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Atlanta Launches Union Education Program

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The city’s new labor rights education program has awarded a combined $40,000 to two social justice organizations — Georgia Stand-Up and Partnership for Southern Equity — to promote fair labor practices.

The program, announced Friday by Mayor Andre Dickens and the Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services, tasks the two organizations with providing education and awareness campaigns to workers and business owners.

The initiative “reflects the city’s commitment to creating a fair, safe and inclusive work environment for all,” Dickens said in a statement. “This initiative will help inform our community and ensure that all business owners and employees understand their rights and are empowered to exercise them.”

Running from this month through December, the program will include workshops, information sessions and the distribution of resources regarding fair labor practices, workplace safety and other work-related issues.

Georgia Stand-Up is a coalition of leaders dedicated to union justice and economic development. Founded in 2004, the group has partnered with labor organizations such as the Delta Airlines picket line and advocated with elected officials on the House Education and Workforce Committee, according to Georgia Stand-Up’s website.

Partnership for Southern Equity advocates for racial equity and prosperity in Atlanta and the South. Its website highlights previous work with the Atlanta City Council in 2016 to promote a referendum that encouraged MARTA and the Beltline to consider housing and jobs in their expansion.

Funding is split evenly between the two groups. Dickens’ administration officially created Atlanta’s first Department of Labor in July 2023.

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