Police Shooting of Mother and Infant Exposes a City’s Racial Tension
J. D. Pooley for The New York Times
Ivory Austin, center, the brother of Tarika Wilson, was among those marching Saturday to protest her shooting death and the wounding of her 14-month-old son.
By CHRISTOPHER MAAG
Published: January 30, 2008
LIMA, Ohio — The air of Southside is foul-smelling and thick, filled with fumes from an oil refinery and diesel smoke from a train yard, with talk of riot and recrimination, and with angry questions: Why is Tarika Wilson dead? Why did the police shoot her baby?
Residents of Lima, Ohio, posted a sign at the house where Ms. Wilson, 26, was killed and her 14-month-old son was injured.
“This thing just stinks to high heaven, and the police know it,” said Jason Upthegrove, president of the Lima chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. “We’re not asking for answers anymore. We’re demanding them.”
Some facts are known. A SWAT team arrived at Ms. Wilson’s rented house in the Southside neighborhood early in the evening of Jan. 4 to arrest her companion, Anthony Terry, on suspicion of drug dealing, said Greg Garlock, Lima’s police chief. Officers bashed in the front door and entered with guns drawn, said neighbors who saw the raid.
Moments later, the police opened fire, killing Ms. Wilson, 26, and wounding her 14-month-old son, Sincere, Chief Garlock said. One officer involved in the raid, Sgt. Joseph Chavalia, a 31-year veteran, has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Beyond these scant certainties, there is mostly rumor and rage. The police refuse to give any account of the raid, pending an investigation by the Ohio attorney general.
Black people in Lima, from the poorest citizens to religious and business leaders, complain that rogue police officers regularly stop them without cause, point guns in their faces, curse them and physically abuse them. They say the shooting of Ms. Wilson is only the latest example of a long-running pattern of a few white police officers treating African-Americans as people to be feared.
“There is an evil in this town,” said C. M. Manley, 68, pastor of New Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. “The police harass me. They harass my family. But they know that if something happens to me, people will burn down this town.”
Internal investigations have uncovered no evidence of police misconduct, Chief Garlock said. Still, local officials recognize that the perception of systemic racism has opened a wide chasm.
“The situation is very tense,” Mayor David J. Berger said. “Serious threats have been made. People are starting to carry weapons to protect themselves.”
Surrounded by farm country known for its German Catholic roots and conservative politics, Lima is the only city in the immediate area with a significant African-American population. Black families, including Mr. Manley’s, came to Lima in the 1940s and ’50s for jobs at what is now the Husky Energy Lima Refinery and other factories along the city’s southern border. Blacks make up 27 percent of the city’s 38,000 people, Mr. Berger said.
Many blacks still live downwind from the refinery. Many whites on the police force commute from nearby farm towns, where a black face is about as common as a twisty road. Of Lima’s 77 police officers, two are African-American.
“If I have any frustration when I retire, it’ll be that I wasn’t able to bring more racial balance to the police force,” said Chief Garlock, who joined the force in 1971 and has been chief for 11 years.
Tarika Wilson had six children, ages 8 to 1. They were fathered by five men, all of whom dealt drugs, said Darla Jennings, Ms. Wilson’s mother. But Ms. Wilson never took drugs nor allowed them to be sold from her house, said Tania Wilson, her sister.
“She took great care of those kids, without much help from the fathers, and the community respected her for that,” said Ms. Wilson’s uncle, John Austin.
Tarika Wilson’s companion, Mr. Terry, was the subject of a long-term drug investigation, Chief Garlock said, but Ms. Wilson was never a suspect.
During the raid, Ms. Wilson’s youngest son, Sincere, was shot in the left shoulder and hand. Three weeks after the shooting, he remains in fair condition, said a spokeswoman at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
Within minutes of the shooting, at around 8 p.m., 50 people gathered outside Ms. Wilson’s home and shouted obscenities at the police, neighbors said. The next day, 300 people gathered at the house and marched two miles to City Hall.
Many protesters believe they saw snipers atop police headquarters. The men on the roof were actually photographers, Chief Garlock said.
“The police can say whatever they want,” Tania Wilson said. “Even before they shot my sister, I didn’t trust them.”
Smaller marches have continued every week since the shooting. The N.A.A.C.P. will hold a public meeting on Saturday to air complaints about police brutality. The group will soon request that the Department of Justice investigate the police department and the Allen County prosecutor’s office, Mr. Upthegrove said.
Junior Cook was a neighbor of Tarika Wilson. He says that he watched from his front porch as the SWAT team raced across his front yard, and that seconds later he watched a police officer run from Ms. Wilson’s house carrying a bleeding baby in a blanket.
“The cops in Lima, they is racist like no tomorrow,” said Mr. Cook, 56. “Why else would you shoot a mother with a baby in her arms?”
A recent item reported by Jack Cafferty of CNN revealed that "buried deep" in Congressional legislation passed last fall absolved Bush and all members of his administration with "any possible crimes" connected to the torture of prisoners.
LONDON (Reuters) - More than one million Iraqis have died as a result of the conflict in their country since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, according to research conducted by one of Britain's leading polling groups.
The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB) with 2,414 adults in face-to-face interviews, found that 20 percent of people had had at least one death in their household as a result of the conflict, rather than natural causes...
When they think of the United States under Bush, many people think of these photos:
They can't see us grumbling about how George Bush has a whole year to commit more such crimes. They should see a lot more of the evidence that people are determined to bring all this to a halt:
World Can't Wait helped close down the Marine Recruiting Office in Berkeley CA Thursday, on the heels of news that the Berkeley City Council voted to ask the Marines to pack up and leave their office, near Berkeley High School. The New York Times reported Friday on the struggle, "Berkeley Finds a New Way to Make War Politics Local."
You have something to say about spreading the repudiation of torture and removing a criminal regime from power. Buy and display the NO TORTURE banner. DONATE today to spread the work of World Can't Wait.
Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime
A recent item reported by Jack Cafferty of CNN revealed that "buried deep" in Congressional legislation passed last fall absolved Bush and all members of his administration with "any possible crimes" connected to the torture of prisoners.
LONDON (Reuters) - More than one million Iraqis have died as a result of the conflict in their country since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, according to research conducted by one of Britain's leading polling groups.
The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB) with 2,414 adults in face-to-face interviews, found that 20 percent of people had had at least one death in their household as a result of the conflict, rather than natural causes...
When they think of the United States under Bush, many people think of these photos:
They can't see us grumbling about how George Bush has a whole year to commit more such crimes.
They should see a lot more of the evidence that people are determined to bring all this to a halt:
World Can't Wait helped close down the Marine Recruiting Office in Berkeley CA Thursday, on the heels of news that the Berkeley City Council voted to ask the Marines to pack up and leave their office, near Berkeley High School. The New York Times reported Friday on the struggle, "Berkeley Finds a New Way to Make War Politics Local."
You have something to say about spreading the repudiation of torture and removing a criminal regime from power. Buy and display the NO TORTURE banner. DONATE today to spread the work of World Can't Wait.
Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime
The recent construction site accident at the Trump Soho residential hotel – in which worker Yurly Vanchytskyy fell more than 40 stories to his death – has brought fresh attention to a longstanding problem. That is, the matter of safety, of both workers and the public, at development sites and within the city’s aging housing stock.
The Jan. 14 death follows a series of other construction accidents in 2007, such as the retaining wall that crumbled at an Upper West Side site in July, the fire at Deutsche Bank in lower Manhattan in August, and, in December, the window washer who fell to his death on the Upper East Side crane and the crane that snapped at the Morgan Stanley site in lower Manhattan, nearly killing an architect working inside a trailer. In light of these incidents, observers both within and without the construction industry are refocusing attention on how to improve construction site safety citywide.
There’s no question that construction and related fields are perilous jobs. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data on work fatalities, construction deaths in New York City more than doubled from 2005 to 2006, from 20 to 43. (Data for 2007 is not yet available.) Over that period, New York City also had a higher percentage of construction deaths than the U.S. overall, according to BLS: "the construction sector accounted for 43 percent of all fatalities; nationally, construction also led other sectors ... accounting for 21 percent of all job-related fatal injuries." The city's Department of Buildings (DOB), however, reported that between Jan. 1, 2007 and Oct. 31, 2007, construction-related fatalities dropped 43 percent from the same period in 2006, from 14 to 8, and injuries stayed constant – but accidents on high-rise sites increased from 23 to 42.
Tallies aside, the often dramatic incidents have led an array of elected officials, activists and leaders in the industry itself to take steps to improve construction worker safety and stem illegal activity at worksites that may contribute to the injury and death toll. Efforts include re-introducing state legislation that would make DOB more answerable to communities; creating a more efficient and streamlined way for DOB to implement regulations; lobbying for more frequent and thorough enforcement measures; and pushing for increased funding for building and safety inspectors.
Louis Coletti, president of the Building Trades Employers' Association – which held an emergency summit Jan. 23 on concrete-pouring procedures after the Trump death – says he'd like to see something started that's similar to the police department's COMPSTAT program where “you target the resources where the problem is.”
“There’s a different type of developer … a new cadre of developers taking advantage of the New York market," Coletti said. "It’s a very different phenomenon than anything we’ve dealt with before.”
“The only way it's [going to improve] is more money set aside for safety people and building inspectors,” agreed Sal Zarzana, president and business manager of Carpenters Local Union 926.
Other ideas on the table include creating voluntary contracts between developers and community boards, increasing workers' safety training and overcoming the language barrier that becomes an obstacle for numerous laborers – as many construction workers, and victims of recent accidents, are Spanish-speaking immigrants.
Julissa Bisono, a worker organizer for the worker advocacy group Make the Road By Walking, says she sees frequent cases of worker exploitation. Just about every worker she counsels has been injured on a job site, Bisono said. “They don’t train me,” is a frequent complaint, she said, “and Health and Safety only make a quick run-down.”
“There’s no substitute for training, training and more training,” said Jeff Zogg, executive director of the General Building Contractors of New York State. And, he said, “owners need to have greater awareness how risky and dangerous this business is. ...Patience can be a virtue.” At the same time, Zogg warned, too many rules and regulations “can overburden those [already] complying, causing delays …there’s a very fine line.”
A report issued by the Fiscal Policy Institute last month said the construction industry employs more than 200,000 workers in New York City, almost a quarter of whom work in the illegal "underground" construction industry. Not only does this lead to a half-billion-dollar annual financial loss because of unpaid payroll taxes and workers compensation premiums, according to the report, but it correlates with dangerous practices. Data from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) “indicate a strong correlation between construction fatalities and the characteristics of the underground economy: half of the deaths occurred among workers at very small construction companies, three-fourths of the workers involved worked for non-union companies, and failure to provide safety training was cited in over half of the cases.”
The city's DOB, which regulates construction in the five boroughs, has a number of initiatives underway to promote safety, says press secretary Kate Lindquist. The DOB has an excavations inspection team, a professional certification review and audits team and a stop work order patrol in operation. As of this month, a new "construction superintendent rule" went into effect requiring low-rise buildings to have a registered construction superintendent in order to get a building permit, and this year "general contractor registration" will go into effect requiring contractors building one-, two- or three-family homes to register with the DOB, giving more teeth to enforcement of low-rise sites, Lindquist said.
Construction of low-rise buildings – 14 stories and under – is up 31 percent over last year, and "construction incidents" on such buildings are up 2 percent, from 288 in 2006 to 294 in 2007, she said.
But "the regulation framework within New York City is geared toward high-rise construction,” maintains Coletti of the building trades association. He also thinks DOB is not proactive enough. “DOB has always been reactive,” he said, voicing a sentiment echoed repeatedly by those interviewed. Until recently, “it was the Wild West show out there. They need more resources.”
Industry insiders and residents have been expressing concern about the pace at which buildings are going up. Officials need to “take a close look at the accelerated schedules—are they unsafe job conditions?” Coletti asked. Soho residents had been complaining about how quickly the top floors of the Trump building were built – concrete that wasn't given enough time to dry is suspected as the cause of the structural failure there – and given that the building faced strong opposition in the neighborhood from the get-go, some wonder whether the contractor was rushing to complete the building before legal challenges to the controversial building were heard.
Cracking down on violators has proven effective. With building in NYC going gangbusters, scaffold-related accidents jumped high enough that the city felt it had to take action. In 2006, Mayor Bloomberg's "Suspended Scaffold Worker Safety Task Force" was created; Coletti served as chair. Their investigations often found contractors not employing licensed master riggers, as the law requires – and not suffering penalties. The legislation resulting from the task force, said Joel Shufro, executive director of the New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, had a “salutary effect” on safety, proving “you can have an impact.” In April, Mayor Bloomberg signed several scaffolding-related laws that increase penalties, and DOB has reported an 83 percent decrease in scaffolding-related fatalities since then.
Other construction safety efforts underway include:
• State Assemblyman James Brennan, a Brooklyn Democrat, held hearings into problems with the DOB in 2006 and introduced several reform-minded bills last year. Three passed the legislature, with Gov. Spitzer vetoing legislation mandating re-inspection every 60 days for hazardous violations, based on the city’s recommendation that it would be too costly an undertaking. Brennan plans to redraft and resubmit the bill.
Brennan said he’ll again push for a "DOB Community Accountability Act" where the agency will have to report to community boards and the borough presidents “accidents, the investigation of the accidents' circumstances, and all violations issued.” But the biggest battle he anticipates will be the one over mandating the licensing of general contractors.
• Since last year, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has been working on a "Task Force on Responsible Contracting," a joint effort with local communities and unions. “I've been working to bring community and labor leaders to the same table so that we can forge a strong consensus behind development that is safe for workers and neighbors, provides high-quality jobs, and meets community needs," Stringer said in an e-mail. The group had intended to approach developers to voluntarily agree on certain policies, but by working through the community boards they broadened their scope, developing a questionnaire and checklist to include issues such as employment opportunities, context, environmental sustainability and impact on infrastructure.
• The city’s building codes will be updated this summer, for the first time since 1968. The DOB’s website lists new laws modernizing building, fuel gas, mechanical and some fire safety codes, to name a few. There will be a three-year phasing-in cycle.
• City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced a hearing on construction site safety for next Monday, Feb. 4 to “examine, among other topics, if we need to enhance worker training, whether city regulations around high rises are sufficient, if we have a large enough workforce to keep pace with development demands and whether the timeframe for the development of high rises is appropriate."
Still, recent published reports deepen questions about DOB. Christopher Santulli, a top agency commissioner who is responsible for developer compliance, is working without a current engineering license, in violation of the law, the New York Post reported last week. And according to a Daily News report, DOB Commissioner Patricia Lancaster allegedly signed secret agreements to not reveal problems with a controversial architect, did several other high-ranking officials – a practice that's now banned.
Since the Trump accident, City Councilman Tony Avella, a Queens Democrat who is running for mayor, called for Lancaster’s resignation. “DOB is incompetent, it’s the only way to change the agency … Never in 25 years of [community service] have I seen so many near accidents and terrible safety measures.” Avella said that in his district alone “there are 300 to 400 complaints” registered with the agency.
Both Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn, however, have subsequently expressed their support for Lancaster, an architect whom Bloomberg appointed in 2002 with the express mission of reforming the agency.
Two Important New Immigrant Organizing List for National Immigrant Solidarity Network
Please consider to join!
1) May Day 2008 National Organizing List
Announcement, information sharing list for organizing May Day 2008--national mobilization to support immigrant rights, as well as organizing immigrant contingents at August 08 protest DNC convention at Denver, CO, September 08 protest against RNC mobilization at Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, and pressure political candidate to support immigrant rights at November election 2008.
================================================================= National Immigrant Solidarity Network No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights! webpage: http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org e-mail: info@... New York: (212)330-8172 Los Angeles: (213)403-0131 Washington D.C.: (202)595-8990
Please consider making a donation to the important work of National Immigrant Solidarity Network Send check pay to: National Immigrant Solidarity Network/AFGJ
ActionLA / The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048 (All donations are tax deductible)
Polish Miners End 48-Day Underground Strike with Contract
The strikers of the Budryk mine in Ornontowice in southern Poland ascended from their underground, 48-day strike, after reaching an agreement with the mine owner. The miners will receive a 10 percent pay raise as well as a one-time payment of about 1,500 zloty (U.S. $619).
The agreement also stipulates the formation of a special commission which will include one of the striking miners. The commission will deal with the standardization of wages in mines across Poland.
Strike organizers deem the agreement beneficial to both parties. However, the miners point out that their demands were only partially met. The strike at the Budryk mines began in December, with strikers having their Christmas dinner underground to protest their low wages.
German City Votes 'No' to All Privatization
Leipzig, a large city in eastern Germany, has voted in a referendum to forbid the city council from privatizing all essential services, including the privatization of the municipal energy supplier. The referendum was initiated by a coalition of unions and Attac Leipzig, a political movement with an anti-corporate tax program.
Nearly 150,000 citizens voted in the referendum in which 87.4 rejected privatization of public services. Attac said. For a referendum to succeed, it requires not only a majority of the participants, but that the majority equals at least 25 percent of all registered voters.
Attac was founded in 1998 and its first concrete proposal was the taxation of financial transactions to create a development fund and to help curb stock speculation. This is what gave Attac its name: Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions to Aid Citizens.
Dutch Cleaners Conduct Unusual Campaign for Higher Wages
In Amsterdam, cleaners and activists, accompanied by a samba band and rebel clowns, stormed the ING Bank headquarters and gave a guerrilla concert at Schiphol Airport. Last week, cleaners went on a millionaires' tour, visiting the houses of the richest bosses of the cleaning companies.
On Jan. 30, officials of trade union FNV Bondgenoten reached a tentative agreement with OSB, the employers' group, that called for an increase iin wages from 8.90 to 10.00 euros ($U.S 1$3.10 to $14.80) per hour. The contract contains a unique agreement on integration courses for new workers.
The organizing campaign will not stop once union members have approved the new contract. Worker activists will be trained to enforce the new agreement and to campaign on workplace issues. In addition, contractors of cleaning companies will be encouraged to adopt socially responsible policies.
Striking Dockers Will Join Talks on Sale of Greek Ports
Strikers at Greece's largest port, Piraeus Port Authority, will have a say on the terms of a tender to sell cargo facilities, their union said Jan. 30. Fearing job cuts, Greek dockworkers have staged repeated strikes and refused to work overtime since the beginning of the year in protest against the government's plan to partly privatize the country's two largest ports.
"We will take part in the discussions, but we do not agree with a sell-off," said George Nouhoutidis, head of the Piraeus port's dockworkers union. "We will not be a party to the government's plans. We will continue striking through February." Greece, with two of the largest ports in the Mediterranean, is seeking foreign investors to modernize the facilities as their role as regional hubs is slipping.
The tender, due to be published soon, will allow the winning bidder to operate and expand two of Piraeus port's commercial docks for a number of years, according to a draft proposal sent by the port management to unions. In another tender for the Thessalonika Port in northern Greece, the government is inviting companies to manage the port's dock for up to 35 years.
Russian Railway Workers Win Pay Raise and Package of Benefits
Under a new three-year agreement, Russian railway workers will receive a wage increase plus a package of social benefits. The collective bargaining contract was negotiated last month between the joint stock company, Russian Railways and the ITF-affiliated Trade Union of Railwaymen and Transport Construction Workers of Russia.
The agreement provides workers with a wide range of benefits in addition to wage increases. It includes lump sum payments to workers who retire; additional days of annual leave; free medical assistance at company medical facilities; funding for improvement in working conditions; discounts for employee's household fuel; company nursery schools for workers' children, and free tickets for suburban and long-haul train journeys.
Mikhail Lyakhov of ITF's Moscow office, commented: "Our national railway 1ystem is now entering its third stage of reform. Our labor legislation was also recently amended. Nevertheless, the union succeeded in concluding a new collective bargaining agreement for a longer period and bringing better conditions. It testifies to the strength of the union and its increasing influence on the employers within the framework of social partnership."
Berlin Paralyzed by Union-Led Strikes over Pay Increases
Workers in Berlin's public transport, steel, retail and electrical utility industries struck on Feb. 1, paralyzing Germany's capital city. The work stoppages were over pay increases. Previously, the unions held off demands for higher salaries as the economy was sluggish and there were threats of mass layoffs. However, the German economy has recovered since then, prompting workers to ask as much as 12 percent salary adjustments.
Because of the strike by 12,500 workers at Berlin's BVG public transport system that controls the capital's subway, buses and trains, the city came to a halt at the start of the 39-hour strike. BVG earlier offered workers a one-time payment of 200 euros (U.S. $297) and a 6 percent wage increase, but the union, Ver di, wanted salary hikes between 8 to 11 percent.
Meanwhile, 85,000 workers from major steel mills went on strike on Feb. 1 as they demanded an 8 percent increase in pay and shorter working hours for older employees. A similar demand for an 8 percent pay rise was demanded by 1,500 workers from a large utility firm, Vattenfall, on behalf of the company's 21,000 employees. In Bavaria, unionized workers employed by department stores joined the mass walkout, asking for a wage adjustment of 125 euro (U.S. $185) a month and a minimum wage of 1,500 euro (U.S. $2,225 for all full-time employees.
If you want to be removed from this mailing list, you can reply to this email and add " REMOVE" to the subject line
No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.19/1256 - Release Date: 2/2/2008 1:50 PM
If you want to be removed from this mailing list, you can reply to this email, or to info@... and add " REMOVE" to the subject line.
Polish Miners End 48-Day Underground Strike with
Contract
The strikers of the Budryk mine in Ornontowice in southern
Poland ascended
from their underground, 48-day strike, after reaching an agreement with
the
mine owner. The miners will receive a 10 percent pay raise as well as
a
one-time payment of about 1,500 zloty (U.S. $619).
The agreement also stipulates the formation of a special commission
which
will include one of the striking miners. The commission will deal with
the
standardization of wages in mines across Poland.
Strike organizers deem the agreement beneficial to both parties.
However,
the miners point out that their demands were only partially met. The
strike
at the Budryk mines began in December, with strikers having their
Christmas
dinner underground to protest their low wages.
German City Votes 'No' to All Privatization
Leipzig, a large city in eastern Germany, has voted in a
referendum to
forbid the city council from privatizing all essential services,
including
the privatization of the municipal energy supplier. The referendum
was
initiated by a coalition of unions and Attac Leipzig, a political
movement
with an anti-corporate tax program.
Nearly 150,000 citizens voted in the referendum in which 87.4
rejected
privatization of public services. Attac said. For a referendum to
succeed,
it requires not only a majority of the participants, but that the
majority
equals at least 25 percent of all registered voters.
Attac was founded in 1998 and its first concrete proposal was the
taxation
of financial transactions to create a development fund and to help
curb
stock speculation. This is what gave Attac its name: Association for
the
Taxation of Financial Transactions to Aid Citizens.
Dutch Cleaners Conduct Unusual Campaign for Higher
Wages
In Amsterdam, cleaners and activists, accompanied by a samba
band and rebel
clowns, stormed the ING Bank headquarters and gave a guerrilla concert
at
Schiphol Airport. Last week, cleaners went on a millionaires' tour,
visiting the houses of the richest bosses of the cleaning
companies.
On Jan. 30, officials of trade union FNV Bondgenoten reached a
tentative
agreement with OSB, the employers' group, that called for an increase
iin
wages from 8.90 to 10.00 euros ($U.S 1$3.10 to $14.80) per hour. The
contract contains a unique agreement on integration courses for new
workers.
The organizing campaign will not stop once union members have approved
the
new contract. Worker activists will be trained to enforce the new
agreement
and to campaign on workplace issues. In addition, contractors of
cleaning
companies will be encouraged to adopt socially responsible
policies.
Striking Dockers Will Join Talks on Sale of Greek
Ports
Strikers at Greece's largest port, Piraeus Port Authority,
will have a say
on the terms of a tender to sell cargo facilities, their union said Jan.
30.
Fearing job cuts, Greek dockworkers have staged repeated strikes and
refused
to work overtime since the beginning of the year in protest against
the
government's plan to partly privatize the country's two largest
ports.
"We will take part in the discussions, but we do not agree with a
sell-off,"
said George Nouhoutidis, head of the Piraeus port's dockworkers union.
"We
will not be a party to the government's plans. We will continue
striking
through February." Greece, with two of the largest ports in the
Mediterranean, is seeking foreign investors to modernize the facilities
as
their role as regional hubs is slipping.
The tender, due to be published soon, will allow the winning bidder
to
operate and expand two of Piraeus port's commercial docks for a number
of
years, according to a draft proposal sent by the port management to
unions.
In another tender for the Thessalonika Port in northern Greece, the
government is inviting companies to manage the port's dock for up to
35
years.
Russian Railway Workers Win Pay Raise and Package of
Benefits
Under a new three-year agreement, Russian railway workers will
receive a
wage increase plus a package of social benefits. The collective
bargaining
contract was negotiated last month between the joint stock company,
Russian
Railways and the ITF-affiliated Trade Union of Railwaymen and
Transport
Construction Workers of Russia.
The agreement provides workers with a wide range of benefits in addition
to
wage increases. It includes lump sum payments to workers who retire;
additional days of annual leave; free medical assistance at company
medical
facilities; funding for improvement in working conditions; discounts
for
employee's household fuel; company nursery schools for workers'
children,
and free tickets for suburban and long-haul train journeys.
Mikhail Lyakhov of ITF's Moscow office, commented: "Our national
railway
1ystem is now entering its third stage of reform. Our labor legislation
was
also recently amended. Nevertheless, the union succeeded in concluding a
new
collective bargaining agreement for a longer period and bringing
better
conditions. It testifies to the strength of the union and its
increasing
influence on the employers within the framework of social
partnership."
Berlin Paralyzed by Union-Led Strikes over Pay
Increases
Workers in Berlin's public transport, steel, retail and
electrical utility
industries struck on Feb. 1, paralyzing Germany's capital city. The
work
stoppages were over pay increases. Previously, the unions held off
demands
for higher salaries as the economy was sluggish and there were threats
of
mass layoffs. However, the German economy has recovered since then,
prompting workers to ask as much as 12 percent salary
adjustments.
Because of the strike by 12,500 workers at Berlin's BVG public
transport
system that controls the capital's subway, buses and trains, the city
came
to a halt at the start of the 39-hour strike. BVG earlier offered workers
a
one-time payment of 200 euros (U.S. $297) and a 6 percent wage increase,
but
the union, Ver di, wanted salary hikes between 8 to 11 percent.
Meanwhile, 85,000 workers from major steel mills went on strike on Feb. 1
as
they demanded an 8 percent increase in pay and shorter working hours
for
older employees. A similar demand for an 8 percent pay rise was demanded
by
1,500 workers from a large utility firm, Vattenfall, on behalf of
the
company's 21,000 employees. In Bavaria, unionized workers employed
by
department stores joined the mass walkout, asking for a wage adjustment
of
125 euro (U.S. $185) a month and a minimum wage of 1,500 euro (U.S.
$2,225
for all full-time employees.
If you want to be removed from this mailing list, you can reply to this
email and add " REMOVE" to the subject line
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.19/1256 - Release Date: 2/2/2008 1:50
PM
If you want to be removed from this mailing list, you can reply to this email,
or
to info@... and add " REMOVE" to the subject line.
In a message dated 2/3/08 10:08:41 PM !!!First Boot!!!, UnknownSender@UnknownDomain writes:
Successful nationwide actions! Vigils and delegations visited eight Canadian consulates across the United States last Friday to ask that U.S. war resisters by allowed to stay in Canada. Supporters rallied in Washington DC, NYC, SF, Seattle, LA, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis. Photos and reports now available!
Solidarity for resisters in German prison Germans launch international campaign for U.S. war resisters confined in Mannheim Prison for refusing Afghanistan deployment. Send letters to Andrew Hegerty, Jeffrey Gauntt, and James Blanks today�all with Army's 173rd Airborne based in Italy.
New war resister audio interviews Courage to Resist presents three new interviews: Marine Reservist Matt Mishler, Army PFC Robin Long facing deportation from Canada, and victim of sexual harassment Jackie Burden.
Successful actions at eight Canadian Consulates nationwide support war resisters
Los Angeles vigil outside of the Canadian Consulate. 1/25/08
"It's great that people all across Canada and the US are coming out to show support for the war resisters," said Patrick Hart, a former sergeant in the US Army who came to Canada in 2005 with his family. "My family could be told we have to go back to the States anytime now. We just want to be able to live here in peace and raise our son, Rian. We hope that the politicians will let us do that."
Jose Vasquez speaks to the media outside of the Canadian Consulate in New York City 1/25/08. Photo: Steve Theberge/War Resisters League
The following day on Saturday, January 26, the War Resisters Support Campaign (Canada) staged a Canada-wide mobilization to ensure that deportation proceedings against U.S. war resisters cease immediately, and to support a sanctuary provision.
If you have not already done so, please sign the letter, "Dear Canada: Let U.S. War Resisters Stay" today. Although we delivered thousands of petitions and letters to Canadian Consulates across the country last Friday, it far from too late to get involved. We still need to make our voices heard before the issue is taken up by the full House of Commons in Ottawa�possibly within a few weeks.
Solidarity campaign for GI resisters in German prison
Lori Hurlebaus of Courage to Resist, Chris Capps of IVAW, and Gulf War objector Aimee Allison, during October 2007 speaking tour of Germany
Germans launch international solidarity campaign for U.S. war resisters confined in Mannheim Prison for refusing Afghanistan deployment
BERLIN, GERMANY (January 30, 2008)�When Iraq veteran and conscientious objector Agust�n Aguayo was confined in the U.S. military prison in Mannheim, Germany from October 2006 until April 2007, he received hundreds of post cards and letters from German supporters. On December 21, 2007, when Agust�n was awarded a German peace prize in Stuttgart, he told an audience of hundreds how much the letters and post cards�many in broken English�will always mean to him.
Now Germans are launching a nationwide initiative to send postcards and letters to three U.S. soldiers who have been confined in Mannheim since this past fall for refusing deployment to Afghanistan: Andrew Hegerty, Jeffrey Gauntt, and James Blanks. The three GIs are all members of the 173rd Airborne, which is presently deployed to Afghanistan and previously fought in Iraq. The 173rd Airborne is headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, and has units in Schweinfurt and in Bamberg, Germany. Vicenza has been the site of massive Italian and European protest demonstrations against U.S. plans to enlarge the military facilities there.
Andrew Hegerty, age 19, will be confined in the U.S. military prison in Mannheim, Germany, until about August 2008 and will receive a dishonorable discharge for desertion and for failure to follow a lawful order. Andrew was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, and was deployed to Afghanistan from May to September 2007. In September, while on a leave in Vicenza, he went absent without leave. He visited his family in Wisconsin, then turned himself in at Fort Knox, Kentucky, hoping for a discharge. However, the Army sent him back to Vicenza. There he refused an order to take part in a meeting to prepare to return to Afghanistan. At his court martial in November 2007, in Vicenza, Andrew pled guilty to charges of desertion and failure to follow an order. He told the court, "I'm not really able to pull the trigger and shoot anyone." Andrew Hegerty, Unit 29723, Box LL, APO, AE 09028-9723, USA
Jeffrey Gauntt will be confined in the U.S. military prison in Mannheim until about April 2008 for going AWOL and for missing deployment. He pled guilty to the charges at a court martial in October 2007 in Vicenza. Jeffrey has not been in combat. He was stationed in Vicenza and left his unit on May 21, 2007, the day before his unit deployed to Afghanistan. On June 19, he turned himself in at the U.S. military base in Rota, Spain. His punishment is ten months in jail, loss of all pay and benefits, and a bad-conduct discharge. Jeffrey Gauntt, Unit 29723, Box LL, APO, AE 09028-9723, USA
James Blanks will be confined in the U.S. military prison in Mannheim for about another month for going AWOL, missing his unit's deployment to Afghanistan, and disobeying orders. He pled guilty to the charges at a court martial in September 2007 in Vicenza. James was stationed in Bamberg, Germany and left his unit on April 20, 2007. His battalion left for Afghanistan on May 17, but James did not return to Bamberg until May 21. He briefly deployed to Afghanistan before traveling to Vicenza to face charges. He will forfeit pay and receive a bad-conduct discharge. James Blanks, Unit 29723, Box LL, APO, AE 09028-9723, USA
Marine reservist Matt Mishler (photo right) speaks about his deeply-held religious belief that killing is wrong and his efforts to be discharged from the Marines as a conscientious objector.
Army Pfc. Robin Long (photo left) went to Canada rather than deploy to Iraq. Last October he narrowly�and temporarily �avoided being deported. Now his deportation may be imminent. Long spoke on the phone with Courage to Resist from Ontario.
When her son was being recruited by the U.S. Army, Jackie Burden also became the target of military recruiters, who blatantly requested sexual favors from her. She tells her story to Courage to Resist.
Successful nationwide actions!
Vigils and delegations visited eight Canadian consulates across the
United States last Friday to ask that U.S. war resisters by
allowed to stay in Canada. Supporters
rallied
in Washington DC, NYC, SF, Seattle, LA, Dallas, Philadelphia,
and Minneapolis. Photos and reports
now available!
Solidarity
for
resisters in German prison Germans launch international
campaign for U.S. war resisters confined in Mannheim Prison for refusing
Afghanistan deployment. Send
letters to Andrew Hegerty, Jeffrey Gauntt, and
James Blanks todayall with
Army's 173rd Airborne based in Italy.
New
war resister audio interviews Courage to Resist presents three new interviews: Marine Reservist
Matt Mishler, Army PFC Robin Long facing
deportation from Canada, and victim of sexual harassment Jackie
Burden.
Successful actions at eight
Canadian Consulates nationwide
support war resisters
Los Angeles vigil outside of the Canadian Consulate. 1/25/08
"It's great that people all across Canada and the US are coming
out to
show support for the war resisters," said Patrick Hart, a former
sergeant in the US Army who came to Canada in 2005 with his family.
"My
family could be told we have to go back to the States anytime now. We
just want to be able to live here in peace and raise our son, Rian. We
hope that the politicians will let us do that."
Jose Vasquez speaks to the media outside of the Canadian Consulate in New
York City 1/25/08. Photo: Steve Theberge/War Resisters League
The following day on Saturday, January 26, the War Resisters Support
Campaign (Canada) staged a Canada-wide mobilization to ensure that
deportation proceedings against U.S. war resisters cease immediately, and
to support a sanctuary provision.
If you have not already done so, please sign the letter,
"Dear Canada:
Let U.S. War Resisters Stay" today. Although we delivered
thousands of petitions and letters to
Canadian Consulates across the country last Friday, it far from too late
to get involved. We still need to make our voices heard before the issue is
taken up by the full House of Commons in Ottawapossibly within a few
weeks.
Solidarity campaign for GI
resisters in German prison
Lori Hurlebaus of Courage to Resist,
Chris Capps of IVAW, and Gulf War objector Aimee Allison, during October
2007 speaking tour of Germany
Germans launch international solidarity campaign for U.S. war
resisters confined in Mannheim Prison for refusing Afghanistan
deployment
BERLIN, GERMANY (January 30, 2008)When Iraq veteran and
conscientious objector Agustn Aguayo was confined in the U.S.
military prison in Mannheim, Germany from October 2006 until April 2007, he
received hundreds of post cards and letters from German supporters. On
December 21, 2007, when Agustn was awarded a German peace prize in
Stuttgart, he told an audience of hundreds how much the letters and post
cardsmany in broken Englishwill always mean to him.
Now Germans are launching a nationwide initiative to send postcards and
letters to three U.S. soldiers who have been confined in Mannheim since
this past fall for refusing deployment to Afghanistan: Andrew
Hegerty, Jeffrey Gauntt, and James Blanks. The
three GIs are all members of the 173rd Airborne, which is presently
deployed to Afghanistan and previously fought in Iraq. The 173rd Airborne
is headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, and has units in Schweinfurt and in
Bamberg, Germany. Vicenza has been the site of massive Italian and European
protest demonstrations against U.S. plans to enlarge the military
facilities there.
Andrew Hegerty, age 19, will be confined in the U.S.
military
prison in Mannheim, Germany, until about August 2008 and will receive a
dishonorable discharge for desertion and for failure to follow a lawful
order. Andrew was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, and was deployed to
Afghanistan from May to September 2007. In September, while on a leave
in Vicenza, he went absent without leave. He visited his family in
Wisconsin, then turned himself in at Fort Knox, Kentucky, hoping for a
discharge. However, the Army sent him back to Vicenza. There he refused
an order to take part in a meeting to prepare to return to Afghanistan.
At his court martial in November 2007, in Vicenza, Andrew pled guilty
to charges of desertion and failure to follow an order. He told the
court, "I'm not really able to pull the trigger and shoot
anyone." Andrew Hegerty, Unit 29723, Box LL, APO, AE 09028-9723,
USA
Jeffrey Gauntt will be confined in the U.S. military
prison
in Mannheim until about April 2008 for going AWOL and for missing
deployment. He pled guilty to the charges at a court martial in October
2007 in Vicenza. Jeffrey has not been in combat. He was stationed in
Vicenza and left his unit on May 21, 2007, the day before his unit
deployed to Afghanistan. On June 19, he turned himself in at the U.S.
military base in Rota, Spain. His punishment is ten months in jail,
loss of all pay and benefits, and a bad-conduct discharge. Jeffrey Gauntt, Unit 29723, Box LL, APO, AE 09028-9723,
USA
James Blanks will be confined in the U.S. military
prison in
Mannheim for about another month for going AWOL, missing his unit's
deployment to Afghanistan, and disobeying orders. He pled guilty to the
charges at a court martial in September 2007 in Vicenza. James was
stationed in Bamberg, Germany and left his unit on April 20, 2007. His
battalion left for Afghanistan on May 17, but James did not return to
Bamberg until May 21. He briefly deployed to Afghanistan before
traveling to Vicenza to face charges. He will forfeit pay and receive a
bad-conduct discharge. James Blanks, Unit 29723, Box LL, APO, AE 09028-9723,
USA
Marine reservist Matt Mishler (photo right)
speaks about his deeply-held religious
belief that killing is wrong and his efforts to be discharged from the
Marines as a conscientious objector.
Army Pfc. Robin Long (photo left) went to
Canada rather than deploy to Iraq. Last October
he narrowlyand temporarily avoided being deported. Now his
deportation may be imminent. Long spoke on the phone with Courage to
Resist from Ontario.
When her son was being recruited by the U.S. Army, Jackie
Burden also
became the target of military recruiters, who blatantly requested
sexual favors from her. She tells her story to Courage to Resist.
Editors’ note: This letter was selected from reader comments and correspondence to Revolution. We’re printing it (and will continue to print more correspondence) to give readers a sense of the letters sent to Revolution, and to spark more interactivity between this paper and readers, and among readers. Selecting and printing letters does not imply that we agree, or disagree, with them.
It’s a long way from the concrete sidewalks of New York City to the back roads of Jena, Louisiana. But, for the second time in less than five months, the Harlem Revolution Club decided to make that journey.
The last time—September 20, 2007—the club joined tens of thousands who converged on Jena to demand “Free the Jena 6!” This time around, our club took up the call of the January 21st Committee to come to Jena. The Klansmen was coming with their nooses, confederate flags, and guns demanding “Jail the Jena 6”—“No more Martin Luther King Holiday” and “Down with Communism.” We had to go down to help politically drown out these racists and make it known that we will not tolerate white supremacy in any form and to stand with all those willing to stand up. We wanted to make it known that we need a revolution and a communist society and an end to the horrors of KKK-style white supremacy.
Just like last time, the club went to people on the streets of Harlem, into the schools and even on the subway to raise the funds to go to Jena and to get the masses themselves involved in this struggle. That mobilization for the Jena 6 rally in September is what actually got me involved with the Harlem Revolution Club, so I understood the importance of asking people to do their part around the January 21 rally.
When I got into that van early Sunday morning, January 20, for the 26-hour ride halfway across the country, this lifelong New Yorker who’s never seen the Deep South before knew I was in for an experience.
I saw my first Confederate battle flag, nonchalantly displayed on the wall of a Chattanooga, Tennessee gas station ($9.95 plus tax). We saw that symbol of hate over and over again as we traveled. The Jena little league baseball team’s logo even has the “stars and bars” on it!
I saw my first Klansman face to face. He was just on the other side of a Louisiana State Police squad car in front of the Jena courthouse. He was dressed head to toe in camouflage and wore a KKK baseball cap emblazoned with, of course, a Confederate flag. Thanks to our rally, he and his Klucker buddies got their message of racism drowned out that day.
Folks from many corners of the country came to Jena to say no to nooses, no to white supremacy and to demand freedom for the Jena 6. We were different races and ages. It was something. And, I was really proud that our club wanted to be at the front when we faced the Klan rally at the town courthouse and drowned them out.
After the rally we saw how poor Black people live in the rural Deep South when our caravan of about 20 cars took our message into the Black neighborhoods of Jena. Along one-lane roads, some of which were unpaved, there were little trailers, one floor housing projects, and small houses surrounded by vacant lots. It seemed that every fourth house was burnt out or abandoned.
We felt the warmth of the Black people in Jena in their welcomes. They waved to us from the doorways of their homes and the side of the road. “I love y’all,” one older man yelled out as our van passed. Youth, mothers with small children, and older people beamed wide smiles as they grabbed up copies of Revolution newspaper.
During those long hours rolling along the interstate, I got to participate in some very deep and thoughtful discussions—both one-on-one talks and collective discussions with everybody in the van.
In the latter discussions, using Chairman Bob Avakian’s series in Revolution newspaper as a starting off point, we talked about the significance of our participation in the rally, and we wrestled for hours with what it means to fight the power and transform the people for revolution.
I was inspired by this whole effort—by the four days of mobilization on the streets of Harlem, by the long cross country journey to confront the Klan, and by all that we were a part of in Jena. I’m sure that sentiment is shared by everybody who was in our van.
In a message dated 2/3/08 9:53:17 PM !!!First Boot!!!, knash@... writes:
WBAI Radio's Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report Produced & Hosted by Mimi Rosenberg & Ken Nash Monday, February 4, 2008, 7 - 11 p.m. EST, over 99.5 FM or streaming live at http://www.wbai.org **************************************** A Special
The Fannie Lou Hamer Story with mZuri , playwright, actress, and singer
Fannie Lou Hamer, was born in 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi.
She was the granddaughter of slaves. Her family were sharecroppers.
In 1962, SNCC volunteers held a voter registration meeting in her town.
Hamer was the first to raise her hand to register to vote. This was a
dangerous decision. She later reflected, "The only thing they could do to
me was to kill me, and it seemed like they'd been trying to do that a little
bit at a time ever since I could remember."
When Hamer and others went to register, they were jailed and beaten by
the police. She was then fired from the plantation where she worked. Not
discouraged. she traveled around the country speaking and registering
people to vote. She received constant death threats and was even shot at.
Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party which in
1964, challenged the all-white Mississippi delegation to the Democratic
National Convention. She spoke in front of the Credentials Committee on
how African-Americans were prevented from voting through illegal tests,
taxes & intimidation. The televised proceedings reached millions of
Americans.
Hamer was an inspirational figure in the struggle for civil rights. She died
on March 14, 1977, at the age of 59. She is buried in her home town of
Ruleville, Mississippi.Her tombstone reads, "I am sick and tired of being
sick and tired." ****************************************** Listen to Mimi Rosenberg Hosting Wednesday Wakeup Call from 6 – 9 am ************************************************************************************** Building Bridges and most WBAI Programs are now being archived for 90 Days. They are also being PodCast. These links will be live ca. 15 minutes after the program ends. To listen, download or PodCast archived shows go to http://archive.wbai.org/index.php?sort=nameaz
WBAI Radio's Building Bridges: Your Community & Labor Report Produced & Hosted by Mimi Rosenberg & Ken Nash Monday, February 4, 2008, 7 - 11 p.m. EST, over 99.5 FM or streaming live at http://www.wbai.org **************************************** A Special
The Fannie Lou Hamer Story with mZuri , playwright, actress, and singer
Fannie Lou Hamer, was born in 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi.
She was the granddaughter of slaves. Her family were sharecroppers.
In 1962, SNCC volunteers held a voter registration meeting in her town.
Hamer was the first to raise her hand to register to vote. This was a
dangerous decision. She later reflected, "The only thing they could do to
me was to kill me, and it seemed like they'd been trying to do that a little
bit at a time ever since I could remember."
When Hamer and others went to register, they were jailed and beaten by
the police. She was then fired from the plantation where she worked. Not
discouraged. she traveled around the country speaking and registering
people to vote. She received constant death threats and was even shot at.
Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party which in
1964, challenged the all-white Mississippi delegation to the Democratic
National Convention. She spoke in front of the Credentials Committee on
how African-Americans were prevented from voting through illegal tests,
taxes & intimidation. The televised proceedings reached millions of
Americans.
Hamer was an inspirational figure in the struggle for civil rights. She died
on March 14, 1977, at the age of 59. She is buried in her home town of
Ruleville, Mississippi.Her tombstone reads, "I am sick and tired of being
sick and tired." ****************************************** Listen to Mimi Rosenberg Hosting Wednesday Wakeup Call from 6 9 am ************************************************************************************** Building Bridges and most WBAI Programs are now being archived for 90 Days. They are also being PodCast. These links will be live ca. 15 minutes after the program ends. To listen, download or PodCast archived shows go to http://archive.wbai.org/index.php?sort=nameaz
Editors’ note: This letter was selected from reader comments and correspondence to Revolution. We’re printing it (and will continue to print more correspondence) to give readers a sense of the letters sent to Revolution, and to spark more interactivity between this paper and readers, and among readers. Selecting and printing letters does not imply that we agree, or disagree, with them.
We received the following correspondence from Chicago:
My first trip to Jena there were many, many people from around the country with a rainbow of T-shirts showing their hatred about hangman’s nooses, walking through a southern town many of them didn’t know existed until they heard about three hangman’s nooses hanging from a tree because six Black students sat under a tree for shade to get a breeze to cool out on a hot day.
Here it is, the year 2008. A white supremacist group decided to march in Jena and stand on the courthouse steps with guns and hangman’s nooses to remind the people of the heinous and cowardly racist crimes this country, America, committed against a people—to terrorize the people of Jena if they came forth to make a stand for justice.
So people went to Jena to make their voices heard against the white supremacist group. To want to stand on court house steps on Martin Luther King’s day of celebration because he marched and protested against racism, because his voice was heard around the world. To try to silence us as these racist cowards made a stand to remind the township of Jena what they represented.
The history about the hangman’s nooses is a part of history that will never, never be forgotten because you cut down a tree that six Black students stood under. To make a stand against white supremacy groups was well worth the trip. To come from around the country to show and give our support to this town, Jena, means a lot to me and other people who were there and those that could not be there.
I met some high school students from St. Louis who came to be there to make a stand with us. It let me know that our answers and our voices were truly heard loud and clear—and how important this paper, Revolution, is. Because maybe the local newspapers and news reporters will not tell the story about the white supremacist group with their ropes and guns and their confederate flags flying high.
But we will tell the story about the day we went back to Jena to drive out their message of hate with the necessary unity and words of encouragement. When I think about Jena and the hangman’s nooses the song by the great jazz singer Billie Holiday gives sad voice to its evil. In her version of “Strange Fruit” which she first sang in 1939:
“Southern trees bear a strange fruit.
Blood on leaves and blood at root
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from poplar trees.”
In remembrance of my cousin and others found hanging and swinging in the trees. Forever will be remembered—never, never forgotten. My cousin was found hanging in his bathroom in a rural town in the North near a military base where he was stationed to serve his country. If he don’t get no justice there will be no peace. Justice for the Jena 6. We got your back. We want a better world.
In a message dated 2/4/08 7:06:19 PM !!!First Boot!!!, BBaker4583@... writes:
ALBERTA -- Labour Board Decision File Nos. CR-04006, GE-05308, GE-05330 Cite: [2008] Alta.L.R.B.R. L.D. 006 [pdf] United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 2103 -and- Call Erection and Dismantling Services Ltd
CALIFORNIA -- Carpenters Local 1506 has been protesting the Fruitvale School District's decision to hire nonunion workers for a modernization project at the Quailwood Elementary School in Bakersfield. Ever respectful of the safety issues involved when running a campaign where so many children are present, demonstrators are careful to show up after school starts and leave before school lets out. However, some parents and classroom volunteers are still unhappy, preferring the children not learn about the moral obligation of employers and/or the rights and responsibilities afforded by the US Constitution while at a place of education.
ILLINOIS -- The River Bend Growth Association held their Annual Dinner on Thu., Jan. 17, with retiring Chairman Melissa Erker and 2008 Chairman Kent Scheffel making the award presentations. Kevin Hamilton of Carpenters Local 377 in Wood River was presented with the Chairman’s Award for his exemplary assistance provided to the Growth Association throughout the past year.
-- The residential slump which actually began almost two years ago, saw the sale of new homes in the Chicago area fall even faster in the fourth quarter of '07 with a 51% decline from the year-earlier period, increasing the belief that the economy is on the brink of a recession. "It's frightening, it's nerve-wracking — it's a lot of things," said Rolling Meadows-based carpentry contractor Jerry Thiel, who has had to drastically slash his payroll. The market is probably worse than it has been in well over a decade, noted Frank Libby, second vice-president of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters.
MASSACHUSETTS -- NLRB Regional Directors' Decision and Direction of Election Case 01-RC-22133 National Carpentry Contractors -and- UBC New England Regional Council
MICHIGAN -- A City of Detroit policy mandates that half of the skilled trades workers on construction projects within the city are to be Detroit residents. Mike Houseman, president and owner of Houseman Construction Co., is well aware of the executive order requirements and has even posted this sign at the Studio One development in Midtown, which proves it. Nonetheless, Houseman is failing to abide by the employee/minority ratio on the apartment complex. Members of the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters have requested that a city compliance officer visit the site. In the meantime, a picket manned by, anywhere from 100 to 250 Union members and supporters, has been set up at the construction site. “We are the ones that should have first placement on the jobs,” said UBC 687 member Barabbas Shabazz. “…This affects everyone in Detroit who [has] a skilled trades [when] they don’t hire us.” The project consists of apartment units, a parking structure and retail space.
MINNESOTA -- Approx. 90 people attended a panel discussion on the economy, Fri., Jan. 25, at the Venture Computer Systems facility in northwest Rochester. The discussion was led by republican U.S. Senator Norm Coleman (center) and panel members included Venture Computer Systems owner Jon Eckhoff, Bigelow Homes President Mike Paradise, Re/Max real estate owner Duane Sauke and Rob Sanborn of Carpenters Local 1382. Comments from the panel and audience repeatedly centered on "consumer confidence" as being the key to stimulating the financial condition of the country which is increasingly being labeled as in a recession. "I don't know if I'd characterize it as my worst, but last year was a pretty bad year," said Sanborn (right) referring to the number of UBC members being laid off. "We're not looking for unemployment benefits. What we need is work. Unbridled capitalism has failed us."
NEW JERSEY -- NLRB Advice Memo, Case 04-CE-134 Carpenters Local 623 -and- Sambe Construction Co.
NEW YORK -- James Malcolm, president of Carpenters Local 19, calls it "a slap in the face" when local taxpayers' money is given to developers who bring in workers from other states and/or pay substandard wages. That is why he and other Labor leaders have been calling for local industrial development agencies and Empire Zone administration boards to adopt a wage policy requiring businesses that receive government assistance for locating or expanding within Orange County to pay the local prevailing wage to construction workers and a set livable wage to permanent employees. The Orange County Industrial Development Agency was quick to point out that it already "encourages" all companies receiving benefits to pay the prevailing wage where possible. But as most know, such requests go unheeded. Labor and economic development officials said they will continue discussing the implementation of the wage policies.
The City of Beacon is now able to provide toddlers with safe, age-appropriate playground activities thanks to the hard work and dedication of a number of volunteers. Kelly Ellenwood, director of the Wee Play Community Project, contacted Rock Tavern's Carpenters Local 19 this past summer about building a footbridge for the park from designs she would provide. Walter Krupa, apprenticeship coordinator for the Empire State Carpenters, gladly obliged. Pictured on the new 12-foot Wee Play Bridge are apprentices who helped build it. Materials were donated by Strober King Building Supply.
OHIO -- Picketing outside the Maui Sands Indoor Water Park Resort in Sandusky on Tue. morning, Jan. 22, members of the Ohio and Vicinity Regional Council of Carpenters affirmed their support of local businesses and therefore, want local businesses to support them. "We live here," said Council Rep Rich Banks. "We pay taxes here. Why can't they help the local economy by hiring local workers?"
ONTARIO -- A special committee has been formed to oversee the fundraising efforts of Operating Engineers Local 793 which wants to purchase a bulldozer and ripper for the Mully Children’s Family charity in the African country of Kenya. It includes construction industry leaders such as Carpenters District Council of Ontario president Ucal Powell; Labourers International Union of North America VP Joe Mancinelli; Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario business manager Pat Dillon; EllisDon president Geoff Smith and Local 793 Bus. Mgr. Mike Gallagher. The equipment will help the orphanage expand its agricultural capabilities, build fish ponds, dams and water catchments at facilities in Ndalani and Yatta. Caterpillar has agreed to pack the equipment into a C-van for shipment. Crossroads Inc. will pay the $7,000 for transport.
OREGON -- "It's not a picket. It's just a banner letting people know what's going on," explained UBC 1707 member Tiana MacClain about the Wed., Jan. 23, action at Dr. Sonny Park’s 2120 Exchange St. medical building in Astoria. Council Rep Cliff Puckett of UBC 1388 called it a "public information campaign, ... part of an overall area standards campaign. We want all carpenters to be paid the area standard," he said. Portland-based Delta Drywall Inc., a subcontractor working on Park's new medical office, is currently under investigation for nonpayment of prevailing wage rates and time-keeping violations on a project at the Clatsop County Courthouse. As a result of not paying the required wage for the proper number of hours, Delta is also not paying the appropriate taxes to various government bodies. Delta Drywall is a "repeat offender" asserts Daniel Bonham of the Fair Contracting Foundation. UBC members are also passing out fliers that end with, "Please support our efforts in NOT supporting tax cheat contractors like Delta Drywall," and a request for the public phone Dr. Park at 503-325-5360 and "tell him you disapprove of his use of a tax cheat."
PENNSYLVANIA -- From left, Andy Butrica, Floorlayers Local 1823 Rep; an unidentified member, and member Ky Gaffney attend to a large sign in front of the Whitehall Township Municipal building on Wed., January 23, in protest of the township's hiring R&J Carpet Connection to install tile and carpeting in the municipal building, which was damaged in a July '07 fire. ''I just want the public to know what's going on,'' Butrica said. ''The number one is to send a message to the public that these jobs aren't being competitively bid.'' Fliers being handed out to passersby described R&J Carpet as a contractor ''who destroys the area wage and benefit standards.''
TENNESSEE -- The Tennessee Carpenters Regional Council has expanded its protest against Proffitt & Sons to include the University of Tennessee Knoxville Campus where, according to TCRC Organizing Director Robert Helton, Proffitt is working on two buildings. "It's a worker issue. It's a fairness issue," said Helton. Proffitt does not provide family health care for its employees or meet "area labor standards." The University of Tennessee is contributing to the "erosion of area standards" for Knoxville carpenters by allowing Proffitt & Sons Inc. to work on campus. Helton said the demonstration would continue until Proffitt improves conditions for carpenters or until UT decides they don't want the contractor on site anymore.
WASHINGTON -- NLRB Advice Memo, Case No. 19-CA-30866, et al. Northwest Wall & Ceiling Contractors Assn. -and- Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
-- Seattle-based Todd Shipyards Corp. has announced the purchase of Everett Shipyard Inc. for an undisclosed amount. The facility will continue to operate as a Union yard with its present employees and without any changes to collective bargaining agreements with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Local 104 or United Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 1184.
* * *
Federal Register Notice, FR Doc E8-1081 Labor Department / OSHA PROPOSED RULES: Confined Spaces in Construction The period for submitting written comments has been extended to February 28, 2008. Please see FR Doc E7-21893 for original request for comment.
Federal Register Notice, FR Doc E8-1061 Labor Department / Employment and Training Administration NOTICES Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications: High Growth Job Training Initiative Grants for the Energy Industry, Construction and Skilled Trades, etc., The department announced the availability of approximately $10 million in grant funds for high-impact regional approaches to meet the workforce challenges of the energy industry and/or address the shortage of construction and skilled trade workers needed to maintain and expand the energy industry infrastructure.
ALBERTA -- Labour Board Decision File Nos. CR-04006, GE-05308, GE-05330 Cite: [2008] Alta.L.R.B.R. L.D. 006 [pdf] United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 2103 -and- Call Erection and Dismantling Services Ltd
CALIFORNIA -- Carpenters Local 1506 has been protesting the Fruitvale School District's decision to hire nonunion workers for a modernization project at the Quailwood Elementary School in Bakersfield. Ever respectful of the safety issues involved when running a campaign where so many children are present, demonstrators are careful to show up after school starts and leave before school lets out. However, some parents and classroom volunteers are still unhappy, preferring the children not learn about the moral obligation of employers and/or the rights and responsibilities afforded by the US Constitution while at a place of education.
ILLINOIS -- The River Bend Growth Association held their Annual Dinner on Thu., Jan. 17, with retiring Chairman Melissa Erker and 2008 Chairman Kent Scheffel making the award presentations. Kevin Hamilton of Carpenters Local 377 in Wood River was presented with the Chairman’s Award for his exemplary assistance provided to the Growth Association throughout the past year.
-- The residential slump which actually began almost two years ago, saw the sale of new homes in the Chicago area fall even faster in the fourth quarter of '07 with a 51% decline from the year-earlier period, increasing the belief that the economy is on the brink of a recession. "It's frightening, it's nerve-wracking — it's a lot of things," said Rolling Meadows-based carpentry contractor Jerry Thiel, who has had to drastically slash his payroll. The market is probably worse than it has been in well over a decade, noted Frank Libby, second vice-president of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters.
MASSACHUSETTS -- NLRB Regional Directors' Decision and Direction of Election Case 01-RC-22133 National Carpentry Contractors -and- UBC New England Regional Council
MICHIGAN -- A City of Detroit policy mandates that half of the skilled trades workers on construction projects within the city are to be Detroit residents. Mike Houseman, president and owner of Houseman Construction Co., is well aware of the executive order requirements and has even posted this sign at the Studio One development in Midtown, which proves it. Nonetheless, Houseman is failing to abide by the employee/minority ratio on the apartment complex. Members of the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters have requested that a city compliance officer visit the site. In the meantime, a picket manned by, anywhere from 100 to 250 Union members and supporters, has been set up at the construction site. “We are the ones that should have first placement on the jobs,” said UBC 687 member Barabbas Shabazz. “…This affects everyone in Detroit who [has] a skilled trades [when] they don’t hire us.” The project consists of apartment units, a parking structure and retail space.
MINNESOTA -- Approx. 90 people attended a panel discussion on the economy, Fri., Jan. 25, at the Venture Computer Systems facility in northwest Rochester. The discussion was led by republican U.S. Senator Norm Coleman (center) and panel members included Venture Computer Systems owner Jon Eckhoff, Bigelow Homes President Mike Paradise, Re/Max real estate owner Duane Sauke and Rob Sanborn of Carpenters Local 1382. Comments from the panel and audience repeatedly centered on "consumer confidence" as being the key to stimulating the financial condition of the country which is increasingly being labeled as in a recession. "I don't know if I'd characterize it as my worst, but last year was a pretty bad year," said Sanborn (right) referring to the number of UBC members being laid off. "We're not looking for unemployment benefits. What we need is work. Unbridled capitalism has failed us."
NEW JERSEY -- NLRB Advice Memo, Case 04-CE-134 Carpenters Local 623 -and- Sambe Construction Co.
NEW YORK -- James Malcolm, president of Carpenters Local 19, calls it "a slap in the face" when local taxpayers' money is given to developers who bring in workers from other states and/or pay substandard wages. That is why he and other Labor leaders have been calling for local industrial development agencies and Empire Zone administration boards to adopt a wage policy requiring businesses that receive government assistance for locating or expanding within Orange County to pay the local prevailing wage to construction workers and a set livable wage to permanent employees. The Orange County Industrial Development Agency was quick to point out that it already "encourages" all companies receiving benefits to pay the prevailing wage where possible. But as most know, such requests go unheeded. Labor and economic development officials said they will continue discussing the implementation of the wage policies.
The City of Beacon is now able to provide toddlers with safe, age-appropriate playground activities thanks to the hard work and dedication of a number of volunteers. Kelly Ellenwood, director of the Wee Play Community Project, contacted Rock Tavern's Carpenters Local 19 this past summer about building a footbridge for the park from designs she would provide. Walter Krupa, apprenticeship coordinator for the Empire State Carpenters, gladly obliged. Pictured on the new 12-foot Wee Play Bridge are apprentices who helped build it. Materials were donated by Strober King Building Supply.
OHIO -- Picketing outside the Maui Sands Indoor Water Park Resort in Sandusky on Tue. morning, Jan. 22, members of the Ohio and Vicinity Regional Council of Carpenters affirmed their support of local businesses and therefore, want local businesses to support them. "We live here," said Council Rep Rich Banks. "We pay taxes here. Why can't they help the local economy by hiring local workers?"
ONTARIO -- A special committee has been formed to oversee the fundraising efforts of Operating Engineers Local 793 which wants to purchase a bulldozer and ripper for the Mully Children’s Family charity in the African country of Kenya. It includes construction industry leaders such as Carpenters District Council of Ontario president Ucal Powell; Labourers International Union of North America VP Joe Mancinelli; Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario business manager Pat Dillon; EllisDon president Geoff Smith and Local 793 Bus. Mgr. Mike Gallagher. The equipment will help the orphanage expand its agricultural capabilities, build fish ponds, dams and water catchments at facilities in Ndalani and Yatta. Caterpillar has agreed to pack the equipment into a C-van for shipment. Crossroads Inc. will pay the $7,000 for transport.
OREGON -- "It's not a picket. It's just a banner letting people know what's going on," explained UBC 1707 member Tiana MacClain about the Wed., Jan. 23, action at Dr. Sonny Park’s 2120 Exchange St. medical building in Astoria. Council Rep Cliff Puckett of UBC 1388 called it a "public information campaign, ... part of an overall area standards campaign. We want all carpenters to be paid the area standard," he said. Portland-based Delta Drywall Inc., a subcontractor working on Park's new medical office, is currently under investigation for nonpayment of prevailing wage rates and time-keeping violations on a project at the Clatsop County Courthouse. As a result of not paying the required wage for the proper number of hours, Delta is also not paying the appropriate taxes to various government bodies. Delta Drywall is a "repeat offender" asserts Daniel Bonham of the Fair Contracting Foundation. UBC members are also passing out fliers that end with, "Please support our efforts in NOT supporting tax cheat contractors like Delta Drywall," and a request for the public phone Dr. Park at 503-325-5360 and "tell him you disapprove of his use of a tax cheat."
PENNSYLVANIA -- From left, Andy Butrica, Floorlayers Local 1823 Rep; an unidentified member, and member Ky Gaffney attend to a large sign in front of the Whitehall Township Municipal building on Wed., January 23, in protest of the township's hiring R&J Carpet Connection to install tile and carpeting in the municipal building, which was damaged in a July '07 fire. ''I just want the public to know what's going on,'' Butrica said. ''The number one is to send a message to the public that these jobs aren't being competitively bid.'' Fliers being handed out to passersby described R&J Carpet as a contractor ''who destroys the area wage and benefit standards.''
TENNESSEE -- The Tennessee Carpenters Regional Council has expanded its protest against Proffitt & Sons to include the University of Tennessee Knoxville Campus where, according to TCRC Organizing Director Robert Helton, Proffitt is working on two buildings. "It's a worker issue. It's a fairness issue," said Helton. Proffitt does not provide family health care for its employees or meet "area labor standards." The University of Tennessee is contributing to the "erosion of area standards" for Knoxville carpenters by allowing Proffitt & Sons Inc. to work on campus. Helton said the demonstration would continue until Proffitt improves conditions for carpenters or until UT decides they don't want the contractor on site anymore.
WASHINGTON -- NLRB Advice Memo, Case No. 19-CA-30866, et al. Northwest Wall & Ceiling Contractors Assn. -and- Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
-- Seattle-based Todd Shipyards Corp. has announced the purchase of Everett Shipyard Inc. for an undisclosed amount. The facility will continue to operate as a Union yard with its present employees and without any changes to collective bargaining agreements with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Local 104 or United Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 1184.
* * *
Federal Register Notice, FR Doc E8-1081 Labor Department / OSHA PROPOSED RULES: Confined Spaces in Construction The period for submitting written comments has been extended to February 28, 2008. Please see FR Doc E7-21893 for original request for comment.
Federal Register Notice, FR Doc E8-1061 Labor Department / Employment and Training Administration NOTICES Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications: High Growth Job Training Initiative Grants for the Energy Industry, Construction and Skilled Trades, etc., The department announced the availability of approximately $10 million in grant funds for high-impact regional approaches to meet the workforce challenges of the energy industry and/or address the shortage of construction and skilled trade workers needed to maintain and expand the energy industry infrastructure.
International Brotherhood of Painters 584-1250-2500
and Allied Trades, AFL-CIO584-1250-5000
(Contractors Association of Greater 584-2583-3300
New York)584-3740-1700
Cases 29-CE-132, 29-CC-1496584-5000
29-CC-1497, 29-CC-1498,584-5042
29-CC-1499, 29-CC-1500
Upon the conclusion of federal court litigation, these cases were resubmitted for advice as to whether the Respondent Union violated Section 8(b)(4)(A) by filing a lawsuit to enforce an arbitral body’s decision that would require general contractors to subcontract all work within the Union’s jurisdiction only to employers whose employees are represented by the Union. The Region further seeks advice as to whether a settlement agreement signed by contractors and the resulting consent orders violate Section 8(e). We conclude that the Region should dismiss the Section 8(b)(4)(A) charges because the Union’s lawsuit, which has survived motions to dismiss, is reasonably based and thus cannot be deemed unlawful. Further, the Region should dismiss the Section 8(e) allegation because the award of work to Local 1974 that was initially granted by an arbitral body and subsequently codified in the consent agreements is protected under the construction industry proviso to Section 8(e).
FACTS
The background facts to this case can be found in our February 7, 2006, Advice memorandum. Briefly, this matter concerns Respondent Drywall Tapers Local 1974’s repeated attempts to resolve a long-running dispute between it and other unions regarding jurisdiction over certain drywall finishing work in New York City. In 1978, an arbitral body known as the New York Plan for the Settlement of Jurisdictional Disputes ("the Plan") awarded the work to Local 1974. Despite the award and subsequent judicial enforcements, since that time Local 1974’s rivals have continued to represent drywall finishing employees.
To resolve Local 1974’s most recent lawsuit for enforcement, on December 16, 2005, Local 1974 and various contractors entered into consent injunctions in which the employers agreed that they were enjoined from assigning drywall finishing work for projects located within New York in contravention of the Plan’s award of the work to Local 1974. In addition to agreeing to be bound to the decisions of the Plan, each of the settlement agreements contained specific language setting the terms and conditions of employment for any employees performing drywall finishing work for the signatory employers, or their "affiliates, contractors, or subcontractors of any tier," including rates of pay and benefits for those employees. The agreements also required the employers to employ a Local 1974 steward at each jobsite, compensating the steward at the "standard wage and benefit package set forth in the applicable collective bargaining agreement[.]"
Charging Party Carpenters Local 52 and Nastasi & Associates, one of the contractors that executed a settlement agreement with Local 1974, separately appealed the district court’s approval of the consent injunction. On May 16, 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied Nastasi’s appeal of the Consent Order, noting that such appeals by signatories are generally unavailable, being deemed as waived. Furthermore, inasmuch as the district court had not granted Local 52 intervenor status prior to its filing of an appeal to the entry of the Consent Order, the Second Circuit refused to rule on the merits of its appeal. Instead, the court remanded the matter to the district court, thereby restoring its jurisdiction and enabling it to adjudicate the merits of Local 52’s original intervention motion. On September 18, 2007, the district court denied Local 52’s Motion to Intervene on grounds that, inter alia, it was not timely filed. Rejecting Local 52’s arguments, the judge found that a delay of nearly five months before Local 52 sought to intervene was due to the fact that it made a strategic choice in selecting the NLRB as the forum in which to assert its position. The net result of the appeals was that the Second Circuit never addressed the Charging Party’s arguments that are central to our determination here, i.e., that Local 1974’s attempt to enforce the jurisdictional award was not protected by the construction industry proviso to Section 8(e).
ACTION
First, we conclude that Local 1974’s lawsuit to enforce the Plan’s award of work is not violative of Section 8(b)(4)(A) because it is reasonably based. In its decision on remand in BE & K, a majority of the Board held that the filing and maintenance of a reasonably based lawsuit does not violate the Act, regardless of whether the lawsuit is ongoing or completed, and regardless of the motive for the lawsuit.[1]In determining whether a lawsuit is reasonably based, the Board explicitly adopted the standard set forth by the Supreme Court in the antitrust context. That is, "a lawsuit lacks a reasonable basis, or is 'objectively baseless,' only if 'no reasonable litigant could realistically expect success on the merits.'"[2]
Here, Local 1974’s lawsuit to enforce the Plan’s jurisdictional award clearly is reasonably based. The lawsuit was meritorious, resulting in a judicial enforcement and culminating in the judicially-sanctioned Consent Orders of December 2005. Nevertheless, Local 52 and argue that this meritorious suit seeks to obtain and enforce an unlawful no-subcontracting clause that is not privileged by the construction industry proviso to Section 8(e). They contend that because they do not employ unit employees or otherwise have a collective bargaining relationship with Local 1974 or any other union that would bind them to the Plan, the jurisdictional awards are inconsistent with the Supreme Court’s decision in Connell,[3]which requires that restrictive subcontracting clauses in the construction industry have some relation to a bona fide collective bargaining relationship. The district court has already rejected this argument in aSeptember 9, 2005 order in which it determined that the Plan was an agreement arising out of a collective bargaining relationship between multi-employer and multi-union associations to which the parties were bound. Inasmuch as the Second Circuit did not and will not address the Charging Party’s arguments to the contrary on appeal, they are unavailing here to establish that Local 1974’s lawsuit was baseless and thus violative of Section 8(b)(4)(A).
Second, we conclude that the contention that the consent orders themselves contain an unlawful no-subcontracting clause under Section 8(e) is meritless. The provisions apply only to work performed at the site of a construction project and thus falls under the construction industry proviso unless, as the Charging Parties contend, they bear no relation to a bona fide collective bargaining relationship. As set forth above, the district court has held that the Plan’s award of work was made within the context of a collective bargaining relationship. Moreover, the consent orders themselves set terms and conditions of employment for employees working in the affected industry in New York. Thus, they set rates of pay and benefits for those employees, and designate the employment of a Local 1974 steward at each jobsite under contractually defined wages and benefits. Inasmuch as the consent injunctions on their face incorporate the results of bargaining over mandatory terms and conditions, they satisfy the Connell Court’s requirements of a link to a collective bargaining relationship.
Accordingly, the Region should dismiss the submitted charges, absent withdrawal.
On Dec. 5, two day laborers, in conjunction with the workers' rights group Chicago Committee for the Right to Work, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Chicago. They charged city police with systematically harassing and falsely arresting workers who gather on the city's street corners in search of employment.
'Day laborers have been suffering from police harassment for decades in this city and it's come to a point where we want to do something to end it,' says B. Loewe, planning director of Latino Union of Chicago, a workers' rights organization that helped prepare the lawsuit.
In the first lawsuit filed by day laborers against the city, the two workers allege wrongful detention, violation of First Amendment rights, conspiracy to violate civil rights and malicious prosecution.
The lawsuit cites examples of police intimidation, such as an alleged instance where a police officer forced an employer and three day laborers out of a car at gunpoint, and an alleged sting operation in which undercover officers, posing as contractors, lured workers to a Home Depot to discuss employment and then arrested them for criminal trespass.
At least 150 charges and arrests have been dismissed in court in favor of the day laborers, according to the Latino Union, highlighting the tenuous relationship between the police and workers' right to assemble on public space.
'We've seen workers being arrested repeatedly for nothing more than just trying to feed their families by looking for work on public property,' says Jessica Acee, an organizer with the Latino Union.
As In These Times went to press, a city spokesperson was unable to comment on the lawsuit, stating that the city has yet to be served with the complaint.
The illegal arrests and harassment have made it more difficult for day laborers, many of whom work in a fluctuating urban economy that ignores workplace injuries, labor abuses and low wages.
Nationally, at least 117,000 people are employed or looking for jobs as day laborers, according to a 2006 report by UCLA's Center for the Study of Urban Poverty. In Chicago, about 800 day laborers-predominantly immigrant, Latino workers, or jornaleros, who typically work in construction, moving and landscaping-are looking for work on any given day.
'It's unjust for the police to arrest us because we're not criminals. We're simply people who are looking for work,' says Quintin Moran, a day laborer who shows up six days a week looking for work on the busy Chicago street corner of Belmont and Milwaukee Avenues. 'They treated us like we were robbers, like we were delinquents, threatening us with their police sticks.'
Day laborers in the Midwest suffer the most police abuse in the country, according to the UCLA study. Of the day laborers surveyed in the Midwest, 34 percent reported that police forced them to leave the area where they sought work, 24 percent were photographed or videotaped, and 27 percent had their immigration status checked. But day laborer organizers see the harassment as more than a violation of a First Amendment right to gather on public property. (Chicago city ordinances prohibit citizenship inquiries.)
While Chicago doesn't have laws or ordinances prohibiting day laborers from seeking employment in public places, officials in other cities have tried to pass measures to curb them from congregating.
In April 2006, federal judges prohibited police in Redondo Beach, Calif., from arresting laborers seeking work on the street. And in November 2006 in Freehold, N.J., officials agreed-after a three-year court battle-to allow laborers to seek work in public places without fines. Also that month, a federal judge ruled that city officials in Mamaroneck, N.Y., discriminated against Latino day laborers by stepping up police presence, closing a hiring site and fining contractors who approached day laborers.
Despite these federal rulings, however, local officials have continued to push anti-day laborer measures in cities like Escondido, Calif., where members of the city council are attempting to pass an ordinance to keep workers from soliciting jobs on street corners, and in Herndon, Va., where the town closed a workers' center in September after ignoring a circuit court judge's ruling that it should remain open.
Still, with the help of various workers organizations, the jornaleros believe they can find a solution by meeting with police and city officials.
'I hope there will be a day when we can have negotiations with the city so that we will be able to find work in peace and keep this corner without any bad will toward us,' says David, a day laborer who preferred to be identified by his first name only. 'We have nothing against the police or businesses. We just want them to treat us like human beings.'
Akito Yoshikane
_____________________________________________
Portside aims to provide material of interest to people on the left that will help them to interpret the world and to change it.
Submit via email: moderator@... Submit via the Web: portside.org/submit Frequently asked questions: portside.org/faq Subscribe: portside.org/subscribe Unsubscribe: portside.org/unsubscribe Account assistance: portside.org/contact Search the archives: portside.org/archive
On Dec. 5, two day laborers, in conjunction with the workers' rights group Chicago Committee for the Right to Work, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Chicago. They charged city police with systematically harassing and falsely arresting workers who gather on the city's street corners in search of employment.
'Day laborers have been suffering from police harassment for decades in this city and it's come to a point where we want to do something to end it,' says B. Loewe, planning director of Latino Union of
Chicago, a workers' rights organization that helped prepare the lawsuit.
In the first lawsuit filed by day laborers against the city, the two workers allege wrongful detention, violation of First Amendment rights, conspiracy to violate civil rights and malicious prosecution.
The lawsuit cites examples of police intimidation, such as an alleged instance where a police officer forced an employer and three day laborers out of a car at gunpoint, and an alleged sting operation in which undercover officers, posing as contractors, lured workers to a Home Depot to discuss employment and then arrested them for criminal trespass.
At least 150 charges and arrests have been dismissed in court in favor of the day laborers, according to the Latino Union, highlighting the tenuous relationship between the police and workers' right to assemble on public space.
'We've seen workers being arrested repeatedly for nothing more
than just trying to feed their families by looking for work on public property,' says Jessica Acee, an organizer with the Latino Union.
As In These Times went to press, a city spokesperson was unable to comment on the lawsuit, stating that the city has yet to be served with the complaint.
The illegal arrests and harassment have made it more difficult for day laborers, many of whom work in a fluctuating urban economy that ignores workplace injuries, labor abuses and low wages.
Nationally, at least 117,000 people are employed or looking for jobs as day laborers, according to a 2006 report by UCLA's Center for the Study of Urban Poverty. In Chicago, about 800 day laborers-predominantly immigrant, Latino workers, or jornaleros, who typically work in construction, moving and landscaping-are looking for work on any given day.
'It's unjust for the police to arrest us because we're not criminals. We're simply
people who are looking for work,' says Quintin Moran, a day laborer who shows up six days a week looking for work on the busy Chicago street corner of Belmont and Milwaukee Avenues. 'They treated us like we were robbers, like we were delinquents, threatening us with their police sticks.'
Day laborers in the Midwest suffer the most police abuse in the country, according to the UCLA study. Of the day laborers surveyed in the Midwest, 34 percent reported that police forced them to leave the area where they sought work, 24 percent were photographed or videotaped, and 27 percent had their immigration status checked. But day laborer organizers see the harassment as more than a violation of a First Amendment right to gather on public property. (Chicago city ordinances prohibit citizenship inquiries.)
While Chicago doesn't have laws or ordinances prohibiting day laborers from seeking employment in public places,
officials in other cities have tried to pass measures to curb them from congregating.
In April 2006, federal judges prohibited police in Redondo Beach, Calif., from arresting laborers seeking work on the street. And in November 2006 in Freehold, N.J., officials agreed-after a three-year court battle-to allow laborers to seek work in public places without fines. Also that month, a federal judge ruled that city officials in Mamaroneck, N.Y., discriminated against Latino day laborers by stepping up police presence, closing a hiring site and fining contractors who approached day laborers.
Despite these federal rulings, however, local officials have continued to push anti-day laborer measures in cities like Escondido, Calif., where members of the city council are attempting to pass an ordinance to keep workers from soliciting jobs on street corners, and in Herndon, Va., where the town closed a workers' center in
September after ignoring a circuit court judge's ruling that it should remain open.
Still, with the help of various workers organizations, the jornaleros believe they can find a solution by meeting with police and city officials.
'I hope there will be a day when we can have negotiations with the city so that we will be able to find work in peace and keep this corner without any bad will toward us,' says David, a day laborer who preferred to be identified by his first name only. 'We have nothing against the police or businesses. We just want them to treat us like human beings.'
Akito Yoshikane
_____________________________________________
Portside aims to provide material of interest to people on the left that will help them to interpret the world and to change it.
Submit via email: moderator@... Submit via the Web: portside.org/submit Frequently asked questions:
portside.org/faq Subscribe: portside.org/subscribe Unsubscribe: portside.org/unsubscribe Account assistance: portside.org/contact Search the archives: portside.org/archive
In a message dated 2/5/08 3:59:59 AM !!!First Boot!!!, debrasweet@... writes:
On Super Tuesday . . . Meet Senator MIKE GRAVEL in person . . . WORLD CAN'T WAIT OPEN HOUSE 2008 "Super Tuesday" 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM Spud's Pizza 3290 Adeline Berkeley, CA
As the national results from the "Super Tuesday" primaries roll in, don't sit at home yelling at the TV! Come spend a few hours with World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime! activists and many other friends over pizza, politics, and lively debate! We'll watch the network and on-line media coverage, and talk about the politics of these elections, and the building of resistance.
We are very happy to announce that Senator Mike Gravel will join us. Many of you have been following his presidential campaign, and you've seen his courageous stand on impeachment:
"I want to unequivocally state: without Impeachment first, what I or any other worthy Presidential candidate wants to accomplish is very unlikely to happen. Our words will in fact become another empty campaign promise and another sad political fantasy . . . "more
Senator Gravel also asked that people donate to three organizations working for impeachment, including World Can't Wait.
Gregory
2 Days of NO Recruiting by the Marines in Berkeley
Friday, three days after the Berkeley CA City Council voted to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Square recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders," protesters from World Can't Wait were arrested after chaining themselves to the door of the recruiting station and refusing to leave in an act of non-violent civil resistance. Forty Berkeley police officers in riot formation blocked and violently cleared the street before arresting the orange jumpsuited protesters.See full reports of January 31 actions here.
The recruiters shut down early Thursday to avoid the protest, so as promised, a spirited group returned the following morning at 7 AM. The station normally opens at 7:30, but the recruiters had snuck in at 6:30. For the next seven and a half hours several protesters in orange Guantanamo jumpsuits standing chained to each other and to the gate, chanting, giving press interviews, waving at the passing cars, trucks and buses (lots of supportive horn honking!) - and nonviolently preventing anyone from entering the station.
Numerous men repeatedly tried to force their way through. Sometimes angry arguments turned into intense debates, and some who came decided to leave. Woven into all the chains were wads and tangles of videotape, representing the evidence tapes showing illegal torture at secret U.S. facilities - tapes which the CIA has destroyed. Code Pink maintained a constant support presence with their literature table, as they and a number of students helped sustain the "no business as usual" atmosphere. Police informed us that because the City Council of Berkeley supported our position, there would be no arrests today, and stayed across the street monitoring the scene.
Hours later, however, a very different "scene" would erupt. At 2:30, pm, without warning, a wall of 40 or more Berkeley police in riot formation came marching around the corner, as paddy wagons and squad cars blocked off the street. The police waded into the demonstrators gathered around the chained group, shoving everyone out to the other end of the street, and then moved in with their bolt cutters to snap apart the three WCWers' chains and take them to the paddy wagon. Chanting and bullhorns carried the air throughout this entire scene. All three protesters were cited and released, with court dates to follow later.
The city council members now need to hear from people all over the country - and YOU.CONTACT INFO HERE. Tell them all how much you support their resolution declaring the Marine Corps Recruiting Center to be "unwelcome" in Berkeley. The right wing blogosphere and Fox News are mobilizing to force the city to back down. A Senator from South Carolina is calling for Berkeley to lose all federal funding. One council member is even receiving death threats.
Email or call with your support TODAY to the Berkeley City Council and Mayor Tom Bates and PLEASE COPY your messages to: sf@... Come to the city council meeting with World Can't Wait and Code Pink on February 12th to show your support.
Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime
On Super Tuesday . . .
Meet Senator MIKE GRAVEL in person . . . WORLD CAN'T WAIT OPEN HOUSE
2008 "Super Tuesday"
6:00 PM until 9:00 PM
Spud's Pizza
3290 Adeline Berkeley, CA
As the national results from the "Super Tuesday" primaries roll in, don't sit at home yelling at the TV! Come spend a few hours with World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime! activists and many other friends over pizza, politics, and lively debate! We'll watch the network and on-line media coverage, and talk about the politics of these elections, and the building of resistance.
We are very happy to announce that Senator Mike Gravel will join us. Many of you have been following his presidential campaign, and you've seen his courageous stand on impeachment:
"I want to unequivocally state: without Impeachment first, what I or any other worthy Presidential candidate wants to accomplish is very unlikely to happen. Our words will in fact become another empty campaign promise and another sad political fantasy . . . "more
Senator Gravel also asked that people donate to three organizations working for impeachment, including World Can't Wait.
Gregory
2 Days of NO Recruiting by the Marines in Berkeley
Friday, three days after the Berkeley CA City Council voted to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Square recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders," protesters from World Can't Wait were arrested after chaining themselves to the door of the recruiting station and refusing to leave in an act of non-violent civil resistance. Forty Berkeley police officers in riot formation blocked and violently cleared the street before arresting the orange jumpsuited protesters.See full reports of January 31 actions here.
The recruiters shut down early Thursday to avoid the protest, so as promised, a spirited group returned the following morning at 7 AM. The station normally opens at 7:30, but the recruiters had snuck in at 6:30. For the next seven and a half hours several protesters in orange Guantanamo jumpsuits standing chained to each other and to the gate, chanting, giving press interviews, waving at the passing cars, trucks and buses (lots of supportive horn honking!) - and nonviolently preventing anyone from entering the station.
Numerous men repeatedly tried to force their way through. Sometimes angry arguments turned into intense debates, and some who came decided to leave. Woven into all the chains were wads and tangles of videotape, representing the evidence tapes showing illegal torture at secret U.S. facilities - tapes which the CIA has destroyed. Code Pink maintained a constant support presence with their literature table, as they and a number of students helped sustain the "no business as usual" atmosphere. Police informed us that because the City Council of Berkeley supported our position, there would be no arrests today, and stayed across the street monitoring the scene.
Hours later, however, a very different "scene" would erupt. At 2:30, pm, without warning, a wall of 40 or more Berkeley police in riot formation came marching around the corner, as paddy wagons and squad cars blocked off the street. The police waded into the demonstrators gathered around the chained group, shoving everyone out to the other end of the street, and then moved in with their bolt cutters to snap apart the three WCWers' chains and take them to the paddy wagon. Chanting and bullhorns carried the air throughout this entire scene. All three protesters were cited and released, with court dates to follow later.
The city council members now need to hear from people all over the country - and YOU.CONTACT INFO HERE. Tell them all how much you support their resolution declaring the Marine Corps Recruiting Center to be "unwelcome" in Berkeley. The right wing blogosphere and Fox News are mobilizing to force the city to back down. A Senator from South Carolina is calling for Berkeley to lose all federal funding. One council member is even receiving death threats.
Email or call with your support TODAY to the Berkeley City Council and Mayor Tom Bates and PLEASE COPY your messages to: sf@... Come to the city council meeting with World Can't Wait and Code Pink on February 12th to show your support.
Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime
Don't tell Tahirah Barnett, 33, that women don't want to join building-trade unions. Don't tell her that it's men's work. Don't tell her that women can't do the job.
Because women are so rare in the building trades, it may look that way, but Barnett knows differently.
For 10 years, she's been a union carpenter - now she works doing carpentry at a local refinery. But, she said, "It's very difficult for women to [get and keep] work."
Today, City Council is expected to decide whether gender- and racial-diversity plans submitted by the unions pass muster. The issue has been holding up the $700 million expansion of the Convention Center.
Barnett and a number of female carpenters, mechanics and glaziers speaking last week on a panel assembled by the Coalition of Labor Union Women said they would be waiting to see what happened.
Why?
Because, they've heard this all before and they believe little has changed in a quarter-century.
Speaking to a mostly female, racially diverse audience of about 70, the women described obstacles they had faced every step along the way.
Much of the public focus has been on unions, the panelists noted, but they said there were plenty of people to blame - from union contractors who suddenly have no work when a woman shows up on a construction site to fellow workers who make life especially difficult for a female newbie.
And then there's society at large, as panelist Kathleen Haskey, 49, a union carpenter and filmmaker, pointed out.
Expect challenges anytime a woman enters a nontraditional occupation, said Haskey, now a site-safety supervisor at a Center City condominium-conversion project.
"People are trying to make it as if organized labor is a bunch of sexist men who want to keep everybody down. Well honey, go to an office," she said.
"At the end of eight hours of work, I am going to walk away with X-amount of dollars. It's in the [union] contract, and nobody else is making anything different. If I went to the Fortune 500 world, I wouldn't know what the person next to me was making."
Obstacles aside, five of the six panelists said they would do it again.
"It's hard, heavy work," said Stephanie McClendon, 36, a mechanic with Local 252 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. "The cold is brutal. It just goes through you. But the money is good."
Like McClendon, a former bank teller and data clerk from Philadelphia's Overbrook section, the other panelists said they made good money in the trades - enough to buy homes and cars, raise their children and send them to college.
They urged one young high school woman, brought to the event by her grandmother, to see the trades as a step on a career ladder. Haskey, for example, said she has achieved training, through the union and union contractors, that has allowed her to advance.
Carpenters Haskey and Barnett both started through programs to increase minority and female participation in the trades.
Their union, the Philadelphia Regional Council of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, requires potential apprentices to pass a test and then find sponsors among union contractors. Most other building-trade unions make the placements for their apprentices.
In all cases, sponsor-contractors pay apprentices while they finish a combination of on-the-job training and classroom work.
Barnett's sponsor was the Philadelphia Housing Authority's minority-apprentice program. Haskey's was a contractor who called the union seeking female carpenters so it could qualify to bid on a Schuylkill Expressway project.
"That got me in the door," said Haskey, a former resident of West Philadelphia who moved to Salem County, N.J. "It was my gumption that kept me there."
Once apprentices become journeymen, the process for getting work varies from union to union. Also, jobs come and go, as buildings are built.
Sometimes leads for the next job will come from the union hall, when contractors need more bodies. Sometimes contractors keep on their best workers, moving them to new projects.
Sometimes, as carpenter Margarita Padin said, it's a matter of networking - getting leads from contacts within the union and from outside organizations such as community-development groups that want female and minority participation on their projects.
Still, it's not easy.
Union carpenters usually need to find their own work among union contractors.
Barnett remembers times she would go from job site to job site looking for work, but "we were told they were not hiring" - even when white-male carpenters vouched for her abilities.
Padin said it was not enough to give speeches and set quotas. More important is to investigate the many reasons why more women and minorities are not in the trades, and then fix those problems. But, she said, don't blame it on the women.
"What are the things that make people not want to be there?" she asked. "Why wouldn't someone want to be in the union and make $35 an hour?"
Women definitely want this kind of work, said Cassie O'Connell. O'Connell, 36, a nonunion carpenter and site supervisor for Philadelphia's Habitat for Humanity, spoke up during the question-and-answer session at Wednesday's event - "Challenges and Rewards: Women in Non-Traditional Jobs. A Journey Toward Economic Independence."
The panel was a benefit for Women Against Abuse and included a showing of Haskey's documentary on female carpenters, titled Sisters of Philadelphia.
O'Connell told the audience that she directed the work of a half-dozen Habitat for Humanity workers from AmeriCorps, a paid community-service program. Five of the six are women, and all signed up because they wanted to work in construction.
Many of them are motivated by what motivates her. "I like to work with my hands," she said later. "And I like seeing something tangible at the end of the day."
Contact staff writer Jane M. Von Bergen at 215-854-2769 or jvonbergen@....
In a message dated 2/7/08 4:37:08 AM !!!First Boot!!!, nyc@... writes:
News from the New York City Chapter:
[Below are report on January 31 action, thoughts on discussions in our chapter on the elections, and the "Nadler 4". But first we want to draw everyone's attention to what has happened in Berkeley, California:]
2 Days of NO Recruiting by the Marines in Berkeley
Friday, three days after the Berkeley CA City Council voted to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Square recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders," protesters from World Can't Wait were arrested after chaining themselves to the door of the recruiting station and refusing to leave in an act of non-violent civil resistance. Forty Berkeley police officers in riot formation blocked and violently cleared the street before arresting the orange jumpsuited protesters. See full reports of January 31 actions here.
The recruiters shut down early Thursday to avoid the protest, so as promised, a spirited group returned the following morning at 7 AM. The station normally opens at 7:30, but the recruiters had snuck in at 6:30. For the next seven and a half hours several protesters in orange Guantanamo jumpsuits standing chained to each other and to the gate, chanting, giving press interviews, waving at the passing cars, trucks and buses (lots of supportive horn honking!) - and nonviolently preventing anyone from entering the station.
Numerous men repeatedly tried to force their way through. Sometimes angry arguments turned into intense debates, and some who came decided to leave. Woven into all the chains were wads and tangles of videotape, representing the evidence tapes showing illegal torture at secret U.S. facilities - tapes which the CIA has destroyed. Code Pink maintained a constant support presence with their literature table, as they and a number of students helped sustain the "no business as usual" atmosphere. Police informed us that because the City Council of Berkeley supported our position, there would be no arrests today, and stayed across the street monitoring the scene.
Hours later, however, a very different "scene" would erupt. At 2:30, pm, without warning, a wall of 40 or more Berkeley police in riot formation came marching around the corner, as paddy wagons and squad cars blocked off the street. The police waded into the demonstrators gathered around the chained group, shoving everyone out to the other end of the street, and then moved in with their bolt cutters to snap apart the three WCWers' chains and take them to the paddy wagon. Chanting and bullhorns carried the air throughout this entire scene. All three protesters were cited and released, with court dates to follow later.
For news articles, video, and photos of the two days of action (led by World Can't Wait with many others taking part, including Code Pink and students from many schools) go to: PRESS Reports.
Report on NYC - January 31:
Protesters gathered in front of the CNN offices at the TimeWarner Building, amid heavy police presence. Professional actors did a demonstration of waterboarding, which a crowd stopped to watch.
Many people stopped to say they didn't know what waterboarding was, or that they had heard something on the news about Mukasey not identifying it as torture.
40 people took off on a march to Fox News, and then to the Armed Forces Recruiting Office at Times Square, where the building was closed all day. Several high school students sat in front of the doors. The last stop was at a corner of Bryant Park, across from the former Verizon Headquarters, where we talked to passersby about torture and the "Protect America Act" expanding the powers of the federal government to surveil citizens' email and phone calls.
In the next few weeks, we would like to gather with as many around World Can't Wait as possible for wide-ranging discussion around the election.
This process was kicked off on the "Super Tuesday" election night with a discussion with the San Francisco chapter featuring Mike Gravel. To read more from WCW about the current leading Democratic candidates, including a comment by Mike Gravel, ["If a Democrat Wins: When Do U.S. Troops Leave?" read here: http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content& ;task=view&id=4275&Itemid=222]
Some of you who follow WCW’s national website (http://www.worldcantwait.org) and the discussion there have written to tell WCW you strongly agree with our perspective on the various candidates, or about the elections more overall. And others write to say the opposite. There is a huge tidal wave of people talking, thinking, arguing about the direction of their own society. What is being decided through the 2008 elections? What potential change are the leading candidates representing -- or not? For all who want to see the Bush regime’s agenda not only halted, but repudiated and reversed – what should we be doing, in the coming weeks and months of 2008?
We would love to sit and talk with ALL of you about it ALL! Please call 347-678-5905 and let's start the process going.
Your government does not want what you want! You want: an end to illegal wars, torture and indefinite detention, raids on immigrants, assaults on women’s rights, the moves towards theocracy, the fostering of a climate of greed and bigotry, and non-action in the face of a global climate crisis . . . [read more]
Latest News on/from the "Nadler 4"
Tuesday morning, February 5th, was to be our day in court on charges of criminal trespass subsequent to the sit-in in Jerry Nadler's Brooklyn office. However, when we got to the court (along with our lawyer, some supporters and a brief interview and photo session with the local Brooklyn press rep), it turned out that only one of our desk appearance tickets had so far made it through the system. And, that awaits some clarification from the Congressman. So, one of us is back to court on March 31st while the other three await new court dates.
In between the sit-in date and today we have also greeted Jerry Nadler at the Chelsea Reform Democrats presidential forum on January 13th where we leafleted about his stonewalling the impeachment process and joined with other impeachment activists in loudly and clearly raising impeachment throughout the forum. The issue was heard in depth by the 300 or so attendees and was reported on in the local Chelsea newspaper.
Congressman Nadler should continue to hear the voices of the people whether it be in future visits to either of his NY offices (Manhattan or Brooklyn) or his DC office or in upcoming fora on the elections where he'll be speaking for Hillary Clinton. If you would like to be on our Nadler-watch e-list, please send your email address to stephanie@..../ p>
And, please be sure to visit our dedicated website: www.freenadler4.com . (Let us know if you'd like to purchase for $2 each, shipping included, one of our "Tell Nadler to Impeach - Free the Nadler Four" buttons.
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
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To Unsubscribe Send email to: Worldcantwait-unsubscribe@... Or visit: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/options/worldcantwait/gregoryabutler%40aol.com
[Below are report on January
31 action, thoughts on discussions in our chapter on the elections, and the "Nadler 4". But first we want to draw everyone's attention to what has happened in Berkeley, California:]
2 Days of NO Recruiting by
the Marines in Berkeley
Friday, three days after the Berkeley CA City
Council voted to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Square recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders," protesters from World Can't Wait were arrested after chaining themselves to the door of
the recruiting station and refusing to leave in an act of non-violent civil resistance. Forty Berkeley police
officers in riot formation blocked and violently cleared the
street before arresting the orange jumpsuited protesters. See
full reports of January 31 actions here.
The recruiters shut down early Thursday to avoid the
protest, so as promised, a spirited group returned the following
morning at 7 AM. The station normally opens at 7:30, but the recruiters had snuck in at 6:30. For the next seven and
a half hours several protesters in orange Guantanamo
jumpsuits standing chained to each other and to the gate,
chanting, giving press interviews, waving at the passing cars,
trucks and buses (lots of supportive horn honking!) - and nonviolently preventing anyone from entering the
station.
Numerous men repeatedly tried to force their way
through. Sometimes angry arguments turned into intense debates,
and some who came decided to leave. Woven into all the
chains were wads and tangles of videotape, representing the evidence tapes showing illegal torture at secret U.S. facilities - tapes which the CIA has destroyed. Code
Pink maintained a constant support presence with their
literature table, as they and a number of students helped sustain
the "no business as usual" atmosphere. Police informed us that because the City Council of Berkeley supported
our position, there would be no arrests today, and stayed
across the street monitoring the scene.
Hours later, however, a very different "scene" would erupt. At 2:30, pm, without warning, a wall of 40
or more Berkeley police in riot formation came marching
around the corner, as paddy wagons and squad cars blocked off
the street. The police waded into the demonstrators
gathered around the chained group, shoving everyone out to the
other end of the street, and then moved in with their bolt
cutters to snap apart the three WCWers' chains and take them to
the paddy wagon. Chanting and bullhorns carried the air throughout this entire scene. All three protesters were cited and released, with court dates to follow
later.
For news articles, video, and photos of the two days
of action (led by World Can't Wait with many others taking part, including Code Pink and students from many
schools) go to: PRESS Reports.
Report on NYC -
January 31:
Protesters gathered in front of the CNN offices at the TimeWarner Building, amid heavy police presence. Professional
actors did a demonstration of waterboarding, which a crowd
stopped to watch.
Many people stopped to say they didn't know what waterboarding was, or that they had heard something on
the news about Mukasey not identifying it as torture.
40 people took off on a march to Fox News, and then
to the Armed Forces Recruiting Office at Times Square,
where the building was closed all day. Several high school students sat in front of the doors. The last stop was
at a corner of Bryant Park, across from the former Verizon Headquarters, where we talked to passersby about
torture and the "Protect America Act" expanding the powers of the federal government to surveil citizens' email and
phone calls.
In the next few weeks, we would like to gather with
as many around World Can't Wait as possible for
wide-ranging discussion around the election.
This process was kicked off on the "Super Tuesday" election night with a discussion with the San Francisco chapter featuring Mike Gravel. To read
more from WCW about the current leading Democratic
candidates, including a comment by Mike Gravel, ["If a Democrat Wins: When Do U.S. Troops Leave?" read here: http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&
;task=view&id=4275&Itemid=222]
Some of you who follow WCWs national website (http://www.worldcantwait.org) and the discussion there have written to tell WCW you strongly agree with our perspective on the various candidates, or about the elections more overall. And
others write to say the opposite. There is a huge tidal wave
of people talking, thinking, arguing about the direction
of their own society. What is being decided through the
2008 elections? What potential change are the leading
candidates representing -- or not? For all who want to see the
Bush regimes agenda not only halted, but repudiated and reversed what should we be doing, in the coming weeks and months of 2008?
We would love to sit and talk with ALL of you about
it ALL! Please call 347-678-5905 and let's start the
process going.
Your government does not want what you want! You
want: an end to illegal wars, torture and indefinite
detention, raids on immigrants, assaults on womens rights, the moves towards theocracy, the fostering of a climate
of greed and bigotry, and non-action in the face of a
global climate crisis . . . [read more]
Latest News on/from
the "Nadler 4"
Tuesday morning, February 5th, was to be our day in
court on charges of criminal trespass subsequent to the
sit-in in Jerry Nadler's Brooklyn office. However, when we got to
the court (along with our lawyer, some supporters and a
brief interview and photo session with the local Brooklyn
press rep), it turned out that only one of our desk
appearance tickets had so far made it through the system. And,
that awaits some clarification from the Congressman. So, one
of us is back to court on March 31st while the other three await new court dates.
In between the sit-in date and today we have also
greeted Jerry Nadler at the Chelsea Reform Democrats
presidential forum on January 13th where we leafleted about his stonewalling the impeachment process and joined with
other impeachment activists in loudly and clearly raising impeachment throughout the forum. The issue was heard
in depth by the 300 or so attendees and was reported on in
the local Chelsea newspaper.
Congressman Nadler should continue to hear the
voices of the people whether it be in future visits to either of
his NY offices (Manhattan or Brooklyn) or his DC office or
in upcoming fora on the elections where he'll be speaking
for Hillary Clinton. If you would like to be on our
Nadler-watch e-list, please send your email address to stephanie@..../ p>
And, please be sure to visit our dedicated website:
www.freenadler4.com . (Let us know if you'd like to purchase for $2 each, shipping included, one of our "Tell Nadler to Impeach - Free the Nadler Four" buttons.
World Can't Wait -
NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
Employees nationwide are struggling with economic and workload issues:
whether a Janitor, Home Care Worker, a a Security Guard, a Nurse, a
Police Officer, a Fire Fighter, a Construction Worker, an Office
Worker, or any worker who is mistreated in the workplace each day;
each are turning to labor unions for organizing.
Millwright Ron
www.unionmillwright.com
In a message dated 2/7/08 10:40:53 PM !!!First Boot!!!, debrasweet@... writes:
FRIDAY Feb 15
Iraq Moratorium Day
Military Recruitment Keeps the Illegitimate War Going - PROTEST
World Can't Wait is going to military recruitment centers recently opened up to target high school students. Stop the business as usual of dragging youth into the war machine! With righteous indignance, ridicule, and reality, we will gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and politicians to say NO! We're going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must stop it.
HELP get the word out, the posters made, the plans advertised.
DARWIN DAY February 12 When you have a president who believes "the jury is still out on evolution" and presidential candidates promoting "creationism," it's time to celebrate Charles Darwin, the scientist who advanced human's understanding of how life developed. darwinday.org
There are events all over the world—from Spain to Australia to Bangladesh. In the U.S. hundreds of religious congregations are planning to join in, with talks and sermons upholding evolution on Evolution Weekend, February 9 and 10. More here.
Gregory
Bush White House Defends Waterboarding -- "would do it again"
Yesterday, Bush's spokesman Tony Fratto went on about the "misinformation" in the news media about torture, and the "benefits" of waterboarding.
They didn't have to go there. They could have kept quiet -- the scandal might "blow over." But this regime is committed and bellicose about torture. They won't allow the appearance that there's nothing the United States shouldn't be allowed to do, if the president says it's necessary in the "war on terror".
Whether waterboarding is torture is not even the question for the Bush administration. These are war criminals, holding on to the artifice that whatever interrogation techniques have been approved are not torture, and are legal, by definition because they have been approved, by one Bush attorney general after another!
Torture is used on specific people, and the Bush administration admitted this week to the use of waterboarding on three named people. But torture effects everyone, because it's used to threaten whole populations the world over.
The unapologetic use of the threat of torture now defines the United States to the rest of the world. The world can't wait to drive out the Bush regime...but what will the next administration do about torture embedded in the law and in the practice of the military and private contractors?
That's why we demand an end to the torture state. Drive OUT the Bush Regime.
Berkeley City Council Vote Against Military Recruiting is Attacked by Pro War Blogs & US Senators - Send Them Your Message to Stand Firm HERE.
Many of you wrote Monday to support the City Council members of Berkeley, CA who voted 6-3 to tell the U.S. Marines Corps that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
This controversy is shaping up as a big national story. The City Council may consider a measure to zone military recruiters off-limits because of public anger at the Marine recruiters locating an office blocks from Berkeley High School last fall. Wednesday, eight US Senators introduced a bill, the "Semper Fi Act of 2008" which would cut off funds earmarked by Congress for projects in Berkeley. Right wing blogs are issuing calls for a 5am all day pro-war seige of the next Berkeley City Council meeting on Tuesday February 12.
Will this issue be settled by a clampdown on voices of dissent who hold public office, who protest unjust wars, and who try to prevent youth from being dragged into the military on the basis of lies? Your letters and sentiments MATTER, especially when you deliver them directly to the City Council. USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle and other papers are editorializing against the Berkeley City Council's courageous antiwar stand. Write them, too! Here is part a letter from a World Can't Wait activist published in the Chronicle yesterday:
"The U.S. is engaged in an illegal, immoral war. Torture has become the law of the land, habeas corpus obsolete. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids terrorize immigrant families. Nooses once again hang from trees. In such times, people of conscience have a responsibility to speak out. As a Berkeley student named Mario Savio once cried out, it's time to put our 'bodies upon the gears' of injustice. Stopping recruiters' business as usual is not about the military's 'freedom of speech.' It is really about what kind of country and world we want to live in. Most youth I know don't want to live in an empire that roams the world invading and torturing for oil. The whole President Bush program must be reversed. If our elected representatives won't do it, the people must. GIOVANNI JACKSON, San Francisco"
Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime
Military Recruitment Keeps the Illegitimate War Going - PROTEST
World Can't Wait is going to military recruitment centers recently opened up to target high school students. Stop the business as usual of dragging youth into the war machine! With righteous indignance, ridicule, and reality, we will gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and politicians to say NO! We're going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must stop it.
HELP get the word out, the posters made, the plans advertised.
DARWIN DAY February 12 When you have a president who believes "the jury is still out on evolution" and presidential candidates promoting "creationism," it's time to celebrate Charles Darwin, the scientist who advanced human's understanding of how life developed. darwinday.org
There are events all over the world—from Spain to Australia to Bangladesh. In the U.S. hundreds of religious congregations are planning to join in, with talks and sermons upholding evolution on Evolution Weekend, February 9 and 10. More here.
Gregory
Bush White House Defends Waterboarding -- "would do it again"
Yesterday, Bush's spokesman Tony Fratto went on about the "misinformation" in the news media about torture, and the "benefits" of waterboarding.
They didn't have to go there. They could have kept quiet -- the scandal might "blow over." But this regime is committed and bellicose about torture. They won't allow the appearance that there's nothing the United States shouldn't be allowed to do, if the president says it's necessary in the "war on terror".
Whether waterboarding is torture is not even the question for the Bush administration. These are war criminals, holding on to the artifice that whatever interrogation techniques have been approved are not torture, and are legal, by definition because they have been approved, by one Bush attorney general after another!
Torture is used on specific people, and the Bush administration admitted this week to the use of waterboarding on three named people. But torture effects everyone, because it's used to threaten whole populations the world over.
The unapologetic use of the threat of torture now defines the United States to the rest of the world. The world can't wait to drive out the Bush regime...but what will the next administration do about torture embedded in the law and in the practice of the military and private contractors?
That's why we demand an end to the torture state. Drive OUT the Bush Regime.
Berkeley City Council Vote Against Military Recruiting is Attacked by Pro War Blogs & US Senators - Send Them Your Message to Stand Firm HERE.
Many of you wrote Monday to support the City Council members of Berkeley, CA who voted 6-3 to tell the U.S. Marines Corps that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
This controversy is shaping up as a big national story. The City Council may consider a measure to zone military recruiters off-limits because of public anger at the Marine recruiters locating an office blocks from Berkeley High School last fall. Wednesday, eight US Senators introduced a bill, the "Semper Fi Act of 2008" which would cut off funds earmarked by Congress for projects in Berkeley. Right wing blogs are issuing calls for a 5am all day pro-war seige of the next Berkeley City Council meeting on Tuesday February 12.
Will this issue be settled by a clampdown on voices of dissent who hold public office, who protest unjust wars, and who try to prevent youth from being dragged into the military on the basis of lies? Your letters and sentiments MATTER, especially when you deliver them directly to the City Council. USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle and other papers are editorializing against the Berkeley City Council's courageous antiwar stand. Write them, too! Here is part a letter from a World Can't Wait activist published in the Chronicle yesterday:
"The U.S. is engaged in an illegal, immoral war. Torture has become the law of the land, habeas corpus obsolete. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids terrorize immigrant families. Nooses once again hang from trees. In such times, people of conscience have a responsibility to speak out. As a Berkeley student named Mario Savio once cried out, it's time to put our 'bodies upon the gears' of injustice. Stopping recruiters' business as usual is not about the military's 'freedom of speech.' It is really about what kind of country and world we want to live in. Most youth I know don't want to live in an empire that roams the world invading and torturing for oil. The whole President Bush program must be reversed. If our elected representatives won't do it, the people must. GIOVANNI JACKSON, San Francisco"
Debra Sweet, Director, The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime
In the largest sweep in recent memory, federal and New York State authorities on Thursday rounded up scores of accused organized crime figures who were indicted on charges including murder, racketeering, construction extortions and the looting of union benefit funds.
More than 80 people — among them the entire Gambino family hierarchy and reputed figures from the Genovese and Bonanno families — are named in two indictments, along with union and construction industry officials.
The charges were announced this morning at a news conference by the United States attorney for Brooklyn, Benton J. Campbell, and officials from nearly a dozen other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
By 2 p.m., 75 people were already in custody, including the Gambino family’s acting underboss, Domenico Cefalu, and consigliere, Joseph Corozzo, the officials said. The acting boss, who prosecutors identified as John D’Amico, known as Jackie the Nose, has not yet been picked up and several officials said he was believed to be on vacation.
“For those whose image of organized crime is that of ‘The Godfather,’ or, more recently of course, ‘The Sopranos,’ today’s indictment serves as a startling reminder that organized crime is not fiction,” said John S. Pistole, the F.B.I. deputy director. In fact, it is real, it is alive, and it is a pervasive threat to the citizens of New York City and New York State.”
The charges, which are being brought in United States District Court in Brooklyn and state Supreme Court in Queens, also include charges of seven murders — three dating back more than a quarter century — along with racketeering, extortion and state gambling charges, officials said.
“This investigation was extraordinary in that it penetrated the inner workings of the Gambino family and simultaneously reached back in time to hold several members of the Gambino family accountable for their prior crimes,” Mr. Campbell said at the news conference on Thursday.
The crimes charged in the federal indictment span three decades and include racketeering conspiracy, murder, extortion, theft of union benefits loan-sharking, securities fraud, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, money laundering and illegal gambling.
Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, who oversees the Organized Crime Task Force, said the case was built in large part with the aid of an informer who won the confidence of Gambino crime family figures and helped record hundreds of hours of mob conversations.
“The message today is clear: organized crime still exists in the city and the state of New York,” Mr. Cuomo said. “We like to think that it’s a vestige of the past. It’s not. It is as unrelenting as weeds that continue to sprout in the cracks of society.
“The second message, which is equally clear,” he added, “is that we will not rest until organized crime is a distant memory in New York.”
The arrests by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators from several other agencies were coordinated with a sweep that netted 23 accused organized crime figures in Palermo, Sicily. Those charges are not directly linked to the New York arrests, but Italian officials who were in New York at the news conference said they were part of a new American-Italian strategy aimed at severing the close cooperative relationship between the Gambino family and the Sicilian mob.
In addition to Mr. D’Amico, Mr. Cefalu and Mr. Corozzo, the 80-count federal indictment charges three Gambino captains and three acting captains, who serve among the family’s midlevel managers, along with 16 dozen soldiers, officials said. A large number of family associates are also being charged.
The construction extortion aspects of the investigation, which began more than three years ago, focused on the trucking industry, which hauls away dirt excavated from major construction projects in and around the city, said Gordon S. Heddell, inspector general of the United States Labor Department. Several union officials were also charged in a scheme to steal union benefits. Mr. Heddell, whose office investigates labor racketeering, said his agents were instrumental in starting the investigation.
“This investigation exposed the alleged grip that the Gambino organized crime family has had over one of the largest construction markets in the United States, from small private projects to large scale public works contracts,” he said. “This involved the trucks that move construction material and debris throughout the entire New York City region — the cement that is poured to build house foundations out in Staten Island, the general contractors who are responsible for building condominiums over in New Jersey and even a proposed Nascar raceway.”
Among those charged were an executive involved in the speedway project, William Kilgannon, and another man involved in the project, Todd Polakoff, who took a $9,000 payoff from a trucking executive, according to court papers.
Also charged was Anthony Delvescovo, a project manager and director of tunnel operations for the Schiavone Construction Company, a heavy construction firm that has worked on major public works projects in the New York area, according to the indictment.
Four trucking company executives, from companies including SRD Contracting, Firehawk Enterprises, Jo-Tap Industries, Andrews Trucking and Dump Masters of NY Inc., were also charged.
The trucking firms were licensed by the New York City’s Business Integrity Commission, an agency that oversees private carting companies and businesses that haul construction debris. The commission, which also had a role in the investigation, was expected to move to revoke the companies’ licenses today.
The charges against Mr. Kilgannon and Mr. Polakoff stem from an aborted plan to build a Nascar track in Staten Island, where site preparation work was done. But the project was never completed because racing officials scuttled the plan in the face of community opposition, officials said.
Also the subject of extortions was the Liberty View Harbor project in Jersey City, the officials said.
The seven murders include five that prosecutors are charging were committed by one Gambino soldier, Charles Carneglia, between 1976 and 1990, officials said. The first was the slaying of Albert Gelb, a highly decorated court officer who arrested Mr. Carneglia in a Queens diner after noticing he was carrying a pistol. Mr. Gelb was shot four days before he was to testify against Mr. Carneglia in that case.
The last was the killing of an armored car guard, Jose Delgado Rivera, who was shot in the back during a robbery, the officials said.
In addition to the F.B.I., the Labor Department and the Organized Crime Task Force, a number of other agencies were involved in the investigation, including the Waterfront Commission, the New York Police Department and the office of the Staten Island district attorney, Daniel J. Donovan. The case was based in large part on the hundreds of hours of secretly recorded conversations made by the informant, a construction executive.
In the state case, brought by the office of the Queens district attorney, Richard A. Brown, 26 people were charged with gambling, loan-sharking and promoting prostitution, officials said. Twenty of the people had been arrested by about 10 a.m., officials said.
The leadership of the family — Mr. D’Amico, Mr. Cefalu and Mr. Corozzo — were all charged in federal court with racketeering conspiracy and extortion and, if convicted, face up to 20 years in prison on multiple counts.
The top leadership of the Gambino crime family was being rounded up by FBI agents Thursday in New York City, New Jersey and Italy, with a focus on seven unsolved murders, and construction and labor union racketeering, officials said.
The case is built in part on conversations secretly recorded by a confidential informant during a three-year infiltration of the Gambino family.
Among the 62 suspects named in an 80-count indictment is Jack D'Amico, who is considered the "street boss" of the family, sources said. Also targeted for arrest were family consigliere Joseph Corozzo and underboss Domenico Cefalu, the sources said. Six captains and 15 soldiers are also under arrest or are being sought, including Nicholas Corozzo
The main thrust of the investigation is centered on racketeering and extortion in construction industry trucking, in particular involving the South Street ferry terminal in Manhattan, sources said.
"The indictment charges racketeering conspiracy, extortion, theft of union benefits, mail fraud, false statements, loan-sharking, embezzlement of union funds, money laundering and illegal gambling," according to a statement released by Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell.
Gambino family members also face robbery, securities fraud and cocaine distribution charges.
The suspects are also accused of extorting construction companies at in New Jersey, Staten Island and other areas of the metro area.
Five of the seven unsolved murders are said to be linked to Charles Carneglia, a longtime associate of the late Gambino boss John Gotti. Of these, one of the murders is the 1976 slaying of court officer Albert Gelb of Brooklyn State Supreme Court; another is that of Louis DiBono, a former Gambino family member who fell afoul of Gotti when he didn't show up for a meeting.
John Gotti Jr. is not among those targeted for arrest, the sources said.
The defendants are:
Joseph Agate, 60, Vincent Amarante, 60, Jerome Brancato, 76, Thomas Cacciopoli, 58, Frank Cali, 42, Nicholas Calvo, 52, Charles Carneglia, 61, Joseph Casiere, 72, Mario Cassarino, 42, Domenico Cefalu, 61, Joseph Chirico, 63, Joseph Corozzo, 66, Nicholas Corozzo, 67, Gino Cracolici, 56, John D'Amico, 73, Sarah Dauria, 33, Vincent Decongilio, Anthony Delvescovo, 51, Leonard Dimaria, 66, Vincent Donnis, 38, Vincent Dragonetti, 43, Robert Epifania, 60, Cody Farrell, 29, Russell Ferrisi, 41, Louis Filippelli, 41, Ronald Flam, 35, Joseph Gaggi, 45, Abid Ghani, 42, Anthony Giammarino, 56, Richard G. Gotti, 40, Vincent Gotti, 55, Ernest Grillo, 51, Christopher Howard, Steven Iaria, 43, Eddie James, 49, John Kasgorgis, William Kilgannon, 49, Michael King, 41, Anthony Licata, 39, Louis Mosca, 62, Lance Moskowitz, 54, Anthony O'Donnell, 43, James Outerie, 54, Vincent Pacelli, 64, John Pisano, 49, Todd Polakoff, 30, Guilio Pomponio, 45, Richard Ranieri, 51, John Regis, 27, Jerry Romano, 49, Angelo Ruggiero Jr., 35, Steven Sabella, 41, Anthony Scibelli, 57, Augustus Sclafani, 67, Joseph Scopo, 31, William Scotto, 40, Edward Sobol, 41, Joseph Spinnato, 42, Michael Urciuoli, 46, Frank Vassallo, 38, Tara Vega, 35 and Arthur Zagari, 60.
In a message dated 2/8/08 3:24:49 AM !!!First Boot!!!, nyc@... writes:
The Christian Fascists are Coming!
Friday, Feb 8th Times Square /Sat. Izod Center, New Jersey
Time to speak up against their hateful crusade!
"Your Government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule." (from the World Can't Wait Call to DRIVE OUT the Bush Regime)
Two major streams of this hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism are joining forces for a prayer rally of thousands in Times Square this Friday, Feb. 8th, followed by an extravaganza at the The Izod Center in New Jersey Friday night and Saturday.
Ron Luce, the head of BattleCry, is part of Christian fascists circles with the ear of the White House, including people like Pat Robertson, who believe that HIV/AIDS, Katrina and 911 are God's punishment for abandoning his ways. BattleCry has been organizing and indoctrinating hundreds of thousands of mainly suburban and rural white youth. BattleCry promises these youth a larger purpose for their lives as Christian soldiers in a holy war to cleanse the nation of sin. The BattleCry name is not an accident. In BattleCry's 2006 rally in Philadelphia, one speaker, Franklin Graham, suggested that HIV/AIDS is a punishment from God for being gay. He declared to the teenage audience: "No souls can be saved without the shedding of blood. Blood must be shed!"
And now T.D. Jakes will be the featured speaker. T.D. Jakes sits atop a marketing empire from his mega church in Dallas, with TV and radio broadcasts, books, movies and service ministries preaching his "gospel of prosperity" to millions of Black people. Jakes himself counsels George W. Bush and was at his side when Bush visited New Orleans after Katrina struck to sanctify a President whose criminal actions and inactions had just caused the unnecessary death of over 1,000.
Jakes is not just a Black preacher with a big church and a TV show, and BattleCry is not just a large gathering of born-again Christian kids. Like Bush, they believe that they are on a "mission from God" to impose what is in fact a truly horrendous reactionary program on the people of the U.S. and the world.
Together, these two streams are now aiming to reach into the urban centers and enlist especially Black youth in their "holy war".
Join us to expose and oppose the Battle Cry movement and say "No to Theocracy". Stand with us and resist a theocratic movement recruiting this generation into becoming foot soldiers for a hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism that bases itself on a program of intolerance, unjust war and unquestioning obedience.
Meet up and gather at 57th and Broadway at 2:30, Friday, Feb 8th.
We then march down to the Battle Cry rally at Times Square. Bring your friends and si
For more info, contact World Can't Wait NYC at: 347-678-5905
gns to oppose Battle Cry.
Wear orange - the color resistance and declare yourself against the whole Bush program of which this culture of greed, bigotry and intolerance is a part.
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
_______________________________________________ Worldcantwait mailing list
Post: Worldcantwait@... List info: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/worldcantwait
To Unsubscribe Send email to: Worldcantwait-unsubscribe@... Or visit: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/options/worldcantwait/gregoryabutler%40aol.com
Friday, Feb 8th Times Square /Sat. Izod
Center, New Jersey
Time to speak up against
their hateful crusade!
"Your Government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule." (from the World Can't Wait Call to DRIVE OUT the Bush Regime)
Two major streams of this hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism are joining forces for a prayer rally of
thousands in Times Square this Friday, Feb. 8th, followed by an
extravaganza at the The Izod Center in New Jersey Friday night and Saturday.
Ron Luce, the head of BattleCry, is part of Christian fascists circles with the ear of the
White House, including people like Pat Robertson, who believe that HIV/AIDS, Katrina and 911 are God's punishment for abandoning
his ways. BattleCry has been organizing and indoctrinating
hundreds of thousands of mainly suburban and rural white youth. BattleCry promises these youth a larger purpose for their lives as
Christian soldiers in a holy war to cleanse the nation of sin. The
BattleCry name is not an accident. In BattleCry's 2006 rally in Philadelphia, one speaker, Franklin Graham, suggested that HIV/AIDS is a punishment from God for being gay. He declared
to the teenage audience: "No souls can be saved without the shedding of blood. Blood must be shed!"
And now T.D. Jakes will be
the featured speaker. T.D. Jakes sits atop a marketing
empire from his mega church in Dallas, with TV and radio broadcasts, books, movies and service ministries preaching his "gospel of prosperity" to millions of Black people. Jakes himself counsels George W. Bush and was at his side when Bush visited New Orleans after Katrina struck to sanctify a
President whose criminal actions and inactions had just caused the unnecessary death of over 1,000.
Jakes is not just a Black preacher with a big church and a
TV show, and BattleCry is not just a large gathering of
born-again Christian kids. Like Bush, they believe that they are on a "mission from God" to impose what is in fact a truly horrendous reactionary program on the people of the U.S. and
the world.
Together, these two streams are now aiming to reach into
the urban centers and enlist especially Black youth in their "holy war".
Join us to expose and oppose the Battle Cry movement and
say "No to Theocracy". Stand with us and resist a theocratic movement recruiting this generation into becoming foot
soldiers for a hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism that bases
itself on a program of intolerance, unjust war and unquestioning obedience.
Meet up and gather at 57th
and Broadway at 2:30, Friday, Feb 8th.
We then march down to the Battle Cry rally at Times
Square. Bring your friends and si
For more info, contact World Can't Wait NYC at: 347-678-5905
gns to oppose Battle Cry.
Wear orange - the color resistance and declare yourself against
the whole Bush program of which this culture of greed, bigotry and
intolerance is a part.
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
In a message dated 2/8/08 3:26:58 PM !!!First Boot!!!, nyc@... writes:
Updated information:
The Christian Fascists are Coming!
Friday, Feb 8th at Times Square /Saturday at Izod Center, New Jersey
Speak up against their hateful crusade!
To hook up with protests:
Friday: Meet up and gather at 57th and Broadway at 2:30, Fri. Feb 8th. (if you can't get there that early, call 347-678-5905 to hook up later)
Saturday: Meet up at 8:30 am, in front of South Terminal, Port Authority Bus Station, SW corner of 8th Avenue & 41st Street, to travel together to Izod Center. To hook up later in New Jersey, call 347-678-5905
We will have signs and flyers, and/or bring your own. Wear orange.
Our basic message:
"Your Government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism will rule." (from the World Can’t Wait Call to DRIVE OUT the Bush Regime)
Two major streams of this hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism are joining forces for a prayer rally of thousands in Times Square Friday, followed by an extravaganza at the Izod Center Friday night and Saturday.
Ron Luce, the head of BattleCry, is part of Christian fascists circles with the ear of the White House, including people like Pat Robertson, who believe that AIDS, Katrina and 9-11 are God’s punishment for abandoning his ways. BattleCry has been organizing and indoctrinating hundreds of thousands of mainly suburban and rural white youth. BattleCry promises these youth a larger purpose for their lives as Christian soldiers in a holy war to cleanse the nation of sin. The BattleCry name is not an accident. In BattleCry’s 2006 rally in Philadelphia, one speaker, Franklin Graham, suggested that AIDS is God’s punishment for being gay. He declared to the teenage audience: "No souls can be saved without the shedding of blood. Blood must be shed!"
And now T.D. Jakes is the featured speaker. Jakes sits atop a marketing empire from his mega church in Dallas, with TV and radio broadcasts, books, movies and service ministries preaching his "gospel of prosperity" to millions of Black people. Jakes counsels George W. Bush and was at his side when Bush visited New Orleans after Katrina to sanctify a President whose criminal actions and inactions had just caused the unnecessary death of over 1,000!
Like Bush, Jakes and BattleCry believe that they are on a "mission from God" to impose what is in fact a truly horrendous reactionary program on the people of the U.S. and the world. Together, they now aim to reach into the urban centers and enlist especially Black youth in their "holy war".
Join us to expose and oppose the Battle Cry movement and say "No to Theocracy". Resist a theocratic movement recruiting a new generation as foot soldiers for a hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism that bases itself on a program of intolerance, unjust war and unquestioning obedience.
Wear orange - the color resistance and declare yourself against the whole Bush program of which this culture of greed, bigotry and intolerance is a part.
The World Can't Wait - DRIVE OUT the Bush Regime!
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
_______________________________________________ Worldcantwait mailing list
Post: Worldcantwait@... List info: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/worldcantwait
To Unsubscribe Send email to: Worldcantwait-unsubscribe@... Or visit: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/options/worldcantwait/gregoryabutler%40aol.com
Friday, Feb 8th at Times Square /Saturday
at Izod Center, New Jersey
Speak up against their hateful crusade!
To hook up with protests:
Friday: Meet up and
gather at 57th and Broadway at 2:30, Fri. Feb 8th. (if you can't get there that early, call 347-678-5905 to hook
up later)
Saturday: Meet up at
8:30 am, in front of South Terminal, Port Authority Bus Station,
SW corner of 8th Avenue & 41st Street, to travel together to
Izod Center. To hook up later in New Jersey, call
347-678-5905
We will have signs
and flyers, and/or bring your own. Wear orange.
Our basic
message:
"Your
Government is moving each day closer to a theocracy, where a narrow and hateful brand of Christian fundamentalism
will rule." (from the World Cant Wait Call to
DRIVE OUT the Bush Regime)
Two major streams of this hateful brand of
Christian fundamentalism are joining forces for a prayer rally of
thousands in Times Square Friday, followed by an extravaganza at the
Izod Center Friday night and Saturday.
Ron Luce, the head of BattleCry, is part of Christian fascists circles with the ear of the
White House, including people like Pat Robertson, who believe that
AIDS, Katrina and 9-11 are Gods punishment for abandoning his
ways. BattleCry has been organizing and indoctrinating hundreds of thousands of mainly suburban and rural white youth. BattleCry promises these youth a larger purpose for their lives as
Christian soldiers in a holy war to cleanse the nation of sin. The
BattleCry name is not an accident. In BattleCrys 2006 rally in Philadelphia, one speaker, Franklin Graham, suggested that
AIDS is Gods punishment for being gay. He declared to the teenage audience: "No souls can be saved without the shedding of blood. Blood must
be shed!"
And now T.D. Jakes
is the featured speaker. Jakes sits atop a marketing empire from
his mega church in Dallas, with TV and radio broadcasts, books,
movies and service ministries preaching his "gospel of prosperity" to millions of Black people. Jakes counsels George W. Bush and was at his side when Bush visited New
Orleans after Katrina to sanctify a President whose criminal actions
and inactions had just caused the unnecessary death of over
1,000!
Like Bush, Jakes and BattleCry believe that
they are on a "mission from God" to impose what is in fact a truly horrendous reactionary program on the people of the U.S. and
the world. Together, they now aim to reach into the urban centers
and enlist especially Black youth in their "holy war".
Join us to expose and oppose the Battle Cry
movement and say "No to Theocracy". Resist a theocratic movement recruiting a new generation as foot soldiers for a hateful
brand of Christian fundamentalism that bases itself on a program of intolerance, unjust war and unquestioning
obedience.
Wear orange - the
color resistance and declare yourself against the whole Bush program of which this culture of greed, bigotry and intolerance is a
part.
The World Can't Wait -
DRIVE OUT the Bush Regime!
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
[United Farm Workers] Once again, the Bush Administration is attempting to strip away the few protections afforded to workers who harvest our nation’s crops.
This week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced what it calls the "most significant overhaul of the nation’s agricultural guest worker program in two decades." That sounds good, but look a little closer and you will discover that instead of fixing the problem, this so-called reform is nothing more than a gutting of existing protections for both domestic and foreign workers.
The proposed plan to the H2-A/guest worker program is simply unacceptable. This so-called "overhaul" of the nation’s agricultural guest worker program will result in lower wages and worsen conditions for farm workers that are already unacceptable. DOL's proposal includes an easing of the standards farmers must follow to show they have tried to hire domestic workers first. It also hurts those workers coming in under the H2-A program by lowering wages and undermining labor protections that already exist for U.S. workers.
The key to real solution to this dilemma is the UFW-backed AgJOBS. This bill will provide a stable and reliable agricultural workforce. AgJOBS has the support of growers, workers and a bipartisan majority in Congress.
In the coming days, we plan on raising public awareness about how the federal administrative changes are being forced upon us, instead of a legislative solution. We intend on engaging elected officials and community organizations across the nation to stop these changes from being enacted.
Please contact the U.S. Department of Labor TODAY. Tell them instead of gutting the current guest worker program, they should be enforcing the regulations that are currently on the books to protect farm workers.
Media Coverage of DOL Announcement of H-2A Program Changes
The Bush Administration announced plans to lower wage rates, eliminate labor protections, remove housing requirements, and minimize government oversight of the notoriously abusive H-2A agricultural guestworker program. The media exhibited substantial interest in the issue, despite this being the week of “Super Tuesday.” Most of the articles and other coverage included statements from farmworker advocates such as Farmworker Justice and the United Farm Workers. We expect more to come. Below is a list of the coverage, with links to the clips themselves, which appear below. We have much work to do to oppose these terrible proposals. -- Bruce Goldstein, Executive Director 2/7/2008
Wires Associated Press “Changes Aimed at Foreign Farm Worker Pay,” (This story also appeared in the Star-Telegram, Houston Chronicle, Times Record News, MSN Money, Forbes, Conde Nast Portfolio, Houston Chronicle, Monterey County Herald, Brattleboro Reformer, San Francisco Chronicle, The News Journal, Los Angeles Daily News, Dallas Morning News, Miami Herald, and the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)
Wall Street Journal Farm-Worker Plan Aims To Curb Illegal Hires By JOHN D. MCKINNON and MIRIAM JORDAN February 7, 2008; Page A10
The Bush administration rolled out a set of proposed rules aimed at stanching the flow of undocumented workers who have been crossing the border to work on U.S. farms.
The rules would encourage farmers to hire more legal guest workers from other countries under a 20-year-old visa program covering agricultural workers. The changes would modernize what is known as the H-2A visa program by loosening many of its stricter requirements, particularly on wages that must be paid to guest workers and on housing. Currently, critics of U.S. immigration policy say, farmers are encouraged to hire illegal workers because they are so much cheaper than legal guest workers or U.S. residents.
Groups that push for better conditions for immigrants were critical of the changes, saying they could lead to worse conditions for legal immigrant workers. The government's recent efforts to crack down on illegal immigration alone should get employers to start using the H-2A program and putting more workers under its wage and housing guidelines, said Bruce Goldstein of Farmworker Justice. Instead, he said, the changes appear aimed at "making it easier and cheaper for agricultural employers to hire [legal] temporary farm workers from poor countries," he said. "There is no valid justification for doing this."
Some farmers also questioned whether it would be effective in straightening out what has become a tangle of red tape. For example, they said, the changes leave out some types of agriculture, such as dairy farms.
"This is not the solution," said Maureen Torrey, who runs Torrey Farms in Elba, N.Y., and is a former chairman of United Fresh Produce, a farm-industry group. "It could be part of a short-term solution, after we look at it. But we need real immigration reform to give us a workable guest-worker program. We need action by Congress."
The government estimates that only about 75,000 workers take part in the H-2A program, while there are an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 illegal immigrant workers on U.S. farms. Some private-sector estimates of the number of undocumented farm workers run higher.
Farmers complain that the H-2A program's rules on wages and working conditions leave them open to lawsuits from worker advocates. But some farm-worker advocates -- as well as some critics of U.S. immigration policy -- say illegal workers are simply cheaper to employ.
The new regulations are likely to narrow that cost gap. But Jack Martin, special-projects director at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a critic of U.S. immigration policy, said the real key is stepping up enforcement to reduce the supply of illegal workers and to discourage farmers from seeking out illegal immigrants in the first place. Without that, "this change in regulations will not have a major effect," he said.
New York Times White House Moves to Ease Guest Worker Program By JULIA PRESTON Published: February 7, 2008
The Bush administration announced plans on Wednesday to overhaul the notoriously inefficient federal guest worker program for agriculture, seeking to provide more legal workers to American farmers who now rely primarily on illegal immigrants.
Since legislation to give legal status to illegal immigrant farm workers failed last year in Congress, the administration is now taking action that does not require Congressional approval to streamline the existing guest worker program.
Most farmers have shunned the program, known as H2A for the type of visa the foreign farm workers receive, because it was too cumbersome to meet their fast-moving harvest labor needs.
Growers cautiously welcomed the proposed changes, saying they would be helpful but would fall far short of solving the shortage of legal workers. Advocates for farm workers warned that the measures would lower wages for those who are already in the United States.
After Congress last year rejected several immigration bills that President Bush supported, he first sought to move forward on the divisive issue by stepping up enforcement against employers who hire illegal immigrants. Now the administration is seeking to help farm employers hire immigrant workers legally.
The changes were announced at a news conference Wednesday morning in Washington by Michael Chertoff, secretary of homeland security; Elaine L. Chao, labor secretary; and Chuck Conner, deputy agriculture secretary. They unveiled proposed rule revisions that will be open for public comment for 60 days. Administration officials said they hoped to have the final rules in place in time for the summer harvest.
Under the proposed rules, the Labor Department would accept farm employers’ statements that they had tried to recruit local workers and had found none who were qualified and available. Currently, farmers must repeatedly go to state employment offices to show that they have conducted the required search for American workers. The new application process would allow employers to bypass those state agencies and apply directly at two federal centers.
“We want to substantially reduce that time-consuming, cumbersome back-and-forth with multiple government offices for employers,” said Leon R. Sequeira, assistant secretary of labor.
The Labor Department would also start random audits of H2A employers, and would greatly increase the fines if farmers failed to meet required conditions.
Fines for employers found to have displaced American workers by hiring foreign ones would increase to $15,000 from $1,000. Fines for violating the terms of an H2A guest worker’s contract would increase to $5,000 from $1,000.
The new rules would increase the time allowed for employers to conduct required inspections of housing they must provide for guest workers. Labor officials would use a different, more localized survey to determine the wages that employers must pay guest workers.
The Department of Homeland Security would allow employers to request numbers of workers without specifying names of individuals they wanted to hire, and would also make it easier for immigrant farm workers to move from one job to another without leaving the United States, officials said. Ms. Chao said that as many as 800,000 current farm workers, or about two-thirds of the agricultural work force, were illegal immigrants. “There simply are not enough U.S. workers to fill the hundreds of thousands of agricultural jobs” in the country, she said. Farmers have avoided the current H2A program because it is so sluggish. It currently supplies only about 75,000 foreign workers out of 1.2 million farm workers employed at peak harvest, or less than 2 percent.
“We welcome any reforms that will help family farmers hire people who are legally able to work in the United States,” said Doug Mosebar, president of the California Farm Bureau, a growers’ organization.
Mr. Mosebar said Congress should pass legislation known as AgJobs, which would provide a path to legal status for illegal immigrants, to resolve farm labor instability.
Advocates for farm workers said the wage rates proposed under the new rules would be lower than current pay.
“We’re concerned this proposal will allow thousands of agricultural employers to bring in cheap foreign labor from poor countries and undermine the standards of farm workers in this country, which already are too low,” said Bruce Goldstein, executive director of Farmworker Justice.
Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which calls for reducing immigration, said, “It looks as though the government is relaxing the rules to make it easier for agricultural employers to hire workers at whatever wages they want to dictate.”
Los Angeles Times Overhaul set for guest-worker plan Bush administration to make dramatic changes to increase numbers of legal foreign workers to harvest crops. By Nicole Gaouette February 6, 2008
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration today plans to announce the most significant overhaul in two decades of the nation's agricultural guest worker program, in a bid to dramatically increase the number of legal foreign laborers available to harvest crops.
The revised regulations, many months in the works, would make it easier for growers to bring foreign workers to the United States and could alleviate the critical farmworker shortage largely caused by the U.S. crackdown on illegal border crossings. After Congress failed to overhaul immigration laws last summer, the White House announced a 26-step plan to tackle immigration issues through administrative fixes. Altering the legal-farmworker program would mark the most significant achievement to date.
"There is huge potential here to replace the massive illegal workforce with a legal one," said Leon Sequeira, an assistant secretary at the Department of Labor.
The greatest effect would be in California, the nation's largest agricultural state. Some farmers have had to plow rotting crops back into their fields for lack of workers at harvest time. But lawmakers and growers said Tuesday that more than an administrative fix was needed to solve the state's chronic farm labor shortages.
The proposed changes to the program, which would relax the requirements for the H-2A visas granted to foreign farmworkers, come against a backdrop of growing anger over illegal immigration and tension among the presidential candidates over the issue.
The new regulations could be a boon to growers, who have long complained that the program is too cumbersome and leaves them little choice but to turn to illegal immigrants.
The simplified rules are certain to generate outrage among anti-immigration activists, who say the program steals jobs from Americans. At the same time, advocates for farmworkers charge that under the new rules, growers could exploit workers by paying them less than they do now.
The proposed changes, which would take effect after a 45-day period of public comment, would modify how foreign laborers are paid and housed, and slightly expand the types of industries that can use the program. The administration would also ease the standards farmers must now meet to show they have tried to hire U.S. citizens first.
"The overarching departmental goal is to encourage the use of the H-2A program to provide agricultural employers access to legal workers," said the Labor Department's Sequeira.
Sequeira noted that, of the nation's 1.2 million farmworkers, more than half tell Labor Department surveyors that they are in the U.S. illegally. Many advocates believe the actual percentage of illegal workers is close to 70%.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was skeptical that the proposed changes would make much difference, noting that only about 2% of farm jobs are now filled through the notoriously bureaucratic program. "Growers frequently cannot get labor through the H-2A program when they need it. Simply tweaking regulations can't fix that problem," she said. "I'm afraid that these H-2A modifications make a bad situation worse -- by lowering wage rates and undermining existing labor protections for U.S. and foreign farmworkers."
Feinstein pushed for Congress to pass a farm labor bill that was negotiated over years by worker advocates, industry groups and unions, but failed to move forward this year in the politically fraught uproar surrounding immigration. That bill, called AgJOBS, would create a new guest worker program that would allow laborers to eventually become citizens.
"The key to real reform is AgJOBS. Growers support it. Workers support it. And bipartisan majorities in Congress support it," Feinstein said. "It would provide incentives for a stable, reliable agricultural workforce and provide long-term H-2A reform."
'A question of execution'
In addition to the Labor Department, the departments of State, Homeland Security and Agriculture have a role in the program. Labor and Homeland Security focused on making the program easier for growers to use, strengthening worker protections and improving enforcement, but critics questioned how these proposals would actually work.
"It's going to be a question of execution," said a Senate aide briefed on the changes. The aide, who was not authorized to speak on the record, expressed concern about some proposals, including a change to the way workers are paid.
One of the proposed changes would set wages based on a worker's occupation and skill level. "Depending on how it's done, it has the potential to lower farmworkers' wages, potentially significantly," said the aide.
Other changes would give workers more time to search for a new H-2A job after their existing one ends. Employers would have to certify under penalty of perjury that they wouldn't change the terms of work after they hired the temporary workers.
Tracking program
Homeland Security would create a pilot program to track whether H-2A workers leave the country when their visas expire.
Employers that violate the program's regulations would face substantially higher fines and penalties. Growers would also be forbidden from passing along to workers any costs incurred from participating in the program.
Farmworker advocates called those provisions promising, but harshly criticized administration proposals to ease regulations concerning U.S. workers, including one that requires growers to go through several steps to show they have tried to hire an American before they can bring in H-2A workers.
"These employers routinely violate the law already and we need more law enforcement under the H-2A program, not less," said Bruce Goldstein, of Farmworker Justice, an advocacy group affiliated with the National Council of La Raza. "They're just looking for some formula to lower wage rates of both U.S. workers and foreign workers.
"There is no economic or moral justification for these harsh changes."
But growers singled out the same proposal for praise and cautiously commended the overhaul.
"Government is infamous for having different agencies not work together well, not understanding each other's roles and not particularly caring," said Michael Gempler, current president of the National Council of Agriculture Employers.
"As a result the consumer suffers, so this is a very valuable thing to do."
Washington Post Changes Planned In Visa Program For Farmworkers By Alejandro Lazo WP Staff Writer Thursday, February 7, 2008; Page D01
The Bush administration proposed changes yesterday to a little-used agricultural guest-worker program that would provide incentives for farmers to hire foreigners legally.
The proposed changes include a system for calculating how foreign workers are paid and centralizing the application process under the federal government.
Immigration advocates said the changes would weaken rules that protect workers under the program. The administration defended the proposal as a direct response to Congress's failure last year to change the nation's immigration laws and as a way to address a shortage of legal farmworkers.
"It is precisely because Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform that the president directed executive agencies to take a closer look at the programs they administer," said Leon R. Sequeira, the assistant secretary of labor for policy. "Our goal here is to make the program work so that agricultural employers will use it to hire more workers legally."
The proposed rules do not require congressional action and can take effect after a 45-day public comment period. About 75,000 foreign workers participated in the H-2A visa program last year. Meanwhile, 600,000 to 800,000 undocumented laborers worked on U.S. farms illegally, the Labor Department estimates.
Perhaps the most significant change to the visa program would be a new method for figuring wages for foreign farmworkers. The current rules are intended to ensure that foreign workers are not paid wages that undercut those paid to U.S. workers. But the wage scales have been criticized by some who claim that they do not accurately reflect market wages by occupation, skill level and geographic location. The new system would use data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' occupational employment survey, which is used to calculate required minimum wages for other visa programs administered by the department.
The changes would also require employers to file visa applications with the Labor Department, eliminating the role of state agencies. The proposed changes would increase the number of days a farmer is required to spend recruiting U.S. workers for jobs before filling them with foreigners, to 75 days from 45. They also would require contractors that recruit foreign workers to post bonds with the federal government. And they would prohibit employers from passing on processing fees to foreign workers and would increase fines for abusing workers.
Bruce Goldstein, executive director of Farmworker Justice, said the proposed changes would do away with much of the Labor Department's enforcement of the current rules. And he said wages were likely to decrease. He said the Labor Department should do more to enforce rules already on the books.
"Rather than spend its resources to lower wage rates, the Department of Labor should have announced a campaign to actively enforce workers rights under this program," Goldstein said.
Chicago Tribune Bush outlines changes to guest-worker program By Stephen Franklin
CHICAGO — The Bush administration on Wednesday laid out a series of changes to the program that brings foreign farmworkers into the United States, predicting such workers will be better protected and farmers will face less red tape.
By making it easier for growers to bring foreign workers to the United States, the revised regulations are aimed at ending the critical farmworker shortage that came as the U.S. government cracked down on illegal border crossings.
Since legislation to give legal status to illegal-immigrant farmworkers failed last year in Congress, the administration is taking action that does not require congressional approval to streamline the existing guest-worker program.
Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff, in a statement accompanying the 186-page proposal for changes in the H-2A program, described the revisions as a "common-sense simplification" that would allow for a more "orderly and timely flow of legal workers."
The proposed changes to the farmworker program would take effect after a 45-day period of public comment; they would modify how foreign laborers are paid and housed, and slightly expand the types of industries that can use the program.
Farmworker advocates and agricultural-industry officials criticized the first rewrite of the guest-worker regulations in 20 years. But both cited different reasons.
Bruce Goldstein, head of Farmworker Justice, an advocacy group, said the changes would be "devastating" to workers. Wages would be "slashed" as a result of a shift to a new system for calculating salaries, and they could face unsafe housing if farmers have the option of providing vouchers for the workers' housing, he said. Under the current system, workers are given free housing.
Leon Sequeira, an assistant secretary for policy at the U.S. Labor Department, said, however, that some workers' wages might decline, while others would receive pay increases.
Under the proposed changes, wages would be based on skill levels and local salaries. Now, the government sets the wages by region and all workers receive the same salary. Employers would also no longer file their applications for workers through state employment agencies, but through the U.S. Labor Department.
Fines against employers for violating regulations would grow from $1,000 to $5,000 and for the first time the government could impose a $50,000 fine for a violation that caused a worker's death. Employers also would be required to spend more time recruiting locally before applying for foreign help.
Sequeira noted that of the nation's 1.2 million farmworkers, more than half tell Labor Department surveyors they are in the United States illegally. But many advocates believe it's closer to 70 percent.
Though farmers have long complained about the costs and red tape involved in the H-2A program, the number of workers brought to the United States under the program has grown steadily. This year, about 75,000 foreign workers were brought in, according to the government.
Sequeira said officials are hoping the changes will spur a "significant increase" in employers' use of the program.
McClatchy Newspapers Farm labor plan is met with doubt Foreign workers - Growers and labor advocates see little gain in a proposal to tweak a federal agricultural program
Thursday, February 07, 2008 MICHAEL DOYLE
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration on Wednesday proposed streamlining an agricultural guest-worker program, but growers and farmworker advocates alike already doubt the changes will do much good.
With Congress stalled on broader immigration reform, the administration wants to ease certain wage, housing and other requirements in the existing guest-worker program. The revisions are supposed to make it easier to bring in the foreign workers U.S. farmers say they need.
"The changes . . . will go a long way toward ensuring that America's farmers will have a stable, legal work force they can count on at harvest time," Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner said Wednesday.
The so-called H-2A program allows farmers to bring in foreign workers if domestic workers aren't available. It is criticized often but used relatively rarely. Last year, approximately 75,000 foreign farmworkers entered the United States through the H-2A program.
This was only a fraction of the 1.2 million farmworkers laboring in the United States last summer.
"It's nothing compared to our labor need," said Manuel Cunha, president of the Fresno, Calif.-based Nisei Farmers League. "It's not even a thimbleful."
Cunha said Wednesday that he didn't know any grower in his region who uses the current H-2A program. Only about 3,000 H-2A workers came to California last year, amounting to less than 1 percent of the state's total farmworker population.
And even though the Labor Department's proposed changes spanned 186 pages of text, in what officials called the program's most sweeping reform in 20 years, Cunha brushed the revisions off as inconsequential.
"I believe it's a Band-Aid," Cunha said. "It isn't going to help us at all."
Cunha, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and others prefer legislation to enact a more ambitious agricultural guest-worker program that includes legalizing 1.5 million illegal immigrants. Growers and farmworker advocates negotiated the package over several years, but it died amid the wreckage of a broader Senate immigration bill last year.
Some of the changes appear technical if not downright trivial.
Currently, for instance, growers must place two newspaper advertisements seeking U.S. workers before they can seek foreign workers. The growers will now have to place three newspaper ads.
Other changes are potentially more sweeping, though growers and farmworker advocates were still scrambling to understand them Wednesday.
"We see this as making a bad situation worse," said Eric Nicholson, director of guest-worker programs for the United Farm Workers. Farmworker wages, for instance, could change. The administration proposes using Labor Department instead of Agriculture Department data to calculate the "adverse effect wage rate," which is a kind of minimum wage. This "may raise the legally required wage rates in some areas while lowering them in others," the Labor Department predicted Wednesday, though Nicholson said he feared the main effect would be to lower guest-worker wages.
Employers could offer housing vouchers for the foreign workers, rather than housing itself, under the proposed rule. Employers could simply attest that they had met various federal requirements, although they would face higher fines for violations
The revisions will be open for public comment for 45 days before becoming final.
The Press of Atlantic City U.S. farmers may find it easier to hire guest workers
By ERIK ORTIZ Staff Writer, 609-272-7253 Published: Thursday, February 7, 2008
The federal government Wednesday released a proposal to modernize the temporary guest worker program, used by labor-strapped agricultural growers - including an increasing number in New Jersey - who are unable to attract Americans for jobs.
The program is getting an overhaul by the Bush administration and the departments of Labor, State and Homeland Security. Through the revision, officials also want to address the thorny issue of illegal immigration, now in limbo after Congress failed to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the summer.
While the so-called "H-2A" visa program involves more than 75,000 foreign workers, there are still an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 illegal immigrants working on America's 2 million farms, according to the U.S. Labor Department.
"These proposed changes to the H-2A program will provide farmers with an orderly and timely flow of legal workers and increase protections for both U.S. and foreign workers," Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said in a statement.
The H-2A program, which federal officials are calling broken, has not been updated in more than 20 years. Employers must show that efforts to find American workers failed before they can apply to hire foreign labor.
Federal officials want the changes to streamline the application process, encourage more employers to participate and also benefit the American worker.
The 186-page proposal, which would go into effect after a 45-day comment period, includes: • Eliminating duplicate filings sent by employers to their states' work-force agency and the federal Labor Department. • Making the application process Internet-based. • Lengthening the recruitment period for American workers, who get priority when applying for jobs, and requiring employers to put out three advertisements, instead of the current two, to recruit those workers. • Updating the way foreign workers' wages are calculated by taking into account where the job is located, what kind of a job it is and their skill levels. That would better reflect local pay rates and "protect the wages and working conditions" of Americans, the proposal says.
The H-2A program has historically been underused since a version of it began in 1943.
While the GardenState has more than 9,800 farms, only 23 employers were certified to participate in the program in 2006.
Last year, the number of employers increased to 32, according to the most recent Labor Department statistics.
In an analysis of federal data, CumberlandCounty farms again employed the most H-2A workers in the state in 2007, totaling about 160.
Two employers in AtlanticCounty were also certified last year: a nursery in Hammonton that requested four foreign workers and a flower business in Atlantic City that needed five workers.
Richard Nieuwenhuis, president of the New Jersey Farm Bureau, said the increase in H-2A employers shows a growing need in an industry that relies on manual labor.
"Even with the pitfalls with the current program, (growers) are looking for that legal way to have temporary workers," Nieuwenhuis said.
Ed Overdevest, who hires about 40 guest workers annually at his nursery operation in HopewellTownship, said the program in its current form remains cumbersome and must be changed if it's to support immigration reform.
"Guest worker programs have to be workable, practical," he said.
But Jessica Vaughan, a senior policy analyst with the Washington, D.C.-based, Center for Immigration Studies, remains critical of the program, even with the proposed changes.
"If there are 800,000 illegal workers, and it's still easier for growers to use them, they're not going to switch to a reinvented, existing program on a large scale," Vaughan said. "These reforms are justifiable in the management sense, but it's not getting at the fundamental problem: the unchecked supply of illegal labor and the growers' appetite for it."
The Californian Growers express support for ag-labor plan But groups say immigration reform is still essential By DAWN WITHERS The Salinas Californian Editor's note: The headline and first paragraph of this article have been revised to correct an erroneous portrayal of how growers and agricultural organizations assess proposed reforms to the agricultural-worker program.
Salinas-area growers and agricultural organizations on Wednesday expressed support for proposed changes to the nation's foreign agricultural-worker program but said they're no substitute for comprehensive immigration reform.
The revisions, pitched Wednesday by the U.S. Labor Department, would streamline the application process and modify housing and wage requirements for employing H2-A visa holders. In some cases, it would allow companies to pay lower wages to the workers, who are in the country legally to perform farm-related jobs.
A goal of the proposal is to coax agricultural firms into using the so-called H2-A program instead of hiring undocumented workers.
Farmers say they don't use the visa program because the process has been cumbersome and often takes so long that workers arrive after harvests have ended. About 7,700 farmers used the H2-A program last year, hiring about 75,000 workers.
Jim Bogart, president of Salinas-based Grower Shipper Association of Central California, agreed that the foreign-worker program needs revamping.
"The H2-A program is ineffective and unpredictable and not affordable," Bogart said, "and it's depriving agriculture functional access to legal workers when sufficient domestic workers are unavailable to meet their needs."
He said some Grower-Shipper members use the H2-A visa program, but many more do not because of the cost and paperwork.
Under the H2-A program, growers may apply to bring in foreign workers if they can show the supply of U.S. workers is inadequate. Housing still an issue.
Rod Braga, managing partner of Braga Ranch in Soledad, said his company doesn't use H2-A visas because it has been able to meet its labor needs without them. But Braga said even if reforms go through, MontereyCounty's shortage of farm-worker housing will make it difficult to bring in H2-A workers.
"The biggest problem we have with H-2A is the problem we with have with all our employees - the lack of housing," Braga said. The proposed changes come as farmers throughout the nation say their labor supply has dwindled amid stepped-up immigration enforcement.
The labor shortage has left some growers with fields of rotting crops and others with the prospect of leaving portions of their lands fallow out of fear they would not be able to hire enough workers to harvest their crops.
"Uncertainty about meeting labor needs is already forcing California farmers to switch crops and make other permanent changes to their businesses," said California Farm Bureau Federation President Doug Mosebar.
First changes in decades
The new regulations would be the first changes to the H-2A visa system in 20 years. They include changing how wages paid to visa workers are calculated and allowing growers to provide housing vouchers to workers to find temporary shelter, such as a rented house.
Now, the base pay for H2-A agriculture workers is set by the Agriculture Department's Farm Labor Survey and varies by state. Within a state, the pay is the same regardless of what job a worker performs.
However, the Labor Department wants to use the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Employment Survey, which would allow officials to consider what workers do and their skill levels in setting pay levels.
"Because of the increased precision, there are going to be wages that will likely decrease," said Leon R. Sequeira, an assistant secretary for policy at the Labor Department. "There also are wages that are going to increase."
UFW official objects
Erik Nicholson, director of the United Farm Workers' guest-worker program, said the proposed changes are a step backward for foreign agricultural workers who will see their wages reduced and who will be even more vulnerable to exploitation by their employers. "We've also seen that if wages are depressed for foreign guest workers we fully expect to see wages go down for domestic workers as well," Nicholson said.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who is pushing for legislation that would provide illegal immigrants who work in agriculture with a chance to gain legal status, is skeptical of the administrative changes.
"The administration proposal does not provide a meaningful solution to the agricultural labor shortage," she said. "Simply tweaking regulations can't fix that problem."
Regardless of H2-A revisions, the agricultural industry is still counting on comprehensive immigration reform or the passage of the AgJOBS bill pending in Congress, said Bogart of the Grower Shipper Association.
Dirk Giannini, manager of Christensen & Giannini farms in Salinas, which grows various types of lettuce, said anything the federal government can do to help growers find more workers while lowering labor and housing costs would be welcome.
"The H2-A is an alternative because it's protection so we can harvest our crops and make sure they don't rot in the fields," Giannini said. GANNETT NEWS SERVICE and THE ASSOCIATED PRESS contributed to this report. Contact Dawn Withers at withers@....
ArizonaRepublic Ariz. seeks to reshape immigrant farm labor Governor urges update of federal visa program
Ronald J. Hansen and Betty Beard The ArizonaRepublic Feb. 7, 2008 12:00 AM
Arizona's governor wants to play a leading role in expanding and reshaping a little-used federal program that allows farmers to hire temporary foreign agricultural workers.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao on Wednesday proposed sweeping reforms, the first major overhaul of the H-2A program in two decades. The changes would make it easier for growers to participate in the H-2A visa program, which is intended to grant work permits to foreign workers for jobs Americans don't want.
Gov. Janet Napolitano has called for many of the program changes outlined by Chao, although she would like more state control than Washington has offered.
Expanding the program is seen as another way to blunt illegal immigration. In a letter dated Monday, Napolitano suggested Arizona take the lead in future program changes to address the specific needs of border states.
If adopted, the rules could streamline a process that now involves at least four federal and state agencies and could loosen housing requirements that growers near the border say make the program more trouble than it is worth.
The proposed changes run 186 pages and left even those familiar with the issue unsure exactly what it all means. Others saw enough to condemn the plan as hurting workers.
The proposed federal changes come as Arizona's growers complain that crossing the Mexican border daily remains unwieldy for thousands of workers and that the state's crackdown on illegal immigrants threatens their business.
The agricultural marketplace remains sizable in Arizona. In YumaCounty alone, it is a $1.3 billion annual industry requiring about 25,000 workers each day during the growing season. The area provides at least 80 percent of the lettuce Americans consume from November to April.
"The current H-2A program has the appearance of offering employers a path to obtain lawful temporary agricultural workers, however the program has missed the mark so widely it is scarcely used," Napolitano wrote to Chao.
"Less than 2 percent of the nation's farm jobs are H-2A-certified, a shameful statistic that proves the program is effectively irrelevant in the marketplace."
No broad-based reform
Chao's plan comes as many see little chance of enacting federal immigration reforms in a presidential-election year and as cities and states across the country pass a patchwork of ordinances and laws intended to fill the breach. The public has 45 days to comment on Chao's administrative proposal. No changes are expected before this summer.
Critics say changes to the H-2A program would only make it easier to keep Americans from holding farm jobs and would keep wages overly low. Legal workers in America are seldom given a fair chance at the farm jobs, opponents of the current program say.
Nationwide, fewer than 77,000 workers participate in the H-2A program. Arizona had 56 farmers certified to use 1,945 foreign workers in the past year, according to the Labor Department.
By contrast, there are about 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., and the Labor Department said there are at least 600,000 of them working in the agriculture industry.
Still, the H-2A program is becoming more popular, said Erik Nicholson,, international director of the United Farm Workers' guest-worker program. In 1997, there were 15,000 H-2A workers and 60,000 in 2006, he said.
The Western Growers Association, an agricultural trade group based in Newport Beach, Calif., was among those pushing for changes to the existing program.
Paul Simonds, a spokesman for the group, said the proposal didn't offer everything farmers wanted but would be an improvement.
"This is the first time that the guest-worker program has been altered or enhanced since, I believe, 1987," he said. "So, this is a terrific first step, which we hope signals an opportunity for agriculture to make inroads in the administration."
Shelly Tunis, a Tempe attorney who is the lobbyist for the Yuma Fresh Vegetables Association, welcomed any changes in the program.
"It is so difficult (to use) now that you really need one or more attorneys to go through it with you," she said. "So, for those companies that don't have attorneys on staff, the program is not available to them."
Tunis said the increased border checks and the employer-sanctions law have led more growers to consider the H-2A program. State officials could not confirm a rise in applications.
Labor-shortage issues
The H-2A program currently requires employers to seek approval for using foreign workers because they have been unable to fill jobs using legal workers in this country. State and federal authorities work separately to establish there is a need, decide how many workers are required, approve the request and screen individual foreign workers for the visa. It is a process that can take weeks or months.
Although Napolitano's recommendations largely match many of the proposed changes, one key element is missing, said Dennis K. Burke, the governor's chief of staff. He said the Chao plan doesn't allow for states to generally declare a labor shortage.
Instead, individual employers have to separately request such a determination for their business.
Napolitano drafted her recommendations after her administration discussed the program with officials in California, Utah, New Mexico and Washington state, Burke said.
Commuter issues
John Boelts, a vegetable grower and president of the Yuma County Farm Bureau, said one of the biggest problems Arizona growers have with H-2A is current requirements that they have to provide housing for all the H-2A workers they are authorized to hire, even if they live just 20 miles away in Mexico.
"A commuter program for those of us along the border is really essential. The housing requirements . . . the Ritz Carlton wouldn't pass muster on the Labor Department's requirements," he said.
Although lawyers are still combing through the proposal, Jasper Hempel, executive vice president for Western Growers, said it initially seems the Chao plan offers more flexibility on providing housing.
The Labor Department has required employers to provide the bed space for every authorized worker in case an American wants the job, instead, and requires housing to do it. The result is wasted housing or others who simply don't participate, farm advocates say.
Chao's plan would allow employers to offer housing vouchers as an option rather than provide housing that must be inspected and pass code.
Wage issues
With a new model for setting wages tied more closely to local wages, the Chao plan seems to open the door for wages to fall, Nicholson said.
"It's a big step backward," he said of the plan. "It's counterintuitive. If you're in a labor shortage, wages should be going up."
According to Farmworker Justice, a Washington-based group that has been critical of the H-2A program, workers are paid on a wage scale intended to deter employers from relying on cheap foreign labor.
In Arizona, H-2A workers earned a minimum of $8.27 an hour last year. The state's minimum wage at the time was $6.75.
But Arizona farmers say the labor shortage has caused them to pay higher wages for everyone, not just the few H-2A workers in the state.
Associated Press Changes Aimed at Foreign Farm Worker Pay By JESSE J. HOLLAND February 5, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign farm workers who come to the United States legally could be paid less under changes to government regulations aimed at getting companies to stop hiring illegal immigrants.
The Labor Department planned Wednesday to propose changes to the foreign agriculture worker program, among them how the base wages for H2-A visa holders are determined. Streamlining the hiring process for H2-A visa holders could help turn employers away from hiring illegal workers, officials said.
Right now, the base pay for H2-A agriculture workers is set by the Agriculture Department's Farm Labor Survey and varies by state. Within a state, the pay is the same regardless of what job a worker performs.
However, the Labor Department wants to use the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Employment Survey, which would allow officials to consider what workers do and their skill levels. It also would allow officials to divide the country into more than 530 areas and to pay wages appropriate to each area.
"Because of the increased precision, there are going to be wages that will likely decrease," said Leon R. Sequeira, an assistant secretary for policy at the Labor Department. "There also are wages that are going to increase."
Under the H-2A program, farmers may apply to bring in foreign workers if they can show the supply of U.S. workers is inadequate. The new regulations, which were to be proposed by the Labor, Homeland Security and Agriculture departments, would be the first changes to the H-2A visa system in 20 years.
More than half of U.S. farm workers admit on Labor Department surveys that they are not legally authorized to work. Some groups believe it's actually about 70 percent.
Employers consider the H2-A program burdensome and many hire undocumented workers rather than use it. Critics say employers don't like the program's wage, housing and other requirements. Labor officials plan to change the application process to make it easier for employers to hire foreign farm workers.
Congress failed to pass immigration changes last year, ending plans to provide workers — some already in the country illegally and some who would come from abroad — through guest worker and legalization programs.
"The current program is cumbersome and difficult to use for farmers and ranchers trying to do the right thing," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. "I am pleased the administration is taking action to streamline and modernize the program and I look forward to working with them on a final product."
Sharon Hughes, executive vice president of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, said the regulations should be revisited "to make them more workable for the current agriculture situation."
The H-2A system requires that above-average wages — called the adverse effect wage rate — be paid to those workers. "Employers that bring in guest workers should not be allowed to undercut the average wage by paying a lower amount," said Bruce Goldstein, executive director of Farmworker Justice, which advocates for farmworkers. "We'll need to look closely at this proposal to make sure farmworkers will not be hurt by these wage changes."
In 2007, the highest adverse effect wage rate was $10.32 in Hawaii and the lowest was $8.27 in Arizona. In North Carolina, where the largest number of H-2A visas are issued, the adverse effect wage rate was $9.02.
The federal minimum wage is $5.85 an hour. The highest state minimum wage is in Washington state at $8.07 an hour.
National Public Radio/American Public Media MARKETPLACE Bush plans to revamp guest-worker rules
KAI RYSSDAL: Today, the Bush Administration announced the most significant overhaul of the agricultural guest worker program in 20 years. The general idea is to make it easier and faster for farms to hire workers from other countries.
From the Americas Desk at WLRN, Marketplace's Dan Grech reports.
DAN GRECH: U.S. farms rely on undocumented labor. More than half of the 1.2 million farmworkers in the U.S. are here illegally, but with a crackdown on illegal immigration, farms are left without workers and crops are rotting in the field. Today, the Bush administration submitted a 186-page plan it says will streamline the foreign guest farmworker system. Bruce Goldstein directs Farmworker Justice, an advocacy group. He says the proposed overhaul of the H-2A visa system is essentially a handout to agribusiness.
BRUCE GOLDSTEIN: The proposal would slash the wage rates of U.S. workers and guest workers, eliminate housing requirements, reduce government oversight and in other ways would harm farmworkers unnecessarily.
The National Council of Agricultural Employers says it welcomes improvements on the "inefficient and unaffordable" H-2A program, but council president Michael Gempler says for the overhaul to work, bureaucrats will need to operate on a farm's timetable.
MICHAEL GEMPLER: If you have cherries that are highly perishable and need to be harvested, you can't wait while the government shuffles the papers around.
Critics of the Bush plan say a better solution is already available. A bill in Congress called AgJOBS would create a new guest worker program that would allow laborers to eventually become citizens, but the bill is stalled in the Senate as the war over illegal immigration rages on. The public can comment on the Bush administration's proposed changes over the next 45 days.
BNA Daily Labor Report® No. 24 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Page AA-1 ISSN 1522-5968 Leading the News
Immigration DOL Unveiling New H-2A Regulations To Streamline Processing, Protect Workers By Amber McKinney
For the first time in 20 years the Department of Labor is amending its regulations regarding employment of aliens under the H-2A temporary agriculture system to streamline processing and increase protections for workers, a DOL spokesman told BNA Feb. 5.
The proposed regulations, scheduled to be published the week of Feb. 11 in the Federal Register, would re-engineer the process by which employers may obtain temporary labor certification from DOL for use in petitioning the Department of Homeland Security to employ immigrants as temporary agriculture workers, DOL said.
Problems with the H-2A program are "legendary" based mostly on the "cumbersome and slow" process that is currently in place, Leon Sequeira, DOL's assistant secretary of policy, told BNA in a Feb. 5 interview.
Under the new regulations, an attestation-based application process would be implemented, Sequeira said. In addition, the regulations would eliminate the duplication of activities currently performed by both the state workforce agencies and DOL, he said.
The regulations also would include a series of new worker protections including additional and expanded recruiting requirements, greater transparency in job orders and advertisements, and prohibitions on shifting the costs of applying for H-2A visas to workers, Sequeira said.
The new regulations will help "ensure a legal workforce for the agricultural industry," Sequeira said. Currently there are 1.2 million agricultural workers in the United States, and at least half of those workers are in the country illegally, he said.
There is no cap on H-2A visas, but only about 75,000 workers were admitted under the program last year, Sequeira said. Making regulatory changes to streamline the process will encourage more employers to hire legal workers, he said.
Move to Attestation-Based Applications
A major change included in the proposed regulations is the switch to attestation-based applications, Sequeira said. Currently the H-2A program is a certification program where recruitment, wage rates, and other elements must be certified by DOL.
Based on DOL's experience administering the attestation-based Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) program, which allows an employer to hire a foreign worker to work permanently in the United States, DOL is proposing instituting an application that would similarly require employers to attest to their adherence to their obligations under the H-2A program, according to the proposed rule. Those employer obligations include attempting to recruit U.S. workers and obtaining appropriate worker housing.
Employers still would be required to comply with all of the H-2A program's requirements, and they would document their compliance through formal attestations, DOL said. DOL anticipates the shift to an attestation-based program will "harmonize the program with the unique needs of the agricultural sector, enabling more employers to utilize the program," the department said.
Updated Wage Calculations, Streamlined Processing
One common complaint by users of the current H-2A system is that the "adverse effect wage rates," or the rates employers are required to pay H-2A workers, are not reflective of actual market wages, Sequeira said.
To address this problem the regulations would revise how the wage rate is calculated. Currently, the rate is calculated using U.S. Department of Agriculture quarterly farm labor survey data. The data determine wage rates in 15 regions and three additional states, and average the wages of several different kinds of agricultural workers.
Under the proposed regulations, DOL would begin using Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Survey data instead, Sequeira said. These data are more detailed, with wage data for approximately 530 geographic locations and a variety of agricultural occupations and skill levels, he said.
This change will be "like using a scalpel, not a sledgehammer" and will result in more accurate wage rates, Sequeira said.
In addition to the updated wage calculations, the proposed regulations would streamline the processing of H-2A applications by eliminating duplicative steps taken by state workforce agencies and DOL, Sequeira said. The proposed regulations would focus adjudication procedures with DOL and recruitment activities with state workforce agencies, he said.
The regulations would grant greater authority to DOL to audit H-2A applications, Sequeira said. DOL would be able to audit randomly or for cause, he said. Additionally, the regulations would grant DOL the ability to revoke H-2A certifications that already have been approved if fraud or other problems are discovered, and they would provide additional debarment authority to the Wage and Hour Division.
One of the top reasons for delayed applications is a backup in housing inspections carried out by state workforce agencies investigating whether the farmworkers are provided with adequate housing. The proposed regulations would grant state workforce agencies a longer period of time for the housing inspections, and would allow H-2A applications to move forward without completed housing inspections so long as a request for such an inspection has been made, he said.
Expanded, Transparent Recruitment
Sequeira said that the regulations include increased protections for both alien and citizen workers. U.S. citizens would be protected by additional recruitment measures.
Under the H-2A system, employers must recruit qualified, available U.S. workers before they are able to hire immigrant workers. The proposed regulations would require employers to conduct recruitment of U.S. workers for a "substantially longer period of time before the job begins by requiring that the recruitment be started will in advance of the employer filing the application," according to the regulation.
In addition, U.S. workers' ability to identify job opportunities would be enhanced by requiring employers to place three advertisements, instead of the two currently required, in a newspaper of general circulation, according to the regulation.
The regulations also would increase the transparency of job orders placed with state workforce agencies, Sequeira said. The proposed changes in the recruitment process are intended to increase the likelihood U.S. workers will receive advance and accurate notice of available job opportunities, according to the regulation.
Prohibitions on Cost Shifting, Stiffer Penalties
Employers, including foreign labor contractors, would be prohibited under the new regulations from shifting the costs associated with the H-2A application process to workers, Sequeira said. Application fees and recruitment costs could not be charged to workers in any way, he said.
The proposed regulations would provide stiffer penalties for various violations under the program, Sequeira said. Current fines stand at $1,000 per violation, but would be increased to $5,000 for violations such as discrimination. Cases of hiring a foreign worker under the H-2A program and displacing a U.S. worker would result in a $15,000 fine per U.S. worker displaced, and fines for injuries resulting from an unsafe work environment could total up to $50,000, he said.
Foreign labor contractors that recruit H-2A visa applicants and place them at various job sites throughout the country would be required to post a bond under the new regulations. These contractors "typically have more violations of H-2A regulations" and are "harder to track" when wages are owed to employees or other problems arise, Sequeira said. The bond would provide a pool of money in the event of such violations, he said.
The proposed regulations will be posted Feb. 6 on DOL's Employment and Training Administration Web site, http://www.doleta.gov<http://www.doleta.gov/> , and will be published in the Federal Register next week. Comments on the proposed regulations will be accepted for 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Documents published in the Federal Register can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html. The Web site's option to "browse" the table of contents includes links to published material.
Proposed H-2A Regulations Criticized By Farm Workers, Applauded by Employers By Amber McKinney
Newly announced proposed regulations regarding the employment of aliens under the H-2A temporary agriculture system sparked criticism from the United Farm Workers union and praise from business groups and government officials.
The UFW Feb. 6 criticized the regulations as a "step backwards," while a national association of farm employers said the proposed regulations included mostly positive changes to the H-2A program.
On Feb. 6 the Labor Department formally announced its plans to amend H-2A regulations to streamline processing and increase protections for workers. DOL officials unveiled details of the proposal Feb. 5 in an interview with BNA (24 DLR AA-1, 2/6/08 ).
The proposed regulations would revamp the process by which employers may obtain temporary labor certification from DOL for use in petitioning the Department of Homeland Security to employ immigrants as temporary agriculture workers holding H-2A visas, DOL said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security Feb. 6 also announced a series of proposed rule modifications to streamline the portions of the H-2A process handled by DHS. The proposed DHS regulations would work in tandem with DOL's proposed regulations to "provide an efficient and secure program for farmers to legally fulfill their need for agricultural workers within the law rather than outside the law," DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a Feb. 6 statement.
DOL, DHS Propose Attestation-Based Program
Under the new DOL regulations, an attestation-based application process would be implemented, DOL said. The new regulations also would eliminate the duplication of activities currently performed by both the state workforce agencies and DOL. In addition, the regulations include what DOL described as a series of worker protections, including additional and expanded recruiting requirements for employers, greater transparency in job orders and advertisements, and prohibitions barring employers or recruiters from shifting the costs of applying for H-2A visas to workers.
Under the proposed DHS regulations, employer attestations would be required regarding the scope of H-2A employment and the use of recruiters to locate H-2A workers and the department would crack down on employers and recruiters who impose fees on prospective workers holding H-2A visas.
The proposed DHS regulations would relax current limitations barring employers from petitioning for multiple, unnamed H-2A agricultural workers, DHS said. The proposed regulations would extend from 10 to 30 days the time a temporary agricultural worker may remain in the United States after the end of employment, and would reduce from six to three months the time a temporary agricultural worker must wait outside the United States before he or she is eligible to re-enter the country under the H-2A program.
Additionally, the DHS regulations would eliminate the ability of employers to file an H-2A petition without an approved temporary labor certification from DOL and would prohibit the approval of H-2A petitions for nationals of countries that consistently refuse to repatriate their nationals, DHS said.
Under the proposed DHS regulations, H-2A workers who are changing from one employer to another may begin work with the new employer before the change is approved by the department, as long as the new employer uses E-Verify, the federal government's electronic employment verification system.
DOL's proposed regulations will be published in the Federal Register during the week of Feb. 11. DHS's proposed regulations also will be published in the Federal Register soon, the department said. Comments on both the DHS and DOL proposed regulations will be accepted for 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Agencies Say Regulations Streamline Program
"This common-sense simplification of H-2A will provide farm employers with a more orderly and timely flow of legal workers, while continuing to protect the rights of laborers and promoting legal and secure methods for determining who is coming into the country," Chertoff said.
The problems in the current H-2A program "must be addressed now, or our country will see eroding competitiveness in its agricultural sector, crops being left to rot in the fields, and increasing shifting of domestic food production overseas," Labor Secretary Elaine Chao said in a Feb. 6 statement.
The package of proposed changes follows the administration's announcement that the Labor Department would review the program's current regulations, most of which have not been updated in 20 years, DOL said. "The changes we are proposing today will go a long way towards ensuring that America's farmers will have a stable, legal workforce they can count on at harvest time," Chuck Conner, Department of Agriculture deputy secretary said.
"Farmers who do participate in the current H-2A program and meet all of its requirements still run the risk that because of bureaucratic delays beyond their control, they won't have a legal workforce in place when they need it," Conner said in a Feb. 6 statement.
"The changes will streamline and simplify the program" while also providing "new protections to U.S. workers by assuring them wider opportunities to learn about farm labor jobs that are available in their area," he said.
Wage Calculations Would Hurt Workers, UFW Says
"These regulations are a huge step backwards," Erik Nicholson, international director of the United Farm Workers' guestworker program, told BNA Feb. 6.
The change in wage calculations for wages employers are required to pay H-2A workers from an "adverse effect wage rate" calculated using USDA quarterly farm labor survey data to a system using Bureau of Labor Statistics data would result in a decrease in wages for H-2A guestworkers and would have a negative impact on the wages of domestic farmworkers, Nicholson said.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said in a Feb. 6 that he is "concerned" about the proposed regulations. "Increased penalties for employers who break the law make sense, but it's wrong to slash wages for hard working farmworkers and undermine labor standards for Americans as well," Kennedy said. "We need a solution that will ensure an adequate labor supply and is fair for our agricultural workforce," he said.
Nicholson expressed concern that changing from a certification-based program to an attestation-based program means that there will be "fewer safeguards" against discrimination.
Nicholson also said he does not believe the provisions in the regulations for enhanced recruitment procedures will result in protections for U.S. workers. UFW has attempted to gain access to current H-2A applications to provide details of available jobs to our members and DOL has blocked that access, he said.
"We don't believe they will actually protect domestic workers, as they have done a poor job complying with existing regulations, and the new regulations just lower the standards," he said.
Bruce Goldstein, executive director of Farmworker Justice, a nonprofit farmworker rights organization, told BNA Feb. 6 that the proposed regulations would harm farmworkers by "slashing wage rates, reducing government oversight, and preventing farmworkers from obtaining adequate housing." The proposed regulations would allow employers to "manipulate wages and job terms," he said.
Employers Applaud 'Workable' Solution
"We are appreciative of the administration making the H-2A program as workable as possible," Sharon Hughes, executive vice president of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, a national association of farm labor employers, told BNA Feb. 6. Hughes said NCAE is still reviewing the proposed regulations, but the regulations are "good on the surface," with only a few areas of concern.
The switch to attestation-based applications is "very beneficial to employers" and will help "cut back on bottlenecks in the process that prevent farms from getting the workers they need," Hughes said.
Hughes did express some concern over DOL's proposed bonding requirements for foreign labor contractors that recruit H-2A visa applicants and place them at various job sites throughout the country. "We must review this provision and all of the regulations further," she said.
"Comprehensive immigration reform is the ultimate solution to the problems relating to immigrant workers," Hughes said.
================================================================= National Immigrant Solidarity Network No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights! webpage: http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org e-mail: info@... New York: (212)330-8172 Los Angeles: (213)403-0131 Washington D.C.: (202)595-8990
Please consider making a donation to the important work of National Immigrant Solidarity Network Send check pay to: National Immigrant Solidarity Network/AFGJ
ActionLA / The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048 (All donations are tax deductible)
In Commemoration of the YeosuDetentionCenter Fire Deaths:
International Days of Action for Migrant Workers’ Rights
Stop the crackdown and deportations! Legalize all undocumented migrant workers!
Stop the repression against MTU and migrant workers’ organizing!
Stop the worsening of immigration law!
Remembering Yeosu
A year ago February 11th a tragic fire broke out at the Yeosu Foreigners’ DetentionCenter in South Korea, killing ten migrant workers and wounding dozens more. This event was a direct result of the South Korean governments’ policy of crackdown and deportation of undocumented migrant workers and the poor conditions in detention centers.
A year later nothing has changed and repression against migrant workers and migrant workers’ organizing continues. The government has carried out a severe attack against the Migrants’ Trade Union, a union built by and for migrant workers, arresting and deporting its leadership in a targeted crackdown at the end of last year. It is also attempting to revise South Korean immigration law to make it legal to enter buildings without warrants during immigration raids and stop anyone on the street ‘suspected of being an undocumented migrant.”
Fighting Back
From February 11 to February 24, MTU and other migrant workers’, human rights and social movement organizations in South Korea will hold events commemorate the tragic YeosuDetentionCenter fire deaths from February 11 to February 24. These events will culminate in a nation-wide rally on February 24 demanding:
§Stop the crackdown and deportations! Legalize all undocumented migrant workers!
§Stop the repression against MTU and migrant workers’ organizing!
§Stop the worsening of immigration law!
International Days of Action At the same time solidarity protests will be held in front of South Korean consulates, embassies and other symbolic sites in other countries calling for an end to repression against migrant workers and migrant workers’ organizing in South Korea and around the world. We ask you to participate by organizing an action in your area.
Action Suggestions
ØActions can be organized any time around February 24 (a Sunday to allow for greatest migrant worker participation in South Korea).
ØActions can take place in front of South Korean consulates and embassies, local immigration officers or any place the gets public attention depending on focus.
ØActions may include delivering a statement with the above demands to consulate and embassy representatives.
ØActions may include the above demands and demands related to local immigrant/migrant worker struggles.
For More Information Contact:
Wol-san Liem
International Solidarity Coordinator, Migrants’ Trade Union
================================================================= National Immigrant Solidarity Network No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights! webpage: http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org e-mail: info@... New York: (212)330-8172 Los Angeles: (213)403-0131 Washington D.C.: (202)595-8990
Please consider making a donation to the important work of National Immigrant Solidarity Network Send check pay to: National Immigrant Solidarity Network/AFGJ
ActionLA / The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048 (All donations are tax deductible)
Ford Workers at Russian Plant Agree to Management's Wage Offer
Workers at the Ford Motor Company's only Russian plant have approved a pay deal offered by management, and they agreed not to repeat strike activity in the immediate future, a union official said. Workers at the plant, located near St. Petersburg, had been on strike for four weeks in November and December, demanding that their wages be increased to 28,000 rubles ($1,147) a month from 19,000 rubles. Factory officials had rejected their demand.
But last week, management offered a pay deal that increased wages by 15 to 20 percent, fixed initial monthly wages at 19,000 rubles and set average monthly wages at 25,586 rubles. ($1,030). "The majority of workers voted for the wage deal; there will be no more strikes," said union leader Alexei Etmanov.
Ford, which produced 75,000 Focus models at its Russian factory in 2007, plans to invest $100 million to increase capacity to as much as 125,000 units in 2009 and start making the Mondeo model.
Mexican Jean Factory Closes to Punish Pro-Union Workers
Workers at the Vaqueros Navarra jean factory in Tehuscan, Mexico, who had voted to be represented by the independent September 19 union two months earlier, were informed when they showed up for work on Jan. 4 that the factory was closed permanently. The workers responded by marching through the streets of Tehuscan to protest the closure and their employer's unwillingness to provide full legal severance pay and other entitlements.
There is now mounting evidence that the factory was closed not for lack of orders, but because the employer wanted to rid himself of the independent union. According to the Human and Labor Rights Commission of the Tehuscan Valley, all other factories owned by Grupo Navarra investors are now up and running, indicating the company may be diverting orders away from the Vaqueros Navarra factory.
In the November election, 263 workers voted in favor of the September 19 union, 187 voted for another union, and 3 voted to stay in the government-favored union (CROM). The voting was unusual, requiring workers to stand in front of their employers and CROM officials and declare which union they favored. The Pueblo State Labour Authority has not yet certified the September 19 union as the representative of the Vaqueros Navarra workers..
Argentina Unions Stage 1-Day Strike over Workplace Safety
ArcelorMittal steelworkers in Argentina ended a 24-hour strike over workplace safety, sparked by a blast furnace explosion Feb. 6 that injured eight people. The explosion, which occurred during maintenance work on the furnace, followed a Jan. 11 coal mine disaster that killed 30 ArcelorMittal workers in Kazakhstan. Gonzalo Urquijo, a member of the Luxembourg based steelmaker's management board, said Jan. 28 that it plans to "reach top standards in safety.":
Members of the International Metalworkers' Federation, which represents steelworkers world wide, were set to meet with the company over safety issues in Brussels, according to Rob Johnston, a senior health and safety officer for the union.
Carlos Vaccaro, a spokesman for the union, said workers at Acindar Industries,. another steel plant, will be demanding higher pay when their current labor agreement expires next month. ArcelorMittal is the world's largest steelmaker.
Bahamas Unions Negotiate Deal with Five-Star Restaurant
The Graycliff, a five-star restaurant, signed an agreement with the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union on Feb. 6. The four-year contract, which is being hailed as a "landmark agreement," was signed at the Department of Labour. It expires in 2010 and is retroactive to 2006.
The agreement, which represents 92 employees, offers them an 18 percent wage increase. Roy Colebrooke, union president, said he was hopeful that the entire industry will follow Graycliff's generous offer. The union has about 7,000 members.
French Supermarket Workers Strike over Wages
Thousands of French supermarket workers went on strike in France on Feb. 8 to demand higher salaries and better working conditions, unions said, reflecting growing concerns over rising prices and falling household buying power. President Nicholas Sarkozy's popularity has slumped, mainly due to anger that he has done nothing to put money back into French wallets since he was elected last May.
France's supermarkets and hypermarkets employ around 636,000 people, with between 65 percent and 80 percent participating in the strike, according to the union, Force Ouvrire. The strike was the latest in a series of protests by European workers who want to see salaries keep in step with rising food and energy prices, and which have central bankers warning against inflationary wage claims.
The Auchan supermarket chain said it "respects and has always respected the SMOC" with its lowest starting salary at 105 percent of the minimum wage. The unions will meet on Feb. 11 to discuss how to follow up the protests. They will also talk about how to respond to Sarkozy;s plan for introducing Sunday working hours.
Employees of the state-owned Hungarian railways MAV continued their open-ended strike for the fourth day (Feb. 7) as their union failed to reach an agreement with the management the day before. MAV reported that only about 15 percent of the workers were on strike last night, but as most of the strikers hold key jobs, they could paralyze rail traffic in several regions.
VDSZSZ, the second biggest union representing a quarter of the railway workers, is demanding a one-off payment of 250,000 forints (about $ U.S. $1,450) per employee from MAV's revenue from a privatization deal, as well as a 10 percent pay on top of the 6.9 percent already agreed to.
The MAV management says it opposes the union demands on legal, professional and economic grounds. However, it is expected to resume talks with union representatives in the near future.
If you want to be removed from this mailing list, you can reply to this email and add " REMOVE" to the subject line
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If you want to be removed from this mailing list, you can reply to this email, or to info@... and add " REMOVE" to the subject line.
Ford Workers at Russian Plant Agree to Management's Wage
Offer
Workers at the Ford Motor Company's only Russian plant have
approved a pay
deal offered by management, and they agreed not to repeat strike
activity
in the immediate future, a union official said. Workers at the
plant,
located near St. Petersburg, had been on strike for four weeks in
November
and December, demanding that their wages be increased to 28,000
rubles
($1,147) a month from 19,000 rubles. Factory officials had rejected
their
demand.
But last week, management offered a pay deal that increased wages by 15
to
20 percent, fixed initial monthly wages at 19,000 rubles and set
average
monthly wages at 25,586 rubles. ($1,030). "The majority of workers
voted
for the wage deal; there will be no more strikes," said union leader
Alexei
Etmanov.
Ford, which produced 75,000 Focus models at its Russian factory in
2007,
plans to invest $100 million to increase capacity to as much as
125,000
units in 2009 and start making the Mondeo model.
Mexican Jean Factory Closes to Punish Pro-Union
Workers
Workers at the Vaqueros Navarra jean factory in Tehuscan,
Mexico, who had
voted to be represented by the independent September 19 union two
months
earlier, were informed when they showed up for work on Jan. 4 that
the
factory was closed permanently. The workers responded by marching
through
the streets of Tehuscan to protest the closure and their employer's
unwillingness to provide full legal severance pay and other
entitlements.
There is now mounting evidence that the factory was closed not for lack
of
orders, but because the employer wanted to rid himself of the
independent
union. According to the Human and Labor Rights Commission of the
Tehuscan
Valley, all other factories owned by Grupo Navarra investors are now up
and
running, indicating the company may be diverting orders away from
the
Vaqueros Navarra factory.
In the November election, 263 workers voted in favor of the September
19
union, 187 voted for another union, and 3 voted to stay in the
government-favored union (CROM). The voting was unusual, requiring
workers
to stand in front of their employers and CROM officials and declare
which
union they favored. The Pueblo State Labour Authority has not yet
certified
the September 19 union as the representative of the Vaqueros Navarra
workers..
Argentina Unions Stage 1-Day Strike over Workplace
Safety
ArcelorMittal steelworkers in Argentina ended a 24-hour strike
over
workplace safety, sparked by a blast furnace explosion Feb. 6 that
injured
eight people. The explosion, which occurred during maintenance work on
the
furnace, followed a Jan. 11 coal mine disaster that killed 30
ArcelorMittal
workers in Kazakhstan. Gonzalo Urquijo, a member of the Luxembourg
based
steelmaker's management board, said Jan. 28 that it plans to "reach
top
standards in safety.":
Members of the International Metalworkers' Federation, which
represents
steelworkers world wide, were set to meet with the company over
safety
issues in Brussels, according to Rob Johnston, a senior health and
safety
officer for the union.
Carlos Vaccaro, a spokesman for the union, said workers at Acindar
Industries,. another steel plant, will be demanding higher pay when
their
current labor agreement expires next month. ArcelorMittal is the
world's
largest steelmaker.
Bahamas Unions Negotiate Deal with Five-Star
Restaurant
The Graycliff, a five-star restaurant, signed an agreement
with the Bahamas
Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union on Feb. 6. The four-year
contract,
which is being hailed as a "landmark agreement," was signed at
the
Department of Labour. It expires in 2010 and is retroactive to
2006.
The agreement, which represents 92 employees, offers them an 18 percent
wage
increase. Roy Colebrooke, union president, said he was hopeful that
the
entire industry will follow Graycliff's generous offer. The union has
about
7,000 members.
French Supermarket Workers Strike over Wages
Thousands of French supermarket workers went on strike in
France on Feb. 8
to demand higher salaries and better working conditions, unions
said,
reflecting growing concerns over rising prices and falling household
buying
power. President Nicholas Sarkozy's popularity has slumped, mainly due
to
anger that he has done nothing to put money back into French wallets
since
he was elected last May.
France's supermarkets and hypermarkets employ around 636,000 people,
with
between 65 percent and 80 percent participating in the strike, according
to
the union, Force Ouvrire. The strike was the latest in a series of
protests
by European workers who want to see salaries keep in step with rising
food
and energy prices, and which have central bankers warning against
inflationary wage claims.
The Auchan supermarket chain said it "respects and has always
respected the
SMOC" with its lowest starting salary at 105 percent of the minimum
wage.
The unions will meet on Feb. 11 to discuss how to follow up the
protests.
They will also talk about how to respond to Sarkozy;s plan for
introducing
Sunday working hours.
Employees of the state-owned Hungarian railways MAV continued
their
open-ended strike for the fourth day (Feb. 7) as their union failed to
reach
an agreement with the management the day before. MAV reported that
only
about 15 percent of the workers were on strike last night, but as most
of
the strikers hold key jobs, they could paralyze rail traffic in
several
regions.
VDSZSZ, the second biggest union representing a quarter of the
railway
workers, is demanding a one-off payment of 250,000 forints (about
$ U.S. $1,450) per employee from MAV's revenue from a privatization
deal,
as well as a 10 percent pay on top of the 6.9 percent already agreed
to.
The MAV management says it opposes the union demands on legal,
professional
and economic grounds. However, it is expected to resume talks with
union
representatives in the near future.
If you want to be removed from this mailing list, you can reply to this
email and add " REMOVE" to the subject line
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.20.0/1268 - Release Date: 2/9/2008 11:54
AM
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or
to info@... and add " REMOVE" to the subject line.
In a message dated 2/10/08 11:24:08 PM !!!First Boot!!!, knash@... writes:
Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report National Edition Produced by Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg
*************************
Farm Labor Organizing Committee -Building on Victories
With Baldemar Velasquez , President ,
Farm Labor Organizing Committee
Building on the recent victory organizing over 7,000 guest workers
In a agreement with the North Carolina Growers Association, the
Farm Labor Organizing Committee is continuing its campaign to
organize 20,000 RJ Reynolds tobacco workers in 5 Southern states.
These are the first transnational collective bargaining agreements
in which the union recruits the workers in Mexico eliminating the
corruption & extortion previously paid by guest workers. Velasquez
talks about the hypocrisy of U.S. policies which promotes free
trade agreements which impoverish Mexican workers forcing them
to migrate to the U.S.. He also issues a call for the 2nd Continental
Conference Against Free Trade and Privatization.
******************************************** To Download or listen to this 28 minute program, which is listed on Pacifica's Audioport - Menu Option “Weekly Program Section" dated 2/10/08 Pacifica Stations only go to
Building Bridges is regularly broadcast live over WBAI, 99.5 FM in the N.Y.C Metropolitan area on Mondays from 7-8pm EST and is streamed, archived and pod cast at www.wbai.org
Building Bridges National Edition is regularly broadcast over:
WGOT - Gainesville, Florida. WUOW - Oneonta, N.Y. WWUH, - West Hartford, CT WVJW- Benwood, WV KRFP, Moscow, ID KCSB, Santa Barbara, CA WXOJ, Northampton, MA KSOW,Cottage Grove, Oregon WKNH ,Keene, NH CKDU, Halifax, N.S., Canada KRFC, Fort Collins, Colorado WRPI, Troy, New York WNRB, Wausau, WI KRBS, Oroville, CA WHLD, Buffalo, NY Radio Free Olympia,Olympia,WA KQRP Salida, California East Hill Radio, Snoqualmie, WA
as well as internet stations:
Radio Veronica,West Point, PA The Journey Radio WXXE Seattle Radical Radio Radio for Peace International Radio Labourstart AmericanFM.org RadioDriftless.org Grateful Dread Public Radio
Please email Building Bridges knash@... if you are broadcasting our
National Edition. We'd like to have an accurate list of which stations are airing
Building Bridges., so please let us know! ========================================= For archived Building Bridges National Programs go to www.buildingbridgesradio.org
Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report National Edition Produced by Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg
*************************
Farm Labor Organizing Committee -Building on Victories
With Baldemar Velasquez , President ,
Farm Labor Organizing Committee
Building on the recent victory organizing over 7,000 guest workers
In a agreement with the North Carolina Growers Association, the
Farm Labor Organizing Committee is continuing its campaign to
organize 20,000 RJ Reynolds tobacco workers in 5 Southern states.
These are the first transnational collective bargaining agreements
in which the union recruits the workers in Mexico eliminating the
corruption & extortion previously paid by guest workers. Velasquez
talks about the hypocrisy of U.S. policies which promotes free
trade agreements which impoverish Mexican workers forcing them
to migrate to the U.S.. He also issues a call for the 2nd Continental
Conference Against Free Trade and Privatization.
******************************************** To Download or listen to this 28 minute program, which is listed on Pacifica's Audioport - Menu Option Weekly Program Section" dated 2/10/08 Pacifica Stations only go to
Building Bridges is regularly broadcast live over WBAI, 99.5 FM in the N.Y.C Metropolitan area on Mondays from 7-8pm EST and is streamed, archived and pod cast at www.wbai.org
Building Bridges National Edition is regularly broadcast over:
WGOT - Gainesville, Florida. WUOW - Oneonta, N.Y. WWUH, - West Hartford, CT WVJW- Benwood, WV KRFP, Moscow, ID KCSB, Santa Barbara, CA WXOJ, Northampton, MA KSOW,Cottage Grove, Oregon WKNH ,Keene, NH CKDU, Halifax, N.S., Canada KRFC, Fort Collins, Colorado WRPI, Troy, New York WNRB, Wausau, WI KRBS, Oroville, CA WHLD, Buffalo, NY Radio Free Olympia,Olympia,WA KQRP Salida, California East Hill Radio, Snoqualmie, WA
as well as internet stations:
Radio Veronica,West Point, PA The Journey Radio WXXE Seattle Radical Radio Radio for Peace International Radio Labourstart AmericanFM.org RadioDriftless.org Grateful Dread Public Radio
Please email Building Bridges knash@... if you are broadcasting our
National Edition. We'd like to have an accurate list of which stations are airing
Building Bridges., so please let us know! ========================================= For archived Building Bridges National Programs go to www.buildingbridgesradio.org
Change. How can anyone look around the world and not want change? Five years of war in Iraq leaving over one million Iraqis dead and five million displaced from their homes. Half of the planet lives on less than $2 a day. Within the United States, the net worth of the average Black family is one-tenth that of a white family. Torture is being legitimized and practiced by the U.S. at Guantánamo, Bagram and at secret prisons around the world. The U.S. government is spying on the people in unprecedented ways. Global warming threatens the very future of life.
The candidacy of Barack Obama promises change. and many have been attracted to his campaign, especially among young people and Black people, filling stadiums and bringing record numbers to the polls.
But you are being bamboozled. You are being lied to. And you are being enlisted in legitimating, complying with, and furthering murderous crimes.
Those who are BEING SWEPT UP IN Obama or Clinton need to ask some hard questions.
The operative point in Obama’s blathering about “no conservative America, no liberal America, just the United States of America” is that we are supposed to identify not with the interests of humanity, not with the interests of the people of the world, but as “Americans,” who patriotically support the U.S. imperialist ruling class in their contention with oppositional forces around the world. And that leads to support for the “war on terror” and all the horrors that has brought to the world—including the fostering of Islamic fundamentalist forces even as it wages war on them.
Obama’s “change” is about putting an acceptable and different face on the coffins of millions of Iraqis, on the orange jumpsuits that have become an international symbol for American-made torture, on the increased role of the Bible in government, and on the increased surveillance that heightens the whole “watch what you say” atmosphere.
Hope and raised sights are genuinely needed in the world today, but the hope in Obama is a false and harmful one.
First off, if you honestly look at what they are saying, neither Obama nor Clinton is even trying to speak about the most pressing issues confronting humanity. And they couldn’t do anything about all that even if they did want to—which they don’t. To really address the massive inequality and poverty in the world, or to solve global environmental problems, requires a radical restructuring of the economic, social, and political relations; this is something that neither of these candidates represents, or could represent. Just encouraging a spirit of public service won’t cut it—and will actually work against the kind of fundamental change needed, in effect putting band-aids on a cancer. But, even short of that, do either of these candidates represent a fundamental break with the trajectory of war and repression that the U.S. has been on over the last period?
Iraq and Foreign Policy
Let’s look at the war in Iraq. The United States is an empire. The relative stability of the ruling class (compared to the rest of the world) rests on the domination of U.S. capital, and that rests on the unchallengeability of U.S. military might. That—and not any supposed concern for “the mess we made”—is why no candidate who has been allowed to get this far in the race is for immediate and complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, let alone Afghanistan. It is why Obama, Clinton, and McCain all support U.S. military threats against Iran.
Obama makes a big deal about how he opposed the war from the start. Maybe so, but his objections were not principled opposition to pre-emptive war on oppressed nations, but concerns over whether this would “work”—i.e., whether it would be a military and political success for the U.S. empire. And now that the U.S. is in Iraq, Obama says he wants a phased withdrawal from Iraq and if elected he will begin pulling out troops and hopes to have all troops out in 16 months. But he refuses to pledge that four years after being in office he will have all U.S. troops out of Iraq.
Obama is right in line with all the other “credible” candidates in supporting the Bush doctrine of preventive war. For example saying this is the “right battlefield,” Obama said he would order U.S. military strikes on targets in Pakistan if President Musharraf did not target Taliban presence in the country’s tribal areas. “If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won’t act we will,” Obama said. (New York Times, 8/2/2007)
The United States now spends more money on its military than all the nations on earth combined; yet both Obama and Clinton have called for even more money for the military. Columnist Robert Scheer writes, “Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have treated the military budget as sacrosanct with their Senate votes and their campaign rhetoric.” (Truthdig, 2/6/2008). Obama calls for adding 92,000 more troops to the U.S. military. His website says, “it is essential that our military continues to be the best in the world.” And again, this is because in a world dominated by capitalism, military might enforces the dominant position of U.S. imperialism. Imagine how everything that holds the oppressive, exploitive system in this country would unravel if that domination was undermined.
Obama is surrounding himself with foreign policy advisors who are tested operatives of U.S. imperialism. One of Obama’s key foreign policy advisors is Anthony Lake, who was National Security Advisor to Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997, and who also played a role in the sanctions against Iraq which killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. And then there’s Zbigniew Brzezinski, another top Obama policy advisor, who as Carter’s National Security Advisor was responsible for, among other crimes, giving political and military support to the Indonesian dictator Suharto to wage a genocidal campaign against the people of East Timor, killing tens of thousands.
When the Military Commissions Act—which allows the President to decide what constitutes torture, indefinitely hold people without trial, put people to death based on “evidence” obtained by torture, among many other things—was being debated in the Senate, Obama voted against it. But Obama, like Clinton and all other Democratic senators, refused to filibuster to stop this law from going into effect. Obama said, “The problem with this bill is not that it’s too tough on terrorists. The problem with this bill is that it’s sloppy.” Calling this bill—which fundamentally changed rights as fundamental as habeas corpus that go back hundreds of years—“sloppy” is like criticizing Hitler for bad penmanship. Obama went on to say that he didn’t oppose military commissions trying the detainees, only that these commissions hadn’t been adequately thought through. And both Obama and Clinton supported the original Patriot Act and its renewal.
Obama’s Role
How then, should we understand Obama’s real differences with things McCain is saying (Obama speaks of trying to disengage from Iraq in a way that will preserve U.S. interests, while McCain talks about staying a hundred years)? First, underlying these disagreements are common shared assumptions: that U.S. “global interests” must be perpetuated and that the U.S. must defeat Islamic fundamentalist forces in the Middle East that stand as obstacles to U.S. control of this strategic region.
Beyond that, to understand Obama’s role we have to look behind the Wizard of Oz curtain to see how elections are used to play people into identifying with a system that does not represent their interests. One way this is done is by having two kinds of candidates running for president: There are the ones who are allowed into the early rounds of debates and caucuses to reflect real desires and demands of the people. These candidates are then rather quickly weeded out; their role is to draw people into the process before being “bait-and-switched” to another candidate who is deemed a “realistic” choice.
Right now Obama is playing something of an unusual, dual role. First, he is being positioned as a serious candidate by some forces in the ruling class—he raised $30 million in one month and that is not just “grassroots” support. There are forces positioning him, and arguments being made that he would be the best president to rally the patriotism of the masses behind the U.S. domestic and international agenda in the coming period. (See “Andrew Sullivan on Obama: The ‘Best Face’ for Imperialism,” Revolution #118, 2/3/2008.)
But he is also playing the role of the candidate who ropes people into the process. So some of the things he promises, like the rebuilding of New Orleans on a basis that takes into account its long history as a center of African-American culture and the needs of its people, are the kind of thing he can say now, but will slip away if he actually becomes president. In that case, he would serve as the head of a system that is driven by the insane logic of accumulating profit and all the thinking that goes with that. And Obama’s being Black will have nothing to do with it, one way or another—this is a country in which the system of capitalism and white supremacy have been tied together since the “birth of the nation.” If it so happens that having a Black president will best reinforce the oppression of the Black masses, then this system can do that. If you don’t believe that, look at the history of the Black mayors in America—including people like Wilson Goode of Philadelphia, who signed off on the bombing of a Black neighborhood there in 1985 which took the lives of 11 people, five of them children, and destroyed 61 homes.
And there is the possibility that Clinton, not Obama, will get the nomination, and the “new grassroots” people he has brought into the system will be channeled into Hillary Clinton’s establishment-as-usual campaign. Because once they’ve got you there, what else are you going to do? Support a Republican?
If You Want Real Change…
There is nothing good for the people in any of this and much that is harmful. We are told that the elections are the realistic way to change things. We are told that if we don’t join in all of this we are just being cynical or worse. In reality it is the process of elections that uses people’s hopes and dreams to draw them into identifying with and supporting the system and its crimes that they originally opposed. There is nothing more cynical than that.
But there is something that we can do if we want real change. We can demand that this government STOPS torturing people, STOPS spying on people, STOPS waging its wars for empire. STOPS destroying the planet. We can—and must—get much more active in resisting this, and in doing so, rupturing with the whole political framework that extinguishes resistance and confines protest to what the-powers-that-be find acceptable. And you can get out this paper that has a real alternative in its pages—a revolutionary solution that gets to the roots of this problem, a radical movement aiming to bring about such a revolution, and a far better society without the exploitation and oppression and divisions that are bred into the bone of this one. That is something to dream about and to fight for.
Hillary Is the One Who Can Stand Up to the Republicans? Give Us a Fucking Break!
Hillary Clinton claims she is the one who can stand up to the Republican attack machine. Please! Hillary Clinton has gone along with, rolled over in the face of, or actively supported Bush and the Republicans in essence on every substantial issue.
The War: After all the lies that have been exposed, all the horrors that have been unleashed, Hillary Clinton will still not say that she was wrong to vote to authorize Bush to invade Iraq! Before the war, she even voted against the Levin Amendment that would have asked the United Nations to approve authorization of force against Saddam Hussein before the U.S. invaded, because she said it would have made the U.S. “subordinate” to the United Nations. She says Bush’s “surge” of sending in more troops is “working,” and that the problem with Bush is “We’re just years too late in changing our tactics.” Clinton’s promises to withdraw troops from Iraq are vague, open-ended, and would leave U.S. bases in Iraq in any event. And recently she voted to put elements of the Iranian army on the U.S. “terrorist” list—ratcheting up and justifying threats of a U.S. military attack on Iran.
Torture: How is Hillary Clinton going to stand up to the Republicans on torture when her position is at least as pro-torture as McCain’s? Speaking to the New York Daily News editorial board on October 11, 2006, Clinton said she recognized that in some situations interrogations called for “severity.” According to Daily News columnist Elizabeth Benjamin, “[I]t emerged that she’s not actually against torture in all instances, and that her dispute with McCain and Bush is largely procedural.” On Guantánamo, she just wants to move it somewhere.
Government Spying and Repression: Clinton voted FOR the USA Patriot Act in October 2001 when it was first enacted. Then in March 2006 she voted to renew it. She supports making flag-burning as a form of political protest illegal. And don’t forget that the foundation for the post-9/11 attacks on civil liberties was laid by Bill Clinton’s 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. Clinton (like Obama) refused to filibuster the Military Commissions Act that fundamentally overturns habeas corpus. And nobody is going to outdo Clinton in upholding the criminalization of Black people and the imprisonment of 2.3 million people in the U.S. According to ABC News, Clinton aides recently fed the network a story attacking Obama because in the past he said he was opposed to mandatory minimum sentences for federal crimes.
Ann “We Should Invade Their Countries, Kill Their Leaders and Convert Them to Christianity” Coulter has said she would campaign for Hillary Clinton over John McCain. The point is not “guilt by association,” much less that John “100 Years Of War” McCain is a positive alternative to anything. But this Medieval fascist has a point when she says that Hillary voted for the war, supports the “surge,” is not against torture and is a good fit for her (Coulter’s) politics.
In a message dated 2/11/08 3:55:45 PM !!!First Boot!!!, nyc@... writes:
FRIDAY February 15 Iraq Moratorium Day
Recruitment Keeps the Illegitimate War Going – Bring it to a Halt!
National Day of Action Against the Military Recruiters
More and more military recruitment centers have recently opened to pull high school students into the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Stop the business as usual of dragging youth into the war machine!
With righteous indignation, ridicule, and reality, we will gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and public office holders to say NO! We’re going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must stop it.
Actions in Berkeley, California have repeatedly shut down the new recruiting station near Berkeley High School and the city council of Berkeley California recently passed a resolution that this new recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders." Pro-war Senators are threatening to take the city’s federal money away, and pro-war protesters are vilifying the council’s stand against the war.
More people should take the stand of those in Berkeley - it needs to spread across the country. The majority of people in this country ARE against the war and ARE against torture, and many people ARE searching for something tangible beyond protest-as-usual to end the war.
In New York City:
Join World Can’t Wait, Students for a Democratic Society, CodePink, Women for Peace NYC, the Granny Peace Brigade and many others (list in formation) to:
Take Action / No Business As Usual at Army Recruitment Center East Harlem / "El Barrio"
3:00 PM, 126 East 103rd Street (near corner of Lexington Avenue, 6 train to 103rd)
This new recruitment center in East Harlem / "El Barrio" is an example of how the recruiters particularly target Black and Latino youth and immigrants with their lies and to steal more lives for the U.S. war machine. Join us.
Wear orange - the color of resistance and declare yourself against the whole Bush program of torture, endless war based on lies, and moves towards a police state.
Berkeley City Council Vote Against Military Recruiting is Attacked by Pro War Blogs & US Senators - Send Them Your Message to Stand Firm HERE.
Many around the country wrote Monday to support the City Council members of Berkeley, CA who voted 6-3 to tell the U.S. Marines Corps that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
This controversy is shaping up as a big national story. The City Council may consider a measure to zone military recruiters off-limits because of public anger at the Marine recruiters locating an office blocks from Berkeley High School last fall. Wednesday, eight US Senators introduced a bill, the "Semper Fi Act of 2008" which would cut off funds earmarked by Congress for projects in Berkeley. Right wing blogs are issuing calls for a 5am all day pro-war seige of the next Berkeley City Council meeting on Tuesday February 12.
Will this issue be settled by a clampdown on voices of dissent who hold public office, who protest unjust wars, and who try to prevent youth from being dragged into the military on the basis of lies? Your letters and sentiments MATTER, especially when you deliver them directly to the City Council. USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle and other papers are editorializing against the Berkeley City Council's courageous antiwar stand. Write them, too! Here is part a letter from a World Can't Wait activist published in the Chronicle yesterday:
"The U.S. is engaged in an illegal, immoral war. Torture has become the law of the land, habeas corpus obsolete. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids terrorize immigrant families. Nooses once again hang from trees. In such times, people of conscience have a responsibility to speak out. As a Berkeley student named Mario Savio once cried out, it's time to put our 'bodies upon the gears' of injustice. Stopping recruiters' business as usual is not about the military's 'freedom of speech.' It is really about what kind of country and world we want to live in. Most youth I know don't want to live in an empire that roams the world invading and torturing for oil. The whole President Bush program must be reversed. If our elected representatives won't do it, the people must. GIOVANNI JACKSON, San Francisco"
Next World Can't Wait Chapter meeting:
Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, at 6:30 PM at 1199/ ML King Labor Center, 310 West 43rd Street, 7th floor.
Share your love for the people and your anger with where Bush & company are taking the U.S. and the world. Much to talk about.
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
_______________________________________________ Worldcantwait mailing list
Post: Worldcantwait@... List info: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/worldcantwait
To Unsubscribe Send email to: Worldcantwait-unsubscribe@... Or visit: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/options/worldcantwait/gregoryabutler%40aol.com
Recruitment Keeps the
Illegitimate War Going Bring it to a Halt!
National Day of Action Against the Military
Recruiters
More and more military recruitment centers have recently opened to pull high school students into the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Stop the business as usual of dragging youth into the war
machine!
With righteous indignation,
ridicule, and reality, we will gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and public office holders to
say NO! Were going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must stop it.
Actions in Berkeley, California have repeatedly shut down the new recruiting station near Berkeley
High School and the city council of Berkeley California recently passed a resolution that this new recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders." Pro-war Senators are threatening to take the citys federal money away, and pro-war protesters
are vilifying the councils stand against the war.
More people should take the stand of those
in Berkeley - it needs to spread across the country. The majority of people in this country ARE against the
war and ARE against torture, and many people ARE searching for something
tangible beyond protest-as-usual to end the war.
In New York City:
Join World Cant Wait, Students for a Democratic Society, CodePink,
Women for Peace NYC, the Granny Peace Brigade and many others (list in formation) to:
Take
Action / No Business As Usual at Army Recruitment Center East Harlem / "El Barrio"
3:00
PM, 126 East 103rd Street (near corner of Lexington Avenue, 6 train to 103rd)
This new recruitment center in East Harlem /
"El
Barrio" is an example of how the recruiters particularly target Black and
Latino youth and immigrants with their lies and to steal more lives for the
U.S.
war machine. Join us.
Wear orange - the
color of resistance and declare yourself against the whole Bush program of torture, endless war based on lies, and moves towards a police
state.
Berkeley City
Council Vote Against Military Recruiting is Attacked by Pro War
Blogs & US Senators - Send Them Your Message to Stand Firm HERE.
Many around the country
wrote Monday to support the City Council members of Berkeley, CA
who voted 6-3 to tell the U.S. Marines Corps that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
This controversy is shaping up as a
big national story. The City Council may consider a measure to zone military recruiters off-limits because of public anger at the Marine recruiters locating an office blocks from Berkeley High School last
fall. Wednesday, eight US Senators introduced a bill, the "Semper Fi Act of 2008" which would cut off funds earmarked by Congress for projects in Berkeley. Right wing blogs
are issuing calls for a 5am all day pro-war seige of the next Berkeley City Council meeting on Tuesday February
12.
Will this issue be settled
by a clampdown on voices of dissent who hold public office, who protest unjust wars, and who try to prevent youth from
being dragged into the military on the basis of lies? Your letters and sentiments MATTER, especially when you deliver
them directly to the City Council. USA Today, The San
Francisco Chronicle and other papers are editorializing against the Berkeley City Council's courageous antiwar stand.
Write them, too! Here is part a letter from a World Can't
Wait activist published in the Chronicle yesterday:
"The U.S. is engaged in an illegal, immoral war. Torture has become the law of the land, habeas corpus obsolete. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids terrorize
immigrant families. Nooses once again hang from trees. In such times, people of conscience have a responsibility to speak out. As
a Berkeley student named Mario Savio once cried out, it's
time to put our 'bodies upon the gears' of injustice.
Stopping recruiters' business as usual is not about the military's 'freedom of speech.' It is really about what kind of country and world we want to live in. Most youth I know
don't want to live in an empire that roams the world invading and torturing for oil. The whole President Bush program must be reversed. If our elected representatives won't do it, the
people must. GIOVANNI JACKSON, San Francisco"
Next World Can't Wait Chapter meeting:
Valentine's Day,
Feb. 14, at 6:30 PM at 1199/ ML King Labor Center, 310 West 43rd Street, 7th
floor.
Share your love for the people and your anger with
where Bush & company are taking the U.S. and the world. Much
to talk about.
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
In Iraq, the on-going war and occupation has led to hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths, widespread devastation, relentless insecurity and crippling poverty. Foreign oil companies are scrambling to use this opportunity to secure access to massive profits from Iraq’s large untapped oil reserves at the expense of the Iraqi people.
The occupation of Iraq serves to protect these interests while US military bases are built nearby to guard the oil fields. As well, the Bush Administration has tried to push the Iraqi Parliament to pass a law that would give foreign oil companies unprecedented control over Iraq’s oil ! resources. The Iraqi cabinet, under pressure from the US, passed this law one year ago on February 23, 2007. The Iraqi Parliament has so far resisted pressure to pass this oil law, but the pressure is by no means over.
The U.S. should have no role in pressuring Iraqis to privatize control of their oil while occupying their country. The Iraqi people are held in a military occupation by over 160,000 foreign troops. We support the Iraqis in their call for resisting the oil law and foreign contracts while under occupation!
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Join us in an international day of action in solidarity with the people of Iraq by demanding an end to the military and economic occupation. Make the connection between oil and state— and between profit and war.
U.S. Actions Friday, Feb 22 – Washington, DC Noon: press conference at the Exxon Mobile Office in DC, 2000 K St NW 12:30pm: March with us as we mark the oily trail leading to the White House!
Saturday, Feb 23 – local actions If you live outside of DC, plan a day of action to mark one-year of Iraq’s resistance to the oil law. Hold a protest or plan a march from a gas station to your Congressperson’s local office, or host a speaker’s roundtable on the oil law.
Need help organizing an event? Email info@... for resources and ideas.
International Actions Groups around the UK are planning protests in town centres and at Shell and BP petrol stations.
Background information on the Iraq Oil Law can be found on all the sites listed above, as well as at my site at http://www.TheBushAgenda.net.
================================================================= Peace, NO War War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate Not in our Name! And another world is possible!
Please Donate to Peace No War Network! Send check pay to: ActionLA/AFGJ
ActionLA / The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048 (All donations are tax deductible) ============================================= The web page has been design by Activist Design Studio Please visit: http://www.ActivistDesign.net Toll-Free: (888)635-3307 =============================================
*To Translate this page to French, Spanish, German, Italian or Portuguese, please visit Systran:http://www.systransoft.com/
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> **"Report From Baghdad" CD-ROM**
Pacifica Radio KPFK Los Angeles Reporter Lee Siu Hin's July 2003 trip to U.S. occupied Iraq. An interactive CD-ROM with articles, photos, audio and video interviews includes: people of Iraq, U.S. military, human rights workers, religious leaders and more! Please Visit the Web Site: http://www.BaghdadReport.net
Each CD costs: $15.00 plus $3.50 S/H (work both PC and Mac) The CD sells will be benefit the Baghdad Independent Media Center, ActionLA, and PeaceNoWar.net *Additional donations are welcome, and it will be tax deductible.
Send check/money orders to:
ActionLA / The Peace Center 8124 West 3rd Street, Suite 104 Los Angeles, California 90048
It is hard to argue with the facts
U.S. workers who belong to unions earn 30 percent more than non-union
workers.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Union Members in 2006, Table 2. Median
weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by union
affiliation and selected characteristics." Current Population Survey,
January 2007
Millwright Ron
www.unionmillwright.com
In a message dated 2/12/08 7:03:35 PM !!!First Boot!!!, nyc@... writes:
FRIDAY February 15 Iraq Moratorium Day
Recruitment Keeps the Illegitimate War Going – Bring it to a Halt!
National Day of Action Against the Military Recruiters
More and more military recruitment centers have recently opened to pull high school students into the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Stop the business as usual of dragging youth into the war machine!
With righteous indignation, ridicule, and reality, we will gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and public office holders to say NO! We’re going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must stop it.
Actions in Berkeley, California have repeatedly shut down the new recruiting station near Berkeley High School and the city council of Berkeley California recently passed a resolution that this new recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders." Pro-war Senators are threatening to take the city’s federal money away, and pro-war protesters are vilifying the council’s stand against the war.
More people should take the stand of those in Berkeley - it needs to spread across the country. The majority of people in this country ARE against the war and ARE against torture, and many people ARE searching for something tangible beyond protest-as-usual to end the war.
In New York City:
1:00 PM Press Conference Manhattan City Hall Steps (between Park Row and Broadway)
Join World Can’t Wait, CodePink, Women for Peace NYC, Students for a Democratic Society, Campus Anti-War Network (CAN) - Fordham Chapter, the Granny Peace Brigade, American Friends Service Committee (with their Cost of War Exhibition), MDS-SI, invited City Council members and many others (list in formation) in this 6th Iraq Moratorium event. AND:
Take Action / No Business As Usual at Army Recruitment Center East Harlem / "El Barrio"
3:00 PM, 126 East 103rd Street (near corner of Lexington Avenue, 6 train to 103rd)
This new recruitment center in East Harlem / "El Barrio" is an example of how the recruiters particularly target Black and Latino youth and immigrants with their lies and to steal more lives for the U.S. war machine. Join us.
Wear orange - the color of resistance and declare yourself against the whole Bush program of torture, endless war based on lies, and moves towards a police state.
Berkeley City Council Vote Against Military Recruiting is Attacked by Pro War Blogs & US Senators - Send Them Your Message to Stand Firm HERE.
This controversy is shaping up as a big national story (see today's New York Times). The City Council may consider a measure to zone military recruiters off-limits because of public anger at the Marine recruiters locating an office blocks from Berkeley High School last fall. Wednesday, eight US Senators introduced a bill, the "Semper Fi Act of 2008" which would cut off funds earmarked by Congress for projects in Berkeley.
Will this issue be settled by a clampdown on voices of dissent who hold public office, who protest unjust wars, and who try to prevent youth from being dragged into the military on the basis of lies? Your letters and sentiments MATTER, especially when you deliver them directly to the City Council. USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle and other papers are editorializing against the Berkeley City Council's courageous antiwar stand. Write them, too! Here is part a letter from a World Can't Wait activist published in the Chronicle yesterday:
"The U.S. is engaged in an illegal, immoral war. Torture has become the law of the land, habeas corpus obsolete. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids terrorize immigrant families. Nooses once again hang from trees. In such times, people of conscience have a responsibility to speak out. As a Berkeley student named Mario Savio once cried out, it's time to put our 'bodies upon the gears' of injustice. Stopping recruiters' business as usual is not about the military's 'freedom of speech.' It is really about what kind of country and world we want to live in. Most youth I know don't want to live in an empire that roams the world invading and torturing for oil. The whole President Bush program must be reversed. If our elected representatives won't do it, the people must. GIOVANNI JACKSON, San Francisco"
Next World Can't Wait Chapter meeting:
Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, at 6:30 PM at 1199/ ML King Labor Center, 310 West 43rd Street, 7th floor.
Share your love for the people and your anger with where Bush & company are taking the U.S. and the world. Much to talk about.
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
_______________________________________________ Worldcantwait mailing list
Post: Worldcantwait@... List info: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/worldcantwait
To Unsubscribe Send email to: Worldcantwait-unsubscribe@... Or visit: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/options/worldcantwait/gregoryabutler%40aol.com
Recruitment Keeps the Illegitimate War Going – Bring it
to a
Halt!
National Day of Action Against the
Military Recruiters
More and more military
recruitment centers have recently opened
to pull high school students into the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Stop
the business as usual of dragging youth into the war
machine!
With righteous indignation,
ridicule, and reality, we will
gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and public office holders to
say
NO! We’re going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must
stop it.
Actions in Berkeley, California have repeatedly shut down the
new recruiting station near Berkeley
High School and the city council of
Berkeley California recently passed a resolution that this new recruiting
station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they
do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders." Pro-war Senators are
threatening to take the city’s federal money away, and pro-war protesters
are
vilifying the council’s stand against the war.
More people should take the stand of those
in Berkeley - it needs to spread
across the country. The majority of people in this country ARE against the
war
and ARE against torture, and many people ARE searching for something
tangible
beyond protest-as-usual to end the war.
In New York City:
1:00 PM Press
Conference Manhattan
City Hall Steps (between Park Row and Broadway)
Join World Can’t Wait, CodePink, Women
for Peace NYC, Students for a Democratic Society, Campus Anti-War
Network (CAN) - Fordham
Chapter,
the Granny Peace Brigade, American Friends Service Committee (with
their Cost of War Exhibition), MDS-SI, invited City Council members and
many others (list in formation) in this 6th Iraq Moratorium event.
AND:
Take
Action / No Business As Usual
at Army Recruitment Center
East Harlem / "El Barrio"
3:00 PM, 126 East
103rd Street
(near corner of Lexington Avenue, 6 train to 103rd)
This new recruitment center in East Harlem /
"El
Barrio" is an example of how the recruiters particularly target Black and
Latino youth and immigrants with their lies and to steal more lives for the
U.S.
war machine. Join us.
Wear orange - the
color of resistance and
declare yourself against the whole Bush program of torture,
endless war based on lies, and moves towards a police
state.
Berkeley City
Council
Vote Against Military Recruiting is Attacked by Pro War
Blogs
& US Senators - Send Them Your Message to Stand Firm HERE.
This controversy is shaping up as a
big
national story (see today's New York Times).
The City Council may consider a measure
to zone military recruiters
off-limits because of public anger at the Marine recruiters
locating an office blocks from Berkeley High School last
fall.
Wednesday, eight US Senators introduced a bill, the "Semper
Fi Act of 2008" which would cut off funds earmarked by
Congress for projects in Berkeley.
Will this issue be settled
by a
clampdown on voices of dissent who hold public office, who
protest unjust wars, and who try to prevent youth from being
dragged into the military on the basis of lies? Your
letters and sentiments MATTER, especially when you deliver
them
directly to the City Council. USA Today, The San
Francisco
Chronicle and other papers are editorializing against the
Berkeley City Council's courageous antiwar stand.
Write
them, too! Here is part a letter from a World Can't
Wait
activist published in the Chronicle yesterday:
"The U.S. is engaged in an illegal, immoral war. Torture
has become the law of the land, habeas corpus obsolete.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids terrorize
immigrant
families. Nooses once again hang from trees. In such times,
people of conscience have a responsibility to speak out. As
a
Berkeley student named Mario Savio once cried out, it's
time to
put our 'bodies upon the gears' of injustice. Stopping
recruiters' business as usual is not about the military's
'freedom of speech.' It is really about what kind of
country and world we want to live in. Most youth I know
don't
want to live in an empire that roams the world invading and
torturing for oil. The whole President Bush program must be
reversed. If our elected representatives won't do it, the
people
must. GIOVANNI JACKSON, San
Francisco"
Next World
Can't Wait Chapter meeting:
Valentine's Day,
Feb. 14, at 6:30 PM at 1199/ ML King
Labor Center, 310 West 43rd Street, 7th
floor.
Share your love for the people and your anger with
where Bush
& company are taking the U.S. and the world. Much
to
talk about.
World Can't Wait - NYC Chapter nyc@... 347-678-5905
Send Email
; January 31 08
DONATE
; January 31 08
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tapes showing illegal torture at secret U.S. facilities - tapes which the CIA has destroyed. Code Pink maintained a constant support presence with their literature table, as they and a number of students helped sustain the "no business as usual" atmosphere. Police informed us that because the City Council of Berkeley supported our position, there would be no arrests today, and stayed across the street monitoring the scene.
high school students. Stop the business as usual of dragging youth into the war machine! With righteous indignance, ridicule, and reality, we will gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and politicians to say NO! We're going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must stop it. 
high school students. Stop the business as usual of dragging youth into the war machine! With righteous indignance, ridicule, and reality, we will gather youth, grannies, anti-war protesters, and politicians to say NO! We're going on FIVE years of this immoral, unjust war. The people must stop it. 
Back Story With William K. Rashbaum (
