DC Labor Movement Lauded At Evening With Labor

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

"DC shows the rest of America what being a Union City is all about," AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Liz Shuler (r, with Metro Council President Jos Williams) told the nearly 1,000 labor leaders, activists and politicians gathered Saturday night for the 33rd annual Evening With Labor. "Unity, solidarity, everyone joins in here. We count on you and you always come through. Thanks for being a model for all fifty states." Political leaders from Congressional Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards to DC City Council Chair Vincent Gray paid glowing tribute to the Metro Washington Council and the 2009 Evening With Labor awardees. Metro Council President Jos Williams began the evening's program with a toast in honor of Teamster's 639's Phil Feaster, whose funeral had been held the previous day and who would have been 71 on Saturday. "Organizing is a team effort," said IUOE 99 organizer Eamon Clifford, as Local 99 accepted the Organizing Award, "not just the workers and the local, but the entire labor community. We couldn't have done it without you." DC COPE award-winner Johnnie Walker received a standing ovation after Williams warned an absent Mayor Adrian Fenty that "Johnnie will be back in his job while you'll be out of yours" and Walker promised that "We'll be mobilizing in this year's elections like never before, just wait and see." Tri-County COPE winner Bill Grooms noted that "even though we sometimes have our differences in Tri-County, we come together and get the job done and get it done right." 1199 SEIU member Sabrina Mosley, accepting the Golden Picket Award for the local's creative contract campaigns last year, warned employers that "If you won't negotiate face-to-face with us, we'll get in your face until you do." Community Services award-winner Mike Murphy (IUOE 99) thanked CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy "for all your support and hard work" and Outstanding Citizen award-winner Elbridge James told the crowd "You keep me going and remind me of where the real place is." AFSCME 2250's Faith Jones (l), in accepting the JC Turner Award for Outstanding Trade Unionist of the Year, said that his father, a union bricklayer, "taught me what being a trade unionist meant" and asked everyone in the Omni Shoreham ballroom to stand up and join him, "because this award is for all of us." - Chris Garlock; photos by Bill Burke/Page One Photography