Ask the Communists
Where does the Communist Party USA stand on the idea of freedom of expression, both in speech and political viewpoints that go against the party?
THIS WEEK IN LABOR
Presidential hopefuls back unionists at D.C. rally Companies reclassify workers to escape pay and tax obligations Paid family leave in Washington state Workers win a union four years after vote Victory for immigrant workers at Dulles Airport
Mich. AFL-CIO urges stepped-up action
TROY, Mich. — Mark Gaffney, president of the Michigan AFL-CIO, addressed its 27th biennial convention here May 15 and called for labor to put the word “movement” back on its agenda
WORLD NOTES
Egypt: Women go on strike, occupy garment plant Thailand: Gov’t spurns big pharma Greece: Big strike targets conservative gov’t Iran: Washington plans Iraq talks with Tehran Colombia: Murder scandals shake Uribe regime
Venezuelas rightists raise din on TV issue
The Venezuelan television channel RCTV will be ending its operation at midnight May 26. The government of President Hugo Chavez is not renewing the station’s 20-year-old public broadcasting license.
Media often abets sex trafficking
UNITED NATIONS — At a recent conference here sponsored by the Republic of Belarus on the global problem of sexual slavery, two high-ranking officials from Belarus spoke to the World about the responsibility of the mass media in the fight against sex trafficking.
Abu-Jamal lawyers cite bias in call for new trial
PHILADELPHIA — Lawyers for Mumia Abu-Jamal told a federal appeals court here May 17 that Abu-Jamal should get a new trial because prosecutors illegally excluded Blacks from the jury that convicted him in 1982.
Fighting the ravages of luxury towers
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — In most of the country, the housing boom is past. Not in New York City. Apartments, office towers, hotels, luxury entertainment facilities and mixed-use complexes rise to 70 stories. In recent years, housing costs were 30 percent of family income, but now in Manhattan they are 50 percent for many families.
Autoworkers wary of Chrysler sale
DETROIT — The restructuring taking place in the auto industry took a dramatic turn May 15 when Cerberus, the New York private equity investment firm, acquired an 80.1 percent controlling share of Chrysler and renamed it Chrysler Holdings. Daimler, formerly DaimlerChrysler, will retain a 19.1 percent share.
