*Special Event: Workers Memorial Ceremony 3:00-3:15- In honor of all our fallen union brothers and sisters
2013 is the time to Legalize, Organize, and Unionize! On May 1st (May Day), working people from the across the world will make their voices heard.
The May 1st Coalition of Vassar College and the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation would like to invite you to the International Workers’ Day March in Poughkeepsie for the Empowerment of Workers and Immigrants this May 1st, 2013.
On May Day, we will gather to raise our voices as one. On this day we will lift up our struggles to “legalize, organize, unionize” and march in solidarity and celebration of the ongoing fight for worker and immigrant justice.
Join HVALF as well as MEChA de Vassar, 1199 SEIU, DC CLC, Somos la Llave del Futuro, La Voz, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, Vassar Young Democratic Socialists, Community Voices Heard, End the New Jim Crow Action Network (ENJAN), and others in this demonstration of unity in the Hudson Valley’s organizing efforts for workers' rights and meaningful immigration reform.
We encourage you to bring your banners, your t-shirts, and your signs. Let's make labor's voice heard in the Hudson Valley!
*Marchers will gather at Vassar College (124 Raymond Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604) at 2pm
*The march will begin from Vassar at 3:30pm, and head down Main St. to the Family Partnership Center (29 N Hamilton St., Poughkeepsie)
*We will rally at the Family Partnership Center, and conclude with performances and tabling until 7pm.
**For more info, contact Spencer Resnick at (781) 686-3045, spencer.resnick@gmail.com or John Speedling (845) 636- 0499, jspeedling@hvalf.org
Rally for Immigration Reform – April 10, 2013, Washington, D.C.
April 10th is the anniversary of the largest mobilization for immigrant rights in recent history (April 10, 2006) when over 70 cities across the US took action to encourage the senate to defeat the anti-human rights “Sensenbrenner Bill”. This year’s rally on April 10th is expected to draw tens of thousands of activists to the West Lawn of the Capitol and reassert the mandate from the election for Congress to finally act and pass reform. The D.C. rally will culminate a week of actions which include lobbying, media events, phone banking and educational forums.
If you are not able to join us in Washington below are the local rallies:
Kingston, NY: Candlelight Vigil for Immigration Reform - April 10 at 8:00 pm at Academy Green Park - 238 Clinton Avenue, Kingston
Putnam, NY: Putnam Vigil for Immigration Reform - April 10 at 7:00 pm at Putnam County Old Courty House - Route 52, Carmel
Westchester, NY: Rally for Immigration Reform - April 10 at 4:30 pm at Martin Luther King Blvd and Martine Avenue, White Plains
The Labor Heroes 2013 Celebration is right around the corner. Don't forget to submit your nominations! Email them to John at the address listed below. Last year was a great turnout and this year expects to be even better. Date soon to follow.
Union Leaders from all sectors came together under the heading "Stronger Together" to speak with our Federal Elected Officials: Senators Schumer & Gillibrand and Congressmen Lowey, Maloney and Gibson on Wednesday at the IBEW Training Facility in Harriman. Over 85 union leaders spoke of the concerns that face Hudson Valley Working Families from JOB CREATION, sequestration, transportation & infracture improvements, minimum wage, immigration reform, PLAs, corporate takeovers, USPS, West Point to the need for elected officials to work together to move the Hudson Valley forward.
Mario Cilento, President of the NYS AFL-CIO praised Hudson Valley Labor for leading the way on issues that affect working families, he said HV LAbor was the driving force in electing Sean Patrick Maloney to Congress and also electing local representatives that support labor and working families.
Sam Fratto, Business Manager from IBEW pressed that Labor was focused on improving the quality of life of families through good paying jobs. He said our fight is for Families!
Paul Ellis-Graham, President of HVALF and ED from NYSUT moderated the event and spoke to our federal representatives about the fiscal cliff deal and the affects it will have on the education of our children.
Adrian Huff, Sec'y Treasurer from Teamsters Local 445 focused on closing loopholes in the NRLB.
Don Hale, President of AFGE at West Point spoke of the importance of having West Point projects constructed by local trades.
James Malcolm, NE Regional Carpenters spoke on the importance of posting updated and correct wages on sites.
Pat Purcell, Asst to President of UFCW 1500 asked members of Congress to support HR 675. A bill to extend protections to part-time workers.
Todd Diorio, President of the HV Building Trades explained the importance of working together, PLAs, Federal Davis Bacon and prevailing wages on construction projects.
Cynthia Wolff and Joe Stratford, 1199 SEIU spoke on the sequestration and immigration reform. [more pictures here]
"This is a really good start. Republicans have some reason to really kind of move forward especially after having gotten shellacked by the Hispanic vote in the last election," said Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation President Paul Ellis-Graham.
Hudson Valley Working Families Join Growing National Chorus for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO Supports a Road Map to
Citizenship for 11 Million Aspiring Americans
Newburgh, NY— Today, the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, on behalf of 113,000 of Hudson Valley union families, adopted a resolution calling on Congress to pass common-sense immigration reform that includes a practical and inclusive road map to citizenship and reflects core American values such as fairness, equality, and family unity.
The resolution acknowledges that “more than 11 million immigrant aspiring citizens contribute to our communities” and argues that our “democracy cannot function unless all men and women, regardless of their skin color or where they were born, can participate meaningfully in the political process with full rights and equal protections.”
That commitment to equality is why Hudson Valley working families pledge to continue to work with community partners—including civil rights, human rights and immigrant rights organizations—to promote citizenship for 11 million immigrant aspiring citizens. That includes a campaign to communicate our position to New York’s congressional delegation, part of a national campaign by America’s unions to support the aspiration of 11 million immigrants to become citizens.
“Working people are working people, regardless of the color of their skin or where they were born,” said Paul Ellis-Graham, President of HVALF & ED 14 Director for NYSUT. “In the Hudson Valley, we recognize that working people are strongest when we work together and our movement is strongest when it welcomes all workers. On a regular basis, the more than 11 million immigrant aspiring citizens who contribute to our communities, country, and economy are denied a voice at work and other basic rights. The creation of a road map to citizenship would not only stop employers from continuing to take advantage of our failed immigration policies; it would improve wages and labor standards for all workers by giving immigrant workers a voice on the job.”
“My name is Sean Patrick Maloney and I’m new here. I don’t know all the rules of Washington but it seems like the rule here is to put off tomorrow what should be done today even while Americans are suffering.
“I learned a long time ago from my mom and dad, Jim and Joan Maloney, and our parish priest, Father Bill Nolan, a much better rule– it’s called the Golden Rule. Americans of all parties live by it; the people of New York, New Jersey and the Hudson Valley live by it.
“Bart & Diana Tyler of Kelloggs & Lawrence Hardware Store in Katonah sure live by it. They led storm victims through the darkened aisle of their hardware store for critical supplies at the moment a greatest need and consoled them as if they were family. Bart and Diana didn’t make their neighbors wait 68 days for help. They didn’t say they could do more later. They acted with speed and with caring.
“This new Congress can start anew today. We can act with speed and caring. We don’t need to wait. I urge my colleagues to immediately bring additional Sandy relief to the floor as soon as possible and support the bill today.”
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