Utah Labor on the Move
by Owen Oak
On June 28, the Utah American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the federation that includes most Utah unions, held its convention. This last year marked an unusual year of growth, militancy, and victories for the Utah labor movement.
At the convention, workers at the Kennecott copper mine spoke about their negotiations with international mining company Rio Tinto. Workers spoke about their struggle in 2022 when 1,300 Kennecott mine workers threatened to walk off the job if their demands weren’t met. As a result, they won raises, increased benefits, and safety guarantees.
Another area struggle covered at the convention was the organization of nurses at a number of public hospitals. Multiple unions have held a number of (technically illegal) shop-floor actions that have resulted in a number of increases and gains for workers, including raises, new equipment, and other benefits.
Finally, discussion took place on how a united AFL-CIO was able to exploit divisions in the republican legislature to kill a statewide union busting bill. This is good for two reasons; first, because it shows Utah workers are organized enough to act as a political force and advocate for their interests; and second, more importantly, it shows that workers have the willingness and know how to act as an independent political force rather than marrying themselves to the Democratic or Republican Parties.
