r/IWW

Federal prosecutors have charged 15 Minnesota activists for their participation in the struggle against ICE’s violent occupation of the Twin Cities. The operation, dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” directly killed two people, detained thousands, assaulted thousands more, and, according to Human Rights Watch, “caused a human rights crisis” in Minnesota.
These arrests represent an attack on the broader movement that resisted ICE. They are an attempt to roll back the confidence and power built by the hundreds of thousands of people who took action against ICE’s repression. Crucially, the Trump administration is also seeking to restore a climate of fear and silence the lessons of that struggle.
The Minnesota 15 are accused of taking actions intended to impede ICE operations. But stopping ICE from carrying out detentions and repression was at the heart of the broader struggle against Operation Metro Surge. The fightback in the Twin Cities reached an unprecedented level, which is precisely why the administration is now attempting to push the movement back.
Just as mass mobilization and collective strike action helped force an end to Operation Metro Surge, mass action will be necessary to respond to these prosecutions. We need a coordinated public defense campaign for the Minnesota 15, alongside mass democratic meetings that bring together activists, union members, and immigrant communities to discuss the next steps.

MAASIN is a group in the marching arts that wants to make DCI and BOA diverse and inclusive, even though both monopolies, which are 501 (c) (3) s, will never do so out of profit. It's akin to Big Bird walking into a KFC and applying for work, only to find out they are killing chickens on a massive scale at a factory farm. DCI and BOA are the factory farms of the performing and marching arts, with a record for hiding abuse, assault, and neglect of well-being under the rug, all for the goal of transforming students into traumatized people who will never pursue music as a study or play music for their own enjoyment. No Music Teacher or Educator should invest in DCI or BOA stock or charity because if you do, blood is on your hands of music students who are abused for the profit of a band director wanting to win. The Cadets have not folded; they are now the 1934 Foundation, which is also a 501 (c) (3) organization carrying on the same goals George Hopkins wanted in the Cadets.

Public Schools need to be fully committed to the full abolishment of DCI and BOA organizations from public school property and in bandrooms to protect music students and fight the for-profit cult of Drum Corps International and Bands of America. Band directors who are affiliated with such groups need to be held accountable in mass public school trials to end their abuse, hazing, grooming, and assault of children as young as 10-13. No auditions for DCI corps in public schools. And protests at NAMM and other music expos must make people aware of how corrupt DCI and BOA are for pubic schools and how they pay no taxes to keep abusing students for a trophy. Without DCI or BOA, school music programs can flourish, accommodate, focus on well-being, and be creative without having to compete or worry about winners or losers. They will force bands to cooperate with local charities and programs that need help, and give money back to smaller music dealers who need to sell their instruments to schools anyway.

https://33blastforever.substack.com/p/the-activity

https://www.inquirer.com/news/a/drum-corp-international-sexual-assault-misconduct-mike-stevens-george-hopkins-cadets-20181213.html

https://www.alfiekohn.org/punished-rewards/

https://www.angryeducationworkers.com/how-dci-and-boa-fit-with-models-of-cult-control/

https://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php?/topic/105074-the-cult-of-drum-corps/

Hi everyone,

I'm a college student interviewing workers in different industries across Michigan to better understand workplace experiences and improve workplace standards.

I've started interviews and gotten a few survey responses, but I'm trying to gather perspectives across industries in Michigan to better understand how experiences differ between workplaces.

If you've worked any job in Michigan, I'd really appreciate it if you could fill out this anonymous form which takes about one minute. I'll be publishing my findings online and using what I learn to advocate for Michigan workers.

Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to help out!

https://forms.gle/eov564aVERcdP77u8

I'm verrryy pleased with how it turned out :)

Nepotism bites back

A while back in Canada the Carpenters Regional Council was rocked by the news that an appointed National Rep was being investigated and had resigned.
It doesn't stop there, his daughter is now suing the union for wrongful dismissal (link to article above)
Wrong in so many ways, buying a house with Union money for personal use, hiring family and giving them well paying jobs, I am sure this is only a small sampling of what is going within the Carpenters Union.
We as union members should be concerned, this is not a rare occasion, these International reps are very close to other Union Reps and while many will pass it off as conspiracy theory, the truth is they feed of each other. The proof, just do some searching and with AI it is becoming very easy.
The boilermakers, Unifor, United Association of Plumbers all have made head lines in the last few years.

Unions are sacred, and while members are working hard and focused on life the National Reps and International reps are setting up family and friends and using the funds as their own.

If you are in Ontario, Canada follow sub r/unioninontario