Tuesday, 14 June
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Solidarity Protest with General Strike in France
French Consulate
934 Fifth Avenue (between 74th and 75th Sts), NYC
6:30 pm – 10:00 pm – Reportback from solidarity delegation to 10th anniversary celebration of Rue Mumia Abu-Jamal in Saint-Denis, France
LOCAL 1199, SEIU
310 West 43 Street, 7th floor. NYC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1746102895635237/
Samidoun is a signer of this call and endorser of this event:
We, the undersigned, express our support for the ongoing mobilization of France’s workers in a coalition led by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), and of the Nuit Debout movement consisting primarily of youth and students, against austerity attacks contained in that country’s so-called Labor Reform Law. This law, which was pushed through by the government and corporate vultures, will only serve to drive down the standard of living for current and future generations.
The demand to retain a 35-hour work week, with overtime paid after that, is part of the continuum that includes the often raised ‘30 hours work for 40 hours pay’ as a solution to unemployment in the U.S., and the current low-wage workers’ demand for $15 an hour and predictable scheduling.
The multinational French working class is using many forms of strikes, occupations and street protest, all of which illustrate who has the real power in society. On one day, no corporate newspapers were printed and on another, 40% of mass transit was shut down. This is happening despite the extension of a state of emergency (six months after the concert hall tragedy), the extreme militarization of the French police forces, and use of chemical gases– such as our sisters from SEIU 1199 and our brother from APWU suffered from while in Paris waiting to join the 2016 May Day parade.
We call on United States and other countries’ unions and other workers’ organizations, community groups and youth groups to exchange information with the French CGT and student leaders via satellite, radio, and written interviews with reliable translators. We further urge everyone to support the June 14 general strike in France via resolutions, educational meetings, and rallies at the nearest French consulate. [Those of us in the New York City area intend to gather near the French Consulate at 934 5th Avenue that day between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. EDT].
To sign on to this call, please contact the Ad Hoc Committee to Support French Workers c/o Johnnie Stevens at nysckrs@gmail.com.
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Report back from U.S. solidarity delegation to
10th anniversary celebration of Rue Mumia-Abu Jamal
in Saint-Denis France, April 30, 2016.
Powerful example of international solidarity.
Also: report on delegation’s participation
in French workers´ militant resistance to government´s vicious attacks on long-standing union
and workers’ rights in France.
Delegation: Estela Vazquez, Vice President of Local 1199/SEIU; Keith Cook, Mumia’s brother; Johnnie Stevens, videographer, longtime labor reporter, International Action Center; Betsey Piette, International Action Center; Rev. Renee McKenzie, Minister, Church of the Advocate, Phila.; Marylin Zuniga, teacher fired for allowing her students to send Mumia get well cards; Nyle Forte, worked with Black Lives Matter in Ferguson, recently returned from Palestine; Alma Pendleton, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC), Freedom Party; Suzanne Ross, Coordinator of delegation, representing International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Speakers: Estela Vazquez, Marilyn Zuniga, Nyle Fort, Johnnie Stevens, Betsey Piette, Rev. McKenzie, Pam Africa
MC’s: Suzanne Ross, Alma Pendleton
Videos, slide show, photos and banners
will be part of the evening’s presentation.
LOCAL 1199, SEIU
310 WEST 43 Street, 7th floor. NYC
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Light supper will be available at minimal cost
For more information, leave a message at
Mumia Coalition Hotline
212.330.8029. Your call will be returned!
