Workers Resistance

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  • Thousands rally at NC Legislature in eighth wave of Moral Monday protests

    Raleigh, NC – “Whose house? Our house!” That was the chant voiced by over 5000 North Carolinians who came to Raleigh June 24 to protest the right-wing agenda and unjust laws being passed by the Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature.

    The June 24 rally was the eighth wave of Moral Monday protests organized by Reverend William Barber and the North Carolina NAACP. It was largest so far. The wave of protests began on April 29, with a protest of about 100 people and 15 arrests. Since then, protests of thousands and arrests of 80 to 100 people are a common occurrence on any given Monday afternoon in Raleigh. 120 people were arrested for civil disobedience June 24, bringing the total to over 600 arrests in these waves of demonstrations.

    The focus of the June 24 protest was labor, women and economic justice. United Electrical Workers Local 150, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, Southern Workers Assembly, SEIU, Communication Workers of America and NC Association of Educators were among the unions represented at the protest. The AFL-CIO issued a call for all unions to mobilize for the demonstration. NC AFL-CIO president James Andrews joined the group of protesters who were arrested for civil disobedience.

    Speakers denounced the legislature’s attacks on workers’ rights, as well as the right-wing attacks on women. “When it comes to control of a woman’s body, who decides? She decides, not politicians!” said one speaker to loud applause from the crowd.

    People need to protest, said Linda Suggs, a member of Black Workers for Justice and the Alliance for Retired Americans. “Unjust policies are being passed day by day, minute by minute, hour by hour. But we are not taking it lying down, no way!”

     

  • India : Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission: 26th June United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

    India :  Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission

    The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
    observed around the world on June 26 serves as a sober reminder of the
    reality that this ugly side of humanity is still very much alive in
    our contemporary and supposedly civilized society. It is a reality
    that is even harder to grapple with in democratic

  • Michigan bakers rally for union at Panera Bread

    Kalamazoo, MI – More than 100 workers and supporters rallied in front of Panera Bread in Kalamazoo, Michigan on June 21. Panera workers in Kalamazoo voted to form a union and join the Bakers, Confectioners, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union (BCTGM) over a year ago. Panera bosses are refusing to recognize the union or bargain their first contract. The NLRB ruled that Panera bosses broke the law and ordered them to the bargaining table.

    However, enforcement of the ruling is being held up by a Washington D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals case involving the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) appointments by President Obama. That case claims Obama overstepped the president’s constitutional authority. Without the Obama appointments, the NLRB cannot function or make rulings because it does not have a quorum (enough members to vote).

    The workers solidarity rally included a giant, ten-foot tall union baker – an inflatable representative of the Bakers union. The giant union baker showed his support by walking the picket line and waving to the cars and trucks honking in support of the union.

    Union members and the community came together to support Panera workers, one who was fired and others who are being retaliated against by the bosses for forming a union. The rally also demanded the confirmation of the five NLRB presidential nominees.

    Union struggles are heating up in Michigan since Republicans passed ‘Right To Work’ laws that make forming unions much more difficult. Spirits are high however, and the workers are determined to win this struggle for a first contract. It will set an example in fast food industries for others to follow.

  • June 23: Credit crunch hits China

    http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/06/22/chin-j22.html Credit crunch hits China By John Chan 22 June 2013 After the US Federal Reserve on Thursday indicated a possible end to quantitative easing, there was a major outflow of speculative “hot money” from Asia and other emerging economies. In China, a credit squeeze by the country’s central bank turned into a credit crunch. […]

  • Delhi – Citizens’ Protest Against John Kerry’s Visit, June 24

    Date and time: June 24th, 3:00 pm Venue: Jantar Mantar, New Delhi Contact: Kumar Sundaram (9810556134) Mahtab Alam (9811209345) Please join us at Jantar Mantar on 24th june 2013 (Monday)for a joint citizens’ protest against the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry for the 4th Annual Strategic Dialogue between India and the United […]

  • Turkey: Police intervened with water cannons against thousands of protesters peaceful gathered today in Istanbul’s Taksim Square

     

     

    Police intervened with water cannons against thousands of protesters peaceful gathered today in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, a week after the police cleared Gezi Park, the heart of nationwide demonstrations, after a muscled crackdown.

    After warning the crowd to disperse from the square, riot police used water cannons to quell the demonstration.

    Many protesters had started to disperse

  • International and British Trade Unions demonstate outside Turkish Embassy in London against State Repression in Turkey.

    The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation), IUF (International Union of Food workers), the TUC and UK unions joined forces with the Taksim Solidarity Committee to demonstrate outside the Turkish Embassy in London  on 21st June 2013 as part of a global two days of action against the continuing repression of protestors in Taksim Square in Istanbul and other centres in Turkey.

  • Uttarakhand – Report of workers’ struggle in ASAL and their arrest

    State imposes Sec 144 in response to Mazdoor Panchayat held at the Residence of Uttarakhand Labour Minister a report by Subhashini Shriya 17th June In a fierce attempt to crush the voice of the struggling workers raised in a Mazdoor Panchayat called on the 16th of June, the District Administration of UdhamSingh Nagar at the […]

  • Twin Cities protests growing U.S. intervention in Syria

    St Paul, MN – Holding signs and banners, about 40 people gathered, June 19, on Lake Street Bridge which spans the Mississippi River to say no to the growing U.S. war on Syria. Passing cars honked in support of their message.

    Marie Braun, told the gathering, “It is a very important time for the peace community to speak out against war and continued military involvement in the Middle East. And the American people are tired of war. A recent New York Times poll reported that 62% of respondents do not support U.S. participation in another military intervention. However, despite this opposition, the talk of safe zones, no-fly zones and supplying lethal weapons to rebel groups in Syria continues. War is the ultimate human rights violation and expanded U.S. military intervention in Syria will not lead to peace, justice or democracy for the Syrian people. It can only lead to a greater civilian death toll, more refugees and further destabilization in the region.”

    Meredith Aby said, “The Obama administration is also considering a ‘no fly zone’ which is discussed by politicians as an alternative to military intervention when in actuality it is warfare. Many of us worked together in solidarity with the people of Iraq. And in that war we say that the U.S./UN no fly zone in Iraq stripped the sovereignty of Iraq by prohibiting the government from flying even domestic aircraft in its own country. The U.S. Air Force conducted daily bombing campaigns which terrorized the civilian population. A no fly zone might sound better than military invasion, but it is in matter of fact the taking over of a country by controlling its airspace. It is critical that when you call the White House to say no weapons to Syria that you also say, ‘no to a no fly zone’ too.”

    The weekly peace vigil is sponsored by: Women Against Military Madness End War Committee and Twin Cities Peace Campaign. The June 19 vigil was endorsed by the Anti-War Committee.

  • MN Welfare Rights Committee wins first welfare increase since 1986

    St. Paul, MN – Because of the Welfare Rights Committee’s fierce battle at the State Capitol, the first increase for welfare since 1986 passed and was signed into law by the governor in late May. The Health and Human Services Omnibus bill includes a housing allowance for MFIP families (MFIP is Minnesota’s welfare program for poor families). The Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) won over $40 million dollars (over a 2 year period) that will go directly into the pockets of poor families. Specifically, MFIP families who do not live in subsidized housing will receive an additional $110 dollars a month.

    It is a victory in that it turns the tide after 27 years of no grant increase. It is because of the relentless and persistent work of the WRC that this first cash increase passed. Members of the WRC exposed the theft of federal TANF (welfare) dollars and the extreme poverty of MFIP families. Legislative backers of the bill have declared that this is only a start. The message of poor families was heard loud and clear and the WRC will make sure it continues to be heard.

    However, the fact that it won’t help a single person for two years is an outrage. While it as an acknowledgement that the cash MFIP grants that poor families get don’t even come close to covering rent, it is cynical in the extreme in that it actively condemns kids to homelessness for another 2 years.

    The Welfare Rights Committee has been fighting to increase the grants since last summer. The WRC introduced a bill to double the grants and struggled with legislators until the bitter end to get even a partial increase. One reason for the disappointing two-year wait before the increase takes effect is the cowardly legislative leadership putting election politics before people. Poof families had to continually urge and re-convince legislators to do right thing, after 27 years

    “What a family of two lived on in 1986 was $437. What a family of two lives on today in 2013 is $437.00. The time is now!’ said Welfare Rights member Lena Buggs. Poor families have been struggling to pay their rent and bills with the amount of money that they receive in welfare.

    “People are going homeless,” states Angel Buechner, member of the Welfare Rights Committee. If the welfare grants had kept up with inflation since 1986 – the year of the last increase – they would be double. The cash grant levels condemns over 70,000 MN children to extreme poverty.

    Another barrier to the full success of the bill to double the grants was interference from the ‘poverty industry’ – agencies and other areas of government that use funds meant for poor families for their businesses or their ‘studies.’

    The federal money meant for welfare, the TANF block grant, has been raided for years. Only 28% of the TANF fund goes to actual people in need. The WRC’s work caused many legislators – Democrats and Republican – to question this misuse of TANF funds.

    As statement from the WRC notes: “It is clear to the WRC and poor families that the legislature and the governor clearly dance to the tune of the rich. They use regressive taxes to give General Fund money to billionaire stadium owners, then turn around and tell homeless kids that there won’t be money to help them for two years.

    “We will take this truth to the streets, and continue to demand justice. This is just the beginning. We will keep up the fight to Raise the Welfare Grants until poor families in MN get the justice we deserve!”

    The Welfare Rights Committee will hold a protest outside Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton’s mansion July 10. For more info, see http://welfarerightsmn.com/