Vol. 76/No. 7      February 20, 2012

Johnson, one of 1,300 sugar beet workers who have been fighting American Crystal Sugar’s union-busting lockout campaign for more than six months, renewed her subscription to the paper in November.

Her comment is a reflection of the interest supporters of the socialist newspaper have found as they begin a four-week international campaign to sign up 500 readers to renew their subscriptions. The effort to increase the long-term readership of the paper will run from Feb. 11 to March 11. New subscriptions for six months or longer count toward quotas.

As of Feb. 8, local quotas by distributors add up to 477, with 90 renewals or long-term subscriptions sold since Jan. 21—a registration of the effort already under way in many areas.

“The Militant makes me aware of a lot of things that interest me, how other people are dealing with situations like what we are dealing with. I share it with a couple of union guys and also show it to my brother,” said Manuel Ramon, another stalwart of the fight against American Crystal in East Grand Forks who renewed his subscription to the paper in December.

“The first worker I approached with the Militant at the Verizon workers rally on Feb. 2 told me he had just renewed his subscription to the paper for one year,” writes Seth Galinsky from New York. “He said he often clips articles from the Militant and posts them on a bulletin board at the union office.”

Five books are on special for new and renewing readers during the drive, as well as the new book by Pathfinder Press, Women in Cuba: The Making of a Revolution Within the Revolution. (See ads below and on page 6.)

“I like reading about actions by people, not just ideas,” said Michael Peterson, a philosophy graduate from the University of Alberta currently working at a music store in Montreal. He bought his first subscription to the Militant at Occupy Montreal in October and recently renewed.

“I like the coverage on labor struggles and strikes that I don’t find anywhere else,” he added. “I also enjoy the articles on the different books each week,” a reference to the “Books of the Month” column that features excerpts from books by Pathfinder Press offered at reduced prices.

Peterson also purchased a copy of The Making of a Revolution Within the Revolution.

This column will run for the duration of the drive. Please send notes and brief comments on the renewal effort in your area to the Militant by Tuesday, 8:00 a.m. EST. They are irreplaceable.
 
 
Related articles:
Militant Renewal Drive (chart)  
 
 
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