Members of AFGE – the American Federation of Government Employees -- and union allies rallied Wednesday against an anti-union “contract” Trump administration Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is trying to impose on her workers, warning that it could spread to other federal workers. AFGE Secretary-Treasurer Joe Flynn said “This administration won’t stop until every union has been busted and every union contract has been ripped up.” Virginia congressman Don Beyer agreed, noting that the DeVos’ “contract” is just part of the Trump administration’s wider war against unions in general.

On this weekend’s labor calendar, THE NEW BABYLON -- about the revolt of workers and laborers in Paris in 1871 -- screens tonight and tomorrow afternoon at the AFI Silver, with live accompaniment by the PostClassical Ensemble.
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 1990, Harry Bridges, the Australian-born dock union leader, died at age 88. He helped form and lead the International Longshore and Warehouse Union for 40 years.

Today’s labor quote is from “The Ballad of Harry Bridges,” sung here by Arlo Guthrie:
There was only a company union, the bosses had their way.
A worker had to stand in line for a lousy dollar a day.
When up spoke Harry Bridges, "Us workers got to get wise,
Our wives and kids will starve to death if we don't get organized."
Oh, the FBI is worried, the bosses they are scared,
They can't deport six million men, they know.
And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea,
We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C. I. O.

Arlo Guthrie-The Ballad of Harry Bridges; lyrics by Lee Hays, Millard Lampell and Pete Seeger

Longtime labor communicator and progressive activist Carolyn Jacobson died March 23. She created the Contraceptive Equity program and the Cervical Cancer Prevention program for union women, following her retirement from the Bakery Workers Union. She was a founder and permanent member of the Board of the Berger Marks Foundation which supported union womens' leadership development and women as organizers. “Our sister was an ardent feminist, a tremendous supporter of women’s health, a funny human being and a loyal friend,” said Connie Cordovilla. You can read much more about Carolyn on our website at dclabor.org
For the latest labor events, go to dclabor.org, and click on Calendar.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1948, the “Battle of Wall Street” took place as police charged members of the United Financial Employees’ Union, who were on strike against the New York Stock Exchange and New York Curb Exchange.  Forty-three workers were arrested in what was to be the first and only strike in the history of either exchange.

​Today’s labor quote is by AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, who said:
“It's Wall Street. We're trying to change the status quo, and they liked the status quo. They've been benefiting from it by getting rich by it.”

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which provides unique products and discounts for working families. Check them out at unionplus.org!

After three weeks on the picket lines, CWA members have claimed victory in their strike against Frontier Communications. The workers won their main demand of job security for every member as “a result of the solidarity and commitment each and every  member showed during this strike,” said the union.

Today’s labor calendar is jam-packed, starting with a symposium at 9:30 this morning on the Fair Labor Standards Act 80 Years Later, a briefing on "How to get Americans Workers a Raise" at 10am, and then a lunchtime discussion on whether the Janus Case threatens public sector labor relations. A Rally for Dept of Education employees starts at noon, and the day wraps up with a 6:30 pm meeting of the Chesapeake Bay Organizing Committee of the Coalition of Labor Union Women.
Complete details on all these events are on our website, dclabor.org, click on Calendar.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1935, members of the Gas House Workers’ Union in St. Louis began the first strike against a public utility in the United States.
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Today’s labor quote is by Martin Luther King, Jr., who on this date in 1968, led a march of striking sanitation workers, members of AFSCME Local 1733, in Memphis, Tennessee. Martin Luther King, who said:
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry.
He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which provides unique products and discounts for working families. Check them out at unionplus.org!

The workers of Revolution Messaging have formed a union, winning voluntary recognition of their efforts about an hour after they announced their plans. They will join the Washington-Baltimore local of The NewsGuild-CWA, which will represent them in collective bargaining. There will be approximately 60 people in the bargaining unit. Revolution Messaging is a media agency dedicated to digital storytelling for progressive causes.

On today’s labor calendar, the Bread and Roses series continues at the Shirlington Busboys and Poets tonight with “55 Strong”: Lessons from the West Virginia Teachers’ Strike, starting at 6pm; complete details on our website, dclabor.org, click on Calendar.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that undocumented workers do not have the same rights as Americans when they are wrongly fired.
You can hear more about this on this week’s edition of our Labor History Today podcast, available on iTunes, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts, just search for Union City Radio.

​Today’s labor quote is by Mother Jones, who was ordered to leave Colorado on this date in 1904, where state authorities accused her of “stirring up” striking coal miners.
Mother Jones, who said:
“I will tell the truth wherever I please.”

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which provides unique products and discounts for working families. Check them out at unionplus.org!