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International Solidarity Bulletin 1

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    IWW News

    ISC Action and Events

    Solidarity Statements/Appeals

    International Syndicalist News

    IWW history and Culture

    INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

    Saludos de la Comisin de Solidaridad Inter-nacional (ISC) de los Trabajadores Industria-

    les del Mundo (IWW) y bienvenidos anuestro boletn internacional mensual.

    El propsito de este boletn es mantener a nuestros aliados alrededordel mundo informados de nuestras actividades, campaas de solidari-dad, y luchas obreras relevantes. Esperamos que este boletn con-tribuya a construe solidaridad entre trabajadores reforzando lascomunicaciones e intercambios de informacin.

    Para contribuir con ideas o noticias al boletn, o para contactar a la

    ISC por favor escribir a [email protected] la versin enespaol, hacer clic aqu: http://www.iww.org/es

    Greetings from the International Solidarity Commission (ISC) of the IndustrialWorkers of the World (IWW)! We welcome you to our irregularinternational newsletter.

    The purpose of this newsletter is to keep our alliesaround the world informed of our activities, soli-darity campaigns, and relevant international la-bour struggles. It is our hope that this newsletterwill contribute to building worker-to-worker soli-

    darity through strengthened communications andexchanges of information.

    If you would like to contribute story ideas or newsfor the bulletin, or wish to contact the ISC, youcan email [email protected].

    ====

    Cover of booklet by Paul Mattick (1933)

    Support international solidarity!Assessments for $3, $6 are available fromyour delegate or IWW headquarters:

    PO Box

    23085, Cincinnati, OH

    45223-3085, USA.

    PREAMBLE

    The working class and the employing classhave nothing in common. There can be nopeace so long as hunger and want are foundamong millions of the working people and thefew, who make up the employing class, haveall the good things of life.

    Between these two classes a struggle must goon until the workers of the world organize as a

    class, take possession of the means of produc-tion, abolish the wage system, and live inharmony with the Earth.

    We find that the centering of the managementof industries into fewer and fewer handsmakes the trade unions unable to cope withthe ever growing power of the employingclass. The trade unions foster a state of affairswhich allows one set of workers to be pittedagainst another set of workers in the sameindustry, thereby helping defeat one anotherin wage wars. Moreover, the trade unions aidthe employing class to mislead the workersinto the belief that the working class haveinterests in common with their employers.

    These conditions can be changed and theinterest of the working class upheld only by anorganization formed in such a way that all itsmembers in any one industry, or in all indus-tries if necessary, cease work whenever a

    strike or lockout is on in any departmentthereof, thus making an injury to one an injuryto all.

    Instead of the conservative motto, "A fairday's wage for a fair day's work," we mustinscribe on our banner the revolutionarywatchword, "Abolition of the wage system."

    It is the historic mission of the working class todo away with capitalism. The army of produc-tion must be organized, not only for everydaystruggle with capitalists, but also to carry onproduction when capitalism shall have beenoverthrown. By organizing industrially we areforming the structure of the new society withinthe shell of the old.

    http://lists.iww.org/listinfo/isc-updateshttp://lists.iww.org/listinfo/isc-updateshttp://www.iww.org/es*http://www.iww.org/es*http://lists.iww.org/listinfo/isc-updateshttp://lists.iww.org/listinfo/isc-updateshttp://lists.iww.org/listinfo/isc-updateshttp://www.iww.org/es*http://lists.iww.org/listinfo/isc-updates
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    V OLUME 1, I SSUE 1P AG E 2

    Wobblies stand in Solidarity with FAU BerlinPhiladelphia IWW Demonstrates at the German Consulate Against Repression of the FAU Union in Berlin

    By John Kalwaic, contributions by Walt WeberDespite freezing cold weather on January 29 members of the Philadelphia General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers ofthe World picketed the Philadelphia German Consulate as part of an International day of action in solidarity with the FAU-B or (FreeWorkers Union) in Berlin, Germany. The FAU Berlin has come under attack from both the employers of the Babylon Cinema whereworkers are trying to organize and the city government, which is trying to outlaw the FAU. Philadelphia IWW members displayedsigns in both English and German expressing solidarity with the FAU outside the building. In addition to distributing flyers, branchmembers sang labor songs and chanted that workers had the right to organize anywhere in the world.

    Founded in 1919, the FAU has a long history fighting for the rights of workers in Germany. The international day of action was calledto protest a court ruling on December 11th 2009 in Berlin that strips the FAUs right to call itself a union, making their organizationillegal. This court ruling was a result of the refusal of the Management of the Babylon Mitt Cinema to bargain a contract with the FAU.Rather than negotiate with the FAU, the management claimed that the FAU could not negotiate a contract with management becausethe FAU was not a legitimate labor union under German labor law.

    The mainstream leftist Ver.di Union that is a part of the state -backed DGB umbrella union in Germany and the former communistLeft Party also joined with Babylon Cinema bosses to try outlaw the FAU as a union. The staff of the Babylon Cinema refused to goquietly and organized a boycott and protests against the cinema. Both the Ver.di Union and the Left Party negotiated an ineffectiveand weak contract with the cinema management without the consent of the employees, which was well below that of the averageVer.di Union shop.

    Not satisfied with the lower court ruling, the Babylon Cinema bosses have continued their legal attacks on the workers, demanding thatthe FAUs officers be jailed and fined thousands of Euros because they refused to abandon their union and its members. This would bethe first time the FAU has been outlawed in Germany since the Nazis rose to power in 1933 and crushed all independent trade unions.

    The Philadelphia IWW made repeated requests for a meeting with the Honorary German Consul Barbara Afanassiev with no re-sponse. Instead of continuing to wait for an appointment, the Philadelphia IWW decided to have a picket at the German Consulate incoordination with the day of action. The protest started with an hour of picketing and a distribution of leaflets with information about

    the FAUs situation in Germany. After the picketing, two fellow workers entered the building to deliver a letter of protest to the consulon the third floor. Security authorities stated that they could not go up to the third floor as there was no one there to receive them.

    One of the IWW members called the Consuls office, and after several attempts, was connected to the Consul Barbara Afanassiev,who then agreed to meet the Fellow Workers in the lobby to receive the letter. Ms Afanassiev was already aware of the IWWpicket, and claimed that she had not ignored the requests for a meeting, but had just been too busy to follow through. The branchmembers delivered the protest letter in support of the FAU, and Afanassiev said she would forward it to the German Consul Generalin New York City. A brief exchange ensued, with IWW members making it clear that repression of workers rights is not acceptableand that this treatment of the FAU cannot continue. Again, Ms Afanassiev stated that she was very powerless in this situation, and thatshe would forward on the message to the Consul General.

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    V OLUME 1, I SSUE 1P AG E 3

    Wobblies stand in Solidarity with FAU Berlin continuedPhoenix, Arizona organizes picket

    Friday morning, Jan. 29th, the Phoenix branch of the Indus-trial Workers of the World held a modest-sized picket in

    front of the local German Consulate in Phoenix, Arizona. Weare confident that our formidable and boisterous protestprevented the Consulate from doing business this morning:

    they refused to answer the phone or come to the door. We believe that they either fled the scene in the before dawnhours or, trapped inside as we approached, they chose to shutter themselves in and wait us out. Our branch sent outemails and called our local IWW members and supporters encouraging them to send protest to both the local volunteerConsulate and to the Embassy in Washington, D.C. To the workers at Babylon and the FAU: Your fight is our fight! Staystrong! To the German government: The FAU cannot be defeated! Workers power and international solidarity will pre-vail! For the Cooperative Commonwealth.

    Starbucks Workers Union Expands to Texas

    Fort Worth, TX- Baristas and community supporters at the 8th and Rosedale Starbucks shut down the storesdrive-thru this morning and delivered a list of demands including affordable health care options and sick daysfor those displaying H1N1 or other cold and flu symptoms. Starbucks doubled the cost of the company healthinsurance plan in September, leaving many workers unable to afford treatment because of sky-high deducti-bles and premiums.

    Weve had enough. Baristas should not be forced to expose customers to H1N1 or other contagions and staysick longer, just in order to be able to make the money they need to support their families and pay astronomi-cal health care costs. Were making $7.30/hr., thats a nickel above minimum wage, said IWW Barista Mi-chelle Cahill.The protesting baristas are members of the Starbucks Workers Union, which is an international campaign of the Industrial Workers ofthe World (IWW) labor union. The store action makes the 8th and Rosedale location the first Starbucks in Texas to have a public unionpresence.

    Baristas decided to move toward unionization after many workers were forced to continue working while displaying intense H1N1and other flu symptoms, enhancing the likelihood of spreading the flu virus. The baristas are demanding that those who display H1N1or other cold and flu symptoms be excused from work with pay to avoid exposing customers to Swine Flu.

    Casey Keeling, another union barista at the store, said, Watching our coworkers be forced to serve customers while they were sickwith H1N1 was the last straw. Something needs to change- in our workplace and in this country. We have decided to form a union tofight for affordable health insurance, paid sick days, a fair wage, and secure work hours. And they could at least give us a first aidkit for the store.

    While portraying itself as a socially-responsible employer, all of Starbucks' retail hourly workers in the U.S. are part-time employeeswith no guaranteed number of work hours per week. According to Starbucks figures released to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 40.9%of its employees (including managers) are covered by the company health care package, a lower percentage than the oft-criticizedWal-Mart, which insures 47% of its workforce.

    Since the launch of the IWW campaign at Starbucks on May 17, 2004, the company has been cited multiple times for illegal union-busting by the National Labor Relations Board. The company settled numerous complaints against it and a judge's guilty verdict onmore than 30 additional rights violations was recently upheld on appeal by the Board in D.C. Starbucks large anti-union operation isheaded by CEO Howard Schultz and operated in conjunction with the Akin Gump law firm and the Edelman public relations firm.

    The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is a grassroots organization of over 300 current and former employees at the world's largestcoffee chain united for secure work hours and a living wage. The union has members throughout the United States and Canada fight-ing for systemic change at the company and remedying individual grievances with management.

    Union baristas, bussers, and shift supervisors have fought successfully toward improved scheduling and staffing levels, increasedwages, and workplace safety. Workers who join the union have immediate access to co-workers and members of the community whowill struggle with them for a better life on the job.

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    NEWSLETTER T ITLE P AG E 4

    ISC Celebrates MLK Day in Bangladesh!

    On January 202010, ISC Representative JonathanChristiansen hosted a Martin Luther King jr Day program atthe offices of the National Garment Workers Federations inDhaka, Bengladesh. The event, which was co-sponsored bythe Pitsburg Anti Sweatshop Community Alliance, was agreat success. Fellow Worker Christiansen reports:

    It was a true cultural dialogue. The message of Dr. Kings struggle for equality, justice and peace was receivedwith great enthusiasm by the garment workers and organizers. Similarly, the stories of his struggles and his useof non-violent direct action were also an inspiration to workers and many parallels between Kings work andthe ongoing struggle here were clearly present and felt by everyone in the room.

    Part of the way into the program, a massive contingent of garment workers showed up for a leadership trainingthat was to be held later in the evening. The room was already fairly packed with about forty or fifty people,and as about fifty more garment workers arrived it was standing room only and bursting out the back door.

    The event was organized by the IWW, PASCA, and the NGWF. At the event IWW posters were proudly dis-

    played. Famous IWW slogans such as, Solidarity Forever and An Injury to One is An Injury to All were

    translated into Bangla as were several Martin Luther King quotes.

    As a closing to the program, I reminded folks that King had a dream, and I encouraged people to share their

    dreams. People were encouraged to write their dreams (or even just their names) on a poster board which said

    in both English and Bangla I have a dream. One NGWF organizer excitedly grabbed the pen and asked

    people to share their dreams as she wrote. It was a nice scene of people shouting out their dreams as she

    wrote.

    Overall the event was a great success . It was fun, inspirational and it definitely built a stronger alliance be-

    tween IWW and the NGWF.

    (Pictures on the following page 5)

    Become a fan of the ISC on Facebook!

    In order to promote the union and to quickly update like minded organiza-tions, IWW members, supporters, and fellow travelers on the progress of theISC and the IWW, we have endeavored to start a Facebook 'fan' page. Ifyou are a member of facebook, go to the following webpage and become afan!

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/IWW-International-Solidarity-Commission/239245382105

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/IWW-International-Solidarity-Commission/239245382105http://www.facebook.com/pages/IWW-International-Solidarity-Commission/239245382105http://www.facebook.com/pages/IWW-International-Solidarity-Commission/239245382105http://www.facebook.com/pages/IWW-International-Solidarity-Commission/239245382105http://www.facebook.com/pages/IWW-International-Solidarity-Commission/239245382105
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    V OLUME 1, I SSUE 1P AG E 5

    MLKDay

    inBanglad

    eshPictures

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    V OLUME 1, I SSUE 1P AG E 6

    Motion: ISC Statement BDS Campaign

    ISC supports the Boycott-divestment-sanction campaign called by various Palestinian labor unions and civil society organizations. The ISC urges mem-

    bers to educate themselves on the campaign.

    Motion: ISC statement on Haiti

    ISC Haiti support is for long-term labor assistance and Development. For short-term disaster relief, the ISCsuggest a donation to Partners in Health.

    =======

    A devastating 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti Tuesday January 12th. Thousands have been killed, and much Port auPrince leveled. This follows a series of deadly hurricanes in late 2008, and decades of foreign-influencedeconomic terrorism, culminating in a US-led coup in 2004, and continuing UN occupation. Haiti, the poorestnation in the Western Hemisphere, is the only country to successfully liberate itself from slavery and the formercolonial masters have not let them forget. Most people live on less than $2 a day, and many on less than $1.In April 2008 representatives of the ISC participated in an IWW delegation to Haiti where they met with workers and peasants struggling againstneo-liberal slavery. We pledged our continued support to their struggle, and FW's donated generously to support their organizing, and again for

    aid following the hurricanes. Currently communications with Haiti are nearly impossible, but no doubt they will need our help again.

    On behalf of union workers in Haiti, the Industrial Workers of the World is raising funds for relief in the wake of the tragic earthquake that struckJanuary 12th, 2010.On the decision of the International Solidarity Committee of the IWW, all funds raised through these donations will be distributed to Batay Ouvriyeand the CTH (Confederation of Haitian Workers), workers organizations in Haiti that the IWW has had contact with.

    ISC Haiti support is for long-term labor assistance and Development. For short-term disaster relief, the ISC suggest a donation to Partners in Health(http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti)The delegation made a short video about our trip, "Haiti's Tourniquet" which we're selling for $15 (includes shipping) to raise money for our com-rades in Haiti, and any donations large or small are greatly appreciated.You can purchase videos and send donations to: Nathaniel Miller, PO Box 31909, Philadelphia, PA 19104-- please mark checks "IWW Haiti Fund,"and note if you want a video. Contact [email protected] to arrange online payment, or for other questions.

    Or, to donate online, please click below:IWW Fundraising for Haiti Earthquake Relief

    Open Letter in Solidarity with FAU Berlin!

    To whom it may concern,

    Germany claims to be a shining example of democracy, but democracy doesn't seem to count when it comes to the rights ofthe workers to unionize. Because of bans, their freedom to form unions is being restricted. The Berlin Regional Court has de-cided that the FAU Berlin can no longer call itself a "union" or a "grassroots union". This was done without a hearing. The pro-hibition of an independent organization of workers is a scandal.

    The International Solidarity Commission (ISC) of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) extends solidarity greetings tothe workers of the Babylon Cinema in the Berlin. We hereby declare our full and enthusiastic support for these workers, their representative body,

    the FAU, and all Germans working for social justice and industrial democracy. Their struggle is an inspiration to freedom-loving workers all over theworld.

    The ISC strongly condemns all attempts to shut down the FAU as a workers union, or harass, harm, or intimidate workers and their allies in any way.We cannot let you walk all over workers' rights in your country. We won't simply stand by while the Federal Republic of Germany infringes upon ILOconventions and human rights.

    The ISC endorses the call for a global day of action planned for January 29 and 30, 2010, and encourage all branches of the IWW to participatein this day of action.

    We will inform the public about this scandalous state of affairs, and call on the Federal Republic of Germany to overturn this prohibition and to stopthreatening the FAU Berlin with penalties when it publicly stands up for the interests and needs of its members.

    http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haitihttp://www.standwithhaiti.org/haitihttp://www.pledgie.com/campaigns/7950http://www.pledgie.com/campaigns/7950http://www.pledgie.com/campaigns/7950http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti
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    NEWSLETTER T ITLE P AG E 7

    New SAC Statement of Principles 2009

    1. THE WORKERS OF THE WORLD are exploited in the capitalist profit-driven system of production. Under capital-ism, the means of production have been monopolized by a few. They have therefore the social power to acquire allthe wealth created. At the same time we, the overwhelming majority, are forced to work without power over thebusiness, and for a wage which does not correspond to the value of what we produce. Where capitalism is allowedfree range, violence and destruction are following in its wake, as well as a ruthless exploitation of natural resourcesthat threatens the human environment and living conditions worldwide. From these circumstances arises the classstruggle, in which the workers can only rely on their own actions.

    2. SYNDICALISM is not primarily an ideology but a tradition of struggle among workers. We are driven by ourdesire for freedom and socialism. We nourish a dream that one day we will put an end to wage slavery. By building up industrial workers organiza-tions, with the workplace as a starting point, we can mitigate the effects of capitals exploitation and the states coercion , in order to finally overcomethis inhumane economic and political system which gives all the good things in life to the exploiters.

    3. DESPITE THAT THE WORKING CLASS today, as well as in history, is layered and fragmented in many ways, for example by industry, trade, legalstatus, gender, ethnicity, age, and employment status, SAC thinks that all workers have basic common interests. Therefore, the SAC consists of Local

    Union Confederation (LS) that organize all workers regardless of trade. As all workers have common interests, an organization that brings togetherall workers are needed. Through our organization we combat divisions within the working class and increase our collective power. If we are to holdtogether as workers, this requires us to act in solidarity. SAC understands solidarity as a common struggle for common interests.

    4. THE EXPLOITATION OF THE WORKING CLASS takes different forms depending on where in the social hierarchy the work or workers are located.Heavily exploited groups of workers are employed to lower the standards of more established workers groups and migrants and the unemployedare used to press down wages. Womens work is often valued less than mens. This affects the workers mutual relationships in the workplace andcreates tensions within the working class. The interests of heavily exploited group must be given decisive impact in the fight. No form of discriminationor subordination can be tolerated. SAC is a feminist and anti-racist organization.

    5. IN SAC, WE BELIEVE unreservedly in the working class, that is, our own, strength and skills. We do not need the blessing of power to give legiti-macy to our fight or justify our existence. We know that neither libertarian socialism nor organization will be possible if we do not believe in our ownability. SAC believes that the workers must organize themselves free from any outside interests, like those expressed by the state and employers.SAC is an anti-authoritarian organization and sees direct action as the means to change society and our living and working conditions.

    6. OUR POWER IS BASED on the way we organize ourselves. For a union to achieve maximum impact, it must be free from any interests outside oftheir members. In order to achieve maximum impact, the union must be organized in a federalist manner, which means self-determination in own af-fairs and cooperation on common issues. Centralism, bureaucracy, and other authoritarian forms of organization weakens unions. Our inner strength isderived from the principle that those affected by a decision should also be those who have taken it, and that all elected representatives are directlyrecallable. To avoid division in the workplace, and between trades, a powerful union must be organized industrially. Unions organized by trade arean anachronism. A powerful union must further more have the will to fight. A powerful trade union must also have the ambition to win their battles.

    7. IN THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS and services, the workers have the power needed to change society. The social power of the working class islatent in the production process. Therefore the workplace is our premier venue for organizing. The labor market which provides the framework forthe workplace struggle, must also be an arena of battle.

    8. WE WORKERS HAVE NO FATHERLAND, our living conditions are intertwined with our sisters and brothers throughout the world. Global solidarityis a prerequisite for the liberation of the working class. SAC is opposed to all violence used by governmental and supranational institutions, as well asparamilitary groups, in order to maintain capitals world order. SAC believes that workers always have the right to defend themselves against such

    violence.

    9. SACS GOAL IS libertarian socialism: a society that is no longer divided into ruling and dominated classes; a society that no longer consists of ex-ploiters and exploited; a society free from state coercion. In libertarian socialism, production is governed by societys needs, which gives work mean-ing. The workers control the organizing of production, which gives the work content.

    10. WE HAVE A BIG TASK ahead of us. But we know we can organize and win victories. We are fighting on our own merits, we struggle where welive our lives, so simple and so obvious it that. Only thus can we develop the self-responsibility that is the foundation of free socialism.

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    NEWSLETTER T ITLE P AG E 8

    Victory of the CNT over the ISS

    On behalf of the ISS strikers, the Cleaning Union signed a protocol with management.On strike since October 18, 2009, the workers were confronted with managements refusal to acknowl-edge them and negotiate.Despite several actions during the holiday seasonthe blockages of the companys headquarters on rueOrdener and of the management of the 16th districts cleaning branch, and the occupation of the HotelCampanile, where the Central labor-management committee was meeting December 23 - management

    held its ground.The strikers determination and solidarity, and especially the numerous phone calls, paidoff.

    January 12, when the headquarters was being blocked once again, the management agreed to negoti-ate. In the agreement, the company commits itself to provide all the documents required for filing workpermit applications to support these applications at the prefectures, and to create a follow-up committeealong with the union. Lastly, each worker will be reinstated as soon as the provisional permit is received.This is a first victory, but the struggle goes on to obtain a positive response from the prefectures.

    The Cleaning Union wishes here to thank all those (unions and individuals) who supported this struggle bybeing there on the picket line and through their various actions as well as their financial support.

    This support has allowed us, to date, to give 4319 euros (the total amount received) to the ISS and EFFI services strikers.

    All EFFI employees for whom an application was submitted to the prefecture were given a 3-month receipt authorizing them to workduring this period, and they went back to work.

    The struggle continues for the Cleaning Union.

    CNT Cleaning Union

    Reports from global day of protest against union bans in Germany

    On January 29/30, 2010, there were protests in Germany as well as in 15 other coun-tries against a verdict that prohibits workers in Berlin from affiliating themselves with theunion of their choice. The bosses at the Babylon Mitte Cinema managed to find a courtto ban the FAU Berlin workers association from calling itself a union. The bosses at theBabylon are now trying to get the FAU Berlin charged with fines or even imprisoned.The background to this bizarre judicial maneuver, which is unprecedented in post-fascistGermany, is a month-long labor dispute between the FAU shop-floor and the manage-ment of the Babylon Mitte Cinema. On this special page you will find reports, photosand links about actions during the global day of protest. More information about theconflict can be found on our German language special section and our English language

    special section.http://www.fau.org/verbot/en/art_100128-225439

    Sign the Petition of the Serbian Monitoring Group

    A group in Serbia which is monitoring the case of the Belgrade Six has set up a website. On it is a formwhere

    you can sign you name for support.

    The one-line statement reads: We demand that the charges of international terrorism against Ivan Vulovic, SanjaDojkic, Ivan Savic, Ratibor Trivunac, Tadej Kurepa and Nikola Mitrovic be dropped.

    Dont be afraid of the form you will see that in order to sign your name, you have to fill in blanks which are inEnglish: name and email. You will be sent an email which you have to click to confirm. The mail is called Petition:

    Confirm your signing of the petition Peticija. It says in Serbocroatian: Thank you. To confirm your signature, clickon the following link. You click and thats all. Please note that your name will not be published until you confirmthrough this e-mail. The Monitoring Group is made up of individuals from various anti-authoritarian, left and student

    organizations. Their goal is to regularly present information to the public concerning this political trial and to do everything every thing they can sothat the indictment for international terrorism is dismissed.

    http://www.fau.org/verbot/en/art_100128-225439http://www.fau.org/verbot/en/art_100128-225439http://belgradesolidarity.org/sign-the-petition-of-the-serbian-monitoring-group/http://belgradesolidarity.org/sign-the-petition-of-the-serbian-monitoring-group/http://monitoring.zbrka.net/?page_id=23http://monitoring.zbrka.net/?page_id=23http://monitoring.zbrka.net/?page_id=23http://belgradesolidarity.org/sign-the-petition-of-the-serbian-monitoring-group/http://www.fau.org/verbot/en/art_100128-225439
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    Were on the Web!

    The Industrial Workers of the World

    I W W S o n g sMR. BLOCKBy Joe Hill(Air: "It Looks to Me Like a BigTime Tonight")

    Please give me your

    attention, I'll introduce toyouA man that is a credit to"Our Red, White andBlue";

    His head is made of lumber, and solid as a rock;He is a common worker and his name is Mr. Block.And Block he thinks he mayBe President some day.

    CHORUSOh, Mr. Block, you were born by mistake,You take the cake,You make me ache.Tie on a rock to your block and then jump in the lake,Kindly do that for Liberty's sake.

    Yes, Mr. Block is lucky; he found a job, by gee!The sharks got seven dollars, for job and fare and fee.They shipped him to a desert and dumped him with histruck,But when he tried to find his job, he sure was out ofluck.He shouted, "That's too raw, I'll fix them with the law."

    Block hiked back to the city, but wasn't doing well.He said, I'll join the union-the great A. F. of L."He got a job next morning, got fired in the night,He said, "I'll see Sam Gompers and he'll fix that fore-man right."Sam Gompers said, "You see,You've got our sympathy."

    Election day he shouted, "A Socialist for Mayor!"The "comrade" got elected, he happy was for fair,But after the election he got an awful shock.A great big socialistic Bull did rap him on the block.And Comrade Block did sob,"I helped him to his job."

    Poor Block, he died one evening, I'm very glad tostate;He climbed the golden ladder up to the pearly gate.He said, "Oh, Mr. Peter, one word I'd like to tell,I'd like to meet the Astorbilts and John D. Rockefell."Old Pete said, "Is that so?You'll meet them down below."

    I W W P e o p l e

    Ricardo Flores

    Magn

    Ricardo Flores Magn,

    born in 1874, was themost important andinfluential anarchist inthe Mexican revolution-ary movement. Hebecame active in thestruggle against the

    dictator Porfirio Diaz at an early age. In 1901he came to the forefront of the liberal movement,a reformist organization opposed to the excessesof the regime and, as editor of the oppositionnewspapers, Regeneracion (founded by hisbrother) and El Hijo del Ahuizote he was impris-oned several times by the dictatorship. Forced totake refuge in the U.S. in 1904 he continued thestruggle against Diaz first from St. Louis and laterfrom Los Angeles, in spite of continual persecutionand imprisonment by the U.S. authorities at theinstigation of the Mexican dictatorship In 1905Magn founded the Partido Liberal Mexicanowhich organized two unsuccessful uprisingsagainst Diaz in 1906 and 1908. During this timein America, Magn joined the IWW.

    During his early years of exile he became ac-quainted with Emma Goldman, and it was partlythrough her he became an anarchist. With theoutbreak of the revolution of 1910, the revolutionthat he and the P.L.M., more than any other groupor person, had paved the way for, Magn de-voted the rest of his life to the anarchist cause.

    Through his influence large areas of land wereexpropriated by the peasants and worked incommon by then under the banner of Tierra yLlbertad, the motto of the P.L.M., later to beadopted by Zapata. During the years of struggleMagn opposed and fought successive so called"revolutionary regimes," resisting both the oldand new dictatorships with equal vigor. Impris-oned by the U.S. authorities in 1905, 1907, and1912 he was finally sentenced to 20 years underthe espionage laws in 1918. He died in Leaven-worth Prison, Kansas, on November 22, 1922.

    http://www.iww.org/en/projects/isc

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