In today’s news and commentary, unemployment benefits applications inch upwards; Kentucky unions protest the deportation of immigrant workers; and the Teamsters win three elections in Texas.

On Thursday, the Department of Labor noted a slight uptick of 4,000 additional claims for unemployment insurance for the week ending April 5th. This brings the total number of claims to 223,000, slightly below the 225,000 forecasted by analysts. This data falls within the typical range of weekly applications and suggests a healthy labor market. It will serve as a baseline for measuring the effects of the ongoing trade war in forthcoming reports. 

The National Education Association, Kentucky AFL-CIO, and IUE-CWA have mobilized public support to resist deportation orders that affect two hundred union workers in Louisville, Kentucky. The workers, part of IUE-CWA Local 83761, are enrolled in a humanitarian program that provides visas to people fleeing war or political instability. This follows notice from the Department of Homeland Security in late March announcing that the program would be terminated, requiring the workers who received letters to leave the United States before April 24th or face “adverse immigration consequences” including fines, seizure of their property, and deportation. In addition to participating in some of the 1,400 “Hands Off” rallies that swept the country last week, the unions are planning additional protests and know-your-rights trainings for workers who may be affected. 

Teamsters Local 745 recently announced three election victories in a single day, continuing their trend of successful organizing in the South. All three victories came from organizing efforts at Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, the largest wine and spirits distributor in the United States. The Local has organized over 400 workers in the industry since 2023 and close to 1,000 workers at Southern Glazer’s since 2022. Brent Taylor, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 745 said, “What we just did is emblematic of the reason why Teamsters have been leading the way in organizing the South . . . We’re securing the best collective bargaining agreements in the brewery and liquor business, leading to more workers joining our union, giving the Teamsters more power, which produces better contracts for all our members.” Members have voiced pride and excitement in their continued growth.