|
|
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 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 Colorado Jobs with Justice, on December 13th, 2011
This past Saturday, December 10th, more than forty activists from Colorado Jobs with Justice rallied to tell Verizon to bargain fairly with its workers. All across the East Coast, forty five thousand CWA and IBEW members are trying to hold on to middle class jobs, but the massively-profitable Verizon wants to cut starting pay, force retirees to pay up to $6,000 a year for healthcare they’ve already earned, make it easier to outsource jobs, and cut pensions. Jobs with Justice coalitions across the country have been taking action in solidarity.
 Here in Denver, in front of the Verizon Wireless store on the 16th Street Mall, the gathered crowd heard from Mary Taylor, Vice President of District 7 for CWA, Brother David Garner of Interfaith Worker Justice, and Seth Donovan, Co-Chair for Colorado Jobs with Justice. Mary Taylor said CWA is “proud of the fact that [we've] worked hard to make sure our member have stable middle-class jobs. . .what Verizon is doing is not just an attack on
Continue reading Colorado Jobs with Justice Rallies to Support Verizon Workers
By Attica Woodson Scott, on November 22nd, 2011
Did you know that Fund for the Arts monies continue to flow to the Louisville Orchestra while no musicians have been employed since May 2011? Those funds have been used to fund the Louisville Orchestra in bankruptcy court an in an attempt to strip the musicians of the Orchestra of their jobs, provisions of their Contract, their positions and the unemployment compensation some have received since the Orchestra last produced a performance six (6) months ago.
The Louisville Orchestra is trying to impose making the jobs of all Orchestra musicians PART-TIME rather than FULL-TIME and cannibalizing our Musicians’ bargaining unit by breaking the orchestra into three tiers, each with less employment and fewer benefits than the last.
Our Louisville Orchestra musicians provide Making Music concerts to every 4th and 5th grader in Jefferson County Public Schools and provide the highest quality symphonic music to our community. We cannot teach our children that we accept the abuse and disrespect of any group of workers so that the elite 1% in our city can be entertained at the expense of human rights.
Do you give to the Fund for the Arts (directly or via check-off contributions)? If so, request that your donation(s)
Continue reading Stand with Louisville Musicians Against Union-Busting Tactics!
By Denise Diaz, on November 4th, 2011
Central Florida Transit Authority or Lynx CEO John Lewis stated ” there’s money on the table.” He was referring to Transit drivers and mechanics represented by ATU local 1596 who has have been dealing with 3 years of frozen wages, increasing healthcare costs, and no contract. The CEO was not clear that the money on the table was only a cheap attempt to take everything from these drivers.
As ATU 1596 members went into negotiations, they wanted community members to see how outrageous the company was being. Lynx’s proposal included a .5% raise (only 10 cents for your top drivers), a one time lump sum of 200,00 (before taxes), removing the pension for new employees, taking away overtime after 8 hours and decrease in uniform and tool allowance which employees already pay a lot for out of pocket now. That was just some of the company’s proposals.
Community members including transit riders and people from the local Occupy Orlando Movement came to show support for union members and watch how Lynx treats their employees. The tense room was packed with over 50 community and union members standing in solidarity to send a clear message to management : Our
Continue reading ATU 1596 and Occupy Orlando say – Transit will not Run-Over the backs of the Working Class!
By Chris Hicks, on November 2nd, 2011
October 12th was a cloudy and rainy day, but spirits remained high as hundreds gathered at Farragut Square for a rally that included local janitors, community members and labor leaders. Speaker after speaker gave passionate  speeches about why they need not just jobs, but good jobs in the current economy. As jobs become harder to find, quality jobs seem to be more scarce than ever. At the end of the rally, the crowd, which included DC Jobs with Justice staff and members, DC Student Labor Action Project and United States Student Association, responded by marching a mile and a half to join Occupy K Street in DC, as janitors embraced the 99% struggling to make ends meet.
Less than 24 hours before their contract expired, area office cleaners won a tentative agreement with wage increases on Sunday night. “This is not just a win for working families and our communities, but it ensures tenants will receive professional service and gives our economy a much-needed boost,” said Jaime Contreras, SEIU Local 32BJ Capital Area Director.
Here’s what this new contract means to hard working local families in the area:
WASHINGTON,
Continue reading Justice for Janitors in DC! New 4 year contract!
By Erica Smiley, on October 11th, 2011 
 There are still over 15 million unemployed Americans, nearly 6 job-seekers for each opening, and about 100,000 workers entering the job market each month. Public services and education are being wiped out. Corporate greed and Wall Street recklessness put the squeeze on working people and have created the worst economic crisis in a generation. Big corporations shipped jobs overseas and Wall Street speculators took more and more of our wealth, getting rich quickly at the expense of workers and families.
But this is not news.
What has developed is the upsurge of workers, youth, and the communities we all live in to Occupy Wall Street, and to be in solidarity with these actions around the country. This momentum came just in time, as workers around the country have begun to fight back in bigger and more coordinated ways—understanding that the fight is over who has control over what happens in our workplaces and our communities — working people or Wall Street corporations.
Last winter in Wisconsin and in nearly every state, we saw a breathtaking show of militant resistance to attacks on
Continue reading Building a United Movement to Make Wall Street Pay
|
|
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.
