Zachary believes every worker deserves a fair wage and good benefits, safe workplace conditions, a seat at the decision-making table, and equitable treatment from employers. With the cost of living rising in DC, more and more residents are struggling to get by on substandard wages that aren’t rising in proportion to corporate profit-making. The District should do more to strengthen the power of workers and unions to fight for good jobs, and to hold corporations accountable for fair labor practices.
As your Ward 5 Councilmember, Zachary will fight to:
Build enforcement mechanisms for contractors who fail to adhere to our First Source and Apprenticeship Laws, ensuring residency preference for new jobs created with taxpayer dollars
Implement a local PRO Act to protect the right to organize and expand the definition of employee to eliminate loopholes that prevent organizing and promote union-busting
Hold the District accountable for vigorous enforcement of wage theft laws
Speed up Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) processing time of unfair labor practice complaints
Require private contractors who take taxpayer dollars to use project labor and labor peace agreements
Ensure that local unemployment insurance is available for workers withholding labor due to unsafe working conditions or when employers use unfair labor practices
Strengthen infrastructure in our public schools to allow contractors and labor unions to recruit recent high school graduates into meaningful careers in the building trades, utilizing DC’s Apprenticeship Law