Thousands of retired coal miners and their supporters will rally at the U.S. Capitol today at 11 am, demanding the nation’s lawmakers “Keep the Promise.”
Coal miners were promised lifetime retirement benefits by President Harry Truman in 1946, but with the majority of the coal industry now in bankruptcy, companies are getting out of their obligations to provide retiree health care benefits and contribute to the Mineworkers Pension Fund. The rally takes place in Union Square at the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. Also on today’s labor calendar, catch the latest edition of “Your Rights at Work,” the call-in show about worker rights on the job; today at 1pm right here on WPFW. Get all the latest local labor events and actions at dclabor.org; click on Calendar. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1909, employers gave in to the demands of striking miners in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, agreeing to improved working conditions, a 15-percent hike in wages and elimination of a "pool system" that gave foremen control over each worker’s pay. In 1942, workers gave up their Labor Day weekend holidays to keep the munitions factories working to aid in the war effort. Most Labor Day parades were canceled in respect for members of the Armed Services. And in 1965, the United Farm Workers union began its historic national grape boycott and strike in Delano, California. Today’s labor quote is by Cesar Chavez "We shall strike. We shall organize boycotts. We shall demonstrate and have political campaigns. We shall pursue the revolution we have proposed. We are sons and daughters of the farm workers' revolution, a revolution of the poor seeking bread and justice."
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Union City Radio is proud to be supported by UnionPlus, which has been working hard for union families since 1986.
Union City Radio is part of The Labor Radio/Podcast Network
Listen now...UC Radio airs weekdays at 7:15a on WPFW 89.3 FM; subscribe to the podcast here. |