Posts tagged Transparency
Consumer Action for a Strong Economy: New Issue Brief Examines Organized Labor’s Political Agenda
November 2, 2026 // According to the brief, unions have filed more than 70 lawsuits challenging President Trump’s agenda, directed the vast majority of their political contributions to Democrats, and backed redistricting efforts designed to increase Democratic representation in Congress. Taken together, those actions raise questions about organized labor’s recent outreach to Republicans. “Working families deserve transparency from organizations asking Congress for more power,” said CASE Chairman Gerard Scimeca. “At the same time union leaders are seeking greater support from Republicans, they continue spending millions backing Democratic candidates and opposing key parts of President Trump’s agenda.”
Catapult to Be Sold, End Operations
October 23, 2026 // The statement did not name the buyer but said the union was notified that “continued employment with the prospective buyer is not an option.” The Catapult website currently lists 25 employees, including Koch, who is CEO, and publisher Alyson Forbes. The union includes around 20 employees in editorial, design, marketing, publicity, production, operations, and rights, PW reported in April. News of a sale comes six months after they petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for a vote on unionization, citing a need for “job security, wages, and a need for greater transparency from company leadership.” An “overwhelming majority” voted to join UAW Local 2110 via an election, the union announced in June. It said Wednesday it is negotiating a separation agreement with the company.
Why more Pittsburgh-area librarians are becoming ‘steelworkers’
October 19, 2026 // A lack of administrative transparency, paired with over a year of grappling with short-staffing, wages as low as $13.22 per hour, changing leadership and expanding responsibilities, pushed workers to unionize, by a 13-3 vote, with the United Steelworkers (USW) in late July. The Cooper-Siegel staff enters the bargaining phase of their first contract amid rising tensions and concerns across the broader library workforce. They join more than 750 library workers across the country — including in Ohio, Illinois and New York — who have organized over the last 12 months as library wages lag way below other sectors and the soaring cost of living.
UAW rank-and-file vote to pick union leadership
October 8, 2026 // Fain, who became one of the labor movement's most recognizable figures after leading strikes against Ford Motor (F.N), opens new tab, General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab and Stellantis (STLAM.MI), opens new tab in 2023, faces multiple opponents. Union members are also electing three vice presidents, a secretary-treasurer and regional directors.
Alamo Drafthouse workers vote to unionize at the City Foundry in St. Louis
October 6, 2026 // They are asking for more advance scheduling, tip transparency, changes to the new QR code ordering system, more consistent communication from the company and a seat at the table in decisions made by ownership.
Vinnie Vernuccio: Labor reform finally has congressional momentum
September 30, 2026 // Those reforms will take time to pass, whereas ending racist or sexually harassing language in unionization campaigns should be easy to get across the finish line soon. Clearly, Congress is capable of rallying behind pro-worker labor reforms. The House’s bipartisan passage of the Ending Predator Access to Union Power Act proves it, and hopefully it will clear the Senate soon.
Keeping Workers in the Dark: The Push for Employer Neutrality in Union Campaigns
September 30, 2026 // Whether or not one supports unionization in a particular workplace, elected officials should not pressure one party in a labor dispute to relinquish rights recognized to balance competing interests. The law recognizes rights and responsibilities for employees, unions, and employers alike. Yet calls for neutrality almost always run in one direction: in favor of organized labor. There is rarely a corresponding demand that unions remain neutral. Instead, neutrality initiatives frequently seek to silence only one side of the debate. The answer to competing claims should be more information, not less. Collective bargaining can involve difficult or protracted negotiations and may affect workplace flexibility, labor costs, wages, benefits, and business operations.
Op-Ed: Taxpayer money for government employee compensation demands real transparency
September 29, 2026 // But in Washington, what the public rarely sees are the financial details under consideration. Agreements are struck behind closed doors with taxpayer dollars, between government officials and the very unions whose dues often fund those officials' campaigns. There's something uncomfortable about a governor negotiating wages and benefits with one of their largest campaign supporters, with almost no public visibility into the process. And it's worth asking how that squares with a state that otherwise prides itself on open government.
Commentary: Federal unions owe workers more transparency. Congress can help.
September 24, 2026 // Congress should also ask why so few have and strengthen union accountability by requiring unions to disclose in their filings the total number of workers they claim to represent versus the number of actual members. They should also be required to report election turnout data at all levels: eligible voters, ballots sent and ballots returned — similar to shareholder-vote disclosures. For example, some unions use “delegate” qualification procedures that can insulate national incumbents from direct member voting. As a matter of fair competition, challengers should have the same access to membership contact lists as incumbents, with sufficient time to mount a campaign, with direct member voting as the preferred standard.
Workers voted for a voice — not another Washington mandate
September 22, 2026 // But ALG raises a question Congress should take seriously: What happens when controversial noneconomic provisions become part of first-contract negotiations that ultimately end in binding arbitration? Who gets the final say? That question matters because the American labor movement isn’t simply a collection of union executives in Washington. It is millions of truck drivers, electricians, teachers, police officers, factory workers, construction workers and other Americans who get up every morning and earn a paycheck.