Aug 17, 2002

BOSTON – A rally was held July 31 in Boston’s Faneuil Hall marketplace to protest Fidelity Investments’ exploitation of its workers, and the utter disregard of the majority of its investors.

Workers’ Correspondence


A year after a major victory at the bus lines that connect Westchester County to Manhattan, a similar battle tested the leadership, membership and organizing staff of Transport Workers Union Local 100. The Westchester victory was achieved with a careful, two-day strike coupled with aggressive political action; this time, the negotiation took over seven weeks.

If there was ever a question about corporate ownership of the Bush White House, recent actions in regard to the privacy of personal medical data should remove all doubt.

It was “all show and no go” at George W. Bush’s economic summit in Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, a stage-managed production with a handpicked cast of Republican loyalists dutifully applauding Bush’s trite line that all is well because “this is America.”

CHICAGO – On the twelfth anniversary of the U.S. Gulf War and imposition of sanctions against Iraq, Aug. 6, Chicagoans joined a national drive to collect Pledges of Peace, saying “No” to a new war on Iraq and “Yes” to ending the sanctions.

CHICAGO – Over a million people, despite heat and sun, attended the 73rd annual Bud Billiken Parade here Aug. 10, and millions more watched the nation’s second largest parade on television.

OAKLAND, Calif. – After three months of stalling on carrying out the mandate of Alameda County voters, the Oakland Port Commission voted Aug. 6 to require that eight rental car companies and about 100 other firms at the port must pay a living wage. County voters approved by 78 percent a measure to adopt a living wage of $9.45 an hour with health benefits, or $10.87 without.

WINDSOR, Ontario – About 200 U.S., Canadian and Cuban workers, retirees, and other labor activists met here for a three-day Cuba Labor Conference July 26-28 to build ties among workers of the three countries.

CHENNAI, India – North, central and southern regions of India are in the middle of a severe drought and thousands of lives are in danger. This is the worst drought since 1983, and will likely spread to the rest of the country if the Southwest monsoon fails. All sectors, including the stock market, are affected by this climatic trouble, and the troubles are compounded by government mismanagement.

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