John, 

Big news, union family: Two million SEIU members just joined forces with the AFL-CIO, bringing us to an incredible 15 million union members strong! This is what worker power looks like when we stand together—janitors, bus drivers, hospital workers, stadium crews, and so many others uniting to make life better for working people everywhere.

Here in Arizona, we’ve always been proud to work side by side with our SEIU family—SEIU-UHW, SEIU-WSRJB, and SEIU Starbucks Workers United. Naomi Martinez, a Phoenix Starbucks barista who helped organize her store on Seventh Street and Bell back in 2022, attended yesterday’s roundtable where the affiliation was formally announced, adding her voice to this powerful moment.

As the AFL-CIO press release reminds us, "more than 60 million workers say they would join a union if they could—but only 1 in 10 workers has a union because big corporations are allowed to subject workers who organize to unrelenting hatred, harassment and hostility." This new affiliation brings incredible strength to our shared fight for fair wages, better benefits, and stronger labor laws. Together, we will continue to challenge union-busting, build worker power, and make sure every worker has the opportunity to join a union.

Solidarity always wins, so let’s celebrate this moment, keep organizing, and keep fighting for a better future for all workers!

Read the full press release here.

In solidarity,

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

LCSA 6th Annual 5K Cupcake Chase Walk & Run

Labor's Community Service Agency (LCSA) provides different programs for families including affordable housing, and SHIFT (an affordable transportation program). Join them for their annual Cupcake Chase at Arizona Falls in Phoenix. 

Register to participate, become a volunteer, or become a sponsor. All proceeds are to benefit LCSA. If you have any questions, please contact Rebekah Friend at [email protected]. 

Arizona AFL-CIO 2025 Legislative Committee 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.

Arizona AFL-CIO Building Bridges: Free Citizenship Fair

The Arizona AFL-CIO is prepared to host another Citizenship Fair, where applicants will receive free assistance from dedicated volunteer attorneys in completing their N-400 applications and preparing their paperwork for submission to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). 

This is open to union members, their families, and friends. We would like to confirm 30+ applicants before finalizing time and location for the workshop. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Arizona AFL-CIO's Training Specialist, Esau Gutierrez at [email protected]. 

Click HERE to download, share, print English and Spanish Flyers. 

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].

Hanford Guards Decry Dangerous Lockout

"Illegal lockout of Hanford Guards, supported by the Department of Energy, was a danger to national security, to the community, and to the livelihood of workers."

Arizona Seniors, Low-Income Families Should Act Now to Save Thousands with IRA Benefits 

"For Arizona’s seniors, the daily struggle to manage expenses on fixed incomes has become increasingly challenging. The challenge also exists for low-income, working families. As the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans leader, I’ve witnessed firsthand the difficulties our seniors and underserved communities face in maintaining their quality of life after many years of workforce contribution."

New Research Shows That Work Permits Reduce Child Labor Violations  

"Youth work permits ensure that jobs children start as young as age 14 or 15 come with safe conditions and hours that don’t interfere with their education and development. In this post, we share highlights from new research that sheds light on the effectiveness of youth work permits and suggest how states can strengthen permit programs as legislative sessions begin this month."

Park City Ski Patrol Union Ends Strike, Ratifies New Contract 

"The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association announced Wednesday night its members have voted to accept a new contract agreement with Vail Resorts that runs through April 2027."

Dockworkers and Port Operators Strike Labor Deal, Again Dodging Strike

"East and Gulf Coast port operators late Wednesday struck an agreement with a dockworkers union, resolving a labor dispute that had threatened to halt shipments for a second time in three months."

Nurses at 3 Legacy Health Hospitals in Portland Push to Unionize

"The union says more than 70% of the nurses from Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center, Legacy Emanuel Medical Center and Randall Children’s Hospital have signed union authorization cards, triggering the right to hold a union election per federal law. Nurses are seeking voluntary recognition of the union by Legacy management."

Biden Administration Bans Unpaid Medical Bills from Appearing on Credit Reports 

"The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule will remove $49 billion in medical debt from the credit reports of more than 15 million Americans, according to the bureau, which means lenders will no longer be able to take that into consideration when deciding to issue a loan."

Shift to State Employee Health Insurance Plan Would Lower Costs for Arizona Teachers 

“The study found that state health plans 'generally have richer benefits' than the plans offered by school districts and that the total cost to cover all school district employees would decrease by about $20 million if they were moved to the state plan, a reduction of about 2.6%."

Union Leaders Push for Pay Hikes to Match Cost of Living for City Workers 

"Lucero said that when these raises were introduced, the city promised to offer cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) every year as long as finances allowed. In July, city employees received a 1.5% pay increase. This time around, however, instead of another pay raise, they are receiving a one-time bonus."

State Massage Board Says It Will Resume Services After 'Abrupt' Pause in Licensing 

"This comes after more than 380 people as of Tuesday evening had signed a change.org petition calling on the board to resume licensing activities 'immediately," calling the pause a disruption that "threatens the financial stability of therapists in our industry without adequate support.'"

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]