Jobs with Justice
Encyclopedia
Jobs with Justice is a national campaign for workers' rights in the United States
. It was founded in 1987, and includes both individual members and affiliated organizations.
JwJ's core belief is that in order to be successful, workers' rights struggles have to be part of a larger campaign for economic and social justice. To that end, JwJ has created a network of local coalitions that connect labor, faith-based, community, and student organizations to work together on workplace and community social justice campaigns. JwJ also provides training, coordination and networking at the national level for labor unions and other organizations.
As of 2005, Jobs with Justice coalitions existed in over 40 cities in 29 states in all regions of the country. Individual activists sign the Jobs with Justice pledge to participate five times a year in either their own or someone else's worker rights struggle.
Jobs with Justice works with progressive religious leaders to support workers' rights and economic justice campaigns. The organization has succeeded in engaging clergy in demonstrations, rallies and protests as well as corporate and comprehensive organizing and collective bargaining campaigns.
Student Labor Action Project (SLAP)
Founded in 1999, SLAP engages students and youth in worker's rights campaigns on their campuses and in their communities. SLAP sponsors the National Student Labor Week of Action, in which students organize protests and educational events in support of workers and unions. SLAP organizes roughly 200 events each year during the Labor Week of Action.
Worker's Rights Boards (WRB)
The WRB strategy was developed as part of a protest at National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB) offices in the U.S. in June 1993. More than 7,000 people participated in this experiment, and 400 people were arrested. JwJ has continued to hold WRBs across the country on an as-needed basis to investigate abuse of workers' rights. The boards are often composed of leading clergy, members of Congress, academics, retired judges and others who support workers' rights. WRBs review worker complaints and often conduct public hearings. Employers encouraged to participate, and follow-up meetings with management are sought. The WRB then reports its findings in a public report and press conference and attempts to resolve any disputes between employers and employees. Prominent members of worker's rights boards have included Rep. Major Owens
(D-N.Y.), Rep. Dennis Kucinich
, former labor leader Bill Fletcher, movie producer Robert Greenwald
and others.
Workers' rights are under attack. More than 41 million workers say they want a union, yet workers who attempt to organize face vicious employer opposition. Over the past nineteen years, Jobs with Justice coalitions have proven again and again that when enough of us stand together, we all start winning.
Health care for all
Health care costs are soaring and the system is out of control. The widespread failure of the private sector to provide essential services for working families means that the time is increasingly ripe for a national health care reform movement. We have a real opportunity to “connect the dots” between different campaigns within our network in order to draw a compelling picture of the health care crisis we face and the need for meaningful reform for health care for all.
Immigrant rights
Historically, U.S. and foreign workers have often been pitted against each other, and racism and immigrant bashing have divided workers domestically to the advantage of corporations. Now, Jobs with Justice, along with many others, is bridging the gap between the labor movement and immigrant rights groups as we explore strategies to fight for better living and working conditions for all workers, regardless of their legal status.
Global justice
It is clear that domestic struggles for workers’ rights are inextricably linked to international economic activity and the respect for workers’ rights abroad. JwJ is engaged in a variety of projects to fight for fairness in the global economy, including a collaboration with Indian trade unions, global trade, engagement in the U.S. and World Social Forums, and membership in the group Grassroots Global Justice.
Economic development
JwJ coalitions are fighting for people’s power against corporations; fighting to ensure that community members have a say in what kind of development happens in their neighborhood; fighting for accountable economic development; fighting for not just jobs, but Jobs with Justice.
Corporate accountability
Corporations wield enormous power in our global economy. They manage economies larger than many countries. Jobs with Justice is working to ensure that corporate power is balanced by the human needs of working families and our communities. Corporate power unchecked creates economic tyranny and threatens the core of democracy.
Other campaigns
Jobs with Justice coalitions engage in many other campaigns for social and economic justice in their communities, including: minimum wage, living wage, voter registration, housing justice, criminal justice, environmental projects, and much more.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded in 1987, and includes both individual members and affiliated organizations.
JwJ's core belief is that in order to be successful, workers' rights struggles have to be part of a larger campaign for economic and social justice. To that end, JwJ has created a network of local coalitions that connect labor, faith-based, community, and student organizations to work together on workplace and community social justice campaigns. JwJ also provides training, coordination and networking at the national level for labor unions and other organizations.
As of 2005, Jobs with Justice coalitions existed in over 40 cities in 29 states in all regions of the country. Individual activists sign the Jobs with Justice pledge to participate five times a year in either their own or someone else's worker rights struggle.
Projects
Faith in ActionJobs with Justice works with progressive religious leaders to support workers' rights and economic justice campaigns. The organization has succeeded in engaging clergy in demonstrations, rallies and protests as well as corporate and comprehensive organizing and collective bargaining campaigns.
Student Labor Action Project (SLAP)
Founded in 1999, SLAP engages students and youth in worker's rights campaigns on their campuses and in their communities. SLAP sponsors the National Student Labor Week of Action, in which students organize protests and educational events in support of workers and unions. SLAP organizes roughly 200 events each year during the Labor Week of Action.
Worker's Rights Boards (WRB)
The WRB strategy was developed as part of a protest at National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
(NLRB) offices in the U.S. in June 1993. More than 7,000 people participated in this experiment, and 400 people were arrested. JwJ has continued to hold WRBs across the country on an as-needed basis to investigate abuse of workers' rights. The boards are often composed of leading clergy, members of Congress, academics, retired judges and others who support workers' rights. WRBs review worker complaints and often conduct public hearings. Employers encouraged to participate, and follow-up meetings with management are sought. The WRB then reports its findings in a public report and press conference and attempts to resolve any disputes between employers and employees. Prominent members of worker's rights boards have included Rep. Major Owens
Major Owens
Major Robert Odell Owens is a New York politician and a prominent member of the Democratic Party. He is also a former Congressman, having represented the state's 11th Congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He retired at the end of his term in January 2007 and was...
(D-N.Y.), Rep. Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich
Dennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
, former labor leader Bill Fletcher, movie producer Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald
Robert Greenwald is an American film director, film producer, and political activist.-Early life:Greenwald was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ruth and Harold Greenwald. He attended the city's High School of Performing Arts...
and others.
Campaigns
Organizing and collective bargaining rightsWorkers' rights are under attack. More than 41 million workers say they want a union, yet workers who attempt to organize face vicious employer opposition. Over the past nineteen years, Jobs with Justice coalitions have proven again and again that when enough of us stand together, we all start winning.
Health care for all
Health care costs are soaring and the system is out of control. The widespread failure of the private sector to provide essential services for working families means that the time is increasingly ripe for a national health care reform movement. We have a real opportunity to “connect the dots” between different campaigns within our network in order to draw a compelling picture of the health care crisis we face and the need for meaningful reform for health care for all.
Immigrant rights
Historically, U.S. and foreign workers have often been pitted against each other, and racism and immigrant bashing have divided workers domestically to the advantage of corporations. Now, Jobs with Justice, along with many others, is bridging the gap between the labor movement and immigrant rights groups as we explore strategies to fight for better living and working conditions for all workers, regardless of their legal status.
Global justice
It is clear that domestic struggles for workers’ rights are inextricably linked to international economic activity and the respect for workers’ rights abroad. JwJ is engaged in a variety of projects to fight for fairness in the global economy, including a collaboration with Indian trade unions, global trade, engagement in the U.S. and World Social Forums, and membership in the group Grassroots Global Justice.
Economic development
JwJ coalitions are fighting for people’s power against corporations; fighting to ensure that community members have a say in what kind of development happens in their neighborhood; fighting for accountable economic development; fighting for not just jobs, but Jobs with Justice.
Corporate accountability
Corporations wield enormous power in our global economy. They manage economies larger than many countries. Jobs with Justice is working to ensure that corporate power is balanced by the human needs of working families and our communities. Corporate power unchecked creates economic tyranny and threatens the core of democracy.
Other campaigns
Jobs with Justice coalitions engage in many other campaigns for social and economic justice in their communities, including: minimum wage, living wage, voter registration, housing justice, criminal justice, environmental projects, and much more.
See also
- Social Movement UnionismSocial Movement UnionismSocial Movement Unionism is a trend of theory and practice in contemporary trade unionism. Strongly associated with the labour movements of developing countries, Social Movement Unionism is distinct from many other models of trade unionism because it concerns itself with more than organising...
- Community UnionismCommunity UnionismCommunity unionism describes the spectrum of ways in which trade unions work collaboratively with community organisations over issues of common importance to both...
- Union OrganizerUnion organizerA union organizer is a specific type of trade union member or an appointed union official. A majority of unions appoint rather than elect their organizers....
- United States Student AssociationUnited States Student AssociationThe United States Student Association , founded in 1947, bills itself as the oldest and largest student association in the United States. It has a historical and current commitment to diversity and breaking the barriers to educational access imposed by inequality and discrimination...