February 24th, 2008 — Actions, Fair Trade
STOP TOXIC IMPORTS Rally 10:30 a.m., Feb. 27, Medford, Oregon at Senator Gordon Smith’s Medford Office, Security Plaza 1175 East Main
The issue of lead in toys has gotten quite a bit of coverage in the media. But the problem of Toxic Trade goes far beyond toxics in toys.
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice is joining with the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign, the United Steelworkers and with labor and consumer protection advocates: Congress is on notice that our trade laws must champion safety and environmental standards as well as workers’ rights.
We urge Senator Gordon Smith to Stop Toxic Imports and Support the Food and Product Responsibility Act (S. 2081)
Southern Oregon JwJ
Support the U.S. Food and Product Responsibility Act, introduced in the Senate by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and in the House by Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind. This legislation would safeguard Americans against toxic food and products by shifting the responsibility on to the backs of the companies producing the goods and the importers importing them.
Steelworker Gaylan Prescott talks about the U.S. Food and Product Responsibility Act on the 2/12/08 edition of the Brain Labor Report radio show
“Toxic Trade”
http://www.kskq.org/brainlabor/?p=231
Citizens throughout Southern Oregonians are invited to participate in the Feb. 27 rally. For more information contact Wes Brain with Southern Oregon Jobs with
Justice at 
brain@mind.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn more about the Food and Product Responsibility Act (S.2081}
http://www.usw.org/usw/program/content/4459.php
Stop Toxics Imports
http://www.stoptoxicimports.org/
Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
http://www.citizenstrade.org/orftc.php
Jobs with Justice-national
http://www.jwj.org
United Steelworkers
http://www.usw.org
February 24th, 2008 — Actions, Fair Trade
68,000 Oregonians have lost jobs due to NAFTA-style free trade agreements since 1994. Oregon’s Members of Congress are faced with new trade deals that receive little public attention — trade agreements with Peru, Panama, Colombia and Korea to name a few. But the impacts of those trade agreements are far reaching at home and abroad. Working together in Oregon, we ask our elected officials to take leadership in shaping trade agreements that promote healthy communities, keep quality jobs in Oregon, and raise the standard of living in neighboring countries.
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice and the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign will present a Fair Trade Forum on March 29, 2008 from 2pm to 4pm at the Medford County Library. The townhall event is an opportunity for the community to come together and examine the trade policies that eliminate and outsource Oregon jobs. To encourage working together for new models of fair trade policies that reflect the values of our state.
Speaking up is the first step to challenging NAFTA-style free trade policies
Give voice to laid-off workers, small business owners, grower, ranchers, and elected leaders Stories Project. HAVE A STORY YOU WANT TO SHARE? Contact us at orftc@citizenstrade.org or call 503-736-9777
February 23rd, 2008 — Fair Trade
August 1st, 2007 — Actions
Our fellow nurses at Mercy Hospital in Roseburg (Oregon) finally got a first contract! As of early Friday morning (4 am) July 20th ONA has reached a tentative agreement with Mercy Medical Center. Hallelujah!! Congratulations to the Mercy nurses and all of us for our unified efforts in securing this historic first contract! We were certified as the bargaining representative in January 2006 and met for 43 full-day negotiation sessions and innumerable hours to achieve this agreement–(information for this post came from an ONA email)
Oregon Nurses Association
http://www.oregonrn.org/
Photos are from the twelve-hour-long picket outside of Mercy Medical Center on Monday July 16, 2007.
CLICK ANY PHOTO FOR LARGER IMAGE
Subject: Mercy Nurses get first contract!
1/3 of our nurses picketed last Monday (7-16-07)—with the support from many nurses and other workers from around Oregon and the Roseburg community.
The new contract adopts competitive pay with Eugene and Medford hospitals, including for the first time the implementation of a pay step scale. We won many nursing industry standard pay practices such as 1 ½ pay for consecutive weekends worked and 1 ½ pay for work from a low census standby, which the nurses had never previously enjoyed.
The contract includes job security provisions in the form of seniority bumping rights, a grievance/arbitration dispute resolution process, nursing practice provisions (including a dedicated voluntary workshop nurse education f und)…and a union security provision.
All of us can be pleased that the lives of many nurses, and their families, patients, and practice have been permanently enhanced by our collective efforts. The Mercy negotiating team and Mercy nurses deserve the real credit for this success. Super rep Diane Hedrick deserves special recognition for being the chief spokesperson during this arduous process.
July 19th, 2007 — Uncategorized
A measure that will re-open public libraries in Ashland will be on the ballot in September, as community sponsored efforts organize to campaign for its passage.
The Committee to Open Ashland Library (COAL) is a grassroots campaign asking the community to approve a two-year local option levy of up to $.58 per $1000 assessed property value as interim funding to operate the Ashland Public Library.
The Public Library in Ashland, Oregon has been closed since April 6, 2007 due to lack of funding from Jackson County. The Ballot measure 15-79, providing interim funding for the Ashland Library, will be decided by a special election on September 18, 2007. This will be a mail-in election. Passage of the levy requires a 50% voter turnout.
If the levy passes, Ashland Library is expected to re-open in October 2007. Ashland City Staff will work with Jackson County staff to develop a mutually acceptable intergovernmental agreement(IGA) detailing the contractural services the City desires and the County will provide to operate the Ashland Public Library.
The full text of M15-79 as filed with the County is available for viewing at: http://co.jackson.or.us/page.asp?navid=2080
COAL will publish one Argument in the Voters’ Pamphlet that simply lists names of endorsers. COAL invites everyone to add their name urging support of M15-79 to re-open the Ashland Library. The effort is to include as many names as space and funds permit. The deadline for submitting names and required signed SEL400 forms is Monday, July 23.
Early contributions are needed to pay for Arguments published in the Voters’ Pamphlet, due Monday, July 23. The filing fee for each Argument is $350 for up to 325 words. Checks payable to “COAL” may be mailed to P.O. Box 3598, Ashland, OR, 97520 and qualify for the Oregon Income Tax Credit of up to $50 per person per year
Organizations that have already expressed support include Ashland District School Board, League of Women Voters in Ashland, and Service Employees International Union.
A Library Supporters Discussion Group will gather to meet with concerned citicens,to answer questions on efforts to re-open Ashland and other branch libraries. Monday July 23rd from 7-9 PM at Peace House, 543 S. Mountain Avenue.
Committee to Open Ashland Library
Amy Blossom and Pam Vavra Co-Chairs, Anne Billeter, Josh Gordon, Ann Magill, John Sexton
P.O. Box 3598, Ashland, OR, 97520
http://www.ashlandlibrary.org
Measure #15-79 City of Ashland
CAPTION: Local Option Tax Levy Interim Funding for Ashland Public Library
QUESTION: Shall Ashland levy up to $.58 per $1,000 assessed value for two years beginning July 1, 2007 for library operations?
SUMMARY: This measure may be passed only at an election with at least a 50 percent voter turnout. (Required language per ORS 250.036 and not counted towards overall word count.) This tax levy is an interim funding solution to operate the Ashland branch public library for no more than two years.
Up to .58 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value may be levied if this measure passes. This levy is expected to generate $1.032 million annually. The average assessed value for a single family home in Ashland is approximately $207,000, and this household would pay $120 per year if this measure passes.
Funds generated under this levy will only be used to provide library services. The City will not levy this tax if Jackson County provides funding for adequate library services.
To open the Ashland library, the City of Ashland and Jackson County must negotiate and approve an intergovernmental agreement.
Library services in Ashland will include the following, at a minimum:
* 40 open hours per week with professional staff.
* Existing public terminals for internet access.
* Newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
* Access to materials currently in the Ashland library.
* 400 new books per year.
* Children’s programs and reference services.
July 13th, 2007 — Actions, Events
Monday July 16, 2007
Mercy Medical Center, Roseburg, Oregon
THE TIME TO SUPPORT MERCY NURSES IS NOW !
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice calls upon Our Member Organizations, Our Individual Pledge Card Signers and ALL Southern Oregonians who support social and economic justice. The nurses at Mercy Hospital in Roseburg, Oregon need our support on Monday, July 16th for a Day Long Informational Picket. We joined them for a big
rally on May 4, 2007* (*see below), yet they still need our help as their struggle drags on and on and on . . . . The Mercy Nurses prolonged attempts to bargain a first contract has proved to be a gross violation of the intent of labor law, yet the denial of member representation is a slap in the face to the dedicated nursing workforce at Mercy. Fundamental protections for people to associate and to “be union” have been violated by an employer that bargains in
bad faith. The “bad faith bargaining sessions” have now lasted a year and 1/2 with no end in sight. The Mercy Nurses Need Our Support Now!
COME JOIN US FOR THIS SOLIDARITY ROAD TRIP
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice is planning a solidarity road trip to Roseburg to support our ONA Nurses at Mercy Medical Center. This is important. Please Join this Fundamental Call For Workforce Justice. Monday, July 16 is during the week so it is really tough for our workforce to attend. If you are able to join in this “road
trip” for health care justice know that we plan to fund some gas money for the car-pools. (upon approval of our bod who is hpo (hundred percent onboard). Our SOJwJ BOD met last night and we are in total support of the ONA Nurses at Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon. Here is the plan for car pools north. Please
share this and help us build a “Road Trip of Solidarity” from here in the Rogue Valley. Sign up, Get involved, Give me a call, lets do this now!
CAR-POOLS TO MERCY NURSE RALLY IN ROSEBURG, MONDAY JULY 16, 2007
Leave Ashland 1:30 p.m. (Evos Coffee House, near our closed library)
Leave Medford 2:00 p.m. (Sherms Food-4-Less, North Medford Exit - Meet Near Chevron Gas Station)
Mercy Medical Center is at 2700 Stewart ParkwayFrom Interstate 5 southbound: Take Exit #127 (Stewart Parkway), right on Edenbower Boulevard to Stewart Parkway, right on Stewart Parkway to MMC (1/4 mile).
Rally with Mercy Nurses at the Mercy Medical Center 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Car-Pool back to Rogue Valley - Leave 6:00 p.m.
Arrive in Medford 8:00 p.m. (Sherms)
Arrive in Ashland 8:30 p.m. or sooner! (Evos)
Thank you,
Wes Brain, Chair
Southern Oregon Jobs With Justice
298 Garfield Street
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-6988
brain@mind.net
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
*MAY 4, 2007 RALLY IN ROSEBURG, OREGON*
150 folks gathered in Roseburg, Oregon on May 4, 2007 to support the nurses who work at Mercy Hospital. Over a year ago the Mercy Nurses voted overwhelmingly to form a union and join the Oregon Nurses
Association, yet the Mercy Administration has failed to bargain in good faith and the nurses do not have a contract yet. Following can be found two stories about the Mercy Nurses.
Rogue IMC story about the Mercy Nurses’ struggle http://rogueimc.org/en/2007/05/8416.shtml
Mercy Nurse Roberta Silva interviewed on the Brain Labor Report (mp3 audio file) http://www.kskq.org/blr/2007/05/03/oregon-nursing-solidarity
*********************************************************************
HERE IS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERCY PICKET ON MONDAY, JULY 16 IN ROSEBURG, OREGON
RNS WANT NO MORE DELAYS FOR OUR COMMMUNITY!
The Nurses of Mercy Medical Center are committed to building a workplace where our highest priorities are:
· Providing safe and quality patient care;
· Ensuring staffing levels are sufficient to provide that care;
and
· Guaranteeing fairness for all staff
Over two years ago we began to express our concerns, share our ideas and participate on committees to better the workplace, all to no avail. We concluded that in order for Mercy Medical Center to observe these priorities and provide our community with the hospital it deserves, Mercy medical Center administration needed to listen to the voice of the Nurses.
Last year, we identified these vital priorities to management. Despite intimidation, threats, and fear of retaliation, we spoke with our collective voices and on January 11, 2006, we voted to be represented by ONA. Under our own RN strong leadership, we are ONA.
Since then, over one year has passed. During that time, we have been negotiating with Mercy Medical Center administration. While we appreciate the change in leadership and the resulting positive impact, we believe that the negotiation process has been held up long enough. There are nine outstanding articles left to negotiate,
relating to issues that are crucial to a fair contract for RNs.
Nurses united together can create the highest standards of healthcare at Mercy Medical Center for our community. This has always been our goal and remains the reason why we organized. Please support us in
this struggle. E-mail MMC’s CEO, Kelly Morgan at kellymorgan@chiwest.com. Send the message that a fair contract for RNs, without further delay, is critical to a safe hospital for our
community.
Mercy Nurses Have Been Negotiating Their First Contract for a Year and a Half!!! Help Them to Achieve their Reasonable Goals of:
· Ensuring Staffing Levels are Sufficient to Provide Quality
Patient Care
· Guaranteeing Fairness for ALL Staff
Support Us On the Picket Line July 16th!
Join us in front of the hospital for an Informational Picket anytime
8am-8pm
July 9th, 2007 — Uncategorized
Local Coalition Earns National Recoginition With Local Charter
SOJwJ recent approval for charter application to the National Board validates the more than two years SOJwJ has worked in the Rogue Valley in solidarity with other organizations to make an economic impact.
Begining with an explatory committee in 2005, SOJwJ followed the lead of other Jobs with Justice coalitions, including Central Oregon JwJ and Eugene Springfield Solidarity Network (ESSN)
SOJwJ has recruited 14 organizational members and over 200 members returning pledge cards.
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
- Southern Oregon Central Labor Council
- SEIU #503 Statewide
- SEIU #503, District 4
- Oregon Nurses Association/RVMC
- American Postal Workers Union/Southern Oregon
- American Federation of Government Employees
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
- Oregon Action
- Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center
- Jackson County Pacific Green Party
- DUDE-Disabled United in Direct Empowerment
- Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
- KSKQ-low power fm radio
- Citizens for Peace and Justice
- Southern Oregon Socialist Action
As stated on its website, SOJwJ’s mission is to improve working people’s standard of living, fight for job security, and protect workers’ right to organize.
Whereas two organizations might disagree on principles, such as emphasizing environment instead of labor or vice versa, coalitions unite organizations that disagree by agreeing on the spirit of principles.
Depending upon the philosophy that it takes more than individual effort to impact economic change, SOJwJ is a non-profit coalition of labor unions, student organizations, faith-based groups and other community organizations. SOJwJ’s Chair Wes Brain states, “A coalition like SOJwJ strengthens its participating organizations and facilitates economic change.”
Fighting for economic change is often an uphill battle. SOJwJ brings together labor unions, religious congregations, and community organizations to support the civil and economic rights of all working people – especially the right to a decent standard of living, the right to a stable job, and the right to organize.
Members of SOJwJ have marched with teachers from Rogue River School District during their strike, participated in Ashland’s Fourth of July Parade and organized two Anne Feeney benefit concerts. SOJwJ holds its meetings the second Tuesday of every month, 7:00 PM at the Central Point.
July 7th, 2007 — Uncategorized
July 5th, 2007 — Events
SOUTHERN OREGON JOBS WITH JUSTICE PAYS ASHLAND’S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR FREE SPEECH. *NOTE* More on this cost of free speech found further below
Here are photos which show some of the happenings and goings-on this Independence Day 2007 in the small Southern Oregon town called Ashland…
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO FOR LARGER VERSION
W H E R E’ S * W A L D E N ?
A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY 40 SOJWJ PARTICIPANTS WHO REPRESENTED MANY MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN OREGON JOBS WITH JUSTICE COALITION!
*HERE IS MORE INFORMATION ON THE REQUIREMENT TO PAY FOR FREE SPEECH FOR THE PARADE…
Per the Ashland Chamber of Commerce 4th of July 2007 parade application Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice paid the $30 entry fee as required for a Not-For-Profit Organization. Everything was set to go until the official parade packet arrived in the mail only a couple days before the 4th. That’s when we were told we could not be political. We were forced with a tough decision, either cough up more money for free speech or exclude two of our member organizations.
Here are the words of James S. Kidd, titled “Head Chair” on the letter as part of the parade packet received in the mail, The letterhead: Ashland Chamber of Commerce Old Fashioned 4th of July. It starts, “Dear Parade Entry…” and goes on telling us we are #823 this year and how to display the number on our entry plus more… Handwritten on this letter is the following note from Head Chair James S. Kidd:
“Not-for-profit entries are _NOT_ permitted to display political or political party (i.e. Green Party, etc.) banners. Thank you!”–James K.
Another item in the parade packet is the double-sided “Parade Rules & Regulations”, and I noticed the very last rule, #32 is bolded with all words capitalized:
THE ASHLAND FOURTH OF JULY COMMITTEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE AN ENTRY FROM STARTING THE PARADE, OR TO REMOVE AN ENTRY AFTER IT HAS STARTED DOWN THE PARADE ROUTE, IF ANY OF THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE VIOLATED.
This seemed so very strange because SOJwJ is a COALITION of 14 various “member organizations” two of which can be tagged “political”, Southern Oregon Socialist Action and the Jackson County Pacific Green Party - yet certainly “our collective” is more accurately described as “not-for-profit” than as a “political candidate or organization”. This was frustrating and certainly not patriotic, especially on Independence Day, and we can all just contemplate what Thomas Jefferson would think, or do…
Faced with this mandate SOJwJ paid the extra $70. for Free Speech and were able to invite ALL of its member organizations.
WE HAD GREAT FUN! and were not deterred by the City of Ashland’s Chamber of Commerce and its unpatriotic way of handling this year’s Fourth of July parade.
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice
14 Member Organizations
217 Pledge Card Signers
Douglas, Josephine, Jackson and Klamath counties
July 3rd, 2007 — Events
Richard Becker of Pastors for Peace discuss the annual pilgrimage to Cuba. Becker discusses history of Cuba colonialism and the effects of the blockade.
Brain Labor Report - July 3, 2007
“It is a policy of trying to starve somebody into submission…”
~ Richard Becker on Cuba Blockade
Pastors For Peace
What is the Cuba Caravan? On 14 separate routes, participants and vehicles travel through the US and Canada, making pre-arranged stops in cities along the way. Speakers discuss what is happening in Cuba and the purpose of the trip.
Humanitarian aid is gathered, consisting of medical and educational supplies and equipment, and also computers, bicycles, tools and sports equipment. These are items difficult or very expensive to obtain in Cuba, due to the 45-year-long economic blockade imposed by the US government.
This project offers concerned US citizens an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity, and an alternative foreign policy based on justice and mutual respect, towards our neighbor country, only 90 miles away.
