Last Week in Labor: November 28 - December 5, 2025
Newsguild launches "News, Not Slop" campaign, workers step up for struggling members, and more headlines for your week.
Good morning, Friday morning. I hope your post-holiday week back to work wasn't too terrible, and that you have some decent weekend plans. As you may have noticed, I'm running a bit late this morning on the digest; my week was mostly travel to and from the Midwest, so I'll be posting links without much commentary from me today.
That being said, there are lots of interesting things that happened in the world of labor this week, so I'm just gonna get right to it. Be sure to stick around to the end to see the recent newsletter and podcast updates from yours truly.
Alright, onwards...
Notable News in Labor
Fighting for their patients, Sharp health care workers go on three-day strike
Fighting for their patients, Sharp health care workers go on three-day strike
Thousands of Sharp Healthcare nurses held a three-day strike last week in Southern California
AFSCME Staff
Labor Movement steps up to help AFGE, IAM District 837 members in need after strike, government shutdown, giving away 1,400 bags of food
Labor Movement steps up to help AFGE, IAM District 837 members in need after strike, government shutdown, giving away 1,400 bags of food - The Labor Tribune
The American Federation of Government Employees, International Association of Machinists Dist. 837 (Boeing) and the Missouri AFL-CIO united to support union members impacted by the government shutdown and recent strike at Boeing. After collecting for two weeks, with donations coming in from union members and Missouri Jobs with Justice, on Sunday, Nov. 23, they gave…
Lynn
DeWine vetoes bill that would’ve allowed teens to work later on school nights
DeWine vetoes bill that would’ve allowed teens to work later on school nights
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Governor Mike DeWine has vetoed a bill that would have allowed teenagers to work longer hours. Current child labor laws dictate that kids cannot work past 7 p.m. on sc…
Jesse Bethea
More than 20 National Organizations Form Move America Coalition to Champion Surface Transportation Reauthorization
More than 20 National Organizations Form Move America Coalition to Champion Surface Transportation Reauthorization - TTD
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, more than 20 national organizations, including industry trade associations and labor unions, formed the Move America Coalition—a
Admin
The NLRB Is Suing to Keep States From Protecting Workers’ Rights
The NLRB Is Suing to Keep States From Protecting Workers’ Rights
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and…
Allegra Kirkland
Unity Slate prevails in AFSCME Local 88 elections
Unity Slate prevails in AFSCME Local 88 elections
Members re-elected Jackie Tate as president amid tough contract talks with Multnomah County.
Don McIntosh
Ohio labor unions move off the sidelines to back Amy Acton’s campaign for governor
Ohio labor unions move off the sidelines to back Amy Acton’s campaign for governor
For Democrat gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton to defeat presumptive Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy, she will need all the labor support she can get. This week several prominent unions have lined up behind her.
Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com
Workers’ emergency motion to halt rerun of Local 44 election to be heard in federal court
Workers’ emergency motion to halt rerun of Local 44 election to be heard in federal court | Baltimore Brew
McNair and other winners of the August leadership vote are seeking a court injunction to stop a new election on December 6.
Workplace health, safety focus of AFSCME library workers’ summit in Seattle
Workplace health, safety focus of AFSCME library workers’ summit in Seattle
Library workers in the Pacific Northwest held a summit to focus on workplace health and safety.
Shafuq Naseem and AFSCME Staff
NewsGuild-CWA Journalists Win Historic Victory Against AI Misuse
NewsGuild-CWA Journalists Win Historic Victory Against AI Misuse
Last week, after months of arbitration, journalists at POLITICO won a decisive victory in the fight against the misuse of artificial intelligence.
Suntrapp workers formally unionize with owner’s voluntary recognition
Suntrapp workers formally unionize with owner’s voluntary recognition
According to a social media post and statement released by Suntrapp Workers United, the employees of Suntrapp have formally unionized as part of the CWA 7765 Labor Union and been recognized by thei…
Amelia Hobson
Unions Respond to Trump Administration
Federal worker unions allege State Department RIFs violate shutdown resolution
Federal worker unions allege State Department RIFs violate shutdown resolution
While the shutdown resolution undid and paused RIFs, the State Department told workers it planned to finalize their separations Friday.
malder
Letter Opposing Legislation That Would Weaken Workers’ Ability to Organize, Undermine the NLRB Enforcement Authority, and Make It Harder for Employees to Exercise Their Rights Under the NLRA
From this letter to Congress,
On behalf of the 15 million workers and 64 affiliate unions represented by the AFL-CIO, I urge you to oppose the following bills that were recently introduced: S. 3111, S. 3114, S. 3115, S. 3116, S. 3117, S. 3124, S. 3128, and S. 3215. While these bills are being promoted as part of a “pro worker” agenda, they would weaken workers’ ability to organize, undermine the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) enforcement authority, and make it harder for employees to exercise their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). We strongly urge you not to cosponsor these bills.
Local officials, union members call for no changes to U.S. Postal Service
Local officials, union members call for no changes to U.S. Postal Service
Postal workers and local elected leaders are pushing back on attempts to privatize the United States Posts Office.
CBS Chicago
Driving People Out of Work: The Trump Administration’s Commercial Drivers’ Licenses Revocation
Driving People Out of Work: The Trump Administration’s Commercial Drivers’ Licenses Revocation ✦ OnLabor
Jorge Rivera Lujan, a Dreamer protected under DACA, runs his own trucking business; Aleksei Semenovskii sought asylum from Russia and has been driving in the U.S. for more than five years. Both have complied with every requirement for commercial licenses, yet their livelihoods are under threat. Nearly 40 years after federal regulations first recognized the importance […]
OnLabor
Commentary & Analysis
Global System ‘Rigged for the Wealthy’ Delivers World With ‘More Billionaires Than Ever’
From Jon Queally over at Common Dreams,
New annual report on “ambitions” of billionaires by wealth management giant UBS shows just 2,919 individuals have a combined wealth of $15.8 trillion.
Donald Trump, Union Buster
Donald Trump, Union Buster
Trump’s second term in office has been an all-out assault on organized labor.
Lawrence S. Wittner
Larry Moquin: A nation where work no longer matters
Opinion — Larry Moquin: A nation where work no longer matters
Our strength lies in our unity, whether on the picket line, at the bargaining table or in the halls of government. We are one movement fighting for justice for all.
Opinion
Editorial: Students must support workers’ efforts, see strikes as more than an inconvenience
Editorial: Students must support workers' efforts, see strikes as more than an inconvenience - Daily Bruin
Strikes at UCLA are more than just an inconvenience for students. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 went on strike last month after UCLA failed to negotiate a fair contractual agreement with its members.
Is Salt The Key? We Can Stop This.
Labor By the Numbers
We've got 58 filings for representation with the NLRB this week. Notable filings include...
- 9 employees at a Build-A-Bear Workshop in St. Louis
- 24 drivers with Frito-Lay NA, Inc. in King of Prussia, PA
- 29 quality control inspection personnel at Southern California Edison Company in Ontario, CA
- 7 staff workers at AFT Washington in Seattle
Looking Ahead...
Yesterday, I shared the details of my forthcoming labor podcast, The Union Bug. If you haven't had a chance to check that post out, can you do so here. I look forward to sharing these conversations with you in January!
Introducing The Union Bug, a new podcast
The Union Bug is a podcast by workers, for workers. Premiering January 2.
Mel Buer
If you’ve got a…
- workshop,
- seminar,
- panel,
- conference,
- labor action,
- strike,
- protest
- walkout,
- negotiation,
- sit-in,
- or other item you’d like eyes on, shoot me a message.
Send me an email at melbuer@proton.me or hit my DMs on Bluesky. I'll get your flyer in the newsletter.
That's it for me this week, my friends. Thanks again for taking the time to read and support my work. It means so much. Have a good weekend and I'll see you next week.
In love and solidarity,
Mel
