As IBEW Local 1200 marks a year battling for a fair contract at CBS affiliate WUSA-9, members of Congress and other area leaders are urging the station’s owners to show its workers the respect they deserve at the bargaining table.
“We encourage you to negotiate in good faith to come to a resolution that includes a fair wage and benefit package,” U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Benjamin Cardin of Maryland said in a letter to station manager Richard Dyer in September, and D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton urged “a speedy, positive agreement.” Despite the local’s compromises and concessions over the course of 16 bargaining sessions, including five with a mediator, Tegna, formerly Gannett, has refused to discuss any of the union’s proposals. “Everything we’ve proposed, it’s been ‘no, no, no,’” Local 1200 Business Manager Ken Brown said. The WUSA-9 unit, which includes nearly 40 technicians, camera operators, editors and other employees, has been working under an expired contract since last November. The National Labor Relations Board is investigating Local 1200’s unfair labor practice charge, along with a shop steward’s charges of management harassment over the past year. On today’s labor calendar, the Economic Policy Institute is hosting a discussion on “The Politics of Trade and the Midterm Elections” and noon today; for details and all the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1950, the mostly Mexican-American members of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union Local 890 in Bayard, New Mexico began the "Salt of the Earth" strike. Strikers' wives walked picket lines for seven months when their husbands were enjoined during the 14-month strike against the New Jersey Zinc Company. Today’s labor quote is by Esperanza Quintero, a character in “The Salt of the Earth” film, portrayed by actress Rosaura Revueltas. Esperanza Quintero, who said: 'Whose neck shall I stand on to make me feel superior, and what will I have out of it? I don't want anything lower than I am. I am low enough already. I want to rise and to push everything up with me as I go"
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Tens of thousands of comments on the new “pay to protest” rules proposed by the Trump administration have flooded in as opponents have warned the rules “would mark the end of free speech as we know it.” Among other radical restrictions of free speech rights, the proposed rules would impose steep fees and costs on demonstrations in DC, effectively ban protests on the White House sidewalks and restrict and suppress spontaneous demonstrations.
Graduate workers at Georgetown University have taken the next step to winning a union, giving the school official notice that they plan to hold a union recognition election later in the fall. “We have been working on this for a long time, and it’s great to be in a position where we’re ready to vote,” said Catie Sevigny, a research assistant and member of the Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees. On today’s labor calendar, what happens when a real teacher tries to become a Hollywood hero? Find out at our free screening of “Teacher of the Year” tonight at 6pm at the Takoma Busboys and Poets. And for all the latest local labor calendar listings, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar for complete details. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1932, the American Federation of Government Employees was founded, after the National Federation of Federal Employees decided to leave the American Federation of Labor. Today’s labor quote is by John Brown, who led 18 men, including five free Blacks, in an attack on the Harper's Ferry ammunition depot on this date in 1859, in what was the beginning of guerrilla warfare against slavery. John Brown, who said: “If it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit; so let it be done!” Hear more about John Brown on this week’s Labor History Today podcast, available at dclabor.org or on your favorite podcast app, just search for Union City Radio. At least 40 maintenance workers have complained or contacted their union with concerns about working to clean up mold at the University of Maryland as the school grapples with a problem that has forced the temporary evacuation of at least 550 students from the Elkton Hall dormitory, WUSA 9’s Scott Broom reported last week.
At least some workers say they have been made sick by the mold, according to Marc Seiden of AFSCME Maryland, the union that represents 3,500 employees at the University. "I have bronchitis and anytime I smell mold, I can't breathe. I get shortness of breath," said maintenance worker Sherma Roberts who said she became ill after being assigned to clean mold infested rooms in Belair Hall with sub-standard protective equipment and no training on health protection. The union made its first formal complaints to the University on September 21, according to Seiden. On today’s labor calendar, this month’s meeting of the Metro Washington Council Delegates is at 6:30 tonight at the AFL-CIO; for complete details, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Clayton Antitrust Act – often referred to as "Labor’s Magna Carta" – establishing that unions are not "conspiracies" under the law. It for the first time freed unions to strike, picket and boycott employers. In the years that followed, however, numerous state measures and negative court interpretations weakened the law. Today’s labor quote is by Representative Robert Crosser of Ohio, a supporter of the Clayton Antitrust Act, who said that: “Failure to check the growth of monopolies…will result in industrial slavery.” Hosted by Chris Garlock and Ed Smith Special edition today with Emma’s Revolution in-studio: Chris and Ed talk about the role of music, protest and resistance with Pat Humphries & Sandy O, whose songs have been sung for the Dalai Lama, praised by Pete Seeger, and covered by Holly Near. Find out more on the Emma’s Revolution website. In the spirit of Emma Goldman's famous attribution, “If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution,” Emma's Revolution brings their uprising of truth and hope to concerts and peace & justice, labor, human rights, environmental, LGBT and women's rights events. Touring 200 days a year, Emma’s Revolution has performed at thousands events throughout the US and around the world in Canada, Chile, Korea, Scotland, England, Israel/Palestine, Nicaragua and Cuba, spreading their message of peace and justice. Today’s playlist includes: Sing People Sing I Believe Her Take Your Vagina to the RNC Feel the Wind CREDITS: Produced by Chris Garlock; engineered by Mike “The Man” Nasella photo: Sandy O, Pat Humphries, Ed Smith, Chris Garlock; photo by Michael Nassella |
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