|
|
By Naomi Demsas, on March 31st, 2011
Public Knoxville is a campaign of Jobs with Justice of East Tennessee to fight back against cuts to public service budgets and attacks on public service workers.
JwJ East Tennessee has launched a blog to showcase stories and interviews of public servants and those who rely on public services to emphasize the need for and value of funding for the public sector and public sector workers in Knoxville. The blog also highlights press from across the state and across the country which touches on the importance of protecting the public sector. Check out the Public Knoxville Blog!
By Fran Tobin, on March 16th, 2011
 Nearly 10,000 people rallied in 14 cities across Ohio, standing up for Good Jobs and Strong Communities. Jobs with Justice coalitions were lead organizers of rallies outside of Cleveland and Columbus, and mobilized to actions near Toledo, Dayton, Mansfield, Akron and Cincinnati.
In Cleveland, more than 1,500 persons withstood the rain to hear JwJ Religious co-chair Rev. Bob Strommen denounce the greed of “Big Money” and call us to live by shared values. Teachers, firefighters and a small businessman and local Catholic priest also spoke against the threats of Governor Kasich’s slash and burn budget and elimination of collective bargaining rights.
After the formal program ended, hundreds of people stuck around in the pouring rain lining Strongsville’s Royalton and Pearl Roads, waving signs and chanting as cars honked horns in support.
Columbus JwJ organized a rally in Gov. Kasich’s home suburb of Westerville. More than 1,500 persons learned more about the causes of the OH budget shortfall (hint: it was not workers) and marched to Kasich’s home.
 JwJ coalitions in other states also held rallies, in
Continue reading Ohio Stands for Good Jobs, Strong Communities
By Chris Hicks, on October 8th, 2010
 The Pell Grant will be underfunded by $5.5 billion next year. Tuition is going up 8% every year for a national average. Student debt is now the largest form of debt in the United States, surpassing credit card debt. 65,000 students are denied the right to an education every year based on their documentation status.
These somber facts and figures led to students walking out of classes and holding more than 75 rallies in 25 states yesterday, as higher education faces the largest crisis it has ever come up against. Students declared a National Day of Action to Defend Higher Education, organized in part by the Student Labor Action Project.
At Wichita State University, students created a guillotine with debt as the blade coming down on their heads. “Debt is cutting us off from the jobs we used to dream of having, like being a teacher,” said Aaron Rivers, a student at Wichita State. “It forces us into the corporate sector to find a higher paying job to pay off loans… and we don’t even know if these jobs exist.”
At the
Continue reading Budget Cuts Don’t Heal: Defend Higher Education Day of Action
By jwjnational, on October 6th, 2010
Tomorrow, Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) activists will participate in a national day of action to beat back state budget cuts to higher education. The October 7 Day of Action to Defend Higher Education is a follow up to walk-outs last March. Students will join with teachers and other public sector workers to demand state legislators stop cutting funds to public higher education.
List of SLAP actions. List of all actions.
Consider the story of Margaret Bastar, a SLAP student at the University of Central Florida in Orlando:
I worked hard while in high school to earn a 4.7 GPA, and an IB diploma that promised me 100% tuition and books for 4 years. I received 2 semesters of coverage on books before that changed, and every semester I study there seems to be less money, and I pay more. I don’t qualify for the Pell Grant, though I work hard and my mother doesn’t have the money to give me for school. I’ve exhausted every option I have in student loans. I have three jobs right now. In addition to being a student, I’m a Leasing Agent for Campus
Continue reading Tomorrow: National Day of Action to Defend Higher Education
By Maria Escobar, on December 9th, 2009
As the semester winds down and students retreat to their classrooms and studies, is a good time to reflect on the struggles that young people are facing and our willingness to fight back and demand a real change in the system that will protect young people in this fragile economy.
Last week AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler posted a blog on the Huffington Post about the dire situation of young workers and the AFL-CIO’s proposed five point initial steps to support workers in this economy. In these steps, you can see the immediate connection to the current work that students nationwide are engaged in against budget cuts and layoffs. Two points in the AFL-CIO’s plan for addressing the jobs crisis speak directly to the needs and demands that we have been pushing for in the student movement.
Rebuild America’s schools, roads and energy systems and invest in green technology and green jobs.
Increase aid to state and local governments to maintain vital services.
It is not surprising that the labor movement and the student movement see the same problems and solutions. We share the need to fight back against the corporatization of our lives and for a real change in the current
Continue reading Together, Students and Labor Will Change the Country
|
|
