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Join The Pen's vigorous campaign to protect government of the people and get a free bumper sticker!  Just take a moment to fax your senators, the prez and/or newspapers while you're at it.

http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1030.php

 

Air America Dumps It's Hart[mann]

When Air America was first launched, I immediately signed up. Although our local Pacifica station (WBAI-FM) still owns my heart, I knew we needed lots of solid media coverage NOT beholding to the corporate mouthpieces.
When Air America began having financial problems, I pitched in, despite my own dicey employment status, and became a “premium” member. Some years after the fact, I have yet to know what benefits were granted other than letting the suits know there is a serious fan base in NYC. [BTW--if you did sign on for a premium, better check to see if they took your money "automatically" for a renewal, without informing you! That happened to me and began my disenfranchisement with the station.]
Al Franken's show was entertaining but when he left, The Thom Hartmann Show took his place and I couldn't have been happier. His program is a beacon of enlightenment in a swamp of news sludge and double speak. However, the local New York station, WWRL, has taken Thom off the air, replacing him with a show that the station management owns, The Ed Shultz Show. [hmmmm, conflict of interest?]
For radical, progressive New Yorkers, this is such a big comedown it's as if Thom was replaced by Alan Colmes! Ed Schultz just doesn’t get us and I’ve lost patience with trying to get him.
My personal radio goddess, Randi Rhodes has joined the fabulous Mike Malloy on Nova M, which I downstream on my computer. Thankfully, Thom's there, too, and I will continue to hear him via Nova M. But what about folks who don’t have computers or prefer turning on the radio?
So the call is going out to you, friends and citizens, even if you are not NYC residents. You can contact our local program managers at WWRL during the daytime, at 212-631-0800, and let them know what you think.
Another way to get the message through is by using WWRL’s web page contact info:
General Phone Number: 212 631 0800
Address: 333 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10001
WWRL Radio Sales: 212 631 0800 ext. 151 Please contact pcaesar@wwrl1600.com
1600 WWRL Programming: To ask a question or make a comment about WWRL’s Programming in general, please email Program Director, Rennie Bishop at bishop@wwrl1600.com
And here is WWRL's link for YOU to post topics you want to talk about:
http://www.wwrl1600.com/talkabout.asp
Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss!

Iraqi Workers Want Unions

Statement by

Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions

to 2008 Chevron and ExxonMobil Shareholder Meetings
by Hassan Juma'a Awad, President, Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions

c/o USLAW

On May 28, 2008, Chevron and ExxonMobil Corporations will each conduct their annual shareholder meetings. Chevron will convene its meeting at its world headquarters in San Ramon, CA. ExxonMobil will conduct its meeting in Dallas, Texas. Antiwar, environmental and other social justice organizations will conduct protests at each event.
The following statement from the Federation of Oil Unions in Iraq to the shareholders of each corporation will be presented at press conferences conducted in conjunction with these protests. The statement was transmitted by Hassan Juma'a Awad, President of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions, to U.S. Labor Against the War for presentation at these events.

To: The Shareholders of ExxonMobil and Chevron Corporations and All Peace Loving People of the World

From: Hassan Juma'a Awad, President, Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU)

We call upon the governments, corporations and other institutions behind the ongoing occupation of Iraq to respond to our demands for real democracy, true sovereignty and self-determination, free of all foreign interference.

Five years of invasion, war and occupation have brought nothing but death, destruction, misery and suffering to our people. In the name of our "liberation," more than a million of our citizens have been killed or wounded, our nation's schools, hospitals and other infrastructure have been destroyed, our neighbourhoods have been bombed, our homes have been broken into, our children have been traumatized, many of our family members and neighbours have been assaulted and arrested, our national treasures have been looted, and nearly twenty percent of our people have been turned into refugees.

The continued occupation fuels the violence in Iraq rather than alleviating it. The occupation has helped to foment and then exploit sectarian divisions and terror attacks where there had been none.

The Ba'athist legislation of 1987, which banned trade unions in the public sector and public enterprises (80% of all workers), is still in effect and continues to be enforced against us. Our union offices have been raided. Union property has been seized and destroyed. Our bank accounts have been frozen. Our leaders have been beaten, arrested, abducted and assassinated. Our rights as workers are routinely violated. This is an attack on our rights and the basic precepts of a democratic society. It is a grim reminder of the shadow of dictatorship still stalking our country.

We call upon you and all the world's peace-loving peoples to help us to end the nightmare of occupation and restore our sovereignty and national independence so that we can chart our own course to the future.

1. We demand an immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from our country, and utterly reject the agreement being negotiated with the USA for long-term bases and a military presence. Iraq must be returned to full sovereignty.
2. We demand the passage of a labour law promised by our Constitution, that adheres to ILO principles to protect the rights of workers to organize, bargain and strike, independent of state control and interference and on which Iraqi trade unionists have been fully consulted.
3. We demand an end to meddling in our sovereign economic affairs by the International Monetary Fund, the USA and UK, and multinational energy corporations, and recognition that no major economic decisions concerning our services and resources can be made while foreign troops occupy our country.
4. We demand that the US government, oil companies and others immediately cease lobbying for the oil law which would fracture the country and hand control over our oil to multinational companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron. We demand that all oil companies be prevented from entering into any long-term agreement concerning oil while Iraq remains occupied. The Iraqi government must tear up the current draft of the oil law, and begin to develop a legitimate oil policy based on full and genuine consultation with the Iraqi people. Only after all occupation forces are gone should a long term plan for the development of our oil resources be adopted.

We seek your support and solidarity to help us end the military and economic occupation of our country.

We look forward to the day when we have a world based on co-operation and solidarity. We look forward to a world free from war, sectarianism, competition and exploitation.

May 28, 2008

http://uslaboragainstwar.org/