Metro & Verizon Streetheat Targets

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)"We don't want to wait until someone is injured or killed," ATU Local 1764 President Wayne Baker told Union City Monday as his members picketed outside Metro headquarters in downtown DC. The local’s members – who drive for Metro Access – are concerned about unsafe practices, including collection of money outside of the vehicles and being assigned additional hours at the end of 13-hour long shifts, often with no breaks. Across town, CWA staffers leafleted the F Street Verizon Wireless store to alert customers about the ongoing struggle by Verizon workers for a fair contract. Some 45,000 Verizon workers returned to work last week after a 2-week strike but negotiations for a new contract are ongoing and CWA has asked labor and community allies to keep the pressure up by adopting a Verizon Wireless store for regular leafleting until a settlement is reached. Stay tuned for details on metro-area leaflets or email streetheat@dclaborarchives.org if you want to adopt a store.
- report/photos by Matt Fournier (ATU 1764 demo) and Chris Garlock (Verizon leaflet)