INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRELAND:

PROTESTING IN DUBLIN:

What were formerly the wunderkinds of the false prosperity built on debt are falling even faster than other economies in the present financial crisis.this is true of Ireland in its post-boom phase, and the Irish workers are fighting back against attempts to make them pay for the crisis. Here's the story from LibCom about last Saturday's massive demonstration in Dublin.

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Huge protests against handling of the Irish economy:
About 100,000 people have taken part in protests in Dublin city centre yesterday (Saturday 21st) to vent their anger at the Irish government's handling of the country's recession.

They oppose plans to impose a 'pension levy' (real terms 10% pay cut) on 350,000 public sector workers. Trade union organisers of the march said workers did not cause the economic crisis but were having to pay for it.

In a statement, the Irish government said it recognised that the measures it was taking were "difficult and in some cases painful". However, the government said it reflects "the reality that we are not in a position to continue to meet the public service pay bill in the circumstances of declining revenue", it added.

Reports say the plan could cost the 350,000 public sector workers between 1,500 euros and 2,800 euros (£2,500) a year.

There were conflicting estimates of the numbers of people at the march, which began on the north side of Dublin in the middle of the afternoon. Police said 100,000 people were on the streets, while organisers said they expected 200,000 to protest in total.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), which organised the march, said it was campaigning for "a fairer and better way" of dealing with the economic crisis.

"Our priority is about ensuring that people are looked after, the interests of people are looked after, not the interests of big business or the wealthy," Sally-Anne Kinahan, ICTU's secretary general, told the BBC.

However, reports from the Workers' Solidarity Movement (an Irish anarchist organisation) says that:

"the idea of the so called 'Pensions Levy' come from some of the very Irish Congress of Trade Unions leadership who are supposed to negotiate on behalf of workers. This is one revelation that emerged on Saturday morning at a meeting of over 100 public sector trade unionists and two delegates from the Waterford Glass occupation. We were meeting in the Davenport hotel, Dublin to discuss a collective response to government attacks on workers and in particular the public sector pay cut.

The revelation that the source of the 'pensions levy' may have come from within the ICTU delegation was made by Civil Public & Services Union (CPSU) executive member Terry Kelleher, reporting on what their executive had been told by the CPSU General Secretary who was at the talks. It's claimed that when the proposed 10% pay cut was put on the table part of the ICTU delegation proposed the 'pensions levy' as being more sellable."

One protester said he was "sick and tired of the way this government conducts itself and what it's doing to this country [...] I've a mortgage to pay, I've children to put through school, and now I'm being told I have to take cutback, after cutback, after cutback."

Ireland, which was once one of Europe's fastest-growing economies, has fallen into recession faster than many other members of the European Union. The country officially fell into recession in September 2008, and unemployment has risen sharply in the following months.

The numbers of people claiming unemployment benefit in the Irish Republic rose to 326,000 in January, the highest monthly level since records began in 1967.

Yesterday's rally signalled the beginning of industrial unrest within the Irish public sector. Around 13,000 lower-paid civil and public servants are to stage a one-day strike on Thursday while thousands of workers in the education sector and in the civil service are to vote on industrial action.

CANADIAN/AMERICAN POLITICS:

THE EMPEROR INSPECTS THE PROVINCES:

Now that the hoopla is over and the Emperor has returned to Rome carrying a snow globe tribute as a "Canadian" souvenir (aren't they all made in China these days) the pundits are opining about what was accomplished with the visit. Do these things ever accomplish anything ? Well, it is nice to see a Canadian Prime Minister having to bow to the left to greet a US President. It's a nice change. Whether there is any substance to Obama's caring rhetoric is another matter entirely. Time will tell. Meanwhile, here's an opinion piece on the visit from the Harper Index, a site devoted to keeping a beady eye on Harper's beady eyes.

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Obama turns the tables on Harper:
Prime Minister is forced to take or at least accept positions he normally condemns.
by Ish Theilheimer
OTTAWA, February 20, 2008 – a special report from HarperIndex.ca: The Obama effect on Stephen Harper was to pressure him into taking positions that appeared to contradict three decades of work as a right-wing strategist and ruthless political operator.

The news conference was without precedent and full of ironies. For decades, Canadian prime ministers have either pressured US presidents on progressive issues such as ending the Vietnam war (on which Pierre Trudeau pressured LBJ) or Iraq (on which Jean Chrétien pressured George W. Bush), or played up to them (as Brian Mulroney did with Reagan and Harper himself did with Bush).

Yesterday, the tables were turned. The wildly-popular Obama used his trademark charm and openness to repeatedly maneuver Harper into saying, or at least appearing to agree with, things for which he would have blasted domestic opponents. To appear onside with Obama, he even had to say a few things that stretched truth or credibility.

The focus on clean and renewable energy was unusual for Harper, who, despite his own close ties to the oil industry, painted himself as a champion of climate change action in the face of American obstruction. "Canada has had great difficulty developing an effective regulatory regime alone in the context of a integrated continental economy," he said. "It's very hard to have a tough regulatory system here when we are competed with - competing with an unregulated economy south of the border."

Environmental protection and addressing climate change was a key plank in Barack Obama's election platform, where Harper rarely mentioned these things in his. Yet the Prime Minister found himself saying, "When I look at the President's platform, the kind of targets that his administration has laid out for the reduction of greenhouse gases are very similar to ours."

Harper then made the startling claim that his and George W. Bush's proposal of "intensity-based" targets for greenhouse gas reductions, widely decried by environmentalists as a license to pollute, are the same as Obama's plans.

"You say we have intensity, they have absolute -but the truth is these are just two different ways of measuring the same thing. You can convert one to the other, if that's what you want to do."

As the David Suzuki foundation has written, "... even if intensity-based targets seem to call for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, actual emissions could very well continue to rise."

Harper was then forced to endure an Obama lecture on the problems that the "two relatively wealthy countries" share in terms of dirty energy sources. "Here in Canada you have the issue of the oil sands. In the United States, we have issues around coal."

Then the President mentioned the diversity of approaches that will be needed, including a cap and trade system. "There are other countries who've discussed the possibilities of a carbon tax," Obama said, months after Harper beat Stéphane Dion by mercilessly attacking the idea.

All this starkly contrasts with Harper's long-held views on climate change. In a famous Canadian Alliance Party fundraising letter in 2002, he called the Kyoto treaty, with its emphasis on carbon trading, a "massive transfer of wealth from rich countries to poor countries."
On trade treaties and NAFTA, Obama pushed for change, with Harper resisting.

"... With a NAFTA agreement that has labor provisions and environmental provisions as side agreements, it strikes me if those side agreements mean anything then they might as well be incorporated into the main body of the agreement so that they can be effectively enforced," Obama said. "And I think it is important, whether we're talking about our relationships with Canada or our relationships with Mexico, that all countries concerned are thinking about how workers are being treated and all countries concerned are thinking about environmental issues..."

Harper, who recently struck a trade deal with Colombia, where union leaders are routinely murdered, was forced to defend trade deals and claim he is concerned with protecting rights and environment through them.

"You know, our position is that we're perfectly willing to look at ways we can address some of these concerns, which I understand, without, you know, opening the whole NAFTA and unraveling what is a very complex agreement. But we had a good discussion on that and I think – I'm hopeful we'll be able to make some progress."

On stimulus, Harper used a new line to justify a federal budget that committed to only about half the two percent stimulus to which G20 nations agreed. He claimed that matching funds from provinces and municipalities will meet the gap. The Canadian stimulus package, he said, is "certainly larger than the kind of numbers the IMF was talking about in the fall with the provincial action that we will bring in to our stimulus spending – will be close to 2 percent of GDP for this year, a percent and a half for next year.

"This is not as large as the stimulus package in the United States," he admitted, without addressing whether it is legitimate to claim the provincial and municipal funds – money already in those governments' spending plans – as federal stimulus spending.

It will be left to Canada's opposition parties and the Canadian public to hold Harper's feet to the fire Obama has lit in support of progressive positions on environmental and labour rights.
Related individuals, organizations and significant events

A Stephen Harper Timeline

Intensity-based targets promote oil industry frame

Human rights rhetoric contradicted by rush for Colombia trade pact
Links and sources

Beware those bearing intensity targets, David Suzuki Foundation

Transcript of a news conference held Thursday, February 19 by US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as released by the White House press secretary's office

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-HONG KONG:

NESTLÉ VERSUS THE WORKERS:

The following is from the IUF, an international food workers' federation. It's about the union busting efforts of the international conglomerate Nestlé.

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Nestle moves to smash union in Hong Kong, restore decades of abusive labour practices:

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Just two weeks after the IUF-affiliated Hong Kong Nestle Workers Union called off industrial action as a sign of good will and to pave the way for negotiations on granting permanent employment to temporary workers and establishing formal union recognition, the company launched an aggressive assault on the union by suspending the union president, Chan Pong Yin, indefinitely. In doing so the message from management is clear: Nestle wants to return to the 17-hour workdays, wage increases of one percent in 12 years, and a system of insecurity maintained by having a third of the workforce on revolving casual contracts.

It was precisely these conditions that led to the strike in July 2008 that not only brought production to a standstill during peak season, but shocked the Hong Kong public by exposing such outrageous working conditions in the world's largest food manufacturing company. In the months following the strike the company has tried to repair its public image, while making a series of commitments to improve working conditions without actually implementing them.

The extreme hypocrisy of Nestle management was soon revealed when it followed up on the promise to grant permanent employment to casual workers (many of whom had worked there for 10 years) by firing them one by one before their contracts expired.

The same hypocrisy underpinned management’s response to union recognition - a fundamental trade union right that Nestle repeatedly claims it respects globally, but which management consistently violates.

In the case of Hong Kong, Nestle stated that it would grant union recognition if the union represented a majority of workers in all departments (the union currently represents 98 per cent of the drivers, loaders, sales and delivery workers in the ice cream and milk departments). At the same time workers in all other departments were warned against having contact with the union. In particular, workers in production who signed a union petition demanding wage increases last year were subjected to harassment by management and supervisors, who ordered them to stop all contact with the union.

With the indefinite suspension of the union president on 17 February it is absolutely clear that Nestle management has no intention of allowing the union to exist at its Hong Kong factory and its earlier commitments on the rights of casual workers and union recognition are meaningless.

The Hong Kong Nestle Workers Union is forced one again to prepare for industrial action - and once again will receive the full support of the IUF, its worldwide membership and allies. The IUF is also working with the union to prepare a submission on the violation of the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises - the fifth such complaint filed against Nestlé which is becoming a "serial offender" in the context of agreed world-wide standards designed to bring decent corporate behaviour to the actions of global companies.

See previous stories:

Nestlé Hong Kong Workers Prepare for Industrial Action, 20 Jan 2009

Nestlé Hong Kong Strike Success, 29 Jul 2008

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It was only FEW HOURS, but strike action on the part of Hong Kong workers has forced management to back down. Here's the story, once more from the IUF.

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Nestlé Hong Kong: Strike action wins dramatic step-down from management:

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Hong Kong Nestlé workers took strike action at 6.30 am on Saturday morning to force the reinstatement of their suspended union president.

Within five hours management had agreed to meet the union and, faced with strong united action, withdrew the suspension of union president Chan Pong Yin and another worker suspended at the same time.

The IUF had directly contacted Nestlé headquarters and called for direct intervention with their local management and a swift and fair end to this most recent conflict.

In Geneva IUF general secretary Ron Oswald commented, "It's good to see that Nestlé has seen sense in this case and we congratulate our members for their determined and courageous action in defence of their union". Oswald added, "Now we look to Nestlé to end its constant harassment of these workers and our members' effort to build a strong independent union. We demand the company fully recognizes their union with all the associated rights our members have every reason to expect."

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS-CUBA:

SELF MANAGEMENT IN CUBA ?????????????:

Over at the Porkupine Blog our good comrade Larry Gambone has brought forward a debate that is presently going on amongst the ruling class of Cuba. The present nominal dictator of that island seems to be following the course of death laid out by Generalissimo Franco, who he so much resembles. One piece at a time. Meanwhile the apparatchiks are jockeying for power and influence before the inevitable. What is not in doubt is that the economic, political and social system of Cuba will change with the death of the dictator. The question is "how will it change ?". Gambone argues that there is a faction of the ruling class that is willing to move towards a libertarian form of socialism, self management. Molly thinks that this portion of the Communist ruling class is inevitably small and doomed to lose. First of all it must only profit minimally from the present situation or it would advocate "no change". Second of all it has to see little opportunity to loot the public treasury after the end of Leninism, as was done in eastern Europe. This restricts and diminishes it even further.No doubt there are legitimate "idealists" in the apparat (despite the inevitable corrupting influence of power and privilege, especially communist power and privilege ), but they will be voices crying in the wilderness unless there is a mass base for their proposals. In any case, despite my expectations, see the Porkupine Blog for the details of the debate.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-INDONESIA:

SOLIDARITY WITH THE FARMERS OF PATI, JAVA:

The following is a news story from the Asian Anarchist Network. It concerns the struggle of local farmers in Pati Indonesia against the construction of a cement plant that would contaminate their water supply. the following has been slightly edited for English grammar.

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Fight The Law: Solidarity!‏:
From: super samin

supersamin_inc@yahoo.com

Fight The Law: Solidarity!

SOLIDARITY: FREE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FIGHTER FARMERS!

Once again we have to face another obstacle in stopping the corporations from destroying our environment, culture and economy. Together with the plan to built the cement factory in Pati, Central Java that caused lots of conflicts and problems among local people because the factory will be built on the North Kendeng Mountain where are most rivers and lakes are located, the authorities has arrested nine farmers and activists that joined the protest.

This rejection of the cement factory not only comes from Sukolilo's farmers but also the Sedulur Sikep community or as it used to be called Wong Samin, the local community being known in Javanese society as very wise and humble environment fighters.

But this effort now facing an obstacle related with the arrests of nine farmers and environment activists during their protest to close this cement factory.

The chronology of the events started Thursday morning, 22 January 2009 when the people tried to have a dialog with their village authority about the news of the selling of their land to the Semen Gresik, one day after they made posters with the statement that Our Land Belongs To Us because of zero response from their village authority regarding this news. Because the authorities seemed to refuse to meet them, they decide to block and close the road to the four survey cars from Semen Gresik that arrived that day. But then when the night came and there is was no news from the authorities about having that dialog with them, those people just sat and wait patiently without making any violence acts at all.

The situation got intense when 250 Brimob and Samapta suddenly moved towards the people that sat around the Semen Gresik's cars. They screamed and swore at the people while trying to make them move away from those cars violently. They kicked, hit, stepped on and threw woman and men that insisted on staying. Women and children screamed in panic. Then people started to fight back. Children, women, men and even elders throwing rocks towards those officers while the sound of gunshots filled the air. Thirteen police officers were wounded and three Semen Gresik's cars destroyed. Many people, men and women, being victims of those police's brutality. Video camera and digital camera belonging to our friends were also heavily damaged. Without having strong evidence the police then arrested those nine people. They are under arrest with accusation of violence, persuasion and doing unpleasant activities(Molly can only imagine the contents of this charge. Sorta like "disturbing the peace I guess). Among those nine people that being arrested there were Kamsi (65 yrs), Sunarto (52 yrs), Sudarto (48 yrs), Sukarman (26 yrs),Sutikno (26 yrs), Gunarto (25 yrs), Purwanto (22 yrs), Mualim (21 yrs) and Zainul (20 yrs).

These police brutality actions are still continuing after the arrest by physical and mental torture, by hitting those nine farmers on their heads, eyes and other parts of their bodies.

At present, those nine farmers are still under arrest at the Semarang Police Station, in central Java, waiting for their further trial. Therefore, in the name of our land and people's fight against those tyrants, we are calling out all of our friends out there to be actively involved on this solidarity effort.

Release our nine brothers from prison as soon as possible!

Stop the Semen Gresik project at Central Java right away!

LOCAL EVENTS-WINNIPEG:
SUPPORT ROBERTA KEESICK FUNDRAISER:
Coming up this March 7 at the Red Road Lodge, 631 Main St., a fundraiser to support Roberta Keesick. Here's the details.
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The Boreal Action Project / Friends of Grassy Narrows / WIPSM Friends in Solidarity Coffeehouse Fundraiser: Standing with Grassy Narrows:
Host:
Support Roberta Keesick
Type:
Causes - Fundraiser

Time and Place
Start Time:
Saturday, March 7, 2009 at 7:00pm
End Time:
Sunday, March 8, 2009 at 12:00am
Location:
Red Road Lodge
Street:
631 Main Street @ Logan (side entrance)
City/Town:
Winnipeg, MB

Contact Info
Phone:
480-8565
Email:
borealaction@gmail.com
Description
Co-sponsored by Sweet Spot Productions http://www.mysweetspotproductions.com/ www.myspace.com/mysweetspot



PROGRAM
7:00 - Doors
7:00 to 7:55 pm - 'Meet & Greet'
8:00 to 8:10 pm - 'Words of Welcome'
Alon Weinberg, Winnipeg Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement
8:10 to 8:15 pm - Spoken Word
Shayla Elizabeth, Aboriginal Writer's Collective
8:15 to 8:45 pm - Musical Guest TBA
9:00 to 9:15 pm - Guest of Honour
Gwawich, Anishinabek from Asubpeeschoseewagong, Friends of Grassy Narrows speaks about her experiences on asserting Aboriginal rights on traditional territories.
9:15 to 9:30 pm - Gwawich Q&A
9:30 - 9:35 - Film Excerpt 'Scars of Mercury'
Tadashi Orui and Thor Aitkenhead present an excerpt of 'Scars of Mercury' about mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows, White Dog and Japan.
9:35 to 9:45 - Thor Aitkenhead & Tadashi Orui Q&A
9:45 to 10:00 pm - Guest Speaker TBA
10:10 to 10:15 pm - Spoken Word
Werner Van Harder, Political Wordist www.myspace.com/wernerharder
10:15 to 10:45 pm - Musical Guest
A Choir of Rog – One man. One Voice. One intention... influenced by the Tuvan voice, the wind, Buddhist monks, Inuit games, and Dextar – a soul mate who has come to pass in this life... www.myspace.com/achoirofrog
10:55 to 11:00 pm - Spoken Word
Kitty, Poet www.myspace.com/spacekitty67
11:00 to 11:45 pm - Musical Guest
Jason Tuesday, Singer Songwriter (Facebook)
11:45 to 12:00 pm - Silent Auction, Raffle, Thank Yous - Alon Weinberg, Susanne McCrea, Paulette LaFortune



$5 in advance at the following outlets:

Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse, 91 Albert


Organic Planet, 877 Westminster


Neechi Foods, 325 Dufferin


Info Booth, University of Winnipeg, Main Floor

Admission:


$10 to $5 sliding scale includes one complimentary beverage and healthy foods snacks

Boreal Bounty Dinner also available.

Silent Auction.

The organizers of this event thank you in advance for your support of Roberta Keesick and her campaign.
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Who is Roberta Keesick you may ask. Here's a little more information from the Facebook group set up to support her.
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Support Roberta Keesick:
Description:
We are a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people supporting Roberta Keesick in her defense of Anishinaabek land rights.
Contact Info:
email leannesimpson@sympatico.ca
Recent News
January 27, 2009
In early June, 2008 news that Grassy Narrows First Nation's demand that industrial logging on their territory stop was met when Abitibi-Bowater announced that they would not be seeking a licence in the Whiskey Jack Forest. However the struggle is not over. While the chainsaws have stopped at Grassy Narrows, persecution of those that assert their traditional rights on the land has not ended.




Roberta Keesick, a Grassy Narrows clan mother, trapper, blockader, and grandmother, is facing charges in Red Lake Ontario for building a trappers' cabin on her traditional family lands without a Provincial permit. She has been a tremendous force in the grassroots struggles at Grassy Narrows to reclaim traditional land and assert the right of self determination. The act for which she now faces criminal charges is part of a process of reclamation and revival for Grassy Narrows where people are using the land on their territory as their ancestors have for generations; it is a critically important piece of the work that is being undertaken by the people of Grassy Narrows to empower themselves and to sustain their families, revive their culture and heal their community-this access to land is crucial for the healing of First Nations, and it is this right that is being challenged by the court with the charges that have been brought against Roberta Keesick.




Roberta's trial date is in the spring, and while she has found a lawyer donating his services, he needs his costs of travel, and filing documents with the court covered. These costs will be approximately $4000. She is seeking donations for a legal defence fund. The assertion of rights on traditional land is one of the most important components of the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights. This case has the potential to set an important precedent; Indigenous people have a right to traditional land use on their traditional territories. This case represents an example of the way that governments disable First Nations from sustaining and empowering themselves. Roberta Keesick's actions-the building of a trapping cabin on her own family's trap line-is a perfect example of how people from Grassy Narrows are asserting their rights through the straightforward actions of living an Anishnaabe life. It is of the utmost importance that any and all of us who are concerned with Indigenous rights and the well being of First Nations communities, support the grassroots struggles at Grassy Narrows and in other communities and to support Roberta Keesick in her struggle to simply live her life on her land. Please donate generously.




To make a donation to Roberta Keesick's legal defense fund you can send an email money transfer to Leah Henderson: leah.m.henderson@gmail.com . With the security question: what is your favourite flower Answer: sunflower.




You can also email leah.m.henderson@gmail.com to find alternative ways of donating (ie cheque, cash etc).




The following is a statement from Roberta's brother:

We should not have to explain ourselves to the government and the court . The
Anishinabek of Asubpeeschoseewagong have always lived in this part of the world.
The creator placed us here to live in freedom and harmony with the land, without
boundaries and interference . We can’t make a boundary around ourselves and
limit our way of life. The paddles of our ancestors have touched the waters of
every lake and river across this land. The feet of our relatives have touched
the soils of the earth from here to the horizon. Our Ancestors have placed their
hands on the rock face of every cliff along these lakes and rivers. The red hand
prints left on this earth forever are the signatures of our grandfathers and
grand mothers, this part of the world belongs to us. What the creator gives our
people, we do not change or question. Look at the forest and you see the trees,
the water, the animals and us . In the silence of your minds you recognize and
accept what is true and what has always been . We are a part of this land and
that is the truth.

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-POLAND:

ANTI-NATO DEMONSTRATION IN KRAKOW:

Yesterday and the day before NATO held an informal meeting in the Polish city of Krakow(see previously on this blog). Several hundred people gathered to protest NATO and its policies. Here is a report from the English language section of the Polish anarchist news site Centrum Informacji Anarchistycznej.

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Anti-Nato Demonstration and Conference in Krakow:
On the 18-20 of February there was an informal meeting of defense ministers from NATO countries in Krakow. Anarchists prepared protest activities during that time.

On 18 of February there were anti-militarist films. The main events, a demo and counterball, were held on Feb. 19. A few hundred people demonstrated against NATO, mostly anarchists. They had slogans such as "The government to the front" "No war but class war" and "NATO - legal terrorists".

The situation was very tense since the city was like a police state. The cops were checking people at the borders, even though there weren't more than an handful of people from other countries there. Before the demo, the sound truck was stopped and police were stopping people and checking their bags. One guy who did not answer a call to go to the police in relation to the Nov. 11 demo in Warsaw was arrested as was somebody with a flare.

(Ironically, protesting police demonstrated in Krakow and Gdansk that day and they threw firecrackers. So only police are allowed to use "illegal" pyrotechnics.)

During the demo there were some speeches and a march to the location of the NATO meeting, although police tried to block this, people eventually got through.

In the evening there was a counterball across from the venue of the NATO ball. There was a much smaller crowd since most people left after the demo - a shame since the next day also had some events. The ball was however hard to notice because three times as many cops than anarchists surrounded it and blocked the view. It was extremely difficult to get to - basically it was only possible if you were a single person who managed to slide pass the cops. Afterwards, when everybody was going home, the police started harassing people again and arrested somebody for having a stick. At least a dozen people had sticks since people had flags with them, but this guy took his flag off, which apparently made the stick a weapon.

The next day there was a modest conference on NATO, militarism and responses to it. There were films, presentations and talks made by the Anarchist Federation Krakow and ZSP. There was also a guest from the Anarchist Federation of France who invited people to attend the anti-NATO demos in Strasbourg at the beginning of April.

More information on that can be found on the Dissent! page: http://www.dissent.fr/

Videos from Krakow: http://cia.bzzz.net/wideo_z_demonstracji_antynato

Photos: http://cia.bzzz.net/fotki_z_antyszczytu

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Here's another report on the demo from the A-Infos site. A note in passing-the Polish union movement is incredibly fractured and actually quite weak. The three main federations NSZZ Solidarnosc, OPZZ and FZZ together have only about 1.9 million members. There are another 200,000 nationwide in various local unions and smaller federations of which the 'August80' (Sierpien80) is one. Besides not representing a large percentage of the workforce (97% of workplaces have no union) the fragmentation means that there may be over 17 unions in a given workplace. It seems the Poles have outfrenched the French in this regard.

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Anarchists, trade unionists host anti-NATO summit:

Warsaw - Some 300 people held a largely peaceful anti-NATO protest in Krakow's main square as the alliance's defence ministers met in the southern Polish city.

--- The protests were organized by the Stop War Initiative, the August 80 trade union and the Anarchist Federation, as reported by the Polish Press Agency PAP.

--- 'We're against NATO's politics, and we demand pulling out forces from Afghanistan and a halt to the arms race,' protester Katarzyna Puzon told PAP. 'We find it equally absurd to be spending public money in the times of crisis.'

--- Demonstrators held signs saying, 'Stop NATO. Stop War,' and 'We don't want to be America's shield.' The crowd included Czechs who came to oppose a US anti-missile shield, which would be based in Poland and the Czech Republic, based on current proposals.

'Europe should play a role as guardian of democracy and peace in the world and not export war,' said Graziella Mascia of the European Left political party. 'Events in Iraq and Afghanistan prove that the politics of war don't pay off.'

Defence Minister Bogdan Klich said he thought protesters were voicing minority opinions, because it was 'hard to believe' Poles want to 'back out of international responsibilities, which in reality decide our security.

'Organizers are planning a slew of events for the 'NATO anti- summit,' reported PAP, including panel discussions, concerts and film showings.

A founding member of the Cold Era Warsaw Pact, Poland joined NATO along with Hungary and the Czech Republic on March 12, 1999, about 10 years after shedding its communist past.

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Not everyone who participated in the demo was pleased with all the results, as the following, also from the A-Infos makes plain. There is also quite a lively debate following the article in Polish at the Centrum site. You can at least get a sense of it from a machine translation. The problem discussed below is a persistent one, but it is becoming less and less important as the anarchist movement grows and leftist sects shrink. Leninism only awaits the coroner these days to be declared officially dead. Social democratic reformulations, however, are a different matter entirely, and they still have a lot of life left in them in pretty well all countries.

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Poland, About anti-NATO in Krakow:

About 500 people came to protest against the informal NATO summit in Krakow on Feb. 19 organized mainly by the Anarchist Federation Krakow. There was an extremely heavy police presence and some problems with arrests and attempts by the police to block the demo, but in the end people protested across the city. In addition to local activists, a guest from France and the Czech republic spoke. In the evening a smaller group of people made their way to the location of the ball/banquet of the NATO bastards and had a counterball.

After the ball, again the police were acting up, surrounding people and searching them. One person was arrested but later released.

The next day there was a conference. There were talks and presentations by members of FA Krakow, ZSP and from AF from France who invited people to the anti-NATO protests in Strasbourg.

There are a couple of videos here:

http://cia.bzzz.net/wideo_z_demonstracji_antynato

photos: http://cia.bzzz.net/fotki_z_antyszczytu

Criticism of leftists:

There was some controversy in the weeks before the demo about inviting August 80 to co-organize or not. The leadership of the union also have a political party and the people from the union at demos are usually not rank and file activists, but professional unionists, who are often also party members. Usually it just looks that way that the leader gets people out of work, puts them on the bus using union funds, and gives them a flag to hold during the demo. There was a discussion with FA Krakow about what percent of party flags they should have in proportion to union flags before agreeing to co-organize with them. The main argument for this cooperation and allowing the party to come with their flags was that the union boss promised to bring 1000 people with him to the demo.

Nobody knows why some anarchists want to believe politicians. As some people predicted, only 100 of them showed up. Besides that, they invited, without previous discussion with the anarchists, the Stop War Initiative to be a co-organizer. FA Krakow at that time proposed to make a separate anarchist demo but the Anarchist Federation voted against this. Members of ZSP agreed with the idea not to have the politicians.

In the end, the party/union only dragged 100 people to Krakow. Anarchists were at least 300 of the 500 people. At least the Stop War Initiative made and put up posters and helped with information. In addition to the party/union, the careerist Young Socialists showed up and immediately started demanding that their left party sponsors from abroad be given the speakers' platform and complained when they were not allowed to dominate the whole event.

Nothing good of the leftist presence, they just were waving their flags and trying to promote themselves and their social democratic shit - but some anarchists like them. In general the anarchists could have done everything themselves with no lose of quality and a clearer message. Not that I think non-anarchist shouldn't participate, but the party and party wannabe leftists suck.

MOUVEMENT ANARCHISTE DU CANADA/CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:

SALON DU LIVRE ANARCHISTE DE MONTRÉAL DEUXIÈME ANNONCE/TENTH MONTREAL ANARCHIST BOOKFAIR SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT:

Le Salon du Livre Anarchiste de Montréal est le plus grand événement de son genre sur le continent. Ce année la 10e salon promet d'être encore mieux. Voici la seconde annonce pour cet événement.

.........................

The Montreal anarchist Bookfair is the largest event of its kind on the continent. This year the 10th bookfair promises to be even better. Here's the second announcement for this event.

.........................

10e Salon du livre anarchiste de Montreal - propositions d'ateliers:

Deuxième annonce;

FÉVRIER 2009;

Veuillez publier, diffuser et transmettre cet appelSVP. Veuillez prendre note que la date limite pour les propositions d'ateliers estle 1er mars. La date limite pour réserver une table au Salon ou pour proposer desévénements artistiques, des films ou tout autre événement au Festival de l'Anarchieest le 1er avril. Plus de détails ci-dessous.

À notez dans vos agendas!

Dans le cadre du Festival de l'Anarchie: Le Dixième Salon du livre anarchiste deMontréal

Les 16 et 17 MAI 2009 Au CEDA, 2515 Delisle (tout près du métro Lionel-Groulx)

Tout le mois de mai 2009: Festival de l'Anarchie avec différents évènements endivers lieux

Le Salon du livre anarchiste de Montréal (ainsi que le Festival de l'Anarchie) rassemble les idées et pratiques anarchistes, par les mots, les images, la musique,le théâtre et les luttes quotidiennes pour la justice, la dignité et la libération collective.

Le Salon du livre anarchiste s'adresse aux anarchistes, mais également à celles et ceux qui ne se considèrent pas nécessairement comme anarchistes mais qui ont développé une certaine curiosité vis-à-vis de l'anarchisme. Le Salon est un espace où les anarchistes peuvent se rencontrer et échanger dans un esprit de respect mutuel et de solidarité. Tous et toutes y sont bienvenu-e-s.

Le Salon du livre anarchiste est organisé dans un esprit d'ouverture vis-à-vis des différentes traditions, visions et pratiques de l'anarchisme. Nous cherchons à promouvoir l'anarchisme en mettant en pratique des valeurs comme l'entraide, la démocratie par la base, l'action directe, l'autonomie et la solidarité, et en nous opposant à toutes les formes d'oppression. Les principes du Salon du livre anarchiste sont disponible ici :

http://www.salonanarchiste.ca/fr/node/43

Le Salon du livre anarchiste de Montréal est l'un des plus importants événements du genre en Amérique du Nord. Au cours de la dernière décennie, cet événement annuel s'est avéré un de principaux points de convergence et de référence pour les idées et pratiques anti-autoritaires. Cette année marque le dixième anniversaire du Salondu livre anarchiste de Montréal.

Pour savoir « Qu'est-ce qui se passe au Salon du livre anarchiste de Montréal? »,suivez ce lien:

http://www.salonanarchiste.ca/fr/node/1

Énoncé d'accessibilité:

http://www.salonanarchiste.ca/fr/node/31

----------

*PROPOSITIONS D'ATELIERS (Date limite: 1er mars)

*Les propositions pour la Journée d'ateliers (dimanche) devraient être consacrées à l'analyse en profondeur d'un thème lié à l'anarchisme. Ces ateliers sont normalement dédiés à un public familier avec l'anarchisme ou qui s'identifie comme anarchiste. Le collectif acceptera entre 10 et 15 ateliers.

Les propositions pour le Salon du livre (samedi) devraient prendre la forme d'ateliers d'introduction à l'anarchisme ou à l'un de ses aspects. Ces ateliers s'adressent à un public sensible à l'anarchisme ou néophyte. Ces ateliers doivent être préparés en vue d'être accessibles aux non-anarchistes. Le collectif acceptera six ateliers d'introduction.

Plus d'information pour proposer un atelier au Salon du livre anarchiste (16 mai)et la Journée des ateliers (17 mai), incluant une liste des anciens ateliers et des indications sur le format des ateliers se trouve au bout de ce lien:

http://www.salonanarchiste.ca/fr/node/56

*--> La date limite pour la réception des propositions d'ateliers est le 1 MARS 2009.

*CONTRIBUEZ À PROMOUVOIR DU SALON DU LIVRE ANARCHISTE

Si vous souhaitez contribuer à la promotion du Salon du livre anarchiste et/ou du Festival de l'Anarchie dans votre quartier, votre école ou votre communauté, communiquez avec nous DÈS MAINTENANT! (info@salonanarchiste.ca )

Nos affiches et dépliants finaux seront prêts en février. Nous ferons la promotion du Salon du livre anarchiste dans la région de Montréal, aussi bien dans les lieuxà tendance anarchiste que dans les lieux non-anarchistes.

Si vous résidez à l'extérieur de Montréal, communiquez avec nous si vous désirez recevoir des affiches, prospectus et dépliants.

APPEL À CONTRIBUTIONS (tables d'expositions, oeuvres d'art et films)

a) Tables d'expositions: Appel à contributions

Le coeur du Salon du livre anarchiste est la salle d'exposition de livres et,s econdairement, de matériel anarchiste. La salle d'exposition inclue des libraires, des distributeurs, des presses indépendantes, des maisons d'éditions et des groupes anarchistes en provenance de partout à travers le Québec, l'Amérique du Nord etl 'étranger. SVP, prenez connaissance de nos principes:

http://www.salonanarchiste.ca/fr/node/43

Pour réserver une table d'exposition au Salon du livre, contactez-nous par courriel à: info@salonanarchiste.ca

Si vous n'avez jamais participé au Salon par le passé, incluez une description devotre groupe et du matériel que vous comptez diffuser.

--> La date limite pour la réservation d'espaces d'exposition au Salon du livre est le 1er AVRIL 2009.

b) Oeuvres d'art: Appel à contributions

Le Salon du livre anarchiste de Montréal réserve un espace pour la diffusion d'oeuvres d'art liées à l'anarchisme, l'anti-autoritarisme, l'autonomie et les luttes supportées par les anarchistes. Faîtes nous part de vos propositionsd'expositions de photos, d'affiches, de créations originales ou de reproductions. Le collectif du salon du livre considèrera toutes les oeuvres respectant les principes de base du salon. Les oeuvres devront être accrochées ou suspendues aux murs, voire placées dans un espace délimité.

--> La date limite pour la réception des propositions d'expositions d'oeuvres d'artest le 1er AVRIL 2009.

*c) Films: Appel à contributions

*Le Salon du livre anarchiste réserve également un espace pour la projection de films durant la tenue du Salon. Les films présentés doivent être en lien avec l'anarchisme, avec des luttes soutenues par les anarchistes ou doivent concorder avec les principes de base du Salon du livre

.--> La date limite pour la réception des propositions de films est le 1er AVRIL 2009.

d) Festival de l'Anarchie: Appel à contributions

Le mois de mai dans son ensemble sera consacré aux idées ou pratiques anarchistes. Le Festival de l'Anarchie prendra place dans les semaines qui précèdent le Salon du livre, avec des événements reliés à l'anarchisme, dans plusieurs lieux publics de Montréal.

Le collectif du Salon du livre compile les événements à être placés et produira un calendrier public. La seule fonction du collectif, en plus de diffuser le calendrier, concernant le Festival, est de veiller à ce que deux évènements ne se produise pas le même jour. Nous comptons donc sur vous pour organiser les événements du Festival de l'anarchie. Réservez rapidement une date pour votre événements dans le calendrier du mois de mai. Premierères arrivées, premierères sservies!

--> La date limite pour soumettre un événement au calendrier du Festival de l'anarchie est le 1er AVRIL 2009.

NOS COORDONNÉES

Si vous avez d'autres idées pour le Salon du livre ou le Festival de l'Anarchie,n'hésitez pas à nous en faire part! Vous pouvez nous rejoindre par courriel, par téléphone ou par la poste.

courriel: info@salonanarchiste.ca

web: www.salonanarchiste.ca

poste:

Salon du livre Anarchiste de Montréal

1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, Suite 204

Montréal, Québec H3G 1N1

We speak English.

Se habla español.

..............................

Montreal's 10th Annual Anarchist Bookfair:

May 16-17, 2009

Workshop Deadline: March 1st‏
*[2nd announcement;

FEBRUARY 2009;

please post and forward widely!

NOTE: workshop submission deadline is March 1, 2009;

tables/films/art/festival events submission deadline is April 1, 2009; read more below.]*

----------

Mark your calendars …

Montreal's 10th Annual Anarchist Bookfair

MAY 16-17, 2009

at the CEDA,

2515 Delisle(a few blocks from Lionel-Groulx metro)

Part of the month-long Festival of Anarchy, throughout the month of May 2009at venues and locations all over the island of Montreal .

The Montreal Anarchist Bookfair -- and month-long Festival of Anarchy --brings together anarchist ideas and practice, through words, images, music,theatre and day-to-day struggles for justice, dignity and collective liberation.

The Bookfair is as much for people who don't necessarily consider themselves anarchists, but are curious about anarchism, as it is a space for anarchists to meet, network and share in a spirit of respect and solidarity. All are welcome.

The Bookfair is organized in a spirit of openness towards the different traditions, visions, and practices of anarchism. Together we share a commitment to promoting anarchism through the values of mutual aid, grassroots democracy, direct action, autonomy and solidarity, while opposing oppression in all its forms. The Bookfair principles are linked here:

http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/4

The Bookfair is one of the largest anarchist events in North America, and for the past decade, an important gathering and reference point for anti-authoritarian ideas and practice. This year marks an important milestone for the Bookfair: our tenth anniversary.

What Happens at the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair?;

read more here

:http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/3

Accessibility Statement:

http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/6

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*WORKSHOP PROPOSALS: Deadline is March 1, 2009

* Proposals for the Day of Workshops (Sunday, May 17) should address an anarchist-themed topic in some depth, and should be intended for people who are already familiar with anarchism or might identify as anarchists. The collective will accept between 10 to 15 workshops.

Workshop proposals for the Bookfair day (Saturday, May 16) should be introductory workshops to anarchism, or an aspect of anarchism, and should be aimed at people who are curious about or new to anarchist ideas. These workshops should be accessible to non-anarchists. The collective will accept up to six introductory workshops.

More detailed information about workshop proposals, including guidelines and previous workshops, is linked at:

http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/9

*--> The deadline for workshop proposals is MARCH 1, 2009*

HELP PROMOTE THE BOOKFAIR

If you can help promote the Bookfair and Festival of Anarchy in your neighborhood, school or community, get in touch NOW!

(info@salonanarchiste.ca)

Our final poster, flyer and pamphlet will be ready this month. We will be actively promoting the Bookfair all over the Montreal-area, in both anarchist and non-anarchist spaces. If you are from outside Montreal, get in touch if you would like us to send you posters and pamphlets.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

(Tables, Art Exhibits & Films, Festival of AnarchyEvents)

a) Tabling at the Bookfair

The Bookfair features booksellers, distributors, independent presses, zines and political groups from all over Montreal, Quebec and North America, and

abroad. Please make sure to read our principles

www.anarchistbookfair.ca/en/node/4

. Contact us at info@anarchistbookfair.ca to request table space

(note:Bookfair tabling happens on one day: Saturday, May 16 between 10am to 6pm).

If you haven't tabled at the Bookfair before, please include a short description of your group and the material you intend to distribute at the Bookfair.

--> The deadline to request a table is APRIL 1, 2009.

b) Art Exhibits

The Montreal Anarchist Bookfair will again be displaying artwork relating to anarchism and anti-authoritarian, autonomous or anarchist-supported struggles. Please consider proposing an exhibit of photos, posters, original art, repros - anything within the parameters of the Bookfair that can be mounted on a wall or placed in a corner!

--> The deadline for art exhibit proposals is APRIL 1, 2009.

*c) Films* The Montreal Anarchist Bookfair will also have a film room running all day,showing films related to anarchism or anarchist-supported struggles, that fall within the principles of the Anarchist Bookfair.

--> The deadline for film proposals is APRIL 1, 2009.

d) Festival of Anarchy Events

In addition to the Bookfair and Day of Workshops, the entire month of May is part of a Festival of Anarchy, with diverse anarchist-themed events occurring at different venues in Montreal.

The Bookfair collective compiles a Festival of Anarchy calendar, but we count on you to organize the actual Festival of Anarchy events.

Get in touch to reserve a date for your event in May (calendar dates are "first come first served").

--> The deadline to submit Festival of Anarchy events, to be included in our public calendar, is APRIL 1, 2009.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have other ideas for the Bookfair or Festival of Anarchy, don't hesitate to get in touch with a proposal! Contact us to receive regular updates and announcements by e-mail. post:

Montreal's Anarchist Bookfair

1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, Suite 204

Montréal, Québec,

H3G 1N1

e-mail: info@anarchistbookfair.ca

web: www.anarchistbookfair.ca

Nous parlons français.

Se habla español.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRELAND:

CONTINUED NEGOTIATIONS OVER WATERFORD CRYSTAL:

The negotiations over the final fate of the occupied Waterford Crystal factory continue unabated, with the union still trying to be "realistic" rather than creative. As in so many other things you can "realistically" drive to defeat in a crisis situation in the most "realistic" manner. See past Molly posts on this matter and on the Kherson factory occupation for my own view. Here, from the Waterford News and Star is an article from two days ago on the latest skivvy on the stalemate.

..........................

Union tight-lipped after Government meeting:
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Union tight-lipped after Government meeting

By Marion O’Mara

A GLIMMER of good news loomed on the horizon this week for workers at Waterford Crystal, following what was described as “a positive engagement” between union leaders and Government officials over pensions.

Walter Cullen, Regional Organiser of UNITE, said that the discussions centred on the pension scheme. Due to the delicate nature of the talks, he declined to comment beyond describing them as positive.

A spokesperson for Deloitte Receiver, David Carson was also remaining tight-lipped yesterday amid widespread speculation that a deal had been concluded with KPS Capital Partnership for Waterford Crystal.

“No deal has been finalised and negotiations are ongoing,” he said.

Following a mass meeting at The Forum, in the city last Thursday, workers heard that KPS Capital Partnership had made a “goodwill” offer of €10m in compensation for the loss of severance and ex-gratia payments.

They also offered to lease the premises and continue small scale manufacturing, with approximately 80 jobs on the tourist trail and a further 80 jobs between the Visitor Gallery and office staff.

Following negotiations with the Receiver, the Government and the ICTU, Mr. Cullen said that they outlined to members the outcome of the talks. “We put forward a recommendation based on those negotiations and it was accepted.

Now we are waiting to hear from the Receiver,” he said. As he emerged from the tense two-hour meeting he said, “We need to devise a mechanism by which that €10m is going to be allocated in a fair and equitable way. There are conditions on that laid down by KPS and by the Receiver, which are issues that we need to address when we respond to both KPS and the Receiver, and we need clarification in relation to jobs.”

Asked about a possible bid from Clarion — the company which former Crystal Chief Executive, John Foley is involved, he said there had been no indication as to which bid would be accepted. He added that UNITE members were angry with the process they were in.

“Nobody was jumping up and down with excitement about the announcement of €10m. They are still also very unhappy with the Government – in particular with the response on the pension issue.

That still remains unresolved. “There are three elements we set out from the very start in terms of maximising the number of jobs, a manufacturing facility to produce Waterford Crystal in Waterford, compensation for the ex-gratia payments that were due to our members and resolution of the pension issue.”

Asked how much longer he thought they would get from the Receiver to resolve the process Mr. Cullen said that was a question for the Receiver. He had been indicating that he was under severe pressure to move the process forward — “as we are.”

He wanted whichever buyer was successful in the bid to engage with the union on maximising jobs and he also said that they wanted to look for alternative uses for the tank furnace if that was not part of KPS’ plans.

Mr. Cullen declined to comment on the conditions attached to the offer from KPS.

...........................

MOLLY NOTE:

Believe it or not I actually get quite a few visits to this blog from the receiver mentioned in the above, and it doesn't seem to be connected to this one matter. i am hard pressed to understand what information they may be gathering. What i can say is that not just Deloitte and Touche, but most other receivers are a sector of the economy that has seen their business expand in the present economic crisis. I think it is about time to advance beyond Naoimi Klein's "disaster capitalism" and posit the term "vulture capitalism".

AMERICAN LABOUR/ECONOMIC CRISIS:

TELL THE BOSSES-PAY THE WORKERS FIRST:

The following is from the American Jobs With Justice coalition. Down Rhode island way Colibri, a jewelry manufacturer, has gone into receivership without, of course, making provisions for their workers to be paid what is due them upon termination of employment. Declaring bankruptcy is, of course, a great way of getting out of legal requirements, but in this case the employees are "bumped down the line" in terms of creditors. Join the JwJ coalition in pressuring the private equity 'Founders Equity' to do the right thing. In passing Molly would like to note that this sort of situation would be a prime opportunity for the workers involved to exercise the tactics of more and more workers across the globe-including the USA- by occupying the factory and putting a halt to the owners and receivers looting the assets until a just settlement is achieved.

..........................
Tell Founders Equity to Treat Workers Fairly‏:
On January 15, the 280 workers at Colibri, a jewelry manufacturer in Rhode Island, were informed that their jobs were suddenly gone. Colibri's owners, New York-based Founders Private Equity SBIC, asked the Rhode Island Superior Court to appoint a receiver to sell the company's assets to repay creditors.

But as the courts settle Colibri's debts to banks and lenders, the workers could be left with nothing. Colibri workers, even those who had given 10, 20, 30+ years in service to the company,were shocked by their plant closing and are facing this recession head on with no relief.

Please support Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice by taking a few seconds to send a free fax(email actually-Molly) to Founders Equity partners right now demanding that Founders Equity give every Colibri Worker 60 days pay, 60 days benefits and severance based on years worked.

TAKE ACTION: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/foundersequity/wukd7sd9p76wx3mi?

In this economic crisis too many private banks and investment firms are shirking their responsibility to the people who dedicated years of service to their businesses. By holding Founders Equity responsible, together we're sending a clear message to all employers: act responsibly to the individuals and families who worked for you; let human rights prevail over corporate greed.

In the words of one Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice leader, "Our families won't wait to eat. Our landlords won't wait for rent. Our children won't wait for medical care."

Stop corporate greed. Take action now.

TAKE ACTION: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/foundersequity/wukd7sd9p76wx3mi?

Right now, so many workers around the country are facing plant closings, foreclosures, delays and denials in benefits and compensation. Colibri workers and their allies are fighting back!

Jobs with Justice is committed to supporting Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice in fighting for respect and justice. We are also committed to putting employers on notice.

Private Equity firms, investors, lenders and employers alike must be held accountable for the ways their decisions affect communities. 280 newly unemployed Rhode Islanders were not given an opportunity to find other jobs - this is a crisis for them and their families- and it deepens our overall economic crisis.

Another part of our fight back is organizing together for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, the strongest way we can build worker power & fight corporate greed in tough economic times. Please take a few seconds to add your name to an Employee Free Choice Act postcard right now.

http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/td_xDw71Qq-x/

Take action now to stand up for corporate accountability during this economic crisis. You can see videos and press clippings from Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice recent actions at

http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/tp_xDw71Qq-e/.

TAKE ACTION:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/foundersequity/wukd7sd9p76wx3mi?

........................

THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send a message to Founders Equity that they should do the right thing and pay their workers first. The letter follows.

.......................

I am writing to support the efforts of Colibri Workers for Rights and
Justice. I understand that Founders Equity, a majority investor in the
Colibri Group asked the Rhode Island Superior court to place the Colibri Group
into receivership. The former Colibri workers are now facing this
recession head-on and they deserve some relief.





Many of these workers had given the
company 10, 20, 30, even 37 years of service.
Founders Equity has an
obligation to respond to Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice. I am
asking you to respond to Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice by agreeing to
negotiate with their elected leadership for 60 days pay, 60 days benefits and
severance based on years worked.





I stand with the Colibri Workers
because I believe that it's time that employers, investors and lenders alike
take the responsibility for their actions.





During this economic crisis, laid off
workers can't wait for a lengthy court process. In the words of one leader of
Colibri Workers for Rights and Justice, "Our families won't wait to eat. Our
landlords won't wait for rent. Our children won't wait for medical care."





Please contact Colibri Workers for Rights
and Justice immediately. You can reach Colibri Workers for Rights and
Justice with your response at (401)725-2700.





Thank you for your prompt attention to the
rights of Colibri Groups former employees.