Tag: 2000
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“To build a broad-based movement for social and economic justice”
Read more: “To build a broad-based movement for social and economic justice”In August 2000, the Democratic National Committee held their convention at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. The convention came amidst grassroots insurgency and popular discontent with the Clinton-era model of neoliberal governance at home and abroad. In November 1999, labor unions, environmentalists, faith leaders, and students mobilized in Seattle at the World Trade […]
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Santa Monica Living Wage – Journey For Justice
Read more: Santa Monica Living Wage – Journey For JusticeIn 1999, hospitality workers and their allies formed a new coalition to expand Los Angeles’ living wage ordinance to neighboring Santa Monica. Calling themselves SMART (Santa Monicans Allied for Responsible Tourism), they advanced a proposal to increase the minimum wage for the estimated 3,000 housekeepers, valet drivers, restaurant workers, and security guards who worked in […]
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“That stopped everything”: Rosa Beltran Reflects on Justice for Janitors
Read more: “That stopped everything”: Rosa Beltran Reflects on Justice for JanitorsRosa Beltran, veteran member of the SEIU’s Justice for Janitors campaign, reflects on the power of rank-and-file union members “La huelga del 2000 fue una victoria— Yo estaba fuera de mi edificio piqueteando 24 horas seguidas, 24 horas deteniendo, durmiendo, pegado a los containers de basura porque como Uniones, si la Unión de los basureros […]
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Una Causa Justa | A Just Cause
Read more: Una Causa Justa | A Just CauseThis editorial from La Opinion reflects the widespread support for the Justice for Janitors campaign in the Spanish-speaking community of Los Angeles. The writer argues that the janitors’ demands are modest, and that their aggressive campaign reflects a broad dissatisfaction with the power structure in LA. Translated from Spanish by Stephanie Dyer. A Just Cause, […]
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Civil Disobedience in Westwood
Read more: Civil Disobedience in WestwoodIn the year 2000, Justice for Janitors mobilized its most ambitious campaign to date: a two-week long strike across the city of Los Angeles. Under the slogan “One Industry,” they sought to align contracts they had won in various parts of Los Angeles (downtown, Century City, LAX, etc.) to raise wages and working conditions for […]
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“We call each other sister unions”
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Read more: “We call each other sister unions”Rocio Sáenz recalls the spirit of solidarity among unions in the early 1990s I come from Mexico City, and I had a union there. Even though, looking back at the unions in Mexico, they were often very corrupt, at the time I thought it was better than nothing. When I came to the U.S., I […]
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Let Justice Roll Down
Read more: Let Justice Roll DownThe Working Poor: Challenge to the Religious Community What is the responsibility of people of faith when confronted with the poverty of working people in a wealthy country? That question is posed by Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) in this 2000 video featuring the testimony of working people, faith leaders, academics, and […]
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“They were willing to break with tradition”
Read more: “They were willing to break with tradition”Maria Elena Durazo recalls her first organizing job “On a trip to Mexico I met Cristina Vázquez and others from the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union (ILGWU or ILG, now Workers United-SEIU). And when we came back, Cristina referred me to the union for a job. I was already familiar with the work of the […]
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“We were the union they’d call”
Read more: “We were the union they’d call”Cristina Vázquez on the lessons of organizing immigrant workers in the 1970s In 1976, when I started working for the ILGWU, we had several thousand members, but for ten years they had hardly organized a shop. The union had not paid much attention to the situation in L.A. … but then the ILGWU decided to […]