What: Organizing Legal Workers and Public Interest Lawyers

Unions are under attack, and public sector workers’s unions have come under particularly heavy fire, but here in Massachusetts we are organizing a group of state employees who have been, up until now, disenfranchised and voiceless: public defenders. Let’s come together to discuss how to combat the ideology of austerity, imagine sustainable public interest careers, and build solidarity within the working classes. Jobs not Jails!

Who:

• Deborah Wright, President of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys,
• UAW Local 2325, AFL-CIO, in New York City (invited)
• Susan DeMaria, Regional Organizer for the National Organization of
• Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320, AFL-CIO
• Rudy Renaud, Organizing Director for the Service Employees
• International Union Local 888
• Christian Williams, staff attorney with the Committee for Public
• Counsel Services and member of the National Lawyers Guild
• Chris Gonsalves, staff investigator with the Committee for Public
• Counsel Services active in the organizing campaign
• and others involved in organizing to win collective bargaining rights for CPCS employees and the Fight for $15

When:
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
5:30pm to 7:00pm

Where:
Northeastern University School of Law
Dockser Hall (https://goo.gl/maps/yzktXSnTqj72)
65 Forsyth St, Boston
Ruggles – Orange Line T
Northeastern – Green Line T

The event is free; pizza will be provided.

Here’s a link for our petition to win basic worker rights for public defenders in Massachusetts:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/extend-organizing-rights-to-massachusetts-public-defenders

some background:
http://www.seiu888.org/mass-defenders-cpcs/

We also be discussing plans for the action on April 14:
#WageAction April 14th Rally: Join the Fight for $15 in 2016!
April 14 @ 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Rally at the Massachusetts State House – National Day of Action
http://wageaction.org/event/april-14th-ff15-rally

yours in solidarity,

Benjamin Evans
National Lawyers Guild
northeastrvp(AT)nlg.org

Our neighbor, Occupy Natick, invites us – and you to a free screening of the movie “This Changes Everything“.

Film inspired by international best-selling author Naomi Klein’s book explores the transformative opportunity climate change presents for us all

Natick, MA- Occupy Natick invites the public to a free screening and discussion of the film, “This Changes Everything,” directed by Avi Lewis and inspired by the internationally best-selling book of the same name by author Naomi Klein, on Monday, April 18th, from 7-9 pm at Sherrill Hall, 39 East Central St. Natick (rear of St. Paul’s Church). The group is screening the film as part of its monthly “What Went Wrong” film and discussion series. The film and discussion is co-hosted by several local organizations including, Common Street Spiritual Center, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Metrowest Peace Action. After the screening there will be an opportunity for attendees to identify ways in which they are inspired to take action. There is ample parking in the adjacent lot, and light refreshments will be served.

Filmed over 211 days, “This Changes Everything” offers powerful portraits of seven communities worldwide that have been forced to take action to address a local climate issue, from Canada and the Tar Sands, to Greece and the exploitation of local lands for mining, to an oil spill in Montana. Rather than using these experiences to scare people into action, the film acknowledges the interconnectedness of the economy and the climate crisis, and aims to inspire us to use these situations to advocate for the kind of overall lifestyle and environment we as human beings want to have.

According to Yes! magazine, “Klein and Lewis paint a picture of a post-fossil-fueled, post-capitalist future that seems not only within reach, but like a place where we actually want to live.”

Throughout 2016 and leading up to the presidential election, as part of their “What Went Wrong” film series, Occupy Natick is featuring films that explore important issues that should be an integral part of each candidates platform, or that highlight the brokenness of our current political system in an effort to help educate and inform citizens. To date films have included: “Dream On,” addressing the relevance of the American Dream, “The Bridge to the Ballot” on voter rights, and “Merchants of Doubt” on the use of propaganda and doubt to control debate around critical issues, among others. The monthly film and discussion series is free to the public, and all are welcome to attend and participate.

Occupy Natick is a group of Metrowest citizens, who, inspired by the original Occupy Wall Street protests, engage in activities and events that educate the community about areas of concern related to the undue influence of money in politics and policy making. The group hosts regular meetings that are open to the public, along with the free monthly film series. For a meeting schedule and more information, visit www.occupynatick.org or contact: info(AT)occupynatick.org.

(source: Blackstonian)

POLICE DECERTIFICATION IN MASSACHUSETTS

Many professionals are licensed and if found guilty of wrong doing can LOSE their license to practice. Lawyers, Doctors, Plumbers, Electricians, Accountants, Taxi Drivers, Teachers, Real Estate Brokers, Architects, Psychologists, Barbers, etc. are all subject to losing their license or being decertified. Even your personal Drivers License can be revoked for serious infractions.

WHY NOT POLICE?

Massachusetts is one of only six states without revocation authority. The others are California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.Decertification is a common sense approach to police reform where police, politicians, and protesters can all find agreement.

2 UPCOMING EVENTS:

• COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MON. 3/28
• LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING TUE. 3/29

Keynote Presenter:
Leading National Expert on Police Decertification
Prof. Roger L. Goldman
Callis Family Professor of Law Emeritus
Saint Louis University School of Law

RSVP ON FACEBOOK CLICK HERE (3/28 event)

RSVP ON FACEBOOK CLICK HERE (3/29 event)

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

Mass Police Reform, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of MA, National Police Accountability Project (NPAP) of National Lawyers Guild, New England Area Conference (NEAC) of the NAACP, Restore The Fourth – Boston, Boston Police Camera Action Team (BPCAT), Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice (LCCR) and others TBA.

MORE INFORMATION ON POLICE DECERTIFICATION

Repeatedly in the past several years the nation has been shocked by tragic events which have sharply focused public attention on the problem of police misconduct. The issue has emerged onto the national stage and all levels of government are aggressively pursuing new policies to increase accountability and oversight. Massachusetts is frequently touted as a national leader in so many policy areas; however, when it comes to police accountability, there is one simple fix that we don’t have in place. Massachusetts is one of only six states that lack a decertification (or de-licensing) process for those officers who violate their vows to protect and serve.

Decertification is a common sense approach to police reform where police, politicians, and protesters can all find agreement. This will quite simply prevent officers who commit egregious offenses and engage in misconduct from practicing as an officer and gaining employment in another department in or out of the commonwealth. The best methods of police reform are those which preserve the integrity of policing while also better protecting the safety of the general public. Most professional law enforcement associations across the country are already in favor of decertification.

Why is Massachusetts lagging behind?

• The National Decertification Index (NDI)
  by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST). The purpose of the National Decertification Index (NDI) is to serve as a national registry of certificate or license revocation actions relating to officer misconduct. The NDI currently contains 20,458 actions reported by 39 states.

• The Cato Institute’s National Police Misconduct Reporting Project (NPMRP). A non-governmental, non-partisan independent project that identifies trends affecting police misconduct, and reports on issues about police misconduct in order to enhance public awareness on issues regarding police misconduct in the U.S.
  • Data from the NPMRP 2009-2010 report revealed 170 reported incidents covering over 64 cities & towns in Massachusetts from Adams to Yarmouth.
  • In a sampling of February 2016 alone the NPMRP’s daily newsfeed recorded seven incidents in Massachusetts.

These incidents, culled only from media reports, are the types of cases that could merit decertification. In the absence of a decertification method any of these officers who exhibited criminal conduct or were fired for a variety of reasons could end up in another city or town within the Commonwealth or perhaps we may even export troubled officers out of state.

Copyright © 2016 Blackstonian, All rights reserved.

This is huge: the Raise Up Massachusetts bill supporting the Fight for $15-which would raise wages for fast food and big box retail workers to $15 an hour- is coming up for a vote in the State Senate. This bill would directly raise wages for 185,000 workers in Massachusetts. But Raise Up Massachusetts need your help to make sure it gets passed. Can we count on you to call your State Senator TODAY and ask them to support this bill?

Here’s how to make the call:

1. Find your State Senator by typing in your address at http://www.wheredoivotema.com
2. Call their office TODAY
3. Ask them to support Senate Bill 1024, which would raise the wage for fast food and big box retail workers to $15 an hour

This bill would be an incredible boost for thousands of workers across the state, like Mackinley Celestin who works at McDonald’s.

We have a chance to once again make Massachusetts a leader for workers’ rights. Call your State Senator today and help us make this critical bill a reality. Thank you for standing with us.

The #WageAction Coalition is fighting against wage inequality and is part of the growing Fight for $15 movement. For more events, please visit our calendar at WageAction.org.

We Are All Trayvon
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Bunker Hill Community College Building A Room 300
Program begins at 1 p.m.

Sybrina Fulton is dedicating her life to transforming family tragedy into social change. Since the death of her 17 year old son, Trayvon Martin, during the violent confrontation in 2012, Fulton has become an inspiring spokesperson for parents and concerned citizens across the country.

The publicity surrounding Trayvon’s death and the ensuing trial catapulted the country into national debate. Despite the intense struggle of losing a child, Fulton has become a role model to many by turning her grief into advocacy. Remaining strong throughout the trial and ensuing months, she lends her voice to speak against violence towards children and the need to build better, safer communities for all.

Her message not only appeals to people’s hearts as it relates to children, but is also one of hope and change, exemplified by her personal experiences and endeavors. As a mother, she inspires audiences to continuously educate their children about civil rights and to help them feel accepted as part of an ever changing society. An honest and relatable speaker, Fulton always looks forward sharing her powerful message with everyone from colleges and legal professionals to community and family organizations, and all other proponents of social justice.

A Miami native, Fulton graduated from Florida Memorial University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. A proud mother, Fulton worked for the Miami-Dade County Housing Development Agency for over 25 years, and is a member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Miami Gardens.

Free and Open to the Public – Online registration is required.
http://www.bhcc.mass.edu/dd

Directions:
Bunker Hill Community College Building A Room 300
http://www.bhcc.mass.edu/about/aboutbhcc/charlestowncampus/campusmap/
Building A is the closest to the Orange Line T Stop