(audio) “So the Trump Administration now is trying to push a vote on the new NAFTA as soon as they can. Now we’re not going to let that happen without the changes that working people deserve because the way we have it figured right now, this agreement is going to be around for a long, long time. And it’s more important for us to get it right than it is to meet some foolish, artificial deadline.”
That’s AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka on State of the Unions, the AFL-CIO’s podcast: (audio) “I don’t care if it takes one month, three months, six months, twelve months; it’s more important to get it right… it’s time for those negotiators to go back to the table and hammer out an agreement that’s good for working people across the country. They bring us a deal like that and we’ll support it. But if the President insists on a premature vote then we’ll have no choice but to oppose it.” Hear more on “State of the Unions” wherever you listen to podcasts. On today’s labor calendar, the locked-out Baltimore Symphony musicians are back out on the picket line today from 8 am to 9:30 am in Baltimore; For details and the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1944, two ammunition ships exploded at Port Chicago, California, killing 322, including 202 African-Americans assigned by the Navy to handle explosives. It was the worst home-front disaster of World War Two. Shaken by the death of their workmates and afraid that another explosion might occur, 258 African-American sailors refused to return to the dangerous work and 50 were tried, convicted and sentenced to up to 15 years of hard labor in what is called the Port Chicago Mutiny. Today’s labor quote is by Joseph Small, one of the black sailors convicted in the Port Chicago Mutiny. Joe Small, who said: “I didn't know anything about mutiny. I just knew that I didn't want to work under the same conditions that I did work under and advance the chance of the same thing happening again.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Hey, if you’re thinking about buying a new phone this summer – and there are some pretty cool ones out there -- get waived activation and upgrade fees when you enroll in the Union Plus AT&T Signature Program. Visit unionplus.org/att.
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(audio) “This term 'future of work’ is kind of a term of art that’s been floating around anywhere and everywhere you go it seems.”
That’s AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler on State of the Unions, the AFL-CIO’s podcast: (audio) About five years ago, I was invited to participate in the Foundation Fund Initiative on the Future of Work, and they said, ‘Well, you know we might want to have a worker perspective, and we’ll have one person at this table.’ And, it was a table of about 50 people—mainly business leaders, tech experts and one worker voice. That really woke me up because...working people should be included in every conversation, and it’s the future of workers really if you think about it. So, we’ve been...pushing our way into these conversations and these forums and everywhere we can find because this is going to be the next frontier for the labor movement. I believe that work is going to be so fluid. It’s going to be changing so much that we need to figure out what the new form of worker representation looks like.” Hear more on “State of the Unions” wherever you listen to podcasts. On today’s labor calendar, the locked-out Baltimore Symphony musicians are out on the picket line today from 8 am to 9:30 am in Baltimore; Then at 6 tonight, check out this month’s Bread & Roses program on “The craft of writing” with Bill Fletcher, Gary Frank and Tim Sheard, all longtime labor activists who have published novels in the last year. The free program will include readings, followed by Q&A and discussion. That’s tonight at 6 at the Takoma Busboys and Poets. For details and the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1934, the San Francisco Longshoreman's strike spread, becoming a 4-day general strike. Today’s labor quote is by Harriet Tubman, who said: “I would have freed more slaves if they had known they were slaves.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Thinking about buying a new phone this summer? Get waived activation and upgrade fees when you enroll in the Union Plus AT&T Signature Program. Visit unionplus.org/att. (audio) “My name is Jack Sablitch; I’m a steelworker down here in the steel mill and I’ve been down here for about 20 years.”
Last month, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka held town halls in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan to discuss the proposed new NAFTA and what it means for working people. This week, we’ll hear voices from those communities on the AFL-CIO’s latest episode of “State of the Unions.” (audio): “From 2001 to 2008 we probably lost more manufacturing jobs in Ohio than I’ve--I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. When I graduated high school you know we went right into the factories, a lot of us, and you know you could--you could go to one factory today and you know maybe the conditions weren't so well. And tomorrow you could walk next door and have another job at another factory. There was plenty of union jobs out there. My grandfathers were union organizers and you know I--I grew up in a union household. And so you know it’s unbelievable to see what has happened because those jobs that were there, those manufacturing jobs that paid good wages are gone. And a guy like me who has got kids and--and bills and stuff like that, you can't make it on a Walmart paycheck. I hope, too, that the unions get out and start organizing a hell of a lot more because the--the--this country needs unions more now than we ever did before. Thank you.” Hear more on “State of the Unions” wherever you listen to podcasts. On today’s labor calendar, the locked-out Baltimore Symphony musicians are out on the picket line today from 8 am to 9:30 am in Baltimore; For details and the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1959, a half-million steelworkers began what would become a 116-day strike that closed down nearly every steel mill in the country. When it appeared the walkout would be prolonged, Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower invoked the back-to-work provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act, anti-union legislation passed by Congress in 1947. Today’s labor quote is by Eleanor Roosevelt, reacting to the passage of the Taft-Hartley law, who said: “Instead of clamping down on the labor movement, Americans should be extremely grateful to unions.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Thinking about buying a new phone this summer? Get waived activation and upgrade fees when you enroll in the Union Plus AT&T Signature Program. Visit unionplus.org/att. Americans need a raise. It's been ten years, the longest stretch of time since the minimum wage was created in 1938, since Congress last increased the federal minimum wage.
Wednesday was a national call-in day to support the Raise the Wage Act, which the House of Representatives will soon be voting on: you can still call 1-877-782-8274 to get connected to your member of Congress and tell your Representative to support the Raise the Wage Act by voting yes when it comes up for a floor vote and voting no on any amendments that weaken the bill. That call-in number and a factsheet are posted on our website at dclabor.org On today’s labor calendar, Union Night with the Orioles is tonight at 7:05 at Oriole Park in Baltimore; for tickets call Stephen Fisher 410-547-6219 And for all the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1933, the Screen Actors Guild held its first meeting. Among those attending was future horror movie star and union activist Boris Karloff. Today’s labor quote is by Woody Guthrie, from his song “Deportee,” in honor of the immigrants being targeted this weekend by the Trump Administration. Woody was born in Okemah, Oklahoma on July 14, 1912. “Deportee,” sung here by Joan Baez… Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. If you’re planning to go to the movies this summer, you can save up to 37% with Union Plus Movie Discounts at national chains. Visit unionplus.org/movies. |
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