Seattle Hip Hop Artists & Community Rally's for Equal Access to Union Jobs #seattle #hip
Hip-Hop Artists and community Rally for Jobs in Seattle
Seattle, WA - February, recognized as black history month brings many images of African Americans organized and mobilized, marching for jobs and economic and political equity and a better quality of life.
Recently in Seattle, Hip-Hop artists and community members rally for jobs in Seattle. "The best way to honor black history is to make black history...we’re standing on the shoulders of giants" said Wyking Allah of the UmojaFest P.E.A.C.E. Center who joined an inter-generational group organized as Black Women & Men For Union Jobs and representatives of the Coalition for Equitable Union Empowerment at a rally for equitable hiring held Saturday at the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19 Union Hall.
Poet and Spoken Word artist Geneiva Arunga was on hand to voice her support for the effort. “I’m here today so that we can get more union jobs with the Longshoremen...we need black women and black men to have more opportunities to be hired for these positions”.
African Americans, we need jobs and we’re still trying to get them.” said said M.I.H. Entertainment recording artist D.O.8.
Label mate and mc Money Mark added “They talking about we need to stop all the crime...we need to look at the basis of the problem...we need jobs! Are we supposed to sit out here and starve?”
“Families are hungry, families need food, we need opportunities for employment to secure our future.” stressed spoken word artist Toohuti Ptah.
Determined to let their voices be heard, the group braved rainy weather and hostile longshoremen seeking to intimidate and provoke confrontation.
"We're here for a peaceful protest...we're not here to argue...said coalition spokesperson Latanya Horace emphasizing the desire of the group to focus on the issue and not get distracted with personal confrontations.
“We’re gonna fight the right way...and we’re gonna fight to the end and we know we’ll win.” said a community member identifying himself as Syed.
The rally and press conference was part of a growing movement for equity in hiring practices and supporting the recent class action charges against the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union which jointly administer the hiring of longshore workers in the Port of Seattle.
The charges, filed on February 10th with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC), detail how the employer and union are systematically excluding Blacks and other perspective non-white applicants from the waterfront's hiring process.
The waterfront employers and union recruited a significant number of new applicants to their industry in mid-January via a “lottery”. The process “was a complete slap in the face to the unemployed and underemployed in our community and every community.” according to Horace.
“It was clearly designed to let as few people as possible find out about the longshore job opportunity who are not already industry insiders. This opportunity was not advertised to the Black community at all, even though our people disproportionately live in the areas that are most impacted by the cargo container traffic between the Port of Seattle and the Puget Sound's major industrial warehouses.” she added.
Equal Employment is particularly important to black communities. Recent U.S. Department of Labor reports showed the unemployment rate for African Americans hovering at twice the national average not accounting for those who have been out of the labor market as "permanently unemployed which some say bring the number closer to 25%. For African American teens, the unemployment rate is 44%, higher than any other group.
Stakes are high as Seattle prepares to break ground on major infrastructure improvement projects including the Viaduct replacement, 520 bridge and light rail expansion bringing highly coveted liveable wage jobs to the city.
"We'll be back" Horace stated, reflecting the general sentiment of the group who left inspired, feeling that effort was well worthy of their time despite the hostile weather and hostile attitudes they faced.
For more information email blackwomenandmen@hotmail.com.
The coalition meets on Friday's at 6pm @ the UmojaFest P.E.A.C.E. Center. 1107 24th Avenue in Central Seattle.
-HipHopNationNews © 2011. All rights reserved.Hip-Hop
Seattle, WA - February, recognized as black history month brings many images of African Americans organized and mobilized, marching for jobs and economic and political equity and a better quality of life.
Recently in Seattle, Hip-Hop artists and community members rally for jobs in Seattle. "The best way to honor black history is to make black history...we’re standing on the shoulders of giants" said Wyking Allah of the UmojaFest P.E.A.C.E. Center who joined an inter-generational group organized as Black Women & Men For Union Jobs and representatives of the Coalition for Equitable Union Empowerment at a rally for equitable hiring held Saturday at the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19 Union Hall.
Poet and Spoken Word artist Geneiva Arunga was on hand to voice her support for the effort. “I’m here today so that we can get more union jobs with the Longshoremen...we need black women and black men to have more opportunities to be hired for these positions”.
African Americans, we need jobs and we’re still trying to get them.” said said M.I.H. Entertainment recording artist D.O.8.
Label mate and mc Money Mark added “They talking about we need to stop all the crime...we need to look at the basis of the problem...we need jobs! Are we supposed to sit out here and starve?”
“Families are hungry, families need food, we need opportunities for employment to secure our future.” stressed spoken word artist Toohuti Ptah.
Determined to let their voices be heard, the group braved rainy weather and hostile longshoremen seeking to intimidate and provoke confrontation.
"We're here for a peaceful protest...we're not here to argue...said coalition spokesperson Latanya Horace emphasizing the desire of the group to focus on the issue and not get distracted with personal confrontations.
“We’re gonna fight the right way...and we’re gonna fight to the end and we know we’ll win.” said a community member identifying himself as Syed.
The rally and press conference was part of a growing movement for equity in hiring practices and supporting the recent class action charges against the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union which jointly administer the hiring of longshore workers in the Port of Seattle.
The charges, filed on February 10th with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC), detail how the employer and union are systematically excluding Blacks and other perspective non-white applicants from the waterfront's hiring process.
The waterfront employers and union recruited a significant number of new applicants to their industry in mid-January via a “lottery”. The process “was a complete slap in the face to the unemployed and underemployed in our community and every community.” according to Horace.
“It was clearly designed to let as few people as possible find out about the longshore job opportunity who are not already industry insiders. This opportunity was not advertised to the Black community at all, even though our people disproportionately live in the areas that are most impacted by the cargo container traffic between the Port of Seattle and the Puget Sound's major industrial warehouses.” she added.
Equal Employment is particularly important to black communities. Recent U.S. Department of Labor reports showed the unemployment rate for African Americans hovering at twice the national average not accounting for those who have been out of the labor market as "permanently unemployed which some say bring the number closer to 25%. For African American teens, the unemployment rate is 44%, higher than any other group.
Stakes are high as Seattle prepares to break ground on major infrastructure improvement projects including the Viaduct replacement, 520 bridge and light rail expansion bringing highly coveted liveable wage jobs to the city.
"We'll be back" Horace stated, reflecting the general sentiment of the group who left inspired, feeling that effort was well worthy of their time despite the hostile weather and hostile attitudes they faced.
For more information email blackwomenandmen@hotmail.com.
The coalition meets on Friday's at 6pm @ the UmojaFest P.E.A.C.E. Center. 1107 24th Avenue in Central Seattle.
-HipHopNationNews © 2011. All rights reserved.Hip-Hop
posted by Wyking at 3:54 PM
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