Musicians and Health Care
Published March 03, 2004
This missive comes from Rock and Rap Confidential, an organization far more leftist than I, and by the time you get to #5 I'm out of the picture entirely, but most of this information is hard to argue with and should be seen by those who agree with it or not:
- THE GROCERY STRIKE: MUSIC TO OUR EARS?
The long-running strike by 70,000 supermarket workers in Los Angeles has been settled. Although the union was forced to make significant concessions to get a new contract, this strike should also be seen as a victory. For five months, the vast majority of the public in L.A. refused to cross the union's picket lines. They did that for one simple reason: This was a strike over health care coverage and everyone in town knew it. Everyone in L.A. has their own problems with getting health care. Solidarity with the strike hung heavy in the air in Southern California and it crossed all boundaries of age, nationality, and neighborhood. That spirit was spreading across the country when the strike was settled.
One of the highlights of strike support was a benefit for the strike fund done by members of Audioslave, Slipknot, System of a Down, and the Chambers Brothers, plus Boots Riley of the Coup and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And there were many, many other artists who made it clear they wanted to play that gig but their schedules or location didn't allow for it. This and many other reflections of unity are part of the legacy of the strike and those of us in music should take advantage of it. We need to do our part to end the shameful spectacle of the richest nation on earth allowing its citizens to get sick and even die due to conscious denial of health care.
How do we take the energy of the strike and go forward with it now?
1. If you are going to South by Southwest, attend the panel, "Health Care for Musicians," that we are organizing. It will be on Friday, March 19th, at 3:30 PM (Room 13AB, Austin Convention Center). If you're not going, spread the word to those who are. We have daypasses for those who won't be registering for SXSW. This means you can get in to our panel for free. Contact us for details (rockrap@aol.com / 310-398-4477).
Plans to replicate this panel in LA are now being made. How about doing it in your city too?
- Musicians and Health Care
- Published: March 03, 2004
- Type:
- Section: Politics
- Filed Under: Music: News
- Writer: Eric Olsen
- Eric Olsen's BC Writer page
- Eric Olsen's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
#5..."march that will press demands for health care, housing, education, and jobs."
The reason to stay away from this, of course, is that if you support the war in Iraq and other boondoogles, you realize that we can't have most of these things. People are not only going to have to not only to do withou them, they are going to have to pay higher taxes and see further cuts in benefits so that Iraqis can have "health care, housing, education, and jobs," if you're silly enough to believe that was ever the purpose.
From now on, people who support the President's Iraq policy need to follow it up immediately with: "And I support greatly increased taxes and reduced benefits to pay for it." Otherwise, they have no credibility.
High taxes. Savage brutality towards the poor. That's the price at home for our great adventures abroad. Get used to it.
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(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/13360)
So what's wrong with #7, Eric?
It's a bit large reaching, but it is possible to just skip over #5 and then go on to think beyond the benefits accorded by a union card.