The Boston Wobblies defense Harvard workers and school bus drivers

By George Carens

For more details and information, please see the original article, published in the edition #1767 of Industrial Worker.

(English version follows)

The 29 mai – Des Wobblies du Harvard Union of Clerical & Technical Workers (HUCTW) coordinated a visibility action with the Student Labor Action Movement at Harvard University. Participants highlighted chronic discrimination against workers at the prestigious University, ranging from racism to sexism, and discrimination against workers with disabilities.

Those present also drew attention to the anti-union attitude of the University., illustrated by the dismissal of Judy Rouse, an active and efficient local shop steward 26 of UNITE HERE.

Several members of the community and various organizations joined the action. La Lantern Collective, a local anarchist collective, brought large puppets to attract the attention of passers-by, which allowed the distribution of even more leaflets. Furthermore, le Local 8751 de United Steelworkers, Boston School Bus Drivers Union, was present, including two of its recently dismissed members who helped pass out leaflets to passers-by.

In exchange for this local solidarity 8751 de USW, Wobblies mobilized in support of school bus drivers at a meeting of the Boston Schools Committee, an unelected organization. This organization is trying to remove access to school buses in 4500 schoolchildren, to redirect them to municipal public transportation, often overloaded. This reform not only threatens drivers, but also the safety of children and their access to school, especially when they come from disadvantaged backgrounds. In the meeting, Wobblies held up signs in protest, and a member of the Boston GMB spoke forcefully against the racist and discriminatory policies of the Boston Schools Committee.

“Boston Wobblies Defend Harvard Workers and Local Bus Drivers”
By Geoff Carens

For more details and information, please read the original article in the Industrial Worker, Issue #1767.

May 29 – Wobblies from the Harvard Union of Clerical & Technical Workers (HUCTW) coordinate a visibility action with the Student Labor Action Movement, at Harvard University. Participants underlined the repeated discrimination undergone by workers at the prestigious American university, who have been subject to racism, sexism and ableism on the job. They also called attention to the union-busting attitude of Harvard University, illustrated by the firing of Judy Rouse, an active and effective shop steward of UNITE HERE Local 26.

Several community members and organizations attended or lent a hand in solidarity. The local anarchist Lantern Collective provided large puppets that drew attention from passers-by and enabled the passing out of flyers. United Steelworkers (ETC) Local 8751, the Boston school bus drivers’ union, was also present, and two members recently fired for union activity joined in the show of solidarity and the handing out of flyers.

In return for the solidarity by USW Local 8751, Wobblies mobilized in support of the school bus drivers at a meeting of the unelected Boston School Committee. This organization is “trying to throw 4500 middle school students off school buses and onto the often overcrowded buses and subway trains.” This threatens not only bus drivers’ jobs, but the safety and school-access of many working-class and poor children in Boston. At the meeting, Wobblies displayed placards in protest, and a member of the Boston GMB spoke forcefully against the racist policies of the Boston School Committee.