Jobs With Justice

On the eve of Obama’s “Jobs Summit”, the picture of employment in this country is bleak.  Unemployment is at crisis levels:  10.2% unemployment, six job-seekers for every opening, 27 million Americans that need full-time work.

This comes as no big surprise.  Jobs with Justice coalitions have been mobilizing for an economic recovery and working with partners to develop a national jobs plan. 

“It's past time to get millions of people back to work with a national jobs program that puts people to work,” said Sarita Gupta, Executive Director of Jobs with Justice, “but to solve the economic crisis we must create not just jobs, but good jobs that allow workers and their families to lead healthy, stable lives.”

For decades, the economic policies of the United States government have led to a hemorrhaging of the good-paying jobs that built our middle-class.  More and more people are working at lower-paying jobs with fewer benefits.  Today, we find ourselves living in a country where one in 10 homes is in foreclosure.  One in eight people - 40% of whom are in working families - must rely on food stamps.  One in six have no health insurance. 

Each year, national Jobs with Justice gives an "award" to the greediest, most cold-hearted company or person of the year.  Past winners of this dubious honor include: Wal-Mart, George W. Bush, and Goodyear Tire & Rubber.  Jobs with Justice National is now accepting nominations for the 2009 "Scrooge of the Year" contest. We are collecting nominations this week and will start the election on December 7th.

SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION TODAY!

Over 1,700 Long Island bus workers won union representation last Friday after the workers launched a strong organizing drive with Teamsters Local 1205. The victory is the result of a hard fight by the workers, the union, and their allies.  The employer, Baumann Bus, was in strong opposition to the union.

The workers—drivers, driver assistants, and mechanics—began organizing in the spring of 2009 and formed organizing committees in their nine different yards.  The workers' reasons for wanting a union were strong: they were not paid for the hours worked, were spending a large portion of their personal paychecks on health care, and experienced degrading workplace conditions.  When the employers got word that the workers were organizing, they started attaching anti-union letters to their paychecks, boldly stating, “Don’t sign up with the Teamsters—tell them we don’t want them around here!”

On January 9, 2010 labor leaders and activists from around the southern region, including James Andrews and Donna DeWitt--presidents of the North and South Carolina AFL-CIOs, will gather in Greensboro, North Carolina to celebrate of the life of Crystal Lee Sutton.  NC Triad Jobs with Justice is hosting the event.  John Wilhelm, president of UNITE HERE, AFL-CIO will present the keynote.

At the age of 33, Sutton attempted to build a union at the JP Stevens plant in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. She was making $2.65/hour folding towels at the time, in the early 1970s. Most Americans were exposed to her struggle via the movie "Norma Rae" where Sally Field played a character based in large part on Sutton's efforts.

Crystal Lee Sutton passed away earlier this year on September 11, 2009 in Burlington, North Carolina from a long-standing fight with cancer. She had been engaged in a struggle with her insurance company who had delayed her treatment.

Through testimonials from family and friends, cultural performances, old videos and pictures, activists will pay tribute to this hero of the working class.