Labor Day Parade

Labor Day Weekend was a blast - and it was capped off with an celebratory parade and picnic that was organized by the Buffalo ALF-CIO Council. In keeping with tradition, CEJ marched in the parade with our friends from WNYCOSH, Citizen Action, and the Working Families Party. (See photos on flickr!)

It is always great to see so many unions and members together in one place, and to feel the support of the on-lookers creates a powerful and healthy feeling of solidarity and strength. That alone was worth attending for.

The turnout, though official numbers were not tracked, appeared much larger than the past year's parade, even with less-than-perfect weather. That is a very encouraging sign. Perhaps, with all of the attacks on workers - both from governments and from major corporations, Labor Day has taken on a renewed significance. Rather than just a day off from work, by taking part in the parade and listening to media reports (See Buffalo News - CEJ's Andy Reynolds quoted in story on Labor Day parade), Labor Day has regained some of it's importance as a day where we reflect on and appreciate the value of organized labor and all of the gains that workers have been able to achieve through centuries of hard fought struggles.

But it is also an opportunity for our movement to mobilize and engage the community in a dialogue about our values and our vision for creating an economy that values and rewards those whose labor makes it all possible. So with that in mind, we ask you this question: What did Labor Day make you think about, and what do you think it will take to create a stronger movement that leads to the creation of quality jobs and expanding of workers' rights? (Please respond!)

Strike for Justice! Highlights

This past Saturday night, CEJ held another successful and fantastic Strike for Justice! bowling competition and celebration at the Kenmore Lanes bowling alley. CEJ members, allies, and friends came out in force and enjoyed a night filled with laughter, camaraderie, and some "intense" competition.

We had our best year ever in terms of prizes donated to be won, and we would like to take a moment to 1) Tell you what you missed out on winning if you weren't there! and 2) Acknowledge and THANK the many local businesses whose generous donations made the competition possible.

(in no particular order)
Betty's Restaurant (http://www.bettysbuffalo.com)
The Stock Exchange (http://archives.buffalorising.com/story/buffalos_stock_exchange)
Lexington Coop (http://lexington.coop)
Rick Cycle Shop (http://rickscycleshop.com)
La Dolce Vita (http://www.iloveladolcevita.com)
Lebro's (http://www.lebrosrestaurant.com)
Urban Roots (http://www.urbanroots.org)
Chef's Restaurant (http://www.ilovechefs.com)
The Carousel Factory Museum (http://www.carrouselmuseum.org)
The Buffalo Bills (http://www.buffalobills.com)
Rustbelt Books (http://www.rustbeltbooks.com)
Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard (http://www.sheriffhoward.com)
El Buen Amigo (http://elbuenamigo.org/elbuenamigo)
Allentown Music (http://www.allentownmusic.com)
Whitney Arlene Photography (http://www.etsy.com/shop/whitneyarlene)
Amy's Place (http://archives.buffalorising.com/story/amys_place)
Spirits of Allentown (http://www.insiderpages.com/b/15240830047/spirits-of-allentown-buffalo)
Record Theater (http://www.recordtheatre.com)
Senator Mark Grisanti (http://www.senatormarkgrisanti.com)
Lukia Costello Photography (http://www.facebook.com/lukiacostellophotography)
Sarah Bishop (http://www.sarahbishopphotography.net)

We'd also like to recognize our event sponsors:
(MVP) Worker's United - Rochester Regional Joint Board (http://www.uniterrjb.org)
(All-Star) IUPAT Distict Council 4 (http://www.dc4.org)
(All-Star) First Niagara Bank (https://www.fnfg.com)









To see more photos from the night - visit our flickr page!

Imagine a world where every selfish CEO, Wall St. banker, or greedy corporation was a one-foot tall pin you could destroy with the toss of a heavy, spinning ball... Pretend that's what this is!!!

Our annual bowling party/competition is a great way to cap the summer and is one of our most fun events! The Strike for Justice! will be taking place on Saturday, August 20th 7:00pm at Kenmore Lanes (1691 Kenmore Ave). Participating is easy, all you need to do is organize a team!

Get 3 other people (friends, staff, family!) and form a team of 4! You and your team pick a name, get a costume, and can join the healthy competition to win prizes donated by great local businesses and sports teams! Who doesn’t like a nice air-conditioned night of bowling? There will be drink specials, too – buy one get one free for your first drink! Price is $60 for a team of 4 and includes 2 games and shoe rental! There is also a $40 price option for unemployed/underemployed/student teams.

(So far we've had prizes donated by El Buen Amigo, Betty's Restaurant, Rick Cycle Shop, the Lexington Coop, The Carousel Museum, Allentown Spirits, the Buffalo Bills, Rust Belt Books, Allentown Music, Sweet Tooth, Maureen's Flower Shop, Chef's Restaurant, Lebro's, La Dulce Vita, Squeaky Wheel, Urban Roots Community Garden Center, and The Stock Exchange! More are coming in as this is written! Come win this stuff!!!)

This event is a great way to have fun while meeting and networking with a lot of great folks in the city of Buffalo - all while bowling and drinking beer (or not.) In addition, you will be supporting and helping expand the work of an organization that fights on behalf of working families and communities in Buffalo and WNY every day, and is committed to helping make Buffalo a better place to live, work, and play!

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE REGISTRATION FORM!

You can also pay and register online!

If you would like to know more about the event or have any questions, email josh@buffalojwj.org or call our office at 716-892-5877!

Membership Meeting Updates

Last Wednesday night, in the back room of the Hardware Cafe on Allen St., over 20 CEJ members came together to share updates from the work they have been a part of and discussed the actions and events they have planned for the coming months. It was a new approach to our quarterly membership meetings which, because of the success of this one, will become spaces for engaging in discussion of the many efforts that community members are leading and the ways in which we can support one another.

The meeting also featured a presentation by Alden Bashaw, Western NY Field Organizer with the Empire State Pride Agenda on their organization's recent Marriage Equality victory, and how they were able to build a strong coalition and win on one of their issues.

Since we had a number of leaders give updates, we would like to share them with you:

• A PUSH board member talked about the Move to Amendcampaign to end corporate personhood. This campaign began as a result of the Citizen's United court case which in 2010 gave corporations the ability to make unlimited campaign contributes to political candidates. The move to amend seeks to address this by fighting on the local level across the country to end corporate personhood status. David Cobb, a lawyer and member of Move to Amend, will be speaking in Buffalo on August 9th from 7-9pm at the Elmwood UUC.

• Leaders from the National Fuel Accountability Coalition spoke about their recent campaign activity in their fight reform the National Fuel & Gas Company's Conservation Incentive program (CIP). The coalition believes that the solution to the heating crisis faced by low-income families in Buffalo is in weatherizing homes, and thus wants funds from the state-mandated CIP (funded by consumers) to go towards weatherization, and not - as it currently does - on advertising for NFG and discounts on expensive appliances! They coalition just had a very successful hearing with the Public Service Commision on on July 7th, and needs 200 people to come to Albany for another public hearing on November 17th! Visit the website to learn more about the coalition and how you can help bring people with you to this important hearing. (CEJ is a member of the National Fuel Accountability Coalition.)

• CWA 1122 members shared an important notification on a rally that is taking place on Wednesday, August 3rd at 5pm at the 548 Elmwood, the Verizon building. CWA locals 1115, 1117, and 1122 have been in negotiations around a new contract, and Verizon's proposals would seek to eliminate 50 years of bargaining gains for workers. They need you to join them at this rally!

• A board member of Buffalo First talked about their recent victory in winning Benefit Corporation legislation at the NY State level, and which will go into effect on August 5th! B Corps, as they are called, would allow a company to put people and the planet into their "bottom line" - and not simply profit. This is a new tool for small-large businesses that is just starting to gain notice in various communities around the country. Buffalo First wants to make Buffalo the center for Benefit Corporations! Also, each month they hold a speaker series called "Teaching By Example", where one local leader talks about what they are doing to make a better world a reality in Buffalo. Visit their website for more information.

• An organizer with the Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope (NOAH) spoke about their efforts to win a Project Labor Agreement for a local Amtrak station. They will be holding an event the first week of September to help make this happen. Stay in touch for updates...

• Leaders from the Project Awaken came to share an invitation to their Anti-Violence Conference, which will be taking place on August 5th at 11am at Harriman Hall on UB South Campus.Our next membership meeting will be taking place on October 19. Contact Andy at andy@buffalojwj if you would like to attend or participate!

Our next membership meeting will be taking place on October 19th. Contact Andy at andy@buffalojwj.org if you would like to attend or participate!

The Case of the Missing Jobs Plan Defeats Even the Great Super Sleuth

Yesterday in Albany, Jobs with Justice affiliates from Long Island, New York City, and Buffalo, as well as labor unions and community groups from across the state converged in the capital to assist the great super sleuth himself in finding the missing jobs plan for the state. As the legislative session in Albany comes to an end, many people are left wondering the whereabouts of the economic development initiative that will create sustainable, permanent, living-wage jobs for more local New Yorkers. The Coalition of Economic Justice sent a delegation of 7 people to this event, which consisted of the skit, a formal press conference in a room in the Legislative Office Building, and visits to representatives in the state senate and assembly. The skit and the press conference were a crowd-pleasing success. Clad in a ridiculous outfit complete with a pipe and an oversized magnifying glass, Austin Guest of the Alliance for Greater New York (ALIGN) ran around the buildings in the capital complex asking if people have seen the missing jobs plan. The result was powerful: everyone he met, including staffers of legislators, tourists on the street, democrats, republicans, and interns, came to the general consensus that the jobs plan is not in fact in Albany. Instead, it is in our cities and towns, where labor and community leaders, environmental advocates, academics, local business owners and others work day in and day out to create an economy built on good jobs and shared prosperity.

In response to this economic crisis, and the fear that Governor Cuomo’s proposed regional economic development councils might make the same mistakes of old, ALIGN published a report entitled “ Seizing the Moment: How Regional Economic Development Councils Can Build a Good Jobs Economy,” which was distributed at the press conference and to the offices of legislators. In the report, three key points are stressed as imperative additions to the Regional Economic Development Council model. They are implementing performance standards, maintaining accountability, and operating with transparency. In essence, there needs to be mechanisms in place that will hold companies accountable so that subsidized projects actually achieve the goal of sustainable job creation. The whole process also needs to be open to the public, since taxpayers deserve to know exactly how their money is being spent. ALIGN, CEJ, and their allies support the idea of the regional economic development councils as a model with great potential. However, they need to redefine their role and judge “success” based on outcomes to achieve real economic development. That is the missing jobs plan.

Yesterday, the Buffalo delegation was able to deliver the report and talk to the staff of Assembly members Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Sam Hoyt, as well as Senators Tim Kennedy, Mark Grisanti, Mike Ranzenhofer, and Pat Gallivan. We hope that this action and these visits planted the seeds for future discussions in Albany on how to make the regional economic development councils work for the working people across the state.

On a related note, there have been rumors that the super sleuth himself may make a surprise appearance right here in Buffalo next week as he continues the search for the jobs plan. Stay tuned for more updates.

Here is the link to the funny video of the super sleuth in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0auXtdhe7b4