Jobs with Justice Blog » Indianapolis

Central Indiana JwJ supports Hyatt workers in civil disobedience action as part of nationwide protests

Allison Luthe — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:53:03 +0000

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

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Lobby Day for the Employee Free Choice Act

Ricardo Valadez — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:02:29 +0000

Yesterday, hundreds of community, faith, student leaders came to Washington to tell their elected officials why they support the Employee Free Choice Act. Jobs with Justice activists from Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maine and Indiana joined others in a jam-packed 36 hours of training and lobbying.

Participants were welcomed Wednesday night by outgoing AFL-CIO president John Sweeney. On Thursday morning, Senator Harkin addressed the crowd with heart-felt remarks about his family’s life-long commitment to unions and workers’ issues. Harkin, who was just named Chairman of the House Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, brought a bittersweet message to the activists. “We will win strong labor law reform,” Harkin said, “but it may not happen this year.” Senator Harkin explained that health care would likely dominate the legislative calendar for the remainder of the year, but assured folks that the Employee Free Choice Act would immediately follow.

With the appointment of Harkin to lead the HELP Committee and President Obama’s Labor Day address reconfirming his support for the Bill, activists were energized to go out and meet with their Senators and Congressional Representatives. You can see

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Quick Hits: Labor Day Edition

Allison Fletcher Acosta — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:48:58 +0000

A sampling of what Jobs with Justice coalitions worked on from August 22-September 7.

Security Guards at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, after repeated requests for a meeting, welcomed new director Timothy Rub with a rally on the steps of the museum. On September 3rd, the guards filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to allow them to unionize as members of the Philadelphia Security Officers Union, an independent union.

Jobs with Justice was one of 521 organizations that signed an open letter to Obama criticizing the Presidents inactivity on immigration reform. The letter demands the “immediate termination” of the 287(g) program which allows local law enforcement agencies to essentially act as proxies for federal agents who investigate, apprehend, transport, and detain people who are suspected of being undocumented.

The national debate on health care continues to be front-and-center, and JwJ coalitions remain engaged on the ground.

Missouri JwJ is part of a coalition pushing for reform.

St. Joseph Valley Project/JwJ in South Bend, Indiana went out to show their support for health reform when the so-called “Patients First National Bus Tour” came to town.

JwJ was part of

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Hoosiers Building a Movement for Health Care (and More)

Allison Luthe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:52:51 +0000

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 calls, street theatre

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Quick Hits August 8 – 14

Allison Fletcher Acosta — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:18:07 +0000

A sampling of what Jobs with Justice coalitions are working on this week.

JwJ coalitions across the country continued to engage in the health care debate. Central Indiana Jobs with Justice is forming a local grassroots group of activists to respond to the attacks on health insurance reform. Stay tuned next week for a more detailed account of the work they are doing.

As we previously reported, Missouri JwJ joined Danny Glover to support St. Louis Casino workers.

Members of the Tompkins County Workers’ Center/JwJ in Ithaca, NY urged members of the state’s Industrial Development Agency to include a requirement that a local hotel receiving tax abatements must pay a living wage.

Former Hannaford workers were joined by members of Food AND Medicine/JwJ in Maine to expose Hannaford’s anti-union campaign and press for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. More details to come on this story next week.

Activists Hit Rite Aid Today in Support of Warehouse Workers, Employee Free Choice Act

Ricardo Valadez — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:01:45 +0000

Yet another example of why working people need the Employee Free Choice Act. In 2006, warehouse workers in Lancaster, CA decided they wanted to form a union. Despite the company’s attacks, a majority the of the workers voted to join ILWU Local 26 in March 2008. But more than a year later, the workers have not been able to negotiate a first contract.

Today, as these workers continue fighting for a contract, Jobs with Justice is releasing a report to tell their story. Rite Aid, Oliver J. Bell & Associates, and the Case for the Employee Free Choice Act documents how management employed union-busters and violated labor laws. Last year, the National Labor Relations Board was prepared to charge Rite Aid with 49 unfair labor practice charges before the cases were settled out of court.

Unfortunately, the problems faced by workers when they formed a union at Rite Aid are all-too-common. Profitable and unaccountable anti-union firms, like Oliver Bell and Associates, show companies how to manipulate and flout labor laws with little or no consequences.

The Employee Free Choice Act could make a huge difference in cases like

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