CLUE Giants of Justice Journal May 21 2015

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May 21

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We haven’t even limited our growth to prioritizing interethnic group relations and advocacy. Yes, we have witnessed an expansion of our Black/Jewish Justice Alliance alongside our Black-Brown Clergy Coalition, each of them taking on the growing unease that people of color feel all over this county with law enforcement. Even with this fresh eye toward expanding interethnic work to include other groups so that we can create a more just and sacred society, this is not the growth to which I allude.

Furthermore, this year is not only a reclaiming of our organizational legacy as providing moral framing to increase the minimum wage, the role that we had in the nineties, overturning then-Mayor Riordan’s veto of a living wage for hotel workers. It is true that we are for the first time ever fighting for non-union workers side by side with union workers. But again, this is not the “biting off more than it can chew” to which I allude.

No, if there is anything that distinguishes this year, it is that we have finally opened up our eyes to the real potential of CLUE.

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Nor have we simply expanded our decade-long support for immigrant rights into protecting the 3000 unaccompanied minors in Los Angeles County by building a faith-based network of support groups.

This groundbreaking “Compassion Campaign” to help these downtrodden Central American refugees integrate into America shines a bright light on our broken immigration policy. Like the DREAM students before, we see potential to create a new generation of activists.

We can approach income inequality from two sides; raising wages or lowering costs. As New York mayor Bill DeBlasio noted recently, both approaches are needed, and CLUE cannot retreat from either strategy. As homelessness is on the rise, will we sit idly by when people of faith are known for their commitment to the homeless? Religious leaders must have a role in advocating for affordable housing, just as we are committed to living wages.

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This past year has not merely seen an expansion of our institutional commitment to supporting the rights of a richer variety of workers, such as El Super grocery workers, port truck drivers, nurses at Huntington Memorial Hospital, hotel workers in every corner of the county and most recently in Long Beach, charter school teachers facing union busting, fired Walmart workers in Pico Rivera, food service workers at the airport, and city workers through our participation in the Fix LA Coalition.

“Economic Justice” means that we cannot stick to one strategy. We are deeply rooted religiously in our many faith traditions, and strategically committed to the labor movement, which is possibly the only place where both money and foot soldiers can fight for what is just and right in our society. Nevertheless, there is no singular fix to correct the failure of our society to create a fair system with opportunity for all. As this year certainly attests, racial injustice is a real overlay on top of economic injustices.

Giant swaths of Angelenos are not only excluded from the economy; even more egregiously, they are criminalized on our streets and in our jails and detention centers, which leads to profit-driven mass incarceration, the impact of generations of “Plantation Capitalism,” as our founder Rev. James Lawson teaches.

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Is CLUE biting off more than it can chew?

We see many places where we can, and should, expand our vision. All religions do indeed believe in justice, and our job at CLUE is to demonstrate that.

As we go to print, we know that many decisions will be made very soon that will impact hundreds of thousands of people in the City and County of Los Angeles. In just days, 800,000+ workers below 15 dollars an hour will hopefully see a significant raise.

In a month or so, over a million people will benefit from civilians finally overseeing the LA Sheriff’s Department. And before long, wages will be lifted in unincorporated areas as well. We have a lot of work to do! And we need you to help us do it! Please, we are here to ensure that religious leaders and community members can engage in the struggles. Let us know what your passions for economic justice are and we will help YOU be an agent of change, beyond self-interest to a more just dignified, and respectful society for working people and their families.

With Blessings For Justice On the Journey,

CLUE

Committed to creating a just and sacred society, CLUE organizes people of faith to support workers in their struggle for a living wage, health benefits, respect and a voice in their workplace. Utilizing FaithRooted Organizing to pursue justice, Clue partners with community organizations, elected officials and the labor movement to strengthen working people and their families. We also work toward immigration reform and restorative justice important measures needed to lift people out of poverty and to empower them.

economic interests. Religious leaders, standing on centuries-old traditions of moral and ethical discussion, assert that these struggles raise questions of justice that impact the quality of our community and concern us all. The recognized Moral Authority held by faith leaders and their lack of self-interest in worker struggles also enables us to unveil the lies of the powerful and communicate the truth to the community.

The religious community brings three essential gifts to the broad-based effort to advance economic justice:

What does the Lord require of you? Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

Our Constituency:

The concept of justice has deep roots in all faith communities. Sacred texts and teachings from all religious traditions ask us to love, serve, and seek justice for our neighbors who are suffering injustices. It is our righteous obligation to walk alongside workers as they struggle for justice in the workplace. All religions believe in justice.

about

Religious communities are among the most powerful organized institutions in our society that bring together people across racial, cultural and class lines and create opportunities for dialogue about the meaning of life and values. CLUE can access all types of people through their congregations, often compelling business leaders to do what is right through their faith commitments.

Our Capacity To Inspire And Support: Workers struggling for their own rights often must overcome fear of retaliation in the face of harassment and intimidation.

Religious leaders can reassure workers that their cause is just, providing emotional and spiritual support. At times, CLUE creates funds for direct relief when workers suffer severe retaliation for standing up for their rights.

Our Capacity To Break Down Barriers: Corporations frequently discourage community involvement in worker justice matters by portraying the struggle as a private competition between opposing

A Faith-Rooted Response:

CLUE fulfills this calling in the following ways and more: • Delegations to management on behalf of struggling workers • Advocacy meetings with elected officials • Sign-on letters • Witness to contract negotiations • Public prayer • Blessings of workers • At times, coordinated civil disobedience

CLUE Board of Directors

Rev. Norman D. Copeland, Chair African Methodist Episcopal Church The Rev. Frank Alton Rector, Congregation of St. Athanasius at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul Robert A. Branch Executive Board Member SEIU-USWW/Security Division Shukry Cattan Development Coordinator, UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen Professor, American Jewish University Rev. Jim Conn (Ret.) United Methodist Church Rev. Francisco Garcia, Treasurer All Saints Church, Pasadena Father Mike Gutierrez St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Baldwin Park Betty Hung, Esq. Asian Americans Advancing Justice Scott McVarish Immigration Attorney Rev. William Smart, Vice Chair Senior Pastor, Christ Liberation Ministries President and CEO, SCLC of Greater Los Angeles Brenda Threatt Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Richard Zaldivar The Wall/Las Memorias Project

CLUE Staff Organizers Nina Marie Fernando Bea Fonseca Angie Jimenez Pastor Stephen “Cue� Jn Marie Rev. Dr. Lewis Logan Ben Poor Gabriella Rosco Guillermo Torres Administration/Development Christopher French, Special Projects Pamela Hope, Director of Development Rabbi Jonathan Klein, Executive Director Pastor Bridie Roberts, Program Director

Thou shalt not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger seeing you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 23: 9

Previous Years Giants of Justice

2014

2008

Laphonza Butler Soledad Garcia Anthony Ng Sr. Deacon Guy Wauthy

La Mikia Castillo Marty Coleman Sr. Mary Jean Ferry Rabbi Steven Jacobs Rev. Aubrey Thornton

2013 Rev. Dr. Jerry Campbell Rev. Jerry Stinson Christian Torres Vivian Rothstein 2012 Dream Team LA Rev. David Farley The Hon. Paul Koretz Lydia Lopez The Rev. Alexia Salvatierra 2011 Rev. Jim Conn Hon. Jackie Goldberg Bishop Gabino Zavala Betsy Estudillo 2010 Father Mike Gutierrez Kabira Stokes Hochberg Bishop Mary Ann Swenson Holy Nativity Church 2009 Rabbi Mark Diamond Fr. Richard Estrada Rev. Liz Muñoz Ryan Thompson

2007 Bishop John R. Bryant Daniel French Rabbi Robert T. Gan Rev. Canon Richard W. Gillett Joan Harper Shakeel Syed 2006 Rev. Norman Copeland Sr. Diane Donoghue Jaime Rapaport Barry Rev. George Regas 2005 Maria Elena Durazo Jerome Horton Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray Stanley Sheinbaum Imam Ali Siddiqui 2004 Rabbi Leonard I. Beerman Theresa Bonpane Rev. Malcolm Boyd Fr. Gregory J. Boyle Dolores Huerta

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ev. Rev. Whitlock served as pastor of Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church (COR Church) in Orange County, CA since August 1998.

He is the Director of Corporate Giving for the Connectional African Methodist Episcopal Church and serves as Chief Executive Officer of Nehemiah Ministries, a nonprofit 501(c) (3) economic development corporation for the Fifth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church. In addition, Rev. Whitlock is the Director of Community Initiatives at University of Southern California, Center for Religion and Civic Culture. Rev. Whitlock earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion from the University of LaVerne and is completing a Masters of Divinity at Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio. He received an honorary doctorate from American International University in Humanities.

Before his full-time call to the ministry, Rev. Whitlock served as the founder and executive director of FAME Renaissance, the economic

Keynote Speaker (RAMS), an organization of over 3,500 men who exemplify positive African American images.

The RAMS are best known for helping to reclaim the community from gangs and drug dealers and closing 13 rock cocaine houses while leading young men away from drugs and gangs. Rev. Whitlock’s corporate experience amply equipped him to lead the 21st century church in economic development. He was a former Assistant Vice President for Wells Fargo Bank and Vice President, Commercial/Industrial National Division for Chicago Title Insurance Company.

Rev. Whitlock has been married happily, to Rev. Hermia Shegog Whitlock, J.D. for nearly thirty years. He has three sons, Ariel Robinson; Mark, III; and Devin Whitlock.

reverend mark E. whitlock Jr. development arm of First A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles. As the executive director, he raised over four hundred million dollars in grants, loans, and contracted service initiatives that created no less than four thousand jobs within South Los Angeles. Under Rev. Whitlock’s leadership, the FAME Renaissance Venture Capital Fund and Commercial Loan Programs funded hundreds of small businesses, and the FAME Renaissance Home Loan Program created over two hundred new home owners and trained over two thousand home loan candidates. Rev. Whitlock also co-founded the Richard Allen Men’s Society

Our Emcees

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abbi Briskin began his tenure at Temple Beth El in July 2005, after having served four years as the Associate Rabbi of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California. He was ordained in 2001 by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, and studied in Jerusalem and Los Angeles.

Rabbi Briskin is a strong advocate for social justice. He is devoted to working with families with young children, with young adults, and with teens. Rabbi Briskin is active within the larger San Pedro and Peninsula communities. He facilitates the Peninsula Interfaith Fellowship, a monthly gathering of clergy and faith professionals; serves on the Board of Directors for Harbor Interfaith Services; and is a periodic contributor to the Palos Verdes Peninsula News Clergy Viewpoints column. Rabbi Briskin is also a board member of the Rotary Club of San Pedro.

rabbi charles k. briskin

Most important to him is the quality time he enjoys with his wife, Karen, who teaches Kindergarten at the Rancho Vista Elementary School in RPV, and their children, Ezra and Avi. The Briskins live in San Pedro.

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he Rev. Stephanie P. Jaeger, Ph.D, is the pastor at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in North Hollywood. She received her BA (1985) and MA (1987) from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and received her Ph.D. in German Studies from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri (1991). Pastor Stephanie served as guest professor at the University of Heidelberg, Germany and the University of Illinois—Urbana/Champaign and continues to do research in Reformation studies and Biblical studies. She received her M.Div. from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in May 2007 and was ordained in August of that year.

Pastor Stephanie’s personal and professional commitments include eliminating homelessness, combating hunger locally and globally, broadening understanding about mental illness, helping persons with disabilities live full and meaningful lives, and building an inclusive church. She deeply loves being a pastor, having the privilege to journey alongside Christians as they deepen their faith and live it out in all their relationships and all their actions. Pastor Stephanie especially enjoys preaching, worship leadership, teaching Biblical studies and theology to people of all ages. Her especial calling is helping congregations live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ through ministry in their local contexts.

The Rev. stephanie p. jaeger, Ph.d

Stephanie is married to Stephen and they have two daughters, Hannah and Zoe.

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ulie A. Su is a nationally recognized expert on workers’ rights and civil rights who has dedicated her distinguished legal career to advancing justice on behalf of poor and disenfranchised communities.

A MacArthur Foundation “Genius,” Su is known for pioneering a multi-strategy approach that combines successful impact litigation with multiracial organizing, community education, policy reform, coalition building, and media work.

In April 2011, Su was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as California’s Labor Commissioner, the first Asian American to hold the position. A report on her tenure released in May 2012 found that her leadership has resulted in a renaissance in enforcement activity across the entire Division and record-setting results. In 2014, Su launched the “Wage Theft is a Crime” multi-media, multilingual campaign to reach out to low-wage workers and their employers to help them understand their rights and feel safe speaking up about labor law abuses. It is the first statewide campaign of its kind.

Julie A. Su

2015 Giants of Justice

California Labor Commissioner Aggressive Civil Rights Litigator Prior to her appointment as Labor Commissioner for the State of California, Su served as the Litigation Director at Advancing Justice LA, the nation’s largest non-profit civil rights organization devoted to issues affecting the Asian American community. In her 17 years as a civil rights lawyer, Su brought landmark lawsuits resulting in millions of dollars for low-wage workers and policy changes in California and the United States protecting immigrant victims of crime and human trafficking. In 1995, Julie Su was the lead attorney for Thai garment workers who were trafficked into the U.S. and forced to sew behind barbed wire and under armed guard in an apartment complex in El Monte, California. Su has also litigated extensively to end discrimination and segregation in education and the workplace, and to protect vulnerable and elderly immigrants against consumer fraud. She has represented African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans in a wide range of cases, including challenges to UC Berkeley’s admissions policy, Abercrombie & Fitch’s discriminatory hiring practices, English-only policies in the workplace, and Arizona’s racial profiling law, SB 1070.

Su, who is the daughter of Chinese immigrants, was raised in Southern California. She is married to Hernán D. Vera, litigation partner at Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks, Lincenberg & Row. They have two daughters.

Victor Narro Laureen Lazarovici

2015 Giants of Justice

At the Labor Center, Narro’s focus is to provide leadership training and workshops for Los Angeles’s immigrant workers, and internship OPPORTUNITIES for UCLA students.

Narro is a faculty member of the UCLA Department of Labor and Workplace Studies. He is also a lecturer for the Chicano/a Studies Department, where he teaches classes that focus on immigrant workers and the labor movement. His work in multi-ethnic organizing led to the creation of the Multi-ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network (MIWON) in collaboration with KIWA, Garment Worker Center and Pilipino Worker Center.

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aureen Lazarovici is a journalist, writer, and strategic communications expert.

She is Managing editor at the Kaiser Permanente Labor Management Partnership communications department.

From 1998 to 2005, Laureen was an assistant editor at the national AFL-CIO’s publications department. She was also a staff writer at the LA Weekly, an associate editor at the California Journal in Sacramento, and a staff writer at EDUCATIONDaily in Washington, D.C. Her work has appeared in Inside the L.A Riots (Institute for Alternative Journalism), The CyberUnion Handbook (M.E. Sharpe), the L.A. Jewish Journal, California TEACHER, and The Mindfulness Bell.

From 2001 to 2005, Laureen was a board member of Jews United for Justice in Washington, D.C., and went on to work in victorious living wage campaigns in Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia.

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ictor Narro is a nationally known expert on the workplace rights of immigrant workers.

He has been involved with immigrant rights and labor issues for many years, and is currently Project Director for the UCLA Downtown Labor Center.

Narro is the author of many law review and journal articles, most recently, Narro published Living Peace: CONNECTING Your Spirituality with Your Work for Justice (CreateSpace Publishing 2014).

Together Victor and Laureen are extraordinary leaders in the progressive labor movement, lowincome communities and with immigrant rights issues and a powerful justice-seeking couple, who center their marriage as partners in “Tikkun Olam,” Repairing a Fragmented World.

SOCIAL

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Vanessa’s construction career has been riddled with gender and racial discrimination. Vanessa has expressed her appreciation for the valuable lessons of the LABWC.

2015 Giants of Justice

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anessa has been in the construction industry for over 20 years and is a key Leader at the LABWC. She has spent 10 years as a carpenter, and is currently a Laborer with Local 300. She is the mother to one son a college graduate of UCLA named Kevin.

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atricia Allen is Journeylevel Laborer and a native of Los Angeles. As a single parent to an 11 year old son, Jaylen, one of Patricia’s main goals is to lead by an example of hard work. Although a proud and seasoned union construction worker, this has been a difficult goal to attain in an industry where she is often the only Black, or female worker, on the job site. Before she was hired to work on the Crenshaw/LAX rail line, she had to rely on public assistance to support her family. Patricia is an active member-volunteer at the LA Black Worker Center because she believes that advocacy can change the construction industry and pave a way for other workers to have access to good careers.

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eDaya was raised in South Central Los Angeles. After high school, she had a hard time finding work. She struggled to make ends meet to support her three children. Because of strong alliances, smart policy, and a lot of on-the-ground organizing, LeDaya was able to work her way into a good union job. With women being less than 1% employed in the industry LeDaya’s story is an incredible model for how to dismantle these barriers​.

vanessa white Patricia allen ledaya epps

RABBI NEIL COMESS-DANIELS

2015 Giants of Justice

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abbi Neil Comess-Daniels is the religious leader and founder of Beth Shir Shalom in Santa Monica. He brings his passionate expression of Judaism and his strong sense of social justice to the pulpit. Through his contemporary interpretation of ancient and modern texts he enables us to personalize and apply them to our daily lives.

Rabbi Neil helps create community, facilitates discovery of our spiritual selves and works with us towards Tikkun Olam – healing the world.

Rabbi Neil has a strong personal commitment to organizations that deal with interracial and interfaith relations and homelessness issues.

He has chaired the Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition and the Interfaith Holocaust Service. He is a founding member of CLUE (Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice).

A graduate of UCLA, Rabbi ComessDaniels was ordained in 1979 at the Hebrew Union College and is often asked to mentor young rabbinic students. He recently published “I Miss You” -- a book of poems, prayers, songs and gentle guidance for adults helping the grieving child.

He is married and has two children.

CLUE founding member Chaired Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition & the Interfaith Holocaust Service

“And O my people! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due” (Quran 11:85). Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him, also said, “I will be the opponent of three types of people on the Day of Judgment,” and he listed one of them as “one who hires a worker, but does not pay him his right wages owed to him after fulfilling his work.”

(Bukhari collection, prepared by Hussam Ayloush, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.)

Our Campaigns

Black/Jewish

Justice Alliance

network, to ensure its success. By convening Jewish and African-American community stakeholders to CLUE end gun violence, protect has voting rights, advocate begun the for good jobs, increase work of rebuilding transparency in our law the historic coalition enforcement agencies, between African-American and a host of other justice and Jewish religious issues, the brand-new CLUE leadership, partnering with Black-Jewish Justice Alliance the Southern Christian (BJJA) will create a more Leadership Conference of just and sacred Los Angeles.

Southern California. In Los Currently,the BJJA focuses Angeles, CLUE is uniquely on civilian oversight of the positioned, with its current Los Angeles County Sheriff’s leadership and large Department, working in deep

solidarity with community groups.

Black/Brown

Clergy Coalition

Under the leadership of local clergy, and with the guidance of CLUE LA, the Brown/Black Clergy Coalition has been meeting monthly for the past three years in

various churches across Los Angeles. Bringing together Latino and African American religious leaders, the coalition seeks to create a working group of committed religious activists focused on creating change in our shared communities through scriptural study, worship, prayer, organizing, and action. Additionally they have boldly taken on the work of addressing shared community issues, including police brutality and prison reform, immigration reform, quality jobs, and education reform. The Coalition has played host to multiple Faith Rooted Organizing trainings, cross cultural strategy sessions on pressing community issues, shared worship experiences, and pulpit exchanges.

community members came together to commemorate the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to express their outrage of recent events affecting black and brown people, such as income inequality, immigration policies, and the systematic criminal justice bias against black lives.

Car Wash

CLUE continues to partner with the CLEAN Car Wash Campaign and others to bring about fundamental This past January, they held and lasting change in a very their 4th Annual Kingdark and corrupt Car Wash Chavez Breakfast Summit industry. Car Wash owners where a forum was provided regularly violate basic for the various efforts of health and safety standards organizing and mobilizing with no real repercussions. around the agenda of Carwasheros are exposed civilian oversight of both to dangerous chemicals the LA County Sheriff’s without protective gear, and the LAPD in order resulting at times in to share narratives, best kidney damage, respiratory practices and determine problems and nerve an agenda agreement damage. Carwasheros are and coordinate common frequently denied stateevent calendars ensuring mandated breaks during maximum sustainable the day, forced to action and comprehensive work long hours structural impact. Finally, in the sun to culminate the Christian without Holy Week, the Black/Brown even Clergy Coalition organized a march where hundreds of

water breaks. They frequently work 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for less than minimum wage. Some washes have made their workers survive on tips alone, and Aztec Carwash in West LA has even forced workers to urinate in cups instead of bathrooms.

CLUE was instrumental in passing a new Car Wash Worker Law that went into effect January 1, 2014, requiring all California car washes register with the State Department of Labor Standards Enforcement and that car wash owners pay a $150,000 bond for wage claims, with an exemption for car washes with Collective Bargaining Agreements with workers.

Unlike its previous version, the new law does not have a sunset clause. In just five months, fifteen Southern California car washes have signed union contracts; see cleancarwashla.org for a listing.

ACTION

Century

City Center

For our city to thrive, it must encourage responsible, sustainable development projects that combine thousands of good jobs with the best in green environmental technology.

The proposed Century City Center meets all of those criteria. With a Project Labor Agreement with Building Trades for union jobs, a plan that will result in a LEED Platinum environmental certification (which will set a precedent for environmental stewardship as the first such top-level building constructed in Los Angeles from the ground up), and a long-term history of investing in the community by its developer, JMB Realty Corp., CLUE has actively supported this project, garnering a wide array of leaders to advocate for its creation. Our members are writing letters of support and speaking out at neighborhood council meetings, commission hearings, and other venues.

With the latest milestone approval by the City Planning Commission within reach, we expect a final City Council vote of approval as early as mid-

summer. Soon we’ll be able to put thousands of construction, service and retail workers back on the job!

agreement that will ensure that non-tipped workers at USC will achieve an average wage of $15.60 an hour or more. Upon ratification workers also received a bonus. Under the new Faith & USC food service workers united, fought on to agreement workers will retain their robust health victory! benefits.

Faith leaders joined workers and students in leading a campaign to bring justice to the University of Southern California (USC) early this spring. USC is the largest private employer in Los Angeles and recently reached the $4 billion endowment mark. Yet, when food service workers began organizing for $15 an hour and full-time hours, they were met with resistance and retaliation. The CLUE Downtown Committee held regular meetings where workers were invited to speak, organized community delegations to the office of USC President Nikias, and led multiple picket lines and marches through campus. The faith leaders in the committee were integral in showing the USC administration that the local community was invested in the lives of workers and their families.

Workers ratified their contract on March 13 and upon ratification workers immediately received a significant wage increase.

Workers will continue to receive regular raises over the course of the five-year

Unaccompanied Migrant

Children On October 8th of 2014 CLUE convened a meeting of key faith leaders, legal and mental health providers, city and county officials, and community groups to strategize in creating a collective network of support for the unaccompanied migrant children and their families who were fleeing extreme violence, poverty and abandonment. Today, we continue to convene the broader network of faith-based and secular organizations in order to collaborate to provide help for the minors and their families. Our network addresses legal, mental, chaplaincy, transportation, food, and advocacy needs.

Two programs developed by our partners are first the acompañero project created by the LA Episcopal Diocese which pairs train volunteers

to accompany children and their families throughout the process of immigration court proceedings; in addition to regular in-person, phone, and text check-ins, the volunteers have provided transportation; provided assistance with securing health care; and assisted with after-school activities.

In addition, in some cases, they have provided support to the child and/or his/ her attorney as the child’s deportation case unfolds.

Secondly, the United Methodist Church of the CAL-PAC has offer the minors an opportunity to attend their summer mountain retreats at no cost to the children and their families, and is also creating welcoming immigrant congregations.

Finally, project “guardian angels” highlighted

by LA Times, engages teams of congregational volunteers (immigrant and nonimmigrant) in addressing the crisis of unaccompanied migrant children by accompanying them and their relatives or sponsors in court, providing pastoral care and documenting any violations of their rights.

The project was created

by Rev. Alexia Salvatierra through the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in collaboration with the National Lawyers’ Guild LA early on as minors were being rushed to courts without time to find

representation, therefore jeopardizing their cases.

Additionally, contributions

by Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, Western American Province help provide equipment to teach job skills to some of the mothers and young ladies.

Finally, some of the work on this campaign was made possible by the our friends at the Presbytery of the Pacific who continue to contribute by leading the drives at congregations to collect items desperately needed for the children and families.

Grocery Workers

UFCW grocery workers at the El Super chain have been negotiating with the store’s management for the opportunity to work more hours, to receive paid sick leave, and for wage increases that will enable them to provide for their families and reduce their reliance on public assistance.

Their contract expired on September 27, 2013. In March 2014, the bargaining committee presented the company with over 8,000 cards signed by customers, including CLUE clergy and leaders, who support the workers’ demands for a fair contract. The workers and

community leaders from CLUE and other groups also held numerous rallies in front of the stores to demonstrate solidarity.

El Super has resisted union members’ efforts to improve working conditions.

Company tactics included: suspending and firing Fermin Rodriguez; Carlos Smith (CEO) threatening and interrogating union members; changing vacation accrual policy; harming union members; and refusing to negotiate after the union was re-certified.

Now the National Labor Relations Board issued a formal complaint finding the union charges against El Super have merit. A trial has been set for June 8 where the Board will prosecute the company for its violations.

Hospitality

Hotel workers at the Westin and Renaissance in downtown Long Beach are currently organizing for respect, dignity, and protections from unfair workloads, intimidation, retaliation, and harassment in their workplaces. Even with the passing and implementation of Measure N, which raised the wages for

hotel workers of the city’s large hotels, many hotels workers still lack basic safety protections from sexual assault to heavy physical workloads.

Raise LA Living Wages for LA

Hotel Workers

CLUE was a leading strategizing partner in a joint effort to raise the minimum wage to $15.37 per hour for those working in the hospitality industry.

Forty percent of hospitality workers live in poverty.

Establishing living wage standards, including paid sick days, will help lift families in our communities out of poverty and could potentially spark muchneeded reinvestment in our city’s local businesses and our neighborhoods. We won for hotel workers in Los Angeles!

Iron Workers

CLUE leaders are deeply concerned with poor practices in the reinforcing industry that leave workers with poverty wages and dangerous work conditions.

In June 2012, Millennium Reinforcing workers went on strike due to numerous alleged violations, including allegedly working 14 hour days in temperatures over 100 degrees, substandard wages, and no safety training. This is a dangerous job where falling can lead to serious injuries or death, but the workers claim they did not receive proper training and were forced to buy their own safety equipment. These men have told us they had to work through their breaks without overtime pay. When they dared to speak up, they were told to be quiet and do the job, or else they would be replaced. Millennium Reinforcing builds primarily privately-owned structures like office buildings, condominiums, and mixeduse developments, the types of projects developers are hoping to build in Santa Monica and Downtown LA. CLUE is encouraging developers not to utilize Millennium Reinforcing until their practices and treatment

of their employees change.

As a faith community, hearkening to the Prophet Jeremiah’s call for “justice in the city,” we demand moral considerations in the development of our city’s infrastructure—from the way projects are built to the way businesses operate once the doors are open. We call for owners, operators and developers to do right by those who shepherd these developments, namely the workers and their families as they demand respect and good jobs.

LAX

Airport Service Workers LAX Airport Service Workers Demand Justice!

In February of this year, Cesar Valenzuela was killed on the job at the airport because his vehicle lacked a safety restraint when he was moving cargo. His is one of many stories of injuries and even fatalities at this largely invisible sector of airport jobs, hidden from the public’s sight. CLUE supports these LAX airport workers in their struggle with big airlines and airport contractors who seek to cut their wages and take away family health benefits.

Janitors, cabin cleaners,

and service employees are demanding safer and reductions in hazardous working conditions; our LAX-Inglewood committee is seeking the respect and dignity for these airport workers that all human beings are entitled to receive. Around June of last year USWW service workers totaling around two thousand obtain an amazing contract, and later that year the company Cesar work for sign a neutrality agreement with about one thousand workers becasue of the advocacy of CLUE, workers and our union partners.

CLUEX/Inglewood committee members are currently standing with workers seeking and demanding justice, whether that be in the terminals or in their churches.

Earlier this month, Walmart closed 5 stores nationwide, giving workers just a few hours notice that they were closing.The closings impacted a reported 2,200 employees who were told there was no guarantee they would be transferred or maintain their pay and Whose hours and that if they would Walmart? like to work at the stores when they reopen, they Our would need to reapply as if Walmart! they had never worked there previously. Walmart claims that the stores were closed due to alleged “plumbing Walmart workers have been problems”, yet the company standing up and speaking has not applied for permits out for better wages and to do plumbing work in any working conditions in of the five locations. Among Walmart by joining an the stores closed is the Pico LAX Organization United for Rivera, CA Walmart, which Respect called OUR Walmart. is home to some of the most Flying Food Even though it is the largest vocal worker-activists in the Workers private employer in the country. world making 16 billion in Demand profits, Walmart still pays Pico Rivera is the store Dignity hundreds of thousands of where Walmart workers first its workers less than $25K a went on strike in October year and many have resorted 2012, launching the first A strong organizing effort to using food stamps and Black Friday protests at by courageous workers Medicaid. With the help and Walmart and what would who labor behind the scene support of UFCW (United become a broad low-wage preparing, packaging and Food and Commercial worker movement. More loading food to airlines at Workers), CLUE leaders have recently, workers in the LAX is currently unfolding joined OUR Walmart workers store held some of the to demand dignity, respect, in the struggle for justice at first large sit-down strikes living wages, more and Walmart by participating and even participated in better equipment, and and leading in countless civil disobedience. Pico better working conditions. actions, petitions, worker Rivera workers have been Workers brave cold and delegations, religious rituals vocal leaders in the fight hot temperature rooms for $15 and the protests in the streets (blessings, to prepare and pack food they launched helped push prayers, anointings...) and sometimes without the even the ultimate challenge Walmart to raise wages for proper gear and they work half a million workers earlier of getting arrested in civil 10-12 hours per day which this year. disobedience to work to takes them away from their make change at Walmart. families most of the day. The Workers with OUR Walmart

filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board challenging the illegal and retaliatory store closings. And NEXT UP, they are holding a Rally to demand JUSTICE on May 28th at 5:30pm at the Chinatown store.

Port Truck

Drivers

centers, and marine terminals to gain the respect and dignity they deserve from their workplaces a sure step in the right direction to transform the ports industry as a whole.

CLUE will continue to play a key role in garnering community support for the rights of port truck drivers until misclassification ends and workers can demand their rights without fear. Just in the past year, drivers from Shippers became union, Green Fleet Systems signed a comprehensive Labor Peace Agreement, and Mayor Garcetti in partnership with the Teamsters announced a new company and “model for the industry”, Eco Flow Transportation, that is rapidly growing and hiring drivers as employees!

ensure a strong middle class.

The program consists of intensive organizing training and a full-time internship working on a specific economic justice campaign.

They learn to educate, organize and mobilize the faith community to support specific sectors of the workforce and to push for better public policies that advance economic justice. As part of a diverse interfaith cohort, fellows also engage in weekly faith reflection in order to fully integrate their spiritual development and their growth as organizers.

This summer, CLUE will train eight fellows who were selected through a highly competitive process.

One of our most exciting Students and recent and impactful campaigns graduates of numerous underway is our work colleges and seminaries with the Los Angeles and are drawn to the Ziegler Long Beach Port truck Young Religious Leaders drivers. Unconscionably, Fellowship. There is clearly most ports truck drivers a hunger on the part of are misclassified as these burgeoning leaders Religious “independent contractors,” to learn the unique skills which denies them basic of faith-rooted organizing. legal protections, imposes CLUE remains the only serious financial constraints, organization in Los Angeles and cheats the government that provides such training. out of payroll taxes. Trucking Through the Ziegler The Ziegler Young Religious Young Religious Leaders companies deny thousands Leaders Organizing of misclassified drivers Fellowship, CLUE makes a Fellowship develops and worker’s compensation, long-lasting contribution to supports the next generation building a strong movement unemployment insurance, of faith-rooted organizers. health insurance, disability for social and economic Students and recent insurance, minimum wage justice that lifts up the graduates of universities and invaluable voices and gifts protections, and lunch and seminaries learn our model of people of faith. We are rest breaks. Drivers have of Faith-Rooted Organizing thankful to Ms. Ruth Ziegler, gone on a number of ULP to eliminate the suffering strikes at their company who has provided significant of the working poor and truck yards, customer funding for the program. warehouses and distribution their families, as well as to Port Truck Drivers Are Employees!

Young

Leaders

special thanks to our sponsors Pillar of Justice Ruth Ziegler

Visionary Leader Friedman-Hyatt Family JMB Properties

Movement Builder International Brotherhood of Teamsters LA County Federation of Labor SEIU United Long Term Care Workers (SEIU-ULTCW) UNITE-HERE International Union

Peace Maker AEG California Nurses Association Change to Win Hadsell Stormer Keeny Richardson & Renick LLP Teamsters Local 848 UFCW Local 324 UCFW Local 770 UNITE-HERE Local 11

Justice Seeker California Teachers Association Gilbert Cedillo, Los Angeles City Council Member Latham & Watkins LLP L & R Corporation Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County Supervisor SEIU-USWW

Committed Follower California Faculty Association Immaculate Heart Community LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council

Sustainer AFL-CIO International Union AFSCME- District 36 Asian Americans Advancing Justice Reverend Norman Copeland Cal-Pac UMC Urban Ministry Culver-Palms United Methodist Church Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton, Goldstein, LLP Harding, Larmore, Kutcher & Kozal, LLP Heberto Sanchez Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace LA Metro National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary SEIU Local 721 St. Jerome Catholic Church St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Beth Shir Shalom The Wall/Las Memorias UCLA Labor Center United Teachers Los Angeles Deacon Guy Wauthy