DC COPE Report: Locals Mobilize Against Anti-Union Nominee to WASA Board

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Local unions are joining forces to stop the appointment of Roderic Woodson to the city’s Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) Board of Directors. Citing a conflict of interest and big-business allegiances, union members and allies across the District are sending emails to City Councilmembers telling them to vote against Woodson. Woodson is representing the anti-union Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) as they sue the city over First Source hiring laws (DC Workers & Leaders Rally Around "First Source" Law, UC 6/26/2012). This "represents a clear conflict of interest," says Metro Council President Jos Williams. “[Woodson] has made his stance against District workers abundantly clear” added Williams, citing his lobbying against the “DC Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act”, which requires employers to grant their workers paid sick leave, and the “First Source Act,” which ensures that District residents are hired for city contract jobs. "DC WASA has embarked on several billion dollars worth of infrastructure work" says Williams. "With all the jobs these projects will create, and the potential for DC residents to land these jobs, having an anti-union, anti- DC resident person on the board is unacceptable." - photos of rally defending First Source local hiring by Jamie Flores (MALiUNA)