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Actors' Equity Announces David Kolen as New Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region
NEW YORK, Aug. 15 -- Actors' Equity Association, a labor union that says it represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers, issued the following news release:
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Actors' Equity Announces David Kolen as New Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region
Chicago - Actors' Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has named David Kolen as the new assistant executive director for the Central Region of the union, effective immediately.
"Through his time at Equity, David Kolen has shown
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Aug. 15 -- Actors' Equity Association, a labor union that says it represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers, issued the following news release:
* * *
Actors' Equity Announces David Kolen as New Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region
Chicago - Actors' Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has named David Kolen as the new assistant executive director for the Central Region of the union, effective immediately.
"Through his time at Equity, David Kolen has showncountless times what it means to walk the walk," said Al Vincent, Jr., executive director for Actors' Equity Association. "No matter what this industry throws at him, he handles it with grace and deep knowledge. Members in the Central Region have long valued his leadership through his work on many agreements, including the Chicago Area Theatre Agreement, Second City and multiple dinner theatres. David was instrumental in getting our first contract over the finish line for Drunk Shakespeare, and has served our members at the bargaining table for everything from LORT to Casa Bonita. He is more than ready to take on this new role."
As the assistant executive director based in Chicago, Kolen will oversee the union's operations in 16 states, including collective bargaining, contract administration and staff management and development. As part of the executive team, Kolen will work alongside the executive director and assistant executive directors in the Eastern and Western regions to build a more equitable and effective union.
"I'm deeply honored for this opportunity and to build upon the work Equity is doing in the Central Region and across the country," said David Kolen, assistant executive director for the Central Region for Actors' Equity Association. "I believe fundamentally in the intersection of labor and the arts, and I know that the success of the American theatre in the face of unprecedented challenges is predicated on the prosperity of arts workers nationwide.
"I've witnessed firsthand the incredible advocacy and artistry of our members in the Central Region and across the country over my fifteen years at Equity - from New Orleans to Minneapolis, Oklahoma City to Cincinnati and everywhere in between. I am excited to continue to grow opportunities for Equity members, build stronger ties to our union siblings and leverage every opportunity to improve our members' workplaces in meaningful ways."
Kolen first joined Equity in 2011 as a contract associate, then served as a business representative and most recently, has been a senior business representative since 2019. Prior to Equity, he worked professionally in scenic construction and lighting design. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Theatre School at DePaul University.
This change comes as the prior Central AED, Andrea F. Hoeschen, takes the helm of Equity's new legal department as full-time general counsel.
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ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks
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Original text here: https://actorsequity.org/news/PR/2026/08/14/actors-equity-announces-david-kolen-as-new-assistant-executive-director-for-the-central-region
[Category: Union]
AFL-CIO and Its Sports Council Stand in Solidarity With First Women's College Sports Union As Members Fight for Official Recognition
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The AFL-CIO issued the following joint statement with the AFL-CIO Sports Council:
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AFL-CIO and Its Sports Council Stand in Solidarity with First Women's College Sports Union As Members Fight for Official Recognition
The following statement was issued by the AFL-CIO and the AFL-CIO Sports Council, which represents athlete workers across professional sports leagues, in support of Oregon State University women's basketball players, who have organized with the United College Athletes Association (UCAA) and are seeking official legal recognition as the first union of women's
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 -- The AFL-CIO issued the following joint statement with the AFL-CIO Sports Council:
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AFL-CIO and Its Sports Council Stand in Solidarity with First Women's College Sports Union As Members Fight for Official Recognition
The following statement was issued by the AFL-CIO and the AFL-CIO Sports Council, which represents athlete workers across professional sports leagues, in support of Oregon State University women's basketball players, who have organized with the United College Athletes Association (UCAA) and are seeking official legal recognition as the first union of women'scollege athletes:
The AFL-CIO and its Sports Council stands in solidarity with the United College Athletes Association (UCAA), the athletes of the Oregon State University (OSU) women's basketball team and the more than 100 women's college basketball players across the country who have signed union authorization cards. After a three-year organizing campaign, the OSU workers filed for recognition of their union with the Oregon Employment Relations Board, marking the historic first-ever official union representation petition in women's college sports.
The NCAA is a multibillion-dollar business that would not exist without the labor of college athletes who generate that profit. Again and again, the NCAA has failed to protect and fought against its athlete workers while lobbying Congress for legislation that grants an antitrust exemption that undermines college athletes' rights and collective bargaining power, including the Protect College Sports Act under consideration in the U.S. Senate.
Collective bargaining guarantees the athletes have a true voice in decisions that impact their lives, families and futures. In every workplace, including professional sports leagues, businesses succeed because of collective bargaining, not in spite of it.
America's unions are proud to support the courageous members of UCAA who are demanding a path to a better future, as they fight for the contract they deserve.
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Original text here: https://aflcio.org/press/releases/afl-cio-and-its-sports-council-stand-solidarity-first-womens-college-sports-union
[Category: Union]
North America's Building Trades Unions Names Cassandra L. Robertson Director of Capital Strategies
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- The AFL-CIO North America's Building Trades Unions issued the following news release on Aug. 13, 2026:
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North America's Building Trades Unions Names Cassandra L. Robertson Director of Capital Strategies
North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) today announced that Cassandra L. Robertson, Ph.D., has joined the organization as Director of Capital Strategies. In this role, she will help advance NABTU's efforts to ensure workers' capital creates union jobs and strong workforce pipelines, while promoting economic development and growth.
Dr. Robertson brings extensive
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- The AFL-CIO North America's Building Trades Unions issued the following news release on Aug. 13, 2026:
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North America's Building Trades Unions Names Cassandra L. Robertson Director of Capital Strategies
North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) today announced that Cassandra L. Robertson, Ph.D., has joined the organization as Director of Capital Strategies. In this role, she will help advance NABTU's efforts to ensure workers' capital creates union jobs and strong workforce pipelines, while promoting economic development and growth.
Dr. Robertson brings extensiveexperience at the intersection of labor, government, industry, and finance. Most recently, she served as Director of Strategy at Ullico, the nation's only labor-owned insurance and investment company. Prior to that, she served as Special Assistant to the President at the White House National Economic Council, where she led labor, workforce, and federal investment initiatives and helped shape policies designed to ensure that major public and private investments create high-quality jobs for working people.
"At a time when historic investments are reshaping our economy, it is more important than ever that workers have a seat at the table and a stake in the prosperity they help create," said NABTU President Sean McGarvey. "Cassie understands how capital, policy, and workforce development come together to drive economic growth. She has a rare ability to bridge the worlds of labor, finance, and public policy, and she has spent her career building partnerships that connect investment to opportunity. She brings exactly the kind of strategic leadership NABTU needs as we work to ensure that investments in infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, and technology create long-term value for workers and communities. We are thrilled to welcome her to our leadership team."
Dr. Robertson will work closely with labor leaders, institutional investors, pension funds, developers, employers, and policymakers to advance capital strategies that support high-road investments, worker-focused industrial policy, workforce development, and responsible economic growth.
"I'm honored to join NABTU at such a consequential moment for working people and the industries that are building our future," Robertson said. "The Building Trades have long demonstrated that strong labor standards, skilled workers, and strategic investment create better outcomes for workers, communities, and investors alike. I look forward to expanding the partnerships and strategies that generate opportunity, strengthen our workforce, and ensure that investment delivers lasting value for working families and our nation."
Robertson holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Her academic and professional work has focused on economic mobility, workforce development, labor markets, and the policies that shape opportunity in America.
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About NABTU: North America's Building Trades Unions is an alliance of 14 national and international unions in the building and construction industry, collectively representing more than 3.2 million skilled craft professionals in the United States and Canada. Each year, our unions and signatory contractor partners invest in excess of $3 billion in private-sector money to fund and operate over 1,900 apprenticeship training and education facilities across North America that produce the safest, most highly trained, and most productive skilled craft workers anywhere in the world. NABTU is dedicated to creating economic security and employment opportunities for construction workers by safeguarding wage and benefit standards, promoting responsible private capital investment, investing in renowned apprenticeship and training, and creating more construction career pathways to the middle class for women, communities of color, Indigenous people, veterans, and the justice-involved. For more information, please visit nabtu.org.
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Original text here: https://nabtu.org/press_releases/north-americas-building-trades-unions-names-cassandra-l-robertson-director-of-capital-strategies/
[Category: Union]
NABTU and Meta Announce New Partnership to Invest in Skilled Trades for the AI Era
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- The AFL-CIO North America's Building Trades Unions issued the following news release on Aug. 12, 2026:
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NABTU AND META ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP TO INVEST IN SKILLED TRADES FOR THE AI ERA
Meta and North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) today announced a new partnership to support skilled trades workers across the country, with plans to grow their investment and scale their efforts together over time.
"NABTU is proud to partner with Meta. The Future Is For Everyone Fund is exactly the kind of investment communities across America need and will value," said
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 -- The AFL-CIO North America's Building Trades Unions issued the following news release on Aug. 12, 2026:
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NABTU AND META ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP TO INVEST IN SKILLED TRADES FOR THE AI ERA
Meta and North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) today announced a new partnership to support skilled trades workers across the country, with plans to grow their investment and scale their efforts together over time.
"NABTU is proud to partner with Meta. The Future Is For Everyone Fund is exactly the kind of investment communities across America need and will value," saidSean McGarvey, President of NABTU. "We look forward to working together to ensure the future of America is built by the men and women of America--all that's needed is the workforce planning, industry partnerships, and sustained investment required to connect people with the jobs and family-sustaining careers".
"We are so proud to work with NABTU on this partnership," said Dina Powell McCormick, President and Vice Chairman of Meta. "I have had the privilege of working with President McGarvey since I took on this new role and we are so excited to work together on skilled trades. This is an important moment, and these men and women of the skilled trades are building the American infrastructure needed to ensure America's values lead the AI race globally."
The partnership comes as the country's AI infrastructure buildout is driving unprecedented demand for highly skilled tradespeople. The people building this infrastructure are essential to the AI economy, and Meta and NABTU share a commitment to ensuring these workers have real access to the training, credentials, and full-time jobs this moment requires.
Building on Meta's Future Is For Everyone Fund--launched earlier this week to invest directly in communities' teachers, first responders, and energy and water infrastructure--this partnership reflects a shared, long-term commitment to ensuring the workers and communities building America's AI infrastructure benefit directly. Meta's Workforce Academy will work with NABTU's trusted Registered Apprenticeship programs to build strong career pathways into the skilled trades for participants.
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Original text here: https://nabtu.org/press_releases/nabtu-and-meta-announce-new-partnership/
[Category: Union]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Slate of Congressional Candidates in Florida ahead of Tuesday's Primary
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Slate of Congressional Candidates in Florida ahead of Tuesday's Primary
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AFGE says the 7 endorsed candidates support federal workers and their rights
RIVERDALE, Ga. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of seven candidates running for Congress representing Florida in the 2026 midterm elections. Two are newcomers, while five are incumbents. The statewide primary is Aug. 18,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Slate of Congressional Candidates in Florida ahead of Tuesday's Primary
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AFGE says the 7 endorsed candidates support federal workers and their rights
RIVERDALE, Ga. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of seven candidates running for Congress representing Florida in the 2026 midterm elections. Two are newcomers, while five are incumbents. The statewide primary is Aug. 18,and the general election is Nov. 3.
The endorsed candidates are Alex Vindman for U.S. Senate, Pia Dandiya for election to the U.S. House representing Florida's 22nd Congressional District, and incumbent U.S. Reps. Darren Soto (FL-9), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Lois Frankel (FL-23), and Jared Moskowitz (FL-25).
Both Vindman and Dandiya are deeply committed to supporting AFGE and are ready to fiercely represent our Florida federal workers in Washington.
"Right now, Florida needs leaders who will fight the tough battles for federal workers, federal jobs, and collective bargaining," AFGE District 5 National Vice President Tatishka Thomas said. "Alex's commitment to government transparency combined with Pia's background in community building make them the perfect team to deliver real results to our Florida members."
All five incumbent lawmakers have been supportive of key AFGE priorities and are often the co-sponsors of key bills. Most recently, they have all cosponsored the Protect America's Workforce Act (H.R 2550), which would rescind President Trump's executive order banning collective bargaining for most of the federal workforce. They also support the Federal Retirement Fairness Act and continue to be vocal legislative advocates for federal workers.
"These five members of Congress from Florida are staunch champions of labor, AFGE, and federal workers," Thomas said. "Throughout their time in Congress, each of these leaders has proven to be unwavering in their support of federal workers and has consistently stood shoulder to shoulder with labor, consistently fighting for fair wages, workplace rights, and the resources our agencies need to serve the public."
More than 152,000 federal employees live in Florida - caring for veterans, supporting the military, ensuring the safety of our air travel, and getting Social Security recipients their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents 110,000 federal employees in District 5, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/8ceb3b6f7d1b479cad879808fe50c7b2.aspx
Actors' Equity Announces David Kolen as New Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region
NEW YORK, Aug. 14 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO Actors Equity Association issued the following news release:
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Actors' Equity Announces David Kolen as New Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region
*
Chicago - Actors' Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has named David Kolen as the new assistant executive director for the Central Region of the union, effective immediately.
"Through his time at Equity, David Kolen has shown countless times what it means to walk the walk," said Al Vincent,
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Aug. 14 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO Actors Equity Association issued the following news release:
* * *
Actors' Equity Announces David Kolen as New Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region
*
Chicago - Actors' Equity Association, the national union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has named David Kolen as the new assistant executive director for the Central Region of the union, effective immediately.
"Through his time at Equity, David Kolen has shown countless times what it means to walk the walk," said Al Vincent,Jr., executive director for Actors' Equity Association. "No matter what this industry throws at him, he handles it with grace and deep knowledge. Members in the Central Region have long valued his leadership through his work on many agreements, including the Chicago Area Theatre Agreement, Second City and multiple dinner theatres. David was instrumental in getting our first contract over the finish line for Drunk Shakespeare, and has served our members at the bargaining table for everything from LORT to Casa Bonita. He is more than ready to take on this new role."
As the assistant executive director based in Chicago, Kolen will oversee the union's operations in 16 states, including collective bargaining, contract administration and staff management and development. As part of the executive team, Kolen will work alongside the executive director and assistant executive directors in the Eastern and Western regions to build a more equitable and effective union.
"I'm deeply honored for this opportunity and to build upon the work Equity is doing in the Central Region and across the country," said David Kolen, assistant executive director for the Central Region for Actors' Equity Association. "I believe fundamentally in the intersection of labor and the arts, and I know that the success of the American theatre in the face of unprecedented challenges is predicated on the prosperity of arts workers nationwide.
"I've witnessed firsthand the incredible advocacy and artistry of our members in the Central Region and across the country over my fifteen years at Equity - from New Orleans to Minneapolis, Oklahoma City to Cincinnati and everywhere in between. I am excited to continue to grow opportunities for Equity members, build stronger ties to our union siblings and leverage every opportunity to improve our members' workplaces in meaningful ways."
Kolen first joined Equity in 2011 as a contract associate, then served as a business representative and most recently, has been a senior business representative since 2019. Prior to Equity, he worked professionally in scenic construction and lighting design. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Theatre School at DePaul University.
This change comes as the prior Central AED, Andrea F. Hoeschen, takes the helm of Equity's new legal department as full-time general counsel.
ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org #EquityWorks
August 14, 2026
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Original text here: https://www.actorsequity.org/news/PR/2026/08/14/actors-equity-announces-david-kolen-as-new-assistant-executive-director-for-the-central-region
AFL-CIO Report Shows Top CEOs Made 312 Times Workers' Pay in 2025
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (TNSrep) -- The AFL-CIO issued the following news release:
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AFL-CIO Report Shows Top CEOs Made 312 Times Workers' Pay in 2025
New research shows S&P 500 CEOs received $22.8 million on average in 2025, a 21% increase from the previous year, while working people struggle to make ends meet.
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S&P 500 CEOs took home an average pay of $22.8 million in 2025 and made 312 times the wage of the median U.S. worker, up from 285 times in 2024, the AFL-CIO's 2026 Executive Paywatch report showed. While working Americans are struggling over every bill, every purchase and every
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (TNSrep) -- The AFL-CIO issued the following news release:
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AFL-CIO Report Shows Top CEOs Made 312 Times Workers' Pay in 2025
New research shows S&P 500 CEOs received $22.8 million on average in 2025, a 21% increase from the previous year, while working people struggle to make ends meet.
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S&P 500 CEOs took home an average pay of $22.8 million in 2025 and made 312 times the wage of the median U.S. worker, up from 285 times in 2024, the AFL-CIO's 2026 Executive Paywatch report showed. While working Americans are struggling over every bill, every purchase and everypaycheck, corporate CEOs are doing better than ever.
The AFL-CIO's annual report analyzes new data on growing pay disparity between S&P 500 CEOs and the workers who make their companies profitable. Thanks to a 21% increase over the previous year, this year's report shows the highest-ever level of executive compensation in three decades of tracking--not including Elon Musk's $158.3 billion pay package, who became a trillionaire this year--a figure so high it would have skewed the data on its own.
Key findings include:
* Factoring in Musk's $158.3 billion Tesla pay package, the average S&P CEO pay exploded to $340.1 million in annual salary, a 1,700% increase from 2024. Musk's total compensation alone was 2,522,203 times the median Tesla worker's pay in 2025.
* President Trump returned to the White House and cashed in on $2.2 billion in income in 2025--almost a 254% increase from what he received in 2024. The median U.S. worker would need 43,154 years to earn what Trump made in his first year back in office.
* Workers' share of U.S. national income fell to its lowest level since World War II. While their bosses rake in millions, workers at Amazon, Dollar Tree, FedEx, McDonald's and Walmart are among the highest users of public assistance, relying on programs like Medicaid and SNAP to make ends meet.
* As CEOs gave themselves a 21% raise, 16% of adults cannot pay all their bills in full, 26% skipped medical care due to cost, 37% do not have enough cash to cover a $400 emergency expense and 23% of renters fell behind on their rent in the past year.
"As shown in our latest Paywatch report, executive compensation has reached a new, shameful high," said AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond. "Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire. Donald Trump raked in over $2 billion since the 2024 election. Meanwhile, working Americans are struggling to feed their kids and pay their electric bills. But there's a better economy we can build for working people. That's why the labor movement will continue to fight for every worker to have a union contract that begins to level the playing field and ensures they take home the share of the profit they create. And it's why we are spending every day until November organizing and mobilizing 16 million union voters to elect pro-worker politicians who will work for us, not wealthy CEOs."
The full report and findings can be viewed at paywatch.org. The Executive Paywatch database includes CEO compensation data filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and collected by CSuiteComp.com for more than 3,800 corporations. Additional information about the methodology of this research can be found here.
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Original text here: https://aflcio.org/press/releases/afl-cio-report-shows-top-ceos-made-312-times-workers-pay-2025
[Category: Union]
