Delivering Democracy ⭐ | Bulletin

NOTE: Please vote in the Vice Chair Special Election! If you're a member in good standing you should have received an email from OpaVote last Sunday with your ballot, candidate statements, and speeches/Q&A video linked. If you can’t find it, please email [email protected]. Voting closes at 11:59pm on Sunday, March 6!

Friend — 

In November, the Teamsters elected the O'Brien-Zuckerman reform slate. This is the first time a non-Hoffa slate will be at the top of the 1.4 million-member union since the 1990s.

Tonight at 7pm, Philly DSA joins a panel of rank-and-file Teamster activists to talk about the history of reformism in the union, the prospects for the OZ term, and about unions as a site of socialist struggle in the 21st century. We have an impressive lineup of guests including our very own Labor Branch member and Teamster, Keon L! 

No reading is required ahead of this event, but here’s some context. Register at the event page to receive the Zoom link. We hope to see you there! ⭐

On the calendar
Unless otherwise specified, all events are held via Zoom. 

Green New Deal Commission Meeting, tonight at 6:30pm
Hear updates on our Green New Deal organizing, plan future work, and find ways to get involved!

Racial Justice Committee Open Meeting, March 5 at 12pm
Get involved in our current campaigns (Ben Fletcher Commemoration and Defund the Police), help us formulate upcoming campaigns (Juntos Mutual Aid), and collectively discuss current events in and around our city.

Canvass for Paul Prescod, March 5 at noon, Wharton Square Park
Canvass for our endorsed candidate, Paul Prescod for State Senate in the 8th District! 

Electoral Fundraiser, March 5 at 7pm, Gojjo
Come join us at Gojjo to help fundraise for our locally endorsed socialist candidates! 🍻

Political Education Events and Panels Subcommittee Meeting, March 6 at 6pm
Help organize events and panels that strive to educate on ideas and historical movements or moments from a socialist point of view.

Housing Committee Open Meeting, March 7 at 6:30pm
Join our monthly meeting and talk about the housing landscape in the city!

Member Engagement Committee Meeting, March 9 at 6pm
Help us plan our May Day fundraiser and develop our leadership training initiatives.

Weeknight Canvass for Paul Prescod with Delco DSA, March 9 at 6:30pm
Canvass for our endorsed candidate, Paul Prescod for State Senate in the 8th District! We’ll meet at 1806 W Shunk St (19145). 

View the full calendar.

Updates from the branches

BuxMont DSA
BuxMont New Member Meeting, March 8 at 7pm
Get brought up to speed on the campaigns and projects of our BuxMont branch!

Anti-Privatization Strategy Session, March 8 at 7pm
Strategize how we can expand on the work we and our coalition of partners in Neighbors Oppose Privatization Efforts (NOPE) have been doing to stop Aqua PA.

View all BuxMont events or all Delco events

This week in unions

• The billionaire bosses have canceled baseball. On the heels of a 90-day-and-counting lockout, the MLB commissioner has canceled the first two series of the season. Who said there’s no crying in baseball? Solidarity with the players! ⚾
• Take a look at how the city’s Rebuild program is working for contractors of color.
• Also close to home, 140 workers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center are organizing with District 1199C (AFSCME) – we’ll be there to support them if and when they need it!
• At the State of the Union, Joe Biden called on Congress to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. Will he do anything more than that? Most likely not. But we will! 

To get involved: If you’re interested in supporting workers who want to organize, organizing your workplace, supporting workers and unions taking collective action, or in building relationships with rank and file union members and leaders, email [email protected]. 

On the bulletin

• Local housing activist Jennifer Bennetch has sadly passed away after fighting COVID. Please donate to her family.
• As the crisis unfolds in Ukraine, please read the DSA International Committee statement on opposing US intervention.
• The Housing Committee is still collecting survey responses to help identify landlord and property management companies that DSA members have in common. Please fill it out to aid future tenant organizing. 🏡
• Join us on Slack: If you’re a Philly DSA member and you’d like to join our Slack workspace, please fill out this form.
• Harassment and Grievance Process: Read about the process to file a grievance here.

In solidarity,

Philly DSA

http://www.phillydsa.org/

“The most important word in the language of the working class is "solidarity." - Harry Bridges, founder of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Communist Party member