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In the News
‘Keep Washington running’: Thousands of state workers walk out amid contract talks
September 1, 2026 // Brady Wakayama for King TV
Thousands of Washington state employees walked off the job Monday at more than 100 sites across the state as contract negotiations continue. The Washington Federation of State Employees, the union representing the workers, organized the walkouts. At a Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) office in Bellevue, about 20 workers joined the demonstration. Larger rallies were also held at the University of Washington, Western State Hospital, the state departments of Health and Ecology, and other DCYF offices.
Postdocs Aren’t Burger Flippers: Why Unionization Is a Bad Idea
August 31, 2026 // Evan D. Morris for Inside Higher Ed
Unionization disrupts the bespoke mentor-mentee relationships that are central to the advancement of science
Uber drivers say Waymo robotaxis are driving down their pay
August 31, 2026 // Frank Landymore • for Futurism
The Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Union is claiming that drivers have reported lower pay, longer waits between rides, and fewer fares since Waymo began offering its service in the city last June, Axios reports. As such, the union is calling on city and state leaders to curb Waymo’s expansion — and to consider some measures to easen its disruptive effects on their livelihoods.
Teachers union wants $768M Meta settlement used for education funding
August 31, 2026 // Sean Reed for The Center Square
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general announced a $17.1 billion settlement with Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, in a lawsuit over risks its platforms pose to young users. Illinois’ portion of the settlement totals $768 million, though the funds aren’t being directly given to impacted users or their parents. Instead, the state gets to choose how to use the funds. The Illinois Federation of Teachers said the new funds could fund a statewide education gap, which has been a focus of state lawmakers, the governor and at Chicago Public Schools.
Washington Security Guard Files Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Against SPFPA Union for Illegal Religious Discrimination
August 31, 2026 // author for National Right To Work Foundation
Complaint: Union officials repeatedly threatened worker with termination if he did not authorize union dues deductions in violation of his religious beliefs
Opinion: California’s unions have built a $1B taxpayer-funded machine
August 31, 2026 // Christopher F. Rufo, Kenneth Schrupp for New York Post
One group, more than any other, has cashed in on this arrangement: California’s public-sector unions. For them, higher taxes are good business. More taxes means more state workers, which means more union members, more dues, and more power for union bosses. The union bosses, in turn, keep the dollars flowing, agitating for more tax hikes, more spending, and more state workers. How powerful are California’s public-sector unions? In the calendar or fiscal year ending in 2024, 10 of the largest California-based unions with public-sector members collectively raked in more than $1 billion in dues and fees.
Clashes Cloud Shawn Fain’s Re-election Bid at U.A.W.
August 31, 2026 // Rebecca Davis, O’Brien, Jack Ewing for New York Times
At a February 2024 meeting, the board voted to curtail the responsibilities of Margaret Mock, the union’s secretary-treasurer, after Mr. Fain accused her of obstructing the union’s work. Ms. Mock said Mr. Fain was retaliating against her for refusing to authorize some expenses. In May 2024, Mr. Fain removed Rich Boyer, a vice president, from oversight of relations with Stellantis, saying Mr. Boyer had made unauthorized concessions in negotiations. Mr. Boyer said Mr. Fain was retaliating against him for declining to intervene in a workers’ compensation claim by the sister of Mr. Fain’s fiancée, or to approve a cash bonus that would have benefited his fiancée. Mr. Boyer and Ms. Mock had supported Mr. Fain’s first run to lead the union. This year, Mr. Boyer is among five candidates running to replace Mr. Fain, with Ms. Mock on his slate.
Opinion: National Teacher Union is Fighting Teachers … to Prevent Unionization
August 30, 2026 // Megan Hill for Buckeye Reporter
In 2025, a group of teachers in Montpelier, Ohio, decided it was time to move on from our affiliation with the Ohio Education Association (OEA) and the National Education Association (NEA). A super-majority of the more than 70 teachers in our bargaining unit signed a petition requesting to hold a vote that could replace the OEA with a new, independent, local union: the Association of Montpelier Educators. We filed our petition for a representation election on April 8, 2026. That election should have happened by now. Instead, the OEA and NEA — national unions that bill themselves as champions of unions and defenders of teachers’ voices — are fighting our effort to form our own local union and give us back our voice.
Teachers union launches Target boycott over ICE operations in Minnesota
August 30, 2026 // Leo Heit for Only in Your State
The American Federation of Teachers calls its campaign “Shop Smart, Support Working Families.” AFT President Randi Weingarten says supporters should shop elsewhere if Target does not take the stronger public stand the union has requested.
State dismisses unfair labor practices claims in Lorain County JFS strike dispute
August 30, 2026 // Catherine Ross for News 5 Cleveland
More than six months into a Lorain County Job and Family Services strike, the state dismissed claims of unfair labor practices against both sides. The workers’ union is rallying support, and county leaders have declared that contract negotiations are effectively over, as the strike shows no sign of resolution. According to State Employment Relations Board (SERB) documents, neither party violated state statutes, noting conflicting versions of events from both sides.
Mamdani Clashes With Teachers Union, Citing Fiscal Constraints
August 30, 2026 // James Fanelli for Wall Street Journal Opinion
Michael Mulgrew, the president of the 200,000-member teachers union, threatened an “all-out war” if Mamdani tried to stop the legislation in a New York Times interview earlier this summer. “It’s always surprising when you see a big rift between the teachers unions and Democratic politicians, especially a pretty far-left Democratic politician,” said Michael Petrilli, president of Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education reform think tank. “Conventional wisdom would say that Democratic politicians try not to get sideways with important parts of their constituency and the teachers unions are such an important base.” The fight has also exposed the realities Mamdani faces now that he is in office to follow through on campaign promises when faced with fiscal constraints.
CA state worker union accuses agencies of not providing employee contact information
August 29, 2026 // Corey Schmidt for Sacramento Bee
In the most recent Public Employment Relations Board charge filed last week by SEIU Local 1000 against the California State Lottery, the union accuses the department of not providing the phone numbers and emails of employees. The union, in the PERB filing, said the information is helpful when recruiting new members and performing outreach, potentially affecting the union’s long-term strength.
Teamsters, Chisago County reach tentative deal that could end nearly 120-day strike
August 29, 2026 // Sabrina Salguero Del Cid for KSTP
The union said key issues in the new agreement include health insurance and a 20.5% wage increase over three years. Chisago County Administrator Chase Burnham said that 20.5% wage increase includes general raises of 3% in the first two years of the contract and a 4% raise in the third year. Eligible employees will also receive step increases of 3.5% each year of the contract. Burnham said the deal is “similar to what [the county] offered in June” but adds a third year to the contract.
Faster Labor Contracts Act Is a Back Door to Unions’ DEI Agenda
August 29, 2026 // Jared Whitley for DC Journal
The FLCA empowers federal bureaucrats to impose agreements without ever allowing a membership vote. These agreements may include workplace rules that may or may not benefit employees, as well as DEI mandates, pronoun rules and transgender preference provisions. Some Republicans don’t seem to understand the danger of this bill. Democratic-leaning voters will not vote for Republicans who support the bill when they can vote for a Democrat who will take a more radical pro-labor stand. The left-leaning voters in districts held by Republicans are smart, and they will not be fooled into supporting Republicans because of a single talking point: that they supported the FLCA.
Commentary:Teamsters built union on innovation but now they’re suing to stop it
August 29, 2026 // Mark Dalton for R Street Institute.
Founded between 1901 and 1903, the original Teamsters organization protected the interests of horse-drawn carriage drivers. Early in their history, members faced a new technology that threatened to make their horse-centric skills obsolete: the automobile. Despite the challenges presented by motorized transport, the early Teamsters did not fight the innovation. Instead, they organized around its adoption, expanding their membership categories to include car drivers, retraining horse-team drivers, and helping write the new rules of the road for the automotive future. They changed their name in 1909, adding “Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers” to signify the adaptation to the societal changes driven by technological progress. The Teamsters own founding story provides a strong case study in organized labor adoption and shaping a technological transition rather than resisting it.
United Auto Workers vote down contract extension with John Deere
August 29, 2026 // author for KCCI
The contracts will now expire in October of next year, and John Deere and the union will return to negotiations. The union represents about 10,000 workers across the Midwest, including thousands in Iowa.
Chicago History Museum workers ratify first union contract
August 28, 2026 // Courtney Kueppers for WBEZ
In May, the National Labor Relations Board issued a rare formal complaint, alleging that under the museum’s previous president, Donald Lassere, management retaliated against employees who voted to unionize in 2025. Shortly after that vote, four employees were fired, while others were disciplined or threatened with termination, according to the NLRB. The board found the museum violated federal labor laws.
Commentary: And Now, Chicago
August 28, 2026 // Kim Kavin for Freelance Busting
These “core services” bills are yet another variation on trying to achieve the goals that unionists detailed in 2018, when they called for “admittedly radically different” policies to try and shift entire industries into unionizable employee status. You don’t have to be a genius to anticipate that more “core services” bills are about to pop up in more cities soon.
WATCH: Seattle teachers could strike despite being among highest paid in US
August 27, 2026 // Randy Diamond for The Center Square
But district officials have publicly said that Seattle Schools are grappling with a looming $87 million budget deficit for the 2026–27 school year and a depleted $30 million rainy-day reserve, down from a recommended $135 million. Vicki Murray, senior education policy director at the free market nonprofit Washington Policy Center, said investing in great education means investing in teachers, but noted that Seattle teachers' salaries are among the highest paid in the country.
Autism Therapy’s Latest Labor Challenge — Unionization
August 27, 2026 // author for BHB Business
Should unionization in states with a more progressive bent, such as California, New York, New Jersey or Oregon, take off to a meaningful degree; this would create “no-fly zones” for dealmaking. Already, the M&A pro said that these organizations are increasingly unattractive because of their strict and complicated regulatory systems. At the site level, increased wages from union activity may put specific locations in jeopardy if a company is not able to command commensurate increases in reimbursement from health plans. Strikes may also threaten the clinic’s viability. “By the time they end up negotiating a contract with the union, the center’s already dead,” the M&A pro said. “The center just died on the vine, and there was nothing left for them to argue over.”