Tidbits and Announcements - July 10, 2012

* Re: A Union Grows in Brooklyn (Polly Kanevsky)
* Re: There is No Substitute for Organizing : How Unions
  Might Help Win Future Battles (Sterling Vinson)
* Limerick (Ode to Mitt Romney) - (Seymour Joseph)
* Re: Three years into recovery, just how much has state and
  local austerity hurt job growth? (David Arocho)
* Philippine Hotel Union Leader Interview (David Bacon)
* International Labor Panel Human Rights, Worker Rights and
  the Fight for Fair Trade - July 19 - New York City
* The Task of the 13th National Congress, South African
  Communist Party
* New Labor feature on the Online University of the Left
  home page (Carl Davidson)

==========

* Re: A Union Grows in Brooklyn

What can I do as a member of this community to support the
workers? Is there a boycott? Are there other actions
planned? Do you need a more visible media campaign? I am a
graphic designer and might be able to help with this....

polly kanevsky 
graphic design
http://pollykanevsky.com

==========

* Re: There is No Substitute for Organizing : How Unions
Might Help Win Future Battles

Lots of good ideas in here.  In our day, management and
labor fought it out with deer rifles and pick handles.  Some
battles lasted for days.  It's hard to imagine Dilbert with
a .30-30 at his work station!

Sterling Vinson

==========

* Limerick

There once was a Romney named Mitt
Whose personality split.
He went pro or con
Depending upon
Whatever position would fit.

Seymour Joseph 

==========

* Re: Three years into recovery, just how much has state and
local austerity hurt job growth?

This excellent analysis highlights the disconnect between
the real world we all live in and the neverland world our
politicians live in.  Where is this issue in the discourse
of Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney?  And where does it figure in
the major media?

David Arocho

==========

* Philippine Hotel Union Leader Interview

Philippine Hotel Union Leader Daniel Edralin Interview With
David Bacon

Daniel Edralin is the chairperson of the Alliance of
Progressive Labor, and one of the organizers of the leftwing
Akbayan Party in the Philippines.  In an interview with
David Bacon he describes the desperate situation of Filipino
workers, including those in the hotel and restaurant
industry, which his union NUHRAIN represents.  He also
talked about the political goals of unions and the left in
the Philippines, and their relationship with the new
government.

This interview was broadcast on KPFA's new morning show, Up
Front, at 7AM on Thursday, July 5.  It can be heard at the
link on this webpage:

http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/82109

==========

* International Labor Panel Human Rights, Worker Rights and
the Fight for Fair Trade

Sponsored by Left Labor Project

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Martin Luther King Jr Labor Community Center/1199SEIU
310 West 43rd Street/8th Ave, 7th floor, New York City

  *      Marcos García, Venezuelan Embassy Labor Attache and
  former board member of Caracas Metro Transport Workers'
  Union (SITRAMECA)

  *  A labor activist representing Cuba's UN Mission

  *  Carlos Salamanca of Trade Unionists in Solidarity with
  Colombia

  *  Maria Casteneda, Secretary-Treasurer, 1199SEIU United
  Healthcare Workers East

==========

* The Task of the 13th National Congress, South African
Communist Party

Umsebenzi Online
Volume 11, No. 24, 5 July 2012
http://www.sacp.org.za/main.php?ID=3667#redpen

The SACP released its discussion documents for the 13th
National Congress on the 21st May 2012. It has been a major
issue of concern that since the release of the discussion
document there has been minimal coverage, if none at all, of
the critical policy issues contained in SARS.

Our 13th National congress, like many other critical
conferences of our movements, is only interpreted through a
lens of elections. George Matlala, the Chief Gossiper who
recently left Sunday Independent to join Sunday Times has
been leading, unsurprisingly, the gossip pack in the media.
As we issue this edition Matlala is busy rounding up our
structures asking them whom do they support for elections.

No wonder since he joined the Sunday Times they have for two
weekends carried terrible front page stories based on what
Matlala does best, gathering stories not based on facts but
gossip. Two weeks back the Sunday Times carried a front age
story about war at the ANC policy conference by two of the
biggest provinces, the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu Natal. To
justify that in the case of KwaZulu Natal they quote the
Provincial secretary articulating outcomes of the PGC. When
it comes to the Eastern Cape The Sunday Times forgot to
speak to the Provincial Secretary. They spoke to an unknown
regional leader - thus declare war of provinces, not backed
up in quotes! Journalism lite!!

We reproduce below a statement we issues in May which is a
detailed summary of what is contained in the main Discussion
Document before congress. We hope this will refresh the
public mind and of course the media as most have been
consumed in misinforming us about the happenings at
Gallagher last week. Before they mislead you to come to a
conclusion that all the 2500 delegates will be doing next
week is fight over elections, see below our proposals and
engage us constructively on them.

Matlala and ilk will continue to write articles that have no
factual basis. Don't let them deter you from an engagement
with us on the basis of our policy proposals.

Editor,
Umsebenzi Online

=====

The Task of the 13th National Congress!!

The Draft Programme of the SACP (The South African Road to
Socialism - SARS) is being circulated for discussion within
SACP structures. It will be presented to the SACP's 13th
National Congress in July 2012 for discussion, amendments
and adoption. We also hope to encourage a broader debate
within our Alliance movement and beyond.

Many of the perspectives in this Draft are based on the
programme adopted at our 12th National Congress five years
ago. This current version has been updated to reflect
developments both internationally and within our own country
since 2007. We believe that the overall analysis and
strategic perspectives outlined in SARS 2007, based on the
SACP's Medium Term Vision, remain fundamentally correct and
have proved themselves many times in practice over the past
five years.

Since 2007 there has been important if contested progress
within our broad liberation movement, and in the evolution
of government policy. These positive developments, we
believe, have been in no small part due to the principled
interventions made by the SACP. In the immediate months
following our 12th congress, the Party's interventions
played an important role in the displacement of the "1996
class project" within our movement and subsequently within
leading state circles. The displacement of this revisionist
tendency has brought new ideological and political
challenges, and these are analysed in this new draft
Programme.

Here we highlight some of the key theses advanced in the
Draft Programme.
http://www.sacp.org.za/main.php?ID=3667#redpen

==========

* New Labor feature on the Online University of the Left
home page

New Labor feature on the OUL home page, left column. Joe
Hill Documentary. A 30-minute video on the legendary labor
organizer with a twist. It's done from Sweden, with English
subtitles, and shows the dimension of immigrant labor and
conditions in Sweden. You'll learn many new things you
didn't know from this one. By Anders Wesslén and Karl
Larsson. Music by Joakim Westlund, Anders Aborg, The Giant's
Dream and Per Erik Wesslén. Be sure to 'like' us at
http://www.facebook.com/OULeft.org , our FB page, to get
regular updates.

Online University of the Left
ouleft.sp-mesolite.tilted.net
Changing Our Thinking, Changing Opinion, Changing the World

Carl Davidson

= = = = =

 




* Re: A Union Grows in Brooklyn (Polly Kanevsky)
* Re: There is No Substitute for Organizing : How Unions
  Might Help Win Future Battles (Sterling Vinson)
* Limerick (Ode to Mitt Romney) - (Seymour Joseph)
* Re: Three years into recovery, just how much has state and
  local austerity hurt job growth? (David Arocho)
* Philippine Hotel Union Leader Interview (David Bacon)
* International Labor Panel Human Rights, Worker Rights and
  the Fight for Fair Trade - July 19 - New York City
* The Task of the 13th National Congress, South African
  Communist Party
* New Labor feature on the Online University of the Left
  home page (Carl Davidson)

==========

* Re: A Union Grows in Brooklyn

What can I do as a member of this community to support the
workers? Is there a boycott? Are there other actions
planned? Do you need a more visible media campaign? I am a
graphic designer and might be able to help with this....

polly kanevsky 
graphic design
http://pollykanevsky.com

==========

* Re: There is No Substitute for Organizing : How Unions
Might Help Win Future Battles

Lots of good ideas in here.  In our day, management and
labor fought it out with deer rifles and pick handles.  Some
battles lasted for days.  It's hard to imagine Dilbert with
a .30-30 at his work station!

Sterling Vinson

==========

* Limerick

There once was a Romney named Mitt
Whose personality split.
He went pro or con
Depending upon
Whatever position would fit.

Seymour Joseph 

==========

* Re: Three years into recovery, just how much has state and
local austerity hurt job growth?

This excellent analysis highlights the disconnect between
the real world we all live in and the neverland world our
politicians live in.  Where is this issue in the discourse
of Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney?  And where does it figure in
the major media?

David Arocho

==========

* Philippine Hotel Union Leader Interview

Philippine Hotel Union Leader Daniel Edralin Interview With
David Bacon

Daniel Edralin is the chairperson of the Alliance of
Progressive Labor, and one of the organizers of the leftwing
Akbayan Party in the Philippines.  In an interview with
David Bacon he describes the desperate situation of Filipino
workers, including those in the hotel and restaurant
industry, which his union NUHRAIN represents.  He also
talked about the political goals of unions and the left in
the Philippines, and their relationship with the new
government.

This interview was broadcast on KPFA's new morning show, Up
Front, at 7AM on Thursday, July 5.  It can be heard at the
link on this webpage:

http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/82109

==========

* International Labor Panel Human Rights, Worker Rights and
the Fight for Fair Trade

Sponsored by Left Labor Project

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Martin Luther King Jr Labor Community Center/1199SEIU
310 West 43rd Street/8th Ave, 7th floor, New York City

  *      Marcos García, Venezuelan Embassy Labor Attache and
  former board member of Caracas Metro Transport Workers'
  Union (SITRAMECA)

  *  A labor activist representing Cuba's UN Mission

  *  Carlos Salamanca of Trade Unionists in Solidarity with
  Colombia

  *  Maria Casteneda, Secretary-Treasurer, 1199SEIU United
  Healthcare Workers East

==========

* The Task of the 13th National Congress, South African
Communist Party

Umsebenzi Online
Volume 11, No. 24, 5 July 2012
http://www.sacp.org.za/main.php?ID=3667#redpen

The SACP released its discussion documents for the 13th
National Congress on the 21st May 2012. It has been a major
issue of concern that since the release of the discussion
document there has been minimal coverage, if none at all, of
the critical policy issues contained in SARS.

Our 13th National congress, like many other critical
conferences of our movements, is only interpreted through a
lens of elections. George Matlala, the Chief Gossiper who
recently left Sunday Independent to join Sunday Times has
been leading, unsurprisingly, the gossip pack in the media.
As we issue this edition Matlala is busy rounding up our
structures asking them whom do they support for elections.

No wonder since he joined the Sunday Times they have for two
weekends carried terrible front page stories based on what
Matlala does best, gathering stories not based on facts but
gossip. Two weeks back the Sunday Times carried a front age
story about war at the ANC policy conference by two of the
biggest provinces, the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu Natal. To
justify that in the case of KwaZulu Natal they quote the
Provincial secretary articulating outcomes of the PGC. When
it comes to the Eastern Cape The Sunday Times forgot to
speak to the Provincial Secretary. They spoke to an unknown
regional leader - thus declare war of provinces, not backed
up in quotes! Journalism lite!!

We reproduce below a statement we issues in May which is a
detailed summary of what is contained in the main Discussion
Document before congress. We hope this will refresh the
public mind and of course the media as most have been
consumed in misinforming us about the happenings at
Gallagher last week. Before they mislead you to come to a
conclusion that all the 2500 delegates will be doing next
week is fight over elections, see below our proposals and
engage us constructively on them.

Matlala and ilk will continue to write articles that have no
factual basis. Don't let them deter you from an engagement
with us on the basis of our policy proposals.

Editor,
Umsebenzi Online

=====

The Task of the 13th National Congress!!

The Draft Programme of the SACP (The South African Road to
Socialism - SARS) is being circulated for discussion within
SACP structures. It will be presented to the SACP's 13th
National Congress in July 2012 for discussion, amendments
and adoption. We also hope to encourage a broader debate
within our Alliance movement and beyond.

Many of the perspectives in this Draft are based on the
programme adopted at our 12th National Congress five years
ago. This current version has been updated to reflect
developments both internationally and within our own country
since 2007. We believe that the overall analysis and
strategic perspectives outlined in SARS 2007, based on the
SACP's Medium Term Vision, remain fundamentally correct and
have proved themselves many times in practice over the past
five years.

Since 2007 there has been important if contested progress
within our broad liberation movement, and in the evolution
of government policy. These positive developments, we
believe, have been in no small part due to the principled
interventions made by the SACP. In the immediate months
following our 12th congress, the Party's interventions
played an important role in the displacement of the "1996
class project" within our movement and subsequently within
leading state circles. The displacement of this revisionist
tendency has brought new ideological and political
challenges, and these are analysed in this new draft
Programme.

Here we highlight some of the key theses advanced in the
Draft Programme.
http://www.sacp.org.za/main.php?ID=3667#redpen

==========

* New Labor feature on the Online University of the Left
home page

New Labor feature on the OUL home page, left column. Joe
Hill Documentary. A 30-minute video on the legendary labor
organizer with a twist. It's done from Sweden, with English
subtitles, and shows the dimension of immigrant labor and
conditions in Sweden. You'll learn many new things you
didn't know from this one. By Anders Wesslén and Karl
Larsson. Music by Joakim Westlund, Anders Aborg, The Giant's
Dream and Per Erik Wesslén. Be sure to 'like' us at
http://www.facebook.com/OULeft.org , our FB page, to get
regular updates.

Online University of the Left
ouleft.sp-mesolite.tilted.net
Changing Our Thinking, Changing Opinion, Changing the World

Carl Davidson

= = = = =

 

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