April 1986 Chernobyl disaster and Cuba’s internationalism

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021
Cuban President Fidel Castro, left, greets children arriving from Ukraine, March 29, 1990. Over 25,000 affected by Chernobyl radiation poisoning, mainly from Ukraine but also Belarus and Russia, received free medical treatment under internationalist program of Cuban Revolution.

Thirty-five years ago, the worst nuclear disaster in history occurred at the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, with devastating and long-lasting social and environmental consequences. On April 26, 1986, a test went terribly wrong.…


Locked-out Marathon workers mark 100 days on picket line

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021

ST. PAUL PARK, Minn. — Some 200 members of Teamsters Local 120 locked-out by Marathon Petroleum here marked their 100th day on the picket line April 30. They set up informational pickets at different Speedway gas stations, owned by Marathon,…


SWP calls Int’l Active Workers Conference in Ohio July 22-24

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021

The Socialist Workers Party is hosting an International Active Workers Conference at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, July 22-24. Due to lockdown restrictions imposed by all levels of government since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the last time the…


Quebec packinghouse workers strike over wages, respect

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021
Striking packinghouse workers picket Olymel cut and kill plant in Vallee-Jonction, Quebec, April 30. Over 1,000 unionists walked out in fight for new contract, wage raise and respect.

VALLEE-JONCTION, Quebec — After bosses refused to respond to the union’s April 19 proposal for wage increases, and then refused to show up for a scheduled negotiating session, more than 1,000 unionized meatpackers at Olymel’s large pork slaughtering plant walked…


Texas refinery workers fight lockout by ExxonMobil

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021

DALLAS — More than 650 members of United Steelworkers Local 13-243 were locked out May 1 by ExxonMobil bosses at their refinery in Beaumont, Texas. Negotiations had begun in January for a new contract, but company officials walked workers out…


Coffee workers in UK fight big-time wage cuts

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021

BANBURY, England — Dozens of workers at Jacobs Douwe Egberts staged a May Day plant gate action here in rural Oxfordshire 80 miles northwest of London. The Unite union members have started escalating strike actions in a fight against the…


SWP condemns attack on Minnesota mosque

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021

MOORHEAD, Minn. — Hundreds gathered at the Moorhead-Fargo Islamic Community Center and mosque here April 26 carrying paintbrushes and cleaning chemicals. They had come to remove vulgar, anti-Muslim graffiti spray-painted there the day before, including “Death to Islam,” “Women can’t…


Quebec meeting celebrates Cuba’s socialist revolution

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021
Mara Bilbao, Cuban consul general in Montreal, speaking at Montreal celebration of Cuban Revolution April 17. Other speakers, from left, Philippe Tessier, Communist League candidate for mayor in Montreal borough of Ville St-Laurent, and Consul official Eduardo Escandell.

MONTREAL — “We’re here to celebrate the 60th anniversary of three historic turning points in the Cuban Revolution,” said Communist League leader Michel Prairie, welcoming some 40 people to an April 17 meeting organized by the Communist League and supported…



25, 50 and 75 Years Ago

Vol. 85/No. 19 - May 17, 2021

May 20, 1996 The following statement was issued May 8 by Socialist Workers candidates James Harris for U.S. president and Laura Garza for vice-president. The Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress are joining forces to deal a blow against…