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Dear friends and allies,
We hope you are doing well and are staying safe. As we continue to reopen our state and return to our workplaces, we must keep safety and racial equity at the center of our efforts. Two keys spaces aiding our return to work — access to affordable child care and public transit — are in need of transformation to ensure a recovery that leaves no one behind. We must take into account those disproportionately affected by this pandemic, including low-income families, communities of color, and those in need of child care.
Our volatile child care system was in perils before the pandemic hit and is now even worse. Without appropriate measures to fund our child care systems, our families and providers will only continue suffering. Below you’ll find resources to learn more about child care reopening efforts and the steps the State needs to take to ensure a just recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.
At Community Labor United, we stand in solidarity with our partners and work towards ensuring that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the most vulnerable in our communities are healthy, and sustained. Together, we can ensure a safe and equitable reopening of our state.
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Reopening Massachusetts and a Just Recovery from COVID-19
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Investment & Equity needed for child care that works in MA
Today, we released a report calling on Governor Baker and legislative leaders to advance equity-driven solutions to the statewide child care crisis, including raising progressive revenue to fund major investment in home-based child care. We’ve emphasized the need for a transformation of the State’s child care system and not just a return to the pre-COVID era. Our report focuses on increasing the supply of home-based child care, protecting and improving conditions for child care workers and small child care business owners, and uplifting the voices of the most impacted in the State’s process of reopening and recovery. Click here to read the full report.
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Road to Recovery: How to Safely Reopen Early Education in Massachusetts
Maintaining a system of quality early education and care where all young kids can safely learn and grow in an enriching environment is vital to our children and to the recovery of our economy from the COVID-19 outbreak. MassBudget finds that to bring the early education and care system out of closure and maintain enhanced operations for all families, would take an investment of an estimated $690 million over the next 5 months. Click here to read the report.
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MBTA Racial Justice & Police Brutality Petition
As riders and leaders of organizations that represent MBTA riders and advocate for equity on the T, we are deeply concerned about the Baker administration and the MBTA's actions on and after the evening of Sunday, May 31.
We are grateful the MBTA has discontinued the practice of utilizing MBTA buses to transport police officers (other than MBTA police) to and from demonstrations against systemic racism and police brutality. We thank the Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) members for their decisive directive to cease using T buses to transport police officers or demonstrators placed under arrest. We also thank the MBTA General Manager for working to comply quickly.
While this is a positive first step, there is still much work to be done. Transit is a public good and necessity at all times. The T must remain a safe and reliable provider of access for all, whether through the course of a public health crisis or during lawful protests. Freedom of movement is freedom.
Sign our petition to advance racial equity and hold police accountable within the transit system.
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Say no to racism and union-busting at College Bound Dorchester!
On Friday, June 12, College Bound Dorchester/Boston Uncornered (CBD) management announced a mass layoff of eight workers, one-third of the organization’s staff. None of the staff were given any advance notice, despite the years of service they have all given to CBD. This decision is blatant, illegal retaliation against the entire staff, who announced their decision to unionize under the name Uncornered United-SEIU Local 888 on June 2.
In the days before the layoffs, CBD raised over $650,000 by pitching itself as a social justice organization. Now, in the midst of a national movement against racism, the organization has unleashed a union-busting campaign against its majority-Black staff. Six of the eight laid off are Black, low-paid staff. In contrast, Mark Culliton, the organization’s white CEO, makes $185,000 per year, and the Board of Directors is stacked with white corporate officials. Social justice needs to include workplace justice! Take action to stand with CBD workers.
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You can help us promote these efforts to your network by sharing our Facebook posts or by following and retweeting us on Twitter. You can also receive regular updates from CLU by signing up on our website.
If there is a topic we should feature in our weekly communications, please email Lindsay McCluskey at [email protected].
Thank you for reading!
In Solidarity,
Community Labor United
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