WRFG Labor Forum

Atlanta People’s Climate Summit

September 08, 2018 • 10:00-4:00 PM

Flipper Temple AME Church & Cleopas R. Johnson Park• 580 Fair Street, Atlanta, GA 30314

 CONTACT INFO: Tom Thrasher, 706-669-8102, tomt@350atl.org

Atlanta Prison Strike Solidarity Committee will be holding a teach-in in support of the 2018 National Prisoner Strike and to commemorate the anniversary of the Attica Uprising on Sunday, Sept. 9, 3-6:30pm at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 48 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
(across from Fulton County Courthouse)
Speakers, discussion, information tables
Potluck dinner 5:30-6:30pm

Prison Strike Solidarity Rally
Tuesday, August 21 at 6:30 PM – 9 PM
Atlanta Detention Center
254 Peachtree St SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Prison labor is slave labor. We cannot allow this inhumane system to continue. Beginning on August 21st and continuing into September, incarcerated laborers from across the nation will be joining forces by way of a labor and huger strike. Here in Atlanta we will stand in solidarity through a series of actions dedicated to supporting incarcerated workers and raising awareness about the atrocious conditions they face. Join us on the first day of the strike outside of the Atlanta City Detention Center to stand in solidarity with strikers from across the United States.

Link to the Facebook page for the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1815372958547706/

A core group of organized inmates have issued a call for a national prison strike from Aug. 21 to Sept. 9.

August 21 is the anniversary of the assassination of Black Panther Party Field Marshal and prison activist George Jackson in 1971. September 9 is the anniversary of the Attica Prison Rebellion, which erupted two weeks after Jackson’s assassination.

Prison strike demands and support:

1. Immediate improvements to the conditions of prisons and prison policies that recognize the humanity of imprisoned men and women.
2. An immediate end to prison slavery. All persons imprisoned in any place of detention under U.S. jurisdiction must be paid the prevailing wage in their state or territory for their labor.
3. The Prison Litigation Reform Act must be rescinded, allowing imprisoned humans a proper channel to address grievances and violations of their rights.
4. The Truth in Sentencing Act and the Sentencing Reform Act must be rescinded so that imprisoned humans have a possibility of rehabilitation and parole. No human shall be sentenced to Death by Incarceration or serve any sentence without the possibility of parole.
5. An immediate end to the racial overcharging, over-sentencing, and parole denials of Black and Brown humans. Black humans shall no longer be denied parole because the victim of the crime was white, which is a particular problem in Southern states.
6. An immediate end to racist gang enhancement laws targeting Black and Brown humans.
7. No imprisoned human shall be denied access to rehabilitation programs at their place of detention because of their label as a violent offender.
8. State prisons must be funded specific­ally to offer more rehabilitation services.
9. Pell grants must be reinstated in all U.S. states and territories.
10. The voting rights of all confined citizens serving prison sentences, pre-trial detainees, and so-called “ex-felons” must be counted. Representation is demanded. All voices count!

Inmates ask for solidarity through various actions, such as contacting relevant “local, state and federal political representatives” about their demands, especially that prisoner votes be counted.

They ask that financial boycotts of services to prisoners be based only on the stated wishes of those inside.

Later this month, WRFG 89.3FM will mark its 45th anniversary of serving Atlanta with progressive news, analysis and discussion along with the most varied selection of hand-picked music reflecting a wide cultural expression.

Every program is staffed by volunteers who are passionate about being part of a community radio station.

WRFG is not owned by a profit-making corporation, bent on selling our audience products you neither need or want.
We are sustained by our listeners and others who support independent media.

Our summer pledge drive begins today, July 9 and will continue until Sunday, July 29. We need to raise $60,000 to meet the monthly expenses for July, August and September.

If you value The Labor Forum program, especially if you have been a guest on the show, we hope that you can donate any amount to ensure that working people will continue to be able to use 89.3FM’s air waves to speak about the issues important to them.

You can certainly call 404.523.8989 any time to make a contribution but we would especially ask that you call while The Labor Forum is on air, every Monday from 4-5pm.

Other options are using the DONATE button on the website, wrfg.org; sending a check to WRFG, 1083 Austin Ave NE, Atlanta 30307; using our mobile app or coming by the station/studio personally.

You are our listeners, our guests on The Labor Forum and our financial supporters.

PLEASE DONATE TODAY!

Troy Walcott, IBEW Local #3 steward and Spectrum striker calls into The Labor Forum to talk about 15 month long struggle by 1800 NYC union members to win a contract with the communications giant, their new corporate boss since May 2016.
Formerly employed by Time-Warner Cable, these workers are fighting the increasing monopolization of the industry that brings decreased pay and benefits to those who do the work and higher bills and lower service to customers.
Tune in at 4:15-4:30 to learn about this important strike.

This past Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people marched in some 700 US cities, protesting the repressive and cruel immigration policies of the Trump administration.
At 4:30, The Labor Forum welcomes Lovette Kargo-Thompson, Atlanta leader of BAJI (Black Alliance for Just Immigration) to our WRFG studio to discuss the harmful impact of these decisions on African and Caribbean refugees and immigrants in particular.
She will cover how ending TPS (Temporary Protective Status) for Haitians and others will force tens of thousands back to countries still recovering from natural disasters and internal violence.

The Labor Forum airs every Monday from 4-5pm on Atlanta’s progressive, community radio station, WRFG 89.3FM. The programs are archived at wrfglaborforum.org.

The station’s summer pledge drive begins July 9. Contributions from listeners are the primary source of funds needed to operate WRFG’s 24 hour a day, seven days a week schedule of hand-picked music and public affairs programming.

Please make your DONATION online at wrfg.org or WRFG App on your phones, or by calling the studio at 404.523.8989 or mailing a check to 1083 Austin Ave NE, Atlanta 30307.

You can show your support for The Labor Forum by attributing your contribution to our program.

Thank you.

WRFG Labor Forum Team