A sampling of what Jobs with Justice coalitions are working on this week.
JwJ coalitions are engaging in health care debate, with some unique approaches. Central Florida JwJ and Central Indiana JwJ have been rallying to encourage the lawmakers in Florida and Indiana to support a public option in national health care legislation. Activists from Central IN JwJ, Massachusetts JwJ, DC JwJ, and Utah JwJ also held parties celebrating Medicare’s 44th birthday. The Vermont Workers Center/JwJ is focused on their “Health Care is a Human Right Campaign”, engaging the grassroots in an effort to win statewide health care reform.
DC JwJ picketed outside a party for Mayor Adrian Fenty’s fraternity in order to bring attention to his recent layoffs of government workers and sale of public property through emergency legislation with little time for public comment.
WalMart’s efforts to build a store on Chicago’s South Side have stalled due to the efforts of a coalition of labor and community groups, including Chicago JwJ. This coalition formed several years ago in response to WalMart’s bid to build a store on Chicago’s West side. In 2006, after a bitter battle, Chicago’s City Council passed a Big Box Living Wage ordinance, but Mayor Daley effectively lobbied Aldermen to change their votes which enabled him to veto the legislation. Check out this video from Bill Moyers’ Journal for an excellent profile of Chicago JwJ’s then-director James Thindwa and the fight against WalMart in Chicago.
After many months of work by the coalition Coney Island for All, the New York City Council approved a redevelopment plan for Coney Island this week that includes provisions for close to 35% affordable housing (the city’s original plan called for 20%), local preference for jobs, prevailing wages, improvements to sewer infrastructure, the local school, and more. Matt Ryan of Coney Island for All member organization New York Jobs with Justice said, “We believe this plan now provides the good jobs and increased affordable housing that will benefit the Coney Island community. The struggle over Coney Island’s future underscores the need for a city-wide responsible development policy that follows the basic principal that development must deliver good jobs, truly affordable housing and respond to community needs.”
In Buffalo, NY, the Coalition for Economic Justice/JwJ is mobilizing to ensure that a prevailing wage is paid on projects approved through the state’s industrial development agencies (IDAs).
