Hispanic Heritage Month: Jessie Lopez de la Cruz

Jessie Lopez de la Cruz grew up in a family of Mexican migrant workers. From a young age, Lopez de la Cruz worked in the fields across California, experiencing firsthand the grueling living conditions, poverty-level wages, and daily brutal exploitation – conditions farm workers continue fighting today. That changed in 1960 when, inspired by Cesar […]

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Latino History is Labor History

This year, California Labor celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by elevating various female leaders in labor movement history. It doesn’t take much to realize how profound their sacrifices have been in creating safer workplaces and a more just country. From the fields of the Central Valley to the highest halls of power in Washington, Latina labor […]

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Northstate labor union celebrates Labor Day with picnic in the park

This article originally appeared on ABC7 KRCR. By Aaron Spurlock, Mike Mangas ANDERSON, Calif. — COVID-19 closed it down for a year but the Labor Day Picnic was back in Anderson River Park on Monday for the thirty-fifth time. The band was back together, and so were union members and their families to enjoy the […]

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Our Fathers Fought GOP Voter Suppression 70 Years Ago

This article originally appeared on The Nation. Cesar Chavez and Fred Ross Sr. knew it would take a movement to fight measures aimed at intimidating Latino voters.  So they built one. By Paul Chavez and Fred Ross Jr. Why did President Biden place Cesar Chavez’s bronze bust in the Oval Office on Inauguration Day—27 years […]

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Statement on Guilty Verdict of Police Officer Derek Chauvin

Statement on Guilty Verdict of Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the Murder of George Floyd By California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski While the California labor movement wholeheartedly agrees with today’s verdict convicting police officer Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd, justice remains elusive. Real justice would have meant Floyd would be alive, home […]

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“The Power of IBEW 1245 is Enhanced by the Participation of its Retirees” — Local 1245 retiree activists speak out on the value of staying active in the union during retirement

I have stayed a member of the retirees club because I truly enjoy the camaraderie of my union brothers and sisters who I worked alongside of for so many years.  I know that they share the same values of hard work, dedication, and safety that we proudly displayed in the workforce and in our current […]

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California Farmworkers At Risk

A deepening COVID­-19 crisis­­­–now surging in most California agricultural counties–puts farmworkers in the pandemic’s crosshairs. Thousands of farm and packinghouse workers have contracted the virus in the agricultural counties of Imperial, Kern, Kings, Tulare, Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Monterey, Ventura. Farmworkers in the North Bay are at risk too. These workers are the foundation of our […]

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Support Striking Workers at Marriott!

In California, picket lines are up at Marriott hotels in San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego and Oakland. Other locations included in the strike are Boston, Detroit and Hawaii. The strike comes after months of negotiations by UNITE HERE locals with the massive hotel chain. Contracts have expired, and the company refuses to make meaningful progress on a host of issues including providing jobs that pay a living wage, securing job protection around automation, and workplace safety.

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