STUDENT STRIKE MARCH 4th!

In Solidarity with Califorinia schools and with the national day of action, the UW Student Worker Coalition is planning for a 1 hour strike on March 4th. The goal of this strike is to show the University what can happen if the cuts continue, and to show that this is only the beginning of our struggle! Details and flyers soon. In the meantime, here is a flyer created by International Workers and Students for Justice. And below the jump, see a resolution proposed by workers in California to support a statewide strike! Also, check out Advance the Struggle's site (http://advancethestruggle.wordpress.com) to see coverage of UW's struggle, and also "what March 4th could look like!"

[Note: The following resolution was adopted unanimously by the San Francisco Labor Council delegates' meeting on January 11, 2010. The resolution was introduced and motivated by OPEIU Local 3 delegate Alan Benjamin. It was further motivated by United Educators of San Francisco President Dennis Kelly.]

Building the March 4 Strike/Day of Action in Defense of Public Education and all Public-Sector Services

Whereas, a powerful labor-student-faculty coalition to defend public education has formed statewide in the aftermath of the Sept. 24, 2009, 5,000-person-strong mass student walkout and university workers' strike at UC Berkeley -- organized around the main demands of "No Budget Cuts! No Layoffs! No Fee Hikes!"; and

Whereas, on October 24, 2009, more than 800 students, unionists and activists from more then 50 cities across the state gathered at UC Berkeley and issued a Call for a March 4, 2010, Strike/Day of Action to Save Public Education; and

Whereas, the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), the California Faculty Association (CFA), and dozens of public education and public-sector unions have endorsed the March 4 Strike/Day of Action; and

Whereas, AFT 2121 and UESF, among others, have called for a 5 p.m. rally at Civic Center in San Francisco on March 4 to impress the demands upon the public; and

Whereas, the January 4, 2010, Executive Board meeting of the San Francisco Labor Council voted unanimously to endorse the March 4 Strike/Day of Action, and the March 22 March in Sacramento (spearheaded by the Community College students and unions); and

Whereas, the attacks on public education and all public-sector services are deepening as a result of the growing state budget deficit, with public education workers being pitted against other public-sector workers, with the threat of increased privatization of services, and with more so-called "reforms" aimed at gutting union contracts and destroying essential services; and

Whereas, the January 4, 2010, SFLC Executive Board meeting affirmed that the Council must call upon all public-sector unions to join in the fight on March 4 to defend public education and all public-sector services, and to secure essential funding by taxing the rich and the corporations, by (1) breaking with the tyranny of the 2/3 vote in the State Assembly and reinstating majority rule, and (2) restructuring Prop 13 (to separate commercial property rolls from residential property rolls, as Phil Teng has proposed); and

Whereas, securing funding for public education and the public sector demands redirecting bailout funds to the state -- not to the bankers and speculators; and ultimately requires calling for an end to war funding in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Therefore be it resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council calls for a citywide mobilization of affiliated unions and community allies on March 4, 2010, in defense of public education and the public sector -- with day-time actions to be carried out in the manner deemed appropriate by every union and local, and with a 5 p.m. Rally at the Civic Center; and

Therefore be it further resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council will form an ad-hoc committee, open to all delegates, in close consultation with the teacher/faculty unions and the Council's Executive Board, with the aim of (1) preparing or distributing existing educational materials on the impact of the budget cuts on the city's public education and public sector, (2) organizing a speakers' bureau to make outreach presentations at the membership and/or leadership meetings of the Council's affiliates, and to affected community groups, and (3) coordinating the actions on March 4 and building the 5 p.m. Civic Center Rally; and

Be it finally resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council asks all Bay Area Councils to take similar action on March 4, and calls upon the California Federation of Labor to promote a statewide Day of Action on March 4 in defense of public education and the public sector, so that we can expand the unity and increase the power of the movement to halt and reverse the attacks on public-sector unions in California.

Respectfully submitted by

Alan Benjamin, delegate OPEIU Local 3

Allan Fisher, delegate AFT 2121

Gus Goldstein, president AFT 2121

Denis Mosgofian, delegate Local 4 GCC-IBT

Ann Robertson, delegate CFA (San Francisco State University)

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AFSCME 444 Resolution in support of a statewide strike on March 4 2010

Resolution in support of a statewide strike on March 4 2010

WHEREAS California public education from pre-kindergarten through college and adult ed, is facing its most serious crisis in years; with funding cuts, tuition increases, reduction of college seats available, furlough days for teachers and support staff, and layoffs of employees and outright closures of entire departments; and

WHEREAS unemployment in California has risen to 12.5% and is closer to 25% among youth and even higher among young people of color;

WHEREAS 1.6 million construction jobs have been lost since this recession began with 136,000 construction jobs lost in California this past year and 322,000 public service jobs have been lost in the last four years: and

WHEREAS more job losses are expected as stimulus money dries up; and

WHEREAS 1 in 53 housing units received a foreclosure notice in the California during the third quarter of 2009 as people are being thrown out of their homes as well as their jobs; and

WHEREAS this is occurring as trillions of dollars of taxpayer’s money has been handed to bankers and other financial institutions in the wake of the current crisis, much of it unaccounted for; and

WHEREAS thousands of students at the University of California facing 32% increases in fees and increasing privatization of education, joined striking university employees on September 24th; and

Whereas; following these events a hugely successful conference was held at UC Berkeley on October 24th attended by 800 students, workers and supporters; and

WHEREAS this conference issued a call for a statewide strike and day of action on March 4th 2010 to “Save public education” against budget cuts, fee hikes or layoffs; and

WHEREAS students have faced brutal actions by the police for being in the forefront of the struggle to save education, jobs and for calling for solidarity and joint action with workers; therefore let it be

RESOLVED that AFSCME Local 444 support the October 24th call for a statewide strike and/or day of action on March 4th 2010; and be it further

RESOLVED that AFSCME Local 444 recognizes that without united action no single group or one Union can reverse this offensive ; and be it further

RESOLVED that the 1,200 AFL-CIO and Change to Win unions in the California Labor Federation representing 2.1 million union members in such crucial industries as shipping, retail, manufacturing, public service and communications have tremendous potential power; and be it further

RESOLVED that through a united mobilization of all workers and students regardless of status we can win free federally funded education at all levels, increased jobs, a halt to foreclosures and a better life for all; and be it further

RESOLVED funding for such social needs come from diverting funds from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, from taxing the corporations and the rich, taxing trades in the stock market and currency trades, and not taxes on workers or the middle class. California, the third biggest oil producer in the country is the only one of the 22 major oil states that does not impose a tax on oil taken from the ground; and be it further

RESOLVED that the leadership of the California Labor Federation, the Change to Win Coalition and the international Unions so affiliated to these bodies, as well as non-affiliated Unions join the call for and participate in a statewide strike on March 4th 2010 and publicly announce such intentions; and be it finally

RESOLVED that the resources of organized Labor in California be used between now and March 4th 2010 to build support among the members of its affiliated Unions, the communities in which we live and work, and among the youth for a successful and united statewide strike against the assault on working people and our families.

Adopted by AFSCME Local 444 Executive Board 12-03-09

cc California State Labor Federation AFL-CIO

Alameda County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO

AFSCME District Council 57 AFL-CIO

AFCME International Union AFL-CIO