by DC Jobs with Justice | Dec 1, 2011 | About, Newsletter, Press
rnDC Jobs with Justice is proud to announce that Nikki Daruwala will be joining our staff as our new Executive Director!rnrnNikki will be coming to DC JwJ from American Rights at Work, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to promoting the freedom of workers to form unions and bargain collectively. At ARAW she directed the Socially Responsible Business Program, a program she founded six years ago. In this capacity, Nikki engaged with responsible employers, investment professionals, and academic scholars who support ethical corporate labor practices and protect workers’ rights. rnrnPrior to joining American Rights at Work, she established, led, and managed the advocacy programs and strategies at Calvert Investments, including shareholder engagements on a variety of corporate responsibility issues. Previously, she was employed by the Food and Allied Service Trades Department of the AFL-CIO and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), where she contributed to and led national advocacy campaigns to help workers gain union representation and bargaining rights. Nikki is a graduate of Ithaca College and holds an MS in industrial and labor relations from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is a founding member of the Child Labor Coalition, a long-time Girl Scouts leader, and currently serves on the Advisory Committee for the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and the Board of Green America. rnrnWe are excited by the experience and vision Nikki brings to DC JwJ. Though Nikki will not officially start with us until February, you can meet her at our Winter Cabaret on Dec. 10th from 8pm to 11:30pm at St. Stephen’s Church (1525 Newton St NW) in Washington,...
by DC Jobs with Justice | | About
rnDC Jobs with Justice History and Accomplishments:rn rn rnDC Jobs with Justice (DC JwJ) was formed during the summer of 2001 with the purpose of bringing together labor, community, faith-based, and student organizations to build power for working families in Washington, DC. The coalition initially came together in support of efforts by parking garage attendants, most of whom were Ethiopian immigrants, to organize a union. rn rnThe primary issue we have sought to address is the existence of very low-wage jobs with inadequate or no benefits. The result of this situation is that many people who work hard remain poor, often relying on public resources to meet family needs or working multiple jobs to get by. We seek to address this situation by supporting the efforts of workers in these low-wage industries to form unions, thus gaining the power to negotiate with their employers for living wages and family-sustaining benefits. rn rnOver our eleven-year history, we have worked with DC residents, workers, and consumers to build power and win real improvements for working families in Washington, DC. Our victories include leading a coalition to pass Living Wage and Paid Sick Days laws in DC; and helping janitors, hotel workers, parking attendants, and grocery retail store workers win labor contracts with higher wages, paid sick leave, health care benefits, and job security.rn rnThrough all of our campaigns, we are constantly testing and improving strategies developed for consumers, community members, and faith leaders as allies for workers in seeking...
