BY ERIC SIMPSON

NEW YORK - On May 27, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. president James Harris and supporters from New York and Boston joined thousands of workers and students for a march and rally in support of workers at Yale University fighting for a contract. Clerical workers, cooks, janitors, and researchers at Yale, members of the Federation of University Employees, have been working without a contract since January. The two locals of the union went on strike earlier this year. They returned to work but are continuing to fight to prevent the subcontracting of work to nonunion companies.

Busloads of unionists from across the Northeast took part in the event, which coincided with commencement ceremonies at Yale. Dozens of students in graduation garb joined the rally, their caps plastered with "we support Yale workers" stickers .

Socialist campaigners distributed hundreds of campaign leaflets expressing support for the Yale workers fight. They sold five subscriptions to the Militant, a subscription to Perspectiva Mundial, and about $200 worth of books and pamphlets. In addition, four students signed up to support the campaign as Young Socialists for Harris and Garza.

Early the next morning Harris greeted dozens of Amtrak and New Jersey Transit rail workers as they changed shifts at Penn Station here. He stood by a four-foot sign announcing "Meet James Harris. Join the Socialist Campaign in `96."

Eric, a coach cleaner, quizzed Harris. "It seems to me a big problem is that the company keeps breaking down unions. Why is this?" His question opened a discussion on how working people can defend their interests today.

Another worker liked Harris's program of fighting for a shorter workweek and defending affirmative action and a woman's right to abortion, but argued vigorously that he should drop the "socialist" from the party's name. Harris responded, "I affirm using `socialist' because that accurately describes what our class needs." Many workers took flyers advertising Harris's public meeting later that week, and five bought copies of the Militant. At one point a dozen workers gathered in the break room and listened attentively to a brief address by Harris.

Later Harris spoke to reporters at a news conference at City Hall. Eleanor Garcia, Brock Satter, and Abby Tilsner, Socialist Workers party candidates for U.S. Congress in New York, were also on hand to answer questions.

"Interest in socialist politics is on the wane," said a reporter from the New York Post. "While many would agree with your proposals such as shortening the work week, isn't it more likely that a third party will come from the right?"

"Workers aren't moving to the right, the framework of ruling- class politics is moving to the right," Harris replied. "We are not trying to fix the capitalist system. We believe it is an obstacle to humanity. The only solution is a workers and farmers government, like exists in Cuba.

"You said that immigrants strengthen the working class. Aren't immigrants adding to the labor force and cheapening labor and isn't that a threat?" asked a reporter from WFUV, a radio station at Fordham University.

"Capitalists will always go where they can get the cheapest labor," Harris said. "We have to fight for unity. Workers should begin to unite to raise the wages of all. There are not too many workers, there are too many for the capitalists to make a profit from. We don't seek national solutions." A reporter from the Swiss paper l'Hebdo also attended the press conference.

A few days earlier, nearly 20 people turned out for a meeting with Harris at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. The SWP candidate spoke about his recent trip to Cuba to attend the convention of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers. A couple of the students at the meeting have been active in building the U.S.-Cuba Youth Exchange planned for July. One person asked Harris about the role Cuban troops played in Angola, where they helped fight off an invasion by the apartheid South African army.

A leader of ACT-UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, also spoke in the discussion. Harris explained that the socialist campaign supports full government funding for medical care and AIDS research.

Jason Coughlin, Ruth Robinett, and Brian Taylor contributed to this article. BY TIM MAILHOT

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Speaking at a gathering of campaign supporters here May 24, Socialist Workers vice-presidential candidate Laura Garza attacked the move by congress to increase the minimum wage $.90 over the next few years. "For working people, this is no relief. It simply means going from poverty level wages to - poverty level wages. Then, while the two parties of the rich pat themselves on the back for this `generosity,' they continue with their program of cutbacks of social programs and attacks on democratic rights. What we need is a minimum wage at union scale - $12 an hour. What we need is a 30 hour work week at 40 hours pay. What we need is cash benefits for those who are unemployed or unable to work, not vouchers, food stamps, or means testing."

As an example of the threats to democratic fights that are looming, Garza pointed to an article she saw in the newspaper that day.

Four of the largest meatpacking companies in the US have cooperated with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to set up a computerized system that will allow companies to quickly determine if an applicant is eligible for employment. "This is very dangerous because it is a step towards a national identity system. It also allows the bosses to create a verifiable layer of rightless workers who will be mercilessly exploited."

On Saturday, May 25, supporters of the Harris-Garza ticket began the day by petitioning to get them placed on the ballot in Alabama.

In the evening, campaigners went to Oneonta, where Garza was invited to address the audience at a weekly dance for the Mexican community. The Mexican population in Oneonta has been steadily growing for a number of years. While most used to work in the fields harvesting tomatoes, peaches and other crops, more are being hired now into industries such as chicken processing, construction, landscaping, and fabrication.

Speaking during a break in the music, she received warm applause when she encouraged everyone to attend the October 12 national demonstration in support of immigrant rights in Washington, D.C. While there, Garza also taped an interview for a local radio station, WKLD.

Sunday afternoon, eight supporters went with Garza to do some campaigning and petitioning at a shift change at the sprawling Fairfield Works steel mill owned by USX where they sold five copies of the Militant, collected petition signatures, and handed out many flyers.

The final event of the tour was a picnic at a supporters house. Some twenty people attended. Garza encouraged everyone there to participate in the campaigning and petitioning in June, and bring those experiences to the Socialist Educational Conference in Oberlin, Ohio, July 6-9

Three young people signed up for Young Socialists for Harris and Garza. Supporters of the campaign raised nearly $400 in contributions and $1000 in pledges for the local and national campaigns during the tour.

Tim Mailhot is a member of United Steelworkers of America Local 8285.  
 
 
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