Labor/Economics/Business

On the 18th of January, airport contract workers from National Airport supported by union organizers gathered near the MLK Memorial, then marched on Independance Ave and stopped to blockade the intersection of 14th st and Independence Ave. Blackades there quickly stop traffic back to the 14th st Bridge, thus effectively blockading the bridge itself. This blockade was only held for a few minutes and was on the MLK holiday but is a clear warning of disruption to come unless these contract workers get their demands. The demand is simple: $15 an hour with benefits and the right to organize a union. Otherwise, Poverty doesn't fly-and it doesn't drive either.

Video of the march and short 14th and Indep blockade(1 min 37 sec)

On the 22nd of December, the DC for 15 campaign to raise the minimum wage showed up at the DC Chamber of Commerce. "Scrooge" and "Grinch" were on hand to "celebrate" the success of the Chamber and the City Council in reducing the city's minimum wage increase from $15 to around $12 an hour and delaying implementation.

Video of Scrooge and Grinch at the DC Chamber of Commerce

On the 24th of October, the IWW, , DC Fair Food, Three Part Harmony Farm, and DC Stampede showed up outside the Whole Foods at 14th and P st and the Trader Joes on 14th st for informational pickets. They were asking both chains to drop Driscoll's Berries and asking customers to refuse to buy them. Driscoll's is a major distributor for Sakuma, a berry producer known for wage theft, union busting, and even an armed raid on a camp where their workers were living.

Video of both pickets(34 sec)

On June 21, the DC Food Justice Bike Tour visited a number of locations with economic and food justice significance. The first was a Ben and Jerry's outlet in Georgetown, where the Milk with Dignity campaign is seeking higher wages for dairy workers in Vermont. This campaign is following in the footsteps of the sucessful Coalition of Immokalee Workers campaign for higher wages in tomato fields. Ben and Jerry's is a major customer of the dairy factory farms in Vermont, just as Burger King is a major customer of tomato producers.

Video of activists entering Ben and Jerry's