Dear allies,
 
Our public transit system is in crisis. There have been accidents, deaths, fires, understaffing, mismanagement, and disruptive shutdowns. Enough is enough! It’s time for us to transform our public transit system to work for workers and riders. The answer to the crisis is not to turn away from public transit, but to invest in it. As the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) shuts down the entire Orange Line for a whole month, we are demanding fundamental changes to the MBTA system, so that the failures of the past are corrected and we can finally deliver on one of the government’s core functions: public services. It starts with listening to the experts – workers and riders –  the people doing their best to make the MBTA run and the people who rely on our public transportation system most.

Read the Public Transit Public Good coalition’s policy statement, and learn how we can work toward a better MBTA by letting transit workers and riders lead.

Below you will find opportunities to engage and continue the fight on many issues that affect our communities and allies. Please spread the word by sharing our Facebook posts as well as following and retweeting us on Twitter. You can sign up here to receive regular updates from CLU.

In solidarity,
Community Labor United

CLU and our partners are seeking experienced individuals to join our teams! If you know a social justice leader who is looking for a new role, please send them our way. 

New! – Child Care Program Coordinator, Care That Works

Visit our website today to view all job opportunities: MassCLU.org/Careers.

Getting on board for a better MBTA: Principles to fix our public transit
The MBTA’s shutdown of the Orange Line and parts of the Green Line has not only made it hard to get around, but also made it more obvious than ever that we need transformative change at the MBTA. We need a safe, equitable, affordable, and accessible MBTA. 

Visit Public Transit Public Good’s (PTPG) MBTA shutdown resources page for help getting around during the Orange and Green Line shutdowns. You can also check out our policy statement, and sign up to stay in touch with PTPG and our member organizations through this page. The moment to act is now – the need for change is clear, and transit workers and riders are ready to help build a new system. 

To fix the MBTA, we must:

1. Let transit workers and riders lead. Our input has too often been ignored in final policies regarding MBTA operations, resulting in high fares, understaffing, service cuts, safety problems, harmful privatization contracts, and more.  

2. Increase funding for repairs, safety improvements, hiring, operations, and maintenance, from sources including federal infrastructure funds and the Massachusetts budget.

3. Vote Yes on Question 1 – the Fair Share Amendment – to create a 4% tax on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million and dedicate those funds to transportation and public education.

4. End harmful privatization deals that cost hundreds of millions while hurting riders and workers.

5. Ensure the MBTA is affordable for all by creating permanent low-income fares. 

Visit www.publictransitpublicgood.org to join us and take action!

Orange Line shutdown: Share your story
Shutting down the Orange Line for 30 days will have huge impacts. If you’re one of the 100,000 people who ride the Orange Line every day, your story matters. Share your Orange Line story with Alternatives for Community & Environment and describe how the shutdown will impact you!

If you’d like to make your Orange Line story heard, fill out the form at Alternatives for Community & Environment.

Labor Day 2022 action: Building worker power all day, every day
Join the Greater Boston Labor Council, community leaders, elected officials, and UNITE HERE Local 26 hotel workers for a breakfast, march, and rally honoring individual workers and an eventful year for the labor movement. There’s so much to celebrate this year, including surges in worker organizing, historic wins, and a rise in union involvement! The event will feature a march and picket starting at Park Plaza in Boston and a following rally at Hyatt Centric Hotel.

• The breakfast (7:30 a.m.): Join community leaders, union leaders, and rank-in-file union members for a breakfast to celebrate worker-led organizing in Ballroom B at the Park Plaza Hotel. The doors will open at 7:30 a.m., and the program will begin at 8:30 a.m. To learn how to acquire tickets for the event, click here.

• The march (10 a.m.): All are welcome to join the march! Participants will gather at Park Plaza Hotel at 10 a.m. and then will march through downtown Boston to the Hyatt Centric Hotel.

• The rally (11 a.m.): Join picketing UNITEHERE Local 26 hotel workers for the rally at 11 a.m. at the Hyatt Centric Hotel on 54 Devonshire Street in Boston. Speakers at the rally, “Building worker power: all day, every day,” will deliver remarks in solidarity with workers and will highlight the growing workers movement we’ve built together.

For more information on the breakfast, march, and rally, visit the Greater Boston Labor Council.

Free home weatherization workshop [Hybrid event]
Tuesday, September 13 | 5 p.m.
Great Hall, Codman Square NDC, 6 Norfolk St., Dorchester
Register today

Save the date: First ever ‘Women Build Boston Conference 2022’
Save the date for Greater Boston Building Trades Union’s first-ever Women Build Boston Conference on Saturday, October 8 at Encore Boston Harbor. If you or someone you know is looking to take a construction career to the next level, this conference is an incredible opportunity to learn from leading tradeswomen, network with fellow trades sisters, and find the support you need. All construction and building trades members are welcome!

For inquiries, please contact Brian Doherty, General Agent of the Greater Boston Building Trades Unions at [email protected].
 

Women Build Boston Conference 2022
Saturday, October 8
Click here to learn more

Mark your calendars: Building Pathways’ 10th Anniversary Gala
Building Pathways is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, and you’re invited! Celebrate Building Pathways and all its accomplishments at the 10th anniversary gala on Thursday, November 17. The gala will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport.

For a decade, Building Pathways has been dedicated to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of under-represented groups in the union building trades, particularly women, people of color, and young adults. Through its work, the organization has helped countless Massachusetts residents access opportunities that lead to lifelong, family-sustaining careers.
 

Building Pathways’ 10th Anniversary Gala
Thursday, November 17 | 5:30 p.m.
Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport
450 Summer Street, Boston, MA
RSVP today

Governor Baker signs landmark climate and clean energy legislation into law
This month, Massachusetts scored a momentous victory for climate justice, clean air, and clean energy after Governor Baker signed H. 5060, An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind. The legislation includes sweeping policies targeting renewables, transportation, and fossil fuels – comprehensive measures that are critical to supporting the state's goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The bill invests in offshore wind energy and improvements on the electricity grid, prohibits car dealerships from selling new gas- or diesel-powered vehicles after 2035, as well as establishes incentives for electric vehicles and appliances, and additional provisions regarding natural gas.

Learn more about the climate and clean energy bill at WBUR.