News

Protective Equipment, Sanitized Workplace is Every Worker’s Right

Working people are being infected at work and dying from COVID-19 in every sector.

Governor Evers Delivers Pivotal State of the State

(January 12, 2021, MILWAUKEE, WI) -- Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, released the following statement on Governor Tony Evers’ 2021 State of the State address:

President-elect Biden Taps Long-Time Union Member to Lead Department of Labor

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will put America’s workers first as our Secretary of Labor

Get Involved: Help Elect Judge Karofsky to the WI Supreme Court

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is proud to announce our endorsement of Judge Jill Karofsky for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice in the spring general election on April 7, 2020.

Click here to get involved with our Labor 2020 voter outreach program to elect our next Supreme Court Justice and local labor endorsed candidates throughout the state.

Some Striking Numbers

Today, strikes are back—among teachers, hotel workers, auto workers, supermarket employees, and disconsolate Google-ites, among others. (The walkout of roughly 20,00 Google employees, protesting the company’s treatment of sexual harassment, didn’t even make it into the BLS numbers due to the bureau’s definition of what constitutes a work stoppage.) As I write, more than 20,000 workers are preparing to take a strike vote at Safeway markets in the D.C.–Maryland area.

Wisconsin AFL-CIO Endorses Tricia Zunker for 7th Congressional District

Zunker will stand up for the rights of working people in Wisconsin

Statement by Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale announcing the endorsement of Tricia Zunker for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District in the May 12, 2020 general special election. Zunker is running to fill an open seat left vacant with the resignation of former Congressman Sean Duffy.

Trump’s $4.8 Trillion Budget Would Cut Safety Net Programs and Boost Defense

President Trump released a $4.8 trillion budget proposal on Monday that includes a familiar list of deep cuts to student loan assistance, affordable housing efforts, food stamps and Medicaid, reflecting Mr. Trump’s election-year effort to continue shrinking the federal safety net. The proposal, which is unlikely to be approved in its entirety by Congress, includes additional spending for the military, national defense and border enforcement, along with money for veterans, Mr.

'Victory for Workers!': House Praised for Passing Landmark PRO Act to Strengthen Unions and Labor Rights

Union leaders and labor rights advocates applauded the Democrat-controlled U.S. House for passing landmark legislation Thursday night that supporters have called one of the most notable efforts to expand workers' rights in several decades. "Make no mistake, this is the most significant step Congress has taken to strengthen labor laws in the United States in 85 years and a win for workers everywhere," said AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, declaring the measure "the labor movement's number one legislative priority this year."

BIG DAY FOR WORKERS AS HOUSE PASSES PRO ACT

Most significant step Congress has taken to strengthen labor laws in the United States in 85 years is a win for workers everywhere

Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale on the House passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 2474):  

2020 “Buy American” Legislative Package Introduced

Democrats in the Wisconsin Legislature are kicking off 2020 with a package of bills to support American workers and American-made products by updating our state procurement processes to support buying local, made in the USA goods when possible. The 2020 "Buy American" legislation package is a commonsense set of bills that will prioritize made in the USA goods in our state and local communities’ procurement processes. This will encourage economic growth, boost American manufacturing, and support America’s workers and middle class.

The House Must Stand Up for Labor

Support for the labor movement is the highest in nearly half a century, yet only one in 10 workers are members of unions today. How can both be true?

A recent Gallup poll found that 64% of Americans approve of unions and research from MIT shows nearly half of non-union workers—more than 60 million people—would vote to join today if given the opportunity. Twenty-five years ago, only one-third of workers said the same thing.