Posts tagged Rhode Island
Bally’s Colorado Casino Workers Become State’s First to Unionize
August 14, 2026 // With more than 1.3 million members, the Teamsters are one of the oldest and largest organized labor groups in the U.S. Its gaming footprint is small relative to other industries, but it is growing as it now represents “nearly 6,000 members at casinos and casino hotels” across the country. Other gaming venues where staff are Teamsters include Wynn Resorts’ Encore Boston Harbor and the Hard Rock Casino Rockford in Illinois. Bally’s and the Teamster have established ties as well. In February, 66 bankers, front desk workers, and cashiers at Bally’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Miss. voted to join the Teamsters.
Opinion: Sneaky new teachers’ union plan to indoctrinate our kids: classroom AI
August 3, 2026 // Their objective is to indoctrinate, not educate. That misguided mission is largely to blame for the past decade of drastic learning loss in K-12 schools: Too much indoctrination, too little emphasis on the basics of math and reading. It’s a bad omen for our country.
Ocean State Media, Rhode Island’s NPR and PBS organization, has voted to unionize
June 25, 2026 // Also in the May petition, the group called for “fair and transparent compensation, clear role expectations, and a say in determining our protections and benefits.” The union currently represents neighboring stations, including New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) which joined in 2021 and and WBUR in Boston which joined in 2019.
Ocean State Media Staff Members Announce Intent To ‘Go Union,’ Join SAG-AFTRA
May 14, 2026 // Staff employed at Ocean State Media - Rhode Island’s NPR and PBS station, have announced their intention to form a Union with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). A majority of Workers - including Hosts, Reporters, And Digital, Audio and Video Producers, have signed a petition to Unionize. Ocean State Media was formed following a merger between The Public’s Radio, Rhode Island’s NPR affiliate, and Rhode Island PBS. The combined organization provides news and cultural coverage on the unique stories of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.
First-Ever Bargaining Compact Unites Higher Ed Unions Across Northeastern US
May 5, 2026 // Together, they drafted a document called the Amherst Compact. While it is largely aspirational, it commits HELU to working “to coordinate bargaining priorities that raise the floor for workers of all job categories across the most densely-unionized region of the U.S.,” the Northeast. Moreover, the agreement pledges solidarity across job titles, even on campuses where multiple unions represent workers in different employment categories — buildings and grounds; clerical; custodial; food service; research; security; or teaching — and regardless of whether the workers are employed by university hospitals or degree-granting bodies.
Brown’s graduate union wants to make history. Labor experts say the journey may be strenuous.
April 23, 2026 // The union has not yet brought the case to the state labor board. But in an interview with The Herald, Michael Ziegler GS, the president of GLO’s parent group RIFT-AFT Local 6516, said the union was prepared to do so if they feel it is needed. Fellows must be considered employees by law in order to unionize, Herbert explained. “The fundamental question is whether or not the employer pays specifically for work being performed and has control over that work.”
Graduate fellows seek to unionize in unprecedented move
March 31, 2026 // The move appears to be the first of its kind at a private U.S. institution of higher education, something union organizers argue is made possible by a novel Rhode Island law passed in August that explicitly codifies the right of graduate student employees — including fellows not working as teaching or research assistants — to unionize. Graduate fellows are students who receive stipend funding unrelated to whether or not they officially work as research or teaching assistants. The University’s current contract with GLO includes only graduate student employees recognized by the National Labor Relations Board, many of whom are teaching or research assistants
VA re-terminates AFGE contract for 300K employees, despite court order to restore it
March 30, 2026 // The Office of Personnel Management initially told agencies to hold off on terminating labor contracts with unions while legal challenges were still pending. But OPM reversed course last month, when it advised agencies to proceed with either amending or fully canceling their collective bargaining agreements. In granting her preliminary injunction, DuBose wrote that she did not determine whether the Trump administration exceeded its legal authority when it issued its executive orders rolling back collective bargaining rights. The legality of the executive order is still under review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
NBC 10 I-Team: State pays union dues for thousands of employees after paycheck mistake
March 30, 2026 // The state of Rhode Island paid $220,000 in union dues for thousands of workers as the result of a paycheck problem last month. The Department of Administration confirmed to NBC 10 News that union dues were not withheld from the Feb. 27 paychecks of approximately 9,000 state employees.
Union Cronies Wanted: Goldwater Fights University of Rhode Island’s Illegal Hiring Preferences
November 25, 2025 // The University of Rhode Island has a policy of giving “preferential consideration” to National Education Association Rhode Island union members in its hiring process. Under the policy, nonunion applicants are only considered for jobs if a position cannot be filled by a union member. That’s unconstitutional—conditioning public employment on union membership violates prospective employees’ First Amendment rights. On Thursday, the Goldwater Institute and its American Freedom Network attorney Kevin McCaffrey filed a lawsuit against the university to vindicate Nicole’s First Amendment rights.