June 26, 2007

Update

Hey everyone!

So I started my internship yesterday. I have survived 2 days of working in a union!!!

So what am I doing exactly???

Well, I got an internship with Interfaith Worker Justice called Seminary Summer. They are a way cool non-profit that focuses on rights for all workers. Check it out here. Anyway, they set up internships with labor unions for us seminary students (and rabbinical and muslim students - hence, the interfaith part...). I was placed with a fabulous union right here in my city of Chicago called UNITE HERE. Specifically I will be working within the food service industry - mainly cafeteria workers. There is so much I'd like to write, but I definitely need to get to bed. We are working about 10 hours most days, 6 days a week. Yipes!

In the meantime please check out the Interfaith Worker Justice website, and UNITE HERE's site...along with a couple other informative sites:

Service Workers Rising - This includes part of what I'll be working on this summer.

The Congress Hotel Strike - the workers at this hotel on Michigan Ave have been on strike for FOUR years. PLEASE PLEASE check out this site, and never ever stay there. PS Friends don't let friends stay at the Congress....or any nonunion hotel for that matter!!! Why? I'll save that for another blog entry, but you'll get a big glimpse if you check out this site.

Hotel Workers Rising - See how UNITE HERE got most hotels in the city of Chicago to allow their workers to organize and in effect get MUCH better contracts!!!

Sleep With the Right People - Come on the name itself makes you want to check out this site doesn't it??? :)

Dreams Across America - a recent (and ongoing I think) campaign on immigration reform.

Peace out friends - hit me up sometime!!!