PUERTO RICO EN MARCHA 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 59, No. 18 May 4, 2017 $1 By Deirdre Griswold But not any more. This year militant May Day march- working conditions, and racist and sexist discrimina- MAYes took place in scores of cities acrossDAY the U.S., some tion by the bosses. May Day is back. with tens of thousands participating. Where there were no unions, they organized. Where This glorious day to honor working-class struggle be- It was the massive eruption of millions of immigrant unions existed, they fought to make them fight. gan in the United States more than a century ago, but workers in 2006, especially in Los Angeles, that first This important role of immigrants in showing how to was submerged here during decades of red-baiting and ignited interest in May Day in a younger generation of resist and improve workers’ lives through organization class collaboration. Even as workers around the world oppressed workers. and struggle is reminiscent of the leading role immi- were marching by the millions on International Work- Since then, immigrants have played a leading role all grants played in the very first May Day commemora- ers’ Day, it seemed like the class struggle had been ex- over the country in organizing against low wages, stolen tions here, back in the late 1800s. Then, they came pri- tinguished in the U.S. wages, forced unpaid overtime, anti-union laws, unsafe Continued on page 11 Baltimore . Philadelphia . Boston . Syracuse, N.Y. Milwaukee . Roanoke, Va. Raleigh, N.C. Los Angeles . Portland, Ore. San Diego . Chicago . Seattle . Oakland . Rochester.N.Y. Detroit. NEW YORK CITY WW PHOTO: BRENDA RYAN Trump, the GANGSTER president 3 PROFITS MUMIA WW PHOTO: GREG BUTTERFIELD and breaking Celebration of deportations news people’s lawyer Subscribe to Workers World 5 6 Lynne Stewart 4 weeks trial $4 1 year subscription $30 Sign me up for the WWP Supporter Program: 5 workers.org/articles/donate/supporters_/ Name BRAZIL Email ________________________ Phone __________ general strike Street ________ City / State / Zip_________ Workers World 8 PUERTO RICO 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl, NY, NY 10011 on the move 212.627.2994 workers.org 9 Page 2 May 4, 2017 workers.org RESIST NOW! Invest in Workers World! If you agree with WW that Trump’s mass deportation plan must be stopped If you believe the racist establishment — from killer cops In the U.S. to the injustice of the courts — has to go Join the Workers World Supporter Program and help grow the pa per. We established the May Day ...................................................1 If you find the anti-trans ruling by Trump’s Education secretary WWSP some 40 years ago so readers could in- Students walk out over layoffs .............................2 an outrageous attack on queer children and LGBTQ rights vest in the paper and promote working-class Trump, the gangster president ...........................3 truth needed to make revolutionary change. If you hate the class system that keeps women and people of color Members receive a year’s subscription to WW, The real loan sharks ......................................4 in low-wage jobs a monthly letter about timely issues and five Iowa, workers resist attack on minimum wage............4 free subscriptions to give to friends for a do- If you oppose the blatant warmongering targeting Syria, nation of $75 a year. For $100 you also get a On the picket line ........................................4 north Korea and Afghanistan new publication or book from World View Celebrating the life of ‘people’s lawyer’ Lynne Stewart ....5 If you worry that the capitalist crisis is only getting worse Forum. For $300 (only $25 a month) or more, Banks, prisons grow rich on deportations.................5 you get your pick of five books. under the Billionaire in Chief Mumia hearing: ’Too much justice’? ......................6 Write checks to Workers World and mail If you’re sick and tired of the bankers and bosses getting tax breaks them, with your name and address, to 147 Movement power wins access to Mumia..................6 while making the workers pay for the crisis they didn’t create W. 24th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011. Or Prison censors WW call for May Day strike ................7 donate online at workers.org/donate/; it’s easy Ramona Africa on MOVE and the 1985 bombing..........7 If you want to fight for socialism, a way of life based on economic to set up monthly deductions. We are grateful planning, equitable distribution and justice for all for your help in building Workers World — Resistance greets firing of Tom Cat workers...............7 for today and for the future! U.S. threatens to expel 50,000 Haitians ...................8 If you’re lucky enough to still have a decent-paying job or pension Gabriela celebrates: ’Ten years of serving the people’ .....8 Then please invest some of your hard-earned dollars in Workers World! Climate marchers: ‘Stop climate change, end capitalism!’ 10 Around the world Brazil: Massive general strike displays people power .........8 Puerto Rico on the move . 9 Students walk out over layoffs Editorials Defend science and the environment. ......................10 Hundreds of students at Bayonne High School held a spontaneous walkout from classes on April 27 in Bayonne, N.J. They were pro- Noticias en Español testing the layoffs of 300 staff members, including 261 teachers, 15 Puerto Rico en marcha ..................................12 secretaries, eight engineers and two bus drivers. The local school board announced the layoffs during their meeting the night before, after it had been announced that no layoffs were to take place. In fact, a majority of the fired teachers had been promised tenure for the fall semester. The students marched to City Hall, where they chanted and ex- pressed how deeply they feel for their teachers. Sultan Ahman stated, doing this to the teachers right now. It leaves “I’m losing my math teacher, my history teacher and my gym teach- everyone unstable. It leaves our students er.” Elmer Beltran added, “We care about them. They are our men- not knowing what they’re going to be doing.” Workers World tors. We tell them about our problems.” (nbcnewyork.com, April 28) (fios1news.com) 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. April Polsunas, a parent, said, “I’m absolutely ashamed that they’re — Report by Monica Moorehead New York, NY 10011 Phone: 212.627.2994 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Vol. 59, No. 18 • May 4, 2017 Join us in the fight Closing date: May 2, 2017 Editor: Deirdre Griswold for socialism! Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, Kris Balderas Hamel, Monica Moorehead, Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Le- Wages are lower than ever, and youth are saddled with Minnie Bruce Pratt; Web Editor Gary Wilson ninist party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We seemingly insurmountable student debt, if they even make Production & Design Editors: Coordinator Lal Roohk; are a multinational, multigenerational and multigen- it to college. Black and Brown youth and trans people are Andy Katz, Cheryl LaBash dered organization that not only aims to abolish capital- gunned down by cops and bigots on a regular basis. Copyediting and Proofreading: Sue Davis, ism, but to build a socialist society because it’s the only WWP fights for socialism because the working class Bob McCubbin way forward! produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should re- Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of main in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capital- Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, K. Durkin, the world and the planet itself in the never-ending quest ist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially Fred Goldstein, Martha Grevatt, Teresa Gutierrez, for ever-greater profits. Capitalism means war and aus- owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guar- Berta Joubert-Ceci, Terri Kay, Cheryl LaBash, terity, racism and repression, joblessness and lack of antee basic human needs. Milt Neidenberg, John Parker, Bryan G. Pfeifer, hope for the future. No social problems can be solved un- Since 1959, Workers World Party has been out in the Betsey Piette, Gloria Rubac der capitalism. streets defending the workers and oppressed here and Mundo Obero: Redactora Berta Joubert-Ceci; The U.S. is the richest country in the world, yet no one worldwide. If you’re interested in Marxism, socialism Andrea Bañuelos, Ramiro Fúnez, Teresa Gutierrez, has a guaranteed right to shelter, food, water, health care, and fighting for a socialist future, please contact a WWP Carlos Vargas education or anything else — unless they can pay for it. branch near you. Supporter Program: Coordinator Sue Davis Copyright © 2017 Workers World. Verbatim copying Contact a Workers World Party branch near you: workers.org/wwp and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. National Office Bay Area Denver Lexington, Ky. Rochester, N.Y. Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published weekly 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl. 1305 Franklin St. #411 [email protected] [email protected] 585.436.6458 except the first week of January by WW Publishers, New York, NY 10011 Oakland, CA 94612 [email protected] Detroit Los Angeles 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10011. Phone: 212.627.2994 510.600.5800 Rockford, Ill. 5920 Second Ave. 5278 W Pico Blvd. 212.627.2994. Subscriptions: One year: $30; institu- [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Detroit, MI 48202 Los Angeles, CA 90019 tions: $35. Letters to the editor may be condensed and Atlanta Boston 313.459.0777 Salt Lake City [email protected] edited. Articles can be freely reprinted, with credit to PO Box 18123 284 Amory St.