January 2005 Newsletter

Happy New Year! I hope you had a relaxing and thoughtful holiday season. We had a busy Fall and have an exciting and busy agenda for the new year!

Thank you all for your volunteer time and financial support. Without you, the ICWJ would not be able to accomplish all that it has. Of course, the work of the ICWJ always needs more support, especially financially! If you are due to renew your membership, just click on renew your membership.

Please remember to mark your calendars for our Clergy/Labor Luncheon on Tuesday, January 25 from 12noon-2:00 p.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church, 312 Wisconsin Avenue. The luncheon will feature a keynote address by Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development, Roberta Gassman. We will also get an update from the ongoing Justice for Janitors Campaign at Clean Power with SEIU Local 1. The ICWJ will also be nominating and electing its board of directors for 2005. See you on the 25th!

Social Work Intern
I want to introduce our newest intern, Sara Shapiro. Sara is a graduate student at the University in the masters of social work program. She will be working with us half-time through May. Sara's interests at the ICWJ are volunteer management and macro-level policy change. You may have noticed some changes around the office already! Welcome Sara!

Janitors at Clean Power Demand Justice
Over the past six months or so, janitors at one of the largest area cleaning companies have been organizing to gain a voice on the job, read about their efforts below...

Workers’ Rights Center
The Workers' Rights Center has been busy with new cases throughout the Fall. Read about one of our advocates below...

Interested in finding out more about becoming a volunteer advocate? The next volunteer and advocate training is scheduled for Thursday, January 27 at the ICWJ office from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Find out how you can get more involved with the day-to-day work of the ICWJ. Dinner and translation. Call 255-0376 to RSVP. Let us know if you need childcare.

I hope you find this newsletter interesting and informative. We'd love your feedback! worker@workerjustice.org

Celebration & Fundraiser A Big Success
On Tuesday, November 30, about eighty ICWJ friends and supporters gathered at the home of Marc Rosenthal and Julie Derwinski to recognize the year's successes, to mark the fifth anniversary of the ICWJ and to celebrate the second

anniversary of the WRC. Besides being a wonderful opportunity to share good food and company, the event raised needed funds to keep the work of the ICWJ going. Special thanks to members of Yid Vicious who provided festive musical entertainment and to Marc and Julie for offering their beautiful home for the event.

*Ed Sadlowski, Madison Teachers Inc. representative with Calvin Harfst of Parkside Presbyteria*

We would like to thank the following individuals and organizations who sponsored the event: AFSCME Local 2412, Robert Andersen, Bette Barnes, Rev. Mary Kay Baum & George Swamp, Ann Brickson, Juliet Brodie & Jane Schacter, Jim Cavanaugh, Cathy Chase, Jim Chiolino & David Heuer, Wendy Cooper, Rev. Kelly Crocker & Dan Raysbrook, Cullen, Weston, Pines & Bach, Nidal Estiban, Arnoldo Fabela, Maria Flores, Lisa Goldman & Robert Nagel, Sheila Przsemicki, Jonathan Gramling, Joan Grosse & George Dahir, Rev. Calvin & Linda Harfst, Sheila Przesmicki, Justine Harris & Michael Rosenblum, Patrick Hickey & Susan Stern, George & Audrey Hinger, Kristin Hoffschmidt, Kathryn Holtgraver & Ramon Argandona, Rabbi Kenneth Katz, Alder Austin King, Nancy Kosseff, Alder Brenda Konkel, Lawton & Cates S.C., Mil Lieberthal, Darcy Luoma,

*Members of Yid Vicious provided festive music for the event*

Steve Meili, Ann M. McNeary, Joe Mingle & Sally Jacobs, Peter Munoz, David Newby, Parkside Presbyterian Church, Mary Preston, Daniel Rosenthal, Marc Rosenthal & Julie Derwinski, Erika L. Sanders & Adrian Hegeman, Shneidman, Hawks, Ehlke, S.C., Vicky Selkowe & Jason Engle, Rev. Pat Size, Trinity United Methodist Church, Nancy Vedder-Shults, Sue Vilbrandt, Ken Volante, Helen Vukelich, Alfonso Zepeda-Capistran & Meridith Early, Rebecca Zambrano, and Bert Zipperer & Laurie Frank.

It was a treat to bring together the wide range of people who make the work of the ICWJ possible.

Madison's New Minimum Wage

The increase in the minimum wage for the City of Madison went into effect on Saturday, January 1,2005, bringing the minimum to $5.70/hour for non-tipped employees and $2.57/hour for tipped employees. Additional increases will take effect on the first of each year for the next three years then the rate will be indexed to the inflation rate. A coalition of business groups including the Restaurant Association and the Chamber of Commerce have filed a lawsuit challenging the municipalities right to set a minimum wage. The case is expected to be heard in the next few months.

The ICWJ will work to spread the word to employers and employees about the stepped increase which begins on January 1, 2005. Download a flyer prepared by the Madison Equal Opportunity Commission that explains Madison's new Minimum Wage Ordinance in English or Spanish and help spread the word!

The ICWJ will be holding its Fifth annual Clergy/labor Luncheon on Tuesday, January 25 from 12noon to 2:00pm at Bethel Lutheran Church at 312 Wisconsin Avenue, in downtown Madison. The Clergy/Labor luncheon provides an opportunity to bring together representatives from religious institutions, labor unions and community organizations who share a passion for fairness and justice in the workplace.

ICWJ intern Sara Shapiro, Pastor Liz Fabiola Villa-Garcia of First Hispanic United Methodist and Father Mick Moon of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church join janitors at the Capitol to show their support for just working conditions.

As a cold drizzle fell at noon on Friday, December 10, 2005 over one hundred supporters of local janitors rallying at the Capitol stayed warm by loudly expressing their support for the workers right to organize and form a union, free of company harassment and intimidation. Workers at Clean Power have been meeting with representatives from the Service Employees International Union, Local 1 which represents janitors throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, to plan and strategize about forming a union at their workplace. Clean Power is the largest cleaning contracting in the Madison area, providing janitorial service to over 40% of State offices and private businesses.

*Father Mick Moon of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church*

*Pastor Pat Size of St. Andrews Episcopal Church*

Father Mick Moon, Holy Redeemer Catholic Church
"For many years the Catholic Church has supported the rights of workers to form themsleves into unions and other associations to assure good wages and good working conditions. the goal should be to create an authentic atmosphere in which the dignity of all persons and their work is seen, appreciated and appropriately compensated."

Father Moon called on labor and management to "conduct themselves with responsibility, justice and integrity and remeber the overall welfare of the community."

Pastor Liz Fabiola Villa-Garcia, First Hispanic United Methodist Church
"We march together to show unity for justice Madison janitors. We are distracted and weary, hopeful and open. Install in us now the many voices that clamor for justice."

This quarter we'd like to spotlight Dan Rosenthal, a tireless ICWJ volunteer who has been diligently coming in, on a weekly basis, to help with the work of the ICWJ and the Workers' Rights Center. Dan has put his skills and

Spanish-speaking ability to good use as a worker advocate assisting dozens of workers who have come in looking for information and support. Dan has also served as our resident photographer, helping us document our various activities.

Dan was born in New York City and lived there till I was 18. He has lived in many locations – so many that his mother complained that she had a hole in her address book from erasing and re-writing his address so many times.

Dan has had as many occupations as addresses including dishwasher, school bus driver for the physically/ mentally challenged, unskilled laborer in steel mills / coke ovens, foundries / garment factories, welder, energy auditor and environmental engineer. He was was recently a Peace Corp. volunteer in the Dominican Republic using his engineering skills to help in building potable water systems in poor rural areas in the Dominican Republic.

He has been active in social justice and workplace issues most of his life. He is a dedicated volunteer at the ICWJ as well as our documentary photographer. Thanks for all your good work, Dan! (We look forward to his one man show at the Museum of Modern Art someday!).