Highlights from the National Student Labor Week of Action

The Ninth Annual National Student Labor Week of Action was a huge success!

In the tradition of Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., students and workers stood as one in the fight for economic justice and workers' rights on campuses and in communities nationwide. 2008 marks the 40th anniversary of the successful strike by the Memphis sanitation workers which lead to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year, thousands of students participated in over 225 actions and events during the week of action. Students demanded that their universities and corporations pay their workers living wages, provide adequate medical benefits, respect workers rights to organize, collectively bargain, and more.

The National Student Labor Week of Action (NSLWoA) is more than just a time for students to take action on their respective campaigns. For many, the NSLWoA is a strategic moment to bring to fruition a plan/campaign that they've been working on for months, if not years. It is an opportunity to reach across campuses and communities and get to know other activists and organizers and their fights for social change on a wide range of issues like environmental justice, human rights, and racial justice to name a few. It is a chance to get to know workers on campus and begin to understand the issues on their particular campus or community, and from that beginning to let others know of the injustices occurring in their daily lives. For others, it is an opportunity to show solidarity with friends, allies, or other champions of justice.

The NSLWoA, helps students and their allies know they are not alone in their struggles for workers rights, economic, and social justice on their campuses and communities.

Here are some of the successes, highlights, updates, and exciting pieces of work that took place during the National Student Labor Week of Action!

Different organizations, networks, and people came together and made connections between their work as part of the same movement for social and economic justice.
We took it to decision makers and kept the pressure on them through various actions in different cities.
Brought the issue of worker's rights and social and economic justice to over one hundred campuses and communities!
We are playing a crucial role in helping build the labor movement! Next time you hear that young people "don't care", take a moment to share with them all the work, excitement and energy that took place through the week of action!

Seattle, WA - UW students rally at local BK in support of the 'campaign for fair food'

Sacramento, CA - Students, workers, labor, and community members did a sit-in to call attention at the effort of Blue Diamond Workers trying to organize with the ILWU during their Cesar Chavez March.

Philadelphia, PA - Workers, Clergy, Community, + youth & students marched through Philly's streets in their campaign to improve working conditions for Philly's security officers with the POWR campaign.

Long Island, NY - Grad students and allies target a trustee at a local financial institution protesting the wage disparities they view as a slap in the face after working and investing in Stony Brook University for years.

Wichita, KS - Young Democratic Socialists set up a table gathering peti- tions in support of the CIW and to raise awareness on modern-day slavery in the fields of FLA.

Sacramento, CA - At National MEChA conference, hundreds march in support of workers forming a union.

Miami, FL - FIU USAS set up shop in a busy section of campus to garner support and signatures for the petition to end modern-day slavery.

Philly, PA - Youth and Students kick off week of action with 'voices of rebels' event

Brownsville, TX - As part of Farmworker Awareness Week, hundreds of events like this one in Brownsville Texas lifted up issues of farmworkers, pesticides, trade and migration, and a call for a national Cesar Chavez Holiday across the country.

Madison, WI - Students rally at capitol and lift up Cesar Chavez and farmworker justice.

A Closer Look At The Week Of Action

Security Officers Fight For Dignity, Respect, and Better Wages - Building POWR!

Philadelphia Officers and Workers Rising (POWR) - a campaign that includes workers, religious, and community allies - had been picking up steam leading up to the NSLWoA. Fresh off a victory where university officers won paid-sick days, the POWR campaign used the NSLWoA to launch a city-wide effort to reach out to other officers in the city and get more people involved in the fight for jobs with justice. Actions & Events included a memorial service commemorating the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a march to the Allied Barton offices in downtown Philly led by religious and community leaders alongside the workers, and a night of poetry, spo- ken word, and great music that informed and brought the campaign to Philly's youth and community. More info at www.phillyjwj.org

UC Workers Standing Together for Better Wages and a Fair Contract!

20,000 UC service and patient care workers organized with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have been fighting to get equal pay for equal work. At stake is the future of thousands of workers struggling to get by, many working 2 or 3 jobs, and the quality of service that they are able to provide their patients. (Hint: More patients, less workers = not the best quality of service that they'd like to provide) Student across the state took action with workers at two locations in both Northern and Southern California, and are continuing stand with them until a fair contract is in place. More info at ww.AFSCME3299.org

Miami University (OHIO) Continue fight for Living Wage!

Students for Staff used the NSLWoA to launch the next phase of their living wage campaign. Figures reflecting what a living wage would look like for their campus, a rally with about 80 people that put signs across campus reading "For a Living Wage", and a call-in and email writing campaigns marked events for them during the week. More info at www.musfs.org

40 years later--Celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King

April 4th, 2008 marked the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Across the country, students held screenings of the film "At the River I Stand" which documents the events and work Dr. King was engaged in lead- ing up to the tragic events of that day. U. Mass Amherst, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Colorado, Arizona State University, Bowling Greens State University, and many more brought the story of the sanitation workers and their fight to their campus.

Remembering Cesar E. Chavez, continuing the fight for farm workers across the country

In celebration of Cesar Chavez Day, students in over 50 campuses and communities across the country showed films and attended local Chavez marches in their local communities. Other students held speak- ers on campus or raised awareness on issues affecting farm workers today like low wages, pesticides in the fields, lack of basic rights like the right to have a union.

SLAP CORPORATE GREED!

STUDENT LABOR WEEK OF ACTION:
MARCH 28-APRIL 4, 2007

College campuses have become an important battleground for addressing economic inequities. Colleges and universities employ large numbers of people - graduate students, janitors, cafeteria workers, and professors - and so have power over the quality of life of entire communities. These institutions are also large purchasers - spending billions of dollars each year on everything from sweatshirts, to books, to building materials. They can therefore control the standards under which the good they purchase are produced. And, of course, universities and colleges have the responsibility to provide quality education to a diverse student population. Throughout the U.S., students are fighting for a voice in decisions on important issues such as how their tuition money is spent, how the institution behaves as an employer and member of a community, and who has access to higher education.

student and workers unite photo The Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) is a joint initiative of Jobs with Justice and the United States Student Association that engages student organizations in economic justice campaigns. JwJ coalitions around the country house local SLAPs that connect students from multiple campuses. SLAP supports the growing student movement for economic justice by making links between campus and community organizing, providing skills training to build lasting student organizations, and developing campaigns that win concrete victories for working families. Additionally, SLAP partners with student organizations such as United Students Against Sweatshops, MEChA, Student-Farmworker Alliance, Student Action with Farmworkers, and Not With Our Money to build a strong student movement for workers’ rights and economic justice.

Check out the Campaigns and Week of Action sections to learn more about what SLAP is doing.