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
Category: Actions & Protest
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
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
UNAC conference challenges U.S./NATO war policies
<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]-->On April 1 The New York Times reported that the U.S. and the Gulf states, meeting as the “Friends of Syria” in Istanbul, had moved dramatically closer to direct military intervention against the Assad regime. The pro-U.S. Arab nations pledged $100 million to pay the fighters of the Free Syrian Army, and the … Continue reading UNAC conference challenges U.S./NATO war policies
We’ll demand our right to protest within sight of the NATO Summit
Below are introductory remarks to the March 23-25 UNAC conference by UNAC co-cordinator Marilyn Levin.When I started preparing for this talk, I thought back to July 2010, when UNAC began, and where we are today. It is astounding how much has changed over the past year and a half, although many of the challenges we face … Continue reading We’ll demand our right to protest within sight of the NATO Summit
UNAC Action Plan — No to U.S./NATO wars! Civil liberties for all!
Below are remarks on the United National Antiwar Coalition's draft Action Plan, presented by Glen Ford, executive editor of Black Agenda Report.Power to the people! Power to the 99% of the world! I thank UNAC for the honor of presenting the conference Action Plan. We have gathered at this convention to do two things. First, … Continue reading UNAC Action Plan — No to U.S./NATO wars! Civil liberties for all!
Stopping Home Foreclosures in the Twin Ports
Frederick Douglas once said that “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” The validity of this statement was powerfully demonstrated by Project Save Our Home's recent, successful campaign to save the Dunbar's family home from foreclosure. Project Save Our Homes is an activist group that was born from the Occupy Wall Street movement back in November of … Continue reading Stopping Home Foreclosures in the Twin Ports
Momentum builds for May 19 protest against NATO /G8
On March 23-25, hundreds of antiwar and international solidarity activists, students, and Occupiers are coming together in Stamford, Conn., for the United National Antiwar Coalition conference. A major task of the UNAC conference will be to build national support for the May 19 protest against the NATO/G8 summit convening in Chicago. Leaders of every social struggle … Continue reading Momentum builds for May 19 protest against NATO /G8
Activists denounce restrictions on Chicago G8/NATO protests
On Jan. 25, the Vancouver culture jammers known as Adbusters brought new attention to the need to protest the NATO/G8 summit occurring in Chicago from May 19-21. Adbusters played a large role in building the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York last fall and their call is expected to put the NATO/G8 summit meetings … Continue reading Activists denounce restrictions on Chicago G8/NATO protests
UNAC conference, March 23-25: ‘Challenge the wars of the 1%’
A Conference to Challenge the Wars of the 1% Against the 99% at Home and Abroad—this banner heads the call for the United National Antiwar Coalition Conference, which will be held in Stamford, CT, on March 23-25. Addressing this theme will be international guest speakers that include Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, the wife of the former … Continue reading UNAC conference, March 23-25: ‘Challenge the wars of the 1%’
Occupy debates the call for a May 1 general strike
At least 15 sites of the Occupy Movement have endorsed a call for actions on May Day 2012, including a general strike, initiated by Occupy LA (OLA). The debate within New York’s Occupy Wall Street (OWS) over whether to endorse the call is illustrative of the ideological differences within the movement, as well as the … Continue reading Occupy debates the call for a May 1 general strike
Protests demand: No war and no sanctions against Iran!
On Feb. 4, activists demanding “No Sanctions, Assassinations, Interventions! No War Against Iran!” held emergency demonstrations in at least 70 U.S. cities and towns. There were actions from Huntsville, Ala., to Amarillo, Texas, and from Buffalo, NY to Racine, WI. Other cities held demonstrations in the days immediately preceding or following the national day of … Continue reading Protests demand: No war and no sanctions against Iran!
‘People’s State of the State’ protests Wisconsin mining bill
MADISON—On Jan. 25, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker gave his State of the State address, in which he touted fake “job creation” and balancing the budget on the backs of state workers, who took a more than 8% pay and benefit cut and lost their collective bargaining rights.Earlier in the day, an independent “People’s State of … Continue reading ‘People’s State of the State’ protests Wisconsin mining bill
Act Now to Get Mumia Out of Solitary Confinement!
Mumia Abu-Jamal is being held in Administrative Custody (“The Hole” or Solitary Confinement) at SCI Mahanoy, Frackville, PA. Mumia’s death sentence has been dropped, and though he is supposed to be in General Population, he has been held in Solitary Confinement – shackled whenever he’s out side his cell (even to the shower), glaring lights … Continue reading Act Now to Get Mumia Out of Solitary Confinement!
Occupy, longshore workers challenge anti-union bosses
Time Magazine designated its “Person of the Year 2011” as “The Protestor.” To make clear that its reference was to what the editors considered the most important development of the year, Time added to its cover-page headline: “From the Arab Spring to Athens, from Occupy Wall Street to Moscow.” Its feature story began, “No one … Continue reading Occupy, longshore workers challenge anti-union bosses
Mumia’s Message to Occupy Wall Street
Mumia’s Message to Occupy Wall Street, as dictated while in Administrative Custody at SCI Mahanoy in Frackville, PA Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011My Friends of OWS,My message will have to be brief. But let not this brevity take from it, its strength.You are the central movement of the hour. You’re raising questions that are in the … Continue reading Mumia’s Message to Occupy Wall Street
Occupations unleash critical debate on capitalist crisis
<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]-->The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement has proven to be the political spark that ignited the pent-up anger and frustration of millions in the United States. It has awakened broad segments of the great majority who have suffered deeply from a decades-long tidal wave of defeats inflicted by a degenerating world capitalist order … Continue reading Occupations unleash critical debate on capitalist crisis
Wall St. criminals attack OWS; workers, students fight back!
NEW YORK—On Nov. 15, Wall Street’s front man, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, launched an early-morning blitzkrieg-style police raid on Zuccotti Park, the site of the two-month old Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. New York’s “thugs in blue” evicted and arrested some 250 non-violent protestors at 1 a.m. and seized their possessions. The growing OWS “people’s library” … Continue reading Wall St. criminals attack OWS; workers, students fight back!
Occupy Oakland shuts down port and calls for blockade
OAKLAND, Calif.—The Occupy Oakland movement reached a new height on Nov. 2 when a “General Strike” drew more than 10,000 working people, students, and trade unionists—the 99%—to downtown. The mobilization grew to upwards of 20,000 as a diverse sea of people marched to the port of Oakland, where the ILWU workers honored their picket line, … Continue reading Occupy Oakland shuts down port and calls for blockade
NATO & G8 to meet in Chicago — Support the right to protest!
On Nov. 17, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city of Chicago once again refused to guarantee permits for legal, peaceful protests at the overlapping NATO and G8 summits occurring from May 15 to May 22, 2012. Pat Hunt, a central leader of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda, explained to the media that … Continue reading NATO & G8 to meet in Chicago — Support the right to protest!
Occupations point the way for mass labor fightback
Socialist Action welcomes the Occupy movement as a hopeful sign that the working-class fightback against the economic crisis, which is decades overdue, may finally be taking off. We salute the bravery and persistence of the Occupations in the face of police repression, media lies, and politician slanders and attempts at cooptation.As with similar mass encampments … Continue reading Occupations point the way for mass labor fightback
Occupy movement goals: Socialist revolution or capitalist reforms?
At last count 900 U.S. cities have joined the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. Five hundred other cities and towns on every continent have joined the mushrooming mobilizations in solidarity. With each repressive blow, the movement comes back stronger—more inclusive, more confident, and more clearly focused. “The Americans are fighting back at last,” cried one … Continue reading Occupy movement goals: Socialist revolution or capitalist reforms?