Making Real Change: It's Up To Us

"This victory alone is not the change we seek — it is only the chance for us to make that change ... It cannot happen without you."

—President-elect Barack Obama, Nov 4, 2008

At the Vermont Workers' Center, we believe that social change comes from below, from working people and community members coming together to demand justice from those in power. The promise of this election can only be made good by people organizing at the grassroots. We must not let the momentum for a different future slow now that the elections are over. Below are some upcoming ways for you, your friends, and family to take part in this exciting moment:

1. Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and be part of the struggle to make human rights a reality for all, at the Ella Baker Human Rights Conference on Saturday, December 13. You can register online (it is a free event, but pre-registration is encouraged). The Conference will feature workshops on healthcare, fighting racism, the economic crisis, the war, gender oppression, LGBTQ rights, immigration, movement-building and numerous other topics.
2. Declare 'Healthcare is a Human Right' by getting involved in our statewide Healthcare Is a Human Right campaign. To get involved, email healthcare [at] workerscenter [dot] org or sign up online.
3. In Burlington, the Workers' Center is coordinating a Healthy Homes Campaign, organizing tenants to demand safe, healthy and affordable housing. Watch a video about this project. To get involved, email healthyhomes [at] workerscenter [dot] org.
4. Volunteer with the Workers' Rights Hotline. The hotline answers questions from Vermonters about their rights at work and is a completely volunteer-driven operation. To get involved, email hotline [at] workerscenter [dot] org.
5. Volunteer with the Vermont Workers' Center or stop by during our new office hours. We are at 294 North Winooski Avenue in Burlington (Map) and our office hours are:

   9am-noon Monday, Wednesday, Friday
   2pm-5pm Tuesday, Thursday

6. Join our Rapid-Response Email Network.
7. Support our work financially by donating or, better yet, becoming a monthly sustainer.

We have a real CENTER! Open House Party Nov. 17th

294 N. Winooski Ave (next to Imani), Burlington (sign coming soon, above added in Photoshop). [ more about the center | photos from November 17 housewarming party ]

We are very excited to have a real Vermont Workers' Center space and its in a great building with community partners like Imani Youth & Family Center, Center For Media & Democracy - Channel 17 and other great groups in the heart of the Old North End. We need your help and we would love to have you involved. Here's what you can do:

• Join the Workers' Center today, become a Sustainer and help support this work! Click here to do it secure online right now
• Seeking donations: Big dry-erase board, big conference table, comfy office chairs, big couch, shelves and newer computers and copiers.
• Also if you have any sweet old Workers' Center-related photos, send them to us, we're trying to collect stuff for our 10th Anniversary.

Thanks!!

Free Workers' Rights Seminar in Barre and VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Hotline On The Road: The Vermont Workers Center is taking its popular Workers Rights Hotline on the road.
We’ve invited officials from Vermont’s departments of Wage & Hour, Workers’ Compensation, and the Attorney General’s office to join the Hotline Staff in answering your questions about your rights at work.

Get Answers to your Questions about
- discrimination
- unpaid wages
- harassment
- work related injuries
- howyou can help build a workers' rights movement and more
More questions call the Vermont Workers' Rights Hotline at 866-229-0009.

Volunteers Needed: The Hotlline staff of the Vermont Workers Center is seeking 1 - 2 additional volunteers who would be willing to take a weekly or twice monthly shift on the hotline. Hotline volunteers take questions from workers over the phone and provide information about their rights at work, make referrals and sometimes offer other assistance. The Workers Center will provide training for anyone wishing to join the existing hotline crew of volunteers. We are especially interested in anyone who do a Saturday or Sunday shift once a week or twice a month but are also interested in recruiting another volunteer for a weekday shift. Shifts are two hours are may be done from either the Montpelier office or from Burlington.

The hotline staff is also looking for help leafletting downtown Barre and/or Montpelier any day from now until November 8. We are distributing fliers about the upcoming Hotline on the Road event scheduled for November 8 in Barre. Email hotline [at] workerscenter.org if you are interested in volunteering.

The VWC is also looking for folks to help paint its new Burlington office. Email james [at] workerscenter.org if you can help.

Looking Ahead

On Saturday, September 29th twenty members of the Vermont Workers' Center (VWC) spent the day discussing priorities and next steps. In 2006, VWC members decided that they would prioritize leadership development and laid the foundation to start the VWC Solidarity School and established the principle of: We believe that the most effective means of change is when people engage in collective action to place direct demands upon those who hold power.

Now entering its 10th year, priorities for 2008 and beyond include:
- Building off VWC Solidarity School 2007 to expand popular education and organizing training opportunities for VWC members.
- Creating a Healthcare Action Committee to fight to make quality health care publicly financed and a basic right for every Vermont resident
- Expanding an building the Burlington Livable City Campaign to include workers who work in more industries
- Exploring getting a building in Burlington to open up a real Workers Center!
- Starting a VWC Art Committee to make puppets and other creative props for actions and events
- Building the Student Labor Action Project statewide
- Continuing to mobilize solidarity for any group of workers who organize for more rights, building Vermont Labor Against The War, operating the Vermont Workers' Rights Hotline and supporting the Justice For Healthcare Workers Campaign.

Email james [at] workerscenter.org if you are interested in learning more about getting involved in the above areas and/or let us know other issues you would like to work on.