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Contact: Cynthia Rodrigues - 508-992-5475
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Labor and Community Activists Picket New Bedford - City Council over Cliftex Vote.
New Bedford, MA. People First, a coalition of labor and community activists, today called on the New Bedford City Council to change its position on the proposed demolition of the Cliftex Mill building. The group held a symbolic picket line during the noon hour to press the Council to reverse its earlier position to permit the demolition of the mill building.
Speaking on behalf of People First was Cynthia Rodrigues, also President of the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, a consortium of labor organizations in the region.
“The City Council needs to consider the needs of the people of New Bedford . There can be no confusion about what those needs are. Affordable housing and good jobs are most certainly at the top of the list. The Cliftex building could provide both.” Ms. Rodrigues said.
“Property rights are an important consideration, but the interests of the people warrant action by elected officials to improve the quality of life in the city.” she added.
“Permitting the demolition of this important and historical building will be a serious setback to the hopes we should all have of making life better for working families.” she continued. “The City Council should focus on efforts to put the Cliftex Mill to a productive use, with due consideration for the owner. We can’t afford to lose this opportunity to create good jobs and affordable housing in New Bedford . As leaders in the city, councilors should put away the wrecking ball and try to provide benefits to the community.”
Rodriques was emphatic on one point. “As a union official I represented workers in the Cliftex mill. To hear councilors justify their action based on the hardships of workers in another era is completely upside down. Nothing would honor them more than a rebirth of the mill as affordable housing or a workplace with decent paying jobs.” she said. “Using that logic would get you run out of town in Lowell or Lawrence!” she added.
“We decided to picket since there has already been picketing over the issue. We’ve got a lot of experience picketing!” she said. The owner of the mill building picketed City Hall several weeks ago. The group distributed a hand bill outlining some of the arguments against demolishing the Cliftex mill building. The Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Central Labor Council, sponsor of People First, represents 43 local unions with 16,000 members in the region.