"Let The Union In" Demand Downtown Safety/Maintenance Workers

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

“Hey hey, ho ho- union busting has got to go!” yelled dozens of Downtown Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance workers (SAMs) as they picketed outside the Downtown Business Improvement District Corporations office on H Street NW last Friday. Thumping water barrels and shaking rattle cans, the workers walked the picket line for over an hour demanding that their employer recognize their union – the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) – which they voted for in 2009. “Despite the National Labor Relations Board certifying the election twice, Downtown BID continues to draw out the legal battle, and refuses to recognize the union,” said Cory Bythrow, National Communications Coordinator for the National Federation of Federal Employees-IAM. “This is an effort to undermine support for the union among employees.” Bythrow told Union City that the workers are fed up with fighting the legal battle behind the scenes and are now “taking it to the streets to tell the public how they treat their workers.” SAMs worker John Wright – who was recently “wrongfully fired for taking time off to take care of his sick wife” - told Union City, “We wanted to bring the union in because we want to make sure that employees are being treated right. We need a voice to put an end to BID’s unfair wages, benefits and working conditions.” Wright said that many of his coworkers are forced to do work that is “outside of our job description, and if we don’t, they threaten to fire us.” He added, “BID is acting unfair in fighting the union; let the union come in and let us have a place at the table- respect our workplace rights.”
– report/photos by Adam Wright