Working Partnerships Workshop has been moved to the Ramada Inn at 10:30 am!!!!
US Social Forum
Silicon Valley Rising Workshop, Saturday June 27th Time: TBD
Silicon Valley Rising: A Response to Growing Poverty and Inequality in the Bay Area Tech Driven Economy
Low wage workers do their part to make Silicon Valley the most prosperous region in the world, yet they struggle every day to feed their families, pay their rent, and take care of themselves and their children when they are sick. Although the region’s top tech firms made a record $103 billion in profits in 2013, one in three Silicon Valley households do not make enough money to meet their most basic needs. While technology companies’ direct employees are often well compensated, many contract out most of their service jobs to workers who are poorly paid and don’t receive basic benefits creating an underclass of tech workers.
And in a stark diversity gap, Blacks and Latinos make up the majority of these janitors, food service workers, maintenance workers, security officers, and shuttle bus drivers who help build and sustain the tech economy — yet comprise just 3-4% of the core tech workforce. This reality amounting to what some call “economic and occupational segregation.”
2014 saw an increase in worker and community driven solutions as well as significant engagement from large technology companies. These steps signal that there is great opportunity to continue to work together to improve the lives of working people in the capital of innovation and technology, but only if we organize, push and demand a tech economy that works for all.
Come hear from service workers in tech including a shuttle bus driver, food service worker, and security officer as well as local community organizers and policy experts about how they are working to build a movement in Silicon Valley to unveil the truth about the invisible workforce in Silicon Valley and lift up tangible solutions.
Speakers:
Michael Johnson – Silicon Valley security officer and member of the worker organizing committee
Rebeca Armendariz – SEIU-USWW political organizer
Doug Bloch- Political Director for the Teamsters Joint Council 7
Food Service worker in Tech
Maria Noel Fernandez- Campaign Director for Silicon Valley Rising
US Social Forum 2015 San Jose, CA 