Daily Archives: August 25, 2009

elections, health care

Western PA Progressives vs. Blue Dogs on Health Care

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altmire-meeting

Photo:L-to-R, Randy Shannon, Ed Grystar, Lou Hancherick, Jason Altmire, Tina Shannon

Progressive Democrats
Take ‘Medicare for All’
To Congressman Altmire

By Carl Davidson
Beaver County Blue

Progressive Democrats and labor unions in the 4th Congressional District west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania held a special meeting on health care reform Aug 20 with Congressman Jason Altmire at the Beaver County Community College Student Union in Center Township. The roundtable discussion with Altmire was pulled together by the 4th CD Progressive Democrats of America (PDA).

The discussion was civil but the issues were sharply posed. If Altmire votes against the Weiner Amendment for single-payer health care (HR 676) when it comes to the floor in Congress in a few weeks, it won’t be because he hasn’t heard strong and passionate arguments for “Medicare for All.” Continue reading Western PA Progressives vs. Blue Dogs on Health Care →

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Another Nestle/Purina Worker and Union Activist Assassinated in Columbia

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"No more state sponsored crime!"
"No more state sponsored crime!"

submitted by IBEW retiree and PDA member Bob Schmetzer

Worker of Nestle Foods la Rosa and Member of SINALTRAINAL in Colombia Assasinated

With deep pain, we inform that on August 21st, 2009 at approximately 6:30pm, strangers arrived to the house and knocked on the door of Gustavo Gomez worker of Nestle Foods la Rosa SA and affiliate of Sinaltrainal in the Municipality of Dosquebras.  When Gustavo Gomez opened the door, they shot him 10 times with a fire arm. He was immediately transported to the Comfamiliar clinic where hours later he passed away.

Our brother Gustavo Gomez was member of the Sinaltrainal Board of Directors of the Dosquebradas sector from 1997 until 2000. He was first cousin to Jose de Jesus Marin Vargas, worker of Nestle Foods La Rosa SA and member of Sinaltrainal who was also assasinated on November 22, 2007 in the Dosquebradas municipality.

Sadly, this crime came about in moments when Sinaltrainal has presented a sheet of petitions to the business Nestle Purina Petcare of Colombia and there are already 12 assasinations of Nestle workers, members of Sinaltrainal in Colombia.

Continue reading Another Nestle/Purina Worker and Union Activist Assassinated in Columbia →