She was joined by local SWP candidates John Hawkins for city council at-large, and Lea Sherman for D.C. Delegate to the House of Representatives at a September 28 rally of dozens of farmers.

One Georgia farmer described to Arrin Hawkins the two-decade-long fight he has been waging against discrimination at the hands of local USDA agents. Hawkins said the socialist campaign platform calls for stopping farm foreclosures, and for government-funded, cheap credit and price supports to cover working farmers’ production costs. “Such demands by the labor movement are essential to build an alliance of workers and exploited producers on the land to fight for our common interests,” she said.

In the course of the day this farmer and many others took campaign literature and eight subscribed to the campaign newspaper, the Militant.

The next day Hawkins campaigned at two meatpacking plants where supporters of the SWP campaign introduced her to their co-workers. At A.M. Briggs, where workers were scheduled to vote on a contract proposal the next day, union members listened keenly when Hawkins explained that the top priority in the socialist platform is the need of workers to strengthen their unions, or organize a union if they don’t have one, to fight the companies’ attacks on wages and working conditions.

Later that day Hawkins spoke with hotel workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 25, as they emerged from a meeting where they heard a report on contract negotiations. The contract, which covers 3,800 workers at 14 major D.C. hotels, expired September 15. The unionists had just learned that San Francisco’s unionized hotel workers had gone on strike, and wanted to discuss its impact on their struggle.

At a campaign table outside the meeting held at Asbury Church, workers responded warmly to the campaign sign supporting workers fighting to organize unions. Dozens stopped to talk with Hawkins and the other socialist campaign supporters and picked up campaign literature. The socialist candidate pointed out the need to mobilize union power and extend solidarity to the strikers in San Francisco. Several unionists bought books and pamphlets that are part of Pathfinder’s Supersaver Sale (see link).

During her tour, Hawkins was also interviewed by the Washington Afro-American, a weekly newspaper oriented to the Black community.
 
 
Related articles:
Break from parties of the employers!
Socialist candidate for Senate in N.Y. debates Green, Libertarian opponents
Calero meets with students, meat packers in Twin Cities
Socialists campaign in Texas, Louisiana
Calero stumps in Tampa
New Jersey socialist candidates join debates
Iowa sets pace during sub drive target week  
 
 
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