Labor/Economics/Business

Jobs With Justice 2018 May Day Parade

Jobs With Justice DC observed International Worker's Day 2018 with a May Day parade to construction sites in DC to bring awareness of subcontractors such as Power Design Inc. with a history of wage theft. Also highlighted were gentrification and the displacement of DC historic communities of color as well as salary abuses among restaurant and domestic workers. Video Link

Full house at St Stephens Town Hall against Amazon HQ2 coming to DC area

On the 22nd of May, a wide spectrum of community organizations held a town hall meeting at St Stephens Church to begin organizing strong opposition to proposals to locate Amazon.com's "HQ2" in DC, Montgomery County, MD, or in Northern VA. One of the speakers revealed that the sudden push to close the homeless shelter at DC General may be to clear the site for Amazon to build there.

Video highlights of the town hall plus author's observation on historical precedent of hospital closure for failed Olympic bid

Vatican Urges Transparency to Address Inequality and Prevent Financial Crisis

The Vatican released an official assessment on global economics entitled, "‘Oeconomicae et pecuniariae quaestiones" or "Considerations for an ethical discernment regarding some aspects of the present economic-financial system." The document calls for improvements in global finance policies on debt resolution, taxation, financial crisis prevention and transparency.

Mayday reportback for DC and elsewhere

On the 1st of May, DC's annual Mayday march proceeded from Columbia Heights to Malcolm X Park. Expected fascist counterprotesters were a no-show and the entire event was uneventful and mostly family-friendly. It was announced during the DC march that at that time (noon Pacific time) every West Coast port was shut down, and marchers in Milwaulkee descended of the offices of the sheriff over his decision to join ICE's 287(g) program. In Seattle, marchers descended on ICE. The Proud Boys showed up for a countermarch there but abandoned the field after maybe half an hour. In Portland, Oregon police cars were damaged, and a major battle between police and anarchists was fought in Paris.

Update 5-2-2018:Car attack on Seattle youth jail protesters confirmed by video, second car attack reported by itsgoingdown.org against IWW-GDC picket at Seattle Wendy's

Video highlights of DC's Mayday march and rally(2m:50s)

Students Against Sweatshops pickets "Abercrumble and Ditch"

On the 21st of October, Students Against Sweatshops picketed the Georgetown outlet of Abercrombie and Fitch. The sweatshop-friendly retailer was renamed "Abercrumble and Ditch" for their decision to refuse to sign the 2018 follow-on to the post Rana Plaza "Accord on Fire and Building Safety." Worse yet, some of the protesters reported the retailer is still using one or more suppliers who were involved in the Rana Plaza collapse that killed almost 1,200 workers back in 2013.

Video highlights of the protest (55 sec)

Debt, Corruption and Tax Policies Impact Poverty, Says Vatican at United Nations

During United Nations Human Rights Council meetings last week, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, the Geneva based Vatican representative stated, “We can no longer frame the debt crisis as an exclusively economic problem. It affects future generations, as well as the social conditions that allow the enjoyment of human rights of vast numbers of people entitled to the solidarity of the whole human family.”

Get The Internationalist No. 50!

Special expanded Winter 2017 edition: 80 pages of revolutionary Marxist propaganda. Send US$2 to Mundial Publications, Box 3321 Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008 USA. Subscriptions $10.

Trump tax cut speech for Heritage Foundation draws protest, "Tax Chicken"

On the 17th of October, Donald Trump gave a speech for the Heritage Foundation at the Marriot at 901 Mass Ave. Organizers of the April 15th Tax March set up the "Tax Chicken" in the adjacent park, then they and other protesters marched onto the sidewalk where Heritage members and Trump supporters were filing in.

Video from the "Tax Chicken" rally and in front of the Marriot as the Trumpers arrived

The "Tax Chicken" from the April 15 march demanding Trump release his tax returns

Reportbacks from Mayday

DC's Mayday march was a two-part affair, beginning with an immigrant march from Mount Pleasant that linked up with a worker's march at Malcolm X Part before continuing to Freedom Plaza and a much larger immigrant rally at the White House. A third march started at Dupont Circle and proceeded directly to Lafayette Park. The Worker's March was marred by harassment from both neo-Nazis and police. Two protesters were detained but both were released as police could not find or fake any kind of probable cause.

Video from the Mayday marches in DC preceded by a stirring speech about the Mayday labor holiday's origins in 1886 (the Haymarker Martyrs)

The lead of the Worker's March pulls onto 16th st

IWW pickets P st Whole Foods demanding Julia's job back

On the 30th of April, the IWW showed up at the Whole Foods on P st, demanding reinstatement of a worker named Julia who was fired for union organizing activity. In addition to the picket, someone dropped a banner with the same demand on it. In an ugly development, alt-right(neo-Nazi) organizer Mike Cernovich showed up, posting photos to his Twitter account.

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