Together, creating a dignified and just workplace and society
I. Newly-Founded 'Coalition for Sustainable Economic Development': Press Conference, Tuesday, April 7th @ Noon: YOU ARE INVITED!
II. Three New Living Wage Employers Certified by the Tompkins County Workers' Center: Now Up to 96!
III. Union Days @ Cornell This Week: Tuesday, 4/7 and Wednesday, 4/8
IV. Workers Memorial Day Breakfast in Syracuse, Friday, April 24th, from 8-10 a.m.: You're Welcome to Join Us!
V.
Workplace Health and Safety Training in Ithaca: Introduction to OSHA
Rights, Tuesday, April 28th (Workers Memorial Day!) from 7-9 p.m.
I. Newly-Founded 'Coalition for Sustainable Economic Development': Press Conference, Tuesday, April 7th @ Noon: YOU ARE INVITED!
PRESS CONFERENCE: COALITION FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CSED) RELEASES TAX ABATEMENT POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
The Tompkins County Workers' Center (TCWC) is a founding member of the new Coalition for Sustainable Economic Development (CSED), an
alliance of local environmental groups, social justice organizations,
business leaders, labor representatives, faith organizations and elected
officials. On Tuesday, April 7th, at noon, the CSED will release our
tax abatement policy recommendations at the site of Renovus Energy's (a
Certified Living Wage Employer) new facility. Renovus' success is
living proof that sustainability principles are compatible with economic
development.
Speakers
-
Irene Weiser - Councilmember, Town of Caroline
-
Joe Sliker - CEO Renovus Energy
-
Kirby Edmonds - Building Bridges Collaborative
-
Stacey Black - IBEW organizer
-
Jan Rhodes Norman - Local First Ithaca
WHERE - Renovus' new facility, 1520 Trumansburg Rd (about 2 miles past hospital, on left, just into Town of Ulysses)
II. Three New Living Wage Employers Certified by the Tompkins County Workers' Center: Now Up to 96!
The Tompkins County Workers' Center is pleased to announce that we now have certified 96 employers as being Living Wage Employers, having just recently added the latest three such employers:
The
Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes; Cinemapolis Theater; and
Tompkins County Recycling, LLC, employ a total of 31 workers; this
brings the total of workers, countywide and regionally, who are working
for Living Wage Employers up to over 2,988 people.
Says Brett Bossard, Executive Director of Cinemapolis: "As a community
institution, the board and I agreed that it was important that
Cinemapolis’ values of equality and access to the arts for all be
reflected in the way we treated our employees. The staff at the cinema
provides a much needed and valued community service, and they should be
compensated fairly for their labor."
The
successful campaign to encourage Tompkins County Recycling, LLC (a
subsidiary of Casella Waste Systems) to pay its workers a Living Wage is
a great example of the 'concerted action'
of two workers in the workplace, Milton Webb and Stanley McPherson,
acting in solidarity with each other, and in coordination with a
community campaign as organized by the TCWC alongside many supportive
County Legislative members.
Says
Tompkins County Recycling worker, Milton Webb, who helped to spearhead
the campaign: "You know, the guys who are working here do a lot of good
work, we work hard and we need that Living Wage. For all of us that are
receiving nine or ten dollars an hour and got bumped up to over $12.62
at the beginning of February, we really appreciate this. They will have
the pay that they need and that they deserve. They’ll have money to put
in the bank. This will make things better for families, for the
economy, for everybody. The money will be spent right here in Ithaca. To
all of the people who don’t earn a Living Wage because they’re employer
won’t pay a Living Wage, hang in there, it’s coming."
The
Workers' Center initiated the Living Wage Employer Certification
Program in 2006 to publicly recognize and reward those employers who pay
a living wage. Any employer in the private, public, and non-profit
sectors is eligible to apply. With your help, we can provide incentives
for other employers in our community! Please go to http://www.tcworkerscenter.org/community/certified-employers/ to find out which employers are Living Wage-Certified, as well as to download criteria and an application form.
III. Union Days @ Cornell This Week: Tuesday, 4/7 and Wednesday, 4/8
- Tefere Gebre, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, will give the keynote speech on Wednesday, April 8, 4:30-6:00pm, in 105 Ives Hall.
Additional events include:
- Wednesday,
April 8 (11:30am – 1pm, 225 ILR CC, lunch provided): Internationally
known labor muralist and street artist Mike Alewitz’s audiovisual
presentation of art that has been part of working-class struggles.
IV. Workers Memorial Day Breakfast in Syracuse, Friday, April 24th, from 8-10 a.m.: You're Welcome to Join Us!
Friday, April 24th from 8-10 a.m. at Pensabene's Casa Grande
Restaurant in Syracuse, 135 State Fair Boulevard. The Workers' Center
has purchased a table. If you're interested in joining us, please let us
know at TCWRH@tcworkerscenter.org or by calling 607-269-0409.
Every year, the Tompkins County Workers' Center (TCWC), the Midstate Council for Occupational Safety and Health, the Occupational Health Clinical Center (and many other local organizations, see below) observe Workers Memorial Day to
remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew our
commitment to worker's health and safety. This year the struggle
continues to find ways to create good jobs that are:
· safe and healthy;
· pay a Living Wage;
· allow workers to speak out and bargain for respect;
· ensure the freedom of workers to form unions;
· provide a better future.
If you would like to be a part of a local carpool to Syracuse on
4/24, or would like more information on attending or sponsoring the
event on your own, please let us know at the TCWC, by contacting 607-269-0409 or by emailing TCWRH@tcworkerscenter.org
Sponsors Occupational Health Clinical Centers; CNY Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO; Greater Syracuse Labor Council, AFL-CIO; Workers' Center of Central New York; Tompkins County Workers' Center; Greater Syracuse Council of Occupational Safety and Health; Workforce Development Institute; Worker Safety and Health Coalition of Central New York; Injured Workers Bar Association; Syracuse University Maxwell School Labor Studies Group; Upstate New York Workers' Center Alliance; Social Justice Committee of First Universalist Society of Central Square
V.
Workplace Health and Safety Training in Ithaca: Introduction to OSHA
Rights, Tuesday, April 28th (Workers Memorial Day!) from 7-9 p.m.
This interactive workshop is for anyone who works for a living!
Workplace hazards include: cleaning materials exposure, construction
hazards, workplace violence, stress at work, repetitive motion work
tasks….
PLUMBERS LOCAL 267 HALL, 701 W. State St., Ithaca
WORKERS’ MEMORIAL DAY*, Tuesday, April 28, 7-9pm
Training presented by the Tompkins County Workers Center and Midstate
Council for Occupatoinal Safety and Health. For further information call
607-269-0409 or 607-275-9560.
If you think you can make it to the training, please let us know either
by responding to this email or by calling one of the above numbers.
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