Dear Sisters and Brothers,
A court injunction filed yesterday evening temporarily blocked Rob Ford’s eviction of the Occupy Toronto tent city at St. James Park but the outpouring of support from Labour has given the Occupy movement a boost of momentum.
It is crucial that affiliates activate their networks of union activists to join the occupy movement and show Mayor Rob Ford, and politicians across the country that if they pick a fight with the occupy movement, they are picking a fight with labour. After all, workers are a part of the 99 percent.
Trade union activists should be preparing their phone and email lists and keep them on standby in the event that we need to respond quickly to another attempt to forcibly evict local occupiers in any municipality.
EVICT ROB FORD! MASS RALLY
2:00 PM, SATURDAY, NOV. 19
St. James Park (King and Jarvis)
In Toronto, we need to pull out all the stops to build for a massive solidarity rally this Saturday, November 19, at St. James Park (King and Jarvis) at 2:00 pm. With a strong rally theme, “Evict Ford,” Saturday’s protest will send a powerful signal to decision-makers that the message of the masses cannot be silenced and that freedom of speech and assembly are the cornerstone of any democracy.
A labour solidarity lunch is also being organized at St. James Park this Friday, November 18 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Bring your members and bring your flags to show support for the occupy movement and develop a stronger labour alliance with the occupiers.
Many have described our time as a “movement moment.” As workers and community members face off against the forces of austerity, it is vital that we do so together. Let labour’s strong support for the occupy movement this Saturday forge this bond of solidarity and make our collective message impossible to ignore.
In solidarity,
SID RYAN
President
Ontario Federation of Labour
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