ISSUE 4
APRIL 2022
Solidarity Is Our Superpower
in this issue: St. Vincent's Nurse's Strike Finally Ends in Victory "The Gig Is Up" Film Panel Discussion In Solidarity with Springfield & Worcester Paraprofessionals OpEd & LTE Writing Workshop ARPA Funding Community Listening Session & More JWJ Hosts Monthly Immigration Clinic Massachusetts Jobs with Justice
Phone: 617-433-8391 Email: jwj@massjwj.net Website: massjwj.net Main Address: 375 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130 & Address #2: 1380 Main St #203, Springfield, MA 01103 DONATE HERE!
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Dear Friends & Comrades, This past winter our team at Massachusetts JwJ worked hard to reach community members on the streets despite Covid-19. We took great measures to keep everyone safe but knew we needed to be out there. We also continued working with folks online. We hosted an Op-ed and LTE workshop, an ARPA Community Listening Session, held monthly immigration clinics and stood in solidarity with nurses, and paraprofessionals in support of their fight for appropriate nurse to patient ratios and decent living wages. We have begun to shine a light on the two ballot initiatives Massachusetts residents will have to vote on at this upcoming election in November. The Fair Share and Gig Economy ballot questions have Big Tech with their big bucks working against both ballot initiatives but alongside our coalition partners across the state and with the tremendous solidarity we are able to create together, we will win. More and more workers across the state and the country are mobilizing, striking and forming unions, demanding safer working conditions, higher wages and better benefits. We will support and fight with our allies and comrades to ensure workers' rights are not further eroded. We hope you will stand with the Mass JwJ team to win, win, win! In solidarity, The Massachusetts Jobs with Justice Team
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APRIL 2022
ST. Vincent's nurse's strike ends in historic victory!
After ten months of being on strike it finally ended in a Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) victory, the longest strike in our state’s history. They held the line, stood firm, and Mass JwJ supported them along the way. We knew if they held firm they would win because When We Fight, We Win! When it mattered most, the nurses in our state, supported us so Mass JWJ stood in solidarity with the association. We acknowledge the sacrifices they made to keep the rest of us safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. #AlwaysEssential!
"THE GIG IS UP" PANEL DISCUSSION WITH FILM DIRECTOR On January 26 Mass JWJ facilitated a panel discussion with Gabe Camacho, Political Director of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1445 , Jonathan Paz, Organizing Director of Massachusetts Is Not For Sale, Dr. Beth Enrique Griffith, Executive Director and Board Chair with Boston Independent Drivers Guild and Shannon Walsh, director of the film, “The Gig is Up”. The film highlights the exploitive and racially discriminatory practices of big tech giants such as Uber, Amazon, and Instacart. Prop 22 has come to our Commonwealth and we must fight to ensure they do not further erode workers rights. We need to work hard to pass the ballot initiative for this coming election on November 8, 2022 to put an end to the greedy practices of such conglomerates that take advantage of their workers. #StopCorporateGreed 02
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In Solidarity with PARaprofessionals IN SPRINGFIELD On V- Day & St. Patty's Day we showed love to Springfield's hardworking Paraprofessionals at an online forum and in-person rally for a decent living wage. Paraprofessionals are instrumental in ensuring the day to day functions of Springfield Public Schools occur safely while supporting our most precious gifts--our children. Hundreds of hardworking Springfield Paraprofessionals have worked without a contract for two years throughout the pandemic. We’re calling all community members, parents, educators, and public education supporters to support Springfield Paraprofessionals in their fight for a fair contract that will provide them a living wage!
OPed & LTE writing workshop Mass JWJ hosted an Opinion Editorial (Op-Ed) and Letters to the Editor (LTE) workshop and an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Community Listening Session this past March. It was exciting to work with many individuals on writing opinion editorials and letters to the editor together on so many issues we care deeply about and align with our values as a non-profit organization working to stop corporate greed.
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In Solidarity with PARaprofessionals IN WORCESTER
Know Your Rights Train the Trainer UMass Labor Extension Program and Joshua Alba of Mass JWJ conducted a two-day Know Your Rights (KYR) training for workers and delved into the history of those epic gains for US workers. We can now tweak the training or condense it to give community members the information they need in order to exercise their rights at work and their right to unionize. In partnership with UML's Labor Extension Program, JwJ and staff from partners across the state are now instructors capable of informing and engaging workers on their rights as it relates to our Commonwealth! On-going collaboration bridging KYR and our ballot campaigns are coming! Stay Tuned.
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American Rescue Plan ACT (ARPA) funds Community listening session for Springfield 7 Worcester residents It was also exciting to hear community members from both Springfield and Worcester speak about issues that directly impact them and what they need ARPA funding to address with the millions of dollars each city and town of the state will receive to help their communities recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. We are proud of the space we created to hear community members speak to the needs they have seen arise recently and they spoke up, LOUD and CLEAR! We will make sure our local elected officials will hear them out also and allocate funds to the issues they are dealing with caused and or exacerbated by the pandemic.
IMMIGRATION CLINIC WITH SUFFOLK LAW STUDENTS (JAN.-APRIL 2022) In collaboration with Suffolk Law School, we have been hosting virtual immigration clinics on the 4th Tuesday of the month between January to April of 2022. The purpose of the KYR's portion of the immigration clinic is to provide information pertaining to specific immigration topics. With a better-informed community, unnecessary pitfalls and missteps can be avoided as well as victimization due to fear and misinformation. With rampant scammers, nontrustworthy lawyers and public notaries, the clinic ensures folks are receiving trustworthy and accurate information about their specific immigration case. These monthly meetings aim for folks to come together to gain access to valuable resources, learn about the work Mass JwJ is carrying out across the state and how they can become fighters in the movement for social change. 05
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Jobs with Justice in the News / Media Nurses proved that when workers hold the line they can win great victories Gov. Baker's New COVID Test Effort Falls Short In Schools: Letter by Darshia Diaz of JwJ's Parents Union of Massachusetts Project 'Absolutely unacceptable': Worcester paraprofessionals ask for ‘respect’ at School Committee meeting
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PHONE: 617-433-8391 EMAIL: jwj@massjwj.net ADDRESS I: 375 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130 &
@MassJwJ @massjobswithjustice
ADDRESS II: 1380 Main St #203, Springfield, MA 01103 WEBSITE: massjwj.net Donate to support our work here.
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