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Workers at Pratt & Whitney have voted to approve a new contract, bringing an end to a three-week strike. The deal, backed by 74% of union members, guarantees engine production will remain at the company's Connecticut facilities through 2029. It also includes a 15.5% wage increase over four years and increased pension contributions. Both the union and the company praised the agreement, framing it as a win for collective bargaining and workforce stability. The strike marked the first in over two decades at the company’s East Hartford and Middletown sites.

Roughly 85 unionized workers at Sutphen Corp., a key firetruck supplier for Columbus, Ohio, have gone on strike after working without a contract since October 2024. The dispute has raised concerns about delays in city truck purchases, prompting Columbus City Council to add clauses to recent contracts that protect against labor-related disruptions. Union leaders accuse the company of stalling negotiations and refusing to meet until late June, despite not offering raises since 2023. Sutphen has settled previous unfair labor practice complaints and says it is committed to continued bargaining. The city’s firefighters union has emphasized the urgency of updating an aging fleet amid the standoff.

James Callahan, the former head of the International Union of Operating Engineers, was pardoned by Donald Trump just before his scheduled sentencing for failing to report over $300,000 in gifts. Callahan had admitted to accepting event tickets and other perks from a firm contracted by the union, without disclosing them as required. Prosecutors had pushed for a six-month sentence, highlighting his high salary and the misuse of union resources. With the pardon, the court paused sentencing while awaiting a formal dismissal of the case. Callahan had already agreed to repay the union and step down from his leadership role.

Argentina’s major education unions are pushing back against sweeping new measures from President Javier Milei’s administration that aim to restrict the right to strike and dismantle national collective bargaining for teacher salaries. A presidential decree issued on May 21 reclassifies education as an “essential service,” a move that unions say is an unconstitutional tactic to suppress labor action—similar to previous decrees already struck down by Argentina’s courts. In parallel, a proposed legislative change would eliminate the federal government's role in salary negotiations, effectively weakening national standards for teacher pay. Unions, backed by Education International, argue these actions threaten democratic principles and public education, and are mobilizing both nationally and internationally to resist them.

Transit services in Seoul faced major disruptions today as the city bus union launched a general strike following failed negotiations over wages and conditions. Talks between the Seoul City Bus Labor Union and the Bus Transportation Association collapsed after nine hours of mediation, prompting the union to walk out starting with the day’s first scheduled buses. In response, the Seoul city government rolled out contingency plans, including expanded subway service, free shuttle buses, and temporarily allowing taxi ride-sharing. The strike, now in its second consecutive year, has sparked concern that unions in other cities like Busan, Ulsan, and Changwon may follow suit if their own talks break down. A large protest rally involving thousands of union members was also planned in front of City Hall

Workers at the StarPlus Energy battery plant in Kokomo, Indiana—a joint venture between Stellantis and Samsung SDI—have officially secured union representation under the United Auto Workers (UAW). This comes after a majority of the plant's 420 employees signed authorization cards, prompting Stellantis to recognize the union through a card check process agreed to in its 2023 contract with the UAW. The successful organizing effort reflects the union’s broader push to ensure that new electric vehicle jobs offer fair pay and protections, contrasting with slower progress at other sites like Ford’s BlueOval SK in Kentucky. StarPlus is now among several battery plants across the U.S. where the UAW has gained a foothold amid the EV industry’s rapid expansion.

Roughly 1,500 corporate staff at Walmart are being laid off as part of a company-wide restructuring effort aimed at streamlining operations and aligning with evolving business goals. Affected departments include Walmart’s Global Tech and advertising division, Walmart Connect, with most impacted employees based at the Bentonville, Arkansas headquarters. Executives say the changes are focused on modernizing internal teams to better serve customers, unrelated to recent tariff disputes with the Trump administration. While new roles are expected to be created, the company declined to offer further comment beyond the internal memo shared with staff.

A recent report from the National Education Association places Mississippi last in the nation for average teacher pay, with salaries falling below both the national average and the state’s own minimum living wage estimate. While lawmakers point to the state's overall lower cost of living and highlight past pay raises, advocates argue more action is needed to retain and attract educators. Local supplements and incentives like National Board Certification can boost earnings, but significant disparities remain across districts. State officials maintain that future teacher pay increases are still on the table, even as the current budget lacks new raises.

Public opinion in the U.S. has shifted sharply in favor of labor unions, reaching record highs in support while views of big business have declined. Recent national survey data show this change is widespread across political, racial, and educational lines, with especially strong pro-union sentiment among more educated Americans. Factors like pandemic-era workplace treatment, rising inequality, and prominent organizing efforts have likely fueled the trend. However, obstacles to unionization remain, as outdated labor laws limit workers’ ability to organize effectively.

SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, a major union representing over 30,000 health care workers in Washington, was fined $6,000 for failing to disclose more than $430,000 in campaign contributions ahead of the 2024 election. The funds, which included large donations to Democratic legislative caucuses, weren’t reported until after Election Day, violating transparency rules meant to inform voters. Although the union didn’t contest the penalty and was found not to have acted with intent to deceive, critics say the Public Disclosure Commission’s relatively light punishment raises concerns about fairness and accountability in campaign finance enforcement.