All posts by carldavidson

Economy, labor

Week of Actions for Jobs, Peace and Prosperity

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makeourfuturework

Labor’s Stake
In the Pittsburgh
G-20 Protests

By Alan Hart
United Electrical Workers

When G-20 government leaders met in London last April, thousands of trade unionists marched in protest. Labor organizations from over 100 countries – including the AFL-CIO – issued a “London Declaration” that criticized the G-20’s policies for favoring multinational corporations and banks, and demanded new economic priorities that “put people first.”

Unions are the strongest and most consistent voices for working people. Pittsburgh union members need to take a prominent place in the peaceful protests and educational events planned when the G-20 Summit comes to Pittsburgh.
Continue reading Week of Actions for Jobs, Peace and Prosperity →

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 →

antiwar, elections, health care

County Grassroots Speaks to TeamObama

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centermeeting

Photo: Bernice Mason (left), Tina and Randy Shannon of PDA, and Peter Lesser of Organizing for America.

Obama’s New Project
Hears County Activists on
Tough Battles Ahead

By Carl Davidson
Beaver County Blue

About 25 people gathered at the Center Township Volunteer Fire Dept in Beaver County on the evening of July 16, sat down in a circle of folding chairs, and got involved in a new initiative from the Obama administration, a ‘listening tour’ to hear out local activists on current political battles.

The event was pulled together by the new nationwide project of the Democratic National Committee, Organizing for America (OFA), and local Democratic Party leaders. Peter Lesser, OFA Field Organizer for Western PA, and former Obama campaign organizer in Chester, PA, led the session. He was introduced by Rocco Giammaria from the Center Township Democratic Committee, and leader of the Obama campaign in Pennsylvania. Dr. Mike Sisk, Beaver County Democratic Chairman, and Tony Amadio, Chairman of the Beaver County Commissioners also participated in the meeting.

If the meeting’s aim was to get a cross section of the hopes and frustrations of local Obama campaign activists, the organizers got what they wanted, and then some.
Continue reading County Grassroots Speaks to TeamObama →

Environment, labor

Thirty Arrested at WV ‘Mountaintop Removal’ Protest

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Mountaintop removal protest:
Finding a path forward?

by Ken Ward Jr.
The Charleston Gazette

SUNDIAL, W.Va. — It was quite a scene outside Massey Energy’s Goals Coal Co. operation Tuesday.

First, there were the protesters — a mix of West Virginia residents and those darned out-of-state agitators — playing some hillbilly music, doing some speechifying, and then marching down W.Va. 3 in the hopes of being carted off by State Police troopers, joining the ranks of those who have been arrested in the growing civil disobedience campaign against mountaintop removal.

Then, there were the miners and their families. They revved up motorcycle engines, honked air horns and did one heck of a lot of yelling, all trying to drown out the protesters. Then, of course, they massed together, blocking the entrance to the mine site, thwarting any hopes the other side had of trespassing on Massey property.
And oh yeah, Daryl Hannah was there — and she smiled and waved as she got hauled off in a nice, blue-and-gold trooper cruiser. There was also some guy named James Hansen, who happens to be one of the world’s top climate scientists. He got arrested, too.

Continue reading Thirty Arrested at WV ‘Mountaintop Removal’ Protest →

elections

Single-Payer, Medicare for All, is Best Solution to Crisis

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2009

CONTACT: CNA/NNOC/PDA
Charles Idelson, 510-273-2246
or Tim Carpenter, 413-320-2015

Nurses, Progressive Dems Seek Stepped Up
Action for Real, “Robust” Healthcare Reform

WASHINGTON – June 24 – With action heating up in Washington for enactment of comprehensive healthcare reform, the nation’s largest RN union and professional association joined with progressive Democratic Party activists today in calling for the most “robust” reform of all to repair the nation’s healthcare crisis, by enacting a single-payer system in the form of an expanded and updated Medicare for all.

In a joint statement, the National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association and Progressive Democrats of America announced they are stepping up calls and other lobbying efforts to urge Congressional leaders to include discussion of the single-payer option in upcoming deliberations on the healthcare reform legislation now advancing in Congress.
Continue reading Single-Payer, Medicare for All, is Best Solution to Crisis →

Community, labor

Far From Over! Join June 6 EFCA Rally!

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To download a pdf file of this flyer for printing, click this line

June6_EmployeeFreeChoice

elections

Public Meeting on Healthcare with Cong. Altmire 9:15am May 9th in Cranberry

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SEND A MESSAGE TO CONGRESSMAN ALTMIRE (D-4th)

HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT,
NOT JUST ANOTHER
‘INSURANCE PRODUCT’
TO BE SOLD FOR PROFIT!

Saturday May 9, 2009
Cranberry Twp. Municipal Building
2525 Rochester Road
9:15 AM

o    Insurance companies like AARP do not cure the sick, care for patients, or cure disease.
o    Giving taxpayer dollars to insurance companies is not healthcare reform
o    We want healthcare not health insurance
o    Health care insurance premiums are out of control, rising 100% since 2000 and projected to consume all of the average household income by 2025!
o    Private insurance offers less choice. 95% of HMO/PPO metro markets in the USA are near monopolies.  UPMC and Highmark are dominant in our area!

PUBLIC OPINION POLLS SHOW STRONG SUPPORT FOR A UNIVERSAL NOT FOR PROFIT SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM

WHY DOES JASON ALTMIRE REFUSE TO LET HR 676, THE U.S. HEALTH CARE ACT, THE SINGLE PAYER SOLUTION BE DEBATED AS A HEALTHCARE OPTION?

WHO DOES JASON ALTMIRE REPRESENT?

INSURANCE/FINANCE COMPANIES OR THE PEOPLE?

For more information
W.PA. Coalition for Single Payer HealthCare
http://www.wpasinglepayer.org
412-826-1270

Economy, labor

Pittsburgh: 300 Union Workers Gather to Support EFCA Bill

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efca-pittAngry Workers:
Sen. Arlen Specter
Receives Thousands
of Protest Letters

By Ann Belser
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

April 15, 2009 – Dewitt Walters, of the United Steelworkers, instructs union members and supporters to march two-by-two on the sidewalk along the Boulevard of the Allies yesterday as they walk to Sen. Arlen Specter’s Pittsburgh office to deliver petitions supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. Union members rallied at the USW headquarters before the march.

Local labor organizations figured maybe 50 people would want to come along to hand-deliver thousands of letters, written in favor of pending legislation, to U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter’s office.
Continue reading Pittsburgh: 300 Union Workers Gather to Support EFCA Bill →