Biden's Student Debt Relief to Transform Lives of 78,000 Workers
TL/DR - President Joe Biden has announced additional student loan forgiveness that will benefit an extra 78,000 public service workers, according to AFSCME President Lee Saunders. Saunders believes this move will alleviate financial stress for those in public service roles and could potentially attract more qualified individuals to these positions. This brings the total number […]
LA Transportation Teamsters Authorize Strike, Decline Final Offer
TL/DR - City of Los Angeles bus drivers, mechanics, and utility workers represented by Teamsters Local 572 are preparing to strike over fair wages and improved benefits. The potential strike comes after the Los Angeles Department of Transportation stated in a report that rates for drivers providing transit services are among the least competitive in […]
UAW Responds to EPA's New Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rule
TL/DR - The United Auto Workers (UAW) union supports efforts to create a cleaner domestic auto industry and is leading the fight for a fair transition to electric vehicles (EVs) that benefits both the environment and workers. The UAW asserts that the transition to EVs should not be used as an excuse for job cuts […]
Biden-Harris Invest $180M in School Energy Infrastructure
TL/DR - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched applications for the 2024 Renew America's Schools Prize, a part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda. The initiative will award $180 million to U.S. school districts that implement energy upgrades at K-12 schools, improving air quality and learning environments, especially in underserved communities. The […]
NABTU Praises Biden's Historic Asbestos Ban by EPA
TL/DR - The North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) has lauded the Biden Administration's rule banning the use of chrysotile asbestos. The new rule by the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to phase out chrysotile asbestos in various industries, which have been linked to numerous health issues among construction workers. Despite this positive step, NABTU […]
Teamsters Urge Mass. Legislators to Reject Misclassification Referendums
TL/DR - Teamsters, a labor union, testified against Uber and Lyft's business models before the Massachusetts Senate Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions. The committee was examining six petitions related to the employment classification of Uber and Lyft drivers as well as other gig economy workers. Teamsters asserts these petitions incentivize worker misclassification, promote wage […]
CalPERS Invests $2bn in Infrastructure
TL/DR - California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) has committed $2bn to three new infrastructure projects. The pension fund has allocated $1.7bn to Global Infrastructure Partners V, a fund managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), with the investment to be divided equally between the fund and a sidecar vehicle associated with it. CalPERS has also […]
Saunders Praises Senate for Confirming Berner to Fourth Circuit
TL/DR - The US Senate has confirmed Nicole Berner to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. AFSCME President Lee Saunders lauded Berner's dedication to fair and just treatment of working people, stating that her experience would be invaluable on the federal bench, particularly in light of an increasing number of […]
Teamsters at Oracle Park Unanimously Approve Contract
TL/DR - Teamsters Local 665 members at Oracle Park have unanimously ratified a new collective bargaining agreement. The contract includes a 5.5 percent annual wage increase, the elimination of tiered hourly wages, four additional holidays, employer contributions to the Teamsters 401(k), and improved working conditions. The agreement affects valets, cashiers, and traffic directors who work […]
VW Workers Apply for Union Election to Join UAW
TL/DR - Workers at the Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee have filed a petition for a vote to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. The move came after a supermajority of the factory's workers signed union cards in 100 days. If the petition is successful, the factory will become the first non-union auto plant […]
