of thousands of mine workers from a respiratory ailment commonly known as black lung disease, the Labor Department said Tuesday as it issued a new federal rule on miners’ safety."

Starbucks and Union Restart Contract Talks After Bitter Standoff

"Starbucks and the union that represents over 10,000 of its workers are set to return to the bargaining table on Wednesday for the first time in nearly a year, a pivotal moment in the yearslong battle between the coffee giant and its organized workers. Company representatives and 150 representatives from the union, Workers United, are set to meet at an undisclosed location in Atlanta to begin negotiating a framework for union contracts for each of the over 400 unionized stores. The last time the two sides sat down was May 23, and they have spent months blaming each other for the impasse. During that time, workers have staged several strikes and tried to win seats on Starbucks’s board, and the company has sued the union over its use of the Starbucks logo."

Democrats Successfully Force Vote on Repealing 1864 Abortion Ban, Passes House

"Sen. Anna Hernandez, D-Maryvale, successfully introduced SB 1734 on April 17. According to the legislature’s rules, bills must be read on the floor on three separate days. The proposal was successfully read a second time on Wednesday and is expected to be read for the third time on May 1."

Unionized Cannabis Workers Picket Phoenix Dispensary on 4/20 After Contract Negotiations Stall 

“Nicholas Fredrickson stood alongside fellow Curaleaf employees participating in the rally organized by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 99 at a company store on East Camelback Road near North Seventh Street. Workers rallied in support of safer working conditions, full-time employment and a living wage, as stated by organizers."

Gran Jury Indicts Fake Electors Who Falsely Certified Donald Trump as 2020 Winner in Arizona 

“Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, announced on Wednesday the grand jury had issued the nine-count indictment. It alleges the slate of Republicans sometimes known as fake electors and the Trump aides engaged in a conspiracy aimed at "preventing the lawful transfer of the presidency of the United States, keeping President Donald J. Trump in office against the will of Arizona voters, and depriving Arizona voters of their right to vote and have their votes counted."'

Federal Court Orders 4 Arizona Contractors to Pay Over $3.4 in Owed Wages, Damages to 890 Workers After Department of Labor Investigation 

“After a series of investigations, the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined that 4-E Painting LLC and Liberty Constructors LLC in Mesa and BCK Coatings Inc. and Geronimo Wall Systems LLC in Tempe willfully and recklessly shortchanged the affected workers and violated the overtime and minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act."

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