MAYDAY - Honor The Dead, Fight For The Living!!! *Join us, in the spirit of ending all exploitation* Date: May 1st Time: Starts 5pm, will go for awhile Location: Grandview Park (Commercial & Charles) *BBQ* *POTLUCK* *GAMES* *INFO* *FREE STUFF* *MUSIC* *DISCUSSION* :::::Background::::: May Day History - On May 1st, 1886 American labour unions organized a general strike in support of the 8 our workday. A march of 80,000 people went down Michigan Avenue in Chicago, led by two Anarchists, Albert, and Lucy Parsons. A couple days later, as the general strike continued. There was a largely non-violent presence outside of the McCormick Harvesting Machine co factory. Workers, who had become enraged by scabs just finishing their workday, were fired upon by police. The act of police repression was followed up by a demonstration at Haymarket Square, organized by Anarchists. Following an explosion, a massacre took place as countless workers were murdered, and only 8 police officers were killed. A show trial later ensued as 8 Anarchists were hanged for murder. “The Haymarket Affair”, as it has become known, is widely considered to have been an important influence on the origin of international May Day observances for workers. The 8 hour workday was an accomplishment the many people died for. Relative to the time that the 8 hour workday became official, there have been very few gains in the struggle against exploitation. Governments and businesses have always found ways around such laws, especially when it comes to those that are not considered citizens. The modern labour movement has become institutionalized, and cannot be relied upon in the fight against exploitation. We need a new aproach to ensure that the fight against exploitation escalates. WORKINGMEN ARM YOURSELVES AND APPEAR IN FULL FORCE!! (a line from the original callout for the Haymarket demonstration) Solidarity With Workers in Ontario - On April 2nd and 3rd, 2009 CBSA raided three food processing factories where they held all workers at gun point. These workers were herded into a cafeteria where citizens and permanent residents were separated from other workers. These other workers, many of whom possess temporary work permits, were handcuffed and held on a bus for over eight hours. In unprecedented weekend hearings, most of the detained workers were tricked into waiving legal advice or the right to dispute their removal. These illegal and egregious actions were followed by speedy requests for travel documents, as their original passports are held by unscrupulous, corrupt agents at TNT Recruitment. The Thai consulate has provided thesepapers and 41 of the arrested are being put on a plane on Sunday April 19th. Removing workers from Canada in this way is arbitrary and illegal. The recruitment agency and the company which paid these workers $9.00 an hour for 12 hours of back-breaking and brutal work have not been charged. NO BORDERS, NO NATIONS, STOP THE DEPORTATIONS Secwpemcw Solidarity - Canadian Pacific Railway are a 2010 Olympic sponsor, CP rail have strong historical ties to colonization. Presently: Archeologists have uncovered artifacts that are thousands of years old along with a woman that has been there for 7,500 yrs, on Secwepemcw Territory; while building the (CPR) Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway Corridor Project. The Secwpemcw people are in need of support and solidarity, and have been struggling constantly against “SunPeaks” ski resort. SunPeaks has already had a devastating impact upon their land, while the Secwpemcw continue to defend. NO OLYMPICS, NO CPR, ON STOLEN NATIVE LAND Grandview Community Policing Center - The Grandview CPC must leave Commercial Drive. They're job is to encourage fear and paranoia amongst residents, and encourage snitching. They are linked to the murderous VPD. Many CPC volunteers end up becoming law enforcement themselves. One Pig who was envolved with lynching a newspaper delivey man at Georgia and Burrard was formerly a community policing Volunteer. After havings it’s windows smashed for years, the Grandview CPC can no longer afford insurance to fix them. The are setting out, as they always do, on propaganda campaign to gain support in the community, for the work they do, and to make any opposition appear mysterious and irrational. CPC, OFF THE DRIVE AND OUT OF OUR LIVES As well as many other issues!!!