Southern Oregon Jobs With Justice

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 !!

Thank you to everyone who helped out with the Fourth of July parade, it was a great success.  We had 20 folks march with us representing our SOJWJ members, unions and organizations.   Oregon AFL-CIO’s  Barbara Byrd helped carry the union banner.  The children loved the candy and the adults loved the pro-labor messages and union songs.   In the park we were able to talk with scores of folks who were so grateful for our participation and work.

WE NEED YOU to come march with Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice in the Ashland Fourth of July parade.

Our SOJwJ’s coalition will be wide and diverse marching behind the Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice banner.  This year, out in front of the SOJwJ banner will be black clad Wobblies with red bandannas carrying a banner for the Wobbly Free Speech Memorial Campaign.

You are invited to join us and march in solidarity, to carry a sign or banner and just have a great time.  The parade line up is on Liberty Street next to Triangle Park at Siskiyou Blvd. The parade starts at 10a.m. ALL who join the SOJwJ parade entry for July 4, 2011 will receive a red bandanna.

We will also have a booth in Lithia Park after the parade.  Come by and find out about the Wobbly Free Speech Memorial Campaign and our efforts to send a delegation to the Jobs with Justice National Conference in August.

If you plan to march please contact Jason Houk and let him know you are coming  541-292-1168, or email jason@sojwj.org

JOBS WITH JUSTICE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

AUGUST 5-7, 2011 IN WASHINGTON, DC

JWJ National Conference Donation Portal HERE

Help us raise money to send Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice delegates to the Jobs with Justice National Conference in Washington, D.C.

We are organizing to send a delegation of Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice members to the national conference to represent our community, to learn, and strategize with labor leaders, rank & file workers, students, religious leaders, community activists, workers excluded from labor law protection, and many, many more about how to build a powerful movement of working people to defeat the corporate agenda! 

Click HERE to make your Tax-Deductible donation online.

Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice helped organize several dozen “Wobblies” and other coalition members to march in Dunsmuir’s annual Railroad Days.  Folks from three states met to march for the cause of the Wobbly Free Speech Memorial Campaign.

From: Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2011
Contacts: Shelley Talbott Shelley.Talbott@UFCW555.com 1-800-452-8329 ext 6317; Wes Brain, brain@mind.net 541-482-6988; Jason Houk houk@kskq.org 541-292-1168; Ivend Holen, idholen@ccountry.net 541-779-5392

Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice urges Walmart to be transparent about its political and charitable giving. New political reports shows difference between what Walmart says and where it gives.

Medford, Oregon— In response to new research released this week by Walmart Watch about the company’s political contributions, elected officials have been asked to urge Walmart to be transparent about its political and charitable giving. A vote on how political contributions are disclosed is expected at today’s annual shareholders’ meeting.

This Medford Walmart warning has a history. State Representative Peter Buckley’s concerns about Walmart expanding with a South Medford supercenter go back to 2005 with this video warning http://rogueimc.org/media/2005/11/5580.mov (11-10-05 press conference Central Point, OR).

As Walmart seeks to soften its image in order to grow its business in urban communities such as Medford, the report “What’s Right: Walmart’s Words vs. Walmart’s Political Priorities,” calls into question the image Walmart is attempting to portray to communities such as ours.

The report’s primary finding show:
• Walmart’s PAC and the Walton family continue to give overwhelmingly to Republicans.
• Democrats supported by Walmart were much more likely to oppose key elements of President Obama’s legislative agenda.
• The candidates that Walmart supports often vote against interests that Walmart claims to endorse like health care reform and environmental protections.

SOJwJ Board Member Jason Houk sums it up this way: “It doesn’t serve Medford to send our money to Arkansas so Walmart can use it to fund politicians who vote against our citizens.”

This Medford Walmart warning has a history. State Representative Peter Buckley’s concerns about Walmart expanding with a South Medford supercenter go back to 2005 with this video warning http://rogueimc.org/media/2005/11/5580.mov (11-10-05 press conference Central Point, OR).

The report examines information from available public records on Walmart’s political contributions. It shows how the company and members of the Walton family, who own more than 48% of the company, have wielded their resources to undermine the interests of Walmart’s core customers and the associates who work in its stores.

The report also points out that Walmart does not disclose political giving it does through the Chamber of Commerce and other trade industry groups, making it impossible to fully know the scope of the company’s political influence. Many leading companies—such as Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, and Merck—have embraced high standards for transparency in their political giving, according to the Center for Political Accountability.

Full report at http://walmartwatch.org/files/2011/06/WW-Walmart-Contributions-Report1.pdf

###

Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice brings together labor unions, religious congregations, student groups and community organizations to improve working peoples’ standard of living, job security and their right to organize.

Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice
298 Garfield Street
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541-482-6988
http://www.sojwj.org

Two Parades and Four Tombstone Tales

Parades: Dunsmuir CA – June 11th and Ashland OR – July 4

Tombstone Tales with Wobbly skit in Ashland Cemetery 4-6:30 pm on July 1, 2, 9 & 10.

Join us at the parades.  Black clad wobblies with red bandannas marching in front with our banner: Wobbly Free Speech Monument.  Right behind the Wobbly March will be our Jobs with Justice banner.  Represent the cross section of JWJ’s friends and allies through member organizations.

All who join us in the parades in Dunsmuir and Ashland get red bandannas.

Parade sign up now.  Please let Jason Houk (541-292-1168) or Wes Brain (541-482-6988) know you are coming.

The Wobbly Free Speech Monument Campaign memorializes the 100th anniversary of the Fresno Free Speech Fight of 1911 and with a focus on the Wobbly Walk Through the Siskiyous.

Located at 543 South Mountain Avenue, South Mountain Friends  is an unprogrammed Quaker Meeting that began in the 1960’s. Amongst Friends, faith and practice are inseparable. Drawing on the Quaker testimonies of equality, peace, simplicity and stewardship, Friends seek unity and integrity within inner and outer life.