At a meeting attended by more than 40 people February 2, a number of workers involved in union struggles spoke in support of Italie's campaign to win reinstatement to his job as a sewing machine operator.

Juan Serrano, one of 19 workers fired for striking for a union contract at the Washington Beef company in Toppenish last year, said he supports Italie because it is an example of how "we have to stand up and fight and expand our education" through such experiences in the class struggle.

Rogelio Montes, who was part of a yearlong strike against Valley Manufactured Housing in Sunnyside last year, said workers can win "when people as a whole fight for better conditions." Montes is also an organizer for the Western Council of Industrial Workers.

Ana Guzmán, involved in the struggle to organize apple packers in Washington, also backed Italie's fight. Guzmán was fired by Washington Fruit for her union activity. Although the National Labor Relations Board ruled she be reinstated, the company is appealing the decision. Apple pickers "have to fight even to be paid the minimum wage," she said. "We have to unite and defend the rights of workers and the right of free speech--or we will lose our jobs," she told the meeting.

Italie, who ran for mayor of Miami on the Socialist Workers Party ticket, was fired October 22 after speaking out against the U.S. war in Afghanistan and in defense of the Cuban Revolution during a televised candidates' debate. Goodwill CEO Dennis Pastrana told the Miami Herald that he dismissed Italie because "we cannot have anyone who is attempting to subvert the United States of America" work at the plant.

Goodwill did not contest Italie's filing for unemployment benefits, and the State of Florida Unemployment Compensation Program said in awarding Italie his benefits that the "claimant was discharged because of political views. No information has been submitted which substantiates misconduct." Supporters of workers' rights and Italie's fight have formed the Committee to Defend Freedom of Speech and the Bill of Rights, which is sponsoring his nationwide tour.

Nizar Mansour of Voices of Palestine said at the meeting that he was "honored to be here to support Michael Italie. People who stand up will appreciate Italie's fight." Panelist Ahmed Amr, editor of Nile-Media.com, spoke in defense of the Palestinians' right to live on their land and of the media's lies and distortions of the truth about the struggles of working people, especially the Palestinians.

Charles McAleese, speaking for Irish Northern Aid in Seattle, noted the 30th anniversary of the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre of 14 Irish freedom fighters by British troops in Derry, Ireland. Comparing the discrimination against Italie by Goodwill with what Catholics face in northern Ireland under British rule, McAleese said, "Injustice is injustice no matter where it is."

A meeting at Seattle Central Community College (SCCC), sponsored by the University of Washington Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Azetlán and the Black Student Union, attracted 15 people. As an example of the importance of defending free speech, Cole Torrence, a member of Students-RiseUp! spoke against the plans of the Washington State legislature to increase tuition fees another 12 percent after an increase of 6 percent the previous year.

Rebecca Williamson, chair of the event and a member of the Young Socialists, pointed out that students in Argentina prevented tuition hikes last year through their protests. "We should see the students in Argentina as our allies," she stated.

At both meetings Italie explained the background to his fight and the importance of defending workers' rights today in order to keep open the space to discuss, organize, and resist.  
 
Fighting alongside others
He said he has been meeting others who are standing up to victimization by the employers and the government, and pointed to the fight by Dr. Sami Al-Arian, a Palestinian and tenured professor at the University of South Florida who was recently suspended and notified of his impending firing by university officials.

Italie also spoke out against the U.S. government's treatment of prisoners at the U.S. naval base in Guantánamo, Cuba. "Washington's three targets in its brutalization of the prisoners are the prisoners themselves, the Cuban people, and workers in the United States," he said.

Williamson said the SCCC event "was very stimulating and part of an effort to build a national fight in defense of free speech. Meetings like these set an example of what we can do."

More than $1,700 was raised at the two meetings to cover tour costs and to support the Committee to Defend Freedom of Speech and the Bill of Rights.

Cecelia Moriarity is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers union.
 

In the two days leading up to the meeting, supporters of the case set up information tables on the campus and spoke with hundreds of students about the fired garment worker's campaign. Many asked about democratic rights in the United States and whether they applied in the workplace.

A number of students noted the connections to the attacks on immigrant workers, and mentioned experiences that they had with the Border Patrol and the INS in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Others expressed their appreciation to Italie for coming to visit the campus and welcomed the opportunity to discuss questions such as his case, the Cuban Revolution, and his bottomless contempt for U.S. war policy.

Thirty people attended the event, which started off with a brief video presentation showing television coverage in Miami of Italie's case. The fired socialist said Goodwill Industries is a nonprofit organization and therefore cannot participate in any election campaigns, neither endorsing nor opposing candidates, according to IRS regulations.

One of the key points made by Italie at the meeting was how immigrant rights, along with workers' rights, are at the forefront of the struggle of working people today.

Italie struck a chord with the audience when he said he opposed recent federal legislation that bars noncitizens from being employed as baggage inspectors in airports. A fight is under way against this assault in California, where airport screening workers and their union are organizing to prevent this reactionary law's implementation.

A fund appeal by Jacquie Henderson, a supporter of this free speech fight, to "cover legal expenses, print materials, as well as continue the tour in defense of freedom of speech and the Bill of Rights," brought in $36 from students attending the event.

During the meeting an information table was set up outside. Seven students endorsed the defense effort at the meeting. Another 15 signed the petition defending freedom of speech and the Bill of Rights or volunteered to help in the defense. Twenty people requested more information on the case.  
 
 
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