Chicago WWP conference to discuss overturning profits, racism and war

A Workers World Party Midwest conference will take place in Chicago on Sept. 18. Members and friends of WWP and progressive activists involved in struggles in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and other states plan to attend. The one-day conference, like the Western WWP conference in Los Angeles on Sept. 4, is a build-up to the party’s national conference in New York City, which will be held the weekend of Nov. 12-14.

The Chicago conference will be held in a most fitting venue — the union hall of United Electrical Workers Local 1110, whose members occupied the Republic Windows and Doors factory in December 2008 to stop an announced plant closing. Armando Robles, president of Local 1110 and leader of the occupation, is among the slated speakers.

How to fight back and win in this time of economic contraction for workers and attacks on the working class will be a key element of discussion throughout the conference. In addition to speakers, there will be plenty of open discussion on the conference’s main theme: “What is socialism? How we can fight for a future where people come before profits, racism and war.”

Scheduled speakers include Larry Holmes, a founder of the Bail Out the People Movement and national leader of WWP; Julie Fry, a national organizer of the revolutionary youth group FIST (Fight Imperialism, Stand Together); Sara Flounders, WWP leader and co-coordinator of the International Action Center in New York; Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, Detroit; Teresa Gutierrez, WWP leader and coordinator of the May 1st Coalition for Worker and Immigrant Rights in New York; Jill Hill, a long-time Chicago activist and health care worker; Joe Iosbaker from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization; Larry Hales, an organizer for the Oct. 7 National Day to Defend Public Education; Martha Grevatt, a longtime UAW autoworker activist and former national secretary of Pride At Work; and Jerry Goldberg, a leader in the Moratorium NOW! Coalition to Stop Foreclosures, Evictions & Utility Shutoffs in Detroit.

The WWP Midwest conference takes place on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the UE union hall, 37 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago. Doors open at 10 a.m. for registration and a light breakfast. The program runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and includes lunch. There is no registration fee, but a small donation on a sliding scale will be asked for lunch; no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

For more information, contact WWP in Chicago at 312-229-0161 or e-mail [email protected]; in Detroit, contact 313-680-5508 or [email protected]; in Cleveland, 216-531-4004; or visit www.workersworld.net.