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By Kristi Barnes, on April 6th, 2011
 On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN. He was in Memphis to support sanitation workers, represented by AFSCME Local 1733, who had been on strike since March 12 for higher wages and better treatment on the job. He famously said, “It is a crime to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages.”
Dr. King’s legacy teaches us that workers’ rights, civil rights and human rights are inexorably linked. On the anniversary of his death over thirty years ago, we are also reminded just how far we are in fulfilling his dream of equality and dignity for all people.
Right now, we’re witnessing an unprecedented attack on public sector workers around the country. Here in New York State, our legislature and new Governor passed a budget of tax breaks for the wealthy and austerity for the rest of us. The budget features across-the-board cuts to vital public services, major concessions from public sector workers, and leaves unanswered many more questions about future concessions and layoffs. At the same time, our elected leaders
Continue reading Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy in New York
By jwjnational, on April 5th, 2011
 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
Continue reading With 1,000+ Events Nationwide, United We Are One
By jwjnational, on March 25th, 2011
 On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated 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, join union members, community activists, people of faith, students, youth, LGBTQ, civil rights, and immigrant rights allies to stand 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. It’s a day to show movement with actions, teach-ins, worksite discussions, vigils, faith events – a day to be creative, but clear: We are one.
Visit www.we-r-1.org to find a local event, or add your own event to the growing list of activities. Some ideas for action:
Worksite actions. Recruit co-workers to carry out a worksite activity – wearing red shirts, ribbons,
Continue reading April 4 Call to Action: We are One
By Allison Fletcher Acosta, on January 17th, 2011
 At the time of his death in 1968, Dr. King was engaged in preparations for a Poor People’s Campaign that aimed to bring thousands of unemployed and working poor people to Washington, DC. At that time, the unemployment rate was 4% and fewer than 13% of Americans were living in poverty. Today, the unemployment rate is 9.4% and 14.3% live in poverty.
On the day he was assassinated, Dr. King was in Memphis supporting a strike of 1,300 black sanitation workers who walked off the job protesting years of discrimination, low or no pay, and dangerous working conditions. The workers sought union representation with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), but the mayor’s office did not want to recognize the existence of public unions. The sanitation workers won their struggle for respect and dignity on the job shortly after King’s death. Today, Memphis sanitation workers face layoffs and cuts to their overtime and pensions.
Across the country, conservatives are pushing a corporate agenda that seeks to shift the blame for high unemployment and rising poverty levels away from their allies on Wall
Continue reading Carrying On King’s Work
By MaryBe McMillan, on August 30th, 2010
 Forty-seven years after the 1963 March on Washington, the union movement and our allies are preparing for our own march in October. Under the banner of One Nation Working Together, union members, civil rights activists and other concerned citizens will rally in support of good jobs, a quality education for every child, immigration reform and workers’ freedom to form a union. Our rallying cry is that we must reverse the dangerous trend toward greater income inequality and finally create an economy that works for all.
To achieve that goal and to become a truly united nation working together, leaders of the One Nation coalition partners—particularly our nation’s labor leaders—could learn a valuable lesson from that earlier march on Washington: The road to justice and equality must go through the South.
During the 1963 march, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently illustrated this point when he said:
“Let freedom ring from the mountains of New York… Pennsylvania…. Colorado…. California. But not only that: Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia…. from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee….f rom every hill and molehill of Mississippi….let freedom ring.”
Civil rights leaders knew the only
Continue reading Opinion: Workers Who Win the South Change the Nation
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