1199SEIU Members Were Loud and Proud in Boston, MA on Tuesday, November 10 As Part of a Fight for $15 National Day of Action

November 1, 2015

1199SEIU members were loud and proud in Boston, MA on Tuesday, November 10 as part of a Fight for $15 National Day of Action. Locally, actions were organized by the 1199-backed #WageAction coalition.

As part of the National Day of Action, the coalition called for a March for Racial and Economic Justice which began at 3:30 p.m. with a rally at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall and concluded at the Massachusetts State House. Turnout exceeded expectations with more than 1,000 demonstrators from a broad array of labor, faith, and community affiliations taking to the streets of Boston demanding $15/hour and a union. 1199SEIU members from area hospitals, nursing homes, and home care programs all participated in the event.

From Cape Cod to Springfield, 1199ers caravanned and boarded busses to attend the action which drew wall-to-wall media coverage in Massachusetts, including 1199 members and “Home Care for $15” branding on every Boston network TV affiliate, “skycam” coverage from multiple network helicopters, and live primetime news broadcasts on the scene with the protest.

1199SEIU Personal Care Attendant Betsaida Ventura from Holyoke, MA was one of the first to address the massive crowd. Ventura spoke on behalf of the 35,000 1199SEIU PCA members in Massachusetts who this summer became the first home care workers in the nation to win a $15 wage.

“We recently won a pathway to $15, but our fight continues until all workers are lifted out of poverty and treated with respect,” she told the crowd, drawing loud applause and cheers. “We must unite together to tell our stories and to vote!”

Jenny Rodrigues, one of thousands of non-union private agency home care workers who are seeking to join 1199SEIU in Massachusetts also addressed the crowd.

“I make near-poverty wages in an industry that will continue to grow, that our seniors rely on. We need home care agencies to recognize that we deserve $15 just like our PCA brothers and sisters,” said Jenny.

Mun Yin, one of the newest 1199SEIU members in Massachusetts, told the crowd about efforts by her co-workers to win their first contract, after bravely voting to join 1199SEIU this summer in the face of a vicious anti-union campaign by her employer.

“We are fighting for $15 so that workers can have stable lives. Let’s fight for what we deserve!” Yin said.

1199SEIU Vice President Tyrek Lee closed the rally with energetic remarks as he held high a letter from rally participants to Governor Baker which outlined the coalition’s call for the Republican Governor to publicly support higher wages; immigration reforms; affordable housing; and #BlackLivesMatter.

Following Lee’s rallying call, the crowd began its march to the State House steps. A delegation of workers including 1199ers attempted to deliver the letter to Governor’s office. They were turned away at first, but after the raucous crowd outside continued to chant and flood the steps of the State House, a representative from the Governor’s office was sent to accept the letter.

Moments later, 1199 ally Senator Dan Wolf joined protesters on the steps to announce that the Senate Labor and Workforce Development committee had just voted to favorably report a bill that would help Massachusetts fast food and retail workers join home care workers in winning a pathway to $15/hour. That bill would apply to fast food and “big box” retailers with more than 200 employees in Massachusetts. The crowd cheered Senator Wolf’s announcement and vowed to return to the State House soon to continue pressing their cause.

Several other wage-related actions occurred earlier in the day, including pickets at area fast-food and retail chain stores, plus an independent student protest in support of part-time faculty at Northeastern University.