Posts tagged Washington DC
Union says restaurant group is blocking service staff from unionizing in DC
May 4, 2025 // Standing alone outside The Occidental, while holding a whiteboard alleging “paid actors” were among protestors, Anne Marie Henderson told passersby that those on the picket line did not work at the restaurant. “We’re fine the way we are … we don’t want a union. We are not mistreated here, it’s not terrible work conditions. There’s not a late paycheck,” Henderson, who identified herself as a receptionist working with the restaurants, said. Henderson expressed confusion about the protest outside the restaurant, as she claims, no one among the restaurant staff has expressed interest in unionizing.
New Campaign Exposes UNITE HERE’s Anti-Worker Tactics
May 1, 2025 // The groundbreaking new campaign, featuring the mini-documentary “The Reality of Union Bullying by UNITE HERE,” shows the reality of deceptive promises and intimidating behavior from one of America’s most powerful unions, as well as the steps workers are taking to safeguard their rights from union bosses. “They’re supposed to protect us, but they just take our money and our voice,” says Erika, a San Francisco hotel worker who has been forced to pay dues for years. “The only time UNITE HERE would talk to us was when we would get paid.” Erika is not alone. Across the country, Maria, a Chicago Hilton worker, has faced the same intimidating behavior as UNITE HERE officials attempt to muscle into her workplace. The video detailing these heartbreaking experiences has already gone viral, amassing well over a million views.
Multiple DC-area restaurants to close Monday for ‘Day Without Immigrants’
February 2, 2025 // Some of the other establishments participating include but are not limited to Pearl’s Bagels and Hiraya in D.C. and La Casita Pupusería, Tacos El Pariente and Centrado Café Shop in Maryland. “A day without immigrants is a day without bagels,” Pearl’s Bagels said in an Instagram story Sunday. “Our staff will receive a paid day off in order to make their voices heard and stress the importance of immigrants to our community and local economy.”
Elon Musk’s Doge accused of ‘illegal’ job posting by federal workers’ union
January 29, 2025 // Government vacancy announcements are typically required to include key information around pay, security requirements, qualifications, and the number of available roles, according to the office of personnel management. The Doge page does not contain such details. It includes a brief paragraph explaining that it is looking to hire “world-class talent to work long hours identifying/eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse”, and a form to submit personal details. A checkbox indicates the roles are based in Washington DC, and available only to US citizens.
Commentary: G-MEN: Governments Employ Record Number of People
October 13, 2024 // This September, the Congressional Research Service released an updated version of this report. It revealed the same thing: The seven congressional districts with the highest percentage of federal civilian workers in its workforce are all in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.—and all are represented by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Maryland’s District 5, according to this Congressional Research Service report, 18.18% of all workers work for the federal government. It is represented by Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer, the former House majority leader. In Virginia’s District 8, 16.67% of all workers work for the federal government. It is represented by Democratic Rep. Don Beyer. In Maryland’s District 8, 14.48% of workers work for the federal government. It is represented by Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin. In Virginia’s District 7, 13.59% of workers work for the federal government. It is represented by Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger.
Sofitel Lafayette Square Employees Have Successfully Obtained Secret Ballot Vote to Remove Unite Here Union from Hotel
June 10, 2024 // After Unite Here union officials imposed union control over hotel employees without a secret ballot vote, workers at Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square have successfully obtained an election to remove the union. Sofitel employee Mwandu Chibwe submitted on May 15 a petition asking the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold a decertification election at her workplace. Ms. Chibwe is receiving free legal aid from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.
Thousands of hotel workers to rally in 18 cities ahead of contract negotiations
May 1, 2024 // Unionized hotel workers demanding significant pay raises will rally on May Day in 18 U.S. and Canadian cities, as talks are beginning with operators Marriott International (MAR.O), opens new tab, Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT.N), opens new tab and Hyatt Hotels Corp (H.N) , opens new tab. Talks will cover about 40,000 workers who look to secure new contracts for the first time since the pandemic. Workers want to reverse pandemic-era staffing and service cuts, as well as duplicate the big pay hikes that organized workers across the nation have been winning in the recent years.
Teamsters union pays $2.9m to settle racial discrimination lawsuit
January 31, 2024 // The terminations “set back the Organizing Department’s goals of effectively recruiting and organizing non-whites”, it alleged, “in favor of bolstering the majority white membership and leadership of the union. In total, Teamsters terminated 72.73% of the department’s staffers who were people of color, while firing only 28.57% of white staffers. Teamsters then proceeded to hire new staff members who were 73.33% white.” The lawsuit also claimed that O’Brien “publicly humiliated” the plaintiffs in the case, claiming they were fired because they were “bad apples” and were “lazy” in their work. O’Brien has been facing criticism from members of the Teamsters recently over his decision to meet with the former president and Republican presidential primary frontrunner Donald Trump. They cited Trump’s long record of being anti-union and his prejudicial behavior and comments toward women, minorities and the LGBTQ+ community.
Commentary: America’s Third Largest Teachers’ Union Heads for the Largest Decertification Vote in History
January 2, 2024 // On Dec. 19, UTD President Karla Hernandez-Mats confirmed the union hadn’t been able to persuade 60 percent of the 30,000 teachers it officially represents to become dues-paying members. A few days earlier, she claimed the union had increased its numbers to just more than 58 percent, including 800 new members. What she didn’t explain was that the union had to kick out all the substitute teachers from the bargaining district in order to increase their membership percentage, and still fell short. Hernandez-Mats declined to disclose the final tally. The 60 percent requirement was imposed under Senate Bill 256, the most aggressive state labor reform bill since Wisconsin’s Act 10 under then-Gov. Scott Walker. SB 256 also prohibits public agencies like school districts from deducting dues directly from employees’ paychecks on behalf of the union representing their bargaining unit.
75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers are on strike
October 4, 2023 // The multi-state strike comes during a time of elevated labor activity in the United States. Several large-scale strikes have paralyzed companies and entire industries in recent months. The United Auto Workers are on strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — the first time the union has struck all three simultaneously. The entertainment industry also contended with dual strikes this summer after Hollywood’s writers’ and actors’ unions went on strike at the same time for the first time since 1960. The leadership of the Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios last month, but the actors’ guild strike is ongoing. The health care industry has been particularly affected by rising strike activity. From the start of 2022 through August of this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has tracked 42 work stoppages of 1,000 or more strikers. Its count shows a third of those strikes were in health care. That’s up from 24% of major strikes in 2019, the year before the pandemic. The increased number of health care strikes have happened despite health care workers making up only about 9% of private sector union members nationwide.