Labor Updates (8/15/07)

"I am glad that my community will no longer suffer a disadvantage against Arlington and Alexandria in the competition to attract and retain quality public workers," says Clayton Sinyai, Political Director of Laborers' Local 11 and Chairman of the Campaign for a Living Wage, congratulating the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for adopting a living wage policy last week. "The living wage is a vital component of responding to other major public policy challenges facing Fairfax County," said Sinyai, who also chairs the Campaign for a Living Wage. "Workers who are paid a living wage are better able to afford to live near their work rather than overburdening our roads and polluting our environment with long commutes." Sinyai called the new living wage policy "an important first step toward securing a self-sufficient wage for all our county employees and a milestone for every working family in Northern Virginia. We look forward to working with the County toward developing an effective implementation plan for the policy...Following recent street demonstrations outside the Ingleside at Rock Creek life care community, workers have negotiated some major contract gains, reports 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. Agreements already reached include a $250/year uniform allowance and higher pay rates for night shifts. Workers and 1199SEIU also successfully resisted management's attempts to raise health insurance costs. Other key issues, including higher wages, are still being negotiated.