fix articles 681, workers Los Angeles Indymedia : tag : workers

workers

Immigrants Are Not Hurting US-Born Workers (tags)

immigration is contributing to strong economic growth—with future immigration forecast to boost real gross domestic product by 2% over the next 10 years—as well as increasing government revenue. Immigrants are also complementing U.S.-born workers by contributing to overall population and workforce growth.

Seule l'anarchie y fait exception (tags)

La séparation de toutes les solitudes...

China's further development has priority (tags)

The focus of Chinese policy remains the economic and social development of the country... Despite the enormous successes in economic and social development, there is still a long way to go before China catches up and can also keep up with the rich industrialized countries

The end of the "Golden Age" of cqapitalism and the rise of neoliberalism (tags)

The rise of the neoliberal world economic system marked by the dominance of financial markets – whose financial superstructure collapses over us – resulted from the radical economic crises of the early 1970s that seized nearly all western industrial countries.

Car Plants Are Making Medical Equipment - And Things Should Stay That Way (tags)

The time has come for progressive nationalization and socialization. This includes the financial sector, because only if we gain control over the financing of socially necessary areas of production will it be possible to ensure that we as a society can plan our future.

Lockdown light - Corona crisis and capitalism (tags)

The pandemic and countermeasures have effects shaped by the neoliberal form of capitalism[ that has dominated since the 1980s. 1.the independence of the financial sphere ,2.the fragmentation of the labor markets, and 3.the weakening of social systems.

Oregon: the toughest heat protection law in the US (tags)

Heat waves are becoming more frequent and longer. Farm workers, people on construction sites, and even firefighters have been largely dependent on the goodwill of their employers during a heat wave. How long Oregon's heat protection law will remain in effect is unknown.

From Reagan to Trump (tags)

The 1960s, when incomes rose for almost all workers, ended with a massive wave of strikes. Since the 1980s, the incomes of most Americans have fallen, working hours have risen massively, and job security has become a foreign word. But strikes have been extremely rare.

May Day 2022 (tags)

“An injury to one is the concern of all.” The events of 1886 – powerful displays of solidarity and mass strikes for an eight-hour work day followed by absolute abuses of state power in executing innocent labor organizers – continue to inspire workers to demand fair, just workplaces & laws.

Bidenomics, One Year Later (tags)

The Center for American Progress takes a different approach, examining the successes of President Biden’s bold economic policies and calling for the continuation and expansion of those policies in the years ahead by making permanent expansions to the safety net.

Destrosying what is destroying the planet? (tags)

The decisions of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow are a disaster. They seal the course for a drastic and irreversible heating of the earth, which threatens the survival of hundreds of millions of people and countless animal and plant species.

Keeping Business Alive: The Government Will Pay (tags)

A buyer-of-last-resort program would alleviate the hardship of workers and businesses. It would maintain the cash flow for families and businesses, so that the coronavirus shock has no secondary impacts on demand — Business activity is on hold today, but with an intravenous cash flow, it can be kept alive

Is China in danger of collapse? and Anti-economics and anti-politics (tags)

In the process of modernization, the relationship between market and state can be boiled down to the formula of a general law: the more market, the more state... The bloated market and the bloated state can only live or die together.

The Virtues of a 28-hour Week: Work less, pollute less (tags)

The number of workers is growing faster than the amount of work available. We live in a society where work is poorly distributed. Three days off for every four days worked could be liberating. The goal would be increased well-being, gaining time and losing a kind of consumption not really synonymous with pleasure.

Digitization and poverty (tags)

Technology is replacing human labor. .. A widely acclaimed study by Carl Frey and Michael Osborne estimates that 47 percent of U.S. jobs in manufacturing, retail, or service industries such as medicine, banking, or architecture are at risk.

How is Corona changing the world of work? (tags)

Exceptional situations do not necessarily have to be handled in an authoritarian manner; efficiency does not have to be generated in command structures. Independent action by employees becomes productive in democratic structures - perhaps the Corona crisis has also triggered processes that go in this direction.

Time to end the panic mode (tags)

Tyrannies reverse the rule of law. They turn law into an instrument of injustice. They cloak their crimes in false legality. They use the outward decorum of courts and trials to disguise their criminality.

Top Economist: As Pandemic Recedes, a Chance to Rethink Unemployment (tags)

The Chamber of Commerce, for example, has pushed the U.S. to stop expanded unemployment insurance benefits so that people will be forced to return to low-wage jobs. Some Republican-dominated states have jumped on board with this idea.

Amazon's Meteoric Rise in World Capitalism (tags)

Amazon's meteoric rise is, in our view, a key moment in global capitalism. The company's rise to power reflects the increasing influence of neoliberal politics and corporate power in general. It represents a major shift in the global political economy, what we call Amazon capitalism.

Unemployment myth and "Migrantization" of precarity (tags)

Involuntary unemployment is afflicted with many prejudices, which impute a supposed lack of motivation and utility to those affected. Although these prejudices are easy to refute, politicians and representatives of the media cling to the neoliberal notion of individual guilt in unemployment. Unemployment has structural causes.

Corona and state. The winner is the one who defeats the pandemic (tags)

Societies in Europe have accumulated enormous wealth, but a few wealthy people have appropriated it. With this wealth, the comprehensive work break and all solidarity measures can be financed without any problems. That is why we demand the introduction of a Europe-wide Covid solidarity levy on high wealth.

Struggles in the Shadow of the Pandemic (tags)

For Trump, wealth, privilege, and power was even license to invent reality as he saw fit. Thus any divergence from his worldview and interests were ‘fake news’. Trump ensured the plutocratic wealthy were no longer in the political shadows but now in the mainstream.

Fighting the "Immigrant Threat" (tags)

The current rise in precarious work is better understood in the context of neoliberal reform, processes of deregulation, deindustrialization, and deunionization, as well as the growing inequality that has resulted.

It is up to workers to defang the fascists (tags)

How to stop the fascist upsurge.

Vaccination Update for Our Community (tags)

Residents of our community who are 65 years old and older can now register for COVID-19 vaccination appointments. The opening of appointment registration for a new tier today comes as the County opens five large capacity vaccination sites.

Easing into a New Normality of the Crisis (tags)

With the intertwining of the Corona and economic crises, massive distribution struggles are already looming. Society, in a collective effort to prevent illness, has downsized its economic activity. This collective decision must not serve to enrich a few. The radical taxation of the great fortunes is indispensable.

Farm Animals And Covid-19 (tags)

We know that animals are murdered for human appetite, tortured in laboratory research. As pets or watchdogs kept outside they freeze in winter and bake in summer. There is a new area involving them

Farm Animals Can Catch Covid-19, The Vaccine Court, RFK V Fauci (tags)

Farm animals, hunted animals, and horses sometimes sent to European slaughterhouses can contract Covid-19. The abuse of the Vaccine Court RFK Jr exposes Anthony Fauci's corruption

The New Deal and Self-destructive Donald Trump (tags)

From 1929 to 1932 industrial production halved and in a chain reaction over 5000 banks went bankrupt. Farmers' incomes shrank by 70 percent, unemployment rose to 25 percent, and there were no welfare state measures to cushion the misery.

Underreported Cause Of Covid-19 Deaths In US And Elsewhere (tags)

The filthiest places in any country are the slaughterhouses. Animals are defecating and urinating in terror. Their blood spills everywhere. Slaughterhouses throughout the US as well as in England, Wales, Portugal, France, Germany, The Netherlands etc have been hotspots for Covid-19 transmission.

America's Dual Recession (tags)

There is every reason to expect that many of the lost jobs – perhaps as many as 40% – will never come back. In the short to medium term, the tragic paradox is that employment opportunities are both too few and pay too little.

July 2020 Honduras Coup Update (tags)

This July 2020 in Honduras we saw many killings and disappearances against activists and we saw many COVID-19 deaths including of a political prisoner, an organiser, health care workers and jorunalists. Living under a dictatorship regime where global and national capital, together with regime leaders, continue to profit through laundering and exploiting the people and the land – when you put a pandemic into that equation it’s a disaster, as we can see in Honduras. Government offers no protection for its poor majority, the money officially designated for healthcare doesn’t translate into actual healthcare, and there is no welfare to enable people to stay home, but the military is controlling the streets and spreading the illness. Communities and organisations continue to campaign for the ‘Where is the money?’ campaign, with voices reverberating from zoom conferences, to managing to stage large letters across highways, printing the question on roads for drivers to see, and on walls for passers-by – people must have found holes in the militarisation. They paint their pained words about losing increasing numbers of fellow Hondurans to death from COVID-19, lives lost due to government’s greed and lies. This July 2020 we saw many attacks against people and organisers, and we continue to see that on the other hand, big businesses that don’t even have environmental permits are free to move around, operate, and act in ways that are harmful to people and environment. And similar to discourse familiar to all of us worldwide about balancing the economy over staying home, this regime, like others, is broadcasting that the nation only has a chance of surviving the pandemic, if ‘development (mega) projects’ of mining, logging, energy etc go ahead and if people also put up with low wages (not to mention threats, killings, and arrests to impose opposed projects) so that large profits can be made from them. International development finance organisations also continue to ignore the violence meted out by capital and by the regime and fuel this fire, passing loans to the regime and ignoring cries from communities who dream of a different kind of ‘development’. https://sydneywithhonduras.wordpress.com/2020/08/30/july-2020-honduras-coup-and-pandemic-update/

June 2020 Honduras Coup and Pandemic Update (tags)

https://sydneywithhonduras.wordpress.com/2020/07/17/june-2020-honduras-coup-and-pandemic-update/ In June 2020, police assassinated a man at a police checkpoint, police brutally bashed transport workers in protest, a newspaper director goes public about knowing of plans to kill him that come from the state, COVID-19 outbreak in prisons have worsened and impacts on political prisoners, only one of whom had been released during June while over 1600 other prisoners were released for COVID-19 reasons. A number more of health care workers had died of COVID-19 in Honduras and cases shot up during this month to upwards of 20,000 confirmed cases.

The war metaphor in the Corona crisis (tags)

Instead of a positive elimination of conditions, a social regression could also occur: intensified competition in the fight for market share, "exclusive solidarity" (Klaus Dörre) in the fight for jobs and welfare benefits. Will governments master the crisis?

May Day, May Day. The LA Right Cry For An Opened Southland (tags)

May Day Covid Anti-lockdown Protesters call for an Opened California at LA City Hall

May Day, May Day. The LA Right Cry For An Opened Southland (tags)

May Day Covid Anti-lockdown Protesters call for an Opened California at LA City Hall

May Day, May Day. The LA Right Cry For An Opened Southland (tags)

May Day Covid Anti-lockdown Protesters call for an Opened California at LA City Hall

May Day, May Day. The LA Right Cry For An Opened Southland (tags)

May Day Covid Anti-lockdown Protesters call for an Opened California at LA City Hall

May Day Strikes! (tags)

Wildcat strikes by essential workers coalesce on May Day

Hashtag#General Strike (tags)

How do you prepare for the time when the affluent society crumbles? French intellectuals have even declared a new science - "collapsology." Solidarity is the humane and enlightened answer, not the assault rifle. Rep. Omar proposes a rent and mortgage moratorium.

Dying to work at amazon (tags)

The human cost of obscene profits

The Hypnosis of Patriotism (tags)

Patriotism is an unnatural,unreasonable, harmful feeling for our times, which causes much of the evil from which mankind suffers.

Last Summer's 'Mysterious' Nuclear Explosion (tags)

A 'mysterious' nuclear explosion in Russia last August still begs out attention.

On the Refugee Debate (tags)

The rulers want to divert from the real causes of the refugee wave and from their own misdeeds because the cause of the misery is an exploitation crisis of capital and the greed of mammoth world corporations. Only the prospect for a future in their country can stop refugees.

Driven to Consumption and Money out of Nothng (tags)

Growth originally created a material prosperity about which earlier generations could only dream. However, more economic growth does not lead to people becoming happier. We are prisoners of a system that forces us to permanent growth. Banks create credits.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon, The Washington Post, Whole Foods, Etc (tags)

Washington Post reporters are to be commended for their tremendous investigative work in uncovering details of Donald Trump regime crimes. Their work is a separate issue from the record of Jeff Bezos

Pantarchy: Voluntary State and a New Catholic Church: Stephen Pearl Andrews (tags)

The Libertarian Socialism of Individualist Anarchist Stephen Pearl Andrews.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon, The Washington Post, Whole Foods, Etc (tags)

Jeff Bezos is the world's richest person having a wealth of 150 billion dollars. Jeff Bezos abuses his Amazon workers in Europe and the US, is one of the world's major deforesters from Amazon cardboard and nonrecycled book paper to Washington Post newsprint, has profiteered from animal murder as a cattle rancher and owner of Whole Foods.

Summer 2018 National Immigrant Solidarity Network News Alert! (tags)

Trump's Animals ICE And Prisoner Sexual Abuse Racists Are On The Loose!

Hormel Slaughterhouse Blood Mist Paralyzing Workers (tags)

The USDA founded in 1906 in response to Upton Sinclair's description of the agony of pigs at a Hormel plant in MN. is In 2011 once again in the news, because its workers are being paralyzed by inhaling blood mist

Get The Internationalist No. 51! (tags)

Get The Internationalist No. 51! A journal of revolutionary Marxism. Send US (includes postage) to Mundial Publications, Box 3321 Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008 USA. Subscriptions .

Tech workers organize (tags)

Tech workers organize

March 2018 Honduras Coup Again Update (tags)

March 2018 in Honduras... Chiquita banana workers have been on strike for more than two months - their barricades were this month evicted with gunshots and teargas bombs wounding workers and children. Another protest of youths in Choluteca were similiarly met with police gunshots - kids were wounded and arrested. This and other news with further details in this update https://sydneywithhonduras.wordpress.com/

Sharing, not Killing (tags)

Refused sharing and rediscovery of sharing are signs of this time. "This economy kills." So Pope Francis judges socio-economic conditions. Taxing the rich is vital. With additional revenue, workers would not feel threatened by immigrants

Capitalism Criticism 2.0 (tags)

"Capitalism contains crisis as rain clouds contain rain" (Jean Juares, 19th century socialist). Profits increase in the neoliberal model, not investment (Nicolas Krowall). The competitive pressure drives businessmen to reduce investments in labor and wages.

12/2-3 LA Binational Conference To Cancel NAFTA and Unite Workers Of Mexico and the US (tags)

A binational conference of US and Mexican workers will be held on Dec 2&3 on the fight to cancel NAFTA and for unity between US and Mexican workers

Benjamin Tucker: American Mutualist Part 2: Freedoms in the Individualist Society (tags)

Tucker's individualist society is based solely on contract so the associations or 'governments' in the individualist society could be any way people choose. The society would be organized in any way people wished and those who did not wish to take part would not have too. For example the society could be extremely democratic or extremely hierarchical, extremely religious or extremely atheist, or anything in between ect ect.. and those who disagreed would not have to live by the society rules as long as they do not forcefully impose their views on others. The only rule is everyone is to 'mind their own business'.

Benjamin Tucker: American Mutualist Part 1 (tags)

In an Individualist Mutualist market economy of Josiah Warren, Benjamin Tucker, or Stephen Pearl Andrews employers can indeed pay themselves more money than their employees for equal time worked however even though they can pay themselves more money than their employees for equal time worked they are still Mutualists and not Capitalists. Why is this?

Dont eat Beef??Allergic to Eggs??Read This for a Link to Poultry Workers (tags)

From Texas to Delaware there is a belt of poultry plants that pay less than beef workers and have carpal tunel syndrome after days of cutting.Although there is a significant presence of female Hispanics in over 40% of the plant Black female are over 60% of the worforce.

Class War on the Waterfront: Longshore Workers Under Attack (tags)

ILWU Local 10 retired longshoreman Jack Heyman talks about technology and the danger of a proposed 8 year contract.

PBS POV "The Uprising of 1934" Textile workers in the SE challenge unjust order (tags)

PBS POV has come out with a while ago ago the 1934 textile strike in 5 SE states with many mills and hundreds of thousands of whait workers who were not protected by New Deal legislation during a hard Great Depression. According to Clooney thosands were blacklisted a 7 murdered

Get The Internationalist No. 48! (tags)

Get The Internationalist No. 48! Send US$1 to Mundial Publications, Box 3321 Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008 USA. Subscriptions $10.

April 2017 Honduras coup update (tags)

This April 2017 in Honduras, repression goes on, with melon industry worker/unionists threatened and interrogated by armed people on city highways, with organised farmers with years of living on land growing food getting arrested, with cops arresting high school students for participating in a protests where others had damaged cops' repressive tanks with stones, with stones and other things that can cause bodily harm being thrown at prochoice feminist demonstrators, with a public hospital doctor being suspended and threatened for saying the fees increase against patients is wrong .. these and a bit more here: https://sydneywithhonduras.wordpress.com/ https://sydneywithhonduras.wordpress.com/

Get The Internationalist No. 47! (tags)

Get The Internationalist No. 47! Send US$0.50 to Mundial Publications, Box 3321 Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008 USA. Subscriptions $10.

Rethinking Working Hours (tags)

Working hours was and is a contested terrain. Power questions are involved: Who decides over time? Who determines when and how long someone works? Who decides over part time or full time, how work and private life are arranged or whether the dream of world travel becomes reality?

February 2017 Honduras coup update (tags)

https://sydneywithhonduras.wordpress.com/ In February 2017, another indigenous Tolupán activist was murdered, attacks against Copinh and supporters in the calls for justice continue, uni students were attacked again by uni administration, and for asking questions about it a week later, a journalist was attacked. Meanwhile, workers are feeling the squeeze with more dismissed public service workers than ever before, and mining workers fighting for bearable work conditions and pay

US-Mexico Border Worker Solidarity March/Action Against NAFTA & For Driscolls Agricultur (tags)

Mexican and US workers and activists joined on both sides of the border to oppose the wall, racist attacks and NAFTA. They also called for unity of US and Mexican workers against the multi-nationals that exploit workers on both sides of the border

107 More Groups Oppose Neil Gorsuch (tags)

107 women's, labor, civil rights, abolition of death penalty, gay and other groups join the mass movement opposing Neil Gorsuch

January 2017 Honduras coup update (tags)

The January update is up. First up is a call out from Copinh for actions in March, one year on from Bertha's murder, but also, her birth month, and Copinh's birth month. And there's been a report coming out from Global Witness on Honduras, the state reacted furiously to this. And in lawmaking, Honduran state wants to make it law that cops and soldiers kill people in Honduras - it happens but they want to make it law. And, a gunfiring violent eviction against another farmers occupation. Another journalist killed. Melon workers fight for their rights. 17 year old killed by soldier. Read more on the blog.

IG Leaflet: LET THEM IN! (tags)

No Ban, No Wall – Full Citizenship Rights for All! Smash Racist Ban on Muslims, Refugees

University of California Riverside Students Walkout (tags)

UCR Students walkout on January 20th

Teamsters Local 2010 Initiates Mass Walkout and Strikes at University of California (tags)

Teamsters Local 2010 Initiates Mass Walkout and Strikes at University of California

LA Solidarity Protest Rally For Japanese American Apparel Workers Who Face Loss (tags)

American Apparel Workers Union Japan

Standing Rock Solidarity Action (tags)

Community groups picket Safariland- a manufacturer of police weapons in Ontario, CA.

To Defeat Trump … And the Democrats, Fight for Workers Revolution (tags)

After all the media hype, suddenly it turned out that Republican Donald Trump was elected. The racist, sexist, immigrant-bashing, woman-molesting Trump would be the next CEO of the United States and commander-in-chief of U.S. imperialism. In deep shock and disbelief, tens of millions asked, how could this happen? In Muslim, Latino, African American and immigrant families there was raw fear. Soon mass protests began, with many chanting “Not My President” (as if Democrat Clinton, a certified warmonger, would have been?). At the same time, racist incidents multiplied. It is urgently necessary to fight back, but the question is how? The answer depends on understanding what happened, and why. Trump certainly mobilized the hard-core racist vote, and better-off middle class voters. But what put him over the top was the vote of residents of dying small towns and white workers in the Rust Belt, who have seen their jobs destroyed and cities devastated. The fact is that with their economic policies, the Democrats pushed millions of workers into the arms of Trump. What is urgently needed is to break from the Democrats, Republicans and all capitalist parties and build a class-struggle workers party. Such a party would fight for a program of mass workers action against the deportations, for workers defense guards against racist attacks, and to oppose the imperialist war drive in a struggle leading to workers revolution.

Workers Strike (tags)

Over the past week unions wrapped up short strikes at whiskey maker Jim Beam in Kentucky and Libbey Glass in Toledo, Ohio. The walkouts involved some 250 workers at distilleries in Clermont and Boston, Kentucky, and close to 1,000 workers at table glassmaker Libbey in Toledo.

September 2016 Honduras coup update (tags)

September in Honduras. A barber was assassinated after an angry comment to the president on his own facebook. Farmers setting up occupation were violently evicted. Indigenous leaders forced to go into hiding. Lack of justice continues on the Berta Caceres case, this month with an arbitrary arrest against Copinh, her file was stolen by someone robbing the judge's car, and the finance organisation FMO wrote one of the gross reports that doesn't try much to really look like it cares about human rights. This and other news, read on..

Bloody Duterte (tags)

Basta Ya, Brussels! British Voters Reject EU Corporte Slavestate (tags)

“The EU is an instrument of the ruling classes of Europe for the imposition of brutal austerity measures—most directly on the workers of Greece, of Spain, Portugal and Ireland, but also on workers in the UK, France and Germany….Prime minister, Cameron, has even proclaimed an “Age of Austerity” as his government imposes cuts of £210 billion, (€263 billion), equivalent to over 10 percent of Britain’s GDP, at the cost of the destruction of 20 percent of all public sector jobs, millions more in the private sector and the decimation of vital services.

2016 AT&T Shareholders engaged by Communications Workers of America D9 Activists (tags)

The April 29, 2016 AT&T Shareholders meeting was attended by labor activists/shareholders of the Communications Workers of America District 9 of California. Despite efforts to silence the voices of labor and progressive shareholders, activists managed to engage top executives, including CEO and Chair Randall Stephenson. There was also discussion and considerable controversy over the ratification of Ernst & Young LLP as "independent" auditors and shareholder proposals for transparency in political donations and lobbying.

Fukushima + 5: The Disaster Continues (tags)

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear industry, in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those who are working to create a nuclear free future. Here is this month's issue.

(A-Radio) Berlin: Anarchosyndicalist struggle in vegan pizzeria (tags)

As Anarchist Radio Berlin we had the opportunity of talking to a member of the anarchosyndicalist union FAU in Berlin. Until very recently he was involved in a worker's struggle concerning the dismissal of two workers from a vegan Pizzeria and tells us about the background of the struggle, the methods they used and the succesful end of the campaign. Further topics are the situation of migrant workers in Berlin and the issue of self-organizing of those workers.

Peace and coexistence Intifada in Israel (tags)

Israeli and Arab teens party for coexistence in ISrael

January 2016 Honduras Coup update (tags)

This month in Honduras, 6 and a half years into the coup, attacks including fatal attacks continue against indigenous persons defending territory, workers from different walks of life, journalists, and even politicians. And from the general news section there are worrying warnings of increases of mass deportations from US, about Zika virus having been introduced as another US intervention as a form of biological warfare, and some updates on corruption and who is getting away with it and who might appear not to be..

Landmark UAW International Ruling Rejects Local BDS Resolution (tags)

BDS resolution defeated by bUAW international Union

Philippines: Climate Focus - Time to act is now on energy transformation (tags)

What could possibly be so urgent and life-threatening to drive leaders of people from a small and barely reachable island off the coast of Mindoro to leave their homes and travel 285 kilometers by land and sea over the period of five days just to reach Metro Manila? On November 27, a day before the biggest climate justice march in the country, they have reach the Presidential Palace.

Tyson Foods, 2nd Largest Slaughter Operation Worldwide, Charged With Animal Cruelty (tags)

Tyson's Kills Millions Of Cows And Pigs And 22.1 Billion Chickens A Year. Workers have many injuries, some deaths. Over 45 billion chickens and turkeys in the US died of avian flu. Tyson's is the 2nd largest slaughter operation in the world and supplies McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, KFC, WalMart, IGA etc. and prisons

After the Attacks in Paris (tags)

“We are at war!”: such is the leitmotiv of government officials and politicians from the various French parties, after the deadly attacks in Paris and Saint-Denis.

October 2015 Honduras Coup Update (tags)

News from Honduras under continued military coup rule and supposed combat against corruption

Reviews: Submission as Freedom. Life in Neoliberalism (tags)

The challenge of neoliberalism took an offensive form in the global North with the victories of Reagan and Thatcher. No coup and no dictatorship were needed to gain mass support for carrying out the political ideological hegemony Stagnation, unemployment and futurelessness

Philippines: Unions decry deceptive, vague ‘labor agenda’ of APEC (tags)

ORGANIZED workers sneered at the so-called labor agenda in the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila next month by describing it as deceptive and vague, which merely reaffirms APEC’s ideology based on the primacy of corporate power and profits over labor and trade union rights.

Turkey: Class War against Capitalism! (tags)

On Saturday, October 10th, a terrible bombing attack struck the event organized by the “pro-Kurdish” HDP opposition party as a part of the election campaign

The Coded World: Loss of Democracy and Abandonment of Knowledge (tags)

Neoliberalism is the enemy of knowledge. Specialized knowledge and the experience of skilled workers are sought less and less in a world ruled by simple numbers and algorithms. Through economization, powerful private enterprises manipulate or withhold information.

Low-Wage America (tags)

social injustice

Living and Working Differently and Self-Optimization (tags)

How did neoliberal policy gain a mass influence? To neoliberalism, we must soon oppose a great alternative narrative of freedom, democracy and solidarity before the social dislocations neutralize the positive resources amid a collapsing world climate.

Reduced Working Hours as a Socio-Economic Investment (tags)

In these Austrian articles, reduced working hours is seen as a socio-economic investment, not as a cost-trap. In a 1909 study by Sidney Chapman, shorter working hours leads to higher productivity and greater output. More time sovereignty and better health of workers would be long-term gains

Saudis Brutalize Migrants (tags)

Saudis

MANILA – ‘Morong 43’ arrest, detention illegal — CHR (tags)

Five years since the arrest, detention and release of the 43 health workers dubbed as the “Morong 43,” the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has finally issued a resolution stating that state forces violated the rights of the health workers.

Philippine President Aquino no longer deserves any support from workers and trade unions (tags)

THE workers and the trade unions throughout the world mark today the International Labor Day – 125th anniversary globally and 112th celebration here in the Philippines. This historic and revered day has been an enduring and stirring symbol for the working class despite serious setbacks caused by multipronged and systematic neoliberal attacks against the workers, the masses and their organizations, which have seriously threatened to dilute if not totally wipe out the hard-fought sociopolitical gains achieved by the labor movement in the past hundred years or so.

Socialist Animalism (tags)

Free collection of articles.

PHILIPPINES: Rescind the LRT-MRT Fare Hikes (tags)

Metro-Manila: The roughly 100 percent fare increases imposed on users of the Light Rail Transit 1 and 2 and Metro Rail Transit 3 is a great disservice to the riding public.

The Internationalist No. 38 is out! (tags)

Get the journal of revolutionary Marxism -- contact an Internationalist supporter or send US$0.50 to Mundial Publications, Box 3321 Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008 USA. Five issue/one year subscription $10.

Connecticut Governor Race: Dan Malloy Rather Than Foley: Factory Closing Union Buster (tags)

In the Connecticut governor race, voters are being informed of the unionbusting, factory closing profiteering of the Republican candidate Tom Foley, who was a fundraiser and state election coordinator for George Bush.

The Uber-fication of the Democratic Party (tags)

For decades, the Democrats have been the workingperson's party, but no longer. Many important muck-e-mucks have abandoned the beleaguered worker.

Asian Socialism Conference in the Philippines (tags)

The Asian Socialism Conference will be held in Manila from November 28 to 29, 2014. The conference will be capped by the participation of guests and delegates to the November 30 rally in Manila to commemorate Bonifacio Day, a national hero who led the armed struggle in the revolution against Spain.

The BRICS: Challengers to the Global Status Quo (tags)

Can the BRICS wrest control of the global economy from the United States and Europe, or will their internal contradictions tear them apart?

In LA, San Diego, Sacramento and 147 Other Cities, McD And Other Fast Food Workers Picket (tags)

Dozens were arrested around the country as workers in 150 cities picketed fast food chains

Organized Labor in America Today (tags)

labor

Despite growth in the Philippines, labor underscores systemic failure in rising inequality (tags)

Exclusive growth for exclusive group of wealthiest businessmen.

Is AFT Pres Weingarten On The Take? (tags)

Is AFT President Randi Weingarten and other officials of the AFT/CFT and NEA/CTA taking millions of dollars from "non-profits" funded by union busters and privatizers such as the Gates Foundation, Broad Foundation and others is the question that attorney and education advocate Kathy Carroll answers

Circus Elephants Used for Children’s Rides Go Out of Control (tags)

Animal Defenders International (ADI) has released film of elephants used for children’s rides fighting as workers try to control them with bullhooks, metal bars and stun guns.

A Tribute to Filipino Labor Leader Romy Castillo (tags)

Who was labor leader Romy Castillo to this young activist?

Don't work for IBM, Infosys, or Manpower (tags)

Don't work for IBM, Infosys, or Manpower. They discriminate against American workers in favor of guest workers.

Democracy and socialism (tags)

Democracy is the most popular word in the vocabulary of politics but also the most brazenly abused.

Fight for $15 in LA (tags)

Fight for 15 in LA has been hitting stores along Crenshaw

MayDay4All Coalition May Day March 2014 (tags)

Photos from the May Day march that started in Chinatown.

Time to act with urgency and determination to improve the lives of Filipino workers (tags)

Philippines: As the country observes the International Labor Day, Akbayan Party would like to draw attention to the inability of the current economic growth to translate into an improvement in the lives of ordinary workers from both the urban centers and the countryside. While the Aquino administration takes pride on the 7.2 % growth rate for 2013, it cannot mask the fact that this growth has been insufficient to curb massive unemployment and poverty.

Philippines: Inclusive growth under Aquino no longer possible (tags)

WITH only two years left in his term as he now enters his fourth year in office, President Aquino could now be described as either unwilling or unable to make the country’s much-hyped economic growth inclusive.

San Diego May Dai Workers Film Festival (tags)

Workers Film Festival returns to San Diego this May Day weekend at the Digital Gym Cinema in North Park! We've got a strong line-up of the most recent international films that connect workers and social justice struggles. Join us Friday May 2nd - Sunday May 4th. We'll also have a labor art exhibit, live music and a pop-up book shop.

Technology, Unemployment and Policy Options (tags)

Navigating the Transition to a Better World

CASTORIADIS. THE MEANING OF SOCIALISM .pdf (tags)

http://is.gd/EQUALITY

Obamacare Harms America's Workforce (tags)

Obamacare

Our Triple Jobs Problem (tags)

First, even as unemployment has inched down, the economy has created barely enough jobs to match population growth. Second, this enormous labor-market “slack” has stifled workers’ bargaining power and kept wages low. Third, policies over 30 years have undermined workers

NAFTA's Deplorable Legacy (tags)

NAFTA

Corporate Taxes in America (tags)

taxes

Video: Republican Theme Song - Nothing Really Matters and The Fear Economy (tags)

Thanks to House Speaker John Boehner and his Republican caucus, the "Do-Nothing Congress" was so awful this year that I decided it deserved its own theme song. I had fun putting together this video—which also calls out some uplifting wins MoveOn members and other progressives were able to achieve this year

Disturbing Obamacare Surprises (tags)

Obamacare

Inside the paranoid Maoist cults of 1970s Britain (tags)

The couple accused in the case of alleged “domestic slavery” in London were reportedly the leaders of a tiny Maoist sect, the Workers’ Institute of Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought, which had gone “underground” in the late 1970s. To understand how the Workers’ Institute ended up so far off the radar, we need to understand where they came from – the strange world of radical Maoist politics in 1970s London.

Market Euphoria During Troubled Times (tags)

markets

Modern Day Slavery in Qatar (tags)

Qatar

The Time Has Come For $15 Minimum Wage (tags)

In one of comedian Chris Rock’s routines, he observes: “You know what that means when someone pays you a minimum wage? You know what your boss is trying to say? ‘Hey, if I could pay you less, I would, but it’s against the law.’”

Philippines - ‘Morong 43’ member killed in Bulacan encounter (tags)

Philippines– A member of the Morong 43 was killed in an encounter with government troops in Bulacan early this month, the military revealed Thursday.

Gaza's Tunnel Economy (tags)

Israel

The UAW Takes One Step Forward, and One Backward (tags)

Trying to rebound off the ropes, where it has been pummeled for the past several decades, The United Auto Workers (UAW) has launched an aggressive organizing campaign in the South, in line with an AFL-CIO resolution emphasizing organizing there, where unionization rates are weak across the board.

Fast Food Workers Win a Union…through Zoolidarity (tags)

Union members have watched in awe as fast food workers struck over the last year, calling for “$15 and a union.” Despite the slogan, however, the prevailing wisdom has been that union recognition isn’t really the goal; that’s too hard against giant employers insulated by a layer of franchises, with a part-time and transient workforce.

At the AFL-CIO Convention, Leaders Ask: What Direction for Labor? (tags)

The acknowledgment of Labor’s existential crisis and the recognition that something must be done to resolve it is the key issue at the AFL-CIO’s four-day quadrennial convention in Los Angeles. The urgency of the situation has compelled Labor’s top officials to experiment in a search for solutions.

The Egyptian Revolution’s Next Barrier (tags)

When the Egyptian army first began its offensive against the Muslim Brotherhood, many speculated that such an assault would likely be extended to the same revolutionaries who demanded — in massive demonstrations — that President Morsi be evicted from office.

What Can We Learn from 25 Years of Jobs with Justice? (tags)

It’s no secret that the last 30 years have seen a brutal corporate assault on U.S. workers. Incomes and union membership rates have plummeted, unemployment is soaring, and the two corporate parties have joined forces to go after our previously untouchable historic gains.

Geekout Bookmarks 9/1/2013 (tags)

This is an irregular experimental feature to gather the links which I've posted to facebook and twitter over the past few days into a short digest. Most of the links are mainstream. I'll try to do better next time. Enjoy.

Wage Slavery in the American Auto Industry: Obama’s Shame (tags)

The American auto industry is back in business in a big way. The carmakers are making enormous profits, direct from the blood, sweat and tears of autoworkers.

Monsanto's Harvest of Shame (tags)

GMOs

Rail Disaster in Canada (tags)

The aftermath of the worst rail disaster in Canada for decades leaves at least 47 dead with many of the victims still unaccounted for.

After the removal of Morsi in Egypt (tags)

The removal of the Morsi government is not a victory for the proletariat and the exploited Egyptian masses Victory can only be achieved by the proletarian class struggle against capitalism!

Detroit’s Retired City Workers in the Crosshairs (tags)

With Detroit’s finances looking increasingly dire, the city’s creditors are beginning to face off with one another, each trying to minimize their losses. The city’s pension fund, which supports retired city workers, has found itself in direct conflict with a formidable opponent, the bondholders, individuals and institutions that gave the city money in order to enjoy the interest on the loan.

Milliman Medical Index on Obamacare (tags)

healthcare

Slaughter of Proletarians in Bangladesh: Capitalism is the Assassin! (tags)

On April 24 "Rana Plaza" a 9-storey building in an industrial suburb of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh (14 million), collapsed on about 3,500 workers (their number is not known precisely) working there. The building contained five textile factories, as well as a bank and many shops. The official present death toll is 1128, the number of injured is unknown. Most of the victims are women, who constitute 80 to 90% of the workforce in the Bangladeshi textile industry.

Local Fights Against Austerity Are Growing Across the U.S. (tags)

Between sequestration, with its damaging impact on workers and the entire economy, and the billions of dollars in cuts to Social Security, Medicare and other necessary social programs that President Obama is pushing, it is evident that the economic policies of both major parties are not intended to promote a recovery for working people. You cannot lift up a nation’s economy while slashing away at its consumers’ pocketbooks. In order to justify their defiance of this elementary law, both Republicans and Democrats start talking the language of “austerity,” that is the notion that economic policy must be guided by reducing budgetary deficits first and foremost, and that workers exclusively must be made to pay the cost.

May Day 2013 Los Angeles (tags)

Themes of Inclusion, Family Unity and Respect Carry the Day. Photo Set 5 of 5

May Day 2013 Los Angeles (tags)

Themes of Inclusion, Family Unity and Respect Carry the Day. Photo Set 4 of 5

May Day 2013 Los Angeles (tags)

Themes of Inclusion, Family Unity and Respect Carry the Day. Photo Set 3 of 5

May Day 2013 Los Angeles (tags)

Themes of Inclusion, Family Unity and Respect Carry the Day. Photo Set 2 of 5

Los Angeles May Day 2013 (tags)

Themes of Inclusion, Family Unity and Respect Carry the Day. Photo Set 1 of 5

Philippines: 25,000 Workers March to Mendiola on Labor Day (tags)

Chiding President Aquino’s pronouncement that Labor Day should be celebratory with both labor and capitalists greeting each other for “doing a good job” for the past year, workers renewed the call for government to create “not just jobs” but “more regular jobs with living wage.”

May Day 2013 National Immigrant Workers Rights March! (tags)

We are calling A national day of multi-ethnic unity with youth, labor, peace and justice communities in solidarity with immigrant workers and building new immigrant rights & civil rights movement! Wear White T-Shirt; organize local actions to support immigrant worker rights!

May Day Workers Film Festival San Diego (tags)

May Day Workers Film Festival runs April 26-28 & May 1 in San Diego... The May Day Workers Film Festival connects labor and social justice issues to audiences through the arts and culture. Expressing labor history and workers struggles as entertainment and education, while supporting social change movements.

Another Dismal Jobs Report (tags)

jobs

Why Don't Politicians Care about the Working Class? (tags)

The national debt is not the most important problem to address. Reversing the polarization of the labor market is much more important.

End the WTO and the Stop the new wave of Free Trade Agreements (tags)

Call to action of the Indonesian People's Movement Against Neocolonialism-Imperialism toward Bali WTO Ministerial meeting on 3-6 of December 2013

Detroit Citizen’s Prepare to Fight Their Corporate Master (tags)

Fresh from shoving his “Right to Work for Less” legislation down the throats of Michigan’s workers, Governor Rick Snyder has grown bolder in pursuing a corporate agenda. He has now appointed Kevyn Orr of Jones Day law firm to act as an Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) of Detroit.

America's Retirement Crisis (tags)

class war

International Women's Day in the Philippines (tags)

Women groups hail ‘triple wins,’ but warn of complacency

Thomas Perez: Obama's Labor Secretary Choice (tags)

labor

Corporate Culture is a Dog and Pony Show (tags)

Every CEO is a little Caesar.

On the Stupidity of being Marrisa (tags)

Yahoo is banning telecommuting.

Strategies Of Containment (tags)

Many of us on the left have been kettled at demonstrations: surrounded by a wall of police, herded into a small area, and prevented from reaching our goal. But we are also kettled by the thought police, and that's even more insidious. This strategy of containment is used politically to confine potentially revolutionary energy into an area where it can't reach its goal. Instead of by cops, we are corralled by institutions that purport to be progressive or even socialist. This pseudo-left diverts our energies away from organizing a militant working class and towards supporting the Democratic Party. Their base is not in the working class but among slightly-left-of-liberal professionals who prefer progressive policies because they will benefit from them. They are well educated and have access to financial and political power. They communicate professionally and persuasively. Like the wall of cops, their message is clear: You must stay here.

PHILIPPINES: Semirara mining disaster - A wake-up call on government to change course (tags)

A change in mining policy and use of coal in power generation must be taken into consideration when government agencies conduct their investigations on the mining disaster that took place off Semirara island in the province of Antique, the labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM - Labor Party) said in a statement.

Why Organized Labor Must Stand Against the Keystone XL Pipeline (tags)

Spurred by real urgency over the corporate driven ruin of the environment, a growing social movement is taking shape that will be on display this Sunday, February 17, when tens of thousands descend on the streets of Washington, D.C. in a show of power titled “Forward On Climate.”

The Argument for Amnesty: An Immigration Policy That Works for All (tags)

Millions experience the repressive nature of the U.S. immigration system on a daily basis, lifting its need for reform to a level of urgency. And fixing this broken program is integral to building the unity among U.S. workers that is required to challenge corporate America’s attacks on our wages, rights, public social services, and living conditions.

Farming Injustice (tags)

Another day, another new initiative to boycott Israel:

Responding to financial crisis: are austerity and suffering inevitable? (tags)

Austerity in a recession is counter-productive. Lower taxes and lower wages mean lower demand, lower GDP, lower state revenue and higher unemployment.

Is The “Democracy Initiative” What We Need? (tags)

Last December, at the National Education Association headquarters in Washington, D.C., leaders from a variety of progressive organizations such as Greenpeace, the NAACP and the Communication Workers of America met with the intention of beginning a national campaign to, in the words of Mother Jones reporter Andy Kroll, “remake American politics.”

U.S. Cannot Tell Iran to Abandon its Nuclear Program (tags)

Interview conducted by Iranian journalist Kourosh Ziabari with Mark Vorpahl

My Encounter with the 'Precarious and Service Workers Assembly' of Occupy Oakland (tags)

It's their party, and they'll cry if they want to...

Longshore Struggle Brews on Both Coasts, Part 2 (tags)

In the Northwest, at the terminals on the Columbia River, Puget Sound, and Portland, Oregon, the membership of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) are on the defensive against the Northwest Grain Handlers Association (NWGHA). The conflict involves nearly 3,000 workers at terminals that handle a quarter of the nation’s grain exports.

Longshore Struggle Brews on Both Coasts (tags)

Part I - It’s a familiar pattern: those on top of the economic ladder enjoy massive profits, while expecting workers to sacrifice even more for the “greater good.”

New York Times Supports Austerity Harshness (tags)

class wa

Why We Defend the ILWU and All Workers (tags)

In recent weeks, a showdown has loomed on U.S. docks between the shipping bosses and port workers that has rattled the capitalist ruling class. On the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the International Longshoreman's Association prepared to strike container shipping while the employers threatened to lock out 14,500 ILA members. On the West Coast, the grain shippers been demanding a giveback contract from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which would effectively bypass the union hiring hall, slash workers' vital safety protections and gut union power. Yet in the midst of the Northwest grain battle, an Occupy activist Peter Little publishes an article vociferously arguing against the call to defend the ILWU. While posing as ultra-left, this policy if actually carried out would aid the employers who are hell-bent on destroying ILWU union power on the waterfront. And blaming sellouts on the nature of unions lets the bureaucrats off the hook. We in the Internationalist Group say: all those who stand with the exploited and oppressed must come to the defense of the ILWU in this fight. And that defense includes forthrightly opposing the capitulations and betrayals by the labor bureaucracy which sells out vital union gains in the vain hope of an impossible "cooperation" with capital, endangering the workers organizations they preside over.

Philippine Leftists launch election campaign to take on traditional politicians (tags)

At a one-day assembly of more than 500 delegates on November 28, the militant socialist Party of the Laboring Masses (PLM - Partido Lakas ng Masa) introduced its candidates for national elections scheduled for May 13 next year.

PHILIPPINES: Workers party-list group petitions SC to overturn disqualification (tags)

The newly-formed workers party-list Partido ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) today filed a petition at the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the Commission on Elections resolution disqualifying the group. In its petition, PM also sought a temporary restraining order on the scheduled raffle of party-list names and printing of the ballots in January.

New issue of The Internationalist is out (tags)

24 pages of revolutionary Trotskyist views you can't get anywhere else, US$0.50. Subscriptions by mail US$10. For copies contact your local Internationalist supporter, call 212-460-0983 (New York City) or 971-282-7903 (Portland, OR), or write to internationalistgroup@msn.com. Send literature requests and payment to Mundial Publications, Box 3321 Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008 USA.

Egypt’s Revolution Stumbles (tags)

The call for a new constitution was a key political demand of the Egyptian people when they overthrew the thirty-year dictatorship of Mubarak. Motivating this was the desire to begin dismantling the repressive bureaucratic state machinery they had suffered under and replace it with a democratic government that would be guided by their needs and hopes. Such aspirations served to unite the divergent forces that made Egypt’s political revolution and encourage their grassroots organizing efforts.

Philippines: Let’s All Work for a Better Party-List System (tags)

Recently, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) concluded its process of scrutinizing groups that will participate in the 2013 partylist election. It marked the end of a long and arduous process that the poll body has undertaken to cleanse the party-list system of fake partylist groups which have used and abused the system to advance their vested interests.

Corporate Tax Breaks and Jobs (tags)

It has become an entrenched trend: corporations approach government officials and demand tax breaks, threatening to abandon the city, state or country if the politicians are not forthcoming.

Defeating “Right to Work” (tags)

The passage in Michigan of the anti-worker legislation grotesquely misnamed “Right to Work” (RTW) should be putting the entire nation on red alert. The downward pressure on the standard of living such bills unleash on the vast majority extend well beyond the union ranks. The bill’s success in Michigan, a pivotal state for organized Labor, indicates the unfolding of a national campaign by RTW’s backers.

Waging War on US Workers (tags)

labor

Paul Krugman Discovers Marx (and Misses the Point) (tags)

In his recent New York Times op-ed piece, Princeton professor and regular columnist for The New York Times, Paul Krugman observed: The American economy is still, by most measures, deeply depressed. But corporate profits are at record high. It’s simple: profits have surged as a share of national income, while wages and other labor compensation are down. The pie isn’t growing the way it should — but capital is doing fine by grabbing an ever-larger slice, at labor’s expense.

Philippine Statements on the International Human Rights Day (tags)

1) Akbayan on the Observance of the International Human Rights Day 2) Workers hold Jericho March at San Miguel in celebration of human rights day 3) Pahayag sa Pandaigdigang Araw ng Karapatang Pantao 4) Another World is Possible! Reject the Policies of Neoliberalism! Protect the Working Class!

Austerity — the 1%’s Global Battle Cry (tags)

Whether we are left with the Fiscal Cliff or a Grand Bargain, workers in the U.S. face massive cuts to programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, unemployment insurance, Food Stamp assistance and other needed social safety nets. This is an example of “austerity” which has largely been pursued in the U.S. until now, on a statewide and local level.

Bangladesh Sweatshop Fire (tags)

class war

Will Unions Fight Fiscal Cliff Cuts to Medicare and Social Security? (tags)

With pro-Obama election posters still visible in most union halls across the country, the President has already taken steps towards selling out not only labor unions (again) but all working people. But this isn’t the “ordinary” sellout that working people have come to expect from Democrats — this is an attack of historic proportions.

Philippines: PALEA calls on Ramon Ang to drop charges against members (tags)

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) today called on new Philippine Airlines (PAL) President Ramon Ang to drop all charges against its members in order to facilitate a solution to the labor row. Last Wednesday a second PALEA member was arrested in Makati City while the first was detained for several days last October in Malvar, Batangas.

Union Loss in Bend, Oregon (tags)

The game is rigged, but not the fight.

Self-directed workers as a “cure for capitalism” (tags)

Employees themselves should make the decisions concerning the business. They can consider a far wider set of issues and concerns about adopting new technology, or any other strategic decision, thereby fully weighing the effects on themselves, their families and their communities.

Michigan’s Proposal 2: Labor’s Big Test (tags)

For some time now, Labor has been punched into a corner when it comes to state legislation. Over the last two years legislation has been passed in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan that has attempted to gut largely public workers of their union rights.

Workers Denounce Destruction of Regular Jobs in Coca-Cola – Philippines (tags)

Manila, Philippines: “Every time you open a bottle of Coca-Cola, please remind the company to respect workers’ rights,” this is the plea made by Coca-Cola union leaders this morning during a press conference. They are asking the patrons of the soft drink giant to support their struggle against employment policies that destroys regular jobs.

Workers Denounce Destruction of Regular Jobs in Coca-Cola – Philippines (tags)

Manila, Philippines: “Every time you open a bottle of Coca-Cola, please remind the company to respect workers’ rights,” this is the plea made by Coca-Cola union leaders this morning during a press conference. They are asking the patrons of the soft drink giant to support their struggle against employment policies that destroys regular jobs.

Truest Measure (tags)

the way we treat people, should be a clas 1 felony

Workers Stand Up to Walmart (tags)

When a torrent hits an obstacle that refuses to give, it either flows around or over the obstruction. When workers’ needs for a living wage, fair treatment, and a voice are damned up by an oppressive employer, it is only a matter of time before they find a way of asserting their strength.

Why Chavez Won BIG! A Comparison Between the Presidential Elections in the U.S. and Venezu (tags)

U.S. workers and those who are unemployed are frequently told that the current presidential elections are among the most important in this country’s history. With continuing high unemployment and underemployment, declining wages, and looming massive cuts to social programs that help workers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, we are at a grave point regarding the direction of this country. However, the policies of both presidential candidates and their parties have perpetuated the devastating effects of the Great Recession for workers. Wall Street, the banks, the corporations, and the wealthy have been the beneficiaries of these policies while the only thing workers have received has been more sacrifices.

Airline unions to join PALEA in “Global Day of Action” (tags)

Airline unions are set to join the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) in a “Global Day of Action against Outsourcing” spanning four continents on Thursday. The September 27 action coincides with the anniversary of PALEA’s protest last year that led to the cancellation of all flights of Philippine Airlines and marked the start of a bitter fight over contractualization at the flag carrier.

Wisconsin Anti-Worker Law Struck Down (tags)

class war

Capitulation in Chicago? (tags)

sellout

BREAKING: Warehouse workers on strike in ontario (tags)

Wednesday, september 12, 2012 ONTARIO - warehouse workers striking nfi warehouse in ontario

America's Dismal August Jobs Report (tags)

class war

And The Workers Suffered (tags)

Politics has become so much a show about the candidates. We love a good show, after all the film industry as we know it and Hollywood were born right here in the good old USA. I'm a huge movie person, and the things that remove us from our everyday struggles for a small time, and don't leave us with life destroying addictions and/ or blow apart our bonds with the people we are closest to, are good things. After all, the people that actually do the work that build the wealth and corporations into what they are deserve it.

Labor Radicalism Alive & Well in U.S., Smith Says (tags)

Author and activist Sharon Smith came to San Diego to speak to Occupy San Diego's Labor Solidarity Committee, the International Socialist Organization (ISO) and other community members September 1, but it was her unannounced co-speaker -- a teachers' union activist from Chicago identified only as Becca -- who galvanized the crowd. Smith used the Chicago teachers' union struggle as an example that radical labor activism in the U.S. is alive and well despite decades of repression from the ruling class.

How Unions Could do Better (tags)

Workers Action has a new article on by Ann Robertson and Bill Leumer titled “How Unions Could Do Much Better.”

Assad Resignation first Step to Peace and Democracy in Syria (tags)

Akbayan Party strongly condemns the continued violence and terror perpetrated by Bashar Al-Assad and the Syrian government forces against Syrian citizens who have long demanded democracy and freedom from Assad’s authoritarian leadership. The Assad regime’s aggressive crackdown on pro-democracy forces has emboldened elements within the opposition to respond in a similarly destructive manner and has left Syria in a virtual state of civil war.

Massacre of striking miners in South Africa (tags)

On July 18 the world bourgeoisie celebrated “Mandela Day”, established internationally by the UN in November 2009 under the sign of peace, freedom, reconciliation, etc. In South Africa, more than 12 million children sang hymns to Mandela before going to class, the whole population was called upon to devote 67 minutes of their time (corresponding to 67 years of Mandela’s activism) to helping others. The IMATU Union requested that this day where they celebrate “the 67 years of his life Mandela has given for the rights of humanity, equality, justice and democracy enjoyed today by all South Africans” become a public holiday, so that individuals can give much more than 67 minutes to useful causes....

The Worker's Rug: Fine Art From Day Labor (tags)

The Workers' Rug/La Alfombra Del Trabajador is an art done by day laborers, organizers affiliated with IDEPSCA, artist Katie Bachler and Jade Thacker, and the Craft and Folk Art Museum.

The Capitalism of Hopelessness (tags)

Regulated capitalism reached its peak in the class compromise of the 1960s when representatives of workers could put the screws on the steamroller CEOs a little. The enemy and dynamic are lost to capitalism. Capitalism flows into a society without utopia and alternative.

Injured Workers Sew Lips Shut in Hunger Strike to the Death (tags)

Injured workers from the General Motors Colmotores assembly plant in Bogota, Colombia, after a year occupying the sidewalk in front of the U.S. Embassy, sew their lips shut in hunger strike they are determined to carry out until General Motors Colmotores resolves their situation. They are prepared to give their lives so that workers do not continue to be exploited by multinational corporations in Colombia.

Austerity Hastens Economic Decline (tags)

class war

Out of the Slump: The Only Road (tags)

A real analysis of the United State’s economic history is rarely discussed by politicians or media alike, since the conclusions that would be inevitably drawn would be out of step with what politicians are currently advocating.

Inequalities, Taxes, and More Inequalities (tags)

Thanks to Occupy, most working people are well aware of the growing inequalities in wealth. But for those who lack the specifics, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich provides a useful overview: “…the rich have been getting a larger and larger portion of total income. From 9 percent in 1980, the top 1 percent’s take increased to 23.5 percent by 2007. CEOs who in the 1970s took home 40 times the compensation of average workers now rake in 350 times.” (“Confessions of a Class Warrior,” August 22, 2010).

What's Wrong with San Diego's City Finances? (tags)

The predominantly Queer San Diego Democrats for Equality heard a presentation July 26 from "Paradise Plundered" author Vladimir Kogan. The book, co-written with professors Steven P. Erie and Scott A. MacKenzie, argues that San Diegans have long wanted their city government to do far more in services than they're willing to pay for in taxes -- and recently they and the politicians seeking to lead the city, most notably Right-wing Queer Mayoral front-runner Carl DeMaio, have been scapegoating city workers and their unions for the city's pension crisis and other financial shortfalls.

Taxing the Rich and Its “Left” Critics (tags)

In a recent article published on the website of Socialist Viewpoint, Chris Kinder criticized those on the left who call for raising taxes on the rich. Identifying himself as a Trotskyist, Mr. Kinder displayed particular displeasure with Trotskyists who embrace this demand. Yet, as we will argue, his arguments fundamentally deviate from the political-strategic framework established by Marx and Engels and developed by Lenin and Trotsky.

Houston Janitors Strike for Economic Justice (tags)

Echoing the story of David vs. Goliath, janitors in Houston are on strike and taking on such corporate giants as JPMorganChase and Exxon Mobile in an effort to pressure the janitorial companies they employ to agree to the workers' modest demands. It is these big business behemoths that are the real powers behind cleaning contractors such as ABM, GCA, ISS etc. By striking against these contractors, and publicly targeting these contractors' employers, the janitors are using their collective power in a showdown that has great significance for not only the Labor Movement but all workers.

Philippines: Sorry state of labor presented in pre-SONA forum (tags)

Workers groups today presented the “sorry state of labor” in a forum that served as a buildup activity to the coming counter-SONA protest on Monday. “In his forthcoming SONA (State of the Nation Address), President Benigno Aquino III (P-Noy) will boast of his administration’s so-called inclusive growth. But to workers and the poor, GNP growth only means more ‘Gutom Na Pilipino,’” averred Renato Magtubo, national chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM - Labor Party - Philippines).

Pensions Under Attack (tags)

On Friday, July 6, President Obama signed into law a bill that would renew transportation programs and extend low interest rates on student loans for one year. While this minimal gesture resulted in, no doubt, sighs of relief from those burdened by student debt, tucked away within the bill's pages was a little-noticed proposal to further erode the funding of workers' pensions. The bill was a brilliant sleight of hand where what it appeared to be giving with one hand distracted the public from what it was taking away with the other.

Warehouses, Workers & Wal-Mart (tags)

A group of workers for a warehouse that works exclusively for Wal-Mart invade the management offices with a list of demands that included crazy things like less dangerous conditions, hours that didn’t stretch from way before dark to way after dark, pay that met the legal definition of a wage and an end to global hunger (well, not really the last one—yet!).

Philippine government a "show-off" (tags)

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine government’s decision to extend a US$1-billion loan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to supplement the Fund’s Financial Transaction Plan (FTP) of $456 billion to contain the economic crisis in Europe is an “arrogant pretension of a country very much in debt,” according to the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC).

A Conversation Worth Having (tags)

The Nation magazine recently held a roundtable blog discussion that debated the effects of the failed Wisconsin recall. The discussion is important because of the seriousness of its subject. Such open and frank conversations have been sadly quite rare, so it is something of a credit to the Nation that they hosted this discussion.

Community Activist Join Labor Against Phony "Trade" Deal (tags)

Progressive San Diego's official opposition to the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — a NAFTA-like agreement seeking to subject the U.S. and a wide range of other countries to corporate dictatorship — began July 2 with a rally outside the Bayfront Hilton Hotel, where the TPP's negotiators are meeting. Speakers from labor, environmental, women's and Queer organizations explained what the TPP means to them and why it should be stopped.

Money, Power, and Politics (tags)

There has been much talk recently about the impact of money on politics, especially in the wake of the Citizens United ruling that has ratcheted up the role of corporate money in political campaigns. Organized labor was quick to blame this ruling for its defeat in Wisconsin. And many have assumed that the relation of money to politics is like a law of nature: the more money one has, the more political power one can wield.

Republicrats Campaign About Jobs and Do Nothing About High Unemployment (tags)

Recently, Mitt Romney made a stop on his “Jobs Tour” in upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia. His appearance was supposed to be, interestingly, at a local WAWA store (for those out-of-state, WAWA is a convenience store chain) Why is this interesting? Because WAWA, like so many employers these days, is a low wage, no benefit “job creator.”

Ratify and Implement ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers Now! (tags)

Today, as we commemorate the first anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention 189 (C189) on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, we call on ILO Member States to immediately ratify and implement C189 as a demonstration of their global commitment made at the 100th Session of the International Labour Conference on 16 June 2011.

Olympism Profiteering, Exploitation and Corruption (tags)

fraud

AFL-CIO Declares Victory in Wisconsin in the Face of Defeat (tags)

In the wake of the Wisconsin elections and the failure to unseat Governor Walker, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has issued a victory statement of sorts, resorting to the most tortured and convoluted logic.

Wisconsin's Recall Election (tags)

Wisconsin

San Diego Queer Groups Fight Proposition B (tags)

Queer organizations in San Diego, including Canvass for a Cause (CFAC) and the San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (S.A.M.E.), are uniting against Proposition B, a "reform" initiative sponsored by openly Gay Right-wing Republican City Councilmember and Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio that would destroy any hope of retirement security for city workers.

Zenger's Newsmagazine Election Endorsements (tags)

Full endorsements for San Diego voters in the June 5 primary election. As in 2010, in virtually every race Zenger's is recommending every Democrat over every Republican, not because the Democrats (with a few exceptions) are that progressive but because the Republicans are so reactionary they want to abolish the social safety net, virtually eliminate civil rights, workers', consumers' and environmental protections, and transform the U.S.as radically as the Nazis transformed Germany in 1933.

The Left, Labor and Occupy (tags)

Barely half a year after it burst on the scene, the Occupy Wall Street movement is splintering left and right. This was inevitable in a movement that was united only in what it opposed and could never put forward a positive program, whether of reformist "demands" on the capitalist state or of revolutionary action against it. Liberals, who latched onto Occupy hoping it could pressure the Democratic Party in a more populist direction, want to expel "black bloc" anarchists. Reformist social democrats rail against "ultraleftists" in Occupy and cozy up to the labor tops. On the other side, many (but not all) anarchists oppose unions. Some are simply arrogant petty-bourgeois labor haters. Others are grappling with real problems, but with skewed analysis and dead wrong conclusions. Discussion of recent workers' struggles, from Wisconsin to West Coast longshore, underlines that the key question is leadership, but not just replacing one set of bureaucrats with another. Unions have always faced vicious anti-labor laws, but we have the power to defeat them. It is necessary to drive out the pro-capitalist bureaucracy, the labor lieutenants of capital, in order to turn the unions into instruments of revolutionary class struggle.

Arroyo, Philippine military, police face torture raps from 8 of Morong 43 (tags)

MANILA, Philippines - Eight of the 43 health workers collectively known as the Morong 43, who were arrested in February 2010 during a medical training, filed criminal charges against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several military officials before the Department of Justice.

The Shortwave Report 05/11 Listen Globally! (tags)

A weekly 30 minute review of international news and opinion, recorded from a shortwave radio and the internet. With times, frequencies, and websites for listening at home. 3 files- Highest quality broadcast, regular broadcast, and slow-modem streaming. Spanish National Radio, Radio Havana Cuba, NHK Japan, and Radio Deutsche-Welle.

Presidential Candidate Alexander Defends Public Workforce and the US Postal Service (tags)

The United States Postal Service is looking at turning back services and potentially laying off 80,000 workers due to a manufactured budget shortfall. This manufactured budget shortfall will also result in the closure of 250 mail processing centers and 3,700 post offices, mostly in poor and rural areas. The Socialist Party USA ticket of Stewart Alexander and Alex Mendoza say that this is part of a larger attack upon the working class for the benefit of the wealthiest 1%.

Queer Democrats Unanimously Oppose Pension "Reform" (tags)

The hottest issue on the June 5 ballot in San Diego is Proposition B, the public pension "reform" initiative sponsored by openly Queer Right-wing City Councilmember and Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio. It would freeze all city workers' pay for five years and abolish the city's pension system for new hires, replacing it with a 401(k)-style plan. The product of a decade-long propaganda campaign by the radical Right politicians and media, it's expected to pass easily — but the predominantly Queer San Diego Democrats for Equality, after hearing a debate on it, unanimously voted to oppose it at their April 26 meeting.

Choice Not on Ballot in French Election (tags)

France

Workers and Immigrants of All Nationalities, Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win (tags)

May Day in LA was another success! Again, 10,000 workers and immigrants of all nationalities led by the May Day Coalition in Los Angeles marched along the downtown LA in unity against oppressive capital and the 1% that kept them exploited and oppressed through the years. Despite the troubled winds, besides all the other marches, the workers movement remained united. This is the second year that the workers marched under one banner. All despite the machinations of other groups to divide and disperse the movement.

Workers of All Nationalities, Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win (tags)

May Day in LA was another success! Again, workers of all nationalities led by the May Day Coalition in Los Angeles marched along the downtown LA in unity against oppressive capital and the 1% that kept them exploited and oppressed through the years. ... Despite the troubled winds, besides all the other marches, the workers movement remained united. This is the second year that the workers marched under one banner. All despite the machinations of other groups to divide and disperse the movement. The May Day Coalition led the LA march. It militantly demonstrated maturity and force by demanding legalization and fighting back. During the 2006 immigrant rights upsurge, when the ruling class forbid the flying of national flags to demonstrate chauvinist adherence to the war against the Iraqi people and other nations, workers of different nationalities proudly flew their flags in unity and struggle. The Alliance is proud to march with all oppressed workers of all nationalities in multi-ethnic Los Angeles on May Day.

May Day Protests for Justice (tags)

May Day

PHILIPPINES: Sentro, Nagkaisa herald new era of labor unity (tags)

THOUSANDS of trade unionists and activists poured into the streets of Manila and other key cities to celebrate May Day amid renewed hopes that the two latest efforts at labor unity will provide strong impetus to their uphill battle for labor and trade union rights.

Philippine unions support campaign of workers in Hyatt hotels in US (tags)

TRADE unions and other organizations picketed today the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila in the Malate area to air their support to the global campaign to boycott the Hyatt chain of hotels prompted by the rampant abuses against the workers in several Hyatt hotels in the US, even as they recall the almost similar plight suffered by the workers in the shuttered Hyatt Regency Manila.

May Day NYC on WBAI (tags)

LA, let's bring up our media game!

BTL:Farm Workers Union Co-Founder: Together Progressive Activists can Advance Social Justi (tags)

Excerpt of speech by Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, recorded and produced by Melinda Tuhus

New issue of The Internationalist is out! (tags)

Special for May Day 2012.

Filipino workers band together for a stronger labor front (tags)

SENTRO vows to fight for wages, secure jobs and other long-standing issues

Un-Millionaire Presidential Campaign House Party (tags)

Durham, a Harlem based workers’ rights advocate, internationalist, and gay liberation pioneer, is on tour in advance of California’s June 5 primary where he is on the Peace and Freedom party ballot.

Philippines: Promotion of Morong 43 jailer enrages victims, rights groups (tags)

MANILA – The recent promotion of Major General Jorge Segovia, former commander of the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army that carried out the illegal arrest of 43 health workers in February 2010, has outraged human rights groups.

Philippine Labor party calls for removal of VAT on oil to reduce prices (tags)

One day after the transport protest against the unabated increases in oil prices, the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) called on the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to remove the VAT on oil products as an immediate measure to reduce prices.

Occupy the Machine: An Escalating Campaign Against Fossil Fuel Extraction Begins In April (tags)

A festival of resistance and alternatives to the fossil fuel economy, in the shadow of the Houston Valero refinery, culminating in a refinery blockade.

May Day 2012: National Mobilization For Immigrant Workers Rights! (tags)

We are calling A national day of multi-ethnic unity with youth, labor, peace and justice communities in solidarity with immigrant workers and building new immigrant rights & civil rights movement! Wear White T-Shirt; organize local actions to support immigrant worker rights!

F29 Walmart Warehouse Shutdown: Victory at Dawn (tags)

Wednesday, February 29, 2011
EASTVALE, California - Nearly 300 people arrived at six in the morning in this desolate inland city with the intent to shut down the world's largest distribution center for Walmart goods. Activists from Occupy Riverside, Occupy LA, other Southern California occupys, community activists, and student groups arrived at the Schneider warehouse only to find that the management had closed the facility of its own accord. Having tasted victory at dawn, the group soon set its sights much higher.

America's Sham Economic Recovery (tags)

class war

From Protest Camp to General Strike (tags)

Something crucial happened in the US in 2011. The strengthening of the Occupy movement, first on Wall Street and then in hundreds of American cities, is celebrated as the revival of the revolutionary middle class. The movement in the US seems two steps ahead.

Resolution in Support of Warehouse Workers at Walmart Contractor Schneider Logistics (tags)

This resolution was adopted by the Inland Empire General Strike Committee on January 27, 2012, and was amended on February 6, 2012. It was subsequently adopted by Occupy Redlands. We encourage all other local occupys, as well as all labor unions, student groups, community organizations, congregations, homeowner associations, and any other free associations to adopt this resolution and find other ways to support this action.

Construction workers picket new gym in Upland (tags)

Monday, February 6, 2012
UPLAND (CA) - Carpenters set up a picket line this morning in front of what is soon to become a Crunch gymnasium. Workers upset about a subcontractor's paying of substandard wages to drywallers set up the picket in protest.

Egypt amidst bloody military repression, Islamist reaction and workers’ struggles (tags)

After the killings at the soccer match on February 1 at Port Said (74 deaths, mainly among supporters of the Al-Ahly club of Cairo), the “ultras”, supporters of the teams from the capital whom, throughout the events of last year had fought many times the forces of repression, have accused the SCAF of premeditated killing

F29 SHUTDOWN THE CORPORATIONS CALL TO ACTION: Occupy Walmart! (tags)

Join Occupy Riverside, Redlands, San Bernardino Valley, Los Angeles and other Occupy groups in the region for the mass participatory direct action targeting Walmart's largest warehouse and distribution center. NO BUSINESS AS USUAL!

Wisconsinites v. Governor Scott Walker (tags)

class war

Mitt Romney's Hard-Right Agenda (tags)

class war

Obama's Transfer Of The Public's Equity To The 1% (tags)

So they steal your house and will now rent it back to you at outrageous artificially inflated rent while still taking 50% of your deflated income to earn a profit margin off what used to be your equity.

Repeal NAFTA/WTO is Ron Paul’s Answer to Undocumented Immigration & Domestic Job Losse (tags)

Part of promoting non-interventionist foreign policy is allowing for foreign nations to have self-determination and autonomy in their own economy. The greatest limiting factor to achieving democracy and self-determination in any nation is an unstable economy caused by unequal trade laws. This inequality between trade partners can occur because of different resource qualities or quantities or as a result of trade agreements that benefit one nation above another.

Longshore Workers, Truckers: Shut the Ports, Coast to Coast! (tags)

Following the nationally-coordinated police evictions last month of Occupy Wall Street and encampments across the country, on December 12 the Occupiers struck back. Ports up and down the West Coast were blockaded, from Seattle to San Diego. Despite a barrage of hostile propaganda in the media, opposition from union bureaucrats and heavy police repression in some places, overall the blockade was successful -- this time. The blockade was called in solidarity with longshore workers fighting a union-busting assault in Longview, Washington and port truckers seeking union recognition in the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach. This support should have been greeted. But now the class war on the West Coast docks is coming to a head, and it can't be waged from the outside. Bay Area labor has called for a caravan to Longview. The goal should be a real occupation of the terminal by the workers to prevent the loading of the scab cargo. Longshore militants have called on the longshore unions to shut down every port on the West Coast, and the East and Gulf Coasts, to smash EGT's union-busting. Can it be done? Yes, but only though sharp struggle against the pro-capitalist labor bureaucracy.

San Antonio sugar mill maintains historic tradition of commitment with its collaborators (tags)

Some prestigious mass media have recently informed about the situation of public health faced by agricultural workers affected by Chronic Renal Insufficiency (CRI) in Central America´s Pacific region, a problem that worries society in general. Unfortunately, in light of the uncertain origin of the disease, sometimes inaccuracies are incurred in the search for culprits and not solutions.

Filipino Militant groups commemorate Bonifacio Day with mass protest (tags)

MANILA, Philippines—Various militant groups from the labor sector commemorated the 148th birth anniversary of Philippine national hero and revolutionary Andres Bonifacio Wednesday with mass protest action at the historic Don Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) Bridge.

Election 2012: Unemployment Drop a Sham According to Socialist Party Ticket (tags)

The Alexander/Mendoza campaign calls for a real jobs program, as well as protecting public sector jobs which have been faltering since the economic crisis began. They say that spending billions of dollars on incentives for businesses doesn’t get the job done – rather they call for the government to create jobs directly.

Occupy L.A. Eviction (tags)

Lessons learned from Occupy L.A.

PALEA member in Los Angeles cry harassment by PAL, PM-USA vows support (tags)

A member of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) is crying harassment by Philippine Airlines (PAL) for being refused boarding on a flight back to Manila from Los Angeles. Belle Savellano, PALEA members and PAL employee for 28 years, was not allowed to board the PAL LAX-MNL flight last November 6 for being allegedly on “blacklist of PALEA members.”

Fil-Am groups call for boycott as PAL refuses to fly PALEA member and family (tags)

Representatives from Partido ng Manggagawa-USA (Labor Party) and Filipino-American groups BANTAY Pilipinas-Los Angeles, Alliance Philippines and Echo Park Community Coalition called on the public especially Filipino-Americans to boycott Philippine Airlines (PAL) as the groups condemned the harassment tactics of the company against members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA). Last November 6 (US time), PAL refused to board a PALEA member and her family despite holding tickets for the Los Angeles-Manila flight because she was supposedly on “blacklist of PALEA members.”

U.S Election 2012: Alexander and Mendoza Gives Perspective on US Jobs Situation (tags)

“We aren’t making economic progress,” says Stewart Alexander, Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party USA, “we are simply going through a long term process of replacing poorly paying jobs with even worse jobs while corporate profits soar. The only ‘change’ Obama has given us jingles in our pockets.”

Labor Rallies in Support of Occupy San Diego Oct. 28 (tags)

Despite a pre-dawn police raid on both Occupy San Diego sites — the Civic Center Plaza near City Hall and the Children's Park across from the Convention Center — a rally sponsored by organized labor in support of the occupation went ahead as scheduled October 28. At this time, the occupiers are still there.

General Strike: Where Ows Needs To Go (tags)

....we are unlikely to see major policy or infrastructure changes until our new movement hits the 1% where it really hurts -- in their pocketbook..... This is where #OccupyWallStreet differs significantly from the major uprisings in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, where mass demonstrations were accompanied by general strikes that shut down economic activity. In Egypt, it was the unions' threat to shut down the Suez Canal that ultimately forced Mubarak to step down.

Philippines: PALEA holds motorcade on the 30th day of its protest vs. outsourcing (tags)

Also in commemoration of PALEA’s 30th day of protest against contractualization, solidarity actions were held in San Francisco and Los Angeles by US unions and the Filipino-American community. In San Francisco, the groups picketed the Philippine consulate and PAL ticketing office, and submitted a letter of concern to Deputy Consul General Alfonso Ver.

The San Diego Mayoral Candidates That Didn't Bark (tags)

When A Better San Diego, a coalition made up largely of labor unions and their affiliates, sponsored a debate among the four leading candidates for Mayor of San Diego in next year's election, only two showed up. The no-shows were City Councilmember Carl DeMaio, whose whole campaign is based on targeting city workers as the source of San Diego's economic woes, and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, both Republicans. A third Republican, Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher, and Democratic Congressmember Bob Filner attended and differed on city workers' pensions, outsourcing city jobs to private companies and many other issues.

Reflections on Occupy LA, Wall St. and Bel air (tags)

Reposted from facebook

Occupy Wall Street: Protesters arrested 900--Bankers 0. We are the 1% (tags)

The Labor hierarchy is concerned about the influence the Occupy movement might have on the Unions' rank and file and will enter the Occupy movement in order to temper it, derail it and send it in to the Democratic Party as they did with the Madison events. The Occupy movement should beware the hierarchy and Labor's "official" representatives and welcome the rank and file worker.

We Pay for Their Crisis (tags)

Making a game sound appealing whose frauds are obvious is increasingly hard for the governments. The neoliberal vision was always a society of the asocial. The categorical imperative of neoliberalism was always an open and cynical attack on the working class.

Philippine Airline workers intensify protest actions (tags)

The Philippine Airlines Employees? Association (PALEA) today asserted that Philippine Airlines (PAL) President Jaime Bautista?s announcement that they no longer acknowledge Gerry Rivera and Bong Palad as union officers exposes union busting as the real aim of outsourcing. ?Truly a fish is caught by its mouth. Actually PAL is not just recognizing me and Palad as union officers but 62% of PALEA?s leadership and 70% of its membership who have been illegally lockout and terminated. Outsourcing thus is tantamount to union busting,? stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM - Labor Party).

Downtown Labor Day Rally Draws Over 200 (tags)

MoveOn.org's San Diego chapter and other local activists hosted a Labor Day rally outside Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego Monday, September 5, featuring speakers like Congressmembers Bob Filner and Susan Davis, San Diego-Imperial Counties Central Labor Council secretary-treasurer Lorena Gonzalez, State Senator Juan Vargas, State Assemblymember Lori Salda?a, former City Councilmember Floyd Morrow and Activist San Diego president Jeeni Criscenzo. Much of the action urged solidarity with the supermarket workers threatened by their employers' demands for a takeaway contract and the likelihood of a strike. While most of the speakers said, "Jobs, jobs, jobs," Criscenzo urged listeners to take another look at the whole concept of a "job" and question why the only way we should be allowed to make a living is to beg a rich person or corporation for the chance to make them richer.

Supermarket Strike is Looming (tags)

The UFCW announced that they cancelled their contract, and are giving 72 hours notice that they may strike.

Anti-Israeli Rage in Egypt (tags)

Israel

Hotel Workers Use Labor Day to Press Boycott of Hyatt Regency Santa Clara (tags)

Hotel service workers of the union Unite Here! Local 19 marked Labor Day by picketed the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara, which has been the target of a boycott campaign launched by the union six months ago. Hyatt workers, who have been without a contract with the hotel, have been demanding recognition of the union through a card-check / neutrality agreement.

America's Sick Economy (tags)

economy

Productivity is For Chumps: Don't Take a Piss Without Getting Paid (tags)

If you remember just one thing this Labor Day it should be this: Don't take a piss without getting paid for it. Larry Ellison gets paid for every dribble, every excretion, why should you be any different?

Campaign for the Just Treatment of International Corps of Educators (tags)

Over the past decade, the United States saw a growing shortage of teachers especially in inner-city and remote rural schools. This shortage was further compounded with the increased need for highly-qualified teachers as mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mainly in core areas such as math, science and special education. In response to this shortage, school districts all over the country looked around the globe to recruit experienced and credentialed teachers to assist the country in educating its children. This was answered more than willingly by thousands of foreign teachers annually.

These Days of Chaos (tags)

Strikes, riots, revolutions. This is the shape of the new Class War.

No Joy in Mudville (tags)

economy

PHILIPPINES: Absent major policy reforms, there will be no social transformation (tags)

President Aquino?s communication advisers said the President?s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) will focus more on ?social transformation?. What would that mean in real sense, however, largely depend on how Filipinos would view their lives today and in the immediate future. And for the Filipino masses who have been used to hearing nice words from their leaders, this new buzzword assumes no meaning at all unless accompanied by major policy reforms.

US-Style Free Trade's Dark Side (tags)

exploitation

Rahm Emanuel: Chicago's War Criminal/Anti-Labor Mayor (tags)

anti-labor

Statement On the Plight of Filipino Teachers of Maryland?s PGCPS (tags)

Lured by the American dream, non-immigrant workers here in the US have been subjected to different forms of exploitation, manipulation and abuse. The complexities of the recruitment process are being taken advantage of by placement agencies and sometimes with the collaboration of representatives of US employers. Oftentimes foreign workers leave their country deep in debt in raising money needed to cover for exorbitant placement and other fees.

Striking for Health Care (tags)

The supermarket workers in So Cal have gone over three months without agreeing on a new contract. The fight is mostly over health care benefits; if they lose, all workers in retail will see benefits decline.

The Labor Movement in Portland, Oregon, Takes a Step Forward (tags)

On only the second sunny weekend of the year in Portland, Oregon, 60 plus labor activists decided to spend their Saturday at the Electricians union hall (IBEW Local 48), at the United Labor Strategy Meeting ? an event unlike any other happening in the country. What made the meeting unique was both its perspective and the diversity of unions that participated.

Workers Party challenges Philippine President to protect labor rights at Hanjin (tags)

The militant labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) challenged President Benigno Aquino III (PNoy) to uphold and protect workers rights at the giant Hanjin shipyard in Subic, Zambales as complaints mounted of violations of labor and safety standards. Dozens of members of PM and the Philippine Airlines Employees? Association (PALEA) joined the Church-Labor Conference, an alliance of labor and religious organizations that is co-chaired by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, in a rally this morning at Mendiola in Manila.

BTL:Wal-Mart Wins, Workers Lose in U.S. Supreme Court Decision Rejecting Class Action Disc (tags)

Interview with Chris Owens, attorney and executive director of the National Employment Law Project, conducted by Scott Harris

Spanish Voters Reject Austerity (tags)

financial terrorism

On the Chopping Block: Federal Worker Pensions (tags)

fascism

Illegal Labor on the Farm Produces Big Profits for Agribusiness (tags)

NAFTA induced illegal immigration is providing agribusiness corporations with incredible profits, while legal workers and consumers reap few rewards. At some point people need to face the reality that the U.S. must withdraw from and repeal NAFTA!

PHILIPPINES: Employers win again: P22 COLA too little, too late (tags)

?If the objective is to increase the capacity of workers and their families to weather economic woes, an increase of P22 a day at this point is simply too little, too late,? Akbayan Representative Walden Bello said on Tuesday morning following the announcement of a P22-increase in minimum wage earners? cost of living allowance (COLA).

May Day March in S. F. 2011 (tags)

Video of May Day march in S. F. 2011

Human Trafficking in Israel (tags)

exploitation

Phantom Jobs and Economic Recovery in America (tags)

fake recovery

San Diego Hosts Three May Day Rallies (tags)

San Diego hosted no fewer than three rallies on Sunday, May 1 — one between the Centro Cultural de la Raza and World Beat Center in Balboa Park, followed by a march to the Federal Building downtown where the second rally was held, and a third at the San Diego Community Concourse that united the participants with another set of marchers, who had assembled earlier in the morning in Chicano Park, also for a walk downtown. The rally speakers focused on a wide variety of progressive issues — workers’ rights, education cutbacks, health care, immigrants’ rights, war and peace, Queer liberation — and attempted to draw connections between them and psych the participants for the long struggle ahead to preserve and extend those rights in the face of a relentless assault on them by the radical Right.

We Want a 4 Day Work Week! (tags)

The time has come for the 4 day work week.

March on May 1 for Immigration Reform! (tags)

March with L.A. Labor for Immigration Reform on May 1! May Day Thousands of LA workers will march side-by-side with immigrant workers this Sunday in downtown Los Angeles to demand national immigration reform, to stop deportations and separations of families, and to support all workers’ rights.

ALL OUT ON MAY 1st in LA, FIGHT FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS (tags)

Immigrants all of nationalities under attack, what should we do? Rise up, Fight Back! The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) is calling all immigrants and their advocates in Los Angeles to mobilize and hit the streets of LA on May 1. For the EPCC --May 1, International Workers' Day, marks the fifth anniversary of the historic nationwide immigrant workers’ strike. On that day, millions upon millions of immigrant workers—documented and undocumented—flooded the streets of Los Angeles with millions of their supporters also in small towns and large cities demanding respect for all workers.

The History of May Day, Made in the USA (tags)

Leftist activists know about the eight men who were arrested and tried and convicted for terrorism related to Haymarket Square in Chicago. The bombing happened at a rally on the 4th, but it was due to events on May Day, when the city of Chicago went on strike.

May Day 2011 Call to Action! (tags)

We are calling A national day of multi-ethnic unity with youth, labor, peace and justice communities in solidarity with immigrant workers and building new immigrant rights & civil rights movement! Wear White T-Shirt; organize local actions to support immigrant worker rights!

Republicans Win Without a Shutdown (tags)

The first fight over the federal budget in 2011 is over, and the Republicans have won. For at least the past 30 years Republican ideas — that government is bad, that the private sector is always more efficient than the public sector, that wages and benefits need to be cut to make America's workers "competitive" with the rest of the world, and government spending needs to be cut even if it risks turning the current recession into a full-fledged depression — have ruled. Progressives need to understand the depth of the Republicans’ triumph in order to begin the task of reversing it.

Arab Spring Yet to Bloom (tags)

democracy

The Japanese Nuke Biz: Thugs and Lies (tags)

The NYT published an "atomic bomb" of an article about the corrupt system of nuclear power plant operations. This needs to go viral. We must resist and stop unsafe nuclear power.

MOTHERS MARCH FOR EVERYONE’S SURVIVAL (tags)

Marking the100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day, the 2nd Annual Mothers March For Everyone’s Survival End Budget Cuts, Poverty, Discrimination, War & Other Violence, took place on Saturday, March 12, in Los Angeles.

Video: Thousands Across US Rally in Support of Workers' Rights (tags)

In hundreds of cities, thousands rally to show support for public sector workers.

PHILIPPINES: Our Failed Labor-Export Policy (tags)

The impacts of disasters occurring in other parts of the world, from Libya to Japan, have perhaps been communicated more drastically to the Philippines than to other countries. Whether it is the tragic trilogy of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear fallout in Japan or the civil war in Libya, external crises are swiftly transformed into internal crises for our country, as thousands of families are pushed into poverty and economic hardship when their breadwinners are dislocated and repatriated back to the Philippines, where jobs offering decent wages are scarce.

Philippine Airlines workers vote to strike (tags)

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) held a torch parade tonight as initial results in the strike poll reveal a tremendous vote for yes. Only the ballots of PALEA members in the Metro Manila offices of Philippines Airlines have been counted and show 96% votes of for a strike and a mere 3% voted against. In the last strike vote conducted last December, some 86% voted yes. In yesterday’s voting, 1996 PALEA members in Metro Manila participated out of some 2987 total members.

Downtown March for Workers' Rights (tags)

Saturday, March 26, 2011

LOS ANGELES - Approximately 20,000 marchers demonstrated their support for unions and the right to collectively bargain.

Workers of Los Angeles Unite (Photos from 3/26/11) (tags)

Workers took to the streets of Los Angeles on Saturday, March 26 to protest the ongoing assault on the working class and to express solidarity with protesters in Wisconsin. They marched from the Convention Center to Pershing Square where a rally took place.

No to imperialist military intervention in Libya! (tags)

Since Saturday, March 19, a US-led military coalition, including, besides English and French Forces, participation by Canadian, Italian, Spanish, and other countries, commenced the bombardment of military installations and concentrations of troops loyal to the Gaddafi government. The stated purpose of this military intervention which has been endorsed by the Security Council of the UN and the Arab League, is to get government forces off the offensive against the rebels, in order to avoid a “massacre of the civilian population”.

Public Workers’ Struggle Is Our Struggle (tags)

Though it ended in a setback when the Republican majority in the Wisconsin state legislature used legally dubious tactics to ram the bill through anyway, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s plan to strip his state’s public workers of the right to form unions and bargain collectively has engendered nationwide resistance from America’s increasingly embattled working class. Tens of thousands of people from Wisconsin and elsewhere flooded Madison, the state capital, and occupied the capitol building to protest Walker’s policies, and the Democrats in the Wisconsin State Senate left the state for three weeks to deny Walker and the Republicans the votes they needed to eviscerate the state’s union movement. America’s working and middle classes need to stand strong and fight back in the face of these efforts by the corporate and radical Right to deny the non-rich any voice whatsoever in America’s politics.

Brazil welcomes Obama with 13 political prisoners (tags)

The arrival of Barack Obama in Brazil was marked by the illegal (and political) arrest of 13 Brazilian citizens who were protesting against the presence of the North American president in the country.

Costa Mesa Employee Commits Suicide at City Hall (tags)

OC Voice reports that a just-laid-off worker has commited suicde.

ILPS joins the celebration of the Centennial of the First International Toiling Womens Day (tags)

We, the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, express our most militant greetings to women all over the world and join you in the celebration of the centennial of the International Women’s Day. The history and current trend of militant women’s struggle must be highlighted in the midst of the global depression and chaos that pervade the various regions of the world today.

Wisconsin: For a General Strike Now! (tags)

A law challenging the very existence unions of government workers has just been rammed through the legislature in Wisconsin. In addition, wages have been slashed by up to 10 percent to make up for cuts to health insurance and pensions. The labor movement and workers nationwide and internationally are vividly aware of the stakes. There has been a lot of talk in the last three weeks about a general strike. The Wisconsin South Central Labor Federation even voted to authorize one. But now that the moment of truth has arrived, the union bureaucrats have gotten cold feet. They are doing everything to prevent strike action and instead to divert anger at this vicious law into a drive to recall Republican senators, to be replaced by Democrats, whose “alternative” budget bill would also have drastically slashed wages and benefits. There should be no delay: this is the hour for powerful labor action. A general strike is needed to shut down Wisconsin now!

Inland Empire Solidarity with Libya and Wisconsin (tags)

Saturday, March 12, 2011

POMONA, California - With shouts of "Down with dictatorship!" and "The union's under attack! What do we do? Stand up, fight back!" a group composed primarily of local youth sent a strong statement of solidarity with the people of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as with union workers in Wisconsin and elsewhere at the corner of Mission and Garey.

Promises, Promises: Obama Rebuffs Invites to Stand with [Wisconsin] Workers (tags)

Send Obama and the Democrats a message and change your voter registration status to "Green Party" or "Peace & Freedom"! (Last years' Prop. 14 eliminated partisan primary elections, so there's really isn't any reason left to be a registered Democrat). Postage-paid voter registration cards are available at most libraries and post offices -- fill out one today!

Battleground Wisconsin: Corporate Power v. Worker Rights (tags)

worker struggles

Down with Gaddafi! No to US-NATO intervention! (tags)

"In this time when events seem to be moving so fast, we must maintain focus on the essential meaning and purpose of imperialist efforts. Elites in Washington and other capitals of the west are desperate and working with full dedication to "roll back" the popular advances being made in the Mideast and across North Africa. This article is offered in the effort to support a progressive analysis while the mainstream media works triple time to confuse and obfuscate an understanding of the "full on class war" unfolding before us. No to the budget cuts. No to intervention in Libya. Organize to stand up and fight wall street and the banksters, and ther're "agents" in media and government. Organize in your communities and beyond quickly now. "You have a world to win and only your chains to lose."

Wisconsin Democrats Plan Capitulation (tags)

worker struggles

Waging War on Working Americans (tags)

labor struggles

Filipino Workers criticize shortcomings of EDSA 1 (tags)

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and the anti-contractualization coalition KONTRA slammed the shortcomings of EDSA 1 in a symbolic mass action this afternoon. Scores of workers from PM and KONTRA assembled at the Ninoy Aquino monument at the corner of Timog and Quezon Avenues at around 5:30 pm.

Reactionary Extremism in Wisconsin and Ohio (tags)

worker struggles

Spreading Activism for Change (tags)

worker struggles

Over 1,000 Turn Out in San Diego to Support Wisconsin Workers (tags)

Over 1,000 people turned out for a rally outside the San Diego County Administrative Center February 26 at noon to support Wisconsin's unionized public workers against the threat by Governor Scott Walker and the Republican majority in the state legislature to pass a bill essentially eliminating the right of the state's public employees to unionize and bargain collectively. A wide range of speakers, including union activists, community leaders and elected officials, said that if Walker's bill and similar ones in other states pass, it will essentially mark the end of the American middle class. The rally was part of a nationwide mobilization, and many of those who braved the cold and the rain to attend mentioned that the protesters in Wisconsin itself are sleeping out in the cold and snow in weather far worse than that in San Diego.

Wisconsin's Spirit: Courage for Other States to Emulate (tags)

worker struggles

Union Busting in America (tags)

worker struggles

Wisconsin: Ground Zero to Save Public Worker Rights (tags)

worker struggles

Live Reporting from the Wisconsin Protests (tags)

Madison, Wisconsin IMC is offline right now- however there are other NONCORPORATE places to go for breaking news from Wisconsin-

States of Disunion (tags)

The following is an editorial written for the March 2011 issue of Zenger’s Newsmagazine before the uproar in Wisconsin over the bill introduced by that state’s governor, Scott Walker, which would essentially destroy public-sector unionism in that state and therefore likely be the final nail in the coffin of America’s labor movement as a whole. People — not just union workers directly affected by the proposal but others as well — have turned out in the streets and blockaded the state capitol, while “Tea Party” counter-protesters have been mobilized nationwide by talk radio and Fox News to come and support the governor. The Wisconsin protests have been compared to those that recently brought down Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak — though America’s corporate media have carefully avoided that analogy — but despite the uproar over Walker’s bill, America’s white working class has so far remained largely opposed to the progressive agenda and supportive of radical-Right attempts to destroy what’s left of America’s social safety net.

Right-Wing Queer Councilmember DeMaio Dominates San Diego Economic Debate (tags)

Openly Queer Right-wing San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio dominated a forum on the city’s budget woes sponsored by the Hillcrest Town Council February 5. Three other panelists spoke ¬— former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre, who stunned his supporters in the progressive community by joining DeMaio in campaigning against a proposed city sales tax increase last fall; former City Councilmember Michael Zucchet, a lobbyist for the city workers’ main union; and economics professor Alan Gin — but DeMaio and his proposed “Roadmap for Recovery,” a plan to balance the city’s budget by privatizing city jobs, slashing pensions and reducing supposedly “nonessential” city services, was the basis for the discussion and provided the context to which the other three panelists responded.

Proposed California budget slashes education (tags)

Amid looming budget deficits, school districts across California are preparing to fire teachers, close schools, cut programs, and increase class sizes, to cover reduced state funding. Like Democratic and Republican governors across the country, Democratic Governor Jerry Brown is trying to force workers to pay for the economic crisis, while corporations make record profits. Within the state the richest Californian, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, has a net worth of $27 billion, more than the entire state deficit.

Tea Party Stooges Join Wisconsin Protests (tags)

worker struggles

Business in Crisis: Vulnerable to Attack (tags)

Sectarian leftists love to moan about the power of capitalism. It seems it cannot be upended or even reformed. Activists are hooked on hopelessness. Is it any wonder why activists are caught blindsided by events like Tunisia, Egypt, and Wisconsin? These recent actions are manifestations of resistance against the presumed neoliberal order.

Wisconsin Labor Leads 2d American Revolution (tags)

One year ago, on March 4, California students and teachers had a one-day strike for education, but nothing has improved because we did not have a general strike. Today, Wisconsin workers are striking and protesting the planned Democrat-Republican attack on the workingclass so as to maximize the profits of the capitalist class. The whole country should join this 2d American Revolution with all deliberate speed.

US Workers: Resurgent or Waging a Rearguard Action? (tags)

worker rights

Egypt's Spirit Lands in Wisconsin (tags)

protest

Middle East Protests, Violence and Strikes Continue (tags)

liberating struggles

Resources for the Unemployed (tags)

Some sad news about the Unemployed Friends forum, and some good news about more organizing online to fight for extensions. Additional links to survival resources.

Middle East Protests Continue (tags)

liberating struggles

Strikes, workers’ protests spread throughout Egypt (tags)

“According to a detailed account published by Al Ahram, the dictator had intended to step down but was persuaded by his wife and son Gamal not to. When this threatened to provoke a further upsurge in the revolutionary movement, the military stepped in and seized power to try to maintain control over the situation. Notably, none of the official middle class “opposition” parties—including the Muslim Brotherhood and Mohamed ElBaradei’s National Association for Change—has condemned the military’s threats against the working class. Striving to maintain illusions in the role of the army, these forces have urged an end to the demonstrations and strikes. ElBaradei and his colleagues are now preparing to enter the military regime. Britain’s Foreign Minister William Hague said yesterday that Egypt’s Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq told him that the current government would be reshuffled to include opposition figures by next week. While the successful elevation of these “opposition” forces would open up opportunities for the individuals involved, for the Egyptian working class it would signify no more than providing a civilian fig-leaf for the military government.”

The Two Roads Out of Recession (tags)

Recent events in Washington, D.C. should provoke fear and outrage in the average American worker. As the jobs recession staggers on, politicians and labor leaders alike seem bizarrely distanced from reality, unable to advance any ideas that remotely correspond to the basic demands of those tens of millions of unemployed, under-employed, or poorly paid workers. Instead, what we get is President Obama's recent groveling to the corporate-dominated Chamber of Commerce, pleading with them to hire workers. The President's recent speech to the Chamber implied many dangers, which neither labor federation-- AFL-CIO and Change to Win -- bothered to point out. In fact, the AFL-CIO applauded sections of the speech, rather than condemning its sinister motives. If labor unions align themselves with the President's and the Chamber's pro-corporate path out of the recession, a workers’ road to recovery will be bypassed.

'The Egyptian Revolution enters a new stage' and more (tags)

"The struggle that is now unfolding in Egypt will be of a protracted character. The responsibility of revolutionary Marxists is to develop among workers, as they pass through colossal political experiences, an understanding of the necessity for an independent struggle for power. The revolutionary Marxists must counsel workers against all illusions that their democratic aspirations can be achieved under the aegis of bourgeois parties. They must expose ruthlessly the false promises of the political representatives of the capitalist class. They must encourage the creation of independent organs of workers’ power which can become, as the political struggle intensifies, the basis for the transfer of power to the working class. They must explain that the realization of the workers’ essential democratic demands is inseparable from the implementation of socialist policies. Above all, revolutionary Marxists must raise the political horizons of Egyptian workers beyond the borders of their own country. They must explain that the struggles that are now unfolding in Egypt are inextricably linked to an emerging global process of world socialist revolution, and that the victory of the revolution in Egypt requires not a national, but an international strategy. After all, the fight against the Mubarak-Suleiman regime and the Egyptian ruling class is, in the final analysis, a struggle against the entire Arab bourgeoisie, the Zionist regime in Israel and American and European imperialism."

Egypt: Revolution in Motion (tags)

"A revolution is not a single event-it is a process. A process with ebbs and flows, advances and setbacks that can take place over weeks, months and even years..The Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky developed the theory of `permanent revolution.'" Links to Howard Zinn and Marcos

Essentials on the situation in Egyp (tags)

"Then, over the weekend, came the public statement by Frank Wisner, the former ambassador to Cairo tapped by the Obama administration to serve as its envoy to Mubarak. Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Wisner declared, “President Mubarak remains utterly critical in the days ahead as we sort our way toward the future.” He added that the dictator “must stay in office in order to steer those changes through.” The State Department immediately responded that Wisner was speaking in a personal capacity and had not cleared his remarks first with the US government. While mortified that Wisner had the audacity to say publicly what the administration—behind all its phony rhetoric about democracy—is actually doing, no one disputed the content of Wisner’s statement. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs found a somewhat more elegant way to echo Wisner’s view, declaring that the issue was one of “process not personality.”

El Salvador's Sweatshop Economy (tags)

sweatshops

Jerry Brown, capitalists front man in their offensive against workers and the poor (tags)

Jerry Brown's speech. He wants to re-build California. Then let's make those who tore it down pay, not workers and the poor.

Sexual Prey in the Saudi Jungle (tags)

He was an officer in the Saudi Royal Navy assigned to the strategic Saudi base of Jubail in the Persian Gulf. She was a single mom from Mindanao, in the Philippines, who saw, like so many others, employment in Saudi Arabia as a route out of poverty. When he picked her up at the Dammam International Airport in June, little did she know she was entering, not a brighter chapter of her life but a chamber of horrors from which she would be liberated only after six long months.

Oppose Brown’s cuts in California! Education must be a social right! (tags)

In his latest budget, California Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, is proposing drastic cuts that will affect the lives of students and workers throughout the state, including $1.4 billion in cuts to higher education. The net wealth of the 19 richest Californians is more than ten times the entire amount of proposed budget cuts!

Philippine labor party calls for stop to trainee nurse fees (tags)

The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM - Workers Party) called for a stop to the practice of charging fees to trainee or on-the-job-trainee (OJT) nurses in the wake of a Senate hearing yesterday on the issue. Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson, attended the hearing and supported the position of nurses groups for an end to the “exploitation of hundreds of thousands of young registered nurses.”

Korean Guitar Workers to Protest at Music Instruments Trade Show in Anaheim (tags)

Guitar workers who used to work for Cort Guitars are demanding justice. They are protesting at the NAMM trade show in Anaheim, Jan. 13 to 16.

What's Causing Kidney Disease in Nicaragua: BUSPH Researchers Investigate (tags)

It's a compelling public health mystery: Thousands of people in Northwestern Nicaragua are dying from chronic kidney failure, and no one knows why.

Waging War on American Workers (tags)

targeting the middle class

2011: Another bleak year for the workers in the Philippines (tags)

2011: Another bleak year for the workers, militant labor leaders lamented in a breakfast forum

Labor's Last Stand in 2011? (tags)

The stage is set, and the main actors in Congress and in the corporate establishment are ready to perform, having rehearsed behind closed doors for the coming assault on organized labor's most powerful sector, public workers. The final preparations were smoothed out in Obama's tax "compromise" with the Republicans, which gave details of the drama's first act. The tax plan purposely did not include a critical element for state funding, called the Build America Bonds program (BAB), which allows recession-sunk states to easily borrow money from the federal government. In the face of enormous deficits, the states would be left to drown. Reuters blogger James Pethokoukis explains:

The Dictatorship of America's Aristocracy (tags)

Obama's betrayal

Labor Wars in NY, Gov Workers in CA Better Prepare (tags)

The NY State budget is a mess, and the construction unions have joined up with Gov. Cuomo to attack public sector workers.

Calls from Joe Lieberman help force Amazon and EveryDNS to dump Wikileaks (tags)

The war against Wikileaks is gaining momentum. We must defend Wikileaks, Julian Assange and free speech. I read now that Paypal has joined the offensive. Perhaps we should all close our paypal accounts.

What’s Going On In Europe? (tags)

"The attack on education is an international phenomenon. In the UK on Wednesday, tens of thousands of students walked out of classes over tripled tuition fees. Thousands participated in a demonstration in London, where more than 1,000 were penned in and contained by police for hours. Police used batons to beat back students attempting to reach parliament. The demonstrations in Britain came two weeks after more than 55,000 took to the streets throughout the UK. A crackdown by the government has included the arrest of dozens of students. In the US, there have been mass protests and, in some cases, occupations in the state of California against tuition fee increases of more than 30 per cent. The education cuts in Italy and the UK are part of a wave of austerity measures throughout Europe aimed at forcing workers and young people to pay for an ongoing economic crisis."

GM's LBO, government-style (tags)

Lost Opportunities - Part One in a Series

The KPFA/KPFK/Pacifica NPR Evening News (tags)

One segment on the Tuesday broadcast demonstrates the ongoing disconnect between the news staff and some station staffers and the political and economic reality that Obama has brought us and make many ask why contribute to a second NPR.

Destructive Neoliberal Austerity (tags)

austerity, not stimulus coming

Threats of violence from a "Buddhist Monk" (tags)

I just spent two months in Brazil volunteering for the New Kadampa Tradion International Temples Project... And was threatened with violence on three occasions by the monk in charge of the project. Others were also singled out for verbal abuse by this nut case. Be carefull before you volunteer for the NKT!!

Class Warfare Jeopardizing American Workers' Security (tags)

waging war against vital social benefits

Philippine Airlines workers protest, appeals to Philippine President to stop layoff (tags)

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) today returned to Mendiola for a rally to appeal to President Benigno Aquino III to stop the mass layoff of 2,600 employees at Philippine Airlines (PAL). PALEA submitted a formal petition to the Office of the President appealing for presidential intervention to suspend the implementation of the Baldoz decision pending its review.

The Strategic Role of the Role of the United Front (tags)

What distinguished Marx from all his contemporaries who professed revolutionary aspirations was his identification of the revolutionary agent: “The emancipation of the working classes [of every country] must be conquered by the working classes themselves….”

‘Free the 43’ FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! (tags)

resident Benigno Aquino III is concerned over the detention for the past 15 years of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, a democracy icon like his late mother, former President Corazon C. Aquino. Last Oct. 28, while attending the Asean Summit in Hanoi, he urged Burma’s Prime Minister Thein Sein to free Suu Kyi, but predictably, the latter made no clear commitment. But while Mr. Aquino seems to be passionate in working for the release of Suu Kyi, he does not seem to be very concerned about the detention for the past nine months by government forces of 43 health workers, the so-called “Morong 43.” Last Oct. 14 Mr. Aquino said the case of the 43 detainees would have to be decided by the court that is trying them for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

CORPORATE MEDIA IS COMING TO HOME (tags)

Capital’s most severe crisis in seventy years ought to be a moment of significant opportunity for the left. But as the right mobilizes disgruntled Americans via its vast radio, television, web, and print empires, the one mass medium available to the left is driving out its best and brightest.

UAW: Reform or rebellion? (tags)

"History shows that every gain won by American workers was the result of militant struggles in opposition to the corporate establishment and both big business parties. The very right to have a union, as well as the eight-hour day, child labor laws, overtime pay, health benefits, etc. was won in often bloody struggles against the violent resistance of the employers and the government. Whenever the Democrats, under the threat of revolution, conceded concessions to workers’ demands, they did so to smother the social movement so they could claw back the workers’ gains at a later point."

France: More strikes, opposition to social austerity (tags)

"At Université Lyon-2, students gathered to vote on future action and protest the detention of demonstrators at Corbas prison, according to an account in Lyon-Capitale. They criticized the unions and also bourgeois “left” parties such as the Socialist Party (PS) and its presumed 2012 presidential candidate, Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Strauss-Kahn is currently the head of the International Monetary Fund, where he pressed for massive austerity policies and wage cuts to be imposed on Greek workers in exchange for an IMF bailout, during this spring’s Greek debt crisis. One Lyon student said: “We’re in the street because we have had enough of Sarkozy. We had had enough of [ex- President Jacques] Chirac before and we will have had enough of Strauss-Kahn.... What we do not want anymore is Sarkozy, capitalism, and globalization.”

French Worker Struggles for Justice (tags)

struggling without union support

PHILIPPINES: PAL labor row erupts anew as workers protest DOLE decision (tags)

The labor row at Philippine Airlines (PAL) flares up once more at the start of the airline peak season with its workers starting today a series of protest actions against the recent decision of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to allow the mass layoff of some 3,000 workers. At 10:00 a.m. today dozens of members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), the ground crew union at PAL, held a symbolic protest at the main office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Intramuros, Manila.

Violations of Workers Rights in the Philippines in 2010 (tags)

Aside from the worst forms of labor repression such as the killings of union leaders and members that are well documented by human rights groups, workers in the Philippines suffer from a host of other violations of internationally recognized and constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.

BP cover up (tags)

BP continues to poison Gulf coast and people with systematic cover up

French Lessons for U.S. Workers (tags)

The world watches as France once again erupts in protests, demonstrations, and strikes. So much is at stake. If France's corporate-dominated government is able to increase the retirement age, other governments will be empowered to follow through with their plans to do the same. If labor, student, and community groups succeed in stopping the pension reform -- or toppling the government -- workers in other countries will likewise be inspired to fight back and organize in the French fashion.

Lynne Stewart Given "Fighter for Justice" Award (tags)

one of many she's gotten

The Migrant Condition (tags)

When I was recently named chairman of the Committee on Overseas Workers’ Affairs of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, I was approached by members of the press for my views on migrant labor. I remembered a speech I delivered last year at the Global Forum for Migration and Development in Athens, Greece. The thrust of the speech was that migrants’ rights have to be addressed on two fronts: ending the neoliberal policies that are responsible for creating poverty in their home countries, thus forcing them to emigrate, and demanding that they are given full rights in their host countries.

Message of Solidarity with the workers and students of France (tags)

Message of Solidarity with the workers and students of France from the exploited masses of the United States

PLM statement on Philippine President's 100 days in office (tags)

Failure of Leadership Marks P-Noy’s 100 Days in Office President Noynoy Aquino’s first 100 days in office accentuated the problem we will be facing under the six-year term of the new administration: an incompetent leadership that lacks political will to carry through changes in the government and in society at large.

Striking port workers in Marseille know the truth (modified by General Joe) (tags)

"They (French workers) are “fighting privatization,” as we all should be. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a slave to private capital either! This article, like most in the capitalist press, omits this essential information to benefit the owners and bosses. Get a clue folks and stand up and fight back or be prepared to have everything stolen from you. Remember, the rich don’t want but one thing. And that’s “everything.” Kind a makes the bank bailouts a little more understandable don’t you think. See “class war” all around you."

The Struggle for a Workers' Recovery (tags)

Stocks are booming; the Dow Jones soared past 11,000; the very wealthy are bursting from their financial seams. Meanwhile, mass unemployment continues, with 95,000 more jobs -- mostly teachers -- lost in September. As millions of Americans sink into desperation, President Obama continues to preach the good word of optimism, based on the gospel of "private sector job growth."

The Profit Crunch (tags)

In the 1960s, JKGalbraith warned of two worlds: private affluence and public squalor. Now after the neoliberal counter-offensive, more than half of US states struggle with deficits. Without the social contract, we become wolves to each other.

Philippine Labor party, PAL ground crew to support flight attendants strike (tags)

The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (Worker's Party) and the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), the ground crew union at the national flag carrier, both expressed support for the planned strike of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP).

Green U.S. Senate Candidate Backs "Immediate Amnesty" For Millions of Undocumented Workers (tags)

"As a longtime defender of immigrant rights, I strongly back the idea of granting immediate amnesty for the millions of undocumented workers currently living within the United States. An overwhelming majority of them work incredibly hard, are law abiding, and make invaluable contributions to the wealth of this country."

9/28 Injured Movie & Downey Kaiser Workers To File Complaints At LA DA (tags)

On 9/28/201 injured movie and Kaiser Downey workers will be filing complaints with the Los Angeles District Attorney Workers Comp fraud unit and evironmental crimes unit to prosecute Downey Toxic Developer Stuart Lichter who is owner of the IRG company. Lichter has poisoned and contaminated workers at the privatized "brownfield" super-fund toxic dump site where a Kaiser hospital was also built

The Bi-Partisan Attack on Public Workers (tags)

States everywhere across the United States are facing the common enemy of extreme budget deficits. Many states have deficits in the multi-billion dollar realm, as the budget crises dominate the debates for the upcoming gubernatorial elections. In these debates, Republican and Democratic candidates are finding it difficult to disagree on the most essential issues around the budget crises. The most crucial question for any incoming governor must be: how will you resolve the state’s budget crisis? The answer from both parties is a resounding: “Public workers and those who depend on their services will pay for the crisis”!

The CTC once again betrays Cuban workers (tags)

// Joint Communiqué MLC-GALSIC (Cuban Libertarian Movement – Support Group for Libertarians and Independent Sindicalists of Cuba)

After October 2, What Next? (tags)

The October 2nd demonstration in Washington, D.C., is a great step forward. We are now beginning to take matters into our own hands, relying on ourselves, and acting collectively.

Green U.S. Senate Candidate Warns Immigrant Rights Supporters to 'Beware of the Democrats' (tags)

"Last year, President Obama appointed Janet Napolitano to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. When Napolitano was Democratic Governor of Arizona, she was a close ally of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and lobbied the Bush administration on his behalf to give his army of deputies the power to arrest undocumented workers under provisions of 287(g).

Two Openly Gay Councilmembers Debate Sales-Tax Increase (tags)

Rival City Councilmembers Todd Gloria and Carl DeMaio — the first two openly Gay men elected to the San Diego City Council — spoke at the Hillcrest Town Council September 14 and debated Proposition D on the November 2 ballot. This would allow the city to raise its sales tax one-half cent for five years to plug the $72 billion hole in its current budget — but only after the city implements 10 “reforms” reducing its pension obligations to workers and making it easier to privatize city jobs. But even in Gloria’s relatively liberal district, the polite but hostile response from the audience made it clear the measure will be a tough sell to city voters.

Jerry Brown Widens the Chasm Between Labor and the Democratic Party (tags)

With the November elections rapidly approaching, most Americans are unimpressed and uninvolved, having concluded that elections have changed little in their struggling lives, despite all the promises of politicians.

NYC Workers Stand with the Muslim, Arab, and South Asian Communities: (tags)

Our Grief Is Not an Excuse for Racism, Islamophobia, Bigotry or War

Not Heard on Grace Aaron/Ian Masters, Free Speech Radio KPFK (tags)

The Ann Arbor Socialist Equality Party Congress Presents: The Breakdown of Capitalism and the fight for Socialism in the United States: Program of the Socialist Equality Party

Labor Day: Immigrants build the U.S. Economy (tags)

Undocumented immigrants streaming into this country from south of the border drive down wages and steal jobs that could otherwise go to out-of-work Americans. Right? Wrong. As it turns out, immigrant workers play an important role in building our economy.

Jimmy Johns Labor Dispute Bursts onto National Stage with Coast-to-Coast Actions Planned f (tags)

Minimum wage workers fight for justice

Notes from Besieged Gaza (tags)

Relentlessly, Israel wages war on Gaza

Obama's Delusions: The Economy and Iraq (tags)

If you’ve listened to recent speeches the President has given about the economy and the Iraq war, you’d think that two of the biggest social issues facing working Americans are improving. But facts are stubborn things. Take for example the numbers of jobs lost in the last two months: 221,000 in June, 131,000 in July. Instead of taking the drastic measures needed to stop the continued hemorrhaging, the President had this to say on August 5th:

Crooked Toyota Poway El Cajon Owner Vincent Castro Fighting Workers Comp For Mold Illness (tags)

Vincent Toyota Poway El Cajon owner is involved in criminal conspiracy to limit his liability for workers sickened by mold at the Toyota dealership in El Cajon, California

USAID: Funding Offshoring/Outsourcing of American Jobs to Sri Lanka (tags)

USAID is giving money to Sri Lanka to "train tech workers" who will eventually take American jobs away.

Dangerous conditions at Kaiser Baldwin Park reported to Dept. of Health, OSHA, JCAHO (tags)

Despite 2003 shooting, management refuses to take basic steps to protect employees from outsider who threatened their lives

We Can’t Defeat the Capitalist Offensive Without Changing Our Unions (tags)

The struggle against the concessionary policies of the Union hierarchy is harder than fighting the boss but we can’t defeat the boss without changing our Unions

BTL:U.S. Workers' Stories Illuminate Intensifying Struggle for Dignity (tags)

BETWEEN THE LINES Syndicated Radio Newsmagazine

Nurses picket Kaiser over patient safety (tags)

Hundreds march in informational picket to improve care at Kaiser’s biggest So. Cal. hospital

PHILIPPINES: Keeping an eye on Aquino’s commitment to change (tags)

MANILA - The new administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III begins with an extremely high trust rating of 88 percent – higher than any of the post-dictatorship presidents. This is a measure of people’s belief in the commitment of the Aquino administration to reverse the anti-poor policies implemented during the regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

22 Statistics (tags)

We urgently need alternatives to a future of stagnation and deficits. The community centers in Vancouver B.C. have a multiplier effect as surrogate counseling and class possibilities. Social justice, solidarity and sharing open doors.

Labor Fights Back (tags)

If the U.S. economy eventually recovers and current trends continue, U.S. workers won’t be celebrating in the streets. The corporate establishment has made it clear that a “strong recovery” depends on U.S. workers making “great sacrifices” in the areas of wages, health care, pensions, and more ominously, reductions in so-called “entitlement programs” — Social Security, Medicare, and other social services. These plans have been discussed at length in corporate think tanks for years, and only recently has the mainstream media begun a coordinated attack to convince American workers of the “necessity” of adopting these policies. The New York Times speaks for the corporate establishment as a whole when it writes:

Majority of 600 hospital workers at Providence Tarzana vote to join NUHW (tags)

Victory at union's second Catholic health system also marks beginning of campaign by 13,000 workers at Catholic Healthcare West

The mainstream band RATM others like them are workers (tags)

The mainstream band RATM others like them are workers

India's "Hearts of Darkness" (tags)

labor exploitation in India

Human Rights Group Calls on Authorities to Free Two Pregnant Detainees in the Philippines. (tags)

PESANTE-USA , a human rights and peasant advocacy group based in Los Angeles today , two detained health workers accused of being members of the New People’s Army are pregnant and may give birth inside their detention cell in Taguig City if they are not released. Pesante learned it from the group calling themselves as the Free the 43 Health Workers! Alliance asked President Benigno Aquino III to release the accused communists.

Blood on the Border (tags)

Today in the United States, under the Democratic administration of Barack Obama, xenophobic and racist violence is escalating. The criminal agents of the Border Patrol have reached the point of killing in cold blood, before the eyes of hundreds of witnesses. On May 28, construction worker Anastasio Hernández Rojas was beaten to death by some 20 agents of the U.S. Border Patrol. Then on June 7 in Ciudad Juárez, across the river from El Paso, Border Patrol agents fired into a group of youths on the Mexican side of of the border, murdering 14-year-old Adrián Hernández with a shot to the head. These crimes are part of a policy of racist repression looking for scapegoats, typified by the legalization of xeonophobia and police use of racial profiling in Arizona’s SB 1070 law. But while Obama criticize the law, “Obama, listen, we are in the struggle,” his thugs are killing on the border. It is an illusion to think that the commander in chief of U.S. imperialism, or his counterpart and semi-colonial underling, Mexican president Felipe Calderón, will defend the workers. It is necessary to mobilize the power of the working class to defend immigrants.

Haiti Earthquake: Capitalism, Occupation and Revolution (tags)

The earthquake that wrecked the capital of Haiti and surrounding areas on January 12 produced human tragedy of almost unfathomable proportions. It has been termed “the most destructive natural disaster in modern times.” Five months later, Haiti is no longer in the headlines or on the nightly TV news, but for the hard-hit Haitian population the scene has hardly changed. Now a new disaster is in the making as the hurricane season begins. This was a calamity made by capitalism: the earthquake was predictable and was predicted; the inferior construction methods are the result of Haiti’s poverty, and the swollen slums were the result of U.S. policies that have destroyed Haitian agriculture, forcing peasants off the land. On top of everything, Haiti is under imperialist occupation: Washington makes sure it has ultimate control of the strategically placed island, as it has throughout the Cold War and since. Haiti's devastation is not the result of “natural” causes or even “neo-liberal” policies – it is the product of the oppression of this semi-colonial country by the imperial masters ever since black slaves rose up to abolish slavery and throw out the colonialists two centuries ago. No new “economic model” can resolve this: what’s required is a new Haitian Revolution, a workers revolution overthrowing capitalism throughout the Caribbean and extending into the heart of imperialism.

Stimulus or Austerity: the People vs. the Banks (tags)

The most powerful nations in the world met recently at the G-20 in Toronto and managed to agree on only one thing of significance: the need to reduce deficits, “half by 2013.” Implied by the statement is the need to lower deficits via “austerity,” meaning eliminating or reducing social programs. Why does every mainstream political pundit or corporate CEO fanatically agree that reducing deficits is the most important thing to do now? Let Obama explain:

100 Filipino Organizations ask Aquino: Adopt pro-poor agenda (tags)

MANILA, Philippines—Some 100 non-government organizations from all over the country under the umbrella network of Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay (KAMP or Dignified Life for All Campaign) are asking incoming President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to adopt their pro-poor agenda.

Labor board to throw out bogus claims made by SEIU, paving way for NUHW elections (tags)

After 16 months in legal limbo, thousands of healthcare workers will finally get elections to join NUHW.

Employers and Labor Leaders Pressure Muni Drivers to Reverse Vote (tags)

The collaboration between employers and the heads of organized Labor is forced more in to the open as the polarization between the classes grows. There is no room for pretense anymore.

Venezuela: The jail bars will not silence people protest (tags)

* National and international campaign of epistolary solidarity with trade unionist Rubén González *

Militant workers in the Philippines slam wage hike as loose change (tags)

The militant Partido ng Manggagawa (Workers Party - PM) slammed the wage hike of P22 for Metro Manila workers as “loose change” and called for the abolition of the regional wage boards for “betraying the working class.” Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson, declared that “P22 is not even enough for workers to buy a kilo of commercial rice or even the cheapest NFA rice worth P25. Since the last wage hike was in June 2008, the wage hike is effectively P11 per year over two years. Na-onse na naman ang mga manggagawa."

Passing of John Delloro (tags)

John Delloro, a dynamic young FilAm labor organizer who helped expand labor education in the Los Angeles community colleges suffered a fatal heart attack.

200,000 march in Arizona (tags)

Report from the protest in Arizona

Labor Under the Democrats #1 (tags)

Labor article 1

Insurance Comm Candidate Padilla Opposes "Cap" On BP Ins-Calls For Seizure Of BP & Energy (tags)

Dina Padilla, Peace and Freedom Party candidate for California Insurance Commissioner has opposed any changes of insurance caps and instead is calling for the seizure of BP and public control of the entire energy under democratic worker management with the profits going to the public.

ARIZONA MARCH GATHERS 50,000 VS SB 1070 (tags)

Que queremos? Legalización! Cuando? Ahora!” “Hey hey, ho ho, SB 1070 has got to go!” Over 50,000 people marched through the streets of Phoenix, Ariz., May 29 to demand an end to SB 1070 and all other racist attacks on immigrants. The national protest marched more than five miles in 100-degree heat to the steps of the state capitol. The action was coordinated with marches and demonstrations in several cities across the United States and in Mexico City. The Party for Socialism and Liberation worked with the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) to organize two buses of dedicated activists to travel from the Los Angeles area to the national demonstration in Phoenix. Other organizations in the contingent included Vamos Unidos USA, AF3IRM, the Alliance-Philippines and KmB Pro-People Youth. The PSL also helped bring a 70-car caravan from San Diego, and PSL members in Phoenix held a preparatory meeting and passed out thousands of flyers to help build the march at ground zero. The huge outpouring of support for immigrants came mostly from workers in Arizona. But large delegations came not only from California but also Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. Erica Maceda, who traveled on the buses from Los Angeles, said : “I am traveling to Arizona to fight for immigrant rights because the attack on immigrants there is an attack on all people. No human being can be considered ‘illegal.’” Protesters gathered in the morning outside a local park for an opening rally and ceremonial Indigenous dancing. Speakers denounced Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for their blatant racism and xenophobic attacks on immigrant workers. As the march made its way through Phoenix, PSL members gathered hundreds of signatures supporting full rights for all immigrants. When asked at the opening rally why he decided to attend, Max Martinez of Phoenix said “Because SB 1070 is racist and wrong. No one with any sense contemplates whether or not white supremacy is wrong.” Martinez, a 20-year-old student, explained that he has been stopped by police and asked for proof of citizenship more times than he can count, despite being born in a local Phoenix hospital. ‘SB 1070 has got to go!’ ANSWER and the PSL led a militant contingent of hundreds of protesters chanting slogans. Protesters carried signs that read “Defeat SB 1070 in the streets!” and “Unity against racism: Full rights for immigrants!” The march ended with a rally at the Capitol building in downtown Phoenix. Initiated by Puente, an Arizona-based immigrant rights organization, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, the demonstration was multinational and pointed to a high degree of class-consciousness and solidarity among workers from all sectors of society. It exposed the myth of the right wing that Arizona monolithically supports SB 1070. Tens of thousands of people, who represent hundreds of thousands more, hit the streets under difficult conditions and with a massive police presence trying to intimidate them. Rally speakers included local politicians and community leaders as well as Richard Trumka, leader of the AFL-CIO. The message from the stage was one of workers’ unity and the need to put a stop to the divide-and-conquer tactics employed by the enemies of poor and working people. The national march to stop SB 1070 was a truly historic day in the growing movement for immigrant rights. It also marked a major step forward in the struggle against racism.

The BP oil spill and American capitalism (tags)

"BP of course has done us wrong, as all corporations do. But it is capitalism that should be put on trial. This is an opportunity to move the people to that understanding. All who stand for progress and human advancement must seize this moment. In every conversation, every letter to the editor, every email, every blog post and every twit we must work to put the transformation to a different society on the table. Only an economy based on fairness and sharing can save us from the disease of capitalism that is ravaging this earth. Now is a time to scream this from every corner of the globe. In our groups and associations and as individuals we can begin this now. We may not stop until we have a new world!"

Rudacille’s Tome: A Must-Read for Labor Buffs (Review) (tags)

In 1959, Bethlehem’ Sparrows Point plant, outside Baltimore, was “the largest steelworks in the world.” In its heyday, it employed 36,000 workers. Bethlehem went into bankruptcy in 2001, and many of its retirees at the “Point” got screwed out of their benefits. Deborah Rudacille’s book, “Roots of Steel,” recreates, via compelling “oral histories,” the history of the Point; the collapse of Bethlehem, an industrial titan; and the baleful impact that it had on the lives of its union workers and communities that they lived in.

Injured Downey Workers Blast Lichter-Workers Memorial Day April 29, 2010 in L.A.-Downey (tags)

Injured workers, their families and health and safety advocates participated and spoke at a Workers Memorial Day event at the Independence Park in Downey California. The park is located next to the privatized superfund toxic dump site run by IRG owner and developer Stuart Lichter.

Puerto Rico: Beatings at the Sheraton (tags)

On the evening of May 20, the notorious Shock Force of the Puerto Rican Police brutally attacked a demonstration of hundreds of students and workers protesting against Governor Luis Fortuño. The assault took place in the luxurious Sheraton Hotel, where the privatizing, anti-worker governor was presiding over a fancy fundraising dinner. As our reporter recounts, the police brutally beat demonstrators with riot clubs and pepper-sprayed everyone with tear gas and pepper gas. This was the response of the government to the workers strike two days ago in support of the student strike at the University of Puerto Rico, which has lasted almost a month. It is urgently necessary to translate the worker-student unity that was on display on May 18 into powerful strike actions that shut down key sectors of the economy of the U.S.' Caribbean island economy. We publish here the on-the-spot report from our correspondent who witnessed and participated in the protest.

Napolitano in Claremont (tags)

Sunday, May 16, 2010
CLAREMONT, California - The arrival of Homeland Security Secretary (and former Governor of Arizona) Janet Napolitano to this community at the far east end of Los Angeles county propelled a march and rally of about 300 people in denunciation of the policies of immigration agencies, which fall under her purview.
Leer este artículo en español: Napolitano en Claremont

SEIU Memo Outlines Plans to Organize Fast Food (tags)

Leaked internal SEIU document describes plans to organize fast food workers in Los Angeles County.

Turkey: Solidarity call for the "Platform of struggling workers" (tags)

Workers from recent struggles in Turkey, including tobacco workers, water and sewers workers, firemen, metal workers, municipality workers, building workers, dustmen, science workers and news workers, have come together and established a workers' group. Support them!

Greece: Blood and tears for the proletariat! (tags)

In order to resist the policy of blood and tears which the bourgeoisie inflicts on it, the proletariat has no other possibility than the resumption of the class struggle, starting with the rejection of anti-worker measures by the government and the calls for “national solidarity”, and for sacrifices “to defend the fatherland and democracy”.

Open Letter from the Internationalist Group to the Spartacist League and ICL (tags)

The Spartacist League/U.S. and the International Communist League it leads are in deep political trouble. On April 27, the International Executive Committee of the ICL issued a statement “Repudiating Our Position on Haiti Earthquake,” headlined “A Capitulation to U.S. Imperialism.” After three months of “zealous apologies for the U.S. imperialist military intervention” in the name of humanitarian aid, the ICL suddenly declared that this was a fundamental “betrayal” and the Internationalist Group had been right all along in demanding U.S./U.N. troops out. While agreeing with the IG’s characterization of the ICL’s policy as “social-imperialist”and calling for a “savage indictment” of its own line, the ICL’s explanation for this betrayal – failure to have a formal discussion – doesn’t answer how an entire organization which proclaims itself revolutionary Marxist and Trotskyist could swallow this support for imperialism for months. Its origins can be found in years of capitulation to U.S. imperialism, notably by abandoning the call for its defeat in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The Open Letter by the Internationalist Group urges those in the ICL who do not wish to continue gyrating in centrist confusion to examine the real record of their organization’s adaptations and capitulations to “its own” bourgeoisie over the past years.

The Economics Behind Immigration Reform (tags)

How convenient for Goldman Sachs. Just as most working people were demanding that the Goldman bosses and other Wall Street criminals either be massively fined, jailed or worse, the nation’s attention is suddenly forced to react to the racist immigration law in Arizona. And although the two incidents are not directly related, they represent a trend that is likely to increase in the months and years ahead.

US-WIDE MAY DAY MARCH/RALLIES TO DEFEND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, A RESOUNDING SUCCESS (tags)

May Day in the United States was day for workers and immigrants! More than 500,000 people protested and filled the streets of LA and other 75 other US Cities in their hundreds of thousands. One of the rally organizers, ANSWER-LA, TV Channel 54 and 62 estimates the crowd as high as 250,000 while the LAPD has a low estimate of 60,000.

Labor Day statements from the Philippines (tags)

LABOR URGED TO USE LABOR VOTE TO ADVANCE LABOR AGENDA . May 1 protest demands a stop to layoffs and contractualization.

Full Rights for All Immigrants, Now! Fight Racism and Bigotry (tags)

Mangahas Makibaka,, Kamtin ang Tagumpay! (Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win.) The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) joins the mass mobilizations in more than 350 actions all over the nation led by unions and immigrant rights groups to say no to racial profiling and anti-immigrant campaigns, in Arizona and everywhere on Saturday, May 1, International Workers’ Day. The racist law gives state and local police the power to act as federal immigration enforcers. The lawmakers who wrote and supported this bill said it was necessary to appropriate the tasks of the federal government because the federal government wasn’t doing “enough” on immigration. The already brisk pace of the federal racist anti-immigrant campaign just was not fast enough for the racist ruling class in the state of Arizona.

KARAPATAN PARA SA LAHAT, LUMAHOK SA MARTSA/RALI SA MAYO UNO (tags)

WORKERS RIGHTS ARE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS! Diverse immigrant rights groups all over the United States will come out in a united full force for an all-out drive to push genuine immigration reform in 2010. In almost all major cities of the United States, immigrant rights groups led the labor unions, immigrant rights advocates and anti-war and racism forces like the International ANSWER Coalition will hold march and rallies for full immigrant rights and to commemorate International Workers Day. --For the first time after more than four years, all the immigrant rights groups will march together as one. The marches and rallies have been disunited and at least 4-5 immigrant groups hold their rallies separately since 2006.

For a Proletarian and Communist May 1st! (tags)

Workers! The general conditions of life and work have been deteriorating for years, becoming ever more intolerable.

All out for May Day! (tags)

A new leaflet being passed out in Seattle. Spread the word about Obama's REAL ideas about immigration reform while building the movement for full rights for all immigrants, now. And wherever you are, march on May Day, the fighting holiday of the world's workers.

Labor Leadership covering for the Democrats again They're all linked to Goldman stupid (tags)

Do they honestly expect us to believe that their campaign isn't linked to the Democratic Party candidate?

FULL RIGHTS FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS! ALL OUT FOR MAY 1 (tags)

WORKERS RIGHTS ARE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS! Diverse immigrant rights groups all over the United States will come out in a united full force for an all-out drive to push genuine immigration reform in 2010. In almost all major cities of the United States, immigrant rights groups led the labor unions, immigrant rights advocates and anti-war and racism forces like the International ANSWER Coalition will hold march and rallies for full immigrant rights and to commemorate International Workers Day.

Labor Fights Back at Goose Island (Book Review) (tags)

Kari Lydersen has penned an absorbing book, “Revolt on Goose Island.” It chronicles how 250 members of the UE, a progressive union, occupied a factory, “Republic Windows,” located in Chicago, IL, rather then just meekly submit to its closing. It’s labor history at its best. This “direct action” came not long after AFL-CIO labor leader Richard L. Trumka denounced the evils of “globalization,” and the predatory schemes of the Wall Street boy-ohs.

Deciphering the media campaign against Nicaragua Sugar Estates and the Pellas Group (tags)

A stone in the shoe In a recent article, the most conspicuous organizer of ANAIRC´s disinformation campaign against Nicaragua Sugar and the Pellas Group (Grupo Pellas) and the boycott against Flor de Caña finally decided to make an incursion into a new territory, without completely abandoning his repetitive disparaging epithets, in an attempt to give a new appearance to ANAIRC’s claims and make them seem serious. Let’s carefully examine what this is all about.

Behind The Scheme To Privatize NASA Elon Musk, The Downey Connection & Google Owners (tags)

Elon Musk who is planning to build "green" electric auto assembly plant in Downey is also working with Pres Obama to privatize the NASA program and turn the program over to him

May Day 2010 Call To Action! (tags)

A national day of multi-ethnic unity with youth, labor, peace and justice communities in solidarity with immigrant workers and building new immigrant rights & civil rights movement!

May Day 2010 Call To Action! (tags)

National Mobilization for Immigrant Workers Rights!

MORONG 43 RETURNED BY THE POLICE BACK TO THE ARMY CAMP (tags)

The PESANTE NEWS learned today that the PNP refuses to house ‘Morong 38’ . They were asked to return to Camp Capinpin, Tanay. Rizal. In line with an order issued by a Morong, Rizal court, 38 members of the so-called “Morong 43” group of health workers were brought to Camp Crame on board a Philippine Army bus Friday morning. About half an hour later, the Philippine National Police (PNP) promptly sent them back to the military’s Camp Capinpin in Rizal, saying it had no room for them in its crowded detention facility.

CBCP Statement on the Continued Detention of the Morong 43 (tags)

The illegal arrest and continued detention of the “Morong 43” in a military facility represent serious threat to the civil liberties of the Filipino people. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) follows with grave concern the shifting accusations of the military against the health workers, the conflicting positions of government authorities on the legitimacy of the arrest and detention, and the seeming lack of regard of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for human rights and the rule of law. We are deeply worried about the wellbeing of the health workers in Camp Capinpin. We share the sentiments of other human rights groups that the presence of the detainees in a military camp makes them vulnerable to further abuses, psychological tortures, threats, and intimidation. Sustained exposure to psychosomatic strains may eventually break the fortitude and resistance of the Morong 43 into admitting under duress the accusations made against them.

4/29 LA-Downey Workers Memorial Day (tags)

On Thursday April 29, 2010 at 4:15 in Downey, there will be a Workers Memorial Day event to commemorate workers who have been killed on the job and those who have been sickened on the job including many at the Downey toxic dump site where injured movie workers, Kaiser workers and Los Angeles County Department of Education work.

Tenant in San Francisco: What's Wrong with Working in a Bookstore? (tags)

If you are a tenant, there is nothing wrong with working in a bookstore, as long as you are working in three of them.

Why is there popular protest in Venezuela? (tags)

* For the benefit of those who find themselves surprised or disconcerted by the generalised decline of conditions in Venezuela, as well as the increase in popular struggle (2,893 street demonstrations between October 2008-September 2009; compared with 1,763 in the same period in 2007-08) – either because they are unaware of the situation here, they are based abroad, or because they always accept the official version of events – we expound below on some factors which contribute to social conflicts here.

Dueling Strategies in the Defense of Public Education, Part 2 (tags)

In Part I of this essay we looked at strategies in defense of public education that are referred to as “ultra-left,” meaning that they veer so far left that they sever ties with the working class and consequently lose all traction when it comes to influencing the movement. Here we will examine strategies that veer to the right, often ending up in the camp of opportunism, which means sacrificing principles and working class independence for the sake of quick but illusory gains. The interests of working people are subordinated to those of the capitalist class and the politicians who represent them, be they Democrats or Republicans. Finally, we will return to the question of how to proceed forward.

Mothers March & Speak Out (tags)

On Saturday, March 13, about 150 mothers, grandmothers, women who are not mothers, children, and men, came out for the Mothers March and Speak Out in Los Angeles. This was an International Women’s Day event called by the Global Women’s Strike and Women of Color/GWS.

Dueling Strategies in the Defense of Public Education, Part I (tags)

The massive turnout across the state of California on March 4 in defense of public education provides indisputable evidence that this movement is just at the beginning stage. And much credit is due to the countless number of students, staff, and teachers who committed many, many hours of their time, tirelessly organizing for March 4; without this dedication, the event would have sputtered to a stop.

Class Struggle in Claremont (tags)

Food service workers at Pomona College in Claremont, CA are fighting to organize an independent union. Claremont Solidarity fights with them, against labor exploitation and the corporatization of the university.

U.S.-BACKED STATE TERRORISM AND MILITARY BRUTALITY IN THE PHILIPPINES (tags)

Millions of US taxpayers' money are supporting de facto President Arroyo's despotic rule in the Philippines. The continuing torture of 43 health workers may be an alibi to cover up the horrendous Ampatuan massacre and numerous corruption scandals, a preparation for martial rule by May 20. Fascist violence will surely be met by the enraged mobilization of the masses. The US public needs to protest the use of their taxdollars to fund Arroyo's extrajudicial killings, torture, and forced disappearances of thousands of Filipino civilians.

Pomona College Workers Share Testimonies (tags)

Saturday, March 6, 2010
CLAREMONT, California - Despite a drizzle, students from Pomona and other Claremont colleges held a follow-up rally in support of the unionization drive for food service workers. Last week, students, arm-in-arm with workers, delivered hundreds of petitions requesting card-check certification for an independent union to Pomona College president David Oxtoby. The petition also requested non-interference from the College during the unionization drive.

With regard to ANAIRC’s campaign against Nicaragua Sugar, Flor de Caña and Grupo Pellas (tags)

To this date, there is no recognized formal scientific study that establishes a relationship of causality between sugarcane cultural practices and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

US House Chair Henry Waxman Ignores Appeals From Injured Downey Workers-Cover-up Continues (tags)

Henry Waxman, Chair of the House Committee of Energy and Commerce has refused to respond to a letter from the injured Downey Movie and Kaiser workers at the former US military toxic dump site that was privatized as a "Brownfield" site. Injured workers have requested that Waxman push the Energy Department pay for a NIOSH epidemiological study but Waxman is playing hide and seek. He refuses even to meet the workers but has called hearings on steroid use and Toyota. How about having a hearing about injured workers and community members on former military industrial sites which have been privatized. Apparently the developers have a bigger grip on Waxman than his constituents and public who he is supposed to represent.

March 4 Thousands Rally in San Diego Against Education Cuts (tags)

About 1,000 students and faculty gathered at a March 4 rally against education cuts at San Diego State University in California. A similar number of people demonstrated at the University of California, San Diego. A subsequent demonstration in downtown San Diego drew several thousand.

March 4 in Riverside (with embedded video) (tags)

March 4, 2010
RIVERSIDE - In a demonstration infused with dance, students and workers of the University of California, Riverside demanded an end to fee hikes, staffing furloughs, and cuts in class offerings. They chanted as they marched to downtown Riverside, where they were met by a contingent of student and worker activists from Riverside Community College for another rally. After the speeches, a carefully-orchestrated symbolic "death of public education" and die-in blocked traffic on University Avenue for about five minutes before protesters voluntarily cleared the street and avoided any threat of arrest.
Photo set 1: http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/03/235667.php
Photo set 2: http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/03/235687.php
Article: http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/03/235709.php

Pomona College Labor Intervention (tags)

Monday, March 1, 2010
CLAREMONT - Students and workers united to demand justice for exploited food service workers, employees of Pomona College.

Students Support Worker Demands for Independent Unions and End to Abuses (tags)

Monday, March 1, 2010
CLAREMONT, California - The student movement made an unexpected move in solidarity with university employees in a large-scale action at Pomona College, a private institution and part of the Claremont consortium of colleges at the eastern edge of Los Angeles County. Well over a hundred students joined with numerous employees of the three campus dining commons, other Pomona employees, and a few faculty members to deliver a petition to Pomona President Oxtoby.

How Obama's Health Care "Reform" Kills Health Care (tags)

It’s difficult to understand a subject when those explaining it are motivated not by truth, but profit. In the case of health care, both Democrats and Republicans have huge financial incentives to obscure, mislead, or lie. Instead of common sense and honesty directing the debate, bags of money facilitate the conversation, funneled in from the health care industry via lobbyists into Congressmen’s pockets. This is the real reason that Obama’s “health care summit” was full of free-market jargon, staged debate and fake rage.

Caravan to Rio Tinto to support miners locked out (tags)

On February 24th, a caravan of four big rig trucks and around 150 cars carried over 200 people and $30,000 in food to support the Rio Tinto miners in Boron, California.

EDSA "People Power Revolution" Promises Unfullfilled (tags)

EPCC NEWS today reported today, February 27 that NDF spokesperson for Mindanao, Jorge madlos said that twenty four (24) years after the EDSA "People Power Revolution" the greater majority of the Filipino people still wallow in poverty and deprivation, evermore oppressed and exploited. All the promises of EDSA totally unfulfilled.

Wage-Stealing Boss Sent to Slammer (tags)

A dirty rat boss who cheated workers out of 1.5 million dollars is going to be sent to prison. This is a NYC story, but has national implications.

Global Sweatshop Wage Slavery (tags)

Worker exploitation in America and globally

AFP Award Medals to Torturers of Morong 43 (tags)

AJLPP NEWS sources learned today that Philippine Senators Pia Cayetano and Jamby Madrigal and other groups Tuesday cried foul over the awarding of Bronze Cross Medals to military officers involved in the controversial arrest and detention of 43 health workers attending a seminar in Morong, Rizal, early this month. “There’s something seriously wrong when a government institution commends its personnel for committing an illegal act,” said Cayetano in a statement.

Brewing Crisis in the South Atlantic: Oil Exploration in the Malvinas Islands (tags)

For Argentineans the long simmering territorial dispute between Britain and Argentina is coming to a head, as a British oil rig travels to what analysts say is a 60 billion barrel reserve of high-grade oil located in a 200 square mile zone surrounding the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands. This would make it one of the largest oil reserves in the world. Argentina had instituted a naval embargo of the islands but has recently permitted the oil rig to land in Port Stanley, capital of the island.

U.S., French, & UK Imperialist Hands off Niger! (tags)

In Niger human rights organizations, trade unions, and opposition parties (including the Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism) are all supporting the coup. 10,000 people rallied in support on February 20th. Meanwhile the US, France, UK, UN, and African Union all have been quick to condemn the coup. Tandja did the bidding of U.S. imperialism. Meanwhile, according to the UN Development Program’s 2006 Human Development Index, Niger is the poorest country in the world. Sixty percent of the population lives on less than a dollar a day, life expectancy is only to 45-years old, and adult illiteracy is 71%.

CNN's cover-up of the corporate fraud of Globalization. (tags)

I am informing through Indymedia International, all the workers of the World that they themselves must build their own jobs. All institutions in America public or private are robbing the citizens. Each American must deal with the problem directly.

UFCW Delivers Food to Locked Out Miners in Desert (tags)

In a strong show of solidarity, the UFCW (the retail stores and food union) delivered 500 bags of groceries to miners who have been locked out of their jobs by their boss, Rio Tinto.

PESANTE-USA CONDEMNS AFP"S DEFIANCE OF COURT ORDER ON MORONG 43 (tags)

The Philippine Support Network (PESANTE-USA) based in the United States condemns the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP for defying the court order to surface the illegally detained Morong 43. Despite the order of the by the Supreme Court, the military and the police failed to present before the Court of Appeals Friday the 43 health workers arrested on Feb. 6 on suspicion of being members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

Cops forcing religion on homeless folks in Venice Beach (tags)

Looks like the cops want to force religion on people in Los Angeles - Just what part of the First Amendment don't these police thugs understand?

FASCIST MILITARY VIOLENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES (tags)

The arrest and torture of 43 medical and health professionals in the Philippines by the Arroyo military and police seeks to obscure the ongoing Ampatuwan-Arroyo trial and rehearse emergency martial-law schemes to prolong the Arroyo regime's corrupt and brutal domination. US citizens: will you allow millions of your tax-dollars to support Arroyo's military-police in fascist abuses?

Filipino teachers form organization to pursue justice vs recruiter (tags)

February 12, 2010 Baton Rouge, Louisiana–Filipino migrant teachers who are in a struggle against their recruitment agency on allegations of overcharges and exploitation have banded together to form an advocacy and campaigns organization to consolidate their growing movement.

Boron, CA Miners Lockout (tags)

On January 30th, the Rio Tinto company locked miners out of their jobs mining borax in the California desert city of Boron, CA.

2/9 Picket Of Tesla LA Dealership & 2/10 Bell Worker/Community Forum-Speakout (tags)

Injured workers, their families and advocates will picket the LA Tesla dealership on 11163 Santa Monica Blvd on Tuesday Feb 9 and will have a public forum on Wed Feb 10 in Bell on the Downey Toxic dump site

Haiti: Workers Solidarity, Yes! Imperialist Occupation, No! (tags)

The January 12 earthquake in Haiti that devastated the capital city, leaving well over 100,000 dead and a million homeless, was one of the worst geological calamities of modern times. The earthquake was a natural disaster, but the horrendous death toll and monumental destruction were caused by capitalism and imperialism. Now the human suffering has been enormously compounded by to the militarization of the relief effort and reoccupation of Haiti by the United States. More than a dozen flights by aid groups, carrying rescue squads, tons of medical supplies and entire field hospitals, were refused permission to land at the Port-au-Prince airport by U.S. military air controllers who are now in charge. Food was already stocked in warehouses, but agencies refused to distribute it for fear of "riots." The media blitz is a propaganda war to embellish the image of U.S. imperialism. This phony humanitarianism are being used to disguise a new U.S. occupation of Haiti. We demand an end to the imperialist occupation, U.S./U.N. forces get out of Haiti and stop blocking entry of Haitian refugees.

Fighting Company Union Ideology (tags)

The evolution of the company union in the U.S. is a history of both labor’s progress and its missteps. It is a story that, at bottom, speaks to the battle of workers to find an independent, powerful presence on the job — and to push this clout into the community to help shape the broader public realm. Unions came into existence organically wherever capitalism developed. As soon as workers were brought together by a small number of employers and compelled to make profits for them, the employees naturally sought to defend themselves. A living wage and decent working conditions failed to emerge through the good will of the employers, unfortunately, so workers took matters into their own hands.

MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE VICTIMS NOW 32 (tags)

EPCC NEWS learned today through Manila media sources that the The number of media workers killed in the massacre in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province almost two months ago now stands at 32. This with the inclusion of a community newspaper’s staff photographer who was previously unaccounted for, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said Wednesday. Jepon Cadagdagon, 28, was included in the list of media workers killed in the massacre last November 23 after the NUJP confirmed that he was a newly-hired staff photographer of the newspaper, Saksi News, published in General Santos City.

Cort Guitar Worker Support Event at Nanum Cultural Center K-Town (tags)

Famous rock guitarist Tom Morello headlined a small benefit show in Koreatown to raise awareness of Cort guitar's misstreatment of its workers in its Korean plants.  Morello was joined by his partner in the band Street Sweeper Social Club, Boots Riley, as well as local artists Skim, Shin Kawasaki, David Tran, Albert Chiang and Sue Jin Kim.

2/10/2010 Bell Speak-out On Downey Toxic Dump Site (tags)

Injured Downey movie and Kaiser workers will speak out on the continuing toxic contamination at the Downey Toxic dump site.

YouTube - Raging Grannies Bust Tesla Motors Inc. For Downey Toxic Dump Project (tags)

The Tesla Motors Inc. electric car developer was busted by the Peninsula Raging Grannies for plans to build a "green" auto assembly plant on a highly toxic dump site in Downey, California where injured IATSE Local 44 and Kaiser Downey SEIU UHW workers are getting sick.

Remarks by Richard L. Trumka, President, AFL-CIO, National Press Club, Washington, DC (tags)

Our economy does not work without good jobs, so we must take action now to restore workers' voices in America. The systematic silencing of American workers by denying our right to form unions is at the heart of the disappearance of good jobs in America. We must pass the Employee Free Choice Act so that workers can have the chance to turn bad jobs into good jobs, and so we can reduce the inequality which is undermining our prospects for stable economic growth. And we must do it now—not next year, not even this summer. Now.

Renewed Anti-Immigrant Drive Continues (tags)

The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) based in Los Angeles today reported that despite the filing of a new immigrant reform bill renewed, anti immigrant drive continues This in light of the renewed anti-immigrant bias following the botched attempt to blow-up a jetliner by a Nigerian immigrant during the Christmas season. And also this is because the immigration bill itself has serious flaws in that it accepts the logic of tightening “border security” and thus does not challenge the category of the “illegal” immigrant. This motions to pass immigration reform has given space to local and state law enforcement agencies to increase their repressive activities.

AUDIO: Voting underway for 2,300 Kaiser professionals to quit SEIU and join NUHW (tags)

Election includes 900 registered nurses at Kaiser's largest L.A.-area hospital and 1,400 professionals across Southern California

Unite/Here Members Rally in San Francisco (tags)

The turn out at the Unite/HERE rally was good but the rank and file were well contained and the same old tactics and methods that have failed us for so long are still there.

The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) based in Los Angeles today reported that despite (tags)

The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) based in Los Angeles today reported that despite the filing of a new immigrant reform bill renewed, anti immigrant drive continues This is because the immigration bill itself has serious flaws in that it accepts the logic of tightening “border security” and thus does not challenge the category of the “illegal” immigrant. This motions to pass immigration reform has given space to local and state law enforcement agencies to increase their repressive activities. This is the same condition when the federal government twiddled its thumbs during the Civil Rights Movement, local police departments in the South led the forces of reaction and bigotry against the Black freedom struggle.

The Origins of Modern Socialism (tags)

The specter of socialism is again haunting the minds of the corporate elite, from the Americas to Europe and beyond. This, after decades of pro-capitalist campaigning from the corporate media, which has always confused “capitalism” with “freedom.” But of course freedom and democracy cannot exist alongside tremendous inequalities of wealth — or next to corporations wielding absolute power over elections and governments.

'Making Cents: Life Below the Bottom Rung' (tags)

A new series of oil paintings examining the daily existence of people making a living in the worst working conditions in the global economy.

Will Our 'Green Jobs' Dollars Help a Ritzy Car Company Open a Toxic Manufacturing Plant? (tags)

Tesla Motors Inc. is planning to build a "green" electric auto at a toxic dump site at Downey, CA. It has received $465 million from the DOE to build this non-union auto assembly plant where injured IATSE 44 movie workers and SEIU UHW Kaiser workers have been sickened.

Google/Paypal Owners Building "Green" Electric Car On Downey Toxic Dump Site?1/9 (tags)

Google owners Larry Page and Sergey Brin and former Paypal owner Elon Musk who is now CEO of Telsa Motors Inc. are planning to possibly build a "green" electric car on the highly toxic dump site in Downey owned by toxic site developer Stuart Licther. Lichter recently lost a SLAPP suit when he tried to shut up injured workers and worker advocates.

Labor for Palestine: Response to Defamatory Attacks and Call to Action (tags)

These false assertions come as no surprise. Dishonesty underlies the entire attempt to undermine BDS, and to shore up Israeli apartheid, occupation and oppression.

New Immigration Reform Bill Raising False Hopes for Immigrants (tags)

On Dec. 15, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) introduced HR 4321, the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009,” into the House with 89 cosponsors. Some immigrant rights advocates even rallied in Los Angeles to celebrate the filing of this bill But for the Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) based in Los Angeles , this new immigrant reform bill only raise false hopes for all immigrants. It is just the same as the immigrant reform bill of 2006 also known as the Kennedy-Mccain bill that was diluted and was shelved due to the opposition of the rightist and other obstructionist and racist anti-immigrant lobby.

Are the Democrats Fighting the Banks? (tags)

How pathetic. President Obama sat at a table surrounded by super rich bankers, pleading with them to lend money to small businesses and workers. The media mislabeled Obama’s groveling as “encouraging,” “imploring,” and “pressing,” but a man who refuses to take action is powerless; and powerless people can only beg. This disgraceful meeting happened shortly after Obama got “radical” on national TV, calling the bankers “fat cats” and other tough words. But words are only that.

Labor for Palestine: Open Letter to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka: Boycott Apartheid Is (tags)

In the 1980s, as president of the United Mine Workers, you rightly argued that, "economic pressure and political isolation of the South African government can hasten the day when justice and freedom reign in that troubled land." Two decades later, the cause of "justice and freedom" for Palestinians requires no less of you as president of the AFL-CIO.

PFP Candidate Dina Padilla Continues Battle Against Toxic Site (tags)

After winning a court battle in a case that developer Stuart Lichter had charged that Dina Padilla had made false claims regarding human health hazards that exist on a property that he owns, Dina Padilla says the battle will not be over until the toxic site in Downey, California is no longer a threat to the public and workers.

Is Tesla Nuts? (tags)

The "green" electric car auto company Tesla is planning to build a non-union auto plant at the Downey Toxic dump site with $465 million of US Department of energy funds. The California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day is demanding that no US government funds go to a non-union auto maker to build a "green plant" at the site owned by crooked toxic Downey developer Stuart Lichter. Lichter recently lost a SLAPP suit against injured workers and injured worker advocates who had gone public about the injuries of workers at the site.

Labor board OKs 2,300 Kaiser professionals to quit SEIU and join NUHW (tags)

Ruling by federal government ends nine months of obstruction by SEIU officials

The Devastating Consequences of a Corporate Health Care Bill (tags)

Wading through the endless debate over health care has exhausted the patience of most Americans — the zigzags, obscure language, and long-winded discussion is inherently repulsive. But now the dust is starting to settle, and the Congressional vision for health care in the U.S. is emerging. Instead of being “progressive,” it will amount to a massive, corporate-inspired attack on American workers, the elderly, and the poor.

In Solidarity With the California Worker/Student Movement: Statement of the WSA (tags)

Defend and Expand the Campus Occupations!

Mumia’s Life Is On the Line: Mobilize Labor/Black Power to Free Him Now! (tags)

The threat to Mumia Abu-Jamal's life is increasingly ominous. His lead attorney, Robert Bryan, warns: "There is an escalated effort by the authorities to see him die at the hands of the executioner. This is the most dangerous time for Mumia since his 1981 arrest." The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down Jamal's two appeals. If it were to rule in favor of the prosecution's appeal, this would open the way for Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell to issue a third warrant of execution, which he has vowed to do. Contrary to the misplaced expectations of many, the Obama administration is not about to save Mumia. Around the world, hundreds of thousands have marched for this courageous champion of oppressed. Trade unions representing millions of members have rallied to the defense of Mumia. It is urgent to expand this support into powerful labor/black action, appealing to the integrated union movement to join with the black, Latino and immigrant poor to demand that he be liberated.

Two Anniversaries: Berlin and Seattle (tags)

November 2009 was not only the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall — an historical milestone reported to death by the corporate media — it was also the anniversary of an event the corporate media chose to ignore: the 10th anniversary of the mass protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle in November and December 1999. The challenge for radicals and progressives today is not only to revitalize the spirit of Seattle but to take back the initiative in an era in which the biggest and most confrontational mass actions are being staged by the "teabag" Right.

Students and Workers Resist Privatization at UCLA Regents Meeting (tags)

LOS ANGELES, UCLA Campus - November 19, 2009 – An estimated 2,000+ students and union workers took part in various actions campus-wide this week. Covel Commons where the UC Regents held their last day of meetings was completely surrounded by students and workers with arms locked together. They formed a human chain of solidarity against the regents complicity in the ongoing privatization of the UC system.

Some Organizers Protest Their Union’s Tactics (tags)

Ms. Rivera said her supervisors at Unite Here, the hotel and restaurant workers’ union, repeatedly pressed her to reveal highly personal information, getting her to divulge that her father had sexually abused her.

Over 300 Homeless People Expected to Participate: Informational Picketing @ Rivers Casino (tags)

Ed Fasulo, President and COO of Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Explain To Me, Your Customers, Your Workers and the Rest of the Pittsburgh Community on HOW The Workers at RIVERS CASINO Can Afford to Support Their Families on Poverty Wages Ranging From $8.00 to $9.50 Per Hour?

Dropping the Ax: Illegal Firings During Union Election Campaigns, 1951-2007 (tags)

WHAT IS Union Busting? ...Union-busting is a practice that is undertaken by an employer or their agents to prevent employees from joining a labor union, or to disempower, subvert, or destroy unions that already exist.

AFL-CIO’s Dull, Narrowly-Based Culture Has No Appeal to Young Working People (tags)

Harry's over 90 years old, but he's nailed one of the big problems of the AFL-CIO's labor movement - it has no appeal to young working people. It's a bunch of old people - grandparents and great-grandparents.

The Bosses Have the Public Sector in Their Sights. (tags)

Years of collaboration and concessions by the heads of organized Labor have paved the way for the aggressive attacks and confidence the employers are displaying now. These concessionary policies have been a catastrophe for workers leading to much unnecessary suffering.

“We’re Looking For the ‘President of Employment’” (tags)

"The government-owned Federal Electricity Commission will be in charge of providing electricity to central Mexico. However, according to the SME’s Secretary General Martin Esparza, “An electrician isn’t made overnight. They calculated wrong and they could spark a social conflict on a grand scale if the blackouts continue.” The first such conflict appeared on Wednesday in Ocoyocoac county in the State of Mexico, where residents blocked the Mexico-Toluca freeway for three hours to protest a blackout. What was clear yesterday afternoon is that Calderon’s decree provoked feelings of unity between the SME, the working class, and civil society in general. Those hundreds of thousands in the Zocalo plaza indicate that people are fed up with Calderon’s structural adjustments. Mexican society took to the streets, where struggles are won, and were doña Lucia, the eighty-something-year-old wife of a SME retiree, told Narco News, “We’re looking for the ‘president of employment,’ but we just can’t find him.” Translator’s notes: 1. FECAL is one of President Felipe Calderon’s nicknames, formed by combining the first two letters of his first name and the first three letters of his last name. And yes, “Fecal” means the same thing in Spanish that it does in English. 2. France’s Napoleon III declared Maximiliano de Habsburgo “emperor of Mexico” in 1864. Mexicans executed him in 1867."

Funding Sweatshops Globally (tags)

Brutal labor exploitation

Monday, October 19, 7:00 PM California’s Budget Crisis: The Rich Profit, Workers Pa (tags)

Public report and discussion on the who, what, where and what to do on California's budget mess. Includes strategizing on how to build a movement to force a sane and pro worker budget.

CONSTITUTION ADOPTED; MOVEMENT FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY (MDS) IS BORN (tags)

Organizers ratify Constitution, launch agenda, begin global movement for radical democracy anew.

California’s Budget Crisis: The Rich Profit, Workers Pay (tags)

Public report and discussion of the who, why, what, and what next of the California State Budget. Includes strategizing on how to build a movement to demand a sane, pro worker budget

Defend The Downey Injured Movie and Kaiser Workers & The Community (tags)

Injured Movie and Kaiser workers at the Downey toxic dump site are still getting sick from the toxins and radioactive material at the site. Despite going to many government agencies and many politicians these agencies and politicians refuse to clean up the site and protect the workers and the community

SEIU blocks ballot count in workers' first union election (tags)

Faced with third win in three weeks by independent union, SEIU officials try union-busting

What Obama Isn't Telling American Workers (tags)

A lot is happening in the tumultuous realm of global economics. The “Great Recession” has caused tectonic shifts internationally, with outcomes that will dramatically change the lives of millions of people in the U.S. and beyond. And while Obama is acknowledging this fact with repeated references to “a new world order,” he isn’t explaining how this adversely affects working-class Americans.

Sweatshop Conditions in US Cities (tags)

vicious labor exploitation

Centinela Hospital workers petition to quit SEIU and join NUHW (tags)

Caregivers cite SEIU corruption, labor law violations, and secrecy around recent contract failure

Say NO! to Swine Flu Vaccine, Stop Big Pharma Fraud! (tags)

Please see the links below, and do your own research on this, don't just listen to the MSM on this, before getting a swine flu vaccination, or any vaccination for that matter. Help stop Big Pharma fraud and human rights violations! Sign petition to stop forced vaccination!

Chinese Revolution 60 years on: socialist revolution, capitalist restoration (tags)

October 1 will mark 60 years since Mao Zedong proclaimed the creation of the Peoples Republic of China. This followed the victory of the People’s Liberation Army, led by the Communist Party of China, over the US-backed Guomindang (Nationalist Party).

YouTube - Shut It Down! UC Berkeley Walkout & Mass Rally by Staff, Students & Faculty-The (tags)

A mass rally of more than 5,000 workers, students and faculty joined together against the privatization of UC.

Alexander: Electric Vehicles Could Save Jobs for Auto Workers (tags)

Stewart Alexander is now a Candidate for California Governor with Peace and Freedom Party and he wants to transform the Fremont, California NUMMI auto plant into the largest electric vehicle production facility in the United States. Alexander is hoping to repeat what is currently underway in Riverside County where CT&T United, a Korean-based company, will begin manufacturing electric cars in the City of Moreno Valley in early 2010.

CALIFORNIA WIDE WALK OUT, THOUSANDS JOINED PROTESTS AGAINST CUT BACKS/ HIGHER TUITION FEES (tags)

housands of youths, students, workers and academic personnel joined the California wide UC protests against state budget cuts, education cuts, new tuition fees in ten UC campus all over California, Thursday, September 24. More than 5,000 joined the protest in the biggest rally in years in UC Berkeley in San Francisco, California up north. The protestors marched down the streets, disrupted traffic and boycott their classes. In Los Angeles, UCLA, CSULB, CSULA and Los Angeles Community College became the center of protests. Thousands of professors and lectures together with workers and students joined hand and rallied in front of the Bruin Plaza in UCLA and at the Free Speech Zone at LACC in Vermont Ave.

Furlough? Hell No! Cutback? Fight back! UCR Walkout (tags)

In one of the largest campus-based demonstrations in recent memory, UCR students, faculty, and staff joined together to protest tuition hikes and the budget cuts that are prompting furloughs and bad-faith bargaining with UC workers' unions.

W.R. Grace Inc.’s Prior Knowledge of Risks of Asbestosis Ignored in Federal Court (tags)

A rewrite and update of an earlier article about the federal trail of W.R. Grace Inc. in Missoula, MT earlier this year, timed for the release of the "health care bill" as introduced by MT Senator Max Baucus. Think about prevention when it comes to corporate negligence and even malice when prior knowledge of health risks are ignored and justice for the workers in Libby, MT is derailed by a biased federal judge Donald Malloy..

EPCC Supports the Quilt Our Pain Built" Project & the “Journey for Justice!" Mar (tags)

The "Quilt Our Pain Built" project is a special creative tapestry of cloth patches highlighting the stories and struggles of hotel housekeepers while raising public awareness of the high risk of injuries for room attendants in Long Beach ’s hospitality industry. The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) based in Los Angeles fully supports the struggle of the workers for uniization and against management suppresive tactics in Long Beach Hotels.

GIVE BACK HACIENDA LUISITA TO THE FILIPINO FARMERS! (tags)

The Philippine Peasant Support Network(PESANTE)-USA stands solidly with peasant organizations in the Philippines in their call: GIVE BACK THE HACIENDA LUISITA to the farmers! Pesante supports the call of former KMP chair PAeng Mariano . Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano said that Senator Noynoy Aquino’s statement that they will give up Hacienda Luisita is just ruse to further evade his duty to give the land to the farmers. He said the Aquino-Cojuangco family could just convert the estate into other uses (such as the Luisita Mall and the Luisita Industrial Park) to raise money and pay its debts, which do not comply with their obligations under the agrarian reform program. “For generations, the Cojuangcos have benefited greatly from the Hacienda and labor of the farmers. It’s time they give it away, selling it or converting it will only aggravate the problems,” said Mariano.

Benjamin Tucker: Individualist Libertarian Market Socialist (tags)

American Individualist Libertarianism is a form of market socialism with self-employed individuals, co-operative businesses, and socialist employers. 1. (If your interested, please see: Benjamin Tucker’s State Socialism and Anarchism: Where they Agree and where they Differ)

Obama's Empty Labor Day Speech (tags)

President Obama is a friend of the working people…one day a year. The rest of the year he is rewarding banks with bailouts and war contractors with more war. On Labor Day, workers were offered nothing of substance, just kind words. Obama began his speech by spending an excessive amount of time exaggerating the leadership abilities of both AFL-CIO officials and Ohio’s Democratic representatives. The motive was simple: the “partnership” between organized labor and the Democratic Party is central to the languishing existence of the two-party system, while helping to keep the labor movement in an equal state of decline and decay.

Alexander: It’s Time to Save California’s Automobile Industry (tags)

Mary McIlroy, a candidate in the California 10th Congressional District race, has strongly opposed the closure of the Toyota NUMMI plant; the plant closure would affect tens of thousands of workers in her district which covers Alameda and other surrounding counties. Mary McIlroy, the Peace and Freedom Party candidate, says, “It is not too late to save these jobs and save the plant from closing.” Toyota has scheduled the plant closure for March 2010.

How to Lower the U.S. Deficit Without Killing Social Security (tags)

When it was recently announced that the federal deficit was $2 trillion higher than previously estimated, corporate vultures — after years of high-altitude circling — began their descent. The dying entity they’re after is the U.S. social safety net — Social Security, Medicare, etc. Years of waiting have finally paid off; the long awaited pretext for scavenging has arrived in the huge federal deficit.

Hilton Hotel Workers in Long Beach Calls for a Boycott (tags)

On behalf of the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) a national alliance of veterans, youth, students and community organizations and activist for veterans rights based in Los Angeles, California, we express our unequivocal support to the announced boycott being called by the workers of Hilton Long Beach starting September 3, 2009. Exactly one year ago, we warned the management of Hilton Long Beach that the Filipino American community of Long Beach will not tolerate discrimination of any kind or form most so of Filipino workers inside the hotel. Instead the situation turned from bad to worst. We are appalled at the intransigence of the management that does not only exploits the workers of all nationalities but oppresses them by practicing the most anti-labor measures such as dismissal of worker organizers, checking the workers lockers, preventing them from organizing and other anti-workers measures.

Cash for Geezers: Retirement for Boomers at 55 (tags)

Beloved Air America host in the mornings, Thom Hartmann and Eduardo Galeano could turn our days to light.

Growing Poverty and Despair in America (tags)

what the dominant media won't tell you

World Bankers Agree: The Recession is Over...Maybe (tags)

Few would consider the opinions of the world's central bankers to be unbiased or even accurate. These self-proclaimed wise men of international finance didn't see the recession coming until it blew up in their faces - a blast that destroyed their credibility. Nevertheless, it is interesting to hear them talk, not because they're fun to listen to, but because of "the messaging" that rich investors use religiously in placing their stock market bets, while the rest of us are given a calming sermon, so that the bankers' lackeys - the politicians - may continue ruining the country uncontested.

Injured Downey Movie Workers and Kaiser Workers Speak-out On Memorial Day April 19, 2009 (tags)

On April, 19, 2009 injured movie and Downey Kaiser workers had a speak-out in front of the Kaiser hospital complex in Downey, California. Kaiser has built the hospital on a highly toxic dump site and many workers have gotten injured at the site.

LA: immigrant workers protest layoffs, repression (tags)

Los Angeles: immigrant workers protest layoffs, repression By Rafael Azul and D. Lencho 4 August 2009 Over 1,000 immigrant workers and their supporters marched in Los Angeles July 29 in opposition to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies.

Health complaints linked to former NASA site in Downey - Injured Workers Fight For Healthc (tags)

Dozens of film workers at the Downey studio which was built on a highly toxic radioactive dump have been seriously injured and the developer Stuart Lichter is fighting to prevent being held responsible for their injuries

Dems and Reps Unite for Cuts (tags)

While billionaires get bailed out and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq continue THE BUDGET CRISIS IS A LIE! THERE IS MONEY THE RICH ARE STEALING IT.

NUHW PICKETS NLRB LA OFFICE, DEMANDS IMMEDIATE UNION ELECTIONS (tags)

Coalition (EPCC) “ GIVE OUR VOTE, LET US VOTE!” Scores of union members from the newly formed National Union of Health Workers (NUHW) fro different LA hospitals and their community supporters rallied and picketed the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) office at 11115 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles yesterday, July 23 to protest the long delay for union elections.

Long Beach City Council postpones vote on Pike Hotel (tags)

Another victory for Hotel workers and Coalition in South Bay! Led by dozens of members of the Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community (LBC) who were in the crowd, with their concerns on whether the hotel would provide decent wages for its employees, they told the council to work for workers interests. Urged on by a crowd of hotel worker's-rights supporters, the City Council on Tuesday voted 7-1 to continue for one week a vote that would move a proposed hotel at the Pike one step closer to approval.

BOYCOTT FLOR DE CAÑA: WORKERS PROTEST CKF (IRC / CKD) CAMPAIGN AGAINST GRUPO PELLAS (tags)

Informative article on the march of Ingenio San Antonio and Compañía Licorera workers and main union leaders to reject discrediting campaign against Grupo Pellas and Flor de Cana Boycott initiated by ANAIRC and UITA.

A Cycle of New Battles (tags)

"We are moving into a world-historical situation where all the points of social, economic and political life will be reset..A revolutionary process is only possible when a radical reform gets going.. A radical redistribution from top to bottom must be fought for.."

Activist Doctor killed in Mindanao (tags)

Epidemiologist Dr. Rogelio Peñera was killed because of his activism, his colleagues insisted on Saturday. Dr. Jonathan Placido, chair of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), said Peñera had rallied people in the sector against issues that threatened their welfare and the delivery of health services to the poor. Peñera was driving home with his daughter on Wednesday night when he was ambushed near his home in Cabantian village here. He died from multiple bullet wounds in the head and body, while his daughter suffered minor injuries.

Iran's Coming Revolution: For Civil Rights or Beyond? (tags)

Simplifying the events in Iran as yet another attempt at a U.S. financed “color revolution” is shortsighted, to say the least. But this is the shallow position many on the left are taking. Fortunately, millions of people partaking in mass demonstrations cannot be reduced to “mere puppets” of Uncle Sam — they have aspirations of their own and ways to achieve them. It is possible that the U.S. played a role in the events leading up to the massive protests in Iran, since the U.S.-sponsored color revolution formula is well known: a pro-western opposition candidate creates political instability — usually around election time — and uses the demonstrators who support them, who are funneled money through the C.I.A., to help topple the existing regime.

Nicaragua: Pellas Group displays a shameful insensitivity (tags)

ANAIRC mobilizes to demand damages from the Pellas Group. Boycott against Flor de Caña rum grows

Campaign against the assassination of workers in Venezuela (tags)

* El Libertario www.nodo50.org/ellibertario has joined this campaign and we’re trying to divulge this initiative in an attempt to confront the hired killers that are taking the lives of labor activists in this country.

NO IMMUNITY FOR BAJA: A VICTORY GAINED FOR THE IMMIGRANT AND WORKERS COMMUNITY (tags)

“Half of the battle has been won!” The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) acclaims the decision of Judge Victor Marrero of the New York Southern District Court that denied former Philippine ambassador Lauro Baja’s motion to dismiss the case on the basis of diplomatic immunity. The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) rejoices in the fact that charges against the former Ambassador, his wife Norma Baja, their daughter Elizabeth Facundo and the Baja-owned LaBaire Travel Agency will proceed without the barrier of diplomatic immunity that has protected Baja.

National Bread and Roses Speaking Tour (tags)

No more singing capitalism’s blues: Sisters, it’s time to fight! Featuring Christina López, Chicana-Apache immigrant rights warrior, and Anne Slater, Radical Women firebrand and National Organizer. They are on a speaking tour, mobilizing women and their allies to make a stand against racism, layoffs and state budget cuts. Sunday, June 28, 2pm at Solidarity Hall, 2170 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles. Door donation $3.00. Summer BBQ Buffet served at 4:30pm for a $9 donation. Sliding scale or work exchange available. For more info or childcare, email radicalwomenlosangeles@gmail.com or call 323-732-6416. Everyone welcome.

The Case for Arbitration in Labor Law Reform and The Employee Free Choice Act EFCA (tags)

Labor law reform must ensure that workers who want to join a union are able to do so without facing endless delays from corporations seeking to deny them a voice in the workplace.

Documentary Heart of the Factory (tags)

Hi, we are Virna and Ernesto from Argentina. We are pleased to inform you that the DVD of our new documentary Heart of the Factory, is now available.

With pro-market leaders, the road ahead will be difficult for working people. (tags)

It is the responsibility of all activists to learn from the past and help our movement change course.

Are Mexican Workers ‘stealing our jobs’? (tags)

The Crisis in the Mexican Auto Sector

Boycott Flor de Caña in support to sugar workers (tags)

Join to "Flor de Caña Boycott Group" - Send your letter to the importers and distributors in USA

Making Sense of a U.S. Owned General Motors (tags)

Now that the United States owns General Motors, many are asking, “What’s in it for taxpayers?” This is an extremely good question, considering that taxpayers may spend up to $100 billion [!] towards a company that’s currently worth around $450 million. (Wall Street Journal, 6/02/09) This large discrepancy in numbers means, obviously, that taxpayers could lose tremendous amounts of “investment” money if Obama’s “profit first” plan is put into effect. What is this plan? Strip the company to a fraction of its former self, using far fewer workers and making far less money in the hopes that GM will then out-compete the foreign competition on the world market.

Labor Leaders Put All “Our” Eggs in the NLRB and EFCA Baskets (tags)

Worker’s relying on our own strength and not the courts will drive back the capitalist’s offensive.

Workers fear SEIU’s violent “shock and awe” tactics on Day One of union election (tags)

Workers fear SEIU’s violent “shock and awe” tactics on Day One of union election SEIU has been condemned by the AFL-CIO for using violence against other unions—SEIU Trustee with record of violence tells staff, "We gotta put them in the ground and bury them" Fresno, Calif.—Today is the first day of a highly contested union election for 10,000 homecare workers in Fresno County who are trying to leave the Washington, D.C.-based SEIU, a union that has been condemned by the AFL-CIO for using violence in inter-union conflicts. The stakes have never been higher for SEIU officials, who are desperately trying to stop a movement of nearly 100,000 healthcare workers in California who are organizing to quit SEIU and join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW).

Overwhelming international solidarity for the former sugarcane workers in ANAIRC (tags)

Thousands of protest letters are pouring in...and it’s just the beginning

The Flor de Caña Boycott Group Extends its Protest (tags)

Letters of Protest to Importers and Distributors around the World

Labor's Turning Point (tags)

May Day Celebration features the gripping documentary: Labor's Turning Point about the 1934 Minneapolis truckdrivers' strike. Film: 41 minutes

Open Letter to the Labor Research Association: Don’t Honor Israeli Apartheid (tags)

As head of the Jewish Labor Committee (JLC), Stuart Appelbaum leads the witch-hunt against labor bodies in South Africa and around the world that support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli apartheid.

MORE THAN 60,000 WORKERS/IMMIGRANTS MARCHES FOR MAY 1 IN LA (tags)

Los Angeles-- “ Que Queremos-Legalicacion, Cuando: AHORA! ( What do we want, Legalization, When do we want it; NOW!) This was the slogan that reverberated with more than 60,000 workers and immigrants turned out and marched all over Los Angeles . Meanwhile in major cities and towns hundreds of thousands marched and rallied US-wide for May 1 in a militant and defiant show of unity for a call for immigration reforms to the Obama administration. In the biggest rally for the day, more than 30,000 marchers led by the Full Rights For immigrant coalition turned out and marched from Broadway and Olympic intersection around 1;00 PM. Composed mostly of Latino workers who filled the streets, the militant march overflowed the main streets of LA. At the end of the march they held a rally at Temple and Broadway where a battery of labor leaders, immigrant rights advocates spoke. Among them were AJLPP West Coast Coordinator Arturo Garcia, HERMANIDAD Mexicana laders Raul Murillo and Angelica Corona, ANSWER-LA Preston Wood, Jim Lafferty of the NLG, UTLA President AJ Duffy and Latino Movement USA's Juan Jose Gutierrez gave their speeches at their end program.

May 15, 2009 LA ILWU Local 13 75th Commemoration March in Wilmington at 10:00 AM (tags)

On May 15, 2009 ILWU Local 13 will have a march to honor members killed and injured in their strike

The Inland Empire Marches on May Day (tags)

Riverside, CA (May 1, 2009) – Twenty eight groups from all over the Inland Empire —immigrant rights groups, unions, workers, students, clergy, and human rights activists— united today to call for fair, comprehensive reform to end abuses against immigrants, workers, and their families.  Students kicked off the march with a traditional ritual at UCR’s Bell Tower, and then joined supporters from Riverside and San Bernardino counties at Cesar Chavez Community Center to continue their journey to City Hall.

For the Resumtion of the Class Struggle! (tags)

The economic crisis which has crashed down on society has already had and for a long time will have disastrous consequences for the lives of the masses, as every worker can see in his daily life or her work. The bourgeois economists themselves admit it: they do not know what the causes of the crisis are – satisfying themselves by blaming the greed of the bankers or excessive financial deregulation – and they do not know when it will end and give way to the long-awaited “economic recovery”. The current crisis is the crisis of the capitalist mode of production, incapable of stopping itself, forced to produce always more commodities, at a certain point it comes up against the limits of the market.

ALL OUT THE STREET! May Day 2009 National Immigrant Workers Mobilization! (tags)

We are calling A national day of multi-ethnic unity with youth, labor, peace and justice communities in solidarity with immigrant workers and building new immigrant rights & civil rights movement!

May Day March for Immigrants' Rights (tags)

There are several immigrants' rights marches and protests happening on May First. Ron Gochez, of the Southern California Immigration Coalition, talks about why people should come out and march.

EPCC STATEMENT FOR MAY 1 RALLY IN LA (tags)

We march today, May 1 to demand full legalization and rights for all immigrants and for workers rights. We militantly are in solidarity with all working people of the world and in the United States. Today the Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC) will be marching with the AJLPP and ANSWER-LA and with the May 1 Immigrant Coalition. We are demanding full rights for all immigrants, a stop to ICE raids and deportations and to fight for better workers rights and living conditions.

AJLPP MOBILIZES FOR MARCH FOR FULL IMMIGRANT RIGHTS US-WIDE ON MAY 1 (tags)

The Alliance Philippines (AJLPP) calls on all immigrant right advocates and activists all over the United States to MARCH FOR FULL RIGHTS FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS! AMNESTY NOW! On May 1, 2009. The AJLPP Coordinators Arturo P. Garcia from the West Coast and East Coast Coordinator Riya Ortiz announced that the Filipino-American contingent composed of students, youth, women, domestic workers, veterans and community activists will join protest marches in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. In Los Angeles, AJLPP forces and allies will assemble at PEOPLE’S CORE on 1610 Beverly Blvd, Suite No. 2 Los Angeles, CA 90026 in Historic Filipinotown from 11:30 AM to 12:00 noon and proceed to assembly area in Broadway and Olympic, where the march starts at 1.00 PM

Intl Workers Day - MIWON Immigrants March (tags)

(I'm not from MIWON - I'm just a supporter. MIWON is a coaliton of CHIRLA, KIWA, PWC, and IDEPSCA. These groups help organize undocumented immigrant workers. MIWON has done a pretty bad job of promoting their march on the internet. There are two separate marches scheduled this May Day. This one starts at Echo Park and proceeds to Placita Olvera, where there will be a "human postcard". The other starts at Olympic and Broadway, and proceeds to Temple St, where there's an ICE detention center. It's too bad that the immigrant rights movement is split so badly that they can't even have a single march on May Day. Many thousands will show up to march, but due to a split, the numbers will appear to be smaller.)

Celebrate May Day in the streets! (tags)

SAIC May Day mobilizing leaflet It is time to prepare for struggle against Obama-style immigration reform!

Never Forever 21 Action: Round 3 4/25/09 (tags)

The South Central Farm is the people's land, given to us by Mayor Tom Bradley, in 1993 after the Los Angeles Uprising. The people built an inner-city paradise, the nation's largest urban farm. In 2006, Mayor Bradley's promise was broken: the Los Angeles City Council took the land away and gave it to a developer to build a mammoth shipping center for the sweatshop clothing manufacturer Forever 21. We're here today to tell Forever 21 that we won't work for sweatshops, that we are Farmers. We are the people: the Farm is our land!

Injured Workers Speakout On Workers Memorial Day At Downey Kaiser Hospital on the Toxic Du (tags)

Injured workers and their supporters held a memorial and speakout in front of the Downey toxic radioactive site that now houses a Kaiser hospital complex and Downey movie studio

With Our Opponent On The Ropes, It’s Time To Go On the Offensive (tags)

The pages of the capitalist press reveal the level of concern they have over the survival of their system

Carwash Campaign Highlights Success of Community-Labor Teamwork (tags)

by James Parks, copied from the AFL-CIO Blog.

CALL TO ACTION! May Day 2009 National Immigrant Workers Mobilization! (tags)

Wear White T-Shirt, organize local actions to support immigrant worker rights!

Protest sweeps Europe (tags)

France Jan 29, 2009. Public and private workers mount a one-day strike with mass support. Schools, courts and transportation shut down in several cities. This article is from: Freedom Socialist Vol30 No2 April-May 2009.

Fascism and racism in Denmark and Sweden (tags)

Well, before 2 days I was discriminated again, so I decided to spread information about institutional racism and fascism in Scandinavia.

The Fight Continues For The Employee Free Choice Act EFCA and The Truth! (tags)

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) today repeated his intent on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to block a Senate vote on the Employee Free Choice Act, despite his past support of the bill. The bill hasn’t changed—so why has Specter flipped?

Obama's War on Labor (tags)

targeting labor rights

LA Area Downey April 19, 2009 Workers Memorial Day Events (tags)

The international commemoration day Workers Memorial Day will be held in Downey on Sunday April 19 at 3:00 PM in front of the Kasier Hospital in Downey at the Downey toxic site. Injured movie and hospital workers along with other injured workers and their families will speak out about health and safety.

EFCA: Joe the MORON Plumber on the Employee Free Choice Act (tags)

EFCA: April Fool’s Joe the Plumber Hasn’t Read Employee Free Choice Act Bill

WSWS: Obama Declares War on Working Class (tags)

President Barack Obama's speech on the auto industry Monday was nothing less than a declaration of war against the working class.

Filipinos Join Nationwide Rallies Demanding US Troop Withdrawal (tags)

Filipino domestic workers, youth, veterans and allies of the Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace In the Philippines (Alliance Philippines) took part in national mobilizations this past Saturday, March 21, demanding the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and the Philippines. The marches and rallies, organized by the International ANSWER Coalition, commemorated the sixth-year anniversary of the US occupation of Iraq.

Filipinos Join Nationwide Rallies Demanding US Troop Withdrawal on 6th-Year Anniversary of (tags)

Filipino domestic workers, youth, veterans and allies of the Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace In the Philippines (Alliance Philippines) took part in national mobilizations this past Saturday, March 21, demanding the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and the Philippines. The marches and rallies, organized by the International ANSWER Coalition, commemorated the sixth-year anniversary of the US occupation of Iraq.

SOCIALISM: THE TIME IS NOW - Los Angeles Conference & Workshops (tags)

The U.S. government ensures banks and big corporations get trillions in bailout funds while millions of workers are losing their jobs and homes in California and the rest of the U.S. If you want to build a fight back movement against racism, bigotry and capitalist exploitation, join us for the April 25 Conference & Workshops in L.A. Be part of the struggle for socialism! Find out what socialism is, what we aim for, and why socialism is the only answer to the misery created by capitalism.

BAYAN-USA Holds 3rd Congress in Los Angeles Amidst VFA Protests (tags)

Information about BAYAN-USA congress scheduled for March 27-29, 2009. Progressive members of the Filipino community representing labor, youth, church groups, academia, and cultural workers will gather in Los Angeles.

Employee Free Choice Act Compromise No Compromise at All (tags)

Employee Free Choice Act ( EFCA) The Real Truth is Employers Don't want a Compromise they Just WantTo STEP on Workers RIGHTS - NO Compromise on the Employee Free Choice Act!

U.S. Senate and House Introduce Employee Free Choice Act ( EFCA ). SPFPA at the Forefront (tags)

Today is one of those defining moments in history as we introduce legislation that puts power back into the hands of the people who are truly the backbone of this economy.

Modern Slavery in America (tags)

Slavery thrives in America. Only its form has changed.

Lawyer of Crooked Downey Toxic Site Developer Stuart Lichter Denies Threatening Injured IA (tags)

Los Angeles attorney David S. White has denied that he threatened Downey IATSE Local 44 injured worker Leonard Martin. Martin is suing Stuart Licher for harming the health and safety of himself and other who worked on the former military industrial toxic site in Southern California.

Why do These Senators DeMint-Enzi and Bob Corker Continue to Spread Lies about The EFCA? (tags)

What is the Strategy being used by Senators DeMint-Enzi and Bob Corker from Tennessee, in their attempt to defeat the Employee Free Choice Act? Keep Spreading LIES about the Employee Free Choice Act and Supporting The Secret Ballot Protection Act ( Better Known as The Employer FEAR and Intimidation Act )

Statement of Solidarity for Filipino Workers of Hanjin Subic bay (tags)

We, the Filipino American community in the United States and their allies express our militant solidarity with Hanjin Shipyard workers in their struggle to unionize and thus end their deplorable working conditions which has led to at least 24 deaths. In January of this year, two more were killed while just as February began, 24 were hurt when a bus carrying workers to the shipyard overturned. We are appalled at the slow response of the Philippine Senate and the Executive branch and their failure to act on the continuing fatal accidents and deaths of workers at Hanjin Shipbuilding.

Senate voted 80-17 to confirm Hilda Solis as President Obama's Secretary of Labor (tags)

Hilda Solis Confirmed YES! The Department of Management Will Now Be Known as the Department of The Workers Rights!

JOIN W.E.R.C Today ! (tags)

In recent months, we have witnessed billions of dollars pumped into the financial institutions WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED. Reckless behavior and greed have been graced with the most extravagant rewards, allowing the rich to get even richer. After receiving their bailout, A.I.G. executives resumed their plans for a retreat at a lavish resort. Meanwhile, foreclosures have risen, unemployment has soared, and misery has spread with virtually nothing being done for the millions of workers suffering from these afflictions. We cannot sit back and simply hope that things will get better. The financial executives have organized themselves and lobbied for bailouts. We must now do the same. We must organize ourselves and mount a campaign, insisting that government programs benefit the majority of the population first and foremost, not the super wealthy small minority.

Feb 21, 2009 Protest Forever 21 in Pasadena (tags)

The South Central Farmers have joined forces with student groups California Statewide MEChA and D-Q Unity to force the international teen clothing corporation Forever 21 to end plans for construction on the site of the South Central Farm and demand fair wages for its workers. The SCF Action Committee will lead a rally to kickoff a national boycott until the Farm is restored and stop worker abuse ended on Saturday, December 13, at noon at the Forever 21 "superstore" at 35 N. De Lacey Avenue in Pasadena, one block north of Colorado Avenue.

WHY does The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace ( My Private Ballot ) (tags)

and TV Star Johnny Sacks from the Sopranos continue to Spread LIES and misinformation about the Employee Free Choice Act?

CRISIS RAISES RISK OF SOCIAL UNREST IN ASIA (tags)

The global economic crisis heightens the potential for social unrest in Asia, where millions of people suddenly out of work will demand governments take swift and decisive action, analysts said.In the Philippines, of the country’s 36 million labor force, an estimated 40,000 to 200,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs this year, the National Economic and Development Authority said.

The First Phase Needed in Passing the Employee Free Choice Act is to Overturn the NLRB (tags)

Card Check Ruling on Dana-Metaldyne.

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY FOR HANJIN WORKERS (tags)

We, the Filipino American community in the United States and their allies express our militant solidarity with Hanjin Shipyard workers in their struggle to unionize and thus end their deplorable working conditions which has led to at least 24 deaths. In January of this year, two more were killed while just as February began, 24 were hurt when a bus carrying workers to the shipyard overturned. We are appalled at the slow response of the Philippine Senate and the Executive branch and their failure to act on the continuing fatal accidents and deaths of workers at Hanjin Shipbuilding.

Riverside, Southern California: Community marches against raids and deportations (tags)

On Saturday, February 6th, 2009 at least 300, and by some estimates possibly as many as 500, people turned out in the city of Riverside California to demand an end to the raids, harassment, and racial profiling increasingly being conducted by US Border Patrol agents against the residents of our local communities and workplaces

Journalist Snow Offers Alternative View of Africa (tags)

Independent journalist Keith Harmon Snow began his February 5 presentation at San Diego's World Beat Center with a promise to "piss you off" — and he succeeded. He took on innumerable progressive sacred cows, including the United Nations, the Peace Corps, the Nation magazine, Jane Goodall and Ben Affleck, and he presented an alternative view of recent African history focused on the role of Uganda, Rwanda and the U.S. in the continued war and exploitation in the Congo.

THE FILIPINO SPIRIT IN THE REMAKING OF AMERICA (tags)

Today, we celebrate our misa ng bayan with great hopes for brighter days of economic and moral recovery and renewal under our new President Barack Obama. It is certainly heartening and uplifting to know that we have a lot to hope and be thankful for after this nation demonstrated great courage by electing the first black, indeed, the first colored man in history, to the presidency. It brings much satisfaction after periods of intense crises and conflicts under the Bush administration, remembering 9/11, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the economic meltdown that continues to wreck havoc on us andespecially the common workers not only in the United States but all over the globe. After passing through the bleakest of days we earnestly hope to see light.

Workers Emergency Recovery Campaign (tags)

Below is the introduction, ten point program, and partial list of endorsers for the Workers Emergency Recovery Campaign

Will Obama Start the Next Trade War? (tags)

While campaigning to be president, Obama gave the general impression that he would act “cooperatively” to solve international problems, moving away from the Bush strategy of irresponsible “unilateralism.” But Obama took an aggressive stance towards China even on the campaign trail, including the accusations of “currency manipulation,” “violating intellectual property rights,” and “devaluing their goods.” Of course, the average American cares nothing about these types of crimes, nor should they.

Obama’s Campaign Promises and the Laws of Capitalism (tags)

Throughout his campaign, Obama made repeated overtures to working people. He talked about job creation, a tax cut for the middle class, health care, education, the rescinding of the lavish tax cuts for the rich, clean energy, facilitating unionization, and the elimination of the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy for gays in the military. One got the distinct impression when he was campaigning that Obama was oriented to helping ordinary working people, who are now struggling to pay their bills, not the rich.

Portland's Town Hall Meeting on the Economic Crisis (tags)

On January 31st, Portland Oregon held an important — perhaps historic — mass meeting in response to the economic crisis. Dozens of unions and other progressive organizations were able to attract over 800 people to hear an analysis of the crisis itself, proposed solutions, and a variety of workshops which included everything from labor rights, trade and immigration, and a "green economy." It is believed that this was the first such event in the country.

NUHW FORMED (tags)

The NUHW or the National Union of Health Workers formed last week by leaders of the United healthcare Workers-West on Monday, asked state officials to conduct elections at 64 healthcare facilities represented by Oakland-based UHW who wanted to join the new group. More than 10,000 workers from UHW placed under the control of the SEIU International after the UHW leadership refused to sign over 65,000 of their members to be moved to a new local that will be formed to represent the health care workers in California.

Is revolution brewing in America? (tags)

As things deteriorate around the globe economically Americans are starting to realize what a bad place they are finding themselves in and that Americans for the first time since the great depression are losing jobs at an alarming rate, losing their homes, savings and the way of life they have grown accustom to

STERN'S GANG SEIZES YHW UNION HALL IN OAKLAND (tags)

This mob, thirty, maybe forty strong, mostly very nicely dressed white men for this side of struggling Oakland, was led by a young female lawyer – there were a couple of nasty ex-cops in tow, just in case. They used bolt-cutters to get through the parking-lot gates in back; they smashed their way through a second floor window, then pushed their way to the front, where they opened the doors, let in the rest of the mob in and then ended the occupation – evicting the (former) members of United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW) from their union hall, their house. “Who’s House, Our House!” No more.

How to Start a Union in Ten Steps (tags)

(below are the lessons taken from a successful organizing drive in 1997) 1) Be the best worker at your workplace If you are to influence your co-workers to join a union, you’d better already have their respect at work. This doesn’t mean that you must be the absolute best, but that you are a leader and rank among one of the best. This first step is the all-important foundation for your effort, directly or indirectly affecting EVERY other step toward forming a union. It helps also to be the best liked co-worker. Not that you need to be prom-king/queen popular, but that you are easily approachable, social, and generally kind. In being so, you’ll make your job of talking with your co-workers about a union – which constitutes 95% of the work of organizing — MUCH easier. If your trust is earned as a good worker and friend, you can better expect that your ideas will be not only better received, but kept away from management during the initial stage of secrecy.

For Media, ‘Employee Free Choice Act' Promise Is One to Break (tags)

Corporate outlets suddenly discover ‘workers rights’ If corporate media really cared about workers rights, there probably would have been more than zero stories on those rights on the nightly broadcast news in the last year.And labor representatives would likely have provided more than the not quite 0.2 percent of nightly news sources found in a recent survey (Extra!, 5–6/02). Yet we are to believe that concern for workers rights drives some elite media to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA).

Coalition for a Democratic Workplace Exposed (tags)

You'd think a group called the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) would be dedicated to promoting the needs and desires of America's workers.

What's the Real Secret that big-business, SIG don't want you to know about the EFCA? (tags)

The Employee Free Choice Act does not eliminate the secret ballot. http://efcanow.blogspot.com/

Los Angeles Activists Attend International Gathering (tags)

From January 31 to February 8, 2009, KPFK Reporter Margaret Prescod and local activists from the Global Women's Strike and Women of Color in the Global Women's Strike will be meeting in London with women from Bolivia, Canada, China, Greece, Guyana, Haiti, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Palestine, Peru, Scotland, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, US, Venezuela, and Wales for an International Gathering of the Global Women's Strike and the International Women Count Network. See current schedule of events below. See current schedule of speakers below. To interview one of the speakers, contact womensstrike8m (at) server101 (dot) com.

WORKERS OF WAR (tags)

Federal prosecutors are investigating a Kuwaiti company with heavy ties to Halliburton International, probing allegations that foreign employees were brought to work on the massive Bagdhad US Embassy project against their will and prevented from leaving war ravaged Iraq. The United States Department of Justice launched the investigation of First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting Co. (FKTC) when former employees, mostly third world nationals charged that workers at the company were misled by recruiters. They were hired for civilian jobs in Kuwait and Dubai, only to wind up in Iraq instead. A group of Filipino workers attempted a mutiny when they learned of the company's real intention but was subdued by machine gun toting security personnels. According to the allegations, FKTC even confiscated the workers' passports to avert the possibility of escape from Iraq.

The Case for Socialism (tags)

The world today is undeniably chaotic — war, abject poverty, and unimaginable wealth exist side by side. In an attempt to explain the current social turmoil, some have resorted to religion and apocalypse, while others place the blame on the few bad apples that held positions of power as the economy slid into destitution. And then there are those who blame conspiracy, immigrants, or a society-wide lack of morality. All of the above explanations seem to be missing a crucial ingredient. A simple observation should be central to any explanation of the current economic crisis: There are huge surpluses (or overproduction) of houses, cars, food stuffs, and many other products that millions of people desperately need, but cannot afford to buy. This is the essence of the problem.

Organizing Call- Workers' International Industrial Union (tags)

A call to organize under the Workers' International Industrial Union- a union for all wage workers, no matter what your job and whether you are employed or unemployed.

University of CA service workers sit-in at Chairman of the Regents office (tags)

01.16.09 San Francisco. -- University of CA service workers from at least five UC campuses escalate struggle in protracted contract dispute, sit-in at Chairman of the Regents Richard Blum's San Francisco office.

Employee Free Choice Act Now - Union Civil Rights Activists Vow to Keep King’s Dream Alive (tags)

by James Parks, Jan 19, 2009 Union civil rights activists this weekend celebrated the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., by commiting to hold the new administration and Congress accountable and carry on the work they did in the 2008 election to mobilize workers in support of a strong progressive agenda.

Watch out for employers' attorneys writing as guest columnists on the Employee Free Choice (tags)

January 14, 2009 By Stephanie Kraft There's no law to keep newspapers from grabbing whatever comes across an editor's desk and cramming it into a column with the discreet disclaimer "Viewpoint."

Amending The Employee Free Choice Act. A Compromise Every Union Can Live With. (tags)

The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) is legislation in the United States which aims to "amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes.

Workers Understand Democracy, Say Pass Employee Free Choice Act (tags)

Almost eight in 10 Americans support legislation that would make it easier for workers to join or organize labor unions, according to a new national survey from Peter D. Hart and Associates released this week.

Gov. Schwarzenneger declares war on California workers (tags)

California's Gov. Schwarzenegger has launched a full-scale attack on state workers. Two public employee unions are suing California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to stop a scheme imposing two unpaid days off per month as a cost-cutting measure. (Associated Press, Dec. 22, 2008) The state government is slashing health services and education programs. Under Schwarzenegger’s plan, University of California, California State University and state community colleges will be forced to lay off workers and make other employees accept unpaid furlough days. (Los Angeles Times, Dec. 20, 2008)

4/10-12, Chicago, IL National Grassroots Immigrant Strategy Conference (tags)

Stop Immigrant Raids! Support Immigrant Workers Rights! Together We Build A New Immigrant Rights Movement!

The Danger of Right-Wing Populism (tags)

A strange trend is appearing in the political realm of the Left. Self-proclaimed political conservatives — many current or former members of the Republican Party — are being given considerable room in Left publications, for example in Counterpunch and BuzzFlash. At first it seemed accidental, with only sporadic occurrences. Now these “renegade” right-wingers enjoy ample room in spaces formally reserved for “lefties only.” How is this to be explained?

Google video: Capitalism Hits the Fan-A Marxian View (tags)

Richard Wolff, a professor of economics at UMass Amherst, talks on the current "financial" crisis and capitalism in general. A form of socialism is presented as a possibility for exhausted and anxiety-ridden workers.

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (tags)

A private vigil at a SWOP-LA members house to remember and honor the violence that sex workers face every day and to remember the victims who have already fallen.

Registration Open! 4/10-12,09 Chicago Nat'l Grassroots Immigrant Strategy Conf (tags)

Stop Immigrant Raids! Support Immigrant Workers Rights! Together We Build A New Immigrant Rights Movement!

JFAV SUPPORTS UHW (tags)

More than 300 UHW workers and allies rallied and picketted the SEIU International mock elections at the Radisson LAX Hotel last night Dec. 11 in Los Angeles. World War II veterans and leaders from JFAV and other community advocates from the Filipino American community joined the UHW rally. UHW president Sal Roselli reported that the UHW submitted more than 80,000 signatures to protest the mock elections. He said less than 10% voted. More than 40,000 protest signatures was earlier submitted to SEIU International against the elections.

The crisis hits the auto industry (tags)

A didactic drama about jobs

Human Rights Begins at Home (tags)

On December 10th, 2008, DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association celebrates the 60th anniversary of United Declaration of Human Rights with the domestic workers, women, im/migrants, people of color and all oppressed people whose human rights are under attack and are struggling for justice, dignity and liberation. Filipino im/migrant women workers continue to face the brunt on the deepening global economic crisis and are subjected to rampant human rights violations perpetrated by bad employers, diplomats, governments. We demand that individuals and institutions be accountable for upholding the basic rights of all people as recognized in the United Declaration of Human Rights and the need to develop additional protection for domestic workers. Like Marichu Baoanan, a Filipina nursing school graduate and caregiver who filed 15 counts of trafficking, forced labor and racketeering against former Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja, women workers from around the world have first-hand experience of abuse, dehumanization and enslavement. Marichu was forced to make the painful and risky decision of migrating abroad in the interest of her family's survival. While she expected to earn a living in a forieign land, away from her family and familiarity of her homeland, she did not anticipate the slave wage equivalent to 6 cents per hour, 18-hour working conditions and being subjected to routine insults, curses and humiliation.

Never Forever 21 Coalition, South Central Farmers Rally, Saturday, December 13th, 12PM-3PM (tags)

ECOLOGY + JUSTICE NO FOREVER 21 SAVE THE FARM SAVE THE WORKERS SAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOS ANGELES--The South Central Farmers have joined forces with student groups California Statewide MEChA and D-Q Unity to force the international teen clothing corporation Forever 21 to end plans for construction on the site of the South Central Farm and demand fair wages for its workers. The SCF Action Committee will lead a rally to kickoff a national boycott until the Farm is restored and stop worker abuse ended on Saturday, December 13, at noon at the Forever 21 "superstore" at 35 N. De Lacey Avenue in Pasadena, one block north of Colorado Avenue.

Bank of America Forces Workers to Suffer (tags)

Bank of America, founded in California, has pressured Republic Windows to withhold paychecks from workers, AFTER gettinga 45 bil bailout from our taxes.

Leftist Union Leaders Assassinated in Venezuela (tags)

On November 27, three leftist union leaders in the Venezuelan state of Aragua – Richard Gallardo, Luis Hernández and Carlos Requena – were gunned down by an assassin. The murder came hours after the unionists had led a workers occupation of a Colombian-owned milk plant which had been brutally broken up by state police. All three were leaders of the UNT (National Workers Union) and of the USI (Socialist Left Unity), a party which has opposed attempts by the government of Hugo Chávez to impose state control of labor, and has fought the rightist opposition backed by imperialism. They may have been murdered by assassins hired by the Colombian company, by elements connected to the police of outgoing state governor, a former Chávez ally, or by supporters of a current official of the governing United Socialist Party. In any case, despite Chávez’ socialist rhetoric, the reality of the bourgeois Bolivarian “revolution” in Venezuela today is that leftist unionists are murdered while the forces of capitalist state repression back up the bosses. While many leftists have called on the Chávez government to investigate, Trotskyists call for organizing workers defense guards and imposing workers control of production. Venezuela today is stuck at a crossroads. Building a Bolshevik-type workers party based on Trotsky’s program of permanent revolution is key.

Exploitation-free holiday shopping with LA's first Fair Trade Pop-Up Store (tags)

The Los Angeles Garment Worker Center has opened LA's first Fair Trade Pop-Up Store in the heart of downtown's garment district, making it possible to buy gifts for the holidays without exploiting workers.

California workers express concerns about Rite Aid management at shareholder meeting (tags)

On December 2, a representative from Lancaster, CA met with Rite Aid CEO Mary Sammons at a special shareholder meeting in New York City.

Capitalism in Crisis (tags)

Some thoughts on the current economic crisis and capitalism

The global crisis is a crisis of capitalism (tags)

It is time for the workers and the poor in the Philippines to prepare for the worse the moment its government keeps on repeating the mantra that the economic fundamentals remain good and thus there is little to worry about effects of the global recessionary trend. The world found itself in the present mess precisely because of such blind faith in neoliberal fundamentalism.

Filipino Workers to heads of G20: Creating a better world order is no more your business (tags)

Relegating the world’s future to the hands of same leaders who created the current global economic crisis is a recipe to further disaster, according to Partido ng Manggagawa (Workers Party), a militant labor party in the country which joined hundreds of other protesters in a march to the US embassy this morning in time for the G20 Summit in Washington DC.

Barack Obama, new mouthpiece of ruling class interests (tags)

In renewing its great traditions of struggle, the American proletariat will have to fight the coming blood and tears policy of the Obama presidency

PHILIPPINES: Labor export policy is anti-women, anti-development (tags)

MANILA, Philippines – The country should not take pride in being the model in terms of labor migration, according to women’s groups who are engaging the Second Global Forum on Migration on Development (GFMD).

Filipino Workers hold March to protest against the GFMD (tags)

As the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) opened today in Manila, at least 5000 workers from the Philippines and other countries in every region of the world came together in one of the broadest labor mobilizations ever organized in the entire history of the global trade union movement.

NYCLAW ANTIWAR DIGEST -- PALESTINE FOCUS (tags)

The Palestinian cause is the right of return for all refugees and nothing less.

The Concept of Work for Less (tags)

Work For Less laws (otherwise known as "Right To Work") are on the march, with backers attempting to add Colorado as their twenty-third state. Coalitions of labor, business, and religious organizations are fighting the onslaught, but they could use some help.

Part 2- World Capitalist Crisis (tags)

We expect more of the use of cheap labour in the less developed countries like China and India in order to produce cheap raw materials and semi-manufactured consumer products for the imperialist countries and thereby maximize imperialist profits. In fact the US capitalist are hell bent on transferring high paying industries to the third world and even already cheap service industries like call centers and car assemblies and other production lines in a vain attempt to cut jobs, paying insurances and other workers benefits that the people are demanding in the face of the capitalist made crisis.

P&F Congressional Candidate Calls For Closure Of Kaiser Hospital Complex In Downey CA (tags)

Peace and Freedom Party Congressional candidate Dina Padilla is calling for the closure of the Downey toxic site in which Kaiser has built a hospital complex and toxic site developer Stuart Lichter has built the Downey Studio. These sites have not been properly cleaned up and movie and Kaiser workers have gotten sick from contamination

The U.S. Economy on FIRE (tags)

The current U.S. economic crisis didn't start a few years ago when banks and financial institutions started selling "subprime" real estate loans to high-risk borrowers and then repackaging them as "mortgage-backed securities." It began in the early 1970's as a result of a long-term plan by America's major corporations and business leaders to drive down workers' wages and extract more surplus value — and the workers' response, which was to take on more debt. Any real solution that benefits working people cannot be instituted until the power of the corporate rich over the political system is broken.

America in Decline: Richard Sennett (tags)

In the race to the bottom, the worship of profit and the self-healing market, education, retraining workers, social mobility and intercultural learning fall by the wayside. School districts spend 600 times more for sports than for natural sciences. The US imports engineers and programmers.

Labors Militant Voice (tags)

Pulling the plug won't mean the end of the world; there is an alternative. Let's do a Kevorkian on this rotten system.

Changing the Rules to Keep the Ruling Class in the Drivers Seat (tags)

A better solution would be to cancel all debts.

Philippine Government Launches New War on Muslim Groups (tags)

War officially came to southern Philippines again as the government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unilaterally put an end to eleven years of negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) September 3. A month early the government abruptly broke off talks with the MILF on the eve of signing an autonomy pact. There are numerous reports of U.S. Special Forces accompanying Philippines Army units on their deadly sweeps in the Bangsamoro (land of the Moro people) region. More than 100 people have been killed so far and half a million refugees have fled from the fighting. Bourgeois liberals and the petty-bourgeois left lamely call on the government to resume the “peace process,” which in any case was only intended to wear down the insurgents. Revolutionaries instead seek to mobilize Philippine workers to drive out all U.S. forces, whatever their legal status; to force the withdrawal of the AFP from the contested southern areas; and to defend the Bangsamoro people and their right to self-determination.

Nationalization of Freddie Mac (tags)

The Nationalization of the mortage industry by the government shows how easily the goverment can nationalize healthcare and other services. The steady now increased offensive by the bosses over the past 30 years is because of a failure of union leadership by throwing all their resources into funding the Democrats and supporting the "team" concept.

Chile's September 11 (tags)

( Note: In the Philippines during the 20 years reign of Marcos, September 11 is marked by ostentatious cerwemonies marking the birthday of the dictator most specially during his 14-years dictatorship from 1973-1986. But on Sept 11, 1973, when the coup de tat was launched in Chile it cast a giant shadow on the dictatorship and the primacy of armed struggle against the martial law was upheld. The AJLPP decided to print a version of this article that was first published in the September 2006 issue of Socialism and Liberation magazine. Let everyone remember and never forget the dark days of US-imposed dictatorships in Chile and the Philippines.) ********

ECONOMIC CRISIS AFFECTS ELDERLY (tags)

Recession whatever they call it, marches on! They called it “ jobless growth”, a “slowdown” an economic crisis and all politicians call it except by its true name. Why are they so afraid of this word? Although it affects everyone, politicians and bourgeois econimist refuse to call it by its name. But the hard facts tells the truth. Now, the seniors and older Americans are the latest victims of these recession.

Hotel Workers Rising: Call for Liveable Wages and Humane Workloads (tags)

Hotel service workers of the union Unite Here! Local 19 demonstrated in front of downtown San Jose hotels. They won community support for their 2008 contract negotiations as part of a larger struggle to transform traditionally low-wage hospitality jobs into unionized family-sustaining employment nationwide.

After DNC/RNC, fight ICE and support immigrant rights struggle: a call to action (tags)

please read, forward widely, discuss with others, and ACT!

The Downey Toxic Hell Hole: Injured Workers, Liability And The Business Of Stuart Lichtn (tags)

Toxic site developer Stuart Lichter who has developed the Downey site in the Los Angeles area without properly cleaning up the site. Now hundreds of workers are sick and fighting for healthcare and some have been sued by Lichter for going public about the health dangers at the site.

Scientology Cult Exposes Foreign Workers to Deadly Carcinogen (tags)

The Scientology cult is once again to blame for an act of callous disregard for worker safety; indeed, for workers’ very lives. Once again, the scandal involves the cult’s 440 foot luxury ocean liner “Freewinds.” In this case, we have obtained some new and very disturbing information about the cult’s efforts to keep secret the extent to which their ship was contaminated with highly carcinogenic blue asbestos.

Building Bridges Radio: American Idol - In Reality a Sweatshop (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

Facts for Working People (tags)

Labors Militant Voice (LMV) publishes a newspaper which aims to talk to the working class about issues effecting us. August issue: Why Gas Prices are so High, How to Apply for a Government Bail Out, Strikers in South Africa chant "Eat the Rich" and Why we Need a Workers Party Now.

SEIU Pres Stern's Hand Picked CA Operative Investigated For Rigging Elections-Cover-up (tags)

The hand picked political operative of SEIU President Tyrone Freeman has been charged with rigging the recent elections of his 160,000 member local. There is also evidence that SEIU Pres Andy Stern for six years has been covering up charges of corruption by Freeman. This implicates Stern in organizing a corrupt convention, illegally manipulating the votes and being involved in covering up corrupt officials. The International is also involved in a raid on the independent Puerto Rican teachers union FMPR which is labor imperialism.

New Long beach Coalition, Formed (tags)

The Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and A Healthy Community was formally formed in a meeting last Monday, August 11,2008 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach after three months of existence. Attended by more than thirty community leaders, academics, volunteers and union organizers, the Coalition reviewed the actions that the group have undertaken since its first meeting last June and decided formally to form the Long Beach Coalition. Their primary aim is to consolidate their efforts and strengthen the group.

Targeting Immigrants - The Largest Ever US ICE Raid (tags)

Police state tactics intensify.

LA Downey Brownfield Toxic Site Developer Sues P&F Congressional Candidate &Injured Worker (tags)

Lichter is on the left in his corporate jet traveling around the country making deals to develop toxic sites. Downey Toxic Brownfield site developer Stuart Lichter has sued Peace and Freedom party Congressional candidate Dina Padilla, Vicky Travis of www.kaiserpapers.org and up to 1000 injured workers for exposing a corrupt swindle involving the development of the Downey Brownfield site. Movie industry workers and Kaiser workers have been sickened by toxins and mold at the highly dangerous site. Lichter who formerly worked for the GSA has schemed to develop these toxic sites without properly cleaning them up and is also now is suing Dreamworks over liability for injuries on the movie production site. Stuart is one of the owners of IRG. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/business/la-fi-downey26-2008jun26,0,2356057.story

SEIU Pres Stern's Key CA Operative Tyrone Freeman Linked To Corruption (tags)

SEIU Pres Andy Stern is seeking to consolidate hundreds of thousands of workers in California and force them into a homecare workers local led by hand picked LA operative Tyrone Freeman. It has now been revealed that Stern's ally is California has been using hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay his family members for video and pr services. The many workers of the local earn around $9.00 an hour

EPCC SUPPORTS CALIFORNIA STATE WORKERS PROTESTS (tags)

“NO TO PAY CUTS! “We work, we sweat, we won’t pay your debts!” The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC ) and the Justice for Filipino veterans (JFAV) through its Coordinator Arturo P. Garcia, vehemently condemns California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing an executive order forcing up to 200,000 permanent state workers to start receiving the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour The EPCC further scores the governor’s executive order that also includes a hiring freeze, no overtime pay and the releasing of contract consultants. (San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 1) . Additionally, the order will lay off 10,300 contract and part-time workers.

All Doctors Eliminated At Ca-OSHA (tags)

California has eliminated all medical doctors at Ca-OSHA for the 17 million workers in the state. The last doctor of Ca-OSHA has written a statement about the state of Ca-OSHA.

UHW-West Rally Against Moves to Divide The Union (tags)

" They Say Divide US, We Say Unite Us" More than 6,000 health care workers from the United Health Workers (UHW) -West and their community supportrs all-over the west coast rallied infront of the Marriot Manhattan Beach Hotel last Monday, July 14, 2008 fro 6:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon.

AJLPP Supports 5 Days UC State Wide Workers Strike (tags)

The Alliance- Philippines (AJLPP) expresses militant solidarity support to the five days strike declared by University of California (UC) workers,( many of them Filipinos) who went on a five day strike starting July 14 all over California. More than 9,000 University of California workers went on a five-day strike at UCʼs ten campuses and five medical centers. The strike will begin on July 14th and conclude on July 18th. During the strike, hundreds of medical workers mostly Filipinos manned the picket lines and refused to work.

Underground workers movement vs. DCWD, Franklin Baker (tags)

Long Beach Mass Action, July 10 Displays Community Unity (tags)

More than 600 people turned out in a two-hour march-rally last July 10 proving that the community is “the heart of Long Beach” The march led by the Long Beach Coalition for Better Jobs and Healthy Communities started with a picket at the Hilton Hotel at around 5:00 PM . Then the coalition marched to the Long Beach light house near the Aquarium of the Pacific where they held an hour long rally. Led by Hilton Hotel workers who are organizing themselves, Filipinos, Latinos, African- American hotel workers demanded hotel administration neutrality over their efforts to organize themselves.

EPCC Supports UHW-West mass action in LA (tags)

The Echo PArk Community Coalition (EPCC) supports the mass action on July 14 is slated to be held at the Manhattan Beach Marriot Hotel by the United Health Care Workers (UHW) -West against the plan of the SEIU /International to divide the UHW-West. The mass action by the UHW-West was called for the hearing that could result in tearing apart the UHW based on a plan by the SEIU International to divide the UHW. The 150,000 UHW which has a large Filipino membership among its unionized workers is a member of the SEIU International which has 2 million members.

Revolutionary Justice for the Filipino Working Class Victims of Big Capitalists! (tags)

The Revolutionary Council of Trade Unions (RCTU) in Southern Mindanao, an underground group of revolutionary unions and an allied organization of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) expresses its strongest indignation of the systematic attack perpetrated by foreign and local comprador-capitalists against the Filipino working class.

Alternatives to Free Trade: Fair Trade and Beyond (tags)

The global debate around free-trade and its consequences has evolved tremendously in recent years, from tiny circles of leftist critics into a broad international protest movement. Although the movement began to bloom in response to the policies of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the biggest demonstrations have been in response to the now-popular "bi-lateral" free-trade agreements that economically powerful countries sign with poorer nations. Once one has become conscious of the problems created by free-trade agreements, whether they are international or regional, an immediate task presents itself: finding a feasible alternative. Yes, the trade policy advocated by most big business politicians is "free-trade," and yes, this policy has had devastating consequences for working and poor people worldwide, while filling the already-full bank accounts of the rich. But the issue of "free-trade" alone isn't sufficient to fully explain the vast social problems that plague so many countries.

LAX hotel workers 30 hour mega sit in starts today (tags)

The LAX Hotel workers are still hip-deep in their fight for the right to bargain collectively, and they're reaching out to the broader community to join them in a novel action coming up on the 16th and 17th of June.

Sierra Leone Movement Under Attack! (tags)

Slanderous news media has appeared in a government linked newspaper and a campaign of rumors has been initiated, obviously designed to undermine and isolate the Africanist Movement and its director, Chernoh Alpha M. Bah. Sierra Leoneís neocolonial government is apparently moving to criminalize the Africanist Movement in order to justify jailing and/or otherwise destroying these courageous leaders of our struggle for African self-determination.

Workers walk off MGM Mirage Dubai World CityCenter Site in Protest (tags)

Union leaders: We'll picket until contractor meets demands for increased safety

Workers walk off MGM Mirage Dubai World CityCenter Site in Protest (tags)

Union leaders: We'll picket until contractor meets demands for increased safety

KPFK Continues to Ignore AFTRA and SAG Labor Disputes (tags)

Despite being in the middle of Hollywood and the entertainment industry war on workers, they find no voice on "Revolutionary Radio " KPFK.

ARAMARK Food Service Workers on Strike (tags)

LAANE video about a new strike by Aramark food service workers.

Union Stages MGM Casino Protest at Foxwoods (tags)

The United Auto Workers gathered near the new MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Ledyard on Saturday to kick off the first of two days of protests against what the union calls an unfair tipping policy and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe's refusal to bargain.

911 Truth's Failed Trajectory - Thanks to CIA/FBI Infiltration! (tags)

Take two 6 ton jet engines and rocket them at 500 miles at the Pentagon's exterior and you're definitely going to get not only indentations but 2 big,deep holes also! Obviously whatever hit the Pentagon was not a Jetliner with a 6 ton engine on either wing! ...................................................................

May Day 2008 International Workers Day and Immigrant Mobilization Report!! (tags)

40-pages report: May Day 2008 International Workers Day and Mobilization to Support Immigrant Rights! Reports from Around the World

May Day becomes an annual tradition for immigrant and workers' rights (tags)

In San José and all across the United States, marches for immigrant and workers' rights are reviving the long-dormant American tradition of May Day. While legislation for comprehensive immigration reform has stalled in Congress, demonstrators are poised to take the struggle to the next level.

MARCH AND RALLY FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS! (tags)

Massive mass actions for May 1 that were held in major U.S. cities was a resounding success. In scores of major cities like Los Angeles (30,000), Seattle, WA (6,000)San Francisco,( 10,000) New York, (10,000) . and Chicago (50,000), Filipino Americans immigrants and advocates joined up with their Latino immigrant allies to demand full rights and legalization for immigrants, a stop to ICE raids and deportations and workers rights during May 1 International Workers Day. Arturo P. Garcia, CDIR and AJLPP deputy national coordinator said: “while the bourgeois media tends to praise the police for “good behavior” and chide the rallyist for supposed the low-turn-out, immigrant groups were satisfied with the unity shown at the rally. For the third year in a row, after the repeal of the infamous HR 4437, the need for a comprehensive immigration reform and a pathways to citizenship was again thrust into the limelight and the national stage. It clearly shows the immigrant rights movement is alive and kicking, more united and consolidated.” Garcia added.

May Day Strike Against the War Shuts Down All U.S. West Coast Ports (tags)

On May 1, every port on the West Coast of the United States was shut down to demand an end to the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. The historic May Day walkout by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is the first time ever that an American union has struck against a U.S. war. The union ranks defied the rulings of an arbitrator, who twice ordered them to go to work. They overcame the capitulations of the ILWU leadership, which didn't want the work stoppage in the first place, tried to water it down and cowered before the threats of legal action while waving the flag. The employers' Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) declared the May 1 port shutdown an "illegal strike." But after all the huffing and puffing from the bosses' mouthpieces, the dock workers pointed the way to defeating the imperialist war by mobilizing working-class power. In the end, it was more than a work stoppage. The dock workers' May Day strike against the war was a first step, a show of what it will take to bring down the warmongers in Washington. Their "symbolic" action was felt all the way to Iraq, where dock workers in two ports stopped work in solidarity with the ILWU. But it was only a beginning. What is needed is not only industrial action but a political offensive against the Democrats and Republicans, the partner parties of American imperialism, to build a class-struggle workers party.

Struggling for the autonomy of Venezuela’s social movements (tags)

* This editorial comes from issue #53 (May-June 2008) of El Libertario, a Venezuelan anarchist voice of ideas and proposals for action. It confirms our commitment to autonomous social mobilization, which has already begun to express itself through concrete struggles from below, as in the recent steelworkers conflict.

May 1, Oxnard : Farmworkers, Longshoremen, and Youth Take to the Streets (tags)

A 300+ strong march, built independently by the Frente Contra las Redadas and allied Barrio/Workers' defense organizations, marched under the red banners of Workers' Power, resistance to the Migra/I.C.E. raids, and zero compromise with the forces of imperialism and police terror (Democrats, Republicans, and their non-profit proxies)!

30,000 IMMIGRANTS/ WORKERS MARCH-RALLY ON MAY 1st IN LA (tags)

For the third year in a row. more or less 30,000 marchers from three major groups- the MIWON, March 25 Coalition and the April 7th Coalition for Full Immigrants Rights in Los Angeles and demand full rights and legalization for immigrants. A stop on ICE raids and deportations and to commemorate International Workers Day. The media called it “a combination of a holiday parade and party celebrations” Different media outlets and the LAPD have different estimates like a conservative estimate from as low as 7,000 from KCRW and as high as 30,000 from NPR radio. In Los Angeles, California, shouting: MAKIBAKA, HUWAG MATAKOT, LEGALISAYON, NGAYON and ANG TAO, ANG BAYAN NGAYON AY LUMALABAN. the newly formed Filipino American For Immigration Reform (FAIR) with the Pilipino Workers Center marched from Historic Filipinotown to Macarthur Park and joined 15,00 strong MIWON contingent that marched from Macarthur Park to downtown Broadway.

Workers/Immigrants US-Wide Rallies on May 1 (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of Immigrants Rights (CDIR) –USA and the Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) announced today that mass actions for May 1 that were held in major U.S. cities was a resounding success. In scores of major cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, New York.Phoenix and Chicago, Filipino Americans immigrants and advocates joined up with their Latino immigrant allies to demand full rights and legalization for immigrants, a stop to ICE raids and deportations and workers rights during May 1 International Workers Day. Arturo P. Garcia, CDIR and AJLPP deputy national coordinator said: “while the bourgeois media tends to praise the police for “good behavior” and chide the rallyist for supposed the low-turn-out, immigrant groups were satisfied with the unity shown at the marches and rallies all over the United States. For the third year in a row, after the repeal of the infamous HR 4437, the need for a comprehensive immigration reform and a pathways to citizenship was again thrust into the limelight and the national stage. It clearly shows the immigrant rights movement is alive and kicking, more united and consolidated.” Garcia added.

Workers/Immigrants March Rally in LA on May 1 (tags)

—For the third year in a row. more or less than 30,000 marchers from three major groups- the MIWON, March 25 Coalition and the April 7th Coalition for Full Immigrants Rights in Los Angeles and demand full rights and legalization for immigrants and to commemorate International Workers Day. The media called it “a combination of a holiday parade and party celebrations” Different media outlets have different estimates like a conservative estimate from as low as 7,000 from KCRW and as high as 30,000 from NPR radio. In Los Angeles, California the newly formed Filipino American For Immigration Reform (FAIR) with the Pilipino Workers Center marched from Historic Filipinotown to Macarthur Park and joined 15,000 strong MIWON contingent that marched from Macarthur Park to downtown Broadway.

All Out to May Day 2008 March for Immigrant Worker Rights! (tags)

On May Day 2008, National Immigrant Solidarity Network is calling for a multi-ethnic, decentralized, multi-topic and multi-tactic national day of mobilization to support immigrant workers rights.

4/30 Victory in Vietnam; 5/1 Labor Day-Support ILWU (tags)

April 30, 1975 was the happiest day for the first generation after WW2 and after the Holocaust. It was the day when the little people in black pajamas, the workers and peasants of Vietnam, defeated the mightiest death machine the world had seen since Nazi Germany, namely Nazi USA, so that the workers of the world literally danced in the streets, including in the USA. We hope to do the same for this year's milestone labor strike for peace led by the ILWU on May Day 2008.

FAIR –PWC Press Conference Held April 26 for LA May 1 Mass Action (tags)

In response to nationally coordinated raids conducted by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and the pressing problems of immigration by more than 12 million immigrants including 1.5 million Filipinos in the U,S, the Filipino Americans for Immigration Reform (FAIR) and the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) held a Press Conference at the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) on April 26, 2008 in preparation for the May 1 Rally Immigrant Workers Day March-Rally in downtown Los Angeles. The FAIR press conference JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS was well attended by different immigrant rights, youth, student,World War II veterans and community advocates. Some of the speakers in the press conference were Paolo Espiritu: FAIR convemor; Aquilina Soriano Versoza: PWC Executive Director; Arturo Garcia: JFAV and AJLPP deputy coordinator :Jollene Levid: Gabriela Network organizer; Tracy Lachica Buenavista: Assistant Professor Dept. of Asian American Studies, Cal State Northridge; Carmina Ocampo: UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Associatio; Anna Sterling: UCLA Samahang Pilipino at UCLA; Nimual A. Ornillo: USC Troy Philippines president; Joel Baustita: March 25th Coalition and MIWON.

May 1 US-WIDE MASS Actions (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of Immigrants Rights (CDIR) –USA and the Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) announced today that mass actions for May 1 will be held in major U.S. cities to commemorate International Workers Day and demand full rights and legalization for immigrants. In major cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, New York and Chicago, Filipino Americans are joining up with their Latino immigrant allies to protest ICE raids and anti-immigrant bashing. They will also demand legalization and full rights for all immigrants. Joint MIWON/March 25th and April 7 Coalition March/Rally In Los Angeles, California the newly formed Filipino American For Immigration Reform (FAIR) with the Pilipino Workers Center will march form PWC in 153 Glendale, Historic Filipnotown to Macarthur Park and join the MIWON Contingent that will march form Macarthur Park to downtown Broadway.

FAIR –PWC Press Conference Held April 26 for LA May 1 Mass Action (tags)

In response to nationally coordinated raids conducted by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and the pressing priblmes of immigration by more than 12 million immigrants including 1.5 million Filipinos in the U,S, the Filipino Americans for Immigration Reform (FAIR) and the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) held a Press Conference at the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) on April 26, 2008 in preparation for the May 1 Rally Immigrant Workers Day March-Rally in downtown Los Angeles. The FAIR press conference JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS was well attended by different immigrant rights, youth, student,World War II veterans and community advocates. Some of the peakers in the press conference were Paolo Espiritu: FAIR convemor; Aquilina Soriano Versoza: PWC Executive Director; Arturo Garcia: JFAV and AJLPP deputy coordinator :Jollene Levid: Gabriela Network organizer; Tracy Lachica Buenavista: Assistant Professor Dept. of Asian American Studies, Cal State Northridge; Carmina Ocampo: UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Associatio; Anna Sterling: UCLA Samahang Pilipino at UCLA; Nimual A. Ornillo: USC Troy Phil

All Out on May Day! (tags)

On May 1, all 29 ports on the U.S. West Coast are to be shut down by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) in protest against the U.S. war on Afghanistan and Iraq. This is a historic event of international significance: labor action against imperialist war by a major American union. The strategically placed port workers in the ILWU can bring commerce with Asia to a grinding halt, and they’re about to demonstrate it. The maritime employers are already screaming, and you can bet it’s got the attention of the warmongers in Washington. All labor should take up the challenge this poses: For workers strikes against the war! Meanwhile, immigrants’ rights groups are once again mobilizing on May Day. And on April 30 and May 1, the independent truckers who move cargo to and from the docks may play an important role in a shutdown. The imperialist war on Afghanistan and Iraq is also a war on immigrants, minorities, working people and democratic rights “at home.” We need to defeat this attack here and abroad, in opposition to both the capitalist war parties. The “antiwar movement,” whose aim has always been to pressure the Democrats, is at a dead end. What’s needed is working-class action independent of the bosses. What that takes is a fundamental break from the Democratic Party and the pro-capitalist politics that infuse the labor bureaucracy.

Support Working Mothers This Mother's Day! (tags)

Show your love for working mothers this Mother’s Day! Instead of getting your mom chocolates or flowers again this year, think about making a donation in her name to support the basic rights of working mothers in Latin America

May 1: March for Dignity, Workers' Regional Mobilization in Oxnard - PRESS RELEASE (tags)

Who: Frente Contra las Redadas del Condado de Ventura What: MARCH FOR DIGNITY: INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY REGIONAL MOBILIZATION When: Thursday May 1, 2008 Starting at 5pm Where: Camino del Sol Park (Corner of Rose Ave. and Camino del Sol) in the City of Oxnard

SEIU CA Workers Speak Out On Crisis In SEIU: Part 1 & Part 2 (tags)

A crisis is growing within the SEIU which is the largest union in California with 650,000 members. This video is of a forum of SEIU members from throughout California who discuss some of the issues the members face with mega-mergers of locals and labor management partnerships that threaten the conditions and benefits of California SEIU members

May Day Rallies Against ICE Raids (tags)

In response to nationally coordinated raids conducted by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) the Coalition to Defend Immigrant Rights (CDIR) in Los Angeles will join the Press Conference of the newly formed Filipino American for Immigrant Rights (FAIR) and the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) on April 26, 2008 and the May 1 Rally Immigrant Workers Day March-Rally in downtown Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, more recent ICE Raids More than 200 immigrants have been arrested in Los Angeles this month. On April 4, more than 60 Mexican and Korean workers were arrested by ICE in Torrance and in downtown LA.

The Healthcare Union War (tags)

Tensions between the California Nurses Association and SEIU escalate at the Labor Notes conference.

VERMONT AFL-CIO CALLS ON WORKERS TO SUPPORT WEST COAST SRIKE AGAINST WAR (tags)

The Executive Board of the Vermont AFL-CIO, representing thousands of workers in countless sectors across Vermont, have unanimously passed an historic resolution expressing their “unequivocal” support for the first US labor strike against the war in Iraq.

The Purple Punch-Out in Dearborn (tags)

SEIU-Backed Hotel Invasion

Open Letter to SEIU Members and Leaders on Violence at Labor Notes Conference (tags)

As SEIU members who attended the Labor Notes conference held on April 11-13, 2008 in Dearborn, Michigan, we denounce the attempts by SEIU International to violently disrupt a fundraising banquet on Saturday, April 12 attended by nearly one thousand labor activists from around the world who gathered to discuss ways to rebuild labor’s power.

AFL-CIO’s John J. Sweeney Fears “an American Nightmare!” (tags)

On April 8, 2008, John J. Sweeney said in Baltimore, MD, that the country is going down the tubes and dragging working class people with it. He’s the head of the national AFL-CIO. He added that in November: “We have an opportunity to reverse these awful trends.” On May 1, 2008, West coast dockworkers are calling a work stoppage to protest the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps, Mr. Sweeney will join them on the picket line. Stay tuned.

SEIU International Attacks Labor Gathering - Conference Goers Assaulted. (tags)

When you are trying to put the movement back into the labor movement, you’re going to meet resistance.

Time to Question the ICE Raids (tags)

Mayor Villaraigosa acts as if immigration raids on workplaces can be used to enforce wage and hour laws. They can't. If anything, they make it harder for workers to fight for their rights.

Recent raids at Warehouses (tags)

ICE raids aren't just about immigration - they are a collusion of right-wing forces that attack immigrants, working people, and ethnic communities.

Non-Profits, Privatization, and Capitalism (tags)

As soon as we begun organizing our workplace into a union— a drug and alcohol rehab center— the murky non-profit world proved to be an obstacle. When first approached, many of our coworkers asked the same question, “would a union even work at a non-profit”? And to this we normally answered, “why not?” – Although a better answer might have been, “Why do non-profit workers believe they should have less rights or pay than other workers?” And with this question you’ve opened a Pandora’s Box that leads down a series of questions and answers that reveal a lot about how modern society functions, especially the relationship between workers’ standard of living, non-profits, and the present state of the capitalist system itself. To help explain the gargantuan role that non-profits play in modern society, a book of essays about the subject -- cleverly named The Revolution Will Not be Funded-- was released by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence. In its introduction chapter, the book explains how non-profits have evolved into organizations that divert political movements into dead ends, shape public opinion, and most relevant to this article, perform services previously done by the state.

San Diego Tips Decision Sparks Suit in NYC (tags)

The Starbucks decision in San Diego has spurred a lawsuit for baristas in New York.

National Petition to End Sweatshops and Slavery in the Fields (tags)

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) - an organization of low-wage workers based in Immokalee, Florida - has launched a national petition campaign to demand that Burger King and other food industry leaders work with the CIW to improve the wages & working conditions of the workers who pick their tomatoes, and join with the CIW in an industry-wide effort to eliminate modern-day slavery & human rights abuses from Florida's fields.

Global Unsocial (tags)

"The workers who have to sell themselves bit by bit are a commodity like every other commercial article." This quotation from the 1848 Communist Manifesto is an accurate description of the current system which is morally sick and lacks consensus.

Faith Based Groups Add Their Support to Prominent Union’s Platform for Change (tags)

Faith based organizations from across the country have lent their support to a California union’s fight to keep the labor movement democratic. United Healthcare Workers–West (UHW–West) is involved in a major dispute with its international union, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) over member involvement and democracy. The UHW–West Executive Board, led by President Sal Rosselli, recently ratified a Platform for Change that outlines a strategy to build a democratic, member-run union with the mission of truly improving workers’ lives. The faith based groups supporting this effort believe that UHW-West’s platform is the best way to ensure that workers have a real voice in running their unions. “The absence of individual voice leads to a dictatorship, said Archbishop Eric Tan Ong Veloso. “That is the reason we support UHW-West leaders Sal Rosselli and Administrative Vice President Jay Valencia’s principled stand for the union and its members.”

Daily Bruin: AFSCME Workers Demand Rights (tags)

The ongoing struggle to get raises for UCLA service workers continues.

April 2008 Hollywood To The Docks (tags)

LA unions will be having a mass march from Hollywood to the LA docks to back workers who have contracts expiring this year.

For Workers Strikes Against the War! ILWU to Shut Down West Coast Ports May 1 Against War (tags)

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.

Building Bridges Radio: NY : Cafeteria Workers Fed Up; Indian Guest Workers Revolt (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

Women Say Fund Caregiving Not War & Occupation (tags)

In Los Angeles, for the 9th Global Women’s Strike on International Women’s Day, March 8, women along with men supporters gathered at a town hall meeting entitled ‘Fund Caregiving Not War and Occupation!’ at the Southern California Library in South LA. On and around every March 8 since 2000, women in 60 countries have taken part in the Global Women’s Strike under the theme Invest in Caring not Killing. Women who are working to reclaim the money and other resources for crucial survival needs for themselves and their communities, told their stories and shared their struggles and victories.

USC Students Present University with 'College With(out) a Conscience Award' (tags)

USC Students to Put on Mock Award Show in Protest of Sweatshop Conditions in USC Apparel Factories

California People’s Organizations Supports SEIU-UHW West Platform For Change (tags)

A number of community organizations and key Asian Pacific Islander leaders in California unanimously thrown their unequivocal support for SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW-West) and its Platform for Change The UHW-West Executive Board representing 150,000 health care workers in California and led by its president Sal Roselli, recently ratified its Platform for Change to express its avowed principles for building a successful international union.

ILWU to Shut Down West Coast Ports May 1 Demanding End to War in Iraq, Afghanistan (tags)

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. This is the first time in decades that an American union has decided to undertake industrial action against a U.S. war. The action announced by the powerful West Coast dock workers union, to stop work to stop the war, should be taken up by unions and labor organizations throughout the United States and internationally. And the purpose of such actions should be not to beg the bourgeois politicians whose hands are covered with blood, having voted for every war budget for six and a half years, but a show of strength of the working people who make this country run, and who can shut it down!

At the River I Stand: Black History Month Film Showing (tags)

This film shows how the determination of low-paid Black workers in 1968 in Memphis, Tenn. transformed a local labor dispute into a pivotal point in the civil rights and union movements.

Pakistani Elections: the mother of all frauds (tags)

Before the results had come in, President Musharraf appeared on the state-run Pakistan Television, calling the vote "the voice of the nation" and the "mother of elections" must be accepted. But in fact this was the Mother of all Frauds. The provisional results for the elections to the National Assembly, as of midday today (Tuesday 19th February) are as follows: Party Seats PPP 87 PML(N) 66 PML(Q) 38 MQM 19 ANP 10 BNP(A) 1 MMA 3 Others 34 Even by Pakistan standards this was a massive exercise in vote rigging. Overnight, the masses have been robbed of victory by the intriguers in Islamabad and Washington. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto immediately stirred the masses into action. If the elections had been held at that time, there would have been a landslide victory for the PPP. Nobody seriously doubts this. For that very reason the ruling clique, in agreement with the Americans, decided to postpone the elections.

Puerto Rico: All Out to Defend the Teachers’ Struggle! (tags)

We are on the threshold of a major class battle in Puerto Rico. Every day new preparations are announced for the coming strike of the Puerto Rican Teachers Federation (FMPR). With 42,000 members, a majority of them women, the FMPR represents almost all of Puerto Rico’s teachers and is by far the largest union on the island. The Shock Force of the Puerto Rican Police and National Guard are being readied to go after the strikers. The struggle of the Puerto Rican teachers affects everybody. The working class as a whole, students and parents, teachers and defenders of workers’ rights around the world must come out in defense of the FMPR! If there are mass arrests, the response must be massive blockades and spreading the struggle to the point of shutting the island down. In order to win this strike, it is necessary to prepare for a struggle not only of the teachers but within the whole workers movement against the pro-capitalist labor bureaucracy that sabotages the workers’ struggle. Above all, it is necessary to fight against illusions in and ties with bourgeois parties and politicians. It’s high time to begin building a revolutionary internationalist workers party.

West Coast Solidarity Meetings For "Freightliner Five" (tags)

There will be solidarity meetings for the fired UAW Freightliner N. Carolina workers in LA, SF, Portland and Seattle

Panama: SUNTRACS Worker martyred at protest (tags)

updates at blog

Local Filipinos protest Philippine Labor Secretary visit and B.C. government’s recruitment (tags)

Around 20 local progressive Filipinos and their supporters rallied last night outside an exclusive dinner for Philippine Secretary of Labour and Employment, Arturo Brion hosted by the Philippines-Canada Trade Council. Brion was in Vancouver to sign a new agreement with the B.C. government which seeks to attract 30,000 workers per year with specific skills from outside B.C.

Shocked by the Undercover Slaughterhouse Video? (tags)

HSUS' recent undercover investigation of a California slaughterhouse is making headlines around the world. Here are 5 things you can do to help end this kind of animal torture.

Orange County Board of Supervisors ignores plight of elderly and disabled; slashes wages f (tags)

Home care providers of the United Domestic Workers (UDW) Tuesday will rally outside the Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting, criticizing the Supervisors’ failure to negotiate a fair deal to provide home care providers for seniors, the blind and people living with disabilities a fair living wage. The home care workers are part of the In-Home Supportive Services program, an alternative to institutional care that uses state, county and federal funds to provide care for IHSS consumers.

Communist Party of the Philippines pursues a violent course against its left opponents (tags)

In the Philippines, one of the poorest countries in Asia, 40 percent of the people live in poverty. Conditions there have sparked a large radical movement, heavily repressed by the government.

Railroad workers unite ! (tags)

Organized labor in the U.S. is fast approaching a crossroads. The enormous successes of the past are under attack, putting the unions in a defensive position. Battling not only the companies but their own bureaucracy, the rank and file of various powerful unions find themselves facing extraordinary sell-out contracts approved by their “leadership,” but benefiting only the company. The struggle to defeat these sell-out contracts may well be the opening clashes of a revival of the U.S. labor movement, which has lain dormant for decades, but which by its very nature may lead to larger conflict. It is in this context that Amtrak workers have dealt a temporary blow to the trend of concession and showcased their growing political consciousness when, after bargaining for 8 years, a coalition of 10 Amtrak unions either rejected revolting tentative agreements that their union “leaders” had brokered with Amtrak, or refused to continue the seemingly now-pointless process of bargaining. This has put Amtrak workers on a collision course with management, i.e., the federal government. The creation of an “illegal” coalition of Amtrak unions to bargain – “illegal” because it violates the Railway Labor Act – was the first progressive step in increasing the power of the workers. Now nine unions are poised to strike Amtrak, and if it weren’t for a “Presidential Emergency Board” (PEB) that intervened, they’d be picketing already. The PEB – consisting of all Bush appointees – must now decide if every avenue of arbitration has been tried, when everyone already knows that it already has. The PEB was officially established on Dec. 1st, and in 60 days, if no agreement is reached, the parties will be free to act themselves. For the workers this will mean striking. For the bosses, this will mean imposing their terms of employment and destroying the gains of the past.

Laguna Beach Contractor Sued By State For Employee Rip-off (tags)

According to the AG “Interwall employed a sophisticated and heartless scheme, involving multiple businesses, to cheat its employees out of overtime and mandatory break periods

What Works and What Doesn't In Building A New Workers’ Movement (tags)

There are thousands of activists of one type or another who want to change society and recognize that we need a movement to do that. many of these people are in organizations and groupings, many are in Unions. What is causing the delay in the building of a new movement to throw back the present capitalist offensive. One major factor is the heads of Organized Labor, but they are not the only factor.

Justice for Young Filipina Restaurant Worker Adriane Padilla! (tags)

Recent advances in the Justice for Adriane Campaign, the unpaid wages campaign for young Filipina restaurant worker Adriane Padilla, launched last December 14, 2007, are pointing to a victory for Adriane and all Filipino youth restaurant workers. This January, Padilla and her lawyers agreed to meet with her former employers to explore a possible case settlement. Ugnayan welcomes this development to resolve the case as this could lead to a greater unity in the Filipino community towards promoting the labor rights, respect and justice for all Filipino youth restaurant workers.

Struggle Against Anti- Immigrant Laws and Discrimination- CDIR (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR)-USA expresses deep concern that while the presidential campaign is going to its high gear, the anti- immigrant advocates are on the offensive. According to the CDIR, the anti-immigrant forces are trying to frame the Republican Party debates to focus on illegal immigration and some elements in different states are passing discriminatory laws against immigrants. Candidate Mitt Romney kept on calling the McCain proposal an “amnesty”. At the same time, the Democratic Party is quiet on the subject.

Picket line in New York City protests repression of striking miners in Cananea, MX (tags)

NEW YORK, 12 January -- The attack by over 800 state and federal police and Mexican army soldiers, aimed at dislodging striking miners from Cananea (Sonora state), was answered with a protest picket in New York. In front of the Mexican consulate, some 20 demonstrators proclaimed their solidarity with the mineworkers, who have been on strike since July 30 against terrible safety conditions at the Cananea complex and against government attacks on the workers.

Building Bridges Radio: Unregulated Work in the Global City (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INTERNET LINK BELOW

Tar Sands Processing requires massive inputs of water, energy, land, labour (tags)

For each barrel of oil produced from the tar sands, between two and 4.5 barrels of water is needed. The waste sand and water contain naphtha and paraffin, which are used in the extraction process, and oil leftovers like benzene, naphthenic acid and polyaromatic hydrocarbon, among others. Chemicals found in the tailing ponds are known to cause liver problems and brain hemorrhaging in mammals, and deformities and death in birds.

FCR-VC declaration against NAFTA and the Migra! (tags)

Today, January 1st 2008 the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) enters its final stage of implementation. NAFTA, since its inception, was designed to help the rich U.S. Agriculture and Industrial Corporations take over the markets of Mexico and destroy the small farms and national industries. It has caused millions of displaced or unemployed Raza to move to the cities or migrate to what today is the United States and Canada.

Arizona treats Mexicans like Nazi Germany treated Jews (tags)

Arizona treats Mexicans like Nazi Germany treated the Jews

Galloway points finger at Musharaf... (tags)

"The professionalism of the assassination, the way in which the killer managed to get within pistol range of the opposition leader, the decoy "suicide bomb" story.. all point to the intelligence apparatus of the dictatorship being involved."

ICE Raids Used to Harm Union Organizing (tags)

The U.S. has a long history of using its forces and laws to put down Labor. In the late 1800s Pinkerton agents, paid by the DOJ, became famous for infiltrating the Molly Maguires. In the early 1900s, state militias and local police were used to break strikes by breaking heads.

Students and workers protest U.C.-hired contractor (tags)

People come out to the University of California Santa Barbara campus on December 3rd to support workers who remain unpaid by a contractor hired by U.C.S.B.

Workers Assassinated at the Thyssen Krupp Steel-works in Turin! (tags)

During the night of Thursday December 6 the latest in a tragic series of "industrial accidents" struck 7 proletarian families at the Thyssen Krupp steel-works of Turin (Italy): 7 workers were overcome and charred by flames in a section where metal castings are cooled by an oil bath. Antonio Schiavone, 36 years old, married and father of 3 children was incinerated immediately, while 3 other workers, after suffering critical burns, died a few days later.

The Gap and Black Friday (tags)

Building a New Global Movement The Observer's Dan McDougall described their garment shop as, "smeared with filth, corridors flooded with excrement from a flooded toilet." The workers recounted threats and beatings from management to keep their nimble fingers moving.

Filipino Workers Vow to Continue the Struggle (tags)

PHILIPPINES: Statements by the Workers Party (PM) & Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL)

Musharraf takes off his uniform: Pakistan enters a new phase of the class struggle (tags)

Events in Pakistan are moving fast. Yesterday General Musharraf quit as army chief, and was hastily sworn as president on the same day. The general hopes that in this way he will win respectability in the run-up to the election promised for January 8. This sets the stage for a big shift in Pakistan. The splits and conflicts at the top are providing a breach through which the accumulated discontent of the masses is thrusting itself forward. Events will then take on a logic of their own. The dictatorship has been brought to its knees by mass demonstrations and protests and by the intolerable contradictions that afflict Pakistan at all levels. As we predicted, the return of Benazir Bhutto brought millions of workers and peasants onto the streets. This is not thanks to, but in spite of, the policies and conduct of Benazir, who is an ally of US imperialism and until recently was attempting to reach a compromise with Musharraf.

Another CIA sponsored Coup D'Etat? Venezuela’s D-Day (tags)

Apart from the deep involvement of the US, the primary organization of the Venezuelan business elite (FEDECAMARAS), as well as all the major private television, radio and newspaper outlets have been engaged in a vicious fear and intimidation campaign. Food producers, wholesale and retail distributors have created artificial shortages of basic food items and have provoked large scale capital flight to sow chaos in the hopes of reaping a ‘no’ vote.

Hundreds of thousands of students march for Chavez and "yes" in the referendum (tags)

They came in their tens of thousands, in their hundreds of thousands. They came from schools, from colleges, from universities, from teachers' unions and trade unions, and from the Social Missions concerned with education. They came in their red shirts with different names but all saying the same thing, Si in the referendum. Here in Venezuela learning is on the order of the day. Everyone is studying in one way or another, everyone is a student, so they came in all ages. We gathered in the Plaza de Venezuela and as each minute passed we grew in numbers. In all parts of the gathering crowd there were sound systems belting out different rhythms and people were dancing, singing and shouting slogans. It was a carnival atmosphere with a serious message. The small group of students also dressed in red but with No placards quickly disappeared after having been confronted by revolutionary students shouting "No pasaran", they shall not pass. We moved off chanting slogans such as "Eduacion Primero para el hijo del obrero; Educacion después para el hijo del burgues" (Firstly, the children of workers should be educated and only then the children of the bourgeoisie), "Obreros y Estudiantes, Unidos en Combate" (Workers and Students united in Struggle) and very importantly "Alerta, Alerta, Alerta Camarada, Que ya esta Preparada la Resistencia Armada" (Watch out Comrades, Armed Resistance is Ready). As the slogans were shouted red flags were being waved.

"Solidarity Works!" Purple and Red Join Forces in Writers' Guild March (tags)

On Tuesday, November 20, the Writers Guild of America held a march on Hollywood Boulevard in which they invited their brothers and sisters in the labor movement to come out in support of their strike, now in its third week.

France: The workers must take the struggle into their own hands! (tags)

Seldom has trade-union unity been so great in the country: almost all the trade unions, including the most collaborationist, call for an indefinite strike at the SNCF, because of the determination and combativeness of the workers! But what objective does this united leadership set for the struggle to come? In 1995 the objective was clear: total withdrawal of the Prime Minister Juppé plan against the pensions. Today what is the objective of this trade-union unity? Total withdrawal of the new attack against the pensions?

Sensenbrener is at it agiain!-->HR4065 (tags)

Sensenbrenner, author of last year's draconian bill HR4437 plans to pass similar legislation, HR4065 with attatchments similar to that of the HR4437

The immiseration of the working class – Marx was right! (tags)

Just a couple of weeks ago, America's government tax collectors, the Internal Revenue Service, issued a new report. The IRS found that the richest 1% of Americans earned a record 21.2% of all income in 2005, up from 19% the year before. At the same time, the bottom 50% earned just 12.8% of all income in 2005, down from 13.4%. This was a record. IRS data only go back to 1986, but other academic research suggests that the last time wealthy Americans had such a high percentage of the national income was in the 1920s. And there's more. The IRS data show that the incomes of people right in the middle of all the income brackets (where half earn less and half earn more) fell 2% between 2000 and 2005 when adjusted for inflation, to $30,881. At the same time, the income level for the top 1% grew 3% to $364,657, or over ten times as much! This shows that capitalism is not only a breeder of economic crisis, war and waste, but is also a system of grotesque exploitation and injustice. When Marx wrote Das Kapital around 150 years ago, he argued that "pauperism (poverty) forms the condition of capitalist production and of the capitalist development of wealth... in proportion as capital accumulates, the situation of the worker, be his payment high or low, must grow worse".

Campesino Activist Assassinated in Brazil by Syngenta's Hired Thugs (tags)

Brazil's Movement of Landless Workers & La Via Campesinos activist camp attacked by hired assassins after protesting Syngenta's GMO/GE biotech crop monopolies..

McDonald's farmworker raise fought by growers (tags)

McDonald's Corp.'s high-profile deal to raise wages for Florida tomato pickers appears to have run into a major obstacle: Florida's tomato farmers.

Rumblings in the depths of the UAW (tags)

They still prevail but the contract rejections at Chrysler shook the UAW bureaucracy and the employers and are a glimpse of what is to come. And many of the new hires will likely be in the forefront of it.

The Myth of “Co-Management” in Venezuela: Reflections on Alcasa and Invepal (tags)

* With a lot of rhetoric and propaganda the Chavez administration has advanced different examples of co-management which, they claim, demonstrate their desire to transform Venezuela’s relations of production. A compañero from Europe visited us recently and got to know two of the most celebrated cases: Alcasa and Invepal. Here is the report he prepared for El Libertario # 51 about the actual working conditions in the country’s most “important” co-managed businesses.

UAW Sellout at GM and Chrysler (tags)

Corrupt UAW bosses sell out their rank and file

Retirement under capitalism (tags)

Sometimes small statistics can have huge implications. The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics recently reported that the age at which U.S. workers retire has risen for the first time in 100 years. According to the report, in the mid-1980s, 18 percent of people in their late 60s still had jobs; today, it is 29 percent. Millions of U.S. workers can no longer look forward to the “Golden Years” of guaranteed Social Security, Medicare health insurance and employer pensions. One in four baby boomers surveyed said they would likely never be able to retire – in other words, they will “work until they drop”. For those that do want to retire, the age at which they can do so is also being systematically raised. Workers born in 1960 or later must wait until age 67, rather than 65, to get their full Social Security benefits. There is talk of raising it further to 70. The mainstream media took scant notice of this, and for good reason; it’s a huge indicator of deeper processes that are destroying the standard of living of workers in the United States and internationally. A quick look into why workers are delaying retirement – if they have the “luxury” of retiring at all – points a condemning finger at the current state of international capitalism, while at the same time warning younger workers of the even worse conditions they’ll certainly face under the auspices of the capitalist system.

Is Dennis Kucinich an Alternative for U.S. Workers? (tags)

Millions of U.S. workers and youth have come to reject the inhuman conditions the crisis of capitalism is producing: the War on Iraq, the Katrina disaster, attacks on immigrants, stagnant wages, cuts in social services, the health care crisis, and on and on. On the basis of events, consciousness is changing, starting with the most advanced and active layer of the workers and youth, and is increasingly directed toward a break with the capitalist system and its representatives. It is in this context that Dennis Kucinich, a six time congressional incumbent from Ohio, who is now in his second run for U.S. president, has generated interest among those disaffected with the “business as usual” politicians. Kucinich presents himself as a “progressive alternative”, and to his credit he stands out favorably on many issues when compared to the rest of the mainstream candidates. He has been a vocal and consistent opponent of the War on Iraq from the very outset, calling for a full withdrawal of U.S. troops. He has said that if he wins the presidency, his “first acts in office will be to cancel NAFTA and the WTO”. He is also the only presidential candidate who openly opposes for-profit health care in favor of a national single-payer system.

kpfk local station board elections (tags)

i'm running for local station board. & looking for your support!

The Reconstruction Party: A New Political Development (tags)

There is a new political party on the horizon that is attempting to offer working class Blacks, working people in general, and the poor an alternative to the two capitalist parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. Stunned by how little has been done by either capitalist party for anyone who was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans – other than the rich and powerful – the Reconstruction Party was officially launched on September 2 of this year. As a first step, the Party is running Malcolm Suber for City Council in New Orleans. Suber is a former textile worker and auto worker and member of the UAW, and has been active in labor struggles since moving to New Orleans, especially around union organizing. He was a founding member and national organizer of the People's Hurricane Relief Fund and Oversight Coalition, a broad coalition of grassroots groups organized around the demand for the reconstruction of New Orleans under community control. In part, this movement is a response to the ruthless policies implemented by the ruling class in New Orleans. Taking full advantage of the helpless situation of many working people, especially the Black majority of New Orleans, the capitalists have pressed to privatize everything, including schools, health care, and prisons, while at the same time preventing the vast majority of those who were forced to leave from returning to their homes.

Reviewing James Petras' "Rulers and Ruled in the US Empire" (tags)

An in-depth review of James Petras' important new book.

Documents describe human trafficking violations by DOD contractors in Iraq (tags)

With private security firm Blackwater USA under fire for its role in a recent shooting incident in Baghdad, new details are emerging about another problem involving contractors in Iraq: the working and living conditions of international laborers employed on U.S. government projects.

Building Bridges Radio:9/11 Health Reports Attacked; Unions Demand 911 Health Care Funds (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 29 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

More SOS Violence Against Workers (tags)

Save Our State, and now No More Invasion, always cry that they are the victims, but the facts tell us otherwise.(Photo is of SOS member Sam Ziselman)

Tranforming Capitalist Schooling (tags)

School is back. So are liberals and conservatives, bickering over how to preserve capitalist schooling. At issue is how to get beyond capital, its promises of perpetual war and meaningless jobs. How shall we keep our ideas, yet teach?

Labor Day Hypocrisy (tags)

Government and business mock labor's day.

A MODEST LABOR PROPOSAL (tags)

COMMENTARY

LABOR DAY SCORECARD 2007 (tags)

COMMENTARY

The War on Working Americans - Part II (tags)

Part II of how American workers are losing out.

The War on Working Americans - Part I (tags)

Working Americans are losing out in the war waged against them.

The Coupon Clippers Get A History Lesson From One Of Their Own (tags)

Bourgeois theoreticians take measures to assure their class that the present crisis will pass. "Do not panic" is the message. Good times will return and the robbery can go on. Time for a history lesson.

New land of opportunity (tags)

Los Cabos rises as place to realize the Mexican dream

Watch- No Volveran - The Venezuelan Revolution Now online (tags)

Bolivarian Revolution

Sao Paulo (Brazil) is under a disguised dictatorship (tags)

It’s a disguised dictatorship, with press freedom, but no freedom for public demonstrations.

judas durazo hands elvira arellano over to bush's ice (tags)

mayday defense committee

Venezuela: Workers control under attack-Struggle at Sanitarios Maracay (tags)

workers control

"Continuous Operations" and "Elimination of Unit Breaks" Exposes ILWU (tags)

The "Continuous Operations" and "Elimination of Unit Breaks" agreement signed by Ugles & Co. of ILWU Local 19 Seattle exposes union officers as hypocrites in the fight for clean air in our port communities.

National call for action in Missoula MT (tags)

My name is Jim Squatter. I'm a medical marijuana advocate who has been active in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades. Recently, I came to Missoula MT, to carry on the struggle here.

Workers' Rights Violated by One of L.A.'s Largest Real Estate Developers (tags)

Lawsuit Filed Against Thomas Gilmore and Associates

Unprecedented Sell-Out by Ugles & Co. in ILWU Local 19, Seattle (tags)

Five months before organized West Coast longshore workers are set to begin bargaining for a new contract with the employers association, union officers in one ILWU local are already starting to give away some key historic gains of waterfront workers

'Old Europe' Bails Out Idiot-run Free-Market US Government - Again (tags)

Right now, the entire world's banking system is being pressed to the limit of what it can do to prevent a worldwide crash of the capitalist system due to what one European banker called "a complete evaporation of liquidity" [Source: "ECB reportedly weighs dollar swap with Fed", MarketWatch.com, 13 August, 2007]. In layman's terms, that means that the world's banking system is running out of the funds needed to keep the capitalist credit system running.

Mexico: Mobilisationcontinutes for the release of student activists (tags)

solidarity

Venezuela: The struggle for nationalisation continutes (tags)

Sanitarios Maracay

National "Sick of War" Sick Day (tags)

Workers Against War is proposing the date of October 26th, 2007 for the “Sick of War” sick day.

Camp Justice for Farmworkers Rights in Delano, CA (tags)

Farm workers gather at second Camp Justice event in Delano, CA to organize and share skills to fight poverty wages, pesticide exposure and other abuses faced daily by farm workers in CA's central valley..

The High Social Cost of Low Corporate Taxes (tags)

It is now taken for granted that social services in the U.S. will be under-funded – if they are funded at all. This isn’t because average people think that such things are unimportant, but because we’ve been taught by “our” representatives in government that even a miniscule social safety net is economically impossible (it is never explained why – it just is). As this approach continues to dominate mainstream political life, the living standards of working people everywhere are being destroyed, and the meager reforms politicians have always promised us have devolved into even tinier crumbs and counter-reforms. Indeed, reforms that benefit the working class seem to be impossible in Washington now-a-days, precisely at a time when the wealth of the country has never been greater. To make sense out of such irrationality, one has to consider that this issue isn’t limited to the 50 states of the U.S. – it’s an international problem, and its cause is no accident.

Building Bridges Radio: Barbara Ehrenreich Covering the Class War; I.W.W. vs Starbucks (tags)

WBAI'S Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 27.5 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

The Democratic Candidates on Health Care (tags)

The issue of health care is on the minds of millions of American workers. The crisis of the health care industry is well-documented in Michael Moore’s popular new film “SiCKO”. After two terms under Bush, many are looking to the Democrats as an alternative. Every Democrat running for President has a “health care plan” – but what exactly does this mean? Can any of these “liberal” representatives of the ruling class really offer American workers a way out of the disaster of private health insurance?

A Short Introduction to Marx's Das Kapital (tags)

Marx’s analysis of capitalism, unlike bourgeois accounts, is conducted from a historical perspective. In other words, Marx was keenly aware that during the march of history, one economic system, because of internal, irreconcilable contradictions, has been replaced by another until it too falls victim to similar contradictions. Of course, when one is born and matures within a single economy and lacks knowledge of any other system, one tends to take one’s own for granted, believing that it will persevere forever. A historical perspective has the advantage of forcing us to rise above the provincial perspective that assumes economic systems are eternal. We survey from above the vast array of systems that have played their fleeting role on history’s stage. For this reason, Marx’s analysis of capitalism is specifically written with the purpose of unveiling its inner contradictions so that the possibility of its demise stands boldly in relief. This runs directly opposed to bourgeois portrayals of capitalism as “natural” and hence as unalterable as the law of gravity itself.

Filipino workers slam Arroyo for its consistent failure to clip the jobs crisis (tags)

A dismal failure! This is the verdict of workers belonging to the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) as they slammed the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) administration ahead of her State of the Nation Address (SONA) for its consistent failure to clip the jobs crisis.

Confronting U.S. Empire: Reviewing Filipino American Insurgent Intellectual Production (tags)

This new intervention by internationally renowned Filipino scholar E. SAN JUAN, Jr. signals a renewed self-reflection by the Filipino American community and the entire diaspora of nearly 10 million Overseas Contract Workers.

Immigration Reform Is Needed, After Bush (tags)

Stewart Alexander, a presidential hopeful with the Peace and Freedom Party, says, “I believe Congress should work on comprehensive immigration reform after President Bush ends his term in office. I do not believe this important issue should be used as a political football or as a bandage for an administration that is hemorrhaging before the nation and the world.”

Is Barack Obama an Alternative for U.S. Workers? (tags)

After years of Bush’s open-ended war on working people at home and abroad, many on the “left” are desperate for an alternative. For many, that alternative is Barack Obama, a Democratic Senator from Illinois. Obama, who is very careful with his words and actions, has done a good job so far of portraying himself as a “sensible progressive”. However, far from being a “progressive” alternative, Obama is at his core a typical representative of the bosses’ political parties. Despite presenting himself as a candidate of “change”, Obama is a defender of capitalism and imperialism, and hence of exploitation and oppression. On all fundamentals, he is far closer to Bush than he is to being a genuine alternative for working people.

Again, Let the Immigration Debates Commence (tags)

Now that the Immigration Overhaul /Reform Bill or S.B. 1639 is being debated in the Senate, much emotions had been invested in the debate and a lot of sparks have flew and have lighted the dark night of the long wait. The LA Times today, June 26 hit the issue on the head: “ Conservatives continue to brand the legalization plan as amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants they say should be forced to go home. Religious groups have decried the weakened emphasis on family immigration. Immigrant-rights groups complain that temporary workers can never become citizens.

A backroom deal on trade? (tags)

Four bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs)--with Colombia, Peru, Panama and South Korea--are on the agenda this month for congressional approval, along with a June 30 deadline to reauthorize “trade promotion authority” (TPA) for George Bush. TPA, also known as “fast track” authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that Congress must either accept or reject, without amendment.

Chrysler, Globalization, and Labor's response (tags)

The UAW will confront Detroit auto makers at the bargaining table in July for a new national contract. In what will prove to be one of the UAW’s biggest challenges since the union’s birth, this contract will bear the imprint of the wholesale restructuring of the American auto industry. When Cerberus Capital Management paid $7.4 billion to take control of Chrysler on May 13, 2007, the challenge to the Union was official: “Are you ready to negotiate with a private equity firm which specializes in gutting troubled companies?” The UAW’s position on Chrysler will undoubtedly influence negotiations with General Motors and Ford. Cerberus wants to cut costs to make money off its investment. Contract talks open up a golden opportunity for the bosses to cut costs at the expense of the workers on the assembly lines. Cutting benefits which previous generations sacrificed, fought for and in some instances, died for, is what is at risk for auto workers in 2007.

Only Pressure on the Streets Can Advance the Struggle of Immigrant Workers (tags)

Negotiations in the U.S. Senate on immigration “reform” legislation have stalled. Is this a victory or a defeat for the working class? Despite the hypocritical tears of some national immigrant rights leaders who lament that “we lost a big opportunity”, in reality, this stagnation of the process reflects an equilibrium in the balance of forces between those who benefit from the most miserable exploitation of 12 million workers, and the interests and organizational strength of those workers and their allies. A detailed analysis of the proposal clearly reveals that this is an anti-immigrant “reform” which would increase the persecution of undocumented immigrants. This law would not improve the conditions of life of millions of families; on the contrary, it would make things worse.

Build a United Anti-War Movement (tags)

After weeks of political show-boating, the Democrats have voted to continue the war in Iraq. Without even the fig leaf of a time line for a partial withdrawal, they have appropriated over $100 billion more public dollars to continue the occupation of Iraq, condemning thousands more Americans and Iraqis to death and dismemberment. This is another $100 billion that will not be used to create jobs, provide health care, or build schools and affordable housing. The total spent on the war now totals over $556 billion. Even the richest nation on earth cannot afford this policy of “guns before butter” forever. Bush is completely discredited, with little popular support and virtually none of his infamous “political capital”. And still the Democrats caved on the one issue that has galvanized the entire country, the one issue that propelled them to Congressional power in the mid-term elections. The message in November was crystal clear: “end the war now!”

Letter to the international labour movement (tags)

On May 31, at 7:00 am, 150 police armed to the teeth invaded Cipla, a factory controlled by the workers, and "installed" an administrator appointed by the federal judge at the request of the INSS (Social Security). The management elected by the workers along with other selected workers were expelled or prevented from entering the plant. Armed terror has been imposed in the factory. One of the first measures taken by the administrator was to cover with a black canvas the plaque at the entrance of the factory which said: "CIPLA, company controlled by the workers." A marvelous national and international compaign demanding the end of the intervention at Cipla was launched just a few hours after the Federal Police carried out their war operations. Messages began to arrive to the Lula government and the Minister of Justice, Tarso Genro, who is responsible for the Federal Police and Luis Marinho, Minister of Social Security, from whose ministry the request for the intervention in Cipla came. Messages were also sent to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Carlos Lupi. This strong and immediate reaction gave us the strength and energy to organize the resistance against these riduculous events.

Election Fraud and Violence in the Philippines Exposed at the Annual RP Independence Day (tags)

Sining Pandayan or "forging art" in Filipino is the multi-generational, multi-sectoral cultural group comprised of workers, women, immigrant and second-generation youth, students, young professionals, and LGBTQ, mainly from DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association and Ugnayan ng mga Anak ng Bayan. Sining Pandayan uses various cultural and expressive means such as poetry, music and street theater to project issues of the Filipino people, both in the homefront and locally.

Building Bridges Radio:Immigration Debate and Day Care Union Busting in NYC (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

Double Victory For Bally Casino Workers (tags)

Dealers, Security Officers at Bally's Casinos In Atlantic City Vote for Union Representation

KMP-Negros revive calls to scrap ‘flawed’ agrarian reform law (tags)

With the recent death of two farmer beneficiaries and the wounding of several others in Hacienda Velez-Malaga, La Castellana town, Negros Occidental, calls for the scrapping of the “flawed” agrarian reform law has been revived. Claiming that it has not benefited poor farmers but consolidated the stronghold of big landowners, militant groups’ Kilu sang Mang bubukid Pilipinas-Negros, Pamalakaya, and the biggest labor group in the sugar industry, the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), slammed the “fake” CARP law and will oppose plans to extend it. The three groups also condemned the killing of the two members of Task Force Ma palad (TFM) last Monday saying this shows a “glaring failure” of CARP. However, they also criticized TFM for giving “false hopes” to their members in owning land.

Capitalist Globalization and the "middle-class" (tags)

Since the 1970s, the social consequences of the current period of capitalism (commonly referred to as globalization) have primarily affected the working class, especially those in manufacturing jobs. Despite the consequential deterioration of large cities and countless smaller towns — not to mention the pauperization of large segments of the population — the effects were dismissed by politicians and the mainstream media as necessary evils. The victims of this process were told to pick themselves up by their boot-straps, go back to school, and learn to integrate into the new, technology-driven global economy. How things have changed! Experience has exposed all the promises of globalization to be lies, and now those who think of themselves as "middle-class" are finding themselves on the chopping block. These skilled workers — engineers, Information Technology workers, accountants, legal and medical personnel, etc. — are confronted by the combined forces of a shrinking labor market, outsourcing, and the corporate-led importation of foreign workers through the H-1B visa program.

USLAW/UFPJ Sponsor Pro-Occupation Iraq Labor Speaker in LA (tags)

This month, US Labor Against the War, United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and the American Friends Service Committee are sponsoring an "Iraq Labor Tour" to various U.S. cities. These speakers will be coming to Los Angeles this weekend, June, 8-10th. A couple of years ago a similar tour of Iraq labor leaders came to LA, who were very strongly opposed to the US Occupation. This time one of the featured speakers represents the Iraq Federation of Oil Workers , which spearheads opposition to privatization of Iraqi oil and demands immediate U.S. withdrawal. However, the tour also includes a representative of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW). The GFIW (formerly IFTU) is sponsored by the Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) and former U.S.-installed Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. These parties not only oppose immediate U.S. withdrawal, but support Bush's "surge," and demand that the Iraqi puppet regime crush Iraqi resistance -- positions that are echoed by the GFIW.

Down With Police Terror Against the Anti-G8 Demonstrators! (tags)

Protest statement regarding the police attack against the anti-G8 demonstrators in Germany.

Building Bridges Radio: :Immigration Debate and Day Care Union Busting in NYC (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

GOOD BYE, CINDY SHEEHAN (tags)

COMMENTARY

AJLPP / CDIR Rejects The Border Protection and Immigration Reform Bill as Racist (tags)

The Alliance Philippines (Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines ) and the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) vehemently oppose the so called " US Border Protection and immigration Reform Bil" l that will turn 12 million immigrants into a permanent underclass of “guest workers” and scrap the family reunification laws that will separate millions of immigrant families.

REFLECTIONS ON MEMORIAL DAY (tags)

COMMENTARY

Anti-Immigrant in Black Face? (tags)

drive minutemen from l.a. - stop ted hayes leimert park rally 6/23

Candidate Alexander: Labor, War and Education Connects (tags)

Stewart A. Alexander, a presidential hopeful with the Peace and Freedom Party, applaud the actions of the ILWU Local 10 and Local 34 for lending their strong support to anti-war protesters at the SSA shipping terminals in Oakland, California. On May 19 the Port Action Committee, the Oakland Education Association, along with teacher, students and community activist demanded that the U.S. get out of Iraq and called on other unionists throughout the United States to mobilize in action to stop the war.

Longshore Workers Honor Picket Line, Shut Down War Cargo Shipper in Oakland (tags)

This can be an important first step toward the mobilization of workers power to shut down the war machine, but that requires a sharp struggle against the bourgeois politics of the antiwar groups and union officialdom. The OEA calls for money for schools not for war, as if it were a matter of budget priorities, and the PAC poster made a social-patriotic pitch to “Bring the Troops Home Now, and give them the care they need.” Such “peace is patriotic” rhetoric is a staple of the UPFJ, but all the antiwar coalitions make similar appeals to garner support from Democratic Party liberals. Revolutionaries and class-conscious workers, in contrast, emphasize that this imperialist war must be opposed by class war.

Immigrant Workers Union statement against new immigration proposal (tags)

Immigrant Workers Union denounces the new senate immigration bill for militarizing borders, breaking up families, and criminalizing workers.

salute the pilipino workers center for standing against miwon/lapd lies! (tags)

pilipino workers center, a miwon coalition member, rejects the official miwon position which co-signs lapd lies.

AJLPP / CDIR Rejects New Immigration Proposals as Anti-Immigrant, Anti- Family Reunificat (tags)

The Alliance Philippines (AJLPP) and the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) vehemently oppose the US Senate proposals that will turn 12 million immigrants into “guest workers” and scrap the family reunification laws that should unite and not separate families. The new US senate taunted proposals that constitutes a far-reaching change in the immigration system that would admit future arrivals seeking to put down roots in the U.S. based on their skills, education levels and job experience, limiting the importance of family ties.

Grocery Workers in Negotiations (tags)

Once again, workers at Ralph's, Albertson's, and Vons are in negotiations to try and regain healthcare benefits and eliminate a 2-tier wage structure.

Confirmed---6 Day Laborers Kidnapped (tags)

Press Conference Re: 6 Day Laborers Kidnapped and Death of a Worker Leader

Where do the moneylenders get their money? (tags)

Accepting that labor creates all wealth alone will not open the road to our emancipation. Understanding how it creates it is paramount.

MIWON cover for LAPD mayday attack unresolved (tags)

MIWON maintains its refusal to publicly renounce its cover for LAPD mayday attack, enabling police commanders to escape accountability.

Death row interview with Mumia Abu-Jamal (tags)

Excerpts from a March 1996 interview with Mumia Abu-Jamal, produced by the Peoples Video Network, conducted by Monica Moorehead and Larry Holmes of Workers World Party and videotaped by Key Martin on Pennsylvania's death row.

BMORE'S GOT YOUR BACK: Solidarity with immigrants and victims of LAPD police brutality (tags)

On Monday, May 5, Baltimore organized a rally to show solidarity with Los Angeles immigrants attacked by LAPD, and to support immigrants' rights nationwide. Immigrants are facing a growing climate of hostility and violence, from police brutality to I.C.E. raids which have displaced hundreds of workers from their families.

Day Laborer, Companero, Friend to many--Killed Sat. during MinuteKLAN's 5 de mayo protest (tags)

Don Jose Fernando, 57 years old, elder to many and regarded as the "moral leader" of the Rancho Cucamonga Day Labor site on Arrow Hwy and Grove St., was killed by car during MinuteKLAN's 5 de mayo protest. The harrasing presence & distraction of the RACISTS held responsible -and- the DAY LABOR SITE that Don Jose fought for is DEMANDED even with even greater force!!!

The Mexican Revolution Surges Forward (tags)

Millions of workers and students on strike: report of the first 12 hours of the May 2 strike Just six months after Calderon assumed the presidency and the anti-fraud movement and the APPO were defeated, the situation in Mexico is heating up again. The previous showdown over the elections and the revolutionary struggle in Oaxaca solved nothing. The bourgeois, foolishly, perhaps believed that the working class was finished, and that the struggle was over. They will not be able to maintain that opinion any longer. Carrying on from the magnificent struggles in March against the attacks of the weak Calderón government, a general strike was called earlier this week on May 2 - the first general strike in Mexico since 1916.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MARCH/RALLIES FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS: (tags)

SI SE PUEDE! ( YES, WE CAN!) With this battle cry and despite threats from racist anti-immigrant raids, anti-immigrant innuendoes and discouragement from the bourgeois media, school clamp downs on students and visible police presence and harassments, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their advocated marched and rallies din at least 74 cities of the United States on May Day- the International Workers Day. More than 100,000 immigrants and advocates marched in Los Angeles in separate rallies May 1. In the morning, at least 20,000 people march from Broadway/Olympic led by the March 25 Coalition and held rally in front of the City Hall south lawn Another 60,000 marchers led by Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahoney and the Multi ethnic immigrants workers organizing network (MIWON) from Vermont Ave and 3rd St marched and converged at Macarthur Park from Vermont and 3rd while another 10,000 marched to Macarthur Park from Washington Blvd. led by La Raze Coalition. The police attacked this group early evenin

Filipino Workers urged: Vote for truth, full employment (tags)

Thousands of workers from the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) and the Confederation of Independent Unions (CIU) gathered in MetroManila, Lipa, Cebu, Davao City, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro City,Zamboanga City and Cotabato City to commemorate the 104th International Labor Day, urging other workers to support candidateswho would vow to unearth the truth behind the 'Hello Garci' controversy.

GABNet DEFENDS IMMIGRANT WOMEN'S RIGHTS (tags)

On May 1, 2007, hundreds of thousands of people across the United States will once again take to the street to oppose recent US legislation which threatens the human rights, civil liberties and welfare of all immigrants and their communities. For far too long the issue of how migration impacts women have not been given its due. In fact, women migrants--including Filipinas--are the most vulnerable of the population:

ILPS May First 2007 Message (tags)

The International League of Peoples’ Struggle extends its most militant greetings to the workers and other toiling people of the world on the occasion of International Workers’ Day. We commemorate the first May Day in 1887 when hundreds of thousands of workers struck in every major American city calling for an 8-hour workday. In Chicago, the police brutally attacked the strikers and demonstrators. A rally in Haymarket Square to protest the police brutality was also attacked. A number of labor leaders were framed on trumped up charges and hanged while others were thrown in prison. One hundred twenty years later, the workers still suffer from the barbarities of capitalism. They have to struggle to achieve their own emancipation and the emancipation of mankind.

THE US-ARROYO REGIME HAS NO CONCERN AT ALL FOR THE FILIPINO WORKERS (tags)

Today, the working class in the Philippines and the whole world commemorate International Workers' Day. This is in recollection and reaffirmation of the long history so far of the heroic struggle of the working class to claim their interests, rights at power against the rule, exploitation and oppression of the big capitalist class and their henchmen and instruments that are characterized by greed, rottenness, deceit and cruelty at their very core.

MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY FROM THE AJLPP TO NATIONWIDE WORKERS MASS ACTIONS (tags)

The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) extends its warmest greetings of solidarity and greetings to all workers and migrants in the United States on the International Workers’ Day, May 1. We are extremely happy that after more than 60 years, we have been able to reclaim and make May 1st, truly an international workers’ day in the United States. This, in itself, is a great victory for the workers’ movement in the United States. But now, the situation has changed since the great immigrant rights upsurge last year that mobilized all Americans in their millions.

New, improved unions (tags)

New, improved unions

The Migrant Trap, and the Migrants' Way Out: May 1, 2007 (tags)

Migrants face an impossible choice. And they've got their own humane and just answer. Is anybody listening?

Full rights for all immigrants! (tags)

A new mass leaflet.

The Bush Temporary Guest Workers Program and the STRIVE Act Are Bad for All Immigrants (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) firmly stands for and demands amnesty and full rights for all immigrants and for family reunification for more than 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. The CDIR also vehemently oppose President Bush or the White House proposal. Under the new White House plan on immigration reform, it calls for a “Z Visas” valid for three years and renewable indefinitely at cost of $3,500.00 each time. To become legal permanent residents with the green card, they will have to return to their home country and apply to re-enter to the legally and pay a $ 10,000 fine.

What’s Really in the Flake-Gutierrez (STRIVE) Act? (tags)

Many traditional immigrant rights organizations are putting enormous pressure on grass roots groups to support the “Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act” (STRIVE). This proposal, put forward by Democrats Jeff Flake (AZ) and Luis Gutierrez (IL), is being presented as a “lesser evil” and “the best we can get”. While on the surface it isn’t as overtly aggressive as Sensenbrenner’s HR4437, this remains an enforcement-first bill and offers little or nothing to immigrant workers and their families. ImmigrantsThis is not what millions of immigrant workers marched for last spring. This is not why hundreds of grass roots organizations were formed across the country in order to fight for unconditional legalization for all.

Audio from Assi market press conference (tags)

Audio recording of this morning's press conference to announce the 1.5 million dollar victory of Assi supermarket workers in Koreatown.

ASSI MARKET WORKERS WIN $1.475 MILLION SETTLEMENT (tags)

After four years of litigation, heated community protests, and on-and-off-again settlement talks, Assi Super, Inc. owner Daniel Sung Chul Rhee and his former employees have agreed to settle the workers' class action lawsuit alleging unpaid overtime wages and racial discrimination and harassment for $1.475 million.

The Bush Temporary Guest Workers Program and the STRIVE Act Are Bad for All Immigrants. (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) firmly stands for and demands amnesty and full rights for all immigrants and for family reunification for more than 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. The CDIR also vehemently oppose President Bush or the White House proposal. Under the new White House plan on immigration reform, it calls for a “Z Visas” valid for three years and renewable indefinitely at cost of $3,500.00 each time. To become legal permanent residents with the green card, they will have to return to their home country and apply to re-enter to the legally and pay a $ 10,000 fine.

Australian Leader – “underdog” (tags)

The Prime Minister of Australia claimed today that he would contest the forthcoming Federal election as the underdog – another tired (and familiar) Howard tactic! The failing politician failed to mention that it was he who created the situation with his inane, ill-considered comments ranging from his hysterical criticisms of U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama, as the terrorist friendly candidate, to his astounding comments on HIV and immigration bans.

USC Student Activists Step up Pressure, Administration Responds In-Kind (tags)

Harsh response to anti-sweatshop sit-in threatens to obscure campaign details at a critical time: Breaking with a norm of accommodation of student protesters, the University of Southern California last week dramatized their willingness to evade responsibility for the repercussions of their business practices.

Possible Grocery Strike Looming (tags)

This is a press release from the UFCW. In 2003, the UFCW and these same national chains faced off in the longest grocery strike in history. During this round of negotiations, the corporations announced a mutual aid pact, to act together if one store was picketed. The UFCW has broken off negotiations.

Party-List Groups and the 2004 Elections (Second of three parts) (tags)

A review of what happened in the 2004 party-list election is necessary to know not only how many seats were given to party-list groups but also to know the kind of representation the marginalized sectors got.

Party-List Groups and the 2004 Elections (tags)

A review of what happened in the 2004 party-list election is necessary to know not only how many seats were given to party-list groups but also to know the kind of representation the marginalized sectors got.

Nine criminal charges filed against Save Our State member (tags)

John Matthew Monti, from Los Angeles, and a member of Save Our State, a violent racist group linked with neo-Nazis and white supremacists, has been charged with nine criminal charges by the San Diego City Attorney's office.

Thousands of Construction & Farm Workers Live in Hovels in Coachella Valley (tags)

The "Harvest of Shame" 1960 TV documentary program has been updated with the same horrifying conditions for the people who harvest our food and build and repair our homes, while they have almost no food and no homes, right here in filthy rich USA.

Labor Union - Labor Department to act on employee safety equipment (tags)

WASHINGTON (AP)Labor Union — The Labor Department has agreed to issue rules outlining an employer’s responsibility for the cost of workers’ safety equipment — two months after a lawsuit by the AFL-CIO and the United Food and Commercial Workers seeking such regulations. www.LABORUNIONRESOURCES.ORG

Toxics Coalition Joins Worker's Protest (tags)

Toxics Coalition Interupts Conference to Join Hotel Worker Protest

Labor Union Resources and Labor News (tags)

Labor Union Resources is designed to provide help to U.S. Workers in their efforts at organizing themselves and their co-workers into labor unions. It is also a resource for Union Leaders to assist in their operations, organizing, and bargaining efforts.

Building Bridges Radio: Taxi Spyware and National Health Care (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 27 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK

The Tasks of the Immigrant Workers’ Movement: For a working class program! (tags)

As we approach the first anniversary of the immigrant worker mega-marches, the struggle for our rights continues. We defeated the Sensenbrenner bill, and yet the attacks on the families of undocumented workers have intensified. Dozens of raids, the limitation of habeas corpus, the militarization of the border, “no-match” letters, and other attacks on our class must be met with a decisive response! We need a clear program of struggle that can lead us to victory – to full amnesty and equal rights for all immigrant workers and their families.

Women's Day marchers beaten up in Manila (tags)

The Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) denounces the attempt of the police to brutally disperse the rally of APL-women commemorating International Women's Day.

Who Killed Hrant Dink and Why (tags)

The assassination of Armenian democrat writer Hrant Dink on January 19th by the Kontrgerilla (Turkish version of Gladio) attached to the Turkish General Staff, brought forth a just reaction of all progressive segments of Turkey and led to their protest actions against the Turkish state.

Rural Workers in Uruguay occupy land and call for solidarity (tags)

On January 14 of this year, Mandiyú – a group of small dairy farmers – occupied a 388 hectare section of the Eduardo Acevedo Estate in the area of Bella Unión, in the north of Uruguay. This is the second land occupation in the country, following the group of “peludos” (sugar cane workers) in their occupation one year ago of another 32 hectares that had been abandoned for more than ten years.

Tragic Fire Highlights South Korea's Inhumane Treatment of Migrant Workers (tags)

A recent fire that killed 9 migrant workers at a detention center in South Korea has brought attention to this country's brutal crackdown on undocumented migrant workers and the conditions that all migrant workers face in South Korea, where they do much of the "3D" (Dirty, Dangerous and Difficult) jobs.

House Passes Employee Free Choice Act (tags)

After more than five hours of historic debate, the House of Representatives passed the most important labor law reform legislation in 70 years.

GUINEA: the army requisitions all the workers! (tags)

Friday evening, Kerfalla Camara, the chief of staff of the Guinean army, announced in a radio broadcast that he has ordered the end of the general strike and the resumption of work on Monday, by requisitioning all the workers in the administration, in commercial establishments and in private enterprises!

OBAMA THE 'CHARMA' AND THE BABY-BOOMERS (tags)

A CHANGING OF THE GUARD?

Solidarity with the General Strike in Guinea! (tags)

Four days after its official beginning on Monday, the general strike continues in Guinea. The production of C.G.B, the second leading Bauxite producer in the world, has been halted, the workers also having stopped the trains carrying ore, while the production of the other consortium continues to grind towards a halt (provoking incendiary inflation in the prices of bauxite and aluminum on the world market). All economic activities are paralysed.

Kucinich on the Issues: Make 2008 the year of We the People (tags)

The problems facing America today are many, but they can be solved with a President that has the best interests of all Americans at heart. Too many politicians are tied to corporate interests, depending on these vested interests to finance their campaign, which adversely affects the Politician's stance on issues. From ending the war in Iraq, to providing Universal Health Care, Dennis Kucinich's platform is based on what is good for the people, not the corporations. please read the issues and download a copy for friends and family.

Border Fence- The Cost is Far Too High (tags)

A study released last December by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service says a proposed 700 mile stretch of fence, along the 2,000 mile U.S. – Mexico border, could cost an estimated $49 billion. But what the report fails to say, U.S. –built walls on the border would cost both the U.S. and Mexico trillions of dollars in economic losses over the predicted 25-year lifespan of the fence, and non-monetary damage to political and cultural relations between the two countries would also last for decades.

Why Capitalists support the war (tags)

To put it simply, they want to maximize their profits at the expense of the vast majority. This requires access to raw materials, markets, and cheap labor, not to mention juicy government contracts with built-in profits. But don't take our word for it. Here's what the representatives and defenders of U.S. capitalism have had to say about it over the years: "War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses... "It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism." - USMC General Smedley Butler, 1933 "...We have about 50 percent of the world's wealth, but only 6.3 percent of its population... Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will permit us to maintain this position of disparity without positive detriment to our national security. To do so, we will have to dispense with all sentimentality and daydreaming; and our attention will have to be concentrated everywhere on our immediate national objectives. We need not deceive ourselves that we can afford today the luxury of altruism and world-benefaction... We should cease to talk about vague and... unreal objectives such as human rights, the raising of the living standards, and democratization. The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts. The less we are then hampered by idealistic slogans, the better." - George Kennan, State Department, 1948

Follow Chavez's Lead; Nationalize US Oil (tags)

Chavez took the needed step of nationalizing Venezuela's petroleum reserves to prevent multinational corporations (ie., Exxon-Mobil)from theft of resources. Here in US, we would be wise to follow Chavez's example..

Evolution of species (tags)

Hiding in the bush

Migrant workers spark debate in Asean meet (tags)

The rights of Southeast Asia’s vast army of migrant workers are proving to be a source of dispute for regional nations looking to agree a labor deal this week, an official said Wednesday. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) plans to issue a declaration at its annual summit aimed at shoring up the rights and working conditions of the bloc’s migrant labor force.

BTL: Union Campaign to Organize Smithfield Workers at... (tags)

...World's Largest Slaughterhouse~Interview with Gene Bruskin, organizer with the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, conducted by Between the Lines' Melinda Tuhus

ON CONGRESSMAN KUCINICH'S CAMPAIGN (tags)

BREAK WITH THE DEMOCRATS

Building Bridges Radio:Lights,Camera & No Unions; Restaurant Workers Fight Job Segregation (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 29 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

More ICE Raids Possible (tags)

U.S. Attorney Matthew Whitaker said Wednesday: “This is not the end to these types of operations. We will continue to work with ICE and develop plans.'' Referring to last Tuesday’s raids on the Swift & Co. meat packing plants where approximately 1300 undocumented workers were arrested.

Aracruz Celulose vs. Tupinik\im and Guarani indigenous peoples (tags)

Brazil: Aracruz Celulose responsible for acts of Violence against the Tupinikim and Guarani indigenous peoples

YES, THE WAR NEWS FROM IRAQ IS GRIM, BUT THE WAR NEWS FROM WASHINGTON IS EVEN GRIMER (tags)

NO TO TROOP ESCALATION!

Pinochet is dead! It is time to kill the system that spawned him! (tags)

The fact that the death of Pinochet on Sunday sparked off celebrations in Chile and around the world should surprise no one. He was a hated figure, a living symbol of the real face of the bourgeoisie. In "normal" times the capitalists prefer to govern through "democratic" parliamentary means, so long as their fundamental interests are guaranteed. But the capitalist system cannot always guarantee that its interests can be defended through parliamentary means. History is full of examples where the bourgeoisie has preferred to do away with the niceties of "democracy"... Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Suharto... the list is endless.

ON THE IRAQ STUDY GROUP REPORT (tags)

AN 80TH RECOMMENDATION

Texas Governor Takes Lead on Immigration Issues (tags)

Texas’ Republican Governor Rick Perry said yesterday that he opposes a measure proposed last month in the Texas Legislature by a fellow Republican that would bring about an end to birthright citizenship.

Stop Union Busting on the Waterfront! (tags)

In a show of solidarity ILWU Local 10 voted for a port-wide shutdown in support of the IBU & MMP workers. This is call for all union members and their allies to join us on the picket line Pier 31/33, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, December 9, 2006 at 10 AM.

Many days in Oaxaca (tags)

Xochitl, a medic from somewhere in North America, has been writing reports from Oaxaca where she has been teaching and learning on the streets with the people in their struggle. This is the latest of a series of reports about what she has seen.

FAITH BASED INCINERATOR INITIATIVE (tags)

It is my grave concern that American workers, especially Christian workers, and others who snub wisdom in spite of, or in lieu of faith, be paid on time, and on their regularly scheduled payday. Therefore I demand that Bush pay me what he owes me on time or God will surely torture him in hell for a minimum of 500 years. The current balance due would be about 100 million dollars.

Protest KNBC Ana Garcia's attack on migrant workers (tags)

KNBC TV reporter has done a biased, one sided attack on migrant farm workers living in Mcgonigle canyon near san diego. Please respond to this report, called "The Village." (two part series)

Government forces farmers to use expensive machines, which drives up the cost of produce (tags)

This article should be titled "Government causes worker shortage which causes farmers to use expensive machinery instead of cheap manual labor, driving up the cost of produce for Americans, and keeping Mexican laborers unemployed". But instead of blaming the government for the problem, the newspaper blames the farmers.

LA Greens support City Council vote on living wage (tags)

Los Angeles Greens support City Council vote on living wage for LAX area hotels, urge expansion of living wage ordinance and further support for unions

Border town workers say U.S. agents shot them with air guns (tags)

U.S. Border Patrol agents shot two city workers in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico with pepper ball guns

Venezuelan elections: Cast a blank ballot (tags)

[Here's a translation of the latest article from the Venezuelan Trotskyists. It is of special interest in the United States, where the left entirely capitulates to the Bolivarian popular front headed by Hugo Chávez, thinking that their blind endorsement of class collaboration is some kind of "solidarity." Solidarity with whom? With what class?]

Fear of the Working Class At Home And Internationally Stirs Some Debate Among the Bankers (tags)

There is growing concern among sections of the capitalist class that the rising opposition to their global offensive and the market will get out of control.

Gaza as Laboratory: The Great Experiment (tags)

IS IT possible to force a whole people to submit to foreign occupation by starving it?

US Church Leaders Condemn Political Killing of a Filipino Bishop (tags)

Justice for Bishop Alberto Ramento! Justice for all 756 victims of political killings including church workers, peasants, union officials and organizers, journalists, women, student activists, lawyers, doctors and peace advocates who, in their pursuit of justice for the poor and oppressed, have been felled down by the military death squads of the government of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Big Oil and its Environmental Record (tags)

Beyond Oil or is it GreenWash, manipulation of the Americans and the election process

Labor Union News (tags)

About Labor Union News-Labor unions have benefited greatly from the communications capabilities provided by the Internet: thousands of sites overflow with a wealth of information regarding news, issues and policies of labor unions both regional and global. I've collected some of these resources here, to serve as a starting point for those doing research on labor unions, looking for a specific group, or simply wanting to learn more about the state of unions today.

Labor must take the road of class struggle! (tags)

A Working Class Emancipation labor bulletin

Why Hillary Clinton voted for the anti-immigrant wall (tags)

Last May, in the wake of mass demonstrations that brought millions of immigrants to the streets in cities throughout the United States, New York’s Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton spoke with disdain for the Republican right’s proposals mandating a crackdown on foreign-born workers.

Pesante-USA Condemns Activist Aglipayan bishop “Rub-Out” (tags)

The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante-USA) with the highest and strongest indignation, vehemently condemn the “rub-out” Marcos martial law style killing of an Aglipayan bishop who spoke out against the extrajudicial killings under the Arroyo administration and who took up the cudgels for striking workers at Hacienda Luisita.

A warm unwelcome (tags)

The signs read, “No Terrorist Racism in Ventura County,” “Shame on You Borders” and “No Human Being is Illegal.” The shouts from the crowd of approximately 30 protestors outside of Borders Book Store in Thousand Oaks ranged from the boilerplate “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, the Minutemen have got to go” to an angry “Racists go home” to an even more creative “Down with the geriatric fascist.”

The Power of the Oaxaca Commune (tags)

From Mexico

September 28th: End the Abuse of Immigrant Workers (tags)

250 immigrant workers, religious leaders, community members and students have already committed to risk arrest, call on others to join them

Building Bridges Radio: Call 911: Workers In Peril at Ground Zero! (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW.

FILIPINO WORKERS IN THE U.S. FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS (tags)

Thousands of FIlipino workers in the hospitals, hotels and ships all over the United States went on strike to fight for their rights. Thousands of them in the different unions are poised to fight for their rights until next year

Business Owners, Workers Charge Israel Deliberately Targeted Lebanon's Economy (tags)

Business owners and factory workers in Lebanon are charging that Israel deliberately targeted the Lebanese economy in its month-long offensive. Democracy Now! producer Ana Nogueira files a report from Beirut on the long-lasting effects of the conflict on Lebanon's economy. [includes rush transcript] We turn now to Lebanon. The Israeli military's chief of staff was quoted as saying the Israeli army will complete a pullout from southern Lebanon within a few days.

Work Above Everything (tags)

Capitalist at the start of the 21st century set out to realize the utopia of a life without work-and cannot face this fact-because of its own inner pressures. Reducing working hours is crucial for lowering unemployemnt. Creating a social net is a precondition for sharing work

A symbol of American manufacturing’s decline: Ford to slash 44,000 jobs (tags)

Ford Motor Company on Friday announced a plan to drastically downsize its North American operations, cutting about a third of its salaried employees and offering buyouts to all of its hourly workers in the United States. The move—an acceleration and intensification of the company’s “Way Forward” plan announced in January—is aimed at cutting annual operating costs by $5 billion.

NVCD: All out for Sept 28th (tags)

September 28th hundreds of immigrants, workers, students, and religious leaders will risk arrest in a mass act of non-violent civil disobedience. Rally begins at 4:30PM in front of the Radisson LAX (corner of Sepulveda and Century Blvds) March begins at 5:30PM

ANOTHER UNIONIST MURDERED IN THE PHILIPPINES (tags)

Another unionist was killed today in Southern Tagalog region. Nemesio Aquino, a worker of JAM Transit (formerly Tritran Bus Company), was shot dead by unidentified men when he just came out from the Bureau of Labor Relations office in Barangay Parian, Calamba City, Laguna at around 2:00 PM. The militant Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU) or Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog expressed condemnation and alarming concern over the recent killing of a unionist.

Building Bridges Radio: Global Class War (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 58 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

US IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUPS STEPS UP MASS ACTIONS (tags)

Diffferent Immigrant rights groups and coalitions stepped up their mass actions nationwide in more than 6 major cities to force the US Congress to enact laws that will give amnesty and full rights to more than 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. More mass actions is slated from September 7 to September 9 in protest of the much delayed congressional action on the immigration reform law that will legalize at least 3 to 5 million undocumented immigrants and at least 7 million workers as “guest workers” in the SB 2611 or the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill that all immigrant rights groups and advocate rejects as “modified HR 4437”.

World Can't Wait -- National Organizing Meetings (tags)

Los Angeles joins cities across the US in making plans for October 5.

Wilmington Says No to Minuteman Invasion (tags)

A handful of minutemen attempted to invade and disrupt the annual Union Labor Day picnic but are led out by union workers and police.

Exciting News and Updates from the Student/Farmworker Alliance! (tags)

thousands of students are returning to campuses across the country and crafting their organizing plans for the year. This fall and beyond, the stakes are high in the struggle for fair food as McDonald's continues its attempts to undermine the CIW's movement for decent wages and dignified working conditions in Florida's fields.

Filipinas in Lebanon treated like ’modern-day slaves’ (tags)

FINDINGS OF INTERNATIONAL MISSION TO LEBANON: Filipina overseas workers in Lebanon are being treated like “modern-day slaves,” this was the main finding of Filipinos who had just arrived from Lebanon as part of an international civil society and parliamentary delegation.

Katrina, one year later: For black liberation through socialist revolution! (tags)

We revolutionaries insist that black liberation, including the conquest of full democratic rights for blacks in the US, can only be achieved through socialist revolution. It is hopeless and naïve to expect the US government to "rebuild for democracy". The face of US capitalist "democracy" was unmasked by Hurricane Katrina, and it's not going to get any prettier.

Warning to the Teachers of Oaxaca, Beware the US Trojan Horse (tags)

Oaxaca teachers are taking the lead in the struggle against injustice, but a Trojan Horse is headed their way.

Pro-War Diane Feinstein, What Are The Alternatives? (tags)

Feinstein herself has directly profiteered from the U.S. imposed misery she voted for in Iraq. Her husband, Richard Blum, is a billionaire investor that together with CEO Ronald Tutor own investment companies that hold 75% of the voting stock in a company called Perini. On March 12, 2004 Perini was awarded a $500,000,000 contract for rebuilding the electrical infrastructure of southern Iraq. So Feinstein is profiting from the U.S. bombing of the Iraqi infrastructure as well as its inefficient rebuilding by private U.S. contractors.

Pro-War Diane Feinstein, What Are The Alternatives? (tags)

Feinstein herself has directly profiteered from the U.S. imposed misery she voted for in Iraq. Her husband, Richard Blum, is a billionaire investor that together with CEO Ronald Tutor own investment companies that hold 75% of the voting stock in a company called Perini. On March 12, 2004 Perini was awarded a $500,000,000 contract for rebuilding the electrical infrastructure of southern Iraq. So Feinstein is profiting from the U.S. bombing of the Iraqi infrastructure as well as its inefficient rebuilding by private U.S. contractors.

IWW Victory for Taxi Drivers at LA Airport (tags)

By Ernesto Nevarez, Port of Aztlan, Portofaztlan@yahoogroups.com - Turning the Tide: Journal of Anti-Racist Action, Research & Education, Volume 19 Number 4, July-August 2006

2006 Student/Farmworker Alliance Encuentro; Immokalee, Fl; Sep 21-24 (tags)

Student/Famworker Alliance is a national network of youth and students organizing in solidarity with farmworkers to eliminate sweatshop conditions and modern-day slavery in the fields. We work in partnership with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a membership-led organization of mostly Latino, Haitian, and Mayan Indian low-wage immigrant workers in Southwest Florida. Together we won the Taco Bell Boycott in 2005. For more information, visit http://www.sfalliance.org

Action Alert: Protect Farm Workers, Health, and Environment - Stop SB 1056 (tags)

Urge State Senators in Los Angeles to vote "NO" on SB 1056 - the "Monsanto Seed Preemption Bill". Timely action is needed to support California’s working farmers, community health, and environment.

Filipino Workers reject US navy offer, insist justice be done first (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR), in support of the Filipino wokrers demands and just struggle, printed this news that appeared both in the Balita Weekend , a Filipino American news weekly in Southern California and in the Filipino Channel North American that featured the discrimination of Filipino civilian workers at the US navy facility here in San Diego. The Workers flatly rejected an offer by their manager to take them back in, saying it sweeps off their complaints against repeated abuse and discrimination and demands for better working conditions, and releases the US Navy from any responsibility in their dismissal.

Asbestos Attacks from the White House (tags)

The White House manipulated the reports of the EPA about the air quality in the environment of Ground Zero after the attacks and thus exposed all the relief workers, residents and employees in south Manhattan to extreme health risks.

STARBUCKS INFAMY: IWW Organizer Daniel Gross Terminated for Union Activity! (tags)

TAKE ACTION NOW! The Starbucks "investigation" of IWW member Daniel Gross concluded today with his termination after more than three years of organizing at the company.

SEP candidate to participate in Spanish-language radio program (tags)

John Burton, the Socialist Equality Party candidate for US Congress in California’s 29th Congressional District, will be participating in a program on the Spanish-language station KTNQ, AM 1020, on Saturday night, August 5. The broadcast, which begins at 9:30 p.m. Pacific Time, is hosted by Alan Diamante, a prominent immigration and civil rights attorney in Los Angeles.

Public Transit Could Transform The Quality Of Life For Workers And The Environment (tags)

Having destroyed it once, public transit, like health care and education, is a service that US capitalism is incapable of providing its citizens.

Who's next? (tags)

THIS morning, I received a text message from a friend based in Baguio City. I'm translating the text: "Update from those who visited Chandu. He's OK now. Can communicate. Hope he'll pull through." That was the uplifting part, but the text ended: "Alice's burial on Friday." Chandu is Dr. Constancio Claver, a physician working in the Cordilleras and chair of the Bayan Muna party-list group in Kalinga province. Last Monday, his family was ambushed by armed men on board two vans. Chandu and a bystander suffered gunshot wounds and both are now recovering. Sandy, their 7-year-old daughter, was in the van and was spared but suffers from shock. Alice, Chandu's wife, died from her wounds.

Poor and Elderly Die in California Heat Wave (tags)

The deaths during California's recent heat wave were due to market forces not natural causes

Nike Just Does it Again (tags)

Students and community to hold demonstration and press briefing in response to Nike’s actively shutting down its non-sweatshop factories

FILIPINAS EVERYWHERE (tags)

In the light of the profound economic and political crisis in the Philippines today, what could be the significance of celebrating the one-hundred year anniversary of the coming of Filipino contract labor to Hawaii? Are Filipinos the new compradors for the militarist U.S. Empire? Or are they harbingers of a new generation of combatants from the oppressed communities? At the turn of the century, the revolutionary organizer Rosa Luxemburg elegized the dismal plight of the subjugated natives. Today, US Special Forces are back to reconquer the neocolony, with the natives no longer smiling, now up in arms, united with people of color in Venezuela, Palestine, Hawaii, Nepal, Mexico, and other battlefronts of our beleaguered planet. Whither the Filipino diaspora?

"At Work" Exhibit: Free Screening of "Salt of the Earth" (tags)

In conjunction with the exhibit, "At Work: The Art of California Labor," El Pueblo Historical Monument will screen a FREE screening of the classic film, "Salt of the Earth", on Friday, July 28 at 8 PM.

Israel kills UN observers in Lebanon, bombs Red Cross (tags)

This image was taken from video made by Lebanese Red Cross workers Sunday, July 23, 2006 in Qana, south Lebanon. It shows the roof of a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance destroyed in an Israeli airstrike. The Red Cross said that nine ambulance workers were wounded in the explosion as they tried to ferry injured civilians from a town near Tyre to the hospital ( Full story at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060724/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_suffering_1;_ylt=AuiWWmDmt7opeB95hWMvCijlWMcF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA-- )

Mondavi's vinyard$$ of globalization exploit workers, ecosystem (tags)

Mondavi winemaking corporation should be boicotted for labor violations (UFW campaign), ecological destruction (decimation of oak woodlands for new barrels/vinyards), and exploitation of family grape farmers overseas using WTO globalization agreements..

ON THE DOINGS OF IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT (tags)

SEPARATION OF POWERS? CHECKS AND BALANCES?

Another lame ass federal government program to steal from us??? (tags)

HUNTER THOMPSON-DR. GONZO-HELP!! (tags)

CAMPAIGN 2006 IS BEYOND FEAR AND LOATHING.

TO YOUTH CRUCIÑISTA of CCRI - ELP (BOLIVIA) (tags)

The thought is the demiurge, the hacedor of the human conscience. The conscience, essence, synthesis and sum of all the mental and physical faculties, are daughter of the thought. (REINAGA the Faustus, What To do, pp 115)

Mexico: Mobilise the masses and call a general strike to stop the electoral fraud (tags)

Despite the fact that the majority of the exit polls gave the victory to Lopez Obrador the IFE (Federal Electoral Institute) and Fox are refusing to recognise the results of the elections and are manoeuvring by delaying their official publication, declaring on the Programa de Resultados Electorales Preliminares (PREP) that they could not define a clear outcome given the supposed narrowness of the results. Parametria gave Obrador a 3.5% lead over Calderon; Telesur gave 42 points to Lopez Obrador and 38 to Calderon; Covarrubias put the PRD, Party of the Democratic Revolution, at 37% and the PAN, National Action Party, at 34%. According to the website “Casa del Plan de los 3 Puntos”, Harvard University gave the victory to Obrador by 7 points. A closed poll by the newspaper Milenio gave Obrador 37% and Calderon 36%.

Major candidates in Mexican election offer no solution to the social crisis (tags)

On Sunday, July 2, Mexican voters will elect a new president and a new Congress. The election takes place under conditions of mounting class tensions, as hundreds of thousands of teachers, miners and other workers have taken to the streets. None of the major candidates in the presidential election genuinely addresses the needs of the masses for decent-paying jobs, improved living standards and social programs.

ACTION NEEDED: Defeat CA AB 2680 (tags)

Bill Goes After The Employers Who Hire Undocumented Workers

March and Rally in Support of Hotel Workers this Thursday 29th (tags)

March and Rally in Support of Hotel Workers this Thursday 29th

AN EYEWITNESS TO THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR (tags)

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEGINNING OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR.

Willy Brandt's Norwegian Exile (tags)

Willy Brandt warned against identifying National Socialism with the people of Germany. "Hitler is not Germany" was an article from September 1938.. "Socialism must be built on freedom and democracy if it deserves its name."

DO WE GET IT NOW!- THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS DO NOT WANT TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ (tags)

AMERICA, WHERE ARE YOU NOW? DON’T YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS? DON’T YOU KNOW WE NEED YOU NOW? WE CAN’T FIGHT ALONE AGAINST THE MONSTER. Lyrics from ‘Monster’, a 1960’s rock song by Steppenwolf. FORGET DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS AND GREENS- BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!

HONOR THE MEMORY OF PAL MALATER-HUNGARY 1956 (tags)

THIS YEAR IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HEROIC HUNGARIAN WORKERS UPRISING.

WHEN SETTLERS ATTACK (tags)

fron Pgh Indymedia

When People Become Commodities (tags)

By Jonathan Rowe

Failed Solidarity: The ICFTU, AFL-CIO, ILO, and ORIT in Haiti (tags)

The most prominent international labor organizations active in Haiti, the ICFTU, AFL-CIO, ILO, and ORIT, working to support and strengthen labor unions that agitated for the ousting of Haiti’s democratically elected government, have simultaneously refused to condemn the massive layoffs and persecution of public sector workers and trade unionists committed by its illegally-imposed successor.

2 leftists killed in wake (tags)

The blood of leftist militants just won’t stop flowing. A week after men on a motorcycle gunned down former New People’s Army leader Sotero Llamas in Albay province, a lone assassin wearing a bonnet over his head shot dead a Bayan Muna member and a leader of a farmers’ group during a wake on Sunday night here. Bayan Muna’s David Costuna, 48, and Arcadio Macale, 60, president of the local Barangay Agrarian Reform Council, were the 19th and 20th militants murdered around the country in the past two months. Their deaths brought to 228 the total number of activists assassinated since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001, according to an Inquirer tally.

May Day Coalition (tags)

The May Day Coalition for Students and Workers Justice is organizing a rally for Immigration Rights on Thursday June 15, 2006.

When Liberal Non-Profits Exploit: LA Workers Are Fighting For Their Rights (tags)

Los Angeles, California--In 2002, the Fund for Public Interest Research (FFPIR) closed one of its LA offices. Management gave no reason for the abrupt closure, but employees alleged in an LA Weekly article that the office had been shut down because they filed a petition to organize a union.

In April of 2006, the Fund closed another city office, almost a year after workers successfully won their own union election through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). That time management told employees it was because of a failure to hire new administration officials, but union members say the company refused to negotiate and even retaliated against them with hiring freezes and bogus terminations.

Now there is one organized office remaining in LA, and it’s struggling to exist amid an eight month hiring freeze and claims that the company is outsourcing work and defrauding employees.

Down with Senate Bill 2611! (tags)

In recent months millions of immigrants have been in the streets protesting the vicious attacks that Bush and Congress are preparing to legislate against them, while local governments also formulate attacks. Behind this reactionary onslaught is the fact that the capitalists want immigrant labor, but they want it without rights so that they can more profitably exploit it. They know that without the same rights as other workers the immigrant workers have little chance in effectively resisting the rotten wages and conditions they impose on them. And they know that lack of rights makes it very difficult for immigrant workers to actively support and participate in strikes and other struggles of the "legal" U.S. workers.

Brazil: CONLUTAS congress (tags)

A new setback for the Brazilian and Latin American workers at the hands of the ex-Trotskyist left of the World Social Forum

2nd Los Angeles Historic Filipinotown Flores De Mayo Festival May 27, 2006- A Success (tags)

The Historic Filipinotown residents and organizations marked the centenary of the Filipino workers migration to the United States in 2006 with a successful 2nd Mayflower Festival (Flores De Mayo) last Saturday, May 27 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles.

Senate Passes The Temporary Guest Workers Program (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) learned today, May 27 through news sources that the US Senate finally passed by a vote of 62-36 votes, the temporary guest workers program or the Immigration Reform Overhaul Bill after more than a week of debate

Down with Senate Bill 2611! (tags)

The reactionary features of this anti-immigrant bill are crystal clear. Renewed mass struggle is needed. Full rights for all immigrants!

San Francisco Labor Council on Immigrant Rights (tags)

Open World Conference of Workers >May 23, 2006

GOVERNMENT Lula: The NEOLIBERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WORKED? (tags)

Ivo Lesbaupin is a sociologist and professor of the School of Social Service of the UFRJ. He studied at a Dominican seminary, contemporary of frei Beto, frei Tito and others.

Justice for the Chevy's Fresh-Mex Workers! (tags)

Supporters around the country should call the following numbers: 800-4-CHEVYS (national corporate offices) 209-839-2241 (Tracy Chevy's, ask for Greg, the manager) 925-960-0071 (ask for Gary, the franchise manager of the Tracy Chevy's) and demand immediate reinstatement and compensation for the workers who were fired or who quit in protest.

Protest Racist Minutemen in Downtown LA - Sun, May 21, 11 am (tags)

This Sunday, the racist Minutemen are marching through downtown LA. Join progressive, pro-immigrant organizations to protest against them. Also, participate in informational community leafletting.

The Bush Temporarty Guest Workers Program and the Democrat Compromise (tags)

The Coalition in Defense of immigrant Rights (CDIR) express deep concern on the direction that the US Congress and President Bush is pushing the immigration issue that affects the more than 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Bush’s immigration speech—an appeal to militarism and reaction (tags)

The Socialist Equality Party unequivocally condemns the vicious anti-immigrant policy put forward by President George W. Bush in his speech from the White House Oval Office Monday night. We condemn as well the craven response of the Democratic Party, which embraced in all essentials the administration’s attacks on millions of immigrant workers living and working in the US. Bush’s speech was ignorant, short-sighted and reactionary. While crafted with the short-term goal of satisfying both the prejudices of the Republican Party’s extreme right-wing base and the profit interests of the American Manufacturers Association, the proposals outlined by the US president have far-reaching and ominous implications.

The Utopias of Capitalism (tags)

:Government and freedom exclude one another" Max Barry in "Jennifer Government." In the negative utopia, the dystopia, the fear is over capital interests. Workers are no longer paid because their work is divine service.

Filipinos—Forgotten Heroes of the UFW (tags)

Filipino labor leaders played pivotal roles in organizing labor unions and fighting for farm workers’ rights

A Review of Immigration Proposals in Congress (tags)

A Choice Between Bad and Worse: Why We Can't Compromise on Immigration Legislation

THE WILD BOYS ARE LOOSE AGAIN-U.S. HANDS OFF IRAN! (tags)

YOU DON'T NEED SEYMOUR HERSH TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS.

More Lies from the Antis (tags)

Kimberly-Clark heir Congressman James Sensenbrenner would have you believe that Americans are losing their jobs to undocumented workers. But it is his corporation, and those like it, that are the real culprits.

Se puede? Not by protest alone (tags)

It only took a day for the effect of the immigration protests to be known. On May 2nd politicians from both parties gave a wealth of interviews and speeches that clarified their positions: nothing had changed. In fact, many had remarked that the protest had a ‘backlash effect’, hardening and inflaming the already conservative opinions of Republicans, while dulling the already flimsy stance of Democrats. Trent Lott, in speaking for many on the right, implied that a massive deportation sweep during the protests would have been appropriate, given that “we had ‘em all in a bunch”. On the other side of the isle, Diane Feinstein gave a more passive response to the protests, representing the unaffected character of most Democrats to the millions who appeared in the streets; the passionate outcry from the masses was referred to as ‘counterproductive’, since protesting does not “changes votes on the floor of the senate”— the latter point is certainly true, becoming more obvious as pro-immigration and anti-war protests continue to draw millions, but fall onto deaf ears in Congress. Demonstrations, boycotts, protests, or any other indication of public opinion has proven unable to sway the actions of either party. The façade of the two-party system is unveiling itself with impressive speed as social tensions near the boiling point.

Propaganda on “New Foreign Aid” – (tags)

At the height of the emotional issue on immigration and the Great American Boycott mass actions nationwide, The Los Angeles Times ran a five-part series entitled, “New Foreign Aid.” The series of feature articles ran from April 16, 2006 before the May 1, and featured the Philippines, Mexico, Haiti and other countries which send thousands of immigrant workers to the United States every year.We condemn such propaganda being peddled as “objective reporting.” Such allusions have no place in a society that purports to be democratic and free of racial bias. Such racist notions must be criticized and exposed roundly for what they truly are: worthless

The implications of the immigrant demonstrations for the class struggle in America (tags)

The demonstrations, strikes and boycotts by immigrant workers in cities across the United States are an indication of a sharpening of the class struggle, both in the US and internationally. Literally millions took to the streets May 1 in cities from Los Angeles to New York, Miami to Seattle and scores of towns in between. This mass protest movement, which has been building since March, is without precedent in both its size and its national scope.

Filipinos All Over the United States Joined the May 1 Great American Boycott and Immigrant (tags)

From Los Angeles and Seattle in the West to Chicago in the Midwest to Houston in the South and Miami, Florida in the Southeast up to New York, Manhattan in the Northeast, hundreds of Filipinos joined their fellow immigrants in the millions to demand full immigrant rights and amnesty. Thousands of them joined the boycott or just watched and wildly cheered from the sidelines flying the American flags as the Filipino contingents marched by.

Racism runs deep (tags)

Immigration opponents hiding behind the myth of stolen jobs and lost wages.. The research shows that immigration only has a tiny negative impact on local wages.

ON MAY DAY-OUR FLAG IS STILL RED-HONOR THE HAYMARKET MARTYRS (tags)

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 120TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MAY DAY HAYMARKET FRAMEUPS. HONOR THE MEMORY OF AUGUST SPIES, ALBERT PARSONS, ADOLPH FISCHER, GEORGE ENGEL, LOUIS LINGG, MICHAEL SCHWAB, SAMUEL FIELDEN, OSCAR NEEBE- CLASS WAR VICTIMS OF AN EARLIER TIME. ALSO REMEMBER LUCY PARSONS WHO CARRIED ON THE STRUGGLE FOR VINDICATION AFTER HER HUSBAND’S EXECUTION. LET US REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO FREE TODAY’S CLASS WAR PRISONERS.

May 1st: Demand Genuine Legalization and Dignity and Respect for All Wo (tags)

Kick Off Rally for May 1st March at 3pm: This year, MIWON is hosting the kick off rally for the Los Angeles May 1st march. For the past five years, MIWON has sponsored an action on May 1st to draw attention to low- wage workers’ rights and to demand genuine legalization as a step towards fair treatment of all workers.

African-Americans, Economic Well-Being, and Immigration (tags)

...while the concern for African-American well-being is well placed, the source of the problem is not always correctly located...

MAY DAY, a day of class struggle! (tags)

Seattle Anti-Imperialist Committee Statement on May Day 2006

MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY TO THE IMMIGRANT WORKERS ON THE DAY OF THE GREAT AMERICAN BOYCOTT 20 (tags)

We, the International League of Peoples' Struggle, hereby express our solidarity with and support for the millions of immigrant workers on the day of the Great American Boycott 2006 when they and their supporters do not go to work, to school or to any shop but hold protest marches and rallies against institutions and symbols of anti-immigrant discrimination, exploitation and oppression in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle and 100 cities all over the US.

France: Government launches assault on immigrants (tags)

A demonstration called by a broad alliance of anti-racist organisations has been called in Paris today, assembling at the Place de la République at 2 p.m. The French government has launched a major racist offensive against immigrants. Despite the tenacity and extent of the protest movement against the First Job Contract (CPE—giving employers the right to fire young workers at will), which continued throughout February, March and much of April and witnessed days of action bringing up to 3 million university and high school students and workers onto the streets, the government is continuing its programme of reactionary legislation with the Immigration Bill. This bill, which will greatly increase the social and job insecurity of immigrants, is to be put before parliament May 2, without any disruption in its parliamentary schedule.

Why politicians hate immigrants (tags)

Throughout the history of the United States immigrant workers have been the victims of racism, exploitation, and in times of war, internment and violent attacks. While Spanish-speaking immigrants have had especially turbulent periods in the past, only recently have politicians made attempts at further marginalizing this already oppressed layer of society. Why these attacks are suddenly reemerging is something left unexplained in the mainstream media, and is thus an important issue to examine.

Celebrate International Worker’s Day! (tags)

Join MIWON, the Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Organizing Network, as we celebrate International Worker’s Day and rally together with workers and community supporters to fight the recent legislative attacks on immigrants.

May 1: Zapatistas/ La Otra 2 March on US Embassy in Solidarity with Migrants (tags)

"It was there that Marcos decided to drop an information bomb on two governmental powers: the Mexican federal government and 'the Yankee Embassy' of Washington and Wall Street:

Ágora TV: community internet TV is born (tags)

Grupo Alavío has just premiered several new films and launched the brand new Internet Community TV Station Ágora TV, www.agoratv.org.

HOSTILE TAKEOVER - THE CORPORATE CONTROL OF SOCIETY AND HUMAN LIFE (tags)

HOW PREDATORY GIANT CORPORATIONS DESTROY SOCIETY AND PEOPLE

May Day - the Real Labor Day (tags)

May 1st, International Workers' Day, commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world, and is recognized in every country except the United States, Canada, and South Africa. This despite the fact that the holiday began in the 1880s in the United States, with the fight for an eight-hour work day.

The End of Security (tags)

The state has a social nature and isn't only a security and power state. If the state is reduced to a trough or waterboy for capital, the class compromise is dissolved and justice becomes an abstraction. Neoliberal myths legitimate the growing precariousness

¡Apoyo a la HUELGA de los INMIGRANTES! (tags)

A leaflet being used to mobilize for May Day in Seattle, where 30,000 or more people marched on April 10.

Regarding Ted Hayes and 'Black' Minutemen (tags)

"The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was... The country was made without lines of demarcation, and it is no man's business to divide it..." --Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE

Mexican Concentration Camps (tags)

How will the American government deport 4 million illegal immigrants?

Boycott Against Immigrant Repression and for Gulf Coast Reconstruction! (tags)

May 1st – “May Day” – is celebrated by millions of workers throughout the world to express the need for worker solidarity in the struggles for workers rights and human rights. It began based on a struggle by US workers in the 1880’s for the eight-hour day and in opposition to government repression against the labor movement. The May 1st Boycott must also be a mobilization that calls for a major campaign to build Black and Brown unity as an anchor for the unity of people of color and workers in struggling for human rights and global justice.

Pension cuts and inequality wiping out retirement for American workers (tags)

For a growing number of US workers, dreams of a decent retirement are quickly evaporating as companies shift retirement costs onto workers, in the form of deductions from already declining wages, in order to maintain profits in a competitive global economy. In the wake of the post-World War II business boom, US workers were granted certain limited concessions in a three-legged system of retirement security that included individual savings, government programs and private employer pensions. Between the 1940s and the 1980s, private pensions with a guaranteed payout (also known as defined-benefit pensions), became a standard component of compensation for a large section of the American workforce.

US government arrests record numbers in factory raids (tags)

In a nationwide dragnet Wednesday, US immigration enforcement agents raided factories across the country arresting nearly 1,200 undocumented workers, a record number for a single operation. The raids come in the wake of massive demonstrations throughout the country protesting reactionary anti-immigrant legislation in Congress and demanding full legal status and citizenship rights for the millions of undocumented workers who have come to find jobs and a better life.

Us Cuba Larbor Exchange (tags)

Us Cuba Labor Exchange to Participate in the Travel Challenge to Cuba This July, Come Join Us!

CDIR –People’s CORE : ALL OUT FOR April 15 Mass Student Action and May 1 Nati (tags)

It's important at this critical moment for us- the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR)-a coalition of peoples immigrant organizations in Los Angeles advocating for immigrant rights; People’s Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment(People’s CORE), a non-profit organization in Southern California and the ANSWER Coalition to keep up the pressure and continue to focus on the streets and the mass action of the people and never allow the politicians to decide how much equality or how much inequality, or how much repression, should be meted out to the millions of hard working immigrant families.

Dodge City, Ks.: Workers won't face penalties for protests at Excel plant (tags)

Workers won't face penalties for protests at Excel plant GARANCE BURKE Associated Press Several hundred workers briefly walked off the job at a Dodge City meatpacking plant Tuesday after company officials disciplined employees for missing work to protest proposed federal immigration laws a day earlier, union leaders said.

SMALL TOWNS COMING OF AGE DURING THE IMMIGRATION STRUGGLE (tags)

WHILE THE MEDIA FOCUSES ON URBAN CENTERS, SMALL TOWNS IN THE NATION TAKE TO THE STREETS AS WELL; A FIRST-PERSON, PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF ONE SUCH TOWN, COMING OF AGE DURING THE IMMIGRATION STRUGGLE

ALL OUT FOR April 15 Mass Student Action and May 1 Nation wide Boycott (tags)

All out for April 15 and may 1 Great American Boycott! It's important at this critical moment for us- the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR)-People’s Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment(People’s CORE) and the ANSWER Coalition to keep up the pressure and continue to focus on the streets and the mass action of the people and never allow the politicians to decide how much equality or how much inequality, or how much repression, should be meted out to the millions of hard working immigrant families.

United Students Against Sweatshops sitting at Riverside and Berkeley Univesities (tags)

Students Are Sitting-In in California!

Students Take Over Chancelor's Office at UCR!!! (tags)

As of 9:30 tonite, 12 students still are staging a SIT IN at ucr chancelor's office at UC Riverside, with about 75 demonstrators still outside in support~

A call for Street & Graffiti Artists (tags)

This is a call for all Graffiti Artists, Taggers and Writers, to show their solidarity with the Immigration and Workers Movement by adding Unete/Join Us, 1 de Mayo, May 1st, or anything similar, to all their pieces in the up-coming weeks leading up to May Day. We need your help getting the message out to the masses.

French government withdraws “First Job Contract,” enlists unions in assault on job securit (tags)

President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced yesterday that new legislation will be drawn up to replace the “First Job Contract” (CPE), which sparked a massive wave of protests and strikes in recent weeks. Leaders of the trade unions, some student unions and “left” political parties immediately declared the shift marked a decisive victory for the anti-CPE movement and signalled their intention to halt further mass mobilisations against the government.

IWW resolves to join May 1 General Strike (tags)

The Industrial Workers of the World have passed a resolution supporting the struggle for immigrant workers' rights and calling on their membership and all workers to join the General Strike on May 1st, 2006.

Capital Needs a Counterveiling Power (tags)

Functionless profits do not lead to more investments..The market, competition and profit are not ends in themselves. The economy exists for people, not vice versa.

MAY DAY EMERGENCY ALLIES MEETING (tags)

MIWON would like to invite you to a MAY DAY EMERGENCY ALLIES MEETING next Weds., 5-7 pm at the UCLA Downtown Labor Center.

NO TO RACIST COMPROMISES ON THE SENATE’S IMMIGRATION REFORM OVERHAUL BILL: FULL IM (tags)

We, in the Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) – Los Angeles and the People’s Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (People’s CORE) Immigrant Rights and Social Justice Program (IRSJP), express our indignation and alarm over the compromise that was hammered out in the in the so-called “Immigration Reform Overhaul Bill” in the US Senate today, April 6, 2006. The CDIR and People’s CORE call on all immigrant rights advocates, all immigrants and everyone who loves freedom and go all out for the May 1 Great American Boycott – A Day Without Immigrants. Let us all act to stop racism and build a new movement for and in defense of civil rights and human rights that are being trampled upon in the belly of this capitalist beast. Defend Immigrant Rights, FULL RIGHTS FOR IMMIGRANTS, NOW! #

French unions hold talks with government in move to end “First Job Contract” strikes (tags)

France’s major trade unions and student unions, a total of twelve organizations operating under the umbrella of the Intersyndicale, held a joint meeting in Paris Wednesday morning to coordinate negotiations with the Gaullist government over the “First Job Contract” (CPE). Five trade unions—CGT (General Confederation of Labour), CFDT (French Democratic Confederation of Labour), FO (Workers Power) and two management unions, the CFTC and the CFE-CGC—later held separate discussions with deputies from the ruling Union for a Popular Majority (UMP) party. Other unions will meet with the government in the coming days.

American Workers Should Take a Lesson from the "Sissy" French (tags)

While young French workers express outrage at a proposed law making them endure three years of probation on a new job, U.S. workers wonder what the term "job security" means.

SEP candidate in California: Extend full rights to all immigrants! (tags)

The following is a statement issue by John Burton, SEP candidate for Congress, 29th District of California During the past week, millions of immigrants, documented and undocumented, have taken to the streets throughout the country to demonstrate their opposition to the punitive and repressive anti-immigrant legislation being debated by the US Congress. Thousands of students, outraged by the injustices being perpetrated against their parents, friends, relatives and neighbors, have walked out of their schools and marched in support of immigrants’ democratic rights. As a socialist candidate for the US House of Representatives, I support the full extension of democratic rights to all immigrants, regardless of how they entered the country.

A socialist strategy for workers’ power: the only answer to France’s “First Job Contract” (tags)

The month-long struggle against the Gaullist government’s “First Job Contract” has brought to the fore the fundamental class and political issues facing workers and young people not only in France, but across Europe and internationally. The needs of youth and workers—decent-paying and secure jobs, education, health care, a future without war or repression—are in irreconcilable conflict with the interests of a financial elite who represent a failed political and economic system. This oligarchy of wealth and power is determined to make the working class pay for the crisis of the capitalist system.

Artist's Call: Art of California Labor (tags)

This information on the Artist's Call for: Art of California Labor, was taken from artist Mark Vallen's weblog: www.art-for-a-change.com/blog

I*L*L*E*G*A*L Spells Apartheid (tags)

And people wonder why they/we protest?

Wage war on poverty, not immigrants (tags)

"Si se puede!" Yes we can. They marched by the hundreds of thousands in Los Angeles, by the tens of thousands in Milwaukee, in Phoenix, in New York. Across the country, Hispanics dramatically entered what has been an increasingly ugly debate about immigration in this country.

Truth About Immigrants (tags)

True Facts About Immigration

More Sensitivity and Less Prejudice (tags)

Since journalists influence the political and social climate in the subject of migration, they should show greater sensitivity toward racist exclusion..Integration is not a one-way street but can only succeed when we create the prerequisites and grant equal rights.

Illegal Alien Anglos in Mexico (tags)

Los Yankees

Bush's Immigration Trap (tags)

Labor: Organize the Unorganized!

Full Citizenship Rights for All Immigrants! (tags)

Down With Racist U.S. Imperialism! For Socialist Revolution on Both Sides of the Border!

Labor Rights Activists Picket in Garment District (tags)

LOS ANGELES, March 19, 2006 – The colorful Santee Alley in the downtown fashion district where small storeowners compete for business and shoppers hunt for bargains is always a lively scene on weekends. But, this weekend it got a little more lively as activists for workers rights picketed one of the small shops on Santee Alley.

JUSTICE FOR L.A. FASHION DISTRICT WORKERS! (tags)

SISTERS and BROTHERS: Take a moment out of your day to help workers of the Los Angeles Garment District fight for justice!

Building Bridges Radio: The Worst Immigration Bill in a Century (tags)

Building Bridges Radio presents this 27 minute radio program. To listen click on web link below.

No to Capitalism (tags)

There are millions of refusals, millions of people who say or cry No everyday..Refusing to obey means breaking the rule of capital.. The utopian star of a different society exists for all of us but our ways of seeing this star and trying to reach it are different.

Help us to finish the film about Zanon's workers. (tags)

This film narrates the whole story about the fight of Zanon's workers. Now is in postproduction. Help us to finish the film. Visit our website where is all the information. The address is www.filmraymundo.com.ar/default.htm

You be the judge: Is Renco robbing steelworker pensions? (tags)

The Renco Group, Inc., is threatening legal action against Workers World newspaper. Its owner is Ira C. Rennert, a billion aire speculator who deals in selling and buying companies, many in bankruptcy. Rennert is one of a growing breed of predators feeding off distressed companies.

Florida's ecosystem, civil rights under attack (tags)

Florida's ecosystems, human and civil rights all coming under attack by corporate influenced development. Some ideas for local communities in FL to regain their health, land and dignity from profit hungry corporations.

No Work instead of Precarious Work (tags)

After the fall of the New Economy, flexibility, individualization and outsourcing are obviously threats not promises and mean nothing but poverty and precarious working conditions.

Democrats target illegal immigration (tags)

Measure would hold employers accountable...impose fines and possible jail time for corporate leaders

February 2006 U.S. Immigrant News Alert! (tags)

No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights!

Building Bridges Radio: NYC Transit Workers Reject Deal & 2 More Mineworkers Die in W. Va (tags)

TO LISTEN TO THIS 28 MINUTE RADIO PROGRAM CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

Steve Miller, Bono and Angela Merkel—What An Act (tags)

As US capitalists intensify their offensive, the global club to which they belong meets in Davos with poster boy Bono offering them a cover.

Slave Labor: Made in the U.S.A. (Excerpt) (tags)

Under the influence of disgraced super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, former House Majority Whip Tom DeLay became an apologist for slave labor camps — on American soil.

LOS ANGELES (tags)

discrimination lawsuits

Walmart Economics (tags)

Let's fuck America.

Save Our Face – SOS, Fascistic Immigration Laws + the “Thrill” of Defeat (tags)

The war is on. It’s a war the Mexican People and their allies must win.

The “Free Market”: The Greatest Terror Of All (tags)

The economic system of production we live in is called capitalism or the free market. We are supposed to be fortunate because we are free to starve to death amidst abundance. This form of social organiztion has not existed for all time and need not exist in the future. The first step in eliminating it is accepting this simple idea.

The Other Campaign: Zapatistas Seek United Left (tags)

ZApatistas tour Mexico to unite farmers, workers, and students. EZLN retain armed formations.

Direct Action Gets the Goods! IWW Chicago Victory for Unpaid Worker (tags)

IWW picket wins back wages for unpaid worker in Chicago, IL

American Greed (tags)

American Pigs , Wealth disparity

Spain Betrayed (by the anarchists) (tags)

For the first time in history Anarchists had the possibility of applying their theories on a grand scale. They enjoyed an unparalleled authority in Catalonia, the decisive and most industrialised region in Spain, and had the unconditional support of the overwhelming majority of the proletariat. The truth of a theory, like the efficacy of a remedy, is verified according to experience. What remains of the theories of Bakunin, Kropotkin and Malatesta [131] after the Spanish experience? For decades we Marxists have demonstrated the limited and petit-bourgeois character of Anarchist concepts.

The Makhno anarchists, Kronstadt and the position of the Russian peasants (tags)

In September of 1920, Ivanov V. (representative of the Southern Front Revolutionary Soviet) visited Makhno. He later wrote this description of Makhno’s camp: “The regime is brutal, the discipline is hard as steel, rebels are beaten on the face for any small breach, no elections to the general command staff, all commanders up to company commander are appointed by Makhno and the Anarchist Revolutionary War Council, Revolutionary Military Soviet (Revvoensovet) became an irreplaceable, uncontrollable and non-elected institution. Under the revolutionary military council there is a ‘special section’ that deals with disobediences secretly and without mercy.”

Slave-Driving for the US War (tags)

In a luxurious room reserved for Americans and whites, the "liberators" sit at the sumptuous table and distribute Iraq's wealth among themselves.

¡NO MAS! A Day of Anti-Minuteman Protest (tags)

On Saturday, counterprotestors, activists and day laborers, across Southern California coordinated efforts and shut down the Minutemen's attempt at a "secret" day of national anti-immigrant rallies.

NYC Transit Strike: Union Power vs. Class Collaboration (tags)

Strikers Defy Taylor Law

Day Lborers 2 Counter Minutemen Nationally (tags)

Day workers across the country will peacefully respond to coordinated vigilante actions organized by Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Control and local cells of the so-called “Minutemen.”

Building Bridges Radio:NYC Transit Strike Over - Struggle for a Just Contract Continues (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program - TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

Another Opportunity To Halt The Employers’ Offensive Arises (tags)

New York Transit workers take a step in the right direction but must broaden their demands and link with wider sections of the working class

Anti-Sweatshop activists demand Levi’s take responsibility (tags)

Sweatshop Watch, a California-based coalition working to end exploitation in the garment industry, joined Billionaires for Bush, a group that uses humor and street theater to expose corporate greed to protest sweatshop labor.

Katrina’s Aftermath: The Catastrophe Continues (tags)

Katrina was not a natural disaster; it was and still is a social disaster. Katrina and its aftermath is the market at work for you

Glendale: Jornaleros Victorous! (tags)

Anti-racist, anti-fascist groups and individuals came together in Glendale in a mighty display of cooperation and support for day laborers and to shut down a weakened Save Our State.

Protest to Tell Levi's to Respect Worker's Rights! (tags)

What: Join Sweatshop Watch in a festive holiday protest to demand that Levi’s take responsibility for violations of labor rights. When: Saturday, December 17, 2005; 11am sharp-12noon (meet at 10:30am outside of the store) Where: CA Levi’s Store on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade 1409 3rd Street Promenade (near Santa Monica Boulevard) Santa Monica, CA 90401

S. KOREA. Migrant Workers in Struggle (tags)

Migrant workers in S. Korea’s capital Seoul are occupying the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC, actually a part of the S. Korean government). Here a report from the situation yesterday and today, local Korean time.

UC Irvine's OTHER Scandal (tags)

From www.ocorganizer.com UC Irvine’s OTHER Scandal! A Report on the Hidden Costs of Outsourcing and Its Destructive Impacts on Workers, Students, and the Surrounding Community: http://www.ocorganizer.com/html/uci_report.html

Building Bridges Radio: IWW Wins Victories vs Starbucks; Argentineans Fire the Boss (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW.

Report: Screening of The Take/La Toma at the South Central Farm (11-17-05) (tags)

A film about worker-run factories in Argentina parallels the situation at the south central community farm in Los Angeles. Also, is there a solution to the land issue in south central?

Haiti: AFL-CIO and the Batay Ouvriye (tags)

For many activists, academics, and labor historians in the 1980’s the AFL-CIO became referred to as the AFL-CIA. Founded in 1961 the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD) was the AFL-CIO’s foreign organizing wing for Latin America and the Caribbean. Along with its counterparts in Africa, Asia, and Europe, AIFLD was used to undermine leftist trade movements, support dictators such as the Duvalier’s and back military coups in Chile and Brazil.

Battered by Katrina, Gulf Coast workers stand up (tags)

NEW ORLEANS — Gail Andrews, a quiet, unassuming African American woman from New Orleans East, found her mother two weeks after Hurricane Katrina. Six weeks later, she lost her again. This time forever. At age 68, Andrews’ mother died.

LATINOS - Gulf Coast Slaves in the Katrina Aftermath (tags)

Halliburton and its subcontractors hired hundreds of undocumented Latino workers to clean up after Katrina -- only to mistreat them and throw them out without pay.

CRFI Declaration on the youth uprisings in France (tags)

November 7 Declaration of the Coordinating Committee for the Refoundation of the Fourth International

A Shock and Awe Attack on American Workers (tags)

Congress has put workers the end of the list of those whose interests get protected in corporate bankruptcies. That is not just a crime, it’s a major battle in the corporate assault on working people.

Rebuild Louisiana rally demands jobs, housing (tags)

BATON ROUGE, La. — Sporting union, NAACP and ACORN T-shirts, more than 1,000 rallied here Oct. 29 for jobs, living wages, affordable housing and public services for south Louisiana. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and the Rev. Al Sharpton were joined by rank-and-file workers and community activists in calling for a rebuilding program that puts victims of Katrina and Rita first. Speakers also called on the federal government to supply grants, not loans, to local governments for basic services.

Mayor Villaraigosa and the Truth about Cats and Dogs (tags)

If Mayor Villaraigosa fails to honor his promise to fire Mr. Stuckey and to hire a compassionate and experienced General Manager who can implement a no-kill plan and reform the department, he may find that the animal community is politically-speaking, more bite than bark.

10/29State Wide Radio On Labor&The Elections (tags)

On Saturday October 29 between 10:00 AM and 12:000 noon there will be statewide programming on labor and the elections on KPFK and KPFA radio. It can also be heard on the web

Who's Behind the Minutemen? (tags)

Contrary to the official story, the USA is not one nation of many immigrants, but a prison of oppressed nations, including Latin@s. In the year 2004, another racist threat emerged against Latin@ and other immigrant workers: the Minutemen.

The Employers Can Be Stopped Starting With Delphi (tags)

The capitalist's offensive against Delphi workers can be thrown back but not without returning to the methods of the thirties

Breaking the grip of Big Oil (tags)

The day after President Bush advised Americans to deal with skyrocketing gas prices by avoiding unnecessary driving, he flew to New Orleans for a photo-op, burning up about 11,437 gallons of jet fuel, worth over $24,000. Apparently, it all depends on what you consider “necessary.”

Labor and civil rights groups: We demand jobs, justice in Gulf (tags)

Oct. 29 rally in Baton Rouge to demand a ‘new direction’ for U.S. Gulf Coast union leaders hailed an action campaign launched by the AFL-CIO Sept. 30 to defend workers’ wages and rebuild their hurricane-torn states while turning the nation in a new direction that puts “people before profits.”

USC Labor Activists Launch Anti-Sweatshop Campaign (tags)

Monday, 10 October 2005, USC's Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation (SCALE) will launch their campus anti-sweatshop campaign. The following is a brief detail of the event as well as an invitation to join us.

USC Trojans Demand an End to Sweatshops! (tags)

Students from the University of Southern California propose a comprehensive plan to stop USC's use of sweatshops

Bolivarian revolution takes steps against capitalism expropiating factories-landed states (tags)

Bolivarian Revolution

Facts About Undocumented Immigrants (tags)

The Antis will have you believe that undocs drain the US economy, but facts show that they pay more into the Tax machine then they take out.

Free Market Idiocy and Easy Money in the Big Easy (tags)

The federal government is paying $200 billion to bring in outside companies to rebuild New Orleans, while hundreds of thousands of the city’s evacuees languish in shelters across the country, jobless and penniless. What’s wrong with this picture?

Katrina and the Prehistory (tags)

Robert Scheer in "The Nation" wrote that the catastrophe was the result of a campaign to systematically demonize the role of the central government in American life.

Hilton Workers Fight for a Better Future (tags)

After just over a year of secret underground organizing, workers at downtown Glendale Hilton hotel make their campaign for better working conditions and union recognition public.

Protest at Greyhound Bus Depot (tags)

Thursday, September 29, 12 noon Greyhound Bus Depot 1716 7th Street, Los Angeles (downtown)

Protest Racist KFI, Support Day Laborer Rights! Friday September 30: Outside KFI Studios (tags)

What: Press Conference and Rally Who: Day Laborers and their Allies When: Friday, September 30, 2005 10:30 Press Conference Where: Outside of KFI Radio Station 340 W. Olive Ave Burbank, CA 91502

Venezuelan trade union leaders discuss way forward for the revolution (tags)

Bolivarian Revolution

There's an explanation for all this (tags)

“It will be a hard pill for many Americans to swallow--the idea of doing with less so that big business can have more...Nothing that this nation, or any other nation, has done in modern economic history compares with the selling job that must be done to make people except this reality.” (Business Week 10-12-74.)

The Senate and the real John Roberts: Workers World editorial (tags)

With such a horrendous record, the hearings in the Senate should be quite simple. If this were not a club of millionaires, the exposures and questions would be straight forward. Roberts would be charged as anti-woman, racist, anti-labor, anti-environment and a tool of big business.

Building Bridges Radio: Jesse Jackson on Reconstruction & Farmworkers Organize (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program - To Listen click on Media Link

Continuing Gallo wines boicott (tags)

The UFW announced that their boicot of Gallo wines is over, however Gallo workers will continue to experience health risks from pesticide exposure at Gallo's vinyards..

AFL-CIO in Solidarity with Locked Out Canadian Workers (tags)

On 09/12/05, a rally was held in Washington, D.C., in solidarity with the 5,500 Canadian Media Guild (CMG) members, who have been locked out of their jobs. Linda Foley, President of the TNG-CWA; Larry Cohen of the CWA; and John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO, all blasted the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for their deplorable tactics. They then presented letters of support for the CMG to an Embassy of Canada official.

The real heroes and sheroes of New Orleans (tags)

Copied from Socialist Woker online.

First hand account -"Trapped in New Orleans" (tags)

Two eye witnesses give their account of police hostility and official indifference to Katrina victims.

Unions Step Up Organizing of IT Workers, Outsourcing Fight (tags)

Workers of the tech world unite - unionize.

Katrina (tags)

Katrina has smashed New Orleans. New Orleans is the first western city to be destroyed by global warming.

New Orleans catastrophe: the product of a bankrupt system (tags)

This morning, September 1st, three of the worst looters appeared on CNN. President Bush himself along with two former presidents, Bush the father and Bill Clinton. The current Bush brought the two former one’s in as fundraisers. What hypocrites these characters are.

The Truth about a Mexican hero (tags)

Cesar Chavez was no hero to revolutionary change

Barquisimeto, Venezuela: Successful Meetings of the CMR (tags)

Bolivarian revolution

Inventing Anti-war Culture (tags)

A series of lectures, film screenings and conversations for cultural workers to discuss the possibility of inventing an effective anti-war culture throughout society that would normalize anti-war assumptions and actions.

Statement of the International Marxist Tendency for the 16th WFSY (tags)

Bolivarian Revolution

What's Left? Freedom to Dream? (tags)

A new ruling by the NLRB strips workers of the right to hang out and talk with fellow workers even during coffee breaks or off the job entirely. Welcome to the new feudalism. -------------

Is Change to Win enough? (tags)

Changes are afoot in the mainstream labor movement. Are they enough?

SOS-Nazi Alliance Exposed (tags)

Save Our State stood proud with swastika flag waving white supremacists at a rally yesterday in Laguna Beach. The group claims not to be racist, but nazi skinheads made up the majority of their contigency at the protest. Please bear that in mind as you read the article below. I will post pictures of the rally within the next few days.

City uses RICO Act to sue business that hires immigrant workers (tags)

City uses RICO Act to sue business that hires immigrant workers

Day labor workers arrested and fined in Arizona (tags)

Day labor workers targeted in Arizona

DOPE ASS SHOW July 22nd at the LA Workers Center! (tags)

Punk, hip-hop, & Venezuelan food! Come for a good time! Help us get to Venezuela!

J23-28: AFL-CIO Convention in Chicago - Rank and File Voices Call for Change (tags)

As the AFL-CIO 2005 National Convention convenes in Chicago, rank and file union democracy activists will be on hand to speak truth to power

"The Traveling Wobbly Show" Art Exhibit (tags)

[ News on an art exhibit about the IWW comes from artist Mark Vallen's "Art For A Change" weblog - www.art-for-a-change.com/blog ]

Human Rights Workers Arrested by Border Patrol in Arizona! (tags)

Support humanitarian workers targeted by Border Patrol for saving lives and drawing attention to failed border police

THE DEATH OF PENSIONS? by Mumia Abu-Jamal (tags)

Everybody wins -- except the workers.

Local Janitor’s Strike against Defense Contractors. (tags)

Local Janitor’s Strike against Defense Contractors.

100th Anniversary of the IWW: the Wobblies! (tags)

The first real, non-elitist labor movement made its debut 100 years ago this week.

J24: National Rank and File Labor Conference in Chicago: Take Back Our Unions! (tags)

A one day rank and file labor conference on Sunday, July, 24 - the day before the AFL-CIO National Convention opens in Chicago.

Salaries Soar for More than 800,000 Cuban Workers (tags)

Salaries Soar for More than 800,000 Cuban Workers

Lawmakers seek to crack down on illegal immigrants (tags)

See what your behavior has brought? And this is just the beginning.

Alhambra: And Then They Came (tags)

Report from the Alhambra Home Depot Save Our State anti-immigrant demonstration and counter-protest

Iraqi Union Leaders Speak (tags)

US Labor Against the War includes affiliates from Nat'L labor organizations, Central Labor Councils, Regional Labor Organizations, Large Locals, (10,000 + members), Small Locals(10,000 - members), Allied Labor Organizations, Labor Anti-war groups, and other Labor Organizations.

Screwing Future Retirees...Again (tags)

Having failed to kill off Social Security with private accounts, conservatives in Congress are now trying to render it useless by raising the retirement age further—this time to 69. That may be okay for a Wall Street lawyer who runs half-marathons and spends two hours in the gym, but for the average American worker bee, employers have by that point pretty much ruined her or his health and body. Some “reform.” ----------------

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists: Building labor-community unity for progress (tags)

The People's Weekly World interviewed William (Bill) Lucy, president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, at its 34th annual convention in Phoenix, May 29. Martin Frazier, contributing editor, conducted the interview.

1,400 at D.C. meet say 'Take Back America' (tags)

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of protesters, chanting "Hands off my Social Security" and "Not wise to privatize," marched to the White House in the rain June 3.

S. KOREA. URGENT APPEAL... (tags)

...to stop the process of deportation of A. Hossain, the representative of KCTU/MTU

Revolution in Bolivia (tags)

Revolution in Latin America

Fluoride, uranium X, cancer in workers (tags)

Fluoride and uranium based nuclear weapons manufacture in the 1950's exposed many North American citizens of African descent to radiation and fluoride exposure..

Mobilizing against Education- and Social Cuts (tags)

This struggle is imperative from the knowledge that the political measures of the neoliberal project are morally and economi-cally false..We can only resist this false policy together. Students must convince students that the interests of workers are their interests

TONIGHT 7 PM: Students Speak-out About Gov. at SMC Meeting (tags)

Students and Faculty will be there to speak-out at the SMC Trustees to uninvite Gov. Schwarzenegger as next Tuesday, June 14 commencement speaker at Santa Monica College.

Black trade unionists urge labor unity (tags)

PHOENIX — “There are no more common allies than the broad community and organized labor, and there are no more natural allies than organized labor and the African American community,” Coalition of Black Trade Unionists President Bill Lucy told the estimated 1,500 delegates at the 34th annual CBTU convention here May 26.

Coca-Cola workers strike! (tags)

Over 2000 Teamsters working for Coca-Cola went out on strike in Connecticut and Southern California, Monday, the 23rd, 2005 after contract negotiations failed. In southern California alone 1700 production and truck drivers throughout San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange County, and Riverside are out. Rally and press conference have been called for Wednesday, June 1st, at noon at the bottling plant in downtown Los Angeles that’s located off of Pico and Central at 12.

CAFTA: privatization at gunpoint (tags)

ACAJUTLA, El Salvador — Long before the current debate over the Central America Free Trade Agreement, workers throughout the region were under attack from economic reforms that have broken unions, privatized workplaces and lowered wages. One reason unions throughout Central America oppose the agreement so strongly is that CAFTA cements that reform policy into place. The treaty would require dismantling the public sector to encourage private, especially foreign, investment, regardless of cost.

The Myth of the Fiscal Crisis (tags)

The first step that must be taken if we are to reverse the cuts and prevent the destruction of the New Deal’s gains is to understand in our own minds that there is no fiscal crisis.

S. KOREA. MIGRANT WORKERS STRUGGLE (tags)

...is continuing. Latest news about Anwar, the recently arrested president of MTU.

S. KOREA. ACTION ALERT (tags)

For the release of Anwar Hossain, the President of Migrant Trade Union

UC Research and Technical Workers Set to Strike on May 26th (tags)

UC Research and Technical Workers Set to Strike on May 26th

S. KOREA. Yesterday's Protest... (tags)

...in front of Immigration Office in Seoul/Mokdong

Pensions hijacked: Bankruptcy scam rips off 119,000 United workers (tags)

CHICAGO — “You might see me coming down the aisle 20 years from now with my walker,” said flight attendant Melissa Madden. Faced with the slashing of their pensions to the tune of $6.6 billion, she and other United Airlines flight attendants here warn that if United gets away with using bankruptcy to dump its pension obligations, the nation’s entire defined-benefit pension system — and the futures of the 44 million workers it covers — could come tumbling down. Retirement for American workers could become a thing of the past.

Slaving for the Progressives (tags)

For all its political rhetoric, Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. is like any other business, but instead of the profits going to the shareholders, they go to the Democratic Party. In Marxist terms, GCI was able to hand over $22 million to the party instead of the targeted $5 million by extracting surplus labor value from its workers.

What path toward an independent workers movement? (re Million Workers March) (tags)

A leaflet of the Communist Voice Organization presented at the Detroit Conference of the Million Workers March held May 14-5. The leaflet opposes the alliance with certain Detroit city council members and union bureaucrats that has developed within the Detroit organization of MWM and opposes the same policy nationally.

The Wal-Mart Museum of Art (tags)

"There is no better example of how politics is intertwined with art than the spectacle of an art museum being founded by a rapacious corporation well known for exporting US jobs overseas and profiting from foreign sweat shop labor."

S. KOREA: New Repression Against Migrant Workers (tags)

S. Korean government plans a new attack to smash the Migrant Workers Trade Union there.

Miguel Contreras Remembered (tags)

Today we mourn the death of Miguel Contreras, a major figure in the Los Angeles and national trade union movement, who died suddenly last Friday of a heart attack. Miguel was the Secretary-Treasurer of the L.A. County Federation of Labor—that is, its executive director, field general, chief strategist and tactician.

“Behind Closed Doors:” Bringing Sex Workers’ Struggles into the Open (tags)

“Behind Closed Doors,” a study recently released by the Urban Justice Center in New York City, documents what most any sex worker could have told you long ago, but which the general public and policy makers are still slow to catch on to.

Minute Men Target Laguna Beach Day Laborers (tags)

**Please Circulate**

Trespass Against Us - 20 Things to Know About Dow Chemical (tags)

At midnight on December 2, 1984, 27 tons of lethal gases leaked from Union Carbide's pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, immediately killing an estimated 8,000 people and poisoning thousands of others. Today in Bhopal, at least 150,000 people, including children born to parents who survived the disaster, are suffering from exposure-related health effects such as cancer, neurological damage, chaotic menstrual cycles and mental illness. Coinciding with the recent 20th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster, Jack Doyle came out with a new book "Trespass Against Us: Dow Chemical and the Toxic Century" (Common Courage Press, 2004).

Revolution or Bust (tags)

Wal Mart has recently given workers in Quebec the great 'fuck you' for having the guts to organize. A sign of the times.

May Day 2005 (tags)

May Day in Los Angeles, April 30, 2005, was sponsored by MIWON (Multi-Ethnic Workers Organazing Network)

New industrial union pushes working-class power (tags)

LAS VEGAS — It was the fire from below that powered up the merger convention of the USWA and PACE, held here April 11-14. Five thousand workers, their families and guests shared stories of battles on picket lines and in battleground state polling places. Many conversations started with, “Let me tell you what that son of a Bush did in Ohio …” or Texas, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Indiana or Southern California.

May Day Anti-Authoritarian Contingent (tags)

Mayday Anti-Capitalist and Anti-Authoritarian Contingent April 30th, Gather at 12 noon at Olympic and Broadway

Debtors of the World, Unite! (tags)

The "bankruptcy reform" bill "passed the House on a 302-126 vote on Thursday, a month after the Senate voted 74-25." It is time for the American wing of the global justice movement, which has been struggling to force the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to drop the debt under which peasants and workers of the global South groan, to take on the finance and credit industry that oppresses US workers by usury.

Terminator’s pension scam takes hit (tags)

SAN FRANCISCO — In a surprise announcement April 7, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he is delaying until June 2006 a controversial ballot initiative to change state workers’ pensions from public, guaranteed-benefit programs to privatized 401(k)-like pensions.

Labor can't win in a house divided (tags)

Like no other time in the last 50 years, a united labor movement is critical to defending the working class and the American people. It is decisive to any hope for a progressive agenda for the whole nation, not just for union members.

ALERTA! CALL FOR ACTION AGAINST ARMED KKK MEMBERS HUNTING MEXICANS AT BORDER! (tags)

MINUTEMEN are patrolling AZ border, armed with various weapons, and have already "captured" as much as 141 people. WE MUST NOT BE SILENT DURING THIS! ORGANIZE NOW!

Take Action:From the Ongoing Sit-In at Washington University in St. Louis (tags)

The following is from a student participating in the ongoing sit-in/occupation in the main administrative building of Washington University in St. Louis. The sit-in is in support of campus workers who do not currently receive a living wage. Currently the sit-in has been going on for over 24 hours(as of noon april 5). Below this message is a list of ways you can take action.

(2) CESAR CHAVEZ WALK (tags)

On Saturday, April 2nd, thousands of students and workers took the streets of East LA in Monterey Park to celebrate the success of the United Farm Workers (UFW) and its leader, Cesar Chavez, in the historic Delano Grape Strike which led to the signing of the first farmworker labor contracts in 1970.

Cesar Chavez Walk (tags)

On Saturday, April 2nd, thousands of students and workers took the streets of East LA in Monterey Park to celebrate the success of the United Farm Workers (UFW) and its leader, Cesar Chavez, in the historic Delano Grape Strike which led to the signing of the first farmworker labor contracts in 1970.

Cesar Chavez Day: Walk for Dignity (tags)

The Xispas website and blog is the place to learn about Xicano culture, art, and politics. We deal with history, indigenous traditions, books, opinions, and social criticism. In this newsblast, we offer some people's history and opportunity for community action. Con solidaridad - Xispas staff

99 Cents Workers DEMO (tags)

East Los Angeles, California, March 23rd, a demonstration at a 99 Cents Only Store, in Montebello, was the kickoff of a campaign in support of the 99 Cents Only workers for affordable health care and decent wages.

BAYAN USA CONDEMNS KILLINGS & EXPRESS CONCERN FOR INT'L HUMAN RIGHTS JUSTICE CAPULONG (tags)

Threats against the Philippines’ premier human rights lawyer linked to Hacienda Luisita massacre, derailment of peace talks and U.S. “war on terror”

Fascist Dictatorship is Here Already--On the Job (tags)

The firing of Boeing’s CEO, based upon the secret monitoring of his email correspondent with a co-worker/lover, highlights the police-state environment in which most of us now work. Revolution, anyone?

Remembering those who serve …A tribute to America’s food-and-beverage workers (tags)

“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

TACO BELL BOYCOTT IS OVER. CIW WORKERS WON MAJOR VICTORIES!!!! (tags)

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Mex/CA Cotton workers & cancer (tags)

Corporate cotton, rio agua theft, pesticide exposure and worker cancer, loss of indigenous culture in maquiladoras, Chiapas/Oaxaca impacts of NAFTA/WTO/PPP/etc..

Press Release from the Zanon Workers, March 4, 2005 (tags)

The wife of a worker at Zanon has been kidnapped and beaten.

HUMAN SUFFRAGE (tags)

The illegal, undocumented, alien community, as defined by America, is persecuted as if they were the political lepers of our country. The inalienable right to vote unequivocally belongs to the people that live, work, and pay taxes where they raise families.

Forget Compromising on Social Security; First Let's End Employer Theft of Worker Pensions (tags)

Compromise approaches to “saving” Social Security that involve voluntary private accounts on top of the current program are not going to help low-income workers. If Congress and the President really wanted to help protect low-income retirees, they’d end the legal theft of pension “vesting” so workers got pension contributions for every working day of their lives.

Animals skinned alive for USA fur market (tags)

Undercover investigators from Swiss Animals Protection/EAST International recently toured fur farms in China's Hebei Province, and it quickly became clear why outsiders are banned from visiting.

Building Bridges Radio: Homeland Security Attacks Its Workers Plus Tribute to Ossie Davis (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 27:40 radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON URL LINK BELOW.

MASSACRE IN BRAZIL!!! (tags)

The links below (in Portuguese) are on the slaughter of workers uncovered by the Brazilian military police. volunteers of the indymedia arrested during massacre in Brazil.

If We Don’t Change The Union, The Union Will Change Us (tags)

The Bay Area grocery workers' contract continues to erode workers' living standards and strengthens the employers' resolve. Only a revolt in the ranks can reverse this trend.

Importance of French Workers’ Struggle to Keep 35 Hour Week Shouldn't be Underestimated (tags)

The real reason for U.S. capitalism's attempt to create anti-French sentiment is the French workers' stand for the 35 hour week at a time when U.S. and global capitalism is trying to normalize going backwards

Weapons of Mass Distortion: The President's New Campaign of Lies About Social Security (tags)

Like a man shouting “Fire!” in a crowded theater, like a charlatan trying to create a run on a bank, the president is trying to create a panicky run from Social Security among younger people with this new WMD-like campaign of lies.

Martina Gangle Curl: People’s art and the mothering of humanity (tags)

PORTLAND, Ore. — In the eight years since Portland artist Martina Gangle Curl passed away at age 88.

When Cops Are More Unionized Than Almost All Other Workers. . . . (tags)

What would send all the dead trade unionists spinning in their graves? The fact that cops are more unionized than almost all other groups of workers in the United States today. Worse, from 1983 to 2002, workers in "protective service occupations" including police officers "had the highest union membership rate of any broad occupation group in every year."

Northern California Grocery Contract/Another Setback For Labor (tags)

The tentative agreement between the grocery chains and the UFCW leadership will increase the sense of helplessness that many workers feel and strengthen their distrust of their unions

Glatt Market Immigrant Workers Struggle for Justice After Tolerating Sweatshop Conditions (tags)

Grocery workers working in the Pico-Robertson at Glatt Market were often paid less than minimum wage and not paid overtime or given adequate breaks. Recently, their store burnt down, and not they are demanding justice from their employer along with community members and anti-capitalist activists.

The Nationalisation of VENEPAL: What does it signify? (tags)

Hands Off Venezuela Campaign

Groups charge Bush is lying: Social Security ‘crisis’ is phony (tags)

Huge coalition moves to stop privatization

Chavez nationalises VENEPAL under workers control (tags)

Hands Off Venezuela Campaign

Nevada and Indonesia mining toxins from Newmont Inc (tags)

Newmont mining corporation releases toxins into environment in Indonesia Nevada and other gold mines that use cyanide for leaching, resulting in increased cancer risks to residents..

Tsunami’s Double Victims: A Tidal Wave of Discrimination against Burmese Migrant Workers (tags)

The aftermath of the Great Wall of Water remains a complex text through which to read the contradictions and prejudices of Thai society. This is highlighted by the brutal treatment of Burmese migrant workers on the southwestern Thai coast since 12/26.

Iraqi Labor Movement Fights for Democracy (tags)

As Iraq heads for its January 30 national elections, a free, democratic Iraq is the main goal of its organized working class sector.

Building Bridges Radio: Fighting Wal-Mart in N.Y.C & Quebec (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

Stepan Workers Organize with UE in Anaheim, (tags)

FIELDSBORO, N.J.

Backstabbed: The History of a Photograph (tags)

Don''t Hang Out With Neo-Cons.

S. KOREA. Last Year's Last Struggle Report... (tags)

...by - still drunken - activists in Seoul

A New Year's Revolution? (tags)

Corporate managers have always hated that they have to pay time and a half for more than 40 hours’ work. Now US Air has come up with a great new idea: get the workers to “volunteer” their time when there’s extra work to be done.

The Fight in California (tags)

Two weeks, the supermarket workers in northern California had a protest, against the efforts of Safeway and other strong chains of cutting again the health insurance in the negotiations of a new union contract in this part of the neighbor of the north.

Part-Time Work for Everyone (tags)

The advantages of part-time work must gain general approval.. When the just distribution of work makes headway, the state and the economy will be freed from a considerable part of social expenditures and cuts in individual living standards will be balanced.

S. KOREA. 12.20/Last Day's Struggle Report (tags)

After MSSC (Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective) finished the sit-in strike the fight against exploitation and opression is continuing.

Mass Protest Called Of Injured and Disable Workers In Sacramento (tags)

The San Francisco Labor Council and other injured workers and health and safety groups have called for a mass protest on Workers Memorial Day April 28, 2005 in Sacramento to protest the attack on injured and disabled workers and to demand single payer healthcare.

Building Bridges Radio: 1.Workers' Advice Center;2.Revitalizing the Labor Movement (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents his 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW.

Open Letter to President Bush from IAEFF (tags)

IAEFF wants Bush to extend freedom medal to AFL-CIO leaders

Gov. Wants to Steal Your Lunch (tags)

By law, you're entitled to 30 minutes of paid lunch for every 8 hours of work, and two 15 minute breaks per 4 hours of work. The Gov. wants to make it harder for those already defrauded out of this from complaining.

The Boss Who Stole Christmas (A Christmas Tale For Workers) (tags)

A very merry Christmas tale.

Workers witness Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution (tags)

In late November, Chicagoans Beatrice Lumpkin and her husband Frank, a retired steelworker leader, traveled to Venezuela.

Million Worker March in Washington defies AFL-CIO and calls for a fighting labor movement (tags)

The forward thrust of the March stood in stark contrast to the AFL-CIO’s failed strategy of support for John Kerry.

Building Bridges Radio - Massacre of Workers in the Phillipines (tags)

Building Bridges:Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW.

S. KOREA. 12.6/Last Week's Struggle Report (tags)

Migrant workers in S. Korea, now since one year and three weeks in sit-in strike, are always participating the local class struggle.

S. KOREA. 11.29/Last Week's Struggle Report (tags)

Now since exactly 381 days in sit-in strike on Myeong-dong cathedral’s compound, downtown Seoul, migrant workers are always in the first front line of the class struggle.

Chavez in Madrid-The working class must be the vanguard of the revolution (tags)

Bolivarian Revolution

S. KOREA. 11.22/Last Week's Struggle Report... (tags)

...by migrant workers, now since one year and one week in sit-in strike against S. Korean government's policy of manhunt, mass arrestings and deportations.

Workers Unite! at UCR (tags)

Over 200 protestors rallied at UCR on 11/18/04 in support of contract negotions

Hotel Workers Boycott (tags)

Los Angeles. Local 11 members--housekeepers, cooks, servers, dishwashers, bellmen, front desk and PBX workers—announced a boycott this week of the nine luxury hotels of the Hotel Employers' Council after six months of threats and intimidation, the fear of an employer lockout, and termination of the workers' union contract. Elected officials, community groups, and clergy vow to honor the request “to avoid eating, meeting or sleeping” at hotels involved in the labor dispute to put financial pressure on the Hotel Council. Below find pictures of the picket line in front of the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles on Thursday, November 18th at 7:30 PM.

Where is the Outcry? (tags)

When the social contract, the social compromise between labor and capital, is scorned, people become wolves to one another.. The dance around the golden calf is already a disaster..

KOREA. General Strike, Cops are Hunting Activists (tags)

Since yesterday's declaration of the general strike, the government is reacting with repression. Today migrant workers in Seoul are exactly ONE year in sit-in strike!

Miami Model film screening 11/12 at 8pm-Flor y Canto (tags)

Miami Model- Indymedia film-2004 Friday Nov. 12th at 8pm Flor y Canto 3706 N. Figueroa 90065

S. KOREA. 11.08/Last Week's Struggle Report... (tags)

...by Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective (MSSC), now since 358 days in strike against mass arrestings and deportation of migrant workers.

High Election Turnout in West Hollywood (tags)

Voted today in West Hollywood Park around 11 am. Polling place was very busy for that time of day but poll workers were very well prepared and lines were very short (average of less than one minute wait).

National Fightback Conference Nov. 13-14 (tags)

After the elections--no matter who wins--there needs to be a serious discussion about how to move the struggle forward. And that is exactly what hundreds of activists will be doing in New York City over the weekend of November 13-14 at a National Fightback Conference sponsored by Workers World Party.

Middle Class New Working Poor (tags)

America's Middle Class Becomes the New Working Poor

S. KOREA. 11.02/Last week's struggle report... (tags)

...by Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective (MSSC), nowadays since more than 350 days in strike against mass arrestings and deportation of migrant workers.

Ralph Nader Speech Full Text (tags)

The speech Ralph Nader gave at Creighton Univ. on 8/25/04 and a portion of the Q and A afterward. Please remember that in "safe states" you can vote your heart rather than your fears. (recommended: paste to wordpad)

A Note Of Appreciation From The Rich (tags)

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!

Dashing Mayor to the Rescue (tags)

San Francisco hotel workers strike heading in the wrong direction as millionaire mayor gets involved

S. KOREA. 10.27/Last Week's Struggle Report... (tags)

...by MSSC (Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective) - now since 346 days in strike against government's policy of man hunt and mass deportation.

National Fightback Conference (tags)

After the elections--no matter who wins--there needs to be a serious discussion about how to move the struggle forward. And that is exactly what hundreds of activists will be doing in New York City over the weekend of November 13-14 at a National Fightback Conference sponsored by Workers World Party.

American Dream Slipping Away (tags)

The American Dream Slipping Away from the Middle Class

Required Reading for Non-Swing-State Voters (tags)

The speech Ralph Nader gave at Creighton Univ. on 8/25/04 and a portion of the Q and A afterward. Please remember that in "safe states" you can vote your heart rather than your fears. (recommended: paste to wordpad)

San Francisco Union Leaders Plead With Corporate Politicians to Help Them Win Hotel Strike (tags)

Let's be honest. The hotel workers strike will not be successful unless the Union leaders change course.

Ralph Nader Speech Full Text (tags)

The speech he gave at Creighton Univ. on 8/25/04 and a portion of the Q and A afterward. Please remember that in "safe states" you can vote your heart rather than your fears. (recommended: paste to wordpad)

Immigrants March in L.A. for Justice and Driver's Licenses (tags)

Thousands gathered in East L.A. on Saturday, October 17 to march for immigrants rights and against the racist measures that have been used against the mostly brown and indigenous people that form such a large part of our community, in the name of “Homeland Security” since 9-11.

S. KOREA. 10.19/Last week's struggle report... (tags)

...by MSSC (Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective), now since 338 days in strike against the policy of mass arrests and deportations, for legalization, work visa, human and labor rights for migrant workers.

Take Action Against Anti-union Policies At Wild Oats (tags)

The Ohio Valley I.W.W. calls a picket of Wild Oats Markets

Hotel Workers Picket Lines in SF (tags)

Cops step up harrasment of picketers at Palace Hotel. Now passing drivers can't honk in support.

Is Bush Turning Communist? (tags)

Confusion among capitalists and Union leaders mounts as Bush calls for ownership of health plans and appears to support big government involving itself in matters of the market.

S. KOREA. New Struggle Report... (tags)

...by striking migrant workers, now since 332 days occupying Myeong-dong Cathedrals compound, downtown Seoul. We demand legalization, work visa, the right to choose our work places and full labor rights.

Possible Next Steps for the Million Worker March (tags)

Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to make the MWM a reality. I look forward to seeing everyone in DC. As hard as we have worked, we must work harder still to guarantee the continuation of this great movement for the independent organization of workers and the working class.

And You Can Thank 'Em At Citgo (tags)

A new film on all the things Venezuela's oil workers went through to get oil flowing again after a brutal lockdown

County Fed gears up for offensive (tags)

L.A. labor council holds historic congress building labor community unity for progressive issues. .

Ronald Reagan's Legacy (tags)

"For the richestg 1%, the Reagan tax cuts were pure elixer.. Reagan's budgets slashed social spending. Domestic discretionary spending was the special target.. Hardest hit were programs for low-income Americans.."

Trees Not Walls! Call to Action: For Eco-Justice/Palestine Solidarity O17 @ MWM and Beyond (tags)

Come all who conscientiously object to the capitalist transformation of Earth into industrial wasteland! In defiance of Walls designed to divide and displace us, on October 17 in Washington DC, before, during and after the Million Worker March, we invite you to join the Eco-Justice/Palestine Solidarity Bloc to participate in a powerful, long-overdue fusion of movements!

Voting for Kerry? (tags)

Is it possible to vote for Kerry and organize against the system at the same time?

Starving Amid Plenty (tags)

With society awash in cash workers are expected to take cuts and be thankful

Socialist Candidates on National Tour (tags)

In California, all three candidates are scheduled to appear in Los Angeles on Sat. Oct. 9, 4 p.m., at Workmen's Circle; Sun. Oct. 10, 4 p.m., KRST African Spirituality and Unity Center; and Mon. Oct. 11, 1 p.m., Sunset Hall Senior Center.

SoCal Grocery Worker Strike History & Analysis (tags)

As grocery workers in northern California prepare to enter their contract negotiations, the sf bay area indymedia labor page offers a critical look at the UFCW strategy and workers' experiences during the southern California grocery worker strike and lockout.

Two week strike called at 4 SF hotels (tags)

Hotel workers call a two week strike at 4 San Francisco hotels.

S. KOREA. 9.27/Last week's struggle report... (tags)

...by MSSC (Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective, now since 317 days in sit-in strike downtown Seoul)

Building Bridges Radio - The Other Iraq and Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor? (tags)

Building Bridges presents this 29 minute radio show. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

AFL-CIO Leadership are Responsible for Defeats (tags)

With no serious alternative to Schwarzenegger, and with their support of the Team Concept, California's labor leaders have nothing to say to their members as usual.

Building Bridges Radio - The Other Iraq and Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor? (tags)

Building Bridges presents this 29 minute radio show. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK BELOW

S. KOREA. 9.20/Last week's... (tags)

...MSSC struggle report

Call for Anarchist Contingent at Million Worker March (tags)

Washington DC, October 17th, 11:00 AM

Hotel workers vote to authorize strike (tags)

Workers at 14 upscale hotels vote by 97% to authorize strike.

Shadow Government Code Names (tags)

Shadow government code names used by CIA, NSA, black ops crowd cut outs, fronts, narco-military spooks, proprietaries, mob connected companies....

S. KOREA. MSSC's Weekly Struggle Report (tags)

Now since more than 300 days migrant workers (MSSC/Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective) in S. Korea are in sit-in strike to get legalization, human and labor rights.

Confessions of an Anarchist Tech-Stock Speculator (tags)

The big tech-stock bubble of the 1990s was starting to sag just a little bit in the spring of 2000, when I sat down for lunch with a former coworker named Phil in a diner in midtown Manhattan. After a lot of catching up, we got onto what was still the big topic for all kinds of people who should have known better: the stock market.

March for Farmworkers (tags)

No Human Being is Illegal

300 days sit-in strike... (tags)

...by migrant workers in S. Korea

Cuts to Social Security (tags)

Greenspan warns cuts to Social Security may be “abrupt and painful”

Hotel workers to vote on strike in SF (tags)

Union employees at 14 major downtown San Francisco hotels, currently engaged in difficult contract talks, said Thursday they will vote Sept. 14 on whether to authorize a strike.

9/6KPFA Labor Day Radio Programming (tags)

KPFA Labor Collective will be producing labor radio programming from 10:00 AM To 3:00 PM PST. You can listen to it on the web at www.kpfa.org

S. KOREA, Migrant workers' struggle... (tags)

...report

RIP-OFF Massive pay cuts, longer hours loom for 6 million workers as Bush guts overtime (tags)

Women and working parents especially hard hit

Nuclear fuel rods missing from Eureka PG&E atom plant waste pool (tags)

Apparently there are no records of the missing radioactive waste since 1968. This is an extremely unprofessional way to run a nuclear plant.

S. KOREA, "Summer Struggle"... (tags)

...a great experience of unity and solidarity

Join AntiWar 4 the Million Worker March (tags)

The struggle of working people and the struggle against the war are the same!

Assi Workers Seek Settlement (tags)

Two years into the boycott suspended employees of Assi Market in Korea town have offered to settle out of court rather than continue with a million plus dollar law suit. Vi a spokesperson for Korean Immigrant Workers Advocate and the Immigrant Workers Union stated, “It Makes sense to settle, because if we don’t settle now we’re just going to get tied up in the courts. So it makes sense on both sides to settle, but sometimes Assi does things that don’t make sense ”.

S. KOREA, Last Week's Struggle Report (tags)

Now since 277 migrant workers in Seoul, S. Korea are in sit-in strike. MSSC's (Myeong-dong Sit-in Struggle Collective) weekly report

Any news from the hotel workers wildcat action? (tags)

The front page of todays LA Buisness section reported on the hotel workers in downtown LA shutting down a street for quite some time... Any IMCistas have news?

No jobs, endless war: ‘Bush has made a mess’ From labor to hip-hop, voters mobilize to def (tags)

CHICAGO — Eight thousand Pillowtex workers were thrown out of work a year ago when the textile giant shut its doors.

The grass is not greener (tags)

Poor Euros. More evidence of the failure that is socialism. Socialists destroy the incentive to work and yet claim to support "Labor."

The blood-stained Olympic Games! (tags)

In the modern Gulags of the Olympic Games the human life is insignificant in front of the national pride of the bosses and the success of the Olympiad, which is just a big celebration of the globalised capitalism!

S. Korea, The Different Levels of Migrant Workers Struggle (tags)

Anti-war, stop crackdown - let's fight for a better world!

Unions UNITE HERE for greater power (tags)

CHICAGO – Two of the nation’s most active unions formalized their merger here July 8-10.

S. Korea, Migrant Workers... (tags)

...struggle, now the 245th day, continues. Latest report

Andy Stern and SEIU Offer the Same Worn-Out Policies (tags)

To Many young activists, SEIU is considered the progressive Union. But, in the last analysis, the policies of SEIU's leadership are no different from those of any other AFL-CIO Union. They fail to take on the employers in a serious way and refuse to break politically with the Democratic Party.

No to Bush Lite, Yes to Independent Workers' Campaign: WWP Candidates (tags)

While the Democratic Party's voting base is turning against war and corporate domination, Kerry is trying to drag everyone in the opposite direction.

Minneapolis Labor Street Fest (tags)

July Street Festival to Commemorate 70th Anniversary of Strikes That Made Minneapolis a Union Town

Unions slam war, call for Bush ouster (tags)

SAN FRANCISCO – Delegates to conventions of two of the nation’s largest unions last week cheered as their leaders blasted George W. Bush for lying to justify war on Iraq and for torture of Iraqi detainees. Both unions called for Bush’s ouster in the Nov. 2 election and urged a fight to end the Republican majority grip on the House and Senate.

S. Korea: Bring Back The Troops Home! (tags)

S. Korean anti war movement is intensifying the struggle against the plan to send additional 3,000 combat troops to Iraq. Instead we demand: Bring the troops home NOW!

Protest the DNC on July 25 (tags)

Sunday, July 25 National Rally/March through the streets of Boston to Protest the DNC 12 noon - Boston Common

Communist "israeli" Parties (tags)

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Candidates: Socialism key to LGBT liberation (tags)

It's crucial in this election year that we have our own independent political movement that will fight for LGBT lives.

The draft platform of the REVOLUTIONARY PARTY, comments encouraged (tags)

The draft platform of the REVOLUTIONARY PARTY, comments encouraged

Building Bridges Radio-Reagan the Liberal and I.W.W. vs Starbucks (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON LA INDYMEDIA AUDIO LINK

Philippines 2003: how 300 troops mutiny unmasked "war on terror" (tags)

[As you may notice, I’ve cut this part of the article because the question of peace talks between the left party RPMP-RPA-ABB and the Government has obviously nothing to do with the gangsters of GUAC. It's better to avoid any confusion. – Felix Zorba, October 7, 2003]

Jobs, health care and dignity in a battleground state (tags)

BECKLEY, W.Va. – John and Betty Shumate opened their Beckley home to an out-of-town visitor.

S. Korea, New Attacks Against Migrant Activists (tags)

Now since 215 days we're fighting, the "ruling" class started again to attack us.

Loyalty to Imperialism is Treason to Humanity (tags)

Sympathy for class traitors has never shown itself to be an effective winning strategy in the class war (make no mistake, the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan are but different fronts in the class war).

Demonstration in Sao Paulo against the FTAA and the WTO (tags)

Yesterday, on Sao Paulo, where the 11th UNCTAD it’s having place , was made a demonstration protesting against the World Trade Organization, the Free Trade Area of the Americas and the war strategy of United States.

US Labor Against War - David Bacon (tags)

The occupation regime's war against Iraq's labour unions is yet another debunking of 'liberation' under US/UK invasion, going so far as to enforce a 1987 law of Saddam Hussein's to ban unions in state-owned plants.

SF LaborFest 2004 (tags)

On July 5 through July 31, LaborFest celebrates the SF general strike with movies, theater, art, poetry and forum. This is the 70th Anniversary of the strike and the struggles of working people continue.

Heroes and Ghosts (The Reagan Years) (tags)

This Article examines the historical character of Ronald Reagan verses his recent posthumous herofication

S. Korea, Hospital Workers General Strike (tags)

Right now, even the government is fighting against us more than before, we join the struggle of S. Korean working class.

Bush, Rumsfeld confronted in U.S., Europe, Asia (tags)

The first week of June was not a good time to be George W. Bush or Donald Rumsfeld.

Ding Dong The Witch is Dead (tags)

Reagan's death is time to celebrate for working people

Ding Dong The Witch is Dead (tags)

Reagan's passing is a time to celebrate for working people

Does Wal-Mart Destroy Communities? (tags)

In a recent poll on the CNN website, viewers were asked the "poll" question of whether or not they believed that Wal-Mart stores were "good" for the "community." Perhaps it is not surprising that a large majority answered "no."

Corporate Greed In Health (tags)

Some short notes from health care column in the Peoples Weekly World on corporate greed in health care.

Building Bridges Radio - 1.Vietnam Vets 2. NYC Day Care Workers Strike? (tags)

BUILDING BRIDGES RADIO presents this 29 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON LA INDYMEDIA AUDIO LINK

S. Korea, Migrant Workers Struggle... (tags)

...will continue

South Korea, MSSC Struggle Weekend (tags)

Last weekend, here it is now Monday, we celebrated the 200th day of our sit-in struggle strike in Myeong-dong, downtown Seoul.

Garment Workers–Demonstration Against Forever 21 & Sweatshops (tags)

In front of the Santa Monica Mall, Saturday May 29th between 3 PM and 4 PM more than 50 garment workers protested against Forever 21 labor practices and sweatshops. Below find 13 pictures, a 70 seconds video, and the content of a Garment Worker Center’s flyer.

Building Bridges Radio- POLICE BUST AT PURCHASE COLLEGE, SUNY & Bhopal Disaster Continues (tags)

BUILDING BRIDGES RADIO PRESENTS THIS 27 MINUTES RADIO PROGRAM. TO LISTEN CLICK ON LA INDYMEDIA AUDIO LINK

100,000 strikers force SBC to pick up phone (tags)

CHICAGO – Phone giant SBC Communications got the message when 100,000 workers in 13 states put down their headsets and tool belts to hit the streets, transmitting their own powerful message.

Wet Seal Stockholder Meeting in Costa Mesa (tags)

Come out and tell The Wet Seal it's time to respect Mexican worker rights in Costa Mesa!

Building Bridges Radio-Some Strategies Towards Revitalizing the Labor Movement (tags)

Building Bridges Radio : Your Community and Labor Report presents this 27 minutes minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON LA INDY MEDIA AUDIO LINK

For English, please press '1' (tags)

[gangbox] TROQUEROS REVOLT.... (tags)

TROQUEROS REVOLT....can the California port truckers wildcat strike lead to the reunionization of the freight industry???

Fast for Farmworker Justice May 20th -- Taco Bell boycott (tags)

“We fast today so that we may taste justice for farmworkers tomorrow!” Farmworkers call for National Day of Fasting Next Thursday, May 20th! Join the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in their protest against Taco Bell's parent company, Yum! Brands, during its annual shareholders meeting Thursday, May 20th

Part 1- May 1st. Caravan for Justice (tags)

Los Angeles- Hundreds of immigrants and immigrants rights advocates canvassed the city of Los Angeles on May Day, otherwise known as International Workers Day, a day in celebration of working class struggles all across the world.

May 1st. Caravan for Justice (tags)

Los Angeles- May 1,2004 Hundreds of immigrants and immigrants rights advocates canvassed the city of Los Angeles on May Day, otherwise known as International Workers Day, a day in celebration of working class struggles all across the world.

Building Bridges Radio - Unemployment and Contract Workers in Iraq, Israel and Palestine (tags)

BUILDING BRIDGES; YOUR COMMUNITY AND LABOR REPORT PRESENTS THIS 28 MINUTES RADIO PROGRAM. TO LISTEN CLICK ON LA INDYMEDIA AUDIO LINK

Schwarzenegger and Democrats Gut Workers’ Compensation in California (tags)

Both parties have handed a gigantic victory to their corporate backers, especially the insurance industry, on the backs of injured workers.

Anarchist Solidarity Statement With Truckers (tags)

Anarchist Solidarity Statement With Truckers

Interview with Colombian activist (tags)

Obando Villota is the head of the Human Rights Department of FENSUAGRO, the Colombian National Federation of Agricultural Workers

Mayday in S. Korea (tags)

Workers, students and migrants demonstrated for a world without exploitation and oppression.

"D" is for Domination (tags)

Sleezy phone sex moguls work former welfare mothers in boiler room conditions.

Encounters with Hugo Chavez (tags)

Solidarity with Venezuela

South Korea, Migrant Workers Struggle Continues (tags)

Migrant workers in the South Korean capital Seoul, threaten by the government's policy of forced mass deportation, are fighting back.

HUGE ANTI-WAR MARCH IN SANTA ANA, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2004 @ 11 am (tags)

March against the war in Iraq! Military recruiters out of our communities! End all occupations at home and abroad! Stop attacking workers and immigrants!

President Chavez praises Marxist.com and backs Hnads Off Venezuela Campaign (tags)

Solidarity with Venezuela

March against the war in Iraq, Santa Ana, Saturday, May 1st @ 11 am (tags)

US out of Iraq and Afghanistan! Military recruiters out of our schools and communities! End all occupations both at home and abroad! Stop attacking workers and immigrants!

Building Bridges Radio:Battling Killer Cola in Colombia & ROC-NY vs. Restaurants (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 28 minute Radio Program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON LA INDYMEDIA LINK

Organize From Below (tags)

A Message to Young People Who Are Considering Taking a Job as a Union Staffer

ILWU10 Calls For Million Worker Rally (tags)

San Francisco ILWU Local 10 has voted to initiate a call for a million worker rally during mid-October in Washington DC. It will demand an end to privatization, deregulation, the repeal of the Taft-Hartley, Patriot Act and other issues.

Iraqi Trade Union Movement Growing (tags)

This was copied from an email from Australia. Iraqi trade unionists are looking for support from the west. The GFTU is a large bottom-up union competing with a Baathist union, and a top-down old-guard union.

Bush's Easter Tales (tags)

Bush's hypocritical Christian faith is an insult to U.S. workers

How Times Have Changed (tags)

April 22: Labor Notes Grocery Strike Forum (tags)

On April 22, Labor Notes -- an independent 25 ear-old magazine with news from a rank and file social movement perspective -- is hosting a forum on the Southern California grocery strike. Speakers include several workers active in the strike, and participants will include workers and labor activists from all over Southern California.

HUD To Force Injected Spychips On Homeless (tags)

WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday that it was about to begin testing a new technology designed to help more closely monitor and assist the nation's homeless population.Under the pilot program, which grew out of a series of policy academies held in the last two years, homeless people in participating cities will be implanted with mandatory Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags that social workers and police can use track their movements.

Mass Action at the Halliburton shareholder's meeting May 19 Houston (tags)

mass action stop war profiteering

Israeli-Arab Workers Are Marked With A red X To Help Israeli Snipers (tags)

This is what Zionist Democracy looks like! The Arab construction workers building the Israeli Knesset building must mark their hardhats with a red "X" so that the Israeli Army snippers can keep better aim on their heads! Read this report from Ynet-online, Israel's biggest paper.

March to Army Reserve Recruiting Station, Santa Ana, California, May 1st, 2004 @ 11 am (tags)

March against the war in Iraq! Support the wounded, maimed, and hurting! End all occupations! Stop attacking workers and immigrants!

Kerry catches tax cut mania (tags)

It is highly unlikely that tax breaks would spur much job-creating investment, since employers are reluctant to expand operations while facing overcapacity in almost every industry. Utilization of industrial capacity hit a 20-year low of 74 percent last year, and is barely higher today. Instead of adding jobs, employers are squeezing more from fewer workers, while allowing little or no wage growth.

Cesar Chavez March & Rally (tags)

On Saturday, March 27th, thousands of students and workers took the streets of Los Angeles in Downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the success of Cesar Chavez immigrant rights movement. United Farm Workers (UFW) organized the event. Among other major organizations that promoted the march were the following unions: SEIU, AFL-CIO, and CLC. To my estimation, between three to five thousands people marched in the street of LA..........BELOW FIND A 35 SECONDS VIDEO AND 7 PICTURES.

The fallacy of the 'anybody but Bush' movement (tags)

Just because Bush is a reactionary, that does not make Kerry a progressive. In fact Kerry, or whoever might have been chosen by the Democratic Party as a candidate to take over the running of the capitalist state, would be a solid representative of U.S. imperialism whose goal would be to strengthen and expand its domination on the world arena.

Grocery Strikers’ Heroic Fight for Healthcare (tags)

In the end, workers who had fought so hard for five months were forced to accept a raw deal. They were unable to prevail against a bold united front of employers when their own leaders were not willing to organize an equally bold united front of labor.

Historic congress of Pakistan Marxists (tags)

For pictures of the congress,Esteban Volkov(Leon Trotsky's grandson)Alan Woods and memorial go to website,click on article they are within it and below.

US Latin American strategy focuses on Colombia (tags)

Colombia today is more strategic to Washington's hegemonic plan in the region than ever before. It is no coincidence that the military component of the Free Trade Area of the Americas is called Plan Colombia.

The Los Angeles Supermarket Strike of 2003-2004 (tags)

Media coverage was eclipsed by Hollywood’s Academy Awards, but on Sunday, Feb. 29, Southern California supermarket workers voted 86% to end their five-month old strike, accepting a contract that amounts to a serious, if not total, victory for a determined employer offensive with national implications.Thus one of the most important strikes in the U.S. in years has ended in defeat.

The Lessons of Spain (tags)

Spain

AFL-CIO Leadership Give the Employers Another Victory (tags)

Defeat in southern California confirms the need for regime change atop the AFL-CIO

The rural movement to oust Bush (tags)

There’s more than bridges in Madison County

It's Time to Break From the Two-Party System! (tags)

Despite all the propaganda from the "Anybody But Bush" Democrats, George Bush would never have been able to carry out his attacks without the active support of the Democratic Party. It was the Democrats in Congress who voted to support Bush's "war on terrorism," the war on Afghanistan, the Patriot Act, the Iraq war, and the $87 billion for the occupation of Iraq. Most Democrats voted for Bush's tax cuts for the rich and "No Child Left Behind." Sixteen Senate Democrats, including Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, voted for Bush's "Partial Birth Abortion" Ban.

Haiti and Class Struggle (tags)

With the backdrop of peasant uprisings and land seizures in Zimbabwe, and the workers' rebellion in Argentina, the Haitian workers took to the streets four weeks ago -- releasing prisoners, and driving away the police. The Haitian masses in the streets were freeing the captives and burning down police stations.

IRAN:The End of Election Show (tags)

The results of this “election show” has confirmed that Iran people suffering poverty, dictatorship, corruption, increase of professionals immigration and injustice, have no tolerance to continue such miseries.

Southern California Supermarket Strike: A Missed Opportunity (tags)

Article written before the vote about the outcome of the grocery workers' strike.

A century of What to do? of Lenin: A critical defense at the light of the Argentinazo (tags)

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The revolution in Venezuela is in Danger ! (tags)

Venezuela

California workers hold the line on health care (tags)

Somehow surviving on $20 per day strike pay, the United Food and Commercial Workers continue to maintain a picket line outside Vons and Albertsons grocery stores in Southern California. Seventy thousand workers are on strike against Safeway/Vons in Southern California -- and locked out by Albertsons and Kroger/Ralphs. Despite a 91% profit growth over the last five years, the grocery chain owners are demanding wholesale cuts in employee health care benefits. Workers from seven locals voted over 90% to reject the offer by three of the largest supermarket operators in the country, Vons (Safeway-owned), Ralphs (Kroger-owned) and Albertsons and set up picket lines October 11, 2003. See http://www.sevenoaksmag.com/

Venezuela: Appeal from the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign (tags)

Venezuela

Demonstrations at Two Santa Cruz Taco Bells in Solidarity with CIW (tags)

On February 27, at least 300 people took part in demonstrations focusing on the sweatshop conditions in the Florida fields where Taco Bell's tomatoes are picked. People rallied at the Mission St. Taco Bell before marching through parts of Santa Cruz and on to the Laurel St. Taco Bell.

Undocumented Workers Are Not The Enemy Of labor (tags)

I submitted the following article to my Local Union newsletter.

(2) Immigrants Rights March (tags)

IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS MARCH February 28th in Downtown LA, at 11 AM about two thousand people, mostly immigrants, marched from Washington and Olympic to City Hall where a rally took place at 1:40 PM. Speakers and demonstrators demanded that the government allows all immigrant workers to drive with a driver license, and also they demanded that all undocumented workers be granted an amnesty to work legally in the US.

(3) Immigrants Rights March (tags)

IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS MARCH February 28th in Downtown LA, at 11 AM about two thousand people, mostly immigrants, marched from Washington and Olympic to City Hall where a rally took place at 1:40 PM. Speakers and demonstrators demanded that the government allows all immigrant workers to drive with a driver license, and also they demanded that all undocumented workers be granted an amnesty to work legally in the US.

Offshoring of jobs a hot issue (tags)

Typically high paid middle class Information Technology workers are learning what blue collar workers have known for decades-- the offshoring of working people's jobs sucks.

Grocery Settlement at What Cost? (tags)

It appears that the proposed contract settlement will be at a huge cost to future employees. Would that the leadership matched the membership in determination and courage!

Congress abandons millions of jobless (tags)

HAMDEN, Conn. – While the White House backed off empty job creation claims last week, machinists, teamsters, building trades, and municipal workers crowded into the Job Center here, angry at the failure of the Republican-controlled Congress to extend unemployment benefits at a time of high job loss.

Venezuelan Revolution must advance towards socialism in order to defeat reaction (tags)

Venezuela

Building Bridges Radio-The Fight for Labor Rights From Iraq to the U.S. (tags)

Building Bridges Radio presents this 27 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

UFCW Video Showing (tags)

This is an announcment for a community meeting at The Midnight Special Bookstore on Thursday, February 26th at 7:30PM. There will be a screening of a short UFCW documentary on the current strike and short presentations by striking workers.

Interview on Labor in Occupied Iraq (tags)

Seven Oaks’ Charles Demers recently sat down with Mr. Bacon at the Canadian Autoworkers hall in New Westminster.

Haiti-there is no solution under Capitalism! (tags)

Haiti

Teach-In about Sweatshops in USA this WED @ Saddleback College (Orange County) (tags)

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Migrant Woerkers Struggle in South Korea for Survival (tags)

South Korea: Despite State Terror Migrant Workers Struggle Is Increasing

South Korea: Despite State Terror Migrant Workers Struggle Is Increasing (tags)

Today exactly since 100 days migrant workers from Nepal, Bangladesh and Indonesia are staging a sit-in struggle in the South Korean capital Seoul.

Haiti-Which way forward against Imperialism? (tags)

Haiti

BTL:Fruit/Chemical Companies File $17 Billion Countersuit Against... (tags)

...Sick Nicaraguan Banana Workers Interview with Kathy Hoyt, co-coordinator of the Nicaragua Network, conducted by Between the Lines' Melinda Tuhus

Historic Victory for Pictsweet Mushroom Farm Workers in Oxnard, CA (tags)

After years of nation-wide boycotts, protests, and activist campaigns, Farm workers at Pictsweet Mushroom Farm in Ventura, Calif. have won their 17-year battle for a United Farm Workers union contract.

Grocery workers win lawmakers’ backing (tags)

LOS ANGELES – If Safeway and its CEO Steve Burd have their way, the 21st century will have conditions more like the 19th century for working families, said Connie Leyva, president of Local 1428 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, speaking to a panel led by four Democratic California congresspeople.

Raucous Supermarket Strike Rally In San Pedro (tags)

An account of the rally held on February 19, 2004 in support of striking and locked-out workers at Vons in San Pedro, California.

Inglewood: Huge March Backs Grocery Strikers (tags)

Inglewood, CA - Twenty thousand people demonstrated here, Jan. 31 in a powerful display of solidarity with the striking, locked-out United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) grocery workers. Trade unionists - including strikers and their families, longshoremen, public workers and Teamsters - along with community supporters marched on Safeway-owned Vons market.

War and the National Question-A reply to Luis Oviedo of the PO (tags)

War and the National Question

Guardsmen Killed By Pentagon Penny-Pinching (tags)

Explains how the Pentagon is killing American soldiers.

8 March 2004 - 5th GLOBAL WOMEN’S STRIKE (tags)

8 March 2004 -- Calling all women 5th GLOBAL WOMEN’S STRIKE Calling all men to join with women to STOP THE WORLD AND CHANGE IT! INVEST IN CARING NOT KILLING!

Drivers Licenses, Not War! California Latino Economic Strike Great Success (tags)

Los Angeles, CA - Thousands of Latino workers, students and shopkeepers stayed away from work and school Dec. 12, in support of the statewide Latino Economic Strike. The Latino Economic boycott was called by the Mexican American Political Association and Hermandad Mexicana Latino Americana, with the support of hundreds of other organizations, to protest the repeal of SB 60, the law that allowed undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses.

Bush's Immigrant Trap (tags)

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Wages up for the well-off, but not for others (tags)

The gap between workers in the 90th earning percentile and the 10th has never been wider. Said Ann Owen, economist at Hamilton College (NY) and former Federal Reserve economist (DC), "we can probably project a future growth in inequality."

"LA Grocery Workers Battle for Healthcare" - 45 Min. 20Mbps MP3. (tags)

LA (& SF) Grocery Workers Battle for Healthcare - 45 minutes. 20 Kbps MP3.

Demand Dems support strike (tags)

Urge workers to demand the Democratic presidential candidates give substantial support to the supermarket strike; expose their false, pro-worker masks

Part 1 Grocery Workers Militant Action (tags)

Los Angeles CA 2/4/04 UFCW Local 1442’s Strike Force and the National Lawyers Guild staged a militant strike action tonight. The Von’s located at 4030 Centinella was chosen as the rallying point for striking grocery workers and allies to engage anyone crossing the picket lines. For the most part the store was empty except for scabs, management and the occasional customer. What followed was ugly at times yet encouraging.

Part 2 Grocery Workers Militant Action (tags)

Los Angeles CA 2/4/04 UFCW Local 1442’s Strike Force and the National Lawyers Guild staged a militant strike action tonight. The Von’s located at 4030 Centinella was chosen as the rallying point for striking grocery workers and allies to engage anyone crossing the picket lines. For the most part the store was empty except for scabs, management and the occasional customer. What followed was ugly at times yet encouraging.

Library Sets Up Shrine To Corporate Thieves (tags)

As corportate-controlled state and Federal governments slash basic services to fund military and tax breaks for the rich, Long Beach Library worships Vons, other exploiters.

Peasants and workers demonstrate against the FTAA in Puebla. (tags)

Mainly Mexican peasants and unions organizations have demonstrated in Puebla, against the FTAA negotiations, that are having place in that Mexican city.

Expose Dems by Demanding Kerry support strike (tags)

Demanding that Kerry (and the others) support the supermarket strike might help expose the Democrats and encourage the creation of a workers' movement independent of the two capitalist political parties

Los Angeles Critical Mass Rides Through Vons (tags)

While the corporations refuse to back down, autonomous actions by small groups are becoming more and more necessary.

(2) Inglewood, Massive March (tags)

Today, from 12 PM to 2 PM, more than twenty thousands people marched in the streets of Inglewood, California, to support the striking workers from Vons/Pavilions and the locked out workers from Albertsons and Ralphs supermarkets.

Solidarity with Striking and Locked-Out Grocery Workers- For a Class Union (tags)

Solidarity with Striking and Locked-Out Grocery Workers- For a Class Union February 2004

Nightwatchman @ grocery worker's rally tomorrow, Jan 31 (tags)

The Nightwatchman's website announces a a short set at a rally for striking grocery workers on Saturday, January 31 at 1:30pm in front of the Von's grocery store in Los Angeles at 500 E. Manchester at the corner of N. Hillcrest Blvd. in Inglewood.

Palestinians Shoot Themselves in the Foot (tags)

Attack today in Jerusalem slays nurses from a Jerusalem hospital that once saved Palestinian Lives!

The Relevance of Marxism (tags)

Some predictions Marx made during his analysis of capitalism that have proved to be accurate and one that has yet to come to pass.

Portlanders support California supermarket workers (tags)

Yesterday, a crowd of about 50 rallied at the Safeway at 1100 NE Broadway in Portland to support the 70,000 workers who have been locked out of Southern California supermarkets for insisting on keeping hard-fought health benefits in the face of austerity plans being imposed by the big supermarket chains. See here for previous feature. Supporters marched into the store, up and down the aisles, chanting "Boycott Safeway!" and demanding fairness for workers and affordable health care for all...

We Are the Majority (tags)

How do we build a political movement in this country that represents all of the people and not a handful of millionaires?

Massive Farmworker Actions in early March (tags)

the Coalition of Immokalee Workers is coming to LA March 2-5 as part of its 2004 Taco Bell Truth Tour!

OC Green Party Rally to Honor Martin Luther King (tags)

With every thing going on and Bush going to Atlanta... There is no better way to promote the values that Martin Luther King, Jr stood for than supporting working families.

Upcoming grocery strike actions from UFCW local 770 (tags)

Upcoming grocery strike actions. These actions are organized or sanctioned by UFCW Local 770. Distribute widely.

Building Bridges Radio-Bush's Plan for Immigrants (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 27 minute Radio Program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON WEB LINK

BTL:U.S. Labor Movement Opposes Bush Plan to Create... (tags)

...Immigrant Guest Workers Program Interview with Anna Avendano, senior adviser on immigration issues for the AFL-CIO, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris

Immigration plan ‘chains workers’ (tags)

The “more compassionate” immigration system for undocumented workers proposed by President George W. Bush on Jan. 7 will grant corporations greater ability to pit U.S. workers against the global work force for domestic jobs, say labor and immigrant rights leaders.

UFCW "Salt of the Earth" Benefit (tags)

Please join us this Thursday, January 22nd in Santa Monica for a benefit screening screening of the classic, blacklisted 1954 film, "Salt of the Earth." All proceeds will go to the strike funds of the UFCW Locals 770 and 1442. Tickets are $20, and advance tickets are available online at https://www.readyticket.net/webticket/webticket2.asp?WCI=BuyTicket&WCE=SALT%20OF%20THE%20EARTH,012220041930,5,59,NR

Massive March and Rally for striking market workers - Jan. 31st. (tags)

An injury to one is an injury to all! SOLIDARITY! Corporate America Wants to Take Your Health Care! The health care you help save may be your own!

The Next Middle Class (tags)

In their own ways, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt, provided the institutional frameworks for middle-class growth. Now, radical ideas are necessary to prevent a return to feudalism.

Miami FTAA Protest: Cops Rampage Against Youth, Labor (tags)

What Strategy to Defeat Imperialism?

Mexicans denouce U.S. occupation of Iraq (tags)

Members of the Mexican political party Partido de Trabajo (Workers Party), and thousands of their supporters join a protest against the U.S. occupation of in Iraq. During the mass march in Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004, the demonstrators denounced imperialism, war, and the exploitation of workers. The "Special Summit of the Americas", where more than 20 heads of state will be attending, begins in Mexico on Monday, Jan. 12, 2004. (AP Photo/Kathryn Cook)

Bush Reform of Immigration Policy may have a Hidden Agenda: Hispanis Beware! (tags)

Hispanics are Sitting Ducks: "We're addressing an important economic need (and) we're being compassionate to those undocumented workers who are here now ... many of (whom) are probably being abused and exploited,... part of this policy will help make America more secure because we'll know who's here." --White House spokesman Scott McClellan 01/08/04.

Empire strikes out (tags)

First publicated on the trotskyist review Marxism Alive 6

Message to Congress: Extend jobless benefits (tags)

WASHINGTON – The New Year was a time of revelry for the corporate rich as government reports confirmed a surge in profits and productivity in the final quarter of 2003. George W. Bush trumpeted the news as proof that his trillions in tax cuts for the wealthy has pulled the nation out of recession.

Grocery Workers are Still Fighting (tags)

An article about the Southern California Grocery Strike/Lockout.

Bush and Undocumented's. (tags)

More foreign workers = lower wages.

Misleaders’ Strategy Undermines Grocery Strike (tags)

"The strategy of relying on token informational pickets in in northern California, rather than extending the strike, is part of a loosing strategy by the UFCW bureaucrats that is defeating the strike. With a defeat in southern California it will be easy to extract concessions here. Victory will only come through real solidarity, with a militant rank and file class struggle leadership in the union that challenges the career bureaucrats for the continued life of the union!" --Steve Argue

[gangbox] THE JAVITS CENTER SHUFFLE (tags)

THE JAVITS CENTER SHUFFLE...discrimination, unequal distribution of work and the pitfalls of seeking workplace justice in the court system at New York City's convention center

Mad Cow Disease/Mad Capitalism Disease (tags)

Most scientists believe mad cow disease comes from the feeding of ground up bodies of dead and diseased cattle to other cattle, that we end up eating.

Imperialists Gloat over Capture of Former Henchman Saddam Hussein (tags)

The American imperialist butchers made clear, yet again, the kind of “democracy” they have in mind for Iraq when U.S. troops yesterday fired into a protest in support of Hussein in a town west of Baghdad, killing three people.

Help Grocery Workers and Their Families (tags)

Good links for info and aid to grocery strikers

The Permanent Revolution: Battle cry of the 21st Century (tags)

On the trotskyist review Marxism Alive 2 - October 2000

SF Solidarity With So Cal Grocery Workers (tags)

On Saturday, several hundred people braved the San Francisco rain to protest in front of the Safeway in support of the striking UFCW workers.

the Taco Bell Truth Tour set to hit LA and OC one more time (tags)

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers set the dates for the next major Taco Bell boycott action at Taco Bell Headquarters in Irvine, CA

Step it Up (tags)

As the grocery strike goes into its second month, it's time to go beyond the conservative strategies of the AFL-CIO

Wait: I'm Confused (tags)

The Labor leadership's handling of the grocery workers strike and continued reliance on "friendly" employers and the Democratic Party leaves many workers wondering what's next.

Green Party Carolers Cheer Up Striking Workers Monday (tags)

Building Bridges Radio-Holidays Anti Sweatshop Rally & family of soldier who died in Iraq (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. To listen click on indymedia link.

‘Shut down Safeway’s profits’ (tags)

Workers hold the line for health care LOS ANGELES – “Empty Safeway’s stores and cash drawers” by taking action to cut them off from the source of their money – consumers and communities, United Food and Commercial Workers President Doug Dority told a massive rally and march here Dec. 16.

No Scapegoats! The Fight for Immigrant Rights (tags)

As the economy gets worse, attacks on public services deepen and scapegoating of immigrants escalates.

dont blame me? (tags)

I am fed up with all the spoiled little union workers attitudes.

(2) Photos: Striking Grocery Workers March to Beverly Hills (tags)

Photos: Striking Grocery Workers March from Century City to Berverly Hills

Benefit show tommorow night for strikers (tags)

Benefit show at Q-Topia for striking supermarket workers. Three bands. $5. All ages.

Dec. 16th Mass March to support striking Grocery Workers (tags)

AFL-CIO Pres. Sweeney will Lead March of Thousands of Strikers March From Century City to Beverly Hills Slated Tuesday, December 16

FTAA – No way! (tags)

In Miami last month, trade ministers from around the Americas gathered for talks on the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Iraq behind the cameras: a different reality (tags)

"We've got a lot of good things going on, but when I went home (on leave), people were just like 'We never hear that stuff,' " said Civil Affairs Pvt. Amy Schroeder. "That's what makes the families worry." What Iraq looks like on TV, and what Iraq is like for the 130,000 troops living here, sometimes feels like two different realities.

Labor rallies to challenge brave new Wal-Mart world (tags)

If Americans can get a DVD player for $29 - as they could this week during a pre-Christmas promotion at Wal-Mart - they are not going to be unduly concerned about whether workers who assembled the gizmo have a dental plan.

US troops are worse than scabs (tags)

A working class perspective on the US anti-war movement's adaptation of the slogan "Support Our Troops"

Building Bridges Radio- Central Amer Free Trade Agreement & Taxi Workers Demand a Raise (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Reports presents this 27.5 min radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK.

Cities and states face brutal cutbacks (tags)

BALTIMORE – In what could be called a “Thanksgiving massacre,” public school officials here handed out pink slips to 710 Baltimore City Public School (BCPS) employees. At least 1,000 are expected to have lost their jobs by January.

Students call for Coke boycott (tags)

The Coca-Cola Co. is trying to stop a boycott of its products that has been spreading across Ireland for the past month and becoming more visible on college campuses in the United States

Benefit for the Strikers!!! (tags)

On Saturday, December 6th, there will be a benefit for the workers of UFCW Local 770.

Benefit for the Strikers!!! (tags)

Saturday, Dec. 6th at 8pm there will be a benefit for the workers of UFCW Local 770!!!

Dennis Kucinich Opens his East LA Office -Video (tags)

Q&A @ Garfield High School with Danny Glover & Shelly Morrison and a mini Fiesta at the new office. Some of this is in Spanish, not much, but some. Privatization of water, Human Geno, immigration, public transportation, media... and truth. 30 min.

Wal-Mart 'Eats' More US Manufacturers (tags)

In case you haven't already figured it out the whole point of Wal-Mart is to help depress the wages, and ability to survive, of the average Working Person. The reason is simple: Slaves don't need as much and if they have Jobs and incomes independent of the elites they are harder to order about like Sheep. Welcome to the Totalitarian States of America.

Reportback from LASSO rally Sunday, 11/23 (tags)

A report from the LASSO/UFCW rally this past Sunday at the Pavilions on Olympic and Beverly/Beverwil

Grocery Strike - Fight to Win! (tags)

The grocery strike affects all workers. For the first time, a major contract would be without affordable health care. The entire labor movement should fight this, and FIGHT TO WIN!

Scabs Attack in Long Beach (tags)

When Scabs attack workers.

In the midst of Miami's FTAA chaos we fed the homeless and guerrilla stickered the city (tags)

Despite all the bad images and problems of the FTAA protest there was some very positive things that also happened. There were many people that took time to commit acts of social responsibility and acts of kindness.

Building Bridges Radio-The Southern California Supermarket Strike/Lockout (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 27 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

Another reportback from Von's. (tags)

Another reportback from Von's.

Mar Vista NPJ Joins the Food Fight! (tags)

Direct action taken 11/15/03 at Vons in Mar Vista in support of the striking Food Workers.

[gangbox] LIFE IS CHEAP..BUT CONSTRUCTION DELAYS ARE EXPENSIVE (tags)

LIFE IS CHEAP...BUT CONSTRUCTION DELAYS ARE EXPENSIVE..or, why construction continues to be such a hazardous industry to work in..

‘Free trade’ scam:‘It’s bad for workers everywhere’ (tags)

“We’ll be marching with truck drivers and electrical workers, nurses and teachers, health care workers and Teamsters, all kinds of working people,” Fred Frost, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO, told the Miami Herald.

Reportback: Grocery Lockout (tags)

This is a reportback on some of my experiences working with grocery picketers through LASSO (Los Angeles Strikers Solidarity Organization).

The Implosion Of America (tags)

Nearly half a million jobs have gone missing in the information sector since March of 2001. Another 7,000 disappeared in telecommunications. 8,000 have lost jobs in computer systems design, while 10,000 positions in company management went missing.

Thugs with Bats Assault Locked-out Grocery Workers (tags)

A gang of thugs with bats showed up to beat the living daylights out of locked out Albertsons workers in Laguna Niguel. Where's the outrage?

Boycott Borders Books! (tags)

Borders Books Workers Strike

Workers at Borders Books store #1 in Ann Arbor, MI went on strike this past Saturday, November 8 at 9:00 AM.

GAPATISTAS RIDE AGAIN: We'd Rather Wear Nothing Than Wear Gap!!! (tags)

Please join us for the Hollywood premiere of our GAPATISTA ROAD SHOW to Miami to stop the FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS (FTAA) Nov 17--21, where up to 100,000 protestors are expected to converge!!! At the Hollywood Gap action we’ll march to the doors of the Gap with a giant 200-year-old redwood stump, logged by the Fishers of Gap, Inc. A mini FTAA & LOCAL ISSUES TEACH-IN will ensue, using the stump as a stage. Speakers will alternate with GREAT SONGS and RADICAL CHEERS, all building to the CLIMACTIC MOMENT when we STRIP for JUSTICE IN FOREST, FIELD, & FACTORY!!! We’ll round off the action with lealfeting and one-on-one. Come Strip with us for Redwoods and Workers Rights, for Global Ecology and Global Justice!!! Bring drums, noise-makers, and outlandish underwear!!!

What is the Peace and Freedom Party’s Next Step? (tags)

A Revolutionary Point of View of the Peace and Freedom Party and the struggle today.

Scabs R US (tags)

Striker's + Union= ASS

The White Collar Migration - Part 2 (tags)

US Workers See Hard Times High-Tech Firms Say Outsourcing Crucial To Survival

The White Collar Migration - Part 1 (tags)

As Economy Gains, Outsourcing Surges

Iranian Workers Solidarity Network (tags)

Iran

The Northeastern Anarchist #8 out now! (tags)

This issue's feature: ANARCHISTS IN THE WORKPLACE

The Collapse of the Middle Class (tags)

There has always been a wealthy elite in this country, and there has always been a gap between the rich and the poor. But the disparities in wealth and income that currently exist in this country have not been seen in over a hundred years. Today, the richest one percent own more wealth than the bottom ninety-five percent, and the CEOs of large corporations earn more than 500 times what their average employees make.

USC Green Network supports Union Workers (tags)

USC Green Network supports workers at local Ralph's.

Long Beach Students gather in support of the STRIKE! (tags)

WHEN: This Sunday- at 12 noon WHERE: 2nd Street and PCH in Long Beach.Albertsons/ Hoffs Hut Parking Lot

Payrolls plunge 93,000, but unemployment rate edges down (tags)

Catch this: Payrolls plunge 93,000, but unemployment rate edges down. Hellloooooo! The number of people receiving a paycheck goes down but unemployment is down? I don't think so. The two are mutually contradictory.

[gangbox] SCABS OF NEW YORK (tags)

SCABS OF NEW YORK...rat contractors, company unions and the decline of union labor in the Manhattan residential construction sector

Labor Action to Close SOA (tags)

Labor Action to Close SOA

Grocery Strikers Must Win (tags)

ADOPT A STORE - UFCW 770 (tags)

SOLIDARITY FOREVER - START NOW!

Updates on Los Angeles Supermarket Workers' Strike! (tags)

The Role of Women & Asian Pacific Islanders In This Important Labor Struggle By: Lee Siu Hin October 25, 2003 Photo: Diana Truong-Davis Picket capitan from Vons supermarket, with CA assembly women Judy Chu during the Ahmabra Von's Supermarket rally, organized by APALA and CA assembly women Judy Chu on Oct 23.

Rally to support supermarket workers with (tags)

Check it out !

Supermarket workers in struggle (tags)

The significance of the strike is based in the issue of health care. We are the only industrialized country to not have health care and the union estimates about 60 million went some time with out having any health care last year. This number is growing based the deteriation of the tiny bit of basic rights and benefits we have. It is time for us to not be on the defensive of these issues and begin to fight back.

HOW THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT IS BLOWING IT (tags)

Raining on a parade--or, in this case, an anti-war march--isn't likely to win one popularity contests. But somebody has got to raise the alarm. The upcoming Oct. 25 march in Washington DC is being billed as a revitalization of the movement which made history with coordinated worldwide protests against the looming US-led assualt on Iraq Feb. 15. But the new mobilization actually represents a dangerous step backwards for the anti-war forces in the US.

ANSWER LA Wants You to Support Striking and Locked Out Grocery Workers (tags)

Join ANSWER LA's COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT to SUPPORT LABOR (CAPSL)!

Report on Condition of the Working Class in Iraq (tags)

Dodgy unions, ex-Baathist fascist bosses, spies monitoring the new ministries in Iraq and machine gun armed picket lines.

GENERAL STRIKE AND WORKER’S INSURRECTION IN BOLIVIA (tags)

Unable to repress this rebellion, and unable to negotiate separate truces with the different sectors of the movement the ruling class abandoned Lozada and the millionaire murderer Goni fled to Miami.

Grocery strike impressions (tags)

Grocery strike shows So Calif has not moved to the right.

Taco Bell Strikers Get RFK Humanitarian Award (tags)

I'm reposting this press release from the CIW. The organizers of the strike, who started out as field workers, got a big award!

L.A. Greens give free massages to striking grocery store workers (tags)

Locked out workers at a Ralph’s grocery store in Los Angeles got a surprise Saturday morning when a group of local Green Party members showed up offer free massages to workers on the picket lines. Listen here to the report! 8 mins 3 sec (MP3: 2 MB at 32 kbps)

Wal-Mart's benefits come under fire (tags)

Sally Lieber, D-San Jose, points to Wal-Mart employee hand-outs about social services like Medicaid, food stamps and temporary assistance as proof that the retailer uses state and federal tax dollars to supplement "poverty" level wages and benefits.

Americas Watch: 10/19 Urgent Actions on Colombia, Mexico and USA (tags)

Americas Watch: Urgent Actions on Colombia, Mexico and USA An occasional news series from PeaceNoWar.net Web: http://www.PeaceNoWar.net October 19, 2003 What happened in Bolivia truly shows the power of people's movement, the struggles against American empire and U.S.-supported semi-colonial puppet regime. However, let's don't forget there's still have many struggles lie ahead on Mexico, Colombia and of course, in the United States. Lee Siu Hin PeaceNoWar.net

[gangbox] LA NUEVA CARA DE CONSTRUCCION (tags)

LA NUEVA CARA DE CONSTRUCCION...how mass immigration has changed the American building trades

Five Simple Ways You Can Support the Grocery Workers (tags)

The Inland Anti-Empire blog supports the grocery workers strike and lists 5 easy ways you can help support the workers too.

RALLY @ VONS TOMORROW SAT OCT 18 - TO MARK 1 WEEK OF WORKERS STRIKE!! (tags)

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Health care costs spark Calif. strikes (tags)

VAN NUYS, Calif. – Daniel Lucra, 19, just wants to keep his health care in case he gets sick or hurt on his job behind the deli counter at Albertson’s, where slippery floors and sharp blades can cause injuries.

Support Grocery Workers Strike! (tags)

When you support the striking workers, don't go to anti-union stores to do it!

SEIU CORRUPTION (tags)

Want the Real Truth about the Corruption Going on at SEIU ? Visit The Web Site Below to Find Out THE TRUTH about SEIU

NO WELFARE FOR STRIKING WORKERS (tags)

NONE! Zip! NADA!

Make Money, Not War (tags)

All bureaucrats should be drowned. See Alex Jones (www.infowars.net) for government abuses.

ANSWER Support Action for Striking UFCW Workers (tags)

Int'l A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Los Angeles, Calls for Community Action to Support Striking UFCW Workers. Join us!

TEAMSTERS REFUSING TO CROSS PICKET LINES @ Ralphs, Vons, Pavilions & Albertsons (tags)

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DONT SHOP AT RALPHS, VONS, OR ALBERTSONS UNTIL THE STRIKE IS OVER! (tags)

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SECURITY OFFICERS UNION - SPFPA - JOIN US TODAY (tags)

The SPFPA has approximately 20,000 active members in the United States, SPFPA is the largest International Union of Security, Police and Fire Protection Officers in America today!

FBI Funneled Money to Hamas for Terrorism in '90s (tags)

During the last years of the Clinton Admin., the FBI funneled cash to the reactionary Muslim fundamentalist Hamas group for terrorist attacks.

Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride Rally a Huge Success! (tags)

As the culmination of Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, on Saturday, October 4th, tens of thousands of immigrant workers joined friends and allies for a fabulous rally in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, New York.

Update on Panama (tags)

With some fifteen hundred Panamaños living in LA, events en la Patría are heard all over the Hemisphere.

A Freedom Rider’s journal: Solidarity saved us (tags)

Kat Rodriguez, coordinating organizer with Derechos Humanos, a human rights organization, joined one of the Los Angeles Freedom Ride buses in Tucson, Ariz. Here she shares excerpts from her on-the-road journal with PWW readers. At press time the bus had reached Memphis, Tenn.

A historic message — Justice for immigrants (tags)

WASHINGTON – Busloads of Immigrant Workers Freedom Riders brought their agenda into the heart of the nation’s political arena, Oct. 1, demanding Congress enact comprehensive reform of the nation’s immigration laws.

Protest of 27 pilots highlights class divisions in Israel (tags)

Palestine-Israel

Panama-General strike to defend social security (tags)

Panama

Netanyahu attacks-Israeli working class responds (tags)

Israeli working class

Kidnapped at Federal Plaza (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

Kidnapped at Federal Plaza (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report presents this 28 minute radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

BTL:Union Victory at Yale Has Broader Significance for Labor Movement (tags)

Interview with John Wilhelm, president of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union conducted by Between the Lines' Melinda Tuhus

Interview with Key Leader of Venezuelan Workers Movement Pedro Eusse (tags)

Pedro Eusse is the Secretary General of the Food and Beverage Union, and the Secretary General of the United Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CUTV). The United Confederation of Venezuelan Workers is currently the country’s main trade union federation and plays an important role in defending the patriotic, national democratic government headed by Hugo Chavez.

Fields of Hunger: Lives of the Fresno Farmworkers (tags)

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Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride Send-Off Rally (tags)

Immigrant workers fighting for human rights follow in the footsteps of the 60’s civil rights movement.

Building Bridges Radio-Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride & The Next Pres.of El Salvador (tags)

Building Bridges presents this 28 minute Radio Program, TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

Labor and Patriot Acts I and II: (tags)

A case for political action President George W. Bush heads the most viciously anti-worker, anti-labor administration we have seen in a long time. He and his corporate backers are hell-bent on blocking any new advances for labor and on rolling back existing labor rights.

10,000 marchers back Yale strikers (tags)

New Haven police arrest 100 NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Downtown New Haven came to a standstill Sept. 13 as the nation’s labor movement turned out more than 10,000 union members from the Northeast and as far away as Nevada and Florida in support of striking university and hospital workers at Yale University.

Long Beach City Manager Attacks Union Before Captive Audience of Library Employees (tags)

Long Beach bureaucrats show up at meeting of library employees, tell them they have to rescind small payraise City agreed to in contract because "the people" demand it.

Recall Mandate: Gov Davis' Anti-Labor Attack on Workers' Compensation (tags)

Death penalty Democrat Gov Gray Davis made sure we should support his recall by signing a reactionary Workers' Compensation bill on 9/12/03, slashing Workers' Comp. benefits.

Poor People's Campaign To Relaunch In LA (tags)

A broad coalition of community, labor and civil rights groups join with Service Employees International Union Local 434B long term care workers to announce the kickoff of the Poor People’s Campaign to bring attention to poverty and injustices of underdeveloped neighborhoods of L.A.

WTO/Cancun issues.... Agricultural Subsidies? (tags)

Electricity Blackouts-Power to the People (tags)

Powerto the People

CHERYL SEAL REPORTS: Buddy, Can You Spare a Job? (tags)

Re: U.S. Jobs - I've got some bad news and I've got some REALLY BAD news...

Chile-First General Strike in 13 Years (tags)

Chile

Between Irag and a Hard Place (tags)

War at home and abroad

Presenting my first railroad postcard (by Latuff) (tags)

My first railroad postcard is finished!

The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible (tags)

Make Money, Not War

President Bush's new manufacturing policy is doomed (tags)

So long as manufacturing executives seek labor arbitrage opportunities, employing U.S. blue-collar workers will be expensive. (American workers, after all, expect such niceties as pensions and health care.)

Why offshore IT outsourcing can't be stopped (tags)

American programmers and other IT people were outstandingly unsympathetic when factory workers' jobs started going overseas, so the Libertarian techie "dog eat dog" creed requires them to be happy whenever the marketplace finds a way to pay IT workers less and increase business owners' profits.

Socialism:the only way out of the bloodshed in Israel-Palestine (tags)

Israel-Palestine

Building Bridges Radio:DeUnionizing Federal Workers &EL Salvador at a Turning Point? (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 27 min 46 sec radio program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

California Governor Election and PFP/Labor Events (tags)

California Governor Election and PFP/Labor Events:

The Degrradation of Work in Long Beach (tags)

Long Beach tells its employees to act like perky cheerleaders, flirt with sex offenders.

Jobless? Blame the System, not Yourself! (tags)

"The economy dictates how many will be unemployed because no jobs are available. 10% of the workforce don't get lazy at a certain point of the business cycle..Each downturn sends millions more into unemp-loyment. Unemployment is a social problem."

BTL:Starving Nicaraguan Coffee Workers March to Demand Land (tags)

Interview with Katherine Hoyt, co-coordinator with the Nicaragua Network, conducted by Between the Lines' Melinda Tuhus

Another 'Tour de Force' Article from Ann Coulter (tags)

California: The Democrat's Laboratory. The host organism dies.

Venezuela-Solidarity with the CNV workers needed (tags)

Venezuela

A Revolutionary View of the California Recall and Bipartisan Budget Crisis (tags)

Don’t Throw Your Vote Away by Giving It to the Democrats or the Republicans! OUT WITH THEM ALL! DON’T VOTE YES OR NO ON THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNORS RECALL The Recall is a Trap to Make Workers Pay for the Capitalist Crisis! VOTE FOR THE SOCIALIST CANDIDATE C.T. WEBER for GOVERNOR! PEACE & FREEDOM PARTY Organize Now to Build a Workers Party!

AsAm Labor Struggle - Chinese Daily News (tags)

August 8, 2003 - More than two hundred activists and community members rallied in support of organizing workers at the Chinese Daily News. Story and 5 Photos

Building Bridges Radio - Organizing for the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride- 28min (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report-National Edition presents this 28 min Radio Program"Organizing for the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride" TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

WHEN RACE BURNS CLASS - an interview with J. Sakai (tags)

".... They were inviting me, an Asian, as a way of my joining the crew. Only, he said, 'You got to stop talking to those Blacks. You got to choose. White or Black.' "

Philippines: 300 troops mutiny unmasks "war on terror" (tags)

A group of 296 soldiers - 70 junior officers and 226 enlisted men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)- staged on July 27 a siege of the Oakwood Premier luxury hotel at the Ayala Center in Makati.

Building Bridges Radio-Immigrant Day Laborers Under Attack (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents a 27min 51 sec radio program about day laborers in the NYC area. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

Liberia, Junk Bonds, and Rubber (tags)

FROM FIRESTONE TO JUNK BONDS: CAPITALIST PLUNDER LURKS BEHIND LIBERIA'S CHAOS

One in 10 U.S. Tech Jobs May Move Overseas, Report Says (tags)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - One out of 10 jobs in the U.S. computer services and software industry could shift to lower-cost emerging markets such as India or Russia by the end of 2004, a top computer consultancy said on Tuesday.

Building Bridges Radio-Venezuelan Unions In Reshuffle (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report presents this 27 min radio program-To Listen click on indymedia link

BTL:House Passes White House Plan To Deprive Millions of Workers Overtime Pay. (tags)

Interview with Jared Bernstein, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, conducted by Between the Lines' Scott Harris

SPFPA LEADS BATTLE TO PROTECT SECURITY UNIONS and MEMBERS (tags)

SEIU IS NOW RAIDING SECURITY UNIONS ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

SPFPA LEADS BATTLE TO PROTECT SECURITY UNIONS AND ITS MEMBERS (tags)

SEIU IS NOW RAIDING SECURITY UNIONS ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

SCENARIO 1.1 "Liberty" (tags)

The unfortunate events in a sleepy little town called "Liberty," as envisioned by Jonah.

Hungry In Hazelton, Canada (tags)

When the anti-union B.C. Liberal provincial government sold pulp producer Skeena Cellulose, the buyer closed the doors of the Carnaby mill in Hazelton. Over 100 workers were left without jobs.

SEIU IS NOW RAIDING SECURITY UNIONS ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES (tags)

SPFPA LEADS BATTLE TO PROTECT SECURITY UNIONS and MEMBERS!

Working Clas U.S. Perspectives 2003 -2004 (tags)

Working Class

July 19th PROTEST in Hollywood to repeal "Patriot Act." (tags)

Come to a Candlelight Vigil to Defend Civil Liberties! DEFEND OUR RIGHTS! STOP THE REPRESSION! An Injury to One is an Injury to All!

Where Was The Color In Seattle? Looking for reasons why the Battle was so White (tags)

"I was at the jail where a lot of protesters were being held and a big crowd of people was chanting 'This Is What Democracy Looks Like!' At first it sounded kind of nice. But then I thought: is this really what democracy looks like? Nobody here looks like me." --Jinee Kim, Bay Area youth organizer

Venezuela trade union solidarity appeal (tags)

Venezuela

Bush's Fiscal Policy Not Creating New Jobs (tags)

How about that "jobs and growth" plan from the $350 billion in tax cuts that President Bush proposed and Congress signed?

Latin america: WEEKLY NEWS FROM THE RESISTANCE (tags)

This is an article about resistance in several neighborhoods of many latin american countries: the way they get active in the community and how they are evolving and making difference in their lives in a self-organized way.

Venezuela- the revolution faced with sabotage (tags)

Venezuela

Corporate Subliminal Collusion: How the Bilderberg Pulls the Strings (tags)

In our ostensibly civilized society we forget that corporations are not moral or ethical entities. If you think I'm too critical, consider the following. Back in the early days of the blue-collar labor movement workers were actually dying on the job. Preventable explosions and mine collapses occurred regularly. 20, 40, even 80 and more miners at a time lost their lives.

NO TO BUSH - NO TO THE DEMOCRATS (tags)

the elections

Immigration control- atool of the bosses (tags)

Immigration

Eliminating the right to overtime pay! (tags)

More Bushit Plans to Screw Us All!

Unionized Whole Foods Market Workers Struggle to Make their Voices Heard (tags)

Whole Foods continues lying and misinforming their workers about unionizing while the only unionized workers in the company try to get the real story to their co-workers.

Argentina-attitude of revolutionary Socialists towards the Kirchner goverment (tags)

Argentina-Reformor Revolution

Latin America fights neolibralism (tags)

Despite the murderous repression that the Pinochet regime was known for, thousands of Chileans took to the streets in mass demonstrations. With the economy collapsing, the fascist government was forced to rehire public sector workers and reinstitute many of the laws and programs in place before the coup.

Student protests reveal weakness of Iranian regime (tags)

Iran

PHOTOS & REPORT: Press Conference to Stop the Deportations of 13,000 Immigrants (tags)

A wide range of organizations gathered in front of the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles at 10:00a.m., Thursday, June 19, 2003, to voice their opposition to a recent announcement by the government that 13,000 Muslim, Arab, and South Asian men who registered with the INS as part of the government's controversial Special Registration Program (NSEERS) will face deportation.

Irag-Two months after the fall-A Vietnamese trap for the coalition forces (tags)

Irag War

AMonomaniac with a Bad idea-Bush against the Economy (tags)

Bush and the economy

The Minimum Wage is No Wage at All (tags)

Can't get much more "minimum"

Peru: An Upsurge of Strikes and Barricades (tags)

All through May the people of Peru built a powerful wave of struggle--isolating the corrupt government and shaking the rotten system that holds them in misery. Peru's President Toledo responded with bloody repression--imposing a fascistic "state of emergency" and unleashing his soldiers to kill people in the streets. As we go to press, this powerful upsurge is still shaking the country. The following report is based on mainstream press accounts.

Workers Struggle's In Costa Rica (tags)

Costa Rica

Whole Food's Vote to Unionize Upsets Libertarian Founder (tags)

Whole Foods union problems erupted in 1990, when they took over a failed co-op in Berkeley, CA. Founder John Mackey believed that union demands sunk the co-op, so he refused to hire its employees -- an unpopular move in leftist Berkeley.

Stanford Students Emerge Victorious After Seven Day Fast (tags)

Major Concessions on Labor Issues Made by University

Struggle in Peru intensifies (tags)

Struggle in Peru intensifies

Bhopal disaster victims struggle for justice (tags)

PITTSBURGH – Unlike a natural disaster like the recent earthquake in Algeria, some man-made disasters, “industrial accidents,” leave dishes on the shelves, homes intact, windows secure and factories in place.

UN rubber stamps US-UK occupation of Irag (tags)

Occupation of Irag

Argentina: Support Workers Control of Production! (tags)

Workers want to reopen a pasta manufacturing facility near Buenos Aires to put food in community kitchens, schools, and hospitals. Support Workers Control!

Rational Fascism (tags)

A short history of the rise of Italian and German fascism and the reasons for the occurrence. Excerpted from Michael Parenti's book Blackshirts and Reds.

Jobless rate climbs to nine-year high (tags)

EAST CHICAGO, Ill. – Bruce Gaddy is single. Tony McIntosh is married and has two children. Both live in this working-class suburb, 25 miles south of downtown Chicago. And both are unemployed: Gaddy because his plant closed, McIntosh because he was “down-sized” after working 22 years for AT&T.

Posters from the May '68 Paris Uprising (tags)

Art For A Change celebrates the 35th Anniversary of the ATELIER POPULARE with an essay on the artworks and a display of the historic Posters: http://www.art-for-a change.com/Paris/paris.html

Miwon - Points of Unity (tags)

May 1, 2003 MIWON – multi –ethnic immigrant workers organizing network (Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Garment Workers Center (GWC), Korean Immigrant Workers Center (KIWA), Pilipino Workers’ Center (PWC)

Immigrant Workers Contact Numbers (tags)

A list of MIWON multi language contact numbers.

Ending The Good Times - Exporting America’s High-Wage Jobs (tags)

The growing ability of U.S. employers to substitute cheaper foreign labor for U.S. labor is putting pressure on U.S. wages and salaries. On April 26 the New York Times reported that the real earnings of those in the top ten percent fell 1.4% over the last year. The real weekly pay for the median worker fell 1.5 percent.

U.S. Troops Open Fire On Iraqi Protesters, Again (tags)

Iraqi people are being shot dead for demanding that their school not be turned into a U.S. military base.

Fighting mad New Yorkers work to stop ‘doomsday’ budget (tags)

People are angry in New York City – and they have a right to be angry. Every day massive cuts in local and state spending appear more and more imminent. At the state level, revenues are 10 percent below what is needed.

Exploto Mi Cultura! (tags)

Ownership of Espresso Mi Cultura coffee house practices censorship and refuses a workers right to unite for a better working enviroment!

Repression in Argentina (tags)

Vicious Cop Repression against the worker-occupied Brukman Factory in Buenos Aires

Argentina: Tension Builds Around Brukman Factory (tags)

An emergency appeal for international solidarity actions to defend the embattled clothing workers of the Brukman factory has been posted. See links below.

Alma’s courage: Colombian journalist risks everything to tell the truth (tags)

“Death threats are not new for us. It is a way of life here. Every family in Colombia has come to terms with violence. Everyone in Colombia knows of a relative who has been tortured, disappeared, or killed – treated in the most grotesque ways.”

NYC Cuts Workers, While Israel Grows Richer (tags)

Article about How Vast Financial Aid to Israel has Contributed to US Terror Risk

Class War heats up in the USA (tags)

Class War

Spain April 10th-General Strike of Students and Workers against the War on Irag (tags)

War on Irag

Dying to work: Humanitarian disaster on the desert (tags)

SASABE, Sonora, Mexico – The Sonoran desert has a delicate, haunting beauty. Hundreds of species of birds, cacti and lizards have adapted to survive its lack of water and brutal temperatures exceeding 120 degrees. The list of these desert-hardy species does not include human beings.

Police attack injures protesters, workers (tags)

OAKLAND, Calif. – Outraged witnesses and community leaders used words like “preemptive,” “premeditated,” and “brutal” during an emotionally charged meeting of the Oakland City Council to describe the Oakland Police Department’s attack on anti-war demonstrators and longshore workers near the gate of the Stevedoring Services of America dock on Monday, April 7.

Memphis 1968: We remember (tags)

An assassin’s bullet felled the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968. King had come to Memphis to support a strike by the city’s sanitation workers.

www.iraqwar.ru and the Lying US News Media (tags)

Varlet expresses "Shock and Awe" (but not surprise) at the shameless lying of the US Govt and their puppet capitalist press.

Bush Admin Proposes an End to Overtime Pay (tags)

Bush Admin Proposes an End to Overtime Pay - Take Action PLEASE

Italy, demos in 85 cities and towns, 100.000 in Roma in the night (tags)

yesterday, first day of war, demos in 85 Italian cities and towns, most workers on strike. In the night 100.000 in Roma by torchlight.

Millions stop work as anti-war protests sweep Europe and beyond (tags)

"backers of Washington's hard line like Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and Australian Prime Minister John Howard are defying hostile public opinion.... On the other side of the globe, Howard was hounded by anti-war protesters who hurled eggs and tomatoes at his car...

Farm Labor Leaders Slam Bush over Mexico Pressures at UN (tags)

Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America; Arturo Rodriguez, president of the UFW; and Baldemar Velasquez, president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, tell Bush to stop pressuring the Mexican government to vote at the UN for a war the Mexican people overwhelmingly oppose.

Global Women's Strike Mobilizations Around the World -- Written March 7th (tags)

GLOBAL WOMEN'S STRIKE 8 MARCH 2003 SECOND INTERNATIONAL UPDATE WOMEN SAY NO WAR - INVEST IN CARING NOT KILLING

The Bush Outrage(s) of the Month list (tags)

(see related story below) As part of its campaign to put a four-year limit on George W. Bush’s tenure at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the AFL-CIO has drawn up what might be called the “Outrage of the Month” list of attacks against working people by the Bush administration since taking office in January 2001.

BREAKING NEWS: CIW Hunger Strike Ends as National Religious Groups Endorse Boycott (tags)

Today, amidst a groundswell of support from National Religious Groups, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) ended its ten-day old hunger strike against Taco Bell.

Money Drives the Tobacco Wars (tags)

From the book "The Rule of Law in the Wake of Clinton"

Why we don't support ANSWER (tags)

the reasons

CIW hunger stirkeupdate (tags)

Another update on the CIW hunger strike situation

Taco Bell Hunger Strike Update (tags)

An brief update on the Situation of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers

Can Taco Bell's Guarantee that Forced Labor Did Not Pick the Tomatoes in its Chalupas? (tags)

A note from CIW on Day 8 of the Farmworkers' Hunger Strike outside Taco Bell world Headquarters in Irvine, CA

SUPPORT FARMWORKERS - CALL IN TODAY (tags)

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Urgent Action: Support the CIW Hunger Strikers -- Call Taco Bell on Monday! (tags)

CALL (502) 874-3820 or FAX (502) 874-8315 The Coalition of Immakolee Workers (CIW) hunger strike is going into its second week! Call Taco Bell Parent company on Monday and tell them to acknowledge the hunger strikers and open a meaningful dialogue now!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT FARMWORKER HUNGER STRIKE AT TACO BELL HQ (tags)

Press Release

Taco Bell Hunger strike (tags)

update from day 2 of the hungerstrike.

Hunger Strike Commences outside Taco Bell World Headquarters (tags)

Report from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) on the progress of their struggle to win decent wages for the workers who pick tomatoes for Taco Bell.

Olympic and Broadway (tags)

homelessness and activism

Investigaciones de Movimientos Populares en Sud America (tags)

(English Follows) Desarollamos soluciones de igualidad y sustenabilidad – y protegemos soluciones reales.Es importante tomar nota de esta lucha historica en Sud America y lo compartir con companeros y amigos de los pobres en todo el mundo.

gringo go home (tags)

check out argentina.indymedia.org

Covert Operations Against Political Targets (tags)

Could the Los Angeles Times be in bed with corrupt County employees?

No to Bush's war for oil & empire (tags)

For building an anti-imperialist core in the anti-war movement.

BOYCOTT TACO BELL ! HUNGER STRIKE BEGINS FEB 24! (tags)

OCRC@MAIL.COM

THOSE WHO DIVIDE THE PEACE MOVEMENT (tags)

David Corn & Marc Cooper of "The Nation" magazine have been attacking ANSWER. Here is a transcript of David Corn's appearance on the Bill O'Reilly talk show. If ever there was a shameless selling out of the Peace movement... here it is.

Building Bridges Radio:Lufthansa U.S. Subsidiary-An Employer from Hell (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community Labor Report presents this 26 min program. TO LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK. Building Bridges is broadcast Mondays 4-5pm PT over WBAI in NYC & streamed at http://www.2600.com/offthehook/hot2.ram

Workers Action Says: DEFEND IRAQ! DEFEAT IMPERIALISM! (tags)

Workers Action Says: No to Layoffs at Home, Bombs and Sanctions Abroad! Not A Penny, Not A Person To The Military! DEFEND IRAQ! DEFEAT IMPERIALISM! Two Years of Bush: Two Wars and Two Coup Attempts! Is the U.S. Planning Permanent War?

Blacked out union story on scab tortillas (tags)

National boycott of Azteca tortillas and chips...media is boycotting this story on 63 immigrant (Mexican American) workers (most are women) who are running their picket line 24 hours/day through the Chicago winter. Azteca's Mexican American owner is trying to break the union. Help us spread the word to end this 4 1/2 months ordeal.

Assi Boycott Lunar New Year Action (tags)

Los Angeles CA ---- January 31, 2003 On the eve of the Lunar New Year, suspended Assi workers and community supporters took to the streets. The Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates (KIWA) has been in a struggle with Assi bosses for over a year to rehire workers suspended during an attempt to unionize.

US reached debt limit, unemployment rampant (tags)

US national debt nears $6.4 TRILLION limit, so the US Treasury Dept. asks for higher debt ceiling for the Fed Govt; U.S. Economy in Worst Hiring Slump in 20 Years...

Pakistani Marxist MP, Manzoor Ahmed (tags)

Pakistan

BUSH TO DISMANTLE "ANTIQUATED" OVERTIME PAY (tags)

A Bush administration overhaul of decades-old labor regulations could force many Americans to work longer hours without overtime pay.

AFL-CIO tells Bush and Congress: Get real on the economy (tags)

(see related story below) The AFL-CIO charged in a Jan. 27 report that, despite President Bush’s rosy claims, the economy is in worse shape than it was two years ago when measured by all the key indicators important to working families.

Protests slow down Bush rush to war (tags)

WASHINGTON – George W. Bush’s rush toward war on Iraq ran into a human wall Jan. 18 as anti-war protesters packed the streets of Washington, San Francisco, Tucson, Portland, Oregon, Toronto, Canada and 20 other cities chanting “Peace now!” and “No blood for oil!”

Resistance Stiffens in Antwerp (tags)

‘Belgians should not be disturbed if they see Apache helicopters flying overhead this weekend,’ said [Defence] Minister [André] Flahaut. The Belgians are indeed disturbed, Mr Minister, and angry as well.

so if ANSWER is IAC which is Workers World party does anyone care (tags)

??

pbnberkeley news notice - 1/21/03 (tags)

Publishing, republishing and compiling community news and event information promotig global peace and working class solidarity and NO WAR ON IRAQ!

All the reasons why ANSWER and NION are Authoritarian dictators (tags)

I can think for myself please

Report on Layoffs Killed (tags)

The Bush administration, under fire for its handling of the economy, has quietly killed off a Labor department program that tracked mass layoffs by US companies. This article originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle is available on www.corpwatch.org

The Talented, the Educated, the Able, the Willing, and the Screwed (tags)

The United States has long been the world's hot bed of technological advancement. The cutting edge of the cutting edge of American technology has long been the realm of the American software engineer, developer, and programmer. All of this is threatened by a government and industry that openly promote the destruction of this American niche. Our government has actively and knowingly supported strategies, actions, policies, and laws that have pushed the American engineer out of the economic game and into the unemployment lines.

Baltimore Report Back from Bogota (tags)

What we learned during this trip was shocking, moving, and inspiring. Let us dedicate ourselves to the same fight whether it is stopping the Iraq war fighting racism fighting against State budget cuts or building solidarity for our sisters and brothers in Colombia. Stop plan Colombia! End U.S. imperialism! Justice for the Colombian workers!

Building Bridges Radio - Blue Christmas at the NYC Dept of Education (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents this 12 min radio program. To Listen click on indymedia link.

Plum Island: A Disaster Waiting To Happen (tags)

Or has it already

pbnberkeley news notice - 12/21/02 (tags)

Publishing, republishing and compiling community news and event information promoting global and working class solidarity and NO WAR ON IRAQ!

Argentina: MOBILIZE TOGETHER TO PLAZA THE MAYO (tags)

Author: Press secretary PTS (Partido de Trabajadores por el Socialismo) Date: 12/14/2002 Source: Press Release

pbnberkeley news notice - 12/16/02 (tags)

Publishing, republishing and compiling community news and event information promoting global peace and working class solidarity and NO WAR!

Building Bridges Radio-The Issues in the NYC Transit Negotiations (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community Labor Report presents this 12.5 minute radio program with Roger Toussaint, President of Transport Workers Union Local100 To LISTEN CLICK ON INDYMEDIA LINK

Say NO to the moo SEIU Unity Plan (tags)

SEIU is trying to Rob its Members

NLRB issues complaint against SEIU for threatening San Francisco janitors (tags)

One More Example of the Corruption in the SEIU

NLRB issues complaint against SEIU for threatening San Francisco janitors (tags)

One More Example of the Corruption in SEIU

ISRAEL KILLS TWO MORE UN WORKERS (tags)

After shooting to death the chief UN Official (in the back by an Israeli sniper) last week , Israel now kills two more UN workers. (Israel hails raid as "successful")

End Disney's Sweatshop Exploitation (tags)

This letter to the CEO of Disney demands an increase of wages in the factories that sew Winnie the Pooh garments.

Global McSLow as fuck day - solidarity with Argentine struggle (tags)

A call to action addressed to all McDonalds workers from McDonalds Workers Resistance `McGO-SLOW AS FUCK', DEC. 21st In solidarity with the anti-McDonalds prisoners in Mexico and with the popular rebellion in Argentina

"WOMEN & RESISTANCE IN EL SALVADOR" SUN. DEC. 8 (tags)

Radical Women on Sunday, December 8, 2002, 2:00 p.m. host Special Guest Speaker from El Salvador Marta Consuelo Hernández on “Women and Resistance: Alive and Inseparable”

Finding the Proletariat in Georgia (tags)

There has been discussion on http://2changetheworld.info around the question of whether or not there is a proletariat in the USA. Are there really people here that have nothing to lose but their chains? Some claim that there is no real proletariat in the USA, but when I look around me I see differently.

Miss World pageant highlights terrible conitions of masses in Nigeria (tags)

Ethnic conflicts in Nigeria

Congress skips town, snubs kids and jobless (tags)

The 107th Congress adjourned on Nov. 22 after refusing to provide extended unemployment benefits to nearly a million unemployed workers, cutting the availability of Section 8 housing vouchers, denying health care to more than 900,000 children and refusing to provided federal aid to states facing the worst fiscal crisis since World War II. It did, however, find the money for a $2 billion Election Day pay off to drug companies and a promised $100 billion to insurance companies.

Ecuador-Lucio Gutierrez opens a new revolutionary stage (tags)

Ecuador

French workers mobilize against privatisation (tags)

Workers against privatisation

Fighting for peace and justice (tags)

Students join with labor / Youth flexes power to stop war

Workplace Abuses at Lufthansa (tags)

"Lufthansa Unbalanced" Web Site Exposes Conflict Between Socially Responsible Image and Treatment of U.S. Workforce, says Airline Catering Union

Unionists persecuted by right-wing thugs and police (tags)

Death threats, police raids and assassinations are the daily lot for Colombian trade unionists. The persecutions and assassinations are "the dark consequences of the imposition of a State of National Emergency", says Colombia's national union confederation CUT

Assi / Forever 21 March and Rally (tags)

11/16/02 Los Angeles CA Immigrant workers and supporters march through Koreatown to Assi Market as evening arrives for The Immigrant Workers Union.

Red-baiting. "The Anti-War Movement and Its Critics. (tags)

"Do we have an antiwar movement? We're getting there. We must be, because we're catching flak from the anti-anti war movement, Light Infantry division, staffed by Marc Cooper, Todd Gitlin, David Corn, and Christopher Hitchens."

Class warfare in Colorado: Steelworkers mark fifth anniversary of strike (tags)

PUEBLO, Colo. – The locked-out steelworkers from United Steel Workers of America Locals 2102 and 3267 gathered here at the state fairgrounds in October to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the strike at the CF&I steel mill in Pueblo. Over 700 union members and supporters turned out to renew their pledge to last one day longer than Oregon Steel in its continuing war on its workers.

Sweatshops and Imperialism (tags)

The conditions in Third World sweatshops and the relationship between sweatshops and imperialism.

Action: Assi & Forever 21 One-Year Anniversary (tags)

11/16/02 (time TBA) Displaced workers and the concerned will protest / march through Koreatown. See IMC calendar.

Muslim Public Affairs Council's Profiles of California Candidates (tags)

MPAC cannot endorse candidates, but it will provide a profile of the candidates running for constitutional offices in the state of California. The profiles include races for Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and Superintendent for Public Instruction. MPAC analysts took a close look on the candidates' stands on civil liberties, education, homelessness, and labor:

National security, or war on workers? (tags)

OAKLAND, Calif. – Like many Filipinos living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Erlinda Valencia found a job at the airport, screening carry-on bags for passengers. She worked for Argenbright Security for 14 years, most of that time at a minimum-wage job, barely able to support her family.

BTL:Workers Party Candidate Lula Da Silva's Landslide Victory in... (tags)

...Brazil's Presidential Election Changes the World's Political Landscape Interview with Steve Cobble,of the Center for international Policy, conducted by Scott Harris

Holloween Action: Boycott Assi (tags)

Holloweend Action. 6pm-8pm @ Assi Market, (8th & Oxford). Support Immigrant Worker Rights.

Class Struggle in China -Organise! AF (Britain/Ireland) (tags)

Ever since the signing of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, the most advanced sections of capital have sought to integrate China into the world market.

Turnout key in dead-heat elections (tags)

We are “One Vote Away” from right-wing control of all three branches of the federal government warns People For the American Way (PFAW) in a television ad being aired in states where Senate races are too close to call.

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF A NARCO-TERROR STATE (tags)

The most censored and ignored story of the last - and the next - five years must be: "Global Economy Caters to US Addictions." Half of the world's problems are caused by the US addictions to oil and all kinds of drugs. The illegal drug trade is the second largest sector of the global economy. Include all of the legal drugs that US citizens are addicted to and "Drugs" would be the largest sector by far.

BTL:'Lula' and His Workers Party Poised to Win Brazilian Presidency (tags)

Interview with Luis Gomez, Andean bureau chief with Narco News conducted by Scott Harris

Riverside DA and Judge clash over controversial prosecutor's promotion (tags)

When prosecutor Michael Rushton came under fire last summer for kicking off nine Black jurors in a capital murder case, his boss, Grover Trask was silent. Now, with his promotion of Rushton to supervise the drug enforcement division, his silence is broken.

Bush rewards bosses, invokes Taft-Hartley (tags)

LOS ANGELES – The labor movement reacted with outrage to George W. Bush’s decision to invoke the unionbusting Taft-Hartley Act to end an employer lockout of the West Coast International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). It was the first use of the law against the union since Richard Nixon invoked it in 1971 to interrupt a strike.

Workers:"Don't kill workers"! (tags)

ChiRevNet (chicago revolutionary network ) releases anti-war statement to workers of the world.

Journalism under attack in Argentina (tags)

Tense situation in occupied factory Zanon

Half a Million Workers march through Madrid (tags)

Half a million workers march through Madrid against the "decretazo"

Voices of Anarchist Union Organizers (tags)

I asked a few folks to tell me a little about themselves and their views on organizing for unions. These six people identify as either an anarchist (with or without adjectives) or as an anti-authoritarian (an anarchist that doesn't know it yet!). They all work as union organizers or have worked as union organizers.

Thousands rally in capital against war and greed (tags)

WASHINGTON – For four days last week, the capital echoed with marching feet and chants of “corporate greed has got to go” and “No war for oil!”

At long last, victory for the farmworkers! (tags)

It took a public appeal to the conscience to get the governor to drop his checkbook!

Radical Korean Labor Films (tags)

Come to a Screening of Radical South Korean Labor Films Weds, Oct 2nd 7pm at KIWA.

5 deaths of longshore workers prove hazardous conditions (tags)

There have been 5 deaths of longshore workers this year on the docks, demonstrating the hazardous working conditions. The World Socialist Website provides one perspective on what is to be done.

West Coast Ports Stay Shut (tags)

Shippers: W. Coast Ports Stay Shut - Sun Sep 29,11:35 PM ET - By JUSTIN PRITCHARD, Associated Press Writer

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Oppose Iraq Invasion (tags)

Resolution passed by United Electrical radio and Machine Workers of America Opposing U.S. attack and invasion of Iraq.

Capitalism's Injustices (tags)

A discussion of the injustices of the capitalist system.

Thuggery by Partido Obrero of Argentina (tags)

Official statement on the detention of one of Democracia Obrera’s (Workers Democracy’s) national leaders that was given to the police by leaders of the Workers Party, after their thugs treated him to a beating with sticks during a demonstration.

LA TIMES on ILWU with short update (tags)

Below is yesterday's LA times on ILWU possible lockout by the bosses. NYT reports today the lockout is averted

Israeli Sex Trade Needing NV-style workers' union? (tags)

Do Israel's sex workers need cards? Russian physics teacher and eastern european women immigration-for-trade issue. Football team-like trade fee or indenture fee at $6,500 pounds a temple maiden? Table turners:LV or JC?

9/11 events: Our grief is not a cry for war (tags)

NEW YORK – As events marked the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, New Yorkers, in all their diversity, turned out to remember those who died, to honor those who rushed to the aid of the World Trade Center (WTC) victims and to call for peaceful solutions to terrorism.

Empowering Los Angeles’ immigrant workers: (tags)

Over 100 community supporters are anticipated to mark the one-year anniversary of two emerging campaigns for immigrant workers’ rights in a town hall meeting. Supporters will discuss the larger context and national implications of the Forever 21 and Assi Market campaigns, as well as learn about the latest directions of both efforts.

Relying on failed strategies Union leaders place ILWU victory in jeopardy (tags)

Relying on big business politicians and refusing to mobilize their members to confront the employers' attacks is a strategy that has led to defeat after defeat for organized labor despite great sacrifice and heroism from the rank and file union member. There is little indication in the ILWU/PMA struggle that change is on the way.

Global Day of Protest against Coca-Cola: O17 (tags)

In Barcelona, major AIDS groups from across the globe issued a call for actions on October 17th demanding AIDS drugs for Coca Cola's 100,000 employees and bottling plant workers in Africa. The numbers of countries and cities planning actions is growing rapidly, and the company is running scared. Here's how you can get involved in the Global Day of Protest.

9/5LA ILWU Press Conf (tags)

The ILWU has called an emergency press conference on the threat to use troops to break any strike action and/or to run the docks without the union.

Callout for Anarchist Contingent at Labor Day March! (tags)

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Organized labor rallies in support of the UFW (tags)

“This is the number one labor issue right now in California,” said Miguel Contreras, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. “On this Labor Day in the year 2002, this is THE issue for working families in California.”

Union members run for Congress (tags)

Even a brief look at the make-up of the 107th Congress helps explain why workers are catching hell these days. Yes, it is true that there are “friends of labor” who have 100 percent AFL-CIO voting records, but they find themselves out-gunned in a Congress whose 535 members include 150 millionaire lawyers, bankers and other business people.

NOON TODAY: UFW Rally in Downtown LA (tags)

TODAY - rally with the UFW at Governor Davis's LA office and urge him to sign SB 1736.

Help California farm laborers, now more than ever! (tags)

You can do something RIGHT NOW to improve working conditions and the standard of living of the people whose hands harvest your food!

Farmworker March for Equality begins tomorrow (tags)

The California legislature just passed a bill that will help level the playing field between growers and farmworkers, but Gov. Davis is threatening to veto it. Tomorrow the UFW starts a 10-day "March for Equality" from Merced to Sacramento, ending with a big rally on Aug 25. Please join the rally in Sacramento, if you can!

Bush visit to Portland, an invitation (tags)

ILWU Local 5 resolution regarding the upcoming Bush visit to Portland, OR>

Short list of ILWU Solidarity (tags)

Short List of ILWU Solidarity

ILWU faces historic moment for Union and Nation (tags)

ILWU faces historic moment for Union and Nation. story from portland indymedia.

Anarchism and the Labor Movement (tags)

The differences between Labor and anrachists need to be understood in order for any successful revolution is to take place

Main St. goes to Wall St. (tags)

NEW YORK – Workers chanting, “Who’s city? Our city!” rallied here outside the New York Stock Exchange with laid-off workers from WorldCom, Enron and Arthur Andersen to tell Corporate America, “No more business as usual!”

From Lockout to Boycott!! Boycott ASSI!! (tags)

The locked out ASSI workers, and many organizations including the Immigrant Workers Union, KIWA, and Sweatshop Watch are calling for everyone to boycott ASSI Market and to join the workers picketing at the Market.

Assi Workers Locked Out!! (tags)

60 Assi Workers were locked out today after reporting to work despite being suspended.

AFL-CIO to Wall Street: No more business as usual (tags)

Call for Bush-Cheney probe George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney faced sharp new questions about their role in Enron-style corporate fraud as the stock market continued to plummet and WorldCom went belly-up July 22, the largest corporate bankruptcy in history.

URGENT!!FAST TRACK VOTE TOMORROW!! TELL YOUR REP TO VOTE 'NO'!! (tags)

CONGRESS MUST HEAR FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS THAT THIS PROCESS IS OUTRAGEOUS! CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN DC: 1-877-611-0063 (AFL-CIO SPONSORED TOLL FREE NUMBER) 1-202-224-3121 (CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD) TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY GIVES BUSH THE RIGHT TO TRADE OUR JOBS AND THE ENVIRONMENT AWAY. TELL YOUR REP TO VOTE 'NO' ON TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY!!

Victimized UPS Worker - Please Make Calls!! (tags)

**PLEASE FORWARD FAR AND WIDE** WHAT'S HAPPENING: On June 21st, in the middle of contract negotiations, United Parcel Service in Williston, Vermont fired Dawn Stanger for the crime of "stealing one minute."

Walk for Farmworker Justice: round-up of portland indymedia coverage (tags)

Collected portland indymedia coverage of the 2002 Walk for Farmworker Justice in Woodburn, Oregon, on July 13.

Bush covers for Wall Street thieves (tags)

WASHINGTON – Hammered with questions about his links to corporate crime, President George W. Bush hastily travelled to Wall Street July 9 and vowed to crack down on CEOs who enrich themselves through fraud while employees lose their jobs, pensions and health benefits.

Labor solidarity backs West Coast dockers (tags)

OAKLAND – Leaders of unions representing transport workers from around the world locked arms at a Solidarity Day rally here on June 27 in support of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). The ILWU is in the battle of its life, faced with a threatened lockout by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) – and the danger that President Bush will invoke the Taft-Hartley Act in the event of a strike or slowdown.

HAMEED KHAN AND ALL QUETTA STRIKE LEADERS AND WORKERS RELEASED! (tags)

COURAGE AND DETERMINATION IN STRUGGLE FORCES THE DICTATORSHIP TO RETREAT

Strikers as Terrorists? (tags)

June 27, 2002 A CounterPunch Exclusive Strikers as Terrorists? Ridge Calls Longshoremen's Chief by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair

SOLIDARITY WITH PIQUETEROS MOVEMENT! (tags)

Stop police repression in Argentina! Please, send your messages of solidarity . More information: www.marxist.com

Homeland Security & Union Busting (tags)

In a CounterPunch exclusive, Alexander Cockburn shows how the Bush Administration's phony and fascist "War on Terrorism" is being waged against decent working people here at home.

A day in the life of a Palestinian-American's extended Faily and more! (tags)

Sam Bahour is a Palestinian-American businessman living in the besieged Palestinian City of Al-Bireh in the West He is co-author of HOMELAND: Oral Histories of Palestine and Palestinians (1994)

98 UNIONISTS KILLED SO FAR THIS YEAR (tags)

"We do not want expressions of condolence from a government during whose mandate assassinations of trade union leaders have increased astronomically," Colombian unionists say.

Networked Web/Microradio Broadcast of Major Portworkers Rally (tags)

The Portworkers Rally at the Port of Oakland at 11:00 am on June 27, 2002 will be broadcast over a web/microradio network along the West Coast. A live microradio broadcast from the Port of Oakland will be received by the SF IMC and web cast to other IMC's, where the streams will be picked up and broadcast via the Internet and microradio, such as on www.killradio.org.

Labor Rally Thursday (tags)

Rally Thursday noon in Wilmington, CA to show support for the ILWU longshore workers.

Statement of the Disobedients' Lock-In in Seville (tags)

Manifesto produced by the disobedients presently locked into a church in Seville to support and draw attention to the lock-in and hunger strike of immigrants in that city.

The Falklands War - 20 years later (tags)

...the Argentinean masses are moving to a decisive showdown with the oligarchy. The sympathy of the British workers is with the working people of Argentina. They are an inspiration to the workers of the world.

The Falklands War - 20 years later (tags)

...the Argentinean masses are moving to a decisive showdown with the oligarchy. The sympathy of the British workers is with the working people of Argentina. They are an inspiration to the workers of the world.

PIC #1 FOREVER 21 BEVERLY CENTER WORKERS ACTION 5-25-02 (tags)

Garment workers have gone to the picket lines for their rights. Several more demonstrations are planned. Go to www.Sweatshopwatch.org for more information.

URGENT - Italy: Police raids on COBAS Confederation (tags)

SERIOUS ACT OF PROVOCATION BY THE JUDICIARY AGAINST THE COBAS CONFEDERATION

Bolivar in Argentina (tags)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - Protesters blocked highways, while many teachers and state workers stayed home on Wednesday as Argentina's third-largest union led a 24-hour strike in the latest protest over President Eduardo Duhalde's handling of a devastating four-year recession.

Pic #5 May 18th Garment Workers Protest FOREVER XXI (tags)

Location: West Hollywood CA Info: www.Sweatshopwatch.org Comment: The man carrying the green lettered sign is referring to Forever 21's hiring of the law firm, Lathan and Watkins to defend them while refusing to negotiate with the workers. (As reported by the Garment Worker Center)

Pic #1 May 18th Garment Workers Protest FOREVER XXI (tags)

Location: West Hollywood CA Information: www.Sweatshopwatch.org Comment: Workers carry signs calling for the boycott of Forever XXI and an end to sweatshop factories. Workers demand back wages and a better work envronment. Beverly Center security records the event.

Korean and Latino workers in struggle together! (tags)

A very spirited Multi-Ethnic demonstration in support of workers attempting to Unionize the Assi Supermarket at 8th and Oxford took place May 18th. Participants included the Korean Immigrant Workers Association(KIWA), Immigrant Workers Union, Chirla, MIWA, The Bus Riders Union, the National Lawyers Guild, and others...

New at anarchosyndicalism.org (tags)

lots of new stuff

Industrial workers in China killing their bosses (tags)

Workers in China's industrial heartland have started killing their bosses as a form of labour protest

May Day Protest at Pasadena City College: Dolores Huerta Supports Campus Labor (tags)

300 students, staff, and faculty march in solidarity with workers around the world on May 2.

Report from the Beverly Center Forever XXI demo (tags)

SPIRITED PROTEST OUTSIDE THE BEVERLY CENTER, FOCUSED ON CLOTHING RETAILER "FOREVER XXI", IS WELL RECEIVED BY SHOPPERS

Bush admin already privatizing newly-federalized airport security workers (tags)

Congress passed laws to make airport security screeners federal employees, but the Bush administration is privatizing most of the work in a "race to the bottom" bidding process that looks rather familiar.

WS #70 - Irish anarchist paper online (tags)

latest issue of Workers Solidarity, the Irish anarchist paper

Northeastern Anarchist #4 out now! (tags)

Magazine of the Northeastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists (NEFAC)

Taco Bell boycott March (tags)

This is a collection of photos from the Taco Bell Boycott March in Irvine, California- March 11, 2001 Feel free to reproduce these photos for any non profit use. I only ask that you render photo credit when using. "A Chuck Anderson Photo".

Building Bridges - 1.Arab Workers in Israel 2.NYC Budget Crisis (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents a 58 minute internet radio program 1,Arab Workers in Israel with Assaf Adiv Coordinator of the Workers Advice Center and The New York City Budget Crisis with David Kallack, Senior Fellow at The Fiscal Policy Institute. TO LISTEN TO THIS PROGRAM CLICK ON THE INDY MEDIA LINK

McDonalds Workers organising in the US (tags)

The slaves strike back!

Rome, 2 millions protest! What is really happening in Italy ? (tags)

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Building Bridges Radio presents Silkwood -A Women's History Month Special (tags)

Building Bridges:Your Community & Labor Report produced by Mimi Rosenberg and Ken Nash presents Silkwood-a 58min radio program.Building Bridges is regularly broadcast over WBAI 2-3 PM EST streams live atwww.2600.com/offthehook/hot.2.ram & rebroadcast Wednesdays at 8pm EST on WBAI in Exile www.wbix.org To listen to Silkwood click the indymedia link.

Democracy Now! (3-12): Workers March Across The Country To Protest Taco Bell (tags)

Hear Amy Goodman's interview with Laura Germino from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) -- from today's (3-12-02) Democracy Now! broadcast.

Detailed Report on Sunday's Forever 21 Demo on Santa Monica Promenade (tags)

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) joined forces with local Garment Workers on Sunday Night in a spectacular demonstration on Santa Monica's third street promanade; specifically protesting exploitative textile manufacturer Forever 21, but also calling for an end to all economic injustice.

Student Statement in Support of Immokalee Workers (tags)

Student statement delivered to Taco Bell headquarters today in Irvine during the rally for the Coalition of Immokallee Workers.

The Marriage of Taco Bell and Injustice (drawing) (tags)

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Art And Revolution presented a pageant at the intersection of Van Karman and Morse Streets in Irvine at the base of Taco Bell and Tricon Global's HQ. This scene is the horror of the marraige between Taco Bell and its tomato injustices. Also of note during the pagaent was a stirring corrido writen and sung by one of the workers.

The Marriage of Taco Bell and Injustice (drawing) (tags)

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Art And Revolution presented a pageant at the intersection of Van Karman and Morse Streets in Irvine at the base of Taco Bell and Tricon Global's HQ. This scene is the horror of the marraige between Taco Bell and its tomato injustices. Also of note during the pagaent was a stirring corrido writen and sung by one of the workers.

Coalition of Immokalee Workers Representative (tags)

Over 1,000 people gathered at Taco Bell headquarters in Irvine today to welcome the Coalition of Immokalee Workers as they completed their Taco Bell Truth Tour across the nation.

Spectacular Demonstration/March on Santa Monica Promenade. Boycott Forever 21! (tags)

In one of the most inspired and riveting demonstrations in the past few months in Los Angeles, around 500 people virtually took over the Santa Monica promenade this evening with a dramatic and well-received demonstration and march calling for a Boycott of the Forever 21 clothing line in specific, and an end to all sweatshop labor practices in general!!!

RISE UP 2002: Hundreds of activists join with Farmworkers at UCLA (tags)

The RISE UP 2002 Conference has started. Hundreds of participants collected at Perloff Quad on UCLA campus this morning for the opening plenary; and are presently filling the classrooms of both Royce and Rolfe Hall in the first series of workshops. The conference has been organized by the Coalition of Imokalee Workers (CIW)as part of the Taco Bell Truth Tour.

Free Speech Radio News Reports on Taco Bell Truth Tour (tags)

Yesterday, March 5 2002, Free Speech Radio News aired a story on the on-going Taco Bell Truth Tour, which is headed to Southern California for two days of action on March 10-11.

Visit Taco Bell This Week (tags)

Direct Action Gets the Goods!!!

Aid workers in food for child sex scandal (tags)

Aid workers for more than 40 agencies in west Africa have been involved in extensive sexual exploitation of refugee children, offering food rations in return for favours, a disturbing report compiled by leading aid agencies has found.

We Need to Support Striking Workers in Korea! (tags)

Protest at Korean Consulate is needed to tell Korean president Kim Dae-jung state sponsored terror is not the answer to the nation's labor problems.

In search of a few good teachers and Students (tags)

read on

3rd Annual Global Women's Strike- March 8! (tags)

Under the banner "Invest in Caring Not Killing: Welfare Not Warfare," women –- including welfare mothers,grandmothers, immigrant women,lesbian women, and women with disabilities, as well as men supporters -- will take to the streets with puppets, street theatre, music, and banners, highlighting all the demands of the Global Women’s Strike, in a march down Wilshire Boulevard, a major Los Angeles thoroughfare.

California lawmakers: Arrest Enron execs (tags)

Houston workers demand justice WASHINGTON – A committee of the California State Senate has demanded that Kenneth Lay and other Enron officials be brought to California to stand trial for contempt for refusing to testify before a California Senate Committee investigating “manipulation of the energy market.”

TACO BELL TRUTH TOUR COMES TO LA (tags)

Florida Farm Workers Leave Soon On Nationa Truth Tour! The fifteen city caravan ends with a huge rally at Taco Bell corporate headquarters in Irvine March 11 JOIN IN THE ORGANIZING! Support Farm Worker Justice.....L.A. meeting is February 20th at 7:00 p.m.

Building Bridges Internet Radio - Mayor Bloomberg, Don't Fire 3,500 Workers (tags)

WBAI's Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report presents a 9.5 minute radio program - Community Voices Heard,DC37,AFSCME, City Council members & Parks workers demand that NYC stop the firng of 3500 employees transitioned from welfare to work.They are to be moved into lower paying jobs w/o benefits through a temporary agency

Report from Imokalee (tags)

1-24-02 -- A report back from one of the Taco Bell Boycott Committee activists. The activists went to pick tomatoes.

ART & ACTIVISM OPEN DIALOG (tags)

An open dialogue supporting the exhibition: "Invisible... From Angel Island To The Underground Economy" Saturday, January 26, 2002, from 7 pm to 9 pm, at The Avenue 50 Studio.

Enough is Never Enough When It Comes to Profits (tags)

Next up slavery...

In Response to All Responses On Taco Bell Black Blockers (tags)

Don't read this go out and do something!

100 Converge on Taco Hell HQ demanding raise for Tomato Pickers (tags)

Tuesday, January 15, 2002 -- Irvine, CA -- Taco Hell's World Headquarters

Black Bloc Ruckus at Taco Bell HQ (tags)

Ruckus explodes at the Taco Bell Headquarters

International Struggle Against Corporate Bosses/NOT (tags)

If only..

Market Workers Justice Campaign (tags)

Grocery and garment workers unite in Los Angeles to fight against sweatshop conditions. Market owner harasses workers in union drive. Garment workers and supporters give sweatshop boss indigestion at Take Sushi.

Market Workers Justice Campaign (tags)

Grocery and garment workers take action in Los Angeles against sweatshop conditions. Market owner harasses union activists in Koreatown. Garment workers and supporters give sweatshop boss indigestion at Take Sushi.

Protest outside Taco Bell Headquarters This Jan 15. BOYCOTT TACO BELL (tags)

read on

CO-FOUNDER OF UNITED FARM WORKERS JOINS KPFK PROTEST (tags)

CO-FOUNDER OF UNITED FARM WORKERS JOINS KPFK PROTEST Dolores Huerta, who along with Cesar Chavez, founded the United Farm Workers (UFW), came out to protest KPFK's pulling of the "Seditious Beats" radio program.

Religious Supporters Declare "Season of Conscience" and Join Boycott Against Forever 21 (tags)

This is the press release for the Saturday demonstration. Forever 21 can rake in $400 million this year, but the people who make the clothes are paid sub-minimum. If this rubs you the wrong way, show up and protest.

Tis The Season To Fight For Justice--For Garment Workers at Forever 21! (tags)

Join Mobilization for the Human Family in this Season of Conscience Demonstration in Support of the Boycott of "Forever 21" Stores And to Support Los Angeles Garment Workers in Their Fight for Justice from retailer Forever 21! Saturday, December 15

Tom Morello at Taco Bell Benefit show TOMORROW (tags)

that was supposed to be Morello not MORELLOW sorrrry

Tom Morellow at Boycott TAco Bell Benefit Show TOMORROW!!! (tags)

come and have fun and learn....

Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello at Dec. 7 Taco Bell Boycott Benefit (tags)

Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine will be at this event! Come early if you want to see him! And check out all the cool local artists who don't have the benefit of major commercial promotion, but still have very important things to say. Support Taco Bell's underpaid tomato pickers -- honor the hands that harvest the food you eat!

Orange County Taco Bell Protest Report (tags)

Over 100 demonstrators in Santa Ana demand justice for Taco Bell's exploited tomato pickers in Florida

Tom Morello from Rage AGainst the Machine at Taco Bell Benefit show THIS FRIDAY (tags)

WOO HOO!

Workers in Control or Workers Under Control? (tags)

"New Oroville," a corporate labor colony, provides a total living experience for its workers.

Argentinian ceramist workers appeal to international solidarity (tags)

Our strike began over a month ago, with mobilizations and pickets to avoid stock departures, blockages of bridges and highways to fight against the virtual closure of the plant and the subsequent discharge of almost 400 workers in a province where almost 20 % of its population is already unemployed

Garment Worker Demo - People (tags)

This is what 150 people look like when they're crowded on the sidewalk.

RADIO IMC-LA: The Invisible Workforce, Part One - The Garment Workers (tags)

Over 150,000 workers go to work in sweatshop conditions every day in LA's garment district. The Garment Workers' Center is organizing the garment workers and helping bring change to a highly exploited community.

RADIO IMC-LA: The Invisible Workforce, Part One - The Garment Workers (tags)

Over 150,000 workers go to work in sweatshop conditions every day in LA's garment district. The Garment Workers' Center is organizing the garment workers and helping bring change to a highly exploited community.

Big Turnout and Big Support for Forever 21 Picket (tags)

Over 150 people turned out to support a boycott against Forever 21 for garment worker abuses.

Afghan Women: Solution for Afghanistan's Future (tags)

The Feminist Majority released this call to work with women in Afghanistan to rebuild the country.

Building Bridges Internet Radio present International Labor & the War (tags)

Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report in Exile presents a 57 min. internet Radio program on International Labor & the War in Afghanistan with participants from Pakistan, the U.K., the U.S. & South Africa. Building Bridges can be heard over the internet on WBAI In Exile on Tuesdays from 8-9PM at www.wbix.org

Congress left workers out of its airline bailout bill (AFL-CIO) (tags)

More than 638,000 layoffs have been announced since Sept. 11, but Congress left workers out of its airline bailout bill.

Consumers, Passengers, Pilots & Flight Attendants: Federalized Air Security (tags)

Organizations Representing Consumers, Passengers, Pilots and Flight Attendants Urge Congress to Federalize Aviation Security. Groups Call for Standardized Procedures, Trained and Motivated Security Workers.

Building Bridges Internet Radio - Undocumented Workers after the WTC Attack (tags)

Building Bridges Your Community and Labor Report in Exile presents a 45 minutes internet radio show exploring the impact of the WTC attack on the eonomic conditions of undocumented workers and on those immigrants caught up in the criminal justice system. Building Bridges is broadcast over WBAI In Exile on Tuesdays 9-10PM EST over www.wbix.org

Downtown March & Rally Draws 3,000+ (tags)

The official count topped 3,000 people at the rally in Pershing and march through downtown today. Crowds watching the march go by were generally friendly, with plenty of waving and flashing of peace signs.

PLAN Conference for Progressive Activists Draws 350+ From Over 160 Groups (tags)

LA, October 21. Saturday, hundreds of activists from over 160 different organizations came together for the first comprehensive political gathering since the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Originally, a 6-month progress report on how those commitments were faring was a major rationale for the planning of this conference, but the planners and presenters did an admirable job of reorienting their focus to deal with the radically changed and highly fluid circumstances in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

Kurdistan News You Can Use+Week of October 11,2001+ (tags)

1). Voice of America reports on October 3rd, 2001 that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan arrested 17 members of Jund al Islami a terrorist organization. 2.) Workers World party continues to supply intelligence and media aid to Ocalan the gang leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party a Maoist terror group responsible for 30,000 deaths in Turkey.

Background Info on the CIW struggle: Farmworkers vs Taco Bell. (tags)

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a farmworker organization based in Immokalee, Florida, has asked to meet with Taco Bell representatives to discuss the working and living conditions of the farmworkers who pick Taco Bell's tomatoes. So far, Taco Bell has refused to talk.

Forever 21 Demo (tags)

Over 50 garment workers and activists gathered at the Fashion 21 store on N. Lake in Pasadena today in a continuing campaign against the parent company, Forever 21. The campaign is in support of a lawsuit filed by the Garment Workers' Center against the company and six Los Angeles factories. The workers are asking for back pay and improved working conditions.

Some History of UFW: From Book: LA CAUSA: The Migrant Farmworkers Story Larios (tags)

This is sold in some parts of our country as a childrens book. Really it is more like Labor Studies or Chicano Studies or U.S. History. 93 pages. Authors Dana Catharine de Ruiz and Richard Larios with Mr. Alex Haley, General Editor. Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers.

4 U.N. Workers Killed in Initial Strike (tags)

Perhaps the Chinese Embassy should consider evacuating as well?

Ha'aretz: Israeli workers were warned of attack (tags)

Paul H. Rosenberg is quite disbelieving that Israel's Mossad shared foreknowledge with the US government prior to the events on September 11, 2001.

A MESSAGE OF PEACE FROM THE CATHOLIC WORKERS (tags)

EVEN AFTER ALL THIS… We are Catholic Workers and we still are pacifists. We too are heartbroken over the events of September 11, 2001. We too grieve the horrific and untimely loss of thousands of livesEVEN AFTER ALL THIS… We are Catholic Workers and we still are pacifists. We too are heartbroken over the events of September 11, 2001. We too grieve the horrific and untimely loss of thousands of lives.

Starbucks charged rescuers for water (tags)

"It was a misunderstanding with Starbucks," said Mr Rapisarda

Taco Bell Truth Tour Postponed (tags)

Public Statement Date: 9/12/2001 From: coaimmwkr@aol.com

Garment Workers Launch Campaign Against Local Sweatshop (tags)

Los Angeles-Nineteen garment workers are joining together to launch a public campaign against Forever 21, a popular retailer of young women's clothing. Picket and press conference Thursday, 9/6. Join the fight against sweatshops.

Dan La Botz Teaches About Mexican Maquiladoras (tags)

G

Pictsweet Rally in Ventura (tags)

Hundreds attended a rally Sept 1 supporting the efforts of farm workers employed by the Pictsweet company as they attempt to negotiate a union contract.

300 workers and MIWON Present Platform to Politicos (tags)

MIWON and 300 workers present a platform

Immigrant Workers of Los Angeles Demand Their Rights! (tags)

Los Angeles, August 18, 2001: MIWON, the Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network,held a Community Town Hall Meeting to present platform on worker’s rights on August 18. Hundreds of workers from restaurant, garment, day laborers, domestic workers, home health-care workers and other low-wage industries united to present an immigrant worker platform to a panel of government and community leaders.

Immigrant Workers of Los Angeles Demand Their Rights! (tags)

Los Angeles, August 18, 2001: MIWON, the Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network,held a Community Town Hall Meeting to present platform on worker’s rights on August 18. Hundreds of workers from restaurant, garment, day laborers, domestic workers, home health-care workers and other low-wage industries united to present an immigrant worker platform to a panel of government and community leaders.

Up to 5,000 Wash. state apple workers march for better pay (tags)

11 a.m. press avail., 1 p.m. rally Sunday Aug, 5 in Yakima Up to 5,000 Wash. state apple workers march for better pay, push UFW bills to legalize undocumented farm laborers

Building Bridges - Labor Internet Radio - Wed 8/1 (tags)

Building Bridges, which was exiled from WBAI-Pacifica is still produced by Mimi Rosenberg and Ken Nash and is now broadcasting over WBAI in Exile, Wed. 5-6 pm PT

Taco Bell Demonstration in East LA (tags)

Hundreds honked as a contingent of students and activists picketed a Taco Bell to raise awareness of the national boycott.

Coca-Cola in 'terror campaign' (tags)

Bottling plants in Colombia alleged to have used rightwing death squads to terrorise workers.

S-25 Show Taco Bell What Democracy Looks Like! (tags)

S-25 Shut Down Taco Bell corporate headquarters in Irvine, CA

Stop the Repeal of Santa Monica's Living Wage Law (tags)

Santa Monica has passed a groundbreaking living wage law that will help lift 2,000 workers out of poverty. But now the city's most powerful business interests are trying to repeal the ordinance.

Union Workers and Supporters Rally at San Diego Union Tribune (tags)

300 plus people gathered in front of the San Diego Union Tribune to rally in support of Union Workers who have been involved in a nine-year struggle with the paper for a decent contract. the paper has responded with dirty tactics and typical union busting techniques.

Company Linked To Bush Seeks Gag On Guardian (tags)

"Barrick is shopping around the world for libel courts which will hear its case and silence human rights workers and reporters. It is using the vicious British libel laws to gag freedom of speech."

Mexican Workers Want Independent Union at Nike/Reebok Contractor (tags)

The January walkout sparked an international solidarity campaign

Hotel Worker Rally & Community March for Fair Housing Rally (tags)

Please come out and support our 650 companeros and companeras that are workers at the Hotel Del Coronado this Friday June 29th at 12pm! On Saturday please join us at 11am at the Sherman Heights Community Center at 2258 Island Ave to rally with the comunidad to battle against the gentrification of Sherman Heights, Barrio Logan and Golden Hill.

NY Jobs with Justice with WBAI (tags)

Building Bridges presents NY Jobs with Justice 10th Anniv Reception & Awards Presentation.Broadcast Live over WBAI's Radio in Exile www.wbix.org Thursday, June 21 6-8 PM EST

Colombians protest IMF policies (tags)

Workers and students have joined forces in Colombia to protest strucuture adjustment programs being imposed by the International Monetary Fund.

UCSD students and workers stop traffic in La Jolla (tags)

Students and workers carried out a civil disobedience action in the middle of la Jolla Village Drive today, stopping traffic for more than 30 minutes. Several students and workers were arrested.

UCSD STUDENTS, JANITORS’ UNION VOW ESCALATE ACTIONS (tags)

The UCSD Students For Economic Justice (SEJ) will hold a major demo continue the immense pressure on the administration at UCSD.

Argentinian workers need your support! (tags)

Spanish goverment wants to leave 7000 argentinan families unemployed

Comments on Hollander (tags)

Comments on the Hollander strike.

"Worth the Walk" Hollander Strike Settled (tags)

Reason to Celebrate at Hollander Home Fashions

Scab Dispute Outside LaborReady (tags)

Dispute outside LaborReady in question.

Workers of the World Unite & Fight (bilingüe) (tags)

un protestador marchando deteniendo una pancarta que dice, "Trabajadores del mundo Unanse y Luchen" (por sus derechos) a marcher and protestor holding up a sign that says, "Workers of the World Unite & Fight" (for your rights)....

MAYDAY LA. -My Working Hands (tags)

Workers march to defend Immigrant's Rights.

MAYDAY LA. -Pilipino Workers (tags)

Pilipino Workers in Los Angeles with a message for the World!

Immigrant Worker Network Issues a MAYDAY!!! (tags)

A demonstration marks May 1 International Workers Day and seeks public support to challenge wholesale violations of immigrant rights.

Global Women's Workers at FTAA Demo, Larsen Park, San Diego, 21 April 2001 (tags)

Global Women's Workers at FTAA Demo, Larsen Park, San Diego, 21 April 2001

Hollander Workers on Picket Line (tags)

Hollander Home Fashion workers videotaped by security as they walk the picket line.

FTAA teach-in at University of California, Irvine April 11 (tags)

Teach-in on the FTAA this Wednesday APRIL 11 5-8.30 pm at UCI

Seattle ACORN Workers on Strike, your help is needed! (tags)

Seattle ACORN Workers have been on strike for a month. Scabs have been brought in. Your help is needed!

EVENING RAP TO IWD-LA (tags)

IWD strike leaders & participants summarize 3/8 day of protest & enjoy entertainment

"The Two Faces of the U.S. Government" (tags)

Posted by Paul Hays of the Progressive Socialist Congress

Successful Labor Organizing Among Vietnamese-Americans:From The Atlanta Library (tags)

In 1989 the UAW feared decertication. They translated leaflets. Later the Aluminum, Brick and Glass Union had the same dilemma.They contacted Asian Alliance of Pacific Labor organizer Ho Lai an organizer with United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Together, they put house meetings on the agenda and Vietnamese-American workers showed up. Their work was successful in 3 key avenues.

A Gardena CA company with 120 employees told to stay in California (tags)

A injunction sought by National Relations Labor Board to proect 120 employees of Quadtrech. The minimum wage employees were members of the Communication Wokers of America.

Picket at Philippine Consulate!!! (tags)

JOIN US IN OUR CALL TO END CORRUPTION! ESTRADA RESIGN OR BE OUSTED! END U.S.-SUPPORT FOR ESTRADA!

The 6th of October Union in Mexico and Han Young (tags)

The 6th of October Union of Workers in Industry & Commerce began a strike in Jume 1997 in Tijuana. Striking against Han Young which is division of Hyudai. The owrkers weled chassis for tractor trailers of semi trailers [18 wheelers]. The protests have begun again in year 2000.

PRI: Officials in Daylight; Criminals at Night BUS TAKEOVER AND PRIVATIZATION (tags)

2nd Installment of Western Hemisphere Conference Written By Alan Benjamin Typeset and Account Time By Paul Hays Key Words: SUTAUR 100, Juez Abraham Polo Uzcanga, Mexico City Bus Drivers Union, PRI Corruption, Political Violence in Mexico, Leonel Villafuerte's Criminal Undertakings, Siglo Nuevo Cooperative.

PRESS RELEASE: March With Sweatshop Workers Through Los Angeles Garment District (tags)

There will be a march today, Thursday, through Los Angeles' garment district with sweatshop workers, Asian and Latino community groups, students, religious leaders and activists.

Sunday Evening Demonstration at Loew's Hotel (tags)

Hotel workers & supporters rallied for their right to organize before the Democratic visitors at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel on Sunday. Loews has resisted workers attempts to organize.

Hotel workers demand their rights in Santa Monica (tags)

At the posh Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, surrounded by a preposterous police presence in full riot gear, low-wage hotel workers rallied for their right to organize. Senator Paul Wellstone, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Rev. Jesse Jackson came out to represent.

Philadelphia: DHS Threatens Taking Mass Custody of Protester's Children (tags)

This is the latest from Philadelphia: A leaked DHS Memo threatens taking mass custody of protester's children. Read a social work professor's response. See www.kwru.org for more information.

Kozmo.com Fires Seattle Employees for Refusing to Sign Waivers (tags)

Seattle -- An estimated 20 Kozmo.com employees were fired yesterday for refusing to sign paperwork that would have allowed the company to perform background checks on their personal lives.

AFL-CIO Immigrant Workers meeting June 10, 2000 (tags)

Following the historic AFL-CIO policy shift on immigration, more than 10,000 immigrant workers, religious, community, and union leaders attended the union movement's regional forum on Saturday, June 10 at the Sports Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

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