Jobs and Economy

Years after the official end of the recent recession, America is still in a jobs crisis. Although job growth is slowly picking up steam--with steady private sector job creation--we still have a long way to go. Job losses came on top of decades of inadequate job growth, wage stagnation and growing inequality. The U.S. economy is increasingly imbalanced, with the top 1 percent holding more than 40 percent of the nation’s wealth.

The AFL-CIO is ready to work with anyone—business, government, investors—who wants to create good jobs and help restore America's middle class and challenge policies that stand in the way of giving America the chance to go back to work. The union movement is partnering with such organizations as the Clinton Global Initiative to find innovative ways to create good jobs that support workers and their families.

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Mar 24, 2023 | News Story

On March 6th, two more neighborhood umbrella groups of Blank Street Coffee voted overwhelmingly to join UFCW Local 1500, joining their 34 colleagues in West Brooklyn who voted to unionize in February.  The new units consist of 24 workers from Central Brooklyn and 30 from Chelsea/West Village.

Mar 24, 2023 | News Story

Workers at more than 115 Starbucks locations across the country including two in Astoria and one in Williamsburg walked off the job Wednesday to pressure the company to negotiate contracts with the unionized stores.

Mar 24, 2023 | News Story

Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, has been bargaining with the Broadway League for over two months on an agreement for shows on tour.

Mar 24, 2023 | News Story

Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, business, labor, and civic leaders from across the five boroughs this week launched “We [❤️] NYC”, a campaign to showcase the city’s strengths and mobilize New Yorkers to make sure this remains the greatest city in the world.

Mar 24

Friday, March 24, 11:30AM-1PM: Please join us for the commemoration of the 112th anniversary of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, one of the pivotal events in US history and a turning point in labor’s struggle to achieve fair wages, dignity at work and safe working conditions.

Mar 17, 2023 | News Story

After weeks of bargaining and organizing in the streets to make their voices heard, 32BJ SEIU and the Bronx Realty Advisory Board this week reached a tentative agreement that achieves wins for the union's membership.

Mar 17, 2023 | News Story

Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, is part of the call to invest in New York State’s arts industries. Assembly Member Daniel J. O’Donnell and Senator José M.

Mar 10, 2023 | News Story

New York is a union town and Saturday Night Live is built with union labor. But NBC Universal has resisted negotiating a fair union contract with its newly organized editorial crew.

Mar 10, 2023 | News Story

After more than a year of bargaining, the union membership of the Whitney Museum Union of Local 2110 UAW have voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first union contract with the Museum.

Mar 10, 2023 | News Story

President Biden unveiled his new federal budget yesterday, building on his commitment to fostering an economy that focuses on putting working families first.