unions

White privilege? Video is worth a thousand words (video)

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by Pamela Powers Hannley

Dave Safier posted a short story this morning– Presented Without Comment— about the Three Sonorans' putdown of Safier's endorsement of Kristel Foster for the Tucson Unified School Board (TUSD).  (Whatever, I said I didn't agree with Dave either. People are allowed to have their own opinions.)

What Safier failed to mention was that the Three Sonorans also used the occasion to crack on Blog for Arizona and progressives, in general, and me, in particular. So, what else is new? Morales likes to pick on women who are vocal and active in politics. Just ask Loretta Hunnicutt, Kyrsten Sinema, Dolores Huerta, Janet Marcotte, DeeDee Blase, Adelita Grijalva, Gabby Giffords, Regina Romero, and Kristel Foster–to name a handful of his past targets. 

Sexism aside, I take issue with Morales' assertion that progressives take action and protest on the street corners when unions need our help but not when Latinos need our help. This false dichotomy implies that only white people belong to unions and that's why only white people care about them. Wrong. 

After the jump, watch the anti-SB1070 protest video, the protest video against anti-union legislation proposed by the Arizona Legislature, and testimony regarding anti-union activities at the IBEW Hall. You'll see progressives standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Latinos in all three videos.  (BTW, in the photo above, that's me in the turquoise dress, between the two cops, covering the UnDocuBus protest in Charlotte.)

TUSD candidate forum: What about teachers’ unions? (video)

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by Pamela Powers Hannley

Besides their views on Mexican American Studies, one of the most telling questions at Wednesday's Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) candidate forum was about labor unions. There were definitely differences of opinion about the role of teachers' unions and how the union issue relates to the shift toward charter schools (which are not unionized).

Seven of 12 candidates for TUSD governing board candidates participated in a candidate forum sponsored by Dinking Liberally Tucson.

After the jump, listen to the candidates' thoughts on working with labor unions. This is the third in a series of videos from the forum. Here is a link to my You Tube channel where this and other video clips reside.

Jobs with Justice urges Tucsonans to stand with postal workers on hunger strike (video)

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by Pamela Powers Hannley

A contingent of US Postal Service workers and supporters will go on a hunger strike beginning tomorrow, June 25, in Washington DC, to protest post office closures.

Many post offices and mail processing stations nationwide have been slated for elimination and colsolidation, including Tucson's Cherrybell mail processing station.

Tucsonans came out in force to protest closure last fall when USPS representatives came to town to explain why it makes sense to ship Tucson's mail to Phoenix and then ship it back to Tucson for delivery. Despite strong protests– last fall and again on tax day— the federal government still wants to close Cherrybell.

Tucson's Jobs with Justice is holding a demonstration and press conference featuring union leaders and Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias on Monday morning. Here's the info…

Tucson's Jobs with Justice Coalition urges solidarity with postal workers. Help us save local jobs and keep our postal services locally.

Demonstration and Press Conference TO SAVE OUR POSTAL SERVICE AND JOBS!

Monday, June 25

Demonstration: 7:00 to 9:00 AM

Press Conference: 8:30 AM

Both events in front of the American Postal Workers Union office, 2937 E. 22nd Street, (just west of Country Club).

Connie Sadler-Nelson, American Postal Workers Union Local President, and County Supervisor Richard Elias will speak to the press.

Tucson is facing the closure of our Cherrybell Main Post Office. Congress is trying to kill the entire postal service, bust the unions, and eventually privatize the postal system.

Postal workers and community supporters will hold a Hunger Strike in Washington, DC from June 25 through the 28th to save the postal service.

Demonstrate your support for postal unions, Cherrybell Post Office, jobs and US postal service.

Refreshments will be provided: bagels, juice, coffee, cold water.

 

Watch the videos after the jump…

Remembering May Day with movies: Black, brown, white– unite! (video)

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by Pamela Powers Hannley May Day– more than any other day– is a holiday for the 99%. For decades, on May 1, workers around the world have honored the memory of Haymarket Square and striking Chicago workers who were fighting for an 8-hour work day. From Wikipedia… The Haymarket affair (also known as the Haymarket massacre or … Read more