by DC Jobs with Justice | Feb 13, 2009 | Projects, Student Labor Outreach Project
rnAdd worker unrest to the economic problems facing the Gap. Last Sunday, the clothing retailer’s Georgetown store was picketed by local students who are supporting Teamsters who have been on strike against Gap contractor Oak Harbor Freight Lines since last September. The workers struck after the company cut healthcare benefits for workers and retirees. rnrn”People seemed genuinely interested in what was going on,” said the Georgetown Solidarity Committee’s Joe Parker. “It was a very energetic event, and even the manager seemed concerned about the situation with Oak Harbor.”rn- Originally printed in Union...
by DC Jobs with Justice | Dec 3, 2008 | Projects, Student Labor Outreach Project
Students from American, Georgetown, and UMD traveled down to Ft. Benning in Georgia to attend the annual rally to close the SOA-WHINSEC. Every year, groups from around the country arrive in Georgia to protest the US government’s continued support of the SOA – where students are taught tactics in torture, interrogation, and terror. The event lasted three days, and students were given the chance to attend various lectures that covered topics of social and economic justice.rnrnStudents were also given the opportunity to meet and interact with other activists from around the country, including USAS chapters from the University of Michigan and the University of Southern Mississippi. A labor caucus was held to tie domestic struggles at home with fights for justice abroad, and discuss the greater implications of high labor standards in America. All in all, the trip was a great experience for DC SLAP schools, and we look forward to next year’s rally.rnrn-Reported by Joseph Tso, photo by Linda Panetta, courtesy of...
by DC Jobs with Justice | Dec 21, 2007 | Projects, Student Labor Outreach Project
Wearing bright yellow t-shirts reading “Burger King exploits farmworkers,” over 1,500 members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW)and their allies – including DC-based leaders and activists — marched through Miami last Friday, November 30, to demand that Burger King work with the CIW to raise farmworker wages and address sweatshop conditions in the fields. rnrnThe high-energy, colorful procession made its way across the city to the beats of hip-hop and son jarocho, lively music from Veracruz, Mexico, as chants such as “si se puede!” echoed through the streets. The 9-mile march linked Goldman Sachs, the private equity firm that owns part of Burger King, to Burger King’s national headquarters for a rally and candlelight vigil.rnrnThe rally featured the presentation of a pile of worn work boots to a Burger King representative, asking company executives to walk a mile in farmworkers’ shoes, in response to Burger King’s claim that farmworker poverty was a “myth.” Farmworkers currently make 40-45 cents for every 32-lb bucket of tomatoes picked, receive no overtime pay, healthcare or benefits, and are denied the right to organize. In extreme cases, workers have been held against their will in documented cases of modern-day slavery. rnrnReported by Ashwini Jaisingh, originally published in Union City,...
by DC Jobs with Justice | Jul 23, 2007 | Projects, Student Labor Outreach Project
rnHelp us "SLAP Corporate Greed"! E-mail dcslapintern@yahoo.com to get involved!rn rn rnWHAT IS DC SLAP? rn rn rnSLAP is here as a resource to anyone who is interested in the fight for social and economic justice. We invite everyone to help us in this fight at whatever level they feel most comfortable with. We maintain a listserv and have semi-regular meetings to keep each other up to date on our various campaigns. We stay local and we go national. We work on campus and we work in the DC community. We are here as a student voice for change.rn rn rnSLAP has been in DC since 2000 and in that time students at all of DC’s campuses have been involved in both right to organize and ethical contracting campaigns. Students at UMD, GM, Howard, Johns Hopkins, CUA, AU, GWU, and GU have all been involved in supporting workers at their campuses.rn rn rnWHAT IS THE HISTORY OF SLAP, NATIONALLY? rn rn rnThe Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) is a joint initiative of Jobs with Justice and the United States Student Association that engages student organizations in economic justice campaigns. JwJ coalitions around the country house local SLAPs that connect students from multiple campuses. SLAP supports the growing student movement for economic justice by making links between campus and community organizing, providing skills training to build lasting student organizations, and developing campaigns that win concrete victories for working families. Additionally, SLAP partners with student organizations such as United Students Against Sweatshops, MEChA, Student-Farmworker Alliance, Student Action with Farmworkers, and Not With Our Money to build a strong student movement for...
