​Under pressure, DASH backs off union-busting campaign

Management at DASH, the city-owned transit company in Alexandria, agreed to back off on their anti-union campaign after strong pressure from the labor movement and political allies. DASH had hired a notorious union buster in response to their drivers joining the transit worker union. “DASH management did the same thing in 2008,” ATU Director of Field Mobilization Chris Townsend says. “The workers at DASH want this harassment to stop. DASH workers want a fair union election with no management interference.” A delegation of union leaders and local elected officials plans to visit the DASH garage today “to determine whether the City is abiding by their announced stand-down from their anti-union campaign, and for us to begin to repair some of the damage done by the company’s anti-union consultant as well as their own anti-union behavior,” Townsend told Union City. “The antidote to anti-union and anti-worker bigotry is to not practice it in the first place, but this is our chance to set the record straight, late as it may be.” DASH drivers and their supporters plan to pack a DASH board meeting this Wednesday in Alexandria (see Calendar); the election is on Thursday. 
photo: Delegation prepared to argue with DASH GM for 30 minutes before gaining access to drivers lounge to investigate union busting and show support for the workers in the NLRB election this Thursday. (l-r): Chris Townsend ATU; Virginia Diamond Virginia Labor Fed; David Heller ATU; Mo Seifeldein Council-elect; Michelle Reif school board elect; Natalie Perez ATU IVP; Matt Harris, member of DASH Board. photo courtesy ATU

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