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February 15, 2008
Volume 08 NO 7
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
"Reconstruction Period"
The Constitutional and Legal Status of the Negro
Freedmen
Reconstruction (1863/1865-1877) was the attempt by
the federal government of the United States to resolve the issue of
the constitutional and legal status of the Negro Freedmen. The start
of Reconstruction is often dated to the capitulation of the
Confederacy in 1865, although some historians date it to 1863, the
year of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The constitutional amendments and legislative reforms that laid
the foundation for Reconstruction provided former slaves with equal
rights under the law, including the right to vote, and with
education to achieve literacy. The 13th, 14th
and 15th amendments were legacies of this radical period
that provided the underpinning for later civil rights legislation
that was enacted in the 1960s.
- 13th Amendment—Abolished slavery
- 14th Amendment—Guaranteed citizenship to all
persons born or naturalized in the U.S. (except Native Americans)
granting them federal civil rights
- 15th Amendment—Decreed that the right to vote could
not be denied because of race, color or previous condition of
servitude
President Abraham Lincoln was the leader of the moderate
Republicans, and wanted to speed up Reconstruction and reunite the
nation as painlessly, and as quickly as possible. After Lincoln’s
assassination in 1865, President Johnson (who was then a radical
Republican) switched to the moderate Republican camp. However, after
being strongly urged by his moderate peers to sign the Civil Rights
bill, Johnson broke decisively with them by vetoing the legislation,
and aligned himself with Democrats who opposed equality.
The election of 1866 decisively changed the balance of power in
Congress, giving the radical Republicans control and enough votes to
overcome Johnson’s vetoes, and even to impeach him. They used the
Army to take over the South and give the vote to Black men, and at
the same time take it away from an approximately 10 to 15 thousand
White men who had been Confederate officials or senior officers.
With the right to vote, over the course of Reconstruction, more than
1,500 African Americans held public office in the South.
However, much of the progress towards equal rights was rolled
back between 1873 and 1877 when a conservative-Democratic coalition
(calling themselves the "Redeemers") defeated the Republicans taking
power throughout the former Confederacy. It was these Redeemer
governments that passed Jim Crow laws to separate the races.
In 1877, President Rutherford Hayes withdrew federal troops,
marking the end of Reconstruction.
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS
"Voice Mail Clerk Arbitration Case Update"
The Local filed a grievance on behalf of the Voice
Mail Clerks at the Fairland Data Center back in December of 2001.
The grievance was filed because the Company was having these Clerks
perform duties—and was not paying them enough money for the
duties they were performing!
It took almost five years to get a favorable arbitration award of
a job title upgrade, including a wage and pension band increase with
back pay retroactive back to December 2001. The back pay award back
to December 2001 was due to actions by the company that caused
unnecessary delays.
The Company has "dragged their feet" since the very beginning,
and are still prolonging this process. While there is no objection
to the job title upgrade, paying back pay retroactive back to
December 2001 has generated a lawsuit by the Company. However, in
December 2007 they sent checks to all eligible workers—OOPS!
They said this was a mistake—but it makes one wonder what is really
gone on.
The Company was very much aware of the fact these employees were
not being paid correctly. They were also aware that this injustice
didn’t just start in December 2001—this is only when we became
"fed up". The Company was "getting over" for quite some time
before December 2001, and it is really sad that they have not
settled this matter with these dedicated employees who, as of right
now, continue to accommodate this Company to get the job done.
The latest delay was the cancellation of the court hearing
scheduled for January 31, 2008. The Local has not yet received a
re-schedule date.
CONNECT—D.C. COALITION
"Local Testifies at Quality of Service Hearings"
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| Pres. Pappas addresses Councilwoman Cheh
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CWA Staffer Debbie Goldman addresses
council |
CONNECT—D.C., a coalition up of organizations, labor unions,
community associations and individuals, works to create and preserve
good jobs in D.C. and supports the jobs of our Verizon members whose
livelihoods are threatened by poor customer service, relocation of
the business, subcontractors and spinning off of the company.
Local 2336 President Jim Pappas testified at the Quality of
Service Hearing conducted by the D.C. City Council on February 7th.
The hearings were held to determine the quality of services
provided by the regulated utilities in Washington, D.C.
"The simple fact is that Verizon is abandoning its copper network
and placing its resources and investment in fiber and Verizon has
stripped our city bare to support the FiOS build in our surrounding
areas. They have moved entire operations out of our city and sold
the buildings to fund FiOS elsewhere. CWA represents virtually all
of the non-management employees working for Verizon in D.C. Between
2004 and October 2007, the Verizon workforce in D.C. has been
reduced by approximately 44%", says President Pappas in his
testimony at the hearing. President Pappas further stated that "Verizon
of Washington, D.C. is not really a D.C. company at all. Our city is
served by our neighbors and run by corporate executives in New York.
Washington, D.C. is simply a customer."
Any member that would like a copy of the Local’s testimony and
the report submitted to the city council may obtain one by coming to
the local office or by going to
www.connect-dc.org.
This is Poor
Customer Service |
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SUMMER JOBS IN D.C.
"Registration"
Registration for summer jobs in Washington, D.C.
began on February 2, 2008, and will continue through April 26, 2008.
The registrations will be conducted at the Department of Employment
Services on 645 H Street NE from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Any D.C.
youths ages 14-21 are eligible to register. Youths 13 years old must
turn 14 years old by Monday, June 16, 2008 in order to be eligible.
Individuals who turn 22 years old on or before June 16, 2008 will
not be eligible to register. Parents or Guardians must accompany
any youths ages 13-17 years old. To register, proof of the following
should be provided:
- Birth
- Citizenship
- Social Security Number
- DC Residency
ST. MARY’S CAR RAFFLE
"It’s That Time Again"
Tickets are on sale for the annual St. Mary’s Car Raffle. The
cost is $5.00 per ticket. The drawings, for five 2008 automobiles,
will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at the St. Mary’s Burgundy
Room on Route 450 and Ardwick-Ardmore Road in Landover Hills, Md.
There will be a drawing every hour beginning at 12 noon.
Anyone interested in purchasing tickets, should contact the Local
office on 202 291-1500.
LABOR NIGHT AT CAMDEN YARDS
"Baltimore Orioles vs. Pittsburgh Pirates"
On Friday, June 13, 2008, the AFL-CIO will
celebrate Labor Night 2008 at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD. Game
time will be 7:05 p.m. and tickets will be only $5.00 per person. We
will have fireworks after the game.
Any one interested in purchasing tickets should call the Local on
202 291-1500. |
