Dear John

Today, the DC Council voted on the Local Budget Act. After threatening to make $18 million in cuts – including naming excluded worker funding as a possible program to cut – Chairman Mendelson largely “found” ways to pay for important programs and left them intact. So, today, the DC Council committed $9 million to excluded workers, which will be available in August.

This win is a direct result of the actions by members of the excluded worker coalition, who refused to let Chairman Mendelson and other members of DC Council ignore the needs of our communities. Instead, they took it to their doorsteps. When we learned on Tuesday that cash assistance was under threat along with housing and childcare programs, activated and agitated excluded workers showed up for morning and night protests at Chairman Mendelson’s home.

DC Jobs With Justice applauds the organizations that led on these actions and encourage you to support their ongoing organizing, mobilizing and powerbuilding efforts by clicking on their names and donating: African Communities Together, HIPS DC, Many Languages One Voice, National Domestic Workers’ Alliance, Restaurant Opportunities Center – DC (please Venmo @DMV_RWMA to support).

Thanks as well to all the organizations who participated in the streets, on Twitter, by email, and over the phone!

Our work is not quite done. Currently, the funds for excluded workers is only available to people who are undocumented. This is not the position of our coalition, and we are calling on the Council to change the language in the Budget Support Act, which will be voted on this Tuesday. Organizations can add their name to our sign on letter.

In solidarity,
DC Jobs with Justice