LABOR CALENDAR
Union City Radio: Weekdays, 7:15am – 7:20am
WPFW-FM 89.3 FM; click here to hear
CLUW Baltimore Chapter mtg: Tue, February 18, 5pm – 7pm
Baltimore Teachers Union, AFT Local 340 5800 Metro Drive Baltimore, MD 21215
Metro Washington Council Delegate Meeting: Tue, February 18, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
AFL-CIO, 815 16th St NW, Washington, DC xxxxxx, United States (map)
NOTE: Nominations for a new MWC President and to fill two Board vacancies will be held at this meeting. Click here for details.
Giant/Safeway strike vote press conference: Wed, February 19, 11am – 12pm
Safeway #2892, 1100 4th St SW, Washington, DC
Parlaying Positive Labor Relations into Growth in a Mature Construction Market: Wed, February 19, 11:30am – 1:30pm
The Whittemore House, 1526 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
Film: Suppressed: The Fight to Vote: Wed, February 19, 7pm – 9pm
Georgetown Library, 3260 R St. NW Washington, D.C. 20007
Alexandria Dems Labor Caucus: Wed, February 19, 7:30pm – 9:30pm
618 N Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314
D.C. CBTU Chapter Black History Month presentation and discussion: Thu, February 20, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
AFL-CIO (815 16th street, N.W. 1st FIoor President Room, Washington, D.C. 20006
NoVA Labor monthly meeting: Thu, February 20, 7pm – 9pm
NoVA Labor, 4536 B John Marr Drive, Annandale, VA
NoVA Labor Airport Union Caucus: Fri, February 21, 2pm – 3pm
At new ALPA headquarters:7950 Jones Branch Dr #400s, McLean, VA
Fairfax Connector workers may strike again
After almost three more months of fruitless contract negotiations with Fairfax Connector contractor Transdev — coupled with Fairfax County’s failure to deliver on their promise to assist in reaching a fair deal — ATU Local 1764 Fairfax Connector workers have begun preparations for a second possible unfair labor practice strike. “Transdev has once again pushed our members to the brink,” said ATU International President John Costa. “While we remain committed to negotiating with Transdev to reach a fair and just contract, we are disappointed that Fairfax County hasn’t stepped in as promised to ensure Transdev gives our members — who serve their community — the fair contract they deserve. We are once again left with no other option but to strongly consider walking off the job again later this week.” Early last December, the more 500 Fairfax Connector workers walked off the job for four days.
MontCo bill: no representation without dues
Earlier this month, the Montgomery County Council passed Bill 35-19, Personnel-Collective Bargaining-Certified Representative-Duty of Fair Representation. The bill’s name is a mouthful, but its purpose is very simple: under Bill 35-19, members of the county’s main labor unions who don’t pay dues won’t be entitled to union representation when they file grievances against the county unless they pay for that representation. Representing workers who file grievances is time consuming and costly for unions, which provide attorneys to represent the employee.
The bill was introduced by council Vice President Tom Hucker – and supported by the county’s public employee labor unions -- in response to the Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus ruling, part of the right wing’s ongoing attempt to defund the American labor movement.
“It’s only fair that workers who reap the benefits of collective bargaining agreements pay their share of the costs for negotiating and carrying out those agreements,” said Hucker.
MWC nominations tonight
Nominations for President of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO -- and for two vacant Board positions -- will be conducted at the regular MWC Delegates’ meeting scheduled for tonight at 6:30PM at the AFL-CIO. The elections will be held at the regular March meeting on Monday, March 16. Affiliates must be paid up in order for their delegates to participate in the nominations and election; click here for election-related documents.
Today's Labor Quote: William Smith
“If you do not organize, and expect to get the cooperation of the citizens in general, you may wake up some fine morning and find that the citizens in general do not respond to your request. You know that the moneyed class will never hand you anything without a hard fight for it; therefore, if the class to which you belong should not cooperate with you in an unorganized body, you should not blame anyone but yourself.”
Smith was Secretary-Treasurer of the IAFF from 1918-1920.
Today's Labor History
This week’s Labor History Today podcast: Striking Images: Labor on Screen and in the Streets
Maybe class-conscious films like 2020 Academy Award winners "American Factory" and "Parasite" are the rule and not the exception. So argues Kathy Newman this week in a fascinating chat with our very own Sherry Linkon, who's quickly becoming a genuine LHT rock star!
Plus, Saul Schniderman on how sales clerk Leura Collins’ decision to buy some chicken led to the Weingarten Rights.
Last week's show: (2/9): John Sayles on “Matewan,” “Yellow Earth” and more. This is already one of our most popular shows; check it out and you'll hear why!
February 18
One of the first American labor newspapers, The Man, is published in New York City. It cost one cent and, according to The History of American Journalism, “died an early death.” Another labor paper, N.Y. Daily Sentinel, had been launched four years earlier - 1834
Faced with 84 hour workweeks, 24 hour shifts and pay of 29 cents an hour, fire fighters form The International Association of Fire Fighters. Some individual locals had affiliated with the AFL beginning in 1903 - 1918
February 19
A few weeks after workers ask for a 25 cent hourly wage, the Philadelphia Rapid Transit (streetcar) Co. fires 173 union members “for the good of the service” and brings in replacements from New York City. Striker-scab battles and a general strike ensued - 1910
The U.S. Supreme Court decides in favor of sales clerk Leura Collins and her union, the Retail Clerks, in NLRB v. J. Weingarten Inc. – the case establishing that workers have a right to request the presence of their union steward if they believe they are to be disciplined for a workplace infraction - 1975
Farm Labor Organizing Committee signs agreement with Campbell Soup Co., ending seven-year boycott - 1986
- David Prosten
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