Unions
Here's a look at documents from unions
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National Education Union: With Schools Running on Empty, It is Time to Save Education
LONDON, England, Feb. 28 -- The National Education Union issued the following news release:
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With schools running on empty, it is time to save education
The National Education Union has today launched online indicative ballots asking teacher and support staff members in England if they would be prepared to strike over pay, funding and workload.
The government has proposed a 6.5 per cent pay rise for teachers over three years. This is unlikely to match inflation and does nothing to repair the approximately 20 per cent real terms pay cut that teachers have suffered since 2010.
The pay rise
... Show Full Article
LONDON, England, Feb. 28 -- The National Education Union issued the following news release:
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With schools running on empty, it is time to save education
The National Education Union has today launched online indicative ballots asking teacher and support staff members in England if they would be prepared to strike over pay, funding and workload.
The government has proposed a 6.5 per cent pay rise for teachers over three years. This is unlikely to match inflation and does nothing to repair the approximately 20 per cent real terms pay cut that teachers have suffered since 2010.
The pay risewill have to be funded from existing school budgets. This will inevitably lead to more cuts, of which support staff are likely to bear the brunt.
Years of underfunding have seen pay decline and workload soar for support staff also.
On top of this there is a suggestion from government it may eliminate directed time - which is the only contractual protection that teachers have against excessive workloads.
The education profession is running on empty.
This week the government has asked far more of teachers and support staff in its education White Paper and proposed SEND reforms. It must be made to realise, as in opposition, that the education system is chronically underfunded and the goodwill of teachers and support staff has been spent.
The ballots run until 17 April 2026.
Commenting on the launch of an indicative ballot, Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"Schools are running on empty. Expecting schools to fund a 6.5 per cent pay increase over three years from existing budgets is simply not possible.
"The Treasury has made itself a laughing stock by claiming there are still efficiencies to be made.
"Chronic underfunding from successive governments has led to the severe crisis in our schools. Old equipment and broken furniture. Battered textbooks. Years of missed targets in recruitment have driven up workload, as have the numbers leaving and not being replaced. A failure to properly fund our schools also means fewer teaching assistants and larger classes.
"Rather than arresting this decline, Labour has chosen Austerity 2.0.
"This government has the brass neck to ask for more out of less. The results of that strategy will be worse for children, not better. It is time to stand up and save education."
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Editor's Note
Questions for teachers
* Do you reject the proposal of an unfunded 6.5% increase over three years for teacher pay?
* Are you prepared to take industrial action to win sufficient funding to secure an above inflation pay increase, reduce workload and defend existing directed time provisions, including the 1265 hours limit?
Questions for support staff
* Do you agree that the defence of support staff jobs is essential to Save Education?
* Are you prepared to take industrial action to win sufficient funding to secure an above inflation pay increase, reduce workload and prevent redundancies?
Full FAQ (https://neu.org.uk/campaigns/save-education/online-indicative-ballot-faq)
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Original text here: https://neu.org.uk/latest/press-releases/schools-running-empty-it-time-save-education?_locale=en
[Category: Union]
Sysco Teamsters in Montana Ratify Contract
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Sysco Teamsters in Montana Ratify Contract
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Press Contact: Lena Melentijevic Phone: (347) 208-2279 Email: LMelentijevic@teamster.org
(BILLINGS, Mont.) - More than 225 Sysco drivers and warehouse workers in Montana, jointly represented by Teamsters Local 2, 120, and 190, have ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement. The contract delivers major wage gains, significantly higher pension contributions, and Teamsters health care.
"The strength of our membership
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters posted the following news release:
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Sysco Teamsters in Montana Ratify Contract
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Press Contact: Lena Melentijevic Phone: (347) 208-2279 Email: LMelentijevic@teamster.org
(BILLINGS, Mont.) - More than 225 Sysco drivers and warehouse workers in Montana, jointly represented by Teamsters Local 2, 120, and 190, have ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement. The contract delivers major wage gains, significantly higher pension contributions, and Teamsters health care.
"The strength of our membershipmade this agreement possible," said Jim Sousmas, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 190. "This is the strongest agreement we have ever negotiated at Sysco, and it will greatly benefit our members and their families over the next five years."
The Teamsters represent more than 13,000 workers at Sysco and its subsidiaries nationwide. The Montana agreement follows a credible strike threat, and a unanimous strike authorization vote that forced Sysco management to take workers' demands seriously. Under the new contract, workers secured a 33 percent wage increase, a 40 percent increase in pension contributions, and Teamsters health care.
The agreement at Sysco Montana continues a wave of strong Teamsters contracts won across the company over the past year, including the first-ever regional agreement ratified in December. Earlier this month, Sysco Teamsters in Spokane, Wash., also ratified a new contract delivering a 34 percent wage increase, reduced health care costs, and higher pension contributions.
"Across the country, Teamsters at Sysco are securing contracts that set the standard in the food distribution industry," said Tom Erickson, President of Local 120 and Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "These agreements send a clear message to corporate America and they're improving the lives of thousands of hardworking Teamsters at Sysco."
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 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/2026/02/sysco-teamsters-in-montana-ratify-contract/
Nurses Call on Trump administration, Congress to end blockade on Cuban people
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Nurses Call on Trump administration, Congress to end blockade on Cuban people
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National Nurses United (NNU), the nation's largest union of registered nurses, today condemned the Trump administration's blockade on Cuba, which has created a humanitarian crisis on the island. The nurses called on the administration and Congress to end the blockade and allow full delivery of oil resources and other aid for the Cuban people.
Following its military assault on Venezuela and the
... Show Full Article
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Nurses Call on Trump administration, Congress to end blockade on Cuban people
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National Nurses United (NNU), the nation's largest union of registered nurses, today condemned the Trump administration's blockade on Cuba, which has created a humanitarian crisis on the island. The nurses called on the administration and Congress to end the blockade and allow full delivery of oil resources and other aid for the Cuban people.
Following its military assault on Venezuela and thekidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, the Trump administration initiated a blockade of oil shipments to Cuba, and it announced plans to impose tariffs on countries that provide oil to the island nation.
Those actions created frequent blackouts, shortages of gasoline and cooking gas, and dwindling supplies of diesel that power the nation's water pumps. The impact has been particularly severe on health care services. Cuba's Health Minister Jose Angel Portal Miranda warned of an imminent threat to "basic human safety."
"Depriving the Cuban people of essential resources needed to sustain life and health is an unconscionable violation of human rights and international law," said NNU President Mary Turner, RN. "What is now widely reported is a calamity with an especially harmful effect on pregnant women and children. As nurses, we will not be silent when our nation's policies cause immense suffering for any people, whether at home or abroad."
"The announcement today that the U.S. Department of the Treasury would allow the resale of Venezuelan oil for 'commercial and humanitarian use' in Cuba is a start, but does not go nearly far enough to address the growing calamity faced by the Cuban people," Turner said.
Portal has warned that 5 million people in Cuba living with chronic illnesses will face disruption of medications or treatments, including 16,000 cancer patients requiring radiotherapy and another 12,400 undergoing chemotherapy. "Cardiovascular care, orthopedics, oncology, and treatment for critically ill patients who require electrical backup are among the most impacted areas," he reported.
"It is long past time for a complete reversal in the regime-change policies of the U.S. in Cuba," said Turner. The U.S. has carried out a blockade against Cuba since 1962 that has been condemned in overwhelming votes by the United Nations for 33 consecutive years.
NNU urged members of Congress to support legislative proposals to finally end the blockade, as represented by H.R. 7521, introduced by Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern. Turner said, NNU agrees with McGovern. She stated, "It's time to throw away the failed policies of the past. Let's focus on the people of Cuba -and let's treat them like human beings who want to live their lives in dignity and freedom. The Cuban people -not politicians in Washington -ought to decide their own leaders and their own future."
National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-call-on-trump-administration-congress-to-end-blockade-on-cuban-people
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Roy Cooper for Election to the U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON, Feb. 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 Roy Cooper for Election to the U.S. Senate
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AFGE says Cooper values public service and the dignity of workers
WASHINGTON - The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Roy Cooper for election to the U.S. Senate representing North Carolina in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is March 3, and the general election is Nov. 3.
A native of Nash County, N.C., Cooper's commitment
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 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 Roy Cooper for Election to the U.S. Senate
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AFGE says Cooper values public service and the dignity of workers
WASHINGTON - The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Roy Cooper for election to the U.S. Senate representing North Carolina in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is March 3, and the general election is Nov. 3.
A native of Nash County, N.C., Cooper's commitmentto public service and good government began as a high school senior when he was selected to represent the county on the statewide Youth Legislative Assembly. While practicing law in Rocky Mount, Cooper unseated a 12-term incumbent and was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1985. He was elected state attorney general in 2000 and served in that role until being elected North Carolina's 75th governor in 2016.
During his two terms as governor, Cooper worked with legislators and business leaders to grow the economy, strengthen public education, expand access to affordable health care, and create good-paying jobs across the state.
"AFGE District 4 is proud to endorse Roy Cooper for the U.S. Senate. Throughout his time as governor, Roy Cooper demonstrated steady leadership, bipartisan problem-solving, and a commitment to growing good-paying jobs while respecting the dignity of workers," AFGE District 4 National Vice President Christine Surrette said.
Cooper helped bring hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs to communities across the state during his time as governor while working on a bipartisan basis to strengthen workplace protections. He is running for the U.S. Senate to lower costs for working families and serve as an independent voice for all North Carolinians.
"Federal employees and working families need a leader who understands public service and is committed to fairness, stability, and opportunity -and Roy Cooper has shown that leadership time and again," Surrette said.
Nearly 52,000 federal employees live in North Carolina - 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 nearly 48,000 federal employees in District 4, which includes Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/1e8c51e682bd40f3af5cd4f026fc2644.aspx
IAM Union Holds Press Conference On Whirlpool Layoffs, Calls On Elected Officials to Act
UPPER MARLBORO, Maryland, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers issued the following news release:
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IAM Union Holds Press Conference On Whirlpool Layoffs, Calls On Elected Officials to Act
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AMANA, Iowa, Feb. 27, 2026 -The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) held a press conference this week calling on elected officials at every level of government to take immediate action following Whirlpool Corp.'s announcement of nearly 400 layoffs at its Amana, Iowa, manufacturing facility, effective
... Show Full Article
UPPER MARLBORO, Maryland, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers issued the following news release:
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IAM Union Holds Press Conference On Whirlpool Layoffs, Calls On Elected Officials to Act
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AMANA, Iowa, Feb. 27, 2026 -The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) held a press conference this week calling on elected officials at every level of government to take immediate action following Whirlpool Corp.'s announcement of nearly 400 layoffs at its Amana, Iowa, manufacturing facility, effectiveMarch 9, 2026.
WATCH: IAM Union Press Conference on Whirlpool Layoffs (includes letters to elected officials and Strategic Resources Mexico investment research)
The press conference was held to demand assistance from elected officials and accountability from Whirlpool on the layoffs, taxpayer subsidies, and Whirlpool's manufacturing expansion in Mexico.
Speakers included IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli, IAM District 6 Assistant Directing Business Representative Kerry Waddell, IAM Strategic Resources Director David White, IAM Legislative and Political Assistant Director Loren Almeroth, and IAM Local 1526 members Sandra Freytag and Sandra Lorenz, who work at the Whirlpool facility in Amana.
IAM's letters to elected officials have already drawn responses from some of Iowa's political leaders, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa congressional candidate Christina Bohannan, and a strong joint letter from the Iowa House and Senate Democrats.
During the press conference, information was presented detailing Whirlpool's record of taxpayer-funded subsidies alongside the company's continued manufacturing expansion in Mexico, raising serious questions about the failure of U.S. trade policy, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, to safeguard American manufacturing jobs.
IAM research shows Whirlpool has invested more than $1 billion in Mexico over the last 20 years, tripling its workforce there and increasing exports, while the Amana plant, which once employed more than 3,000 workers, could be reduced to as few as 500 to 600 workers following anticipated second-quarter cuts announced by Whirlpool.
Members of the IAM Union Iowa State Council delegates also joined an Iowa Statehouse press conference earlier this week, hosted by the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, along with other labor allies and lawmakers.
WATCH: IAM Union Press Conference on Whirlpool Layoffs (includes letters to elected officials and Strategic Resources Mexico investment research)
The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members in aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, rail, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across North America.
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Original text here: https://www.goiam.org/news/iam-union-holds-press-conference-on-whirlpool-layoffs-calls-on-elected-officials-to-act/
European Trade Union Institute: France Launches a National Cancer Registry
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Feb. 27 -- The European Trade Union Institute issued the following news on Feb. 26, 2026:
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France launches a national cancer registry
By Tony Musu
The long-awaited national cancer registry in France was officially created in January 2026, following the enactment of a law on 30 June 2025 and the publication of an implementing decree in December 2025.
Until now, epidemiological data on cancer (incidence, prevalence, mortality) in France was based only on partial estimates: it was compiled from the Francim network, which brings together around 29 local registries covering
... Show Full Article
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Feb. 27 -- The European Trade Union Institute issued the following news on Feb. 26, 2026:
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France launches a national cancer registry
By Tony Musu
The long-awaited national cancer registry in France was officially created in January 2026, following the enactment of a law on 30 June 2025 and the publication of an implementing decree in December 2025.
Until now, epidemiological data on cancer (incidence, prevalence, mortality) in France was based only on partial estimates: it was compiled from the Francim network, which brings together around 29 local registries coveringonly about 24% of the population. These regional registries excluded densely populated areas (such as Ile-de-France) or areas exposed to certain occupational or environmental risks (such as Seveso establishments).
The new tool, which will be managed by the National Cancer Institute (INCa), aims to centralise and enrich this information from multiple sources: existing registries, national databases, clinical, biological and screening data, care data, and other health information.
The goal is to have a comprehensive and reliable national overview of the disease. Without an exhaustive registry, it is difficult to identify precisely which cancers occur in excess of 'normal' expectations in the general population.
This new national registry will collect information on age, gender, type and stage of cancer, as well as data on occupational or environmental exposures, where available.
This should, for example, provide a solid basis for conducting epidemiological studies on the association between exposure to certain carcinogens (asbestos, chemicals, dust, etc.) and occupational cancers, which is essential for preventing new cases.
A better understanding of the causes of cancer and its progression makes it possible to produce reliable incidence and mortality indicators, but also to improve prevention, screening, and treatment strategies.
France thus joins other EU countries that have a national cancer registry, such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Slovenia.
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Authors
Tony Musu, Senior Researcher
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Original text here: https://www.etui.org/news/france-launches-national-cancer-registry
AFGE Calls on Congress to Pay DHS Employees During Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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AFGE Calls on Congress to Pay DHS Employees During Government Shutdown
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'No employees should have to go without a paycheck on payday,' union says
WASHINGTON - American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley today issued the following statement:
"For the past two weeks, Department of Homeland Security employees have been doing their jobs at our airports, along our borders, and throughout our nation providing support during
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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AFGE Calls on Congress to Pay DHS Employees During Government Shutdown
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'No employees should have to go without a paycheck on payday,' union says
WASHINGTON - American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley today issued the following statement:
"For the past two weeks, Department of Homeland Security employees have been doing their jobs at our airports, along our borders, and throughout our nation providing support duringnational emergencies for little or no pay while this shutdown drags on.
"These essential workers have already endured a 43-day government shutdown last fall and a 4-day shutdown earlier this year and have continued to serve the American people with pride.
"AFGE members are tired of being forced on this roller coaster every time their elected officials fail to do their jobs.
"Government shutdowns are harmful to federal employees, their families, and our economy. No employees should have to go without a paycheck on payday. It is unacceptable, unjust, and un-American.
"We call on Congress to pay these workers immediately and end this madness for good by passing the Shutdown Fairness Act, which protects federal employees' livelihoods by requiring the government to pay workers in full and on time during all government shutdowns."
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/d885c58d3eaf4d33b08772cf0c5719e3.aspx
