Feature Archives

United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2865, the Union representing over 12,000 Teaching Assistants, Tutors, and Readers throughout the University of California (UC) system, is in the process of filing dozens of unfair labor practice (ULPs) charges against the UC. The Union may call a strike over these ULPs if the charges are not resolved and agreement reached by the expiration of the current contract, September 30th. UAW 2865 recently released a public statement which had over 6,500 signatures from members.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe performed Making a Killing, Building A New Iraq on September 23rd, but the topic of questionable government contracting reaches all the way from Afghanistan to Santa Cruz, in the form of city contractor Camp Dresser Mckee.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe (SFMT) performed Making a Killing: Building a New Iraq on September 23rd in Santa Cruz. The play follows two army newspaper reporters assigned to write a puff piece on the construction of an American funded hospital in Iraq. But, it becomes clear that there's corruption, death, music and mayhem lurking behind this benevolent-seeming humanitarian project.

Ike Solem writes, "Let me point out here that the University has proposed to set aside $70 million for a new "Biomedical Research Facility" [at UC Santa Cruz] for the year 2007-2008. This facility is unlikely to do much for undergraduate research, and represents a continuation of the ongoing corporatization of the University of California. The research done there will undoubtedly be done for the benefit of private pharmaceutical corporations, a theme that is already quite common in the Chemistry Department."

On September 11th, 2007 Robert Norse was prepared to present a speech to the community and City Council of Santa Cruz during the Oral Communications period of the City Council meeting. The first two minutes of the speech was read by Coral Brune. However, Mayor Reilly did not allow Robert Norse to speak during Oral Communications, citing a lack of time, and therefore prevented the full speech from being heard during the City Council meeting.

On September 16th, Santa Cruz City Councilmember Tony Madrigal called into the Bathrobespierre's Broadsides radio show on Free Radio Santa Cruz to discuss the Santa Cruz Police Department and Sentinel brouhaha over his comment during a City Council meeting on September 11th. At the meeting, Madrigal mentioned an incident he witnessed last Halloween during the massive police presence which suggested the possibility of racial profiling going on.

On September 9th Indybay volunteers from around the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Areas facilitated an orientation to Indybay and the global Indymedia network. We explained how to post news, photos, video and audio to the website. We also discussed things like how stories get made into center column features.