JOIN:

From Sea To Shining Sea:

CIO! is joining in to STAND WITH this call for a Nationwide General Strike:

We’re calling for a day of NON-VIOLENT ACTION to show the thieving heartless corporations and the politicians they own that WE THE PEOPLE make this democracy work and this country great. If possible do not go to work or class and participate, march, picket, gather in a place that makes sense in our town, city, or county, and non-violently make noise, create excitement, and promote solidarity.

There are no excuses! Here is what on...e person wrote on our event page wall.

"Anything for those of us retired and/or disabled? Marching's kind of out for me. I've mobility, digestive and chronic pain problems. How can we be represented and have our numbers added to the voices being heard? I'm on a rolling walker so if it snows I'm out due to just not being able to get through the snow and ice.

Also, how do ...we find out about any local events? I'm not up to organizing but if there's somewhere I can go on my rolling walker for even an hour (it has a seat but that's still my max and I won't be able to move the next day), I might make it to stand shoulder and shoulder with my brothers and sisters so that my daughter and grandson might possibly have a future."

We MUST do this! For Donna's daughter and grandson, my one month old son and for the entire next generation of "American Dream" seekers!

HOW? This will only work if YOU work to help organize, get the word out (repost, share, invite friends) and participate. We’re calling for ACTION, helping to connect people, and providing other support as needed. You know your community. You know what will work. Leafleting? Picketing? A march? Neither of us can nor should dictate what local actions or activities look like. We ask that if you operate under the auspices of this movement that it be non-violent, but beyond that we want you, your family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to creatively design and plan what is right for you.

We have a group/cause page,

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Call-for-a-Nationwide-General-Strike/150601308334693?sk=app_2373072738

click on "Discussions" on the left side. We have topics for every state! Please check in, and let people know ...what state and city you are in or plan to be in on March 31. If your states discussion board gets cluttered create new event pages for your city, town or region. You can have a link to the new event(s) on your state discussion board.

WHY? The lower 98% in the U.S. are under attack in a way not seen in generations. From union busting to outsourcing to mass layoffs, the working people of this country are being assaulted by corporations and plutocrats. While we lose our jobs, our benefits, and take cuts in pay, the rich are awarded massive tax breaks and amass obscene amounts of wealth. They buy politicians to do their bidding and pull the strings of corporate media to tell us that WE have to make sacrifices.

We believe that the workers, the unemployed, the underemployed, the students, the bottom 98% — have sacrificed ENOUGH and that it is time for us to say NO. WHEN? March 31st is the birthday of César Chávez, one of the preeminent labor and civil rights leaders in the U.S. during the 20th century. César Chávez and his incredible work helped to build the US Labor movement and the modern middle class. Our action, on his birthday, will strengthen the labor movement and help ensure that there will be a middle class tomorrow.

If you’re not familiar with him, you can start by reading these two links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/César_Chávez http://www.ufw.org/_page.php?inc=history%2F07.html&menu=research

Who is behind this? Mike Benedict: Mike works in a vibrations test lab in Erie Pennsylvania and has been a UE (United Electric, Radio and Machine Workers of America) member for nearly 17 years. He has organized, fought for workers rights, single payer healthcare (HR 676) was canvass coordinator for Erie Pennsylvania during the 2004 John Kerry Campaign and ran for Eire city council in 2005. As someone that has studied the history of labor and economic trends, he recognized that we are now at a defining moment and that a large scale action is necessary.

Yuri Keegstra: Yuri came across the “A Call For a General Strike” event on Facebook one night while organizing and sharing info regarding protests in Wisconsin and thought “absolutely!”. He works in IT at a Wisconsin university and is a proud union member. He has a strong interest in the civil rights, environmental, universal health care, anti-war, social justice, economic justice, and animal rights movements. He has been an organizer and activist since he was a teenager. More info can be found on his Facebook profile.

Who is behind them? Nobody. Mike created the event and issued the call. Yuri saw, joined, and offered to help. Two people, a couple states apart, working on their own time with their own equipment. No union money. No political party money. No organization money. Nobody dictating or suggesting what to say or do. Just us — oh, and YOU!