Socialist Alternative

Jan 23, 2007
By Brandon Madsen, Minnesota Organizer for Youth Against War and Racism

On December 19, over 60 students, parents, and community members poured into St. Paul’s District Administration Building, grabbing signs and lining up for comment to give the Board of Education a clear message: End military recruitment in our schools!

This presence at the Board meeting was organized by students in Central High School’s Youth Against War and Racism (YAWR), alongside youth activists in Socialist Alternative.

Read more… »

Urgent Solidarity Meeting
for U of M students, workers, and faculty

When: THURSDAY, February 1, 5:00 P.M.
Where: COFFMAN UNION ROOM 323

As some of you may already know, the 4,200 Twin Cities janitors of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 26 are currently engaged in a struggle for a better future for their families. Come Thursday to hear directly from a union activist and participate in a civil disobedience/ peace keeper training. The union is aiming to train dozens of community supporters this week to prepare for non-violent civil disobedience actions if such an escalation is needed.

The janitors have been working without a contract since the beginning of the year and employers have so far refused to budge regarding the workers’ primary demand– affordable health insurance for their families. Only 14 of these 4,200 workers currently have family health insurance and more than three quarters of the janitors have no health coverage at all.

Because of this, and because of numerous unfair labor practices, the janitors voted to authorize their bargaining committee to call a strike if necessary.

Justice for Janitors campaigns have yielded amazing victories in other parts of the country, most recently in Houston. Community support has been an essential role in these victories. Now is the time for the University of Minnesota community to our part. We would like to invite all university allies of the janitors to join us at the time and place listed below. We will discuss the history of and latest news on this struggle as well as ways we can show our solidarity. There will also be a brief civil disobedience training. Those who might be willing to take part in future civil disobedience actions in support of the janitors are especially encouraged to come.

For more information on the Justice for Janitors movement in the Twin Cities, see www.seiu26.org and www.workdayminnesota.org

Socialist Alternative has endorsed the Labor and Sustainability Conference scheduled for this coming Friday and Saturday (1/19 and 1/20). See below for more information…

—

Dear Friends, Members of the Media, Unionists, Environmentalists, Humans:

Attached is the Labor & Sustainability Conference flyer with schedule. We
are very excited about this confluence of organizers, officials and
activists from the Midwest region and beyond. This first Labor &
Sustainability Conference will take place at the United Auto Workers 879
Union Hall, 2191 Ford Parkway in St. Paul on Friday evening and all day
Saturday. For the workshop panel titles, descriptions and speakers, feel
free to visit:

www.laborandsustainability.org (click on the Conference Leaflet link).

In solidarity with people and the planet!

- The Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities (3CTC)

_________________________________

FRIDAY, JAN. 19, EVENING PROGRAM

6:00 PM Reception/7:00 PM Speakers

“Building A Movement For Sustainability:
How Labor Can Respond to the Climate Crisis”

**Jack Rasmus**
- Chairperson of Bay Area National Writers Union 1981 (UAW)
- Author of “The War At Home: The Corporate Offensive From Reagan To Bush”
**Bill Onasch**
- Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1287 Retiree (Kansas City, MO Bus Drivers)
- Labor Party Interim National Council & U.S. Labor Against the War
Steering Committee
**Charles Griffith**
- Auto Project Director, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor & UAW 174
**Claudette Juska**
- Auto Project Coordinator, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor & UAW 174

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

8:00 AM Registration
9:00 AM Welcoming Address: Lynn Hinkle, Health & Safety Director, UAW 879
10:00 AM First Workshop Session in the MNSCU Training Center
12:00 Lunch-Time Press Conference: Rotunda of the MNSCU Training Center
1:00 PM Second Workshop Session in the MNSCU Training Center
3:00 PM Plenary to Discuss & Vote on Action Resolutions
6:00 PM DINNER-TIME PANEL DISCUSSION
Charles Griffith: Auto Project Director, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor, MI
Bracken Hendricks: former Executive Director, the Apollo Alliance
Jack Rasmus: Chairperson, Bay Area National Writers Union 1981 (UAW)
Sean Sweeney: Director, Cornell Global Labor Institute

* A Catered Organic Dinner Will Be Served *

9:00 PM Poetry by members of the Minnesota Spoken Word Association!

(Tentative) 9:30 PM Dance

Free & Open To The Public!

Endorsed By: AFSCME 3800, Douglas County Supervisor Adam Ritscher, 4th &
5th CDs Green Party, IMPACT, Labor Education Service, Mac CARES, Mayday
Books, Mpls. CLUC, MN AFL-CIO, MN-CPUSA, MNs For Peace & Social Justice,
Prof. Peter Rachleff, Red Lake Casino, Hotel & Restaurant Employees’ Union
Org. Cmte., Save Our Bog, St. Paul Area Trades & Labor Assembly, Socialist
Alternative, State Rep. Frank Hornstein, 3CTC, UAW 879, UFCW 789, UTU 650,
WAMM, WILPF-MN Metro.

For More Information: www.laborandsustainability.org
Or info@laborandsustainability.org, 651-699-4246.

Socialist Alternative has endorsed the Labor and Sustainability Conference scheduled for this coming Friday and Saturday (1/19 and 1/20). See below for more information…
Read more… »

EMERGENCY ANTI-WAR PROTEST

Say no to an escalation of the war in Iraq;
Say no to the “Surge” of Troops!
WE SAY: SURGE OUT NOW!

Picket Line
Friday, January 12, 2007 4:30pm
Federal Building
4th Street & 3rd Avenue, Downtown Minneapolis

The Bush administration is preparing for a major escalation of the war in Iraq. This escalation is expected to include a so-called “surge” of thousands of additional U.S. troops into Iraq. This escalation can lead only to more deaths of Iraqis and U.S. military personnel.

Polls have shown that the majority of people in the U.S. as well as in Iraq want the U.S troops to leave that country. Neither support a surge of troops into Iraq; they are calling for a withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Initiated by: Iraq Peace Action Coalition

EMERGENCY ANTI-WAR PROTEST

Say no to an escalation of the war in Iraq;
Say no to the “Surge” of Troops!
WE SAY: SURGE OUT NOW!

Picket Line
Friday, January 12, 2007 4:30pm
Federal Building
4th Street & 3rd Avenue, Downtown Minneapolis

The Bush administration is preparing for a major escalation of the war in Iraq. This escalation is expected to include a so-called “surge” of thousands of additional U.S. troops into Iraq. This escalation can lead only to more deaths of Iraqis and U.S. military personnel.

Polls have shown that the majority of people in the U.S. as well as in Iraq want the U.S troops to leave that country. Neither support a surge of troops into Iraq; they are calling for a withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Initiated by: Iraq Peace Action Coalition