Today's Movement Building Expands on Legacy of Jobs with Justice

Twenty-five years ago, Jobs with Justice was created, mainly by the hard work and determination of CWA President Larry Cohen.

The idea was a simple one: supporters acknowledged that "we need to be there for each other's fights" and pledged that "I'll be there at least five times over the next year" to stand up for economic and social justice. That's still the principle behind the effort to build a movement of 50 million strong, across unions and other progressive groups, to break through the barriers to democracy that keep up from reaching our goals, like jobs and economic security, retirement security, health care, bargaining and organizing rights, climate change, an end to unfair foreclosures and much more.

On Nov. 29, Cohen will be honored by Jobs with Justice at an event in Washington, D.C., for his work in building an organization that has been a successful part of so many campaigns, from Verizon to Smithfield Hams to Justice for Janitors.

Jobs with Justices has played a lead role in movement building, helping to raise awareness of workers' issues and fighting for organizing and bargaining rights through its network of 46 coalitions in 24 states. Today, Jobs with Justice is a national network of local coalitions that bring together labor unions, faith groups, community organizations, and student activists to fight for working people.

Workers' Rights Boards, the Student Labor Action Project and many other groups are the result of the push by Jobs with Justice activists to make the fight for workers' rights as broad as possible, in the U.S., and in other countries.

In its founding year, 1987, JwJ activists stood with Flight Attendants, pilots and mechanics at Eastern Airlines against the corporate abuse being spread by owner Frank Lorenzo.

For more information about Jobs with Justice and the Nov. 29 event, go to www.jwj.org.