Philadelphia

Single Mothers And Children Take Over Abandoned Public Buildings

July 25, 2020 Mindy Isser, In These Times. Create! COVID-19, Homelessness, Housing, Philadelphia

In Philadelphia, single mothers and their children have moved into abandoned, publicly owned buildings, in the most significant housing take over in the country—at a time when millions have lost their jobs and the country is on the brink of another housing crisis. Jennifer Bennetch has helped place unhoused people into vacant homes owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), as the founder of Occupy PHA and a member of the Philadelphia Housing Action coalition. She's doing what she says is “the government’s job to make sure people who need it have housing.”

Philadelphia Protest: ‘Housing Is Dignity!’

July 17, 2020 By Betsey Piette, Workers World. Resist! Evictions, Housing, Housing rights, Philadelphia

Residents of the James Talib-Dean tent encampment, set up on June 11 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, held a press conference July 13 to denounce city plans to evict them. Calling for housing now for people who are homeless, camp residents say they are not willing to leave. Named in honor of a housing organizer who recently died, the JTD encampment brought together around 150 activists and houseless people to bring attention to the lack of affordable housing, poor conditions in city shelters and the need for permanent low-income housing. The city has posted notices outside the encampment that it must be vacated by 9 a.m. on July 17. Philadelphia Housing Action spokesperson Sterling Johnson, said, “The unhoused are demanding housing now! What has the city given us — lies, distractions, and promises of tiny homes, and out-of-sight sanctioned encampments. … They will simply shift the burden to another area of the city, and we will start this process all over again.”

Homeless Philadelphians Moving Into Vacant City-Owned Homes

June 25, 2020 Unicorn Riot. Create! Homeless, Housing, Philadelphia, Squat

Philadelphia, PA – Housing advocates plan to reveal today that they’ve facilitated moving previously-unhoused city residents into “vacant, viable” homes in North Philly owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA). According to those who are helping families move in, a large number of usable residences are being intentionally left vacant by the PHA so that they can be sold to developers. The process of finding empty PHA-owned homes, fixing them up, and helping to move people in is a collaboration between ‘Occupy PHA’ and the Revolutionary Workers Collective. The ‘move-in’ process began during the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, but now has a sense of added urgency against the backdrop of nationwide unrest and struggles for justice during uprisings after the police murder of George Floyd in May.

Too Late To Reform, Time To Disband Philly Police

June 23, 2020 Betsy Piette, Workers.org. Resist! Philadelphia, Police Abolition, Police violence, Systemic Racism

Philadelphia - The Philadelphia Police Department, the fourth largest in the U.S., is one of the oldest municipal police agencies, founded in 1854. Its history has been marked by patterns of police brutality, intimidation, coercion and disregard for constitutional rights. Recently, a statue of former Police Commissioner Frank Rizzo (1967-71), whose tenure is synonymous with racist police brutality, was finally removed. While welcomed, simply removing his statue changes nothing fundamental. It is only a first step. Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney had ordered the removal of the hated statue in the middle of the night on June 3, robbing activists, who for years had fought for its removal, the pleasure of taking it down themselves. Back in 2017, Philadelphia REAL Justice had launched a campaign called “Rizzo Down.”

Abolishing The Police: A Radical Idea That’s Been around For Over A Century

June 19, 2020 Talya Zax, Forward. Educate! Law Enforcement, Philadelphia, Police, Police violence

In 1905, Pennsylvania did something unprecedented: It founded America’s first state police force. The new institution, which was more highly militarized than previous law enforcement systems, was created for one reason: The state government wanted a more organized and efficient way to break strikes. The new force approached that mission with zeal — and violence. In 1909, members of the Pennsylvania State Police killed several strikers during the Pressed Steel Car Strike, a strike by workers who built railroad cars; after a crowd broke one state trooper’s leg, police were given orders to shoot to kill. A report by the New York World recorded similar orders that were given during the Philadelphia Car Strike, a transit strike that turned into a general citywide strike the following year.

The MOVE House Bombing 35 Years Later

May 13, 2020 John Leslie, Socialist Resurgence. Educate! MOVE Family, Philadelphia, Police abuse, Racism

May 13, 2020, is the 35th anniversary of the day Philadelphia police dropped a bomb on a home in a working-class neighborhood. The resulting conflagration and police gunfire killed 11 people, including five children, and destroyed 61 houses. It was a military assault designed to wipe out the MOVE organization. MOVE, a back-to-nature group founded in 1972 by John Africa, had been the subject of police harassment for years and the target of a violent attack that landed nine MOVE supporters in prison. Today, as calls for an official apology from the city grow louder, it is necessary to review what happened.

Philly Unions Are Calling For A Citywide Essential Worker Bill Of Rights

May 1, 2020 Juliana Feliciano Reyes, Philadelphia Inquirer. Create! Essential worker, Philadelphia, Unions, Worker Rights

As workers grow increasingly desperate in the face of life-threatening conditions, Philadelphia labor leaders have come together to say the city must do more to protect employees deemed essential during the coronavirus pandemic. Officials representing more than 30 union locals and worker groups called Monday for Mayor Jim Kenney to make testing available for all essential workers and prevent employers from firing employees who stay home if they feel sick. The effort, led by UPS workers’ Teamsters Local 623 and the worker group One Pennsylvania, is the first attempt at uniting the city’s labor movement to get better protection for workers during the pandemic. “Workers were called upon to deliver us through this crisis,” the union leaders wrote in a letter to Kenney.

A Rank-and-File Teachers’ Movement Takes On Asbestos And Lead In Schools

February 11, 2020 By Mindy Isser, Truthout.org Resist! Environment, Philadelphia, Teachers

A militant caucus within the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is showing how, with rank-and-file leadership, unions can be a powerful force for fighting deep-rooted environmental injustice. Nearly 24 years ago, students at Franklin Learning Center sounded the alarm about asbestos and lead in their school, blocking traffic and interrupting a Board of Education meeting to demand repairs and renovations that would make the building safe.

Philadelphia: Stop Denying Disaster Relief To Puerto Rico!

January 25, 2020 By Joe Piette, Workers.org Resist! Natural Disasters, Philadelphia, Puerto Rico

Demonstrators gathered in Philadelphia on Jan. 15 in front of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mid-Atlantic Region, with signs and Puerto Rican flags. Speaker after speaker criticized the Trump administration for refusing to allow $18 billion in post-hurricane aid to be sent to the U.S. island colony. Without citing a valid reason to deny the Congress-approved aid...

Teachers Union Suing District Over Asbestos In Schools

January 22, 2020 Staff, Apnews.com Resist! Lawsuit, Philadelphia, Schools, Teacher's Union, Toxic Chemicals

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The union representing public school teachers in Philadelphia is suing the district over its handling of asbestos contamination in schools, the union said Monday. The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers suit comes after the city school district was forced to close a north Philadelphia elementary school for a second time Friday after tests demanded by teachers and union leaders showed elevated levels of asbestos, a known carcinogen, in the air.

MOVE 9 Member Welcomed Home

January 21, 2020 Joe Piette, Workers.org Resist! MOVE 9, Philadelphia

Very early in the morning of Jan. 18, three carloads of supporters made the two-hour trip from Philadelphia to SCI Dallas, near Wilkes Barre, Pa., to bring MOVE 9 member Delbert Africa home from prison. They waited from 8:15 until 9:30, when Delbert was finally released — after 41 years in prison for a crime that none of the MOVE 9 had committed. On his arrival in West Philadelphia, he was warmly welcomed by other MOVE 9 members, MOVE organizers and community activists, including members of Workers World Party, Food Not Bombs-Solidarity, Mobilization4Mumia, REAL Justice and others.

Philadelphia Domestic Workers Win A New Bill Of Rights

November 16, 2019 By Cynthia Drayton, Inequality.org Create! Domestic Workers, New Economy, Philadelphia, Reform

I’ve been a domestic worker my whole life. I work in other people’s homes, mostly as a nanny, but I’ve also been a homecare worker, taking care of people who are elderly and need assistance, and have chosen to stay in their homes as they age. I’m a cook, preparing meals. I’m a teacher, reading stories to their children. I’m a nurse, monitoring medication. And I’m a companion, keeping someone company when it is too difficult for them to leave their home.

UPSers Elect Vote No Activists To Lead Philadelphia Local 623

November 6, 2019 Staff, Tdu.org Organize! Class Struggle, Labor Unions, Philadelphia, Workers Rights and Jobs

Teamsters in Philadelphia Local 623 have overwhelmingly elected Richard Hooker and the #623LivesMatter slate. In a four-way race, Hooker beat the incumbent 547-346. That's a 61% to 39% margin. “Today, the members won an election. Tomorrow, we start building a stronger, better union together,” Hooker said. Local 623 has 4,000 members. The overwhelming majority work at UPS. Hooker didn’t start getting active at election time. He’s been organizing non-stop for years.

In Response To Latest Mumia Appeal, Philly Cops Lash Out At District Attorney

October 1, 2019 By Ted Kelly, Workers.org Resist! Mumia Abu-Jamal, Philadelphia, political prisoners

In the face of mounting legal victories and an energized movement in the streets to free Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police is now attacking District Attorney Larry Krasner for failing to challenge a request by Abu-Jamal’s attorneys for a new evidentiary hearing. Maureen Faulkner, widow of slain police officer Daniel Faulkner, has been enlisted by the FOP to attack Krasner, despite his initial efforts to help her perpetuate Abu-Jamal’s unjust imprisonment.

Breakthrough For Mumia Abu-Jamal And All Victims Of The Injustice System

January 21, 2019 Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese, Clearing the FOG. Podcast Criminal Justice System, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Philadelphia, Police abuse

The case of Mumia Abu Jamal, who was framed with the murder of a police officer, has had some important breakthroughs in the last month including allowing him appeal rights and the finding of six previously undisclosed boxes of evidence in his case. This could result in the dismissal of his case and release from prison after 37 years. We talk with Rachel Wolkenstein, who has served as an attorney and advocate for Mumia since 1990. Wolkenstein explains the significance of his case in the context of racist police enforcement, mass incarceration, the myths of US justice and legal lynching and describes evidence showing Mumia was framed because of his political activism. She argues that Mumia will only get justice if a mass movement demands it.

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