Members of UE Local 1110 who work at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago are occupying the plant around the clock this weekend, in an effort to force the company and its main creditor to meet their obligations to the workers. Their goal is to at least get the compensation that workers are owed; they also seek the resumption of operations at the plant. All 260 members of the local were laid off Friday in a sudden plant closing, brought on by Bank of America cutting off operating credit to the company. The bank even refused to authorize the release of money to Republic needed to pay workers their earned vacation pay, and compensation they are owed under the federal WARN Act because they were not given the legally-required notice that the plant was about to close.

Jobs with Justice, the national workers' rights coalition, has joined the fight of these UE members, launching a campaign to expose the shameful behavior by Bank of America -- as well as the many other outrages of the government bailout. To lend a hand, go to:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/bankofamerica/

This weekend President Bush will convene leaders of the world's wealthiest nations to address the financial crises. We, along with thousands of organizations worldwide, believe that those who made this mess should not be the ones trying to fix it. Looking back on the last three decades of economic policies, the world's leaders should ask one fundamental question: Who pays and who benefits?

Llamado Mundial a la Acción para Exigir un Nuevo Sistema Económico

INSTAMOS A TODOS LOS MOVIMENTOS POPULARES, ORGANIZACIONES, COALICIONES Y REDES EN TODO EL MUNDO A ORGANIZAR MOVILIZACIONES Y ACCIONES CIUDADANAS EL 15 DE NOVIEMBRE.

El Presidente estadounidense George Bush, junto con otros líderes del G8, ha convocado una cumbre de los gobiernos de los 20 países más grandes del mundo para el 15 de noviembre, para responder a la crisis financiera internacional.

URGING ALL PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS, ORGANIZATIONS, COALITIONS and NETWORKS WORDLWIDE TO ORGANIZE MOBILIZATIONS and CITIZENS ACTIONS on NOVEMBER 15

US President George Bush and other G8 leaders have called a summit of governments of the world´s 20 biggest countries on November 15 to respond to the international financial crisis.

By Michael Leon Guerrero and Cindy Wiesner
Grassroots Global Justice Alliance

The 3rd Americas Social Forum (ASF3) convened October 7-12, 2008 in Guatemala City was an important and exciting benchmark for the global social forum process. It was grounded by its grassroots nature with strong participation of peasants, women, and indigenous peoples, and by the dialogues and debates of alternatives to neoliberal capitalism based on actual experience. We would like to share what we see as some of the key characteristics of ASF3 that marked the event as an important advance for the overall World Social Forum (WSF) process.

Lea el informe de la Unión de Trabajadores del Suroeste del Tercer Foro Social de las Americas en la Ciudad de Guatemala, octubre 7-12, 2008.

Guatemala: Americas Social Forum Rejects Neoliberalism, Celebrates Resistance
By Marc Brecker

Upside Down World October 14, 2008

http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/1524/1/

The Third Americas Social Forum closed on Sunday with a massive rally from the Obelisk in Guatemala City's elite "Zona Viva," past the U.S. Embassy, to the National Palace on the main square in the center of town. With the participation of more than 7,000 delegates from throughout the Americas and Europe, the 6-day event condemned neoliberal economic policies, and pledged to build a better world.

For Immediate Release: For more information,
Grassroots Newswire Michael Leon Guerrero, michael@ggjalliance.org
October 7, 2008 www.ggjalliance.org

Catch ongoing news and updates of the GGJ delegation to the Americas Social Forum at our blog: http://ggjalliance.blogspot.com/

U.S. Foreign and Economic Policies Will Be Major Topics as Financial Crisis Infects Guatemala and Central American Region

Thirty-nine representatives of community-based and worker organizations that are part of the U.S.-based Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (GGJ) arrived on October 6 in Guatemala City. Representing 20 organizations from 8 states, the delegation is here to participate in the 3rd continental Americas Social Forum (ASF). With the backdrop of the spiraling collapse of the U.S. and global financial system, the GGJ delegation plans to meet with other grassroots movements from throughout the Americas to discuss a range of topics including the economic crisis, the environment, militarism, women's rights and indigenous sovereignty.

Community Voices Heard http://cvh.mayfirst.org/node/383 has been working with the Community Service Society of New York to draft a concept paper outlining a statewide program for paid Transitional Jobs for former felons and public assistance recipients. Attached here is the concept paper for this innovative initiative as well as a Return on Investment Study completed by the Fiscal Policy Institute that demonstrates how money spent now will definitely pay off later.

Grassroots Newswire: October 4, 2008
www.ggjalliance.org

September marked another dismal month for working people in the U.S., as the financial crisis continues to deepen. Official U.S. labor statistics show a loss of another 159,000 jobs across almost every area of the economy. This is the 9th straight month of job loss with a total of 776,000 jobs eliminated in the U.S. since January.