TODAY'S LABOR CALENDAR; click here for latest listings Union City Radio: 7:15a; WPFW-FM 89.3
Alexandria Dems Labor Caucus: Wed, July 24, 7:30am – 9:30am
With political support, airline food workers take struggle public
With political support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Rashida Tlaib and several Virginia state lawmakers, airline food workers took their nationwide struggle against their bosses public with a massive protest Tuesday afternoon that drew almost 1,000 people and virtually filled the old main hall at Washington National Airport. The workers, organized by UNITE HERE, demand union recognition, better wages and benefits and an end to employer interference in their organizing drives at airports nationwide. SkyChef employs 11,000 food prep workers for American Airlines and Delta, while 4,000 more who toil for CafeGourmet, organized with the Teamsters, handle prepared food for a third airline. The food prep workers “want the same benefits” other unionized airline workers get, plus a minimum wage of $15 an hour and the right to organize without employer intimidation, interference and lawbreaking, Dallas Skychef 4-year kitchen worker Balin Yakasa said in an interview. He makes $11.65 hourly, but knows 30-year workers there who make only $14.60. “I spend my life in the kitchen, 12, 13, sometimes 15 hours a day. I’d like to spend more of it with my family. That’s not right. We need $15 and also retirement income we can survive on,” Yakasa said. Both the UNITE HERE and Teamsters groups have overwhelmingly approved strike authorization votes, but the National Mediation Board – which rules airline and passenger worker-boss relations – has yet to release them to strike, or to release the food firms to lock them out. “The American people are sick and tired of corporate greed,” Sanders declared. “It’s not acceptable that two-thirds of these workers are making less than $15 an hour and only one-third get company-paid health care. You can’t pay your rent, your health care or buy your food on that. We’re saying, ‘Enough is enough!’” "When Marriott strikers were on the line and they started using 'One job should be enough,' I thought this captures it, this captures it for the entire economy,” AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler said. “Because what we are seeing is corporate greed run amuck.” - Mark Gruenberg, PAI News; adapted from a longer report on our website. 
Georgetown University workers, community leaders rally
Hundreds of Georgetown University union workers rallied on the university's campus last week to demand a fair contract. "Georgetown's management should care more about the people working on their campus," said 1199SEIU member Alice Affolter. "We deserve wages that reflect the hard work we do each day for the school and that allow us to support our families." 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East (UHWE) has been in contract negotiations with the university covering workers who are concerned that their wages will not keep up with DC's rising cost of living. Workers also voiced concerns about the quality of working conditions throughout the campus. CSA’s golf tourney set for Sept. 23
The Community Services Agency’s 24th annual golf tournament is coming up on Monday, September 23rd at the Enterprise Golf Course. "We value CSA's work to support union members during times of hardship and are so very proud to be a sponsor of the tournament," said George Farenthold, OPEIU 277 /American Income Life. “Join us for a fun day that helps support union families," says CSA Executive Director Sonte DuCote. For more information email: [email protected] or click here. photo by Chris Garlock 
Today’s Labor Quote: Fight for $15
Today's Labor History “You Can't Eat Coal: Women's Social Justice Activism in Appalachia”; on this week's Labor History Today podcast, Working History podcast host Beth English interviews Jessica Wilkerson, Assistant Professor of History and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi, on her book, "To Live Here You Have to Fight," and the recent history of feminist social justice activism in Appalachia.
The United Auto Workers and the Teamsters form the Alliance for Labor Action (ALA), later to be joined by several smaller unions. The ALA's agenda included support of the civil rights movement and opposition to the war in Viet Nam. It disbanded after four years following the death of UAW President Walter Reuther - 1968 photo: Walter Reuther takes part in a civil rights march in Washington, circa 1963. 
Communications
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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