John, 

Yesterday was May Day or International Workers' Day. A day we remember our Union Siblings who, in peaceful protest, died standing up for workers' rights at Haymarket Square, in Chicago, IL.  They died fighting for an 8-hour work day, they died fighting for dignity and respect in the workplace!

They did not ask to die, they were calling for fairness and justice, peacefully!  They did not start the violence, they were victims of it!  Their sacrifices, though so many years ago, should never go in vain.  Their call to action then still echoes with us today. 

Because so many of the rights and benefits that workers and unions have fought and died for over the years have been clawed back and stripped away, it makes it hard for us to celebrate the victories we have won along the way. 

But if history actually does repeat itself, then Sisters and Brothers, Siblings, this is our time!  It is time for a new law of the land, a new Wagner Act that will protect workers!  This is our time to pass the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act!  This is our time to demand safe workplaces, fair wages, and the freedom to organize without fear! 

This is our time to right the wrongs, to protect all workers!  No matter your race, creed, place of birth, young, old, no matter who you love or who loves you! All workers, it is our time to stand up and fight back against DOGE, cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, cuts to Social Security, attacks on our LGBTQ and immigrant communities! It is time to stand up to the corporate moguls, corrupt politicians, and billionaires who only get rich off the backs of workers! 

This is why AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond have launched a new campaign called the 'Department of People Who Work For a Living,' or DPWL, to hold Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency accountable making sure the federal government is responsive to working people and not just to the whims of an unelected CEO like Musk!

This is our time to rise up, speak up, get active, and fight!  Because WHEN WE FIGHT?  WE WIN!  

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

LCLAA Annual Cinco de Mayo Mixer - Friday, May 9, 2025

🕕 6:00–8:00 PM | 📍 UNITE HERE Offices, 1021 S 7th Ave, Phoenix

After May Day, we gather to celebrate our cultura, comunidad, and lucha with food, music, and deep connection.

CLUW Arizona Chapter Calls for Awareness and Action

The Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) pauses to honor missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and children—raising awareness of the injustice and inequities impacting Indigenous communities. We recommit to action by amplifying stories, demanding justice, and pushing for change.

🚨Take Action: On May 5th, take a selfie with the handprint background and send it to [email protected] for CLUW’s May 29th Membership Meeting.

MCDP Labor Committee: Perspectives on Labor Conversations with Our Legislators

Maricopa County Democratic Party's Labor Committee is excited to host an event to have a conversation on Labor in Maricopa County. The focus will be on legislative opportunities to support labor, especially in the hostile environment on the federal and state level. RSVP to hear directly from Congressman Greg Stanton, Senator Lauren Kuby, and a surprise guest! 

Event Details: 

Date: Friday, May 9, 2025

Time: 7:00 to 8:30 PM 

Location: IBEW Local 640, 5808 N. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ 

Tell Members of Congress They Need to Protect Retirement Benefits for Air Traffic Controllers

Congress is advancing a budget that could slash key federal programs—including retirement benefits for public safety professionals like air traffic controllers. Cuts to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) would hurt recruitment, retention, and aviation safety.

Take action now to defend earned benefits. Click below to tell your Members of Congress: protect FERS and oppose any cuts.

Collecting Stories About Heat

The Heat Standards Coalition, is collecting stories about how Arizonans are affected by heat. Rising temperatures in Phoenix makes it harder to do our jobs, get to the places we need, and access valuable resources. We want to launch a heat ordinance offering more protections for workers and residents alike. Please help us by sharing your story of how you are affected by heat!

⤵️Click on the button below and fill out the form or Email [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions.  

FREE Heat Injury & Illness Prevention 101 Workshop for Workers

Join National COSH to learn the basics about how to keep yourself and your coworkers sage in the heat. This will be a virtual presentation in collaboration with UCLA - Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program

Event Details: 

Thursday, May 15th at 10:00 AM PT [90 minute session]

Arizona Needs Reliable Internet Service & Good Jobs

$42 billion in public funding for internet infrastructure is on the line, and we need your voice! While CWA members have fought for investments in reliable fiber broadband that create good, union jobs, satellite company CEOs are pushing to redirect these funds to unreliable satellite services. Satellite internet lacks the necessary speeds, employs fewer workers, and has a short lifespan that leads to repeated investments. 

⤵️Click on the link below and tell Governor Hobbs and the Arizona State Broadband Office to stand up to pressure to redirect funds to unreliable satellite internet service and continue to create good, union jobs by investing in reliable, high-speed fiber internet. ⤵️

FREE State-Registered Apprenticeship — Line Cook Training for Your Members & Community

The Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), in collaboration with UNITE HERE, is offering an 8-week, no-cost Line Cook Training Program in Phoenix, which leads directly to union jobs with benefits. This program is now officially recognized as an Arizona State-Registered Apprenticeship Program.

HTA has a strong history of preparing individuals for success in union jobs, offering fair wages, dignity, and opportunities for career advancement in the hospitality industry.

Who is this for?
✅ Anyone aged 18 or older
✅ Proficient in English with a reading level of at least 10th grade
✅ Interested in starting a career in a growing industry

Why it matters:
This apprenticeship serves as a vital pathway to help workers escape poverty and secure stable, union-backed careers. With your support, we can reach individuals in your community and membership who are ready for this opportunity.

Next steps and details:
UNITE HERE will be hosting informational sessions soon, and only those who attend will be eligible to enroll. Please share the attached flyer with your members, their families, and neighbors to help spread the word.

26th Annual Joe Standley Golf Tournament - May 23, 2025

The Arizona Building Trades Council (AZBTC) invites you to join their annual fundraising event that supports Labor's Community Service Agency (LCSA).

LCSA is a nonprofit arm of the AFL-CIO, and provides human services to Arizona's most vulnerable populations since 1974. Your participation will directly support affordable housing, transportation assistance, and financial aid support to those in need.  

➡️Click HERE to download/print flyers.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rebekah Friend at (602) 622-5361 or [email protected]. 

68th Annual Grace Carroll Rocky Mountain Labor School (GCRMLS)

Registration is now open! This year GCRMLS will be coming to Las Vegas, Nevada July 6 - July 12, 2025.

Founded in 1956, GCRMLS is the only remaining regional labor school in the nation! It is a renowned educational program dedicated to providing high-quality labor education to union members, activists, and leaders all while being able to share real life successes, challenges, and best practices around the labor movement.

For further information, you can visit the GRCMLS website at gcrmls.org.

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].

AZ AFL-CIO's Book Club: A New Chapter Begins!

We're back—and better than ever! The Arizona AFL-CIO Labor Book Club is now  formatted as an end-of-the-month book review, offering fresh perspectives on thought-provoking reads that resonate with our movement. 

📖This Month's Book: Butcher's Crossing by John Williams 

Join Our Weekly Meetings

Join us every Friday at 9:30 AM via Zoom as we prepare for the upcoming 2025 Legislative Committee Meetings. This is an important opportunity for union members to learn about the key issues and topics that will be discussed during the 1st Regular Session of the 57th Legislature.

Stay informed and engaged as we navigate the legislative landscape together and ensure that our voices are heard in the decision-making process.

This Week's Legislative Update:

At today’s Arizona AFL-CIO legislative Committee meeting, we were joined by Senator Kiana Sears of Legislative District 9, the newest lawmaker in Arizona who represents West Mesa and part of Tempe. She informed us of priorities that her constituents have regarding rent prices, education, and evictions. She also spoke specifically on how she is working with Community Colleges and ASU to both foster relationships with students, reduce wait times, and condemn the erasure of LGBTQ+ and DEI initiatives at the college level. Political Director Joe Murphy then spoke on some bills the AFL-CIO opposes; fewer bills have moved recently because of budget negotiations between the Governor and legislative leadership. 

Why Unions Can Be Key to Projects Getting Permits

"Today’s conversation is with Mike Barnwell at the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, a union organization more than 14,000 members strong. I reached out to Barnwell because I’d been trying to better understand the role labor unions could play in influencing renewables policy decisions, from the labor permitting office to the fate of the Inflation Reduction Act."

Jimmy Williams Jr: Labor's Fork in the Road

"On the Line interviewed Jimmy Williams Jr, the General President of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT). In this moment of political upheaval and attacks on the working class, Jimmy has been outspoken about the need to organize and fight back to defend our immigrant communities, to defend free speech, and to defend the labor movement."

100 Days, 100 Ways Trump Has Hurt Workers

"The first 100 days of Trump’s second term have been chaotic. Trump along with Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have engaged in a near-daily onslaught of actions to dismantle the federal government and eliminate services and benefits that working families rely upon."

L.A. County Experiences Major Disruptions on First Day of Strike

"SEIU Local 721, which represents roughly 55,000 workers, began a two-day strike Monday evening with social workers, nurses, clerical workers and other public employees walking off the job. The union said this is the first time in county history that all its members have joined a strike."

AFL-CIO Honors the Legacy of Former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman

"We join the entire labor movement in mourning the loss of Alexis Herman. Secretary Herman was a trailblazer and relentless advocate for working people who spent her life championing policies that expanded opportunity."

By Gutting Department of Labor, Trump Is Making American Workers Suffer Again

"His DOL recently sent out two rounds of memorandums asking employees to resign through Elon Musk’s Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) that was first launched in January. The first round of solicitation was sent to four DOL agencies: the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), Office of Public Affairs (OPA), and the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB)."

Privatization of USPS Will Jack Up Prices for Rural Americans & Veterans

"If privatization moves forward, the people most likely to feel the pinch are those in ZIP codes where private carriers already tack on extra fees due to low profitability. These often include rural and hard-to-reach areas."

Southern Arizona Workers Speak Out About Federal Cuts

"Labor workers across southern Arizona, and across a variety of industries, gathered in Downtown Tucson to speak out against decisions by the Trump administration. The room was crowded with a variety of workers – and they all spoke on the issues that deeply impact Arizonans – which included Medicare, Social Security, veterans benefits and much more."

Sky Harbor Workers Rally for Better Pay

"Workers rallied at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Monday, calling for better pay."

Teamsters At Finley Distributing Vote Unanimously to Authorize Strike

"Workers are demanding stronger wages, a defined-benefit pension plan, better health care, and improved working conditions. If Finley Distributing fails to deliver, Teamsters will have no choice but to strike. The current contract expires at midnight on May 17."

Phoenix Advocates Mourn Worker Deaths, Demand Stronger Protections from Fatalities, Injuries

"Behind every workplace injury or death is more than a number, it’s someone who went to work and didn’t come home the same, or at all. This week in Phoenix, workers and advocates came together to remember them and to call for statewide protections, especially as extreme heat continues to put more people at risk."

Phoenix Advocates Mourn Worker Deaths, Demand Stronger Protections from Fatalities, Injuries

"Behind every workplace injury or death is more than a number, it’s someone who went to work and didn’t come home the same, or at all. This week in Phoenix, workers and advocates came together to remember them and to call for statewide protections, especially as extreme heat continues to put more people at risk."

Thousands in Arizona March Against Trump Policies, for Workers' Rights on May Day

"Rally organizers spoke for about 20 minutes before the march began, and encouraged the public to join unions and fight back against Trump and Republicans in the Arizona Legislature. The protections workers have today, such as 8-hour workdays, only came from workers fighting for their rights, organizers said."

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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]