[Antiracism] [Workers' Rights] Upcoming Events 2/22-4/7

[WMass Jobs With Justice]

Here are some opportunities to learn about and show solidarity with
workplace and working class struggles ...

Friday February 22
     MARCH TO WHITE HOUSE SUPPORTING IRAQ WORKERS
     Washington DC. The Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions has called for an
International Day of Action in solidarity with the people of Iraq to say NO
to the U.S.-backed Iraqi oil law and NO to foreign contracts under the
occupation. You can sign-on to a letter that will be released to the media
on February 22 at a press conference held in front of the Exxon/Mobil
lobbying office as part of an action organized by US Labor Against War
(USLAW) and Oil Change International, with allied organizations. Following
the press conference, there will be a march to the White House in solidarity
with Iraqi labor movement resistance to the oil law that would privatize
most of Iraq's publicly-owned oil resources for as long as 30 years. The
action will also call attention to the failure of the Iraqi government to
recognize, respect, and protect basic labor rights, continuing the policies
of Saddam Hussein. This action will coincide with similar activities in
other parts of the US and in the United Kingdom. 
     Learn more and sign on to the letter at www.uslaboragainstwar.org. The
USLAW website offers a wealth of information and resources, including a
slide show, "The Price of Military Occupation."

Tuesday February 26
     HAMPSHIRE/FRANKLIN CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL
     7:30pm, Northampton Fire Station Community Room, 26 Carlon Drive at
King St/Route 5 (across Carlon Dr from Northampton Athletic Club),
Northampton (587-1148). Community and labor activist guests are welcome, but
RSVP to Pres. Fiore Grassetti, 877-725-0357, mailto:org7 at comcast.net. 

Wednesday February 27 (postponed from Third Wednesday)
     PIONEER VALLEY CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL 
     7pm, AFL-CIO Hall, 640 Page Blvd, near corner of Osborne Ter, across
the street from the old Westinghouse, Springfield. Community and labor
activist guests are welcome, but RSVP to Jon at 732-7970,
mailto:mail at pvaflcio.org, or Rick at 374-1492.

Thursday February 28
     COST OF WOMEN'S CARING
     4pm-5:30pm, Five College Women's Studies Research Center, 83 College St
(Rt 116), S Hadley. Lynn Hatch, Research Associate, UMass Amherst, speaks on
"Another Cost of Women’s Caring: Teaching in the Child-care Industry." It is
estimated that 20% of the cost of child care is borne on the backs of
low-paid teachers, of whom 97% are women. Historically, many of these
teachers were not their family’s primary earners. Today, with the increase
in both women’s labor force participation and the demand for childcare, they
often are. Using recent data, Hatch looks at who these teachers are, their
wages and financial responsibilities, and their work in child care. Info:
538-2275, www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/fcwsrc.

March 2 & 4
     TARGETED: HOMELAND SECURITY & THE BUSINESS OF IMMIGRATION
     Two events with award-winning journalist DEEPA FERNANDES. 
     Sunday March 2: 4pm, Food For Thought Books, 106 N Pleasant St, Amherst
(253-5432); 
     Tuesday March 4: 7pm, Wilson Savignano Auditorium B&C, Westfield State
College, 577 Western Avenue, Westfield (572-5300). The US has always
portrayed itself as a country of immigrants, welcoming each year the
millions seeking a new home or refuge in this land of plenty. Increasingly,
instead of finding the American dream, many encounter a nightmare - a
country whose culture and legal system aggressively target and prosecute
them. Fernandes discusses the most recent developments around immigration
policy, the way the mainstream media has treated the subject, and how the
immigration debate figures into this year's presidential election. Info:
Charlotte Capogna, 572-5460, mailto:ccapogna at wsc.ma.edu, and Food for
Thought, 253-5432, www.foodforthoughtbooks.com.

Wednesday March 5
     WESTERN MASS JUSTICE @ SMITHFIELD COMMITTEE
     7-8:30pm, Conference Room, room 236, second floor, Potpourri Plaza, 243
King St, Northampton, opposite Stop & Shop.
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=243+King+St,+Northampton,+MA. On the
agenda: Seeking a Resolution from Northampton City Council (and then
Chicopee Board of Aldermen and maybe Holyoke City Council); Creating an
Honor Roll for Atkins, Stop & Shop, and other stores not selling Tar Heel
pork (this will require more store visits); Latest on the national campaign
and lawsuit. Info: 827-0301, mailto:wmjwj at wmjwj.org. 

Thursday March 6
     INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE WORKERS OF IRAN
     The Iranian government has been arresting workers who have stood up and
tried to organize unions - including Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi, who
both languish in jails despite continuing health problems. This repression
is in violation of International Labour Organization core conventions and
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - the 60th anniversary of which we
observe this year. That Declaration states that "everyone has the right to
form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests." The
International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) together with the
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called for the day of
action. Please take a moment and send off a message to the Iranian leaders
demanding respect for workers' rights and freedom for jailed trade
unionists, by clicking:
www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=339. And
please forward this message to fellow trade unionists. 

Thursday March 6
     THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT
     4pm-5:30pm, Five College Women's Studies Research Center, 83 College St
(Rt 116), S Hadley. Carrie Baker, Visiting Assistant Professor, Smith
College, discusses her recently published book, "The Women's Movement
Against Sexual Harassment", which examines how a diverse grassroots social
movement placed sexual harassment on the public agenda in the 1970s and
1980s in the United States. She will present a slideshow of images of the
movement and answer questions. Copies of her book will be available for sale
after the talk. Info: 538-2275, www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/fcwsrc.

Saturday March 8
     INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
     Folks planning events, please contact Susan Dorazio,
mailto:susandor at crocker.com.

Saturday March 8
     CONSCIOUSNESS IN ACTION INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP
     9am-4pm, Faculty Lounge N, Franklin Patterson Hall, Hampshire College,
Rt 116, Amherst. $99, includes lunch. Limited scholarships available. Led by
Raúl Quiñones-Rosado, PhD, author of "Consciousness-in-Action: Toward an
Integral Psychology of Liberation & Transformation". He works within various
communities-of-struggle in Puerto Rico and the United States to support
those committed to personal change and social transformation. He is
co-founder of ilé, inc. (formerly known as the Institute for Latino
Empowerment), an organization committed to anti-oppression community
organizing and Latino leadership development. In this 6-hour workshop, Raúl
introduces key concepts and principles of “consciousness-in-action” — an
alternative approach to personal and social change. Info, register (by
February 28): Undoing Racism Organizing Collective (UROC) of Western Mass,
104 Wayne St, Springfield; 746-1960.

Saturday March 8 and 15
     WILD IN THE WINTER
     The Women's Institute for Leadership Development announces WILD in the
Winter and WILD in the Winter (West).  WILD in the Winter will be in Boston
on Saturday March 8, 9am-1pm. Skill-building workshops in the morning,
followed by lunch with inspiring speakers and opportunities to network with
other labor movement women. WILD in the Winter West will take place in
Amherst on Saturday March 15, 8:30am-1:30pm, and will include a workshop
looking at proposals for health care reform, also followed by lunch,
speakers, and networking. Info: Dale Melcher, 545-6166,
mailto:dmelcher at lrrc.umass.edu.

Wednesday March 12
     JIM HIGHTOWER - AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR POPULIST - WWW.JIMHIGHTOWER.COM
!
     5:30-7:00pm – Reception/Booksigning/Jobs with Justice Fundraiser at
Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College Street, in the Village Commons, at Routes 116 &
47, South Hadley (534-7307, 800-540-7307) - $35 – Book on Sale - "Swim
against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow".
     7:30pm – Public Chat/Q&A/Booksigning, Gamble Auditorium, Mount Holyoke
College Art Museum, Lower Lake Road, off Park Street and off Morgan Street,
South Hadley (538-2245) – Free (Donations to WMJwJ Accepted) – Book on Sale
- "Swim against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow".
     Info: WMass Jobs with Justice, 827-0301, mailto:wmwjw at wmjwj.org.

Thursday March 13
     JIM HIGHTOWER - AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR POPULIST - WWW.JIMHIGHTOWER.COM
!
     10:00am-Noon – Brunch/Booksigning at Pioneer Valley AFL-CIO, 640 Page
Boulevard, Springfield (732-7970) – Free (Donations to WMJwJ Requested) –
Book on Sale - "Swim against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the
Flow". 
     Noon-1:00pm – Media Availability at Pioneer Valley AFL-CIO.
     Info: WMass Jobs with Justice, 827-0301, mailto:wmwjw at wmjwj.org.

THE JIM HIGHTOWER VISIT MARCH 12-13 - CO-SPONSOR IT with the Weissman Center
for Leadership & the Liberal Arts at Mount Holyoke College; Odyssey
Bookshop; Pioneer Valley AFL-CIO; and Western Massachusetts Jobs with
Justice. $100 donation to WMJwJ. Info: WMass Jobs with Justice, 827-0301,
mailto:wmwjw at wmjwj.org.

Thursdays March 13-April 10
     EFFECTIVE BARGAINING
     6-8:30pm, the Labor Center, Gordon Hall, Third Floor, 418 N Pleasant
St, Amherst. UMass Amherst Labor Extension Program offerings. Cost: $25 per
session ($20 per person per session if Local Union sends 3 or more);
$100/person for all 5 classes. Fee includes materials and dinner.
     March 13 and 20: Basic Bargaining taught be Dale Melcher, UMass Amherst
Labor Extension: These two sessions will focus on the basics, including the
role of the bargaining committee, factors that influence bargaining,
determining issues, mandatory and permissive subjects, approaches at the
table, creating and presenting proposals, communication with members, and
the mechanics of bargaining – taking notes, keeping records and tentative
agreements. For those who have never bargained before or who feel they need
a refresher in the basics.
     March 27 and April 3: Advanced Bargaining taught by Joe Twarog,
Massachusetts Nurses Association: These two sessions will go into greater
depth on bargaining strategy and will include a bargaining simulation. For
those with bargaining experience or those who took the first two workshops.
     April 17: Issues in Public Sector and Non-profit Bargaining; Instructor
TBA: This session will look at the particular issues and strategies
associated with bargaining in the public sector or with non-profit agencies.

     Info: Dale Melcher, 545-6166, mailto:dmelcher at lrrc.umass.edu. 

Friday March 14
    STREET HEAT - THE PIONEER VALLEY CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL MOBILIZATION
COMMITTEE
    9:30-11am, AFL-CIO Hall, 640 Page Blvd, near corner of Osborne Ter,
across the street from the old Westinghouse, Springfield. On the agenda:
Channel 40! Comcast! Verizon! Wal-Mart! Smithfield! Safe Hospitals! Your
Organizing! Info, send agenda items to mailto:street_heat at pvaflcio.org.
Community and labor activist guests are welcome, but RSVP to Jon at
732-7970, mailto:mail at pvaflcio.org 

Thursday March 20
     BUILDING WORKERS' POWER! JOBS WITH JUSTICE ANNUAL DINNER
     6-8pm, Suffolk Downs, Route 1A, East Boston
(www.suffolkdowns.com/about/directions.html). $40. Please help Massachusetts
Jobs with Justice celebrate the past year of fighting for workers' rights
and look forward to a year of new beginnings and taking back our country.
Honoring ... 
     * Boston Hotel Workers Rising! For their historic victory for low wage
workers.
     * Verizon Business Workers in their struggle for a voice at work.
     * Quincy Teachers in their fight to protect the right to strike and
defend their health care.
     * The Fair Wage Campaign for their effort to protect immigrant workers
from predatory employers.
     * The John O'Connor Youth Activism Award to SLAM and the Harvard Hunger
Strikers for their solidarity with organizing by campus security guards.
     With a special tribute to Father Ed Boyle, our brother in the movement
for worker rights, founding Workers' Rights Board member, and a long time
friend to Jobs with Justice. Info: 617-524-8778, mailto:jwj at massjwj.net,
www.massjwj.net.

Friday March 21
     INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
     The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is
observed annually on March 21. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and
killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa,
against the apartheid "pass laws." Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the United
Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble
its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (resolution 2142
(XXI)). Info: www.ohchr.org/EN/.

April 2-5
     NINTH ANNUAL WHITE PRIVILEGE CONFERENCE
     Sheraton Hotel, Monarch Place, Springfield (for discounted conference
rates: 781-1010 or 800-426-9004). Registration for the Ninth Annual White
Privilege Conference is now open at www.uccs.edu/wpc. Early bird discounts
available until February 28. Academic credit and continuing education units
available. Sponsorship opportunities also available. 
     Featuring a wide range of workshops, single-day institutes, and youth
programs examining the intersections of race, gender, sexual orientation,
class, religion, and the broader dynamics of  privilege and oppression.
Keynotes: Rhea Almeida; Joe Feagin; Jawanza Kunjufu; John Palmer, and Salome
Raheim. The WPC is a project of the Matrix Center for the Advancement of
Social Equity and Inclusion at the U of Colorado at Colorado Springs.    

Monday April 7
     TRANSNATIONAL MIGRATION & DOMESTIC & CARE WORK
     4pm-5:30pm, Five College Women's Studies Research Center, 83 College St
(Rt 116), S Hadley. Encarnación Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Ford Associate, U of
Manchester, speaks on "Transnational Migration, Affective Labor and
Precariousness: On Domestic and Care Workers' Rights." A wide range of
research indicates that domestic and care work in private households is now
the largest employment sector for migrant women entering the European Union.
How do EU migration policies constrain the social mobility of migrant women?
How does paid domestic and care work structure interpersonal relationships
between those who pay for and those employed to do this work in private
households? Info: 538-2275, www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/fcwsrc.

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