It’s springtime in Philadelphia, and that means the High Holiday of International Socialism has arrived: May Day.
It’s springtime in Philadelphia, and that means the High Holiday of International Socialism has arrived: May Day. As a European holiday, May Day has long existed as a celebration of the start of spring; there’s food, music, that weird pole thing. In Bulgaria, they jump over fires and hiss at snakes, while in Oxford, they indulge their bourgeois heritage by singing about how great their university is, despite, well, you know, this. In 1889, the holiday became a major day of worker action and protest after police opened fire on protestors in Chicago's Haymarket Square. Since that fateful event, The Real Labor Day is on May 1, not some Monday in September that really just means you’re going back to school. What were their demands at Haymarket Square? An eight-hour work day. We won that, and we can win again.
This May Day, Philly DSA has partnered with other organizations in the city to call for a just and fair budget for Philadelphia. The People’s Budget, which we talked about in our last edition of the Bulletin, is a historic chance to wield worker power in the halls of City Council and stop real estate and ruling-class interests from furthering austerity in our city. Come out to Love Park to rally against the Mayor’s anti-worker budget.
And on Friday, April 30, the Philadelphia Branch of the AFL-CIO is hosting a rally outside evil gremlin Pat Toomey’s office at 200 Chestnut Street in support of the PRO Act. We are so close to having the necessary votes in the Senate to pass it, and labor is stepping up the pressure on Democrats to push right-wing members of their party to make labor history. Come out to the rally, and sign-up for a phone banking shift if you haven’t already!
Housing Committee Meeting Thursday, May 6 | 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Virtual
OCOS Committee Meeting Saturday, May 8 | 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm | Virtual
Green New Deal Commission Meeting Monday, May 10 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Virtual
Racial Justice Committee Meeting Wednesday, May 12 | 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm | Virtual
Night School: Municipal Politics Wednesday, May 12 | 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm | Virtual
Canvassing Committee Meeting Monday, May 17 | 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm | Virtual
BuxMont DSA May New Members MeetingTuesday, May 4 | 7pm – 8:30pm | Virtual
BuxMont DSA Political Education Reading GroupEvery Wednesday | 7pm – 9pm | Virtual
Delco DSA Reading GroupThursday, May 13 | 8pm – 9:30pm | Virtual
BuxMont DSA Bucks Tenant SolidarityWednesay, May 12 | 6pm – 7:30pm | Virtual
National Convention Delegate Nomination
If you wish to nominate yourself as a delegate from Philadelphia to the DSA National Convention, please submit this form by Friday, May 7, 11:59pm. If you think someone else should be a delegate nominee, please reach out directly to them and encourage them to fill out this nomination form. For now, we are only requesting each member's name and agreement to the criteria; however, we will ask for a short candidate statement due at a later date to be publicized before the vote.
Grievance Officer VolunteersPhilly DSA is looking for volunteers to serve as Grievance officers.
According to our bylaws (see Article XIII. Discipline), Philly DSA must appoint from one to three members to serve as Harassment Grievance Officers (“HGOs”). Responsibilities of HGOs include: receiving and archiving all documents related to grievance charges; processing complaints according to the process detailed in the policy; handling communications related to filed grievances; investigating charges and reporting recommendations to the Steering Committee; handling the appeals process; and reporting yearly to the Local. Grievance officers can request guidance and advice from National DSA staff.
HGOs must be able to maintain strict confidentiality in relation to charges filed within the local, maintain impartiality during investigations, and to be ready to handle difficult matters in a sensitive and effective manner.
If you would like to be considered for appointment as an HGO, please write to [email protected], subject line “HGO,” with a description of why you believe you would be a good fit for this role, and detailing any related experience and skills.
Support 👏 Philly 👏 DSA 👏!Local Dues - support our campaign work and cover everyday operating costs like meeting space // Contribute to Philly DSA PAC - help fund our independent electoral campaigns // Accommodations, Accessibility, Childcare - let us know what you need to stay involved // Moved away from Philly? - update your address on the DSA national database.
Harassment and Grievance ProcessIn accordance with Article XIII of our Bylaws, a commission has been formed to receive, process, and review grievances for disciplinary action. To read more about the process or to file a grievance you can do so here.
Stay safe,
Philly DSA Bulletin Team
Inquiries | Website
PAID FOR BY PHILADELPHIA DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA (WWW.PHILLYDSA.ORG.) NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE.
Isn’t it time to do something? Get involved with the Local.
