NEWS

“THOU SHALT NOT WITHOLD WAGES”Deuteronomy, part of the shared scripture of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, has something to say about employer responsibility. “You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy laborers,” the scripture admonishes. “Pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on it.” Yet every day across the nation, workers are denied their fair wages.

Momentum is growing to create an economy that works for everyone, and DC JwJ, along with our national network of local coalitions, is helping to set the agenda. On Saturday, April 25th Global Justice Action and DC JwJ will be hosting an all-day city-wide People’s Economic Forum from 1:00-9:00PM. Check out our recently-released “Economic Meltdown Funnies,”, a tool to help communities understand the history and ideology behind where we are today.
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“This is a community committed to justice,” Chris Zimmerman of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors told a packed room at the Doubletree Crystal City Hotel last Saturday night. More than 100 people tu
ed out for the Community Commission on Worker Justice, to listen to the stories of hotel workers at the Sheraton Crystal City, who are asking their hotel for a free and fair process to form a union.
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This winter, under the shadows of an economic crisis, hundreds of DC residents packed the DC City Council chamber to listen to the testimonies of health and education workers, parents, students, advocates and leaders of the labor community at a hearing held by the DC Workers Rights Board on public sector services.

DC Jobs with Justice has created a pocket-sized booklet of practical English vocabulary and phrases for Day Laborers.

Not only does this help workers communicate with their employers around the work site, but it also provides them with contact information for various English as a Second Language classes in the DC area.

ESL volunteers use these booklets to teach classes twice a week in the Home Depot parking lot off of Rhode Island Avenue NE. r

Join the movement to save public property.
Schools, libraries are not for sale!

Find out:
Whatd does current DC law say about public property disposition (sale, giveaway)?
What does the People’s Property Campaign propose for new DC law?
What does the People’s Property Campaign legislation bill 18-0076 recently introduced by Councilmember Thomas say?
How can you get involved in shaping this bill getting it passed by DC Council?

WHEN: March 30, 2009. 6:30-8:30pm
WHERE: Empower DC. 1419 V St NW. (U St/Cardozo Metro)

RSVP/more info: 202.234.9119