Southern Oregon Jobs With Justice

First, there will be an important rally on Jan. 5th at 1:30 pm at Medford City Hall, where citizens will gathering to support the arrested “Medford 6″ as they go into Municipal Court – to face the music for their civil disobedience. Their crime? They did a sit-in at Rep. Greg Walden’s office on Dec. 5th, seeking representation for the 99% and stayed to draw media attention to the fact that Walden only listens to and votes for the 1%, his campaign contributors, the wealthiest Americans and those who run the largest U.S. corporations. Six of the dozens that protested were arrested.

Then, a musical fundraiser, starring the Rogue Suspects, for the ‘Medford 6’ Occupiers, arrested 12-5-11, for seeking representation from their Congressman, Greg Walden.

6:30 p.m. January 5th at Roscoe’s BBQ in Phoenix

Who: The Rogue Suspects, Pete Herzog and Patrick Tovatt for “Occupy Walden”
What: A fundraiser for the “Medford 6” to help cover fines and future actions
When: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, January 5, 2012
Where: Roscoe’s BBQ, 117 S. Main St., Phoenix, OR
Why: Because we, the 99%, are not being represented by Rep. Greg Walden, R-OR, the sitting U.S. 2nd District Congressman, and we need to expose the fact that he only listens to and votes for the 1%, the wealthiest Americans and those who run the largest corporations in the U.S.

Who are the ‘Medford 6’?: On December 5, 2011, six local folks occupied the Medford office of Greg Walden, intending to stay there until they were arrested in an act of civil disobedience — to put a spotlight on Walden’s record and on his lack accountability and citizen access. This was a coordinated action with simultaneous rallies in Medford, Bend, Klamath Falls, La Grande and Hood River. Part of the plan was to have sit-ins with arrests at Walden’s offices in Medford and Bend, which worked like a charm. Eight protesters were arrested at Walden’s Bend office, making a total of 14 arrests during Occupy Walden on December 5th. The six arrested in Medford are: Mary Madsen of Medford, Herb and Deborah Rothschild of Phoenix, Ivend Holen of Medford, Daniel Guy of Medford and Allen Hallmark of Grants Pass.

You too can be part of the ‘Medford 6’: We want every person who resents the way Greg Walden has conducted himself in office to feel like she or he too is one of the Medford 6. While you may not be able to spend all day in Walden’s office or rally outside on a cold December day, we hope that you support what the Medford 6 did and what groups like Citizens for Peace & Justice, Occupy Medford, Peace House, Occupy Ashland, Veterans for Peace – Rogue Valley Chapter 156, and Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom – Ashland chapter, do to help represent you in planning and carrying out these kinds of actions.

That’s why we hope that you will make plans to attend our fundraiser on January 5th, throw a couple of bucks into a bucket and maybe buy one of the special T-shirts that we’ll be selling at the event and on-line. You can also mail a check made out to Peace House, indicating that it’s for the Medford 6, and mail it to Peace House at P.O. Box 524, Ashland, OR 97520. Your donations will be used to help pay those fines. Any money left over will be deposited in a separate account to help finance future acts of civil disobedience.

Earlier that day, Jan. 5th, at 1:45, the Medford 6 will be in Medford Municipal Court to learn what the judge will fine each of them for their civil disobedience. We will be sending out info about an Occupy Walden rally at 1:30 p.m. in front of Medford City Hall where the Municipal Court is located. While the Medford 6 are inside having their day in court, we invite you to be outside with signs and banners telling citizens of the 2nd Congressional District that Greg Walden’s representation in Washington is a sham.

Background Links and Sources:

Click to see videos of what the Medford 6 each said about their civil disobedience:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9C532C0FB9DDBB32&feature=plcp
1. http://occupymedfordoregon.org/2011/12/occupy-arrests-press-release/#axzz1fnhbnkkP
2. http://www.ktvl.com/articles/bend-1202880-police-protesters.html
3. http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20111206%2FNEWS%2F112060324%2F-1%2FNEWSMAP
4. http://www.ktvz.com/news/29928771/detail.html
5. http://occupymedfordoregon.org/
6. http://occupybend.org/
7. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-La-Grande/239267486131424?sk=wall&filter=12
8. http://occupythegorge.org/?page_id=76
9. http://www.occupyashlandoregon.org/

Sarah Weintraub

A speaking tour called “How Vermont Won Health Care For All” will move through Southern Oregon.  In June, 2010, Vermont signed into law a commitment to create a statewide, universal health care system.  A member of the Vermont Workers Center will be in Ashland to discuss their three-year campaign that convinced the Vermont legislature to declare health care is a human right.

Sarah Weintraub is a member and staff organizer at the Vermont Workers Center. Sarah has been organizing in communities all across the state as part of the Healthcare Is a Human Right Campaign, which celebrated a major victory for grassroots organizing last year as Vermont became the first state to commit to a universal healthcare system.  Sarah also helped initiate the VWC’s People’s University for Liberation and Learning (PULL) to build leadership skills and critical analysis with our base through popular and political education.

Sarah will be part of a presentation on Wednesday, December 14th from 7 pm to 9 pm. at the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 87 4th St. in Ashland.

The Vermont Workers Center tour is organized by the five Oregon chapters of Jobs with Justice. For more information contact Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice at www.sojwj.org or call 541-482-6988.

Download Flyer

Local demonstrations initially inspired by New York’s Occupy Wall Street protest may be responsible for creating their own ripples of economic change in the Rogue Valley.

“They definitely have some sort of role in all of this,” said Gene Pelham, president of Rogue Federal Credit Union, whose seven operating branches have seen a significant jump in the number of opened personal accounts since the occupy protests spread to Southern Oregon three weeks ago.

read more…

The only reason most people stay with the big banks is out of convenience. But if you consider the money and time you will save once you move to a local financial institution, it only makes sense to move your money.

Download the .PDF and find out how your bank ranks…

As financial regulatory reform works its way through Congress, some big banks are nervous about new rules and regulations. Instead of being worried about the government, though, they should probably be worried about their customers. According to a recent poll, 35 percent of people would gladly leave their big bank if it were easier. Why? The megabanks charge too many fees.

Over 35% would switch if there was no cost or inconvenience. It’s really hard to grow your customer base when you have so many disgruntled customers (community banks, credit unions and online banks don’t have nearly as many unhappy customers). Why are big and regional bank’s customers so upset? More than half indicated it’s because of fees. Credit unions, community banks and online banks are cleaning their clocks. We asked those that would continue to do business with their current bank or credit union whether they would recommend the institution to a family member or friend. You guessed it… very few people would recommend their big bank. And we didn’t even ask people who want to switch this question – the story would be even worse.

See the full results

WHAT CAN WE DO?  Move Your MONEY Southern Oregon, switch to a local bank or credit union.

Download the .PDF and share with your friends…

Labor, Anti-War Singer Songwriter George Mann returns to Southern Oregon to stir up the locals with “200 Years of Struggle in Song.”

George Mann sings songs from the last century of labor and social activism, and his own songs are powerful and funny take on the state of the nation. His concerts are part sing-along, part history lesson, and will make you shout for joy, send chills down your spine and bring tears to your eyes in the same set.

The concert will take place on September 29th at the Grass Shack Hawaiian Cafe, 205 Fern Valley Road in Phoenix Oregon. The performance will begin at 6 pm and run two hours.

The concert is free but donations are accepted. No one turned away. George Mann’s visit is sponsored by Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice and the Southern Oregon Central Labor Council.

For more information call 541-482-6988 or 541-512-8969.

• Date and Time:  Thursday, September 29 · 6:00pm – 8:00pm
• Location: Grass Shack Hawaiian Cafe 205 Fern Valley Road
  (in the Factory Outlets Mall next to Interstate 5, Exit #24)

On the Web:
georgemann.org
untilyoucomehome.com

About George:
George created and produced the “Hail to the Thief!” anti-Bush CD series, which featured such folk legends as Tom Paxton, Utah Phillips, Billy Bragg and Magpie, and his work with veterans, unions and anti-war groups has kept him on the front lines for 20 years. He produced a new compilation CD, “Until You Come Home: Songs for Veterans and their Kin” and his latest solo CD, “Songs for Jules and Bruce,” was released last year.

SOJwJ Fights Verizon Corporate Greed in Medford, Oregon

Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice has “adopted” the Verizon Wireless store in Medford, Oregon. Educational leafleting will be conducted on Wireless Wednesdays 12pm – 2pm and 5pm – 7pm at the Verizon store on Crater Lake Hwy. 62 at the Delta Waters intersection.

Here are photos showing banners and signs at one of the busiest intersections in all of Jackson County.

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Activists and SOJWJ members gathered Aug. 31 to deliver a message to Representative Greg Walden at his Medford Oregon office.

Rep. Walden has chosen to side with CEOs over the people in Oregon.  Walden was elected to get the economy back on track and create jobs for the middle class.  But instead, Walden and other politicians in Washington are killing jobs and destroying the American Dream for working people.  People and communities are hurting – we need jobs now!   Greg Walden, we want to know: Where Are The Jobs?

Hundreds of demonstrators from Jobs with Justice and several labor rights groups closed the street to car traffic in front of Wal-Mart’s federal government relations office in the District.  The company is planning to build four stores in the District.. The demonstrators called on Wal-Mart to secure decent, living wage jobs at four planned stores in the city and to not retaliate against employees who join labor organizations.

Members of Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice marching in the Ashland Oregon July 4 parade.

There is power, there is power
In a band of Working men,
When they stand, hand in hand.
That’s a power, that’s a power
that must rule in every land -
One Industrial Union Grand !!