News Articles Archives

View By: [Date] Category

Oct 18, 2011 Metro Council Meetings Hit the Streets The Metro Washington Council literally took to the streets yesterday as the Council's Executive Board and Delegate meetings were held at an SEIU 1199 rally, at Freedom Plaza and at Occupy DC... more...
Oct 18, 2011 How To Help Occupy DC Hats and coats, tarps and tents. These are some of the items occupiers in McPherson Square need most as the days get shorter and the temperature drops... more...
Oct 17, 2011 Free Tix for Mother Jones Play Today Don't miss the special FREE matinee performance this afternoon of Can't Scare Me: the Story of Mother Jones... more...
Oct 17, 2011 DC Labor FilmFest Weekend Line-Up The 11th annual DC Labor FilmFest continues today with screenings of Inside Job, The Company Men, The Whistleblower, and Moon... more...
Oct 17, 2011 Millions of Taxpayer Dollars Misused by D.C. Healthcare Contractor VMT A new report from the D.C. Inspector General (IG) finds that local healthcare contractor VMT misused $2.7 million in city funds and calls on District officials to recoup the money... more...
Oct 17, 2011 Walmart, Occupy DC Highlight Tonight's Delegate Meeting An update on the ongoing DC occupations and reports from two Walmart workers highlight tonight's Metro Council Delegate Meeting (6:30p at the AFL-CIO)... more...
Oct 17, 2011 DC Labor FilmFest Continues The 2011 DC Labor FilmFest continues tonight with a screening of Inside Job, the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008... more...
Oct 17, 2011 New 4-Year Contract for DC-Metro/Baltimore Office Cleaners Protects 12,000 Good Jobs Less than 24 hours before their contract expired, area office cleaners Sunday night won a tentative agreement with wage increases... more...
Oct 14, 2011 From Freedom Plaza to the MLK Memorial Leaders in labor, education, civil rights, and clergy from across the country will join Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN), Saturday at a march and rally for jobs and justice that connects the occupation at Freedom Plaza to the new Martin Luther King memorial more...
Oct 14, 2011 11TH DC Labor FilmFest Launches Tonight The 11th annual DC Labor FilmFest launches tonight at AFI's Silver Theater in Silver Spring, MD, with yet another great line-up of films about work and workers... more...
Oct 14, 2011 Nominations Open for "Distinguished DC Government Employee" Award Public servants have become popular targets for right-wing budget-cutters but the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation wants to celebrate "the extraordinary service and commitment of public employees who -- often working behind the scenes -- provide outstanding service to the residents of... more...
Oct 13, 2011 Downtown March Links Worker Struggles "We don't work, we don't eat!" The chants echoed off the downtown buildings as upwards of a thousand drenched but still defiant office cleaners and their supporters marched up I Street through the rain last night... more...
Oct 13, 2011 Mayor Gray Apparently "Close" to CBA Highly-placed sources in DC Mayor Vincent Gray's office now say the Mayor is "actually very close" on a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA)... more...
Oct 13, 2011 Great Films -- and Some Controversy -- at 2011 DC Labor FilmFest Friday marks the official opening of the 11th annual DC Labor FilmFest with screenings of Up in the Air (5:15p) and a special 35th-anniversary screening of All the President's Men (7:30p)... more...
Oct 12, 2011 Occupy DC to March to NLRB, Verizon and Building Cleaner's Rally Today Occupy DC activists will connect with local union members this afternoon in a major solidarity march linking three ongoing campaigns. The march kicks off at 3:30p at Freedom Plaza... more...
Oct 12, 2011 Labor Photo: Praying for Jobs More than 150 labor union members and leaders, community activists, unemployed workers and religious leaders gathered... more...
Oct 12, 2011 Marshals Needed for MLK Civil Rights March & Rally Marshals are needed for this Saturday's National Action Network MLK Civil Rights March & Rally... more...
Oct 12, 2011 Grocery Workers Support MontCo Big Box Community Empowerment Bill Calling it an "innovative solution" to the threat big box stores pose to the quality of life and living standards in Montgomery County, retail and grocery workers represented by United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 have announced their strong support for County Council President Valerie... more...
Oct 12, 2011 ASASP Battling Attacks on School Employees The recent spate of attacks on working families have extended to area public school employees. The Association of Supervisory and Administrative School Personnel (ASASP) reports that they've recently filed 30 grievances and a Demand for Arbitration... more...
Oct 12, 2011 FilmFest Viewers Speak: "I love movies and I love the labor movement..." more...
Oct 11, 2011 Noel Backed for PSC Appointment Citing her "impeccable public integrity and judgment," the Metro Washington Council's Jos Williams will testify in support of Elizabeth "Betty" Noel at today's D.C. City Council confirmation hearing for Noel's appointment to the D.C. Public Service Commission (PSC), which regulates Pepco,... more...
Oct 11, 2011 Occupy DC Labor Actions Upcoming labor actions at the ongoing Occupy DC occupation include a labor history teach-in today at 11a... more...
Oct 11, 2011 AFSCME Council 20 Celebrates DC Student Achievements When forty students at Martin Luther King Elementary School in Southeast DC passed a tough math and reading test they got a special reward last month, thanks to AFSCME Council 20 and Destiny-Pride... more...
Oct 11, 2011 DC Labor FilmFest Free Screenings Kick Off Today The 2011 DC Labor FilmFest kicks off today with a free noontime screening of Working Lunch: 9 Short Films About Labor at Public Citizen... more...
Oct 7, 2011 Occupy DC Shuts Down Chamber of Commerce Over a thousand protestors shut down the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon, chanting "Where are the jobs?" mockingly beneath the big "JOBS" banner across the Chamber's headquarters on H Street and Connecticut Avenue... more...
Oct 7, 2011 Free Tees & Tix for Labor FilmFest Volunteers Volunteer at this year’s DC Labor FilmFest... more...
Oct 7, 2011 Gray Fails to Deliver Walmart CBA; DC Residents Shift Focus to Council Saying that Mayor Vincent Gray has failed to deliver a promised Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Walmart, dozens of community groups and residents took their demands to the DC Council on Wednesday... more...
Oct 7, 2011 Free Noontime Screenings Kick Off 11th Annual Labor FilmFest Next Week Another Working Lunch screening has just been added to this year's DC Labor FilmFest line-up more...
Oct 7, 2011 Occupy DC: Day 6; Report from Freedom Plaza The Occupy D.C. movement got a large infusion of protesters on Thursday as the small crowd that has steadfastly held McPherson Square was bolstered by over 1,000 new protesters who set up a new camp on Freedom Plaza... more...
Oct 6, 2011 Occupy DC to Take Over Freedom Plaza Today As Occupy Wall Street-inspired protests continue to spread across the country, Occupy DC -- now in their sixth day -- is headed to Freedom Plaza today to participate in a large-scale gathering and occupation in the nation capital. more...
Oct 6, 2011 UFCW 400 Mobilizing Members Early for '12 Contract Talks Giant and Safeway shop stewards, members of UFCW Local 400, attended their second seminar Tuesday, September 27 to discuss the upcoming round of bargaining in the spring of 2012. more...
Oct 6, 2011 Report from McPherson Square, Day 4 Occupy D.C. entered its fourth day of protests Wednesday with new ideas, hopes and a developing plan for survival. more...
Oct 5, 2011 OccupyDC: Report from McPherson Square Like its New York City model, OccupyDC has started small. About 30 protestors were in McPherson Square on Tuesday afternoon on Day 3 of the local occupation... more...
Oct 5, 2011 Metro DC Represents at "Next Up" Young Worker Summit Over 800 young workers from around the world, including several from the metro DC area, gathered in Minnesota this past week for the AFL-CIO's second Next Up Young Worker Summit... more...
Oct 5, 2011 The Compassion of Individuals, The Power of Community “Many Hands Make a Stronger Community. Each One Help One.” This is the mantra of the Combined Federal Campaign, the United Way Campaign and the DC One Fund Campaign, all of which are in full swing at area worksites now. more...
Oct 4, 2011 Office Cleaners Ready to Walk Downtown DC rents run $80 a square foot and more, but the people who clean those offices often don't even make that much in a day's work. more...
Oct 4, 2011 OccupyDC to Take Over Freedom Plaza This Week The OccupyWallStreet movement has arrived in DC. more...
Oct 3, 2011 Furloughed FAA Workers to Get Back Pay Federal Aviation Administration workers furloughed earlier this year (4,000 FAA Workers Furloughed 7/22 UC) learned Friday that they'll receive back pay for the two weeks they were out of work. more...
Oct 3, 2011 Local 689's Garland to Lead Can-Am Conference ATU Local 689 Recording Secretary Anthony Garland was appointed President of the CAN-AM Conference at the recently-held annual Conference meeting. His term will run until 2013, reports Local 689. more...
Oct 3, 2011 Maine Labor Mural on Display at AFL-CIO Now you can see for yourself what all the fuss in Maine was about. more...
Sep 30, 2011 F Street Verizon Store Target of National Day of Action Today CWA & IBEW’s two-week strike in August showed Verizon and Verizon Wireless that it could not keep stonewalling at the bargaining table. Jobs with Justice is ramping things up with a national Day of Action today, including a noon leafleting/demo at the F Street Verizon Wireless store in downtown... more...
Sep 30, 2011 Daycon Loses Another Round, Owes Workers Over $1 Million Daycon now owes its workers over a million dollars. more...
Sep 30, 2011 United Way Seeks Volunteer Grant Reviewers If you’d like to volunteer to help the United Way decide funding priorities next year, here’s your chance. more...
Sep 30, 2011 Labor FilmFest "Thought-provoking and enjoyable" “I have been attending the DC Labor FilmFest for 7 or 8 years now,” writes Beverly in response to our “Favorite Things about the DC Labor FilmFest” contest , “and thoroughly enjoy the variety of films and shorts that are both thought-provoking and enjoyable. I always look forward to... more...
Sep 29, 2011 Self-Checkout Lanes Checking Out Turns out shoppers don’t like being turned into involuntary checkout clerks after all. more...
Sep 29, 2011 F Street Verizon Store Target of National Day of Action Tomorrow Community allies will join CWA members and other union members tomorrow at the F Street Verizon Wireless store as part of a national Day of Action for Verizon. more...
Sep 28, 2011 Hitting The Street for the Postal Service With streets barricaded by police for blocks around the "Save America’s Postal Service" protest site at 14th & F NW, Michael Wilson declared “It’s clear that a crime is being committed.” more...
Sep 28, 2011 AFL-CIO HIT Wins CSA Golf Tourney With a 12 under par score, the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust team (photo: Chuck Graham, Chang Suh, Lesyllee White and Joe Barilotti) edged out the Tyrone Conard team (10 under; Tyrone Conard, Steve Donovan, Curtis Sims & Nate James) to take first place in Monday’s 16th annual Community... more...
Sep 27, 2011 Postal Unions Rally Today With the future of the Postal Service at stake, all four postal unions – united as "Save America’s Postal Service" -- are joining together, along with their supporters in the labor movement, today at 4p with rallies in every Congressional district in the country, including a number in the... more...
Sep 27, 2011 Teeing Off to Help Area Needy Union golfers took over the all-union Enterprise golf course yesterday in Mitchelville, MD as they enjoyed a gorgeous fall day and raised much-needed funds for the Community Services Agency’s Emergency Assistance Fund. more...
Sep 27, 2011 Speak Out on the DC Labor FilmFest What's your favorite thing about the annual DC Labor FilmFest? more...
Sep 26, 2011 As Bloomberg Acquires BNA, Guild Looks to Build Strength The Bureau of National Affairs (BNA)’s recent decision to sell to Bloomberg should have no immediate effect on employees “since under our contract any buyer is required to honor the collective bargaining agreement,” reports Newspaper Guild Local 30325, “but what happens later could depend... more...
Sep 26, 2011 Labor On The Move: Boundy to Direct AFL-CIO’s New Campaigns Department David Boundy has been named the Director of the AFL-CIO’s new Campaigns Department, responsible for coordinating the mobilization work of the more than 12 million members of the AFL-CIO. more...
Sep 23, 2011 MD Delegate Gutierrez Joins MontCo Office Cleaners At Silver Spring Rally For the third time in a week, area office cleaners rallied Thursday night to ask for their chance at sharing in the American Dream. more...
Sep 22, 2011 Office Cleaners Rally For Good Jobs, Strong Communities Area office cleaners have hit the streets in recent days to demand their chance at sharing in the American Dream. more...
Sep 21, 2011 Fall Labor Season Kicks Off at Council Meeting Enthusiasm was high at Monday night’s Metro Council meeting, as delegates fresh off the summer break heard reports on the ongoing battle for a contract at Verizon... more...
Sep 21, 2011 African Americans in Organized Labor The topic of African Americans in organized labor is a focus of The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of the Black Middle Class panel discussion (2-4p at the Convention Center). more...
Sep 21, 2011 Labor On The Move: Parks Retires Longtime AFL-CIO staffer James Parks (l) is retiring. Parks – a frequent byline on AFL-CIO Now blog posts -- has been at the AFL-CIO for 21 years... more...
Sep 21, 2011 HIRING HALL WEEKLY ROUND UP Academic Advisor (posted September 13) National Labor College Campaign Communications Specialist on the Health team (posted September 16) Service Employees International Union (International Positions), SEIU Communications Manager WTU Local 6;... more...
Sep 21, 2011 Labor Delivers Big Win in Prince George's Special Election Labor-endorsed candidate Derrick Leon Davis won big in Tuesday's Special Election to fill the District 6 seat vacated by Leslie Johnson, wife of former County Executive Jack Johnson... more...
Sep 20, 2011 Taking Back the Budget Debate A Town Hall meeting is being held tonight in Silver Spring to help organize for real, progressive solutions. more...
Sep 20, 2011 Building Futures Program Helps DC Resident Land Job Monday was a big day for DC resident Gloria Morrison. The newly-minted Building Futures graduate (photo) celebrated her first day on the job as a Sheet Metal apprentice... more...
Sep 19, 2011 FAA Shutdown Averted As the clock ticked toward a Friday midnight deadline, the Senate passed the FAA authorization (HR 2887) which extended FAA programs for four months by a vote of 92 to 6. more...
Sep 16, 2011 Laurel Walmart Workers -- and Friends -- Confront Manager The store manager at the Laurel Walmart got an unexpected surprise Wednesday during the regular morning meeting with store employees. One of the workers stood up and... more...
Sep 16, 2011 Time Running Out to Support Labor FilmFest Time’s almost up to let the world know you support the DC Labor FilmFest by taking an ad in the FilmFest program guide. more...
Sep 16, 2011 Union Cakes Make Birthdays Sweeter Metro Council President Jos Williams (l), Council Trustee Fred Allen (center) and Community Services Agency Client Services Coordinator Sylvia Casaro celebrate their birthdays Thursday at the Council/CSA offices. more...
Sep 15, 2011 Check It Out Before You Check In Hotel workers across the country are now actively organizing against oppressive employer policies. more...
Sep 15, 2011 In Memoriam: Bill Doherty, AIFLD William C. Doherty (l), 84, who directed the AFL-CIO’s outreach to trade unions in Latin America for 35 years, died Aug. 28, reports The Washington Post. more...
Sep 15, 2011 FAA Shutdown Seems Averted (Updated 7P 9/15): Minutes ago, the Senate passed the FAA authorization (HR 2887) which extends FAA programs for four months by a vote of 92 to 6. In recent days Senator Tom Coburn had placed a hold on the bill... more...
Sep 14, 2011 UFCW 1994 PG Library Members OK Agreement MCGEO/UFCW 1994 members who work in the Prince George's County Memorial Library System have voted overwhelmingly – 109-8 -- to ratify an agreement with the library, reports Local 1994. “Congratulations to all and a special thanks to a fantastic bargaining team!” more...
Sep 14, 2011 Labor & Workers Speak Out Against E-Verify Small business owners, labor leaders, and workers will unite this morning (11a in Lafayette Park) to speak out against Congressional proposals to impose E-Verify, an "error-ridden government computer database" created to determine a person’s authorization to work in this country, upon virtually... more...
Sep 14, 2011 Second West Virginia Mine Tour Scheduled If you missed the recent inaugural West Virginia Mine Tour, there’s another scheduled for September 25-27. more...
Sep 13, 2011 DC Dept of Employment Services Pressed on Living Wage Enforcement Local worker advocates are pushing the DC Department of Employment Services to enforce payment of a living wage to employees of direct care providers in the city. more...
Sep 13, 2011 CSA's News You Can Use: Creative Fundraising The OPEIU Local 2 Unit at National Electrical Benefit Fund had a $5 foot-long hot dog lunch on August 17 to raise funds for the Metro Council’s Community Services Agency. more...
Sep 13, 2011 Mark Your Calendar: Speak Out Against E-Verify on Wednesday Small business owners, labor leaders, and workers will unite to speak out against Congressional proposals to impose E-Verify, an error-ridden government computer database created to determine a person’s authorization to work in this country, upon virtually every employer in the country.... more...
Sep 12, 2011 Verizon Workers Get Global Support at L Street Demo Verizon workers got a taste of international solidarity when delegates from UNI -- the global union for skills and services workers -- turned out at last Wednesday's demo at the L Street Verizon Wireless store. more...
Sep 12, 2011 Fore! Last Call for CSA Tourney Sign-Up Time’s running out to sign up for golf teams and reserve tee signs at this year’s 16th annual Community Services Agency Golf Tournament, set for Monday, September 26. more...
Sep 9, 2011 Remembering 9/11: Doing Our Job by Daniel Duncan After escaping downtown DC following the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, my wife and I headed straight to Fairfax Hospital to donate blood, but so many others had the same idea that the hospital had run out of parking spaces and was asking folks to return the next day. The... more...
Sep 9, 2011 Remembering 9/11: A Sad Day for Fire Fighters by Edward C. Smith September 11, 2001, will forever be remembered as the saddest day in the history of the American fire service. As fire fighters during the 9/11 attacks, we knew the loss of life to first responders and civilians would be staggering, but no one was prepared for the final... more...
Sep 8, 2011 Remembering 9/11: An Outpouring of Support Literally hundreds of contributions large and small poured into the Metro Council’s Community Services Agency after the 9/11 attacks as the CSA and affected unions struggled to cope with the massive effects on local workers – who lost their livelihoods in an instant -- and their families.... more...
Sep 8, 2011 Art/Labor Show Featuring Banned Maine Muralist Opens Tonight Celebrate Labor: Where Art and Politics Meet opens tonight at VisArts at Rockville. The show presents the work of Maine artist Judy Taylor, whose 11-panel Labor Mural was removed in March from the headquarters of Maine's Department of Labor by Republican Governor Paul LePage. more...
Sep 7, 2011 Remembering 9/11: The Effect on Local 25 by John A. Boardman: When the images of the towers appeared on TV on the morning of 9/11 and we watched the smoke billowing out of the Pentagon we had no idea what was ahead. Our immediate concern was for the members who worked in the cafeterias at the Pentagon. more...
Sep 7, 2011 Postal Workers March & Leaflet Verizon Today Postal workers from around the world with march and leaflet to support CWA workers at Verizon at 5p today (watch our website for weather updates). more...
Sep 7, 2011 Labor On The Move: New Staffers at EJC The DC Employment Justice Center (EJC) has been joined by several new staffers, including new Executive Director Barbra Kavanaugh. more...
Sep 6, 2011 Remembering 9/11: A Community Responds The awful events and aftermath of 9/11 -- 10 years ago this Sunday -- presented the Metro Washington Council's Community Services Agency with many challenges... more...
Sep 6, 2011 Postal Delegates to Support Verizon Workers Tomorrow Plan to join postal workers from around the world tomorrow at a 5p march and leaflet to support CWA workers at Verizon. more...
Sep 1, 2011 Activists Stage "Main Street" Sit-In at Majority Leader Cantor's Office Hundreds of activists demanding a “Main Street Contract” staged a sit-in outside House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s (R., VA 7) Richmond district office Thursday. Another group was blocked from attending a "Citizen’s Advisory Council Meeting" Wednesday night by police and private... more...
Sep 1, 2011 Labor Day Weekend Round-Up Friday, 9/2: F-Street Verizon Wireless Store Leafleting 1p; F Street Verizon Wireless Store, 1314 F Street NW Friday, 9/2: Rock in Labor Day with Tom Morello & Joe Uehlein! 7:30p; The Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA Saturday/Sunday, 9/3-4: Labor in... more...
Aug 30, 2011 Metro & Verizon Streetheat Targets "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. more...
Aug 30, 2011 CSA's News You Can Use: HUD Mortgage Emergency Loan Program Re-Opened! The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has reopened the application intake for the Emergency Homeowners' Loan Program (EHLP)... more...
Aug 30, 2011 Vote for Your Favorite Labor Video You be the judge! Help the DC Labor FilmFest finalize Working Lunch, the FilmFest's annual compilation of short labor videos. more...
Aug 26, 2011 Local Healthcare Contractor Faces Scrutiny VMT Long Term Care Management, a controversial D.C. contractor that operates multiple healthcare businesses, is facing serious scrutiny both online and on the street. VMTwatch.org went live Tuesday with a comprehensive look at the problems at VMT, which manages a D.C.-owned nursing home, runs a... more...
Aug 26, 2011 Verizon Leafleting Returns Verizon Wireless leafleting is back! While CWA and IBEW members at Verizon Communications have returned to work while their unions proceed with contract bargaining with Verizon, CWA is conducting “informational leafleting” at Verizon Wireless stores to maintain pressure for a fair contract... more...
Aug 26, 2011 THIS JUST IN: Bosses Must Tell Workers About Union Rights, Board Says U.S. employers must now post notices informing workers about their legal rights to form a union and bargain on contracts, the National Labor Relations Board said yesterday. Unions and labor-rights groups cheered the news, while the Chamber of Commerce and its allies – which had vociferously... more...
Aug 24, 2011 MLK Memorial Week Continues with AFL-CIO Symposium The week-long celebration of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial continues this Friday with a national symposium on jobs, justice and the American dream sponsored by the AFL-CIO and The King Center. Click here to RSVP for the live webcast Friday beginning at 9am and... more...
Aug 24, 2011 Labor FilmFest Ad Deadline Extended The August 19 deadline for ads in this year’s DC Labor FilmFest Program Guide has been extended until Friday, September 2. Don’t miss this chance to support one of the world’s only film festivals dedicated to workers and their issues. Email Chris Garlock at cgarlock@dclabor.org today to... more...
Aug 24, 2011 NLC Union Skills Program Offers New Union Staff, LM2 Classes The National Labor College’s Bonnie Ladin Union Skills Program includes Secretary Treasurers LM-2 Requirements (September 19-23) and New Union Staff (October 23-28). LM-2 Requirements is five-day workshop designed to provide effective tools, with hands-on time in the computer lab for... more...
Aug 22, 2011 Agreement on Verizon Bargaining Reached As reported in Saturday’s Alert, 45,000 striking Verizon workers will return to work Tuesday with the contract back in force and bargaining restructured. more...
Aug 22, 2011 Local Craftsmen Object to Chinese Construction of MLK Memorial Finding irony – and perhaps a whiff of hypocrisy – in the Chinese design of the new Martin Luther King Memorial, Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 1 MD, VA & D.C. has launched a Facebook campaign called “Don’t Tarnish the Dream.” more...
Aug 22, 2011 Dedication Week for King Memorial Dedication Week for King Memorial: Huge crowds of area residents and visitors are expected to mingle with dignitaries, congressional leaders and the diplomatic corps this week at events marking the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial . Tuesday is DC Residents' Day as... more...
Aug 20, 2011 Agreement on Verizon Bargaining Reached; Picketlines/Rallies Canceled Thanks to labor unity and public support for bargaining rights, striking Verizon workers will return to work on Tuesday with the contract back in force and bargaining restructured, report CWA and IBEW. All pickets and demonstrations have been canceled, including today’s planned picketing at... more...
Aug 18, 2011 CWA Pickets Verizon on L-Street Local CWA members and supporters, including National Nurses United, and Jews United for Justice picketed the Verizon Wireless store on L St. in DC today from Noon until 1. -Caption and Photo by Matthew Fournier more...
Aug 17, 2011 Congregations Gear Up for Labor Day Programs This year’s Labor in the Pulpits/Labor on the Bimah program will kick off Labor Day weekend and continue through September. The program offers a way for congregations to raise working people’s issues during their worship services as well as celebrating working people in their communities... more...
Aug 16, 2011 CWA Leader Rallies Strike Support in NOVA Blasting Verizon's national ad campaign calling for the elimination of 50 years of negotiated contracts, CWA President Larry Cohen yesterday rallied over 300 “loud and proud union members and their families” yesterday at the Broad Run High School in Ashburn VA, reports NOVA Labor President... more...
Aug 16, 2011 Verizon Strikers Rally- and Picnic- in Silver Spring With hot dogs grilling nearby, the sun peeping through the clouds and a cool breeze in the trees above, the mood was more festive than fiery at Tuesday’s noontime rally by striking Verizon workers in Silver Spring. Metro Council President Jos Williams soon had the crowd of several hundred CWA... more...
Aug 15, 2011 Area Postal Workers Reveal Impact of Proposed Job Cuts APWU Nation's Capital and Southern MD Local President Dena Briscoe – were featured in a Washington Post story yesterday on the Postal Service’s proposed job cuts. “Briscoe had not yet completed her senior year at Ballou High School when her stepfather drove her to the local U.S. Postal... more...
Aug 15, 2011 UFCW/MCGEO 1994 Aids Alabama Tornado Victims Members from UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO left Gaithersburg, Maryland Friday bound for Birmingham, AL in a truck loaded with household goods, furniture and supplies for victims of tornados that tore through that region earlier this year. “We’re grateful for the generosity of our members, their... more...
Aug 13, 2011 "Can You Hear Us Now?" Snapshots from Saturday's DC Verizon Demo Verizon strikers and their supporters -- including area students -- turned out in force at the F Street Verizon Wireless store in downtown DC on Saturday, August 13. Here are a few snapshots of the mid-day action, from the Metro Council's Rick Powell (top right, bottom right, bottom left) and the... more...
Aug 10, 2011 Verizon Strikers: "No Contract, No Peace!" On Tuesday, red-clad picketers marched outside the Verizon Wireless store on F Street, NW in Washington, DC to urge Verizon to settle a fair contract that will give workers more benefits instead of taking them away. Almost 45,000 workers are on strike throughout the New England and Mid-Atlantic... more...
Aug 10, 2011 Council Endorses Davis in PG County Council Race The Metro Washington Council on Wednesday endorsed Derrick Leon Davis (second from right) to replace Leslie Johnson as Prince George’s County District 6 Council member in the September 20 Special Election. Davis “will stand with working families to keep the doors of Prince George’s... more...
Aug 10, 2011 Register Now for Council Golf Tourney Register now for the 16th annual Community Services Agency Golf Tournament, set for Monday, September 26, at the all-union Enterprise Golf Course, which features a banquet afterwards at the historic Newton White Mansion. “Funds collected for the tournament benefit the Community Service... more...
Aug 10, 2011 Labor Night at the Nats Recognition The recent 5th Annual Labor Night at the Nats raised much-needed funds for the Community Services Agency of the Metro Washington Council (MWC) AFL-CIO. The event was sponsored by the MWC and the Northern Virginia Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. The following locals purchased 50 or more tickets... more...
Aug 9, 2011 VERIZON STRIKE UPDATE Union leaders spent the entire day Monday discussing all the issues that are on the New York/New England table and the Mid Atlantic table. more...
Aug 7, 2011 Verizon Workers Strike; Noontime DC Rally Today More than 45,000 workers – members of CWA and IBEW -- struck Verizon Communications on Sunday. A major local rally is set for noon today at Verizon’s Chesapeake Complex in Silver Spring, MD (13100 Columbia Pike). “Verizon forced us into this strike,” CWA 2108 President Les Evans said.... more...
Aug 3, 2011 4 Days Until Verizon Contract Expires With just four days left until their contract at Verizon expires, CWA members throughout the region continue to mobilize, with 91% voting to approve strike authorization. With Verizon’s new CEO Lowell McAdam taking over August 1, the locals were conducting an email campaign to urge him to... more...
Aug 3, 2011 IBEW 1900 Reaches Agreement at Washington Gas Frederick Unit IBEW 1900 reached 3-year tentative agreement at Washington Gas’ Frederick unit, after negotiating since June. The agreement included wage increases “along with job and retirement security for all three years for both the physical and clerical units,” the local reported. “In addition new... more...
Aug 3, 2011 Labor Profile: Mary Battle Takes Up Challenge at Cement Masons It was all based on a challenge. "He told me I couldn't do the job, and so I looked at him and asked that he give me the same chance he gave the guys. That was back in 1982." Mary Battle has certainly proven she can do the job: after nearly three decades as a cement mason, Battle was recently... more...
Aug 1, 2011 Labor Night At Nats A Grand Slam Labor Night At Nats A Grand Slam: Heat, humidity and another loss by the Washington Nationals didn’t dampen the spirit of solidarity at Friday night’s annual Labor Night at the Nats baseball game. Almost 6,000 metro-area union members filled the stands at Nationals Park for the 5th annual... more...
Aug 1, 2011 Verizon Workers Rally in New York With contract expiration just over a week away, thousands of Verizon workers rallied in New York City Saturday, including many from the metro Washington area. CWA members in late July overwhelmingly authorized a strike against Verizon, as -- with their contract expiring at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday... more...
Aug 1, 2011 Jobs With Justice Conference This Week in DC Hundreds of labor leaders, rank and file workers, students, religious leaders, community activists, and will gather in Washington this week for the Jobs with Justice National Conference where they’ll strategize about how to build a powerful movement of working people to defeat the corporate... more...
Jul 29, 2011 Working to Increase Maryland's Minimum Wage Far below the debt ceiling debate, a grassroots effort to raise the wages of hundreds of thousands of area working poor is catching fire across Maryland. Progressive Maryland’s (PM) Raise Maryland campaign – launched in January – is drawing support from a broad coalition of faith,... more...
Jul 29, 2011 Electrical Workers Jumpstart Electric Vehicle Training After securing a highly sought-after spot in the General Motors-sponsored "Train the Trainer" program in Chicago last April, IBEW Local 26 Assistant Director Ralph Neidert has finished the first round of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training (EVITP) for JATC 26. “We are very proud to bring... more...
Jul 28, 2011 AFSCME Locals Strategize Against Attacks on Federal Workers “Everything stops. No work. No pay.” That’s how Ralph Randall (below) defines a furlough and Randall ought to know: he’s one of the nearly 900 area Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) workers who have been furloughed since 12:01 Saturday morning. Randall – a program... more...
Jul 28, 2011 Rally at Capitol Today to Save the American Dream The AFL-CIO is joining MoveOn to sponsor a rally to Save the American Dream today at noon on the east side of the U.S. Capitol steps. “In the past few days, it’s become increasingly clear that congressional Republicans are willing to crash our entire economy just to keep tax breaks for... more...
Jul 28, 2011 Blow the Whistle on HEI Hotels Join Sheraton Crystal City workers this afternoon at 4:30p at the Sheraton Crystal City (r) as they stand with HEI Hotels workers across the country for a National HEI Hotel Workers Day of Action and demand a fair process to decide whether to form a union. Photo Courtesy of... more...
Jul 27, 2011 Court Upholds Metro Worker Wage Increase It took 18 long months, but Metro employees have finally won their agreed-upon wage increase. more...
Jul 27, 2011 200 Family Services Foundation Workers Join SEIU 500 Two hundred workers at the Family Services Foundation (FSF) are now "proud brothers and sisters" in SEIU Local 500. more...
Jul 27, 2011 CSA's News You Can Use: Emergency Homeowner Loan Program Extended The Emergency Homeowners Loan Program (EHLP) deadline has been extended to July 27 and may be extended further. The program is for homeowners at least 90 days behind on their mortgage payments who are unemployed, underemployed, or have a medical condition. To apply, click here and... more...
Jul 26, 2011 Area CWA Locals Call for Mobilization Against Verizon Verizon is apparently taking its’ negotiating cues from Republicans in Congress, who a frustrated President Obama last weekend accused of being unable to “say Yes to anything.” After Verizon rejected union proposals on Friday, CWA modified its’ demands and returned Saturday only to have... more...
Jul 26, 2011 Post Workers Win Tentative 2-Year Pact After more than three months of negotiations, Newspaper Guild Local 32035 has reached a tentative agreement on a two-year contract with The Washington Post. more...
Jul 25, 2011 Damon & Dreyfuss to Speak at Education Rally Saturday Both major teachers’ unions – the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) -- will rally with education reformers in Washington this Saturday for the Save Our Schools March & National Call to Action . The rally – which aims at “putting the... more...
Jul 25, 2011 CSA Job Training Program Poised for Greater Impact Despite the challenges of training and placing workers during the worst economic times in recent memory, the Metro Council’s Community Services Agency Building Futures pre-apprenticeship training program – which recently won a $900,000 grant ( CSA's Building Futures Program Wins Major... more...
Jul 22, 2011 4,000 FAA Workers Furloughed Some 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration employees -- including nearly 900 in the metro Washington area -- were furloughed Saturday. more...
Jul 21, 2011 AFGE Decries Retaliatory Tactics, Discrimination In Federal Prisons Corrections workers in our nation’s prisons are fed up with facing threats from both prisoners and bosses. The American Federation of Government (AFGE) Employees Council of Prison Locals called on Attorney General Eric Holder and the United States Congress in July to hold Bureau of Prisons... more...
Jul 21, 2011 CSA'S News You Can Use: Have You Gotten Your Shingles Shot? DC area union members and their older dependents can save themselves from what most sufferers call "excruciating" pain and possible vision damage by getting vaccinated against shingles. Many union health plans cover the cost of the shot and CVS and Safeway Pharmacies can give the shot... more...
Jul 21, 2011 Labor On The Move: NABET/CWA Local 31 NABET/CWA Local 31’s office is moving to Lanham. The local's new address -- as of August 1 -- is 4483-B Forbes Blvd in Lanham, MD 20706; their new phone is 301-459-4999 and the new fax is 301-459-4975 . To get the latest contact info on all Metro Council affiliates anytime online;... more...
Jul 21, 2011 Walmart Called "#1 Contributor to Poverty" Accusing the world’s largest retailer of being “the number one contributor to poverty,” the Living Wages, Healthy Communities Coalition on Wednesday expressed its dismay that Walmart was included in a recent White House ceremony recognizing retailers that want to expand into underserved... more...
Jul 21, 2011 As Verizon Negotiations Continue, CWA Mobilizes Contract negotiations between CWA and Verizon continued on Wednesday as the August 6 expiration date nears. Following a morning session analyzing Verizon’s latest proposal, the bargaining team from CWA Union Region 2 – which covers CWA locals in Maryland, DC and Virginia -- joined... more...
Jul 20, 2011 Laurel Walmart Flash-Mobbed Local Wal-Mart Flash Mobbed. more...
Jul 20, 2011 Labor On The Move: CSA's Jenna Gold & DC EJC's Sally Abrahamson Jenna Gold (r) , Job Development Coordinator for Community Services Agency’s G SA Building Futures Project, will move to part-time in August as she pursues her post graduate degree in policy, planning and business at George Washington University. Sally Abrahamson (l)... more...
Jul 19, 2011 Week of Actions Planned in DC to "Save Our Schools" Next week educators, teachers and parents from across the country will converge on DC “to reclaim schools as places of learning, joy, and democracy.” The Save Our Schools March & National Call to Action -- endorsed by both the AFT and NEA -- seeks to organize “to... more...
Jul 18, 2011 Area CWA Locals Prepare for Contract Battle with Verizon With the clock continuing to tick down toward the August 6 expiration of contracts covering 45,000 Verizon workers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, area CWA locals are taking strike authorization votes. CWA 2107 and 2108 vote tomorrow night and Local 2222 sent out ballots earlier this... more...
Jul 18, 2011 Teachers Fighting Back On Screen and in the Streets The Washington Teachers Union Summer Movie Series features a screening of The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman this afternoon at 1:15 at the Benning Road/Dorothy Height Public Library. The screening comes in the wake of Friday’s firing of more than 200 DC teachers, and in... more...
Jul 18, 2011 Wednesday Deadline for Labor Night at the Nats Tix Time’s running out to get your tickets to the Metro Washington Council's Labor Night at the Nats! Deadline is this Wednesday to order tickets for the fifth annual event, coming up July 29. Labor Night at the Nats benefits the Community Services Agency’s Emergency Assistance Fund, which... more...
Jul 18, 2011 UNION VOICE: Readers Write More on 1994 : “I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find more information about what is happening with UFCW/MCGEO Local 1994 in Montgomery County,” writes Lizzie. Best bet is 1994's website ; all our affiliate websites are available on our Affiliate Websites page. more...
Jul 18, 2011 IN MEMORIAM: Connie Knox, life-long Newspaper Guild member Connie Knox, a life-long Newspaper Guild member who had just stepped down as the union's international chair just a week ago, has died. more...
Jul 15, 2011 Fresh & Green's Workers Ratify Contract; Former SuperFresh Opens in DC Former SuperFresh workers represented by United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 ratified a new contract last night and went to work as their old store in Washington reopened under the Fresh & Green’s banner as a unique, natural foods supermarket/restaurant hybrid. “I... more...
Jul 15, 2011 UMD Workers Battle Abuse at College Park Forum Tonight The Fourth Solidarity Forum for Workers Rights and Respect will be held at 7p tonight at the University of Maryland (UMD) at College Park campus. The event is hosted by the Black Faculty and Staff Association BSFA, which earlier this year issued a 56-page report (available on the BSFA... more...
Jul 14, 2011 Post Workers Put Down Pens, Pick Up Picket Signs “A lot of workers are angry,” said Washington Post reporter Fredric Kunkle, as dozens of Washington Post employees picketed outside Post headquarters on 15th Street NW Thursday during lunch, banging cowbells and thumping drums. “We have seen many of our colleagues pushed or shoved out... more...
Jul 14, 2011 Post Workers Hit Street Today in Protest Here’s why Washington Post workers will hit the street outside the Post today . While Post Publisher Katherine Weymouth collected a generous 16.4% raise last April, as well as a tidy $1.5 million bonus, she’s offering a paltry $800 lump sum payment and no increase over the next two... more...
Jul 14, 2011 Larry Greenhill Sr. Honored with Truman Award IBEW Local 26 Vice-President Larry R. Greenhill, Sr., received the Truman Award from the Charles County Democratic Central Committee last Saturday night. more...
Jul 14, 2011 Harry Shearer to appear at Free Screening of "Mockumentarian" Harry Shearer (Spinal Tap/The Simpsons) will appear at Monday's special panel discussion and one-night-only free screening of The Big Uneasy. more...
Jul 13, 2011 McNutt Urges Other Grocers to Follow Albertson's Lead and Eliminate Self-Checkouts “In-person customer service is the single greatest asset union supermarkets offer,” said UFCW 400 President Tom McNutt on Monday in response to Albertson LLC's* decision to eliminate self-checkout systems from all stores by the end of August. “When you buy groceries, there’s nothing... more...
Jul 13, 2011 International Solidarity Explored by Visitors from China The differences, similarities and common challenges facing the American and Chinese labor movements were the focus of a free-wheeling discussion yesterday between a visiting delegation of Chinese labor leaders, government officials, and academics and the Solidarity Center and the Metro Council.... more...
Jul 13, 2011 Posties to Protest Attack on Job Protections Join Newspaper Guild members this Thursday as they protest attempts by the Washington Post to severely cut contract job protections. Bargaining began on May 4th; the Guild contract, now expired, contains protections against the effects of outsourcing and provides for largely... more...
Jul 13, 2011 June Minutes Posted Draft minutes of the June delegate Council meeting minutes have been posted: click here to review. more...
Jul 13, 2011 MontCo Bargaining Bills Derided as "Political Theater" Calling them “an empty façade,” “hypocritical” and “political theater,” UFCW/MCGEO President blasted a trio of Montgomery County collective bargaining bills yesterday at a packed Council hearing. The bills -- 18-11, 19-11 and 20-11 – would “turn the collective bargaining... more...
Jul 12, 2011 Attacks on Bargaining Rights Seen in MontCo “First they change the rules, then they ignore the arbitrators, now the Council is trying to hack away at collective bargaining once again,” reports UFCW/MCGEO Local 1994. The local is planning to show their opposition at a public hearing today by the Montgomery County Council on their... more...
Jul 12, 2011 Jobs Crisis Forum: The Time for Excuses Is Over. Create Jobs Now “All I want is a decent job,” said Shonda Sheen. “I want to work. I love to work. I’m scared. I don’t know what’s going to happen to my mother. I have a home to pay off.” Sheen, of Yellow Springs, Ohio, was laid off in December 2009 and is about to run out of unemployment... more...
Jul 12, 2011 Sharing Union City Now you can easily share Union City stories using your favorite social media networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, My Space and dozens more! Look for the "sharethis" link at the top of each archived news article on the Metro Washington Council's website and simply click on the icon that best... more...
Jul 11, 2011 CSA Emergency Assistance Fund Drained The cupboard is empty. The need for help for area workers is higher than ever but the Community Services Agency’s Emergency Assistance Fund has been drained, reports CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “No contribution is too large or too small,” says McKirchy, “but all are... more...
Jul 11, 2011 The Jobs Crisis: Moving to Action Don’t let former comedian Al Franken’s presence fool you, “The Jobs Crisis — Moving to Action: A Dialogue Between Workers and Policymakers” is no laughing matter. Especially after unemployment rose in June for the fourth consecutive month. Sen. Franken (D., MN) joins commentator Bob... more...
Jul 11, 2011 DC Home Care Worker's Deep Roots Washington has a long history of women migrating to this area do to domestic work. In the early 1900’s, African-American women from Mississippi, Georgia and the Carolinas came here to work as care workers for families. These early home care workers – many of whom trained at the Nannie Helen... more...
Jul 11, 2011 IN MEMORIAM: Brian Benson, IATSE 22 Brian Benson (r), 58, a stagehand who was a past president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 22, died June 30 after a motorcycle crash in McLean. more...
Jul 8, 2011 CVS Pharmacists Organize and Grow Facing growing pressure to hit financial targets and working conditions that need improvement, CVS pharmacists in the Washington, DC area have tripled their membership in Local 400 in recent months. “I think in the past, people thought the union is some person who goes to CVS and makes... more...
Jul 8, 2011 "Horrible Bosses" Director Shares His Own Bad Boss Story “There’s definitely a trend of movies about the workplace,” director Seth Gordon told Union City in a recent interview. Gordon directed the new black comedy Horrible Bosses which opens tonight. The film stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis as “average suburban working... more...
Jul 7, 2011 DC Launch Set for Caring Across Generations Campaign The national Caring Across Generations Campaign -- initiated by Jobs with Justice, the National Domestic Worker Alliance and other partner groups -- will kick off with a free local event in Washington on July 12 at the Washington Hilton. The campaign is focusing on winning better public... more...
Jul 7, 2011 LABOR ON THE MOVE: Bryant Moving on to "New Adventures" Longtime labor educator and activist Elise Bryant is retiring from the National Labor College. As of early September, Bryant says “I will be transitioning to a new adventure and will bid farewell to my full time worklife at the National Labor College.” Bryant called her nearly... more...
Jul 7, 2011 Free July Calendar Download The latest free monthly calendar from movement artist Ricardo Levins Morales is now available, plus he’s now offering a button section along with the posters and note cards on his website . Check it out for “a mix of old workhorse buttons and brand new topical ones on the... more...
Jul 6, 2011 "Fair Share" Law to Boost AFSCME MD Resources The free ride ended for thousands of state employees on July 1 when AFSCME Maryland’s historic “fair share” agreement with the state went into effect. The new law allows AFSCME to collect fees from nonmembers -- who the union has long been legally required to represent -- and is expected to... more...
Jul 6, 2011 Edna Award Deadline July 15 Deadline for the Berger-Marks Foundation’s Edna Award is July 15. The Edna will award $10,000 to a young woman leader in the social justice movement, spotlighting “significant contributions to social justice and bestow a significant honor to a young woman whose leadership has already fueled... more...
Jul 5, 2011 Koch Party Tonight Explores Impact of Corporate Cash on Worker Rights Corporate America's role in redefining the labor movement and worker's rights is the focus of Koch Party tonight at Busboys & Poets. This monthly series is designed to raise awareness around issues traditionally championed by organized labor, in this case, the impact of corporate... more...
Jul 5, 2011 Labor Night at the Nats Still Available There’s still time to join area union members at the Metropolitan Washington Council's 5th annual Labor Night at the Nats, coming up July 29. The family event benefits the Community Services Agency’s Emergency Assistance Fund, which helps area families in crisis. This year the Nationals will... more...
Jul 5, 2011 VA Labor on the March “We had a wonderful group representing labor” in Monday’s Dale City Independence Day Parade, reports Northern Virginia Labor Federation President Dan Duncan. More than 50 union members and their families celebrated the Fourth of July by marching in the parade, including... more...
Jul 1, 2011 MontCo Cuts Disability Benefits for Police The Montgomery County Council yesterday passed legislation imposing reduced disability benefits for police officers. George Leventhal was the only “No” vote on Bill 45-10, which the Metro Washington Council in an Action Alert blasted earlier this week as “anti-labor,... more...
Jul 1, 2011 Humor Latest Weapon in Battle for Workplace Rights Humor is the latest weapon in the battle over collective bargaining rights. The AFL-CIO recently released three funny short videos showing what happens when workers don’t get a voice at the bargaining table. In Negotiatin’ Like It’s 1999 workers literally run into a closed door when... more...
Jul 1, 2011 LABOR ON THE MOVE: DC Jobs With Justice Summer Intern Tony Nguyen Sixteen-year-old Tony Nguyen (r) is DC Jobs with Justice’s 2011 Summer Benjamin Banneker Fellow. A Vietnamese American from the District, Nguyen starts his senior year at Woodrow Wilson High School this year. In his work with DC JWJ so far, he’s been involved with... more...
Jun 30, 2011 Labor Joins Dale City July 4 Parade Area labor activists can celebrate the nation’s birthday and promote the union movement at the Dale City (VA) Independence Day parade and festivities next Monday, July 4. “This is a fun time for one and all,” says NOVA Labor President Dan Duncan. “Wear your union shirts and caps and bring... more...
Jun 30, 2011 "Unity Team" Wins 3-Year Term at UFCW 1994 The UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO “Unity Team” – led by President Gino Renne -- swept nominations at Local 1994 in mid-June and were elected by acclamation to serve a three-year term beginning this December. "The new leadership team stands ready to continue to fight to defend the economic interests... more...
Jun 30, 2011 800,000 Federal Workers Could Be Furloughed If Debt Ceiling Not Raised Eight hundred thousand federal workers could end up furloughed if Congress fails to move forward on an increase of the debt ceiling. That's according to a study conducted by George H.W. Bush former Treasury undersecretary Jay Powell who crunched the numbers with assistance from Bill Clinton's... more...
Jun 29, 2011 Grocery Workers Prep for 2012 Bargaining Open hands and clenched fists. The 40,000 members of UFCW Local 400 are offering one and threatening the other as they prepare for bargaining next year with Giant and Safeway. The local took out a full-page ad in the June edition of Food World featuring a photo of hundreds of members “united... more...
Jun 29, 2011 Training Program Helps Turn Dreams Into Real Jobs Just a month after completing the Building Futures training program in May, Anthony Evans is now working full time as a Plumber Helper for W.L. Gary Mechanical Contractors. An exemplary student, Evans had one of the highest math scores in the Building Futures class – a GSA-funded program of... more...
Jun 29, 2011 LABOR ON THE MOVE: Podhorzer Named AFL-CIO Political Director Michael Podhorzer will be the new political director for the 12 million-member AFL-CIO, driving one of the largest independent campaign operations in the country, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka announced yesterday. “There’s no one better to direct the political work of the labor... more...
Jun 28, 2011 Guild Concerned about Post Replacing Professional Journalists with Unpaid Bloggers A Newspaper Guild official representing Washington Post employees expressed concern earlier this month about the paper potentially moving away from using professional journalists. "The Post very clearly is trying to make it much easier to lay people off and pay them less severance or even... more...
Jun 28, 2011 Employment Justice Center Battles for Local Workers As tough as last year was for local workers, it would have been far worse without the efforts of the Employment Justice Center (EJC). The EJC secured almost $700,000 in back pay and damages on behalf low-wage workers in the D.C. metro area, educated almost 500 workers about their rights... more...
Jun 27, 2011 9th Annual JWJ Awards Raise $18K DC Jobs with Justice celebrated their 9th annual “I’ll Be There Awards” last Thursday in a packed Samuel Gompers room at the AFL-CIO. The crowd of over 100 came out to honor labor and community activists, including artist and activist Head-Roc, who wrote a song in support of workers at... more...
Jun 24, 2011 CSA's Building Futures Program Wins Major Grant Award The Metro Council’s Community Services Agency Building Futures pre-apprenticeship training program has won a $900,000 grant as part of the Jobs for the Future consortium. “This is a big deal,” said CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, “we will get nearly $1 million over three... more...
Jun 24, 2011 44,000 TSA Workers Win AFGE Representation Some 44,000 airport screeners across the country have won representation by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). AFGE won the right to negotiate on behalf of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers by besting a rival union, the National Treasury... more...
Jun 24, 2011 Walmart & DC: A Tale of Two Tables One table was bare, the other overflowing with food. At one table sat dozens, while at the other was just one person. The setting was Freedom Plaza, as over 200 DC residents gathered across the street from the Wilson Building to demand that DC Mayor Vincent Gray negotiate a strong, enforceable... more...
Jun 24, 2011 Second Chance to See "Horrible Bosses" If you missed Thursday night’s free sneak peek of “Horrible Bosses,” here’s another chance! The DC Labor FilmFest has some free passes for another “Horrible Bosses” preview next Monday night, June 27. Click here now to enter a drawing for a free pair of tickets to the new film... more...
Jun 23, 2011 Wine, Beer, Song & Solidarity at JWJ Awards Tonight Performances by women's a cappella group SongRise and performance artist Quique Aviles highlight tonight’s 9th annual DC Jobs with Justice "I'll Be There" Awards from 5:30-7:30p at the AFL-CIO. Labor and community leaders to be honored for their exceptional solidarity include Sarahi Uribe of... more...
Jun 23, 2011 Post Workers Protest Cuts & Outsourcing Dozens of Washington Post Guild members protested in front of the Post Wednesday against the company's offer of an $800 lump sum for a two year contract and cuts in layoff and outsourcing protection. The Guild contract expired on June 7. Contract talks continue. - report/photo by Rick Ehrmann more...
Jun 23, 2011 Transit Workers Field Questions from Riders Over 100 took advantage of the opportunity to talk directly to union leaders and members at Monday night’s ATU 689 Town Hall meeting. Questions “ran the gamut from farecard issues and why busses are late, to the perception that some bus operators are rude,” Local 689 Political &... more...
Jun 23, 2011 Organizing Institute to Host Union Member Training If you’re looking to equip member activists and member organizers with basic organizing skills, check out the upcoming AFL-CIO Organizing Institute’s 3-day union member organizer training. The July 15-17 training will be held in Washington at AFL-CIO headquarters. $125 per participant... more...
Jun 22, 2011 Activists Rally Today to Demand a "Seat at the Table" Activists will rally today – 2p on Freedom Plaza -- to demand “a seat at the table” as DC Mayor Vincent Gray prepares to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement with Walmart. “How can it be a true Community Benefits Agreement if the deal is negotiated without community input?”... more...
Jun 22, 2011 JWJ "I'll Be There Awards" Honor UFCW 400 Members UFCW Local 400 rank-and-file members Kinetra Byrd, Eric Marshall (r), and Franklin Carter are among the honorees at Thursday’s 9th annual I’ll Be There Awards. The three workers “have been incredibly active in the Walmart: Respect DC campaign” says DC Jobs with Justice Executive Director... more...
Jun 22, 2011 WHC Nurses Credit Council with Helping to Win Contract “We couldn’t have done it without you!” exclaimed Washington Hospital Center nurse Geri Lee (at right in photo) at Monday’s Metro Council meeting. “Thanks to this Council’s support we won our contract,” Lee – joined by fellow National Nurses United members and RNs Dru Gist, Lori... more...
Jun 22, 2011 State Fed Honors Leaders The Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO honored James Bestpitch (Western MD CLC), Loretta Carr (Delmarva Peninsula CLC), Gwend Johnson (CWA and CBTU) and Charles “Boots” Buttiglieri (CWA) at the June 17 “Salute to Leadership” at the National Labor College. Photo by Alicia... more...
Jun 21, 2011 Walmart Ruling Sparks Demo at Supreme Court Tuesday The Supreme Court will be the focus of a rally Tuesday morning at 11a in the wake of Monday's Walmart ruling. “The highest court in our nation has turned its back on workers facing widespread injustices,” said UFCW Local 400 President Tom... more...
Jun 21, 2011 Celebrating a Century of Union Apprenticeship Programs Although the practice of learning a trade by working alongside a master craftsman has been around for centuries, modern registered apprenticeships have only been recognized in the United States for 100 years. U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis brought... more...
Jun 20, 2011 TRANSIT UNION HOSTS TOWN HALL TONIGHT If you have questions for Metro workers or their union, here’s your chance. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, which represents over 10,000 front-line employees of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), is hosting a public Town Hall discussion tonight at the Martin Luther... more...
Jun 20, 2011 "WE EXPECT BETTER" T-MOBILE WORKERS TELL GERMAN GOV'T Hundreds of communications workers were joined by local and global allies as they rallied outside the German Embassy in downtown DC last Friday. Circling the sidewalk in front of the embassy for over an hour and chanting “Union busting is disgusting!” the workers demanded that the German... more
Jun 20, 2011 LABOR IN THE NEWS: WV UFCW 400 Members on Today Show UFCW Local 400 members sporting their gold and blue union colors made an appearance on the June 17 TODAY Show (watch for them around the 3-minute mark) when they helped unload a Smithfield truck at the Covenant House of West Virginia in Charleston, WV. Featured as part of Al Roker’s Lend a Hand... more...
Jun 20, 2011 RESPECT DC CAMPAIGN TO RALLY FOR CBA ON WEDNESDAY The Respect DC campaign is rallying this Wednesday to demand that Mayor Gray give the community a seat at the table in negotiations with Walmart over a city-wide Community Benefits Agreement. The demo is scheduled for 2P at Freedom Plaza in front of the Wilson Building (see Calendar for details)
Jun 17, 2011 U.S., Japanese Transit Workers Exchange Views American and Japanese transit workers learned about each other’s labor movements during a recent visit. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 hosted a delegation of Japanese transit union leaders on May 31 at Local 689’s union hall in Forestville, MD. Local 689 Recording Secretary... more...
Jun 16, 2011 "Justice For Janitors" Day Marked In DC At a rally commemorating the 21st annual Justice for Janitors Day, dozens of DC area office cleaners were joined by labor and community allies - including Maryland State Senator Victor Ramirez - in McPherson Square in downtown DC last night to "ramp up efforts to secure fair wages, family... more...
Jun 16, 2011 May Council Minutes Now Online Draft minutes from the May Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO Executive Board and Delegate meetings are now available for download on the Metro Council’s website . Mark your calendars for this month’s meeting, scheduled for Monday, June 20 at 6:30P at the AFL-CIO; watch... more...
Jun 15, 2011 DC Residents, Workers Demand That Verizon "Pay Its Fair Share" Saying that Verizon owes millions of dollars in unpaid taxes - thereby robbing states and cities of vital funds - dozens of District residents and workers rallied and marched through Downtown DC yesterday to demand that the global telecommunications giant be heldaccountable. As rush hour... more...
Jun 15, 2011 Celebrating Justice For Janitors Day Workers, members and supporters of SEIU Local 32BJ will rally in McPherson Square today at 4:30P to celebrate Justice for Janitors Day and to fight for a fair contract for area janitors. The demo honors “the incredible organizing efforts of those janitors and cleaners who decided to... more...
Jun 14, 2011 DC CLUW Honors Jeter, Johnson & Love The namesake of the Gloria T. Johnson Awards attended this year’s luncheon last Sunday, speaking out eloquently and forcefully about the impact of the current attacks on the American labor movement. Gloria Johnson, one of the most prominent labor leaders in the United States and a long-time... more...
Jun 14, 2011 On The Line This Week With almost ten events and actions scheduled, this week is shaping up to be an extra- busy one for metro-area activists. See below for highlights or click here to see the complete line-up of activities on the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO’s website. - TUESDAY: Rally & March To... more...
Jun 14, 2011 Labor Photo: Activists Protest GOP's Attack On Medicare more...
Jun 14, 2011 IBEW Video On Workplace Democracy Wins Video Contest The IBEW’s Workplace Democracy: Corporate Style has won the 2011 LabourStart Labour Video of the Year contest, narrowly edging out Things To Know From Wisconsin and Refusal of Unsafe Work . Workplace Democracy was also a 2010 DC Labor FilmFest selection. Click here... more...
Jun 13, 2011 Activists To Protest GOP's Attack On Medicare & Medicaid Today Area workers and labor allies will hold a “silent and somber” protest outside the Newseum - where CBS is hosting a town hall meeting with GOP members – at 12:30P today to protest the GOP’s plan to gut Medicare and Medicaid. “Bring your home-made signs and please join us to... more...
Jun 13, 2011 DC First Responders Urge Mayor To Fix City's Ambulance Problem In the midst of Washington’s second heat wave of the summer, unions representing the District of Columbia’s emergency medical technicians, paramedics, fire fighters and registered nurses last Friday urged Mayor Vincent Gray to ensure that the city’s ambulances are in working order and... more...
Jun 13, 2011 Rally/March Set To "Make Verizon Pay Its Fair Share" OurDC -- a coalition of community groups, neighborhood associations, faith organizations and workers united to bring good jobs to the District – is holding a rally and march to “Make Verizon Pay Its Fair Share” tomorrow, June 14th at 5P in Farragut Square. more...
Jun 13, 2011 Labor Walk Draws A Crowd More than two dozen labor history fans turned out for Friday’s edition of the Washington Worker’s Walking Tour, including Minority Outreach Conference attendees and local activists. Metro Council Union Cities Coordinator Chris Garlock led the Tour, which included the AFL-CIO lobby murals,... more...
Jun 13, 2011 Summer School For Union Women Sponsorships Available The Berger-Marks Foundation will sponsor four emerging union women activists to attend the 2011 UALE Northeast Regional Summer School for Union Women . The sponsorship -- covering registration and some travel costs -- is part of the foundation’s “commitment to encourage the... more...
Jun 10, 2011 Utility Workers Fight Torrent Of Greed At American Water Co. Charging that the American Water Company is demanding huge rate hikes from customers and steep concessions from employees – while showering top executives with lucrative pay packages – dozens of workers and community members rallied outside the nation’s largest for-profit water utility... more...
Jun 10, 2011 "Justice For Janitors" Rally June 15 Workers and members of SEIU Local 32BJ will rally in McPherson Square Park at 4:30P next Wednesday, June 15 to celebrate Justice For Janitors Day and to fight for a decent contract for area janitors. “The current contracts between 32BJ and commercial office building cleaning companies... more...
Jun 10, 2011 T-Mobile USA Workers To Rally For Bargaining Rights T-Mobile USA workers will be joined by local and global allies as they rally outside the German Embassy at 12P next Friday, June 17 to show Deutsche Telekom management and its largest shareholder, the German government, that “unions are united around the ‘We Expect Better’ global... more...
Jun 10, 2011 Labor Heritage Foundation's Annual Arts Exchange Next Week “This year more than ever is a critical time shore up our networks and enhance our ability to really impact and reach the communities that have been hardest hit economically and politically,” says the Labor Heritage Foundation’s Darryl Moch, who notes that the LHF’s Great Labor Arts... more...
Jun 10, 2011 Employment Justice Center's Labor Day Breakfast Honors Trumka, Ford Help celebrate “another year of victories on behalf of working people in the DC Metro area” at the DC Employment Justice Center’s Labor Day Breakfast, scheduled for September 15 at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel . “On Labor Day 2011, the EJC will celebrate 11 years of successful... more...
Jun 9, 2011 American Water Company's Greed Exposed Today As part of a national week of action to hold the American Water Company accountable for “steep employee cuts and consumer rate hikes,” area union members and community allies will rally outside the nation’s largest for-profit water utility this morning in Alexandria, Virginia... more...
Jun 9, 2011 Last Call For Jobs With Justice "I'll Be There" Award Sponsors The deadline to submit ads for DC Jobs with Justice’s annual “I’ll Be There” Awards – scheduled for June 23 at the AFL-CIO – is 5P this Friday, June 10. “We hope you will consider attending this event and supporting it by purchasing an ad in our program book,” says DC... more...
Jun 9, 2011 Friday Night Fundraiser Set To Benefit USLAW Enjoy live music, a slide show featuring the Iraqi workers’ movement, and hear resident reggae DJs of Ras Hall Restaurant at a fundraiser for US Labor Against The War, scheduled this Friday between 8:30P and 12:30A . “Ras Hall is a restaurant and lounge serving Ethiopian and... more...
Jun 9, 2011 DC CLUW Luncheon Honors Jeter, Johnson & Love The DC Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) will honor Jackie Jeter (Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, at right), Dr. Lorretta Johnson (Executive Vice President, American Federation of Teachers) and Sheila Love (DC Metro Chapter CLUW President Emeritus, in memoriam) for their labor... more...
Jun 9, 2011 U-Liners To Celebrate Art & Activism At June 12 Concert Local labor band The U-Liners will perform a special concert at the Takoma Community Center Auditorium on Sunday, June 12 to celebrate art and activism. Cover charge is $10 per person; proceeds will benefit Voices for a Sustainable Future, an organization that “brings together... more...
Jun 9, 2011 Republicans Launch Attack On "Official Time" For Union Activity A little bit of Wisconsin came to Capitol Hill last week when Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) – the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee – held a hearing on the use of “official time” for union activity by federal employees, reports Library of Congress... more...
Jun 9, 2011 Free June Calendar Download The June calendar from labor artist and activist Ricardo Levins Morales is now available for free download. Click here now to get your free calendar or click here to check out Morales’ website for his other artwork, including bookmarks, posters, notes and photographs. more...
Jun 8, 2011 Nurses Demand New Agenda To Heal Nation Thousands of nurses and health care reform activists from across America brought their fight for a healthier nation to Washington yesterday, holding demonstrations outside the White House, the US Chamber of Commerce and the US Capitol to make sure their message is heard loud and clear. “Hey... more...
Jun 8, 2011 Rally To Hold American Water Co. Accountable Labor and community allies will rally against the American Water Company – the largest for-profit water utility in the US – in Alexandria, Virginia this Thursday to demand accountability for “steep employee cuts and consumer rate hikes,” reports the Utility Workers Union of America. The... more...
Jun 8, 2011 Statehood For DC "Teach In" Thursday The American Civil Liberties Union of the Nation’s Capital will host a “Teach In” on the west lawn at the US Capitol this Thursday between 12P and 9P to fight for DC’s statehood. “Since 1801, Congress has denied the people of Washington DC representation in the House of... more...
Jun 8, 2011 Last Chance To Register For Workers' Walking Tour There are just a few spaces left for Friday’s Washington Workers’ Walking Tour; don’t miss out! Click here now to register for the 2-hour walking tour of downtown DC – led by Metro Washington Council Union Cities Coordinator Chris Garlock (at left, pointing) – featuring... more...
Jun 8, 2011 Volunteers Sought For United Way's National Day Of Action Saying that education is the key to getting a good job – one with a good income and health care – this year the United Way is focusing its National Day of Action on getting involved in issues related to education. “Today, 6,000 young people nationwide will drop out of school,” says the... more...
Jun 8, 2011 Prison Book Drive A "Great Success" “Many, many thanks to all who contributed to the book drive,” says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, who told Union City that last week, over 350 books were delivered to the Correctional Education Libraries in Maryland. “This was a great success!” adds... more...
Jun 7, 2011 Red Cross Workers Blow The Whistle On Blood Safety Charging that the American Red Cross (ARC) is threatening blood safety and violating workers’ rights, hundreds of nurses, donor collection staff and labor allies rallied outside the ARC’s downtown office on E Street NW at noon yesterday. The demonstrators circled the sidewalk for over an... more...
Jun 7, 2011 Nurses To Call For New "Main Street Contract" Today Hundreds of registered nurses from across America will rally outside the White House, the US Chamber of Commerce and on Capitol Hill today to call for a new “Main Street Contract for the American People.” The mass demonstration – sponsored by National Nurses United (NNU) and the Labor... more...
Jun 7, 2011 "Bread & Roses" Organizing Mixer Tonight Tonight’s casual organizing mixer – co-sponsored by Drink With Labor and Busboys & Poets – kicks off at 6P at BB&P’s 5th and K location. “Meet fellow organizers, labor activists and other progressive workers to share stories, make connections and exchange ideas over... more...
Jun 7, 2011 Blair Mountain Struggle For Justice Continues Hundreds of people from Appalachia and across the nation are marching in West Virginia to demand an end to mountaintop removal, the strengthening of labor rights, sustainable job creation in Appalachian communities, and the preservation of Blair Mountain. The June 4-11 Appalachia Rising:... more...
Jun 6, 2011 Red Cross Workers' Rally For Justice Today Citing ongoing threats to blood safety and workers’ rights violations, striking nurses and donor collection staff who work for the American Red Cross (ARC) in Philadelphia and South Jersey will rally outside the ARC’s Downtown headquarters at noon today . “Nurses and staff at the... more...
Jun 6, 2011 Healthcare Activists To Call For New "Main Street Contract" Hundreds of registered nurses and healthcare reform activists will rally outside the US Chamber of Commerce and on Capitol Hill tomorrow to call for a new “program for rebuilding American communities with jobs, healthcare, education, and other urgent needs, funded through a fair tax policy... more...
Jun 6, 2011 Busboys & Poets' Organizing Mixer Tomorrow Meet fellow organizers, labor activists and other progressive workers at a casual organizing mixer – co-sponsored by Drink With Labor – this Tuesday, 6P at Busboys & Poets (5th & K location). “Please join us to share stories, make connections and exchange ideas over good... more...
Jun 6, 2011 Activists Poised To Expose American Water Company's Greed Fed up with steep rate hikes, immense cuts to employee benefits and “big executive pay days” at the American Water Company, workers and community allies will rally against the United States’ largest for-profit water utility in Alexandria, Virginia this Thursday to demand accountability.... more...
Jun 3, 2011 Striking Workers To Picket Red Cross Monday Striking nurses and donor collection staff who work for the American Red Cross (ARC) in Philadelphia and South Jersey will rally outside the ARC’s Downtown headquarters at 12P on Monday, June 6 to fight for a contract that “addresses key issues of staffing, scheduling, training and... more...
Jun 3, 2011 Nurses Plan Mass Demonstration Tuesday Hundreds of registered nurses from across America will gather outside the White House, picket the US Chamber of Commerce, and rally on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, June 7 to call for a new “Main Street Contract for the American People,” reports National Nurses United. The day of action... more...
Jun 3, 2011 Registration Still Open For Washington Worker's Tour There's just one week left to sign up for the June 10 Washington Worker’s Walking Tour where Metro Washington Council Union Cities Coordinator Chris Garlock - who usually helps local and national activists make history on DC’s streets – will lead a 2-hour walking tour of downtown... more...
Jun 3, 2011 Labor Photo: Peggy Browning Fund Honors Williams more...
Jun 1, 2011 Williams Honored By Peggy Browning Fund Tomorrow Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams (center) is among those being honored by the Peggy Browning Fund, which is hosting its annual awards presentation this Thursday, June 2, 5:30P at the AFL-CIO . The Fund was established in memory of Margaret A. Browning, a prominent labor... more...
Jun 1, 2011 CSA's "Labor Cares, Labor Shares": Building Trades Assist Injured Marine After being wounded in three separate attacks while serving in Iraq, Marine Jeromye Rogers found it difficult to navigate the steep steps on his front porch without aggravating his injuries. However, through the Washington DC Building Trades Council’s collaboration with Helmets to Hardhats... more...
May 27, 2011 1199SEIU Helps "Fight The Power" At Baltimore Gas & Electric A new community-labor coalition called Good Jobs Better Baltimore recently “turned the tables” on Baltimore Gas & Electric, serving the company with a “very special turn-off notice,” reports 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East . In a deal that would see the company's combined... more...
May 27, 2011 Locals In Action Local unions across the metro area have always been actively involved in activities that benefit the communities in which union members live. “We want to highlight your local union's story!” says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “Send us information about... more...
May 26, 2011 Maryland Caregivers Expose Asbestos Crisis In Baltimore-Area Nursing Home If you found asbestos in a home, wouldn’t you tell the people who live there right away? Not if you’re management at Summit Park nursing home in Catonsville, Maryland. Officials at the Baltimore-area facility had known since at least January there was asbestos in the home, but they kept... more...
May 26, 2011 'Unions Now More Than Ever' Contest Seeks Videos, Songs, Graphics A contest sponsored by Annapolis-based Union Communication Services – which supplies Union City’s daily labor history items – is offering $2,500 in prizes for videos, graphics, cartoons and songs speaking to the theme, "Unions Now, More Than Ever." Submissions can be made in three... more...
May 25, 2011 DC Restaurant Worker Wins $6M In Abuse Case DC restaurant worker Liana Estona was recently awarded $6 million in damages in her sexual harassment case against her former employer, La Carbonara Restaurant and its owner, Fekeru Bekele, reports the DC Employment Justice Center . Estona (not her real name) “came to our clinic in... more...
May 25, 2011 Busboys & Poets Hosts Organizing Mixer June 7 Busboys & Poets and Drink with Labor are teaming up for an organizing mixer June 7. The latest installment of B&P's monthly Bread & Roses Labor Series will be held at the 5th & K location . “Please join us to share stories, make connections and exchange ideas over good... more...
May 25, 2011 Memorial Gathering Set To Honor Joe Flynn A memorial gathering to honor activist Joe Flynn – who recently passed away ( In Memoriam: Joe Flynn, Tireless Activist , 5/11 UC) – will be held on Thursday, June 9, from 7–9P at Glen Echo Park (bumper car pavilion) in Bethesda, Maryland. Click here for directions and parking... more...
May 24, 2011 2011 Labor Arts Exchange & Creative Organizing Conference Set This year, the Labor Heritage Foundation’s annual arts celebration – scheduled for Friday June 17 to Sunday June 19 at the National Labor College – promises to empower participants with “cultural tools to combat fear and inject excitement into union and political campaigns,”... more...
May 24, 2011 Union Voice: Readers Write: Short Labor Videos? “I do Local 2 new member -- and not so new -- orientation meetings in our shops,” writes OPEIU Local 2’s Lou Wolf. “For years I had been using an old 15 min video but someone suggested you might have an idea for something appropriate. Good for introducing newbies and not too long.... more...
May 23, 2011 Federal Workers Worried About Pension Raids Adding financial insult to economic injury, federal workers may be forced to contribute more to their own pensions at the same time their wages have been frozen. Federal pensions have become an easy political target for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle looking to score points with voters... more...
May 23, 2011 Maryland Home Care Providers' Bargaining Rights Become Law Nearly 5,000 Maryland independent home care providers have achieved another victory in a campaign for dignity that began in 2008 when they voted to join AFSCME Council 67. Recently, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law the providers’ right to collectively bargain with the... more...
May 20, 2011 "This Fight Is Not Over" Say MontCo Workers Frustrated Montgomery County workers are calling on County councilmembers to “respect the collective bargaining process" after the Council voted Thursday to proceed with unilateral budget cuts after the workers had offered over $14 million in cost savings. Supporters are urged to contact... more...
May 20, 2011 Last Day For Labor FilmFest Earlybird Discount Reserve your ad in the 2011 DC Labor FilmFest program book by close of business today to save 20% and receive a free 2010 FilmFest T-shirt! Email cgarlock@dclabor.org to reserve space in the FilmFest program book and click here to download a rate sheet. Since 2001, the DC Labor... more...
May 19, 2011 Health Care Activists To Rally Against Big Insurance Area union members and health care reform activists will rally outside the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tyson’s Corner – where Coventry Health Care executives are meeting – at 7:30A tomorrow to tell Big Insurance, “We need an economy and health care that works for the middle class, seniors... more...
May 19, 2011 Asian Pacific American Workers' Rights Hearing Saturday As a follow-up to the National Workers' Rights hearing in November 2009, Saturday’s DC Asian Pacific American Workers' Rights Hearing – scheduled to begin at 10:30A at the National Education Association – will feature local worker testimonials on the right to organize, wage theft,... more...
May 19, 2011 DC JwJ Announces "I'll Be There" Award Honorees This year, DC Jobs with Justice’s annual “I’ll Be There” awards – which honors individuals and organizations for “exceptional solidarity work in the Metro DC area” while raising funds to support DC JwJ – is scheduled for Thursday, June 23 at the AFL-CIO . Honorees include... more...
May 19, 2011 Metro Council Board, Staff Updates The Executive Board Monday night accepted – with regret – the resignation of UFCW Local 400’s Mark Federici , who is now the local’s Secretary-Treasurer. “Mark has been a steadfast brother during his years of service on the Board and his incisive input has been critical to me during... more...
May 18, 2011 Peggy Browning Fund Honors Williams This year, Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams (right) is among those being honored by the Peggy Browning Fund, an organization that “educates and inspires the next generation of advocates for workplace justice through fellowships, workers’ rights conferences, networking and... more...
May 18, 2011 Labor College Launches Green Union Skills Course Seeking to equip labor leaders with the skills to become “effective advocates for sustainable workplaces,” the National Labor College recently announced the first course in the Green Workplace Representative Certificate Program, a four-week curriculum that will enable Green Workplace... more...
May 18, 2011 Labor Passages CBTU-DC chapter President Gwend Johnson lost her daughter, Shelia C. Brown (Mazyck) last week. Cards and acknowledgements may be sent to Gwend at: 6871 Red Maple Court,District Heights, MD 20747. “Please keep Gwend in your thoughts and prayers,” says Metro Council President Jos Williams. more...
May 17, 2011 Cheh Leads Charge To Freeze City Worker Pay DC city workers might be forgiven for thinking they now work for Wisconsin, where public workers continue to battle attacks on their livelihoods and rights. While Mayor Vincent Gray has proposed levying a small tax on residents making over $200,000 a year to help balance the budget, Ward 3... more...
May 17, 2011 Excluded Workers Speak Out Last week, a diverse group of workers from across the country gathered in New York City for the 2011 annual Excluded Worker Congress, where people who have traditionally been denied labor rights and benefits – by law or practice – met to collaborate on expanding and enforcing workers’... more...
May 16, 2011 UMD Students Stage Sit-In Against Daycon University of Maryland students staged a sit-in Friday to demand that the school dump Daycon, the local cleaning contractor that’s repeatedly been found guilty of violating federal labor laws. The 22 students – members of the UMD’s Drop Daycon coalition -- hung a banner reading "UMD Drop... more...
May 16, 2011 Postal Workers Ratify Contract Members of the US Postal Service's largest union – the American Postal Workers Union – voted last Wednesday to accept a new contract that includes a 3.5 percent raise and cost-of-living adjustments over four years ( APWU, USPS Reach Tentative Agreement On New Contract , UC... more...
May 16, 2011 Metro Council Delegate Meeting Tonight Don't miss tonight's Metro Washington Council delegate meeting, jam-packed with the latest updates on the local labor movement. Reports from the Community Services Agency, Union City and COPE highlight tonight's meeting. Draft minutes from the April Executive Board and Delegate meetings are... more...
May 16, 2011 Operating Engineer Stewards Hone Skills Seventy shop stewards attended the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 99’s training at the National Labor College last Thursday, spending the day honing their skills and learning new ways to guide their coworkers on the shop floor. “We’re like a family that’s eager... more...
May 13, 2011 Labor Radio Doubleheader Today Area labor leaders will be featured guests on both WPFW and WAMU today. Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO President Jos Williams will have his regular chat about the latest local labor news and updates with WPFW 89.3’s Gloria Minott at 9:45A this morning and then United Food and... more...
May 13, 2011 DC Activists Applaud South Africa Scrutiny Of Walmart DC and South Africa are connected by the struggle to hold Walmart accountable. DC’s Living Wages, Healthy Communities Coalition will visit the Embassy of South Africa this morning at 11A to applaud the efforts of the South African Competition Commission and Competition Tribunal, two... more...
May 13, 2011 Last Chance To Donate To "Books Behind Bars" Today at 5P is the deadline to donate books to area prison libraries through the Community Services Agency (CSA). The CSA’s effort will help overcome budget shortfalls and prepare inmates for re-entry into the community. Books can be dropped off at the CSA office (888 16th Street NW, Suite... more...
May 13, 2011 Help Stamp Out Hunger Tomorrow You can help feed a hungry person tomorrow. And you don’t even have to leave your house. The 19th annual National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive is set for this Saturday, May 14. “This is the one day in the year when letter carriers take control of the conversation about hunger... more...
May 13, 2011 Metro Council Delegate Meeting Monday Don't miss Monday's Metro Washington Council delegate meeting, jam-packed with the latest updates on the local labor movement. Reports from the Community Services Agency, Union City and COPE highlight Monday's meeting. Draft minutes from the April Executive Board and Delegate meetings are also... more...
May 12, 2011 Letter Carriers Poised To Stamp Out Hunger Remember to leave your bags of non-perishable food by your mail boxes this Saturday as letter carriers conduct their annual food drive. “In every corner of this country, there are people and families who are hungry, including children,” says National Association of Letter Carriers... more...
May 12, 2011 Post Newsroom Irate Over Exec Pay Hike Outraged Washington Post newsies are demanding raises after Post publisher Katharine Weymouth (right) collected a hefty 16.4 percent pay increase despite the company’s recent 66 percent plunge in profits. “It’s amazing how [Weymouth] can accept a 16.4 percent salary increase plus over a... more...
May 12, 2011 "Books Behind Bars" Donation Deadline Tomorrow The deadline to donate books to area prison libraries ( Preparing Inmates For Re-Entry 4/27 Union City) is this Friday, May 6 at 5P. "We've had a great response so far," says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy (at right), "thank you to everyone who has already... more...
May 11, 2011 Universal Health Care Revived In Congress Health care for every American got a boost yesterday when labor leaders and activists announced support for the American Health Security Act, a single-payer, universal health care system. “At a time when states and cities are seeking to cut workers’ hard won benefits, the American Health... more...
May 11, 2011 MontCo Council Rejects Leggett's Budget Proposal The Montgomery County Council voted yesterday to reject County Executive Ike Leggett’s budget recommendations on healthcare and retirement, “sending us back to the bargaining table,” reports UFCW Local 1994/MCGEO. “All three of the Montgomery County Government unions (Local 1994, the... more...
May 11, 2011 Washington Worker's Walking Tour Returns From the Labor Hall of Fame to Joe Hill’s ashes, worker’s history is around just about every corner in our nation’s capital, if you know where to look. Click here to sign up for the June 10 Washington Worker’s Walking Tour as Metro Washington Council Union Cities Coordinator... more...
May 11, 2011 In Memoriam: Joe Flynn, Tireless Activist The D.C. area lost one of its most tireless fighters for social justice with the recent death of Joe Flynn (at left). Flynn, 88, has been a constant figure at demonstrations for decades, along with Rose Marie his wife of 59 years. An active member of the Gray Panthers of Metropolitan... more...
May 10, 2011 Nurses Ratify New Contract At Washington Hospital Center Nurses at Washington Hospital Center voted Friday and Saturday to ratify a new contract with their employer. The new agreement, which covers 1,650 RNs in Washington’s largest hospital, includes a new staffing matrix that will increase the number of nurses at the bedside and a new... more...
May 10, 2011 Teachers, Parents Oppose Attack On Public Education Charging that public education is under attack by “an unholy alliance of right-wing billionaires,” hundreds of teachers, students, parents and education rights activists rallied outside the Washington Marriott at noon yesterday, chanting “Say no to vouchers- save our schools” and... more...
May 10, 2011 Giant & Safeway Stewards Prep For 2012 Bargaining Joining together to prepare for what will likely be a challenging round of bargaining with Giant and Safeway early next year, 330 stewards gathered May 5 to prepare for the upcoming negotiations and commit themselves to mobilizing members to join together in solidarity. “We’ve got to stand... more...
May 10, 2011 Nats Tix "Going Fast" America’s favorite pastime and the American labor movement combine for one of the local labor community’s most fun events of the year. Don’t miss out on this year’s annual Labor Night at the Nats, scheduled for Friday, July 29 at 7P. “Tickets are still available, however they’re... more...
May 9, 2011 Rally Against Rhee, Walker & Corbett Today Controversial former DC schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, governors Scott Walker and Tom Corbett are the target of community and education activists from Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC at today’s 11:30A demo outside the Washington Marriott to protest and “expose the... more...
May 9, 2011 SAMs Workers Continue Public Fight For Justice Downtown Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance workers are taking their fight for a union to the streets again this week, with noontime demonstrations planned for Tuesday and Wednesday outside Downtown BID’s headquarters on H street, NW. “Since the SAMs voted for the Machinists union in July... more...
May 9, 2011 PG County Workers To Tell Council "Honor Our Contract" This Wednesday, area union members and community allies plan to pack the Prince George’s County Council’s hearing to support ratification of an agreement that would provide a 2% cost of living allowance to county workers. “After months of delays, the Prince George's County Council does... more...
May 9, 2011 Free May Calendar Download The May calendar from labor artist and activist Ricardo Levins Morales is now available for free download. Click here now to get your free calendar – and to get April’s calendar featuring a commemorative poster for the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire - or... more...
May 6, 2011 DC Labor Chorus' "Songs Of Struggle & Joy" Saturday This Saturday, you can enjoy an evening of soul-warming labor music while supporting homeless women. The DC Labor Chorus’ annual Spring Concert – “Songs of Struggle and Joy,” scheduled for 8P this Saturday at Luther Place Memorial Church - will raise funds for Bethany Women of... more...
May 6, 2011 Rally Against Rhee, Walker & Corbett Labor, community and education activists will protest a “right-wing education trifecta” on Monday as former DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee (r), Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett appear at the American Federation for Children, an “ultra-right-wing... more...
May 6, 2011 Labor FilmFest Earlybird Discount Extended The deadline for saving 20% on your ad in the DC Labor FilmFest Program Guide has been extended. Reserve space by 5P on Friday, May 20 in the popular FilmFest Guide and get a 20% Earlybird Discount. “We’re working on a great line-up of films for this year’s Labor FilmFest and your ad in... more...
May 5, 2011 Tentative Pact For RNs At Washington Hospital Center Registered nurses at Washington Hospital Center, the District of Columbia’s largest medical center, reached a tentative agreement Tuesday night on a new contract with the hospital, National Nurses United, which represents the 1,700 WHC RNs, announced yesterday (UC Twitter followers got this... more...
May 5, 2011 Labor Photo: May Day at the Ludlow Massacre Monument While on a family trip to Colorado last weekend, Union City Managing Editor Chris Garlock (l) and his labor historian dad Jon (r) visited the Ludlow Massacre Monument on May Day. Nineteen people – mostly women and children – were killed during an attack by the Colorado National... more...
May 4, 2011 UFCW 1994 Applauds Council Action To Balance Allocations For Services & Education Saying that Montgomery County residents “should not have to choose between education and other vital services,” UFCW Local 1994 last week applauded the Montgomery County Council and President Valerie Ervin in not seeking a waiver under the state’s Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement.... more...
May 4, 2011 Annual Food Drive Set For May 14 Mark your calendar for the annual National Association Of Letter Carriers Food Drive. The Community Services Agency is encouraging union and community members to donate a sturdy bag of non-perishable items -- canned foods, pasta, rice, cereal, etc -- to be collected by letter carriers as they... more...
May 4, 2011 Vote Now In Labor Video Contest A little girl making a mess out of cake baking. A cartoon with a menacing dog - and a lamb. And stirring images of the protests against anti-union laws in Wisconsin. What do these have in common? They're three of the five finalists in the second annual Labour Video of the Year... more...
May 4, 2011 Union Voice, Readers Write: Clearing Casey's Name Was Casey Jones (r) a scab? That’s what a Union City reader wondered after seeing our March 11 UCS Today in Labor History item marking the birth of the fabled railroad engineer. The question arose because of Wobblie leader and songwriter Joe Hill’s song "Casey Jones–The Scab," which... more...
May 3, 2011 Exploring The Intersection Of Labor, Arts & Culture Busboys and Poets is hosting its monthly “Bread & Roses” Labor Series at 6P tonight , an evening of labor-related poetry, film shorts from the finalists of the "LabourStart" Video Contest, and live music by the DC Labor Chorus. “Emcee Darryl Moch will teach and lead the... more...
May 3, 2011 Giant Warehouse Workers Ratify New Agreement Workers at two Giant warehouses okayed a new contract last weekend. Workers at Giant’s fresh meat, poultry, seafood and produce warehouse – members of Teamsters Local 730 - voted 144 to 3 late last week to accept a new agreement that includes raises, a $50,000 buyout bonus payment for those... more...
May 3, 2011 "We Are Watching" Theme At Annual NoVA Labor Dinner All three speakers at Friday night’s Northern Virginia Labor Federation Volunteer Recognition Dinner called on union members to pay attention to what elected officials and candidates say -- and do -- as Virginia heads into another election cycle. Noting that “Wisconsin is not an... more...
May 3, 2011 DC Labor Chorus Spring Concert This Saturday This year, the DC Labor Chorus’ annual Spring Concert – scheduled this Saturday at 8P - will raise funds for the Bethany Women for Praise, a choral group affiliated with the Bethany Women's Center. “This concert features music in Spanish and English, music from the labor movement,... more...
May 2, 2011 "Let The Union In" Demand Downtown Safety/Maintenance Workers “Hey hey, ho ho- union busting has got to go!” yelled dozens of Downtown Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance workers (SAMs) as they picketed outside the Downtown Business Improvement District Corporations office on H Street NW last Friday. Thumping water barrels and shaking rattle cans, the... more...
May 2, 2011 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strikers Inducted Into Labor Hall Of Fame In an emotional ceremony, punctuated by several standing ovations, the U.S. Labor Department inducted into the Labor Hall of Fame 1,300 Memphis sanitation workers last Friday whose 1968 strike over the right to join a union and collective bargaining was Martin Luther King’s last campaign.... more...
May 2, 2011 Berger-Marks Foundation Announces Edna Award The Berger-Marks Foundation has announced the Edna Award, which will award $10,000 to a young woman leader in the social justice movement. The new award will spotlight “significant contributions to social justice and bestow a significant honor to a young woman whose leadership has... more...
Apr 29, 2011 SAMs Workers To Rally For Justice Today Citing frustration with pay and sick leave issues, Downtown Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance workers (SAMs) – who voted for a union nearly two years ago – will rally outside the Downtown Business Improvement District’s (BID) headquarters at 12P today . “Soon after the Downtown... more...
Apr 29, 2011 Teamsters Keep Giant Jobs Local Truck drivers at Giant Food, represented by Teamsters Local 639, voted on Wednesday to endorse a new four-year contract by a 159 to 1 margin. The agreement, which covers nearly 200 drivers, maintains contract language that keeps the driving jobs in the Washington, DC area. “The work can not... more...
Apr 29, 2011 International Workers' Day Celebrated Today At Labor College Labor leaders, union members and activists will celebrate International Workers Day at the National Labor College today and tomorrow. The event features “fun, free food, games, face painting and more,” says the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO, which is organizing the... more...
Apr 29, 2011 Mother Jones DVD Available A recent worksite screening of “Mother Jones: America’s Most Dangerous Woman” at Union Privilege “was a great success!” reports Jennifer Wright Dorr. The 20-minute film about legendary labor organizer Mary “Mother” Jones (right) -- whose birthday was May 1 -- “was very powerful... more...
Apr 29, 2011 "Books Behind Bars" Deadline Extended The deadline to donate books to area prison libraries ( Preparing Inmates For Re-Entry 4/27 Union City ) has been extended to next Friday, May 6 at 5P. The Community Services Agency is coordinating the book drive to help overcome budget shortfalls and prepare inmates for re-entry into... more...
Apr 28, 2011 Exploitation Of Tobacco Harvesters Exposed At British Embassy Labor activists brought the plight of Deep South tobacco workers to the doorstep of the British Embassy yesterday. Calling British American Tobacco (BAT) a “two-faced outlaw,” dozens of labor rights activists rallied outside the Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue NW Wednesday, chanting “Hey... more...
Apr 28, 2011 Downtown BID Tries To Duck Workers If the BID won’t come to the SAMs, the SAMs will go to the BID. Bosses at the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) tried to duck their workers by canceling this morning’s State of Downtown Report shindig, so the red-suited Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance workers, known as SAMs... more...
Apr 28, 2011 Labor Helps Elect Orange To DC Council Labor contributed to Vincent Orange’s decisive election as an At-Large DC City Council member Tuesday. In addition to extensive District union voter identification efforts before the election, “more than 150 union members turned out to work the polls and get out the vote” for Orange on... more...
Apr 28, 2011 Workers Memorial Day At The National Labor College A Workers Memorial Day Symposium on “OSHA after 40 Years; The Continued Fight for Safe Workplaces” is the focus of today’s Workers Memorial Day observance at the National Labor College. Beginning at 2P and keynoted by George Cohen, Chair, Federal Mediation and Conciliation... more...
Apr 27, 2011 Farm Workers Protest British Tobacco “Horrific working conditions” for farm workers who harvest tobacco are sparking demonstrations at British Consulates across the country today (Wednesday 4/27), including a 12P demo at the British Embassy in DC. “The inhumane working and living conditions of these farm workers in... more...
Apr 27, 2011 Preparing Inmates For Re-Entry Friday at 5P is the deadline to donate books to area prison libraries. The Community Services Agency is coordinating the book drive to help overcome budget shortfalls and prepare inmates for re-entry into the community. “Most people in prison usually get out someday and return to the... more...
Apr 26, 2011 Song And Struggle Highlight Council Meeting Delegates at last night’s meeting of the Metro Washington Council were riveted by nurse Geri Lee’s (right) dramatic tale of how Washington Hospital Center management last week disrupted a union meeting in progress, banned the union from holding more meetings at the hospital and stopped... more...
Apr 26, 2011 Solid Advice From A Cement Mason “Do what you love doing, be the best you can be in what you do, and make a career out of it. As simple as that” That’s the plain-spoken advice Rosella Scott (right) – a long time instructor at the Cement Masons Local 891 Training Center -- offered at a recent early-morning hands-on... more...
Apr 26, 2011 Farmworker/SAMs Doubleheader This Week In two separate demonstrations this week, area labor rights activists will rally to raise the standards and working conditions for farmworkers and downtown Maintenance/Safety/Hospitality (SAMs) workers, who work for DC's Downtown Improvement District (BID). On Wednesday at 12P... more...
Apr 25, 2011 Vincent Orange Endorsed For At-Large Councilmember Calling him “the kind of solid, well-tested and experienced leader our city needs in these challenging times," the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO has endorsed Vincent Orange in the DC At-Large City Council election, which will be held tomorrow in the District. Polls are open from... more...
Apr 25, 2011 Metro Council Delegate Meeting Tonight Don't miss tonight's Metro Washington Council delegate meeting, jam-packed with the latest updates on the local labor movement. Reports from the Community Services Agency, Union City and COPE highlight tonight's meeting. Draft minutes from the March Executive Board and Delegate meetings are... more...
Apr 25, 2011 Local Giant Workers Take Fight For Jobs To Amsterdam Royal Ahold shareholders got an earful from angry DC-area unionists and their supporters in Amsterdam last week. Ahold owns Giant Foods and is planning to outsource grocery distribution work to a notoriously anti-union wholesaler, which would cost nearly 500 local union jobs. The Teamsters... more...
Apr 25, 2011 TSOs To Decide Union In Runoff Election Because neither union received a majority of the votes in the first union election for Transportation Security Administration officers - which wrapped up on April 20 – last week the FLRA called for a runoff election between AFGE and the NTEU, which is tentatively set for May 23-June 21 via... more...
Apr 25, 2011 Got Punchline? What do you call a worker who enjoys all the benefits of the union but refuses to pay his fair share of dues? Send in your suggested punchline in this new contest from Union Communication Services and you could be a winner! UCS will put the best responses up for a vote next week and the winner... more...
Apr 22, 2011 Friendly Sams Battle For Respect, Rights You’ve seen the SAMs around town. They’re the friendly folks in red caps who, seven days a week, offer directions, notify police when trouble arises, remove litter, trash and graffiti and more in the 138-block area between Union Station and the White House. But their boss isn’t so... more...
Apr 22, 2011 District Residents Tell Walmart To "Put It In Writing" Citing concerns about Walmart’s plans to open several stores in the District of Columbia, dozens of residents and community activists rallied and held a press conference outside Walmart’s DC office in Chinatown yesterday afternoon, chanting “Put it in writing,” to the tune of Aretha... more...
Apr 22, 2011 March Council Minutes Now Online Be the first to read the draft minutes from the March Metro Washington Council Executive Board and Delegate meetings! They’re now available for download on the Metro Council’s website; email corrections to us at Streetheat@dclabor.org And be sure to mark your calendars for this... more...
Apr 21, 2011 DC Residents To Deliver Community Benefit Agreement To Walmart Today District residents and community allies will “up the ante in the battle over Walmart’s aggressive expansion plans in the District” today by delivering a proposal to Walmart’s Washington office at 2P that calls on the retail behemoth to negotiate a written citywide agreement... more...
Apr 21, 2011 DC Labor Chorus' Spring Concert May 7 “Tis that time of year again- the voices of the DC Labor Chorus will raise on their own and in concert with the Bethany Women for Praise at Luther Place Memorial Church for our annual spring concert,” reports the DC Labor Chorus, noting that the concert begins at 8P sharp on Saturday, May... more...
Apr 21, 2011 Labor Photo: DC CBTU's Gwend Johnson more...
Apr 20, 2011 VA Ahold Workers Address Shareholder Meeting Today In Amsterdam Three Virginia grocery workers are in Amsterdam today to address the Ahold shareholders meeting. The workers will address the assembly on the unfair treatment they say employees at Ahold-owned Martin’s stores in Richmond, VA., are being subjected to and demand that management stop the... more...
Apr 20, 2011 Trades Confront Wolf On Jobs More than 100 building trades workers turned out to boo Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10) at his press conference Monday afternoon opposing a Project Labor Agreement on Phase 2 of Metrorail construction to Dulles Airport. Chanting “Frank’s got to go” and “Cut Wolf’s pay,” the union... more...
Apr 20, 2011 Reader's Voice: Developing Dispute At Giant “I read your comment about the rumored dispute at Giant in today’s issue ( Reader’s Voice: No Giant Boycott 4/15 ),” writes Gary Witlen of the Teamsters. “While you accurately reported that the UFCW does not have an active dispute with Giant, you should be aware of the... more...
Apr 19, 2011 Young Activists Take To Streets To Link Environment, Labor Chanting “The youth are rising- no more compromising!” thousands of fired-up young environmental and labor rights activists rallied, marched and blocked the streets of the nation’s capital yesterday. “There’s a real connection between environ-mental injustice and economic injustice,... more...
Apr 19, 2011 How To Clean A Labor Landmark Union City roving correspondent Con Carbon sent in this lively video postcard on " How to Clean a Labor Landmark ." more...
Apr 19, 2011 Labor On The Move: Working America's Robert Fox Moves to Greenpeace Working America’s Robert Fox (right) is the new Chief Operating Officer at Greenpeace USA. “I am very proud of what Working America has accomplished,” said Fox, who served as Deputy Director of the AFL-CIO’s community affiliate from its founding in 2003 until this month. “I feel... more...
Apr 18, 2011 April Council Meetings Rescheduled For 4/25 The Metro Washington Council’s April Executive Board and Delegate meetings – originally set for today, April 18 – have been rescheduled to Monday, April 25 to accommodate this year’s Passover observances; watch Union City for further details. more...
Apr 18, 2011 DC Teachers Urge Boycott Of Washington Post Charging that the Washington Post is "burying the truth about education reform in the District," area teachers, parents and community allies rallied outside the newspaper’s head-quarters on 15th Street NW on Friday morning, chanting “We’re not buying until the Post stops lying!” “The... more...
Apr 18, 2011 Trumka To Speak At Youth "Power Shift" Rally Today Thousands of young student activists on spring break will rally in Lafayette Park this morning. AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka will be among the speakers, and will address how workers and students can unite to create a powerful movement for change this year and beyond. Power Shift 2011 brings... more...
Apr 18, 2011 Trades Urged To Join Protest Against Wolf Today The Laborers are mobilizing area trades workers to oppose an attempt by Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf (right) to derail a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) on the Dulles Rail Phase 2 project. Wolf -- who's holding a press conference today at 2P at 13873 Park Center Road, Suite 130, Herndon, VA... more...
Apr 18, 2011 DC Early Voting Now Open Early voting is now open for the upcoming special election for the District’s At-Large race, set for Tuesday, April 26. Voters can also request an absentee ballot online; click here for details. more...
Apr 18, 2011 CSA's "News You Can Use": Books Behind Bars “Most people in prison usually get out someday and return to the community,” says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “Anything we can do to help them prepare for re-entry while they are still inside is a worthwhile venture.” McKirchy – citing recent... more...
Apr 15, 2011 Capitol Hill "Kochapalooza" Backfires “Wherever Scott Walker goes, he needs to know that we’re going to be there waiting for him,” said IFPTE President Greg Junemann at a demonstration outside yesterday’s House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing at which the controversial Wisconsin governor appeared. “The... more...
Apr 15, 2011 Teachers Rally At Washington Post Today To Protest Coverage Rallying around the theme that "Biased Education Coverage Equals Corporate Profits” the Washington Teachers Union is mobilizing a Furlough Day Protest at the Washington Post today at 10:30A. “We are protesting at the Washington Post because they have buried the truth about education... more...
Apr 15, 2011 Hands Off Medicare And Medicaid Progressive organizations and Members of Congress are staging a protest this morning against GOP plans to eliminate Medicare and Medicaid. Organizers are urging those concerned about the popular programs to join them at 11A in the House Triangle on the south side of the Capitol between the... more...
Apr 15, 2011 Reader's Voice: Madison Update; No Giant Boycott; Why We Do This Where Are The Madison Protestors?: “I work near the Madison Hotel and noticed that there are no longer protesters,” writes UC reader Charles. “Is this because the dispute was resolved or because the workers have become disheartened?” ( Madison Workers Get Tentative Settlement... more...
Apr 14, 2011 Scott Walker To Appear At "Kochapalooza" On Hill Today Worker and union allies plan to expose the money and influence connection between the Koch brothers and this morning’s 9:30A Capitol Hill appearance (Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2154) by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who’s testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform... more...
Apr 14, 2011 AP Workers Rally Against Cuts Dozens of journalists, editorial and technical workers rallied outside the Associated Press’ DC office on 13th Street NW at noon yesterday, chanting “You can’t spell cheap without AP,” and “We keep AP working!” Since their contract expired in November 2010, the workers – members... more...
Apr 14, 2011 DC Teachers To Protest At Washington Post Saying that the Washington Post is “burying the truth about education reform in DC,” Washington-area teachers, parents and community allies plan to rally at 10:30A this Friday to say “We’ll stop buying until you stop lying!” more...
Apr 13, 2011 NABET-CWA 213 Merges With DC Local 31 NABET-CWA Harrisburg, PA Local 213 merged with Washington, DC Local 31 last week. NABET-CWA Local 31 President Carl Mayers (at right) called the merger "a great opportunity to better serve our members in Harrisburg. We look forward to actively working with these new Local 31 members, to... more...
Apr 13, 2011 April Council Meetings Rescheduled For 4/25 The Metro Washington Council’s April Executive Board and Delegate meetings – originally set for Monday, April 18 – have been rescheduled to Monday, April 25 to accommodate this year’s Passover observances; watch Union City for further details. more...
Apr 13, 2011 Labor Video Contest Deadline Friday Seen a great short labor video lately? Nominate it for LabourStart’s second annual Labour Video of the Year competition! Last year’s winner was the hilarious " What have the unions ever done for us? " which was also included in the 2009 DC Labor FilmFest’s Working Lunch... more...
Apr 12, 2011 AP Workers To Rally For Contract Here’s a hot story that may not make the wire services: editorial and technical employees at The Associated Press will rally for a contract today at 12:30P at the AP’s DC offices at 1100 13th St. NW. The workers are members of News Media Guild, CWA Local 31222, which has “been in very... more...
Apr 12, 2011 Stevenson University Cafeteria Workers Win Union More than 60 campus dining workers at Stevenson University have won union representation, choosing to join UNITE HERE Local 7. “I’ve worked at Stevenson for 4 years and am so happy to have been part of winning the union,” said Steven Golder, a cafeteria cook at Stevenson, which has two... more...
Apr 11, 2011 Relieved But Wary Government Workers Stand Down, For Now Picketlines and rallies by government workers in DC and across the country today were called off after Friday night’s last-minute budget deal averted a threatened shutdown of the government. “This was just Round 1,” warned AFGE Political Director Bob Nicklas. “Bigger fights are ahead... more...
Apr 11, 2011 Record Turnout For 10th Labor Seder A record turnout of more than 330 celebrated Jews United for Justice’s (JUFJ) milestone 10th anniversary Labor Seder last night at Adas Israel Congregation in Northwest DC. While area workers still have far to go to achieve justice, worker advocates like UNITE HERE’s Tracy Lingo credited... more...
Apr 11, 2011 Georgetown Dining Workers Organize Workers at Georgetown University’s Leo J. O'Donovan dining hall, Jesuit Residence Wolfington Hall, Cosi, Starbucks, and Dr. Mug – all run by Aramark -- have joined UNITE HERE. “We have a voice and we want to be heard,” said Cathy Anderson. “Now, we must stick together to push ahead... more...
Apr 8, 2011 Walmart's Global Chain Of Repression From Bangladesh to Illinois to Maryland, Walmart’s business model is based on a system that keeps workers in a cycle of low wages, no voice on the job, and dangerous working conditions, according to four Walmart workers who spoke at a “Truth Tour” forum at George Washington... more...
Apr 8, 2011 Labor Seder Focuses On Joblessness Each year, the Labor Seder – set for this Sunday, 5:30P at Adas Israel Congregation - highlights a current workers' rights struggle and brings together the Jewish, progressive, and labor communities in shared commitment to social and economic justice. “This year's seder will focus... more...
Apr 8, 2011 New Workers' Rights Manual Released The DC Employment Justice Center has just released the 5th edition of its Workers’ Rights Manual, the “most comprehensive resource” for DC employment law. “The 5th edition of the Employment Justice Center’s Workers’ Rights Manual is a comprehensive guide to employment law in the... more...
Apr 7, 2011 Federal & County Workers Urge Support To Stop Furloughs, Cuts Facing a looming federal shutdown and significant pay cuts, federal workers and Montgomery County employees are urging area activists to take action immediately. “AFSCME Council 26 and other federal workers’ unions are fighting to stop hundreds of thousands of federal employees from being... more...
Apr 7, 2011 Labor Night At The Nats Set For July 29 The Nats play the New York Mets at the fifth annual Labor Night at the Nats , scheduled for Friday, July 29 at 7P. The family event benefits the Community Services Agency's Emergency Assistance Fund, which helps area families in crisis. Tickets are $10 each; order 50 or more to get... more...
Apr 7, 2011 April Council Meetings Rescheduled The Metro Washington Council’s April Executive Board and Delegate meetings have been rescheduled to April 25 to accommodate this year’s Passover. more...
Apr 7, 2011 Labor Photo: New Officers Sworn In At OPEIU 2 more...
Apr 6, 2011 Loudoun County Votes To Limit Size Of "Big Box" Stores Loudoun County Supervisors voted Monday night to limit the size of future “Big Box” stores in the Northern Virginia county, capping a 3-year effort by local labor and community activists concerned about the detrimental effect of such stores on local jobs and businesses. More than two dozen... more...
Apr 6, 2011 Injured Workers Speak Out "The one good thing that's happened to me since my accident, aside from getting my ability to speak back, was my union,” said Ride-On bus operator Theresa D'Antoine (right) Monday afternoon at a “We Are One” event at the National Labor College organized by UFCW locals 1994 and 400 to... more...
Apr 6, 2011 Labor Seder Celebrates Freedom & Works For Justice The Jewish, progressive, and labor communities will gather in shared commitment to social and economic justice at this Sunday’s Jews United For Justice Labor Seder . more...
Apr 6, 2011 Union City Wins Front Page Photo Award Union City was among the winners at this year’s Front Page Awards, with Managing Editor Chris Garlock’s “Take Back Our Democracy” shot (right) at a March demonstration against banks winning a “Distinguished National News Photography” award. The Front Page Awards honor the “best... more...
Apr 5, 2011 "I Am A Worker" Chanting “We are one!” over a thousand activists marched through the streets of downtown Washington Monday -- the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- to show their solidarity with working people in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and other states “where... more...
Apr 5, 2011 Ward 4 To Deliver Anti-Walmart Petition Today Ward 4 residents will present over 1,000 signatures to the DC City Council today from their neighbors opposing a Walmart in their community. Walmart’s plans for a store in Ward 4 are “insensitive to the damage it would do to this community," said Gerri Adams-Simons of Ward 4 Thrives, which... more...
Apr 5, 2011 Guild Demonstrates Solidarity At BNA more...
Apr 1, 2011 Labor Profile: Jim Lowery, Elevator Constructors Local 10 Elevator Constructor Local 10 Business Manager Jim Lowery started out as an asbestos worker. When Lowery's asthma prompted his doctor to suggest a career change in 1985, Lowery, who was 27 at the time, applied to the Elevator Constructors apprenticeship program. "My wife's dad was an elevator... more...
Apr 1, 2011 DC "We Are One" Events: 17 & Counting! From a sermon to a major rally, book talk to teach-in and a whole lot more (17 events and counting!), the local labor movement is mobilizing around the national “We Are One” observances on Monday. Click here for the complete listing of local events. The “We Are One” movement has... more...
Apr 1, 2011 Madison Workers Get Tentative Settlement After a 9-week struggle, workers at the Madison Hotel have finally achieved a tentative settlement. “Through the steadfast efforts of members at the Madison hotel and Local 25 members across the city, and with the support of the labor community and our allies, I am happy to announce that... more...
Apr 1, 2011 Expanding AFGE 17 Re-Joins Council AFGE Local 17 re-affiliated with the Metro Washington Council this week. “Given the current wave of attacks on public workers, solidarity is more important than ever,” said Local 17 President Bill Preston (left). “The House of Labor is stronger today thanks to Local 17,” agreed Metro... more...
Apr 1, 2011 In Memoriam: Sadie Holley Sadie Holley (right), mother of Council of School Officers Executive Vice President Barbara Childs, has passed. A member of the CWA Local 1180, Sadie Holley worked in New York City with the New York Administrative Employees from 1962 – 1991, retiring in 1991. Funeral arrangements are... more...
Mar 31, 2011 Grocery Workers Rally To Save Good Jobs In DC Accusing Dutch-owned mega-corporation Royal Ahold, its subsidiary Giant Food, and its grocery supplier C&S Grocers of “destroying good, family-supporting jobs across the country,” hundreds of grocery workers, shoppers and community allies rallied outside the Hyatt Regency on Capitol... more...
Mar 31, 2011 We Are One: Stand Up For The Dream Rightwing billionaires Charles and David Koch -- widely-known for bankrolling many of the anti-worker efforts around the country – are the target of a midday “We Are One” demo Monday at Koch Industries’ downtown DC office. Click here for details on this and over a dozen area... more...
Mar 30, 2011 DC "We Are One" Event Update Increasing numbers of local April 4 “We Are One” events -- a dozen at presstime Tuesday -- are being organized across the metro area, including everything from a book talk to a major mobilization against right-wing funders the Koch brothers, as well as a film screening, interfaith service... more...
Mar 30, 2011 Capitol Gift Shop Workers Vote Union Workers at the U.S. Capitol Gift Shop overwhelmingly voted union yesterday, scoring an 11-0 sweep in the 17-member unit. “By electing AFSCME, Gift Shop workers stood together to demand our rights and a voice on the job,” said gift shop clerk Les Thomas. The Gift Shop clerks, inventory... more...
Mar 30, 2011 Teamsters Target $88 Mil Union-Buster C&S Wholesale Grocers’ CEO Rick Cohen is attracting a bigger – and much noisier -- crowd today than he expected. Cohen is receiving an award from the Food Marketing Institute and the National Grocers Association at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (400 New Jersey Ave., NW) and the Teamsters are... more...
Mar 30, 2011 Women Walmart Workers Rally Support On Steps Of Justice Chanting “Walmart women deserve fair pay; hear their case without delay,” hundreds of workers, women’s rights activists and labor allies assembled on the steps of the US Supreme Court on Capitol Hill yesterday morning as Justices inside heard arguments on whether allegations of systemic... more...
Mar 29, 2011 Singing Out At The Metro Council The DC Labor Chorus brought last night's Council meeting to its collective feet, as delegates joined hands and sang "We Shall Overcome" in honor of the ongoing struggles for justice by public workers across the community and country and to promote their upcoming Spring Concert on May 7.... more...
Mar 29, 2011 Stand With The Women Of Wal-Mart Wal-Mart workers and their supporters will speak out against systemic pay discrimination at the world’s largest retailer at a rally this morning at 9:30A on the steps of the Supreme Court. The court is set to decide on whether to allow the workers’ class-action lawsuit to proceed. “Ten... more...
Mar 29, 2011 Workers, Community To Protest Outsourcing At Giant As grocery executives meet to “plan additional attacks on working families,” area workers and community supporters will rally outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel at 2P tomorrow to protest Giant Foods’ warehouse operator C&S Wholesale Grocers’ plan to close a local warehouse,... more...
Mar 28, 2011 April 4 "We Are One" Plans To Be Outlined At Council Meeting Tonight Following hard on the heels of last week’s commemorations of the centennial of the Triangle Factory Fire, the Metro Council and other organizations and local activists are planning We Are One events for next week around the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination in Memphis where... more...
Mar 28, 2011 Workshop Explores Power & Perils Of Online Media Nearly 50 local communicators for local unions and allied organizations turned out for Friday’s free “Tweet This” workshop on online and social media. The workshop focused on both the power and perils of online media, which offer exciting new communication tools at low or no cost, but... more...
Mar 28, 2011 National Transit Conference Draws Top Leaders To Discuss Labor-Management Solutions Local and national labor leaders, academics, government officials, and private sector interests joined colleagues from 16 transit agencies and 18 transportation and workforce development organizations to learn from one another and foster innovative labor-management partnership solutions at the... more...
Mar 25, 2011 County Workers Not Kidding Around With Leggett It’s not unusual to see kids at a union demo these days, but the four-legged one gamboling at last night’s UFCW 1994 MGCEO rally drew a lot of attention. Month-old Eddie and his mother Delilah were on hand to illustrate the frustration county workers feel at being “scape-goated by County... more...
Mar 25, 2011 March Delegate Meeting Monday Don't miss Monday's Metro Washington Council delegate meeting, jam-packed with the latest updates on the local labor movement. Reports from the Community Services Agency, Union City and COPE highlight Monday's meeting. All are welcome: see you Monday, 6:30P at the AFL-CIO, 815 16th Street NW! more...
Mar 25, 2011 Ward 4 Calls Latest Walmart Plan "Terrible" Walmart’s latest plan for a store in the District’s Ward 4 is "165 pages of terrible ideas," says Ward 4 Thrives member and community activist Virginia Leavell. "This plan does nothing to address our concerns about poverty wages, the driving out of small businesses, and the traffic... more...
Mar 25, 2011 GOP Tries To Erase History Of Working People Once again, Republicans are trying to erase the history of America’s working people, reports Tula Connell on the AFL-CIO Now blog. In Maine, Republican Gov. Paul LePage has ordered the removal of a 36-foot mural depicting the state’s labor history from the Department of Labor. The... more...
Mar 24, 2011 Union Voice: Readers Write: Navigating The "Uncharted Seas" Of The Guild's HuffPost Boycott “So here's a 21st century labor conundrum,” writes Andy Zipser of The Newspaper Guild. “One of your Street Heat pieces today ( Will Facebook Replace Labor Unions? 3/22/11 ) quotes Tom Hayes talking about labor unions having outlived their usefulness as organizing devices because... more...
Mar 24, 2011 Fired Workers Demand Integrity At Chipotle Chipotle’s “food with integrity" motto apparently doesn’t extend to its workers. When the federal government recently targeted the company with immigration warnings (known as "I-9 audits"), Chipotle began preemptively laying off entire stores full of workers, including in DC. At the... more...
Mar 24, 2011 MontCo Workers To Protest "Outlaw" Leggett Saying that “County Personnel Won’t Be Scapegoats,” hundreds of members of UFCW Local 1994, MCGEO, will protest “outlaw” actions by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett in a demonstration today at 4P in Rockville. Leggett recently notified the County Council that he intends... more...
Mar 24, 2011 Free Workshop Explains Social Media Last chance to sign up for the free March 25 TWEET THIS workshop to help you understand what social media can -- and can't – do. Workers and their unions worldwide are using social and online media to communicate, organize and fight the boss. But which is best for your local? What... more...
Mar 24, 2011 Union Voice: Readers Write: Navigating the "uncharted seas" of the Guild's HuffPost Boycott “So here's a 21st century labor conundrum,” writes Andy Zipser of The Newspaper Guild. “One of your Street Heat pieces ( Will Facebook Replace Labor Unions? 3/22/11 ) quotes Tom Hayes talking about labor unions having outlived their usefulness as organizing devices because the... more...
Mar 23, 2011 Triangle Fire Commemoration Draws Parallels With Today By Mark Gruenberg, PAI Staff Writer WASHINGTON (PAI)—A half-day-long Capitol Hill commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in Manhattan – a fire that killed 146 young immigrant... more...
Mar 23, 2011 STITCH Doubles Up For Women Workers STITCH, a DC-based feminist labor rights organization that supports women workers fighting to organize unions in Central America, has two events coming up. Tonight there’s a fundraiser starting at 7P featuring live mariachi bands and a silent auction at Haydees Restaurant in Northwest... more...
Mar 23, 2011 Triangle Fire Commemoration Draws Parallels With Today A half-day-long Capitol Hill commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in Manhattan - a fire that killed 146 young immigrant workers, almost all of them women - drew uncomfortable parallels with conditions facing workers today. Speakers, including Sally... more...
Mar 23, 2011 Georgetown Labor Prof On Our Historic Moment “We have all been stunned by the level of passion and resistance that has welled up in response to Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to strip public workers of their rights to collective bargaining… Moments like this don’t happen all that often,” Joe McCartin (right) -- director of the... more...
Mar 22, 2011 District Residents Mobilizing Against Possible Cuts After enduring more than $600 million in cuts to vital public services over the course of the recession, District workers, residents and community activists are now urging DC Mayor Vince Gray – who is preparing to unveil his 2012 budget on April 1 – to stop further cuts and consider... more...
Mar 22, 2011 Remembering The Triangle Factory Fire In case you missed yesterday’s special WPFW radio broadcast commemorating the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire – featuring APRI activist Clayola Brown and CLUW's Joyce Miller – you can now listen online until Monday, April 4. In addition, there are four more upcoming events in the... more...
Mar 22, 2011 Will Facebook Replace Labor Unions? “Like record stores and time-bound television, the labor union as an organizing device has outlived its usefulness,” writes Tom Hayes in a recent Huffington Post article. “People simply don't need intermediaries to organize them into groups anymore.” Find out what social media can --... more...
Mar 21, 2011 Trades Rally In Annapolis Tonight Tonight it’s the building trades’ turn to rally in Annapolis, as the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO and the MD/DC Building Trades Council hosts the Labor Night In Annapolis Labor Rally starting at 6p , bringing together union members, labor and political leaders to... more...
Mar 21, 2011 "Justice At Giant" Website Launched “I’m a single mother, and if they take this job, and the benefits, and the pension away from me, I will be devastated,” says Giant worker Tanya Daley on the new Justice at Giant campaign’s just-launched website . The site features the latest updates on the “labor/community... more...
Mar 21, 2011 2011 Labor Seder Focuses On Unemployment Each year, the Labor Seder highlights a current workers' rights struggle and brings together the Jewish, progressive, and labor communities in shared commitment to social and economic justice. This year’s seder – scheduled for Sunday, April 10 – will focus on “widespread... more...
Mar 18, 2011 MORE DC SOLIDARITY DEMO VIDEOS POSTED More local and national video coverage of Wednesday's exciting solidarity action with Wisconsin workers is now available on the Metro Washington Council's website. more...
Mar 18, 2011 EXPANDED EVENING WITH LABOR PHOTO ALBUM NOW ONLINE More photos from last Saturday's Evening With Labor awards dinner -- including reception snaps and more awards shots -- are now available online. more...
Mar 18, 2011 Harry Shearer at Labor FilmFest screening of "The Big Uneasy" Photo of humorist and director Harry Shearer at the March 15 DC Labor FilmFest screening of "The Big Uneasy" more...
Mar 17, 2011 Wisconsin Supporters Occupy Building At GOP Fundraiser Chanting "This is what democracy looks like!" hundreds of protestors -- fired up by the inspiring battles of workers in Wisconsin -- broke through security lines and took over the atrium of the downtown DC building where lobbyists were holding a fundraiser for Wisconsin GOP leaders. The... more...
Mar 17, 2011 APWU, USPS Reach Tentative Agreement On New Contract The American Postal Workers Union and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, reports local APWU President and Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO Executive Board member Dena Briscoe. “Our negotiators really pulled a rabbit out of the hat, given the... more...
Mar 17, 2011 Labor Video Contest Returns Seen a great short labor video lately? Nominate it for LabourStart’s second annual Labour Video of the Year competition! Last year’s winner was the hilarious " What have the unions ever done for us? " which was also included in the 2009 DC Labor FilmFest’s Working Lunch... more...
Mar 17, 2011 Got O'Malley Video? If you or someone you know captured video footage of Maryland governor Martin O'Malley's "Joe Hill" performance at last Saturday’s 34th Annual Evening With Labor awards dinner please email streetheat@dclabor.org and let us know. - photo by Bill Burke/Page One more...
Mar 16, 2011 This Is (Not) What Democracy Looks Like In case you need another reason to attend today’s demo (5P, 601 13th St., N.W. near G Street, Metro Center) at the Wisconsin GOP fundraiser, consider that Wisconsin Sen. Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Monday that the votes of state Senate Democrats won’t count, proving... more...
Mar 16, 2011 Broadcast Workers Defend Public Media Facing defunding threats by Congressional Republicans, public broadcasting workers took to the steps of the U.S. Capitol yesterday afternoon to deliver petitions with 1.2 million signatures supporting “quality education, entertainment, public affairs, art, and news programming for... more...
Mar 16, 2011 "Don't Shred The Safety Net" Chanting, “Public workers stand up and fight, the American Dream is our right” and “Don’t shred the safety net,” dozens of area workers rallied outside the Social Security Administration on M Street NW last night to preserve public programs threatened by the House GOP’s proposed... more...
Mar 16, 2011 Community Benefit, Living Wage Bills Introduced In DC Council D.C. Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) yesterday introduced bills to "give leverage" to the four communities in which Wal-Mart plans to open and the hundreds of employees it plans to hire, reports Michael Neibauer in the Washington Business Journal. The first requires large... more...
Mar 15, 2011 15,000 Public Workers Demand Maryland "Keep The Promise" In a huge display of solidarity and political clout, public workers from across Maryland and metro Washington staged a massive march and rally Monday night in Annapolis to protect pensions and funding for public schools. After massing at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, thousands of... more...
Mar 15, 2011 On The Line Today Spring is in the air and if it seems like labor rallies and demonstrations are popping up all over town that’s because they are. Here are a couple of events today we want to highlight: 1P: Rally to Save Public Media: Broadcast unions and public interest groups (Free Press, MoveOn, and... more...
Mar 15, 2011 Wisconsin GOP Fundraiser Protest Set For Wednesday Republican members of the Wisconsin Senate, along with their Assembly co-conspirators, are coming to D.C. on Wednesday to collect their payoff from corporate lobbyists after the GOP lawmakers voted last week in the dark of night to strip teachers, nurses, snowplow drivers and others of their... more...
Mar 15, 2011 Evening With Labor Award Winner Photos Now Online Photos of award-winners at Saturday’s 34th Annual Evening With Labor are now available for viewing online. Click here ; watch Union City for more photos later this week. more...
Mar 14, 2011 Rockin' Out At Evening With Labor Long before the last notes of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s impromptu a capella rendition of “Joe Hill” faded away, the more than 900 labor activists crowded into the Omni Shoreham’s ballroom knew they’d just attended one of the most memorable Evening with Labor dinners in... more...
Mar 14, 2011 Giant Workers Rally Against Outsourcing Giant workers -- Teamster Locals 639, 730, 863, 922 and 264, and United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 -- turned out for a rally Sunday at the Beltway Plaza Giant in Greenbelt, MD to protest Giant’s plans to outsource its dry goods grocery distribution out of state. - photos... more...
Mar 14, 2011 AP Workers "Under Assault" Charging that the Associated Press – the world’s biggest news organization – is launching an assault on workers’ health care, retirement and other union benefits, dozens of journalists and news media workers protested outside the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue Saturday morning, urging... more...
Mar 14, 2011 Workers Say "Enough Is Enough" In Annapolis Tonight Wisconsin fever comes to metro DC area tonight as thousands of labor activists -- headlined by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka -- gather in Annapolis at the 6P Enough Is Enough Rally . “We work hard to provide vital public services,” say organizers. “We pay all the same taxes but... more...
Mar 14, 2011 WHC "Wastes" $6 Mil On Nurse Lock-Out The $6 million the Washington Hospital Center spent on last week’s lock-out "was a complete waste," says NNU's Ken Zinn. "We're stronger than we ever were." The nurses walked off the job March 4 for a one-day strike ( Thousands Rally For Striking Nurses , 3/7/11 Union City ) but were... more...
Mar 14, 2011 Harry Shearer Screens New Film Tomorrow Night Humorist and New Orleans resident Harry Shearer screens his film "The Big Uneasy!" at the AFI in Silver Spring tomorrow night at 7P as part of the DC Labor FilmFest’s Whistleblower Series. The evening includes a special post-screening discussion with filmmaker Harry Shearer, Maria... more...
Mar 14, 2011 GOP Tries To Chop Big Bird What do Big Bird and Car Talk have in common? They’re on the GOP chopping block in Congress and supporters are rallying to their defense tomorrow at 1P on Capitol Hill. Area broadcast unions and public interest groups will present over 1.2 million signatures supporting public... more...
Mar 14, 2011 Tweet This! Find out what social media can -- and can't – do at Tweet This , the Metro Council’s March 25 workshop on how local unions can use social and online media. Free but space is limited so click here to sign up now! more...
Mar 11, 2011 Last Chance For Evening With Labor Tix Today’s your last chance to get tickets to labor’s biggest night of the year, as more than 850 area labor leaders, activists and friends gather for the 34th annual Evening With Labor awards dinner tomorrow night. U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Governor Martin O'Malley (D-MD), Mayor... more...
Mar 11, 2011 Giant Protest Rally Set For Sunday Now you can rally and do your grocery shopping at the same time. The Beltway Plaza Giant in Greenbelt is the site of a rally Sunday from 9a to 12 noon (clocks spring ahead Sunday for Daylight Savings; be sure to adjust your clocks!) to protest Giant’s plans to outsource its dry... more...
Mar 11, 2011 Maryland Public Workers To Stage Massive Rally Monday Thousands of Maryland’s public workers are planning to descend on Annapolis Monday for a massive 6p “Rally to Keep the Promise” against attacks by Maryland's elected officials on pensions and retiree health benefits and the proposed $100 million in education funding cuts.... more...
Mar 11, 2011 Transit Workers Undaunted By Storm Rain doesn't stop Metro's trains and buses, so Thursday morning's downpour -- including the threat of a tornado -- didn't deter hundreds of transit workers from rallying outside WMATA headquarters in downtown DC to protest what their union, ATU 689, calls union-busting, with members working... more...
Mar 11, 2011 Sun Workers OK 3-Year Contract Extension Members of the union representing most newsroom, advertising and other workers at The Baltimore Sun decided with a voice vote to approve a three-year contract extension Wednesday night that will freeze wages for the first two years while raising the company's contribution to 401(k) retirement... more...
Mar 10, 2011 Helping TSOs Form A Union On the heels of the battle for collective bargaining rights for public workers in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and elsewhere, 44,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) now have a chance to vote on whether or not to form a union. “AFGE has stuck with these dedicated employees since 2002,”... more...
Mar 10, 2011 Time Running Out To Get EWL Tickets “With just two days left until our 34th Evening With Labor awards dinner, time is quickly running out to get your tickets,” says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “Hurry before it’s too late!” Tickets to Saturday’s dinner – which is set for... more...
Mar 10, 2011 Labor FilmFest Hosts Harry Shearer & His Film On New Orleans Disaster Humorist and New Orleans resident Harry Shearer will screen his film "The Big Uneasy!" next week at the AFI in Silver Spring as part of the DC Labor FilmFest’s Whistleblower Series. Shearer (The Simpsons, etc.) gets the inside story from the people who were there when disaster struck... more...
Mar 10, 2011 Labor On The Move: Katherine Morrison Katherine Morrison is the new Interim Executive Director of the DC Employment Justice Center. Morrison has more than 20 years experience as a nonprofit executive, spending the last five years as an interim for five different organizations, including two legal services organizations, and is the... more...
Mar 9, 2011 Transit Workers To Rally Against Union-Busting Area transit workers will rally against union-busting tomorrow morning at 8:30A outside METRO headquarters in downtown DC (5th & F NW). The ATU Local 689 members will be joined by labor and community allies as they rally to “preserve final and binding arbitration, retain... more...
Mar 9, 2011 Nurses, Hotel Workers Link Causes The mood was festive on the picket line yesterday as locked-out nurses at Washington Hospital Center celebrated a sunny, warm Fat Tuesday and looked forward to returning to work this morning. Sporting colorful Mardi Gras beads, feathers on their hospital scrubs, the nurses, who struck for 24... more...
Mar 9, 2011 Cardin, O'Malley & Gray To Attend Evening With Labor Many appointed and elected officials will be on hand, including U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Governor Martin O’Malley (D-MD) and Mayor Vincent Gray (D-DC), who top the list of elected officials expected to attend this Saturday’s 34th annual Evening With Labor . Tickets are still... more...
Mar 9, 2011 Free March Calendar Download The March calendar from labor artist and activist Ricardo Levins Morales captures “the spirit of the workers' rights uprising sparked by the latest attack on public sector unions,” and features a poster Morales just completed for the 20th anniversary of AFSCME Local 3800, clerical... more...
Mar 9, 2011 March Council Meetings Rescheduled The Metro Washington Council’s March Executive Board and Delegate meetings have been rescheduled to March 28 to permit time for interviews for the DC At Large Special Elections. more...
Mar 8, 2011 "We're All Working People" More than 50 locked-out nurses joined the hotel workers’ Madison Hotel picket line Monday afternoon after their own picket line at the Washington Hospital Center. “We’re here to show our solidarity with all workers,” said RN Joe Cassidy, a member of National Nurses United, surrounded... more...
Mar 8, 2011 Celebrating Solidarity There was so much Streetheat last year that there are two 2010 Evening with Labor Golden Picket Award winners : National Nurses United, WHC Local and Teamsters 639. Celebrate Streetheat solidarity past, present and future at Evening with Labor this Saturday; click here to get your... more...
Mar 8, 2011 Labor To Oppose "Right To Work" Bill In Annapolis Today Saying that “Labor needs to fill the House Economics Matters Committee” to oppose “yet another Right to Work bill, HB743,” Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Donna Edwards urged leaders and activists to meet at the State Fed headquarters (7 School... more...
Mar 8, 2011 Respect DC Campaign Keeps Up Pressure On Walmart The Living Wages, Healthy Communities Coalition “continued to put pressure on Walmart this past week,” reports Michael Wilson, noting that “opposition is growing in Ward 5 , where Walmart submitted their Large Tract Review a few weeks ago.” At a community meeting last week in ANC... more...
Mar 8, 2011 Online Shop-In At Powell's Books Today Union workers at Powell’s Books are organizing a shop-in today “to show Powell's that our brothers and sisters across the country are there for us and invested keeping good union jobs going,” says ILWU Local 5, which represents workers at Portland, OR-based Powell's, “the best... more...
Mar 7, 2011 Thousands Rally For Striking Nurses Over 2,000 striking nurses and their supporters massed outside Washington Hospital Center at noon Friday in a strong show of support for the nurses’ one-day strike. “Your strike today is powerful,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka . “It’s like what our brothers and sisters... more...
Mar 7, 2011 Nurses And Hotel Workers Walk Together Today Nurses locked out by the Washington Hospital Center will picket the hospital today from 12-2P and then join the Unite Here 25 picketline at The Madison Hotel from 2:30-4:30P. more...
Mar 7, 2011 Evening With Labor This Saturday Just six days left to this year’s Evening with Labor Dinner-Dance ; get your ticket(s) now! Tickets are $125 each, tables of 10 for $1250. more...
Mar 7, 2011 Steve Early On Labor's Renewed Solidarity “Things had certainly been looking pretty depressing when I wrote my book” laughs Steve Early, who appears at the 5th & K Busboys and Poets tomorrow night at 6:30P to discuss his new book “The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor: Birth of a New Workers' Movement or Death Throes of the... more...
Mar 5, 2011 Talks Continue between NFL, Players The NFL and the player's union have agreed to a 1-week extension of contract talks, averting an immediate lockout.
Mar 4, 2011 Nurses "Fight For Our Rights" In 1-Day Strike At WHC Today “We’re fed up. The nurses are tired. We’re going to take a stand,” says Lori Marlowe, a 12-year veteran nurse in the cardiac unit and a member of the negotiating team for the more than 1,600 nurses at Washington Hospital Center (WHC). Nurses at D.C.’s largest hospital -- who are... more...
Mar 4, 2011 This Just In: NFL, Players Talk About Negotiators for the NFL and the players' union are discussing the possibility of postponing the deadline for a new labor deal, reports the Washington Post . At press time late yesterday, representatives from both sides were meeting with mediator George H. Cohen at the downtown... more...
Mar 4, 2011 Evening With Labor Tix Still Available “Tickets are still available for this year’s Evening With Labor awards dinner,” reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, “but with just over a week to go, time is running out fast so don’t miss out!” This year’s awardees include: ATU 689's Jackie... more...
Mar 4, 2011 Ehrenreich On Women, Workers And Walmart "I'm still waiting for my check" from Walmart, author Barbara Ehrenreich (at left) said at a panel discussion Tuesday night at Busboys and Poets on the first night of Women's History Month. Ehrenreich, author of "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America," said Walmart was "something of... more...
Mar 4, 2011 Nurses Strike Washington Hospital Center “Get your picket signs, get your red-hot picket signs!” Organizers distributing armfuls of picket signs were quickly left empty-handed as Washington Hospital Center nurses went on strike at the stroke of the clock at 7 a.m. this morning. As dawn broke, hundreds of nurses – including many... more...
Mar 4, 2011 Trumka To Head Up Nurse Strike Rally At Noon Today AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will head up today’s noontime rally (First & Irving streets) at the Washington Hospital Center nurses’ strike. Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams will MC and the rally will also feature Plymouth Congregational Church Pastor Graylan... more...
Mar 3, 2011 WHC Nurses Poised To Strike Friday “Join me Friday at Noon in DC as I, along with Laborer’s president Terrence O’Sullivan, walk the picket line with nurses as they strike for working conditions that put patients first,” urges AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka. 1,650 registered nurses at Washington Hospital Center - members... more...
Mar 3, 2011 Walmart Shifts Burden By Ducking Taxes A new report reveals that retail giant Walmart shifts the burden for public services by ducking $400 million a year in state and local taxes. Saying this “sucks resources from local communities,” the Living Wages, Healthy Communities Coalition’s Mike Wilson vows that “We’re not going... more...
Mar 2, 2011 Yes! Says No To Walmart "Once they get their foothold in D.C. we can never go back," Yes! Organic Market’s Gary Cha (right) told The Fight Back reporter Pete Tucker last week. "Washington is a very small city to have four Walmarts,” said Cha.”Having just one Walmart can have a devastating effect.” Cha owns... more...
Mar 2, 2011 Ironworkers "Strikers" Top Bowling Pledges Members of the Ironworkers Local 5’s “Strikers” bowling team won the prize for most pledges collected for January’s annual Bowling For Gold tournament , which benefits the Community Services Agency’s Emergency Assistance Fund. The Strikers raised $1,526 for the fund, which... more...
Mar 2, 2011 DC CBTU Reschedules Meeting The DC CBTU chapter programs originally scheduled for this Saturday have been rescheduled for Saturday, April 9. Notices regarding the elections will be mailed soon to members. If you have any questions, call Gwend Johnson at 301-735-1984 (h) or 202-974-8155 (w). more...
Mar 2, 2011 DC Mayor Calls For "Fairness" At Washington Hospital Center With a 1-day nurses' strike just days away, DC Mayor Vincent Gray has called Washington Hospital Center CEO Ken Samet to express his concern about the strike. "We don't want to see this happen," Gray said in his weekly press conference Tuesday morning. "We want to see people treated fairly."... more...
Mar 1, 2011 "We'll Be There" For Nurses, Delegates Pledge As TV cameras rolled, Metro Council delegates at last night's meeting pledged "We'll be there!" at Friday's nurse's noontime rally at Washington Hospital Center. Geri Lee (at right), who got her job back in December after being fired during the historic snowstorms last year, led a... more...
Mar 1, 2011 Women, Workers & Walmart Tonight At Busboys & Poets In honor of Women’s History Month, Busboys and Poets is hosting a panel discussion at 6P tonight highlighting women in the workplace, and addressing the potential local impact of Walmart's move to DC. “The hope for this discussion is that attendees walk away with a greater... more...
Mar 1, 2011 2011 Directory Of Local Unions Released The Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO has just released the 2011 Directory of Local Unions - a handy guide to the local labor movement listing nearly 200 Council affiliates representing a broad cross-section of 150,000 area workers, from athletes to writers, government workers to the... more...
Mar 1, 2011 UMD Students Press For Action On Daycon Student activists called on University of Maryland President Wallace Loh last week to tell school contractor Daycon to abide by a federal judge’s order to rehire 55 employees it fired when they went on strike in April. About a dozen members of Feminism Without Borders entered the president's... more...
Mar 1, 2011 Evening With Labor Ad Deadline Today The deadline for submitting ads for the Metro Washington Council's Evening With Labor adbook is 5P today, March 1. "Today's your last chance to show your support," says Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO President Jos Williams. more...
Mar 1, 2011 It Takes A Movement The widespread demonstrations across the country sparked by the battle to protect collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin prove that organized labor works best from the ground up, said labor law professor and author Julius Getman (right) last week at the University of the District of... more...
Feb 28, 2011 Trumka Announces Support For Washington Hospital Center Nurses AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will keynote a strike rally of registered nurses in front of Washington Hospital Center next Friday, March 4 , National Nurses United (NNU), the nation’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses, announced Friday. The hospital’s... more...
Feb 28, 2011 Governors Get Solidarity Message Governors from across the country got a loud and clear message of worker solidarity Sunday morning as well over a thousand activists noisily demon-strated their support for Wisconsin workers outside the annual conference of the National Governor's Association in downtown DC. Chanting "Kill the... more...
Feb 28, 2011 Solidarity Actions Highlight Metro Council Delegate Meeting Tonight The ongoing Madison Hotel workers' picketing, upcoming Washington Hospital Center nurses' strike and local Wisconsin solidarity actions highlight tonight's Metro Washington Council delegate meeting . PLUS: latest details on Evening With Labor -- still time to place ads and get your... more...
Feb 28, 2011 Evening With Labor Ad Deadline Extended The deadline for submitting ads for the Metro Washington Council's Evening With Labor has been extended through 5P Tuesday, March 1. “Act now, as time is running out,” warns Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. Tickets for the March 12 event -- now in its 34th... more...
Feb 26, 2011 Workers To Tell GOP Governors "Hands Off Our Rights" Tomorrow State governors will be picketed tomorrow in DC at the annual meeting of the National Governor's Association. The 11a demo Sunday at the JW Marriott -- 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, corner of 14th & Pennsylvania -- follows hard on the heels of demonstrations at state capitals across... more...
Feb 26, 2011 1,000 Rally For "Justice For All" In DC The crowd at Dupont Circle seemed to materialize out of thin air, swelling from a handful to hundreds in just a few minutes at noon yesterday. Chanting "This is what democracy looks like," nearly a thousand -- many wearing Wisconsin's red and black colors -- had gathered around the fountain by... more...
Feb 26, 2011 "Maryland To Wisconsin, We Are One" As the fight against union-busting continues to swell across America, hundreds of workers galvanized support from local communities as they stood shoulder-to-shoulder outside Maryland’s State Capitol at noon today chanting, “Maryland to Wisconsin, we are one!” and “This is what... more...
Feb 25, 2011 Wisconsin Solidarity Weekend With the Wisconsin-inspired battle for worker rights spreading like wildfire across the country, there are three local events in the metro Washington area this weekend, including one on Sunday targeting Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who will be in DC at the annual National Governor’s... more...
Feb 25, 2011 Pressure Mounts On Hospital Center To Settle Contract Pressure on Washington Hospital Center (WHC) mounted yesterday when ten DC Council members urged WHC to settle its ongoing labor dispute and the National Nurses Union (NNU) filed new charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In a letter to hospital president John Sullivan, the... more...
Feb 24, 2011 "We Are All Wisconsin" The white Capitol dome, the colorful noisy crowd, and even a light dusting of snow all contributed to the sense that Wisconsin had come to Washington yesterday. Some 2,000 DC area workers, students, religious and community allies jammed the Hall of States courtyard on Capitol Hill and spilled... more...
Feb 24, 2011 Nurses Prep For Strike Next Week The pungent smells of markers and glue sticks filled the basement room at Plymouth Congregational Church in Northeast Washington last night as dozens of nurses made signs in preparation for next week’s 1-day strike March 4 at Washington Hospital Center. “We feel let down by our... more...
Feb 23, 2011 Wisconsin Protest Comes To DC Today Hundreds of DC-area workers, students, community and religious allies are expected to demonstrate support for embattled Wisconsin state workers today at 12:30P outside Wisconsin’s DC state offices near the U.S. Capitol. A similar demo was held Tuesday in Annapolis and is part... more...
Feb 23, 2011 Nurses To Strike March 4 Nurses at Washington Hospital Center are going ahead with plans for a 1-day strike March 4 . National Nurses United has been negotiating with hospital management this week and the strike announcement follows negotiation sessions Thursday, Friday and Monday that the nurses say produced... more...
Feb 22, 2011 Sweeney Receives Medal Of Freedom Retired AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney (r) formally received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, at a White House ceremony Feb. 15. Prior unionists who received the medal include late longtime labor lobbyist Evelyn Dubrow and late political cartoonist... more...
Feb 22, 2011 NNU And Teamsters 639 Win Golden Picket Award There was so much Streetheat last year that there are two 2010 Evening with Labor Golden Picket Award winners: National Nurses United, WHC Local and Teamsters 639. At the National Nurses United WHC Local, the nurses at the Washington Hospital Center were an inspiration throughout the year as... more...
Feb 22, 2011 Labor On The Move: Lillian Walker Shelton, DC JWJ's New Organizer New DC Jobs with Justice organizer Lillian Walker Shelton’s (r) career as an activist was established early on, when her mother raised Shelton and her brothers to be active in their Philadelphia community. “I am so excited about working for Jobs with Justice," Walker Shelton tells... more...
Feb 22, 2011 Metro DC Wisconsin Support Demo Plans Growing Fast Word is spreading fast about plans for local demonstrations supporting the Wisconsin workers. “It’s going viral,” said one organizer Monday as news came that workers, community and religious allies are organizing across metro Washington to turn out for the Wednesday demo at 12:30... more...
Feb 21, 2011 Montgomery County Workers Pledge Fight-Back As their bargaining team met down the hall with Montgomery County negotiators, hundreds of fired-up UFCW 1994 MCGEO members jammed the ballroom in the Gaithersburg Hilton Friday afternoon. "The union's out there!" shouted MCGEO vice-president Yvette Cuffie, who took the stage in a robe and... more...
Feb 21, 2011 "Daycon Violated Labor Laws" Says NLRB “It is time for Daycon to stop violating Federal Labor laws, return our members back to work and negotiate a fair contract,” said Teamsters Local 639 President Thomas Ratliff after Daycon workers won a resounding victory last week when Administrative Law Judge Joel P. Biblowitz ordered the... more...
Feb 21, 2011 Williams: "Serious Systemic Service Delivery Problem At DOES" “Having outlined why labor cares so much about the Department of Employment Services, I say today that we are outraged by the legacy of the Fenty Administration and its gross mismanagement of many of the programs under the Department of Employment Services’ purview,” testified Metro... more...
Feb 18, 2011 Frustrated MontCo Workers To Rally Today Frustrated with the county’s “failure to treat our proposals seriously,” members of UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO and their supporters will rally this afternoon at 2P in Gaithersburg to focus on the status of negotiations for a new contract covering Montgomery County workers. The rally... more...

left

left

left

1

2

3

4

5

right

right

right

Powered by Orchid Suites
Orchid ver. 4.7.6.