tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36322247293820421922024-02-19T11:38:55.637-05:00Coalition for Economic JusticeCoalition for Economic Justicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09799771728737574206noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-85231865774235111332012-05-12T17:04:00.001-04:002012-05-14T17:48:23.939-04:0099% Spring in Buffalo: Community Leaders Confront Verizon and National Fuel Greed
In the spirit of the 99% Spring, CEJ joined PUSH Buffalo, Citizen Action, SEIU 1199, the National Fuel Accountability Coalition and more than 100 grassroots, and community and faith leaders for non-violent direct actions confronting two 1% corporations - Verizon and National Fuel.
One-hundred plus people poured out of two school buses that we drove to the Verizon Wireless buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-37378962981397533052012-05-03T14:58:00.001-04:002012-05-03T15:05:03.249-04:00Calling Out Verizon's Corporate Greed
On May 3, CEJ, Occupy
Buffalo, and community and labor partners occupied and mic checked a Verizon
Wireless store in Amherst, NY. As part of the growing movement to confront corporate power and greed, we engaged in a non-violent direct action against a very greedy corporation - Verizon.
While Verizon was holding its shareholders’
meeting in Huntsville, Alabama, workers, people buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-78541083897451348012012-05-02T17:04:00.001-04:002012-05-02T17:04:08.440-04:00CEJ's Lifetime Achievement - Marcella Fugle
Marcella Fugle
The winner of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award at our "Cirque de 99%" Annual Awards Celebration, Marcella Fugle, is currently the Chair of the NYSUT Retirees of WNY Political Action Committee. We thought we would take a moment to bring you up so speed on some of her accomplishments over the years - so you would understand why we are so honored to present her with this buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-57939736253221152602012-04-09T13:40:00.005-04:002012-04-09T14:58:47.764-04:00New Annual Awards Celebration Announcements!CEJ is 26 years old, and one month away from our Annual Awards Celebration!the Cirque de 99%, Annual Awards Celebration is taking place on May 10th, 2012, from 6:00 to 9:00pm at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center.We are excited to announce that our keynote speaker this year will be Steve Dubb from the Democracy Collaborative! Steve Dubb is the Research Director of The Democracy Collaborative buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-48121379380603908142012-03-21T14:54:00.008-04:002012-03-22T14:39:01.307-04:00Verizon, Don't Drop the Call on Your WorkersYesterday, on March 20th, CEJ, Citizen Action, the Don’t Bypass Buffalo Coalition, CWA 1122, and other community partners rallied outside Verizon Communications on Elmwood Ave in Buffalo to call on the company to compensate their workers fairly and save 45,000 middle class jobs.The event was planned in coordination with national actions taking place this week led by Jobs with Justice, CWA and buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-12393261625365150982012-03-16T15:46:00.008-04:002012-03-19T15:25:26.020-04:00Save the Date! Thursday - May 10th, 2012Thursday, May 10th, 20126:00-9:00pm (program starts at 7:00)CEJ's Annual Awards Celebration"Cirque de 99%! Laughing off the past - getting serious about our future."at the Buffalo Niagara Convention CenterThe Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ) would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation and gratitude for your leadership in Western New York. We are gathering on Thursday, May buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-7607898830554802752012-02-22T15:26:00.003-05:002012-02-22T15:38:06.620-05:00Good Jobs, Not GiveawaysCEJ along with members of Metro Justice, the WNY Area Labor Federation and the Rochester and Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, and Teamsters Joint Council 46 held a rally in Rochester prior to the County of Monroe IDA (COMIDA) board meeting on Tuesday February 21 to request that the board end its tax break agreement with VWR and look into getting back the nearly $1 million VWR has received.Webuffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-7674129487393588092012-02-13T15:38:00.006-05:002012-02-13T15:55:39.502-05:00Free Training: Confronting Corporate Power!Fight for a Fair EconomyCONFRONTING CORPORATE POWERFive Facts About New York State:1. New York State isn't broke.2. New York State gives out corporate handouts that add up to $8 billion a year.3. These same corporate handouts are supposed to be creating quality jobs in our communities. Guess what? THEY AREN'T4. It's time to end the free ride for corporations and change our broken economic buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-74106919484969495402012-02-02T12:37:00.006-05:002012-02-02T13:15:39.507-05:00Wow NFTA Public Hearing!Last night, CEJ attended a public hearing on the proposed NFTA route cuts, held at the Erie County Public Library. The rousing hearing began at 6:00pm and lasted well into the night, as one by one, impassioned individuals who were affected by the cuts made their needs and concerns heard by standing up for themselves and demanding an alternative to cuts, while chastising NFTA board members - buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-84388318446861417702012-01-19T14:20:00.003-05:002012-01-19T14:35:01.525-05:00Accepting Nominations for 2012 AwardeesWhat was the most awesome thing that happened in 2011? Who took their work to the next level? Who had a major victory to advance the cause of economic justice?These are the questions we you to keep in mind as you tell us who you think should be honored at CEJ's Annual Awards Dinner (May 10th, 2012.)We are accepting nominations for awards currently, and there are 4 categories for candidates. To buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-81608584314443445492012-01-04T15:24:00.003-05:002012-01-04T15:36:52.883-05:00Sign the Petition!The ghost of Bass Pro still haunts the minds of Buffalo residents. After banishing the beast over a year ago, CEJ and the Canal Side Community Alliance are still fighting to make sure the ghost doesn't come back in a re-incarnated form. Yet many WNY politicians and developers still see big-box development as an answer to the economic woes of the city and the vacant waterfront site.The Canal Side buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-39139042314124266952011-11-30T16:22:00.005-05:002011-11-30T16:35:19.661-05:00CEJ Invites You!Erie County has new leadership. The Occupy movement is bringing renewed hope to CEJ and lots of other community and labor allies. We're poised to bring about an economy that works for the many. Come celebrate our successes and help raise some funds to support the launch of CEJ's 2012 agenda for Equitable Development, Corporate Accountability, Good Jobs and Workers' Rights!December 8th6:00 - 9:00 buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-38682764146284640242011-11-28T14:06:00.002-05:002011-11-28T14:11:15.527-05:00Though this letter was sent last week - we decided to post it because it describes what the Fight for a Fair Economy Coalition is working on in NY State, and where this fits into the national context. Definitely worth a read!November 23rd, 2011To our Western New York Delegation:Tomorrow, November 23rd, the congressional “Super Committee” will announce their decision as to how the federal buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-56844119650869655412011-11-17T10:50:00.004-05:002011-11-17T12:18:04.445-05:00Good Jobs Not Giveaways Video!On November 10, 2011 the Coalition for Economic Justice held a teach in with Occupy Buffalo. Members of Occupy were shocked to hear about how some of our tax dollars are being used in the name of industrial development.After the teach in, we traveled across town to see a Lexus dealership that was subsidized to move across the street (see previous blog for details).To watch some of the highlightsbuffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-2380461161666293692011-11-11T14:03:00.009-05:002011-11-11T14:34:35.767-05:00CEJ and Occupy Buffalo demand good jobs not giveawaysCEJ took to the streets of Amherst this week with Occupy Buffalo and our community and labor partners to demand that New York’s Industrial Development Agencies stop giving handouts to the 1% and start using public money for the public good. Sheridan Drive was the scene of a raucous protest on Thursday afternoon, as we gathered in front of Northtown Lexus with our demand that corporate subsidies buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-31506710172711729922011-11-08T15:56:00.003-05:002011-11-08T16:05:04.570-05:00Story of Brokehttp://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-broke/Great Video! "The United States isn’t broke; we’re the richest country on the planet and a country in which the richest among us are doing exceptionally well. But the truth is, our economy is broken, producing more pollution, greenhouse gasses and garbage than any other country. In these and so many other ways, it just isn’t buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-28777044554005182542011-11-07T14:07:00.003-05:002011-11-07T14:34:04.536-05:00Buffalo Bank Transfer Day"Remember, remember, the 5th of November!"This Saturday (11/5), CEJ participated in Buffalo Bank Transfer Day - a coordinated day of action calling on individuals to move their money from big banks like Bank of America and Chase into local credit unions.Since the call was made one month ago to have a nation-wide bank transfer day, around $4.5 Billion has been moved by 650,000 people into credit buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-86248573922075768022011-11-07T14:03:00.001-05:002011-11-07T14:07:50.448-05:00Occupy Buffalo’s stand against big banking and their injustices<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-12322850786064256522011-11-03T16:30:00.002-04:002011-11-03T16:33:42.952-04:00Membership Meeting Update<!--[if !mso]> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-2811861909432986732011-10-25T12:11:00.004-04:002011-10-25T12:28:27.439-04:00FOIL Requests Training (10-18-11)<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-87037042714944486402011-10-21T15:04:00.003-04:002011-10-21T15:14:59.353-04:00Global Foundries: An expensive lesson that will make your blood boilLast week, CEJ held a press conference with coalition partners to present solutions to fix our region’s failing economic development programs as detailed in a new report, Generating Waste, by the Partnership for the Public Good (PPG). At the event, several speakers explained how WNY’s Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) have wasted public money subsidizing corporations that have created buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-59546745852408557662011-10-14T14:04:00.001-04:002011-10-14T14:07:37.434-04:00Reigning In Our Region’s Out of Control Economic Development Programs<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-91840576125270734382011-09-30T15:04:00.003-04:002011-09-30T15:13:36.240-04:00Rock the VoteOn September 28, 2011, Writers/Artists/Musicians and the Coalition for Economic Justice hosted a “Rock the Vote” event at the Vault.Artists showcased at “Rock the Vote” included: Chuck Tingley, Zoe Holloman, Charlie Ertel, Kaitlin Frisicaro, Stephen Coppola, Mark D. Donnelley, Ph. D., Jessie Siobahn, Brooke Reynolds, Hillel Goral, Jessie Siobahn Lamprecht, Sam Sacco, Susan Marie and Andrew buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-70953884114942684592011-09-27T14:09:00.002-04:002011-09-27T14:17:21.529-04:00“Do we want the legacy of the ECIDA to be a Family Dollar Store?”These are the words expressed by Andrew Rudnick at a recent Erie County Industrial Development Board meeting, during which the ECIDA board, which Rudnick is a member of, approved a taxpayer subsidy package to the developer of yet another dollar store in Buffalo on Monday, September 19. Despite the reservations expressed by Rudnick, the ECIDA board approved the $49,000 tax subsidy to the buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3632224729382042192.post-6396954660683652592011-09-21T15:50:00.004-04:002011-09-21T16:06:52.196-04:00Citizens Budget Commission Issues Report Challenging Regional Councils to Deliver on Their Promise by Reigning in Our Sprawling Subsidy ProgramsThe Citizens Budget Commission just released a new report called Avoiding Past Mistakes: Principles for Governing Regional Economic Development Councils. The Report echoes much of what CEJ and its allies in the Getting Our Money’s Worth Coalition have been calling for.The report begins with an explanation of the new Regional Economic Development Councils and Governor Cuomo’s campaign to open NY buffalojwj@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01188180620934387261noreply@blogger.com0