ADP's Accomplishments
Winning Justice Locally, Statewide, and Nationally
ADP has won significant policy reforms to help realize our vision of a society that values all people and that provides opportunities for everyone to live with dignity.
- 2008: ADP Community Convention attended by 550 leaders. Secured commitments from U.S. Senator John Kerry and MA Lieutenant Gov. Timothy Murray in state and federal policy around immigration, health care, and wage and hour enforcement.
- 2008: ADP played key role and turned out 80 leaders to historic Realizing the Promise Forum with the Campaign for Community Values. ADP leader April Page shared stage with Valerie Jarrett and other key advisors to President-elect Obama in developing policy initiatives for new administration.
- 2008: ADP Worker Center / Casa Obrera Legal Clinic represented 72 people regarding wage and hour claims and emergency immigration proceedings. Secured $200,000 in workers compensation, lost wages as well as lifetime health care coverage for 3 workers.
- 2007: Secured $130,000 in restitution for construction workers from one of the largest developers of affordable housing in the Northeast. Workers were misclassified, paid incorrectly, and in violation of prevailing wage and wage and hour laws. Two workers injured on the job successfully won claims for workers compensation that had been previously denied.
- 2007 – Ongoing: ADP worked closely with U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy in winning expansion of State Children’s Health Insurance Program. ADP leader Dedra Lewis established as national spokesperson for CHIP campaign and efforts to expand health care for all.
- 2007: Secured commitment from Massachusetts Director of Labor to investigate prevailing wage and health and safety violations on affordable housing construction sites. Entered into negotiations with Governor’s office regarding expansion of Prevailing Wage law.
- 2006: Won a settlement between Labor Ready, one of the nation’s largest and most abusive temporary day labor agencies, and the Massachusetts Attorney General after an ADP initiated investigation. Agreement included $200,000 in restitution to thousands of workers who had illegal deductions taken from their paychecks and a set aside of $50,000 for outreach to day laborers.
- 2006 - ongoing: Founding member and current steering committee member of the National Campaign for Community Values. ADP played key role in developing Heartland Presidential Forum in Iowa, and turned out 25 leaders. ADP leader Dedra Lewis secured commitments from then Sen. Barack Obama on Health Care.
- 2006 – ongoing: ADP built a broad based coalition in support of immigration reform by linking our immigrant rights and worker rights campaigns. This influential coalition included union and building trades members, faith leaders, and multi-racial workers acting together in recognition of our shared fate. ADP collected 7,000 postcards from the rank and file and influenced Senator Kennedy’s position in crafting the “Grand Compromise”. Active member of FIRM.
- 2004 - 2005: ADP has played a lead role in the national efforts to Save Section 8. ADP secured a commitment from Governor Romney to oppose deep cuts and block a restructuring of the Section 8 affordable housing program by organizing the Western Mass. Coalition to Save Section 8, with over 60 member groups and 1,000 tenant voucher holders. The Governor’s influence in the national Republican Party allowed him to define critical choices made by the administration and other lawmakers.
- 2004: Played a central role in the passage of an Economic Stimulus Bill that created $6 million in resources for community-based job training in the State of Massachusetts. ADP’s ability to leverage its relationship with then Majority Leader State Senator Linda Melconian, who became a champion on this legislation, was critical to this success.
- 2004: Won changes to Massachusetts Labor Laws protecting day labor and temporary workers from paycheck rip-offs. ADP exposed loopholes, which allowed temporary agencies to pay workers less than minimum wage with the use of automatic deductions, fees, and other scams. Regulations were strengthened — temporary agencies are now prevented from paying workers less than minimum wage and both the agency and client company are held liable for violations.
- 2003: Secured a series of commitments from then-Attorney General Tom Reilly, including the investigation of Labor Ready, one of the nations largest and most abusive day labor employment agencies and an agreement to uphold a firewall between the AG office and the INS when investigating the abuses of undocumented workers.
- 2001: Won a national precedent setting agreement guaranteeing local control and accountability from the Regional Employment Board (REB) in job training and Workforce Investment Act implementation, including a mandated set aside of 50% of all WIA dollars for job training for low income job seekers. ADP success in this area included the shutting down of the for-profit one stop career center and the creation of a locally controlled non-profit center.
- 2000 – 2002: ADP was a leading organization in the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support. The Campaign's successes included: enacting a refundable child tax credit, restoring food stamp eligibility to many immigrant families, blocking punitive changes in federal and state welfare law, and publicizing abuses in local workforce development programs. ADP led the national effort to test agencies that had received TANF and Workforce Investment Act dollars for job training, many of which were failing to provide services while receiving large grants.
- 1999 – 2003: Secured four-year partnership with the University of Massachusetts to establish direct pipeline from ADP communities to the University in the wake of the elimination of Affirmative Action. Established ongoing mentoring and youth leadership program for over 200 ADP youth.
Building a Community Economy Valued at Over $50 Million
Over the past twelve years, ADP has secured over $150 million in investments in the local economy, and has created a nationally recognized local and sustainable community economy.
- 2008: ADP Community Economy employs total of 75 members in family living wage jobs.
- 2008: ADP established groundbreaking program to provide financial services for the un-banked. ADP Worker Center unveiled ADP Power Card, a prepaid debit card and loading center.
- 2007 – ongoing: Opened ADP Worker Center / Casa Obrera the region’s only worker-led, membership-based low wage and immigrant worker center affiliated with both the local and the National AFL-CIO. Over 150 dues paying members join in first 1 year of operation.
- Ongoing: ADP affiliates operate network of four volunteer-run food cooperatives housed and operated in affiliates. Network distributes 180,000 pounds of food annually to more than 1,000 people/ month.
- 1996 – 2005: Won $60.5 million in federal, state, and local funds to purchase, rehab and transform 1,400 units of at risk housing to tenant owned, permanently affordable cooperatives and the collective ownership of $45 million of real estate, the largest holding of tenant owned housing in the United States.
- 2003 — ongoing: ADP affiliate institutions cooperatively purchased 130 Union Street Cooperative, a 6,600 square foot formerly abandoned building to house the ADP and its ever-expanding base of operations, ADP Worker’s Center / Casa Obrera, and United for Hire. Hundreds of ADP leaders and volunteers completed all renovations with donated materials from area businesses, labor organizations and allies.
- 2001 — ongoing: Creation and ongoing operation of United for Hire, a worker-controlled cooperative business, providing on the job training and living wage jobs with profit sharing to formerly unemployed and low income members. Completed $500,000 in sales in 2008.
- 2001 - 2004: Won a multi-year agreement with the Regional Employment Board to provide 35 year round job slots for ADP Youth to work as organizers and engage in leadership development activities.
- Ongoing: Project Labor Agreement with the Building Trades resulting in 75 multi-racial ADP leaders working as union carpenters, laborers, electricians. ADP affiliates complete $50 million in construction.
- 1994 – 2003: Preserved 1,070 units of affordable housing by preventing owners from opting out of the HUD Preservation Program through tenant organizing and negotiation. In addition to preventing massive displacement, ADP secured $6,750,000 of repairs and renovations to the complexes.
Developing Grassroots Leadership, Civic Engagement, and Building Community
- 2008: ADP Voter Engagement Campaign successfully registered 300 new voters and identified, educated, and mobilized 5,000 voters to the polls.
- 2008 - Ongoing: Convened 3-day ADP Leadership Academy and graduated 55 new leaders and 12 advanced leaders. 28 ADP Worker Center / Casa Obrera members graduated from ESOL and Democracy School. ADP Worker Center leaders trained 400 community members in Know Your Rights Curriculum.
- 2008: ADP Youth Leader, Chris Alvarez appointed to Governors Statewide Youth Council.
- 2008 – Ongoing: ADP Worker Center / Casa Obrera established Good Neighbor Fund to provide funds for immigrant members in detention or emergency legal proceedings. Kick off event held at Amherst Regional High School attended by 350 community members and raised $5,000.
- 2008 — Ongoing: ADP Worker Center / Casa Obrera establishes annual Soccer Tournament attended by 300 area people.
- Ongoing: ADP Food Cooperatives serves 60,000 meals to over 500 children in summer months, and provide a holiday distribution of over 1,200 turkeys to ADP families. In addition, coop volunteers collect and distribute fresh produce, pastries, and breads donated by area businesses.
- Ongoing: ADP affiliates organize annual events to foster community building. Events include holiday parties with gifts for every child living in the tenant cooperatives; summer block parties and festivals with food, music, and entertainment. Events are attended by upwards of 1,000 people / year.
- Ongoing: ADP’s volunteer leader base operates computer centers in four affiliate neighborhoods. These centers are available to 750 families and are used by 150 people weekly. Youth tutoring and leadership development engaging over 100 youth weekly.
- Creation of a nationally recognized multi-racial and multi-ethnic community organization.
