Posts tagged Transparency
SoFi Stadium workers set to vote on strike ahead of World Cup
June 1, 2026 // The union has made demands that include, according to The Athletic: –A guarantee that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will not be allowed on venue grounds during the World Cup, saying their presence could jeopardize employee safety. Government officials have said ICE agents would be on hand with security and not immigation enforcement their primary duty. –Restricted use of subcontractors. –No use of automation or artificial intelligence that could cause the loss of union jobs. –Release of information to the union that would detail things such as work hours or the distribution of tips and service charges.
More transparency for the largest unions
May 31, 2026 // A new rule from the Labor Department will recalibrate the disclosure reports that labor unions are required to file. It’s a welcome update to ensure that union members know how their money is being spent. What will happen in the 2026 midterms? Sign up for Margin of Victory The reason unions have government-mandated disclosure requirements is that they are government-backed monopolies. Labor relations law gives unions exclusive power as the sole bargaining agent for the entire workplace.
ILLINOIS: Local school district accused of corruption amid contract negotiations
May 26, 2026 // A local teachers union is accusing its school district of corruption amid ongoing contract negotiations. And now, the Cahokia Federation of Teachers says it has the documentation to back up those allegations.
Seattle Art Museum Workers Move to Unionize
May 19, 2026 // Over 100 staff members across departments at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) have announced their intention to unionize in a recent letter to the Director and CEO Scott Stulen and the museum board, urging leadership to voluntarily recognize the union by Wednesday, May 27. Going by Seattle Art Museum Workers United (SAMWU), the employees have affiliated with Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28, which also represents workers at the Tacoma Art Museum, as first reported by the Seattle Times. Dated May 13, the SAMWU letter to the museum was signed by 59 current employees working in visitor experience and memberships, collections care and art handling, curatorial and exhibition projects, events management, institutional giving, and education, among other departments.
How Teachers’ Unions Became Political Big Spenders
May 18, 2026 // A new report out today accuses both the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) of spending tens of millions of dollars on electing Democratic political candidates, and prioritizing politicking over the needs and interests of their union members. The report, conducted by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), Gevura Fund, and Rutgers University, among others, found that of the NEA’s $450 million annual disbursement budget from fiscal year 2025, less than $46 million, or 10 percent, was spent on activities directly representing the union’s constituents.
Editorial Board: The federal government’s most efficient use of $600 ever?
May 15, 2026 // As part of the Trump administration’s effort to modernize government websites, OLMS has added a new “Visualization” column. All the reports are available the same as before, but now some also have a more user-friendly version. The data are searchable and sortable, and users can view multiyear comparisons, with charts, at a glance. This fix has made it much easier to see, for example, that the Amalgamated Transit Union has 18 vice presidents, and they all make more than $215,000 a year.
The Department of Labor is right to make union spending transparent
May 11, 2026 // The form includes spending, assets and major receipts, to ensure union members are informed about their union’s financial condition. LM-2s also disclose relationships with affiliated groups, including political action committees, advocacy groups and other organizations that engage in electoral or issue-based campaigns. Given the amount unions spend on political activities, reporting and transparency are increasingly important. For example, in 2023 the Service Employees International Union spent 17 percent of its budget on political activities and lobbying and 16 percent on benefits and union administration. In other words, a labor union with more than 2 million members, spent nearly as much on partisan political activities as it did on protecting workers.
University of Chicago Press Staffers Move to Unionize
May 6, 2026 // The UCP Workers Guild would be the first union in the nonprofit publisher's 130-year history. If not recognized voluntarily, workers will seek a mail election monitored by the National Labor Relations Board. A supermajority of the 139 eligible staffers across the nonprofit publisher's divisions has already signed union cards, according to the Guild.
Opinion– Editorial Board: Why the Republican-union alliance never works
April 22, 2026 // "The new acting secretary, Keith Sonderling, is a more conventional Republican choice for the job. Respected by conservatives, he would sail through the Senate confirmation process if nominated. He has already been competently running the department as deputy secretary, as it has advanced deregulation and protected independent contractor status for 11.9 million workers"
Text Messages Deleted. Allegations Fabricated. How Deep Does the UAW Mess Go?
April 15, 2026 // Still, the ongoing oversight program continues to cast a long shadow. The consent decree mandates at least six years of federal monitoring, meaning millions more in costs are likely before the process concludes. Additional expenses tied to internal compliance measures and external legal support could push the total even higher. The timing is critical. The UAW is preparing for its upcoming constitutional convention and leadership elections, both of which are expected to be shaped by the findings of the monitor and the broader push for reform.