As ACORN Members have been doing since 1970, our members work on the issues that matter to low and moderate-income families in their communities, homes, and workplaces. Our chapters around the world have been getting out, getting active, getting heard, and winning major victories!
Find out how below!
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“At this crucial moment - ACORN is ready with a union and a membership willing to fight, with a robust organisation built across workplaces, sectors and communities. The world is at a crossroads and ACORN is establishing our unique and vital place in this struggle.”
- ACORN Chair Rohan Kon opening the first national conference of ACORN UK in Sheffield on July 2
One hundred and fifty members from across England and Wales came together to discuss the direction of ACORN, celebrate victories, and learn from each other. Read more below.
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 SOCIAL POLICY
Volume 54 Issue 2 has arrived. This summer, they turn up the heat on the severe lack of diversity in U.S. rural electric cooperatives, workers rising to beat Amazon, the need for change in unions, and more. Renew or subscribe today at https://socialpolicy.org/subscribe
DSWU
Dollar Store Workers United organizes to combat Low Wages, address Safety Hazards, and Protect Workers Rights within the work place. This Labor Day, the Executive Board of DSWU are taking action to demand that outgoing Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos pay workers holiday pay on Labor Day. Sign the petition to support DSWU!
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The newly registered ACORN Foundation for the Poor as begun collecting dues from members and carried out her first project on Wednesday July 13, 2022. Members from Port Harcourt distributed school uniforms to about 50 pupils of Methodist Central school, mbiabong etoi, in Uyo.
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Peel ACORN fights for Inclusionary Zoning in Mississauga and against Renoviction in Brampton
In Toronto, Tenants at 75 Cosburn Speak Out against hefty, retroactive AGI increase and win a temporary stay from the Landlord Tenant Board. On the long front against Renoviction in Toronto, ACORN demonstrated on July 5, 2022 to strengthen demand in the city’s proposed renoviction bylaw.
Also…
📣 Riverdale tenants in Hamilton fight for healthy homes!
📣 London ACORN Members Hold Rally to Fight for RentSafe
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In July, ACORN Honduras:
- made demands to the Public Ministry to address violence, migration, and the precarious situation in Education in Honduras,
- met with the Director of DINAF (Directorate of Children, Adolescents, and Family), and
- received a food donation to a children’s kitchen managed by ACORN Tequicigalpa.
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On July 14th 2022 in New Delhi, more than 100 officially elected street vendors under the banner of Hawkers Joint Action Committee staged a demonstration at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) headquarters with demands for allowances outlined in the 2014 Street Vendors Livelihood Protection and Regulation Act.
These include the formation and survey of Town Vending Committees (TVC); vending certificate and designate vending zone protections; improved allowances and protections related to health outbreaks such as the coronavirus pandemic and breakdowns such as extreme climate events; health care and insurance; and access to Affordable Rental Housing.
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COMBATTING AGROBUSINESS
CAMEROON
Female seasonal workers of the Sosucam- subsidiary of the Castel group- are working alongside their male colleagues to obtain a better working condition. Last month, with the help of ReAct Transnational, the request of establishing a specific union for seasonal workers has been filed with the Cameroonian administration.
FRANCE
Hundreds of inhabitants in the Alpes-de-Haute Provence have been deprived of drinking water due to high pollutant content from neighboring apple orchards. ReAct Transnational supports the residents of the Vergers du Sud plantations to end the abusive use of pesticides and restore drinking water.
LIBERIA
Fifteen years ago, Bolloré, the main shareholder of Socfin group which bought the Liberian Agricultural Company, promised to provide schooling for the displaced population of Gran Bassa to compensate their income losses. To date, nothing has happened. The member of the local resident’s organization LACDISTFAC are going to contact the company again. The request is clear: the schooling of all the children must be taken in charge.
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COUNTERING GLOBALIZED CAPITALISM
RONALD IS PAYING!
The Mc Droits celebrate a record fine against McDonalds after 7 years of struggle. McDonalds France will pay 1.2 billion euros, the largest fine for tax fraud in the history of the French tax authorities.
LEADING GLOBAL LABOR
On July 4 and 5, representatives of the Global Labor Institute met in Geneva to plan the coordination of informal workers' unions in Africa, support for Ukrainian and Russian trade unionists fighting for democracy and peace, and the role of unions in ecological transitions.
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ENGLAND & WALES - ACORN THE UNION
July jumped off with a fantastic gathering in Sheffield for the 2022 Conference. Workshops, film screenings, panel discussions and guest speakers rounded out the delegates’ voting on shaping the future of the union! If you missed out you can follow along Chief Organizer Wade Rathke's report of the events
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In addition to ACORN Southwark’s launch to become the newest group, ACORN Bradford launched with an impressive asbestos campaign in a social housing tower, and ACORN Hackney become our newest London group!
In the coming weeks, ACORN members across England & Wales a will be joining striking rail workers and postal workers on picket lines!
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POOLS FOR PEOPLE
ACORN Haringey's energetic campaign won big with reduced costs and increased standards at Tottenham Green Swimming Pool with management agreeing to cut prices, improve cleaning, and increase the number of family and wave sessions.
LIVERPOOL #YesToDSS
After the Branch called out letting agents’ discrimination toward people on benefits, the campaign has been bolstered by a unanimous City Council vote to clamp down on housing benefits discrimination.
BRISTOL
Actions taken by Corbett House residents secured new bathrooms in addition to needed repairs.
NEWCASTLE
The public toilets campaign secured a commitment from the Council to open the accessible facilities in Leazes Park and to meet to discuss improvements to toilet provision.
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SCOTLAND
Throughout June and July Living Rent members spoke out about the effects that rent increases are having on them and their communities. They've launched the Report Your Rent Hike survey to show the impacts of rent increases on members.
VICTORY IN CASTLEMILK!
Home Group residents won a 75% rebate amounting to £15,570 of cleaning services that were not received during the pandemic.Winning back Wellpark! In Dennistoun, member action won a commitment to re-open the Wellpark Community Hall.
ELSEWHERE...
Members walked out of the Glasgow Tenants’ Commission to highlight the commission’s lack of statutory power over Glasgow City Council and its failure to both examine the social housing sector and listen to the needs of tenants. You can read more here.Also…
- Evictions were prevented and delayed in Leith and St Andrews!!
- Member defense in Ibrox is an important reminder of the power of community!
- Annual General Meetings celebrate victories, elect new committee members and plan for the year ahead.
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AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
Kristi Eaton (August 11, 2022) Rural Electric Cooperatives Lack Women, Minorities in Elected Positions, Daily Yonder
- A new study found that while cooperatives deliver electricity to 42 million Americans, they are lacking in diversity to reflect it.
Bryce Covert (July 13, 2022) Dollar Store Workers Organizing for Justice, The American Prospect
- Poor working conditions, low pay, and risk to personal safety characterize life at the more than 35,000 dollar stores in the U.S.
CANADA
Star Editorial Board (July 24, 2022) Curbing ‘renovictions’, Toronto Star
- A City of Toronto report urges an end to an Ontario rule that allows landlords to raise rents by any amount between tenants.
Jennifer Ferreira (July 27, 2022)Tenants with large corporate landlords more likely to face poor living conditions, survey suggests, CTVNews
Andrew Lupton (Jul 25, 20) Tenants' groups frustrated after Ontario rules no violations at King Edward complex, CBC News
- MPP wants to track number of N5 notices landlords issue to get tenants to move
Also…
- The Hill Times: ACORN Canada protests Public Sector Pension Investment Board’s stakes in ‘exploitative financialized housing’
- NB Media Co-op: ‘Continue to fight’: Moncton tenants report back from national conference
- Ottawa Life: ACORN gives a voice to low-income Ottawa residents facing renoviction
INDIA
Ronak Chhabra (July 14, 2022) Delhi: Four Years on, Those Tasked to Survey Street Vendors Continue to Work Without Allowance, NewsClick India
- … members of multiple town vending committees (TVCs), that were notified in 2018, staged a protest outside the headquarters of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
UK
ENGLAND & WALES
Liam Geraghty (July 22, 2022) Estate agents caught saying they don’t rent homes to people on benefits, Big Issue News
- Councillors in Liverpool have passed a motion to tackle discrimination against renters who receive benefits after activists pretended to be landlords to uncover estate agents’ attitudes.
SCOTLAND – LIVING RENT
Frankie Allan (July 14, 2022) The Open: Landlords tried to push students out, BBC News Scotland
- Living Rent advises tenants to seek independent advice, for example via the Citizens Advice Bureau, Shelter Scotland, or student advice services.
Ruth Suter (June 30, 2022) "Angry and hopeless" Scots tenants forced out homes as rent rockets by hundreds Daily Record
- Tenants in Edinburgh and Glasgow have had to move homes due to the eyewatering rent hikes.
Nan Spowart (July 2, 2022) Tenants disappointed over Government inaction over rent freezes, The National
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AUGUST 2022
