The Communication Workers calls Verizon’s threat to cut off health care benefits for striking workers “unconscionable,” and the union has pledged that “no striking member or family member will go without care.”
Each local has a relief fund coordinator and a community service committee that works with CWA union members to ensure that they get the care they need throughout the strike. “This heartless move by Verizon shows why the strike is so important,” said CWA. “Workers are taking a stand against Verizon's corporate greed and fighting to protect middle class jobs.” As the strike by nearly 40,000 CWA and IBEW members stretched into its third week, other area unions have been donating to the CWA strike fund; Contributions can also be made through the Community Services Agency; go to dclabor.org and click on Community Services. You can also click on Calendar for the latest information on local strike actions. The DC LaborFest continues tonight with a screening of “The 33” at the AFI Silver Theater at 7 pm. Antonio Banderas and Juliette Binoche star in this dramatic story about 33 Chilean miners buried alive by the catastrophic explosion and collapse of a century-old gold and copper mine in 2010. Check out the whole line-up at dclabor.org; click on LaborFest. And for other local labor events, just click on the calendar at dclabor.org Here’s today’s labor history: On this date in 1830, Richard Trevellick was born. Trevellick, a ship carpenter, founded the American National Labor Union and was later head of the National Labor Congress, America’s first national labor organization. In 1867, Chicago's first Trades Assembly, formed three years earlier, sponsored a general strike by thousands of workers to enforce the state's new 8-hour-day law. The one-week strike was unsuccessful. And in 1930, President Herbert Hoover declared that the stock market crash six months earlier was just a "temporary setback" and the economy would soon bounce back. In fact, the Great Depression was to continue and worsen for several more years. In 1933, German police units occupied all trade union headquarters in the country, arresting union officials and leaders. Their treasuries were confiscated and the unions abolished. Hitler announced that the German Labour Front, headed by his appointee, would replace all unions and look after the working class. Today’s labor quote is by Marian Wright Edelman “You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.” Marian Wright Edelman, a lifelong advocate for disadvantaged Americans, is president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund.
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