John, 

Monday marked a historic moment for the working families of Arizona as Governor Katie Hobbs made a monumental initiative, Affordable Arizona: Tackling Medical Debt for Working Families. This program, developed in collaboration with the non-profit organization RIP Medical Debt, signifies a profound commitment to easing the burdens of medical debt for hard-working Arizonans.

In a time where health care costs can quickly turn into crippling financial burdens, Governor Hobbs has taken the initiative to address this pressing issue. Recognizing the damaging impact that medical debt can have on families, she has taken decisive action to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for all Arizonans.

Affordable Arizona is not just a policy initiative; it's a ray of hope for those struggling under the weight of medical debt. Through this program, the state will allocate up to $30 million in COVID relief funds to RIP Medical Debt. With the help of this money, RIP Medical Debt can purchase outstanding medical debt from providers at a fraction of its value, erasing the debt of eligible individuals across the state.

Up to one million hardworking Arizonans will receive assistance through Affordable Arizona! Eligibility for debt forgiveness extends to individuals earning less than 400% of the Federal Poverty Line or owing more than five percent of their annual income. By targeting those most in need, this initiative ensures that those who are financially vulnerable receive the support they deserve.

This initiative is about more than just erasing debt; it's about providing peace of mind and stability to individuals and families across the state. Governor Hobbs' commitment to supporting unions and advocating for the rights of workers is evident in her partnership with RIP Medical Debt. By prioritizing the needs of working-class Arizonans, she has once again demonstrated her unwavering support for the labor movement.

I recommend watching Governor Hobbs' press conference to gain additional knowledge on Affordable Arizona and her vision for our state's healthcare system going forward.

Click here to watch the press conference.

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

Tell the White House to Stop the Raid on Postal Workers' Pensions

For more than 52 years, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) workers have unfairly had their retirement funds raided by the U.S. government—resulting in more than $90 billion in unjust expenses to the USPS. We need your help to send a message to the Biden administration to do the right thing for postal workers.

Tell Congress: Renew ACP and Keep Families Connected! 

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) currently helps nearly 23 million households access high speed broadband, providing $30 per month to qualify families for affordable internet access. This mean more families online, and more jobs for CWA members. But funding is running out. Unless Congress acts NOW to renew ACP, the program will end by April 2024.

Tell Congress to support the bipartisan ACP Extension Act, support good job, and keep families connected! 

2024 NALC Branch 1902's Wheely Good Cause: Sip & Support for MDA!

$5 Per Ticket Entry or $20 for 5 Tickets 

Each ticket purchased contributes to the cause, aiding research and assistance for those living with Muscular Dystrophy, ALS, and related Neuromuscular Diseases. Join NALC 1902 in raising funds for a noble cause while having the chance to wheel away a treasure trove of beverages. Cheers to charity and making a meaningful difference! 

Arizona AFL-CIO Building Bridges: Free Citizenship Fair 

Join us in facilitating the process of obtaining citizenship for the more than 200,000 eligible Arizonans! The Arizona AFL-CIO is proud to offer the first Citizenship Fair in which applicants will be helped in the process of completing their paperwork and submitting their applications with the help of our amazing Labor affiliates and community partners. Please feel free to share and distribute this flyer and/or information about this Citizenship fair to potentially interested members/individuals/communities! 

2024 Legislative Committee Meeting Alerts - AZ AFL-CIO 

Join us every Friday at 9:30 AM via Zoom to get updates and alerts on the 2nd Regular Session of the 56th Legislature. Click on the button below and complete the form. 

For additional questions, contact our Political Director, Joe Murphy at [email protected].  

Union Events and Action

We want to uplift what you are doing for our members and our community!

Please fill out all the required information to have your Local's event uploaded to our Arizona AFL-CIO website or featured in our next Labor Dispatch. If you have any questions please reach out to Alina Cordoba, Communications & Operations Director at [email protected].

Paradise Valley Admin Gets Students to School Amid Arizona Bus Driver Shortage 

"School bus drivers are often offered lower wages than the median American worker. The Economic Policy Institute reported the median school bus driver earned $548 a week from 2020-2022, compared to the median American worker, who made $961."

The Labor Movement is Empowering Working Women

"Women’s History Month is a time to reflect on the paths paved by women before us, while also recognizing the barriers that still exist today. This includes gender wage gaps that vary by race and ethnicity, and lack of access to affordable childcare or paid maternity leave for working moms. However, my grandmother, my mother and I are living proof that women do not always have to compromise family life for career life – you can have both if you have a union job. "

Hollywood Crew Members Take Center Stage as IATSE Negotiations Kick Off 

"Thousands of Hollywood crew members and their supporters gathered Sunday in the crisp morning air and muddy fields at Encino’s Woodley Park in a show of unity ahead of contract negotiations that begin this week with the major film and TV studios."

Unionized Google Workers Learned Their Jobs Were Over While Testifying to City Council

"Rather than meeting employees at the bargaining table, Google decided to do what could be described as the equivalent of hucking the table into the sky. This week, YouTube Music workers who were recently locked in a tense union fight with Google were laid off while in the middle of testifying before Austin City Council."

Strikes Bring Public Transport to Near Standstill Across Germany

"Buses, trams and underground trains stood idle across most of Germany on Friday at the culmination of a week of staggered public transport strikes triggered by disputes over working hours. The walkouts, organised by the Verdi union, have hit 14 of the country's 16 states, including Berlin. They were due to end in the capital at 2 p.m. (1300 GMT) but stretch into Saturday elsewhere."

Waffle House Workers are Demanding a $25 Hourly Wage and 24/7 Security 

"Workers rallied outside the company's headquarters in Norcross, Georgia on Wednesday to demand the changes. The Union of Southern Service Workers, which is supported by the Service Employees International Union, is organizing Waffle House workers."

AFL-CIO Legislative Scorecard 

"This voting record lets you know where your lawmakers stand on issues important to working families, including strengthening Social Security and Medicare, Freedom to join a union, improving workplace safety, and more."

Billions In Medical Debt to Be Wiped Out for Up to A Million Arizonans, Governor Announces 

“She announced the state will be wiping out medical bills for up to a million Arizonans as the state is partnering with the Long Island-based charity RIP Medical Debt. They'll be using funds from the American Rescue Act to buy back up to $2 billion of Arizona's medical debt."

Yuma Union High School District Board Approves Pay Raise for District Employees 

“'Whether you’re a para professional in the classroom, a student nutrition worker, a custodian or a teacher administrator, we want to make sure that your work is valued and at the same time we appreciate the work that they’re putting in,' said YUHSD Superintendent Tim Brienza. "

Senate Passes Bill to Cut Unemployment Benefits

"The measure, Senate Bill 1167, cleared the Arizona Senate on March 2 by a vote of 16-14, along party lines. It next moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. If it becomes law, the bill calls for incremental increases in the length of benefits, based on the previous quarter’s unemployment rate. It would add two weeks of payments for every half-percentage point increase in the unemployment rate until it reached 20 weeks for an unemployment rate of 8.5%."

3 Arizona Education Department Employees Indicted in $600,000 Voucher Fraud 

"A state grand jury indicted five people, including three former employees of the Arizona Department of Education, for allegedly defrauding the state’s school voucher program. Attorney General Kris Mayes accused the individuals of forging documents to fraudulently sign up 17 children for the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, including five children that Mayes said do not exist.  “To put it simply, they created ghost students with forged birth certificates, children that didn’t exist, and gave them fake disability diagnoses that would make them eligible for larger funding amounts,” Mayes said. The attorney general accused Delores Sweet, Dorrian Jones and Jennifer Lopez — who were all Department of Education employees working on the voucher program — of then approving more than $600,000 in fraudulent requests they submitted on behalf of the children who were improperly enrolled in the program."

Thank you for reading the Arizona Labor Dispatch! Can you help us grow our readership by sharing our sign-up form? 

If you'd like to promote an event for your union in our weekly newsletter, fill out our submission form or email AZ AFL-CIO  Communications & Operations Director Alina Cordoba at [email protected]