WERU News Report 12/17/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Studio Engineer: John Greenman

It’s Wednesday, so we’ve just got a few short news clips and we’re opening the phone lines for your calls for most of the half hour. We’re working on a theme of local solidarity today. How do we keep power, control and resources in LOCAL hands? How do we get it back when it’s been lost?

*Judy Robbins from “Let Cuba Live” with a reaction to today’s news about normalizing relations with that country *Audio from a rally that just ended, outside the mill in Bucksport this afternoon as the last shift of workers leaving the mill were met by supporters
*A report on a donation to the solidarity fund for Fairpoint workers made earlier in the week
*News about a fracking ban in New York that was announced today
*Listener calls

WERU News Report 12/16/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Segment 1: Elves from the Community Union of Ellsworth and Hancock County paid a visit to Fairpoint strikers in Bangor yesterday, on Day 59 of their strike, dropping off a gift in solidarity.

Spirits are high on the picket line, despite the bitter cold and minimal progress on contract negotiations, partly due to all of the support the strikers have been receiving from the community. While waiting for them to arrive, we got an update from spokesperson James Feeney, a 32-year service technician based out of Fairpoint in Bangor:

More information about the Fairpoint strike is available on facebook at: fairnessatfairpoint The elves also have a facebook page: communityunionofellsworth

Segment 2: In the spirit of peace on this first night of Hanukkah, we have some words from Dr Alice Rothchild. Some of the strongest opposition to the Israeli government’s policies toward Palestinians is coming from Jewish activists like Dr. Rothchild, who work for justice by speaking out publicly, often at great risk. She is a physician, author, filmmaker, and human rights activist who shares her observations on the conflict based on her Jewish upbringing as well as her personal, first hand knowledge of the region. She has been a member of several health and human rights delegations to the region, working with Israelis and Palestinians who “refuse to be enemies”. Here is some of what she had to say during a visit to Maine earlier this month, as one of the latest in Robert Shetterly’s “Americans Who Tell the Truth” portrait series. (Audio recorded by Matt Murphy)

RadioActive 12/4/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Solidarity Rallies for Fast Food Workers Day of Action and Black Friday Protests at Walmart; Second El Salvador Municipality Bans Mining

Key Discussion Points:
a) The Community Union of Ellsworth and Hancock County talk about local rallies in support of national movements to raise the standar of living for low wage workers. Black Friday demonstrations focused on Walmart workers,and December 4th was a day of action with fast food workers.
b) The Community Union also speaks to the importance of supporting the striking Fairpoint workers, who have no financial safety net, and who continue their daily pickets.
c) Salvadoran activist speaks at the Penobscot Nation’s River Justice event on the importance of organizing to protect the environment.

Guests:
A) John Curtis, Community Union of Ellsworth and Hancock County, ph: 667-
B) Edith Portillo, CRIPDES, stopesmining,org
C) Cori Ring-Martinez, translator, US El Salvador Sister Cities http://elsalvadorsolidarity.org/

RadioActive 11/20/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Solidarity Harvest and comments on Faripoint Strike and Bucksport Mill Closure

Key Discussion Points:
a) This Thanksgiving marks the 12th annual Solidarity Harvest, a food distribution effort organized Food AND Medicine and the Eastern Maine Labor Council, in concert with union members, local farmers, laid off workers, the underemployed and other area organizations.
b) Solidarity Harvest distributes food for Thanksgiving time for laid off workers and others struggling in Maine, but it is also specifically designed to be a model of solidarity, rather then charity, an example of an organized community response to an often unjust economic system.
c) Jack Mckay also comments on the issues surrounding the Fairpoint workers strike and the closure of the Bucksport paper mill.

Guest: Jack McKay, director of Food AND Medicine and president of Eastern Maine Labor Council. www.foodandmedicine.org