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UUSJ is partnering with UUs for Just Economic Community, as part of our support for their Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) The COVID-19 Pandemic: Justice. Healing. Courage, which was endorsed by UUs in June 2021 during General Assembly. This AIW calls for systemic change. Asking UUs to "recognize the need to build just and equitable infrastructures for medical care and public health, in labor and community organizing, and in congregation-based programs for social and personal wellness." As part of the AIWs call to support laborers, unions, and labor law reform it cites specific support for the intent of the PRO Act and for its passage.
7pmET | 6pmCT | 5pmMT | 4pmPT
Join us to learn more about the PRO Act and how an effective right to organize in the workplace, as detailed in the PRO Act, ties to the larger policy context of healthcare and workplace safety.
Faith and labor advocates have a long history of collaboration, recognizing that getting workers a real voice and leverage is essential for our democracy, and more recently for an inclusive version of that democracy. Collaborations have also been tied to progress on healthcare, public health expectations, and workplace safety.
In many parts of the economy, the COVID 19 pandemic has underscored the inability of employees to influence employers in securing basic dignity, safety, and respect in the workplace. Consequently, more Americans recognize that the principle of fair work for fair pay and conditions probably applies more broadly. All workers merit adequate protection, compensation, and representation -- whether they are Amazon workers, food supply, auto assembly, retail, hospitality, university teaching assistants, or healthcare workers. And that probably requires an effective right to organize in the workplace, as detailed in the PRO Act.
While unions historically have not been able to match corporate political donations dollar for dollar, working people, organizing together in unions, play an equalizing role because they can motivate members to give their time and effort to policy and issue causes (and candidates).
SPEAKERS:
Melinda St. Louis, Director of Medicare For All, Public Citizen
For the past 20 years, Melinda has led multiple campaigns that challenge corporate power and promote economic justice and human rights, including fighting Big Pharma greed in global trade agreements. She is now thrilled to focus her energy on building a movement to finally deliver guaranteed health care for everyone in the United States. She received her master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University.
Michael Szpak, Religion-Labor Coordinator, AFL-CIO
Rev. Szpak works in the Civil, Human and Women's Rights Department of the AFL-CIO. He engages faith-based communities in alignment with labor movements and in the interest of the AFL-CIO agenda. He has also been a member of a number of local unions including SEIU, AFT and the Newspaper Guild. At the AFL-CIO, he has been a Strategic
Campaign Coordinator, as well as a State Legislative Coordinator, and provided campaign support to AFL-CIO affiliates. Rev. Michael is a retired United Methodist minister in the Baltimore Washington Conference and has a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley
Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. He is married and has two grown children.
Gina Kelly, Government Relations Specialist, Network Lobby
Gina oversees the labor portfolio at NETWORK which includes priorities like paid leave, unionization, livable and fair wages, and non-discrimination legislation. Before joining NETWORK, she interned at Northwest Workers’ Justice Project and in Senator Merkley’s Portland office. Additionally, she volunteered teaching English to adult migrants in weekly night classes. Gina also worked as a research assistant at Pacific University contributing to published academic work, as well as publishing her own undergraduate thesis in a peer-reviewed journal.
UUSJ is partnering with UUs for Just Economic Community, as part of our support for their Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) The COVID-19 Pandemic: Justice. Healing. Courage, which was endorsed by UUs in June 2021 during General Assembly. This AIW calls for systemic change. Asking UUs to "recognize the need to build just and equitable infrastructures for medical care and public health, in labor and community organizing, and in congregation-based programs for social and personal wellness." As part of the AIWs call to support laborers, unions, and labor law reform it cites specific support for the intent of the PRO Act and for its passage.
Faith and labor advocates have a long history of collaboration, recognizing that getting workers a real voice and leverage is essential for our democracy, and more recently for an inclusive version of that democracy. Collaborations have also been tied to progress on healthcare, public health expectations, and workplace safety.
Urge your Senators to support the passing of the PRO Act (S.420), a crucial piece of legislation passed in the House (HR.842).
A detailed email from info@uusj.org should follow, here are the basics:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85349021443?pwd=djEzUXp4a1NxRlJINTMxakpQZzNMQT09
Meeting ID: 853 4902 1443
Passcode: 656873
Phone: 301-715-8592