Labor Supports Naming Schools for Heroes Miguel Contreras, Ed Roybal
The LA Federation of Labor is supporting an effort by LAUSD President Marlene Canter to name two new LA-area high schools in memory of two heroes of labor who passed away last year -- LA labor leader Miguel Contreras and Congressman Ed Roybal. As part of the campaign, the Fed is asking union members to send a letter of support to President Canter, asking her to honor these two men by naming East Los Angeles High School #1 after Congressman Roybal and Central High School #10 after Miguel Contreras. Union members can download a sample letter here to President Cantor asking her to support the memories of these two warriors for working people.

“The Los Angeles County Labor movement has proven itself once again this week,” said LA Fed Executive Secretary-Treasurer Martin Ludlow, praising the determination and solidarity of the striking Boeing workers.

Teamsters Local 399 Organize 500 Casting Directors
Some 500 casting directors and associate directors in Los Angeles and New York now have pension and health care benefits, thanks to choosing Teamsters Local 399 to represent them. In January, the casting directors voted to approve a new contract with the AMPTP, capping off a five-year effort to organize the workforce. The contract went into effect Jan. 30. According to Local 399 organizer Steve Dayan, “This is a group of people who have been doing their craft for 50 to 60 years and they have never been represented.” Dayan credited the persistence of the workforce and the support of the union. “Everybody told us it was impossible to do and that it would never happen because studios claimed casting directors were independent contractors.”

More than 3,600 Machinists DL 974 Workers Win New Contract 
After 15 months of working without a contract, more than 3,600 Machinists who work for the city of Long Beach finally prevailed in their fight for a fair agreement. Workers, including librarians, port security and public health employees, packed City Hall and set up picket lines at city events to make their case. “They found support in their fellow union members. Special thanks to LA Fed Executive Secretary Treasurer Martin Ludlow, who spoke at workers’ rallies and wrote letters to individual council members urging them to treat their city workers fairly,” said Business Rep Janet Wright. In the end their effort paid off. Workers will see an 8 percent raise over the course of the three-year contract and 40 additional hours of personal holiday time.

Angelica Corp. Laundry Workers Continue Strike
More than 300 Angelica Corp. laundry workers are continuing their strike to fight for the same benefits and wages earned by workers at other Angelica Southern California plants. You can offer support by visiting them at the picket line at 925 8th Street, Colton, 92324. Kudos to firefighters from Local 1578 as well as UTLA members who have shown their support at the picket lines, encouraging workers to hold strong in their fight for decent wages and fair benefits. The Angelica workers have been out on strike since last November. Most workers at the Colton facility make less than $8 an hour, nearly $1 less than their counterparts at other local Angelica facilities. For more information on how to help, call the Union Hall at 213-385-0271

Metropolitan Water District Workers Set to Strike
AFSCME Local 1902 member are on the brink of striking unless the Metropolitan Water District comes to an agreement on issues critical to workers. The union says that not only is MWD seeking more power over the workforce without accountability, it is also proposing a contract with raises that fall short of COLA and reduces the District’s medical contribution. In addition, it wants the power to make unilateral changes to classifications while also seeking the ability to refuse to arbitrate. The union has been negotiating since April.

SEIU 535 Harbor Regional Center Workers On Verge of Victory
More than 160 workers for the Harbor Regional Center are on the brink of settling a contract fight that reverses a seven-year stretch of working without a cost of living increase. Under a proposed contract, the SEIU 535 workers, who provide serves for the developmentally disabled, will see a 2 percent cost of living raise, increased health benefits as well further opportunities for raises through the addition of another “step.” Ballots, which went out Jan. 31, will be counted Feb.8

ILWU Calls for Reduced Pollution at Ports
The ILWU, joining with LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, issued a call last Monday to reduce air pollution at West Coast Ports after recent studies linked pollution from ships and the trucks and trains carrying goods to and from the docks with health problems in nearby communities. The union, which made the announcement at a Faster Freight Cleaner Air conference in Long Beach, has vowed to make clean air around the ports a priority. “The thousands of men and women I represent and work for raise their families under the cloud of port pollution,” said ILWU President Jim Spinosa. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two largest seaports in the US, are also the largest polluters in Southern California. Most the pollution comes from the ships, because they are the biggest source of port pollution and are largely immune from federal environmental laws. Click here for the full story.

LA Federation Appoints New Political, Communications Directors
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor has appointed new Political and Communications Directors. Courtni Sunjoo Pugh, who has over 12 years experience managing local, state and national campaigns, will serve as the new Political Director. She comes to us from SEIU, where she served as the Western Region Political Director.
Pugh will be the first woman to serve as Political Director for the Fed. Mary Gutierrez, who has directed communications for the California Democratic Party, as well as Congresswoman Linda Sanchez and Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, is the new director of communications for the LA Fed. “We are very excited that Courtni and Mary have joined the County Federation,” said Martin Ludlow, Secretary-Treasurer. “These two new additions to our staff are both bright, gifted and very talented. We are looking forward to working with them on a very ambitious schedule this coming year.”

Bush’s State of the Union Address full of empty promises
Responding to President Bush’s anemic State of the Union speech, LA Federation of Labor Executive Secretary-Treasurer Martin Ludlow said the President failed to address the problems of working men and women. “What we heard tonight were not solutions to the problems facing our working families, but spin and rhetoric. By the tone of the President’s speech tonight it is very clear that working families live in a very different America than described by our Commander-in-Chief.” Click here for the full text of Ludlow’s message.