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Nurses report "major" staffing shortages at DC hospitals

Metro Council Labor GOTV launches Sept. 17

Metro Washington Labor Council endorses Silverman

Labor On The Move: New staff at KI & LNS

Labor Quote: Ellen Cassedy

Today's Labor History

 

Labor Calendar: [link removed] click here for complete and latest listings

[link removed] Union City Radio: 7:15am daily
WPFW-FM 89.3 FM; [link removed] click here to hear today's report

FILM: "The Anthrax Attacks" released
Thursday, Sep 8, 2022

Leaders and members of [link removed] APWU, Nation's Capital and Southern MD Local are featured in the new movie "The Anthrax Attacks," which goes live on Netflix today, September 8th. [link removed] See more here and [link removed] here.


Union City Radio: Your Rights at Work
Thu, September 8, 1pm - 2pm
WPFW 89.3 FM or [link removed] listen online.
This week's invited guests include Politics and Prose union organizer Isa Salazar.

Arlington Dems Labor Caucus
Thu, September 8, 6pm - 7pm

Meeting for Arlington union members and friends of labor. [link removed] RSVP here.

Book Author: Ellen Cassedy with Working 9 to 5: A women's movement, a labor union, and the iconic movie
Thu, September 8, 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Lost City Books, 2467 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009.

Network NOVA Labor Day Panel

Fri, September 9, 12pm - 1pm
Join this special "All Things Labor" panel discussion on zoom hosted by Network NOVA. Panelists include Raul Castro (Carpenters), Meridian Stiller (Starbucks Workers United), Virginia Diamond (NoVA Labor), and Julius Reynolds (SEIU Local 512).
[link removed] Register here.

NOTES: As of September 6, 2022, the Metro Washington Labor Council office is open 9a-5p Monday-Friday. Union City returns to its regular daily weekday publication schedule this week, as well.

On The Air: Missed last week's Your Rights At Work radio show? Listen here: [link removed] Marty Walsh with 2022 Labor Hall of Honor honorees, on your fav podcast app (search for Your Rights At Work) or catch it live every Thursday at 1p on WPFW 89.3FM.

Nurses report "major" staffing shortages at DC hospitals

Over 95% of nurses working in DC hospitals and facilities say staffing shortages are a "major issue" at the nurses' workplaces, and nearly 80% say they've experienced staffing shortages more than once a week over the last year. That's according to a report issued last weekend by the District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA). "Hospitals are burning out committed staff," said one nurse in response to DCNA's Nurse Staffing Survey. "When my hospital chooses to pay travel nurses $100+\ hr rather than increase pay for staff nurses, that is a huge problem!" said another. "It is an endless cycle and it is frustrating to feel like our administration is not addressing it," said another. "These results do not surprise us," said DCNA Executive Director Edward J. Smith. "We have seen similar reports from nurses across the United States and we recently were forced to conduct a strike in DC with nurse staffing as a major issue in that contract fight." Smith called on "the community and our elected leaders to stand up and support DCNA in our fight to increase staffing so we can save lives and provide the proper care our patients deserve."


Metro Council Labor GOTV launches Sept. 17

The Metro Washington Labor Council (MWC) is preparing to launch this year's Labor to Labor program for the D.C. and Maryland General Election cycle. "We must band together to help build capacity for this year's program to succeed," says MWC Political Director Déjah Désirée Williams. This year the MWC has unanimously decided to endorse D.C. City Council At-Large Member Elissa Silverman (see story below). In addition, the Maryland State & D.C. AFL-CIO has endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore. "Now more than ever, the Metro Council needs your support," said MWC President Dyana Forester. "When Elissa and Wes win, labor wins! So let's ensure our brothers and sisters in D.C. and Maryland exercise their right to vote."


The Metro Washington Council will begin door knocking on Saturday, September 17 at 9:00 a.m. The Council will be knocking in Wards 4, 5, and 6. To participate, please click [link removed] here.

In addition to door knocking, the council will be hosting phone banks every Monday and Wednesday until Election Day, Tuesday, November 8. Phone banks will begin on Monday, September 19 at 5:00 p.m. To participate, please click [link removed] here.

Metro Washington Labor Council endorses Silverman

The Metro Washington Labor Council, AFL-CIO on Wednesday announced its endorsement of Elissa Silverman for re-election as At-Large Council Member in the District of Columbia. "Elissa is a longtime true labor champion who has fought hard - and delivered - for the city's working men and women," said MWC President Dyana Forester. "She's stood with us, and we're proud to stand with her." "For single mothers and anyone who wants access to Paid Sick and Paid Family Leave benefits, Elissa Silverman is irreplaceable," said 32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President Jaime Contreras. "Endorsing Elissa is a no-brainer," said Mark Federici, President of UFCW Local 400. "She has never failed to stand with essential workers and champion policies to address our needs, like raising the minimum wage and passing Paid Sick and Family Leave. We can always count on her and she can count on us." "Elissa Silverman's compassion and service on behalf of working families has had a profound impact on our members' lives," said Paul Schwalb, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, UNITE HERE Local 25. "From her fierce advocacy for Paid Family Leave to personally working on Unemployment Insurance cases throughout the pandemic, she has repeatedly demonstrated that she is an indispensable champion for District workers." [link removed] Read more here.


Labor On The Move: New staff at KI & LNS

Alexis Harper is the new director of communications and events at the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor at Georgetown University. She joined KI through the WILL Empower Apprenticeship program in 2022. Alexis is finishing her dissertation on African American literature at Howard University where she focuses on racialization, nationalism and geographies in contemporary Black speculative fiction. In addition to her work with KI, Alexis organizes mutual aid in DC's Ward 1 neighborhoods through various grassroots organizations. She is a graduate of Fisk University (B.A. '13) and Virginia Tech (M.A. '16). Reach Alexis at mailto:[email protected] [email protected]


Larry Williams Jr. is the new Executive Director of the Labor Network for Sustainability. The founder of [link removed] UnionBase.org, the first secure social networking and education platform for unions and union workers, Williams previously led organizing campaigns in the Teamster Organizing Department and served as Labor Coordinator for Sierra Club. He's also co-founder and former President of Progressive Workers Union (PWU), a powerful Washington, D.C. based union for non-profit representing employees at Greenpeace, [link removed] 350.org, Union of Concerned Scientists, Sierra Club and more. Reach Larry at [email protected]


Labor Quote: Ellen Cassedy

"A movement is not just about people who feel themselves to be passionate organizers and activists. It's also all different kinds of people."

Cassedy was speaking on last week's [link removed] Your Rights At Work radio show on WPFW: her new book [link removed] Working 9 to 5: A women's movement, a labor union, and the iconic movie (Chicago Review Press, foreword by Jane Fonda) was released Tuesday and she's in town for events today and Saturday; See [link removed] calendar for details. photo by Steve Cagan.


TODAY'S LABOR HISTORY

This week's Labor History Today podcast: [link removed] NC Labor History Revealed! Last week's show: [link removed] Mother Jones and Fannie Sellins.

Workers give up their Labor Day weekend holidays to keep the munitions factories working to aid in the war effort. Most Labor Day parades are canceled in respect for members of the Armed Services - 1942

United Farm Workers union begins historic national grape boycott and strike, Delano, Calif. - 1965

Some 2,600 Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) workers begin what is to be a successful six-day strike for higher pay and against a two-tier wage system - 1997

- 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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