United Workers

Join us for our 7th Annual Human Rights Dinner (co-hosted by Generations for Peace and Democracy) and another evening of great food, soulful music, inspiring presentations, and good conversation on Sunday, April 22nd at 5 PM at the Presbytery of Baltimore.

Buy your tickets Now Online!

What: Human Rights Dinner
When: Sunday, April 22nd at 5pm
Where: Presbytery of Baltimore (5400 Loch Raven BLVD, Baltimore, MD 21239)

The Human Rights Dinner is an opportunity to step back from the day to day organizing and mounting campaign actions to reflect on the resource that truly sustains the United Workers. Leaders. It is leaders that carry out the vision of the United Workers to help build a movement to end poverty by uniting, organizing, developing other leaders and contributing what they can financially to this work. Making a donation to the United Workers is not an act of charity, but an act of leadership. It will take the collective effort of leaders from all backgrounds to meet the United Workers long-term goal of becoming free from dependency on foundations.

As a step towards this long-term goal, we have set a goal of getting 50 new monthly Sustainers in 2012. Just at our last Strategic Dialogue, six people led this effort by becoming Sustainers. We hope to do even better at the Human Rights Dinner! But there’s no need to wait for the Human Rights Dinner, you can sign up online today to become a Sustainer.

We look forward to celebrating with you at the Human Rights Dinner!

For more information, email todd@unitedworkers.org

The Occupy the Mall movement is picking up speed. Last week, we announced the March to Occupy GGP, a major non-violent march and occupation at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on May 19th, allies in Florida, Minnesota, and Vermont participated in the National Day of Action, we recorded a radio appearance for the Michael Eric Dyson Show and we hit GGP’s South St. Seaport Mall this Saturday with a spectacular letter drop as a part of the Left Forum Conference in New York. What a week!

For a recap of the National Day of Action and announcement of the “March to Occupy GGP,” check-out this powerful video produced by our very own internal media team. Thanks to the Vermont Workers Center, the Center for Workers United in Struggle, and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers for bringing the fight for Fair Development home!

Also, tune in to the Michael Eric Dyson Show on Monday, March 26th at 9am (EST) in Baltimore on WEAA 88.9 or stream live via the web to hear Inner Harbor worker, Jared Gary, and Leadership Organizer, Luis Larin talk about the poverty producing conditions at the Inner Harbor and the struggle to hold General Growth Properties accountable.

Be on the look-out for more videos and updates to come!

On the National Day of Action, the Center for Workers United in Struggle (CTUL) and allies took steps to demonstrate to GGP that the message was spreading that GGP does not promote respect for human rights in their developments. As an organization that organizes retail cleaners, CTUL connected the conditions of cleaners in the Minneapolis to the conditions at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Thank you to CTUL for their consciousness in demonstrating the connectedness of our struggles.

To learn more about CTUL, go to http://ctul.net/

The Vermont Workers Center took part in yesterday’s National Day of Action against General Growth Properties by staging a letter drop at GGP’s “Burlington Town Center Mall”. Our allies in Vermont touched our hearts, as we learned that they sang “Solidarity Forever” during the letter drop. Thanks to Vermont Workers Center for your deep commitment to the human rights of everyone, everywhere.

To learn more about the Vermont Workers Center, go to www.workerscenter.org

Today, new meaning was brought to the expression, “when it rains it pours”. As part of a National Day of Action against General Growth Properties, thousands of letters rained on GGP malls across the country signaling a growing national call for GGP to ensure human rights at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

While allies as far as Florida, Vermont, and Minnesota took part in letter drops and solidarity actions at GGP malls in their communities, the United Workers announced a next step in the ramp-up against GGP. On May 19, hundreds of low-wage workers, students, faith leaders, and community members will take part in the “March to Occupy GGP,” a major non-violent march and occupation of GGP’s Inner Harbor property. In the spirit of the lunch counter sit-ins of the 1960′s, harbor workers and allies will use the power of peaceful resistance to shine a light on the problem of poverty-zone development.

GGP’s continued refusal to acknowledge workers demands for basic dignity and respect has only strengthened our resolve to awaken a sense of corporate responsibility within GGP, to show them who bears the true cost of their development, and to bring them to the table with workers. We will march and occupy so that one day it will won’t be letters that rain on GGP, but justice. So mark your calendars now and plan on standing with Inner Harbor workers in the fight for Fair Development for all. More information on the March to Occupy GGP is forthcoming.

Also, check back in for photos and videos from the National Day of Action!