“Thank you so much for the opportunity to listen to John Sayles and to see Eight Men Out,” writes Linda St.Clair from Austin, TX. “I have been a fan since the ‘80s (and) admire him greatly.” Sue Bachner adds “This was great! I've seen that movie before but it was great to see it again, especially with the live introduction and interview with John Sayles, who is one of my favorite filmmakers. Thanks so much for setting that up!” The DC LaborFest Tuesday night screenings continue next week with “Pride” on June 2 at 7p EDT; click here to RSVP. “The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.” Chavez co-founded the United Farm Workers of America, which on this date in 1996 reached agreement with Bruce Church, Inc. 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. This week’s Labor History Today podcast: “Politics of the Pantry”; “We Just Come to Work Here” “This period of time in the Thirties struck me as a period of great innovation and resilience that women organized around the need to provide certain services. And I see that happening in my community today around the pandemic.” Emily Twarog, author of “Politics of the Pantry: Housewives, Food, and Consumer Protest in Twentieth Century America.” Her study of how women used institutions built on patriarchy and consumer capitalism to cultivate a political voice resonates strongly today in the midst of both the COVID-19 pandemic and an election year. Joyce McCawley talked with Twarog on the Heartland Labor Forum, the labor radio show airing weekly in Kansas City on KKFI. Plus: Ben Grosscup with a new version of “We Just Come to Work Here” and Joe Glazer on the Memorial Day Massacre. Last week’s show: “The Long Deep Grudge: A Story of Big Capital, Radical Labor, and Class War in the American Heartland” May 29 Animators working for Walt Disney begin what was to become a successful five-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 May 30 The Ford Motor Company signs a "Technical Assistance" contract to produce cars in the Soviet Union, and Ford workers were sent to the Soviet Union to train the labor force in the use of its parts. Many American workers who made the trip, including Walter Reuther, a tool and die maker who later was to become the UAW's president. Reuther returned home with a different view of the duties and privileges of the industrial laborer - 1929 In what became known as the Memorial Day Massacre (photo), police open fire on striking steelworkers at Republic Steel in South Chicago, killing ten and wounding more than 160 - 1937 The Ground Zero cleanup at the site of the World Trade Center is completed 3 months ahead of schedule due to the heroic efforts of more than 3,000 building tradesmen & women who had worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for the previous 8 months – 2002 May 31 Rose Will Monroe, popularly known as Rosie the Riveter, dies in Clarksville, Ind. During WWII she helped bring women into the labor force - 1997 - David Prosten Union City Radio: 7:15am daily WPFW-FM 89.3 FM; click here to hear today's report Safely re-opening America’s schools: Thu, May 28, 11am – 12pm Hosted by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Zoom link will be provided upon REGISTRATION Union City Radio: Your Rights at Work: Thu, May 28, 1pm – 2pm WPFW 89.3 FM or listen online Topics: Extending "Recognition Pay" at Giant; DC excluded workers social media blitz; June 3 Workers First caravan Arlington Dems. Labor Caucus: Thu, May 28, 6pm – 7pm Zoom Film: The Great Dictator: Thu, May 28, 1pm – 3pm Zoom All of Us: Voices of Essential Workers on the Front Lines: Thu, May 28, 2pm – 3pm Facebook Live Town Hall; RSVP here Musical: "Mother Jones in Heaven": Thu, May 28, 8pm – 10pm Watch on YouTube Coalition to Repeal Right to Work (NoVA Labor): Fri, May 29, 7pm – 8pm Via Zoom Metro Washington Council and Community Services Agency staff are teleworking; reach them at the contact numbers and email addresses here. Latest DC-area labor news, delivered daily: tell a friend and help build our Union City! |