News Articles Archives
- Jul 7, 2008 Labor in the News (7/7/08) THE DISTRICT : Ex-Offenders Protest Lack of Jobs, Services : “More than 100 ex-offenders, some recently released from prison, and their families marched through downtown Washington yesterday, accusing business leaders of not hiring enough people who have served their time and District... more...
- Jul 7, 2008 How to Network Not sure where to put the photos from your union's July 4 picnic? Want to create an interactive web-based community for your members without cluttering your official union site with reader comments? With social networking, workers who are considering organizing a union at their workplace can... more...
- Jul 7, 2008 Day Laborers Kick Around Soccer Ball, Organizing Ideas Day laborers from across the Metro DC region laced up their soccer shoes on Sunday, June 29 for the second annual Day Laborer Soccer Tournament. The event not only provided an afternoon of friendly soccer competition but also gave day laborers and community activists a chance to discuss... more...
- Jul 3, 2008 In Memoriam: Shirley O. Brown Long-time DC educator, labor leader and community activist Dr. Shirley O. Brown passed away June 7 “at Washington Hospital Center of injuries suffered that day in an automobile accident,” reported Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb in Tuesday’s Washington Post . Dr. Brown – a DC native... more...
- Jul 3, 2008 NoVA Council Hosts Warner at July 4 Cookout The Northern Virginia Central Labor Council will host a July 4 cookout "to honor labor's endorsed candidate for the US Senate – Mark Warner," reports President Dan Duncan. "Governor Warner is expected to join us after marching in both the Dale City and Fairfax City parades," Duncan... more...
- Jul 3, 2008 NoVA Hotel Workers Launch Boycott Over 150 workers from five hotels across Northern Virginia rallied with supporters outside the Hilton Crystal City Wednesday afternoon to launch a worker-approved boycott against unionbusting hotel management company Columbia Sussex. Protesters roared “Don’t check in, check out”... more...
- Jul 2, 2008 NoVA Hotel Workers Rally Today The fireworks will be in Northern Virginia today at 4:30P when hundreds will rally to demand a fair contract for Crystal City Hilton hotel workers. The workers have been without a contract since October 2007 ( VA Hotel Workers Demand Contract 11/5/07 UC). Management “wants to eliminate... more...
- Jul 2, 2008 DC Council Introduces Resolution on Smithfield A resolution introduced Monday in DC City Council condemns Smithfield Foods and asks area supermarkets not to stock products from the prominent meat company. Hearings will be held in the fall. Councilmembers Phil Mendelson and Marion Barry introduced a Sense of the Council resolution charging... more...
- Jul 2, 2008 Summer Reading Mariya Strauss is reading "Bleak House," Charles Dickens' "analysis of the British legal system and how it is designed to harm the poor" and David Schlein is reading Bill Fletcher, Jr.'s brand-new book "Solidarity Divided" in which Fletcher analyzes "the AFL-CIO and Change to Win split." What's... more...
- Jul 2, 2008 Labor News on Air and Online More news for working people is just a free call away! For the latest labor headlines and news – available 24/7 from Workers Independent News – call 425-527-7001 or click here . more...
- Jul 2, 2008 Labor Photo: Puppets Against Toxics The Toxic Trader puppet - shown here at last week's Great Labor Arts Exchange - will rise again at the July 9 Rally and Street Theater demo against unsafe imports being organized by the United Steelworkers. more...
- Jul 1, 2008 90 Graduate from Labor College "Brothers and Sisters, this is where you take your degrees to wage the next battle of workers rights in this country," former presidential candidate John Edwards told the National Labor College (NLC) 2008 graduating class Saturday. "This is where you become our next leaders to fight for what... more...
- Jul 1, 2008 Mother Says Read a Book "Sit down and read,” urged Mother Jones. “Educate yourself for the coming conflicts." Arm yourself this summer with great labor reads at The Union Shop . Everything from Jared Bernstein’s “Crunch: Why Do I Feel So Squeezed? (And Other Unsolved Economic Mysteries)” to “The... more...
- Jul 1, 2008 Labor on the Move: New Address for MD State Fed The Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO has a new mailing address while renovations are underway at State Fed headquarters in Annapolis. Effective July 1, mail should be sent to the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO at PO Box 26428 in Baltimore, Maryland 21207 until... more...
- Jun 30, 2008 Members Pack 1199SEIU Training Classes Members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East are packing the union's inaugural classes for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) and Geriatric Nursing Assistants (GNA). "I wanted a better opportunity than what I'm doing now and I wanted a change and to improve my job," says Monique Kearson,... more...
- Jun 30, 2008 Labor on the Move: Local 22 Finds New Home IATSE Local 22 moved into its new offices today. The local’s new contact info is 1810 Hamlin Street, NE Washington, DC 20018; Phone: 202-269-0212, Fax: 202-635-0192. The after hours number (301-593-8264) remains the same. To access the most up-to-date contact information on all Metro... more...
- Jun 30, 2008 Labor Updates (6/30/08) Transit Workers Still Waiting for Increased Safety Measures : A recent shooting injuring a bus operator outside the Anacostia Metro station underscores the need for the US Congress to act on a measure that would increase security for transit workers, says a letter posted on the ATU Local... more...
- Jun 30, 2008 Labor Photo: Friday's "Brother Outsider" Screening Pride at Work, AFL-CIO Executive Director Jeremy Bishop introduced Friday's free screening of "Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin" at the AFL-CIO. The DC Labor Filmfest, the Labor Heritage Foundation, Pride at Work, AFL-CIO and the A. Philip Randolph Institute DC chapter sponsored the... more...
- Jun 27, 2008 Pride Month Wraps Up with Rustin Film Screening Today The DC Labor Filmfest celebrates Pride Month with a free noontime screening of "Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin" today at noon. One of the first "freedom riders," an adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and A. Philip Randolph, organizer of the march on Washington, Bayard Rustin... more...
- Jun 27, 2008 Obama Gets AFL-CIO Nods Calling him "a champion for working families," the AFL-CIO endorsed Barack Obama for President on Thursday. "Barack Obama has proven from his days as an organizer, to his time in the Senate and his historic run for the presidency, that he's leading the fight to turn around America," said... more...
- Jun 27, 2008 Labor in the News (6/27/08) Labor Withholds Prince George’s County Endorsements : "Citing their bitter feud with the county's Democratic Party leaders since last October, labor union officials are threatening to withhold endorsements of Prince George's County lawmakers unless they agree to ditch the current leaders of... more...
- Jun 27, 2008 NYT Reporter Speaks at Labor College New York Times labor reporter and author Steven Greenhouse will hold an open forum and book signing at the National Labor College today at 4P. "The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker" explores what Greenhouse termed "the broken compact between employee and employer" - which once... more...
- Jun 27, 2008 Crunched, Squeezed, Squandered and Screwed Build your summer reading list around these must-reads from The Union Shop - and gear up for the political change millions are making to turn around America. "Crunch: Why Do I Feel So Squeezed? (And Other Unsolved Economic Mysteries)," by Jared Bernstein; "The Big Squeeze: Tough Times... more...
- Jun 26, 2008 Williams Protests "Name-Calling" "It's with some bemusement that we've witnessed recent attacks on local labor leaders whose only crime seems to be that they've been a bit too effective," said Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams in letters to the Washington Post and DC Councilmembers Mary Cheh, David Catania and... more...
- Jun 26, 2008 Forum on Workers' Rights in Liberia Tonight Leaders of the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (FAWUL) will wrap up their DC trip tonight at 6:30P with a public forum on the fight for economic justice and workers’ rights in Liberia. Speakers at tonight’s event will include FAWUL President Austin S. Natee, FAWUL Secretary... more...
- Jun 26, 2008 Smithfield Campaign Rolls On Local activists will continue canvassing actions to highlight Smithfield's worker abuses this Friday at 5P at Rhode Island Ave METRO station. The actions are part of the Smithfield "Packaged with Abuse" campaign launched last Thursday ( Smithfield "Packaged with Abuse" Campaign Launched in DC... more...
- Jun 26, 2008 Readers Want More "More pictures of labor history". "More advance notice of a broader range of activities". "Book reviews of materials to help trade unionists". "Union City has put me in touch with the union movement in a way that I've never been before. Thanks for doing this. Keep up the good work!" More than... more...
- Jun 25, 2008 AFT & AFGE 12 Turn Out for Rustin Film “We had a great crowd today” at Tuesday’s screening of “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin” reports AFT’s Jodie Fingland. “Everyone really enjoyed the film and Norm Hill did a great job informing staff about some of Bayard's accomplishments that weren't in the... more...
- Jun 25, 2008 "Can You Pay Us Now?" Chants of “Verizon, can you hear us now? Verizon, can you pay us now?” echoed outside Verizon’s downtown DC headquarters Tuesday during a high-energy lunchtime rally to support unpaid Verizon subcontracted workers. Over 100 workers and activists turned out for the rally to pressure Verizon... more...
- Jun 25, 2008 Liberian Workers Win Meany Award The AFL-CIO and Solidarity Center host the Annual George Meany - Lane Kirkland Human Rights Awards tonight to honor the recent victory of Liberian Firestone workers in their fight to win an independent, rank-and-file run union. Austin Natee, President of the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union... more...
- Jun 25, 2008 Labor Photo: The Bush Legacy Bus The AFL-CIO held a kick-off event Tuesday afternoon for the “Bush Legacy Bus” tour. The Bus is “a museum on wheels describing the George W. Bush legacy – eight years of failed and flawed conservative polices that have dragged down our nation,” reports Mike Hall on the AFL-CIO Now... more...
- Jun 25, 2008 Puppets, Art & Creativity Celebrated Activists battled a giant Toxic Trade puppet Tuesday as the Great Labor Arts Exchange/Conference on Creative Organizing (GLAE/CCO) wrapped up three days of art and activism. The puppet was part of street theater organized by the United Steelworkers – who are planning a July 9 demo in DC –... more...
- Jun 24, 2008 Mayor Faulted for Crisis at Public Employee Board Labor strongly objected to three last-minute nominees to the District’s Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) in testimony last Friday before the DC City Council’s Committee On Workforce Development And Government Operations. “We are objecting strongly to the process of appointments as... more...
- Jun 24, 2008 Readers Speak Out “More stuff on pro-labor things to do in the city or online.” “Earlier notice of upcoming events.” “Use headers and bullet points to make it easier to navigate.” These are just a few of the more than 100 comments and suggestions that have already come in response to our annual Union... more...
- Jun 24, 2008 Missing Labor History We missed an important date in labor history on June 21, the 4-year anniversary of BIGLabor.com’s “Today In Labor History,” which has become one of UNION CITY’s most popular features. “Every week's offering is likely to change year to year as I continue to find appropriate items... more...
- Jun 24, 2008 The Media, the Economy and Workers By Philip Dine Coverage of labor or workers' issues in general is all too rare in the media, and discussion of these topics is even more scarce in the rarified atmosphere of Washington's top think tanks. So it was gratifying to participate in one such event last... more...
- Jun 24, 2008 Labor Classifieds Office Space Available: 3100 square feet, 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW (K Street to L Street, between 14th and 15th Streets). Available 8/1/08; currently occupied by the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), who is offering a sublease through 2011 at $37/sq ft. Contact DPE Executive... more...
- Jun 23, 2008 DC Activists Join A.C. Demo New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine and Senator Robert Menendez joined United Auto Workers president Ron Gettlefinger, AFL-CIO president John Sweeney and thousands of other labor leaders and activists – including a busload from DC - in Atlantic City Saturday to demonstrate support for casino... more...
- Jun 23, 2008 Verizon Subcontractors Demand Pay Workers will rally outside Verizon headquarters in DC Tuesday at noon to demand that Verizon take responsibility for the unpaid wages of subcontracted workers. The workers are employees of subcontractors hired by Verizon to dig trenches for new fiber optics cable. Workers have asked Verizon to... more...
- Jun 23, 2008 Bayard Rustin Film Screens to Honor Gay Pride Month He was there at most of the important events of the Civil Rights Movement - but always in the background. The film “Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin” – which screens in DC three times this week -- asks "Why?" It presents a vivid drama, intermingling the personal and the... more...
- Jun 23, 2008 Conference Celebrates Wage & Hour Landmark Case A century ago, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision was handed down that had a huge and long-lasting impact on wage and hour regulations. The National Consumer League is hosting a free conference marking the centennial of the 1908 “Muller v. Oregon” case this Wednesday, featuring the... more...
- Jun 20, 2008 In Memoriam: Stu Smith Longtime AFSCME activist Stu Smith passed away Wednesday night, reports AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman. Smith, President of AFSCME Local 2830 – which represents workers at the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs – “was a role-model, advisor and mentor... more...
- Jun 20, 2008 PERB Appointees Lack Labor Experience Three appointees for the District’s Public Employee Relations Board “do not appear to have any background in labor relations,” says Metro Council Political Coordinator Rick Powell, who urges all DC public sector unions to call DC Councilmember Carol Schwartz immediately to sign up to... more...
- Jun 20, 2008 Smithfield "Packaged with Abuse" Campaign Launched in DC The perfect June day belied the ugly tales of worker abuse at Thursday’s Smithfield “Packaged With Abuse” campaign kickoff. Dozens of supporters gathered beneath blue skies clad in “ Justice/Justicia at Smithfield ”- emblazoned shirts as a giant “demon pig” puppet loomed in... more...
- Jun 20, 2008 CSA Urges Local Assistance for Midwest Flood Victims The Community Services Agency is urging local assistance “to help our brothers and sisters impacted by the floods in the Midwest,” says CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. The United Way has created the United Way 2008 Midwest Flood Recovery Fund to support long-term recovery... more...
- Jun 19, 2008 Smithfield-Free DC Summer Campaign Launches Today A major ad campaign targeting Smithfield Foods kicks off at 11:30A today. The ads - which will appear on radio, DC-area buses, and Metro stations - will detail Smithfield's "long and chilling record of worker abuse" at their Tar Heel, NC plant and feature profiles of injured workers. "Human... more...
- Jun 19, 2008 Peace Flick Previews Tonight The Avalon Theater hosts an advance screening tonight at 8P of “ Finding Our Voices ,” a new feature length documentary profiling the lives of Americans who have spoken out against the war in Iraq, including Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) and local activist Rev. Graylan Hagler. Also featured are a... more...
- Jun 19, 2008 Virginia Activists Mobilize Labor activists in Northern Virginia begin a weeklong Million-Member Mobilization walk campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) this Saturday from 9A-1P. The walks are part of an AFL-CIO nationwide canvassing initiative to gather one million signatures urging the new President and... more...
- Jun 19, 2008 Casino Workers Gear Up for Rally Saturday Casino workers are making signs and getting excited for the arrival of thousands of labor activists this Saturday to support their fight for a fair contract. “We’re excited that people will be coming from all over the country to support us,” says Robert Beck, a casino dealer at Bally’s... more...
- Jun 19, 2008 State Fed Hosts COPE "Salute to Leadership" The Maryland and District of Columbia AFL-CIO’s Committee on Political Education’s “Salute To Leadership” tomorrow at 6P features fun and fundraising. The event will offer a special salute to James “Ron” DeJulius, Commissioner of Labor & Industry, DLLR, C. “Buddy” Mays,... more...
- Jun 19, 2008 In Memoriam: Tom Powers Long-time labor lawyer and activist Tom Powers passed away from cancer at his home in Rockville last week, reported Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb in Wednesday's Washington Post . He was 74. Powers began his involvement with the labor movement after moving to DC to pursue a law degree at George... more...
- Jun 19, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Saving Public Property in DC With the imminent closing of 23 DC public schools, DC community activists will demand the DC City Council pass legislation to protect public property at a Council hearing today at 9A . “In 2001 the Lovejoy School in Northeast DC was sold to build 54 luxury apartments and the developer made... more...
- Jun 18, 2008 Delegate Meeting Highlights Highlights of Monday night's Metro Council delegate meeting included a brief talk by St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Philip Dine, author of "State of the Unions: How Labor Can Strengthen the Middle Class, Improve Our Economy and Regain Political Influence." Dine told Council delegates that he... more...
- Jun 18, 2008 Area Mall Cleaners Win New Contract Hundreds of mall cleaners in Maryland, Virginia and three other states on the East Coast won a new contract that increases wages as much as 54 percent for many workers, reports the workers’ union, SEIU 32BJ. The wage increase raises wages to match those of area office building cleaners. The... more...
- Jun 18, 2008 Labor Livens Up Pride Parade Rain did not deter a spirited contingent of union members from marching in Saturday’s Capital Pride Parade in Dupont Circle. Union marchers – from UNITE HERE Local 25 and Pride at Work, AFL-CIO – chanted "Ain't no power like the power of the people," and carried signs reading “Proud to... more...
- Jun 18, 2008 Bill Fletcher on "Solidarity Divided" Busboys and Poets is hosting a conversation and book signing with longtime labor activist Bill Fletcher Jr. this Wednesday. Fletcher, cofounder of the Center for Labor Renewal , is a columnist and long-time activist who served as President of Trans Africa Forum and was formerly the... more...
- Jun 17, 2008 Labor Updates (6/17/08) Progressive Labor Partnership Contract Proposed in Prince George’s County: The Metro Council's Executive Board last week sent a letter proposing a new contract between labor and elected officials in Prince George's County. The proposed contract included support from PG elected officials... more...
- Jun 17, 2008 Smithfield-Free Ad Campaign Launches Thursday Local labor and community activists will kick off a major ad blitz against Smithfield Foods this Thursday at 11:30A. The blitz will include bus and metro station ads and a radio and phone messaging campaigning that will feature actor Danny Glover. The ads will detail Smithfield’s abuses of... more...
- Jun 17, 2008 DC JwJ Awards "Huge Success" Last Thursday’s 6th Annual “I’ll Be There” Awards was a “huge success,” raising over $12,000 to support the work of DC Jobs with Justice (JwJ), reports DC JwJ Organizer Ruth Castel-Branco. “We are so thankful to everyone who worked to make this event such a huge success,” says... more...
- Jun 17, 2008 Labor Turnout Urged in MD Special Election Today Voters in Maryland's 4th Congressional District have a chance to support labor-endorsed candidate Donna Edwards today in a Special Election to complete US Congressmember Al Wynn's term. Wynn retired last March after losing to Edwards, who won an impressive 60% of the primary vote against the... more...
- Jun 17, 2008 Still Space on DC Bus to Atlantic City Demo Over 60 buses from across the eastern seaboard will descend on Atlantic City this Saturday as thousands rally to support casino workers. Space on the bus from DC is going fast. The bus leaves from the Greenbelt Metro at 8A Saturday and returns to DC around 8P. Despite an overwhelming "Union Yes"... more...
- Jun 17, 2008 Voting Starts on "Our America" Video Awards Now it’s your turn to vote. Twelve finalists have been selected in the "Turn Around America" online video competition . The contest is part of a larger AFL-CIO initiative to "Turn Around America" which will run through the summer and features major events in battleground states and build... more...
- Jun 16, 2008 Labor Updates (6/16/08) Victory for DC EMS Workers on Shift Changes Battle : District EMS workers defeated DC government officials' attempts to unilaterally impose changes to shifts, reports the Fire Fighters Local 36 website . The new agreement, reached between Local 36 and the City earlier this week, "preserves... more...
- Jun 16, 2008 3 Ways to Be Smithfield-Free Metro DC labor and community activists won't be grilling Smithfield meats this summer as the campaign heats up to get the giant pork processor to halt its abuses of workers at their hog processing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina. An online worker solidarity campaign was launched last... more...
- Jun 16, 2008 DC Labor's Year (So Far) In Review Area labor activists have walked dozens of picket lines and rallied for justice across the region and the year is barely half over. Check out a highlight reel of DC labor’s 2008 activities at tonight’s meeting of the Metro Washington Council; celebrate our victories, honor our struggles and... more...
- Jun 16, 2008 Arts Exchange Celebrates 30 Years of Labor Culture Artists, musicians, cultural workers and community activists will celebrate the struggle for social justice at the 30th annual Great Labor Arts Exchange (GLAE) June 22-24 at the National Labor College. “Nourish your soul in an atmosphere of creativity and solidarity,” says Elise Bryant of... more...
- Jun 16, 2008 Labor Photo: Future Apprentices Graduate Eight graduates celebrated their completion of a six-week pre-apprenticeship program in DC Friday afternoon. The Joint Carpentry Apprenticeship School ran the training program, funded by the DC Department of Employment Services. The Community Services Agency also provided 30 hours of Job... more...
- Jun 13, 2008 Labor Reporter/Author to Attend Council Meeting Meet the author of "one of the best books in years on the labor movement" at Monday’s Labor Council meeting. St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Philip Dine, whose labor reporting has been nominated twice for a Pulitzer Prize, will discuss his new book "State of the Unions: How Labor Can... more...
- Jun 13, 2008 Hundreds Honor Labor, Community Activists at DC JwJ Awards Hundreds of activists filled the Gompers Room of the AFL-CIO last night to honor labor and community leaders at the 6th Annual DC Jobs with Justice (JwJ) “I’ll Be There” Awards. This year’s honorees included Metro Council President Jos Williams, Foundry United Methodist Church, Empower... more...
- Jun 13, 2008 Casino Dealers Seek Better Deal The June 21 mobilization to support casino workers in Atlantic City is gathering momentum. Space is available on buses traveling up from DC for the day; the buses leave from the Greenbelt Metro at 8A and return around 8P (lunch will be provided). Last year in Atlantic City nearly 5,000 table... more...
- Jun 13, 2008 Golf Tourney Forms Now Online Registration forms are now available online for the 13th Annual Community Services Agency (CSA) Golf Tournament planned for Monday, September 29 . “Last year we had perfect weather and raised badly needed funds for the CSA’s Emergency Assistance Fund,” says CSA Executive Director... more...
- Jun 12, 2008 DC JwJ Honors Activists Tonight Award-winners at tonight's DC Jobs with Justice (JwJ) "I''ll Be There” Awards include Metro Council President Jos Williams, Foundry United Methodist Church, Empower DC, and Mary Spencer and Mark Borbely. The sixth annual awards ceremony and annual fundraiser - which begins at 5:30P at the... more...
- Jun 11, 2008 Kucinich & Hunger Strikers to Deliver Letter to Justice Dept Today Congressmember Dennis Kucinich will rally with Indian guestworkers - some of whom are in their fourth week of a hunger strike - and their supporters outside the Department of Justice (DOJ) today at noon. They will present a letter - signed by Kucinich and 17 other Congressmembers - to US... more...
- Jun 11, 2008 Northern Virginia Turns Up Heat on McCain As the mercury approached triple digits Monday, dozens of union members and allies hit the street in McLean to tell presumptive Republican nominee John McCain that things will only get hotter in Northern Virginia as Election Day gets closer. Waving signs and shouting “Outsource McCain Not... more...
- Jun 11, 2008 CSA Emergency Assistance Fund 'Tremendous Help' “Thank you for overseeing a wonderful program for union members such as this,” writes a recent client of the Community Services Agency’s (CSA) Emergency Assistance Fund. “I didn’t know about many of the services offered but I’m glad I inquired because it was a tremendous help to have... more...
- Jun 10, 2008 Labor Updates (6/10/08) Indian Guestworkers to Rally Outside DOJ : Indian guestworkers and supporters will march on the Department of Justice (DOJ) Wednesday at noon to demand the DOJ allow workers to stay in the US during the ongoing investigation against their employer Signal International. “The workers, who... more...
- Jun 10, 2008 Street Theater at DC JwJ Awards Thursday's DC Jobs with Justice "I'll Be There" Awards will feature a new play adapted by the ACT Theater collective , an up-and-coming DC-based street theater group. In "The Pit," an immigrant woman's desperate search for a helping hand leads instead to the discovery of many of our society's... more...
- Jun 10, 2008 Labor Photo: Knockin' in NoVA for Healthcare Dozens of labor activists braved intense heat Saturday to get the message out to Northern Virginia union members about the 2008 elections and healthcare. Saturday's walk was one of the first in a series of walks planned throughout the Metro DC leading up to the November elections. Watch future... more...
- Jun 9, 2008 No Seat for Workers at McCain Table Working families will gather outside two of Sen. John McCain's high-dollar fundraisers tonight in the District and Northern Virginia to call on him to renounce corporate lobbyists and other Washington insiders who have been the primary backers of the Bush economic agenda. "John McCain talks... more...
- Jun 9, 2008 Hitting the Union Jackpot Thousands will fill the famous Atlantic City broadwalk Saturday, June 21 to rally for a fair contract for casino workers. Last year, nearly 5,000 table game dealers and slot machine technicians at four Atlantic City casinos voted overwhelming to join the United Auto Workers (UAW), but one year... more...
- Jun 6, 2008 Labor Updates (6/6/08) Union Victory for MontCo Profs : Hundreds of part-time faculty at Montgomery College won a months-long battle to unionize this week ( DC Jobs with Justice Corner: PT MontCo Profs Organize 4/24/08 UC), voting overwhelmingly for SEIU Local 500, reported Marcus Moore in Wednesday's Gazette .... more...
- Jun 6, 2008 Walking & Talking Healthcare in NoVA Northern Virginia activists will door-knock on the healthcare issue tomorrow in Northern Virginia Central Labor Council's health care walk. "We will have doughnuts, bagels, juice and coffee in the morning and Iron Workers General Secretary Walt Wise and AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer J. David... more...
- Jun 6, 2008 DC Cops Call Fenty "Anti-Union" Calling DC Mayor Adrian Fenty "anti-union," DC police union official Kristopher Baumann said Fenty "has shown absolute disdain for front line workers." Contract negotiations between the District and DC police officers are heating up after what Baumann called "outrageous" contract proposals from... more...
- Jun 6, 2008 CWA and Verizon Resume Early Negotiations Talks between CWA and Verizon resumed last week, according to a report in the CWA 2108 News . "CWA Districts 1, 2 and 13, together with the IBEW, have agreed to resume early negotiations with Verizon, covering the Verizon 'East' contract," says a report in the June edition of the 2108 News. The... more...
- Jun 6, 2008 NLRB Upholds Trump Plaza Dealers' Vote for UAW More than a year after they voted for a union, dealers at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, finally can celebrate their victory. The National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) last week certified the UAW as their union. On June 21, a united labor movement, backed by community... more...
- Jun 5, 2008 DC Rallies for California Workers A California contract campaign came to DC Wednesday when nearly 100 green-clad AFSCME members and labor activists rallied for thousands of University of California (UC) workers. The crowd filled the sidewalks outside the UC Washington Center on Rhode Island Avenue to pressure school officials... more...
- Jun 5, 2008 Area Activists to Rally at McCain Fundraisers With the primary season finally over, energized area labor activists will turn their attention to Republican presidential nominee John McCain Monday at fundraisers in Virginia and the District of Columbia. “McCain’s stands on working family issues like health care, the Employee Free Choice... more...
- Jun 5, 2008 Three Days of Music, Art & Organizing Registrations are still being accepted for the Great Labor Arts Exchange (GLAE) and Conference on Creative Organizing (CCO) from June 22-24 at the National Labor College. “It’s a wonderful gathering of professional and amateur performers as well as artists from a variety of disciplines,”... more...
- Jun 5, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Summer Brings New Interns to DC JwJ DC Jobs with Justice (JwJ) welcomed their 2008 summer interns – Tiye Kinlow and Michael Harris III – this week. Kinlow is a graduate of School Without Walls and a rising junior at Lafayette College, where she studies Anthropology and Sociology. An alumna of the Mayor's Youth Leadership... more...
- Jun 4, 2008 Free Speech Rights Preserved Labor and civil rights activists succeeded in protecting free speech in the nation's capital Tuesday when the D.C. City Council voted 9-4 – with continued support coming from Councilmembers Thomas, Graham, Gray, Bowser, Mendelson, and Evans and critical votes coming from Councilmembers... more...
- Jun 4, 2008 Fairness Squared Fairness unites two events today. Labor will demand fair trade reform and a fair contract for thousands of University of California workers at two afternoon events today in the District. CWA President Larry Cohen, Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr., and Congressmembers will call for US trade... more...
- Jun 4, 2008 Ad Deadline for DC JwJ Awards Today Today's the last chance to reserve space in the program book ad for the 2008 DC Jobs with Justice (JwJ) "I''ll Be There Awards," reports DC JwJ Organizer Ruth Castel-Branco. Award recipients for this year's event include Metro Council President Jos Williams, Foundry United Methodist Church,... more...
- Jun 4, 2008 Labor Updates (6/4/08) Indian Guestworkers Win Support of Thousands, Human Rights Awards : Nearly 9,000 people have sent letters to their Congress members urging their support for hunger striking Indian workers fighting human trafficking, reports the New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice . The email... more...
- Jun 3, 2008 Hundreds Rally for Free Speech Over 300 turned out Monday to raise their voices for free speech. After rallying on Freedom Plaza the activists flooded the halls of DC City Council to express their strong opposition to a bill that would severely restrict public speech in DC and limit the right to speak and be heard.... more...
- Jun 3, 2008 Principals Fight Firings The end of the school year is just around the corner but work is only beginning for DC principals fighting School Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s recent decision to fire twenty-four of their colleagues, reported Dion Haynes Saturday on the Washington Post’s DC Wire . This “decision appears to... more...
- Jun 3, 2008 "Prayer is My Food": A Report from the Hunger Strike By Scott Reynolds I visited the Indian hunger strikers over at the embassy Sunday. Of the original group only one, Paul, who just had his 54th birthday this past week, has lasted the entire time. I had been feeling a bit guilty that I hadn't gone over in a while and I'm so glad I did. The... more...
- Jun 3, 2008 NoVA Health Care Labor Walk Set for Saturday Doughnuts and bagels will fuel the Northern Virginia Central Labor Council's health care walk this Saturday, June 7. "We will have doughnuts, bagels, juice and coffee in the morning and Iron Workers General Secretary Walt Wise and AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer J. David Cox will do a... more...
- Jun 3, 2008 Labor on the Move In Memoriam: Utah Phillips Moves On Down The Road Utah Phillips , a seminal figure in American folk music who performed extensively and tirelessly for audiences for 38 years, died Friday of congestive heart failure in Nevada City, California. The son of labor organizers, Phillips demonstrated a lifelong concern with the living conditions of... more...
- Jun 2, 2008 Solidarity Rally for UC Workers Wednesday The University of California DC Center will be the site of a solidarity rally this Wednesday at 1P to support thousands of University of California (UC) patient care and service workers fighting for a fair contract. The UC workers – who are represented by AFSCME – have been working without... more...
- Jun 2, 2008 Hundreds Speak Out Against Noise Bill Today With the final vote on the noise bill just a day away, hundreds of labor and community activists will pack the halls of the John A. Wilson Building from 10A-12P today for a day of action to pressure DC City Councilmembers to vote against the legislation. The day of action is the culmination of a... more...
- Jun 2, 2008 Get on the Bus for Atlantic City Casino Workers The UAW and AFL-CIO are organizing a major mobilization in Atlantic City on Saturday, June 21 to support casino workers. Space is available on buses traveling up from DC for the day; click here for details. Last year in Atlantic City nearly 5,000 table game dealers and slot machine... more...
- Jun 2, 2008 Grassroots Rising Draws Big Crowd Following last month’s huge turnout for SiCKO ( SiCKO Plays to Packed House 4/28/08 UC), another large crowd packed the AFL-CIO Friday to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a free screening of Grassroots Rising. “Asian American labor had been an important part of labor... more...
- May 29, 2008 Labor Updates (5/29/08) Indian Ambassador Refuses to Visit with Hunger Strikers : Hunger strikers – too weak to make the trip to the Indian Embassy – were refused a visit by Indian Ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen, on Tuesday. Sen – who has met with workers in the past and promised his support ( Indian Workers... more...
- May 29, 2008 Ward 7 Residents to Speak Up for Free Speech Tonight DC Ward 7 residents – concerned about the potential impact the noise bill will have on free speech rights in the District – will voice their concerns about the bill to DC Councilmember Yvette Alexander at her “State of the Ward” meeting tonight at 6P. Alexander and six other... more...
- May 29, 2008 'Grassroots Rising' Screens Friday The DC Labor Filmfest will celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a special free lunchtime screening of “Grassroots Rising” Friday at the AFL-CIO. The screening will feature an introduction and Q & A with the film’s Director, Robert C. Winn. The one-hour documentary... more...
- May 29, 2008 McCain Exposed Friday Find out about Senator John McCain’s shifting stances on the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, torture, campaign finance, and more at a discussion with author/blogger Cliff Schecter Friday at 6P at the AFL-CIO. Schecter “has closely followed the career of John McCain—and finds it bears little... more...
- May 29, 2008 Another Chance to Catch "SiCKO" Free screenings of “SiCKO” seem to be contagious in DC. Following last month’s screening at the AFL-CIO, the National Labor College will host another free screening of the Academy Award nominated film this Sunday at 7P. The documentary – directed by Michael Moore – sheds light on... more...
- May 29, 2008 Arts Exchange Celebrates 30 Years of Labor Culture Artists, musicians, cultural workers and community activists will celebrate the struggle for social justice at the 30th annual Great Labor Arts Exchange (GLAE) June 22-24 at the National Labor College. “Nourish your soul in an atmosphere of creativity and solidarity,” says Elise Bryant of... more...
- May 29, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Award Recipients Announced for 2008 "I'll Be There" Awards Metro Council President Jos Williams, Foundry United Methodist Church, Empower DC, and Mary Spencer and Mark Borbely will be honored at the June 12 2008 DC Jobs with Justice (JwJ) "I'll Be There" Awards. The awards ceremony – in its sixth year – honors individuals and organizations for... more...
- May 27, 2008 This Just In (5/27/08) Hunger strikers delivered a letter to the Indian Embassy Monday asking Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Indian Congress Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to lobby the US government to allow the workers to stay in the US to testify against their employer Signal International. "We are not... more...
- May 27, 2008 Two Chances to Catch Labor Films This Week The DC Labor Filmfest will take up the US healthcare crisis and Asian Pacific immigrant workers this week with free screenings of “Grassroots Rising” and SiCKO.” Director Robert C. Winn will introduce Friday’s noontime screening of “Grassroots Rising,” which explores the lives of... more...
- May 27, 2008 Schecter on "The Real McCain" Author/blogger Cliff Schecter will lead a discussion about “The Real McCain: Why Conservatives Don’t Trust Him and Independents Shouldn’t” on Friday, May 30 from 6-8P at the AFL-CIO. A veteran campaign strategist and political commentator, Schecter says McCain has flip-flopped on a... more...
- May 27, 2008 Puttin' Back the Zing “Put the ‘ZING’ back in your organizing!” at the Conference on Creative Organizing (CCO) says Yvette De La Cruz at the Labor Heritage Foundation (LHF). “If you’re involved in organizing, political or contract campaigns, this conference is for you!” At the June 22-24 conference,... more...
- May 23, 2008 Labor Updates (5/23/08) Hope & Concern Greet Prince George's Hospital Bill: "Now it's a race to save the Prince George's hospitals," said 1199SEIU's John Reid Thursday as Governor Martin O'Malley signed the Prince George's Hospital Authority bill, intended to stabilize and sell the hospitals that almost closed... more...
- May 23, 2008 Unions Walk to Beat Cervical Cancer Union members comprised the largest delegation at last Saturday's "Beat the Clock" walk against cervical cancer at the Tidal Basin. Metropolitan Washington Council President Jos Williams and Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy set the pace for the union walkers, who... more...
- May 23, 2008 Stimulating Solidarity As the tax rebate checks begin to arrive in the mail, The Union Shop reminds you that a great way to stimulate the economy – and support the American labor movement – is to buy union-made items at The Union Shop Online . Shop from the comfort of your home for clothing, books, buttons,... more...
- May 22, 2008 Indian Guest Workers Rally at Capitol Six more workers joined the week-old hunger strike by Indian guest workers Wednesday at a rally outside the Capitol to pressure Congress to support their struggle against exploitation. At the action, workers reported that hunger striker Christopher Glory was admitted to George Washington... more...
- May 22, 2008 Labor Webmasters Learn Basics of RSS Feeds Over a dozen DC labor webmasters from across the Washington region got a crash course Wednesday afternoon in how to use RSS feeds in the first of a series of lunchtime web skill-building sessions. Michael Whitney of American Rights at Work took just 50 minutes to show attendees how to harness... more...
- May 22, 2008 Labor on the Move: Patti Edwards Devlin The Laborer's Patti Edwards Devlin is taking an "off-ramp" from full-time employment at LIUNA "to hang out with my son Tommy who, at 7 years-old, is at the age where time with his Mom is about quantity, not quality time." Beginning May 22, Devlin - who's been a union activist since 1986, when... more...
- May 22, 2008 DC Jobs With Justice Corner: Day Laborers Organize in DC: More than two hundred day laborers gather each morning on street corners and in parking lots around DC to seek work. Though many of them perform skilled labor, they are often paid less than the minimum wage and work without proper safety equipment. Many contractors take advantage of the... more...
- May 21, 2008 Ranks of Hunger Strikers Grow at Noon Rally Today More Indian workers will join a hunger strike ( Indian Workers Start 'Hunger Strike for Justice' 5/14/08 UC) - now in its seventh day - at a noontime rally today near the Capitol Reflecting Pool to demand that Congress hold hearings on abuses of workers under the guest worker program. The... more...
- May 21, 2008 Council Highlights At Monday night's meeting of the Metro Washington Council, five Indian guest workers on Day 6 of their hunger strike in DC reported on their struggle against exploitation; sympathetic delegates expressed their solidarity and contributed $1,000 to support the strikers. The Council took several... more...
- May 21, 2008 Working Women Speak Out If you're a working woman worried about finding a job that pays your bills and provides benefits, click here to take the 2008 Ask a Working Woman survey. Frustrated you can't find time to do your job and spend time with your family? Sick and tired of paychecks smaller than those of... more...
- May 21, 2008 New Updates Added to Online Council Directory Updates to UNITE HERE Local 25, AFSCME Local 1170, and AFGE Local 1000 directory listings have just been added to the online Metro Council Affiliate Directory .With clickable email and website links, the new searchable online database makes finding and connecting with Metro DC locals quick and... more...
- May 20, 2008 Hunger Strikers Protest While Indian Embassy Feasts Five Indian workers – weakened from four days of a hunger strike – and their supporters protested outside the Indian Embassy Saturday while caterers carried steaming trays of food into the Embassy for a Indian cultural day event. The hunger strikers chanted “lift up your voices – we are... more...
- May 20, 2008 Organizing Institute Deadline Next Week Time is running out to register for the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute's June 6-8 organizer training in Baltimore. "Registrations should be into us by May 30," TJ Marsallo tells UNION CITY. The training will give activist union members basic organizing skills, including one-on-one communication... more...
- May 20, 2008 Website Training on RSS Feeds Tomorrow A few slots are still available for tomorrow's free labor website training on RSS feeds - a tool to display real-time updated news from other websites with little maintenance - with Michael Whitney of American Rights at Work. The deadline to sign up is 5P today. Click here for more info and to... more...
- May 19, 2008 Four Chances to Support Hunger Strikers This Week Indian workers – who launched a hunger strike in DC last Wednesday ( Indian Workers Start ‘Hunger Strike for Justice’ 5/14/08 UC) – will ramp up their campaign against guestworker exploitation and human trafficking with multiple events across DC this week. A briefing with hunger... more...
- May 19, 2008 Delegate Meeting Tonight Find out the upcoming local union actions, the campaign to defeat the Noise Bill, upcoming Labor Filmfest screenings, and more at Monday’s Metro Council delegate meeting. The meeting will also feature a special presentation on transitioning your members to be ready for the new digital TV... more...
- May 19, 2008 Activists Urge DC to Act Against Verizon's Bad Service Workers and community activists woke up downtown DC Thursday with a lively early morning rally to demand the DC Public Service Commission (PSC) hold Verizon accountable for deteriorating services and refusal to invest in new infrastructure in DC. The rally was held prior to a PSC hearing on a... more...
- May 19, 2008 Labor Updates (5/19/08) MontCo Council Rejects Reduction in Pay Raises for Workers: The Montgomery County Council rejected a proposal Wednesday to reduce negotiated pay raises for thousands of County workers, reported the Ann E. Marimow in Thursday’s Washington Post . In a repeat of a hearing last week ( Labor... more...
- May 19, 2008 A Better Website While You Lunch Learn how to use RSS feeds to update your website automatically with new content at the first in a series of free lunchtime website trainings on websites this Wednesday at noon. Michael Whitney of American Rights at Work will lead the lunchtime roundtable and show you how this simple yet... more...
- May 19, 2008 NoVA Students Get Schooled on Unions Hundreds of students at five high schools across Northern Virginia got a break from studying to learn about the importance of union jobs and career opportunities in union industries this spring. At career fairs and student assembly presentations, union members from IBEW Local 26, the Washington... more...
- May 19, 2008 Labor on the Move In Memoriam: Alan Kistler Long-time union leader Alan Kistler passed away on May 10 at his home in Silver Spring, MD. “All of us in the union movement mourn the death of Alan Kistler, one of the most respected, creative, and best-loved leaders in our movement for more than a half-century,” said AFL-CIO President John... more...
- May 14, 2008 Indian Workers Start 'Hunger Strike for Justice' Indian workers launched a hunger strike Wednesday morning to demand the US and Indian governments investigate worker exploitation faced by guest workers in the Gulf Coast. Supporters chanted “Inquilab, zindabad” ("long live revolution") while workers opened the water-only hunger strike with... more...
- May 14, 2008 Labor Updates (5/14/08) Hundreds of MontCo Workers Protest Rollbacks of Pay Raises: Over 300 county workers “packed a [Montgomery] County Council hearing room” to protest attempts by Councilmembers Phil Andrews and Duchy Trachtenberg to revoke promised pay increases for thousands of County workers,... more...
- May 14, 2008 Indian Workers Begin Hunger Strike Today Hundreds of Indian workers will rally outside the White House this morning at 10A to launch a hunger strike. The workers – former guest workers who faced slavery-like conditions at the hands of their employer Signal International ( DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Indian Workers to Stage Hunger... more...
- May 14, 2008 Workers Target Verizon's Poor Service Thursday Verizon workers and DC residents will hit the streets of downtown DC early Thursday morning to demand the DC Public Service Commission (PSC) hold Verizon accountable for its poor service and refusal to invest in DC. The rally is taking place outside a closed PSC hearing on a recent settlement... more...
- May 14, 2008 MD/DC State Fed Begins Walks for '08 Elections The Maryland State/DC State AFL-CIO will host a labor walk on Saturday, May 17 at 9A to gear up for the 2008 elections. “This year, we can make a significant change in the direction of our country,” says the Maryland State/DC State AFL-CIO. For more info or to volunteer, contact Denise... more...
- May 14, 2008 A Better Website in 50 Minutes Find out how to update your website automatically with new content at the May 21 “Labor Websites 101: A Better Website in 50 Minutes.” Michael Whitney of American Rights at Work will lead a lunchtime roundtable on “RSS Feeds” in the first of a new series of free noontime sessions on how... more...
- May 14, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Day Laborers Find Support, Strategize at JwJ National Conference: Since January, DC Jobs with Justice (JwJ) has been actively supporting the development of the Union de Trabajadores – a worker-led organization of day laborers in DC – to build worker unity, advocate for their rights, and create positive relationships in the community they work. Earlier... more...
- May 12, 2008 Indian Workers to Launch Hunger Strike in DC Hundreds of Indian workers will launch a hunger strike this Wednesday to demand that the federal government investigate the guest worker program and abuse of post-Katrina Gulf Coast workers. The hunger strike follows a march from New Orleans to Washington by the workers, who escaped labor... more...
- May 12, 2008 Activists Rally to Hold Verizon Accountable Labor activists will rally outside the DC Public Service Commission early Thursday morning to demand the Commission hold Verizon accountable for scapegoating workers for its poor service and refusal to invest in DC. Verizon “recently made an agreement with the DC City Council to improve... more...
- May 12, 2008 Spots Still Open for Norton Labor Reception Space is still available for local labor’s reception and fundraiser for US Congressmember Eleanor Holmes Norton on Thursday, May 22. “Eleanor has been a champion for labor throughout her career,” says Metro Council President Jos Williams. The reception will feature a live jazz band, food... more...
- May 12, 2008 Labor Filmfest Set for October The 8th annual DC Labor FilmFest will be held from October 9-12, organizers report. The FilmFest, one of the only labor-themed film festivals in the world, screens films from around the world celebrating the struggle for social justice. Click here for details; ad space is available in the... more...
- May 12, 2008 March, April Council Minutes Now Online Minutes from the March and April Delegate and Executive Board meetings have been posted online ; be sure to mark your calendars for this month's Delegate meeting on Monday, May 19. more...
- May 9, 2008 MontCo Workers Demand County Honor Contracts Montgomery County workers plan to turn out in full force today at the County Council meeting to vote on whether to recommend full funding of Montgomery county union contracts, reports UFCW 1994 MCGEO. “Members of UFCW 1994, IAFF 1664, FOP 35, SEIU 500 and MCEA are in serious jeopardy of having... more...
- May 9, 2008 "Stamp Out Hunger" Saturday Doing something about hunger is as close as your mailbox. Letter carriers in DC and across the nation will again bring the fight against hunger to millions of Americans mailboxes tomorrow as part of the 16th Annual "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive. This "drive plays a critical role in America's... more...
- May 9, 2008 FBI Raids Office Responsible for Protecting Federal Workers Civil Rights The FBI is poring over computer records and documents seized in raids Tuesday on the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and at the home of Special Counsel Scott Bloch. Instead of enforcing civil rights and whistleblower protections for federal workers, Bloch turned the OSC into "a launching pad... more...
- May 9, 2008 Flight Attendants Hold Union Vote at Delta Delta Air Lines passengers are being urged to show their support for flight attendants trying to organize at Delta. The mail-in union vote is going on now and handy "Pro DELTA Pro AFA" cards can be downloaded here . Undeterred when Delta's anti-union campaign defeated a 2002 effort to organize... more...
- May 9, 2008 Labor Updates (5/9/08) Harrison Wins Big in Prince George's Special Election: Labor-endorsed candidate Andrea Harrison won an overwhelming victory in Tuesday's Prince George's County Council special election. “The labor community is happy to have her on the County Council and we look forward to working with her... more...
- May 9, 2008 Labor On the Move: Lipsett New SEIU 32BJ Political Director Ilana Lipsett is SEIU Local 32BJ's new Capital Area Political Director. Lipsett was previously the lead organizer at the DC Employment Justice Center, where she worked on the DC Living Wage, Paid Sick and Safe Days, and Retail Standards bills, among other issues. "We are excited to have her... more...
- May 9, 2008 Free Labor Chorus CD Drawing Michael Artz (AFSCME), Renee Matthews (AFT) and Sara Dawson (IAMAW) are the winners of Thursday's random drawing for a free copy of the Labor Chorus' CD, Welcome Union Members. Click here to enter in today's drawing and you could be a winner too! Catch the Chorus live tonight in a benefit... more...
- May 9, 2008 Council Directory Updated & Online The Metro Washington Council Affiliate Directory - the popular "blue book" - is now posted online ! The Council's nearly 200 affiliated union locals, constituency groups and allies are now just a click away: the searchable online database makes finding locals easy, and you can connect fast... more...
- May 8, 2008 Labor Updates (5/8/08) Burma Aid: The AFL-CIO Solidarity Center has launched an online relief fund, with contributions going to the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma so it can distribute clothing, medicine and non-perishable food for Burmese workers and their families. Click here to find out more and here... more...
- May 8, 2008 Saturday Final Chance to Join CLUW Walk Team Saturday is the deadline to join the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) team for this year’s “Walk to Beat the Clock” against cervical cancer. CLUW is trying to assemble the largest team to get a shot at a $2,500 grant that they would use “for programs focusing on union members in... more...
- May 8, 2008 Today's Labor Chorus CD Drawing Winners Fredric Cooper (JUFJ), Max Toth (Working America), Theresa Gillette (AFSCME), Virginia Rodino (OPEIU Local 2) and Doug McNeil (PeterCares House) are the winners of Wednesday's random drawing for a free copy of the Labor Chorus' CD, Welcome Union Members. Click here to enter in today's drawing... more...
- May 8, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: Indian Workers to Stage Hunger Strike in DC Hundreds of Indian workers will return to DC next week to launch an indefinite hunger strike to demand the federal government investigate the guest worker program and abuse of post-Katrina Gulf Coast workers. Next week’s launch follows a nationwide tour by the workers – sponsored by the... more...
- May 7, 2008 DC Council Votes to Limit Free Speech DC City Council approved a noise bill Tuesday that Metro Council President Jos Williams immediately blasted as "a resounding slap in the face of free speech here in the nation's capital." The Council voted down compromise legislation crafted with labor support. "This preliminary vote by... more...
- May 7, 2008 Local Letter Carriers Kick Off Annual Food Drive "Many struggling workers are being forced to choose between buying gas for their car or food for their families," says Metro Council President Jos Williams who spoke at Tuesday's kick-off of Saturday's "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive. The annual national drive is organized by the National... more...
- May 7, 2008 Labor Updates (5/7/08) Making METRO Safer: Congress “should swiftly approve” legislation to stiffen penalties for assaults on Metrobus workers, says ATU Local 689 Recording Secretary Anthony Garland in a Sunday Washington Post Editorial . “I operated a Metrobus for more than 20 years. I know firsthand... more...
- May 7, 2008 Times Reporter Speaks Out on Plight of Workers "Something is wrong out there," said Steven Greenhouse, "Corporate profits have doubled, productivity has increased, but wages are up barely 1%." Greenhouse, labor reporter for The New York Times, spoke about his new book "The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker" Tuesday at the... more...
- May 7, 2008 Labor Arts (5/7/08) Images of Workers By Workers: Workers stooping to their tasks, showing off their tools, resting, smiling, digging, hauling, shaping, squatting, marching. "Labor Around the World: Images of Workers by Workers" will be on display at the AFL-CIO through Friday, May 9. The Solidarity Center... more...
- May 6, 2008 Solidarity's Future Discussed Bill Fletcher Jr and Omar Salazar led a wide-ranging discussion on "The Future of Labor Solidarity in the Western Hemisphere" Monday night, May 5. "We have a lot to learn, from our own long history of international solidarity work, as well as from other movements around the world," said... more...
- May 6, 2008 DC Hits Road for Justice Last Thursday night 15 DC Jobs with Justice members and leaders piled into two vans and embarked on an overnight road trip to Providence, Rhode Island where more than a thousand labor, community, student, and religious activists from across the United States and around the world gathered for the... more...
- May 6, 2008 Hundreds Turn Out to Honor NoVA Volunteers Northern Virginia union members were recognized for their volunteer achievements in 2007 at Friday's Northern Virginia Central Labor Council (NoVA CLC) Volunteer Recognition Dinner. "We had about 300 people in attendance, including local elected officials and congressional candidates as well as... more...
- May 6, 2008 Greenhouse on "The Big Squeeze" New York Times reporter Steven Greenhouse speaks today at 12:30 on "The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker." In his new book, Greenhouse "takes a fresh, probing, and often shocking look at the stresses and strains faced by tens of millions of American workers as wages have... more...
- May 6, 2008 NALC Gears Up to "Stamp Out Hunger" With rising food prices squeezing already-struggling working families, the National Association of Letters Carriers ( NALC ) will again lead the march to "stamp out hunger" with their annual food drive this Saturday, May 10. This year "the need is very great, with many, many food pantries... more...
- May 6, 2008 Council Directory Updated & Online The popular Metro Washington Council Affiliate Directory has just been updated and posted online . Now, the Council’s nearly 200 affiliated union locals, constituency groups and allies are just a click away! The searchable online database makes finding locals easy, and you can connect fast... more...
- May 6, 2008 Union City Voice: Readers Write (5/6/08) '38, Not '74 for FLSA: The Fair Labor Standards Act was enacted in '38" (not 1974, as reported in the 5/1 UC), writes Ann Hoffman. "There were Fair Labor Standards Amendments in 1974, the most prominent of which covered state and local government employees - which actually didn't take effect... more...
- May 5, 2008 The Future of Labor Solidarity in the Western Hemisphere Bill Fletcher, Jr. and Costa Rican labor activist Omar Salazar will discuss “The Future of Labor Solidarity in the Western Hemisphere” today from 5-7P. Inspired by the forthcoming book Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path toward Social Justice, Fletcher and... more...
- May 5, 2008 Free Labor This Week This week is packed with free local labor events. On Tuesday at 12:30P, American Rights at Work hosts New York Times reporter Steven Greenhouse at the Center for American Progress as he discusses his new book - The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for American Workers - about the shrinking and stressed... more...
- May 5, 2008 Harrison Gets Labor Nod in Prince George's 5th Proclaiming her "labor's candidate," Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams presented Prince George's County Council candidate Andrea Harrison with a check from the Metro Council on May 2. Harrison, the Democrat nominee running to fill the seat vacated by David Harrington in the 5th... more...
- May 5, 2008 Labor Chorus Benefits DC Community Group Tickets are still available for this Friday’s benefit concert by the DC Labor Chorus. The May 9 concert benefits the Emergence Community Arts Collective , a non-profit organization working “to foster a spirit of community” in DC’s Pleasant Plains neighborhood, through social... more...
- May 5, 2008 Labor Rallies 'Round Norton Local labor supporters will host a reception and fundraiser for US Congressmember Eleanor Holmes Norton on Thursday, May 22 . "Congressmember Norton has been an exceptional advocate for DC's working families," says Metro Council President Jos Williams. "Her work has brought DC billions of... more...
- May 2, 2008 Workers of the World Unite "The response to globalization is global unionism." That's how Fred Redmond of the United Steelworkers summed up his union's reasons for joining forces with trade unionists in countries such as Liberia and Mexico at Thursday night's panel discussion at the National Labor College. The 2-hour... more...
- May 2, 2008 DC Mobilizes for Immigrant Rights Hundreds of immigrant rights activists rallied and marched through the streets of Northeast DC Thursday evening. The march capped a day of action in DC for immigrant rights that included pickets outside the offices of the Democratic and Republican National Committees earlier in the day. The... more...
- May 2, 2008 The Future of Labor Solidarity Bill Fletcher, Jr. and Costa Rican labor activist Omar Salazar will discuss “The Future of Labor Solidarity in the Western Hemisphere” on Monday, from 5-7P. Inspired by the forthcoming book Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path toward Social Justice, Fletcher and... more...
- May 1, 2008 Parties Targeted on Immigrant Rights Immigrants rights activists will rally, march and picket today to call attention to their demands. The May 1st 2008 Coalition is calling for immigration reform, stopping raids, deportations, and use of No-Match Letters, rescinding the anti-immigrant resolution in Prince William County,... more...
- May 1, 2008 DC May Day Event Examines Building Global Labor Local labor activists will celebrate International Workers Day with a symposium on building a global labor movement from 5-8P tonight at the National Labor College. Speakers will include AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Richard Trumka, Steelworkers VP Fred Redmond and Harold Alegria Gamboa of the... more...
- May 1, 2008 "Piggy" Homebuilders Targeted in Foreclosure Bailout Protest Big pink chanting pigs rallied outside the Washington Hilton Hotel early Wednesday morning to protest billions in handouts to corporate homebuilders. Serenaded with chants of “corporate welfare on the rise, a bunch of pigs in disguise” and “off to the trough,” representatives of the... more...
- May 1, 2008 Virtual May Day “Union Island,” a home for trade unionists in the virtual world Second Life launches on May 1st, when Union Island will host a day of training, networking and celebration. LabourStart - which will cover worldwide May Day activities - reports that “this will include – we’re told -... more...
- May 1, 2008 Getting Website Does your local need a website? Find out at the "Does Your Local Need A Website? Taking the First Steps" workshop on Friday, May 9. Free for locals with no website but space is limited: click here to register now! "Without proper planning, a website can be a big drain on your financial... more...
- May 1, 2008 Baltimore Labor Chorus Seeks Members The new Charm City Labor Chorus of Baltimore, MD is recruiting members. “Minimum requirements are that you be pro-union, pro-worker's rights, pro-peace and justice, willing to work with and be respectful of all peoples, ability to hold pitch - with or without accompaniment - ability to hold... more...
- May 1, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: DC JwJ Opens Award Nominations DC Jobs with Justice is looking for a few great activists. For the first time, DC JwJ is opening up the selection process for the annual “I’ll Be There” Awards, and is looking for nominations of individuals or organizations that have “demonstrated exceptional solidarity over the past... more...
- Apr 30, 2008 Laborers Protest Handouts for Housing Industry Today With the housing crisis still in full swing and hundreds of thousands of construction workers out of work, members of the Laborers' International Union of North America ( LIUNA ) will rally early this morning at the Washington Hilton Hotel to protest billions in proposed corporate handouts to... more...
- Apr 30, 2008 Ground Broken for Nat'l Workers Memorial National labor leaders symbolically broke ground for a workers memorial at the National Labor College (NLC) on Workers Memorial Day, Monday, April 28th. The memorial will be located in the center of the campus and will feature a plaza of bricks surrounded by granite benches and pavers.... more...
- Apr 30, 2008 Newspaper Guild Members Honored The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild will honor the work of its membership this Monday, May 5 at its annual Front Page and Guild Service Awards. This year’s top Front Page award recipients include Baltimore Sun writers Gadi Dechter and Greg Garland – who will receive the Bill Pryor... more...
- Apr 30, 2008 Blogging and You Find out all about how blogs can help build the labor movement at a free workshop this Saturday, May 3. Kirsten Burgard – who blogs as uniongal - is facilitating the 411 on Blogging workshop at the DC Democratic State Committee City-Wide Convention. Also featured are Tula Connell of... more...
- Apr 29, 2008 UE Protests Unionbusting by Stanley Monday's downpour didn't deter members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) from rallying in Arlington to protest intimidation and attacks against workers at the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) by Arlington-based Stanley Inc. After taking over two... more...
- Apr 29, 2008 Immigrant Rights Activists to Rally Thursday Immigrant rights activists will rally, march and picket this Thursday to call attention to their demands. The May 1st 2008 Coalition is calling for immigration reform, stopping raids, deportations, and use of No-Match Letters, rescinding the anti-immigrant resolution in Prince William County,... more...
- Apr 29, 2008 NoVA Volunteer Dinner Tix Deadline Tomorrow Time is running out to get your tickets for Friday's Northern Virginia Central Labor Council (NoVA CLC) Volunteer Recognition Dinner. "Wednesday is the deadline to place ticket orders," reports Lynn Clark of the NoVA CLC. This year's event will recognize the volunteer efforts of union members... more...
- Apr 28, 2008 Labor College Marks Workers Memorial Day Today The National Labor College commemorates Workers Memorial Day today starting at 1P with a panel discussion on workers made ill during the World Trade Center clean-up, a candlelight ceremony and ground-breaking for a permanent Workers Memorial honoring fallen workers, and ending with a... more...
- Apr 28, 2008 "SiCKO" Plays to Packed House Nearly hundred people packed the AFL-CIO’s Gompers Room Friday for a free lunchtime screening of Michael Moore’s Academy Award nominated film “SiCKO.” Our healthcare system “is costing thousands of lives every year,” said US House Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) in his... more...
- Apr 28, 2008 May Day Event Examines Global Capital & Unions Local activists will celebrate May Day with a symposium on global capital and global unions. The event runs from 5-8P and features AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Richard Trumka, Steelworkers VP Fred Redmond and Harold Alegria Gamboa of the Colombian Dock Workers Union. Barbara Shailor Director,... more...
- Apr 25, 2008 Prince George's County Council Stands Firm for Smithfield Workers The struggle for justice by Smithfield Packing workers is having an effect. The Virginia-based meatpacking giant sent a PR rep out to the Prince George’s County Council this week to complain about the Council’s resolution of support for workers. The resolution – passed last November (... more...
- Apr 25, 2008 Labor Updates (4/25/08) Senate Republicans Kill Equal Pay Bill: A minority of Senate Republicans blocked a vote on a bill, Wednesday, that would have re-established workers’ rights to sue their employer over pay discrimination, reports James Parks on the AFL-CIO Now Weblog . The bill – the Fair Pay Restoration... more...
- Apr 25, 2008 CLUW Luncheon Honors Easterling, Holleran CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling and the late Susan Ellen Holleran, former CLUW State Vice President of DC, will be honored for their labor activism Sunday at the DC Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women’s Gloria Johnson Awards Luncheon. Tickets are $40. For more info and to... more...
- Apr 25, 2008 Labor College to Mark Workers Memorial Day Monday The National Labor College commemorates Workers Memorial Day Monday starting at 1P. The commemoration comes on the heels of the AFL-CIO's annual Death on the Job report, released Thursday, that concludes US workers are at risk because of weak workplace safety laws and penalties. “Our... more...
- Apr 25, 2008 "SiCKO" Screening Wraps Up Month of Healthcare Actions Today’s free screening of “SiCKO” – introduced by HR 676 author Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) – is part of the AFL-CIO Health Care Campaign's Spring Lift-Off Action Plan, with hundreds of Labor Councils nationwide focusing on this issue during the month of April. Academy Award... more...
- Apr 24, 2008 Carlyle Told to "Stop Dunkin Workers’ Rights" Dozens of labor activists picketed outside the headquarters of the Carlyle Group in downtown DC Wednesday to protest the company’s abuse of No-Match Letters and the faulty Social Security database, E-Verify, to target workers at its subsidiary Dunkin Brands ( Carlyle Group Picketed Today... more...
- Apr 24, 2008 Conyers to Intro "SiCKO" Screening Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) will introduce tomorrow's free noontime screening of Michael Moore’s “SiCKO” at the AFL-CIO. Conyers is a sponsor of HR 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act. The screening is the latest in the DC Labor FilmFest’s free monthly series . more...
- Apr 24, 2008 DC Jobs with Justice Corner: PT MontCo Profs Organize Montgomery College students, adjunct professors and members of the DC Student Labor Action Project participated in a “Lunch with Adjuncts” day Wednesday. The event raised awareness about the struggle by part-time faculty to form a union, and provided outreach for an upcoming action at the... more...
- Apr 24, 2008 MontCo Safety Agenda Now Available Online The Montgomery County Worker Health and Safety Initiative “is smart, innovative and it will help protect workers’ lives,” says Dr. David Michaels, Ph.D., Associate Chairman at George Washington University's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health. The Initiative is an... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 Carlyle Group Picketed Today The Low Wage Immigrant Worker Coalition hosts a picket at noon today against the Carlyle Group's abuse of Social Security No-Match Letters to target workers. The Carlyle Group - one of the largest private equity firms in the US - owns Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins, two companies that require... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 Council Meeting Highlights Highlights of Monday night’s Metro Council meeting included the swearing in of six new Council delegates -- Vance Ayres (WBCTC), Mark Coles (WBCTC), Hugh Weathers (ASASP), Roosevelt Limes (SEIU 400), Gerald Green (SEIU 400) & Trent Holmes (SEIU 400) -- a preliminary report that the 2008... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 Labor Updates (4/23/08) Contract Talks to Resume for DOL Cafeteria Workers: Cafeteria Workers at the Department of Labor (DOL) – who have been without a contract for nearly a year – will resume contract negotiations after the workers’ employer – FAME – yielded to a pressure campaign from other DOL... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 The True Cost of Shrimp The global shrimp industry has become the largest seafood industry in the world at the expense of worker and human rights, claims a new report released by the Solidarity Center, AFL-CIO. The report – “The True Cost of Shrimp” – will be released at a panel discussion today at 9:30A on... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 Senate Urged to Act on Pay Equity Although Congress passed legislation over 40 years ago recognizing equal pay for equal work, pay equity remains a dream for many workers, particularly working women. DC labor and civil rights activists will hold a press conference – with US Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA)... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 Income Inequality at Lunch The growing US income inequality gap will be discussed at DC Labor and Employment Relations Association (DC-LERA)’s luncheon today at 11:45A. “The gap has been widening for nearly three decades,” says DC-LERA. “Today that gap is greater than at any time in living memory.” Dr. Alernon... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 Healthcare Forum Tomorrow With healthcare an increasingly important issue in the 2008 elections, the National Labor College (NLC) will hold its First Annual Health Care Forum tomorrow. The forum will focus on preserving quality of care and protecting union benefits and will feature presentations AFL-CIO President John... more...
- Apr 23, 2008 Labor Arts: "Workers Leaving A Factory" Podcast Filmmaker Joanna Raczynska, Fred Worden, Professor of Film at the University of Maryland, and KJ Mohr, Film and Media Arts Programmer at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, discuss Harun Farocki's "Workers Leaving the Factory in Eleven Decades" ( Labor Arts: Factory Workers at the... more...
- Apr 22, 2008 DC Homecare Workers Win Union Workers at the DC-based Nursing Enterprises overcame a “vicious fear campaign” by management and voted overwhelmingly to form a union last Tuesday, reports 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers-East . “Now that we have our union, we can make the positive changes we all need,” said Nursing... more...
- Apr 22, 2008 One Day, Four Labor Events Wednesday will be a whirlwind of activity for labor in the Metro DC area. The day starts off with a panel discussion at 9:30A on the exploitation of workers in the global shrimp industry. At 11A, labor activists and US Congress members will hold an event to celebrate E qual Pay Day and urge... more...
- Apr 21, 2008 Labor on the Move: Cusick to Head DC Musicians Retired CWA staffer John Cusick takes over as president of the Metropolitan D.C. Federation of Musicians, Local 161-170 on May 1. A senior writer/editor in CWA's Communications Dept for the past 16 years, Cusick has also been working part-time as a professional musician. A drummer, Cusick heads... more...
- Apr 21, 2008 Organizer Training Set for June Registration is now open for the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute’s June 6-8 organizer training in Baltimore. “The purpose of this training is to give activist members basic organizing skills,” TJ Marsallo tells UNION CITY. “If you’re looking to train members to help work on your... more...
- Apr 21, 2008 Got Website? Websites are a very cost-effective and timely way to reach your members, the general public, the media, politicians and more. But are they right for your local? Metro Council affiliates can find out at the "Does Your Local Need A Website? Taking the First Steps" workshop on Friday, May 9.... more...
- Apr 21, 2008 Labor Arts: The Job The 2004 film “A Day Without A Mexican” imagined life in California if all the immigrants vanished overnight. “ The Job ” - now playing on YouTube and being considered for the DC Labor FilmFest - takes a look at what happens when the tables are turned. The award-winning 3-minute... more...
- Apr 18, 2008 Appreciating Library Workers AFSCME Locals 2477 and 2910, which represent workers at the Library of Congress, signed up 22 new members during National Library Workers Day on Tuesday, April 15. The two locals designated Tuesday Library of Congress Staff Appreciation Day as part of National Library Week, when communities... more...
- Apr 18, 2008 Labor Updates (4/18/08) Noise Bill Revived: A bill to limit noise levels at demonstrations was unanimously voted out by DC City Council last Tuesday. The bill had been tabled after labor and civil rights advocates opposed it out of concern it may limit free speech rights, but with Chairman Vincent Gray changing his... more...
- Apr 18, 2008 "Women Organize" Screens at AFT Women organizers across the U.S. - including here in Washington - are featured in "Women Organize," a 30-minute film about women who are involved in the global struggles for racial, social, and economic justice. The film - which screens for free at noon today shows five women organizers and... more...
- Apr 18, 2008 Directory/Delegate Deadline Extended Make sure your local is up to date! The deadline for updating Council affiliate's information and delegates has been extended to Friday, April 25. Affiliates can fax their updates to the Council at 202-974-8152 and should be sure to update delegates for the locals as well. Affiliate info and... more...
- Apr 17, 2008 DOL Cafe Workers Figh Concessions Echoing a recent dispute at the Library of Congress ( Library of Congress Cafeteria Workers Targeted 1/25/08 UC), Department of Labor (DOL) cafeteria workers - who have been working without a contract for over a year - are fighting employer demands for major concessions. FAME - the contractor... more...
- Apr 17, 2008 "We Only Win When We Organize" Nearly 200 local activists celebrated the struggle for freedom, workers' rights and voting rights in songs, speeches and stories at the seventh annual Labor Seder Tuesday night. Calling 2008 "A special time when all the pieces line up and can come together," Heather Booth - Director of the... more...
- Apr 17, 2008 Mineworker Leader Speaks Out at Labor Dept "Across the country I can feel a spirit moving, soft as a whisper, loud as a roar" a hoarse UMWA President Cecil Roberts thundered at Wednesday's screening of "Mother Jones" at the Department of Labor's Great Hall to over 100 DOL employees. "Winds of change are blowing and working people are... more...
- Apr 17, 2008 Labor Updates (4/17/08) Navarro Loses County Council Bid: Labor-endorsed candidate Nancy Navarro lost her bid to replace the late Montgomery County Council member Marilyn Praisner, narrowly defeated by Praisner's husband, Don, who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday to serve out his wife's term in District 4.... more...
- Apr 17, 2008 South African Domestic Workers Forum Tonight A discussion at American University tonight will focus on domestic workers in South Africa. Jennifer Fish, associate professor of Sociology and Women's Studies at Old Dominion University and author of Domestic Democracy: At Home in South Africa, will talk about the impact of the domestic labor... more...
- Apr 16, 2008 DC Security Officers Win First Contracts District security officers have won union contracts after years of organizing, lobbying, and direct action. The contracts provide "significant wage gains to help these brave men and women better support their families and their communities," said SEIU Local 32BJ Vice President Valarie... more...
- Apr 16, 2008 Mother Jones Moves to DOL Great Hall Due to the level of interest, today’s screening of “Mother Jones: America’s Most Dangerous Woman” has been moved to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Great Hall. United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) President Cecil Roberts will introduce and discuss the film. A sixth generation coal... more...
- Apr 16, 2008 Labor College Screens "Fired!" Today Getting fired by Woody Allen was just the beginning for actress Annabelle Gurwitch, who stars in "Fired!" screening today at noon at the National Labor College. Trying to cope with being fired by a cultural icon, Gurwitch discovered she wasn't alone and brings us side-splitting tales of being... more...
- Apr 16, 2008 Labor Arts: The Labor Hall of Fame Cesar Chavez’ plaid shirt is there, along with Walter Reuther's tyrolean hat, Sam Gompers' gavel and Lane Kirkland's harmonica. You can see this and other labor memorabilia at the Labor Hall of Fame , founded in 1988 "to honor posthumously those Americans whose distinctive contributions to... more...
- Apr 15, 2008 DC Vote Topic of Labor Seder "The Wise Child Asks: 'What are the laws and precepts which prevent DC from having congressional representation?'" The traditional Four Questions at tonight's Labor Seder will focus on the way "our status as a free people is threatened by the fact that we in the District of Columbia have no... more...
- Apr 15, 2008 Does Your Local Need a Website? Websites are a very cost-effective and timely way to reach your members, the general public, the media, politicians and more. But are they right for your local? Metro Council affiliates will be able to find out at the "Does Your Local Need A Website? Taking the First Steps" workshop on Friday,... more...
- Apr 15, 2008 No Crisis for Chief Execs The chief executive officers of the firms most responsible for causing the current mortgage market crisis collected hundreds of millions of dollars in pay last year, reveals the AFL-CIO's 2008 Executive PayWatch . "When CEOs are paid obscene amounts to make bad decisions," said AFL-CIO... more...
- Apr 15, 2008 Tradeswomen Trade Tools for Caps & Gowns Family and friends of 21 newly-minted graduates filled the Gompers Room at the AFL-CIO Monday for the Washington Area Women in the Trades (WAWIT) graduation ceremony. Traci Pfeffer and Jhonnal Daniels spoke for many of their fellow-graduates when they shared the many challenges they faced to... more...
- Apr 14, 2008 Labor Makes Final Push in MontCo Special Election With the Montgomery County District 5 special election tomorrow, union members hit the doors Saturday to make a final push for labor-endorsed candidate Nancy Navarro. Navarro – current President of the Montgomery County School Board – is running in the special election to fill the seat held... more...
- Apr 14, 2008 CSA Trains AFGE Members Strategies for assisting members and mobilizing support for worker issues were the focus during last week’s Union Community Activist Network training. Union members and leaders from federal and DC government AFGE local unions participated in the three-day training, organized by the Community... more...
- Apr 14, 2008 Evening With Labor Photos Posted! Photos from this year’s Evening With Labor are now posted online. To watch a slide show of the evening's festivities and order your own prints, click here ! more...
- Apr 14, 2008 Labor Updates (4/14/08) Family And Medical Leave Act Under Attack: President Bush is again setting his sights on workers’ rights, this time proposing changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The changes would make it harder for workers to take time off for medical and family emergencies. “These... more...
- Apr 14, 2008 AFL-CIO Video Contest Turns Around America A new video contest – launched by the AFL-CIO last week – is putting the creativity of people across the country to work to discuss how to put America back on the right track. The video contest is part of the AFL-CIO’s “Turn Around America” mobilization that is working to build... more...
- Apr 11, 2008 Labor Seder Raffle Deadline Today Today is the deadline to enter the 2008 Labor Seder raffle to receive a DC Vote gift package. The annual Labor Seder – hosted by Jews United for Justice – engages the DC community in a call to action each Passover to link the Jewish story of freedom to present struggles.... more...
- Apr 11, 2008 Labor Updates (4/11/08) House “Stops the Clock” on Colombia Trade Pact: The House of Representatives defied President Bush’s push for the Colombian Free Trade Agreement, voting to "stop the clock" on the pact, reported Ben Pershing on the Washington Post website Thursday . “Congress normally would... more...
- Apr 11, 2008 Labor Films Bloom Labor films are popping up all over town this month. “Mother Jones: America’s Most Dangerous Woman” was a big hit at in-house screenings last Friday at the UFCW and will be screened next Wednesday April 16 at the Department of Labor by AFGE Local 12. UMWA President Cecil Roberts... more...
- Apr 11, 2008 Postal Workers Seek to Spur Creative Youth to Show Union Pride in APWU Contest Young filmmakers, musicians, poets, and artists from across the country will put their creative skills to work as part of the American Postal Workers Union's (APWU) "Make it a Family Affair" Contest. The contest - sponsored by APWU - is "designed to promote among youth a better understanding of... more...
- Apr 10, 2008 Battle Over Colombian Trade Pact Escalates The battle over the proposed Colombian Free Trade Agreement escalated dramatically this week, with the AFL-CIO running full-page ads in The Hill, The Politico, Roll Call, and other DC publications in response to President Bush's decision to send the Free Trade Agreement to Congress yesterday.... more...
- Apr 10, 2008 AFGE 12 Officers & Delegates Sworn In AFGE Local 12 President Alex Bastani was officially installed by AFGE President John Gage on Wednesday, April 9 in a ceremony at the Department of Labor, where Local 12 members work. Also sworn in were Local 12's Agency Vice Presidents, delegates and alternate delegates, who were elected... more...
- Apr 10, 2008 Health Care Forum Looks at How to0 Maintain Care Labor and health care leaders from across the country will explore ways to preserve quality of care and protect union benefits at a health care forum April 24 at the National Labor College. The forum includes a presentation by pollster Jeff Levine on the odds of passing universal health care... more...
- Apr 10, 2008 Labor on the Move: Union Offers Office Space in Rockville The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) will have some office suites available this fall in their new building in Rockville, which is now being renovated. Inquiries can be directed to Tom Israel, Executive Director: tisrael@mcea.nea.org more...
- Apr 9, 2008 County Council May Fight Gains for MontCo Workers A showdown over pay and benefit increases for Montgomery County firefighters, police officers, and government workers may be brewing in the County Council following Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett’s recent approval of union contracts, reported Ann Marimow in Tuesday’s Washington... more...
- Apr 9, 2008 McCain Tagged as Bush Clone at DC Demo "McSame as Bush! McSame as Bush!" chanted the nearly 100 activists who turned out for Tuesday's after-work demonstration outside a John McCain fundraiser at the posh Willard Intercontinental Hotel. As well-dressed attendees picked their way through the demonstrators, chants of "Hey... more...
- Apr 9, 2008 Unemployed Worker Website Re-Launched The National Employment Law Project has re-launched its website . Designed to provide information to workers and their advocates "who are struggling to navigate today's tough economic times and to provide a voice for the unemployed in Washington," the website first went live 5 years ago. "With... more...
- Apr 9, 2008 LaborArt: The Migrant Project The lives of the farm workers who put food on our tables are vividly rendered in a photo exhibit on view through Friday at the Mexican Cultural Institute. In The Migrant Project , photographer and writer Rick Nahmias documents the work and lives of California farm workers, a "virtually... more...
- Apr 8, 2008 "I'm Just Like Bush" “Every place I go,” Senator and Presidential candidate John McCain said recently, “there are AFL-CIO protestors saying I’m a Bush continuation with the war, etc…well, I am.” Labor activists will gather outside a high-dollar fundraiser for McCain tonight to highlight his support of... more...
- Apr 8, 2008 Labor Turns Out for Navarro Dozens of Montgomery County union members hit the doors Saturday for labor-endorsed County Council candidate Nancy Navarro, who's running in a special April 15 election to replace the late Marilyn Praisner. “A majority of the union members we polled over the weekend are supporting Nancy,”... more...
- Apr 8, 2008 Ironworkers 5 Takes the Mound Ironworkers Local 5 has purchased 1,000 tickets for the S econd Annual Labor Night with the Nats and will get to choose someone to throw out the first pitch, reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “Local 5 has again stepped up to the plate to be one of... more...
- Apr 8, 2008 Labor Updates (4/8/08) US Economic Woes Only Beginning for Workers: Following Friday's news that the US lost 80,000 jobs in March, the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) is predicting that job loss is likely to accelerate in coming months, reports Doug Cunningham of Workers Independent News . "CEPR... more...
- Apr 7, 2008 DC Council Increases Metro Worker Safety Metro transit workers won a year-long fight to increase worker safety last Tuesday when the DC City Council passed a bill that “increased penalties for assaulting a Metro transit operator by 50 percent,” reported Taryn Luntz in last Wednesday’s Examiner . “This will protect not only... more...
- Apr 7, 2008 Labor Updates (4/7/08) Labor Pulls Out of DC Labor-Management Program: Labor told the DC City Council Friday it was pulling out of DC Labor-Management Partnership Programs. Stymied by the administration's unilateral decision-making, lack of information-sharing and continued refusal to meet with labor... more...
- Apr 7, 2008 Labor On the Move (4/7/08) Bodine in at Sprinkler Fitters: John D. Bodine Sr. took over as Sprinkler Fitters Local 669 Business Manager earlier this year. “Local 669 has recently signed several contracts of newly organized contractors,” Bodine reports on the 669 website . “This doesn’t just happen. Our... more...
- Apr 4, 2008 McCain Urged to 'Show Us the Money' at DC Fundraiser Republican presidential candidate John McCain's "sorry record on working family issues like the economy, jobs, trade, health care, retirement security and the freedom to bargain" will be exposed Tuesday when local activists leaflet a McCain finance reception at the posh Willard hotel in... more...
- Apr 4, 2008 Labor Seder Focuses on Voting, Worker Rights This year's Labor Seder will focus on DC voting rights and workers' rights. The April 15 event – organized by Jews United for Justice – features an evening of speakers, song, text study, discussion, and action. Light refreshments and ritual foods will be provided, and childcare, a... more...
- Apr 4, 2008 Post Workers Win Buyout Gains Negotiators for the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild won improved buyouts for Washington Post employees, report Rick Weiss and Allan Lengel on the Guild website . Buyout improvements and eligibility have become major issues as Post managers have been pushing workers to take the buyouts -... more...
- Apr 4, 2008 ACE-AFSCME 2250 Holds Awards Dinner ACE-AFSCME Local 2250’s 2nd Annual Dinner and Appreciation Awards Night is scheduled for April 26 in Bowie. “Tickets and ad space in our program book are still available,” says Local 2250 President Faith Jones. Ads are due by April 11. Contact Renee Dixon at 301-809-0472 or... more...
- Apr 4, 2008 Labor Photo: Protesting the DC Internet By-Pass: While Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg accepted an industry award inside, dozens of red-clad CWA members and labor activists rallied and leafleted outside a downtown Marriott Hotel Wednesday night (r) to protest Verizon's refusal to bring improved high-speed FiOS technology to DC. more...
- Apr 3, 2008 Veteran DC Teachers May Leave School System Hundreds of experienced DC teachers - tired of battling declining working conditions and School Chancellor Michelle Rhee's controversial initiatives - may soon be leaving in droves to take advantage of a proposed early-retirement program, Washington Teachers Union Local 6 President George Parker... more...
- Apr 3, 2008 'I Helped Build the Stadium' "Soon it will be the workplace for Ryan Zimmerman, Dmitri Young and other members of the Washington Nationals. But for nearly two years, the sprawling site off South Capitol Street SE was the domain of men and women who wore hard hats instead of baseball helmets, leather boots instead of... more...
- Apr 3, 2008 Walkin' & Knockin' for Labor Candidate Navarro Union members will hit the doors in Montgomery County Saturday morning for labor-endorsed candidate Nancy Navarro. Navarro - who is running for the Montgomery County Council District 4 seat vacated by the recent death of Councilmember Marilyn Praisner - received the Metro Council's... more...
- Apr 3, 2008 Labor Photo: Student Rally for Farmworker Justice Students from universities across DC picketed in solidarity with Florida farmworkers’ campaign for better wages and working conditions outside the K St NW Burger King Wednesday. The students chanted “Down, down with exploitation! Up, up with fair food nation!” and asked the rush hour... more...
- Apr 2, 2008 Supermarket Workers OK Contract Area supermarket workers overwhelmingly approved a new 4-year contract Tuesday. Nearly 10,000 Safeway and Giant workers – members of UFCW Local 400 – turned out for the vote at the DC Armory on a contract proposal that maintained pension benefits and no co-pay on healthcare benefits, as... more...
- Apr 2, 2008 Where's Our FiOS, Ivan? Workers and labor activists will ask Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg tonight why the cable giant is leaving DC out of the high-speed loop. "Verizon is building a world-class, high speed network - called FiOS - throughout the metropolitan area - but not in DC," says the Connect-DC campaign . The... more...
- Apr 2, 2008 Labor Photo (4/2/08) Honey on MLK & Labor: Labor historian Mike Honey discusses his new book “Going Down Jericho Road: The Memphis Strike, Martin Luther King’s Last Campaign” Monday at the AFL-CIO. more...
- Apr 2, 2008 LaborArt: There Won't Be Class Conflict “I was disappointed that Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar for ‘There Will Be Blood,’” writes labor photojournalist David Bacon on the truthout website. “Not because he's not a great actor (he is), but because the movie was such a betrayal of the book on which it was based.” While Upton... more...
- Apr 2, 2008 Union City Voice: Readers Write (4/2/08) Inspirational Mother: “What a fantastic film! I learned so much about Mother Jones,” writes Pamela Wilson about the 3/28 DC Labor FilmFest screening of "Mother Jones” at the AFL-CIO. “How admirable and incredibly inspiring she was! The music was wonderful, too. Many thanks for... more...
- Apr 1, 2008 Student-Labor Week of Action Kicks Off Tonight Metro Council President Jos Williams and AFL-CIO Organizing Director Stewart Acuff will join students and labor activists for a rally tonight at 5:15P to kick-off the DC Student-Labor Week of Action. A picket outside the K St NW Burger King to support Florida farmworkers will follow the rally.... more...
- Apr 1, 2008 Labor Updates (4/1/08) Nursing Home Workers Picket Manor Care: More than 50 1199SEIU workers and supporters picketed outside of Carlyle/Manor Care of Dulaney Nursing Home in Towson, MD last Friday, March 28 to protest management’s failure to reach a fair contract agreement. After months of negotiations,... more...
- Apr 1, 2008 Indian Workers Rally at White House Over one hundred Indian workers rallied outside the White House Monday afternoon to demand an end to human trafficking and the exploitation of workers under guest worker programs. Workers met with Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen on Thursday to pressure him to hold their employer - Signal... more...
- Mar 31, 2008 Supermarket Workers Win Tentative Agreement UFCW Locals 400 and 27 report they have reached a tentative agreement with Giant Food and Safeway which will be submitted to the membership on Tuesday, April 1. “Community support was vital to winning this agreement,” Local 400 President James Lowthers said Sunday. Activists and allies are... more...
- Mar 31, 2008 Mike Honey on MLK & the Memphis Strike Today at noon, Mike Honey, one of America’s foremost labor and civil rights historians will speak and sign copies of his new book, "Going Down Jericho Road: The Memphis Strike, Martin Luther King’s Last Campaign." Honey will share the workers’ stories at a lunch discussion and... more...
- Mar 31, 2008 Labor Updates (3/31/08) DC Vote Cancels March: Plans for a Voting Rights March on April 16 have been canceled, due to the visit by Pope Benedict XVI that day. “With disrupted traffic and public safety resources focused on the Pope's visit, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for thousands of DC citizens to... more...
- Mar 31, 2008 Labor Night at the Nats Now that the new Nationals Stadium is officially open, the next big day there is the 2nd annual Labor Night at the Nats! Mark your calendar for Friday, July 11 and stay tuned for details. more...
- Mar 28, 2008 Indian Workers March on Embassy Chanting "Inquilab, zindabad" ("long live revolution"), 70 Indian workers and their supporters marched into the Indian Embassy Thursday afternoon to demand the Indian government hold high-level talks with US officials to stop the abuses of the guest worker program and take legal action against... more...
- Mar 28, 2008 Prudential Turns Deaf Ear to Security Officers Security officer Jaime Carrasco looked over his notes in the cold rain Thursday afternoon outside a downtown DC office building. "I have diabetes and need medication," said Carrasco, rehearsing what he planned to say to building property management officials. "Security officers need health... more...
- Mar 28, 2008 Indian Workers March on Embassy Chanting "Inquilab, zindabad" ("long live revolution"), 70 Indian workers and their supporters marched into the Indian Embassy Thursday afternoon to demand the Indian government hold high-level talks with US officials to stop the abuses of the guest worker program and take legal action against... more...
- Mar 28, 2008 MD Nursing Home Workers Rally for a Fair Contract Workers at Carlyle/Manor Care of Dulaney Nursing Home in Towson, Maryland will rally outside the facility today against management's refusal to the negotiate a fair contract. "After months of negotiations, management refuses to budge on key issues including affordable health care, decent pension... more...
- Mar 28, 2008 Women in Film, Poetry & Song Women's History Month wraps up with film, poetry and song today and tomorrow. Today at noon, United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts introduces a special free DC Labor FilmFest screening of "Mother Jones: America's Most Dangerous Woman." The 23-minute documentary about labor... more...
- Mar 28, 2008 Labor Updates (3/28/08) Secretary of Labor Chao Bars Labor B'Day Surprise: Department of Labor (DOL) workers - members of AFGE Local 12 - were barred from delivering 25,000 letters Wednesday to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao demanding she stop trampling workers' rights, reports the Shame on Elaine website . DOL... more...
- Mar 27, 2008 "Little Progress" in Supermarket Talks as Deadline Looms Reporting “little progress,” UFCW Local 400 President C. James Lowthers told UNION CITY! Wednesday night that “the parties remain very far apart” after two straight days of contract talks with Giant and Safeway. “The support by area labor, community and religious activists has been a... more...
- Mar 27, 2008 Labor Updates (3/27/08) MD House Funds State Worker Contracts: The budget passed last week by the Maryland House included funds for state employee contracts negotiated last year. “When some legislators called for a reduction of the pay raise, AFSCME members hit the phones and the emails,” reports AFSCME MD . “We... more...
- Mar 27, 2008 MD 1199SEIU Tax Program Secures $573,000 for Low Income Members When Deloah Roycroft first heard what her tax refund would be, she was sure that a mistake had been made by her tax preparer. After using a tax service for years, Deloah, a GNA at Rock Glen Nursing and Rehab Center in Baltimore, decided to use 1199SEIU’s free tax service after she got a... more...
- Mar 27, 2008 Indian Guest Workers Protest Modern-Day Slavery Indian guest workers will hold a series of actions in the coming days to pressure Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen to take legal action against their employer for human trafficking and forcing workers into slavery-like working conditions. The workers claim that recruiters for Signal International --... more...
- Mar 27, 2008 LaborArt: Touching Workers at FDR Memorial The FDR Memorial includes images of workers, but they’re easy to miss. While tourists – especially school kids – love to take pictures of each other on George Segal’s "The Breadline," few give more than passing glance to Robert Graham's bas-relief sculpture nearby. Barely visible to... more...
- Mar 27, 2008 Indian Guest Workers Protest Modern-Day Slavery Indian guest workers will hold a series of actions in the coming days to pressure Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen to take legal action against their employer for human trafficking and forcing workers into slavery-like working conditions. The workers claim that recruiters for Signal International --... more...
- Mar 26, 2008 Solidarity Actions Mobilizing Customer Support for Grocery Workers “After handing out flyers in front of the Burke [VA] Center Giant, I wanted to see if the customers were delivering the cards to the UFCW Giant employees,” says OPEIU Local 2 member Joyce Putnam about a solidarity leafleting action she participated in over the weekend. “Sure enough, there... more...
- Mar 26, 2008 Mother Jones Doc Screens Today at Labor College The National Labor College will screen “Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Woman in America” today at noon. The free NLC screening follows a showing of the film at the AFT earlier this month ( Teaching Mother Jones 3/17/08 UC) and precedes an AFL-CIO screening of the film – with an... more...
- Mar 26, 2008 More on Worker Misclassification The growing problem of worker misclassification by employers will be discussed at the Labor Employment Relations Association DC Chapter’s luncheon forum today. Judy Conti, Federal Advocacy Coordinator of the National Employment Law Project, and Erin Johansson, a Research Associate at American... more...
- Mar 26, 2008 Labor Updates (3/26/08) Labor Crashes Secretary of Labor Chao’s Birthday: Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao will get a surprise birthday present of over 20,000 letters condemning her disregard for workers today, reports American Rights at Work . “Elaine Chao hasn't given America's workers anything to celebrate... more...
- Mar 26, 2008 DC Voting Rights Blocked in House A Republican move last Thursday to attach repeal of all DC gun laws derailed the bill to provide a vote in the House of Representatives to the 600,000 residents of the nation's capital. “This is a momentary pause in the push to bring civil rights to the residents of the... more...
- Mar 26, 2008 Brazilian Workers Discuss Future of Labor in Brazil “Certain benchmarks have been met” under Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that set an “important precedent” for the Brazilian people and labor movement, said Jorge Nazareno last Thursday. Nazareno, President of the Osasco Metalworkers Union and member of the... more...
- Mar 25, 2008 Supermarket Support Ramps Up as Deadline Nears "What! Safeway's hiring strike breakers?!...Apoye los trabajadores de Safeway y Giant!...That's right, grocery workers need fair contracts." These were some of the responses outside Giant and Safeway stores across the metro DC region last weekend as activists hit the streets to support... more...
- Mar 25, 2008 Health Care Survey Reveals Widespread Pain "We knew people were hurting but now we know so much more about who they are and how much pain they are in," says AFL-CIO President John Sweeney as the AFL-CIO releases the results of "one of the largest opinion polls ever conducted on health care in the U.S." this afternoon. "Person after... more...
- Mar 25, 2008 Labor on the Move (3/25/08) Burton In As CSO Prez: L. Nelson Burton has been elected President of the Council of School Officers (CSO) Local 4. CSO members also elected Aona Jefferson Executive Vice President, Valoria Baylor Secretary and Otto Jordan Treasurer. JWJ Staff Updates: Treston Davis-Faulkner is the new... more...
- Mar 25, 2008 Labor Night at the Nats Opening Day is coming and so is the 2nd Annual Labor Night at the Nats! Mark your calendar for Friday, July 11 and stay tuned for details. more...
- Mar 25, 2008 Mediation Database Online Access information on all labor mediation cases between 2002 and 2007 on the Bargaining at Work website where you can download the National Mediation Board (NMB) Database. Email the AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department at cbd@aflcio.org for details. – AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining... more...
- Mar 24, 2008 Doris Reed Takes Home Trade Unionist of Year Honors Doris Reed (with Metro Council President Jos Williams, r, and EWL Chairman Fred Allen) , Executive Director of the Association of Supervisory & Administrative School Personnel , received the JC Turner Award for Outstanding Trade Unionist of the Year at the Metro Washington Council's... more...
- Mar 24, 2008 No Progress in Grocery Talks UFCW Local 400 reports "no progress" in ongoing supermarket contract talks and says "Strike preparations have gone very well and will be completely in place by Wednesday, March 26." Area labor, community and religious allies hit over a dozen area supermarkets with leafleting actions this... more...
- Mar 24, 2008 Labor Updates (3/24/08) Connect-DC Campaign in The News: Connect-DC's campaign to get Verizon to bring high-speed Fios fiber optics service to DC was reported in the Washington Business Journal on March 14. "By highlighting Verizon's decision to deploy Fios first in Maryland and Virginia rather than in DC,"... more...
- Mar 24, 2008 Women's History Contest The Metro DC Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) is running their "Gotta CLUW Jeopardy" women's history contest again this year. Prizes include two free tickets to CLUW's Gloria Johnson Award Luncheon, a full-year CLUW membership for both the national and local chapter, and a CLUW sweater.... more...
- Mar 21, 2008 Labor Updates (3/21/08) UN Agency Finds NLRB Violating Workers' Rights: A key international agency ruled today that the Bush administration's National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is denying workers' rights in violation of international labor standards. The International Labor Organization's (ILO's) Committee on... more...
- Mar 21, 2008 Reaching Out to Supermarket Workers "I told a check-out clerk at the Wisconsin Ave/Newark St Giant that I did not appreciate Giant having job fairs and interviewing workers while (contract) negotiations were under way," says activist Brian Powers in his grocery worker solidarity action report back. "She replied that interviewing... more...
- Mar 21, 2008 Doris Reed Trade Unionist of the Year This year's Outstanding Trade Unionist is Doris Reed of the Association of Supervisory and Administrative School Personnel (ASASP). Reed - who will receive the JC Turner Outstanding Trade Unionist Award at Saturday night's Evening with Labor -- has been "an active member of the Metro Council... more...
- Mar 21, 2008 Labor on the Move (3/21/08) Uno New APALA Executive Director: Malcolm Amado Uno was unanimously chosen by the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Board of Directors to become Executive Director. Uno joined APALA last August as its Deputy Director ( Labor on the Move 8/20/07 UC). Photo courtesy of the APALA DC... more...
- Mar 21, 2008 Congress Members Act for Iraqi Worker Rights "We are deeply concerned that the [Iraqi] government is not taking the necessary steps to promote fundamental worker rights, which we regard as a cornerstone of a functioning democracy and a fair economy," say Congress members Jan Schakowski (D-IL) and Linda Sanchez (D-CA), in a letter this... more...
- Mar 20, 2008 Multiple Leafleting Actions Planned for Grocery Workers Northern Virginia labor activists will kick-off a two-week blitz of solidarity actions for grocery workers throughout the Metro DC area by leafleting customers outside an Annandale Giant tonight at 6:30P. “Community support for grocery workers is the key to victory,” said Metro Council... more...
- Mar 20, 2008 DC Represents at Northeast State Fed CLC Conf Metro Council President Jos Williams and DC JWJ Director Mackenzie Baris (left) lead a workshop on "Working with Community Allies and Working America" at the AFL-CIO Northeast State Federation & CLC Regional Conference, which wrapped up Wednesday at the National Labor College. more...
- Mar 20, 2008 Allen Recognized for Political Action ATU 689’s James Allen, Jr’s political action activities will be recognized with the 2007 COPE Award at Saturday night’s 31st Evening With Labor. Allen, former president of ATU 689, has been extremely active since his retirement, regularly participating in the Maryland/DC Chapter of the... more...
- Mar 20, 2008 Women in Union History Women’s history month celebrations continue online at the AFL-CIO’s Women in Union History website , which notes that “Throughout our nation’s history, women have played a significant role in transforming workers’ lives. Their courage, spirit and contributions not only changed the... more...
- Mar 20, 2008 1199SEIU & SEIU 500 to Collect '07 Organizing Awards This year’s Evening With Labor Organizing Awards will go to 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East for their work to organize DC homecare workers and SEIU Local 500 for their victories for home-based child care providers in Maryland and part-time faculty at George Washington University. More... more...
- Mar 19, 2008 Supermarket Worker Support Campaign Off to Good Start Well over 100 activists have already signed up to support local supermarket workers in their fight for a fair contract. Many are downloading pocket-sized worker support cards to give to their neighborhood checkout clerks, while others will be delivering solidarity cards to local store managers... more...
- Mar 19, 2008 MD Workers Act to Save Salaries Maryland government workers gathered in Annapolis last Monday to lobby Maryland State congress members to oppose proposed budget cuts that would freeze negotiated salary increases for the already underpaid workers, reports the AFSCME Maryland website . “A recent study by the state of MD... more...
- Mar 19, 2008 Labor Updates (3/19/08) Psychiatric Workers Approve New Contract: Workers at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington (PIW) voted to ratify a tentative contract last Wednesday, reports the CWA Local 2336 website . CWA Local 2336 represents the workers. Highlights of the contract include 10% pay increase over 4... more...
- Mar 19, 2008 Northeast State Fed & CLC Conf Kicks Off Over 100 labor leaders and staff from labor councils throughout the Northeast gathered Tuesday for the third annual Northeast State Federation, Central Labor Council and Area Labor Federation Regional Conference at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, MD. The conference – which... more...
- Mar 19, 2008 Navarro Wins Council Endorsement The Metro Washington Council Monday night endorsed Nancy Navarro for Montgomery County Council District 4. A special election is being held April 15 to fill the seat vacated by the recent death of Marilyn Praisner. Navarro now serves as President of the Montgomery County Board of Education and... more...
- Mar 19, 2008 Drinkin' with a Cause Labor activists will share a glass and raise money tonight for the Clément Solidarity Fund. The Fund was created to assist Teamsters member Clément gain political asylum in the US. Clément – a General Secretary of his union at the National Printing House for 13 years before he fled Côte... more...
- Mar 18, 2008 Activists Mobilize for Grocery Workers With Safeway threatening to hire strikebreakers before contracts with its union workers have expired, labor activists launched a solidarity campaign Monday to show support for Metro DC grocery workers. “Both Giant and Safeway are demanding cuts to worker healthcare and pension... more...
- Mar 18, 2008 Anti-War Rally Tomorrow Labor activists will mark the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war and occupation with thousands of war veterans and peace activists with a march throughout DC Wednesday to demand an immediate return of all U.S. military forces and contractors. The march will stop at DC locations relevant to the... more...
- Mar 18, 2008 Labor Support Growing in Congress Support for working families is becoming an even more mainstream position in Washington, with new Senators and Representatives voting in support of labor issues 94 percent of the time, according to the newly updated AFL-CIO congressional scorecard . "This analysis bears out what we have always... more...
- Mar 18, 2008 Healthcare "Meeting in a Box" Campaign Previewed at Council AFL-CIO President John Sweeney previewed the brand-new healthcare campaign at Monday’s Delegate meeting, attended by over 70 area labor leaders and activists. The campaign is being rolled out at over 300 labor councils across the country next month. Watch for details on our website and in... more...
- Mar 17, 2008 Special Delegate Meeting Tonight Twenty-five copies of the AFL-CIO's brand-new health care video DVD will be given away to the first people to arrive at tonight's Metro Council delegate meeting, which will also feature a screening of the film with comments from AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. "We're one of the first labor... more...
- Mar 17, 2008 Labor Updates (3/17/08) Giant, Safeway Demand Concessions from Workers: “Little progress” has been made in recent contract negotiations with Giant and Safeway, reports the UFCW Local 400 website . “The companies are looking for member concessions which UFCW feels are inappropriate.” Laborers Rejoin... more...
- Mar 17, 2008 Labor to March Against War Labor will march for an end to war and occupation in Iraq with war veterans and thousands of activists from around the country Wednesday morning. The march marks the 5th anniversary of the war and will coincide with other actions in DC and across the country on the same day. The nationwide... more...
- Mar 17, 2008 Teaching Mother Jones The new Mother Jones documentary played to a large lunchtime crowd at AFT's free noontime screening Friday, March 14. The rousing film will screen again on the 26th (NLC) and 28th (AFL-CIO). more...
- Mar 14, 2008 DC Labor Filmfest Free Friday Screenings Continue Today The American Federation of Teachers is hosting a free noontime screening of a new documentary about labor heroine Mother Jones today (the films also screens 3/26 at the NLC and 3/28 at the AFL-CIO). Leaders and staff of other international unions in the neighborhood are invited to join the AFT... more...
- Mar 14, 2008 Workers Rally Against Hanes Sweatshops Dominican Republic factory workers were joined by students and labor activists Thursday afternoon at an impromptu lunchtime rally outside the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP). The workers and activists rallied to pressure CEIP President Jessica Matthews to use her power as a... more...
- Mar 14, 2008 Takin' Health Care to the Streets "Health care costs too much, covers too little, excludes too many and things are getting worse," says AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, who - with Metro Council President Jos Williams -- will preview the AFL-CIO's new DVD and strategy about how to use the health care issue to engage working... more...
- Mar 14, 2008 Tix Still Available for Local Labor's Big Night Tickets are still available for the 31st Annual Evening with Labor on Saturday, March 22. This year’s event will feature greetings from AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, a photomontage of actions and events from the past year, music from the Tommy Bryant and the Giants of... more...
- Mar 14, 2008 Labor Update (3/14/08) Critics Say Verizon Agreement 'Hoodwinks' DC: A March 5 "Price Cap Settlement" with local phone/cable giant Verizon "Hoodwinks DC residents," say local labor and consumer advocates. "This agreement offers false solutions to serious quality of service complaints," Ruth Castel-Branco of DC... more...
- Mar 13, 2008 Students Walk in Shoes of Farmworkers Students at the Key School in Annapolis got a glimpse of the struggles facing farmworkers last week as part of a lecture series on migrant farm laborers, reported Raymond McCaffrey in Sunday’s Washington Post . Students listened to Gerardo Reyes-Chavez – a farmworker and member of the... more...
- Mar 13, 2008 America's Most Dangerous Woman The DC Labor FilmFest will screen a new documentary about labor heroine Mother Jones three times in March in honor of Women's History Month. "Mother Jones: America's Most Dangerous Woman," screens tomorrow from 12-2P at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Wednesday, March 26 at the... more...
- Mar 13, 2008 Sneak Preview of Health Care Video at Monday's Delegate Meeting Don't miss a sneak preview of the AFL-CIO's brand-new "Turn Around America/Health Care" video at Monday's Metro Council delegate meeting. "We're pleased and honored to be the first Labor Council to see the video before it's screened at hundreds of other Labor Council meetings in April," says... more...
- Mar 12, 2008 Holt Baker to Attend Evening with Labor Over 600 local labor activists and leaders have already purchased tickets for the March 22 Evening With Labor, including AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, and Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot. "Tickets are still available for local... more...
- Mar 12, 2008 Labor Arts: Man Controlling Trade "Man Controlling Trade" is the intriguing name of two massive sculptures standing at the corner of 6th and Pennsylvania in front of the Federal Trade Commission headquarters (across from the Constitution Avenue entrance to the National Gallery West Wing). President Franklin Delano... more...
- Mar 12, 2008 Celebrating Women's History Month The Labor Heritage Foundation is offering an assortment of films, posters, and music to celebrate Women's History Month. Put some muscle in your home décor with a "Rosie The Riveter - We Can Do It" Poster; take a virtual trip to Mexico to see the sweatshop conditions women workers face in... more...
- Mar 12, 2008 Women Activists Head to Guatemala Applications are still being accepted for this year's STITCH Women's Language Delegation to Guatemala. The delegation - scheduled for June 7-15 - will take an in-depth look at the effects of globalization and immigration on women workers and explore solidarity tactics North American consumers... more...
- Mar 11, 2008 Rally Today to Stop Foreclosures With foreclosures continuing to rise across the country, hundreds of Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) members and their allies will rally today at 12:15P to urge Congress to act to stop the crisis. “The foreclosure crisis in this country is a result of predatory... more...
- Mar 11, 2008 MontCo Profs Organize Adjunct professors at Montgomery College filed for a union election last Thursday. "We're thrilled to be taking this historic and momentous step," said Victoria Baldassano, a member of the campaign's organizing committee. "So many of my talented colleagues love to teach, but don't know how much... more...
- Mar 11, 2008 G'Town Students Spend Spring Break Fighting for Worker Justice While many of their fellow students were off carousing sun-drenched beaches in time-honored Spring Break tradition last week, nine Georgetown students rallied and leafleted in DC in an Alternative Spring Break program entitled “Worker Justice DC.” The jam-packed week included taking part in... more...
- Mar 10, 2008 Maximizing Union Website Power Dozens of webmasters from area union locals gathered at the AFL-CIO early Friday morning to learn how to get the most out of their local union websites. The training – hosted by the Metro Council and the International Labor Communications Association – gave attendees simple tips for keeping... more...
- Mar 10, 2008 Evening with Labor Tix Going Fast Tickets to the 31st Annual Evening with Labor Dinner and Dance are still available but are going fast, reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. This year’s honorees include Doris Reed, ASASP (JC Turner Outstanding Trade Unionist of the Year), SEIU Local 500 and... more...
- Mar 10, 2008 DC Celebrates 75th Anniversary of the New Deal In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt promised "a new deal for the American people.” Seventy-five years later, DC is celebrating those famous words that heralded FDR’s plan for national recovery from the Depression with a series of events throughout the week. On Tuesday, the National New Deal... more...
- Mar 10, 2008 100 Years of International Women's Day One hundred years ago, 15,000 women marched through New York City on the first International Women’s Day, demanding shorter working hours, better pay, voting rights and the end to child labor. Today, in virtually every country, women still face discrimination in the workplace. Consider that... more...
- Mar 7, 2008 Progress in MontCo on Worker Safety? In a move welcomed by labor, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett -- together with Councilmembers Valerie Ervin and George Leventhal – is asking to meet with Maryland officials to figure out how the county and state can join forces for worker safety. The action, spearheaded by Ervin, may... more...
- Mar 7, 2008 PG Hospital Workers Welcome State/County Agreement Workers at Prince George’s hospitals welcomed Thursday’s announcement of a state/county agreement to provide funding and a structure to work toward a long-term solution for the financially troubled hospitals. “This agreement does give me hope for the future of the hospitals,” said Lorita... more...
- Mar 7, 2008 Labor on the Move: Lozupone Steps Down as Trades Chief Cressotti To Complete Term: Lino Cressotti has been appointed to complete Jerry Lozupone’s term as Secretary-Treasurer of the Washington Building & Construction Trades Council (WBCTC). Lozupone is stepping down at the end of April, saying “I believe it is time to pass the baton to new... more...
- Mar 7, 2008 Women's Day Celebration Tonight Starting tonight at 6P, the Maryland State/DC AFL-CIO hosts "Women in Leadership: Changing the Landscape of America," a program to celebrate International Women's Day. National Labor College Professor Yvonne Scruggs-Leftwich will be the keynote speaker. Scruggs-Leftwich has authored numerous... more...
- Mar 7, 2008 Organized Resistance Comes to DC The 11th Annual National Conference on Organized Resistance brings together activists for a weekend of learning and reflecting on the state of progressive movements occurring locally, nationally and worldwide. The conference – scheduled for March 7-9 at American University -- will feature a... more...
- Mar 6, 2008 Hospital Workers Push Prince George's Hospital Bill More than 100 members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East will stand with state and local leaders today in Annapolis to call for passage of HB 1039 to create an authority to run the financially troubled hospital system in Prince George's County. The Maryland General Assembly's House... more...
- Mar 6, 2008 Paid Sick & Family Leave Catching Paid sick and family leave seems to be contagious. New Jersey may soon be the third state – following California and Washington state – to guarantee workers paid time off to take care of an ill family member or newborn child. The New Jersey Senate bill passed 22-16 and the Assembly is... more...
- Mar 6, 2008 ASASP Gets Wired The Association of Supervisory and Administrative School Personnel (ASASP) union launched a new website on March 1. The site features important information for members, a calendar of events, a photo gallery of the ASASP Winter Social, and other material. You can find links to ASASP and... more...
- Mar 5, 2008 DC Council Okays "Fatally Wounded" Sick Leave Bill D.C. Council unanimously approved a "fatally wounded" Accrued Sick and Safe Leave legislation Tuesday. The historic law - which makes D.C. just the second city in the nation to provide all of its workers with a limited amount of paid sick time, and the first to protect workers who need time off... more...
- Mar 5, 2008 Labor Updates (3/5/08) Cafeteria Workers Boycotting LOC: Library of Congress (LOC) cafeteria workers are battling for their union again. They started organizing boycotts at LOC cafeterias last Friday after their new employer -- I.L. Creations - failed to show for contract negotiations with UNITE HERE Local... more...
- Mar 5, 2008 Jan Delegate, E-Board Minutes Posted Online Minutes from January’s Delegate and Executive Board meetings and the Council’s resolution in support of the April 16 DC Voting Rights March are now available online . And do not forget this month's Delegate meeting on Monday, March 17 . more...
- Mar 5, 2008 Labor Arts: Factory Workers at the Hirschhorn Filmmaker Haroun Farocki shows "Workers Leaving The Factory in Eleven Decades" in his multi-monitor video installation at the Hirschhorn Museum, part of an exhibition entitled "The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality, and the Moving Image." Drawing on clips from over 100 years of cinema, Farocki... more...
- Mar 4, 2008 Final Vote Due Today on DC Paid Sick Leave With a final vote on paid sick leave set for today, supporters launched last-minute lobby and educational campaigns Monday to urge DC City Councilmembers to give final approval to the measure. The effort to provide paid sick leave for District residents has drawn national attention and is being... more...
- Mar 4, 2008 DCPS Food Service Workers Maintain Union Status Union workers in D.C. Public Schools’ food services department -- members of Teamsters Locals 639 and 739 -- have won assurances that their current union contract will remain in full effect when the schools’ food operation is transferred to a private contractor. “Our members will retain... more...
- Mar 4, 2008 Is Fighting for Justice Racketeering? Criticizing a company’s business practices and holding actions to end exploitation of workers is a form of racketeering, claims Smithfield Foods in a lawsuit filed against multiple unions and labor organizations, reports Jane Slaughter in this month’s Labor Notes . “The suit aims to... more...
- Mar 4, 2008 DOL Chief Slammed Online Nearly 20,000 people have participated in an email campaign denouncing Secretary of Labor and Bush crony Elaine Chao's attacks on workers' rights, reports the Shame on Elaine website . The campaign and AFGE Local 12 - which represents Department of Labor (DOL) workers - are working to... more...
- Mar 4, 2008 New Council Delegates New delegates Jennifer Goncalves (l) of OPEIU 277 and Jenny Sylvester of CWA 2108 were sworn in at the February 18 Council Delegate meeting by President Jos Williams. more...
- Mar 3, 2008 Paid Sick Leave Supporters Mobilize for Vote Tomorrow A sea of purple and blue-clad supporters of paid sick leave will pack the seats of the 5th floor DC Council Room Tuesday to press Councilmembers to approve the Accrued Sick and Safe Days bill. The bill – which receives its final vote Tuesday – has faced intense last-ditch opposition... more...
- Mar 3, 2008 Union Members Reach Out to Veterans Members of OPEIU Local 2 and Teamsters Local 96 bowled, shot pool, and visited with veterans at the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) as part of the Washington Gas Annual Winter Volunteer Event on February 23. “Many of the veterans were moved to the AFRH after the Katrina disaster,” says... more...
- Mar 3, 2008 Student-Worker Power Celebrated in DC “It is because of you that I can say we have a contract,” New Era worker Felicia Walker told a crowd of over 150 students and labor activists at a ten-year celebration for United Students Against Sweatshops Thursday night. Walker and her co-workers began to organize last April... more...
- Feb 29, 2008 Final Push for Paid Sick Leave "She'll be your server tonight.and she's pretty sure it's contagious" says an ad supporting the DC paid sick leave bill. The ad , which appeared in the Washington City Paper Thursday and will appear in the Express on Tuesday, launched a series of media blitzes, lobbying events, and actions by... more...
- Feb 29, 2008 Labor Updates (2/29/08) Local Labor Support Builds for DC Voting Rights March: AFGE Local 12 passed a resolution Thursday supporting the April 16 DC Voting Rights March and Rally , adapting language from the resolution passed Monday at the Metro Council meeting, reports David Richardson. Click here to download... more...
- Feb 29, 2008 DC-CBTU Hosts Free Concert The DC-Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Chapter hosts a free noontime concert Saturday, entitled "A Fusion of Gospel and Jazz," to celebrate Black History Month. The S&B Gospel Singer and jazz vocalist Chad Carter will perform with a special appearance by Shuree Curtis. A soul food lunch... more...
- Feb 29, 2008 Street Theater for Paid Sick Leave DC Jobs with Justice hosts a free street theater training and planning session this Saturday afternoon for an action before the vote on the paid sick leave bill Tuesday, March 4. Basav Sen of the theater collective ACT will conduct the training, taking participants through basic theater... more...
- Feb 29, 2008 TSA Workers Win Protections The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has won a long fought whistle blower rights victory with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). TSA officers will now receive protections that are enforceable through the US Merit Systems Protection Board. According to AFGE... more...
- Feb 28, 2008 Support for Paid Sick Leave Grows Across U.S. With a final vote on paid sick leave coming up Tuesday in the DC City Council, states are beginning to take up the issue. California, Maine and Ohio are considering similar legislation that would guarantee paid sick days for all workers in the three states, reports Doug Cunningham of Workers... more...
- Feb 28, 2008 Labor Dinner Ad Deadline Extended The deadline for ads in the March 22 Evening With Labor adbook has been extended to 5P next Wednesday, March 5. Tickets for the dinner - local labor's biggest event of the year - are still available. Ads must be camera-ready; email kmckirch@dclaborarchives.org for an ad/ticket order form and... more...
- Feb 28, 2008 African Americans Disproportionately Hit By Decline in U.S. Manufacturing African-American workers have been particularly hard hit by the decline in U.S. manufacturing, according to a study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR). In 1979, almost one-in-four black workers in the United States had a manufacturing job. Today, fewer than... more...
- Feb 28, 2008 The Art of Women's Lives The Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor and Women Entrepreneurs, Inc. is organizing a 3-day event March 4-6 called " Building on the Past, Envisioning the Future: The Art of Women's Lives " in honor of Women's History Month. more...
- Feb 28, 2008 Linking Up Against the War “Can you give me guidance to the labor folks who are ‘Labor Against the War in Iraq’” asks Markley Roberts, “and also to the folks who are in touch with the Iraqi labor union people who come to the USA and to Washington DC?” Denise Lombard is U.S. Labor Against the War’s (USLAW)... more...
- Feb 28, 2008 Women to Explore Globalization in Guatemala Women are invited to attend this year’s STITCH Delegation to Guatemala, scheduled for June 7-15. The delegation combines Spanish instruction with an in-depth look at the effects of globalization and immigration on women workers and unionists. Participants will spend mornings learning Spanish... more...
- Feb 27, 2008 Labor Updates (2/27/08) DC Voting Rights Rally: Thousands are expected to take to the streets of downtown DC on April 16 (not the 17th, as reported in Tuesday's UC) for a DC Voting Rights March and Rally. Last year's march was "the largest demonstration in support of DC voting rights ever," says Ann Hoffman of DC... more...
- Feb 27, 2008 Buying A. Philip Randolph "What a great film," writes Chester Hartman about Friday's DC Labor FilmFest screening of A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom. "So glad you showed it. Can I get contact information on how to order it?" A DVD of the film is available from the Labor Heritage Foundation , which offers dozens... more...
- Feb 27, 2008 Bargaining at Work Keep up with the latest bargaining news with the AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining (CB) Department's daily "Collective Bargaining Digest." The Digest keeps tabs on ongoing contract negotiations as well as who's on strike and who's settled. The department's Negotiations Database on their Bargaining at... more...
- Feb 26, 2008 This Just In (2/26/08) Highlights of last night's Metro Washington Council meeting included a vote by both the Executive Board and the delegates to forward recommendations for endorsements of Donna Edwards (MD 4th Congressional District), Steny Hoyer (MD 5th CD) and Chris Van Hollen (MD 8th CD) to the MD/DC State Fed.... more...
- Feb 26, 2008 Legacy of African-American Labor The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) concludes a busy month of labor-oriented Black History Month events tomorrow at 5P with a forum entitled “African-American Labor and Global Affairs Legacy.” Panelists will include Metro Council President Jos Williams, A. Philip Randolph... more...
- Feb 26, 2008 10 Years of Students Against Sweatshops Students and labor activists from across the country will converge on George Washington University Thursday night to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of United Students Against Sweatshops. “Ten years ago, students began organizing to confront sweatshop abuses in factories around the world where... more...
- Feb 26, 2008 Union-Made Mugs and More “I am a student at Georgetown Law School and am a member of a student-group on campus that wants to buy labor- and environmentally-friendly coffee mugs,” writes Adam Gorod, who wonders “if you happen to know of any good places on-line that sell coffee mugs.” Image Pointe and K... more...
- Feb 25, 2008 Iraq Oil Law Protests Roll Into DC Rolling oil barrels with “Hands Off Iraqi Oil” spray-painted on the sides, labor and anti-war activists marched down icy downtown DC streets Friday to protest an Iraq oil law they fear would turn over Iraq’s oil reserves to foreign oil companies. “Iraq oil is not war loot for the... more...
- Feb 25, 2008 Protestors Turn Up Heat on DC Burger King Snow, ice and rain dampened DC Friday, but spirits were high outside a downtown Burger King where Georgetown students and labor activists held a spirited rally to protest the fast-food company's continued exploitation of Florida farmworkers. Protestors chanted "down, down with exploitation, up,... more...
- Feb 25, 2008 Saving Pensions The attack on pensions and the fight to save them is the focus of a discussion and book-signing tomorrow with economist and author Teresa Ghilarducci. Ghilarducci's new book, "When I'm 64: The Plot Against Pensions and the Plan to Save Them," explains how to confront this crisis head-on,... more...
- Feb 22, 2008 Unions Meet to Strategize, Build Connections Union representatives from local unions across the Metro-DC area met Thursday morning to update each other on their campaigns, strategize, and build cross-industry connections for upcoming contract, political and organizing campaigns at the Metro Council's first Director's Meeting of 2008.... more...
- Feb 22, 2008 Filmfest Screens A. Philip Randolph Doc Today In honor of Black History Month, the fascinating 1996 documentary "A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom" will be screened today at noon (lunches welcome!) at the AFL-CIO. The free screening by the DC Labor FilmFest takes viewers on a fascinating tour of 20th-century civil rights and labor... more...
- Feb 22, 2008 Supporting Iraqi Oil Workers Workers and anti-war activists will rally today at noon (NOTE: Location changed to OPEIU, 1660 L St NW, 8th Floor) in solidarity with Iraqi oil workers who are fighting occupation and the passage of the proposed Iraqi Oil Law ( Iraqi Oil Law Protested 2/20/08 UC). "When members of the oil... more...
- Feb 22, 2008 Blitzing for Paid Sick Leave Paid Sick Days supporters will take to DC streets Saturday in a last-minute blitz to collect postcards in support of the bill "and get workers and voters excited about this important issue," says DC JWJ organizer Ruth Castel-Branco. The blitz runs 11A-1P along Georgia Avenue and 2-4P in Brookland... more...
- Feb 22, 2008 AFL-CIO Triples United Way Giving With the staff of the AFL-CIO increasing their in-house giving to United Way agencies threefold this year, a record four departments of the national labor federation achieved 100% giving and were honored Tuesday at a luncheon sponsored by the AFL-CIO. "It is fitting that the bar for... more...
- Feb 22, 2008 20,000 Voices from America's Healthcare Crisis "I was turned away from an emergency room in San Francisco after the ER doc told me to go home and drink Pepto-Bismol for my increasingly painful abdominal cramps," said Randy from California in his comments for the 2008 Health Care for America Survey . "I did not have insurance. I passed out on... more...
- Feb 21, 2008 DHS Workers Beat Unionbusting Workers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) won a five-and-a-half-year battle against unionbusting last Friday when DHS officials dropped demands to implement a new personnel system that would have curbed union rights, reported Stephen Barr in Wednesday's Washington Post . The personnel... more...
- Feb 21, 2008 Labor Updates (2/21/08) Grocery Workers Start Negotiations: Negotiations between UFCW Local 400 and the Giant and Safeway supermarket chains began February 13 and 14. "Much preliminary work has been completed," Local 400 reports on its website . Communication Workers Say Verizon Bypasses DC: "Verizon has... more...
- Feb 21, 2008 "The Most Dangeous Negro in America" The Attorney General of the United States called him "the most dangerous Negro in America." He forced President Roosevelt to integrate the armed forces, won the first-ever contract for a Black union and was the moving force behind the historic 1963 March on Washington. In celebration of Black... more...
- Feb 21, 2008 Supreme Court Reviews Workers' Rights Against Retaliation The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on a case that could have implications for workers' protection from retaliation for filing a discrimination claim. The case stems from a discrimination complaint filed by a postal worker, claiming that she had been retaliated against after filing an age... more...
- Feb 20, 2008 Iraqi Oil Law Protested Labor and anti-war activists - rolling oil barrels and leaving a trail of "oily" black footprints - will march Friday at noon in opposition to the Iraq Oil Law ( Iraqi Worker, Activists Demand Hands Off Iraqi Oil 6/6/07 UC) and to demand an end to the occupation of Iraq. "One year ago... more...
- Feb 20, 2008 Free Speech Restrictions Defeated The D.C. City Council yesterday voted down a bill that would have shut down loud protest in the District. In a 7 to 5 vote, with 100 union members of UNITE HERE watching -- backed up by the some members of the Carpenters union -- the Council tabled a bill that would have affected every union... more...
- Feb 20, 2008 CSA Fundraising Idea of the Week OPEIU Local 2's Raffle Committee -- Cathy Ronas, Susan Fisher and Chris Barrett -- at the National Electrical Benefits Fund, has started a monthly raffle at their unit meetings to raise much-needed dollars for the Community Services Agency (CSA). The first donation of $70 included funds donated... more...
- Feb 20, 2008 Labor on the Move: In Memoriam (2/20/08) "Sing one more freedom song and you're under arrest," an Alabama sheriff in Marion, AL told a young James Orange in 1965. Five hundred students promptly followed Rev. Orange to jail, singing all the way. The civil rights activist, who died Saturday at 65, brought "an incredible ability to... more...
- Feb 19, 2008 MD Homecare Workers Unionize More than 4,000 Maryland home care providers voted overwhelmingly this month to make AFSCME their union. “There’s a real excitement among us providers,” said Audra Feldman, a Baltimore provider. “We feel like we’re on the move. We fought for this, it’s ours, and it’s an opening to... more...
- Feb 19, 2008 Labor Night at the Nats? "Is the Council doing another Labor Night at the Nats this year" wonders Joe Kahraman of the Newspaper Guild. "Yes!" says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. "The 2nd Annual Labor Night at the Nats is set for July 11 at the new union-built Nationals Stadium." The... more...
- Feb 19, 2008 Recognizing the Contributions of African-Americans Commemorate Black History Month through February and beyond with something from the Labor Heritage Foundation’s catalogue . The online catalogue features hard-to-find music , art and film by and about African-Americans. Take a walk through African-American History with the two-CD set... more...
- Feb 15, 2008 More Homecare Workers Win Union Over 100 D.C. area workers at VMT Home Health Agency have voted to join 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. "I voted to join our union because I'm a healthcare workers without health insurance for myself," said Stephanie Johnson, a homecare worker at VMT. "I have Graves Disease, and I... more...
- Feb 15, 2008 Local Workers Show Solidarity in Raleigh "I feel like I have two lives, my black-and-white life at work, and my Technicolor union life, full of passion and caring," Susan Smithers told UNION CITY. Smithers was one of nearly two dozen UFCW 1994 members and staff who drove down to Raleigh, NC last Saturday for a major demonstration. Four... more...
- Feb 15, 2008 Edwards Gets Nod in MD 4th CD "There were no losers Tuesday night," said Metro Council President Jos Williams in the wake of Donna Edwards' win over 8-term Congressman Al Wynn in Maryland's 4th Congressional District. "Congratulations to Donna Edwards and the unions who helped her win and thanks to Al Wynn for more than... more...
- Feb 15, 2008 Caution: Love at Work Though some bosses have policies against office romances, about forty percent of those polled in a new Career Builder report said they have dated a co-worker. Of those, 29 percent say they went on to marry the co-worker they had a relationship with. Where do those romances begin? Eleven percent... more...
- Feb 14, 2008 Nursing Home Workers Confront Buyout Giant Nursing home workers were threatened with arrest Wednesday when they tried to meet with Carlyle CEO David Rubenstein at his Pennsylvania Avenue office. "They don't want to hear what has to be said," Tricia Miechur told UNION CITY. "How do they expect to get quality care when there's not enough... more...
- Feb 14, 2008 Correctional Officers Protest Cutbacks Over 100 AFGE members -- including federal correctional officers -- rallied Wednesday at the Department of Justice to support funding for a federal inmate work program. The officers are worried that cutbacks will lead to increased prisoner violence. Click here to listen to an NPR Morning... more...
- Feb 14, 2008 Labor-Management Partnerships Stalled A successful labor-management program in the District has stalled because of neglect by the Fenty administration, labor leaders charged at a DC City Council budget hearing Tuesday. "For the first time since the inception of the DC Office of Labor-Management Programs, I appear before you as labor... more...
- Feb 14, 2008 Labor Updates (2/14/08) Showing Love for Paid Sick Leave: Asking "Kiss Paid Sick Leave Goodbye? No Way!" supporters of the Paid Sick and Safe Leave bill launched a Valentine Day Action Wednesday to build momentum against a proposed amendment that would exempt tipped restaurant workers from getting paid sick leave.... more...
- Feb 14, 2008 New Union Staff Training (& Scholarships) Available If you've recently been appointed or elected to a full-time union staff position, there's still time to sign up for the National Labor College's "New Union Staff Training" course, set to run February 24 - 29. The course focuses on developing the personal skills and critical thinking needed to... more...
- Feb 13, 2008 Nursing Home Workers Target Billionaire Owner Nursing home workers will demonstrate against billionaire David Rubenstein today at his buyout firm’s offices in downtown DC. Though Rubenstein is worth more than $2 billion, workers at his Manor Care nursing homes earn low wages and don’t have access to affordable family health care. A... more...
- Feb 13, 2008 MD Sweatfree Bill in Danger Tell Maryland Delegates to Support the MD Sweatfree Bill Legislation that would boost the fight to end sweatshop labor is in danger of being stalled in committee, reports the Maryland Sweatfree Campaign. "Sadly, most states, including Maryland, use our tax dollars to... more...
- Feb 13, 2008 Exposing Elaine Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, George W. Bush's longest-serving cabinet member, has flown under the radar of most Americans as "the Department of Labor has turned into an agency that screws America's workers and enables corporate giveaways," says American Rights at Work, which yesterday... more...
- Feb 13, 2008 CSA Lands Two New Grants The Community Services Agency (CSA) is launching a new program to help area construction apprentices. Partnering with New Futures, an initiative of the Allen Gould Youth and Family Learning Association, CSA - through its Building Futures program - will provide funds for transportation, tools and... more...
- Feb 12, 2008 MD Child Care Workers Pay Still Delayed Maryland child care workers - who recently unionized over the issue – say the state is still unreliable and often late in paying them ( Childcare Providers Rally for Kids Tuesday 4/30/07 UC), according to a report Saturday on The Examiner website. "Payment problems last year helped the Service... more...
- Feb 12, 2008 Primary Elections Today Whether you call it the Chesapeake, Potomac or Beltway Primary, today's the day to vote. The Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO's labor-endorsed candidates are Congressmen Al Wynn (Maryland District 4), Steny Hoyer (Maryland District 5), Chris Van Hollen (Maryland District 8), and House of... more...
- Feb 12, 2008 Labor Arts: Coit Tower's WPA Murals While in San Francisco last week, I stopped by Coit Tower for a visit. An icon on the San Francisco skyline, Coit Tower is home not only to the famous wild parrots of Telegraph Hill but one of California's best examples of depression-era public art. The colorful murals decorating... more...
- Feb 11, 2008 Talking Up Union Jobs 190 students packed the Annandale High School auditorium last Tuesday to hear Metro DC area union members Herb Harris, BLET Division 482, and Brian Cavey, Insulators 24, speak about union job opportunities. Cavey and Harris discussed various union careers for high school graduates while... more...
- Feb 11, 2008 Labor Updates (2/11/08) Workers Forgotten in Economic Stimulus Bill : The Senate approved an economic stimulus bill Thursday following the narrow defeat of a more robust plan by Republican Senators Wednesday ( Labor Updates: Senate Republicans Block Extension of Benefits for Workers 2/7/08 UC), reports Mike Hall on... more...
- Feb 11, 2008 Manufacturing and the Environment Revitalizing US manufacturing while fighting global warming is the topic of a forum at the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) Wednesday. Speakers will discuss the continued importance of manufacturing in today’s economy and the role a strong domestic manufacturing sector can play in promoting... more...
- Feb 8, 2008 Labor Updates (2/8/08) Senate Republicans Block Extension of Benefits for Workers: A proposed $158 billion Senate economic stimulus package – that would have increased extension of unemployment benefits and tax rebates to cover more workers – was blocked by Republican Senators Wednesday, reports Mike Hall on... more...
- Feb 8, 2008 CSA Helps to Build Futures The Community Service Agency’s (CSA) Building Futures Program “makes you like a top draft choice out there in the workforce,” said Daryl McNeil following a four-hour math tutorial course that will help him to pass the application test for a spot in a union construction... more...
- Feb 8, 2008 Health Care in America Hurts “My son had a union job but got hurt at work,” says Patty from California on the AFL-CIO 2008 Healthcare for America Survey website . “He had knee surgery and he can't straighten his leg. He now has a severe limp…He also has no more job or healthcare…Who will hire him now that he has... more...
- Feb 8, 2008 Rallying for Wynn “Win with Wynn” will be the rallying cry Saturday at a labor get-out-the-vote (GOTV) rally for Congressman Al Wynn. The rally – following a month of GOTV efforts by unions across Maryland for the Metro Council labor-endorsed candidate – comes on the heels of the Tuesday, February 12... more...
- Feb 7, 2008 DC Phone Service Criticized "Verizon's service is unacceptable," said a Verizon customer from Northwest DC during a recent survey conducted by Connect-DC coalition (connect-dc.org). "I lose my phone service fairly frequently, at least 5 times in the past year, and it's usually associated with bad weather." District utility... more...
- Feb 7, 2008 Filmfest to Screen A. Philip Randolph Doc The Attorney General of the United States called him "the most dangerous Negro in America." He forced President Roosevelt to integrate the armed forces, won the first-ever contract for a Black union and was the moving force behind the historic 1963 March on Washington. In celebration of Black... more...
- Feb 7, 2008 Labor College Saving Lives A few years ago, National Labor College (NLC) alumnus Mike Weibel had to quickly grab his tools to help a fellow union brother caught in a tire machine. Weibel, a pipe fitter and member of United Steelworkers Local 307 in Topeka, Kan., could offer the man only comfort. But seeing his... more...
- Feb 6, 2008 Council Overwhemingly Okays Sick Leave Despite fierce opposition from large businesses and the Chamber of Commerce, the D.C. City Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of paid sick leave Tuesday. The 11 to 2 vote in support of the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2007, was hailed by unions, workers and advocates, who had worked on... more...
- Feb 6, 2008 Local Labor Commemorates Black History Month Local labor is celebrating black history this month with screenings, online videos, and stories covering local and national topics in black history. ATU Local 689 is featuring a three-part video series – entitled 'The Battle to Desegregate the DC Transit System' – that includes interviews... more...
- Feb 6, 2008 Hated Work, Loved Labor Don’t miss author Les Leopold discussing his new book The Man Who Hated Work and Loved Labor: The Life and Times of Tony Mazzochi at the National Labor College tonight. “Tony Mazzocchi hated work. Don’t get me wrong. He was the hardest working labor leader I’ve ever met,” says Labor... more...
- Feb 6, 2008 Acting Like a Senator Here's your chance to be a Senator without having to worry about fundraising or winning votes! The Shakespeare Theatre Company is seeking extras for its production of Julius Caesar. If you'd rather stay true to your class, they're also looking for Plebians (from the Latin plebius "of the common... more...
- Feb 5, 2008 Council to Vote on Sick Leave Today DC Security officer Raquel Mack was sick on Monday, but she went to work anyway, because - with no paid sick days -- she couldn't afford not to. "Missing days of work is something we can't afford as security officers," said Mack, who came down to the Wilson Building on her lunch break for a... more...
- Feb 5, 2008 Williams Joins Push for Extended Unemployment Benefits Metro Council President Jos Williams joined Senate Democrats at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Monday to discuss Democrats' commitment to strengthening America's economy with a targeted and timely economic stimulus plan. "Increased unemployment benefits are one of the best ways -- if... more...
- Feb 5, 2008 Taking the Sweat Out of Georgetown Caps Racial discrimination and sweatshop conditions in a southern factory making Georgetown caps is the focus of a student-led forum tonight at Georgetown University (GU). New Era factory workers in Mobile, Alabama - who are primarily African-American women - were recently fired for seeking to... more...
- Feb 5, 2008 Labor Updates: New Home for CWA 2108 CWA 2108 has moved. The new address is: 10782 Rhode Island Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705. The new phone number is 301 595-2108 and fax is 301 595-2412. more...
- Feb 4, 2008 Sick Leave Supporters Turn Up Heat Supporters of paid sick leave are turning up the heat on DC City Council today. "DC workers shouldn't have to work sick," says Metro Council President Jos Williams, who's joining supporters of the paid sick leave bill today at noon at the Wilson Building. The bill is due for a vote tomorrow and... more...
- Feb 4, 2008 DC Social Workers Call For Action "God is crying, mourning the tragedy of Banita Jacks' children, Banita Jacks herself and the social workers" said AFSCME Council 20 Executive Director George Johnson as a steady rain fell on more than 100 demonstrators outside the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) headquarters in Southwest... more...
- Feb 4, 2008 House Cafeteria Workers Win New Contract Workers at the House of Representatives cafeteria workers have overwhelmingly approved a new three-year union contract with Restaurant Associates. "This is a good contract. One of the best we ever negotiated and the quickest," said Rickie Toon, a twenty-year Lead Cook in the Rayburn cafeteria.... more...
- Feb 4, 2008 Labor on the Move: Hugh Weathers Hugh Weathers has been hired as a consultant to provide political and legislative assistance to Metro Council Political Coordinator Rick Powell. Weathers will concentrate on working with COPE in Montgomery, Prince George's and Tri- County, as well as in Annapolis and Labor 2008. Immediate... more...
- Feb 4, 2008 Union Band Wants Your Vote Underscoring their organizing roots, the local labor band the U-Liners is mobilizing votes to win the Washington Area Music Association's "Fans Favorite" award. "Wouldn't it be cool if a pro-labor band with progressive politics won?" asks the U-Liner's Joe Uehlein - lead singer-guitarist... more...
- Feb 1, 2008 Business Still Trying to Kill Paid Sick Leave Bill DC workers' long wait for paid sick days may not be over. The Paid Sick Leave bill - which was to get a first vote in City Council on Tuesday - may be tabled because of intense behind-the-scenes opposition from the business community. Disregarding months of negotiations that significantly revised... more...
- Feb 1, 2008 Noise Bill Vote Delayed After Protest A "Noise Control" bill strongly opposed by the local labor community has been taken off next Tuesday's DC City Council meeting agenda after complaints that this week's committee vote was taken without proper notice. Council Chair Vincent Gray has assured Metro Council President Jos Williams that... more...
- Feb 1, 2008 Union to Protest "Scapegoating" of DC Family Service Workers Leaders of the union representing 400 employees in the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency will hold a mid-day rally and press conference today to outline actions on behalf of citizens and the beleaguered caseworkers who AFSCME District Council 20 says "have been scapegoated by the Fenty... more...
- Feb 1, 2008 High-Speed Internet Bypassing DC "This bus isn't the only thing passing you by," say bus ads that roll out tomorrow throughout the District, "Verizon is bringing high-speed Internet to the suburbs: Not to DC." The bus ads - part of the Connect-DC campaign - comes ahead of two DC City Council hearings next week on utility... more...
- Feb 1, 2008 Labor Walks for Wynn Dozens of Maryland union members will hit the doors this Saturday for Metro Council endorsed candidate Al Wynn. The walks will be held every Saturday leading up to the Maryland Primary elections on February 12. For more info or to volunteer, contact Rick Powell, rpowell@dclaborarchives.org more...
- Jan 31, 2008 Noise Bill Resurrected in Surprise Move In a surprise stealth move, a DC City Council Committee Tuesday voted out a "Noise Control" bill strongly opposed by the local labor community. "There's a very real danger that a full Council vote could come as early as next Tuesday," warns Metro Council President Jos Williams, who sent a... more...
- Jan 31, 2008 Report: Stadium Puts DC to Work "I love working on the stadium," said local construction worker Niesha Harris at a press briefing on the stadium project's progress Wednesday. "The pay is great, there's good training and lots of overtime." The DC resident was on hand to help Laborers Local 657 release a report outlining the... more...
- Jan 31, 2008 Letter Carriers Deliver Bowling Team Victory The letter carriers delivered a convincing win at Sunday's Bowling for Gold Tournament, as NALC Local 142's Jackie McKinnon, Cynthia Walton, Christopher Lee, Darnell Bell, and Jim Snow won top team honors with a combined score of 3129 for three games. Milton Pitt rolled 746 over three games to... more...
- Jan 31, 2008 Labor Updates (1/31/08) Thousands Tell the King to Stop Penny-Pinching: Demanding Burger King end exploitation of farmworkers and pay workers a penny more per pound for the tomatoes they pick, labor activists and workers recently delivered petitions with 28,000 signatures to Burger King CEO John Chidsay, reports the... more...
- Jan 30, 2008 Council Delegate Meeting Highlights Invitations for the 2008 Evening With Labor have gone out; this year’s ’08 award-winners include Doris Reed, ASASP (JC Turner Award for Outstanding Trade Unionist), 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and SEIU Local 500 (Organizing Awards), James Allen Jr., Retired ATU Local 689... more...
- Jan 30, 2008 APALA Kicks Off '08 Looking back at local and national successes in 2007 and strategizing for 2008 is the focus of the DC Chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) New Year Kick-Off event this Thursday . The event is open to all and will feature food and drinks. Founded in 1992, APALA is the... more...
- Jan 30, 2008 Woody Lives! Labor-political singer-guitarist Joe Uehlein [middle in photo] sings out with Avril Smith [far left] and Mindy McWilliams [far right] at the January 19 tribute to labor and political activist Woody Guthrie. A capacity crowd gathered at Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA to mark the 40th... more...
- Jan 30, 2008 SEIU 400 Goes Online SEIU Local 400 PG has launched their website , which features a photo gallery of local activities, a listing of Local 400’s staff, and extensive job postings in Prince George’s County Public Schools. The local plans to add additional content in the months ahead. more...
- Jan 29, 2008 America's Health Care System Killing Us “Poverty is my friend now. I have no money for the medical costs because of two horrible accidents that were no fault of my own,” says Pamela from Jacksonville, Florida in the AFL-CIO/Working America 2008 Health Care for America Survey . Pamela was the victim of two traffic accidents that... more...
- Jan 29, 2008 Organizing in the Classroom Best practices in organizing; finding targets for new organizing; developing a union committee; signing up "free riders;" these topics and more are the focus of a special course about organizing being offered by the Community College of Baltimore County Labor Studies Program. The three-credit... more...
- Jan 28, 2008 Mailers to Report at Tonight's Council Meeting Members of Mailers 29 (CWA Local 14-201) will report on their ongoing struggle for a contract at the Washington Post at tonight’s meeting of the Metro Washington Council. “Our METRO publicity campaign’s have been very successful at raising awareness of our 5-year battle for fairness,”... more...
- Jan 28, 2008 72 Teams Bowl For Gold Seventy-two teams from dozens of unions and internationals participated in Sunday’s Bowling for Gold union bowling tournament. The 16th annual event raised funds for the Metro Council’s Community Services Agency Emergency Assistance Fund. Watch the Council’s website for a complete album of... more...
- Jan 28, 2008 Remembering Memphis Workers “The Memphis sanitation workers were not revolutionaries,” Bill Lucy told a rapt lunchtime audience Friday packed into the Gompers room at the AFL-CIO. “They were 1,300 men who’d been through the wringer, 1,300 stories of trial and tribulation and lifetimes of deprivation. The film’s... more...
- Jan 28, 2008 Unions Notch Biggest Increases Since '79 Union membership in the United States increased to 15.7 million in 2007, according to a report released last Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 311,000 jump was the largest single-year increase in union membership since 1979. Overall union density increased slightly from 12.0... more...
- Jan 25, 2008 Library of Congress Cafeteria Workers Targeted Unionbusting at the Library of Congress (LOC) continues: this time against cafeteria workers. Less than a week after LOC members of the Professional Guild, AFSCME Local 2910 won a yearlong battle ( Library Workers Win 1/22/08 UC) to protect workers rights and stop unionbusting, LOC... more...
- Jan 25, 2008 Labor Updates (1/25/08) Pressure Increasing for Montco Worker Safety: “Labor unions and worker advocates are criticizing Montgomery County agencies for not moving ahead on a proposal to train county inspectors to help state regulators crack down on workplace safety violations,” reported Margie Hyslop in... more...
- Jan 25, 2008 The Other Georgia Members of a delegation from the Georgian Trade Union Confederation (GTUC) met with Metro Council UNION Cities Coordinator Chris Garlock Thursday afternoon at the Solidarity Center. The GTUC - led by President Irakli Petriashvili (3rd from left) -- reorganized their structure in 2005, away... more...
- Jan 25, 2008 Recession Threatens African-Americans Most Who will a recession hurt the most? According to the Economic Policy Institute, African American communities. During the recession of 2001 through 2003, African Americans saw their unemployment rate rise from 7.6 percent in that first year to 10.8 percent by the end. White annual unemployment... more...
- Jan 25, 2008 Candidate Questionnaires a Click Away Candidates questionnaires for Congressmen Al Wynn and Chris Van Hollen and Maryland congressional candidate Donna Edwards are now available for download on our website . Congressmen Wynn, Van Hollen, and Steny Hoyer – whose questionnaire will be posted next week – received endorsements from... more...
- Jan 24, 2008 Verizon Not Connecting with DC Residents "I dumped (Verizon) once, I ain't coming back!" a disgruntled former Verizon customer told volunteers surveying the experiences of DC residents affected by Verizon's declining service. The volunteers were canvassing District neighborhoods Saturday as DC City Council gets set for a February 5... more...
- Jan 24, 2008 Is the Strike Back? The chart that Pulitzer Prize winning-journalist Nancy Cleeland held up showed a decline as precipitous as the recent stock market plunge but instead charted the drop of major strike activity since the '80's in the United States. "Strikes are down, but they're definitely... more...
- Jan 24, 2008 Standing at the River with Bill Lucy Coalition of Black Trade Unionists President -- and AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer -- Bill Lucy will introduce tomorrow's free noontime screening of "At the River I Stand." Lucy - who is featured in the film - worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Memphis sanitation strike... more...
- Jan 24, 2008 Tales of Solidarity "It comes as a shock to most people that in North Carolina public sectors workers are prohibited from engaging in collective bargaining," because of a state law that declares "such contracts illegal," says Robin Alexander on the Labor is Not a Commodity blog . Alexander is the Director of... more...
- Jan 23, 2008 Labor Candidates Win Big at DC Democratic Caucus Local labor will be well represented at the Democratic National Convention after labor candidates – missing a clean sweep by just one – won in last Saturday's Democratic caucus to choose convention delegates. After leafleting urging caucus-goers to vote for labor candidates, William "Bill"... more...
- Jan 23, 2008 Local Activists Join Memphis MLK Celebration "The success of the struggle for justice by Memphis sanitation workers in 1968 is an example that we can drawn on in today's struggles," said Metro Council President Jos Williams, who joined more than 1,300 activists - including Council Executive Board members Gwend Johnson (CBTU), George... more...
- Jan 23, 2008 Labor Updates (1/23/08) Post Campaign Continues: The ad campaign against the Washington Post’s unfair treatment of production workers “is drawing more attention than most PR efforts,” reported Doug Cunningham yesterday for the Workers Independent News . The workers – who have been without a contract for... more...
- Jan 22, 2008 Library Workers Win A yearlong battle to protect workers rights and stop unionbusting at the Library of Congress (LOC) ended with a major victory for workers Wednesday, reports the LOC Professional Guild, AFSCME Local 2910 website . "This dispute had broad ramifications for the protection of employees rights and... more...
- Jan 22, 2008 Labor Updates (1/22/08) Victory for Amtrak Workers: Amtrak and workers may have struck a deal Friday morning that could give workers their first new contract in eight years and end a possible January 30 strike ( Amtrak Unions Return to Bargaining Table, January 30 Strike Possible 1/18/08 UC), reported the... more...
- Jan 22, 2008 Biz Journal Features Williams Metro Council President Jos Williams talked about top local labor issues in last Friday's Washington Business Journal. Headlined " Big Labor's local guy ," Williams discussed school reform -- "Opponents of the unions want to blame workers for all the ills of our schools" -- DC construction jobs... more...
- Jan 22, 2008 Buck-a-Bag Popcorn Bags of popcorn at this Sunday's Bowling for Gold Tournament are just a dollar, thanks to bags donated by the DC Labor FilmFest and American Income Life. Join the Guilded Lillies (Newspaper Guild 35), the Kilowatts (IBEW 26), and the Over The Hill Gangs (Teamsters 639 Retirees) as they... more...
- Jan 22, 2008 Department of Management "Revolving-door alert," wrote Washington Post "In The Loop" columnist Al Kamen last Friday, "Back in 2004, Emily DeRocco, assistant secretary of labor in charge of the Employment and Training Administration, stood with Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, delivering a check for nearly half a million... more...
- Jan 22, 2008 "At the River I Stand" Kicks Off New Labor Filmfest Series The DC Labor FilmFest is kicking off a new monthly series of movies about work and workers with a free noontime screening this Friday of "At The River I Stand" at the AFL-CIO in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The film will be introduced by Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU)... more...
- Jan 22, 2008 Health Care Survey "My brother Dale died three years ago because he didn't have health care insurance," wrote Kathleen from Illinois in her response to the AFL-CIO Health Care for America Survey. "He was turned away twice at the emergency room, after complaining of severe stomach pains. An autopsy revealed he died... more...
- Jan 18, 2008 Amtrak Unions Return to Bargaining Table, January 30 Strike Possible Amtrak workers could strike the national rail system - impacting local service on both Amtrak and VRE -- as early as January 30. Armed with a Presidential Emergency Board recommendation that Amtrak agree to the union position, bargaining resumed Wednesday between Amtrak and several unions. Amtrak... more...
- Jan 18, 2008 Council Endorses Labor Slate for DC Dems Caucus The Metro Council this week endorsed a nine-member labor caucus slate for Saturday’s DC Pre-Primary Democratic Caucus. The caucus – being held at 10A at McKinley High School, 105 T St NE – will elect delegates to represent DC at the Democratic National Convention. Any registered DC... more...
- Jan 18, 2008 Jammin' with Woody Grammy winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Wammy winner Dede Wyland, along with the Dede Wyland Bluegrass Band and The U-Liners will pay tribute to Woody Guthrie this Saturday. “Woody Guthrie, one of the greatest songwriters of all time, spent his life integrating his art with his... more...
- Jan 18, 2008 Labor Updates (1/18/08) DC Cabbies To Strike Over New Fares: DC taxi drivers have announced plans to strike one day a week to protest the new meter system. "What's better? Losing money one day a week or losing our jobs?" William Wright told the Washington Post. Wright is the president of the Taxicab Industry Group,... more...
- Jan 18, 2008 State of the Unions: Getting The Word Out By Philip Dine As an out-of-town labor reporter based in Washington, it's interesting to hear the frequent remark by local residents that “This isn't really a labor town, is it?” In a sense, that's true; one doesn't see giant auto plants or steel mills here (though of course those aren't... more...
- Jan 18, 2008 Steal This Newsletter “Just wanted to compliment you on the job you are doing with the Union City e-letter,” writes CWA 2108’s Les Evans, “I really enjoy getting them and appreciate the hard work that goes into putting it together and keeping it interesting. I steal from it frequently for the Local 2108... more...
- Jan 17, 2008 Williams to Help Celebrate MLK in Memphis Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams will join 900 union members and community activists gathering in Memphis this weekend to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and contributions to civil and worker rights. Among the participants in the AFL-CIO Martin Luther King, Jr.... more...
- Jan 17, 2008 Media Matters Creating media for social change is the focus of the upcoming Making Your Media Matter conference. The annual gathering, set for February 7-8, is sponsored by American University’s Center for Social Media, which helps organize the DC Labor FilmFest. “This is a great opportunity for area... more...
- Jan 17, 2008 Recognizing Our Heroes The many union members who quietly go the extra mile at their workplaces and communities are the backbone of our movement. Now there’s a new way to recognize these “unsung heroes.” The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region is accepting nominations for the 11th Annual... more...
- Jan 17, 2008 Labor on the Move: New CWA District 2 Location CWA District 2’s new offices are at 17000 Science Drive in Bowie, MD 20715; their phone number is 301-809-4160 and the fax is 301-809-4177.
- Jan 17, 2008 Martin Luther King, Presente! If you can’t make it to Memphis this weekend, Martin Luther King is just a click – or short subway ride – away: Four brief video clips featuring the civil rights leader are now available online from the AFL-CIO. Included are a 10-minute version of “ I Am A Man ” which tells... more...
- Jan 16, 2008 Direct-Care Workers Take Case to Annapolis Two dozen direct-care workers -- SEIU Local 500 members who work at Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC) -- met with Montgomery County legislators in Annapolis Monday night to advocate for a long-overdue cost of living increase. "In the past seven years, funding to... more...
- Jan 16, 2008 Help for the Homeless From Library Workers Twelve boxes of personal care items donated by Library of Congress staffers were delivered to Joseph's House during the recent holiday season. Joseph’s is a home in Adams Morgan for homeless men and women who are terminally ill. The donations were collected during a "Holiday... more...
- Jan 16, 2008 Labor Updates (1/16/08) DOD Workers Continue Fight for Union Rights: The battle for union rights at the Department of Defense (DoD) may soon be headed to the Supreme Court following an AFGE appeal filed last week, reported Stephen Barr in last Thursday's Washington Post . The appeal comes after President Bush's... more...
- Jan 16, 2008 Wynn Gets AFL-CIO Nod The Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO announced its' "enthusiastic" endorsement of Congressman Albert Wynn in the 4th Congressional District of Maryland on Tuesday. "Congressman Wynn has supported a working families' agenda while attaining a 93% lifetime voting record on AFL-CIO... more...
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