Political Action Dominates June Council Meeting

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Political action dominated the agenda at Monday’s Metro Council Executive Board and delegate meetings. After spirited discussion of the candidate endorsement recommendations by the DC, Prince George’s and Tri-County COPE committees, both bodies voted to meet again in special session on Monday, July 19 for the sole purpose of finalizing the Council’s endorsements. Please save the date: details on time, location and the specific COPE recommendations will follow. The Council did make endorsements in Tri-County  and also voted to take “no position” in DC’s Ward 1 race, and to recommend Mary Cheh in the DC Ward 3 race; CLICK HERE for the complete list of endorsements. Action on all other endorsements was tabled until the July 19 meeting. Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D, MD, above), made a special appearance at the delegate meeting, where she reiterated her “strong support for the right of workers to organize,” as well as her solidarity with “government workers at all levels who are being targeted” during the current economic crisis. “Workers cannot afford another two decades like the last,” Edwards told the Council delegates, “we have nothing left to give; we’re at rock bottom.” Edwards called labor “my backbone” and urged union support for political leaders “who are willing to stand up and fight for you, not just vote right.” Other reports included updates on the ongoing Teamsters 9-week strike at Daycon, the upcoming vote by Nurses United to reject the contract offer from the Washington Hospital Center, the July 9 Labor Night at the Nats and a June 30 DC City Council hearing on the Employment Stimulus Bill. Watch Union City and the Council’s website for full details on these and other upcoming local labor news and events. - Chris Garlock; photo by Adam Wright