Labor

U.S. Socialist Stewart Alexander says, “Bernanke’s speech and response to the U.S. economic crisis has revealed that Chairman Bernanke has failed in his responsibility to the nation and should resign. While providing future guarantees to Wall Street, Bernanke’s message only provided optimistic illusions for the tens of millions of working people that are struggling nationwide.”

Alexander says financing the war and the U.S. occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan is costing U.S. jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars that could be used to rebuild and repair our nation’s infrastructure; “The war and occupation is taking the U.S. economy into a full scale depression.”

Former UGSOA Vice President Speaks Out Against UGSOA" I feel that the organization (UGSOA) has Lost Focus on its Purpose".

A trip to the striking workers picket line at the Mott’s plant on Route 104 in Williamson is at once inspiring and frightening if you are yourself part of the working class. You feel a sense of bravado driven by desperation in the 300 blue-collar industrial workers who walk the perimeter of the Mott’s property around the clock discouraging strike-breaking scabs from crossing the picket line.

Part 2 of an Op-Ed in response to a City Newspaper Op-Ed.

Seize BP protest
Federal Building (100 S. Clinton st)
Friday, June 11 @ 5:30

Watch Video

Click the image above to watch RWDSU workers talk about their current strike at the Mott's factory in Williamson. They discuss working conditions at the factory, why they are striking, what they want.

Related News: Mott's Workers Go on Strike, Charge Unfair Labor Practices

After starting picketing on May 23rd, moral is still high in Williamson NY where 304 out of the 305 hourly Mott’s workers are on strike after failed contract renegotiation. The Mott’s cooperation proposed a $1.50 per hour wage cut for all employees, a pension elimination for future employees and a pension freeze for current employees, a 20 percent decrease in employer contributions to the 401K and increased employee contributions toward health care premiums and co-pays. This come after the companies most profitable year in 2009 bring in $555,000,000 in profit, and the CEO has had a %113 increase in pay over the last 3 years.

On the evening of May 20, the notorious Shock Force of the Puerto Rican Police brutally attacked a demonstration of hundreds of students and workers protesting against Governor Luis Fortuño. The assault took place in the luxurious Sheraton Hotel, where the privatizing, anti-worker governor was presiding over a fancy fundraising dinner. As our reporter recounts, the police brutally beat demonstrators with riot clubs and pepper-sprayed everyone with tear gas and pepper gas. This was the response of the government to the workers strike two days ago in support of the student strike at the University of Puerto Rico, which has lasted almost a month. It is urgently necessary to translate the worker-student unity that was on display on May 18 into powerful strike actions that shut down key sectors of the economy of the U.S.' Caribbean island economy. We publish here the on-the-spot report from our correspondent who witnessed and participated in the protest.