Over 600 turn out for historic Evening with Labor
“Loved joining @DCLabor tonight for their 43rd Annual Evening With Labor!” tweeted AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler on Friday night. “Washington, DC is one of the most union-dense cities in America. Its dedicated union members & leaders are changemakers for our movement, and they make me proud to call this city my home.” Shuler’s sentiments were echoed by an all-star line-up at the pandemic-delayed and much-anticipated labor celebration, including Senator Chris Van Hollen, Congressman Anthony Brown, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and White House Director of Labor Engagement Erika Dinkel-Smith. The open bar reception was well-attended by over 600 labor leaders, rank-and-file members, political and community allies who were clearly excited to finally get a chance to see each other in person. Others tuned in online for the program, which was live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.
Perhaps the most moving moments came when solemn tribute was paid “to all of those we have lost,” including WTU’s Liz Davis, AFSCME 20’s Andrew Washington and AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka.
Top honors this year went to J.C. Turner awardees Eric Bunn (AFGE) and Jaime Contreras (SEIU 32BJ), while ATU 689 and IUOE 99 collected the Organizing award. The DC COPE award went to the late Andrew Washington (AFSCME Council 20) and Laura Fuchs (WTU 6), while the Suburban Maryland COPE Award went to Tom Killeen (SMART 100). The Thomas M. Bradley Community Services Award went to IUPAT District 51 and its’ Finishing Trades Institute, the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Carpenters Council, Sisters in the Brotherhood and its’ MACTC and Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 5 and its’ JATC and Apprenticeship Training Center. Golden Picket Sign winners were ATU 689 and ATU 1764, DCNA and 1199 SEIU. Saul Schniderman (AFSCME 2910) collected the Joslyn N. Williams Vanguard Award and Outstanding Ally went to Rev. Graylan Hagler of Faith Strategies.
“We are so proud of all of you,” said Metro Washington Council president Dyana Forester, “and so happy that we could all be here together tonight in solidarity.”
- report by Chris Garlock; photos (clockwise starting in upper left): AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler; MWC president Dyana Forester and former MWC president Jackie Jeter; J.C. Turner awardees Jaime Contreras and Eric Bunn; photos by Yusef Jones. Click here for an album of photos. |
|
|---|
|
Solidarity Center Podcast: Thai Fast Food Workers Fight for a Fair Share
The Fight for $15 movement in the United States is part of a global struggle by fast food workers often employed by the same multinational corporations that make massive profits even as their employees struggle to get by. On this week's Solidarity Center Podcast, Apantree Charoensak, a former union leader who led the campaign to organize fast food workers at KFC in Thailand, describes how workers overcame the company’s opposition to successfully form a union and win better wages and working conditions. “The company knew that if the demands were successful, it would impact 70 percent of the workers which, back then, there were about 18,000 workers. So they pressured and threatened me a lot,” she says. “They said they would get me out of the company, if I still tried to help other workers.”
Listen to the full episode here. |
| |
|---|
|
Today’s labor quote: Robert Reich
“If we show solidarity, we can reverse 40 years of stagnant wages, declining economic security, and widening inequality, and build a more prosperous middle-class where the gains are shared by everyone. Let's seize the moment!”
From his latest video, Is This Fall’s Labor Strike Wave a Tipping Point? |
|
|---|
|
This week’s Labor History Today podcast: This week's show: Tom Morello holds the line. Last week's show: Communists and community in wartime Detroit.
Founding convention of the Federation of Trades and Labor Unions is held in Pittsburgh. It urges enactment of employer liability, compulsory education, uniform apprenticeship and child and convict labor laws. Five years later it changes its name to the American Federation of Labor - 1881
- 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.
|
|
|---|
|
|
