News

Biden forgives student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers

AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised the White House’s announcement Thursday that the Biden administration will forgive student loans for an additional 78,000 borrowers — including many AFSCME mem

They're "Re-Membering" To Stick With Their Union

As more Americans realize unions may be their best bet to reverse economic trends that favor the rich and powerful, the labor movement faces relentless attacks from the very forces that benefit the most from economic inequality. Shadowy front groups funded by billionaires spend millions of dollars attacking unions in the courts, in the media, and at the ballot box. 

Believe It or Not, Congress Seeks More Tax Cuts for the Rich

At a time when our country needs real investments in infrastructure, education and public services, congressional leaders are doubling down on tax cuts for the rich.

A Decade Later: Four Ways Working People Are Still Paying for the 2008 Financial Crisis

It was 10 years ago this month that the 2008 financial crisis kicked into high gear. When storied Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers shut down, bankers walking out of the building carrying cardboard boxes of their possessions made the perfect image for TV cameras.

Working America: In Connecticut, Working For Us

We have exciting news to report.

Don’t Like Wealth Inequality? Join a Union

We Are AFSCME

No politician running for office today would openly advocate for more wealth inequality in our country, where the richest 1 percent of the population owns 40 percent of the wealth. Even candidate Donald Trump in 2016 promised to stand up for the “forgotten men and women of our country,” who feel betrayed by a rigged economic system that benefits a small minority at their expense. Yet every single day, President Trump and congressional leaders seem determined to do more to increase wealth inequality than to alleviate it; do more for corporations and the wealthy than for single parents working two or three jobs to make ends meet.

Brett Kavanaugh: No R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Women’s and Workers’ Rights

Like others around the world, I mourned the death last week of Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul set a new standard for enduring classic songs with both artistic and political impact, like her mega-hit “Respect,” which became an anthem for both the civil rights and women’s movements.

And that song is on my mind as we embark on a week of action dedicated to shining light on the stakes for women in the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

In Connecticut or Louisiana, the Fight Is the Same

Leighton Vanderburgh for Unions.

Roughly 1,500 miles separate Hartford, Connecticut from Angola, Louisiana, but if one Council 4 Corrections Officer’s journey is any indication, those areas are closer than you think – especially in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s anti-union decision in Janus v. AFSCME.

Be sure to watch the brief video on this page featuring Leighton's reflections on why "Right to Work for Less" is harmful.

A Seat at the Table for EMS Workers in Prescott, Arizona

Empty table with copies of Local 2960's final contract

Photo Credit: Local 2960