National Hispanic Heritage Month will be observed from September 15 to October 15, 2026. The period marks the celebration of the heritage, history, traditions, and cultural diversity of Hispanic Americans whose heritage is rooted in Spain and 19 countries and territories: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.  The national observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover 30 days starting September 15 and ending October 15 of each year. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed and celebrated to highlight the independence of several countries. September 15 is the day that five Latin American countries celebrate their independence from Spain: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16 and Chile on September 18. Also, Indigenous Peoples Day, or Día de la Raza, in mid-October, falls within these 30 days.

Labor Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September, and this year falls on September 7, 2026. Labor Day recognizes and honors the American labor movement and the work and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements in the United States.  This recognition grew out of the trade union and labor movements setting aside a date to celebrate labor. "Labor Day" was promoted by the Central Labor Union of New York, Brooklyn and New Jersey, plus the Knights of Labor (the first mass organization of the working class before the American Federation of Labor), which organized the first parade in New York City in the late 1900's.  It became a federal holiday in 1894, at which time over thirty states were officially celebrating Labor Day.

Sisters and Brothers,

We all know Big Tech is watching us 24/7. They’re collecting data on every aspect of our lives and selling it to the highest bidder.

But did you know Big Tech could also be the reason you pay more for groceries, plane tickets, and online purchases? These Big Tech companies are selling your data to other corporations (without your consent!) and those corporations are using your personal information to charge you as much as they possibly can, by trying to determine your exact price point. More profits for them and more financial strain for us!

What data do these mega-corporations use to determine what to charge you?How much you make, your internet search history, your gender, race, age, where you live, how many kids you have, and how far you are from home. They can even look at how low your phone’s battery is to gauge how desperate you are for a ride home.

To Our OPEIU Family:

Happy Fourth of July!

This weekend we celebrate our nation's founding as a democracy free from foreign rule and recommit ourselves to the vision of true freedom that spurred our founding revolution.

Americans continue to believe in the ideas that inspired our founders to fight for freedom from tyranny 250 years ago. But the fight must continue.

Despite the perseverance of this just vision, powerful forces in our country replicate the behaviors that spurred early Americans to action. Our government denies workers a voice through anti-union legislation. They launch wars around the world evoking our nation's shameful genocide of Native Americans. And they undermine democracy to further consolidate power and wealth for the elite.

As we enjoy this summer weekend and celebrate the optimism, diversity and innovation that make our country so special, let us recommit to the uncompromising resistance that made Independence Day possible in the first place.

In solidarity,

Team OPEIU