Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

Teachers held a one hour strike at Santee Educational Complex in South-Central Los Angeles on Friday, March 27, 2009 in protest of budget cuts and a disproportionate number of pink slips received by faculty (55 at Santee alone!). Santee is a Mayor Villaraigosa Partnership School. Teachers called upon the Mayor to provide leadership and funds in the way Mayor Newsom has done recently for San Francisco schools. Full Report: Santee Teachers Strike March 27, 2009 [South-Central Los Angeles] by Jason Edwards | VIDEO

"Despite being in the middle of Hollywood and the entertainment industry war on workers, they find no voice on "Revolutionary Radio " KPFK." KPFK has devoted little time an attention to the AFTRA and SAG negotiations, or the fighting between these two unions, as well as conflicts between the WGA, Directors, and IATSE. Entertainment and media are of the most heavily unionized sectors of our economy. While these workers are often middle class, and the minimum rates are relatively good, the profits accumulated by the businesses at the heart of the global media machinery continue to grow. KPFK, itself, has seen its revenues grow with the escalation of war, and much of the funding comes from its Hollywood Hills neighbors. Why is KPFK silent?

In a major step for the U.S. labor movement, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has announced that it will shut down West Coast ports on May 1, to demand an immediate end to the war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Middle East. In a February 22 letter to AFL-CIO president John Sweeney, ILWU International president Robert McEllrath reported that at a recent coast-wide union meeting, “One of the resolutions adopted by caucus delegates called on longshore workers to stop work during the day shift on May 1, 2008 to express their opposition to the war in Iraq.”

From the newswire: ILWU to Shut Down West Coast Ports May 1 Demanding End to War in Iraq, Afghanistan by Internationalist Group

After 2 years of unmerited international trusteeship, local control was re-established. The slate of anti-trusteeship roofers swept all nine executive board seats including all four officers. Author jubilee shine was elected recording secretary. The trusteeship was imposed in a power move within one week after our locally unpopular previous business manager transitioned to an international representative position. He was unable to secure his following as we defeated the candidates he endorsed across the board.

• Rank and File Roofers Sweek Local 36 Elections