The life and times of an american original and yo mamas disfunktional fighting the culture wars in urban america. Bilingual englishspanish book about the justice for janitors campaign in l. The justice for janitors movement and the photonovela jul 16th, 2014 by emilie hardman part of the ongoing project to catalogue harvard college librarys zines collection involves sorting out nonzine material, such as flyers, books, catalogues and, as featured in this weeks post, photonovelas. Since 2010, at georgetown weve been collecting the stories of dc justice for janitors union activists, politicians, employers, community leaders, and janitors themselves. My essays title is a tribute to the seiu justice for janitors campaigns. From the lowell mill girls strike in the 1830s to justice for janitors in 1990, these labor uprisings do not just reflect the times in which they occurred, but speak directly to the present. Teachers might use the book as an opening for a variety of lessons on unions, strikes, solidarity, or local cuts in education budgets. Dc janitors clean some of the most costly real estate in the nation.
Brandley, 28 at the time of his arrest, spent nine years locked in a 9by3foot cell on death row before. Many of the stories of postufw social justice struggles in the book are riveting, including the justice for janitors campaign in miami and a history of the national movement for immigrant rights. The justice for janitors campaign pit low wage, mostly immigrant men and women against some of the. Christian zlolniskis ontheground investigation demonstrates how global forces have incorporated these workers as an integral part of the. The lessons unions learned from the justice for janitors. Justice for janitors dc kalmanovitz initiative for labor. For a discussion of how unpaid communicative work powers the digital economy, see tiziana terranova, free labor. Weve included childrens books about labor struggles, homelessness from a childs perspective, and other facets of childrens lives that are never represented in mainstream publishing. Raybacks work is considered to be a foundational text for any readers of american labor union history. A history of america in ten strikes hardcover read.
Even the criteria for choosing his ten strikes seem terribly vague. Reading and discussing books about human rights topics is a perfect way to start a conversation. Search the history of over 418 billion web pages on the internet. A history of america in ten strikes by erik loomis. The justice for janitors history project is a collaboration between ucla and the united service workers west, seiu. The justice for janitors movement was catapulted onto the national scene, workers deepened their resolve for a more just way of living, and they. Lessons from the organizers of justice for janitors. Producing culture for the digital economy, social text, vol.
Jun 26, 2006 the justice for janitors jfj campaign is an example of just such a model, one which has been widely lauded for its innovativeness and success. The justice for janitors campaign succeeded because it relentlessly. Janitors, street vendors, and activists by christian. Council members participate in rally for justice for. The justice for janitors movement and the photonovela. The book is particularly timely now because of the use of ufw organizing strategies in the. Within the year, 5,000 janitors ninety percent of the d. History of america in ten strikes, erik loomis, brian troxell, history americas, history, brilliance audio, 9. Jun 16, 2015 the justice for janitors campaign succeeded because it relentlessly went after the building owners and financiers at the top of the real estate industrythe people who truly had power over the janitors livelihoodnot the cleaning companies who were powerless subcontractors. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. A curriculum on the history of work and workers in the. I like this book because the idea of janitors that fight little invisible creatures is really cool who is garth hadley.
The justice for janitors movement has helped lowwage workers achieve social and economic justice, the comprehensive campaign not only earned the broadbased support, but employed diverse research strategies to illustrate the janitors counternarratives and the ways in which the community is impacted by their struggle. The justice for janitors campaign succeeded because it relentlessly went after the building owners and financiers at the top of the real estate industrythe people who truly had power over the janitors livelihoodnot the cleaning companies who were powerless subcontractors. Loomis provides some interesting and accessible narrative but very little by way of incisive analysis. The old justice for janitors history project website has crashed and were working on a replacement. Justice for janitors david rabin reports on a union organizing campaign at catholic university in washington, d. The seiu had been successful in the justice for janitors campaigns because of tactics. This is a wonderfully sunny history of recent efforts to bring the social justice commitments and tactical innovations of community organizing to the labor movement, and especially to the ranks of low wage workers. Looking for the justice for janitors history project. Justice for janitors changed the lives of thousands of people. Loomis focuses on 10 strikes ranging from the lowell mill girls strike from 19301840 to justice for janitors in 1990. Justice for janitors is a social movement organization that fights for the rights of janitors across the us and canada. In his wellknown book the corrosion of character, on the psychological.
For over two decades, seius justice for janitors movement has helped lowwage workers achieve social and economic justice and earn broad. Ruth milkman born december 18, 1954 is an american sociologist of labor, distinguished professor of sociology at the graduate center, cuny and the director of research at cuny school of labor and urban studies. The nation a thrilling and timely account of ten moments in history when labor challenged the very nature of power in america, by the author called a brilliant historian by the progressive magazine powerful and accessible, a history of america in ten strikes cha. The service employees international union seiu launched justice for janitors in the 1980s as a national campaign designed to combat declining union density in the janitorial services industry. Janitors at bc hydro are celebrating a huge win after averting a contract flip that could have cost them their jobs and union. Awesome social justice books for kids act for social justice. Of course, no two strikes are alike, and a history of america in ten strikes celebrates american strikes in all their diversity, from the lowell mill girls strike in the 1830s to justice for janitors in 1990. Elizabeth falcon is executive director of dc jobs with justice. A thrilling and timely account of ten moments in history when labor challenged the very nature of power in america, by the author called a brilliant historian by the progressive magazine powerful and accessible, a history of america in ten strikes challenges all of our contemporary assumptions around labor, unions, and american workers. The university has spent more than eight months tracking down photographs, news clippings, posters and, most significantly, oral testimonies. In order to reflect its increasingly diversified membership, in 1968 the union renamed itself service employees.
About this site this digital history is a project of the kalmanovitz initiative for labor and the working poor at georgetown university. The past and future of the american strike the nation. Justice for janitors jfj is a social movement organization that fights for the rights of janitors. Weve dug up old newspaper clippings and video footage and collected photographs and flyers, and assembled all of it into a digital history website at. When police beat janitors but janitors won justice. History educators at ucla are worked together with an l. A history of america in ten strikes by erik loomis is an informative nonfiction book focusing on the importance of strikes and what they they did for the working class of america. On june 15, 1990, a peaceful justice for janitors march and protest in century city turned into something more. A british director made bread and roses, a film about the strike. Welcome,you are looking at books for reading, the janitors, you will able to read or download in pdf or epub books and notice some of author may have lock the live reading for some of country. Recommended by the nation, the new republic, current affairs, bustle, in these times entertaining, toughminded, strenuously argued. When i want to explain something that is unjust to our four year old, i often find myself reminding him of the books we have.
A stunning reversal of conventional governance and planning in urban america, which almost always favors wealthier residents, this decision is also, for renowned urban theorist edward w. A childrens book based on the true story of the justice for janitors strike. Jul 27, 2017 the books on this list also expand representation in other key ways as well. Good book, especially if you are teaching your child english and spanish or just history. Just as the 1997 teamsters strike against ups succeeded in part because everyone knew those nice young mostly men in brown shorts and ups was a faceless corporate entity, the first victory of the janitors. Precarious labour and trade union response in the cleaning industry 19882012.
He is the author of seven books, including freedom dreams. Ayala joined more than 60 other janitors in a project organized by ucla to record the history of the service employees international unions justice for janitors campaign, launched in 1987. Talking to children about social justice is no easy task, but its such an important one. Honoring the 29th anniversary of justice for janitors day, d. Justice for janitors had hit upon one of the most successful union organizing strategies in recent u. In this brilliant book, labor historian erik loomis recounts ten critical workers strikes in american labor history that everyone needs to know about and then provides an annotated list of the 150 most important moments in american labor history in the appendix. Ucla library acquires papers of justice for janitors. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. Justice for janitors history project description pdf helots no more. Watching a tech talk, i saw an engineer present a machine for turning the pages of rare books under a scanning camera.
A new book tells the history of america through its workplace struggles. So without further ado, here are 11 radical books for social justice. As the new republic wrote, what loomiss book perhaps does best is remind us that the promise of the labor movement, despite its. It was started on june 15, 1990 in response to the low wages and minimal healthcare coverage that janitors received. From the lowell mill girls strike in the 1830s to justice for janitors in 1990, these labor uprisings do not just reflect the times in which they occurred, but speak directly to the present moment. As the new republic wrote, what loomiss book perhaps does best is remind us that the promise of the labor movement, despite its many failures and compromises, has always been to make everyday life more. The lessons unions learned from the justice for janitors protests the fight for 15 campaign to boost the minimum wage has taken many of its. Janitors who organized a union through the justice for janitors campaign decades ago have both. For more than two decades, the justice for janitors movement has helped lowwage workers achieve a better life and has earned broadbased support from the public as well as religious, political and community leaders.
Only that will ensure strikes arent relegated to the history books. In this brilliant book, labor historian erik loomis. This victory has a massive impact on the lives of these workers and their families. Justice for janitors service employees international union. A case study of the j4j campaign by roger waldinger pdf organizing the unorganizable by caroline luce pdf preserving memory. The unions membership increased significantly with a 1934 strike in new york citys garment district. Powerful and accessible, a history of america in ten strikes challenges all of our contemporary assumptions around labor, unions, and american workers. Soja, a concrete example of spatial justice in action. Since 2010, the kalmanovitz initiative has collected the stories of dc justice for janitorsunion activists, politicians, employers, community leaders, and janitors themselves.
Although the books intended audience is elementary students. New research on union strategies, edited by kate bronfenbrenner, 10219. My essays title is a tribute to the seiu justice for janitors campaigns that won silicon. Our movement, justice for janitors, was catapulted onto the national scene, workers deepened their resolve for a more just way of living, and we won our first union contract. A photonovela is akin to a comic book with the difference that it uses sequential photographs accompanied by dialogue bubbles instead of illustrations.
In seeking spatial justice, soja argues that justice has a geography and that the equitable distribution. Mar 05, 2019 listen to history of america in ten strikes audiobook by erik loomis. Erik loomis describes ten critical workers strikes in american labor history, including the lowell mill girls strike, the bread and roses strike, and the justice for janitors strike. A portrait of a rapist, an indictment of prejudice true crime. Our movement, justice for janitors, was catapulted onto the national scene, workers deepened their resolve for a more just way of living, and we. As the new republic wrote, what loomiss book perhaps does best is remind us that the promise of the labor movement, despite its many failures and compromises, has always been to make everyday life more democratic. Bc hydro janitors fight back contract flip and win. The justice for janitors movement has succeeded in winning pay raises for janitors in several large cities. Members fight for better wages, better conditions, improved healthcare, and fulltime opportunities. A great book about an often overlooked part of recent history. Justice for janitors in 1984, the service employees international union launched a national campaign to organize janitors and other building service employees. The book is particularly timely now because of the use of ufw organizing strategies in the ground game to elect barack obama. Listen to history of america in ten strikes by erik loomis. The seiu was founded on april 23, 1921 in chicago as the building services employees union bseu.
My essays title is a tribute to the seiu justice for janitors campaigns that won silicon valley janitors contracts and improved working conditions. In the 1980s, janitor wages stagnated and workers were losing their benefits. Council chairman phil mendelson and council member elissa silverman readied to join hundreds of 32bj seiu janitors to march downtown during wednesday afternoon rush hour to protest a nonunion cleaning contractor under investigation by the equal employment opportunity commission for sexual harassment, after settling with the. A history of america in ten strikes book, 2018 worldcat. The best way to show your support is by encouraging your office building owner to support janitors in their fight for a fair contract. The patented machine housed a worker who flipped the pages in time to a rhythmregulated soundtrack. It aims to preserve the history of working people in washington, d. Justice for janitors in silicon valley by elliott, victoria. Justice for janitors includes more than 225,000 janitors in at least 29 cities in the united states and at least four cities in canada. Oct 18, 2008 i was expecting a biography of cesar chavez, but instead read a history of the social justice movement from the 1960s to the present that not only included farm workers, but also hotel workers, textile workers, and janitors.
More than 225,000 janitors in cities across the country have united in seiu, americas largest union of. Lessons from the organizers of justice for janitors talk poverty. Justice for janitors day marks 25th anniversary in l. For the first time ever, the majority of seiu janitors.
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