We are concerned that the executive branch of the District of Columbia Government has become increasingly hostile to unions, union membership and workers rights. This is a critical time in the history of the Labor Movement in DC. Each of us in our capacity as presidents of local labor unions, appreciate more than ever the need of all local unions to consolidate resources and monitor illegal governmental reductions in force which ultimately result in privatization.
We are also concerned that race and age discrimination are influencing the government’s decisions. This is especially so for older workers, many of whom are experiencing a range of health problems.The loss of government jobs whether based on race, age, or motives to add to private industry coffers, comes at a time when unemployment in DC is at an all time high. Jobs have become alarmingly scarce. Unity in the labor community is necessary if we are to hold government officials accountable and insure that they follow the law.
As President of our respective unions we challenge each and every worker, union and non-union alike, to become actively involved in helping all workers to save their jobs:
The bottom line: we need you to be informed. We also need you to:
-act on information by contacting the Mayor’s Office either by phone (dial 311) or by Online Service Request (click on this link) , the City Council (202-724-8000 )and the D.C. Delegate to Congress(202- 225-8050) to voice your concerns. More detailed contact information is provided in the DC Government Listing Tab above.
-support the law suits we have filed to protect the
members of our union. Read the complaint and keep up to date by reviewing the Legal Actions tab.
Please be mindful that this blog facilitates the communication and dissemination of information among all union members. We encourage you to share and exchange facts, observations or other developments in your workplace with members of this online blog community.
For your convenience, a link to a listing of the telephone numbers of all District of Columbia employees, including the Mayor, individual City Council members and DC Delegate to Congress can be found in the navigation bar above. Also find the contact information for the leadership of DC Union Power as well.
Lastly, we would appreciate if you would take the time to contribute to our efforts to facilitate effective communication by placing your comments on this blog. Please email any blog posts you find interesting and share with a friend or co-worker.
Thank you for your continued support,
Ben Butler, AFGE Local 2741
Sabrina Brown, AFSCME Local 2401
DC Union Power 