protest

Security Threat?  This Philadelphia JwJ rally was the subject of a Homeland Security bulletin.

The Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security is paying a private American-Israeli firm, the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR) to monitor the activities of groups like Jobs with Justice, MoveON.org, the Ruckus Society, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, the Brandywine Peace Coalition, Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, Rainforest Action Network, immigration activists opposing Arizona’s SB1070, and many more.

Bill Quigley and Rachel Meeropol reported the story last week in Counterpunch:

For almost a year, ITTR provided bi-weekly intelligence briefings to Pennsylvania Homeland Security which focused in equal part on "jihadist" communications and trainings throughout the world, and also social justice organizing and protests across the country.

Earlier today, members of the Chicago Jobs with Justice Unemployed Workers' Council and allies paid a visit to Representative (and Illinois Senate candidate) Mark Kirk's office in Northbrook, Illinois to protest his opposition to extending unemployment benefits.

Jorge Ramirez, President of the Chicago Federation of Labor, spoke to Rep. Kirk's staff, "that's the primary reason why a lot of these folks are here.  They're unemployed, their unemployment benefits are getting cut off... he needs to know that the votes he makes in Washington are directly accountable to the people you see in this room."

The House has already voted to extend unemployment benefits (without Rep. Kirk's support), but it has yet to pass the Senate.  A Senate vote is expected Tuesday.

On Wednesday, July 7th, as a prelude to our first big action following the US Social Forum (which will be on September 15th), Kentucky JwJ stood in solidarity with millions who have lost their jobs and face a desperate future.

Although this was a last minute call to action, at least 50 protesters showed up to march outside of the office of Senator Mitch McConnell in Louisville.  Our demand was an immediate extension of unemployment benefits and protection of Social Security and Medicare — our precious social safety net programs won by generations of struggle.

Several individuals on unemployment spoke, including longtime Kentucky Jobs with Justice activist Gail Helinger.  She has been laid off for over a year now, and her unemployment compensation will end soon unless Congress acts quickly!

Gail and several other unemployed workers marched into Senator McConnell’s office to speak with him about this issue but, of course, he was unavailable.  They were able to speak to an aide who informed them that the Senator will vote for extension of unemployment benefits that is fiscally responsible.

We then marched several blocks to the unemployment office to distribute leaflets with the following call to action:

Are you unemployed?  Are you receiving unemployment compensation?  Are you about to lose your unemployment benefits?  Do you care about people who are unemployed?

Phoenix, Arizona.  This weekend 100,000 people marched six miles from Steele Indian School Park to the State Capitol to denounce SB1070 and demand President Obama intervene in the growing human rights crisis in Arizona.  We were joined by supporters ranging from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to the voice of her people, Grammy Nominated Singer, Jenni Rivera, and attendees who drove from as far away as Boston to support the local people leading the effort to overturn SB 1070.

In a gathering Sunday morning, movement-building organizations from across the country share their commitments to bring the Arizona human rights crisis fight back to their communities. 

On May 17, thousands of union members, community activists, and allies from across the country came together on a rainy Monday morning to send a message to Congress & the corporate lobbyists on K Street:  Wall Street reform now!

The protest was organized by National People's Action, SEIU, the AFL-CIO, and Jobs with Justice.

The crowd rallied in McPherson Square park before shutting down K Street and then marching to the Bank of America.  Check out the video & photos from the action below.

1. Two thirds of U.S. corporations paid no U.S. income tax from 1998-2005.  Corporations like Exxon-Mobil and Walmart find ways to evade taxes, and get taxpayer money to pick up their tab.
2. Wall Street speculators pay themselves record pay and bonuses and spend millions lobbying against financial regulations -- subsidized by the rest of us.
3. Tax rates on millionaires keep dropping.
4. The income gap between the richest 10% of Americans and the rest of us has been widening for 30 years.

Central Florida JwJ joined the Central Florida AFL-CIO as part of a nationwide effort to demand good jobs and a stop to bank bailouts. On Friday March 26th, a group of 30 people started leafletting in front of a Wachovia Bank located on Wall Street in Downtown Orlando. As people leaflettted, a representative was there on behalf of big bankers to thank customers for their hard earned tax dollars in bankers' pockets. At the end, a delegation walked into the local branch to deliver the Crook of the Month Award.

On December 2, RI Jobs with Justice joined a demonstration organized by member organization American Friends Service Committee to oppose the escalation of troops in Afghanistan and to demand Health Care NOT Warfare and Good Jobs not Bombs!  RI JwJ highlighted how we can't afford the financial or human costs of war in Afghanistan and called for resources for job creation, green jobs, and community needs.

The Providence Journal has video from the rally here.

Camilo Viveiros is Director of Rhode Island Jobs with Justice.