Jobs With Justice | San Francisco

Community, faith and labor groups and OccupySF support Walmart workers as retail giants prepare major expansion in San Francisco communities

Supervisor Mar to call for hearing on growth of corporate chain stores and impacts on San Francisco’s small businesses, neighborhoods, employment and economy

(SAN FRANCISCO)—On Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m. Supervisor Eric Mar along with a coalition of community, labor and faith groups including OccupySF will announce support for the Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart). OUR Walmart consists of current and former Walmart associates who are organizing for respect and better working conditions at the nation’s largest retailer as it prepares a major expansion in the San Francisco Bay Area and other urban communities around the country. Supervisor Mar and the coalition will announce a public hearing that will examine the growing presence of corporate chain stores in San Francisco and their impacts on small businesses, neighborhoods, employment and the economy.

Who:         Supervisor Eric Mar, OUR Walmart, OccupySF, Jobs with Justice, Filipino Community Center, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, and others

What:         Press conference and rally

When:         Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 12:30 p.m.

Where:         San Francisco City Hall

               City Hall West Steps, Polk Street between Grove & McAllister Continue reading →

from Chinese Progressive Association, 10/31/11

On Sunday, October 30th, over 150 people attended a community teach-in about the Occupy movement at Portsmouth Square, a park in San Francisco’s Chinatown which is referred to as “the living room of Chinatown.” It’s where seniors play cards, kids play on swing sets, and community residents just sit outside to chat with neighbors and enjoy the good weather. The teach-in, organized by the Chinese Progressive Association, was the first event in the Bay Area (that we’ve heard of) that was located in a community of color, was bilingual (English and Chinese), and specifically focused on what the Occupy movement means for the working class Chinese community. Continue reading →

from BeyondChron

by Peter Olney, Nov. 4, 2011

Inspired by the Occupy movement over 100 people showed up this week outside the homes of two African American families in the Bay View, one of the traditional black neighborhoods of San Francisco. A year ago or even two months ago, this home defense led by ACCE would have scraped to enlist 1-20 people to be present. Now buoyed by the effervescence of the Occupy moment, unionists, community leaders and politicians all swarmed Quesada Avenue in San Francisco. A high point was when a jubilant and visibly moved black homeowner came out her door and called the assembled group “her angels of mercy.” Then the banners of Occupy San Francisco arrived to cheers of all present: “They got bailed out, we got thrown out!” rang through the streets as we marched to two of the fourteen houses on the same street being foreclosed. Continue reading →