LABOR CALENDAR; click here for latest listings Union City Radio: 7:15a M-F; WPFW-FM 89.3 UAW strike picket: Fri, October 11, 6am – 2pm; Sat, October 12, 10am – 2pm; Sun, October 13, 10am – 2pm
Supermarket workers and janitors take their demands to the street
Whether the chant was “We work! We sweat! We want more on our check!” or “Si se puede!” the message was the same as supermarket workers in Maryland and Virginia and janitors in DC rallied and marched across the region Thursday afternoon. “Giant’s parent company made $2 billion last year alone,” said UFCW 400, whose members marched in Camp Springs, MD and Sterling, VA. “It’s time to share that success with the workers who make it happen!” “Going on strike is not a decision we take lightly,” said SEIU 32BJ member and D.C. janitor Maylin Portillo, as hundreds of janitors marched through downtown DC rush-hour traffic, “but we will do whatever’s necessary to support our families. I’m struggling to pay the rent and support my grandparents who rely on me.” The janitors’ contract expires Oct. 15; the Giant and Safeway contracts expire October 26. - report/photos by Chris Garlock 
1199SEIU MD/DC supports ACLU-DC’s call for hearing on water crisis at St. Elizabeths
“This water emergency is indicative of the lack of oversight and management of the healthcare system,” said Lisa Brown, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU MD/DC after news broke that St. Elizabeths hospital – D.C.’s only public psychiatric hospital – has been without running water since late September. Noting that the emergency especially affects residents and caregivers in Wards 7 and 8, Brown charged that “in addition to neglecting St. Elizabeths, the city did not provide oversight to United Medical Center’s contracted management team, leading to service closures, funding cuts, and further erosion of quality healthcare East of the River.” The union represents social workers at St. Elizabeths and has joined the ACLU-DC’s call for the DC City Council to hold an oversight hearing on the crisis and to thoroughly investigate the causes and remedies – both short-term and long-term. 
Allies honor labor at awards
Two major labor allies are honoring unions at upcoming awards. DC Jobs with Justice is recognizing the work of the Mundo Verde Teachers and Staff union at the 2019 I’ll Be There Awards on Thursday, October 17th, while Jews United for Justice is honoring SEIU 32BJ at the 2019 Heschel Vision Awards on Sunday, November 17. Tickets for the JWJ awards are available here and to sponsor JUFJ’s awards -- or to purchase tickets – click here. 
Today's Labor Quote: "Bread and Roses" strike
“Better to starve fighting than to starve working.” 
Today's Labor History Labor History Today (10/6): Sex Workers Outreach Project makes history in Minneapolis October 11
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.
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