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Dec 20, 2010 Labor Heritage Foundation Holiday Specials Looking for something for the activist in your life? Save up to 40 percent on books, CDs, DVDs, posters, note cards, poetry and more with the Labor Heritage Foundation's holiday catalogue special. "Prices listed are marked down - get yours while supplies last," says the LHF. Click here... more...
Dec 20, 2010 Labor On The Move: Two AFGE Officials Named to Federal Salary Council President Obama has named two American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) representatives to the Federal Salary Council, which advises the White House and executive branch on federal pay issues. J. David Cox (r), national secretary-treasurer, and Jacqueline Simon, public policy... more...
Dec 17, 2010 Area Unions Gather To Map Strategy Leaders and staff from half a dozen area unions gathered at the National Labor College yesterday to begin mapping out a strategy to counter attacks on public sector workers. “Your fight is our fight,” said SEIU 722 President Dan Fields, noting that “the major attack on private sector... more...
Dec 17, 2010 SEIU 500 MontCo School Employees Celebrate Quality Award SEIU Local 500’s 8,500 bus drivers, maintenance workers, para-educators, and other dedicated school workers celebrated Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) recent win of a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. MCPS was one of just seven winners of the national presidential award... more...
Dec 17, 2010 Washington Gas Unions Donate $4,000 In Toys Washington Gas, Teamsters Local 96, IBEW Local 1900 and OPEIU Local 2 teamed up for this year’s Washington Gas Phil Alter Toys for Tots project, collecting and delivering four thousand dollars worth of toys to families at Bolling Air Force Base. Local 96’s Darryle Madison arranged for... more...
Dec 17, 2010 Labor Cares, Labor Shares The Metro Council’s Community Services Agency (CSA) is the union choice for charitable giving, helping union members in need throughout the year. You can support CSA through your worksite United Way, Combined Federal, DC ONE Fund and Maryland Charity Campaigns; “with payroll deduction it's... more...
Dec 17, 2010 Claus Quiz Santa Claus has his hands full bringing joy and gifts to kids of all ages the world over, but this particular jolly fellow’s day job is leading a metro-area local union and battling various Scrooge-like employers. Click here now to let us know if this Santa’s also known as AFSCME... more...
Dec 16, 2010 IBEW 26 Annual Food Drive Underway “IBEW Local 26 is currently collecting donations for our fifth annual food drive,” reports Local 26’s Kim Tyrrell. “This year, the Food Drive donation will go to the Capital Area Foodbank. All non-perishable food items can be brought in to any Local 26 office through December 21.” A... more...
Dec 16, 2010 MD General Assembly Legislative Conference Rescheduled The Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO’s 2011 Maryland General Assembly Legislative Conference – originally scheduled for Monday, December 20 – will be held on Tuesday, January 11 at 9:30A at the MD/DC AFL-CIO office located at 7 School Street, Annapolis, MD 21401. “All... more...
Dec 16, 2010 Lend A Hand To Workers At Ikea-Owned VA Plant “Nearly all of us have spent time in a sprawling IKEA store, marveling at all the furniture options,” writes Mike Hall on the AFL-CIO’s blog. A struggle by some 350 workers to form a union with the Machinists (IAM) at Danville, VA-based Swedwood, an IKEA furniture plant subsidiary,... more...
Dec 16, 2010 Video Shows Union Activists Fighting Wage Theft Hear the voices and see the faces of local workers and activists battling wage theft in a brief December 8 video news report on the Machinists News Network. “In the midst of this grave recession, the practice of wage theft is robbing workers, especially immigrants, and ultimately... more...
Dec 15, 2010 MontCo Bargaining Rights Protected Hundreds of county workers -- a sea of gold-shirted union members -- jammed the Montgomery County Council chambers Tuesday morning in a show of force supporting UFCW 1994's opposition to proposed changes they said would undercut collective bargaining rights ( Unions Blast Ervin Plan to Dilute... more...
Dec 15, 2010 Labor Steps Up Giving In Time Of Need When times get tough, labor digs deeper. In addition to the Metro Council Community Services Agency’s annual Holiday Basket program (email Kathleen McKirchy at kmckirch@dclabor.org for details and to contribute) for area needy families, other area locals and labor groups are also getting... more...
Dec 15, 2010 Labour Photo Of The Year Contest The third annual LabourStart Labour Photo of the Year contest is now underway. Click here to make your choice from the five finalists, selected from hundreds submitted from around the world. You can also see the 2009 and 2008 winners. Deadline for voting is midnight December 31. –... more...
Dec 14, 2010 Washington Hospital Center Nurses Return To Table "We're ready, we're able, we're going to the table!" The nurses' chant filled the hall outside Washington Hospital Center CEO John Sullivan's office early Monday morning. Over 100 nurses garbed in red scrubs - National Nurses United members have been wearing red in solidarity for the last... more...
Dec 14, 2010 Rockin' The House Of Labor “Labor’s house is shakin’ tonight, baby!” shouted Street Dogs lead singer Mike McColgan (second from left) last night as the AFL-CIO headquarters reverberated to the punk rock band’s working-class anthems. Hundreds – including Metro Council delegates who had just attended... more...
Dec 14, 2010 CBTU-DC Collects Cash, Food & More For Needy Over a thousand dollars - $1,145 to be exact - worth of union gift cards, as well as non-perishable food items, were collected for the Metro Washington Council’s Community Services Agency at CBTU-DC’s annual year-end reception and shoe box gift wrapping party last Saturday, December 11.... more...
Dec 13, 2010 Labor Council Meetings Rock! Immediately following tonight’s Council delegate meeting (which will start at 6p), the Street Dogs band will bring their hard-driving working class politics to the AFL-CIO. The 7p concert , hosted by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, features Mike McColgan, former front... more...
Dec 13, 2010 Reader Survey Deadline Midnight Tonight “More on federal unions”…”more profiles of locals and local rank and file leaders”…”feature ‘union shop of the month’ and highlight the work that they do”…”more social media and video”…”weekend edition!” Those are just a few of the nearly 300 suggestions so far... more...
Dec 13, 2010 DC JwJ's Isaiah Toney Honored At Washington Peace Center Awards DC JwJ Student Labor Action Project coordinator Isaiah Toney was honored at the Washington Peace Center (WPC) Award Gala last Wednesday. “Isaiah has impressed us with his ability to organize students across area campuses to support workers’ struggles, inspiring us at the One Nation march... more...
Dec 10, 2010 This Just In The Washington Ballet’s decision to use canned music instead of live union musicians is the cover story in this week’s Washington City Paper, which hit the streets last night. “You can’t quite say that there was absolutely no live music at last weekend’s opening performance of... more...
Dec 10, 2010 Holiday Time Is Union Time! Shopping takes on a lot of meanings during the holidays, but UFCW Local 400 President Tom McNutt – whose members work at many area retail stores – likes to keep it simple. “Union members should buy union whenever possible,” McNutt says. “The economy needs spending that supports... more...
Dec 10, 2010 "She Was One Of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt And The American Worker" Discussed Today Author – and National Writers Union member -- Brigid O’Farrell discusses her new book, “She Was One Of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt And The American Worker” at a 1p talk today hosted by the AFL-CIO. “Eleanor Roosevelt was a committed, lifelong advocate for workers and a proud union member... more...
Dec 10, 2010 CBTU Shoebox Gift Wrapping & Reception Tomorrow The DC chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) is hosting its annual shoebox gift wrapping and reception event tomorrow from 11a to 4p at CWA headquarters. Bring gift cards of $10 or more from area unionized grocery stores (Safeway, Giant, Shoppers, etc); cash contributions... more...
Dec 9, 2010 Rally Set To Expose Corruption At Chamber Of Commerce Local activists will rally in Lafayette Square at 11:30A today to mark the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day and “expose the US Chamber of Commerce.” Event organizers charge that over the past year the UC Chamber of Commerce has “disguised foreign money used to buy... more...
Dec 9, 2010 CSA Lands Another Grant For Job-Training Efforts In recognition of the Community Service Agency's (CSA) successful ongoing job training work, CSA has received a second grant from the MARPAT Foundation of $27,500 to continue its Building Future's work preparing DC Ward 7 and 8 residents for jobs in the construction industry. "Combined... more...
Dec 9, 2010 Holiday Savings For Union Families “Stretch this year's holiday budget with money-saving discounts and special deals exclusively for union families,” says Union Plus. “Check out Union Plus discounts on everything from flowers and laptops to wireless phones, movies, car rentals and a lot more. Save hundreds of dollars on... more...
Dec 8, 2010 Canned "Nutcracker" Controversy Continues To Rage “The Nutcracker with recorded music? No thanks,” wrote wiles05 in response to Sarah Kaufman’s December 5 Washington Post review of the Washington Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker. The review generated universally negative responses to the Ballet’s decision to use canned... more...
Dec 8, 2010 On The Line In December From charity drives to “hard-driving working class” concerts, December is shaping up to be a busy month jam-packed with solidarity. On Friday, December 10 at 1P, hear from author Brigid O’Farrell on her new book, “She Was One Of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt And The American Worker”... more...
Dec 8, 2010 Free December Calendar Download The December 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 posters, notes, holiday cards and photographs. more...
Dec 7, 2010 Activists To Rally For Progressive Taxes At DC Council Today With the DC City Council set to decide how to close the city’s $188 million budget gap today, community activists – led by DC Jobs with Justice, Empower DC and Save Our Safety Net – will rally on the steps of the Wilson Building at 9A to “demand that the City Council make the better... more...
Dec 7, 2010 AFSCME Fights Back With "Stop The Lies" Campaign “At a time when public services are under attack from right wing politicians and political talking heads, AFSCME is fighting back with ‘ Stop the Lies ,’ an aggressive campaign that will expose right wing lies by using social media, videos, paid advertising and ground events... more...
Dec 7, 2010 Holiday Basket Project Underway Preparing for record demand this year from struggling families in the metro area, the Community Services Agency’s annual Holiday Basket Project is underway and looking for help. “Working families have been hit especially hard this year,” says CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy.... more...
Dec 6, 2010 "Raise My Taxes, Please" "I am one of the District's high-income earners, one of the thousands of professionals with a household income of more than $200,000 a year," says Barbara Kagan. "A moderate increase in my taxes is no more than a daily cup of coffee. But it will mean a lot more to this city." In her recent... more...
Dec 6, 2010 Chamber Prez Donohue Named 2010 Scrooge Of The Year Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce, won DC Jobs with Justice's 2010 Scrooge of the Year Award Friday night, edging out the Washington Hospital Center and followed by Walmart in third place. Donohue received a resounding chorus of "boo’s" from a packed room at... more...
Dec 6, 2010 Rockin' The Council Labor Council meetings rock! Immediately following the December 13 Council delegate meeting (which will start at 6p), the Street Dogs band will bring their hard-driving working class politics to the AFL-CIO. The 7p concert, hosted by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, features Mike... more...
Dec 6, 2010 "We Want More" "Like Sam Gompers said, WE WANT MORE," writes Jeff in response to our ongoing Union City Reader Survey . "More stories, more photos, more action and spirit for the labor activists and union members. If information is ammunition, Union City is the heavy artillery of our union movement.... more...
Dec 4, 2010 Brassed Off At The Nutcracker Members of the Musician’s union welcomes activists to join them tonight as they return to musically picket another canned-music Washington Ballet performance of The Nutcracker: Saturday 6 to 7p at the Warner, 13th and E Streets NW. ( Musicians Provide Missing "Nutcracker" Music... more...
Dec 4, 2010 Evening Of Favorite & Sacred Songs Tonight Catch up with old friends and make some new ones tonight enjoying the DC Labor Chorus’ annual evening of favorite and sacred songs ; 7:30P at the National Labor College. The popular annual holiday concert features songs from many cultures and traditions, plus singalongs for the whole... more...
Dec 4, 2010 Unemployment Caroling Sunday Local activists, detecting a lack of the holiday spirit in Congress, which this week cut off unemployment benefits to millions of jobless while considering extending tax cuts for the rich, will gather in front of the White House Sunday at 2p (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) to "sing songs about... more...
Dec 4, 2010 Jobless Workers Speak Out In New Video “Without the unemployment, I probably wouldn’t have a home….We’re waiting for our home to be taken….All I see in my future is living in my car…We can get by on very little, but we can’t by on nothing...We just have to say a prayer, because I have no idea if the benefits are not... more...
Dec 4, 2010 Gage Calls Pay Freeze "Political Gimmick" Calling President Obama’s proposed two-year federal worker pay freeze “a political gimmick that will save peanuts but inflict economic pain on hard-working, patriotic government employees,” AFGE President John Gage is asking union members and supporters to immediately contact their... more...
Dec 3, 2010 Musicians Provide Missing "Nutcracker" Music Patrons of the Washington Ballet's presentation of "The Nutcracker" got a taste of the live music they're missing as a brass ensemble performed festive holiday selections outside the Warner Theatre last night (r). "Although more than 500 supporters have written over 2,000 emails to management... more...
Dec 3, 2010 Hand Dancing For Justice Who's the 2010 Scrooge of the Year? Find out at tonight's DC Jobs with Justice's Winter Cabaret , complete with hand dancing lessons, the Scrooge of the Year announcement, music by DJ Stankfoot, signature Scroogedriver cocktails and homemade deserts. "What good is sitting alone, in your... more...
Dec 3, 2010 Unemployment Caroling Returns "Unemployment caroling," popular during the last Great Depression, is back. Local activists, detecting a lack of the holiday spirit in Congress, which this week cut off unemployment benefits to millions of jobless while considering extending tax cuts for the rich, will gather in front of the... more...
Dec 2, 2010 Jobless Workers Urge Congress To Extend Unemployment “This is about basic survival- putting food on the table, keeping the house warm at night, making sure there is a house,” said Silver Spring resident Edrie Irvine (r) at a press conference yesterday on Capitol Hill. “We are jobless through no fault of our own. We don’t have to and... more...
Dec 2, 2010 DC CBTU Reception & Shoe Box Gift Wrapping Set The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists DC Chapter will host its annual reception and shoe box gift wrapping on Saturday, December 11 from 11A to 4P at CWA headquarters (501 3rd Street NW), reports DC CBTU President Gwend Johnson. “The shoe box donations will be distributed to area... more...
Dec 1, 2010 BG&E Workers To Vote On Union Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. workers will vote on whether to join IBEW Local 1900 later this month. "All the employees are looking for is a written contract for their jobs," Local 1900 President John Holt told the Baltimore Sun recently. A contract would provide "a place at the table" for... more...
Dec 1, 2010 Smith Elected To Lead DC Firefighters Edward Smith has been elected President of Firefighters Local 36 , which represents DC firefighters. The rest of the newly-elected 2011-2012 Local 36 Executive Board: Charlie Hottinger (1st VP); Dabney Hudson (2nd VP); Joe Chisholm (3rd VP); James "Gordo" Gordon (Secretary); Larry... more...
Dec 1, 2010 Walmart Leading Candidate For 2010 Scrooge Of The Year Walmart, the mega-retailer infamous for wiping out community stores across the nation and now trying to slip into DC and other cities with smaller stores, is the leading candidate for DC Jobs with Justice's 2010 Scrooge of the Year award, with more than 500 votes already cast for it. Last... more...
Dec 1, 2010 December Delegate Meeting Rescheduled To 12/13 The December Metro Washington Council's delegate meeting - originally scheduled for Monday, December 20 - will be held on Monday, December 13 at 6:30P at the AFL-CIO (815 16th Street, NW). Click here for draft minutes from the November meeting; watch Union City for updates. more...
Dec 1, 2010 "Bring Back The Trainings" "Bring back the (communications) trainings you did with ILCA," suggests Korey in our annual Reader Survey . "Give more locals and affiliated organizations the tools to contribute to Union City and to do their own communications efforts." Adds Peter, "How about an article or two about... more...
Nov 30, 2010 It's Up To Us - Together By Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO Before signing the Declaration of Independence, Ben Franklin immortalized one of my favorite quotes: “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” I don’t think that’s too melodramatic a... more...
Nov 30, 2010 Celebrate Decade Of Activism At DC JwJ Cabaret DC Jobs With Justice started in 2001 as a small grouping of labor unions and community members supporting organizing by parking garage attendants. Over the last decade, DC JwJ has blossomed into a broad-based coalition of 40-plus groups that cuts across all sectors of the labor movement. This... more...
Nov 30, 2010 Half-Price FilmFest Tees! That’s right, the gorgeous 2010 DC Labor FilmFest t-shirts are now just $10! We’re clearing out old inventory for the New Year so these great tees – featuring original artwork by movement artist Ricardo Morales Levins – are on sale for just $10. Email awright@dclabor.org to order... more...
Nov 30, 2010 "Love The Local Info" "I really like looking at Union City," writes Elaine in our annual Reader Survey . "It's short, yet very informative. It only takes a minute or so to read and the information keeps me informed of things going on that I may not otherwise read about or see on the news." Adds Cindy, "I love... more...
Nov 29, 2010 Unemployed Workers Wanted For Congress Lobby Day With two million jobless Americans facing an imminent and devastating loss of unemployment benefits, the AFL-CIO is seeking unemployed workers in the metro DC area to help lobby Congress next Wednesday. “Unless Congress reauthorizes the current program before it expires on November 30th,... more...
Nov 29, 2010 Labor Art At Foundry UMC One of Washington’s most beautiful examples of labor art is hidden in plain sight. A stained glass window (r) in the vestry of the Foundry United Methodist Church portrays John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, proclaiming his burning message to those who toiled in the coal pits. The... more...
Nov 24, 2010 Musicians Petition Ballet Board To Bring Back Live Music To The Nutcracker Members of the Washington Ballet’s orchestra are now appealing directly to the ballet’s board of directors to evaluate the company’s decision to use recorded music for The Nutcracker, reports Musicians Local 161-710 President John Cusick. “Washington merits and needs live music for its... more...
Nov 24, 2010 Walmart Out Of DC, Buying Congress And Shopping Union Several new stories have been posted on UFCW Local 400's website. In Coalition Demands Walmart Change Or Stay Out Of D.C ., Local 400 reports on how there's a concerted effort to raise the standard of living and keep small businesses alive in Washington, D.C. by a broad coalition of... more...
Nov 24, 2010 In Memoriam: Iron 201's Gaither Musgrove; Kevin Bruffy, AFL-CIO Iron 201's Gaither Musgrove: Former Business Manager, President, and Apprentice Coordinator of Ironworkers Local 201 Gaither Musgrove died November 16th in his retirement home in Longs, SC. "He was a huge man of imposing presence and a staunch unionist who was very active in the local DC... more...
Nov 23, 2010 SOS DC Urges Progressive Tax To Save DC Services With the DC Council deciding in the coming weeks how to fix a $175 million budget shortfall, SOS DC says that “Rather than more cuts, it is time for a balanced approach that includes progressive revenue.” The community coalition is urging city leaders to create a new tax bracket of 9.5%... more...
Nov 23, 2010 "Scrooge" Award Voting Opens Who’s the biggest Scrooge of all? You decide! Voting is now open for the 2010 DC Scrooge of the Year. Last year’s Scrooge was Adrian Fenty, now the former DC Mayor, so this year’s nominees -- Walmart, Washington Hospital Center and the Washington Ballet – are likely not looking for a... more...
Nov 22, 2010 Sheraton Workers Keep Battling For Justice It was just another Saturday night in Arlington. Except for the giant “Boycott” illuminating the side of the Sheraton Crystal City high above the steady stream of traffic on Jefferson Davis Highway. “Sheraton you’re no good, treat your workers as you should!” chanted dozens of hotel... more...
Nov 22, 2010 Union City Wins Labor Media Award International Labor Communication Association (ILCA) President Steve Stallone (center) presented Union City Managing Editor Chris Garlock (l) and UC Assistant Editor Adam Wright with the 2010 first-place award as Best Electronic Newsletter in ILCA’s annual Labor Media Awards luncheon last... more...
Nov 22, 2010 Crossing The Language Divide Do workers in your workplace speak different languages? Does language serve as a barrier to organizing in your community? For those interested in building multilingual capacity in your union or organization, DC JwJ is hosting "Crossing the Language Divide, Creating Multilingual Spaces for... more...
Nov 19, 2010 Community Questions Wal-Mart's DC Plans Community, religious and labor activists reacted warily to Wednesday's announcement that big-box retailer Wal-Mart plans to open four stores in the District. "Wal-Mart has a proven track record of wage fraud, job discrimination, worker abuse, and demanding large government handouts," said Rev.... more...
Nov 19, 2010 Virginia Hotel Workers To Rally Saturday Workers at the Sheraton Crystal City – who have been fighting for a “fair, democratic and neutral process to unionize” since February 2009 – will rally this Saturday at 5:30P in Arlington, Virginia to say “no to the jobless recovery and yes to workers’ rights,” reports DC... more...
Nov 19, 2010 Providing Relief For Struggling Families Families struggling to make it through the current financial crisis can count on the Community Services Agency (CSA) of the Metro Washington Council, says CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “From pre-apprenticeship job training to emergency financial assistance to prevent evictions... more...
Nov 18, 2010 Hospital Center Returns To Table With an imminent 1-day strike by their nurses looming next week, the Washington Hospital Center (WHC) yesterday agreed to return to the bargaining table with the National Nurses United (NNU). WHC also agreed to recognize NNU as the collective bargaining representative of the hospital’s... more...
Nov 18, 2010 Day Of Action Focuses On Wage Theft "Crime Wave" Employers who don’t pay their workers are breaking the law and should be prosecuted, said DC Mayor-Elect Vince Gray at a recent town hall. So workers and faith leaders are gathering at DC Metropolitan Police Headquarters at 9:30 this morning as part of the national Mobilization to... more...
Nov 18, 2010 Musicians Urge Gray To Promote Live Music Local musicians yesterday reached out to DC Mayor-Elect Vince Gray to ask for support in restoring live music to this year’s “Nutcracker” at the Washington Ballet. “We appreciate your concern for employment and good union jobs throughout our city’s economy and sincerely hope that... more...
Nov 17, 2010 Redskins Reaffiliate With Council The newest affiliate of the Metro Council has just 53 local members, but their names are known across Washington. Names like Donovan McNabb and Clinton Portis, quarterback and running back for the Washington Redskins, whose players have re-affiliated with the Metro Washington Council as part... more...
Nov 17, 2010 Teaism "Mobbed" By Sick Leave Supporters Local hotspot Teaism was “mobbed” Saturday by nearly 100 area supporters of paid sick leave. Teaism was the winner of DC’s First Carrotmob, a community organizing event organized by the Employment Justice Center and Restaurant Opportunities Center-DC to mark the... more...
Nov 17, 2010 Screeners To Choose Union The folks keeping airports safe now get to vote on who will protect them. The Federal Labor Relations Authority ruled last week that transportation security officers (TSOs) can vote on union representation. “It is no secret that the morale of the TSO workforce is terrible as a result of... more...
Nov 17, 2010 Wage Theft Day Of Action Set For Thursday Workers and faith leaders are taking the fight against wage theft to an unlikely location this Thursday: DC Metropolitan Police Headquarters. "When workers put in weeks on a job and then receive absolutely no pay, that's criminal behavior," said Arturo Griffiths, a day labor organizer with DC... more...
Nov 16, 2010 Farmworkers Protest "Modern-Day Slavery" Almost 50 farmworkers’ rights activists and community allies rallied outside the Columbia Heights Giant supermarket during rush-hour last night, brandishing signs that read “1¢ more per pound!” and chanting “Exploitation ain’t the way, farmworkers deserve fair pay!” Damara Luce... more...
Nov 16, 2010 "Scrooge-Of-The-Year" Nomination Deadline Extended The deadline to submit nominations for DC Jobs with Justice's "Scrooge-Of-The-Year" has been extended to midnight this Wednesday, November 17. "Perennial favorite Wal-Mart has once again been nominated," reports DC JwJ's Ruth Castel-Branco. The Washington Hospital Center, Daycon, US Security... more...
Nov 16, 2010 Labour Photo Contest LabourStart's Labour Photo of the Year contest recognizes the talents of worker-photographers around the world, while encouraging them “to tell the stories of our struggles in photos.” Deadline for submission for the 2010 contest -- the third annual -- is December 1. Click here... more...
Nov 15, 2010 Ashland Nursing & Rehabilitation Workers Join UFCW 400 On November 2, over 60 “certified nursing aides, restorative aides, activity aides and maintenance employees of the Ashland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center took their first step towards a fair and equal workplace,” reports UFCW Local 400. “It all started this past winter when Certified... more...
Nov 15, 2010 Farmworkers To Protest Exploitation At Giant Today Farmworkers and members of the Food Chain Workers Alliance and the Georgetown Solidarity Committee will demonstrate outside Giant Supermarket in Columbia Heights at 5P today to protest the company’s alleged involvement in farmworker exploitation. “Ahold, Giant's parent company,... more...
Nov 15, 2010 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, including the upcoming strike by nurses at the Washington Hospital Center. Reports from the Community Services Agency, Union City, COPE and updates on the DC... more...
Nov 15, 2010 Union Plus Scholarship Applications Now Available “Applications are available for the 2011 Union Plus Scholarship Program , which provides $150,000 in scholarships to union members, their spouses and dependants,” reports Union Plus. “Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship program has provided more than $2.8 million to help... more...
Nov 12, 2010 District Hotel Workers Demand "Shot At American Dream" Charging that District hotels are attempting to force a “recessionary” contract on employees, more than 400 workers and community allies rallied in Farragut Square chanting “The people united will never be defeated” during rush-hour Wednesday night. “I’m demonstrating tonight to... more...
Nov 12, 2010 WHC Nurses Plan 1-Day Strike Washington Hospital Center nurses are planning a one-day strike on November 24 in an effort to bring the hospital back to the bargaining table. “We’re ready for action!” said National Nurses United yesterday, noting that the strike vote won 90% approval by the frustrated nurses and... more...
Nov 12, 2010 Labor Arts Org Honors Trumka, Lucy & Nussbaum Calling for “a new era of art celebrating working people,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka (at right) Tuesday night was among the honorees at the annual Labor Heritage Foundation’s “Evening of Labor Honors” fundraiser. Also receiving awards were longtime labor leader and... more...
Nov 12, 2010 Washington Ballet Leads Scrooge-Of-The-Year Nominations The Washington Ballet, which has axed live music at performances of Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker, is leading the contest to be named Scrooge of the Year . "The behavior of Ebeneezer Scrooge in Dickens' story very much parallels the behavior of The Washington Ballet management and... more...
Nov 10, 2010 Building Futures Honors 7th Graduating Class Shaun Reese (r), chosen by his fellow graduates to deliver remarks at the Building Futures Project seventh graduation ceremony on Monday, praised building trades workers for their hard work and devotion to the trades. Reese singled out Rosella Scott of Cement Masons Local 891, who supervises... more...
Nov 10, 2010 DC Hotel Workers Rally For Justice Today Workers from the Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Starwood and several other District hotels will rally in Farragut Square at 5P today and march through downtown DC to demand a fair contract. "Management is proposing a recessionary contract even after the hotels have returned to their pre-recession... more...
Nov 10, 2010 Union Plumbers At Your Fingertips Union plumbers are just a call away now, thanks to the recently-launched Washington DC Service Plumbing Contractors . (WDC SPC) Randomly choosing a plumbing contractor for residential or commercial services can be "a risky proposition and potentially, a dangerous one," warns the SPC.... more...
Nov 10, 2010 2010 Catalog Offers Books For Union Activists, Leaders A new, 56-page catalog of books for union members, activists and leaders is being offered by Union Communication Services . The 2010 edition of the UCS Labor Books Catalog includes scores of classic and new titles on topics ranging from negotiating and grievance handling to organizing,... more...
Nov 9, 2010 AFI European Union Film Showcase: Labor FilmFest Picks The ongoing AFI European Union Film Showcase at the American Film Institute in Silver Spring includes several films with a worker or labor interest. Here are some picks from DC Labor FilmFest Director Chris Garlock: ALL THAT I LOVE (Tue, Nov 9, 8p) Set in 1981, just as Poland's... more...
Nov 9, 2010 "Romeo" Stumbles Without Live Orchestra “Losing live music is a heavy sacrifice,” wrote dance critic Sarah Kaufman in Saturday’s Washington Post review of the Washington Ballet's production of "Romeo and Juliet." The Ballet’s decision to use taped music this season -- including upcoming performances of "The Nutcracker" -- is... more...
Nov 9, 2010 2011 Affiliate Directory Updates Leaders of Metro Washington Council affiliates should be on the lookout for emails about the upcoming 2011 Directory of Affiliates. The Council is currently updating contact information on nearly 200 area unions for the new edition of the Council's Directory of Affiliates. Please follow the... more...
Nov 8, 2010 2010 "Scrooge Of The Year" Nominations Open DC Jobs with Justice isn't saying that former DC Mayor Adrian Fenty's selection as ‘ Grinch of the Year ,’ last year cost him his job but community group says it did expose Fenty's "disregard for the District's working people and kick-started two years of mobilization to protect the... more...
Nov 8, 2010 DC Hotel Workers To Rally Wednesday District hotel workers – represented by UNITE HERE Local 25 – will rally and march in Downtown DC on Wednesday at 5P to demand a “fair and just contract,” reports Local 25. Click here for location details and watch Union City for updates. more...
Nov 8, 2010 Free November Calendar Download The November 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 posters, notes, holiday cards and photographs. more...
Nov 8, 2010 Lorne Bair Rare Books Donates Council History The Metro Council recently acquired a rare copy of the Illustrated History of the Washington Central Labor Union, thanks to a generous donation from Lorne Bair Rare Books . Published in 1900, the history is in excellent condition and includes a wealth of fascinating information, from... more...
Nov 5, 2010 New Union Contract Boosts Wages For DC School Security Officers “A three-year contract has been reached between Securitas, a DC public schools security contractor, and 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union,” reports SEIU 32BJ. The union says the new agreement will provide a 15 percent increase in wages and benefits for nearly 180 security... more...
Nov 5, 2010 CWA Urges NLRB To Act On CNN Case The Communications Workers of America recently filed a motion with the National Labor Relations Board calling on the Board to immediately hear the case involving CNN/Team Video and 250 technicians in New York and Washington, D.C., who have been harmed by CNN’s illegal actions. “This case... more...
Nov 5, 2010 Lucky Dub Plays DC JwJ Benefit Tonight Local reggae band Lucky Dub joins artist-in-residence Tarica June for a benefit concert tonight to support the work of DC Jobs with Justice. "We come from all walks of life, and musical influences, from reggae, funk and world to ska, rock alternative, and hip/hop to create a sound to... more...
Nov 4, 2010 7th Building Futures Class To Graduate Monday Fifteen graduates will take the stage next Monday as the Building Futures Project pre-apprenticeship training program hosts a graduation to honor the accomplishments of it's seventh graduating class. Each graduate will be awarded certificate of completion, which includes OSHA 10 and CPR First... more...
Nov 4, 2010 Helping Families Avert Crises "When financial crisis hits home for local union members, the Community Services Agency of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO is there to help," says CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. "CSA assists with evictions, utility shut-offs, empty cupboards and more. But without your... more...
Nov 4, 2010 Election About Jobs, Not Republican Mandate Tuesday's election "was about jobs, plain and simple," AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said yesterday. "It was a mandate to fix the economy and create jobs." But the election wasn't a mandate for the policies most Republicans campaigned on, Trumka said, pointing to an election night survey of... more...
Nov 4, 2010 Labor On The Move: Isaiah Toney DC JWJ's Student Labor Action Project Coordinator Isaiah Toney, DC Jobs with Justice's new Student Labor Action Project coordinator hails from Oakland, California, where he got his start in organizing by re-assembling the fractured citywide student government. After a four-month crash course in community organizing from Oakland ACORN, Isaiah... more...
Nov 3, 2010 Labor Hits Field And Phones Across Region For Pro-Worker Candidates The first glimmers of dawn were barely beginning to appear as union volunteers headed out Tuesday morning in Prince Georges County. After grabbing donuts and coffee at the IBEW 26 union hall in Lanham, newbies Gene Berrill and Anthony Pierce (top right) collected their Labor-to-Labor packets... more...
Nov 3, 2010 "Nutcracker" Campaign Continues Hear the Washington Ballet orchestra’s brass sextet performing at last week’s musician’s union “Nutcracker” demonstration in WPFW reporter Pete Tucker’s report, “ The Nutcracker as Grim Reaper .” Plus, click here to join the nearly 400 area activists who have already... more...
Nov 3, 2010 Lucky Dub To Play DC JwJ Benefit Local reggae band Lucky Dub joins artist-in-residence Tarica June for a benefit concert to support the work of DC Jobs with Justice this Friday . Nominated for multiple Washington Area Music Awards and Virginia Reggae Awards, “Lucky Dub plays the feel good influence that stems from the... more...
Nov 2, 2010 Labor 2010 Goes Down To The Wire Today The future of workers is on the line today as voters go to the polls in races up and down the ballot at the local, state and national levels. Here's where and how to plug in: VOTING: Click here for general voter information, to find your polling place and for the list of local... more...
Nov 2, 2010 Election Update: Two Key Ballot Initiatives The Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO urges your support for the following ballot initiatives in the District and Maryland: District Of Columbia: Proposed Charter Amendment IV Vote FOR the Charter Amendment tha t would allow voters to elect the Attorney General for a 4-year term of... more...
Nov 2, 2010 Election Day Coverage Union City will be reporting live from around metro Washington today as local labor gets out the vote; check our website for updates throughout the day and follow us on Twitter! more...
Nov 2, 2010 Nurses Issue Report Documenting Unsafe Patient Care At Washington Hospital Center National Nurses United (NNU) filed a report Monday morning with the DC Department of Health detailing dozens of instances of unsafe patient care at Washington Hospital Center, and requested that the DC government investigate and take action. Hundreds of WHC nurses, together with community... more...
Nov 2, 2010 DC Hotel Contract Extended 6 Months As Negotiations Continue Five thousand area hotel workers got some breathing room recently when UNITE HERE Local 25 and the Hotel Association of Washington extended their October 8 contract expiration until March 15. 2011. The 6-month contract extension follows two previous extensions and was necessary because the... more...
Nov 1, 2010 Workers At Individual Development, Inc Join SEIU 500 “In a union election covering 150 employees who provide services for people with developmental disabilities at Individual Development, Inc. (IDI), workers [last Tuesday] voted overwhelmingly to join SEIU Local 500, a union of 18,000 human service, education and child care workers across... more...
Nov 1, 2010 COPE Pick Of The Day: PG County GOTV Walk Area union members and labor allies will distribute literature door-to-door in Prince George’s County beginning at 10A today to help get out the vote for labor-endorsed candidates on the final day before tomorrow's elections. Call Rick Powell at 202-744-2885 or email... more...
Nov 1, 2010 Williams Honored By Civic Associations Metro Council President Jos Williams was awarded the George H. Richardson Award – Leadership in Civil Rights at last Saturday’s D.C. Federation of Civil Associations’ 80th annual awards luncheon. Photo: Williams (2nd from right) with DCFCA President Robert V. Brannum (r), 2nd... more...
Nov 1, 2010 Labor On The Move: David Borer New AFGE General Counsel David Borer (r) is the new General Counsel at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the country’s largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. “I plan to lead the General Counsel’s... more...
Nov 1, 2010 UFCW 400 Launches Redesigned Website UFCW Local 400 today launched a new, state-of-the-art website designed to put all the information its members need “right at your fingertips, with a cleaner look, clear navigation and easy interaction.” The new website includes a special members section with pages on collective... more...
Oct 29, 2010 Musicians Play To Save Live "Nutcracker" Local musicians put their unique spin on demonstrating yesterday when a brass sextet performed on a picketline set up outside the Washington Ballet’s Wisconsin Avenue headquarters by AFM Local 161-710. Instruments glinting merrily in the bright fall sunshine, the musicians performed... more...
Oct 29, 2010 MontCo Voters Urged To Support Public Safety Montgomery County public employee unions and other allies are urging a “Yes” vote for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transport Fee (County Question A) in next Tuesday’s elections. Under the law -- passed in May -- the County would be allowed to recover ambulance transport costs... more...
Oct 29, 2010 COPE Pick Of The Day: Ward 3 GOTV Blitz Union volunteers are set to blitz Ward 3 in the District at 10A today and again on Saturday to help get out the vote for labor-endorsed candidate Mary Cheh, reports Metro Council Assistant Legislative and Political Coordinator Alya Solomon. “We will be distributing literature... more...
Oct 29, 2010 In Memoriam: Diana Pappas, Wife of CWA 2336 Leader “It is with deep sadness that I must report the death of Diana Pappas, wife of longtime activist – and former CWA 2336 President and Council Executive Board member – James Pappas,” says Metro Council President Jos Williams. “Jim and his family are in our thoughts and prayers and I... more...
Oct 29, 2010 Walking Through DC History For Justice "Learning history through place is a great idea,” said AFSCME 2910 President Saul Schneiderman after last Saturday’s DC Labor History Walk. Twenty labor history buffs, seasoned activists and newbies participated in the 2-hour walking tour of more than a dozen downtown DC labor history... more...
Oct 28, 2010 DC Nurses Take Medstar Fight To Baltimore As dignitaries cut ribbons inside the gleaming new $175 million Patient Care Tower, more than a hundred nurses from the Washington Hospital Center lined the street outside the Franklin Square Health Center in Rosedale, just outside Baltimore. “It’s about patient care,” registered nurse... more...
Oct 28, 2010 Musicians Play "Live" To Demand Restoration Of Nutcracker Orchestra Area union musicians will stage a unique rally and mini-concert this afternoon to press for restoration of live music at this year’s performances of “The Nutcracker” by the Washington Ballet. A brass ensemble will accompany the announcement of a campaign urging Washington Ballet... more...
Oct 28, 2010 COPE Pick Of The Day: St. Mary's County Phone Bank Volunteers will be making phone calls to union members in St. Mary’s County today between 5:30P and 8P; call Mary McHugh at 301-373-8825 or email mmchugh@iamaw.org for more information and to register to volunteer. There are just over four days left until the November 2 general... more...
Oct 28, 2010 Online Directory Updated IATSE Local 487 – which represents motion picture and television studios and producers, including Paramount, Warner, Universal, HBO, and others – has new contact information, which has been updated in the Metro Washington Council’s online directory of local affiliates. Click here... more...
Oct 27, 2010 COPE Pick Of The Day: PG County Labor Walk With just 5 days to go before Election Day – Tuesday, November 2 – area union members are ramping up get out the vote activities in a final push to help elect labor-endorsed candidates. Volunteers will knock on doors and distribute literature in Prince George’s County today... more...
Oct 27, 2010 Nurses & Musicians Hit Streets Area nurses and musicians are hitting the streets in the metro area this week in two separate actions. Washington Hospital Center nurses will hold an informational picket at WHC owner Medstar's Franklin Square Hospital Center at 10A today in Baltimore. The nurses want MedStar to “stop... more...
Oct 27, 2010 "Better Choices Campaign" Looks To Fund DC Forward With District services already slashed past the bone and "down to the marrow" according to Council Chair – and putative Mayor – Vince Gray, labor advocates and their allies are launching a campaign tonight to preserve important public services during the budget crisis. “A... more...
Oct 27, 2010 Labor In The News: "Has America Turned On Organized Labor?" Channel 8's Bruce DePuyt discusses whether “America has turned on organized labor” with Metro Council President Jos Williams on a NewsTalk broadcast that aired live yesterday. Click here to view the segment online on TBD. more...
Oct 27, 2010 Rewarding "Outstanding" DC Government Workers With government workers across the region being targeted for layoffs and cutbacks, the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Awards for Distinguished District of Columbia Employees are a welcome breath of fresh air. “As members of the DC community, we are fortunate to have countless... more...
Oct 26, 2010 Campaign To Preserve DC Public Services To Launch Thursday Labor and community advocates will hold a press conference Thursday to launch a campaign to raise progressive taxes to preserve important public services in the District during the current budget crisis. “Important investments that the city has made in schools, libraries, rec centers, and... more...
Oct 26, 2010 COPE Pick Of The Day So much political activity to do, and just six days to go before Election Day, where should you plug in to be most effective? You can always check our political calendar postings , updated daily with the latest phone banks, walks and other activities. Plus, each day through Election Day,... more...
Oct 26, 2010 Using The Carrot To Win Paid Sick Days If you haven’t participated in a Carrotmob yet, now’s your chance. Essentially a reverse boycott, Carrotmob – which comes from the idea of using “the carrot and not the stick” -- channels customers to companies that take socially responsible actions. The DC Employment Justice... more...
Oct 26, 2010 Local AFTRA-SAG Member Up For Grammy “We are pleased to congratulate AFTRA member Tom Moore as a finalist for Grammy nominations!” reports Washington/Baltimore AFTRA-SAG. “Tom is a jazz-pop vocalist and is up for nominations in the categories of Best Traditional Pop Album (‘Restless Journey’), Best Male Pop Vocal... more...
Oct 25, 2010 Labor Goes All Out In MD For O'Malley And Brown Hundreds of union members in Montgomery, Tri-County and Prince George's Counties rallied in support of Martin O'Malley for Governor and Anthony Brown for Lt. Governor on Saturday, reports Metro Washington Council Legislative and Political Coordinator Rick Powell. “Saturday's rallies were... more...
Oct 25, 2010 Beyond Marches And Rallies Creative, strategic direct action has been one of the key pillars of DC Jobs with Justice since its inception. Sometimes we have to disrupt business as usual. Local coalitions have organized sip-ins at restaurants to support wait staff, drive-throughs at airports to support airline workers,... more...
Oct 25, 2010 "Working Lunch" Videos Available Online Working Lunch , the DC Labor FilmFest’s 2010 compilation of eight short videos about labor, is now available online. The 24-minute collection includes three music videos, a brief documentary on janitors, and a scathingly funny video about “captive audience” meetings. The shorts... more...
Oct 25, 2010 Online Union Shop Updated A brand-new union shop is available to provide sound for meetings, demonstrations and more. Capital City Sound has just been added to the Metro Council's online Union Shop, where you can also quickly locate area union businesses and vendors from grocery stores and hotels to printers,... more...
Oct 25, 2010 EJC's 10th Anniversary Photos Now Online Pictures from the DC Employment Justice Center's September 28 10th Anniversary Labor Day Dinner are now available online. "The dinner was a great success," says the EJC. "More than 360 attendees came together to celebrate the EJC's ten years of results for workplace justice!" Click here... more...
Oct 22, 2010 Edwards & Brown Headline Labor Breakfast Rally Saturday Congresswoman Donna Edwards and Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown (below, second from left) will headline Saturday’s Labor Breakfast rally in Prince George's County. "Prince George's County is my home county," Brown tells Union City, "I want to personally thank the union members who... more...
Oct 22, 2010 A Stroll Through DC's Labor History What better way to enjoy tomorrow’s gorgeous autumn weather than a stroll through downtown Washington on the DC Labor History Walking Tour? The 2-hour walk, led by Metro Council Union Cities Coordinator Chris Garlock (r), benefits DC Jobs with Justice. “It’s a great way to explore the... more...
Oct 22, 2010 In Memoriam: AFSCME 2091 Member Larry Hutchins Longtime D.C. sanitation worker Larry Hutchins (r), a member of AFSCME Local 2091, was killed on the job October 13, when a man fired shots outside a Department of Public Works facility as trash collectors were preparing to start their rounds. Hutchins, 51, of Suitland, was standing with other... more...
Oct 21, 2010 Is There A Doctor In The House? Jailed DC youth are under attack by lame duck Mayor Fenty, say local healthcare unions. The Department of Youth and Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) plans to eliminate medical doctors at New Beginnings and the Youth Services Center on October 22, reports Vanessa Dixon of the Doctor’s Council.... more...
Oct 21, 2010 Plame And Wilson Urge Action At "Fair Game" Screening Unless Karl Rove snuck in, there wasn’t a dry eye in the Silver Theater Tuesday night as more than 400 DC Labor FilmFest attendees gave Valerie Plame (l, with FilmFest Director Chris Garlock), Joe Wilson and Doug Liman a standing ovation at the Closing Night screening of Fair Game. The new... more...
Oct 21, 2010 Gray Says Lawbreakers Should Lose Contracts “Amid a packed house at Ward 1’s Townhall meeting Tuesday, presumptive DC Mayor Vince Gray made a bold commitment to construction workers at rebar subcontractor Wings Enterprises,” reports DC Jobs with Justice’s Ruth Castel-Branco. “In response to a question by the Justice at Wings... more...
Oct 21, 2010 Upcoming Labor-To-Labor GOTV Activities Area union members and labor activists are continuing to make phone calls and canvass local neighborhoods in a push to help elect labor-endorsed candidates in the upcoming November 2 General Election. Get out the vote activities press on today and continue through the weekend with a... more...
Oct 20, 2010 District Of Columbia Voter Information 2010 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA The below information is from the DC Board of Elections & Ethics . General Election Date- November 2, 2010 Click here now for information on the following: - Register to Vote in DC - Update your Registration Info - Re-print Previous Voter... more...
Oct 20, 2010 This Just In: "Fair Game" Closes DC Labor FilmFest A packed screening of the new political thriller "Fair Game" -- with director Doug Liman, Ambassador Joe Wilson and former CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson attending the red carpet DC premiere -- closed out the 10th annual DC Labor FilmFest last night at the AFI in Silver Spring. Watch for a... more...
Oct 20, 2010 Political Action Hot Topic At October Council Meeting With the mid-term elections just two weeks away, political action dominated the agenda at Monday’s Metro Council Executive Board and delegate meetings. Labor is in the field and on the phones throughout the metro Washington area, supporting candidates who back working men and women. The... more...
Oct 20, 2010 Helping CSA Help Others This year the Community Services Agency has helped over 300 union families with emergency assistance, provided job training and placement to over 200 area low-income residents through the Building Futures program, supported over 200 local workers on strike, provided holiday baskets for 75 area... more...
Oct 20, 2010 Labor History Walk Saturday Saturday's DC Labor History Walk is filling up quickly, with over 20 already signed up. The walk benefits DC Jobs with Justice and offers a unique opportunity for labor history buffs. From the Labor Hall of Fame to Joe Hill's ashes, worker's history is around just about every corner in... more...
Oct 19, 2010 Labor Updates: Teamsters Approve Veolia Contract, Battle On With Daycon; Maryland Caregivers Advance Their Careers Through 1199SEIU Training Fund Teamsters Approve Veolia Contract, Battle On With Daycon: Teamsters 639 members at Veolia Transportation (r) approved a new contract 93-12 yesterday, ending the month-old strike/lockout. The Daycon struggle by the Teamsters continues, however, with ten strikers returned to work thus far... more...
Oct 19, 2010 Labor FilmFest Wraps Up Tonight The final two screenings at this year's DC Labor FilmFest are tonight at the AFI. The DC Premiere of Fair Game (r) -- with director Doug Liman, Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson -- is the FilmFest's Closing Night show at 7P. Tickets are $15 for union members and the show is expected to sell-out;... more...
Oct 19, 2010 In Memoriam: Newspaper Guild's David Eisen Dies David J. Eisen (r), 85, a former newspaper reporter in New York and New Jersey who spent nearly 35 years working for the Newspaper Guild in Washington, died Sept. 16. He moved to the Washington area in the early 1960s to work for the guild and served as editor of the Guild Reporter, and... more...
Oct 18, 2010 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, including the very latest on local labor activities in the upcoming November 2 general election. Also, reports from the Community Services Agency, Union City... more...
Oct 18, 2010 FilmFest Continues The 2010 DC Labor FilmFest continues tonight with screenings of The Informant! (7P, below) and Louise-Michel (9:15P) and wraps up tomorrow night with the closing night showing of Fair Game , starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, with special appearances by director Doug... more...
Oct 18, 2010 GOTV Walks & Phones Roll On Local activists looking to plug into labor GOTV efforts can join ongoing labor walks in Montgomery, Prince George’s County and Calvert counties, or sign up for the AFL-CIO phonebank -- M-TH 1-8P, FR 1-4P -- which has made over 10,000 member contacts so far. Secretary-Treasurer Liz... more...
Oct 18, 2010 Learning Bargaining Strategy & More At Labor College Learn how to develop effective bargaining strategy and how to write contract language in the National Labor College’s Negotiating and Writing Contract Language course, one of several coming up next month. Click here for the complete Fall schedule. Also on tap: Greening the... more...
Oct 18, 2010 In Memoriam: Labor Lobbyist & Basketball Star Jack Sullivan Dies Retired labor lobbyist Jack Sullivan (r), 75, died Sept. 16. The 6-foot-4 native Washingtonian had a stellar college and pro basketball career before becoming a Secret Service agent. His labor career began in 1981 as director of government relations to the International Brotherhood of... more...
Oct 18, 2010 CSA Makes A Difference For Homeless Union Member Among those assisted by the Community Services Agency this week is a Teamsters 639 member who’s been locked out in the ongoing Veolia strike and is now homeless. “She’s got a daughter and has been moving around from place to place,” says CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “She... more...
Oct 15, 2010 10TH Annual Labor FilmFest Launches Tonight The 10th annual DC Labor FilmFest officially launches tonight with screenings of the black comedy Louise-Michel (r), in which the laid-off women workers of a provincial toy factory in France take out a hit on their boss and Gigante , about an obsessed supermarket security guard in a... more...
Oct 15, 2010 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, including the very latest on local labor activities in the upcoming November 2 general election. Also, reports from the Community Services Agency, Union City... more...
Oct 15, 2010 Job Tracker A Huge Hit Working America’s astonishing – and sobering – Job Tracker launched so successfully last week that the site was temporarily overwhelmed with traffic. The brand-new website exposes which companies are guilty of outsourcing jobs, as well as which have safety and health violations.... more...
Oct 14, 2010 Labor Walks For O'Malley Saturday Labor’s walking for Maryland Governor O’Malley (right) in Montgomery , Prince George’s , Charles and Calvert counties this Saturday. “The weather’s projected to be perfect,” says Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO Political Director Denise Riley,... more...
Oct 14, 2010 Labor FilmFest Celebrates First Decade “Starting something new is hard, but the real challenge is sustaining it,” write DC Labor FilmFest Co-Chairs Jos Williams (left) and Mark Dudzic (right) in this year’s FilmFest program guide. “So we are proud – and perhaps just a little bit amazed – to celebrate the 10th... more...
Oct 14, 2010 Local Activists Host USLAW Fundraiser Nancy Wohlforth, Brooks Sunkett, Bob Muehlenkamp, and Gene Bruskin, DC-based Co-convenors of U.S. Labor Against the War are hosting a special fundraiser this Saturday, October 16 at 7p. Organizers promise "Refreshments, good company and entertainment," and a slide show 'Why are We in... more...
Oct 14, 2010 Walking Tour Explores DC Labor History From the Labor Hall of Fame to Joe Hill’s ashes, worker’s history is around just about every corner in our nation’s capitol, if you know where to look. Metro Washington Council Union Cities Coordinator Chris Garlock (right) - who usually helps local and national activists make history on... more...
Oct 13, 2010 Shuler Kicks Off Labor FilmFest AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler (right) kicked off the 2010 DC Labor FilmFest Tuesday with a free noontime screening of Working Lunch, the DC Labor FilmFest’s 30-minute compilation of short films about labor. “I’m a big movie buff,” said Shuler, “and film and video is one of... more...
Oct 13, 2010 CSA's "News You Can Use": Deadline Looms for Stop-Loss Retro Pay More than 100,000 eligible veterans, active duty, guard, and reserve troops haven’t claimed $324 million in retroactive pay they’re owed. The deadline to apply for this retroactive pay is October 21, and all eligible service members -- which may include area union members or their family... more...
Oct 13, 2010 New Jobs Site Questioned A new jobs board website is not only ripping off UnionJobs.com but is posting advertisements for building and construction trades training that lead to non-union operations. The new site -- UnionJobBoard.com -- apparently grabbed the majority of its initial job announcements directly from... more...
Oct 12, 2010 Shuler Kicks Off Labor FilmFest Today AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler kicks off the 2010 DC Labor FilmFest today at a free noontime screening of the FilmFest’s 30-minute “Working Lunch” compilation of short films about labor. From the 1-minute Photo Booth (“It's a lonely job, but someone's got to do... more...
Oct 12, 2010 Building Futures Project Marks 100 Placements The Community Services Agency's pre-apprenticeship training program recently celebrated a major milestone as its 100th graduate secured employment in the building trades. The achievement underlines the program's success in placing newly-trained workers despite the ongoing economic crisis.... more...
Oct 12, 2010 Linking Poverty And Educational Achievement “The IMPACT model for evaluating teacher performance is very numerically based,” says Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy in a recent interview with journalist and social activist Pete Tucker. “It fails to recognize the artistry involved in teaching which cannot be captured on... more...
Oct 8, 2010 Washington Hospital Nurses Join NNU Registered nurses in Washington D.C.’s largest civilian hospital, Washington Hospital Center, have voted to join National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union and professional association of RNs. Nearly 1,600 WHC nurses who have been in the independent organization Nurses United of... more...
Oct 8, 2010 Norton Expects Project Labor Agreements To Boost Jobs For D.C. Residents Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC, right) said yesterday that she expected the General Services Administration (GSA) award of three Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on federal projects in the District of Columbia to enhance her efforts to ensure the employment of D.C. residents on the... more...
Oct 8, 2010 Shuler Kicks Off Labor FilmFest Tuesday AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler will kick off the 2010 DC Labor FilmFest Tuesday at a free noontime screening of the FilmFest's 30-minute "Working Lunch" compilation of short films about labor. From the 1-minute Photo Booth ("It's a lonely job, but someone's got to do it")... more...
Oct 8, 2010 Anna Lee & Con Carbon Win One Nation Photo Contest Congrats to One Nation photo contest winner Anna Lee, who sent in this winning shot from last Saturday's rally, and who wins a pair of passes to the upcoming DC Labor FilmFest . Honorable Mention (and a pair of FilmFest passes) to Con Carbon, who put together a cool One Nation photoshow... more...
Oct 7, 2010 Labor Turning Out For Obama Rally Today President Barack Obama will be at Bowie State University today to support Governor O'Malley and Maryland’s Democratic agenda. Doors open at 1p -- 14000 Jericho Park Road, Bowie, Maryland 20715 -- and tickets are not required. “Please get the word out to your membership and do everything... more...
Oct 7, 2010 Online Council Directory Updated AFGE Local 25 - which represents workers at the US Department of Veterans Affairs - has new contact information, which has been updated in the Metro Washington Council's online directory of local affiliates. Click here now to search for Local 25's information – including mailing... more...
Oct 7, 2010 Who Killed Chea Vichea? Join area union members for a special preview screening - sponsored by the AFL-CIO, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and the Solidarity Center – of Who Killed Chea Vichea? at 5:30P today at the AFL-CIO, featuring a discussion with Producer Rich Garella. Chea Vichea, President... more...
Oct 6, 2010 Capitol Visitor Center Workers Testify In Congress Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) guides really know their way around Congress. The newly-unionized CVC workers wasted no time exercising their voice at work, testifying last week about workplace safety issues at the Capitol. Megan Burger, a CVC tour guide and member of AFSCME Local 658, testified... more...
Oct 6, 2010 FilmFest Tix On Sale Now! Tickets for the 10th annual DC Labor FilmFest - set for October 15-19 at the American Film Insitute -- have just gone on sale. Click here to reserve yours now and guarantee a seat at the best show in town! more...
Oct 6, 2010 Local Unions Sponsor Weekday Walks For O'Malley With less than a month to go before Election Day, labor is ramping up its door-to-door efforts for Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (center) in Prince George's County. Local unions are now sponsoring weekday labor-to-labor walks, including UFCW Local 400, which has been turning out dozens of... more...
Oct 6, 2010 Labor On The Move: APALA's Uno Moves to DOL, Allan In As Interim Deputy Director Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) Executive Director Malcolm Amado Uno (r) joined the Department of Labor as a Special Assistant to the Secretary with the Office of Public Engagement on Monday. "As a product of APALA and the labor movement, I always considered it a privilege... more...
Oct 5, 2010 MD AG Asks PG County Exec To Help Resolve Bus Strike Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler yesterday asked Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson to help resolve the Teamsters strike against Veolia Transportation. Noting that the Teamsters had offered last Friday to return to work while bargaining for a new contract continued, Gansler... more...
Oct 5, 2010 MCGEO, Others Blister Plan To "Forgive" $450,000 In Taxes For Lockheed Martin The Montgomery County Council withdrew a proposal to “forgive” some $450,000 in taxes for Lockheed Martin after a parade of eight witnesses, including Local 1994 MCGEO President Gino Renne, bashed the idea as corporate welfare in a Council hearing on September 21st. “Shame on those who... more...
Oct 5, 2010 Rained-Out Union Golfers Find Way To Win Although the Community Services Agency’s annual golf tournament was rained out yesterday for the second time, the hardy group of golfers who showed up at the Enterprise Golf Course enjoyed a warm breakfast and union camaraderie while they watched the Ryder Cup. They were rewarded with passes... more...
Oct 5, 2010 Trades Newsletter Jolt Of Caffeine “Wake up and smell the coffee,” urges Washington Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary- Treasurer Vance Ayres in the September edition of the Council’s newsletter . Ayres urges support for labor-endorsed candidates and Democrats, noting that “We might not be... more...
Oct 5, 2010 Free October Calendar Download The October calendar from labor artist and activist Ricardo Levins Morales -- who also created the 2010 DC Labor FilmFest logo -- is now available for free download. Click here to get your free calendar, or click here to check out Morales’ website for his other artwork, including... more...
Oct 4, 2010 Voices From One Nation Tens of thousands of activists from across the country rallied at the Lincoln Memorial Saturday in the One Nation demonstration. Click here for coverage on the AFL-CIO Now blog. Union City reporters Chris Garlock and Adam Wright collected a sampling of voices -- and snapshots -- from One... more...
Oct 4, 2010 Washington Hospital Imposes On Nurses Nurses at Washington Hospital Center (WHC) are "furious" after the hospital unilaterally imposed its wage proposal Friday. "This is clearly punishment for our vote on joining National Nurses United" said Stephen Frum of Nurses United of the National Capital Region. The hospital is effectively... more...
Oct 4, 2010 "Scabby The Rat" Makes Front Page News "A labor union in Washington will on occasion be upset with somebody," wrote reporter Monica Hesse in a front-page story in the Washington Post on Saturday. "Contract negotiations go awry. Nonunion workers get hired. At these moments, you need a symbol. You need something that is going to... more...
Oct 2, 2010 Scurrying Across The Picket Lines Raising a big stink? Try the rat. Demand is high, so unions must plan ahead and pay to put 'Scabby' on the line By Monica Hesse Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, October 1, 2010; 9:20 PM The rat is down. It's the motor, Doug Webber thinks. Something is wrong with the rat's... more...
Oct 1, 2010 EMD Sales Workers Join UFCW 400 Workers at EMD Sales voted to join UFCW Local 400 yesterday. EMD distributes international foods, spices and kitchen utensils in the Mid Atlantic Region, and the workers are sales staff and merchandizers for the company. The 20-13 vote "sends a clear message to the management of EMD Sales that... more...
Oct 1, 2010 Gray Pledges Support For Historic Jobs Rally “This rally is about putting our city’s residents and people all across America back to work,” said DC City Council Chairman Vince Gray (r) at yesterday’s One Nation Working Together press conference at the Wilson Building. “I see it as an effort to support those things that... more...
Oct 1, 2010 Checking Out "The People's DC" With thousands of out-of-town visitors as well as locals expected downtown for tomorrow’s One Nation rally, it’s a good time to check out the online DC Labor Map! Whether you’re looking for a good union hotel or restaurant or interested in exploring DC’s many labor history sites... more...
Sep 30, 2010 One Nation Demo Updates Two more labor-sponsored events have been added to the growing list of labor activities as part of Saturday’s One Nation Working Together march on Washington, where thousands of people from across America will rally on the National Mall to “build a more united country with good... more...
Sep 30, 2010 Arlington Joins DC In Rejecting "Secure Communities" Arlington joined DC yesterday in rejecting the controversial "Secure Communities" program. With passage of a similar measure in Santa Clara, CA on the same day, national momentum looks to be building against the program. Calling Secure Communities "a pattern of measures that seek to score... more...
Sep 30, 2010 FilmFest Volunteers Wanted Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the 2010 DC Labor FilmFest! With the 10th annual DC Labor FilmFest kicking off in just a few weeks - scheduled for October 15 to 19 - organizers are seeking volunteers to help staff screenings at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring,... more...
Sep 29, 2010 Employment Justice Center Celebrates Decade Of Worker Justice Calling it "a tribute to our 37,000 members' activism, and to their commitment to justice, equity and dignity for all workers," UFCW Local 400 President Tom McNutt accepted the DC Employment Justice Center's (EJC) Labor Partner of the Year Award last night at the EJC's 10th anniversary... more...
Sep 29, 2010 Historic "One Nation" Rally Gains Momentum As tens of thousands of people from across America prepare to gather on Washington’s National Mall this Saturday to rally for “a new economy based on secure jobs, justice and quality education,” labor promises to represent with a half dozen activities already planned prior to... more...
Sep 29, 2010 "The Man Behind The Labor Film Movement" “Film is a great communication medium, because everyone loves a movie,” says DC Labor FilmFest Director Chris Garlock, who calls labor films “great organizing and mobilizing tools” in the Machinists News Network’s video report on “ The Man Behind the Labor Film Movement... more...
Sep 28, 2010 Big Agenda For DC COPE Coming off the recent wins in the DC primary, the DC COPE has a lot to discuss at its next meeting on Tuesday, October 12 “including the big win for all labor endorsed candidates in the September Primary Election and labor's strategy leading up to the general election,” reports DC... more...
Sep 28, 2010 Online Directory/Union Shop Updated Whether you’re looking for the new contact information for AFGE Local 2782 or trying to find a union caterer for your next event, your search is over! Click here now to look up the new mailing address and contact information for AFGE 2782 – which represents workers at the US Census... more...
Sep 27, 2010 "Restore Our Hours!" Demand NASW Staff More than a dozen social workers, researchers and office staff rallied outside the National Association of Social Workers in the District’s northeast at noon on Friday, chanting “NASW – Restore Our Hours” and waving signs that read “80% Salary Doesn’t Pay 100% Of The Bills!” The... more...
Sep 27, 2010 Labor Launches Local GOTV Campaign “These next 40 days are critically important to ensuring our state moves forward – not backward,” Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (above, at right) said to hundreds of area union members who attended last Friday’s Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO’s official 2010... more...
Sep 27, 2010 Free FilmFest Screenings Launch Union Privilege hosted the first DC Labor FilmFest Working Lunch screening Friday. “These ‘working lunches’ are a great way to keep UP staff apprised of labor movement happenings, how it’s perceived and what we can all be doing as working people and organizations to support... more...
Sep 27, 2010 NoVA Construction Workers Win Back Pay Over 100 Northern Virginia construction workers are collecting $36,944 they’re owed by contractors who didn’t pay prevailing wages. The underpayments by a dozen contractors on the Dulles Metrorail Extension Project were exposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Inspector General... more...
Sep 24, 2010 Free Food & More At Maryland GOTV Rally Tonight Free food and plenty of face time with elected officials highlight tonight’s Maryland GOTV rally kicking off at 6P at the ATU 689 union hall. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (r), Lt. Governor Anthony Brown (l) and a host of labor-endorsed Maryland politicians will schmooze with... more...
Sep 24, 2010 Public Employees Federation Digs Deep Delegates at the New York State Public Employees Federation’s annual convention donated $2,368 to the Community Services Agency’s Emergency Assistance Fund on September 15. “You are really the Generous People,” said CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy (at left) – playing... more...
Sep 24, 2010 Volunteer To Teach English For Workers Rights DC Jobs with Justice is beginning its fall ESL for Day Laborers program, which brings basic English lessons to day laborers at the Home Depot on Rhode Island Ave NE. The innovative program focuses on words and phrases that will help workers negotiate with employers, protect themselves on the... more...
Sep 23, 2010 Musicians Decry "Nutcracker" Canned Music The Washington Ballet is planning to serve up "canned" music at "The Nutcracker" ballet again this year, reports the local musician's union. Nutcracker patrons "will be paying full price for half the product," says D.C. Federation of Musicians Local 161-710 President John Cusick. Union members... more...
Sep 23, 2010 Golf Tourney Registration Deadline Friday We're on the 18th green and time's almost up to register for the 15th Annual Community Services Agency Golf Tournament, scheduled for this coming Monday, September 27 at the Enterprise Golf Course in Mitchellville, Maryland. "Teams must have their registration forms in by close of... more...
Sep 23, 2010 Labor FilmFest "Reinvigorates My Work For Justice" The DC Labor FilmFest “doesn't just educate or entertain me,” says Korey Hartwich, “it reminds me what I'm fighting for and reinvigorates my work for justice.” What’s your favorite thing about the FilmFest? Click here to tell us and you’ll be entered in a raffle for free... more...
Sep 23, 2010 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... more...
Sep 22, 2010 Security Workers Urge Fenty To "Obey Contracting Laws" Charging that Mayor Fenty is circumventing the City Council's review processes and is putting city residents at risk, dozens of security officers and members of SEIU Local 32BJ rallied outside the Wilson Building at noon yesterday demanding that the Mayor “obey the city’s contracting... more...
Sep 22, 2010 Celebrating Wins, Continuing The Struggle The mood was celebratory at Monday’s Metro Council meeting, with victories in last week’s primaries -- especially Vince Gray’s in the District -- to savor ( click here to see how labor-endorsed candidates fared), as well as contract wins at the Washington Convention Center by IBEW... more...
Sep 22, 2010 Texting For Transit People march on Washington all the time. Today, ATU, TWU and Operation PUSH are sponsoring a "Text on Washington" in support of mass transit. You can join in right now by texting to 69-866 or emailing text@ourride.org The Save Our Ride messages will be displayed on a giant JumboTron in... more...
Sep 22, 2010 Labor Photo: Rallying For Social Security more...
Sep 21, 2010 Employment Justice Center Celebrates First Decade Tickets are on sale now for the DC Employment Justice Center’s 10th Anniversary Labor Day Dinner, celebrating “10 years of successful advocacy on behalf of working people.” Awardees at this year’s dinner – scheduled for Tuesday, September 28, 6:45P at the Capitol Hilton... more...
Sep 21, 2010 Online Council Directory Updated Plumbers Local 5 - which represents more than 1,600 craftsmen in the metro area - has new contact information, which has been updated in the Metro Washington Council's online directory of local affiliates. Click here now to search for Local 5's new email address and to find the... more...
Sep 21, 2010 One Nation March Updates Free transportation to the October 2 One Nation Working Together March and Rally is available: call 410-318-6190 for free transportation for groups and individuals. And for those who can’t make it to the Mall, watch it live on Free Speech TV (FSTV) with hosts Thom Hartmann and Laura... more...
Sep 21, 2010 Union Voice: Readers Write: Thanks for the Kudos We received many congratulatory notes about Union City’s 2010 Best Electronic Newsletter award from ILCA ( Union City Wins Top Newsletter Award 9/9 UC ) but perhaps our favorite was the to-the-point missive from Roger Toussaint, who simply wrote “You are the best, no bs!” Noting... more...
Sep 20, 2010 Capital Visitor Center Staff Vote In Union Tour guides and visitor assistants at the Capitol Visitor Center took a big step closer to improving working conditions after overwhelmingly voting for union representation on Thursday and Friday, reports AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman. “This sends an unmistakably strong... more...
Sep 20, 2010 Metro Council Delegate Meeting Tonight Don’t miss tonight’s Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO delegate meeting, jam-packed with the latest updates on the local labor movement. Reports on the DC and Maryland primary elections, the Community Services Agency, Union City and updates on the 2010 DC Labor FilmFest highlight... more...
Sep 20, 2010 Free College Planning Workshop For Union Families Do you -- or your members -- have questions and concerns about preparing for and getting into college? As part of the launch to the new Union Plus College Prep Program, Union Plus is sponsoring a free workshop for union members, staff and their families in the Washington, DC area.... more...
Sep 17, 2010 Labor Golf Tourney Slots Almost Full “There’s still time left to register your team, but be quick because slots are almost full,” reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, noting that the annual fundraiser – scheduled for Monday, September 27 – is only ten days away. “It's a beautiful... more...
Sep 17, 2010 Labor FilmFest Faves This year the DC Labor FilmFest is celebrating a decade of bringing films about work and workers to the silver screen. What’s your favorite thing about the DC Labor FilmFest? Click here to tell us and you’ll be entered in a raffle for free tickets to this year’s FilmFest, set for... more...
Sep 17, 2010 Labor On The Move: Paul Gordon To Retire Paul Gordon of the Public Affairs Department is retiring today. Prior to his 20-year stint as a speechwriter at the AFL-CIO, Gordon worked for Sen. Paul Simon (D-Ill)., Rep. Howard Wolpe (D-Mich.) and Rep. Bill Coyne (D-Pa.). A retirement party will be held in the Murray-Green/Lewis... more...
Sep 16, 2010 Labor Notches Big Win With Gray Victory “The real winners Tuesday were the District’s working men and women,” said Metro Council President Jos Williams in the wake of Vincent Gray’s (r) primary victory over incumbent Adrian Fenty. The Council had coordinated labor support for the challenger over the well-funded Fenty, whose... more...
Sep 16, 2010 Maryland Caregivers Rally For Safe Staffing, Better Jobs Facing an “intense fear campaign” by management, nursing home caregivers at Summit Park Health and Rehabilitation Center rallied in Catonsville, Maryland yesterday in their latest push for a fair contract. “Despite working hard everyday, we can’t provide the care our residents deserve... more...
Sep 16, 2010 Labor Photo: Bakery Workers Rally For Jobs more...
Sep 16, 2010 Live Chat Today With Rich & Liz On the one-year anniversary of their election as the AFL-CIO's top leadership team, Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker will respond to your questions in a live Web chat today at 4p EST. The AFL-CIO officers will discuss the union... more...
Sep 16, 2010 How Labor Beat Mayor Fenty (Part 1) The seeds of Adrian Fenty’s defeat on Tuesday were planted in the cold, dark days of January. Despite the prevailing political winds that said the hard-driving mayor who’d won every precinct in the city four years ago was a shoo-in for re-election, Metro Council President Jos Williams (at... more...
Sep 16, 2010 CSA's News You Can Use: Women Need to Prepare for Retirement Did you know that two hours of your time could help you achieve a more secure future? Financial concerns of today keep many women from planning for the future — something always seems more urgent than retirement. The National Women's Law Center is offering a free retirement security webinar... more...
Sep 16, 2010 Do Elections Matter? The Polluters, a newly published history of the chemical industry and the environment by local transit activist Ben Ross – who’ll be signing books this Thursday (see below), tells the story of an air pollution disaster that took place the weekend before the 1948 election, when Republican... more...
Sep 15, 2010 Labor Turns Out Whether clad in their union colors or labor-endorsed candidate t-shirts, union activists stood up for area workers yesterday as local voters went to the polls. Working polls across the region from the pre-dawn darkness before polls opened to the evening hours when the last votes were cast, the... more...
Sep 15, 2010 BYOP At Bakery Rally This Morning Bring your own pastries to this morning’s Bakery Workers rally. The Bakers and the AFL-CIO are rallying at 8:45A at the shareholder meeting of American Capital, protesting the firm’s investment strategy of leveraged buyouts. “High levels of debt can threaten workers’ jobs and... more...
Sep 15, 2010 Hotel Workers Prep For Battle DC hotel workers are beginning to organize for possible job actions as contract negotiations drag on. The contract covering about 5,000 area hotel workers was set to expire today and was extended to October 8. Hotel companies are negotiating separately this time around, which is bogging down... more...
Sep 15, 2010 Striking Workers Declare Victory At Mott's More than three months after walking out, the 300-plus workers at Mott’s upstate New York applesauce plant declared victory after ratifying a new contract Monday. The workers will return to work on Monday, Sept. 20, on what would have been the 121st day of the strike ( Mott's Strikers Take... more...
Sep 14, 2010 Labor Launches "Last & Final" Push For Gray In DC Mayoral Race “This is the time when elections are decided,” American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said to more than 100 union members at last night’s get-out-the-vote rally for Vince Gray at AFT headquarters. “People who live and survive in this city want a voice and for too... more...
Sep 14, 2010 Daycon Strikers Win NLRB Ruling The striking workers at Daycon have won yet another ruling by the National Labor Relations Board, reports Teamsters Local 639, which represents the workers. The ruling that the 5-month-old strike is an Unfair Labor Practices strike "means that Daycon is liable for back wages since the strikers... more...
Sep 14, 2010 Labor In The News: GMU Food Workers End 2-Day Strike Over Job Safety; Drivers Put The Brakes On TheBus In Prince George's County GMU FOOD WORKERS END 2-DAY STRIKE OVER JOB SAFETY: The more than 100 food service workers employed by Sodexo at George Mason University returned to work last Friday after a 2-day strike to protest unsafe working conditions in the school's cafeterias. The workers--who have suffered cuts,... more...
Sep 14, 2010 Chat With Rich & Liz If you could ask AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka one question, what would it be? Now's your chance! On the one-year anniversary of their election as the AFL-CIO's top leadership team, Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker will respond to your... more...
Sep 14, 2010 Labor On The Move: Simpson Turns Over Transit Local Political Issues To Lateefah Williams ATU 689 Political & Legislative Director Craig Simpson (r) -- who has worked on political and legislative issues for many years for both the transit workers local as well as for the Metro Washington Council -- is retiring (again) and turning over the reins to Lateefah Williams, who will be... more...
Sep 13, 2010 Labor For Gray Today: Rally & Lit-Drop With the DC mayoral campaign in its final hours, today’s main labor action is the Get-Out-The-Vote rally for Vince Gray today at 4P. Hosted by the American Federation of Teachers (555 New Jersey Ave., N.W.), next-door neighbors AFGE will also be turning out, and “All unions are... more...
Sep 13, 2010 Fenty Lays Off Docs At Youth Rehab Services In what the District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA) calls “yet another wrong-headed move by the current Mayor and his administration,” the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS) recently announced lay offs of all doctors and physicians' assistants, leaving registered... more...
Sep 13, 2010 Labor FilmFest Offers Free Workplace Screenings Bring the 10th annual DC Labor FilmFest to your workplace this year! Our “WORKING LUNCH: 6 Short Films About Labor” program was so popular last year that we’re putting together another brief collection of great labor shorts this year for free noontime screenings. Slots are available... more...
Sep 10, 2010 Metro AFL-CIO Urges Obama To "Put America Back To Work, Not Fenty" The Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO launched a letter-writing campaign to the White House yesterday to urge President Obama to stay out of the DC Mayor’s race. “President Obama is working hard to save the jobs of millions of Americans – including record numbers of DC workers – but the... more...
Sep 10, 2010 Labor Day Mass Saturday This Saturday the Archdiocese of Washington will continue its longtime tradition of holding a Labor Day Mass . Celebrated by The Most Reverend Donald Wuerl (r), Archbishop of Washington, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew, the special vigil mass will be attended by both national and local... more...
Sep 10, 2010 Labor In The News: Teamster Custodian's Contributions Honored “Some men get buildings named after them; others, streets. Ron Hillyer is getting a hallway.” Hillyer (r), recently-retired D.C. school custodian and a member of Teamsters 639 for more than 25 years, is the focus of Theresa Vargas’ report in the September 2 Washington Post. “When... more...
Sep 10, 2010 Labor On The Move: Susan Fitzgerald Retires from NABET-CWA 31 Susan Fitzgerald is retiring from NABET-CWA Local 31 after more than 30 years under eight different elected administrations, most recently as the local's Administrative Assistant. "As the Administrative Secretary of this Local, Susan has assured the continuity of every day workings of our... more...
Sep 9, 2010 Union City Wins Top Newsletter Award Union City has won first place as Best Electronic Newsletter in the International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) Labor Media Awards this year, the third consecutive award and the second time winning top honors. In 2008 Union City won as best State and Local Body publication and... more...
Sep 9, 2010 Watering The Seeds Of Unionism At Capitol Visitor Center Capitol Visitor Center organizing committee members distributed water to CVC workers last weekend as part of their campaign for a union. "Dehydration is potentially a major issue for many of the workers," explains AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman, noting that the CVC refused... more...
Sep 9, 2010 The Brown Difference Labor is helping get the word out that the 'Michael Brown' whose name is on the DC primary ballot is not the same Michael Brown who is already an At-Large Councilmember. DC Mayoral Candidate Vince Gray and Councilmember Michael A. Brown have "enthusiastically" endorsed At-Large... more...
Sep 9, 2010 Transit Workers In The Spotlight Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 – an affiliate of the Metro Washington Council – has re-launched its “Member Spotlight” video series on the local’s website , highlighting the work that local transit workers perform and sharing their concerns and ideas. This... more...
Sep 9, 2010 Archbishop To Celebrate Labor Mass On Saturday This Saturday, the Archdiocese of Washington will continue its annual tradition of holding a Mass for the Blessing of Human Labor during the weekend after Labor Day. Celebrated by The Most Reverend Donald Wuerhl, Archbishop of Washington, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew, the special 5:30P vigil... more...
Sep 8, 2010 Labor Enters Home Stretch For Gray As area residents fired up grills and relaxed over the long Labor Day weekend, union activists knocked on more than 1,000 doors to get out the union vote in next Tuesday’s primaries. “The key to victory for labor-endorsed mayoral candidate Vince Gray is to identify our voters and bring... more...
Sep 8, 2010 People Of Faith Celebrate Restaurant Workers Restaurant and food service workers were the main focus of this year’s Labor in the Pulpits/Labor on the Bimah program. Over Labor Day weekend, 27 local churches and more than 30 local Jewish congregations celebrated workers and labor during their services as part of the annual Labor in the... more...
Sep 8, 2010 More Than 300 Turn Out For NoVA Labor Day Picnic More than 300 Northern Virginia union members and their families “enjoyed the food, fellowship and great weather,” at Monday’s NoVA Labor Day Picnic, reports NoVA Area Labor Federation President Dan Duncan. Also attending were Congressman Gerry Connolly, newly-elected VA AFL-CIO... more...
Sep 7, 2010 Trades Say King Memorial Building On Exploitation Charging that work on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is being "undercut and outsourced to low-wage workers from China," area building trades workers will handbill outside the MLK Memorial Foundation at 401 F Street, NW at 9A today, reports Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local... more...
Sep 7, 2010 "Film Rally" Tonight For Gray Local filmmaker – and DC Labor Film Fest advisor -- Aviva Kempner will co-host a “Film Rally” for labor-endorsed mayoral candidate Vince Gray tonight at 8p at the Avalon Theatre . Kempner will screen her award-winning documentary, The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (r),... more...
Sep 7, 2010 Labor On The Move: CWA To Merge 2 Area Districts: CWA Districts 2 and 13 are merging into a new District that will have a combined membership of 45,000 CWA members in five states. The combined District – approved at the July CWA convention – “will allow more intensified attention to Union programs and functions, including more focused... more...
Sep 7, 2010 "Job's Not Done" Biodiesel Bus Tour Comes To Virginia NoVA Area Labor Federation President Dan Duncan joined the Virginia Sustainable Building Network and the United Steelworkers at last week’s “The Job’s Not Done” bus tour stop in Springfield, Virginia. Part of a national effort by labor unions and environmental organizations... more...
Sep 3, 2010 DC Launches "One Nation" March Plans "One Nation aims to put America back to work and recommit every person in America to the principles that this country was founded upon: freedom, justice and equality for all," said Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO President Jos Williams (at left) at yesterday's official DC launch of the One... more...
Sep 3, 2010 Labor Hits DC Streets On Labor Day Weekend Add to this weekend’s Labor Day parades and picnics another Labor Walk . Area union members and labor allies will distribute literature in Ward 4 in a Metro Washington Council-coordinated labor walk Saturday morning to help get out the vote for labor-endorsed candidates -- Phil... more...
Sep 3, 2010 IBEW Museum Added To Labor Map A cool museum focusing on the history of the electrical worker's union has been added to the online DC Labor Map , which is chock full of great local labor sites – labor struggles, monuments, arts & more -- for friends or family visiting over the long Labor Day weekend.... more...
Sep 3, 2010 This Month's Free Calendar Download This month’s free calendar download from artist Ricardo Levins Morales -- who created this year’s DC Labor FilmFest logo -- publicizes Ethnic Studies Week, a nationally coordinated campaign organized by educators. “It was conceived as a response to recent laws and school... more...
Sep 2, 2010 Metro-Area Labor Day Activities Celebrate America’s workers this weekend by showing your union pride at a number of activities scheduled in the metro-area. Labor-To-Labor walks continue Saturday; watch for full details tomorrow. Union members are eligible for special discounted tickets all weekend as part of Six... more...
Sep 2, 2010 Free Screening At Film Rally For Gray Local filmmaker – and DC Labor Film Fest advisor -- Aviva Kempner will co-host a “Film Rally” for labor-endorsed mayoral candidate Vince Gray (r) on Tuesday, September 7 at 8p at the Avalon Theatre. Kempner will screen her award-winning documentary, The Life and Times of... more...
Sep 2, 2010 Labor On The Move: Richards Lands in Ohio Former Union Cities Assistant Mobilizer Andy Richards (l) is now working as an AFL-CIO Field Communications assistant in Ohio. His report on marathon phone banker Max Reynolds – Ohio Labor 2010: UAW Retiree—‘Volunteer Once, You’ll Do It Again’ – ran on Wednesday’s AFL-CIO... more...
Sep 1, 2010 One Stop Union Voter Shop Area union voters can now easily get crucial information on the upcoming primary and general elections on the Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO's online Political Action page. Click here now for full details on election dates, polling places (with maps), registration, early voting... more...
Sep 1, 2010 Final Community Candidate Forums Set For This Week The last two community candidate forums are set for this week. The Ward 6 forum is scheduled for today and Ward 5’s for tomorrow. "The Ward 6 councilmember plays a significant role in shaping public policy throughout the city, but an outsized role in shaping what will impact... more...
Sep 1, 2010 CSA's "News You Can Use": Knowing The Difference Between A Scam And A Good Deal "Buyer Beware" is always something to keep in mind", says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. "If it sounds too good to be true it’s probably a scam." How can you tell the difference between a scam and a good deal? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the... more...
Sep 1, 2010 Union Voice: Readers Write: Novel Approach to Montana's Labor History In response to our recent report on Cripple Creek, CO ( Remembering Cripple Creek , 8/20 ), Richard Laubach of AFGE 2419 sent in information about the remnants of the miner’s union hall in Granite , Montana, one of the area’s famous ghost towns (r). Reminds us that Ivan... more...
Aug 31, 2010 Metro Council Hits Fenty Hard In Mailings And Calls As DC’s mayoral race enters the final stretch, the Metro Washington Council has prepared a hard-hitting series of mailings to union voters in the District, who will also receive automated calls from Council President Jos Williams. The full-color oversize postcards -- which will be... more...
Aug 31, 2010 Registering Voters In Charles County IBEW 1900’s Greg Waller reports that – wearing his other hat as Charles County Central Committee member – he’s just helped open up the Charles County Democratic headquarters in Waldorf, Maryland, where they’re hard at work registering Democratic voters for the upcoming elections. The... more...
Aug 31, 2010 Goldman Marks 20 Years At AFSCME Council 26 AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman (r) has been so busy organizing new members and serving existing locals that his 20th anniversary at Council 26 slipped by last year without notice. The DC native has been involved in the local labor movement for more than three decades,... more...
Aug 31, 2010 Maryland Voter Information 2010 MARYLAND The below information is from the Maryland State Board Of Elections . General Election Date- November 2, 2010 Click here now for information on the following: - Polling Places - Early Voting - Voter Registration - Request An Absentee Ballot more...
Aug 31, 2010 Virginia Voter Information 2010 VIRGINIA The below information is from the Virginia State Board of Elections . General Election Date- November 2, 2010 Click here now for information on the following: - Registering to Vote - Local Voter Registration Offices - Where do I Vote in Virginia? - Voters... more...
Aug 30, 2010 Delta Hits Turbulence With CWA Organizing Video The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA has produced a great new organizing video – The New Delta Family – focusing on flight attendants' “frustration over how their airline has changed for the worse with a revolving door of changing management and executives,” reports the... more...
Aug 30, 2010 Scholarships Available For NLC Labor-Management Course Scholarships are available for the National Labor College’s Labor-Management Partnerships course this fall. The Aetna Minority Health Care Scholarship for this course – available for women and people of color – will also pay for room and board at the College. The course is for union... more...
Aug 30, 2010 In Memoriam: Bonnie Ladin, National Labor College Professor And Union Organizer, Dies At 59 Bonnie Ladin (at left), 59, a professor at the National Labor College (NLC) who discovered her passion for workers' rights as a member of a bakers' union in the 1970s and went on to become a leading organizer with the Service Employees International Union, died August 25 at her home in... more...
Aug 30, 2010 Labor Video: DC Concrete Workers Rally For Justice more...
Aug 27, 2010 Local Concrete Workers Demand Dignity, Respect More than 100 concrete workers and community allies descended on the Consolidated Forensic Laboratory construction site at 6th Street, SW yesterday morning, protesting contractor Southland Concrete’s “unsafe practices, unfair layoffs and poor working conditions.” The workers are... more...
Aug 27, 2010 Gray Pledges Support For DC Nurses DC mayoral candidate and City Council Chairman Vince Gray (center) Wednesday renewed his pledge of support for nurses at the Washington Hospital Center (WHC). Earlier this year, Gray expressed his disappointment in the hospital’s firings and disciplinary actions against nurses and other... more...
Aug 27, 2010 Labor-To-Labor Walks Continue Saturday Labor-to-labor walks continue this Saturday to help elect labor-endorsed candidates in Wards 4, 5 and At-Large in the District's September 14 Primary. "With only three weeks until Election Day, dozens of volunteers are expected to turn out to door knock in support of Phil Mendelson,... more...
Aug 26, 2010 Bricks Object To Non-Union Masonry At VP Biden's Office It's the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, and it's where Vice President Biden has his office, along with many other White House officials. The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers union (BAC) found out recently that despite all the Obama administration's rhetoric about... more...
Aug 26, 2010 Mott's Strike Garners National Attention The ongoing strike by upstate New York Mott’s workers – first covered by Union City back in early July and supported from the very beginning by UFCW 400 – is now drawing much-deserved national attention, including a front-page New York Times article last week. Mott’s is owned... more...
Aug 26, 2010 "Unions Cannot Win On Our Own" Says Aussie Activist “While coalitions are not an absolute solution to changing the dynamic of a hostile political environment – and an economy that only serves the interests of large corporations – they are paramount to strengthening the brawn and brains of unions,” said Australian labor activist and... more...
Aug 25, 2010 School Officers' Union Pushes For "Fair Share" Of Fed Funds The Council of School Officers (CSO) is urging Mayor Adrian Fenty and DC Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Michelle Rhee to recognize the critically important jobs filled by many of its members who work as assistant principals, school psychologists, social workers, speech therapists, special... more...
Aug 25, 2010 Screen Scene Inspires Anew “We kicked that bosses' ass and now he's in jail where he belongs,” said UE’s Chris Townsend (r) at Monday night’s screening of Workers’ Republic . More than 50 area activists packed the Langston Room at the U Street Busboys and Poets to watch the inspiring story of the workers at... more...
Aug 25, 2010 Aussie Activist/Author On Building Power In Coalitions Australian activist and author Amanda Tattersall will discuss how to build powerful coalitions between unions and community organizations at today's lunchtime discussion at the AFL-CIO, where she'll also launch her new book "Power in Coalition." "Tattersall examines successful... more...
Aug 24, 2010 AFGE Targets Fenty In Radio Ads The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 600,000 federal and District of Columbia public employees, last week launched an ad campaign targeting D.C.’s mayor (r). In the “ We Have a Problem with Our Boss ,” 60 second radio spot, the public employee union details... more...
Aug 24, 2010 Union Plus Offers Discount On Princeton Review The rising costs of education can be a daunting hurdle for working families. But thanks to a new Union Plus discount, union members and their children can now save up to 50% on college test prep courses (including SAT, ACT, GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT) from the Princeton Review. The new... more...
Aug 23, 2010 Labor Hits DC Streets For Gray Dozens of local labor volunteers fanned out across DC’s Ward 5 Saturday morning on the second Labor-to-Labor lit drop for mayoral candidate Vincent Gray and other labor-endorsed candidates, including Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. (center), who spoke briefly to the assembled volunteers.... more...
Aug 23, 2010 AFGE FAA Local Joins Council AFGE Local 2703 - which represents nearly 200 Aeronautical Information Specialists at the US Department of Transportation/ Federal Aviation Administration - is the latest Metro Washington Council affiliate. "We're very happy to become a part of the Metro Council," said Local 2703 President Ron... more...
Aug 23, 2010 Free Screening Tonight Of "Workers' Republic" Don't miss tonight's screening of the inspiring story of the workers at Republic Windows and Doors who won by taking over their doomed factory in December 2008. The award-winning documentary Workers' Republic shows free at 6P at Busboys & Poets. "Come and discuss how the lessons of... more...
Aug 23, 2010 Annual Golf Tourney Just Weeks Away The Community Services Agency's annual Golf Tournament - now in its 15th year - is just weeks away, scheduled for Monday September 27 at the Enterprise Golf Course in Mitchellville, Maryland. "Sign-up your foursome before space runs out!" says CSA Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy.... more...
Aug 20, 2010 Remembering Cripple Creek Some of the sharpest and most violent class struggles in American history were fought in the hard rock mining towns of the nineteenth-century West where workers and bosses fought with fists, bullets, and dynamite in the streets and mines. On a recent visit to Colorado, I stopped by Cripple... more...
Aug 20, 2010 MD Officers Push Back On Caseloads Citing "unmanageable caseloads," Maryland parole and probation officers are meeting next week with government officials to develop a "commonsense agreement on caseloads and overtime," reports AFSCME Maryland . Almost 600 General Supervision Agents in the city of Baltimore and Baltimore,... more...
Aug 20, 2010 Thomas To Join Ward 5 Labor-To-Labor Walks Saturday "As we enter our second week of labor walks, we will be joined by Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. this Saturday," reports Metro Washington Council Assistant Political Coordinator Alya Solomon. Saturday's walks run 10A - 1P to blitz Ward 5 for labor-endorsed candidates Vincent Gray, Phil... more...
Aug 20, 2010 Sharing Union City Union City readers can now easily share stories with friends and family 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... more...
Aug 19, 2010 Hotel Workers Press Bank Of America To "Save Our Jobs!" Under grim and damp skies, more than one hundred hotel workers and labor allies rallied outside the 15th and Pennsylvania Bank of America branch during rush-hour last night to demand that the bank protect their jobs. “We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!" said... more...
Aug 19, 2010 FilmFest Ad Deadline Extended The deadline for ads in this year's DC Labor FilmFest Program Guide has been extended to Friday, September 3. "We're very close to finalizing the line-up for our 10th annual FilmFest and will have exciting news by Labor Day," announced FilmFest Director Chris Garlock. "Don't miss this chance... more...
Aug 19, 2010 August Edition Of "The Trades" Available Online "Wake up and smell the coffee (and) help re-elect the two most important O’s this year and in two years, the first being O’Malley and the second being Obama," reports Washington Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Vance Ayres in the August edition of The... more...
Aug 19, 2010 Labor On The Move: Kahraman Heads West (Again); JUFJ's Metalitz To Launch Consulting Biz To Help Nonprofits KAHRAMAN HEADS WEST (AGAIN): Newspaper Guild organizer – and former Metro Council Union Cities Coordinator – Joe Kahraman (at left) is leaving town. Again. Kahraman is heading back to California to take a job as Executive Director of the Engineers and Architects Association, one of the... more...
Aug 18, 2010 Fenty Urged To Boot Lax Security Company SEIU Local 32BJ is urging DC Mayor Adrian Fenty to boot the security company contracted by the District to guard government buildings, schools and public arenas. U.S. Security failed tests in which inspectors were able to sneak weapons through checkpoints, reported The Washington Post... more...
Aug 18, 2010 DC Laborers Welcome Return To AFL-CIO “We’ve been with the Metro Council all along,” said Laborers 657 Business Manager Anthony Frederick (center) after Monday’s announcement that the Laborers (LIUNA) are re-affiliating with the AFL-CIO. “Now we can all act as one. United, we’re big,” Frederick added,... more...
Aug 18, 2010 Holt-Baker To Join Hotel Workers At Bank Of America Demo AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt-Baker will join more than one hundred hotel workers and labor allies at today’s 5P demonstration outside Bank of America to demand that the bank “honor the taxpayers’ generous bailout of their company and protect hotel jobs,”... more...
Aug 17, 2010 Online Labor Photo Gallery Updated The Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO’s online photo gallery has been updated and is just a click away! View hundreds of archived photos from previous Metro Council events dating back to 2008, including Bowling for Gold and Golf tournaments, Evening With Labor, Labor Night at... more...
Aug 17, 2010 Hotel Workers Bring Fight To Bank Of America When the boss sneezes, it's the workers who catch the cold. With mega-hotel owners Columbia Sussex preparing to default on over a billion dollars in loans from Bank of America, local hotel workers --joined by AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt-Baker, UNITE HERE, DC Jobs with Justice... more...
Aug 16, 2010 Activists Arrested After Protesting Arizona Anti-Immigrant Law At Nats-Diamondbacks Game Sunday Four local immigration rights and labor activists were arrested yesterday after staging a protest against Arizona’s anti-immigrant law at the Nationals game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. “Baseball is our national pastime and emblematic of our national values and identity,” said... more...
Aug 16, 2010 "We're Set Up To Fail" Say DC School Workers The hidden casualties of the Fenty administration’s controversial “IMPACT” school evaluation system rallied outside DC Public Schools headquarters for several hours Friday, protesting the “shady methods” used to assess their performance. “Para-professionals, clericals and even... more...
Aug 16, 2010 AFGE Videos Hit Fenty, Draw Media Notice Anti-Fenty YouTube videos produced by the American Federation of Government Employees garnered attention in the Washington Post with political columnist Mike DeBonis’ “ Union attacks Fenty with 'demon teddy bears' ” report last Thursday. The videos hit DC Mayor Fenty for closing... more...
Aug 16, 2010 Council Of School Officers Declares Impasse In Negotiations With DC Public Schools The Council of School Officers (CSO) Local 4 announced Friday that it had filed papers with the DC Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) declaring that an official impasse has been reached in contract negotiations with the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). The CSO –... more...
Aug 16, 2010 Interns Wrap Up Activist Union Summer “You’ll always be part of our family,” declared Metro Council President Jos Williams at Friday’s farewell lunch for the 2010 Union Summer interns. “DC was one of five cities across the country to host interns this year, but you’re undoubtedly the best!” he added, before... more...
Aug 13, 2010 City Education Workers' "Rally For Justice" Today Para-professionals and clerical staff at several DC agencies - members of AFSCME Local 2921 - will demonstrate outside DC Public Schools headquarters in the District's northeast at 10A this morning to protest being "targeted and run over by management and their lawyers." Click here for... more...
Aug 13, 2010 L.A. Rallies For Jobs Across Country Thousands of working people will join community and labor leaders from across the country for a massive rally for good jobs in California and nationwide. Rallying in front of City Hall in Los Angeles (part of the AFL-CIO's 5 States/5 Cities strategic plan that includes Washington DC),... more...
Aug 12, 2010 Labor Passages: Longtime Labor, Political Activist Betty Miller Dies At 91 Lifelong labor union and political activist Betty Miller (r), 91, known for her boundless energy and drive, died on August 7. “Betty believed in action,” reports CLUW’s Carolyn Jacobson, “and throughout her life went to bat for the causes she believed in, often leading the charge.” A... more...
Aug 12, 2010 New UFCW 400 President McNutt Building For Power “There is power in numbers,” said Thomas P. McNutt (r) upon taking office as UFCW Local 400 President. “We are going to grow our union in order to strengthen our power to improve our members’ lives. The more our union grows, the more clout we have at the bargaining table and in the... more...
Aug 12, 2010 Raid On UFCW 1994 Ends The raid on UFCW Local 1994's units is officially over. "The UFCW International and the International representing the raiding organization signed a binding agreement this week," reports Local 1994 President Gino Renne. "Staff representatives who were soliciting for signatures have left town."... more...
Aug 12, 2010 DC Nurses Endorse Mendelson For City Council The District of Columbia Nurses Association has endorsed Phil Mendelson’s candidacy for At-Large Councilmember in the upcoming September Primary Election. “Councilmember Mendelson has consistently supported registered nurses in their efforts to improve health care and advocate on behalf of... more...
Aug 12, 2010 DC Labor-To-Labor GOTV Kickoff Saturday Area union members and labor allies - led by the Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO - will officially launch labor's 2010 get-out-the-vote campaign this Saturday to help elect labor-endorsed candidates in the District of Columbia's September Primary Election. Union volunteers will distribute... more...
Aug 11, 2010 Labor To Celebrate Social Security's 75th Birthday Labor and community allies will celebrate the 75th birthday of Social Security this Saturday at the Greenbelt Community Center in Maryland. “Drop by to show your support for protecting Social Security and Medicare from any benefit cuts or raising of the retirement age,” say event... more...
Aug 11, 2010 Defending Education Workers “This rally will highlight the outrageous treatment of workers by the Fenty administration,” says Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO President Jos Williams, referring to AFSCME 2921’s “Rally For Justice” this Friday to defend Para-professionals and clerical staff who work at... more...
Aug 11, 2010 DCLabor Nears 400 Followers Almost 400 union members and labor activists are the first to hear about job postings, labor events and updates in the DC area via the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO’s Twitter account, DCLabor. Got labor news? Tweet us! Click here to sign up free today! To get the tweets... more...
Aug 10, 2010 Labor Launches Local GOTV Efforts With less than five weeks until voters hit the polls for the September Primary Election –scheduled Tuesday, September 14 – the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO will kick off a major Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign this Saturday to help elect labor-endorsed candidates in the... more...
Aug 10, 2010 Labor On The Move: Durazo & Andrews Elected To AFL-CIO Executive Council The AFL-CIO recently elected Maria Elena Durazo (right), Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles County AFL-CIO, and James Andrews (below), President of the North Carolina AFL-CIO, to two newly-created seats on the AFL-CIO’s Executive Council. "The new members of the Executive... more...
Aug 9, 2010 Para-Professionals, Clerical Staff To "Rally For Justice" Members and staff of AFSCME Local 2921 – which represents Para-professionals and clerical staff at DCPS, Head Start, OPEFM and OSSE – will rally at 10A this Friday outside DCPS headquarters to protest being “targeted and run over by management and their lawyers.” AFSCME Local... more...
Aug 9, 2010 NBC-Universal Workers' Fight Continues Workers at NBC Washington – who have been without a contract since Spring 2009 – are still embroiled in ongoing contract negotiations, reports NABET-CWA Staff Representative Carrie Biggs-Adams (at left). “There are rumors that we’re about to close a deal, but we still don’t have... more...
Aug 6, 2010 Gray Defeats Fenty In Straw Poll District police were called out to direct traffic and maintain order as hundreds of Ward 4 residents – many of them union members – turned out in droves to vote for Vince Gray for DC Mayor in last night's Ward 4 Democratic straw poll at Saint Georges Church. Gray served up an embarrassing... more...
Aug 6, 2010 Engineers Win Election At FDA Federal Center On Monday August 2, twelve engineers won a union election at Brooks & Brooks Services Inc., joining the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 99 at the FDA Federal Center in White Oak, Maryland. The plant is part of a 50-year plan at that location and provides power,... more...
Aug 6, 2010 Singing Out For Your Union Are you a union member with musical talent? Union Plus is sponsoring the Union Song Contest where entrants can win a $2000 cash prize. To enter, simply write a song about the things you like about your union and submit it online by September 6, 2010. The Union Song Contest is brought... more...
Aug 5, 2010 Gray Unveils Job Creation Strategy Saying that “too many people in this city are wondering where their next pay check is coming from,” labor-endorsed candidate for DC Mayor Vince Gray rolled out a comprehensive economic development plan Wednesday for the District to attract businesses and create jobs. “Unfortunately, for... more...
Aug 5, 2010 Home Care Providers Ratify First Contract About 4,500 independent home care providers in Maryland now have a contract that will “help improve the conditions of their work and the services they offer,” reports AFSCME Council 67. The three-year agreement – which was ratified in July – increases provider rates and sets up a... more...
Aug 4, 2010 Daycon Strikers File New Charges With NLRB Responding to Daycon’s refusal to “rescind its unlawful actions” and reinstate striking workers, Teamsters Local 639 has recently filed new unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board. “We had hoped that formal action by the Federal Government against the... more...
Aug 4, 2010 Women "Talk Union" Across Generations Ten recommendations about what unions can do to attract and retain a new generation of young workers, especially women, have been released in a recent report by the Berger-Marks Foundation. The recommendations range from adopting term limits for elective union offices to creating 'safe... more...
Aug 4, 2010 Free August Calendar Download The August calendar from labor artist Ricardo Levins Morales is now available for free download. This month’s calendar features what Levins Morales describes as a “one-page popular education workshop on immigration,” linking the southern US border to larger issues of trade and justice.... more...
Aug 3, 2010 WHC Nurses Approve One-Day Strike “Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of last week, Nurses United members came together and voted in huge numbers to strike for one day over the unfair treatment and disrespect shown to us by [Washington Hospital Center] management during and after the snowstorms in February,” reports Nurses... more...
Aug 3, 2010 Labor Walks With Gray Dozens of labor volunteers – led by the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO – took to the streets Saturday to support labor-endorsed Mayoral candidate Vince Gray (center). The volunteers walked with Gray through Ward 4 – which is Mayor Adrian Fenty’s home Ward – canvassing... more...
Aug 3, 2010 Helping Union Veterans In July 2008, the AFL-CIO launched its first-ever Union Veterans Council (UVC) to “bring together union veterans on the issues that matter most to veterans, their families and working men and women.” Since then, the UVC has helped millions of veterans across America access good jobs and... more...
Aug 2, 2010 MCGEO Digs Up Dirt On Raiding Rival The union representing Montgomery County government workers – UFCW 1994 MCGEO – has “unearthed several unfair labor practice charges filed by a member of its rival union,” reports Maryland Politics Watch. The UPSEU member claims that the union is “restricting my ability to... more...
Aug 2, 2010 Library Workers Get The Picture(s) Saul Schniderman and Michele Chisholm of AFSCME Local 2910 – which represents over 1,500 workers at the Library of Congress -- have just posted an online photoshow – with music – of last month’s AFSCME convention in Boston, including the Save our Library Rally and Library... more...
Jul 30, 2010 WHC Nurses May Stage 1-Day Strike Over Firings Washington Hospital Center nurses are voting on staging a one-day strike to mark the six-month anniversary of firings in the wake of the February blizzards. If approved by members, the one-day Unfair Labor Practice strike would take place in August, six months after 18 nurses were... more...
Jul 30, 2010 State Fed Endorsements Released U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley top the list of candidates endorsed by the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO, released yesterday. Click here for the complete list of endorsements, which includes candidates for election in the U.S. House... more...
Jul 30, 2010 Training Stewards To Battle Over What's Not Covered Many workers think their union's there to negotiate and enforce their contract, but in the federal sector, it's changes in working conditions and personnel policies that are not covered by a contract where a union also proves useful. AFSCME Council 26 held a training session Wednesday for 45... more...
Jul 30, 2010 Nancy Trejos' Book Signing Kicks Off Guild's New Outreach Program Guild member Nancy Trejos (r) kicked off the Washington Post Newspaper Guild’s new Outreach program with a book signing at Caribou Coffee just down the street from the paper on July 21. The program has been created to promote the talents of Guild members and to raise the profile of the... more...
Jul 29, 2010 Ward 1 Candidate Forum To Focus On Labor Issues, Affordable Housing With the DC primaries less than two months away, Ward 1 City Council candidates will appear before labor and community groups tonight for a candidate forum. Sponsored by DC Jobs with Justice, Defeat Poverty DC, Empower DC, Jews United for Justice and the Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO... more...
Jul 29, 2010 Increased Worker Safety Demanded At Town Hall “My son fell to his death at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas,” testified Mary (right), of United Support and Memorial for Workplace Fatalities (USMWF). “I will live forever with a dagger in my heart because there is no deeper pain, no deeper despair. All of us are here because we’ve... more...
Jul 29, 2010 CVC Union Welcomes Firing Of CEO The union organizing workers at the Capitol Visitor Center welcomed the news yesterday that the Center’s CEO has been fired ( Head of Capitol Visitors Center gets fired , The Hill 7/27) . “You have taken the first steps towards correcting an untenable situation at the CVC,”... more...
Jul 29, 2010 Labor For Gray Reception Photos Posted Photos from Tuesday night’s Labor for Gray fundraiser have now been posted online . The photos are available for downloading and may be freely used; please credit Chris Garlock/Union City. more...
Jul 29, 2010 Labor Photo: On The Line At The Hay Adams more...
Jul 28, 2010 Labor Rises To Support Gray Mayoral Effort "This mayor has been a divider," said Vince Gray, "but tonight he's united us to throw him out of here!" Cheers erupted from the crowd of labor supporters gathered atop the downtown DC IBEW headquarters at last night's Labor for Gray fundraiser and reception. "I don't even think we've had a... more...
Jul 28, 2010 Former Baltimore Sun Workers Get New Outlet “Looking for work is more dispiriting even than dating,” writes John E. McIntyre. “You put yourself forward to be judged, and you are not only found wanting but often simply ignored.” McIntyre, former chief copy editor at the Baltimore Sun, was one of 60 people – including a third of... more...
Jul 27, 2010 Gray Fundraiser Provides View From The Top With hundreds planning on attending and thousands of dollars already raised, excitement is building for tonight's labor reception and fundraiser for DC Mayoral candidate Vince Gray (at right). The reception runs from 5P-7P on the IBEW's rooftop deck overlooking downtown Washington. In... more...
Jul 27, 2010 Workplace Safety Town Hall Tonight “An average of 14 workers die each day in this country because the current occupational safety and health laws are weak,” says Sara Markle-Elder, who is organizing tonight’s town hall meeting on tough new legislation that seeks to strengthen mine and workplace safety rules. “The... more...
Jul 27, 2010 Labor Profile: Paola Encarnacion, DC JWJ Intern “Determination is my key to success,” declares D.C. Jobs with Justice intern Paola Encarnacion (below), “everyone tells me I am going to be just like (Supreme Court nominee) Sonia Sotomayor and make history.” The Dominican Republic native -- who’s lived in Washington for the past two... more...
Jul 27, 2010 Union Voice: Readers Write “Your newsletter is usually a heartening pleasure,” writes reader George dePue. “I'm very grateful. In a small, hopefully beginning way it hearkens back to the era when organized working people undertook our own media, even broadcasting. In the era of the Internet, your work is... more...
Jul 26, 2010 Mobile Exhibit Exposes Modern-Day Slavery Learn about the history and evolution of slavery in Florida’s fields at a special exhibit – developed by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers – on display today at the Church of the Pilgrims near Dupont Circle. “A century and a half after the Civil War, forms of slavery continue... more...
Jul 26, 2010 Labor For Gray Fundraiser Tomorrow “I implore unions and members of the labor community to help support labor-endorsed candidate for Mayor, Vince Gray (l), at a reception and fundraiser tomorrow night,” says Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO President Jos Williams. “Throughout his career, Vince has demonstrated... more...
Jul 26, 2010 CSA Golf Tourney Set Registration forms for the Community Services Agency’s annual golf tournament – now in its 15th year, scheduled for Monday, September 27 – are available for download on the Metro Council’s website. “Be sure to sign up early so that you don’t miss out!” says CSA Executive... more...
Jul 26, 2010 Free Green Labor Journal The National Labor College has released the July publication of the Green Labor Journal, a free monthly e-zine that “examines issues of green jobs, sustainability, clean energy and climate change from a labor movement perspective,” reports the NLC. This month’s edition includes... more...
Jul 26, 2010 Union Voice: Readers Write “I saw the mention in Friday’s ‘Weekend Labor History’ of the Alliance for Labor Action (ALA),” writes AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman. “When I was a student in Montgomery College I interviewed the ALA Director for a school project. While I had been active in... more...
Jul 26, 2010 Labor Photo: Mott's Strikers Garner Support From NoVA Labor more...
Jul 23, 2010 "Shame On Massey" Say Protesters More than 50 labor rights activists rallied outside the National Press Club Thursday where Don Blankenship – the Chairman and CEO of mining company Massey Energy – was scheduled to speak. “A total of 31 miners have been killed this year at mines owned by Massey,” Peg Seminario, AFL-CIO... more...
Jul 23, 2010 Labor For Gray Fundraiser Next Week Local unions are encouraged to show their support for labor-endorsed candidate for Mayor of the District of Columbia, Vince Gray, at a reception and fundraiser next Tuesday, July 27. “I strongly urge you to help support Vince's campaign by attending this event,” says Metropolitan... more...
Jul 23, 2010 Tough Mine, Workplace Safety Bill Advances “Tough new mine safety and workplace safety rules cleared a big hurdle Wednesday when the House Education and Labor Committee approved legislation that includes stronger enforcement tools, tougher penalties and broader workers’ rights,” reports the AFL-CIO . “The bill—now named... more...
Jul 23, 2010 Searchable Union City Archive Nearly five years of Union City stories are just a click away in Union City’s searchable online archives . Now you can quickly locate complete articles – along with photos and artwork – going back to December 2005. more...
Jul 22, 2010 Activists To Rally For Mine Workers' Rights Today Dozens of workers’ rights activists will rally outside the Press Club at 11:30A today to tell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Massey Energy, Don Blankenship - whose company owns the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia where 29 miners were killed on April 5th - that “lives... more...
Jul 22, 2010 "Boycott The Reserve" Urge Restaurant Workers Representatives from DC Jobs with Justice and community allies leafleted outside The Reserve on L Street, NW at noon yesterday, urging passersby to boycott the restaurant where workers are owed tens of thousands in back wages by owner Moe Hamdan. “Hamdan still refuses to pay his workers,”... more...
Jul 22, 2010 WHC Nurses Continue Push For "Fair Contract" Over 300 Nurses United members – who have been working without a contract since the end of June - rallied outside the Washington Hospital Center Monday, calling on management to bring “fair and reasonable” proposals to the bargaining table. “Nurses are not asking for pay increases,... more...
Jul 22, 2010 Fed Up Residents Establish "Tent City" Enraged over Mayor Fenty’s back flip on promises to provide affordable housing, dozens of DC's Shaw neighborhood residents, homeless activists and community allies – led by ONE DC and Take Back the Land – have established a ‘tent city’ on the corner of 7th and R Streets, NW to draw... more...
Jul 22, 2010 Miner Safety To Be Explored At Labor Briefing Join labor and community allies for a special briefing next Tuesday on the Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010, which seeks to strengthen oversight and enforcement in mines and other dangerous workplaces. Briefing organizers are seeking workers who have had workplace injuries and... more...
Jul 21, 2010 Endorsements Finalized At Special Council Meeting Braving a marathon session of rigorous debate Monday night, Executive Board members and Delegates of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO finalized the remaining political endorsements in state and local races. Click here to review the complete list of endorsements on the Metro... more...
Jul 21, 2010 Hold Massey Energy Accountable! Labor and community allies will hold a demonstration Thursday against Don Blankenship (r), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Massey Energy, whose company owns the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia where 29 miners were killed on April 5th. “Massey had racked up a disgraceful... more...
Jul 21, 2010 Union Voice: Readers Write “Enjoying the newsletters,” writes Mona Miller. “Especially the article about the labor tour in DC with the map of labor-friendly (and not-so-friendly) hotels and restaurants.” Whether you love Union City, found an error or have a story suggestion, we love hearing from our readers!... more...
Jul 20, 2010 Fish Fry Helps USDA Local Build Membership Whoever said there’s no such thing as a free lunch wasn’t at the USDA last Wednesday. Members of AFSCME 3925 – which represents the USDA Farm Services and Risk Management Agency’s employees -- enjoyed a free fish fry, as did their colleagues who signed up for the union that day. As... more...
Jul 20, 2010 Verizon Charged With Exploiting Workers Verizon workers in Northern Virginia say they are being forced to perform “mandatory overtime,” charging that Verizon’s Director of FiOS Installation is exploiting a provision in their contract that allows up to eight extra “volunteer hours” per week if necessary. “For a business,... more...
Jul 20, 2010 Labor To Host Reception For Gray Meet labor’s endorsed candidate for Mayor of the District of Columbia, Vince Gray, at a reception and fundraiser on Tuesday, July 27 . "Labor will have an integral role in a Gray administration," said Gray in May, when the Metro Council endorsed him. "Union members are the life's... more...
Jul 19, 2010 Special Metro Council Delegate Meeting Tonight Don't miss tonight's Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO delegate meeting – the first July Council meeting in many years -- where delegates will hold a special session for the sole purpose of taking action on endorsements in the metro-area's remaining political races. Click here... more...
Jul 19, 2010 Children's Hospital Workers OK New Pact Hospital workers at the Children's National Medical Center overwhelmingly approved a new 3-year contract on July 6. The new pact provides 1,000 members of SEIU 722 with 3% raises each year and “cleared up time and attendance issues,” reports Local 722 President Dan Fields. The local... more...
Jul 19, 2010 IN MEMORIAM: CWA Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus James Booe; Harry Kranz, DOL, UAW, CIO CWA Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus James Booe: Retired CWA Secretary-Treasurer James B. Booe (r), who helped guide CWA for nearly 45 years, died July 9. He was 83. Booe retired as secretary-treasurer in 1992 after having served CWA as secretary-treasurer and executive vice president. Booe... more...
Jul 16, 2010 Wal-Mart DC Plans Challenged Wal-Mart’s low wages won’t fly in the nation’s capital. With negotiations underway for the giant retailer to open a store in the District, unions and community advocates are pushing big box stores to pay workers a living wage and hire District residents. A poll conducted by the United... more...
Jul 16, 2010 Building Futures Project Graduates 5th Class The Community Services Agency's GSA Building Futures Project successfully graduated their fifth pre-apprenticeship class this week. The nineteen youth graduates celebrated their accomplishments Wednesday afternoon at Covenant House Washington surrounded by enthusiastic family, friends,... more...
Jul 16, 2010 Dyer Re-Elected OPEIU Region 2 VP OPEIU Local 2 President Dan Dyer was re-elected Vice President for OPEIU’s Region II at the union’s 25th annual convention, held in Washington June 21-24. The convention focused on the theme "Diversity is Our Strength" in honor of OPEIU's gender and ethnic diversity, as well as the... more...
Jul 16, 2010 Got Books, Need Bags The National Labor College’s upcoming Southern School for Union Women is looking for donations of leftover union convention or conference canvas bags or briefcases. “We received a number of books to give away,” says organizer Elise Bryant, “but need a good, strong union bag to... more...
Jul 16, 2010 JUFJ's "Thinking Jewishly": Sickening Injustice at Area Restaurants This year's Labor on the Bimah theme is restaurant worker justice. Even in the current economic crisis, the restaurant industry is one of the fastest-growing industries. And though this growth would not be possible without workers such as waitstaff and bartenders, many restaurant employees... more...
Jul 16, 2010 When Finances Stall, Union Plus Provides A Jump Start For ATU Member Times are tough for members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 – service cuts loom large, job performance is under heavy scrutiny, and the safety of both passengers and drivers is a constant concern. Throw a career-threatening injury into the mix, and the stress level soars to... more...
Jul 15, 2010 Daycon Thumbs Nose At NLRB, Workers "We're still on strike!" reports Teamsters 639 Business Agent Doug Webber. The Teamsters met Tuesday afternoon with Daycon management and a federal mediator after the National Labor Relations Board issued a formal complaint against the local cleaning supplies company, whose workers have been... more...
Jul 15, 2010 Electricians Pay It Forward Thirty electricians and apprentices kept things humming Saturday as they wired up a Covenant House facility in southeast Washington. The volunteers included members of IBEW Local 26’s Minority Coalition, who recruited fellow local members of all races to help wire the housing and training... more...
Jul 15, 2010 Labor Profile: Robert Bass, MCGEO/UFCW 1994 Shop Steward Shop stewards are on a local union's day-to-day frontlines, and that’s where UFCW 1994 shop steward Robert Bass (at far left in photo) was last Wednesday. "We've got to nip this in the bud," he said, referring to the raiding attempt by an out-of-state union on Local 1994's members. After... more...
Jul 14, 2010 PERB Upholds Reinstatement Of Fired DC Caseworkers “Without my union I don’t know where I’d be today,” said an exuberant Nicole Smith Tuesday as her fellow caseworkers cheered outside the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) in southeast DC. Smith and two of her colleagues had just won another ruling reinstating them after... more...
Jul 14, 2010 Labor Rallies For O'Malley Union members gathered in front of the State House in Annapolis Monday to reiterate their support for Gov. Martin O'Malley, saying the Democratic governor has always paid attention to them, unlike his Republican predecessor. "Are we going to let our piece of property be taken over?" asked... more...
Jul 14, 2010 "Musicians For The Cure" Top Fundraising Record The small but mighty ‘Musicians for the Cure’ team from AFM Local 161-710 raised a record $2,503.02 in this year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure , the team’s most successful effort yet. “Thanks to the participants and all who contributed to our efforts this year,” says team... more...
Jul 14, 2010 Endorsement Vote Monday Delegates of the Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO will hold a special meeting next Monday, July 19 for the sole purpose of taking action on endorsements in the remaining outstanding political races. The meeting starts at 6:30P sharp at the AFL-CIO, 815 16th St NW. more...
Jul 14, 2010 Labor On The Move: AFSCME 2250's Shaw Passes Former ACE/AFSCME 2250 Executive Director Harold Shaw (r) passed away in late June. "Harold was a hard and dedicated worker in the labor movement," said Local 2250 President Faith Jones. "He was instrumental in forming Local 2250 in 1967 when the Maintenance Department Association was... more...
Jul 13, 2010 Local 99 Grads Keep Their Cool After more than 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 600 hours in the classroom, 14 students graduated last month from the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 99 Joint Apprentice-ship Committee training program. Operating engineers make sure the air conditioning, heat,... more...
Jul 13, 2010 A Chance For Injured Workers To Speak Out If you or someone you know -- a member of your local, for instance -- has been injured on the job, Sara Markle-Elder wants to talk to you. Markle-Elder is organizing a job safety town hall later this month on federal legislation which seeks to strengthen oversight and enforcement in... more...
Jul 13, 2010 Labor On The Move: AFSCME's Bill Lucy Retires; Chuck Gray Passes AFSCME’s Bill Lucy Retires: Longtime labor icon and civil rights leader William Lucy (r) -- known to everyone as Bill -- has retired after more than four decades at the forefront of the labor movement. As Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of State County and Municipal... more...
Jul 12, 2010 Pro-Active Campaign Saves Union Jobs At Giant Warehouse "We just didn't back down," says Teamsters 730 President Ritchie Brooks. The union last week announced that Giant had agreed not to lay off any unionized workers -- and to accept the terms and conditions of the existing Teamster contract -- at its dry goods distribution business in... more...
Jul 12, 2010 Shaw's Warehouse Workers Ratify New Contract, Ending Strike Associates at the Shaw's Methuen (MA) distribution center have ratified a mediator-recommended settlement agreement, ending the strike that began March 7 ( Local UFCW Members Support Strikers In Massachusetts 5/3/2010 UC ). "Congratulations to our brothers and sisters at Shaw's," said... more...
Jul 12, 2010 Team Solidarity Nets Nats Win On Labor Night More than 5,000 area union members and their families joined a packed crowd at Friday’s fourth annual Labor Night at the Nats, as the home team clobbered the Giants in a 8-1 victory. AFGE 3615’s Juanita Jackson threw out the ceremonial first pitch, OPEIU 2 member and AFSCME staffer Renee... more...
Jul 12, 2010 Labor Photo: "Thou Shalt Not Steal" Say Restaurant Workers Former employees of The Reserve restaurant were joined by DC Jobs with Justice and dozens of labor allies and community supporters Friday afternoon in front of the L Street eatery as they demanded tens of thousand in back wages they're owed by restaurant owner Moe Hamden. - photo by Adam... more...
Jul 12, 2010 Union Voice: Readers Write "I'm an unemployed Wisconsinite," writes Union City reader Merritt Bussiere from Kewaunee, Wisconsin. "A compañero in DC added me to your mailing list. So, starting out, I was in it for the Hiring Hall. But Today's Labor History has become my favorite feature. So inspiring and helps me keep... more...
Jul 9, 2010 Moe Is Less At Local Eatery Restaurateur Moe Hamdan (at left) used his new upscale DC eatery as his own personal piggy bank while leaving workers empty-handed, say former employees of The Reserve. According to one former manager who requested anonymity, Hamdan - who's the target of a demonstration by former workers and... more...
Jul 9, 2010 Union Nats Fans: Wear Your Colors, Bring A Toy "Don't forget to wear your union colors at tonight's Labor Night at the Nats," says Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. Union City will be roaming the stands shooting photos for special online Labor Night at the Nats photo album. "Plus, bring along a new toy,... more...
Jul 9, 2010 UFCW 400 Feeds Daycon Struggle As their strike stretched into its 11 week and temperatures soared, striking Daycon workers got some relief on Thursday when UFCW Local 400 President Tom McNutt sent over lunch and cold drinks. "We've got to help them keep their struggle alive," said UFCW Local 400 Director of Strategic Growth... more...
Jul 9, 2010 NPO Musicians Ink New Contract National Philharmonic Orchestra musicians finalized a new contract on June 28 that provides for wage increases, annual bonuses and increased pension payouts over the life of the three-year contract. AFM Local 161-710 President John Cusick praised the local's NPO bargaining committee "for... more...
Jul 9, 2010 Local Union Member Stands In For America's Laid-Off Workers "From the Panera bakery in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, Carlita Guzman can gaze across the street at Lee Plaza, the 10-storey art deco building where she used to clean office suites every evening," wrote James Politi in the July 2 edition of The Financial Times. Guzman, an SEIU 32BJ... more...
Jul 8, 2010 "Scabs Go Home" Say MCGEO Workers Responding to recent attempts to raid UFCW 1994 MCGEO members by “decertified scab unions,” dozens of Montgomery County government workers hand-billed outside the Gaithersburg Holiday Inn during rush hour Wednesday afternoon. The presence of a giant inflatable rat on loan from the... more...
Jul 8, 2010 Restaurateur Hamdan Targeted For Failure To Pay Wages Moe Hamdan owes his workers more than $10,000. The owner of The Reserve restaurant is the target of a DC Jobs with Justice campaign to win back wages for DC workers. Hamdan has refused to meet with ex-workers who charge that he never paid them and D.C. Jobs with Justice delegation members, as... more...
Jul 8, 2010 MD General Assembly Questionnaires Posted Online Responses to the Metro Council's questionnaire by candidates running for office in the Maryland General Assembly have been posted online. This expands the existing candidate questionnaire postings, which now include DC City Council, Prince George's County Council and County Executive, Charles,... more...
Jul 8, 2010 School Helps Union Women Learn History, Leadership Skills Union women will learn how to "Run for Office, Not for Coffee" at this year's Southern School for Union Women, set for August 19-22 at the National Labor College (NLC) in Silver Spring. The school was created by and for union and community activists who support women’s advancement in the... more...
Jul 7, 2010 Janitor Battle Splashes Onto Business Press “Is Lee Development Group’s Cleaning Contractor BREAKING THE LAW?” blares the banner ad running atop Gazette.net’s business page. SEIU 32BJ is running the ad for a full month to expose Lee’s hiring of contractor Beltway Cleaning Services “which unjustly refused to hire all... more...
Jul 7, 2010 Labor On The Move: Saunders Elected AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders (r) was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) last Friday at the 1.6 million-member union’s 39th International Convention, held in Boston, MA. Saunders bested Danny Donohue in the contested election,... more...
Jul 7, 2010 Streetheat Works, Says IPS “The street heat generated by Jobs with Justice, the AFL-CIO, SEIU, and other groups” strengthened the financial reform bill now before the Senate Sarah Anderson told attendees at the U.S. Social Forum in Detroit last month. “The Wall Street ‘showdowns’ they organized in Chicago, in... more...
Jul 7, 2010 Why The Mona Lisa Doesn't Talk To Grand Juries The latest social justice calendar from labor artist Ricardo Levins Morales is now available for free download . In addition to significant historical labor events and actions, the July calendar features an image of the Mona Lisa dressed as a worker, mysteriously saying "I don't talk... more...
Jul 7, 2010 Labor Profile: Jobs with Justice Intern Anthony Ferguson Most youth dream of changing the world and making a difference. Anthony Ferguson (l), a rising junior at Bell Multicultural High School in Columbia Heights NW DC, chose to put his dream into action by signing up for DC Jobs with Justice in a summer internship. "I wanted to help with workers'... more...
Jul 6, 2010 NLRB Charges Daycon Violated Law Strikers at Daycon won a victory last Friday when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decided to charge the local cleaning products company with significant violations of federal labor law. After conducting a major investigation for several months, the NLRB is issuing formal charges... more...
Jul 6, 2010 Opera Management, Union Members Singing Off Same Page Labor and management are in harmony at the Washington National Opera. Again. Workers and management at the 54-year-old local musical institution settled a new contract in less than 48 hours last month, reports Eleni Kallas, National Director of Organizing and Training at the American Guild of... more...
Jul 6, 2010 Mott's Strikers Take A Stand For American Blue-Collar Workers by Chris Garlock They'd rather be making applesauce. Instead, the workers at Mott's have been on strike in upstate New York since May 23, in what they say is the latest battle against unchecked corporate greed. On Friday, while visiting my parents in nearby Rochester for the holiday weekend,... more...
Jul 6, 2010 Excluded Workers Organize For Rights Fifty one local activists traveled to Detroit recently, chartering a bus to attend the U.S. Social Forum held June 22 - 26th. The group included students, union members, members of DC Jobs with Justice and Empower DC, Wings strikers, and Union de Trabajadores members. In Detroit they joined up... more...
Jul 6, 2010 New York Group Trying To Raid UFCW In Montgomery County An out-of-town labor group with a “checkered past” is raiding Montgomery County government workers, reports UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO. The National Corrections Employees Union (NCEU) from Massachusetts and the New York-based United Public Service Employees Union (UPSEU) are soliciting the Local... more...
Jul 6, 2010 Labor Photo: Founding Fathers Crash Corporate Fundraisers more...
Jul 6, 2010 Last & Final Chance For Nats Tix It’s the bottom of the 9th, two outs and two strikes for Labor Night at the Nats tickets. “Today’s your last chance to buy tickets for next week’s annual Labor Night at the Nats,” reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. “Final ticket purchases must... more...
Jul 6, 2010 Area Workers Support Mott's Strike Local grocery workers are supporting a month-old strike in upstate New York. Three hundred workers at Mott’s were forced out on strike last month when the company slashed wages, benefits and undercut retirement security. UFCW Local 400 is supporting their fellow members at UFCW Local... more...
Jul 6, 2010 Labor On The Move: Heintzman Succeeds George As ATU President Ronald J. Heintzman (r), executive vice president of the Amalgamated Transit Union for the past year, and a union vice president for seven years before that, took over as ATU’s international president on July 1. The union’s executive board appointed him to succeed Warren S. George, who... more...
Jul 6, 2010 DC's Labor History Explored When labor activists took a walk through downtown Washington recently, it was, unusually, as tourists, not demonstrators. The group of 18 labor lawyers – in town for the annual meeting of the Lawyers Coordinating Committee -- participated in the first-ever DC Labor History Tour, led by Metro... more...
Jul 1, 2010 Nurses Join Teamsters On Daycon Picketline "We're here today out of solidarity, pure and simple," DC Nurses Association Executive Director Herman Brown, Jr. said yesterday morning as he and other DCNA members walked the picket line at Daycon. "We don't like management treating people wrong, whether it's Teamsters or nurses." Blowing... more...
Jul 1, 2010 DC Workers Fight For Jobs At City Hearing Workers battled business lobbyists in a major throw-down over jobs at DC City Council yesterday. "City Council needs to get serious about enforcing legislation that provides DC residents with jobs and training," challenged Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO Executive Board member and DC... more...
Jul 1, 2010 Inspiring & Mobilizing DC Nurses Area nurses were "inspired and mobilized" by a labor relations seminar conducted last week by the DC Nurses Association. Thirty DCNA local leaders gathered for the annual training session led by Edward J. Smith, the union's staff attorney. "It was our most active labor relations seminar in... more...
Jun 30, 2010 Local Transit Union President Says Safety For Workers, Riders Within Reach The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, beleaguered by deadly accidents in recent years, can be transformed into a safely run system, says the head of the Metro worker’s union. “Effective oversight, dedicated funding and institutional accountability will restore the confidence... more...
Jun 30, 2010 Workers To Battle Trade Lobby Goliath At Today's Council Hearing District residents and workers will take on the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), the anti-union trade lobby group, at a special City Council hearing on DC’s Employment and Trade Stimulus Amendment Act today at 10A. The bill would provide much-needed jobs and training... more...
Jun 30, 2010 Friday Deadline For Nats Tix Time is running out to get your tickets for this year’s Labor Night at the Nats! “The deadline is fast approaching,” warns Community Services Agency (CSA) Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, noting that ticket purchases must be finalized by this Friday, July 2 at 12P. The family... more...
Jun 30, 2010 June Council Minutes Now Online Draft minutes from the June 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 next month’s meeting when Delegates will hold a special session on Monday, July 16 at... more...
Jun 29, 2010 Washington Hospital Nurses Reject Contract Nurses at Washington Hospital Center overwhelmingly rejected management's proposed contract last weekend. The 987-21 vote -- the largest turnout in the union's history -- sent "a strong message to WHC management that we will not accept continued staffing shortages or reductions in benefits and... more...
Jun 29, 2010 DC Failing Own Workers Jobless DC residents are being victimized by high unemployment and their own government’s failure to enforce basic laws specifically designed to help them. DC’s 4-year-old living wage law has yet to be implemented, and the District’s “first source” law is largely being ignored,... more...
Jun 29, 2010 Labor On The Move: Reggie Cole Retires From AFL-CIO "After more than 31 years of service, Reggie Cole is retiring and will be missed immensely!" reports the AFL-CIO. Cole (r) has filled several critical roles at the AFL-CIO, including nearly a decade as the Broadcast Manager. A celebration to honor her is being held on Wednesday, June 30... more...
Jun 29, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Site Coordinator Jennifer Tate “I was born in solidarity,” says Jennifer Tate (r), site coordinator for the DC Union Summer intern program. The Michigan State graduate (’08) knew early on that she wanted to be a union member as well as an activist, growing up in a household fully engaged in the battle for workers... more...
Jun 28, 2010 Capitol Tour Staff Lead Way To Union Tour staff at the U.S. Capitol know a lot about the building's history. Friday they added their own chapter to that history, filing for a union recognition election. The filing came after a brief 3-week campaign initiated by the workers themselves, reports Carl Goldman, Executive Director of... more...
Jun 28, 2010 Working To Get Off The Bench Ironworker Willie Williams (r) isn’t used to being laid off. “I refuse to sit on the bench,” he says. Right now, though, Williams – whose goals is to “be an iron worker for the next twenty years” -- is out of work, unwillingly benched. Williams, a DC resident, apprenticed... more...
Jun 28, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Intern Lizet Ramirez Legendary farm workers organizer Cesar Chavez is not just a hero to Union Summer intern Lizet Ramirez (r), he was a co-worker and close friend of her father, Agustin Ramirez, who’s also one of her biggest heroes and a longtime union activist, first with the United Farm Workers, and later... more...
Jun 25, 2010 Cement Masons Seal Big Concrete Deal At New Coast Guard HQ Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ Local 891 is “One of the first labor unions" to land a contract on the St Elizabeth's project in Southeast DC, reports Business Manager Keith Hickman. The union recently locked down a federal contract to work on the new Coast Guard headquarters... more...
Jun 25, 2010 Strasburg Set To Pitch At Labor Night At The Nats Now there are two reasons to catch the July 9 Nationals-Giants game: tickets to the fourth annual Labor Night at the Nats benefit the Community Services Agency and pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg (r) is currently scheduled to start that night. “It’s going to be a great night at the... more...
Jun 25, 2010 DC Resident Wants To Help Rebuild His Community Larae King-Day is a construction worker, a father, a musician and a lifelong DC resident. He’s also been out of work for two long years. King-Day trained as a construction worker through the GSA Building Futures Project but has had no luck finding steady work. “I thought being a Ward 8... more...
Jun 25, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Intern Jack Arlook Inspired by his urge to make a positive impact on people’s lives in his hometown, Washingtonian Jack Arlook is one of this year’s Union Summer interns at the Metro Washington Council. After graduating from Eckerd College in St Petersburg, FL in 2007 – where he earned a double major in... more...
Jun 24, 2010 "Contract Or Leave!" Demand Hilton Workers Charging that the Hilton Crystal City is “violating workers’ rights,” dozens of hotel workers rallied in Northern Virginia Wednesday afternoon demanding that hotel owner Columbia Sussex “sign a fair contract or get out of town.” The workers have been without a contract since October... more...
Jun 24, 2010 SEIU 32BJ Hosts Open House At New HQ Saturday SEIU 32BJ "has consolidated its Silver Spring and DC offices to bring our organizing department, health care fund and training funds together under one roof," says District Chair and Area Director Jaime Contreras. "This will provide our members with better access to their union!" The local is... more...
Jun 24, 2010 Online Council Directory Updated AFGE Local 2978 – which represents workers at the DC Department of Health – has new contact information, updated in the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO’s online directory of local affiliates. Click here now to search for local 2978’s new address and phone number and... more...
Jun 24, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Intern Boaz Young-El Boaz Young-El’s interest in activism began as a minority student at Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville Virginia. “There was not much diversity at Hampden-Sydney,” says Young-El (l), so he joined the Minority Student Union (MSU), a social equality advocacy group on campus. “MSU was one... more...
Jun 23, 2010 Political Action Dominates June Council Meeting Political action dominated the agenda at Monday’s Metro Council Executive Board and delegate meetings. After spirited discussion of the candidate endorsement recommendations by the DC, Prince George’s and Tri-County COPE committees, both bodies voted to meet again in special session on... more...
Jun 23, 2010 Hilton Workers To Rally Against Union-Busting Today Workers at the Hilton Crystal City in Northern Virginia continue their two-and-a-half-year struggle at 4:30P today . The hotel workers have been fighting to maintain decent wages, benefits and workplace rights and will rally to stop hotel owner Columbia Sussex Corporation's union-busting... more...
Jun 23, 2010 Area Broadcast Workers Pull Off Double-Play Workers at Montgomery Community Television - members of NABET Local 31 - overwhelmingly ratified a 3-year contract earlier this month; the vote was 13-0. NABET 31 also just negotiated a “ground breaking agreement” with ABC that will add over 3,700 “man days” for local union members.... more...
Jun 23, 2010 JUFJ's "Thinking Jewishly": 2010 Labor On The Bimah Jews United For Justice's annual Labor on the Bimah program is back, focusing this year on restaurant worker justice. Part of the Interfaith Worker Justice's Labor in the Pulpit/Bimah/Minbar, the program weaves together labor issues, social justice, and Judaism in an effort to bring... more...
Jun 22, 2010 Bad Blood At The Red Cross Bad blood is more than a metaphor at the American Red Cross. Hundreds of workers demonstrated outside national Red Cross headquarters under the blistering afternoon sun yesterday to expose the aid agency's poor treatment of both its workers and the nation's blood supply. The Red Cross has been... more...
Jun 22, 2010 Nats Stadium Workers Ink New Contract With a hot new pitcher on the mound and a freshly-approved contract in hand, members of UNITE HERE Local 25 are enthusiastically cheering on the Nationals. Workers at the Nationals Stadium - members of Local 25 - overwhelmingly approved a new agreement Monday afternoon. "It's a great... more...
Jun 22, 2010 MontCo Tenant Group To Call For Rent Stabilization, Improved Renter Laws Rent stabilization and improved renter laws in Montgomery County are among the recommendations the Montgomery County Tenants Work Group will make to the Montgomery County Council today. "Right now there's very little to protect renters in Montgomery County against out-of-control rent... more...
Jun 22, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Intern Essie Ablavsky Inspired by anarchist Emma Goldman and folksinger Utah Phillips, Union Summer intern Essie Ablavsky (r) is back for her second summer of union activism. “They addressed issues of inequality and referenced the labor movement” says Ablavsky, “it really captured my interest.” The New... more...
Jun 22, 2010 Teamsters Blow Whistle On Daycon At UMD College Park Striking Teamsters literally blew their whistles on Daycon during a picket at the University of Maryland’s College Park campus Friday after discovering that the school was using a Daycon truck as an on-site supply drop for cleaning supplies. The strike against Daycon - a local cleaning... more...
Jun 21, 2010 On The Line Today Join hundreds of OPEIU members, the DC Union Summer interns and two giant inflatable rats at the 1p Red Cross picket line today and then catch up on all the latest local labor news - including reports on the 8-week Teamsters strike against Daycon and contract negotiations at the... more...
Jun 21, 2010 Nurses Urged To Vote Down Contract Amid Leadership Crisis At Washington Hospital Center Nurses at Washington Hospital Center are being urged to vote down "insulting contract proposals" after 13 weeks of fruitless negotiations. Meanwhile, as contract talks collapsed last Thursday, the hospital announced that interim president Harry Rider is leaving office early and senior vice... more...
Jun 21, 2010 Striking Iron Workers Take Battle To Next Level Striking iron workers took their 8-month battle for justice to La Plata on Friday. Accompanied by representatives of DC Jobs with Justice and six Union Summer interns, the iron workers - who have been on strike against Wings Construction since October 2009 -- demanded to speak to the owner of... more...
Jun 21, 2010 Carpenter Trainees Build Relationships After three months of carpentry, math and job readiness training, seven DC residents graduated last Thursday from the DC DOES-funded Carpenters Employment Training Program at Phelps High School in the District’s Northeast. The graduates learned about the tools of the trade and safely used... more...
Jun 21, 2010 Learning About U.S. Labor Through The National Pastime A group of Russian labor professionals will be among the crowd at the July 9 Labor Night at the Nats . The Russians will be here "to meet with their counterparts and learn more about labor relations," says Michael Ginsberg of the Center for International Programs, who calls the labor... more...
Jun 21, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Intern Joseph Daniels It’s no surprise that DC native Joe Daniels (r) is fascinated by politics. After following the 2004 election, Daniels – one of seven Union Summer interns at the Metro Council -- was hooked and wanted to “learn more about how our government ticks and how it affects the people.” ... more...
Jun 21, 2010 Labor Quote Quiz "Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." Which coach said it? Phil Jackson, Vince Lombardi, Pat Summit or John Wooden? Click here to vote now and you could be a winner! LAST WEEK'S QUIZ: Robert... more...
Jun 18, 2010 MontCo Workers Fight Furloughs With Youtube Montgomery County workers, frustrated at being targeted for layoffs and furloughs, are striking back creatively. "Make a video-serious or funny, in verse or in song-rap, parody, satire or comedy," urges their union, UFCW Local 1994, Municipal & County Government Employees Organization... more...
Jun 18, 2010 Mirant Workers OK 5-Year Contract IBEW Local 1900 members have okayed a new 5-year contract at the Mirant power company. "There were a lot of good things in the contract," says Karl Furbush, Local 1900 business representative. While the Mirant workers won six weeks of vacation after 30 years of service and an additional... more...
Jun 18, 2010 Aid Workers See Red Red Cross workers and their supporters are bringing their battle for justice to the aid agency's national headquarters on Monday at 1P . Following up on a three-day strike by Red Cross workers in six states in early June, hundreds of delegates to the Office and Professional Employees... more...
Jun 18, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Intern Jasmine Butler Eighteen-year-old Jasmine Butler (r) wants to educate you about the labor movement. Just a week into her Union Summer internship at the Metro Washington Council, the Bowie State sophomore already knows that "when you are at a job and employers aren't treating you right," you have a right to... more...
Jun 17, 2010 CWA District 2 Moves To Block Corporate Tax-Dodgers CWA District 2 activists recently "played a huge role" in winning support from a key U.S. Senator to stop corporate tax-dodgers. Legislation to close a major tax loophole is before the Senate this week, and CWA members last month won support from Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), a key member... more...
Jun 17, 2010 Airline Workers Skeptical Of United-Continental Merger Area airline workers were among those keeping a close eye on Congressional hearings that began yesterday on the proposed merger between United Airlines and Continental Airlines. "The IAM is concerned that the new entity may be too big to succeed," International Association of Machinists and... more...
Jun 17, 2010 3 Union Employers Make 2010 "Best Places To Work" List Three local union employers have made the Washington Business Journal's " 2010 Best Places to Work ." Workers at the Omni Shoreham - the union hotel where the Metro Council holds the annual Evening With Labor - are members of UNITE HERE Local 25 and IUOE Local 99, while HITT Contracting... more...
Jun 17, 2010 Labor Profile: Union Summer Intern Ryan Carty North Carolina native Ryan Carty “didn’t really know much about the labor movement,” but says he’s already gained “excellent hands-on experience” since being hired as part of the AFL-CIO’s Union Summer internship program at the Metro Washington Council. “In North Carolina there... more...
Jun 16, 2010 Nurses Cast "No Confidence" Vote At Washington Hospital Center “Come back with some good results!” called out the nurse. “We’re working on it,” replied OR nurse Valerie Braden (at left), a shop steward for Nurses United at the Washington Hospital Center. Braden was one of two dozen union nurses clad in purple shirts emblazoned with “Nurses... more...
Jun 16, 2010 DC JwJ Organizes Bus To Social Forum Seats are going fast on DC Jobs with Justice’s bus to the second US Social Forum June 22-26 in Detroit, MI. “Join tens of thousands of activists as we gather in Detroit under the banner, ‘Another World is Possible, Another U.S. is Necessary,’" says DC JWJ Executive Director... more...
Jun 16, 2010 Union Plus Ups AT&T Discount To 15% Just in time for the new iPhone 4 release, Union Plus has increased union members' AT&T Discount to 15% from 10%. “Now is a great time to tell your members to switch their wireless service to AT&T to get savings, service and solidarity with the only completely unionized... more...
Jun 15, 2010 Young Workers Support Local Hotel Workers More than 200 young workers from across the country braved sweltering DC heat and rush hour crowds last Friday to demonstrate their solidarity with local hotel workers. As part of the AFL-CIO's “Next Up” Young Worker Summit, participants organized an action in solidarity with a local... more...
Jun 15, 2010 MD/DC State Fed Honors Lautar, Cefalu & Moore At “Salute To Leadership” The contributions of Jim Lautar (r), Buddy Cefalu and Bob Moore to the labor movement will be honored at the Maryland State and District of Columbia’s “ Salute to Leadership " this Friday. Lautar is the former coordinator of the IAM National Pension Fund, Cefalu is the President of the... more...
Jun 15, 2010 Writing Locally “Continue hounding unions for news items,” wrote one Union City reader in our recent bi-annual reader survey. “We don't always remember to share our struggles and victories.” The daily publication – “useful info, easy to read, colorful and attractive!” according to one... more...
Jun 14, 2010 Building Good Relationships Fifteen students from the GSA Building Futures Project got an up-close and personal site tour of the St. Elizabeth's West Campus redevelopment project with Clark Construction last Thursday. "It was my first time on a construction site," said student Kevin Ball, "I learned the ins and outs of... more...
Jun 14, 2010 Montgomery County Candidate Questionnaires Posted Online Responses to the Metro Council's questionnaire by candidates in Montgomery County have just been posted online , where you can browse complete responses by 16 candidates. This expands the existing candidate questionnaire postings, which include DC City Council, Council Chair and Prince... more...
Jun 14, 2010 DC JwJ Fundraiser "Vote Of Confidence" Last Thursday's "I'll Be There Awards" raised more than $24,000 for DC Jobs with Justice, "and sponsorships are still coming in!" says JwJ's Ruth Castel-Branco. The response to the community-labor group's 8th annual fundraiser "was our best-ever and a real vote of confidence in the work we've... more...
Jun 14, 2010 Young Workers, "Next Up" To Lead Labor Movement, Support Local Hotel Workers More than 200 young workers from across the country braved sweltering DC heat and rush hour crowds last Friday to demonstrate their solidarity with local hotel workers. As part of the AFL-CIO's first-ever "Next Up" Young Worker Summit, participants organized an action in solidarity with the... more...
Jun 11, 2010 Making Solidarity Real "Without your help we would not have advanced as far as we have," striking ironworker Cristian Vazquez said at last night's DC Jobs With Justice "I'll Be There" awards. "We are like a tree that's planted by the river and we will continue our struggle to the end. Gracias!" The striking Wings... more...
Jun 11, 2010 Students Get Their Hands On Future Jobs At Plumber's Open House Hands-on welding and a controlled fire exercise were among the highlights of Tuesday's UA Mechanical Trades' Open House for students in the Community Service Agency's GSA Building Futures Project. As part of their pre-apprenticeship curriculum, the students visited the Plumbers and... more...
Jun 11, 2010 Labor Quote Quiz "A year ago, we were being told, you have to deregulate more. Now, we are going to have to save capitalism from the capitalists." Who said it? Senator Al Franken, Congressman Barney Frank, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or Congressman Dennis Kucinich? Click here to vote and you could be a... more...
Jun 10, 2010 "Don't Check In, Check Out!" Say Sheraton Workers Dozens of hotel workers rallied for almost two hours outside the Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington Wednesday afternoon, thumping drums, brandishing signs reading “Boycott this hotel!” and chanting “Don’t check in, check out!” The workers have been struggling for over a year to... more...
Jun 10, 2010 Focusing On Solidarity And Youth Solidarity and youth are the focus tonight in two separate events in the District. Beginning at 5:30P at the AFL-CIO, DC Jobs with Justice will host their 8th annual "I'll Be There" awards honoring individuals and organizations for "exceptional solidarity work in the Metro DC area." Tonight's... more...
Jun 10, 2010 Great Labor Arts Exchange Goes West For the first time in 32 years, the Great Labor Art Exchange (GLAE) will not be held at the National Labor College. Instead, the annual labor creativity gathering - scheduled for June 18-21 -- will take place in Detroit, MI. The three-day festival of concerts and performances, workshops... more...
Jun 9, 2010 Shameful Business The "shameful" actions of corporate America will come under fire today with two separate events in the metro area. Hotel workers from the Sheraton Crystal City will rally at 4:30P to protest the company's union-busting tactics during the workers' attempts to unionize, and are calling... more...
Jun 9, 2010 Passing The Hat For Striking Daycon Workers Leaders and staff of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO and the Community Services Agency personally donated $400 this past week to help striking Daycon workers during their ongoing struggle, which is now in its seventh week. "Thanks very much to everyone who has contributed," says... more...
Jun 9, 2010 Largest DC Government Union Endorses Gray For DC Mayor The largest union representing District government employees "enthusiastically" endorsed DC Council Chair Vincent Gray (center) for mayor last Friday. The 8,000-member District Council 20 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) called for "grown folks... more...
Jun 9, 2010 Labor Passages: APALA National President John Delloro Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) National President John Delloro (r) passed away recently from a heart attack. Elected in 2009 as one of the youngest leaders to this position, Delloro also served as Executive Director of the Dolores Huerta Labor Institute where he was a... more...
Jun 8, 2010 Capitol Tour Staff Begin Historic Push To Unionize For the first time in the 134 years since Congress’ Capitol Guide Service was created, Congressional tour guides and visitor assistants “began efforts last week to form a union, citing concerns over the management practices at the Capitol Visitor Center,” reports Roll Call. “Eighteen... more...
Jun 8, 2010 Sheraton Workers To Picket Wednesday Northern Virginia hotel workers – who have been organizing for over a year – will rally outside the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel in Arlington this Wednesday at 4:30P. “After a year of struggle including intimidation, supply shortages, protests, and the firing of a union supporter, the... more...
Jun 8, 2010 Lilo Gonzalez To Headline "I'll Be There Awards" Singer-songwriter Lilo Gonzalez (r) and DC hip-hop artist Head-Roc will provide the entertainment at DC Jobs with Justice’s “I’ll Be There Awards” this Thursday. “Lilo has been composing and singing for over 20 years,” says DC JwJ Organizer Ruth Castel-Branco. “Among his many... more...
May 23, 2013 Homeowner Protests Continue at Law Firm Homeowners supported by the Home Defenders League (HDL) and Occupy Our Homes participated in a third day of protest Wednesday, this time at the law firm Covington & Burling, which represents several major U.S. banks and is the former workplace of Attorney General Eric Holder, a key target of the... more
May 23, 2013 Today in Labor History: May 23; Labor Humor Today in Labor History: May 23 The Battle of Toledo begins today: a five-day running battle between roughly 6,000 strikers at the Electric Auto-Lite company of Toledo, Ohio, and 1,300 members of the Ohio National Guard. Two strikers died and more than 200 were injured. The battle began in the... more
May 24, 2013 Israel: Minister Bennett puns about exterminating port workers - calls them ants LabourStart headline - Source: Globes more

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