Battle's on strike
This is the December 10, 2025 edition of our weekly newsletter about labor movement news in the DC region. Sign up to get our newsletters delivered straight to your inbox.
ATU Local 689 members at Battle’s Transportation/RHG Group are on strike over unfair labor practices committed by the company throughout contract negotiations which began in April 2025. "ATU Local 689 will not tolerate a company that commits ULPs with impunity and harasses and threatens Union Shop Stewards,” said local President Raymond Jackson. “Workers are ready to fight as long as it takes!” Read more »
Stephen Starr to face union-busting charges
The National Labor Relations Board is pursuing charges against restaurateur Stephen Starr and his company, Starr Restaurants, over union-busting allegations at St. Anselm. Filed on November 20, the charges are the latest development in a nearly yearlong standoff between Starr and UNITE HERE Local 25. Read more »
More D.C. restaurants face threat of boycott from congressional Democrats
Congressional Democrats are throwing their support behind union efforts at The Duck & the Peach, La Collina, and The Wells. The three Capitol Hill restaurants are hot spots for political fundraisers and workers informed management yesterday that they want a fair process to unionize with UNITE HERE Local 25. Read more »
Protect America's Workforce Act to come to a vote this week
The bipartisan effort in Congress to unwind a pair of Trump executive orders that attempt to strip two-thirds of the federal workforce of their union rights is expected to move forward for a vote this week. Call your Representative today to support the Protect America's Workforce Act »
Amid paralell union drives, I.M.P. refuses to bargain with IATSE
Staffers at some of DC's most iconic music venues are digging their heels in on their desire to form a union, claiming that management has opted to voluntarily engage with the organizing efforts of some, but not others, Deadline reports.
"I.M.P. reached out to UNITE HERE Local 25 and signed an agreement and then effectively told the IATSE locals to go f*ck themselves," says Christopher "Goose" Ruble, the secretary treasurer of IATSE Local 22 and a part-time rigger at the Anthem who is helping coordinate the unionizing effort. "They were confident that Unite Here’s unit was a cohesive unit that made sense, and they were not sure or not convinced that that was true for the production or box office workers."
Donate to CSA's 2025 Holiday Basket Program
This has been a difficult year for some union families, and just as they do every year, the Community Services Agency (CSA) is working to make the season a little easier.
Donations are currently open for the Community Services Agency's 2025 Holiday Basket Program. Donate by Friday to support union families this holiday season.
Upcoming Actions + Events
Registration is open for AFL-CIO's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference
January 15-18, 2026 in Baltimore, MD
The civil rights and labor movements have long worked together to fight for and win a better future for working people.
At our 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference, we’re honoring our history and fighting for a better future. Register to attend.
Bowling for Gold 2026
Sunday, February 1 in Crofton, MD
Registration is now open for the Community Services Agency's 2026 Bowling for Gold union bowling tournament! The 2026 tournament will take place on Sunday, February 1, at Crofton Bowling Centre. Have fun with your union siblings, family and friends while helping to raise money for the Community Services Agency and our Emergency Assistance Fund for union members experiencing financial hardship! Learn more and register your 5-person team.