Working families across the country are ramping up for the biggest recess week yet, including more than a dozen candlelight vigils, 20 economic community roundtables, phone banking parties and deliveries of personal letters to offices of members of Congress. In total, working families will participate in more than 200 events large and small, write 25,000 handwritten letters, and make 40,000 calls to demand Congress pass the Employee Free Choice Act.
In states like Arkansas and Pennsylvania, the activity is unprecedented for a non-election year. Dozens of events will be held featuring businesses, faith groups, community allies, workers, and unions all coming together to call for labor law reform and an economy that works for all.
Recess highlights include:
· A 24 hour vigil in Little Rock, Arkansas at Sen. Lincoln’s
office featuring faith and community leaders,
with shorter vigils across the state;
· Alaska union members and military veterans will present
signatures to Sen. Murkowski declaring their
support for the Employee Free Choice Act, with simultaneous events across the state;
· In Pennsylvania, there will be statewide candlelight vigils and
roundtables featuring workers, faith
leaders, academics, and political leaders;
· A roundtable on the economy and the Employee Free Choice Act in
New Orleans;
· A working women’s event with State Assembly Rep. Kristen
Dexter in Wisconsin;
· In Indiana, three candlelight vigils culminating with a vigil
in Indianapolis;
· A rally, a candlelight vigil, and smaller events featuring
fired and harassed workers across the state of
Maine.
Across the country, activity has escalated in recent weeks. Highlights
include:
· Last week in Arkansas, Working America presented Sen. Lincoln
with nearly 6,000 personal letters
from Arkansas community members;
· A 200 person rally outside Karl Rove’s speech in Milwaukee;
· Mother’s Day events in cities across the state of
Pennsylvania detailing how the Employee Free
Choice Act would impact women and mothers;
· An event in Maine featuring first responders and the role of
unions in responding to health and safety
crisis;
· At Indiana University Northwest, a teach-in led by a professor
and workers;
· Veterans and workers calling for the Employee Free Choice Act
in Colorado;
· Protests of corporate America and support of the Employee
Free Choice Act across the state in
Florida.