Nelson Stands with Hundreds of Striking Workers

(stay tuned to this blog for more information about and photos of the demonstration)

Action Alert:

This morning, the Reverend J. Herbert Nelson, Director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness, joined hundreds of striking workers – mostly janitors and food services workers – from the U.S. Capitol, Pentagon, Senate, Smithsonian Institution and other federal landmarks, as they walked off their jobs in protest of poverty pay.

Click here to write to the President and walk with low-wage workers too.

J. Herbert Nelson Marches with Good Jobs Nation Workers
in July 2014

The Reverend J. Herbert Nelson, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Director for Public Witness, and several other faith leaders joined with workers to call on President Obama to lead by example and champion the growing “Fight for 15” movement by signing Model Employer Executive Order that gives a preference to federal contractors who pay living wages of at least $15 an hour, provide decent benefits like paid leave, and allow them to collectively bargain so they need not go on strike to be heard.  

Today, the federal contracting process awards contracts to the lowest bidder, making the government the largest low-wage job creator in the country, funding over 2 million poverty jobs through contracts, loans, and grants to private businesses. Taxpayer dollars should create good jobs that pay workers livable wages, provide benefits, paid sick leave, and dignity in the workplace. We know from past movements that Executive Orders related to federal contract hiring can lead the marketplace, creating a tide that lifts all workers and builds a stronger economy.

This morning was the twelfth strike in two years by low-wage contract workers who are organizing under the banner of Good Jobs Nation. This is the second time in a year that Reverend Nelson has walked with these workers.  In response to previous strikes and Congressional gridlock, President Obama declared he would “lead by example” by signing executive orders to boost the minimum wage to $10.10 and end wage theft on federal contracts. In the wake of the President’s orders last year, the CEOs of private companies like The Gap, IKEA, McDonalds and Wal-Mart announced that they too would hike starting pay and several cities passed ordinances to end wage theft. 

However, just like the thousands of fast food worker who are calling for better pay, benefits, and working conditions, federal contract workers say they need “More than the Minimum” to survive. Even after President Obama’s executive orders, the U.S. Government continues to be America’s largest low-wage job creator. We can do so much better.

Reverend Nelson was joined in his solidarity with low-wage workers by several other religious leaders who wrote a letter to President Obama calling for his moral leadership in response to the suffering created by poverty wages –

We therefore call on you to issue a “Model Employer Executive Order” that provides a contracting preference for companies that pay living wages of at least $15 an hour, offer good benefits and paid-time off for sickness and care-giving, provide full-time hours and predictable work schedules, as well as promote the rights of workers to bargain collectively so they do not need to strike to have their voices heard.  

Click here to stand with Reverend Nelson and low-wage workers in calling on the President to use taxpayer dollars to create good jobs, not poverty jobs.

For the complete letter and list of signatures, please visit the Office of Public Witness blog.

Oppose Budget Balanced on Backs of Poor People

Today the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives started debating their 2016 budget resolutions. Votes on these budgets will determine anti-hunger policy for the rest of this year and beyond.

If passed, the proposed budget cuts could lead to devastating increases in hunger and poverty in the U.S. and abroad. For example:

• The House budget proposal drastically cuts SNAP (formerly the Food Stamp Program) by at least 34 percent, the equivalent of up to 220 missed meals annually for each SNAP participant.
• Both budget plans would repeal the Affordable Care Act and block grant Medicaid, making deep cuts to health coverage for low-income people.
• Lifesaving international programs would be cut by 16 percent in the House budget. Funding for our international humanitarian aid budget has already been cut by 22 percent – we can’t afford any further cuts.
• Sixty-nine percent of the budget cuts in both the House and Senate come directly from programs impacting low-income people – placing the burden on those who are already suffering.
• Both House and Senate budgets allow to expire critical tax relief for the poorest workers, through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC), plunging 16 million people, including 8 million children, into deeper poverty.
• Both budgets keep the automatics budget cuts of 2011 (called sequestration) in place – and cut even further. This puts programs like WIC, food aid, and poverty focused development assistance in grave danger.  

Raise your voice with thousands of faithful advocates. Call your Senators and Representative at (800) 826-3688 in the next 24 hours. Urge them to oppose cuts to programs that are working to end hunger and poverty in the U.S. and around the world.

For more information on proposed budget cuts to programs that serve the most vulnerable people, visit our blog.

* Many thanks to Bread for the World for use of their 800-number and permission to reprint an excerpt of their action alert.

Decoding the Budget Webinar - Register Now

The Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs Presents:

 Register at:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/926087123122383106

Our federal budget has an enormous impact on poverty in America. Join us to learn basics about the budget appropriations process, how sequestration affects funding for domestic poverty programs, a review of some of the budget proposals we’ve seen so far in 2015, why poverty and the federal budget matter to us as advocates and people of faith, and action steps to get involved!

March 12, 2015

4:00pm Eastern

SPEAKERS:

Raed Jarrar, American Friends Service Committee

Amelia Kegan, Bread for the World

Tila Neguse, Friends Committee on National Legislation

Kathy Saile, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

REGISTER HERE:

 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/926087123122383106

** The Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs is a Coalition of diverse faith voices speaking on poverty and economic justice in the United States. PC(USA) Office of Public Witness' Leslie Woods serves as co-chair of this table.

Presbyterians Join Religious Leaders in Lifting Up Poverty for 2016 Presidential Candidates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 15, 2015                                                                                                                 

Contacts:

                                                                                                                                         

Fito Moreno, Bread for the World, (202) 812-2223, amoreno@bread.org

Zerline Hughes, Bread for the World, (617) 596-6958, zhughes@bread.org

Juliet Vedral, Sojourners, (202) 745 4625, jvedral@sojo.net

 Christian Leaders Challenge Presidential Candidates

to Focus on Ending Hunger, Poverty

Washington, D.C., January 15, 2015 – As President Obama prepares to present his plan for his final two years in office in the annual State of the Union address next week, a group of Christian leaders is already looking ahead to what the next president may do to address hunger and poverty.

The group of 100 Christian leaders around the country, including the Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) General Assembly, is challenging the presidential candidates to appear on camera in a video stating how they propose to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in the United States and abroad.

"We are praying for a president who will make ending hunger and poverty a top priority of his or her administration. Are you that leader?" a statement from the group asks. The full statement is available at www.circleofprotection.us.

The leaders, convened by the Circle of Protection, represent a diverse array of Christian denominations, churches, colleges, and agencies across the country. They will disseminate the videos throughout their networks and memberships in order to raise hunger and poverty as an election issue.

"We will be calling on people of faith to examine presidential candidates to see if they have a heart for poor and hungry people.  We want to know how each candidate proposes to fulfill the mandate to those who govern to "give deliverance to the needy" (Psalm 72), the leaders said in their statement released today.

According to the latest U.S. Census data, 49 million Americans are at risk of hunger, while 45 million live in poverty. One in five children lives in poverty. That is 15 million children, 5 million of them under age 6.

The challenge to candidates was issued today during a press conference organized by the Circle of Protection. Speakers included Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World; Galen Carey, vice president of government relations for the National Association of Evangelicals; Rev. Sèkinah Hamlin, director of the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative; Rev. Carlos Malavè, executive director of Christian Churches Together; Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA; and Rev. Jim Wallis, president and founder of Sojourners.  

###

 The Circle of Protection is a coalition composed of more than 65 heads of denominations, relief and development agencies, and other Christian organizations. www.circleofprotection.us

Quotes:

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was represented at the press conference by the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson, PC(USA) Director for Public Witness:

“Hunger and poverty in a world of abundance are sins and we have the responsibility – both at our church doors and in our halls of government – to address the underlying root causes that trap generations in poverty. Our elected leaders, those who have been elected and those who are seeking election, must have a comprehensive plan that begins to undo the vast and growing income inequality in this nation. We must make education and good jobs – with living wages and good benefits – available to all people. I hope to see bold vision from these Presidential candidates.”

Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World:

"There is broad consensus among faith leaders that our country has been culpably neglectful of poverty, especially in our own country.  100 Christian leaders of all stripes are urging all the candidates to explain, on camera, what they would do to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in our country and around the world.”

Galen Carey, vice president for government relations, National Association of Evangelicals:

“There are different ways to address the needs of poor and vulnerable people—some more effective than others. Christians who believe government leaders are called to share God’s concern for the poor and vulnerable want to know how presidential candidates would approach this essential responsibility. Silence on poverty is inexcusable.”

Rev. Sèkinah Hamlin, director of the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative:

“We are looking for those who aspire to become president of the United States to seize this moment and take decisive leadership in ways that address the complex yet solvable evil of poverty, particularly as poverty affects nearly one in every five children in America and one in every three children of color.”

Rev. Carlos Malavè, executive director, Christian Churches Together in the USA:

“Christian leaders from all major Christian traditions have come to have a shared sense that the extent of poverty in this country is unnecessary and shameful. We expect that our president, regardless of which political party he or she represents, place hunger and poverty at the top of his or her priorities."

Fr. Larry Snyder, president Catholic Charities USA:

"For the 45 million Americans living in poverty, the state of our union leaves them struggling to get by. Helping them achieve their full potential should not be a partisan issue - it's time for candidates from both sides of the aisle to have a meaningful conversation about advancing the common good," said Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA.

Jim Wallis, founder and CEO, Sojourners:

"The State of the Union is still not good for poor and vulnerable people in America. Should we also not consider God's point of view as we look toward this important speech? Throughout the Scripture, we're told that a society will be judged by how they treat "the least" among them. Our political leaders also must be assessed through the measure of their commitment to the poor and most vulnerable. Though political advisors are telling their candidates that they shouldn't talk about poverty, as people of faith we must and will disagree. That is why, as each presidential candidate declares, the faith community will hold them accountable by asking them all-Republicans and Democrats alike--to tell answer the question "how will you treat those Jesus has called 'the least of these'"? How will you address and find real solutions to poverty?"