CWA Local 1103 Visited by Archbishop of New York

In September 2014, CWA Local 1103 partnered with the Don Bosco Worker Center,a grassroots community-organizing group led by Latino immigrant day laborers and other low-income workers in Port Chester, New York, on an anti-wage theft campaign called “No Pay No Way” to make Port Chester, NY the first “wage theft free zone” in the country. As of May 2015, 70 Port Chester businesses have taken the “No Pay No Way” pledge promising to pay their workers the wages they have earned.  People and organizations from around the country are taking notice, including the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church who, last month, asked the Don Bosco Worker Center to build the chair that Pope Francis will sit in while presiding over mass at Madison Square Garden this September in New York City. CWA Local 1103 is assisting the project by providing logistical support and providing space. The Local converted their garage into an impromptu workshop, and now the Pope’s chair is being built in our own backyard.  Building the chair for any Pope would be a great honor, but building it for Pope Francis makes it even more special. Pope Francis is a pro-union, progressive pope whose core values and writings on democracy, human rights, workers rights and the need for real change in our world has captivated people of all faiths around the globe. We are thrilled to have a small piece of that in our backyard. On August 6, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York stopped by Local 1103 to hold a press conference and to check on the chair's progress. He spoke highly of the partnership between the Local and the Don Bosco Worker Center, praising the work we do fighting for those vulnerable to exploitation on the job. “When you meet these people, you learn to love and respect them," Dolan said during his visit. "They are proud, hard-working people who have tremendous skills and they enhance our culture.” Some of the workers building the chair have even been invited to the pope's Sept. 25 Mass to thank them for their efforts. Read more about Cardinal Dolan’s visit: http://www.lohud.com/story/news/religion/2015/08/06/pope-chair-altar-westchester/31181559/

In September 2014, CWA Local 1103 partnered with the Don Bosco Worker Center,a grassroots community-organizing group led by Latino immigrant day laborers and other low-income workers, on an anti-wage theft campaign called “No Pay No Way” to make Port Chester, NY the first “wage theft free zone” in the country. As of May 2015, 70 Port Chester businesses have taken the “No Pay No Way” pledge promising to pay their workers the wages they have earned. 

People and organizations from across the country are taking notice, including the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church who, last month, asked the Don Bosco Worker Center to build the chair that Pope Francis will sit in while presiding over mass at Madison Square Garden this September in New York City. CWA Local 1103 is assisting the project by providing logistical support and space. The Local converted their garage into an impromptu workshop, and now the Pope’s chair is being built in our own backyard.

Building the chair for any Pope would be a great honor, but building it for Pope Francis makes it even more special. Pope Francis is a pro-union, progressive pope whose core values and writings on democracy, human rights, workers' rights and the need for real change in our world has captivated people of all faiths around the globe. 

On August 6, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York stopped by Local 1103 to hold a press conference and say thank you. He spoke highly of the partnership between the Local and the Don Bosco Worker Center, praising the work both organizations do fighting for those vulnerable to exploitation on the job.

“When you meet these people, you learn to love and respect them," Dolan said during his visit. "They are proud, hard-working people who have tremendous skills and they enhance our culture.”

Some of the workers building the chair have even been invited to the pope's Sept. 25 Mass to thank them for their efforts.

 

Read more about the project and Cardinal Dolan’s visit:

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/religion/2015/08/06/pope-chair-altar-westchester/31181559/

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/08/06/ny-workers-building-chair-lectern-and-altar-for-pope-francis-madison-square/

http://noticias.univision.com/video/625967/2015-08-06/noticiero-univision/videos/pope-chair-inmigrants