UE NEWS Updates

Pages

Rev. Jesse Jackson Dies

February 17, 2026

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a prominent figure in American politics for many decades who supported several UE campaigns, has died. Rev. Jackson’s most significant support for UE was helping to bring national public attention to UE Local 1202’s 1984 fight to stop General Electric from closing their turbine plant in Charleston, South Carolina. Seven years later, in 1991, Jackson’s 54-mile Connecticut March to Rebuild America stopped across the street from the Circuit-Wise plant in North Haven to support UE Local 299 in the midst of their multi-year struggle for a first contract.

GEB Issues Statement on Immigration Enforcement, Tackles Harassment

February 13, 2026
Pittsburgh

The UE General Executive Board’s meeting in January was the first one to be led by UE’s two new national officers — General President Scott Slawson and Director of Organization Kimberly Lawson, who took office on November 1 — along with Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Dinkelaker, who has served in that office since 2011.

Historic Win for Italy’s Metal Workers

February 12, 2026

In November, UE’s close Italian ally FIOM secured a major victory after four days of continuous and intense negotiations. The new national agreement, negotiated by FIOM and two other metalworkers’ unions with national employers’ federations, covers more than 1.5 million workers across the country and guarantees a €205 (US $237.17) increase on minimum contractual salaries over four years, which the unions say is essential to protecting wages amid rising living costs and economic uncertainty.

Local 256 Organizing for Fair Workplace Protections and Benefits, Not Austerity

February 6, 2026
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Members of UE Local 256, the MIT Graduate Student Union, are gearing up for negotiations this spring as their contract is set to expire on May 31. Over 1800 workers engaged in the union’s bargaining survey and sent a clear message: as higher education comes under attack from the federal government, student workers need a fair and safe workplace — one where arbitrary decisions do not uproot their futures.

UE Local 1004 Members Ratify New Agreement

February 6, 2026
Valencia, California

In a day-long voting session, workers filed through the education building at Henry Mayo Hospital on January 29 to vote on their new collective bargaining agreement. UE Local 1004, which represents the hospital’s support staff, had reached a tentative agreement with management on January 16. The tentative agreement included both improvements to contract language and wage improvements for all job grades.

Independent Grocery Union Affiliates with UE, Wins Strong First Contract

February 5, 2026
Portland, Oregon
By Ava Robins and Veronica McShane, UE Local 1010-NSLU

On December 16, 2025, workers with UE Local 1010-New Seasons Labor Union ratified their first contract, concluding a three-plus year struggle. The contract will protect more than 850 grocery workers at New Seasons Market, a grocery chain in the Portland, Oregon area. Local 1010 members Ava Robins and Veronica McShane wrote about NSLU’s origins, history, and successful struggle for a first contract for the UE NEWS.

UE Locals Across the Country Join National Shutdown Against ICE

February 3, 2026
By Lauren Chua, Nadia Zaragoza, and Daniel Shen, UE Local 256 (MIT-GSU)

UE locals across the country took part in a national shutdown against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 30th, joining a coordinated national effort to oppose detention, deportation, and the use of state power to terrorize immigrant communities. After federal agents murdered Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, Somali and Black student organizers from the University of Minnesota led the call for “no business as usual,” encouraging people to call off from school, skip on shopping, and take off from work to make broad participation feasible across the nation.

Local 1105 Shuts Down the UMN for the January 23rd Day of Truth and Freedom

February 3, 2026
Minneapolis
By Greyson Arnold and Olivia Wood, UE Local 1105-GLU

On January 23, members of UE Local 1105 braved temperatures of 20 degrees below zero to march alongside fellow workers for the “ICE OUT January 23rd Day of Truth and Freedom.” This day of action, which was organized by a coalition of labor unions, faith leaders, and immigrant rights organizations, was a historic demonstration of solidarity. Not only did 75,000 people join in the march and rally on 1/23, but over 700 local businesses closed for the day to stand in solidarity with the action’s demands. 

The day of action had four key demands:

Local 150, Community Win State Pension Divestment from Israeli Bonds

January 28, 2026
Raleigh, North Carolina

Members of UE Local 150 joined a coalition of unions and organizations throughout North Carolina at the end of last year to take concrete action against the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza. The workers demanded the state divest state workers’ and teachers’ pensions from Israeli bonds. After holding rallies and speaking out at meetings at the state treasurer’s office, the coalition succeeded in pressuring the state to sell $6.7 of the $7.7 million in Israeli government bonds held in the state pension fund.

Pages

Subscribe!

If you like what you read, please consider subscribing to the UE NEWS — for as little as $5/year you can support great labor journalism and receive the print edition of the UE NEWS four times per year.

You can also sign up to receive monthly UE NEWS Bulletins via email, or follow UE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.