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Vol. 78/No. 6      February 17, 2014

 
25, 50, and 75 Years Ago
 

February 17, 1989

MIAMI — A walkout by 1,700 union members protesting unjust disciplinary action against three workers hit the huge Eastern Airlines maintenance base facility at Miami International Airport February 7.

The walkout by members of the International Association of Machinists began at 2:30 p.m. Although managers and foremen stationed themselves in hallways and told workers they would be fired if they left, the overwhelming majority of workers downed their tools and walked off the job.

The unionists streamed out of the base facility and gathered behind one of the large maintenance buildings. Three mechanics from the components shop were told to work overtime Friday. They refused. The company told them to come to work Sunday. They refused. When they reported for work on Monday, they were suspended for three days.

February 17, 1964

NEW YORK — The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a suit challenging the constitutionality of a law under which the Post Office acts as censor of unsealed mail from 26 counties.

The suit was filed in federal court here on behalf of David McReynolds, a prominent figure in the peace movement and in the Socialist Party-Social Democratic Federation.

Under the law being challenged, the Post Office does not deliver mail which it deems to be “Communist political propaganda.” Instead, it sends a card to the addressee asking whether he wants the “Communist political propaganda” delivered to him. Unless the addressee sends backs a written, affirmative reply within 60 days, the mail is destroyed.

The ACLU complaint states that a copy of The Crusader, Robert F. Williams’ newsletter, now published in Cuba, was not delivered to McReynolds.

February 17, 1939

On February 20, under the guise of “George Washington Birthday Exercises,” the allied Fascist-Nazi organizations are planning to hold a mass mobilization in the Madison Square Garden. The mobilization is backed by Hitler’s German-American Bund, the notorious Pelley’s Silver Shirts, the “Social Justice” gang of Father Coughlin, the Hague gangsters from Jersey City, and a further assortment of anti-Semites, labor-haters, Red-baiters and similar scum.

New York City has one of the strongest and best organized trade union movements in the world. The Garden meeting is aimed at it.

New York City has the largest Jewish population of any city in the world. The Garden meeting is aimed at it.

Organize a militant, mass counter-demonstration at the Madison Square Garden on February 20!  
 
 
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