Jobs and Student/Labor Solidarity

48,000 auto-workers at Chrysler went on strike on the morning of Oct. 10th. These auto-workers, just like the workers at GM, are fighting not just for better wages and benefits for themselves, but for all workers. Read the article for updates and ways to support workers at Chrysler.

The United Autoworkers (UAW) are on strike against General Motors. These workers are fighting for all of us, helping maintain a higher standard for overall worker wages and benefits. Read the article to find out what you can do and where there are picket lines that you can join to show your solidarity!

Doroteo Garcia works the night shift cleaning classrooms at Stanford University, one of the largest employers in California’s Silicon Valley. As a steward for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1877, Doroteo has been active in his union’s efforts to lift janitors out of poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area, as part of SEIU’s national Justice for Janitors campaign. He is also involved as a community leader, organizing for amnesty and immigrants rights.

Over the last several years, hundreds of labor, community and student activists have been engaged in campaigns pushing for living-wage ordinances. Living-wage ordinances implemented at the municipal and county levels raise the minimum wage (that ranges from $5.15 to $6.50 per hour) to a more livable wage for workers that are paid from public funds.

On November 30, 1999 in Seattle, a five-day protest against the World Trade Organization (WTO) began, marking a new phase of the movement for global justice. Over 50,000 trade unionists, farmers, students, environmentalists, workers, and other activists swarmed over the city and shut down the meetings of the WTO. Major sectors of the country identified global corporations and capitalism as the source of our world�s problems. A new generation of young people saw the incredible power they could hold if they simply organized, mobilized, and became active together with the labor and people�s movements.

The fight for economic independence and equality for women in the workplace continues today as women in all occupations face discrimination. Working women earn an average of $9,483 a year less than men according to 1998 Department of Labor wage studies, and in 2002 this gap is widening. According to a 2000 survey, conducted by the General Accounting Office (based on salary information gathered by the Department of Labor) of the 10 industries that employ 71% of American women, showed women\'s inequality growing in seven of these industries.

In November 2001, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 50, started contract negotiations with the Contract Cleaners Association (CCA), an association of eight cleaning companies who control the market on janitorial and custodial work in St. Louis. Ever since then, it has been an up hill battle for the more than 3,000 St. Louis janitors represented by SEIU Local 50, who have been struggling for a living wage and a new contract.

Many YCLers face similar challenges on campuses and communities: What does the YCL contribute to the student-labor movement? What are some ideas for getting started? How can a club come out of that work?

The anti-globalization movement was the \"it\" movement for young people until the tragedy on September 11. Major protests against the undemocratic nature of the financial and political institutions that govern globalization exploded at every major international meeting. Ties were strengthened between labor, environmental groups, students, and community organizations. The YCL has played an important leadership role in the movement by working hard to strengthen and consolidate the coalitions that form it.