National Airport cleaners have authorized a strike against their employer, MBS, a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority contractor. The workers say they’ll walk off the job if necessary to protest low wages and a lack of affordable health care.
And after months of what it said were “long, difficult negotiations, full of tough decisions,” UFCW Local 400 announced that it has reached a tentative agreement at Lipton. Contract ratification votes are scheduled for next week. On our weekend labor calendar, there's a daylong series of events celebrating the historic 1877 railroad strike tomorrow, Saturday, in Baltimore starting at 10:15; check out complete details on our website at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1877, The Great Uprising nationwide railway strike began after the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad cut wages for the third time in a year. In the following days, strike riots spread through 17 states, supported by 100,000 workers. The strike lasted 45 days, ending only after federal troops were called out. Today’s labor quote is by a Pittsburgh mill worker in 1877, declaring solidarity with the striking rail workers: "We're with you," the mill worker said. "We're in the same boat...I won't call the employers despots. I won't call them tyrants. But the term capitalist is sort of synonymous and it will do." Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which is committed to improving the quality of life for all working families; find out more at unionplus.org.
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Hosts: Chris Garlock and Ed Smith; JOIN US AT 202-588-0893
Also, if you miss our live show – or want to hear a past show – Your Rights At Work is now available as a podcast! Just search for Union City Radio on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts; subscribe and you’ll get our shows right on your phone! This week's guests: Roxie Mejia on the “Free Hugo!” campaign. A national call-in day was held earlier this week to support two union members detained by ICE. Although Hugo Mejia and Rodrigo Nuñez are union construction workers in California, “this could happen anywhere, including here in metro DC,” says Roxana Mejia (no relation), Political Director for Painters District Council 51. “These two union members were only detained because they showed up for work,” said Painters president Kenneth Rigmaiden. “We will not allow the act of showing up to work to be criminalized.” IUPAT is asking union members and supporters to call David Jennings, Director for the San Francisco ICE Field Office, at 844-526-8492 to demand the release of Hugo Mejia. Former Jimmy John's worker Erik Foreman on the recent ruling by a federal appeals court that ruled that a Twin Cities Jimmy John’s franchisee didn’t violate the union organizing rights of six employees fired for publicly protesting the company’s sick leave policy, saying the workers were “so disloyal” that they lost their legal protections. Labor Song: from the Broadway show Hamilton: Immigrants (We Get The Job Done) Produced by Mack Miller and Peter Pocock, engineered by Mike Nasella; Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus. UnionPlus is committed to improving the quality of life of working families. Find out more at unionplus.org. And we’re supported by you, our listeners: call 202-588-9739 or 1-800-222-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org. Davon McRae joined a family tradition this week: D.C. firefighting. It's a proud, but somewhat painful legacy; McRae's father, Kevin, died two years ago while fighting an apartment fire in northwest Washington. And his cousin, James, died 10 years ago fighting a fire. Both were members of Fire Fighters Local 36, as is Davon.
"My father was a good man, he was a great man. A good role model," McRae said. "Seeing my father go down in the line of duty inspired me to want to do it more." Read more, and see a photo of Davon on our website at dclabor.org On today's labor calendar, catch this week's edition of "Your Rights At Work" at 1 o'clock, when Ed Smith and I will take listener calls on worker rights. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1995, Detroit newspaper workers began a 19-month strike, involving 2,500 workers in six unions. The strike turned into a lockout, which lasted four more years. Today’s labor quote is by Chris Rhomberg, in "The Broken Table: The Detroit Newspaper Strike and the State of American Labor." Chris Rhomberg, who wrote: “Deliberately negotiating to impasse, unilaterally imposing conditions, and breaking strikes—all of these actions destroy the function of collective bargaining…” Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which is committed to improving the quality of life for all working families; find out more at unionplus.org. Despite widespread opposition, Senate leaders said Monday that they hope to release yet another draft of their deeply unpopular health-care legislation this week. The Republicans had to postpone a vote last month because of a lack of support for a so-called health care bill that actually takes away care from 22 million people. Over the 4th of July recess, working people across the country took to the streets to express their opposition to this cruel piece of legislation. "We still need to hold strong and beat back this bill," urged the AFL-CIO. Call your senators today at 888-865-8089; that number again is 888-865-8089, and we'll post it on our website at dclabor.org
Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1933, the Screen Actors Guild held its first meeting. The Guild merged with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 2012 and now represents 160,000 media professionals, from actors to dancers, and puppeteers to stunt performers. Today’s labor quote is by actor and comedian Eddie Cantor, who was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1933 to 1935. Eddie Cantor, who said: "If you stand together, you cannot lose. Actors cannot be beaten except by actors. The Guild is for you, and you must be for the Guild. Stand together.” Union City Radio is supported by UnionPlus, which is committed to improving the quality of life for all working families; find out more at unionplus.org. |
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