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NEA President Becky Pringle: As They Return to School for the New Year, Students Should Not Have to Fear for Their Safety or That of Their Families
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The National Education Association issued the following statement by President Becky Pringle:
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NEA President Becky Pringle: As They Return to School for the New Year, Students Should Not Have to Fear for Their Safety or that of Their Families
National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle issued the following statement regarding continuing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) actions near or around sensitive locations like public schools and bus stops that are causing chaos and sending chilling
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The National Education Association issued the following statement by President Becky Pringle:
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NEA President Becky Pringle: As They Return to School for the New Year, Students Should Not Have to Fear for Their Safety or that of Their Families
National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle issued the following statement regarding continuing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) actions near or around sensitive locations like public schools and bus stops that are causing chaos and sending chillingeffects to families and students.
"For most of us, back-to-school means fresh chances to learn, make new friends, and reconnect with our favorite educators. For some, however, especially our most vulnerable students in diverse communities across this country, the back-to-school experience is turning into uncertainty, chaos, and fear at the hands of the Trump administration's ICE and DHS agents.
"These unnecessary and disruptive actions at the hands of ICE and DHS have no place in our communities. They are cruel and actively interfering with students' ability to learn and educators' ability to teach. Attendance, learning, and a student's basic sense of security all depend on knowing that the walk to the bus stop and the school day itself are safe.
"For those who do in fact make it to school, they sit in classrooms fearing that they will return to an empty home, with no adult there to meet them at the end of the day. Or worse, as we have seen in Danbury, Connecticut, this week, parents and caretakers were detained and disappeared as they dropped off their kids at school buses. They fear that walking to the bus stop means walking toward danger. No student should have to carry this fear into the classroom. These events and experiences shake communities to their core.
"NEA and allies took the Trump administration to court in September 2025 to restore protections that it eliminated when they entered office. Those protections kept immigration enforcement away from sensitive locations such as public schools, places of worship, and hospitals. As we await a decision on the case, NEA and its members will continue to show up for our students and their families wherever they are, and we will stand up for our public schools and communities when they are under attack."
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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 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-becky-pringle-they-return-school-new-year-students-should-not-have-fear-their-safety
[Category: Union]
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler Named to TIME's Fourth Annual List of the TIME100 AI
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The AFL-CIO issued the following news release:
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AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler Named to TIME's Fourth Annual List of the TIME100 AI
TIME named AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler to the 2026 TIME100 AI, a list recognizing the 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence (AI).
Shuler has led the labor movement's response to ensure workers have a voice in how AI's development and implementation affect their livelihoods. Under the president's leadership, unions have won key protections in union contracts related to the implementation of AI technology on the job, and
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The AFL-CIO issued the following news release:
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AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler Named to TIME's Fourth Annual List of the TIME100 AI
TIME named AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler to the 2026 TIME100 AI, a list recognizing the 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence (AI).
Shuler has led the labor movement's response to ensure workers have a voice in how AI's development and implementation affect their livelihoods. Under the president's leadership, unions have won key protections in union contracts related to the implementation of AI technology on the job, andadvanced pro-worker AI policy in Congress and state legislatures.
"I am honored to be included in this year's TIME100 AI list--a recognition that belongs to every worker fighting for fair, safe and equitable jobs in the face of the AI revolution," said Shuler. "We're at the most important fork in the road our economy has faced in a hundred years. There is no worker and no industry this does not touch, and every job is now a technology job. But the labor movement has been here for every transformation of our economy, and we will build a future that works for all of us. Thank you to the team at TIME for recognizing labor's essential role in the conversation about how we get there."
Shuler founded the AFL-CIO Technology Institute in 2021 to ensure working people's knowledge, expertise, and interests are centered in the innovation economy and that technological change benefits workers, not just the wealthy and corporations. Under her leadership, the AFL-CIO and its Tech Institute have convened experts in policy, labor law, and organizing, and worked with affiliated unions to develop the "Workers First Initiative on AI," the first comprehensive labor movement agenda establishing principles on AI technology. They also convened the AFL-CIO's AI Task Force to fight for commonsense, strong AI guardrails at the state and local levels.
To assemble the list, TIME's editors and reporters examined the key stories in AI over the past year and consulted with expert sources and industry leaders for recommendations. The result is a list of 100 leaders, innovators, shapers and thinkers who have a stake in the future of AI.
See the full list here: https://time.com/collection/time100-ai/2026/
The TIME100 AI 2026 will appear in the Sept. 7 issue of TIME, available on newsstands Friday, Aug. 28.
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Original text here: https://aflcio.org/press/releases/afl-cio-president-liz-shuler-named-times-fourth-annual-list-time100-ai
[Category: Union]
Statement on Wayne County Judge's Hollow Contempt Claims against Striking Public Defenders by UAW President Shawn Fain
DETROIT, Michigan, Aug. 27 [Category: Union] -- The United Automobile Workers posted the following statement by President Shawn Fain:
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Statement on Wayne County Judge's Hollow Contempt Claims against Striking Public Defenders by UAW President Shawn Fain
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You don't get to turn the courthouse into a hammer against UAW members at Neighborhood Defender Service because they went on strike for fair treatment in the workplace.
If Judge Darnella Williams-Claybourne is proceeding with criminal charges against two public defenders, members of UAW Local 2325, over missed court dates while on strike,
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DETROIT, Michigan, Aug. 27 [Category: Union] -- The United Automobile Workers posted the following statement by President Shawn Fain:
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Statement on Wayne County Judge's Hollow Contempt Claims against Striking Public Defenders by UAW President Shawn Fain
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You don't get to turn the courthouse into a hammer against UAW members at Neighborhood Defender Service because they went on strike for fair treatment in the workplace.
If Judge Darnella Williams-Claybourne is proceeding with criminal charges against two public defenders, members of UAW Local 2325, over missed court dates while on strike,the people of Wayne County have every right to ask: What is going on here? A labor dispute is not a license to punish workers for standing together. It is further outrageous considering that striking workers were locked out of their office building, their case files, their emails, and their calendars.
This is a heavy-handed move that sends a nasty message to every employee who dares to organize, especially those who work in the public interest. It's unacceptable intimidation.
Going on strike does not mean a public defender suddenly stops caring about clients. It does not mean they turned their backs on the defenseless. And it certainly does not mean they surrendered their rights as workers. Public defenders went on strike last month precisely because they knew they couldn't continue to do their critical jobs for their clients and our community without creating a more sustainable workplace.
Our members fought for fair wages, healthcare, and better workplace standards. We are proud of the collective bargaining agreement that was reached, and they have been hard at work representing the people of Wayne County since then.
Judge Darnella Williams-Claybourne is the sole judge in Wayne County seeking to punish UAW workers, out of the over forty judges in the county who presided over hearings for which NDS attorneys did not appear during the strike. The UAW demands that the proceedings for criminal contempt be dropped immediately. Workers should not have to choose between their livelihood and their basic right to stand together.
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Original text here: https://uaw.org/statement-on-wayne-county-judges-hollow-contempt-claims-against-striking-public-defenders-by-uaw-president-shawn-fain/
SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA and WME Statement on Protecting Performer Rights Against Unauthorized AI Use
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 27 -- The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) issued the following news release:
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SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA and WME Statement on Protecting Performer Rights Against Unauthorized AI Use
SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, and leading talent agencies and organizations--including CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA, and WME--have a shared commitment to safeguarding talent's names, voices, likenesses, and creative works in the face of emerging AI technology. We are dedicated to finding the best way to support
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LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 27 -- The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) issued the following news release:
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SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA and WME Statement on Protecting Performer Rights Against Unauthorized AI Use
SAG-AFTRA, Cameo, and leading talent agencies and organizations--including CAA, Music Artist Coalition, UTA, and WME--have a shared commitment to safeguarding talent's names, voices, likenesses, and creative works in the face of emerging AI technology. We are dedicated to finding the best way to supportthe ethical use of talent likenesses in AI-generated content.
Authenticity is core to the Cameo experience for talent and fans alike. Ensuring that talent feel safe and in control of their name, image, and likeness is essential; talent on Cameo retain full ownership of their submitted videos, and Cameo's policies prohibit any account from using AI to generate deepfake videos of talent without their explicit authorization. Cameo does not use talent videos to create or train AI digital replicas without talent permission.
The talent agencies and organizations of this coalition are supportive of Cameo's efforts to protect talent and their livelihoods, which continue to evolve. Moving forward, this coalition remains dedicated to strengthening both policy and technological safeguards to ensure that talent rights are protected in the continually evolving landscape.
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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-cameo-caa-music-artist-coalition-uta-and-wme-statement-protecting-performer-rights
[Category: Union]
Proposed Changes to Federal EEO Process Will Stymie Efforts to Address Workplace Discrimination, Largest Federal Employee Union Says
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Proposed Changes to Federal EEO Process Will Stymie Efforts to Address Workplace Discrimination, Largest Federal Employee Union Says
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AFGE says resolving workplace bias will be harder for employees and more costly for taxpayers under EEOC's proposed changes
WASHINGTON - Proposed changes to the process federal employees must follow when challenging workplace discrimination will make it more challenging for workers to win relief and more costly for taxpayers,
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Proposed Changes to Federal EEO Process Will Stymie Efforts to Address Workplace Discrimination, Largest Federal Employee Union Says
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AFGE says resolving workplace bias will be harder for employees and more costly for taxpayers under EEOC's proposed changes
WASHINGTON - Proposed changes to the process federal employees must follow when challenging workplace discrimination will make it more challenging for workers to win relief and more costly for taxpayers,the American Federation of Government Employees said today.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission voted 2-1 today to proceed with publication of proposed changes to the federal EEO process. The 150-page notice of proposed rulemaking will be published soon for 30 days of public comment.
The proposed changes would, among other things, eliminate the opportunity for employees to try to settle discrimination issues early through the pre-complaint counseling process, revoke the right for employees to have their case heard by an EEOC administrative judge, and eliminate the ability for employees facing similar issues to have their cases grouped together as an administrative class-action complaint.
"The changes being proposed by the EEOC will result in discrimination cases taking longer to resolve at greater cost to taxpayers, which is a disservice both to federal employees and the American public," AFGE National Vice President for Women and Fair Practices Kendrick Roberson said. "The Trump administration is assigning the fox to guard the hen house. Under these proposed changes, when federal workers allege that an agency has discriminated against them, they will no longer have the right to have their case reviewed by a neutral judge. Instead, the agency will decide if the agency engaged in discrimination, and that is a crystal-clear conflict of interest and a denial of justice."
One aspect of the proposed changes would eliminate the ability of federal employees to file class-action complaints at the administrative level. Instead, employees would have to pursue their cases individually - making it harder for judges to detect patterns of discriminatory behavior by agencies.
"The EEOC is undermining its legal responsibility and obligation to keep our federal workplaces free from discrimination and retaliation by proposing these radical changes to the existing complaint process," AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. "Congress has repeatedly said it wants the federal government to be a model employer, and these proposed changes will make that endeavor more difficult to attain."
On July 28, AFGE and two federal employees from the Bureau of Prisons filed a lawsuit against the EEOC challenging its suspension of processing federal-sector class complaints pending before its administrative judges, which is preventing hearings and decisions on properly filed complaints. Our motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to prevent EEOC from implementing the policy is pending before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
AFGE will be submitting formal comments on the EEOC's proposed changes once they have been published for review.
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/6cc7deb49f2b4283aa2ec4363220c97e.aspx
North America's Building Trades Unions Applaud Governor Shapiro's Responsible Approach to Data Center Development
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 -- The AFL-CIO North America's Building Trades Unions issued the following statement on Aug. 24, 2026, by President Sean McGarvey:
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North America's Building Trades Unions Applaud Governor Shapiro's Responsible Approach to Data Center Development
Today, North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey issued the following statement:
"Data centers are critical infrastructure that underpin America's digital economy, data security, and national security. NABTU supports the GRID principles outlined by Governor Josh Shapiro and applauds his reasonable,
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 -- The AFL-CIO North America's Building Trades Unions issued the following statement on Aug. 24, 2026, by President Sean McGarvey:
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North America's Building Trades Unions Applaud Governor Shapiro's Responsible Approach to Data Center Development
Today, North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey issued the following statement:
"Data centers are critical infrastructure that underpin America's digital economy, data security, and national security. NABTU supports the GRID principles outlined by Governor Josh Shapiro and applauds his reasonable,measured approach to responsible data center development. Community benefits, environmental safeguards, energy affordability, and family-sustaining construction careers are essential, and we do not have to choose among them. Governor Shapiro's approach shows that clear standards, transparency, and accountability are the right and responsible way forward to ensure communities benefit, not the blanket moratoriums imposed in other states.
"Responsible development requires responsible actors and firm commitments from the start. It means meaningful community engagement and requiring data centers to invest in the new power generation, grid upgrades, and water infrastructure their projects require without shifting those costs onto working families. It means deploying the latest technology to conserve energy and water, planning early for workforce needs, establishing strong labor standards through project labor agreements, prioritizing local hiring, and utilizing rigorous, multi-year building trades Registered Apprenticeship programs that provide proven pathways to family-sustaining skilled trades careers.
"NABTU and our affiliates look forward to working with Governor Shapiro, other forward-thinking elected officials, and responsible developers to strengthen communities and America's skilled trades workforce and responsibly build the critical infrastructure our nation needs to remain globally competitive."
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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-applaud-governor-shapiros-responsible-approach-to-data-center-development/
[Category: Union]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Arizona's JoAnna Mendoza for Election to Congress
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Arizona's JoAnna Mendoza for Election to Congress
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American Federation of Government Employees says Mendoza will fight for federal workers' jobs and union rights
LAKEWOOD, Calif. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of JoAnna Mendoza for election to Congress representing Arizona's 6th Congressional District in the 2026 election. Mendoza won the statewide primary in July.
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Arizona's JoAnna Mendoza for Election to Congress
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American Federation of Government Employees says Mendoza will fight for federal workers' jobs and union rights
LAKEWOOD, Calif. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of JoAnna Mendoza for election to Congress representing Arizona's 6th Congressional District in the 2026 election. Mendoza won the statewide primary in July.The general election is Nov. 3.
Mendoza, a Marine Corps veteran and former Veterans Service Representative for U.S. Rep. Tom O'Halleran, is committed to opposing arbitrary cuts to the federal workforce and pledged to support legislation restoring the collective bargaining rights stripped from federal workers by President Trump's March 2025 executive order.
"JoAnna Mendoza understands what it means to serve, first as a Marine and then as an advocate helping veterans get the benefits they earned," AFGE District 12 National Vice President Mario Campos said. "Arizona's Sixth District is home to VA clinics, border facilities, and national parks staffed by federal employees who've been hit hard by DOGE cuts and attacks on their union rights. Mendoza has committed to standing with our members. We're proud to endorse her."
Nearly 64,000 federal employees live in Arizona - caring for veterans, supporting the military, ensuring the safety of our food and air, 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 more than 80,000 federal employees in District 12, which includes Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/2f0973dd531448c0bbfc52f8765baed1.aspx
