Co-sponsors: The Arbeter Ring; the National Writers Union, UAW Local 1981 AFL-CIO, Southern California Chapter; and the Jewish Labor Committee Western Region

Sunday, August 24 at 3 pm
Arbeter Ring, 1525 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles 90035

(Handicap access in rear of building; bathroom access with assistance)

As Labor Day 2014 approaches, many ominous signs leer at us: anti-labor Supreme Court decisions, continuing secret negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), removal of tenure from teachers, the small percentage of American working people represented by unions, and the lack of progress on resolving our dire immigration problems.

But at the same time there are signs of hope and growth as well: The NWU parent union, the UAW, despite a much publicized defeat in Tennessee, has actually gained membership this year. And who can fail to take notice of the nationwide movement to raise the minimum wage, and the heroic uprising of fast-food workers, warehouse workers, and truckers at the port? Are you aware that there are now over 30 unionized carwashes in Los Angeles? And we can’t ignore the midterm elections coming up in November, which give us the opportunity to vote in a number of good progressive pro-labor candidates at all levels of government, and to say good riddance to quite a few incumbents notoriously hostile to the labor cause.

We’re partnering with our friends at the National Writers Union and Jewish Labor Committee for a “Labor Read-In,” an afternoon of readings of any labor and work-related material you’d like to share with us—fiction, non-fiction, poetry, song. Keep it short—five-minute limit—so everyone gets a chance to participate. We’ll come around for seconds (or thirds) if we have time.

Admission is free to all. Light refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP to circle@circlesocal.org so we know how many to set up for.