AFL-CIO Blog

  • Economy Gains 210,000 Jobs in November; Unemployment Down to 4.2%
    Economy Gains 210,000 Jobs in November; Unemployment Down to 4.2% The U.S. economy gained 210,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate declined to 4.2%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In response to the November job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted: Last month’s biggest job gains were in professional and business services (+90,000), transportation and warehousing (+50,000), construction (+31,000), manufacturing (+31,000), leisure and hospitality (+23,000) and financial activities (+13,000). The only industry to see losses over the month was retail trade (-20,000). In November, employment showed little change in other major industries, including health care, information, mining, other services, public and private education and wholesale trade. Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates fell in November for Black Americans (6.7%), Hispanics (5.2%), adult men (4.0%), adult women (4.0%) and White Americans (3.7%). The jobless rates for teenagers (11.2%) and Asian Americans (3.8%) showed little change over the month. The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) showed little change in November and accounted for 32.1% of the total unemployed. Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 12/03/2021 - 10:54 — Dec 3
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: IFPTE Members Help Secure Settlement for DoorDash Workers in San Francisco
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: IFPTE Members Help Secure Settlement for DoorDash Workers in San Francisco Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. DoorDash workers in San Francisco will receive restitution from a $5.3-million-dollar settlement over the food delivery company’s violations of local labor laws. The settlement, which benefits at least 4,000 delivery workers, stems from an investigation initiated by the San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement, which employs government workers represented by International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 21. Local 21 Vice President Bianca Polovina, responsible for the local’s membership recruitment and organizing, commented, “As a union member and public sector worker, I can’t be more proud that this settlement will compensate these gig workers, who unfortunately do not enjoy the same worker protections as most of us. Our local applauds this decision.” Kenneth Quinnell Fri, 12/03/2021 - 10:18 — Dec 3
  • ‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: Her First 100 Days
    ‘State of the Unions’ Podcast: Her First 100 Days AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler sits down with Emily's List President Laphonza Butler to talk about life as newly elected women leaders as Shuler celebrates her first 100 days. They lay out their plans to build more inclusive labor and political movements, respectively. They also discuss how their lives have changed since becoming new leaders of their organizations. “State of the Unions” is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere else you can find podcasts. Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 12/02/2021 - 11:22 Tags: Podcast — Dec 2
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ALPA Launches Public Awareness Campaign Ahead of Holiday Travel Season
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: ALPA Launches Public Awareness Campaign Ahead of Holiday Travel Season Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. As many people return to air travel this holiday season, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has launched a campaign to inform the public that pilots are more than ready to get them to their destinations safely. ALPA touts the skill of North American pilots, including the 3.2 million hours ALPA pilots spent training in 2020 to prepare to return passengers to the skies. As part of the campaign, ALPA also advocates the need to have at least two trained, experienced professional pilots on every flight deck. While there are some who think the industry could save money by having only one pilot on a flight without jeopardizing safety, ALPA maintains that safety would indeed be compromised. The union’s “More Than Ready” campaign makes clear to decision-makers, passengers and cargo shippers that reducing the number of pilots on the flight deck is a safety risk nobody should want to take. ALPA said: “As we continue to face many threats to our jobs—and to the safety and security of the skies—we stand More Than Ready to respond, adjusting our advocacy efforts in the United States and Canada to advance our pilot-partisan agenda and protect the hard-fought gains ALPA pilots have made over nine decades.” Kenneth Quinnell Thu, 12/02/2021 - 09:35 — Dec 2
  • Service + Solidarity Spotlight: As Holiday Shopping Gets Underway, RWDSU-UFCW Reaffirms Need to Treat Workers with Respect
    Service + Solidarity Spotlight: As Holiday Shopping Gets Underway, RWDSU-UFCW Reaffirms Need to Treat Workers with Respect Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story. With holiday shopping season right around the corner, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-UFCW (RWDSU-UFCW) released two statements on the need to treat workers fairly, especially this time of year. RWDSU-UFCW President Stuart Appelbaum is urging holiday shoppers to treat workers with dignity and respect as they return to shopping in stores amid supply chain issues. “Our members are eager to welcome customers back to stores this holiday season, but as incidents of harassment, violence and hate continue to rise in stores, workers are worried about their physical and mental safety,” he said. “Shoppers need to remember what this season is supposed to be all about—kindness.” Appelbaum also took aim at Amazon, which notoriously mistreats and dehumanizes its workers. He called on the retail giant to stop union-busting and allow its workers to freely come together to form unions. “The company has continued to repress workers’ voices and prevent their ability to make effective change at work—which can only happen when workers are able to join together through a union,” he said. Kenneth Quinnell Mon, 11/29/2021 - 10:10 — Nov 29