Portside

The AFL-CIO held its 30th convention in Minneapolis, where less than a week later, several unionists were arrested for their anti-ICE resistance. Minnesota unionists say now is the time to translate AFL-CIO recognition into concrete support.

Meatpacking workers face an uphill battle as they fight for better conditions. Union density in the industry has fallen precipitously. Up to 90 percent of meatpacking workers belonged to unions in the postwar era, but only 15 percent did by 2019.

The escalation comes two weeks after 31,000 nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants and other professionals in California and Hawaii began the strike in late January.

United Food and Commercial Workers President Mark Perrone is expected to announce his retirement this week. The reform organization Essential Workers for Democracy (EW4D) is pushing for a transparent and democratic process to choose a successor.

The president’s cruel, reckless plan to speed up slaughterhouse lines, explained in one chart.

There are many men and women, some known, some lost to history, that saw the intersection of worker’s rights and human rights as essential. These are a few, their stories remain important any time of year, but especially during Black History Month.

Colorado Kroger workers are striking this week, and 130,000 union grocery workers are bargaining contracts this year. Reformers see it as a chance to transform the UFCW from America’s largest private sector union into a fighting force.

Workers at Whole Foods in Philadelphia have been organizing for over a year. They've teamed up with UFCW and filed papers to unionize with the NLRB.