Student Labor Week of Action Kicks Off: Over 100 Actions Across the Country Highlight Worker Justice, Education Access and Environmental Issues

Tens of Thousands to Mobilize

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following release is being issued by the Student Labor Action Project:

What is it?

The National Student Labor Week of Action (NSLWoA) is a day of action linking various campus struggles for economic justice across the country and a powerful statement of solidarity and action that students and workers have used in many different ways to advance their local, national, and global fights for dignity, justice, and respect.

When

This year's NSLWoA is happening from March 28 - April 4 (Friday to Friday for folks with spring break in between). These dates will encompass the birthday of farmworker organizer Cesar E. Chavez (March 31) and the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. MLK Jr (April 4th).

Who

National Take Affirmative Action Day (NTAAD)

-- Students across the country are preparing and organizing locally to fight back against Ward Connerly and his deceptive "civil rights" initiatives which aim to eliminate affirmative action in 4 states this year. He has already been successful in many states, including California where 10 years ago Affirmative Action was eliminated.

Farmworker Awareness Week

-- Student Action with Farmworkers is taking the lead in coordinating Farmworker Awareness Week which aims to bring together various farmworker organizations to raise awareness on working conditions for farmworkers. This year folks are working hard to set the groundwork for pushing for a national holiday recognizing Cesar Chavez and the contributions of farmworkers to this country.

Campaign for Fair Food

-- As part of the campaign for fair food, the Coalition for Immokole Workers and Student Farmworker Alliance are calling for a day of action across the country to make it clear to Burger King that it cannot and will not get away from its responsibility to end slavery for the workers that pick the tomatoes that it uses in its products.

Food Service Providers

-- Across the country there will be a national effort to take on food service providers, many of which are subcontracted jobs at our universities and campuses by companies like Sodexho, Compass, and Aramark. Universities can not and will no longer be able to claim that they are not responsible for the working conditions in its kitchens, and workers are fighting back.

Education is a right!

-- The average college student will graduate with over $18k in debt, with tuition fees that are skyrocketing at an alarming rate, with universities choosing to prioritize building projects while cutting student services. The US Student Association is getting set to launch a national campaign to put a reprioritization into higher education, and education in general, and build a movement to give education a bigger slice of the pie.

Media Contacts - National Organizations

Student Farmworker Alliance - March 31BK day of Action

-- Marc Rodriguez (staff) - 239-292-3431 marc@sfalliance.org

United Students Against Sweatshops - April 3 Sweat Free Day of Action

-- Hevily Ambriz Espinoza -Domestic Campaign Coordinator- hevily@usasnet.org 805-754-0257

-- Zack Knorr- International Campaign Coordinator zack@usasnet.org 951-368-9004

-- Rod Palmquist - NW Regional Organizer - rod@usasnet.org 206-412-2014

Student Labor Action Project - Week Coordinators and weeklong events

-- Carlos Jimenez (USSA and Jobs with Justice staff) - Week of Action Coordinator - slap@jwj.org 202-316-0237

-- Dorian Lam (Local Student Labor Action Project, Philadelphia) - lumkitchee@gmail.com 912-441-9241

-- David Partida (USSA Labor/Community Liaison) un_xikano_culixi@yahoo.com

Jobs with Justice (April 4th, Active participants in many of these events)

-- Treston David Faulkner (Green Jobs/Memphis Speaker) (former USSA NPCSC chair) - treston@jwj.org 202-316-0239

-- Ricardo Valadez (Program/Comm director) - Ricardo@jwj.org 703-340-0610

-- Sarita Gupta (Executive Director) (USSA Former President) 202-679-0180

United States Student Association - Weeklong and NTAAD

-- Gabriel Pendas - President - Pres@usstudents.org 202-255-1554

-- Scott Lu - NTAAD - cdp@usstudents.org 541-914-2765

-- Jessica Pierce - Access to Education - od@usstudents.org 408-205-2763

Student Action with Farmworkers -Farmworker Awareness Week

-- Tony Macias (FAW Coordinator) - tmacias@duke.edu 919-660-3652

Young Democratic Socialists (weeklong participation)

-- David Duhalde - National Organizer - david.duhalde@gmail.com 917-566-0004

National Cesar E. Chavez Holiday

-- Evelina Alarcon - evnalarcon@aol.com (323) 333-7589

Ricardo Valadez, Jobs with Justice

703-340-0610