“You feel powerless,” said Luis Fonseca. “You see that companies are doing what they want and you can never do anything against them.” Fonseca is one of the workers who spent almost a year removing asbestos from the century-old headquarters of the United States General Services Administration. They should have earned $25.47 per hour but were only paid $15.84 an hour. Fonseca and 124 other workers filed a complaint with the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division in 2011, but six years later, the investigation remains open and the workers still haven’t gotten their back pay.
Their story is told in a terrific new report by the Center for Public Integrity: "Fleecing America’s builders; How workers on government construction jobs are victimized by contractors that stand little chance of being caught." We have a link to the full report on our website at dclabor.org Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom—the Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have A Dream" speech march—was held in Washington, D.C., with 250,000 participating. The AFL-CIO did not endorse the march, but several affiliated unions did. Today’s labor quote is by John Lewis at the 1963 March on Washington. Then the 23-year-old chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Lewis is now the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district. John Lewis, who said: “We march today for jobs and freedom, but we have nothing to be proud of. For hundreds and thousands of our brothers are not here. For they are receiving starvation wages, or no wages at all.”
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Who really runs the government? People like Audrey Smith, Lydell King and Cynthia Lee. "We hear a lot about the federal government’s bloat, its bureaucracy, its waste," reports Topic.com. "What we don’t hear much about are the people who actually work in public service.” Topic came to Washington recently to meet and photograph 15 of these folks -- all members or leaders of AFGE District 14 -- in its inaugural edition, "State of the Union." Smith is a Federal Pretrial Services officer for the District of Columbia, King is a performance consultant at the U.S. Coast Guard, and Lee is a practical nurse at the Andrew Rader Health Clinic.
Go to our website, dclabor.org, to meet all 15, with terrific photographs by Jared Soares. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1925, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters was founded at a meeting in New York City. The union's first organizer was A. Philip Randolph, launching his long career as a leader in the American labor movement, the civil rights movement, and socialist political parties. Today’s labor quote is by A. Philip Randolph, who said: “Nothing counts but pressure, pressure, more pressure, and still more pressure through broad organized aggressive mass action.” 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. 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: Danielle Brian, Executive Director of the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), on whistleblowers, "leakers" and what's up with those creepy Energy Department anti-leak posters? Kenneth Yates and Tiffany Saltus on why Takoma Park Co-op workers organized with the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World). Jeff Vogt, Solidarity Center Rule of Law Legal Director on how African unions championed worker rights at the recent AGOA Forum. Plus: Dick Gregory at the State of the Black Union CREDITS: engineered by Mike “The Man” 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. Workers at the Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-op last Sunday voted to unionize with the DC chapter of the Industrial Workers of the World, or IWW. The workers had presented demands to the Co-op’s Board of Directors on July 21, requesting higher wages, a $15-dollar hourly minimum wage, and unionization of the Co-op. Worker Tiffany S. told the Takoma Voice that unionizing is an “empowering venue to collective bargaining” and a necessary protection. "Congratulations, fellow workers, and welcome!" tweeted DC IWW.
On today's labor calendar, catch this week's edition of Your Rights At Work here on WPFW from 1 to 2pm. Complete details on our website, dclabor.org, click on Calendar. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1970, the United Farm Workers union began a lettuce strike. The Salad Bowl strike was a series of strikes, mass pickets, boycotts and secondary boycotts that led to the largest farm worker strike in U.S. history. Today’s labor quote is by lettuce worker Antonio Sagredo, who said: "We don't ask the impossible--only that they look upon us as human beings. We have the same ambitions as they do. We have families. We have rights. We are people. Why must they continue to treat us like beasts of burden and look for a thousand ways to keep us down...But the people know we are right. They will give us their support. We shall triumph." 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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