Rev. Roger Scott Powers introducing Fair Development Overture to Maryland Presbytery

The pressure on Inner Harbor developers is mounting. As we saw with our Fair Development Conference and recent spate of “Letter Drops” at GGP malls, the community support from every sector – students, unions, neighborhoods and faith is growing tremendously.

On Feb. 11, 2012, more voices joined this growing chorus demanding Fair Development. The Presbytery of Baltimore held their annual governing meeting. Over 100 representatives from Presbyterian churches from Baltimore City to Maryland’s western most Garrett County came together and voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Light Street Presbytery’s Fair Development Overture, with over 94% voting for passage. This brave act for social justice sends a powerful message of unity with United Workers’ Campaign for Fair Development at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The Overture now goes before that national Presbytery at their Gathering in Pittsburgh this Summer.

Rev. Roger Powers of Light St. Presbyterian and a long time leader in the struggle for Fair Development at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, introduced the Overture with these words:

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a long history of supporting economic justice.  Our church has stood in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed, called for reform of corporate misdeeds, proposed living wages, supported economic boycotts, demanded safe working conditions, and supported collective bargaining.

Our own Confession of 1967 says “a church that is indifferent to poverty, or evades responsibility in economic affairs . . . makes a mockery of reconciliation and offers no acceptable worship to God.

Ten years ago, the 214^th General Assembly endorsed a consumer boycott of Taco Bell started by the Florida-based Coalition of Immokalee Workers.  The community group sought better wages and working conditions for Florida farm workers who pick tomatoes that go into Taco Bell products.  With the support of the PCUSA and that of other denominations, the farm workers won.

In recent years, the United Workers Association of Baltimore has been organizing low-wage workers in the Inner Harbor to demand living wages, better working conditions, and respect for human rights.  They have received our financial support in the form of Self-Development of People grants.  They are now asking for our moral support.

Developers such as General Growth Properties and the Cordish Company, which control the Inner Harbor, receive large amounts of public money for what are billed as “revitalization” projects for depressed areas.  Yet the jobs created by these projects are unregulated, minimum wage, seasonal, and rife with human rights abuses.

Overture 2012-2 asks the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to call for an end to this kind of Poverty Zone Development and to advocate for Fair Development that respects human rights, maximizes public benefits, and fosters sustainability.

The Session of Light Street Presbyterian Church recommends that you send this overture on to the 220^th General Assembly for action.

The Fair Development Overture included this instruction to national General Assembly:

The Presbytery of Baltimore respectfully overtures the 220th General Assembly (2012) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to:

(1) commend the United Workers Association of Baltimore for its efforts at organizing low-wage workers to demand living wages, better working conditions, and respect for human rights.

(2) support the call of the United Workers Association of Baltimore for Fair Development Standards that will improve working conditions and alleviate poverty conditions for millions of workers across the United States.

(3) direct the Stated Clerk to write a letter to the prominent national developers General Growth Properties and the Cordish Company, the Mayor of Baltimore City, and the Governor of Maryland, calling for an end to Poverty Zone Development and urging the adoption of Fair Development that respects human rights (Work with Dignity, the Right to Health Care and Education), maximizes public benefits, and fosters sustainability.

(4) urge Presbyterians to:

a)    support the organizing of low-wage workers at malls to improve working conditions;

b)    join together with low-wage service workers to pressure developers to respect human rights and pay living wages in cities and towns across the country; and

c)    hold developers to account through worker-driven corporate accountability campaigns, changing the relationship between developers, the community, and workers, to secure human rights standards and Fair Development Agreements.

(5) request that the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness, and/or other appropriate entities of the church, help build a national public policy dialogue about how to ensure that public resources are used to benefit the public good rather than private interests.

Thank you to the Presbytery of Baltimore for standing strong with low-wage workers in the struggle for Fair Development!

In her blog entry entitled the “Cathedrals of Inequality,” Union Theological Seminary student, Valerie Freseman, reflects on the power of this action.

For six minutes today, however, we started to chip at the facade of this false cathedral. Those who are consumers at that mall and those who are workers became a bit more visible to one another- and to me, our action was almost the same as throwing the money changers out of the temple.”

To read the full entry, go here

“Occupy the Malls” calls on allies to stage creative flash mobs and actions at GGP malls in solidarity with low-wage workers at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Last Thursday’s prayerful flash mob was an incredible kick-off to “Occupy the Malls” and demonstrated the imaginative and unique possibilities that allies from all backgrounds can bring to the fight for Fair Development. Great work to the Poverty Initiative and all for an outstanding demonstration of solidarity and vision.

As the second largest mall owner in the country, GGP has properties all over. So no matter where you are, there’s likely a mall near you! Break out your creative cap and stand with harbor workers by staging your own Occupy the Malls flash mob. To learn more how you can take part, email info@unitedworkers.org.

Here’s a media round-up from this holiday’s actions

Articles:

• Baltimore Brew: “Inner Harbor mall blanketed by blizzard of protest letters”
• Towson Patch: “Workers Group To Protest at Towson Town Center”
• In These Times: “Baltimore’s United Workers Disrupt Christmas Shopping, Demand Stable Jobs, Better Wages”

Videos:

• First letter drop marking ramp-up
• Holiday “drop” at Towson Mall

In our letter to GGP, sent in 2009, we requested face to face talks with them before Christmas of that year, as a first step towards making progress on our demands. And yet another Christmas has passed that GGP has failed to come to the table with workers. But with a new year comes a resurgence of hope and energy towards the possibility for change. Our New Year’s resolution is to continue to escalating our demands for justice and human rights at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. From Baltimore to GGP’s headquarters in Chicago, we will carry out letter drops and actions calling on GGP to act now. We hope that GGP has made a New Year’s resolution as well to be truer to their statements of sustaining “a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees.”

So here’s to a new year of intensifying the fight for Fair Development in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor! Stay tuned for next steps!

For full article, go to http://inthesetimes.com/working

On December 10, Christmas shoppers at the Gallery Mall in Baltimore were interrupted by chanting and thousands of fliers fluttering from balconies of higher floors, where a banner was also unfurled.

The fliers called on one of the country’s largest mall-development companies, Gallery Mall owner General Growth Properties (GGP), to provide stable jobs, better wages, benefits and decent conditions for thousands of workers at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Harborplace mall, a tourist magnet across the street.

Early in the new year the group plans to again travel to GGP’s headquarters in Chicago, where the company owns the famous Water Tower Place mall. Along the way, they’ll be visiting GGP-owned malls for flier drops and actions in many locations.

To read past coverage, go here

The United Workers attempted a “letter drop” at the Towson Town Center mall on Thursday, December 15th. After harbor workers were blocked from carrying out the action, we returned the very next day! “Drops” will continue at GGP malls from Baltimore to Chicago, home to GGP’s headquarters, until GGP meets all demands.

Flanked by police, General Manager, Charles Crenard, stood by the entrance of the mall and told us that we had to follow the code of conduct and if we didn’t that they would have to “take measures to make sure we complied with it”. Fearing that the their crystal palaces of consumerism might be shattered by the reality of human rights abuses at their malls, we were told no banners, no dropping fliers, no handing out fliers, no announcements. Essentially no action that might cause consumers to consider anything other than the façade GGP has carefully constructed. If only GGP would put as much effort and resources towards improving the working conditions at the Inner Harbor as they have towards protecting their image.

Blocked from carrying out the “drop”, we re-grouped, prayed and discussed next steps. We decided we would not be silenced, we would return the very next night unannounced and do the “drop.” And so we did and we will continue these drops from Baltimore to their headquarters in Chicago until GGP meets all demands to work with dignity, healthcare, and education for all low-wage workers at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

The tents may not be coming, but a workers group wants to bring the spirit of the Occupy movement to Towson, with a side of the Christmas spirit.

The Baltimore group United Workers plans to drop letters at a to-be-decided location in Towson Town Center on Thursday.

The group will meet at 4:30 p.m. at the mall entrance at Fairmount Avenue and Towson Gate Drive, where protestors will sing Christmas carols before heading inside to unfurl a banner and release their flyers and letters.

The letter, dated Dec. 10, 2009, calls out the leadership of Chicago-based General Growth Properties, the mall’s owner, for not doing enough to encourage better working conditions at The Gallery at Harborplace, which the company also owns.

To read the full article, go to http://towson.patch.com

What: Towson Town Center “letter drop”
When: Thursday, December 15th at 4:30 PM
Where: Gathering at mall entrance at Fairmount Ave. and Towson Gate Dr.

Wish you had been at Saturday’s “letter drop”? Well, here’s the next best thing. Check-out this amazing video from our internal media team! Stay tuned for updates on upcoming “letter drops”.

The “letter drop” was not a merchandising gimmick, but instead marked the start of a renewed campaign by Baltimore-based United Workers to draw attention to what they call human rights violations tolerated by mall owner General Growth Properties (GGP).

To read the full article, go to www.baltimorebrew.com