Tomorrow's episode of Labor Express Radio will focus on coverage of the ongoing labor revolt in Wisconsin. Make sure to tune into the program - 10 AM at 88.7 FM Until than check out this great video by Labor Beat video producer Andrew Friend... http://blip.tv/file/4813751 And check out these articles on Huffington Post... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/25/wisconsin-workers-overpaid_n_828077.html and... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-vines/millionaire-teachers-and-_b_826326.html And take a look at this from the South Central Wisconsin Federation of Labor which is considering a GENERAL STRIKE!... http://www.gsmlaborcouncil.org/node/7005 Pictures by Labor Express contributor Tessa Campagna. Tessa is a great photographer. You can find more of her work here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/tisaface/ http://www.flickr.com/people/tisaface/

Here are some pictures from today's Libya solidarity rally. I love the pictures of Gaddafi for people to stomp on. Listen to Monday's episode of Labor Express Radio for audio from the rally, 10 AM Monday morning on 88.7 FM. For the rest go here... https://picasaweb.google.com/jerrymeadlucero/LibyaSolidarityRallyFeb262011?feat=directlink

Update: Chavez has very disturbingly expressed support for the "Libyan Government" as Gaddafi massacres the Libyan people... http://af.reuters.com/article/egyptNews/idAFN2616789920110226 Below is my original article from Feb. 6th... The revolt in Egypt is a test for Hugo Chavez and the American left... As I scanned over articles about the revolution under way in Egypt, one article in particular caught my attention. It was an article discussing the reaction of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to the situation in Egypt. You can find the article in question here... http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/01/egypt-venezuelan-president-says-us-role-in-crisis-shameful.html What I found particular interesting about the article was Chavez’s clear effort to avoid taking a side in the conflict in Egypt. Chavez was quick to condemn U.S. meddling in Egypt, an easy (and correct) position to take as one of the most pronounced voices of anti-imperialism in the world. But clearly...

WARNING MINOR SPOILER BELOW Tambien La Lluvia (Even the Rain), a new film featuring the 2004 Cochabamba Water War as both backdrop and major theme, has finally made it to theaters in Chicago. Here is a brief description from the distributor… “ A Spanish film crew arrives in Bolivia to make a film about Columbus in the New World. Idealistic director Sebastian (Gael García Bernal, The Motorcycle Diaries) wants to denounce the injustices of the past, focusing on exploitation of the indigenous people. Practical producer Costa (Luis Tosar, Cell 211), working on a tight budget, has chosen Bolivia, one of Latin America's poorest countries, to stand in for Santo Domingo because extras will work for only $2 a day. After an open casting call almost degenerates into a riot, Sebastian hires outspoken Daniel (Juan Carlos Aduviri) to play the rebel Indian leader. But when the locals begin demonstrations against a multinational's plans to privatize water-even the rain-Daniel is in the thick...

So Rahm Emmanuel has been elected the next privatizer in chief. Wisconsin is looking much closer to Chicago than ever before. Lets just hope we can organize the same type of labor rebellion against Rahm they have so successfully organized in Madison. Let’s see who loses their jobs first. Will the unions that decided to play nicey, nicey with Rahm really believe they will be spared Rahm’s meat cleaver? I suggest they bend over and kiss their collective asses good bye. Rahm is a man who loves to be feared not loved. I give it one year before even the most feverent Daley opponent (myself included), long wistfully for the return of daddy Daley, when evil step dad Rahm takes over. But all is not hopeless tonight. Here in the 25th, in good old Pilsen, we live to fight another day. Danny Solis has finally paid a small price for his host of sins. We have a run-off! Here are the totals as of 10:47 PM with 31 of 31 precincts counted and 100% of the vote in… CUAHUTÉMOC MORFÍN 2,451 27.96 % DANIEL...

CHICAGO, February 16 – Frustrated by Alderman Danny Solis’ reluctance to become a co-sponsor or advocate of Chicago’s Clean Power Ordinance, Pilsen residents are asking, who does Alderman Solis represent – the community or Midwest Generation? The proposed Chicago Clean Power Ordinance would require Midwest Generation to reduce the pollution produced by the Fisk and Crawford coal fired power plants by roughly 90%. A study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health links air contaminants from Fisk and Crawford alone to over 40 premature deaths, around 500 emergency visits, and thousands of asthma attacks every year. Alderman Solis has received over $50,000 in campaign contributions from Midwest Generation. “An average donation for a company of that size," Solis told the Chicago Sun-Times, but the company is Solis’ 3rd largest contributor. Half of all the company’s contributions to Chicago aldermen have gone to Solis. Midwest Generation executive Charley Parnell is a membe...

I normally argue that the mainstream press spends way too much time on crime stories. The nightly news is filled with stories of this or that murder trial, not because they are all that relevant to the general public interest, but simply for the sensationalism factor. So it is truly perplexing, that when a murder trial comes around that actually highlights truly important social issues there is a virtual media blackout on the event. Yesterday, in a Pima County, Arizona courtroom, Shawna Forde was convicted of the brutal murder of 9-year-old Brisenia Flores and her dad, Raul Flores after breaking into their home in 2009. Forde is a leader of Minutemen American Defense, a organization affiliated with the anti-immigrant border vigilante group the Minutemen. She is also an activist in the Tea Party movement in Arizona and with FAIR (the Federation for American Immigration Reform). On May 30th 2009 Forde and two accomplices broke into the home of Raul Flores and executed Raul at point blank...

Below is the full text of a letter to the editor I submitted as the Green Party's 25th Ward Committeeman to a number of local newspapers. I expect at least a couple to publish a shortened version... The residents of Pilsen face many challenges. Many residents are themselves undocumented immigrants or have family members that are. The majority of residents are working class, many are low wage workers who have been hit hard by the current economic crisis. The health of Pilsen residents has been adversely effected by pollution from point-source polluters like the Fisk coal fired power plant on Cermak and the H. Kramer brass smelting facility on 21st Street. Long time residents are being pushed out of the neighborhood by rising property taxes, home prices and rents. For all these reasons and more, Pilsen residents are desperate for change. Change that will not come if Danny Solis’ 15 year tenure as alderman is extended for another 4 on February 22nd. The proposed Chicago Clean ...

The people of Egypt have brought down a 30 year dictatorial regime. They have set an example for the entire region and the world. It appears that a turning point in the Egyptian revolution was the rising of the Egyptian working class which begun in a big way last week with strikes across the country. I have heard reports that women workers were particularly important. The future of the country now depends on what role Egyptian workers and women will play in constructing a new society in Egypt. For more on Egyptian labor's role in the revolution, check out the following links... http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6936/bread_and_butter_revolution_egypts_workers_mobilize_for_a_new_future/ http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2011/2/10/egyptian_uprising_surges_as_workers_join http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/forces-behind-egyptian-revolution http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidANA20110210T110723ZQZR13/Egypt%20textile%20workers%20stage%20strike http://www.almasryal...

The UGTT (Tunisian General Labour Union), the union federation of Tunisia has operated as a type of corporatist union for most of its history. Meaning, it was integrated with the government, supposedly to represent the workers, but mostly to ensure the government labor peace. The revolution which broke out last month and lead to the ouster of dictator Ben Ali, forced the union into a dilemma - side with the repressive state apparatus of which it had been a part to a great extent or join the forces of revolt and attempt to become an independent, truly representative body for the working class. In January, the UGTT decided to side with the anti-regime forces and its organizational power was key to the success of the movement. But now the leadership of the UGTT seems to be once again, creating alliances with the remnants of the regime that remain in power. More radical elements with in the union federation are resisting this development. Here are two articles describing some of what has ...

To see original posting go here... http://www.unionbook.org/profiles/blogs/egypt-founding-declaration-of This is an attempt to create a new union federation, independent of the corrupt official central labor body, the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF), which has ties to the government... Egyptian Federation for Independent Unions Constitutional Body Creation Egypt is going through historical moments… Its people is courageously struggling to defend the right to live a decent life… the right to dignity, freedom and social justice… to decent opportunities and just pay… to a democratic society for all, offering every single citizen a share in its wealth and GNP… a society that does not allow few to buy private jets whereas the rest of the population cannot even afford public transportation… a society that refuses to pay the top of the pyramid salaries higher thousand of time than minimum wage. A society that allows its people to breathe freely… to freely speak, interact and express...