Fortunately, UFCW Local 27, under the enlightened leadership of President Buddy Mays and Organizing Director Tim Goins, placed union resources at the disposal of the larger community in order to get C.L.E.A.N. started. Buddy Mays truly understands the significance of the problem. He stated, “We realize that the problems are not just local issues. The problem is a national one. Employers often knowingly place the health of both workers and the community at risk by exposing them to dangerous chemicals. It is our obligation and civic duty to expose these situations when we discover them.”
In Delaware, the UFCW had help from the International in the form of organizers Gina Swinea and Courtney Foley working closely with UFCW Local 27 Business Agent Donna Smits. As a member of the Delaware State AFL-CIO Executive Board and head of the UFCW political effort in Delaware, Donna Smits helped broaden the coalition by identifying and recruiting key players in labor, politics and community organizations.
Samuel Lathem, President of the Delaware State AFL-CIO stated that they “are fully in support of the C.L.E.A.N. effort and applauds the UFCW for their lead role in getting the group started. The Delaware State AFL-CIO wants to work with allies in the larger community on a variety of issues.”
Delaware State AFL-CIO Executive Director and state legislator Gerald Brady was an early supporter. Courtney Foley said, “Gerald Brady was very instrumental in getting labor onboard.” She cited many other leaders, both inside and outside organized labor, as very helpful including President of the Delaware Building Trades Council Harry Gravell, Executive Director of the Interfaith Coalition Building Block of Wilmington Ed Klinge, Mark Brunswick from A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) and Reverend Dr. Greer of the Ezion Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church to name just a few.
Courtney Foley was given primary responsibility for building the coalition because of her deep background in community organizing. Although still very young, this young lady from Mississippi has extensive experience. She started her efforts organizing on behalf of Congressman Jim Moran in Virginia. In 2005, she worked for Paul Hackett in the Ohio Congressional special election that received so much national attention. She was working for Sherrod Brown in 2006 in his successful bid to become a US Senator from Ohio.
Early in 2007, Foley was helping in New York with SEIU in their successful public relations effort to stop a proposed billion dollar cut in health care that politicians in Albany were pushing. In New York, she realized “how powerful and important the faith-based community can be in rallying public support to promote progressive change.”
While the original mission statement of C.L.E.A.N. reads:
It is the mission of C.L.E.A.N. to promote a safe and healthy environment for families in Newark and the surrounding areas.
Objectives- To increase the awareness of toxic substances being used in local industries and their effects on workers and the environment
- To protect the welfare of workers and residents from the dangers of toxic and carcinogenic substances
- To educate and empower the workers and families of Newark
- To hold local industries accountable for the abuse of safety and environmental regulations
- To facilitate change in regulatory safety statutes
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