Mohawk Valley
Labor-Religion Coalition

Upcoming
Monday, March 5 through Wednesday, March 7, 2007
A 40-hour FAST for Justice and Goodness. Check back here for news of issues or events planned during the 40-hour period.

Questions?
Contact Debra Hagenbuch, staff person of the Labor-Religion Coalition of the Mohawk Valley at 315/ 735-6101 or cnyla1@dreamscape.com for updates.

News
Click here for news about the great 2006 FAST closing service.

Archives
Successful opening and closing events for the 2004 Forty Hour Fast were held at the Hope Chapel, AME Zion Church in Utica.

The Fast 2003 opening, "Spotlighting the Income and Wealth Gap Among NY State Residents" was hosted by United Food and Commercial Workers, District Union Local One. After an opening prayer, meditation and light dinner, participants heard presentations on the following topics:
•Education funding and its role in income and wealth disparity
•Job layoffs and the new terrain
•UNITE Local 653T: Why do we strike today?
•Minimum wage: No benefits and its impact on self-sufficiency
•Consumers with a conscience: How the purchase of goods impacts workers at home and around the world

On March 14, 2003, a second gathering closed the fast with prayer, meditation, a light luncheon and inspirational reading.

Fast 2002 Highlights: An Interfaith Service and Breaking the Fast event were held at the Utica Unitarian Universalist Church to focus attention on the need to enact a living wage low for Utica's working poor. Thanks to all who participated. Co-sponsors were Utica Citizens in Action, the Cornhill Community for Change and the Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Church.

In conjunction with Utica Citizens in Action and other groups, the Coalition sponsored a forum entitled "Good Jobs First--Living Wages for a Stronger Community" on Oct. 22 at the Plymouth Bethesda United Church of Christ. Among the speakers were Marvin Mich, Co-chair of the Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition and Bonnie Pierce, Coordinator of the Central NY Labor-Religion Coalition in Syracuse.

The group used Joan Malone's handout from the statewide conference to work on setting common principles and also discussed "why another group? " Labor in the Pulpit activities will be promoted year round.