TODAY'S LABOR CALENDAR; click here for latest listings
Union City Radio: 7:15a; WPFW-FM 89.3
UAW strike picket: Wed, October 2, 6am – 2pm; Thu, October 3, 6am – 2pm
GM White-Marsh transmission plant, 10301 Philadelphia Road, White Marsh, MD.
FILM: Midnight Family: Wed, October 2, 7:05pm – 9:00pm
AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Co-presented by the DC LaborFest/DC Labor FilmFest; show your union card and get the AFI member discount (if ordering online, choose the “AFI Member (LAFF)” option)!
Work and Workers of the Future : A Trans-Atlantic Conference: Thu, October 3, 9:30am – 4:30pm
AFL-CIO, George Meany Room • 815 16th St. NW • Washington, DC 20006
RSVP here; This is an in-person event only.
Union City Radio: Your Rights at Work: Thu, October 3, 1pm – 2pm
WPFW 89.3 FM or listen online
Ploughman & Fisherman UNITY Dinner: Thu, October 3, 6pm – 10pm
Martin's Caterers, 13901 Central Ave, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
Hosted by the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee; Cynthia Collins (SEIU 400 and Metro Washington Council Board Member) has has been asked to run for the 26th District Democratic Central Committee Coordinator Position and urges you to attend this dinner and support her.
For tickets: Call 301-646-0831 or email [email protected]
Got local labor news? Share it with the DC labor community here! Email us at [email protected] today!
Janitors demand justice on DC streets
Hundreds of janitors rallied and marched through downtown DC during last night's rush-hour traffic, vowing to strike if they don't win a contract with fair wages by October 15. The members of SEIU 32BJ drew support from local District officials including DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Elissa Silverman. ""Keep marching and keep holding us accountable," Silverman told the crowd. "We're here to make sure working people have opportunity in our city." The spirited march included a stop at the White House where 32BJ's vice president Jaime Contreras shouted “Trump! Shame on you!” Most of the local's members are immigrants, who Contreras said the Trump admin treats “like animals.” Negotiations began on September 12th for a contract covering over 4,000 janitors in Washington, D.C., 4,000 janitors in Northern Virginia, over 1,500 janitors in Montgomery County, over 600 Baltimore janitors and a first-ever union contract for hundreds of janitors in Loudoun County, VA and Prince George’s County, MD.
photo by Amanda Michelle Gomez
1199SEIU workers at Georgetown win contract
After several member-led actions over the summer – including a sticker day with full member participation, a member-led rally on campus and a march on the COO -- 1199SEIU members at Georgetown University were able to ratify their new contract with a 3.25% annual wage increase, frozen main campus parking rates, and worker protections under subcontracting, reports 1199SEIU Vice President Yahnae Barner.
Today’s Labor Quote: Benjamin Jealous
Jealous, NAACP President at the time, was one of the lead organizers of the “One Nation Working Together” rally, which took place here in Washington on this date in 2010. photo by Chris Garlock/Union City
"We have seen cabdrivers come down from New York, truck drivers from Oklahoma. This is about moving the country with the spirit of unity and hope, and getting the country beyond the divisiveness."
Today's Labor History
Click here to check out this week's Labor History Today podcast. Professor Jim Gregory on his innovative project to map American social movements online. Georgetown labor history professor Joe McCartin joins hosts Chris Garlock and Elise Bryant on a show originally broadcast on Labor Day 2019 on WPFW 89.3FM. The project, Gregory says, “allows us to see where social movements were active and where not, helping us better understand patterns of influence and endurance.”
American Federation of Labor officially endorses campaign for a six hour day, five day workweek - 1934
Joining with 400,000 coal miners already on strike, 500,000 CIO steel workers close down the nation’s foundries, steel and iron mills, demanding pensions and better wages and working conditions - 1949
Starbucks Workers Union baristas at an outlet in East Grand Rapids, Mich., organized by the Wobblies, win their grievances after the National Labor Relations Board cites the company for labor law violations, including threats against union activists - 2007
- David Prosten
Material published in UNION CITY may be freely reproduced by any recipient; please credit Union City as the source for all news items and www.unionist.com as the source for Today’s Labor History.
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. JACKIE JETER, PRESIDENT.
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.
|
