The event celebrated the 70th anniversary of the 1934 strikes by workers in the trucking industry that helped pave the way for the union battles that forged the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).

Lisa Rottach, a member of the Socialist Workers Party from Omaha, Nebraska, “gave a talk tying the labor rebellions of yesterday and today with the prospects for a working-class revolution in the United States,” Fiske wrote.

“Militant supporters contributed $1,650 at the meeting, and pledged a further $450,” he said. Twin Cities campaigners have talked to all those who have pledged during the eight-week drive, winning commitments to collect the $1,000-plus remaining and send it to the Militant.

This kind of effort and one-on-one follow-up is needed everywhere. With one week to go, $32,000 remains to be collected to get in all the pledges. Local quotas amount to $93,000. Getting this in by the May 17 deadline, as local supporters are driving to do, would take the fund well over the international goal of $85,000.

The $20,000 sent in last week by supporters in the United States was an improvement over previous weeks. It bodes well for a concerted effort to bring in the rest the last week of the drive.

From Tampa, Florida, which tops the chart in the United States, fund organizer Cheryl Goertz reported May 11 that the collection there now exceeds $1,425. The money is on the way, she said. Far from resting on their laurels, she added, “supporters are planning to contact Militant readers who said they want to donate but haven’t done so yet.”

Like their Twin Cities counterparts, campaigners in Birmingham and Pittsburgh organized successful fund meetings over the May 9-10 weekend.

Chris Remple reported that 19 people attended the event in Pittsburgh to hear Romina Green, an SWP National Committee member in Cleveland, speak on “Cuba and the Coming American Revolution.” Remple said that “almost $900 was contributed at the meeting.”

All checks received by midday Tuesday, May 18, will count toward the final tally, which will be published in next week’s Militant. To make a contribution, send a check or money order payable to “The Militant,” and mail it to 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, New York, NY 10018.

See fund chart  
 
 
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