Area labor leaders hit the muggy District streets Tuesday morning to show their support for Washington Teachers Union Local 6, which is battling a Freedom of Information Act exemption buried in the DC City Council’s Budget Support Act. The union charged DC Public Schools with using the exemption to hide data that would reveal why more than 500 DC teachers have been fired since 2010, alleging a pattern of discrimination. Among those at Tuesday morning’s press conference in front of the Wilson Building was Fire Fighters Local 36 president Ed Smith, who said that “It is a basic right of any union to have access to data as it relates to representation of their members.” The teachers are demanding an end to the FOIA exemption and disclosure of public records -- with teachers' personal information redacted -- related to DCPS and the IMPACT teacher evaluation system.
On today’s labor calendar, Justice for Janitors is holding a rally for members in Reston, Virginia today at 4; complete details are at dclabor.org; click on calendar. Here’s today’s labor history: On this date in 1941, union and civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph and others met with President Roosevelt about a proposed July 1 March on Washington to protest discrimination in war industries. A week later, Roosevelt ordered the industries to desegregate, and Randolph called off the rally. Today’s labor quote is by A. Philip Randolph: “We must develop huge demonstrations, because the world is used to big dramatic affairs. They think in terms of hundreds of thousands and millions and billions... Billions of dollars are appropriated at the twinkling of an eye. Nothing little counts.”
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Contract bargaining talks are now underway for over 10,000 janitors in the metro DC area and their union, SEIU Local 32BJ, is conducting activities all week throughout the area. “Our biggest fight this year is to create more fulltime opportunities for our members,” says Local 32BJ Vice President and Area Director Jaime Contreras. “We are going to fight, united we are stronger,” said Victoria Dominguez, who cleans offices in both D.C. and Northern Virginia.
On today’s labor calendar, there’s a Justice for Janitors rally and march in DC at 4pm starting at McPherson Square; go to dclabor.org and click on calendar for complete details. Here’s today’s labor history: Twenty-one young women and girls making cartridges at the Washington, D.C. arsenal during the Civil War were killed in an accidental explosion on this date in 1864. Most of the victims were Irish immigrants. A monument was erected in the Congressional Cemetery, where 17 of the workers were buried. In 1873, Susan B. Anthony went on trial in Canandaigua, New York for casting her ballot in a federal election the previous November, in violation of existing statutes barring women from the vote. And on this date in 1903, Mary Harris "Mother" Jones led a rally in Philadelphia to focus public attention on children mutilated in the state's textile mills. On this date in 1972, nine firefighters were killed and eight more injured when a large section of Boston’s Hotel Vendom collapsed on them. The firefighters were performing cleanup when the collapse occurred, having successfully fought a fire at the luxury hotel earlier in the day. Today’s labor quote is by Susan B. Anthony: “It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union...” Working people won a stunning victory last Friday when the Fast Track trade bill failed to pass in the House of Representatives. "American workers came together and spoke with one voice about the path their country and economy should follow,” said AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka. Calling the debate over Fast Track “a marvelous contrast to the corporate money and disillusionment that normally mark American politics today," Trumka said "This was truly democracy in action – millions of people exercising their free rights to inform their elected representatives. We should all draw from this experience to help replenish our democracy at every level on every issue." Fast Track may be brought up for another vote this week and the AFL-CIO is asking voters to call their Member of Congress at 1-855-712-8441 to urge them to vote “No” on TAA.
On today’s labor calendar, there’s a Justice for Janitors Rally in Bethesda at 4pm today; go to dclabor.org and click on calendar for complete details. Here’s today’s labor history: On this date in 1918, railroad union leader and socialist Eugene Debs spoke in Canton, Ohio, on the relation between capitalism and war. Ten days later he was arrested under the Espionage Act, and was eventually sentenced to 10 years in jail. In 1933, the National Industrial Recovery Act became law, but was later to be declared unconstitutional. It established the right to unionize, set maximum hours and minimum wages for every major industry, and abolished sweatshops and child labor. The Wagner Act, in effect today, was approved two years later to legalize unionization. And on this date in 2000, Inacom Corporation, once the world's largest computer dealer, sent most of its employees an email instructing them to call a toll-free phone number; when they called, a recorded message announced they had been fired. Today’s labor quote by Eugene Debs is from his statement to the Federal Court of Cleveland, Ohio after being convicted of violating the Sedition Act: “This nation ought to own and control its own industries…all things that are jointly needed and used ought to be jointly owned…industry, the basis of our social life, instead of being the private property of a few and operated for their enrichment, ought to be the common property of all, democratically administered in the interest of all.” Eugene Debs, who said “I can see the dawn of the better day for humanity. The people are awakening. In due time they will and must come to their own.” The new DC Labor Intern Network is rapidly growing, with nearly 50 interns at area unions and social justice organizations already signed up. Coordinated by the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO, whose intern Sivan Rosenthal is working on the effort, the network is intended to offer interns an opportunity to connect, learn, share experiences, and socialize. Many have already participated in a recent DC Labor History Walk and have been alerted to interesting events on the local labor calendar. More events for interns are being planned throughout the summer, including another Labor Walk on June 24; for details on how to sign up for the walk or join the DC Labor Intern Network, email Rosenthal at [email protected].
On today’s labor calendar, The Albert Shanker Institute is hosting a panel discussion on “Organizing the Workers of Walmart, From Bentonville to Beijing” from 5 to 7pm, and the June meeting of the Metro Washington Council is at 6:30 at the AFL-CIO; go to dclabor.org and click on calendar for details. Here’s today’s labor history: The Battle of Century City took place on this date in 1990, as police in Los Angeles attacked some 500 janitors and their supporters during a peaceful Service Employees International Union demonstration against a cleaning contractor. The event generated public outrage that resulted in recognition of the workers' union and spurred the creation of an annual June 15 Justice for Janitors Day. Today’s labor quote is by Elie Wiesel: “Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the oppressed.” Elie Wiesel was a concentration camp survivor, author and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. |
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