Japanese Trade Unionists To Visit New Haven, Join May Day Rally And Take A New Haven Labor History Tour

by Peter Knowlton, President, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, Northeast Region

A delegation of union members from Zenroren, a pro-gressive independent labor federation from Japan, will be visiting New Haven April 29 to May 1 at the invitation of the UE (United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, Northeast Region). Over 30 Zenroren members will be hosted by Mayor Toni Harp at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 30. They will be traveling to Gateway Community College later that day for presentations, touring the Sargent Lock Company (now Assa Abloy), and participating in other activities. They will join Connecticut trade union and community activists on May 1 for an annual May Day rally and march celebrating International Workers’ Day.

trade-unionists

Members of UE and Zenroren

On the morning of Friday, May 1, the delegation will enjoy a labor history tour organized by the Greater New Haven Labor History Association with Joe Taylor, Aaron Goode and the UE. They will visit numerous sites including the Seamless Rubber Company, the railroad yards, the Amistad memorial, the Oyster beds near River Street in Fair Haven, the site of the old Olin-Winchester plant on Division Street, as well other venues in New Haven, possibly including the Troup Magnet School lobby, where there is a New Haven labor history mural. There will be a reception after the tour at 1:30 p.m. at the Council Teachers Building, 267 Chapel Street, for the Zenroren members, where the delegates will be able to view the Labor History Association’s new traveling exhibit, “Our Community at Winchester: An Elm City Story” and hear a brief presentation about it by the LHA Archivist/ Director and exhibit curator, Joan Cavanagh.

The Zenroren trade unionists are participating in an NGO conference and march, April 24-26, in New York City to coincide with the UN’s 5-year Review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. They will discuss their efforts to abolish nuclear weapons and to retain Article 9 in Japan’s Constitution which prevents Japan from ever again becoming a militarized state. It is under attack by the current Japanese government.

(Reprinted with permission. First published in the GNH Labor History Association April-May 2015 newsletter)

May Day on the New Haven Green Saturday May 2 from noon to 5 pm.

by May Day Celebration Committee

mayday-poster-jpg-small-iiCome celebrate May Day, International Workers’ Day, Saturday, May 2 from noon to 5 p.m. on the New Haven Green. Raindate: Sunday May 3.

This is the 29th consecutive year of May Day on the Green. May Day is a multi-cultural festival featuring live music, poetry, dance, children’s activities, speak-out time, a May Pole Dance and displays and information tables from local labor, peace, social service and social justice groups. May Day is a participatory event that is free and everyone is invited.

At a time when labor unions are being harassed around the country, we celebrate labor unions as being a worker’s best hope. At a time when immigrants are still struggling for their rights, we celebrate our immigrant heritage and culture.

Our featured performers on the New Haven Green include “Coalition Hip Hop,” “N-Finity Muzik” and “The Foresters.”

For more information visit us at maydaynewhaven.org or call (203) 843-3069.

May Day mission statement: to organize a multi-cultural festival that honors and celebrates our labor history and the labor, peace, social service and social justice groups that today continue the struggle for peace and human rights.

Rally on the New Haven Green, Friday, May 1, 4:30 p.m. at Temple and Chapel

5:30 P.M. March Immigration Reform, Safe Jobs with Fair Wages Worldwide, and Peace!
For more information, please contact the Connecticut AFL-CIO at 860-571-6191 or the calendar on www.ctaflcio.org

Endorsed by: CT AFL-CIO, CT Immigrant Rights Alliance, Columbia Action Coalition, GNH Central Labor Council, Junta for Progressive Action, Mexico Solidarity Committee, NH Peace Council, NH Peoples Center, New Haven Rising, SEIU 32 BJ, Unidad Latina en Accion-ULA, UE Northeast Region, UE Locals 243, 222, UNITE/HERE at Yale.

Workers of the World Uniting for Respect, Dignity & Peace

by Joelle Fishman, CT People’s World

The People’s World in Connecticut is hosting its annual celebration of International Workers’ Day on Sunday, May 3 at 4:00 pm at the King-Davis Labor Center, 77 Huyshope Ave, Hartford.

A panel discussion, “Workers of the World Uniting for Respect, Dignity & Peace,” will highlight growing unity and resistance to global corporate attacks on the civil rights, human rights and lives of workers, youth and families. Alberto Bernardez (SEIU 32 BJ) will tell of attempts to destroy the teachers’ union in Honduras. Marie Lausch (UE) will speak on the peace campaign by the union federation Zenroren in Japan. John Harrity (IAM) will address the threat to jobs, environment and democracy posed by fast track for TPP. A representative of the “Fight for $15 and a union” will tell the demands of fast food and other low wage workers for living wages and a voice on the job. Juan and Becky Brito will perform Chilean songs.

A home made buffet and a raffle will round out the afternoon. Tickets are $5 or what you can afford. No one will be turned away. The event is a fund raiser toward the annual $10,000 People’s World Connecticut fund drive goal. Donations large and small will be welcomed and appreciated.

A carpool will leave from the New Haven Peoples Center at 2:30 pm. Call in advance to arrange for a space or to offer to drive. (203) 624-8664.

Zero Energy House Tour May 2

by Judi Friedman, People’s Action for Clean Energy

A Killingly, Connecticut zero energy house will be open to the public on Saturday, May 2. Tours and seminars will be held at noon and 2:30 p.m. The 2,600-square-foot Net Zero Energy Challenge winner has 12-inch thick walls; solar panels; air source heating and cooling pumps; a heat pump water heater; an ICF foundation; triple glazed windows; ceiling and sub slab insulation; and constant fresh air ventilation.

Other energy-saving features in this ideal retirement home include lighting from LED and compact fluorescent bulbs and energy-efficient appliances (Energy Star). The house has French drains (no gutters, no ice dams) and a permeable driveway. Electric cars will be on display. The tour/seminar is sponsored by People’s Action for Clean Energy (PACE), the only all-volunteer nonprofit public health organization in Connecticut devoted solely to clean energy education.

Additional information will be available on ethanol fireplaces; combination solar hot water for a radiant floor and a solar heated pool; surplus energy for electric cars; affordable retirement homes and minisplit  heat pumps.

Reservations will be accepted in order of receipt for the May 2 tour, which will be held rain or shine. The non-refundable tickets are $15.00 per person. To order tickets, go online to www.pace-cleanenergy.org and click on Events, indicating the choice of time for the tours and seminar.

Tickets may also be ordered by sending $15.00 per person to PACE c/o Donna Grant, 128 Melrose Road, Broad Brook, CT 06016. Include the ticketholder’s name, phone number, address, email address and choice of time. For ticket information, call (860) 623-5487. For tour information, call (860) 693-4813.

Film screening and discussion “Pay 2 Play: Democracy’s High Stakes”

New Haven Free Public Library

pay2playThursday, April 30, 5:30-8 p.m., the NH Free Public Library, 133 Elm St., will show Pay2Play, a documentary film that explores America’s pay to play political system and some of the history that has brought us to where we are today. The film weaves together the stories of a dramatic election in Ohio; the secret history of the game Monopoly; and people taking action to fix the system.

Professor Steve Tomsczak, Social Work Department at SCSU, will lead a discussion following the film.

For more info about the film and to view the trailer go to: http://www.pay2play.tv/.

This program cosponsored with Common Cause CT.

Please join us for some great civic engagement!

Institute Library Reading Series May 13

by Bennett Lovett-Graff, Publisher, New Haven Review

institute_library-new_haven-201312The Young Men’s Institute Library is proud to host the Listen Here Short Story reading series. Join us for a night of classic short stories selected by the staff of the New Haven Review and read by cast members of the New Haven Theater Company. Reading starts at 7:00 p.m., with a talk back at 8:00 p.m. that explores the background, meaning, and dramatic interpretation of that night’s stories. Also, freshly baked cookies–a different batch at each reading–and tea are available. $5 suggested admission, but no obligations! Next reading’s theme: “A Little Out of Place.”

Our stories: “Fat” by Raymond Carver; “Araby” by James Joyce; and “The Use of Force” by William Carlos Williams. Join us Wednesday, May 13, 2015, 7:00 p.m. at Young Men’s Institute Library, 847 Chapel St. (Please note that the Institute Library is one flight up and, most unfortunately, not wheelchair accessible.) For more information, visit us at www.institutelibrary.org.

Don’t Let Legislators Toss Crumbs to Ratepayers

Frank Panzarella, Fight the Hike

There is a chance for Connecticut legislators in this session to approve large-scale shared solar projects with the passage of SB 928. However, instead of facilitating shared solar throughout the state, the Energy and Technology Committee, contrary to its own commissioned study, revised the bill to allow only two pilot projects (one being a two megawatt capacity and the other a four megawatt) for three years. When public testimony was accepted in March, hundreds of Connecticut residents wrote, telephoned and spoke to their legislators and members of the Energy and Technology Committee to encourage large-scale shared solar projects throughout the state.

pace-peoples-action-for-clean-energy-nuclear-solarNeedless to say, Fight the Hike members are disappointed that the Energy and Technology Committee wants to hold back on increasing the number of sustainable energy projects for CT residents. Large-scale solar investment has been successful in Massachusetts and other states. Pilot projects are not necessary to track its feasibility. It works!

Unfortunately, it looks like our governor, the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection and others are side-stepping the expansion of solar energy and developed a disastrous policy to broaden natural gas transmission. We rate-payers will pay huge extra costs for increased gas development and have no guarantee of cheaper energy.

In addition, the price of electricity is tagged to the price of natural gas.  Is it an accident that UI and its parent company, the Spanish giant Iberdrola, are also very much involved in the natural gas and renewable expansion industries? The fact is these companies want to stall solar power until they can create rules and laws that will allow them to monopolize and grab the lion’s share of profit from these new industries away from the wonderful competitive pool of small solar companies (many growing right here in Connecticut) while the utilities also benefit from gas expansion. At present they want to hide the true value of solar power so as to control it.

The Energy and Technology Committee’s own commissioned study by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering called for a large-scale shared solar project. Why would they ignore their own scientific report? Has some kind of back-room pressure been applied to sabotage progress, a free market and to keep rate-payers tied to the over-priced energy of corporate monopolies?

Please contact your legislators and the co-chairs of the Energy and Technology committee to let them know you support expansion of shared solar in CT.

Co-chair Rep. Lonnie Reed, 1-800-842-8267 [email protected]
Co-chair Sen. Paul Doyle, 1-800-842-1420 [email protected]
Gov. Dannel Malloy, 1-800-406-1527

Don’t let your PAR subscription run out!

PAR Planning Committee

The Progressive Action Roundtable newsletter publishes from September through June. Subscriptions from many of our readers will expire with the June issue.

We hope you enjoy your subscription and see the PAR newsletter as a community resource. To see if your subscription is due for renewal, please look at your address label. If “201506” is printed on the label to the right of your name, your subscription ends next month. Please send in $13 for 10 issues (Sept. 2015-June 2016) so that you can continue to read about what local organizations are doing and you can submit articles about your own organization.

The Progressive Action Roundtable was started in January 1993.  After several months, this community Newsletter became the main activity of PAR, giving New Haven area organizations an opportunity for networking and for advertising their activities.
We hope to hear from you.

Milada Marsalka’s Memoirs Now Available in New Haven

PAR Planning Committee

pursuing-peaceMilada Marsalka, founding member of PAR (1993), long-time president of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, New Haven County Branch, and a fiery activist in countless struggles for peace, labor rights, equality and justice, had the foresight to write about her life. She died in 2000 at the age of 95, leaving a manuscript that could inform and inspire others.

Through the diligence of Milada’s nieces, Regina Stevenson and Catherine Nathan, Pursuing Peace: Memoirs of Milada Marsalka has been published.

Thanks to New Haven/León Sister City Project, a box of books was shipped to New Haven. You can purchase your copy of Pursuing Peace from PAR for $15. Please call Paula at (203) 562-2798 to arrange your pick-up. This book makes a great gift!

For a description of the book go to the publisher’s site: wordassociation.com/memoir%20book%20page/ pursuingpeace.html.

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