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UPPNET
News
Official Publication of the Union Producers and Programmers
Network
Spring 1999 |
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In This Issue:
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Earth Photo Caption
NASW members protest The Norm Show and WABC-TV in
New York City on April 7, 1999
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UPPNET
Meets With AFL-CIO Public Affairs
NASW Protests ABC's The Norm Show
2nd Seoul International LaborMedia '99
Amsterdam Tactical Media Conference
Microbroadcasting Conference in Memphis
IATSE Studio Workers Protest Kazan Award
New Labor Videos
Developing A Telecommunications Strategy |
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UPPNET Meets with AFL-CIO
Public Affairs' Denise Mitchell on Union Satellite TV Idea
In March of 1999, a planning committee of labor media
professionals and activists including three Board members of UPPNET
met with Denise Mitchell, Director of Public Affairs
for the AFL-CIO, to discuss creation of a national labor television
network called Union Satellite Television (USTV). During the hour-long
meeting the group outlined the details of a proposal to use satellite
communications technology to deliver labor programming to 10 million
television viewers in all 50 states. "Envision this," mused Leo
Canty, Vice President of the Connecticut Federation of Teachers
and former President of the International Labor Communications Association,
"In 200 communities around the U.S. and on several statewide networks,
for at least one half hour every week, millions of families can
tune in to watch programming about the labor movement and about
the interests of working families. That's USTV."
According to the proposal, USTV would uplink programs via satellite
and then employ a combination of public,
educational and leased access channels to downlink and deliver the
programming to targeted communities. The model is based on Deep
Dish TV's distribution network which has successfully delivered
progressive video programming to
communities throughout the U.S. since the 80's.
The USTV Planning Committee has discussed costs and details with
Deep Dish activists and have explored using Deep Dish expertise
to get the project off the ground. Deep Dish has worked with many
labor organizations in the past to deliver individual programs.
Uniquely, though, USTV will consistently feature workers, working
families, unions and union issues and will show a variety of different
unions and their membership. Topics may reflect the hot issue of
the day: social security, education, organizing, international trade
agreements like NAFTA, prevailing wage, national and international
solidarity actions. Sometimes there might be a program about labor
history, or about a working class heroine or hero. Programs distributed
by the network would be generated by individual union bodies. "This
network will be run by and for the benefit of the AFL-CIO, international
unions,
and state and central labor bodies," stated Sally Alvarez, media
activist and labor educator with the Cornell School of Industrial
and Labor Relations in New York. "The AFL-CIO, its affiliates and
supportive organizations could contract with USTV for time slots
on the network that would guarantee them a run of their program
and exposure in defined population centers nationwide."
USTV would be guided by a Board of Directors of
participant unions. The project would also offer additional services
for a cost to contracting unions, including publicity
materials and strategies as well as media training.
The need for a consistent national media presence for labor has
never been more acute. This decade has seen the
development and success of national cable channels that represent
destructive anti-labor viewpoints. Right-wing talk radio, the RNC's
GOTV, and Empowerment Television now reborn as America's Voice are
only a small part of the communications offensive launched by anti-union
and anti-progressive forces. And of course these are added to the
already consistent anti-union bias of mainstream television and
radio, including the Public Broadcasting System. "UPPNET has consistently
championed the idea of a national labor cable television network,"
stated Howard Kling, labor media professional and President of UPPNET,
"but until now we were unable to articulate a workable model that
could take us from dream to reality. This proposal for USTV could
just be that model."
"Labor cable television works," declared Simin Farkhondeh, producer/director
of Labor X in New York City. "The programs
created locally in city after city, like ours here in New York,
have had a proven impact on the labor movement and on the community
at large. Consistency is key to building an audience and maintaining
that impact." Currently there are over 30 communities nationwide
that enjoy the benefits
of consistent labor programming through the efforts of local producers.
There are also several statewide distribution
mechanisms. The idea of USTV is to recreate that consistent presence
in at least 200 communities throughout the U.S.
Denise Mitchell thought the project interesting and agreed the next
step would be its introduction to the communications
departments of the various affiliates of the AFL-CIO. The Planning
Committee is in the process of finalizing the
proposal for that purpose.
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NASW Press Release
National Association of
Social Workers Pickets WABC-TV over Disputes
with The Norm Show
"Norm's recent comments on NASW's concerns with his show demonstrate
that he thinks Social Workers are ridiculous. Our profession helped
create public sanitation, draft Social Security, make child labor
illegal, worked for minimum wage, against poverty, for civil rights
and provides counseling,
therapy and support services to millions of Americans."
-- NASW executive director Josephine Nieves
Representatives from the National Association of Social Workers
(NASW) picketed WABC Television in New York to
demonstrate their continued concern that the network's
sitcom, The Norm Show, maligns their profession and
confuses those who count on Social Work professionals for counseling,
therapy and support.
"We've invited Norm to spend time with members on the job. We've
talked with his people. We've volunteered to help to
consult on the scripts--not to dilute the humor, but to insert some
sense of accuracy in the way our profession's
portrayed--and, so far, Norm has just laughed off our
concerns. Norm recently implied in an interview that angry Social
Workers were a joke. Maybe he thinks so. But the
country's half million professional Social Workers have the power
to buy or not to buy a lot of Saturns, Pontiacs, M&Ms,
Burger King burgers, Tide Detergent, and Lenscrafter eyeglasses.
Perhaps Norm's sponsors won't find us so amusing," NASW executive
director, Josephine Nieves, said.
In the show Norm Macdonald plays Norm Henderson who's given the
option by a judge of going to jail for tax
evasion or "becoming" a Social Worker by performing
community service. He chooses the latter option.
Since the show's premier on March 24, NASW has been deluged with
letters, calls and emails from its members expressing their concerns
about the show. Among their complaints:
Norm's character and others on the show belittle and berate clients
and engage in a variety of unethical behavior, including
gross violations of confidentiality.
Norm's character performs Social Work without a license or professional
and academic credentials implying anyone without training can "become"
a professional Social Worker.
"We've said it before: It is not just that the joke is on us. But
when the people social workers serve are ridiculed, it hurts our
ability to help and advocate for them. Media has a powerful impact.
And, even something light and humorous like The Norm Show has the
power to distort perceptions," Nieves added. *
For further information: Lucy Norman, NASW, 202/336-8312, lsanchez@naswdc.org
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Social Workers aren't the only ones ABC has mistreated. ABC locked
out NABET employees last fall.UPPNET |
| UPPNET-Public
Affairs Meeting
National Microbroadcasting
Conference in Memphis
On April 9-11 a national conference on microbroadcasting (otherwise
known as pirate or free radio) took place in Memphis, Tennessee.
UPPNET Newsletter conducted the following interviews with two members
of Constructive Interference Collective, which sponsored the event.
The Collective set up a stationary station called Free Radio Memphis,
which was on for about a year and a half. It got confiscated in
late August 1998. They went back on again, starting a new station
on Halloween of '98, called Black Cat Radio, which was mobile. "Depending
on what goes on with the FCC, we are planning on reestablishing
a station," says Joan D'ark (her DJ name), a Collective member.
UPPNET: Tell us about the Constructive Interference Collective,
which is organizing this Conference.
Joan D'ark: The Collective got together three or four years
ago around the issue of micro radio, and we began with setting up
a pirate/community radio station in Memphis. I did a regular news
report every Monday to Friday in the morning from 7 to 7:30, and
that was everything that was going on in our neighborhood to things
that were going on internationally. But the defining characteristic
was getting information out that wasn't available through any other
sources.
Once there was a rally here in town against the KKK. There was a
counter-protest against them and for some strange reason the cops,
instead of maintaining a peaceful dynamic, attacked with pepper
spray the people who were protesting the Klan. None of the local
media outlets reported accurately on what was going on. So we did
a lot of interviews with innocent bystanders and the police charged
up to them and knocked them out and sprayed them. We were the only
media outlet in town that said anything about what was going on.
UPPNET: Are there class issues in your local media?
Joan D'ark: Yes. Look at the situation with the NPR affiliate
in town and the local Class D station in town. The Class D station,
WEVL, was started in the '70s while there was still the Class D
option. In 1978 when the Corporation for Public Broadcasting said
they wanted to get rid of the Class D license and eliminate community
broadcast stations, Class D stations who were already established
were told that they needed to bump up to 100 watts and professionalize
their broadcast or to just stop broadcasting. WEVL decided to bump
up to 100 watts and has completely professionalized. When we called
them to see if one of their representatives could be on our panel
for the Conference the person we spoke to said that 'we don't want
to be referred to as a community station because that implies we're
just open to everybody and we're not. We're very, very selective.'
To me that really reflects what's gone on here in town. All they
want to focus on is the white, upper-middle-class population of
the town. And Memphis is over 50% Black. But that's not reflected
in any of the media. They don't carry any NPR or Pacifica programming,
but they're basically modelling themselves after NPR. They've eliminated
any DJs who don't sound Eurocentric
and wealthy. They've point-blank told people who've applied 'you
don't sound like the type of person we want our station to be broadcasting',
in terms of their accent.
UPPNET: What sort of participation is there going to be for
the Conference?
Joan D'ark: About 50 people have registered who are coming from
out of town. There's a large majority of people who are coming from
the Southeast and South region, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Florida, and as far west as Texas. But we also have folks coming
down from the Northeast, from New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
We also have some people flying in from California. There are also
people who used to work for WEVL, but who don't like what it's become.
"You don't sound like the type
of person we want our station to be broadcasting."
UPPNET: What kind of labor-oriented programs did you put
on your station in Memphis?
Joan D'ark: We had a lot of Wobblies (IWW) who were involved
in getting this station going. There was "Solidarity Forever", a
weekly talk show, there was one called "Love and Labor" and it dealt
with the history of the labor movement, labor rights. And there
were a couple of shows that were labor-oriented but weren't specifically
defined that way. There was one show an atheist did. He played Black
gospel music and he talked about the history of religion, situating
religion in the whole class system, especially in the South. He
did a really good show. Also "The Black and the Green" was specifically
labor-oriented. After we had Free Radio Memphis confiscated we set
up a mobile station that we had going for a couple of months and
called it Black Cat Radio. Part of the reason we did that was because
of the Black Cat symbol for the
Wobblies. Denny, who did the "Solidarity Forever" show could tell
you more.
Denny: For "Solidarity Forever", which I did, the idea was
to do a labor show from a more radical perspective, that being from
the perspective of the Industrial Workers of the World. Iwanted
to let people know that that organization was still around, I talked
about its history, its founding in 1905, the difference between
it then and today. We were in the process of setting up a local
branch [of the IWW] when the station got confiscated. Most of what
we've done was support work for other people. When the barge pilots
were on strike in the middle of last summer we had gone down to
their picket, and the Teamsters-UPS strike too, we covered those
on our show. We tried to let people know what was going on locally
and also
tell them about the ideals of the IWW. Learning from those who came
before us, we took on the rebellious attitude of the Wobblies and
their free speech fights in the old days. When we were shut down
we immediately took the attitude that we'll be back on. And we came
back on on Halloween as Black Cat Radio with the intention of coming
back on 3 or 4 times a week in the evenings. We had done that for
two weeks or so when they came back and this time they arrested
us because we were using electricity at the University of Memphis.
They're all sorts of people who plug into the University power supply,
with laptop computers or radios, it happens all the time. What they
were really after is the fact that we were broadcasting. That actually
is still in court.
For more information:Constructive Interference Collective, Box 102,
111 South Highland, Memphis, TN 38111.
cic_frm@hotmail.com
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Statement
of IA Progressives on The Occasion of The 1999 Academy Awards
HOLLYWOOD -- Just as the name of Elia Kazan will be forever linked
in shame with the Hollywood Blacklist, so too will
the 1999 Academy Awards be remembered in history as the 'Blacklist
Oscars'. The IA Progressives condemn the actions of
the Motion Picture Academy in honoring this most notorious of all
Blacklisters and in their de facto endorsement of the
Hollywood Blacklist.
As we gather today to protest the legitimizing of the Blacklist by
the Hollywood power establishment, we also gather to
remember the generation of activists who built our unions and for
whom the Blacklist was designed to target. The Blacklist
was above all, a union-busting tool--both in Hollywood and across
the country. Its goal was to weaken the labor movement by
removing those who fought hardest for it. The result was a decades
long decline of union power that labor is only now
struggling to overcome.
HUAC first came to Hollywood in 1944 to investigate--not movie stars
and screen writers--but backlot workers who were
struggling for union democracy and union power against a mob-ridden
IATSE which was more interested in taking kickbacks
from the studios than in winning gains for its members. Backlot workers
were the single largest group of industry workers
expelled in the Red Scare. Known as Hollywood's 'Other' Blacklist,
up to a thousand studio workers were blacklisted from
our industry.
Not only was IATSE busy blacklisting it's own members, but under the
leadership of notorious IA boss Roy Brewer, it took
on the task of manager and enforcer of the entire Hollywood Blacklist.
It was Brewer who tried to stop production of "Salt of
the Earth" and succeeded in blocking domestic distribution of it.
By controlling which films would be shown by IATSE
projectionists, Brewer was the actual keeper of the Blacklist. Known
as 'strawboss for the purge', Brewer had the final word
as to whose name was acceptable on screen credits and whose wasn't.
For those who didn't measure up to Brewer's political
criteria, IATSE set up an apparatus whereby the politically suspect
might clear their names through informing and public
groveling.
The IA Progressives call on IATSE President Tom Short to follow the
lead of SAG, WGA, DGA, and AFTRA by
repudiating the policies of the Blacklist with a public apology to
those whose lives it destroyed and by making a full disclosure
of its past blacklisting activities. We further call on IATSE to remove
the subversive clause from our International
Constitution and to cease recommending to our locals that they include
it in theirs. ia728@primenet.com * |
Report from
Amsterdam, March '99
The "Next 5 Minutes" Tactical Media Conference
By Chris Bailey, LabourNet
This conference brought together a broad range of participants from
all over Europe together with visitors from South East Asia and the
US and Canada. The third conference of its kind, the first was in
1993, it set out to tackle issues concerning "usage and theorization
of media practices that draw on all forms of old and new media for
achieving a variety of specific non-commercial goals and pushing a
plethora of potentially subversive political issues."
Although emphasis at the conference was on the Internet as the key
medium bringing about rapid changes and creating new possibilities,
its potential was seen as only being fully realized through interaction
with other media. A theme of several contributors concerned
the importance of ensuring that campaigns did not just take place
in cyberspace, but reacted
fully with the real world to produce actual events and actions. This
required combining use of the Internet with "video, dance, music,
cooking, communication, radio, print and support groups". Representatives
of a wide range of alternative media attended and presented their
work and experiences.
The conference brought together such veterans as Paper Tiger TV founder
DeeDee Hallack, speaking on prisoner support work in the US, and relatively
new, but already seasoned campaigners such as those from the Mclibel
case and the activists from the B92 video project in former Yugoslavia.
The latter initiative was presented as a particularly good example
of the new potential for using streaming media on the net. When the
Serbian government put the independent Belgrade radio station B92
out of action it switched to streaming its news programs via the web
instead. It then started using small light DVD cameras and Internet
transmission to operate an independent anti-government news service
from Kosovo.
Although several campaigns, such as the Amsterdam based Clean Clothes
Campaign, were orientated towards fighting for worker rights against
the multinationals, labor media representatives were almost totally
absent from the conference, which was a real pity. There was certainly
much for labor media workers to learn from the conference. At the
same time, important labor campaigns using alternative media, such
as that of the Liverpool dockers, were virtually unknown to most of
the
participants, although many of them seemed keen to know more about
these. Participation by labor media could also have helped correct
a tendency at the conference that was pointed out by a Hong Kong garment
worker present when he said, "We do not just want to be images you
can appeal to people with. We want to show what we ourselves can do
with your help."
Labor media workers should ensure that they and their work are fully
represented at future 5 Minutes conferences. |
Nov 15-21, 1999 Seoul,
Korea
2nd Seoul International LaborMedia '99 Conference
Once again, Seoul will be the focal point of the
international labor struggle and communication network. Join us
at
LaborMedia 99!
The Korean progressive communication activists will hold the second
international conference LaborMedia '99 with the third
Seoul International Labor Film and Video Festival during the middle
of November 1999. Based on the results of the
successful LaborMedia '97, this conference will be one of the most
important events for labor communication activists
worldwide to discuss the broad issues related to the use of new
communication technologies which are playing a more pivotal role
in developing and empowering the labor movement.
* Peoples Rally & March * 3-Day Conference * Film Festival
Who will organize this event?
Recently established "NodongNet (Korean LaborNet)" which
include the following organizations such as KCTU, FKTU,
Policy & Information Center for International Solidarity, Labor
News Production, Task Group for Labor Information, Korea
Research Institute for Workers' Human Rights & Justice, Workers'
Institute for Management Analysis, Lawyers for
Democratic Society Labor Committee, Korean Association of Labor
Studies,Yong Dong Po Urban Industrial Mission, Joint
Committee of Migrant Workers in Korea, Korean Association of Labor
Groups, Chief Council of Labor Cultural Groups,
Korean Health & Medical Workers' Union, Korean Confederation
of Trade Unions Special Committee to Fight for the
Reinstatement of Dismissed Workers, Korea Labor & Society Institute,
Korea Institute for Labor Studies and Policy, Korea
Labor Policy and Information Center. *
Contact us at : NodongNet (Korean LaborNet): lm99@jinbo.net, labornet@jinbo.net
P.S. Those who want to participate in the festival or are interested
in the presentation related with visual media, please
contact the festival organizer. Myoung Joon Kim, Labor News Production:
LNP89@chollian.net
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Developing
A Pro-Active Telecommunications Strategy
By Steve Zeltzer, UPPNET Executive Board Member
[Presentated to 1999 New York Labor On Line Conference]
Ironies abound as we enter the 21st century. While the telecommunication
revolution has ended borders as we have known them throughout all
past history, the monopolization of
capital threatens all our democratic rights. Most workers in the majority
of the world cannot afford decent housing, healthcare and food much
less having access to computers, yet their fate is linked with workers
in all the advanced countries.
Let us start with Intel, the largest computer company in the world.
It dominates the market for chips and like Microsoft and most of Silicon
Valley, it is unorganized.
Enter Ken Hamidi. Ken was an Engineer from Iran who immigrated to
the United States and went to work for Intel. He traveled in every
corner of the world for them in building their international network.
He was injured in a car accident while on the road for them and because
of his loyalty to the company he kept working. Due to the injuries
which he tried to control with pain
relievers, he eventually had to go on medical leave.
Ken then found out what the company he had given his blood and sweat
for really stood for. He was fired and began a epoch struggle to get
justice.
He sued Intel and the entire apparatus of this company went to work
to destroy him. In response, Ken not only stood up for his rights
but used the tools he had mastered to fight back. He set up a web
page called FaceIntel which is hosted by IGC-Labornet and brought
around him a group of Intel workers who also wanted democratic and
labor rights.
Besides picketing the company and putting the pictures on his web
site, Ken began to send messages to the thousands of Intel workers
using the internet. This was too much for the Intel bosses. They now
went to court to stop this "violation of their rights". Ken said he
thought it was strange that the US government and media make a very
big noise talking about the case of the Chinese human rights activist
who was put on trial in China for distributing 45,000 email addresses
from China yet he is now being hounded for exactly the same thing.
Fighting for democracy and freedom in China is exactly what Ken is
fighting for in the US of A.
This case, in essence, typifies what this struggle is all about. This
is not about a fetish that information technology will be the solution
to the tribulations of workers around the world. It is about the fact
that communication technology is a critical tool for
labor internationalists and democracy. This tool like other tools
can help build bridges between workers in a company, workers from
an entire industry and workers throughout the world.
Another example we must look at is the long battle by the NABET-CWA
workers against Disney. Here is a corporation that not only makes
billions shaping ideology but controlling what information working
people and the entire population has about
the world.
Eisner and the other robber barons who run this outfit pay themselves
in the hundreds of millions of dollars and at the same time they refuse
to pay a living wage to the garment workers in Haiti. They have also
layed the gauntlet down to the CWA-NABET workers in order to neutralize
the union that represents ABC workers around the country.
Now, Eisner and the cohorts at ABC decided that they would take on
the ABC workers. When they walked out for one day the company locked
them out. This of course is quite legal for the bosses but it would
be illegal for the workers to lock out the
bosses.
That is called labor rights in America.
NABET-CWA, which represents the ABC technicians, TV shooters, news
editors and other workers was completely unprepared. The CWA leadership
did not believe that Disney would play hardball.
So, like the UAW-Caterpillar fight, they acted like this would be
a "business as usual strike" and eventually the company would come
back to "do business". This has not happened and it won't happen until
CWA and the AFL-CIO up the ante in this war against labor.
Let us look on how this war is being fought. While Disney/ABC and
the other corporate media bosses have blockaded
information about the strike, CWA-NABET have yet to produce a video
tape about what the issues are. This video tape could be circulated
around the country to the
thousands of CWA locals and shops as well as every labor council in
the country. In fact, the reality is that many CWA members do not
even know that ABC-NABET-CWA workers are on strike and the rest of
the AFL-CIO has not yet been brought into this struggle.
Although the CWA is spending $200 a week for every striker and is
helping out their healthcare costs, this will not win the strike.
As the Disney bosses know, you need a game plan and a strategy to
win wars and their one rests on the CWA-AFL-CIO not mobilizing their
membership.
Let us look at what could be done now. The CWA could call for an international
day of action against Disney. They could call for CWA locals, the
AFL-CIO and all Labor Councils to picket the Disney stores and the
ABC affiliates around the world. They could call for support actions
at Disneyworlds in France, Japan and have a mass protest at the Disney
studios in Los Angeles.
They could distribute the 800#s of all Disney hotels, sales and distribution
outlets around the world and ask people to call and ask why Disney
is trying to crush their union
members at ABC.
This international day of action of course is not the end all but
it would certainly be an important step in building the kind of international
labor communication and solidarity that we need and the NABET workers
need.
It also is something that should be done every month. We all know,
it's not just Disney but it's also the Marriotts and a host of other
union-busting operations worldwide.
We need to challenge the media blockade and go after the licenses
of all the TV and Radio stations of Disney and other stations who
refuse to cover labor issues. This censorship of labor issues must
be an issue in America and only we can make it an issue by going on
the offensive. The dictatorship of capital is a dictatorship of media
control and the anger and disgust of workers around the country to
the media moguls is growing. We must challenge the attack on democracy
by these robber barons if we are to go on the offensive politically
and every other way. The drive to privatize social security is a serious
threat to all working people. This comes on the heels of the successful
deregulation of the airlines, utilities, trucking. Again the media
propaganda blitz supported by the Democrats and Republicans has been
a key element of getting people to buy into these scams.
As the Detroit newspaper workers learned, when they were locked out,
they could not even buy radio ads to publicize their fight. They also
discovered that even the Detroit PBS station refused to run a documentary
about their rally. This is no accident since PBS/NPR is being privatized
as well and has
an open policy of censorship of labor shows and labor documentaries
like "Out At Work". Criminals like ADM and GE can fund whatever they
want, but it is against the rules for the UAW and Teamsters to contribute
to a program that shows workers in struggle.
The Detroit PBS censorship also took place in a city that has a historic
record of struggle for the right to organize yet the Detroit strike
has been excised from the media from the radio and television.
In 1991 we began the first LaborTech conferences in San Francisco.
We have had similar conferences in Vancouver, Minneapolis, Moscow,
Seoul and now New York. They have been a critical tool in bringing
labor communication technologists together from around the world in
order to strengthen our knowledge, perspectives and strategies but
much more can be done.
Internationally, a goal must be the development of web pages for every
multi-national in the world in the various languages to link up all
the workers in that multi-national. Workers should have the right
to make comments and debate on the web pages the issues that they
face. This obviously means crossing all borders and bucking the provincialism
and bureaucracy that might be threatened by these connections. This
however is a necessary practical task if we plan to stop the pitting
of one worker against another in our country and around the world
by the same bosses. Global unionism must means
democracy and acting globally to challenge capital and we now have
the tools that we have never had before to make both of these more
possible than ever before.
Secondly, we must support an international labor cable channel like
CNN that brings together worker's issues and stories from around the
world in all languages of the world. The right to organize is not
just a right that is threatened in the US and Mexico but in China,
Britain, Kuwait and most every other country in the world. We need
videos in all languages that make this human rights issue a political
issue throughout the world.
In the United States,we need to put some of the resources of the AFL-CIO
towards the establishment of a labor cable channel in which each International
union can have regular programming on their issues. This channel can
be used as an organizing tool whether it is the Marriott in San Francisco,
the Oregon Steel and Kaiser Aluminum USWA workers or the ABC-NABET
workers. At the upcoming 1999 AFL-CIO convention in October which
will be held in Los Angeles, we need a debate on what kind of media
and telecommunications strategy the AFL-CIO should have. This is not
a discussion that
should be limited to the back rooms or the executive council of the
AFL-CIO. It is an issue for all working people in the United States
who see a barrage of anti-labor propaganda 24 hours a day in TV, radio
and the newspapers. This media monopoly blitz has been supported by
the Democrats and Republicans who have both voted for deregulation
of telecommunications. Today as a result of their kowtowing to these
billionaires, one company can own all the radio, tv, cable and newspapers
in a community. This is a threat to not only our democratic rights
but every community from environmentalists, seniors, the Black,
Latino and Asian Communities as well as youth and immigrants.
We need $3 to $4 million dollars a year from the AFL-CIO as grants
to labor studies programs around the country to establish training
classes on how to use the internet and develop web pages for the 26
thousand union locals. We need to grab hold of community access and
protect it from the media robber barons who will use digitalization
to drive them off cable. Imagine, what the effect would be if we had
500 labor cable shows throughout the country run by local unions,
rank and file groups
and labor councils.
We need these funds to train unionists and workers on how to get these
shows going and build a national network that distributes these shows.
The creative power of working people is untapped and the labor movement
has the power and resources to bring it forward if it can take the
initiative. This is a fighting strategy that can mobilize and potentially
change the relationship of forces.
At present, US and world labor is in the "reactive mode". Labor waits
until you comes under attack and then begins to plan its defense.
This, as any general knows is a losing strategy. We cannot afford
to wait for the next union busting multi-national to come up with
a scheme to destroy our unions. Lets prepare now in every contract
fight to go on the offensive by educating our members and reaching
out to the entire world labor movement for victory. The tools are
at hand and working people are ready and waiting for winning strategy.
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Purging
37
"Purging DC 37" examines the DC 37 shake-up and eventually ouster
of President Stanley Hill and other top union officials in
New York City. This program will look at ways rank and filers can
hold leaders accountable once in office and also strategies
for transforming membership from apathy to activism Mark Rosenthal,
president of Local 983 (reformist) James Tucciarelli
president of Local 1320 Sewage Treatment Workers (pro-leadership/Hill)
discuss their differences and speak about incidents
that have led to the need for reform. Also featured is commentary
by DC 37 rank and
filers and members for the Committee for Real Change.
$75 for classroom, organizational or institutional use. $25 for home
use only. Add $5 shipping and handling.
International money order if outside the US. Make check or money order
payable to: American Social History Production.
Orders must be received in writing and checks must be in hand before
tapes are sent out.
Send to: Labor at the Crossroads, c/o American Social History Project,
99 Hudson Street, 3rd Floor, New York, New York
10013, (212) 966-4248 x216
Labor for Mumia
"Labor for Mumia": Dennis Rivera, President of the Local 1199 New
York Hospital Workers Union; Larry Adams, President
of Local 300, Mailhandlers union; Jim Webb, Pres. New York Coalition
of Black Trade Unionists, and others speak out on
how Mumia is an issue for labor as a growing number of unions and
labor councils add their support for a new trial and
freedom for Mumia. Footage of Mumia talking about labor and prison
industrial complex. Mumia's refusal to be interviewed
by a scab ABC crew during the Disney lockout of NABET workers. Concludes
with journalist Utrice Leid supporting March
in Philadelphia April 24. Length: 29 min.
To order the video contact: Peoples Video Network, 39 West 14th
St. Rm. 206, New York, N.Y. 10011 * 212 633 6646
pvnnyc@peoplesvideo.org or Labor for Mumia at the same address.
Send a check for a donation of $10 or $20 made out
to: Peoples Video Network
The Drug War, Drug Testing,
Working People And Your Rights
The "War On Drugs" spends billions of dollars every year on prisons
and a whole industry has been built up in the "Drug
War". What has this "War" meant for working people on the job. Millions
of workers now face drug tests before they are
hired and on the job. What does this mean for our democratic rights
and what should the labor movement be doing about this.
With: Jimmy Scallion, Stationary Engineer; Pat Wright, President
Sign And Display Union Local 510; Tony Serra, Attorney
San Francisco; Jose Alicea, Boilermakers Local 549
To order a copy, send $30.00 plus $5.00 shipping to: Labor Video
Project, P.O.Box 425584, San Francisco, CA 94142. More
information: (415)282-1908; www.igc.apc.org/lvpsf/
Trainwreck of Ideologies
When the Illinois Labor History society organized a
dedication of the Haymarket martyrs monument as an official U.S.
Dept. of Interior historic site, Chicago's anarchist
community protested the government's involvement. Bizarre and poignant
moments in this "street debate" at Waldheim
Cemetery. "Trainwreck of Ideologies" demonstrates the
passions surrounding the Haymarket tragedy are still alive.
Send $25 (includes postage) made out to Labor Beat to: Labor Beat,
37 S. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60607. More
information: 312-226-3330; www.wwa.com/~bgfolder/lb
Solidarity and Unity (Aussie
Dockers Strike)
"Solidarity and Unity" is a documentary on the Brisbane, Australia
pickets. (77min.-VHS). $50 (for U.S. NTSC
format) covers transfer costs/postage. This price is for
individuals and not for broadcast at this price.
Contact details: Trish Nacey (the filmmaker), P O Box 162,WYNNUM
4178, Queensland, AUSTRALIA.
Email:
brendan@4zzzfm.org.au
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