紐英崙華人歷史協會籲美國重視亞裔貢獻

紐英崙華人歷史協會(CHSNE)十五日晚在薩福克(Suffolk)大學的現代劇院（Modern Theater)放映“金山鐵路（Iron Road）”，藉以誌記五月是美國亞裔傳統月。

該會副會長，麻州州立水橋大學（Bridgewater）歷史系教授杜榮佳指出，“金山鐵路”一片是加拿大政府和中國政府合資於2009年拍攝，描述加拿大鐵路公司招募中國工人建鐵路故事的電影。加拿大政府還在2006年為該國曾向華裔徵收人頭稅道歉。相形之下，美國在糾正整個國家歷史中的屈待亞裔上，做得實在不夠。

根據加拿大媒體在2006年十月的報導，加拿大在1923年排華法案生效前，曾於1885年至1923年間，共向大約82000名華人徵收過五十到五百元的人頭稅。加國總理Stephen Harper在2006 年六月時，正式向加拿大華人道歉，並象徵性的撥出二萬元加幣，發給約四百名當年繳交人頭稅者的倖存者或遺孀。

            紐英崙華人歷史協會當晚在放映“金山鐵路”一片前，放映了一段向全美華人歷史博物館借來的錄影片，讓出席者分享美國勞工部在五月九日這天，把華裔鐵路工人引進該局榮譽廳（Hall of Honor）的喜悅，指出145年之後，美國終於承認，第一條橫貫美國東西部鐵路的建造，華裔也有功勞。

            在該片段中，剛走馬上任美國勞工部副部長的盧沛寧就指出，當年他在學校上課，從來沒學到過有關這些鐵路華工的事跡。

            根據美國勞工部網站上的榮譽廳成員說明，橫貫大陸鐵路是美國歷史中最偉大的工程之一，在1865到1869年間，約有12000名華裔移民，參與建造了西部地段鐵路。

            華裔胡大為擔任導演，逾千萬元製作經費分別來自加拿大廣播公司，加拿大電視基金等，有彼得奧圖（Peter O’Toole)，薩姆尼爾（Sam Neill），孫儷，梁家輝，盧克馬可法萊恩（Luke Macfarlane）等演出的“金山鐵路（Iron Road）”，是一部以華裔鐵路工人歷史為背景，劇情純屬捏造的電影。當晚有部分出席者表示，來看電影之前的期望不高，看完之後覺得比想像中好。

該會當晚還邀了曾祖父曾參與建造美國橫貫大陸鐵路的伍競偉出席，略述其先輩參與建鐵路概況。

            紐英崙華人歷史協會行政主任甄翠嬿表示，該會放映此片，旨在提醒美國關注亞美歷史，也希望更多亞裔參加史密森博物館（Smithsonian）為誌記亞美傳統月所推出的“亞太裔美人生命中的一日（A Day in the Life of Asian Pacific America）“計劃。

            收件截止日期已延長到五月十九日的該計劃，徵集亞裔在五月十日這天所拍的個人生活照片，錄影片段。

            甄翠嬿指出，2014年五月十日這天，正好是長達1928哩的美國橫貫大陸鐵路（Transcontinental Railroad）竣工145週年。這鐵路儘管有逾萬名華工參與建造，當年拍歷史性竣工照時，鏡頭裏卻連一名華人也沒有。

            華裔攝影師李國揚獲悉“金穗儀式（Golden Spike ceremony）”這鐵路竣工儀式地點的國家公園管理人，每年都在五月十日這天，重演拍照那一幕，但每年都照例的華裔付諸厥如。今年他特地號召了逾二百名華人，趕到現場，參與拍照盛舉。

            甄翠嬿表示，今年十月廿三日至廿六日，波士頓亞美電影節舉行期間，將邀李國揚來分享當時情況。

圖片說明：

            紐英崙華人歷史協會行政主任甄翠嬿(右起)，副會長杜榮佳，在電影開場前，和伍競偉商量座談環節進行過程。旁為薩福克大學教職員劉寬玲，羅森伯格東亞研究所主任薛龍。（菊子攝）

            伍競偉（右）透露，他們在追溯家族歷史時，從船運記錄中獲悉，曾祖父曾參與建造美國橫貫東西鐵路。

            甫上任為美國勞工部副部長的盧沛寧，在把鐵路華工引進勞工部榮譽堂的儀式中致詞。（翻拍自現場播放影片）

波市兩議員擬起草法案 保護工人應得薪資

十五日傍晚時分，華人前進會組織廿多人走上街頭，和不下十個機構合作， 在AMC Lowe電影院門前遊行示威，抗議承包該電影院清潔工作的公司，US Klening 積欠工資。

            波士頓市議員吳弭，提多傑克遜（Tito Jackson）兩人，十五日都出席支持反騙薪遊行，並發言表示，正著手草擬議案，防範類似情況。

            華人前進會指出，US Klening 欠工資一事，早在兩年前就引發十多名西語裔工人走進雀喜投訴﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽心，每天都到該會報道ghton, Newton 合作（Chelsea Collaborative）工人中心投訴。去年夏天，有兩百人擠進AMC Lowe電影院大堂，要求該公司償還約六萬元欠薪。該承包商後來發了薪資給一部份工人，但並沒有還給所有人。他們這次再回到AMC Lowe電影院門口，是要提醒電影院及承包商，不可騙取工人薪資。

            華人前進會表示，許多工人是低收入戶，一旦遭遇欠薪，就面對沒錢開飯窘況，該會因此於1987年成立工人互助中心，幫助在語言溝通上有障礙，對美國社會制度不熟悉，申訴無門的工友們。

            該會每年都收到近百宗遭遇騙薪狀況的投訴案，其中絕大多數受害者在餐館打工，因老闆違反最低工資法，超時工資法，或用膳時間法等法令，以致應得的薪資被剝奪了。

最近的這個冬天，該會才和移民工人中心聯盟通過發傳單，組織行動方式，又幫三名餐館工人向僱主追討回一萬三千美元欠薪。

華人前進會指出，麻州法律規定的最低工資是每小時8元，一週工作超過40小時可獲得1.5倍超時工資（零售業工人在週日工作，有權獲得1.5倍工資，無論工作時數是多少），工人應至少每月獲發薪水兩次，並應在發薪日的六天內支付。不過，還是有僱主不願至少按照最低工資付薪，或付加班費。當工人遇到工傷、有緊急事要請假、或者和僱主爭論其行為非法，或遭受不公平對待時， 甚至有雇主把最後一個月的工資都扣下來。在華人社區，餐館業的普遍做法仍然是每月發薪一次，工資在1200元至2500元之間，還要求工人每週工作60小時。

華人前進會表示，該會的工人互助中心過去兩個月來，開過多次會議，和工人討論什麼情況下會薪資被騙，什麼樣的法令可以保護工人等。

大多數工人認為，要制止盜騙工資，穩定社區，就應嚴懲觸法僱主，並吊銷執照，張貼相關告示，應使用工人們看得懂的語言，由工人代表來執行法令，有效保護投訴遭詐騙工人等。

華人前進會表示，工人互助中心每週一下午一點召開工人權益講座，和工人討論相關問題。

圖片說明：

            波士頓市議員吳弭(前左二)，提多傑克遜（Tito Jackson）（前右二）出席支持反騙薪遊行。（圖由華人前進會提供）

            華人前進會組織民眾遊行反騙薪。（圖由華人前進會提供）

中華耆英會白禮頓樓慶雙親節祝賀五壽星

中華耆英會白禮頓樓昨（十六）日在天天自助餐廳辦生日會，慶祝雙親節，表揚三名義工。五名壽星，逾百耆英，人手一朵鮮花，個個笑顏逐開。

耆英會白禮頓樓每月都辦生日會，五月份適逢母親節，但又怕冷落父親，因此把慶祝會定位為雙親節，還周到的再送生日禮物給壽星之外，送給每人一朵鮮花。不少男性耆英，領得鮮花，大為開心，笑得比花還燦爛。

昨日的這場慶祝會，由趙令瑜、李正銀，一女一男的搭檔做司儀。出席的逾百名耆英，分別來自華森，溫徹斯特，貝爾蒙，布魯克蘭，摩頓，尚莫維爾，牛頓，劍橋等市鎮，從五，六十歲到八，九十歲的都有。

白禮頓樓主任梅麗梨笑說，在她們這兒，每個人都很年輕，只有阿姨，叔叔，沒有奶奶，公公。其中年逾九十的金素珍阿姨，儘管年紀大，卻比誰都熱心，每天都到白禮頓樓，逢人噓寒問暖，每個人都被她感染的朝氣蓬勃。

由於昨日是慶生兼慶雙親節的大日子，波士頓市政府老年事務委員會＂退休及長者義工項目（RSVP)＂主任Patricia McCormack，以及該項目(RSVP)助理Tyissha Jones –Horner都應邀出席，和中華耆英會行政主任梅伍銀寬，副主任張昆，白禮頓樓主任梅麗梨一起發生日禮物給金素珍，鄺瑞金、余碧霞、黃群勝、陳景榮等五名全都高齡七十以上的壽星，送上康乃馨給耆英，說些恭祝壽星福如東海常流水，壽比南山日日高，身體好，心情好，笑口常開，馬年好運到，祝母親節，父親節快樂等吉祥話。

慶祝會當然少不了表演。耆英會白禮頓樓昨日安排的節目包括趙令瑜和白禮頓樓歌唱組邊唱邊跳"我們都是一家人＂，再獻唱“耆英會好處多 ”，“媽媽好 ”，”You Are My Sunshine”等三首歌。羅予禮和白禮頓樓跳舞組表演“南泥灣”舞蹈，陳策獨唱“父親”，趙令瑜表演“太極氣功扇”羅宇禮，陳策合唱“母親”。

會中獲表揚的義工為趙令瑜、李惠芳、洪超琪。

圖片說明：

左起，中華耆英會行政主任梅伍銀寬，金素珍，白禮頓樓中心主任梅麗梨，鄺瑞金，RSVP主任Patricia McCormack，陳景榮，黃群勝，中華耆英會副行政主任張昆等人在會中合影。

頒發義工獎時合影，左起，中華耆英會副行政主任張昆，白禮頓樓中心主任梅麗梨，中華耆英會行政主任梅伍銀寬，李惠芳，趙令瑜女士，RSVP主任Patricia McCormack，RSVP助理Tyissha Jones –Horner。

波士頓市長青年會接受申請

Mayor Walsh Searches for Boston Teens to Join his 

Youth Council 

BOSTON—Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that his newly-redesigned Mayor’s Youth Council will be accepting applications for neighborhood representative positions.The Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC) has been tasked with creating and implementing sustainable initiatives to engage young people in local government.

“Young people in the City not only deserve to have their voices heard, but also be a part of the government process,” said Mayor Walsh. “I have seen the positive results that come from having youth present at the table when decisions are being made – not just in the decision process, but also in their strengthened involvement and sense of responsibility to our City and their neighborhoods.”

The Mayor’s Youth Council has undergone several changes under the Walsh Administration:

•   The size of the Council has more than doubled in size, and neighborhood representatives will better reflect the composition of youth in the City of Boston.

•   The number of youth representing neighborhoods will be based upon census data that indicates where young people live.

•   MYC representatives will have an opportunity to form issue-centric committees that will be designed based on youth input.

“I’m exposed to so many different environments, and meet so many different government officials who want my input, my opinions on different situations,” said Mabel Gonzalez, a current Mattapan representative on the MYC. “Not only do you meet tons of people on the MYC, but you make a plan for what your city’s future can look like. Forty five years from now I can say, ‘I helped build this. I helped make this,’ so that’s pretty cool.”

“I fell in love with public service through my experience on the Mayor’s Youth Council,” said Shari Davis, MYC alumna and Executive Director of Youth Engagement and Employment. “It was really an opportunity for me to make connections and eventually start my career in city government.”

To apply to be a neighborhood representative on the Mayor’s Youth Council, you must be a Boston resident and entering grades 9-12 (or of comparable age). All applicants will participate in a group interview and must submit letters of recommendation. To learn more and apply online, visit www.boston.gov/youthcouncil.

美國商會、紅襪隊 5/21 攜手辦“聘用我們的英雄”就業展

U.S. Chamber and Boston Red Sox to Host Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair for Veterans and Military Spouses at Fenway Park

Event with Lead Sponsors Call of Duty Endowment (CODE) and GE Includes 35 Employers with Jobs Available

BOSTON, MA—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Boston Red Sox, along with lead sponsor Call of Duty Endowment (CODE) and GE, will host the “Hiring Our Heroes – Boston,” a hiring fair for active duty military, veterans, members of the National Guard and reserve components, and military spouses. More than 35 employers are expected to participate with jobs available for veterans and military spouses of all ranks and levels of experience. Companies range from America's biggest employers to dozens of small companies from the region. Job seekers who pre-register for this hiring fair will be issued a game ticket from participating employers for that evening’s game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. To receive a ticket at the fair entrance, proof of service (e.g., military ID, DD Form 214) and photo ID are required. The event will also include a free GE employment workshop that features one-on-one mentoring sessions on resume building, resume writing, and interviewing techniques for all job-seekers. Since Hiring Our Heroes began in March 2011, more than 1,500 companies have hired 23,000 veterans and military spouses as a result of more than 700 hiring fairs. In March 2012, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Capital One launched Hiring 500,000 Heroes, a national campaign to engage the business community in committing to hire half a million veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. Thus far, more than 1,500 businesses of all sizes have pledged to hire 411,000 heroes toward this goal. To date, 255,000 hires have been confirmed toward this goal. WHAT: Hiring Our Heroes – Boston (in conjunction with the Boston Red Sox) WHEN: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT Workshop begins at 8:30 a.m. WHERE: Fenway Park 4 Yawkey Way Boston, MA 02215 RSVP: Interested job seekers should register for free at hiringourheroes.org. Walk-in job seekers are allowed (veterans must provide proof of service).

This hiring event is also being held in partnership with the Boston Red Sox, JobNet Career Boston, the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), the Massachusetts Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The American Legion, and other local partners. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy, and the global business environment. HiringOurHeroes.org            @hiringourheroes           FreeEnterprise.com

Mayor Walsh, Simmons College Announce Partnership and Further Success in the Work of the Boston Women’s Workforce Council

BOSTON—Today, Mayor Martin J. Walsh convened the first meeting of the Boston Women’s Workforce Council under his Administration.  During today’s meeting, Mayor Walsh announced a newly-created partnership with the School of Management at Simmons College and others. EMC, a major Fortune 500 company in the Boston area, is the newest company to participate in the Council’s work.

The partnership among the Walsh Administration, Simmons, and the Council marks a new chapter for the Council, which was originally formed in April 2013.  The Council’s mission is to work with the businesses in the Greater Boston area in a private-public endeavor to eliminate the gender wage gap, remove the visible and invisible barriers to women’s advancement, and ensure that 100% of the talent pool is used to make Boston the best area in the country for working women.

 “I am pleased to partner with Dean Minehan and Simmons College, which has a long and storied history of advancing women. I am deeply committed to closing the wage gap and to ensuring economic equality for women who work in the Boston area,” said Mayor Walsh. “Partnering with Simmons College, and working with the members of the Council and other interested organizations allows us to elevate and expand the Council’s scope and scale by ensuring we have the resources, contacts, and expertise needed to implement the Council’s goals.”

Cathy Minehan serves as the Dean of the School of Management at Simmons, and as the Chair of the Council. “I am thrilled with the prospect of continuing the work of the Council under Mayor Walsh’s Administration,” said Dean Minehan. “Our collaboration allows us to combine the best aspects of the public and private sectors, and provides us with a broad platform on which to discuss and solve the issues surrounding the wage gap in Boston, a reality that confounds both women workers and the businesses that employ them. Working directly with corporations under the Compact allows us to determine what wage-gap closing practices are realistic, effective, and cost-efficient.”

Christina M. Knowles will serve as the Executive Director of the Council.  Knowles most recently served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, and as the State Director and Lobbyist for the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Organization for Women. She has been named one of the Top 100 Influencers in the Commonwealth by the national publication Campaigns and Elections Politics Magazine.

The bulk of the Council’s work focuses on 100% Talent: The Boston Women’s Compact. The Compact is a voluntary agreement in which businesses pledge to take concrete, measurable steps to eliminate the wage gap and to report their progress anonymously every two years.  Over 60 businesses have signed on. In addition to the most recent addition of EMC, three other key Fortune 500 companies have signed the Compact: State Street, Raytheon, and Mass Mutual. By the end of the year, the Council expects to have 100 signatories. It is also expected that contributions from signatories will provide the bulk of the Council’s funding for the first three years of the initiative.

Over the next three years, the Council will hold an annual conference on best-practices in gender equity in the workplace and will publish two reports on evaluating the status of the wage gap in Boston. Simmons and the City of Boston will partner with at least one other organization who will handle the collection, analysis, and reporting of data. 

For more information on the Boston Women’s Workforce Council, visit: www.cityofboston.gov/women or contact Christina Knowles, Executive Director. E:christina.knowles2@simmons.edu. O: 617-521-3826. C: 508-527-6007.