Recent Press

CHARLESTON – To honor the 15 West Virginia workers who died on the job in 2021, the West Virginia AFL-CIO and the Kanawha Valley Labor Council will hold an in-person event at noon, Thursday, April 28, at the state Capitol commemorating the 34th annual Workers Memorial Day.

“As we do each year, we will read the names of West Virginia victims of workplace injury and illness, take a moment to pay tribute to them, and vow to keep fighting for the promise of safe jobs for all workers,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword said. “In 2021, 15 West Virginians lost their lives while on the job. They were first responders, public safety officers, coal miners, and machine operators, and they should have returned home safely to their loved ones.”

On April 28, unions of the AFL-CIO throughout the country will observe Workers Memorial Day to remember thosewho have suffered and died on the job, and to call for action to make workplaces safe.

The West Virginia event will be broadcast via Facebook Live.

WHAT:                      34th Annual Workers Memorial Ceremony   

WHEN:                      Noon, Thursday, April 28, 2022

WHERE:                   Lower Rotunda, State Capitol, Charleston

Facebook.com/westvirginia.aflcio

The IUPAT DC 53 Painters Union is holding a peaceful protest on the West Virginia Capitol grounds at the corner of Greenbrier Street and Washington Street East on Monday, February 21 10:30 am – 1:30 pm to raise awareness of attacks on West Virginia’s working families.

Senate Bill 2 “Relating to unemployment benefits program” would reduce the number of weeks workers are eligible for unemployment from the current level of 26 weeks to as little as 12 weeks, with a maximum of 20 weeks in times of high overall unemployment. Lead sponsor to this bill is Senator Tom Takubo from the 17th District. 

CHARLESTON – More than 150 labor leaders from across West Virginia gathered virtually today for the West Virginia AFL-CIO’s 30th Constitutional Convention to adopt policies and elect officers, including unanimously re-electing President Josh Sword, Secretary-Treasurer Andy Walters, and the fourteen incumbent vice presidents that make up the WV AFL-CIO Executive Board to four-year terms.

The elected board members are: Fred Albert, AFT; Heather Anderson, USW; Bob Brown, AFT; Mike Caputo, UMWA; Joe Carter, UMWA; Dan Doyle, AFGE; John Epperly, State Building Trades; Joyce Gibson, SEIU; Elaine Harris, CWA; Jessie King, LIUNA; Charles Parker, IUOE; Dan Poling IUPAT; Gary Southall, UFCW; and Brian Wedge, USW.

Members of the media are invited to join United Food Operation, Inc. as it kicks off its 40th annual drive 11 a.m. Friday, January 14, 2022 to collect food during the next 12 weeks for area food pantries. 

“Thanks to our outstanding contributors and volunteers, each year we are able to help area pantries feed more than 30,000 West Virginians,” UFO Chair Elaine Harris noted. “Unfortunately, the pandemic hindered our ability to open our warehouses in 2021, so we had to make alternative arrangements to distribute food to the pantries. This year, we’re grateful to be able to open up our warehouses once again.