Stop the War on Workers! March on April 4th in your community to Stop the Corporate Freeloaders!

[Better Believe It]

On April 4 and in the days before and after, working people are joining students, religious leaders, elected officials and community activists across the country in more than 1,000 We Are One actions to show solidarity with workers under attack and to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated that day in 1968. He was in Memphis April 4 helping sanitation workers fight for the same workers’ rights now under attack in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and elsewhere.

Click here to find an event near you:
http://local.we-r-1.org/


March to Stop the Freeloaders
Public Statement by Leo W. Gerard
International President of the United Steelworkers of America and AFL-CIO Vice-President
April 1, 2011

The nation’s greedy corporations and insatiable wealthy are fattening themselves on workers. There’s no trickle down. It’s the opposite; the rich have been sucking the economic lifeblood from the middle class for decades.

When reckless Wall Street banksters get taxpayer-funded bailouts, billionaires get tax breaks and gigantic corporations like GE and Bank of America pay absolutely no federal income taxes, they’re getting for free the very public services that enable them to make massive profits in this country—the courts, the roads, the trade regulators, the patent enforcement.

The middle class doesn’t get those big time special deals and loopholes. Workers pay their taxes. As a result, it’s workers footing the bill for the government services that enrich the rich. Greedy corporations, their CEOs and the right-wing politicians they buy with tens of millions in campaign cash are freeloaders.

It’s time workers stood up to the freeloaders. Join Monday’s We Are One rallies. These demonstrations across the country by religious groups, social justice organizations and labor unions will illustrate that the middle class is mad as hell and not going to take trickster economics anymore.

It’s time for greedy corporations and the insatiable rich to pay their fair share. It’s time to stop cuts to the government programs most treasured by and vital to the middle class and the vulnerable in this country—education, public transportation, Social Security. It’s time to stop right-wing attempts to terminate democratic rights like collective bargaining and voting without harassment. It’s time for the middle class to stop paying for everything and for the insatiable rich and greedy corporations to start sharing the sacrifice required to recover from the economic crisis caused by reckless gambling by Wall Street bankster corporations.

March for your rights Monday. March for the middle class facing record rates of foreclosure, unemployment, child poverty, and loss of opportunity as country club conservatives cut off college loans and Head Start. March for the right of college students to register and vote in the towns where they study. March for the right of workers to band together, elect representatives and bargain with employers for better pay and working conditions. March for the right of the people to insist that corporations pay at least the same rate of taxes as workers do. March to end tax breaks for the wealthiest one percent who have now acquired more wealth than all the workers in the bottom 90 percent.

Forty-three years ago on April 4 Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated after standing up for the right of public sector workers in Memphis, Tenn. to negotiate for better lives.

In his last speech, the Rev. King said God had allowed him to go to the mountaintop where he’d looked over and seen the Promised Land. “I may not get there with you,” he cautioned, “But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land.”

Greedy corporations and the wealthy have made it to the mountain top. And they’re shoving American workers down the hillside to ensure the Promised Land is reserved only for the richest.

The promise of America democracy is equality. Equal rights, equal treatment under the law, equal opportunity. Freeloading by greedy corporations and the insatiable wealthy is denying those promises to the vast majority of citizens. Americans must unify and march to wrest back those rights and secure the American Dream for all.

Take a first step. Join one of the 1,000 We Are One events on April 4.

Read the full statement at:

http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/04/01/march-to-stop-the-freeloaders/#more-49208

See the We Are One youtube video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XaIfDNQV5dM#at=104

[Hannah Bell]

1. kr. but i'd like to see some follow-up from afl-cio instead of their usual

token protest followed by -- nothing.

[Better Believe It]

2. One can hardly call todays protest by 3,000 coal miners a token protest.

Check it out.

We Are One - The Fight is Just Starting (Labor Rally in PA.) Wow! - pics
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x791666



The attacks against working people will continue and we are just seeing the beginning of a mass movement to fight back.

It will have its ups and downs just like all mass movements have experienced.

[Hannah Bell]

3. i wasn't talking about PA, or turn-out. But turn-out is beside the point.

There has to be follow-up & organizing to keep people in the game for the long haul.

Do you think the people pushing austerity are going to roll over for one big protest? No, they're not. As we've seen in Wisconsin. Now multiply it by 50 x every unionized sector.

[Better Believe It]

4. When I wrote we are "just seeing the beginning of a mass movement to fight back" how does that

translate into me claiming that "one protest" will force Wall Street and corporations to roll over?

I don't know of anyone on Democratic Underground suggesting that, certainly not me.

I have consistently indicated on Democratic Underground that an ongoing effort to build bigger and more effective actions involving millions are necessary in order to defeat these attacks.

So please don't misrepresent my comments.

Thank you.

And by the way, the "turn-out" at protests is not irrelevant and "besides the point".

Everyone who has successfully organized in the labor movement, civil rights and other movements understands that.

[Hannah Bell]

8. it was a rhetorical question & not my intent to say you personally were making the claim,

though i acknowledge it can easily be read that way.

i'm just sick of 30 years of rhetoric from the big unions in concert with 30 years of roll-overs.

the day before yesterday was the time for "the beginning of a mass movement to fight back". this is end game, so they'd better ramp it up right quick.

[Better Believe It]

12. OK. I did think it was personal. Well, it will take some time to build that mass movement

that we both want to see.

It won't happen in a day, or week or even a year.

But this is a good start, it will have its ups and downs.

It took five years into the Great Depression before the labor movement and working class were able to accomplish some signficant wins in that earlier battle (1934) and another full two years before the CIO was formed and another two decades before the civil rights movement involved millions.

[Scuba]

9. You are recommending what???

[K8-EEE]

5. Like, I'm so sure, OMG there's one in the SF Valley!

Republican section West Val (Woodland Hills..) GOING!!!!! Very convenient, at lunchtime!

[Omaha Steve]

6. I'm driving over 100 miles round trip down to Lincoln

I'll be there.

OS

K&R!

[RegieRocker]

7. 11.9% of all US workers are in a union. Why should the other 88.1%

get out and protest? Most people will never be able to join a union. What is in it for them?
Devils advocate.

[Omaha Steve]

11. Almost all workers have the right to join or organize a union!

It seems you just don't have the guts to stand up for your rights.

[RegieRocker]

16. Cowardly attacks through a computer is the epitome of no guts.

You're wanting people to stand up for your rights not theirs, is the issue here. Get a clue.

[Omaha Steve]

17. Lets review what YOU said

"11.9% of all US workers are in a union. Why should the other 88.1% get out and protest? Most people will never be able to join a union. What is in it for them?

Devils advocate."

I attacked you? I've never been accused of that or being a troll before. I was answering the advocate. Advocate said most of the 88.1% will never be able to join. That is incorrect. Except for a few select like managers, public works without a right in their state, etc. CAN join. Most are to afraid to organize. I did and got fired. It took almost 4 years to get a settlement with back pay. Ya I got the guts. It the laws stacked against the worker that keeps people from joining, not the reason of what a union is.

In the meantime anyone can join Working America. Dues are voluntary: http://www.workingamerica.org/join/

Monday is the anniversary of MLK's assassination. Union & civil rights are the same thing. That's why on Monday.

Union members earn more money, have better benefits and have a voice at work about the best way to get the job done. Get the details about the union difference, plus a look at who belongs to unions.

Kill the unions like the R's are doing, and the advocate too will lose these things. Unions got everyone things like a 40 hour work week.

Overtime.

No children working at your side.

Sick pay.

Holidays off or paid a premium.

Pensions

Workers Comp

Unemployment ins.

Safety committee.

It's a long list. These are the rights EVERYONE should stand up for on Monday. Need I say more? Now does the advocate have a clue?

[RegieRocker]

21. Now that is what I'm talking about. Good job!

That is absolutely awesome. Working America. Thanks for the info.

[Omaha Steve]

22. Hand shake in solidarity

A new beginning for workers. A new understanding on DU too. :-)

[defendandprotect]

18. What's in it for you if we have universal health care coverage?

You might not need it, but helps when your employee or your Mother-in-Law need

medical care? Unless you want to pay for it for them directly?

Actually, everyone is labor -- including women in their homes whether or not

they have outside jobs. Don't think we should be organizing by company to company

but rather that there should be a national union -- a universal union -- which sets

the goals, the wages, the working conditions -- and which would approve a company's

request for labor according to the union's stipulations!





The Rightwing Koch Bros. Funded the DLC --

http://www.democrats.com/node/7789

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x498414


If you knew about this, why didn't you tell us?

If you didn't know, pass it along -- !

:)

[Scuba]

10. RALLY UP WISCONSIN! Madison Capitol Events - Sat. April 2 - Mon. Apr. 4

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

This is the last weekend before the election, and we have an extremely important court hearing tomorrow, April 1. Whichever way things go in court tomorrow, Please come to Madison Saturday, Sunday, AND (or) Monday to make a Big Stand at the Capitol, Rock the Vote, and show that our spirit and resolve is AS STRONG AS EVER!

Saturday, April 2

10:00 AM - Protest Run - 14 lap (8 miles) around the Capitol square. Run starts at the State Street corner and suits all runner levels. Feel free to join us for 1-14 laps

7:00 - 8:00 PM - Vigil at Capitol @ State Street Entrance. Hosted by The Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice (ICWJ) and Madison Urban Ministry

Sunday, April 3
2:00 to 3:45PM
- March on the Capitol and mass in the rotunda for mass singing of labor songs, with local unions providing thousands of songbooks. The Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central Wisconsin, Madison Urban Ministry, and the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice are co-sponsoring this.

Sun. April 3 - ALL DAY! - Forward Wisconsin Festival - Support Workers Rights Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Avenue.
$5 freewill donation requested
Doors open at noon.
GREAT MUSIC LINE-up!
1:00———Jeff Larsen
2:00———SpareTime Bluegrass Band
3:00———Cork ‘n Bottle String Band
4:00———Ken Lonnquist and the Whateverleys
5:00———Yid Vicious
6:00———Stephanie Rearick
7:00———Mike Felten
8:00———The Apologists
9:00———The Kissers (They'll certainly play "Scotty They're Coming for You" Listen Here: http://thekissers.com/music-5.html )

Monday, April 4
Statewide Day of Action and GOTV Rally. The Rev. Jesse Jackson will address thousands who gather for a rally at the Capitol, followed by a candlelight vigil expected to fill the grounds surrounding the building well into the night. April 4th is the anniversary of the date that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN while working to support black sanitary public works employees on strike for equal pay & economic justice. Monday's events hope to highlight Dr. King's push for workers' rights, and reaffirm Wisconsin & America's commitment to positive labor history.

4:00 PM - Poor People's Campaign March around the Capitol & City Hall
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Featured performances by Michelle Shocked, Michael Franti, and speeches by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and other leaders of the movement.

GOTV RALLIES TAKING PLACE AROUND THE STATE APRIL 2 - APRIL 4

...in preparation for crucial state Supreme Court elections April 5, when labor and its allies hope to elect Assistant Attorney General Joanne Kloppenburg to the state's high court and defeat pro-Walker incumbent David Prosser. The Rock the Vote rallies also intend to build support for recall campaigns against Republican state senators. Rallies are planned for Milwaukee, De Pere, Janesville, La Crosse, Sheboygan and numerous other towns and cities.

EVEN MORE STATEWIDE RALLIES HERE:

http://scottwalkerwatch.com/?page_id=1841

[Le Taz Hot]

13. Signed up for Monday.

Thanks for the link.

[socialist_n_TN]

14. Got one in Nashville at 5 PM at Legislative Plaza.....

This will be the fifth rally I've attended in the last 2 months.

We've got a MoveOn council organized that has become VERY active (and yes actually ORGANIZED), got a tax day action planned against BOA corporate here in town. Even in this red state, we're doing some things.

Hannah, we ain't going away. :)

[Starry Messenger]

15. k&r

[Better Believe It]

19. Kick

[grntuscarora]

20. RSVPed for Harrisburg! n/t

[Better Believe It]

23. April 4th. That's today!

[deacon]

24. K + R