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Vol. 76/No. 10      March 12, 2012

 
Five areas raise goals in
‘Militant’ renewal drive!
 
BY LOUIS MARTIN  
Nearly halfway through a five-week effort to increase the long-term readership of the Militant, five areas have increased their goals—Des Moines, Houston, Minneapolis, San Francisco and New Zealand. This brings the sum of quotas around the world to 501—one above the international goal of 500.

So far, 316 readers have renewed or signed up for long-term subscriptions, 63 percent of the overall goal.

“A Tesoro oil refinery worker, Ben Fields, signed up for a 12-week subscription earlier this month at a protest outside the plant against company demands for concessions,” said Betsey Stone from San Francisco. “He was attracted to the Militant’s coverage of workers’ struggles. At a second protest at the refinery the following week, he upgraded his subscription to one year and got another one-year subscription for his father.”

“I want an alternative to the papers that only present a capitalist party line,” Fields said.

Stone said people who recently signed up for long-term and renewed subscriptions include hotel and catering workers, workers fired by Pacific Steel Casting after an immigration audit, a former striker at the American Licorice Co., and two workers who signed up during a student strike at the University of California at Berkeley.

“Since the beginning of the year,” writes Ellie García from Los Angeles, “regular Militant sales by members of the Socialist Workers Party to longshore workers have picked up at the port here. We usually sell from 15 to 30 copies.

“International Longshore and Warehouse Union members have been interested in discussing the fight of ILWU Local 21 workers in Longview, Wash., as well as the recent on-the-job death of a coworker (see article on page 4) and other issues. One young worker renewed his subscription and two bought six-month subscriptions. In addition, 10 books have been sold,” says García.

Five books on revolutionary working-class politics are on special discount with a subscription. (See ad below.)

“I like the Militant because it talks about the whole world, not just America. It is bold, not afraid and it doesn’t try to please the right or the left,” said Erica Thomas when she renewed her subscription from coworker Jacob Perasso. Both work at Yamaha in Newnan, Ga., a plant that makes golf carts and all-terrain vehicles.

“Members of the Communist League here,” writes Paul Davies from London, “have now sold 15 renewal subscriptions toward the goal of 20, including to people who first picked up subscriptions to the paper from door-to-door sales teams in the working-class neighborhoods of Dagenham and Eltham.

“Some of those who renew,” adds Davies, “are taking the paper to work to pass on to coworkers. Several readers who bought subscriptions at Occupy London and other political events last year have also renewed.”

With a number of areas well ahead of schedule, are there any others out there bold enough to raise their goals?
 
 
Related articles:
‘Militant’ Renewal Drive Feb. 11 – March 18 (chart)  
 
 
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