In one of the largest organizing election victories any union has seen in years, a majority of Baltimore Gas & Electric's 1,400 gas and transmission-distribution workers voted to join the Electrical Workers on January 12.
Supporters of raising the minimum wage in Montgomery County are waging a campaign urging County Executive Ike Leggett to sign the bill into law. Call, email or tweet at Leggett; details are on our website at dclabor.org Here's the Labor Calendar for today and tomorrow: There are a number of direct actions planned to blockade security checkpoints at the inauguration going on now; a labor contingent will lead one focusing on Trump's war on workers, at a checkpoint to be determined. This is a direct action and is not legally permitted, so exercise your First Amendment rights and be careful out there. At noon today there's a march against Trump, starting at Columbus Circle in front of Union Station and continuing to McPherson Square; this march is fully legally permitted, labor folks are meeting on the east side of the Circle. Tomorrow is the Women's March on Washington, which is expected to draw a quarter of a million people. The labor assembly point is at Garfield Park, at the intersection of 3rd and G Streets Southeast, starting at 8:30am. Saturday afternoon Public Citizen is hosting a Teach-In after the march, from 1:30 to 8:30pm, focusing on the critical grassroots campaigns for the coming year. As always, you'll find complete details at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. Here's today's labor history: On this date in 1909, 60 workers died in the Chicago Crib Disaster, when a fire broke out during construction of a water tunnel for the city of Chicago, burning the wooden dormitory housing the tunnel workers. In 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union was founded. And in 1986, Bruce Springsteen's "My Hometown," a eulogy for dying industrial cities, was the country's most listened-to song. Today's labor quote is by Bruce Springsteen, from “My Hometown” "Now Main Street's whitewashed windows and vacant stores / Seems like there ain't nobody wants to come down here no more / They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks / Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back to your hometown / Your hometown / Your hometown / Your hometown..."
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Also, if you miss our live show – or want to hear a past show – Your Rights At Work is now available as a podcast! Just search for Union City Radio on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts; subscribe and you’ll get our shows right on your phone! Guests: Mara Verheyden-Hilliard on your rights as a demonstrator and Joe McCartin on what lies ahead for public sector workers under Trump. Labor Song: "Take This Job and Shove It," by Johnny Paycheck The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday morning voted to increase the county’s minimum wage. Supporters say the raise is crucial to the county’s working families, who live in one of the most expensive metropolitan areas in the country. The increase to $15 an hour by 2020 now depends on County Executive Ike Leggett, who’s signaled that he may veto the bill. Advocates are asking supporters to flood Leggett with calls, emails and tweets urging him to sign the bill; details are on our website at dclabor.org.
On today’s Labor Calendar, find out about your legal rights as a demonstrator on today’s edition of Your Rights at Work, from 1 to 2pm here on WPFW and then from 3 to 5pm, the Washington Teacher’s Union is hosting a Rally to Defend Public Education for All at Anne Beers Elementary School in Southeast DC. As always, you’ll find complete details at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1920, some 3,000 members of the Filipino Federation of Labor struck the plantations of Oahu, Hawaii. Their ranks swelled to 8,300 as they were joined by members of the Japanese Federation of Labor. In 1973, Yuba City, California labor contractor Juan V. Corona was found guilty of murdering 25 itinerant farm workers. And in 1986, Bruce Springsteen made an unannounced appearance at a benefit for laid-off 3M workers in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Today’s labor quote is by Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen, nicknamed “The Boss,” who said “Whatever their faults, unions have been the only powerful and effective voice working people have ever had in the history of this country.” It’s a busy week for labor activists, what with the inauguration – some call it a coronation -- of Donald J. Trump on Friday.
Here’s a look ahead at some of the highlights of the labor calendar over the next few days. Don’t worry about writing it all down; it’s all on our website, dclabor.org, click on Calendar The Coalition of WMATA Labor Unions hosts a Public Town Hall Meeting tonight at 7pm in the Montgomery County Executive Office Building in Rockville, Maryland, where they’ll continue developing a “Public Agenda for Metro’s Future”; Tomorrow, DC teachers will Rally to Defend Public Education for All from 3 to 5pm at the Beers Elementary School in Southeast; giving teachers, parents, students and community allies a chance to demonstrate against the president-elect's agenda to dismantle public education; On Friday, there are a number of direct actions planned to blockade security checkpoints at the inauguration; a labor contingent will lead one focusing on Trump's war on workers, at a checkpoint to be determined. This is a direct action and is not legally permitted, so exercise your First Amendment rights and be careful out there. Then at noon there’s a march against Trump, starting at Columbus Circle in front of Union Station and continuing to McPherson Square; this march is fully legally permitted, labor folks are meeting on the east side of the Circle. And on Saturday, of course, there’s the Women’s March on Washington. The labor assembly point is at Garfield Park, at the intersection of 3rd and G Streets Southeast, starting at 8:30am. Saturday afternoon Public Citizen is hosting a Teach-In after the march, from 1:30 to 8:30pm, focusing on the critical grassroots campaigns for the coming year. Again, complete details on all of these events are at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1909, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled -- in Moyer versus Peabody -- that a governor and officers of a state National Guard may imprison anyone—in the case at hand, striking miners in Colorado—without probable cause “in a time of insurrection” and deny the person the right of appeal. In 1978, "Take This Job and Shove It," by Johnny Paycheck, was listed by Billboard magazine as the most popular song in the U.S. Today’s labor quote is by the man himself, Johnny Paycheck: I been workin' in this factory For nigh on fifteen years All this time I watched my woman Drownin' in a pool of tears And I've seen a lot of good folks die That had a lot of bills to pay I'd give the shirt right offa' my back If I had the guts to say Take this job and shove it I ain't working here no more |
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