(audio) That’s today’s mystery sound from the folks at AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. It’s the sound of one of their members at work; it’s a water treatment plant. Here’s John Thompson, a member of AFSCME Local 3905 in Illinois, to explain… (audio; see video below) AFSCME recently released a cool series of short videos featuring sounds of their members at work. AFSCME is one of the unions that represents public sector workers, many of whom are now either furloughed or working without pay, thanks to the ongoing Trump Shutdown. Whether they work on the federal, state or local level, these workers are our neighbors, sisters and brothers. They keep our communities working in ways both large and small. Kudos to AFSCME for helping us hear how they contribute to the symphony of our communities across the country. Tune in tomorrow at 1pm when I’ll be hosting a special edition of “Your Rights At Work” focusing on the Trump Shutdown. My guests will include workers affected by the shutdown, and American Prospect editor Harold Meyerson will provide political perspective. Plus your calls. That’s tomorrow starting at 1pm here on WPFW 89.3 FM. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1869, the Knights of Labor was founded. Their constitution barred from membership “parasites,” including stockbrokers and lawyers. Today’s labor quote is from the official platform of the Socialist Labor Party, founded on this date in 1877 in Newark, New Jersey, the first line of which reads: “Labor being the source of all wealth and civilization, and useful labor being possible only by and through the associated efforts of the people, the means of labor should therefore in all justice belong to society.” Union City Radio is supported by Union Plus, which offers special rebates for union members shopping for a new car or truck this holiday season. Visit unionplus.org to find out more.
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Today of course is Christmas, but for many federal workers here and across the country, there’s not a lot to celebrate.
The federal government is now in the third shutdown this year, a failure for both the American people and the 40 percent of the federal workforce that will be forced to go without a paycheck for as long as this stalemate lasts. American Federation of Government Employees President J. David Cox Senior minced no words, calling the shutdown “a dereliction of duty by Congress and the president,” adding that it’s “forcing the men and women who safeguard our country to work for free – while hundreds of thousands more get sent home without pay.” AFSCME President Lee Saunders also pulled no punches, saying that “Shutting down the government to build a border wall and satisfy a divisive agenda is the height of irresponsible political brinkmanship.” Saunders said that the shutdown “falls hardest on hundreds of public service workers and their families, who deserve respect rather than contempt from their elected leaders.” Both union leaders called on President Trump and Congress to return to the table, put our communities first and work to end “this unnecessary and harmful shutdown.” In today’s labor history, on this date in 1967, fourteen servicemen from military bases across the U.S., led by Private Andrew Stapp, formed The American Servicemen’s Union, or ASU. The union, which never came close to being recognized by the government, in its heyday during the Viet Nam war claimed tens of thousands of members and had chapters at bases, on ships and in Viet Nam. ASU demands included the right to elect officers. Today’s labor quote is by David Cortright, an enlisted soldier opposed to the Viet Nam war when he read an article in 1968 about Andrew Stapp’s attempts to organize the American Servicemen’s Union. David Cortright, who said: “To me, it was like a light going off, like a flash of illumination, that maybe I could do the same.” Cortright organized protests against the war and went on to become a professor of peace studies at the University of Notre Dame. Union City Radio is supported by Union Plus, which offers special rebates for union members shopping for a new car or truck this holiday season. Visit unionplus.org to find out more. (audio) That’s today’s mystery sound from the folks at AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. It’s the sound of one of their members at work; can you guess what it is? Here’s Scott Weik, a member of AFSCME Local 1935 in Minnesota, to explain… (audio; see video below) AFSCME recently released a cool series of short videos featuring sounds of their members at work, unique sounds that AFSCME’s union members contribute to the symphony of our communities across the country. Check out the video on our website at dclabor.org In today’s labor history, on this date in 1913, 72 copper miners’ children died in a panic caused by a company stooge in Calumet, Michigan, who shouted “fire” up the stairs into a crowded hall where the children had gathered. They were crushed against closed doors when they tried to flee. Today’s labor quote is by Woody Guthrie, from his song “1913 Massacre” about the tragedy in Calumet, sung here by his son, Arlo: Such a terrible sight I never did see, We carried our children back up to their tree, The scabs outside still laughed at their spree, And the children that died there were seventy-three. The piano played a slow funeral tune, And the town was lit up by a cold Christmas moon, The parents they cried and the miners they moaned, "See what your greed for money has done." Union City Radio is supported by Union Plus, which offers special rebates for union members shopping for a new car or truck this holiday season. Visit unionplus.org to find out more. (audio) "From the beginning it has been really important for our union to be a part of the larger labor movement because unions were joined together to take on the big issues that individual workers can't take on by themselves.”
That’s Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, talking about union solidarity on the latest episode of the AFL-CIO’s “State of the Unions” podcast. (audio) “And we know that today especially when we go to bargain health care at the table. It doesn’t matter what great negotiators we are. It doesn’t matter that we have 80 percent density in the airline industry. We can't take on the issues of health care without joining together with other workers who have health care under attack, and raising the standards for all Americans on health care. There’s just no way we can move that issue forward. So while we focus specifically on flight attendant issues, we understand our role as part of the larger labor movement as being integral to our success." “State of the Unions” is available on your favorite podcast platform. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1790, powered by children seven to 12 years old working dawn to dusk, Samuel Slater’s thread-spinning factory went into production in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, launching the Industrial Revolution in America. By 1830, 55 percent of the mill workers in the state were youngsters, many working for less than $1 per week. Today’s labor quote is by William Howard Taft, the Supreme Court Chief Justice and former U.S. president. The Supreme Court ruled on this date in 1921 that picketing was unconstitutional. William Howard Taft, who declared that picketing was, in part, "an unlawful annoyance and hurtful nuisance..." Union City Radio is supported by Union Plus, which offers special rebates for union members shopping for a new car or truck this holiday season. Visit unionplus.org to find out more. |
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