MUNDO OBRERO ¿Qué significa la ley sobre salud? 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org April 8, 2010 Vol. 52, No. 13 50¢ Fighting N. Carolina resegregation Racist school plan ignites struggle By Fight Imperialism, Resistance continues despite arrests off-year of the staggered election cycle by workers’ rights now. Stand Together (FIST) One student was arrested in the hall- only 5 percent of registered voters. Raleigh, N.C. way and the rest were kicked out of the Behind this carefully orchestrated plan In education building by the cops. But that did not to destroy public education are some of the The looming threat of a return to the dampen the energy of the demonstrators, richest conservatives in North Carolina: • Boston workers/ dark days of Jim Crow segregation has who continued to rally outside for nearly Art Pope of the John W. Pope Foundation, students resist cuts ignited a broad struggle against the racist two and a half hours. Two more arrests Robert Luddy of the Civitas Institute, and new Raleigh school board majority. were made outside as students attempted Americans for Prosperity, the group be- • Milwaukee 16 fight On March 23, the board was scheduled to reenter the building and make their hind the right-wing “Tea Party” protests. bogus charges to take the second of two votes needed to voices heard before the vote. Ron Margiotta, chair of the school dismantle the system’s busing program Because of the size and scope of the board, also sits on the board of trustees • Detroiters hit school closings and move to a “neighborhood schools” demonstration, as well as the broad base for Thales Academy, a private school in model. It would mean the resegregation of organizations represented, the story Apex, a suburb of Raleigh. In jobs of the school system. was covered in numerous major news It is clear that this is a battle of ideol- • raleigh people’s Assembly With less than 24 hours notice, the outlets around the country. National me- ogy, not fact. The election of the new ma- board instituted a number of restrictions dia has been forced to report on the is- jority is but another piece in the master • AF l-CiO protests against in access to the meeting, including: tak- sue for what it is: a powerful anti-racist plan of Pope and his cohorts to spread banks ing seats out of the already insufficient struggle waged by the community that their right-wing agenda to public edu- seating area; requiring the public to get a exposes the clear connections between cation and to ultimately put education In housing ticket for the meeting at 10 a.m. and then this racist school board majority and the into the hands of private interests. They stay in the building until 3 p.m. or forfeit larger power brokers at play. have already been behind dismantling • Baltimore struggle the ticket; bringing in dozens of cops and After 30 years of solid community the Women and Gender Studies Program vs. foreclosure 5 to 7 security guards, and erecting a barricade backing of the busing program, the new at North Carolina State University and between the board and the public. majority on the school board, dubbed funding “Western Studies” programs in Editorial: It was all designed to stifle the over- the Resegregationist 5, was elected in an Continued on page 9 For a united May Day 10 whelming opposition to their agenda. When the board decided to cut off pub- lic comment and begin voting on the re- segregation plans, a group of nearly 70 high school students attempted to make their way into the meeting. After being shut out by a line of cops, the students began a spirited sit-in right outside the meeting room, chanting, “Shut it down! No segregation in our town!” Parents, teachers and community members from several different progres- sive and civil rights organizations imme- diately joined the students in the hallway, taking their lead. The sit-in forced the board into re- cess. Chair Ron Margiotta came out to the hallway to tell students to “respect the process.” He was drowned out as the students began to chant, “Hey hey, ho ho! Pope Foundation’s got to go!” This ultra- right foundation is the funder of the rac- ist new majority on the board and archi- tect of a 30-year plan to dismantle public education.

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Texas death row WORKERS WORLD this week ... a stay for hank skinner –  In the U.S. Fighting N. Carolina resegregation...... 1 but it’s not over Skinner gets a stay on Texas death row...... 2 The health care law, racism and fighting the right ...... 3 By Gloria Rubac as will be free to set another execution date.” Marxist struggle for ideas at Left Forum...... 3 Livingston, Texas Ron Carlson, who has lived through the murder of his Women’s resistance is honored on streets of New York ...... 4 sister, Deborah Thornton, in 1983 and his father less Native women fight to reclaim equality ...... 4 Even as the minutes slipped away before her spouse than a year later, also spoke. He stressed that executions Boston workers, students resist cuts ...... 5 was to be put to death, Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner never were vengeance, and should be abolished. lost hope that he would win a reprieve. Activist Angie Agapetus spoke to the crowd about Sam Boston women fight back ...... 5 “On the telephone earlier that day, I told him, ‘I’m Bustamante’s scheduled execution on April 27. “Sam Milwaukee 16 fight bogus charges...... 5 sure that you are going to live,’” the French anti-death should not be executed. He has mental health issues that Detroit fights school closings ...... 6 penalty campaigner said. “He said to me, ‘If you could should stop it. Please write to the governor and Board of ‘The last truck: The closing of a GM plant’ ...... 6 see what I see all around me, you wouldn’t say that.’” Pardons and ask that they grant clemency for Sam.” “He was three meters from the death chamber and While dozens of Skinner’s supporters gathered to cel- Baltimore struggle to save home ...... 7 mere minutes from death when word came from the U.S. ebrate at a local Mexican restaurant, Ageorges-Skinner Raleigh People’s Assembly...... 7 Supreme Court that granted a last-minute stay of execu- and Curtis McCarty, an Oklahoman who came within Over protests, MTA cuts more transit jobs ...... 7 tion,” Ageorges-Skinner told Workers World. hours of execution before DNA evidence exonerated AFL-CIO protests against banks ...... 7 Veteran abolition activist Njeri Shakur commented: him, snuck away with CNN staff and cameras to appear “Talk of cruel and unusual! Hank has proclaimed his in- live on the Larry King Show. Supporters watched the On the picket line ...... 10 nocence for 15 years, has asked for DNA testing yet the show from the restaurant, cheering when Skinner was  Around the world district attorney refuses to release the DNA, and finally interviewed. He told how he couldn’t get any Texas court they take him to the death house. Then at the last minute to order DNA testing, even though it could prove either Google on an anti-communist crusade? ...... 8 his life is spared. The courts could have done this days his innocence or his guilt. Latin American labor leaders tour U.S...... 8 ago or months ago or even years ago! Why did they tor- Skinner arrived on Texas death row in 1995, and has U.S. and Israel: what’s real and what’s a smokescreen...... 9 ture this innocent man up to the last minute?” consistently stood up for not only his own rights but Forty minutes before he was to be executed on March those of others. He has written a newsletter over the Al-Maliki loses election, represses opponents ...... 9 24, Texas death row prisoner and activist Hank Skinner years entitled “The Hell Hole News” that has chronicled Haitians protest Bush-Clinton visit ...... 11 was spared by the U.S. Supreme Court. His spouse and the injustices and violations of laws by the wardens, two daughters had told him good-bye, his friend and guards and staff at death row.  Editorials spiritual advisor had met with him and was prepared to For his activism, Skinner has been targeted by prison witness the execution, Skinner had eaten his last meal, staff for especially cruel treatment, right up to the last For a united May Day...... 10 and he had resigned himself to being murdered by the days before his scheduled execution. His spouse was  Noticias En Español state of Texas. banned from writing and visiting him for the last 22 With a crowd of Skinner’s supporters gathering out- months, based on fabricated charges. ¿Qué significa la ley sobre salud? ...... 12 side the death house, lawyer Rob Owen arrived at the Skinner has stayed strong, even while being tortured. Huntsville hotel where Ageorges-Skinner, her step- His cell has been searched four times a day, and he was daughter Natalie Skinner, and a throng of supporters stripped of all his personal and legal property. He has were getting into their cars to drive the two miles to the been denied many visits, including one by a Papal emis- Workers World Walls Unit where Skinner was awaiting execution. When sary the week before his scheduled execution. 55 West 17 Street Owen announced a stay, screams and cries of joy pierced The struggle to save Skinner’s life came on the heels New York, N.Y. 10011 the quiet air of this small East Texas prison town. of an Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break held Phone: (212) 627-2994 An impromptu victory rally was held minutes later in Austin the week of March 15-19. Scores of students Fax: (212) 675-7869 outside the death house. A leader of the Texas Death from around Texas and the United States gathered to E-mail: [email protected] Penalty Abolition Movement took the microphone and learn about the use of the death penalty, how to organize Web: www.workers.org blasted the cowardly state officials who were going to against it, how to do media work, how to organize a rally Vol. 52, No. 13 • April 8, 2010 allow an execution when the forensic evidence had not and how to lobby a state legislature. Closing date: March 29, 2010 even been tested. She then introduced Skinner’s family, Students lobbied on Skinner’s behalf. As a result Editor: Deirdre Griswold who addressed the crowd. Texas Sen. Rodney Ellis and State Rep. Elliott Naishtat Technical Editor: Lal Roohk wrote letters to Texas Gov. Rick Perry asking for a stay Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, ‘It’s still not over’ of execution to allow for DNA testing. Leslie Feinberg, Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead, “I thank all of you who are here today who have stood A highlight of the week was the presence of six men Gary Wilson by us on this journey. I wouldn’t have been able to stand who had collectively served over 65 years on death rows up and talk right now if not for you. It is still not over, around the country but were released after being proven West Coast Editor: John Parker however,” Ageorges-Skinner said. innocent. All six spoke at a Capitol rally that ended the Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, “The Supreme Court granted a stay so they could week on a high note. Greg Butterfield, Jaimeson Champion, G. Dunkel, have more time to consider whether to accept Hank’s “A quick reminder, April 4 is Hank’s birthday, so Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, cert petition. If they accept it, then it could be a while don’t hesitate to drop him a line or send him a card,” David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, Cheryl LaBash, before they rule on whether to allow him to proceed to Ageorges-Skinner told Workers World. His address is Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Betsey Piette, sue the Gray County D.A. to release the evidence for Henry Skinner #999143, Polunsky Unit, 3872 F.M. 350 Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac testing. If they do not accept the cert petition, then Tex- South, Livingston, TX 77351. (www.hankskinner.org) Technical Staff: Sue Davis, Shelley Ettinger, Bob McCubbin, Maggie Vascassenno You can subscribe at workers.org. Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez, Follow Workers World on Twitter http://twitter.com/workersworld. Carlos Vargas Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator Facebook http://bit.ly/c4ndYg. Copyright © 2009 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Durham, N.C. Pittsburgh without royalty provided this notice is preserved. join us 55 W. 17 St. 367 Delaware Ave. [email protected] [email protected] Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly New York, NY 10011 Buffalo, NY 14202 Workers World Party Houston Rochester, N.Y. except the first week of January by WW Publishers, 212-627-2994 716-883-2534 585-436-6458 (WWP) fights on all P.O. Box 3454 55 W. 17 St., N.Y., N.Y. 10011. 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Box 57300 Fax 617-983-3836 313-459-0777 610-931-2615 Washington, DC 20037 Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., 5th Floor, [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] New York, N.Y. 10011. workers.org April 8, 2010 Page 3 the health care law, racism and fighting the right By Fred Goldstein The Democratic Party leadership had • Insurance premiums will continue to against the Obama administration. And done their bidding. It gave them hun- climb, as a federal rate insurance au- the fascist elements around the Tea Party With 30 million unemployed or under- dreds of billions of dollars in concessions thority was dropped from the bill. have been given unlimited publicity by employed, the failure of the just-signed — particularly the onerous mandate forc- • Insurers remain in control of what the capitalist press. health care law to meet the needs and ex- ing 16 million people to buy insurance they offer and what will be a covered This publicity is provided as “news.” pectations of the population, plus its give- starting in 2014. And then these parasites service. But the news coverage by the big business away to the health care industry, is bound turned around and stabbed the Demo- • There are no meaningful restrictions press is highly selective in favor of the to add to the frustration and alienation of crats in the back. on claims’ denials that insurers don’t right wing. They can play something up the workers. A similarly ominous warning was con- want to pay, and the “internal review or they can bury it. President Barack Obama’s signature tained in a March 25 Business Week in- process” remains in the hands of the For example, there was a demonstra- was hardly dry when the health insurance terview that Charlie Rose conducted with insurers. tion of more than 200,000 immigrants in industry announced its intention to get Ron Williams. Williams is CEO of Aetna, • Companies can more than double Washington, D.C., on March 21 demand- out of the new legal requirement to cover which insures 36 million people. charges to employees who fail “well- ing justice for 12 million undocumented children with pre-existing conditions. Rose asked Williams if insurance pre- ness” programs because they have workers. It got a bare mention and was The industry came up with a twisted miums will go up. “The answer is yes, and diabetes, high blood pressure, high quickly dropped. Thousands of anti-war interpretation of the law that clearly vio- some of the things that will drive those cholesterol readings or other medical demonstrators in Washington on March lates its intent, as understood by everyone premiums are significant additional taxes conditions. 20 were almost completely censored. And who promoted it and everyone who heard the industry will ultimately have to pay in • Insurers can sell policies “across state more than a hundred demonstrations by about it. the first year.” Clearly, the health care bill lines,” exempting patient protections the labor movement against the banks is According to the March 29 New York is not going to stop the companies from passed in other states. Insurers will hardly news at all. Times, “The authors of the law say they gouging profits. likely set up in the least-regulated The corporate media continue to publi- meant to ban all forms of discrimination Rose recited to Williams the line that states. cize the Tea Party, sometimes in the guise against children with pre-existing condi- President Obama has been repeating • Insurers can charge three times more of criticism, but it gives them publicity tions like asthma, diabetes, birth defects, over and over again — that if you have based on age, plus more for certain nonetheless. This in spite of the fact that orthopedic problems, leukemia, cystic a policy you like, it won’t change. Wil- conditions, and continue to use a racist, homophobic Tea Party mob spit fibrosis and sickle cell disease. The goal, liams said that was not true. The indus- marketing techniques to cherry-pick and hurled racist epithets at John Lewis they say, was to provide those youngsters try might make you take a higher-priced healthier, less costly enrollees. and other Black legislators at the Capitol with access to insurance and to a full range policy, forcing workers to pay for un- • Insurers can continue to rescind poli- building. The mob then hurled homopho- of benefits once they are in a health plan. wanted benefits. cies and drop coverage for “fraud or bic insults at openly gay Congressperson “To insurance companies, the language This kind of obstructionism, right out in intentional misrepresentation” — the Barney Frank. of the law is not so clear. the open during the first week of the new main pretext insurance companies The press eggs on the Tea Party fascists, “Insurers agree that if they provide in- law, gives a taste of what is in store for the now use. knowing that at their convention in Feb- surance for a child, they must cover pre- workers and the middle class. Dr. Claudia • Health benefits will be taxed for the ruary Tom Tancredo made a racist speech existing conditions. But, they say, the law Chaufan of the California Physicians for first time, with a 40 percent tax on to a standing ovation. He railed against does not require them to write insurance a National Health Program wrote in the plans whose value exceeds $10,200 immigrant workers and all oppressed for the child and it does not guarantee the Sacramento Bee on March 26: “This ‘his- for individuals or $27,500 for families, people, denouncing them for electing a ‘availability of coverage’ for all until 2014.” toric bill,’ instead of eliminating the root starting in 2018. “socialist president.” The insurers claim that “if a company of our health care woes, further enriches sells insurance, it will have to cover pre- and entrenches a profit-driven health in- Media love to cover Tea Party Time to fight the right existing conditions for children covered surance industry that makes money when The failure of the law to meet the peo- Sarah Palin, another star at that poorly by the policy. But it does not have to sell it succeeds in not paying medical bills.” ple’s needs and expectations, combined attended convention, is now on a Tea- to somebody with a pre-existing condi- with mass unemployment and economic Party-sponsored tour, whipping up the tion. And the insurer could increase pre- What backers of health care law don’t say attacks from every direction, will further right wing and pleasing the fascist ele- miums to cover the additional cost.” The progressive benefits of the law fuel economic and social tensions. This ments with her map of offices of Demo- come at the price of excluding undocu- widens the political opening for the ultra- cratic Party legislators, accompanied by Aetna tells it like it is mented workers, further curtailing wom- right. the slogan “reload.” This is what comes of a law leaving the en’s reproductive rights and leaving the The right wing is using the alienation The Tea Party and fascist elements who private profit-making corporate vultures profiteers in charge. Rose Ann DeMoro, created by the economic crisis to foment gather around it are hardly a consolidat- in charge of health care. They immediate- executive director of National Nurses racism and fascist ideology. It is denounc- ed movement with a fixed ideology and ly reneged on their promises and humili- United, AFL-CIO, gave some examples in ing the health care bill from the right program. This movement is financed by ated the Obama administration. the Huffington Post of March 24: and using the jobs crisis demagogically Continued on page 11 Marxists struggle over ideas at left Forum

By John Catalinotto The two plenary meetings set the over- ideas, although they tend to be isolated signed up for further contact, reflecting New York all political tone. The March 19 opening from any form of action, given the low the excellent quality of the presentations. plenum, where civil rights activist Rev. level of class struggle. Together, the three gave a comprehensive While thousands protested the Iraq Jesse Jackson was the keynote speaker, Activists participated in panels or overview of the economic crisis, the effect and Afghanistan wars on March 20 and overflowed the 700-seat auditorium and staffed literature tables for political pris- of globalization on the oppressed and the hundreds of thousands rallied for im- had to be broadcast to a nearby room. oners like Mumia Abu-Jamal or the Cu- fightback that is necessary. migrant rights in Washington on March Jackson urged activism, but appealed to ban Five, defended the revolutionary Extended and lively discussion includ- 21, several thousand people interested in loyalty to the Democratic Party and the movements in Cuba, Venezuela and Bo- ed serious questions from the audience on Marxism participated in the Left Forum current administration — that is, he tied livia or agitated for a single-payer health the role of the Democratic Party and the at Pace University in NYC for a struggle the activism to U.S. imperialism. care system. labor movement, how to fight the right, over ideas. The closing plenary featured Noam This report mainly covers those pan- how to organize within the labor move- The LF is the largest annual gathering Chomsky, who sharply criticized the U.S. els that involved the organizations and ment from the rank-and-file up, and how in the United States to hear Marxist schol- occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and individuals we frequently write about in to deal with the question of super-exploit- ars, most from universities and colleges. the role of the Barack Obama adminis- Workers World newspaper. ed workers abroad, such as call centers in Organizers say this year’s attendance, tration, but his critique was unattached The strongest such panel was on Sun- the Philippines that are set up to compete with more than 3,500 registered, was the to any suggestion of struggle. In his oth- day and was titled, “How to Fight Disap- with workers in the U.S. Closer to home, largest since the LF started as the Social- erwise anti-imperialist commentary, pearing Jobs and Falling Wages: Labor the panel discussed how to get the union ist Scholars Conference in 1982. There Chomsky made a gratuitous attack on Strategies in the Epoch of Low-wage movement to recognize the cause of were 200-plus panels with more than 700 the late Korean communist leader Kim Capitalism.” It was organized by Dee homeless workers and the role of milita- speakers and 90 distributors of books, Il-Sung. The remark had nothing to do Knight. Speakers were Million Worker rization in the economy. magazines and other media. with Chomsky’s general talk; it seemed March spokesperson Brenda Stokeley, The workshop was a living example of The LF’s Marxism has a distinct social- its sole purpose was to show Chomsky’s BAYAN USA Chairperson Berna Ellorin how every struggle against exploitation, democratic bias, that is, it tries to omit anti-communist side. and Workers World contributing editor war and oppression is a workers’ struggle, Lenin. The main force is the Democratic Fred Goldstein, author of “Low-Wage and drew the conclusion that only social- Socialists of America, usually allied with Role of activists and communists Capitalism.” ism can end the crisis of capitalist society. the Democratic Party. At the LF, however, In the workshops, however, leftist, The audience, which had Black, At a panel on education, Fight Imperi- communists, anti-imperialists, and other communist and activist forces could raise Latino/a and Asian participation, was far alism Stand Together (FIST) leader Larry activists and a broad range of speakers their ideas. Some academic Marxists at more representative of people of color Hales spoke on the March 4 national stu- have a chance to raise their voices. the forum also defended revolutionary than the LF in general. More than half Continued on page 10 Page_4_ April_8,_2010_ workers.org In the streets of New York Women’s resistance is honored By Brenda Ryan Monica New York Moorehead, below, says that supporting Women of all ages and nationalities political prison- gathered here on March 27 to commemo- ers is a woman’s rate the 100th anniversary of Internation- issue. al Women’s Day. The march and rallies ww_PhotoS:_ were initiated by the International Work- BrENdA_ryAN_ANd_ ing Women’s Day Coalition. The event JohN_CAtAliNotto was celebratory and mov- ing as participants honored women who have fought for justice and equality over the past century. The need for unity in the ongoing strug- gles women face at home and worldwide was a con- stant theme. The opening rally was hundreds of ist, performed an African libation. Nieves introduced in the New York state Senate held at Union Square, a his- thousands of Ayress, a Chilean activist and member of that would provide these super-exploited toric site of many political homes after La Peña del Bronx, called on people to de- workers with paid vacations and holidays, demonstrations, including receiving bil- stroy the capitalist system, which is con- overtime pay, protection from discrimi- those led by women at the lions in bail- tinuing to exploit and kill women all over nation and inclusion in state labor laws. turn of the 20th century. out money the world. Christine Williams, a rank- Teresa Gutierrez, co-coordinator of the The rally was chaired by from the fed- and-file transit worker, acknowledged the May 1 Coalition for Worker and Immigrant LeiLani Dowell, an orga- eral govern- deaths of transit workers on the job. Rights, spoke about the historic march for nizer of Fight Imperialism, ment. On the way to a final rally at the Soli- immigrant rights in Washington, D.C., on Stand Together, and Melanie Dulfo of Fil- Gavrielle Gemma, a Bail Out the People darity Center, the marchers stopped out- March 21, where 250,000 people came to ipinas for Rights and Empowerment and Movement organizer, told the crowd that side St. Vincent’s Hospital in Greenwich demand legalization, and the need to con- GABRIELA USA. Speakers recognized the one-quarter of New York City’s $63 bil- Village to demand that it remain open. tinue building the movement for May Day resistance of women around the world to lion budget goes each year to the banks The hospital, which has served the poor and forward. Sharon Black, a home health violence and oppression, from the fight in tax-free interest payments. “We have since 1849, is facing closure. care worker and a coordinator of the May for legalization of immigrants, to freedom to take back the wealth and give it to the Monica Moorehead, an IWWD and 8 Jobs Initiative in Washington, D.C., de- for political prisoners and the end of war people,” she said. Women’s Fightback organizer, chaired scribed the campaign to use the Works in Afghanistan and Iraq. Women’s issues the closing rally. “An entire world system Project Administration of the 1930s to at home, including health care, education, A special ceremony for fire victims of capitalism is based on making profit, evoke what is needed now: a jobs program jobs and reproductive justice were also Protesters then marched to the Triangle not satisfying people’s needs,” she said. to put 30 million people back to work and highlighted. Shirtwaist Fire Memorial, the site of the “We need to connect with each other and to stop the avalanche of foreclosures, util- Dahlia Abi Saab of Al-Awda, the Pales- 1911 fire in which 146 women and girls build a powerful movement that can sat- ity shutoffs, health care budget cuts and tine Right to Return Coalition, spoke of were killed because the bosses had barri- isfy people’s needs.” school closings. Valerie Francisco, a Fili- the struggle of Palestinian women against caded the factory exits. Many of these im- One of the contingents in the IWD pina activist with Filipinas for Rights and U.S.-Israeli attacks and for their right to migrants jumped from the ninth floor to march was a group of high school stu- Empowerment, talked about women’s role their homeland. Jocelyn Gay, a Haitian their deaths to escape the fire. Protesters dents from Build On, a youth organiza- in fighting for the abolition of imperialism activist and artist, described the legacy of wore nametags with the names and ages tion that does community service locally and militarization. Haiti’s resistance to slavery. Other speak- of those who died at the fire site. Brenda and in other countries. At the closing The IWD event gave special recognition ers included Ramatu Ahmed, deputy sec- Stokely of the Million Worker March session, Build On members Courtney to Jamie and Gladys Scott, African-Amer- retary of the National Council of Ghana- Movement and the IWWD coalition noted Beckett of Mott Hall Bronx High School ican sisters who were convicted of steal- ian Associations; Dalia Griñan, a ninth that at the time of the fire there were no and Luis Alenso of the Bronx Center for ing $11 and given double life sentences. grader and co-organizer of the May 29 fire codes, no child labor laws and no reg- Science and Mathematics expressed how They have been in prison almost 16 years. post-Katrina/Rita Awareness Walk; and istration of buildings. She said sweatshops important it was to them to be working to Attorney Jaribu Hill, executive director Lucy Pagoada, a high school teacher and still exist and workers continue to die on make a difference in people’s lives. of the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Honduran activist. the job. “We are here to honor all women Joyce Gill-Campbell, organizational co- Human Rights, spoke about their case The spirited march was led by Working and to fight against the cruelty and greed ordinator with Domestic Workers United, by phone. She called on people to write Women for Peace, a mostly Latina group of the bosses,” Stokely said. described the racist and sexist treatment to the governor of Mississippi, members that dressed like the women suffragettes Women called out the names of some of that Caribbean, Latina and African nan- of Congress, and the commissioner of who supported IWD a century ago. Along the victims and the names of others who nies, housekeepers and elderly caregiv- prisons to demand that they be released. the way the march stopped in front of have been important in the history of re- ers face on the job. She noted that a Do- Information about their case is at www. Bank of America, which has foreclosed on sistance. Ndigo, a cultural artist and activ- mestic Workers’ Bill of Rights has been freethescottsisters.blogspot.com. Women’s History Month native women fight to reclaim equality By Dolores Cox practicing and maintaining the language, cred and there was equality between men them to obtain government support for New York values and traditions of their people. and women. Women had freedom then, poor women and children. In the late 1980s “The arrival of the Europeans to this and knew their history, who they were she helped to found the National Organiza- The National Museum of the Ameri- land was the beginning of the end of Na- and where they came from. She spoke of tion on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and es- can Indian celebrated Women’s His- tive people’s way of life and the destruc- the everyday kindness and goodness of tablished clinics. She also helped to found tory Month by paying tribute to the first tion of their culture,” she stated. Born in Lakota women. National Wellness Institutes in Okla homa, woman to become president of the Oglala 1946, she learned English in a Christian On reservations, the U.S. Bureau of In- Nevada, Arizona and South Dakota. Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. Cecelia Fire boarding school, as did other children of dian Affairs made life difficult for Indige- When she returned to her reservation Thunder lives on the Pine Ridge reserva- her generation. “They insisted on convert- nous people from the very beginning. So in in Pine Ridge, she found things had sig- tion and was in New York to attend the ing Native peoples to Christianity, often 1963 her family moved to Los Angeles, as nificantly changed in male/female re- United Nations Conference on the Status forcefully, which resulted in changing the there were no social services on the Lakota lationships and there was a high rate of of Women. structure of the Native family and commu- reservation. Within 10 years hundreds of domestic violence, alcoholism, homicide, Now the former president, she recalled nity. History, as written by the white man, Native people relocated to East Los Ange- child abuse, increased high school drop- how, when elected in 2004, she was the will not tell of such tragedies,” she added. les and settled in the Mexican community. out rates and even suicide. target of much opposition and political Originally, the Pine Ridge territory In the 1970s, Fire Thunder joined other She organized 300 women and in 1989 attacks from the men in the tribe, who consisted of 3 million acres. But the U.S. Native women in starting a free clinic for they were the first reservation to pass tried to impeach her. In December 2005, government gave much of the land to re- struggling people in the city of Compton the Mandatory Arrest Ordinance, which though, the Tribal Council voted to dis- ligious groups, who then established mis- who were without health care. After do- detain ed men for 72 hours for domestic miss the impeachment ruling and she was sionary schools as a way of “controlling” ing much research on “learning how to violence. reinstated. She also received support from Indians through treaties, she said. speak the language of white men in gov- Another of her accomplishments cen- tribal leaders throughout the country. From that time on, the role of Lakota ernment,” she said, she started lobbying tered on a woman’s right to determine Fire Thunder greeted the audience in women began changing, as did male/fe- and writing grants. what she can do with her body. When the her native tongue. She told of growing up male relationships, said Fire Thunder. Immersed in communities of Mexican, Catholic governor of South Dakota banned in a family and clan that always insisted on Before then, women were considered sa- Black and Asian women, she worked with Continued on page 8 workers.org April 8, 2010 Page 5 thousands protest Boston school cuts By Steve Gillis, Peter Cook & Frank Neisser Boston

In response to Mayor Thomas M. Me- nino’s announced massive defunding of and charter privatization program for Boston’s public schools, over 2,000 peo- ple shut down the streets surrounding a building where Menino’s hand-picked Boston School Committee was voting on March 24 to approve nearly $60 million in budget cuts. The boisterous protest was organized by the Boston Teachers Union, the Coalition for Equal Quality Education, Boston Public Schools Custo- dians, and the Boston School Bus Drivers Union to demand, “Full Funding for Pub- lic Education, No Budget Cuts!” The militant outpouring of parents, students, teachers, custodians, bus driv- ers and monitors and other community activists and supporters took over the School Department plaza, with noise- makers and loudspeakers broadcasting ww_Photo:_MAurEEN_SkEhAN their anger. For the first time in years, Andre Francois of school bus drivers’ union addresses rally as Boston police block door to School Committee public hearing. unity and solidarity of the entire school the school’s public headquarters into an force by the cops the demonstration was student rights, like transportation and workforce and communities confronted armed camp. A determined contingent a strong step in building the unity neces- nutrition, and then promptly and unani- Menino’s and city bondholders’ plan. led by members of the Boston School Bus sary for the struggles ahead. Some victo- mously passed the cuts. Denouncing the layoffs and program Drivers Union and the Custodians Union ries were also secured, including School The next stage of the struggle goes to cuts were Richard Stutman, Boston Teach- attempted to enter the building, but cops Superintendent Dr. Carol R. Johnson’s the Boston City Council, which must ap- ers Union president; Robert Haynes, Mas- jamming with sharp batons and school withdrawal of her plan to kick middle prove the school budget. Today’s newly sachusetts AFL-CIO president; Rich Rog- administrators frantically tugging on school students off school buses, citing energized community, labor and edu- ers of the Greater Boston Labor Council; doors engaged the workers, students and public protest to the clearly unsafe pro- cation advocates are already planning Dave Jelley, Custodians Union president; community leaders in a 10-minute scuffle, posal. However, School Committee mem- stepped up protests. Steve Gillis, Boston School Bus Drivers forcibly preventing the public from enter- bers took turns wringing their hands Gillis is vice president of the Boston Union vice president; Sandra McIntosh, ing on the phony pretext of fire codes. about future school closings, program School Bus Drivers union. Cook is a Coalition for Equal Quality Education; Despite the overwhelming show of eliminations, layoffs and the gutting of member of the Boston Teachers Union. City Councilors Felix Arroyo and Charles Yancey; as well as a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union, students, Boston. Bail Out the People Movement, Wom- en’s Fightback Network, Fight Imperial- ism, Stand Together , and many others. The Women’s Fightback Network led an women fight back International Women’s Day march that began at the State House and ended out- The Women’s Fightback Network held side the School Committee meeting to join a rally at the Massachusetts Statehouse the rally. March 24 commemorating International The multigenerational and multina- Women’s Month. It demanded “Women tional crowd, including many immigrant Unite! Fight for jobs, schools, housing, workers, cheered as many speakers raised reproductive rights and childcare!” The the slogans, “Money for Schools, Not for women then marched through downtown War!” and “Bail Out the Schools, Not the holding street rallies at busy intersec- Banks!” Placards condemned privatiza- tions, ending at a rally at the Boston tion of education through charter schools School Committee headquarters calling and plans to resegregate “neighborhood” for full funding of public education. schools. Flyers for the Bail Out the Peo- — Report and photo by Liz Green ple Movement’s May 8th National Jobs Protest in Washington, D.C., were well received. Several times people surrounded the Following March 4 cop riot building and climbed up into the windows to hang signs and chant into the chamber where the School Committee was clois- Milwaukee 16 resist bogus charges tered, hearing testimony for even more massive cuts to school workers’ health By Bryan G. Pfeifer meet the students and workers. Santiago to address the arrests of the Milwaukee care insurance from the Boston Munici- watched through a window as cops physi- 16 and the effects of the economic crisis pal Research Bureau, the city’s business A diverse coalition of student and la- cally assaulted, handcuffed and racially on students and workers at UWM and in mouthpiece. bor organizations at the University of profiled protesters. education generally. The Bureau had recently succeeded Wisconsin-Milwaukee and in the wider Some students courageously resisted “The UWM Education Rights Cam- in writing massive cuts into Menino’s campus community is fighting trumped- and defended themselves by throwing paign remains committed to fighting all general 2011 budget, slashing public ser- up charges against the Milwaukee 16. snowballs at the cops and at the Chapman citations and charges against the Milwau- vices from libraries to housing to snow “On March 4, as part of the National Hall building. For this they were violence- kee 16. It was wrong and unjust for our removal, while increasing payments to Day of Action to Defend Education, 16 baited by the administration, the cops university administration to declare our bondholders and establishing new police people were arrested at the University and the corporate media. The 16 students protest an unlawful assembly and bring in outstations in all the city’s public housing of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for protesting have been charged with municipal cita- city police to arrest us. We will continue developments. a university administration that is rely- tions of unlawful assembly and the UWM fighting the furloughs, layoffs and tuition The school committee chamber holds ing on students and workers to pay for administration has threatened academic hikes that plague the workers and work- only 167 people, so protesters loudly an economic crisis that the bankers and sanctions against them. Immediately ing-class students on our campus. We’re raised the issue of the legitimacy of the wealthy elite created,” Daniel Jaeckle of following the arrests, supporters sprang continuing to organize dozens of events vote to approve the new budget, arguing SDS Milwaukee and the UWM Education into action and thus far several progres- despite this intimidation and assault on that the meeting should have taken place Rights Campaign told Workers World. sive lawyers have volunteered to work our right to fight back against unjust cuts. in a larger hall so that those who are most In videos on YouTube and elsewhere, pro bono to defend the arrested students. Education is a right!” concluded Jaeckle. impacted by the cuts have the opportuni- Milwaukee and UWM cops are seen en- Rallies, vigils and fundraisers for the stu- The UWM Education Rights Campaign ty to express their outrage over the bond- gaging in an unprovoked riot against dents have taken place and legal training is asking supporters to contact Chancellor holders’ budget. students who were attempting to deliver is ongoing. Santiago’s office to demand all charges be Police Special Forces surrounded the their demands to UWM Chancellor Car- Due to the ongoing resistance and dropped against the Milwaukee 16. Call building’s perimeter and blockaded the los Santiago. Santiago had barricaded protests by the UWM Education Rights 414-229-4331 or e-mail [email protected]. doors, calling in motorcycle reinforce- himself and his staff inside Chapman Campaign, Santiago has agreed to attend For more information and updates on the ments and wagons, effectively turning Hall, where his office is, and refused to a public town hall meeting on campus campaign, go to www.sdsmke.com. Page_6_ April_8,_2010_ workers.org Struggle escalates to stop Detroit school closings

By Abayomi Azikiwe teachers and other employees. The protest respond to allegations of forced displace- the entire state and country. Editor, Pan-African News Wire was also attended by bus drivers from the ment and the dismantling of city gover- The city’s debt service payments to the Detroit Safeway transportation company whose nance structures by corporate interests. banks and the role of the financial sector contract has been cancelled in favor of On March 23, WWJ news radio, the and the corporations in the crisis must be A citywide meeting held March 27 at First Student Transportation out of Ohio. local CBS affiliate, ran reports all day on addressed. the Central United Methodist Church The bus drivers traveled to Lansing, the Moratorium NOW!’s opposition to down- Moratorium NOW! is demanding the in downtown Detroit called for a united state capital, at least three times in mid- sizing the city and the demand for the city administration appeal directly to the effort to address the escalating attacks March to protest and meet with lawmak- declaration of a state of economic emer- federal government to immediately create against working people, including school ers. On March 23 they went again and gency and the imposition of a halt to fore- jobs in Detroit. A letter to Bing was deliv- closures, education and other public sec- won a pledge from the state legislative ap- closures, evictions and utility shutoffs. ered two months ago and a resolution to tor layoffs, and plans to seize municipal propriations committee to hold hearings Moratorium NOW! issued a poster that the City Council has been submitted to this pension funds, downsize the city and sell on the bidding process surrounding First pointed to the role of the banks in the cri- effect as well. the Medical Center to an outside Tennes- Student. sis. It points out in plain language that The mayor and City Council have not re- see-based corporation. The elected Detroit Board of Education, there are hundreds of millions of dollars sponded because of the corporate orienta- Sponsored by the Moratorium NOW! whose powers are being abrogated by the being paid in debt service while workers’ tion of Bing and the stranglehold that the Coalition to Stop Foreclosures, Evictions emergency financial manager, Robert salaries remain frozen and cut, schools financial institutions have over Michigan’s and Utility Shutoffs, the gathering includ- Bobb, went to court on March 23 seeking are being closed and the capitalist class largest municipality. There is also a newly ed local activists, political officials and an injunction to stop the proposed closing is openly advancing plans in the media to dominant group within the City Council community organizers. Resolutions were of 45 schools. A hearing will be held on further dislocate and oppress the people. which believes that school closings, down- adopted calling for opposition to school April 16 in Wayne County Circuit Court. At the March 27 town hall meeting, the sizing and pension fund seizures are the closings; a mass demonstration on April Support for the unions and the forces Moratorium NOW! Coalition stated that only logical response to the economic crisis. 20 at the mayor’s office; and support for opposing the dismantling and privatiza- its present task is to raise the level of the Moratorium NOW! reiterated at the the May Day demonstration as well as the tion is growing daily despite the intensive political struggle so a clear connection March 27 meeting that a political strug- May 8 national march for jobs in Wash- propaganda campaign being waged by the can be made between the assault on work- gle against the banks and corporations is ington, D.C., being called by the Bail Out corporate media and private foundations ers and the community in Detroit and the necessary in order for these issues to be the People Movement. such as Kresge and Skillman. These en- overall economic crisis in the capitalist successfully addressed. The coalition has A burgeoning political struggle in tities are praising the plans delivered by system at present. Many workers and called for a demonstration April 20 to fur- Detroit around the privatization of the Bobb and Bing and ignoring and attack- community activists have exclusively fo- ther pressure the corporate-backed officials school system and the conflict between ing the unions and community organiza- cused on Bobb and Bing as culprits in the and the banks to impose a freeze on fore- city workers and the Dave Bing admin- tions that are challenging them. process. Although this is true in appear- closures, evictions, utility shutoffs, school istration escalated on March 23 with two After the demonstration at the DPS ance, both of them are acting on behalf closings and downsizing. major demonstrations against the crisis headquarters, more than 100 people of the interests of finance capital, which On March 29 there will be a rally at in the public education system and May- marched down Woodward Avenue to Or- views the public sector, including public Cooley High School on the city’s northwest or Bing’s corporate-engineered plans to chestra Hall, where Mayor Bing was slated education and municipal pension funds, side to oppose the school’s closing in June. “downsize” the city. to give his “state of the city” address. The as ripe for seizure and exploitation. Later the same day, the emergency financial demonstration was called by Moratorium manager will begin holding invitation-only Demonstrations express outrage NOW! and American Federation of State, City must cancel debt service to banks meetings at Henry Ford High School to dis- Outside the offices of the state-appoint- County and Municipal Employees Local In response to the crisis, community cuss the school closings. ed emergency financial manager 2,000 207. Leaders from the DPS clerical work- meetings are being held daily and there Moratorium NOW! will support the rally union members, community people and ers union and other city locals joined the is a sense of urgency emerging among the at Cooley and picket the closed meeting at youth demonstrated, demanding an end protest. people. The Moratorium NOW! Coalition Henry Ford High School. The organization to efforts to dismantle K-12 public educa- Bing’s plan to “downsize” the city has will be making a major push to convey the has developed a leaflet that outlines the tion in the city. The picket was organized been challenged by Moratorium NOW! necessity of united action and to stress the major issues and emphasizes the need to by the Coalition of Detroit Public Schools and others. The ruling class interests rep- underlying causes of the crisis, which is build a mass struggle against the banks to Unions, which includes clerical workers, resented by Bing have been compelled to not confined to Detroit but encompasses halt the cutbacks, layoffs and closings. ‘The Last Truck: The Closing of a GM Plant’ a different tale of love and loss By Martha Grevatt with dignity and integrity. That’s the peo- right to own and operate the plants our- chorus of news commentators who insisted  the financial woes of the auto industry ple of Moraine Truck and that’s the people selves, especially since our bosses don’t “The Last Truck: The FILM REvIEW/ were “all the union’s fault.” of Twinsburg Stamping, and we deserve to want them. Closing of a GM Plant” was The film depicted people like us be treated better than this. Workers in the Dayton, Ohio, area now shown March 26 at the Cleveland Interna- — me and Kim and Darlene and Chuck — face a terrible economic crisis. In addition tional Film Festival. The 2009 film por- people with the knowledge of all that goes Feasting on the dead dragon to the 2,500 Moraine plant workers laid trays, through autoworkers’ eyes, the pro- into producing an automobile. We have Toward the end of the film a woman off permanently from GM, 10,000 more cess leading up to the closing of a General this knowledge in our bodies, our bones worker tells us how she had an image jobs were lost indirectly as a result of the Motors assembly plant in Moraine, Ohio. and muscle, our eyes, ears, heart, lungs, come to her of a gigantic dragon dying, closing. Delphi, the former parts division This writer participated in a panel skin, fingers, knees and definitely our feet. with all its various body parts shutting of GM that was Dayton’s biggest private discussion which included directors Ju- In every cell of our body we know what goes down one by one. Now that the plant has employer, closed all of its eight facilities, lia Reichert (director of the 1976 classic, into each vehicle that rolls off the line. closed, Maynards, which calls itself “the leaving the city with no auto plants. “Union Maids”) and Steve Bognar, plus Our minds know it too — doing the preeminent liquidation and auction and Kim, an electrician, has finally found a laid-off Moraine workers Kim, Darlene same thing over and over for eight, 10, 12 appraisal company in North America,” job after 15 months, but it doesn’t provide and Chuck. My plant, the Chrysler stamp- hours, five or six or seven days a week, as has invited vultures in to feast on the the pay and benefits he came to expect ing plant in Twinsburg, Ohio, is scheduled the workers described. We know the crip- dragon’s carcass. from GM. Darlene and Chuck have become to cease production in June and has been pling effect that it has on our intellect and Maynards’ holdings include dozens of full-time students under a state-sponsored bought by Maynards, the same liquidator creativity. Those of us who became skilled GM and other auto plants throughout the program, but they had to jump through that will be auctioning the building and trades people know that exhilarating feel- U.S., Canada and Europe. There are no numerous hoops and choose from a nar- contents of Moraine Assembly. ing — that rush — from suddenly, even plans to find buyers to restart these highly row list of state-approved occupations be- For me, an autoworker for 22 years within proscribed parameters, being able productive plants. The vast arsenal of ro- fore they could receive a subsidy. Whether whose plant will close in a matter of to use our brains on the job. bots, conveyor belts, stamping presses, their training will lead to meaningful em- months, “The Last Truck” was a power- A powerful moment in the film was machine tools, plastic molding machines ployment remains to be seen. ful, eloquent and brutally realistic artistic when it showed that winter day when all and much more will be sold off piecemeal. By the end of 40 minutes, “The Last statement. of these talented workers had to roll their Don’t smell what you want in Moraine, Truck,” which was nominated for an Acad- I saw workers like myself who first toolboxes out of the plant. One could feel the liquidator asks the vultures? Check emy Award for best documentary short, had learned — not from GM but from the news the solidarity as women and men helped out Twinsburg, check out Michigan, check everyone in the sold-out audience in tears. media — that their plant would be shut- each other hoist the boxes onto ice-en- out California, Missouri or our European This story of love and loss is the first seri- tered for good two days before Christmas, crusted truck beds. holdings. We at Maynards will find you ous film about plant closings since Michael 2008. They talked about how hard they I watched and listened as there on the the specific organ that your profit-driven Moore’s 1989 classic, “Roger and Me.” worked and how much it changed their big screen my brothers and sisters of IUE palates desire. The filmmakers stated that they wish lives to acquire a good-paying union job. Local 798 showed the kind of people we All the workers in the film have a sense they hadn’t had to make this film. Now is They expressed their love for their cowork- are: not dense factory hands, but individu- that something is being taken away that the time to fight for a world where no one ers — their “family” — a love that cut across al people with deep thoughts and feelings, rightfully belongs to them. “That’s our will have to make another one. A good lines of race, nationality, religion and sex expressed thoughtfully, astutely, politically plant,” a brother in the film flat-out states. place to start a protest campaign could be and, by suggestion, sexual orientation. I and poetically — and with righteous anger. I agree. We have paid for these plants with at any one of the plant auctions that May- felt proud when these union sisters and These are strong workers who revealed to the best years of our lives; we have outbid nards — the liquidators of our futures — brothers challenged the near-unanimous us their tears and vulnerability, and did so the highest bidders. We have earned the will be conducting this year. workers.org April 8, 2010 Page 7 Struggle escalates to stop Detroit school closings activists campaign to save Baltimore home from foreclosure By Steven Ceci scrupulous in rushing to foreclose on her burden. I have used my savings to pay my homeowners would be helped with loan Baltimore home even before the process of review- mortgage, along with my 401(k). I’ve even modifications. But to date only 650,000 ing a loan modification has been made. In gone as far as asking family members to homeowners are now in a trial modifica- Community activists with the Network addition, Bank of America has not even help. I have gone into my insurance poli- tion. Only a fraction of those have actually to Stop Foreclosures and Evictions held a had a face-to-face mediation meeting as cies in order to keep my house.” received a permanent loan modification. picket line March 23 in front of the law of- stipulated by state law,” Black exclaimed. She also did everything right with Bank HAMP also does not address those fices of Cohn, Goldberg and Deutsch, LLC, DeFreitas is a 51-year-old state employ- of America by filling out long forms and workers who have lost their jobs, a major a foreclosure firm. They were protesting to ee and mother of five who did everything submitting over 44 pages of documenta- shortcoming for the 30 million who are save the home of Renee Washington DeF- she was supposed to: She worked hard tion to its BAC Home Loan Servicing to unemployed and left out in the cold. reitas. Bank of America began the foreclo- for long hours, volunteered for overtime apply for a loan modification on her mort- How is it that bank profits are rising sure process before it even reviewed her when it existed, saved her money, and gage. But at the same time that she was even as foreclosures grow exponentially? application for a loan modification. bought a home with the hope that she being advised to fill out forms and to get The reason is that the government is in- Before leaving, activists went inside the would have something as she grew old- in touch with HOPE, Bank of America be- creasingly guaranteeing bank losses due law offices and delivered a letter with their er, both for herself and her children and gan the foreclosure process. to foreclosures by reimbursing the lend- demands. Sharon Black, a spokesperson ers at the full value for overvalued mort- grandchildren. Foreclosure crisis, bank bailouts continue for the group, told Workers World: “The But state workers were forced to take gages when there are defaults. This “silent At a Dec. 8 congressional hearing, Lau- attorneys inside the offices appeared rat- pay cuts and nonpaid furlough days that bailout” continues every day. rie Goodman, senior managing director tled, startled and hostile. They’re used to drastically reduced DeFreitas’ already Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the cor- at Amherst Securities, testified that in the conducting business as usual — doing the meager salary. Her once “dream home” porations that guarantee about half of the third quarter of 2009, 14.1 percent of bor- bidding of the banks without angry work- has now became a nightmare. country’s mortgages, were taken over by rowers — or 7.9 million homeowners — ers expressing their outrage.” DeFreitas wrote a letter to HOPE the government in July 2008. Fannie and did not make their mortgage payments. Black continued: “But this is what they (Home Owners Preserving Equity), a Freddie are burning so much cash bailing She estimated that 7 million of these 7.9 should expect until there is justice in Renee state-sponsored program to assist hom- out the lenders that the Treasury is con- million homeowners will lose their homes. DeFreitas’ case. DeFreitas represents thou- eowners facing foreclosure. In it she stat- sidering an infusion of another $400 bil- (www.house.gov) Julie Gordon from the sands of workers who are losing their homes ed: “I worked my whole life so I could get lion in taxpayer funds into these entities. Center for Responsible Lending testified while banks continue to get bailed out. my own home, which I did, and also make (New York Times, Dec. 17) that with the effects of high unemploy- “In this case the attorneys have been un- me proud to have my own, but now it’s a Coupled with funds from the AIG and ment, millions more would be added to GMAC bailouts, which are being utilized these numbers. She estimated that by the to pay off lenders on foreclosed properties, time this crisis abates, as many as 13 mil- Unions picket at bailed-out banks it is estimated that the total government lion families will have lost their homes. lifeline to the banks could rise to $1 tril- The Home Affordable Modification lion. The effect of this continued bailout Program has fallen short because banks is that it actually discourages bank lend- ‘good jobs now!’ have simply not abided by the law. The C0ntinued on page 11 By Sean Schafron ica in Detroit. “Bail out the people, not the promise of HAMP was that 3 to 4 million banks! What do we need? Moratorium!” From San Francisco to Boston and chanted the crowd, demanding a morato- RaleIgh, n.C.. points between, angry workers are show- rium on foreclosures and evictions as well ing up at banks demanding, “Good jobs as jobs. In a leaflet distributed at the main now! Make Wall Street pay!” The AFL-CIO bank, the Metro-Detroit AFL-CIO charged Struggle for jobs grows is organizing 200 actions across the U.S., Bank of America, Michigan’s largest bank, targeting six large bailed-out banks: Mor- with forcing homeowners into foreclosure. gan Stanley, Bank of America, Citibank, Jobs with Justice and the Moratorium Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and NOW! Coalition supported the protest. Wells Fargo/Wachovia. Also on March 25, dozens rallied In Buffalo on March 18 a gathering in front of a downtown San Francisco raised these demands outside Bank of branch of Bank of America demanding, America. The following day in Philadel- “Good jobs now!” Organized by the S.F. phia a crowd of 1,000, with many unions Labor Council, the rally was attended by represented, marched through downtown labor council officers and union delegates, chanting, “No jobs, no future!” Many then the S.F. Living Wage Coalition, the Peace marched through the lobby of a Bank of and Freedom Party Labor Committee, the America office. Workers Emergency Recovery Campaign About 80 labor and community activists and the Bail Out the People Movement — rallied outside the downtown Cleveland of- Northern California. Photo:_rAlEigh_FiSt fice of Morgan Stanley on March 22, where Bank of America is getting bailout On March 20 the Raleigh People’s As- groups came together to build support for they listened as a number of speakers de- money at the expense of foreclosed hom- sembly held a public meeting at the YWCA a resolution calling on the Raleigh City nounced the “banksters” and also engaged eowners and working and jobless workers in east Raleigh about the struggle for jobs Council and other North Carolina elect- in street theater. all over the U.S. The San Francisco pro- in North Carolina. Members of Black ed officials to support a public jobs pro- On March 25 in Boston more than 200 testors chanted, “Bail out workers, not the Workers For Justice, Electrical Workers gram that would be the size and scope of activists — from 40 unions — marched and banks!” and carried signs reading, “We Local 150-North Carolina Public Service the Work Projects Administration of the demanded that jobs be restored. are NOT your ATM.” Workers Union, Raleigh Fight Imperial- 1930s, which created millions of jobs. On that same day the cold wind didn’t Joan Marquardt contributed the ism Stand Together, People’s Empower- The resolution has already gained a lot stop a loud demonstration at Bank of Amer- report from San Francisco. ment Movement and other community of support. This includes endorsements from the North Carolina AFL-CIO, UE Local 150, Workforce Empowerment Alli- over protests, MtA cuts more transit jobs ance Community Team, State Reps. Larry Hall and Deborah Ross, North Carolina By Tony Murphy The MTA went ahead and voted for the helped the MTA “restructure” its debt in NAACP President Rev. William Barber, New York cuts, which will eliminate $93 million in 2000 - a task even the Business Week ar- Sister Margaret Rose Murray of Shaw the agency’s expenses. Media coverage ticle admitted added hundreds of millions University Radio WSHA and several hun- On March 24, the Metropolitan Trans- included some station agent testimony to the MTA’s debt service. dred others. portation Authority continued to swing its about the hardships layoffs would impose. It also reported that Bear Stearns The People’s Assembly is planning a budget axe, eliminating two major subway The coverage on the devastating cuts por- earned tens of millions of dollars in un- news conference for April 8, the 75th an- lines and dozens of buses in New York City. trayed them as inevitable actions on the derwriting fees for advising the MTA on niversary of the passing of the WPA, to call The vote for this decision took place part of an agency constantly referred to as the restructuring. on local officials to support such a bill that at its monthly board meeting. About 20 “cash-strapped.” Now the “cash-strapped” MTA is re- would address current mass unemploy- transit workers, mostly station agents, de- Two days after this meeting, Bloom- warding Foran of Bear Stearns by ap- ment. scended on the board to speak out at the berg Business Week reported the MTA pointing him to oversee its finances. The NAACP and other grassroots lead- public comments section of the meeting, had hired an ex-Wall Street banker to be In the meantime, the MTA is consider- ers have been meeting with Gov. Bev Per- as did representatives of the Bail Out the its new finance chief. ing another fare increase, on the heels of due to pressure her to hold a Jobs Summit People Movement and other members of The March 26 article, “N.Y. MTA Taps one that just happened this year. in mid-April to listen to the people speak the public. Ex-Bear Stearns Banker for Finance Job,” The media will help the MTA hide its on the crisis. The People’s Assembly is also Station agents account for 450 of the 600 exposes how the agency is used to enrich role as cash cow for Wall Street until the building for a mass rally at the May 4 Ra- layoffs planned by the MTA for Transport banks and Wall Street firms while its workers do what the Republic Doors and leigh City Council meeting, where support- Workers Union Local 100. Many union and board members impose hardships on the Windows workers in Chicago did in De- ers of the resolution will call on the city’s other activists spoke at the podium about people they are supposed to serve. cember 2008 — use their power to shake elected officials to officially endorse it. how the banks drain money out of the MTA. The banker in question, Robert Foran, the money out of the banks. — Dante Strobino Page_8_ April_8,_2010_ workers.org google on an anti-communist crusade? Or maybe they’re just sore losers By Gary Wilson In India, Google has opened up search who says simply that they hate the coun- is the site that Google has now shut down results to censorship by the police au- try’s top politician. and is redirecting to Google.com.hk. The headlines have proclaimed that thorities. “Google is training police in But what Google does hate is not win- Few used Google.cn because the re- Google has “quit” China in a “battle over India on how to find ‘objectionable’ ma- ning. sults were unsatisfactory. Blogger Jason censorship.” terial and remove it from Google,” the Google has a world monopoly, almost. Yu in “Google vs. Baidu: A User Expe- That’s what Google told the capitalist Inquisitr reported on Sept. 24, 2008. In all parts of the world, except in China, rience Analysis” wrote that Google.cn media, so that’s what’s been reported. (www.inquisitr.com) Google is the Internet. Google made a big results too often “direct us to Web sites There’s no fine print in these reports. Google even helped the police arrest push to also capture China. They bet big that use traditional Chinese characters, For example, only the search part of a man who had anonymously posted the — and lost. which are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong Google’s operations is involved. Other message, “I hate Sonia Ghandi” [sic]. China has more than 400 million Inter- and by the overseas Chinese community” Google business operations in China are Google said this was done at its own net users and almost a billion cell phone (posted June 2, 2008, www.globalbyde- continuing. And Google didn’t quit Chi- initiative. Vinay Goel, head of products users. All use a search engine. The big sign.com). In mainland China everything na; the search operation was moved to for Google India, said, “You don’t want to search engine in China is Baidu, which is done in simplified Chinese. It would be Hong Kong, which is part of China. stifle the freedom of speech and yet, [you services about 70 percent of all users. like Google.com redirecting all search re- In Hong Kong, Google’s search op- do want to] ensure that people are work- sults in English to Web sites in Chaucer’s erations are under different local laws. ing within legal boundaries, are within Few used Google.cn Middle English. Unreadable. Uncensored? Not really. As PC World re- the sensitivities of that culture. So if you In China, anyone can use Google. In a report on National Public Ra- ported March 24, Google “blocks content find something offensive, flag it. We will com, the U.S.-based search engine that dio here, a Chinese scholar said that the such as porn and profanity.” It’s not that review it. We have very specific terms and is not “censored” by Chinese law. But only people he knew in China who used Google doesn’t censor its search results. conditions and if that is violated by the Google.com’s servers are in the U.S., so Google were those searching for results In fact, Google has a history of working user, we will bring it up. This model has the response time in China is very slow. in English. with governments and police authorities, worked well.” Google.cn was opened to provide faster Anyway, Google has been losing ground including censoring its search results. Evidently Google doesn’t really have a results. When people in China search us- from its high of 30 percent of China’s us- Searches for information on attacking the problem with censoring search results, ing Google, they mostly use Google.com. ers in 2005. Now it is calling it quits. The U.S. government, for example, will turn working with governments, following lo- The Google.cn site never gained more rest of what it says may be just a big show up heavily censored results. cal laws, even helping to arrest someone than 2 percent of the search market. This to cover its tracks while fleeing. On tour in U.S. latin american labor leaders share struggles By Bob McCubbin the people’s struggle there in the face of San Diego the recent earthquake disaster. A petition was circulated among the audience de- It was only a one-day visit by partici- fending Cuba’s sovereignty in the face of pants in the Latin American Labor Lead- renewed efforts by the U.S. and the Euro- ers tour, but March 26 was filled with ac- pean Union to undermine its 50-year re- tivity and politics. Shortly after a hurried cord of social progress. Finally, audience breakfast, U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange members contributed more than $500 to- representative Ignacio Meneses and Ron- ward the guests’ travel expenses. ald Quesada Zamora, a national direc- The next day, in Los Angeles, tens of torate member of the National Union of thousands who had assembled for an immi- Social Security Fund Employees in Costa grant rights march heard a few words from Rica, joined a picket line at the Bank of Quesada. That afternoon a well attended America building in downtown San Diego, multi-national meeting hosted by the Ser- ww_Photo: BoB_MCCuBBiN one in a series of nationwide anti-bank ac- participants in San Diego portion of labor tour. vice Employees Local 721 Latino Caucus tions called by the AFL-CIO. The featured and Labor Community Coalition joined a speaker at the action was Liz Shuler, the Meneses opened the program with a port, making travel impossible. cross section of workers from that union first woman ever elected national secre- review of the history of the hemisphere- Nevertheless, using an Internet connec- with interested community members and tary treasurer of that labor federation. wide neoliberal attacks against the work- tion, Chacón’s voice came through loud people who’d heard about the event at the At midmorning, Meneses and Quesada ing class and the meaning of ALBA, the and clear to the San Diego meeting. She earlier demonstration. Nearly every person sat down for an in-depth, informal dis- Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas. emphasized that the present economic signed a petition, read by Cristina Vazquez cussion with leaders of Unión del Barrio, Quesada spoke next. He contrasted the crisis in the U.S. demonstrates the need from Workers United, that supported Cuba a California-based organization that has treatment of immigrant workers in Costa for worker unity. And the terrible increase against a current well-orchestrated and taken the lead in many struggles involv- Rica, where they have the same rights and in unemployment internationally makes -funded phony “human rights” campaign. ing the Latino/a communities. Topics receive the same benefits as other work- the ALBA program all the more important An evening meeting capped off the South- covered in great detail included the cur- ers, with the situation in the U.S. Having and necessary for the working class. ern California leg of the tour. rent situation in Costa Rica and Latin just spoken with Farm Labor Organiz- Discussion from the floor included a On March 28 the labor leaders went to America in general, and the struggle here ing Committee workers in Toledo, Ohio, Unión del Barrio leader’s announcement Dallas, where they spoke at a church and in the U.S. for full legalization for undocu- he was fully aware of how even the most of his organization’s plans for a May Day at the Pan-African Connections Bookstore mented migrant and immigrant workers. elementary rights are withheld from un- march and rally in San Diego, and an ap- and Resource Center. The tour ends with Next the guests were taken on a tour of documented workers in the U.S. peal by a Chilean activist for support for events in New York on March 29. the militarized border between San Diego But he also made clear that Costa Rica and Tijuana, a stark metallic scar across is no paradise for workers. There are in- the landscape that stands as an ugly testa- creasing attempts there by transnational Women’s History Month ment to the U.S. government’s unwaver- corporations to privatize public enter- ing racist posture with regard to Mexico prises and, in the name of increasing ef- and its workers. ficiency, workers are losing their jobs. Native women fight A more uplifting experience was a Although Quesada’s union is affiliated guided tour by Unión del Barrio leader with the progressive Latin American bloc to reclaim equality Ben Prado to see the inspiring political ALBA, Costa Rica itself is not. Quesada murals in San Diego’s famed struggle- explained how the U.S. dissuaded the Continued from page 4 voices heard regarding Native people’s based Chicano Park. Costa Rican government from affiliat- abortions, she challenged him and threat- sovereignty and human rights, she added. An evening public meeting in one of the ing by threatening an embargo against ened to open up an abortion clinic. Most Today, Cecelia Fire Thunder’s message city’s historic Latino/a neighborhoods Costa Rica like the one it has maintained of her opposition, she said, came from to women everywhere is to “stand by what drew an audience of more than 50, in- against Cuba for the last 50 years. white “right-to-life” men who even physi- you believe, take risks, listen to the spirits cluding both seasoned activists and many The high point of the meeting was a cally threatened her. and ancestors, and don’t be afraid to fight young people. Gloria Verdieu of the In- Skype hookup with Gilda Chacón Bravo, The power of Lakota women, she said, back.” The goal of women, she stated, is to ternational Action Center and Ben Prado a leader of the Confederation of Cuban is strengthened by coming together as a “knock down barriers that limit the roles co-facilitated the meeting. Verdieu wel- Workers. Chacón Bravo had agreed to clan. The role of Native women in tribal of women as tribal and community lead- comed Meneses and Quesada and then participate in the U.S./Cuba Labor Ex- and state governments is increasing; ers, as well as in the larger society.” She presented the Costa Rican guest with a change tour and had applied for and been most voters are women, as are most edu- also mentioned she gained strength and pin demanding freedom for the Cuban granted a visa by the U.S. State Depart- cators, medical professionals and admin- energy from the experiences of all people Five and another demanding freedom for ment. However, the U.S. Interest Section istrators. All segments of society, though, of color who are survivors of injustice and Mumia Abu-Jamal. in Havana delayed the return of her pass- must make commitments to have Native inequality. workers.org April 8, 2010 Page 9 google on an anti-communist crusade? U.S. and Israel Or maybe they’re just sore losers What’s real and what’s a smokescreen? By Joyce Chediac no real substance? Netanyahu restated his position that the 1967 “status quo” arrangement cov- If Washington were really angry at Is- any “moratorium” on settlement build- ering the Old City’s holy places. The site What do workers need to know about rael’s anti-Palestinian policies, it could ing doesn’t apply to settlements built in is an entrance to the mosque compound the disagreement between the U.S. and have opposed Israel’s worst aggression Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, Obama known as the Haram al-Sharif and is seen Israel? on Gaza in 14 months. On March 26, five received Netanyahu in Washington. as an encroachment on it, an attempt to Despite angry statements by U.S. of- tanks and two armored bulldozers rolled If there is any doubt on how deep this take it over. The compound contains the ficials and endless verbiage in the estab- into Gaza, firing. And the U.S. could have disagreement between Washington and al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the lishment media about what it all means, called Tel Aviv to task for the recent kill- Tel Aviv goes, just follow the money. Rock mosque, some of the most sacred this disagreement is about a diplomatic ing of four Palestinian youths in the West Washington has in no way threatened to mosques in Islam. embarrassment and is not substantial. Bank by Israeli soldiers. reduce its steady stream of funds to Israel Netanyahu’s government has also de- The U.S. is embarrassed because, on Not a peep was heard from Washing- — more than $7 million a day. clared that Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem the same day that Vice President Joseph ton over these murders of Palestinians. Israel has been the Pentagon’s pit bull and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in He- Biden arrived to show support for Israel, In fact, while Israel was killing Palestin- in the Middle East for more than 60 years. bron, deep in the West Bank, are “Jew- the Tel Aviv government announced it ians in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Hill- Tensions between the two are bound to ish heritage sites.” Palestinians in Beth- would build 1,600 more illegal housing ary Clinton called measures taken by the arise from time to time, but overall strate- lehem responded to the announcement units in East Jerusalem. Washington, Israeli government to resolve the dispute gic interests remain the same — to crush with a three-day general strike, shutting which supports Israeli settlements on between the two governments “useful and the Palestinian and other struggles and to businesses, schools and universities. Palestinian land, had its mask of “honest productive.” secure the oil-rich area for Washington The Tomb of Rachel, a shrine to the broker” in Palestinian-Israeli talks ripped and Wall Street. Biblical matriarch revered by Jews, from its face and its complicity in the set- U.S. supports Israeli settlements Christians and Muslims and the site of a tlements revealed. The White House is calling on Israel to Palestinian cultural mosque, is already on the Israeli side of Washington has called in the spin doc- pull back on the settlement announced and religious sites attacked the apartheid wall, as Israel is poised to tors to try to put that shattered mask back when Biden was there. However, it sup- Washington has nothing to say about annex it. together and give some credibility to its ports other settlements. A March 23 edi- Israeli attempts to take over Palestinian This week also saw Palestinian pro- claim to be impartial as it arranges “prox- torial by Stephen Maher on the Electronic and Muslim cultural and religious sites, tests in Hebron, near the al-Ibrahimi imity talks” to “get the peace process roll- Intifada website, entitled “The US-choreo- another form of annexation. These mea- mosque, which Israel is now calling the ing” between the Netanyahu regime and graphed ‘outrage’ at Israel,” points out that sures have especially angered the Pales- Tomb of the Patriarchs. the Palestinian Authority. in March “the State Department explicitly tinian people. Zionist attacks on religious The Israeli government has plans to These “peace” talks have never been approved Israel’s construction of 112 new sites in Jerusalem, and other Muslim re- destroy the Mamilla Cemetery, an im- more than a diplomatic smokescreen for apartments in an illegal settlement outside ligious sites in the West Bank, have been portant Palestinian and Muslim cultural further U.S.-Israeli aggression against the Bethlehem.” And Israel continues to strip met with angry demonstrations. site in Jerusalem. Ironically, this Muslim Palestinian people. Ever-growing num- Palestinians in East Jerusalem of their res- Israel just announced it will enlarge the cultural site would be leveled to build a bers in the West Bank and Gaza see the idency rights at unprecedented rates. Jewish prayer plaza at a wall in the Old “Museum of Tolerance!” To sign a peti- talks as against their interests. Maher explains that only a few days City, rejecting a Jerusalem court’s pro- tion opposing this outrage, visit www. How can you tell that the dispute is of after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin posal to shelve the plan because it violates mamillacampaign.org. U.S.-style ‘democracy’ in Iraq al-maliki loses election, represses opponents By John Catalinotto of the German Iraq Coordination. Guil- alliance that had the best outlook for vic- laborates with the occupation — WW] he liard has contributed to two books about tory” over the current occupation regime. was only able to obtain 8.2 percent of the Contradicting all claims of having held Iraq. He testified in New York at the Au- Explaining the election results, Guil- votes,” Guilliard added. a “fair election” in Iraq, Iraqi Prime Min- gust 2004 people’s tribunal organized by liard wrote: “The Western media like to The most progressive thing the vote ister Nuri al-Maliki is using the repressive the International Action Center, which personalize everything, and so in general represents, wrote Guilliard in his article state apparatus constructed under the found the U.S. guilty of war crimes for its they speak of the victory of Ayad Allawi. in the March 29 issue of Junge Welt, a U.S. occupation regime to attempt to hold invasion and occupation of Iraq. But above all it was the most nationalist progressive German daily, is “the clear onto power by force. Al-Maliki has tar- In Guilliard’s opinion: “Many found it and overwhelmingly secular groups and rejection of a policy that bases itself on geted four elected representatives of the surprising that the opposition Al-Iraqiyya personalities in the list who were voted in.” religious and confessional differences and victorious Al-Iraqiyya list in an attempt to List won the most seats in parliament. Guilliard pointed out that Allawi was a clear vote for a unitary, centrally ruled downgrade this party to second place. But this was no proof that the vote was once a close U.S. ally and co-responsible and independent government. Al-Iraq- Two of the representatives are in hid- fair. It took place once again under the for the bloody invasion of the city of Fal- iyya won votes not only in the majority ing. One is in prison. The fourth, a wom- conditions of a brutal occupation regime lujah, but that many Iraqis who oppose Sunni provinces, but, for example, also in an, has disappeared from sight, according that carried out expulsions of candidates, the occupation appeared to get behind al- Baghdad, where the great majority belong to a March 28 investigative article in the mass imprisonments and the murder of Iraqiyya anyway in order to work toward to the Shiite confession, but are tradi- McClatchy newspapers. political opponents. removing the U.S. troops. tionally overwhelmingly non-religious in Al-Maliki has said he won’t accept the “Al-Iraqiyya won not because of the re- “On his own, the former interim pre- their politics.” vote count from the January election. pression and manipulation of votes, but mier and CIA collaborator Allawi would Guilliard emphasized that “whoever is These results were finally made public in despite them. Apparently these repressive have been hardly more attractive than the new head of government in the next late March. Al-Iraqiyya, whose leader is steps brought a large sector of the enemies he was in 2005, when in alliance with couple of months, the power still lies in Ayad Allawi, won the most seats, 91, but of the occupation behind this electoral the Iraqi Communist Party [which col- the hands of the occupying forces.” not a majority of the 325-seat parliament. The “State of Law Coalition,” led by al- Maliki, won 89 seats. The National Iraqi Alliance came in third with 70 seats. Fighting N. Carolina resegregation During the election campaign, the re- gime banned 499 candidates for allegedly Continued from page 1 would devastate the quality of education at the school board meeting on March being linked to the Ba’ath Party, which public universities. available to Black and Latino/a students 23. Despite the fact that the new major- was the ruling party before the U.S. inva- The all-white majority was elected on a in the county, has galvanized the NAACP ity passed the resolution to begin the sion. All the banned candidates were from promise to dismantle the busing system and other organizations to mount strong transition to “neighborhood schools,” the secular parties not connected with one or in Wake County and implement a pro- opposition to this plan. struggle led by students opened political another religious sect. gram they call “neighborhood schools,” space and emboldened the board minor- No one should forget that there are still which is nothing but a thinly veiled dis- Struggle to end resegregation ity to propose and pass two amendments nearly 100,000 U.S. troops occupying guise for resegregation. Fifty years ago, students stood up to to the resolution. Iraq — and almost the same number of If the shift to “neighborhood schools” fight back against racist, Jim Crow seg- This fight is only in its early stages. If mercenaries, called contractors. The sev- is allowed to reach its conclusion, there regation in the U.S. South, ushering in the action at the March 23 school board en-year-long U.S. occupation has led to will be a two-tiered education system in a landslide of historic and monumental meeting is any indication, students and the death of an estimated 1 million Iraqis Wake County: well-funded, less-crowded changes in society. Today, students are community members are committed to and the dislocation of another 5 million, schools with mostly affluent white stu- taking action to defend those gains and continuing to build the struggle to stop about one-fifth of the country. The occu- dents, and poorly funded, overcrowd- the right of all students to a quality, pub- resegregation. The newly installed right- pation has also fomented bitter sectarian ed, high-poverty schools in Black and lic education from the attacks of the right- wing board’s plan to move to “neighbor- fighting among Iraqis. Latino/a communities. In effect, a return wing, Resegregationist 5. hood schools” will not remain in the face Workers World consulted on the elec- to the ugly, segregated past of Jim Crow. The new majority has faced over- of united community resistance. tion with Joachim Guilliard, a German This attack on oppressed people and whelming opposition every step of the We say no to Jim Crow — we won’t go anti-war activist, writer and key organizer communities in Wake County, which way as evidenced by the bold action taken back! Page_10_ April_8,_2010_ workers.org

WORKERS WORLD editorial On the Picket Line By Sue Davis rio tinto withdraws For May Day unity illegal demands ay Day went by uncelebrated publicly for struggle. Some union activists were attracted to Attempting to force 600 Borax workers in International three decades in the U.S. before 2005, this call. Many assumed that it was a continuation Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 30 to accept a conces- Mwhen the Million Worker March and of the immigrants’ call, but with additional union sionary contract, Rio Tinto locked them out on Jan. 31. The others made a first effort to revive the international backing, and that there would be a big, united union went on the offensive, filing charges with the National workers’ holiday in New York City’s Union Square. demonstration. To the dismay of anyone who Labor Relations Board that RT had violated a host of labor In 2006 a mighty immigrant upsurge and general learns of it, the organizers of the second May Day laws by making unlawful demands and ultimatums. On March strike of millions on May Day put it back on the call chose to schedule their rally in a place other 5 Rio Tinto, the second-largest mining company in the world, entire U.S. map. than Union Square, thus dividing the working- withdrew some of the illegal demands. But negotiations Since then, the May 1st Coalition for Worker class response. can only resume after Rio Tinto ends the lockout. To keep & Immigrant Rights has kept May Day alive in When, at a March 21 workshop at the Left Fo- the pressure on, the ILWU plans demonstrations at British New York, drawing many immigrant workers and rum, representatives of the May 1st Coalition for consulates in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles on April unionists to an annual demonstration in the center Worker & Immigrant Rights urged the organizers 16, following a demonstration at RT’s annual shareholders’ of world imperialism. For the fifth year, this coali- of the second action to hold a united action, and meeting in London on April 15. tion has been mobilizing for a powerful May Day asked them why they would want to call a separate action in Union Square, this time with an endorse- May Day gathering, those who made the second Janitors win in Minneapolis ment from the students who organized the March call simply refused to answer. It took three years of determined organizing — and the 4 national protests. Does this lack of an answer mean they can still threat of a strike on March 1 — for 4,000 janitors in Minne- Good thing, because this year’s May Day is more reconsider? There must be hundreds of union ac- apolis to win a decent contract. The Service Employees Local important than ever as the economic and finan- tivists and thousands of union members as well as 26 workers launched an aggressive campaign that included cial crisis continues to strike a heavy blow against thousands of immigrant workers who would much developing leaders and making alliances with community and workers here and abroad. An economic recovery prefer a united action. They don’t want to be in a environmental groups. As they marched through downtown without jobs, along with increasing poverty, home- position of having to choose between two May Day skyways and suburban malls to pressure building owners to lessness, disease and no end to the discriminatory, actions. Their wishes must be respected. raise wages, the workers, mostly immigrants and people of corporate-run health care system, lies ahead. The Whatever political differences need to be color, gave the bosses a lesson in working-class unity as they escalation of war abroad in Iraq, Afghanistan and expressed — and this is still unclear — it is still chanted, “Yes, we can!” followed by “¡Sí se puede!” in Spanish Pakistan and the militarization of the U.S. border possible and important for the organizers of the and “Haa warkanaa!” in Somali. After a marathon bargain- with Mexico demands a response. And there is two coalitions to find a way to a united action. ing session on Feb. 27-28, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Contract more need than ever to fight for immigration re- There have been many ways this has been done in Cleaners Association agreed to a three-year contract. Now form that legalizes the presence of 12 million work- the history of the working-class movement, and it custodians will not lose their jobs if building owners change ers who have already earned the right to stay and is certain that such a way exists if the leaders have cleaners. Six-hour shifts will become seven hours in a year work here without fear of raids and deportation. the will to find it. and eight hours the year after, enabling the workers to earn When some union members and staffers in New A powerful, massive, united fightback is urgently 38 percent more income. Though management started nego- York also called for an action to revive May Day, it needed. Let the May Day organizers find a prin- tiations demanding a $5-an-hour pay cut, the workers will get seemed like another step forward in the workers’ cipled path to that united struggle. immediate 25-cent-an-hour raises, followed by 10-cent-an- hour raises the next two years. Health insurance will be more affordable after it’s reorganized. Management agreed to use green cleaning products and work with the union to make a Marxists struggle over ideas at Left Forum transition from night to day jobs. Continued from page 3 Foley Square. This otherwise progressive impulse dent protest. The panel, chaired by Doug Singsen of had a negative side: it excluded the May 1st Coalition Media workers fight cutbacks CUNY Campaign to Defend Education, also featured for Worker & Immigrant Rights that was already Reuters workers in New York, Washington and Chicago the Transport Workers Union’s community liaison organizing its fifth consecutive May Day protest in held a series of picket lines in March protesting 10 percent Marvin Holland; Tami Gold, Professional Staff Con- Union Square around the key slogans of legalization wage and benefits cuts that Thomson Reuters imposed after gress chapter chair at Hunter College; and New York for undocumented workers and jobs for all. claiming bargaining was at an impasse. Members of the News- City teacher John Lawhead. There was a good give Intervening in the discussion, Brenda Stokely paper Guild-Communication Workers Local 31001 point out and take between the audience and the panel, in- and others from the May 1st Coalition for Worker that these cutbacks are outrageous, given the $36 million ben- cluding a debate about two May Day proposals. & Immigrant Rights insisted that the panelists stop efits package showered on the company’s CEO in 2008. TNG- FIST activist Easton Smith also participated in a splitting the workers’ movement and asked them CWA has filed several unfair labor practice charges against the panel on student organizing. why they couldn’t hold a united protest. The speak- company. Thomson Reuters even attempted to stop workers A battle over ideas took place in a May Day work- ers stonewalled, refusing to address the question. from wearing red to show solidarity during negotiations! shop where some unionists called for taking back (See editorial.) On March 15 National Public Radio audio engineers and May Day as a day of worker protest in New York’s Naomi Cohen contributed to this article. technicians, represented by CWA’s Local 52031, braved wind and rain to expose NPR’s hypocritical negotiating demands. After the workers agreed to concessions last year amounting MarxisM, reparations to $17,000 per worker over 18 months, NPR now wants to cut half of the engineers’ jobs, end workers’ input into benefit & the Black Freedom struggle plans, and renege on restoring its full contribution to the An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper. workers’ retirement fund. The current contract expires March Edited by Monica Moorehead. Includes: 31. The workers want supporters to e-mail CEO Vivian Schil- Racism, National Oppression & Self-Determination larry_holmes_ ler at vschiller@npr.org or call 202-513-2000 to demand she Black Labor from Chattel Slavery to Wage Slavery Sam_Marcy treat workers with the respect that NPR listeners expect. Also Black Youth: Repression & Resistance leilani_dowell The Struggle for Socialism Is Key Monica_Moorehead join and support the workers on the Facebook page, “People Black & Brown Unity: A Pillar of Struggle Who Like People Who Work @ NPR.” for Human Rights and Global Justice! Saladin_Muhammad Alabama’s Black Belt: Legacy of slavery, sharecropping and segregation Consuela_lee_ U. of wis. faculty, research assis- Harriet Tubman, Woman Warrior Mumia_Abu-Jamal Are Conditions Ripe Again Today? 40th Anniversary of tants organizing the 1965 Watts Rebellion John_Parker Faculty at University of Wisconsin campuses in Eau Claire Racism and Poverty in the Delta larry_hales and Superior could be the first to form unions under a 2009 Haiti Needs Reparations, Not Sanctions Pat_Chin law giving 20,000 academic workers the right to bargain collectively. Organizers on both campuses say they’ve col- lected cards signed by 70 percent or more of faculty members Low-Wage Capitalism requesting to join the American Federation of Teachers. A simple majority vote on each campus will create a union em- What the new globalized high-tech imperialism means for the class struggle in the U.S. powered to negotiate wages, benefits and working conditions. (Associated Press, March 10) Meanwhile, research assistants Fred Goldstein’s book provides an easy-to-read analysis could become the first Wisconsin state employees to union- of the roots of the current global economic crisis, its ize without having to hold an election. All they have to do, implications for workers and oppressed peoples, and the strategy needed for future struggle. according to the new law, is have a majority of assistants sign Paperback,_336_pages._includes_graphs,_charts,_ union cards. The Teaching Assistants’ Association at UW- bibliography,_endnotes_and_index. Madison hopes to organize 1,800 research assistants. How- ever, a discriminatory measure, which was protested when Both books available at www.Leftbooks.com it was first proposed, bars 700 international students from and bookstores around the country joining the union. (AP, March 9) workers.org April 8, 2010 Page 11 haitians protest Bush-Clinton visit

By LeiLani Dowell forced Aristide into exile in 2004. Since the Jan. 12 earthquake this year Aristide Some 100 Haitians pro- has urged that he be allowed to return to tested the visit of former U.S. Haiti to help with the rebuilding efforts. Presidents George W. Bush One protester, Elizabeth Pierre, said: “I and Bill Clinton to their coun- hear that former President George Bush try on March 22. The two is here. I am asking President Clinton were touring Haiti in advance to excuse himself so I can talk to George of a United Nations donors’ Bush, because George Bush is President conference. Aristide’s kidnapper.” Many have not forgotten The protest took place in front of the that both Bush and Clinton, National Palace, where the two former during their tenures as presi- presidents were meeting with Haitian dent, played major roles in President René Préval. attacks on the Haitian people. The Obama administration appointed Throughout his presidency Bush and Clinton to lead the U.S. “fund- Clinton stopped Haitian raising” effort in Haiti — ensuring that refugees from emigrating to these efforts would be more about con- Haitian woman holds picture of the U.S., continuing a naval tinued imperialist plunder in the country former President Jean-Bertrand blockade to prevent Haitians than about the people’s struggle to survive Aristide during protest near the de- from entering Florida. He there. stroyed National Palace as former also demanded severe neolib- A videotape of the two presidents’ trip U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and has generated debate as to Bush’s inten- Bill Clinton visited Port-au-Prince. eral reforms from democrati- cally elected Haitian Presi- tions. The video, originally posted on the dent Jean-Bertrand Aristide, BBC Web site, shows Bush shaking the who had been overthrown in a coup d’etat hand of Haitians, then wiping his hand on during the first Bush administration but Clinton’s sleeve. The racist gesture mir- returned to office after mass pressure. rors Bush’s actions toward the survivors of the health care law, racism Next came Bush, who presided over Hurricane Katrina on the U.S. Gulf Coast the illegal removal of President Aristide, in 2005, when he couldn’t be bothered to a member of the progressive Fanmi Lava- touch down in the area, but rather flew and fighting the right las party. U.S. Marines and “diplomats” over it. Continued from page 3 While carrying on the struggle against right-wing billionaires behind the Scaife the economic crisis, it is necessary to in- Mundo oBReRo. and Koch foundations. It was aided by the tervene and block the seemingly unob- insurance companies and other corporate structed progress of the ultra-right, which interests at various times in the struggle thrives on getting the spotlight from the El proyecto de ley sobre salud: against the health care bill and environ- capitalist media. Without militant oppo- mental legislation. sition, these right-wing riffraff are made ¿qué significa para To be sure, fascism is hardly on the ho- to look 10 feet tall. rizon. The dominant threat to the working Sarah Palin is scheduled to speak at a los/as trabajadores/as? class is still the capitalist state, the police, Tea Party rally in Boston on April 14. The Continua de página 12 manda un verdadero sistema de cuidado the FBI, Homeland Security and ICE, the Bail Out the People Movement is mobiliz- de salud universal. courts, etc. And the struggle for jobs and ing to bring forces together to oppose this la ley de cuidado de salud, tan mínima No se sabe al presente si los elementos to push back the economic crisis must be rally. This is an important step. It is time como es, ha sido atacada por los/as re- derechistas tendrán éxito. Pero el mov- directed at the capitalist government. to fight the right — with militant, class publicanos/as y los/as derechistas ex- imiento progresista fue sorprendido du- But there is growing political erosion in struggle methods. tremos del movimiento del Partido del rante la campaña de mítines municipales the morale of the workers, the oppressed Goldstein is author of the book “Low- Té que incluye a verdaderos/as fascistas. el otoño pasado, cuando los primeros and the political movement because the Wage Capitalism,” a Marxist analysis of Los/as republicanos/as y las corporacio- ataques derechistas fueron lanzados contra racist, sexist, anti-immigrant and homo- globalization and its effects on the U.S. nes han trabajado con el movimiento del la ley de cuidado de salud mientras azuza- phobic conglomeration of rightists and working class. He has written numer- Partido del Té para avivar las llamas del ban una campaña racista contra Obama. fascists has gone unopposed. This is dan- ous articles and speaks on the present racismo y los sentimientos anti-homosex- Estar advertido es estar preparado. La gerous to solidarity and to the fighting economic crisis. For more information uales y anti-inmigrante. lucha por el cuidado de salud puede ser ll- spirit. visit www.lowwagecapitalism.com. Hubo una demostración con muestras evada a la lucha contra los/as derechistas fascistas frente al edificio del Capitolio sin abandonar una posición progresista y en Washington, DC, el día en que pasó la de clase trabajadora. Luchar contra los/as ley cuando una multitud le gritó epítetos racistas agresivamente mientras exigimos Activists campaign to save racistas a John Lewis, un representante cuidado de salud universal y de calidad africano-americano de Georgia y líder del y Medicare para todos/as, se puede y se Baltimore home from foreclosure movimiento de derechos civiles, y le escu- debe hacer. “¡El cuidado de salud es un pió a otro legislador negro. Esta pandilla derecho!” debe hacerse el grito de com- Continued from page 7 implemented. entonces atacó al Rep. Barney Frank de bate del movimiento junto a las consignas ers from reducing the principal on mort- The Network to Stop Foreclosures and Massachusetts quien es homosexual, y le pro-inmigrante, por derechos del aborto, gages whose values they inflated through Evictions is calling on people to “stand up gritó difamaciones anti-homosexuales. Es anti-racista, etc. Esta es la manera de re- their predatory lending practices. This is against the banks.” In Baltimore, activists de destacar que a esta pandilla la policía sistir cualquier movilización derechista y because they know the government will are launching a campaign to stop Bank of del Capitolio le permitió acercarse a los racista basada en la oposición a la ley del pay them full value. In addition, why even America’s foreclosure of Renee DeFreitas. legisladores. cuidado de salud. abide by HAMP and keep people in their This includes not only a national petition Los/as derechistas intentaron derrum- El liderazgo del Partido Demócrata se ha homes when there is so much profit to be campaign, but picket lines, meetings and bar la presidencia de Obama por medio rendido totalmente al ala derechista. Los/ made by foreclosures? protests. It also includes utilizing what- de la ley del cuidado de salud. Ya hay dis- as trabajadores/as, comunidades oprimi- ever legal avenues may be at our disposal. cusión entre los/as republicanos de tratar das, estudiantes y jóvenes, todos/as tienen Moratorium now! Black explained: “We cannot allow a de derogar la ley e iniciar una nueva mo- un interés en esta lucha. Puede unirse a la The Moratorium NOW! Coalition in trillion-dollar bank like BOA, which has vilización ultra-derechista. lucha por empleos, contra los recortes de Michi gan and the Community/Labor received millions of our tax dollars, to Este hecho no hace que la ley sea mejor. presupuesto y ejecuciones hipotecarias, Coali tion for a Moratorium in Los Ange- destroy the lives of our friends, neigh- Pero sí significa que el movimiento de tra- y para rescatar la educación pública. To- les have been leading the way in calling bors and co-workers and to get away with bajadores/as, el movimiento progresista dos estos frentes en la lucha de clase for- for a halt on all foreclosures and evic- this. Every empty house not only crushes y revolucionario, deben trabajar juntos man la base para articularnos en Asam- tions. The present situation cries out for the dreams of its former occupants — it para combatir agresivamente cualquier bleas Populares u otros órganos de poder a moratorium. crushes the dreams of an entire commu- contraataque racista y reaccionario por popular que pueden unirse para lanzar un Jerry Goldberg, an attorney with the nity. If push comes to shove, we will or- el ala derecha mientras que a la vez de- poderoso movimiento anti-capitalista. Moratorium NOW! Coalition, pointed ganize a ‘community stay-in at Renee’s out, “Even the Helping Families Save house’ to stop the sheriff.” Libertad Their Homes Act passed in May 2009 To make a donation or get involved, states that it is the sense of Congress that contact the Network to Stop Foreclosures para there should be a moratorium on fore- and Evictions at 2011 N. Charles St., lower los cinco closures until the Treasury Department level, Baltimore, MD 21218; phone: 410- certifies that HAMP has been imple- 218-4835 or e-mail apcbaltimore@pipe- cubanos mented.” HAMP has obviously not been line.com. Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Rene González Sehwerert, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez and Fernando González Llort. Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países uníos! El proyecto de ley sobre salud: ¿qué significa para los/as trabajadores/as? Por Fred Goldstein de lucro, en vez de ser el derecho que de- 2014, cuando la cobertura ya no puede “New Deal” (la política de recuperación bía ser. Esto contrasta con la atención so- ser negada. Las familias pobres de cuatro económica y social en los años 30) de Decenas de millones de personas en este cializada de la salud en Cuba, donde por personas que ganan menos de $29.327 — Franklin Roosevelt. Pero sólo fue apro- país tenían la esperanza de ser liberadas ejemplo a pesar de un bloqueo estadoun- 16 millones de personas — tendrán que bado después de un período de lucha de de las garras de los despiadados especula- idense que ha empobrecido al país duran- esperar cinco años para estar cubiertas masas contra el desempleo, la famosa dores que controlan el sistema de salud y te décadas, la atención médica es gratuita por Medicaid. Mientras tanto, 45.000 Marcha para los Bonos de los veteranos tenían la esperanza de un sistema de salud y accesible para todos/as. Esto es porque muertes prevenibles tienen lugar cada en Washington, DC, y la destrucción del universal. Pero lo opuesto ha ocurrido. el sistema socialista de Cuba significa que año por la falta de seguro, de acuerdo con campamento de veteranos de guerra por La llamada ley de reforma de salud, fir- las necesidades de las personas son una la Escuela de Medicina de Harvard. La las tropas federales en una batalla abier- mada por el Presidente Barack Obama el prioridad, no las ganancias, como en el mitad de todas las quiebras personales se ta. Siguió a las huelgas generales en San 23 de marzo, ha consolidado y legalizado capitalismo. debe a los gastos médicos. Francisco, Minneapolis, Minnesota, y To- la situación de las compañías y quienes se Una de las características de este El proyecto de ley por supuesto, tiene ledo, Ohio, en 1934. benefician financieramente de la salud, proyecto de ley es que se han mantenido algunos elementos positivos que cubren Aún así, se trataba de una concesión en como la fuerza central en el sistema de a las masas en la oscuridad sobre el pro- las prácticas más absurdas y universal- la que los patronos quedaron con la oblig- atención de la salud — con una super- ceso y el propio proyecto de ley desde el mente odiadas de las compañías de se- ación de pagar sólo la mitad de la Seguri- visión y regulación mínima por parte del principio hasta el final. Sólo los políticos y guros. Cualquier elemento positivo debe dad Social y los/as trabajadores/as la otra estado capitalista. los grupos de presión de las industrias del ser estudiado de cerca por los/as traba- mitad. Pero se convirtió en un derecho de Además, este proyecto de ley ha sido cuidado de salud y diversos profesionales jadores/as y aprovechado al máximo. la clase trabajadora. El dinero era contro- aprobado negociando los derechos re- de la medicina pudieron seguir el curso Muchas de las prácticas que estarán elim- lado por el gobierno para los trabajadores productivos de la mujer y los derechos de interno de las negociaciones. Ahora que se inadas fueron expuestas en la popular y pagado cada mes por el gobierno. los/as inmigrantes indocumentados/as y ha terminado, varios expertos burgueses película de Michael Moore, “Sicko”. Medicaid y Medicare fueron aprobadas documentados/as. Su efecto es destruir la surgen para “explicar” el proyecto de ley. En el corto plazo, las compañías de se- en 1965 como parte del programa “Gran solidaridad mientras se le da la espalda a guros ya no podrán negar la cobertura si Sociedad” del Presidente Lyndon Johnson. millones, en su mayoría mujeres pobres y Los/as trabajadores/as tendrán que es- usted está enfermo/a. No podrán poner Estas leyes no fueron aprobadas porque el a inmigrantes. perar hasta el año 2014, mientras 45.000 un tope de por vida en la cobertura. Y no gobierno capitalista súbitamente se hizo Una declaración de Terry O’Neill, pres- mueren al año podrán negar a los niños el acceso a cau- socialmente consciente. Fueron pasadas identa de la Organización Nacional de Los detalles enterrados en el proyecto sa de una condición pre-existente. Los/ después de 10 años del movimiento por Mujeres, explicó que uno de los efectos de ley saldrán a la luz con el tiempo, o tal as jóvenes hasta los 26 años de edad po- derechos civiles, rebeliones masivas en las del proyecto de ley es hacer imposible el vez nunca. Éstas son algunas de las carac- drán permanecer en el plan de sus padres, calles de Harlem, NY, y Los Ángeles, y un financiamiento público del aborto y el fi- terísticas principales del proyecto de ley aunque podría haber una prima adicional. creciente movimiento de liberación nacio- nanciamiento privado, casi imposible. Ella que han salido. Sin embargo, millones de trabajadores/ nal aquí en los Estados Unidos. escribió que el proyecto de ley “impone la Para empezar, aún el proyecto más opti- as tendrán que seguir dependiendo de Así como la Seguridad Social, Medicare extraña exigencia a los/as afiliados/as al mista estima que 23 millones de personas sus jefes para obtener su atención médi- y Medicaid se hicieron un derecho políti- plan de seguros que compran su cobertura seguirán sin seguro médico en el año 2014. ca. Si usted pierde su trabajo, también co y legal de la clase trabajadora y de los a través de los intercambios de seguro de El proyecto de ley impone condicio- perdería el cuidado de salud. En esta pobres. No fueron concedidas a las com- salud a que escriban dos cheques mensu- nes onerosas a millones de personas sin época de despidos, desempleo masivo y pañías privadas y puestas en el mercado ales (uno para un proveedor de servicios seguro que, a partir de 2014, se verían subempleo, hay una epidemia de perso- capitalista como productos de consumo. de aborto y otro para los otros servicios de obligadas a comprar un seguro de salud nas que pierden su cobertura basada en La actual ley de cuidado de salud refleja salud). Incluso los empleadores tendrán de una compañía de seguros o de lo con- su trabajo. Y si se les permite mantener el hecho de que el movimiento de la clase que escribir dos cheques separados para trario, serán multadas. Esta es la versión el seguro médico después de despedidos/ trabajadora, incluyendo el movimiento cada una de sus empleadas que soliciten del proyecto de ley de dar una cobertura as, pocos/as pueden permitirse el lujo de de los/as oprimidos/as, ha estado a la de- servicios de aborto”. más amplia. Fue el resultado de un acu- pagar una tarifa de grupo, y menos aún fensiva durante mucho tiempo y todavía O’Neill también escribió que “el pro- erdo con las compañías de seguros para una individual. no ha empezado a luchar. yecto de ley impone severas restricciones ampliar su base de clientes que ha estado Más importante es que las compañías de Consecuentemente, el destino de la a la capacidad de los/as inmigrantes para disminuyendo y que ha sufrido durante seguros serán las encargadas del proceso ley de cuidado de salud en realidad fue acceder a la atención de la salud, im- la crisis económica, cuando millones de inmediato de revisión. El Departamento luchado por facciones diferentes dentro poniéndoles un período de cinco años de trabajadores/as han perdido sus empleos de Salud y Servicios Humanos eventu- de la clase dominante y sus dos partidos espera a los/as residentes legales antes de y sus seguros, y para garantizar miles de almente podría tener un mayor nivel de políticos sin ninguna intervención signifi- que sean elegibles para recibir asistencia millones de ganancias futuras. revisión. Pero las compañías son expertas cante por parte de las masas. Acuerdos como Medicaid, y a los/as trabajadores En el 2014 los/as trabajadores/as y la en mentir, manipular y en el largo plazo, secretos fueron hechos con las camarillas indocumentados prohibiéndoles incluso clase media tendrán que estar en uno de absorber multas a fin de evitar dar cober- de cabilderos representando los intere- que utilicen su propio dinero para com- los 50 intercambios estatales. Esta atom- turas que serían más caras que las multas. ses de las compañías farmacéuticas y los prar un seguro de salud a través de un iza aun más a la clase obrera, dejando la Se trata del caso del zorro que conserva el hospitales, como también con elementos intercambio. Estas disposiciones … están obligación al individuo para encontrar derecho de cuidar a las gallinas. de la industria aseguradora médica. Cu- ahí por el grotesco sentimiento anti inmi- un seguro “accesible” en el Internet. Aun ando fueron revelados estos acuerdos, grante, y deben ser eliminadas”. cuando las primas de seguros sean ase- Seguridad Social y Medicare no hubo ninguna respuesta de las masas. Quienes lucharon valientemente por al- quibles, los co-pagos y deducibles pueden El liderazgo del Partido Demócrata Ganaron los dueños y patrones, relativa- gún tipo de atención médica a nivel nacio- ser miles de dólares que hacen impracti- promueve este proyecto de ley como el mente sin ningún obstáculo o amenaza nal de tipo universal fueron dejados de lado cable el utilizar efectivamente el seguro. sucesor en la tradición de la creación de desde abajo. El liderazgo del movimiento por la dirigencia del Partido Demócrata y Medicare Advantage, la atención do- la Seguridad Social y el Medicare. sindical se redujo a protestas minúsculas la administración de Obama. El sistema miciliaria y los pagos hospitalarios se van De hecho, lo opuesto es cierto. Los/as y a cabildeo. Y las comunidades y el mov- de pagador único fue empujado fuera de la a reducir en $200 mil millones. Esto es marxistas deben tratar de comprender la imiento político no pudieron movilizarse agenda y sustituido por la minúscula dis- una amenaza para las personas de la ter- diferencia, no sólo en términos de per- a pesar de intentos militantes por parte posición de una “opción pública”. Esto fue cera edad y las discapacitadas, a pesar de sonalidades o partidos, sino viendo las de varios grupos que luchaban por el cui- más bien una concesión para cambiar el las garantías dichas de que nada va a ser circunstancias objetivas en que estas dife- dado de salud universal. tema. La administración de Obama había cortado. Los recortes se harán en el reem- rentes piezas legislativas se aprobaron y negociado desde el principio con la indu- bolso a las compañías privadas de segu- cuáles son las diferencias de clase. El fac- Luchar contra ataques derechistas stria del cuidado de salud y acordaron que ros que trabajan a través de Medicare Ad- tor más importante es ver la relación de y racistas no habría una opción pública. vantage, lo que seguramente hará reducir las fuerzas de clase que existían entonces Pero esto debe conducir a la próxima De esta forma, la atención de la salud los servicios. y que existen ahora. etapa de la lucha. El gran problema para seguirá siendo vendida como una mer- Los/as adultos/as con condiciones El proyecto de ley de Seguridad Social el movimiento de trabajadores/as es que cancía en el mercado capitalista con fines pre-existentes tendrán que esperar hasta fue aprobado en 1935 como parte del Continua a página 11