On this week’s show, labor historians Dorothy Sue Cobble and Michael Merrill talk with the NoVA Coalition to Repeal Right to Work about how workers engaged in mass uprisings and organizing during previous historical crises. Plus American Prospect Editor at Large Harold Meyerson, on The Return of the Breadline and retired nurse and novelist Tim Sheard visits a New York City hospital during the pandemic.

Labor History Today (4/12/20): Organizing during historic crises

“Corporations are not losing, it's the hourly employees that's losing.” Today’s labor history: Longshoremen’s Union halts shipping in solidarity with Mumia Abu-Jamal. Today’s labor quote: Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Fighting for hourly workers during COVID-19

The equipment is essential as nurses work to save lives and limit the spread of the virus. Today’s labor history: New York Times eight-hour movement “un-American.” Today’s labor quote: Nydia Velazquez.

DC nurses get much-needed masks

Emergency Assistance Fund “helped me to breathe." Today’s labor history: Army seizes Montgomery Ward HQ after management defies labor board. Today’s labor quote: Bonnie Castillo.

CSA keeps the lights on for single mom

Backstage workers at Signature Theater join IATSE 22; National Women’s Law Center staff organize with NPEU. Today’s labor history: Carpenters launch first 10-hour strike. Today’s labor quote: “Bread and Roses.”

Two organizing wins for local workers

Write Congress, share a worker safety graphic. Today’s labor history: two WV coal disasters kill 300. Today’s labor quote: “We Just Come to Work Here”

Workers Memorial Day: Fighting for the living

“Frontline workers cannot and should not be expected to unknowingly put their lives on the line.” Today’s labor history: Coxey’s Army reaches DC. Today’s labor quote: NYC ER doctor.

MWC health committee calls for intensified contact tracing in DC

“A big step in the right direction.” Today’s labor history: NLRB speeds up union elections. Today’s labor quote: Barack Obama.

Grocery workers hail coronavirus testing expansion

60-second promo for the 12/24/2020 broadcast of A Red Carol by the San Francisco Mime Troupe on Your Rights At Work on WPFW 89.3FM.

SFMT - Red Carol - WPFW Promo - 60 sec

UC Radio provides DC-area labor news, updates, calendar and labor history; Your Rights at Work is a call-in show about worker rights. Both originate on 89.3 FM WPFW and are produced by the Metro Washington Labor Council AFL-CIO

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