Real Abuse- NOT Implementing Paid Sick Days

This week, I met with an amazing woman. Her name is Bobbi and she lives in Milwaukee.

Bobbi has had a run of bad luck... to say the least.

The day Bobbi's son was born (pre-maturely at that), the insurance company cut her off. Left with heaps of hospital bills and bad credit, Bobbi came to be economically dependent on her boyfriend. After some time, this man became increasingly jealous and abusive. Bobbi and her son was trying to leave him, but this man snapped so badly, leaving the house shot up and Bobbi's jaw broken with plenty of matching body bruises.

Bobbi lost her job because she missed days of work while in the hospital, getting a restraining order, and relocating. Bobbi lost her job because she has no paid safe days.

Unfortunately, Judge Cooper could not see the connection between protecting victims of domestic violence like Bobbi, and protecting one's welfare, health, and safety. He ruled the Milwaukee Paid Sick Days Ordinance down because of the domestic violence protections in the ordinance.

Try finding a new job with your jaw wired shut.

Bobbi has a few things: She has a part time job in health care, huge health care bills, bad credit, nightmares, threatening letters, and a healthy 10 year old boy (she can't live with). Bobbi is still without any access to paid sick or safe days to protect her job if she gets sick, her son gets sick, or her ex gets out of jail.

You want to talk about high business costs and abuse of paid sick days?

Bobbi has experienced the high costs of NOT implementing Paid Sick Days in Milwaukee and REAL ABUSE.

The City must appeal the Judge's narrow and flawed ruling today... for Bobbi and other victims of DV who can't be beaten again.




If you want to help Bobbi take her boards to be a certified nurse, contact me: dana@9to5.org

Community Gardening Summer of '09

If you nurture the garden, it will nurture you.

One of my favorite projects that I've been a part of since I've lived in Milwaukee is the community garden on 1st and Center. This is the first season I've gardened in the city, and am happy to report clear successes so far... in the form of vegetables.

The plot is owned by the City, was managed under the UW Extension for some years. After attending a and we found it through the Extension. They were not able to give it the time and resources necessary this year. A small group of committed students and friends of mine The soil has been tested and enriched with compost and topsoil over the years. Thankfully, the Extension covers our water bill. We just use the fire hydrant on the corner and hook it up to a hose. The compost pile is growing by the week with donations of coffee grounds and old produce to add to our weeds.

Some of the neighbors are very involved, including the man on the left in the bottom picture. He lives with his family across the street and comes to weed his section and water the entire garden on hot days that we don't come. We have an open door policy: If you take care of the garden, it can take care of you.

In the top picture, I'm mounding our fabulous potatoes and Marta is weeding the beans.

A community garden comes with many questions, much uncertainty, trust, and a whole lot of work. More to come on the lessons we've learned already. Also more to come on what we produce and eat... with recipes if you are lucky.