Local coalitions in communities across the country provide a national infrastructure of community, labor and religious activists committed to broad-based mobilization campaigns. JwJ Coalitions form Workers' Rights Boards which, among other things, mobilize activities in their areas that promote labor's goals.

The JwJ pledge is: I'll Be There. During the next year, I'll Be There at least five times for someone else's fight, as well as my own. If enough of us are there, we'll all start winning!

I'll Be There:

Standing up for our rights as working people to a decent standard of living.

Supporting the right of all workers to organize and bargain collectively.

Fighting for secure family-wage jobs in the face of corporate attacks on working people and our communities.

Organizing the unorganized to take aggressive action to secure a better economic future for all of us.

Mobilizing the already organized to join the fight for jobs with justice.

A sampling of activities taken from a recent JwJ newsletter includes the following:

At JwJ's annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky with ACTION in support of UFCW Local 227 members on strike at Tyson's Foods in Corydon, Indiana, members took over the international headquarters of Kentucky Fried Chicken demanding justice for poultry workers. On March 29 the workers approved a new contract by 3 to 1.

In northern Virginia, members of the Tenants' and Workers Support Committee, Advent Lutheran Church and a wide range of labor, community and religious organizations turned out to support the workers at Stuart Dean Co., who voted last year to be represented by Teamsters 730. They are still fighting for dignity, safety, better wages and a first contract.

Over 100 religious, civil rights, community, labor leaders and elected officials signed on to a full page ad supporting state workers in New Jersey. State workers are in contract negotiations with Governor Whitman who has launched an all out assault on job security and seniority. The signature ad was organized by JwJ to demonstrate broad community support for the workers and to make this attack on working families more understandable to allies.

In Nashville, JwJ turned out at a local Footlocker store to protest sweatshops and demand support for workers at New Balance, organized by UNITE in Massachusetts, who are fighting for a first contact.

The Chicago Workers' Rights Board, a joint project of Chicago JwJ, the Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues and the Chicago Federation of Labor, held a hearing at which over 160 concerned community members, activists and organizers throughout Chicago heard the voices of welfare caseworkers and clients testify about how the current welfare system has failed. After the hearing, the Board met with welfare officials in Chicago to highlight the findings and held a press conference to release the results of the meeting and the report of the findings from the hearing. In the meantime, as AFSCME Local 2858 and the Organization of the NorthEast (ONE) continue to explore further ways to address the many problems identified through the hearing, the Board stands ready to assist.

JwJ started with a bang in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Earlier this year a small group of committed student, labor and community activists and leaders met with JwJ leaders to discuss forming a new JWJ chapter. When the University of Arkansas announced it would layoff 32 of its physical plant workers, the group was ready. With the support of a university student group, AFSCME Local 965 and the state AFL-CIO, the JwJ coalition was able to quickly mobilize in response. Soon 51% of the physical plant members had signed cards to join AFSCME and University officials were called on by the state legislature to explain their actions. On June 30, hundreds gathered on a rainy day to support the workers and their right to a secure, union job. Just a few short days later, on July 7, the University of Arkansas issued a press release withdrawing the plan for layoffs, stating, "We made mistakes in moving forward with this plan."

Anyone wishing to learn more about Jobs With Justice can contact them at 501 Third Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001-2797, phone 202-434-1106, fax 202-434-1477, web site : www.jwj.org.