“Not a win, not a loss.” That was one union leader’s assessment of Tuesday night’s DC City Council vote on the East End Hospital bill.
Added another, “We’re healthcare unions but we’re also healthcare advocates and this bill doesn’t solidify quality union jobs or quality healthcare for the residents of Wards 7 and 8.” The Council passed a substitution amendment which bypasses the certificate of need process, and includes provisions requiring Howard University to reach an affiliation agreement with other institutions to allow Howard doctors to continue to train med students. If there’s no agreement by June 30, there’s no deal with Universal Health Services, which will be building the new hospital. Also approved were amendments requiring UHS to hire union members for at least 50% of the nonsupervisory workforce at the new hospital in southeast DC and that UHS, SEIU and DCNA negotiate neutrality agreements for organizing campaigns at the new hospital. On today’s labor calendar, Airline catering workers will rally for higher wages at Dulles Airport at noon today; then at 1, tune in – and call in -- to this week’s edition of Your Rights at Work here on WPFW; complete details at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 2005, thousands of workers began what was to be a 2-day strike of the New York City transit system over retirement, pension and wage issues. The strike violated the state’s Taylor Law; TWU Local 100 President Roger Toussaint was jailed for ten days and the union was fined $2.5 million. Today’s labor quote is by Roger Toussaint, who said “An agreement will never ever, ever, ever be resolved by fear and intimidation.” 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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Hosted by Chris Garlock and Ed Smith DC’s call-in show about worker rights: those you have, those you don’t, how to get them and how to use them. On today’s show: Hour 1: Cherri Senders on the new Labor 411 app, the consumer guide to ethical products and services that help create good jobs. Available on Apple and Android. Labor music: Factory; Bruce Springsteen Hour 2: Former TWU 100 president Roger Toussaint talks about what led up to the historic 3-day strike by New York City transit workers that began on this date in 2005, his 10-day jail sentence and the labor movement today. Labor music: Underground Train; Lord Kitchener This Week's Labor News Headlines: Chaos and the chocolate factory as leak smothers German street The GOP tax bill only gave workers 2 cents more per hour in bonuses What's Monopsony? It May Be the Reason You Haven't Had a Raise Sears Adds Further Insult to Its Workers -- Bankruptcy Bonuses for Execs Over Half of Workers Eat At Desk More Often Than Dining Table Produced by Chris Garlock and Peter Pocock; engineered by Robin Smith. Registered nurses with National Nurses United applauded the decision by D.C. elected officials to file a lawsuit against Ascension, the owner and operator of Providence Hospital, charging that the multibillion-dollar St. Louis, Missouri based Catholic nonprofit violated the law when it began shutting down operations at the hospital last Friday.
“This move by Ascension follows a long pattern of ignoring the needs and well-being of the people of Washington, D.C.,” said Elissa Curry, a registered nurse at Providence. Instead, Curry said, Ascension is “following a road map laid out by executives elsewhere in the country, who don’t care what happens to the elderly, the poor and the vulnerable who receive care at our D.C. hospital.” The lawsuit filed last Friday by the District of Columbia charges that Ascension violated D.C. law by closing and reducing hospital services without first obtaining approval from the State Health Planning and Development Agency. On today’s labor calendar, airline catering workers will rally for higher wages at DCA today at 4:30; complete details at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1984, twenty-six men and one woman were killed in the Wilberg Coal Mine Disaster near Orangeville, Utah. The disaster has been termed the worst coal mine fire in the state’s history. Federal mine safety officials issued 34 safety citations after the disaster but had inspected the mine only days before and declared it safe. Today’s labor quote is by Greg LeRoy, who worked at a nearby mine and came over to Wilberg to fill air tanks for the rescue teams. Greg LeRoy, who said: "Most of the miners wouldn't go home because they wanted to be there to help if they were needed." 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. The next few hours are critical in the battle for a new East End hospital, workers and Howard University. A final vote by the DC City Council on the East End Hospital is scheduled for today, with two crucial amendments at stake, one ensuring that workers at the new hospital will be protected by a union contract, the other that Howard medical students and residents can continue to be trained there. Universal Health Services, the Mayor and Councilmember Gray have threatened to kill the East End Hospital if these two measures remain part of the legislation, but, says Metro Washington Council Political Director David Dzidzienyo, “We must continue the fight and make sure the DC Council does not abandon workers or Howard University.” Unions, community leaders and Howard University are urging turnout at the DC City Council vote – 9:30a at the Wilson Building – as well as calls and letters to Council members to support all labor-proposed amendments. Go to dclabor.org for a sample letter and contact info.
On today’s labor calendar, the classic labor film “Union Maids” screens free at both the Takoma and Shirlington Busboys and Poets, tonight at 6pm; complete details at dclabor.org, click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1991, General Motors announced it was closing 21 North American plants over the following four years and slashing tens of thousands of jobs. Today’s labor quote is by Vincent Canby, the New York Times film critic, writing about the three rank and file union women who star in “Union Maids”: Vincent Canby, who said: “Sylvia, Stella and Kate are three naturals, characters whose hearts and minds leap off the screen with a kind of grace and nobility.” 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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