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In the News
Teachers unions back school funding measures, governor candidates in midterms
October 30, 2026 // Lauren Wagner for The 74
As the American Federation of Teachers finishes an election tour in battleground areas, many local affiliates’ biggest bets are on state ballots, including school funding measures and governor’s races. Both the AFT and the National Education Association have homed in on specific states for the midterms. The NEA and its state affiliate, the California Teachers Association, contributed a total of nearly $45 million to campaign for Proposition 3, a measure that would make a higher income tax rate for top earners permanent. The surcharge, which has funded billions for schools since 2012, would otherwise expire in 2031.
‘Blurring the lines.’ Drivers question anti-union tactics from Central California Food Bank
October 30, 2026 // Julianna Morano for Fresnoland
Teamsters Threatening Renewed Landfill Disruptions Over Rejected Contract
October 30, 2026 // Saskia Kennedy for Fullerton Observer
On October 19, the county filed an unfair practice charge with the state Public Employment Relations Board, alleging the union had moved from lawful strike activity into illegal obstruction of public facilities. The filing claims that from October 13 through 17, picketers marched in roadways, formed human chains, surrounded vehicles and kept county managers from entering the landfills, and that commercial trucks waited for hours, with some haulers refusing deliveries. The complaint also alleges union workers falsely told customers one of the landfills was closed. According to a declaration from a senior county waste official, the Bowerman landfill, which typically receives about 8,000 tons of trash a day, took in roughly 1,100 to 2,000 tons a day during that period. The county also says two striking workers were injured on October 17 when vehicles entering the facilities ran over their feet, and it sought expedited relief that could include a restraining order barring obstruction of county facilities.
Simone Barron: Even a Downturn Won’t Stop New York’s Minimum-Wage Hike
October 29, 2026 // Simone Barron for City Journal
Governor Hochul promises a workaround for a provision in state law that mandates freezing the wage amid job losses.
Workers at Joplin, Missouri Dispensary Vote to Join Union
October 29, 2026 // TG Branfalt for Ganjapreneur
Last month, a dozen employees at a Greenlight Dispensary in Springfield claimed they were fired for meeting to discuss unionization. Greenlight representatives alleged that the employees were actually fired for consuming cannabis while on the job.
Court limits where Lewis Ginter striking union workers can picket at the garden
October 29, 2026 // A.J. Nwoko for WTVR
A Henrico Circuit Court judge granted the garden a temporary injunction defining where demonstrators can gather after more than 50 days of protests over wages.
Matt Welch: L.A. Teachers Union Flunks Math, Blames Billionaires
October 29, 2026 // Matt Welch for Reason
Faced with LAUSD's "high risk" of insolvency due to plummeting enrollment and increased hiring, the union is railing against a "fake independent analysis" and pushing for two separate wealth taxes.
Unearthed filing shows largest teachers unions poured over $900 million into political activities
October 28, 2026 // Joshua Q. Nelson for Fox News
According to an investigation by the North American Values Institute (NAVI), a nonprofit watchdog that tracks ideological activism in education, the National Education Association (NEA) spent at least $547 million on political activity and advocacy between fiscal years 2016 and 2025. That total includes $458.9 million filed officially as political activity and lobbying, along with an additional $88.2 million in direct funding to progressive advocacy organizations. To finance its political activities, "NEA delegates approved a $10 dues increase for a ballot-measure and media fund projected to generate more than $20 million annually," the report stated. With more than 3 million members, the NEA is the largest teachers' union in the country.
Civil rights legend Dolores Huerta, who aired horrific rape claims against Cesar Chavez, dies aged 96
October 28, 2026 // Ross O'Keefe for New York Post
California civil rights leader Dolores Huerta has died at the age of 96 — just months after airing horrific rape claims against Cesar Chavez. Huerta made the stunning revelation in March, leading many organizations and individuals across California to condemn the late Chavez and strip his name off monuments.
Molson Coors employees in Elkton join Teamsters union
October 28, 2026 // Randi B. Hagi for WMRA
Hourly employees at the Molson Coors brewery in Elkton voted last month to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters' Local 29 chapter based in Verona. The union also represents ABF Freight truckers, Danone and other dairy plant workers, Marshall's Distribution Center mechanics, and city employees in Charlottesville. The broader Teamsters organization also represents Coors workers in Fort Worth, Texas.
Union watchmen authorize strike at LA-Long Beach ports
October 28, 2026 // Glenn Taylor for Sourcing Journal
Although ILWU Local 26 accounts for only 2 percent of the union's total workforce at the two ports, the association said the terminals where its members work handle more than half of the cargo moving through the San Pedro Bay complex. The potentially impacted terminals handle roughly 85 percent of Long Beach's cargo and 33 percent of freight at the Port of Los Angeles, the PMA said. A watchmen strike could halt vessel, yard and gate operations at the affected terminals at both ports.
Dale Buss: UAW’s Deere gamble sends a warning to Detroit automakers
October 28, 2026 // Dale Buss for Detroit News
What Fain didn’t tell the employees was that Deere’s offer was better than just about anything Fain got anywhere else. Earlier this year, Fain hailed the UAW’s first contract with Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga as a historic victory. Yet that agreement provides general wage increases of just 3% in 2027, 2028 and 2029 before a final 6% increase in 2030. Deere was offering its workers 4% raises in both 2026 and 2027, on top of a $3,000 bonus and the continuation of their existing pension, health-care and cost-of-living protections. Which raises the question: was Fain’s real motive in rejecting Deere’s generous offer Deere employees or his larger 2028 general strike plans? The existing Deere contract expires on October 31, 2027. The UAW’s contracts with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis expire just six months later, on April 30, 2028.
Granholm, not Republicans, put Detroit Schools under state control in 2009
October 28, 2026 // Michigan Capitol Confidential Staff for Michigan Capitol Confidential
The Detroit school district incurred a $139.7 million operations deficit in 2007-08. By the end of 2008-09, that deficit grew to $218.9 million. Granholm appointed an emergency financial manager halfway through the 2008-09 school year, effectively placing the district in a form of state receivership. By the end of that fiscal year, the district's deficit had increased to $327.3 million. That was the responsibility of the locally-elected school board. There were two significant events in 2016. The state bailed out the school district and the state was sued by a group of Detroit Public Schools Community District students. Those Detroit students claimed they didn’t receive an education.
Key labor group mobilizes WI voters in fight for workers’ rights
October 28, 2026 // Judith Ruiz-Branch for Public News Service
The union put their message into action over the weekend. Hundreds of union workers rallied and took to the streets for door-to-door canvassing as part of a nationwide “Unions for All” effort. In Milwaukee, healthcare, school, janitorial and security workers mobilized around the election while calling on corporations to stay out of politics and pay what they owe in taxes.
‘Best, final’ offer sent to striking Bradford White workers
October 28, 2026 // Nicole Tam for Wood TV
“We’ve made that clear by standing on the strike lines, blocking the drives. We don’t block them coming in and out. They know we’re here. They know we’re serious,” Dan Snowden, UAW Local 1002 bargaining chair, said.
Freedom Foundation: Are California Unions Legally Untouchable?
October 28, 2026 // Rebekah Schultheiss for Are California Unions Legally Untouchable?
The Freedom Foundation sued under California’s unfair business practices laws on behalf of employees allegedly harmed by these and other deceptive practices. But the California courts concluded that consumer protection claims arising from these disputes fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), the state agency that oversees public-sector labor disputes. (Those decisions are on appeal, Marsh et al. v. SEIU Local 2015, No. F090824 (Cal. Ct. App., 5th Dist.); Kendrick et al. v. United Domestic Workers, No. C106403 (Cal. Ct. App., 3d Dist.)) So, the Freedom Foundation’s legal team pivoted and filed unfair labor practice charges with PERB.
The Blade files WARN notice, plans Dec. 31 closure affecting 116 employees
October 28, 2026 // Heather Schramm for WTOL
According to the WARN letter, The Blade, a division of Block Communication, Inc., will begin the layoffs during a 14-day period starting Dec. 31. The 116 affected employees have no bumping or reemployment rights. The notice identified union representation for affected staff across three unions: Toledo NewsGuild, Teamsters Local 20, and IBEW Local 8.
LAUSD’s insane priorities: Lavish union deals, fewer school cops and bullies running wild
October 27, 2026 // Jon Fleishman for California Post
Public employee unions wield enormous influence over LAUSD elections. United Teachers Los Angeles spent roughly $2.4 million each supporting Scott Schmerelson and Karla Griego, and nearly $890,000 backing Rocío Rivas. Those same board members vote on contracts with the unions that spent millions helping elect them. School police, meanwhile, are represented separately. The board approved expensive labor agreements while identifying school police as another place to cut.
Amazon says it will not recognize workers’ unionization push at Merrillville warehouse
October 27, 2026 // Joseph S. Pete for Northwest Indiana Times
Amazon does not plan to voluntarily recognize drivers who filed union authorization cards to join the Teamsters Local 142, setting up an election through the National Labor Relations Board. Transportation Operations Management, or TOM, Team drivers out of the 1 million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center just off Interstate 65 in Merrillville rallied there Thursday to demand the company negotiate a union contract. The department employs about 21 workers out of the hundreds who work at the hulking Amazon warehouse, union leaders said.
Hochul ripped by NYC transit union over staffing issues
October 27, 2026 // Chris Wade for The Center Square
A New York City transit union is attacking Gov. Kathy Hochul in a new pre-election ad campaign as "politically toxic" for vetoing a bill that sought to increase staffing on subway cars.