Last week, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta announced that former President Ronald Reagan will be entering the Labor Department’s Hall of Honor, joining legendary labor heroes ranging from Mother Jones to Eugene Debs and Cesar Chavez. Acosta cited Reagan’s tenure as the president of the Screen Actors Guild to explain that the Gipper was a friend of the working class. Labor historian Joe McCartin joins us on today's edition of Your Rights at Work to explain why Reagan was in fact an enemy of organized labor throughout his presidency, starting with his firing of over 11,000 air traffic controllers in 1981. “More than any other labor dispute of the past three decades," says McCartin, "Reagan’s confrontation with the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, or Patco, undermined the bargaining power of American workers and their labor unions.” Catch the show starting at 1pm today right here on WPFW 89.3 FM.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1991, over 300,000 unionists gathered in Washington, D.C., for a Solidarity Day march and rally for workplace fairness and healthcare reform. 

Today’s labor quote is by Anna Walentynowicz, the Polish shipyard worker whose firing made her a central figure in Poland's Solidarity movement, and who became known as the "mother of Solidarity." Anna Walentynowicz, who said 
"I was the drop that caused the cup of bitterness to overflow." 

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which is committed to improving the quality of life for all working families; find out more at unionplus.org.

The Metro Council's Community Services Agency reports that union members affiliated with the Texas AFL-CIO are participating in rescue and relief efforts as Hurricane Harvey continues to threaten the lives and property of working people in Texas in the biggest natural disaster they've ever faced. "The state labor federation and our affiliates, including the Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation and Central Labor Councils across the state, are beginning to assess how and where we can help," says Texas AFL-CIO president John Patrick. "We cannot make anyone whole, but our movement can send a message of solidarity, a message that we are with working people badly harmed by Hurricane Harvey in heart, in soul and in spirit." Go to dclabor.org for a link to the Texas Workers Relief Fund.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt's Wealth Tax Act increased taxes on rich citizens and big business, lowering taxes for small businesses. 

Today’s labor quote is by Franklin Roosevelt, who said
"Great accumulations of wealth cannot be justified on the basis of personal and family security. In the last analysis such accumulations amount to the perpetuation of great and undesirable concentration of control in a relatively few individuals over the employment and welfare of many, many others." 

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which is committed to improving the quality of life for all working families; find out more at unionplus.org.

The best way of helping folks in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey is to make financial contributions to the American Red Cross, reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. 
Go to redcross.org for details.

Parades and picnics are a feature of many Labor Day celebrations across the country and local unionists are participating in several here in the metro area, in Greenbelt, Gaithersburg and Alexandria. There are also some other cool observances, including  WPFW’s Labor Day Special, which I'm co-hosting with Bill Fletcher from 9 am to noon. Go to dclabor.org for our complete preview.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1996, dancers at San Francisco’s Lusty Lady Club voted to unionize. Their first union contract guaranteed work shifts, protection against arbitrary discipline and termination and automatic hourly wage increases. Dancers also won sick days, a grievance procedure, and removal of one-way mirrors from peep show booths. In 2003 the Lusty Lady was bought by the dancers and became a worker cooperative. 

Today’s labor quote is by Courtney Crimson, a dancer at the Lusty Lady, who said:
"The Lusty Lady has started a revolution for the rights of sex workers everywhere. And I feel that this revolution will continue long after we’re gone.'
The Lusty Lady closed on Labor Day, 2013

Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which is committed to improving the quality of life for all working families; find out more at unionplus.org.