Texas Labor Against the War

We call on all supporters of workers’ rights who are available Monday afternoon to come out in support of our sisters and brothers who work for the Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority.  The Cap Metro Board and the Texas Legislature are illegally trying to take away the union’s rights and the workers’ pay and benefits.  Cap Metro is trying to “lower labor costs”–which means making up for its financial mismanagement on the backs of its workers

Istanbul--200,000 rally at Taksim Square (photo Reuters-Stringer)

 May 1, 2011, Istanbul, Turkey–200,000 people march.  Milwaukee, Wisconsin–100,000.  These were among the largest events in the world on May Day, International Workers Day–or simply Labor Day for most of the world, El Dia del Trabajo. 

 Born in the U.S. in 1886 in the struggle for the 8-hour day, May Day was associated with anarchists, socialists, and communists, so the U.S. government undermined it with the establishment of a new and innocuous “Labor Day” holiday in September.  Kept barely alive by a few leftists, May Day was brought back to the U.S. in a big way by immigrants in 2006 and became a big day for the expression of immigrant issues and the demand for immigrant rights.  As U.S. workers tried to reclaim our holiday,

Milwaukee (photo Tom Lynn, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

 consciousness grew about the need for solidarity with workers all over the world, and more U.S. workers joined with immigrants in the celebration of this holiday.  The biggest expression of this unity in 2011 was in Wisconsin. 

Some of the issues around the world:  More jobs, union rights, better working conditions, higher wages to counter higher prices for food and fuel; migrant worker rights; an end to the growing income gap between rich and poor; democratic political rights and an end to autocratic governments; an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ciudad Monte, Tamaulipas, Mexico--workers remember the "martyrs of Chicago" along with their own fallen comrades (noticiaselmexicano.com) Dhaka, Bangladesh (photo Pavel Rahman-AP)

Beirut, Lebanon (photo Migrant Workers Task Force)

Ankara, Turkey (photo Umit Bektas-Reuters)

Manila, Philippines--workers demand immediate wage increase, burn President Benigno Aquino III in effigy (photo Aaron Favila-AP)Jakarta, Indonesia (photo Irwin Fedriansyah-AP)

Hyderabad--All India Trade Union Congress (photo Mahesh Kumar A.-AP)

Mumbai--Striking Air India pilots (photo Vivek Prakash-Reuters)

Katmandu--Supporters of CP (Maoist) and activists of Nepal Trade Union (photo Binod Joshi-AP)

Baghdad--Members of the Iraqi Communist Party (photo Khalid Mohammed-AP)

Basra (Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq--uslaboragainstwar.org)

Cairo, Egypt--May Day in Tahrir Square (photo Khalil Hamra-AP)

Lahore, Pakistan--Union workers rally (photo K.M. Chaudary-AP)

Madrid, Spain (photo Arturo Rodriguez-AP)

Moscow, Russia--members of the Left Front (photo Ivan Sekretarev-AP)

Lisbon, Portugal--Against the IMF, for Leftist Unity (photo Armando Franca-AP)

Caracas, Venezuela (photo Ariana Cubillos-AP)

Havana, Cuba--Students in Revolution Square (photo Enrique de la Osa-Reuters)

Mexico City--Workers protesting labor law "reform" burn image of Labor Secretary Javier Lozano (photo Marco Ugarte-AP)

Houston (thefirecollective.org)

Houston (thefirecollective.org)

Dallas (labordallas.org)

San Antonio (blogs.sacurrent.com)

Atlanta, GA--Protesters urge Gov. Nathan Deal to veto anti-immigrant legislation (photo Rich Addicks-AP)

New York--rally for jobs and immigrant rights (photo Seth Wenig-AP)

Los Angeles, California (photo L.A. County Federation of Labor)

Milwaukee--Voces de la Frontera has been organizing big May Day marches since 2006 (photo Tom Lynn-Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

Milwaukee--This says it all (photo Tom Lynn-Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

MAY DAY RALLIES CELEBRATE UNITY; LABOR UNIONS AND IMMIGRANTS PLAN TO MARCH SIDE BY SIDE

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/4/29/may_day_rallies_celebrate_unity_labor

Excellent program on Democracy Now!, April 29, 2011.  Read (or listen to) the whole thing.  Juan Gonzalez and Amy Goodman interview Clarence Thomas, member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10 in San Francisco–”The local has a history of shutting down the ports of Oakland and San Francisco in protest, most recently on April 4th in solidarity with workers in Wisconsin;” and Christine Neumann-Ortiz, director of Voces de la Frontera, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin–”On May 1, 2006, she was key organizer behind the 70,000-strong march in Milwaukee.”

HERE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

Juan Gonzalez:  “The immigrant rights movement has in essence resuscitated May Day and now is building closer ties with the organized labor movement. . . . immigrants have continually renewed the radicalism and the fighting capacity of the American labor movement.”

Clarence Thomas:  “So many of our younger members in the trade union movement have very little knowledge about May Day. They associate it with countries overseas celebrating International Workers’ Day, [but] it started here in the United States with the fight to establish the eight-hour workday and to eliminate child labor exploitation. . . . we believe that solidarity is not an empty slogan. Solidarity means making a sacrifice. And on April 4th [anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.] our members did not go to work. We did not get paid. And for 24 hours, international commerce was shut down. And we believe that more unions need to do the same. . . . [Immigrants] are the most exploited sector of the trade union movement. And as such, the issues that they face have to do with the fundamental rights of workers. . . . The labor movement is very small, when you talk about the percentage of workers that are represented by a union. The overwhelming majority of workers don’t belong to a union, so that the labor movement has the responsibility for charting a course for all workers. That’s why it’s so important that this year that we’re going to have a united May Day action.”

Christine Neumann-Ortiz:  “[The May Day mobilization] has always been supported by labor and has had a greater diversity each and every year. But this year, because of the attacks on public employees, like teachers, we know that, you know, there’s a level of support and mutual support. And that’s really what is historic about this march, is these movements coming together at a scale that hasn’t been seen before. . . . [Governor Walker's] budget is also an attack on immigrant rights and poor people.  In terms of immigrant rights, one of the biggest threats that’s pending, you know, in the budget is the repeal of in-state tuition rights for immigrant youth that was won in 2009, as well as the institutionalization of discrimination against legal immigrants, low-income families that would be denied access to food stamps or healthcare because they’re non-U.S. citizens, as part of this broader attack on poor people’s access and privatization of the public sector, like public education and so forth.  But one of the biggest things that’s motivating the Latino and immigrant community as part of this broader platform that we have is that there’s a pending Arizona copycat bill that’s being circulated in the state legislature . . . we’ve had a number of unions, maybe now close to 10, including the South Central Federation of Labor, that have passed resolutions rejecting this bill and also asking for—or building for May 1st.”

TxLAW note:  Sunday, May 1, San Antonio holds its Gran Marcha por los Derechos del Migrante on May Day–El Dia del Trabajo.  See http://txlaboragainstwar.org/2011/04/20/san-antonio-march-on-may-day/

And in Houston, also:  http://txlaboragainstwar.org/2011/04/30/houston-may-day-march-for-immigrants-and-working-families/

Here’s one of Rene Renteria’s many great photos from the union-led Save Our State march and rally Wednesday, April 6, 2011.  We’ll be posting more about this great event attended by 7,000 folks from all around Texas.

See more from Rene at https://picasaweb.google.com/renerenteria/SaveOurStateMarchRallyHIRES?authkey=Gv1sRgCO3DwcT1y8nyuAE&feat=directlink#

Building on the spirit  and energy of rallies around the country calling on state governments to prioritize education, health care, public safety, the environment, and jobs, we will demand that Texas take a balanced approach to balancing the state budget by spending our state’s savings in the Rainy Day Fund and finding new revenue.  Be part of the movement to move Texas forward!  Bring your family and friends and wear your rain gear!  There’s a torrential storm in Texas and together we have  the power to turn the tides!http://www.april62011.org/

 SCHEDULE

9am – 10am Buses arriving, lobby day training and staging for the march
11am – 12pm  March from Waterloo Park (13th & Trinity) to the Capitol
NOON Rally on the South Steps
1pm – 4pm Lobby Visits and Workshops
4pm Buses leave
5pm Day ends officially

Protest at Earle Cabell Federal Building in Dallas Texas
Date: Fri, 2010-12-03 16:30
Organized by: El Centro College Students for a Democratic Society
Action: Call for Week of Action Nov. 29 – Dec 3: Stop FBI and Grand Jury Repression
Location:
Earl Cabell Federal Building
1100 Commerce St
Dallas, TX
United States
In response to a repressive war on political dissent being carried out by the FBI, against anti war and union solidarity activists”, the El Centro College Students for a Democratic Society will be holding a demonstration at the Earle Cabell Federal Building on December 3, 2010 @ 5:30pm.

All anti war, peace, Union, and international solidarity organizations are called to support our brothers and sisters in resisting a modern day “Witch Hunt.”

Demands:

1. End All Grand Juries

2. Hands off Anti War and International Solidarity activists

3. Return of all seized material

Reference: http://www.stopfbi.net/

Where: Earl Cabell Federal Building 1100 Commerce St. Dallas, TX

When: December 3, 2010 5:30pm
http://www.stopfbi.net/events/el-centro-college-students-democratic-society/12-3-10/protest-earle-cabell-federal-building-d

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_150980044944954&id=159700580739567#!/home.php?sk=group_150980044944954&id=159700580739567#!/photo.php?fbid=1728079726929&set=o.150980044944954

(TxLAW note:  U.S. Labor Against the War played an active role in this conference, partnering with Iraqi union reps in a workshop on what’s going on in the Iraqi labor movement and its struggles with the Iraqi government.  Check out labourstart.org.)

Online Activists Gather from Around Globe to Jumpstart Labor Movement

By Stuart Elliott, from In These Times, July 13, 2010

Benedicto Martinez Orozco marches in support of McMaster University workers during the LabourStart conference, held from July 9 to 11 in Ontario, Canada.   (Photo by Stuart Elliott)

More than 200 people from 28 countries attend LabourStart’s first public conference

HAMILTON, ONTARIO—Sometimes it’s hard to understand the importance of an event or an organization when you’re involved in it. As a volunteer correspondent for LabourStart.org and a participant in its “Act Now”  campaigns, I obviously think LabourStart an important project. But I really didn’t really comprehend its potential until I attended the first public LabourStart conference at McMaster University’s School of Labour Studies in Hamilton, Ontario.

“As unions confront a 21st century global capitalism, which is imposing a race to the bottom to union-free environments, unions must use new technologies to create a new labor internationalism,” said Eric Lee, founding editor of Labour Start. “The mission of LabourStart is to promote those technologies and to practice a consistent internationalism.”

LabourStart is an international labor news and campaigning site, run on a shoestring and powered by nearly 800 volunteer correspondents. Every day  the site publishes links to labor news in 23 different languages, and its news feeds appear on more than 800 union websites. It conducts e-mail campaigns in eight different languages.

There was some trepidation among LabourStart leaders about whether an Internet-based, low budget union news and campaigning site could attract an audience of union activists oustide its most committed corespondents. Particularly since, unlike the recently concluded ICTU conference, this was not a delegated meeting.

But the conference was able to attract over 200 participants from more than 28 countries. Attendees ranged from presidents of national unions, to representatives of Global Union Federations, to local union officers, to staffers, to grassroots activists.

Adam Lee of United Steelworkers International thanked LabourStart for its “tremendously effective” campaign on behalf of Vale nickel miners strikers, who settled a year-long strike just days before the conference began. On the first morning of the strike, which began in July 2009, more than 1,000 emails were sent to the Brazil-based multinational company. Two-thirds were from outside Canada, in eight languages from 80 countries, Lee said, It provided a “real boost” to the workers. And Brazilian workers for Vale were able to win a better than expected contract because the company didn’t want to take on two international campaigns at the same time.

Robin Alexander, director of international affairs for the United Electrical workers union, said that when she got an appeal from workers at PEMEX, Mexico’s state-owned petroleum company, the first place she turned for help was LabourStart.

As Lennon Ying-Dah Wong, a union leader from Taiwan, spoke on a panel about China, I loooked to my left and saw Benedicto Martinez Orozco, co-president of the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo. Michael Eisenscher of US Labor Against the War, Amjad Ali of the General Union of Oil Employees in Basra (Iraq), and Erin Radford of the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center spoke on a panel about unions in Iraq. Other panels were devoted to Mexico, Eastern Europe, and Iran.

Unfortunately, some people were unable to attend the conference—but the reasons why are enlightening. A leader of Bangladeshi textile workers union canceled his visit because of a monumental campaign in his home country—more than 50,000 workers there are on strike, protesting the lowest wages in the textile industry.

Representatives of independent unions in Egypt and Algeria were, at the last moment, denied visas by Canada. (AFL-CIO Solidarity Center representatives  ably filled in at a workshop on the revival of unions in those countries.) The ham-handness of Canadian authorities may backire. Derek Blackadder, national representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said that there was so much outrage at the exclusion of the Egyptian and Algerian unionists and so much excitement about their pioneering work that Canadian unionists will be exploring ongoing solidarity work on their behalf.

Of course, connecting disparate unionists, spread across different levels of different unions, to unite in international solidarity is no easy task. But LabourStart’s global network of 800 correspondents and 70,000 Act Now e-mail activists will continue to be a part of that effort, which must be a central component of the future of the labor movement.

5/30/10, Amjad Ali

A demonstration that began May 7 in Basra intensified today with new threats upon the workers and union leaders being relocated 1000 km from their jobs.

Dock workers rally in Basra (ITF photo)

In response to a call made by the leaders of the general union of harbor workers in Basra (an affiliate union with the General Federation of Worker Councils and Unions in Iraq) hundreds of employees of the Iraqi Harbor Corporation walked off the job on May 7, 2010, demanding better wages and living conditions.
Immediately after being informed, Iraqi Harbor Corporation director sought aid from U.S. troops who quickly arrived and formed a parameter on scene to protect the director, and sent Iraqi troops to surround and intimidate the demonstrators.
In a strange reaction, the mayor of Basra asked to meet union leaders Hirman Kaghim, Ali Khuthayer Abbas and Kadhim Kareem, and told them that they are implementing a foreign agenda and threatened to arrest them if they insist on their demands and continue the demonstration.
The leaders, however, denied links to any agenda except the interests of workers and vowed to continue the strike. In the meantime, the head of the troops asked to meet with union leaders instead of the corporate director, but the leaders rejected his request stating that he has nothing to do with the workers. This stance lead the mayor to back down from his threats. The mayor promised to hold a negotiation in the presence of the director of the corporation who in turn did not attend the meeting that was scheduled for May 28, 2010.
On May 29, 2010, the union leaders met with the director of Iraqi Harbor Corporation who threatened the delegates and vowed them ill fate should they continue. The delegates were ordered relocated to the Iraqi Railroad Corporation in Mosul (1000 km north of Basra).

We extend a plea to all federations and unions around the world to support our delegates in their struggle.

Amjad Ali
General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq
www.workerstoday.com
phone# 1-416-264-1131

Basra: Workers at the South Refineries Company protest Feb. 18 2010. (STAFF/Iraq Oil Report)

Picture–Another case where the government transferred 5 union leaders from Basra to Baghdad.  Refinery workers were demanding bonuses due to them since 2007.

Joint resolution for International Workers’ Day (Labor organizations of Iran)

Written by Saeed Valadbaygi Editor’s Choice, Videos, Workers’ Rights Apr 27, 2010

Link to the video at http://www.astreetjournalist.com/2010/04/27/joint-resolution-for-international-workers-day-labor-organizations-of-iran-2/

May 1st is the day of international solidarity of the working class and a day for laborers to protest global poverty and inequality. On this day millions of workers around the world stop working, to conquer the streets and show their anger and disgust with the announcement of the numerous disasters that capitalism has inflicted on humanity, and scream for liberation from oppression and exploitation.

Resounding protest against the hardship of capitalism and inequality of workers will be heard all around the world on May 1st while prohibition of celebration of this day in Iran is in effect, and many organizing workers of the May 1388/2009 event have been convicted  and imprisoned and subjected to heavy sentences. Labor leaders and activists and are languishing in prison for defending their basic human rights.

Imposing such appalling lack of social rights for workers in conditions that in three decades of a capitalist system in Iran after the 1957 (1979) revolution, has reduced the minimum wage to a quarter below the poverty line and lack of timely payment of these wages and the firing of masses of workers, temporary contracts, have imposed hellish conditions on millions of workers families. Today more than ever to ensure the profitability of capital, factories are closed and subsidies cut in determination to cut the last threads of survival for millions of worker families and pour them into the pockets of investors.

But as we workers showed in the 1957 revolution as well as in recent years, we will not tolerate this misery and despite prison and repression will stand ahead with the people against violation of our most basic human rights and will not allow them to ruin our existence more. We are the main producers of all wealth and products in society and are entitled to human life in accordance with the highest standards of human life today.

In this context we also protest against circumstances since last Labor Day , since the masses in Iran have been exposed to suppression of their rights. We make the following demands and with immediate effect:

1 – We are free to act – independent of the government and our employers -to strike, protest, march, assemble and speak freely. This is our right and must be unconditional in recognition of the social rights of workers and the people of Iran.

2 – We see the plan to cut subsidies (by targeted subsidies) and the minimum wage of 303 Tomans as a gradual imposition of death of millions of working class families and demand immediate suspension of plans to cut subsidies and increase the minimum wage to one million Tomans.

3 – Workers wages in arrears are to be paid immediately and with no excuses. Non-payment should be prosecuted as a crime and damages caused to the workers must be paid for.

4 – The Dismissal of Workers by any excuse must be stopped and those who are unemployed or have attained the age of employment and are prepared to work must be given suitable unemployment insurance until employed.

5 – We want to eliminate temporary contracts and the signing of blank contracts and demand employment security for all workers and wage recipients in accordance with the highest standards of health and safety. We ask for the elimination of state governed environments from all facilities.

6 – We demand the eradication of the death penalty and the immediate and unconditional release of Ebrahim Madadi, Mansour Osanloo, Ali Nejati and all labor activists and other social movements and protestors from prison and a stop to the persecution against them.

7 – We condemn any aggression towards protest against violation of our rights and view this type of freedom expression as an irredeemable right of the public.

8 – We want to eradicate all laws that are discriminatory to women and to ensure full equality and the unconditional rights of women and men in all areas of social, economic, political, cultural and family life.

9 – We want all pensioners to enjoy a prosperous life without economic concern and to eliminate any discrimination in the payment of retirement pensions and benefits from their social security and health care.

10 – Child labor must be eradicated and all children must be entitled to educational facilities, health and welfare, independent of gender and race, religion, or social and economic status of their parents.

11 – We hereby announce our support for all liberal social movements, and strongly condemn arrest, trial and imprisonment of activists of any movement.

12 – We also announced strong support for the demands of teachers, nurses and other working classes of society and united with them, want to achieve their immediate demands

13 – We are part of the world’s workers and strongly condemn the dismissal and imposition of any discrimination of Afghan migrant workers and other nationalities.

14 – We appreciate all the support from international workers in and strongly support the protests and demands of workers worldwide and are united with them more than ever with emphasis on international solidarity of workers to escape the capitalist system.

15 – May 1st must be declared an official holiday in the country and included in the official calendar and any restrictions regarding recognition of the anniversary of this day will be abolished.

Long Live May 1st

Long live the international solidarity of workers

May 1, 2010

Ordibehesht 11, 1389

Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company

Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane Company

Liberties Union of Workers

Staff of Open Metalwork and Mechanics Union

Inaugurated Board of the Syndicate of Painters

Association of Kermanshah Electrical Workers and Metalworks

Committee in Pursuit of Free trade Associations

Coordination Committee for the Creation of  Labor Organizations

Association for the Defense of Dismissed and Unemployed Turpentine Workers

Women’s Council

Translated by Street Journalist

Reprinted from Street Journalist, http://www.astreetjournalist.com/