State of the (Occupied) Union
Remember the protesters who commandeered New York’s Zuccotti Park and clashed with Oakland police this fall, in the name of the “99 percent”? Tuesday’s speech was arguably their greatest accomplishment yet, as the president called economic fairness “the defining issue of our time.”
http://tinyurl.com/7gpuj2h
The Cost of Commuting: MBTA’s Fare Proposals
Bostonians have been expressing their outrage about these proposals all over the online world and the topic itself is being tackled by hundreds of bloggers, journalists, and commuters all over the metro Boston area!
Twitter has been at the front of this frenzy with thousands of users tweeting their comments to MBTA of?cials (@mbtaGM), State Officials (@MassGovernor ), or just out to the Twitterverse hoping that someone out there is listening. Several groups have also formed out of the frustration, such as Occupy MBTA (@OccupyMBTA) a Twitter adopting the moniker of the Occupy Boston movement and Students Against T Cuts, (@StudentsTCuts) a group that consists of college students from around Boston who believe that the proposed scenarios are a step backwards in the development of the city’s businesses, people, and institutions of higher education.
http://tinyurl.com/7adztw7
No Layoffs for Harvard Libraries
On January 19, Harvard University Library Executive Director Helen Shenton told stunned Harvard Library staff that their numbers were to shrink. She announced that the cuts would be accomplished by July, through voluntary and involuntary means. Officials would rewrite some job descriptions and eliminate other jobs completely, and staffers would have to apply for a smaller number of reconfigured positions.
. . .
During its last wave of mass layoffs, Harvard maintained, unpersuasively, that a drop in its huge endowment made job losses inevitable. After a 21.4 percent jump in the endowment during the last fiscal year, to $32 billion, Harvard cannot possibly make any such claims today. Union activists believe the University’s plans to cut costs come at the expense of local communities. In a particularly ominous development, 15 out of 22 employees at Harvard Health Publications learned on January 11 that they would lose their jobs in March. The devastated staffers of HHP must wonder how they will find new positions in the current bleak economy. As of last week, library workers must wonder the same thing.
However, since 2008, the ground has shifted. The Occupy Wall Street movement has pointed a glaring spotlight at social inequalities, the concentration of wealth, and widespread unemployment. Harvard’s workers have actively participated in Occupy Boston and Occupy Harvard. Important links have been built, and potentially powerful networks have risen up. Employees who stayed on the sidelines of past years’ pickets now boldly advocate direct action to fight the planned cuts. No Layoffs campaigners know they will have many more allies this time around.
Providence City Leaders Surprised at Occupiers Idea to Re-Occupy
The Occupy Providence protestors have agreed to pack up their tents at Burnside park the moment the city opens a homeless day shelter, but what the protestors may do after leaving is coming as a surprise to city leaders.
The occupiers say just because they agree to vacate one park does not mean they will not pitch their tents somewhere else. The plans to re-occupy are not final, but protestors are stressing that the movement is far from over.
“Not at all,” Mike McCarthy, an occupier said. “There’s a lot of people here who are ready to re-occupy somewhere else. There’s a lot of people who are ready to do many more great things. The beauty of this is that there’s been a big victory.”
http://tinyurl.com/6mdqqnw
Occupy movement exposes uncomfortable fact of class war
The savage corporate plunder that led to our current recession seems to have exploded for all time the belief in the existence of a harmonious, prosperous society. Who would argue against the theory that the protest of the so-called 99 percent against the 1 percent is a rebellion of the poor and middle class against the rich based on a recognition that society is stratified?
And that is the essence of class consciousness. Marx thought such class consciousness would inevitably lead to revolution. In 2012 America, it has led instead to a consciousness among the Occupy protesters against a one-sided system of financial exploitation, which in its own way is quite revolutionary.
http://tinyurl.com/6qpus3u
Occupy Activism Shows the Way Forward for Labor
In many ways the Occupy movement, since its inception, has provided a challenge to the main union leaders in the U.S. The Occupy movement has inspired a new generation of young people who want to build a dynamic, powerful movement of working people, relying on our power to protest, organize, and disrupt business as usual. But, this vision is not shared by many union leaders today whose outlook has been shaped by a period of huge setbacks for labor.
While workers and unions have been on the defensive for decades, the union leaders have hesitated to put forward bold fighting policies that measure up to the needs of waging a successful struggle against Corporate America. Instead, the union leaders have focused on helping Democrats get elected, wasting billions of dollars on a party that has sided with the 1% again and again.
Supporting the Democrats is a dead end for labor. What is needed to reverse the situation for workers and the labor movement is exactly what the Occupy movement has demonstrated – bold, mass, direct action and strikes that utilize our power as workers.
http://tinyurl.com/74bvut4
Unions see Super Bowl leverage in labor battle
Facing a legislative vote that would make Indiana a right-to-work state, alarmed union members are thinking about making their case on perhaps the nation’s biggest stage – the Super Bowl.
Indiana, with its auto and other manufacturing industries, has a strong union tradition. Thousands of workers in at least a half-dozen unions, including stagehands, truckers, carpenters, electricians and service employees, will be involved in erecting and staffing the huge tent city of food pavilions, kids’ amusements and live-music venues near Lucas Oil Stadium for a week before the Feb. 5 game.
Occupy San Diego says 80 percent of arrested Occupiers have never been charged with anything
“Most significantly, I want to address the number of people arrested whose charges have not been filed. You should not just be able to arrest a whole bunch of people for nothing and not ever have anybody say that’s wrong.”
The Citadel issues apology after reporter ‘pushed and shoved’
The Citadel issued an apology to BuzzFeed.com after one of its reporters was reportedly “pushed and shoved” and “ripped” away from her iPhone by college public safety officials following a Rick Santorum speech where an Occupy protester threw glitter at the Republican presidential candidate.
A letter issued to BuzzFeed.com from Jeff Perez, Vice President of External Affairs at The Citadel, stated, “I understand and appreciate how hard reporters must work to get the story, and I’m very sorry that Rosie Gray had a negative experience on Saturday night.”
UC David Occupiers seize small building on campus
A group of “Occupy” protestors has taken over a vacant cottage on the UC Davis campus and the squatters claim they have no intention of leaving.
The cottage is the former home of the Cross Cultural Center, which moved into another building last month.
If the Occupy protestors remain, however, a conflict is inevitable because two other campus organizations are slated to move into the cottage.
http://tinyurl.com/829p4gk
Protesters to ‘Occupy’ Vegas business seminar
Members of all Las Vegas Occupy groups plan to demonstrate outside the Get Motivated! Business Seminar Tuesday. Occupiers say they want to send a warning about what they call “a corporate con-job.”
Some of the featured speakers at Get Motivated! include Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell and Laura Bush.
http://tinyurl.com/7kolcr5
Occupy Wall Street group to protest Monsanto
The Occupy Wall Street Maui group will hold demonstrations this week near the intersection of Piilani Highway and Kanani Road to protest Monsanto and genetically modified crops.
Monsanto is the largest of the “so-called bio-tech or life science companies,” according to an event announcement. Protest organizers question the safety of Monsanto’s research crops grown in Kihei.
Monsanto officials did not respond to a voice mail message seeking comment.
http://tinyurl.com/6w8secg
Occupy DC draws fire during congressional hearing
U.S. park officials came under fire during congressional hearing Tuesday as Republican lawmakers scrutinized the “Occupy” encampments, which have persisted in the capital for nearly four months.
National Park Service announces it will enforce camping ban against Occupy DC
Occupy DC protesters will get one final warning before U.S. Park Police begin to enforce the ban on camping in McPherson Square, but enforcement will be conducted against individuals and will not lead to a full-scale eviction of demonstrators, the National Park Service’s director said Tuesday.
More CEOs Rake in $50 Million or More
2011 is shaping up as the year of the $50 million-plus CEO.
Huge employment contracts, retention deals, stock-option gains, bonuses, and golden parachutes are creating big windfalls for incoming executives, current CEOs, and even those on their way out, according to a USA TODAY analysis of company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Occupation Records: How the 99% Run a Record Label
Part of spreading the message is in how we operate, organising the label to embody the values of Occupy. The label’s operation is very distinct from a traditional label. All key decisions for the label, from artwork on an album, to production budgets, are made by consensus and each member of the eight person collective is represented by a union.
In the spirit of the movement, all releases are planned to be offered digitally on a pay-what-you-can basis where the customer sets the price. All profits go to support Occupy London, Occupy camps around the UK and Ireland, as well as the global Occupy movement.
Politicians ruling at the people’s expense
In addition to the stark inequality where Congress members have a median net worth that is nine times the overall population’s but over 160 times that of the poorer people, members are further insulated by the privileges of office. House members can hire personal staffs of 18 full-time workers and have office budgets of around $1.5 million. Senators, depending on the size of their state, have staff numbers from 26 to 60 and office budgets that run from $2,960,726 for the smallest state to $4,685,279 for each of California’s senators.
And then there are the perks of office, including their own police force, private restaurants, free mailing privileges, a private subway, a research service, premium health insurance, free airport parking and lots more.
Americans ceased to support the Iraq and Afghanistan wars by 2006 when 56 per cent became opposed. In the recent debate about the US debt ceiling, a strong majority favoured a tax on income of $1 million annually. Congress, in these instances, and many others did not vote in accord with the wishes of their constituents.
http://tinyurl.com/7zznxg2
Alarmist Utah newspaper reports, “Occupy Wall Street, in brazen act, storms into Wells Fargo lobby”
Occupy Wall Street demonstrators stormed into the lobby of the Wells Fargo bank branch on Kearns Boulevard Monday afternoon, briefly chanting and dancing in front of surprised customers and bank workers before quickly being ordered out by police officers who were standing by.
The group numbered less than a dozen. They mobilized outside the bank minutes before they entered the building. Organizers had publicized their plans to demonstrate outside the bank beforehand, and police officers and reporters arrived at the Kearns Boulevard-Bonanza Drive prior to the demonstrators appearing.
http://tinyurl.com/7zznxg2
Occupy Syracuse to host Occupy Ball
While Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner is holding a fundraiser Saturday at the Landmark Theatre for her 2013 re-election campaign, members of Occupy Syracuse plan to hold an event of their own outside the theater. The Occupy Ball will give protesters a chance to highlight the destructive role of money in politics, organizers said in a news release. They are encouraging the public to attend.
Tickets for the Mayor’s Ball are $1,000 apiece for a private reception with Miner and hors d’oevres and an open bar from 6 to 7 p.m. Or for $250 apiece or $400 per couple, donors can attend the ball from 7 to 11 p.m. with dinner and an open bar.
The Occupy event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Participants plan to ask people attending the mayor’s event what they hope to buy with their $1,000. The Occupy members will charge 1 cent or a food item – canned or boxed (no meat), bottled sauces, produce, etc.
http://tinyurl.com/73a5yga
Tentative agreement could end West Coast longshore battle that attracted Occupy support
ILWU International President, Robert McEllrath said, “This is a win for the ILWU, EGT, and the Longview community. I want to thank Governor Gregoire for her leadership in working with both parties to find common ground. The ILWU has eight decades of grain export experience in the Northwest and we look forward to the opportunity to develop a positive working relationship with EGT.”
Larry Clarke, CEO of EGT said, “While the parties are still working to finalize certain conditions over the next several days, we are optimistic we can resolve the dispute and get on with the business of operating the facility.”
The tentative agreement may defuse a tense standoff as the Longview dockworkers wage a valiant battle to defend their jobs.
Pennsylvania Occupier Declares Run For Congress
At least one member of the Occupy movement wants to move his cause indoors.
Politico reports that Nathan Kleinman of Philadelphia has declared his candidacy for the House of Representatives in Pennsylvania’s 13th District. He’ll challenge Democratic incumbent Allyson Schwartz in the primary. Kleinman has been an involved member of Philadelphia’s Occupy chapter, but also has a bit of experience working as a congressional staffer on the state level.
Letter to the Editor: ‘Occupy’ operates as a true democracy
A democracy runs by a direct vote of the people; it has no hierarchy and no chosen leaders. In a democracy, everybody is a leader.
I have been active in 50 organizations, but never in a true democracy – until I joined Occupy. This has been an education. Democracies are messy, emotional, humbling, and can be confusing until you get the hang of it. But they are a whole lot of fun.
http://tinyurl.com/7u3gmoe
In Brazil, anti-capitalist forum organized in opposition to Davos WEF gathering draws thousands
Thousands of demonstrators flocked Tuesday to the biggest anti-capitalist annual event of its kind worldwide to protest what they see as the global system’s grave injustice and other ills.
Waving banners with the hopeful slogan “Another World is Possible,” they marked the opening of the World Social Forum, an alliance of social movements opposed to the World Economic Forum, the annual gathering of the world’s economic and political elites being held at the same time in the Swiss resort of Davos.
Participants including members of Spain’s “Indignant” movement and the US Occupy Wall Street, are meeting in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre to weigh alternative solutions to the global economic crisis.
http://tinyurl.com/7aaw6h2
Billionaires at Davos Want to Talk About Economic Inequalities Too
Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk wants to talk about income inequality. So does Irish billionaire Denis O’Brien and Indian billionaire Vikas Oberoi.
The three are among a contingent of at least 70 billionaires who are joining more than 2,500 business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, this week, according to a list of attendees and promotional materials obtained by Bloomberg News. A half-dozen of the richest participants, interviewed in advance of the conference, say economic disparity needs to be addressed.
“Many who will be in Davos are the people being blamed for economic inequalities,” Oberoi, 42, chairman of Oberoi Realty Ltd., India’s second-biggest real estate developer by market value, said in an interview earlier this month by mobile phone from his car in Mumbai. “I hope it’s not just about glamour and people having a big party.”
http://tinyurl.com/75qwm9f
Davos organizers invites Occupiers in for a discussion about ‘reforming capitalism’
Protest organizer David Roth told the AP his group hadn’t decided yet whether to accept. He said the event appeared to be a “staged self-criticism” by forum organizers. His group had suggested a debate at a neutral venue instead.
Thousands of Swiss soldiers and police have been shoveling snow to erect a ‘ring of steel’ against unwelcome demonstrators hoping to gatecrash the meeting. Some 3,500 soldiers are on hand to provide security to the VIPs, who include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron and nearly 40 other world leaders.
http://tinyurl.com/7sxwczj
Swiss police press charges against anti-Davos protesters
Swiss police will charge more than 100 demonstrators with breaching the peace after they rallied in Bern Saturday to protest against the World Economic Forum that holds its annual meeting in Davos this week.