VACPUSA

by worker-correspondent Dionisio Romo Gutiérrez (Broad Street Workers’ Club)

On a chilly Monday morning, around 9am, a diverse collective of representatives from AFL-CIO VA, SEIU, Richmond Tenants’ Union (RTU), VACPUSA and many more congregated at Abner Clay Park. The occasion? The March for Working Families, organized by New Virginia Majority. The purpose of the march was to draw attention to the plight of the American working class here in Richmond and the surrounding areas. 

Virginians are steadily losing their rights to housing justice, union jobs, and quality education, but together, we stood in defiance to let our elected officials know that we won’t stand idly by while our rights are taken away.  The sight was impressive to behold, especially for someone like me who had never attended a march before today. Leaders preceded the event by reminding us of good marching etiquette, updates on housing justice policies that had been shot down by Democrats and Republicans alike, and reminding us that establishment officials are not our friends. This was underscored by the fact that even though the entirety of the Richmond City Council were invited to attend, they did not grace us with their presence.

Before kicking off, we were energized by singing classic union songs in both English and Spanish which sustained our spirits all through the march to the Bell Tower in the Virginia State Capitol. Shortly after our arrival, a camera person saw our RTU banner and asked us to speak on our work. Comrade Aloysius of our Broad Street Workers Club gave a lively summary of the union’s recent work, which includes:

• Agitation at Cedar, Broad, and Vida East properties which has led to the property manager beginning to comply with tenant demands.
• Aiding family members of the tenants at Bacon Retirement Community, a senior living center, with their demands for heating and hot water.
• Making neglectful property owners aware that there is a community of people in the Richmond area willing and ready to help tenants and keep them accountable.

After we arrived at the Bell Tower, the energy of the crowd was feverish as we heard slam poetry and speeches from our community members that touched on housing justice, immigrant rights, education reform, and labor union organizing. The live Spanish interpretation was stellar throughout. The whole experience was raw and real, and a reminder to everyone in Virginia that putting in the work pays off. The actions that we take, however insignificant they may feel in the moment, matter and make a difference. It is not a pipe dream to form a tenants’ union. It is not a pipe dream to grow club membership. In the short time that I have been a member of the Broad Street Workers Club, our membership has doubled, thanks to our impactful work with local tenants.

We are in this fight, and we are in it together.