>------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 17, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >CUBAN UNION LEADERS TOUR U.S.: >COAST-TO-COAST SOLIDARITY GREETS DELEGATION > >By Gloria La Riva >San Francisco > >>From North Carolina to California's central valley, Cuban >trade union leaders touring the United States to meet >workers and their unions have been received with enthusiasm >and expressions of solidarity. > >As leaders of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC), the >delegation represents the 3 million union members of Cuba >who are organized in 19 national unions. Unlike the United >States, where the capitalists use intimidation tactics to >keep workers from joining unions, in Cuba the workers are >in power and run society. Union membership is encouraged >and every work place is organized. Therefore, 97 percent of >all Cuba's workers are union members. > >The Cuban representatives on the month-long tour are >Leonel Gonz lez Gonz lez, international secretary of the >CTC; Olga Rosa G�mez Ortiz, general secretary of the >Cultural Workers Union; Manuel Montero Bistilleiro of the >Americas division of the CTC's International Relations >Department; and translator Eddy Brown of the CTC's L zaro >Pe�a School. > >They are being hosted by the U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange, >which has organized scores of visits by U.S. union >activists to the island. "Their tour has been an amazing >success, from rank-and-file exchanges to leadership >discussions," said Labor Exchange chair Ignacio Meneses. > >"With this tour, for the first time, the AFL-CIO and CTC >officially met. They had discussions in Washington with Jay >Mazur, president of UNITE and a leader of the AFL-CIO's >Foreign Relations Department," Meneses explained. > >"Mazur agreed that the U.S. blockade has to end. It's >important because the AFL-CIO leadership has historically >supported reactionary U.S. policies abroad, including the >blockade of Cuba. > >"The delegates had a very good meeting with 30 union >presidents of the Los Angeles County Labor Council, which >was also a first," said Meneses. > >In San Francisco, a "Labor Host Committee for the Cuban >Delegation" was formed to organize the Bay Area visit. >Heading the committee is Walter Johnson, secretary- >treasurer of the San Francisco Labor Council. The 75,000- >member council had previously passed a strong anti-blockade >resolution. > >Johnson arranged for Gonz lez to speak in Las Vegas at the >City-by-City Labor Council Convention. Gathered at the >convention were leaders of the 60 labor councils of seven >Western states: California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, >Utah, Colorado and Washington. > >Gonz lez addressed the convention's luncheon for 30 >minutes. He received resounding applause when he told the >labor leaders, "We very much want to have fraternal >relations with the AFL-CIO, to have discussions on our >common interests as workers, and on the situation that we >face in the world today. > >"But those relations must be based on mutual respect, >treating each other as equals, and also with a firm >position of the AFL-CIO in opposition to the blockade." > >DIRECT ENCOUNTERS WITH WORKERS > >For the Cubans, their direct encounters with workers and >community activists in the United States have deepened >their knowledge of the conditions facing U.S. workers. > >Gonz lez told Workers World: "We saw discrimination in >Tennessee against the immigrants and Black people alike. We >met with leaders of groups who lend legal support to >protect immigrants in the fields. > >"In North Carolina we met with Black Workers for Justice. >They explained their program in defending Black workers' >rights and their efforts to make a common front with >immigrants. > >"We have heard of the lack of rights for workers in the >United States, but it is another thing to see and hear it >ourselves," said Gonz lez. > >In a small rural town called Farmersville in California's >central valley, Mexican immigrant workers sat in a park >with the Cubans to share the difficulties of their lives. > >One man in his fifties, Jos�, gave a shocking account of >the abuse he suffered as a field worker from his boss. He >told of being regularly shorted on his hours by the >overseer, working eight hours and getting paid for only >four or five. When he asked the overseer why, it was >always, "Orders from the boss." > >Baldina Rodriguez, now a legalized resident and activist >in the Farm Workers union, told the Cubans: "The picking >season was over recently and there was no work. I went to >apply for Medi-cal for my children, who are U.S. citizens. >My children were all denied Medi-cal." > >Several of the undocumented women workers said almost in >unison that the "American dream" is an illusion for them. > >The Cuban delegation's 15-city tour includes New York, >Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Los Angeles and San >Francisco. > >`BE VOCAL ABOUT ENDING THE BLOCKADE' > >In San Francisco, three public events were held, including >a forum at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. >Frank Martin del Campo of the Labor Council for Latin >American Advancement, a host committee member, emceed. >Other participants included Freedom Song Network, Alicia >Jrapko of the Bay Area Friendshipment Caravan and this >writer, representing the International Action Center. > >Charles Tobias, president of the Typographical Sector of >the Media Workers union and one of the tour organizers, >said: "Four months ago I got the privilege of traveling to >Cuba and seeing that workers can make a change. For 40 >years the workers of Cuba have kept their revolution alive. >Now I feel it is up to us as workers to reach out across >our borders, to embrace them and to fight and be vocal >about ending the blockade." > >G�mez, who represents artists and musicians as well as >media workers in Cuba, told the audience, "Our tour in the >United States has been a great school. Many times we've >been told about trade union freedom in the U.S. But we see >that workers face great difficulties to join a union. > >"We explain to people that in Cuba we do not need to seek >permission for joining a union nor for establishing >negotiations. We're proud of the way the Cuban labor >movement is linked with the men and women workers, the way >union leaders feel permanently linked to the grassroots." > > - 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: <011901c00710$3af9e260$0a00a8c0@home> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Protests condemn decade of U.S./UN sanctions on Iraq >Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000 19:26:25 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 17, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >SAN FRANCISCO: HUNDREDS PROTEST DECADE OF U.S./UN SANCTIONS > >By Saul Kanowitz >San Francisco > >On the 10th anniversary of U.S./United Nations sanctions, >solidarity with the Iraqi people was heard in the streets >of San Francisco Aug. 5. Five hundred protesters marched >from Dolores Park to UN Plaza to demand the lifting of >sanctions. > >Led by a large banner that read "End the sanctions against >Iraq," marchers chanted, "No blood for oil, end the >sanctions now!" Some protesters carried coffins to >symbolize the 150 children under age 5 who died that day-- >and every day--because of the U.S./UN-imposed sanctions. > >The sanctions have banned Iraq from importing a single >foot of pipe to rebuild the water treatment system >destroyed by U.S. bombs during the 1991 Gulf War, according >to Richard Becker of the International Action Center. > >Becker told the crowd, "The idea of de-linking [economic >and military] sanctions is a gift that some in our movement >want to give to our enemies. Because what they turn around >and say is `Oh yes, food and medicine is okay. But we can't >allow pipe into the country because it can be used to make >big guns.' > >"That is part of the reason why Iraq's water treatment and >sewage system is in ruins. And it is the ruin of the water >treatment and sewage treatment systems that is mainly >responsible for the deaths of 5,000 children every month," >Becker said. > >More than 1.5 million Iraqi women, men and children have >died as a result of the sanctions. > >The IAC, which has campaigned relentlessly for the last 10 >years against sanctions, has issued a powerful statement, >"De-Linking Sanctions: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing," >explaining the disastrous effects of adopting a demand that >sanctions be reshaped instead of immediately terminated. It >can be found on the Web at www. iacenter.org/delink.htm. > >"The anti-sanctions movement has always had a clear, >simple demand: end the U.S./United Nations sanctions >against Iraq," says the IAC statement. "The Iraqis are >clearly the victims of sanctions--not to speak of almost >daily bombing raids. The Pentagon and its British allies >are clearly the aggressors and the perpetrators of mur >derous violence against the Iraqi people. > >"Those who want to stop the Iraqi's suffering must direct >their demand at the aggressor and say: `Stop the sanctions- >-stop the bombing.'" > >The march was organized by the Coalition to End Sanctions >Against Iraq, a group that includes American Muslims for >Global Peace and Justice, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination >Committee, the IAC, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Middle >East Children's Alliance and others. > >Speakers called on the crowd to continue organizing >against the sanctions. Everyone was urged to be in Los >Angeles on Aug. 15 for a 5 p.m. rally against sanctions at >the Staples Center, site of the Democratic National >Convention. > >The Aug. 15 rally will take advantage of the convention's >worldwide media attention to raise the demand, "Save the >Iraqi children, end the sanctions against Iraq." > >For more information, contact the IAC in San Francisco at >(415) 821-6545 or the Save the Iraqi Children Coalition in >Los Angeles at (213) 387-9220. > > - 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: <011f01c00710$48cadf20$0a00a8c0@home> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] What lesser evil? >Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000 19:26:48 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Aug. 17, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >EDITORIAL: WHAT LESSER EVIL? > >With Al Gore's announcement that he has chosen Sen. Joseph >Lieberman of Connecticut as his running mate, the two major >capitalist political parties have now virtually set their >tickets for the coming election. George W. Bush has chosen >Richard Cheney to prove to his ruling-class base that his >inclusive style is only there to mask his allegiance to >right-wing reaction. After all, he is still Gov. Death. > >Not to be outdone, the "Clinton Democrat" Gore has also >reached to the right to find a right-hand man. > >Gore's choice of someone identified as Jewish to run with >him has resulted in an outbreak of the vile anti-Semitism >still entrenched in ruling-class politics. This must be >opposed. It should not, however, obscure Lieberman's record >of consistent voting against the interest of the workers >and poor. > >Since Lieberman is probably the least well-known >nationally of the four candidates, at least at this point >in the campaign, it might be useful to go over his record >on a few points important to the progressive and working- >class movement. > >In 1988 the counter-revolutionary Cuban group, the Cuban >American National Foundation, helped Lieberman's campaign >against Republican Sen. Lowell Weicker. It seems Weicker >had been campaigning for normalizing U.S. relations with >Cuba. Lieberman served on CANF's Blue Ribbon Commission for >the Economic Reconstruction of Cuba. The vicious anti-Cuba >Florida Sens. Connie Mack and Bob Graham also were on that >committee, which was chaired by Malcolm Forbes Jr. > >In the days leading up to the 1991 U.S.-led war on Iraq, >Lieberman was one of 10 Democrats to vote early on for >military action against Baghdad, giving President George >Bush the green light for the bombing campaign. Gore also >voted this way. Another 45 Democrats voted no, so the two >Democratic candidates at that key moment proved their open >identification with U.S. militarism. Lieberman also backs >the "National Missile Defense" that threatens a new arms >race. > >Lieberman campaigned and voted for Clinton's "welfare >reform." That was the 1996 law that pushed millions off >welfare under the cover of "moving people off welfare into >jobs." The reform failed to provide funding and a program >of adequate child care and health insurance. Those on >welfare, mostly women and people of color, now would have >to work at an office or a factory instead of working by >caring for their children. Only a tiny few have found jobs >with decent pay and benefits. > >Lieberman also supports school vouchers that subsidize >private schools and undermine public education. > >Even for those with the habit of voting for the "lesser >evil," a Gore-Lieberman ticket can't seem too attractive. > >But for anyone who believes that a struggle for socialism, >however difficult it may seem under present conditions, is >the only way out of the capitalist wilderness, this year's >rotten crop of capitalist candidates provides an excellent >opportunity to break with the two capitalist parties. > >Workers World Party is running an educational and struggle >campaign for the presidency. Monica Moorehead, a Black >woman who was a key organizer of the May 7 rally for Mumia >Abu-Jamal at Madison Square Garden, is WWP's presidential >candidate. Gloria La Riva, a Chicana labor-unionist who >condemned the U.S. prison system before a million people >this year at Cuba's May Day in Havana and stood in >solidarity with the Yugoslavs in 1999 under NATO bombs, is >her running mate. > >The best reaction to the Bush-Cheney-Gore-Lieberman mess >is not just to vote for Moorehead-La Riva but to work to >spread the word of their campaign. That includes joining >the struggle against the prison-industrial complex, for the >freedom of Mumia Abu-Jamal and against U.S. militarism. > > - 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) > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
