Focus on corporate greed at Hyatt, Verizon, Bank of America
On September 30th, 3,000 people came together from around the country and took to the streets of Boston to demand an end to corporate greed. The march was organized by the Right to the City Alliance, which is a coalition of organizations that seek to build a base of grassroots leaders in low-income, working class communities of color to challenge neo-liberal economic policies. Locally, Right to the City brought together community groups, like City Life Vida Urbana and the Chinese Progressive Association, and labor organizations, like SEIU locals and Jobs with Justice.
The march began with a rally in the Boston Commons. After hearing some inspiring words from participants in the Right to the City conference, everyone mobilized and took to the streets. The first stop on the march was the Hyatt. Last year Hyatt fired its entire housekeeping staff at three non-union hotels in the Boston area, replacing women who had worked at Hyatt for decades with temporary workers earning minimum wage. Everyone chanted “Shame on Hyatt!” as they passed
Boston AFTRA broadcasters are going on strike for the first time in 20 years and they need your support!
This weekend anchors and reporters from Channel 7 will be boycotting the Station’s Health & Fitness Expo in protest of Sunbeam Television’s unfair treatment of employees.
Sunbeam has unilaterally imposed drastic cuts to their compensation system, which could lead to pay reductions ranging from 25% to 50% for reporters and anchors. With cuts of that magnitude imposed, one would expect the company to be in severe economic distress. That is not the case. In fact, the company has stated multiple times that it can afford to pay employees under the current system.
The Station has consistantly refused to renegotiate, despite numerous attempts from WHDH workers. This week the station even refused the Federal Mediator’s request for a meeting.
Coalitions in cities targeted for new Walmart stores gathered and took strategic actions on April 21, 2011 to urge elected leaders to make sure Walmart’s desire to open or expand stores is rejected or met with enforcement of strong standards.
In cities across the United States, Walmart is seeking access to new markets and customers, spurring local and national debate for good reason. Local coalitions of community members, elected officials, religious leaders, small business owners and others are joining together and speaking out to voice their concern and ensure the jobs being offered by Walmart meet strong standards for healthy, growing communities.
Jobs with Justice is playing a key role in these coalitions, either coordinating or participating in a number of cities including: Boston, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Other cities where local coalitions held aligned events include: Los Angeles, Seattle. Here are some highlights:
In San Francisco:
Jobs with Justice joined together with a number of community organizations to publicly announce the formation of the coalition to “Keep San Francisco Walmart-Free”. They held a rally and press-conference with roughly 30 community activists, people of
More than 1,000 events this week will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was assassinated April 4, 1968 in Memphis, where he had gone to stand with sanitation workers demanding their dream: the right to bargain collectively for a voice at work and a better life. The workers were trying to form a union with AFSCME.
On April 4, 2011, union members, community activists, people of faith, students, youth, LGBTQ, civil rights, and immigrant rights allies stood in solidarity with working people in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and dozens of other states where well-funded, right-wing corporate politicians are trying to take away the rights Dr. King gave his life for: the freedom to bargain, to vote, to afford a college education and justice for all workers, immigrant and native-born.
Jobs with Justice coalitions participated in nearly 50 “We Are One” events across the country.
In Washington State, Jobs with Justice took action with workers fighting for their organizing and collective bargaining rights in Tacoma and Seattle. Anti-union bosses, subsidized by tax-dollar corporate welfare, are undercutting
On March 15, AEEF/CWA Local 1300 and Massachusetts Jobs with Justice staged a rally at WGBH’s Brighton headquarters. About 100 union members and community supporters chanted slogans like “Shame on you, Channel 2, we expect more from you!” and “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, that’s what a fair contract means to me!” Many angry and frustrated union members gave speeches about the contract WGBH plans to enforce upon their workers.
At WGBH, the public television station known for producing shows such as Curious George, Antiques Roadshow, and This Old House among others, union workers have been trying to reach an agreement with management since August.
WGBH recently presented a “final offer” to the union which includes proposals for outsourcing and for allowing T.V. and radio personalities to be terminated without cause. On March 12, the union voted not to accept the agreement by an overwhelming 93%.
The goal of the March 15 rally was to get management to postpone imposing its final offer and instead return to the bargaining table with AEEF/CWA Local 1300.
Members of the rally had bull horns, whistles, and homemade signs and
Highlights from the Dec. 15 National Day of Action…
Over the past several years, Rite Aid executives have made a number of serious missteps that have hurt the company’s business. The nation’s third-largest retail drug store chain has not made a profit in more than three years, causing investors to suffer heavy losses. Instead of working with employees to help turn the company around, Rite Aid executives are trying to make workers pay for management’s mistakes. At Rite Aid locations across the country, the trend is same: the company is demanding concessions from hardworking employees, while increasing executive compensation.
For example, while CEO John Standley recently doubled his own compensation, Rite Aid is:
Proposing onerous health insurance hikes for workers in Northern Ohio, which may force them to strike;
Seeking huge increases in employees’ share of health insurance costs in Lancaster, CA where, for 2 ½ years, workers have been trying to get a fair labor agreement; and
Closing a unionized distribution center in Rome, NY and going non-union, leaving 400 employees without work.
The Coalition of Rite Aid Workers was formed to support employees at Rite Aid stores
Striking workers at the Supervalu- owned Shaw’s Distribution Center in Methuen, Mass., have been marching from Methuen to Boston for justice since Sunday, May 23.
The 310 workers, members of UFCW Local 791, have been on strike since March 7 over the company’s insistence that the burden of increasing health care costs be borne by workers.
As a resident of Somerville, I chose to meet up with the strikers on their march from Medford to Somerville, the third day of their four-day journey. While we marched, the 50 or so workers and supporters enjoyed broad support from passing motorists, as well as cheers from many residents in the neighborhoods along the route.
It was easy to see how bringing the strike into the community gets people mobilized in different ways than just walking a picket line. All kinds of people get involved. I especially liked the opportunity to meet up with other labor activists from Somerville.
I also had a surprising connection with one of the strikers–Al Bowers, a former Teamster Local
Goldman Sachs’ speculation and profiteering was a major cause of the recession and now their CEO is giving out $16.7 billion in bonuses. They got a bailout, what do all of us get?
On January 21, Boston community leaders and activists marched on Goldman Sachs to demand that Executive Bonuses be used to fund the Ellison Jobs Bill. The amount of Goldman Sachs’ bonuses would cover more than half of the $30 billion jobs bill that would put unemployed people to work improving our communities.
Last night, the Providence City Council took a final vote to approve the Hospitality Business Protection and Worker Retention Ordinance. The ordinance will require that hospitality businesses in the district, including the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, the Rhode Island Convention Center, Veterans Memorial Auditorium, and three hotels, retain employees for at least six months in the event of a sale or subcontract of the business and maintain the prevailing wage and health insurance standards.
On October 1st, surrounded by 100+ supporters of the measure from UNITE HERE Local 217 and Jobs with Justice, Providence became the first city to act since the scandal provoked by the firing of the “Hyatt 100” in Boston. These 100 housekeepers were left with no jobs when three Boston Hyatt Hotels replaced them in with low-wage subcontractors.
The Providence City Council, taking the first of two required votes, voted unanimously to approve an ordinance to protect against Hyatt-style subcontracting in the Providence Convention Center District. The Hospitality Business Protection and Worker Retention Ordinance will require that hospitality businesses in the district retain employees for at least six months in the event of a sale or subcontract of the business and maintain the prevailing wage and health insurance standards.
Councilman Solomon introduced the legislation:
I am proud to be working to protect Providence workers from Hyatt-style layoffs. Our cities have invested massive public resources to build the tourism industry. In return tourism employers should provide good middle class jobs, whether at the Hyatt in Boston
On September 30th, 3,000 people came together from around the country and took to the streets of Boston to demand an end to corporate greed. The march was organized by the Right to the City Alliance, which is a coalition of organizations that seek to build a base of grassroots leaders in low-income, working class communities of color to challenge neo-liberal economic policies. Locally, Right to the City brought together community groups, like City Life Vida Urbana and the Chinese Progressive Association, and labor organizations, like SEIU locals and Jobs with Justice.
