The offices of the Metro Washington Council and Community Services Agency are closed for holidays, re-opening Tuesday, January 3. Union City will return on January 3 as well. Union City Radio will continue next week on WPFW FM 89.3, as will Your Rights at Work next Thursday, December 29. We wish you happy, safe and solidarity-filled holidays!
 This year’s Holiday Basket Project brought much-needed help to 15 local families, reports Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy. In addition, Council affiliates and allies conducted 10 food drives that provided food baskets for 30 families, and generated $1,500 in contributions “which enabled CSA to provide gift cards to 35 additional needy clients.” McKirchy thanked contributors “for all of your hard work and generosity, which brought so much wonderful holiday cheer to the community and showcased our caring labor movement!”
photo: Yvonne Ellis and Michael Desautels with the NEBF/OPEIU 2 food drive donations; click here to see more photos “He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”
 December 23
AFL officers are found in contempt of court for urging a labor boycott of Buck's Stove and Range Co. in St Louis, where the Metal Polishers were striking for a 9-hour day - 1908 Construction workers top out the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 1,368 feet, making it the tallest building in the world - 1970 Walmart Stores Inc., the nation's largest employer, with 1.4 million "associates," agrees to settle 63 wage and hour suits across the U.S., for a grand total of between $352 million and $640 million. It was accused of failure to pay overtime, requiring off-the-clock work, and failure to provide required meal and rest breaks - 2008 December 24 Seventy-two copper miners’ children die in panic caused by a company stooge at Calumet, Mich., who shouted “fire” up the stairs into a crowded hall where the children had gathered. They were crushed against closed doors when they tried to flee - 1913 December 25 A dynamite bomb destroys a portion of the Llewellyn Ironworks in Los Angeles, where a bitter strike was in progress – 1910 Fourteen servicemen from military bases across the U.S., led by Pvt. Andrew Stapp, form The American Servicemen’s Union (ASU). The union, which never came close to being recognized by the government, in its heyday during the Viet Nam war claimed tens of thousands of members and had chapters at bases, on ships and in Viet Nam. ASU demands included the right to elect officers - 1967 Compiled/edited by Union Communication Services |