Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition, the Jobs with Justice affiliate in Albany, NY
News & Events
 Please scroll down for news updated on Jan. 30, 2012 along with articles from our latest E-Newsletter.

Thursday, March 22, 2012—4:30 PM, PEF Headquarters: Meeting of the Steering Committee, CDLRC. Note that our meeting time and location have changed. As always, representatives of member organizations and individuals are welcome to the decision-making body of the Coalition. Meetings are every other month on the 4th Thursday--no meeting in December. Save the date: March 22, 2012.

Want to learn more about the Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition?
Please send a message to Marje DeVoe, interim coordinator if you would like to receive the CDLRC e-newsletter. You can also leave a message for CDLRC at 518/ 482-5595.

To learn more, see Who We Are [PDF] which includes a list of the Labor-Religion Coalition's member organizations. Here's our mission statement: Through education, support for organizing and advocacy, the Coalition helps workers locally, nationally and globally to challenge corporate control and gain their rights.

To learn about the Coalition's projects and volunteer opportunities, click here.

Stories in the November 2011 edition, CDLRC E-Newsletter

What's happening in the CDLRC community
Verizon workers contract struggle
An update on ARISE
No English = No help? An update on language access from New Sanctuary for Immigrants
Universal Living Wage Campaign
CDLRC: The impact of state worker layoffs

Stories in the April 2011 edition, CDLRC E-Newsletter
• April 14, Awards Dinner. See our listing of those who were honored.
• Wage theft campaign emerges from strategic planning sessions
• Albany to Madison and back
• Stop thief!— Workshop at the Solidarity Committee's MLK Jr. Celebration Conference
• New Sanctuary for Immigrants in Albany now offers Monday drop-in sessions
• New Executive Committee members selected at March 24 Steering Committee
• 40-hour Fast Wrap-Up--Thanks to all who participated on 100th Anniversary of the Triangle factory fire

Stories in the September 2010 edition, CDLRC E-Newsletter
• Why is it time to declare a JOBS EMERGENCY? Rally with us on September 15.
• [FLYER >> and News Release >>. Video from WNYT, Channel 13 in Albany, NY >> ]
• Car Caravans reach out to workers
• In solidarity with Ellis Hospital nurses
• Happy Birthday & long live Medicare! Albany rally
• Alethia reports on the United States Social Forum in Detroit
• "Lessons Learned on the Line" by Dom Patrignani
• Farmworker rights bill loses first ever vote in NY Senate
• Vigil for Immigrant Justice
• Teen Worker Safety Proclamation
• One Nation March--reserve your seat on the bus!

Stories in the June 2010 edition of the CDLRC E-Newsletter
Awards dinner wrap-up
Good guys versus pirates plus "Momentive workers ratify 3-year deal"
Fast track to a good job
View events at the United States Social Forum
"Pray for the dead and fight for the living"

Scroll down for stories from the March 2010 issue.


Rat Re-Infestation at Latham Holiday Inn Express

Workers fired for organizing at the Latham Holiday Inn Express were forced back to the picket line by the owner’s open defiance of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) settlement agreement. The workers are frustrated and saddened. Yet, with the support of the Labor-Religion Coalition and the wider labor community, they are steadfast and ready to continue the struggle for the rights of the employees of this rat of an inn keeper.

Ten workers had been out on strike for 280 days when Jim Morrell, owner of the Latham Holiday Inn Express, agreed to an NLRB settlement which included reinstatement of the fired workers and back pay. The January 28 celebration rally was joyous.

But after nearly a month of delays, the workers were advised that the hotel was under new management (not ownership, mind you) and all staff would have to apply for jobs with the new managing company. A new NLRB complaint has been filed since justice is yet to be served.

More than 150 labor activists, community leaders, and politicians joined the renewed picketing on March 10. Workers United 471, an SEIU affiliate, is organizing the effort. Representatives from many unions participated, including IUPAT (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades) who brought their blow-up rat to the event.

Mike Roberts of Workers United announced that future actions would be carried to more than the hotel site. Morrill owns many local businesses, including Albany Dodge, Action Chevrolet, WFLY, and WROW. It is important that we let the wider community know just what a rat Jim Morrill is. Updates with the schedule will be posted. Be on the look-out. Get ready to come out and support the struggle.

Thanks to Mary Mahoney for this update .




 

 

 

 

Send a letter to the new management using the Capital District Area Labor Federation TAKE ACTION page.
Photo by Jon Flanders

 

HELP WANTED: Volunteer as a mentor for a new worker.


At the "Fasting and Acting for Good Jobs" presentation on March 3, The Rev. Maurice Drown, Director of the AUMS/ Pathways2theFuture program, speaks along with Antonella Pechtel (right) of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and Ada Martinez of the Capital Region Workforce Development Center. Photo by Anne Kelly

How can we as individuals respond to the economic crisis? In addition to political action, how can we address the suffering caused by joblessness?

Ada Martinez, one of the presenters at the LRC's Breaking the FAST lunch, spoke about getting an early morning call from a worker she mentors. He couldn't find where he was supposed to be on the Global Foundries construction site. He knew that being on time was very important. Ada took his call, found a contact number for someone at the site, called the young man back with directions and also notified his employer about the situation. For mentors, being there is what counts, she said.

This year's Capital District 40-Hour FAST highlighted AUMS/ Pathways2theFuture, an accelerated jobs program shaped by moral principles. The program needs mentors of all ages & backgrounds for the 200 Capital Region young adults who are program stakeholders. Learn about Pathways2theFuture by reviewing the brochure available here in PDF form. Then print the short mentor application and mail it to AUMS/ Career Pathways, 86 Alpine Drive, Latham, NY 12110. Simply click to send an email to AUMS/ Pathways2theFuture.

 

CHAMPIONS FOR WORKER JUSTICE

Then NY Labor Commissioner Patricia Smith (right front) was the keynote speaker at the LRC of CD Awards Dinner in 2009. In this photo she speaks with dinner guests Alice Brody (left front) and Linda London. With her is new Commissioner Colleen Gardner (also on right), herself a winner of the Coalition's Joseph Powers Religious Award in 2001. Photo by Steve Whitney

We bid farewell and congratulations to outgoing NY Commissioner of Labor Smith and are honored to welcome new Commissioner Colleen Gardner. The U.S. Senate confirmed M. Patricia Smith to serve as Solicitor for the United States Department of Labor on February 4, 2010. The Solicitor of Labor oversees enforcement of the nation’s most important labor laws and sets enforcement priorities.

Colleen Crawford Gardner, NY's new Commissioner of Labor was confirmed by the New York State Senate in early March. In a statement of congratulations, the NYS AFL-CIO issued this statement: "During her years at the Labor Department and before that during her many years at the State AFL-CIO, Commissioner Gardner dealt with all manner of situations and challenges dealing with issues and problems affecting working men and women and their families....No commissioner in recent memory has had such deep and varied experiences as Colleen Gardner."

Ross Eisenbrey of the Economic Policy Institute said, “For the last decade, lax labor law enforcement has made workers far more susceptible to abuses like unpaid overtime and wage theft, unsafe working conditions, and workplace discrimination, which is why Patricia Smith’s confirmation as Solicitor of Labor marks such an important change.”

We praise former Commissioner Smith, new Commissioner Gardner and the work of the New York State Department of Labor in recovering in 2009 a record $28.8 million for 18,000 workers, all victims of wage theft.

Want to learn more about the Capital District Labor-Religion Coalition?
Please send a message to Coordinator Marjorie DeVoe if you would like to receive the CDLRC e-newsletter. Marje can also be reached at 518/ 482-5595.

To learn more, see Who We Are [PDF] which includes a list of the Labor-Religion Coalition's member organizations. Here's our mission statement: Through education, support for organizing and advocacy, the Coalition helps workers locally, nationally and globally to challenge corporate control and gain their rights.

To learn about the Coalition's projects and volunteer opportunities, click here.

Last Updated:01/30/2012
© Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State

 

 
800 Troy-Schenectady Road     Latham, NY     12110-2455    ph. 518/ 213-6000    fax 518/ 213-6414    info@labor-religion.org