No to Angelides and Schwarzenegger!
Steven Argue ,

Angelides criticized Schwarzenegger for his praise for the racist anti-immigrant vigilantes called the “Minutemen” while in the same breath calling for a "guest worker" program that would create a new class of super-exploited worker with no political rights. Under the same type of program in the past U.S. bosses often failed to even pay Mexican workers for their hard labor. The fact that Angelides and the Democrat Party are now calling for this kind of legalization of indentured servitude place them firmly in the same racist camp as Schwarzenegger.
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LABOR UNION NEWS
LABOR UNION NEWS,

About Labor Union News-Labor unions have benefited greatly from the communications capabilities provided by the Internet: thousands of sites overflow with a wealth of information regarding news, issues and policies of labor unions both regional and global. I've collected some of these resources here, to serve as a starting point for those doing research on labor unions, looking for a specific group, or simply wanting to learn more about the state of unions today.
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Action against school budget cuts at HSU
K. Scott Perry,

A call to arms. Seeking old members of City college's Resistencia Estudiantil, or other ally's, to combat cuts to education funds. Update on organizing at Humboldt State University, currently in mid-crisis.
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Labor must take the road of class struggle!
Fred Bergen,

A Working Class Emancipation labor bulletin
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Books 4 Prisoners Fundraiser Event
colectivo zapatista and groundwork books,

Books 4 Prisoners Fundraiser Event
Saturday September 30
All Day!!!

Sponsored by Colectivo Zapatista de San Diego and Groundwork Books
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Black, Immigrant Rights Movements Compared
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Veteran civil rights activist and International Socialist Organization (ISO) member Joel Geier spoke to the San Diego ISO September 23 on the history of the African-American civil rights movement and the lessons it has to offer modern-day activists, particularly those working to secure legal status and decent wages for immigrant workers. Geier said that the failures of the civil rights movement — particularly their inability to improve the economic status of most African-Americans — point to the need for political clarity, organization and structure within activist movements.
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Waving the Bloody Shirt
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

"Waving the bloody shirt" was a campaign tactic used by the Republican party after the Civil War. Republican orators traveled around the country to remind voters of which major party had supported slavery and tried to appease the South — and which had stood up to it and won the Civil War. Today the Republican party is once again "waving the bloody shirt" in its constant use of 9/11 and the so-called "war on terror" to scare voters into electing Republicans — and new polls suggest that the tactic is working once again, as it did in 2002 and 2004, and that Republicans will be able to keep control of Congress in this year's election despite their abysmal record of failure in Iraq, Katrina, etc.
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Activist Compares Civil Rights, Immigrant Rts
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Veteran civil rights activist Joel Geier spoke at the City Heights Recreation Center September 23 under the auspices of the International Socialist Organization. He gave a comparison of the civil rights movement of the 1960's with the immigrant rights movement of today, and said that both the civil rights movement's successes and failures have lessons for the activists of today. He stressed the need for political clarity within activist organizations and clear lines of leadership and structure in order to build a movement that can withstand both political setbacks and government repression.
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How could this happen
Ken Secor,

The most basic reason why the American workers have fallen so far behind those in the rest of the industral world
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"Planet of Slums" Author Speaks in San Diego
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Mike Davis, author of several best-selling books on urban corruption and apocalypse, spoke at the First Unitarian-Universalist Church Wednesday, September 13 and outlined the basic themes of his new book, "Planet of Slums." His argument was that one billion or more people worldwide now live in slum conditions, that they exist almost totally outside the organized world economy, and that the breakdown of any sense of community and the rise of the "Washington consensus" and the structural adjustment programs it imposed on the Third World have pretty much wiped out any chance for these people to work themselves up economically and better their lives.

Previous Coverage, Incl Audio/Transcript | UN-HABITAT Report: Challenge of Slums | Challenge of Slums: Case Studies | Mike Davis: Planet of Slums | Mike Davis: Slum Ecology | Reviews: 1 2 3 | Interviews: 1 2a 2b 3 (audio)
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Video of Operation W.T.F (Where's the Fence)
General Giggles of the CIRCA Boredom Patrol,

The Boredom Patrol of the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army goes to a local home depot in san diego, california, where the Minutemen are trying to keep day laborers from feeding their families.

High quality download (with 2 minutes more footage!)

Low quality youtube video

CIRCA-SD | Friends of Day Laborers | CIRCA | CIRCA contra los Minutemen action sep 9

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Civil society groups denounce Singapore
Freedom from Debt Coalition - Philippines,

Civil society groups denounce Singapore government, IMF-WB for barring activists

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Detroit Teachers Still Out, Despite DFT
Dr RIch Gibson,

Members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers enter the third week of a strike for the same demands that propelled their 1999 illegal wildcat strike, "Books! Supplies! Lower Class Size!---and No More Concessions!"
The strike has been attacked by Detroit City officials, the School Board, and enjoined by a judge, but the strike holds, despite DFT misleadership.

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"Border War" Protest Video
qjb,

Human rights activists from Border Angels, Friends of Day Laborers and other groups gathered at the AMC Mission Valley to protest the opening of the propaganda film Border War, which was produced by the extreme right wing group, Citizens United and directed by Kevin Knoblock, whose other "credits" are Celsius 41.11 and a bio of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Enrique Morones of Border Angels, who appeared in the movie, talked to the corporate media about the humanity and goodness of migrants, and the need to transcend the racist rhetoric of the right wing to find ways to ensure human rights for everyone.

Floyd Brown, the "Chair of the Board" of Citizens United, provoked a confrontation for the corporate cameras by badgering a human rights activist who was writing the message "No One is Illegal" on a sign. Floydie-boy has a long history as a racist, including producing the Willie Horton ad in 1988, widely credited with boosting Bush I into the presidency. Although he started strong and indeed produced a spectacle, he wasn't able to think beyond simple racist code words and eventually was chased from the limelight by cross-bearing humanitarians.

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David Rovics Performs in San Diego Sept. 8
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

America’s political folksingers have been fanning the flames of discontent for at least 100 years, from the IWW’s Joe Hill (convicted on trumped-up charges and executed in 1915) to Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger in the 1940’s, Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs in the 1960’s, Utah Phillips and Fred Small in the 1980’s, and now Roy Zimmerman, Dave Lippman, Charlie King, the Prince Myshkins — and David Rovics, who’ll be bringing his songs and stage raps to San Diego Friday, September 8, 7 p.m. at the Sherman Heights Community Center, 2258 Island Avenue.
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Resistance to Minutemen in Socal
sdimc volunteer, adapted from LA-IMC and US-IMC feature,

As cities across the country celebrate Labor Day Weekend & the beginning of fall with a week of demonstrations calling for fair and comprehensive immigration policy reform, and respect for all workers, resistance to vigilante rascist minutemen continues in southern California.

UPDATE: Charges against No More Deaths humanitarian activists dismissed (AZ-IMC)

UPDATE-2: Workers Repel Minutemen Incursion in Wilmington (LA-IMC)
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Filipinas in Lebanon treated like slaves
Internat'l Civil Society Mission to Lebanon,

FINDINGS OF INTERNATIONAL MISSION TO LEBANON:

Filipina overseas workers in Lebanon are being treated like “modern-day slaves,” this was the main finding of Filipinos who had just arrived from Lebanon as part of an international civil society and parliamentary delegation.


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March and Rally to Save Worker Pensions
kilo,

Calling all members of the SD activist community!

UCSD workers are rallying to save their pensions. The UC administrators and regents are forcing workers to pay contributions for their pensions while giving themselves raises and extravagant bonuses. Their budget priorities do not reflect the values of economic justice that we wish to see for all members of the UC and San Diego community.
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Starbucks Adds Rats in the Cupboards to Rats in the Boardroom
nobux,

(with apologies to rats for comparing them to corporate monsters)

The primary role of Starbucks in society seems to be to destroy local businesses and exploit workers in this country and others in the pursuit of obscene profits.

Starbucks serves milk containing genetically engineered recombinant bovine growth hormone, a danger to dairy cow and human health, and only a tiny percentage of their coffee, 3,7%, is fair trade.

Starbucks is strongly anti-union, squashing workers' rights by intimidating and firing union organizers for the nascent Industrial Workers of the World Starbucks Workers Union, including the recent termination of IWW barista Daniel Gross. The IWW filed a complaint with OSHA over unsafe working conditions associated with rats and roaches at 44 NYC Sbux outlets.

Starbucks attacks local businesses with buy-outs, "cluster bombing" tactics, and market cannibalization. Starbucks outlets recently opened across from popular local businesses in two central San Diego locations: Urban Grind in Hillcrest and Claire de Lune in North Park. The Ocean Beach Grassroots Organization has been fighting Starbucks and other chain stores for years.

The Starbucks website lists over 200 stores in San Diego County.

I think you know what to do.

IWW Starbucks Workers Union | Starbucks Delocator | ihatestarbucks | In Defense of Rats
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A World Beyond Capitalism Conference.NoCharge
diversity,

The Second Annual International Multiracial Alliance Building Peace Conference, known as the 2006 A World Beyond Capitalism Conference is set to begin August 26th in Portland. It will continue from August 26th-28th, 2006. There is no charge for anything!  http://aworldbeyondcapitalism.org
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Starbucks Infested with roaches and rats
repost,

Starbucks is known for its pricey coffee. Now, workers claims they have to dodge rats and roaches while making those frothy concoctions. Fox 5's Ernie Anastos has the unappetizing details.
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STARBUCKS INFAMY: IWW Organizer Daniel Gross
intexile@iww.org,

TAKE ACTION NOW!

The Starbucks "investigation" of IWW member Daniel Gross concluded today with his termination after more than three years of organizing at the company.
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Tijuana Report On the Edge: Juarez Femicides
Yolanda,

Between 70 and 80 people were in attendance at the Teatro de la Casa de la Cultura in Tijuana for Steev Hise's film On the Edge: The Femicides in Ciudad Juarez.

Lourdes Diaz, Director of Tijuana’s Women’s Municipal Institute gave the introduction. After the film about 80% of the audience stayed for over an hour of discussion with Steev Hise and Mrs. Sara Ruiz, moderated by Carmen Valadez of the Feminist Binational Collective.

Mrs. Ruiz’s daughter Sarita was abducted, assaulted and thrown from a moving car last December on to the streets of Tijuana by Pueblo Amigo, about four blocks away from the San Ysidro Port of Entry. She died six days later. Mrs. Ruiz carried out a 9-day hunger strike in June and says many mothers whose daughters have been victimized are afraid to speak out and have asked her to carry on for them also.

Majority awareness and actions are needed to halt and stop the spread of out-of-control atrocities. As evidenced by the reception of the screenings in San Diego and Tijuana this last week, On the Edge is an important step in this direction.
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Talk on IWW & San Diego - 7/29, 3pm - Free!
dogrrrl,

JON BEKKEN WILL GIVE A TALK ON THE IWW's first 100 years,
with an emphasis on the San Diego Free Speech Fight, the criminal
syndicalism prosecutions here in the 1970s, and the scope of the
union's activity today worldwide.
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Work to Live
small WORLD Podcast,

Interview with Joe Robinson, author of Work to Live about how to beat the unwritten rules of work life, the stuff no one ever talks about that drives overwork, missed vacations, and you to wits end.
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response to article on immigration
Murdock Todd Cote (Doc),

oped
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Hoff and CLI
James Watwood,

My article demonstrates that James P. Hoffa is a Neocon, a War monger, and does not take his job as president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters seriously.
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Solidarity Delegation to Venezuela
Edward Mercado,

LAST CALL
The objective of this delegation is to bring the revolutionary process taking place in Venezuela to light by facilitating the active participation of the delegates with several different community organizations and community-based social programs.


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Palast Skewers Democrats in New Book
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Journalist, economist and activist Greg Palast came to San Diego June 10 in defiance of his publishers to promote his new book, "Armed Madhouse." The book attacks American politicians of both major parties and celebrates independent figures like Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, former U.S. Presidential candidate H. Ross Perot and the late Louisiana governor Huey Long. It also offers a provocative explanation of what the war in Iraq is really about — not getting Iraq's oil, but quite the contrary: keeping it off the market in order to raise the price and increase the already swollen profits of Big Oil.
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Venezuela From Below en-es video to download
Aaron Aarons,

VENEZUELA FROM BELOW, the English-subtitled version of VENEZUELA DESDE ABAJO, is now available for download using Bit Torrent. Here's the info on where to find it and, if you don't know already, links to info on how to download it and play it.
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