Since December of 2012, the NE JLC has been working to pass the Massachusetts Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (DWBR), which would establish basic workplace rights for nannies, housekeepers and caregivers employed in private homes. For example, the NE JLC mobilized people to go the State House to advocate for the DWBR, organized living room talks to raise awareness of conditions for domestic workers among those who employ them, and spoke about the DWBR at several synagogues. Through the advocacy of the NE JLC, the Somerville Board of Alderman voted unanimously to support the DWBR.The DWBR passed in the State House and was signed by the Governor on July 2nd, 2014. NE JLC will continue to work to educate the Jewish community and help implement the bill.
JLC Advisory Board Meeting Report: June 24, 2014
[gallery type="square" ids="396,397,398,399,400,401,402,403,404,405,406,407,408,409,410,411,412,413,414,415,416,417,418,419,420,421,422,423,424,425,426,427,428,429,430,431,432,433,434,435,436,437,438,439,440,441,442,443,444,445,446,447,448,449"]Attendees: Representative Ruth Balser, Representative Marjorie Decker, Sheila Decter, Mark Erlich, Mike Felsen, Abby Flam, Joanne Goldstein, Jim Green, Matt Hills, Phil Katz, Rabbi Allan Lehmann, Rabbi David Lerner, Aliza Levine, Bob Ross, Jerry Rubin, Rich Rogers, Dahlia Rudavsky, Enid Shapiro, Eugene Sheppard, Neil Silverston, Senator Dan Wolf, Susan Webber, and Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu.JLC Board members in attendance: Stephanie Ainbinder, Marya Axner, Dick Bauer, Dave Borrus, Maydad Cohen, Nicole Decter, Monica Halas, Corey Hope Leaffer, Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Jacob Schlitt, and Don Siegel. Also Volunteer Consultant to the Board Martin Abramowitz.Additionally Darlene Lombos of Community Labor United attended as a guest speaker.We were thrilled with our second annual Advisory Board meeting which took place June 24th at the New England Carpenters Union Hall. As was true of last year’s event there were many bright and powerful people in the room. The approximately 40 people who attended were thoughtful, experienced, savvy leaders who work in the labor movement, are elected officials, or are Jewish community activists.Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Co-Chair of the New England Jewish Labor Committee (NE JLC), shared with us the teaching that we are not required to complete the task, but we need to start the work. She thanked the Advisory Board for the thinking, sharing and support that help our organization set priorities and build working alliances with labor, government and academia.Rabbi Penzner also spoke about our accomplishments this year, highlighting passage of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, winning union representation for the workers of Le Meridien Hotel in Cambridge, and reaching a national agreement between UNITE HERE and Hyatt Hotels. She noted that, while this improved working conditions for Hyatt workers across the country, it did not address the situation of the workers of the Boston Hyatt Hotels, so the boycott continues here in Boston (see attached, “NE JLC Report of Activities July 2013-June 2014” for a full report of NE JLC accomplishments)Darlene Lombos of Community Labor United and Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu spoke about the problem of wage theft and the underground economy as well as plans to respond to these serious structural issues. Councilor Wu will be introducing an ordinance addressing wage theft to the Boston City Council this year.This presentation was the start of a larger conversation in which we asked people to think about and discuss areas which the NE JLC should focus on in the next year.We divided into groups and addressed these questions:
- In addressing wealth and income inequality, what issues should the NE JLC focus on in the coming year?
- How can we best support workers?
Following is a summary of what people said in small groups:
- Income inequality is a topic that people are currently interested in. People in our community need more education about income inequality and the forces that continue to cause inequality to grow. For example, people need to learn about wage theft and the underground economy, as these fuel the economic divide. Educating the Jewish community about these issues is a role the NE JLC can play. People need to understand how these issues affect their local communities. People in the suburbs may be affected differently and that needs to be taken into account in our outreach.
- We can appeal to the conscience of Jewish employers and their Jewish values. For example, we could meet with a group of Jewish developers.
- We should have a discussion about the impact of poverty:
o Whose responsibility is poverty?
o What is the impact of poverty and corresponding low wages?
- While we celebrate the passage of the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (DWBR), we need to continue supporting domestic workers by helping to implement the bill. We can organize the Jewish community in the Boston area around implementation, as the Jewish community has done in New York.
- We should continue supporting hotel workers and other private sector workers. Increasing union density is key to increasing the effectiveness of unions.
- The adjunct professors campaign is a good issue for outreach to the Jewish community. There is a Jewish presence among adjuncts, and Jewish families with children in college will resonate with this campaign.
- People who try to promote social justice work in synagogues are often up against resistance to any action that might be “political.” Those people need support. The NE JLC community could help provide that support. It could help bring synagogues together on these worker issues. The NE JLC can play a role in Tzedek Reflections, which is a newly formed group of people from different synagogues, (but not representing different synagogues), who are organizing around a variety of social justice issues.
- With two Jewish candidates in the Governor’s race, we could host a candidates’ forum.
- We need to help people understand that worker issues are part of our core Jewish values. For example, to pay a living wage is a Jewish value.
- We should stay connected to the “Raise-Up” coalition and partner with synagogues on its goals.
All of these issues will be brought to the next meeting of the NEJLC Board as we begin to set priorities for the coming year.
Boycott the Harvard-owned Allston DoubleTree Hotel
On Thursday, March 27th a boycott was launched at the Harvard-owned DoubleTree Hotel in Allston. The New England Jewish Labor Committee is supporting this worker-intiated boycott of the DoubleTree. We are supporting hotel workers who have asked Harvard to grant them a fair process in deciding on unionization. Harvard has thus far refused to meet with hotel workers. A boycott is a serious step for the DoubleTree workers because it could mean fewer hours for them.More than 200 people came to the march and rally at the DoubleTree to show their support. There were DoubleTree workers, New England Jewish Labor Committee members, UNITE HERE members from other hotels, union leaders, Harvard students, Cambridge City Council members, and others who came to show their support for the workers.We ask all Jewish community organizations and individuals to observe this boycott and have their events and celebrations in other hotels. For a guide to hotels in Boston, click here.
Governor Patrick praises outgoing Labor Secretary Joanne Goldstein at 14th Annual Labor Seder
Governor Deval Patrick kicked off the Fourteenth Annual Labor Seder last Tuesday at Temple Israel in Boston by saying that former Secretary of Labor Joanne Goldstein “was the best Secretary of Labor the Commonwealth has ever had.” The New England Jewish Labor Committee (NE JLC) honored Goldstein with the Clara Lemlich Shavelson Award for lifetime commitment to workers in Massachusetts.
“How fitting that we are gathered here for a Seder, the quintessential Jewish expression of freedom, which includes for me economic and social justice and the human right to life, free of poverty and complete with dignity,” Goldstein observed.
The Labor Seder draws parallels between the liberation of Jews from slavery and current issues facing workers. This year, the NE JLC recognized the Massachusetts Coalition of Domestic Workers and their effort to get the proposed Domestic Workers Bill of Rights passed. The NE JLC also recognized workers of the Harvard-owned DoubleTree Hotel in Allston who are asking the hotel for a neutrality agreement on deciding on union representation. Additionally, the Pathways Pre-apprenticeship program was recognized for helping people in underserved communities get good jobs in the trades.
Rabbi Barbara Penzner of Temple Hillel B’nai Torah in West Roxbury and incoming Co-Chair of the NE JLC led the Labor Seder. “The Labor Seder celebrates its 14th anniversary this year. In Hebrew letters, 14 spells the word ‘yad’ which means hand. That's what this event is all about--giving a helping hand to lift people up with better jobs, and to join hands together as allies to bring liberation to our world, just as our ancestors were liberated from Egypt.”
Yehuda Yaakov, the new Consul General of Israel, attended the Labor Seder even though workers at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including all consuls around the world, is on strike. The NE JLC asked him to come despite the strike so that the participants could express solidarity with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs workers.
Every year, Jewish community leaders, labor leaders, elected officials, and community activists gather at the Labor Seder to celebrate the holiday of Passover. The story of Passover tells how Jewish slaves in Egypt broke the chains of oppression and fought together for liberation and freedom. The Labor Seder is a unique interfaith event where we build bridges that enable us all to pursue justice with greater strength and commitment. We hope you will join us next year!
Film Screening of "Inequality for All" at Temple Israel on May 1st
Join us at Temple Israel of Boston for a screening of the new film,
INEQUALITY FOR ALL featuring Robert Reich
On Thursday, May 1st, 7:00-9:00 PM
At Temple Israel, 477 Longwood Ave Boston, MA 02215
For more information about the film visit the website at www.inequalityforall.com.
Sponsored by the New England Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, and Temple Israel
Announcing the NE JLC's new blog: The Kolot Project
The Kolot Project, or the Voices Project, is a forum for New England’s Jewish community to think, discuss, and advocate for workers' rights and empowerment.The Kolot Project will be comprised of bi-weekly "guest posts" from a variety of people who provide a unique and important voice on issues at the intersection of Judaism and worker’s rights. We expect posts from workers, employers, labor organizers, and political and religious leaders. Our first blogger is incoming Co-Chair of the NE JLC, Rabbi Barbara Penzner. Our second blogger will be outgoing Massachusetts Secretary of Labor, Joanne Goldstein.Please visit the Kolot Project at www.kolotproject.net.