>
> WW News Service Digest #52
>
> 1) On the picket line: 3/9/2000
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 2) 185 arrested in D.C. protest for Mumia
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 3) Outrage over another racist police murder in Philadelphia suburb
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 4) Dineh protest McCain's role in Native land steal
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 5) Women say: 'Vieques is ours'
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 6) Is U.S./NATO preparing new attack on Yugoslavia?
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 7) Europe in uproar over massive U.S. industrial spying
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 8) Truckers blockade eastern Canada
> by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
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>Message-ID: <008501bf88a4$f88a23c0$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: [WW] On the picket line: 3/9/2000
>Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 21:21:11 -0500
>Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="iso-8859-1"
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>
>-------------------------
>Via Workers World News Service
>Reprinted from the Mar. 9, 2000
>issue of Workers World newspaper
>-------------------------
>
>ON THE PICKET LINE: 03/09/00
>
>COUNTDOWN TO CHAOS AT US AIRWAYS
>
>Federal mediators have authorized a strike by US Airways
>flight attendants if they fail to reach a contract with the
>airline by the end of a 30-day cooling-off period. The
>Association of Flight Attendants immediately announced a
>CHAOS campaign of intermittent strikes affecting specific
>bases or routes. It could begin by March 25.
>
>"US Airways must now choose a contract or chaos," said
>Lynn Lenosky, the AFA president at the airline. "Flight
>attendants want a contract, but we are ready to create
>chaos if that's the path US Airways chooses." CHAOS stands
>for "create havoc around our system." The intermittent
>strike tactic was first used by flight attendants to win a
>contract at Alaska Airlines in 1993.
>
>These flight attendants have gone without a raise since
>January 1996, when their last contract ended. Meanwhile,
>their labor contributed to $2.1 billion in profits the
>airline raked in over the same period. Now, US Airways
>wants to sink $18 billion into a new Airbus fleet. But the
>carrier has only offered flight attendants "parity" with
>other carriers plus 1 percent, along with cuts in benefits.
>Flight attendants rejected that proposal and voted by 99
>percent to authorize a strike if talks failed.
>
>Flight attendants are facing off against an old enemy--US
>Airways chairperson Stephen M. Wolf, who once drove them to
>the brink of a walkout when he headed United Airlines. True
>to form, Wolf sent a three-page letter to 40,000 US Airways
>employees saying the company "will shut down the airline
>immediately after the 30-day cooling off period" if no
>agreement is reached with AFA.
>
>Industry analysts were surprised over the move, which is
>unprecedented outside of bankruptcy proceedings, but warned
>that Wolf generally follows through on his threats. But the
>union has a lot of experience with Wolf's bluster. Jeff
>Zack of AFA said Wolf huffing and puffing" and called the
>letter "an attempt to divide the employees, but the
>employees are used to management's divide-and-conquer
>tactics." The union said talks would continue during the
>30-day countdown to CHAOS.
>
>WAL-MART WORKERS SAY "UNION YES!"
>
>A group of Wal-Mart workers in Jacksonville, Texas, made
>labor history by voting seven-to-three to join United Food
>and Commercial Workers Union Local 540. The courageous meat
>department workers at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in
>Jacksonville are the first employees to successfully
>organize at the retail giant.
>
>"This victory could open the floodgates of pent-up worker
>frustration at the abusive treatment, low pay, and lousy
>benefits at Wal-Mart," said UFCW President Douglas H.
>Dority. He dubbed the victory "the vote heard `round the
>world.' " A separate petition was filed the same week for a
>union election for the meat and seafood department workers
>at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Palestine, Texas.
>
>To win, the Jacksonville workers withstood an intense
>anti-union campaign by Wal-Mart. First, the company trooped
>in specially trained union-busters from its Bentonville,
>Ark., headquarters. Then, the workers were forced to attend
>a half-hour "captive audience" meeting with management, for
>which the company paid them for four hours to try to sway
>loyalties. Wal-Mart also tried legal tactics to delay the
>vote, and attempted to "stack" the meat department with anti-
>union employees. None of it did any good.
>
>"The Jacksonville workers refused to be swayed by Wal-Mart
>fear tactics and voted their hopes for a better future,"
>said UFCW Local 540 President John Rodriguez. "They've
>shown over a million Wal-Mart employees that they, too, can
>stand up and win respect and dignity on the job."
>
>The week before the vote, Wal-Mart announced record
>profits--all generated by the workers' labor. Yet hourly
>wages average $2 to $3 less per hour at Wal-Mart than at
>unionized supermarkets, and fewer than 40 percent of Wal-
>Mart workers are covered by the company health plan. In
>addition, juries have awarded millions of dollars to women,
>minority and disabled workers who have filed harassment and
>discrimination claims against the retail giant. By voting
>union, the Jacksonville workers have broken important
>ground and shown other workers they can win their struggle
>to unionize the retail giant--the largest private employer
>in the U.S.
>
>MORE NLRB CHARGES AGAINST OVERNITE
>
>Since the Teamsters went on strike at Overnite
>Transportation Co. 19 weeks ago, seven complaints have been
>issued against the company for unfair labor practices. In
>its latest action, the Nation al Labor Relations Board
>charged yet again that Overnite failed to bargain in good
>faith, and interfered with, restrain ed or otherwise
>coerced employees. The NLRB charges stem from complaints at
>Overnite terminals in Bowling Green, N.Y., Detroit, Mich.,
>Lexington, Ky., and Buffalo, N.Y.
>
>The current walkout was provoked by Overnite's unfair
>treatment of workers. The strike began on Oct. 24, 1999, in
>Mem phis and quickly spread to 140 Over nite terminals in
>39 states. The AFL-CIO and other unions have turned out to
>support this pivotal national Teamster strike.
>
>With nationwide picketing putting a dent in Overnite's
>profits, the company continues to amass a record of dirty
>deeds in a ruthless quest to maintain its exploitative
>operation. The NLRB has charged the shipping giant with
>unlawful firing of union supporters, surveillance,
>intimidation, discrimination and harassment. Overnite has
>also allegedly changed wages, hours and other terms and
>conditions of workers' employment--conditions that are
>mandatory subjects of bargaining with the union.
>
>On Nov. 10, 1999, the NLRB issued an extraordinarily
>damning decision against Overnite. The labor board found
>that Overnite's violations of worker rights were system-
>wide and directed by "the highest level officials"--
>including the president and chief operating officer, the
>senior vice president for operations strategy, and the
>company's general counsel. Company conduct "demonstrates a
>fundamental disregard for employees' fundamental rights,"
>the NLRB said.
>
>After paying millions of dollars in fines and with many
>charges still pending, Overnite continues to deny it is a
>major labor scofflaw, according to the union. But striking
>Teamsters know better and are shining a bright light on
>Overnite's anti-union actions.
>
>BOEING: STRIKE SOLID, SOLIDARITY GROWS
>
>Picket lines remained solid outside Boeing Co. as a strike
>by 90 percent of the company's engineers and technical
>workers entered its third week. Some 19,000 workers walked
>off the job Feb. 9 in the largest white-collar strike in
>U.S. history. "In two weeks, this band of Boeing engineers
>and technicians has metamorphosed from little more than a
>voluntary employees club to perhaps the most potent symbol
>of white-collar solidarity," said the Christian Science
>Monitor.
>
>Since the strike began, Boeing stock has fallen to a 10-
>month low, and the company has shelved delivery of six
>commercial jets worth $40 million to $197 million apiece.
>The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in
>Aerospace hailed this as a victory. "When we realized we
>had immediately stopped the delivery of airplanes, I think
>that really strengthened people's resolve," said Stan
>Sorscher, a physicist and SPEEA negotiator.
>
>Solidarity with the strike is growing inside and outside
>the company. Sympathe tic non-SPEEA workers still inside
>Boeing send out regular reports of work backlogs and missed
>deadlines. The Machinists union, whose contract requires
>them to stay on the job, have slowed production by sticking
>to Boeing's rules. "You have to get pretty high up in the
>hierarchy before you find people who are not sympathetic
>with SPEEA," said one Boeing worker.
>
>A solidarity petition signed by over 200 designated
>engineering representatives, who insure critical procedures
>are follow ed in airline production, was presented to the
>company and the Federal Aviation Administration on Feb. 17.
>Donations are also pouring into the union's hardship strike
>fund, which has risen above $43,000. Unionized engineers at
>Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad showed support by
>leaving a load of jetliner fuselages on a siding somewhere
>south of Seattle. Media observers report a steady stream of
>cars and trucks stopping at the picket lines to drop off
>coffee, sandwiches and snacks. The AFL-CIO, its member
>unions and the Union Network International, representing
>900 unions in 140 countries, have pledged their support.
>
>Although Boeing has been intransigent in its refusal to
>improve contract proposals, the company launched a media
>blitz trying to blame the union for failed talks. But the
>media slanders fell flat. SPEEA called the company's bluff
>after Boeing claimed all the union had to do was pick up
>the phone to restart bargaining. "I made the call, in fact
>I made two calls, almost immediately after their news
>conference," said Charles Bofferding, executive director of
>SPEEA. "They haven't responded. I wonder if they were ever
>serious about negotiating."
>
>Alarmed by the unexpected strength and duration of the
>strike, the White House dispatched Richard Barnes--head of
>the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service--to Seattle
>to try to end the walkout. Mediated talks resumed Feb. 24
>but collapsed after two days. Meanwhile, the union says
>strength of their strike has raised the stakes for
>settlement. The strike began over below-market-rate wages
>and health and insurance benefits. Now, says Bofferding,
>SPEEA is also insisting on a bonus for engineers and
>technicians and an agency-fee dues deduction for all
>employees covered by the contract.
>
> - END -
>
>(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to
>copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but
>changing it is not allowed. For more information contact
>Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message
>to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org)
>
>
>
>Message-ID: <008b01bf88a5$1011b300$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: [WW] 185 arrested in D.C. protest for Mumia
>Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 21:21:50 -0500
>Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="iso-8859-1"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
>-------------------------
>Via Workers World News Service
>Reprinted from the Mar. 9, 2000
>issue of Workers World newspaper
>-------------------------
>
>185 ARRESTED IN D.C. PROTEST:
>THOUSANDS TELL SUPREME COURT:
>"FREE MUMIA, NO DEATH PENALTY!"
>
>By Susanne Kelly
>Washington
>
>Thousands of protesters took to the streets here Feb. 28
>and shut down the U.S. Supreme Court to tourists. Two major
>streets in the world capital of capitalism were closed
>down.
>
>The rowdy and determined crowd was protesting the racist
>trial and death sentence of Mumia Abu-Jamal. They made it
>clear that they demand a new trial for Mumia--and an end to
>the racist death penalty.
>
>Well before the 9 a.m. start of the demonstration, people
>had arrived from all over the country. People of color and
>white, youth and elderly, students, trade unionists, lesbian,
>gay, bi, trans and straight, disabled and able, women and men
>were there with banners, signs, leaflets, shouts and chants.
>The entire block-long sidewalk in front of the highest court
>in the nation was full with 2,000 of Mumia's supporters. Many
>more demonstrators were across the street.
>
>Foolishly thinking they could stop the action, officials
>closed off the Supreme Court steps and stopped all tours. But
>the demonstrators were prepared for this. Just after 10 a.m.,
>hundreds took to the street and lay down. Traffic was halted
>in all directions on two major Capitol Hill streets.
>
>As the arrests of those occupying the street began, a group
>of demonstrators from the Simon Nkoli Queer Crusaders for
>Mumia ran around the police barricades blocking the Supreme
>Court steps, pushed past the cops, ran onto the steps of the
>Supreme Court, and unfurled a banner that read "Queers say:
>Stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal." The group is named for
>Simon Nkoli, an openly gay leader of the African National
>Congress in South Africa who died from AIDS in 1998.
>
>They were joined by other demonstrators who stood chanting
>on the steps until they were arrested. Twenty-four people were
>arrested on the steps of the Supreme Court and 161 more in the
>street. As the arrests took place, a permitted rally across
>the street described the action as it was taking place.
>Speakers, including Pam Africa from International Concerned
>Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, described Mumia's
>racist frame-up to onlookers.
>
>The Capitol cops had to bring in buses to haul away the
>185 people who had refused to get out of the street and off
>the steps, and were arrested. Handcuffed behind their
>backs, they were herded onto the buses and taken to the
>lockup. "Brick by brick! Wall by wall! We're gonna free
>Mumia Abu-Jamal!" The chants continued and at times the
>buses were rocking.
>
>Pam Africa then led the crowd, which still numbered in the
>hundreds, to the jail where the demonstrators were being
>held.
>
>This mass civil disobedience was the second largest ever
>to take place at the Supreme Court.
>
>TEENS AND GRANNIES ROCK THE JAIL
>
>Those arrested were held all day without food. One in the
>group was 94 years old. As the hours passed and she was
>refused food, the group loudly asked that she be released
>right away. The guards refused. The arrested also included
>a group of high school students.
>
>Spirits were high throughout the long day in custody. Those
>in the lockup stayed strong with chants, songs, poems and
>stories of other struggles. Many were reminded that Mumia's
>daily life--spending 23 hours a day in a small, solitary cell
>where his communication with everyone is monitored and
>restricted--is incredibly more oppressive than a day in the
>D.C. lockup.
>
>After 7 p.m. people began to be released in a long and tedious
>process that lasted hours. But a noisy and supportive crowd
>waited outside and welcomed each person as they were released.
>Those arrested are due back in D.C. court on March 15, many
>facing a misdemeanor charge of "impeding traffic."
>
>"We'll do this again, and as many times as we have to, to
>win Mumia a new trial!" shouted one of those arrested.
>
>The spring offensive to save the life of Mumia Abu-Jamal
>has begun. Activists plan further civil disobedience,
>marches and rallies. And on May 7 in New York City, there
>will be a massive mobilization at Madison Square Garden to
>demand a new trial.
>
>For more information, and to get involved with the May 7
>Mumia Mobilization and other activities, contact organizers
>in New York at (212) 633-6646; in San Francisco at (415)
>821-6545; in Philadelphia at (215) 476-8812; or email
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] On the Web visit www.mumia2000.org.
>
>[Susanne Kelly was one of those arrested on Feb. 28.]
>
> - END -
>
>(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to
>copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but
>changing it is not allowed. For more information contact
>Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message
>to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org)
>
>
>
>Message-ID: <009101bf88a5$2f949030$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: [WW] Outrage over another racist police murder in Philadelphia suburb
>Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 21:22:43 -0500
>Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="iso-8859-1"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
>-------------------------
>Via Workers World News Service
>Reprinted from the Mar. 9, 2000
>issue of Workers World newspaper
>-------------------------
>
>IN PHILDELPHIA SUBURB:
>
>OUTRAGE OVER YET ANOTHER RACIST
>POLICE MURDER
>
>Family, friends and concerned community activists
>demonstrated at the Lower Merion Township Hall Feb. 24
>protesting the police murder of Erin Forbes.
>
>An Army veteran and West Chester University student,
>Forbes was returning home at 5 a.m. on Jan. 10 from his
>security guard job, in uniform, when he was stopped by at
>least five police cruisers on City Line Ave. on the
>Philadelphia border.
>
>Police officer John Salkowski shot Forbes in the heart. He
>claims Forbes threatened him with a carved walking stick,
>even though the 140-pound victim was surrounded by at least
>five armed cops.
>
>The murder victim's parents--Lorenzo Forbes, a
>microbiologist, and Ella Forbes, a Temple University Black
>History professor--joined the protest, announcing another
>larger demonstration to be held March 9 at 4 p.m. His
>mother said Erin Forbes was very socially conscious and his
>car was constantly being stopped by suburban police.
>
>The parents have filed a lawsuit against Lower Merion
>Township in Federal Court, arguing that Erin Forbes's death
>"was unwarranted, cruel, inhumane, unjustifiable, excessive
>and shocking to the conscience." Township police and other
>officials have refused to comment "during their
>investigation," and Salkowski continues to patrol the
>streets.
>
>-- Joe Piette
>
> - END -
>
>(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to
>copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but
>changing it is not allowed. For more information contact
>Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message
>to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org)
>
>
>
>Message-ID: <009701bf88a5$41f88290$[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: [WW] Dineh protest McCain's role in Native land steal
>Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 21:23:14 -0500
>Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="iso-8859-1"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
>-------------------------
>Via Workers World News Service
>Reprinted from the Mar. 9, 2000
>issue of Workers World newspaper
>-------------------------
>
>DINEH PROTEST MCCAIN'S ROLE IN ARIZONA NATIVE LAND STEAL
>
>A delegation of Dineh elders and their supporters visited the Bay Area on
>Feb. 24 to
>protest the policies of reactionary Arizona senator and presidential hopeful
>John McCain.
>McCain was to attend a fundraising event in San Francisco, but was a
>no-show.
>
>Elder Rena Babbitt Lane, pictured here, and other protesters targeted Public
>Law 104-
>301, a bill sponsored by McCain in 1996 that is resulting in the forced
>relocation of
>traditional Dineh from their land in the Black Mesa region of Arizona.
>
>The bill strips the Dineh of any rights to their land unless they sign
>75-year leases
>allowing multinational corporations to mine the mineral-rich area. Many
>Dineh elders
>have had their sheep and other livestock confiscated by the Bureau of Indian
>Affairs.
>
>As of Feb. 1, those who had not signed the leases became "trespassers" on
>their own
>land.
>
>--Bill Hackwell
>
>
>(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to
>copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but
>changing it is not allowed. For more information contact
>Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:
>
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