Nationals Stadium Workers Rally Today
Wednesday, June 19, 2013(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