Jobs With Justice

Photo courtesy of AFT

Imagine this: Sallie Mae’s CEO, sitting at a table with 20 students discussing student debt forgiveness. Crazy, right?

Sallie Mae has finally agreed to sit down with the Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) and US Student Association (USSA) to discuss how to make affordability for all students and graduates a reality.

Last week, more than 200 students, teachers, and community members gathered at Sallie Mae’s shareholder meeting demanding their executives meet with students, and increase transparency on how the bank spends money on lobbying and political donations. The overwhelming police presence did not deter the group - as we peacefully protested and spoke out in front of journalists and news cameras to make our demand for a meeting we’ve been asking for since February 2011. After years of organizing, fighting, facing arrests and demanding Sallie Mae executives meet with us, we finally won a meeting with its new CEO Jack Remondi!

On Tuesday, Walmart store workers across the country began the longest strike in the company’s history. Workers are now headed on a “Ride for Respect” caravan to Bentonville, Arkansas, to bring their concerns to the company’s annual shareholder meeting beginning June 1.

In a press release, the striking workers called on the nation’s largest private employer to create better jobs:

With more than $16 billion in annual profits and executives making 1,000 times more than the average Walmart employee, a growing number of associates and supporters nationwide are calling for the company to end retaliation against employees and for the company to publicly commit to providing full-time work with a minimum salary of $25,000 a year so workers don’t have to rely on tax-payer funded programs to support their families.

Sarita Gupta, executive director of Jobs with Justice/American Rights at Work, applauded the effort, “We are proud to stand with the brave leaders of OUR Walmart. We need Walmart to use its $16 billion in profits to create good jobs for America.”

Delegation from Vermont Workers' Center/Jobs with Justice meets with Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Last week was an exhilarating week for Caring Across Generations! In the lead up to Mothers’ Day, we asked you and thousands of others to honor mothers everywhere by taking action to make quality care available to everyone.  And together, we did just that!

On May 5, we launched our new website and sent a powerful new video on the campaign to tens of thousands of people across the country.

On May 6-7, we brought more than 100 people representing 26 different states together for a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C.  Together we shared powerful testimony and held more than 40 meetings with Senators.  Resolutions were introduced in both the House and Senate that call for a solution to the long-term care crises our families face and a transformation of the way we care for each other in this country.

Last week, 99% Power launched the shareholder spring with a week of action targeting Wells Fargo, Walmart, Bank of America and Sallie Mae as key examples of how the corporate 1% devastate our communities, lives, and the planet.  The week of action demanded that these corporations renegotiate their debts to workers, homeowners, students and the environment.

Starting on April 23rd, homeowners and students descended on the Wells-Fargo shareholder meeting in Salt Lake City where the company was trying to hide after last year's protests.

The next day, workers at Walmart held their first national day of action since last year’s historic Black Friday strikes. Hundreds of Walmart workers were joined by community allies for actions at 200 stores to demand that Walmart honor its public commitment to be more consistent, transparent, and fair in scheduling shifts and hours for workers. While members of Organization United for Respect (OUR Walmart) and community supporters leafleted customers, talked to workers, and met with store managers, over 10,000 people took action in solidarity online.