Steering Committee Meeting

There will be a steering committee meeting on Thursday, December 4th, at 5:00. The meeting will be held at 2840 S. Vallejo St., Englewood, CO 80110. For agenda items, please contact Scott at director@cojwj.org or 303.912.6504 (mobile).

ACTION ALERT! - VOTE NO! ON 47, 49, and 54!

It's that time again. Time to VOTE! Don't forget to vote NO! on amendments 47, 49, and 54! Here is a letter from our friends at Protect Colorado's Future explaining what these amendments will do and steps you can take to help in the struggle to protect the working people of Colorado.

Dear Friends,
Protect Colorado’s Future is a non-profit organization focused on the issues that matter to families in our state, like creating good paying jobs and increasing access to affordable health care. We are made up of Colorado local businesses, unions, progressive groups, faith based organizations and community allies who are working together to stop out-of-state corporate interests from playing political games with our state and put the focus back on the serious issues facing Coloradans.

Protect Colorado’s Future is working to oppose three deceptive amendments - 47, 49 and 54 – that will be on the ballot this November. These ballot measures would make it harder for firefighters, nurses, teachers and police officers to advocate for changes that would keep them – and us – safe.

Vote No on Amendment 47 which would limit the ability of our firefighters, nurses, teachers and police officers to advocate for changes that keep them – and us- safe. This measure is so extreme that leaders in the business community, such as the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Golden Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Bankers Association are all joining working Coloradans to oppose it!

Vote No on Amendment 49 which would limit the way firefighters, nurses, teachers and police officers can choose to spend their hard-earned paychecks. Public servants should not have fewer rights than private sector employees. A similar proposal has been rejected by California, Oregon, and Nevada voters on multiple occasions.

Vote No on Amendment 54 unfairly silences any person, or family member, of anyone who works on a government contract from contributing to a candidate and/or advocating for an issue at any level – while creating big loopholes for drug, oil and energy companies.

Help us to stop the out-of-state special interests and their divisive amendments so that Coloradans can focus on the issues that matter.

You can help by:

Going door to door to speak with voters
Phonebanking
Writing a letter to the editor
Endorsing Protect Colorado’s Future and our opposition to these three Amendments
Emailing friends, family and contacts
Organizing a house party
Volunteering at events

If you agree that it's time to focus on the real issues facing Colorado, please contact Allison Halprin Denver Metro Organizer at 303-241-0557 or check out our website, www.protectcoloradosfuture.org for more information.

Please help the working families of Colorado by VOTING NO ON THESE DANGEROUS AMENDMENTS! If passed, they will be near impossible to get rid of.

SHOWDOWN @ HIGH NOON - NO WALL ST. BAIL-OUT

Sorry it took me so long to get this footage posted of Jessie Ulibarri of the Colorado Progressive Coalition speaking at the SHOWDOWN @ HIGH NOON a couple of weeks ago.

David Sirota Speaks at today's Showdown @ HIGH NOON

Thank you to everyone who showed up to the rally today. Footage of Scott Kwasny and Jessie Ulibarri will be posted soon. PLEASE call your representative and tell them NO TAXPAYER FUNDED BAILOUT OF WALL STREET!

Congressional Phone Numbers:
1-800-473-6711
1-800-828-0498
1-202-224-3121

Messages to Congress.

• Don’t be stampeded into a bad bail-out plan. Bush/Paulson were cooking up their ‘blank-check’ bail-out scheme for months before dropping it on everyone.

• Don’t just bail-out a reckless, unaccountable system; build one that works!
o Adopt a short-term, emergency credit plan that includes public ownership ($1.25 in equity for every $1 of public cost) for public assistance or support to the institutions seeking help
o Restructure our financial system from the Fed on down, including
• Create or expand public and community-owned alternatives to the reckless privatized system (e.g. govt banks, social investment funds, community development financial institutions)
• strong public oversight and re-regulation of the private system, to protect consumer, worker and pensioner interests

• Make the people that caused and benefited from the crisis pay for it
o Enact a financial transactions tax
o Adopt a tax on accumulated wealth over $10 million
o Cap executive pay
o Eliminate tax-deductibility of executive compensation more than 25 times the lowest paid worker

• Address the foreclosure crisis and the bursting of the housing bubble so as to prevent people from being evicted, through bankruptcy reform and ‘right to rent’ provisions.

• Commit to fast tracking an economic recovery plan including the following:
o A new tax system that favors work over wealth
o Overhauling the pension and health care system to protect workers and retirees
o An economic recovery plan that promotes ‘green collar’ jobs, good wages, the right to organize, infrastructure … and a bunch of other measures that would make our economy work for everyone

SHOWDOWN @ HIGH NOON - NO WALL ST. BAIL-OUT

Come and let the banks and politicians know that our tax dollars are not for bailing wealthy people out of bad gambling debts. Wear cowboy hats, boots, bandanas etc for this SHOWDOWN @ HIGH NOON. Jessie Ulibarri of the Colorado Progressive Coalition and nationally syndicated columnist and author, David Sirota, will speak at this event.

When: Wednesday, October 1, NOON
Where: Federal Reserve Bank 1020 16th St in Denver (16th St. Mall between Arapahoe and Curtis).

One Million Mobilization for the Employee Free Choice Act

America's workers are struggling to make ends meet. But when workers are free to choose to join a union, our economy can work for everyone again.

That's why we need the Employee Free Choice Act—a bill in Congress that would help level the playing field and give workers the freedom to choose a union.

We’ve teamed up with the award-winning team at Brave New Films on a hilarious new video about why we need more good union jobs. Watch the video, and then sign the petition in support of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Colorado Jobs with Justice is working to help get one million signatures and postcards to the new congress and administration urging them to pass this important piece of legislation. Go here to sign the petition.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Happy Labor Day from Colorado Jobs with Justice! We're looking for a few real, working class heroes.

Alliance for Real Democracy - Tent State - JWJ

Colorado Jobs with Justice will have a booth in Cuernavaca Park during the DNC (August 24-28). We are a member of the Alliance for Real Democracy. We will have materials for all of the campaigns that JWJ and our allies are working on. There will be classes, art, rallies, marches, and concerts that will be free to the public. Please continue to check this website for information and blog posts during the DNC. We hope to see you in Denver during the DNC.

HUNGER STRIKE ACTION ALERT

Hunger striker Christopher Glory shortly before being taken to George Washington University Hospital

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!
Tell them to grant the hunger strikers continued presence status, which is commonly granted to victims of human trafficking.
Tell them to join Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, and open an investigation into this and other claims of H2B visa human trafficking.

It only takes a few minutes of your time. These courageous workers have been striking for 17 days now!

For more information click here.

HUNGER STRIKE SOLIDARITY VIGIL

On Friday, May 30, at 12:00 pm, Colorado Jobs with Justice will have a vigil to show solidarity with "guest" workers from India who are engaged in a hunger strike in Washington DC. We will also discuss similar cases of human trafficking happening in Colorado. Read about one case here. More info about this local action will be posted here soon. For more information about the hunger strikers, visit the hunger strike blog here. This is day nine of the strike and there has already been one hospitalization. Keep these courageous workers in your thoughts.

Which Side Are You On?

On Wednesday, April 9th, Colorado Jobs with Justice will have its first fundraiser of 2008! The Romero Theater Troupe will be performing "Which Side are You On?", an excellent play about the history of the American Labor Movement and the hopes of a new generation of working people. This event will take place at The Oriental Theater. Tickets are $8 for students and union members and $12 for adults. Doors open at 6:00 PM and the show starts at 7:00 PM. All proceeds from this show will benefit Colorado Jobs with Justice. I saw this show in February and it is great! I hope to see everyone there.

Chipotle Action

The action at Chipotle yesterday was great! About 80 people enjoyed street theater, marched and chanted in front of the Chipotle restaurant on 16th St., and filled the sidewalk in front of the corporate HQ making noise in support of the delegation of community leaders who were finally able to meet with company spokesman Chris Arnold. This action marks a significant step forward in this campaign. Thank you to everyone who showed up to show support for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Thanks also to the Denver Fair Food Committee for organizing such a great action! Photos were taken and video was shot and as soon as I have a few free moments to string together I will write a bit more about the action and post both the photos and video to this blog and make them available to other groups. Keep an eye out for information about the next step in this campaign.

Upcoming Events

There are several great events coming up. Please contact me if you need any more information. There will also be an announcement about the upcoming steering committee meeting posted here soon.

On Saturday, March 29th, there will be a dinner and dance to celebrate Cesar Chavez day and benefit the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA). This event will start at 7PM and will be held at the IBEW local 68 Union Hall. This event will feature a catered dinner and live music by Latin Soul. Scroll down for a flyer.

On Wednesday, April 2nd, there will be an action in support of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). This action, organized by the Denver Fair Food Committee, will start at noon the Market St. Station (Market and 16th St.). There will be street theater, pinatas, pennies and post cards. We will then march to Chipotle HQ to deliver the post cards we have been collecting. A member of the CIW will also take part in this action. The Denver Fair Food Committee has made repeated attempts to get a meeting with folks at Chipotle to discuss working conditions faced by farm workers in their supply chain in central Florida. Scroll down for a flyer.

On Wednesday, April 9th, Colorado Jobs with Justice will have its first fundraiser of 2008! The Romero Theater Troupe will be performing "Which Side are You On?", an excellent play about the history of the American Labor Movement and the hopes of a new generation of working people. This event will take place at The Oriental Theater. Tickets are $8 for students and union members and $12 for adults. Doors open at 6:00 PM and the show starts at 7:00 PM. All proceeds from this show will benefit Colorado Jobs with Justice. I saw this show in February and it is great! Scroll down for a flyer.

Click on flyers to enlarge.

What Have the Unions Ever Done for Us?

A great post from Australia about the impact of Labor Unions. An important discussion with Colorado facing "Work for Less". Thanks to Piper for the link. Enjoy!

THE MEDIA!

A great TV Funhouse (SNL) segment about the consolidated corporate media. Are you surprised that NBC will NEVER air it again? Watch and enjoy. More soon!

Website Soon!

We will soon be re-launching our site at cojwj.org. Keep an eye out for a re-launch notice. Enjoy the videos posted above!

ACTION ALERT! - TOXIC TRADE

Please click on the above flyer for information about this action. You can find a map of the location of Marilyn Musgrave's office here. You can also access driving directions from Denver here. We hope to see you at this important action. If you happen to have any of the items that have been recalled, bring them along! This is a national action being held at the offices of 100 members of Congress!