At our December 2012 monthly meeting, we took time to savor and critique our JwJ coalition’s list of 2012 accomplishments. You might be interested to peruse them.
- So-called “Right to Work”: mobilized volunteers to attend statehouse rallies (beginning Jan. 4); helped organize public forum in Bloomington (Jan.18); mobilized constituents to attend Owen County legislative breakfast (Jan. 21).
- Wage Theft: persuaded Interfaith Worker Justice to produce a PowerPoint presentation on wage theft for general use; co-organized Wage Theft Summit (July 23), in partnership with Latino Programs & Outreach; gave IWJ PowerPoint presentations to White River Central Labor Council (Aug. 22) and Democracy for Monroe County (Dec. 6); led discussion at meeting of Monroe County Religious Leaders (Oct. 17); with WRCLC and IU Labor Studies, co-sponsored public presentation by IWJ senior staffers (Oct. 23), re-broadcast on public-access television (beginning Dec. 2012); consulted with IU Social Work about practicum student for worker center (Dec. 11).
- Public Education: organized public forum on funding, collective bargaining and “grading” schools (Jan. 11); liaised year-long with local chapter of Indiana Coalition for Public Education; lobbied MCCSC and RBBCSC school boards to join IFT voucher lawsuit as plaintiffs; persuaded local ICPE to join IFT voucher lawsuit; with WRCLC, sent questionnaire to MCCSC and RBBCSC school board candidates; co-sponsored an ICPE forum with State Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Glenda Ritz (Aug. 27); with ICPE, co-sponsored two MCCSC school-board candidate forums (Sept. 10, Oct. 15).
- Public Sector Unions: sent solidarity statement and strike fund donation to Chicago Teachers Union (Sept. 13); encouraged signatories on CWA 4730’s petition opposed to privatizing IU parking operations.
- Workers Rights Board: held orientation meeting for prospective members of Workers Rights Board (Oct. 30)
- Congressional Action on the Economy: With WRCLC, lobbied Rep. Todd Young on Bring Jobs Home Act (Sept. 18); organized rally to protect Medicaid from cuts during the “budget showdown” (Dec. 8).
- Health Care Reform: Sent participants to WellPoint rally (May 16); wrote in support of affordable contraception insurance (H-T, June 27); delivered petition with 92 signatories to Gov.-elect Pence in support of expanding state Medicaid coverage (Dec. 8)
- Corporate Campaign Funding: gathered signatures for Move to Amend petition; spoke to Rep. Todd Young about the issue (Feb. 22); liaised year-long with local Move to Amend; supported local Move to Amend’s effort to persuade Bloomington City Council and Monroe County Commissioners to pass resolutions petitioning Congress for a constitutional amendment (passed June 20, Oct. 5).
- Solidarity Actions: donated to state AFL-CIO tornado relief fund; donated to national JwJ training fund; joined NALC march to Rep. Todd Young’s office (April 13); signed letter in support of Steelworkers Local 7-0030 in Mitchell, Ind.; attended Steelworkers rally in Mitchell (May 3); brainstormed direct action in front of Blue Sage headquarters, Austin, Tex.; co-sponsored labor film series, IU Cinema (Sept. 6 & 7, Dec. 6); sent solidarity statement to Palermo Pizza workers; participated in protest of Wal-Mart labor practices at Bloomington Wal-Mart (Oct. 9); testified about Hyatt Hotel’s labor history to Bloomington City Council (Oct. 13, Nov. 7); mobilized volunteers to help with Worker Freedom Coalition’s informational picket of Lamar Construction on the IU campus (Nov. 14); participated in vigil at Bloomington Wal-Mart, in memory of Bangladeshi sweatshop fatalities (Dec. 19).
- Regional/National Networking: placed ad in Labor Day issue of H-T; invited folks in surrounding counties to join WRB; sent delegates to national JwJ strategic planning conference (Nov. 27-29); prepared to launch Web site (Nov. - Dec.)
- Green Jobs Advocacy: attempted to identify attendee for “Good Jobs, Green Jobs” regional conference.