DSA is proud to endorse Willie Burnley Jr. for Somerville Mayor. Willie currently serves At-Large on the Somerville City Council. On council he has fought to expanding tenant rights, provide non-discrimination protections for trans and polyamorous folks, has made roads safer and sidewalks more accessible through the Safe Streets Ordinance, and advocated to abolish medical debt.

As mayor he’ll champion housing for all, a Green New Deal for Somerville Public Schools, expanding worker’s rights, and more!

Willie is part of a slate of candidates in the Socialist Cash Takes Out Capitalist Trash fundraising project!

by J. Noble

Whether you’re a parent wanting a safer protest experience for your children or someone who gets overwhelmed in a crowd, the outer circle of a protest can be a perfect spot for those who want to show their support

This weekend, I white-knuckled the steering wheel as I travelled down the winding road of I-5, past the Nisqually River and the lush evergreens, and into Olympia. Despite being a Washington native, I had visited here for the very first time only a couple of weeks ago for Zine Fest. After enjoying the bustling (and very queer) energy of this event, and visiting the pier and the Olympia Farmers Market, I felt confident that I could return again. I just wasn’t expecting to return so soon.

Alongside my coworker, who lives in Olympia, and their child, we attended June 14th’s No Kings protest in Olympia, “a nationwide day of defiance,” against the Trump administration’s acts of authoritarianism, says the official No Kings webpage. This was the third, and biggest, protest that I attended, and after learning about the importance of having a buddy from a protest safety webinar, I thought it best that if I was going to attend, I should go with someone I knew.

My coworker’s spouse drove us near the state capital, and, with our handwritten signs, we made our way towards the heart of the protest. My coworker held their child’s hand as we weaved our way through the growing crowd, staying on the periphery to scope out the scene.

Having a child present with us, my coworker and I had a mutual understanding that we wanted to keep our action at the protest as safe as possible. We ended up on the side of a major street where protestors held signs and waved at drivers. With an open spot, we joined in, and spent most of our time there. During this action, I thought about how accessible and beginner-friendly this portion of a protest is.

The side of the road is a perfect spot for those who want to be physically present at a protest but have circumstances that may prevent them from being in the thick of a sea of people. For families with young children, especially, it is a prime spot for safety while still making your voice heard. Children can have fun making their own signs and waving at drivers, most of whom will wave back or honk their horns in solidarity, all while parents can rest assured that there is a more accessible escape route should anything arise.

If resistance from police or counterprotestors takes place, those on the margins will usually be the first to know. On one hand, this can be risky, but being in this area puts more eyes on the perimeter of the protest, creating an atmosphere of those who can quickly spread the word to those on the inside.

This is also an optimal spot for those with disabilities. Wheelchair users, for example, may have an easier time moving around on the sidewalk if the main protest area is on a bumpy or grassy surface. Alongside those who get overwhelmed by crowds, the sidewalk can also provide an easier exit if you need to take a break.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll get to laugh at a Cybertruck or two passing by.

Another, often overlooked, part of any protest is the organizer tables. No Kings Olympia had multiple booths of different organizations spreading awareness of the work that they do, handing out pamphlets and stickers, and collecting donations. This can get people familiar with the resources available in their area, and potentially inspire them to get involved in something more than just a single protest.

While being on the margins of a protest includes some notable features, that does not mean that caution and discernment should be thrown out the window. No matter where you are in a protest, remember to get to know the area you are in and to be aware of exit routes. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times by keeping your head on a swivel, and, if possible, bring a friend (or two! Or three!). Get clear on what each of you are able or willing to do at the protest, and create a plan of action if your team gets separated, such as having a meetup spot to regroup.

Towards the end of our time at the protest, the three of us decided to take a quick walk-through. We passed by people of all ages, some wearing big cat costumes, some wearing black bloc, or just in their regular street clothes. Many people flooded the state capitol steps and yelled out chants, but many were also perusing booths, mingling with other protestors, or sitting in the grass.

We are more powerful in numbers, and we all protest differently. If we understand that and make an active effort to create a space that is more accessible to everyone, then we would be unstoppable.

by Audrey Bracken

On Tuesday, June 24, the nation watched in awe as Zohran Mamdani soared to victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary election on the wings of radical, unheard of ideas like… making big business pay fair taxes and granting workers a living wage. 

Jokes aside–with people all over the country struggling to find housing, pay their rent, and avoid landlord exploitation, it’s no wonder that Mamdani’s bold platform for housing resonated with New Yorkers.

That same night, on the opposite coast in our very own Grit City, renters and working class Tacomans also won a major victory in the fight for housing. Tacoma may not have a fashion week or more than one place in town to get a decent bagel, but we agree with New York on something more important: the fact that everyone deserves a stable and safe place to live. 

Thanks to the incredible organizing work of Tacoma for All and a coalition of more than a dozen labor and community partners, Tacoma City Council couldn’t ignore the voices of our community. Our collective power led to the council adopting bold amendments to the One Tacoma: Comprehensive Plan, which guides the city’s policies and direction for the next 25 years. These two amendments further commit the city to tenant protections passed by voters in 2023, as well as open the door for an innovative housing model to meet the needs of our current and future neighbors. 

This victory wouldn’t have been possible without the support of everyday community members showing up and taking part in the democratic process. At a city council meeting earlier this month, several dozen Tacomans of all ages and walks of life – from high school students to union leaders, lifelong residents to recent newcomers – showed up with the same goal in mind: to protect and build upon community-led efforts to make stable, safe, and permanently affordable housing a reality for everyone in our beloved city. 

Harlan, a local high school student, spoke in support of an amendment to include expanding tenant protections and enshrining the provisions of the Landlord Fairness Code as official policy in the comprehensive plan. He stood before the city council as the youngest person in the room and passionately advocated on behalf of community members like himself and his mother, who were able to avoid losing their apartment thanks to the Landlord Fairness Code. 

“For the last six years of my life, my mom and I have lived in a cozy apartment in Tacoma near my school and her work, near public transportation and parks, with a vibrant community that has supported me, and that I’ve become a part of. It’s my home and it holds immense value to me. But to some people, this isn’t a home, it’s just an apartment–an apartment with “value”, but not the same value it holds for me,” said Harlan. 

A year ago, while his mother was already working 2-3 jobs just to be able to pay their rent, an unexpected increase threatened to displace the family, which would have forced them to uproot their lives right before Harlan’s senior year of high school. 

“Thanks to the renters’ protections passed just prior to this, we were able to fight to keep our home and stay a part of our community. These renters’ protections keep communities together and give hardworking families the stability they deserve,” he said. 

While the Landlord Fairness Code has had a life-changing impact for many families like Harlan and his mother, other Tacoma tenants continue to struggle as landlords ignore, and even retaliate against, the law. Several tenants and organizers spoke at the meeting about the continued appalling conditions and mistreatment residents face at apartment complexes in Tacoma. 

April, a tenant at Bryn Mar Village, has been working with her neighbors to fight against the injustices its owners continue to get away with. She shared her personal experiences with basic maintenance requests going unanswered and safety violations being ignored. She went without heat in her apartment for two years. Despite this, the owners of Bryn Mar keep trying to raise rents. As a disabled cancer survivor, April feels responsible to speak up on behalf of other people with disabilities who are suffering from the effects of landlord greed. 

Since the passage of the Landlord Fairness Code, volunteers with Tacoma for All have been supporting tenants at apartment buildings across the city to know their rights and take collective action against violations. The Landlord Fairness Code is an important tool empowering working class Tacomans to protect their homes and their families, which is also, unsurprisingly, why landlords are trying to destroy it. 

Corporate landlords are already suing the city in an attempt to overturn the Landlord Fairness Code and go back to business as usual, bleeding working families dry without consequence. They are also not above using their money and influence to pressure city council to roll back tenant protections. But the power of the people is stronger. Our success at getting a commitment to tenant protections included in the One Tacoma Plan demonstrates that when working class Tacomans show up and fight together, our demands cannot be ignored. 

We also know that simply protecting our current housing isn’t enough. Our city’s population continues to grow, with no signs of slowing down. Thousands of our neighbors live unsheltered on the streets. On top of all this, Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to federal affordable housing programs threaten to create what state officials have warned would be a “tsunami of homelessness” in Washington. 

Community members let city council know we have a different vision for the future of housing in Tacoma–one that doesn’t rely on granting tax subsidies to private market developers in exchange for insufficient solutions, or waiting on the support of a federal government currently more concerned with kidnapping workers than housing its people. 

Tenants, organizers, and affordable housing experts spoke in support of a plan for social housing in Tacoma, a model for mixed-income public housing that has seen success in other American cities and internationally. The amendment to the One Tacoma Plan commits the city to exploring a potential social housing developer for Tacoma that meets the needs of low-income residents and serves historically-marginalized communities. 

“The city’s own data shows that private market is only producing affordable housing at one-fifth of the necessary rate,” said Jacqui, an affordable housing designer and tenant, “We cannot rely on the private market to provide what our community desperately needs: safe housing that allows them to live within their means.”

Earlier this year, Seattleites voted overwhelmingly in favor of a plan to fund social housing. Tacoma faces many of the same housing issues as our northern neighbors, so why not pursue a similar solution? For far too long, city leaders have relied on the same approaches, faced the same setbacks, and landed back in the same place they started with little to show for it. Now, with an innovative approach showing tested success and popular support, it’s time to try something different. 

Rowan, a renter who volunteers with Tacoma for All, shared why he supports social housing in Tacoma.

“By housing a broad range of incomes, social housing generates revenue that’s invested into new, affordable homes – homes that are desperately needed, as right now, Tacoma is set to lose over 150 shelter beds by the end of July. Personally, I’d be much happier if part of my rent went towards that, rather than being siphoned out of the community and into corporate profits.”

The benefits of social housing align with the values of everyday Tacomans: looking out for each other, supporting our neighborhoods, and creating a positive future for the city we love. 

Both housing amendments to the comprehensive plan were passed unanimously by city council on June 24. Successfully amending a municipal plan may not sound as exciting as electing a socialist mayor of the biggest city in the country, but it’s a victory worth celebrating. Housing policies can have a life or death impact for our community members, as well as the potential to create better ways of living for us all. That’s why organizers worked so tirelessly to achieve this win. Tacoma for All advocated the necessity of these amendments to the Tacoma Planning Commission, which brought them before city council. Organized tenants and labor built a coalition, gained support from local leaders, and made their voices heard at council meetings. Over 350 community members fought for themselves, their families, and their neighbors by sending letters of support. 

Because of this, our elected leaders had to pay attention to the demands of working class people in Tacoma, and the future of housing in our city looks brighter than before.

But the fight is far from over. Tenants across Tacoma continue to face threats to their health, safety, and human right to a place to live. The landlord lobby is not going to give up easily, and will continue to fight against the public good by all means necessary. And while the possibility of a social housing solution is one step closer to reality, thousands of our neighbors are currently facing evictions or already living on the street. 

We flexed our collective muscle to make these recent wins possible, and we will do it again and again. Because that is what it will take to achieve housing for all in Tacoma, our home.

by Zev Rose Cook

Zohran Mamdani’s election victory in the NYC mayoral race has attracted national excitement. It’s clear that conservative forces, both inside and outside the Democratic Party, are worried about what it means to have a Muslim, pro-Palestine democratic socialist achieve such a level of success. With establishment and big business support rallying behind disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo—who lost handily to Zohran in the primary—and current Mayor Eric Adams, who has collaborated with the Trump administration on ICE deportations, many will recall how these same forces moved swiftly to prevent Bernie Sanders from winning the presidential nomination in 2016.

Although it remains to be seen whether Zohran will emerge victorious in the general election, what is certain is that his campaign has sparked a firestorm of discussion about what his victory means for the Democratic Party and the left. Some have chalked it up to a privileged upbringing and excellent communication skills. I recently watched one commentator explain that the policies Zohran is running on—including investment in accessible transit and childcare—are the same things Democrats often support, and that if only we could learn to use social media like Zohran, Democrats could start winning again. For the record number of young people who turned out to support his campaign—and those across the nation who have been excited observers—this analysis clearly misses the mark.

Many have argued that Zohran won only in spite of his pro-Palestine and socialist politics, but if you look at the social movement and base of over 50,000 people who were inspired to turn out and volunteer, it’s clearly quite the opposite. One thing that separates Zohran from any other progressive candidate in the race is the support of the NYC Democratic Socialists of America—a mass organization of over 10,000 members and scores of experienced campaign organizers standing ready to support his election. In addition to ready-made campaign infrastructure, effective messaging was also key.

For years, Democratic Party leadership and the Israel lobby have hammered the public with the idea that any criticism of Israel is antisemitism and politically unacceptable. In the face of this, Zohran won as a pro-Palestine Muslim in one of the most Jewish cities on the planet. On top of that, he also won as an open socialist among an electorate that has been inundated with red scare propaganda for generations. Following Kamala Harris’s loss last year, many party insiders argued that the party needs to move further to the right to attract more voters. If Zohran’s campaign has taught us anything, it’s that voters don’t want leaders who are more right-wing or more supportive of Israel—they want leaders who speak meaningfully to the everyday struggles faced by working-class Americans across this country.

On the opposite side of the country, I’ve experienced many of the same dynamics—albeit at a smaller scale—as a democratic socialist running for the Tacoma City Council. With the support of the Tacoma DSA, our campaign has turned out a base of over 70 volunteers, recently helping us cross the threshold of having knocked on every one of the over 10,000 doors of registered voters in Tacoma’s 5th District. One thing I’ve learned is that although interpretations of what it means to be a socialist can vary greatly among voters, what it does clearly communicate is a departure from everyday politics.

In blue cities like NYC and Tacoma, it can be difficult for voters to easily distinguish between progressive and establishment candidates. This is especially true as progressives often do a poor job of differentiating themselves, while establishment picks have learned to muddy the waters by adopting progressive language—while leaving policy on the cutting room floor.

In the last few years alone, the cost of living has risen enormously. From the NYC election results to my conversations with voters across Tacoma, one thing is clear: Americans are ready for a different path. Running as a democratic socialist demonstrates a clear willingness to buck the status quo and fight for a program that puts the interests of working people first. If you ask me—and over half a million NYC voters—that’s the kind of clarity we need to defeat Trump and the corporate oligarchy.

Learn what independent unions are, why workers form them, and what the challenges and advantages they bring.

The post Should I Organize an Independent Union? appeared first on EWOC.

The Growth and Development Committee Steering Committee explains the positive benefits of their recent bylaws changes.

The post A New Phase in DSA’s Growth and Development appeared first on Democratic Left.

At Maine DSA’s Summer Semi-Annual Meeting (held each July), a 2/3 majority of chapter members present voted to pass the following statement regarding the DSA National Convention Mask Policy, and to mandate its release via Pine and Roses.

Maine DSA calls upon all elected and/or appointed delegates to vote for a motion by Richard S of Greater Baltimore DSA to require masking at convention.

Upon their election, some Maine DSA delegates were taken aback by the abdication of previously held standards of masking at our National Convention. As a chapter, we have formally required masking since January 2023 and reaffirmed it in May of 2023 and November of 2023. While we allow for socials and other “riskier” activities, we understand the importance of making chapter business accessible for all as a democratic organization. This is even more crucial at the national level, where political decisions are made which impact all of DSA’s tens of thousands of members.

Masking should be required at our National Convention, as it is at this year’s Socialism Conference. Airborne viral particles don’t care whether or not we are 6ft apart from each other. Vaccine requirements are certainly helpful for personal protection, but we are quickly losing access under the RFK Jr, Jay Bhattacharya, and Marty Makary public health administration, and current US vaccines have limited efficacy against transmission and development of long COVID. Masks are safe and ridiculously effective.

Furthermore, the requirement of a single Rapid Antigen Test for each delegate ignores the instructions supplied with these tests which are only authorized for asymptomatic use when tested at least three times over five days with at least 48 hours between tests. In fact, even when symptomatic, the pre-Trump FDA recommended repeat testing following a negative result. Advising people to misuse medical tests is neither comradely nor wise and provides false confidence that our convention policies adequately protect our comrades.

The National Political Committee Steering Committee’s decision along caucus lines to make masking optional, despite years of advocacy from DSA’s Disability Working Group, directly endangers DSA members and caused one of our chapter’s elected delegates to drop out upon hearing of the new policy. It has given pause to multiple other delegates who were similarly shocked by this news.

By not standing by practical public health measures now, we are failing our future selves. Why are we taking unnecessary risks in our organizing that are likely to lead to the disablement of many of us, especially trans and bisexual people and people of color? DSA needs to meet the moment; America’s fascist government is ramping up their restrictions on vaccine access. Mask bans continue to pop up across the country, giving police ever more rein to harass disabled people as they try to more safely go about their days.

We are hopeful that other chapters will make similar statements; if you are a DSA Member, you can motion to make a statement like this in your chapter. We hope our comrades across this country will hold disability justice and accessibility as a top priority. At a minimum, we ask that all DSA delegates be prepared to support a floor vote to restore the masking policy at our 2025 National Convention for the safety of all of our comrades.

Mask up! We need you,
Maine Democratic Socialists of America

Reading

Podcast and Transcript: Covid Year Five (12/23/24) – Death Panel

Zine: MASK UP, WE NEED YOU: Palestinian Solidarity, Covid-19, and the Struggle for Liberation – Sheyam Ghieth and Rimona Eskayo

Blog: COVID-19 Weather Reports – People’s CDC

Website: We Have the Tools

Maine Delegation Statement: Maine DSA’s Delegation to the 2025 DSA National Convention Opposes the Rollback of Public Health in the US and Within our National Organization

The post Maine DSA rejects the rollback of public health measures within the federal government and National DSA appeared first on Pine & Roses.

The post #podcast-recs first appeared on Rochester Red Star.

By: Andrew S

FENWAY PARK, MA – For the first time in over a century, America’s Favorite Ballpark’s concessions workers are on strike.

UNITE HERE Local 26 gave Aramark a 48-hour deadline on Wednesday, July 23, to meet worker demands before one-thousand workers walked out of Fenway Park and MGM Music Hall. After a month of negotiations with management’s feet to the fire of the strike threat, Fenway’s concession company Aramark has still not come close to meeting the demands of their workers for adequate wages and against automation.

Aramark Strikes Out

The main fight for Fenway workers is over wages, especially for non-tipped workers. President Aramayo noted in June that Fenway workers are “paid peanuts” compared to their counterparts in other stadiums. Even in the city of Boston, workers in concession services at Boston University and Simmons University are paid $26-$28 an hour. Fenway workers are paid $18-$20 an hour at the highest level of seniority.

Non-tipped workers are essential to making Fenway’s and MGM’s concessions work function. Charbel Salameh, a beer seller for 28 years and counting, told the press on Wednesday:

There are a lot of hourly folks who don’t earn gratuities here, like cooks and warehouse workers that nobody really sees. If the warehouse workers don’t deliver the product, there is no product.

There’s also the struggle against automation. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, sports and music venues have begun to introduce more computer systems and mechanisms in concessions areas. Aramark has introduced more computerized cash registers in the years since COVID-19 at Fenway, too. The surge in automation has heavily impacted the Fenway workforce and their service without much of a wage increase. 

Salameh described a workforce that Aramark has hollowed out through automation:

It used to be that there were four beer sellers per stand. Now, we have one person overseeing four registers.

The more time is spent working at Fenway, the more likely one is to get a higher-earning shift. But with the introduction of automation and the decreasing numbers of shiftable staff, employees who have been working at Fenway for even fifteen years are much less likely to get picked up for a shift.

For employees like Amanda Savage, who have been working at Fenway for eighteen years, earnings have fallen dramatically. The money she’s able to bring in is far lower than before there were computers replacing her coworkers. Savage is on track to receive half the earnings from gratuities last year, half of what she had earned the year before, even as the price of everything goes up.

The introduction of automation has likewise hindered workers from making personal connections.

For Savage, one of the best parts of working at the park used to be serving little kids with ice cream. The installation of computer systems has stolen the joy and alienated her more. The computer systems that prevent customer-to-worker interaction have decreased the number and quality of interactions shared between fan and concessions workers; in fact, Aramark has discouraged workers from maintaining that connection altogether. Savage reported that Aramark once warned her not to be so close to the concessions stand as customers were checking out.

Gratuities that workers once enjoyed have decimated exponentially. Heidi Kertatos, who has worked at Fenway for nineteen years, had put her time year after year to work herself up the ladder as a beer seller. After COVID-19, though, she immediately noticed differences:

Once COVID came, Aramark changed things. They took away cash, so now, you have to split a thousand dollars between six people for working four registers.

Like many companies, Aramark used a global pandemic to underpay workers more.

Fenway Workers Take a Walk

Many workers still held hope Aramark would meet their demands in the eleventh hour.  

Lauren Casello, a suite attendant, has worked Fenway for twenty-two seasons. She shared her concern “I’m nervous. This is my full-time job. I need to work, so we’re hoping that Aramark comes to us with something good.” But they have no choice – as Salameh stated during Local 26’s press conference: “none of us want to walk out, but all of us want to make a living wage.” 

After his last meeting at the negotiating table, Salameh’s last glimmer of hope was dashed:

Right now, it feels like we’re treated like cattle. We have all put in a lot of time, and everybody used to know our names. Now, they don’t wanna know who you are.

For most workers, it was the final straw.

At noon on Friday, July 25, Fenway Park workers went on strike. Their black-and-red signs sprung up around the Fenway area with rapid succession, alerting passersby to the strike, and workers took to the picket line with bravado and baseball-shaped strike signs in hand. Within an hour, dozens, then hundreds of supporters from organizations including other unions and the Boston Democratic Socialists of America joined workers at the frontline. Around 3PM, Boston City Council member Julia Mejia also joined the picket line.

Organizations across the city are making plans to join the picket line on the weekend as the Boston Red Sox face the Los Angeles Dodgers. Union workers are asking fans to attend games but to not buy beer, food, or other concession items, to ensure Aramark feels the pain of their absence. Supporters can join workers on the picket line at Fenway Park.

Nineteen-year old beer seller Laura Crystal described the standoff simply:

What Aramark’s doing is the epitome of corporate greed. We need to squash it. 

Andrew S is a Boston DSA organizer and contributing writer to Working Mass.

The post In 113-Year First, Fenway Park Concessions Workers Go On Strike appeared first on Working Mass.

By: Jade DeSloover

Rabbit Hole v.003 was originally published in The Detroit Socialist on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.