News Articles Archives
- Mar 5, 2009 Evening With Labor Tickets Available Tickets are still available - but going fast - for the March 21 Evening With Labor celebration. Over 1,000 area labor activists, supporters and political leaders are expected to attend the 32nd annual dinner awards/dance, this year at the Omni Shoreham. Email... more...
- Mar 5, 2009 Updated & Downloadable Council Brochure The Metro Council’s latest brochure is now available for download ! The full-color 2-page PDF briefly describes the Council’s major programs and provides contact information. Perfect for distribution to local members who’d like to know more about the Metro Council. more...
- Mar 5, 2009 Did You Know? You can now update your address, phone number and email address just by clicking the subscription management link at the bottom of your latest Union City! Stay in the loop for the latest local labor news by keeping your contact info up to date! more...
- Mar 4, 2009 Button Up And Rally For Healthcare With President Obama pushing healthcare reform to the top of the nation’s agenda, be sure to mark your calendar now for next Tuesday’s Health Care For America Now! Rally and get your order in today for your favorite healthcare organizing buttons from the Northland Poster Collective... more...
- Mar 4, 2009 Evening With Labor Ads Due Friday’s the deadline for ads in this year’s Evening With Labor program book, a great way to show your support for the Metro Council and our 32nd annual celebration of DC labor. Ad rates are $500 for a full page, $250 half, $125 quarter and $50 for a business card. Email... more...
- Mar 4, 2009 Got Union News? Let UNION CITY’s 13,000 readers know! Send reports on your local’s contract or organizing wins, events, members in the news, any other local news of interest. Photos welcome, too! Email us at streetheat@dclaborarchives.org . more...
- Mar 4, 2009 March Roars In With JwJ Citywide Free Choice Blitz DC Jobs with Justice is blitzing the city this week for the Employee Free Choice Act, as volunteers collect Free Choice Act postcards at Metro stations and in front of supermarkets across the District. "This is a great opportunity for union and community members to work together to win better... more...
- Mar 3, 2009 PERB Logjam Tip Of The Fenty Iceberg, Critics Say After campaigning as the man who could get DC government working again, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty has single-handedly created a logjam at the agency that resolves labor-management disputes. Frustrated District employees and their supporters are planning to turn out in force at a public hearing on... more...
- Mar 3, 2009 House To Vote On DC Voting Rights DC voting rights supporters are gearing up for Wednesday’s House vote after the Senate passed the bill 61-37 last week, “the first time in three decades that a DC voting rights bill has passed the Senate,” reports Ann Hoffman of the National Writers Union. Supporters are hoping that the... more...
- Mar 3, 2009 New NLRB Chair Wants Worker Rights To Top Nation's Agenda Her board is short-handed and the law it administers is 74 years old, but Wilma Liebman (right), designated as the new chair of the National Labor Relations Board, looks forward to a future where workers’ rights - and how to ensure them - are once again at the top of the national agenda.... more...
- Mar 2, 2009 Shift Breaks top Priority A 15-minute break for all workers not covered by a union contract is Maryland Delegate Roger Manno’s (D, 19) top priority. Manno’s "Shift Break Bill" is strongly supported by a majority of the House delegation and is being considered by the House Economic Matters Committee. Click... more...
- Mar 2, 2009 Labor Updates: Federal Pension Corp. Workers Unionize; Unionists Hit High Notes On Capitol Hill Federal Pension Corp. Workers Unionize: The workers who staff the agency that guarantees traditional pensions are now unionized. Which makes sense, since many of the pensions covered by the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corp. (PBGC) are negotiated in union contracts. The PBGC’s workers... more...
- Mar 2, 2009 New Deal Redux This month’s free Northland calendar download celebrates the 70th anniversary of the New Deal, a program of public works projects launched in the U.S. by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. “Given the collapse of the financial system under the weight of its own greed, it seems like a... more...
- Feb 27, 2009 Williams Supports MD Chavez Day Calling Cesar Chavez “an American hero who transcended boundaries of race and social class by standing up for low-paid and often abused farm workers,” Metro Council Political Coordinator Rick Powell - submitting testimony on behalf of President Jos Williams - testified Wednesday in... more...
- Feb 27, 2009 Labor Updates: Healthcare Workers Lobby More than 100 members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East met Thursday with Maryland state and local leaders on issues of concern to the healthcare workers including the sale of the Prince George’s hospital system and training funds for healthcare workers to address the state’s... more...
- Feb 27, 2009 The Price Of Tomatoes "If you have eaten a tomato this winter, chances are very good that it was picked by a person who lives in virtual slavery." So writes Barry Estabrook in the March issue of Gourmet Magazine. "Involuntary servitude - slavery - is alive and well in Florida," Estabrook writes in the... more...
- Feb 27, 2009 March Calendar Filling Up March is shaping up to be a busy month for metro-area labor, with celebrations, meetings and dinners - including the Council’s 32nd annual Evening With Labor, local labor’s premiere event. Check out the action online for the complete calendar and be sure to email us at... more...
- Feb 27, 2009 Financial Planning Tools Available Union Plus has a wealth of financial planning tools, resources, and advice, all available at a discount to union members. Save 15% off credit score tools - showing you how to get the lowest rates on your credit cards, get out of debt quicker, and save on your mortgage and car loans - with... more...
- Feb 27, 2009 The Outlook At The NLRB: An Interview With Board Chairman Wilma Liebman WASHINGTON (PAI) - Her board is short-handed and the law it administers is 74 years old, but Wilma Liebman (right), designated as the new chair of the National Labor Relations Board, looks forward to a future where workers’ rights - and how to ensure them - are once again at the top of the... more...
- Feb 26, 2009 Building Solid Foundations For PG Students High school students in Prince George’s County will soon have the right skills to build a better future. Agreement was announced yesterday on a new partnership between the Board of Education and local labor unions to establish a pre-apprenticeship program in the county’s public high... more...
- Feb 26, 2009 Black history Month Celebrations Continue The connections between race, class, unionism and health will be explored in two Black History Month events tonight. Bill Barry’s Labor History class looks at issues of race and unionism with a showing of the film “A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom.” Health disparities... more...
- Feb 26, 2009 In Memoriam: Cyprian Olave Tilghman, 1913-2009 “Sippy” Tilghman is probably already organizing the angels. Hundreds of his fellow hotel workers turned out Tuesday to bid farewell to Cyprian Tilghman, who died last week at 95. The longtime labor leader “was a mentor to many of us,” says Metro Council President Jos Williams, who says... more...
- Feb 25, 2009 This Just In: DC Voting Rights Advance Labor played a role in Tuesday’s Senate vote on DC voting rights, lobbying key Senators, including freshmen Democrats Mark Warner of Virginia and Kay Hagan of North Carolina - whose support was in doubt - who voted to permit debate on the bill. “Thanks to all our colleagues in Virginia and... more...
- Feb 25, 2009 Council Delegates Elect '09-'11 leadership Metro Council delegates unanimously elected the 2009-11 Executive Board officers at the Council’s February Delegate Meeting Monday night at the AFL-CIO. Elected to his 9th term as President of on of the nation’s largest Labor Councils, Jos Williams thanked the delegates and affiliates... more...
- Feb 25, 2009 Labor On The Move: Easterling To Lead Retiree Group Barbara J. Easterling was elected President of the Alliance of Retired Americans last Thursday, succeeding George J. Kourpias. Easterling pledged that the Alliance would aggressively educate both retirees and lawmakers on ways to strengthen Medicare, lower prescription drug costs, and preserve... more...
- Feb 25, 2009 AT&T Workers Call For Justice When company executives are pocketing millions in bonuses, saddling their workers with healthcare costs is simply unfair, local AT&T workers argued at a rally yesterday in Northern Virginia. Despite bitter cold, more than fifty - along with the ever-popular giant union rat - turned... more...
- Feb 25, 2009 Workers Welcome Solis To Labor Dept “We’ve waited eight years and one month for this,” AFGE Local 12 President Alex Bastani told Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, “You’re a sight for sore eyes.” Hundreds of Department of Labor (DOL) workers turned out Wednesday morning to welcome the new Secretary - who was... more...
- Feb 24, 2009 Local Labor Updates: Prevailing Wage Supporters Optimistic; Fair Share Act Draws A Crowd; Extending UI to Part-Timers Prevailing Wage Supporters Optimistic: With victories in two Maryland counties last year, advocates of prevailing wage protections are optimistic that legislation to expand the statewide law will be enacted in Annapolis this session. “I think there is a better climate for making necessary... more...
- Feb 24, 2009 National Labor Updates: Three Nurses Unions To Merge; Extended Mass Layoffs Hit Record High Three Nurses Unions To Merge: After three days of intensive talks – which capped 10 years of off-and-on discussions – three unions representing registered nurses agreed February 17 to merge. The combined organization, to be called the United American Nurses-National Nurses Organizing... more...
- Feb 24, 2009 Latest DC Union Hotel List Posted The latest list of area union hotels is just a click away. “When you patronize these establishments, you are supporting union members and their families,” says UNITE HERE. Quickly and easily find over three dozen metro DC union hotels on the updated DC Labor Map including four... more...
- Feb 24, 2009 Labor On The Move: Pamela Wilson Retires from DPE Pamela Wilson is retiring from the AFL-CIO’s Department for Professional Employees after more than 20 years. “All of our lives have been enriched by hers,” said DPE President Paul Almeida. Wilson had previously worked at the Food & Allied Service Trades (FAST) department and the... more...
- Feb 23, 2009 Communication Workers To Hit Street In NoVa “AT&T bargaining is going to be huge this year,” reports CWA Local 2252 President Sean Linehan, who’s coordinating a local demo tomorrow morning. The AT&T Mobility (formerly Cingular) contract expired last Saturday and contract talks broke down Sunday; the contract covers 20,000... more...
- Feb 23, 2009 Labor On The Move: Tilghman Wake Today UNITE HERE Local 25 member Cyprian O. Tilghman’s viewing and wake – the longtime hotel worker and union leader passed away last Tuesday ( Local 25’s Tilghman Passes At 95 2/18 UC ) - is scheduled for this afternoon at 4P at St Mary of the Mills Catholic Church in Laurel, MD. The funeral... more...
- Feb 23, 2009 Call-In Today For DC Voting Rights “Today is a national call-in day for DC voting rights,” reports Ann Hoffman from the National Writers Union.. DC Vote has set up a toll-free number to call Senators in support of the DC Voting Rights Act (S. 160). “Residents of Maryland and Virginia - or any other state - can call... more...
- Feb 23, 2009 DC Teachers Launch Media Blitz DC teachers are taking to the air to promote their new vision of school reform. The Washington Teachers Union last week launched a major media campaign on their “bold and progressive teacher contract proposal” submitted to DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee in late January. The campaign features... more...
- Feb 20, 2009 Bakers Frustrated With Lagging Negotiations Union bakers at Safeway and Giant aren't even being offered crumbs in ongoing contract negotiations, reports Bakers Local 118 Business Manager Al Haight. "They just want to shred our contract," the frustrated Haight tells Union City. "They're going after our wages, pension, Sunday premiums,... more...
- Feb 20, 2009 Local Immigrants Under Attack An Arizona sheriff recently marched hundreds of shackled and chained immigrant workers down the streets of Phoenix to a segregated tent city surrounded by an electric fence. Could this outrage happen here? That’s the question being explored at a DC Jobs with Justice forum on Saturday, where... more...
- Feb 20, 2009 Free Financial Fitness Fair This Saturday With tax season well underway, the DC EITC Campaign and DC Saves are collaborating to host several free Financial Fairs throughout the tax season, including this Saturday, February 21st from 9A-12P at the KIPP Key Academy, 4801 Benning Rd in NE DC. In 2008 nearly 5,000 taxpayers filed at these... more...
- Feb 20, 2009 Labor Updates ASASP Executive Director Doris Reed – who also serves on the Metro Council’s Executive Board – has lost her brother, Walter Brooks, who died last Friday, February 13. “Please keep Doris and her family in your thoughts and prayers,” says Metro Council President Jos Williams. Cards can... more...
- Feb 19, 2009 Day Laborers To Battle Wage Theft In DC Denied overtime pay, paid below-minimum wages, misclassified as contractors, paid less than agreed or with bad checks and sometimes not paid at all, the District’s day laborers are fighting back. The Union de Trabajadores de Washington, the District's day laborer association, plans to launch... more...
- Feb 19, 2009 Labor Seder Planning Begins Since 2002, Jews United for Justice has brought together hundreds of people - including labor leaders, politicians, activists and the Jewish community - to connect ancient history with modern injustice through story, song and food at the Labor Seder. Organizers will hold a Seder Planning... more...
- Feb 19, 2009 DC Voting Rights To Get Vote In Senate The Senate has tentatively scheduled a vote on DC voting rights next Tuesday, reports Ann Hoffman. “The latest effort to achieve democracy in the nation's capital got a boost earlier this year when Ironworkers Local 5 Business Manager Kendall Martin and President John Rayner joined me in a... more...
- Feb 19, 2009 Union City Voice: Readers Write: Looking For Union Caterers “Could you provide me with a list of caterers in the greater Washington DC area which are unionized?” writes Richard. “We are planning a banquet in a private hall in June, and would like to use a unionized caterer.” Find all kinds of area union services - including union caterers... more...
- Feb 18, 2009 DC Tenant Group Welcomes Alliance With Labor “If there was ever a time for collaboration to save rent control, jobs, civil and economic rights, that time is now,” said the DC Tenants’ Advocacy Coalition’s (TENAC) Jim McGrath last week. McGrath was responding to suggestions by Metro Council President Jos Williams and... more...
- Feb 18, 2009 Labor On The Move: Local 25's Tilghman Passes at 95 Cyprian O. Tilghman, longtime hotel union leader and activist, died Tuesday morning at 95. Tilghman, the first President of Local 25, was President Emeritus. Details on funeral and memorial arrangements are expected soon. ARA’s Kourpias Retires; Easterling To Be Named New President: ... more...
- Feb 18, 2009 Workplace Fraud Battle Dominates Labor Agenda This Week In Annapolis There was no holiday Monday for the Maryland Labor Caucus, which met in Annapolis to review the week’s State Assembly highlights, including Fair Share, universal telecom, health insurance for construction workers, and a battle over the "Workplace Fraud” bill. The bill would hold employers... more...
- Feb 17, 2009 First-Hand Reports Of Violence Against Colombian Workers “Good people are being murdered daily because of their willingness to stand up for labor rights,” in Colombia, Yessika Hoyos (right) told a lunchtime audience at the AFL-CIO last Friday. “My own father was assassinated by government militants simply because of his trade union... more...
- Feb 17, 2009 Labor College Launches Green Workplace Representative Certificate Program The National Labor College (NLC) has announced the creation of a green workplace representative certificate program. The certificate program is part of the AFL-CIO’s Center for Green Jobs, both of which were announced at the recent Good Jobs Green Jobs conference in Washington ( Good Jobs,... more...
- Feb 17, 2009 Labor On The Move Jeff Rickert has returned to the AFL-CIO’s Working for America Institute to head up the Institute’s brand-new Center for Green Jobs. Rickert – who previously worked for the Institute as an economic analyst – has been consulting on climate change and energy policy for Helios Strategies,... more...
- Feb 17, 2009 Website Of The Week: Economic Policy Institute Economic Policy Institute : The progressive economic and tax policy center has completely overhauled its site, with impressive results. The re-launched site features a clean, easy-on-the-eyes design; photos and informational graphics show how the economic crisis impacts regular Americans;... more...
- Feb 13, 2009 Colombian Labor Defenders To Speak Today Prominent leaders in the struggle for labor rights will discuss the ongoing violence against Colombian workers and unions today at the AFL-CIO headquarters. The Brown Bag lunch features Yessika Hoyos, human rights attorney and founder of the Hijas e Hijos por la Memoria y Contra la... more...
- Feb 13, 2009 Union City Voice: Readers Write: Rare Chance To See Emancipation Proclamation “The original Emancipation Proclamation (“ Abe Speaks Honestly On Labor And Corporate Power, 2/12 UC ) is on display at the National Archives ONLY 5 days a year, Feb 12-16, ” writes Mariya Strauss, “I'm planning to go see it!” The Archives have special extended exhibit hours... more...
- Feb 13, 2009 Waterford Workers Take Over Factory Paul Bell, our man in Ireland, reports that workers continue to occupy the Waterford Wedgewood crystal factory in Kilbarry, Ireland. Now in its second week, the sit-in is to prevent the factory – which manufactures world-famous Waterford crystal – from being closed, at the cost of up to... more...
- Feb 13, 2009 New Coalition Opposes Transit Cuts Gale force winds blowing through Washington Thursday couldn’t sweep away the voices of community and labor advocates opposing cuts to public transit services. “We don’t have enough services right now,” said Jimmy Allen of Prince George’s Advocates for Community-based Transit. “The... more...
- Feb 12, 2009 "Big Man" Joins Engineers' Protest Morning commuters couldn’t help but notice the 10-foot tall man waving at them as they drove past the US Geological Survey (USGS) headquarters in Reston yesterday. Workers and staff of the Operating Engineers Local 99 joined their inflatable “Big Man” for a lively demonstration at dawn... more...
- Feb 12, 2009 Abe Speaks Honestly On Labor And Corporate Power Abraham Lincoln – whose bicentennial birthday is being celebrated today -- was, for much of his life, an ordinary worker -- a rail-splitter in Indiana and Illinois, a postmaster in New Salem, Ill., a cargo flatboat oarsman on trips down river to New Orleans. That he never forgot these... more...
- Feb 11, 2009 Labor Decries Expansion Of Prison Labor A possible expansion of the use of prison labor in Maryland is drawing fire from union leaders. Maryland Correctional Enterprises, the prison industry arm of the Maryland Division of Correction, is discussing plans to try again to expand the use of inmate labor by removing the ban on competing... more...
- Feb 11, 2009 Whistleblower Groups Mobilize For Federal Employees With the tab for the stimulus package hovering around the trillion dollar mark, federal employees will once again be on the frontline of the effort to protect taxpayer dollars against fraud and waste. Studies show that whistleblowers are the most effective weapon against fraud, including... more...
- Feb 11, 2009 CEL Savings For Unions Union officers and staff can save as much as 22% on cel phone costs under the AT&T Mobility Affiliated Union Discount Program, which has just been extended for the next three years. For details, contact Ted Karp at 301-332-1447 or email tkarp@aflcio.org . more...
- Feb 11, 2009 Full Plate For Metro Labor Caucus At this week's Metro Labor Caucus meeting, Council affiliates discussed the status of their bills and hearings next week on the House side, including those dealing with "Shift Breaks" and "Fair Share" -- which would allow non-union State employees within a bargaining unit to pay a... more...
- Feb 10, 2009 '08 Evening With Labor Award Winners Announced Thanks to their exceptional effort turning out large numbers of members for last year's primaries, Laborers Local 657 will be awarded the DC COPE Award at the 2009 Evening With Labor Awards , set for Saturday, March 21 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Other award-winners include SEIU 32BJ, which... more...
- Feb 10, 2009 Valentine's Flower Power Celebrate Valentine's Day this year without breaking the bank. Union members get 20% discount off when ordering flowers online through the Union Plus Flower Service. Teleflora offers a wide variety of flower bouquets and other gift ideas - including food baskets, wreaths, balloons and... more...
- Feb 9, 2009 Barry To Host Unemployment Roundtable DC Councilmember Marion Barry will host a roundtable on District unemployment issues this Wednesday. To testify, contact Drew Hubbard by 5P Tuesday at 202-727-8230 or dhubbard@dccouncil.us , and provide your name, organization and title. more...
- Feb 9, 2009 Union Rats Win Free Speech Rights In a New Jersey case with local implications, a giant inflatable rat helped a union win a free-speech victory Thursday, reports CNN. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a local union had a right to display its 10-foot-tall, black, rat-shaped balloon at a rally held outside a... more...
- Feb 9, 2009 Labor Dept Union "Disappointed" By Obama Appointment Union leaders at the Department of Labor described themselves as "deeply disappointed" by President Obama's appointment of Edward Hugler as the Acting Secretary of Labor, while awaiting confirmation of nominee Hilder Solis. AFGE Local 12 President Alex Bastani called Hugler, a "union busting... more...
- Feb 9, 2009 Website Of The Week AFSCME MD's website specializes in news affecting state workers, including the union's recent healthcare win. The union represents over ten thousand members statewide. Among the website's features are an Action Center, details on membership benefits and a calendar of events which currently... more...
- Feb 9, 2009 Federal Unions Weigh In On Reviving Labor-Management Partnerships Representatives of federal employee unions said during the 2008 election season that they hoped the new president would revive the labor-management partnership councils President Clinton created in a 1993 Executive Order. But some unions question that era's rules on reaching consensus during... more...
- Feb 6, 2009 Labor Questions Fenty Fundraising "When you have all that money, the people who put it there expect something in return," Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams told the Washington Post Wednesday in a story on how D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, "whose populist 2006 campaign was spurred by a record number of small donations,... more...
- Feb 6, 2009 Good Jobs, Green Jobs What is a "green job"? Manufacturing turbines for windmills may spring to mind, and that's accurate. But the labor leaders at this week's Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference have a more expansive definition. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka said Thursday that just about any person's job can... more...
- Feb 6, 2009 Labor On The move: CWA 2336's Pappas Retires CWA 2336 President Jim Pappas has retired. Pappas (center, in red sweater, at Verizon demo last May), a lifelong area resident who also served on the Metro Washington Council's Executive Board, is a longtime local labor activist. "I'm most pleased that my life has been an amazing adventure and... more...
- Feb 6, 2009 Think Summer This week's snow flurries and sub-freezing temperatures are the perfect reminder to mark your calendar now for this year's third annual Labor Night at the Nats, set for Friday July 24 when the Nationals will play San Diego. Co-sponsored by the Metro Washington Council and Northern Viginia... more...
- Feb 6, 2009 MD Gov Supports Fair Share The union movement in Maryland has gained renewed support as Gov. Martin O'Malley introduced the Fair Share Act into the state Senate on January 26. Long sought by the state's public employee unions, the measure would authorize them to negotiate and collect a "fair-share" fee from non-members... more...
- Feb 5, 2009 Zinn On Making History "We're trying to revolutionize people's minds," historian and author Howard Zinn said Tuesday night at a Washington sneak preview of "The People Speak," a new film based on "A People's History Of The United States," Zinn's seminal 1980 book. "We want to make people class conscious, race... more...
- Feb 5, 2009 Helping Workers Speak Out Day laborers are now able to communicate more effectively with employers thanks to the help of volunteers at DC Jobs with Justice (DC JwJ), which is seeking more volunteers. "I've found volunteering as an English teacher to be particularly rewarding," says DC JwJ volunteer James Ploeser.... more...
- Feb 5, 2009 Free Choice Battle Heats Up On Chilly Capitol Hill "It may be cold as hell out here," said Senator Tom Harkin (D., IA) at Wednesday's Capitol Hill rally, "but we're going to turn up the heat until we pass the Employee Free Choice Act this year!" Thousands of bundled-up labor activists cheered loudly, waving signs saying "It's Time Our Economy... more...
- Feb 5, 2009 Barry Pledges Labor Support DC workers can count on another strong voice at City Council after Councilman Mayor Marion Barry (right) pledged his support at a meeting Wednesday morning with labor leaders. At a breakfast meeting in Council chambers, Barry opened the floor to over forty local labor leaders who voiced their... more...
- Feb 4, 2009 Students, Workers Urge Georgetown To Defend Workers' Rights Students at Georgetown University are calling on the school to honor its ethical commitments and cut ties with an apparel manufacturer that students say busted a union and violated workers' rights at a plant in Honduras. At a rally Monday on the university's Washington campus, Moises Elias... more...
- Feb 4, 2009 Wearing Free Choice On Your Lapel The Northland Poster Collective's new Employee Free Choice Act buttons don't beat around the bush, demanding a voice at work with slogans like "End Employer Bullying", "A Cure for Depre$$ion" and "For a FAIR SHAKE!" And at just $1 each, you can get enough for union colleagues as well as... more...
- Feb 4, 2009 MD Labor Caucus Holds First Meeting Representatives of half a dozen unions gathered Monday night in Annapolis for the first meeting of the Metro Washington Council's Labor Caucus. "We'll be meeting weekly throughout the current session to track and support bills affecting working families in Maryland," said Metro Council... more...
- Feb 4, 2009 Workers Demand Voice At Capitol Rally Today The voices of millions of workers will be heard today when thousands of workers and labor allies deliver more than a million cards and petitions demanding swift passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. The noontime rally is part of labor's push to turn around the economy and make it work for... more...
- Feb 3, 2009 "Which Side Are You On, Senator?" Single-payer health care supporters will stage an action targeting health insurers, Big Pharma and Senator Max Baucus (D., MT) this morning . Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has said that in writing his new healthcare legislation "everything is on the table" except single... more...
- Feb 3, 2009 NoVa Hotel Workers Get Business' Attention The struggle by Northern Virginia hotel workers for justice is getting attention in interesting places. Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling recently found it necessary to warn his friends in the business community that "In Virginia, all three Democrat candidates for Governor recently... more...
- Feb 3, 2009 Scholarships For Aspiring Union Leaders Aspiring labor leaders are eligible to receive up to $3000 annually to help with education and training costs. Union Privilege's Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship and Mentor Program helps women and people of color pursue union career goals and enhance their leadership skills through... more...
- Feb 3, 2009 Harkin, Miller & Steelworkers Set For Free Choice Rally Wednesday Senator Tom Harkin (D., IA) and Representative George Miller (D., CA) - the Members of Congress who will be leading the fight to pass the Employee Free Choice Act in the Senate and House - have been confirmed for Wednesday's Capitol Hill mid-day rally supporting the Act. They'll be... more...
- Feb 2, 2009 Media Unions Brainstorm On Joint Organizing, Battling Firms' Ills Joint organizing, the possibility of workers' buying media companies, union-sponsored cross-training in each others' fields, and crafting proposals to help media companies' arrest their financial declines were among ideas at a three-day conference convened to explore ways to enhance union... more...
- Feb 2, 2009 Union City Welcomes new ATU 689 & IUOE 99 Members Union City is pleased to welcome more than 700 new readers, members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 and Operating Engineers Local 99. Both locals are active in the Metro Washington Council and have recently undertaken major campaigns to keep their members up-to-date via email as part of... more...
- Feb 2, 2009 Website Of The Week The AFL-CIO has launched the most comprehensive site to date on the Employee Free Choice Act . Visitors to the site will find an impressive array of resources to use for talking to union members and others about Employee Free Choice. Among them are: stories from workers who were harassed or... more...
- Jan 30, 2009 Gaylord Workers Hope To Win Voice With A Stroke of Their Pens Anyone in Congress wondering whether American workers need the Employee Free Choice Act need look no farther than the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, a few short miles from the U.S. Capitol Building. On Friday, 1,400 workers hope to gain a voice on the job simply by signing... more...
- Jan 30, 2009 Remembering DC Transit Segregation Learn about segregation of passengers and employees on Washington's streetcars and busses at a talk this Sunday, " Trolleys in Black and White: Segregation on Public Transit in Washington from 1920 1962 " at the Bethesda Public. Library The program will feature video highlights from the... more...
- Jan 30, 2009 Union Communicators Wanted The AFL-CIO is currently hiring field communicators to help promote the Employee Free Choice Act in key states by driving public opinion and marshaling community and union member support. Field communicators will work through local bodies of the AFL-CIO as part of the larger member mobilization... more...
- Jan 30, 2009 Free Calendar Just A Click Away "Maybe basing a global system on uncontrolled greed, wanton waste, and violent theft wasn't such a great idea after all..." Click here to download the Northland Collective Poster's free February calendar, featuring great art and activist history dates. more...
- Jan 30, 2009 Labor Art: Union Band Goes For Top Award The U-Liners - "Washington's only all-union roots-rock band" - are making a run at the Wammies again this year. "We ranked among the top three bands in the region last year," says leader and longtime labor activist Joe Uehlein (right), "and could sure use help from our labor brothers... more...
- Jan 30, 2009 Printcraft CMDB Wins Bowling Tourney The Printcraft CMDB team (right) took top honors -and $150 each - in last Sunday's Bowling for Gold Tournament ( Union Bowlers Raise $10K for Needy, 1/26 UC ), edging out 2nd-place winners NALC Branch 142's Chemistry 5 team - who each won $100 by just 24 points. The Printcraft Par... more...
- Jan 29, 2009 Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference Next Week In DC The Blue-Green Alliance, whose members now include CWA, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and SEIU - in addition to existing members United Steelworkers and Sierra Club - is holding its annual Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference at the Marriott Wardman Park hotel in Washington next... more...
- Jan 29, 2009 Faster (And Cheaper) Tax Returns Union members get a 15% discount when filing federal and state taxes online through Union Plus Turbo Tax. "Turbo Tax was rated best tax product by PC Magazine in 2008," says Union Privileges Jennifer Wright Dorr. "The program allows you the option to E-file, where your refund will usually be... more...
- Jan 29, 2009 Labor Photo: Labor Inaugural Parade Float The Labor Inaugural Parade Float. - photo by National Education Association, courtesy of ChangetoWin Connect & the ILCA Insider more...
- Jan 29, 2009 Learning To Mediate Learn skills to help resolve conflicts at the basic mediation skills training at the National Labor College March 9-13. Supported by local labor organizations, the course - presented by Alternative Resolutions - develops skills that can be used in the workplaces, families and communities.... more...
- Jan 28, 2009 Local Union Highlights At Monday night's Metro Washington Council Delegate's Meeting, affiliates reported: union-busting by a contractor at the US Geological Survey in VA against IUOE Local 99 members; the UDC Faculty Association says that UDC looks to be digging their heels in and refusing to negotiate; ATU... more...
- Jan 28, 2009 Credibility Gap At G'Town Retailer Add worker unrest to the economic problems facing the Gap. Last Sunday, the clothing retailer's Georgetown store was picketed by local students who are supporting Teamsters who have been on strike against Gap contractor Oak Harbor Freight Lines since last September. The workers struck after... more...
- Jan 28, 2009 Council Board Nominations The following nominations for the 2009-2011 Metro Washington Council Executive Board were approved at Monday Night's Delegate Meeting: President: Joslyn Williams (AFSCME 2477); 1st VP: Gino Renne (UFCW 1994); 2nd VP: Doris Reed (ASASP); 3RD VP: Sandra Falwell (DCNA); Secretary:... more...
- Jan 28, 2009 Filling Your Union Jobs If you're staffing up for what promises to be an exciting new era for organized labor, be sure to post your union positions in Union City and on UnionJobs.com Union City's listings are free and updated daily. UnionJobs.com charges a small fee and has just started national radio... more...
- Jan 27, 2009 Bowling Photos Online Team photos from Sunday's Community Services Agency (CSA) Bowling For Gold Tournament are now available online for viewing and downloading. "The bowling tournament was a huge success," said CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. "Thanks to all the locals and bowlers who had fun while... more...
- Jan 27, 2009 Pushing For Employee Work Breaks In MD Tony Perez grimaced last December when he learned Wal-Mart was settling 63 lawsuits across the country for $650 million in wage claims by employees forced to work off the clock. The news reminded him that Maryland workers could not be included in the settlement because a Maryland Court of... more...
- Jan 27, 2009 Website Of The Week: Union Plus No more pop-ups! The newly re-designed Union Plus website features a clean look, snappy graphics, quotes and photos from members who love the Union Plus benefits, a news feed from the AFL-CIO blog, labor cartoons, and many more links to the benefits pages themselves. All the attractions... more...
- Jan 27, 2009 Looking Forward Through Our History An upcoming labor history course at the Community College of Baltimore County "will use history to look at where unionism is headed in these troubling times," says Director of Labor Studies Bill Barry. "There will be great class discussions and debates, historic videos and some outstanding... more...
- Jan 27, 2009 Union Voice: Readers Write "The Pirate's Code Of Equality" "As one who at one time planned to run away and become a pirate, it's important to note that another part of the pirates' code ( Union City Labor History1/26 ) was that all shares would be equal," writes Roger Newell of the Jobs with Justice. "This meant that pirates of color and female... more...
- Jan 26, 2009 Union Bowlers Raise $10K For Needy Seventy-nine teams raised about $10,000 yesterday at the 17th annual Bowling for Gold Tournament, benefiting the Metro Washington Council Community Services Agency's (CSA) Emergency Assistance Fund. "It was absolutely wonderful to see so much generosity in these hard times," said CSA Executive... more...
- Jan 26, 2009 DC Vote To Lobby Congress Wednesday DC Vote is holding a lobby day this Wednesday, January 28, to reach out to all new members of the House and Senate. "We need to let them know that taxation without representation is alive and wrong in the nation's capital," said Jos Williams. Lobby visits are being scheduled between 9:30A and... more...
- Jan 26, 2009 Free Choice Ads Feature Local workers Two new nationally broadcast TV ads feature local workers who say it's time for change in the workplace. The ads , from American Rights at Work, stress that restoring workers' freedom to form unions and bargain for better pay, benefits and security is crucial to make the economy work for all.... more...
- Jan 26, 2009 National Labor Updates: High Court Turns Back Bid To Aid 'Free Riders'; Senate Sends Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Bill To Obama; Bush's 'Midnight Rules' Bite The Dust HIGH COURT TURNS BACK BID TO AID 'FREE RIDERS': By a 9-0 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court on January 21 turned back a bid to let "free riders" escape paying not just their share of local union expenses for such non-bargaining items as lobbying and politics, but also their share of national and... more...
- Jan 26, 2009 AFL-CIO Sends 'To-Do' Ideas To Obama Gathering ideas from unions, analyses and experts, the AFL-CIO sent a 16-page "to do list" memo to the new Obama administration. The list submitted before the Democrat's inauguration, outlined a wide range of legislative and administrative moves the federation contended would help workers.... more...
- Jan 23, 2009 This Miracle Brought To You By America's Unions "They're calling it a miracle - the successful landing of a US Airways jet in the Hudson and subsequent rescue of all 155 passengers," writes Marcy Wheeler on her emptywheel blog. "They're detailing the heroism of all involved, starting with the pilot and including cabin crew, ferry crews,... more...
- Jan 23, 2009 Labor Art: This Land Is Still Your Land "Woody Guthrie never expected 'This Land Is Your Land' to be played at an Inaugural celebration when he penned it in 1940," writes Working Families Party Executive Director Dan Cantor. "But he probably never expected a President Obama either. Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger and Seeger's... more...
- Jan 22, 2009 Workers Help Obama Make History Workers helped Barack Obama make history Tuesday, on the job to ensure that the inauguration of the nations first African-American President went smoothly. And many of those workers carried union cards, from the construction workers and stagehands who built and ran the reviewing stands and... more...
- Jan 22, 2009 Labor Lawyer Hiring Hall Law students and junior lawyers interested in union-side hiring opportunities will want to check out the Lawyers Coordinating Committee monthly Hiring Hall and Resume Bank, which are also useful for law school teachers looking to place students. For details, contact the Lawyers Coordinating... more...
- Jan 22, 2009 Labor On The Move: Bruskin Moves To AFT Longtime organizer Gene Bruskin who most recently was working with the UFCW, including directing the successful Smithfield campaign in Tar Heel, NC is moving over to the American Federation of Teachers, where hell be working on strategic campaigns as of February 2. Bruskin is... more...
- Jan 21, 2009 Inaugural Parade Marchers Display Diversity And Strength Of America's Workers For Maria Somma, it was a dream come true. The native of Vietnam and naturalized citizen was one of the 265 union members who braved freezing temperatures Tuesday to join representatives from across the country and the armed forces to participate in the official inaugural parade for President... more...
- Jan 20, 2009 NoVa Hotel Workers Keep MLK Dream Alive Hundreds of hotel workers and their allies invoked Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. last night in their ongoing struggle for justice at the Crystal City Hilton. The workers have been battling for fairness, equality and justice in their quest for a union contract. "The work that we do is very hard,"... more...
- Jan 20, 2009 DC Labor Honors King With Neighborhood Clean-Up They came from as near as the next block and as far as the West Coast. They were retirees and kids, union members and community residents. They were black and white, young and old, AFL-CIO and Change To Win, and they came together Monday morning to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King... more...
- Jan 16, 2009 Hundreds Of Union Members To March In Inaugural Parade On January 20, hundreds of America's working men and women will join representatives from across the country and our armed forces to participate in the official inaugural parade for the nation's 44th president, Barack Obama. The 2009 inauguration marks the first time in recent history that... more...
- Jan 16, 2009 Showing Off DC Labor Show off DC's rich history of labor history, struggle and art to visiting friends and family this long holiday weekend with the online DC Labor Map . The map uses familiar Googlemaps technology to help you quickly and easily find dozens of fascinating labor-related sites in downtown DC,... more...
- Jan 16, 2009 Labor Art: New Deal, New Poster The Northland Poster Collective has just released a poster marking the 75th anniversary of the New Deal. "As we face the beginning of what could be another Great Depression, we are hearing renewed discussion of the responses that developed to the Depression of the 1930s," says... more...
- Jan 16, 2009 Labor Inaugural Photos Wanted! Send us your labor-themed snaps - and reports - from the Inauguration on Tuesday and we'll consider them for publication in Union City! Whether it's members in their union colors, labor signs or banners, labor is sure to be represented Tuesday at this historic event. Email us your... more...
- Jan 16, 2009 MLK/Inauguration Schedule The Metro Council and CSA offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, January 19 and 20, in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr and Inauguration Day observances. Watch the Council's website for coverage of the MLK Labor Community Service Day and NoVa Hotel Workers MLK Day of Action... more...
- Jan 15, 2009 Labor Allies Organize MLK/Inaugural Events In addition to the Metro Council’s neighborhood clean-up , NoVa Labor’s demonstration and the DC Labor Chorus’ Ball , labor allies are organizing MLK and Inaugural events. FROM CIVIL RIGHTS TO VOTING RIGHTS: Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) is hosting an MLK National Day of... more...
- Jan 15, 2009 Williams To Head Bowling Team Billed as the team’s “number one strike thrower,” Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams has just announced that he’ll be heading up the Council’s team at the upcoming Bowling for Gold Tournament on January 25 in Crofton, MD. “We intend to win this year,” Williams... more...
- Jan 15, 2009 Delegate Meeting Location Update The January 26 Metro Council Delegate Meeting will be held at CWA (501 3rd St NW; Judiciary Square Metro - Red Line) in the first-floor conference room, beginning at 6:30P sharp. Get the latest local labor news and updates: don’t miss the first meeting of the New Year! more...
- Jan 15, 2009 Read Now Or Pay Later Putting off reading this story could cost you money. “Procrastination can even lead to bankruptcy,” warns Union Plus . It turns out that putting off things that need to get done may lead to compounding penalty fees, growing interest, making unnecessary purchases or just paying more for... more...
- Jan 15, 2009 Labor On The Move: New Organizers At JWJ DC Two new organizers started this week at DC Jobs With Justice: Ramon Zepeda is the new Day Labor Organizer, carrying on Pedro Cruz's work with the Union de Trabajadores. Zepeda grew up in Mexico, Los Angeles, and North Carolina, and attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where... more...
- Jan 14, 2009 Healthy Unions Attendees at last weekend’s Health & Fitness Expo at the D.C. Convention Center learned that joining a union is healthy for women workers because it improves their pay and benefits. At a booth sponsored by the D.C. Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) and the Community Services... more...
- Jan 14, 2009 Sign-Up Booming For Labor Clean-Up Turnout for next Monday’s labor-sponsored MLK Labor Community Clean-Up is booming, the Labor Chorus is coming and participants have activity options. Nearly 100 have already signed up for Clean-Up in the Trinidad/Langston neighborhood on January 19, and the DC Labor Chorus will perform at... more...
- Jan 14, 2009 Battle Over Fired Library Worker Heats Up The battle on Capitol Hill is heating up. Not over the bank bailout or national health care. The one over fired Library of Congress food service worker Willie Price ( Library Of Congress Cafeterias Boycotted Over Firing , UC 12/22/08 ). Roll Call ran a long story Monday about the longtime... more...
- Jan 14, 2009 Transit Workers Host Ball Local transit workers are hosting an unofficial Inaugural Ball at their union hall on Sunday, January 18. Area union members are welcome at ATU Local 689’s "Salute to Real Heroes" Dance from 9P-1A and the price is right at just $6.89 per ticket. Dress is Black & White and it’s BYOL... more...
- Jan 14, 2009 Wearing Obama On Your Sleeve If you’ve been wondering what to wear to the Obama Inaugural Ball next week, the AFL-CIO commemorative Obama t-shirt is just the ticket. The long-sleeve T-shirts -- union-designed and printed -- bear an artistic rendering of President Obama with his iconic campaign phrase “Yes We Can”... more...
- Jan 14, 2009 MLK/Inauguration Schedule The Metro Council and CSA offices will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, January 19 and 20, in honor of the Martin Luther King, Jr and Inauguration Day observances. Watch the Council’s website for coverage of the MLK Labor Community Service Day and NoVa Hotel Workers MLK Day of Action... more...
- Jan 13, 2009 Labor Answers Obama's Call Local union members and leaders will honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by participating in President-Elect Obama’s National Day of Service next Monday. The Metro Washington Council is co-hosting the MLK Labor Community Clean-Up in the Trinidad/Langston neighborhood on January... more...
- Jan 13, 2009 New Leadership At IAM 1759 Mike "Smoke" Bukta heads up a slate of newly elected officers at IAM Capital Air Local 1759 , an airline transportation local affiliated with Districts 141, 142, and 143 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO. Local 1759 represents over 2,300 ground... more...
- Jan 13, 2009 The Feds: Model Employer Or Work In Progress? “How do most federal employees rate Uncle Sam -- as a model employer or a work in progress?” asked the Federal Diary’s Joe Davidson in the Washington Post last week. “If you said model employer, I have a Senate seat to sell you. The federal Merit Systems Protection Board has examined a... more...
- Jan 12, 2009 Hotel Worker Rally Gets Obama Nod Next week’s rally by Northern Virginia hotel workers has been designated part of President-elect Obama’s official National Day Of Service. The January 19 MLK Day of Action rally outside the Hilton Crystal City Hotel will demand that management negotiate a contract with employees... more...
- Jan 12, 2009 Twelve Union Presidents Hold 'Unity Meeting' Prodded by transition team officials for President-Elect Barack Obama, 12 union presidents held a “unity” meeting January 7 in Washington. They emerged pledging “broad participation” in the effort, but no specifics. In attendance at the session, called by former House Democratic Whip... more...
- Jan 12, 2009 Labor On The Move: Kathleen McKirchy's Father Passes; Services Planned For Longtime UTU Legislative Director Brunkenhoefer Kathleen McKirchy’s Father Passes: Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy’s father, Donald J. McKirchy passed away on Thursday, January 8 in Iowa. “Kathleen was able to be at his side along with the rest of the family and he passed peacefully surrounded by those... more...
- Jan 12, 2009 Labor Chorus To Hold Social Justice Ball Add the DC Labor Chorus to the growing roster of Inaugural labor events. The Chorus is organizing a social justice and song inaugural ball on Tuesday, January 20 at Across the Street in Silver Spring. "We will sing and dance the night a way with our own booty-rocking D.J.” says Elise Bryant.... more...
- Jan 9, 2009 Local Unions Plan Neighborhood Clean-Up As part of President-elect Obama’s National Day Of Service, the Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO, the Community Services Agency and DC City Council member Harry “Tommy” Thomas Jr. are organizing a Trinidad/Langston Neighborhood Clean-Up on Monday, January 19 .“Workers have never been... more...
- Jan 9, 2009 Art & Justice Murals depicting the lives of workers in an unjust economic system adorn the walls in the Department of Justice. Depression-era murals in the Department of Justice were featured in a report on NPR Monday. Reporter Ari Shapiro’s story, Murals Depict Power Of Law And Justice includes... more...
- Jan 9, 2009 Labor Inaugural Updates: Library of Congress Workers Welcome Obama Library of Congress Workers Welcome Obama: The Library of Congress Professional Guild, AFSCME 2910, is welcoming incoming President Barack Obama with a celebratory welcome sign on the Guild’s bulletin board on the sixth floor of the Madison Building. The Guild quotes Obama as saying "We're... more...
- Jan 8, 2009 More Union Eateries Two more union-staffed restaurants have just been added to the DC Labor Map . The Marketplace and Courtside Café are both on the Georgetown Law campus (not far from Union Station), where the workers - members of UNITE HERE Local 25 - have been actively supported by the... more...
- Jan 8, 2009 Ciao To Chao The labor movement is bidding a not-so-fond farewell to outgoing Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. AFGE Local 12 – whose members work at the Department of Labor – is inviting the local labor community to a “ Ciao To Chao Celebration ” this Friday at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, while... more...
- Jan 8, 2009 Stopping A Deadly Killer Cervical cancer, which will kill almost 4,000 women this year, can be prevented. January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month , and as part of its campaign to raise awareness about how to prevent this deadly disease, the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) is teaming up this weekend... more...
- Jan 8, 2009 Labor Classifieds: Office Space Available 3100 square feet, 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW (K Street to L Street, between 14th and 15th Streets). Available immediately from the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), offering a sublease through November 2011 at $34/sq ft. Contact the broker representing DPE, Jed Prossner, at... more...
- Jan 7, 2009 Bowlers United Will Never Be Defeated Join the Barackin’ Rollers, Live Wires and the Lightening Balls at the annual "Bowling for Gold" Union Bowling Tournament , set for January 25 at the Crofton Bowling Centre. The annual event brings together union bowlers, friends and family members for “a lot of fun and a great chance to... more...
- Jan 7, 2009 Combating Hunger In DC The holidays are gone but their effects are still felt. Food donated by the local labor movement is helping provide thousands of meals distributed daily by the DC Central Kitchen . “The Kitchen’s goal is to use food as a tool to empower individuals and communities,” says Jamie... more...
- Jan 7, 2009 Labor On The Move Retired ATU Local 689 Secretary Treasurer Craig Simpson, former Maryland political coordinator for the Metro Washington Council, is now reporting news about working families for Maryland Commons . “I’m looking for good stories about labor issues in Maryland,” says Simpson, who has... more...
- Jan 6, 2009 Promoting Health In The New Year The first 1,000 visitors who bring a union card or present a union label at DC CLUW/CSA’S booth at this weekend’s NBC 4 Health and Fitness Expo will receive a free Pearl of Wisdom Campaign pin. The Washington D.C. Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) and the Metro... more...
- Jan 6, 2009 Brown Vows Opposition To Union-Busting "For those who think there will be union busting, there will not be any more with me on the council," pledged new DC Councilmember Michael Brown last Friday, garnering the loudest applause as he and five other members of the D.C. Council were sworn in to office. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes... more...
- Jan 6, 2009 Taxes Made Easy Save time and money when filing taxes this coming year through UnionPlus.org. Union members are eligible for a 15% discount when filing federal and state taxes through Union Plus- an online website that offers a wide range of tax products and services, including Turbo Tax Basic, Deluxe,... more...
- Jan 6, 2009 Free Calendar Start a new year of solidarity by downloading the Northland Poster Collective’s free January calendar . In addition to a powerful image of solidarity, the calendar includes historic social justice dates, like the beginning of the “Bread and Roses” textile mill strike in Lawrence,... more...
- Jan 6, 2009 '09 Council Meetings Set January’s Metro Washington Council delegate meeting will be Monday, January 26 ; stay tuned for the location. Help get 2009 off to a great union start and get all the latest local labor news! Although we cannot confirm or deny rumors about possible attendance by a certain new neighbor of the... more...
- Jan 5, 2009 JUFJ's "Thinking Jewishly": 2010 Labor Seder Intern Wanted! Jews United for Justice’s annual Labor Seder is traditionally their largest event of the year, attracting over 200 members of the Jewish, labor, and progressive communities in DC to a Passover seder focused on themes of workers’ rights. Each year, the Seder includes an original... more...
- Dec 23, 2008 NoVa Labor Celebrates End Of Year Northern Virginia activists celebrated the end of the year with food and festivities at last Thursday’s NoVa Labor annual party. Union members and political leaders - including chiefs of staff for US Senator Jim Webb and Congressman-elect Gerry Connolly - turned out to celebrate the... more...
- Dec 23, 2008 Fenty Wins "Grinch Of The Year" DC Mayor Adrian Fenty won a landslide victory in DC Jobs with Justice's first annual "Grinch of the Year" contest, garnering a full 50% of the vote in a crowded field of candidates. DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee came in second with 25% of the vote, trailed closely by the Lerner Family,... more...
- Dec 23, 2008 Why The Union Won At Smithfield “When immigration agents raided Smithfield Food's huge North Carolina slaughterhouse two years ago, organizer Eduardo Peña compared the impact to a ‘nuclear bomb’" writes David Bacon in the December 17 American Prospect. “The day after, people were so scared that most of the plant's... more...
- Dec 23, 2008 Labor 2008: The Year In Headlines The election, the election, the election…and the economy. Or maybe, by the end of the year, it was: The economy, the economy, the economy and the election. Actually, it was both. As reflected in the headlines of the year in Press Associates Union News Service, the economy and the... more...
- Dec 22, 2008 Touring DC Labor Online What's free and fun to do in DC over the holidays? A tour of current and historic labor sites! The brand new online DC Labor Map uses familiar Googlemaps technology to help you quickly and easily find dozens of fascinating labor art and historic labor sites, as well as union hotels and... more...
- Dec 22, 2008 Labor On The Move Assistant Union Cities Mobilizer Andy Richards is moving on. Andy has contributed tremendously in his short time at the Council, playing a critical role in the growth and expansion of Union City – going daily last year would have been impossible without him, and his eye for graphics has... more...
- Dec 22, 2008 Labor 2008: A PAI Special Report A PAI SPECIAL REPORT: THE YEAR IN HEADLINES -- THE ELECTION AND THE ECONOMY By Mark Gruenberg, PAI Staff Writer WASHINGTON (PAI)--The election, the election, the election…and the economy. Or maybe, by the end of the year, it was: The economy, the economy, the economy and the... more...
- Dec 22, 2008 Library Of Congress Cafeterias Boycotted Over Firing Library of Congress union leaders are calling for a boycott of Library cafeterias after longtime food service worker Willie Price was abruptly suspended late last week. Price - who's a steward for Unite HERE Local 25 AFL-CIO-"was fired on trumped-up charges, "says Saul Schniderman, President... more...
- Dec 19, 2008 Unions Sue PG County Over Furlough Five labor unions representing 5,900 furloughed Prince George's County employees are suing the county government, alleging that the order for them to take 10 days of unpaid leave is unnecessary and violates labor agreements, reported Daniel Valentine in Thursday's Prince George's Gazette. The... more...
- Dec 19, 2008 Obama Taps Solis For Top Labor Post After much speculation, President-elect Barack Obama selected Represenative Hilda Solis (D-CA) Thursday to fill the Labor Secretary post. "We are glad to see that President-elect Obama has appointed someone with a history of working with labor," AFGE Local 12 - which represents workers at... more...
- Dec 19, 2008 Reader Survey Generates Record Response Union City - which last month won its first national award -- continues to be widely and closely read. Well over 300 readers responded to our fifth semi-annual Reader Survey, a whopping 31% increase over the June survey. Overall, readers continue to strongly approve of Union City's content,... more...
- Dec 19, 2008 Working Towards Better Health Labor will participate for the first time in the upcoming Health and Fitness Expo. The DC Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) and the Community Services Agency (CSA) will have a booth at the 16th Annual NBC 4 Health and Fitness Expo on January 10-11, 2009 – an event that... more...
- Dec 18, 2008 DC Health Bill Stalls An intense lobbying effort to block privatization of hundreds of jobs at the DC Department of Mental Health Community Services Agency (CSA) stalled Tuesday night when the DC City Council approved legislation that "has little impact on the issues at the CSA," according to Vanessa Dixon of the DC... more...
- Dec 18, 2008 Labor Photo: AFGE 476 Celebrates Union City Hundreds of AFGE 476 members - who work at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) - celebrated the holidays - and signed up for Union City - at the local's big annual Union Holiday Party Wednesday at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom. "Thank you for all your great... more...
- Dec 17, 2008 "Giving Workers The Choice On Unions" "Although most workers would like to join a union, very few ever get the chance to vote. In fact, employers have been stifling the efforts of workers to lawfully organize a union through elections," wrote Jaime Contreras, Capital Area Director of SEIU Local 32BJ , in a Friday op-ed in... more...
- Dec 17, 2008 Fenty Leading Grinch Of The Year Contest Although DC Mayor Adrian Fenty currently holds a slight lead over his fellow nominees for DC Jobs with Justice Grinch of the Year, "the competition is fierce and anyone could 'win'" says DC JwJ Organizer Ruth Castel-Branco. Friday is the deadline to cast your vote in the first annual DC Jobs... more...
- Dec 16, 2008 DC Council To Vote On Mental Health Legislation Today Workers at the DC Department of Mental Health Community Services Agency (CSA) will make a final push today to urge the DC City Council to pass emergency legislation to save mental health services and jobs. The emergency legislation – originally crafted to address the issue at DC CSA – was... more...
- Dec 16, 2008 Building Futures Project Awarded Grants Two new grants totaling nearly $200,000 will enable the Community Services Agency to continue and expand its Building Futures Apprenticeship Recruitment Project. The Community Foundation of the National Capital Region has awarded CSA a $150,000 grant, while the MARPAT Foundation has awarded... more...
- Dec 16, 2008 Hoyer Honored At Tri-County COPE Majority Leader Steny Hoyer was the guest of honor at the Tri-County COPE Holiday party last Friday. "Steny has been there for us,” said Tri-County COPE Chair Bill Grooms, recognizing Hoyer as “one of organized labor's own; and we will be there for him." Hoyer cited the support of... more...
- Dec 15, 2008 Smithfeld Workers Finally Win Union After 16 long years, Smithfield workers finally got their union Thursday. “We are thrilled,” said Ann Simmons, a veteran of 13 years at the Smithfield Packing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina. “This moment has been a long time coming. We stuck together, and now we have a say on the... more...
- Dec 15, 2008 Lots Of Food (& Some Business) At Delegate Meeting Tonight Tonight's Metro Council Delegate meeting will be short on business and long on holiday cheer, reports Jos Williams. "Come celebrate our victories and discuss the challenges we face in 2009," says Williams. The meeting - which starts at 6:30P at the AFL-CIO - will also feature homemade food -... more...
- Dec 15, 2008 Shopping With A Conscience Just in time for the holiday season, SweatFree Communities and the International Labor Rights Forum have released the 2009 Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide . "All the products in this shopping guide are made by workers organized into democratic unions or worker-owned cooperatives,"... more...
- Dec 15, 2008 Health Crisis Looms Activists are urging DC City Council to approve a moratorium on privatizing services at the DC Department of Mental Health Community Services Agency (CSA). A vote is expected tomorrow and the Metro Council has launched an email campaign on the issue. "A major health care crisis is brewing in... more...
- Dec 15, 2008 Labor Photo: Gas Workers, Company Team Up For Needy Workers and management at Washington Gas teamed up again this year for a toy drive to benefit the Community Services Agency's Holiday Basket program. Shown here (from left to right) delivering a vanload of toys and donations of over $1400 in cash and gift cards Friday afternoon are Phil Alter,... more...
- Dec 12, 2008 DC Activists Celebrate Chicago Workers' Victory “Occupy your office, you just might win,” chanted dozens of rain-soaked local labor and community activists who rallied outside a downtown Bank of America Thursday. The rally was held to celebrate Chicago factory workers’ – who launched a sit-in last week – recent victory to get back... more...
- Dec 12, 2008 Feds Failing as Employer The federal government is failing to live up to its legal and moral obligations as a model employer. Check out David Madland and Michael Paarlberg’s story, “Making Contracting Work for the United States,” posted on AFSCME Council 26 website . Council 26 has also posted a story on... more...
- Dec 12, 2008 All Work and No Play If you're feeling tired and worn out, it could be because leisure time for American workers declined by 20 percent this year, according to a recent poll. "On average, Americans worked 46 hours per week this year, while playing only 16 hours per week," Workers Independent News (WIN) reports.... more...
- Dec 12, 2008 Labor Art: Online Exhibit Explores History of Chinese American Women Workers The National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) has launched an online exhibition on the history of Chinese American women in the United States. "This exhibit puts Chinese American women at the center of the history of migration, labor, and civil rights,” says exhibit curator Jean Pfaelzer.... more...
- Dec 11, 2008 Readers Speak Out The suggestions for improving Union City continue to roll in: “More investigative reporting,” “More graphics, more historical data,” “Greater focus on women's issues in labor and within unions.” Nearly 300 readers have already responded our semi-annual Union City Reader... more...
- Dec 11, 2008 Labor Doc Looks At Cooperative Housing As foreclosures continue to rise across the country, a labor documentary tonight offers an alternative to the private housing market. At Home In Utopia – screening tonight at the Jewish Film Festival – explores how thousands of immigrant garment workers in New York City pooled their... more...
- Dec 11, 2008 DC Demo Celebrates Chicago Workers Victory Local labor and community activists will hold a victory rally today at 5P for Chicago workers who ended their nearly weeklong sit-in Wednesday. The workers, who began an occupation of their factory last week for unpaid severance and vacation pay, approved an $1.75 million settlement... more...
- Dec 11, 2008 Hotel Workers Boycott Hilton If rush-hour commuters somehow overlooked the noisy demonstration outside the Crystal City Hilton last night, they couldn't miss the huge "BOYCOTT" projected on the hotel's wall just below the red neon Hilton sign. On the sidewalk below, hundreds of hotel workers and their supporters... more...
- Dec 10, 2008 Fenty Demo Hits Youtube A video from Saturday's vigil at DC Mayor Fenty's birthday party has been posted on YouTube. Produced by local videographer David Perez for the Metro Council, the video features demonstrators - including Council President Jos Williams - and street theater from the "Fenty School of... more...
- Dec 10, 2008 Season Of Giving Staffers at the Bricklayers organized a food and toy drive for needy families served by the Metro Washington Council’s Community Services Agency. Shown here delivering four boxes of toys and canned goods Tuesday morning are Tim Driscoll (left), Patricia Stallings (2nd from left), Susan... more...
- Dec 9, 2008 Auto Workers Demand Transformation Of Industry Auto workers from across the Midwest made a whirlwind media blitz to DC Monday to pressure Congress to pass a plan that transforms the auto industry and lays the foundations for a more sustainable economy. "The auto industry is the backbone of our country's economy and in order to... more...
- Dec 9, 2008 DC Labor Map Featured on AFL-CIO Blog The new DC Labor Map was featured yesterday on the AFL-CIO's blog. "Whether you are using it for a virtual tour of labor in the nation's capital or planning a real-life walking tour, the map offers a bunch of great information," reports Mike Hall in Putting Labor on D.C.'s Map . "Click... more...
- Dec 8, 2008 Local Labor Activist Vetted For Labor Secretary Post Longtime DC labor activist Mary Beth Maxwell is on President-Elect Obama’s shortlist for Labor Secretary, reports Jonathan Weisman on the Wall Street Journal website . “Some labor leaders from both the AFL-CIO and Change to Win…back her as a consensus choice, citing her efforts” to... more...
- Dec 8, 2008 November Minutes Posted Online Minutes from the November Metro Council Executive Board and Delegate meetings are now available for download on the Metro Council website . Minutes dating back to January 2006 are also posted online. The next Council meeting is Monday, December 15 at 6:30P at the AFL-CIO. more...
- Dec 8, 2008 A Cold Reception For Fenty & Friends Dozens of labor and community activists defied snow and below-freezing temperatures Saturday night to protest Mayor Fenty’s record of exclusion and “Grinch-like” behavior towards workers and the DC community. “Wealthy developers are throwing the Mayor a birthday party across the... more...
- Dec 5, 2008 Farmworkers Vow To Keep Fighting “As long as poverty wages keep us from our families, we will not be satisfied,” said Gerardo Reyes, of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) , at a lunchtime discussion in DC Thursday. The discussion was part of a CIW Northeast speaking tour on Florida farmworkers’ recent... more...
- Dec 5, 2008 Labor Art: Stained Glass Labor Among the Washington National Cathedral’s 231 stained glass windows are three honoring men who spent their lives “pursuing the rights of workers”: Samuel Gompers, William Green and Philip Murray. The windows are spectacular and tangible evidence of labor’s place in Washington,... more...
- Dec 5, 2008 Protestors To Shed Light On Fenty Record At Saturday Birthday Bash Charging that DC Mayor Adrian Fenty has “launched an unprecedented attack on city and school system workers and disrupted services and programs that serve the community,” activists will hold a candlelight vigil tomorrow night at the Mayor’s birthday party in Northwest DC.... more...
- Dec 5, 2008 Charles County Okays Prevailing Wage The Charles County Council passed a landmark "Prevailing Wage" law Wednesday night. "This is a great victory for labor in Charles County," said Metro Council President Jos Williams. "Tri-County COPE Chair Bill Grooms, vice chair Jim Lowery, Recording Secretary Karen Fennell and all the... more...
- Dec 4, 2008 How To Improve Union City "More profiles! More local labor news!" suggests one enthusiastic Union City reader, adding "it always helps to have more advance notice of events, rallies, etc., too!" Tell us what you think of UNION CITY and you could be a winner! Everyone who completes our brief 4-question survey will be... more...
- Dec 4, 2008 Jewish Filmfest Screens Labor Doc A labor documentary will be featured at this year's Washington Jewish Film Festival , which kicks off tonight. At Home In Utopia tells the story of how thousands of Jewish immigrant garment workers in the 1920s built a better life for themselves by constructing four cooperatively-owned... more...
- Dec 3, 2008 Department of Deception Bush appointees at the Department of Labor (DOL) misled Congress on the cost of privatizing work at the Department, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released last week. "The Bush administration hasn't even packed its bags, and already we hear the first of what... more...
- Dec 3, 2008 Farmworkers To Celebrate Subway Win In DC Florida farmworkers announced Tuesday that they had reached an agreement with Subway that will "improve wages and working conditions for the workers who pick their tomatoes." The Coalition of Immokalee Workers - which represents the farmworkers -- will hold two separate events... more...
- Dec 3, 2008 In Memoriam: Henry Koellein, Jr. Henry Koellein, Jr. has passed away. Koellein was former Commissioner of Labor and Industry for the State of Maryland, past president of the Metropolitan Baltimore Council AFL-CIO Unions and former Vice President of the Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO. He was also the former Business... more...
- Dec 2, 2008 Listening to the Ghost Who was Hubert Harrison? One of the seminal figures of early twentieth-century America, Harrison’s name is now largely forgotten, an oversight addressed tonight by Jeffrey B. Perry – author of "Hubert Harrison: The Voice of Harlem Radicalism, 1883-1918" and a panel of speakers at Busboys... more...
- Dec 2, 2008 Auto Industry Heads To DC Seeking A Loan, Not A Bailout As the auto industry headed to Capitol Hill again yesterday, the UAW responded to anti-union attacks as it made the case for a rescue loan – not a bailout – for the U.S. auto industry. “This is not about the UAW, this is about America,” said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. “It’s not... more...
- Dec 2, 2008 CNN Ordered To Rehire 110 Workers Fired For Belonging To A Union This report likely won’t be on CNN’s “Headline News,” but after five years, former workers at CNN have finally gained justice. In a decision made public on November 24, an administrative law judge ordered the network to rehire 110 workers who were fired because they were union members.... more...
- Nov 28, 2008 New ILO Report Predicts Wage Declines In Industrial Nations NEW YORK (PAI)--The global recession will produce worldwide wage declines, with wages dropping faster than production, the International Labour Organization says. In its first-ever Global Wage Report, from data provided by countries and interna-tional organizations--and admittedly sometimes... more...
- Nov 26, 2008 Labor Art: Home for the Holidays If you’re in Washington over the Thanksgiving holiday, here’s some labor art to check out – or show off to visiting family members -- at local museums, plus an exciting sneak preview of the brand-new DC Labor Map . At the National Portrait Gallery, Ballyhoo! demonstrates how... more...
- Nov 25, 2008 Free Art & More From Northland Poster Three top reasons to visit the Northland Poster Collective's website now. more...
- Nov 25, 2008 Finding Union Printers Looking for a union printer? Your search is over! more...
- Nov 24, 2008 WRB Panelists Call Fenty Administration a 'Catastrophe' Catastrophe, intimidation, terror. These were common words used to describe DC Mayor Adrian Fenty’s two years in office by over a dozen speakers at Thursday’s Workers’ Rights Board (WRB) hearing. The hearing – which took place at the John A. Wilson Building to a standing-room only crowd... more...
- Nov 24, 2008 Newspaper Guild Launches New Post Site The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild has launched a "new and improved" Post Guild Web site . The new site is designed to "help strengthen communication lines among the Guild office, the Post Unit leaders and the membership," says the Guild, which represents workers at the Washington Post.... more...
- Nov 24, 2008 Labor Photo: UNION CITY, Council Website Receive Awards Chris Garlock (second from right) , Andy Richards (second from left) , and Jos Williams (far right) celebrate the Metro Council awards with International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) President Steve Stallone (far left) at the 2008 ILCA Media Awards Friday. The Council received... more...
- Nov 24, 2008 Labor College Offers New Masters Program The National Labor College (NLC) is partnering with George Mason University to offer a Master’s program in Organizational Development & Knowledge Management "tailored especially for labor's next generation of leaders and activists." The new degree program will teach leadership skills for... more...
- Nov 21, 2008 Labor Updates (11/21/08) New Job Cuts at Baltimore Sun Could Cause ‘Irreparable Damage’ : Baltimore Sun workers are facing another round of job cuts less than five months after 100 jobs were slashed in July ( Sun Workers Protest Job Cuts 7/21/08 UC), reported the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild last week.... more...
- Nov 21, 2008 Labor Art: Chicana Art and Experience: Mujeres con Garbo (Women with Attitude): A colorful, stylized portrait of labor leader Dolores Huerta; a Chicana interpretation of Rosie the Riveter; these and more will be on display at the AFL-CIO as part of a new exhibit that examines the struggles of working Chicana women and celebrates the contributions of Chicana artists. Chicana... more...
- Nov 21, 2008 CSA's News You Can Use: Gift Cards: Use ‘Em or Lose ‘Em? "If you have any 'gift cards'" from stores declaring bankruptcy, "make sure you use them, or you will lose them!" warns an email making the rounds. But before you rush out to shop, be aware that rumor-checker Snopes.com says this is a "a mixture of accurate, inaccurate and outdated... more...
- Nov 20, 2008 Labor Photo: "We Are One Movement" Concert Saturday’s “We Are One Movement” concert “went off very well, considering the weather and other events,” reports Bruce Wolf of OPEIU Local 2. The event raised hundreds in support of the Metro Council Community Services Agency (CSA) Emergency Assistance Fund. “A great big ‘Thank... more...
- Nov 19, 2008 Parents & Students Fight to Save Schools “Firing teachers and closing schools is not going to help bring our students up to speed,” says DC parent Maria P. Jones. “People’s lives have been shattered and turned upside down. Public school is a stabilizing institution within the community and when you take that away you create... more...
- Nov 19, 2008 Bush Appointees Burrowing In Bush appointees are "trying to burrow into these career jobs, and we're very upset," AFGE 12 President Alex Bastani told the Washington Post Tuesday. Juliet Eilperin and Carol D. Leonnig reported that the Bush administration is trying to shift key political appointees into senior civil service... more...
- Nov 18, 2008 Baltimore Hotel Workers Hit Streets Baltimore hotel workers hope to stage the biggest march for hotel workers in the city’s history today at 4pm. Working without a contract since April 2006, the Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel workers have called for a boycott of their own hotel. Their employer, Columbia... more...
- Nov 18, 2008 School Reform Without Input Doomed To Fail, Says New AFT Prez “When education reform is done without teachers’ input it’s doomed to failure,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said yesterday, “When education reform is done with teachers, it is destined for success.” Though Weingarten’s packed audience at the National Press Club... more...
- Nov 18, 2008 Holiday Basket Project Helps Yes, you can make a difference. And it's as simple as a gift card. The Community Services Agency, bracing for record demand this year from needy families during the upcoming holiday season, is organizing its annual Holiday Basket Project. "Tough economic times are even more... more...
- Nov 18, 2008 Metro Council to Ramp Up Campaign Against Fenty The Metro Washington Council’s Executive Board and delegates voted unanimously last night to support a new campaign supporting workers in the District and opposing DC Mayor Adrian Fenty’s escalating attacks on public sector employees. “Details of the campaign will be released soon,”... more...
- Nov 18, 2008 DC Social Workers Warn Of 'Downward Spiral' Behind the tragic death of Banita Jacks' four children last year lies another, even deeper tragedy: it’s almost certain to happen again. The social workers charged with protecting the city’s at-risk families say they’re stretched thinner than ever, with fewer resources, and work... more...
- Nov 18, 2008 Online Campaign Launched To Stop Fenty Privatization Over one hundred activists have already participated in an online campaign to urge DC City Councilmembers to pass emergency legislation to stop Mayor Fenty's attempts to privatize public services. The campaign - launched Monday by the Metro Council and DC Jobs with Justice - is... more...
- Nov 17, 2008 Rhee Leaves Children Behind Every morning for 23 years, teaching assistant Loretta Archie would meet young students in the school activity room, take them to the classroom, get breakfast and change them. Then, on August 12, Ms. Archie wasn't there any more. Her job had been unilaterally re- categorized as an instructional... more...
- Nov 17, 2008 AFSCME Council 67 Launches "Next Wave" In a bid to "foster, promote and advocate the next generation of union activism and leadership," AFSCME Council 67 recently established a Next Wave Committee . The committee will bring together AFSCME members 40 and younger to increase their participation and advancement in the union "by... more...
- Nov 17, 2008 Labor Gears Up for Free Choice Battle "We do not have the luxury of taking a post-election break and waiting until January to gear up," the AFL-CIO Executive Council said last week. "With the full support and engagement of every affiliate union, every state federation, every local labor council and every local union, our campaign... more...
- Nov 17, 2008 Catalog Offers Books for Union Activists, Leaders Two new books for organizers are featured in the new edition of the UCS Labor Books Catalog , the new, 56-page catalog of books for union members, activists and leaders available from Union Communication Services (copies will be available at tonight's Council meeting). The 2009 edition of the... more...
- Nov 17, 2008 Labor Photo: 'Mourning' the Death of the Free Market Hundreds of protesters rallied and marched Saturday to celebrate the death of the free market and protest the closed-door meetings of G20 leaders. Protesters chanted “Bailout the poor and needy, don’t bailout out the white and greedy” while the DC Radical Cheerleader, DC Radical Marching... more...
- Nov 14, 2008 Fenty Privatization Plan Hurts Patients, Helps Companies “I like to call it Project Trojan Horse,” says Cherylyn Pipkin, DC CSA clinical social worker and SEIU 1199 member. Pipkin is referring to DC Mayor Fenty’s recently-announced plan to privatize DC Department of Mental Health Community Services Agency’s mental health services.... more...
- Nov 14, 2008 Labor College Awarded $1.3M Grant for Hazmat Training The United States Department of Transportation awarded the National Labor College (NLC) a $1.3 million dollar grant to fund an intensive program to train railway workers in the handling and transporting of hazardous cargo including dangerous chemicals and radioactive materials. "Tens of... more...
- Nov 14, 2008 DC Schools Battle Makes National News “The nation’s capital is bracing for what could be a wrenching labor struggle,” reported the New York Times in a front-page story yesterday. The report outlined the ongoing battle between DC school chief Michelle Rhee and the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) over tenure, which protects... more...
- Nov 14, 2008 Labor in the News (11/14/08) MontCo School Unions To Re-Open Contracts : While SEIU 500 President Merle Cuttitta told the Montgomery Gazette that "The unions of MCPS are in agreement to reopen our contracts and will do this jointly," she said the Montgomery County school system could further trim its central office... more...
- Nov 13, 2008 The Hidden Crime Wave More than 10 million workers have been a victim of wage theft, yet it’s still a relatively unknown crime. It occurs when employers intentionally misclassify workers, deny overtime, illegally dock pay for breaks, charge fines for tardiness, or otherwise knowingly withhold money owed to workers.... more...
- Nov 13, 2008 School Reform Being Used to Undermine Unions Former DC teacher Harold Cox is the definition of a dedicated teacher. A twenty-one year teaching veteran, Cox worked hard inside and outside the classroom, frequently staying late after class to work with students and lobbying DC City Council to address problems in the schools. So Cox was... more...
- Nov 12, 2008 DC Vets Demands Voting Rights “…with liberty and justice for all.” The assembled crowd had barely finished the Pledge of Allegiance when a single voice, clear as a bell, rang out across Upper Senate Park: “But not in DC!” Activists gathered Tuesday in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol to renew the push for voting... more...
- Nov 12, 2008 Making the Economy Work for Workers Given the daily drumbeat of worsening economic news, shrinking wages and rising job losses it was no surprise that the room at the National Labor College was standing-room-only last night to hear Jared Bernstein talk about the recession and his new book, "Crunch: Why Do I Feel So Squeezed?"... more...
- Nov 11, 2008 Interview: Kim Bobo On How Billions Are Stolen From Workers Q: What motivated you to write a book about wage theft? Interfaith Worker Justice supports a network of 20 workers centers and the number one issue the workers centers deal with is wage theft — workers not getting paid for all their work. I also became aware of the Department of Labor’s... more...
- Nov 11, 2008 Dangerous Reading "Crunch is a dangerous book,” says Harvard professor Elizabeth Warren, “Anyone who reads it will be armed with new ideas to start kicking back at the false economic theories that have ensnared this country. The book is witty, irreverent, and easy to read, but don't let that fool you. It's... more...
- Nov 11, 2008 Labor on the Move: Kriger Named Provost at Labor College Thomas Kriger, a labor scholar and union leader, is the new vice president of academic affairs and provost of the National Labor College (NLC). Kriger succeeds Patricia Greenfield, who is stepping down Dec. 1, after five years, to return to a faculty teaching post. From 1998–2007, Kriger... more...
- Nov 10, 2008 Labor Culture: Chicago's Working-Class History Chicago, which last week gave the nation a President, has a long and rich working-class history, which can now be explored online in The Labor Trail: Chicago's History of Working-Class Life and Struggle . The Trail maps 140 significant locations in the history of labor, migration, and... more...
- Nov 10, 2008 The State of the American Dream “This is our time,” said 22-year-old UFCW member Samantha Miskevich of Limerick, Pennsylvania. “For me and my peers, this election was our 1960s moment, our moment to vote for change. I’ve never worked so hard or talked to so many people. This election was about saving the middle... more...
- Nov 7, 2008 CWA 2222 Wins Major Settlement CWA 2222 recently won the biggest monetary settlement in the local's history. Technicians at Verizon Connected Solutions won back pay going back to December 2005 after Local 2222 waged a successful battle that lasted nearly three years. "These technicians work hard," said Local 2222, "They stood... more...
- Nov 7, 2008 Labor in the News: EFCA and Obama, DC Day Laborers, New DC Employment Chief, & Other Voices on School Reform Labor & Bosses Face Off Over Employee Free Choice : "Bolstered by exit polling data showing that union members played a pivotal role in President-elect Barack Obama's victory, the AFL-CIO served notice yesterday that it views the election results as ratification of organized labor's... more...
- Nov 6, 2008 Obama-Biden Win for Working Families After eight years of an administration hostile to unions, workers and a working-family friendly economy, America’s union members helped bring about much-needed change by electing Obama and working family-friendly candidates up and down the ballot. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says Obama is... more...
- Nov 6, 2008 Obama Election "Means There is Hope" for Workers “It has been a long time comin',” said President-elect Barack Obama Tuesday night. “But tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America!" It was a momentous, historic moment of hope and of redemption as millions of workers... more...
- Nov 6, 2008 Sweeney: Union Voters Were the Firewall That Stopped McCain "It was like nothing I've ever seen before," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney at a post-election press briefing on Wednesday. "Over 250,000 union volunteers visited 3.9 million union households and distributed more than 2 million leaflets. The result is that union households turned out in... more...
- Nov 6, 2008 Renewing the Fight for the Free Choice Act "One of the most remarkable stories of this campaign season is how corporate-funded front groups tried - and failed - to use the Employee Free Choice Act as a wedge issue," reports Mary Beth Maxwell, American Rights at Work Executive Director. "They spent nearly $20 million dollars to smear... more...
- Nov 6, 2008 Labor Photo: Honoring ATU Local 689 Prez Jackie Jeter William Lucy, President of CBTU (l) joins ATU 689 President Jackie Jeter, Metro Council President Jos Williams and Maryland/DC State AFL-CIO President Fred Mason (r) at the October 31 NAACP Maryland State Conference Labor Luncheon, where Jeter was the honoree. more...
- Nov 6, 2008 In Memoriam: James Tucker James Tucker -- father of Kim Tucker, Administrative Assistant for the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO -- died on Sunday after a lengthy illness. The wake and funeral services will be held this Saturday, November 8 at St. Abraham Baptist Church, 1124 W. North Avenue, Baltimore,... more...
- Nov 6, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Students Schooled on Unions Dozens of students from DC student-labor organizations gathered for a workshop last month to learn about how unions are formed, the structural obstacles to union organizing, and the role solidarity organizations can play. "It's wonderful to learn about concrete examples, and to see workers and... more...
- Nov 5, 2008 Voters Happy to Make History “I haven’t seen a vote like this since Nelson Mandela’s election in South Africa,” Metro Council President Jos Williams reported from Richmond. Williams was there as part of the AFL-CIO-led My Vote, My Right program, helping ensure that all eligible voters could cast a ballot and that... more...
- Nov 5, 2008 Campaign Opens Window on Solidarity A constant presence at the NoVA Labor office throughout the year, Northern Virginia Zone Coordinator Roxy Mejia and Assistant Coordinator Steve Mendenhall cheerfully signed out walk packets to teams of volunteers for the last time this morning. “It’s been a great experience to get to work... more...
- Nov 5, 2008 Last Stop for Bush Forty-two states and 150 stops later, Julie Blust was right back where she started. Blust is one of the 3-member team who’s been staffing the Bush Legacy Bus as it toured the country over the last five months, starting out at the AFL- CIO in June and ending up in front of the NoVA Labor office... more...
- Nov 5, 2008 The Shirt Off Her Back “Do you have any stickers?” asked home repair workers as labor walk volunteers Trish Gilbert and John Arnold hit the doors in Arlington, VA today. With no Obama stickers in hand, Gilbert gave the workers the next best thing: the shirt off her back. The distinctive bright yellow National... more...
- Nov 4, 2008 Virginia's Long Road To Election Day '08 Tired but happy, Dan Duncan leaned back in his chair for a brief moment’s respite Monday night. As darkness fell outside the Northern Virginia Area Labor Federation (NoVA Labor) office, dozens of volunteers were still door-knocking in the field while more made calls inside the office and... more...
- Nov 4, 2008 Faculty Blast UDC Prez for Abolishing University Senate Calling the decision “arbitrary and capricious,” University of the District of Columbia (UDC) University Senate President Sydney Hall blasted UDC President Allen Sessoms’ recent announcement to abolish the University Senate. This decision was made “with little thought and no involvement... more...
- Nov 4, 2008 Labor Photo: Monday Labor Walks in NoVA Peter Sitnik and Amanda Rawlings (of UNITE HERE Mid-Atlantic) in the field Monday. Walks and phonebanking start again today at 8A and run through 7P in Annandale (NoVA Area Labor Federation; 703-750-3633; 4536 B John Marr Drive, Annandale, VA). Precinct walks will also take place in Herndon... more...
- Nov 3, 2008 Election Day Checklist Polls will be open in DC and Maryland from 7A-8P and 6A-7P in Virginia, and will remain open in all three areas for voters who are in line before the polls close. Click here to find your polling place in DC, here for Maryland and here for Virginia. Labor-endorsed candidates include: -... more...
- Nov 3, 2008 Demo Links Jobs, Housing & Fiber Optics Despite sub-freezing temperatures, dozens of activists turned out Friday morning to demand good jobs for DC workers and housing and improved services for DC's homeless population. The demonstration linked the proposed Verizon fiber optics expansion plan with the need for replacement housing... more...
- Nov 3, 2008 Labor Pulls Out the Stops “O-bama! O-bama! O-bama!” Before the door even opened, Glenn Adler and his daughter Abby knew they’d hit pay dirt as they canvassed for union Obama supporters Monday morning in Centerville, Virginia. Sure enough, when the door opened, out popped Cynthia Bushrod’s two young daughter,... more...
- Nov 2, 2008 Economy Melts Down Near Wall Street-Literally The adage that “art imitates life” came alive this week as passersby literally watched the economy melt down in New York City. On Oct. 29, the 79th anniversary of Black Tuesday, the day the stock market crashed leading to the Great Depression, two artists displayed an ice sculpture of the... more...
- Nov 2, 2008 Economy Melts Near Wall Street-Literally The adage that “art imitates life” came alive this week as passersby literally watched the economy melt down in New York City. On Oct. 29, the 79th anniversary of Black Tuesday, the day the stock market crashed leading to the Great Depression, two artists displayed an ice sculpture of the... more...
- Nov 2, 2008 Labor Gets Out the Vote on Final Weekend Over 300 labor activists and supporters turned out on a beautiful fall Saturday for labor walks and phonebanks in Northern Virginia (NoVa). “We’ve waited 44 years for this day,” said NoVa Area Labor Federation President Dan Duncan, referring to the last time Virginia was in the Democratic... more...
- Oct 31, 2008 Williams & Lucy Speak Out on Zimbabwe President Jos Williams and CBTU President Bill Lucy will discuss the current situation in Zimbabwe this morning live on WPFW 89.3 FM in a Town Hall meeting on "The 2008 Zimbabwe Elections: A Dream Deferred." Also participating is TransAfrica's Roxanne Lawson, as well as representatives... more...
- Oct 31, 2008 Poll Monitors Needed More poll monitors are being recruited to make sure that every Virginia vote is counted. Volunteers must attend a training session and be able to devote 6 hours on Election Day to safeguarding democracy in Virginia; you do not need to be a Virginia resident to work as a poll monitor. Register... more...
- Oct 31, 2008 Where's the Party? “Where are the watch parties on November 4th?” wonders AFGE 12’s Traci DiMartini. As usual, many area activists will gather at the AFL-CIO to watch the Election Night returns (and make turn-out calls) from 8P on. If you know of other area labor watch parties, email us at... more...
- Oct 31, 2008 Coping with Financial Upheaval Union Plus has practical help and resources for union members facing a financial crunch. They've compiled a list of tips for weathering the current crisis, with links to their credit counseling service and housing assistance hotline. Union Plus is also collecting information about members'... more...
- Oct 30, 2008 Labor Launches Final Blitz in NoVA Starting today, labor’s Get-Out-The-Vote effort in Northern Virginia shifts into a massive blitz to hit 27,000 union doors in the final six days. “The finish line is in sight,” says NoVa’s Dan Duncan, “This time, we don't plan on looking at someone crossing that line ahead of us.”... more...
- Oct 30, 2008 Free Foreclosure Workshop Today The next Foreclosure Solutions Workshop will be held today from 9A-1P in Landover, Maryland. Congressmember Donna Edwards (D-MD) is hosting the free event for homeowners concerned about foreclosure. Pre-register for a free consultation by emailing 4mdDistrict@mail.house.gov . Homeowners... more...
- Oct 30, 2008 Health Fair Set for November The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association National Labor Office will host their annual Health Fair on Thursday, November 13 from 2-7P . Paul Fronstin, from the Employee Benefit Research Insitute, will kick-off the fair with a discussion on the future of employment-based health benefits and where... more...
- Oct 30, 2008 Jeter Honored at NAACP Conference The NAACP Maryland State Conference kicks off today in Greenbelt, MD. The 3-day conference includes workshops and training on economic development, membership recruitment and retention, education, fundraising, branch administration, advocacy, health, finances, youth council and college chapter... more...
- Oct 30, 2008 Demo Tonight to Support Colombian Cane Workers The plight of Colombian sugar cane workers is the focus of a demonstration tonight at the Dupont Circle residence of the Colombian Ambassador. The sugar cane workers have led hunger strikes and protests in Colombia since September 15, calling for an increase in wages and denouncing the lack... more...
- Oct 30, 2008 Activists Rally Friday for Good Jobs & Housing for Homeless Labor and community activists will rally outside the Wilson Building tomorrow at 9A for good jobs for DC workers and housing and improved services for DC's homeless population. The DC City Council is set to hold hearings on the proposed City Council- Verizon FiOS expansion plan and... more...
- Oct 29, 2008 Field & Phone Efforts Ramp Up Local labor Get-Out-The-Vote efforts continue to ramp up as the clock ticks down towards Election Day next Tuesday. The AFL-CIO phonebank (815 16th St NW) has been calling Virginia union retirees this week and is open from 10:30A to 8P every day; drop by for an hour or three; email... more...
- Oct 29, 2008 Mobilizing Progressive Jews In NoVA Jews United For Justice (JUFJ) and Virginia New Majority are gathering this Sunday, November 2nd from 2:30-6P to get out the vote in Fairfax, Virginia. JUFJ is taking part in the Righteous Indignation Project which seeks to mobilize progressive Jews to voice social justice... more...
- Oct 28, 2008 Workers Win at Smithfield In a huge win for organized labor, Smithfield Foods dropped a racketeering lawsuit against union organizers Monday and agreed to let them hold a union election at the world's largest hog slaughterhouse. “In return, the United Food and Commercial Workers union agreed to end a publicity campaign... more...
- Oct 28, 2008 Wells Fargo Hit on Civil Rights It’s a long way from New York Avenue to Maricopa County, Arizona, but several dozen immigrant rights activists made the connection at a rally Monday. The downtown DC rally’s target was banking giant Wells Fargo and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who’s been conducting... more...
- Oct 28, 2008 Obama Union Support Growing in VA “I’ve had enough of Bush,” the Virginia union retiree told me, “we can’t afford another four years of this.” The AFL-CIO phonebank was in full swing Monday afternoon, calling retired union members across Virginia about next week’s watershed election. “Our whole family is voting... more...
- Oct 27, 2008 Activists Protest Wells Fargo, Anti-Immigrant Sheriff Today Immigrant rights activists will rally outside the downtown DC offices of Wells Fargo today at noon to demand the banking giant stop leasing office space to anti-immigrant Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio – Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona – has been conducting raids on immigrant workers and... more...
- Oct 27, 2008 Union Members Continue Election Push In NoVA Over 400 union members – clad in union colors and Obama-Biden buttons – braved wind and storms Saturday to rally and walk in Northern Virginia for labor-endorsed candidates. “You are changing Virginia,” said Virginia Governor Tim Kaine at a labor GOTV rally before union members hit the... more...
- Oct 27, 2008 AFL-CIO Rolls Out 'Vote and Protect Your Vote' Ad Campaign Hip-hop artist Ludacris, movie actor Edward James Olmos, TV star Judge Mathis and “CSI: NY” actor Hill Harper have teamed up with the AFL-CIO for a “Vote and Protect Your Vote” radio ad campaign. “This is a critical election for working families, so we must ensure that citizens know... more...
- Oct 24, 2008 Striking Sugarcane Workers Face Beatings, Arrests Colombian sugarcane workers are under attack. The workers – who began a strike in September after sugar mill owners refused to negotiate to improve wages and working conditions – are facing assaults and arrests by Colombian state security forces and paramilitary groups. “The Colombian... more...
- Oct 24, 2008 Labor Rallies, Walks In NoVA Saturday Rain or shine, hundreds of union members are expected for a Get-Out-the-Vote rally and labor-to-labor walks Saturday in Northern Virginia (NoVA). “As of October 20, we have reached 22,000 doors” of NoVA working families, reports NoVA Area Labor Federation President Dan Duncan. “That is... more...
- Oct 24, 2008 Striking Colombian Sugarcane Workers Face Beatings, Arrests Colombian sugarcane workers are under attack. The workers – who began a strike in September after sugar mill owners refused to negotiate to improve wages and working conditions – are facing assaults and arrests by Colombian state security forces and paramilitary groups. “The Colombian... more...
- Oct 23, 2008 Delegates Approve Endorsements In DC Races Metro Council Delegates voted to approve endorsements in the DC City Council, DC House of Representatives and DC Shadow Senates races at Monday's Delegates' meeting. "The Council and our affiliates will work collaboratively to get out the union vote for endorsed candidates in the upcoming... more...
- Oct 23, 2008 Labor Updates (10/23/08) DC City Council Forces Fenty to Act on Affordable Housing Law : Community activists won a victory for affordable housing in DC Tuesday after the DC City Council voted unanimously to force DC Mayor Adrian Fenty to implement a long-delayed Inclusionary Zoning law. "We applaud the leadership of... more...
- Oct 22, 2008 Council Highlights “Our movement has been dying,” said labor activist and scholar Bill Fletcher at last night’s Metro Council Delegates’ meeting. Fletcher – co-author of Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and A New Path Toward Social Justice – discussed the crisis in labor and the... more...
- Oct 22, 2008 Activists Rally to 'Make FiOS Count for DC' Labor and community activists will rally outside the Wilson Building next Friday at 9A to demand that the DC City Council make FiOS – Verizon’s high-speed Fiber Optics Service – count for DC workers and residents. Protesters will call for the DC City Council – which introduced... more...
- Oct 22, 2008 AFL-CIO Launches Its Largest-Ever GOTV Effort With two weeks before the election, the AFL-CIO launched a major Get Out The Vote (GOTV) effort on Tuesday to turn out 13 million union voters in 20 battleground states, including Virginia. “Union members are determined to create a sea change in American politics that will benefit working... more...
- Oct 21, 2008 Labor in the News (10/21/08) DC Unions Throw Support Behind DC City Council Candidate Michael Brown : Labor unions joined DC City Council At-Large candidate Michael Brown outside his headquarters last week to throw their support behind his campaign, reported Nikita Stewart on the Washington Post website Thursday .... more...
- Oct 21, 2008 Report From Dublin: Union Roots The union movement grew out of Europe's medieval guilds, a connection beautifully illustrated in the guild banners I saw over the weekend in Drogheda and Dublin. more...
- Oct 21, 2008 Labor on the Move: New Officers at CWA 2336 Mike Harris was elected the new President of CWA Local 2336 in an uncontested race last week, replacing current President Jim Pappas. Valerie Matthews-Monroe, Claudia Cole and Jonathan Keith Leonard also won uncontested races for Vice President positions. Brenda Savoy won her race for... more...
- Oct 21, 2008 DC Mental Health Workers Fight Outsourcing DC mental health workers are fighting to save hundreds of jobs at the DC Community Services Agency (CSA) (not affiliated with the Metro Council CSA) from being outsourced. Currently, the DC CSA – a publicly funded program – provides outpatient services to half of those suffering from mental... more...
- Oct 20, 2008 DC Unions Speak Out Against Nickles Appointment Unions representing public sector workers joined a long list of community activists and leaders that have submitted testimony to oppose the appointment of Peter Nickles to DC Attorney General. On Friday at a DC City Council hearing on the appointment, Al Bilik, of AFSCME Council 20 – which... more...
- Oct 20, 2008 Labor Walks Heat Up in NoVA Cooler temperatures could not extinguish the fire of over 200 energized union members Saturday who came out to knock on doors throughout Northern Virginia (NoVA). “We are really on the threshold of history and who better to lead that than the labor movement,” Metro Council President Jos... more...
- Oct 20, 2008 CSA's "News You Can Use": Reaching Out “The Community Services Agency cannot continue assisting workers, unions and the community without your support,” says CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. Each year the CSA’s Emergency Assistance Fund helps over 250 families prevent evictions, utility cut-offs and helps provide food... more...
- Oct 20, 2008 Report from Dublin: Living History History is a living, breathing thing here. In a country replete with 1,000-year-old buildings, the 1913 Dublin Lockout is barely history. more...
- Oct 17, 2008 Report from Dublin: Organizing A Dublin Labor FilmFest Nearly 600 Dublin-area healthcare workers filled the Mansion House â?? headquarters for Dublinâ??s Lord Mayor and the site of many historic Irish labor and independence gatherings -- for a DC Labor FilmFest-sponsored screening of Ken Loach's It's A Free World Thursday afternoon. more...
- Oct 16, 2008 Report from Dublin: Striking Hospital Workers and Irish Labor History “It wasn’t ever about the money, it was about respect and our jobs,” said Olive Hughes, a food service worker at Mount Carmel Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. more...
- Oct 15, 2008 Day Laborers Protest Fenty's Disregard For Workers' Rights Members of the DC Union de Trabajadores (Workers’ Union) rallied outside a Northeast DC Home Depot – during a press conference with DC Mayor Adrian Fenty – Tuesday to demand the Mayor follow through with greater enforcement of unpaid wage violations and protect workers’ rights. “Wage... more...
- Oct 13, 2008 Hearing to Focus on DC Mayor's Attacks on Workers, Community Labor and community activists will hold a Workers Rights Board (WRB) hearing November 20 at 6:30P at the Wilson Building to expose DC Mayor Adrian Fenty's continued attacks on public sector workers and the community. "Since coming into office Mayor Fenty and his administration have launched an... more...
- Oct 13, 2008 NoVA Canvass Draws Star Support John Slattery (r) -- star of cable TV’s Mad Men and a SAG member – turned up at Saturday’s Northern Virginia labor-to-labor walks, as did AFGE Secretary-Treasurer J David Cox, just returned from his native North Carolina, along with nearly 200 volunteers from almost 30 internationals... more...
- Oct 13, 2008 Labor Filmfest Wraps Main Schedule "Thanks so much for bringing these films to DC!" was a comment often heard at this year’s DC Labor FilmFest, which wrapped up the main schedule over the weekend at the AFI theater in Silver Spring. Hundreds turned out for the annual film festival featuring films about work and workers from... more...
- Oct 13, 2008 Labor Updates (10/13/08) Post Workers Approve Contract Extension : Washington Post workers voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to extend their current contract until May 2009. The contract was extended to maintain job security and provide more time to negotiate on key issues, reports the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper... more...
- Oct 13, 2008 Leaders Urge Union Voters Not to Let Racism Distract From Real Issues In a new radio ad, AFGE President John Gage urges union members to keep their focus on how eight years of Republican economics have slammed working people while the rich get richer-rather than become divided by divisive issues of race and gender. This follows up on a stirring speech last July... more...
- Oct 13, 2008 CSA's "News You Can Use": Addiction Recovery Services Substance abuse doesn't discriminate against age, gender, upbringing or class. Chances are, if you don't already know someone whose life has been affected by drugs or alcohol, you will. Vanguard Services Unlimited in Arlington, VA. is a valuable resource for anyone needing help with a... more...
- Oct 13, 2008 Labor on the Move: Minatelli Goes National Karen Minatelli, Deputy Director and Director of Policy at the DC Employment Justice Center has moved over to the National Partnership for Women and Families. "It has been such an honor and a pleasure to be involved in the amazing work of the EJC and all of our partners," said Minatelli. "I am... more...
- Oct 9, 2008 Labor FilmFest Coverage Today The 8th annual DC Labor Filmfest - which opens tonight at the American Film Institute in Silver Spring - is the subject of articles in The Washington Post, the Post Express and City Paper today! more...
- Oct 9, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Local Activists Assist Day Laborers "Repita después de mí" or "repeat after me" is the mantra from 8:15 to 9:30 every Tuesday and Wednesday morning in the Home Depot parking lot off Rhode Island Avenue NE. For the past two weeks, DC Jobs with Justice and about 20 volunteers have been teaching English-language skills... more...
- Oct 9, 2008 Labor Art: Labor History & Art Historian Tobias Higbie - who teaches history in Los Angeles - has posted a fascinating collection of old union pamphlets , working class readers and radical magazine covers . The union pamphlets feature powerful art and the collection includes scans and digital photographs of... more...
- Oct 9, 2008 Rally Against Raids Friday Labor and immigrant rights activists will rally outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters Friday at 4:30P to protest recent workplace raids in California and around the country. "ICE agents conducted the largest sweep of coordinated raids throughout California, rounding... more...
- Oct 9, 2008 Filmfest Gets Blogged In a first for the DC Labor FilmFest, Indie Express will be blogging on the 8-year-old film festival. Indie Express is an online film community dedicated to the exploration of the independent filmmaker and the development of the independent film audience. “We are traveling across the nation... more...
- Oct 8, 2008 Post Workers to Vote on Contract Extension Today Washington Post workers will vote on a proposal today to extend their current contract until May 7. The proposed extension was reached to give more time to bargain over print/internet operations integration, time negotiations “to a period more likely to be aligned with the rollout of... more...
- Oct 8, 2008 Labor Photo: IBEW Hosts Labor FilmFest Lunchtime movie-goers at Tuesday's free DC Labor Filmfest screening of Second Chances: Union Made and The Planning Lady were treated to free popcorn, a first look at the brand new Filmfest program books and raffles of free passes and 2008 Filmfest t-shirts. Free screenings continue... more...
- Oct 8, 2008 Labor in the News (10/08/08) Workers, Activists Challenge Fenty Budget Plan : "The Fenty Administration has not only played hard ball but has played crooked ball," said AFGE National Vice-President Dwight Bowman - in a Washington Post article Tuesday - about DC Mayor Adrian Fenty's plan to eliminate hundreds of vacant... more...
- Oct 7, 2008 What is a Labor Film Festival? In her program book introduction to the first DC Labor FilmFest in 2001, Pat Aufderheide addressed the question, “What Is a Labor Film?” This year, over 100 films later, it’s time for the next question: “What is a labor film festival?”... more...
- Oct 7, 2008 Union-Busting Goes Underground Those ubiquitous Metro ads revealing that the average household income of a minimum-wage employee is a whopping $46,800 are the latest effort by notorious union-buster Rick Berman. The ads promote an innocuous-sounding website that purports to provide "critical information to become better... more...
- Oct 7, 2008 Best of the DC Labor Filmfest So many great films, so little time! Here’s DC Labor FilmFest Director Chris Garlock’s “Best of The Fest Director’s Pick.” With the war in Iraq continuing to a major campaign issue, Stop-Loss (7P Thursday) is a gripping drama exploring the impact of the involuntary extension of... more...
- Oct 7, 2008 Metro Council Makes DC Endorsements The Metro Washington Council has made the following General Election endorsements in the upcoming District races: DC City Council: Jack Evans (Ward 2), Muriel Bowser (Ward 4), Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) and Marion Barry (Ward 8); Kwame Brown (At-Large); an announcement on the other At-Large race... more...
- Oct 6, 2008 Labor Photo: Labor Solidarity Party for Obama "Labor Stands For Change" organizers Bernard Pollack and Ed Feigen are all smiles after more than 300 DC activists raised over $25,000 for the Obama-Biden campaign last Thursday night. more...
- Oct 6, 2008 CSA's "News You Can Use": The Apprenticeship Connection The construction industry provides good jobs with family-sustaining wages and benefits. The Community Service Agency’s Building Futures Program has helped over 200 DC residents successfully enter pre-apprenticeship programs as well as area union apprenticeship schools. Now the program is... more...
- Oct 6, 2008 Labor Updates (10/06/08) Congress Approves Major Federal Funding Boost for Metro : Metro workers celebrated the passage of federal legislation Thursday that would provide $1.5 billion for the Metro system over the next ten years. "The funding would help address the urgent capital improvement needs affecting our... more...
- Oct 6, 2008 Hundreds Hit NoVA Doors for Obama-Biden Nearly 200 volunteers from 27 international unions knocked on doors in Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun counties as well as the city of Alexandria Saturday, “getting the word out to union members and their families that Barack Obama and Joe Biden is the ticket for working people,”... more...
- Oct 3, 2008 Parker Fires Back at Rhee Over "Plan B" "You can't fire your way to a quality school system," Washington Teacher's Union Local 6 President George Parker told Union City Thursday. Parker was reacting to D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee's announcement Thursday morning that she plans to end-run the union contract. "I'll tell you... more...
- Oct 3, 2008 Golf Tourney Raises Much-Needed Funds Monday's 13th annual Community Services Agency Golf Tournament raised over $16,000 for the CSA's depleted Emergency Assistance Fund - which assists area families in financial crisis - reports CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. The ATU Local 689 team (r) won the tournament with a score of... more...
- Oct 3, 2008 Labor's Take on the Market Crisis While the Bush Administration is focused only on the current credit crisis, "this is a complex crisis that has financial, housing and employment dimensions that are now interacting in a way that is very dangerous," said AFL-CIO Chief Economist Ron Blackwell at Thursday's brownbag lunch... more...
- Oct 3, 2008 Labor '08 Expands VA Walks Union members will expand Northern Virginia Labor-to-Labor walks into Loudoun County this Saturday at 9A, reports Northern Virginia Area Labor Federation (NoVA ALF) President Dan Duncan. "Turnout in September for the four organized walks far exceeded our wildest dreams. With October comes crunch... more...
- Oct 3, 2008 Employment Justice Center Honors Volunteers Linda Chavez-Thompson (r) keynoted Thursday's Employment Justice Center (EJC) Labor Day Luncheon. The AFL-CIO's Executive Vice President Emerita - who was introduced by Metro Council President Jos Williams (l) -- lauded the work done by the EJC over the last year, especially this year's victory... more...
- Oct 2, 2008 Street Theater Targets Billionaire Bailout Billionaires demanded blank checks from taxpayers on the streets of Washington yesterday in a street theater performance organized by DC Jobs with Justice demanding that Congress pass an economic recovery plan putting people first instead of Wall Street and billionaires. With Congress... more...
- Oct 2, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: WRB Hearing to Focus on DC Mayor's Attack on Workers, Community Labor and community activists will hold a Workers Rights Board (WRB) hearing on Tuesday, November 20 at 6:30P to organize against DC Mayor Adrian Fenty's continued attacks on public sector workers and the community. "Since coming into office Mayor Fenty and his administration have... more...
- Oct 1, 2008 UNION CITY Voice: Readers Write: Library of Congress Workers Help Fundraise for CSA "What an honor it was for James Taylor and myself to represent AFSCME Local 2910 in the 2008 CSA golf tournament on Monday," said Rickie Agee, Sr. in a report to his local. "The weather was super. CSA's (Community Services Agency of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO) Emergency... more...
- Sep 30, 2008 Labor Update: Fight to Save Franklin Shelter Continues Today Workers, Community activists and residents of Franklin Shelter will rally outside the DC Superior Court building today starting at 8:30A to highlight Mayor Fenty's "disregard for the homeless" and demand the court act to stop the closure of the shelter. more...
- Sep 30, 2008 Balto Healthcare Workers Beat Subcontracting Hundreds of Baltimore healthcare workers at Sinai Hospital and Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center defeated a proposal last week that would have subcontracted hundreds of jobs at the two facilities. Management backed off the plan after workers – members of SEIU1199 United Healthcare Workers... more...
- Sep 30, 2008 NBC Workers Begin Early Bargaining Workers at NBC Universal began early contract talks last week in New York City, reported the NABET-CWA Network Negotiating Committee. “Among the issues discussed during the week of bargaining were jurisdiction and future work opportunities, training, Daily Hires, wages and other economic... more...
- Sep 30, 2008 Labor Photo: Teeing Off for the CSA Verizon's Curtis Etherly tees off at Monday's CSA Golf Tourney -- benefiting the Emergency Services Fund -- while Metro Council President Jos Williams watches. more...
- Sep 30, 2008 Labor Updates (9/30/08) Fight to Save Franklin Shelter Continues Today : Workers, Community activists and residents of Franklin Shelter will rally outside the DC Superior Court building today starting at 8:30A to highlight Mayor Fenty’s “disregard for the homeless” and demand the court act to stop the closure... more...
- Sep 29, 2008 Rain Doesn't Dampen Labor '08 Spirit Gloomy skies and off-and-on rain showers Saturday could not keep 90 union members from hitting the streets in Fairfax and Prince William counties to spread the good word on the pro-labor Obama-Biden ticket. "We had no idea of how many people would show up," said VA Political Director Cecile... more...
- Sep 29, 2008 CSA's "News You Can Use": Workers Give To Workers Hundreds of area working families turn to the Community Services Agency (CSA) of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO every year in their time of need. You can make sure CSA is there to help again next year by supporting the agency through this Fall’s United Way, CFC and other workplace... more...
- Sep 26, 2008 "I Love UNION CITY" It ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s the main message from Union City readers in our latest Reader Survey. “Union City is fantastic,” said one reader. “Union City has put me in touch with the union movement in a way that I've never been before. Thanks for doing this. ... more...
- Sep 25, 2008 Area Pharmacists Organize Pharmacists across the Metro DC area won a nearly year-long fight for union recognition Tuesday after voting overwhelmingly to organize with OPEIU Local 2 . The pharmacists - who work for Mid-Atlantic Kaiser Permanente - began to organize last February after facing continued issues with... more...
- Sep 25, 2008 Workers Organize Against Cutbacks Threatened with forced furloughs and budget cuts, union members and allies throughout the region have begun meeting to organize resistance. “Workers being hit hard in their pocketbooks should know that their unions are ready, willing and able to fight,” said Metro Washington Council... more...
- Sep 24, 2008 Labor Updates (9/24/08) Verizon Workers Approve Contract: Verizon workers overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new three-year contract last week. The new contract includes a wage increase of 10.87 percent over three years, and increases pension benefits and maintains healthcare for active and retired workers. The... more...
- Sep 24, 2008 Local Labor Activist Wins National Fellowship Local labor activist Lillian Walker Shelton is one of three recipients of this year’s Younger Women’s Task Force (YWTF) Alexis Knox Fellowship. The national fellowship – named in honor of the late YWTF founding member Alexis Knox – is a 12-month grant designed to help support young... more...
- Sep 24, 2008 CSA's "News You Can Use": Putting Used Clothing and Computers To Work Two agencies which will take clean clothing in good repair are the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (703-820-4357) and Bread for the City Northwest (202-265-2400) and Southeast (202-561-8587). To donate your used computers, go to First Time Computers and... more...
- Sep 24, 2008 Labor on the Move: New Contact Info for IATSE 22 IATSE Local 22 has new after hours and jobline numbers. more...
- Sep 23, 2008 Supporting Striking Fairfax Bus Drivers The Community Services Agency and AFSCME Council 30 have launched a donation drive to assist striking Fairfax bus drivers. The drivers are in the second week of a strike against the Veolia Transportation Company over pension and healthcare coverage. Non-perishable food donations are being... more...
- Sep 23, 2008 Protesters "Quarantine" Hazardous Insurance Industry Meeting Declaring the Capitol Hilton a contaminated zone, nurses, doctors and healthcare and labor activists “quarantined” the entrance of the downtown hotel Monday afternoon to protest a meeting of the health insurance industry trade association and rally for the passage of a single-payer... more...
- Sep 23, 2008 NoVA Labor Walks Gaining Momentum Nearly 150 union members from Virginia, Maryland and DC participated in Northern Virginia labor walks this past Saturday. "The turnout and enthusiasm were tremendous," said Roxy Mejia, who is coordinating the efforts for the NoVA Area Labor Federation. "Each weekend, more people show up. And the... more...
- Sep 23, 2008 UNION CITY Voice: Readers Write: New Website Tool Available “Has the AFL-CIO launched their LaborWeb website tool yet?” writes Kim Tyrrell from IBEW 26. Nearly 90 state labor federations, local labor councils and others are building and maintaining new websites using the recently launched AFL-CIO LaborWeb tool. LaborWeb enables nontechnical staff... more...
- Sep 22, 2008 New Trades Leader a Fighter Vance Ayres has been standing up to bullies since he was a kid. “I always stood up for the kids being picked on,” Ayres told Union City, “and I always picked them for my team because they fought harder and we won!” These days Ayres is taking the fight for justice to a bigger sandbox as... more...
- Sep 22, 2008 Labor Photo: Protest Against Colombian Prez Draws Huge Lunchtime Crowd Over 100 activists rallied outside the National Press Club Friday to protest the visit of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. Uribe and 80 other Colombian government officials were in town to lobby for passage of the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which critics argue should not be passed until... more...
- Sep 22, 2008 Williams Chairs United Way Labor Div Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams has been tapped to chair this year’s United Way Labor Division. “The United Way has long been a great partner for our own Community Services Agency,” Williams said. “and this year’s campaign slogan – “Live United” – is completely... more...
- Sep 22, 2008 Labor Updates (9/22/08) Dairy Workers Beat Unionbusting at Quickway : Dairy workers at Quickway Transportation won a major legal fight last Monday when an NLRB judge ruled against Quickway’s unionbusting tactics during contract negotiations in 2007. This is “a stunning and complete victory for our members,”... more...
- Sep 22, 2008 UNION CITY Voice: Readers Write: The Real Battle in Seattle “I saw that [last Wednesday’s] Union City reviewed the new movie Battle in Seattle ,” writes Georgetown Solidarity Committee activist Sarah Heydemann. “Here at Georgetown, we've been debating whether this movie is a positive or negative force! I'm not against the Hollywood version... more...
- Sep 19, 2008 "Movies Can Change the World" “I’m not sure that a single movie can change the world, but movies can change the world,” actor-turned-director Stuart Townsend tells Union City. His new film Battle in Seattle , a drama about the 1999 protests against the World Trade Organization, opens tonight in Washington. The... more...
- Sep 19, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Festival Celebrates DC Cultural Diversity, Calls for End to Raids Percussion groups, hip-hop artists and salsa bands will headline the first annual "Concert for Peace, People in Solidarity" Festival on Sunday, October 5. "We organized the festival as a way to strengthen the bonds between immigrant and non-immigrant groups and find ways for communities to work... more...
- Sep 19, 2008 Protesters Target Colombian Prez Today Citing recent increases in protestors murders of union members and the ongoing destruction of the Amazon, demonstrators will protest Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's noontime appearance at the National Press Club today. "The Uribe government just sent an 80-person delegation to lobby Congress... more...
- Sep 18, 2008 Labor Updates (9/18/08) Prince George's County Workers Say Forced Furloughs Unfair & Unsafe : Ignoring the protests of hundreds of Prince George's County workers at yesterday's County Council hearing, Councilmembers approved an order by County Executive Jack Johnson to force workers to take 10 days of unpaid... more...
- Sep 18, 2008 Good Jobs Demanded for UMD Project Accusing the University of Maryland of "Resting on Our Labor," labor and community activists leafleted the UMD campus Wednesday to pressure the administration to require fair treatment for workers and the community as part of a proposed $800 million campus development project. The activists -... more...
- Sep 17, 2008 Hundreds Protest Fenty's Assault on Workers, Community Over 200 workers and community activists rallied outside the John A. Wilson Building Tuesday morning to protest Mayor Adrian Fenty's attacks on workers and ongoing attempts to sell public property to private interests without community input. "We now have an administration that is of... more...
- Sep 17, 2008 Labor Preps for Active Fall Season Union leaders and activists reported on current struggles across the metro area at Monday night's Metro Council delegate meeting, the first since the annual summer break. In addition to the well-publicized ongoing battles between DC public sector workers and Mayor Fenty, conflicts have erupted... more...
- Sep 17, 2008 DC Homecare Workers Rally for Union Voice, Contract DC Homecare workers protested outside Nursing Enterprises, Inc. (NEI), in Northeast DC, Tuesday to demand the company stop unionbusting and recognize workers' right to bargain and unionize. Workers voted overwhelmingly in April to unionize with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East but NEI -... more...
- Sep 17, 2008 Battle in Seattle Comes to DC An all-star cast heads up Battle in Seattle , the new film – which opens Friday at the E-Street Cinema -- about the historic 1999 demonstrations that brought 50,000 labor, environmental and community activists together against globalization. Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, Ray Liotta,... more...
- Sep 16, 2008 NoVA Labor Keeps Walking, Talking Nearly 100 union members hit the streets in Northern Virginia last Saturday in the latest Labor 2008 walk, knocking on more than 1200 doors in Fairfax County and Alexandria. "There's no doubt now that campaign season is fully underway!" said NoVa Area Labor Federation President Dan Duncan.... more...
- Sep 16, 2008 Workers, Residents Rally Against 'Dictator' Fenty Today DC public union workers will rally at the Wilson Building this morning at 9:30A to demand that the DC City Council hold hearings on the impact of Mayor Adrian Fenty's refusal to work with unions, community groups and other major sectors of the city. "Mayor Fenty has consistently ignored or... more...
- Sep 16, 2008 Postal Workers to Protest at German Embassy Postal workers will gather in front of the German Embassy this morning to protest the possible loss of as many as 30,000 jobs in Southwest Ohio. DHL is currently negotiating a deal with UPS to contract work out to UPS’s Louisville, KY facility that the union says “has raised serious... more...
- Sep 16, 2008 DC JwJ Launches Free Training Series Tonight DC Jobs with Justice will host a free training on grassroots fundraising tonight starting at 6:30P. Sha Grogan-Brown – Development Director for the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador – will lead a workshop and discuss how to identify potential donors, engage members and... more...
- Sep 15, 2008 Think You Know How Union Members Vote? Think Again Mariya Strauss, Media Coordinator for the ILCA, had a "rude awakening" last Thursday afternoon while calling union retirees in Michigan. "With all the jobs that have disappeared in Michigan under Republican rule, I thought for sure they'd all be voting for Obama. I had a rude awakening,"... more...
- Sep 12, 2008 Criminalizing Work "Work itself is being criminalized," said photojournalist and activist David Bacon at a talk Wednesday night at the AFL-CIO. Bacon's appearance - which was taped by C-SPAN - was part of a tour for his new book, Illegal People: How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes... more...
- Sep 11, 2008 UNION CITY & Metro Council Website Win Awards UNION CITY has taken First Place in ILCA’s State and Local Central Body Publications category, while the Metro Council’s website won Honorable Mention in the Website Best Content (Other Labor Organizations) category. “We’re tremendously proud of these awards,” said Metro Council... more...
- Sep 11, 2008 Labor Photo: McCain Protest in NoVA Nearly one hundred union members turned out early Wednesday morning to rally against the visit of John McCain and Sarah Palin to Fairfax, VA. more...
- Sep 11, 2008 Schwartz to Be "Missed" By DC Labor Longtime labor ally Carol Schwartz - a Republican and the sole labor-endorsed candidate not to win in Tuesday's primaries - "will be sorely missed by working men and women in the District of Columbia," said Metro Council President Jos Williams Wednesday. First elected At-Large Councilmember in... more...
- Sep 11, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Public Property for Public Use Vocal demands to save public property will greet DC Councilmembers returning from their summer recess next Tuesday morning. DC tenant organizers and activists are organizing the 9A rally and press conference as part of the larger city-wide People's Property Campaign - led by DC Jobs with... more...
- Sep 11, 2008 Anti-Fenty Campaign Spreads "The response across the country has been great!" says Metro Council President Jos Williams about the Metro Council's recent request that local labor organizations protest DC Mayor Adrian Fenty's appearances in their communities because of his anti-labor activities. "If this Mayor comes to our... more...
- Sep 11, 2008 "A Better Union Website" Series Finale Demystifies Search Engines So how do Google searches work exactly? Well, nobody knows except the employees at Google, and they're not telling. But web experts like Beth Allen have a pretty good list of techniques that can help your union's site show up in search engine listings. Allen, who is Electronic Campaigns... more...
- Sep 10, 2008 Labor's Candidates Almost Sweep DC Labor-endorsed candidates almost swept Tuesday's City Council primaries in the District with a strong assist from over 200 union volunteers. "More than 100 members of Laborers Local 657 hit the streets to get out the vote," said Metro Council President Jos Williams, "along with dozens from... more...
- Sep 10, 2008 AFGE 12 Celebrates Labor at DOL Barbara Ehrenreich, Joe Krebs and Kim Bobo head up AFGE Local 12's celebration of Labor History Month at the Departm ent of Labor (DOL) in September. Ehrenreich - author of Nickel And Dimed: On (not) Getting by in America -- will introduce a DC Labor FilmFest screening of "Fired!"... more...
- Sep 10, 2008 Bacon on Globalization and Immigration Tonight Author and photojournalist David Bacon will be at the AFL-CIO tonight at 7P to discuss his new book that exposes the human side of globalization and argues for new ways to think about and legislate around immigration. Bacon - a former union organizer working primarily with immigrant workers -... more...
- Sep 10, 2008 Profiles, Videos & More From Virginia Tom Webb - President of AFGE Local 3615, which represents workers at the Social Security Administration in Falls Church - has been an active participant in this year’s labor-to-labor walks in Northern Virginia. I enjoy the "face to face contact,” says Webb. “When you change someone's mind... more...
- Sep 9, 2008 MontCo Workers Fight Forced Unpaid Leave Plan Montgomery County workers are opposing a proposal by County Executive Isiah Leggett that would force over 10,000 workers to take unpaid leave for two days, and possibly more, in the coming year. Leggett argues the proposal would save millions for the County - which has a $250 million shortfall... more...
- Sep 9, 2008 Labor Gets Out the DC Vote Today Over 100 union members will be working the polls throughout DC today for labor-endorsed DC City Council candidates Kwame Brown (D-At-Large), Carol Schwartz (R-At-Large), Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4), Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8). "Thanks to Laborers... more...
- Sep 9, 2008 Activists 'Welcome' McCain, Palin in NoVA Wednesday "McSame as Bush" will be the chants of dozens of labor activists tomorrow from 8A-11A at a rally outside a John McCain/Sarah Palin speaking event in Fairfax, VA. "For McCain, the economy is still 'fundamentally strong' and the problems with it are 'psychological' - because millionaires like... more...
- Sep 9, 2008 David Bacon to Speak on How Globalization Criminalizes Immigrants Wednesday Author, photographer and activist David Bacon discusses his new book, Illegal People: How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants tonight at 7P at the AFL-CIO. Bacon's new book explores the human costs of globalization, exposing the many ways it uproots and drives... more...
- Sep 8, 2008 Labor Updates (9/8/08) Fenty Admin Rebuked for Unfair Firings : A DC arbitrator last week overturned the dismissal of three union members who their unions said "were scapegoated by the Fenty administration in the aftermath of the tragic deaths of four young sisters in Southeast DC earlier this year." In what AFSCME... more...
- Sep 8, 2008 Labor Reporter Speaks at AFL-CIO Today on Workers and the Elections New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse will discuss how the "big squeeze" on workers will affect the 2008 elections today at 1P at the AFL-CIO. In his new book, "The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for American Workers," Greenhouse explores the struggles of American workers squeezed by... more...
- Sep 8, 2008 Registration Deadline Nears For Free Website Training Registration is free for Wednesday's noontime website training on how to get found on Google and other search engines but you must sign up by noon Tuesday! Beth Allen of the Communications Workers of America leads the lunchtime discussion, part of the ongoing website training series organized by... more...
- Sep 8, 2008 Worker's Lives Hit Silver Screen More than two dozen films about work and workers will screen at this year's 8th annual DC Labor FilmFest. The main FilmFest runs October 9-14 at the American Film Institute (AFI), with a series of free screenings kicking off this Thursday, September 11 with a showing of "Fired!" introduced by... more...
- Sep 8, 2008 Labor in the News (9/8/08) Schniderman on the Real Labor Day : "Labor Day began in New York City in the late 19th century in large part as a protest against low wages, poor working conditions and the suppression of union rights," wrote AFSCME 2910 President Saul Schniderman in last Wednesday's Washington Post. "But The... more...
- Sep 8, 2008 CSA's "News You Can Use": Internet Help for Seniors Here are four websites which can help seniors and care-givers find health, housing and community support information: NIH Senior Health provides up-to-date information on a variety of health topics with general background info, videos and FAQ's and also features large text and a speech... more...
- Sep 5, 2008 Over 100 Turn Out for NoVA Canvass “My neighbor just lost his house, and some of my fellow firefighters are working longer hours to make ends meet,” Mervin Barrerra told John Lonetti Thursday afternoon. Lonetti (left in photo at right) , who works for the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), was one of more than 115 union... more...
- Sep 5, 2008 Campaign to Expose Fenty's Anti-Union Activity Expands The campaign to expose DC Mayor Adrian Fenty’s union-busting, budget-shattering, promise-breaking practices intensified Thursday when Metro Council President Jos Williams appealed to union leaders nationwide to protest the Mayor’s practices as he campaigns for Democratic Presidential... more...
- Sep 5, 2008 Labor Filmfest Ad Deadline Today Support the labor film festival that will bring more than two dozen films about work and workers to DC: today’s the deadline for ads in the 2008 DC Labor FilmFest program book. Email cgarlock@dclaborarchives.org - or call 202-974-8153 - to reserve your space today. Deadline is 5P today,... more...
- Sep 5, 2008 Labor Updates (9/5/08) Letter Carriers Re-Elect Leadership : Letter Carriers Branch 3825 re-elected its top officers Wednesday night. Elected by acclamation were President Ken Lerch, Vice-President Amy Campen, Recording Secretary Thomas Preston and Financial Secretary-Treasurer Beth Parsons. President Lerch... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 Walkin' Union Thousands of union members are hitting the streets today as Senator John McCain prepares to accept the Republican Party's presidential nomination. The Labor 2008 program targets key battleground states - including Northern Virginia - with more than 150 Labor 2008 walks. Beginning at noon today,... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 Voter Protection Program Anyone interested in helping the AFL-CIO Voter Protection Program should plan to attend tonight’s meeting at 5:15P at the AFL-CIO (815 16th Street NW). “We’re looking for people in DC to help phonebank into Ohio, Virginia, Missouri, and New Mexico to recruit union members and retirees to... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 NoVA Picnic Draws Record Crowd The Northern Virginia Area Labor Federation hosted “the largest Labor Day picnic the Northern Virginia Area Labor Federation has hosted in the nearly 20 years of doing so,” reports NoVa’s Dan Duncan. “About 300 people attended, including Labor-endorsed Congressional candidates Gerry... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 Mile High in Denver Click here to check out local labor photographer Bill Burke’s slideshow from last week’s Democratic National Convention. more...
- Sep 4, 2008 Labor Filmfest Ad Deadline Tomorrow Time is running out to get your ad in the 2008 DC Labor FilmFest program book. Don’t miss this chance to be part of DC’s own Labor FilmFest, one of the world’s only labor film festivals. Email cgarlock@dclaborarchives.org – or call 202-974-8153 – to reserve your spac e today.... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 Getting Found on Google Just a few slots left for next Thursday’s “Better Union Website in 50 Minutes” series organized by ILCA and the Metro DC Labor Council. “Search Engine Optimization: How to Get Found On Google” is set for Wednesday, September 10 at noon with Beth Allen of the Communication Workers of... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 Golfers Unite! Now you can golf and support the labor community! The 13th Annual Community Services Agency (CSA) Golf Tournament is just a few weeks away, on Monday, September 29. Click here to download registration forms now. “Last year we had perfect weather and raised badly needed-funds for the... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 Resolving Conflict Learn and practice skills to help resolve conflicts at the workplace or in families and communities at Alternative Resolutions’ basic mediation skills training at the National Labor College on September 22-26. Supported by local labor organizations, special discounted rates are available for... more...
- Sep 4, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Fighting the Use of Racism as a Means of Controlling Labor: Organizers and activists will gather for a discussion on how racism works to create divisions among workers and of how racial oppression reinforces class inequality this Sunday at 4P. “Racism has long served as a means of sowing division among working people who collectively have the power to... more...
- Sep 2, 2008 Labor Walks this Thursday This Thursday, September 4, the same night Sen. John McCain will accept the Republican Party's presidential nomination, the massive Labor 2008 program continues when thousands of union members will gather together in key battleground states - including Northern Virginia - at more than 150... more...
- Sep 2, 2008 Resources for Women Organizers Grants, organizing tips, tactics and more are available for women organizers from the Berger-Marks Foundation (BMF). The AFL-CIO endorsed foundation – named after Edna Berger, first female lead organizer for The Newspaper Guild-CWA, and her husband, the legendary Tin Pan Alley song-writer... more...
- Aug 28, 2008 Labor Updates (8/28/08) NoVA Hotel Workers Rally, Continue Boycott : Hotel workers at the Crystal City Hilton in Arlington, VA will rally today to demand a fair contract. The workers have been working without a contract since October 2007. Workers launched a boycott of the hotel last month ( NoVA Hotel Workers... more...
- Aug 28, 2008 Labor Day Weekend Roundup Workers and labor activists will be in the streets, pews, and parks of Metro DC this weekend to celebrate Labor Day. Activities begin on Friday evening with the start of the 2008 Labor in the Pulpits/Labor on the Bimah programs (LITP/LOTB). LITP/LOTB programs will continue throughout the weekend... more...
- Aug 28, 2008 Labor Filmfest Schedule Almost Set, Ads Due More than two dozen films about work and workers have been selected for this year's 8th annual DC Labor FilmFest. To reserve space in the popular FilmFest Program Guide, email cgarlock@dclaborarchives.org The main FilmFest runs October 9-14 at the American Film Institute, with a series of free... more...
- Aug 28, 2008 DC Union Shop Goes Online The Metro Council’s Union Shop is now online! Quickly locate area union business and vendors – from grocery stores and hotels to printers, restaurants and more. The Union Shop is updated and easily searchable; click here to check it out! Comments and suggestions on how to improve the... more...
- Aug 28, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Workers Focus of Labor Day Services this Weekend More than 50 congregations throughout Metro DC will honor workers and call for justice during special Labor in the Pulpits/Labor on the Bimah services and programs this Labor Day weekend. Highlights of this year’s program include a discussion on Saturday at 9:30A at Adas Israel Congregation... more...
- Aug 28, 2008 Unions Hit DC Mayor at DNC for Being "Anti-Worker" Calling DC Mayor Adrian Fenty a "budget-shattering, union-busting, promise-breaking political boss whose poor performance and bad management are costing DC taxpayers millions of dollars," District of Columbia unions fanned out Wednesday morning to expose Mayor Fenty's record and generate support... more...
- Aug 21, 2008 Child Labor Focus of Free Friday Screening Child labor at home and abroad is the focus of two DC Labor FilmFest screenings tomorrow at noon. Children In The Fields reveals the real cost of child labor in our nation's fields and farms, while That's Why I'm Working shows children in the slums of Bangladesh working in the "hidden child... more...
- Aug 21, 2008 Labor Updates (8/21/08) Helping Norma Rae : Crystal Lee Sutton – the woman whom the movie "Norma Rae" was based on – is fighting for her life. Ill with meningioma (a brain tumor), her health insurance – which initially denied her coverage – covers so little that her husband must work two jobs to help pay... more...
- Aug 21, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Class In Session for DC Activists A new monthly popular education and training series for local organizers and activists will kick-off with a discussion on grassroots fundraising on September 16. "The trainings will be an opportunity for organizers to come together, sharpen our organizing tools, develop new leaders in the... more...
- Aug 21, 2008 Zimbabwe Labor Leader Speaks Out in DC Wellington Chibebe does not look like a dangerous man. A quiet man of average height, he doesn't stand out in a crowd. But a crowd is exactly where you're most likely to find Chibebe - Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions - and his outspokenness on behalf of Zimbabwe's... more...
- Aug 21, 2008 Columbian Kids Get Aid Local activists will help host two Colombian students who have been receiving death threats because of their father's work as a trade unionist (Colombian Union Kids Need Help 8/2 UC). "Thank to the Agle family for volunteering to host Fabián," says the Solidarity Center's Esperanza... more...
- Aug 18, 2008 Insulators Back MD Power Plant Members of Insulators Local 24 and other construction trades are supporting the proposed construction of a new nuclear power plant in Calvert County, Maryland. "If approved, the project will create thousands of union construction jobs, while helping our region meet its energy needs through a... more...
- Aug 18, 2008 Caution, Kids at Work! Child labor at home and abroad is the topic of two DC Labor FilmFest screenings on Friday, August 22. Children In The Fields reveals the real cost of child labor in our nation’s fields and farms, while That's Why I'm Working shows children in the slums of Bangladesh working in the "hidden... more...
- Aug 18, 2008 Time, Space Running Out to Register for Free Website Training Only a few spots still remain for Wednesday's free noontime training on the latest in website-building technology, Content Management Systems (CMS). Jason Lefkowitz, of Change to Win, will give an overview of CMS and its advantages for creating and maintaining an easy-to-use labor website. The... more...
- Aug 18, 2008 Labor Filmfest Ad Deadline Extended The ad deadline for the 2008 DC Labor FilmFest program book has been extended! This year’s FilmFest – the 8th annual – features more than 30 films about work and workers and runs October 9-12 at the American Film Institute, with previews beginning September 11 at various union halls... more...
- Aug 18, 2008 Labor on the Move: New Contact Info for AFTRA/SAG, Harnest New Prez at NALC 142 AFTRA/SAG Washington-Baltimore’s new address is 7735 Old Georgetown Rd Suite 950, Bethesda, MD 20814-6215. Bob Harnest is the new Acting President at the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 142. He replaces former President Joseph Henry. Click here for the Council's online... more...
- Aug 14, 2008 Women Graduates Honored for Courage, Determination "Nine years ago, I wouldn't have been here," said Washington Area Women in the Trades (WAWIT) graduate Marshila Davis at a graduation ceremony Monday at the AFL-CIO. Davis, who overcame drug addiction, heard about the WAWIT program at her church and decided to apply. She and thirteen other women... more...
- Aug 14, 2008 New AFL-CIO Website Tool Featured at Wednesday Training The AFL-CIO's new website tool, LaborWeb, will be demonstrated Wednesday at noon at a free website training on Content Management Systems (CMS). AFL-CIO Online Mobilization Manager Chris Kenngott will show how LaborWeb, now available to locals whose internationals have signed on, is a fast and... more...
- Aug 14, 2008 Labor Day Plans? Does your union have plans for Labor Day '08? Let us know! We're updating our events calendar and will be publishing a special guide to Labor Day activities in the Metro Washington area the week before Labor Day. Email us at streetheat@dclaborarchives.org more...
- Aug 14, 2008 Labor Updates (8/14/08) Call-In Campaign Asks Bain to Put Kids Before Profits : Following rallies last month in DC, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles ( Protesters Voice Concern Over Bain Buyout, Quality of Care 8/4/08 UC), the Tell Bain to Put Kids First campaign launched a two-day national call-in campaign on... more...
- Aug 14, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Connect-DC Launches Campaign for Good Jobs, Service with DC FiOS Expansion: The Connect-DC campaign launched an email campaign Wednesday to pressure DC city officials to ensure that Verizon's FiOS expansion in the District creates good jobs and provides high quality and affordable telecommunications services in DC. The campaign launch followed the DC government's... more...
- Aug 11, 2008 Workers Reach Contract Agreement with Verizon Verizon workers across the East Coast celebrated the announcement Sunday of a new tentative contract settlement after over a year of negotiations. "This agreement is a tribute to the solidarity and activism of IBEW and CWA members working at Verizon," said IBEW President Ed Hill. "Our members... more...
- Aug 11, 2008 Labor Updates (8/11/08) Liberian Firestone Workers Win Contract: Workers at the Liberian Firestone rubber plantation signed an historic contract Wednesday, ending an 82-year legacy of exploitation, terrible working conditions and company-controlled unionism. “We were able to sit down at the table with management... more...
- Aug 11, 2008 Knockin' with Bowser Union members will join labor-endorsed Ward 4 DC City Council Candidate Muriel Bowser for the first in a series of door-knocking campaigns this Saturday from 9A-1P. “Come dressed in your union colors to show your support,” says Metro Council Assistant Political Coordinator Alya Mbamba.... more...
- Aug 11, 2008 Websites Made Easy When you think of websites, does it conjure up scary images of long, indecipherable lines of HTML code? Dispel that myth and learn about how Content Management Systems (CMS) – the latest in website-building technology – makes it easy to create and maintain a website at next Wednesday’s... more...
- Aug 8, 2008 Verizon Workers Rally as New Contract Deadline Nears Spirits were high outside the downtown DC Verizon headquarters Friday afternoon where Verizon workers and their supporters rallied for a fair contract. “No contract, no work. No work, no peace,” chanted the group while bargaining continued inside the headquarters. The action – one of... more...
- Aug 7, 2008 Verizon Contract Update Bargaining has continued around the clock since tens of thousands of Verizon workers postponed a strike on Sunday. Progress has been made on some issues but Verizon continues to fight workers’ demands on matters of employment security and work of the future, says a bargaining report posted on... more...
- Aug 7, 2008 Labor Updates (8/7/08) Onion, Post Radio Workers Face Legal Setback : Workers at the Onion and now-defunct Washington Post Radio faced a setback in their nearly year-old legal battle against the Post. An administrative law judge, last month, rejected the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild – which represents... more...
- Aug 7, 2008 Labor in the News (8/7/08) Teacher Lobbying by Outside Group Raises Ire of DC Teachers : DC teachers and their union, the Washington Teachers Union (WTU) Local 6, are accusing a newly-created community group of inappropriately interfering in the ongoing teacher contract negotiations, reported Bill Turque in... more...
- Aug 7, 2008 Labor Art: SEIU 32BJ Members Display Artistic Skills at Exhibit The artistic talents of SEIU 32BJ members and staff are on display in DC through today at the Breaking Through art exhibition. The exhibit, entitled Breaking Through, includes over 30 pieces of original paintings, drawings, photography, and poetry by more than twenty Local 32BJ members, officers... more...
- Aug 7, 2008 Wal-Mart Telling Workers How to Vote As if Wal-Mart’s business model of poverty wages, unaffordable healthcare, discrimination, and rabid unionbusting wasn’t bad enough. Now the anti-worker retail giant is holding mandatory meetings telling employees not to vote for Democrats who are supportive of the Employee Free Choice Act,... more...
- Aug 7, 2008 Labor Photo: Smithfield Canvassing DC Jobs with Justice activist Micah Landau reaches out to the community about the Smithfield campaign outside the Columbia Heights Metro last Friday. Canvassing continues at the Shaw-Howard University Metro station tomorrow at 5P. more...
- Aug 7, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice: Cross-Cultural Dialogue Series Begins Saturday The first in a series of dialogues on race, immigration and building cross-cultural alliances in DC will take place this Saturday from 1-3P."The goal of this event is to arm workers and residents with concrete tools that will help them come together and win concrete victories," said Daniel... more...
- Aug 4, 2008 Verizon Workers Postpone Strike Tens of thousands of Verizon workers in DC and across the East Coast postponed a major strike late Saturday night. The postponement was called after progress was made in negotiations between the workers’ unions – the CWA and IBEW – and Verizon over the weekend. “Thanks to... more...
- Aug 4, 2008 Labor Updates (8/4/08) Prince George's County In-Home Child Care Providers Honored : Nearly 200 Prince George's County residents -- including family child care providers and the kids they care for, along with their parents -- came out earlier this month for a day of fun and recognition for Maryland family child... more...
- Aug 4, 2008 Protesters Voice Concern Over Bain Buyout, Quality of Care Child care providers rallied with local activists outside a downtown DC Bright Horizons child care facility Thursday afternoon to demand Bain Capital – a private equity firm that recently bought out Bright Horizons – save quality of care in the District. Activists chanted “Our children... more...
- Aug 4, 2008 'News You Can Use' The Community Services Agency launched a new monthly online newsletter on Friday called Labor to Neighbor: “News You Can Use.” “We launched the newsletter to provide helpful resources in response to the growing need of workers in our community,” says CSA Executive Director Kathleen... more...
- Aug 4, 2008 Council Endorses Paul Strauss for DC Shadow Senator The Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO has endorsed Paul Strauss for Shadow Senator in the upcoming DC Democratic Primary on September 9. "Paul started out as a union organizer then went back to school to become a lawyer and now he represents workers in unions for UNITE HERE, Local 25," said... more...
- Aug 4, 2008 May & June Delegate, E-Board Minutes Now Online Minutes from May and June's Delegate and Executive Board meetings are now posted online . The Council will not meet in August; the next meeting will be September 15 at 6:30P at the AFL-CIO. more...
- Jul 31, 2008 Child Care Providers Rally Today Local childcare providers and parents will rally today in downtown DC to head off budget cuts and layoffs. The target of the protest is private equity firm Bain Capital, which recently bought Bright Horizons – the third largest child care company in the US. Workers and parents are staging... more...
- Jul 31, 2008 Verizon Workers Ready to Strike Tens of thousands of Verizon workers - including thousands in the metro Washington area - are preparing to strike Saturday if agreement is not reached on a new contract. The workers - represented by CWA and IBEW - have vowed to walk out if Verizon does not back off on demands for sharp... more...
- Jul 31, 2008 DC Labor & Allies Back Verizon Workers` Communities from Beltsville to Richmond are stepping up to support Verizon workers who may strike this weekend, reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. On Monday, the Labor Caucus of the Virginia Young Democrats volunteered to get the word out to their local and... more...
- Jul 31, 2008 Still Room at Union Women Summer School Union women from across the Northeast US will gather in Connecticut next week for the 33rd Annual Northeast Regional Summer School for Union Women. The school - hosted by the United Association for Labor Education (UALE) and the Coalition of Labor Union Women - brings together union women to... more...
- Jul 31, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Labor in the Pulpits Update Nearly 30 churches and synagogues have signed up to participate in the 7th annual Labor in the Pulpits/ Bimah/ Minbar program. The annual Labor Day campaign honors labor and the religious traditions that dignify and celebrate work while raising awareness about workers' struggles throughout the... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Labor Updates (7/28/08) Drivers Win Back Jobs : Bus drivers fired last year by MV Transportation have been reinstated after an arbitrator ruled that the terminations were without cause. “This is a huge win,” ATU Local 1764 President Wayne Baker tells Union City. Local 1764 represents the 20 drivers, who were... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Metro Council Endorses DC Council Candidates The Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO has endorsed Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4), Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7), and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) in the Democratic DC City Council primary. Action on the Democratic At-Large race will be taken up at a later date. The Metro Council... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Workers, Parents Rally for Quality Child Care Thurs Child care workers, parents and labor activists will rally Thursday at 11:30A to save quality childcare in the District. The workers - who work for Bright Horizons, the third largest child care center in the US - are fighting potential layoffs and cost-cutting measures after the purchase of... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Transit Workers Fight Pinch at the Pump Hundreds of Metro DC residents lined the block around the G and 13th Metro Center station entrance Wednesday afternoon hoping to receive one of 689 free $10 SmarTrip cards from transit workers and their union, ATU Local 689 . "The turnout was tremendous," Local 689 President Jackie Jeter told... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Baltimore Rolls Out Unwelcome Mat for McCain Republican presidential nominee John McCain got a chilly reception from labor activists during a recent fundraising visit to Baltimore. On Monday, 1199SEIU MD/DC Division Executive Vice President John Reid spoke at a "McSame as Bush" press conference with US Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Exploitation in Firestone Tires Dozens of activists held a high-energy rally outside the downtown DC offices of Firestone's public relations company Wednesday afternoon to counter Public Strategies' distortion of Firestone's labor abuses at its Liberian rubber plantation. Activists chanted "Public Strategies, you are liars.... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Networking, Online & Off Last Wednesday's "Social Networking" workshop featured the series' first "webinar," with participants online from as far away as Amherst, MA joining local attendees to learn more about using social networking tools like MySpace, Twitter and Facebook from Laura Packard of the AFL-CIO's New... more...
- Jul 28, 2008 Labor Photos: The Truth About E-Waste & Kenyan Worker Delegation Comes to DC The Truth About E-Waste : The audience for the DC Labor Filmfest's free screening of eDump Friday was appalled and fascinated to learn the unpleasant truth about what happens to the millions of tons of electronic waste the US produces every year. Linda Andros, from the United Steelworkers... more...
- Jul 23, 2008 Transit Workers Ease Travel Cost Transit workers will pass out 689 $10 Smartrip cards today starting at noon. “Like everyone else, we feel the pain of higher food prices, rising utility bills, and the soaring cost of gas,” says ATU Local 689 President Jackie Jeter. “That's why Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 is... more...
- Jul 23, 2008 Protesting Firestone's Liberian Labor Abuse Spin An army of lunchtime activists will rally in downtown DC today at noon to protest Firestone’s public relations campaign to downplay its continued exploitation of Liberian rubber workers. The protest will be held outside the offices of Public Strategies, the public relations firm responsible... more...
- Jul 23, 2008 Activists March on Zimbabwe Embassy Dozens of activists rallied outside the Embassy of Zimbabwe in near 100-degree heat Monday afternoon to demand justice for the Zimbabwean people following the corrupt presidential runoff elections in June. Protesters chanted, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Mugabe has got to go" and read and delivered a... more...
- Jul 23, 2008 Filmfest Stickers at Free Friday Screening Be the first to get the brand-new 2008 DC Labor FilmFest stickers at this Friday's free noontime screening of eDump ! The short documentary reveals hi-tech's dirty little secret: millions of tons a year of electronic waste, or e-waste, which ends up in places like China, India and Nigeria... more...
- Jul 23, 2008 No Democracy for DC Soldiers Despite serving their country in the military, DC veterans have no vote in Congress, says a new DC voting rights newspaper ad campaign launched last week. “DC’s soldiers make sacrifices for their country each and every day - a right to representation in Congress shouldn't be one of them,”... more...
- Jul 23, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Building Alliances Across Cultures DC Jobs with Justice will host the first in a series of dialogues to build cross-cultural alliances in DC Saturday, August 9 from 1-4P. “For many years Latinos, African Americans and people of African descent have lived in the same communities, residing in the same apartment buildings,... more...
- Jul 21, 2008 Sun Workers Protest Job Cuts Nearly 200 Baltimore Sun workers and their supporters rallied outside the Baltimore Sun office building Thursday to protest the impending cuts of 100 jobs at the paper, reported Liz Farmer in Thursday’s Maryland Daily Record . “Outside the Sun building’s steps Thursday, 100 black chairs... more...
- Jul 21, 2008 Justice for Zimbabwe Labor and community activists will hold a solidarity rally outside the Embassy of Zimbabwe in Northwest DC today at 4:30P to support the Zimbabwean movement for economic and social justice. “The people of Zimbabwe have been betrayed, by the government that claims to represent them and by... more...
- Jul 21, 2008 Interfaith Dialogue Focuses on Caregivers A group of interfaith religious leaders will lead a dialogue on worker justice for local caregivers Tuesday at 7P at the DC Jewish Community Center. Speakers at the event will include Rabbi Greg Harris, of Congregation Beth El, Dr. Sovan Tun, of the Cambodian Buddhist Society in Silver Spring,... more...
- Jul 21, 2008 Anti-Union MD Webpage Removed After Labor Protest An anti-union Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development webpage was taken down last weekend after protest from labor activists, reported Kathleen Miller on the Examiner website . The webpage – on the state’s “Choose Maryland” business promotion website – touted... more...
- Jul 21, 2008 Hi-Tech's High Cost The DC Labor FilmFest's free noontime screening series continues this Friday with a screening of eDump . The short documentary – by Journalist Michael Zhao – is a shocking exposé of what happens to our discarded laptops and cellphones and the horrific cost in health and environmental damage. more...
- Jul 18, 2008 Howard Workers Win Raises "Cleaners and trades workers at Howard University will get a big raise starting Friday as the result of a new contract reached between the Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ and the school," reports Tierney Plumb in the Washington Business Journal . About 300 cleaners, carpenters,... more...
- Jul 18, 2008 Verizon Workers Practice Picketing Verizon workers - members of CWA Local 2108 - practiced picketing Thursday in Beltsville and Silver Spring. The contract covering 55,000 CWA members and more than 10,000 Electrical Workers expires August 2. Click here for Pam Galperm’s Labor Notes article on the issues at stake during... more...
- Jul 18, 2008 DC Housing Inspectors Say Firings Unjust The move by DC's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) to fire 18 housing inspectors Tuesday is really "an attempt to contract out services," according to AFGE Local 2725, which represents the workers. The union says that DCRA unilaterally imposed new certification requirements on... more...
- Jul 18, 2008 Purple Line Attracts Labor Support Washington Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary Treasurer Vance Ayres has joined the board of Purple Line Now , a local coalition pushing for expanded mass transit. A Metro Purple Line encircling the city "will be a lot of work for the building trades and provide good... more...
- Jul 18, 2008 Liberia's 'Heavy Load' Discussed Today Firestone’s 80-year legacy of worker and environmental abuses in Liberia is the topic of a lunchtime event today at 12:30P at the Institute for Policy Studies. “For 82 years, working and living conditions on the Firestone rubber plantation in Liberia have been brutal,” says the Stop... more...
- Jul 18, 2008 Finding a Place for Labor in 2008 Local labor activists will meet Saturday at 11:30A for a discussion on making a working class agenda a priority during the 2008 elections and a potential Obama presidential administration. “Come prepared to discuss getting the message out on working families and how to build membership,... more...
- Jul 18, 2008 Correction (7/18/08) We got the year wrong on the Pullman strike and Chicago Jackson Park fire at the World's Columbian Exposition (LABOR HISTORY 7/3 UNION CITY ). "The Columbian Exposition was in 1893," (not 1892, as we reported) writes UNION CITY reader Linn Orear of the Illinois Labor History Society. During a... more...
- Jul 18, 2008 Public Health Leaders Back MontCo Worker Safety Campaign Public health advocates in the Washington area are urging Montgomery County officials to support the Montgomery County Worker Health and Safety Initiative. The Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association (MWPHA), the regional affiliate of the American Public Health Association, said the... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 Labor Updates (7/16/08) Cheverly Construction Workers OK Union : Despite heavy rains that cancelled the workday, nearly 80 laborers at Pessoa Construction turned out to vote for a union Tuesday, voting 47-30 to join the Laborers. "I never felt that my job had a future before," said William Avelar, a laborer at... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 MD Verizon Workers Rally as Contract Deadline Looms Two simultaneous worksite demos will be held at Verizon offices in Silver Spring and Beltsville, Maryland Thursday from 11A-2P to demand a fair contract for Verizon workers. Verizon is calling for healthcare and benefit concessions from workers during ongoing contract negotiations. “Our... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 DC Candidate Interviews Start Tonight The Metro Council DC City Council candidate interviews begin tonight at the Hillcrest Community Center at 6P. Tonight’s interviews will focus on Ward 7 and 8 candidates. Interviews with Ward 2, 4 and At-Large candidates will be held tomorrow at the AFL-CIO starting at 6:30P. Click here to view... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 Dine, Trumka Discuss 'State of the Union' Thurs Author and journalist Phil Dine will be joined by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka tomorrow at the AFL-CIO at 12:30P to discuss his new book, “State of the Unions: How Labor Can Strengthen the Middle Class, Improve Our Economy, and Regain Political Influence.” Dine and Trumka... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 Help for Homeowners The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America hosts a five-day event July 19-23 to assist homeowners who are in financial distress because of the mortgage crisis. NACA will provide comprehensive counseling and negotiation with lenders to get immediate, permanent reductions in interest rates... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 Social Networking for Union Power Laura Packard, of the New Organizing Institute, will dispel the myths and discuss the advantages of using online social networking tools to increase your communications and organizing efforts at a free lunchtime training next Wednesday at 12P. The training is the latest in our new “Labor... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 New DC Dates, Locations Added to Smithfield Metro Canvassing New dates and locations have been added to the Smithfield Metro canvassing campaign . The new locations include Eastern Market (Tuesday, July 22 from 7:30-9A and Friday, July 25 from 5-6:30P) and Georgia Ave/Petworth (this Friday from 5-6:30P). Click here for more info and to get involved. more...
- Jul 16, 2008 Labor on the Move: New Leaders at AFGE 2782, Iron Workers 5, WBCTC & AFT New Leaders at AFGE 2782, Iron Workers 5 and WBCTC : Bill Schauman is the new president at AFGE 2782, which represents workers at the Census Bureau. The new business manager of Iron Workers Local 5 is Kendall Martin. The Washington Building and Construction Trades Council (WBCTC) also have... more...
- Jul 16, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Labor in the Pulpits For the eighth consecutive year, DC Jobs with Justice is working with Interfaith Worker Justice of Greater Washington, Jews United for Justice, and the Metro Council to bring Labor in the Pulpits/Bimah/Minbar to churches, synagogues and mosques in the Metro DC area. The annual Labor Day campaign... more...
- Jul 14, 2008 Labor Night at the Nats Nearly 6,000 area union members were on hand for Friday night’s 2nd annual Labor Nights at the Nats, as the Nationals thrashed the Houston Astros 10-0. Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams, Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, Northern Virginia CLC... more...
- Jul 14, 2008 Labor Updates (7/14/08) MontCo Domestic Workers May Finally Get Rights: Supporters of a domestic workers’ rights bill – currently before the Montgomery County Council – launched an online campaign Friday urging County Councilmembers to pass the legislation at a vote on the bill tomorrow. The proposed bill –... more...
- Jul 14, 2008 "Unfair Trade Kills" As tourists gawked and snapped photos, a 14-foot tall "Toxic Trader" puppet - flanked by three caped "Toxic Avengers" - posed in front of the White House Wednesday before continuing on its way to a demonstration at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Dozens of supporters joined the march and demo, which... more...
- Jul 14, 2008 "No Contracts, No Phones!" Hundreds of chanting CWA members and their supporters marched and rallied outside CWA's 3rd Street headquarters Thursday as negotiations for a new contract with Verizon continued. The mood was militant in the noonday heat, as the activists threatened "We can build it, we can burn it down!"... more...
- Jul 14, 2008 AFGE 12 Claims Bush Cronyism at DOL Battling against "rampant cronyism" it says has engulfed the Department of Labor under the Bush Administration, AFGE Local 12 filed a grievance this week against the appointment of Carrie Snidar, special assistant to former Department of Labor (DOL) Deputy Assistant Secretary Emily DeRocco. The... more...
- Jul 14, 2008 DC Council Interviews Set The Metro Washington Council will screen DC City Council candidates next week. Candidate interviews are open to union members, and are scheduled for July 16-17. Ward 7 and 8 candidate interviews will be held at the Hillcrest Community Center on July 16 from 6P-7P; Ward 2, 4 and At-Large... more...
- Jul 9, 2008 Stadium Workers Vote in Union Just in time for this Friday’s Labor Night at the Nats, food and beverage workers at Nationals Stadium voted “Union Yes!” last Thursday. The July 3 card check vote was “A grand slam!” reports William Aragon, Director of UNITE HERE Local 25’s Food Service Division. “Centerplate... more...
- Jul 9, 2008 Smithfield Campaign Turns Up the Heat Activists will be on the phones and outside Metro stations this week keeping the momentum going for the Metro DC "Buy Better Than Smithfield" summer campaign. Smithfield worker supporters from across the nation will participate in a call-in action throughout the week to press the nationally... more...
- Jul 9, 2008 Labor Photo: NoVA CLC July 4 Cookout Mark Warner (at right) , labor-endorsed candidate for the US Senate in Virginia, at the July 4th Northern Virginia Central Labor Council cookout. more...
- Jul 9, 2008 Reader Survey Winners Mischa Gaus, Monica Lee Silbas and Carolyn Jacobson are our winners in the Union City Reader Survey, selected at random from over 200 readers who responded. In addition to many kudos, many of you offered very specific and helpful suggestions, and we're compiling the survey results now and hope... more...
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