> > WW News Service Digest #172 > > 1) Outrage grows after cops kill Detroit autoworker > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 2) Washington nurses strike over forced overtime > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 3) Gas & oil price hike: Who should pay? > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 4) Big Oil gets rich, blames OPEC > by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Oct. 5, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >Detroit > >Outrage grows after cops kill autoworker > >By Cheryl LaBash >Detroit > >More than 500 demonstrators took their anger at killer cops >to Detroit's police headquarters Sept. 23. They chanted, "We >won't stop till they charge the cops!" They also demanded >the resignation of Police Chief Benny Napoleon and Mayor >Dennis Archer. > >Friends and co-workers of Dwight Turner organized the >protest. Turner, an autoworker, was gunned down on his front >porch Sept. 7. His death came less than two weeks after >Detroit police killed a deaf-mute gardener, Errol Shaw Sr., >for allegedly threatening them with a garden rake. > >The police have already played judge, jury and executioner >for nine Detroiters this year. > >The city administration is acting to try to diffuse the >growing movement against the police. > >On Sept. 14, more than 500 people packed the auditorium of >Christ the King Church in northwest Detroit for a Civilian >Police Commission meeting. The heavy police presence and pro- >cop speakers didn't intimidate the relatives, friends and >supporters of Detroiters slain by the police who came out. > >After the Police Commission meeting, Archer appointed a >panel to review police department policies on the use of >deadly force. The Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality >declined an invitation to join the panel, stating: "For >three years the DCAPB has itself constituted a truly >committed task force in the interest of the community. We >have done the investigations, supported the families of >victims, called town meetings to inform the community of the >severity of the police brutality crisis... > >"All the tasks have been done except the prosecution and >imprisonment of killer cops." > >On Sept. 22 Archer made another move that police-brutality >foes said was too little, too late. He announced he would >ask the federal government to investigate fatal shootings by >Detroit cops over the past five years. > >What will the U.S. Justice Department do? Arnetta Grable has >first hand experience. Grable's son, Lamar, was shot and >killed by Detroit Police Officer Eugene Brown. > >Grable took her son's case to Washington, where she was >ignored. It took tireless organizing and pressure by the >DCAPB--which Grable helped organize--to reopen the >investigation of her son's murder. > >Police and prosecutors initially cleared Brown, Lamar >Grable's killer. However, early reports say the new >investigation contradicts that. An announcement of whether >Brown will be disciplined or prosecuted is expected by early >October. > >The size of the Sept. 23 protest shows that Detroiters >weren't appeased by the police and city administration >maneuvers. It was also demonstrated by the enthusiastic >response to a speaker at the Police Commission meeting who >said the movement must demand community control of the >police. > >- 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: <01d801c02da2$d5c54100$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Washington nurses strike over forced overtime >Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2000 21:31:35 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Oct. 5, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >Washington > >NURSES DEMAND: 'NO MORE FORCED OVERTIME' > >By Malcolm Cummins >Washington > >One feature of the bosses' "New Economy" is forced overtime. >It has come to the forefront in many recent labor struggles, >including the August strike by Verizon workers and the >pilots' struggle at United Airlines. > >Forced overtime reached a crisis point for nurses at >Washington Hospital Center Sept. 20. About 1,300 of them >went on strike, demanding more control over their jobs and >lives and better care for their patients. > >As one worker, who didn't want to be named for fear of >retaliation, put it: "We've had it. We're frustrated and >overworked, we don't have time for our families, or even a >lunch or dinner break!" > >DC Nurses Association Vice President Sue Johnson described >how the center lured nurses with promises of decent working >conditions. "They tell nurses in the beginning that they >will have three or four patients to care for. Then they just >keep adding more and more, until we end up caring for nine >or 10 patients. You just can't give quality care with this >many patients." > >Because of the abysmal workload, many new nurses become >angry and quit, leaving even fewer to care for the sick. The >low retention rate leaves older workers tired and >frustrated. > >Forcing workers to do overtime is a favorite tactic of the >bosses because they don't have to hire new workers. Having >fewer workers reduces the total benefit costs and gives the >bosses more flexibility if they decide to make cutbacks. > >The strikers are getting support from workers at all of the >hospitals in Washington, including DC General, Howard >University Hospital, the Veterans Administration Hospital >and Greater Southeast Community Hospital. Community support >has come from the International Action Center. > >The nurses association wants supporters to call WHC >President Michael Covert and demand no more forced overtime. >Phone Covert at (202) 877-6103 or send him a fax at (202) >877-7826. For more information, call the Nurses Association >at (202) 244-2705. > >- 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: <01e701c02da3$0e469600$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Gas & oil price hike: Who should pay? >Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2000 21:33:06 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Oct. 5, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >Gas & oil price hike > >WHO SHOULD PAY? > >By John Catalinotto > >For the working class in the United States, the rapid >increase in the price of crude oil from historic lows two >years ago has meant a sudden drop in real income. > >This takes the form of increases in the cost of gasoline, >which especially hits those many workers who commute to work >by automobile. Higher prices for heating oil will also soon >hit the pocketbooks as cold weather kicks in. > >So far it is not a real "crisis," that is, there have been >no major shortages of either gasoline or heating oil. > >To address the problems caused by this price hike, it is >first necessary to eliminate some myths about its causes. > >First, this price hike, as with earlier oil "crises" that >brought even higher prices for crude oil in current dollars, >has brought the usual attacks on the Organization of >Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC. These usually >include warnings about the grave dangers of a new world >power center, and are accompanied by vicious reactionary >attacks on Arab and other Middle Eastern peoples. > >These tales are as exaggerated now as they were in the mid- >1970s, when OPEC was able to first limit the production of >crude oil. And what happened then? The biggest OPEC oil >producers like the Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti monarchies >could do nothing with their extra dollars but either buy >U.S. weapons or invest them in U.S. and British banks. > >Despite the prominence of the Saudis, all the money they >make goes into Western banks--which invest it wherever they >think they can make the most profit. > >A more populist, nationalist government like the Iraqi >regime was able to provide health care, education and some >development. But all OPEC countries' economic development >remained subject to imperialist control of markets, banks >and military superiority. > >The attempt to blame OPEC for the price surge is a diversion >from the real culprits--speculators on the world markets, >the big oil companies, and the instability and chaotic >nature of the world capitalist system itself. > >Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has become an OPEC >spokesperson as he hosts the OPEC meeting in Caracas. Chavez >argues that OPEC should serve as a bulwark against the >economic imperialism he sees as damaging to developing >countries. > >In response to calls from the United States and Europe for >OPEC to take steps to lower prices, Chavez told listeners to >his Sept. 24 radio call-in show: "How nice it would be if >they also lowered prices for the things they sell us-- >computers, medicine, cars and the interest on foreign debt." > >Chavez is only defending legitimate popular interests when >he tries to avoid the kind of collapse in prices that took >place following the capitalist depression in East Asia in >1997-1998, when crude oil prices dropped under $10 a barrel, >driving Venezuelans into poverty. > >WHO PAYS FOR THE OIL? > >The impact of these lower prices on the capitalist system >was to encourage extravagant use of oil products--including >greater production and sales of gas-guzzling vehicles like >SUVs, expanded air travel and military exercises. It also >discouraged oil exploration, research and development of >alternate energy sources like wind and tides, and >conservation efforts like public transit or better home >insulation, because it was cheaper just to burn oil. > >What is important is not that crude oil be dirt-cheap, but >that working people not be the ones to pay the costs of >spikes in prices. > >For example in Belgium this September, where taxes on >gasoline are high compared to U.S. rates, the cost per >gallon went over $4 and sparked mass demonstrations. >Individual entrepreneurs like truck and taxi driver-owners >were active in these, but also workers. > >The Workers Party of Belgium raised the demand of including >gas prices in a cost-of-living index, which would then be >used to calculate wages and result in a wage increase. This >transfers the cost to the bosses from the individual >workers. > >It would be important to find a similar formula here so that >the struggle is clearly between workers and bosses. It >should not be diverted to a battle that pits workers here >against the needs of developing countries. > >In the long run, a planned world economy would seek out >alternate energy sources--especially those more friendly to >the environment--while the use of oil is slowly phased out. >In the meantime revenues from oil would be used to diversify >the development of the oil producing countries. > >- 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: <01e801c02da3$424aee60$0a00a8c0@linux> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Big Oil gets rich, blames OPEC >Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2000 21:34:34 -0400 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Oct. 5, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >BIG OIL GETS RICH, BLAMES OPEC > >By Rubin Kanowitz > >Recent developments in the petroleum industry are taking on >worldwide significance. Higher prices for crude oil, refined >oil products and natural gas are said to be causing a crisis >in capitalist business activity. > >If past experience is a guide to how the corporate-dominated >news media will handle this problem, they can be counted on >to further demonize the foreign oil producing countries, >especially the Organization of Petroleum Exporting >Countries, in a racist way. All 11 OPEC members are located >in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia. > >The OPEC countries are already subject to intense economic, >political and diplomatic pressure in the campaign to bring >crude oil prices down. But a closer look at the state of the >oil industry shows that any blame for the economic pain that >has descended on workers and oppressed people in the United >States, Europe and other countries rests squarely on the >major international oil companies, the banks and the >workings of the capitalist system. > >BLAME BIG OIL, NOT OPEC > >As of late September, world crude oil production was >estimated to be 77 million barrels per day. At prices of $30- >$40 per barrel, this represents annual revenues of $850 >billion to $1.1 trillion. > >Of the 77 million barrels produced each day, about 40 >million enter into world trade--that is, they are produced >in one country and consumed in another. Of these 40 million >barrels, OPEC production accounts for close to 29 million. > >When crude oil prices dipped from $30 per barrel in 1997 to >$10 in 1998, the major international oil companies sharply >reduced their exploration and production investments. > >Expenditures for oil wells, for example, dropped from $3.8 >billion in 1997 to $3.0 billion in 1998 in the United >States. Gas well expenditures dropped from $7.2 billion in >1997 to $6.8 billion in 1998, while total drilling >expenditures dropped from $13.9 billion to $12.4 billion in >the same period. > >U.S. crude oil production declined from 6.3 million barrels >per day in 1998 to 6.0 million in 1999 while worldwide >production rose about 1 percent. > >These figures reflect Big Oil's reaction to that drop in >crude oil prices. Development of new crude oil sources, like >the Caspian Sea region, were put on hold until prices might >rebound to generate sufficient profits to justify the >investment. > >It is those sharp cutbacks in production investments that >have caused today's tight crude oil market and higher >prices. > >Today there is little unused production capacity. OPEC has >increased production three times so far this year, by a >total of 3.2 million barrels per day. Unused oil producing >capacity worldwide is now just 2 to 3 million barrels per >day--almost all of it in a few countries, including non-OPEC >Mexico. > >THE NATURAL GAS EXAMPLE > >The dynamic of capitalist overproduction followed by >underproduction is apparent in natural gas as well. The >United States produces nearly all of its natural gas from >within its own borders. No blame can be placed on other >countries for sharply higher prces, limited supplies and >other injustices of the market place. It is all the doing of >the U.S. petroleum industry. > >The price of natural gas at the point of production is now >$3.40 per thousand cubic feet--double what it was last year, >the U.S. Energy Department reports. The wholesale price is >about $5 per thousand cubic feet--up from $2 last year. Some >experts say the price could reach $7 per thousand cubic >feet. > >The American Gas Association says that natural gas >inventories are down 15 percent from a year ago. > >The U.S. government announced Sept. 22 that it would release >30 million barrels of crude oil from the country's Strategic >Petroleum Reserve. This involves a transfer, not a sale, to >the oil industry. This oil is to be returned after the >winter heating season, when prices will presumably be lower. > >Supposedly, the oil transfer is to help force prices down, >especially for heating oil. But who will benefit from this >arrangement? > >Heating oil demand is seasonal. Will a cold winter trigger >big heating oil and natural gas price increases? Since both >fuels are cost items to big corporations, landlords and >utilities, the possibility exists for a general inflation to >result. > >Of tremendous importance is whether higher prices will mean >inadequate heating for tenants, especially those who are >most vulnerable--seniors and other people living on fixed >incomes. > >- 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. 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