Friday, January 8, 2010

Political Action Alert - Budget Cuts & Organizing


In today's, January 7, 2010 New York Times, Governor Arnold Schwarznegger's chief of staff, Susan Kennedy said, "Those protests on the UC campuses the tipping point. Our university system is going to get the support it deserves." Kennedy made these comments immediately after Republican Governor, Schwarznegger proposed cutting money for California prisons and putting the money saved into higher ed. Right now, 11% of the California budget goes to prisons,  and 7.5% goes to higher ed.  He proposed that at least 10% of the state budget go to California universities and colleges, and no more than 7% be used for prisons. This shows the value of militant protest and a growing  student movement with faculty and staff and community support to stop and reverse the budget cuts. Let us in Washington State learn from our brothers and sisters in California
Come here two leading activists in this movement, Wed., January 13th!

OCCUPY EVERYTHING!

Fighting Austerity on California Campuses

Wednesday January 13, 2010

The Evergreen State College, Seminar II, E1105


10:00am Presentation to Political Economy and Social Movements; Race, Class and Gender(all are welcome)

1:30pm Public Presentation-Sem 2, E1105

California is the tenth largest economy in the world and one of the states hardest hit by the current financial crisis. Although the effects of the crisis continue to be felt in real terms by those living in the state, there has been little to no resistance against the financial system responsible for the crisis and the concurrent austerity regime that is decimating social programs including public education.

The public universities of California have emerged as a possible front for confronting the restructuring that has arrived with the crisis. Faced with a 32% student fee increase, thousands of layoffs and pay cuts, students and workers have begun to organize on a mass scale to fight back. Amongst the repertoire of tactics, occupying buildings has shown to be one of the most effective, providing a fresh praxis for a new and contagious movement that has quickly spread across the state.

Come hear stories from this important struggle and watch video from some of the pivotal moments during the last months of 2009. We will focus on lessons learned and future strategies as well as provide space for discussion of possible connections with local organizing efforts connected with budget cuts and tuition increases at TESC.

Ali, a graduate student of environmental science at UC Berkeley, and Tim, a collective member of Inkworks Press, are both active participants in the California student/worker movement and are currently organizing in the Bay Area.

(In the morning class, the presentation on California will be followed by a lecture by author John Duda about the Wobblies Free Speech campaign in Spokane, WA)

for more info, contact, Pete Bohmer ex. 6431. There will also be an organizing meeting with the speakers and interested staff, faculty, students and others to discuss strategy for here.Contact me for the time and place if interested. 

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