This is Chris Garlock, with the latest labor news, updates and history from the Metro Washington Labor Council.
(audio) “I feel like we are being held hostage.” That’s American Federation of Government Employees president J. David Cox, on the latest “State of the Unions” podcast from the AFL-CIO, talking about what it’s like for federal workers to be used as political bargaining chips: (audio) “That we have been taken hostage. That it’s our pay, our benefits. Every time, if there’s a need to balance the federal budget, they go after our retirement, go after our pay. They shut the government down, require us to work, to not pay us. We’re being held hostage for political purposes and that just needs to stop. It needs to stop and be brought to an end. That is no way to treat the professional apolitical workforce. That decision was made 150 years ago in this country, to have a professional civil service that no matter who is elected to president or Congress, they continue to process social security checks, operate the bureau of prisons, and provide for homeland security. They’re not into a political situation. That’s why we have to take oaths of office to serve and pledge and defend the Constitution of the United States. This is a terrible thing. We pay our taxes, yet currently the president is saying I refuse our taxes to be spend to pay for the services Congress has set.” Subscribe to the "State of the Unions" podcast on your favorite podcast platform. For the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1995, the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that bosses can fire workers for being gay. Today’s labor quote is by Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish historian and critic, who said: “A fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work: it is as just a demand as governed men ever made of governing. It is the everlasting right of man.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. To learn more about how Union Plus is helping federal workers impacted by the government shutdown and to apply for assistance, visit unionplus.org.
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This is Chris Garlock, with the latest labor news, updates and history from the Metro Washington Labor Council.
(Cox audio) That was J. David Cox, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, at Wednesday night’s rally for federal workers at the Silver Spring Civic Center. Hundreds of workers and their allies cheered lawmakers who blasted President Donald Trump’s lockout of hundreds of thousands of federal workers. And they also listened, raptly, to federal workers, who said all they wanted to do was get back to their jobs serving the American people. An even bigger rally was held yesterday at the AFL-CIO and we’ll have a report on that on Monday’s Union City Radio. On today’s labor calendar, Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker is hosting a Shutdown Social tonight starting at 6:30pm at Montgomery Blair High School, with food provided by local restaurants and music hosted by Joe Uehlein. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1937, nearly two weeks into a sit-down strike in Flint, Michigan, workers battled police when they tried to prevent the strikers from receiving food deliveries from thousands of supporters on the outside. Sixteen strikers and spectators and 11 police were injured. Most of the strikers were hit by buckshot fired by police riot guns; the police were injured principally by auto parts thrown at them. The incident became known as the “Battle of the Running Bulls” Today’s labor quote is by novelist Jack London, born on January 12, 1876. Here’s his classic definition of a scab—someone who would cross a picket line and take a striker's job: "After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, the vampire, He had some awful substance left with which He made a scab. A scab is a two-legged animal with a cork-screw soul, a water-logged brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles" Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. To learn more about how Union Plus is helping federal workers impacted by the government shutdown and to apply for assistance, visit unionplus.org. Broadcast on WPFW 89.3FM
Hosted by Chris Garlock and Ed Smith DC’s call-in show about worker rights: those you have, those you don’t, how to get them and how to use them. Hour 1: LIVE from the AFGE/NFFE federal worker rally Congressmen JAMIE RASKIN (D, MD 8) and DON BEYER (D, VA 8) Montgomery County Councilman TOM HUCKER WPFW reporter CHRIS BANGERT-DROWNS Hour 2: Effect of the Trump shutdown on vets and the local labor movement WILL ATTIG, Union Veterans Council JACKIE JETER, Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO president Produced by Chris Garlock and Peter Pocock; engineered by Mike Nasella This is Chris Garlock, with the latest labor news, updates and history from the Metro Washington Labor Council.
It’s Day 20 of the Trump Shutdown and at noon, thousands of federal workers and their allies will rally at the AFL-CIO and then march on the White House. Details on our website at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. Meanwhile, here are three things you can do to support the hundreds of thousands of federal workers locked out of their jobs – or locked in without pay: Number 1: Contact the White House on social media and tell President Trump to work with Congress to fully fund the government today; Number 2: Call Congress at 866-803-8830 to speak with all three of your lawmakers and tell them to fully fund the government today! Number 3. Tweet and post to Facebook about the implications of this shutdown on your family; use hashtag #ShutdownStories at the end of your post. We’ll post this list, including links and phone numbers, on our website, dclabor.org. Thank you. On today’s labor calendar, we’ll be covering the shutdown on Your Rights At Work here on WPFW starting at 1pm, with special guests and as always, open phones; call in 202-588-0893! In today’s labor history, on this date in 1860, in what is described as the worst industrial disaster in state history, the Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts collapsed, trapping 900 workers, mostly Irish women. More than 100 died, and scores more were injured in the collapse and ensuing fire. Too much machinery had been crammed into the building. Today’s labor quote is by George Meany, the former AFL-CIO President, who died on this date in 1980 at age 85. The one-time plumber led the labor federation from the merger of the AFL and CIO in 1955 until shortly before his death, George Meany, who said: “You only make progress by fighting for progress.” Union City Radio is supported by Union Plus. Visit unionplus.org to learn more about scholarships for union members and their children to pursue post-secondary education. Apply by January 31. |
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