STOP THE LIES By the Chamber of Commerce LIST OF ACTIONS | PRESS RELEASE | REPORT ON ACTIONS JwJ coalitions across the country are mobilizing at Chamber of Commerce branches June 3-4 and June 11th to highlight the latest in a long line of anti-worker policies advocated by the US Chamber of Commerce, a multimillion dollar campaign aganist the Employee Free Choice Act. We are asking local branches of the Chamber to disassociate themselves from the national US Chamber’s practices by at least declaring neutrality on the Employee Free Choice Act. For those local branches that have already been actively opposing the legislation, we are protesting their activity just as we are the US Chamber’s. The U.S Chamber of Commerce and Big Business allies have fought against:
- The eight-hour workday for women
- Child labor laws
- The Family and Medical Leave Act
- The Voting Rights Act
- Raising Americans with Disability Act access standards
- Overtime payments for millions of workers through reforms of the Fair Labor Standards Act
- OSHA ergonomics regulations that would protect workers from occupational injuries
- Increases in the minimum wage
- Living wages
- Now they’ve added the Employee Free Choice Act to the list.
“Our top priority is preventing the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.” - U.S. Chamber of Commerce website Big Business and their Chambers of Commerce are demanding bailouts and tax breaks while laying off workers and paying big bonuses. They’ve also launched an anti-worker propaganda campaign, funding front groups to spread lies about the Employee Free Choice Act, pretending to care about worker privacy. The Chamber earmarked $20 million in 2008 and 2009 alone to defeat the Employee Free Choice Act. No surprise. These corporate interests oppose everything from the minimum wage to safety rules to family leave and unemployment compensation. Suddenly corporations care about worker privacy. Yeah, Right. FIGHT BACK against the Chamber of Commerce’s anti-worker agenda. Visit www.jwj.org/freechoice to get involved. LOCAL ACTIONS
| State |
City |
Contact |
Where, What, When |
| DC |
Washington |
Mackenzie; mbaris@dclabor.org |
June 4 12pm; leafleting the DC Chamber of Commerce |
| FL |
Orlando |
Denise or Josh; centralfljwj@gmail.com |
Thursday, May 28th meeting at the Orlando Chamber of Commerce |
| IN |
Bloomington |
Allison Luthe; allison@centralindianajwj.org |
2pm Bloomington Chamber of Commerce |
| IN |
Indianapolis |
Allison Luthe; allison@centralindianajwj.org |
Informational picket from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 Jen 4 under the Arts Garden at Illinois and Washington Streets, outside the National City Center where the Indiana Chamber of Commerce will be holding their anti-EFCA workshop |
| IN |
South Bend |
Joe Carbone - josephcarbone@yahoo.com |
Meeting at CoC May 28. June 4 – South Bend WRB Hearing on housing and EFCA. Contact for details. |
| MA |
Boston |
Jennifer Doe - Jennifer@massjwj.net |
June 11 march from State house to Chamber of Commerce and then to BoA |
| MA |
Springfield |
Jon Weissman; wmjwj@wmjwj.org; (413) 827-0301 |
June 11, 11am (may change), Springfield Marriott, 2 Boland Way, corner of Columbus Av, Springfield |
| MO |
St. Louis |
Aaron Barnett; aaron@stl-jwj.org |
5/11 CoC action |
| OR |
Eugene |
Nancy Holle; essn@efn.org |
June 3rd meeting with CoC |
| OR |
Portland |
andrea Townsend; andrea@jwjpdx.org |
contact for details |
| PA |
Philadelphia |
Fabricio Rodriguez; fabricio@phillyjwj.org |
June 3rd at 5 pm sharp at the corner of Broad and Walnut St. (the Bellevue Hotel) |
| TN |
Knoxville |
David Linge & Kathy Mays; jwjofet@bellsouth.net |
June 9 @ 12pm; picket @ CoC |
| TN |
Nashville |
Megan Macareg; meganmacareg@gmail.com |
contact for details |
| TX |
Dallas |
Elaine & Gene Lantz; labordallas@sbcglobal.net |
4-6 PM Friday, May 29 at the Bank of America Building (housing Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce) at 400 Zang in Dallas |
| UT |
Salt Lake City |
Linda Parsons; linda@utahjwj.org |
June 3 4-5pm at Cahmber of Commerce; 175 East 400 South |
| VA |
Richmond |
Breanne Armbrust: bmarmbrust@aol.com |
June 11 rally @ CoC |
| VT |
Burlington |
Kate Kanelstein; kate@workerscenter.org; (802) 861-2877 |
June 11 - contact for details |
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