John, 

There was a certain period in my life that I was one of those people who subscribed to the notion that, “My vote doesn’t count!” And it wasn’t the younger me that felt that way. I was married, had a family and was working every day. It wasn’t until I got active with my Union that I came around to my senses.

It was my Union leadership that educated me, reminded me that when I don’t vote I leave it to others who may or may not have mine and my family’s best interests at heart, to make decisions that affect us in our daily lives.

Understanding that as Union Members we have even more at stake than the average non-union worker. That as Union Members we choose not to passively stand by to accept the status quo, but rather stand with our sibling Union Members to exercise our collective strength and voices to fight for what is rightfully ours, good wages, benefits, safe work environments and dignity and respect in the workplace. And understanding that as Union Members, it is more than just our right to vote, it is our responsibility!

When casting your vote, don’t forget the importance of down-ballot races! These races include critical local positions like city council, school boards, and state legislatures, as well as ballot measures that directly impact our communities. Often, these local representatives and measures shape decisions on:

• Public Education
• Worker protections and wages
• Healthcare access
• Infrastructure investments
• Public safety and emergency services

Every vote counts at every level! By voting down-ballot, you’re making your voice heard in the decisions that affect your daily life and the future of our state. 

Key Voting Dates: 

• Sept. 17th - National Voter Registration Day
• Oct. 7th - Voter Registration Deadline
• Oct. 9th - Early Voting Begins & Early Ballots Mailed to Voters
• Oct. 25th - Last Day to Mail Back Your Ballot
• Nov. 1st - Last Day to Vote Early In-Person
• Nov. 5th - ELECTION DAY

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

Daily Phonebanks with Arizona AFL-CIO

The AZ AFL-CIO is hosting daily phonebank sessions to support our labor-endorsed candidates from now until Election Day! Your voice can make a difference in ensuring pro-worker candidates win their races 

When: Daily, now through Election Day 

Time: Flexible shifts available to fit your schedule

Who: Union members, volunteers, and labor allies 

Click on either Phoenix or Tucson to sign up to phonebank!

Knock on Doors to Get Out the Vote for Prop 139!

Join the Arizona Abortion Access campaign for a Sunday canvass to mobilize voters to vote yes on Prop 139! Get fired up and ready for November! 

Support Striking AT&T Southeast Workers

CWA members are on strike against AT&T in nine states across the southeast and a month without paychecks. They walked off the job on August 16th. You can support over 17,000 technicians, customer service representatives and others who install, maintain and support AT&T's residential and business wireline telecommunications network by: 

• Sign the Petition 
• Support the Fundraiser 
• Download & Share a Social Media Graphic 

Phonebank With AARA!

Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans will be launching a weekly phonebank! Every Thursday, from now until Election Day (Nov. 5th), you can join either virtually or in-person at the Painters Union Hall. They'll be phonebanking with fellow union retirees, reaching out to union households and encouraging them to vote for labor-endorsed candidates.

RSVP to join virtually or in-person on Thursday, September 12th:

• Click here to join in-person
• Click here to join virtually

Please direct any questions to Joe Murphy at [email protected]

Tell Governor Green to Help End the Lockout of Kapi'olani Nurses

Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, the owners of Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children, will lockout 600 nurses at the facility to coerce them into accepting the hospital’s contract offer. The lockout will start immediately following a planned one-day unfair labor practice strike by the nurses set for September 13th, 2024.  

The strike was called to protest Kapiolani Medical Center’s ongoing bullying and retaliation of nurses for reporting unsafe staffing incidents and voicing their concerns for patients’ safety. Unsafe staffing occurs when there are too few qualified nurses on a shift to adequately address the needs of each patient they care for. Study after study has shown that unsafe staffing hurts patient care, leading to worse health outcomes, including higher mortality rates.

Please send a letter to Governor Green and ask him to lead by intervening in the lock out and showing Hawai’i business leaders that lock outs have no place in Hawai’i.

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].

Building America's Future Starts with Good Jobs: A Conversation with Acting Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su

"At the beginning of August, NLC and the Department of Labor brought together the inaugural Good Jobs, Great Cities Academy to wrap up a year-long technical assistance and peer learning initiative. While the sixteen cities are a diverse cross-section of the country in terms of population size, geography and economic priorities, they all share a common commitment to developing and promoting job quality in their communities. It is more important than ever for local leaders to be advocates for inclusive, high-quality workforce development in their communities."

I Helped Organize An Architect's Union

"Unionization in design industries is approaching a tipping point. In July, three different sectors achieved major victories for the labor movement. At Blizzard, a video game developer where other members have already unionized, more than 500 employees formed a “wall-to-wall” union."

33,000 Boeing Union Members Begin Strike

"The strike, the first at the company in 16 years, will virtually stop commercial airplane production at one of America’s biggest manufacturing giants and its largest exporter, dealing a potential blow to the US economy. Depending on the length of the strike, it could cause problems for nearly 10,000 Boeing (BA) suppliers, which can be found in all 50 US states."

AFL-CIO Honors Workers and Families on the 23rd Anniversary of 9/11

"More than two decades later, our nation still bears the scars of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Families still mourn the loved ones they lost that day and, in the years that followed, from illness or injury. In the labor movement, we continue to grieve the more than 600 members of our union family killed in the attacks: the flight crews of the hijacked planes who lost their lives on the job; firefighters, police officers, and other first responders who took the ultimate risk to deliver emergency care to victims; and the maintenance, construction, hospitality, restaurant, and all other union members and nonunion workers whose jobsites became ground zero for a terrorist attack."

During Walkout for Washington, Thousands of WFSE Members Walk Out for Fair Contract 

"On Tuesday, September 10, thousands of WFSE members walked out of their jobs to draw attention to the need for a fair contract. The walkouts were held at nearly 130 sites across the state and garnered extensive media coverage (see links at bottom of page). Members of WPEA, SEIU, and other unions and community groups joined in solidarity, and Washington State Senator Rebecca Saldaña, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and Washington State Labor Council President April Sims joined various walkout sites to lend support."

'Our World is Falling Apart': Father, Son Both Suffering From Incurable Lung Disease as Their  Former Employer Faces Dozens of OSHA Citations  

"For almost 24 years, Antonio Campos dedicated his life to cutting stone at Florenza Marble & Granite Co., a small countertop manufacturer on the city’s West Side. It was a job that gave him enough money to provide for his family in Mexico and care for his relatives in Chicago. Seven years ago, he recruited his son, José Gómez, to work alongside him."

"I Know My Worth": What it Takes to Unionize the Service Industry

"Despite the popularity of unions being at a record high, workers in the food service industry face an uphill battle when it comes to fighting for collective bargaining rights. Hospitality unions and workers are trying to change that."

Minimum Salaries, Max Effort: The Unseen Financial Hardships of Phoenix Mercury and WNBA Players 

“Although the WNBA minimum contract value will increase from $64,154 to $70,103 by 2027, it remains minuscule compared to the NBA’s minimum deal."

Massive Workforce Program Launches to Bolster Arizona Economy with Widespread Job Support 

"Gov. Katie Hobbs believes the new Ready AZ Initiative will bring long-term prosperity to the state economy. She launched the program, which is designed to help Arizonans find good-paying jobs, on Wednesday."

PIMA LABOR LEADER: “TRUMP HAS NO ANSWERS WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING A BETTER FUTURE FOR ARIZONANS”

"Pima Area Labor Federation Chair Trish Muir released the following statement in response to Donald Trump’s visit to Tucson."

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]