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Tuesday, Aug 21, 2007
C.L.E.A.N
Community, Labor, Environmental
Action Network
by Stephen Crockett, co-host of
Democratic Talk Radio
The best ideas
emerge unexpectedly from the grassroots in seemingly unlikely places.
One of those ideas is an organization called C.L.E.A.N. which stands
Community, Labor, Environmental Action Network. The story behind the
creation of this group is both enlightening and interesting. The
concept is very sound. I hope C.L.E.A.N. chapters will eventually be
in every state.
C.L.E.A.N. resulted from a Delaware UFCW
Local 27 organizing drive. While organizing, the UFCW realized that
workers were being exposed to dangerous chemicals in the work
environment. As they explored the worker safety issue, they realized
that adverse health effects impacted workers, their families and the
surrounding community. As a result, the UFCW reached out to other
unions, churches and community groups to build a coalition. C.L.E.A.N.
was born. The growth has exploded in just 4 months.
Among the unions and other
groups who have joined in Delaware are
A. Philip Randolph Institute,
AFSCME Local #640, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 842, Christiana
Presbyterian Church,
Sprinklerfitters Local 669 ,
Delaware Ecumenical Council on Children and Families,
Delaware State AFL-CIO, Community Services ,
Democratic Talk Radio ,
Interfaith Coalition Building Block for Wilmington,
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees- Local 284,
IBEW Local 313,
LIUNA Local 1029, LIUNA Local 199,
Methodist Action Program, OPEIU Local 277,
Pacem in Terris,
Progressive Democrats for Delaware, St. Paul's Church, 23rd RD
Committee,
UAPP Local #74,
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27,
USW, District 4,
Voices Without Borders and
Young Democrats Movement. C.L.E.A.N. is actively seeking new
member organizations.
Here is their story.
While looking into the connection between worker safety and the health
impacts of pollution in the larger community, the UFCW discovered some
shocking facts. Below are just a few examples:
The rate of asthma
among adults in Delaware is 11.7% while nationally it is 10.8%. In the
most populous county in Delaware (New Castle), the American Lung
Association graded them F for pollution.
Delaware’s 1999-2003
overall cancer incidence rate was 5.3% higher than the national
estimate. There were a shocking 20,793 cases reported during this
period.
919 total cases of
urinary bladder cancer were diagnosed among Delaware residents during
1999-2003. A 1195 study found that “A total of … 21% to 27% of bladder
cancers are estimated to be related to occupational exposure.”
Luckily, the United Food
and Commercial Workers (UFCW) in Region 2 had many top notch leaders,
organizers and staffers on the job when these facts came to light.
UFCW Regional leadership under Director Alvin Vincient, Jr. and his
Executive Assistant Pat Burgwin had long emphasized the need for
unions to reach out to the community and get more involvement in
organizing drives.
Fortunately, UFCW Local
27, under the enlightened leadership of President Buddy Mays and
Organizing Director Tim Goins, placed union resources at the disposal
of the larger community in order to get C.L.E.A.N. started. Buddy Mays
truly understands the significance of the problem. He stated, “We
realize that the problems are not just local issues. The problem is a
national one. Employers often knowingly place the health of both
workers and the community at risk by exposing them to dangerous
chemicals. It is our obligation and civic duty to expose these
situations when we discover them.”
In Delaware, the UFCW had
help from the International in the form of organizers Gina Swinea and
Courtney Foley working closely with UFCW Local 27 Business Agent Donna
Smits. As a member of the Delaware State AFL-CIO Executive Board and
head of the UFCW political effort in Delaware, Donna Smits helped
broaden the coalition by identifying and recruiting key players in
labor, politics and community organizations.
Samuel Lathem, President
of the Delaware State AFL-CIO stated that they “are fully in support
of the C.L.E.A.N. effort and applauds the UFCW for their lead role in
getting the group started. The Delaware State AFL-CIO wants to work
with allies in the larger community on a variety of issues.”
Delaware State AFL-CIO
Executive Director and state legislator Gerald Brady was an early
supporter. Courtney Foley said, “Gerald Brady was very instrumental in
getting labor onboard.” She cited many other leaders, both inside and
outside organized labor, as very helpful including President of the
Delaware Building Trades Council Harry Gravell, Executive Director of
the Interfaith Coalition Building Block of Wilmington Ed Klinge,
Mark Brunswick from A. Philip Randolph
Institute (APRI) and Reverend Dr. Greer of the Ezion Mt. Carmel
United Methodist Church to name just a few.
Courtney Foley was given
primary responsibility for building the coalition because of her deep
background in community organizing. Although still very young, this
young lady from Mississippi has extensive experience. She started her
efforts organizing on behalf of Congressman Jim Moran in Virginia. In
2005, she worked for Paul Hackett in the Ohio Congressional special
election that received so much national attention. She was working for
Sherrod Brown in 2006 in his successful bid to become a US Senator
from Ohio.
Early in 2007, Foley was
helping in New York with SEIU in their successful public relations
effort to stop a proposed billion dollar cut in health care that
politicians in Albany were pushing. In New York, she realized “how
powerful and important the faith-based community can be in rallying
public support to promote progressive change.”
While the original mission
statement of C.L.E.A.N. reads:
It is the mission of
C.L.E.A.N. to promote a safe and healthy environment for families in
Newark and the surrounding areas.
Objectives
-
To increase the
awareness of toxic substances being used in local industries and
their effects on workers and the environment
-
To protect the welfare
of workers and residents from the dangers of toxic and carcinogenic
substances
-
To educate and empower
the workers and families of Newark
-
To hold local industries
accountable for the abuse of safety and environmental regulations
-
To facilitate change in
regulatory safety statutes
The organization is
already becoming active statewide in Delaware. Gina Swinea stated, “If
C.L.E.A.N. is successful in Delaware, the UFCW would look into
expanding the coalition into other states.” She went on to state that
the coalition grows daily as more partner organizations take
leadership roles in the coalition.
In addition to
worker safety and environmental issues, the organization can be
expanded into other areas were labor and community groups can work
together. In Delaware, one of these expanded areas of interest is a
pre-apprenticeship training program which is a part of the South
Wilmington Special Area Management Plan (SAMP).
“In a system of
positive and progressive movements occasionally one such initiative
distinguishes itself above the others due to its diverse yet
comprehensive approach and profound impact. This year that program is
C.L.E.A.N. (Community, Labor, Environmental Action Network)”, said
Gerald Brady. This writer agrees completely!
Readers should
contact Courtney Foley by calling her at 1-800-809-4303 ext. 12 or
emailing her at
cfoley@ufcw.org for details about C.L.E.A.N. Ask about the
“Clean-up Delaware Day” project and other future activities. Please
visit their C.L.E.A.N. website at
http://www.cleanindelaware.blogspot.com.
comment on this news item...
Written by Stephen
Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio
http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com ).
Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland
21919. Phone: 443-907-2367. Email:
midsouthcm@aol.com .
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