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GOP "mob violence" at U.S. Capitol shuts down DC Safeway stores; hotels evacuated; Trumka decries "one of the greatest assaults on our democracy since the Civil War"

Labor hails Dems sweep in Georgia

Today's Labor Quote

Today's Labor History

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Union City Radio: Your Rights at Work: Thu, January 7, 1pm - 2pm
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This week's guests: UNITE HERE 25's John Boardman, SEIU 32BJ's Jaime Contreras & UFCW 400's Mark Federici on how DC-area workers are surviving the pandemic; The American Prospect's Harold Meyerson on "Trumpism in Action!" Open phones: call 202-588-0893

[link removed] Arlington Dems Labor Caucus: Thu, January 7, 6pm - 7pm
Special guest speaker from George Mason University to address impact of the GMU Arlington campus on workers with Delegate Paul Krizek.

[link removed] Coalition to Repeal "Right to Work": Fri, January 8, 7pm - 8pm
Coalition dedicated to giving more power to the working class by building strong unions through repeal of the so-called "right to work" law.

GOP "mob violence" at U.S. Capitol shuts down DC Safeway stores; hotels evacuated; Trumka decries "one of the greatest assaults on our democracy since the Civil War"
"We are witnessing one of the greatest assaults on our democracy since the Civil War," tweeted AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka Wednesday afternoon as protestors incited by President Trump continued to besiege -- and, ultimately break into -- the U.S. Capitol building. "Today's attempted coup has been years in the making as @RealDonaldTrump consistently spews venom, conspiracies, hate and lies to his supporters. They are carrying out his wishes, and far too many Republican lawmakers have enabled and even encouraged this violent threat to our republic. Emboldened by an Electoral College system that creates an avenue for insurrection, instead of simply certifying the candidate with the most votes, this is an effort to violate the constitutional rights of every law-abiding American and the labor movement will not stand for it. Not today. Not ever." "Due to Republican mob violence downtown, all @Safeway stores in DC will close at 4pm today," tweeted UFCW Local 400 Wednesday afternoon. "Associates scheduled between those hours will be paid but are not expected to work." "The Union is requesting that all members working downtown be evacuated immediately," tweeted UNITE HERE 25, which represents hotel and restaurant workers. "Evacuations are already underway at a number of hotels."
[link removed] CLICK HERE for a document compiling statements released by unions including: AFL-CIO; AFGE; ATU; NNU; PRIDE AT WORK. This is being updated; send statements to mailto:[email protected] [email protected]

Labor hails Dems sweep in Georgia
Fueled by extensive get-out-the-vote efforts, Democrats Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff have swept Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the U.S. Senate run-off in Georgia, giving the Democrats control of the Senate.
Rev. Warnock early Wednesday morning was declared the winner in his race against Sen. Kelly Loeffler - making him the first Black U.S. senator from Georgia -- and the race between Ossoff and Sen. David Perdue was called for Ossoff late Wednesday afternoon. Ossoff won by just over 27,000 votes, out of nearly 4.5 million votes cast, and Warnock won by more than 64,000.
"These victories once again show the difference each of us can make," said Metro Washington Council Political Director David Stephen, who coordinated the Council's virtual phonebank to labor union households in Georgia encouraging them to get out and vote.
"This is a great victory," said MD State and DC AFL- CIO president Donna Edwards, "not just for Democrats, but for democracy itself." The MD State and DC AFL- CIO had more than 200 volunteers making turnout calls. "A number of NoVA Labor union members were in Georgia knocking on doors of union households," added NoVA Labor president Ginny Diamond. "Many more made phone calls and wrote postcards. This is a huge victory for working people!"

Today's labor quote: Ben Franklin

In 1787, the day after delegates signed the brand-new U.S. Constitution, Franklin was asked "Well Doctor what (have) we got, a republic or a monarchy?" "A republic," Franklin replied, "if you can keep it."

Today's Labor History
This week's Labor History Today podcast: [link removed] Cutting along the Color Line; Quincy Mills, Professor of History at the University of Maryland in College Park on black barbers, the evolution of their trade, and its political meaning as a skilled form of labor.
Last week's show: [link removed] Cordwainers strike of 1805

An explosion at Osage Coal and Mining Company's Mine Number 11 near Krebs, Okla. kills 100, injures 150 when an untrained worker accidentally sets off a stash of explosives - 1892

Wobblie Tom Mooney, accused of a murder by bombing in San Francisco, pardoned and freed after 22 years in San Quentin - 1939

The presidents of 12 of the nation's largest unions meet and call for reuniting the American labor movement, which split into two factions in 2005 when when seven unions left the AFL-CIO and formed a rival federation. The meeting followed signals from President-elect Barack Obama that he would prefer dealing with a united movement, rather than a fractured one that often had two competing voices. Unions from both sides of the split participated in the meeting. The reunification effort failed - 2009

- David Prosten

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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.

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