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By jwjnational, on February 6th, 2012
 This week thousands of community and labor activists launched over 60 actions building towards the Shareholder Spring, delivering letters to the executives of the corporations in this country most responsible for undermining our democracy, crashing our economy, poisoning our environment and widening the gap between rich and poor.
On Wednesday, February 1st, Respect DC members returned to Marriott headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland to talk to Walmart board member and Marriott International President Arne Sorenson. Respect DC is calling on Mr. Sorenson to meet with members of Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart) and to ask Walmart board chair Rob Walton and CEO Mike Duke to do the same. Having been there before in December, when Respect DC members returned, as promised, security immediately recognized the group saying, “No, we’re not doing this again.” He insisted they could not talk to Mr. Sorenson but took their letter and said he would deliver it. So far, they still have yet to receive a response.
Actions targeting Walmart board members took place in San Francisco and New York as well.
Portland Jobs with Justice had 12 small delegations
Continue reading Shareholder Spring Launches
One of South Carolina’s largest economic engines, the Port of Charleston, is threatened by an anti-union bill (H-4652) making its way thought the state legislature. Sponsored by Rep. Bill Sandifer (R-Oconee), it would require unions to disclose every single financial transaction, publicize membership lists, and raises fines for violations of the state’s Right to Work Act from $100 to $10,000.
Sandifer, who chairs the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee that is hearing his bill, stated at a Feb. 2 subcommittee meeting, “We do have one of the toughest right to work laws in the country; my goal is to have the toughest.”
The bill was passed out of subcommittee, and is scheduled to be heard by the full committee in the next two weeks.
Ken Riley, President of the Longshoreman’s union that works the Charleston port, questioned why punitive laws were being directed at the 5 percent of the state’s workers who belong to unions and make decent wages and benefits. “This unwarranted attack is political grandstanding intended to shift the blame for our economic problems from policy makers to workers,” Riley said.
According to the State Ports Authority, trade through South Carolina ports facilitates 280,600 jobs and provides an
Continue reading Anti-union Bill Threatens South Carolina Port
By jwjnational, on February 2nd, 2012
On the even of August 5, 2011, during the pinnacle banquet of the National Jobs with Justice conference, student guestworkers who had traveled from all over the world only to work in a plant in Hershey, Pennsylva nia made a pitch for solidarity. Like the Verizon workers who were about to go on strike the very next day, these workers too were planning to take courageous action.
They certainly had high expectations. And why shouldn’t they have? Just before they got on stage, workers with the National Guestworkers Alliance from a previous campaign against Signal had just been there claiming victory against the company and a reunion with their families. So, the 30 that had come stood up and told a story about how they each paid $3,000-$6,000 to come to the U.S. this summer for what they thought would be a cultural exchange program through the State Department’s J-1 visa. Instead, they found themselves packing chocolates at the Hershey’s plant in deeply exploitative conditions. After automatic weekly deductions for rent in company housing and other expenses, they net between $40 and $140 per week for 40 hours of work.
One
Continue reading Victory at Hersheys!
By jwjnational, on February 1st, 2012
The House of Representatives is considering a vote on HR 1173, a bill that would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act. The CLASS Act was designed to be a voluntary insurance program to help Americans pay for long term care, and it was passed in 2009 as part of the Affordable Care Act.
Congress needs to hear from all of us today because they plan to vote on the bill as soon as tomorrow. If you haven’t already, please CLICK HERE to find the phone number for your Member of the House of Representatives and tell her/him:
- The CLASS Act should not be repealed.
- Repealing CLASS ignores the needs of millions of Americans with disabilities and seniors who need long term services and supports to maintain their independence and dignity.
- Repealing CLASS ignores the needs of the direct care workforce for quality jobs.
Click here to let us know that you have told your representative to oppose repeal of the CLASS Act. If you have called already — thank you — please share this email with friends and invite them to call their representative so that we can protect the
Continue reading TAKE ACTION: Don’t repeal CLASS Act!
By jwjnational, on February 1st, 2012
The fight begins— Following a string of “right to work” or anti-working class state initiatives that pushed through in Wisconsin and Ohio (which would be later overturned in Ohio), the Verizon Wireless contract negotiations began. Both CWA leadership and community supporters alike knew this fight wouldn’t be an easy one. The surprise element in this campaign has been Verizon’s obvious attempt to cripple the union by rolling back on 20 years worth of benefits won by the CWA and send a message to both employees and other corporations: profits are more valuable than people.
As this was the tone set by the Verizon corporation going into negotiations, and we soon realized that the game was changed completely for the workers bargaining. At that same time, what felt like it sprouted from out of thin air, Occupy Wall Street began, igniting simultaneous occupations all over the country from Oakland to DC. With that a new base of people that had just as much to lose from this particular contract negotiation, as it embodied – and still does – the fight of the 1% vs. the 99%.
During the 2 week strike in August, unions, faith leaders, occupiers, students and the community
Continue reading A Verigreedy campaign
By jwjnational, on January 30th, 2012
Act now to confront corporate power!
This week, in over one hundred cities and towns, thousands will launch a series of actions building towards the Shareholder Spring, delivering letters to the executives of the corporations in this country mos t responsible for undermining our democracy, crashing our economy, poisoning our environment and widening the gap between rich and poor.
By coming together around a joint strategy to confront corporate power, this effort could shape the 2012 electoral debates. The negative roles unregulated corporate power has on our economy and our elections would be front and center of the national conversation. In races nationwide candidates would have to decide which side they are on: Corporations, the structures of the 1%, or the rest of us.
Committing to such a broad-based effort to further expand the space opened by Occupy will create new possibilities for each of our campaigns. In isolation our campaigns on jobs and worker rights, revenue, banking, health care, immigrant justice, and the environment are not big enough. But together, we have the potential to shift the political landscape that all of us operate in.
We are
Continue reading Joint Effort Launched to Confront Corporate Power
By Chris Hicks, on January 27th, 2012
282 Brooklyn Workers Overcome Vigorous Anti-Union Campaign; Become First Cablevision Employees To Join a Union In Predominately Non-Union Cable TV Industry
Today, 282 Brooklyn Cablevision technicians and dispatchers in Brooklyn voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Local 1109 in a union election administered by National Labor Relations Board, overcoming a vigorous anti-union campaign led by Cablevision. They are the first Cablevision workers to join a union. Cable TV is an overwhelmingly non-union industry while the traditional telecommunications industry remains highly unionized.
“I’ve waited 13 years for this,” said Cablevision technician Clarence Adams. “United, as members of Communications Workers of America, we now have the power to negotiate a fair contract that will give us the dignity and respect on the job we deserve.”
Cablevision workers are currently subject to arbitrary discipline and favoritism by managers, their health care coverage is inadequate, their workload is unreasonable and they have insufficient 401(k) retirement plans. Cablevision workers also make at least one-third less than Verizon workers, who are represented by CWA.
“This is about my son, his future, and the future of the Cablevision 99%,” said Cablevision technician Marlon Gayle. “We can now negotiate
Continue reading Cablevision Workers Triumph: Brooklyn Technicians Vote To Unionize
By Chris Hicks, on January 18th, 2012
 US Trade-Union Movement Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Detroit, MI
Hundreds of trade unionists and allies gathered in Detroit this weekend to honor the legacy and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the annual AFL-CIO MLK, Jr. Day Observance. Virtually every union in the US attended this gathering seeking fellowship and inspiration as they remembered Dr. King’s life and work. Youth and veterans alike were well represented throughout the weekend.
The Holiday Weekend observance entailed a number of activities focused on honoring Dr. King and renewing his commitment to social and economic justice. There were community service projects in Detroit, a march, award ceremonies, meals with powerful speakers, as well as workshops that covered a range of topics from building powerful coalitions, quality public education, social media & social justice, the economic crisis and the need for good jobs, and telling our stories – delivering our message.
There were a number of progressive leaders who spoke to the gathering including among others: the legendary Congressman John Conyers, AFL-CIO Executive VP – Arlene Holt Baker and Deepak Bhargava of the Center for Community Change. US
Continue reading Recommit to the Dream and the Commitment to Economic & Social Justice
By UFCW News Service, on January 5th, 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Leaders of the Making Change at Walmart campaign hailed the news that one of the largest pension funds in the world has decided to divest from Walmart stores. Algemeen Burgerlijk Pensioenfonds (ABP) announced today that the retirement fund would no longer invest in the retail giant due to the company’s repeated violation of international labor standards. The fund, which has over $300 billion in assets and is the third largest in the world, had over $147 million invested in Walmart as of September 30, 2011.
“This is an important day for Walmart associates who want to be treated with respect,” said Dan Schlademan, director of Making Change at Walmart. “We’re pleased to see that ABP realizes that Walmart might be saying the right thing about respecting workers, but continues to engage in all kinds of bad behavior. This should send a clear message to Walmart and its shareholders: treating workers poorly is bad for business.”
Last October, Walmart associates brought that message to company shareholders during the annual analyst meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas. Workers testified about the unfair tactics deployed by management against employees. One of those workers, Ernestine Bassett, hailed today’s decision.
“I’ve been targeted for
Continue reading DUTCH PENSION FUND DUMPS WALMART: Cites repeated violation of international labor standards
By jwjnational, on December 21st, 2011
This years Scrooge of the Year is Rob Walton!
The vote was close and went up until the last minute, but across the nation people made their voices heard – and Rob Walton is the biggest Scrooge of them all! A quick reminder of why Rob Walton was given this nomination:
Deemed a “billionaire bully” by Brave New Films, Rob Walton is the Chair of Walmart’s board of directors. His estimated net worth is around $21 billion. As a family, the Waltons control 49% of Walmart stock, and are predicted to gain a controlling share in the next 12 months. The Waltons are the richest family in the United States, with a combined net worth is $93 billion. The Walton Family has as much wealth as the bottom 30% of American families combined – more than 35 million families. Waltons make up 4 of the 11 wealthiest people in the United States according to Forbes Magazine, and they could give more than $4,700 to every resident of New York and still have $1 billion left over. With the economy as it is, that would make a huge difference!
The family’s dividends from their Walmart stock alone are more than $2
Continue reading And the winner is…
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This week thousands of community and labor activists launched over 60 actions building towards the Shareholder Spring, delivering letters to the executives of the corporations in this country most responsible for undermining our democracy, crashing our economy, poisoning our environment and widening the gap between rich and poor.
