We have a dream that one day, all work
will be valued equally.
Founded in 2000, Domestic Workers United [DWU] is an organization of Caribbean, Latina and African nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers in New York, organizing for power, respect, fair labor standards and to help build a movement to end exploitation and oppression for all.
Report From The Domestic Worker Bill of Rights Week of Action
04 May 2009
A POWERFUL WEEK OF ACTION AND MOVEMENT-BUILDING
**Thank you for being part of it **
The five-year campaign for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights reached new heights this week, mobilizing over 2000 people, 100 organizations, and congregations around the state and country, towards labor standards, respect and dignity for domestic workers. Joined by representatives of the National Domestic Workers Alliance from Houston, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Washington DC, Oakland and San Francisco, the week launched a national effort to win in New York.
The kick-off event, "The Jewish Community Stands with Domestic Workers - A Shalom Bayit Public Forum," organized by Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and partner organizations, brought together 300 supporters, including 6 Jewish Senators and Assemblymembers, leaders and rabbis from Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish communities, all to rally in support of the Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights. Elected officials in attendance made public commitments to push leadership to bring the bill to the floor for a vote in the legislature, and to provide ongoing assistance in lobbying other legislators to support the bill. Also in attendance was a representative from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's office, who conveyed the energy of the crowd back to the Speaker, setting the stage for success in Albany on Tuesday.
On Saturday morning, a rousing March for Respect, through the Upper East Side, "where Wall Street lives and domestic workers labor" mobilized 400 people, and followed a "Day in the Life" of a domestic worker, from the train, to Central Park, to a gourmet grocery where UFCW Local 1500 has identified poor working conditions and workers are organizing, to a playground on York Avenue. Joined by union members, community activists like Kevin Powell, community organizations like Picture the Homeless, and accompanied by the sounds of Rude Mechanical Orchestra, the march highlighted the conditions, hopes and dreams of domestic workers, particularly in the wake of the economic crisis.
Later that evening, Lisa Ramirez's powerful benefit performance of "Exit Cuckoo," raised awareness and funds, through a moving and complex account of the world of domestic work in New York - including the voices of mothers and nannies. The post-performance "Talk Back" with the audience brought together domestic worker leaders in a discussion about domestic worker organizing across the country.
On Sunday, organized by the Poverty Initiatve of the Union Theological Seminary - domestic workers and pastors spoke truth to power in the pulpits, in Long Island, Westchester, Manhattan and Brooklyn, raising awareness among congregations about the struggles of the over 200,000 women whose work makes all other work possible in New York.
On Monday, hundreds of calls came into Albany from around the country - mobilized by National Jobs with Justice, through their Get Active email call to action, alerting members of the legislature to the Bill of Rights, in preparation for the arrival of our delegates in the following day's action.
On Tuesday, hundreds of domestic workers and supporters boarded buses at 6:30 am from New York City, to take action in Albany in a big push to move the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights onto the agenda of both houses of the New York State legislature for a vote. Organized in twenty-seven legislative teams, participants met with 80 legislators, including Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, both of whom gave very positive responses to our teams, about the prospects of moving the Bill toward passage this year.
Our National Leadership Delegation for the Albany Day of Action, including bestselling author Barbara Ehrenreich, Hector Figueroa of SEIU Local 32BJ, Saket Soni of the New Orleans Workers Center for Racial Justice, Sarita Gupta of National Jobs with Justice, Guillermina Castellanos of Coletiva, La Raza Centro Legal in San Francisco and the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Ed Ott of the New York City Central Labor Council, and Romeo Ramirez of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Marisa Franco of the Right to the City Alliance and Gayle Kirschenbaum of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice's Employer's for Justice Network, helped launch the National Campaign for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, highlighting the national implications of the Bill as the first bill of its kind in the entire nation to recognize domestic work.
On Wednesday, in the Long Island Council of Churches, Long Island Jobs with Justice, Workplace Project, Unity Housecleaners, and the Long Island Federation of Labor, held apress conference in Hempstead uniting domestic workers, labor, faith and student leaders to urge the support of Long Island legislators for the Bill of Rights.
The National Week of Action built unprecedented momentum toward the passage of the Bill of Rights this legislative session. It could not have happened without the domestic workers, students, union members, community and faith leaders and organizers, youth, workers, tenants, artists, congregants, and employers who made a commitment to take action. Thank you for helping to build this movement for justice and respect for all work.
Stay tuned for the next actions - only 6 weeks left to get on the agenda this legislative session! Onward to victory. . . .
Please check out this web page with news media related to the week of action.
Solidarity Forever,
Domestic Workers United