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<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>CONTACT:
Jon Weissman, (413) 827-0301<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>YWCA
WORKERS TO TESTIFY TO WORKERS’ RIGHTS BOARD <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>On
Thursday March 12, a panel of the Western Massachusetts Jobs with Justice
Workers' Rights Board will take the testimony of workers at YWCA of Western
Massachusetts and issue a report on labor contract bargaining there. The
hearing will be 3:00-5:00pm in Room 220, City Hall, 36 Court Street,
Springfield. The public, the press, and the employer are invited to
attend. Attendees are asked to come fragrance-free.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The
YWCA’s workforce – predominantly women, many of whom are of color –
claim it is not living up to its mission of “eliminating racism and
empowering women.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The
United Auto Workers Local 2322 has been bargaining a new contract at the YWCA
since May 2008. The employer is showing an anti-worker and
anti-union animus at the bargaining table and has shown such animus since the
workers organized in 2003. Despite being a non-profit social service
agency subsidized by tax dollars and tax benefits and public and private
donations, the YWCA has spent in excess of $300,000 on the well-known anti-union
law firm, Skoler, Abbott & Presser, and has given sizable raises to its
Executive Director, Mary Reardon Johnson. It claims there is no revenue
to grant its employees decent raises.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>UAW
Local 2322 President Ron Patenaude will conduct the testimony by YWCA workers
and also provide basic information including the YWCA’s many violations
of the National Labor Relations Act.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The
Western Mass. Jobs with Justice Workers' Rights Board consists of two dozen
“public citizens” in Western Massachusetts. The following are
on the March 12 panel: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Irene
Kimball, Chairperson of the Western Massachusetts Jobs with Justice Workers'
Rights Board; retired Regional Director, Massachusetts Office for Children<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Anne
Awad, President/CEO, Caring Health Center Inc, Springfield; Health Systems
Consultant; former Amherst Select Person<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Kathryn
Buckley-Brawner, Director, Office of Peace & Justice, Catholic Charities
Agency, Diocese of Springfield<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Frances
Borden Hubbard, Project Director, Springfield Adolescent Health Project;
Retired Professor of Black Studies, Labor Studies, and Public Administration at
several universities<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Prof.
Stephanie Luce, Acting Director, Labor Relations & Research Center,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Benjamin
Swan, Massachusetts State Representative from Springfield and civil rights activist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>William
R. Toller, Deacon, Holy Cross Church, Springfield; Consultant, Hampden County
Sheriff’s Department<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>E.
Henry Twiggs, Chairman, Springfield Inner City Rehab Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Across
the U.S., Workers’ Rights Boards act as “the conscience of the
community” regarding labor relations, exposing employers' misconduct and
also helping workers form unions and reach collective bargaining
contracts. There is more information at <a
href="http://www.jwj.org/projects/wrb.html">http://www.jwj.org/projects/wrb.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>More
information about law firms like Skoler, Abbott & Presser is at <a
href="http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/the-anti-union-network/for-profit-union-busters/for-profit-unionbusters.html">http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/the-anti-union-network/for-profit-union-busters/for-profit-unionbusters.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>###30###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Jon
Weissman, Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Western
Mass Jobs with Justice<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>640
Page Blvd #101<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Springfield
MA 01104<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>(413)
827-0301 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Founded in 1987, <a
href="http://www.jwj.org/">Jobs with Justice</a>'s mission is to improve
working people's standard of living, fight for job security, and protect workers'
right to organize. We believe workers' rights are human rights and to be
successful, we have to be part of a larger campaign for economic and social
justice. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>To that end, "J with J" has
created a national coalition and a network of local coalitions that connect
labor, community, student, and faith-based organizations and activists on
workplace and community social justice campaigns. Western Mass JwJ
– founded June 5, 1993 – is now a coalition of almost 60
organizations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p>
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