[Antiracism] [Workers' Rights] Calendar 4/8-19 updated

Tue Apr 7 08:52:20 EDT 2009

Wednesday April 8

            LGBTQ POLITICS & THE LABOR & IMMIGRANT WORKERS' MOVEMENT

4:30pm, 308 Converse Hall, Amherst College, Rts 9 & 116, Amherst. Karen Brodkin, Professor Emeritus in Anthropology and Women’s Studies at UCLA, speaks on "Making the Personal Political: How LGBTQ Politics Can Strengthen the Labor and Immigrant Workers' Movement".  The author of Making Democracy Matter: Identity and Activism in Los Angeles and How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says about Race in America, Dr. Brodkin will consider what a Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered/Queer political perspective can offer labor movements, and how we might go about learning what those contributions could be. Drawing on her current research collaboration with LGBTQ organizers, Dr. Brodkin will discuss this project in a conversation about queer political insights on society, the political alternatives they raise, and how they could enhance the visions of progressive social movements. Info: Stonewall Center, 545-4824, stonewall at stuaf.umass.edu. 

Friday April 10 (Second Friday)

STREET HEAT - THE AFL-CIO MOBILIZATION COMMITTEE

9:30-11am, AFL-CIO Hall, 640 Page Blvd, near corner of Osborne Ter, across the street from the old Westinghouse, Springfield. This meeting will focus on the campaign to win the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, including meetings with Congressmen and Sen. Kerry. Also on the agenda: the YWCA; Postal job loss; Bank of America; Your Organizing! Community and labor activists are urged to attend. Info; send agenda items to: Jon Weissman, 732-7970, street_heat at pvaflcio.org.

Saturday April 11 (Second Saturday)

            SPRINGFIELD HEALTH DISPARITIES PROJECT ROUNDTABLE

            9:30-11am, Tapestry Health, 365 Bay St, Springfield. Addressing disparities in health care and outcomes, and the underlying racism, poverty, and homelessness. Topic: Hunger, Nutrition and Food Policy. Info: Betty Agin, 627-4028, betagi7 at verizon.net. 

Saturday April 11 

RALLY AGAINST NAZI SHOW IN BOSTON!

            1pm, Columbus Park, South Boston. The racist white supremacist, neo-Nazi groups East Coast White Unity and Volksfront are having a concert at a VFW post in South Boston. Send them the message that they are not welcome! CALL THE SOUTH BOSTON VFW, 617-464-4301, and tell them that Saturday's show at 2pm is a Nazi white power show - let them know how you feel about that. Info: Anti-Racist Action, North-East Anti-Fascists, thematch at riseup.net, http://www.antiracistaction.org/; local contact: benb at riseup.net. 

Tuesday April 14

THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT: CRISIS & NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR LABOR

6pm, Campus Center Room 162-175, UMass Amherst. This panel will feature Labor Studies Prof Stephanie Luce, Auto Workers Local 2322 President Ron Patenaude, WMass Jobs with Justice Coordinator Jon Weissman, and other labor activists and organizers. The panel will discuss recent labor history in relation to neoliberal restructuring, connect labor organizing to the current economic crisis, and present new possibilities for a strong labor movement(s). Info: Boone Shear, bwshear at yahoo.com. 

Wednesday April 15 (Third Wednesday)

MASS SENIOR ACTION COUNCIL – WESTERN MASS MONTHLY MEETING 

1:30-3:30pm, Independence House, 1475 Roosevelt Av, Springfield. MSAC was founded in 1981 to promote the rights, well being, and dignity of all people, particularly vulnerable senior citizens. Open to people of all ages. MSAC has a proud history of effective community organizing and legislative advocacy on health care, housing, transportation, and other issues. Info: 543-2334, mbewsee at masssenioraction.org, http://www.masssenioraction.org/. 

Wednesday April 15 (Third Wednesday)

PIONEER VALLEY CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL 

5:30pm, AFL-CIO Hall, 640 Page Blvd, near corner of Osborne Ter, across the street from the old Westinghouse, Springfield. Community and labor activist guests are welcome, but RSVP to Jon at 732-7970, mail at pvaflcio.org, or Rick at 374-1492, rbrown at pvaflcio.org.

Wednesday April 15 

FREE FILM: FLOW

7pm, Amherst Community Television, 246 College St, Amherst. Part of "Empowering Ourselves: Think Globally - Act Locally" film series screening timely eco conscious films: FLOW: How Did A Handful of Corporations <http://www.flowthefilm.com/>  Steal Our Water? Info: 256-6005, www.actvamherst.com. 

Thursday April 16 (Quarterly)

SAGE COMMUNITY SUMMIT

6-8:30pm, Studio/Community Room, Amherst Community Television, 246 College St, Amherst. Hear what progressive activists are doing in the area. Support the good work that is being done. Find a place to learn about and get involved in the work. Info: Rick Last, r.last at comcast.net. 

Thursday April 16

CAPITOL CLIMATE ACTION REPORT BACK

7pm, Unitarian Society, 220 Main St, Northampton. Jill Stein, Eli Beckerman, and Dave Dionne are coming to Western Massachusetts for a conversation with local activists; to report back on the March <http://www.capitolclimateaction.org/>  2 DC action, to listen, and to help plan next steps toward a secure green future. Info: Peter Vickery, 549-9933, peter at petervickery.com. 

Thursday April 16 (Third Thursday)

NORTHAMPTON LIVING WAGE COALITION

7pm, Western Mass Legal Services office, 20 Hampton Av #100, Northampton (enter near Pleasant St, south of, right angle to Sylvester’s). The NLWC is organizing for a City Council resolution updating the 1998 Northampton Living Wage Resolution for employees with health insurance to $9.52, and to $11.44 for employees without health insurance. Collecting petition signatures supporting the resolution. Asking local business owners to commit to paying a living wage or at least commit to working toward a living wage. Publicly recognizing them if they do. Info: Kitty Callaghan, kcallaghan at wmls.org.

WMASS JOBS WITH JUSTICE HAMPSHIRE WORKERS' RIGHTS COMMITTEE meets with the NORTHAMPTON LIVING WAGE COALITION. Info: 827-0301, wmjwj at wmjwj.org.

Friday April 17

PIONEER VALLEY AFL-CIO CONFERENCE & WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY COMMEMORATION

8:15am-3pm, Teamsters Local 404 Hall, 115 Progress Avenue, Springfield (781-6326). $35. Registration deadline April 7. Info: 732-7970, mail at pvaflcio.org. 

Saturday & Sunday April 18 & 19

OSHA-10 CLASSES OFFERED IN SPANISH

9am-3pm, Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council Hall, 640 Page Boulevard, Springfield. The Western Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health will begin offering OSHA-10 classes in Spanish. OSHA-10 classes teach people in the construction industry how to work safely, and certification is often required at work sites. The classes are widely available in English, but not in Spanish. The new program will fill a real need in the community. Participants must attend both days for the required 10 hours of training. The instructor is Eduardo Suárez. To register for the class, email Eduardo at director at echosd.org or call (413) 731-0760.

Sunday April 19

CLIMATE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP

1pm-4pm, McConnell 103, Smith College, Rt 9, Northampton. Suggested donation $15 but all are welcome, regardless of what you can afford (free to Smith College faculty, students, staff). At this workshop you will receive training, background information, and electronic access to a Sustainability Institute PowerPoint presentation that you can use as you wish with strategies for reaching different populations. The resources and the training have been developed to help community leaders:

Describe the latest climate science and what it means for our lives and the world.

Summarize criteria for solutions that can sustain human civilization and earth’s ecosystems.

Identify common emotions and reactions people have to the science, and share experience on how to respond effectively.

Engage more people in education and action.

Presenters: Philip Rice, PhD, directs Our Climate Ourselves program at Sustainability Institute (www.sustainer.org <http://www.sustainer.org/> ). Tina Clarke, Consultant, Sustainability Institute, previous Campaign Director for Clean Water Action, certified Transition Towns Trainer (www.transitiontowns.org <http://www.transitiontowns.org/> ). Info, RSVP: workshop at pvclimate.org; www.pvclimate.org <http://www.pvclimate.org/> ; Tina is at 863-5253, tina at pvclimate.org.   

More events at http://www.westernmassafsc.org/calendar/calendar.html & http://people.umass.edu/jgerber/SustEvents.htm.

A NOTE ABOUT PUBLIC MEETINGS & CHEMICAL SENSITIVITIES:  Men and women are requested to avoid wearing scented personal products when attending public meetings. Scents trigger adverse responses in those with chemical sensitivities, allergies, and asthma. Note that many workers develop chemical sensitivities on the job. 

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TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send an email to wmjwj at wmjwj.org with a Subject of "Unsub Workers' Rights".

[Workers' Rights] posts opportunities for you to learn about and show solidarity with workplace and working class struggles. And these events are opportunities for JwJ members to fulfill their pledge:  <http://www.jwj.org/pledge.html> "I'll be there for workers' rights at least five times a year!" This is the core mission of Jobs with Justice (www.jwj.org <http://www.jwj.org/> ), affirming that workers' rights are human rights. To subscribe, send an email to wmjwj at wmjwj.org with a Subject of "Subscribe Workers' Rights".

Western Mass Jobs with Justice
640 Page Blvd #101
Springfield MA 01104
(413) 827-0301 

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