Update, events, and action items from the Day Labor Program

We have a lot going on and your support is critical. Please see the action
items below and a couple events you are invited to. All are listed and more
details given below.

Thanks!
Jill

Actions
1) Immigrant Rights Press Conference this Friday with the Day Labor Program
and the International Laborers Union, 2-3:30pm, 3358 Cesar Chavez

CA Household Worker Rights AB2536 Action Alert. We passed out of the
assembly, but now we need your support to get through the senate!-- go to
http://www.local-impact.org to send a letter of support to the Senate Labor and
Industrial Relations Committee (also, join us June 28 to go Sacramento for
the Senate Labor Committee hearing). Full action alert at end of email.

Events
2) Letters from the Other Side, film screening with director and discussion,
June 21, 5-7pm in the auditorium at 474 Valencia St.

3) Day Labor Program neighborhood open house, 11-1 Saturday June 24

Trainings
4) Safe and Dignified Cleaning training for Household Workers-- June 28,
10-4:30pm

1) Press Conference, This Friday, June 16, 2-3:30pm

National Day Laborer Organizing Network and Laborers' Union to Collaborate
In San Francisco to Create More Powerful Force for Immigrant Workers
Organizations to Join Together in Neighborhoods and on Jobsites to Fight for
Immigrant Rights at Work and for Pro-Immigrant Legislation
The Laborers' International Union and the National Day Laborer Organizing
Network, two major
organizations of recent immigrants, will discuss at a news conference
Friday, June 16 plans to collaborate
in organizing and politics to create a more powerful voice of immigrant
workers.

WHAT: News conference with leaders and immigrant members of the Laborers'
International
Union and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
WHO: Terence M. O'Sullivan, General President, Laborers' International
Union; Pablo
Alvarado, National Director, National Day Laborer Organizing Network; San
Francisco area immigrant members, organizers and activists.
WHEN: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, June 16, 2006.
WHERE: San Francisco Day Labor Program, 3358 Cesar Chavez St. (at Mission).

**********************************************
2) screening of
LETTERS FROM THE OTHER SIDE, June 21, 5-7pm
a powerful documentary that explores the
personal stories of women left behind in post-NAFTA Mexico by interweaving
video letters carried across the U.S.-Mexico border. Please see the
description below and visit http://www.sidestreetfilms.com/.

Les invitamos a un documental sobre inmigracion y su impacto en familias por
los dos lados de la frontera. Cartas del Otro Lado es la historia de 4
mujeres Mexicanas que han perdido sus esposos e hijos a los EEU.

A discussion with the Director Heather Courtney and members of the immigrant
community will follow both screenings.

Una charla con la Directora Heather Courtney y miembras de la comunidad
inmigrante va a seguir la pelicula.
In San Francisco:

Organized by St. Peter's Housing, La Colectiva de Mujeres of the Day
Laborer's
Program of La Raza Centro Legal, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, and Deporten a la
Migra

Wednesday, June 21 5-7 PM

Auditorium of Centro Del Pueblo

474 Valencia Street (Between 15 and 16th)

***********************************************************************
3) Day Labor Program Open House June 24, 11-1pm
The San Francisco Day Labor Program invites you to a neighborhood Open House
and Meeting, so that you may visit our new building, ask questions, and
express concerns to Program staff and to workers.

WHAT: San Francisco Day Labor Program Open House and Neighborhood Meeting.

WHEN: Saturday, June 24, 11 am to 1 pm.

WHERE: SF Day Labor Program, 3358 Cesar Chavez St. (@ Mission).


Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

For more information, please call Renee Saucedo (415) 553-3404.

*******************************************************************
4) Safe and Dignified Cleaning Training for Household Workers, 10-4:30, June
28, Auditorium of Centro del Pueblo

Entrenamiento de Limpieza con Seguridad y Dignidad- Gratis y abierto a todos

El 28 de Junio, 10am- 4:30pm

Centro del Pueblo, 474 Valencia.

Venga y aprenda: como hacer su trabajo con seguridad, como protegerse con el
peligro de los líquidos y alternativas no-toxicas, como negociar con
empleadores, sus derechos laborales, la historia de trabajadoras domesticas
en los EEUU

Tenemos refrigerio, almuerzo, y cuidado de niños.
Para mas información llame a Jill a (415) 553-3406.

**************************************************************************
Dear Ally,
We thank you for your continued support of AB 2536 (Montañez). Your support
reflects your commitment to the efforts to ensure that all California's
workers are treated fairly. With the help of your endorsement, AB 2536
successfully got out of the Assembly Floor with 46 votes! The California
Household Worker Coalition is seeking your support again. Your organization
would greatly help household workers by doing the following by June 7, 2006:
1. Submitting a letter to Senator Richard Alarcon (see Action Alert)
2. Calling the legislators listed in the attached Action Alert
The California Labor Code does not have sufficient labor protections for
household workers. They do not have many of the rights other California
workers enjoy. For example, personal attendants-- those who care for our
loved ones-- currently do not have the right to receive overtime pay. This
industry, with high levels of exploitation, needs stiff penalties against
employers who fail to pay wages.
AB 2536, a bill introduced by Assemblymember Cindy Montañez (D-San Fernando)
would provide improved labor protection for household workers. AB 2536 would
provide personal attendants overtime protection and all household workers
rights to recover unpaid wages. AB 2536 will be heard before the Senate
Labor and Industrial Relations Committee on June 14, 2006.
Once again we are grateful for your strong support on this vital matter and
we hope it continues. Hence, we are asking you to call the members of the
Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, especially Chair Richard
Alarcón, as well as sending letters of support by June 7, 2006. Please feel
free to contact us at:
SoCal: Xiomara E. Corpeno 213.201.4451 xcorpeno [at] chirla.org
<mailto:xcorpeno [at] chirla.org>
NoCal: Andrea Cristina Mercado 415.621.8140 ext. 301
andreacristina [at] mujeresunidas.net <mailto:andreacristina [at] mujeresunidas.net>
Sincerely,
The California Household Worker Rights Coalition
Coalition for Humane Immigrants Rights of Los Angeles, Filipinos for
Affirmative Action (Oakland), Mujeres Unidas Y Activas (Oakland, San
Francisco), People Organized to Win Employment Rights (San Francisco),
Pilipino Workers' Center (Los Angeles) & Women's Collective of La Raza
Centro Legal (San Francisco)
- ACTION ALERT -
Household Workers May Soon Get Overtime Rights!
Labor Law excludes these workers from overtime pay ,
even when they are working over 12 hours a day!
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF HOUSEHOLD WORKERS:
1. Write a letter of support:
[ORGANIZATIONAL LETTERHEAD]
The Honorable Richard Alarcón
Chair, Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee
State Capitol, Room 4035
Sacramento, CA 95814
By fax to (916) 324-6645
Re: AB 2536 (Montañez) - SUPPORT
Dear Senator Alarcón:
On behalf of (insert organization name here), I write to express my strong
support for AB 2536, which would end the discrimination facing household
workers with regard to payment of overtime wages. Currently, certain classes
of household workers are treated unfairly simply by virtue that their
workplace is in private homes. The labor of household workers should be
valued equally as all other California workers.
(insert description of your organization)
In California today, there are hundreds of thousands of household workers.
They perform various duties in the home including caretaker, nanny,
housekeeper, cook, and cleaner. Predominantly immigrants and women of color,
many household workers endure abuses on the job ranging from verbal and
physical abuse to non-payment of wages.
The California Labor Code does not have sufficient labor protections for
household workers. They do not have many of the rights other California
workers enjoy. For example, personal attendants-- those who care for our
loved ones-- currently do not have the right to receive overtime pay. This
industry, with high levels of exploitation, needs stiff penalties against
employers who fail to pay wages.
Assemblymember Cindy Montañez (D-San Fernando) has introduced AB 2536, a
bill that would provide improved labor protection for household workers. AB
2536 would provide personal attendants overtime protection and all household
workers rights to recover unpaid wages.
We urge you to support AB 2536 so that equality of the law applies to all
California workers and so that employers who violate labor standards will be
held accountable. Protecting domestic workers is protecting the interests of
the California economy.
Sincerely,
(Your name and title)
cc: The Honorable Cindy Montañez, fax (916) 319-2139
Pilipino Workers Center, fax (213) 250-4337
Frances Low, Consultant for Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, fax
916-327-5703
For electronic format contact strelac [at] pwcsc.org <mailto:strelac [at] pwcsc.org>
2. Call ALL the Members of the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations
Committee TODAY and say:
"Please support AB 2536. Household workers take care of our most precious
possessions, our loved ones, and our homes. By protecting them we are
protecting our loved ones as well as our homes. Furthermore, these workers
deserve the same labor protections as any other worker. "
Call and send letters to the following members. If you live in the district,
even better:
Committee Members Sacramento Local
Joseph Dunn (D - Garden Grove) 916-651-4034 (714) 705-1580
Alan Lowenthal (D - Long Beach) 916-651-4027 (562) 495-4766
3 . Get Organizational Support for AB 2536 by endorsing the Campaign. Fill
out or Print out the Endorsement Sheet today!
Name: __________________________________________
Organization/Affiliation: ___________________________
Address: _______________________________________
Address (continued): _____________________________
Phone: ___________________Cell phone: ____________
Email: _________________________________________
Additionally, I will support AB2536 in these additional ways:
____$ Donation ___________
____ Participate in legislative visits
____ Participate in campaign activities and actions (ex. letter-writing,
call-ins, demonstrations)
____ Help set up presentations with other organizations
____ Help get more endorsements (feel free to forward this email)
Fax or Email Endorsement to:
Strela Cervas at (213) 250-4337(fax) or strelac [at] pwcsc.org
<mailto:strelac [at] pwcsc.org>
For more information about AB2536, please contact:
SoCal: Xiomara E. Corpeno 213.201.4451 xcorpeno [at] chirla.org
<mailto:xcorpeno [at] chirla.org>
NoCal: Andrea Cristina Mercado 415. 621.8140 ext. 301
andreacristina [at] mujeresunidas.net <mailto:andreacristina [at] mujeresunidas.net>