March Labor Tour opens! Public Schedule - Workers Struggle Beyond Borders

March Labor Tour opens! Workers Struggle Beyond Borders: Uniting the Peoples of Nuestra América

Wisconsin private sector and public workers in the tens of thousands thrust their fight against a union-busting law into news front pages. More than two years ago, the Mexican Electrical Union - SME were robbed of their collective bargaining rights. Their union was declared illegal. The pro-big business Mexican government forced 44,000 workers out of their jobs at Mexico's second largest electrical power distributor, Luz y Fuerza (Central Light and Power), jeopardizing not only the workers but the income of pensioners. Find out how their struggle is like the one faced in the U.S. from the workers on the front lines in Mexico and from a Cuban representative of the World Federation of Trade Unions who will present some of the alternatives already in process in the Americas. An injury to one is an injury to all. There are no borders in the workers struggle against capitalism. Come out to learn about our common interests and struggles and the need for mutual solidarity.

Gilda Chacon Bravo, 
Federacion Sindical Mundial - Americas; Cuba
Humberto Montes de Oca, 
Interior Secretary, Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas (Mexican Electrical Workers Union)
Pipino Cuevas,  
Secretary of Health and Social Welfare, Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas (Mexican Electrical Workers Union)
Jorge Cazares,  
Representing Section VIII of the National Steering Committee of Education Workers (CNTE); Mexico (VISA DENIED by the U.S.)

You can help deliver this delegation's message of international solidarity through a financial contribution to help with travel expenses.  Your donation will enable the delegation to meet with immigrant and other community-based organizations that don't have deep pockets. To make an on-line donations press the DONATE button at: LaborExchange.blogspot.com

PUBLIC EVENTS:

Thursday, March 17
Westminster Presbyterian Church
400 I St. SW
Washington, D.C. 20024
6:30 pm

Friday, March 18
UAW Local 1005
5615 Chevrolet Blvd.
Parma, OH 44130
5:00 - 6:15 pm - Reception
6:15 - 8:15 pm - Presentation

Saturday, March 19
Farm Labor Organizing Committee
1221 Broadway
Toledo, OH 43609
6:00 pm

Sunday, March 20
UAW Local 600
10550 Dix Ave.
Dearborn, MI 48120
1:00 pm

Monday, March 21
Workers United Hall
333 S. Ashland
Chicago, Il 60607
6:30 pm

Friday, March 25
World Beat Center
2100 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA 92101
6:00 - 9:00 pm

Saturday, March 26
Southern California Immigration Coalition Conference
Santee Educational Complex
1921 Maple Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90011
Noon - 4:00 pm

Sunday, March 27
Workers United
920 S. Alvarado
Los Angeles, CA 90006
6:00 pm

Tuesday, March 29
SEIU/Local 1199
330 West 43rd. St.7th Floor
New York, NY
6:30 pm
Go to http://uniondelbarrio.org/laverdad/ for downloadable leaflets for public events.
To schedule interviews or additional meetings contact: laborexchange@aol.com or 313 575-4933 or 313 355-8566; info@uniondelbarrio.org or 619-398-6648.

U.S. Labor Tour 2011 - March 15 - 31

U.S. LABOR TOUR 2011

Workers Struggle Beyond Borders: 

Uniting the Peoples of Nuestra America

With a growing economic crisis, the U.S. empire is waging an even larger scale offensive on the world’s working poor to keep capitalism afloat, while eliminating many essential services making it more expensive and practically unaffordable to obtain healthcare, increasing cuts to education, and foreclosing on homes at an unprecedented rate. This offensive has even made it a crime to work in the U.S. if you’re an “undocumented” worker; while state legislatures, such as Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana, are currently seeking to eliminate or weaken collective bargaining rights.

As a response to this offensive, workers from throughout the continent have decided to propose a collaborative project towards integration and solidarity beyond national borders, in search of worker’s unity that will ensure their class interest. This tour seeks to introduce the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) to workers in the United States, with the objective of seeking dialogue and presenting common areas of interest, this tour will invite workers and their organizations to the Encuentro Sindical de Nuestra América (ESNA) which will take place this year in Nicaragua. Similarly, this tour will inform worker’s how countries that today form part of the Bolivarian Alliance of Nuestra América (ALBA) have made investments in healthcare, education, food security, sports, cultural programs, while the United States cuts programs in these areas, while increasing its military spending. This tour invites workers in the US to become familiar with this continental process which seeks to build coordinated actions in our common defense of as a working class, throughout the continent and the world.

Join us in welcoming the following international guests:
- Gilda Chacon Bravo, World Federation of Trade Unions- Americas Region- Cuba
- Humberto Montes de Oca, Interior Secretary of the Mexican Electrical Workers (SME)- México
- Jorge Cázares Torres, Section VIII of the National Steering Committee of Education Workers (CNTE)- México

Dates & Cities:
March 16 & 17- Washington D.C.
March 18- Cleveland, Ohio
March 19- Toledo, Ohio
March 20- Detroit, Michigan
March 21- Chicago, Illinois
March 22- San Francisco, California
March 23- Oakland, California
March 24 & 25- San Diego, California
March 26 & 27- Los Angeles, California
March 28, 29, 30 & 31- New York, New York

Organized by:
US-Cuba Labor Exchange
laborexchange@aol.com

International Action Center
iacenter@iacenter.org

Unión del Barrio
info@uniondelbarrio.org

Endorsed by:
World Federation of Trade Unions

For more information or to endorse, please contact us at any of the e-mails listed.

VII Labor Conference concludes in Tijuana

The VI U.S./Cuba/Mexico Labor Conference ended on Sunday, Dec. 5. Stay tuned for video, articles, interviews and upcoming activities.

Directions:

How to Get from the San Diego International Airport to Tijuana:

Welcome to the San Diego International Airport. 

Just outside the airport terminal you will find signs where the MTS #992 bus will stop and pick you up and take you downtown. These buses have luggage racks for your convenience. They run every 15 minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight. The cost is $2.25 or $1.10 for seniors 60 and over. You must have exact change.

Get off the bus downtown at the corner of Broadway and Kettner Blvd. Cross the street to the American Plaza Transit Center. Buy a trolley ticket at the ticket machine. The cost is $2.50 or $1.25 for seniors 60 and over. The trolleys run on an honor system, but hold on to your ticket for the length of the trip in case you are asked to prove that you paid. You need to board a Blue Line trolley in the direction of San Ysidro. If the front of the trolley says El Cajon, that is not the one you want. It should say San Ysidro. San Ysidro is the last trolley stop on the Blue Line south. It’s about a 45-minute ride.

When you get off the trolley, you will be at the border on the U.S. side. You can walk across the border although it’s a bit of a hike, especially if you have a significant amount of luggage (travel light!). When you have crossed the pedestrian bridge over I-5, gone through the noisy turnstiles, passed by the small Mexican customs office, where no one will stop you, you’ll come out onto a street with many stalls selling touristy type items and you will see many yellow taxis. Ignore the many solicitations you will receive.

Walk a block or two further on to find a red and white or orange and white taxi. “Necesito un taxi libre” or “Necesito un taxi colectivo” is what you will reply to anyone offering assistance. It’s always a good idea to have an agreement with the taxi driver on the price before you get in the taxi. Dollars are accepted pretty much anywhere in Tijuana.

Alternatively, when you exit the trolley at the San Ysidro station you can take a Mexicoach shuttle bus, which you should be able to locate nearby, to the Tijuana Tourist Terminal in downtown Tijuana (between 6th and 7th on Avenida Revolución). The cost for this bus is $5.00. They depart every 30 minutes. The Hotel Palacio Azteca is still a good distance from this terminal (about a 25-minute walk) so you’ll probably want to take a taxi. Again, look for the red and white or orange and white “colectivo” or “libre” taxis.

OH YES ... the hotel is

the Palacio Azteca.

Address: Blvd. Cuauhtemoc Sur #213

Here is a map...the Palacio Azteca is #5

click on map for larger view

SOLIDARITY wth the CUBAN FIVE! Free them NOW! Dec 3 in Tijuana REGISTER NOW!

Interview with Mexican union leader coming to the Tijuana Conference in Dec.