The share of workers represented by unions has dropped by more than half since 1979—from 27 percent to just under 12 percent in 2018.
The decline of unions is not because people don’t want to be in unions. They do: The share of people who either have union coverage or report they want it is 60%—the same as it was 40 years ago. But employers’ aggressive efforts to dismantle unions and impede organizing efforts have robbed workers of this opportunity. In an essay published over the Labor Day weekend, Heidi Shierholz, Senior Economist and Director of Policy at the Economic Policy Institute says that we need fundamental reform of labor law to restore and protect workers’ rights to come together and have a voice in their workplace. Read Heidi’s essay at epi.org On today’s labor calendar… Locked-out Baltimore Symphony Orchestra musicians picket outside the BSO this morning starting at 9:30am; And at 5pm tonight tune in for this month’s Labor Live@5, featuring Pam Parker, performing with Michael Raitzyk, right here on WPFW 89.3FM. As always, for the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1991, twenty-five workers died, unable to escape a fire at the Imperial Poultry processing plant in Hamlet, North Carolina. Managers had locked fire doors to prevent the theft of chicken nuggets. Today’s labor quote is by Lightnin' Hopkins from the Cotton Field Blues. On this date in 1891, African-American cotton pickers organized and struck in Lee County, Texas against miserably low wages and other injustices. Over the course of September a white mob put down the strike, killing 15 strikers in the process. (audio) Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus.Enjoy peace of mind on the road with the Union Plus Motor Club membership.Benefits include 24-hour emergency roadside assistance, emergency towing, flat tire changes and more. Visit unionplus.org/motorclub.
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Musical guests connected with the labor movement. Hosted by Sandra Butler-Truesdale. “If there is one woman that D.C. has love for, it's got to be vocalist Pam Parker. The chanteuse blends Billie's precision with Aretha's brand of soul. Parker's been using her perfect, classic voice to lure in crowds in the area for years — it's the combination of sweet tone, spot-on vibrato and something hauntingly reminiscent of jazz singers of old that makes seeing her live addictive.” – Express Night Out Pam also has one of the prettiest voices in the union and social justice communities. She is a journeyman union electrician.who has performed for many different unions and causes from an early age. Read more here. Hosted by Chris Garlock and Elise Bryant
Engineering & co-DJing by Chris Bangert-Drowns 8-9a: Labor music Chris and Elise spin some of their favorite labor tunes from a variety of genres. 9-10a: Labor Radio/Podcast Network Roundtable Gene Lantz: "Workers Beat," Dallas, Texas Chris LaGrange: UCOMM podcast, New York City Rick Smith: Rick Smith Show, Pennsylvania Judy Ancel: Heartland Labor Forum, Kansas City 10a: How to tip; labor Down Under; Ghost Workers John Boardman: UNITE HERE Local 25: How to tip in America quiz Vanessa Seagrove: (in-studio); Assistant Secretary of Unions, New South Wales, Australia Mary Gray: co-author, “Ghost Work: How to stop Silicon Valley from Building a New Global Underclass” 11a-12p: Mapping American social movements online Professor Jim Gregory: Mapping American Social Movements Through the 20th Century Joe McCartin, professor of history at Georgetown University and executive director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. Co-founder of the Labor History Today podcast. 12p-2p: Labor music Chris, Elise and Chris BD take listener requests and spin tunes about work and workers. Happy Labor Day! This is Chris Garlock, with the latest labor news, updates and history from the Metro Washington Labor Council.
On this Labor Day, I have two numbers for you: 64 and 485. Sixty-four is the percentage of Americans who now approve of labor unions, according to the latest poll by Gallup. That’s the third consecutive year labor’s approval rate has surpassed 60 percent way up from its low point of 48% back in 2009. The current 64 percent reading is one of the highest union approval ratings Gallup has recorded over the past 50 years, and comes 125 years after President Grover Cleveland signed a law establishing the Labor Day holiday after a period of labor strikes and organizing across the country. 485,000; that's the number of working people who went on strike in 2018, the most since 1986. And although the majority of those were teachers, many strikers also came from the private sector, from companies like Marriott, Frontier Communications and AT&T. Today’s labor calendar includes the usual line-up of Labor Day parades and picnics, as well as a chili cook-off, ice cream social and a Labor Day mass; and tune in right here on WPFW from 8a to noon as Elise Bryant and I host the annual WPFW Labor Day special, with labor music, special guests and more. For the complete rundown on today’s activities, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1921, mineowners bombed West Virginia strikers by plane, using homemade bombs filled with nails and metal fragments. Fortunately, the bombs missed their targets or failed to explode. Today’s labor quote is by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who said last week that: “Working people are fighting every day, with every ounce of energy we have, to reclaim what’s rightfully ours.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Enjoy peace of mind on the road with the Union Plus Motor Club membership. Benefits include 24-hour emergency roadside assistance, emergency towing, flat tire changes and more. Visit unionplus.org/motorclub. |
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