Tomorrow We Resist and Reclaim our Future!

By Chris Hicks

Over the past few weeks, we’ve come a long ways. From the protests in Egypt to the protests in Madison, people around the world are resisting and reclaiming our future. Numerous attacks are being launched against workers, students, our community, and the public sector as a whole. That is why tomorrow on March 2nd SLAP, United States Student Association and Jobs with Justice are standing together in solidarity and demanding something better. We demand:

-Protect the vital public services our community needs, and the jobs of the people who deliver those services;
-Ensure that higher education remains affordable and accessible to all;
-Call for our elected leaders to recognize the emergency and take bold action to create new jobs that will put people back to work, rebuild our country’s infrastructure, and reinvest in higher education; and
-Support workers seeking a job with justice, a living wage, the right to organize a union, a fair contract and a voice at work.

In Florida, Governor Rick Scott has proposed almost $3 billion in budget cuts for education. In Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker unveiled his plan to cut $900 million from education. The list goes on and on, and we’re seeing that in places where students are under attack, workers are too. It’s time to unite and fight back! These attacks have focused only on students and workers – there has been no attempt made to hold corporations responsible for tax dodging. To quote from a Wisconsin Solidarity rally: “When did I become the problem? How did the fault become all mine? They all say they’re tightening their belt, but the only one they’re tightening is mine.”

This day of action is part of USSA and SLAP’s broader Where’s the Funding?! campaign as well as a nationwide day of action to Defend Education in which students and community members across the country are taking action. Below are some exciting actions that have already been registered on USSA’s website:

Riverside, CA: Demonstrations at seven local campuses, including University of California Riverside, Riverside Community College, and California State University at San Bernardino, followed by a community rally outside the local office of a UC Regent to demand rights to education and that the UC System stop its plan to cut pensions and health benefits for workers.
Amherst, MA: “From Wisconsin to Massachusetts — Defend the Public Sector” rally with union members, students, and Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts (PHENOM).
Cincinnati, OH: Protest at the University of Cincinnati: Defend Education, Support Public Workers!
Stony Brook, NY: The Graduate Student Employees Union, Radical Student Union, and other student and worker groups at the State University of New York at Stony Brook will be holding a public rally against state budget cuts, tuition hikes, and the bipartisan assault on workers, students, and families.

There are many more actions going on around the country listed on the USSA website — if you’re planning or participating in one, please let us know so we can help uplift your events! Read up on USSA and SLAP’s Where’s The Funding campaign and more on March 2 by visiting the campaign website.

There has never been such an important time for students and youth to be engaged in organizing with workers. No matter how small an action is tomorrow, remember that this day of solidarity speaks volumes.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 at 7:13 pm. It is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.