BOSTON (7 February 2018) - City Councilor Lydia Edwards filed a resolution this week supporting a Boston Logan Airport workers strike against JetBlue subcontractors FSS and ReadyJet for intimidation and threats.
"These workers are the backbone of what keeps our airport moving yet they are continually overlooked and undervalued at poverty wages,” says Councilor Edwards. “They deserve the dignity and respect to exercise their right to organize for improvements and rights while on the job, free from surveillance, threats or acts of intimidation."
The strike against FSS and Ready Jet comes after illegal work practices and intimidation against workers in their efforts to organize says SEIU 32BJ, the union representing the works and service employees around the Commonwealth. The union also states that while under sub-contract of JetBlue, both FSS and Ready Jet have violated labor laws and received numerous citations from both Massachusetts and federal agencies.
Airport workers have been forced to file charges for illegal surveillance, threats and intimidation of workers who are organizing for workplace changes, Boston City Councilor Edwards says filing the resolution is a message to both companies that enough is enough.
"Workers in this country have a legal right to organize and shouldn’t have to face illegal threats and intimidation when they do. Airline subcontractors are not above the law and we need to hold them accountable when they break it,” says Edwards.
"I will support these workers, many of whom live and work two to three jobs in East Boston, as they exercise their right to strike in the coming weeks. They deserve to take peaceful action to build a better workplace and a better city for us all."
Source: Gabriela Coletta, (617) 635-3200 gabriela.coletta@boston.gov
Showing posts with label Labor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Labor. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
State and local leaders join workers to demand wage theft protections and missing pay
(BOSTON, MA December 19, 2017) – In a lunchtime rally, members of the Chinese Progressive Association and state and local leaders joined together in support of the Massachusetts wage theft bill (S 999 / H 1033) and to demand missing pay for workers.
"Our workers center has been around for 30 years. Wage theft is the most common problem that we have seen among workers. These builders are making huge profits from renovations but are paying their workers nothing. We have to stand up to stop wage theft," said Karen Y. Chen, Executive Director of the Chinese Progressive Association, while addressing the energized crowd.
The legislation, that passed the Senate last session and was reintroduced in January, seeks to prevent wage law violations by granting additional power to the Attorney General to hold employers and contractors accountable.
"House Bill 1033 would be a great step to get the Attorney General what she needs to help workers. We have over 140 sponsors, which shows that this is a problem, not just in Boston, but in all of Massachusetts. We need to get this bill passed to stop this from happening to Massachusetts' workers," said Representative Michlewitz, who introduced the bill in January this year.
"I stand with workers in our community to stop wage theft. This is a serious problem in my district and in the state," said Boston City Councilor-Elect Ed Flynn, who also attended the event in Downtown Boston.
Boston City Councilor-Elect Kim Janey also marched with attendees lending her support for wage theft legislation.
The rally was also attended by workers from the Chinese community who contend they fell prey to predatory contractors involved in wage theft, which frequently impacts immigrant workers, particularly in the construction industry.
"We have to use worker and community power to stop wage theft. People need to be paid for the work they do. When people don't get paid, they can't support their families or live a healthy life," said Wei Min Zheng, a Quincy resident and a victim of wage theft.
Wage theft has been a chronic problem in Massachusetts and around the country, where few remedies are currently available for victims, particularly vulnerable workers in immigrant communities. For more information about wage theft, and the push for legislation in Massachusetts, please visit http://www.stopmasswagetheft.org.
The rallying wage theft victims are working with the Chinese Progressive Association, a grassroots community organization which works for full equality and empowerment of the Chinese community in the Greater Boston area and beyond. Their activities seek to improve the living and working conditions of Chinese Americans and to involve community members in making decisions that affect their communities. For more information on the Chinese Progressive Association please visit http://www.cpaboston.org.
"Our workers center has been around for 30 years. Wage theft is the most common problem that we have seen among workers. These builders are making huge profits from renovations but are paying their workers nothing. We have to stand up to stop wage theft," said Karen Y. Chen, Executive Director of the Chinese Progressive Association, while addressing the energized crowd.
The legislation, that passed the Senate last session and was reintroduced in January, seeks to prevent wage law violations by granting additional power to the Attorney General to hold employers and contractors accountable.
"House Bill 1033 would be a great step to get the Attorney General what she needs to help workers. We have over 140 sponsors, which shows that this is a problem, not just in Boston, but in all of Massachusetts. We need to get this bill passed to stop this from happening to Massachusetts' workers," said Representative Michlewitz, who introduced the bill in January this year.
"I stand with workers in our community to stop wage theft. This is a serious problem in my district and in the state," said Boston City Councilor-Elect Ed Flynn, who also attended the event in Downtown Boston.
Boston City Councilor-Elect Kim Janey also marched with attendees lending her support for wage theft legislation.
The rally was also attended by workers from the Chinese community who contend they fell prey to predatory contractors involved in wage theft, which frequently impacts immigrant workers, particularly in the construction industry.
"We have to use worker and community power to stop wage theft. People need to be paid for the work they do. When people don't get paid, they can't support their families or live a healthy life," said Wei Min Zheng, a Quincy resident and a victim of wage theft.
Wage theft has been a chronic problem in Massachusetts and around the country, where few remedies are currently available for victims, particularly vulnerable workers in immigrant communities. For more information about wage theft, and the push for legislation in Massachusetts, please visit http://www.stopmasswagetheft.org.
The rallying wage theft victims are working with the Chinese Progressive Association, a grassroots community organization which works for full equality and empowerment of the Chinese community in the Greater Boston area and beyond. Their activities seek to improve the living and working conditions of Chinese Americans and to involve community members in making decisions that affect their communities. For more information on the Chinese Progressive Association please visit http://www.cpaboston.org.
Monday, November 13, 2017
Veterans News: Massachusetts Building Trades Council Honors Veterans with City Hall Ceremony and Helmets to Hardhats Program Donations
Helmets to Hardhats is a program that connects veterans with union jobs and training. Since 2007, the program has connected 575 military veterans to union jobs statewide. Massachusetts Building Trades Council has been an ardent supporter of Helmets to Hardhats and organized its affiliate unions to donate towards the program.
Helmets to hardhats have provided a large number of veterans the opportunity to work in professions such painting, construction and much more. The program, headquartered in Washington D.C., is managed by Center for Military Recruitment, Assessment, and Veterans Employment.
"Joining a union through Helmets to Hardhats helped me go from an uninsured, underemployed hard worker to a highly trained well-insured worker with the pension. It's turned my life around and my family’s around," said Tom McEvoy, member of International Union of Operating Engineers, IUOE Local 4.
The jobs available for veterans through the program portal are well-paying union jobs that ensure best benefits, a promising career, and top-of-the-art training program.
"Talking to veterans returning from duty, I would tell them that if they have any interest in construction they should definitely get involved. They will need to be patient because nothing happens overnight but it will be worth it," said Evan Donohoe, who served in the Marine Core from '06 to '10 and graduated from the sheet metal workers apprenticeship program in August of 2017.
The Massachusetts Building Trades Council recognizes the contributions of and the efforts made by Helmets to Hardhats program in providing our veterans with career opportunities. MassBTC is committed to providing the best training and job opportunities to our veterans.
###
For nearly 100 years, theMassachusetts Building Trades Council (MBTC) had been dedicated to helping working people improve their quality of life. The organization is comprised of 74 member locals representing over 75,000 working men and women across the state.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
New England Regional Council of Carpenters Endorses Diana Hwang for State Senate
Source: Hwang Campaign
(Boston, MA 3/2/2016)– The New England Regional Council of Carpenters today endorsed Democrat Diana Hwang for State Senate. Hwang, a local non-profit founder and former State House staffer, is a candidate to replace Anthony Petruccelli in the Democratic primary special election for Massachusetts’ First Suffolk and Middlesex State Senate District.
“We're proud to endorse Dianna because she understands and cares about the issues in our industry and in our members' day-to-day lives. The construction trades have traditionally provided career options with good pay and good benefits for those who aren't able or willing to follow the college path. Unfortunately, we've seen industry standards eroded as too many vulnerable workers have been the victims of contractors and an underground economy that thrives on wage theft, misclassification and dangerous worksites,” said Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, New England Regional Council of Carpenters. “We're confident that Diana's knowledge and experience will help us in our fight to provide justice, safety, training and jobs with good wages and benefits for all of the workers in our industry, whether they belong to a union or not.”
“I’m a candidate for State Senate because I will be a voice for working families, which is why I’m proud to have the Carpenters by my side in this race,” Hwang remarked. “The Carpenters have been fighting for living wages, health care, quality jobs, safe working conditions and other critically important issues for many years. I have spent my career working within the system to change the system so that families like the ones represented by the Carpenters have a voice on Beacon Hill. If elected I will work as a full partner with the Carpenters on issues I know are important to both of us – and to the people of the First Suffolk & Middlesex District.”
The NERCC represents over 20,000 carpenters, pile drivers, shop & millmen, and floorcoverers working in the New England States, including all across Massachusetts. NERCC is part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, one of North America’s largest building trades unions, with nearly a half-million members in the construction and wood-products industries.
The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Diana Hwang is the founder of the Asian-American Women’s Political Initiative – the country’s first political leadership organization for young Asian-American women. She previously served as a legislative aide in the State House and a Chief of Staff in the Boston City Council. Diana serves as Board member of the UMass Center for Women in Politics, served as co-chair of the Boston Women’s Fund and is a founding member of Mayor Walsh’s Women’s Commission. Diana currently lives in East Boston and previously lived in Revere.
# # #
(Boston, MA 3/2/2016)– The New England Regional Council of Carpenters today endorsed Democrat Diana Hwang for State Senate. Hwang, a local non-profit founder and former State House staffer, is a candidate to replace Anthony Petruccelli in the Democratic primary special election for Massachusetts’ First Suffolk and Middlesex State Senate District.
“We're proud to endorse Dianna because she understands and cares about the issues in our industry and in our members' day-to-day lives. The construction trades have traditionally provided career options with good pay and good benefits for those who aren't able or willing to follow the college path. Unfortunately, we've seen industry standards eroded as too many vulnerable workers have been the victims of contractors and an underground economy that thrives on wage theft, misclassification and dangerous worksites,” said Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, New England Regional Council of Carpenters. “We're confident that Diana's knowledge and experience will help us in our fight to provide justice, safety, training and jobs with good wages and benefits for all of the workers in our industry, whether they belong to a union or not.”
“I’m a candidate for State Senate because I will be a voice for working families, which is why I’m proud to have the Carpenters by my side in this race,” Hwang remarked. “The Carpenters have been fighting for living wages, health care, quality jobs, safe working conditions and other critically important issues for many years. I have spent my career working within the system to change the system so that families like the ones represented by the Carpenters have a voice on Beacon Hill. If elected I will work as a full partner with the Carpenters on issues I know are important to both of us – and to the people of the First Suffolk & Middlesex District.”
The NERCC represents over 20,000 carpenters, pile drivers, shop & millmen, and floorcoverers working in the New England States, including all across Massachusetts. NERCC is part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, one of North America’s largest building trades unions, with nearly a half-million members in the construction and wood-products industries.
The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Diana Hwang is the founder of the Asian-American Women’s Political Initiative – the country’s first political leadership organization for young Asian-American women. She previously served as a legislative aide in the State House and a Chief of Staff in the Boston City Council. Diana serves as Board member of the UMass Center for Women in Politics, served as co-chair of the Boston Women’s Fund and is a founding member of Mayor Walsh’s Women’s Commission. Diana currently lives in East Boston and previously lived in Revere.
# # #
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)