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Vol. 77/No. 15      April 22, 2013

 
Miners, dockworkers snap
up socialist newsweekly
 
BY LOUIS MARTIN  
Last week supporters of the Militant sold subscriptions going door to door in working-class neighborhoods in big cities and rural areas, outside mine portals and seaports, at union meetings and protest actions.

In the coal-mining region around Birmingham, Ala., Rachele Fruit and Dave Ferguson from Atlanta sold four subscriptions and 20 single copies, along with two books offered at reduced prices with a subscription. (See ad below.)

One of the main topics of discussion was the fight waged by the United Mine Workers against Patriot Coal’s scheme to use bankruptcy proceedings to cut thousands off health and pensions plans and tear up union contracts.

“My daddy could lose his retirement,” said Kevin English, a 34-year-old coal miner, as he bought a Militant subscription coming out of the Oak Grove mine. “I could. It could happen to anybody. Going to these rallies is definitely not a waste of time.” English took part in a March 19 protest against Patriot in St. Louis.

“This fight at Patriot transcends coal mining,” said Wilson Maxwell outside the Concord coal preparation plant. “It will reach out to all industries. This is a long-range thing here.” Maxwell went to two protests and said he and others were discussing the upcoming April 16 UMWA action.

In addition to buying a subscription, Maxwell got Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power and Cuba and Angola: Fighting for Africa’s Freedom and Our Own.

Dan Fein and Ruth Robinett report that they sold 20 copies of the Militant to members of the International Longshoremen’s Association at the entrance to the port at Newark, N.J., April 7, two days before ILA members were scheduled to vote on a new contract. (See article on page 5.)

From Auckland, New Zealand, Janet Roth reported that Militant supporters sold seven subscriptions and 30 books — including five copies of Cuba and Angola: Fighting for Africa’s Freedom and Our Own — at two events in late March organized by immigrants from Africa.

If you haven’t already done so, join the effort to expand the readership of the socialist newsweekly. Call Militant distributors in your region. See directory. Or contact us at themilitant@mac.com or (212) 244-4899.  
 
 
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