 "We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee."
An American activist for the rights of children, Marion Wright Edelman is president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.  Injured DC government workers should receive nearly $8 million after a class action suit was just settled. The settlement comes eight years after the District was sued for refusing to pay cost of living adjustments (COLAs) to unionized DC employees out on disability/workers’ comp. “Congratulations to Wendy Kahn and the law firm of Zwerdling, Paul, Kahn and Wolly PC which undertook this suit in conjunction with the unions back in 2007 and has stuck with it to ensure the District didn’t forget its’ obligations,” said Metro Washington Council president Jos Williams. In order to receive any payment from this settlement, you have to have been injured while working for the District in a union position, and have received benefits at some point between June 27, 2004 and October 2007 but not have received one or more of the COLAs awarded by the District Council during that time. Payments will range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. People still receiving comp benefits will see an increase in benefits going forward to make-up for the missed COLAs. Claims must be filed by January 11, 2016. Click here for details and here for the online claim form.
 “We can either have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few; but we can't have both."
 Management at United Way Worldwide has agreed to card check recognition and neutrality in future organizing drives among staffers at its Arlington, Va., headquarters. The News Guild-CWA crafted the pact with the United Way after the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, TNG-CWA Local 32035, hit unexpected anti-union resistance from hired UWW managers (not the local United Way of the National Capital Area) after agency staffers approached the Guild. Local 32035 already represents a small unit of UWW headquarters staffers. Reports of the resistance upset several major union UWW backers; its worldwide board includes AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and the U.S. board includes AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre, Letter Carriers President Fredric Rolando and AFT Executive Vice President Mary Cathryn Ricker.
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