Weekly Union Recap February 20, 2026

IFPTE Endorses Claire Valdez for the 7th Congressional District of New York

IFPTE issued its latest Congressional endorsement for the upcoming midterms by backing New York Assemblymember, Claire Valdez, for the House of Representatives. In issuing the endorsement, IFPTE called Valdez, who is a Union organizer, “a champion for working families and their Unions”.

Calling All Candidates – Join IFPTE’s Black and Racialized Professionals Committee

The Committee, which was unanimously approved at the 2024 IFPTE Convention through passage of Resolution 15, titled “Black and Racialized Professionals Committee,” is tasked with advancing and advocating for “issues faced in the union, the workplace, and the communities where we live.”

IFPTE Honors Black History Month

Labour College of Canada Applications

Applications for the Canadian Labour Congress’ Labour College of Canada leadership certificate program are open until March 16. The Labour College Certificate Program offers in-depth, university level courses and a unique learning opportunity for union leaders and active members from across unions and regions to learn and grow together. Learn more here.

Department for Professional Employees Reports Union Membership and Density Among Professionals Grew Again in 2025

The AFL-CIO’s Department for Professional Employee (DPE), or which IFPTE is an affiliate, reported this week that nearly 170,000 professionals joined unions in 2025, pushing total professional union membership to more than 6.6 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual union membership report. Read more here.

OFL Union Threads: A Craft-In for Women’s Power

On March 6, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is celebrating International Women’s Day with women from across Ontario at a hybrid craft‑in rooted in the long tradition of women gathering to create, strategize, and build power together. Register here.