Join 9to5 at the Capitol Wednesday April 7th!

Working Families Day at the Capitol, Wednesday April 7

Join us as we head to the Capitol to support two crucial bills for Georgia's working families, and learn how a bill becomes a law!

We will be asking our legislators to support:

Parent Protection Act - Unpaid time off for school visits for children and medical appointments for elderly parents.

Raise the Minimum Wage - Raise the state minimum wage and increase the tipped worker wage.

Date: Wednesday, April 7th

Time and Schedule:
8:30 -9:00am - Arrive for registration, coffee and doughnuts
9:00-10:15am - Training on grassroots lobbying skills and talking points on bills
10:30-11:30am - Tour the Capitol and contact your legislators!

Location: Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Room 306
18 Capitol Square, Atlanta 30334, located across the street from the Capitol on Mitchell Street

How to get there:

* Meet at IBEW building @ 8:15am for free parking and carpools to the Capitol
501 Pulliam St., Atlanta 30310
*Be sure to let us know if you're joining us for carpooling so we can plan for enough transportation - call or e-mail for directions and to RSVP - 404-222-0037 or jackie@9to5.org
or
* MARTA directions
-exit GA State MARTA stop
-head SW on Piedmont Ave. towards Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE
-Turn right at Capitol Square SW
-Turn right to stay on Capitol Square SW/ Mitchell Street
-Coverdell Office Building will be on your left

Let us know you're coming! RSVP to: jackie@9to5.org or call 404-222-0037

This event is sponsored by 9to5 Atlanta Working Women in coordination with the GA/Job Family Collaborative and the GA Minimum Wage Coalition.
For more information on the sponsors of this event visit - http://www.womeninthehalls.org/

Parent Protection Act and CO-AGE (Coalition of Advocates for Georgia's Aging)

Yesterday the 9to5 Atlanta staff had a busy legislative agenda. While several of the staff members headed to the office of Senator Chambliss to talk about the Healthy Families Act (more on that meeting to come), Shyria and I made the two and a half hour long trek to Little Ocmulgee State Park in McRae, Georgia for the quarterly CO-AGE advocacy training meeting. CO-AGE (Coalition of Advocates for Georgia's Elderly), headed by the Georgia Council on Aging, is comprised of a number of advocacy groups that organize around policies that will protect and promote the well-being of the aging in Georgia.

After driving lengthy stretches of country highway without passing a single Kroger for hours, Shyria and I began to wonder if we hadn't driven two hours too long in the wrong direction. Luckily, we made it to the venue just in time for Shryia to lead a group discussion on the Parent Protection Act. The PPA is listed on CO-AGE's 2009 legislative priorities. While I had heard 9to5 staff speak about the importance of the legislation for working women in minimum wage jobs, the group discussion yesterday focused on its importance for working women and families taking care of elderly parents and grandparents.

Shryia spoke to the group about the evolution of thought behind the bill that led to the realization that the 24 hours a year of unpaid leave is needed not only for parents to be able to attend parent-teacher meetings or other mandatory school functions without jeopordizing their jobs, but also gives them time to take their elderly parent or grandparent to a scheduled doctor's appointment or medical procedure. Several people shared personal stories of dealing with their struggle to balance the role of parent and care-giver, and Shyria responded to questions about the bill regarding enforcement and employee accountability. By the end of the discussion, the group concluded that while 24 hours a year was not enough time to take care of these responsibilities, getting this this bill passed is a crucial step on the road to protecting a parent's right to put their family first.

Our Vote, Our Voice!

I recently spent the afternoon with a fellow 9to5 member and activist on the streets of Atlanta near the Capitol, talking to women (and some men!) about 9to5 and the policies we support. I have to admit, as we approached women we did not know, I was nervous! I expected that people would not be receptive and tell me they don’t have the time, but as we talked about the Parent Protection Act, paid sick days, and the Healthy Families Act, we discovered that many women agree with our policies. They are frustrated with the cost of childcare, the lack of health coverage for themselves and their families, and how difficult it has been to find a job.

We met very little opposition, but a few women said they already had paid sick leave and that our issues don’t pertain to them. They are fortunate to benefit from their company policies, but many don’t offer paid sick time or even a few hours to attend a school conference or doctor’s appointment. People assume that we all have the same work privileges but we don’t. It is up to our companies to decide, which is why we support statewide or federal policies. Sometimes a woman has to choose between a sick child and her job and it happens more often than we would like to admit.

Every day we wander the streets, unaware of the concerns and frustrations we share with the strangers we pass. Many of us forget that others love their children and want the very best for them, just as we do. Or like them, we spent down to the last dollar of our last paycheck, waiting impatiently for payday to help cover our waiting expenses. Or that a day that is free of worry or stress may not be shared by a neighbor or friend - that even though we might be doing well, others aren’t.

We asked these women to show support by signing purple cards that state "Our Vote, Our Voice!", which we share with our elected officials. We got 31 cards signed that day, but more important, my friend and I were able to connect with other women with whom we normally would not have spoken to. Next time you are waiting in a line and or riding the train, instead of ignoring the person next to you, strike up a conversation and find out just how similar you may be. Better yet, call our office at 404-227-0037 and make plans to pick up your own set of purple cards. It will give you a reason to reach out to others and show our elected officials that we care in numbers.

The Good Side of the Opposite Side

I recently had an opportunity to put the lobby training provided by the Women in the Halls to work by writing a letter to the representative in my district. The second part to writing the letter was making the delivery. To my own surprise I was able to do more than deliver I was able to speak with my representative along with another activist. We were both able to share our views and be listened to by Representative Pat Dooley on getting House Bill 37 (The Parent Protection Act) passed.

Her advice was more than what I expected to receive. She discussed how the bill affected everyone and that it wasn’t for us to seek help from one political party. Our next steps are to visit a few republicans and express why this bill is so important. My representative provided us with the motivation to continue to rally for the Parent Protection Act.

-- by 9to5 member Jackie Lunsford

Watch the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative & the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition on Lawmakers!

Twice during the month of February, 9to5's coalition work was featured on Georgia Public Broadcasting's "Lawmakers" program.


View the episodes here:

February 10, 2009: National Association of Social Workers (NASW) student lobby day

February 26, 2009: Job/Family Collaborative seniors & kids press conference @ the capitol


To tune in:Simply click on the word "watch" at the top of the screen, allow the entire program to load, and fast forward to the correct time: for the NASW lobby day, coverage starts at 26:33 and for the seniors & kids press conference, coverage begins at 22:40.

Enjoy, and stay tuned for more media coverage in the future!

Today at noon, students and seniors from across the state came together on the North Steps of the capitol building in support of the Parent Protection Act. We held a press conference, where 2 students from A. Philip Randolph Elementary (where the idea for the bill originated) and a senior citizen affiliated with the Georgia Council on Aging spoke about why they support the passage of the Parent Protection Act (HB 37). There was a news crew there from the "Lawmakers" program on Georgia Public Broadcasting, so check it out tonight at 7pm on channel 8!

Stay tuned to the blog next week... I'll post videos from today's press conference, as well as from the 2/13 minimum wage press conference and a presentation to Masters of Social Work students, that was also featured on "Lawmakers" last month!

Want to be a Citizen Lobbyist?

Have you heard of Women in the Halls? This program, sponsored by Planned Parenthood Action Fund of Georgia, brings women to the capitol every week during the legislative session to tell their state Congresspeople about their concerns, needs, and ideas. Direct communication with your legislators is an important way to hold them accountable to the needs of Georgia's women and families.

Have you ever wanted to be a Citizen Lobbyist? 9to5 encourages all of our members to contact their legislators about working women's issues on a regular basis -- here's a chance to do it directly! The Women in the Halls program takes place every Wednesday at 9am during the legislative session (from now until the beginning of April) and anyone can join! Meet in room 306 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, right across the street from the Capitol building on Mitchell Street. Training and information about lobbying will be provided on-site.

For more information about Women in the Halls, as well as contact information for the program coordinators, please visit the Women in the Halls website.


ALSO, PLEASE NOTE:
Through Women in the Halls, members of the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition and the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative will be lobbying our legislators to raised the minimum wage and pass the Parent Protection Act!

Minimum Wage Day: Wednesday, March 4th
Parent Protection Act Day: Wednesday, March 11th

Stay tuned for more information about how you can get involved with 9to5's activities at these two lobby days, or contact our office for more information!

Can Georgia do more for working families?

9to5 is a leading member of the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative -- a statewide coalition of organizations working to pass the Parent Protection Act (HB 37). This act would give Georgia workers 24-hours each year of unpaid leave to take care of family obligations, such as registering children for school and taking children, a spouse, or an elderly relative to routine medical appointments. Sounds simple enough, right? But currently in Georgia, which is an at-will employment state, many workers could face penalties at work (including termination!) if they take off work for these reasons.

Take 9to5 member Vickie, for example. After working for more than 20 years at the same printing plant in Atlanta, she lost her job because she refused to work three hours of "mandatory overtime" after completing her regular eight hour shift. Vickie refused overtime because that was the only day she could register her children for the upcoming school year and for the after-school program they attended until she got off work.

If the Parent Protection Act becomes law, working mothers like Vickie would be guaranteed time off -- at no cost to employers! -- to take care of necessary family responsibilities.


TAKE ACTION NOW!
Tell your state representative to support working families by passing HB 37! Tell them your story! Find contact information for your legislator here. (Just enter your zip code in the box on the left and then click on "current officials." This bill is currently in the Georgia House of Representatives, so contact your Georgia Representative.)


To find out more about the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative, to join the coalition, or to see a sample letter to send to your legislator, please visit our website or send us an email at gajobfamily@yahoo.com.

Happy New Year from Atlanta 9to5!!!

Here at 9to5, there's a lot on our agenda in the new year....


We're involved with two statewide campaigns to bring more family-friendly workplace policies to our state: the Georgia Job Family Collaborative and the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition.

The Job/Family Collaborative is working to pass the Parent Protection Act (HB 37) during the 2009 Legislative Session -- which would give working parents & caregivers up to 24 hours of job-protected leave each year to take children & ailing parents to medical appointments or to attend school functions.

The Minimum Wage Coalition believes that all working Georgians deserve a higher minimum wage that will allow them to support their families. Therefore, we are working to raise the minimum wage for all Georgia workers from $5.15/hour to the federal rate of $7.25/hour by July 2009.

Join us in these efforts! Check out the coalition websites and let us know if you'd like to get involved!



Early in the new year, 9to5 will be launching a new website! This means we'll have a new national website (with the same address of www.9to5.org) and new chapter websites in Atlanta, Colorado, Milwaukee, and California. (Do you live near one of the other 9to5 chapters? Go to their website and get involved!) Check back soon for our amazing new (and more uniform) look!



And, are you a member of 9to5? If so, we'll be releasing preliminary details about our 2009 Annual Leadership Conference in Washington, DC very soon. It'll take place in May and it's shaping up to be an amazing time. If you're not already a 9to5 member, you should join and consider attending this year's ALC! We'll be bringing workplace change to Washington! Keep reading the Atlanta 9to5 blog for more information in the coming months.



From everyone at the Atlanta 9to5 office, we'd like to wish you a happy end to 2008 and a great start to 2009!

-- Cindia, Nasreen, Shyria, Yomara, Asha, Anni, & Tracie