EcoUnionist News #103

Compiled by x344543 - IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus, May 9, 2016

The following news items feature issues, discussions, campaigns, or information potentially relevant to green unionists*:

Lead Stories:

• Major oil sands producers scale back output, shut down as wildfire rages - By Jeff Lewis and Shawn McCarthy, Toronto Globe and Mail, May 4, 2016; [related] Mass Evacuation as 'Apocalyptic' Inferno Engulfs Canadian Tar Sands City - By Deirdre Fulton, Common Dreams, May 4, 2016
• Break Free: Largest Civil Disobedience In Environmental Movement History - By Break Free Coalition, Popular Resistance, May 3, 2016
• 'Today Marks the End of TTIP': Greenpeace Leak Exposes Corporate Takeover - By Deirdre Fulton, Common Dreams, May 2, 2016
• How to Create an "Ecology of Change" by Combining Movement Uprisings With Long-Term Organizing - By Mark Karlin, Truthout, May 1, 2016
• The welfare of workers should be our primary concern… - By Gary Herman, Union Solidarity International, April 27, 2016

Ongoing Mobilizations:

• Break Free 2016 - May 2016
• Convergence In Support of Eco-Prisoners & Against Toxic Prisons - June 11-13, 2016
• Flush the TPP - Ongoing through 2016 | #FlushtheTPP
• March for a Clean Energy Revolution - July 24, 2016, Philadelphia | #CleanEnergyMarch
• TWAC Cascadia 2016 - August 8th-15th 2016

The Thin Green Line:

• Legalizing Direct Action in Pennsylvania [video] - By Richard Mellor, Facts For Working People, May 7, 2016
• A Growing and WINNING Climate Movement - By Lena Moffitt, Sierra Club, May 2, 2016
• NUHW joins the No Coal In Oakland movement - By Staff, National Union of Healthcare Workers, April 18, 2016 
  

Just Transition:

• AGL: Energy transition can happen “almost overnight” - By Giles Parkinson, REnew Economy, May 5, 2016
• David Suzuki: Divest from Damage and Invest in a Healthier Future - By David Suzuki, DeSmog Blog, May 4, 2016
• Coalfield political theater masks path to progress - By Ken Ward Jr, Charleston Gazette-Mail, May 3, 2016
• May Day in Oslo - By Jonathan Neale, Global Climate Jobs, May 2, 2016
• Taking a bigger Leap when it comes to building green - By Matthew Adams and Melinda Zytaruk, Rabble.Ca, May 2, 2016
• Waste Done Right - By Ruth Tyson, Energy Justice Network, May 1, 2016
• We Are Mother Earth’s Red Line: Frontline Communities Lead The Climate Justice Fight Beyond The Paris Agreement - By It Takes Roots To Weather The Storm, The Leap, April 29, 2016
• World Tree to Reverse Climate Change through Earth-Repair - By Jordan Fink and Daniel Lerch, KBOO, March 23, 2016 

Bread and Roses:

• Boycott Supporters Speak Out for Food & Farmworkers Justice this May Day - By staff, Boycott Sakuma Berries, May 6, 2016
• Wendy’s Boycott actions heat up as Month of Outrage winds down! - By staff, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, May 6, 2016
• Environmental Disaster in Chile: Chiloe En Crisis - By Erin Gallagher, Revolution News, May 5, 2016; [relateed] Chile: Fisherman Barricade Chiloe Island; Protest Government Response to Red Tide Crisis - By Erin Gallagher, Revolution News, May 4, 2016
• Familias Unidas at May Day Events Throughout the State of Washington - By Staff, Boycott Sakuma Berries, May 5, 2016
• Intervention by La Via Campesina at the ‘30th FAO Regional Conference for Europe and Central Asia’, in Turkey - By Adnan Çobanoğlu, La Via Campesina, May 5, 2016
• Interview with Wendy Cruz on the challenges for the advance of Agrarian Reform - By Wendy Cruz, La Via Campesina, May 4, 2016
• 160+ Farm and Food Groups Ask Congress to Reject TPP, Stand Up for Independent Farmers and Ranchers - By staff, Global Justice Ecology Project, May 2, 2016
• The Little-Known Farmworkers Who Sparked the Biggest Labor Movement In U.S. History - By Alexa Strabuk, Yes!, May 1, 2016
• Trabajadores agrícolas en Bellingham (WA) llaman a boicotear Driscoll’s - By Por Niñx Salvaje, SubVersiones, April 29, 2016
• What’s a Carbon Farmer? How California Ranchers Use Dirt to Tackle Climate Change - By Sally Neas, Yes!, April 29, 2016
• Familias Unidas and Allies Keep Up the Pressure for Contract Negotiation with Sakuma Brothers Farms, Washington State - By Debi Covert-Bowlds, Farm Worker Ministry-Northwest, April 27, 2016
• Farm Workers Are Taking On Poor Pay And Conditions — And Winning - By Joseph Erbentraut, Huffington Post, April 27, 2016

An Injury to One is an Injury to All:

• Landslide at jade mine in Myanmar leaves at least 13 dead - By Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.Com, May 6, 2016
• Mining, Murder and a British Millionaire: Protestors stand in solidarity with South African communities opposing mining - By Hal Rhoades, London Mining Network, May 6, 2016
• In West Virginia, even prison can’t keep a notorious coal baron out of politics - By Tim Murphy, Grist, May 5, 2016
• Coal Trains Mean Coal Dust—Period - By Eric de Place, Sightline Institute, May 4, 2016
• MCC plans to lay off workers - By staff, The National, May 4, 2016
• BP drops legal fight against paying $1bn in oil spill damages to Gulf coast fishermen - By Laurel Brubaker Calkins and Margaret Cronin Fisk, The Independent, May 3, 2016
• Offshore crash kills 13 in Norway - By Raymie Kiernan, Socialist Worker (UK), May 3, 2016; [related]: Name of Statoil employee from helicopter accident released - By staff, Oil Voice, May 2, 2016; [and]: 13 people feared dead in tragic Statoil helicopter accident - By staff, Oil Voice, May 2, 2016
• As Construction Deaths Rise, a Mass for Fallen Workers Grows - By Matt A.V. Chaban, New York Times, May 2, 2016
• Hanford's Leaky Nuke Tanks and Sick Workers, A Never-Ending Saga - By Joshua Frank, The Investigative Fund, May 2, 2016
• Railway union members rage against Amtrak at Workers' Memorial Day - By Jane M. Von Bergen, Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1, 2016
• Rail members – your comments on 2-person crews are needed! - By Staff, SMART, April 19, 2016
• Conflict, Contradiction and Cut-backs at Transport Canada - By Christine Collins, Union of Canadian Transportation Employees, April 4, 2016

Green is the New Red:

• Mothers In Resistance: ¡Berta Cáceres Vive! - By Lydia Simas, Grassroots International, May 6, 2016
• Berta Cáceres murder: four men arrested over Honduran activist's death - By Nina Lakhani, The Guardian, May 2, 2016; [related] Statement by the family of Berta Cáceres on recent arrests in Honduras - By Staff, Indigenous Environmental Network, May 2, 2016

Whistleblowers:

• TTIP fatally wounded, but its ‘ugly brother’ is still a threat - By Guy Taylor, New Internationalist, May 5, 2016; [related]: TTIP is on the rocks. Let's defeat these toxic trade deals! - By Guy Taylor and Nick Dearden, The Ecologist, May 4, 2016
• Goodbye to democracy if TTIP is passed - By Pete Dolack, The Ecologist, May 5, 2016
• Why Firefighters are Against Free Trade - By Serge Halimi, Counterpunch, May 5, 2016
• TTIP talks 'likely to stop', say officials, as François Hollande signals France will reject deal - By Andrew Griffin, The Independent, May 4, 2016
• Leaked TTIP papers reveal 100% corporate sellout - By Oliver Tickell, The Ecologist, May 3, 2016
• Trade deal TTIP faces scrutiny after Greenpeace leak - By staff, Al Jazeera, May 3, 2016
• Leaked Documents On U.S.-E.U. Trade Deal Paint Worrisome Environmental Picture, Greenpeace Says - By Katie Valentine, Think Progress, May 2, 2016

Greenwashers:

• The European Investment Bank and USAID are supporting REDD through Althelia Climate Fund: A financial intermediary based in the tax haven of Luxembourg - By Chris Lang, REDD Monitor, May 6, 2016
• Damning new report reveals BP’s interference in museums - By staff, Art Not Oil Coalition, May 3, 2016
• How BP messes with our museums - By Danny Chivers, Fossil Free, May 3, 2016
• How “Bullying” BP is Corrupting Iconic Arts Institutions - By Andy Rowell, Oil Change International, May 3, 2016

Capital Blight:

• The Economic Value of Yellowstone National Park - By George Wuerthner, Counterpunch, May 2, 2016
• Study links mountaintop removal to lung cancer - By Ken Ward Jr, Charleston Gazette-Mail, May 2, 2016
• Technology as if people mattered - By Dinyar Godrej, New Internationalist, May 2016

Disaster Capitalism:

• Besieged by the Fires of Denial: Fort McMurray Blaze Grows to Overwhelm Anzac, Shuts off 640,000 Barrels per Day of Tar Sands Production - By Robert Scribbler, Robert Scribbler Blog, May 5, 2016
• City at centre of Alberta tar sands is burning to the ground - By Roger Annis, Rabble.Ca, May 4, 2016
• The politics of 'too soon' rarely apply to the rich and powerful - By Nora Loreto, Rabble.Ca, May 4, 2016
• Flint Residents Outraged After Discovering The City Is In Talks With Private Water Companies - By Bryce Covert, Think Progress, May 2, 2016
• Disaster Capitalism: Ecuador Forced to Pay US Oil Giant $180M - By staff, Telesur TV, April 29, 2016

The Man Behind the Curtain:

• Exxon, First Amendment Doesn’t Give You Right to Commit Fraud - By Elliott Negin, Union of Concerned Scientists, May 6, 2016
• UK Climate Denial Think Tank Global Warming Policy Foundation Sets Up US Fundraising Arm - By Kyla Mandel, DeSmog UK, May 6, 2016
• Gateway Pacific Terminal: Unraveling the mystery of Peabody’s relationship with SSA Marine - By Sandy Robson, Coal Stop, May 5, 2016
• Climate Change Deniers Are Getting Angrier, & Here’s Why - By Mike Barnard, Clean Technica, May 2, 2016
• Coast Guard Study Blockades Offshore Wind Energy - By staff, Checks and Balances Project, May 2, 2016
• Oakland Official Handling Coal Controversy Personally Invested in Fossil Fuels - By Darwin BondGraham, East Bay Express, May 2, 2016
• Peabody coal's contrarian scientist witnesses lose their court case - By John Abraham, The Guardian, May 2, 2016

Wobbles:

• Protesters arrested as hundreds of canoes blockade Port of Newcastle in climate change protest - By Ian Kirkwood, Newcastle Herald, May 8, 2016
• Heathrow13: Why I risked jail for my beliefs - By Kara Moses, The Ecologist, May 6, 2016
• Kazakhstan: land protests force president to back down - By Andrei Grishin, People and Nature, May 6, 2016
• Media Blackout on Nuit Debout - By Gabriel Rockhill, Counterpunch, May 6, 2016
• Pittsburghers Disrupt ALEC Dinner at Heinz Hall to Stand up for Democracy - By Patrick, Three Rivers Rising Tide, May 5, 2016
• Miners against coal: the pit where former Welsh miners are protesting alongside climate change activists - By India Bourke, New Statesman, May 4, 2016
• A New Lease on Life - By Sabelo, 350.org, May 4, 2016
• 10,000 Filipinos Demand Government 'Break Free' from Coal - By Lauren McCauley, Common Dreams, May 4, 2016
• Climate protesters invade UK's largest opencast coalmine - By Steven Morris, The Guardian, May 3, 2016
• Mass blockade of coal mine ends without arrests - By Ellen, Reclaim the Power, May 3, 2016; [related] Hundreds Shut Down UK’S Largest Opencast Coal Mine - By Ellen, Reclaim the Power, May 3, 2016
• Nuit Debout: building an open movement in France’s squares - By Paolo Gerbaudo, ROAR Mag, May 3, 2016
• What is the “Nuit Debout”? - By Michèle Brand and Arun Gupta, Counterpunch, May 3, 2016
• It’s Time to #BreakFree LA and Go 100% Renewables - By Joe Galliani, EcoWatch, May 2, 2016
• Joining local communities in the fight against opencast coal - By Jopsyhenia Econimeade, End Coal Now, May 2, 2016

Other News:

• Bank of North Dakota Soars Despite Oil Bust: A Blueprint for California? - By Ellen Brown, Web of Debt, May 2, 2016
• Celebrating Mother Jones - By Rivera Sun, Counterpunch, May 2, 2016

For more green news, please visit our news feeds section on ecology.iww.org; Twitter #IWWEUC; Hashtags: #greenunionism #greensyndicalism #IWW. Please send suggested news items to include in this series to euc [at] iww.org.

* Due to the sheer volume of news items, we have given "Carbon Bubble" it's own, separate node this week, and will continue to do so for the forseeable future.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.