0

Person of the Day: Common

Briana Robinson

Common, an actor and Grammy-winning hip-hop artist, returns to Mississippi to magnify the voices of Canton Nissan workers who say the want fair pay and better working conditions.

Along with fellow actor Danny Glover, Common has been to the Jackson area on several occasions to support the formation of a labor union at the Canton manufacturing facility of Nissan North America.

Today, Friday, March 21, Common is back in Mississippi with a concert to kick off what union officials are calling a multi-city Nissan Truth Tour, which they say will "highlight the intimidation and threats pro-union workers face from Nissan, and the unfair treatment of the large temporary workforce at the Canton Nissan plant."

Union officials argue that Nissan temporary workers do the same work as Nissan employees, but for less pay, fewer benefits and no job security.

Information from Labor South, a blog Ole Miss professor and Jackson Free Press contributor Joe Atkins runs, shows that African Americans, immigrants and low-wage workers are most likely to benefit from unions. Officials are unsure of precise totals, but the Nissan plant has a substantial African American workforce.

Common's performance aims to raise awareness of these issues. Mississippi Alliance for Fairness at Nissan (MAFFAN) members, Nissan student supporters from Mississippi Student Justice Alliance (MSJA), Concerned Students for a Better Nissan coalition (CSBN), are co-sponsoring the weekend's events.

Common performs at the Fight For Justice concert at Jackson State University's Rose E. McCoy Auditorium at 1400 Lynch St. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the concert begins at 8 p.m. Admission is free. However, those who want to attend must register online at eventrite.com, or present a printed ticket or e-ticket via a smartphone.

The concert will also feature local artists such as Slimm Pusha, Larry Johnson and the Beasty Tunes, as well as Jackson State poetry group Outspoken.

Comments

Meredith 10 years ago

COMMON AND DANNY GLOVER HELPING THEIR PEOPLE---

Common, an actor and Grammy-winning hip-hop artist, returns to Mississippi to magnify the voices of Canton Nissan workers who say the want fair pay and better working conditions.

Along with fellow actor Danny Glover, Common has been to the Jackson area on several occasions to support the formation of a labor union at the Canton manufacturing facility of Nissan North America.

0

Sign in to comment