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John, |
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As we witness troubling actions from the current administration impacting our neighborhoods and the unjust separations of families, it is critical to recognize the unwavering response from working people across the nation.
The Arizona labor movement stands in solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters in the face of recent attacks, intimidation, and discriminatory practices. Immigrants are our neighbors, our families, our friends who make up a vital part of our diverse community and workforce in Arizona.
Immigrant workers are the backbone of Arizona’s economy. Let us be clear: immigrant rights are workers’ rights.
We must remember that it is not immigrants who pose a threat to job security; it is the billionaires who do.
The labor movement has always upheld the principle that every worker, no matter where they were born, has the right to work without fear, to organize without retaliation, and to live with dignity.
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Fred Yamashita Secretary-Treasurer Executive Director |
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UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIONS |
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Social Security Town Hall with Martin O'Malley
Join Honest Arizona, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, and Protect Our Care for a town hall discussion on all things Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, featuring Martin O'Malley, former Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, and local Arizona leaders.
Event Details: Date: Monday, June 16, 2025 Time: 6:00 to 7:00 PM Location: 3109 N 24th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016 |
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Heat Day of Action Arizona Heat Standards Coalition
From June 16-20th, workers from coast to coast will take bold action to demand strong, enforceable protections from extreme heat on the job. Arizona workers are on the frontlines of this fight and national week of action. Join the coalition on Tuesday, June 17th to uplift Arizona workers' call for an enforceable heat safety standard.
👉Sign Today: “Arizona Needs An Enforceable Workplace Heat Safety Standard”
Event Details: Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Time: 9:30 AM Press Conference + Rally Location: Arizona Capitol Rose Garden, Phoenix Please arrive ten minutes early as the press conference starts at 9:30! |
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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?
Why it matters:
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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]. |
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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: Stoner by John Williams, read along with us⤵️ |
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AZ AFL-CIO Legislative Committee Meetings |
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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. |
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This Week's Legislative Update
At today's Arizona AFL-CIO Legislative Committee Meeting, we were joined by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes who talked extensively about her pro-labor record as our attorney general. These include her halting of the Kroger-Albertsons merger, suing the Trump administration, and the creation of a Workplace Protection Unit. AG Mayes also answered questions regarding defending international teachers and students, medicaid fraud, consumer fraud, and suing fake electors. |
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OPINION |
Corporations Take Resources from Schools, Teachers' Union Put Them Back
"Teachers at BASIS Tucson North unionized to stand up for teachers & students and to stand against corporate profiteering and we’re certain it’s the solution to Arizona’s education problem."
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Trump Wants to Terminate Americorps. The Country Needs It More Than Ever
"In April, President Donald Trump’s administration terminated $400 million in AmeriCorps grants—about 40% of the federal agency’s roughly billion-dollar budget. Across the country, 32,000 people, 374 in Arizona, had to stop work. Many were pulled straight from jobsites to be sent home."
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NATIONAL NEWS |
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Labor Unions Rise Up Against Trump's Immigration Plans After
"The Friday arrest of a prominent California union leader fuels protests in Los Angeles against the White House's immigration crackdown."
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Field Museum Workers Win Hard-Earned Contract
"Thrilled that the four-year contract was ratified by a 94% vote in May, Banks was excited to be part of a new chapter for employees at the Field Museum. “We created a strong foundation, and now we’re ready to build on it,” Banks said."
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Southern California Grocery Worker Unions Authorize Possible Strike
"UFCW Local 135 in San Diego County said over 90% of voting members authorized a strike. The vote, held electronically from Sunday to Wednesday, saw participation from thousands of grocery workers across 87 stores in San Diego County, according to the union."
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Farmworkers Now 'Belong Fully' in Maine Minimum Wage Laws
"Gov. Janet Mills signed the right into law on Tuesday after the Legislature passed LD 589 earlier this month. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Cumberland), described it as an act of history. The law creates a new section in state statute that affords agricultural workers the state minimum wage, which is currently $14.65 an hour, since current laws exclude them."
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US Department of Labor Recovers Over $824K in Back Wages, Damages from Las Vegas Drywall Subcontractor for Wage Violations
"The recovery follows the department’s Wage and Hour Division investigation of Spectrum Construction LLC that found the employer failed to pay piece-rate and hourly workers – including painters, drywall hangers, and tapers – time-and-one-half their regular rate of pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. The division found that Spectrum Construction paid piece rates to workers without any overtime premium for hours worked over 40 and “banked” the overtime hours of hourly painters, later compensating them with days off paid at straight time or not compensating them at all."
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Workers Detail Impacts of White House's Agenda in Arizona
"Former Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su recently convened a listening session in partnership with Honest Arizona, the Arizona AFL-CIO, and AFGE Local 2391 to bring attention to the real and lasting impacts of the Trump administration’s policies on working people in Arizona."
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Arizona Gov. Hobbs Vetoes Antisemitism Bill, Citing 'Attack' on Public Schools
"Hobbs announced the veto of House Bill 2867 in a letter June 10. In it, she said the bill was "not about antisemitism" but rather, "it's about attacking our teachers. It puts an unacceptable level of personal liability in place for our public school, community college, and university educators and staff, opening them up to threats of personally costly lawsuits.'"
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Tucson Students Face Uncertainty After Labor Department Pauses Job Corps Centers Operations
"As of 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor required a minimum of 400 students enrolled in Tucson's Job Corps program annually for residential male and female students, and nonresidential male and female students, according to GovTribe."
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