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John, |
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I want to take a moment to call attention to a piece of legislation moving in Washington: the SCORE Act.
In a recent statement, AFL‑CIO President Liz Shuler said it plainly: the SCORE Act is “union‑busting policy in action.” At its core, the legislation would strip student‑athletes at private colleges and universities of their collective rights. As President Shuler explains, it would “deny student-athletes… the same basic rights as other workers under the National Labor Relations Act.”
The "deal" the bill offers is a bad one for college athletes. It would let the powerful institutions rewrite the rules so that athletes lose basic protections, while universities and conferences lock in control over name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, future compensation deals, and even legal classification of athletes.
Under the SCORE Act, the bill would grant the governing bodies of college sports antitrust immunity — meaning schools and conferences could collude on pay, benefits, and working conditions without fear of challenge. It would hand over ultimate NIL‑control to institutions and conferences, under rules so vague that athletes’ bargaining power and freedom to contract could be severely restricted. It also bans college athletes from ever being legally defined as “employees,” no matter how much they work, risk injury, or generate revenue
This is not just a problem for student‑athletes. If a bill like this becomes law, it weakens the entire foundation of labor law. If they can do it to student-athletes today, they can do it to other sectors tomorrow. As President Shuler reminds us, “Union-busting in one sector ultimately hurts workers in every sector.”
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Fred Yamashita Secretary-Treasurer Executive Director |
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UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIONS |
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Sign The Petition, Tell Senator Kelly, Working People Have Your Back! Senator Mark Kelly has always stood with Arizona’s working families — now he’s facing an unprecedented and baseless attack on his service and integrity. As a veteran and lifelong champion for workers, he deserves our solidarity. Add your name to show Senator Kelly that working people have his back. |
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No Contract, No Coffee Pledge Join the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, Maricopa Area Labor Federation, and community partners to support the PV Community Food Bank with food and hygiene donations. With SNAP Benefits delayed in November and the holidays approaching, many of our neighbors need extra support to keep their families fed and to deal with rising costs. With a special thanks to UA Plumbers and Pipefitters 469 for hosting the event! Click on the link below to see a list of recommended donations and to donate now ⤵️ |
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Posada de Esperanza Join AZ Jobs with Justice, Honest Arizona, Pima Area Labor Federation, and AFGE for a joyful end-of-year posada! We’re coming together to celebrate, share, and support our community. Bring a toy!
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No Contract, No Coffee Pledge Call on Starbucks CEO, Brian Niccol to bargain a fair contract with Starbucks Workers United baristas. Show support for Starbucks baristas in their fight for a union and a fair contract, and pledge not to cross the picket line. |
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Tell LanguageLine Solutions to Respect Interpreters' Voices Access to interpretation and translation services is a civil right in the United States, rooted in the principle that language barriers should not lead to discrimination or prevent people from accessing essential programs and services. LanguageLine Solutions interpreters work every day, serving hospitals, courtrooms, banks, and schools across the United States. Their work ensures language access in situations that impact people's health, legal rights, insurance, and finances. Yet, interpreters face unstable hours, inadequate training, and often overwhelming workloads due to cost-cutting practices. These conditions degrade both service quality and worker well-being. Stand with LanguageLine Solutions interpreters in demanding that Teleperformance and LanguageLine Solutions live up to their commitments and respect the right to unionize. |
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Jan. 15–18, 2026, MLK Civil and Human Rights Conference
The civil rights and labor movements have a long, storied history of working together to secure a better future for workers. And every year, we come together with union members and civil rights activists at our AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference, where we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and strengthen the bond between both our movements. Right now, our democracy is under threat, and our solidarity is more important than ever. |
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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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OPINION |
Starbucks Ignores Worker Demands at Its Peril
"The company boasts of good pay and benefits for its workers, but the reality is quite different. 'Tenured coworkers and tenured employees often find themselves having their hours cut, and so, then they do not make the threshold to qualify for these benefits,' explained Franco."
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Hardworking Ohio Auto Workers Are Paying The Price for EV Tax Credit Rollback
"We believed then, and continue to believe now, that our members are the backbone of our communities, our states, and our nation."
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NATIONAL NEWS |
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President Kelley Named One of Most Influential Black Politicians
"President Kelley was featured as one of the top influencers in the country when the magazine released its annual Root 100 list in early November. In a new list published Nov. 25, Kelley was singled out as one of the country’s top Black political changemakers – along with leaders including former Vice President Kamala Harris, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore."
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Starbucks to Pay $35M to NYC Workers After City Alleges Years of Abuses
"The agreement, announced Monday, could mean thousands of dollars for many Starbucks employees, with checks coming in the mail this winter. It calls for most hourly workers employed by the company in New York City from July 2021 through early July 2024 to get $50 for each week worked. An employee who worked for a year and a half during that period would get $3,900, according to a city announcement."
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Politico Management Violated Key AI Adoptions Safeguards, Arbitrator Finds
"Last week, unionized journalists at Politico won a landmark arbitration regarding AI adoption in their newsroom. In the ruling issued on November 26, an arbitrator found that Politico management violated key AI adoption safeguards that had been negotiated into the union’s contract."
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SCORE Act Is 'Union-Busting Policy in Action'
"AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement as the House of Representatives considers the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act (H.R. 4312)."
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MSI Workers Ratify First Union Contract
"Dozens of workers launched the union drive in 2023 with an open letter to museum management demanding higher wages and more professional development opportunities. They joined employees at several Chicago cultural institutions that have also organized with AFSCME Council 31 in recent years, as well as about 60 craftspeople at the museum already represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134."
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Arizona Heat Standards Coalition Demands for More Enforceable Heat Protections
"On Tuesday morning, labor groups and organizations part of the Arizona Heat Standards Coalition dropped off a petition to the Governor’s Office, demanding enforceable heat protections for workers. This comes as the state’s Workplace Heat Safety Task Force is wrapping up its work and will soon give recommendations to the governor as part of her executive order earlier this year."
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Activist Back Home After Mesa Police Arrest; Supporters Allege Targeting
"A longtime Valley labor and immigration activist is back home after being arrested Tuesday by Mesa police. Martin Hernandez, 61, was accused of trespassing on private property, police said, but his supporters say he was merely documenting federal immigration activity, something they say he has done for years. The arrest has drawn swift criticism from activists, lawmakers and Arizona’s attorney general, who have questioned whether Hernandez was wrongfully detained."
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Assault at Laos Transit Center leaves Victim with 'Serious Injuries,' Suspect Arrested
"Mike Sanchez, Business Representative for Teamsters Local 104, says with incidents like this continuing, bus drivers are becoming more worried. 'No one should go to work being fearful. Am I going to make it home, right? Am I going to be involved in a serious, dangerous incident? I think that's what they feel, that's what I get told when I speak to the folks that I represent,' Sanchez said."
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Eloy Retirement Community Fights Back Against Proposed 188% Utility Rate Hike
"JW Water, the new owner of Picacho Water Company and Picacho Sewer Company, is requesting a 125% increase in water rates and a 188% increase in sewer rates for residents of Robson Ranch, a retirement community near Eloy."
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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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