United States Social Forum 2010

Call to Action!

What: USSF 2010
When: June 22-26, 2010
Where: Detroit, Michigan
(Cobo Hall and Hart Plaza)

Jobs with Justice is a member of the National Planning Committee for the USSF 2010- and JwJ Coalitions from around the nation, including Coaliton for Economic Justice, will be sending delegations to the forum in June!

The USSF will provide space to build relationships, learn from each other's experiences, share our analysis of the problems our communities face, and bring renewed insight and inspiration. It will help develop leadership and develop consciousness, vision, and strategy needed to realize another world

Some Goals for USSF 2010:

• Create a space for social movement convergence and strategic discussio
• Advance social movements agenda for action and transformation
• Build stronger relationships and collaboration between movement
• Deepen our commitment to international solidarity and common struggle

It will create an open space and a process for creating movement convergence and coordination, raise awareness of social justice issues, provide opportunities to share experiences, and discuss strategies that create social change and solutions to the daunting challenges of a new Decade.

CEJ is planning to send a delegation of 20 individuals, including affected workers, organizational representatives, staff, and individual members to the 2010 USSF...It's time to start thinking about our delegation...

for more information on USSF 2010, or to donate, visit: http://www.ussf2010.org/

Community Benefits Agreements (CBA's)

Currently, the Coalition for Economic Justice and a handful of community groups are opening negotiations with the Erie County Harbor Development Corporation to obtain a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) he Canal Side Project to ensure the community's need are being met.

What are Community Benefits Agreements?

Community Benefits Agreements (CBA’s) are legally enforceable contracts between community groups and developers in which community groups promise to support the developers in seeking approvals, permits, or subsidies, and the developers promise to provide certain benefits to the surrounding community.

What are some benefits commonly included in CBA’s?
· Environmental considerations
· Living wage requirements
· First-source hiring preferences and job training
· Assurance of minority hiring
· Community voice in decision making
· Parks and child care centers
· Affordable housing

Why do we need a Community Benefits Agreement?

• CBA’s allow for community input into the planning and cultivation of development projects
• CBA’s prevent developers from making false promises in order to win support for their projects. With CBA’s, developers must deliver on the promises they make as there is a legally enforceable document to hold them accountable
• CBA’s put developers’ promises to the community in writing
• CBA’s allow governments to monitor and measure the good that these development projects are doing for their constituent communities
• CBA’s are private contracts. They achieve policy goals of providing living wages, making business more environmentally friendly, and holding government accountable for the subsidies it disperses without the need for legislation

LETS MAKE SURE THE CANALSIDE PROJECT WORKS FOR US!

learn more about CBA's at http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/cba2005final.pdf

Battered by the Storm

A joint JWJ/IPS Report; Battered by the Storm: How the Safety Net Is Failing Americans and How to Fix It, concludes that the economic crisis is still on the rise for millions of Americans, while at the same time the social safety net is failing to support many of them. It offers one of the boldest, most comprehensive plans to combat poverty and unemployment...

Among the study’s key findings:
• Levels of long-term unemployment, underemployment and discouraged workers are reaching historic levels;
• The percentage of poor children receiving temporary assistance under TANF (the main federal “welfare” program) has fallen from 62% in 1995 to 22% in 2008;
• TANF benefits are far from sufficient to support the families that depend on them: 2008 assistance payments averaged only 29% of the money needed to bring families up to the official poverty line;
• Even while labor force participation of mothers has increased, the supply of affordable child care has lagged behind, creating a significant barrier to employment for many, especially single mothers; and
• Roughly 57% of unemployed people are receiving unemployment compensation; for those receiving benefits, amounts are less than half of wages, and many are losing work-related health benefits.

For more information or to read the full report, visit: http://www.ips-dc.org/reports/battered-by-the-storm

To Read JWJ National Director, Sarita Gupta and report co-author John Cavanagh's follow-up Op-Ed, visit, http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/2009/12/08/1208jobs_edit.html

Round the Clock: Buffalo Workers and the Fight for Jobs with Justice

Scorpio Ball

Our second ever Scorpio Ball is coming on November 7th! $8 to get in or $6 with a valid student ID. 18 yrs plus!

This is a costume party. As with any party, nothing is mandatory, but a costume is highly advised.

Where: 700 Main Street, 2nd Floor
Why: Because it's November and we want to celebrate elections (in a non-partisan way, celebrate the lovely scorpios that walk among us, and raise some funds for the incredible work that CEJ does throughout the year, fighting for workers' rights and accountable economic development!

Questions, concerns, or just to learn more about what we do give us a call at 892.5877.