Feature Archives

The San Francisco Labor Council established a study group that analysed both Patriot I and II. “We soon realized that this was draconian,” said Denis Mosgofian, the delegate who presented the motion to the council, “Coupled with the first Patriot Act and the RICO Act this would establish the architecture of a police state.” Read article and Report

7/31: Hundreds of janitors representing SEIU Local 1877 took to the streets of San Francisco to show that they are ready to strike to protect their health care benefits. The companies/building owners took the 20% monthly insurance co-pay off the table, but then proposed eliminating the vision plan and adding a $20 per doctor visit co-pay. Photos

The ILWU Anti-War Action Committee will be sponsoring a forum on at the ILWU Local 10 on Jul 12 at 3:00 PM. There will also be a leader of a militant Japanese railway union that took strike action against the war on Iraq. For further information contact jhook@jps.net

On 7/5, the memory of those workers who died in the San Francisco General Strike of 1934 was honored with the Opening Night of the 10th Annual LaborFest 2003, a month-long series of videos, music, drama, poetry readings, boat rides and mural tours honoring the people who do the work, the working class. LaborFest

Fresno County supervisors gave 11,000 home care workers a small raise above minimum wage last week, but didn't sign a union contract. This, despite the fact that 90% voted to join the SEIU Local 250. Details | SEIU Local 250

Berkeley Bowl workers have been organizing over the last couple of months to form a union. Management responded almost immediately to the union organizing efforts. Reports say that people were talked to and called upstairs in an effort to gather information, and cliche -- potentially illegal -- anti-union tactics were begun. Workers have called on the community to show their full support for their right to organize collectively. Full Story | Read more

May 1st is International Workers' Day, a day to celebrate resistance to capitalism. Working and poor people now face layoffs, massive social cutbacks (especially in health care and education), evictions and homelessness, police repression and endless war. This May Day there were Actions in San Francisco and Berkeley.

May Day in Berkeley: Beginning around 7pm, people marched throughout the city for about an hour, at which point torches were lit. However the police immediately confiscated them and the crowd was separated. Two people were arrested, and the crowd continued toward University & Shattuck for a May Pole dance. Eventually people gathered at the jail in solidarity. As the crowd approached, the police blocked off the street and formed a police line in front of the jail, and arrested another person. There were three arrests total for the night.
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