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Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

Representing Arizona’s Women in Labor – CLUW Town Hall

Join The Greater Western Arizona Coalition of Labor Union Women for a free, educational town hall on Saturday, January 31st, in Tucson. This event will uplift women leaders in labor and community advocacy while highlighting the power of women’s leadership in our movement. Doors open at 12:30 PM with light refreshments. Open to all.

Featured Speakers

• Adelita S. Grijalva – U.S. Representative (CD7) & Community Advocate
• Miranda Schubert – Tucson City Council Member (Ward 6), Union Member & Community Advocate
• Selina Barajas – Tucson City Council Member (Ward 5), Community Advocate & Urban Planner

Union Golf Tournament Supporting Apprenticeship Training

The Tucson Electrical Apprenticeship Golf Tournament tees off Friday, March 20, 2026, at Forty Niners Golf Club in Tucson. This four-person scramble supports the Tucson Electrical Apprenticeship Program and features raffle prizes, a Bloody Mary bar, and a $15,000 hole-in-one prize. Golfers and sponsors are welcome, but space is limited and registration is due by March 1. For details or sponsorship opportunities, contact Mike Tallis at [email protected].

Help Minnesota's Communities Respond and Rebuild

For over 50 days, ICE's Operation Metro Surge has caused fear, instability, and violence. Minnesotans have come together to support each other through the crisis but need your help in funding their response to the deep humanitarian needs surfacing in their neighborhoods.

DONATE TODAY - keep the resistance strong! Support rapid response networks that are meeting the needs of impacted union members, worker center members, their families, and other workers! 

This is a verified page fundraising support for the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and Working Partnerships' 2026 rapid response efforts to meet the needs of impacted working people and their families. 

Fair Contract for Union Members at Hearst

Workers at Hearst Magazines produce some of the world’s best-known publications—from Good Housekeeping and Harper’s Bazaar to Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health and Car and Driver.

Now, those writers at Hearst are fighting for a fair union contract, and they need our solidarity.

Will you take a moment to send a letter to management before their contract expires on Jan. 31?

Tell Congress: Do Your Job and Fix the Affordability Crisis!

President Trump promised to "make America affordable again," but instead spent the first year of his second term driving up costs, holding down wages, and letting jobs disappear - including good-paying jobs that would help keep energy bills from skyrocketing. 

It's clear Trump and his allies won't act to fix the affordability crisis. So Congress must act to help the millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet as a result of those actions. 

Contact Congress or fill out the form here and urge them to address the affordability crisis. And that if they don't, we will work to elect leaders this November who will help us build an economy for workers, not billionaire bosses. 

CALL: Tell the Senate to Pass the Protect America's Workforce Act

The House of Representatives has passed the bill with a bipartisan majority. Now it's the Senate's turn. We need every Senator, Republican, Democrat, and Independent, who says they support America's unions to vote for the Protect America's Workforce Act and restore federal workers' union rights. 

So let's get this done. It's time to restore federal workers' collective bargaining rights and protect ALL union members' rights in this country. Urge your senators to co-sponsor the Protect America's Workforce Act. 

Support Arizona Charter School Workers' Right to Organize

Teachers and staff at City High School and Paulo Freire Freedom School announced their intent to form a union at a December Charter School Board meeting. In response, the board’s governing organization, City Center for Collaborative Learning, hired Littler Mendelson—an out-of-state law firm known for union-busting—and pursued costly legal action.

The board is arguing that charter school employees should not have the right to unionize or bargain collectively through a federally supervised election. If successful, this case could set a precedent that threatens organizing and bargaining rights for charter school workers across Arizona.

Littler Mendelson has also been used by corporations like Starbucks and Amazon to block workers from securing first contracts. Critics say public education funds should support students and educators—not efforts to undermine workers’ right to organize.

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.

Support the Strike Fund for Union Starbucks Workers

Help 12,000+ baristas fight and win their union contracts! Your support and solidarity means the world to our worker-led union. 

How VITA Can Help You

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program provides free tax preparation services to low-to-moderate income individuals and families. The VITA program is an IRS-sponsored program that works with non-profit organizations to provide free basic income tax return preparation for qualified individuals. Click on the button below to get more information.

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].

Arizona AFL-CIO Legislative Committee Meetings

The Arizona 2026 Legislative Session begins on Monday, January 12th. As always, the Arizona AFL-CIO will be advocating for working families every step of the way.  We will be providing support on consensus issues of our affiliates, opposing legislation that attacks workers, and supporting ongoing efforts to ensure worker safety on the job. 

To make sure union members are prepared, we invite you to join us every Friday at 9:30 AM via Zoom. These weekly meetings are an opportunity to learn about key issues being discussed, understand what's happening at the Capitol, and ensure that your voices are heard in the decision-making process. 

January 30th Legislative Committee Meeting Recap

The Latest Assault on Working Parents

"Working families are hurting. They’re hurting from rising grocery prices. Hurting from skyrocketing housing costs that are making it harder to keep a roof over their heads. And hurting as they see health care costs rise, while support from their elected leaders falls. We’re in the throes of a dire affordability crisis."

The Time Is Now To Speak Out Against the Latest APS Rate Hike

"While many Arizonans have struggled to pay the bills, APS's parent company made over $600 million in profit last year."

Administration's Move to Gut FEMA Staffing Violates Agency's Independence and Mission, New Lawsuit Asserts

"The complaint is a supplement to a lawsuit filed in April 2025 by AFGE and a large coalition of groups challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful reorganization and downsizing of the federal government without congressional authority."

More Than 31,000 Nurses, Healthcare Workers Strike at Kaiser Permanente, Arguing for Safe Staffing Levels, Fair Wages

"UNAC/UHCP said many Kaiser facilities are currently experiencing staffing shortages, which is leading to delays in care and a risk of errors, as well as burnout and turnover. The union also states that Kaiser is seeking wage cuts and a reduction in benefits and retirement, including active medical coverage and pension benefits."

IAM Young Workers Program Builds the Next Generation of Union Leaders

"The weeklong program brought together young IAM members from across the country and many industries for hands-on training, leadership development, and exposure to the full breadth of the union’s work."

Organizing Down the Supply Chain: Logistics Workers Win First Contract

"Wallenius is the largest ro-ro carrier in the world, with 128 vessels. In 2024 it brought in $5.3 billion in revenue and more than $1 billion in profits. Yet, until ILWU’s win, it was running a non-union operation immediately adjacent to longshore work."

US Department of Labor Announces Compliance Assistance Tools to Help Employers Understand Federal Labor Law, Avoid Violations

"The new tools include a compliance assistance webpage, a video series on the Family and Medical Leave Act, and revamped compliance assistance toolkits for various industries. In addition to encouraging proactive compliance among employers across the country, the resources also provide American businesses and workers with simple, straightforward guidance on understanding federal labor laws."

As Arizona Faces Education Retention Crisis, Tucson Charter School Teachers Fight to Unionize

"Teachers at the CITY schools, which include three campuses in downtown Tucson, filed a petition to unionize in December. Their school board rejected it and hired a high-profile law firm to challenge the effort. Fourteen percent of Arizona teachers left their jobs last year, with higher numbers for charter schools, according to state data. Research shows unions generally raise salaries and make teachers more likely to stay in the classroom."

Groups Seek to Join Legal Feud Over Arizona Voter Registration Records

"Both the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans and Common Cause have filed legal papers asking U.S. District Court Judge Susan Brnovich that they be allowed to intervene in the lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice demanding access to the full and unredacted records of nearly 5 million Arizonans who are signed up to vote."

Southwest Airlines Sick Time Retaliation Case Now in Maricopa County Court

"A Maricopa County judge will decide whether Southwest Airlines has to pay more than $2.3 million in labor fines after state regulators say the company retaliated against workers who used their earned sick time."

Nurses Hold Vigil for Alex Pretti As Trump Promises Investigation Into Shooting

"Over 50 nurses and community members gathered on Tucson's East Side Wednesday evening for a candlelight vigil honoring Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse who died when Customs and Border Protection agents shot him in Minneapolis."

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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]