Ana Alvarado's story:

On Tuesday, April 30th workers at the Hyatt House in Emeryville held an amazing and moving action wherein top Union Committee leaders shared their stories of work place injustice and asked the Hyatt Emeryville management for a fair process to organize and choose a union without threats or intimidation.

Ana Alvarado (Housekeeper of 4 years) was among the top 4 committee leaders who shared their personal story as to why she has chosen to be a leader and fight for dignity and respect. After workers spoke at the delegation, Alan Mass, Hyatt Emeryville General Manager, emphasized there would be zero retaliation against committee leaders and anyone else who supported the Union.

However, on Wednesday-May1st, Ana Alvarado was given a written warning for allegedly leaving hair in a bed she cleaned. This is the first written discipline that Ana Alvarado has knowledge of receiving while working at this hotel property. Ana has asked, Why Now? Why after she shared her story of work place injustice?

We need your support to spread the word. Share this blog on your FaceBook and/or Twitter page and lets us know you stand with these workers. 

"This week, equality advocates throughout California and around the world mark the birthday of LGBT rights pioneer Harvey Milk, who was assassinated in November of 1978. I worked closely with Harvey and saw firsthand how he stood, not only for LGBT people, but for all working people, particularly those who had been disenfranchised. Harvey understood the importance of coalitions that connected the struggles of different communities and seized every opportunity to show support for labor unions, women, minorities, and immigrants.

Today, Hyatt workers around the world are engaged in an international campaign for respect on the job, safe working conditions, fair wages and affordable healthcare. Last month, the workers at Hyatt House in Emeryville joined that campaign.

As we observe Harvey Milk's birthday and celebrate the extraordinary progress of the movement he represents, it is important also to honor his legacy as a one of the first to forge a coalition between labor and the LGBT community. If Harvey were with us today, I have no doubt that he would stand with the Hyatt workers and call on Hyatt management to permit a fair process for workers to organize without fear of retaliation. Just as Harvey urged LGBT people to leave their closets, come out and organize, he would speak out for the right of workers to have a voice on the job, without fear of threats or intimidation." -Cleve Jones

Scroll down to read Ana Alvarado's story, a housekeeper at Hyatt House in Emeryville fighting for dignity and respect on the job. Contact Felicita at Felicita[at]workingeastbay[dot]org if you want to stay informed about Hyatt House workers.

In  California, Harvey Milk Day is recognized as a day of special significance for public schools. California's schools are in dire need of help. More than one in five children in California live in poverty, and nearly half of all K-12 students participate in the federal free and reduced-price meal programs provided to students from low-income families.

For the past two years, AYPAL and the Campaign for Quality Education (CQE) coalition have been organizing communities and advocating at the Capitol to achieve educational equity for all students in California’s public schools. This month, they are taking action to push for the timely passage of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) by the state budget deadline of June 15th, 2013 - and we need YOUR support!

Click here to check out this week’s action to see how you can support the passage of LCFF by the end of June!

                                Equality vs. Equity

Will you join us on June 1^st as we talk to Oakland voters about equitable distribution of Prop 30 funds?

Contact Jahmese[at]workingeastbay[dot]org- 510.893.7106 x320

Thanks to Prop 30--- for the first time in many years --- California will pass a budget without any cuts to education. In fact, we now have enough money to think more deeply about how we want to build a supportive and fruitful education system.

Some proposals recommend that education funds are allocated equally among all schools (like the picture on the left). However, not all students are starting from the same place. Some have different needs and face greater challenges than others. Instead, allocating funds equitably (like the picture on the right), would give extra resources to schools who serve a greater number of students with unique situations—like foster youth, low income and English learners.

Governor Brown has proposed a plan that distributes 96% of the funds evenly across all schools, and the remaining 4% among those schools that need additional student support.

We know that all students do better when they have the support and resources they need. Prop 30 has given us the opportunity to provide additional resources to those with the greatest needs and to build an education system that uplifts our students and sets them up for success.

While the win last fall was amazing, Prop 30 will only be a real victory when see it implemented in the way we envisioned: for the support and success of all our students.

On Saturday, June 1^st, we’ll be talking to voters in Oakland’s flatlands about spending Prop 30’s education funds in an equitable way that truly supports our students and builds a just education system. Will you join us?

Contact Jahmese[at]workingeastbay[dot]org- 510.893.7106 x320

FUN & AWESOME FACT: Did you know EBASE filled 102 volunteer shifts in last fall’s voter outreach push to pass Prop 30?

"My name is Mari Mendonca. I am a Front Desk Host/Night Auditor at the Hyatt House in Emeryville CA. and have worked there for the past seven years. I am a Berkeley native and a single mother of four.

I am proud to be standing up for justice at Hyatt for myself and in solidarity with all of my colleagues, who have felt disrespected, abused, used and ignored.

Some of the injustice that I have personally experienced is unfair wages. Hyatt has hired several people in my exact same position as Front Desk Host/Night Auditor, people whom I have trained to do the work that I have been doing for the past seven years at a pay rate that is higher than mine.

I have asked for and suggested numerous times that we be given security especially during the Night Audit shift being that it is overnight and a high risk time of day. In lieu of them expending for a guard every night, which in my opinion should be the norm I have requested that we at least have security on Friday and Saturday nights when the potential for partiers is high and we have already experienced many evenings where we have been verbally and physically harassed or intimidated by either the registered guest or their entire entourage. I have also discovered that the fire escape stairwells at the end of the hallways (which are supposed to be locked from the outside) are unlocked. We have also had many nights where party guests will use these stairwells to usher up extra guests in excess of the number of guests that are regulated for guest safety and fire codes creating complaints and confrontations that put myself and my colleagues in jeopardy. Once a man was even running down the hallway with a gun and ran into the elevator with my previous colleague and he had to ride down in the elevator with him, gun in hand.

I have also discovered in my seven years of service that the gates that lead from public space outside the hotel to the pool, Jacuzzi and gym area are easy for transients and non-guests to enter and I have encountered this circumstance at least more than a few times. I have had to confront these people, mostly men not knowing how they would react and unsure if I would be safe.

Another request is for more security cameras around the perimeter, all entrances and exits and at the elevators. This would allow us to monitor those areas throughout the evening giving us some idea of what may be going on, on and around the entire hotel as we have had many break-ins to cars on the lot and even someone robbed at gunpoint at the back entrance.

The front doors have never locked properly and I have informed the Hyatt that the Fire Department told me that the doors must when locked at night have the motion sensors working on all the front doors so that they will open when people on the inside pass by. Only one of the front doors actually works the way it is supposed to.

Hyatt came in after purchasing our hotel promising us that it was going to surpass the previous employers in every aspect of the hotel operations –so far I have not experienced the actualization of these promises. I know that Hyatt has more than enough money to afford the type of security required to maintain a property of this size and to pay fair wages to loyal employees who have shown diligence and commitment to upholding their high standards of service. In fact since my colleagues and I have taken action and began to stand up and tell our stories of injustice management has hired security to protect against…..us? I am hurt to know that in all my years of requesting protection for myself and my colleagues that it only becomes affordable to protect against us when we are attempting to unify in asking for a little dignity and respect."

My thanks and acknowledgement to the strong and fearless mother’s of EBASE, Nikki, our visionary leader and Executive Director, Kate, our long-time campaign lead and Revive Oakland Director, Jenny, our longest EBASE staffer and Research Director, Kristi, our voice in faith and ICWJ Project Director, and Maria, our back-bone and Operations Manager. These women pour their love and passion into economic and social justice by the bucket. The accomplishments of EBASE are possible because of them. 

So,

• Who’s your mama? Shout her out on FaceBook.
  

• Remember to send a card this Mom’s Day!Use this E-card to thank the mama’s in your life.

• Support moms like Mari and Josefa! Tweet this E-card to elected officials insupport of immigrant families.

Enjoy your weekend and hug the dynamic mom(s) in your life this Sunday,

Felicita Pedroza
Communications Assistant

Are we winning? Yes, we are!

Last year was a fantastic year for EBASE and this year, we are going to keep on winning.

Our 2012 Impact Report documents some of our major accomplishments in 2012.

My personal highlights are:

• Winning thousands of good jobs from the redevelopment of the former Oakland Army Base with Revive Oakland,

• Bringing billions of dollars to our schools by taxing the wealthiest Californians through the passage of Prop. 30 with @Oakland Rising and @California Calls, and

• Building a broader and stronger movement for economic justice by working with an amazing set of allies including community base-building organizations, unions, faith leaders, youth organizations, and environmental justice groups and health experts.

To secure these victories, EBASE built powerful & diverse coalitions to organize our base of residents, workers, people of faith and voters. We conducted top-notch research to understand the root causes of economic injustice so that we could craft winning solutions and shift the public debate. Our campaigns employed these strategies and more to build power and pass effective policies for lasting change.

In the coming years, EBASE will deepen our work at the intersection of worker justice and environmental health through a new campaign for Sustainable Recycling.

Alameda County is a national leader in efforts to get to “zero waste” by diverting more of our trash to recycling and composting. However, our county also has among the lowest working standards for recycling workers in the Bay Area. Additionally, a significant amount of our trash is still going to landfills, and will continue to, until we improve our systems for recycling. Consumer education, worker involvement and community engagement are critical so we can also address polluting facilities and the low wages and unsafe conditions faced by the County’s hundreds of recycling workers.

Achieving Sustainable Recycling will be a demanding yet glorious road – just like our past campaigns – and as I remember a day in February where more than one hundred recycling workers joined with allies and said, “even though we work in trash, we are not trash,” I am recommitting myself and EBASE to our vision of vibrant, healthy neighborhoods and an inclusive middle class.

So, stick with us. And, if you are down for Sustainable Recycling, give a gift today AND it will ‘double’ as part of a gracious 2013 matching gift opportunity from one of our partners. Come on, join in. Be a part of keeping EBASE strong and fortified to build power with workers and communities!

Onward!

Anonymous
Aaron Brickman
Aditi Vaidya
Aisha Brown
Al Mendall
Al Weinrub
*Alberta Maged
Allen Smith
Allyce Kimerling and Frances Rotolo
*Alma Martinez
Amaha Kassa
*Andrea L. Lee
Andrea Spagat
Andrew Dadko
*Andrew Slivka
Ann Worth
Anna Denise Solis
Anthony Federico
Beth Buckingham-Brown
*Brain Adkins
Brian Stein-Webber
*Carol Cantwell
*Carrianne Katonah
*Catha Worthman
Cathy Zeph
Claudia Reyes
*Cody Potter
Conny Ford
Dan Kalb
Danielle Mahones
Dara Olandt
David Cooper
*Diana Wear
*Donal Mahon
Ecaterina Burton
Elinor Buchen
Elizabeth Hinckle
*Elizabeth Keegan
Eloise Hamann
*Emily Goldfarb
Father Dan Danielson
Fred Blackwell
Garry Hoorocks
Gerald Lenoir
Gopal Dayaneni
Gordon Mar
Hayes Morehouse
Helen Kim
*Henry Norr
*Herschel Pecker
Holly Fincke
Ivana Krajcinovic
Jacob Wasserman
Jacob Wegmann
Jacqueline Duhart
Jahaziel Bonilla
James Yelen
*Jamie Thompson
Jean Cohen
Jean-Luc Lamirande
*Jeff Cambra
*Jeff Johnson
Jen Wylegala and Dan Calamuci
Jessica Choy
Jessica Warner
*Jim DuPont
Joan Steadman
Joel Aguiar
John Watkins
*Jon Rodney
Joseph Orr
Joshua Arce
Julian Gross
*Julina and Jazy Bonilla
Karissa Lewis
*Kathleen Donnell
Kerianne Steele
Kim Hassan
Kirsten Cross
Kisasi Brooks
*Kristin Martin
Kurt Kuhwald
*Larisa Casillas
Laura Rivas
Lawrence Ferderber
Libby Schaaf
Linda Li
Linda Martin
Lindsay Horstman
Liora Goldensher
Lois Mueller
Lucy Kolin
Manjula Martin
Marcus Liefert
Mari Rose Taruc
Maria Poblet
Marla Wilson
Mary Doyle
Mary Lou Watson
Mary Tansey
Mauricio J. Wilson
*Max Alper
Meg Bowerman
Mekahel C. Francois
Michael Borucke
*Michelle Myers
Mike Friedrich
*Miya Yoshitani
*Mona Damluji
Nancy Beach
Nashua Kalil
Nikki Henderson
*Nobuyuki Yamada
Nwamaka Agbo
Nyereris Britt
Owen Thompson
Pete Woiwode
Prasi Gupta
Rachel Medema
Raymond Waespi
Riana Shaw Robinson
Richard M. Johnson
Robert Britton
Robert Johnson
Robert Lane
*Rosemary G. Brennan
Sadiyah Seraaj
Sally Juarez
Sam Schabacker
Sandhya Jha
*Sandra Davis
*Sandra V. Padilla
*Sanjay Garla
Sarah Berg
*Sarah Varela
Sarah Wilson
Shayna Gelender
*Stacy Kono
Stephanie Clark
Steve Older
Steven Koeninger
*Steven Pitts
Susan Lubeck
Susan Schacher
Sylvia Ledezma
*Peter Tadao Gee
Ted Gerlach
Vanessa Daniel
Verleeta White
Viveka Chen
Zachary Goldman

*A special thanks to EBASE sustainers whose reoccurring monthly gifts were a part of sustaining our efforts throughout 2012.

Art by Jesus Barraza www.DignidadRebelde.com

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Hearing to Introduce Resolution
Tuesday, April 23^rd, 2013
10:30am-12pm
Alameda County Administrative Building,
(1221 Oak Street, 5^th floor, Oakland)

This is a critical juncture in the movement to stem the tide of misguided deportation policies as Congress debates the terms of an immigration reform proposal rife with punitive provisions.

On Tuesday, our allies in ACUDIR will introduce a resolution before the Alameda County Board of Supervisors urging the Sheriff’s Office to stop using scarce county resources to detain people for ICE under the “Secure Communities” program, or S-Comm. Nearly 2000 people have been deported from Alameda County alone due to S-Comm since its implementation in 2009, leaving children and their loved ones in despair and economic hardship. 

We invite you to be present for a press conference right before the hearing to affirm our values of family unity, workers rights, and equal treatment under the law.
We encourage you to: 

• Share your story and give testimony during the public comment period at the hearing.
• Tell the Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff how you, your family and community have been impacted by S-Comm and
• Why you want ICE out of Alameda County.

Join labor and community allies and dreamers demanding a pathway to citizenship for millions of workers and families who have been living here for years and contributing to our workplaces, congregations, and communities.

Interfaith Immigration Update
A. Immigration Vigil this Saturday 
B. Powerful Foot-washing Ritual Garners Media Attention (see below)

Please Join us this Saturday, April 6^th for our monthly immigration vigil at the West County Detention Facility in Richmond, where we pray and bear witness to the suffering of immigrants detained in this facility, facing deportation and forced separations from their families. This Saturday marks the second year anniversary of our interfaith vigils to call attention to unjust detention & deportation policies.

Half Marathon Participants
Pui Man Wong
Stephanie St. Clair
Todd Chretien

4-person Relay Participants
Ari Clemenzi
Brooke Anderson
Jahmese Myres
Jennifer Lin
Josh Connor
Kristi Laughlin
Peter Woiwode
Rui Bing Zheng

5K Marathon Participants
Akirah Bradley
Ben Beach
Brad Erickson
Chris Redmond
Christen Redmond
Debra Grabelle
Emily Katz
Igor Tregub
Jasmine Smith
Kate O'Hara
Kent Lewandowski
Malila Becton
Martha Bader
Nikki Fortunato Bas
Rachel Bryan
Teamara Irving
Vanessa Daniel

Kid's Fun Run Participants
Balana Bascon
Mabel O'Hara Hardy
Mensah Ajanaku Jr.
Julius Ajanaku
Tyrone Clark
Xavier Kusic

Volunteer Fundraiser
Bk Woodson Sr
Carol Crooks
Felicita Pedroza
Francisco Herrera
Sadiyah Seraaj 

THANK YOU TO OUR "In It for the Long Run" MARATHON SPONSORS

Akonadi Foundation
BAC- Bricklayers, Tilesetters and Allied Craftworkers, Local 3 Northern California
The California Endowment
Center for Policy Initiatives
Center for Third World Organizing
IFPTE Local 20- Engineers and Scientists of California
M.R. Wolfe & Associates
National Employment Law Project (NELP)
Partnership for Working Families
Plumber Local 393
SEIU UHW- Services Employees International Union- United Healthcare Workers West
WorkSafe 

THANK YOU TO OUR WATER STATION VOLUNTEERS

Did you miss the races? Check out Facebook for photos and feedback on the day! 

Thanks to all of your support, we have exceeded our $15,000 goal and have raised $15,629!

Miss the chance to be a part of friend to friend fundraising? Stay tuned for EBASE's first-ever Bowl-A-Thon in September as we continue to celebrate 14 years of workers and communities building power. 

Again, many thanks from the entire EBASE family to all our Oakland Running Festival participants.

Photo credit: Tradeswomen, Inc.

As a West Oakland resident, African American woman and union construction worker, Christine Garrett is focused on how the Army Base will create and maintain jobs for her neighbors. A member of Painters Union Local 3 who has been active in Revive Oakland, Christine Garrett expresses gratitude for her union, which ensures she has good wages, healthcare and a pension.

Before joining Local 3, Christine was a bit unsure about becoming a union member. “The union was a mystery box and it seemed like I’d never get in”.

But, today as a journey person, who recognizes the low number of women in the trades Christine is committed to bringing more sisters into the Trade. She is on the board of Tradeswomen, Inc, a grassroots organization committed to recruiting and retaining more women in the trades. She believes that “social justice allies and women [address] these issues from all angles and I want to be a part of making policy that creates real change.”

This International Women’s History Month, we honor women like Christine who have blazed trails into the construction industry over the last 4 decades. Although women still only make up 2-3% of the skilled construction trades workforce overall, in the Bay Area, “we see somewhat better numbers for women and women of color. Particularly since the ‘90s when tradeswomen became more visible and the number of women of color in trades grew,” explains Meg Vasey, Executive Director of Tradeswomen Inc.

Working in Trades comes with challenges for many. Unemployment in the trades has been brutal during this last recession. As Meg explains, “Sometimes you have work and sometimes you don’t; you’re not a 100% guaranteed shifts, but wages are enough to make it worth your while”.

For women, extra challenges can exist. As an IBEW Local 302 electrician – working with the tools – from 1980 to 1998, Meg found herself one of few women on the job. But she stuck with it because she knew that the union could guarantee she received equal pay to men. “I found the trades a very inviting opportunity.” 

Today, with a new generation of women working with the tools, tradeswomen can find more sisters on the job site – even, starting in the classroom as they prepare for the field. 

Chantel Lewis, East Bay resident and IBEW Local 6 member is the first African American women instructor for the Energy & Utilities Careers for Women Program, a program at Tradeswomen, Inc. in partnership with PG&E to prepare women for utility construction work. Her commitment to bringing more women into the trades comes from her personal experience. When she joined IBEW 18 years ago, Chantel was surrounded by mostly white men. On the job site, she experienced discrimination, including one man telling her "she should be at home with the children like his wife."

Despite these challenges, Chantel maintained her determination, “I didn’t let the few sexist people deter me or make me feel like I was less.” She found the vast majority of her fellow workers fully supported women in the trades which encouraged her to keep going, to pay attention, and to ask questions.

Today, as an instructor, she is proud to be a role model for other women who are encouraged seeing someone who looks like them already doing the work. Extremely grateful for her union -that ensures affordable healthcare, a pension, and support,- Chantel loves her job and wants to connect other women to the same opportunities. “I’m gratified to see a building that I helped to construct. That’s a great feeling.”

So, what can we do to bring more women into the Trades?  

• “Women need specific outreach targeted to them. If this targeted outreach is done aggressively, we can find women who are interested, capable, and have the background to do this work.” – Meg Vasey
• “We need more awareness to see that there are women doing it. Attend Women Building California and the Nation conference April 6-7 and you'll get to see a room full of women who do all kinds of stuff.” –Chantel Lewis
• “We need both outreach in the community, and we need to dig deep into the root causes and move towards instituting new policy, like what we’ve done for the Army Base project, to create jobs for residents.” –Christine Garrett

Interested in a construction career? In addition to the resources identified here,

• IBEW Local 595 is taking apprentice applications on March 28.You must apply in person on your own behalf on the date above. Download: March Application Announcement.pdf. 
• Cypress Mandela runs pre-apprentice programs to prepare workers to enter union construction careers.
• For information about Apprenticeship and Trades Opportunities for women visit www.tradeswomen.org. 

Revive Oakland is a coalition of 30 community, labor, faith and youth organizations, including Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, EBASE, Oakland Community Organizations, Urban Peace Movement, East Bay Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, ILWU Local 6 and the Alameda Building and Construction Trades Council.  

“Funding Movement Building: Bay Area Approaches” was written primarily for progressive funders—in order to “document, lift-up and share examples in order to spur and inspire colleagues.” EBASE Executive Director, Nikki Fortunato Bas highlights several funder practices crucial to the success of Revive Oakland’s campaign so far:

•  Multi-year general operating support; doubling down for both institutional and campaign support.
• Willingness of funders to work with EBASE to ensure that Revive Oakland & community base-building partners were supported; allowing EBASE to re-grant if the partner couldn’t be funded directly.
• Program officers who worked with other institutional colleagues to fund different parts of the campaign.
• Program officers who may not have been able to specifically fund the campaign, being willing to fund aspects of the work related to job creation.

• A real path to citizenship for all 11 million
• Family unity
• Worker protections
• End to punitive enforcement programs, such as “S-comm”

Come cheer Team EBASE on at the Oakland Running Festival on March 24th at our Water Station in West Oakland. 

Team EBASE volunteer duties include:

• Cheering like crazy for marathon runners -- especially those from Team EBASE
• Handing out water and snacks to keep our runners 'In It for the Long Run' and
  
• Representing EBASE with style and grace and in our brand new t-shirts!
  

We are looking for 15 volunteers for 2 shifts beginning at 7:30am-10am and 10am-1:30pm.

Our water station is located in West Oakland at the last leg of the marathon and half-marathon routes, so bring your cheer and enthusiasm to keep the runners going strong through their last miles.

We need you! Click here and sign up to help us all make it across the finish line!

Festive signs and costumes are encouraged!

It's going to be a great day for Oakland and Team EBASE!

Sign up today!

In solidarity, 

Felicita Pedroza

Team EBASE Volunteer Coordinator

P.s If you can't make the race, you can still show your support by giving a gift to EBASE or one of our runners today. Or stay tuned for more on signing up to bowl with us this Fall at our first-ever Bowl-A-Thon!

We learn from our history- a winning future depends on an understood past.

The anniversaries of these seminal events inspire reflection regarding the current status of African Americans in the social, economic, and political landscape of the United States.

Rev. Phil Lawson has been working alongside EBASE for the past ten years. Some of his greatest highlights at EBASE include:

• The importance of interfaith leaders in resolving the 2005 Grocery workers strike in Southern Calif.

• Leading an interfaith delegation to confront the CEO of a hotel in San Diego in support of low wage workers.

• Numerous strike line invocations for hotel workers, Walmart associates, #immigration marches, Sacramento lobbying, Port of Oakland drivers and security services press conferences.

• EBASE 's material and spiritual support getting the Occupy Movement and the Oakland Interfaith Tent ministries moving during last year. 

Having administered several major social justice roles, Rev. Phil Lawson resigned from EBASE's Board in December 2012. When asked what opportunities or challenges does he think EBASE needs to prepare for to achieve its mission of a just economy, he responded with the following: 

• "The major challenge and great opportunity facing EBASE will be its capacity to engage immigration as an economic issue at its core; seen most clearly in slavery or forced immigration. Again in the 20th century, there is the economic connection seen in NAFTA forcing the immigration of millions from the South."

EBASE thanks Rev. Lawson for being a quintessential model pastor and community leader. He has been a comrade who has distributed his wisdom and has given us remarkable support.

"He helped us envision a truly just economy", stated @nikkifbas, ED of EBASE."Thank you so much for your many, many years of service, leadership, wisdom and inspiration to EBASE. I particularly appreciated your thoughtfulness as we developed our strategic plan."

We salute the extraordinary Rev. Phillip C. Lawson.

#emancipationproclamation

#blackhistorymonth

#immigration

In peace and in love,

Felicita Pedroza

Communications Assistant

Patricia Contreras Flores is ‘In it for the Long Run’ & also one of the newest EBASErs on staff!

Bay Area raised and proud Michoacana Mexicana, Patricia is not only developing into her position as organizer at EBASE, but is also increasing her endurance for the @OaklandMarathon. When she’s not attending meetings, door knocking, and advocating for economic and social justice, Patricia is training for the run. March 2010 was the first time Patricia participated in the Oakland Running Festival. When asked about the difference between participating this year versus in 2010, she shared, "The biggest difference is that I am in a better pace in my life mentally and spiritually...long distance running is a mental [and] beautiful experience overall for me. I absolutely love my new job and running in the name of EBASE is such a blessing." 

Patricia explains, "EBASE represents a movement that believes in fighting the good fight. We believe in challenging institutionalized violence in all its forms and are doing that in very intentional ways, in the past and present." Patricia is a proud Oakland resident and states, "I believe in this town and am working very hard to bring about change on door knock and conversation at a time. I refuse to give up on a town that gave rise to one of the most important political movements ever, the Black Panthers."

The Black Panther movement continues to be of motivation in her daily work, life and training and a persistent reminder to keep her eyes on the prize. Patricia explains, "That prize being freedom. Freedom to breathe clean air, freedom to have a decent job that allows you infinite choices, economically and every other way, freedom to walk down the street without fear, and freedom to fight for what is right. I know and feel this so much more because EBASE and because of that I will run for EBASE."

As EBASE's new Communications Assistant and Lutheran Volunteer, in talking with Patricia, I couldn't help but feel energized and inspired to further support Team EBASE. As someone with an overpowering gratitude for music and its tonic sway, I was eager to find out what kind of music inspired Patricia on her 20 mile runs. Patricia's words flowed cheerfully as we ended our interview with one last question of what kind of music was dancing around in Patricia's ears during training; "You will find these artists constantly playing in my ears, helping me along: Cafe Tacuva-namely "Como Te Extrano" (the live version), Radiohead to warm up and get pumped (especially "The National Anthem"), Celso Pina "Cumbia Poder". And of course to keep me grounded absolutely anything by living goddess named Toto la Momposina."

Photo credit: David Bacon

Brothers and Sisters, 

For three years, we've been looking forward to the day we could send you this announcement: 

Castlewood workers have won their struggle for justice!

On February 13, the workers approved a great new contract that provides job security, affordable family healthcare, raises, and a substantial signing bonus.

"So many people told us that dishwashers and waitresses couldn't win against a luxury golf club," said server Jeanette Cardenas. "But we've learned that it doesn't matter who you are, if you stay strong and you're on the side of justice."

Workers and their supporters fought bravely throughout a lockout that lasted longer than the siege of Leningrad. The workers returned to their jobs in October 2012 after a national Labor Relations Board judge found the lockout illegal, but contract negotiations continued through the winter.

Under the new contract, workers will pay $225 per month for family healthcare, the same amount the union proposed before the lockout began. The workers' payment will go down to $150 in the last year of the contract. The deal also includes raises, strong seniority rights and protections against subcontracting - which Castlewood proposed eliminating during the lockout - and a signing bonus.

With the contract resolved, UNITE HERE Local 2850 has called off its boycott of Castlewood and is urging clients who canceled their events during the labor dispute to return. 

"This isn't just our victory," said janitor Francisca Carranza. "So many people in the community, political leaders, pastors and other workers marched with us. We are so thankful to all of you - we never could have won this fight alone. Now we hope workers everywhere see this and understand that you don't have to give up everything you've worked for. You can stand up for your family and win."

Stay tuned for Castlewood Victory Party!
Monday, April 29, 6-9pm
Carpenters Local 713 Union Hall
1050 Mattox Road, Hayward

**RSVP HERE** so there are enough tamales for everyone!

For more information, contact Sarah Norr at 510-502-5344 or norr.sarah@gmail.com or Matt at 703-955-0075.

UNITE HERE Local 2850

www.unitehere2850.org

www.facebook.com/unitehere2850

****

BACKGROUND

Castlewood Country Club food service workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 2850, enjoyed stable jobs with free family healthcare for many years. In the fall of 2009, Castlewood proposed raising worker's share of family health care cost to $739 a month - over 40% of the average worker's wage.

The workers rejected the proposal, but offered to pay $225 per month for family health care and to continue negotiating amicably. Instead, Castlewood locked them out on February 25, 2010. Castlewood then urged its employees to decertify their union, but the workers voted 41-17 to remain represented by the union.

Six months into the lockout, Castlewood made new proposals that were substantially worse than its original offer. The proposals would have stripped away seniority and job security protections, allowed unlimited subcontracting of workeres' jobs, made it optional for workers to pay union dues, and increased the cost of family health care even further. The union filled charges with the National Labor Relations Board. 

Throughout the lockout, workers maintained daily pickets in front of Castlewood’s golf course, and coordinated dozens of larger actions. They were joined by political leaders, local clergy, and Pleasanton neighbors. They also organized a successful boycott of the Club and a high-profile civil disobedience action. The story – of low-wage workers fighting back against the illegal pressure tactics of a high-end golf club – drew national attention.

On August 17, 2012, NLRB Administrative Law Judge Clifford Anderson found that Castlewood had maintained an unlawful lockout for the previous two years. Anderson found that Castlewood had bargained in bad faith and that its bargaining proposals were motivated by animus toward the union.

On October 16, 2012, Castlewood ended the lockout. 46 of the 61 locked out workers returned to their jobs. Castlewood and the union continued to bargain for a new contract.

On February 13, 2013, the workers voted to ratify a new three-year contract. Under the deal, workers will pay $225 per month for family health care – the same amount the union proposed at the beginning of the lockout. Workers’ contribution will decrease to $150 per month in the last year of the contract. The contract also includes raises, strong seniority language and protections against subcontracting, and a signing bonus.

With the lockout over and the contract resolved, UNITE HERE Local 2850 and Castlewood workers ended their boycott of the Club and urged clients to return. They also asked the NLRB to drop its prosecution of Castlewood.

This Valentine's Day, we are reminding the Port of Oakland to keep our community in their hearts as they embark on selecting high level Port staff.

 These positions include a new Executive Director to run the Port's day-to-day operations, a new Maritime Director to run the seaport and a Social Responsibility Division Director to implement the Port's Social Justice Policies. 

What do these positions have to do with creating good jobs, clean air, and a healthy and safe Oakland?

The Port controls its own half of the former Oakland Army Base but has not yet agreed to the same good jobs standards the City adopted last summer. In the coming year the Port will be negotiating deals with companies to build and operate a rail yard- the project- and the rest of the Port's Army Base project- result in good jobs for Oaklanders.

That's why we will be at the Port hearing tomorrow, urging the Commission to include community participation in their process to fill these critical staff positions. We need leaders at the Port who understand Oakland. We need leaders who have worked closely with residents and workers. These are the kind of leaders that will successfully implement social justice policies and who will be committed to working with all of us to make the Port a more accountable and engaged partner. 

 Tomorrow, partners from Revive Oakland and the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports will attend the regularly scheduled Port Commissioners board meeting to share and ask the Port to make compassionate and heartfelt decisions regarding these hires.

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Sharing love for all of Oakland alongside you,

Kate O'Hara

Revive Oakland, Director