[olympiaworkers] Unions propose a general strike to stop the war

From: owls@riseup.net
Date: Tue, July 15,

Stoking the summer heat:
Unions propose a general strike to stop the war

Come to our July meeting to discuss an exciting anti-war resolution. As of
early July, three local unions have endorsed an antiwar resolution to be
brought to the Washington State Labor Council Convention in August. The
resolution, adopted at the June OWLS meeting, calls for a general strike
across the U.S. to be planned and executed by the AFL-CIO and Change to
Win with the demand that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan end immediately.
The resolution also calls for a moratorium on foreclosures, public
ownership of gas and oil companies, affordable health care, and an end to
ICE raids and deportations. We must get this resolution passed to get
labor back in front.

Also featured: OWLS' support for Access bus drivers — ATU 587 members who
are planning actions to win respect and protest King County's giveaway of
140 union jobs to a non-union contractor; and a recent strike by teachers
in Puerto Rico — and how SEIU is trying to raid their independent union.

Coming up August 9 OWLS will hold a yard sale fund raiser. Bring your art
skills to make signs!

Tuesday, July 22, 7:00pm
Seattle Labor Temple, Hall 132, 2800 First Ave

OWLS meets the fourth Tuesday of every month. We are an open, multiracial
group of labor activists formed to forge solidarity across union lines and
promote the unionization of all workers, especially the lowest paid.
Info: OWLS@riseup.net or call Mike at 206-354-8753 or Max at 206-949-4552
Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity PO Box 18202 Seattle, WA 98118-9998

[olympiaworkers] Solidarity request from Providence RI IWW

Hey all, i just got something in the mail from the IWW in Providence. A
couple of their members were brutalized by Providence police over a year
ago during an informational picket. One member, Alexandra Svoboda had her
leg badly broken during the incident. Apparently the City of Providence is
pressing charges and wobblies are asking for funds.

Joe

Following is an article from the IWW website about the incident

http://www.iww.org/en/node/3593

IWW continues organizing and free speech fight in Providence
Submitted by intexile on Mon, 08/20/2007 - 4:43am.
RECENT UPDATES

I.W.W. Victory: Jacky's Galaxy Discontinues Business With Dragonland
Trading Inc.

On Thursday August 16, 2007, "Jacky Ko", members of the Industrial
Workers of the World and their respective lawyers appeared in Superior
Court in Providence. Under oath, Ko stated that he no longer does, nor
will he ever again, knowingly do business with Dragonland. Considering Ko
stated this under oath, the IWW considers this sufficient evidence of Ko's
divestment.

Furthermore, New Buffet restaurant in Providence confirmed that they have
also divested in Dragonland. This is a clear and absolute victory for the
IWW, union rank and file at Dragonland and Alexandra Svoboda, who was
brutalized on the picket line. Alex will undergo her third surgery
tomorrow at RI Hopital and will be operated on at least one more time.

The IWW plans to march, permitted, on August 26th to protest police
brutality and violation of civil rights and to celebrate the recent
victories of the IWW and workers everywhere. The Providence branch of the
IWW is currently seeking a permit for the march.

Alex has just finished her third operation and awaiting a fourth. We
don't know yet how the latest operation went. We'll keep you informed.

********************************************************************************

WHERE TO SEND DONATIONS

This is the paypal e-mail address we are using for her support funds:
albiorix80@yahoo.com
If sending mail, please send it to

Providence GMB:
PO box 5795
Providence R.I.
02903

*********************************************************************************

20 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT ALEX SVOBODA!

* Join Alex's union ­ the IWW. For more information on the Industrial
Workers of the World visit HYPERLINK "http://www.iww.org"
http://www.iww.org. For more information about how to join the local
Providence IWW contact Mark Bray at HYPERLINK
"mailto:albiorix80@yahoo.com" albiorix80@yahoo.com
* Attend solidarity actions organized to support Alex, including the
Anti-Police Brutality March on Sunday, August 26 at 1:30 at the North
Providence City Hall
* Make a donation to support Alex. There are three ways to send
whatever funds you can:

1. Providence IWW GMB, PO Box 5795, Providence, RI 02903
2. Or contact Mark Bray at 201-669-0714
3. For readers wanting to use PayPal, you can address contributions
to the account named HYPERLINK "mailto:albiorix80@yahoo.com"
albiorix80@yahoo.com

* Call your local representatives voicing your outrage over the North
Providence Police's brutal attack on Alex.
* Write letters of support for Alex addressed to:

* North Providence Mayor: Charles A. Lombardi, North Providence
Town Hall, 2000 Smith Street, North Providence, RI 02911 -
Telephone: (401) 232-0900, ext. 226 Fax: (401) 232-3434
* Police Chief: Ernest C. Spaziano, North Providence Police
Department, 1967 Mineral Spring Ave., North Providence, RI 02904 -
Business line: 401-233-1433 Fax number: 401-233-1438
* North Providence Police Department Professional Standards Unit,
1967 Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence, RI 02904 - (401)
233-1433 Ext. 114 Confidential Fax (401) 233-1425
* Attorney General Patrick Lynch, 150 South Main St., Providence,
RI 02903 (401) 274-4400
* Governor Donald L. Carcieri, Office of the Governor, 222 State
House, Providence, RI 02903-1196

* Contact friends, associates or organizational affiliates and urge
them to write letters as well
* Do you have connections to national groups? If so, urge them to
support Alex by writing a letter
* Put an announcement about Alex's situation on a listserve you belong to
* Download flyers from the website and distribute them; Ask local
organizations to distribute them. To download flyers, visit HYPERLINK
"http://supportalexsvoboda.blogspot.com/"
http://supportalexsvoboda.blogspot.com/

* Download the petition on the website and get signatures
* Table at local events with literature and the petition; Notify the
providence GMB about events where we can table
* Make an announcement about supporting Alex's case at a meeting or
public gathering
* Write a letter to the editor to your local newspaper or media outlet
* Make a donation to help with legal fees
* Pass the hat, take up a collection at your place of worship, union
hall, school, etc.
* Organize a fundraiser/ outreach event such as a dinner party,
musical event, film or lecture
* Offer to donate your skills (artistic, writing, music, research,
outreach, canvassing, phone banking, etc)
* Ask a band or entertainer to donate proceeds of a performance to Alex
* Check the website often for updates and events!
* Ask friends and associates to do all of the above!

******************************************************************
LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR ALEX AND THE I.W.W.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my concern and outrage over the North Providence
Police Department's handling of the August 11th protest organized by the
Industrial Workers of the World on Mineral Spring Ave. The responding
officers' over-reaction and escalation of this situation that resulted in
such a serious injury to a non-violent peaceful protestor will not be
tolerated by those who hope for and actively work toward a better
community.

It is no doubt that officers face many difficult situations in the line of
duty; however, the judgment exercised by the officers present during this
incident clearly indicates a lack of education about basic civic liberties
and training on appropriate responses to minor infractions.

Clearly, Alexandra Svoboda is not a criminal, but an activist, whose
actions fall within the historic tradition of protest against injustice.
That is not the kind of activity that should lead to such a serious injury
or criminal charges. Ms. Svoboda is a social justice advocate and has a
record of important community service. She is a good, dearly loved,
peaceful member of the community who was brave enough to take a stand
against injustice and inequality.

The pictures that capture this unfortunate incident are horrific. I find
it nauseating to look at the photo of the one officer bearing his weight
on what is clearly her grotesquely broken leg while trying to handcuff
her. Instead, the humane thing to do would have been to find medical
attention for this victim. I hereby demand that you take action against
the offending officers; order a full-scale, independent investigation into
the incident; issue a formal apology to Ms. Svoboda and all who were
present that day; and dismiss all charges against Ms. Svoboda and fellow
union organizer Jason Friedmutter.

In this digital age where news stories can be passed around the world in
seconds quite literally, I can say in all honesty and conviction that THE
WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING and looking upon the City of North Providence with
shame. It is not too late to rectify this situation by holding the
officers accountable for the abuse of power that was exercised that day
and issuing a formal apology to Ms. Svoboda and all who were present at
the demonstration that day.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

**********************************************************
PETITION TEMPLATE

Mayor Charles Lombardi and Colonel Ernest Spaziano,

We, the undersigned, disapprove of the North Providence Police Officers'
handling of the demonstration organized by the Industrial Workers of the
World on August 11, 2007. Two members of the IWW union were arrested
during the incident while exercising their constitutionally protected
rights of freedom to dissent and free speech. In addition to the blatant
disregard for basic civil liberties on which America was built, I am
outraged that the incident resulted in an eruption of police brutality and
misconduct which caused such a severe injury to Alexandra Svoboda. We
demand that you conduct a full-scale, independent investigation into the
actions of the participating police officers; issue a formal apology to
Ms. Svoboda and dismiss all charges against her and fellow union members;
and take appropriate measures to make sure police brutality will not occur
in North Providence ever again.

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

NAME ADDRESS PHONE/EMAIL

Please return completed petitions to: Support for Alex, c/o Providence
GMB, PO Box 5795, Providence, RI 02903

***********************************************************

MORE INFO:

CONTACTS FOR MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF OF N. PROV:

North Providence Mayor:
Charles A. Lombardi
North Providence Town Hall
2000 Smith Street
North Providence, RI 02911
Telephone: (401) 232-0900, ext. 226
Fax: (401) 232-3434

Police Chief:
Ernest C. Spaziano
North Providence Police Department
1967 Mineral Spring Ave.
North Providence, R.I. 02904
Business line: 401-233-1433
Fax number: 401-233-1438

*********************************************************

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTERS OF THE NATIONAL LAWYER'S GUILD CONDEMNS VIOLENCE
AGAINST PROTESTERS IN NORTH PROVIDENCE

The New England chapters of the National Lawyers Guild, in Maine,
Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as the regional leadership, have
joined with Rhode Island members to condemn law enforcement violence
against protesters at an August 11 protest march in North Providence.

Last Saturday, a group of about 40 people were taking part in a march
organized by the Providence International Workers of the World (IWW or
"wobblies") in support of HWH Trading Corporation warehouse workers. HWH,
now called Dragonland, is a warehouse in Queens, New York, known for its
sweatshop conditions and flagrant disregard for workers rights. Jacky's
Galaxie, a restaurant chain in Providence and surrounding areas, continues
to do business with HWH, despite knowledge of the company's illegal
practices.

On Saturday, the peaceful marchers were walking down a side of the road
and, when making their way to the sidewalk at the request of law
enforcement, suddenly found themselves being pushed backwards by police.
Alex Svoboda, a Providence wobbly, was violently pushed to the ground and
sustained a broken leg, which had been bent in an awkward while she was
pinned face down to the ground. Not only was Ms. Svoboda's leg broken, but
she required surgery for a burst blood vessel in her leg. Despite Ms.
Svoboda's significant injuries at the hands of law enforcement, she was
subsequently arrested on multiple charges. Another wobbly was also
arrested and two other marchers were pepper sprayed by the police.

The National Lawyers Guild condemns the violence shown by law enforcement
towards these peaceful marchers who were exercising their first amendment
rights in solidarity with workers. Rather than those who were attacked and
arrested, it is the companies that provide sweatshop conditions for their
workers and the companies that purchase goods from these vendors.

We call for all criminal charges resulting from this lawful march to be
dismissed, and for those law enforcement personnel responsible for the
injuries to Ms. Svoboda to be held professionally, and financially,
responsible. Furthermore, we call on Jacky's Galaxie to finally, and
permanently sever its connections to HWH Trading Corporation and to commit
to only dealing with vendors which have a demonstrated commitment to the
rights of workers.

[olympiaworkers] Olympia Worker Resource Blog Updated

Hey all, I updated the links to the Olympia Workers Resource Blog today.
The Blog news is updated by the email list. Anyone on the olympia worker
email can post to the blog by posting to the email list. There are also
newsfeeds from Libcom.org, Labourstart, IWW, and Worker Independent News.
And links to class struggle pamphlets have also been updated.

http://olympiaworkers.net

Joe

[olympiaworkers] Shipping companies file charges over May Day ILWU anti-war strike

Shipping companies file charges over May Day ILWU anti-war strike

US West Coast dockers who struck against the war on May 1st now face a legal threat from their employers.

The Pacific Maritime Association has asked the National Labor Relations Board to file charges against the union. The employers' move, initiated in late May, comes in the midst of ongoing contract talks.

The threat was revealed to several hundred trade unionists at the National
Shop Stewards Network annual conference in London on Saturday. Four
delegates from ILWU Local 10 – Samantha Levens, Anthony Leviege, Robert
Irminger and Jack Heyman – were greeted with a standing ovation as they
entered the hall. In workshops and informal discussion, they explained how
their historic strike had been organised.

The NSSN is the first non-party inter-union coordination of rank and file
trade unionists in Britain for many years. Initiated by the RMT, it now
involves members spread across most major unions in England, Wales,
Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Platform speakers on Saturday included the
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow, POA General Secretary Brian Caton, and PCS
President Janice Goodrich. Interest in the ILWU story was intense. Jack
Heyman told the final plenary that imperialist wars abroad meant
repression at home, and ending the war would benefit all workers.

The strike had its origins in the Labor Conference to Stop the War, held
in San Francisco last October and to which the RMT sent 6 delegates.
Conference called on individual unions to establish policy in favour of
industrial action against the war. In February, the ILWU Longshore Caucus
debated a resolution from Local 10. Vietnam veterans spoke in that debate,
and swung the vote to overwhelming support for workers' action to stop the
war. While the original motion called for a 24 hour stoppage, the union
opted for 8 hours and then tried to use the normal facility of a monthly
stop-work meeting. However, the employers refused to grant this facility
and the stoppage went ahead without their permission.

First ever US strike against war

The longshore action on International Workers Day was the first ever US
strike against war, closed all 29 West Coast ports and inspired a
solidarity stoppage in the Iraqi Port of Basra. The PMA claims it
constituted an "unlawful secondary boycott".

The legal threat may be a ploy in contract talks. The current agreement
expired today (1st July). During previous negotiations in 2002, the then
Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfield warned the union that industrial action would constitute a
threat to national security, and theatened to bring troops to occupy the
docks in the event of a strike over the contract. In their submission to
the NLRB filed on 27 May, the PMA declared:

On or about February 8, 2008, and at all times thereafter, the
International Longhsore and Warehouse Union ("ILWU") has engaged in the
planning, coordination and publication of a work stoppage scheduled to
occur on or about May 1, 2008 at ports throughout the West Coast. On May
1, 2008, the threatened work stoppage occurred and caused the closure of
virtually every major port in California, Oregon and Washington. The ILWU
did not have a dispute with PMA, a multi-employer bargaining association,
or any of PMA's approximately 70 member stevedoring, terminal and shipping
companies, all of whom employ ILWU members. Rather, according to the
Union's public statements, the purpose for the work stoppage was to
protest the United States Government and its current military policy,
specifically regarding the war in Iraq.

The ILWU's actions in connection with the May 1, 2008 work stoppage
constituted an unlawful secondary boycott in violation of the Section 8
(b) (4) (B) of the Act. The ILWU induced and encouraged its members to
refuse to perform their jobs and threatened and restrained PMA and its
member companies with the work stoppage. In doing so, the ILWU prevented
PMA and its member companies from doing business and dealing with other
employers and persons, as well as each other.

Section 8 (b) (4) (B) bars labour actions aimed to force a boycott of
other companies or to compel another employer to recognise a union.

It is highly debatable whether the action constituted a "secondary
boycott". The ILWU stoppage came after the PMA refused a normal union
request that the monthly facility for stop-work meetings be granted for
the day shift on May 1st.

The NLRB must now decide whether to proceed with charges against the union.

Send solidarity messages to:

Bob McEllrath, International President, ILWU, 1188 Franklin Street, San
Francisco, California 94109. Tel: (+1 415) 775 0533 Fax: (+1 415) 775
1302. Email: robert.mcellrath [at] ilwu.org

Send protests to:
PMA public relations consultant, Steve Getzug, at (310) 633-9444 or
steve.getzug@hillandknowlton.com
PMA Headquarters
555 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-2800
Phone: (415) 576-3200 Main FAX: (415) 348-8392
and to
NLRB San Francisco
901 Market Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103-1735
Regional Director: Joseph P. Norelli Hours of Operation: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
(PST)
TEL: 415-356-5130 FAX: 415-356-5156
or use the email form for the NLRB information office
http://www.nlrb.gov/about_us/news_room/contact_the_division_of_information.aspx

http://libcom.org/news/shipping-companies-file-charges-over-may-day-anti-war-strike-02072008

Global Day of Action Will Protest Starbucks’ Anti-Union Terminations

Monday, June 30 2008 Contributed by: GRSBUXUNION to infoshop news

Grand Rapids, Michigan - Union members and social activists are gearing up for what may be the largest, global coordinated action against Starbucks ever. Protesters will decry what they see as an epidemic of anti-union terminations by the world’s largest coffee chain. Starbucks and its CEO Howard Schultz have exhibited a pattern of firing outspoken union baristas ever since the advent of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) in 2004 and are demonstrating the same practice against the CNT union in Spain.

Coordinated Actions Across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America Could
Be Largest Ever Against Coffee Chain

Grand Rapids , MI ( 06-30-2008 )- Union members and social activists are gearing up for what may be the largest, global coordinated action against Starbucks ever. Protesters will decry what they see as an epidemic of anti-union terminations by the world’s largest coffee chain. Starbucks and its CEO Howard Schultz have exhibited a pattern of firing outspoken union baristas ever since the advent of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) in 2004 and are demonstrating the same practice against the CNT union in Spain.

"On July 5th people around the world will show Starbucks that we, baristas along with our supporters, will have a voice and Starbucks discrimination and repression of our efforts will not go unchecked," said Cole Dorsey, a fired Starbucks barista and a member of the SWU.

The IWW and CNT have called for the day of action in response to two recent anti-union terminations. On April 24, Starbucks fired Monica in Sevilla , Spain, for her activity on behalf of the CNT union. She asked to be identified by only her first name to avoid future employment discrimination. On June 6, Starbucks fired 2 year barista Cole Dorsey in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for his activity on behalf of the Industrial Workers of the World union. These firings come in the midst of Unfair Labor Practice charges being investigated by the NLRB against Starbucks in Grand Rapids, including whether Starbucks violated a previous Labor Board settlement there, and deliberations by a judge on the anti-union terminations of three IWW baristas in New York City.

The firing of Monica, in Spain, made clear that Starbucks union-busting policies were not specific to the US, but were decided by the top echelons of the corporation in Seattle. The Confederacion Nacional de Trabajadores ( CNT ) quickly responded in Spain with local pressure to reinstate their member.

Due to Starbucks globalized response to union activists, the Starbucks Union (IWW) and the Sevilla CNT vowed to join struggles for the reinstatement of their members. As a consequence of that declaration, July 5th was called for a Global Day of Action Against Starbucks Repression. In a show of solidarity, Cole and Monica vowed not to return until both were reinstated.

Actions against Starbucks will take place in: Argentina, Chile, the British Isles, Italy, Japan, Norway, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, 4
cities in Spain, 6 cities in Germany. In the US: Phoenix, Philadelphia, Grand Rapids, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles .

The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is a grassroots organization
of employees at the world's largest coffee chain united for better pay, stable work schedules, safer working conditions, and easier access to more affordable health care. The union has members throughout the United States fighting for systemic change at the company and remedying individual grievances with management.

[olympiaworkers] Help us free a jailed woman trade unionist

This message will be very brief and to the point.

 

The Turkish government has jailed a woman trade unionist, Meryem Özsögüt, and has kept her in detention for nearly six months.    Meryem is a leader of the public sector union SES, and we've been asked by Public Services International (PSI) to launch a big online campaign demanding her release. For more details and to add your signature, please click here now.

This campaign will not take off, and we will not secure Meryem's release, unless we can mobilize thousands of our members around the world. 

 

Please do what you can to help this campaign go viral -- forward it to your email lists, post information on your union websites, pass out flyers at events, use new tools like Twitter, Facebook and blogs to spread the word.

Meryem needs our help.  I know that I can count on all of you.

Eric Lee

This message was sent from Eric Lee to olympiaworkers@riseup.net. It was sent from: Eric Lee, 51 Briarfield Avenue, London, UK N3 2LG, United Kingdom. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.

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---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Help us free a jailed woman trade unionist
From: "Eric Lee" <ericlee@labourstart.org>
Date: Mon, June 30, 2008 4:48 am
To: olympiaworkers@riseup.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are having trouble viewing this message, please go to
http://community.icontact.com/p/labourstart/newsletters/inside/rss.xml.

This message will be very brief and to the point.

The Turkish government has jailed a woman trade unionist,
Meryem Özsögüt, and has kept her in detention for nearly six months.

Meryem is a leader of the public sector union SES, and we've been asked
by Public Services International (PSI) to launch a big online
campaign demanding her release.

For more details and to add your signature, please
[http://www.labourstart.org/meryem] click here now.

This campaign will not take off, and we will not secure Meryem's release,
unless we can mobilize thousands of our members around the world.

Please do what you can to help this campaign go viral -- forward it to
your email lists, post information on your union websites, pass out flyers
at events, use new tools like Twitter, Facebook and blogs to spread the
word.

Meryem needs our help. I know that I can count on all of you.

Eric Lee

This message was sent by: Eric Lee, 51 Briarfield Avenue, London, UK N3
2LG, United Kingdom

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