PHOTO: STEVE EBERHARDT • Verizon: huelga • Cinco bancos grandes 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 58, No. 17 May 5, 2016 $1 3 WWP at anti-Klan protest in Georgia. Long Live International Workers’ Day

A message from WWP candidates Migrant upsurge and MAY DAY

By Teresa Gutierrez Monica Moorehead for U.S. President Lamont Lilly for U.S. Vice President May Day actions this year mark the tenth anniversary of the upsurge s national electoral candidates of Workers World Party, May Day — of immigrant workers that gave birth Teresa Gutierrez to today’s national immigrant rights has been a co-­ A International Workers Day — to us means a demand for dignity and movement. coordinator of the unconditional liberation for the multinational working class from the Legislation introduced by Rep. May 1st Coalition yoke of global capitalism or imperialism around the world. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis) in for Worker and We salute the millions of workers in poor and rich countries who take Immigrant Rights December 2005 had been one of the to the streets in protests, strikes and shutdowns on May Day to call most racist and reactionary bills to for a decade and is currently campaign ­attention to all forms of injustices, as well as triumphs, against a system pass in the House. manager for the that puts corporate profits before human needs. We salute the Cuban The Sensenbrenner bill would not Workers World revolution where millions of workers march on May Day to commem- only have made it a felony to be in the Party 2016 election John Parker for U.S. Senate United States without documents, it campaign. orate 57 years of socialist progress in the form of free health care, free would have made any relative, em- The following joint education and other basic needs for all its population. ployer, coworker, clergy, lawyer or friend of an undoc- statement was issued umented immigrant into an “alien smuggler” and also by three 2016 election ORIGINS OF MAY DAY This year, 2016, marks the 130th anniversary a criminal. campaign candidates of of May Day when on May 1, 1886, the American Federation of Workers This threat sparked an explosive reaction from immi- Workers World Party: called a nationwide strike to demand the right of workers to an eight- grant workers. Monica Moorehead, hour day. As Martha Grevatt, a WW contributing editor and long-time presidential candidate; Throughout the spring of 2006, tens of thousands of Chrysler autoworker, wrote in a March 23, 2012, article on the origins Lamont Lilly, vice immigrants and their supporters poured into the streets, of May Day: “About a quarter of a million took part in many cities, but presidential candidate; not just once but several times. Mexicans, who make up Chicago, with its militant, left-wing labor movement, had the largest the bulk of the immigrant population, brought out their and John Parker, demonstration. There, tens of thousands laid down their tools, and flags in a show of pride and coined the phrase heard many candidate for U.S. Senate times in the days to come: “Sí, se puede.” (Yes, we can). from California. Parker women and men poured into the streets. The demonstrations continued Mexican immigrants were joined in many cities by Ca- is also the Peace and past May 1, and on May 3 police attacked and six workers were killed. ribbean, Asian and African migrants who also came out Freedom senatorial “The next day a protest over the killings was held in Haymarket ­candidate. For more to fight for their right to be in the U.S. Square. A bomb was thrown, a policeman was killed, and a struggle The actions culminated on May Day 2006, which ­information, go to amazingly was one of the largest days of protest ever in ­workers.org/wwp. Continued on page 6 this country’s history and revived International Work- ers’ Day in the U.S. At least 2 million people marched on May 1, 2006. It WWP ELECTION CAMPAIGNS, STAFF 6-8 was a general strike and a boycott, as workers and stu- dents walked out of their jobs and schools in a show of militant defiance in “A Day Without Immigrants.” Businesses were forced to shut down across the coun- try. Cargill and Perdue Farms closed more than two doz- en plants, employing over 20,000 people. In Arizona pro- testers formed a human chain and blocked off Wal-Mart and Home Depot. Workers shut the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in a stunning blow to capitalism. Also in Los Angeles, almost 75,000 students were absent from school. Cities like Dallas, Phoenix and Las Vegas had the largest demonstrations in their entire his- Andre Powell, left, and Sharon Black are two of the Garrett Dicembre (center) | New England coordinator leading activists in the People’s Power Assembly and Continued on page 7 Workers World Party in Baltimore. Both are running in this fall’s election as revolutionaries and socialists. They have been organizing support for the Black Lives Matter Fred Floreal, movement for the past two years. Powell is running for Monica Moorehead Subscribe to Workers World mayor of Baltimore and Black for City Council president. and Steve Kirschbaum The two plan to use their campaigns to promote the BLM Scott Williams (above 4 weeks trial $4 workers.org movement and to demand that Baltimore put people’s left) | Media coordinator L.T. Pham (above) and Ben Carroll (right) | Social Media 1 year subscription $30 ­interests before those of banks and big business. Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: workers.org/articles/donate/supporters_/

Name ______Rev. Pinkney appeals 2 Michigan’s water gap 4 Email______Phone ______

Street-______Mumia vs. hep C 3 Verizon’s Red Sea 5 City / State / Zip ______Workers World 212.627.2994 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10011 CUBA 9 UKRAINE 10 BANGLADESH 11 EGYPT 11 Page 2 May 5, 2016 workers.org Rev. Pinkney’s appeal set for May 11

By David Sole drastically cut the number of visits he could Marquette Branch Prison, Mich. receive from family and friends. Rev. Pinkney  In the U.S. immediately faced threats and harassment Migrants revived MAY DAY ...... 1 A three-judge panel of Michigan’s Court of from the remote prison’s guards. Appeals will hear oral arguments in the case At the end of October, his telephone privileg- Rev. Pinkney’s appeal set for May 11 ...... 2 of political prisoner the Rev. Edward Pinkney es were cancelled for six months. He faced ver- Youth protest defies cops, rejects KKK ...... 3 on May 11. Rev. Pinkney has already served 17 bal and physical threats daily. Over the months, Protests demand hep C cure for Mumia and Pa. prisoners 3 months in prison following his conviction in December Rev. Pinkney was “ticketed” for “having a Bible on his More water cutoffs in Detroit ...... 4 2014 in Berrien County on the western end of Michigan. bed,” “having too many legal documents in his cell” and Labor, environmentalists stand up for Flint ...... 4 Rev. Pinkney’s attorney, Tim Holloway, filed an appeal “smuggling,” among other bogus charges. He was able to Verizon strike solidarity: Sea of red from Mass. to Va. . . .5 in September 2015. The American Civil Liberties Union beat many of these charges at internal prison hearings. and the National Lawyers Guild then submitted amicus Fearing for his life, his supporters held an “Emergency ‘We’re going to win,’ say Bronx workers ...... 5 briefs supporting the appeal. Conference to Save Rev. Pinkney” in Detroit in December Low-wage autoworkers win union ...... 5 On April 15, this writer drove almost 500 miles north 2015. Students win gender-neutral bathroom ...... 6 from Detroit to visit Rev. Pinkney in Marquette Branch A national campaign flooded Michigan Gov. Rick ‘Don’t vote for Hillary — she’s killing Black people’ . . . .8 Prison. He was in good spirits and looking forward to Snyder’s office and Department of Corrections Director Solidarity still needed to break blockade of Cuba ...... 9 having his case heard. “If there is any justice, any atten- Heidi Washington’s office with phone calls and letters de- ‘Oscar is our Nelson Mandela!’ ...... 9 tion to the facts and the law, I will win this appeal,” he manding safety for Rev. Pinkney. Several state senators said. But he was also very aware that justice is often a and representatives got their legislative corrections om- Court obstructs justice in Gurley case ...... 10 rare commodity in the court system. budsman, Keith Barber, to make official inquiries.  Around the world Pinkney had led a recall campaign against then Ben- The Court of Appeals will meet in Grand Rapids, 1965: U.S. invades Dominican Republic ...... 9 ton Harbor Mayor James Hightower, in 2014, gathering Mich., on May 11 to consider whether to uphold or over- and turning in more than enough signatures. Taking his turn Rev. Pinkney’s conviction after hearing short oral International monitors to visit Odessa, Ukraine ...... 10 spouse out of town for her birthday on April 24 he got a arguments that supplement the lengthy legal briefs. The Day of infamy in Dhaka, Bangladesh ...... 11 call from friends. “They told me that my house was sur- ACLU brief focuses on the unconstitutional prosecution Behind Egypt’s gift of islands to Saudi Arabia ...... 11 rounded by police with automatic weapons and armored of Rev. Pinkney for engaging “in the political and civic  Editorial vehicles,” Rev. Pinkney said. Several days later, he turned life of his community. In addition, his trial was tainted by himself in to face charges that five dates on the petitions improper references to his controversial, but lawful First Ayotzinapa cover-up ...... 10 appeared to have been altered! Amendment activities” (ACLU brief, p.2).  WWP Presidential Campaign During his trial for five counts of felony forgery it came The original prosecutor was allowed to argue that Long Live International Workers’ Day ...... 1 out that there was no evidence connecting Pinkney to the Pinkney “was an outspoken critic of the Harbor Shores WWP candidates kick off California campaign ...... 6 alleged changes. No witnesses, no handwriting testimony, development, the Senior PGA [golf course built on land no confession and no chain of custody implicated him. taken from a public park], Whirlpool. He has T-shirts John Parker, WWP candidate for U.S. Senate ...... 8 The all-white jury was told by the prosecutor and the with judges’ names on them described as ‘crimes against  Noticias en Español judge, “You don’t need evidence to convict Pinkney.” They humanity.’ He’s a minister of the people. He’s brought Trabajadoras/es de Verizon combaten ...... 12 were instructed that evidence that Rev. Pinkney had led Hollywood celebrities to town; Jesse Jackson.” the movement, spoke at press conferences and organized The ACLU urges the appeals court that “a citizen ¿Muy grande para fallar? ...... 12 peaceful protests was enough to show he had the most to should not be concerned that his or her unpopular po- gain from the alleged alterations. Convicted, Rev. Pink- litical views will be accepted by a court as the basis for ney was sentenced to 2.5 to 10 years. Judge Schrock said criminal liability. Yet, the prosecutor was permitted to he was going to “make an example” of Rev. Pinkney. argue during closing that Rev. Pinkney’s protected polit- Life inside prison has been hard and stressful on this ical speech somehow made him more likely to commit a 67-year-old political prisoner. On Oct. 6, 2015, he was crime” (ACLU brief, p.7). Workers World transferred from Lakeland Correctional Facility, just a Supporters of Rev. Pinkney are planning to come from 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. few hour’s drive from his home, to Marquette Prison in around the state to fill the courtroom during the May 11 New York, N.Y. 10011 Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As a practical matter, this oral arguments. Phone: 212.627.2994 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Vol. 58, No. 16 • May 5, 2016 Closing date: April 26, 2016 Editor: Deirdre Griswold Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, Who we are & what we’re fighting for Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead; Web Editor Gary Wilson Production & Design Editors: Coordinator Lal Roohk; Hate capitalism? Workers World Party fights for a ­degrading people because of their nationality, sexual or Andy Katz, Cheryl LaBash ­socialist society — where the wealth is socially owned gender identity or disabilities — all are tools the rul- and production is planned to satisfy human need. This ing class uses to keep us apart. They ruthlessly super-­ Copyediting and Proofreading: Sue Davis, Keith Fine, Bob McCubbin outmoded capitalist system is dragging down workers’ exploit some in order to better exploit us all. WWP living standards while throwing millions out of their builds unity among all workers while supporting the Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, jobs. If you’re young, you know they’re stealing your right of self-determination. Fighting oppression is a Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, K. Durkin, Fred Goldstein, future. And capitalism is threatening the entire planet working-class issue, which is confirmed by the many Martha Grevatt, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, with its unplanned, profit-driven stranglehold over the labor struggles led today by people of color, immigrants Berta Joubert-Ceci, Terri Kay, Cheryl LaBash, Milt Neidenberg, John Parker, Bryan G. Pfeifer, means of production. and women. Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac Workers built it all — it belongs to society, not to a WWP has a long history of militant opposition to im- handful of billionaires! But we need a revolution to perialist wars. The billionaire rulers are bent on turning Mundo Obero: Redactora Berta Joubert-Ceci; make that change. That’s why for 58 years WWP has back the clock to the bad old days before socialist revolu- Ramiro Fúnez, Teresa Gutierrez, Donna Lazarus, been building a revolutionary party of the working tions and national liberation struggles liberated territory Carlos Vargas class inside the belly of the beast. from their grip. We’ve been in the streets to oppose every Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis We fight every kind of oppression. Racism, sexism, one of imperialism’s wars and aggressions. Copyright © 2016 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium Contact a Workers World Party branch near you: workers.org/wwp without royalty provided this notice is preserved. Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly National Office Bay Area Cleveland Houston Pittsburgh except the first week of January by WW Publishers, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl. 1305 Franklin St. #411 P.O. Box 5963 P.O. Box 3454 [email protected] 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10011. Phone: Oakland, CA 94612 Cleveland, OH 44101 Houston, TX 77253-3454 New York, NY 10011 Rochester, N.Y. 212.627.2994. Subscriptions: One year: $30; institu- 510.600.5800 216.738.0320 713.503.2633 212.627.2994 585.436.6458 tions: $35. Letters to the editor may be condensed and [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] edited. Articles can be freely reprinted, with credit to Denver Lexington, KY Boston Rockford, IL Workers World, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY Atlanta 284 Amory St. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 10011. Back issues and individual articles are available PO Box 18123 Boston, MA 02130 Detroit Los Angeles San Diego on microfilm and/or photocopy from NA Publishing, Atlanta, GA 30316 617.286.6574 5920 Second Ave. 5278 W Pico Blvd. P.O. Box 33447 Inc, P.O. Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998. A 404.627.0185 [email protected] Detroit, MI 48202 Los Angeles, CA 90019 San Diego, CA 92163 searchable archive is ­available on the Web at www. [email protected] Buffalo, N.Y. 313.459.0777 [email protected] [email protected] workers.org. 712 Main St #113B [email protected] 323.306.6240 Tucson, Ariz. Baltimore Buffalo, NY 14202 Durham, N.C. 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Youth protest defies cops, rejects KKK

By Dianne Mathiowetz organized by All Out Atlanta, and Stone Mountain, Ga. a blockade at the main gates, shut- ting down traffic for about 25 min- April 23 — Today, hundreds of an- utes, initiated by Rise Up. ti-racist youth and others met the chal- The march was stopped inside the lenge of a “white power” rally called by park by dozens of police in riot gear, the Ku Klux Klan. It was on top of Geor- who arrested several youth for wear- gia’s Stone Mountain, a massive granite ing bandanas over their faces. There outcropping, where the KKK was revived is an anti-Klan law against wearing in 1915 with a cross-burning ritual. masks that seems to only be used The white supremacists predicted as against progressive protesters. many as 2,000 of their fellow bigots would This attack on the people’s right attend, coming from across the country. to oppose racism prompted addi-

Instead, it was the opponents of racism tional skirmishes with the police, PHOTO: STEVE EBERHARDT and fascism that far outnumbered the including some rock throwing by Youths from Tallahassee, Fla., SDS confront KKK at Stone Mountain, Ga. proponents of hate by as much as 20 to 1. the angry, multinational crowd. The call for action came mainly from With all the paved roads to the site of repressive police. wasn’t completed until the park came un- two Atlanta-based groups, “All Out At- the Klan rally blocked by police vehicles, The white supremacists ended their der state control in 1972. State law pre- lanta,” a coalition formed in January of baton-wielding cops and others with rally early. The anti-racists celebrated vents any alteration to the bas-relief im- 2016 to organize for April 23, and “Rise military-grade guns, the anti-racist forc- their departure. ages without legislative approval. Up,” a grassroots formation led by Black, es from both actions dispersed into the Some visitors who had been unaware queer and women activists who have surrounding woods, trekking through Stone Mountain’s history of the racist rally taking place and were been instrumental in empowering low- underbrush and jumping creeks until fi- The land that makes up Stone Mountain shocked at the overwhelming presence of wage workers and bringing justice for nally emerging at the edge of the parking Park has been owned by the state of Geor- heavily armed police and blocked roads Anthony Hill, murdered by police. lot where the two dozen or so Confeder- gia since 1958, during the height of the demanded their entrance fee back. Individuals and organizations re- ate-flag-waving racists were congregated “Massive Resistance” period of Southern While the corporate media focused on sponded to the call from far and wide, inside a fenced area. refusal to abide by the 1954 Supreme Court the arrests of anti-racist demonstrators, with “Students for a Democratic Society” A police helicopter circled overhead. A decision and other civil rights rulings. describing them as “violent,” there was no coming from Florida, “Huey P. Newton line of perhaps 75 to 100 black-uniformed It continues to be operated as a Con- reporting of the hate-filled, violent rheto- Gun Club” members from Alabama, mul- riot police ringed the fence to protect the federate memorial and is a major tourist ric and actions of the white supremacists tiple chapters of anti-fascist and anti-au- racists. At the curb of the parking lot attraction. Confederate flags represent- while inside their secured pen or as they thoritarian groups from across the south- where eventually hundreds of militant, ing the secessionist, slave-holding states roamed the park, yelling their vile threats. east, “Fight for $15” and immigrant rights chanting demonstrators amassed was a ring a plaza at the base of the mountain. April 23 falls between German Nazi activists, clergy and faith leaders, politi- similar line of SWAT cops wearing gas Park officials closed all the attractions leader Adolf Hitler’s birthday and Con- cal organizations such as Workers World masks with their finger on their gun trig- and amusement rides for the day and federate Memorial Day at Stone Mountain Party, and scores of people of all ages, gers, as well as many members of the six canceled the laser light show for that eve- Park. The same day, in Rome, Ga., some 80 races and backgrounds who were deter- police agencies on hand. ning. This multimedia event promotes or so black-uniformed Nazis and their sup- mined to stand against racist terrorism. The grassy slope and the sidewalk the “heroism” of the Confederate leaders porters, including several in Klan robes, filled with the youthful, diverse crowd Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stone- marched in what was billed as a “national” Confrontation with police inching ever so determinedly onto the wall Jackson, whose images astride their rally marking Hitler’s birthday. On Saturday morning, April 23, two parking lot pavement, forcing the police horses are carved into the mountain side. Hundreds of residents of the city separate actions took place almost simul- line back. With chants of “The cops and This was a project supported by the turned out to oppose their fascist and taneously: a march from Stone Mountain the Klan work hand in hand!” dozens KKK and initiated by the Daughters racist platform and demanded they leave Village to the west entrance to the park, were literally inches from the faces of the of the Confederacy in 1916, although it and never come back. Protests demand hep C cure for Mumia and Pa. prisoners

By Betsey Piette and Effective Death Pen- titions in person to the governor. Philadelphia alty Act in 1996, which From Wolf’s office the demonstration dramatically eroded the marched to FOX News to deliver a press Family, friends and support- right of prisoners to file release, which included the letter, to the ers of political prisoner Mumia writs of habeas corpus. station. Abu-Jamal took to the streets The latter bill, signed 20 of Philadelphia in actions on years ago on April 24, March through the ‘hood’ April 22 and April 23 to raise Abu-Jamal’s birthday, The next day rainy weather forced a awareness of the dangerous eliminated the possibil- rally originally planned for Malcolm X impact of untreated hepatitis C ity that evidence of his Park to gather indoors at a youth activi- on Abu-Jamal and thousands innocence would be re- ty center in West Philadelphia. When the of others across Pennsylvania. viewed by higher courts. rain finally cleared, a spirited march and The weekend wrapped up with Shortly after taking car caravan took to the streets to bring a celebration of Abu-Jamal’s office in January 2015, the message that “everyone deserves the 62nd birthday on April 24. Wolf signed a morato- hep C cure” to residents in this predomi- On April 22, protesters ral- rium against the death nantly African-American community. lied outside Philadelphia City WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE penalty in Pennsylvania. The action received broad support Hall and marched to the local From left, Dr. Suzanne Ross and Keith Cook (Mumia’s brother) give governor’s The letter pointed out from people on the streets who pumped office of Pennsylvania Gover- office manager Jalila Parker the open letter. that his refusal to pro- fists in the air as they received informa- nor Tom Wolf. The event was vide an available cure for tional fliers and took the opportunity originally planned to deliver thousands of ing would take place. prisoners with hep C contradicts his public to sign the petition for Abu-Jamal. The petitions calling on Wolf to make the hep Considering that Wolf’s office has been position on the death penalty and amounts march, led by a contingent of youth, end- C cure available to Abu-Jamal, 10,000 inundated with calls and emails voic- to “execution through medical neglect.” ed with an outdoor rally at Clark Park. thousand others imprisoned by the state ing concern over Abu-Jamal’s condition The letter also put Wolf on notice that The final event of the weekend was a and 50,000 mainly Black Philadelphia for over a year and that registered let- the bold protests that have challenged fundraising concert at the historic Church residents suffering from this deadly but ters about the meeting were sent twice Hillary Clinton’s primary campaign of the Advocate on April 24 featuring curable disease. to Wolf, yet received no response, orga- would continue in July at the Democrat- Taina Asili, along with Xilomen, Shyster Earlier in the week organizers learned nizers sent Wolf a letter challenging his ic National Convention in Philadelphia. aka Mrs. Betty’s Son, Sa-Roc, Dominique that despite repeated requests, Wolf’s excuse for delaying his response on this Wolf is the top ranking Democratic pol- London and Reyes. MOVE youth groups office refused to assign a representative life-and-death matter and made it public itician in the state. L.I.F.E. (Life is for Everyone) and R.A.W. to meet with Abu-Jamal supporters, un- through a press release. When the delegation reached Wolf’s (Revolt Against Wrong) also performed. der a phony pretext that sufficient time The letter placed Abu-Jamal’s dire cir- office, people outside read the letter to Participants shared a birthday cake for wasn’t given for the request. They were cumstances in the context of former Presi- Wolf for all to hear. Wolf’s staff was as- Mumia after everyone gathered on stage told they could deliver the petitions to dent Bill Clinton’s passage of the 1994 crime sured that demonstrators would be back to sing him “Happy Birthday” with Stevie “an office manager,” but no official meet- bill and his signing of the ­Anti-Terrorism next time in Harrisburg to deliver the pe- Wonder lyrics. Page 4 May 5, 2016 workers.org

More water cutoffs in Detroit By Abayomi Azikiwe pointed to the contrast between the are more than 60 days overdue and eligi- under dispute. In fact, the plan falls far Editor, Pan-African News Wire treatment of largely working-class and ble for shutoffs, records show.” short of the tens of millions in arrears. poor households that routinely lose their The real targets of water shutoffs are One factor rarely noted in this water cri- While the business media call it “revi- water services and the thousands of busi- the majority African-American, prole- sis is the interest rate swaps on bonds talization,” the actual program of dislo- nesses that remain behind in their bills tarian and impoverished residents of the associated with the DWSD which have cation and underdevelopment aimed at but are not shut off. city. Cutting off their water is tantamount drained at least $537 million from the long-time residents of Detroit is slated to Journalist Joel Kurth wrote: “Detroit to an “illegal lockout,” since it becomes system since 2012. embark on a new round of massive water last year shut water service to 23,300 almost impossible to live in a home or The problem of rising water rates shutoffs. homes — the equivalent of every house- apartment without this essential service. and shutoffs is national in scope. Carrie Many scheduled to be terminated may hold in the city of Pontiac — but left the This has forced tens of thousands to Sloan, senior research analyst at the Re- not be aware of the imminent crisis they taps running at thousands of businesses leave Detroit, the largest majority Afri- fund America Project, places the blame are facing. An April 15 report from Mich- that owe millions of dollars, city doc- can-American municipality in the U.S. where it should be — on Wall Street. igan Public Radio indicated that the De- uments show. Businesses and govern- In the last census period, 2000 to 2010, “Detroit water customers have seen troit Water and Sewerage Department is ment-owned properties owe nearly twice Detroit lost nearly 25 percent of its res- their rates spike by nearly 120 percent in no longer placing notices on the doors of as much as residences, $41 million com- idents. the last decade; almost half of their pay- homes in arrears on their bills. pared with $26 million for homes, but Detroit homes with minor children are ments now go toward paying down the The water department says that cus- only 680 were shut off in 2015, according subject to intervention by Child Protec- debt on the swap termination fees,” Sloan tomers should look for termination no- to records obtained by The Detroit News tive Services if there’s no water, under emphasized. “In a city where nearly 40 tices on their bills, either sent out in the through the Freedom of Information Act.” the guise that the household is dangerous percent of residents live below the pover- mail or posted online. This represents Over 10 percent of the city’s 200,000 and unfit to live in. ty line, it’s not surprising that many have a departure from years past when the residential accounts were shut off in fallen behind on their skyrocketing bills.” DWSD would send “collectors” to house- 2015, whereas approximately 0.3 per- Mass struggle to end corporatization (The Nation, March 11) holds to inform them that their water cent of the city’s 25,000 nonresidential During the largest municipal bank- Sloan also pointed out, “In 2008, when would be shut off in five days unless ar- accounts suffered the same fate. Since ruptcy in U.S. history, Detroit was forced Wall Street crashed the economy, and the rangements to pay were made. Spokes- 2014, when the termination of services by mass action two years ago to declare a massive risks associated with these deals man for DWSD Bryan Peckinpaugh said gained national and international atten- moratorium on water shutoffs for several [toxic interest rate swaps] came to light, the department stopped using door tags tion due to protests outside the DWSD months. cities across the country found them- as a budgetary matter. headquarters and the blocking of Hom- However, payment plans set up since selves owing banks millions of dollars.” rich wrecking company facilities on the then have failed to keep tens of thousands The billions needed to rebuild the de- A tale of two classes eastside, over 50,000 shutoffs have been of households from shutoff status. Yet clining infrastructure of the cities are While the newspapers are filled with carried out. another plan was introduced in March being expropriated by some of the lead- stories of economic revival in Detroit, “City records claim the state owes through the Great Lakes Regional Water ing financial institutions, such as Chase joblessness, poverty and homelessness more than $1 million — $648,000 for Authority, which ostensibly provides assis- Bank, UBS and Morgan Stanley. remain. the Detroit Reentry Center prison and tance to those in low-income households. These factors must take center stage In a revealing story on April 1, the De- $473,000 for Belle Isle, which the state This plan allocates only $4 million in the struggle for the right of working troit News, considered a more conser- Department of Natural Resources has to assist those unable to pay their bills, people, the nationally oppressed and the vative publication than the Free Press, managed since 2014,” wrote Kurth. “Both many of which are questionable and poor to remain in the cities.

Labor, environmentalists stand up for Flint

By Martha Grevatt unfiltered water that residents were told during its evaluation of the city’s water of byproducts created when disinfectants for 18 months was safe. Within a few days system, leaving residents exposed to it added to water interact with organic mat- Michigan Attorney General Bill of declaring his penance, the governor for months.” ter could be the cause. Schuette announced on April 20 that announced plans to travel abroad — with Flint has joined the growing worldwide The goal is for Flint to become a pilot criminal charges had been brought no Flint water in his luggage. movement to shut down Veolia’s attacks for a national standard for water quality against three individuals in relation to Meanwhile, the people of Flint con- on unions, public transportation, water that goes beyond drinking water. Flint the Flint water crisis. Two are mid-level tinue to face obstacles, delays and deni- resources and the environment. has another ally: the United Alliance of functionaries of the Michigan Depart- als when it comes to getting the massive Plumbers, Pipefitters, Sprinklerfitters ment of Environmental Quality. The state and federal aid needed to repair the Another lie — and a new and Service Technicians (UA). Harold third is former Flint Utilities administra- water infrastructure and confront the alliance for justice Harrington, a master plumber and Flint tor Mike Glasgow. health crisis caused by lead and other The same governmental bodies that resident, represented UA on April 22 at a Flint residents are puzzled by the toxins. Even the governor’s hand-picked said the smelly, brown-colored, foul-tast- joint press conference with Scott Smith, charging of Glasgow, who actually tried Flint task force says the delivery of funds ing water was safe to drink are now Melissa Mays of Water You Fighting to discourage the state from approving needs to be accelerated. saying it is safe to shower and bathe in. For and Flint City Council member Eric the toxic decision to draw water from Just as before, they are ignoring Flint Mays. the polluted Flint River. He warned the Keep Veolia out of Flint! residents’ complaints of breathing trou- For months, hundreds of union plumb- MDEQ in the summer of 2015 that some Veolia, the infamous French transna- ble, skin rashes and hair falling out after ers have been volunteering their time, Flint homes had high lead levels in their tional company engaged in everything showering. The water quality, they say, helping Flint residents install water fil- water. Yet he faces one felony and one from union-busting to protecting pol- meets government standards. The catch ters and retrofitting their faucets when misdemeanor count for tampering with luters to expropriating public water, was is that no state or federal standards ex- the filters would not fit. Now, in part- evidence and willful neglect of duty. paid $40,000 a year ago by the city of ist for wash water. Yet experts know that nership with Water Defense, all 343,000 Without hinting at any names, Flint to conduct a water quality study. some toxins can be inhaled in steam or UA members across the country will be Schuette indicated that additional in- This exorbitant fee was approved by the mist and absorbed through the skin. trained by the union in “the best available dividuals would be charged. One might Snyder-appointed emergency manager. In the face of continued government water testing technology which enables hope that the investigation into the lead What the city got from Veolia was an 11- inaction, the environmental group Water us to better protect the communities we poisoning of Flint would start at the top page report that said the water was safe Defense has stepped in to defend Flint serve” and “detect problems before they and work its way down. Yet Gov. Rick to drink. residents. The organization, founded by become irreversible,” said UA General Snyder, who is now the subject of a recall On April 21, a demonstration was held actor Mark Ruffalo, has sent scientist Secretary Mark McManus. petition, has not even been interviewed. by the Flint Democracy Defense League; Scott Smith to test shower water for tox- Thus, while state and federal govern- Will any of his appointees — from the top Water You Fighting For; Flint Rising; the ins. Water Defense is committed to scien- ments drag their feet in sending needed MDEQ officials who repeatedly claimed Flint AFL-CIO; the American Federation tifically ascertaining what chemicals are assistance to Flint, the solidarity of labor, the water was safe to drink, to the three of State, County and Municipal Employ- making the simple act of bathing so intol- community and environmental move- successive emergency managers under ees Council 25; and the Plumbers union erable. Smith believes that any number ments is bringing justice. whom Flint residents were delivered poi- outside the city’s water treatment plant, son water — face justice? where a “pre-proposal meeting” was be- Schuette, a Tea Party Republican, ing held to consider bids from the private spent more funds and time trying to keep water industry to take over Flint water. HIGH TECH, LOW PAY A Marxist analysis of the changing same-sex marriage illegal in Michigan “Keep Veolia out” and “No privatization” character of the working class than he has devoted thus far to assessing were among the demands. This prophetic book, written in 1986, shows why high technology un- guilt in the crimes against Flint. A news release stated: “Representa- der capitalism is NOT a path to the “middle class.” Instead, what could Snyder’s latest blunder is a publicity tives from Veolia may attend the pre-pro- benefit everyone leads to lower wages and layoffs for the workers. stunt gone bad. He pledged that he and posal meeting, despite the fact that the Marcy, a long-time organizer, discusses various forms of fightback. his wife would drink Flint water at home corporation is currently being sued for Available at online major booksellers and at work for a month. This was filtered professional negligence. Veolia failed to water from Detroit, not the untreated, sound the alarm for lead contamination workers.org May 5, 2016 Page 5 Roanoke, Va. Verizon strike solidarity: Sea of red from Massachusetts to Virginia

By Martha Grevatt age 21 reach 51, they won’t see any more WW PHOTO pension increases no matter how many After 10 months of trying to negotiate years they continue working. a contract with their anti-union boss- Fitz added, “The company has pretty es, 40,000 Verizon landline and FIOS much waived its responsibilities for us. workers in nine states and Washington, They’re also talking about moving our Boston D.C., struck the company April 13. The call centers from the United States to two striking unions, the Communication the Philippines. All of these things are Workers and the International Brother- detrimental to us. Last, we’re trying to hood of Electrical Workers, are up against unionize Verizon wireless because their an antagonistic, intransigent company technicians make about half of what we demanding outrageous concessions. make and they have no benefits. They WW PHOTOS: STEVAN KIRSCHBAUM As CWA District 1, which includes New have no job security, and we’re trying to IBEW strike T-shirts. Their picket lines York, reports, “The company has not help them bring their standard of living are strong. moved off of any of their retrogressive up as well.” The strikers won a huge victory when proposals.” However, the 30,000 CWA Another issue is cuts to health insur- three major Manhattan hotels cancelled members and 10,000 IBEW members are ance for both active workers and retirees. Verizon’s room rentals and threw out showing no signs of backing down either. On top of all the givebacks Verizon is the strikebreakers who were staying in New York striker “Fitz,” a CWA Local demanding, strikers were further in- them — and agreed not to rent rooms to 1101 shop steward, explained to WW, censed when they learned about the new them again. This was due to quick action “We’re currently on strike because Ver- high-tech spying phone app the company and picketing outside the hotels by CWA capitalist parasites.” He pointed out, “No izon is trying to institute a system of created. It allows the company immedi- strikers and solidarity from the hotel union in 2016 can go it alone without the breaking our union through different ate access to photos and videos of strikers workers’ union and Teamsters Local 814. solidarity of the communities we serve as techniques. They want to be able to move “engaged in misconduct” taken by strike- In all nine struck states — Massachu- well as the entire working class.” us up to 200 miles away for a period of breaking managers and line-crossers. setts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Following the Boston rally, thousands time. As a father and a husband, [that This is 21st century strikebreaking, York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Del- of strikers and supporters marched to a would mean] I can’t be there for my fam- serving the same capitalist agenda as the aware, Maryland and Virginia, — and nearby Verizon Wireless store on Boyl- ily, and it’s just wrong. Here in New York notorious Pinkerton goons of the last two Washington, D.C., there were rallies ston Street. Union members occupied less than 40 percent of the city is wired centuries who were hired by bosses to during the week beginning with April 18. the street and tied up traffic in down- up for FiOS [fiber optic system for high- break up work stoppages and other labor There was a big rally in Wise, Va., where town Boston’s busiest shopping street for speed internet]. There is enough work for protests. the population is 3,300. Picket lines over an hour. IBEW’s successful show of us to do here in New York so that we can throughout Virginia remain solid. The strength of its troops was covered by all stay and do the job that Verizon promised Unions say: ‘We have their “sea of red” is flowing up and down the major Boston media. to its customers. attention now!’ East Coast.. Local 2222 Business Agent Myles “Also they want to freeze our pensions New York strikers had a huge rally of IBEW Local 2222 held a mass rally at Calvey, who led the April 21 rally, plans at 30 years,” Fitz continued. This means 8,000 on April 18. Aerial photos show a Copley Square in downtown Boston on to meet with African-American commu- that when workers who start working at unified sea of red, the color of CWA and Aptil 21. Speakers included the presi- nity leaders and speak on the community dents of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, radio station TOUCH 106.1. the Fire Fighters union and CWA. Veri- In its post-rally electronic newsletter, zon strikers blasted the company’s union Local 2222 stated, “They did not think busting. we had the courage to strike, but make no Steve Kirschbaum, vice president of mistake, we have their attention now. We ‘We’re going to win,’ the Boston School Bus Drivers Union, will not stop until we have the contract Steelworkers Local 8751, said the strik- we deserve!” ers’ “fightback spirit sets the gold stan- Johnnie Stevens and WW staff in Vir- say Bronx workers dard for standing up to corporate greed ginia and Boston contributed to this ar- as exemplified by Verizon, the worst of ticle. Low-wage autoworkers win union By Martha Grevatt would be a path to permanent, full-time employment. Now, with a union, that is On April 14, low-wage workers had a finally happening. nationwide strike demanding “$15 and a Over the past decade, “real wages” — union.” wages adjusted for inflation — have fallen Now, workers at Detroit Chassis in nine times faster in the auto parts indus- Avon, Ohio, at least have a union. The 58 try than in the economy as a whole. Now, workers, who assemble axles for a nearby one of every 10 autoworkers makes $9.60 Ford plant that builds heavy-duty trucks, an hour or less, according to a report by were all temporary contract workers em- the National Employment Law Project. ployed by a staffing agency. Not a single The census statistics do not include work- one worked directly for Detroit Chassis, ers hired by temporary agencies, who are a Detroit-based company that recently often at the bottom of the pay scale and opened the Avon factory. receive no benefits. By forcing down wag- It did not take long for the workers to es while auto sales are at an all-time high, The Laundry Workers Center launched the job/And the wages of your workers realize they needed a union. Knowing Ford and General Motors are making the a new campaign, “Titlanice” or “We’re go- that the owners have robbed. It stops that they could shut down the Ford as- biggest profits in their many decades of ing to win,” to defend restaurant workers here and it stops now, is what we’re here sembly plant that they supplied in less existence. faced with wage theft and abusive working to sing because ’Titlanice’ means that the than a day, on April 17 the workers voted Unionizing the auto parts sector is conditions. LWC activists and supporters workers will win.” unanimously to strike for union recogni- critical to the UAW. Over 70 percent of gathered inside New Capital Restaurant on Other protesters came inside the tion. Before the strike had even begun, this country’s autoworkers now make April 23 in the Bronx, N.Y., pretending to restaurant with signs, chanting against however, Detroit Chassis agreed to rec- parts; only 30 percent actually assemble prepare for a birthday celebration. When a the treatment of workers. They marched ognize the United Auto Workers as the vehicles. Less than 30 percent of parts cake was presented, people started singing, through the restaurant and everyone workers’ bargaining representative. workers are unionized. Following orga- accompanied by a guitar. then held a spirited rally outside, joined Their hourly wages range from $9.50 nizing gains at Alabama and Michigan One of the restaurant owners joined by the Rude Mechanical Orchestra. After to $11.50 and they get no paid holidays, parts plants, winning recognition at De- the singing until she understood the training with the LWC’s Leadership In- vacations, sick time or health insurance. troit Chassis is a huge and much-needed song’s message: “The way you treat your stitute, the workers are fighting to break They had falsely been led to believe that victory. workers has gone on for too long/The their chains of exploitation. once they got their foot in the door, there threats and the abuses and no safety on — Report and photo by Brenda Ryan Page 6 May 5, 2016 workers.org WWP candidates kick off California campaign

By Judy Greenspan Two meetings in Oakland this weekend community-organized self-policing and Oakland, Calif. kicked off the Bay Area Workers World self-defense,” he stated. Party presidential election campaign. The The U.S. Senate candidate went on to first meeting was a WW rally held April 16 explain, “Now I can say these things be- at the West Oakland Public Library. The cause I am not a Democrat or a Republi- PHOTO: MEEKO ELLIOT second was a debate April 17 between the can. I am a communist.” I am running to three candidates contending for presiden- amplify the demands of the people. I am tial ballot status on the Peace and Free- not running to save capitalism. I am run- Lamont Lilly, Workers World Party dom Party ticket. Monica Moorehead, the ning to abolish it.” candidate for U.S. vice president. WWP presidential candidate, and John Monica Moorehead continued the Parker, WWP California candidate for the theme of the candidates’ meeting by ex- loved ones to police terror. She pointed to U.S. Senate, spoke at both events. posing the racist, terrorist nature of the one of the mothers in the audience, and Parker, also the Peace & Freedom Party capitalist system. She spoke about her said, “I want to pay tribute to my sister Di- candidate for the U.S. Senate, appearing early involvement in anti-racist strug- onne Smith, who is such an inspiration to on the statewide ballot in the upcoming gles and how the fight continues today. all of us. Her son, James, was murdered June 7 California primary, opened the Sat- Moorehead also tied in the struggle of by the police in Stockton. She continues to urday meeting. He gave a historical analy- immigrants against deportations and fight for justice for her son and all victims Monica Moore- sis of the relationship between the profits Immigration and Customs Enforcement of police terrorism.” head, Workers from the slave system and the wealth of raids with the overall fight against racist The following day, Moorehead joined World Party the early capitalists in this country. terror in the U.S. “These struggles are two other presidential candidates, Gloria candidate for Parker outlined what he would do first part of our larger fight to bring down the LaRiva, of the Party for Socialism and U.S. president, if elected to the U.S. Senate. “I would capitalist system. As revolutionary social- Liberation, and Lynn Khan, an indepen- speaking at introduce the ‘Oscar Grant Bill’ to give ists, we believe that this brutal capitalist dent candidate, at a debate sponsored by campaign rally Black and Brown communities, who are system cannot be reformed. It must be the Alameda County Peace and Freedom in Oakland on Party. All three candidates will also be on April 16. the most victimized by police terror, the abolished,” Moorehead stated. ability to remove their police depart- Moorehead expressed her solidari- the June 7 primary ballot. PHOTO: DANIEL ARAUZ ments and use those resources to enable ty with the families who have lost their Parker, who is also a leader of the Los Angeles branch of Workers World Party, gave an impassioned talk about the need to abolish the capitalist system. Moore- Students win gender-neutral bathroom head presented the key points of the Workers World Party presidential cam- paign, including the demand for repara- By Teresa Gutierrez tions now for Black people still enduring Los Angeles Teresa Gutierrez is cam- the legacy of slavery. Transgender and queer stu- paign manager for Workers Moorehead ended her opening remarks dents at a high school here World Party’s 2016 presi- by making a clarion call to left forces in scored a victory for the entire dential ticket and a long- light of the looming, deepening, global lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, time lesbian and immigrant economic crisis, especially after the No- queer community on April 21 rights activist. vember elections, stating, “It is so import- when they won the right to ant that the true socialist revolutionaries have the first gender-neutral struggle for a new level of unity, free of bathroom in the Los Angeles sectarianism, free of small-minded be- havior so that we can prepare for the revo- Unified School District. LGBTQ students celebrate For several months, the victory at Santee school. lutionary period that we are entering. We Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) John Parker, Workers World have more in common than we think.” at the Santee Education Com- Party candidate for U.S. Moorehead also spoke at a Berkeley plex in historic South Central Senate opened their rally. high school civics class on April 15 and

LA has been organizing for a WW PHOTO: TERESA GUTIERREZ did a radio interview for the progressive gender-neutral bathroom af- Pacifica radio station, KPFK. ter trans* student Alonzo Her- nandez, 16, faced problems when trying to go into the girls’ bathroom. liance with the LGBTQ students. Alonzo transitioned from female to A Union del Barrio member told WW, Long Live International Workers’ Day male and said they* were uncomfortable “I have three children, and one of them going to the boys’ room since students may be gay, so I have to come out for non- Continued from page 1 including Workers World, to target May 1 to show the need for workers to break and staff mainly recognized them as fe- straight people now to send a message to broke out that left seven police and four away from the chains of the two capitalist male. (*The pronoun that some transgen- my family where I stand.” workers dead. Eight workers’ leaders were parties of the Democrats and Republicans der people choose to be identified by is Hundreds of students, teachers, com- convicted of murder, five of them sen- and for workers to fight independently in they/them.) Alonzo said they often waited munity groups and even elected officials tenced to death. Four were hanged and their own name. Special mention should all day to use the bathroom because of the came out to support the queer students. one reportedly committed suicide. The be given to the International Longshore difficulties. It was a wonderful show of progress on other three were eventually ­pardoned.” and Warehouse Workers Local 10 — a Santee Education Complex has a histo- this issue. The victory in South Central The significance of May Day goes well predominantly African-American rank- ry of activism. Many of its teachers and LA demonstrates that despite reactionary beyond the economic demands of work- and-file union in the Bay Area, California staff are political and even revolution- attempts to push queer people back into ers for better working conditions, includ- — which has initiated port shutdowns on aries. So it was a no-brainer for many of the closet, like efforts in North Carolina, ing the right to organize, a livable wage, May Day to support occupied Palestine the staff to support trans* and queer stu- the LGBTQ community and its straight benefits and a pension — which are all and to oppose police brutality and apart- dents for the right to “pee in peace.” supporters are more advanced than ever; important. May Day is also about workers heid South Africa. When news came out that this LA high revolutionary and forward-thinking ideas making political demands, including the In 2006, migrant workers used May Day school would be the first school in histo- on gender will prevail. right to abolish capitalism. The capitalist as the time to make it recognized, not only ry to let students of different genders use John Parker, Workers World Party can- economic system drives a tiny billionaire within the United States but worldwide, as the same bathroom and that a sign would didate for U.S. Senate on the Peace and ruling class to super-exploit the working the day of militant struggle for workers in be hung saying “All-Gender Restroom,” Freedom ballot in California, attended class by taking the workers’ unpaid wages the U.S. and the only true political work- right-wing homophobes mobilized. On the event and was asked to open the rally. as their profits. The capitalist rulers uti- er's day, as opposed to Labor Day. April 19, these bigots and reactionaries Parker said, “Whether it’s police terror or lize a repressive state apparatus — con- Millions came out across the U.S. in protested outside the school and even at- anti-gay attacks, we have to take the ex- sisting of police terror, mass incarcera- organized protest of the extremely racist tacked some of the students. ample of these courageous students who, tion, biased laws and courts, all built on anti-immigrant Sensenbrenner Bill. That However, the students, teachers and like the Black Lives Matter movement, are racism or white supremacy — to maintain protest and boycott caused the loss of bil- community were quick to respond and fighting back against the attacks that aim their class rule and keep workers divided lions of dollars in corporate profits and called a counterdemonstration in support to divide and weaken our movement.” and impoverished. of the GSA for the following day. One of The Gay-Straight Alliance at Santee is sentenced that bill to an early death, never the key organizations they called for sup- urging the movement to use the hashtag Black and Brown workers revitalize to be heard from again. port was Union del Barrio, a communi- #itsjustatoilet. May Day It's no surprise this historic action was ty-based, revolutionary, grass-roots orga- Trans* is used with an asterisk to indi- In 2005, the Million Worker March carried out by the immigrant communi- nization that takes up many working-class cate the spectrum of all the different gen- Movement, founded in 2004 by class-con- ty, especially from Mexico and Central issues. Spokespeople Ron Gochez and ders of people who do not conform to the scious Black labor unionists on the West America, whose native countries have Benjamin Prado applauded the students’ either/or of male/female or masculine/ Coast, East Coast and U.S. South, made been raided by U.S. imperialism with “free militant work and expressed their firm al- feminine. a conscious effort, among other groups trade” agreements that favor the financial workers.org May 5, 2016 Page 7

Migrant upsurge and MAY DAY

Continued from page 1 New York If the Democrats really care about tory. Wall Street and Washington were Black and Brown people, why not call for stunned by the ­defiance. an emergency demonstration of millions and demand that Congress walk out in Two steps forward, one step back anger not only for the lives of immigrants The Sensenbrenner legislation was de- but for the families of Black youth who feated. But in the years to follow, a back- have lost their children at the hands of lash ensued. law enforcement? Why not force the jail- Because of the economic downturn af- ing of killer cops? ter the stock market crash of 2008, the Where is the program that will gen- bosses were no longer in need of a large uinely bring back jobs for all, instead vulnerable supply of surplus labor. The of going along with the lie that blames ruling class launched a complex, intense migrants for unemployment? It is not anti-immigrant campaign that aimed to migrants who close factories, laying off not only push undocumented workers workers, and go to other countries where back into the shadows but many out of labor is cheaper, but the very corporations this country altogether. that donate to the Democratic Party! At the root of this backlash was not The Supreme Court case, like the elec- just a crisis in the economy but the age- tions, is a game to divert workers from the old racist frenzy used to accomplish the WW PHOTO: BRENDA RYAN real issues and from the fact that immi- bosses’ goals. IIRIRA is based on the false premise that Notably, it was also under Clinton that gration policy is implemented every mo- The fear of the “browning of America” we need mass detention and deportation the mass incarceration of Black youth be- ment. took hold as the existence of more work- to keep dangerous ‘criminal aliens’ off gan that led to the U.S. jailing more peo- Case in point: While this alleged his- ers of color threatened the ruling class’s our streets.” (aclu.org, Oct. 20, 2011) ple than any other country in the world. toric case is being considered, a New social peace. In 1994, the Clinton administration be- The capitalist state decentralized immi- York-based immigrant rights group re- Arizona and states in the South be- gan Operation Gatekeeper, which aimed gration policy, despite the clamor for a na- ports an ominous development. came ground zero for racist repression to stop immigrants at the southern bor- tional humane and just reform. Democrats In a March 24 press release, DRUM as Washington imposed measures such der between San Diego, Calif., and Ti- allowed Republicans, especially the Tea South Asian Organizing Center reported as the 287(g) Program. Started in North juana, Mexico. The goal was to push mi- Party, to create a stalemate in Washington. that “Immigration authorities have be- Carolina, these measures gave states the grants further east into the cruel deserts No proposed legislation on Capitol Hill, gun transporting South Asian detainees right to enforce immigration law. It gave of Arizona or Texas. however, ever addressed the desperate to Florence, Ariz., as a staging ground for local law officials like Phoenix’s fascist Called the “funnel effect,” it is estimat- needs of the undocumented. No proposed impending mass deportation. Many of Sheriff Joe Arpaio — who has now en- ed that because of these steps “over 6,600 legislation ever granted legalization to the the Muslim migrants from Bangladesh dorsed Donald Trump — the green light migrants have died on the U.S. side of the over 12 million undocumented people, were participants in … hunger strikes to racially profile and check the immigra- southern border, and the remains of an- despite workers having earned it a hun- at the end of 2015 … and brought atten- tion status of anyone in jail. other 1,000 migrants have been unidenti- dred times over. tion to the prolonged, unjustified, and In this election year it is important to fied.” (telesurtv.net, April 18) No proposed legislation ever recog- discriminatory detention of Muslim and point out that the foundation of 287(g) On the 15th anniversary of Operation nized the root cause of migration — U.S. South Asian migrants. was established under the administra- Gatekeeper it was reported that it was government foreign and economic poli- “As candidates Trump and Cruz stir tion of President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, “being observed with outrage by hu- cies — that forced workers to leave their anti-Muslim sentiment … the Depart- when rotten anti-immigrant legislation manitarian activists on both sides of the homelands in the first place. ment of Homeland Security under the was passed. U.S.-Mexico border.” (NBC San Diego, Obama administration is already racial- According to the American Civil Liber- Sept. 30, 2009) In the courts, out of sight ly profiling against Muslim migrants, by ties Union, “Today’s explosion in de- Today, a highly political holding detainees for indefinite … peri- tention is fueled in large part by the Los Angeles juggling act is taking place in ods of time, setting unusually high bond Illegal Immigration Reform and Im- Washington. Immigrants are amounts, and now preparing to deport migrant Responsibility Act of 1996. the objects thrown into the air. Muslim detainees en masse to their po- Enacted during the ‘tough on crime’ Immigration reform has been tential deaths.” years of the Clinton administration, forced on the courts. On April 18, the U.S. Supreme Lessons learned: Look to the youth Court heard arguments in the In 2006, at many of the massive case of United States v. Texas, demonstrations, workers brought the otherwise known as the “DAPA/ U.S. flag — in defiance, for protection, Long Live International Workers’ Day DACA” (Deferred Action for Par- and for a myriad of other reasons. Legal- ents of Americans/Deferred Ac- ization and “We are not criminals” were and industrial monopolies at the expense Long live May Day! tion for Childhood Arrivals) case. the main slogans. of workers in their home countries world- May Day is a celebration of the workers’ At stake is the implementation of two In the past 10 years, it has been demon- wide. Economic ruin forced these workers resistance movement, a people’s move- parts of President Barack Obama’s Novem- strated that the workers cannot count on to try to make a living in the U.S., where ment against capitalist exploitation — ber 2014 executive action. DAPA/DACA Washington for any relief. In fact, it is they faced racist discrimination, violence against racism, sexism and white suprem- aimed to provide some administrative re- Washington that puts them in harm’s way. and death from both police and border acy. It is a time to reflect on the gains and lief from deportation but is temporary and They cannot count on the Democrats patrol, with the constant threat and anxi- sacrifices of workers before us — a time to could be reversed by the next president. who, despite the good intentions of some, ety of having parents or children deported reflect on the battles yet to be won. This minor but important relief has wear the complex shackles of the capi- during the dead of night. For example, in North Carolina, House been blocked by a heartless — and legal- talist system that will rein them in every A similar form of racist repression in Bill 2 is the exact kind of policy that seeks ly unsubstantiated — lawsuit initiated by time. the form of police brutality and mass in- to divide the working class with anti-les- Texas and 25 other states. That is why, in this period, it is import- carceration is also being resisted by the bian, -gay, -bisexual, -trans* and -queer On April 20 a New York Times editorial ant to look to the youth. Black and Brown Black Lives Matter movement . discrimination. In Alabama, HB 56 seeks described the current Supreme Court de- youth are especially upping the ante and This reality is a reflection of the world to marginalize the immigrant communi- bate as “momentous” where “the lives of are challenging and shutting down not capitalist crisis of overproduction that ty, with the goal of paralyzing the entire millions hang in the balance.” The Huff- only Trump events but challenging the drives the imperialist governments to working class of that state. Only through ington Post said it was dubbed the “big- Democrats as well. Black and Brown impose even more destructive imperial- unified struggle, not elections, will these gest immigration case of the century.” youth have seen the truth and are coming ist trade policies, like the Trans Pacific kinds of bigoted laws be defeated. Yet a decision is not expected until June. to realize it is they who have the power, Partnership bill, along with austerity and May Day is a reminder to all workers Where is the outcry by the Democrat- not the elected officials. decreasing workers' social services. These that solidarity is our best weapon, a re- ic Party, which is right now aggressively Immigrant youth are coming to pro- governments represent the same multi- minder that every struggle is a workers’ courting the Latina/o and Black vote, to tests demanding not legalization but national monopolies that have destroyed struggle, including equal pay for equal get DAPA/DACA passed and give it some LIBERATION. Revolutionary attempts predominantly Black cities like Detroit work for women workers, the right to $15 real teeth? Where is the outrage over the are being made to unite the immigrant and Flint, Mich. an hour for low-wage workers as well as violation of the rights of families who rights struggle with the Black Lives Mat- The immigrant workers' struggle inside student-athletes, the right to a healthy have toiled for decades in the shadows ter movement. the U.S. is a reflection of the economic planet and a permanent end of war and selling their labor, only to be told “Wait, The masses can be confident that the and military violence by U.S. imperialism occupation. wait, vote for me and maybe I’ll set you next upheaval around the corner will be around the world that will continue to in- Most importantly, May Day is an in- free next year, or the year after that.” an escalation that will bring real change. tensify, especially against Black, Brown, ternational call to abolish capitalism and How can anyone respect the words of Immigrant workers are permanent Muslim, Asian and Indigenous workers replace it by a socialist system that will leaders of the Democratic Party when members of the U.S. working class, de- but also against white workers — mak- empower all workers regardless of na- President Obama has deported more spite the ruling class’s attempts to expel ing the building of unity and solidarity tionality, gender, gender identity, sexual immigrants than any other president in them. As workers, they are the gravedig- among all workers essential. preference, abilities, age and skills. U.S. history! gers of our oppressors. Page 8 May 5, 2016 workers.org Interview John Parker, WWP candidate for U.S. Senate ing almost twice what I used to pay and Immigration and Customs Enforcement] ents there send their children alone to have an inferior selection of groceries. and the private, for-profit prisons that this country in order to save their lives. Our community had no say in that deci- warehouse especially Black and Brown In California, Filipinos are the second sion, just like the people of Flint had no youth. largest immigrant community, and, like- say in whether GM would be allowed to I’m neither Democrat or Republican. wise, they are forced to work here and contaminate the water children would be I’m a communist, so I don’t have to wor- endure the racism, discrimination and drinking with lead. ry about losing the funding of the ruling police terror. WW: What are the issues you are rais- class — and my career path is towards This repression is a reflection of the ing regarding police killings? revolution, not the White House. world capitalist crisis of overproduction JP: Our campaign has joined nation- WW: How will your campaign relate that makes for even more severe impe- ally and will continue to join all protests to the large immigrant communities in rialist trade policies, like the “Trans-Pa- of police killings and all failures to pros- California? cific Partnership,” along with austerity ecute killer cops. We will also build sol- JP: Like Workers World Party’s na- and the squeezing out of workers’ social On April 24, Workers World newspa- idarity between all sectors of the work- tional campaign, my efforts here in Cal- services. Austerity is a common demand per spoke with John Parker, the Workers ing class with the movements like Black ifornia will be to end all deportations and from the imperialist governments that World Party candidate for the U.S. Sen- Lives Matter. roundups nationwide and to support full represent the same multinational mo- ate from the state of California, who is The Los Angeles Times reported in rights for all immigrants, including Mus- nopolies that have destroyed predomi- on the ballot in that state on the Peace February that in six southern California lim immigrants. nantly Black cities like Detroit and Flint, and Freedom Party line. counties there has been a police shooting People should first understand that it Michigan. Workers World: What do you ex- every other day since 2004. The prima- is the imperialist economic wars — es- The immigrant workers’ struggle, pect to accomplish with your campaign ry targets of this police terror are Black pecially by the U.S. — creating unfair therefore, is a reflection of the econom- for the U.S. Senate? and Brown people. Plus many Mexicans trade policies that destroy the livelihoods ic and military violence by U.S. imperi- John Parker: I’m not expecting to and Central Americans have been hunt- of peasants and workers in other coun- alism around the world that makes the win. Since the hundreds of millions of ed down and killed by racist vigilantes or tries, that drive people to emigrate from building of working-class unity and sol- dollars that monopoly industries donate the Border Patrol. their countries. For example, the NAFTA idarity essential. is only earmarked for the Democratic The criminal justice system in fact en- agreement drove millions of poor peas- WW: How do you stand on U.S. for- and Republican Party campaigns, our courages murder by law enforcement by ants and working-class people out of eign policy? votes are “trumped” — pun intended — refusing to prosecute, especially in the Mexico and Central America. JP: All imperialist wars are for the by the dollars of the ruling class. And, six southern counties of California. Even A recent study found that the Border purpose of enriching the ruling class. that’s one of the reasons for this Senate former Los Angeles District Attorney Gil Patrol is allowed to get away with mur- They are never in the interests of work- campaign: to expose how undemocratic Garcetti said the near certainty that lo- der and an alarming number are engaged ing people. The trillions of dollars that the capitalist system is. Whatever de- cal prosecutors won’t file charges against in criminal collusion with drug cartels. go towards enriching the military-in- mocracy exists is reserved for the ruling cops means it is time to take the decision Their killings are even less monitored dustrial complex players like Raytheon, class, who decide the priorities of society, out of their hands and give it to the state than those committed by police terror. Lockheed, Boeing, etc., are directly taken the distribution of wealth in society and attorney general. The Mexican and Central American im- from the monies that would go towards the level of repression necessary to main- By the way, my main opponent in this migrants face murder when attempting health and human services. tain an unjust society. Senate race is Attorney General Kama- to cross the border and here they face the We must support the national liber- I live in working-class South Central la Harris, in the Democratic Party, who daily fear of deportation. ation struggles, especially against U.S. Los Angeles, a community mainly con- opposed a bill like the one Garcetti pro- Then there are the imperialist wars imperialism. We stand in solidarity with sisting of Black and Brown people. On posed. Harris has done absolutely noth- and proxy wars like the 2009 coup in those fighting the drones and endless my block there was a Ralphs supermar- ing to combat this genocide in California. Honduras that the Obama administra- war, we must be in solidarity with the ket, which is a large grocery chain. A cor- Politicians like Harris want to maintain tion orchestrated, replacing an elected LGBTQ communities here fighting for porate decision replaced large grocery their career path in politics, so they had government with a pro-U.S. military re- basic respect and equality, we must be for chains with smaller stores. CVS Phar- better not start challenging the tools of gime and making Honduras one of the the Palestinians fighting U.S.-supported macy replaced Ralphs and now I’m pay- oppression — like the cops, ICE [U.S. most dangerous places in the world. Par- Israeli apartheid.

Philadelphia ‘Don’t vote for Hillary — she’s killing Black people’

By Betsey Piette the victims who were wrongly convicted or anything they can get away with to you, tunist and only for white women.” Philadelphia sentenced under the 1994 criminal justice Hillary Clinton will not be here to stand Other speakers addressed Hillary bill.” (Phillymag.com, April 20) up for you, but the young people in our Clinton’s reactionary and murderous ten- Members of the Racial, Economic and The video of the demonstrators’ April 7 coalition will,” Malachi told neighbor- ure as secretary of state under Obama. Legal Justice Coalition and Black Lives confrontation with Bill Clinton in Phila- hood residents gathered outside hoping Transgender youth organizer Shanae Matter disrupted a Hillary Clinton cam- delphia about his administration’s racist to catch a glimpse of Clinton. Akilah, of Haitian descent, challenged paign event here, chanting, “Don’t vote agenda has been viewed widely. (tinyurl. Pam Africa, minister of confrontation the Clinton’s use of the earthquake disas- for Hillary! She’s killing Black people!” com/zbggfpo) Hillary Clinton tried to for the MOVE organization, noted that ter in Haiti in 2010 to set up their neolib- seven minutes into her speech at the Fill- prevent more problems for her cam- when Hillary Clinton first ran for presi- eral agenda. “You cannot continue to col- more Theater on April 20. paign by inviting members of R.E.A.L. dent against Barack Obama in 2008 she onize us,” Akilah stated. “It’s a new day.” The R.E.A.L. Justice Coalition demon- Justice and mothers whose sons died at had a lot to say about Black people and “it Scott Williams, with Workers World strators foiled security and appeared in the hands of area police to hold an invi- wasn’t pretty.” Party, called out Clinton for her role in the the audience with signs strung together tation-only meeting with her and former Deandra Price, a Temple University destruction of Libya in 2011 and support that read, “You’re not welcome here” and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at the student and R.E.A.L. Justice Coalition for the right-wing coup d’état in Hondu- “Stop killing Black people.” historic St. Paul’s Baptist Church in a member, was blocked from entering the ras in 2009. “We are putting Clinton and Security quickly escorted the protest- North Philadelphia Black community. hall even though she was an “invited the DNC on notice that there will be pro- ers out, along with credentialed report- When it became evident that the event guest” on Clinton’s list. Price called Hil- tests every day during their convention in ers, including Malcolm Burnley with was really just a public relations stunt to lary Clinton’s brand of feminism “oppor- Philadelphia starting July 24.” PhillyMag.com. Burnley was told to leave imply support for her campaign, R.E.A.L. the building while he was trying to inter- Justice members boycotted and picketed MARXISM, REPARATIONS & view demonstrator Jason Farmer, whose outside. brother Rufus Farmer successfully chal- Outside the church, speakers ad- the Black Freedom Struggle lenged Bill Clinton at a campaign event in dressed the impact of Bill Clinton’s 1994 An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper. Philadelphia on April 7. crime bill on African-American commu- Edited by Monica Moorehead. Farmer told Burnley, “No one is challeng- nities, as well as Hillary Clinton’s state- Racism, National Oppression & Self-Determination Larry Holmes • Black Labor from Chattel ing Hillary Clinton to do anything about ments calling Black youth “superpred- Slavery to Wage Slavery Sam Marcy • Black Youth: Repression & Resistance LeiLani Dowell • the harm that she has created. The 1994 ators.” Megan Malachi with R.E.A.L. The Struggle for Socialism Is Key Monica Moorehead • Domestic Workers United Demand crime bill — the president has the power to Justice called out Clinton’s opportunism. Passage of a Bill of Rights Imani Henry • Black & Brown Unity: A Pillar of Struggle for Human Rights & Global Justice! Saladin Muhammad • Harriet Tubman, Woman Warrior Mumia Abu-Ja- pardon any federal prisoner. If you look at “The only reason she is here today is be- mal • Racism & Poverty in the Delta Larry Hales • Haiti Needs Reparations, Not Sanctions Pat her racial justice platform, if you look at her cause members of our coalition shut her Chin • Alabama’s Black Belt: Legacy of Slavery, Sharecropping & Segregation Consuela Lee • criminal justice platform, there is nothing husband down a few weeks ago.” Are Conditions Ripe Again Today? Anniversary of the 1965 Watts Rebellion John Parker that she mentions about pardoning all of “When police come out here and do Available at all major online booksellers. workers.org May 5, 2016 Page 9 Solidarity still needed to break blockade of Cuba

By Carl Lewis dation for Community Organization Washington, D.C. Executive Director Gail Walker. Their organizations, as well as the Institute for A forum at the University of the Dis- Policy Studies, and the National Network trict of Columbia’s David A. Clark School on Cuba carried out grassroots activities of Law, entitled “Through Cuban Eyes,” and advocacy on Capitol Hill; they also discussed the blockade and current sta- held informational forums at American tus of U.S.-Cuban relations, and what sol- University and the University of the Dis- idarity activists can do to fully normalize trict of Columbia. The 2016 Days of Ac- relations between the two countries. This tion was initiated by the International April 22 event concluded the 2016 Days Committee for Peace, Justice and Digni- of Action Against the Blockade of Cuba in ty. Alicia Jrapko moderated the conclud- Washington, D.C., which took place start- ing forum. ing April 18. Others on the panel were attorney Keynote speaker, Cuban Ambassa- José Pertierra, noted author Stephen PHOTO: BILL HACKWELL dor José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez, Kimber and two U.S. graduates from Cu- Cuban Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas with Alicia Jrapko who facilitated the “Through Cuban Eyes” forum. Her organization, International Committee for Peace, Justice and Digni- stressed the need for solidarity: “In order ba’s Latin American School of Medicine ty, coordinated the 2016 Days of Action. to create the vision of the future, we all (ELAM): Vanessa Avila and Alicia Steele. need solidarity.” Cuba is mourning the Both Latina doctors expressed their ad- “Jorgito” Jerez — received a U.S. visa society built on socialism can provide three Cuban physicians killed in Ecua- miration and gratitude for the opportu- in time to participate in Washington on health care and education free for all Cu- dor’s earthquake, but will not withdraw nity to become medical doctors, which April 22, after missing earlier events in ban citizens. Such was the life of Jorgito, aid, but instead send even more doctors they otherwise could not have afford- New York City. who is now a self-sufficient journalist in and experts to help. ed in the class-based elite U.S. medical A documentary film, “The Power of Cuba. His presentation and moving testi- The earthquake killed more than 600 schools. They emphasized Cuba’s holis- the Weak,” by German filmmaker Tobi- mony at the forum illustrated the support people and injured thousands in ­Ecuador. tic approach to medical practice, which as Kriele, was premiered in the U.S. The Cuba provides for people with disabili- “For those who have doubts about the emphasizes prevention and education as film presents the biographical profile of ties. Jorgito concluded his presentation, need for solidarity, we have to see what is well as the mental, physical and social as- Jerez, who was born with severe cerebral without reservation and with a strong happening around us,” Cabanas contin- pects of patient care. palsy in 1993, at the height of Cuba’s Spe- note of conviction: “Without Cuba and its ued. “And in those first world countries, As if to underline what the ambassa- cial Period, when Cuba lost its economic history, I wouldn’t be Jorgito.” most of the problems are fixed from an dor said of the unfinished normaliza- trade and aid following the collapse of the A full report and extensive photos of economic point of view. You have those tion of U.S.-Cuban relations, only one of Soviet Union and other Eastern Europe- the 2016 Days of Action to end the block- who own a lot and those who have no re- five Cuban speakers invited to the Days an socialist countries. ade of Cuba will be posted at TheInterna- sources for a decent life. With those peo- of Action — journalism student Jorge In short, the film emphasizes how a tionalCommittee.org and NNOC.info. ple we need to create solidarity. “Cubans of the last three or four gen- erations have been born and educated with the principle that we have to show solidarity for others, because we have re- ‘Oscar is our Nelson Mandela!’ ceived a lot of solidarity from you, from many countries and many societies. By Anne Pruden A year later, López Rivera was arrest- “One thing I want to emphasize, the New York ed and became a co-defendant. He also blockade is still in place. ... The core issue faced charges of weapons possession. But is still there. Large regulations and limits Thirty-four Latinas López Rivera was actually punished for have to be overcome if we really want to who gathered in New fighting for his beliefs and for the free- have a normal relationship with the Unit- York City’s Union Square dom of his country. He was never accused ed States. ... The sanction regime from Park carried signs read- of hurting anyone or participating in vio- 1962 and what the Helms-Burton law es- ing, “Hasta regreso!” lent crime. tablished — by the way, 30 years ago this [“Until the return”], as Of his 34 years imprisonment, and his year — is still there.” they led another protest many years in isolation, López Rivera Solidarity with Cuba and in Cuba for 73-year-old Oscar says: "The U.S. government categorical- López Rivera, on April ly denies it has political prisoners in its Among the forum panelists were 24. This political prison- gulags. ... It uses the denial as its license Venceremos Brigade representative Jen- er has been incarcerated to violate our most basic human rights nifer Bryant and Interreligious Foun- WW PHOTO: ANNE PRUDEN for 34 years. This is why by subjecting us to isolation and sensory 34 women organizers — “34 women x 34 deprivation regimens that are nothing minutos x 34 years for Oscar in NYC,” less than cruel and unusual punishment. their sign said in Spanish — called for this “It uses it to hoodwink its own citi- action. Many supporters filled the park. zens to believe that it doesn't criminalize U.S. invades Dominican Republic The women led English and Spanish dissenters or opponents of its wars and chants, including, "No justice, no peace!” other imperialist practices … to discon- By Michael Kramer 1965 a major radio station, distributing “Set Oscar López free!" and "34! 34! Not nect us from our families, communities, Jersey City, N.J. weapons to civilian supporters and another year more!" These and more bi- supporters and the just and noble causes arresting the pro-U.S. Dominican lingual demands were made for 34 min- we served and try to continue serving." April 24 — The community group NJ president the following day. utes; each minute represented a year of (“The Case of Oscar López Rivera,” peo- Action 21 held a meeting today in Jersey The U.S. responded with Operation time he has served. This spirited, strong pleslawoffice.com) City to remember and learn from the rev- Power Pack: an invasion and occupation rally got attention from passersby. Many Supporters of López Rivera have in- olutionary events that took place in the of the Dominican Republic by over 40,000 stopped to sign letters and petitions call- cluded 10 Nobel Peace Prize winners, Dominican Republic in April 1965. Mem- ground, air and navy personnel, including ing for the political prisoner’s freedom. Coretta Scott King, Archbishop Desmond bers of the Dominican community, Anak- the 82nd Airborne Division and the 4th López Rivera was active with the Puerto Tutu, former President Jimmy Carter, the bayan NJ, the Jersey City Peace Move- Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Thousands Rican community in Chicago to resist rac- United Methodist Church, the Catholic ment and Veterans For Peace took part. of Dominican civilians were killed. and the ist violence and the brutality of colonial- Archbishop of San Juan, New York state Organizers showed a 90-minute doc- Dominican revolution suffered a setback. ism and exploitation. The people fought politicians, Puerto Rico’s Gov. Alejandro umentary produced in the Dominican The U.S. occupation of the Dominican Re- for community control, and supported na- García Padilla, popstar Ricky Martin and Republic, “La Trinchera del Honor” (“The public did not end until May 1966. tional liberation movements for indepen- international human rights coalitions. Trench of Honor”). After that, the audi- The meeting in Jersey City was no sim- dence and self-determination. Important follow up plans include the ence held a discussion that included eye- ple exercise in revolutionary nostalgia. During this era, several armed clan- International Day of Solidarity with Os- witnesses of the April 1965 events. Rather, it was a lesson for today about the destine political organizations formed in car López Rivera on June 20, when ac- In 1965 a group of anti-imperialist mil- necessity for all struggles to fight U.S. im- Puerto Rico, including the Armed Forces tivists from 35 countries will demand his itary officers in the Dominican Republic’s perialism and to understand how it oper- of National Liberation (FALN). López Ri- freedom at the United Nations. Everyone Armed Forces, headed by Col. Francis- ates. Revolutionary enthusiasm was defi- vera worked with them. In 1980, 11 FALN is invited to join with freedom fighters for co Alberto Caamaño Deño, led a broad nitely boosted for those at the meeting members were charged with the overtly this event. Come to Dag Hammarskjold movement of workers, peasants, youth who witnessed on the screen the historic political crime of seditious conspiracy — Plaza for a rally from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. For and progressives to take state power. On revolutionary mobilization of the Domin- conspiring to oppose U.S. authority over information, email info@ObamaFreeOs- April 24, they made their move by seizing ican people during April 1965. Puerto Rico by force. car. org Page 10 May 5, 2016 workers.org

Hero City under siege International monitors to Ayotzinapa cover-up visit Odessa, Ukraine By Greg Butterfield chased the armed goons into the street. The heart-stabbing news about Mexi- are left unsaid when dealing with the Some youth even tried to commandeer co reported in the U.S. media is written desperate mass emigration that has been On May 2, 2014, at least 48 anti-fas- their vehicles. (Timer-Odessa.net) with an appropriate tone of shock and going on for years now from Mexico and cists and trade unionists were killed The raid was also denounced by the horror. A special international investi- Central America. when neo-Nazis attacked a protest en- Foreign Ministry of the Socialist Repub- gative team assigned to uncover what The trade agreement imposed on Mex- campment in Odessa, Ukraine, and set lic of Vietnam. happened to the 43 missing students of ico by U.S. big business, called NAFTA, fire to the nearby House of Trade Unions. On April 10, hundreds of Odessa resi- Ayotzinapa has reported that its investi- has ruined the small farmers who used Hundreds more were injured. Many were dents, including many elderly veterans of gation was stonewalled by both local and to be able to survive on what they could forced to flee the country. Others were World War II, came out to commemorate national authorities. grow. They could not compete with U.S. arrested and put on trial, while the per- the anniversary of the city’s 1944 liberation Information about the murderous agribusiness, which has taken over the petrators walked free. from fascism by the Red Army and local police assault on the students — simply market and the land. The resulting des- Since then, the U.S.-backed govern- partisans. Viciously attacked by neo-Nazis, because they tried to commandeer local perate poverty fueled the drug trade and ment in Kiev, which helped unleash the they fought back, chanting “Banderites, buses to attend an event, something that the violence that it breeds. The state itself attack against its political opponents in get out of Odessa! Fascism will not pass!” had become an annual “prank” — was became part of the instrument of “protec- Odessa, has blocked every attempt to in- “Banderite” refers to Stepan Bandera, an covered up at every level, says the team. tion” for what it calls illegal but which it vestigate the crime and prosecute those early Nazi collaborator and icon of right- Despite the cover-up, a few bodies have feeds on. The customers for the drugs are, responsible. wing Ukrainian nationalists. been discovered, and their mutilation is of course, largely in the United States. Now, as the second anniversary of the The city is plastered with posters, put sickening to the core, revealing a sadistic A people’s investigation into Ayotzina- tragic event approaches, both sides are up at night, urging people to come to the brutality that numbs the mind. pa cannot leave out the monstrous crimes squaring up for a new confrontation. memorial on May 2. But what is left out of all the reporting of U.S. imperialism toward the Mexican Family members and friends of the “The neo-Nazis attack seniors and in this country? The same basic facts that people. murdered activists, led by the Mothers children,” noted Alexey Albu, former Committee for May 2, are determined to Odessa Regional Deputy and survivor hold a memorial event on the Kulikovo of the May 2 massacre, after an assault Field where their loved ones died. on family members in March. “But the Delegations from several countries situation will change. The Ukrainian plan to monitor and support the event, government, which protects the ultra-na- Court obstructs justice including deputies of the European Par- tionalists, is bursting at the seams. Af- liament and activists from the U.S.-based ter its overthrow, those responsible will United National Antiwar Coalition. be identified and punished.” (Fort Russ, in Gurley case Neo-Nazi groups like Right Sector, March 27) Svoboda, Automaidan and Maidan International solidarity By Deirdre Griswold been trying to navigate the stairs in the Self-Defense, which routinely and vio- New York dark because the elevator was out of ser- lently attack such commemorations, have The United National Antiwar Coali- vice — a common occurrence in under- threatened the organizers and vowed to tion is sending a delegation of U.S.-based For a brief time last February, there funded low-income housing. prevent the memorial from taking place. anti-war and human rights activists to was hope that, at last, Black lives do mat- Just two weeks after Gurley was killed, Behind them, the Ukrainian govern- Odessa to join other international groups ter, when a jury convicted officer Peter a grand jury in another New York bor- ment headed by President Petro Poro- monitoring the memorial. UNAC is also Liang of manslaughter and official mis- ough, Staten Island, refused to indict a shenko and Odessa Regional Governor appealing to people to contact their elect- conduct in the fatal shooting of 28-year- white cop in the chokehold killing of an- Mikhael Saakashvili — a U.S. stooge and ed officials, along with local and national old Akai Gurley. The New York City police other unarmed Black man, Eric Garner, former president of the republic of Geor- media, and demand they pay attention to officer was facing a possible 15-year jail leading to widespread protests. gia, on the run from corruption and war what is happening in Odessa. sentence for the shooting and his sub- So when Liang was indicted and crime charges in his own country — are A statement issued by UNAC support- sequent failure to seek medical help for brought to trial, it seemed possible that mobilizing police and the fascist-dom- ing the memorial and calling for a United Gurley. It was reported that, as the young finally a cop would be jailed for killing a inated National Guard from all over Nations investigation of the 2014 events Black man lay dying, the cop, instead of Black man. But then the judge upended Ukraine to “maintain order” in Odessa. reads in part: “On May 2, 2016, a memori- calling 911, was texting the police “union” the jury’s verdict, leading to anger and (Timer-Odessa.net, April 19) al will be held in Odessa, Ukraine, to hon- looking for legal help. more protests. or the memory of scores of pro-democra- But the jury that had convicted Liang Gurley’s aunt, Hertencia Petersen, Hero City under siege cy activists who were brutally murdered was overruled. First, Brooklyn District reacted to the judge’s lenient sentence: Odessa is one of the “Hero Cities” of on that date in Odessa two years ago. Attorney Ken Thompson called for only “Now here it is. Another Black man has the former Soviet Union, honored for the “There is no reason for the city au- probation, six months of house arrest been murdered by the hands of a police part its residents played in resisting Nazi thorities to forbid a peaceful memorial, and 500 hours of community service for department and the officer is not being occupation during World War II. but right-wing radicals — some of whom Liang. Then, on April 19, Brooklyn state held accountable.” Hitler’s modern-day successors have are believed to have been involved in the Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun took That night, a crowd went to the neigh- special hatred for this city. Like many events of 2014 — have declared that they the unusual move of reducing the jury’s borhood where DA Thompson lives and major seaports, Odessa has long been a will not allow it to proceed. … We call manslaughter verdict to criminally neg- demonstrated outside his home, chant- diverse, inclusive and multinational city. on the governments of Odessa, Ukraine, ligent homicide. He then dropped the ing, “If the family of Akai Gurley cannot That was reinforced through decades of and the United States to ensure that the house arrest and sentenced the officer sleep tonight, Ken Thompson will not socialist development when Ukraine was civic rights of those attending the May 2 to just 800 hours of community service sleep tonight!” Police arrested seven of part of the Soviet Union. memorial in Odessa will be respected, and five years of probation: No jail time the protesters. It is even possible that the It’s no surprise, then, that the forces including the delegations of international or confinement of any kind for taking the protesters will spend more time in jail behind Ukraine’s 2014 coup single out monitors who will be present on that day. life of Akai Gurley. than the cop who shot a person and then Odessa residents for abuse. And yet, the “We further respectfully appeal to the Gurley was killed on Nov. 21, 2014, allowed him to bleed to death. people of this Hero City keep resisting. United Nations Human Rights Commit- when Liang pulled his gun and fired a “Black lives matter” is not just a slo- On Jan. 28, when the Security Services tee to initiate an international investi- single shot, accidentally he claimed, and gan. It is a demand that the racist system of Ukraine (SBU, the Ukrainian FBI) and gation into the events of May 2, 2014, as the ricocheting bullet hit the young Black which is falsely called “criminal justice” neo-Nazis targeted a housing complex requested by family members, friends man in the chest. It all happened in the be uprooted and that true justice be where many Vietnamese migrants live, and supporters of those who died on that darkened stairwell of a public housing served. Until there’s justice, there will be busting down residents’ doors and rob- day.” unit in Brooklyn. Gurley and a friend had no peace. bing their savings, people fought back and Signers include former U.S. Attor- ney General Ramsey Clark; former U.S. Congressperson and Green Party pres- idential candidate Cynthia McKinney; Low-Wage Capitalism award-winning journalist John Pilger; ­describes in sweeping detail the Capitalism U.S. Peace Council; International Ac- ­drastic effect on the working class in tion Center Co-Director Sara Flounders; the United States of new technology at a Dead End BAYAN-USA Chairperson Bernadette and the restructuring of global capital- Job destruction, overproduction Ellorin; Black Agenda Report editor and ism in the post-Soviet era. It uses Karl and crisis in the high-tech era senior columnist Margaret Kimberley; Marx’s law of wages and other findings UNAC Co-Coordinators Marilyn Levin to show that these developments are not only continuing to drive down For more information on these books and and Joe Lombardo; and many more. wages but are creating the material other writings by the author, Fred Goldstein, To read the full statement and list of basis for future social upheaval. go to LowWageCapitalism.com endorsers, sign on to the statement and Available at all major online booksellers. get updates, visit unacpeace.org. workers.org May 5, 2016 Page 11

Day of infamy in Dhaka, Bangladesh

By Kathy Durkin ernment all claim they want to improve labor rights and factory safety, but have April 24 is a day of infamy for the glob- not agreed to any mandates. They uphold al garment industry. On that day in 2013, capitalist globalization, but just want to the Rana Plaza complex in Dhaka, Ban- make it appear fairer. gladesh, housing five clothing factories, came crashing down. At least 1,138 work- Build solidarity! ers were killed and over 2,000 injured. Garment workers say factory condi- This year, thousands of textile workers tions are still “dangerous, unsanitary and and victims’ families protested at the site exploitative.” Wages are delayed and so of the disaster on its anniversary. They, low they can’t cover daily meals. Work- together with union organizers, called days are often 14 to 16 hours long, with on Bangladesh’s government to close all workers coerced into toiling until 3 a.m. dangerous factories and put on trial all Six-day workweeks are usual. Verbal, those responsible for the catastrophe. sexual and physical abuse is rampant. Union leader Abul Hossain stressed: Fighters for workers’ rights and union- “Three years have passed and still we ization are harassed, beaten and fired. don’t see any justice. No one has been Western brands and local bosses ex- held to account for one of history’s worst pect Bangladesh’s government to keep man-made disasters.” (NPR, April 24) the workers in line, without union inter- Alarmed workers had warned of mas- ference. Abuse of organizers goes on un- punished. The murderers of union leader sive cracks in the building’s façade but Commemoration of Rana Plaza disaster on April 24 in Dhaka. were threatened with losing wages and Aminal Islam are still at large, four years their jobs if they didn’t return to work. lowest wages. In this race to the bot- plants, but owners are stalling on making after his death. Bangladeshi courts took two years to tom, factory owners offer the cheapest repairs or even installing fire exits. But government officials, plant owners charge the building’s owner and 40 oth- production costs, deny workers’ rights, Financial compensation has been and global brands cannot stop the class ers with murder — but 16 are out on bail ignore their safety and repress union- woefully inadequate for workers so dis- struggle, nor can they stop workers from and 24 have absconded. No further steps ization, all to meet transnational com- abled they cannot work again and for winning allies worldwide. Bangladeshi towards justice are in sight. panies’ demands. families of deceased workers. Paltry garment workers keep fighting back. Left off the hook altogether are the The Rana Plaza tragedy focused world contributions from global companies They need activists in the U.S. and Eu- global retailers who make a fortune from attention on the exploitative, dangerous don’t even make a dent in imperialist su- rope to keep the pressure on global re- selling garments produced in Bangladesh conditions under which Bangladeshi gar- perprofits. tailers — and they need international sol- while paying low production costs. The ment workers toil. It revealed the cruelty Moreover, despite making modest pay- idarity from all workers and progressive country’s 4 million textile workers, most- of capitalist globalization: Profits rule, outs and agreeing to a few safety mea- movements. ly women, get starvation wages of $68 a and the lives of the workers, who create sures in order to appear “ethical,” the Isn’t it time for an international outcry month. Worldwide sales enhance the cof- all the wealth, are expendable. global brands have not fundamentally against this “profits before people” system? fers of the biggest clothing brands. International outrage brought about changed how they function. They keep Isn’t it time to hit hard at capitalist super- This exploitation is inherent in capi- demands for safety measures in the exploiting these workers and raking in exploitation of the workers and disregard talist globalization. Corporations search plants and compensation for victims megaprofits without missing a beat. for their lives? Isn’t it time to work hard the globe looking for areas where they and families. Inspections have found The European Union, the United to get rid of capitalism? Aren’t the lives of can maximize profits by paying the over 100,000 hazards and many unsafe States, Canada and the Bangladeshi gov- 1,138 workers enough of a reason? Behind Egypt’s gift of islands to Saudi Arabia

By Abayomi Azikiwe away our land to anyone, and will not Red Sea, east of the Sinai Peninsula and states from Israeli aggression. The Sovi- Editor, Pan-African News Wire take anyone’s land.” west of the Arabian mainland. The coast- et Union supported Egypt politically and Many observers of Egyptian politics line expands across Egypt, Israel, Jordan militarily in both the 1967 and 1973 wars, During the week of April 11, it was re- believe that the parliament is aligned and Saudi Arabia. while the U.S. backed Israel. vealed that the Egyptian government of with the al-Sisi government and will vote The 1967 Six-Day War (June 5-10) be- President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is propos- in favor of the measure. Recognizing the tween Israel and the regional states of Egypt dependent on Saudi Arabia ing to turn over the strategic islands of broad opposition to the announcement, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, was prompted and U.S. Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia. These the president has warned Egyptians not in part due to the President Gamal Abdel Today, Egypt’s military-turned-civil- islands have been under Egyptian admin- to demonstrate against the decision. Nasser government’s exercise of sover- ian regime is largely dependent upon istrative control since 1950, just two years eignty. Egypt had blockaded the Straits economic and political support from after the founding of the state of Israel. Israel and U.S. approve decision of Tiran, preventing Israeli shipping Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Washington This Egyptian decision indicates that An article in the Washington Post on from passing through the Gulf of Aqaba supplies at least $1.3 billion in direct aid the existing foreign policy imperatives of April 13 reported that the decision by the beginning on May 23, 1967. Tel Aviv later to the Egyptian government every year, Washington and Riyadh take precedence Egyptian government was supported by launched an attack against Egypt, which along with military equipment, advisors over the liberation of Palestine and the the state of Israel: “The two countries was backed by the U.S. administration of and intelligence sharing. genuine independence of states in North [Israel and Saudi Arabia] have no formal President Lyndon B. Johnson. A popular uprising in 2011 removed Africa and the Middle East. ties, but there have been hints of quiet In a speech to soldiers at an advanced President Hosni Mubarak, who was Sadat’s Within the military sphere, the Egyp- cooperation — or at least a strategic di- Air Force headquarters in Sinai, Pres- successor after the latter’s 1981 assassina- tian-Saudi alliance is clearly illustrated alogue — over certain issues such as Ira- ident Nasser said that any ships flying tion. Three subsequent Egyptian govern- through Egypt’s cooperation under Saudi nian influence in the region. As analysts Israeli flags or transporting strategic ma- ments have continued their reliance on and Gulf Cooperation Council leadership pondered the implications for Israel of terials would be forbidden to pass in and assistance from Washington and its allies in the year-long war against the people Saudi control of the two islands — at the out of the Gulf past Sharm El Skeikh at in the region, including the state of Israel. of Yemen. This war has resulted in the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba, an import- the mouth of the Gulf. One week earlier Saudi Arabia has facilitated U.S. dom- deaths of at least 10,000 people and the ant shipping route for Israelis and Jorda- on May 16, 1967, Nasser ordered the re- inance in the area by providing loans to displacement of millions of others. nians — Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon moval of the first United Nations Emer- Egypt. According to an article published This decision on the islands, which told Israeli reporters that he had received gency Force from the Sinai. by Bloomberg on Jan. 4: “Saudi Arabia is subject to approval by the Egyptian official documentation that Saudi Arabia The UNEF had been established in the agreed to provide Egypt with more than parliament, has generated much debate would continue to allow Israelis freedom aftermath of the Suez crisis of 1956, when $3 billion in loans and grants to help its and opposition inside the North African of passage in the area.” the Egyptian government had national- dollar-starved economy. ... The loans are state. In a nationally televised speech on This same article says Yaalon confirmed ized the canal, sparking the intervention on favorable terms.” April 14, al-Sisi defended his decision, that Israel had been consulted before the of Britain, France and Israel in a failed saying, “We did not surrender our right, transfer and that the “Israeli daily Haaretz” effort to overthrow Nasser. GAZA and we returned the right back to its peo- reported “the transfer plan needed the ap- After the death of Nasser in 1970, an- Symbol of Resistance ple.” He added that there are documents proval of Israel, the United States (because other war was fought in October 1973. that prove the islands are Saudi. Washington helped broker the Egypt-Israel Egypt under President Anwar Sadat A book of articles from WW, edited by Joyce Chediac The military leader — turned civilian peace accord), and a multinational observ- moved in the Sinai to reclaim land that president in 2013-2014 — argued that er mission monitoring the islands.” Israel had seized in 1967. In the after- Here is the story of the most heroic resistance Egypt had only two choices in the matter The islands are important in regard to math of the 1973 war, another UNEF was since 1948 to unrelenting Israeli oppression involving the islands: “Either enter into the contested sovereignty and ownership deployed from October 1973 to July 1979. and violence designed to drive Palestinians a conflict with Saudi Arabia, or giving of the Gulf of Aqaba, a major issue in in- During this period, Egypt and Syria’s from their homeland. – Ramsey Clark Saudi back its land and right. We will not ternational law for decades. The Gulf of governments supported the liberation gazaresistancebook.com infringe on anyone. Also, we will not give Aqaba is located at the northern tip of the of Palestine and the defense of regional Available at bookstores around the country Correspondencia sobre artículos en Workers World/Mundo Obrero pueden ser enviadas a: [email protected] FOTO MO: ANNE PRUDEN ANNE MO: FOTO

¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los paises unios! workers.org Vol. 58 Núm. 17 5 de Mayo 2016 $1 Trabajadoras/es de Verizon combaten ¿Muy grande Patronos atacan trabajos sindicalizados para fallar? Por Kathy Durkin dad de empleo y ahora la empresa tiene jadores peor pagados de la compañía. como objetivo eliminar la cláusula de “no Editorial WW-Mundo Obrero Por 10 meses estuvieron intentando despido” para las/os trabajadores con- Es lucha de clases “Demasiado grandes para caer”. fuertemente lograr un contrato justo, y ya tratados antes de esa fecha. En el segundo día de la huelga, la CWA ¿Cuántas veces hemos oído eso recien- estaban hartas/os. Por eso el 13 de abril, Verizon tiene como objetivo romper informó que en dos incidentes separados, temente? La Junta de la Reserva Federal cerca de 40.000 trabajadoras/es de Veri- el contrato sindical y forzar concesiones tres trabajadores de la Seccional 2108 dice que cinco bancos estadounidenses zon se declararon en huelga en Washing- desastrosas de las/os trabajadores que que piqueteaban en Maryland, fueron son demasiado grandes para caer: JP- ton-D.C., y en nueve estados de la costa reducirían su nivel de vida. A pesar de las golpeados por coches conducidos por un Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells este, desde Massachusetts hasta Virgin- ganancias récord de $39 mil millones en abogado de Verizon y un administrador Fargo, Bank of New York Mellon y State ia. Es el mayor paro en los EUA desde la los últimos tres años, los ejecutivos bus- de la empresa. Street. No todos son nombres reconoci- huelga de dos semanas contra Verizon en can reducir sus costos laborales pasando Verizon ha amenazado con transferir dos, pero sí son grandes. Juntos, tienen el año 2011. más costos de los beneficios de salud a técnicos de Massachusetts a Virginia du- casi $9 billones de dólares en activos. Los sindicatos Trabajadores de la las/os trabajadores y jubilados, reduci- rante 60 días si el contrato no está rat- ¿De dónde provino toda esa riqueza? Comunicación (CWA por las siglas en endo los beneficios por discapacidad y ificado para el 20 de mayo. Además, la Después de todo, es sólo papel, o barrotes inglés) y Trabajadores Electricistas In- congelando las pensiones. Los ejecutivos compañía está siendo tan intransigente de oro, o números electrónicos, que no ternacionales (IBEW), que representan no quieren discutir mejoras de salarios y que los ejecutivos han ignorado la oferta tendrían valor si no hubiera cientos de a las/os trabajadores en las operaciones condiciones de trabajo. En su lugar, dis- de los sindicatos de dar $200 millones en millones de trabajadoras/es por todo el de telefonía fija y banda ancha de FiOS minuirían las protecciones por tiempo concesiones. mundo creando los productos y servicios de Verizon, convocaron la huelga. La extra y harían que las/os trabajadores Las/os organizadores de la CWA y del que ese dinero puede comprar. AFL-CIO la ha apoyado y sus miembros, trabajen siete días consecutivos. IBEW se reunieron con representantes Sin embargo, de algún modo estos líderes comunitarias/os y otras fuerzas La compañía tiene previsto subcontra- de Verizon el 15 de abril para discutir el bancos pueden afirmar que es de ellos. se están uniendo a los mítines y piquetes tar servicios de contratistas no sindical- contrato que cubre a las/os trabajadores Y tienen miedo de que gran parte de esa y han enviado mensajes de solidaridad. izados que trabajan por salarios bajos. en seis estados y en Washington-DC. riqueza pueda evaporarse. Los produc- Jóvenes partidarias/os del candidato Después de haber enviado 5.000 puestos Mostrando su desprecio por las/os traba- tos que se pueden comprar con el dine- presidencial Bernie Sanders están apoy- de trabajo de servicio al consumidor al jadores, los ejecutivos se negaron a nego- ro no pueden evaporarse. Pero pueden ando la huelga. exterior, Verizon intenta continuar ex- ciar, exigieron incluso más concesiones permanecer por mucho tiempo en los La huelga puede encender una lucha portando más puestos, explotando así a de las/os trabajadores y se retiraron almacenes si la gente no puede pagarlos. aún más amplia en un momento en que la fuerza laboral mundial pagándoles sal- después de 30 minutos. Y las personas que prestan servicios no muchos sectores de la clase trabajado- arios extremadamente bajos. El gobierno federal está tratando de pueden evaporarse. Sin embargo, pueden ra multinacional están en movimiento, intervenir antes de que el paro crezca y perder su puesto de trabajo. especialmente las/os trabajadores con ¡CWA, IBEW dicen no a la transferencia se amplíe la solidaridad. Sin embargo, la ¿Cómo pudo pasar esto? Pasa si una salarios bajos y oprimidas/os como las/ de empleos! mediación después de la huelga del 2011 crisis financiera conduce a la parálisis de os que son parte de la campaña “Lucha Verizon planea cerrar y consolidar los dio lugar a un contrato insatisfactorio la economía. Sucedió en 2008-2009 y po- por $15”, en los centros laborales, las/os centros de llamadas, obligando a las/os para muchas/os trabajadores. Verizon dría ocurrir de nuevo. Y si pasara, estos trabajadoras de restaurantes de comida trabajadores a viajar largas distancias quiere esa intervención nuevamente, pero bancos y un montón de otras entidades rápida y de las megatiendas. diariamente o perder el trabajo. Violan- los sindicatos la han repudiado, diciendo capitalistas “demasiado grandes para Hay mucho en juego para las/os tra- do una parte importante del contrato, la que la mediación “es una distracción del caer” le pedirían al gobierno estadoun- bajadores. Al centro está la seguridad empresa quiere trasladar a las/os traba- problema real: la avaricia corporativa de idense que los rescatara – otra vez. laboral: preservar buenos trabajos sindi- jadores a una distancia de hasta 80 mil- Verizon. Los equipos de negociación de Eso es por lo que los políticos en Wash- calizados con salarios dignos y benefi- las lejos de sus lugares actuales cada dos CWA y IBEW están preparados, capaces ington y los financieros de Wall Street es- cios decentes, logrados por las/os traba- meses, sin previo aviso o derecho a re- y dispuestos a negociar. ¿Dónde está Ver- tán preocupados en este momento. Tomó jadores organizados a través de luchas chazar, sin tener en cuenta la antigüedad izon”? (CWA, 12 de abril) millones de millones de dólares la última reñidas. En la última década, Verizon ha o los lazos familiares. vez para que la economía capitalista tra- reducido su fuerza laboral en un 40 por La meta de Verizon es establecer una Labor de las/os trabajadores: fuente de bajase de nuevo - y no ha funcionado muy ciento. Las/os trabajadores contratados fuerza laboral de técnicos móviles que se riqueza de Verizon bien, con excepción de los multimillonar- después del año 2003 no tienen seguri- puedan enviar en cualquier momento, a En su afán por aún mayores ganancias, ios quienes sí se han beneficiado. Pero cualquier lugar, para construir redes de Verizon está exprimiendo la misma mano para los demás, ni aquí, ni en el resto del FiOS y luego pasar al siguiente lugar de de obra cuyo trabajo ha creado la riqueza mundo capitalista. El desempleo sigue pero que probablemente gire hacia Cruz, trabajo. Esta es una cuestión clave para de la corporación y ha permitido a sus siendo alto, especialmente entre las per- quiere aumentar la represión frente al las/os trabajadores; sus sindicatos re- cinco altos ejecutivos recibir una “com- sonas oprimidas y jóvenes. Los salarios inminente desastre. El movimiento más pudian fuertemente las transferencias pensación” de $233 millones durante los siguen siendo bajos. liberal, e incluso la izquierda, está mi- de empleo. Además, la dispersión de últimos cinco años. La mano de obra de Como hemos escrito antes, el capitalismo rando hacia Sanders para que enfrente las/os trabajadores disminuye su fuerza las/os trabajadores ha creado, producido en esta era globalizada de alta tecnología, a Wall Street, al menos para regular los ­colectiva. y actualizado toda la tecnología de Ver- se encuentra en un callejón sin salida. Para grandes bancos. Algo como el movimien- Las/os trabajadores de Verizon están izon. que funcione, necesita expandirse. Para to de Sanders no había sucedido en este molestos de que la empresa se ha es- La crisis económica capitalista con- expandirse, necesita clientes. Pero la pro- país desde hace mucho, mucho tiempo, y tancado en su promesa de construir la tinúa. La amarga competencia por ga- ducción, que está cada vez más robotizada muestra la gravedad de la crisis existente. red FiOS, mientras descartan a las/os nancias entre las empresas en el país y en y de alta tecnología no necesita de muchos Si llega una crisis financiera, ¿que va trabajadores que la instalan. La corpo- el exterior se está intensificando. En este trabajadoras/es. De hecho, para las/os tra- a pasar? ¿Algún presidente estadoun- ración ha violado acuerdos con franqui- feroz escenario mundial, el esquema de bajadores esta ha sido una época de de- idense, conservador o liberal, podría re- cias de instaladores de cables para in- los patronos es hacer todo lo posible para spidos y salarios bajos, no la transición de sistir la presión para evitar que se arru- stalar la red FiOS por toda la ciudad de reducir los costos de la mano de obra. la clase obrera a “clase media”. Entonces, inaran los grandes bancos, lo requeriría Nueva York y Filadelfia. Esto ha dejado La clase dominante está en una guerra ¿quién va a comprarlo todo? El capitalismo infusiones de billones de dólares produc- a millones de personas sin acceso, espe- contra los sindicatos, con el objetivo de se enfrenta a un callejón sin salida, sin nin- to del duro trabajo del pueblo? cialmente en las comunidades de bajos tener mano de obra no sindicalizada, con guna escapatoria. La regulación de los bancos no es su- ingresos, afroamericanas e inmigrantes. salarios bajos y sin beneficios médicos o Todos los tipos de medios artificia- ficiente. Es un pequeño vendaje en una Ha desatendido las instalaciones de FiOS de jubilación subvencionados por la com- les se han tratado para darle vida a la herida profunda. Lo que realmente se en varios estados, mientras obstruye las pañía. Esta “carrera hacia el fondo” es economía. Principalmente, esto ha sig- necesita es un gobierno dirigido por el reparaciones de la antigua red de cobre, una amenaza para toda la clase trabaja- nificado amasar enormes cantidades de pueblo que se apodere de los bancos y dejando a muchas/os clientes con un ser- dora. deuda con la esperanza de que esto le las corporaciones y utilice la riqueza que vicio pobre. Las/os huelguistas de Verizon están dará el sistema la sacudida necesaria. En le han robado a las/os trabajadores para La CWA dice que la empresa se niega luchando por sus puestos de trabajo - y su lugar, se ha convertido en una horca reconstruir nuestras ciudades, la infrae- a negociar un primer contrato justo con al final, por los derechos de todas/os los alrededor de sus cuellos. Cuanto más structura y el medio ambiente que ha mejores salarios y beneficios para las/ trabajadores para que tengan buenos em- grande es la deuda, más dura es la caída. sido tan destruido por el sistema de ga- os trabajadores del comercio minoris- pleos con salarios dignos, beneficios y un Los defectos evidentes del capitalis- nancias. Para eso es necesario mirar más ta de Verizon Wireless - a pesar de que sindicato. Es hora de que todos los sindi- mo están alimentando dos movimientos allá de las elecciones y construir un mov- formaron un sindicato en 2014. Estas/os catos y otras organizaciones progresistas políticos en los EUA. La extrema dere- imiento revolucionario contra el capital- empleados traen grandes ganancias, dice se unan a sus líneas de piquete y mues- cha, que está detrás de Trump por ahora, ismo y por el socialismo. Verizon - pero están entre las/os traba- tren solidaridad.