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As this year comes to a close, we'd like to reflect on a year that was marked by hard-fought campaigns, a wave of work stoppages across the country, and exciting victories for working people.
After successfully electing President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Mark Kelly in 2020, our advocacy efforts in 2021 aimed to hold our elected leaders accountable for their campaign promises to working Arizonans.
From successfully urging Congress to pass a once-in-a-generation infrastructure package, to fighting against anti-worker attacks from state leaders, this year was one of the most impactful for Arizona's labor movement in recent memory. Let's take a look back at 2021.
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During the 2021 legislative session, anti-worker state legislators introduced SB1268, a bill manufactured by corporate lobbyists with the intent of diminishing the power of Arizona's labor movement.
Following the bill's passage, the Arizona AFL-CIO and UFCW 99 filed a lawsuit in federal district court attempting to block the law, as SB 1268 is preempted by federal laws and stands in clear violation of the United States Constitution and the Arizona Constitution.
On October 12th, federal court judge Diane J. Humetawa entered an order prohibiting Governor Doug Ducey, Attorney General Mark Brnovich, and Arizona’s Industrial Commission from enforcing SB 1268.
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The PRO Act is a once-in-a-generation legislative package that would give workers across the country a chance to become union members, without fear of retribution.
In early 2021, we found out that Arizona was the only state to have two labor-supported United States Senators who were not cosponsors of the PRO Act. In March, union members from across the country signed up to help their union siblings and patch them through to the Senators’ offices in favor of the PRO Act.
By July, our campaign successfully moved Senator Mark Kelly from opposing the PRO Act to supporting the “overall goals” of the bill, in addition to supporting parts of the PRO Act through reconciliation.
Here is our the PRO Act campaign by the numbers:
- Made 69,164 calls to union households
- Sent 2,663 postcards to Senators Sinema and Kelly
- Mobilized 17 release staff from national affiliates
- Created 7 PRO Act testimonial videos for organic social media
- Recorded 4 worker testimony ads in coordination with the national
- Placed 2 op-eds in support of the PRO Act
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PRO Act March with National AFL-CIO Executive VP Tefere Gebre
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On August 3rd, National AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre led the Pass the PRO Act March from Senator Mark Kelly’s Phoenix Office to Senator Kyrsten Sinema's office in Phoenix.
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Arizona Federation Mourns the Passing of then-National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
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On August 5, the labor movement lost National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. A giant in the labor movement, President Trumka was a relentless champion of workers’ rights, workplace safety, worker-centered trade, democracy and so much more.
President Trumka began his career in organized labor as a staff attorney for the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and later rose to become president serving for 13 years. In 1995, Trumka became Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, and in 2009, became the AFL-CIO’s president, serving until his death.
Read the full statement from Arizona AFL-CIO leadership honoring President Trumka's life and legacy here.
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Q&A Lunch with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh & U.S. Senator Mark Kelly
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On August 24th, the Arizona AFL-CIO was proud to host a Q&A Lunch with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh & U.S. Senator Mark Kelly.
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National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler's First AZ Visit as President
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On August 27th, National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler made her first visit to Arizona since taking office. While in Phoenix, President Shuler visited UFCW 99 members at a local Fry’s store, interviewed on Arizona Family’s Politics Unplugged program, hosted a community allies roundtable at the IUPAT DC 86, served as the keynote speaker at a the March On for Voting Rights, and visited local union members & leaders at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
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Labor Day PRO Act Rally with AFL-CIO Sec.-Treasurer Redmond
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On Labor Day, National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond was the keynote speaker at our “Labor at the Pulpit” event, speaking to parishioners at First Institutional Baptist Church. Following the event, Secretary-Treasurer Redmond hosted a Labor Roundtable Lunch with Arizona union leaders at AFSCME 2960.
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President Biden Signs $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Into Law
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The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November was a monumental political and legislative accomplishment. This is a $1.2 trillion investment in our infrastructure after decades of decline, and America’s workers are ready to rebuild our country.
This is a tremendous victory for working people in Arizona:
- $5 billion to rebuild 3,100 miles of highway and $225 million for bridges
- $883 million to improve healthy, sustainable transportation options
- $100 million to expand reliable, high-speed internet
There’s even more in the bill, and all of this investment will create good union jobs. And that is worth celebrating.
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HMS Host Workers at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Go on Strike
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In November, HMS Host employees at Sky Harbor Airport, who are organized by UNITE HERE Local 11, went on strike after four years of failed contract negotiations. Strike for fair raises, affordable health insurance, a company-paid retirement contribution, protections for workers’ tips, and strong contract language for equal opportunity and protection from discrimination. The strike lasted 10 days, through the Thanksgiving holiday.
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Mesa Starbucks Employees File Petition to Unionize
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In November, workers at a Starbucks location on Power and Baseline in Mesa filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board. If organizers are successful, the Mesa location would become one of the first Starbucks locations in the U.S. — and the first in Arizona — to unionize. The filing follows the successful unionization of a Starbucks store in Buffalo, NY where earlier this month, workers voted 19-8 in favor of forming a union.
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What's next? Looking Ahead to 2022
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On behalf of Arizona's labor movement, we proudly thank you for your support of working Arizonans this year. We look forward to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you in 2022.
In Solidarity,
Team AZ AFL-CIO
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