>
> > Subject: Graduate teachers at Yale and Columbia to strike - call for global campaign
> >
> > The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that "everyone
> > has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection
> > of his or her interests."
> >
> > But the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in the
> > United States doesn't agree. And in a recent ruling, it
> > decided that graduate teachers at universities are not
> > "everyone". They don't have the right to form and join .
> > unions.
> >
> > Their decision reversed a four-year old ruling that
> > did guarantee such rights. It is part and parcel of
> > a much broader attack on workers' rights being carried
> > out by the Bush administration.
> >
> > The NLRB decision affects graduate teachers at all
> > universities in the USA, including the ones at the school
> > President George W. Bush himself attended -- Yale.
> > Ironically, teachers at that university, together with
> > their colleagues at Columbia University, have decided
> > to challenge > > the government ruling in the most
> > dramatic way possible: with a joint strike at both
> > schools next week.
> >
> > Their union, which is affiliated to Unite HERE, has
> > asked us to help spread the word, and to launch a
> > global campaign of support for the striking graduate
> > teachers.
> >
> > You can send your message to the two university
> > presidents, and to President Bush, by going here:
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=47
> >
> > Please do that today -- but don't stop there.
> >
> > We need to send a loud and clear message to President Bush that workers'
> > rights are human rights. Everyone has the right to form and join trade unions,
> > period. No exceptions.
> >
> > International pressure is particularly important, as universities like Yale have
> > global ambitions. A flood of messages from all over the globe will have an impact.
> >
> > You can do your bit by forwarding on this message to other members of
> > your union, to colleagues at work, to students, to mailing lists you subscribe to.
> > Spread the word!
> >
> > Thanks -- and have a great weekend.
> >
> > Eric Lee
.