labor

Friday, March 15th, 2013, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Economist Andrew Kliman will make a rare Boston appearance to discuss his book "The Failure of Capitalist Production: Underlying Causes of the Great Recession" (Pluto 2012). Many analyses of the Great Recession have been put forward from theories of unregulated finance, to Neoliberalism, to rising inequality. Kliman's book is the first to put forward, based on in-depth empirical analysis of US data, that Marx's theory of the Tendency of the Rate of Profit to Fall can explain these events. This talk will also present some of Kliman's most recent work on the contentious issues of wages and inequality.

Kliman's conclusions have immediate political implications. Short of a socialist transformation the only way to escape the 'new normal' of stagnation is to restore profitability through full-scale destruction of the value of existing capital assets, something not seen since the Depression of the 1930's.

Lessons from Organizer and Strategist Peter Van Delft

Thursday, February 21, 2013, 7:00 p.m. At no previous point in its history has the situation of the labor movement been more dire. At the same time, new waves of immigrant and community organizing and the rise of middle-class activism may signal renewal for the movement that brought dignity to millions of workers. This event helps as look forward by first looking back on Peter's 4 decades of service to the labor movement.

About Peter: A longtime activist and a third-generation socialist, Peter Van Delft has spent more than forty years in the labor movement. Following World War II he attended the University of California at Berkeley where he earned an M.A. in Anthropology and where he was involved in activities leading to increased admissions and support for low income and students of color.

Until his retirement Peter was a Vice President of New York based, 30,000 member, District 65. Earlier, he had been a member of the National Maritime Union and of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Calling All Peace & Social Justice Activists!

Sunday, May 6, 2012, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Now is the time to join together with 24 labor, peace, housing and community groups across the state to put our message before the public this election year. Place the “Budget for All” referendum question on the ballot in Massachusetts this November: “Troops home from Afghanistan now; Reduce the Military Budget; No cuts to Social Security, Housing assistance, Medicaid; Invest in Jobs and Renewable energy; tax large corporations”

We need you to help collect signatures to place the referendum on the ballot in your state representative district. Here’s something we can all do together.

For Information call Paul Shannon at AFSC: 617-661-6130 ext. 123

Thursday, February 9, 2012, 7:00 p.m. Author, activist and BC sociologist Charlie Derber speaks to his most recent book, Marx's Chost: Midnight Conversations on Changing the World. He will be joined by Alexandra Pineros Shields, Brian Kwoba and Genevieve Butler. From the publisher: An American sociologist (Derber) travels to London's Highgate cemetery, where Karl Marx is buried. A surprise encounter with Marx's ghost, which reveals insights into the great revolutionary’s personality and biography, leads to a night-long conversation between Derber and the ghost on important issues of the day: the economic crisis, globalization; climate change, war, racism, left- and right-wing politics, the future of capitalism, new economic models emerging in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia, and revolutionary activism by citizens in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya—even Wisconsin. The ghost reconsiders his theories as he speaks eloquently about American labor, environmental, peace, social justice, civil rights, immigrant, and gender and anti-racist struggles. Their engrossing, funny, and provocative conversation, interrupted by appearances from ghosts such as John Maynard Keynes, offers a new vision of the stunning relevance and tragic flaws of the historical Marx, who now reveals a surprising Great Transition to a transformed future. Watch this space for a review coming soon!

Friday, January 20, 2012, 6:00 p.m. Join Immanuel Ness and Elaine Bernard for a panel discussion on From Occupy to Workers Control sponsored by the Howard Zinn Memorial Lecture Series and hosted by encuentro 5.

The Occupy Movement is taking new and exciting steps as it continues to reshape political possibilities (such as reclaiming foreclosed homes).

The discussion of how to organize a society that represents the interests and aspirations of the 99% is a debate that is being held across Occupy sites. What would it mean to really take the Occupy Movement into the workplace? Into the heart of the economic system itself? And how to do it?

All of those invited to speak at this event contributed to a recent Haymarket Book "Ours to Master and to Own."

PRINCIPLES FOR A NEW ECONOMY

Monday, November 15, 2010, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. The “One Nation Working Together” rally brought together an unprecedented progressive coalition in Washington on October 2. Nationally, One Nation plans to continue its ambitious collaboration effort after the November election -- when such collaboration between labor, civil rights, environmental, social justice, housing, peace and youth groups will be more important than ever.

Thursday, July 8, 2010, 6:00 p.m. Ana Justo has been a leader of Brazil 's Landless Workers Movement (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra - MST) for 23 of its 25 years. The largest social movement in Latin America, the MST has 1.5 million members. The MST struggles for land reform, access to healthcare, schools, organic production and infrastructure by promoting ground-up sustainable development based in the needs of all Brazilians. Ana coordinates the Secretariat of the MST's Florestan Fernandes National School located in Guararema, Sao Paulo. This event is sponsored by Grassroots International.

Saturday, April 3, 2010, 6:30 p.m. Labor organizers, musicians and friends come together for a night of music and activism to support a local youth contingent to the 2010 Labor Notes Conference.

6:30-7:30: Labor Notes Co-Director, Mark Brenner about the conference and this year’s themes: Defending Jobs and the Public Sector, Holding the Line, Organizing and Building our Unions, Examining Labor’s Political Agenda, the Next Generation, Making Sense of Our Movements, and Connecting Our Fights

Music 7:30-11pm: Pat Keaney, Jake & The Infernal Machine, and Labor Power

Let us know you're coming on Facebook and invite your friends...

Saturday, February 13, 2010, 6:00 p.m. Join Victor Wallis and Sylvia Escarcega in a discussion concerning the potential political and ethical contributions of indigenous thought and social movements to building alternatives to capitalism. Victor's paper, "Beyond 'Green Capitalism'" recently published in Monthly Review (61:9, February, 2010) provides a starting point for the conversation. In it, he notes the connection between the present economic recession, the crisis-ridden character of capitalist economy and the ecological limits to the capitalist growth model. But he goes on to observe that most of the world is still caught up in capitalist institutions and does not yet recognize the link between socialism and ecologically appropriate responses. He finds hope and examples in the Global South, insurgent socialism and indigenous resistance.

Thursday, February 4, 2010, 7:00 p.m. In the face of a deepening economic crisis and continuing brutal raids on immigrant workers and their communities, this event brings together union workers, immigrant organizers and community activists. It is part of the campaign by the Boston May Day Committee and its affiliates to unite workers across sector and borders. Join the conversation and help build toward May Day 2010!

Visit BostonMayDay.org for more information 

Sunday, April 26, 2009, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. This is a follow up meeting. The first was convened by Mata Hari and drew together a broad range of pro-immigrant organizations to discuss responses to the continuing raids on immigrant communities.

Sunday, April 5, 2009, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Mata Hari and a broad range of pro-immigrant organizations are meeting to discuss responses to the continuing raids on immigrant communities.

An Evening with Marco Berlinguer

Friday, November 21, 2008, 6:30 p.m.Join us to discuss the current crises and concrete work being done to build effective global alternatives to the winner-take-all economy. The evening will provide an update on preparations for the world social forum 2009 activities connecting the labor movement with the global solidarity economic movement. Light snacks and a wine & cheese-style reception follows.