Jewish Labor Committee's Fundraising Invite

The Jewish Labor Committee, which is headed by Stuart Appelbaum, is hosting their annual dinner as labor makes their big push for living wage legislation. Mr. Appelbaum is also the President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). Among the labor bigwigs attending Mr. Appelbaum's event is Richard Trumka, the national head of the AFL-CIO.

Further connecting the dinner to the living wage fight, the  Jewish Labor Committee has recently been campaigning for the bill, which would require taxpayer-subsidized projects to pay higher wages. "Having prominent Jews on board with living wage and understanding living wage as an important issue for progressive Jews to support is certainly helpful," one insider familiar with the event said. "Though let me stress that tonight is much bigger than living wage--Israel and other issues will be discussed."

The fundraiser will also be attended by several Rabbis and the heads of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

In addition to labor's push for the living wage legislation, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is also engaging the issue.  At the State of the City address tonight, he is expected to announce a renewed push for development of Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx where there would be preference for high-wage developers instead of a mandate. The RWDSU says they support this plan.

View the event's guests below: