House bill punishes poor
WASHINGTON – AFL-CIO President John Sweeney denounced the welfare bill approved by the House May 16 for sharply increasing workfare requirements while scrimping on support services like childcare for the working poor. “Ending poverty for families requires good-paying and secure jobs with benefits, not a faster proliferation of low-skill and low-pay jobs,” Sweeney said. For the entire article, click on the headline. To see the press release from the AFL-CIO on this topic, click here.
Immigrant legalization campaign launched
LOS ANGELES – In Los Angeles and 30 other cities, a broad national coalition of labor, community and religious organizations announced on May 15 an unprecedented grassroots campaign to urge President Bush and Congress to pass legislation that would make it possible for undocumented workers to achieve “legal status.”
Gujarat: An eyewitness report of state-sponsored terror
”We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens ….” – Preamble of the Indian constitution For the entire article click on the headline. To visit a webpage with the entire Indian Constitution, click here.
AFL-CIO maps big 2002 election drive
NEW YORK – AFL-CIO President John Sweeney told reporters that the May 22 decision of the federation’s General Board to increase financial support for the federation’s Labor 2002 election campaign is propelled by the issues facing working families. “Real life examples of the last year – the Enron scandal, the squandering of the federal budget on a tax cut for the rich, the President’s plan to privatize Social Security, his drive to expand trade negotiating authority and historic unemployment – are proof that working people need a strong voice in politics to shift the balance of power in Washington away from business and back to workers,” said Sweeney. To hear a four-minute audio interview of PWW reporter Fred Gaboury about the AFL-CIO decision to increase funding of their election 2002 campaign, click here.
Church group calls for education reform
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Executive Board of the U.S. National Council of Churches (NCC) met here May 14 to stand in solidarity with Good Schools PA advocates for public education reform. Together they are calling on the Pennsylvania legislature to pass comprehensive public education reform legislation that would provide funding equity for the state's schools.
Paul Robeson concert to be commemorated
Will Parry, now head of the Seattle chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans, attended the concert by Paul Robeson when he sang at the Peace Arch Park on the U.S.-Canadian border near Blaine, Wash., on May 18, 1952.
May Day rally focuses on unity, elections
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - In his keynote speech to the historic 2002 People's Weekly World Newsmaker Awards rally, John Olsen, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, paid tribute to the pioneering leadership of the left in our country's history and its role in galvanizing broad movements to win labor and people's gains.
Mother's Day rally includes resistance pledge
BATH, Maine - Walking slowly over the Kennebec River Bridge on May 12, 300 peace activists looked down on four nuclear-armed destroyers under construction for the U.S. Navy at the Bath Iron Works here. The skies threatened rain, drums sounded and solidarity honks were heard from passing cars.
Farm bill a 'mixed bag,' farm leaders say
Farm leaders say the farm bill signed into law by President George Bush on May 13 is a 'mixed bag' that, although not perfect, is an improvement over current law.
When man bites dog...
Headlines are supposed to give some idea about the subject or substance of the article that follows. That's why we chose this headline. When the cover story of the May 13 U.S.News and World Report, one of the nation's most widely-read business magazines, is an investigative report titled 'Profiteers of War,' with a subhead reading 'How some of America's biggest corporations are making millions off the defense build-up since 9/11,' you've got a classic example of man biting dog.
