“Decent work, living wages, and sustainability”
THIS Thurs, March 1, 5-6:30pm, JRHH 202
There is nothing sustainable about poverty wages, rising inequality, unemployment, homelessness, and hunger. In this event, panelists describe the ways in which contemporary political, economic, and social systems challenge sustainability for people and communities. We highlight causes and consequences of social UNsustainabilty in the local, national, and global contexts and suggest some better ways forward. Topics include: the critical role of unions in reversing the deterioration in majority living and working conditions; how to put community development and inclusive work practices at the center of Portland’s efforts to address climate disruption; and promises and perils of global sustainability certifications as vehicles for social change.
Marty Hart-Landsberg, Executive Board Member, Portland Jobs with Justice, and Professor Emeritus of Economics, Lewis & Clark College.
Marty has written extensively on the forces driving globalization and its consequences for working people, especially in East Asia and the United States. He is a member of the Executive Board of Portland Jobs with Justice, a coalition of 100 labor organizations and community groups dedicated to protecting the rights of working people and supporting community struggles to build a more just society. He is also a member of the Portland Area Workers’ Rights Board, a group of community leaders that works to bring to light and respond to injustices in workplaces throughout the greater Portland area.
Anaïs Tuepker, Just Energy Transition Campaign Co-Coordinator, 350PXD
A social scientist and health systems researcher (PhD, MPH) in her professional life, she investigates how community engagement impacts the health of people and societies. She has actively volunteered with 350PDX since its founding. A dual US-Australian citizen, she first became a volunteer for environmental campaigns in Australia in the 1990s, work which introduced her to the close ties between environmental/climate work and indigenous rights, and she sees climate justice as necessarily tied to addressing inequality and marginalization in society. She has experience working in the fields of immigrant and refugee community education and advocacy and in social entrepreneurship for women’s health. She has lived with her husband and two children in Portland for 16 years.
Elizabeth Bennett, Assistant Professor of International Affairs and Director of Political Economy, Lewis & Clark College
Elizabeth is a social scientist focused on international political economy. Her research examines the ways in which economies marginalize and exploit vulnerable groups of people, and how those groups and their allies are fighting back. She has published on fair trade, ethical labor, and the politics of sustainability certification programs. Elizabeth is on the standards committee of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), a sustainability certification program that affects working conditions and wages for over 1.5 million textile factory workers worldwide. In Portland, her research and advocacy efforts are focused on labor exploitation in cannabis (marijuana) production.