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National Education Union: Changes to Technical Education are Welcome But Require Proper Investment
LONDON, England, July 29 -- The National Education Union issued the following statement by General Secretary Daniel Kebede:
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Changes to technical education are welcome but require proper investment
Commenting on the announcement of plans to launch new technical education pathways, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"Andy Burnham's first announcement should have been that he will end austerity in education. These proposed changes to technical education are welcome, but they will hit the skids unless there is sufficient investment in schools.
"Support
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LONDON, England, July 29 -- The National Education Union issued the following statement by General Secretary Daniel Kebede:
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Changes to technical education are welcome but require proper investment
Commenting on the announcement of plans to launch new technical education pathways, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"Andy Burnham's first announcement should have been that he will end austerity in education. These proposed changes to technical education are welcome, but they will hit the skids unless there is sufficient investment in schools.
"Supportand investment for schools, colleges and young people must come first. The FE sector is severely underfunded and the government have not fully funded teacher pay for next year. Where will the teachers, lecturers and physical infrastructure to support these new routes come from without proper funding?
"Schools are being forced to find pound sterling460 million in cuts collectively this academic year. After years of underfunding, asking schools to keep doing more with less is simply not sustainable. This is the approach that cost Keir Starmer and Bridget Phillipson the confidence of the profession. If we are serious about raising standards and giving every child the education they deserve, funding must come first.
"Broader options and flexibility for students are in principle a positive step forward, but if the government's plans close doors for young people by narrowing their options at 14 this may place limits on their future opportunities. This will disproportionately hit the most disadvantaged. It is right to focus on improving the escalating NEET issue but education is about more than simply a pipeline to work.
"Young people with SEND are 80 per cent more likely to be NEET and any changes to the curriculum, careers guidance or work experience availability must be inclusive and accessible for all.
"We look forward to working with the new Prime Minister and Secretary of State to help ensure the pitfalls of the past can be avoided."
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Original text here: https://neu.org.uk/latest/press-releases/changes-technical-education-are-welcome-require-proper-investment?_locale=en
[Category: Union]
AFGE and Federal Employees Sue EEOC to Reverse Freeze of Federal-Sector Class Claims
WASHINGTON, July 28 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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AFGE and Federal Employees Sue EEOC to Reverse Freeze of Federal-Sector Class Claims
Complaint reveals undisclosed agency-wide stay that denies employees' statutory rights to thousands of federal workers.
WASHINGTON -Today, the American Federation of Government Employees and two federal employees filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission challenging its suspension of processing federal-sector class complaints pending before
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WASHINGTON, July 28 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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AFGE and Federal Employees Sue EEOC to Reverse Freeze of Federal-Sector Class Claims
Complaint reveals undisclosed agency-wide stay that denies employees' statutory rights to thousands of federal workers.
WASHINGTON -Today, the American Federation of Government Employees and two federal employees filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission challenging its suspension of processing federal-sector class complaints pending beforeits administrative judges. Despite regulations requiring the Commission to handle these matters promptly, the EEOC has unlawfully directed administrative judges to halt all proceedings, preventing hearings and decisions on properly filed complaints.
According to the filing, the EEOC issued an agencywide order to stay all federal-sector class case processing. A notification issued in one of the pending cases explicitly states: "Effective immediately, all case processing in the above-captioned matter must be paused until further notice. All scheduled deadlines and appearances are also cancelled. This notification applies to all class cases in the federal sector, including those alleging disparate impact."
Democracy Defenders Fund; Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll LLP; Burkiewicz & DePriest, PLLC; and AFGE filed this case on behalf of AFGE members in addition to individual federal employees, Deanna Chelette and Alexzandria Boyd, both of whom serve as correctional officers at the Federal Correctional Complex ("FCC") in Pollock, Louisiana. Chelette is one of several women who filed a certified class complaint against the Federal Bureau of Prisons, alleging severe and ongoing sexual harassment against female employees at FCC Pollock. Boyd currently works at FCC Pollock and falls within the class definition.
The EEOC's directive indefinitely blocks Boyd and Chelette's pursuit of justice. This procedural blockade effectively denies these federal employees their fundamental rights, leaving them without legal recourse and perpetuating an environment where workplace harassment can continue unchecked.
"The EEOC's decision to suspend federal-sector class complaints undermines the fundamental right of employees to seek justice," said Taryn Wilgus Null, senior counsel at Democracy Defenders Fund. "By failing to process these cases, the Commission is abandoning workers and disregarding its mandate to uphold the rule of law. We are bringing this lawsuit to ensure the EEOC fulfills its duty and restores the accountability process for all federal employees."
"Justice delayed is justice denied, and the EEOC's refusal to act on these class-action complaints is causing direct harm and personal injury to our members," AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. "The EEOC has a legal responsibility and obligation to keep our federal workplaces free from discrimination and retaliation, and the agency's refusal to process these cases is a clear abandonment of its mission."
"It is well established that, whether in a federal prison or elsewhere, women do not need to endure sexual harassment in the workplace. Rather than take common sense steps to prevent the inmates' vulgar and egregious sexual harassment of female staff, however, FCC Pollock has turned a blind eye to it," said Heidi Burakiewicz, founding partner at Burakiewicz & DePriest. "By refusing to process class claims, the EEOC has abandoned the women and prevented them from obtaining implementation of steps to stop the ongoing sexual harassment."
"The EEOC's suspension of class discrimination claims brought by federal employees is an abdication of its obligation, required by law, to adjudicate these claims expeditiously. This unannounced and unexplained suspension of these important class discrimination cases is the latest chapter in the EEOC's retreat from enforcing the civil rights laws mandated by Congress," said Joseph Sellers, founder and co-chair of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll's civil rights and employment practice. "Federal employees are entitled to have their class discrimination claims processed promptly, not delayed indefinitely."
AFGE is the largest union of federal workers, representing more than 820,000 federal civilian employees, including those who have filed or intend to file class complaints with the EEOC and those whose rights are affected by pending EEOC class cases. The EEOC's suspension directive harms AFGE and its members by impairing AFGE's efforts to counsel and represent those members in EEOC proceedings.
Background
At some point before December 10, 2025, EEOC leadership instructed administrative judges to stop all proceedings for federal-sector class complaints, preventing administrative judges from moving forward with hearings, discovery or decisions. This procedural blockade has indefinitely suspended cases across the federal government, effectively denying employees access to the administrative justice system.
This suspension directly impacts individual complainants like Deanna Chelette, who is a class agent in a certified class complaint alleging systemic sexual harassment at FCC Pollock. It also impacts individuals like Alexzandria Boyd, a corrections officer at FCC Pollock, whose rights are currently tied up in this class litigation, preventing her from obtaining justice.
The EEOC was established by Congress under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect workers from discrimination, investigate job complaints and lead federal civil rights enforcement in the workplace. Since assuming her role as acting chair and then chair of the EEOC, starting in January 2025, Andrea Lucas has shifted enforcement away from systemic discrimination by deprioritizing disparate-impact cases; redirected resources toward investigating employer-related DEI programs, asserting that many race- and sex-conscious workplace initiatives may violate Title VII, and issuing guidance encouraging complaints against such programs; proposed eliminating the EEO-1 workforce demographic reporting requirement; and dropped or abandoned cases involving marginalized groups like transgender workers.
Read the filing here (https://www.democracydefendersfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/072826-AFGE-v.-EEOC-Complaint-Final.pdf).
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/8422b8a2bd454f4ab5351eaa17a9f8eb.aspx
Workers at South Dakota State Penitentiary Join Teamsters
WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Workers at South Dakota State Penitentiary Join Teamsters
(SIOUX FALLS, S.D.) - Maintenance workers at the South Dakota State Penitentiary have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 120.
"We didn't fold when DOC administration tried to intimidate us with meetings and high-level pressure -we stood our ground," said Chris Pick, a maintenance worker at the South Dakota State Penitentiary and new member of local 120. "We were done being ignored and done working without
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WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Workers at South Dakota State Penitentiary Join Teamsters
(SIOUX FALLS, S.D.) - Maintenance workers at the South Dakota State Penitentiary have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 120.
"We didn't fold when DOC administration tried to intimidate us with meetings and high-level pressure -we stood our ground," said Chris Pick, a maintenance worker at the South Dakota State Penitentiary and new member of local 120. "We were done being ignored and done working withouta real, enforceable contract. So, we took a stand, stuck together, and won our vote. We've earned better, and we're done settling for less. That's why we joined North America's strongest union. We're proud to be Teamsters -and we're ready to fight for the contract we deserve."
The new Teamsters work at the largest prison in the state of South Dakota and are responsible for the upkeep of the facility and handling repairs, while ensuring the highest level of safety and security.
"Working at a Level IV correction facility is no easy task," said James Heeren, a business agent at Local 120. "These workers' labor is essential to prison operations -and now, as Teamsters, they will have a collective voice to ensure they are treated as so by management. We look forward to getting them the strongest possible contract and continue organizing workers across South Dakota."
Teamsters Local 120 proudly represents over 15,000 workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, go to teamsterslocal120.org.
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Original text here: https://teamster.org/2026/07/workers-at-south-dakota-state-penitentiary-join-teamsters/
North Dakota DFA Teamsters Authorize Strike
WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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North Dakota DFA Teamsters Authorize Strike
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Press Contact: Lena Melentijevic Phone: (347) 208-2279 Email: LMelentijevic@teamster.org
(FARGO, N.D.) - Over 100 members of Teamsters Local 120 at Cass-Clay Creamery in Fargo, N.D., have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike as they fight for fair wages, better health care, a pension, and a variety of worker protections.
Cass-Clay Creamery's Fargo facility is part of Dairy Farmers of America's (DFA) broader dairy network,
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WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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North Dakota DFA Teamsters Authorize Strike
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Press Contact: Lena Melentijevic Phone: (347) 208-2279 Email: LMelentijevic@teamster.org
(FARGO, N.D.) - Over 100 members of Teamsters Local 120 at Cass-Clay Creamery in Fargo, N.D., have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike as they fight for fair wages, better health care, a pension, and a variety of worker protections.
Cass-Clay Creamery's Fargo facility is part of Dairy Farmers of America's (DFA) broader dairy network,making this a fight for a fair contract against one of the country's largest dairy cooperatives.
"These workers keep Cass-Clay Creamery running and make sure families across the region have the dairy products they rely on every day," said Kevin Saylor, Vice President of Local 120. "They are demanding a contract that respects their hard work, protects their health care, and provides the wages and job protections they deserve. If DFA refuses to get serious at the negotiating table, our members are ready to strike."
Teamsters at Cass-Clay produce, package, and ship dairy products distributed throughout North Dakota and surrounding communities, including fluid milk and Stonyfield yogurt pouches. In addition to health and welfare provisions, workers are looking for successor language, a grievance and arbitration process, and improved strike language.
"We are proud of the work we do, but pride does not pay the bills or cover expensive medical costs," said Matt Hussel, a Cass-Clay Creamery worker and member of Local 120. "We want to continue providing for our community, but we need DFA to recognize our value and negotiate a fair contract. This vote shows we are serious, united, and prepared to stand our ground."
Teamsters Local 120 proudly represents over 15,000 workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, visit local120.org.
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Original text here: https://teamster.org/2026/07/north-dakota-dfa-teamsters-authorize-strike/
NTEU Statement on IRS Suspending Approvals and Requests for Advanced Annual and Sick Leave
WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The National Treasury Employees Union issued the following news release:
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NTEU Statement on IRS Suspending Approvals and Requests for Advanced Annual and Sick Leave
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In yet another attack against IRS employees and their negotiated workplace rights, the agency announced on July 24 that it is suspending further approvals and requests for advanced annual and sick leave.
This is not only an illegal violation of the collective bargaining agreement, but it's unnecessarily cruel and harmful to IRS employees who either themselves are facing a medical
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WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The National Treasury Employees Union issued the following news release:
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NTEU Statement on IRS Suspending Approvals and Requests for Advanced Annual and Sick Leave
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In yet another attack against IRS employees and their negotiated workplace rights, the agency announced on July 24 that it is suspending further approvals and requests for advanced annual and sick leave.
This is not only an illegal violation of the collective bargaining agreement, but it's unnecessarily cruel and harmful to IRS employees who either themselves are facing a medicalcrisis or caring for an ill family member.
Any insinuations that IRS employees are abusing their leave or assertions that taking such leave would harm public services are completely unfounded.
NTEU will vigorously challenge this move and continue defending our members' rights under the law and our contract.
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Original text here: https://www.nteu.org/media-center/News Releases/2026/07/27/IRSStatementJuly
NTEU Secures Victory in Case Over Terminated HHS Probationary Employees
WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The National Treasury Employees Union issued the following news release:
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NTEU Secures Victory in Case Over Terminated HHS Probationary Employees
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Washington, D.C.-The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has won an important arbitration victory in our fight for probationary and trial employees of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who were wrongfully terminated in early 2025.
In siding with NTEU, an arbitrator found that HHS violated the collective bargaining agreement and law by firing more than 3,000 probationary and trial
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WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The National Treasury Employees Union issued the following news release:
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NTEU Secures Victory in Case Over Terminated HHS Probationary Employees
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Washington, D.C.-The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has won an important arbitration victory in our fight for probationary and trial employees of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who were wrongfully terminated in early 2025.
In siding with NTEU, an arbitrator found that HHS violated the collective bargaining agreement and law by firing more than 3,000 probationary and trialemployees without bargaining with the union. The mass reductions-in-force could not have been performance-based as the agency tried to claim, because the process for reviewing the performance of that many employees would have taken weeks or months. Instead, the agency tried to masquerade the RIF as run-of-the-mill probationary terminations.
"The nation-wide mass termination of employees, including the terminations at HHS looks exactly like a RIF," the arbitrator wrote in a July 24 decision. "Calling the HHS action a probationary termination masked the true nature of the action as a RIF."
Further, she added that the "Agency's actions in this case were clearly taken in pursuit of a workforce restructuring inaugurated as part of a reorganization by the Administration, avoiding compliance with the agreement, statute and regulations."
"The mass HHS layoffs are not only disastrous for employees and the public they serve-they are also illegal," said NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald. "We are grateful to the NTEU members whose brave testimony proved that they were not fired for their performance. In reality, they had superior performance evaluations doing critical public health and safety work on behalf of all Americans."
As the parties proceed to ~~a~~ remedy phase in this case, NTEU will press HHS to do the right thing and comply with the arbitrator's decision. Regardless, the union stands ready to fight to enforce this important win.
"This resounding victory recognizes that the performance of these probationary employees was never what this case was about," said Greenwald. "Instead, they were swept up in the administration's unlawful attempts to break the government by getting rid of massive numbers of employees without recognizing their rights or the rights of the union that represents them."
NTEU represents 38 federal offices and agencies.
Contact: NTEU-PR@nteu.org, 202-572-5500
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Original text here: https://www.nteu.org/media-center/News Releases/2026/07/27/HHSIFWin
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 8 Washington Incumbents for Reelection to Congress
WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 8 Washington Incumbents for Reelection to Congress
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AFGE says endorsed lawmakers support federal workers and their rights
AURORA, Colo. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of eight members of Congress for reelection to the U.S. House representing Washington in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is Aug. 4, and the general election is Nov. 3.
The endorsed candidates
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WASHINGTON, July 27 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 8 Washington Incumbents for Reelection to Congress
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AFGE says endorsed lawmakers support federal workers and their rights
AURORA, Colo. -The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of eight members of Congress for reelection to the U.S. House representing Washington in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is Aug. 4, and the general election is Nov. 3.
The endorsed candidatesare Suzan DelBene (WA-1), Rick Larsen (WA-2), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-3), Emily Randall (WA-6), Pramila Jayapal (WA-7), Kim Schrier (WA-8), Adam Smith (WA-9), and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10).
All eight lawmakers have earned lifetime ratings at or above 90% on AFGE's legislative priorities and often are the cosponsors of key bills supporting the federal workforce. Most recently, they all cosponsored the Protect America's Workforce Act (HR 2550), which would rescind President Trump's March 2025 executive order banning collective bargaining for most of the federal workforce.
"These eight members of Congress from Washington State are exceptionally pro-labor, pro-AFGE, and pro-federal employee," AFGE District 11 National Vice President Tim Snyder said. "They and their staff are always exceptionally accessible to our local union leaders and supportive of us as we face unprecedented attacks from the Trump administration."
More than 78,200 federal employees live in Washington - caring for veterans, supporting the military, 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 68,500 federal employees in District 11, which includes Alaska, Colorado, Guam, Idaho, Montana, Okinawa, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/706580b4114f4eeaa78185520b06e30c.aspx
