Workers Stand Together for Nationals Stadium Contract

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Coming off victories at campuses across the District (Food Service Worker Rally Celebrates Howard Contract Win UC 3/1/2013), Unite Here 23 members are gearing up for their next contract fight, this time at Nationals Stadium. On Memorial Day, Unite Here 23 members from other workplaces turned out with community allies for a button-up at the ballpark (right), where they passed out 10,000 buttons to both workers and fans. At a local meeting yesterday, workers from Unite Here 23 workplaces across the District voted to step-up their efforts on this campaign (below), leading to a June 19th rally and march. “I love doing what I do. I love cooking” Local 23 member at Nationals Stadium and DC-native Darrell Proctor told fellow members yesterday. “But I feel like I’m not getting paid my worth.” There are about 800 Local 23 members working at the stadium. “I just want a better life” said Proctor. “And I know there are a whole lot of people in that stadium who come from the same experience I do.” - report by Julia Kann; photos (above) Local 23 members button-up at Nationals Stadium, photo courtesy Unite Here 23; (below) Local 23 members vote to increase support for fight at Nationals Stadium, photo by Julia Kann