[Ct-nfb] Example Press Release for Protest

[Justin Salisbury]

Fellow Federationists:

A friend of mine from the chapter in Columbia, Missouri, sent me the following press release for our protest in that local area.  I am providing it as an example if any of us wish to provide similar press releases to the local media (which I think is a very good idea, by the way ... hint, hint).

Justin Salisbury



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release Date:
Monday, August 20, 2012
Eugene Coulter
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, Columbia Chapter president
(573) 474-3226
escoulter at centurytel.net

Informational Protest of Goodwill
National Federation of the Blind protests the Unfair, Discriminatory, and Immoral practice of paying subminimum wages to workers with disabilities.

The National Federation of the Blind will be holding informational protests at Goodwill Stores across the country on Saturday August 25, 2012 from 11:00-1:00 local time. The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, Columbia chapter will hold an informational protest from 11:00-1:00 Saturday August 25, 2012 at Goodwill located at 1405 Grindstone Parkway
Columbia,MO 65201. Our purpose is to promote public awareness of the unfair, discriminatory, and immoral practice of paying subminimum wages to workers with disabilities. Some Goodwill-affiliated agencies pay their workers with disabilities at least the federal minimum wage, but 64 of the 165 Goodwill-affiliated agencies choose to degrade and limit the vocational potential of their workers with disabilities by paying them pennies per hour. Some workers are paid as low as 22 cents an hour.
Given the proper training and opportunities, disabled person’s can and do work in jobs that pay at least the federal minimum wage and more. Denying disabled workers the federal minimum wage is unfair, and paying the CEO of Goodwill Industries a six-figure salary while paying disabled workers pennies an hour is immoral and unconscionable! The National Federation of the Blind urges people not to donate or buy from Goodwill or thrift stores associated with Goodwill until Goodwill adopts a responsible corporate policy to pay its workers with disabilities at least the federal minimum wage.

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About the National Federation of the Blind 

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.
Locally the Columbia Chapter was formed in 1974 by a group of University of Missouri college students and over its 38 years has expanded to work as a group of blind and low vision persons from every part of the community dedicated to the principal of blind persons helping themselves.