MUNDO OBRERO Chrysler: El gran robo 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! May 21, 2009 Vol. 51, No. 20 50¢ Pro-union bill under attack Fight to save Employee Free Choice Act!

By Fred Goldstein Where there is no union, the bosses are join one if they had a chance. EFCA could all-powerful. For the unorganized work- provide a legal basis for broadening the FREE The economic crisis continued to batter ers, from Wal-Mart to Starbucks to Home struggle for union representation on a the working class in April with an official Depot, their only defense in this crisis of wide scale. U.S. POLITICAL job loss of 611,000. This brings the total mass unemployment is to have a union. PRISONERS! number of jobs lost since December 2007 The bosses know this. That is why they Potential for union organizing • Mumia Abu-Jamal 3 to 5.7 million. are waging an all-out campaign to de- Shortening the legal road to union rec- Unemployment is at 8.9 percent and is stroy the central provision of EFCA—the ognition and weakening the employer- • Angola Three 2 expected to continue climbing with no end card check system—which allows work- dominated NLRB election process could • Troy Davis 3 in sight. Total unemployment, however— ers to form a union when a majority sign encourage militant activists inside and which includes another 8.9 million work- union cards. outside the labor movement to organize • Rev. Edward Pinkney 4 ers forced into part-time work and those Right now the boss can demand a in areas that had been thought unwin- who have given up looking for a job— rose National Labor Relations Board super- nable. to 15.8 percent, or more than 25 million. vised election before allowing a union in. The passage of EFCA could even open ALL OUT FOR More than a quarter of the unemployed The election process is dominated by the up challenges to the right-to-work laws of have been out of work for more than six employers. Companies engage in spying, 22 states in the South and Southwest. It PEOPLE’S SUMMIT months, the highest rate since 1948 when intimidation, forced anti-union meet- could form the legal basis for challenges Four days of resistance ings on company time, illegal firings, and when the bargaining rights of workers in the government first started keeping track. in Detroit 5 The U.S. government does not publish threats to close down while the union is the public sector are outlawed. statistics on how many union jobs have completely restricted. And if the workers Federal legislation encouraging and been lost in this crisis, but at a minimum manage to get organized into a union, the removing legal obstacles to the forma- N ew sTORM hits it is many hundreds of thousands. The toll companies drag out the bargaining pro- tion of unions could be used as a basis to this is taking on all the unions—from man- cess so that the chance of getting a con- challenge all state laws that contravene KATRINA SURVIVORS ufacturing to services, from steel workers tract signed is minimal. federal legislative intent with respect to Stop May 30 FEMA to hotel workers—makes the effort to pass EFCA was designed to limit the bosses’ union organizing. evictions 2 the Employee Free Choice Act now pend- advantage and give the workers and the The capitalist class knows this and is ing in Congress all the more urgent. unions a greater chance. The bill is a vital going all out to stop this bill in its tracks. piece of legislation that has the potential Despite all the hundreds of millions of U.S. lies & Workers need EFCA to assist the entire working class. The bill dollars given to the Obama campaign and The bosses are using the crisis to lower alone is no substitute for the class strug- the Democratic Party by the AFL-CIO AFGHANISTAN Editorial 10 wages, shorten hours, reduce or take away gle, but its passage could serve to stimu- and Change to Win, the pressure of the benefits and worsen working conditions. late that struggle from down below on bosses has endangered passage of the es- Workers everywhere are made to swallow many new fronts, and this is what has the sential features of EFCA. PAKISTANis PROTEST concessions out of fear of losing their jobs bosses running scared. This danger must be met by mass and having to compete against masses of Studies show that 50 million workers mobilization of labor and the commu- Denounce Pentagon role, other jobless workers. in the U.S. who don’t have a union would Continued on page 7 Pres. Zardari for crimes 10

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Name Phone WW photos: Cheryl LaBash Email May Day in Cuba: ‘Long live socialism!’ Address City/State/Zip Above, hundreds of thousands of Cuban workers and youth march in Havana May 1st. May Day marches Workers World 55 W. 17 St., 5 Fl., NY, NY 10011 212-627-2994 took place in every province, including Santiago, where 200,000 marched. See page 9. Page 2 May 21, 2009 www.workers.org Gov’t attacks Katrina survivors’ housing By David Hoskins mentally ill and patients dependent on oxygen tanks are H In the U.S. among those threatened with eviction. Pro-union bill under attack ...... 1 In the midst of a national housing crisis, the Federal FEMA spokesperson Clark Stevens has callously dis- Gov’t attacks Katrina survivors’ housing...... 2 Emergency Management Agency has announced the regarded such concerns by insisting that the government The Angola Three ...... 2 eviction of all Hurricane Katrina survivors from the gov- trailers were only ever intended as a temporary arrange- ernment trailers they have been living in since they were ment. Stevens’ remarks ignore the economic facts on the Harlem street meeting says, ‘Free Mumia’...... 3 left homeless following the 2005 disaster. FEMA officials ground. Fifty-three percent of Mississippi FEMA trailer Mumia Abu-Jamal on ’A Party of one’...... 3 plan to repossess and sell for scrap metal the 4,600 trail- residents make less than $20,000 a year, according to Stop the execution of Troy Davis...... 3 ers remaining in Mississippi and Louisiana by May 30. research by the Governor’s Office. Rev . Pinkney case...... 4 FEMA’s actions amount to an attack on the same over- According to the Los Angeles Times, a Louisiana state Campaign to dismiss racist fire captain...... 4 whelmingly Black Katrina survivors whom the agency program ostensibly designed to build small, permanent Boston community says ‘no to resegregation’...... 4 failed to protect from the natural disaster. Racism and Katrina cottages with millions of dollars in federal aid People’s Summit vs . National Business Summit...... 5 the ineptitude of the capitalist state have helped cre- has failed to produce a single unit. The New Orleans On the picketline ...... 5 ate the most flawed emergency housing program in the Times-Picayune reported that another $869 million Chrysler workers: ‘We are not shark bait’...... 6 agency’s history. federally funded program to fix more than 18,000 dam- ‘Operation Panty’ makes delivery...... 6 The program has provided inadequate housing for aged rental units has produced fewer than 1,200 repaired UAW workers rally to keep plant open ...... 6 overwhelming numbers of survivors. According to test- apartments ready for new tenants. Teach-in demands EFCA passage...... 7 ing by the Sierra Club, as many as 120,000 displaced The little rebuilding money that has been disbursed Gulf Coast families were initially placed in trailers with to trailer residents was insufficient to cover the cost of Chicago Hartmarx workers vote to sit in...... 7 formaldehyde levels more than three times the accepted repairs for homes for two-thirds of Louisiana survivors, Prisoner praises ‘Low-Wage Capitalism’...... 7 level. FEMA discontinued use of these toxic trailers only according to the nonprofit PolicyLink. GI resistance roundup...... 8 after a grassroots struggle generated mass public and FEMA’s actions come during a severe capitalist eco- U S. . Army recruits 13-year-olds...... 8 congressional pressure. nomic crisis that has resulted in record home foreclo- Bravo, Maestro Zimerman! ...... 8 Incompetence only explains a portion of the heartache sures. doled out to those left homeless in Katrina’s wake. Fed- The National Coalition for the Homeless reported in H Around the world eral law is designed to force disaster survivors into des- December 2008 that 12 major cities experienced an in- Cuba on May Day...... 9 titution by prohibiting FEMA from providing emergency crease in homelessness as a result of foreclosures, with A look at the Ecuador and Panama elections...... 9 housing for longer than 18 months. renters of foreclosed properties being the victims most Survivors have been able to remain in their trailers as vulnerable to homelessness. Pakistanis denounce Zardari, Pentagon...... 10 long as they have only because widespread discontent Affordable housing is already scarce in the Gulf Coast. May Day in South Africa ...... 11 forced officials to extend the deadline. If FEMA has its The FEMA evictions threaten to exacerbate the local hous- Irish autoworkers settle sit-down...... 11 way this time, the number of homeless will swell alarm- ing crisis, as Katrina survivors are made to compete in the ingly in the region. search to secure affordable housing with renters forced H Editorials Housing advocates have criticized the eviction of so out of foreclosed properties. Many survivors have already Afghanistan and Guernica...... 10 many poor, elderly and ill occupants from the small, purchased tents in anticipation of the day they are forced substandard trailers. Double amputees, diabetics, the by FEMA from the tiny trailers they call home. n H Noticias En Español Chrysler: El gran robo...... 12

The Angola Three: Workers World 55 West 17 Street New York, N.Y. 10011 torture in our own backyard Phone: (212) 627-2994 Fax: (212) 675-7869 The following excerpt was written by Hans Bennett, bare, exposing the shortcomings, in the entire U.S. sys- E-mail: [email protected] an independent multimedia journalist (www.insubor- tem.” Woodfox and Wallace are the two co-founders of Web: www.workers.org dination.blogspot.com) and co-founder of Journalists the Angola chapter of the Black Panther Party—the only Vol. 51, No. 20 • May 21, 2009 for Mumia Abu-Jamal (www.abu-jamal-news.com). official prison chapter of the BPP. Both convicted in the Closing date: May 12, 2009 The article can be read in its entirety at alternet.org. highly contested stabbing death of white prison guard Brent Miller, Woodfox and Wallace have now spent over Editor: Deirdre Griswold “My soul cries from all that I witnessed and endured. 36 years in solitary confinement. Technical Editor: Lal Roohk It does more than cry, it mourns continuously,” said The joint federal civil rights lawsuit of King, Woodfox, Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, Black Panther Robert Hillary King, following his release and Wallace, alleging that their time in solitary confine- Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson from the infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary at An- ment is “cruel and unusual punishment,” will go to trial West Coast Editor: John Parker gola in 2001, after serving his last 29 years in continuous any month in Baton Rouge at the U.S. Middle District solitary confinement. King argues that slavery persists in Court. Herman Wallace’s appeal against his murder con- Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, Angola and other U.S. prisons, citing the 13th Amend- viction is currently pending in the Louisiana Supreme Greg Butterfield, Jaimeson Champion, G. Dunkel, ment to the U.S. Constitution, which legalizes slavery in Court, and on March 18, he was transferred to the Hunt Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, prisons as “a punishment for crime whereof the party Correctional Facility in St. Gabrielo, Louisiana, where he Kris Hamel, David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, shall have been duly convicted.” King says: “You can be remains in solitary confinement. On March 2, the U.S. Cheryl LaBash, Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, legally incarcerated but morally innocent.” Fifth Circuit Court heard oral arguments regarding Al- Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac Robert King, Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace bert Woodfox’s conviction, after the Louisiana Attorney Technical Staff: Sue Davis, Shelley Ettinger, are known as the “Angola Three,” a trio of political pris- General appealed a lower court’s ruling that overturned Bob McCubbin, Maggie Vascassenno oners whose supporters include Amnesty International, the conviction. Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Congressman John Cony- An 18,000-acre former slave plantation in rural Loui- Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez, ers and the ACLU. Kgalema Mothlante, the President of siana, Angola is the largest prison in the U.S. Today, Carlos Vargas South Africa, says their case “has the potential of laying Continued on page 8 Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator Copyright © 2009 Workers World. 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[email protected] [email protected] www.workers.org May 21, 2009 page 3

By Mumia Abu-Jamal on death row . Harlem street meeting says,. ‘A party By Monica Moorehead Harlem, N.Y. ‘Free Mumia’ of one’ The struggle to free death-row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal is heating up From an in New York City. On May 8, an emergen- April 30 audio cy, militant street meeting took place in column at www. front of Harlem’s Adam Clayton Powell prisonradio.org. Jr. State Office Building to demand that Go to www. elected officials call upon U.S. Attor- millions4mumia ney General Eric Holder and the Justice to read updates Department to conduct a civil rights in- on Mumia’s case. Larry Hales, Pam vestigation into constitutional rights vio- Africa and Rev. Luis hat great observer of American lations against Mumia. Congressperson Barrios, below, who demo­cracy, Alexis de Tocqueville, Charles Rangel, who represents the Har- spoke about Mumia’s T lem community, has come out in support new book “Jailhouse noted that U.S. political parties were of the call for the investigation. Lawyers: Prisoners like nations at war with one another. Mumia, a former Black Panther and an Defending Prisoners While that’s certainly true when it award-winning journalist, was arrested in vs. the U.S.A.” comes to the average rank-and-file party December 1981 for the shooting death of Speakers included City members, who work, sweat, bite and a white police officer, Daniel Faulkner, in Councilperson Charles fight against political opponents for Philadelphia. Mumia has maintained his Barron; Rev. Luis Barrios, ascendancy, the same cannot be said of innocence for almost 27 years following a who was recently released those at the highest levels. sham of a trial in which he was convicted. from a New York prison That is but one lesson to emerge from He is facing the possibility of lethal injec- following his arrest at a the abrupt party-shift of U.S. Sen. Arlen tion or life in prison without parole. The protest of the repressive Specter, who, up until quite recently U.S. Supreme Court recently refused to Western Hemisphere In- was the senior Republican senator from review one of Mumia’s legal petitions that stitute for Security Coop- Pennsylvania and among the institution’s exposed the racist exclusion of Black ju- eration in Georgia; Espe- longest-serving. rors during the original trial. ranza Martell, long-time Facing an increasingly difficult primary Orrie Lumumba, a MOVE supporter, fighter for the freedom election in the fall, Specter ditched the chaired the street meeting called by the of Puerto Rican political party on which he has run and won for New York Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Co- prisoners; Nellie Bailey, almost 30 years, and cast his lot with the alition. Speaker after speaker linked the Harlem Tenants Council; ww Photos: lal Roohk opposing majority Democratic Party. campaign to free Mumia with broader Laura Whitehorn and Lawrence Hayes, rica, International Concerned Family and Political pundits and talking heads political and economic issues, such as the former political prisoners; Larry Hales, Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. went almost apoplectic in their over­ prison industrial complex, gentrification, Fight Imperialism, Stand Together and The street meeting attracted many heated responses and predictions. police brutality, foreclosures, health care, the International Action Center; Omowale Harlem residents. Copies of Mumia’s “Earth-shattering!” said one. “An earth- racism, Palestine and Somalia. A number Clay, December 12th Movement; Suzanne new book, “Jailhouse Lawyers,” were sold quake!” said another. In moments, they of talks raised the case of Troy Davis, an- Ross and Sundiata Sadiq, N.Y. Free Mu- during the talks. Visit www.iacenter.org counted his votes on Democratic bills other Black man being threatened with mia Coalition; Nada Khader, Westches- to sign the petition in support of the civil and proposals that had yet to be written. execution in Georgia. ter Peace Action Coalition; and Pam Af- rights investigation. n The truth was quite simple: he wanted to win re-election, and he couldn’t do it in the GOP. Global day of action It’s often been said that the Senate is a millionaire’s club; but it’s more. It’s one of the most exclusive clubs on earth. It’s only 100 men and women, who are es- Stop the execution of Troy Davis sentially princes and princesses of power. On May 19, from Alaska to West Virginia hours of being executed when in the midst people to flood the governor’s office and In each U.S. state only two people can and from Argentina to Uganda, high school of grassroots mobilization, state and fed- the Pardons and Parole Board with let- sit in the Senate, and once in, it’s quite and college students, faith-based groups eral authorities have intervened. ters, e-mails, faxes and phone calls. difficult to lose an election. Because and progressive community organizations On April 16, the 11th Circuit Court of For information on the locations of ac- Specter had an irritating independence are organizing vigils, rallies and petition Appeals ruled 2-1 against Davis’ appeal, tions in support of Troy Davis on May streak, his upcoming Republican primary drives as well as the vital means of commu- essentially denying possible innocence 19, go to www.gfadp.org. This site also would have been among those seen as nication to bring worldwide pressure on as a sufficient reason to overturn the trial has downloadable flyers, the addresses of unsure. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and the Par- verdict. Georgia officials, the text of an online letter Richard J. Needham, columnist for the dons and Parole Board to stop the execu- While Davis’ lawyers mount an appeal and background information on the case. Canadian Globe and Mail, said, “Power tion of Troy Anthony Davis. to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has pre- —Dianne Mathiowetz is a drug on which the politicians are Davis was convicted as a teenager of the viously failed to hear his case, organiza- hooked.” 1991 killing of an off-duty Savannah police- tions such as Georgians Power—that’s it. Specter, who has man, solely on the basis of inconsistent eye- for an Alternative to the spent his adult life as a prince, didn’t witness testimony, and sentenced to death. Death Penalty, Amnes- feel like giving up that incredible Despite recantations by seven of the nine ty International and the power. And his switch virtually insures trial witnesses and the exculpatory state- NAACP are calling on that he won’t have to. ments of additional witnesses pointing to By switching parties he gives the another man as the shooter, U.S. courts Democrats one vote closer to a bul- have refused to allow Davis a hearing letproof majority—the 60 votes with to present the new evidence. Many of which they can virtually run the table the witnesses cite police intimidation (assuming former comedian Al Fran- and threats as the reason for their false ken can hold his lead over the GOP’s statements at the highly-charged trial. Norman Coleman). Without those tainted testimonies By so doing, Specter virtually in- and lacking any physical evidence at all sures that his former party-mates will linking Davis to the murder, the pros- be powerless, as without 41 votes, they ecution’s case would have consisted of can’t stage a filibuster—or effectively two witnesses—the man now alleged block any legislation. to have committed the killing and a He therefore becomes the most member of the U.S. military who on powerful member of that body, for his the night of the incident told police he vote becomes crucial. was unable to identify the shooter. Yet The great wit, Alexander Pope, said, An international two years later in court, he pointed to Troy “Party-spirit ... which at best is but the mobilization is under- Davis. madness of many for the gain of the way to fight the racist Davis has always maintained his inno- few.” death penalty and save Arlen Specter is a Party unto himself. cence. Troy Davis, an inno- Hundreds of thousands of people in the cence man.” Look for Mumia’s book, “Jailhouse Law- U.S. and around the world are outraged local yers,” and the movie, “In Prison by the obvious injustices of this case. Da- actions or call My Whole Life,” available at vis has twice come within days and even your own. www.Leftbooks.com. Page 4 May 21, 2009 www.workers.org Rev. Pinkney case Activists seek to overturn racist conviction By Abayomi Azikiwe campaign in his defense drew worldwide prisoned for speaking his conscience.” Editor, Pan-African News Wire attention to the pastor’s plight as a po- Also, the Thomas Jefferson Center for litical prisoner. Even though Pinkney was the Protection of Free Expression argued On June 9 the Michigan Court of Ap- released on appeal on Dec. 24, 2008, his in its brief: “In finding that Rev. Pinkney’s peals will hear defense arguments in the conditions of probation are draconian. newspaper editorial violated his condi- case of Rev. Edward Pinkney, leader of Pinkney’s bond hearing was held in tions of probation, the lower court pun- the Benton Harbor Black Autonomy Net- the same Berrien County court system ished speech at the core of First Amend- work of Community Organizers (BAN- that imposed the railroad. Under his ap- ment protection: public criticism of the CO). Pinkney was convicted by an all- peal bond he is denied the right to preach, judiciary.” white Berrien County jury in March 2007 grant interviews, write articles, address In the upcoming appeals hearing in on trumped-up charges related to false crowds or engage in politics. Grand Rapids, Rev. Pinkney will be repre- allegations of voter fraud. sented by attorneys Michael J. Steinberg The American Civil Liberties Union of Support builds of the ACLU as well as James J. Walsh Michigan has taken Pinkney’s case, and for appeals hearing and Rebecca O’Reilly of the corporate law was successful in winning his release on In March three friend-of-the-court firm Bodman LLP. bond in December 2008 pending the out- briefs were filed in support of overturning come of the appeal. Pinkney was convict- the conviction of Rev. Pinkney. A broad- Berrien County & U.S. apartheid ww Photo: Abayomi AziKIwe ed of four felony counts and one misde- based group of religious organizations, Berrien County in southwest Michigan Rev. Pinkney meanor after winning a successful recall law professors and free speech advocates is a stark representative of racism and na- campaign against a City Commissioner. submitted the legal documents. tional oppression. Benton Harbor, which interest in the development of Harbor As a result of the recall, the courts in “We are thrilled with the overwhelming is over 90 percent African American, is Shores. This huge development project is Berrien County overturned the election support from the religious community, one of the most underdeveloped cities what motivated my husband to seek the results citing irregularities. The first trial constitutional scholars and free speech in the state. In neighboring St. Joseph, a recall of the corrupt Benton Harbor city against Pinkney ended in a hung jury in organizations,” said Michael J. Steinberg, nearly all-white city, the standard of liv- commissioner Glen Yarbrough,” Dorothy 2006. The charges were reinstated, lead- the ACLU of Michigan legal director. ing is much higher and it is the seat of the Pinkney wrote. (BANCO website, April ing to Pinkney’s conviction and subse- “The groups persuasively argue for the county where the court is located. 2009) quent house arrest. He was initially sen- fundamental American principle that a Over the last several years a so-called She continues: “The trial court finan- tenced to one year in jail and four years preacher cannot be thrown in prison for development project, Harbor Shores, has cial interest in the Harbor Shores project probation by Berrien County Judge Alfred his religious speech even if some find it of- unveiled plans to take control of large was not known to my husband until af- Butzbaugh. fensive.” (aclumich.org, March 18) sections of Benton Harbor to construct ter the trial. The Harbor Shores project Pinkney was placed on a tether and The religious freedom brief encom- a golf course and residential enclave for which has been primarily pressed by Cor- not allowed to step outside his home. His passes the views of numerous faith-based the wealthy. These plans, along with an nerstone Alliance on behalf of Whirlpool phone calls were monitored, and he was organizations including the National As- astronomical foreclosure and unemploy- Corporation began in 1998 when the com- prohibited from engaging in community sociation of Evangelicals, the American ment rates, are forcing many residents of munity economic development corpora- or church activities in Berrien County. Jewish Congress, the Christian Legal So- Benton Harbor to leave the area. tion was formed by John Dewane of the After Pinkney published an article in ciety, the Baptist Joint Committee for Re- According to an article published by law firm Butzbaugh and Ryan.” the Chicago-based People’s Tribune news- ligious Liberty, the General Assembly of Dorothy Pinkney, spouse of the perse- The Michigan Emergency Committee paper criticizing Butzbaugh’s actions in the Presbyterian Church and the National cuted minister, presiding trial judge Butz- Against War and Injustice, the Michi- his case and citing scripture from Deuter- Baptist Convention, among others. baugh has interests in the Harbor Shores gan Welfare Rights Organization and the onomy 28:14-22, the pastor was hauled Another brief was submitted by 18 development project. The Whirlpool Cor- Michigan Coalition for Human Rights are into another Berrien County courtroom law professors from various universities poration, which is highly influential in the mobilizing people to attend the appeals in December 2007. He was charged with including Wayne State University Law region, is the major promoter of the Har- hearing for Rev. Pinkney on June 9. The threatening the life of the trial judge and School, University of Detroit Law School bor Shores scheme. hearing will take place in Grand Rapids sentenced to 3 to 10 years in state prison. and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. “My husband was denied due process at the Court of Appeals Building at 350 Over the next year Pinkney was trans- The brief states that “In this country, un- and the right under state law to an im- Ottawa Street beginning at 9 a.m. For in- ferred to more than six correctional facili- der this Constitution, and on this Court’s partial decision maker because the trial formation on transportation, please call ties throughout the state. A nationwide watch, [Rev. Pinkney] must not be im- judge, Alfred Butzbaugh, had a financial MECAWI at 313-680-5508. n After noose-hanging incident Campaign to dismiss racist fire captain In Houston in April a Black firefighter tor of the S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, told the me- saw a noose in the locker room at Fire dia. “We demand that the white captain be removed Station No. 41, where he worked, and re- from his job.” ported it to his supervisor. A white cap- Activist and attorney Sister Sadiyah Evangelista ex- tain had hung it at his locker. plained to the press that Mr. Bennet, the Black firefight- Despite pleas to the mayor for an inves- er who found the noose at Station No. 41 and reported tigation, nothing has been done to the fire it, has been disciplined. “Yet the white fire captain who captain except being given a letter of rep- made the noose received a slap on the wrist and is still rimand. But the Black firefighter who -re working. We will be taking legal action on this.” ported this racist act was disciplined and Shelby Stewart, a Black police officer who has a pend- also given a letter of reprimand. Activ- ing civil rights lawsuit against the Houston Police De- ists held a May 7 press conference at the partment, and several members of the S.H.A.P.E. Coun- S.H.A.P.E. Community Center in Hous- cil of Elders also spoke at the press conference. At May 7 press conference, Shelby Stewart holds up a noose similar to the one found at Fire Station #41. ton’s Black community to show solidarity —Report and photo by Gloria Rubac with the Black firefighter. Retired African-American fire­ fighter Alvin James said that be- Boston community says cause of the undercurrents of racism in the Houston Fire Depart­ment, Black men and women are afraid to ‘ no to rESEGREGATion’ speak out about racism. “I have gone Councilor Chuck Turner, with beard, spoke to City Hall and the mayor has said at the Coalition for Equal Quality Education’s he would investigate this, but noth- press conference at English High School in Bos- ing has been done,” said James. ton on May 11 to build for a larger community Activist Deric Muhammad, a summit on May 14 to say no to the Mayor’s five- leader of the Houston Millions More zone school district plan to resegregate schools Movement, told local media on May in Boston. Parents, teachers and students all 7 that a noose is a clear symbol of spoke out at the press conference against the racism, an insult to every Black per- plan. Kervin Voyard of the Powerful Students son, and must not be tolerated by of CASH (Community Academy of Science and those working for the city and for Health), who walked out of school 60 strong to the public. protest unequal treatment for Haitian students “The City of Houston should have at the School Department headquarters, also a zero-tolerance policy for racism,” spoke. Deloyd Parker, the executive direc- –Report and photo by Liz Green www.workers.org May 21, 2009 page 5 On the picketline Detroit June 14-17 By Sue Davis People’s Summit vs. Workers to AT&T: No concessions! Negotiations between the Communications Workers National Business Summit union, representing about 110,000 workers in locals all By Kris Hamel turing, Inc., is also a slated speaker. banks and corporations that have over the country, and AT&T, which flaunts its $12.9 bil- Detroit Dauch recently announced that the caused the very economic crisis fac- lion profits in 2008, are deadlocked. Not only is AT&T AAM plant in Hamtramck, Mich., ing working-class people today. demanding that the workers pay three times more for Organizers of the People’s Sum- the site of a bitter strike by union Many issues will be taken up their health care coverage—they already pay $1,100 to mit, including a tent city, in down- workers in 2008, will be closed and during the four-day event, which $1,500 a year—but it’s refusing to bargain about health town Detroit June 14-17 report mo- operations moved to Mexico. About is seen as an all-inclusive demon- care for retirees. It claims that if it continues to pay for mentum is building for the event. 3,000 AAM workers already had stration linking the many struggles that, it will end up bankrupt like Chrysler. But the workers It’s billed as “four days of active their jobs eliminated last year. challenging the war on poor and aren’t falling for AT&T’s sob story. Not when they know resistance” to counter the National Because of lower-than-expected working people. The People’s Sum- CEO Randall Stephenson received a 22 percent salary Business Summit held June 15-17 at registrations—at $1,495 a pop!— mit will put forward a program for increase last year, while shareholders banked $9.5 billion. the GM Renaissance Center. the business summit was moved jobs, universal health care, a mora- Ever since their contract expired April 4, the workers have On May 5 the Detroit City Council from Ford Field and the registra- torium on foreclosures and evic- been asserting their right to a decent contract with rallies, approved the People’s Summit ap- tion fee slashed to “only” $695. It tions, and full rights for oppressed workplace activities and a work-to-rule campaign. For plication for a permit allowing the seems the conveners of the event, nationalities, immigrants, people instance, Local 9503 in Southern California took swift ac- four-day demonstration based in sponsored by the Detroit Economic with disabilities, women and the tion in mid-April when two stewards were written up for Grand Circus Park on Woodward Club, realized late in the game that lesbian/gay/bi and trans commu- refusing overtime. A one-day grievance strike got those Ave. Organizers spoke at several the capitalist economic crisis was nities, along with other demands. charges dismissed. And on April 24 hundreds of CWA meetings urging council members to even affecting some rich folks. The Endorsers of the People’s Sum- members, joined by Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, shut override the police and other city de- reduced registration fee, however, mit include the national anti-war down traffic in Los Angeles with an energetic rally. (Labor partments that had recommended is still too exorbitant for poor peo- group Code Pink, U.S. Rep. John Notes, April 29) In late March the membership voted denying the permit. Councilwoman ple and workers, including laid-off Conyers Jr., the Toledo Foreclo- overwhelmingly to strike. Will they have to? Stay tuned. JoAnn Watson was instrumental in and unemployed workers, to have a sure Defense League, the national obtaining a unanimous vote grant- “voice.” Bail Out the People Movement, La- NYC transit workers protest ing a permit for the tent city. tinos Unidos de Michigan, Michi- pending layoffs ‘Bail out the people!’ gan Welfare Rights Organization, ‘Big business doesn’t Literature for the People’s Sum- Auto Worker Caravan, United Even though the Metropolitan Transportation Author- speak for us!’ mit declares: “How dare these big- Auto Workers Local 909 Execu- ity is being bailed out by a deal that includes a 10 percent The National Business Summit business honchos come to Detroit tive Board, the Moratorium NOW! fare hike, the MTA wants to cut station agent and bus Web site shows an array of 99 per- to plot how to enrich themselves Coalition to Stop Fore­closures and operator jobs, institute a hiring freeze and limit raises cent white and mostly male speak- further while we struggle against Evictions, and many other groups to help balance its gaping $1.2 billion deficit. But not ers at their event, which will be co- home foreclosures and evictions, and individuals. without a fight from Transit Workers Union Local 100. chaired by Ford Motor Company homelessness, mass layoffs and People’s Summit organizers are On April 23 more than 800 TWU workers rallied outside executive head Bill Ford and Dow plant closings, utility cutoffs, school doing intensive outreach and leaf- MTA headquarters in Manhattan to defend their jobs and Chemical chief executive Andrew shutdowns, budget cuts, record- leting. Already the event has re- demand they not take the fall for MTA’s mismanagement. Liveris. They call it a national gath- high unemployment, racism and ceived media attention from the “The troops of Local 100 have emerged from the barracks. ering “to define America’s future” every other kind of outrage!” Orga- Detroit News, Crain’s Detroit Busi- The fight is on,” said TWU President Roger Toussaint dur- and exhort other corporate giants nizers say their event will allow the ness, Michigan Citizen, Detroiter, ing the rally. He vowed to fight for a contract that provides to “Make your voice heard–stand true voice of the people to be heard. Metro Times and other outlets. Ac- parity with other city workers. (The Chief-Leader, May 1) up for your country, your company, The People’s Summit will include tivists from Cleveland and Toledo, and your future!” (nationalsummit. a tent city, marches, demonstra- Ohio, Chicago, Atlanta, New York Will grocery workers strike org) tions, rallies, cultural programs, City and Raleigh-Durham, N.C., are in Colorado? Former Michigan Governor John meals and town hall meetings to planning to attend. Contracts covering 17,000 workers at King Soopers, Engler, who is hated by workers and discuss a “People’s Stimulus Plan Donations of food, supplies and Safeway and Albertsons in Southern Colorado expired the poor throughout the state for his and Economic Bill of Rights” so funds for the People’s Summit are May 9. On May 10 King Soopers workers rejected its latest legacy of racism, welfare gutting, that poor and working people can being solicited. Checks or money contract offer, which included cuts in pension benefits cutbacks and attacks on unions, will define their own vision of a future orders payable to the Moratorium and a wage freeze for most workers. The workers, repre- be among over 40 speakers at the free of social and economic injus- NOW! Coalition/People’s Summit sented by Food and Commercial Workers Union Localö big-business event. Engler is now tice and inequality. can be sent to 5920 Second Ave., 7, voted May 8 and 9 on whether to authorize a strike (no the president and CEO of the Na- “Bail out the people!” has become Detroit, MI 48202. Call 313-887- results at press time). Safeway meat warehouse workers tional Association of Manufacturers. a rallying cry for the People’s Sum- 4344 or visit www.peoplessummit. have already authorized one. During the week of May 4 Richard Dauch, the chairman and mit, which will protest the multi- org for more information or to en- the union filed a complaint with the National Labor Rela- CEO of American Axle & Manufac- trillion-dollar give-away to the big dorse, get leaflets and volunteer. n tions Board alleging the three chains are violating labor law by not disclosing certain terms of their collaboration agreement on bargaining. “Union leaders are particularly interested in whether the chains have agreed to lock out May 31 In conjunction with the U.N. all employees if union members at just one chain vote to strike,” noted a May 10 article posted on KKTV.com. Summit on the World “The union also claims King Soopers’ offer of $10.25 an People’s Economic Crisis. hour for potential temporary workers violates federal law because the wage exceeds pay for many union workers. ... Economic The union says grocery chains are pushing for concessions despite profits, as people eat out less and buy food to cook Summit at home.” Go Local 7! NYC Scholars, academics support EFCA The Employee Free Choice Act is getting strong support from more than 1,000 of the country’s top scholars of eco- nomics, business, history, law and the social sciences, re- ported the AFL-CIO Now blog on May 7. Not only did they send a letter to Congress saying quick passage of EFCA is critical to workers and the economy, these professors are also speaking out in public teach-ins, symposia, rallies and letters to elected officials and the media. Authored by historian David Brody, the letter notes: “[W]e understand the importance of a strong, independent and democratic labor movement as a counterweight against excessive corporate power and a bulwark of social inclusion and political participation.” But no matter how prestigious the professors, will such appeals to democracy alone stop the ruling class led by Wal-Mart and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which oppose the EFCA? No way! Only a Starting Time–11:00 a.m. The People’s Summit Tent in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, militant, united fightback led by determined workers all 47th St. & 1st Ave. See BailOutPeople.Org or call 212-633-6646. over the country will stop them. n Page 6 May 21, 2009 www.workers.org Chrysler workers: ‘We are not shark bait’

Following are excerpts from a talk and-a-half after an eight-hour day. Now, to as little as 26 weeks. You lose that if cy. The workers were double-crossed! given at New York City’s Workers World just in time for May Day, we lost the eight- you turn down an offer of work anywhere The workers voted with no knowledge Party meeting on May 8 by Martha hour day. in the country. In 2007 the improvement of any additional plant closings. It was Grevatt, a 21-year Chrysler worker. Go One issue that fueled militant actions, factor was sacrificed and substituted with only in court that Chrysler’s attorneys re- to www.workers.org to hear the entire from the sit-downs in the 30s to the wild- lump sum bonuses—a pay cut. Now the vealed that four plants, including my plant talk. cats led by Black workers in the 70s, was bonuses are “suspended” along with the in Twinsburg, Ohio, were to be closed by Our late founder and chairperson Sam the speedup. When the company wanted Cost of Living Allowance, also won over the end of next year. The day before the Marcy was fond of a saying, “Socialism is more production, the boss made the line five decades ago. mayor of Twinsburg and other elected of- as socialism does.” It could also be said go faster. With high tech, the number of Reading the press, you would think we ficials were led to believe that the plant that capitalism is as capitalism does. workers needed on a line could be de- were getting a great deal because “we” would not be closed. We were tricked into Capitalism is a system of exploitation creased as much as tenfold, but the line now own 55 percent of the company! No, voting for this contract. Now the language of workers for profit. An example of what is much slower. Now we have a de facto we don’t. A union-administered fund for which bars plants from closing is being it does is going on in the U.S. Bankruptcy speedup in the form of shorter break time retiree health care, set up to help the com- trashed. Last year upper management Court. What capitalism is doing to 27,000 and loss of one paid holiday. What will it pany, was forced to take half the compa- was given huge bonuses because “it was in Chrysler workers, along with 82,000 re- save the company in wages? About $40 ny contribution in admittedly worthless their contract.” tirees, has ramifications for our whole million, which Chrysler will easily burn stock. Retirees are getting robbed! Why are these plants being sold? To class. In fact, a spokesperson for Moody’s through in court fees to lawyers and “re- Only a few thousand votes kept the generate enough capital to settle Chrysler’s Investor Services stated, “The Chrysler structuring specialists.” But the company 2007 contract from being rejected. The obligation to JP Morgan Chase, Morgan bankruptcy is historic and may become potentially gets 1.2 million additional most controversial aspect was the two- Stanley, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, either a template or a warning sign for fu- hours of labor—or over 40,000 vehicles. tier wage. Now wages for new hires are along with a few dozen hedge funds. Five ture bankruptcies, such as that of General We barely have time to get a cup of coffee. frozen at $14 an hour until the end of the thousand workers are losing their jobs so Motors.” Up until the 50s, the 30-hour week was next contract that will run from 2011 to these finance capital sharks can get theirs. I’ll explain the week’s events and place raised at UAW conventions, but by then 2015! Autoworkers are people, not shark bait! them in historic context. On April 29 the left-wing had been pushed out. The When the union and management One thing speculators never speculate on, UAW [United Auto Workers] workers at anti-communist UAW president, Walter negotiate that contract, any unresolved and that’s the class struggle. The protest Chrysler voted to make a number of con- Reuther, actually opposed 30 hours’ work issues will go directly to binding arbitra- rallies have already begun over these plant cessionary changes to a four-year contract at 40 hours’ pay as a danger to national tion, and the arbitrator will be obligated closings. that runs to 2011. None of what we just security. The UAW pushed for a “Guar- to reduce our wage and benefit package We need you in Detroit June 14 to 17 for gave up can be understood purely from a anteed Annual Wage”—the origin of the so that it’s equal to the non-union auto the People’s Summit. All the bankers, the dollars-and-cents standpoint. Supplemental Unemployment Benefits, plants. We don’t even get a vote! And we auto bosses, all the big capitalists are com- In 1937 after a 44-day sit-down General which are added to state unemployment are barred from striking until 2015! ing to the town they ruined. So are we, and Motors recognized the UAW. Of eight de- benefits. Around this time the UAW won The workers voted four-to-one for these so should you. n mands, one, to this day, has not been re- the “improvement factor”—an annual measures because the alternative pre- alized: “Six-hour day and 30-hour week; wage increase that reflected continued sented to them was that Chrysler would time and one-half for work above these.” improvements in productivity. be forced into bankruptcy. One day later, Fight to save What the UAW did get in 1938 was time- Now SUB benefits have been cut back what did Chrysler do? Declare bankrupt- Alabama detention center Employee Free Choice Act! Continued from page 1 nity to let the capitalist political establish- ‘Operation Panty’ makes delivery ment in Washington know that, without EFCA, there will be no peace. Lobbying the Democrats, waiting for them to pay back to immigrant women the labor movement for its support dur- ing the elections, is a dangerous strategy. By Dianne Mathiowetz precautions advised by the Center for Dis- dreds of pairs of cotton underwear today.” The Democrats are still a party loyal to big Gadsden, Ala. ease Control. The briefs had handwritten notes at- business, no matter how much money they Nevertheless, immigrant rights activ- tached, expressing Mother's Day greet- get from the labor movement. On May 9, three members of the Geor- ists were not deterred from bringing per- ings for the reunification of immigrant gia Detention Watch made a second soli- sonal hygiene items as a gesture of sup- families. Georgia Detention Watch made Bosses in all-out offensive darity trip to the Etowah Detention Cen- port and expression of opposition to the its first solidarity visit for International against EFCA ter in Gadsden, Ala., to deliver hundreds indignities and injustice of the detainees’ Women’s Day this past March. Three days after getting $25 billion in of pairs of cotton underwear to women incarceration. Gruner continued, “Although we are federal bailout money, Bank of America immigrant detainees. “Operation Panty” initiator, America very disappointed not to be able to per- on Oct. 17 organized a conference call Originally planned as a Mothers’ Day Gruner, said, “We were shocked to learn sonally honor the mothers held at Etowah, against EFCA. Among those on the call delegation with access to the unit of the that the women held at Etowah were wear- so cruelly separated from their children, was the former CEO of Home Depot, jail where around 150 women are held for ing orange-mesh men’s boxers that are not we will hopefully be able to reschedule an- Bernie Marcus. unspecified periods of time pending de- only uncomfortable, but totally unsuitable other visit soon.” For more information, Marcus called the bill “the demise of a portation, the musical program, extended to preserving their sanitary needs during go to www.gadetentionwatch.org civilization” and said, “If a retailer has not visiting time and communal dinner were their monthly periods. Through donations The writer was a member of the three- gotten involved with this … if he has not all canceled because of H1N1 (swine flu) of many people, we were able to bring hun- person delegation. sent money to Norm Coleman [a Minne- sota Republican who lost a close senatorial election—FG] and those other guys,” then those retailers “should be shot; should be UAW workers rally thrown out of their goddamn jobs.” Those on the call were encouraged to make “large contributions” to sink the bill. Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott, one of the to keep plant open leaders in the anti-EFCA campaign, told an analysts’ meeting on Oct. 28: “We like driving the car and we’re not going to give Over 400 members of UAW Local 122 came together May the steering wheel to anybody but us.” (All 11 to try to stop the closing of Chrysler’s Twinsburg Stamp- quotes above from Wall Street Journal, ing Plant in Twinsburg, Ohio. From the union’s Web site, Nov. 19) members were urged to “pack the hall” for a meeting on On March 11, in a conference call orga- the plant’s future that featured Twinsburg Mayor Katherine nized by Citigroup, which has received $75 Procop and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown. Angry ques- billion in bailout funds, Glenn Spencer, tions focused on the fact that the closing of Twinsburg and a senior executive at the U.S. Chamber of three other plants was a violation of the union contract, Com­merce, called for stirring up opposition highlighting the double standard of upholding contracts to the EFCA. (Huffington Post, March 12) involving executive salaries while allowing companies to flagrantly violate contracts with hourly workers. Workers Leading Democrats water it down held signs that read “An Injury to One is an Injury to All,” This pressure has come down on the and “No Human Being is a Bad Asset,” a reference to the Democratic Party. Right now the 60 votes 5,000 workers who will lose their jobs if Chrysler sells their needed in the Senate to keep the Republi- plants as “bad assets.” The meeting ended with workers cans from stopping the bill are not there. chanting, “The people have spoken! Keep the plant open!” The Democrats are caught between the —Report and photo by Martha Grevatt labor movement and big business. As a www.workers.org May 21, 2009 page 7 Teach-in demands EFCA passage, bailout for workers

Audience responds ver 200 people attended a May 9 teach- to talk by labor Oin and mass action organizing meeting leader, Clarence in San Francisco to “Bail Out Work­ing Peo- Thomas, above left, ple, Not the Banks!” The event was initiated about fighting at- and supported by the San Francisco Labor tacks on labor and Council, the South Bay Labor Council, the the community at Alameda County Central Labor Council and the May 9 teach-in. the Workers Emergency Recovery Cam- paign. The organizing committee was com- wW photos: Judy Greenspan prised of progressive trade unionists and Alan Benjamin, a member of the S.F. La- Clarence Thomas, a leader of the Inter­­ several port shutdowns led by the ILWU labor council delegates. bor Council Executive Committee, WERC na­tional Longshore and Warehouse Union, and noted that civil disobedience will Chaired by Conny Ford, vice-president of and a member of the organizing commit- Local 10, talked about his recent trip to have to be part of our struggle. the San Francisco Labor Council, the teach- tee, stated very clearly today’s theme: “Our Cuba. “In Cuba, people have free health Following the teach-in, several ideas in began with several greetings from Bay unions’ only role is to defend the jobs of our care from the cradle to the grave and un- for local actions were discussed during Area organized-labor leaders. Tim Paulson, members. We say, not one layoff.” dergraduate and graduate education does an open mike period. The proposal to S.F. Labor Council executive director, called Benjamin went on to talk about the not cost young people a dime.” Thomas support the People’s Summit in Detroit upon everyone to get involved in the fight to growing national labor and community contrasted this picture with what is hap- by holding a local action on June 13 to pass the Employee Fair Choice Act. “EFCA fightback against the layoffs, foreclosures pening today to poor and working people demand, “Bail Out the People, Not the is not only the most importance piece of leg- and giveaways to the banks. “We are go- in this country. Banks!” and others will be taken up at a islation for working men and women since ing to propose supporting a series of ac- Thomas challenged the audience to follow-up organizing meeting. the 30s, it also lets workers pick how they tions in Detroit [organized by the Mora- work to pass the EFCA. He alluded to the —Report & photos by Judy Greenspan want to join these unions, not the corpora- torium Now! Coalition and others] with tions,” stated Paulson. a local demonstration on June 13 around Fight to save the demand, ‘Bail Out the People, Not the Banks!’” Benjamin told the crowd. Prisoner praises Community leaders from POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Employee Free Choice Act! Rights) and Coleman Advocates for Chil- ‘Low-Wage Capitalism’ party whose leadership relies on the labor dren and Youth, challenged the crowd Mosi O. Paki is a prisoner in Lebanon Dear Brother Fred, movement but is fundamentally tied to the of union activists and officials to actively Correctional Institution in Youngstown, capitalist class, it is wavering in the direc- support and embrace grassroots commu- Early in December I received your au- Ohio. He has been there in solitary confine- tion of a rotten compromise that would gut nity efforts against foreclosures and evic- tographed copy of “Low-Wage Capital- ment since 1996. Paki was a prisoner at the the bill. tions, gentrification of poor communities, ism.” I wanted to personally thank you Lucasville, Ohio, prison during an uprising Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, the sponsor Immigration and Customs Enforcement for this very informative book that is there in 1993 and did not participate in the of EFCA, has said the card check may have raids and attacks on quality education for a must-read for conscious and uncon- uprising. Nevertheless, he was framed up by to go. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California young people of color. scious people in the U.S. It is like your prison authorities for the murder of a prison is offering a mail-in ballot to the NLRB Steven Williams, executive director of articles in Workers World newspaper. guard. He was accused by two prisoners as a substitute. At least five Democratic POWER, condemned the gentrification It hits home the truth about the ills of who were threatened with the death penalty. senators have said they won’t vote for by the banks and developers in Black and capitalism and its branch of imperial- Both prisoners have subsequently recanted the bill with card-check in it. And Sen. Brown communities of the Bay Area. “Hou­ ism, these recession years and this un- their testimony in writing. Paki was never Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who just sing should be a human right for all, not a declared depression we are entering. tried in a court of law but simply convicted switched to the Democrats, is exerting his commodity,” Williams told the crowd. Those I’ve shared your book with can’t by the prison authorities at a prison hearing. right-wing pressure. N’tanya Lee, executive director of Cole- stop talking about their awakening. He considers himself a political prisoner of In this connection it is worth recalling a man Advocates, described the impact of Hopefully they will get their own cop- war (PPOW). He is fighting for his freedom statement made in frustration recently by gentrification and “racial tracking” on ies to share with others as well. Thanks and more information about his case will be Sen. Dick Durban of Illinois. A bill he had Black and Brown children in the Bay area. again, Brother Fred. Lee called upon labor to stand together published in these pages soon. introduced to permit judges to modify ho- In Solidarity in the Struggle, Paki’s letter is addressed to Fred Gold- meowners’ mortgages was defeated in the with communities of color to “fight these stein, author of “Low-Wage Capitalism.” Mosi O. Paki Senate after 12 Democrats voted against injustices.” it. “Frankly, the banks control the place,” blurted out Durban. The right to collective bargaining was Chicago Hartmarx workers vote to sit in won in the first place through the class struggle of the 1930s. It is dangerous to By J. Hill Political and labor leaders are standing tice that the sit-in form of resistance may think that legislation strongly favorable up for Hartmarx workers, who are mem- well become a popular form of workers’ to the union movement and the working On May 11, some 500 workers at the bers of Workers United, an affiliate of the response to the threat of more job losses class can be secured without struggle. Chicago-based apparel firm Hart Schaff- Service Employees union, and denounc- and company closures. The unions have organized small dem- ner Marx, or Hartmarx, held a rally and ing Wells Fargo. Illinois State Treasurer Workers are learning to take action, onstrations around the country support- historic “sit-in” vote to fight for their jobs. Alexi Giannoulias has vowed, “Unless the organize community support and fight ing EFCA. Thousands of signatures on pe- Many held signs reading, “Bail Out Peo- company remains open, [Wells Fargo] back. They are taking inspiration from the titions have been sent to Congress. Tens ple, Not Banks.” Wells Fargo, a Troubled will not be doing business with the state workers’ December sit-in at the Republic of thousands of phone calls have been Assets Relief Fund recipient, has pushed of Illinois any longer.” Windows and Doors factory in Chicago. made. All that is helpful. But it is fear of for a bankruptcy shuttering of the facility. Tom Balanoff, president of the SEIU Workers there seized the plant when Bank the workers and their organized strength “Wells Fargo has received $25 billion Illinois State Council, announced May of America withdrew credit, forcing boss- that can be decisive in securing an EFCA in taxpayer assistance through TARP. 12 that a hot line is being established to es to close the plant. This violated federal that contains the card check, negotiating In other words, the workers Wells Fargo centralize information about banks and laws requiring that workers receive 60- requirements and sanctions on employers may throw out on the street have been companies that have received TARP mon- days pre-notification and compensation. who violate the law. subsidizing its operations during these ey and threaten to liquidate or close fac- “Voting to sit in, these workers are The reservoir of resources that was tough economic times. So much for re- tories. He said hundreds more factories standing up for all of us,” stated Noel drawn on to get the Democrats elected turning the favor,” said U.S. Rep. Phil nationwide are threatening to close. Beasley, director of the Chicago/Midwest should be turned instead into a mobilizing Hare, who worked for 13 years as a cutter The hot line, which will allow workers Regional Joint Board and executive vice- fund to force the politicians to pass EFCA in the men’s clothing industry. (Workers to report information, is expected to be president of Workers United, the union in its original form. This is the time to de- United press release, May 11) available starting May 14. This will allow representing the Hartmarx workers, in a clare: No card check, no peace! The Hartmarx workers voted in favor organizers to be dispatched to intervene union press release. “The vote [May 11] Fred Goldstein is the author of “Low- of a sit-in style action, which means the with direct action at banks and plants says Hartmarx workers are going to hold Wage Capitalism: Colossus with Feet of workers will physically remain at their job around the country. banks accountable for how they spend Clay” which can be ordered at Leftbooks. site if Wells Fargo or a buyer tries to begin With the Hartmarx workers’ struggle, taxpayers’ money and how they contrib- com. liquidation or close the factory. the banks and bosses are being put on no- ute to the future of our economy.” n Page 8 May 21, 2009 www.workers.org GI resistance roundup Army GI refuses to serve people marched—some recently demobi- Cornell turned himself in at Fort Stew- ters will be collected by Cornell’s lawyer lized veterans still in uniform–accompa- art Feb. 17 after being denied refugee Branum and submitted to the military in Afghanistan nied by a nine-person marching band. status in Canada. He left Fort Stewart through the official appeals process. “There is no way I will deploy to Fort Lewis, the largest Army base on four years ago when his artillery unit was Address letters to COMMANDER, Fort Afghanistan. The occupation is immoral the West Coast, is slated to deploy three ordered to Iraq. He said Army trainers Stewart and fax to Branum at 866-757- and unjust. It does not make the Ameri- infantry brigades to Iraq and Afghanistan told him he must 8785. (Please do not can people any safer. It has the oppo- over the next four months. Seth Manzel, shoot any Iraqi send letters directly to site effect,” said Army Specialist Victor a Stryker Brigade veteran and director of who came near the Commander but fax Agosto, who has already served one tour the website GIVoice.org, said in a web- his vehicle, and them directly to Branum.)

he didn’t want to ist Paterson also said: in Iraq in almost four years in the Army. cast on the site, “We are standing with es R

He spoke on May 7 with Alice Embree of soldiers’ families … to rally against the do it. to “Pre­sident Obama should e “The Rag Blog,” publication of the Austin systematic mistreatment of soldiers … Cornell’s civilian g bring all the troops home Movement for a Democratic Society. which maintains Stop-Loss as a backdoor attorney James now. And he should grant Agosto was slated for release at the draft.” Branum told UPI: amnesty to Cliff Cornell end of June. But the Army “stop-lossed” About 58,300 GIs were stop-lossed “The Army is photo: Coura and hundreds of GIs who him and ordered him to Afghanistan. between 2002 and 2007, according to the engaging in overkill Anti-war Lt. Ehren Watada and his refused to take part in Agosto spoke at Under the Hood, May 9, 2008, Los Angeles Times. Some in order to make parents. an occupation that has a gathering spot for GIs, families and 13,000 personnel are currently stop- an example of my client. Cliff is being killed untold tens of thousands of men, friends in Killeen, Texas. “The supportive lossed. (New York Times, March 13) punished for what he believes. ... Because women and children.” ‘family’ I have found at Under the Hood Ex-Marine Andrew VanDenBergh he spoke out against the Iraq war, Cliff’s helped me muster up the courage to added in a May 8 GI Voice article that sentence is harsher than the punishment Case dropped against resist,” he said. “many [GIs] are denied access to the given to 94 percent of deserters who mental and physical health care they are not penalized but administratively Lt. Ehren Watada! Iraq vets rally against desperately need, and some are sent back discharged.” (April 29) Supporters of Lt. Ehren Watada suc- into combat completely untreated.” Still, Jeff Paterson of Courage To Re- cessfully pressed the U.S. Solicitor Gen- stop-loss at Ft. Lewis sist said in an April 29 article posted on eral to drop the Army’s appeals against Iraq Veterans led a rally outside Fort Cliff Cornell sentenced to its website that Cornell could have faced Watada, the first Army officer to refuse Lewis on May 9 to oppose the stop-loss five years and a dishonorable discharge to participate in the Iraq War, Courage to policy of forcing GIs into multiple combat 12 months for desertion were it not for significant support from Resist reports. tours. The protest occupied the Freedom A U.S. Army court martial on April 28 individuals across the country. This Watada’s attorney, James Lobsenz, Bridge on Highway 5 near Fort Lewis. Mi- at Ft. Stewart, Ga., convicted 28-year-old support made experienced civilian legal told AP that Watada expects to be re- chael William, director of Coffee Strong, Specialist Clifford Cornell of desertion representation possible. leased soon from active duty and “plans a center dedicated to helping GIs, told and sentenced him to 12 months in a Paterson is calling for letters to the to return to civilian life and to attend law Workers World that five-to-six-dozen military jail, reduction in pay-grade to Fort Stewart Commander requesting that school.” (May 6) private, and a “bad conduct” discharge. Cornell’s sentence be reduced. These let- –Dee Knight U.S. Army recruits Bravo, Maestro Zimerman!

13-year-olds By Milos Raickovich hands off of my country.” (Los Angeles Times, April 27) Zimerman was referring By Kermit Leibensperger ping poor and working class youth into One of the most celebrated pianists of to the U.S. attempt to place anti-missile Philadelphia the despicable task of killing the youth of our time recently carried out an unex- rockets in Poland, an unpopular move in the Middle East for the profit of oil com- pected and courageous act of political ac- Poland. Seven demonstrators were arrested panies. tivism. Before performing the final piece When a few people in the audience May 2 at the “Army Experience Center” at Philadelphia locals told Workers World of his recital at Disney Hall in Los Ange- walked out, some shouting obscenities, the Franklin Mills Mall in north Philadel- that the huge Franklin Mills facility is the les on April 26, the Polish pianist Krys- Zimerman replied, “Yes, some people, phia in the struggle against the latest U.S. Army’s prototype. Another such installa- tian Zimerman addressed the audience, when they hear the word military, start crime against humanity: the recruiting of tion has been built in Ohio, and lots more saying that he could no longer play in a marching.” A majority of the audience 13-year-olds. This Army recruitment cen- like them are planned. The united aim country whose military wants to control cheered Zimer­man, who then finished his ter was effectively shut down for over an of the several dozen youth, veteran, reli- the whole world. program, playing Szymanowski’s “Varia- hour until police made the arrests. Prior gious, community, educational and left Zimerman also mentioned Guantá- tions on a Polish Folk Theme.” to this, well over 200 people held a spir- organizations that participated today is to namo Bay and expressed outrage against According to the critic Mark Swed, the ited march through the streets of the ad- shut all of them down! Organizers vowed U.S. military and political domination final piece was played with “astonishing jacent working-class neighborhood and to mount larger demonstrations. n over Poland with the words: “Get your ferocity that brought nothing but tumul- then blocked the entrance of the Army’s tuous cheers.” new $12-million-plus video game recruit- This kind of activism is exceptional in ing center. the somewhat isolated world of classical The protesters handed a criminal com- The Angola Three music. Unlike a number of artists of pop- plaint to the Army’s commanding officer ular-music genres who use the stage to at the mall and to mall management. Continued from page 2 the prison’s many other injustices. Life express their progressive political views The Franklin Mills Mall is owned by the with African Americans composing over at Angola was living hell—a 20th century and are willing to suffer financial and Simon Property Group, Inc., the biggest 75 percent of Angola’s 5,108 prison- slave plantation. other consequences, most of the classi- retail outlet owner on the entire planet. ers, prison guards known as “free men,” The Angola Panthers saw life at Angola cal performers and composers in the U.S. The Pentagon is in flagrant violation of a forced 40-hour workweek, and four as modern-day slavery and fought back shy away from taking a stand on anything the treaty to prevent the military recruit- cents an hour as minimum wage, the re- with non-violent hunger strikes and work that could damage their individual ca- ment of children, the Optional Protocol semblance to antebellum U.S. slavery is strikes. Prison authorities were outraged reers. on the Involvement of Children in Armed striking. In the early 1970s, it was even by the BPP’s organizing, and overwhelm- Zimerman, however, is not alone. Conflict, which the U.S. Senate ratified in worse, as prisoners were forced to work ing evidence has since emerged that There is a tradition of Polish pianists and 2002 along with 124 other nations. 96-hour weeks (16 hours a day, 6 days authorities retaliated by framing these composers who brought politics to the The U.S. propaganda machine casti- a week) with two cents an hour as mini- three BPP organizers for murders that concert stage. The line includes our con- gates popular liberation struggles—like mum wage. Officially considered (ac- they did not commit. temporary, the Polish-American compos- those in Palestine—for allegedly us- cording to its own website) the “Bloodiest Three court cases are now pending: er and pianist Frederic Rzewski (compos- ing children as fighters. And these are Prison in the South” at this time, violence the federal civil rights lawsuit at the U.S. er of such works as “36 Variations on ‘El struggles where the oppressor army tar- from guards and between prisoners was Middle District Court, Albert Woodfox’s pueblo unido jamás será vencido’—‘The gets civilians, including children. Here, endemic. Prison authorities sanctioned appeal at the U.S. Fifth Circuit, and Wal- people united, will never be defeated’”), where the Pentagon is actively recruiting prisoner rape, and according to former lace’s appeal at the State Supreme Court. as well as Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and children for future use as cannon fodder, Prison Warden Murray Henderson, the At this critical stage, a new DVD has just Fryderyk Chopin, whose works, like his there has been no significant protest in prison guards actually helped facilitate been released by PM Press, titled “The “Revolutionary Etude,” were 19th centu- the corporate media. a brutal system of sexual slavery where Angola 3: Black Panthers and the Last ry pieces of protest over foreign empires’ The government has insidiously plant- the younger and physically weaker pris- Slave Plantation.” The DVD is narrated domination of Poland. ed high-tech weapon simulators next oners were bought and sold into submis- by death-row journalist Mumia Abu-Ja- Zimerman’s act is also significant as a to the mall’s skating rink, music store sion. As part of the notorious “inmate mal, and features footage of King’s 2001 reflection of popular sentiment in today’s and other mall businesses frequented by trusty guard” system, responsible for kill- release, as well as an interview with King Poland, and it speaks of the potential for youth. These real weapons system simu- ing 40 prisoners and seriously maiming and a variety of former Panthers and oth- resistance to the U.S. and NATO domina- lators have movie theater-sized screens 350 from 1972-75, some prisoners were er supporters of the Angola 3. tion in this former socialist country. that can’t be missed through twenty-foot- given state-issued weapons and ordered For more information, please visit Raickovich is a Belgrade, Yugoslavia- high plate glass windows, luring and trap- to enforce this sexual slavery, as well as www.angola3.org. n born, world-renowned composer. www.workers.org May 21, 2009 page 9

‘All for the Revolution!’ International delegations stand with Cuba on May Day

By Cheryl LaBash in developing workers’ power. Havana, Cuba And it was the workers and youth who marched in Havana First-time visitors from the U.S. were with the theme of unity, combat- unsure what the day would hold as they iveness, productivity and effi- watched dawn break in Revolution Square ciency. They carried representa- on May Day morning. tions of their workplaces such as The international delegations—more a huge cigar from the La Corona than 2,000 in all from 70 countries, in- factory, a taxi, housing construc- cluding union leaders and revolutionar- tion brigades with tools, and pic- ies, often both in the same person, and tures of rebuilding the 500,000 representing 200 union and solidarity or- dwellings destroyed by the three ganizations—streamed off buses and into hurricanes suffered in 2008. the reviewing area at the foot of the José Gigantic Cuban and Venezu- Martí statue. elan flags, supported by hun- They chatted, chanted and taped their dreds of youth, undulated like banners to the walls displaying the inter- ocean waves. Multiple massive national demand to free the five Cuban delegations from the UJC Com- heroes imprisoned in the U.S. as they munist Youth Union [Unión de waited for the program and march to be- Jóvenes Comunistas] marched gin. It was a global echo of the message with the message: “The youth President Barack Obama received at the will not fail. All for the revolu- recent Summit of the Americas: End the tion!” Gymnasts and profession- blockade! Cuba is not alone, and U.S. im- al dancers, fresh and energetic, perialism is not invincible! entered the square. Handmade WW photo: Cheryl LaBash “Why are there so few people in the signs demanded freedom for the Cuban Cubans carry banner on May Day that says “Workers--we decide and direct our so- Plaza?” one queried—before the Cuban Five, saluted and supported Cuban lead- cialism”. workers marched in, wave after wave, for ers Fidel and Raul, and saluted socialism. hours. “Will Cuban President Raul Castro Delores Lemon-Thomas, visiting from enced in the U.S. was expressed on May for almost half a century, with the obses- speak?” A cheer greeted Castro when he Richmond, Calif., recalled marching Day by CTC leader Salvador Valdés Mesa, sive and failed object of destroying the appeared, but it was the Confederation of around the White House protesting the who spoke of the global economic crisis Revolution. Cuban Workers [Central de Trabajadores U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and supported the Cuban government’s “The unity and resistance in the face de Cuba—CTC] General-Secretary Sal- and seeing heavily armed troops bur- efforts “to protect the people from the ef- of any obstacle, which Fidel has formed vador Valdés Mesa who addressed the dened with body armor along with roof- fects of the crisis. within us, are pillars on which the Cuban International Workers’ Day event in Ha- top snipers, as well as police phalanxes “Even more so, at a time when human- Revolution is triumphantly erected and vana, as is customary on May Day. controlling San Francisco protests. She ity is immersed in a global economic cri- have become the central and constant This May Day was the 50th since the noted she was only a few hundred feet sis making the political, economic and so- battle flags. We will continue supporting 1959 revolution broke free of the colonial away from the Cuban president and that, cial situation more complex globally, this with determination the measures that our past and charted a path of development with hundreds of thousands marching in impacts on the people, and workers face government adopts to reduce the effects to meet peoples’ needs instead of profit the street, only unarmed youth gently en- bleak prospects from which no country of the crisis on the population.” and exploitation. It also marked the 70th couraged the marchers not to stop to take can escape. And that is the profound difference anniversary of the founding of the CTC, pictures at the José Martí monument. “In our case, this is compounded by the between a social system based on capital- which has been instrumental, side-by- Another example of the contrast be- effects of the ironclad economic blockade ism, with its profits for banks and corpo- side with the Communist Party of Cuba, tween life witnessed in Cuba and experi- that the U.S. government has maintained rations, and socialism. n A look at the Ecuador & Panama presidential elections

By Berta Joubert-Ceci government is established. Is winning the actively helps organize the right-wing op- then lead to a real people’s power. What highest office in itself the ultimate goal? position to the current governments. Correa has in common with Venezuelan Ecuador, with a population of more Will a victory simply mean managing the President Hugo Chávez is the involvement than 14 million, re-elected President Ra- capitalist state? Or will it further involve Ecuador elections bring a wel- of the peoples. Correa writes, “It is not the fael Correa on April 26 and Panama, with the population and deepen the struggle come relief for the masses task of one man or a government, but of all 3 million, elected as president business- for socialism, which in the end is the only In Ecuador, where the Correa govern- the people.” (www.rafaelcorrea.com) person Ricardo Martinelli on May 3. Both way to attain real peace with social and ment expelled the first secretary and an Some 64 percent of Ecuador’s voters these Latin American countries have “dol- economic justice? attaché of the U.S. Embassy for interfer- approved the new constitution in a Sep- larized” economies, that is, they use the A second consideration, the new presi- ing with Ecuadorian internal affairs, Cor- tember 2008 referendum. The document U.S. dollar as their official currency. The dent’s relationship with the United States, rea was re-elected in a historic electoral begins by stating that it has been created aspiration of both peoples, as well as those can help answer these questions. The victory. Before Correa took office in Janu- by “the heirs of the struggle for social lib- all over the world, is to have a better life. White House and the Pentagon don’t see ary 2007, corruption and disregard for the eration against every form of domination Will these elections help attain that goal? every Latin American country in the same people had been the standards of Ecua- and colonialism.” The aim of this new con- light. Colombia, the closest U.S. ally and dor’s government, which had seven presi- stitution is to attain the “sumak kawsay,” Latin America’s progressive turn Venezuela, Washington’s “headache,” are dents in the 10 years from 1996 to 2006. Quechua words meaning “a good life.” The recent broad ascension into gov- the prime examples of these differences to Mass struggle opened the door for The constitution establishes a new ernment of leftist or more progressive keep in mind. President Correa to the highest office. He economic concept of “social economy” forces is a new political development in The degree of Washington’s interfer- has made transparency and self-determi- that substitutes for “market economy” Latin America’s political history. Despite ence, whether through the CIA, its associ- nation a key component of his adminis- to achieve a more equal distribution of contradictions and diverse political ide- ated organizations or the U.S. embassies tration. In what is called the Revolución wealth. It guarantees universal access to ologies that vary from mere reformist in the various countries, can show U.S. Ciudadana (Citizen’s Revolution), the education, health care, jobs, housing and and social democratic to pro-socialist and hostility or friendliness to the current current process has made many changes other services. It prohibits the establish- revolutionary, these changes are a leap governments. Make no mistake, however. on behalf of the poorest of its population, ment of foreign military bases, therefore away from the pro-imperialist dictator- Washington will try to eliminate any pro- particularly the Indigenous. ending the U.S. contract to use its air base ships that devastated the region in the gressive government that U.S. officials When Correa first took office, he prom- in Manta. past. This has awoken hope among all the believe will undermine U.S. control and ised a new constitutional assembly to The constitution also establishes that peoples in the region, particularly those interests in any country in the region. create a new path for the country. Consti- no migrant is illegal and there is no death most excluded and exploited who want no Compare the U.S.’s relatively warmer re- tutions alone are not a revolutionary solu- penalty. No discrimination is allowed return to that past. lations toward Argentina, Brazil, Chile and tion, but they can be the basis for popular on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender or One important consideration about Panama, with its blatant hostility to Boliv- organizing and developing the necessary sexual orientation, among other consider- this development is the way that the new ia, Cuba, Ecuador and Venezuela, where it changes that raise consciousness that can Continued on page 10 Page 10 May 21, 2009 www.workers.org Pakistanis denounce Zardari & Pentagon offensive Afghanistan & Guernica By Deirdre Griswold opposed to the U.S. occupation of neigh- New York boring Afghanistan. To the people living THE LIE: “We have some other infor- in the border areas, however, the ter- THE FACTS: The U.S. Air Force mation that leads us to distinctly different Inside the Roosevelt Hotel in busy rorists are those who send Predator and bombed and strafed villages with heavy conclusions about the cause of the civilian midtown Manhattan on May 10, Paki- Raptor drones to launch Hellfire mis- machine guns in the Farah province of casualties,” said the senior U.S. commander stani President Asif Ali Zardari was try- siles into their homes and villages. For Afghanistan on the evening and night in Afghanistan, Gen. David D. McKiernan, ing to reassure some 300 members of over a year, these pilotless planes sent of May 4. Col. Greg Julian, a spokes- who was just fired by President Obama. the expatriate community that his just- by the Pentagon have rained down death person for the U.S. military in Kabul, U.S. Defense Department officials who completed visit to Washington was not a and suffering on villagers in northwest admitted it. wouldn’t allow their names to be reported capitulation to U.S. pressure. Pakistan. The generals and the Western The governor of the province, Rohul said investigators were looking into reports But outside, a vigorous demonstration media then claim another victory against Amin, told the Afghan parliament that the Afghan civilians were killed by gre- denounced the bloody government of- “terrorism.” that as many as 130 civilians had been nades hurled by Taliban militants, and that fensive in the Swat Valley that has caused The anguish this has caused was ap- killed, according to Mohammad Naim the militants then drove the bodies around more than half a million Pakistanis to parent on the faces of the diverse group Farahi, a member of parliament. He the village claiming the dead were victims of flee their homes. In speeches and chants, of Pakistanis. They came from various reported that survivors buried 113 bod- an American airstrike. delivered in Pashtun and other Paki- ethnic groups and expressed differ- ies, including many women and chil- “We cannot confirm the report that the stani languages as well as in English, the ent political and religious views, but all dren. Later, more bodies were pulled Taliban executed these people. … We don’t crowd of Pakistanis and their U.S. sup- called for an end to foreign interference from the rubble and some victims who know if it’s true, and we also don’t know how porters assailed the brutal bombings by in their country and a cessation of the had been taken to the hospital died. many civilians were killed as a result of this the Pakistan Air Force, pointing out that military offensive. “The governor said that the villagers operation,” said Capt. John Kirby, spokes- every bomb and bullet was supplied by A sizeable solidarity delegation from have brought two tractor trailers full person for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the the Pentagon. the International Action Center and of pieces of human bodies to his office Pentagon. When the meeting in the hotel ended, Workers World Party came in support to prove the casualties that had oc- a group of more formally dressed Paki- of the demonstration. Speakers empha- curred,” Farahi said. “Everyone at the THE BIG LIE: The town of Guernica, stanis emerged who had been inside. sized that U.S. imperialism has been governor’s office was crying, watching a historic symbol of the Basque nation, They were furious at Zardari for “beg- behind a long string of military dictator- that shocking scene.” was attacked by Nazi German and fascist ging” for U.S. money and for walking out ships in Pakistan that have left the coun- Ghusuldin Agha, who lives in Granai Italian bombers on April 26, 1937, during of the meeting before they could address try divided between a highly privileged village in the Bala Baluk district, said the Spanish Civil War, killing up to 1,600 him with their questions and comments. few versus an impoverished population. the bombing started at 5 p.m. and civilians. The German Nazis supported A dozen joined the demonstration and They also addressed passersby on the lasted until late into the night. “People the Spanish fascists, led by Gen. Francisco denounced the Pakistani president to the street, pointing out how the billions of were rushing to go to their relatives’ Franco. World-famous artist Pablo Picasso crowd and the media cameras. dollars spent to make Pakistan an ally of houses, where they believed they depicted the massacre in his painting “Guer- In Washington on May 7, Zardari had the Pentagon contribute to the growing would be safe, but they were hit on the nica,” which has kept the fascist atrocity in pledged at a joint news conference with impoverishment of the people here at way.” Body parts were strewn over the people’s memory. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. home. ground. Germany’s Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler was Sens. John Kerry and Richard Lugar that The demonstration was called by the Local farmer Muhammad Jan said: well known for using the “Big Lie,” a brutal Pakistan would continue the offensive Pakistan-U.S. Freedom Forum, which “Women and children had sought shel- fascist repression of the truth. Franco, bor- until it had defeated the “terrorists.” has been tireless in organizing the com- ter in orchards and houses.” The bom- rowing from this tactic, blamed the deaths He was using language created in munity against repression in their home bardment completely destroyed houses in Guernica on Basque anti-fascists, and Washington to describe Islamic forces country. n and people “still remain under the repressed the truth about German responsi- rubble. Now I am working with other bility until his death in 1975. villagers trying to excavate the dead Hitler and fascism arose in a time of bodies.” According to a report on this capitalist crisis and decaying economic rela- atrocity in the May 6 New York Times, tions. Then and now the reality is a decaying “Villagers, crazed with grief, were col- capitalist system accompanied by burgeon- lecting mangled bodies in blankets and ing militarism. This time people are more shawls and piling them on three trac- interconnected worldwide and it’s difficult tors. People were still missing.” to cover up the monstrous crimes and the Jessica Barry, a spokesperson for the Pentagon’s big lies. International Committee of the Red The problem is how to stop them. It can Cross, reported the dead included a be done, and the struggle of the world’s volunteer for the Afghan Red Crescent people to overturn the U.S. military complex and 13 of his relatives. needs to be here in the belly of the beast. n

A look at the Ecuador and Panama presidential elections

Continued from page 9 ending the corruption epitomized by the WW photos: John Catalinotto May 10 protest, NYC. ations. This new constitution established current PRD (Democratic Revolutionary the current electoral process, even though Party) president, Martín Torrijos, son of Correa had been in office less than three popular former military and political lead- Jované, were blocked in these elections A victorious 2005 month-long general years. er Omar Torrijos, who died in a suspicious by the corrupted institutions. In Jo- strike of the people against Martín Torri- plane explosion in 1981. vané’s case, the Panamanian Supreme jos’ attempt to “reform” the country’s so- Panama, still needy 20 years after During the Martín Torrijos adminis- Court of Justice had finally decided only cial security program showed that Pana- U.S. invasion tration, Panama’s people saw neoliberal three days before the elections that he ma’s people will still struggle to win the Voters in Panama went to the polls hop- practices take hold in their country to the could run. Though several progressive better life they deserve. Time will show ing to elect a president who would finally detriment of the poorest. Besides oversee- organizations backed his candidacy, the that only the organized people can win a end corruption in government and bring ing a growth in corruption, Omar Torrijos’ decision came too late for him to run an better life for themselves and future gen- about the transformation the country son signed a free trade agreement with the effective campaign. erations. n sorely needs. Panama’s unemployment U.S. in 2006. His government adopted rate is high and its income inequality the many other unpopular measures. Though second greatest in all Latin America. Panama’s economy expanded, the major- Low-Wage Capitalism Martinelli, heading Cambio Democráti- ity’s quality of life rapidly deteriorated. A timely new book by Fred Goldstein describes in sweep- co (Democratic Change), won with slightly In spite of his popular-change propa- ing detail the drastic effect on the working class of new more than 60 percent of the votes. He ran in ganda and unlike Ecuador’s Correa, how- technology and the restruc­turing of global capitalism in the an umbrella coalition, called Alianza para ever, the new President Martinelli is close- el Cambio (Alliance for Change). Some call ly allied to Washington, he embraces the post-Soviet era. It uses Karl Marx’s law of wages and other Martinelli “a right-wing populist.” anti-people Free Trade Agreement with findings to show that these developments are not only Reminiscent of the successful Barack the U.S., and he promised to decrease tax- continuing to drive down wages but are creating the mate- Obama campaign calling for “change,” es for the rich. These policies promise no rial basis for future social upheaval, the end of working-class Martinelli used electoral propaganda that relief for the masses. compromise and retreat and must end up in a profound resonated with the masses about bringing Progressive candidates for the presi- revival of the struggle against capital. some relief to the many poor people and dency, one of whom was professor Juan Available at www.Leftbooks.com www.workers.org May 21, 2009 page 11

April 22 May Day in South Africa elections. Democratic elections, strike actions & economic crisis By Abayomi Azikiwe and COSATU President Sidumo Dlamini. terns who earn approximately $700 per Despite earlier forecasts by some ele- Editor, Pan-African News Wire At an earlier media briefing in Johan- month in take-home salary. On April 29 ments of the corporate media, the ANC nesburg, COSATU General Secretary it was reported in both the Star and Inde- has maintained its political dominance in The April 22 national elections in South Zwelinzima Vavi had said, “This is the pendent Online that the strike had ended South Africa. In the Cape Province, how- Africa showed widespread continued po- worst economic environment which we with an agreement between the South ever, the opposition Democratic Alliance litical support for the ruling African Na- celebrate Workers Day under. … We want African Medical Association, the Doctors’ won 51.5 percent of the vote, prompting tional Congress. The ANC won close to a a very active president who is preoccu- Forum and the provincial authorities. COSATU to warn against the DA con- two-thirds majority in the elections, se- pied with South Africa’s survival in this The physicians had been threatened with tinuing its agenda of “perpetuating white curing victories in all the provinces with economic crisis.” (The Times of South Af- dismissal if they did not return to work. privilege.” The union federation called the exception of the Cape, where the op- rica, April 30) At the same time doctors in KwaZu- for the DA to join in a coalition govern- position Democratic Alliance won out The Federation of Unions of South Af- lu Natal (KZN) province threatened to ment with other parties in the province over the ruling party. rica and the National Council of Trade strike over poor conditions for doctors as and threatened strike action if the Afri- This year’s election was the fourth Unions, under the banner of another well as patients. can communities were not brought into demo­cratic poll since 1994, when the umbrella group, the South African Con- Sex workers attended the May Day ral- the government there. former racist apartheid system ended af- federation of Trade Unions, selected the lies as part of their campaign for decent The South African Communist Party ter decades of political, labor and armed theme “Fighting for decent work through working conditions, fair labor practices issued a statement on April 24 com- struggle. The winner of this year’s presi- workers’ unity.” The general secretary of and an end to arbitrary arrests. COSATU mending the millions of people who came dential vote was current ANC President the National Council, Manene Samela, Western Cape provincial secretary Tony out “to cast their votes in the fourth dem- Jacob Zuma. He is the fourth ANC presi- called for a focus by the Unemployment Ehrenreich said, “It’s not our place to ocratic elections of our country. The out- dent since 1994, following Nelson Mande- Insurance Fund on worker retraining of make a moral judgment on prostitution. comes of the votes ... have reaffirmed the la, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. the unemployed. It’s a reality in South Africa today. Those overwhelming confidence that our people The vote comes amid escalating labor The general secretary of the Federation workers work under difficult and danger- have in the ANC. The ANC has, amidst unrest in South Africa in response to both of Unions of South Africa, Dennis George, ous conditions, and they need protection all manner of pessimisms, including sus- the burgeoning global economic crisis and proclaimed that May Day must focus on just like every other South African.” (In- tained negative media publicity, emerged the fact that while the unfolding national the need for legal safeguards for contract dependent Online, May 1) with a renewed mandate to work together democratic revolution has scored monu- labor, subcontracting and outsourcing. Over the last year the global economic with our people to transform the South mental advances in the political arena, a George also emphasized the Federa- crisis has severely affected South Africa. African society for the better. ... The more favorable distribution of economic tion’s support for the reduction in the Unemployment is rising along with pric- SACP commits itself to deepening the po- resources has yet to be realized for the Af- usage of labor brokers. “It will mean es for food and transportation services. litical organization of the working class to rican majority of the population. punishing employers who do not provide Africa’s largest steelmaker, the Luxem- play its rightful place as the leading mo- Zuma told a May Day rally of tens of decent work by refusing them state ten- bourg-based ArcelorMittal South Africa tive force to deepen and consolidate our thousands in East London that the new ders. It is imperative that the government Ltd., could close some of its South Afri- democracy.” (www.sacp.org.za) government will introduce legislation to seriously invests in the creation of decent can operations and permanently cut jobs further guarantee rights for the country’s jobs for all,” he said. if prices continue to spiral downward. In Abayomi Azikiwe is the editor of the workers. “We want to introduce laws to Leading up to May Day, a number of opposition to threatened layoffs, the Na- Pan-African News Wire. The writer has regulate contract work, subcontracting strikes have occurred in key industries tional Union of Metalworkers of South Af- followed the political situation in South and outsourcing,” he said. (AFP, May 1) involving transport, metals, municipal rica (NUMSA) plans to strike over the next Africa and throughout the region of the These laws, which were included in the services and public health. In addition, two months. The company has already cut subcontinent for many years. election manifesto of the ANC, will out- the slow pace of the resolution of some 1,000 contractor jobs in recent weeks. law policies that allow abuse of workers of these strikes has threatened to bring as well as “labor brokering.” This involves about further work stoppages in broader using contract work to get around existing sectors of the economy. labor laws. The Congress of South African The South African Transport and Al- Irish autoworkers Trade Unions (COSATU) has called for lied Workers’ Union held a strike during outlawing “labor brokering.” April that affected the supply of petro- “It is a serious matter that while our leum and food. settle sit-down Constitution talks about the rights of all On April 29, Dumisani Langa, a spokes- and the rights of workers, we have work- person for striking Metrobus workers, ad- After a 36-day occupation of the Viste- ers that worked for decades without any dressed 800 workers picketing the com- on plant in Belfast, members of the union security,” Zuma said at the East London pany’s offices in Braamfontein, a suburb Unite voted May 5 to accept a settlement. rally. He called upon corporate leaders to of Johannesburg. They went on strike to Negotiated with former owner Ford, the develop programs to protect jobs in the demand higher pay and the suspension of agreement gives workers severance ben- current economic climate. a manager. “We will strike until our de- efits ranging from six to “We reiterate our message to business mands are met. Metrobus did ask us to 18 months’ salary. that they should do everything possible to suspend it, but we cannot just suspend On March 31, af- retain jobs,” Zuma told the East London the strike without an offer.” ter being given a six- rally. A physicians’ strike had a notable im- minute notice that they in England they pact on the country’s health care sys- were being sacked, lent support to par- Labor struggles & economic crisis tem. According to the Digital Journal, workers took over the ents occupying the During annual May Day commemo- “Countrywide, some 26 public hospitals, plant. Their “first and roof of a primary rations, workers in South Africa sent a located in areas which house tens of mil- foremost demand,” ac- school slated to be strong message in defense of their class. lions of the country’s most destitute and cording to Unite Deputy torn down. COSATU organized 36 rallies throughout vulnerable people, are the hardest-hit Convenor Charlie Max- The solidarity of the Irish workers the country, the largest ones in the East- by the doctors’ strike, including at the well, was “that Ford Com- forced Ford to extend the same sever- ern Cape. world’s largest hospital in Soweto, Barag- pany reopen this plant. ance agreement to workers in Enfield and Besides Zuma, speakers at May Day ral- wanath.” Our work was taken off Basildon. lies included South African Communist The majority of the doctors involved in of us under the guise of While the Belfast plant will close, the Party General Secretary Blade Nzimande the strike were junior physicians and in- the recession and the credit crisis, none of settlement gives workers far more than which were applicable to us.” (www.indy- what Visteon originally offered. “If we media.ie, April 27) would have walked out, we would have One day later on April 1, English work- never have gotten [this] far,” Maxwell What YOU should know about the hidden war in Congo . ers in Enfield took over their Visteon observed. “We are now a conscience for –past & present By Abayomi Azikiwe Reprinted from Workers World.. plant, while workers in Basildon, blocked community action. ... People have been so from entering their plant, began a protest kind. There’s people who will be loathe to Summit fails to resolve crisis Nov. 20, 2008 outside. Eight days later the Enfield work- see the end of this occupation because it’s Fighting continues in eastern Congo; imperialist states weigh intervention ers were evicted but kept up a presence at been such a way of sticking together. It’s the plant. Colonialists plot return Nov. 13, 2008 given us a focus on life.” (www.indyme- Strike supporters held solidarity rallies E.U. ministers signal troop deployment to Congo dia.ie, April 27) and picketed Ford dealerships. Toward As of this writing, the occupation was U.N. poised for broader intervention in Congo Oct. 23, Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 2008 the end of the Belfast occupation, Irish continuing, with workers refusing to leave Historical background to the current crisis–In 3 parts union members traveled to Basildon and until they have their money in hand. Order online at www.Leftbooks.com Enfield to support their comrades. While —Martha Grevatt MH ndo obrero ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Chrysler: El gran robo automovilístico Declaración de bancarrota usada para atacar empleos, salarios y pensiones

Por Martha Grevatt los planes para una Nueva Chrysler. sólo a 27.000 trabajadores/as de la UAW edente, ganados a través de décadas de Los prestamistas eran el último imped- en la compañía. lucha, y fueron los primeros en estar en En una atmósfera de miedo e intimi- imento, pero al último minuto, JPMorgan Pero los medios de comunicación cor- la lista de las enormes concesiones en el dación, l@s trabajadores/as de la Chrys- Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Gold- porativos han diseminado historias acer- contrato original del 2007-2011. ler representad@s por el sindicato United man Sachs y varios prestamistas de fon- ca del acuerdo tan bueno que la UAW Los cientos de millones de dólares en Auto Workers votaron cuatro a uno el 29 dos de alto riesgo (hedge funds) acorda- supuestamente obtuvo. Este mito está concesiones representan una transfer- de abril a favor de aceptar grandes conc- ron aceptar el pago en efectivo de $2,2 mil siendo construido sobre el 55 por ciento encia de riqueza de la clase trabajadora esiones. La consecuencia de no votar, se millones para cancelar la deuda de $6,9 de las acciones en la nueva compañía que a los capitalistas. A l@s trabajadores/as le dijo a l@s trabajadores/as, sería que mil millones en préstamos. Esto es en re- tendrá la Asociación Beneficiaria Volun- de la industria automotriz se les ha pro- la compañía se declararía en bancarrota. alidad el doble del valor que los préstamos taria de Empleados (ABVE). La ABVE, hibido salir en huelga desde ahora hasta Un voto a favor significaría la seguridad tendrían en el mercado, pues actualmente administrada por la UAW acordó en el que termine el próximo contrato en sep- de empleos y protección de las pensiones valen sólo 15 centavos por dólar. 2007 financiar los beneficios médicos tiembre del 2015. por medio de una nueva alianza con la Sin embargo, este acuerdo que dupli- de l@s jubilad@s. ¿Significa esto que la Por todas estas concesiones l@s compañía automovilística italiana Fiat. caría el valor de sus inversiones, fue re- UAW ahora es dueña de una mayoría de trabajador@s recibieron la promesa de Sin embargo, en menos de 24 horas chazado por tres fondos de alto riesgo, acciones en la compañía con la cual está que la alianza con la Fiat “pudiera resul- después del recuento de los votos, la Oppenheimer, Stairway Captil y Perella negociando? ¿Tiene la posibilidad de tar en incrementos de producción en las Chrysler les traicionó y presentó su Weinberg. La deuda de Chrysler que ellos controlar la corporación ahora que es ac- operaciones de montaje y de los trenes petición de bancarrota bajo el Artículo 11. llevan representa una parte muy pequeña cionista votante? de súper velocidad de la compañía” y El 4 de mayo casi tod@s l@s emplead@s de su diverso portafolio y probablemente No exactamente. La ABVE será dirigi- que no habría “ninguna terminación de de la Chrysler en EEUU quedaron no es más que unos pocos cientos de mil- da por un administrador quien nombrara pensiones de emplead@s y jubilad@s despedid@s mientras la cirugía de la ban- lones de dólares. a sólo un miembro a la junta directiva de representad@s por el sindicato UAW”. La carrota reforma a la Chrysler LLC en una ¿Cómo puede su postura tan recalci- la Nueva Chrysler. Tres miembros serán primera promesa se descompuso con los más ajustada y cruel “Nueva Chrysler”. trante, tan repugnante como es, hacer in- nombrados por el Tesoro, tres por la Fiat, anuncios más recientes de los cierres de Después de que se les dijo a l@s tra- evitable la bancarrota? ¿Por qué la Auto uno por el gobierno canadiense y otro plantas. La segunda, dirigida a una preo- bajadores/as que su sacrificio aseguraría Task Force liderada por los ex banque- por el prestamista, todos los cuales ten- cupación legítima, podría probar ser falsa la seguridad de empleo, Chrysler le contó ros inversionistas Steve Rattner y Ron drán acciones más pequeñas en la com- también si la compañía quebrada fuera al juez de bancarrota en Nueva York, Ar- Bloom no pudo haber extendido el perío­ pañía que la ABVE. Todas las acciones de exonerada por el gobierno de hacer pagos thur J. González de sus planes de cerrar do de 30 días que inicialmente le dio a la ABVE serán en acciones sin derecho al al fondo de pensiones. ochos de sus plantas para fines del 2010. la Chrysler para que desarrollara una re- voto, y a medida que las inversiones de la En vez de movilizar a l@s miembr@s Ya se sabía de cuatro plantas programa- estructuración más agresiva? Pudo haber Fiat crezcan en la Nueva Chrysler, las de ordinari@s para protestar este ultraje das a cerrar, pero l@s trabajadores/as en insistido en que la Chrysler adoptara la la ABVE disminuirán. cometido contra l@s trabajadores/as, el Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri y Ohio misma postura de “tómelo o déjelo” que Lo que los reportajes no mencionan es presidente de la UAW Internacional, Ron se sorprendieron al darse cuenta de que los tres buitres tomaron con la UAW y la que la ABVE era ya en si una gran conc- Gettelfinger, se ha hecho un aliado de la sus plantas ahora se consideran “activos Canadian Auto Workers (CAW, Traba- esión por parte de l@s trabajadores/as. compañía, la administración de Obama, malos” y están a la venta. El 88 por ciento jadores/as de Autos de Canadá). Lo que motivó a la Chrysler (y también a y de los prestamistas. Se da la aparien- de l@s trabajadores/as en la planta de La CAW entregó $19 por hora en conc- la Ford y a la General Motors) instalar el cia de un frente unido comprometido a la Twinsburg en Ohio votó a favor de las esiones después de que la Chrysler amen- fondo fue el deseo de eliminar los “cos- supervivencia de la Chrysler y a que sea concesiones. No tenían ni idea. azara con irse completamente de Canadá. tos de herencia”, la compensación para “competitiva”, obstaculizado solamente Sin embargo, el Tesoro en vez de apli- l@s jubilad@s quienes ya no pueden por unos insignificantes fondos de riesgo. ¡L@s trabajadores/ car su poder financiero y político para seguir siendo explotados. Con la ABVE, Pero de todos modos Gettelfinger as fueron estafad@s! suavizar la actitud de la compañía, tomó las compañías tenían que pagar una can- no tiene una voz verdadera. Desde que Las enmiendas en los contratos in- la misma línea dura hacia el sindicato. tidad pero quedarían libres de futuros Ronald Reagan destruyó el sindicato de cluían una carta estipulando que “Las Fue el Tesoro quien dictó una extensión gastos de herencia. Fue una gran victo- controladores aéreos, ha habido un es- partes discutieron el estado y los planes de la estructura de salario desigual (two- ria para las compañías y un juego para la fuerzo implacable para bajar el costo de de manufactura a largo plazo para la tier) acordada en el 2007, congelando el unión. Además, l@s trabajadores/as en la fuerza de trabajo que ha resultado en el planta de Twinsburg (TSP). ... La compa- salario de “nivel de entrada” a $14 la hora las plantas concedieron muchos benefi- sufrimiento de l@s trabajadores/as y sus ñía está comprometida a estudiar estos hasta el 2015. cios como el de la subida en el costo de comunidades. La única manera de preve- planes con el deseo de que la TSP per- La clase capitalista en su conjunto vida y otras compensaciones para cubrir nir más sufrimiento de las masas es con manezca viable. ...Apreciamos el contin- claramente está en consenso sobre este el costo de la ABVE. la lucha de masas. uo apoyo de la UAW en la producción de último robo de salarios y beneficios de la Luego, como una condición para el Los trabajadores/as automotrices de- un plan viable a largo plazo para la TSP”. unión y está determinada a ver una in- rescate del año pasado, el Depto. de Ha- berían estar montando protestas masivas Las plantas Sterling Heights Assem- dustria automovilística más pequeña en cienda forzó al sindicato aceptar una se- contra los despidos, los cierres de plantas bly, Kenosha Engine y St. Louis North los Estados Unidos. Durante meses en gunda concesión. La mitad de la ABVE y las concesiones. Sus aliad@s naturales, Assembly, como la de Twinsburg, esta- Washington y Wall Street se deseaba la tendría ahora que pagarse en acciones de l@s verdader@s accionistas que real- ban cubiertas por una moratoria contra bancarrota, tanto por demócratas como la compañía. El valor de las acciones pu- mente tienen interés en estos asuntos, el cierre de las plantas. Esta moratoria no por republican@s. ede bajar, poniendo en riesgo los benefi- son numeros@s. estaba rescindida en las recientes modi- El propósito declarado de la venta cios de salud que l@s jubilad@s habían Trabajan en compañías de partes ficaciones de los contratos. Mientras la de las ocho plantas es conseguir capital ganado al trabajar tantos años en las de automóviles donde cada semana se Chrysler agradecía a l@s emplead@s el para pagarle a los grandes bancos y a líneas de montaje. La ABVE todavía no anuncia otra quiebra. Trabajan en el cau- 30 de abril por votar a favor del contrato, las compañías de finanzas. Los bancos, está funcionando y ya a l@s jubilad@s les cho, el acero, el cristal, los plásticos, en procedía rápidamente a destruirlo, con que optaron por descargar una porción han quitado su seguro dental y de visión. los servicios públicos, construcción, en su apetito despertado por el potencial de de los préstamos de la Chrysler a tibu- L@s miembr@s del sindicato no están ventas al menor, servicios de aliment- romper el contrato producto del proceso rones prestamistas como Oppenheimer, recibiendo nada como resultado de este ación y en el gobierno — porque lo que de bancarrota. Hasta el momento de este han recibido cerca de $100 mil mil- desfavorable arreglo. Han renunciado pasa en la industria automotriz afecta artículo l@s trabajadores/as esperan que lones a través del rescate del gobierno. al pago por días festivos, a los descan- toda la economía. Viven en comunidades la UAW Internacional desafíe los cierres Pero miles de trabajadores/as quedarán sos durante el día de trabajo, al pago que antes eran vibrantes y que ahora es- anunciados. desemplead@s o serán forzad@s a reu- por horas extra de trabajo, al pago por la tán golpeadas por el desempleo. Hasta el último momento a l@s miem­ bicarse para que JPMorgan Chase y com- subida del costo de vida (COLA por sus Solamente un movimiento amplio de br@s de la UAW y al público en general pañía reciban otro par de miles de mil- siglas en inglés), a las bonificaciones que la clase trabajadora puede detener los se les hizo creer que la bancarrota podía lones de dólares. en un tiempo fueron a su vez una con- ataques de la empresa capitalista. evitarse. La Chrysler, la Fiat, la UAW, la El propósito de los préstamos era fi- cesión otorgada a la empresa en lugar Email: [email protected]. Auto Task Force, el Tesoro de los EEUU, nanciar la ronda anterior de reestructur- de los aumentos anuales del salario, a Grevatt ha trabajado en Chrysler por 21 el gobierno canadiense y casi todos los ación que ha reducido aproximadamente los beneficios para l@s trabajadores/as años y es miembra de la junta ejecutiva prestamistas que llevan las deudas de en un 50 por ciento la fuerza laboral de la despedid@s, y otras concesiones más. de la Local 122 de UAW en Twinsburg, Chrysler supuestamente habían aceptado Chrysler en menos de dos años, dejando Éstos fueron logros que sentaron prec- Ohio.