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SAG-AFTRA Statement on Federal Production Incentives
LOS ANGELES, California, Sept. 2 -- The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) issued the following statement by President Sean Astin and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator:
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SAG-AFTRA Statement on Federal Production Incentives
The following statement is from SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
"Production is the lifeblood of our industry and the communities that support it. President Trump's vocal and determined leadership in calling
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LOS ANGELES, California, Sept. 2 -- The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) issued the following statement by President Sean Astin and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator:
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SAG-AFTRA Statement on Federal Production Incentives
The following statement is from SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
"Production is the lifeblood of our industry and the communities that support it. President Trump's vocal and determined leadership in callingfor federal production incentives is exactly what the entertainment industry needs. SAG-AFTRA member Jon Voight has also been a strong advocate for bringing more film and television production back to the United States, and we recognize his efforts to advance this important goal. We're encouraged to see the administration recognize the importance of strengthening our domestic production industry and move in this direction.
"As our industry undergoes profound transformation and confronts unprecedented technological change, including the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence, it is more important than ever to ensure that the United States remains a global leader in film and television production. In recent years, we have watched too many productions and middle-class jobs leave the country for jurisdictions offering more competitive incentives.
"A federal film and television production incentive will help bring more productions and thousands of jobs back to the United States, while creating new opportunities for entertainment professionals and the many businesses that support our industry in communities across the country. We urge Congress to act swiftly on the president's call. SAG-AFTRA stands ready to work with the administration, Congress and our industry partners to turn this momentum into concrete policy that delivers more production and good union jobs here at home."
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About SAG-AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.
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Original text here: https://www.sagaftra.org/sag-aftra-statement-federal-production-incentives
[Category: Union]
NEA President Princess Moss Begins Term Leading Nation's Largest Labor Union
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 -- The National Education Association issued the following news release on Sept. 1, 2026:
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NEA President Princess Moss begins term leading nation's largest labor union
Moss represents nearly 3 million educators and education support professionals from every state and territory
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Princess R. Moss begins her term today as president of the National Education Association (NEA), leading the nation's largest labor union and representing nearly 3 million educators and education support professionals in every state and territory. Moss was elected at the NEA's 105th Representative
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 -- The National Education Association issued the following news release on Sept. 1, 2026:
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NEA President Princess Moss begins term leading nation's largest labor union
Moss represents nearly 3 million educators and education support professionals from every state and territory
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Princess R. Moss begins her term today as president of the National Education Association (NEA), leading the nation's largest labor union and representing nearly 3 million educators and education support professionals in every state and territory. Moss was elected at the NEA's 105th RepresentativeAssembly in July.
An elementary school music teacher and longtime advocate for students, educators, and public schools, Moss previously served as NEA vice president and secretary-treasurer. She is a former president of the Virginia Education Association, where she helped advance collective bargaining rights and greater investment in public education. Moss has served on numerous education and nonprofit boards and was appointed by two Virginia governors to statewide education leadership positions. She holds a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Mary Washington and a master's degree in educational administration and supervision from the University of Virginia.
"I am deeply honored to serve as the president of the National Education Association, and I carry the trust educators have placed in me with both gratitude and humility," said Moss. "I came to this work as a classroom teacher, and that will always be at the heart of how I lead. I want every educator to know that I see you, I hear you, and I understand the responsibility you carry every day for your students. And I want every student, no matter their race, background, ZIP code or circumstances, to have a public school where they are supported, challenged, celebrated, and given every opportunity to thrive.
As president, Moss will focus on moving NEA from resistance to renaissance by giving a voice to every member and ensuring that they are engaged every day, not just during the big moments. Central to that vision is a commitment to continuous organizing and leadership rooted in the experiences of educators themselves. Moss believes NEA's local and state affiliates are its most important eyes and ears, and she intends to ensure that the voices of members on the ground help shape the union's national direction. Her priorities also include elevating educator expertise in policymaking, organizing around the issues that unite people across political lines, and making the case for greater federal and state investment in public education.
"We have spent years standing up against efforts to weaken public education, and we will never stop defending our students," said Moss. "But this moment also calls us to build. I want us to imagine what becomes possible when the people closest to our students help set our direction, and when we use our collective voice not only to respond to decisions but to shape them. That is how we move from resistance to renaissance."
Moss's commitment to public education is deeply personal. Both of her parents were school bus drivers who believed in the power of a good public school to expand what was possible for a student. As a young teacher, Moss experienced firsthand the power of organizing when she joined with parents to successfully fight to save a school band program she had helped establish. Those experiences shaped a leadership philosophy grounded in truth, love, and justice.
Last week, Moss embarked on a nationwide back-to-school tour, traveling to communities across the country to hear directly from educators, students, parents, and community members about what they need to thrive. The tour includes stops in Virginia, California, Washington, Idaho, Ohio, Iowa, and Michigan, highlighting the experiences of those on the front lines of public education and reinforcing NEA's commitment to listening to and amplifying their voices.
"This tour has reminded me that the most important lessons are often learned by showing up, listening, and learning from the people who know their schools and communities best," said Moss. "Every conversation has deepened my understanding of what our students, educators, and families need--and what is possible when we build solutions together."
Moss will serve a three-year term alongside Vice President Noel Candelaria, a special education teacher from Texas who previously served as secretary-treasurer, and Secretary-Treasurer Robert Varela Rodriguez, a special education teacher from California and a former member of the NEA Executive Committee.
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The National Education Association is the nation's largest labor union, representing nearly 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.
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Original text here: https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-president-princess-moss-begins-term-leading-nations-largest-labor-union
[Category: Union]
Lawsuit Challenges Federal Government's Bid to Gain Personal Data from CDL Holders
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Teachers issued the following news release:
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Lawsuit Challenges Federal Government's Bid to Gain Personal Data from CDL Holders
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WASHINGTON-Today, the AFT moved to join an ongoing lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation, seeking to stop the agency from seizing the personal records of 17 million commercial driver's license (CDL) holders from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the nonprofit that maintains the national database of driver records. The AFT is represented by Public
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Teachers issued the following news release:
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Lawsuit Challenges Federal Government's Bid to Gain Personal Data from CDL Holders
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WASHINGTON-Today, the AFT moved to join an ongoing lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation, seeking to stop the agency from seizing the personal records of 17 million commercial driver's license (CDL) holders from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the nonprofit that maintains the national database of driver records. The AFT is represented by PublicCitizen Litigation Group and Murphy Anderson PLLC.
The AFT represents approximately 13,500 transportation workers, including school bus drivers and maintenance drivers, many of whom hold CDLs. The government's demand puts their sensitive personal data-including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, license numbers, and state of record-at risk of being collected, shared across agencies and used for purposes they never consented to.
"Many AFT members require a CDL to work as school bus drivers or Department of Transportation employees-and we must protect them and their privacy against the vindictive nature of this president and his cronies," said AFT President Randi Weingarten. "Just like we sued the Department of Government Efficiency for trying to mine personal information from millions of working-class Americans, today we intervene against the U.S. government's attempt to strong-arm the AAMVA to turn over CDL holders' private information. This illegal demand puts millions of people's personal data up for grabs without their consent, people who had no choice but to provide their personal information to the states so they could simply work, and who have no way to remove it from the database."
The Trump administration has demanded that AAMVA turn over sensitive personal data without legal authority, without following privacy safeguards required by federal law, and for purposes that have nothing to do with truck and motor vehicle safety. The AFT's complaint alleges the administration intends to hand the data over to the Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement.
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Original text here: https://www.aft.org/press-release/lawsuit-challenges-federal-governments-bid-gain-personal-data-cdl-holders
CWA Members at Piedmont Airlines Ratify New Union Contract Covering 7,500 Workers
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO Communications Workers of America posted the following news release:
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CWA Members at Piedmont Airlines Ratify New Union Contract Covering 7,500 Workers
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Three years after negotiations with American Airlines subsidiary Piedmont Airlines began, union members achieve annual raises, expanded vacation, and overtime accrual through unwavering solidarity
NATIONWIDE - Piedmont Airlines passenger service and ramp workers, represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new union contract covering
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO Communications Workers of America posted the following news release:
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CWA Members at Piedmont Airlines Ratify New Union Contract Covering 7,500 Workers
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Three years after negotiations with American Airlines subsidiary Piedmont Airlines began, union members achieve annual raises, expanded vacation, and overtime accrual through unwavering solidarity
NATIONWIDE - Piedmont Airlines passenger service and ramp workers, represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new union contract covering7,500 workers across the country.
The five-year contract includes a signing bonus with yearly wage increases throughout the life of the contract, expanded vacation and overtime accrual, and more.
Negotiations for a new contract began in late 2023 and continued until negotiations deadlocked and a federal mediator from the National Mediation Board was assigned in early 2026 in response to the company's failure to negotiate in good faith over wages. Under the Railway Labor Act, which governs labor contracts in the transportation industry, contracts do not expire but rather become "amendable," and the process to strike is lengthy.
"Throughout this lengthy process, in the face of the company penny-pinching at the bargaining table, CWA members at Piedmont Airlines understood that solidarity is our strongest tool at the table," said Sylvia J. Ramos, CWA Chief of Staff. "They remained united for a strong contract that delivers better wages and working conditions."
"CWA members at Piedmont Airlines perform essential and often overlooked labor for one of the country's most profitable airlines," said Claude Cummings Jr., President of CWA. "This strong agreement is a reflection of our union's commitment to fight for the indispensable workers that keep our nation's flying public safe. I thank the members of our bargaining committee for their tremendous work and dedication on behalf of their fellow union members."
CWA members at Piedmont Airlines-a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines-support safe and efficient departures by assisting with pre-flight check-in, loading and unloading baggage, guiding planes on the tarmac, and ensuring aircraft are inspected before departure.
About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields, including more than 20,000 passenger service agents who work for American Airlines and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Envoy Air and Piedmont Airlines.
cwa-union.org @cwaunion
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Original text here: https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/cwa-members-piedmont-airlines-ratify-new-union-contract-covering-7500-workers
Amazon Teamsters Launch One-Day ULP Strike at Company's Largest Facility
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Amazon Teamsters Launch One-Day ULP Strike at Company's Largest Facility
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Press Contact: Maura Drumm Phone: (215) 510-3735 Email: mdrumm@teamster.org
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) - Today, Amazon Teamsters at the DJT6 facility in Riverside, California -Amazon's largest warehouse facility in the nation -launched a one-day unfair labor practice (ULP) strike. Members of Teamsters Local 1932 were forced into a work stoppage to protest Amazon's illegal conduct and retaliation against
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Amazon Teamsters Launch One-Day ULP Strike at Company's Largest Facility
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Press Contact: Maura Drumm Phone: (215) 510-3735 Email: mdrumm@teamster.org
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) - Today, Amazon Teamsters at the DJT6 facility in Riverside, California -Amazon's largest warehouse facility in the nation -launched a one-day unfair labor practice (ULP) strike. Members of Teamsters Local 1932 were forced into a work stoppage to protest Amazon's illegal conduct and retaliation againstworkers advocating for safer working conditions.
DJT6 warehouse workers joined Local 1932 in December 2025. Since then, Amazon has ignored federal labor law that requires the company to recognize the Teamsters and bargain with workers at the facility. Amazon has also retaliated against workers with illegal intimidation tactics, including unjustly terminating a union leader at the facility.
"Amazon thinks it can trample workers' rights with no consequences, but Amazon Teamsters at DJT6 are proving them wrong," said Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division and Secretary-Treasurer of Local 1932. "Amazon has ignored the law for long enough. If this multitrillion-dollar company won't listen to workers on the job, then we will make it listen to us on the streets."
The ULP strike comes after a major victory against Amazon at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Earlier this year, the Teamsters forced the company to concede it will no longer retaliate against workers who exercise their right to strike. Today's strike is the first time that Teamsters on both primary shifts at the DJT6 facility have engaged in a coordinated action, bringing one of Amazon's key nationwide hubs to a 24-hour stop.
"I joined the Teamsters with hundreds of my co-workers to win better pay and safer working conditions at DJT6. But instead of listening to our concerns, Amazon has responded with illegal intimidation and retaliation against us," said Emmanuel Cadena, a DJT6 Amazon worker and member of Local 1932. "If Amazon doesn't want to listen to us, then we have no other choice but to strike to defend our rights. We will show Amazon that no amount of intimidation will stop us from demanding safety on the job."
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents over 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
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Original text here: https://teamster.org/2026/09/amazon-teamsters-launch-one-day-ulp-strike-at-companys-largest-warehouse/
AFT Survey Shows Teachers Are Stressed, Working Second Jobs and Still Paying Hundreds for Classroom Supplies
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Teachers issued the following news release:
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AFT Survey Shows Teachers Are Stressed, Working Second Jobs and Still Paying Hundreds for Classroom Supplies
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WASHINGTON-The AFT today released a new national survey that reveals a teaching profession in crisis, with educators stressed out, working second jobs, battling rising costs and forking out hundreds of dollars from their own pockets for classroom supplies and food for students, as they head back to school for another year.
The troubling snapshot of more than
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Teachers issued the following news release:
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AFT Survey Shows Teachers Are Stressed, Working Second Jobs and Still Paying Hundreds for Classroom Supplies
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WASHINGTON-The AFT today released a new national survey that reveals a teaching profession in crisis, with educators stressed out, working second jobs, battling rising costs and forking out hundreds of dollars from their own pockets for classroom supplies and food for students, as they head back to school for another year.
The troubling snapshot of more than2,000 AFT K-12 members, taken in August, found that nearly two-thirds rate their weekly stress at 7 or higher on a scale of 1 to 10, while 31 percent say they're likely to leave teaching in the next year. Just 36 percent said they'd recommend their job to their own kids.
"Teachers are at a breaking point," said AFT President Randi Weingarten. "Many work more than one job to make ends meet, and they still dig into their pockets each year for basic classroom supplies, from books to art materials and even food for their students. They are battling education funding cuts, out-of-control Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, limitations on what they can say, much less teach, and an affordability crisis that's making it even harder for working families to get by, let alone get ahead. No wonder they're stressed and talking about leaving the profession. All of this is taking its toll."
Teachers who are likely to leave highlighted stress and a lack of support as top reasons. "The heaviness of teaching and the weight of it is not sustainable," one member remarked. Teachers also cited low pay that doesn't match their education, workload, or the rising cost of living. One said her rent is more than half her income, forcing her into credit card debt. Another said she can make more money in her second job as a pet sitter.
More than 40 percent of respondents said they're working a side job, with higher percentages for Black (58 percent) and Latino (42 percent) educators than for white educators (39 percent).
Echoing last year's AFT survey responses, half said they expect to purchase food and snacks for hungry students. Nearly half of those surveyed said they expect to spend up to $300, and a combined 76 percent-up slightly from last year-anticipated spending up to $600, on classroom supplies. That includes everything from pencils to art supplies and instructional materials at a time when the cost of school supplies, one study showed, is up nearly 8 percent year on year.
Members pointed to school funding cuts that shift costs onto teachers and rising supply costs as predominant problems. "Rising costs of everything will make it more expensive even if I was buying the exact same things," one member said.
The extra spending comes as the cost of groceries, gas and other staples skyrocket-an affordability crisis that nearly half of respondents specifically pinned on President Donald Trump's and Republicans' policies, with 28 percent naming government policies and leadership in general. More than 80 percent said gas prices, up nearly 40 percent since the war on Iran, have made their commute more expensive.
At a time of declining inflation-adjusted wages for public school teachers, 34 percent of respondents reported household income between $50,000 and $99,000, while 29 percent reported more than $100,000. Last year, nearly 47 percent reported a household income of $100,000 and above.
The survey, conducted by Grow Progress, was completed by 2,112 AFT members between Aug. 13 and 24. Respondents were mostly (56 percent) between the ages of 35 and 54; 76 percent were women; and the majority (73 percent) were white, 11 percent were Latino and 8 percent were Black. Nearly a third reported they are parents or guardians of children under the age of 18.
More than half (54 percent) described themselves as Democrats, while 34 percent said they were independents and 12 percent said they were Republicans. Seventy-six percent said they turned out to vote in the 2022 midterm election.
The survey revealed a strong negative perception of Trump's policies, with 61 percent describing the administration's impact as "very negative" and 16 percent describing it as somewhat negative-a combined 77 percent, which is a slight uptick from last year's combined 71 percent. Leading concerns among those citing negative impacts were:
* The weakening of their schools from funding cuts and pressure to privatize education-35 percent.
* ICE activity that traumatizes students and families and drops attendance-30 percent. "ICE has taken away families, and those still here are afraid to leave their homes," one member said.
* The broader cost-of-living squeeze on their households and families-20 percent. "Morale is low, hope for the future is low," another member said.
One English teacher responded that she has no books except for textbooks in her classroom because of book bans. Another teacher said book bans are hindering learning, while yet another said there has been a chilling effect on teaching about inclusion and honest history.
"The survey shows educators want politicians to not just care about their work and the students they teach, but to strengthen, not abandon, our nation's public schools," Weingarten said.
Additional concerns for some AFT members include the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, which 28 percent said is weakening critical thinking and social skills, and 15 percent cited cheating as a concern. Another 15 percent said schools lack clear AI policies or training. And 22 percent said AI isn't a pressing concern for them just yet.
Survey respondents hailed from states across the country, with the largest percentages from New York (21 percent), Florida (11 percent) and Minnesota (10 percent).
The results are weighted to K-12 AFT teachers. The margin of error is plus-or-minus 1.79 percent at a 90 percent confidence level and plus-or-minus 2.13 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.
The survey memo with toplines can be viewed here.
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Original text here: https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-survey-shows-teachers-are-stressed-working-second-jobs-and-still-paying-hundreds
AFL-CIO President: Working People Are Hurting, Don't See Politicians Showing Up for Them
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 -- The AFL-CIO issued the following news release:
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AFL-CIO President: Working People Are Hurting, Don't See Politicians Showing Up for Them
The annual 'State of the Unions' address premiered new polling showing union trust higher than either political party ahead of the midterm elections
Video of Speech (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8QKSUxQxtw)
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Ahead of Labor Day, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler warned about workers' struggles with high costs and detailed the labor movement's plans for the 2026 midterm elections.
In her fourth annual "State of the Unions" address,
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 -- The AFL-CIO issued the following news release:
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AFL-CIO President: Working People Are Hurting, Don't See Politicians Showing Up for Them
The annual 'State of the Unions' address premiered new polling showing union trust higher than either political party ahead of the midterm elections
Video of Speech (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8QKSUxQxtw)
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Ahead of Labor Day, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler warned about workers' struggles with high costs and detailed the labor movement's plans for the 2026 midterm elections.
In her fourth annual "State of the Unions" address,Shuler emphasized the pain working people are feeling, the lack of trust working-class voters have in politicians and that electing pro-worker candidates will rely on working people talking to their neighbors.
"This Labor Day, shit's too expensive," said Shuler in her address. "That's what 94% of workers told us, in our new poll. Four out of five say: paychecks aren't keeping up with the cost of living--groceries, rent, child care, gas."
"Workers are sick and tired of both parties: Republicans who enable a White House that has made our life worse and more expensive at every turn. Who have rubber-stamped Trump's needless wars, chaotic tariffs and attacks on our communities. And at the same time, we have too many Democrats who pay lip service to working people, say they understand us, and want our votes on Election Day--and then take office and cozy up to the same corporations we're fighting on the picket lines. This year, it's time to put the full weight of the labor movement behind candidates who will actually deliver for working people."
The 2026 "State of the Unions" also included new polling that surveyed thousands of working people, including both union members and those not yet in a union. Key findings include:
* Trust in unions exceeds trust in the Democratic Party by 20 points (52% to 32%), and workers are twice as likely to trust unions than to trust the Republican Party (52% to 26%).
* Young workers ages 18-30 trust labor unions (61%) more than twice as much as they trust the Democratic Party (28%) or the Republican Party (22%). Among young men, the trust gap is 40 points between unions and Democrats (63% to 23%) and 43 points between unions and Republicans (63% to 20%).
* The only group workers trust more than unions is their own neighbors (75%).
* For five years running, 7 in 10 Americans say they support unions--the highest level of support in a generation.
* By a 2-to-1 margin, people say unions are more needed today than in the past, and say increasing union membership is the single best way Americans can get a raise.
* More workers than ever want a union on the job. Among those ages 18-30, 57% who aren't in a union say they'd join one at their most recent workplace, up 10 points since last year. Workers are more likely to say the path to higher wages is through more people belonging to unions or electing candidates endorsed by unions (22%) than through electing Democrats (20%) or Republicans (19%).
The address comes as union membership has hit a 16-year high, with nearly a half-million workers across the country joining a union last year, 92% of them younger than 40. It is with that increased strength and unions' singular relationships with their members that the labor movement will turn out 2 million more union voters than in 2024 and train 50,000 election protection volunteers for November.
President Shuler's address can be viewed here and her remarks in full are below.
The polling was conducted in coordination with David Binder Research. A memo of the full results can be found here (https://aflcio.org/sites/default/files/2026-09/DBR_2026_AFLCIO_Labor_Day_Survey_Summary_8.31.pdf).
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2026 State of the Unions Address
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler
Remarks as Delivered
This Labor Day, shit's too expensive.
That's what 94% of workers told us, in our new poll. Four out of five say: paychecks aren't keeping up with the cost of living--groceries, rent, child care, gas.
This is happening, by the way, in a country where CEOs now make an average of 312 times what the median worker makes. CEOs got a 21% raise in one year--who else gets that?
Democrat, Republican, Independent--whatever your politics, this economy isn't working for working people.
So how do we build a better one? The answer is growing the power workers have--joining together, building our numbers so we can demand more.
Last year in our State of the Unions, we said we'd put together the single biggest year of action in our history. We talked about organizing everywhere, getting more young people into our movement, bringing people together around unions and what we fight for. A year later, we have more union workers in this country than we've had in 16 years. Nearly half a million workers joined a union last year--almost all of them under the age of 40.
So this June, our unions voted to double down and organize 2 million more workers into unions over the next five years. We're going to deliver a Workers' First AI Agenda, making sure technology works for working people, not just billionaires and corporations. We're going to keep fighting for good housing, better pay, health care and retirement--and bringing good union jobs to everyone.
But these things don't just happen.
The labor laws in our country are rigged against workers trying to form a union, so it's harder to organize. It's harder to win on AI when we have politicians--Republicans and Democrats alike--who cash checks from Big Tech CEOs instead of doing their job and regulating them.
It's harder to build worker power when the people in charge are working every day to undermine the movement that gives working people a voice.
That's why these midterm elections matter. If we don't right the ship in November, it gets *that much harder* to build an economy that works for all of us.
We're 63 days from Election Day and here's what we know:
Workers are sick and tired of both parties: Republicans who enable a White House that has made our life worse and more expensive at every turn. Who have rubber-stamped Trump's needless wars, chaotic tariffs and attacks on our communities. And at the same time, we have too many Democrats who pay lip service to working people, say they understand us, and want our votes on Election Day--and then take office and cozy up to the same corporations we're fighting on the picket lines.
This year, it's time to put the full weight of the labor movement behind candidates who will actually deliver for working people.
We've endorsed worker-first candidates in battleground states, governor's races, Senate races, House districts. Democrats, moderates, Republicans, Democratic socialists, independents and everything in between. They all have one thing in common: they've proven they're ready to fight for us. And over the next two months, we're going to throw everything we have into electing them.
First, we're going to turn out union voters and their families on a scale we never have before.
Two years ago, in 2024, the three closest Senate races in the country were in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The total number of votes that decided those races? Sixty-three thousand combined.
We have enough union members and union family members to make that margin. Think about the different world we'd live in right now with just a little more turnout.That's why we're setting a goal of 16 million union voters and their families, 2 million more than the last midterms.
The second thing we have to do, more than we ever have before, is protect and defend the vote in this election.
Unions helped get the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965. Growing up, I remember hearing stories about union members standing at polling places, making sure their neighbors knew how to cast a ballot. We've done it every single election year, and we're going to step up again, right now, when the right to vote of so many Americans is under attack.
We're training 50,000 election protectors to staff every battleground district in the country.
We're going to be there with our yellow vests at polling places, helping people navigate the process. Letting people know their rights before Election Day. And guess what? Even after the election, we're going to keep our election protectors right there on the ground, including legal support, making sure every single vote is counted.
Look: none of this is going to be easy. Those same CEOs and billionaires I spoke about earlier, who've gotten wealthier by the minute? They're using that money to buy influence, to buy these midterms.
The 50 biggest individual political donors have already spent more than $1.6 billion on the 2026 election cycle. Elon Musk--one guy--is ready to spend as much as $200 million the next few months alone.
We can't outspend them. We can't compete with the billionaire TV ads. But we don't have to.
Our answer is people talking to people. It's the trust, the relationships that union workers have all over America. We are the antidote to billionaire money.
In our polling this year, workers told us there's only one group in this country they trust more than unions: their own neighbors. That shouldn't surprise us. Because union members are people's neighbors. We're the nurse down the street; the teacher in your kid's classroom. The people who coach Little League, volunteer at the food pantry and sit next to each other at church.
Those relationships and the trust that comes with them are a superpower no other institution has. And as we mobilize every day from now until November, that's what we're going to lean on. Billionaires can buy their yachts, they can buy their rocket ships--but they cannot buy our democracy, and we're not going to let them try.
One midterm election is not going to fix every problem. It won't fix our broken labor laws overnight. It won't organize 2 million more workers into unions. We have to do those things, and we will. But winning in November--righting the ship--puts us directly on the path.
So from now until November 3, every day is an all-out sprint. We are the only movement that can do this at scale--that has the trust, the infrastructure, the know-how. We're going to talk to workers who are frustrated, who have never voted before, who have stopped believing politics can deliver for them.
And our message is simple: We have power. Our vote gives us power. Our voice on the job gives us power. Our unions give us power. And when millions of workers act together, no billionaire can beat us.
Working people are hurting. Working people are angry. But this Labor Day, the State of the Unions is clear: We're motivated. We're mobilized. We're ready. And we're going to win.
Sixty-three days left. Let's make every single one count.
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Original text here: https://aflcio.org/press/releases/afl-cio-president-working-people-are-hurting-dont-see-politicians-showing-them
[Category: Union]
