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<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>Has your community organization signed on to support the Employee
Free Choice Act?</span></strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>You can sign it up </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><a
href="http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/rdzCzo71xuKb/"><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>here</span></a></span><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>New
Legal Resource & Advocacy Center<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span></b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The Legal Resource and Advocacy
Center, Inc. (LRAC), is a new, grassroots, non-profit, legal services
organization serving the Pioneer Valley. It provides <b>free</b> legal
representation and advocacy to people whose incomes make them ineligible for
government-funded legal aid, but who cannot afford to hire a private attorney.*
LRAC also provides free legal seminars and "Know Your Rights!"
workshops as a means to educate and empower people to make changes in their
lives and communities through the promotion of social justice. LRAC provides
legal services in the following fields: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>• Employment
Law (Unemployment Compensation; Wage & Hour Issues) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>• Domestic
Relations (Divorce; Custody/Child Support/Visitation) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>• Housing
(Landlord-Tenant; Foreclosures) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>• Mental
Health (Guardianship; Civil Commitment Hearings) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>• Small
Business Development (Empowerment through Entrepreneurialship) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>• Financial
Advocacy (Medical and Consumer Debt Issues)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>*Free
services to those earning between 126%-300% of the Federal poverty level, which
is as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Family
of One: $13,650-$32,490<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Family
of Two: $18,340-$43,710<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Family
of Three: $23,070-$54,930<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Family
of Four: $27,780-$66,150<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:1.0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Family
of Five: $32,500-$77,370. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>A sliding
fee scale is set for those earning above 300% of the federal poverty level. LRAC
does not turn anyone away for inability to pay. In turn for free services,
recipients will be given the opportunity to volunteer their time at a local
non-profit. Info: Jessica Levy, 210-0652, <a href="mailto:jlevy@lracsite.org">jlevy@lracsite.org</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>New
LifeLine for Jobless<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='text-indent:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>If
you lost your job today, would you know where to turn for help? The new online <a
href="http://www.unemploymentlifeline.com/" target="_blank">Unemployment
LifeLine</a> from Working America and the AFL-CIO is a one-stop resource center
to guide jobless workers to local services and advice from others coping with
unemployment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Check
out Bill Moyers’ Public Television shows on Jobs with Justice and on the
Financial Crisis:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a
href="http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03272009/watch.html">http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03272009/watch.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a
href="http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04032009/watch.html">http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04032009/watch.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ECONOMIC
STIMULUS 101: Can we spend our way out of a bad economy? Explore the costs,
benefits and impacts.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Check
out Valley economists and others at <a
href="http://www.amherstwire.com/features/economic-stimulus-101">http://www.amherstwire.com/features/economic-stimulus-101</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Tell
AT&T to Do What's Right<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>In contract negotiations
with the Communications Workers of America, the company keeps pushing for cuts
in quality jobs, health care benefits, and cost-of-living increases. AT&T
claims that these cuts are necessary because of the economy. They've even had
the nerve to compare telecom to the auto industry, even though telecom
continues to expand and remain profitable. <strong><span style='font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'>Just last year, AT&T made $12.9 billion in profits --
almost a billion more than the previous year. </span></strong>Jobs with Justice
is helping to collect signatures on a petition of support this
week to show AT&T that the country is united behind the workers. <a
href="http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/att_right/" target="_blank">Sign the
petition.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>What
If You Were Fired for Your Haircut?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Imagine you were fired for
the color of your shirt, your haircut, the way your voice sounded, or the way
you walk. Unfair, right? The truth is that this happens in workplaces across
the state everyday to people who are transgendered. Transgendered people
struggle their whole lives to feel comfortable in their own body. Those who are
able to transition into their true gender face discrimination and intimidation
in their workplace, as well as in their community. The Massachusetts Transgender
Bill of Rights would protect transgendered workers from workplace
discrimination. This is an important step for human rights in the workplace.
Click <a href="http://www.masstpc.org/?p=330">here</a> to see a video on the
issue. Click <a href="http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/transbillofrights/">here</a>
to send a message to your state representative and senator.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Calendar
of Peace & Justice Events in our Area<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><a href="http://www.westernmassafsc.org/calendar/calendar.html">http://www.westernmassafsc.org/calendar/calendar.html</a>.
Not only is this a useful place to look for events of interest, but in addition
it could be used by event planners to minimize conflicts between events. Of
course such planning can happen best if those scheduling events will post them
to the calendar well in advance, where other planners can find them. It is easy
to post events - just email the notice to Roger Conant, <a
href="mailto:conant@ecs.umass.edu">conant@ecs.umass.edu</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>TO
UNSUBSCRIBE, send an email to wmjwj@wmjwj.org with a Subject of "Unsub
Workers' Rights".<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>[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: <a href="http://www.jwj.org/pledge.html"><span
style='text-decoration:none'>"</span>I'll be there for workers' rights at
least five times a year!<span style='text-decoration:none'>"</span></a>
This is the core mission of Jobs with Justice (<a href="http://www.jwj.org/">www.jwj.org</a>),
affirming that workers' rights are human rights. To subscribe, send an email to
wmjwj@wmjwj.org with a Subject of "Subscribe Workers' Rights".<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Western
Mass Jobs with Justice<br>
640 Page Blvd #101<br>
Springfield MA 01104<br>
(413) 827-0301 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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