John,

As a kid growing up in Detroit, I lived on a street that was divided in half by city boundaries; half of my street was in Detroit, and the other half was in Hamtramck, at that time a largely Polish community. I lived on the Detroit side. Our next-door neighbor, Reverend Blessitt, repaired washing machines, as evidenced by the dozens of old washing machines sitting in his backyard. We called him Mr. Reverend Blessitt; that is how we addressed our elders, as Mr., Mrs., or Miss.

Of course, being a huge Detroit sports fan, it was big news and very exciting for our entire neighborhood to learn that Mr. Reverend Blessitt’s nephew, Ike, was drafted by the Tigers in 1967. Ike was a multi-sport star growing up and going to school in Hamtramck. I tried to follow his career as much as a 10-year-old could in a world without the internet. He finally made it to the big leagues in 1972, but only for less than a season, and shortly was soon out of baseball. We heard that there was an incident involving Ike and the Tigers' manager that was racially motivated.

Ike now is in ill health, many years removed from his career, which was spent mostly in the minor leagues. He struggles financially and has no residual benefits from Major League Baseball.

Though there have been major improvements in how players in most professional sports leagues are treated, Ike’s story is not uncommon. Furthermore, the average worker today does not relate to the world of multi-millionaire athletes playing for multi-billionaire owners, but in reality, there are more Ike Blessitt’s out there trying to live out their dreams while highlighting the basic human needs of every worker. Dignity and respect in the workplace; the right to a fair and just workplace free from discrimination or harassment. 

The investment and sacrifice made by most families and individuals trying to become professional athletes are far surpassed by the percentage of those that actually make it, and no amount of money can console a worker who has been dehumanized, made to feel less than, or whose basic rights are being trampled on.

Two weeks ago, the AFL-CIO welcomed two additional Pro Sports leagues to our ranks: the WNBA and MLS. The AFL-CIO Sports Council now includes the NFLPA, NWSPLA, MLBPA, and hopefully soon the National Hockey League!

This past week, Arizona hosted the Super Bowl as well as the Phoenix Open. Millions of sports fans converged on our state for the events. Though it wasn’t given the attention it should have, it is important to know that last Saturday, the day before the Super Bowl, the President, one of the Vice Presidents, and the Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association spoke at a press conference and rally in support of Starbucks Workers United Baristas at an Avondale Starbucks, where they recently voted to unionize! AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler was also there in support of the Baristas. As NFLPA President J.C. Tretter said in his comments, "This marks the beginning of our Unions working together to support one another as Workers!"

Under the leadership of President Shuler and with the help of NFLPA Executive Director Dee Smith, the formation of the AFL-CIO Sports Council will mark a new day in professional sports unions and the use of their powerful platform to support Union Workers and organizing workers worldwide!

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita
Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

CWA Broadband Briefing for Allies

Communications Workers of America (CWA) union member are working hard to make sure all Americans have access to reliable, affordable broadband built by a well-trained, well-compensated workforce.

Join a virtual briefing on February 22nd at 2pm to learn about CWA's effort to work with allies to build state-level coalitions to support high quality fiber-optic broadband networks

Petition to Abolish Grad Fees NOW!

The graduate student employees of Northern Arizona University, call upon the Graduate College and university administration to take immediate action and eliminate student fees for all graduate employees. Charging essential employees of the university fees on the premise that they are students first directly contributes to the financial insecurity and vulnerability of members of this community. Furthermore, NAU administration is capricious and inconsistent in how it determines us students versus workers. Remission of fees for student employees would not only alleviate financial instability, but would also begin to establish clearer communication between administration and graduate student employees across campus.

Add your name if you agree! 

Request to Speak at Legislative Committee Meetings

Sign up and 'Request to Speak' to weigh in on bills directly with State Representatives and Senators during our Legislative Committee Meetings every Friday at 9:30 AM!

2023 Legislative Committee Meeting Alerts

Complete this form to be up on a list to get updates and alerts on the 2023 Legislative Session.

For additional questions, contact our Political Director; Joe Murphy at [email protected] 

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].

Unions Are More Relevant Today Than Ever 

"On the 55th anniversary of the Memphis Sanitation Strike, Fred Redmond — the nation’s highest-ranking African American to ever serve in the labor movement — hopes to “unleash a new era of economic prosperity for Black workers."

U.S. Inflation & Jobs Report Show Fastest Recovery in 30 Years Under Biden 

"These are extraordinary times for America’s economy. Recent data suggest that our labor market remains strong even as inflationary pressures are showing signs of easing."

Tesla Just Terminated Dozens in Response to New Union Campaign, Complaint Alleges 

"Tesla Inc. terminated dozens of employees Wednesday at its plant in Buffalo, New York, one day after Autopilot workers at the facility announced a union campaign, organizers said in a complaint. In a filing with the US National Labor Relations Board, the union Workers United accused Tesla of illegally terminating the employees “in retaliation for union activity and to discourage union activity.” The union asked the labor board to seek a federal court injunction “to prevent irreparable destruction of employee rights resulting from Tesla’s unlawful conduct.'"

Big Union Steps Up Help to Fill Frontline Public-Sector Jobs

“State and local governments are short over 500,000 jobs, bringing crisis conditions to agencies that operate around the clock. New strategies are needed to fill these gaps, say union experts.”

DOL Expands OSHA's Ability to Protect All Workers By Certifying Special Visa Applications to Ensure Effective Enforcement 

"U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh joined Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker today to sign a memorandum that gives the Occupational Safety and Health Administration the authority to issue certifications in support of applications for U Nonimmigrant Status and T Nonimmigrant Status visas."

Report Reveals Deteriorating Labor Conditions at Big US Wireless Carriers 

“Labor conditions and collective bargaining rights have worsened in the large US wireless carrier industry now that big telecommunications firms are increasingly outsourcing their retail sales and customer service operations from company-owned stores. The sector, dominated by AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, which together reported $337.1bn in revenue in 2022, is now plagued by wage theft, security issues, overworked staff and health and safety problems, according to a new report. The study, by the Communications Workers of America and National Employment Law Project, found the three largest wireless carriers in the US have increasingly outsourced retail operations to authorized dealers and sellers. That has undermined collective bargaining rights for these workers and resulted in degraded working conditions in comparison with corporate owned and operated retail stores."

CSX Reaches Six Leave Agreements With More Union Groups

"Divisions of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC) unions have reached sick leave agreements with CSX, the railroad announced Tuesday. Specifically, the agreements are for IAM roadway mechanics and BRC Carmen for Fruit Growers Express Company, CSX said. Last week, CSX (NYSE: CSX) announced that it had reached sick leave agreements with the parent organizations of these unions. These two groups bring the total number of unions that have reached sick leave agreements with CSX to six. Besides the groups announced Tuesday and their parent organizations, IAM District 19 Rail Division and BRC, the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employes Division also have reached agreements."

NFL Players Rally with Phoenix Starbucks Baristas Over Union Busting 

“On Saturday, baristas at the Avondale store, along with organizers with Starbucks Workers United and AFL-CIO leadership, were joined at the rally by a powerful ally: the NFL Players Association, the union that represents NFL players."

Planned Kroger-Albertsons Merger Drawn Investigation from Arizona Attorney General's Office

“The Arizona Attorney General’s Office will investigate the proposed merger between supermarket giants Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos., checking for anti-trust violations that could raise grocery prices and looking for signs that store closures or employment changes might harm local communities."

First Lady Jill Biden Visits Mesa Community College to Talk College, Jobs

"First lady Jill Biden was met with nothing but praise and happy students Monday morning during her visit to Mesa Community College, where she applauded the city for its successful college scholarship program. Following her trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Biden stopped in Mesa to vocalize again her support for Mesa College Promise, a public-private partnership commitment from the city of Mesa to all of its residents that eligible high school graduates can attend Mesa Community College for two years with Arizona resident tuition and fees fully funded." 

Teamsters Call on Republic Services to Negotiate Phoenix Labor Deal

“Twenty-two members of the Arizona House of Representatives have called on Republic Services to negotiate a fair contract for Teamsters drivers and helpers at the company’s Phoenix facility. In a letter to Republic Services CEO Jon Vander Ark, the legislators urged the Phoenix-based company to respect United States labor law and deliver on an agreement for Teamster sanitation workers in Arizona. The workers are seeking a first contract with Republic Services after voting to join Teamsters Local 104 last year."

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