Jewish Labor Committee

Rabbi David Jaffe, who accepted the Clara Lemlich Shavelson award for Gann Academy, told the story of Gann's journey to developing these ethical policies. "On Passover we are instructed to ask questions about slavery and freedom. Last winter I asked the foreman of our night cleaning crew, "˜How is your employer treating you?' "˜Not well,' and he went on to list his grievances. That started our process toward taking responsibility for the workers in our community."
Rabbi Jaffe went on to say, "Passover is also about the freedom to exercise power. Our synagogues, Jewish day schools and organizations have power. We are consumers of labor and we can set the terms for how our workers are treated "¦. As we celebrate our freedom from slavery tonight, I want to invite every Jewish institution in Boston to ask this question: How are we ensuring the dignity of all workers in our community?"
Marya Axner, in her welcoming remarks, noted that the New England Jewish Labor Committee "engages the Jewish community to support issues affecting workers; and we work with the Labor Movement on issues that affect the Jewish community." She gave a few examples of why this work is so needed today.
"In Bangladesh Last November," Axner related, "a fire broke out at Tazreen Fashion Ltd., a garment factory , killing 112 workers. Workers on two floors were trapped inside by supervisors who locked the gates, saying that it was a false alarm.
"Does this sound familiar? In six days, it will be the 102nd anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in NY where 146 workers, mostly Jewish and Italian women, died. Their story was similar to the Bangladeshi garment workers. The Triangle workers were locked in, no sufficient exits, no fire safety standards, no required inspections. The lives of poor people were expendable. After the Triangle fire, people here organized and fought for legislation not just for garment workers, but all workers. A movement of workers made headway in the areas of safety, wages, and the right to form unions.
"But now, a hundred years later, in a global market, the garment industry seeks ever cheaper labor far away from us. In Bangladesh, Walmart and The GAP and H & M and Sears and other garment manufacturers have set up shop. And since 2005, 600 people have died in garment factory fires in Bangladesh, while making cheap clothes for American markets.
"We have a moral obligation to not let American companies ship their oppressive policies overseas and repeat what happened at Triangle. Jewish lives are not expendable and Bangladeshi lives are also not expendable. The Jewish Labor Committee is committed to fighting these injustices."
She shared another example of the connection between Jews and vulnerable workers.
"Everyday, we hear lies about immigrants, portraying them as criminals, from whom we should distance ourselves, and who we should look down on. Undocumented immigrants in the U.S are being taken from their families and put in prison, and then deported for the crime of going to work in the morning. This echos our story as Jews. We, too, have many times been separated from our families, and we've had to flee genocide, anti-semitism, lack of religious freedom, or poverty, in many places.
"As Jews, and as human beings," noted Axner, "we need to fight for the undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Our Jewish religion and tradition teaches us to respect immigrants.
"In Leviticus, it says:
" `When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself for you were stranger in the land of Egypt.'
"I say to the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, you are my people too. The Jewish Labor Committee is here to remind people of this and to fight for immigrants rights.
"And I say to the other workers who we recognize tonight, such as hotel workers who clean more rooms than is safe for their bodies, lift too many heavy mattresses and who often go without health care benefits, you are my people. And to the domestic workers who take care of our elderly and work without overtime or minimum wage protections--you are all my people too. The Jewish Labor Committee will fight for you whether you are Jewish or not, because it's the right thing to do.
"Let's not kid ourselves, those of us who are professionals and make better wages are vulnerable too. The challenges we face may be different from hotel workers or domestic workers, but we are all vulnerable in a society that devalues workers. Some professionals work 60 or 70 hours a week so they don't lose their jobs. Like wage workers, many don't have time to spend with their children and watch them grow. And many professionals have lost their jobs and their homes as well.
"So we are all in this together. I am yours and you are mine. Anti-Jewish sentiments are still prevalent. I hope those of you who are not Jewish believe that we Jews are your people too. Historically during economic downturns, Jews are blamed for the bad times that hurt everyone. I count on you to not let that happen. When people make slurs or inuendos about Jews and money I count on you to point that out, speak up, and not let that continue."