the guy by the door …

If it is not too far past 1:00 P.M you can join in. They have extra robes and hoods in the boxes at their feet. North Yard in front of the Science Center. Of course I know who they arewere.

“>
Organizer Dan Nicolai of S.E.I.U. Local 615 outside UNICCO headquarters in Boston.

TO: Allies & student leaders in Boston area

As you know, janitors are in the 7th week of a strike against UNICCO at the University of Miami. Also, a hunger strike by workers and students has now been going on for 18 days. At least three workers and one student have been hospitalized.

Last week, a group of students occupied the Admissions Office to demand union recognition for striking janitors. More information about student and community actions can be found at www.yeswecane.org

http://www.yeswecane.org/> .

University of Miami President Donna Shalala so far refuses to agree to janitors’ demands for card-check recognition of the union. Workers are demanding card-check instead of an election because UNICCO has already threatened and intimidated workers (this is under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board) and would continue to do so in an election campaign.
Beginning tomorrow (Saturday 4/22) leaders from community, student and religious organizations around the U.S. are going to Miami to meet with the hunger strikers, student leaders, and SEIU President Andy Stern. WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER AN EMERGENCY DELEGATION TO MIAMI, LEAVING ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY AND RETURNING MONDAY. THIS IS AN INVITATION FOR STUDENT LEADERS AT CAMPUSES CLEANED BY UNICCO.

I know it’s a busy time of year, but please consider taking a couple of days to participate in this. If you are interested and/or have questions, please email or contact me at 617-523-6150 ext. 425 or 617-416-8577(cell).

Dan Nicolai
Organizer, SEIU Local 615
——-
Of the two legal routes to Union recognition, card-check is preferred to NLRB [i.e. Bush Administration] supervised elections. UNICCO after weeks of striking and hunger striking has admitted that they have agreed to card check at other sites. The refusal is clearly coming from “liberal” president Donna Shalala. Rumor has it she is on the short list for president of Harvard. Is this any way to run a University?

I was depressed. My friend said, “Cheer up! Things could be worse!” So I cheered up and sure enough - things got worse. Bada bum.
-every comedian in my father’s lifetime.

Just when you think things couldn’t possibly be any worse, they get worse.
-Howard Zinn

But seriously folks, Howard Zinn has been a candle in an - at times - dark life. This invitation is conveyed through the Harvard Initiative for Peace and Justice.

On Friday, April 14
Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove are speaking
6:00pm, Northeastern University, Cargill Hall Room 97
(directions below)

As part of the End the War tour, on

THE LOGIC OF WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ

Why the US should pull out now?

1. THE U.S. MILITARY HAS NO RIGHT TO BE IN IRAQ IN THE FIRST PLACE
2. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT BRINGING DEMOCRACY TO IRAQ.
3. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT MAKING THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE BY OCCUPYING IRAQ.
4. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT CONFRONTING TERRORISM BY STAYING IN IRAQ.
5. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT PREVENTING CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ.
6. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT HONORING THOSE WHO DIED BY CONTINUING THE CONFLICT.
7. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT REBUILDING IRAQ.
8. THE UNITED STATES IS NOT FULFILLING ITS OBLIGATION TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE FOR THE HARM AND SUFFERING IT HAS CAUSED.

Come hear the case for complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq from: Howard Zinn is a professor emeritus at Boston University. He is the author of numerous books, including A People’s History of the United States.

Anthony Arnove is the editor of Iraq Under Seige and the co-editor, with Howard Zinn, of Voices of a People’s History of the United States. Anthony is currently on tour promoting his groundbreaking new book, Iraq: The Logic of Withdrawal.

Friday, April 14th, 6 pm
Northeastern University School of Law,
Cargill Hall Room 97

(Take the Orange Line to ‘Ruggles’ or the Green Line ‘E’ Train to Northeastern)

Sponsored by THE NEW PRESS, International Socialist Review, Mass Global Action, Lucy Parsons Center, Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition

Contact isoboston@yahoo.com
http://us.f335.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=isoboston@yahoo.com> or
781-551-6649 for information or to co-sponsor the event

Boston Branch
International Socialist Organization
781.551.6649
isoboston@yahoo.com
http://www.socialistworker.org
——–
I have to guard the library until 6:00 PM. I’ll be there as fast as my little Charlie Pass will carry me.

… and the World.

Did or did not the late Larry Summers exhort us to be a global university? Well the net is a bit Amerocentric, but it’s a start. This Harvard SLAM list has been alive with notices about vigourous student action on other campuses. :

• Students at the University of Miami joined with SEIU hunger strikers Wedenesday Feb 12, but were locked out of the Ashe Building.
• Students at the University of Virginia began a sit-in on Wednesday February 12th to demand that the university pay its employees a living wage! [More from IndyMedia Richmond.]
• Students at the University of Colorado are currently on Hunger Strike until the University adopts the Designated Suppliers Program.
• At midnight, police arrested TEN students at the University of California-Riverside for participating in a non-violent civil disobedience demanding that their university adopt a policy ensuring that university apparel and uniforms are produced in factories in which workers are represented by a democratic union and earn a living wage.[ A second round of arrests.][More from LA IndyMedia. and WWW IndyMedia.]
• Students at ColombiaUniversity who are sitting in at the Low Library to demand that Columbia adopt the Designated Suppliers Program, so that collegiate apparel be made in factories where workers have democratic representation. [More from Zach of the Graduate Students Union]

Most support to living wage campaigns at other campaigns[universities?], and complaints to the administration can be done at

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/uvalivingwage/alerts

with the exception of the call to action at Colombia University. I include below a draft of my letter to the president of Colombia; do feel free to use it as a template.

Cheers
K…

Dear Mr. Bollinger,

I am writing to support the struggle of those brave students at Colombia
University who are sitting in at the Low Library to demand that Columbia
adopt the Designated Suppliers Program, so that collegiate apparel be made
in factories where workers have democratic representation, and to which
companies pay enough to allow workers to negotiate for a living wage from
management.

The students claim to have presented this proposal to Columbia in
September and have not seen any action despite going through many meetings
and attempts to work with the University administration. You’ve stated
support for “the goal of promoting basic fairness in wages, working
conditions, and a voice for workers”, and this student request is asking
you to live up to those exemplary principles and to act to make sure those
goals are met.

My thanks, and best wishes,
_______ ________
_______ University

SEIU Local 615 and friends in front of UNICCO Hq. - Boston City hall behind.

Boston Community Leaders and Clergy join Miami workers.

Workers of UNITE HERE! Local 26 supporting the fast. Many workers in this union are cooks.

Picketline reports from Miami that a few of the hunger strikers are having problems with blood pressure and Odalys Rodriguez has been taken to the hospital.

Workers were hooking me up to temporary water. Pics later.

“>

Workers from the University of Miami who will fast in Boston support of their compa�eros back in Miami. together with Harvard SLAMmers and friends.

Janitorial workers at University of Miami employed by Massachusetts based UNICCO Services Company began a hunger strike on April 5. This in addition to already being on strike and after a sit-in by students. [Wikipedia] recounts this in more detail and mentions the picketline blog and the Students for a New Democracy website. Picketline asserts [among other things] that while UNICCO finds Card Check undemocratic at UM, it has found it acceptable in many other cases. [Last fall, tGbtD was invited to speak to a working group of the Institute of Politics of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. I suggested that they look at card check neutrality as a means to enable the right to unionize. I ain’t got no R.O.I. ! This would be a good time!]

SEIU local 615 is hosting their compa�eros from Univeristy of Miami. On Tuesday April 11, 2006 they will fast in front of UNICCO Service Company Northeast Region headquarters. There will also be a SLAM event at Harvard.

“>

Y’all come. They should be able to see you.

The event will be from 9 AM to 5 PM, but the hightlights are:

——

*I am 1/2 Pennsylvania Dutch who are German Protestants migrated to the US to escape religious persecution. It is a guilt based religion with bad experience in Germany. Is that an connection with Judaism?

Para Todos los Inmigrantes.

“>

Even if your Spanish is as weak as mine, you know what that says. A lot
of people gathered today for that purpose. I’ll say more in  a
bit. Right now I have to write up tomorrow’s fast in support of the
janitors engaged in a hunger strike at the University of Miami.