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By Allison Luthe, on October 12th, 2010
In the last two weeks, Central Indiana Jobs with Justice has gotten significant local media coverage. Why? Because the community is taking more and more action to demand justice from local government, and in particular questioning why the billionaire Simon family should benefit from millions in taxpayer dollars while the city cuts vital public services.
Dozens packed the small hearing room and drew media coverage to the Municipal Corporations Committee meeting on September 27th to protest Mayor Ballard’s $1.5 million gift to the Simons. The Simon family got a new scoreboard for their Pacers team, while library workers will see pink slips.
JwJ drew media again on October 6th, with their protest at the Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) meeting. These daytime meetings frequently go unnoticed and unattended even though the MDC is responsible for millions of tax payer dollars. Despite testimony from JwJ members like Pastor Richard Willoughby, Professor Tom Marvin, and student intern Mary Kate Dugan, the MDC approved $600,000 for Mayor Ballard’s Bridge to Nowhere, 9-0, another gift benefiting the Simons. One of the MDC Commissioners admitted they looked like fools approving this project, but claimed state statute regulates their spending. “We
Continue reading Central IN JwJ Says: Prioritize Communities’ Needs over Millionaires’
By Allison Luthe, on July 29th, 2010
 For the first time in Indianapolis’s recent history, 43 participants staged a mass civil disobedience in front of the Hyatt Regency downtown. Hospitality workers and community supporters of the hotel workers were there to stand up for the Hyatt workers who have been asking management to stay neutral since November of 2008. Among the 43 were two JwJ staff members, seven steering committee members and many other JwJ pledge signers.
On June 16, reports surfaced that the Hyatt had plans to sell the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis, adding to the uncertainty that Hyatt workers in Indianapolis already face. Over the past decade, taxpayers in Indianapolis have invested $1 billion into the development of the local hospitality industry. The hotel and convention industry in Indianapolis is booming yet at the Hyatt Indianapolis, a non-union hotel, subcontracting of jobs is rampant, hours have been reduced in recent months, and workers earn some of the lowest wages of any Hyatt workers in North America. Housekeepers at the Hyatt Indianapolis, clean
Continue reading Central Indiana JwJ supports Hyatt workers in civil disobedience action as part of nationwide protests
By Allison Luthe, on August 19th, 2009
In August of 2008, the Central Indiana Jobs with Justice chapter had a critical decision to make: whether or not to seemingly abandon our long time health care reform partners and H.R. 676 and join the national Health Care for America Now Campaign (HCAN), and position ourselves to become part of the largest coalition ever to take on health care reform. But a secondary question lingered too: Could Central Indiana JwJ position itself to become the largest social justice coalition in Indiana?
This decision came about at an interesting time, before the election that turned Indiana “blue” for the first time since 1964. With a limited number of progressive groups in the state, and a history scattered with part-time staff support, the organization decided to join HCAN and launched a state-wide campaign for health care reform.
Fast-forward eight months to a very different situation. Today JwJ leaders wonder how they could not be involved at this critical juncture. More than 22 organizers have been deployed to Indiana by liberal groups and unions with the conservative groups’ count unknown. There have been rallies, candle light vigils, town hall meetings, conference
Continue reading Hoosiers Building a Movement for Health Care (and More)
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