Dear Friends,

Next week, Wed July 25, we are trying to get some phone calls in to Deval's office to preempt his upcoming CORI reform proposal. We hear that Deval's "CORI reforms" probably will not include 1) reductions to long waiting periods to seal CORIs or 2) anti-discrimination protections to job seekers with criminal records. Without these two provisions, any proposals are illegitimate and have no teeth.

This is a low-level action that we are asking for some help with ~ please fwd to your friends, co-workers, and networks. And, please look out for higher stakes and major mobilizations in the fall. With your help - and we'll need it - we will win.

Best, Aaron
BostonWorkersAlliance.org

-----

<<please forward widely>>

CALL-IN DAY FOR CORI REFORM

HOLD GOVERNOR PATRICK ACCOUNTABLE!

Wednesday July 25th, 2007
9-5pm

- There is currently a CORI reform bill at the state house ~ it is called House Bill 1416 (The Public Safety Act)
- The governor is planning on coming out with his own CORI proposal, which may fall short of the reforms we need
- We must ensure that his CORI reform proposal includes changes to the sealing laws and adds anti-discrimination protections for job seekers.

Governor Deval Patrick promised reforms to the CORI system. The time for change is now!

On Wed. July 25th, between 9am and 5pm call the Governor's Office and make your voices heard.

Please voice the two demands below. Demand:

1) Lower the waiting period for sealing a CORI to 3 years for a misdemeanor and 7 years for a felony. The current law requires a 10-15 years waiting period to seal a record. These long waiting periods prevent us from moving on with our lives and securing decent employment.

2) Demand an "anti-discrimination" law that only allows employers to check a CORI after they decide that the applicant is qualified for the job. Employers that ask about a criminal record on job applications generally weed out job seekers before they even consider our resumes or qualifications.

Please make two calls on Wednesday, July 25 from 9-5pm:

Governor Deval Patrick's Office (617) 725-4005

Mary Beth Heffernan's Office, (617) 727-7775
Under Secretary of Criminal Justice
*This is Deval's point person on CORI*

Any CORI Bill that doesn't include these two demands is not real CORI reform. We need meaningful changes now.

------
This call-in was brought to you by the Union of Minority Neighborhoods, Jobs With Justice, Partakers, Inc., Ex-Prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement (EPOCA) and the Boston Workers Alliance.

For more info: call Makis at UMN at 617 980-2313