May 5, 2017
Connecting the Dots from Paris to Portland and Worker Justice to Climate Justice
At the Southern Maine Workers’ Center, we use a framework of human rights to help us envision the world we are building toward. We are organizing a broad based movement for the rights of poor and working class people in Maine, like the human rights to health care and to work with dignity. Recently we…
Read MoreFebruary 21, 2017
Our Invitation to Senator Susan Collins
On Saturday February 18th the Maine Health Care is a Human Right Coalition held a powerful rally, attended by more than 200 people, at the Monument Square with a march to Senator Collin’s office. We left her a loaf of bread with this invitation to join us at the upcoming People’s Forum on Health Care….
Read MoreFebruary 6, 2017
Becoming Unstoppable: Addressing Classism in the World & in our Movement
The Southern Maine Workers’ Center is an organization building a grassroots movement for human rights. We approach our work with the fundamental belief that working class and poor people “employed or not “know how the American economy works, because it works on top of them. In order to create a more just economy we know…
Read MoreJune 16, 2016
Who Doesn’t Love a Cheesy Metaphor?
You may have noticed that we at the Southern Maine Workers’ Center enjoys a metaphor almost as much as we enjoy a good pun. This year at our Annual Meeting we honored some of our incredible partner organizations with “Community Pollinator Awards” for their work bringing people and communities together to create change. We also…
Read MoreApril 21, 2016
SMWC Joins Call for Portland to #SaveIndiaStreet
SMWC Joins Call for Portland to #SaveIndiaStreet Health Care is a Human Right. This is an undisputable truth. Yet, we live in a nation and a state that daily denies people access to necessary and quality health care services, based primarily on income. The Southern Maine Workers’ Center (SMWC) organizes for a truly universal, publicly-funded…
Read MoreDecember 14, 2015
#RefugeesWelcome (our statement of solidarity)
(On November 25th, 2015, the Southern Maine Workers’ Center wrote the following statement as a show of support for Syrian and other refugees. Many things have happened between that time and now, however the urgency remains. Thank you to our members for reading this message of solidarity and to Ali Mann for making the video.)…
Read MoreSeptember 28, 2015
A SMWC Love Letter to Lew
DEAR PEOPLE OF LEWISTON, What a week y’all just had! The Good Food Bus got rolling, bringing much needed fresh, local, and affordable foods to people of Lewiston, Auburn, and Bath. The Tree Street Youth Center began its first week of enrichment classes. The 21st Century Lewiston High School leadership program is now 50 students…
Read MoreJuly 14, 2015
Universality: Tipped Workers and the New Minimum Wage
Portland’s Municipal Minimum Wage is Strengthened by the Inclusion of Tipped Workers As many people have heard, Portland City Council is backing away from the minimum wage ordinance they passed on Monday, because it calls for a raise in the base wages of tipped workers. Our Work With Dignity Committee, which has advocated for increased…
Read MoreJuly 14, 2015
We Won!
We Did It! After a year long campaign, Portland will raise the minimum wage to $10.10 in January! Throughout this past year, the Southern Maine Workers’ Center has been at the center of an organizing effort for a universal, enforceable, living wage in Portland. SMWC members worked in partnership with low-wage workers, faith leaders and…
Read MoreMay 1, 2015
A Belief In Caring For One Another: Building the HCHR Movement with Faith Communities
Health Care is a Human Right (HCHR) organizers from Portland were blessed to spend last weekend (April 25-26) learning and building community with members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth. On Sunday, Cait Vaughan and Barrett Littlefield were joined by more than 15 participants for a practical training in using the SMWC health care…
Read MoreMarch 23, 2015
Statement of Solidarity Regarding the Biennial Budget
Released March 3rd, 2015 The Committees on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and Health and Human Services will hear testimony this week on Governor Paul LePage’s biennial budget, with Tuesday centering on proposed cuts to public programs, including: General Assistance (GA), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Food Supplement (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). These…
Read MoreJanuary 7, 2015
Solidarity with the Vermont Workers Center on their January 8th day of action for all health care for all people
Health Care is a Human Right: Solidarity with the Vermont Workers Center on their January 8th day of action for all health care for all people The Southern Maine Workers’ Center acts in solidarity with the Vermont Workers’ Center and the people of Vermont. Established by low-income workers in 1998, the Vermont Workers’ Center has since acted as a powerful example…
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