Dear John,

2019 is proving to be the year of evolution for Jobs With Justice. And amid the immense opportunities this new chapter brings to the organization and our network of local coalitions across the country, is our ongoing and ever evolving commitment to sustaining our track record of winning with and for the movement for working people.

Over the last several months, we have, in partnership with our diverse universe of partners won a series of important victories, breakthroughs, and resistance efforts, that together is helping move a collective socio-economic agenda that puts working people first.

From holding major corporations like Amazon accountable to its workforce and the communities it serves and operates in; to being on the frontlines protecting our vulnerable immigrant neighbors and family against ICE's ongoing campaign of terror; to being there, standing in solidarity with working people joined in union, collectively organizing and bargaining for better workplace standards--Jobs With Justice and our network continues to showcase in numerous innovative ways the role collective bargaining can and should play in building a healthy democracy. We're excited to share just a few highlights here as 2019 barrels towards autumn.

And as always, much of what we do and accomplish each month would not be possible without your ongoing support and commitment to the movement for working people. We are forever grateful and look to your continued and sustained financial contributions.

In Solidarity, 

Erica Smiley

Executive Director

Jobs With Justice

Holding Amazon Accountable

Throughout 2019, we've pushed Amazon on a variety of crucial issues impacting working people. ALIGN NY played a lead role in the coalition that put an end to Amazon's dreams of building a second headquarters (known as HQ2) in Long Island City, NY. Jobs With Justice continued to apply pressure on Amazon over its relationship with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the conditions inside its warehouses, and Amazon's almost unabated growth. 

On Prime Day in July, Jobs With Justice local coalitions, including DC Jobs With Justice, Massachusetts Jobs With Justice, Portland Jobs With Justice, and Jobs With Justice San Francisco participated in actions, protesting Amazon and its CEO Jeff Bezos over their relationship with ICE, treatment of working people, its role in our culture of surveillance, and standing in solidarity with striking warehouse employees in Minnesota. Many of these fights are ongoing, but it's worth noting the warehouse employees in Amazon won crucial victories in recent weeks! 

We will continue pressuring Jeff Bezos and Amazon to respect working people and end its unsavory practices.

Standing Up for Immigrant Rights

As the Trump administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) continue their campaign of terror, Jobs With Justice reinforced its commitment to defending our immigrant friends, neighbors, and families.

In recent months, we have worked with labor partners, community groups, and activists across the country and successfully pushed big banks like Bank of America and SunTrust end its relationship with private prison groups detaining immigrants. 

We are also part of an ongoing campaign calling on hotel chains not to let ICE use hotels rooms as temporary detention centers for immigrant families. Chains like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt have all ceased this heinous activity, but many other hotels brands have continued their relationship with ICE.

The Trump administration may not be ending its assault on immigrant families and the very fabric of democracy any time soon, but we remain vigilant, and poised to take action wherever we can defend the dignity and humanity of those facing persecution from Trump, Stephen Miller, and their deportation force.

Solidarity with Educators 

The Jobs With Justice network is continuing to organize in solidarity with educators across the country as they keep building the momentum in their fight for quality public education through inspirational collective action and bold demands.

In February, educators in Oakland launched a strike to demand smaller class sizes, support for students, a living wage for teachers, and an end to school closures that target predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods. As soon as the educators authorized the strike, Jobs With Justice San Francisco  joined the solidarity efforts in preparation. Before and throughout the strike, they recruited activists to join the picket lines and volunteer to help distribute food. As the strike continued, Jobs With Justice San Francisco partnered with the United Educators of San Francisco and the DSA San Francisco Labor Committee to host a fundraiser for the Member Assistance Fund of the Oakland Education Association.

Chicago Jobs With Justice also participated in major education-related victories, including supporting members of the Chicago Teachers Union in their historic charter school strikes. In addition, the wave of strikes in public education has not only been limited to K-12. Chicago Jobs With Justice also supported the graduate employees strike at the University of Ill inois Chicago (UIC) in March, both on the picket lines and in submitting a letter of support for the strikers to the chancellor of UIC. After a two week strike, the graduate employees won wage increases, increased employer contributions to healthcare, and more.

Colorado Jobs With Justice and Portland Jobs With Justice also participated in education-related actions.

Like last year, 2019 has been a year for Jobs With Justice local coalitions joining with educators to take collective action!

Building Access and Equality in Construction Careers

Earlier this year, the Jobs With Justice Education Fund launched an initiative to encourage pension funds and foundation endowments use their real estate investments to create a more inclusive and equitable economy. Learn more about this groundbreaking work on our Building Access and Equality in Construction Careers landing page! 

Responding to the Renaissance in Manufacturing: Opportunities and Challenges to Diversify the Workforce in Buffalo

A new report from the Jobs With Justice Education Fund and the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute released earlier in 2019 examines how organizations in Buffalo are taking advantage of employment opportunities in manufacturing to diversify the workforce. A series of focus groups and interviews provided key findings to this landmark report. Click here to learn more about our research!

Join Jobs With Justice

Victories, breakthroughs, and resistance efforts are not possible without the amazing people who support Jobs With Justice. We hope that you will help us fuel victories for the rest of 2019 and beyond and that you will consider making a contribution to get us there. 

Save the Date: National Conference in 2020!

Jobs With Justice is excited to announce our upcoming 2020 National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia from March 13-14! Stay tuned for more information.