JINGLE, MINGLE and talk about SINGLE payer healthcare--the New York Health Act, and how we will get it!

From 6 to 6:30 PM we will meet with Melanie D'Arrigo, director of the statewide Campaign for NY Health, via Zoom and she will update us on statewide campaign strategy and progress. After that we will plan actions that will move the campaign forward--what can we as volunteers do?  Work on a fundraiser, update a website, reach out to community groups, set up a town hall.

We are looking forward to see everyone there! This is a holiday potluck, bring a dish to pass if you can -- if not, come along anyhow, there will be plenty!

1,800 workers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), represented by 1199SEIU and SEIU Local 200, have been working from an expired contract since the end of October. URMC is the biggest employer in Rochester, still one of the poorest US cities. Management is refusing to agree to the fair wages and benefits needed to keep these essential workers out of poverty.

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is a long-time progressive ally of Metro Justice, and we stand with them in their fight for a Fair Contract!

1199SEIU & SEIU 200 are going on Strike on Wednesday December 13th. This limited strike action will begin at 6am and go until 11pm. Join fellow Metro Justice members on the SEIU picket line to show the community's solidarity with URMC workers! Wear your Metro Justice shirt, or something purple for SEIU! Share on facebook too!

Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!

RED is our campaign to takeover Rochester Gas & Electric and turn it into a public, not-for-profit, local, and community-controlled utility. At our biweekly organizing meetings, we discuss aspects of our strategy to win, determine collective action items, and delegate work. This committee is the heart of our campaign, and a great way to get involved to make a difference and meet our community of volunteers leading this fight. 

We meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. 

For some background on RED: For-profit, investor-owned utilities like RG&E keep raising our rates, only to neglect maintenance of the grid and expand fossil fuel infrastructure. On top of that, oil and gas continue to lobby against a fast and massive transition to renewable energy. As a result, we all pay more than we should in energy bills while the continued use of fossil fuels pushes us towards catastrophic environmental damage. 

In R.E.D., we believe that in order to combat the climate crisis and ensure environmental justice in the long-term, we must fundamentally transform our energy economy. We need to build an energy system that meets the needs of communities instead of meeting the greed of distant investors and CEOs. We also need a shift to energy that is 100% clean and renewable. We believe this is possible if we takeover RG&E with a public, local, and community controlled utility. This will give communities a say in what kind of energy we use, whom we get it from, and how the money we pay is used to benefit our community. Furthermore, everyone could only pay what is necessary to develop and maintain energy infrastructure, taking millions in profits for investors and CEOs out of the picture. We can also make sure that all jobs associated with the utility are local union jobs that pay family-sustaining wages with benefits. 

A community-driven energy system needs the involvement of people in our community to succeed. To join us at our next meeting, please RSVP below!

Directions to our office:

- Our address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A. 

- We're located in the same building as the Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union. Go the door on the Cayuga St. side of the building, with a key pad on the door handle. Enter, go to the second floor, and turn right to see Unit A.

Metro Justice's strength comes from our members, so come and help shape our direction for 2024! We’ll hear reports from our campaigns, approve a 2024 budget, and elect a new Metro Justice Council. Free coffee & bagels.

Reminder: only Members of Metro Justice can participate in this meeting. If you need to join or renew your membership, you can do so online or at the door. Membership begins at either $5/month or $60/year. Please contact Crescenzo Scipione at 585-469-2693 or [email protected] with any problems or questions.

We look forward to seeing you, and to another year of fighting for progressive values throughout the Rochester area.