Social Justice Campaigns

2006-05-21T13:14:00.000-04:00

***Forward Widely***

Action outside of McDonald's Shareholder Meeting
7:30-9:30 am, Thurs, May 25
Entrance to McDonald's Hamburger University
Jorie Blvd, Oak Brook, IL

Join us at the entrance of Hamburger University to send a message to McDonald's shareholders as they enter the meeting that McDonald's needs to stop its failing PR Campaign and instead work with the CIW to institute REAL corporate responsibility in its tomato supply chain. If you are interested in carpooling from Chicago, please contact:
melody@sfalliance.org or brigitte@interfaithact.org.

AND

Human Rights and the struggle for Fair Food
7pm, Wed, May 24
First Congregational United Church of Christ of Downer's Grove
1047 Curtiss St., Downers Grove, IL

Two CIW farmworker leaders, including 2003 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award Laureate Lucas Benitez, will share about their work to end sub-poverty wages and human rights abuses in the tomato fields and the current McDonald's Campaign.

BACKGROUND
The CIW, a Florida community-based farmworker organization, reached a ground-breaking agreement with Taco Bell to directly improve farmworkers' sub-poverty wages and working conditions in Taco Bell's tomato supply chain in March of 2005. This followed a 4-year, CIW-led boycott of Taco Bell that was supported by many national religious, human rights, and student organizations across the country. The CIW has also uncovered and assisted the Department of Justice with the successful investigation and prosecution of 5 modern-day slavery rings operating in the agricultural industry.

The CIW has asked McDonald's to follow Taco Bell's lead and ensure fair wages and an end to abuses in its supply chain. Unfortunately, instead of working with the CIW in this opportunity, McDonald's began a Public Relations campaign, including a faulty "study" aimed at covering up the reality in the fields. Florida tomato pickers toil long days for 40- 45 cents per 32-lb bucket of tomatoes, a wage that hasn't changed since 1978, at which rate a worker must pick 2 TONS of tomatoes to earn $50 in one day. Furthermore, tomato pickers have no overtime pay for overtime work, no right to organize, no sick days, and no benefits. In the most extreme cases, workers are held against their will often and forced to work in modern-day slavery rings. The CIW farmworkers are successfully working with Taco Bell for a real wage increase for tomato pickers and human rights standards- join them in encouraging McDonald's to join with the CIW to do the same.

More information:
Visit www.ciw-online.org and www.allianceforfairfood.org
Contact brigitte@interfaithact.org or 239-986-0688 or
melody@sfalliance.org or 239-986-0847.

2006-05-04T22:54:00.000-04:00

Black & Brown united for immigrant rigts
http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/71915/index.php

2006-05-03T18:28:00.000-04:00

THIS JUST IN---

A lively group of protesters greeted the forum of the racist, anti-immigrant Minutemen and nazis this evening at the 4th Congregational Church in Logan Square. When the minister pleaded with the 50 or so protesters who went inside the church to remember that this was a house of God, one of the protesters wondered very much out loud if God was a racist. Police arrested him. There were two arrests altogether.

The meeting was then shut down, and police escorted Minutemen out and down the street.

Protesters then marched to the district police headquarters to hold jail solidarity, and denouce the role of the police in defending the racists. -- Neal

2006-05-02T20:01:00.000-04:00

Would You Rather Have A New Train Line For Downtown?
Or
New Train Lines For All of Chicagoland?
Come to the CTA Hearings: May 2nd, 3rd & 4th at 6 PM

Federal funds are available to build new CTA Train lines over the next decade. The CTA wants this money, but what it wants to DO with it will surprise you. The CTA could use the funds to benefit all of Chicago's neighborhoods and many of our suburbs. Instead, it wants to use up all $2 billion of our money on a pet project called the Circle Line, which would run within 1.5 miles of Downtown. The Mid-City Transitway (MCT) and Red Line extension are better alternatives that the CTA is not considering. If the Circle Line is built there will be no money for either the MCT or Red Line extension.

The Circle Line:
o Short: Would build just 5 miles of new rail within 1.5 miles of the Loop to help rich downtown development at the expense of Chicago's neighborhoods and many suburbs.

o Expensive: $2 Billion: $400 million/mile!

o Poor Access: Would exclude the majority of Chicagoland's residents from better train service

o Will disrupt everyone's life for 3-5 years along North & Ashland Aves, building a subway.
o Will destroy more Pilsen homes & businesses

The MCT:
o Long: 30 miles of new rail running through/near most of Chicago's neighborhoods & many suburbs from Skokie, south near Cicero Ave. to Midway Airport, east across 87th/Dan Ryan to the Lake at the USX site.
o Affordable: efficient: $1.6 Billion; $53 million/mile
o Accessible: Would provide 1 Million African-American, Latino, Asian, and white middle/working class & low income families with direct trains to 14 CTA & Metra rail lines, Midway, O'Hare, Ford City, Old Orchard, & Lake Michigan.
o Would run along existing unused rail right-of- way: no destruction of homes or businesses.
The MCT would mean 6 times more track for about half a billion dollars less than the Circle Line. This would leave funds to extend the Red Line from 95th St. south to 130th St.

Phase 1 of this $2 billion Cash Cow Circle Line Project, called The Pink Line, is slated to begin June 25th, 2006. If we don't stop it, it will cut off all 54th/Cemak Blue Line stops at Polk and points southwest from the Racine, Halsted/UIC and Clinton stops, the Dearborn Subway, Red Line Transfer Tunnels, & O'Hare branch Blue Line, including Jefferson Park & O'Hare. Direct Train Service to/from O'Hare to/from Polk St. will be cut from 100 trains per day to 12, and none on weekends!

Allowing the CTA to begin Pink Line Service will release federal money to begin the final 2 Phases of the Circle Line, leaving a million riders without better transit services. If the Circle Line gets built, there will not be enough money to build either the MCT or the Red Line extension! There is still time to stop this disaster from happening and demand that our transportation needs be met. Stop the Circle Line in favor of a transit plan that benefits everyone. LVEJO, with The Campaign for Better Transit (CBT), urges you to join us next week in the following CTA public hearings: All venues are accessible to people with disabilities.

Tuesday, May 2, 2006
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Mexican Fine Arts Museum
West Wing Auditorium
1852 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608

Wednesday, May 3, 2006
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Lincoln Park High School
Room 103
2001 N. Orchard Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Thursday, May 4, 2006
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
University of Illinois at Chicago
Molecular Biology Research
Building, Room 1017
900 S. Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60607

Stop the Circle Line Now! Keep the 54th/Cermak Blue Line Open to/from O'Hare!
Build the Mid-City Transitway! Build the Red Line from 95th to 130th St!

For more information contact Michael Pitula, publictransit@sbcglobal.net
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
2856 S. Millard Avenue Chicago, IL 60623-4550 (773) 762-6991 Fax (773) 762-6993 Email: lvejo@sbcglobal.net

2006-04-20T18:38:00.000-04:00

MAY DAY: International Workers Day
10:00 am Union Park (Ashland & Lake) 12:00 pm, march starts
4:30 Rally at Haymarket Memorial
Download Flyer in English

Background from Chicago Indymedia
Help five arrested for protesting paramilitary anti-immigrant hate group who call themselves the minutemen.

2006-04-20T16:54:00.000-04:00

RALLIES DOWNTOWN AT CITY COUNCIL HEARINGS APRIL 26th

9:00 am Rally At Thompson Center for Big Box Living Wage Ordinance!
Support the ordinance that would force big box retail stores to pay workers 10 $/hr plus 3 $/hr for benefits.

10:00 am City Hall 2nd Floor Support effort to name a street where Black Panther leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Clark were assasinated in a police raid on December 4th 1969, Honorary Chairman Fred Hampton Way.

More Info:

Big Box Living Wage Ordinance:
Wake Up Walmart
1 page word document explaining ordinance
Press Release upon introducing legislation
Social Policy

Chairman Fred Hampton Way:
SF Bayview interview with Fred Hampton Jr.
In These Times
Chicago Defender Editorial
Chicago Sun Times
Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Editorial

2006-04-13T22:10:00.000-04:00

Coverage of 4/12 Day Labor protest at Paper Source

CBS

Chicago Indymedia

2006-04-09T22:31:00.000-04:00

500,000 march in Dallas, thousands more in other cities demanding a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.

Tell Congress what you think: Click here

Flyers circling in chicago called for an economic boycott, urged students to either walkout or not show up to school, for people to wear white white, and to come to one of the following events:

City: Chicago
Date: 4/10
Time: 6:30
Location: Truman College, 1145 W Wilson Avenue
Event Details: Chicago Event Rep. Luis Gutierrez and ICIRR will host community meeting on next steps for immigration reform and a call to action.
Contact Name: Mehrdad Azemun - Illinois Coalition on Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)
Contact Phone: 312-332-7360 x 14
Contact Email: mazemun@icirr.org

Event Flyer (English/Spanish)

City: Chicago
Date: 4/10
Time: 4:00PM
Location: Rep. Lipinski's office (6245 Archer Ave.)
Event Details: Fight for Civil Rights of Immigrants Vigil
Contact Name: Claudia Marchan - Pilsen Neighbors Community Council
Contact Phone: 312-666-2663 x 221
Contact Email: cmarchan@sbcglobal.net

City: Schaumburg
Date: 4/10
Time: 11:00AM
Location: Office of Rep. Melissa Bean (1430 Meacham Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173)
Event Details: Peaceful Demonstration to urge Rep. Bean to reverse her anti-immigrant position in Congress. In December, 2005 Rep. Bean voted in favor of one of the most inhumane bills on immigration ever to pass Congress. We are asking her to listen to her constituents and do the right thing!
Contact Name: Adriana Cardona
Contact Phone: 312-629-9580 (office) or 515-314-5942 (cell)
Contact Email: adrianac.ihc@earthlink.net

For events in other areas, visit http://www.april10.org

2006-04-06T12:12:00.000-04:00

DAY LABOR PROTEST

Company Breaks Promise to Workers and the Community!
Day Laborers Need Your Support !

Wednesday, April 12, 2006 11:00am (back by 1:00pm)

meet at San Lucas Workers Center
at 2914 W. North Avenue
(you can also meet near the protest in the Loop at 11:45am, call for more info)

The workers’ demands are:
1) the company fire this abusive agency
2) the company hire back workers who were fired unjustly - for standing up for their rights!
3) contract only with a Code of Conduct-compliant agency! Workers Deserve Dignity and Respect !

San Lucas Workers Center: 773 573-6633 sanlucasworkers@yahoo.com
PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR PARTICIPATION!!
Download a flyer (english) here

2006-04-05T18:58:00.001-04:00

April 10th-- National Day of Action for Immigrant Rights

Community Forum and Call to Action with Luis Gutierrez
6:00 PM Truman College (1145 W. Wilson Avenue in Chicago)
English & Spanish flyers: here

2006-04-05T18:58:00.000-04:00

Reclaim the Commons

"BioETHICS 2006: The Voice of Reason"
COMING TO CHICAGO, APRIL 8-12 2006

2006-04-04T02:04:00.000-04:00

Teamster reformers run against incumbents who stole the last election and are currently facing charges from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Ballots for the delegate elections for the Teamsters Las Vegas convention in the 13,000 member Teamsters Local 743 will be mailed this Wednesday, April 5th. The election pits the New Leadership Slate which supports Tom Leedham for Teamster President against the Unity for Change Slate, incumbents who support James P. Hoffa, and are currently facing charges brought by the U.S. Department of Labor for stealing the last election through voter fraud [ 2 ]. Despite their narrow loss in two elections, the New Leadership Slate is continuing to confront the incumbents. At a recent protest outside of the notorious Russian Turkish Bathhouse, members of the New Leadership Slate called the president Bob Walston and other union officials "Gangsters."

An appeal to help from a delegate at the University of Chicago Hospitals:

Hello,

For those I haven't bothered by phone yet, I'm running for delegate to the Teamsters convention and the race is pretty close. The other side raised the dues last time and this time is claiming to lower the dues. These are the same jerks that, according to the Department of Labor lawsuit against them, "misdirected" 500 ballots in the last election, mostly to Latin@ and Polish last names. Our assumption is that they did this using language as a barrier to voting. Most of these ballots were delivered to two employers and the Russian-Turkish Bathhouse and voted. Needless to say, we are against theis and we want everyone in our union to be able to vote.

So if you have time this week, please help phone bank!

Where: 37 S. Ashland, basement of U.E. hall
When: Thurs 4:30-8:30pm
Friday 4:30-8:30pm
Saturday 12-6pm
Sunday 12-6pm

2006-04-04T02:03:00.000-04:00

Millie Gonzalez, Teamster Activist from Puerto Rico and member of Tom Leedham's Strong Contracts, Good Pensions slate will be visiting Chicago for three days this week.

2006-04-02T19:29:00.000-04:00

General Strike May 1st
No Work No School No Sales No Buying

2006-04-02T13:55:00.000-04:00

Media from April 1st Farmworker march on McDonalds

Photo by Mitchell Szczepanczyk Chicago Media Action

Companies pay heed to farm workers' needs
By Oscar Avila and John Schmeltzer

Chicago Indymedia Coverage Photos Press Release

AP story in the New York Times

Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Background info Daily Updates on the Real Rights Truth Tour

McDonalds "Social Responsibility"

2006-04-01T01:37:00.000-04:00

San Lucas Workers Center ACTION CANCELED
for more info click here

2006-03-30T20:46:00.000-04:00

Farmworker March on McDonalds April 1st!

2006-03-30T16:59:00.000-04:00

The rising movement against tough draconian immigration laws is gaining strength and numbers. Boycotts, general strikes, student [2] and worker walkouts and mass demonstrations influenced the Senate Judiciary Committee to propose a bill that included a guest worker program—supported both by the United Farm Workers and agricultural interests, the DREAM Act, and a guest worker program that would allow undocumented immigrants to apply for permanent residency after six years and citizenship after 11. Protesters have marched to defeat HR 4437 sponsored by James Sensenbrenner R-Wisc. that would make undocumented immigrants and anyone who helped them felons, build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and allow local police the authority to arrest undocumented immigrants. Organizers plan a day of action April 10th, and possiby a General Strike on May Day.

Guest worker program: AFL-CIO opposes them SEIU is in favor.
Find out why!

2006-03-29T19:51:00.000-04:00

HEALTH CARE JUSTICE RALLY: Friday, March 31st 3:45-5:00pm Federal Plaza- CHICAGO (corner of Adams and Dearborn)

2006-03-27T23:20:00.000-04:00

Tell McDonalds: Support fair wages for farm workers!

2006-03-27T19:18:00.000-04:00

Florida Farmworkers to March in Chicago April 1st!

Demand McDonalds address poverty wages, pesticides, and indentured servitude in Florida fields where its produce is grown.

Wednesday,7pm: presentation and screening of "El Enemigo Común" (Austin Indymedia) at the SPACE (223 Truner Ct. West Chicago, IL)

Thursday, 6pm: presentation at Loyola (exact location not confirmed yet)

Thursday, 7pm: presentation at University of Chicago (exact location not confirmed yet)

For more info on student and community meetings and events contact:
Melody Gonzalez (melody@sfalliance.org, 239-986-0847)

Friday, 4-6pm: picket at McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook
(22nd St. and McDonald's Dr)

Saturday:

*10:00 AM** 5-MILE MARCH TO “ROCK ‘N’ ROLL” MCDONALD’S IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO*

In what has become a CIW trademark action, farmworkers and their allies will again hit the streets, this time for a 5-mile march culminating at one of the most frequented and well-known McDonald’s in the world. The march will begin at Plaza Tenochtitlan (Pilsen) and will wind its way through the heart of downtown Chicago before reaching the Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonald’s for a major demonstration.

*1:00 PM DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE OF LANDMARK MCDONALD’S*

Join Florida farmworkers and their allies for a spirited
demonstration outside of the “Rock ‘N’ Roll” McDonald’s

*Location*: 50th Anniversary McDonald’s (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll McDonald’s)
600 North Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60610-3702

*2:30 PM FARMWORKER RIGHTS RALLY*

Immediately following the demonstration outside of McDonald’s, we will walk to a nearby church to warm up with hot drinks, dynamic speakers and live music. Please join us to celebrate and honor the CIW’s successful march, meet the CIW members and learn more about how you can support this important fight for justice in the fields.

*Location*: Holy Name Cathedral

*7:00 PM* *“OUR WORLD, OUR RIGHTS” CULTURAL EVENT*

From Colombia to Chiapas, from Immokalee to Chicago, people are envisioning a different world. A world where humanity is valued over profits; a world where workers have a voice and their rights are respected; a world where many worlds fit. Please join the CIW for a night of live music and movement building.

*Highlights*: Son del Centro from Santa Ana, CA, Olmeca from Los Angeles, CA, Tropa Solar, Tonatiuh (trova music) and other bands and poets Speakers from different social movements/campaigns, including the Zapatistas "Otra Campaña", the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, Anti-Minutement 5, Coca Cola Boycott, Movimiento 10 de Mazo, and CIW

*Location*: St. Pius Church on 19th and Ashland in Pilsen

2006-03-27T01:10:00.000-04:00

40,000 LA Students Walk-Out Monday, block Hwy 101

Coverage from LA Indymedia

2006-03-26T21:36:00.000-04:00

Senators Struggle on Immigration Overhaul
By DAVID ESPO , 03.27.2006, 05:27 PM

2006-03-26T20:26:00.000-04:00

Call Your Senators: Speak out against racist, anti-immigrant legislation

2006-03-26T13:35:00.000-04:00

Manifestaciones de ayer

Los Angeles: 500 mil
Denver: 50 mil
Charlotte: 3 mil
Sacramento: 4 mil
San Francisco: sin cuantificar

Manifestaciones durante las dos semanas pasadas

Chicago: 200 mil
Milwaukee: 30 mil
Atlanta: 80 mil
Phoenix: 20 mil
Washington: 30 mil

Trenton: mil 200
Kansas City: 2 mil
Tucson: 800
Fort Meyers: 500
Cleveland: sin cuantificar

2006-03-26T13:13:00.000-04:00

At least half a million protest in LA against repressive immigration laws

2006-03-25T18:36:00.000-04:00

APRIL 10th National day of protest for immigrant rights

2006-03-23T17:17:00.000-04:00

Emergency Action at the Capitol
for Immigrant Rights

March 27, 2006 @ 11 AM
West Lawn of the United States Capitol

Congress is on the verge of passing legislation that will decide how immigrants will be treated for decades to come. Wholesale criminalization of 11 million undocumented immigrants and those who help them could become law!

BUT immigrants and other reform-minded Americans together must act now to stop this
anti-immigrant attack and turn the tide towards humane and fair solutions.

Join us as we call for:
Legalization and Path to Citizenship for the Undocumented
Family Reunification
Worker Rights
Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
DREAM Act!

Immigrants Make America Strong!

This action is part of a series of actions to bring immigrant voices to the nation’s capitol during critical immigration debates in Congress. Next important action -- Please mobilize for April 10th in Washington, DC!

Sponsors include the Center for Community Change, the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, the Gamaliel Foundation, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, the National Capital Immigrant Coalition, the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, the New American Opportunity Campaign, the New York Immigration Coalition, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and more

For More Information: Washington, DC Contact Rich Stolz at CCC: (334) 202-1815 or rstolz@communitychange.org
New York Contact: Angela Lee at The New York Immigration Coalition, (212) 627-2227 ext. 229 or alee@thenyic.org
($25 suggested donation for roundtrip bus from New York to DC)

2006-03-23T01:05:00.000-04:00

New World Resource Center Events Calender

2006-03-22T23:47:00.000-04:00

March for Farmworker Rights April 1st Chicago

Florida Farmworkers demand McDonalds follow Taco Bell's example in respecting the rights of farmworkers that grow McDonalds produce. Join farmworkers from Florida in front of McDonalds headquarters March 31st. March on the Rock n Roll McDonalds April 1st. We will not be fooled!