Do you want to help us fight inequality? Attend one of our rallies, events, or volunteer opportunities!
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Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 09:00 AM · 12 rsvps
Monroe County Government Office in Rochester, NYMetro Justice & Labor Ask Bello: Which Side Are You On?
RG&E's incompetence continues while rate hikes make us pay more for RG&E's failures. Thanks to growing public outcries against RG&E and grassroots organizing by our Rochester for Energy Democracy Coalition, the Monroe County Legislature is once again drafting legislation to fund and commission a study on replacing RG&E with a public utility. Progress has stalled, however, because County Executive Adam Bello will not commit to signing legislation to initiate a study even if it passes the County Legislature.
RG&E and their Big Business cronies are trying to stop Bello and his administration from even studying a public utility, thus preventing the public from having an informed choice on how we get our power. The business lobby against a public utility study includes the Head of the Chamber of Commerce, Bob Duffy – who is paid to serve on the board of RG&E’s parent company. The residents of Monroe County have already waited too long for a solution to the RG&E crisis; it's time for County Executive Bello to show whether he will side with the facts and the people, or RG&E's corporate owners.
The public uproar has been loud and clear: we deserve a real chance to explore a public alternative to foreign-owned RG&E. Monroe County must study replacing RG&E with a locally controlled and publicly owned utility that is cheaper, prioritizes customer service and reliability, and invests the money we pay into our local economy and needs. The next opportunity for the County Legislature to introduce legislation, so that it can undergo review in time for them to vote on it this spring, is the Democratic Caucus meeting on March 18th. County Executive Adam Bello's support is critical to ensuring that legislation for a study gets introduced, reviewed, passed, and implemented. Join our press conference where we will share updates on whether or not legislation for a study is being introduced, what this means for how we move forward to get a public utility study, and call on County Executive Adam Bello to side with the people over RG&E's corporate owners.
The press conference is Wednesday, March 20th at 9 AM at the front entrance of the Monroe County Government Office (39 West Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614).
RSVP below!
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Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 06:00 PM · 4 rsvps
Metro Justice Office in Rochester, NYOrganizing Meeting: Rochester for Energy Democracy
Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!
RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.
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.
This meeting will be a phone bank - we'll call people who have already done something for a public utility and ask them if they can make it to our Mass Rally for a Public Utility on Fri April 5 at 5:30pm - we needs hundreds there to pressure County leaders, especially Adam Bello, to act. We'll start with a training, and work off a script, no experience necessary.
We'll meet at the Metro Justice Office from 6-8 PM. Please bring a laptop or a tablet to track calls as you make them, and a headset if that's helpful for you. Please RSVP below! We welcome folks bringing snacks and drinks to share if you would like to do so. Please email [email protected] with any accessibility questions.
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:
- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A.
- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it.
- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.
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Wednesday, April 03, 2024 at 06:00 PM
Metro Justice Office in Rochester, NYOrganizing Meeting: Rochester for Energy Democracy
Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!
RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.
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'll 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:
- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A.
- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it.
- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.
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Mass Rally at RG&E for a Public Utility!
Did you know that we can vote out the foreign-owned, for-profit corporation that owns and controls RG&E? RG&E and their foreign owners continue to overcharge and fail our community without accountability. The solution is a tried and true one: a non-profit, locally owned, public utility.Initiating an implementation study at the county level is our crucial first step toward achieving a public utility that works for local residents instead of distant shareholders. The future of a public utility study hinges on support from County Executive Adam Bello and his administration.
The lobby against public power includes the Head of the Chamber of Commerce, Bob Duffy, who is paid over 200,000 a year to serve on the board of RG&E’s parent company. With the recent roll-out of this pro-RGE, Chamber of Commerce backed, business-insider lobby group aimed at stopping public power, we are forced to ask our County Representatives, "whose side are you on?"
The people of Monroe County have already waited too long for a public solution to the corporate greed and persistent incompetence of RG&E. The City of Rochester already did its part last June by contributing funding for a county-wide study. Now it's Monroe County's turn to step up.
Come show your anger and frustration at RG&E, and put pressure on the Monroe County Legislature and County Executive Adam Bello to take the common sense first step: commission and fund a study on how a locally-owned utility would serve us better, for less, while investing more in our communities. With our power in numbers, we can push our elected officials to side with county residents over well-connected, politically influential apologists for RG&E.
Gear up for the County Legislature Meeting on Tuesday April 9, where we'll also mobilize to demand the vote for a study our community needs.
You can RSVP for that event here.Wear red or a Metro Justice shirt! You can order a Metro Justice shirt here. Bring signs! More info to come.
RSVP below! -
Tuesday, April 09, 2024 at 06:00 PM · 21 rsvps
Monroe County Legislative Chambers, County Office Building in Rochester, NYCounty Legislature: Study Public Power Now!
The time has come for Monroe County to do the right thing about the RG&E crisis: commission and fund a study on replacing RG&E with a local, not-for-profit, public utility!
Did you know that we can vote out the foreign-owned, for-profit corporation that owns and controls RG&E? RG&E and their foreign owners continue to overcharge and fail our community without accountability. But, it doesn't have to stay this way. We can vote out the multinational, for-profit corporation that owns RG&E and replace them with a publically owned utility!
Initiating an implementation study at the county level is our crucial first step toward achieving a public utility that works for local residents instead of distant shareholders. The people of Monroe County have already waited too long for a public solution to the corporate greed and persistent incompetence of RG&E. The City of Rochester already did its part last June by contributing funding for a county-wide study. Now it's Monroe County's turn to step up.
Save the Date for the County Legislature Meeting on Tuesday April 9 at 6pm, where we'll mobilize to demand the vote for the study our community needs.Wear red or a Metro Justice shirt! You can order a Metro Justice shirt here. More info to come, including instructions to sign up to speak and guideline to prepare your remarks.
RSVP below!
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Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 06:00 PM
Metro Justice Office in Rochester, NYOrganizing Meeting: Rochester for Energy Democracy
Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!
RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.
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'll 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:
- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A.
- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it.
- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.
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Wednesday, May 01, 2024 at 06:00 PM
Metro Justice Office in Rochester, NYOrganizing Meeting: Rochester for Energy Democracy
Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!
RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.
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'll 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:
- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A.
- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it.
- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.
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Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 06:00 PM
Metro Justice Office in Rochester, NYOrganizing Meeting: Rochester for Energy Democracy
Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!
RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.
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'll 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:
- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A.
- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it.
- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.
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Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 06:00 PM
Metro Justice Office in Rochester, NYOrganizing Meeting: Rochester for Energy Democracy
Welcome to Rochester for Energy Democracy (R.E.D.)!
RED is Metro Justice’s campaign to replace foreign-owned RG&E in Monroe County into a not for profit, locally controlled public utility. RG&E's track record speaks volumes—surprise billing, exorbitant rates, terrible customer service, and rising rates have plagued our community for far too long. It's time for change. That’s why replacing RG&E with a public utility is necessary and holds the promise of lower rates, improved service, the restoration of good local union jobs, and and a renewable energy transition accessible to all.
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'll 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:
- The address is 389 Gregory Street, Unit A.
- Please use the Cayuga Street entrance; come to the large double doors with a keypad on it.
- Enter, go up the stairs to the second floor. Unit A will be on the right.
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Saturday, June 08, 2024 at 05:00 PM · $10.00 USD
AFSCME Union Hall in Rochester, NYAnnualDinner2024
You are cordially invited! We hope that you can join us for our organization’s most celebrated fundraising event: The Metro Justice Annual Dinner on Sunday June 8, 2024 at the AFSCME Union Hall (1956 Lyell Ave). Doors open at 5:00pm, program to begin at 6:00pm.
Your ticket purchases and sponsorships will help fuel and support the campaigns that Metro Justice stands for. Your generosity can help our organization maintain its strong and uncompromising voice in the community; fighting for social, economic, and racial justice. We hope you will join us for an evening of food, fun, and community.
Our Keynote Speaker this year is Bob Muehlenkamp! Bob Muehlenkamp has been on the front lines of our country’s social justice and trade union movements for half a century. He served as Executive Vice President and National Organizing Director at 1199 SEIU, and as Organizing Director for the Teamsters. Bob is a co-facilitator of Third Act’s Retired Union Members Working Group.
Food will be provided by Battatini's Family Style Catering, with union coffee from our brothers & sisters at Spot Coffee. Beer & Wine will also be available.
Tickets, sponsorship, and dinner booklet ads for the dinner can be purchased below. You can also mail in this order form. The deadline for ticket orders received by mail is May 31.
This year we'll have Free on-site Childcare provided by Girls Rock! Rochester. Please let us know how many kids you'll need childcare for, how old they are, and any special needs we should know about.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday June 8, 2024 for an evening of delicious food and stimulating conversation. If you’re unable to attend, please consider making a contribution to Metro Justice to ensure we remain an independent grassroots organization for years to come.
To purchase an ad in the program without tickets, click here.
For any questions, or to donate a dessert or silent auction item, please contact Fundraising & Membership Director Crescenzo Scipione at [email protected] or 585-397-3535.