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This AANHPI Heritage Month, the Arizona AFL-CIO is proud to spotlight Susan Minato, a trailblazing labor leader whose vision and commitment have helped reshape the labor movement in the Southwest.
Susan Minato is Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11, representing more than 30,000 hospitality workers across Southern California and Arizona. A fourth-generation Japanese American, Susan has dedicated her life to advancing worker power, equity, and justice—first as a labor lawyer for the Utility Workers Union and then as an organizer. Since joining UNITE HERE Local 11 in 1993, the union has become a national model for grassroots political mobilization, economic justice campaigns, and rank-and-file leadership development.
In Los Angeles, Susan led campaigns to win groundbreaking food service agreements pushing unionized hospitality worker wage levels to $25/hour for servers, $30/hour for dishwashers, and $40/hour for cooks, along with family healthcare, pension, legal, and training plans—setting a new standard for dignity and respect on the job.
Here in Arizona, Susan played a critical role in delivering victories for the 2020 to 2022 election successes of President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Mark Kelly, and Governor Katie Hobbs, and U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia. Most recently, in 2024, her union played a key role in electing Senator Ruben Gallego and in the historic campaign to codify reproductive rights in the Arizona Constitution.
Susan also serves as an International Executive Vice President of UNITE HERE, Board Chair of Worker Power, Chair of Trustees of the Hospitality Training Academy in Los Angeles, and holds leadership positions on the Arizona AFL-CIO Executive Board, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, and the UCLA Labor Center.
Susan's decades of organizing and advocacy continue to build a strong future for working families across the Southwest.
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Fred Yamashita Secretary-Treasurer Executive Director |
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UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIONS |
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Arizona Bookmans Picket - Flagstaff & Tucson
On Saturday, May 17 at 9 AM, Bookmans employees at the Flagstaff, Tucson East, and Tucson River stores will be walking out in protest of slowed contract negotiations. If you love Bookmans, stand with the people who make it happen by holding management accountable to our shared values of dignity, respect, and justice for all! See below for details, then RSVP to join us on the picket line!
Locations: Bookmans Tucson East | 6230 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85712 |
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It's Older American's Month - and We Deserve Better!
AARA is calling out the leaders who have turned their backs on seniors - and Representative David Schweikert tops the list. With a 0% voting record on issues that matter to older adults - including Social Security, Medicare, and affordable healthcare - it's clear: he's not fighting for seniors.
Join retirees, union members, an concerned citizens as they rally outside Rep. Schweikert's office to hold him accountable. |
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CLUW Arizona Charter Celebration & Membership Meeting
Join the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) as they officially sign on to become a recognized charter serving the Greater Arizona County region—including Maricopa, Pinal, Yavapai, Gila, Pima, and Yuma! This hybrid event is both a celebration and a chance to get involved with CLUW’s mission to uplift and empower women in the labor movement.
📅 Thursday, May 29, 2025 |
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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. ⤵️ |
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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?
Why it matters:
Next steps and details: |
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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]. |
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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. |
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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]. |
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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 |
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AZ AFL-CIO Legislative Committee Meetings |
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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. |
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OPINION |
Democrats Seeking California Governor Strut Their Stuff for Powerful Union Leaders
"With Lorena Gonzalez, head of the California Labor Federation, and Chris Hannan, president of the building trades, shooting the questions, the candidates were asked to wave flags indicating whether they supported the various union objectives."
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Arizona Isn't Broke - It's Being Robbed
"Take Johann Sproule, a retired mine worker from Douglas, Arizona. He worked physically demanding jobs for 45 years, yet found himself struggling to afford essential medications and healthcare due to challenges navigating the healthcare system."
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NATIONAL NEWS |
Labor and Workplace Health and Safety Groups Sue to Restore Programs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
"Unions across nursing, education, mining and manufacturing industries, along with a manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE), today sued the Trump administration to reverse the illegal dismantling of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)."
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'So many are devastated': Trump's Federal Firings and Their Ripple Effect
"Liz Shuler, the president of the AFL-CIO federation of 63 trade unions, which together represent more than 15 million US workers, is trying to build a nationwide campaign to highlight the devastating impact."
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Blumenthal, DeLauro, Larson Visit Striking Pratt & Whitney Machinists in E. Hartford and Middletown
"U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro and John Larson, as well as several state legislators, visited Friday the picket lines of machinists at jet-engine maker Pratt & Whitney — turnout that highlighted their support for the striking workers."
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REI CO-op Members Reject Company Board Picks After Union Campaign
"The outdoor retailer drew criticism for blocking union-backed candidates from the ballot and for its initial support of a Trump appointee."
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Teamsters Authorize Strike at Coca-Cola Distributor
"Teamsters at Swire, a producer and distributor of Coca-Cola, have voted by a 99% margin to authorize a strike. The workers, represented by a coalition of Teamster locals — Local 38, Local 117, Local 174, Local 313, and Local 589 — held votes at their respective union halls on Saturday. The workers’ contracts expire on May 15, and a strike could begin as early as Thursday."
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Why Starbucks Workers are Protesting the New Dress Code
"Some workers also pointed out that Starbucks-branded apparel that employees are no longer allowed to wear remains for sale on internal company websites. While the company offered two free black T-shirts to each employee, union members said that gesture didn’t address their concerns about autonomy and workplace culture."
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UA Faculty Vote to Urge Leaders to Take Stand Against Trump Administration
"91% of voting faculty passed the referendum urging school leaders to resist political attacks on higher education."
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Hobbs Vetoes 35 Bills, Including Requiring Hospitals to Ask Immigration Status
"Arizona hospitals won't be required by the state to ask patients if they are in this country illegally. In one of 35 new vetoes late Monday of bills sent to her by the Republican-controlled Legislature, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs rejected a measure to require hospitals that accept Medicaid to inquire about a patient's immigration status. The proposal from Flagstaff Republican Sen. Wendy Rogers said the patients' answers wouldn't result in the loss of medical care, and that hospitals wouldn't be required to call immigration authorities. Instead, Rogers, said it would give the state an idea of the costs of illegal immigration."
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Celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month |
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Thank you for reading the Arizona Labor Dispatch! Can you help us grow our readership by sharing our sign-up form? |
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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] |
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