It makes sense that Plumbers Local 5 is the latest union to contribute to the Community Services Agency’s efforts to help workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1890, Local 5 has been committed to “protecting the health” of the nation’s capital. “From our bathroom fixtures, through the sewers below the street, to the treatment plants, we safeguard the water supply for the health of our communities and protect our environment for future generations,” the union says. Plumbers Local 5 contributed $10,000 to CSA’s Emergency Assistance Fund last week, which will be used to help unemployed union members struggling to maintain their households. “In this unprecedented crisis, this donation is just another way of showing solidarity within the labor movement," said Local 5 Business Manager James E. Killeen III.
In today’s labor history, on this date in 1912, in what may have been baseball’s first labor strike, the Detroit Tigers refused to play after team leader Ty Cobb was suspended: he went into the stands and beat a fan who had been heckling him. Cobb was reinstated and the Tigers went back to work after the team manager’s failed attempt to replace the players with a local college team: their pitcher gave up 24 runs. Today’s labor quote is by Ty Cobb, who said: “Sure, I fought. I had to fight all my life just to survive. They were all against me. Tried every dirty trick to cut me down, but I beat the bastards and left them in the ditch.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. If you’ve been thinking about completing your bachelor’s degree, now is the time - union members and their family members who enroll in the Union Plus Bachelor’s Degree Program before June 22 can complete their degree for FREE. Visit bachelorsdegree.unionplus.org. Please be sure to support WPFW during our Spring Pledge Drive; call 202-588-9739 or 1-800-222-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org, click on Donate Now. Thanks very much!
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Hey, in case you missed any of the Union City Radio segments this week, first of all, they’re available on our podcast, just search for Union City Radio. Here’s a quick sound collage of highlights from Union City Radio this week:
If president Trump looked out his front window last Thursday morning. He would have seen 88 pairs of white nurse's shoes lined up on the sidewalk in front of the white house. They represented each nurse killed so far by the Corona virus pandemic…My name is Jeffrey Reed. I'm 54 years old. I work for Giant in Silver Spring, Maryland. I'm in the meat department and I'm also a shop steward for the local 400 union. This is my diary. This is my story…AFSCME Council 3 president Patrick Moran says that members of his union who work in the state's detention facilities are, quote, "Working in literal petri dishes"…"We can use federal funding to keep people employed and guarantee everyone's paycheck for the duration of the crisis.This concept is neither new nor radical. It's been done before. The government pays for the employer to pay their employees. No money goes to CEOs or to wall street just to workers. Payroll support has been endorsed across the political spectrum. And it's gaining traction among business and labor…The Montgomery County Council on Wednesday voted to zero out all provisions of local 1994 his revised contract. "This is a slap in the face," said one local 1994 member. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1838, the first women’s anti-slavery conference was held in Philadelphia. Today’s labor quote is by Charles Evans Hughes, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1930 to 1941. Charles Evans Hughes, who said: “Long ago we stated the reason for labor organizations. We said that they were organized out of the necessities of the situation: that a single employee was helpless in dealing with an employer; … that union was essential to give the laborers opportunity to deal on equality with their employer.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. If you’ve been thinking about completing your bachelor’s degree, now is the time - union members and their family members who enroll in the Union Plus Bachelor’s Degree Program before June 22 can complete their degree for FREE. Visit bachelorsdegree.unionplus.org. Please be sure to support WPFW during our Spring Pledge Drive; call 202-588-9739 or 1-800-222-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org, click on Donate Now. Thanks very much! The old saying is that “If you’re not at the table, then you’re on the menu,” which is one reason local labor leaders fought hard to get on DC Mayor Muriel Bower’s ReOpen DC Advisory Group. Labor’s representation includes AFSCME Council 20 Executive Director (and Acting President of the Metro Washington Council) Andrew Washington, who's coordinating a special Labor Focus Group; Dyana Forester from UFCW 400, Jaime Contreras at SEIU 32BJ, John Boardman of UNITE HERE Local 25, Elizabeth Davis of the Washington Teachers Union, and Lisa Brown at SEIU 1199. The Labor Focus Group was created in response to what Andrew Washington said was “labor’s concerns about the lack of opportunities on these committees and ensuring that [re-opening plans] represent the true challenges and fears of re-opening too soon.”
In today’s labor history, on this date in 1938, the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Mackay (MACK_EE) decision, which permits the permanent replacement of striking workers. The decision had little impact until Ronald Regan’s replacement of striking air traffic controllers – members of PATCO-- in 1981, a move that signaled antiunion private sector employers that it was OK to do likewise. Today’s labor quote is by labor leader and peace activist A. Philip Randolph, who died on this date in 1979. He was president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first black on the AFL-CIO executive board, and a principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. A. Philip Randolph, who said: “We must develop huge demonstrations, because the world is used to big dramatic affairs. They think in terms of hundreds of thousands and millions and billions... Billions of dollars are appropriated at the twinkling of an eye. Nothing little counts.” Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. If you’ve been thinking about completing your bachelor’s degree, now is the time - union members and their family members who enroll in the Union Plus Bachelor’s Degree Program before June 22 can complete their degree for FREE. Visit bachelorsdegree.unionplus.org. Please be sure to support WPFW during our Spring Pledge Drive; call 202-588-9739 or 1-800-222-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org, click on Donate Now. Thanks very much! Showing what UFCW Local 1994 president Gino Renne called “a stunning and callous disregard” for Montgomery County employees’ hard work and sacrifices, the Montgomery County Council on Wednesday voted to zero out all provisions of Local 1994’s revised contract.
"This is a slap in the face," said one Local 1994 member. “They call you heroes for continuing to work and provide services for the County in midst of an unprecedented pandemic,” said Renne, yet “They reward you by stripping you of any expected pay or benefits increases next year!” The Council also voted against both the police and the firefighters' revised agreements, setting the stage for a continued contentious relationship between the Council and the County workforce. Renne thanked Councilmembers Tom Hucker and Will Jawando for their support while slamming Councilmembers Craig Rice, Hans Riemer and Andrew Friedson for what he said was their “complete contempt and hostility.” For today’s labor events, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1917, the Library Employees’ Union was founded in New York City, the first union of public library workers in the United States. A major focus of the union was the inferior status of women library workers and their low salaries. Today’s labor quote is by IWW songwriter T Bone Slim, who died on this date in 1942. This is from his song “Popular Wobbly,” sung by Joe Glazer: Well, that cop, he went wild over me And he held his gun where everyone could see He was breathing rather hard When he saw my union card They go wild, simply wild over me Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. If you’ve been thinking about completing your bachelor’s degree, now is the time - union members and their family members who enroll in the Union Plus Bachelor’s Degree Program before June 22 can complete their degree for FREE. Visit bachelorsdegree.unionplus.org. Please be sure to support WPFW during our Spring Pledge Drive; call 202-588-9739 or 1-800-222-9739 or pledge online at wpfwfm.org, click on Donate Now. Thanks very much! |
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