50 years ago, black sanitation workers went on a strike in Memphis to demand higher pay and union rights. They were joined by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., and he marched with them for justice and delivered his iconic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.

This Monday, McDonald’s workers like me are doing the exact same thing. And Dr. King’s words have never been more true:

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We all know that Dr. King dedicated his life to fighting rampant, appalling racism. Many don’t realize that he fought just as hard for economic justice.

His historic speech was almost 50 years ago today, after two sanitation workers, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed to death by a malfunctioning garbage truck, precipitating their strike and demands for a living wage.

It is outrageous and true that we are still fighting for these basic human rights. Thousands across the country are striking and protesting with the Fight for $15 on Monday. Join us in honoring Dr. King’s final call to action and support the strikers as loudly, and as righteously, as he did. Share this video NOW.

Together, we can win good jobs and fair pay. Together we can win justice.

Onward!
Latierika Blair
McDonald’s Worker
Memphis, TN
Fight for $15

https://www.workers.org/2018/02/10/the-war-and-the-media-double-standards-for-mosul-iraq-and-aleppo-syria/

The Pentagon made its largest bombing attack inside Syria since last April on Feb. 6, striking pro-Syrian government forces at the same time as an attack from Israel on Syria. Thus, once again imperialist powers threaten to reignite their campaign to overthrow the legitimate Syrian government. All the more timely is it that Workers World publish this article by anti-war analyst Joachim Guilliard, published Jan. 22 in the German daily newspaper Junge Welt, and translated by WW managing editor John Catalinotto. The article exposes the double standards of the corporate media in Germany — the same would apply to the U.S. corporate media — handling the earlier offensives to drive the Islamic State forces out of Eastern Aleppo in Syria and Mosul in Iraq, respectively. These double standards are used to justify the U.S. and NATO offensives over the past decades, which have brought misery to the populations of both countries.

— WW editors

https://www.workers.org/

http://www.nnoc.info/mayday-brigade-call/

Open Call for the XIII May Day International Brigade

(April 22 to May 6, 2018)

Dear Friends:

The Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, together with its Travel Agency Amistur Cuba S.A. invites you to participate on the XIII edition of the May Day International Brigade, to celebrate the International Workers’ Day. This Brigade also pays tribute to the 60th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, while marking the 70th anniversary of the murder of trade union leader Jesus Menéndez Larrondo.

Participants will carry out days of voluntary work; will visit places of historic, social and cultural interest, will receive lectures on up-to-date topics and exchange ideas and experiences with representatives from different political and mass organizations, workers, trade union leaders and living testimonies of Cuban history.

The Brigade will take place from April 23 to May 6, 2018 (arrival April 22)  in the provinces of Havana, Artemisa, Villa Clara and Camagüey, where “brigadistas” will gain a wider awareness on Cuba’s current reality and the transformations taking place in the island as part of the process of updating the economic model designed to strengthen our socialist project.

The cost of the whole package is 675.00 USD. This includes: accommodation in shared rooms up to 6 people (in the case of Julio Antonio Mella International Camp, CIJAM); single, double or triple rooms (depending on availability at the hotel) in Camagüey; with full board (all three meals); airport transfers (in–out) and transportation to all the activities included in the program.

Since the CIJAM maximum capacity of lodging is 220 people, it is important to receive confirmation of your participation in this brigade in the established time frame. After reaching capacity, all late confirmations of participants will have alternative accommodations at a higher cost.

The program includes 14 nights of stay: out of them 10 at the Julio Antonio Mella International Camp (CIJAM), located in the Caimito municipality, some 45 Km from Havana, and 4 nights in a hotel in Camagüey province.

By confirming participation, “brigadistas” are required to participate in all activities under the proposed program; as well as assuring compliance with CIJAM regulations, maintaining an appropriate behavior, high standards of discipline and a socially responsible conduct, consistent with norms for social interaction.

Registration is now open until March 16, 2018. Final payment for US applicants are expected no later than March 23, 2018. It is essential that the application and registration include all personal information of participants, as well as details of flight arrival and departure, including date, time and flight number.

We invite you to join us in this XIII May Day International Brigade to keep building unity and solidarity amongst the peoples of the world.

Fraternally yours,

CUBAN INSTITUTE OF FRIENDSHIP WITH THE PEOPLES

http://www.nnoc.info/mayday-brigade-call/

http://www.nnoc.info/mayday-brigade-call/

http://iacenter.org/

https://www.gofundme.com/legal-fees-for-picket-court-costs

During the summer of 2016 the Milwaukee IWW’s Solidarity Network fought a campaign against Anchor Properties for the return of a stolen security deposit. During this process we picketed, phone zapped, and marched on Anchor Properties. Anchor Properties responded by calling the police, who unjustly issued tickets to an IWW picketer. This IWW took the case to court, because we must not allow police departments to intimidate labor and working class organizing. We have a right to stand up to injustice and a right to organize. The court case is dragging on, and the fellow worker needs help with legal fees. We are asking the community to help us pay the 700 dollars we need to keep fighting. This is actually a very modest fee that our representation is charging. Please contribute to this cause, because we aren’t only fighting slumlords, but we are also setting a precedent that working class organizations will not be intimidated into backing down by the police.

Mobilization4Mumia

Mobilization4Mumia

Young Workers Happy Hour and Story Slam

2461 S St. Clair Street, Milwaukee, Puddler’s Hall, 7-11 P.M. 

Join the Young Workers Committee of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council for a night of solidarity and socializing for under-40 workers. We will provide the drinks!

This happy hour will feature a story slam, entertaining short stories on the topic of “working union vs. non-union.”

The Young Workers Committee is a group for under-40 workers to meet other union activists and leaders, build leadership and organization, and sharpen knowledge and skills to revive unionism for today’s working class. We organize trainings, discussions, socials, and support workplace actions such as strikes and pickets in order to help rebuild union culture and build working class power among young workers.

Non-union represented workers who are interested in the benefits of a union or who want to learn how to organize their workplace are welcome to attend!

Friday, March 2nd, 7pm
Puddler’s Hall 2461 S St Clair St, Milwaukee, WI 53207

http://wisaflcio.typepad.com/wisconsin-state-afl-cio-blog/

“This win is all because of the solidarity of working people,” said Kelly Quimette, an Assembly Tech Line Leader, at Mercury Marine and proud member of IAMAW Local 1947. “We stuck together as a local to support each other and that is what unionism and collective bargaining is all about. When we stand strong and stand together we can make great gains for the middle class. Hopefully, this can start to turn the tide for workers facing two-tier wages and show them that it is possible to get equal wages for equal work for all.”

“Ending a two-tiered wage system where workers are doing the same job side-by-side but getting different pay is a victory for the working class and a testimony to what working people coming together in union can achieve,” said Ben Elizondo, IAMAW District 10 Business Representative who led the Negotiating Committee at Mercury Marine.