Transport Workers Solidarity Committee

Unions Seek to Pry Loose Transit Stimulus Funding At National Transit Meeting On Feb 27th

Unions Seek to Pry Loose Transit Stimulus Funding

Eye on Operational Needs
By ARI PAUL

LARRY HANLEY: Only Feds can help.

Representatives of transit unions from around the country gathered Feb. 27 at the headquarters of Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ to discuss a national strategy to get the Federal Government to pump more money into mass transit, specifically for operational use.

Amalgamated Transit Union Vice President Larry Hanley said that transit systems in every major metropolitan area are facing layoffs—the Chicago Transit Authority has already laid off 1,100 workers—and that while the Federal Government has put stimulus money into transit, it has been restricted to capital construction budgets rather than day-today use.

‘Feds Handicapped Transit’

“They handicapped transit by saying that that money was restricted to new construction,” Mr. Hanley said of Congress and the White House.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Restrictions hurting systems.

As a result of the six-hour meeting, he said, transit union leaders and reps agreed that they needed a national lobbying campaign for more Federal money that would also involve working closely with rider advocacy and environmental groups.

YouTube - NYC TWU Local 100 Pres. John Samuelsen denounces MTA proposed service cuts, job elimination-"Targeted Attack Against New York Workers And Their Families"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs1R_HrWRkI&feature=player_embedded

TWU Local 100 Pres. John Samuelsen denounces MTA proposed service cuts, job elimination

3,000 NYC TWU 100 Workers and Transit Supports Rally And Speak Out Against Attacks "Hell no, Mr. Walder."
http://www.twulocal100.org/node/3743

Outside MTA Public Hearings, The Union’s Voice Rings Out

A powerful rally on March 4 put over 3,000 TWU Local 100 members in the streets outside the MTA’s Manhattan Public Hearing at FIT. We were joined by a large contingent of high school and college students, vociferously protesting the MTA’s planned elimination of student metrocards. TWU Local 100 got strong support from allies in the union movement and government, including New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes, PBA President Pat Lynch, RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum, the UFT's Michael Mandel, DC 37’s Oliver Gray, Teamsters Local 237's Gregory Floyd, and Public Advocate Bill DiBlasio, to name a few. (Watch this page for videos, coming soon.)

President John Samuelsen trenchantly criticized MTA cuts as blatant disregard of workers and the needs of citizens. He called upon members to speak in a single voice: "Hell no, Mr. Walder. We will fight your attempts to steal our jobs; we will fight your attacks on our students; you will not destroy our transit system."

Victory To The Tekel Workers In Turkey

Victory To The Tekel Workers In Turkey-Statement Of The TWSC

Our bay area Transport Workers Solidarity Committee TWSC is in solidarity with
your struggle for your jobs and justice. The US controlled International Monetary Fund-World
Bank and their policy of forcing privatization of public services and public institutions is a plague
on the workers of the world. It is organized to benefit the billionaires and we are aware
that the past privatization of your national telecom system was used by US government
officials like US Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger to personally benefit from
the destruction of publicly owned industries as an investor.
The policy of privatization and deregulation is a way of stealing from the people of a country and
workers in the United States also face similar attacks on our living conditions and benefits.
We support your fight and call for the re-nationalization of Tekel under the democratic control
of the workers.
We will be publicizing your struggle in the United States and urging US workers to
build support for your fight. A victory of your strike is a victory for all workers around the world and

SF TWU250-A Drivers & Riders Rally & March Against Attack On Transit Workers And Public
http://blip.tv/file/3287978

On March 1, 2010 in San Francisco hundreds of MUNI TWU 250-A drivers
and riders joined in rallies and a march to demand that the cutbacks and
attacks on Muni workers end. SF Mayor Newsom and his appointed MTA
board have sought to pit the TWU 250-A drivers against the public by
saying that unless they took concessions on their wages and pensions
the city would have to increase fares for the elderly, students and the
disabled. Already over 100 operators have been layed off by the city.
Produced by Labor Video Project, P.O. Box 720027, San Francisco, CA 94172
laborvideo.blip.tv www.laborvideo.org (415)282-1908

French air traffic controllers' strike latest European labor rebellion
http://www.csmonitor.com/layout/set/print/content/view/print/282318

French air traffic controllers' strike latest European labor trouble
A French air traffic controllers' strike has grounded dozens of flights in Paris, one of Europe's busiest air travel hubs. The first hints of spring appear to be bringing strike fever to Europe.

By Robert Marquand Staff writer
posted February 23, 2010 at 11:49 am EST

Paris —
With chills from a ghastly European winter in abeyance, thoughts on the continent are turning to labor strikes. This week, a French air traffic controllers' strike has roiled European travel, grounding half of the regional flights from Orly and a quarter from Charles DeGaulle, the two main Paris hubs, until Saturday.

French air traffic controllers, currently among the most well paid in Europe and required to work only 100 days a year, are angry at a proposal to consolidate air traffic control with some of their European neighbors, which they fear will lead to salary and benefit reductions.

Air travel-associated strikes in recent days have created delays and ticket-counter drama elsewhere as well. Pilots for Lufthansa ended a one-day strike last night, but there will be routing and delays until Friday, authorities say. In all, some 800 flights have been affected.

AFL-CIO VP Calls For Massive Jobs Bill At Charleston 5 Ten Year Commemoration
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/feb/26/union-calls-for-massive-jobs-bill/

Union calls for massive jobs bill
AFL-CIO officer tells local workers about drive to put 'Main Street' back to work

BY WARREN WISE
The Post and Courier
Friday, February 26, 2010

America needs to get back to work and a new federal jobs bill that costs billions of dollars will do just that.

That's what a top organized labor official told a union-friendly audience at the International Longshoremen's Association headquarters in Charleston on Thursday during a two-day meeting to recognize and celebrate their struggles and victories.

Arlene Holt Baker, AFL-CIO executive vice president, said the group is launching a national grass-roots campaign this week to put 15 million unemployed Americans back to work by stressing the need for Congress to pass a new jobs bill.

The U.S. Senate, she said, has passed a jobs bill for $15 billion with some tax breaks for businesses.

"It's not big enough or bold enough to put millions of Americans back to work," Baker said. "We need a jobs program, a massive jobs program. Not just here in South Carolina, but in every city and every state in our country."

AFL-CIO VP Holt Baker Speaks At Charleston Five 10th Anniversary
http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/02/26/holt-baker-we-have-to-be-bold-to-turn-economy-around/

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Holt Baker: ‘We Have to Be Bold to Turn Economy Around’

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Stacey Clark tells a South Carolina town hall meeting what life is like when you’re unemployed.

Steve Stallone is president of International Labor Communications Association and secretary/editor of the California Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521. Evelina Alarcon is chair of the Cesar Chavez National Holiday campaign. They are reporting from the 10-year commemoration of the free the Charleston Five campaign.

Even in this tough economy with its high unemployment, “Now is not the time to retreat,” AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker told a town hall meeting in Charleston, S.C., yesterday. She urged unionists and activists “not to back down” on workers’ major goals: a good jobs program, theEmployee Free Choice Act and health care reform.

The town hall meeting was part of a larger 10-year anniversary commemoration of the victory to free the Charleston Five, members of the Longshoremen (ILA), who were arrested and charged with conspiracy to riot after state police attacked their picket line. A global movement to free them eventually led to the charges being dropped.

Labor holds SC rally decade after Charleston 5
http://www.thestate.com/2010/02/25/1174192/labor-holds-sc-rally-decade-after.html

Labor holds SC rally decade after Charleston 5
The Associated Press

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Labor leaders gather to begin an organizing effort to mark the 10th anniversary of an incident at a South Carolina port.
AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker and other leaders hold a forum in Charleston on the economy on Thursday.
In the incident, 10 people were injured when a January 2000 protest on the Charleston docks over nonunion labor turned violent.
Five longshoremen, the Charleston 5, were charged with trespassing. Those charges were dismissed but then-Attorney General Charlie Condon went to a grand jury, which returned felony indictments.
The five were placed under house arrest but the following year pleaded no contest to misdemeanor counts of engaging in a riot where no weapon was used. Each was fined.

Video-Thousands March To Back ILWU Local 30 Rio Tinto Workers-Borax Lock-Out Sends Families On Foot

http://www.turnto23.com/video/22587217/index.html