Action

UFW: Boycott Trader Joe's Wine!

Editor2 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:21:55 -0500

A farmworker, Maria Isabel Jimenez, recently died in of dehydration and heatstroke while picking grapes for a company co-owned by the same person who owns Charles Shaw Winery, which produces what is popularly known as "Two Buck Chuck", exclusively sold at Trader Joe's. Neither Charles Shaw nor Trader Joe's is willing to accept any responsibility for what happened.

AB1333: Statewide Bill to Keep Utilities on for Tenants

Editor2 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:15:19 -0500

Assemblymember Loni Hancock authored AB 1333, a bill that will require legal owners of foreclosed properties to pay for utility services and give EBMUD authority to use liens to collect unpaid water bills. The bill has passed the Senate and is on its way to the Assembly.

On Tuesday, August 5 Kim Isaac-Ray testified at the Assembly Judiciary Committee to the story of how Countrywide tried to evict her after foreclosing on the home she rents. When illegal eviction notices didn't work, Countrywide neglected to pay the EBMUD Bill, sparking JCO's involvement in pushing for policy to keep water on for tenants in foreclosed properties.

ACTION ALERT: AC Transit Fares for Youth May Double

Editor2 — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:36:10 -0600

Tell AC Transit you oppose the fare increase!

Public Comment Line: (510) 891-7293

Say: "No to Youth Fare increase, no to senior and disabled increase and no to service cuts!'

GreenForAll: Tell Congress to go Green For All in the Economic Stimulus Package

Editor2 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:01:29 -0600

Have you heard? It's all over the news: people everywhere are talking about the possibility of a recession. From Wall Street to Oakland, economic tensions are high.

AC Transit considers fare increases

Editor2 — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:29:17 -0600

By Erik Nelson

Four fare proposals to receive directors' attention at today's meeting AC bus riders may face fare increases

AC Transit is considering a proposal to raise its regular bus fare from $1.75 to $2 as of July 1 to cope with expected state subsidy cuts and rising operating costs.

Board members for the agency, which serves western Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, will discuss four fare-raising scenarios to raise as much as $9 million at a meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. today.

The Federal Building Needs to Come Clean

admin — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600

18 janitors, formerly employed by the new Federal Building remain on the picket line, terminated for no cause and demanding their right to justice.

By Sam Drew

Call in for Education Equity

admin — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:04:41 -0600

Bay Area Parent Leadership Action Network (PLAN)

On December 6th, call Superintendent Jack O' Connell: (916) 319-0800
Tell Jack O' Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, to meet and listen to the voices of Bay Area Parents!

Transportation Justice Working Group swarms Regional Summit

Editor2 — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:45:49 -0600

The Transportation Justice Working Group (TJWG) has been fighting for a shift in our region’s transportation strategies: away from widening highways and costly, inefficient rail projects that divert scarce resources from more cost-efficient bus service. We are also promoting community health over diesel-powered freight movement. We are asking for an equitable transportation system that provides all communities with reliable, affordable transportation choices and clean air and safe streets.

In order to have a region-wide impact, the TJWG is working to convince the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to prioritize the transportation needs of low-income communities and communities of color, those least served and most burdened by our current transportation system. The MTC is the regional governmental body which coordinates transportation planning and funding for the entire 9-county Bay Area.

US Social Forum Report Back!

Editor2 — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:13:06 -0500

When: Tuesday, August 21st; 6:30-9 PM

Where: The Women's Building, Audre Lorde Room (2nd Floor) - 3543 18th St., between Valencia & Guerrero, San Francisco. Wheelchair accessible.

What: 15,000 people from 50 states, and 68 countries attended the US Social Forum in Atlanta earlier this summer. The Bay Area came out strongly, with a significant representation of grassroots base-building organizations.

Join us for a report-back to hear:
* what happened at the USSF and who was there
* reflections from Bay Area grassroots organizations on the experience and what it means for the work here at home
* assessments about the opportunities and challenges for movement
building and a more effective Left
* announcement of a follow up discussion about next steps

$5-10 donation requested, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Please RSVP by August 10th to request childcare and Spanish interpretation
Co-sponsored by: Grassroots for Global Justice, Just Cause Oakland, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, PODER, POWER, SOUL, St. Peter's Housing Committee & the Center for Political Education

Call 415-431-1918 or e-mail ussfbay@earthlink.net for more information.

Just Cause campaigns to increase affordable housing funds

Editor2 — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:25:54 -0500

The City of Oakland is currently considering its billion-dollar budget, including significant resources for meeting critical needs in Oakland for working families. Two specific funding sources include a $1.9 million surplus that was unaccounted for in earlier budget proposals, as well as another $25 million in the General Purpose Reserve. Just Cause Oakland is making specific demands of that surplus to go towards fighting gentrification and the loss of African-Americans from the city, in response to the city’s loss of between 13 and 25% of its African-American population since 2000 – largely due to housing issues.

To focus on this issue, Just Cause held a rally on the steps of City Hall on June 14th, before presenting their case in front of City Council at the hearing scheduled to debate the upcoming budget. Just Cause has developed a menu of several Emergency Housing Service programs that it wants the city to fund with $5.68 million from the budget. These services would help to keep low-income renters and homeowners from losing their homes and potentially leaving Oakland. For more information about this campaign, contact Magdalene Martinez at 510-763-5877or Vanessa Moses at 510-435-0500.