Wednesday, March 21st, 2007
-please circulate widely-
http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/araw_mcdonalds
American Rights At Work, a leading voice for workplace democracy in the country today, is taking on the CIW’s McDonald’s campaign with a national E-Action Alert!
Click here (http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/araw_mcdonalds ) now to participate in an online petition demanding that McDonald’s implement fair wages and real rights for the farmworkers who pick its tomatoes. And after you sign the petition, you can help spread the word by sending the following message to 10 friends:
“Farmworkers who pick tomatoes for the fast food industry are among this country’s most exploited workers: subpoverty wages, no rights to overtime pay, no benefits of any kind.
Two years ago, Taco Bell did something about it — agreeing to pay a penny more per pound of tomatoes to double the workers’ earnings, and establishing a real code of conduct to ensure safe working conditions. But fast food giant McDonald’s has refused to follow Taco Bell’s lead.
Consumers have joined together with religious, human rights, student, and workers’ rights groups across the country to protest McDonald’s refusal to advance real rights for these workers.
I just signed a petition to McDonald’s to urge them to do better. Will you join me? Just click here ( http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/araw_mcdonalds ) to tell McDonalds these workers deserve real rights and fair wages.”
__________
Marc Rodrigues
Student/Farmworker Alliance
(239) 292-3431
http://sfalliance.org
http://ciw-online.org
http://myspace.com/sfalliance
Monday, March 19th, 2007
The people, united, will never be defeated–and they will have a *crazy* good time….
Fair Foodistas,
*Join us on Saturday for a night of music, art, food and fun to benefit two wonderful organizations in NYC.*
What: Benefit to support the Starbucks Workers Union and Fair Food NYC
The Starbucks Workers Union has been working tirelessly to organize underpaid, overworked folks against the trendy coffee monster, Starbucks. Starbucks is using everything in its power to fight the organizing attempts and these workers are sticking their badass necks out anyway and could use some solidarity.
Fair Food NYC organizes with the Coalition Of Immokalee Workers, a group of outta hand farmworkers in southern Florida who are changing the way companies view farmworkers in their supply chains and are, one by one, demanding that mega corporations like Taco Bell and McDonalds own up to their responsibilities and pay them what they deserve.
When: Saturday March 24th
2 o’clock: Art Making
We’ll be making posters, banners, puppets, and creative signage for upcoming actions–come lend a hand!
4 o’clock: BBQ ($5/plate)
Don’t worry, they’ll be veggie stuff too
6 o’clock: Music Starts ($5-$7 suggested donation at the door)
Who: We will be listening to the musical talents of Rebel Diaz,
Spiritchild, Dynamite Plan, AbstractVision plus a great DJ.
Where: This exciting afternoon/evening is taking place at 71 Troutman in
Brooklyn (Bushwick)
Why: To help these rockin’ groups raise some dough! To learn more about the Starbucks Workers campaign check out www.starbucksunion.org and to learn more about Fair Food NYC and the McDonalds campaign check out www.fairfoodnyc.org and www.sfalliance.org
Meet the musicians:
REBEL DIAZ (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=7514111)
SPIRITCHILD (http://www.myspace.com/spiritchildmentalnotes)
DYNAMITE PLAN (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=70874804)
ABSTRACTVISION (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=103958646 )
How to get there:
Take the JMZ to Myrtle Avenue. Upon exiting, cross over Broadway and
walk up Myrtle one block. Take a left on Troutman Street. We are two
blocks down on the left. # 71.
Take the L to Morgan Avenue. Take the Bogart Street exit. Upon
reaching the street swing a right, and walk till you hit Flushing
Avenue. Take a right on Flushing, and a quick left on Central. Walk
up Central till you hit Troutman Street. Take a right. Walk a block
and a second, we are on the righthand side.
Lost? Call 516 458 3454 and we’ll help!
See you Saturday,
Fair Food NYC
Sunday, March 18th, 2007
Join us for an historic roundtable discussion on the new era of immigrant justice Organized by the NYU Immigrant Justice Collective*
When: Saturday, March 31, 2007 12 - 3 PM
Where: Judson Memorial Church’s Assembly Hall, 239 Thompson St.
Free and Open to the Public; Refreshments Provided.
Wheelchair accessible; ASL translator available upon request; please RSVP below
Justice Now!: Organizing Immigrant Communities is an open roundtable forum that will bring together cultural workers and activists from diverse movements– including immigrant rights, labor rights, youth activism, and queer rights– who are actively working to build new models for immigrant justice organizing. This roundtable will examine questions such as detention, deportation, profiling, borders, torture, and surveillance. We believe in using this space to highlight the intersectional, interstitial, and intervening issues within immigrant justice organizing that are often collapsed under the sometimes reductive banner of “immigrant rights.” This roundtable discussion will be an opportunity to brainstorm collectively and share best practices and dynamic strategies that respond to the immigration crisis defining our political times.
FEATURING community organizers from:
Make the Road By Walking/Se Hace El Camino Por Andar
Asociaciïon Tepeyac de New York
Queers for Economic Justice
CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities
New York Taxi Workers’ Alliance
New Immigrant Community Empowerment
Audre Lorde Project
SPONSORS:
Judson Memorial Church Program in American Studies, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU Asian/Pacific/American Studies Institute, NYU
CONTACT US:
WEBSITE: http://immigrantjusticeroundtable.blogspot.com EMAIL: immigrantjustice@gmail.com
* NYU Immigrant Justice Collective is composed of first year graduate students in American Studies, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis: Leticia Alvarado, Maxime Berthemy, Juan Jos� Bermudez de Castro, Sven Cvek, Joanna Dee, Lezlie Frye, Ronak Kapadia, Devin Murphy, and Lena Sze
_______________________________________________
Tuesday, March 13th, 2007
Tom Morello (aka The Nightwatchman), former guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, has joined Zack de la Rocha, Olmeca, Son del Centro, the Hot 8 Brass Band, Rebel Diaz, and others as a confirmed participant in the CIW’s Carnaval & Parade for Fair Food, Real Rights, and Dignity , April 14 in Chicago!
Tom is just the latest artist to throw his support behind what is quickly shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend, with a jam-packed program full of music, protest, culture, and just maybe a bit of history. Make plans today to join us in Chicago for the April 13-14 mobilizations for farmworker justice! http://www.ciw-online.org/Save_the_date.html
* Check out the 2007 Truth Tour site here: http://www.ciw-online.org/2007truthtour/index.html
Locally, over 60 CIW allies from Chicago, Detroit, Carbondale, and other points in the region gathered in late February for the hugely successful Midwest Encuentro. The weekend featured discussion and strategizing with CIW members, students, and community organizers which laid the groundwork for sustained support for the McDonald’s campaign in the fast-food giant’s own backyard.
* See photos from the Midwest Encuentro here: http://www.sfalliance.org/mwencreport.html
Finally, just in time for the last few intense weeks of education and outreach leading up to Chicago, the CIW has produced two important documents that provide a quick background and supporting facts on farmworker wages and working conditions as well as the Campaign for Fair Food. Go to http://www.ciw-online.org/news.html to download copies and share with friends to help spread the word about the campaign and why the mobilization in Chicago is so crucial.
Thanks,
SFA
organize@sfalliance.org