This Wednesday, June 20...DL21C's Womens Issues Committee presents the the next installment of its "Women and 2012" Series.
The issues of jobs and employment are huge factors for voters heading into the 2012 elections, and for NYC women and men, the situation is particularly stark - while hiring has resumed in many parts of the city, the unemployment rate hovers at over 9.5%. Those currently employed worry about job security and protections, especially those working in low-wage jobs.
Here in NYC, the City Council recently approved the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, which will require employers to pay workers at least $10 an hour on economic-development projects that receive $1 million in tax abatements or low-cost financing.
On Wednesday night, DL21C will host an informal happy hour discussion on this new living wage law, and how it is expected to affect working women in New York. Joining us will be Amelia Adams of New York Communities for Change, who will offer up her opinion on the new law and answer questions.
See you Wednesday night!
Wednesday, June 20
7pm
DL21C's Women's Issues Committee presents
A Forum on the new Living Wage Law
w/Amelia Adams, Political/Legislative Director, NY Communities for Change
Smithfield Tavern
215 West 28th Street (between 7th and 8th; 1 train to 28th Street)
www.smithfieldnyc.com
This event is free!
Happy Hour drink specials and appetizers served from 6-8pm
RSVP HERE!
DL21C Annual Membership is only $50 and provides unlimited access to all DL21C events for one year. To purchase or renew your DL21C Annual Membership, click HERE!
About the event:
What is the Living Wage Law?
Based upon the cost of living, the living wage is a minimum standard that will allow people to pay for the basic necessities of life, including: shelter, food, health care, etc. Over 120 municipalities nationwide have created their ownliving wage laws at a local level since the early 1990s. On April 30, 2012, New York City passed a new living wage law, entitled the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act. The act reforms the city’s taxpayer-funded economic development programs by creating new, enforceable wage standards for workers.
Why is it important for women?
Women make up just under half of the national workforce but account for roughly 60 percent of minimum-wage workers. In the recent recession, poverty rates for women hit an all time high. Raising the minimum wage would greatly benefit female workers, especially struggling single mothers and other low-wage earners. More generally, it would also act as a step towards closing the income gap between men and women.
For more information: http://www.livingwagenyc.org
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About the speaker:
Amelia Adams is the Political and Legislative Director for New York Communities for Change (www.nycommunities.org). She works closely with elected officials and their offices to bring attention to and or create legislation for issues that affects NYCC’s membership as well as residence in NY State. Currently she is focused on campaigns around the city budget, low wage workers, and foreclosures.
Prior to that, Amelia served as a community organizer working on education issues all over New York City and neighborhood issues in Central Brooklyn with NYCC and ACORN. In working with coalition groups such as the Coalition for Educational Justice (CEJ) and the Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), Amelia was one of the organizers that was able to bring much needed services to the city’s most struggling students. In 2010 the Department of Education (DoE) announced they would provide Academic Intervention Services to students who were below proficiency on state exams. This was a victory for CEJ where NYCC is a member of because the DoE dissolved the Academic Intervention office in prior years.
While Amelia was not working in a coalition, she worked with individual schools and with specific issues. Amelia worked tirelessly over a 5 month period to help Achievement First Crown Heights parents get their Principal and board to change their school's disciplinary code. It was a project where she started off with 3 parent contacts and led to the mobilization of over 100 parents attend a board meeting.
Although she has moved on from the day-to-day door knocking and base building, she never forgets her roots and knows that “relationship building is the key to success.” She frequently attends clergy meetings, community board meetings and press events to continue to build relationships and get NYCC’s name out in the public.
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