> > > >SEPTEMBER 26 CALL TO ACTION > >Mark the IMF/WB Annual Meetings September 26: >Localize the Fight for Global Justice! > >[Slightly modified from Jobs with Justice call to action. See contact >information below.] > >The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will hold >their semi-annual joint meeting on September 26, 2000 in Prague, >Czech Republic. The World Bank and the IMF, two of the cornerstones of >the international financial system, claim to be working to eliminate >poverty, but their real purpose is to force developing nations to >embrace corporate globalization. > >The result is rampant abuse of workers' rights and the environment and >the further impoverishment of the very people the World Bank and IMF >are supposedly there to help. > >Tens of thousands will take to the streets in Prague on September 26 >to protest these harmful institutions and their advance into Eastern >Europe. In cities across the U.S., coalitions of labor, community, >student and faith-based activists will organize actions against local >targets to highlight the same issues that our sisters and brothers >will be protesting in Prague. Here is what some are planning in the >U.S. on September 26: > >* Confront a union-busting employer in your community who is ignoring >his/her workers' right to organize. >* Protest a local privatization plan in your city. >* Hold a forum on canceling third world debt. >* Target a toxic-waste dumper in your area. >* Leaflet or protest at a Kohl's or Target outlet, to support >sweatshop workers in Nicaragua who are resisting union-busting at the >Chentex and Mil Colores factories. >* Do a leafleting or protest at a store location or corporate >headquarters of some other offensive corporation. >* Do an action at a CitiBank branch to pressure them to stop >purchasing World Bank bonds. > >On the occasion of the 55th annual meetings of the governing bodies of >the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, we call for the >immediate suspension of the policies and practices that have caused >widespread poverty and suffering among the world's peoples and damage >to the world's environment. We oppose those policies that have >encouraged the suppression of basic human rights and freedoms, >especially those specific to women, workers and the poor. We assert >the responsibility of these institutions, together with the World >Trade Organization and multi-national corporations, >for an unjust world economic system. > >We issue this call in the name of global justice, in solidarity with >the peoples of the Global South struggling for survival and dignity in >the face of unjust economic policies. We seek to create just >societies, where governments are accountable first and foremost to the >will of their peoples for equitable economic development. Only when >the coercive powers of the international financial institutions are >rescinded can such a society exist. Only when international >institutions are no longer controlled by the wealthiest governments >for the purpose of dictating policy to the poorer ones shall all >peoples and nations be able to forge bonds - economic and >otherwise - based on mutual respect and their common needs. Only when >the well-being of all, including the most vulnerable people and >ecosystems, is given priority over corporate profits shall we achieve >genuine sustainable development and create a world of justice, >equality and peace. > >Endorsing Organizations Include: Jobs with Justice * 50 Years is >Enough Network * International Brotherhood of Teamsters * Witness for >Peace * AFL-CIO * Essential Action * Communications Workers of America >* Center for Economic and Policy Research * Continental Direct Action >Network * United Students Against Sweatshops * Alliance for Global >Justice * Rainforest Action Network * Eighth Day Center for Justice * >Just Act: Youth Action for Global Justice * Global Exchange * Center >for Economic Justice * Nicaragua Network * Campaign for Labor Rights * >Citizens Trade Campaign * United for a Fair Economy * Alliance for >Democracy * Mexico Solidarity Network * The Shalom Center * Pride at >Work AFL-CIO. > >Cities Planning Actions Include: Albany, NY * Asheville, NC * Atlanta, >GA * Baltimore, MD * Blacksburg, VA * Bloomington, IN * Boston, MA * >Buffalo, NY * Burlington, VT * Chapel Hill, NC * Chicago, IL * >Cleveland, OH * Dallas, TX * Denver, CO * Detroit, MI * Durham, NC * >Erie, PA * Greenville, SC * Helena, MT * Indianapolis, IN * Ithaca, NY >* Knoxville, TN * Lancaster, PA * Los Angeles, CA * Louisville, KY * >Miami, FL * Nashville, TN * New York, NY * Oakland, CA * Orange >County, CA * Philadelphia, PA * Pittsburgh, PA * Portland, ME * >Portland, OR * Providence, RI * Raleigh, NC * Richmond, VA * >Salt Lake City, UT * San Diego, CA * San Fernando, CA * San Francisco, >CA * Seattle, WA * Springfield, MA * Syracuse, NY * Trenton, NJ * >Tucson, AZ * Washington, DC * Wilmington, DE. > >If you are organizing a local event for September 26 or if you would >like to learn who in your community is organizing an event, contact >Campaign for >Labor Rights at 202/544-9355 or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. > >To receive a September 26 organizing packet, contact Jobs with Justice >at 202/434-1106 or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. The Jobs with Justice web >site <www.jwj.org> and the 50 Years Is Enough web site ><www.50years.org> have information on September 26 activities. > >Localize the Movement for Global Justice >Issues we can all understand: > >UNION BUSTING: A constant IMF/World Bank prescription for countries >where they operate is increasing "labor market flexibility." In >practice this means opposing increases in the minimum wage, weakening >trade unions and workers' bargaining power and opposing any social >protections that would make workers less willing to work for low >wages. In the U.S., working people face similar campaigns to erode >their power. Thousands of workers are fired each year by American >employers for joining together to organize unions. > >PRIVATIZATION: As a condition of lending money to poor countries, the >World Bank and the IMF often demand that governments privatize >state-run enterprises providing services such as university education, >health care, electricity and water. In Bolivia last year, the World >Bank encouraged the government to privatize the water system, making >water rates triple and making water unaffordable for many families. >Local labor, student, community and indigenous groups fought back >against the government's plan and reversed the privatization. The >drive for the privatization of health care and social security in the >U.S. reflects the same economic policies here at home. > >DEBT: The World Bank and the IMF continue to force poor countries to >pay back their debt despite the fact that many lack the funds to >properly care for their own people. The IMF/World Bank's control of >the debt issue preserves their power to impose unpopular austerity >policies. Sub-Saharan African countries spend more on debt payment >than on primary education and health care combined. > >HEALTH: Debt payments and neoliberal structural adjustment policies >have a negative impact on health in both developing and developed >countries. In most Sub-Saharan African nations, governments spend >four times as much on debt repayment as on health care, despite the >frighteningly quick spread of HIV and AIDS. In the U.S., 42 million >Americans are without health care coverage. > >ENVIRONMENTAL ABUSE: Policies of the World Bank and the IMF have had a >devastating impact on the environment. After granting Nicaragua a loan >in 1994, the IMF supported the expansion of the logging industry, >causing an increase in Nicaragua's already high rate of deforestation >(370,000 acres/year). At this rate, the few forests that remain in >Nicaragua will disappear quickly. In the U.S., corporate toxic-waste >dumpers benefit from similar policies. > >CORPORATE CONTROL: IMF/ World Bank policies have paved the way for >U.S. corporations to exploit the human and ecological resources of >developing countries. The WB/IMF encourage "free trade zones," or >"export processing zones," where a countries' tax and labor laws are >suspended to attract foreign corporations. Companies like Nike and the >Gap benefit enormously from such programs. Oil companies like >ExxonMobil have benefitted from World Bank- sponsored pipeline >projects that harm the environment and displace longtime residents. > >WORLD BANK BONDS: Universities, faith-based organizations, unions, >governments and other institutions that we control buy the bonds that >finance the World Bank. The World Bank Bonds Boycott is an >international campaign using grassroots economic power to demand an >end to structural adjustment lending and other environmentally and >socially destructive World Bank policies. > >WOMEN: Extensive data from around the world show that IMF-imposed >austerity and economic reform programs have stripped many women of >what meager health and education benefits were once available to them. >Women's formal sector unemployment has increased due to IMF-induced >recessions, privatizations and government cutbacks. > >_______________________________________________ >Iww-news mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://iww.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/iww-news > >I N D U S T R I A L W O R K E R S O F T H E W O R L D > > FOR A WORLD WITHOUT BOSSES > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. _______________________________________________ Crashlist resources: http://website.lineone.net/~resource_base To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/crashlist
