Nationals Stadium Workers Rally Today

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

“I love my job and I love the fans,” Pearl Bailey – a grill cook at Nationals Stadium -- told delegates at Monday night’s Metro Council meeting. “But we’re fighting for training on the job,” said the Unite Here Local 23 member. “I don’t want to stay a grill cook all my life, I want to learn and move up.” Stadium food service workers will rally at 5P today; they’re currently negotiating a new contract with Levy Restaurants, the primary food provider for the Washington Nationals. Over 800 food workers are employed by Levy in the District-financed, $693 million stadium. The entire City Council, led by Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, recently signed a letter to Levy urging it to quickly reach a fair settlement. “All working DC residents deserve to have jobs that pay enough to support their family, and everyone should be able to access training to help them move ahead,” said Ed Lazere of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. “But that obligation is even greater when the jobs in question are at a stadium built almost entirely with public funds. Public investments should benefit all of us.” - photo: Unite Here 23 members at Nationals Stadium show off their union buttons; photo courtesy Unite Here 23