Opinion

Framingham, MA - NEWS BRIEF: Before the annual Greater Framingham Community Church, MLK, Jr. Breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel on Monday, advocates of "Beyond War, Another World is Possible" greeted attendees with a reminder of King's opposition to war and economic injustice. Inside eight hundred people enjoyed breakfast while listening to BELL co-founder, Earl Martin Phalen and poet Iyeoka Ivie Okaowo. "Beyond War" fliers and sign up sheets were distributed.

Over the course of the last few years, peace and social justice organizations have engaged in an increasing number of collaborations with groups bridging a wide variety of issues and campaigns. From global climate change to job creation and workers rights to health care reform and protection from home foreclosures, community organizers increasingly view "justice" as a continuum of demands and strategies rather than single, isolated issues.

Former MCI technicians at Verizon Business (VZB) who had been seeking representation for nearly two years finally are united in a new labor agreement that went into effect on December 28.

During the month of January many of the techs will be initiated as members at local union meetings throughout the Verizon East footprint. Photo and interview opportunities are available.

More than 100 representatives from dozens of community and labor organizations gathered on Dec. 10 in Boston to mark International Human Rights Day and kick off a statewide campaign to win passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

The Employee Free Choice Act would give workers a simple one-step process to freely choose a union. It would also strengthen penalties for companies that intimidate employees from trying to form unions and provide for mediation and arbitration when employers and workers cannot agree on a first contract.