AFL-CIO President Responds to Trump's Illegal Firing of NLRB Member Gwynne Wilcox

In response to news of President Trump’s firing of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Gwynne Wilcox and NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement:

President Trump’s firing of NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the board, is illegal and will have immediate consequences for working people. By leaving only two board members in their posts, the President has effectively shut down the National Labor Relations Board’s operations, leaving the workers it defends on their own in the face of union-busting and retaliation. Alongside the firing of NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, these moves will make it easier for bosses to violate the law and trample on workers’ legal rights on the job and fundamental freedom to organize. Member Wilcox has already indicated she will challenge her firing, and we fully expect she will succeed in the courts and be restored to her position so she can continue to be a critical pro-worker voice on the NLRB.

Fred Redmond to Serve as AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer

USW International President Tom Conway issued the following statement today after the AFL-CIO Executive Council elected USW International Vice President Fred Redmond to serve as secretary-treasurer, making him the first African American to hold the organization's No. 2 office:

“We are incredibly proud that the AFL-CIO Executive Council selected USW International Vice President Fred Redmond to serve as its secretary-treasurer alongside AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

“Fred is a decades-long union activist with a proven commitment to both negotiating good contracts and advancing civil and human rights, including through his recent work as chair of the AFL-CIO Task Force on Racial Justice. We know that he will bring the same passion and dedication to his new position.

“Workers across our nation are facing unprecedented challenges, and we are deeply grateful to Fred for assuming this role, even as he continues his work with the USW. Rich Trumka’s passing reverberated throughout the labor movement, but despite our grief, I know Fred, like all of us, is committed to ensuring the AFL-CIO’s vital mission goes uninterrupted.”

AFL-CIO President to Congress: Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder:

One year ago, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. Working people throughout America—from large urban cities to small rural towns—protested peacefully, marched down streets and declared three words: Black Lives Matter. Today, we continue to demand action to root out systemic racism in all forms. On the anniversary of his murder, the labor movement joins our allies in calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill is not only a legislative priority, it’s our nation’s moral obligation. Elected leaders should work together with all stakeholders, including America’s unions, to finally make police reform a reality.