Sunday, August 28, 2011

4th ESNA ends in Managua! On to Tijuana Dec. 2011

Send a copy of this message to a friend with this link.

Since the last Tijuana Conference, resistance by workers, poor people and oppressed nations against the domination of international financial institutions and the military that enforces their austerity have percolated in the U.S. and blossomed around the world.

Join sisters and brothers from Cuba, Mexico and more Latin American and Caribbean countries to continue the ESNA process and build for the struggle ahead.

Join us in Tijuana, Dec. 2, 3, 4.

Plan to come a few days earlier -- watch for an announcement soon about labor classes in conjunction with the conference.

Watch laborexchange.blogspot.com - online registration will be active soon. DONATIONS are always gratefully welcomed and accepted online or by mail to Labor Exchange POB 39188, Redford, MI 48239.

http://albatv.org/4o-Encuentro-Sindical-Nuestra.html
Deepening the political consciousness of the American labor movement

4th Meeting Association Our America (Encuentro Sindical Nuestra America) debate over the role of the union movement

NICARAGUA | AUGUST 27, 2011 
SOURCE: BY GIORGIO TRUCCHI - LINYM
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This Thursday (25 / 8) opened in Managua, Nicaragua, the 4th Meeting Association Our America (ESNA).
Main purpose of the over 300 delegates from 134 organizations from 23 countries of the continent will be "advancing and deepening the political consciousness of the American labor movement," and while "taking stock of progress and remaining gaps exist, and that should be corrected without alarm, "said John Castillo, coordinator of the ESNA.
Castillo explained that this meeting will also seek to make a thorough analysis of the political situation in America and the world to be defining "what is today the role and the challenge of organized international working class."
Therefore, the 4 th ESNA is a space that seeks to "build unity in action of all workers over the idiologías and affiliations with a strong commitment to the political processes of advanced our America," said Castillo .
The coordinator of the event also highlighted the importance of further examining the relationship between unionism and politics. "Remember that in 2005, during the World Social Forum, the Presidents Hugo Chávez, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Evo Morales called to forge a new kind of labor movement, asking not left alone.
Trade unions, central and organized labor - went Castillo - should not be a mere spectator of the political and social changes, but we must be involved and integrated into what is a real dispute with the ruling class " also said the leader of the PIT-CNT in Uruguay.
The theme of the relationship between politics and trade unionism has been at the center of discussion in recent years. "We should not have you fear, because we have come to rely increasingly on our working class. However, be extremely careful."
The labor movement's involvement in these political processes "does not mean being subject to the mandates of governments or political parties. They are different things. I am convinced that workers and their organizations should be increasingly politicized, but less partirizados" Castillo said.
For two days, delegates will be divided into three working groups, addressing key issues such as outsourcing. "We have to continue working for the worker and the worker to take an increasing awareness that we must study, learn, research and perfect for achieving change the correlation of forces and eliminate phenomena such as outsourcing, which is nothing more than a degree top of the exploitation of the working class. "
Finally, Castillo reported that deepen some of the specific commitments made by the ESNA, such as collecting signatures on an international level against the U.S. military base in Latin America, and the proposal made yesterday (25 / 8) by the founder of the FSLN (Sandinista Front for National Liberation), Tomas Borge, on behalf of five Cubans unfairly imprisoned in United States.
The 4th ESNA end on August 27 with the pooling of the results of the three working groups and final reading of the Declaration.
By Giorgio Trucchi - LINyM

Friday, August 12, 2011

Aug. 13 in Los Angeles - Labor's voice, Free the Cuban Five!

Saturday August 13
6pm (Program will start at 7pm)

SEIU-USWW Hall 828 W. Washington Blvd, Los Angeles Free admission

Program presentations include: Tony Woodley, UNITE the large Irish/English union that produced the youtube below in 2008! Woodley has visited Gerardo Hernandez. 

The Cuban Five are Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, René González, Antonio Guerrero and Fernando González. They are sons, husbands, brothers, poets, pilots, college graduates and artists. To the 11 millon Cubans they are considered heroes. They were arrested in 1998, and are currently serving long sentences in five different prisons across the United States. They never killed or threatened anyone, their mission was to infiltrate and monitor the activites of violent groups within the Cuban exiles who have been responsible for the deaths of 3,500 Cubans since 1959. 

As the Cuban 5 case continues to be known in the United States, leaders of the international labor movement will gather in Los Angeles to bring this important case to their membership.  This event coincides with the birthday of Rene Gonzalez, one of the Cuban 5 who is currently serving his sentence in Marianna Florida. 

PROGRAM INCLUDES
An exhibition of political cartoons by Gerardo Hernandez. Herandez is one of the internationally known Cuban 5 political prisoners held in US Prisons since 1998. He is currently serving two life sentences in Victorville, 100 miles away from LA.

Live Music

Brief Video of Danny Glover on the Cuban 5

Presentations by
Mike Garcia, President of SEIU-USWW

Cristina R. Vazquez, Workers United, Western States Regional Joint Board, International Vice-President, Regional Manager
Tony Woodley, Unite - Britain's largest trade union Former National President and lead officer on the Cuban Five for UK unions

Alicia Jrapko, US coordinator, International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5

For more Info: 213-284-3808

Irish and English workers say Free the Cuban Five! (2008)