Advocate News Story

BOSTON/Beacon Hill - In the last hours of the 2009 legislative session, the Massachusetts State Senate voted to pass “An Act Relative to Sentencing Laws.” The omnibus criminal justice bill included comprehensive CORI reforms sought by a broad statewide network organized as the Commonwealth CORI Coalition (CCC). CCC is led by the Boston Workers’ Alliance, Neighbor to Neighbor MA, Ex-prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement (EPOCA), Massachusetts Community Action Network, American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association of Social Workers.

CWA District One members showed strong union support for appointing a temporary interim Senator to fill Sen. Kennedy's seat at the Massachusetts legislature's Joint Committee on Election Laws hearing.

"With the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy two weeks ago, Massachusetts has only one U.S. senator," said Don Trementozzi, President of CWA Local 1400. "This has left Massachusetts working families with only partial representation during critical fights in the Senate on health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act." CWA Local 1400 members work at Verizon and AT&T.

Medford, MA - On May 11, a group of more than 50 prominent Seventh District constituents sent a letter urging Rep. Ed Markey (D) to co-sponsor HR 676, the national Medicare-for-All bill.

The letter concluded: "Whatever health reform Congress does consider, we believe needs to be held up in comparison with a single-payer plan as the "gold-standard" for cost-efficient, equitable, and universal care. We need your leadership in supporting and advancing this ideal, and building momentum for truly sustainable, universal health care in this country."

BOSTON/South Boston - With the support of over 200 members of its extended family, Notre Dame Education Center raised more than $36,000 for its adult education programs, far-exceeding the original goal set for this first-time event.