By Bob Hennelly

The Stuck Nation Labor Radio Hour is kicking off Women’s History Month reflecting on the recent loss of civil rights leader Hazel Dukes, 92. FDNY Firefighter Regina Wilson, outgoing president of the Vulcan Society and the Vice President of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters, talks about Dukes’ legacy, as well as the Trump administration’s assault on the federal civil service.

That assault also includes agencies like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission which was pivotal in the landmark settlement of the Vulcan Society’s racial discrimination  lawsuit. Wilson explains how the current pay and benefit disparity between FDNY EMS, which is primarily made up of women and people of color, and firefighters who are mostly white males, tracks the pattern of discrimination the Vulcans faced as firefighters. 

Last week, we heard from nurses from the Federation of Nurses/UFT, which represents roughly 1,000 nurses at NYU Langone Hospital who were prepared to strike at NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn over pay and staffing issues. We are happy to report they got a contract last week with a significant bump in pay and the commitment from management to hire 100 new nurses to relieve chronic understaffing. 

We also speak with Jerry Lemaine, 32 BJ SEIU field coordinator for commercial buildings, about the union’s campaign targeting Namdar Realty, a national player in office space. Namdar has been buying up buildings in our region while it  slashes wages and pulls the plug on health care benefits by hiring non-union contractors. 

32 BJ members are continuing to work these essential jobs at reduced pay and no benefits as they fight to force Namdar to abide by the wages and standards they  fought for and won in their last contract.

Listen to the entire show below:

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