Solidarity with Wisconsin - Two Events

*REPORT BACK FROM THE CLASS WAR IN WISCONSIN*
From Egypt to Wisconsin: The Crisis of Capitalism and Resistance from Below
Thursday, February 24th, 7pm
Portland State University, Smith Memorial Student Union Room 327

Around the world, economies are being wrecked by crisis. In addition to the trillions of dollars handed over to Wall Street, the governments of Ireland, Greece, and Portugal required similar bailouts while Spain and Italy are seek a way out of the financial crisis. In poor countries, anger over unemployment and rising food prices is helping fuel revolts and revolutions as evident from the recent events in Tunisia and Egypt.

Of course, working-class people everywhere are being forced to pay for the crisis, through joblessness, wage-cuts, and the slashing of social services. Though these cuts have been less severe in the United States, the same political and economic dynamics provoking resistance in Europe and North Africa are at work here.These dynamics have begun to play out in the recent struggle in Wisconsin against Governor Walker's draconian anti-union legislation. Join the International Socialist Organization and Adam Sanchez, a member of the Portland Association of Teachers and ILWU Local 5 who has spent the last few days in Wisconsin and will be reporting back on the struggle. Come discuss the evolving crisis, the resistance to austerity, and the Wisconsin turning point for US Labor.

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Stand with Wisconsin: An Injury to One Is an Injury to All!
Friday, February 25, 4pm
Director Park (SW Yamhill and SW Park) - map

Please distribute widely!

Join us this Friday, February 25, at 4pm as we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Wisconsin as well as Ohio, Indiana and other states where attacks on working people are happening. Wear red (Wisconsin color). Bring your banners. Bring your signs of solidarity. More info on the Jobs with Justice website.

What else can I do?

Here are a couple of ideas. Sign the We are Wisconsin petition and check out the videos. Donate a pizza from Ian's for the demonstrators in Madison. Ian's reports orders from 45 states and 12 countries including Egypt. The number to call is 608-257-9248.

More on Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, workers, students, faith, immigrant rights groups, LGBT groups, women's groups, all sectors of labor, environmental groups, and more continue to occupy the state capitol and more in numbers that are climbing to over 80,000 people.

In states across the country, workers are fighting back against corporate-backed lawmakers who are trying to use state budget problems as an excuse to gut workers’ rights and benefits, when in fact it was Wall Street’s gambles and broken promises that have hurt taxpayers and the middle class—not workers. CEOs are trying to shift the blame for high unemployment and rising poverty levels away from themselves and onto workers and our unions.

The fightback in Wisconsin is historic -- please join us on Friday.

Steve Snyder
Portland Jobs with Justice