Bulletin: Virtual General Meeting June 20

We have some updates about the June 2 Democratic Primary, courtesy of the Inquirer, and while it’s unclear what kind of stay-at-home order will be in place for Philly by then, we know one thing for sure: “This June 2, election day,” said city commissioner Lisa Deeley, “it’s not going to look like any election day we have ever seen before.” For last year’s municipal elections, Philadelphia had 831 polling places open. On June 2, we’ll be down to 190 polling places. If everyone votes in person, that’ll mean longer lines, higher wait times, and an increased risk of catching — or spreading — COVID-19.

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We have some updates about the June 2 Democratic Primary, courtesy of the Inquirer, and while it’s unclear what kind of stay-at-home order will be in place for Philly by then, we know one thing for sure: “This June 2, election day,” said city commissioner Lisa Deeley, “it’s not going to look like any election day we have ever seen before.” For last year’s municipal elections, Philadelphia had 831 polling places open. On June 2, we’ll be down to 190 polling places. If everyone votes in person, that’ll mean longer lines, higher wait times, and an increased risk of catching — or spreading — COVID-19.

Fortunately, you can still apply for a mail-in ballot, but not for much longer; the deadline to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is May 26, a week from Tuesday. Click here to easily, simply, and painlessly apply for a mail-in ballot online, or, if you’re a “phone guy,” call 1-877-868-3772 to apply over the phone.

Philly DSA-endorsed candidates are on the ballot across the city: Elizabeth Fiedler is running for reelection in the 184th House District, Nikil Saval (recently endorsed by Bernie Sanders!) is taking on the establishment in Senate District 01, and Rick Krajewski is running to succeed Jim Roebuck in West Philly’s 188th. We’ve made the case for these candidates time and time again, and now, only weeks away from a totally unpredictable primary, we’re once again asking for your help. Vote by mail, make calls this weekend, and, of course, vote for Bernie Sanders.

Philly DSA General Meeting: Saturday, June 20... online

Our next General Meeting will be held on Saturday, June 20 at 1 PM, and due to restrictions on large gatherings we’ll be meeting virtually. RSVP and look out for updates as the meeting gets closer. We’ll be holding special elections for two Steering Committee members at the meeting: Communications Chair and Political Education Chair. Nominations will be accepted through this form until 5/30.

This Week in Unions

Today at 6:30 pm, Philly DSA is hosting our annual State of the Union, a forum aimed at building and strengthening connections between socialists and organized labor. The topic this year is, as it almost has to be, health and safety: Labor in the Era of Covid-19. Click through for a Zoom link, and we’ll see you tonight!

Are you a union worker affected by the coronavirus crisis? Are you organizing in your shop or workplace to demand higher safety and sanitation standards? PHLDSA’s Labor Commission is convening a series of calls where representatives from unions in the greater Philadelphia area are discussing and coordinating responses. Email Paul Prescod for more information.

  • The DSLC has launched their #DSA4USPS campaign and that means we all need to be sending postcards to Congress to ask them to save USPS! We're going to order bulk postcards as a chapter, but first, we need to know how many people will participate. Fill out this form NOW so we can place our order. If you're a postal worker, have a personal story about USPS to share, or just want to join the USPS subcommittee, email [email protected]. 
  • Update from the last Bulletin: at the end of April, over 40 unions and community organizations sent a letter to Mayor Kenney demanding that he do more to protect essential workers, by expanding testing eligibility, mandate anti-retaliation provisions, enforce regular cleaning, and more. Although he hasn't directly responded to the letter, he did institute testing for essential workers.
  • Last weekend, in honor of Mother's Day, Teamsters Local 623 gave out roses to Teamster Moms, to thank them for their work at UPS, in their union, and at home. Love for & solidarity with Teamster Moms. 🌹
  • Finally, news about Your Philadelphia Union is hard to come by, as Major League Soccer remains on coronavirus standby, but their mascot, medium aberration Phang, learned how to read this week. So that’s something.

Events

Philly DSA State of the Union: Labor in the Era of Covid-19
Thursday, May 14 | 6:30 - 8:00 pm | Virtual

Phonebanking for Rick and Nikil!
Saturday and Sunday, May 16 - 17 | Shifts available all day | Remote

Virtual Happy Hour
Wednesday, May 20 | 6:00 - 8:00 pm | Virtual

DSA Policy and Organizing Training
Thursday, May 21 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Virtual

Phonebanking for Rick and Nikil!
Saturday and Sunday, May 23 - 24 | Shifts available all day | Remote

New Members Meeting
Sunday, May 24 | 1:00 - 3:00 pm | Virtual

Marx Reading Group: Capital Vol. 1
Wednesday, May 27 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Virtual

Upcoming Committee Meetings & Branch Events

Communications Committee Meeting
Monday, May 18 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm | Virtual

BuxMont DSA: May Virtual General Meeting
Tuesday, May 19 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Zoom

Delco DSA May Meeting
Wednesday, May 20 | 7:00 - 8:30 pm | Virtual

Policy Committee Meeting
Wednesday, May 27 | 6:30 - 8:00 pm | Virtual

Announcements

Member Engagement 1:1s

Would you like to talk about your experiences in the chapter, or how you can get more involved? Schedule a meeting with a member of the Member Engagement committee!

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 Process
In 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 and wash your hands,

Philly DSA Bulletin Team

 

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