john, 

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

AZ AFL-CIO Congressional District Town Hall

The Arizona AFL-CIO, Pima Area Labor Federation, and Maricopa Area Labor Federation will be hosting a Labor Union Town Hall during the Congressional Recess.Congressman Juan Ciscomani and other elected leaders are invited to talk with their constituents about our concerns and the future of our country. We will also have speakers from the community and labor.

Event Details:

📅Saturday, April 26, 2025

⏰ 2:00-3:00PM

📍 IBEW Local 570, 750 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85716

Workers' Memorial Day 2025: Fight for Our Lives - Safe Jobs Now

The Maricopa Area Labor Federation will be hosting this year's Workers' Memorial Day event where we gather to remember the lives of workers who tragically died on the job and renew our fight for safer working conditions.

This year we'll focus on the urgent need to protect workers from rising dangers.

Join us at 10:00 AM for a press event where we will hear from labor leaders, elected officials, and advocates followed by a Breakfast and Panel Discussion at 10:30 AM. 

Stand with Gov. Hobbs - Defend Fiber, Union Jobs, and Real Broadband

On Tuesday, April 29, union members, community allies, and elected officials will gather at the Arizona State Capitol to deliver petitions and send a clear, public message: Governor Hobbs stands strong for us—and it’s time for labor to show we stand with her. This is our opportunity to visibly support her commitment to fiber broadband and good union jobs—and to push back against federal efforts to redirect infrastructure funding to unreliable satellite providers.

Event Details:

📅 Tuesday, April 29, 2025
🕤 9:30 AM (event will last under 30 minutes)
📍 Arizona State Capitol – Rose Garden, 1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007

🎤 Speakers include:
– Rep. Stacey Travers (LD12)
– Fred Yamashita, Executive Director, Arizona AFL-CIO
– Union members impacted by broadband access and job creation

We are asking all union members and allies to wear union shirts and show up strong. A powerful turnout will show the Governor—and the media—that the labor movement is united behind her leadership and behind a fiber-first future.

Arizona May Day Rally - Thursday, May 1st

We deserve a future where everyone in our communities has a fair opportunity to thrive. May Day isn’t just a rally—it’s our strategy to take back what’s rightfully ours. We are coming together to build a world where every single individual and family has what they need to thrive: housing, accessible healthcare, fair wages, safe workplaces, and the freedom to live without fear—no matter your race, class, gender, sexuality, or immigration status.

What: March from Arizona State Capitol to Rally at Sandra Day O’Connor United States Courthouse

When: Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 9am

Where: Meet at Arizona State Capitol, 1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007
    End at Sandra Day O’Connor United States Courthouse, 401 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85003

Upcoming Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) Meetings & Events

📅 LCLAA Annual Cinco de Mayo Mixer - Friday, May 9, 2025

🕕 6:00–8:00 PM | 📍 UNITE HERE Offices, 1021 S 7th Ave, Phoenix
After May Day, we gather to celebrate our cultura, comunidad, and lucha with food, music, and deep connection.

Bring Local 100 Brother Home and Give Him Due Process

Please take a few minutes to send a pre-written letter to your representative and senator: Tell them to demand SMART apprentice Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia's return to the United States so he can receive due process!

On March 31, 2025, the Trump administration conceded in a court filing that it had mistakenly deported Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a legally protected Maryland resident and father, to El Salvador “because of an administrative error." Like many of us, Abrego Garcia works full-time to support his wife and his five-year-old son. SMART is demanding that he is returned to his family. Please take a few minutes to ask your congressional representatives to do the same! 

Take Action: Contact Your Member of Congress and Tell Them to Bring Abrego Garcia Home

Tell Members of Congress They Need to Protect Retirement Benefits for Air Traffic Controllers

Congress is advancing a budget that could slash key federal programs—including retirement benefits for public safety professionals like air traffic controllers. Cuts to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) would hurt recruitment, retention, and aviation safety.

Take action now to defend earned benefits. Click below to tell your Members of Congress: protect FERS and oppose any cuts.

Collecting Stories About Heat

The Heat Standards Coalition, is collecting stories about how Arizonans are affected by heat. Rising temperatures in Phoenix makes it harder to do our jobs, get to the places we need, and access valuable resources. We want to launch a heat ordinance offering more protections for workers and residents alike. Please help us by sharing your story of how you are affected by heat!

⤵️Click on the button below and fill out the form or Email [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions.  

FREE Heat Injury & Illness Prevention 101 Workshop for Workers

Join National COSH to learn the basics about how to keep yourself and your coworkers sage in the heat. This will be a virtual presentation in collaboration with UCLA - Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program

Event Details: 

Thursday, May 15th at 10:00 AM PT [90 minute session]

Arizona Needs Reliable Internet Service & Good Jobs

$42 billion in public funding for internet infrastructure is on the line, and we need your voice! While CWA members have fought for investments in reliable fiber broadband that create good, union jobs, satellite company CEOs are pushing to redirect these funds to unreliable satellite services. Satellite internet lacks the necessary speeds, employs fewer workers, and has a short lifespan that leads to repeated investments. 

⤵️Click on the link below and tell Governor Hobbs and the Arizona State Broadband Office to stand up to pressure to redirect funds to unreliable satellite internet service and continue to create good, union jobs by investing in reliable, high-speed fiber internet. ⤵️

FREE State-Registered Apprenticeship — Line Cook Training for Your Members & Community

The Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), in collaboration with UNITE HERE, is offering an 8-week, no-cost Line Cook Training Program in Phoenix, which leads directly to union jobs with benefits. This program is now officially recognized as an Arizona State-Registered Apprenticeship Program.

HTA has a strong history of preparing individuals for success in union jobs, offering fair wages, dignity, and opportunities for career advancement in the hospitality industry.

Who is this for?
✅ Anyone aged 18 or older
✅ Proficient in English with a reading level of at least 10th grade
✅ Interested in starting a career in a growing industry

Why it matters:
This apprenticeship serves as a vital pathway to help workers escape poverty and secure stable, union-backed careers. With your support, we can reach individuals in your community and membership who are ready for this opportunity.

Next steps and details:
UNITE HERE will be hosting informational sessions soon, and only those who attend will be eligible to enroll. Please share the attached flyer with your members, their families, and neighbors to help spread the word.

Urge House Members to Cosponsor the "Protect America's Workforce Act"

Send a message to your member of Congress to stand up for federal workers.

Every Member of Congress depends on hardworking federal workers in their states and districts to deliver the services their constituents depend on.

Take action NOW to urge House members to cosponsor H.R. 2550, the "Protect America's Workforce Act."

26th Annual Joe Standley Golf Tournament - May 23, 2025

The Arizona Building Trades Council (AZBTC) invites you to join their annual fundraising event that supports Labor's Community Service Agency (LCSA).

LCSA is a nonprofit arm of the AFL-CIO, and provides human services to Arizona's most vulnerable populations since 1974. Your participation will directly support affordable housing, transportation assistance, and financial aid support to those in need.  

➡️Click HERE to download/print flyers.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rebekah Friend at (602) 622-5361 or [email protected]. 

68th Annual Grace Carroll Rocky Mountain Labor School (GCRMLS)

Registration is now open! This year GCRMLS will be coming to Las Vegas, Nevada July 6 - July 12, 2025.

Founded in 1956, GCRMLS is the only remaining regional labor school in the nation! It is a renowned educational program dedicated to providing high-quality labor education to union members, activists, and leaders all while being able to share real life successes, challenges, and best practices around the labor movement.

For further information, you can visit the GRCMLS website at gcrmls.org.

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].

AZ AFL-CIO's Book Club: A New Chapter Begins!

We're back—and better than ever! The Arizona AFL-CIO Labor Book Club is now  formatted as an end-of-the-month book review, offering fresh perspectives on thought-provoking reads that resonate with our movement. 

📖This Month's Book Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Check out this week's review, written by Esau Gutierrez for a deeper dive: 

Join Our Weekly Meetings

Join us every Friday at 9:30 AM via Zoom as we prepare for the upcoming 2025 Legislative Committee Meetings. This is an important opportunity for union members to learn about the key issues and topics that will be discussed during the 1st Regular Session of the 57th Legislature.

Stay informed and engaged as we navigate the legislative landscape together and ensure that our voices are heard in the decision-making process.

This Week's Legislative Update:

At today’s Arizona AFL-CIO legislative Committee meeting, we were joined by Senator Analise Ortiz, who spoke on current budget negotiations within the legislature, and the signing of the bipartisan Developmental Disabilities funding bill. The Senator spoke of the amendment to said funding bill that was proposed, what was negotiated, and how the funding was fortunately passed. Political Director Joe Murphy spoke briefly about this past week’s shortened legislative schedule and a handful of bills that we’re tracking that have shown movement.

Why Unions Observe Workers' Memorial Day

"Nearly 55 years ago on April 28, Workers Memorial Day, the Occupational Safety and Health Act went into effect, promising every worker the right to a safe job—our fundamental right."

Connecticut Must Protect Workers from Trump's Policies

"I've worked at Stop and Shop for more than 20 years. While I appreciated the union contract, and served on my union's executive board, I didn't feel the importance of our union until our 2019 contract negotiations. Management proposed eliminating family healthcare, weakening our retirement plan, freezing wages for many of my coworkers."

Union Leaders Say Capitalism Doesn't Like Worker Safety

"On April 21, the SEIU Healthcare in Chicago hosted a public discussion featuring several union representatives on how gutting NIOSH will impact not only workers in their respective industries but the wider public as well."

National Grid Union Approves Contract with 4% Annual Wage Increase, Ends Long, Tense Negotiations

"The union representing roughly 1,200 National Grid employees who work in Long Island’s natural gas and power plants, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, or IBEW, Local 1049, voted 590-90 to approve a new contract Friday evening."

Colorado Union Sues King Soopers and City Market for Violating Agreement That Ended Strike

"Those violations include Kroger-owned King Soopers issuing ultimatums before an agreed-upon 100-day grace period, the union says."

The Hill Guild Statement on Politically Motivated Firing of Journalist

"Last night, members of The Hill Guild learned through an article in Semafor that The Hill sacrificed one of our members to satisfy Trump. That’s not an exaggeration, and you can read the reporting by Max Tani. He shows how Trump sued 20 newspapers for reporting that his Truth Social platform was losing money."

Costco Teamsters Ratify Contract

"Deal lock in wage increases, healthcare, pension and secures a just cause standard."

AFSCME Members in Arizona Demand End to Public Service Cuts

"AFSCME members and retirees spoke out over the weekend here to oppose budget cuts to fund tax breaks for billionaires."

Union Claim Trump Undermining Worker Protections on Military Bases

"Paul Shepherd, a leader for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said his members are experiencing more difficulty accessing bases for meetings and safety inspections, including at Davis Monthan Air Force Base."

Rep. Gallego Pushes Back on DOGE with Freeze on Trump's VA Picks

"The Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in central Phoenix has already lost workers under a directive from Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins to reduce staff nationwide by 15%."

Trump Administration Makes Major Cuts to Native American Boarding School Research Projects

"At least $1.6 million in federal funds for projects meant to capture and digitize stories of the systemic abuse of generations of Indigenous children in boarding schools at the hands of the U.S. government have been slashed due to federal funding cuts under President Donald Trump’s administration."

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]