From left, event moderator, Dr. Joerg Rieger, Perkins School of Theology, SMU; Rev. Gerald Britt, Central Dallas Ministries; community members Jorge Ortega, Eddie Ortega and Katherain Magdalena; and Gene Lantz, "Jobs with Justice," listen to personal testimonies at the Feb. 26 session.
BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL
Special Correspondent
Though unemployment is on the rise in the
The Workers’ Rights Board of North Texas Jobs with Justice listened to testimony of the unemployed on Feb. 26 at the Dallas County Beckley Courthouse, in the courtroom of the Hon. Judge Luis Sepulveda.
The Workers’ Rights Board addresses the violations of workers’ rights by writing letters to employers demanding fair treatment; making delegation visits to management or public officials; speaking out through the media when necessary; and demonstrating solidarity with workers in various other ways.
The co-conveners of the local Workers’ Rights Board are Dr. Isabel Docampo, coordinator of the intern program, Perkins School of Theology, SMU; Dr. Joerg Rieger, Wendland-Cook Professor of Constructive Theology, Perkins; and Gene Lanz, organizer, North Texas Jobs with Justice.
About a dozen of these boards exist in other cities across the
At the
Jorge Eduardo Ortega told the group about three generations of Latinos living under one roof due to unemployment. A forklift operator, he has experienced discrimination when applying for jobs because he is Latino and an ex-convict.
“My family tried to apply for food stamps and they said I made too much money,” he said. “And when I try to apply for a better job to support my family I can’t get hired because I served time.”
“I’m tired of going through the revolving door of the state. I just made a mistake when I was young and dumb. I’m just trying to change. I ask God every day to help me survive.”
Dr. Rieger said, “Communities and churches need to learn again that issues of labor and unemployment affect not just individuals but all of us. The Workers’ Rights Board assumes our shared responsibility for these issues, by listening to workers and the unemployed and by involving our communities in the solutions”
The board plans to organize the unemployed so that their voices will be heard. They also planned an event with the AFL-CIO, at which young people were invited to speak out in protest.
“Many jobs that were lost as a result of the economic crisis are projected not to come back,” the theology professor explained. “Disgracefully high unemployment is projected by virtually all economists to drag on for several more years. The jobs crisis affects persons fromvaried backgrounds, both blue collar and white collar. It appears to be especially hard on African-Americans, Latinas/os, and female heads of household.”
Lanz contends that millions of Americans are surviving on unemployment insurance and simply can’t find jobs.
“It would be irresponsible for Congress to allow benefits to lapse due to inaction,” he said. “The Senate must extend unemployment insurance through the end of the year.”
The Workers’ Rights Board also plans to lobby Congress and other politicians to become active in the jobs crisis. They say large-scale political action is needed in this case because individual employers either cannot or will not act without this broader framework.
“Jobs with Justice” has a long history of bringing together a broad range of community leaders, including faith communities and other organizations that care about the common good. For further information about Workers’ Rights Boards see http://www.jwj.org/projects/wrb/history.html.
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