Despite the genocide underway in Gaza, the AFL-CIO leadership and most other unions are either silent or supporting Zionist Israel. On November 9, as part of a global day of action, trade unionists and workers rallied at the offices of the AFL-CIO in New York City and San Francisco to protest the union leadership’s collusion with Israel and with the Israeli trade union federation Histadrut, which is based on the apartheid system.
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The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC, an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim is meeting in San Francisco this week. It’s holding highly secretive closed-door meetings to promote “free trade” across the Asia-Pacific region. Thousands of activists from around the world are also converging in San Francisco to protest the anti-labor and environmental policies of this organization.
The No to APEC Coalition, representing over 100 grassroots organizations, held a People’s Summit at San Francisco State University on Saturday. At the event, Pacifica’s Steve Zeltzer interviewed two organizers who are organizing to fight the policies of APEC: Edith de La Paz, member and organizer with Starbucks Workers United and Terry Valen of the International Migrants Alliance and the No to APEC coalition steering committee.
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Panama, a resource rich Central American country of 4 million people, has seen a massive popular uprising. For the last few weeks, Panamanians have taken to the streets against a nefarious mining contract that would not only put vast areas of the country in the hands of a Blackrock-funded multinational company headquartered in Canada, but would also cause irreparable environmental damage.
Michelle White Mendoza of Información es Poder interviewed Dr. Miguel Antonio Bernal, vice chancellor of the University of Panama, former mayoral candidate in Panama City, and currently a professor of constitutional law at the University of Panama.
We also hear a report from Michael Fox for The Real News Network.
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On November 2, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for a non-binding resolution calling on the US to lift the trade embargo against Cuba that has been in place since President John Kennedy imposed it in 1962. The US and Israel were the only two nations to vote no, with Ukraine abstaining.
Cuban journalist Liz Oliva Fernández is now on tour in the United States to discuss US policy towards Cuba. She spoke to Pacifica’s Ann Garrison.
We thank all of Pacifica’s sister stations and affiliates who contribute to the production of this show. Today’s program was produced by the Capitalism, Race, & Democracy collective with contributions from Akua Holt, Steve Zeltzer, Ann Garrison, Freddy Libertad, and Polina Vasiliev.
Music:
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE. (Ultimate Mix, 2020) – Plastic Ono Band (official music video HD)
