>From: "aaron hoffer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Subject: [CrashList] Fwd: SEPTEMBER 26 CALL TO ACTION > >>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 > _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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