April Metro Council Meeting Highlights

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Threats to the Postal Service – both neighborhood service and postal jobs – were a big topic at the April meeting of the Metro Washington Council on April 23. APWU Nation’s Capital and Southern MD Local President Dena Briscoe and NALC Local 3825 President Ken Lerch explained the threats and urged delegates to contact the U.S. Senate (the Senate subsequently approved the bill with some of the amendments – like protecting 6-day service – supported by labor). Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy reported on the ongoing United Way shoebox project for which CSA is collecting items through June 2. MWC Legislative/Political Coordinator Rick Powell and UFCW Local 400’s Tony Perez reported on the surprising success of the Privileged Communication Bill in Annapolis, helping protect confidential notes and documents from being subpoenaed during a labor dispute, and MWC Legislative/Political Assistant Alya Solomon shared information about the ongoing struggle to get DC government employees repaid for furlough days imposed in 2010. Guests Mike Golash (ATU 689) and Tom Hale (AFGE 1923) from the Occupy DC Labor Committee invited everyone to a May Day festival and march to the White House, which delegates voted to endorse. Click here to check out the draft minutes from the meeting. - photo: members of the DC Labor Chorus sing “Solidarity Forever” at the Council meeting and invite delegates to their spring concert; photo by Chris Garlock