Hosts: Chris Garlock, with Ed Smith

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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, Stitcher, TuneIn or wherever you get your podcasts; subscribe and you’ll get our shows right on your phone!

Update: All three railroaders declared NOT guilty on all charges in Lac-Mégantic case.  “Not that many victories these days!" says Fritz  Edler "Thanks for your help.”  
 
Guests:
Liz Davis, WTU 6: Washington Teachers’ Union, EmpowerEd release survey results of DCPS teachers on Student Grading, Attendance Practices. 

Jonathan Williams, UFCW 400: UFCW 400 condemns prosecution of 2017 inauguration protesters, supports free speech rights.Other unions and affiliates supporting J20 protesters include DC Jobs With Justice, The Newsguild – CWA, Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), IWW and UE.

Labor Songs: 
"Wabash Cannonball"; Johnny Cash  
"Power To The People"; John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band 
(I'm Just A) Bad Boy; Billy Hancock @ DC's City Blues 9-18-98  

"The Wabash Cannonball" is an American folk song about a fictional train, thought to have originated in the late nineteenth century. Its first documented appearance was on sheet music published in 1882, titled "The Great Rock Island Route" and credited to J. A. Roff. All subsequent versions contain a variation of the chorus:
Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble, and the roar,
As she dashes thro' the woodland, and speeds along the shore,
See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out,
As they speed along in safety, on the "Great Rock-Island Route."

CREDITS: engineered by Mike “The Man” Nasella and Chris "BD" Bangert-Drowns
Produced by Peter Pocock

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Pledging to stand “in solidarity with all protesters who face excessive and undue criminal charges,” UFCW Local 400’s executive board has condemned the “arbitrary” arrest of protesters during last year’s Presidential Inauguration. Several Local 400 members had participated in the protests alongside dozens of other local unions, and though they had escaped being swept up by police, Local 400 president Mark Federici said no protesters should have been charged in the first place, adding that the arrests were a “clear violation of every citizen’s right to free speech.” Prosecutors last week announced plans to dismiss all charges against 129 defendants, but 59 people are still being charged with a number of felonies and face up to 70 years in prison.

On today’s labor calendar, catch this week’s edition of Your Rights At Work here on WPFW from 1-2pm and then at 4:30, poet Jim Daniels will do a reading, “Song of the Industrial Heartland” at Georgetown University; complete details, as always, at dclabor.org, click on Calendar.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1915, the Supreme Court upheld quote unquote “Yellow Dog” employment contracts, which forbid membership in labor unions. Yellow Dog contracts remained legal until 1932.

Today’s labor quote is by Sojourner Truth, the African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist born into slavery, who addressed the first Black Women’s Rights convention on this date in 1851. Sojourner Truth, who said:
“We do as much, we eat as much, we want as much.”

​Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which provides unique products and discounts for working families. This week, hit the road for the holidays with special Union Plus savings from Budget. Check them out at unionplus.org!

A planned picket against Sky Chefs has been called off after the company agreed to raise airport worker’s wages and pay back wages.
The workers at Dulles Airport – represented by Unite Here Local 23 -- had filed complaints with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority earlier this month after Sky Chefs failed to implement the new living wages that took effect January 1.
Local 23 president Bert Bayou says that if this week’s bargaining does not prove fruitful, the union will go ahead with the picket next week.
 
If that happens, we’ll post it – along with all the latest labor calendar events – at dclabor.org, click on Calendar.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1935, Krueger’s Cream Ale, the first canned beer, went on sale in Richmond, Virginia. Pabst was the second brewer that year to sell beer in cans, which came with opening instructions and the helpful suggestion to "cool before serving."

Today’s labor quote is by John Lennon:
"A working class hero is something to be."

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which provides unique products and discounts for working families. This week, hit the road for the holidays with special Union Plus savings from Budget. Check them out at unionplus.org!

Employees of the City of Takoma Park, represented by AFSCME Local 3399, have reached an impasse in contract negotiations. Despite Takoma Park’s progressive reputation, the workers say that they and their union have been treated with “pervasive disrespect” by the city. The workers plan to continue their outreach and urge concerned Takoma Park residents to sign their petition to let the city’s leadership know “this is no way to treat workers.” We have a link to the petition at dclabor.org

On today’s labor calendar, catch a special free screening of "At The River I Stand" tonight at 6 at the Shirlington Busboys And Poets. This moving documentary recounts the two months leading to Martin Luther King Jr.'s death in 1968, when he went to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers.
For details and the latest labor events, go to dclabor.org, and click on Calendar.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1913, some 10,000 clothing workers struck in Rochester, New York, my hometown. They were striking for the 8-hour day, a 10-percent wage increase, union recognition, and extra pay for overtime and holidays. Six people were wounded over the course of the strike and one worker, 18-year-old Ida Breiman, was shot to death by a sweatshop contractor. The strike was called off in April after manufacturers agreed not to discriminate against workers for joining a union.

Today’s labor quote is by A. Philip Randolph, who said:
"Freedom is never granted; it is won. Justice is never given; it is exacted."

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which provides unique products and discounts for working families. This week, hit the road for the holidays with special Union Plus savings from Budget. Check them out at unionplus.org!