Union City Radio for Friday, March 30

Members of AFGE – the American Federation of Government Employees -- and union allies rallied Wednesday against an anti-union “contract” Trump administration Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is trying to impose on her workers, warning that it could spread to other federal workers. AFGE Secretary-Treasurer Joe Flynn said “This administration won’t stop until every union has been busted and every union contract has been ripped up.” Virginia congressman Don Beyer agreed, noting that the DeVos’ “contract” is just part of the Trump administration’s wider war against unions in general.

On this weekend’s labor calendar, THE NEW BABYLON -- about the revolt of workers and laborers in Paris in 1871 -- screens tonight and tomorrow afternoon at the AFI Silver, with live accompaniment by the PostClassical Ensemble.
For details, and the latest labor events, go to dclabor.org, and click on Calendar.

Here’s today's labor history:
On this date in 1990, Harry Bridges, the Australian-born dock union leader, died at age 88. He helped form and lead the International Longshore and Warehouse Union for 40 years.

Today’s labor quote is from “The Ballad of Harry Bridges,” sung here by Arlo Guthrie:
There was only a company union, the bosses had their way.
A worker had to stand in line for a lousy dollar a day.
When up spoke Harry Bridges, "Us workers got to get wise,
Our wives and kids will starve to death if we don't get organized."
Oh, the FBI is worried, the bosses they are scared,
They can't deport six million men, they know.
And we're not going to let them send Harry over the sea,
We'll fight for Harry Bridges and build the C. I. O.

Arlo Guthrie-The Ballad of Harry Bridges; lyrics by Lee Hays, Millard Lampell and Pete Seeger