Consisting of academic student employees, graduate student researchers, postdoctoral researchers and employees, associate instructors and teaching assistants, and spanning from San Diego to Davis, academic workers are not backing down to the University of California (UC) system.

They are demanding that the United Auto Workers represent them and bargain for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). “The $54,000, it would be a significant cost-of-living adjustment and it would be an amount that would lift most of us out of rent burden,” said Galen Liang, a graduate student instructor at UCB. The adjustment is a necessity for these workers across California as the cost of living continues to rise and their wages do not. Liang states, “We are living in a private housing market, where rates at other campuses can change so drastically.”

They used UC San Diego’s rent as an example, where the university-owned graduate housing rent goes up 100% every two years. Delena Ngo, an academic worker from Yale, who was there in solidarity with the UC strikes, confirms, “There’s just no housing anywhere, now.” The proposition from the UC system lacked other substantial benefits like childcare services and affordable healthcare, especially for those entering their workforce. “The UC should make sure that we have enough to live and get adequate housing,” states Ngo.

At a pre-bargaining caucus, the UAW union discussed dropping COLA from their bargaining demands with the UC. Academic worker strikes erupted across California, a demonstration of the rank-and-file workers’ frustrations with their union and employer. Conor Jackson, a head steward for UAW Local 2865, responds, “First step is raise everyone’s pay, right now, to a livable wage and also, make sure that we have annual increases that are commensurate with the change in the cost of living over time. So, our current proposal for both units is a 7% general range adjustment each year.”

Sean Malloy, professor at UC Merced, states “Given the cost of inflation, 7% isn't even keeping up with it,” echoing the dissatisfaction the academic workers have with these potential contracts. Leadership in UAW 2865 made promises to incorporate COLA as a demand in two years, but the academic workers have not remained silent as an integral demand is threatened to be discarded. “Just because we are treated so horribly and we were paid so little in the past, literally below poverty wages, doesn’t mean that we should normalize that circumstance and situation and we should demand more,” stated Galen Liang.

The workers know they are the ones to decide their demands, and they are prepared for months-long strikes to hold their leaders responsible. Liang adds, “Only through collective action can we really change the direction of how things are going.”

The workers’ demand living wages (adjusted for inflation), inclusive childcare programs, extensive parental benefits, and affordable healthcare for all academic researchers and workers.

With the growing strikes and demands for living wages, those picketing are hopeful for the futures of unions and workers’ rights. “For the first time in my adult life, I’ve seen a growth of union activity, rather than a shrinkage,” Sean Malloy said, “We’re now seeing both increased membership and militancy, as well.”

As of the week of December 4, the postdoctoral researchers are voting to ratify their contract. The Student Researchers United bargaining team made a new proposal to the UC, which lowers the $54,000 stipend to $43,000. Many academic workers are dissatisfied with the new potential contract; they will continue with the statewide strikes against the UC system until their demands are met.

#BerkeleyCA #UnitedAutoWorkers #UniversityOfCalifornia #Strikes

Berkeley, CA – I just heard about the passing of Yuri Kochiyama from my father, another Nisei (second generation Japanese American) political activist, who lives in Berkeley about a mile from where Yuri was living. I didn’t know Yuri well, having only met her once when we were both attending the same program in the Asian American community. Nevertheless, she was the single most prominent individual Asian American activist of the 20th century and her life and politics pioneered the Asian American movement born in the late 1960s.

Yuri and her husband Bill moved to Harlem in New York City in 1960 and became involved in the growing civil rights movement. She came to know African American revolutionary Malcolm X and her image of kneeling beside the mortally wounded Malcolm in 1964 was highlighted in LIFE magazine photos. Yuri’s identification with Malcolm and the broader Black Liberation Movement blazed the path for a generation of younger Asian American activists. The first revolutionary Asian American organization that I joined, the I Wor Kuen, was directly inspired by the Black Panther Party and began with a very similar political program in 1969.

Yuri also spoke out against the U.S. war in Vietnam. She pointed out the connection between the racism in U.S. imperialist wars in the Third World and the national oppression that African Americans, Puerto Ricans and others were facing here in the U.S. This perspective had broad appeal among oppressed nationalities here, leading to protests such as the 1970 Chicano Moratorium against the war in Los Angeles in 1970, as well as the African Liberation Support Committee and solidarity work among African Americans to support the national liberation movements in Africa in the 1970s.

Yuri was also involved in the 1980s movement among Japanese Americans for redress (an official government apology) and reparations (monetary compensation) for the 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent put into concentration and prison camps during World War II. Yuri’s own father, Seiichi Nakahara, was arrested the day of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and was denied medicines. He died within days, and the rest of Yuri’s family was sent to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, where they had to live in horse stall, and were eventually sent to a concentration camp in Jerome, Arkansas.

This movement not only won redress and reparations from the federal government in the late 1980s, but also paved the way for Japanese American solidarity with and support for Arab Americans and American Muslims targeted by the U.S. government after Sept. 11, 2001. Yuri was again a pioneer in this solidarity effort, organizing Japanese Americans to join Iranian Americans following the 1979 revolution in Iran to combat the growing anti-Iranian sentiment in the U.S.

Masao Suzuki is a long time activist in the San José, California Japanese American community and chair of the Joint Nationalities Commission of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

#BerkeleyCA #Remembrances #AsianNationalities #AfricanAmerican #YuriKochiyama #IWorKuen #MalcolmX #obituary

Berkeley, CA – Long time antiwar activist Iwao Lewis Suzuki was awarded the Clifford I. Uyeda Peace and Humanitarian award at the Day of Remembrance program in San Francisco, California on February 19, 2012. Dr. Clifford Uyeda was a long-time Japanese American community activist who championed redress and reparations for Japanese Americans incarcerated in U.S. concentration camps during World War II. He also publicized the almost 300 Japanese Americans who refused the military draft during World War II because their families were in concentration camps and spent on average two years in prison each for their courageous stand. Dr. Uyeda also worked to educate people about the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during their occupation of China, including the Rape of Nanking. Fight Back! interviewed Mr. Suzuki at his home in Berkeley after the Day of Remembrance program.

Fight Back!: Would you like to tell our readers what you told the audience at the Day of Remembrance event in San Francisco when you received the Clifford Uyeda Peace and Humanitarian award?

Iwao Lewis Suzuki: I tried to say three things. First, that our country, the United States, is the only country that has used atomic weapons. We need to raise our voices to say that atomic bombs should never be used again. No More Hiroshimas! No More Nagasakis! (1)

Second, the United States should withdraw our military from Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. troops are not there to liberate people, they are an occupying force.

Third, the Okinawan people’s movement to have U.S. military bases withdrawn from Okinawa is very strong. The United States should withdraw all of its military bases from Okinawa.(2)

Editors notes:

(1) The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th and August 9th, 1945. Hundreds of thousand of civilians were massacred, mainly women, children, and the elderly. Under the U.S. military occupation of Japan, it was against the law to give out information about the atomic bombings.

(2) The United States has a number of military bases on the island nation of Okinawa, which is part of Japan. Over two-thirds of all U.S. military forces in Japan are on these islands, which have only 1% of Japan’s population and ½ of 1% of Japan’s land area.

#BerkeleyCA #AntiwarMovement #AsianNationalities #JapaneseAmericanInternment #DayOfRemembrance #NuclearWeapons #Nagasaki #Hiroshima #IwaoLewisSuzuki #ExecutiveOrder9066

Berkeley, CA – On Aug. 14, artist Iwao Lewis Suzuki was inducted into the La Peña Cultural Center Community Hall of Fame, which recognizes cultural activism for social change. Previous inductees into the Community Hall of Fame include Dolores Huerta, Victor Jara, Linda Tillery and Angela Davis.

More than 50 people attended the reception at La Peña in Berkeley where Mr. Suzuki was inducted. The reception featured dozens of paintings, posters and other works of Mr. Suzuki that are now on exhibit at the center. Paul Chin of La Peña began the short program by explaining that the cultural center began in the 1970s in response to the U.S.-backed military coup in Chile on Sept. 11, 1973. This coup overthrew the elected government of socialist Salvador Allende and thousands of revolutionaries and progressives, including President Allende, were killed by the military.

Laura Ruiz, also of La Peña, gave a brief biography of Mr. Suzuki, including his art schooling in Los Angeles, New York and Oakland, some of the artistic awards his paintings had won and his service on the Berkeley Arts Commission. “La Peña,” she said, “was inducting Lewis Suzuki into the Hall of Fame for his spirit of social activism.”

Finally, Mr. Suzuki spoke briefly. He thanked those who worked and volunteered at La Peña, saying that they will change society. “We are the richest country in the world,” said Mr. Suzuki, “but there are many people who can’t get health care or who can’t afford to pay for college.” He added, “Let’s get out of Iraq and Afghanistan. One day we will have peace, where U.S. troops are not overseas and we can have freedom throughout the world.”

The La Peña award followed earlier recognition of Mr. Suzuki for his art and activism. In January of 2010 the City of Berkeley honored Mr. Suzuki, and then in May of 2010 the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), awarded Mr. Suzuki an honorary membership for his life of political activism.

Masao Suzuki is a regular contributor to Fight Back! Newspaper and the son of Iwao Lewis Suzuki.

#BerkeleyCA #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #frso #LaPeñaCulturalCenter #IwaoLewisSuzuki

Berkeley, CA – University of California (UC) students here took to the streets to protest the state law passed in Arizona that legalizes racial profiling of Latinos and Native Americans. Several hundred people, mainly Chicano and Latino, blockaded the historic Sproul Gate while Aztec dancers and drummers performed for the lunchtime crowds. Afterwards, the protesters marched to the intersection of Bancroft and Telegraph Avenues and sat down, blocking traffic to observe a minute of silence for immigrant communities being targeted by ICE raids and deportations. Then the march resumed down Bancroft, chanting, “Boycott Arizona!” and “Make UC a sanctuary!” Students vow further actions.

#BerkeleyCA #StudentMovement #SB1070 #Arizona

Berkeley, CA – While the University of California's Board of Regents were at UCLA voting to increase the cost of education by a whopping 32%, students, labor and faculty from across the state were fighting back.

At UC Berkeley, staff unions called a strike to protest the regents' plan of layoffs and cutbacks as well as the proposed fee hikes. A noon rally and march of thousands featured a militant message of unity and resistance to the regents' attack on lower income and oppressed nationality students. The strike and other actions are to continue throughout the day on Nov. 19 and 20.

#BerkeleyCA #UCBerkeley #UCRegents #TuitionHike

Berkeley, CA – Over 600 activists gathered on Oct. 24, for a conference to organize against the statewide education budget cuts.

Public education is under attack across the state of California, from kindergartens to universities. The struggle has intensified as public officials have brutally cut funding and launched a campaign of privatization.

The conference came out of last month’s massive university walkouts, which drew thousands of workers, students and faculty demanding an end to layoffs, furloughs and tuition hikes. Excitement filled the room during the proceedings as students and workers came together to hammer out a unified plan of action to defend public education.

“We did not make this crisis, but we are paying for it!” said Kathryn Lybarger, an organizer with AFSME local 3299. The pay cuts, forced furloughs, tuition hikes and slashed department funds will only account for 2% of the gaping hole in the state budget, she explained. “So the question has to be asked – why go after education to pay California’s debt?” According to one of the University of California (UC) regents, the state-appointed board that manages the UC system, the answer is simple: The public schools are an untapped business.

The people of California are making it clear that they do not share this view, through protests and direct actions. John, a middle school teacher in the Bay Area, heatedly argued that “education is not a commodity to be bought and sold.” His school participated in a ‘sick-in’ this past spring, joining dozens of other Los Angeles Unified School District schools that held actions against the teacher layoffs.

Oppressed nationality and working class students have been hit the hardest. “Recruiters used to come to our community college two to three times a year,” explained Brian Donovan, chapter president of Diablo Valley Students for a Democratic Society. “But now we see them nearly every week.” Lately, the chapter has been organizing counter-recruitment actions, often pushing the Air Force to pack up before they even get started.

By the afternoon, the conference attendees agreed to a day of action against privatization and cutbacks, scheduled for March 4 of next year. Break-out sessions (grouped by system – University of California, California State University, community colleges and K-12) were used for more specific brainstorming.

The conference ended with participants marching on Mark Yudof’s Oakland home. Yudof, the president of the UC system, was hired to run it like a corporation. In a recent interview he arrogantly compared his job to “presiding over a cemetery.” In response, the workers of Healthcare, Research and Technical Employees-CWA and AFSME erected a graveyard on the front lawn of his taxpayer-subsidized mansion.

In recent weeks, occupations, sit-ins and other militant actions have exploded across the California education system. Organizers of a building occupation at UC-Santa Cruz explicitly mentioned the Republic Windows and Doors workers as a source of inspiration. The way forward is being paved and the workers of the United States are refusing to pay for the economic crisis that the rich have inflicted upon us. On Nov. 19, UC students and workers will descend on UCLA’s campus to shut down the regents meeting and demand an end to the attacks on public education.

#BerkeleyCA #OppressedNationalities #BudgetCuts #EducationRights #crisisOfCapitalism #UCBerkeley

While I was too young to participate in the Civil Rights movement, I can remember the racial segregation that was commonplace in California in the early 1960s. I remember my parents complaining about the realtor who kept three lists of homes for sale – one for whites, one for Blacks, and one for “other” (meaning Asian Americans); and how a Asian American high-school friend of mine told me how her parents were visited by racist neighbors who offered to buy them out of their home in a formerly all-white neighborhood. When a Jewish synagogue was being built in our neighborhood flyers appeared on our porch in protest. I went with one of my best friends in elementary school who was African American to an all-Black swimming pool since many pools had banned Blacks. And I still remember my father's quiet anger after having to walk out of a restaurant that sat us for dinner and then acted if we weren't there and refused to take our order.

Until Barack Obama won the Iowa Democratic caucus in January, I never thought that the United States would elect an African American as president in my lifetime. Despite the growing number of high-profile Blacks in the government, military and corporate world, I could see the government's disdain for the masses of African American people in their response (or lack of one) to Hurricane Katrina and what has come to be ethnic cleansing of whole African American neighborhoods of New Orleans.

Many (including myself) worried about the so-called 'Bradley effect,' named after former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley. Bradley, who was African American, was ahead in many polls in his campaign for governor of California in 1982, but lost to a white candidate. While there was little of this evident in the presidential campaign, and not enough to swing the election, there did seem to be a 'Bradley effect' at work in Proposition 8. While polls showed a narrow defeat for the same-sex marriage ban, it passed by a narrow margin (52% to 48%). While Californians were willing to elect a Black president by a large margin (61% to 37%), they were not able to back equality of marriage the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

I was shocked to hear supporters of Proposition 8, some of whom were oppressed nationalities, use the same reasoning as the segregationists of the 1950s and 1960s. They railed at the California Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn the law banning same-sex marriage as going against the people's will. What do they think the historic 1954 Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court ruling was but overturning the Jim Crow segregation laws? Supporters of Proposition 8 also (falsely) claimed that California domestic partnership laws provided all the benefits of marriage. This is nothing but the old segregationist “separate-but-equal” argument in support of racial segregation in public schools.

At the same time I think that the 'No on 8' campaign was too dependent on an expensive media campaign and did too little grassroots organizing, especially in oppressed nationality communities. Some No on 8 organizers were told that all the signs were in English early in the campaign, and even into the last week before the vote, all in the information in languages other than Spanish and English had to be downloaded and printed by oneself. Supporters of the same-sex marriage bans were going door-to-door in parts of liberal Berkeley with no apparent similar efforts by the marriage equality advocates.

The struggle for marriage equality is not only an important civil rights struggle for the LGBT community, but is also a key battle against right-wing forces who are licking their wounds after the Democrats' victory. The one bright spot for the right were anti-same sex ballot initiatives, which passed in Arizona and Florida in addition to California.

Still, progressives did make gains in that the margin of defeat (4%) was much smaller than another same-sex marriage ban that passed in California just eight years ago by a 22% margin. Supporters of marriage equality have filed a lawsuit against Proposition 8, arguing that it was actually a constitutional revision (that is to say a fundamental change, that needs passage by the legislature to put on the ballot) and not an amendment. While I support this move (which from my reading of the California constitution is valid), we cannot solely rely on the courts. I have been heartened by the mass protests following the passage of Proposition 8. I have seen young people, who represent the future, get involved and politically active. I am happy that my middle-school daughter and my church are talking about the issue. I am confident of victory.

No H8! Overturn 8!

#BerkeleyCA #Proposition8 #SamesexMarriage #CivilRights

Activistas involucrados en movimientos internacionales, la lucha de derechos femeninos, estudiante, así como grupos exiguiendo derechos económicos, servicios médicos y otros grupos en oposición a la brutalidad policiaca estuvieron presentes en el foro.

La junta planteó el desarrollar político izquierdista en los grupos asiaticos de las islas del pacífico. En términos estratégicos se reconoció la necesidad de adoptar algunos pasos reformistas para llegar a una sociedad no capitalista; a todo caso aunque se emplien algunas estrategias reformistas, la ideología reformista no se aceptara.

#BerkeleyCA #News #AsianNationalities #ElForoAsiaticoIzquierdista

“There's a lot of momentum coming out of this summit,” said San Francisco activist Shin Yi Tsai. “People are very excited about the ALF jump-starting a new era in Asian American politics. There was a lot of diversity in views, ethnicity and experience. In 2 to 4 years, I hope we can build on this new structure to bring together a much more powerful mass movement.”

This meeting brought together a cross-section of activists organizing in the international solidarity, student and women's movements. Among the issues taken up by participants was the fight against anti-Asian violence, for economic justice, worker organizing, health care and many others.

The national meeting united new and veteran activists, whose experience spanned three decades of political struggles. Over 70 people attended, and, like the May 1998 meeting of the ALF, the majority were under 30 years old.

Most participants were members of Asian activist organizations. This led to an enlightening discussion on the role that individuals who were in multiracial groups could play.

After lengthy debate, membership in the ALF was redefined to be Asian organizations agreeing to the Principles of Unity. Affiliate members were defined as individuals who wanted to be a part of the national ALF, and organizations that did work that “significantly” contributed to the Asian and/or Pacific Islander (API) communities who had an API member as their representative to the ALF.

This change was seen as being more inclusive of the various struggles that individuals and organizations are engaged in. This new definition of membership altered the ALF's strategy for making political change, through the creation of a national network.

The summit went beyond the expectations of the organizers in establishing a new national structure, the creation of new communications tools, and clarifying the purpose of the Asian Left Forum. Summit participants extended the ALF's mission to provide a “central and alternative political space to promote and further develop left politics in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities.” Additionally, the ALF stated that creating an “alternative to capitalism may necessitate some reform actions. However, the ALF rejects reformist ideology.”

In summary, the Asian Left Forum committed itself to addressing the diverse struggles of Asian and Pacific Islanders and linking these struggles with that of other oppressed peoples such as those of the Black Radical Congress and the New Raza Left.

#BerkeleyCA #News #AsianNationalities #AsianLeftForum

Berkeley, CA – In October of 1952, more than 400 delegates and observers from 37 countries gathered in Beijing, China for the Peace Conference of the Asian and Pacific Regions. Two of the delegates from the United States were Mary Bonzo and Lewis Suzuki. In the 50 years since the conference, both Mary and Lewis have remained active fighters for peace and supporters of national liberation movements. In August, both spoke at a program to commemorate the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The program was sponsored by Nosei, a group of younger Japanese American activists in San Francisco and the East Bay. I spoke with Mary and Lewis after the program.

Naomi: The Peace Conference was held just three years after the founding of the People's Republic of China. What were your impressions of socialist China?

Mary: I found a co-American delegate who could read and write Chinese. Because of his skills, we wandered around in Peking. He was able to ask people what was going on as they gathered around a policeman. The people were arguing with the policeman about some of his behavior. They kept calling him 'comrade.' This amazed me, since I had been picked up several times and threatened by police in the U.S. No argument allowed.

Madam Sun Yet Sun [Soong Ching Ling, who chaired the Peace Conference] took the lead in organizing the women. Women were meeting everywhere. They were learning to read along with their children. They were earning the same as the men in the family. They accused their tormentors of the crimes they had committed against them. They had joined the Red Army and fought as well as males. “We have stood up,” they said proudly to us.

Naomi: How did the Peace Conference address the struggle for peace in Korea in the midst of the Korean War?

Mary: Korean delegates were angered by the U.S. use of bacterial and chemical-laden bombs against the people of Korea and northeast China. In North Korea, the U.S. dropped bombs that spread cholera, typhoid, bubonic plague and other infectious diseases from Jan. 28 to March 11 in 1952. The bombs covered an area of six provinces and twenty cities.

The Association of Democratic Lawyers, the International Scientific Commission and leading friends of peace documented accurate evidence as to the use of germ warfare by the U.S. forces. Because the news was spread abroad, germ bombing stopped. The next U.S. tactic was saturation bombing of North Korean cities. An exhibit of the bombs that carried the germs was organized in Peking.

We (the United States) have weapons of mass destruction and have used them. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are well known. Bacteriological weapons used in Korea are less well known. There is also the forgotten use of the Bikini Atoll as U.S. nuclear test sites, and the list can go on.

Naomi: After World War II, many countries of the Third World rebelled against their colonial masters. What did you learn about the relationship between national liberation struggles and the movement for peace?

Mary: There is no peace without national liberation and national sovereignty. All nations must have the right to develop their own resources. We learned that one can love one's country and defend it as needed; and also criticize and protest its policy when it infringes on another nation. A country's national interests cannot be allowed to infringe on another nation.

True peace means a full livelihood, health care, and education for all citizens. This is unavailable to most people in Africa, Asia, and much of Latin America. The people do not own their own resources.

Naomi: Would you like to say anything about the struggle for peace today?

Lewis: First of all, we (the United States) cannot invade other countries like Iraq just because we don't like their government. We need to respect the sovereignty of other nations. Secondly, we shouldn't be labeling national liberation movements such as the New People's Army of the Philippines as “terrorists” and then send thousands of U.S. troops there under the guise of “fighting terrorism.” I am very hopeful for the peace movement in this country. Many of the new immigrant communities and in the environmental movement see the need for peace.

#BerkeleyCA #Asia #Interviews #China #Japan #PeaceConferenceOfTheAsianAndPacificRegions #Nosei #PeoplesRepublicOfChina #germWarfare