Standing at Bread and Roses' Tribute to Change last night, I was reminded that we should make sure to highlight two important victories in the last couple of weeks by Philly and PA's progressive labor movement. They have each been mentioned on YPP before, but I think it is worthwhile to do so again...

First, and what jogged my memory, last night, Bread and Roses honored Thomas Robinson, a security guard for Allied Barton, for his work with Jobs with Justice and others to secure sick pay for his fellow guards.

The absurdity of refusing to give security guards sick days smacks me in the face every day, when I walk into a law school where tuition and fees alone cost $44,000, guarded by people paid too little, with inhumane work contracts. Organizing workers at big institutions who are working for a faceless third party is especially challenging, but Jobs with Justice (led locally by sometimes YPP poster Fabricio Rodriquez), and its POWR campaign are doing it.

Second, thanks to a years long struggle, Pennsylvania nurses won a victory for themselves, their patients and progressive labor, when the Senate last week passed a bill that bans mandatory overtime:

The bill, which took seven years to pass, ensures that nurses and other caregivers will not be forced to work double shifts - a common practice at hospitals and other facilities, and one that can be dangerous for nurses and patients alike.

According to a 2004 study by University of Pennsylvania researcher Ann Rogers, the risk of medical error was as much as three times higher when a nurse worked a shift of 12 1/2 hours or longer.

"Some of these nurses are working for 18, 24 hours without a break," state Sen. Christine Tartaglione said. "And, in a lot of cases, they're the last line of defense for a patient. If they're tired, if they're not on top of their games, it could be a life-or-death situation."

Kati Sipp, who told us last week that this went down, deserves much credit for this. As with pretty much all progressive labor struggles, a win is not just a win for a discrete set of workers.

Both are terrific developments, and a testament to persistence and hard work.

Tonight, AFL-CIO Leader Tells You How

For years the Democratic Party lost ground among working-class, white, males. These voters make up more than half of the electorate and many political scientists believe that the appeal of social conservative issues by the Republicans has helped convince them to vote against their own economic self-interest.

The Wall Street Journal reports today though, that an AFL-CIO effort called Working America, combined with the Obama 50 state strategy may have shifted enough of these voters into the blue column to turn the tide….

POWR Update!

Approximately 70 people attended the Philadelphia Officers and Workers Rising (POWR) campaign rally and "Blessing of the Hands" Ceremony on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Sunday, Sept. 7.

Within hours of our arrival, the museum announced that they were considering starting a new sick-leave policy (up to three days per year for full time workers who have been at the property for three years).

Though this benefit is far from what we have demanded, we are glad to know that the museum is headed in the right direction. We still need your support to make sure that the museum does not stop short of family sustaining wages, affordable health care and a real paid sick-leave policy. You can sign our online petition here

Here is a slide show of some of the speakers...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Activists Hope For Progress Soon

Philadelphia, PA, September 8, 2008- On Sunday, September 7, hundreds of art lovers browsed the galleries at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. They came to see the art and also to make a statement. The message that they wanted to deliver to the museum managers and security guards was printed on stickers that they wore, “My Security Guard Deserves Paid Sick Days.”

“I am sure Gerry Lenfest has heard our demands. More than 2,000 supporters in the last two weeks have stood up for living wages, paid-sick leave and affordable health care for the guards by signing petitions and visiting the museum,” states Fabricio Rodriguez, Executive Director of Jobs with Justice the community organization that is coordinating the effort. Lenfest is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and millionaire philanthropist.

Support these workers by visiting the Museum of Art tomorrow. Grab a support sticker from one of our activists. Thanks!

A faith-based movement to win paid sick-leave is growing in Philadelphia and is now pushing for changes at one of Philadelphia’s most iconic institutions.

A week long celebration of workers, which began in twenty churches in Philadelphia on Labor Day Weekend, will culminate with a “Blessing of the Hands” ceremony at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Sunday, September 7.

Contact: Fabricio Rodriguez, Executive Director, Philadelphia Jobs with Justice, 215-670-5855, Fabricio@phillyjwj.org

For Immediate Release: September 3, 2008

“Blessing of the Hands” Ceremony for Museum Security Guards with Bishop Dwayne Royster

Religious Event will call on Museum to Provide Sub-Contracted Workers with Paid Sick-Leave

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/PMALaborDay

20 CONGREGATIONS PRAY FOR SICK-PAY AT PMA- Labor Faithful Press Museum From The Pews

Philadelphia, PA, August 31, 2008- 130 security guards have the important job of taking care of the visitors and collections at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Activists and thousands of supporters this weekend will pray that these guards will soon be treated as well as other city subcontracted workers under the Living Wage Ordinance.

The Living Wage Ordinance which was signed by Mayor Michael Nutter in April 2008 states that city-supported businesses and sub-contractors must pay employees $10.67 per hour and benefits. The security officers at the Philadelphia Museum are paid $10.16 per hour. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, though it receives $2.5 million from the City of Philadelphia, roughly two-thirds of what the museum spends on security, the resources are considered a general contribution.

Philadelphian's have expressed their moral values for the way that we expect workers to be treated when City Council passed the Living Wage Ordinance. The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) has taken more than $10 million in tax payer money and many millions more in donated facilities. Despite the museums reliance on the support of Philadelphians, the PMA leaders scoff at the moral values expressed by the Living Wage Ordinance. The PMA is using your tax money to harm workers. This Labor Day, stand up to the PMA with the POWR campaign.

For more information contact Fabricio at Jobs with Justice via www. phillyjwj.org or the Lava Space.

Download poster and petitions here...

Pabst and politics at the Tritone. The proceeds go to Jobs with Justice and the fund to buy Eduardo a new liver.

JUDGE FINDS MOPAC WORKERS UNJUSTLY FIRED – Meat Processing Workers Find Justice Long Over Due

Philadelphia, PA, May 27, 2008- Judge George Aleman finds that five workers who lead a work stoppage after not receiving the expected Christmas bonus were acting within their rights.

On December 15, 2006, workers at the Moyer Rendering Plant in Souderton, PA were angered to find out that their employer was not going to give out the traditional Christmas bonuses.

“Every year they gave us bonuses. We really looked forward to it to get through the holidays and maybe have something extra under the tree for the kids, “ says Maria Garcia, one of the five workers that was involved in the work stoppage that was fired.

“We did not refuse to go back to work to get bonuses. The workers united to get some answers.” States Maximo Franklin another worker dismissed shortly after the brief strike.

Jornadas de más de doce horas seguidas, sin derecho a sindicatos, baños insalubres, abusos arbitrarios por parte de los empleadores, racismo y aprensión hacía los trabajadores menos calificados. Cada una de estas situaciones no fueron obtenidas de titulares provenientes de países del tercer mundo...

Forty years ago today, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot dead in Memphis, where he was fighting alongside trash collectors who were trying to improve their working conditions, wages and benefits through unionization. All of the trash collectors were black.

Today, similar struggles continue.

It is sad to see a new group of black workers who must fight against the odds to win their rights and a voice on the job.