“The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.” On this date in 1996, the United Farm Workers reached agreement with Bruce Church on a contract for 450 lettuce harvesters, ending a 17-year-long boycott. The pact raised wages, provided company-paid health benefits to workers and their families, created a seniority system to deal with seasonal layoffs and recalls, and established a pesticide monitoring system. photo by: El Malcriado Father Thomas Hagerty and the IWW: Click here to check out this week's Labor History Today podcast. On this week’s show: The largely unknown story of Father Thomas Hagerty, the “May Day Saint” who helped found the IWW. Plus: the recent Uber and Lyft strikes inspire a search for photos of the 1965 taxi strike in New York City. Animators working for Walt Disney begin what was to become a successful 5-week strike for recognition of their union, the Screen Cartoonists' Guild. The animated feature Dumbo was being created at the time and, according to Wikipedia, a number of strikers are caricatured in the feature as clowns who go to "hit the big boss for a raise" - 1941 A contract between the United Mine Workers and the U.S. government establishes one of the nation's first union medical and pension plans, the multi-employer UMWA Welfare and Retirement Fund - 1946 UAW members at General Motors accept major contract concessions in return for 17.5 percent stake in the financially struggling company - 2009 graphic courtesy The Animation Guild Hotel workers were there. Teachers were there. And of course, nurses were there. They all rallied on the steps of the DC City Council Tuesday morning on a gloomy, rainy day, “not to beg, not to bargain, we are demanding that UMC be kept open!” said Katrina Clark, president of the DC Nurses Association. And Rev. Graylan Hagler called out the DC City Council for creating what he called “an apartheid healthcare system” in the city by closing hospital after hospital in poor neighborhoods whose residents are most in need. “Shame! Shame! Shame!” chanted the protesters. UPDATE (4:50p): In two amendments, the Council voted to restore $7 million to the hospital, working to make sure that the hospital will be able to continue to serve patients in need. Council Chairman Mendelson restored $4 million, while Trayon White, Councilmember for Ward 8, identified an additional $3 million which was supported by Councilmembers Nadeau, Evans, Todd, McDuffie, Allen, Silverman, Bonds, Grosso and Robert White (Councilmember Cheh voted "present" to avoid a conflict of interest). While cheering the votes, DC Jobs With Justice Executive Director Elizabeth Falcon warned that "There is still more to be done to ensure full funding and services at UMC and any hospital that replaces it." click here for latest listings Union City Radio: 7:15a; WPFW-FM 89.3 Keep UMC Open! Tue, May 28, 9am – 10am The John Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004 Call Me Intern (film): Tue, May 28, 7pm – 9pm Busboys and Poets (Shirlington) | 4251 South Campbell Avenue | Arlington, VA 22206 FREE; RSVP here Tri-County COPE: Tue, May 28, 7pm – 9pm AMERICAN LEGION, 6330 CRAIN HWY, LA PLATA, MD HIGH FLYING BIRD (Film): Tue, May 28, 7:15pm – 9:15pm AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA (map) Click here for tickets UPCOMING: 5/40: 2019 Labor 411 DC release party/Norma Rae Reception: Thu, May 30, 5:30pm – 6:45pm McGinty's Public House, 911 Ellsworth Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Sponsored by Labor411; FREE; RSVP here NORMA RAE (Film): Thu, May 30, 7:15pm – 9:15pm AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Click here for tickets |