September 2011

Communities United as Part of National Day of Action Against E-Verify

Submitted by Huy Ong on September 14, 2011

Today, in cities across the U.S., communities are coming together to educate and take collective action to stop H.R. 2164, legislation presented by Texas Congressman Lamar Smith.  H.R. 2164 will make the use of E-Verify mandatory for nearly every employer in the United States.  This legislation is expected to be taken up by the House Judiciary committee for markup at the end of this week.

Mandatory E-Verify is a jobs killer. It is bad for working people, bad for business and bad for the economy.  That is why community leaders, small business owners, and workers are speaking out today against the E-Verify program.

In Portland, Portland Jobs with Justice will join community leaders in a press conference telling Congress that forcing employers to use the flawed E-Verify system will harm U.S. workers and employers and undercut the country’s economic recovery.

Labor Day Verizon Solidarity

Submitted by Lara Shepard-Blue on September 12, 2011

In Springfield, Massachusetts, over 30 JwJ activists spent Labor Day outside a Verizon Wireless store with a giant rat. Around the rat’s neck: “Don’t Shop @ Verigreedy Wireless.”

In addition to leafleting customers and getting our message to the media and passers-by, JwJ activists committed to stand with Verizon workers until their fight is won.

Chants included, “Hey, Verizon, you can’t hide! We can see your greedy side!” and “Whatever it takes, for as long as it takes!”

IBEW 2324 Business Manager John Rowley exhorted the crowd, “This isn’t just about Verizon. This isn’t just about IBEW and CWA. … We cannot lose sight of what this movement is about. Jobs with Justice says it all!” In Western Massachusetts, JwJ activists will continue leafleting at 4 stores on Wireless Wednesdays and Saturdays, and will add other fun solidarity activities soon!

The Fight for Good Jobs

Submitted by JwJNational on September 9, 2011

Our country is facing the worst economic crisis of a generation. Big corporations shipped jobs overseas and Wall Street speculators took more and more of our wealth, getting rich quickly at the expense of workers and families. People are struggling and workers are angry and frustrated. Too many people cannot find good jobs and too many jobs don’t pay enough to support a family. Workers and communities are being divided as immigrant workers and public employees are scapegoated and blamed for the economic crisis caused by unregulated corporate greed.

At Jobs with Justice, we know that good jobs are the cornerstone of strong, healthy, happy communities. A good job is one where workers have collective bargaining rights, employment security, and wages and benefits that allow their families to enjoy a decent standard of living and earn a fair share of the wealth produced by their labor.

Last year, one in five American adults worked in jobs that paid poverty-level wages. Right now, not only are there are not enough jobs to go around, there are not enough of the good jobs we need to get our economy going again.

Hyatt workers on strike -- Take action now!

Submitted by JwJNational on September 8, 2011

This week, thousands of Hyatt hotel workers in four cities nationwide--Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Honolulu—are on strike.  They are on strike not only to win a fair contract at their own hotels, but to take a stand against Hyatt's abuse of hotel workers in cities across the country.

Fair Deal or No Deal

Submitted by Fran Tobin on September 6, 2011

As trade negotiators prepared to hammer out what's known as the "NAFTA of the Pacific", Chicago Jobs with Justice joined a Labor Day rally to demand: "Fair Deal or No Deal!" 

Hundreds heard speakers from labor, farmer, community, environmental and fair trade groups then marched around the Chicago hotel where delegates are working on what is officially called the Trans Pacific Free Trade Agreement.  Negotiations include the United States, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, New Zealand, Australia, Peru and Chile

“The Labor Day is not just a day to barbecue, but to fight,” said Jim Robinson, director of United Steelworkers District 7.  Local unions, community organizations and activists rallied nearly 500 people on Labor Day to call for a fair trade deal or no deal at all.

We need jobs! Tell Congress: Tax Wall Street to Heal Main Street

Submitted by JwJNational on September 2, 2011

Today’s dismal jobs report reminds us that we’re in a jobs emergency requiring bold federal action.

Tell Congress: Tax Wall Street to heal Main Street, and put America back to work

Our communities are devastated by foreclosures and unemployment.  Corporate-funded politicians are gutting services and attacking worker rights, claiming our state and national governments are broke – while Wall Street and corporate CEOs are getting record bonuses and sitting on record cash reserves (and often paying little or nothing in taxes).  Despite massive fraud and reckless greed that wrecked our economy, throwing millions of Americans out of work and out of their homes, not a single Wall Street "bankster" has gone to jail.

The fight back is growing!

JwJ Conference: Building a Transformative Vision to Expand Workers' Rights

Submitted by Sarita Gupta on September 1, 2011

JwJ Action at Walmart's lobbying HQFrom August 5-7, 2011, Jobs with Justice held our National Conference in Washington, DC. The Conference, which was attended by nearly 700 activists from across the country, was intended to re-energize and recommit workers’ rights activists and advocates to working together in solidarity to address the rights of workers everywhere and to collectively engage in strategy discussions around the economy, corporate accountability, and strengthening grassroots organizing base around a variety of issues.

Most importantly the event allowed Jobs with Justice, our network, partners, and supporters to reflect on two critical questions: how do we protect and expand the right to organize and collectively bargain in this critical moment in our labor movement; and what is the role of Jobs with Justice in mobilizing the network, its allies, partners, and everyday workers around workers justice issues during this period.

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Jobs with Justice is a national network of local coalitions that bring together labor unions, faith groups, community organizations, and student activists to fight for working people. Our members are in the streets in 46 cities in 24 states across the country.

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