Airline catering workers will protest Airlines for America (A4A) tomorrow to call attention to the low wages paid to the food workers and the unaffordable health care plans the employees must purchase. According to UNITE HERE Local 23, over 40% of airline food workers currently make less than $10.10 an hour, which means they not only can’t afford the premiums of so-called “minimum value plans,” but are also ineligible to purchase more affordable options from health care exchanges. The 3p action at Freedom Plaza is an escalation of the workers’ “Nickel A Ticket” campaign, which calls on A4A members United, American and Delta Airlines to earmark five cents per passenger ticket toward affordable health care options for airline catering employees. Monday’s Metro Washington Council Delegate Meeting features a number of affiliate and constituency group reports. Here are highlights*: Newsguild CWA 32035: Rick Ehrmann reported that a quality pension and health care for part-timers are among the key issues still on the table in the contract fight at the Washington Post…OPEIU 2: Eric Starin reported that the local won an arbitration at WMATA that provides for a back pay award of $1 million to 160 members… photo: 50/50 raffle winners with MWC president Jos Williams (center); photo by Chris Garlock The Wisconsin legislature is not only planning to introduce "right to work" legislation this week, it intends to Fast Track it, and Gov. Scott Walker said he intends to sign it. To help activists across the country support the Wisconsin labor movement this week, the AFL-CIO has created a solidarity toolkit with Facebook graphics and some sample tweets. The Wisconsin AFL-CIO has some other good graphics too. Twitter handles to watch for livetweeting on the ground: @wisaflcio, @WeRWisconsin, @WEAC, @onewisconsinnow, @cathysherwin; Hashtags to watch: #wipolitics #righttowork #wiunion. Read more here. “With your help Chicago will not turn into another Wisconsin,” says DCNA/NNU, urging support for Reclaim Chicago today. Remote phonebanks 2-5 & 5-8; [email protected] for details. “Activists from the west coast to the east coast and all parts in between will be engaged tomorrow in the nationwide fight to reclaim our cities and states from corporate politicians and to elect politicians that are committed to our movement,” says NNU. |