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LABOR & HEALTHCARE: Local Labor Groups Speak Out for Healthcare Reform |
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On May 5, a diverse group of union and health advocacy groups spoke out at a Boston kick off event to publicize a statewide Health Care Action Day set for June 5. Similar events were held in Brockton, Framingham, Hyannis, Lynn, New Bedford, Quincy, and Springfield. With health care costs spiraling out of control, many employers are demanding that employees pay for some or all of the increases. Employers are also trying to raise co-pays and deductibles to cover the increases and discourage workers from using their health plans. The speakers at the event called on employers to work with employees to work for meaningful health care reform instead.
[ full story ] |
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05 May 2003
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Filed under: News / |
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LABOR: Striking Projectionists at Somerville Theater Attacked by Police |
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 May 1st marked the first day of the projectionist strike at the Somerville Theater in Davis Sq., after management refused voluntary union recognition of workers from IATSE Local 182, who are organizing to demand better pay (most make minimum wage), health coverage, a healthier work environment, and a more democratic workplace. After an hour of peaceful picketing, more than a dozen police arrived on the scene, complete with a paddy wagon. They proceeded to mount several assaults on the picketline, sending one person to the hospital coughing up blood.
[ full story | additional coverage | 5/3 update ]
[ 5/6 update | 5/9 update | 5/15 update ]
[ 6/3 update ] |
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02 May 2003
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Filed under: News / |
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IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS: May Day Rally for Immigrants' Rights |
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On May 1 at 3:00, a two-hour rally for immigrants’ rights was held in front of Boston City Hall. At its height, there were 500 people at the rally. It was held as the Boston City Council had hearings on whether or not to pass a resolution calling on the federal government to grant amnesty to all undocumented (“illegal”) immigrants. Besides the call for amnesty, many of the immigrants at the rally were concerned about such basic securities as being able to obtain drivers’ licenses and being free of harassment from their employers. Many of the speakers emphasized that immigrants came here only looking for a better life and contributed a great deal to the country. In the climate of fear after September 11, immigrants face greater persecution at the hands of the federal government under the so-called USA PATRIOT Act; immigrants from predominantly Arab or Muslim countries have been subject to particularly harsh attacks by the government.
[ full story ] |
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01 May 2003
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EDUCATION: Gov. Romney on Educational "Progress" |
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Since 2001, public higher education in Massachusetts has been cut by more than $221 million dollars. Students have had to face a tuition increase of up to 28%. Governor Mitt Romney, using a plan he calls "Common Sense for the Commonwealth," has proposed an additional $156 million dollar cut to public higher education. Romney’s Fiscal Year 2004 budget proposal will have a huge impact on many facets of Massachusetts higher education, scheduled to take effect by this July, 2003. Romney's plan was developed by a group of business consultants who had previous business dealings with Romney. Romney has also allegedly made educational budget estimates based on business profit instead of children’s needs, ignoring input from faculty, students, and communities.
[ full story ]
This story was originally featured in the Boston Free Press, the Boston IMC's new print publication. Below are some other articles and editorials from the same issue.
[ Homeland Security | A Dove's Dilemma | report from Baghdad ] |
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08 Apr 2003
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Filed under: News / |
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POLICE HARASSMENT: Racist Police Attack on Respected UMass-Boston Professor |
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A student was handing out fliers on Thursday at the UMB campus to promote a moment of silence in memory of Dr. King's murder. The student was wearing a shirt which said "Military recruiters off my campus!" on the back and on the front, "Education not enlistment". The police were called by the recruiters as a reaction to the shirt. A black professor, Tony Menelik Van Der Meer, stuck up for the student after being told by a recruiter that since he was organizing for King he also should be shot in the head. A verbal battle ensued. The recruiter was left alone by police while the professor was arrested and roughed up.
[ full story | additional coverage ] |
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07 Apr 2003
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LABOR: Star of David Nursing Home Workers Win Their First Contract |
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After waging a year-and-a-half long battle to win dignity and respect at work, caregivers and other employees at the Star of David nursing home have finally reached a tentative agreement with management that will raise their pay, preserve health benefits and improve working conditions. This first agreement also puts in place new personnel policies that are backed up by an enforceable grievance procedure.
[ full story ] |
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02 Apr 2003
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RESISTANCE TO WAR WITH IRAQ: Regional Peace Rally in Boston Draws 30-50,000 |
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 The Boston Common was awash with people from all over New England in a peace rally on Saturday, March 29. With the crowd at its height stretching beyond the organizer’s range of vision from the stage, they estimated it at least 30,000 people, probably 50,000. Following a number of speakers and multicultural artistic acts, the crowd marched through Boston, where large numbers of Saturday shoppers saw them. The major themes of the rally were that this war is bringing destruction not liberation to Iraq, that the best way to support American troops is to bring them home, and that this war is resulting in major cuts in social services in the US.
[ full story | photos | more photos ] |
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29 Mar 2003
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CONTINUING OPPOSITION TO THE WAR: Reportback from 3/22 Rally on Boston Commons for Peace |
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 A rally of 500 or more marched in a spontaneous unpermitted march from Park Street to Harvard Square, holding sit-ins at points along the way, while being harassed by pro-war groups, some individuals and supported by many onlookers.
Yesterday I joined a rally at Park Street Station organized by the Committee for Peace and Human Rights, (as reported in the city section of the Globe today, 3.23) which has been holding vigils here for years to protest sanctions against Iraq. Several speakers addressed the crowd with powerful and passionate expressions of outrage at the war in progress. One speaker was interviewed by NECN and NPR. Pro-war agitators who were clearly there to intimidate and harass the anti-war rally, one of them tried to approach the speakers stand (I assume) to take over the mic. Several organizers stepped forward to block him. A heated discussion ensued and then several Boston Police came into scene. I heard him (the pro-war guy) say something like "Our side is not being heard" and the crowd yelled back "It's in the media." After a time he left but not before FOX News stepped in to interview him in the middle of our demo. Everyone began chanting "Shame on FOX" and I was yelling "Send FOX Home." This pro-war group continued to follow us and harass protesters from the side of the road throughout the entire day.
[ full story | pictures | more pictures ] |
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23 Mar 2003
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