Jewish Labor Committee

At the end of this past summer, as part of its annual Labor on the Bimah work, JLC New England reached out to 130 rabbis in the region; Regional Director Dolev’s Op-Ed article on Labor Day appeared in Boston's Jewish Advocate.

JLC NE has continued its support of the campaign for workers at the Smithfield meat-processing firm. In July, and August, together with Jewish community participation that we recruited, JLC NE staff and activists participated in two interfaith delegations to a local supermarket in Somerville, MA, part of a statewide strategy to protest the selling of Smithfield products made at the Tar Hell Smithfield Plant.
9For some time now, JLC NE has been trying to ensure that the Hebrew Senior Life (HSL) Project, a $130 million building project that includes the senior home and a Jewish day school project, is built union. Because as of June it was still not clear which parts of the project would be done union, JLC NE board members participated in meetings and discussions to explore how we can make sure that as much of it is done by unionized labor as possible. [In July, we learned that the main contractor had been selected, and he was committed to using almost all union sub-contractors.]

The Boston Carpenters, the JLC NE and the Torah Academy joined forces for three Sunday events in May: "Talmud Stands made by the Boston Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training program focus of student's journey between Lag BeOmer and Shavuot." This opportunity for the JLC NE to engage with a sector of the Jewish community with whom we do not often connect, as well as help youngsters learn new skills, was reported in Boston's Jewish Advocate.

We had a joint booth with the N.E. Carpenters/Boston Building Trades at the Combined Jewish Philanthropies Israel Day Celebration in May. Two JLC NE activists offered hands-on activities for participants and distributed material on JLC and apprenticeship programs in the building trades - JLC Co-Chair David Borrus (Pile Drivers Local 56 member / Carpenters organizer) and Ed Marenburg (Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 organizer).

Also in May, several students at Harvard went on a hunger strike in support of university security guards, negotiating a contract with Allied Barton, the largest security firm in Boston. JLC NE Director Dolev spoke at a rally in support of the guards, and took part in an interfaith delegation. In July, JLC NE activists took part in a rally calling upon real estate owners to be responsible employers. After much community pressure, a contract was signed, and JLC NE Vice Chair Dick Bauer (co-president, GBL/SAU, UAW Local 2320) represented us at two events to celebrate this victory.

In April, JLC NE Director Dolev represented JLC NE in an advocacy day program at the State House organized by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.

Also in April, JLC NE vice-chairs Dick Bauer and Corey Hope Leaffler participated in a program in support of the "Fair Contract for Janitors in New England," organized by SEIU Local 615 and community supporters; in June, new JLC NE Board member Becky Hearst and Regional Director Dolev participated in a march for the campaign.
Because the NE janitors' contract was to expire August 31st, four JLC NE Board members, as well as Rabbi Moshe Waldoks, took part in an interfaith press conference in August, calling upon real estate owners to be responsible employers. Rabbis Jonah Pesner [a member of our Board] and Waldoks spoke at the event. The same month, JLC NE took part in an SEIU 615 `open house' as well as a community briefing; we have also been doing outreach to Jewish real-estate owners.

On March 21st, JLC NE held a Labor Seder at Congregation Kehillat Israel together with the Kavod House and JALSA; 130 people attended, including representatives of labor, the Jewish community, and students. Rabbi Bill Hamilton, President of the Massachusetts Conservative Rabbinic Assembly, led the Seder.
And also in April, JLC NE Director Dolev represented JLC NE in an advocacy day program at the State House organized by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.

In February, JLC NE board members met with leadership in the organized Jewish community to secure their support for a three-year effort of 1199 SEIU to organize healthcare workers in Massachusetts.
In conjunction with the Hotel Workers Rising campaign, and in advance of the April 1st expiration of Boston hotel workers, JLC NE began work in February to get pledges from Jewish organizations to not cross picket lines and not hold events at four hotels in the Boston areas, but to use other, unionized, hotels instead. In March, we were able to secure pledges from the Jewish Funds for Justice and the Rashi School, and were working on securing pledges from a number of other Jewish communal agencies. Several JLC NE members took part in a March rally in support of the hotel workers. Boston's Jewish Advocate ran a number of articles on the support JLC NE and other Jewish organizations have been giving to the campaign.
UNITE HERE Local 26 authorized the leadership to declare a boycott or strike anytime after April 1st. Respecting the campaign, in April, AIPAC and the Jewish Funds for Justice relocated events to other facilities. JLC NE Regional Director David Dolev participated in a delegation to Starwood management to deliver pledges from organizations not to cross picket lines. In May, it was announced that the Hotel Workers Rising campaign was successful, and JLC NE was given substantial credit. We organized an event to thank people for their support; 23 people attended, including seven rabbis, five labor representatives, seven JLC members, two potential members, and one JALSA representative.

Early in 2007, after learning that the South Area Solomon Schechter Day School would be engaging in a $16 million renovation of a new building in Canton, MA, JLC New England chair David Borrus reached out to encourage the school to build union.