UE Marches and Rallies for Justice in Baltimore (Black Lives Matter)

[Omaha Steve]

Local 120 members from Baltimore led the march.

http://www.ueunion.org/ue-news/2015/ue-marches-and-rallies-for-justice-in-baltimore

On Monday afternoon, August 17, following two very busy sessions conducting the business oif the convention, UE Convention delegates marched to Baltimore City Hall to rally for Black Lives Matter, the Fight for 15 and a Union, and in support of hotel workers at the Baltimore Hilton, where the convention is being held, who are fighting for a fair contract through their union, UNITE HERE. Hotel workers joined UE in the march.

UE delegates were joined by members of other Baltimore unions and social justice organization. The march was led by Baltimore UE Locals 120 and 121. After UE members and allies arrived at the grounds of city hall, labor singers performed to set the tone. They were Anne Feeney of Pittsburgh, and the Fruit of Labor, composed of UE Local 150 delegates Nathanette Mayo, Angaza Laughinghouse and Darrion Smith.

In his remarks, Kingsley said, “Something is wrong when an unarmed black man is seven time more likely to die by police gunfire than an unarmed white man. Something is wrong when African American members of my union are twice as likely to be arrested and four times as likely to experience physical violence in the hands of the police. And something is wrong when in community after community we are militarizing our police forces.”

The other reason we are here, said Kingsley, is because workers in Baltimore and across America need a raise. “It’s time to Fight for $15 and a Union. We know it’s time because something is wrong when the federal minimum wage is worth less today than it was back in 1968… And something is wrong when workers wanting to form a union to improve their lot confront a minefield of trouble from employers and union busters willing to break the law to break their will.”

FULL story at link. You can see many more photos from the march and rally, and from the UE Convention and related events, on UE's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ueunion