Labor Day parade
Pittsburgh's annual Labor Day parade drew about 50,000
participants representing 130 unions. Of note this year was
the well-organized and spirited contingent of US Airways
Association of Flight Attendants who are publicizing the fact
that they have gone almost a thousand days without a contract.
As they marched they chanted "We get peanuts! They get big
bucks!" and handed out packets of peanuts to onlookers. They
also chanted, "We support the IAM!," a reference to the 7,000
USAirways International Association of Machinists members who
are counting down a 30-day "cooling-off period" to a strike
deadline set for September 26.
Another group of workers in the march who were also reaching out for solidarity were in the Wilkinsburg Education Association, which has worked for six years without a new contract or meaningful negotiations. In that period, the Wilkinsburg school board spent thousands to hand over the operation of an elementary school to a private, for-profit outfit that resulted in the layoffs of union members.
This private, for-profit school was later ruled illegal. The school board's latest maneuver is a quest to open a charter school for $1.8 million. Mike Evans, president of the Wilkinsburg Education Association noted, "They tried privatization and now charter schools, like this is the medicine." He and many teachers felt the goal of the school board is to break the union. The union has announced picket lines for the start of the school year, which is September 7.
A group of around a dozen rank-and-file members of the Teamsters union who are refuse haulers and predominantly Black came to the march with hand-lettered signs stating "Murphy is a liar!," "Murphy is anti-labor!" Thomas Murphy is mayor of Pittsburgh. These workers holding their signs took up a position across the street from the parade reviewing stand that holds many local politicians and union officials.
They explained to Militant supporters that they have gone nine months without a contract from the city. They proudly noted that their presence forced Mayor Murphy from the reviewing stand. Twenty Militants were sold to parade participants, including members of the flight attendants, IAM members, steelworkers, and a United Mine Workers member.
Lorraine Starsky
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
From behind prison bars
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if there is a subscription cost or not, nor how many issues
are published a year. If there is a charge will you consider
waiving it as I'm in segregation and can't work for the 17.5
cents an hour they pay here (surely you know how prisons do
it) to afford a subscription. If not can you at least send me
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A prisoner
Munising, Michigan
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A prisoner
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
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