Injured 9/11 Iron Worker Responder To Visit South Bay During Laborfest-New Event

Injured 9/11 Iron Worker Responder To Visit South Bay During Laborfest

Join fellow unionists, City College Labor Studies and the Building
Trades Council in bringing LaborFest to the South Bay on Wednesday
July 16th . We welcome New York City Ironworker John Sferazo and
filmmaker Penny Little to present a film and discussion on "911 Dust
and Deceit at the World Trade Center".

San Jose and New Orleans have seen the closing of hospitals and have
community groups working to restore them. On Sunday July 27th Brian
Ott, chair of the Committee to Reopen Charity Hospital will discuss
post-Katrina efforts to restore the largest public health care
facility in Louisiana. Also featured is the film "Spirit of
1929-Streetcar Stories" which depicts the turbulent general strike in
New Orleans at the dawn of the Depression.

"911 Dust and Deceit at the World Trade Center"
Remember the firefighters, the police, health care servers,
communication workers, the sanitation workers, the security guards,
and janitors and others working in NYC after 9-11?These were the
uniformed and un-uniformed "first responders" who worked along side
the debris at the World Trade Center. Once the Environmental
Protection Agency announced "the air and water are safe" many
thousands returned and developed "World Trade Center cough." Exposure
to the dirt and dust has resulted in respiratory failures for
thousands of people. Months after being told things were OK people
continue to suffer. Tonight we will reveal the story of ordinary
workers living with the effects of chemical exposures and community
efforts to protect their health benefits and future well being.

Join us Wednesday July 16 as LaborFest hosts the filmmaker, Penny
Little as well as John Sferazo of Iron Workers 361 New York. He
co-founded "Unsung Heroes Helping Heroes." Together they will expose
the dangers the dust, fire and volatile chemicals-be they mercury,
PCB's, lead, dioxins, and asbestos that became a combined incinerator
in Manhattan. Tonight we can support the people who risked their
lives to save others and assure they get the proper treatment and health care.

Date: Wednesday July 16, 2008
Location: Plumbers Apprentice Training Center, 780
Commercial St, San Jose
Time: 5:00 p.m. Food and Beverages
6:00 p.m. Film and Discussion
Information: Call 408-225-3030 ext. 19

"From the South Bay to the Bayou"
We honor the working people of New Orleans with a short film, "the
Spirit of "29." Like the Oakland General Strike of 1948, New Orleans
Streetcar union initiated one of the most powerful and explosive
labor fights in American history.

Charity hospital in New Orleans was the second largest hospital in
the country before Katrina closed it in 2005. This 550 bed state
funded facility was designed in 1930's and has been part of New
Orleans architectural, cultural and medical heritage since its
founding in 1735 to serve the indigent. Brian Ott of the Committee to
Reopen Charity Hospital , along with speakers from the Coalition for
a Downtown Hospital in San Jose will share efforts to preserve health
care facilities. Like New Orleans, San Jose has lost its Downtown
hospital. Here local citizens have been mobilizing support to
preserve and protect public healthcare. A fall bond measure may
provide funds for restoring county medical facilities which include a
Down Town medical unit. We will enjoin a panel to talk about how
both cities can foster efforts to save public health care services in
CA. and LA.

Date: July 27, Sunday
Where: San Jose State University Library Room 255 150
E.Fernando St. in San Jose
Time: 2:00 p.m. Film and Discussion
Information: Call Michael Hejazi UAW 2350 CSEA (4080-420-5760
Jim Kelly San Jose City College Labor Studies
(408)298-2181 x2575

Full LaborFest schedule at