Yes, there is a pun in that title, but before i get to that let me explain a few things first. You’ll notice the name change from Letter Writing Sunday. This is due partially to the fact that i rarely post this on Sunday and partially because most of the actions were actually emails, not letters. I haven’t posted a letter writing campaign in quite some time. my apologies, i’ve just been busy with other things. But i’m gonna get back in the habit of posting a regular action (ideally every week, but don’t hold me to that). With the formalities aside, let’s get to it.
Due to my absence, i’m highlighting two campaigns. The first is in solidarity with the 1,700 office cleaners who are currently on strike in Houston, Texas. The office cleaners, who were tired of scraping by on $20 a day and no benefits, decided to unionize with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). On October 23rd, the workers went on strike. They are fighting for a wage increase to $8.50/hour, more working hours, and health insurance in a citywide union contract (which would benefit all 5,300 office cleaners in Houston, not just those on strike). The workers are up against companies like Chevron, which pays office cleaners in other big cities $10/hour or more and managed to bring in $14 billion in profits last year. Here’s a video from Ercilia Sandoval, a striking worker in Houston living with breast cancer and raising two daughters:
You can get more information about the campaign and watch several more videos at the Houston Justice for Janitors website. You can head over to LabourStart and send an email to Chevron CEO David J. O’Reilly. November 15th is Chevron Day of Action, but feel free to call them any time and ask them to support the striking workers.
The second campaign is to stop the annual dolphin slaughter in Taji, Japan. From Oceana:
From October to April, Japanese fishermen will kill more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises as part of their annual hunt. Officials claim the slaughter is a form of “pest control” to offset the amount of fish the dolphins eat. But, the reality is, the butchered dolphins are sold off to supermarkets and grocery stores.
Yes, that includes grocery stores in the US. The campaign to stop the slaughter has really been gaining momentum and the international uproar has just about shut the practice down. A simple email to the Japanese Embassy can help make this the last dolphin slaughter in Japan.
(warning: this video has some graphic images. and it may make you scared of that old Simpsons episode)
You can get more information from the Earth Island Institute.
Tangentially related: --they wouldn’t do that, unless they were extras in a company of The Sound of Music. --FAKE NEWS!…