South African communists convene 11th Congress
RUSTENBERG, South Africa – Nearly 1,000 delegates and guests attended the 11th Congress of the South African Communist Party (SACP) here, July 24 to July 26. Blade Nzimande, SACP general secretary, in his political report to the Congress said the gathering was “the largest ever of our great and glorious party.”
Bankruptcy reform: The poor pay more
An effort by right-to-life Republicans to include language that would allow hooligans who block access to abortion clinics to avoid court-ordered fines or judgments by declaring bankruptcy has so far prevented congressional action on bankruptcy “reform.” While the matter is certain to reappear when Congress reconvenes after Labor Day, the delay offers an opportunity to bring pressure on Congress to defeat the legislation.
Labor, city leaders back longshore union
SAN FRANCISCO – The AFL-CIO, San Francisco’s mayor and other leaders pledged support to West Coast dockers at a rally here July 24, as the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s (ILWU) contract battle rages on.
Union blasts homeland unionbusting
Bobby L. Harnage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), blasted the Bush administration and House GOP leadership for attaching a vicious anti-union amendment and attacks on the civil service code to the Homeland Security bill approved by the House July 25.
Cleveland Steelworkers continue the fight
In the four months since the International Steel Group (ISG) finished taking over the closed and bankrupt LTV Steel facilities in Cleveland and Indiana Harbor, close to 1,000 workers have been recalled in each plant under an interim contract with the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), and production has rapidly resumed.
International notes
Palestine: Child malnutrition rises/Korean peninsula: new talks urged/Brazil: ICFTU protests killing of unionist/Germany: Workers strike Wal-Mart/Australia: Uproar grows over child detentions
Far right targets McKinney
Five-term Democratic Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) faces a tough primary challenge, spearheaded by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and backed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Both have targeted McKinney for her refusal to join the stampede in support of Israel’s war against Palestine and its people.
Main St. goes to Wall St.
NEW YORK – Workers chanting, “Who’s city? Our city!” rallied here outside the New York Stock Exchange with laid-off workers from WorldCom, Enron and Arthur Andersen to tell Corporate America, “No more business as usual!”
World labor organization condemns Israeli genocide
In a statement released from its headquarters in Prague, The Czech Republic, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) condemned the Israeli rocket attack on Gaza City on July 22 that killed 15 Palestinian civilians, including nine children.
Violence continues in Jammu and Kashmir
NEW DELHI, India – Violence in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), one of the Indian states, seems to have no end. Lives of innocent people, mainly from the working class of Kashmir Valley, are still held at gunpoint. The last major incident, which took 28 lives, was in Rajiv Nagar, Jammu, July 12. Pakistan-based Lashkar-E-Toiba took responsibility.
