The New York meeting, scheduled for December 10, will feature leaders of the Socialist Workers Party who are involved in the party’s work in support of the fight by Co-Op miners in Utah for representation by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). Militant editor Argiris Malapanis, who is also a defendant in the suit, will take part in the program.

Distributors of the Militant in Chicago have adopted a goal of raising $2,000 and are also planning a December 10 meeting.

Such events can help partisans of the fund go a long way toward meeting the goal. With two weeks to go, over half the amount targeted is still outstanding. Just over $14,300 has been received by the Militant. Pledges to the fund now stand at $27,587, leaving $2,413 in additional pledges needed to reach the goal.

The fund was launched October 31 to defend the socialist newsweekly against a harassment lawsuit filed against it by the Kingstons, the owners of the Co-Op mine in Utah. In addition to the Militant, defendants in the suit include 20 of the paper’s reporters who have written articles on this struggle. The Militant has a proud record of covering this fight and urging support for the Co-Op miners’ efforts to establish UMWA representation. Since the union-organizing battle erupted in September of last year, 55 of the 60 issues of the paper that have been published have carried articles on this labor struggle.

In all, 120 organizations and individuals—including the UMWA, 17 current and former Co-Op miners, the Catholic Church in Utah, and the two main dailies in Utah—are cited in the Kingstons’ lawsuit on allegations of “unlawful labor practices” and “defamation” against the company. The fund will cover the costs of retaining attorneys and initial legal fees and organizing a public defense campaign. Contributions to the fund should be made out to The Militant and earmarked “Militant Fighting Fund.” They should be sent to the Militant at 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, New York, NY 10018.

The militant fighting fund chart