low wages mean deciding between impossible trade off's: paying this month's health care bill vs. rent bill

Workers and Chicago religious leaders had a chance to sit down together at the AFSCME union office on August 1 for an informal dinner, where the faith leaders could learn about the reality for low wage workers in patient support at Resurrection Hospitals, now the second largest chain in Chicago, as you may recall from our action together in June. The corporation seems to be headed in the opposite direction from its Catholic mission at the moment, and so faith leaders are stepping up to help workers put the pressure on the hospital, such that they can get a union and advocate for what they deserve, without fear of losing their jobs.

When these workers from the laundry, housekeeping and food service departments at these various Chicago hospitals in the Resurrection chain, came together- they found that their experiences were validated by each other in the accompanying branches. These workers might not have met up with each other, if not for the union helping to bring them together, with the goal of getting the managers at the hospital to engage in a dialogue with workers. As workers from all of these various branches of the system compared notes- the emerging threads exposed very similar kinds of injustices- as system-wide ones at Resurrection.

Parents reported that they were burdeoned with the costs associated with the 'in house' health insurance plan offered by Resurrection. They have co-pays for each child at every doctor visit. They have to pay 20% of the costs of any medical care. They already pay $230 out of each pay period- just to receive the Resurrection insurance. This is toally not working for these folks who are getting $9/hour.

The comparison to the salary for a CEO of a Resurrection branch hospital is $500 an hour. The interfaith religious leaders who attended the dinner and listened to the issues the workers are facing, became alarmed. One pastor from the United Church of Christ, Rev. Randall Doubet-King stated, 'Every one of the workers in this room, making these low wages at Resurrection, would without a doubt technically fall below the poverty line, according to the latest report from the Hearltand Alliance that studies basic needs, living wages, and base standards of living in Chicago." The meeting included an analysis by the union of just how far short the wages are for workers at Resurrection. Using self-sufficiency standards of the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago, even the highest rate on Resurrection's wage scale for patient support staff, is too low to support even the smallest of families in the Chicago area, such as for a single parent of one school-age child. This exposes the inadequacy of Resurrection's latest move to try to appear to be increasing wages.

Resurrection recently announced that all patient support workers will start at $9/hour (up from $8.50) and will be capped at $13. 50/hr. The increases per year will be about 3%. We learned that miniscule increases can not begin to bring people to a living wage. We heard from one man who has worked for 27 years in patient support at Resurrection's St. Francis hospital, and his bit by bit gradual pay increases over nearly three decades now, mean that he is still not even making $13.50/hr. yet!

The meeting garnered energy among both workers and clergy for a next event to be a public prayer vigil at one of the hospitals. Full time workers providing support to our loved ones who have to go in to a Chicago hospital-- should not have to decide between paying their own health care versus paying the rent. When worker testimonies speak- they mobilize us all. Will post news from our vigil too...

Communication is Vital!!!

Hello Peace People,

It's been a long time - sorry for that. Let's just say that it's been a long/short crazy trip of an experience here in Tejas. Wow, this has all has definitely been interesting. So now, more than ever I am realizing and reinforcing my belief that communication is so vital and crucial. However, in this continuing realization, it's really hard and complicated to communicate with people at times, especially when so much is or can be attached. In the process of communicating we try to find that common ground, that middle page. Finally, I think I am coming to understand that here, but it is definitely difficult and needless to say, a struggle. All in all I wish I had more words for you all now, but I have simply been trying to find the words for myself and process it all. There was a full breakdown of communication, but now is the time to clarify, move on, let go, and keep focused and passionate in this struggle of creating and maintaining a better society, a better world for us all! Thankfully, even when empowering environments are limited or even seem to be, we can still acknowledge and appreciate our similarities, our differences for no one, nothing can strip us of our human connection. We may do things differently, communicate in various ways, but for me, I believe in and appreciate the truth that even with such, we are still doing - we are still active and that's what counts and matters. There is no single, let alone right path, but at least we can walk it (even talk through it) together if we allow ourselves to do so!

Last Tuesday I was fortunate enough to attend a presidential debate at Soldier Field (This is the same one mentioned in the previous entry by Beau). It was for union members and their families only. The focus was "Working Families" and each of the Democratic candidates were present: Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Kucinich, Obama, and Richardson. I was looking forward to going, but I wasn't overly excited. Once I got there though I realized how awesome it was that I was there. I've seen debates on TV but never in person. It was great to be right there where the action was. Unfortunately it was 8000 degrees out, but we survived! There were 17,000 people in attendance - imagine that energy! Some pics from my cell phone:

This is one from before it started with all the candidates up front. I haven't been a huge Hilary fan, but I must admit it was pretty fabulous to see a woman up there! Maybe that will be me someday?!


Here's a pic of Barack Obama on the big screen...


And Kucinich...


If you'd like to watch the debate online or read an article about it, click here....

Walking Home from the Presidential Debate

Last night the AFL-CIO sponsored a Presidential Forum here in Chicago. 15,000 union members and their families watched 7 presidential hopefuls discuss issues important to working families. When I signed up for this internship, I never expected having the opportunity to walk a picket line with two (and counting!) candidates or attending an actual debate. For a political junkie like myself, these added perks have really added to this experience. While I will resist the temptation to offer my own thoughts, insights, and analysis of the debate and the 2008 race, perhaps the most profound experience of the whole evening occurred on the walk home. Walking back to the office after grabbing dinner, several of the organizers and myself passed one of the hotels represented by Local 1. One of the doormen came out of the hotel because a customer was arriving and, noticing all of us in our UNITE-HERE t-shirts, proudly proclaimed "We're UNITE-HERE!" and then gave one of the organizers a fist-five (is that what you call a high-five with fists?). The moment was completely spontaneous and seeing the genuine pride he held from being part of the union completely made my day, presidential debate and all.

no picket line for us!

Last couple of says, we have been busy, not with actions, but with the educational materials we have been developing for the religious community in Phoenix area. We have been having interviews with community leaders and a curriculum coordinator. Finally we decided to come up with a study guide for the religious community. We have been writing papers on the common themes that came up from the interviews and meetings.

John Edwards walks the picket line

Today at the Congress Hotel Picket line Senator (and presidential candidate) John Edwards stopped by. Granted, he only stayed about 10 minutes and only walked around a few times, but it's still good for these candidates to stop by. It gives the strike more publicity, and it's important for these influential people to show their support. We had a great time making some noise and there were probably about 100 people there. Barack Obama came a couple weeks ago (unfortunately I missed it) and I heard he stayed a bit longer than Edwards. Here's a picture of Edwards during his mini-speech (taken on my cell so not the greatest quality)....and don't forget to tell all your friends if they come to Chicago to NOT stay at the Congress!!! http://www.congresshotelstrike.info/

Wind in my sail

I would like to second the importance of momentum especially in the organizing area. My spirit always gets re-energized when I find people in the community who will take the initiative to work for justice and build community. Each day this week I have met people who have been excited about the creation of the worker center that they will make presentations and pass out flyers on behalf of the center!

The humidity has had the ability to reduce the spirit and to just focus the needs of my own self-interest. Instead the will of God is not letting me quit earlier or take things at a comfortable pace. I have to remember that every little positive relationship that has been built is a victory for the center because this expands our network of members within the community.

Inspiration

Today I watched as one of the key leaders (ie. food service worker) practically led a meeting all by himself. It was amazing to watch how far he had come. I remember meeting him just 4 weeks ago and he said he didn't think he'd have too much time to meet with clergy with us, but that he'd try. Try he has! He is a strong leader, and an excellent speaker. He spoke about food service workers much better than I could have and definitely gave me inspiration as we keep on meeting with more and more clergy for endorsements. In just 3 weeks we have nearly 40! Meaning we will definitely surpass our goal for the summer of 50. Yay!

Back in the proverbial "saddle"

Texas in July is best described as "miserably hot." I know this because my denomination's General Assembly took place last week, so I got a week long break from the internship to enjoy Texas in July. Needless to say, I find amazing truth in the Genesis passage that reads, "When in Texas during July, God created air-conditioning and called it Good." The downside of such a break (besides the heat...) was a disruption in my work with the union. Much of the momentum I had built up over the last several weeks dissipated because of the break and the last few days has been a concerted effort of getting caught up on the status of various campaigns and remembering where I was in my own work before my Texas vacation.

This experience powerfully demonstrates the importance of momentum to any movement in general and to community organizing in particular. Success and rewarding experiences on the job accumulate into powerful positive forces that drive your work and push you forward. One is often unaware of the role momentum plays in one's drive, but becomes acutely aware once the momentum is lost. The task now is to catch it again and continue to move forward. Thankfully, Saturday brings another presidential candidate to town and the opportunity to once again get behind the bullhorn!

Unions. Love them, hate them.

Despite how glorious it was to hear the mission of organized labor within the confines of Orientation at North Park University the practical realities of organized labor have personified the decline of organized labor in the workplace. The UFCW Local in rural Indiana has a tainted track record amongst their members at the Tyson meatpacking plant. When I tell them that the UFCW provided the initial funding and direction of the center workers begin becoming skeptical of the center.

For the last few years the workers at the Tyson meatpacking plant have complained about the lack of attention the union reps and stewards direct to their needs. Some will accuse that one of the reps works for Tyson rather than the union. Since I have arrived in Logansport, the breakdown in the relationship between the reps and the workers are a two-edge sword.

I read an article in the Social Policy magazine http://www.socialpolicy.org/ called "Overcoming Addition" 12 steps that labor unions need to do to overcome the corporate, power structure that they are organizing against to better the lives of its members. Reps and organizers have not been doing a good job at building leadership amongst their members and the members are expecting the union to do everything for them and not realizing that being a member of a union requires work on their behalf.

Many of the workers do not attend the meetings at the union halls and pay $25 a month for their dues without demanding anything in return and some workers can care less.

Even though the center is in its earliest phases I hope that it will be a place that the community and workers can develop leadership qualities can build positive, effective change and have them realize their own power.

dinner with workers and religious leaders is building toward public prayer vigil action

I have had the honor this summer of working at a placement that on some levels may seem a bit dreamy: a labor union that has a staff person devoted to mobilizing community religious support for the workers at Resurrection Hospitals in Chicago who are trying to form their union. In other words, this is a union that has put a high value on the power of the voice of religous leaders-- to be of service to winning justice for workers. This AFSCME Local 31 has been an extraordinary place to jump in, to learn, to grow, and to contribute the strengths that I may bring, to their efforts already underway in harnessing the support of concerned people of faith- to help workers form a union, in support of improving their standard of living and working. I couldn't have imagined being more welcomed, resourced, supported, and nurtured in a summer internship, in a new 'culture'. I have had the pleasure of working alongside another intern, also placed here at AFSCME for the summer, who is from the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. It has added a nice element of daily interfaith collaboration, as we learn together about each other's spheres... she as a rabbinical student preparing to be a cantor, and me in my Protestant United Church of Christ (UCC) circles, as I preparation for ordination to be a local parish minister in the UCC.

I want to offer one example of the ways that this site showed me that they were invested in a positive learning experience for their interns. They had stated, before I even got here, that they are invested in fostering future connections between faith leaders and labor movements- and they hoped that my internship might help plant seeds that will help more of us become allies over the long haul. So I was not entirely surprised, although I was wholly impressed, that my supervisor laid out a specific project for this summer, that she imagined would be 'do-able', from start (including planning, and mapping it out), to finish (involving executing it, and then evaluating it,) all within the (what is passing so quickly!) few weeks that we were interning.

Since many of you-- Seminary Summer and IWJ interns, plus IWJ staff, and IWJ national conference attenders, were the ones who helped launch a great start to our summer at AFSCME with your participation in the downtown Chicago action on June 19, 2007 at the Catholic Health Association (CHA) meeting, I am happy to give you an update on what has been happening since then. Even with hundreds of us picketing outside the CHA meeting, we have not received a response from Sr. Carol Keehan of the CHA, and so we have continued to support workers with next steps. We are building toward two exciting events coming up as part of a particular campaign addressing the issues of low wage workers at the nine different Resurrection Hospitals in what has now become a corporatized chain in Chicago- the second largest in the city. While the hospital system has profited, the workers in the food service, laundry, and environmental services are only making $9 per hour, on which to raise their families.

I recently went on a home visit with one of the AFSCME organizers and met Leon, a part time food service worker, who is struggling with diabetes. He states he has to choose each month whether his wages should go to rent or to health insurance because he can not coverboth on his income. (I did well to bite my tongue as a stipended intern and student who can really relate to that, yes? Do I hear an "Amen"!?) Anyway, Leon is a marginalized worker who takes great risks to step forward, but nonetheless, he has signed a petition to ask the CEO of the hospital system to increase the hourly wages, and allow the profits being made, to trickle down to those such as himself, who do the often un-noticed work of pushing food trays, or cleaning bathrooms. He even gave an interview, complete with his picture, to an AFSCME newsletter, reporting on low wage workers struggles.

For any of you who are Chicago-based, please accept my invitation to join one or both of our upcoming actions where you will hear from Leon and other workers who are asking for a living wage. You will also be joining other religious leaders of all different faiths, to stand with their Catholic brothers and sisters who have asked that this (after almost five years) becomes an interfaith religious effort- to help amplify their critiique of the mission of Resurrection Hospitals in Chicago.

August 1st is an informal dinner at 6 pm at AFSCME at the 5509 N. Cumberland Ave. Chicago office, for religious leaders and workers (as mentioned, from some of the lowest paying posts in the hospitals... laundry, food service, and environmental services.) This will be an intimate and informative chance to hear directly from workers, as well as connect with these other interfaith leaders who are becoming increasingly concerned about what is happening at Resurrection.

A significant portion of these service workers (almost 1/3 of the workers!) have signed a petition this summer with AFSCME, asking CEO Joseph Toomey for a wage increase. We have not gotten a response yet, and in the past, the experience of the workers has been that a reply may not come any time soon!

So, if there is no response, workers and religious leaders and AFSCME are going to bring the petition of signatures right to the Sisters of the Resurrection in management. So in preparation that this will be necessary, we also want to invite you to join with us on August 6, at 6 pm, for a Prayer Vigil at the Resurrection Medical Center as a delegation brings the petition directly to the Sisters of the Resurrection at their residence at 7435 W. Talcott Ave. Chicago 60657.

I know that those of you at work in Chicago have incredibly demanding schedules as well, so I hope that if you can not come, that this will serve as a little boost of an update (for all interns since we were together at our orientation) as to what has been happening on the campaign for workers from Chicago in their effort to form a union with AFSCME to put a stop to the injustices, such as un-livably low wages, from Resurrection Hospitals.

These two events will be the culminating focal points of the internship this summer for myself and the intern from JCUA. Our work has been to help build broader religious leader support, to offer another tier of religious voices, as the Catholic ones become integrated with other voices of the faithful. We are looking forward to August 1 and August 6, after working on the turn out on many different levels all summer (such as all the relationship building that is so hard to measure- whether it be 1:1's or calls, etc!) I will keep you posted.

Finding furtile soil in rural Indiana

The beginning stages of starting a worker center in an area that is not politically active has certainly been challenging. With the worker center only being opened for three months much of the time we are busy building the capacity of the worker center and spreading the word about it's availability. The churches are the only social institution in the area. I have been busy planting seeds amongst various churches in the Logansport-Delphi-Monticello-Peru-Lafeyette-Kokomo-Frankort area. These rural cities all have small but growing members of Hispanic workers who work in the various meatpacking plants.

But still this area is approximately 80-85% anglo and I need to make sure that we not limiting ourselves to advertising our center to Hispanic workers. I am told there is racial hostility in the region and Indiana is the state with the most surviving members of the KKK. I have found pastors from Methodist, Lutheran and Catholic denominations who have diverse/liberal backgrounds and understand the reasons why many people from Latin America have crossed the border illegally. However some of their congregations are very conservative and change in rural Indiana takes time. Also the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette has reassigned a lot of their pastors in the area so they are in the process of building relationships just like us.

As each week passes I feel I more confident because I have built a relationship with at least one minister who embraces worker values and worker rights that they can minister those aspects to members in their congregation who can value worker rights in abstract concepts. Then there will be a time when those abstract concepts of worker values and dignity will be objective with local advocacy and actions.

Peace,
Ken

New Sanctuary Movement

After having another meeting with the community leaders, we identified some families who could be the new candidates for the sanctuary in Arizona. Trina and Magdalena have interviewed the families.
We have been doing one-to-ones this past two weeks and try to develop some information to put into the materials we will prepare in order to educate the communities in Phoenix area. We ask the leaders about their role and contributions to social justice in their communities. If we are meeting with the religious leaders, then we look for information about their congregations and how supportive they are with social justice endeavors.
Most churches and mosques in the area claim that they would be spiritual allies to the movement but so far we have only one leader who committed her church to be a physical sanctuary. She has a lot of undocumented people in her congregation so she was extremely passionate. On the other hand, one religious leader refused to talk about the new sanctuary movement because of the same reason ( he has a lot of undocumented people in his congregation). He said that he did not want to jeopardize them. I was amazed at how different responses we received because of the very same reason.
We have also talked to a few senators in the AZ capital. We have emailed all the representatives and senators, most of the people who answered back are democrats or moderate republicans. Sarah and I feel like we are preaching to the choir. We are talking to the people on our side. We definitely are looking for ways to reach others who beg to differ with our opinions. How can we do that?
One of the reps said that there was not enough complaints on our side to the capital. She said that only republicans voiced their opinions and came to lobby. The democrats have no help because people do not send them emails asking them to vote no to anti immigrant bills but they get a lot of emails to vote yes. When they vote yes, they receive "thank you" emails. Therefore, even though they do not want to vote yes, I have to, because of lack of public cover.
I think that it is time to teach people how to lobby and write letters to the reps. It is time to learn the language that affects the anti-immigrant side. We have been talking in our language to ourselves, now we need to talk to them in the only language they understand, which is the "money language. " If we make them realize, the the USA needs immigrants for economic reasons, we can pull them to our side.

Walking the Picket Line With Obama

Illinois Senator and 2008 Presidential Candidate Barack Obama walked the Congress Hotel Picket line with the workers of UNITE-HERE Local 1 on Monday. The workers at the Congress have been on strike for over four years and this was not Obama's first time walking the line in solidarity with them. His presence invigorated many of the strikers and brought an incredible amount of media coverage to the struggle. While I was able to stay out of the camera's view during most of Obama's visit to the line, I was leading chants over the bullhorn when he arrived and my voice appeared in many of the TV spots highlighting the event.

While the media were certainly drawn to the picket line by the presence of a 2008 presidential candidate, the event was not purely political or simply a stunt. Sen. Obama spent a good portion of his time actually walking on the line and talking with the workers there. The union has repeatedly emphasized to us interns how important it is to build relationships with the workers in the shops. Seeing the union emphasize the same points to Sen. Obama demonstrates both how serious and how genuine this approach this approach to organizing really is. Organizing requires trust and trust requires relationships, which is a reminder every politician needs and makes one think that more candidates should spend time on a picket line.

Always Beginning the World

A few of my recent meetings have hit a little something home to me, that got clearer with each conversation, or reflection afterwards, or perhaps just with each passing week on the beat. This little nugget (of so many- with yet another week chock full of precious insights from this work underway) - this bit- that I am chomping on, seems to coincide with that line from the Innocence Mission song of a similar name, "We are always beginning the world". (Let me commend you to perhaps hear its provocative flow rather than take my word for it, as it looks a bit more dry in print here!) But at any rate, here is the thing: everything we do this summer in our work builds toward the next good rounds of work after us. It is some of the ground for the potential of what can be done for worker justice by those that will come up next after us.

On Monday I met with someone in Chicago who did Seminary Summer a year ago, and who is a classmate of mine at Chicago Theological Seminary (C.T.S.), and becoming a good friend and most trusted colleague-- someone whom I am sure I will be in touch with for decades to come, as we both wind our way in to our work in the United Church of Christ. You all in fact met him as one of the trainers at Orientation (while I was committed to leading a youth mission trip for my internship church placement, so I arrived late; and, for those of you I did not get to connect with- my regrets- and still hope to...) Jason is currently a seminarian and a student pastor in Chicago but also, as you likely learned, a former labor organizer, who rose quickly in the ranks of UNITE to broadly lead organizing efforts there. One of the things we touched base on was the fact that this will be the last year for both of us at the seminary, as Jason finishes his M.Div and I study for a Master of Sacred Theology. We noted that our task for the upcoming year of helping lead "Seminarians for Worker Justice" at C.T.S. will be to interest new folks coming in, who may become future coordinators of opportunities, for yet again additional students in the future to take action on behalf of low wage workers.

What issues might we plan to work on this year that could attract new seminary students such that we can help cultivate the next crew, as we get ready to graduate? I told Jason a little about the presentations that we heard at the IWJ National Conference from the student organizers who had successfully tapped a chord among busy students at their schools (this was from the workshop "From SNCC to Immokalee: Challenges and Opportunities for Student Organizing.") As we spoke, I got excited about the year to come, as I came to be able to frame a part of what our work will be: cultivating next leadership.

This is straight forward and neat in certain terms. But the same message also recently came to me from a very different kind of conversation. This was during some of the more grueling and unromantic parts of organizing (let me just say: a stack of cold outreach calls!) But the take-away insight is similar. A few weeks ago, I was facing down a most daunting list of calls to pastors. This was before I had a strategy session where I was encouraged to start with those whom I had identified a relationship or connection with that might be common ground (which was my inclination, coming out of our training, but during week one, I had still been more of an anthropologist, not asking as many questions- or offering my contributions as readily as I can now.) This was also before receiving the gem of wisdom from my mentor, "with organizing, Lauren, always start with the 'low hanging fruit'." In other words, of course start with the people with whom you have any previous connection- why the heck not with such an uphill climb?

So before being enlightened in such ways, on my initial day of calls, after a sea of vague ones, I "met" a pastor over the phone, where my focus came down sharp when I learned he was already familiar, and in fact a huge fan, of none other than "Interfaith Worker Justice and all the good folks there and all the good work that you do." I updated him as to what the lowest wage workers at Resurrection Hospitals in Chicago are working on, as they struggle to at least get a living wage, out of a hospital system that is becoming more and more corporatized, and less and less of the profit and benefits are trickling down to workers. He was less interested in the specifics, but said, "you are working with a really great operation, and yes I will try to come to your upcoming action if I am back in town by then." So rather than curse the blasted season of August pastor vacations one more time that day, I had a moment of sending out gratitude to all the tireless IWJ people who had worked before me, such that this pastor might be ready to act simply by my association with IWJ.

So I know that we are all "always beginning the world," even as many of the seeds that we drop can not yet be seen for their fruit to come. And so whenever I detect a shred of despair hidden underneath my generally optomistic attitude in this work-- I want to remember that even if my particular call may not turn from a maybe to a yes, I may leave a good impression that will lead next year's intern to an instant yes for her or his stack o' calls for an action that deserves wide support.

Together for Solidarity Friends

Solidarity Not Charity!!! These words, "Solidarity Not Charity" have continued to speak truth to me everyday. Howdy, I'm Amanda and I am currently in Austin, Tejas with the fabulous Workers Defense Project. So again "solidarity not charity"!?! What is that in this so-call 'real world'? I have been finding myself continuously challenged in my summer experience here in Austin, which is amazing and hard to process as well. This past week a new city run day labor center opened. However, what was the actual workers' involvement and say, let alone their power in this project - to have an opening ceremony be completely in English, to visibly see the defining lines of those who it was to be a service to and those who worked to create such a 'service'?! I write to you now with thoughts in question and to ponder, for in this struggle toward equality, justice, and peace, we must note to try to be fully conscious of race, class, gender, ethnicity, social status, perceptions, where we come from, how we think and then do, and even so much more. We are in this together and now I think more than ever, that 'together' is a challenge in and of its own. We all have the power, but it is how we use it collectively, use it together that truly makes the world of difference. And so I until we meet again friends, both new and old, I must leave you with this - "If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."

Grassroots is the way to go

Hello from Central Indiana,

For the past few weeks I have been attending many churches to have clergy leaders aware of the Central Indiana Worker Center. Sometimes though when doing real grassroots organizing it needs to be at the grassroots level.

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Hispanic Leadership Committee at the local Catholic Church to announce the presence of the worker center and that we need their assistance to increase its visibility. A women after the meeting said she was interested in helping out. Prior to living in Logansport she has lived in Salinas, Ca. for 20 years and was active with organizing efforts of Cesear Chavez and the UFW.

After talking with her we went out leaf-letting flyers into the neighborhood. She brought her son along to help and we dropped by one of her friends house that worked at a meatpacking company who told us situations she exprienced with the corporate doctor how their medical "expertise" would be for the workers to tell them on a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is the pain. Their remedy would be to take two tylenols, rest for 50 minutes and go back to work.

This Saturday she is organizing a house party to get some members in the community to talk about their work experiences. Having the setting be at a communal house will provide for a more relaxed setting. We quickly made her a board member to the new worker center. The clergy in the area are supportive of the center but are not familiar with the concepts of advocacy in the tactics a community organization or a union would implement building worker value and dignity.

Hope everyone is enjoying their worksites and I will let you know about the house party.

Peace,
Ken

This summer is an opportunity to learn different strategies of organizing utilized by the union. In implementing these strategies, organizers use various tools to help increase the effectiveness of their efforts and ensure success. One staple of a union organizers toolbox is the bullhorn and I love it. Love may not be a strong enough word here. I am willing to do almost anything if it involves a bullhorn. Now this statement is obviously hyperbolic and I have severe ethical limitations on what I am willing to do in any setting, but "bullhorning" is ridiculously fun and completely changes my demeanor. Something about having the literal soapbox afforded to any individual with a bullhorn is incredibly empowering.

To provide just a few fun and interesting examples, one of the very first days I led chants during an early-morning hotel picket line. Just today, I "bullhorned" at customers of a hotel being boycotted by the union, engaging them in conversations about the concerns surrounding the boycott and the deeper moral issues related to justice. Now before anyone accuses me of being overly righteous or prideful, I was careful to keep the comments and conversations respectful and issued-centered. Many of the individuals were unaware of the boycott and the point of the action was not pure annoyance, but an intentional and observable way of informing the customers about the situation and also sending a statement to the hotel ownership of how seriously the union took the matter. The presence of the bullhorn was necessitated by the distance between us and the hotel's entrance and our own desire not to be arrested for trespassing.

Needless to say, I did not expect this internship to be filled with these type of activities, but I am enjoying the opportunity to literally lift my voice for justice!

From HOT Arizona

I am Ayse, undergraduate IWJ intern in Arizona. My area of focus is immigration and the public policy. I am working with Trina Zelle and Sarah Schwarz on the New Sanctuary Movement.
My second day in Arizona, I was introduced to the Imam in Tempe, AZ and people involved in the immigration policies from the Muslim community. Later in the week, me and Sarah attended the New Sanctuary Movement follow up meeting in a church with mainly religious leaders and people of conscience in a Lutheran Church. Trina Zelle led the discussion on finding potential families, identifying the religious leaders, what to do next and how to approach senators in the state. After the bill was killed, we have attended a press conference in the State Capital.

Apart from the New Sanctuary Movement, we work along with UFCW and somos America on their Bashas campaign. Their research indicated that 58% of the baby formula in Bashas was expired and we participated in the action against Bashas as well as meetings before the action.

Currently, Sarah and I are beginning our initial outreach to faith communities. We have identified the religious leaders in order to develop materials on their religious response to immigration and their perspectives.

Energy

Well I have survived my first week! There was never any doubt really....

I had a big week of meeting lots of new people, learning lots of new things, and adjusting to the schedule of a dedicated union worker. :) Some of the best experiences I had this week were getting to know some members of the union who are working in food services. Each person expresses a deep desire for something better. They know that the wages they receive and the benefits they do not receive just aren't cutting it. These people are leaders and they are trying to help others in their workplaces find energy to fight....but this task finds opposition. People are tired and overworked, and the thought of adding another thing to their schedule doesn't seem possible. And yet, they keep on fighting. I am in complete admiration of each person I met this week, and I only hope that I am able to keep the same constant passionate energy that I found in each person. Amen.

First Encounters

She works four jobs, one being full-time, in addition to taking care of her family and trying to have a personal life. As one of three committee members in a very large "shop," her contributions as a leader within the union are invaluable. Throughout our conversation she never complained, instead she talked about the struggles of trying to make it in our society, the benefits she received from being part of the union, and her commitment to helping find more leaders from her workplace. She is the reason I am doing this and a reminder of how real, how raw, of an experience this summer is going to be for me.

My own middle-class upbringing and stable family life protected me from facing many of the struggles encountered by millions of people within the United States every single day. Hardworking individuals who are constantly trying to provide for their family and just make it one more day. Meanwhile, the efforts of their labor allows for the CEO's and stockholders of large companies to reap large financial benefits. Something is clearly amiss when some members of society must work 80 hours of week for their own economic survival and others have the resources to spend lavishly on absurd luxuries. The goal of a union is to correct these injustices by ensuring that an individual is justly compensated for the work he or she contributes to the overall success of a company.

All this sounds great in theory, but one gains a whole different perspective on the situation from talking with those who have endured these struggles and listening to their experiences. While every issue and debate in the world of labor involves political considerations, complex policy issues, and lots of talk centered around dollars and cents, one must never forget the people at the very core of these issues. Real people, with real lives and real struggles, are deeply affected by every policy decision affecting labor and every contract negotiated by a union. Unions are all about harnessing the power of the people and empowering people to fight for justice within their workplace. This summer is an opportunity for me to contribute to these efforts in a very small way. The focus of this work is caring for God's Children and those lessons are going to last way long after this experience ends and summer turns into fall.

Hello from Central Indiana

Hello,

My name is Ken Bigos and I am a Seminary Summer Intern and I am working in Logansport, Indiana where the United Food and Commerical Workers International created the Central Indiana Worker Center to assist people in the region in their worker issues. My main responsibility has been doing outreach to the local churches in Logansport and surrounding small cities such as Peru, Kokomo, Lafayette and others. Meat packing is one of the major industries in the region with companies such as Tyson, Indiana Packers and subsidiary companies of Smithfield located within the Central Indiana area.

The worker center has only been opened for a couple of months and it has been great to see what needs to be done to start-up a worker center or a non-profit organization, such as writing the by-laws, promoting the organization and having all the materials needed to do the work efficiently.

I have met with the Presbyterian and Methodist ministers and the Hispanic leadership of the Catholic church. I am learning the self-interest and values of the ministers and the congregation. Along with the spiritual interests of maintaining their relationship with God there is also political and economic interests and/or conflicts that need to be considered that shapes the views of the ministers and the congregation.

The people here are very nice and I am enjoying the experience of small town life. I am watching some nice sunsets and a lot of cornfields. I am excited to see the Fourth of July in small town Indiana, children are already setting off firecrackers!

Have a great day! Peace!

Days 1 and 2 in Chicago

Hi all!

My name is Becky and I am one of the interns this year in the IWJ Seminary Summer program. I was placed with UNITE HERE in Chicago, IL. For the next couple months I (along with several other interns and organizers from UNITE HERE) will be heading up a major campaign in the food service worker industry throughout the country, but especially in big cities such as Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. More specifically, I'll be helping organize the religious community around our campaign. Details are sparse at the moment, as today was only my second day and we are still learning! There is SO much to learn!

About me: I am a student at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, working on a MA in Theology. I will also be getting a Social Work Master's degree from the University of Chicago.

Any questions? Please post a comment! I will be online often to update the blog. At the moment, I must get some important rest - 10 hour long days definitely take their toll on you! I am VERY excited about the work we'll be doing here in Chicago!!!

Please check out these websites:
http://www.serviceworkersrising.org/
www.unitehere.org

Welcome

Welcome to the brand new blog for Summer Student Programs with Interfaith Worker Justice. Here you will find updated information on upcoming events with IWJ, as well as have the opportunity to share information with other Summer Program participants.
Feel free to include links to relevant Web sites, articles, etc. Also remember to check out IWJ's home page at www.iwj.org or by clicking the link on the right hand side of the page.
Enjoy! -IWJ Staff