New Haven Election 2019: Working People's Needs

The movement for jobs and hiring at Yale from low-income neighborhoods needs a Mayor and Board of Alders who will listen, respond and act.

The movements for affordable housing, youth needs, responsible policing, climate justice, immigrant rights and peace all need a Mayor and Board of Alders who listen, respond and act.

The movement to reject hate, racism and greed coming from the White House needs a Mayor and Board of Alders who continue to unite New Haven's many cultures and constituencies.

Mayor Toni Harp has strong working relations with the Board of Alders. Together they:

-- Supported New Haven Works to create a jobs pipeline for New Haven residents

-- Supported workers at Yale for good union contracts and union rights for all workers

-- Stood with residents at Florence Virtue to preserve affordable housing for 135 families.

-- Expanded community policing to relate with residents in every neighborhood

-- Stood up for immigrant rights against attacks by the Trump administration and ICE

-- Expanded youth programs across the City and won state funds to rebuild the Q House

Reprinted from: Connecticut People's World

Prof. Gerald Horne interview on WPKN

https://soundcloud.com/wpkn895/reconstruction-reparations-and-the-struggle-ahead-an-interview-with-prof-gerald-horne

The Resistance panel interviews Dr. Gerald Horne, author and professor of African American Studies at the U. of Houston, about lessons to be learned from the Civil War Reconstruction and the national conversation about Reparations for slavery.

SAVE THE DATE

Sat September 14, 2019 in New York

CPUSA: 100 Years of Struggle

Join us for an afternoon celebration of politics, poetry and song commemorating the 100th birthday of the Communist Party USA.

CONNECTICUT CHARTER BUS:

To reserve your seats send a message to ct-cpusa@pobox.com

Departs Hartford 11 am and New Haven at noon to New York City (235 W 23rd St) Event from 2 to 5 pm with light dinner

Roundtrip Full Price: $50 ~ Limited income: $10 ~ Scholarships available Send contributions to: CP of CT / PO Box 1437 / New Haven CT 06511

(Checks payable to CP of CT)

May Day 2019: When We Fight We Win!

It was a packed house at the Peoples Center for May Day 2019: 100 Years of Struggle for Workers' Rights. The annual People's World rally greeted Pat Valdez, UFCW steward at Stop & Shop with cheers. In the epic 11-day strike, workers won increased pay and protected pensions and health care. "This was about more than us, this was about corporate greed." she said to loud applause, thanking the community for their support.

Marches on all continents were included in the May Day Around the World slide show, with common themes for migrant and women workers rights. Massive May Day marches in the working class sections of Venezuela stopped an attempted coup backed by Trump against the Maduro government the workers elected.

The crowd enjoyed stories about how throughout its 100 years, the Communist Party USA has shown leadership for union organizing and workers' rights.

New Haven Rising's Jaime Myers-McPhail told of his nine months in Colorado during the successful union drive by food service workers at United Airlines. The company had capped wages at $11 an hour and required heavy lifting that resulted in miscarriages for seven women. Now the Unite Here members are making $15 an hour and have health care coverage for the first time.

Lena Eckert-Erdheim, co-president of Unite Here Local 33 at Yale said they are fighting for equity on campus, and have joined with the community to demand Yale police get off New Haven streets after Yale and Hamden police shot up a parked car in Newhall injuring Stephanie Washington and Paul Witherspoon.

Participants learned about the fight of 1199 nursing home workers for increased state funding and a raise for the first time in three years. John Jairo Lugo told of Unidad Latina en Accion's organizing against deportations including for Nelson Pinos living in sanctuary for 520 days at the First and Summerfield Methodist Church. Chaz Carmon invited everyone to support Ice the Beef youth at a march to stop the violence on May 26.

A grand finale of labor songs led by Carol Vinick included a special May Day Song written 70 years ago and led by Edie Fishman. The chant of the day was, "When We Fight We Win"

May Day 2019 - 100 Years of Struggle for Workers' Rights

The annual Connecticut People's World rally for International Worker's Day will highlight union organizing today and in history.

Themed "May Day 2019: 100 Years of Struggle for Workers Rights," the rally will be held on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 3 pm at the New Haven Peoples Center, 37 Howe Street.

The event, held during the 100th anniversary year of the Communist Party USA, will include a brief history of labor organizing by the Communist Party since its founding in 1919 and continuing today.

The experience of organizing food service workers who won a union last year at United Airlines will be shared by Jaime Myers-McPhail who lived in Colorado for several months working on the campaign, and his colleague Charlie Delgado who participated for a shorter time. Myers-McPhail is an organizer in New Haven with New Haven Rising and Unite Here. 

The rally will stand in solidarity with Stop & Shop workers forced on strike for wages, benefits, healthcare and fairness. 

"May Day Around the World" slide show will show workers' protests and actions from every continent including many demands for equality for immigrant workers.

The afternoon will be capped off with labor songs led by some of those who participated in the newly formed labor chorus at the Women's March in Hartford this year.

On May 1, 1886 thousands of workers marched in Chicago to demand relief from brutal 12- and 14-hour workdays. A few days later, a suspicious bomb killed several Chicago police and protesters in Haymarket Square. Four of the march leaders were framed up and executed. In their memory, May Day was set as a day of international workers’ struggle and solidarity.

In the United States, May Day took on new life when immigrant workers from Latin America held mega marches for their rights in 2006. May Day 2019 is part of the resistance against the anti-people Trump/Republican white supremacy agenda, and the rising movements to put peace, planet and people before profits.

Donation is $5 or what you can afford. A fund appeal for the People's World will be made.

For information e-mail ct-pww@pobox.com or call 203-624-4254.