Students, Labor, Unite at G-Town
Monday, April 3, 2006(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
The chant "Workers'
rights are human rights" echoed loudly across
Georgetown's campus Friday as students,
faculty, workers and members from the DC labor
and religious communities gathered for a rally
in Red Square. Speakers included Metro
Washington Labor Council President Jos
Williams, AFSCME Council 26's Carl Goldman,
Gene Pinder of the Laborers' and Georgetown
fellow Pablo Eisenberg. "I was really
enthusiastic about the turnout at the rally
today,” said Georgetown student Colleen
Hodgetts. “We had some great speakers and the
presence of the labor community at the rally
shows how important a cause we are fighting
for.
I hope we can work with Georgetown's
administration to advance workers' rights."
Speakers emphasized card check – a process
whereby employers recognize a union when a
majority of workers sign union cards -- as the
most democratic way to form a union and
encouraged Georgetown to take strides to
respect the right to organize for campus
workers.
“We should be proud that the fight at
Georgetown is part of a greater struggle around
the country and world for labor and immigrants'
rights," said Carl Goldman. Added Jos Williams,
"We are fighting the good fight united with
students and workers and history shows we won't
stop till we have won!"
- reported by Ashwini
Jaisingh