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

Continue reading Thousands March to Take Back Boston!

Phoenix, Arizona.  This weekend 100,000 people marched six miles from Steele Indian School Park to the State Capitol to denounce SB1070 and demand President Obama intervene in the growing human rights crisis in Arizona.  We were joined by supporters ranging from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to the voice of her people, Grammy Nominated Singer, Jenni Rivera, and attendees who drove from as far away as Boston to support the local people leading the effort to overturn SB 1070.

In a gathering Sunday morning, movement-building organizations from across the country share their commitments to bring the Arizona human rights crisis fight back to their communities. 

Participants heard from local leadership, national allies, and from veterans of the Mississippi Freedom Summer the urgency of a national response.  Organizations shared ways to connect their struggles, campaigns, and creativity in breakout sessions and committed to ongoing peaceful resistance.    A global call for escalating resistance

Continue reading Call for Peaceful Escalating Resistance to Arizona SB1070

Cross-posted from Labor Notes.

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

Continue reading Strikers March from Methuen to Boston to Win Justice at Shaw’s