As the winds of mass protest and demands for change continue to surge across Quebec, now is the time for students and working people in English Canada to march in solidarity with the students' movement. What began as opposition to tuition hikes in Quebec has grown into a fight against austerity and a defence of … Continue reading Spread the Quebec Strike! Solidarity with the Students!
Month: May 2012
Quebec Student Revolt Continues
<!--[if !mso]><![endif]--> MONTREAL—On May 19, Quebec’s Liberal government passed draconian legislation, Law 78, to smash the mass student strike that has shaken Quebec society over the past four months. The so-called Loi de Matraque (truncheon law) is an attack on the rights of association, demonstration and free speech. It suspends academic sessions at all Quebec … Continue reading Quebec Student Revolt Continues
Report on May 20 Anti-NATO Protest in Chicago
Led by Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, 15,000 people took to the streets of Chicago to protest on May 20, the opening day of the NATO summit. The demonstration was the largest antiwar demonstration in the U.S. in several years. The mass demonstration was the culmination of a week of activity against NATO and the … Continue reading Report on May 20 Anti-NATO Protest in Chicago
The Struggle Against Women’s Oppression
May 20: March to protest NATO summit in Chicago!
The NATO war-makers, fresh from their missile barrage on Libya, are coming to Chicago this month for a summit meeting. We can expect that U.S. politicians and the compliant media will spare no effort to glad-hand the NATO representatives on their arrival. But protesters, who are weary of the endless war in Afghanistan and dazed … Continue reading May 20: March to protest NATO summit in Chicago!
Egypt: Growing protests against military rule
On Wednesday, May 2, paid thugs hired by Egypt’s military rulers murdered at least 20 participants in a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Defense (MOD). While the initial core of the sit-in, begun the Friday before, consisted of supporters of a Salafi (conservative Islamist) presidential candidate, one of several disqualified by the Supreme … Continue reading Egypt: Growing protests against military rule
Another look at the ILWU Longview strike
Real victories in today’s labor movement are few and far between. Indeed, there are none over the past 40 years or so, especially in the U.S., that were powerful enough to stop the crisis-ridden system of exploitation and oppression in its tracks and open the door for a labor offensive capable of inspiring millions to … Continue reading Another look at the ILWU Longview strike
Gerry Foley: A life dedicated to socialist revolution
Few revolutionaries, past or present, have devoted their entire adult lives to the socialist cause as full-timers. Gerry Foley was one of them. He died unexpectedly on April 21 in San Cristóbal de las Casas, in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico’s poorest state. Gerry spent 50 years fighting—at near poverty wages—to free humanity from every … Continue reading Gerry Foley: A life dedicated to socialist revolution
Big May Day Turnout in New York City
NEW YORK—May 1 was a day of celebration, rage, and solidarity. Taking to the streets for International Worker’s Day were some 10,000 to 20,000 mostly working-class New Yorkers. Dozens of May Day actions culminated in a big rally and march from Union Square in lower Manhattan. The march went south on Broadway to Wall Street, … Continue reading Big May Day Turnout in New York City
May Day in Arizona
TUCSON, Ariz.—On May Day (International Workers’ Day), the march and rally for immigrants’ and other workers’ rights was smaller than in previous years, only about 500. In contrast, in 2006, nearly 20,000 marched in Tucson on April 10, and about the same number two years ago, to protest Arizona’s racial profiling law, SB 1070, which … Continue reading May Day in Arizona
May Day in Oregon
SALEM, Ore.—About 2000 people attended “The Light of Hope March And Rally: A Celebration Of Working Families, Regardless Of Immigration Status.” The event was sponsored by Causa Oregon, PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos Del Noroeste) Oregon’s Farm Worker Union, Vos Hispana Causa Chavista, Mujeres Luchadores Progresista, Willamette University Causa Chapter, Oregon AFL-CIO. The only visible … Continue reading May Day in Oregon
Minneapolis May Day March
On May 1, people gathered in the Latino neighborhood of Minneapolis and marched through the main immigrant business sector, to end at a local park for a rally. Police estimated 2000 participants (compared to 400 last year). The crowd was probably about one-third Latino immigrants. MIRAc (the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee) spent over three months organizing … Continue reading Minneapolis May Day March
Libya’s Shadow
Reports by independent Arab human rights organizations and the UN Human Rights Council (published March 2) document the human rights violations in Libya since February 2011. They show us that it was indeed the case that the Qaddafi regime conducted crimes against humanity and, when the war began, war crimes.But what the UN report also … Continue reading Libya’s Shadow
Puerto Rico student leader: ‘Never give up!’
Below is an interview with Puerto Rican student activist Gamelyn Oduardo, a featured speaker at the March 23-25 conference of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC). The interview was conducted by Socialist Action reporters Lisa Luinenburg and Ana Noli. It has been slightly edited for space reasons.Socialist Action: Could you give an overview of the … Continue reading Puerto Rico student leader: ‘Never give up!’
Review of “The Hunger Games”
“The Hunger Games”, directed by Gary Ross; written by Ross, Susan Collins and Billy Ray, from the novel by Susan Collins, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, and Elizabeth Banks. Director Gary Ross’s film adaptation of “The Hunger Games,” from Susan Collins’ eponymous novel, has a lot going for it. For one thing, it … Continue reading Review of “The Hunger Games”
What is a General Strike?
Lately, with the growth of the Occupy movement, there’s been a lot of talk about the general strike as a weapon of the class struggle. The Occupy Oakland port shutdown on Nov. 2 was referred to as a one-day general strike. And various Occupy sites around the United States talked about calling a general strike for … Continue reading What is a General Strike?
Northern Lights
Labour and socialists oppose Ontario NDP sell-outIt was a momentary alliance. Was it a sign of things to come?Labour and socialist delegates at the Ontario New Democratic Party Convention, April 13-15 in Hamilton, jointly opposed an emergency resolution backed by the party tops that was very soft on the Ontario Liberal austerity budget. The budget … Continue reading Northern Lights
Spain 1937: Anarchism Fails Its Grand Test: Lessons for Today’s Movements
Seventy-five years ago this May, the workers of Barcelona fought valiantly to defend their revolution against an attempt by a Popular Front government of capitalist, Stalinist and anarchist parties to crush it. In the end the workers lost, and a massive wave of repression was launched to pave the way for Spain’s ruling class to … Continue reading Spain 1937: Anarchism Fails Its Grand Test: Lessons for Today’s Movements
May Day Statement
This May 1st, Socialist Action salutes all workers and immigrants as we celebrate International Workers’ Day! Attacks against workers’ organizing rights through Right to Work and other anti-union legislation are being battled across the country. Immigrant workers are being criminalized and deported through programs like E-verify and Secure Communities, while Muslim communities are being spied … Continue reading May Day Statement