N. Calif. PWW banquet to celebrate labor, peace and solidarity

OAKLAND, Calif. — Labor, peace and solidarity organizations and their leaders from around the Greater Bay Area will headline this year’s “all new” Beat-Back-Bush People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo Banquet on Friday evening, Oct 8.

Among them: Fernando Suarez del Solar, founding member of the anti-Iraq-war organization Military Families Speak Out; San Francisco Labor Council head Walter Johnson; Pierre Labossiere of the Haiti Action Committee; and representatives of Cuba solidarity organizations — Kathryn Hall of Pastors for Peace/Friendshipment, and this year’s Bay Area Venceremos Brigade members.

A special presentation by the Alameda County Central Labor Council will feature Proposition 72, requiring employers of 50 or more workers to provide health coverage. The state Legislature passed the same measure — SB 2 — last year but it is under sharp challenge from giant retailers. Prop. 72, which is seen as a step toward more far-reaching health care reform, is a major election focus of the California Labor Federation and its affiliates.

Besides a new date and time, this year’s banquet is also being held at a new location: the Snow Building, in the Oakland Zoo complex in the Oakland hills. Dinner featuring outstanding Carib-bean cuisine will be served at 6:00 p.m., and the program will begin at 7:00 p.m.

The program will stress the urgency of defeating George W. Bush and the far right forces who seek to curb the American people’s democratic rights, conduct preemptive war and occupation around the world, and greatly increase corporate greed and military spending at the expense of decent jobs, health care, public services and education.

New to the cultural program is the San Francisco Bay Area Rockin’ Solidarity Labor Chorus, who will be joined by Total Eklipze Cheer Academy, singer-songwriter Eliot Kenin, and more.

Reservations are $40, and proceeds benefit the People’s Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo 2004 fund drive, which began Sept. 1. Lots of free parking is available; a car shuttle will run from the Coliseum BART station.

Call (510) 251-1050 for information, reservations and directions.