Bill Bumpus Somerville MA - An injury to one is an injury to all

Railroad Workers and Friends:
Please come on out for an open air demonstration to protest the latest anti-union and anti-worker antics of the White House and Congress. Rail workers have been fighting for a decent contract that includes scheduled time off and sick leave provisions. The majority have rejected a contract, and now the government is attempting to mandate it through legislation. This is not acceptable!
President Biden is visiting JFK Library in Boston Friday for an event. A number of local groups are coming together to show him that we are not happy with this behavior!!

Day & Time: Friday 12/2 Picket starting 11:30am, Rally starting 12pm. Estimated end is 1:30pm.

Location: Biden will be visiting JFK Library for an event. The picket and rally will be held at the corner of University Drive North and Colombia Point, on the parking lot side. https://goo.gl/maps/PCPbhvtL6nWf1ZX4A 

Transit:  Take the Red Line to the JFK/UMASS stop and follow signage to the ground level bus shelters. Catch the Paul Revere Route 1 shuttle bus, provided by the University of Massachusetts Boston free of charge. Exit the bus at the Kennedy/Archives stop located at the end of the JFK Library and Museum’s parking lot. Visitors can track shuttle buses at https://umb.transloc.com/. 

Parking: May be limited or blocked off for security purposes. 

Hope to see you all there!!

Railroad Workers United

Solidarity — Unity — Democracy

Sign the Open Letter to Congress and the President

Action Alert: Sign the Open Letter to Congress and the President

View this Email as a Webpage

Calling All Working Railroaders and Their Allies: Sign the Open Letter to Congress and the President Today! Railroad Workers United invites all working railroaders and their supporters to sign the following Open Letter to Congress and the President urging them to rescind and reject President Biden’s proposal for Congress to force rail carriers and rail workers to accept a tentative contract agreement that has been rejected by four out of the twelve railroad unions. These four unions represent the majority of workers on the nation’s freight railroads, and by pushing through a tentative agreement that a majority of rank-and-file union members have declared completely unsatisfactory, President Biden and Congress would be overriding the democratically expressed will of railroad workers. While the tentative agreement provides significant wage increases, workers on the railroads have stated clearly and repeatedly that their fight is not just about money. Railroad workers are fighting for the right to live—and have a life—outside of work.Read and sign the full letter at the link below. This is one additional and important way to raise your voice in support of the dignity and humanity of railroad workers and all workers, everywhere. Sign the Open Letter and Submit Your Signature by Clicking Here Railroad Workers UnitedSolidarity — Unity — Democracy ‌ Visit our Website ‌ Subscribe to the RWU News and Information Service Quick Renew Your Membership Here Join RWU Railroad Workers United | P.O. Box 221191, Chicago, IL 60622 202-798-3327

The Teamsters-UPS Contract Campaign: A rank and file strategy — with Joe Allen and Howie Hawkins

November 5, 2022, Saturday — 6:30 pm ET; 3:30 pm PT — A Zoom webinar

Join us in a webinar discussion regarding the struggle for a new contract between the Teamsters and UPS (United Parcel Service).

The Teamster-United Parcel Service contract ends July 31, 2023, and the Teamsters union under a new administration of Sean O’Brien (President) and Fred Zuckerman (GST) are mobilizing for a renewed and greatly improved contract. UPS has made billions during the Covid epidemic. The current, five-year agreement is a national contract covering more than 350,000 Teamsters —the largest private collective bargaining agreement in the country.
How can the left work in support of the Teamsters in a rank and file approach? What is the rank and file strategy going forward in 2022-2023?

Speakers:
Joe Allen: a former Teamster, UPS and logistics industry worker, socialist, author, having worked in the Watertown, Mass. and Chicago, IL UPS shops, as well as Yellow Freight and others. He offers deep insight in the rank and file working conditions at UPS and of the logistics industry.
Read his book: The Package King: A Rank and File History of UPS https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1441-the-package-king

Howie Hawkins: is also a former UPS worker; a Green Party (U.S.) founder, activist, socialist and Green Party candidate. A member of the Socialist Party USA, TDU and the Green Party. Hawkins supports independent political action, and a rank and file organizing strategy in labor.

For further information, and to preregister, contact: Bill Shakalis, Labor Work Group Chair, Socialist Party USA

wshakalis@gmail.com 

Rail Workers Solidarity Organizing Meeting 11/1/2022

Register for the November 1st Event Here

Tuesday, Nov. 1st, 2022 – 7:00 PM Central Time We, railroad workers, are currently engaged in one of the most important struggles in recent labor history, in an industry that is at the heart of the functioning of society. The rail industry has seen massive deregulation, lean production, and persistent undermining of working conditions that have made the work all but intolerable. Worsening conditions is something that is being felt in all sectors and industries for working people!Despite enormous political pressure, we remain fed up, evidenced by the sections of workers who are voting NO on a Tentative Agreement that they feel doesn’t address the basic quality of life issues, issues they are apparently willing to strike over. Our organization, Railroad Workers United (RWU), a cross-craft grouping of rails that first came together in 2008, composed of railroad workers from all unions and all crafts has launched a Vote No Campaign, insisting that this Tentative Agreement offers very little given the conditions we face and the role we play in the economy. If railroad workers strike, it will have immediate implications – economically and politically – for every sector of US society, and most importantly for the labor movement and the working class as a whole. Featuring: Working Railroaders from various crafts/unions. Facilitated by Max Alvarez from The Real News who has covered this struggle extensively this past year. Please Come and hear our members speak about the struggle, the situation on the rails, and how you can get involved in efforts to support our efforts!

Register for the November 1st Event Here

To date (10/26/22), 44 organizations have signed on as co-sponsors along with Railroad Workers United! View an Updated List of Co-Sponsors Co-sponsorship simply means officially endorsing the event, willingness to be part of the coalition, use of your organization’s name and logo, and commitment to spread the word and build for the event. Sign On as a Co-Sponsor of the Event Here Organizations who wish to send a brief (no more than 60 seconds) Statement of Solidarity (written or video) are highly encouraged to do so! Send us Your Short Statement/Video of Solidarity Here Questions & More Information Here Railroad Workers UnitedSolidarity — Unity — Democracy ‌ Visit our Website ‌ Subscribe to the RWU News and Information Service Get Stickers, Buttons, T-Shirts & More at the RWU Store Join RWU R/ailroad Workers United | P.O. Box 221191, Chicago, IL 60622