Averting what would have been the second strike in less than three months, ATU Local 1764 has reached a tentative agreement with private contractor Transdev that covers the operators and maintenance workers at the Fairfax Connector.
The tentative agreement includes improvements to healthcare along with substantial wage increases. The proposed deal “recognizes the hard work and commitment of our more than 600 bus drivers and maintenance workers at Fairfax Connector,” said ATU president John Costa. “I am proud of these workers and the solidarity, resolve and unity that they have shown during their December strike and the last few months, which was critical to securing the fair and just contract that they deserve.” Today’s labor calendar is jam-packed with great events. The American Prospect will host a discussion and lunch today on democratic socialism starting at 12 noon, and then tune in here on WPFW at 5pm today for a special Labor Live@5 with Tom Breiding, whose songs touch on mine disasters and the plight of immigrants. And at 7 tonight the NoVA Labor/Coalition to Repeal Right to Work host author and television commentator KRYSTAL BALL at the Shirlington Busboys & Poets. For complete details -- and to RSVP -- go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1987, labor organizer and civil rights activist Edgar Daniel Nixon died. While working as a Pullman porter, Nixon organized the Montgomery local of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and served as its president for many years. He was a key organizer of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and co-founder of the Montgomery Improvement Association. Today’s labor quote is by Edgar Daniel Nixon Referring to King’s handling of his arrest in Montgomery on September 3, 1958, Nixon applauded King, saying “Because of your courage in face of known danger I want to commend you for your stand for the people of color all over the world, and [especially] the people in Montgomery. Your action took the fear out of the Negroes and made the white man see himself as he is.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Union members save up to 25% on car rentals with Union Plus. Break your cabin fever and book a rental with Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Dollar or Payless to get your union discount. Visit unionplus.org/carrental to get started. You can also support Union City Radio and WPFW by contributing during our Winter Pledge Drive; call 202-588-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org. Thank you so much!
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WPFW 89.3FM Musical guests connected with the labor movement. Hosted by Chris Garlock Mine Workers president Cecil Roberts calls Tom Breiding "the greatest labor singer in the United States today." Tom, in DC “with my brothers in sisters in the UMWA on Monday to celebrate legislation that guarantees 80,000 their health care and pensions as a result of the years long "Keep the Promise" campaign, stopped by WPFW for a special edition of Labor Live@5. CLICK HERE for more about Tom Brieding and his new album Love Commits Me Here. (audio) “They're parallels between their story and what's happening to migrant workers in the United States.”
That’s Tony Sancho, who’s starring in “Mother Road” at Arena Stage. He talked about the play on Your Rights At Work last Thursday. (audio) “I think that's one of the things that inspired Octavio Solis about it because while he was, on a road trip that was sponsored by the, the Steinbeck Center, he was able to interview people along old Route 66 and he would ask them, have you ever read The Grapes of Wrath? And only one man said yes, and that was at the very end of his journey. And not only did he read it, but he could, he could recite passages from it. And Octavio asked him and said, well, why is this book so significant? Why is it so important to you? And him being a Mexican American man, he's like, because I'm Tom Joad now because I'm the new Tom Joad, and, and we, the migrant workers here, we're the new Joads.” Listen to the rest of our interview on the Union City Radio podcast and find out more about the play at arenastage.org. For details on today’s labor calendar, and the latest local labor events listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1912, women and children textile strikers were beaten by police in Lawrence, Massachusetts during a 63 day walkout protesting low wages and work speedups. Today’s labor quote is by John Steinbeck, from “The Grapes of Wrath,” spoken here by Henry Fonda, playing Tom Joad in the film: "I'll be all around in the dark. I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look—wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there." Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Union members save up to 25% on car rentals with Union Plus. Break your cabin fever and book a rental with Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Dollar or Payless to get your union discount. Visit unionplus.org/carrental to get started. You can also support Union City Radio and WPFW by contributing during our Winter Pledge Drive; call 202-588-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org. Thank you so much! When Congress passed a nearly $2 trillion-dollar tax cut for corporations and the wealthy in 2017, the AFL-CIO warned that the obscene cost of this tax cut bill would be used as a pretext to cut programs that benefit working people.
“Nothing but a con game” is how AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka described it. Now those predictions are coming true, as President Trump has released his new budget plan for the coming year. The president proposes to cut $2 trillion from safety net programs, which just happens to be the same amount as the cost of the 2017 tax bill. They keep running the same play because it keeps working. Since 2001, the wealthiest 1% of all taxpayers have gotten $2 trillion in tax cuts, and federal tax revenues have been reduced by $5.1 trillion. This is money that should have been used to make life better for working people—for example, by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, funding quality public education for every child and guaranteeing retirement security for our seniors—rather than building up the fortunes of the 1%. For details on today’s labor calendar, and the latest local labor events listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1868, a California state law was enacted providing the 8 hour day for most workers, but it was not effectively enforced. Today’s labor quote is by Cesar Chavez, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union, which was granted a charter by the AFL-CIO on this date in 1972. Cesar Chavez, who said: "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." Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Yesterday was Love Your Pet Day but don’t worry, you can still show your dog or cat some extra love by protecting them with Union Plus Pet Health Insurance. Union members get 10% off eligible plans and access to the Pet Helpline, which is where you can call a vet expert with all your pet behavior questions. Get a quote at unionplus.org/pets. I’m not sure if your turtle is covered, but I do know that you can support Union City Radio and WPFW by contributing during our Winter Pledge Drive; call 202-588-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org. Thank you so much! |
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