YLO celebrates raises at Bill Miller’s BBQ
Wednesday, July 23rd 2008 – 2:00 PM
Bill Miller Headquarters
430 S Santa Rosa Ave, San Antonio, Texas
Southwest Workers Union- Youth Leadership Organization (SWU-YLO) and members will be congratulating Bill Millers on their pay raises in the last year. One year ago, the YLO launched their campaign for “Equal Pay for Equal Work” after finding out Biller Miller’s was paying Southside, West, and Eastside workers up to $2.50 less an hour than Northside workers.
The restaurant chain has quietly increased wages by .50 to $1.50 at various San Antonio locations after receiving hundreds of postcards and a petition letter with over 1,100 signatures from customers. While the YLO commends Bill Miller’s on raising the pay at their lowest wage locations, we continue to demand that Bill Miller’s respect their workers by adopting a overarching policy of Equal Pay for Equal Work across San Antonio.
“Bill Miller partners continue to refuse to meet with us, the youth of the community. If the food costs the same, why do the workers who make it get less? They’ve never answered that question” said Julian Mendez, Jefferson High School.
“But with the raises we are seeing that our organizing and the public pressure has been working. The power of the people is awesome!” Elisabeth Solis, Edison YLO Vice-President
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Labels: labor justice, protest, youth
Peoples Freedom Caravan
Albuquerque San Antonio Houston Lake Charles New Orleans Jackson Atlanta
For Immediate Release:May 4 2007
Contact: Genaro Rendon 210.299.26666 (SWU)
JoAnn Gutierrez Bejar 505.247.8832 (SWOP)
Brenda Hyde 601.982.6400 (S Echo)
Grassroots to Caravan across Southern U.S.
Bridging the Democracy Divide, Bringing Hundreds to US Social Forum
Southwest United States In the spirit of the freedom rides launched 46 years ago, grassroots organizations and activists from Arizona, Alabama, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi are planning the Peoples Freedom Caravan to culminate at the United States Social Forum (USSF), June 27 to July 1, 2007, in Atlanta, Ga. Southwest Workers Union, SouthWest Organizing Project, Southern Echo and the Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond initiated the caravan to address the democracy divide that plagues communities in the southern half of the US.
This is a different kind of event that will take on the democracy divide that exists between races, classes, cultures and regions, says Genaro Rendon of SWU. We want to connect the struggles and histories of African-Americans, Latinos and Indigenous peoples in the southern US. The Freedom Caravan is a social movement on wheels, giving us a chance to share and strategize towards achieving another US.
The caravan is a rebirth of grassroots politics that will include hundreds of members from community organizations that share a common vision for a more just world. This is a world where education and healthcare are valued over war, incarceration, and corporate welfare; where worker and human rights are respected; and where families live in a clean environment.
By bringing together indigenous nations, displaced peoples of New Orleans, migrant workers along the border, and youth and civil rights veterans in Mississippi, the Peoples Freedom Caravan will break down the geographic, political, racial and cultural barriers that have been used to marginalize our communities. Starting in Albuquerque, the caravan will weave its way across the country, converging at cities to highlight local struggles for justice, share cultures and hold media events. The Caravan will arrive marching into Atlanta, where participants will be met by thousands of delegates at the first U.S. Social Forum.
Our current pay to play democracy keeps low income families and communities of color down, no matter the issue- Katrina, immigrant rights, youth rights, education, housing, or the prison industry to name a few, says JoAnn Gutierrez Bejar of SWOP. The Caravan recognizes that real change will come from the grassroots, and will speak to the issues of those most affected by the changing economy and globalization.
Route and stops:
- June 22nd – Albuquerque, NM (SWOP, Sage Council) 505.247.8832
- June 23rd – San Antonio, TX (SWU, Fuerza Unida) 210.299.2666
- June 24th – Houston, TX (Peoples Institute) 318.514.9924
- June 24th – Lake Charles, LA (Mossville Environmental Action Network, Friends and Families of Louisianas Incarcerated Children) 504.606.8846
- June 25th – New Orleans, LA (Peoples Institute, People’s Hurricane Relief Fund) 504.301.9292
- June 26th – Jackson, MS (Southern Echo) 601.982.6400
- June 27th (morning) – Montgomery, AL
- June 27th (afternoon) – March on Atlanta to USSF
De la base ha la caravana por todo el sur de los EEUU
Un puente en la división democrática, llevando a centenares de personas al Foro Social de los EEUU
El sur oeste de los EEUU – En el espíritu de los viajes de libertad comenzados hace 46 años, organizaciones de base y activistas políticos desde Arizona, Alabama, Nuevo México, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma y Mississippi preparan la Caravana por la Libertad del Pueblo que culminará en el Foro Social de los Estados Unidos (USSF), a celebrarse del 27 de junio al 1 de julio del 2007, en Atlanta, Georgia. La Unión de Trabajadores del Suroeste (SWU), el Proyecto Organizativo del Suroeste (SWOP), el Southern Echo e Instituto del Pueblo iniciaron esta caravana para enfrentar la división democrática que está plagando a las comunidades en la mitad sureña de los EEUU.
Esto será un encuentro diferente que se enfrentará a la división democrática que existe entre raza, clase, cultura y regiones, dijo Genaro Rendon de SWU. Queremos hacer un puente entre las luchas y la historia de los pueblos afro americanos, los pueblos latinos, y los pueblos indígenas del sur de los EEUU. La Caravana por la libertad del Pueblo es un movimiento social sobre ruedas, que nos da la oportunidad de dibujar la estrategia con el fin de lograr otro EEUU.
La caravana es el renacer de las políticas de base que incluirán a cientos de miembros de organizaciones comunitarias que comparten un ideal común por un mundo más justo. Un mundo donde la educación y la asistencia para la salud son valoradas por encima de la guerra, el encarcelamiento y el bienestar corporativo, donde el derecho humano y del trabajador son respetados, donde las familias viven en un medio ambiente limpio.
Al aunar a las naciones indígenas, los desplazados de Nueva Orleanas, los trabajadores emigrantes a lo largo de la frontera y a jóvenes y veteranos de los derechos civiles en Mississippi, la Caravana por la Libertad del Pueblo derribará las barreras geográficas, políticas, raciales y culturales establecidas para marginar a nuestras comunidades. Comenzando en Albuquerque, la caravana se tejerá a lo largo del país, convergiendo en ciudades para resaltar las luchas locales por la justicia, compartir sus culturas y llevar a cabo encuentros con los medios. La caravana llegará marchando hacia Atlanta, donde los participantes serán recibidos por los miles de delegados asistentes al primer Foro Social de los EEUU.
Nuestro sistema de democracia solo para ellos que puedan pagar la entrada mantiene a las familias de bajos recursos y comunidades de personas de color aplastadas, no importa el tema, como Katrina o derechos de los inmigrantes o el sistema de educacion, dijo JoAnn Gutierrez Bejar de SWOP. La caravana reconoce que el cambio verdadero vendrá desde la base, y se dirigirá a los temas que conciernen a los más afectados al cambiar la economía y la globalización.Labels: caravan, convergence, democracy, katrina, migrant rights, ussf, youth
