Council Highlights

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

At Monday night's meeting of the Metro Washington Council, five Indian guest workers on Day 6 of their hunger strike in DC reported on their struggle against exploitation; sympathetic delegates expressed their solidarity and contributed $1,000 to support the strikers. The Council took several significant political actions, including approving support for a major "Protect Free Speech" campaign to defeat the Noise Bill introduced in DC City Council last month. Labor leaders and delegates spoke out strongly against the bill's limitations on free speech in Washington and the campaign will target swing Councilmembers with an extensive legislative strategy. The bill comes up for another vote on June 3. The Council also approved a strongly-worded letter to Prince George's County elected Democratic Party officials demanding their support for labor's Progressive Political/Labor Contract. As a result of a request from MD District 4 candidate Donna Edwards, the Council approved a $1,000 donation to support the Oxon Hill marching band as part of their effort to raise money for their trip to the Olympics in Beijing. Other upcoming major actions and updates reported at last night’s meeting included a June 19 kick-off of a DC-focused "Don't Buy Smithfield" campaign; busses from DC to a June 21 rally in Atlantic City supporting casino workers; 2,700 tickets have already been sold for the July 11 Labor Night at the Nats; upcoming Labor FilmFest screenings include "Grassroots Rising" at the AFL-CIO on May 30 and SiCKO at the National Labor College on June 1; ad space is available in the FilmFest program book for the October 9-12 main Labor FilmFest; Vance T. Ayers -- the new Secretary-Treasurer of the Washington Building and Construction Trades Council - was appointed to complete Jerry Lozupone's term on the Metro Council Executive Board, and officially sworn in by President Williams. Photos by Andy Richards