Upcoming Events 🗓
We’ve had a big year! Join us for our end-of-year general meeting, December 15 at 8 p.m. ET, as we discuss our organizing in 2021 and what’s coming up in 2022. We will also be having breakout discussions. This will be a great opportunity to learn about what we’ve accomplished, and to meet other EWOC volunteers. Register today!
From the ongoing strike wave, to the mass walkouts and “labor shortage,” one thing is clear. Labor militancy is on the rise in America. Working-class people have been watching their wages stagnate and their jobs disappear for years, and since the COVID pandemic hit, they’ve been forced to risk their health and safety, just to get by. They’ve had enough, and many have decided they’re ready to stand up and fight. It’s been a hard year for workers, but through that hardship we’ve seen some incredible organizing successes.
We’re honored that the work our volunteers have been doing and the success stories of our worker leaders is being recognized at the Brandworkers Gala this Tuesday, November 16, at 7 p.m. ET! You’ll hear about our work and the work of other organizations like the #FundExcludedWorkers campaign, as well as stories of several leaders fighting for long-term worker safety, worker health, and worker voice. RSVP for the event!
World of Work 🌍
FL: Both Richie Floyd and DSA-endorsed City Council candidate Danny Nowell of North Carolina had historic wins — the first open socialists elected to office in their respective states in modern-day history. According to DSA’s national organization, nine other DSA-endorsed elected officials, mostly on a local level, currently hold office in the South.
USA: The possible strike at Kaiser Permanente appears to have been averted, as Kaiser and the Alliance of Healthcare Unions have reached a tentative agreement. The TA covers 50,000 workers, 40,000 of whom had authorized strikes, and 30,000 previously set to strike today. The agreement still needs to be ratified, but includes raises for the workers, without the two-tier wage system Kaiser had previously proposed.
NY: The fight for a union at Starbucks is heating up, as workers at three stores in the Buffalo area have begun voting, and three more have filed for an election. Starbucks management has also escalated its anti-campaign, employing standard union busting tactics as well as some more….unusual rhetoric.
Opportunities 🗣
NYC: Debt Night School is a four-week, twice-a-week course at the People’s Forum NYC that delves into the condition of debt and situates “organized debtors” in the international movement for liberation. It debuted with this film series this past week. Organizers, students, workers, individuals with debt and those without are all welcome to apply. The course meets in person Tuesdays and Thursdays (6–8 p.m.) and runs from November 23 through December 21. Each class will be led by a scholar, organizer, or individual who has dealt with debt through one of four study blocks: philosophy, revolutionary history, political economy, and organizational theory. Please apply and help spread the word!
Solidarity,
Team EWOC
