Community March for Jobs, Justice and Health Care, Saturday, Nov 5th

Solidarity March with SEIU 1199 for Jobs, Justice and Health Care Saturday, Nov 5th
12 noon to 2 pm
Meet at Genesee Valley Park (Parking Lot for Swimming Pool/Ice Rink) and march to the UR River Campus

The University of Rochester is trying to cut wages and health care for the service workers at the U of R and Strong Hospital.

The University of Rochester is the largest employer in the Rochester area. The workers at the U of R don't earn that much, but they do earn enough to own homes in the city and their hard won health care benefits mean that they are economically independent and have a certain level of security. If the U of R cuts wages and health care benefits for the workers there will be ripple effects throughout the whole community.

We have to stand together to protect what we have achieved in Rochester. These living wage jobs at the University and at Strong provide hope for those trying to escape the crushing poverty plaguing our neighborhoods. These living wage jobs are part of the solid base that we need build upon in order to revive our community.

Rochester faces innumerable challenges. We need to be working on gaining ground- we can't afford to slide back.

Metro Justice is endorsing this march

-Jon Greenbaum, Metro Justice Organizer

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"Strong Memorial Hospital is the most profitable hospital in the entire State of New York. The University of Rochester is also one of the wealthiest in the country. We cannot allow the gap between the rich and the poor to continue to widen in the workplace. Decent wages and benefits positively impact home ownership and overall family and economic stability in the community. Conversely, attempts to lower those standards could erode the gains that have been made in these communities."

- David Gantt, NYS Assemblymember

Letter to UR President Joel Seligman, October 7, 2005

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A letter from Bruce Popper, VP 1199

Dear Metro Justice members:

We are service employees of the University of Rochester and Strong Memorial Hospital.  We work as patient care technicians, nursing secretaries, surgical assistants, building service and food service workers, and in many other vital jobs.  There are 1,200 of us.

Our average salary for full-time work is less than $24,000 - just five paychecks ahead of the Federal poverty level for a family of four.  Most of
us live in City neighborhoods in jeopardy from economic decline and violence.

Over the years, we have maintained good health care benefits for our families, often settling for lower raises to fund our health plan.

Now, UR management is threatening to take away even these modest gains.  UR management says we are paid too much - that UR should pay "market rate" for our service jobs, dollars per hour less.  UR management says our health plan is "too generous" and wants us to cut benefits, especially preventive care.

Our families and our neighborhoods depend on UR paying a living wage.

UR's cuts would have a devastating effect on the neighborhoods where we live.

That's why we are organizing a March for Jobs, Justice, and Health Care on Saturday, November 5.

We will march from the west side of Genesee Valley Park across the Elmwood Avenue Bridge to the UR River Campus.  There, we will join student
supporters for a rally. We will return to the 19th Ward via the pedestrian bridge which leads to the planned Brooks Landing, a hotel and conference
site sponsored by UR.

We need your support for the march.  Please come to the march.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Popper
Vice-President, SEIU 1199