AFSCME members have succeeded in protecting funding from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). That’s a federal agency the Trump administration tried to dismantle over a year ago. 

Our union’s victory comes a little over a year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to decimate IMLS. In response, AFSCME sued to stop IMLS from being dismantled.  

To AFSCME members who work in public libraries and museums, IMLS is vitally important. A nonpartisan and independent agency created by Congress in 1996, the agency provides grants to library and museum programs across the country, especially in smaller and rural institutions that rely on federal funding for a greater share of their budgets.  

IMLS grants support the essential services these AFSCME members provide. They help pay for summer reading programs, infrastructure and technology upgrades, and more. 

The executive order, which led to almost the entire IMLS staff being placed on administrative leave, was yet another example of the administration’s efforts to target essential public services that AFSCME members provide. These efforts are supported by anti-union extremists and their billionaire friends, but they are harming our communities and the workers who provide the public services these communities need. 

AFSCME members fought hard to reinstate funding for IMLS. As the nation’s largest union of cultural workers, we will continue fighting to protect cultural institutions around the country, as well as essential public services.  

AFSCME members’ stories 

If the administration had succeeded in gutting IMLS, budget cuts at libraries and museums across the country would have jeopardized programs and staff. 

When Trump issued the IMLS executive order, AFSCME members who work in public libraries expressed concern.   

Yonah Bromberg Gaber, a library associate at the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) and president of AFSCME Local 1808 (District Council 20), said DCPL receives more than $1 million in grants each year from IMLS. They said shutting down IMLS would threaten the jobs for at least four full-time employees at the library, which works with underserved populations. 

The same was true for other libraries. 

At the University of Minnesota, where Robert Francis works as a library assistant, public services and jobs were on the line. 

Francis works at the Minitex Resource Sharing unit, which supports the Health Sciences Library at the University Minnesota-Twin Cities. Minitex relies on IMLS funding and faced a huge potential shortfall because of the administration’s attempt to shutter the agency, Francis said. 

Francis, a member of AFSCME Local 3800 (Council 5), said Minitex “has served Minnesota libraries for over 50 years and ensures that all Minnesotans — regardless of class or geographic location in the state — have access to high-quality library resources.” 

Patrick Johnston, a circulation assistant at the Daniel Boone Regional Library in Columbia County, Missouri, said the loss of IMLS funding would force library staff to cut back on special programming. 

“Staff will not be able to try new programs to adapt to evolving community needs,” said Johnston, who is also president of AFSCME Local 3311 (Council 61). “These gaps will be keenly felt by our patrons, who look to their library as a lifeline for information, community, betterment, career advancement, and basic modern connectivity.” 

Our union’s victory in protecting these essential public services is a testament to the power of working people. Share this story with your friends and family to show how working people win when we stand together in a union to fight for our families, communities and the services we provide.  

That was the message AFSCME members and community allies shared in Wisconsin last Wednesday. They gathered outside La Crosse Human Services to demand accountability from Rep. Derrick Van Orden as families across western Wisconsin feel the weight of rising costs for groceries, health care and child care. 

Participants shared personal stories about how rising costs and proposed service cuts are affecting their families, co-workers and communities.  

Their message was clear: Van Orden can keep standing with the wealthy and well-connected, or he can start standing with working people. AFSCME members are going to keep organizing, speaking out and holding him accountable until families get the relief they deserve.  

“Derrick Van Orden needs to stop siding with the wealthy and powerful while working people in western Wisconsin struggle to afford the basics,” said Sue Conard, president of AFSCME Wisconsin Retirees Chapter 32. “Families are paying more for groceries, health care, and other everyday needs, and they deserve a representative who will fight to lower costs and protect the public services our communities count on, not make life harder for the people who keep this state running.” 

Members of Museum of Contemporary Art Workers United/AFSCME decisively approved the agreement on March 26 with 98% of votes cast in support of ratification. AFSCME-represented employees include 72 staff members across the museum’s artistic and operations divisions. 

“Chicago’s cultural workers are proving that when workers come together, they can win better wages, stronger protections and a voice on the job,” said AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch, who’salso an AFSCME vice president. “With the ratification of their union contract, Museum of Contemporary Art employees have won an agreement that reflects their dedication, rewards their hard work, and gives them a real seat at the table.” 

Madeleine Grynsztejn, MCA’s Pritzker director, also expressed support.  

“The MCA deeply values its employees and is pleased to have reached an agreement that reflects our shared commitment to the people who make the MCA an inspiring place to work and experience contemporary art,” Grynsztejn said. “This agreement supports our staff, strengthens our workplace, and helps position us for the future.”  

The four-year agreement raises wages by 12% across the board, with a 3% increase retroactive to July 1, 2025. All bargaining-unit members will receive a ratification bonus, and employees designated as translators will receive bilingual pay. 

Other provisions in the contract include: 

• Four weeks of paid parental leave upon the birth or adoption of a child; 

• An improved retirement plan; 

• The maintenance of current health insurance cost-sharing ratios, ensuring health insurance will remain affordable; and 

• The establishment of a grievance and arbitration process that will ensure workplace issues are solved fairly and equitably. 
  
  

Employees first announced their intention to form their union in February 2024. MCA management voluntarily recognized the union a month later. Contract negotiations began in September 2024 and resulted in a tentative agreement on March 18 this year. 

More than 50,000 workers at museums, libraries, zoos and other cultural institutions across the United States have gained a voice on the job through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign — the largest of its kind in the nation.

Workers at the Brooklyn-based museum voted unanimously this month in favor of forming a union through AFSCME District Council 37. They join thousands of DC 37 members across New York City’s cultural institutions who have fought for and won union recognition to secure better wages and workplace protections for themselves and their colleagues, and improve their communities.  
 
Management at the New York Transit Museum denied the workers’ request for voluntary union recognition earlier this year. On Feb. 4, the organizing committee announced its unionization campaign as the Transit Museum Collective with DC 37. The petition for an election was filed with the National Labor Relations Board on March 10.  
 
“It’s clear these workers are passionate about carrying out the museum’s mission, and they have done an incredible job fighting for their right to unionize,” said Henry Garrido, executive director of District Council 37 and an AFSCME vice president. “We’re proud to welcome the New York Transit Museum Collective to the DC 37 family and look forward to continuing the momentum as we bargain a first contract for fair wages and dignity in the workplace.” 
 
The 30 new union members work in full- and part-time jobs in museum education and visitor experience. The New York Transit Museum, founded in 1976, tells the story of urban public transportation systems in the New York metropolitan region through extensive collections, exhibits, research and educational programs. The museum also has a collection of vintage rail cars that visitors can explore.  
 
DC 37 is New York City’s largest public employee union, representing 150,000 workers and 50,000 retirees. As the city’s preeminent union for museum workers, DC 37 represents members at iconic cultural institutions like the American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Children’s Museum. 

More than 50,000 workers at museums, libraries, zoos and other cultural institutions across the United States have gained a voice on the job through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign — the largest of its kind in the nation. 

The preliminary injunction is a win for AFSCME members and others who sued the administration in January. The funding freeze was aimed at child care and family assistance programs in five states led by Democrats. 

"The court’s decision to block the administration’s illegal funding freeze is a major victory for providers, families and the children they serve,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “The AFSCME members who provide essential child care services in these communities can now focus on what they do best: helping children learn and thrive. We’ll continue to fight the administration’s attempts to slash services for working families to pay for more tax cuts for its billionaire backers.”   

The lawsuit is ongoing, but Tuesday’s ruling means that federal funding approved by Congress will continue to support child care providers and working families in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York. 

AFSCME members submitted testimony in the case, explaining how child care centers would shut down, their employees would be laid off and working parents would lose critical day care services if the funding was denied. 

Read more about the lawsuit, AFSCME v. HHS, here.  

The Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE) said in a March 25 statement that the raise doesn’t even keep up with the 2.4% inflation rate or the rising costs of housing, food, child care and health care. KOSE members are the workers who clear snow, respond to emergencies, protect children, support veterans and provide the public services Kansas families depend on every day. 

The same lawmakers who say Kansas cannot afford fair wages somehow managed to prioritize themselves. Members of KOSE, who are affiliated with AFT and AFSCME, pointed out that legislators gave themselves a nearly 93% pay increase two years ago and budgeted another 4% raise for the upcoming fiscal year.  

“This is about priorities,” said KOSE President Sarah LaFrenz. “The people making decisions about our pay are taking care of themselves first while asking state workers to fall further behind. That is not equitable, and it is not right. ... State workers deserve to be more than an afterthought.” 

Gov. Laura Kelly also said lawmakers gave their own staff a 10% raise while leaving state workers with what she called “table scraps.” She urged the legislature to fund the 2.5% pay increase she proposed at the start of the session. That says everything about who is valued and who is left behind. 

Hardworking people are the backbone of Kansas. They deserve the freedom to unite, advocate for each other, and seek fair compensation. State workers in Kansas are right to ask for wages that reflect real-life costs, and working people should come together to demand a budget that values those who serve Kansas every day. 

Every day, these workers help families find stability. Through Habitat’s ReStore, they make home improvement materials affordable while helping fund the construction and repair of homes across the Twin Cities.

By forming their union with AFSCME Council 5 earlier this month, more than 100 workers across construction, real estate, ReStore operations and program services are now united to improve their lives and the communities they serve.

The employees who keep Habitat for Humanity running are now ready to work with their employer to negotiate together for fair pay, better benefits and a say in the decisions that affect their work and their lives. When workers have a voice, they can do their jobs better and provide stronger services for the community.

This is what union power looks like. When working people stand together, we build stronger communities, protect our families, and make sure the people who do the work have a voice in shaping what comes next.

“We cannot put up with folks who want to take our rights away from us. We’ve got to take the billionaires on in this country who want more power and wealth at the expense of working people,” Saunders said at the pre-march rally. 

AFSCME members carried similar messages to No Kings events nationwide. Saturday’s No Kings event was one of 3,300 rallies across the nation attended by more than 8 million people. Countless AFSCME members took part in events held in New York, Chicago, Oregon and California, to name a few locations.  

The Washington event featured speakers from various D.C.-based organizations with messages advocating for freedom, public services, safety, opportunity, jobs, civil rights, voting rights, empowerment, higher wages and affordability.  

“Believe me, it doesn’t matter who you are or how you got here, we are all in the same boat now and right now we’re in the storm of our lives,” Saunders said. “We’re pulling together. We’re fighting back. We’re going to stand together. We’re going to fight together. We’re going to take the streets together and we’re taking our country back.” 

As the massive crowd crossed the Anacostia River on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, union members wearing AFSCME green talked about why they joined the No Kings day of action in the nation’s capital. 

Marsha Mayo, a Washington school crossing guard and member of AFSCME Local 709 (District Council 20), has seen how budget cuts have led to a hiring freeze and a loss of overtime pay, and now paying for health care has become more of a struggle. 

“I want to see a change in the way things are run, politically,” Mayo said. “There has to be a better way.” 

Kieaina Rious, who also works for the District Department of Transportation as a school crossing guard, said her main concern is keeping children safe and giving them hope for a brighter future. 

“These cuts affect a lot of people and their families,” Rious said. “And that’s why we have to educate the youth on policy and on their rights, because they are the future.” 

Greg Bailey, conservator at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and member of AFSCME Local 930 (Council 3), appreciated how No Kings brought together people of all backgrounds to organize for change. 

“We are the most prosperous nation in the history of humanity and for us to choose not to provide for the least among us is a terrible indictment of our country,” Bailey said. 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Key provisions include: 

• Stronger patient safety and staffing protections 
• Improved patient access and continuity of care 
• More time for caregivers to spend with patients 
• Clearer communication standards 
• The largest wage increases in UNAC/UHCP history 

On March 20, Council 4 said it filed a union petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on behalf of the museum’s workers. 

“We are honored to stand alongside these dedicated professionals as they exercise their right to organize and secure a meaningful voice in their workplace,” Council 4 wrote in a press release.  

Mystic Seaport Museum was recently voted one of the nation’s best museums by readers of USA Today. Workers teach the public about our nation’s maritime heritage and care for ships and related artifacts.  

Despite their commitment, workers worry about their future. They want stronger job security, more affordable and reliable health care, and wages that better reflect their skills and contributions. Council 4 said these concerns have intensified as workers’ questions about the museum’s financial picture have gone unanswered. 

“Instead of engaging collaboratively with staff to address these issues, the administration recently implemented layoffs and cuts to key visitor programs — decisions that have damaged both the museum experience and its long-term standing,” Council 4 said. “Mystic Seaport Museum employees want what every worker deserves: a voice in their working conditions and honest answers about the finances of their workplace.” 

Ashley Giordano, a docent at the museum, is among the activists leading the organizing drive.  

“Mystic Seaport Museum is a great place to work, but it could be an incredible place to work. We need more protections for our staff and a voice to ensure the museum continues to be a place that visitors want to go to,” she said.  

The workers are the ones who make the museum special, Giordano said, adding: “Time and time again, that is what visitors say they value the most. I believe the way to keep a dedicated workforce at the Mystic Seaport Museum is to unionize.” 

The workers say they want to help rebuild and revitalize the museum, expand programming, and create offerings that bring visitors back season after season. By forming a union, they want to be heard and to work with museum administrators.  

“We hope that the Mystic Seaport Museum will (stay neutral) and recognize the right of these workers to organize rather than pursue a divisive campaign,” Council 4 said. “But make no mistake: we are ready to fight to ensure these workers are heard, respected, and empowered to protect the programs and staff that make the museum what it is.” 

More than 50,000 workers at museums, libraries, zoos and other cultural institutions across the United States have gained a voice on the job through the AFSCME Cultural Workers United campaign — the largest of its kind in the nation.  

The consultation policy, which takes effect in October, is the first ever in a Texas county and provides a clear and structured way for county employees to raise workplace concerns and help shape workplace policies. 

“By listening to more team members, you encourage solutions, collaboration, and more efficiency — I see it every day with my crew. Consultation has the power to support workers, management, and Harris County residents alike,” said Leonard Washington, a foreman in the county’s Roads and Bridges Division and a member of the Harris County Workers’ Union. 

The new policy was the result of members of AFSCME who came together to fight for a stronger voice for county workers on the job, strengthen trust between workers and management, and deliver better quality public services for the people of Harris County. 

Under the policy, a consultation agent — a labor organization selected by county employees — will play two key roles in elevating workers’ voice. First and foremost, the consultation agent and employees it appoints will participate in a consultation team with management that will meet monthly to propose changes to county personnel policies that the county government could adopt. Second, the consultation agent will provide enhanced representation to county employees who want it in the grievance process.   

While these county employees lack collective bargaining rights under state law, consultation policies like this one provide them a real voice and seat at the table. AFSCME has also succeeded in pursuing successful consultation policies in other Texas cities where collective bargaining is banned, and this growing chorus of victories shows that AFSCME members are gaining power and public support across the state. 

“Our workforces deserve to be paid living wages and respect for the work they do. They are truly saving lives,” said Astrid Zuniga, president of United Domestic Workers (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) and a home care worker in California.

Zuniga was part of the daylong summit on Tuesday in Washington hosted by Rep.  Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.). Members of Congress, care workers, union leaders and policy experts discussed ways to invest more in the people who provide care to children, the elderly and the disabled.

“When we talk about the future of the American economy, caregiving must be part of that conversation because supporting caregivers isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s one of the smartest economic investments we can actually make,” Gomez said. “When caregivers are supported, our economy is stronger.”

Gomez is chair of the Congressional Dads Caucus and a former AFSCME staff member.

Linda McPherson, a member of AFSCME District Council 37 and president of Local 95, works in Head Start in New York and spoke about the need for higher wages for child care providers, many of whom meet the same qualifications as public school teachers but are paid much less.

“We cannot hire (Head Start) teachers because of the salaries that are being paid,” McPherson said.

Zuniga said cuts in federal subsidies for child care and cuts to Medicaid threaten programs that make care affordable for working families.

“We need policies that will ensure that we are investing in their workforce, that we are making it a desirable workforce. Benefits, retirement would be awesome. Just a little bit over minimum wage would be awesome,” Zuniga said. “We really need solid policies to come from the federal government in order to make that happen.”

 The National Summit on the Caregiving Crisis gave unionized care workers a prime opportunity to speak directly to lawmakers on Capitol Hill about policies that would benefit workers, families and the American economy.

 The full summit can be viewed in two parts, here and here.

Speaking at a Women’s History Month event at AFSCME headquarters on Wednesday, Wilcox discussed her fight to continue to advocate for workers’ rights despite her illegal removal from the NLRB. The event was moderated by Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride. 

A preeminent labor rights attorney, Wilcox was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2021 and confirmed by the Senate to serve on the NLRB, which handles labor relations in the private sector. She was later elevated to NLRB chair, becoming the first Black woman to both serve as a member and the chair of the independent agency.  

She brought a strong voice for workers — particularly women, immigrants, and other marginalized communities — to the NLRB. And she helped shape key decisions that affect organizing, bargaining, and holding employers accountable. 

However, in 2025, just seven days into the start the second Trump administration, Wilcox was dismissed. She became the first NLRB member to be kicked out in the agency’s 90-year history. 

Wilcox has refused to stay silent. Her ongoing fight is pending at the Supreme Court.  

Wilcox’s fight should inspire others to stand boldly against injustice to working people.  

“You have to think about your impact and think outside of the box,” Wilcox said. “It might be scary to step forward, but if you have a mission, you must put it forth. We must take advantage of what we can do.” 

When asked about facing challenges in private sector organizing, Wilcox said, “The labor movement must be tenacious about continuing to organize. … It  will require creativity. But workers need a union.” 

Today, Sarracino is a protective services caseworker for the Department of Children and Youth Services in rural Acoma, New Mexico. A member of AFSCME Local 1894, she is responsible for caring for kids whose lives, like her own as a child, have been upended. 

Temporarily removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, the children that Sarracino serves are afraid and often angry.  

As the person who makes sure they get to school or to a doctor’s appointment and who works with their parents to get on the right track, Sarracino says she’s “grateful to be in the position I’m in.” 

Sarracino started her career with New Mexico’s Human Services Department, delivering Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.  

But a career change led her to the Children, Youth and Families Department. After a few years handling paperwork and transporting kids, she’s now in a role where she shines. 

Her talents were immediately clear to her co-workers.  

“She’s an amazing worker,” says Dennis Shoemaker, a social worker who nominated Sarracino for AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. “She puts her heart into her work. She’s been bitten and hit by children and never gives up. She can connect with children who have severe trauma. She never stops working for the best outcome for the child. I call her ‘the oracle.’” 

Despite many misconceptions in the media, our union’s latest Never Quit winner says that her job isn’t to tear families apart, but to support parents and to reunite kids with them. 

“We try and fix what’s broken,” Sarracino says. “We help them become better parents, better supporters for their kids.” 

And her own past gives her a unique perspective into the lives of the families with whom she works.  

“I understand from the point of view of kids being scared and angry, upset and afraid,” she says. “Of just wanting to be a family.” 

Every story is different, Sarracino says, and she works with families from all walks of life.  

“Anyone could come to that point — it’s not just drug addicts or alcoholics,” she says. “It could be anything. There’s no manual on how to raise a kid.” 

But no matter what has led kids into her care, she treats them the same: with love and respect. 

“I let them know I understand where they’re coming from,” she says. “It really does take a village to raise a kid. And I'm going to do everything I can to care for these kids and give them all the help I can while they’re in my care.” 

Know a co-worker who goes the extra mile? Nominate them for AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. 

Thanks to this legislation, over half a million public service workers will now have the freedom to negotiate.  

This victory is the result of a yearslong grassroots effort by AFSCME members and a coalition of labor partners in that state. 

This new legislation will give state and local government workers the voice on the job they deserve to advocate for themselves; for better, safter workplaces; and for the tools they need to better serve their communities.  

The bill will now go to Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who is expected to sign it. 

They sit patiently in the waiting room to talk to a state worker who can help them access health care, food and other critical services they need to survive. 

While it’s only a few miles off the Las Vegas Strip, the office feels like a world away from the beautiful casinos, luxury stores and high-end entertainment venues that draw millions of visitors every year. 

For Dawn Ashford, a family support specialist, the work she and her colleagues do is more than a job. It’s a calling to support children and families in need. 

“It’s a lot of work. It is challenging and things are changing rapidly. But we wouldn’t be doing this if we didn’t care,” Ashford says. 

She and her fellow AFSCME Local 4041 members at the DWSS connect individuals to services like Medicaid and nutrition assistance. 

Earlier this month, Ashford welcomed another person who came in through the front doors. But instead of seeking help, he was there to offer it. 

Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) visited her worksite to see firsthand what Ashford and her colleagues are doing to support the most vulnerable. 

As the co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus, Horsford helped lead the charge against the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”  

That law was passed by extremists in Congress, gutting SNAP and health care benefits to give massive tax breaks to billionaires who don’t need them. 

Ashford told the congressman how the One Big Beautiful Bill has made her job even harder at a time when more families in Nevada are struggling to afford the basics. The state has the third-highest unemployment rate in the nation. 

She explained how she processes more than 10 cases on average every day, and how they are becoming more difficult because of time-consuming requirements in the new law. 

“If it’s a brand-new application to our system, it can take anywhere from an hour and a half up to two hours,” Ashford said. Across the state, there are about 20,000 people who are in the backlog waiting for help. 

Now that federal cuts to vital programs are beginning to take effect, some 43,000 Nevadans could lose their nutrition assistance in the next few weeks. 

Rep. Horsford expressed his deep appreciation for the work that Ashford and her co-workers are doing to support those in need. 

“Dawn, I really respect your work because it’s the dignity in the work that you do and the compassion that you provide to these people who walk through these doors,” Horsford told her. 

He reaffirmed his strong support for workers to come together and create unions through AFSCME. 

Across Nevada, state workers are building power through AFSCME. The state’s administrative and clerical workers recently filed to vote for their AFSCME union. 

“Right now, we have people who are trying to take our rights away, our freedoms away, and our opportunities away,” Horsford explained. “But the power is in the people. When we show up and vote together, we win together. And that’s how I think we can uplift all of our communities.” 

The Fair Wages for Home Care Workers Act, if passed, would guarantee home care workers receive at least the minimum wage and access to overtime pay. 

The legislation, introduced by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), is a needed response to a pending Department of Labor proposal that threatens vital wage protections for home care workers. 

“Home care workers represent a lifeline for millions of families — yet too many are denied even a minimum wage and often go unpaid for hours spent off the clock keeping their clients safe. Poverty wages are driving caregivers out of this lifesaving field, leaving families without support, hospitals and nursing homes overwhelmed, and seniors and people with disabilities at risk of losing the freedom to live with dignity in their own homes,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Congress must act now to protect these essential workers and the families who depend on them.” 

AFSCME members around the country have voiced their objections to the Department of Labor rule, and this new legislation gives essential home care workers another opportunity to join the fight to protect their wages and their families. 

Home care workers make life possible for families that need assistance with an elderly or disabled family member, allowing them to live safely and comfortably at home, with dignity. They deserve fair pay and protection from billionaires and corporations that are threatening their wages and livelihoods. 

The lawsuit, which AFSCME brought with Democracy Forward, seeks to block the administration’s unlawful effort to cut off funding to public health programs in Illinois, California, Colorado, and Minnesota — all states being targeted because they are led by Democrats. 

The loss of this funding threatens the work of public health departments and the jobs of public employees who carry out these programs, thousands of whom are AFSCME members.  

“AFSCME members working in public health do the lifesaving work that prevents infectious diseases from spreading and stops outbreaks before they start," said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.  

"This administration is once again putting our communities at risk for the sake of political retribution, defunding the essential work AFSCME members do simply because of who voters elected to represent them in government,” he also said. 

These funding cuts will have immediate consequences not only for public health workers, but for the communities they serve.  

State and local health departments rely on these federal grants to support disease monitoring, emergency preparedness and programs designed to address ongoing public health challenges.  

According to the lawsuit, the administration’s actions are part of a broader pattern of using federal funding to punish states, cities and communities whose policies or political leadership the president has criticized. The challenged directive ordered agencies to identify funding flowing to a list of states and to take steps to cut or claw back that funding. 

“These lawfully appropriated federal funds support the jobs of countless AFSCME members whose work protects public health at the state and local levels,” said Roberta Lynch, executive director of AFSCME Council 31. “Their jobs and our communities should not suffer from illegal political retaliation.” 

The case, AFSCME v. Vought, asks the court to declare the directive and grant terminations unlawful and to block the administration from implementing the funding cuts. 

To find out how you can stand up to dangerous cuts like these, click here and get organized. 

With this resounding victory, all eligible Alexandria employees are now unionized, marking a significant milestone for public employees in the region. 

"Winning this is not just a victory for one person, it's a victory for every worker who believes in fairness and respect,” said Tia Littlejohn-Adams, an accountant for the city. “Together, we didn't just campaign, we built unity among members and colleagues." 

This victory means that five out of five eligible bargaining units in Alexandria have filed and won their union representation elections since 2021, three of which are AFSCME-represented units.  

They include workers in labor and trade, administrative and technical roles, and, now, professionals. These new members look forward to building on the successes their fellow AFSCME members in the city have achieved since organizing. 

Jared Alves, an urban planner for the city, said his colleagues are ready to utilize the collective voice of their union.  

“This resounding vote for our union signals that Alexandria professionals know that we are stronger together,” he said. “Now let's turn this victory into action!” 

Alexandria labor and trade employees reached a historic first contract with the city in 2023 that guaranteed raises and established a step-and-grade pay schedule, among other victories. The administrative and technical employees won real, tangible gains in contract negotiations for them and their families. They ratified their contract in 2025 with 100% of employees voting in favor.   

Steve Frutos, a senior therapist in the Department of Community & Human Services, underscores the victory as an opportunity to not just build a better workplace but a stronger city. 

“It's long overdue to have a real voice in how we do our vital work for the residents of Alexandria,” Frutos said. “Our ultimate goal is to create a more effective workplace in order to do our best for them. The more we can achieve as a union, the more our city stands to gain.” 

With this vote, Alexandria’s professional workers will now prepare to negotiate their first union contract, focusing on fair wages, improved benefits and a more transparent workplace. 

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, of Washington, D.C., ruled that Kari Lake’s appointment as acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media was illegal, and that actions taken by Lake since March 2025 are canceled. 

AFSCME was among the unions, press freedom organizations and employees that challenged Lake’s appointment in court. 

“This ruling is a major victory for the federal workers who Kari Lake and this administration have been attempting to illegally fire for the last year,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Voice of America employees are dedicated public servants who provide hope for freedom to those living under oppressive governments around the world. Yet time and again, this administration has attempted to strip these proud AFSCME members of their collective bargaining freedoms and their jobs.” 

In August, Lake conducted a reduction-in-force that eliminated hundreds of VOA jobs, but the layoffs were suspended while the court case continued. Saturday’s ruling reverses those layoffs. 

The union plaintiffs representing U.S. Agency for Global Media employees are AFSCME, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). The News Guild CWA is also a plaintiff, representing employees of a private grantee network funded by the U.S. Agency for Global Media. 

The impacted VOA workers are members of AFSCME Local 1418 (District Council 20). 

The administration and Lake also tried to cancel employees’ collective bargaining rights, but AFSCME and AFGE successfully challenged that action and restored their union rights and collective bargaining agreements. 

“AFSCME members will continue to stand with the public service workers who defend democracy and ensure the voices of freedom are heard around the world,” Saunders said. 

On Tuesday, the administrative and clerical workers — a large majority of whom are women — filed to hold an election to vote for their new union with AFSCME Local 4041. 

Across Nevada, these workers have been organizing for months, talking to their co-workers and building union power. Their hard work has brought them one step closer to winning a union contract and the freedom that comes with fair wages, benefits and working conditions. 

The fact that the filing happened during Women’s History Month brings added meaning to this organizing campaign. 

“Women are moving up in the world, but you can still see in some cases, people don’t take women seriously. And we have a lot to offer,” said Melanie Frame, an administrative assistant at the Nevada Department of Social Services. 

The state’s administrative and clerical staff help dozens of agencies run smoothly and efficiently. The crucial work they perform ensures communities in every part of Nevada receive quality public services they need to thrive. 

Once they vote “yes” for their new union, they will fight for a first contract that increases wages, lowers the cost of state health benefits, boosts recruitment and retention, and gives equitable paid time off. 

For this mostly female bargaining unit, the freedom that comes with a fair union contract will help clerical and administrative workers provide for their families and keep their communities moving forward. And it will help future generations of public service workers. 

“I’m hoping I can stand up and do good for someone who's coming up through the ranks,” Frame said. 

The Employee Management Relations Board must verify the union cards that these workers filed on Tuesday and will set an election date. 

The administrative and clerical employees in Nevada’s Bargaining Unit B are eager to join their fellow state workers who have recently formed their union with AFSCME. Workers in Unit C — Technical voted for their union with Local 4041 less than two years ago. 

Since winning collective bargaining rights in 2019, AFSCME members have secured wage increases of over 32%, four annual personal days, bilingual pay, a fairer grievance process and other lasting improvements. 

On Saturday, March 28, AFSCME members will continue our union’s proud tradition of standing up for working people by joining No Kings events across the country. 

Because when our families are under attack and rising costs are pushing people to the brink, silence is not an option. 

In America, we have No Kings. 

Now is the time to get organized: Find a Saturday, March 28, event nearby, join your community, and add your strong pro-worker, pro-union voice to the historic No Kings movement. 

AFSCME members and retirees nationwide will be speaking up to claim our power and take a stand for our union freedoms. 

If this administration and their enablers in Congress cared about working people and our safety, they would be investing in health care, schools and communities, not cutting taxes for billionaires and attacking public services. 

Our country does not belong to the ultra-wealthy or those who rule through fear and violence. It belongs to the people. And non-violent, people-led movements are how we strengthen our democracy, support free and fair elections,  and build a better life for all working people. 

Every time a boss, billionaire or an anti-worker politician escalates their attacks, AFSCME members stand up to fight back. 

Saturday, March 28, will prove that we the people will not back down.