As we reach the end of another year that brought more than our fair share of pain to too many working families, we’d like to offer this reflection of hope on behalf of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO.
As the global pandemic drags on, adding words like variant and Omicron to our vocabulary, many of Wisconsin’s workers are understandably feeling a bit worn out. After all, when the crisis first broke out and the bosses stayed home and Zoomed it in, union workers stayed on the front lines keeping our economy moving. And we’ve never left.
We’re still out there every day, doing what we always do—get the job done. But as we enter a third year dominated by the Covid crisis, some things are changing. There is a growing awareness that essential is more than just a nice label for certain workers. It’s an accurate description of the role we play in society day in and day out, regardless of the sector we’re in.
Across our state and our nation, working people are standing up to demand a more equitable share of the prosperity we helped preserve in these challenging times. The pandemic upended the dynamics of our workplaces, shining a new light on the critical contributions we make. After the many sacrifices we’ve made, it’s time we share in the reward.
We’re seeing workers come together and form unions in places that have never been organized before. Here in Wisconsin, Colectivo Coffee workers joined IBEW local 494 and local 1220. In Buffalo, NY, workers came together and organized the first union in any of Starbucks’ corporate locations.
Longstanding union brothers and sisters are stepping up to demand a better deal as well. UAW members at John Deere held out and held the line until the company agreed to a decent contract. At Kellogg’s, The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' International Union (BCTGM) were out on strike for 11 weeks before achieving a contract that made real gains with no concessions. Activision Blizzard workers around the country staged workplace actions in support of 12 workers at Madison based subcontractor Raven Software who were given pink slips. The giant video game maker which produces Call of Duty and other popular games chose to classify the Raven workers as contractors rather than regular employees.
Across America, a new wave of union activism is taking hold as workers feel and deploy the power of solidarity.
Like so many dark clouds, the Covid pandemic may yet reveal a silver lining. The global disruption it caused has scrambled the status quo and left working people with the kind of leverage not seen in generations.
So while it’s too soon to throw away the masks and declare the all-clear, a new day is dawning for union workers in Wisconsin. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season and look forward to working with you in the New Year to write an exciting new chapter in the history of our labor movement.
In Solidarity,
Stephanie Bloomingdale, President
Dennis Delie, Secretary-Treasurer
