Happy new year from the worker-leaders, board of directors, and staff of Brandworkers! Everyone’s solidarity is important for NYC-area food factory workers building their own unions with the Industrial Workers of the World. With your support in 2021:
- Workers at a new food factory formed their organizing committee and met consistently since early this year to lay the groundwork for their campaign, strengthening Brandworkers’ focus on providing training for workers to lead workplace organizing efforts
- 5 organizing apprentices engaged in deep training and leadership development in the fundamentals of workplace organizing and helped grow new food factory campaigns
- 45 food factory workers got help applying for covid relief funds from the first-in-the-nation NY state Excluded Workers Fund — Brandworkers continues to participate in the statewide coalition organizing for excluded worker relief
- Workers and allies led a series of escalating actions for immigrant worker protections at Tom Cat Bakery and highlighted the union-busting of Amy’s Bread, growing valuable campaigning experience
- Food factory workers have additional campaigning support as Emith Escobar and Isabella Vargas joined the staff this fall
- A committee of worker leaders, ally board members, and staff hired a new Executive Director, Gabriel Morales, for the first time since the organization’s founding, building organizational leadership
“I joined Brandworkers in 2017, inspired by an organization so deeply committed to the transformative power of worker leadership. In the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of stewarding and supporting Brandworkers’ ally community, I’ve been delighted by the diverse ways you show up in solidarity with food manufacturing workers—from direct action to technical support, and by bringing together family, friends, and compañerxs to ensure workers have the resources they need to express their power. It’s a joy to be in movement with you. As I transition away from my role as Director of Development, I’m excited to see Brandworkers continue to grow with a powerful, courageous membership and a talented, leaderful staff. I look forward to continuing in community with you.”
– Outgoing Brandworkers Director of Development, Michelle Flores