LABOR CALENDAR
Union City Radio: 7:15am daily
WPFW-FM 89.3 FM; click here to hear today's report
Airport Union Caucus: Mon, June 1, 2pm – 3pm
Via Zoom
Prince William County Labor Caucus: Mon, June 1, 7pm – 8pm
Via Zoom
DC LaborFest screening: Pride: Tue, June 2, 7pm – 9pm
via Zoom; FREE: RSVP here
DC “Workers First Caravan” (POSTPONED! Stay tuned for updates/details soon); Wed, June 3
BREAKING NEWS: The AFL-CIO headquarters at 16th and I -- which hosts a number of allied labor organizations, including the Metro Washington Council -- was among those hit by vandalism and fire in last night's protests; we'll post more details as they're available on our website, Twitter and Facebook feeds.
Maryland Primary Election Update
The Maryland Primary Election will be held tomorrow, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, from 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM. This election will be primarily a "vote by mail" election. If you want your ballot mailed to another address or to download it from the Board of Elections website. All mailed ballots include a return envelope and prepaid postage. Voters who prefer to drop off their ballots can do so at designated ballot drop off locations (lugares designados para dejarlos) through Tuesday June 2; if you are unable to vote by mail, you may vote in-person on election day, June 2, at a vote center in the jurisdiction where you live (centro de votación en la jurisdicción donde vives). See below or click here for the MWC-endorsed candidates.
- David Stephen
Virtual text bank reaches 31K AFGE voters
AFGE District 14 Y.O.U.N.G. -- Young Organizing Unionists for the Next Generation – has reached nearly 31,000 area members via a virtual text bank in recent weeks to let them know about tomorrow’s primaries. “So many people are under the impression that the primaries are solely for the presidential ticket,” AFGE District 14 Program Manager Michelle Hatton told Union City. “They have forgotten that our local races are also at stake.” The idea for the text bank, “Hustle and Flow II,” came from District 14 Y.O.U.N.G. Coordinator Francis Nichols III, from AFGE Local 1456 PreTrial Services, and is a spin-off of last year’s in-person text banking sessions. Participants met via Zoom each week and texted AFGE members varying messages regarding the elections. “We plan to do one last text on Monday, June 1st letting members know where they can drop their ballots and how to confirm that their ballots have been received,” said Hatton.
- Chris Garlock
Today's Labor Quote: Communications Workers of America
"We will never build enough power as working people if an entire community is living under the threat of death and subject to discrimination based on the color of their skin. We will never build enough power if an entire community has its neck under an oppressor's knee.
From the statement issued on Friday, May 29 by the CWA Executive Board.
Today's Labor History
This week’s Labor History Today podcast: Minneapolis general strike; “Mongrel Firebugs and Men of Property”
Political scientist and historian Michael Munk connects what’s going on in Minneapolis today with the general strike that took place there in 1934. Plus: Steve Fraser, author of the new book “Mongrel Firebugs and Men of Property: Capitalism and Class Conflict in American History”; With the AFL-CIO car caravans originally planned for this Wednesday (now postponed) to demand swift action on the pending Heroes bill in Congress to help American workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Meany Archives Ben Blake reveals that the labor movement has used this technique effectively in the past. The latest episode of the “En Masse” podcast takes us inside the New England quarries nearly a century ago, and we celebrate the life of Rosie the Riveter.
Last week’s show: “Politics of the Pantry”; “We Just Come to Work Here”
The Ladies Federal Labor Union Number 2703, based in Illinois, was granted a charter from the American Federation of Labor. Women from a wide range of occupations were among the members, who ultimately were successful in coalescing women’s groups interested in suffrage, temperance, health, housing, and child labor reform to win state legislation in these areas - 1888
12,500 longshoremen strike the Pacific coast, from San Diego to Bellingham. Demands included a closed shop and a wage increase to 55 cents an hour for handling general cargo - 1916
Farm workers under the banner of the new United Farm Workers Organizing Committee strike at Texas’s La Casita Farms, demand $1.25 as a minimum hourly wage - 1966
Dakota Beef meatpackers win 7-hour sit-down strike over speed-ups, St. Paul, Minn. – 2000
General Motors filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The filing made the automaker the largest U.S. industrial company to enter bankruptcy protection. It went on to recover thanks to massive help from the federal government - 2009
- David Prosten
Material published in UNION CITY may be freely reproduced by any recipient; please credit Union City as the source.
Published by the Metropolitan Washington Council, an AFL-CIO "Union City" Central Labor Council whose 200 affiliated union locals represent 150,000 area union members.
Story suggestions, event announcements, campaign reports, Letters to the Editor and other material are welcome, subject to editing for clarity and space; just click on the mail icon below. You can also reach us on Facebook and Twitter by clicking on those icons.
|
