News

A union voice can help address burnout among health care workers nationwide

The COVID-19 pandemic arrived at a time when our nation’s health care workers were already experiencing burnout.

American Red Cross workers, including AFSCME members, rally for fair contract

American Red Cross (ARC) workers, including many AFSCME members, are rallying this week in cities nationwide to fight back against mistreatment from their employer and demand a fair contract. The protests are being held in Washington; Lansing, Michigan; Peoria, Illinois; Hartford, Connecticut; Pomona, California; and San Diego.

Essential Employees are Heroes. Not Zeros.

This month, AFSCME New Jersey sent a letter to the Murphy Administration as well as the New Jersey Legislature to demand that the state stop treating essential employees as disposable and start treating them like what they are: Heroes. 

Overlooked by management during the pandemic, Red Cross workers fight for a fair contract

They collect, protect and deliver our nation’s blood supply, yet the almost 3,000 American Red Cross workers are not being paid what they deserve, lack the staff to do their jobs effectively, face cuts to their health care and, over the course of the pandemic, have often gone without pay and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Biden administration extends pause on student loan repayment

Good news for federal student loan borrowers: This month, the Biden administration again extended the pause on student debt repayment – this time through Aug. 31.

AFSCME celebrates Jackson’s confirmation; Saunders calls it ‘a watershed moment’

AFSCME members and working families are celebrating the Supreme Court confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, whose life experience and extraordinary legal career make her uniquely attuned to the challenges working people face.

The Senate confirmed Jackson today by a vote of 53-47. President Joe Biden nominated her as associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in February after Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement.

Report highlights need for state and local government jobs

A new Center for American Progress (CAP) report describes how state and local governments, having already shed critical public service jobs since the Great Recession, have lost 695,000 more since the onset of the pandemic.

Because the services these jobs deliver are critical to society’s functioning, state and local governments must invest in job creation.

ARP funds are an opportunity to build up communities by investing in public service workers

The American Rescue Plan, which AFSCME members helped make a reality and which President Joe Biden signed into law a year ago, provided $350 billion in funding to states, cities and towns.

For union members, the ‘state of the union’ is strong


For union members, the ‘state of the union’ is strong

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler