June 2010

May 29th marked one moment in the ongoing fight to stop SB1070.  Over 100,000 merged to Phoenix to denounce legalizing racial profiling, demand that President Obama intervene, and call on people of conscious everywhere to join the fight to address the human rights crisis in Arizona as the implementation date of July 29th approaches.

From a candlelight vigil organized by  JwJ of East Tennessee and others, to Diamondbacks Boycott held in San Francisco, over 70 other solidarity actions occurred leading up to and on the day.  And more followed.  Organizers, activist, people of faith, teachers, students, and community members took the call for solidarity back into their communities, cities and states.

100 Activists from Kentucky to attend national gathering in Detroit, Michigan June 22 to 26

Kentucky Jobs with Justice will be joining more than 10 other social justice organizations on two charter buses to Detroit to take part in the US Social Forum.  Here is a snippet from the USSF Web site:

The US Social Forum (USSF) is a movement building process. It is not a conference but it is a space to come up with the peoples’ solutions to the economic and ecological crisis. The USSF   is the next most important step in our struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sector, inter-generational, diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country and changes history.

The USSF provides spaces to learn from each other’s experiences and struggles, share our analysis of the problems our communities face, build relationships, and align with our international brothers and sisters to strategize how to reclaim our world.

The first US Social Forum was held in Atlanta in 2007 with KY JwJ taking over 40 delegates.  KY JwJ hosted the first Kentucky Social Forum in 2009 at Berea College, which drew over 400 participants.  These Forums were and are inspired by the World Social Forum, an annual event since 2000 that will be in Dakar, Senegal in 2011.

Yesterday, flanked by Cleveland Jobs with Justice activists; including members of the Cleveland Teachers Union (CTU), SEIU Local 1, Workers United, Working America and ATU Local 268, along with fire and police union members, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown announced his intent to introduce the Local Jobs for America Act during the week of June 7th.  Senator Brown’s version of the House Bill would send $75 Billion to local governments and community groups over the next 2 year period. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Mayor Don Plusquellic  of Akron both spoke about the cuts in fire and police forces that have had to endure during this economic downturn.  Teacher Justin Hons, effected by the upcoming teacher layoff in Cleveland and laid off  ATU Local 268 mechanic,  Dennis Pohl both attended the news conference lending support to the bill being introduced by Senator Brown.

Michele Pomerantz,  CTU Trustee and Director of Political Action and Cleveland Jobs with Justice member  said, “today’s announcement gives me hope that better days are coming for everyone.”

14.6 million U.S. workers unemployed.  One in ten without work.  Only one job opening for every 5.6 people looking.

Congress just doesn't get it.  Joblessness is an emergency, and requires bold, emergency action.  Tell Congress they must ACT NOW to create jobs and protect jobless benefits!

This jobs crisis is deeper and longer-lasting than even the Reagan recession of the 1980s, but many Democrats seem to be falling for right-wing scare tactics about the budget deficit and buying into the ridiculous argument that getting jobless benefits keeps the unemployment rate higher.