There are 3 states that prohibit collective bargaining for public sector employees: Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Virginia law currently prevents public service employees from negotiating for fair wages, a nondiscriminatory environment and safer working conditions. 45 other states allow this, and changing this law in Virginia is long overdue. House Bill 582 would give all Virginians the right to bargain for a better life and stronger communities.
When workers stand together to organize, mobilize, and strike we can build power and win the wages, benefits, and working conditions we need and deserve. But that can be extremely difficult when our current laws keep the balance of power tilted in favor CEOs and the super rich.
The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 2474) is historic legislation that will help put power in the hands of workers and reverse decades of legislation meant to crush unions.
The PRO Act will:
Sign the petition to demand Congress pass the PRO Act! https://bit.ly/2uMbEHR
https://roanokepeoplespower.wordpress.com/
(1.30.20)
On January 3rd, Qasem Soleimani was assassinated via a United States drone strike. Soleimani had been a Major General in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and one of the most influential figures in Western Asia. His assassination at the hands of the United States is an act of war.
Immediately the Trump administration jumped to spin the narrative surrounding the killing. Solemaini was branded a “terrorist” who was planning an “imminent attack” that the strike supposedly was meant to pre-empt. In reality, no such threat existed. Soleimani was on a diplomatic mission in Iraq, a sovereign nation, the US committed yet another crime in its bloody, imperialist history, and tried to save face with a brazen lie….
Now is the time to stand in solidarity with our fellow workers in Iran, and all other targets of US Imperialism. Now is the time to expose the lies of our government. They lied about Evo Morales. They lied about WMDs in Iraq. They lied about the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam. There is no lie too big or too despicable when the US wants to go to war. They are lying about Soleimani now and we won’t fall for it.
No war in Iran! No war anywhere!
The only war we support is the one for the people’s liberation.
(art by: Melanie Cervantes, DignidadRebelde.com)
The Unsubmissive France (LFI) president Jean- Luc Melenchon Wednesday informed that the three leftist groups in the National Assembly reached an agreement to present a motion of censure against the French government.
Police attack firefighters and other workers during protests against austerity Jan. 29, 2020.
Pack the Court! Bond Reduction Hearing
3721 60th Street, Kenosha County Courthouse, 8:30 A.M.
This is a pre-trial hearing. The full trial starts is scheduled for March. Please come out, get informed and build power behind Chrystul to get these unjust charges dropped!
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THIS HEARING:
Chrystul’s defense lawyer, Carl Johnson, has filed a motion for Chrystul to help her get out of jail while awaiting her trial. Judge Wilks will be reviewing this request and making a decision. Currently, her bond amount is set at $1 million, which we cannot even raise 10% of.
Carl has requested a reduction in the past, but we’re hoping it will be granted this time. Chrystul has been through a lot of trauma, and jail heaps more trauma on her and separates her from her family and other supports to help her through this struggle.
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE CASE:
In December, Chrystul’s lawyer argued that affirmative defense law applies to Chrystul’s case. Affirmative defenses protect trafficking survivors from prosecution for “offenses” as a result of being trafficked. The judge rejected this argument, and Chrystul will appeal his decision.
Appealing a judge’s decision before trial is called an interlocutory appeal. They are fairly rare, but since this would be the first application of this new law, it makes sense to attempt one. If the appeal court agrees to hear the appeal, Chrystul’s March 16 trial date will likely be pushed back.
A NOTE on court etiquette:
Chrystul’s favorite color is red, so wear red to express support. Try to dress nice (doesn’t need to be formal, but presentable), take off hats when you enter the room, no using phones or talking while court is in session (when the judge is in the room). Some members of Volar’s family often show up, so we should try to sit together as a group. Be polite, but try to avoid interaction with them.
Milwaukee Area Service & Hospitality Workers Organization
Fiserv Forum workers did it! We won a tentative agreement for an industry-leading, standard-setting first union contract! The wage floor increases to $15/hour by the time of the DNC convention and raises wages two-thirds from the previous non-union operation. We secured just cause, progressive discipline, fair scheduling, and a grievance procedure, along with the rights, dignity, and respect that comes from a strong union contract. This contract is a HUGE deal. It sets a new, higher standard for all service and hospitality workers. It will raise the bar across the whole industry as others working similar jobs see what you’ve all achieved. This is what happens when we come together in a union like MASH. When we fight, we win. Congratulations everyone!
Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association
A press conference was held today with labor leaders, workers, community supporters, and elected officials to announce Senator Chris Larson’s two bills. The first (Collective Bargaining Freedom Act) restores full and fair collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has seen the devastating effects the loss of collective bargaining rights have had on public employees, their families, and the people they serve. It’s time to restore collective bargaining rights for all workers in Wisconsin!
The second bill (Civil Service Restoration Act) restores the civil service system.
LRB4911 LRB4913
All photos: Joe Brusky
By: Lauren Smith
The Embassy Protectors face federal charges punishable by up to one year in prison, a US$100,000 fine each, and restitution to the government for police time & damages, which is considerable given the duration of their occupation and the absurd amount of armed forces used in the embassy raid – as they remain four unarmed senior and middle-aged peace activists. Since their charges are unjust and anything can happen in prison, especially to dissidents, people of consciousness must ensure all charges are dropped. So, let us stand on the right side of history with the Embassy Protectors and show solidarity by attending their trial in Washington, D.C., which begins on Feb. 11, donating to their legal fund, and spreading the truth of what’s really happening widely. [Article published in teleSUR: https://bit.ly/38ThRk9)
On his way back from a Christmas visit to his family in Nicaragua, 31-year-old US citizen Sergio Lazo Torrez was detained by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers at Fort Lauderdale International Airport on January 20, then interrogated by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents who grilled him about his involvement in the US anti-war movement.
Torrez was a participant in the Venezuela Embassy Protection Collective, a group of activists and journalists formed in April 2019 to defend Venezuela’s embassy in Washington DC against a takeover attempt by the Trump-backed coup administration of Juan Guaido.
As The Grayzone reported, Torrez was previously detained by CBP at Dulles International Airport on August 2 after returning from a solidarity trip to Venezuela with fellow members of the collective, including this reporter. There, he was questioned for several hours about his activities in Caracas and was forced to surrender his cellphone for a search.
Torrez described the January 20 interrogation as longer and more intrusive than the last one. “They made me feel powerless because you can’t defend yourself and they can do whatever they want,” he told The Grayzone. “Even though I’m a US citizen, they told me that every time I come back to the country, I’m going to be forced to go through the same thing….”
