>cannot afford to pay $200,000 to get the degree. It should >be noted there are many ghettos, barrios, Native >reservations and rural towns in the U.S. without doctors, as >well." > >At this meeting, Castro offered 500 scholarships for >indigent students from the U.S. to go to medical school in >Cuba. > >EMPHASIS ON PREVENTIVE MEDICINE > >In the early days of the revolution, Che Guevara gave a >speech to medical students. He said: "Medicine will have to >convert itself into a science that serves to prevent disease >and orients the public toward carrying out its medical >duties. Medicine should only intervene in cases of extreme >urgency, to perform surgery or something else that lies >outside the skills of the people of the new society we are >creating... > >"The work of the Ministry of Health is to provide public >health services to the greatest possible number of people >and to institute a program of preventative medicine and >hygienic practices..." > >The people of Cuba have put these words into practice--and >not only in Cuba. They have sent thousands of doctors to >Latin American and Africa and are training new health-care >workers from those countries to help them develop modern, >comprehensive health-care programs. This effort is based on >Cuba's invaluable experience in building a revolutionary >socialist health-care system. > >The writer visited the Latin American School of Medicine in >November as a delegate to the Second World Meeting >of Friendship and Solidarity with Cuba. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > > >Message-ID: <007701c06ba9$f0aba640$[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Korean workers fight mass layoffs >Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 18:58:39 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Dec. 28, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >KOREAN WORKERS FIGHT MASS LAYOFFS > >By Deirdre Griswold > >Workers in south Korea are fighting mass layoffs in >industries owned or regulated by the government. > >The 47,000 union members at Korea Telecom went on strike >Dec. 18 over government plans to fully privatize the >telephone industry and cut 3,000 jobs. The south Korean >government currently owns 51 percent of Korea Telecom. The >remainder is split between domestic and foreign investors. > >During the 1997-1998 economic crisis, Korea Telecom laid off >12,000 workers. Other industries also laid off hundreds of >thousands of workers. > >Although the unions at first resisted the massive layoffs of >that period, they eventually agreed to them under the threat >that the economy would collapse without loans from the >International Monetary Fund. The layoffs were part of the >IMF's loan conditions. > >Other sectors of the economy are also in turmoil because of >aggressive downsizing by the liberal government of President >Kim Dae-jung. > >Bank workers are to launch a general strike on Dec. 22 in >protest over a government-led reorganization of the banking >industry that unions say will lead to branch closings and >layoffs. > >First to walk out will be employees of Kookmin Bank and >Housing & Commercial Bank. These two firms are slated to >merge soon in an agreement pushed by the government that >unions say violates an accord reached on July 11. > >On Dec. 28 workers at other banking houses will hit the >bricks, for a total of 24,000 bank workers on the picket >lines. The strike is being called by the Korea Financial >Industry Union, an umbrella organization that encompasses 23 >labor unions. KFIU leader Lee Yong-deuk says the strike will >start as planned unless the government scraps the merger >between Kookmin and H&CB. > >This heightened class struggle takes place at the same time >that the government of south Korea is in negotiations with >the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north over >measures to expand contacts between the two sides of the >divided nation. The south has been occupied by U.S. troops >since World War II. > >Under its hated National Security Laws, south Korea still >forbids any travel to the socialist north without government >authorization. On Dec. 9, several thousand workers and >students held a rally in Seoul calling for an end to the >repressive laws, which punish even the possession of Marxist >literature with long prison terms. > >The workers and students fought with riot police who tried >to keep them bottled up in a park. They succeeded in >marching through the downtown area. > >- 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: <007f01c06baa$0a80cf00$[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] NY transit workers choose New Directions >Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 18:59:22 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Dec. 28, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >PROGRESSIVE SLATE WINS: >NY TRANSIT WORKERS CHOOSE NEW DIRECTIONS > >By Milt Neidenberg >New York > >On Dec. 16, members of Transit Workers Union Local 100 >packed a New York union hall to welcome their newly elected >leaders, including President Roger Toussaint, head of the >progressive New Directions caucus. Toussaint won over 60 >percent of the vote--a sweeping victory. He will now >represent the 36,000 New York subway and bus workers. > >The New Directions slate took control of the 38 executive >board seats and won six of the eight division-head >positions. Each division has between 3,000 and 6,000 >members. > >New Directions grew up as a rank-and-file caucus. Its main >focus was opposition to the incumbent bureaucracy and it >struggled for years to win the members' confidence. > >The election victory's significance lies in the fact that >New Directions did more than criticize the union >bureaucracy. It took on the Metropolitan Transit Authority, >Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Wall Street and their union-busting >allies, who one year ago threatened to break up the union >and jail New Directions leaders and others for planning a >walkout during the winter holidays. > >The strike threat came after transit bosses tried to force a >totally unacceptable contract onto the rank and file. In >response, New Directions organized a series of militant >demonstrations and train and bus slowdowns to prepare for a >possible strike. This won over the hearts and the minds of >TWU members. > >INJUNCTION VS. PROTESTS, FREE SPEECH > >The proposed 1999 strike would have cost the corporations, >bankers, real-estate developers and department store tycoons >millions of dollars in profit during the holiday season. It >would also have been a political disaster for Giuliani, who >was then planning to run for the U.S. Senate. > >So the mayor got a state judge to issue an injunction >threatening fines of $25,000 and up on each worker and $1 >million a day on the union if they organized demonstrations >or even used their right of free speech to encourage a >strike. > >This injunction--bolstered by New York's strike-breaking >Taylor law, which penalizes public sector workers two days' >pay for each day on strike--was an unprecedented combination >of unconstitutional intrusions by the mayor, the courts and >the cops on the basic democratic rights of transit and bus >workers. It was the New Directions caucus that challenged >this anti-labor conspiracy. > >The overwhelming vote for New Directions leaders confirmed >that the rank and file correctly gave them the credit for >organizing and leading the struggle against the mayor's anti- >union hysteria. > >Although the strike never materialized, New Directions >leaders had been tested in the heat of class warfare. The >rank and file rewarded them with the election victory. > >Clearly, this was more than a struggle for a decent >contract. It was a political struggle that highlighted >public-sector workers' right to strike against the >repressive capitalist state and the ruling class. > >Unfortunately, AFL-CIO leaders, along with other public- >sector unions, were nowhere to be seen during the crisis. >The rank-and-file transit and bus workers led by New >Directions fought this monumental battle practically by >themselves. There is much to be ironed out in the labor >movement in the days ahead. > >APPEAL FOR UNITY > >Although they were united in fighting for a decent contract, >deep divisions arose among the 36,000 members over last >year's contract settlement. > >New Directions strongly opposed then-President Willie James, >who agreed to language that allowed the Metropolitan Transit >Authority to alter job descriptions, combine job >classifications and threaten seniority rights. James also >allowed the MTA to use workfare workers--replacing 500 union- >wage jobs with slave labor conditions. > >The majority of members felt the wages and benefits were >good enough to approve the contract. > >Last week, Toussaint's appeal for unity was expressed >judiciously in a leaflet inviting the rank and file to the >victory celebration: > >"The results show that longtime divisions in our union are >finally beginning to heal. We ask President James ... to >honor the mandate and the will of the membership." > >An article in the Dec. 14 New York Times quoted Toussaint as >vowing to "return the union to its roots of being a strong >public advocate." > >He stated: "The union will adopt strong stands against >unnecessary fare increases and repeated service reductions >and interruptions... We have to be as accountable to the >public as we are to members." > >The multinational character of the 36,000 transit workers is >a microcosm of the millions of subway riders they serve >daily. The New Directions election victory can be a link to >the ongoing struggles against racism, the bashing of >immigrants and workfare workers, and attacks on the poor and >homeless. > >The rank and file has given Toussaint and New Directions a >mandate that can be a major factor in the direction of New >York's labor movement. It can be the catalyst to change the >unfavorable relationship of forces between labor and >management. > >- 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: <008701c06baa$1d08c420$[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Seattle newspaper strikers rally public support >Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 18:59:53 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Dec. 28, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >SEATTLE NEWSPAPER STRIKERS RALLY PUBLIC SUPPORT > >By Charles (Kaz) Susat >Assistant Chapel Chair >Graphic Communications >International Union Local 767M >Seattle > >Some 500 striking newspaper workers, family members and >supporters rallied and marched through the streets of >downtown Seattle Dec. 16 to kick off a boycott campaign >against the Seattle Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer >and their advertisers. > >The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild has been on strike >against both newspapers since Nov. 21. Both papers are >produced and distributed by the Seattle Times. The Guild >represents over 1,000 workers at both papers, including >reporters, photographers, sales representatives, customer >service people and many other low-paid workers. > >The plight of the newer, lower-paid workers and an end to >the multi-tiered wage scale based on performance are the key >issues in the strike. > >The rally, held during a driving rainstorm, featured >solidarity messages from many other unions. > >Kevin Cota spoke representing the 20 percent of Graphics >Communications International Union Local 767M press >operators who are honoring Newspaper Guild picket lines. > >Steve Williamson, executive secretary of the King County >Labor Council, announced that the council would begin >calling all 150,000 union members in the county and asking >them to cancel their subscriptions. > >Strikers and supporters then marched past Nordstrom's and >the Bon, two of the newspapers' major advertisers, to >Westlake Square. From there people dispersed to blanket >holiday shoppers with leaflets, copies of the strike paper >known as the Seattle Union Record, and postcards to cancel >subscriptions. > >SCAB PAPERS CHARGE HALF PRICE > >Since the strike's beginning, the Times and Post- >Intelligencer have been given away free in a futile attempt >to maintain circulation. Most of a capitalist newspaper's >revenue comes from selling advertisements. Circulation >numbers determine the ad rates. Beginning Sunday, Dec. 17, >the papers were being sold at half price. > >When the Sunday scab paper hit the streets, strikers >confronted paper sellers and handed out subscription >cancellation cards and lists of advertisers to boycott. The >strikers' message was well received. This reporter saw a >scab paper seller make only one sale in an hour. > >Meanwhile the strike paper has begun home delivery in some >areas. > >The Dec. 16 edition of the Seattle Union Record featured a >scathing article on Teamsters Local 763 President John >Rabine, who is not honoring the strike. Rabine and his >followers violated the union constitution by using a >petition drive to ratify the company's final offer. The >union rules clearly state that any vote to accept or reject >a contract must be made by secret ballot. The 800 Teamsters >who assemble and bundle the papers had earlier rejected a >similar offer and voted to strike. > >The Guild remains strong and public support continues to >grow. After calling off negotiations twice, the companies >were back at the bargaining table Dec. 18. > >As the strike enters its second month, workers' spirits >remain high. "I'll be out here as long as it takes," said >striking columnist Jean Godden, "one day longer than them." > >The Seattle Union Record can be read online at >www.unionrecord.com. > >[The writer is one of the pressroom workers honoring the >picket lines.] > >- 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: <008f01c06baa$43fde920$[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [WW] Cooking Scrooge's goose >Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 19:00:59 -0500 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="Windows-1252" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Dec. 28, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >EDITORIAL: COOKING SCROOGE'S GOOSE > >Come the end of the year, it is the earnest wish of vast >multitudes of people that the struggle to survive could take >a holiday--even if for just a few days. If only the burden >of daily life, with all its anxieties and humiliations, >could be lightened long enough for everyone to relax and >experience joy and fellowship with the whole world! > >Stories about Grinches and Scrooges, Santa Claus and Jesus >Christ are told and retold, sung and resung. We are exhorted >to believe that miracles CAN happen, those who hoard the >wealth CAN be converted into kind and loving characters, all >people can come together and celebrate life with good cheer. >Somehow. > >Alas. After a couple of days when people work very hard at >having fun, and some succeed, it's back to the real world. >Credit card bills have to be paid, kids go back to >underfunded schools, executions are resumed, more jobs are >downsized, the death toll in the world's "trouble spots" >rises, and the boss who laughed and joked at the Christmas >party is cold and haughty once again. > >Grumbling and unhappiness are heard in the land. The >respectable and established people then lecture the rest of >us for not having the right values, for failing to believe >in the hallowed institutions of this society, which have >served them so well--institutions that they say are guided >by the vision and wisdom of a higher power. Yes, it says it >right there on every dollar and above many a judge's bench-- >"In God we trust." > >Communists are often accused of cruelly attacking the >cherished myths and traditions of the people. But insofar as >many of these myths reflect a deep yearning for social >justice, the truth is that communists seek not to destroy >the myth but to make it a reality. Only in that sense is the >myth destroyed--because it will no longer be a myth. > >Lenin once wrote in a very concise outline on the "three >sources and three component parts of Marxism" that the >movement for socialism began not long after the bourgeois >revolutions had vanquished feudalism in Europe. Millions of >peasants and artisans had joined the fight for "liberty, >fraternity and equality," as the French Revolution promised, >but then discovered that capitalist rule brought a ferocious >new form of exploitation, this time of wage labor. > >In response, many well-meaning people became utopian >socialists--they wanted a society of equals, without class >privilege and without oppression. They went about setting up >model communities, some of them relatively successful, in >which the wealth and property were shared. Their hope was >that the improved conditions in these communities would win >over the rich and powerful to their viewpoint. The bad >Scrooges would become jolly benefactors and learn how >rewarding it is to be kind and generous. In many ways, >Dickens' "A Christmas Carol, " which ends with boss Scrooge >bringing a fat goose to the starving Cratchit family, was in >the spirit of those times. > >What these early socialists didn't understand was that >people usually act in their own class interests. Big >property owners scheme and struggle to own even more >property, which means squeezing more value out of the >workers they employ. If they don't, they are pushed aside by >others in the scramble for the top. It is not a question of >their personalities, whether they are good people or bad >people. Some may not have the heart to throw workers out >after years of service, or to cut wages and benefits--so >they hire others to do it for them. But it gets done, >because that's how the system works. > >Workers, too, act in their own class interests when the >bosses force them to struggle. The workers' struggle leads >in the direction of solidarity and unity against the bosses. >The real season of good cheer will begin when the underfed >and exploited workers of this world unite and find a way to >cook Scrooge's goose. > >- 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 _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics. 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