Vol. 77/No. 3      January 28, 2013

Seattle supporters of the paper had knocked on her door in a working-class neighborhood of Tacoma, Wash., as part of an international effort to distribute the socialist newsweekly and books on working-class politics to working people through door-to-door sales.

“Militant distributors have been going door to door in areas of the city where we sold many subscriptions during the recent international campaign to expand the readership. We’re also experimenting with new working-class areas as there are many here,” Joanne Kuniansky wrote from Sydney, Australia.

“Last Wednesday,” she added, “we went back to Redfern, a working-class suburb, with Militant subscriber Tim Gray, who has been selling the paper regularly. In an hour, the five of us sold four subscriptions, eight single copies and one The Working Class and the Transformation of Learning.”

The title is one of four offered at reduced prices with a subscription. (See ad below.)

“After selling 233 subscriptions and 42 books in the recent campaign,” Alyson Kennedy wrote from Chicago, “Militant supporters here are contacting subscribers and knocking on new doors.

“Three teams going door to door in Southeast Chicago and Bridgeport sold three subscriptions, each with a copy of Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power by Jack Barnes,” Kennedy reported. Supporters are also campaigning for John Hawkins, Socialist Workers Party candidate for Congress in a special election in the 2nd C.D.

“Out of the 17 coworkers who subscribed to the Militant during the last drive, three decided to get their subscription hand-delivered at work,” Laura Anderson in Chicago wrote. She works at Electro Motive Diesel in LaGrange, Ill., and is a member of the United Auto Workers.

“One of these coworkers is Ken, a welder,” she said. “After receiving the recent issue discussing the weak state of our unions, he wanted to learn more about how the labor officialdom did not take on the Jim Crow South and why unions should take up social struggles today.” (See article “Right-to-Work Laws Can’t Stop Fight Ahead to Build Unions” in Dec. 31 issue.)

“In New York, 14 Militant supporters participated in door-to-door sales this past Sunday in six working-class neighborhoods,” Deborah Liatos reported. “Sunday is the main day supporters here can go out together because of work schedules. Seven teams went out, selling nine subscriptions, 20 single copies and three books offered at reduced prices.”

Jacqueline Warren in the Far Rockaway section of Queens got one of the books. She subscribed to the paper during the fall. Two Militant supporters went back to her place as they were going door to door in the area.

“I really look forward to getting the paper every week and read it cover to cover,” she said.

Supporters in Seattle went twice last week to the Teamsters Local 177 picket line at United Natural Foods Inc. in Auburn, Wash. Workers there have been on strike for a month, demanding the reinstatement of 72 of them who were fired by the company.

Striker Maria Domingo-Ojeda, 43, an order picker for six years, got a subscription following a discussion on the importance for working people of the fight for immigrant rights. “My whole family marches every May Day for immigrant rights,” she said.

John Naubert reports that so far UNFI strikers have bought 10 subscriptions and three books.

“The Militant helped us. Reports on the resistance going on around the world motivated us,” said Roger Ruiz as he signed up for a six-month renewal at a plant-gate sale at the Port of Los Angeles.

Ruiz is a port trucker at Toll Group. Workers there won a big victory last year when they beat back yearslong efforts by the company to deny them representation by Teamsters Local 848.

“This past week, two workers involved in a fight with American Crystal Sugar mailed in renewals,” wrote Frank Forrestal from Minneapolis.

The company locked out 1,300 employees in August 2011 at plants in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa in a drive to impose a concession contract, which workers since have voted down four times.

Brad Nelson sent in one of the renewals, along with a holiday card thanking the Militant for sticking with their struggle.

“As we stand now,” Forrestal said, “we have 29 readers of the paper in the Red River Valley,” where the fight is centered.

You can join the effort to expand the readership of the paper. Order a bundle and subscription blanks at themilitant@mac.com or (212) 244-2899.

“Militant supporters here discussed how we all just get caught up in selling and talking, forgetting to write down quotes or take pictures. We really will work to get this done,” Joanne Kuniansky commented in her note.

This is a good New Year’s resolution to emulate.

Continue sending reports, comments and photos by Monday 9 a.m. EST.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home