Steering
The Steering Committee is the body with over-all responsibility for the work of the Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition. It meets monthly and is responsible for the development of program, evaluation, the finances of the organization, and the hiring and supervision of staff.

Executive
Made up of officers, staff and one or more ad hoc members the Executive Committee meets, if necessary between Steering Committee meetings to handle urgent matters, or to serve as a smaller group for organizational evaluation and planning.

Finance/fundraising ( 4 )
The Finance and Fundraising committee draws up the organizations budget, supports the treasurer in monitoring the finances, plans the fundraising program for the year and with staff recruits members for participation in sub-committees. Members of fundraising sub-committees do the work to carry out particular fundraising events or efforts. The fundraising program of the year includes recruiting new member organizations, collecting dues from member organizations, sending fundraising letters, seeking grants, and holding our annual awards dinner.

Awards Dinner ( 7 )
The dinner committee plans and organizes the annual awards dinner.

Forty Hour Fast ( 5 )
Committee publicizes the 40-hour fast and plans one, two or three events during the 40-hour period of fasting during the Lent/ Passover season. Events combine reflection/ ritual and advocacy. The work is supported by the statewide Labor-Religion Coalition.

Sweatfree Schools ( 8 )
The committee organizes efforts to get particular school boards to pledge that the school system will be sweatfree. Its work is part of the international movement to end sweatshops and child labor. The campaign aims to make public school (K-12 and higher education) purchasing policies "sweatfree". The committee's work is supported by the statewide Labor-Religion Coalition. The committee should include students. The committee's work can include developing campaigns to get particular school boards to adopt a sweat-free policy (working with allies: students, local churches, teachers, parents.) It can also include organizing United Students Against Sweatshops groups on area campuses.

Pledge ( 5 )
The pledge committee works to get at least 100 people in the Capital District to pledge to attend at least 5 labor solidarity events endorsed by the Capital District Labor-Religion coalition each year. The committee (with staff help) develops and distributes outreach materials to congregations and groups, notifies pledge takers of all the endorsed events, and keeps in touch with pledgers to encourage them to reach their goal.

Labor in the Pulpit/congregational outreach ( 8)
This committee recruits and distributes materials to help religious leaders to include labor solidarity messages as part of their services, often around Worker's Memorial Day or Labor Day. The committee through clergy breakfasts, written materials, or personal contact also seeks to involve congregations in support for particular labor solidarity campaigns. The committee could develop a list of labor speakers, maintain a faith-groups database, and recruit persons in congregations to participate in our pledge program.

ARISE Core Team ( 4 )
The ARISE Core Team, made up of persons representing the Capital District Labor Religion Coalition participates in the committee work of ARISE and serves as a liaison between the two organizations. The core team works to encourage ARISE to undertake efforts of concern to labor. The core team works with the coalitions members to carry out our obligations to ARISE.

Workers Rights Board ( 4 )
The Capital District Labor Religion Coalition is the lead group in a coalition of groups sending representatives to the Workers Rights Board committee. The committee works to organize and staff a Capital District Workers Rights Board. Other cooperating groups include the Solidarity Committee and the Capital District Area Labor Federation. The Workers Rights Board holds public forums where workers can bring complaints against employers for violating their human and legal rights in the workplace. The Board is drawn from a broad spectrum of community leaders and can intervene with employers and the public to help resolve situations that threaten workers' rights. The Board works to resolve issues by investigating complaints, meeting with workers and employers, holding public hearings or press conferences, and participating in community events.

Notes: Numbers in parenthesis indicate an estimate of the number of active members a committee would need to be successful in its work. All committees hold meetings open to participation by all members of the Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition.
The Capital District Labor Coalition will also form ad hoc committees as needed. Call staff person Wanda Parsons at 518/ 213-6000, ext. 6294 for more information.