Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: Amalgamated Transit Union
This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we've covered all 63 of our affiliates. Next up is the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU).
Name of Union: Amalgamated Transit Union
Mission: To fight for the rights of transit workers and promote mass transit.
Current Leadership of Union: John A. Costa is the current international president of ATU. After the tragic death of ATU International President Larry Hanley in May 2019, Costa was elected by the ATU General Executive Board. He was elected international president in 2019 and re-elected in 2022 by delegates at the ATU International Convention. He had served as an international vice president since 2010. Previously he was chair of the ATU New Jersey State Council from 2008–2010. A native of Newark, New Jersey, Costa launched his career in organized labor at NJ Transit in 1981, joining ATU Local 819. In 2001, after serving his local in various capacities, he was elected president—a position he held for three consecutive terms before moving on to become chair of the ATU New Jersey State Council and then ultimately ATU international vice president. He also previously served as vice president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and vice president of the Essex-West Hudson Labor Council. He lives in Monmouth County, New Jersey, with his wife and has two daughters and three grandchildren.
Yvette Trujillo serves as international executive vice president, and Kenneth R. Kirk serves as international secretary-treasurer.
Current Number of Members: Over 200,000.
Members Work as: Metropolitan, interstate and school bus drivers; paratransit, light rail, subway, streetcar and ferry boat operators; mechanics and other maintenance workers; clerks, baggage handlers, municipal employees and other occupations.
Industries Represented: Transit and allied workers in the United States and Canada.
History: As industrialization advanced in the United States in the late 1800s, more and more workers needed transportation and workers to run that transportation. Mass transit workers in the early days largely worked with horses that pulled streetcars. The drivers often worked 18-hour days while the horses worked four hours a day or less. The harsh treatment, lack of benefits and low pay planted the seeds for the rise of ATU.
Early on, there were numerous attempts to form a union of transit workers, but efforts had little success until 1888, when Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, led efforts to organize the streetcar workers. In 1892, the first convention of what would become ATU was held in Indianapolis.
Although the year after the first convention was challenging, the union became a beacon of hope for transit workers. Within that first year, 28 local divisions were formed and the first Canadian local was chartered in 1893. Seven years later, membership had reached 8,000.
In the years that followed, ATU continued to expand rapidly amid an era of strikes and violence. The stronger the organization became, the more impact it had. ATU not only pushed for labor reforms such as the six-day workweek and the eight-hour day, but championed technology and rules that made mass transit safer for both workers and riders.
Current Campaigns: The ATU-COPE political action committee is the voice of transit workers, school bus employees and over-the-road bus workers at all levels of government. The Government Affairs Department is dedicated to protecting the jobs and working conditions of all ATU members; it monitors legislation impacting transit, school bus and intercity bus transportation at the federal and state levels.
Community Efforts: In pursuit of its values and mission, ATU has community partnerships with a wide variety of organizations, including the AFL-CIO; BlueGreen Alliance; Coalition for Smarter Growth; Good Jobs First; Industrial Areas Foundation; International Transportation Learning Center; Jobs to Move America; Jobs With Justice; People’s Action; PowerSwitch Action; Sierra Club; Transportation Equity Network/Gamaliel; Transportation for America; Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO; Transit Riders for Public Transit; Transit Workforce Center; U.S. PIRG; and Working America. The Black Caucus is dedicated to the empowerment of all working men and women within ATU. The Women’s Caucus takes on the issues that women face daily, finding collective solutions. The Latino Caucus upholds the rights of Latinos and others to fully develop their cultural traditions. The International PRIDE Caucus serves as a gathering place for members who identify as LGBTQIA+ and allies, providing networking and team building across different properties, roles, levels, races, abilities and ethnic backgrounds. ATU publishes a blog, the ATU Dispatch member newsletter, and In Transit, a quarterly magazine covering labor and transit news from the United States and Canada, the activities of the international union, and feature stories about local unions and members. ATU provides training and education for members. The ATU Disaster Relief Fund helps members affected by tragedies. ATU sells merchandise in its online store.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok, Bluesky, Threads
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Nurses at Hawaii’s Wilcox Medical Center Ratify New Contract that Raises Pay, Includes Safer Staffing Levels
Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
After nearly a year of negotiations and a three-day strike in January, nurses who work at Wilcox Medical Center in Hawaii voted to approve a new three-year contract that went into effect this week. The new agreement covers about 160 Wilcox nurses, members of the Hawaii Nurses’ Association (HNA), and increases pay and improves staffing levels at the medical center. HNA is affiliated with Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 50.
Negotiations began May 6, 2024, and the nurses have worked since August without a contract. In February, the Kauai County Council unanimously passed a resolution urging the state legislature to implement safe nurse-to-patient ratios at hospitals.
“It has been a relentless battle for almost a year,” said HNA President Rosalee Agas-Yuu. “After countless hours of organizing over 35 bargaining sessions, a three-day strike, and a Kauai County resolution, we are finally seeing a breakthrough.”
The agreement includes pay increases that provide a 6% pay increase this year and 4% each in the second and third years of the contract. It also includes longevity pay increases. Staffing guidelines have been set up that align with national professional nursing organizations. The agreement also features a new Staffing Council made up of Wilcox nurses and nurse leaders who will meet regularly about staffing issues and needs.
Worker Wins: Good Union Jobs Strengthen Communities
Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
New York Alamo Drafthouse Strike Ends After Workers Secure New Contract: After 58 days on strike, workers at two New York City Alamo Drafthouse locations will return to work. UAW Local 2179 reached a deal with management over layoffs that the union claimed violated labor law, and the union approved the agreement. The agreement will reinstate the 70-odd staffers who were cut at the theaters as well as restore their previously accrued paid time off, sick time, seniority and hire dates. The union will return to negotiating its first union contract. “Strike won! All jobs are back!” the union announced on social media. “We will be returning to work officially on April 18 but feel free to start patronizing the Alamos in [Brooklyn] and Manhattan as soon as today.”
Crew Members of Spiegelworld’s ‘Atomic Saloon Show’ Organize with IATSE and Ratify First Contract: Forty-six production crew members at Spiegelworld’s “Atomic Saloon Show” organized with Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 720 and ratified their first contract. The unit includes specialized roles across audio, lighting, wardrobe, wigs, props, rigging, automation and more, with members who work at both the “Atomic Saloon Show” at The Venetian hotel and the now-closed show “OPM” at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Spiegelworld is known for its eccentric and adult-oriented Las Vegas productions, including “Absinthe,” “DiscoShow,” and “Atomic Saloon Show.” The unionization effort began when several on-call workers were denied cost-of-living raises and the crew members were further subjected to anti-union “captive audience” meetings held by management. The contract includes significant wins, including full health care coverage, retirement savings access extended to all employees, wage parity across roles, minimum call guarantees and a structured process to resolve concerns collaboratively with management. “Now that these workers are union, on-call crewmembers can access additional jobs through our dispatch system, helping them get the hours they need to make a decent living,” said IATSE Local 720 Representative Cliff Paschall. “And as always, good union jobs strengthen communities by putting more money into the hands of working people, which supports local businesses and economic growth.”
SMART-TD Yardmasters Reach Tentative Contract Agreement with BNSF: The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) Yardmasters and BNSF Railway reached a tentative, five-year collective bargaining agreement. The agreement covers more than 320 yardmasters and provides a 3.5% average wage increase per year over the next five years, more vacation time earlier in yardmasters’ careers and improved health care benefits. “This tentative agreement provides paid sick leave, rest days for the extra board, improvements to healthcare, and a compensation package,” said Yardmasters General Chairman Matthew Burkart. “This is the first time the yardmaster craft has seen significant quality of life advancements since 1997.” This latest tentative agreement follows the recently announced national tentative agreement with the Machinists (IAM).
IAM Local Lodge 2003 Members Ratify Strong Tentative Agreement at Fort Novosel: Approximately 3,400 members of IAM Local Lodge 2003 ratified a robust new agreement with M1 Support Services and its subcontractors at Fort Novosel, Alabama. The five-year agreement covers workers performing aircraft maintenance and flight support. Highlights include annual general wage increases of 4%, 3.5%, 3.5% and 3%; improvements to overtime polling/scheduling; recognition of Juneteenth as an additional holiday; enhanced vacation scheduling; maintenance of leading medical coverage while managing costs; preservation of the current IAM pension along with increased contributions to 401(k) plans; and successful efforts to fend off several job descriptions that threatened to undermine seniority rights. “We are the heart of what keeps Fort Novosel running smoothly,” said Local Lodge 2003 Negotiating Committee Chairman Chris Kelley. “Through hard work, unity, and a commitment to the process, we’ve negotiated a deal that reflects the value our members bring to the table, ensuring our voices were heard and concerns addressed.”
Equator Coffees Workers in California Join UFCW: Workers at Equator Coffees in Los Angeles voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770. The workers are employed as baristas, shift leads and prep cooks. Workers organized because they were concerned about insufficient pay and scheduling and wanted a voice in the workplace. They look forward to negotiating their first union contract. “Upon the win of our union election, I’m incredibly grateful for the support of my co-workers as we come together to address our needs for steady hours, work meals, and a livable wage,” said UFCW member Nicole Territo. “This victory is a step toward a stronger, more supportive workplace, and I’m looking forward to working together to make meaningful changes for all of us. Let’s elevate the specialty coffee narrative from social justice buzzwords to bold actions that honor both coffee quality and the fight for justice.”
SEIU Members at Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys Campus Secure Fair Contract Through Historic Arbitration Decision: Members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa who work at the Mayo Clinic-Saint Marys Campus in Minnesota are celebrating the news of huge gains for 1,600 front-line health care workers following a long fight that ended with the process heading to a three-person arbitration board. The arbiters spent months hearing testimony before issuing the binding decision. Highlights of the contract include wage increases of between 16.5% and 41% over the term of the new contract; a new minimum wage of $20 per hour that will increase to $21.74 per hour minimum in Year 3 of the contract; retroactive pay of up to $10,000 for raises back to April 23, 2024; and a cap on mandatory overtime hours. “It has been a long time coming, but these amazing results showcase the power of our union and move us towards the pay and respect we deserve for our critical work,” said Kirsten Schultz, a patient care assistant and SEIU member at Mayo. “These wage increases are so amazing and I’m so proud we stood strong to win this contract. These wage increases are some of the biggest we’ve ever seen and the back pay is going to be amazing for so many people. We’re proud of the work we did and all the work we continue to do. We’re thankful for all of the public support we have and continue to receive to make sure the workers who make Mayo run are treated with the respect we deserve.”
Avelo Flight Dispatchers Vote to Join the TWU: On Wednesday, flight dispatchers at Avelo Airlines voted to join the Transport Workers Union (TWU). With their successful vote, workers at the ultra-low-cost airline based out of Houston, Texas, are joining the ranks of their peers at Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and other airlines who are already represented by TWU. The newly minted union members are looking forward to negotiating a contract that will address quality-of-life issues and correct pay imbalances. “Our immediate next step is to win that all-important first contract that will significantly improve the quality of life for Avelo Flight Dispatchers and their families,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “The TWU’s strength in organizing new work groups and bargaining game-changing contracts continues to pay off as more workers vote to join the TWU.”
Illinois State University Faculty Union Secures Tentative Agreement: On Friday, members of the United Faculty of Illinois State University (UFISU), which is affiliated with University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100 and the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), reached a tentative agreement and averted a strike. The union represents tenured and tenure-track faculty at the institution, and this is their first collective bargaining agreement since securing recognition. Members held nearly 50 negotiation sessions with administrators to reach this deal, with details around pay being one of the remaining sticking points ahead of the final round of discussions on Friday. “This agreement is going to be transformative for the way that our members take on their jobs,” said Keith Pluymers, an associate professor of history at Illinois State University (ISU) and a member of the bargaining team. “We have clarified and solidified a lot of the conditions of work that we have. In places where there was uncertainty, this contract is gonna provide certainty. We’ve worked to address a number of really longstanding issues at ISU. And we think this contract—it’s not gonna take care of everything, but we think this is a great start that’s gonna do a lot to ensure ISU is a great place to work moving forward.”
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: SMART-TD Yardmasters Reach Tentative Contract Agreement with BNSF
The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) Yardmasters and BNSF Railway reached a tentative, five-year collective bargaining agreement. The agreement covers more than 320 yardmasters and provides a 3.5% average wage increase per year over the next five years, more vacation time earlier in yardmasters’ careers and improved health care benefits.
“This tentative agreement provides paid sick leave, rest days for the extra board, improvements to healthcare, and a compensation package,” said Yardmasters General Chairman Matthew Burkart. “This is the first time the yardmaster craft has seen significant quality of life advancements since 1997.”
This latest tentative agreement follows the recently announced national tentative agreement with the Machinists (IAM).
Introducing Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network
Federal workers all across the country are under attack.
Tens of thousands of hardworking people who run the programs and services that working families rely on have been mistreated or abruptly fired by Elon Musk and the DOGE.
People are rising up—but the federal workers who are being targeted need help. That’s why we’re proud to announce Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network.
Learn More.
We’ve organized this new network with federal worker unions and groups like We the Action and Democracy Forward, among others, to connect federal workers to a network of thousands of lawyers helping to get workers the free legal support they need.
Here’s how you can help:
Federal workers power critical programs like Medicare and Social Security, run our national parks, inspect our food and medicine, and keep us safe from accidents and disasters.
As taxpayers and Americans, we must demand justice for these workers. Thank you for helping us rise up.
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: IAM Local Lodge 2003 Members Ratify Strong Tentative Agreement at Fort Novosel
Approximately 3,400 members of IAM Local Lodge 2003 ratified a robust new agreement with M1 Support Services and its subcontractors at Fort Novosel, Alabama.
The five-year agreement covers workers performing aircraft maintenance and flight support. Highlights include annual general wage increases of 4%, 3.5%, 3.5% and 3%; improvements to overtime polling/scheduling; recognition of Juneteenth as an additional holiday; enhanced vacation scheduling; maintenance of leading medical coverage while managing costs; preservation of the current IAM pension along with increased contributions to 401(k) plans; and successful efforts to fend off several job descriptions that threatened to undermine seniority rights.
“We are the heart of what keeps Fort Novosel running smoothly,” said Local Lodge 2003 Negotiating Committee Chairman Chris Kelley. “Through hard work, unity, and a commitment to the process, we’ve negotiated a deal that reflects the value our members bring to the table, ensuring our voices were heard and concerns addressed.”
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Equator Coffees Workers in California Join UFCW
Workers at Equator Coffees in Los Angeles voted to join United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770. The workers are employed as baristas, shift leads and prep cooks.
Workers organized because they were concerned about insufficient pay and scheduling and wanted a voice in the workplace. They look forward to negotiating their first union contract.
“Upon the win of our union election, I’m incredibly grateful for the support of my co-workers as we come together to address our needs for steady hours, work meals, and a livable wage,” said UFCW member Nicole Territo. “This victory is a step toward a stronger, more supportive workplace, and I’m looking forward to working together to make meaningful changes for all of us. Let’s elevate the specialty coffee narrative from social justice buzzwords to bold actions that honor both coffee quality and the fight for justice.”
MAKE A CALL: Tell Congress to Stop the Cuts to NIOSH in Washington and beyond!
You’ve probably never heard of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH—but this federal agency plays a critical role in keeping America’s workers safe.
And last week, Elon Musk and the DOGE gutted it.
More than one thousand workers in six states and Washington, D.C.—including Washington—have lost their jobs at the federal job safety research agency. Every single NIOSH research center is being closed, and the few staff remaining no longer have the resources to do their jobs.
Please call your members of Congress by dialing 844-292-9097 or filling out this form and demand they stand up for this critical worker health and safety agency and its workers against DOGE and the Trump administration.
Congress created NIOSH on a broad, bipartisan basis during the Nixon administration, and workers and employers throughout the world rely on NIOSH’s research and recommendations.
NIOSH conducted key research for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) so that we could have regulations on asbestos, cotton dust, lead, bloodborne pathogens, silica and black lung, which have saved hundreds of thousands of workers’ lives.
The agency researches worker exposures to heat and wildfire smoke, workplace violence, back injuries and other chronic diseases, and state-of-the-art technologies that keep workers safe in mines. It also approves all respirators and combats fraud from imported counterfeit products.
This agency even oversees the World Trade Center Health Program to provide 9/11 responders and survivors with medical monitoring and treatment, and a program to compensate energy workers exposed to deadly hazards from manufacturing, testing and cleaning up nuclear weapons.
The DOGE cuts to NIOSH are making workplaces more dangerous. MSHA announced this week it is pausing the implementation of a new rule to protect mineworkers from deadly silica dust exposure because of “the unforeseen NIOSH restructuring.” Make no mistake: the DOGE’s actions will jeopardize the safety of all American workers.
Our message to Congress is simple: Stop the cuts to NIOSH and reinstate the workers.
Right now each year, more than 5,000 workers die from job injuries and 135,000 workers die from chronic occupational diseases. Millions more workers are injured. America’s working families need NIOSH to make jobs safer and keep workers healthier.
Thank you for speaking out for worker safety.
Get to Know AFL-CIO's Affiliates: AFT
This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we've covered all 63 of our affiliates. Next up is the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Name of Union: American Federation of Teachers.
Mission: “The AFT is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, health care and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do.”
Current Leadership of Union: President Randi Weingarten has led the AFT through some of the most critical fights in its history—from the COVID-19 pandemic response to resisting political attacks on educators and championing real solutions for kids and communities. She is joined by Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram and Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, both of whom bring powerful experience in the classroom, advocacy and organizing. Together, they lead a union of 1.8 million members united in purpose.
Current Number of Members: 1.8 million
Members Work as: Teachers from prekindergarten through 12th grade; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; faculty and professional staff in higher education; nurses, doctors and other health care professionals; early childhood educators; and federal, state and local government employees.
Industries Represented: Public schools, higher education, health care, and federal, state and local government.
History: Founded in Chicago in 1916 with eight local unions, the AFT rapidly expanded, chartering 174 locals within its first four years. Despite facing membership declines during the post-World War I era due to external pressures, the AFT remained steadfast in advocating for academic freedom and tenure protections. In the 1930s, the union played a pivotal role in supporting civil rights initiatives, including early efforts toward school desegregation.
The 1960s marked a period of significant activism for the AFT, with numerous teacher strikes aimed at securing improved compensation and working conditions, leading to a substantial increase in membership. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the union emerged as a leader in education reform and the professionalization of teaching. By the 2000s, AFT membership surpassed 1 million, reflecting its growing influence. Under the leadership of President Weingarten, the AFT launched initiatives such as the AFT Innovation Fund and Share My Lesson, underscoring its commitment to innovation and collaboration in education.
AFT members have been at the forefront of collective actions across the United States, achieving significant victories for educators, students and communities nationwide. In recent years, the AFT has led the charge on resisting political extremism in schools, standing up to book bans, defending teaching truth and fighting against the defunding of public services. The union helped win major education funding increases at the federal and state levels, and has grown its member engagement through campaigns like Reading Opens the World, Real Solutions for Kids and Communities, and Protect Our Kids.
Current Campaigns: Protect Our Kids, a national organizing and advocacy campaign, aims to stop right-wing efforts to defund and dismantle public education, health care and support for kids. The campaign includes town halls, storytelling, paid and earned media, and grassroots mobilization leading up to the 2026 elections. Real Solutions for Kids and Communities is a proactive agenda focused on what students and families really need: safe, welcoming public schools, qualified teachers, mental health supports and strong community partnerships. Code Red mobilizes nurses and health professionals to fight for safe staffing, patient protections and funding for care—not cuts. Reading Opens the World is a literacy and equity campaign distributing free books to kids and families—10 million free books and counting—alongside book events, parent engagement and support for educators. AFTvotes is the AFT’s voter engagement, member mobilization and civic participation initiative for 2024–26, focused on defending democracy, expanding rights and electing leaders who support public education and workers.
Community Efforts: AFT’s Health Hub provides a wealth of information on health and safety topics for members. The AFT publishes American Educator, a journal of educational equity, research and ideas for early childhood through higher education; AFT Health Care, a journal on the health care system and the social, economic and environmental factors that affect individuals’ and communities’ health and well-being; and AFT Voices, a blog on Medium. President Weingarten speaks directly to AFT members with her blog, Randi’s Corner. The AFT discusses current issues in education on the Union Talk podcast.
Learn More: Website, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, X, YouTube
Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Avelo Flight Dispatchers Vote to Join the TWU
On Wednesday, flight dispatchers at Avelo Airlines voted to join the Transport Workers Union (TWU).
With their successful vote, workers at the ultra-low-cost airline based out of Houston, Texas, are joining the ranks of their peers at Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and other airlines who are already represented by TWU. The newly minted union members are looking forward to negotiating a contract that will address quality-of-life issues and correct pay imbalances.
“Our immediate next step is to win that all-important first contract that will significantly improve the quality of life for Avelo Flight Dispatchers and their families,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “The TWU’s strength in organizing new work groups and bargaining game-changing contracts continues to pay off as more workers vote to join the TWU.”