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- In Wake of Disastrous Election, Dozens of Progressive and Leftist Groups Hold Triangle Organizing Fair
On November 9th, a wide array of labor and political groups held an organizing fair in Moore Square. Groups such as Raleigh Mutual Aid Hub, Jewish Voices for Peace, and Southern Workers Assembly set up tables to recruit members, promote initiatives, and pass out literature. The organizers said they hoped to demonstrate that, in the aftermath of a disastrous election, there are still many opportunities to build movements for labor rights, social justice, and international peace. “We have power, we just have to be organized and conscious”, said Jody, a member of the IBEW union, “This event is important because it is a first step towards realizing the power we can only claim if we get organized.” Around two hundred people came to downtown Raleigh for the organizing fair. Among the many labor groups with booths was CAUSE, a nascent union at the RDU1 warehouse in Garner, a town just south of Raleigh. CAUSE workers launched a union drive in September 2024 after years of building support within their Amazon fulfillment center. As of early October, the union said that “hundreds” of workers have signed union cards [ 1 ]. Less than three percent of North Carolina workers belong to a trade union, which is quite low even by U.S. standards. During Saturday's event, speakers from North Carolina Triangle Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) occasionally addressed the crowd. “Our work begins with an acknowledgement of where we are”, said Mika, a DSA member, “We stand at the precipice of a fascist movement taking office, wielding the tools that the Democratic Party build and expanded for them.” Political groups opposed to Donald Trump and the Republican Party have labelled them as fascist in reference to the regimes of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. A major aspect of fascism in these governments was state dominance over the business community. The only legislative achievement of Trump’s first term was a major tax cut for large corporations. It is unclear whether the Republicans would seek to break out of their subservient relationship with the business community over the next four years. Meals for the Masses, a left-wing community kitchen, recruited volunteers at the organizing fair. The group serves free meals “no questions asked” every Sunday in Moore Square, and then turns the dinners into educational sessions on topics like “the backwards and hostile laws that the city of Raleigh imposes on the unhoused community” [ 2 ]. Around 1,400 Triangle residents were unhoused in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other sources [ 3 ]. Activism and symbolism related to Palestine was widespread at Saturday’s event. Groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace, Healthcare Workers for Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, and others attended. Countless people wore keffiyehs and many booths were decorated with watermelons or other pro-Palestine imagery. Several tables were draped with Lebanese flags to protest U.S. support for Israel’s fourth invasion of Lebanon since 1978 [ 4 ]. DSA used the organizing fair to promote the “No Appetite for Apartheid” campaign, which asks local businesses to boycott Israeli goods. The initiative does not distinguish between goods made in Israel proper versus those made in illegal West Bank settlements. According to a DSA pamphlet, sixteen Triangle businesses have pledged their support for the campaign. The third speaker at Saturday's event promoted a campaign against Gateway Women’s Care, an anti-abortion group with a Raleigh location. Gateway’s website offers “free, confidential pregnancy and sexual health services”, but reproductive rights groups have found that the organization has said it wants “women to choose life for themselves and their unborn child” and has called the communities where it operates “sexually broken and abortion-minded” [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ]. “We have been working on a campaign against anti-abortion centers over the last few years”, said the speaker for the anti-Gateway campaign, “We’ve been picketing Gateway Women’s Care on Hillsborough Street … to put pressure on the landlords [Ted and Pam Van Dyk] not to renew their lease. We have a petition going and have a picket this Friday at 1 p.m.” The organizing fair included more than a half-dozen groups that identify as socialist, anarchist, or communist, an unusual sight even the relatively progressive Triangle. To select at random, one of these was the Durham chapter of the Black Rose anarchists. The group has a moderate following on Instagram and a Linktree that spotlights a study group and recommends a 75-page program called “Turning the Tide”. The Triangle chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), another group at Saturday’s event, has been more public facing and places strong emphasis on U.S. foreign policy. PSL activists have played an important role in frequent ceasefire rallies in Moore Square that tend to attract hundreds of people. In November 2024, the group raised money for Cuban relief at Mi Barrio café in Durham. The event raised $2,000 that PSL said, “will provide life-saving materials such as food, medicine and generators which are blocked from entering Cuba by the U.S. blockade” [ 8 ]. --- At the Martin-Blount intersection, entirely outside the auspices of the organizing fair, a local chapter of the Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge (ISUPK) had set up a stage. The group's actions were a depressing reminder of what happens when politically minded people are not organized in a constructive way. An ISUPK speaker spewed hate against the LGBT community and also mixed in rambling thoughts about actual problems like white supremacy, gang violence, and the war on drugs. ISUPK has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. --- The organizing fair offered Triangle residents ways to join movements for labor rights, social justice, international peace, and other issues. The progressive and leftist groups that staged the event said they hoped to offer people productive ways to channel their fear and frustration in the aftermath of right-wing election victories. Strong attendance at Saturday's event suggested that there are many Triangle activists prepared to move forward with an optimism of the will. Work Cited Geller, Lena. “At an Amazon Warehouse in Garner, a Card-Signing Campaign Is Underway.” INDY Week , 18 Oct. 2024, indyweek.com/news/wake/at-an-amazon-warehouse-in-garner-a-card-signing-campaign-is-underway . "Meals for the Masses post on November 1". Instagram . www.instagram.com/p/DB1aVckJnee/?hl=en&img_index=1 . Eanes, Zachery. “What’s Behind a Surprising Drop in Homelessness Numbers in the Triangle.” Axios , 3 Nov. 2023, www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/11/03/behind-the-drop-in-homelessness-numbers-in-raleigh-durham . Bigg, Matthew. “Israel Has Invaded Lebanon Three Times Before. Here’s a Closer Look.” New York Times , 1 Oct. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/world/middleeast/israel-lebanon-invasions-history.html . "Website homepage". Gateway Women’s Care. https://gatewaywomens.care . “Gateway Womens Care - Full Filing- Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica , https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/581584775/202342089349301154/full . "Gateway Women’s Care (Accredited Organization Profile)" ECFA . www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=4129 . "Triangle PSL post on November 10". Instagram . www.instagram.com/p/DCMb1GcR-FD/?hl=en&img_index=1 .
- We Must Respond to Hurricane Helene with a Fair Share Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)
By Felicia Wang, ShiftUS Campaign Damage from catastrophic flooding after Hurricane Helene ravaged Swannanoa. Image credit: New York Times. Asheville, North Carolina was once dubbed a "climate haven", a place to resettle to avoid climate disasters such as wildfires and coastal storms [ 1 ]. Hurricane Helene shattered that notion [ 2 ]. According to Moody’s Analytics , Hurricane Helene may have caused $15-26 billion in property damage and lowered economic output by $5-8 billion [ 3 ]. AccuWeather estimates of economic losses – including loss of life, health costs, extended power outages, and rebuilding infrastructure – have ranged between $95-250 billion [ 4 ][ 5 ]. The United States has a robust disaster relief system, and yet people will be reeling from the 2024 hurricanes for years. As many countries in the Global South do not have the wealth to cope with climate change, it's time for the wealthier countries to pay a fair share in compensating for losses and damages. Our Share of International Financial Compensation The entire UN Loss and Damage fund stands at $700 million per year, 0.2% of projected needs, with the U.S. contributing just $17.5 million [ 6 ]. Our contribution to global loss and damage funds is three orders of magnitude smaller than the cost of property damage from a single hurricane. Of course, loss and damage does not only include property damage. While there is no official UN definition, it is generally considered to include damage to infrastructure, economic interruptions, loss of life, migration costs, and loss of culture [ 7 ]. The Fair Share Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) , led by the ShiftUS campaign , calls for the U.S. to develop both national reforms and international mechanisms to promote realistic loss and damage financing given our current climate disasters. Domestically, policies might include a climate damages tax proposal, the redirection of fossil subsidies and military spending, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reforms, all guided by a comprehensive National Loss and Damage Plan. The US also needs to develop compensation mechanisms such as disaster relief and recovery funds, insurance subsidies for those in high-risk areas, direct reimbursements for cultural losses, expanded healthcare infrastructure, debt cancellation in under-resourced climate-impacted communities, and a U.S. Environmental Damage Fund to restore the natural environment. On the international level, the fair share framework calculates that the U.S. is responsible for $340 billion per year in adaptation and loss and damage starting in 2030, due to its historical emissions since 1950. Much of this financing would go to developing nations that lack financial capacity and emissions responsibility. Possible international funding mechanisms include reforming International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Drawing Rights, frequent flier levies, and a global billionaire tax, as proposed by the Brazilian G20 presidency [ 8 ]. Rebuilding and Recovery Given the increased level of climate-induced natural disasters, we must rebuild in a way that adapts, emphasizes resilience, and minimizes emissions. In Buncombe County, North Carolina, “a debris removal company estimates it will collect 100,000 cubic yards of trees and limbs ” in just one town [ 9 ]. To visualize, this quantity of waste would cover a football field “to a depth of up to 56 feet,” according to town manager Jonathan Kanipe — a burden that does not include washing machines, propane taxes, shattered houses, and other debris. Even though President Biden has approved a request from Governor Cooper to “ cover all of the costs of debris removal for the next six months,” there is no plan in place to do so [ 10 ]. It will be up to each town and county to figure out how to remove, store, and then dispose of all this trash, and many communities do not have such storage or moving capacity. Thus, the Fair Share NDC calls for a National Zero Waste Plan by 2026 so that local, state, and federal governments can coordinate and preempt waste management needs, both in times of crisis and on the daily [ 8 ]. Hurricane Helene also destroyed much critical infrastructure, such as roads, power lines, and bridges [ 11 ]. Virginia Tech professor Manoochehr Shirzaei notes that “Legacy systems, including levees, dams, bridges, roads, and electrical grids, were not originally designed to endure the growing severity of hurricanes exacerbated by climate change. As these structures deteriorate with time, their vulnerability to failure during extreme weather events increases” [ 12 ]. When we rebuild, we must promote resilience and greener infrastructure. The Fair Share NDC calls for FEMA and NOAA to create climate resilient design guidelines that can be used by states [ 8 ]. In addition, it demands funding to support tree and urban forestry maintenance to reduce flood impacts. New requirements to minimize emissions, such as low carbon construction materials and passive heating and cooling mechanisms, are also necessary. North Carolina’s transportation sector can also be built back better through high speed rail between major cities, increased bus routes and light rail options, and more resilient roads and bridges. All of this must be coordinated in a National Adaptation Plan by 2027 to ensure that all communities are supported equitably in response to climate impacts. Such a plan must incorporate clear pathways for resilient infrastructure, safeguarded communities, metrics, and identification of protected ecosystems. In addition, the U.S. must contribute its fair share to international adaptation to finance developing nations’ efforts to develop sustainably as well. This is especially true for climate-vulnerable communities in the Global South who have negligible contributions to this crisis. Climate Mitigation Finally, any plan to address climate-induced disasters such as Hurricane Helene must address climate mitigation. Our Fair Share NDC mandates a fair, funded, feminist, and equitable fossil fuel phaseout by 2031 to avoid future disasters like Helene [ 8 ]. As hurricanes like Helene become the new normal, the US must acknowledge our new reality by writing an NDC that contributes its fair share to mitigating, adapting to, and compensating for the climate crisis. Work Cited Andreoni, Manuela. “‘Climate Havens’ Don’t Exist.” New York Times , 1 Oct. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/climate/asheville-climate-change-flood.html . Harvey, Chelsea. “Hurricane Helene Signals the End of the ‘Climate Haven.’” Scientific American , 4 Oct. 2024, www.scientificamerican.com/article/hurricane-helene-signals-the-end-of-the-climate-haven . Jain, Saumya. “Moody’s Puts Total Property Damage From Hurricane Helene at $15-26 billion.” Reinsurancene.ws , 1 Oct. 2024, www.reinsurancene.ws/moodys-puts-total-property-damage-from-hurricane-helene-at-15-26bn . Danielle, Monica. “Helene Aftermath: More Than 130 Dead, Historic Flooding, Millions Without Power Amid Catastrophic Destruction.” AccuWeather , 30 Sept. 2024, www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/helene-aftermath-more-than-130-dead-historic-flooding-millions-without-power-amid-catastrophic-destruction/1697545 . Ferrell, Jesse. “Helene Is 2nd-deadliest U.S. Hurricane in 50 Years, Could Cost $250 Billion.” AccuWeather , 4 Oct. 2024, www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/helene-is-2nd-deadliest-u-s-hurricane-in-50-years-could-cost-250-billion/1698452 . Lakhani, Nina. “$700m Pledged to Loss and Damage Fund at Cop28 Covers Less Than 0.2% Needed.” The Guardian , 7 Dec. 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/06/700m-pledged-to-loss-and-damage-fund-cop28-covers-less-than-02-percent-needed . Bhandari, Preety. “What Is ‘Loss and Damage’ From Climate Change? 8 Key Questions, Answered.” World Resources Institute , www.wri.org/insights/loss-damage-climate-change . “United States of America, Fair Shares Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).” ShiftUS , 2024, static1.squarespace.com/static/66c61a66e866c037c6929221/t/6706af8ee961996942356b5b/1728491410044/Final+Fair+Share+NDC.pdf . Stradling, Richard. “Helene Creates Piles of Debris in Western NC That Foretell Long Cleanup Ahead.” The News and Observer , 6 Oct. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article293445259.html . Wagner, Adam. “‘The Nation Has Your Back’ : Biden Joins Cooper for Helene Flyover, Promises Recovery Aid.” The News and Observer , 4 Oct. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article293356544.html . Closson, Troy, and Christina Morales. “Missing People, Power Outages, Ruined Roads: Issues Across the Southeast After Helene.” New York Times , 5 Oct. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/10/05/us/hurricane-helene-damage-deaths.html . “Expert: Climate Change, Aging Infrastructure, Human Decisions Feed Into Disasters Like Hurricane Helene.” Virginia Tech News , https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/09/hurricane-helene-climate-infrastructure-disaster-expert.html .
- Save Oak Flat! Apache Stronghold Struggles to Keep Indigenous Sovereignty Over Sacred Land
By Victor Urquiza Community members, organizers, and UFE staff join the prayer ceremony with the Apache Stronghold at the Avila Center for Community Leadership. Photo credit: Apache Stronghold On September 4th, 2024, United for a Fair Economy had the incredible privilege of hosting the Apache Stronghold in Durham, North Carolina on their national prayer journey leading up to their Supreme Court fight on September 11th. A History of Theft, Broken Promises and Mass Suffering Ever since the colonial project of the United States began over 400 years ago, indigenous nations and tribes have been subjected to genocidal practices including land theft and forced displacement, murder, sexual violence, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, racism and broken treaties. These injustices have been met with many forms of resistance. Since 1492 to the present day, Native people in the Americas have fought back against colonialism and capitalism. One of the most recent examples of this 400 year long resistance is within the Apache Stronghold. Photo credit: Robin Silver Photography The Fight To Save Chí’chil Biłdagoteel (Oak Flat) Chí’chil Biłdagoteel – “Oak Flat” in English – is sacred ceremonial ground, held by several Apache tribes in Arizona. Since the early 2000s, Apache tribes and community support groups have fought against Resolution Copper, a multinational mining company, which has been attempting to steal the land of Oak Flat to gain access to one of the biggest copper deposits in the country. For decades, the U.S. government had prohibited mining operations on this land because of its sacred value to several native groups in the Southwest. This all changed when, in 2014, a last minute change to a defense bill directed the government to transfer the Oak Flats land to Resolution Copper. This bill included plans to construct a mine that will obliterate the sacred site in a nearly 2-mile-wide, 1,100-foot-deep crater. In response, a coalition of Apache tribes, non-Apache native groups and non-native organizations came together to create the Apache Stronghold. They sued the U.S. government for this blatant attack on religious freedom and indigenous sovereignty. Seeking Justice: All the Way to the Supreme Court For the last decade, the Apache Stronghold has been challenging the Federal government in a series of lawsuits to repel Resolution Copper from their sacred land. They argue that the 2014 legislation that gave away their land act violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) of 1993, which prohibits any agency, department, or official of the United States or any State from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion. They also charge that it is in violation of an 1852 treaty promising that the United States would protect Apache land and “secure the permanent prosperity and happiness” of the Apaches. When the trial court declined to stop the land transfer, the Apache Stronghold appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On June 24th, 2022, the Ninth Circuit rejected their case, stating that the land transfer to Resolution Copper did not “ substantially burden the Apaches’ religious exercise . ” The case was reheard by the Ninth Circuit Court in November 2022, but once again was refused on March 1st, 2024. The Apache Stronghold decided to bring their fight to the Supreme Court. A Prayer Journey from Oak Flats to SCOTUS Stops in Durham Since July 11th, the Apache Stronghold has been traveling across the country from Oak Flat to Washington, D.C. on a prayer journey to raise awareness and build support for their righteous struggle for spiritual sovereignty. They stopped in Durham, North Carolina on September 4th, where UFE hosted them at the Avila Center for Community Leadership. Our staff had the privilege of participating in their prayer ceremony. One week later, their Supreme Court case, Apache Stronghold v. United States , was heard on September 11th, 2024. It is expected that the Court will decide by early next year whether to hear the case. Apache Stronghold organizer, Vannessa Nosie (left), UFE Executive Director, Jeannette Huezo (middle), and Professor and Apache Stronghold organizer, Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr. (right). Photo credit: Apache Stronghold A Court Case That Can Change the Nation A decision in Apache Stronghold v. United States will have massive legal implications across the country. It could change longstanding U.S. law, which has recognized that only native people have a “spiritual connection to the land,” and could also substantially impact existing law on religious freedom of all individuals, native and non-native. With an extremely conservative Supreme Court, this could be a tough battle for the Apache Stronghold. However, in the words of Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr., “this fight is only the beginning.” Apache Stronghold v. United States is opening up a much-needed conversation about indigenous sovereignty and modern day colonization. UFE stands in firm solidarity with the Apache Stronghold and will continue to give our support to their struggle. Click the links below to learn more and stand in support. Watch: Apache Stronghold - The Fight to Save Oak Flat Please donate to the campaign Please share the campaign and click “track this case” to sign up for updates: Apache Stronghold v. United States This article was first published by UFE .
- Riverkeeper Investigates Lack of Lick Creek Notices of Violations
Durham County’s inspection reports of construction projects in the Lick Creek watershed show an alarming indifference to sediment pollution, according to Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop. “In the public records we requested from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, there is a lack of notices of violation for sites that we know are polluting,” Samantha said. “There are 32 active construction sites in this small, 22.9-square-mile watershed, and dozens of them are regularly out of compliance with sediment and erosion control standards.” Samantha has been tracking sediment pollution in the Lick Creek watershed in southeast Durham for more than two years. The extreme turbidity — the amount of soil particles suspended in the water — has been attributed to stormwater runoff from hundreds of acres of surrounding land cleared to make way for new housing developments. “In the first six months of the year, out of the 32 active construction projects in the Lick Creek watershed, only three of those sites received notices of violations despite the fact that dozens were out of compliance,” Samantha said. “In their inspection reports, we can see all of these places where it was noted they were out of compliance — in some cases, the developer was out of compliance for three, four or more inspections in a row — and no notice of violation was issued.” A notice of violation can bring with it a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for non-compliance with sediment and erosion control standards. According to the public records Samantha received from NCDEQ, none of the three civil penalties issued to developers in the Lick Creek watershed earlier this year was more than $1,000. “I think our regulators are too easy on these developers and contractors,” Samantha said. “For these developers with multi-million-dollar budgets, $1,000 means nothing to them.” The cost to the environment, however, is much steeper, she said. “We’ve got these significant environmental costs that we’ve been documenting for over two years, and we’re not asking developers to pay their fair share, even when they’re known polluters,” Samantha said. “The cumulative impacts cannot be overstated.” On Wednesday, Samantha made a trip out to Lick Creek — a tributary of the drinking water source for millions of Raleigh residents, Falls Lake — to do more sampling. “It rained an inch and a half on Saturday, so it was four days after a rain, and you could see where dirty water is just flowing off their sites, from their sediment basins into the creeks,” she said. “The problem is persisting and maybe even getting worse.” Like the work your Riverkeepers are doing? So do we! Donate today to support their efforts in the lab and in the field! This article was first published by Sound Rivers .
- NC Court of Appeals Upholds Duke Energy Attack on Rooftop Solar
Despite calling pro-Duke Energy regulators’ interpretation of the law ‘absurd’, appeals judges give Utilities Commission OK to accept Duke’s biased cost calculations On September 17th, a state appeals court panel rejected claims that regulators violated state law when allowing Duke Energy to downgrade the economic benefits for owners of rooftop solar. The ruling is a step forward for Duke Energy’s 12-year battle against its sole competition: solar power owned by residential, commercial and nonprofit customers. The court said that the clean energy groups challenging the regulators’ decision were correct in insisting that the North Carolina Utilities Commission, or NCUC, was required to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of solar net metering. The ruling said the NCUC’s claim that it didn’t have to do so was “plainly absurd and in direct conflict” with state law [ 1, pg. 20 ]. But the court said that by simply opening a docket on Duke’s proposed rule change and receiving formal comments from other parties, while denying multiple requests for an evidentiary hearing, the NCUC had in fact conducted a sufficient cost analysis. Opponents dispute Duke’s key argument for the October 2023 rules change, in which the NCUC said that non-solar customers are harmed when solar owners are compensated for power they feed onto the grid in a process called net metering. The challenge was led by NC WARN and the Environmental Working Group. But the appeals court judges – Hunter Murphy, John Arrowood, and Tobias Hampson – backed the rule, which has already thrown the state solar industry into disorder. The clean energy appellants are considering an appeal to the state Supreme Court because the law requiring an independent cost-benefit analysis is so clear-cut, as even the legislation’s lead author has insisted. “The appeals court seemed to go out of its way to give Duke the win,” said Jim Warren, executive director of NC WARN. “Even the rubber stamp regulators admitted they didn’t do a cost-benefit analysis, but that Duke’s internal numbers were OK. Bizarrely, the court ruled that the regulators’ limited proceeding did count as the analysis.” “The court made a significant blunder by ignoring state law that clearly requires regulators conduct an independent cost-benefit analysis, instead of relying solely on Duke’s own calculations,” said Caroline Leary, EWG’s general counsel and COO. “This setback not only impedes the progress of North Carolina’s expanding solar industry but also deepens the challenges facing the state as it battles the real-time implications of the climate crisis.” Warren added, “This ruling directly harms our once-growing solar power industry and the communities constantly battered by climate change driven by polluters like Duke Energy. We need the judicial system to uphold the law while other state officials – particularly the rubber-stamping regulators – constantly bend the rules and fair process in deference to this giant corporate polluter,” he said. BACKGROUND During the legal proceedings in February 2024, attorneys for the clean energy coalition hammered Duke Energy and the NCUC for bypassing mandatory independent cost-benefit analysis, required by state law, before reducing incentives for rooftop solar. They argued that rooftop solar offers a swift, cost-effective, and equitable means to transition away from fossil fuels. Additionally, they emphasized compelling evidence, including an analysis from state Attorney General Josh Stein showing how net metering benefits all customers by reducing the need for new gas-fired plants, which contributes to rising rates and climate change. Duke vigorously blocked the independent cost-benefit analysis that would show the truth. The NCUC sided with Duke’s internal calculations without even conducting its own cost-benefit analysis required under state law, or a public hearing as called for by multiple parties including the attorney general. The coalition challenging the NCUC order includes EWG, NC WARN, Sunrise Durham, 350 Triangle, 350 Charlotte, N.C. Climate Solutions Coalition, N.C. Alliance to Protect Our People and the Places We Live, along with retired chemical engineer Donald Oulman. Following a February 2024 court hearing, a senior official from a leading solar company cited a widespread drop in residential and commercial solar sales since the Duke-NCUC net metering rules change took effect in October. More data on statewide sales will become available soon. This article was first published by NC WARN . Work Cited “NC Utilities Commission, et. al. v. Environmental Working Group, et. al.” Republished by NC WARN , 17 Sept. 2024, www.ncwarn.org/wp-content/uploads/NEMAppealDecision9-17-24.pdf . “North Carolina.” SEIA , www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/north-carolina-solar . "IRP Load Growth Fact Sheet". Duke Energy , Jan. 2024 , www.duke-energy.com/-/media/pdfs/our-company/carolinas-resource-plan/january-24-fact-sheet.pdf?rev=8e61a3e3e8c844daaf4f2d5b6635c687 .
- After Historic Strike, Triangle CWA Leader Reflects on Union Victory
The longest-ever strike of North Carolina telecommunications workers ended on September 15 with victory for the Communications Workers of America (CWA). After a 30-day strike, AT&T agreed to a tentative agreement (TA) with 19 percent raises as well as improvements to work-life balance and the two-tier system. CWA District 3, which represents 17,000 workers in nine Southeastern states, will vote on the TA in the coming weeks [ 1 ]. Grant Welch is the CWA’s North Carolina legislative and political director. He was hired in 1999 as a technician for Bellsouth, which was absorbed by AT&T in 2006. Though Welch has worked for two companies over a 25-year career, he’s only belonged to one union. “CWA is membership-led,” said Welch, “Leading up to negotiations we take a vote, and we ask the members, ‘If it comes to it, are you willing to go on strike?’ The vote this time around was 96 or 97 percent yes.” AT&T workers across the Southeast began an unfair labor practices (ULP) strike on August 16. According to the union, the corporation refused to bargain over mandatory subjects in contract negotiations and would not send negotiators with decision-making authority. A ULP strike has benefits and drawbacks from the CWA’s perspective. “When we’re on an ULP strike, that protects our jobs,” said Welch, “The company can bring in temporary contractors, but they can’t make them permanent.” The main drawback was that workers couldn’t receive strike pay for 15 days due to the ULP designation. CWA was able to tap into its relief fund on August 30. “Even then, that’s only $300 per week for each worker,” said Welch, “At day 29, it increases to $400 a week. We actually stood out long enough to get that increase, but the next day we won. We had a TA.” CWA Local 3611 represents ten AT&T offices across the Triangle. During the strike, picket lines went up at these locations from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Picket lines are instantly respected in communities with an organized working class but aren't a familiar concept to most Southerners. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 2.7 percent of North Carolina workers belonged to a trade union 2023. “Across District 3, only five percent of our workers crossed that picket line. Ninety-five percent of us held the line. In the South, in nine ‘right-to-work’ states, that is phenomenal.” Workers who side with corporations during strikes are often called “scabs” by their colleagues, who criticize them for benefitting from union contracts but not helping to win them. When the CWA cleared its members to return to work after September 15, it cautioned them not to retaliate against workers who sided with management. “We need to leave those scabs on an island alone by themselves,” said Welch, “There should be zero discussion with them. They took bread off your table while you were fighting to win a better lifestyle for everyone.” Important strides toward a better lifestyle are laid out in the five-year contract offered by AT&T. The language of the agreement, rather dry to an outsider, will be examined closely by workers as they decide whether to vote for ratification. A few of the TA's gains are outlined below: AT&T hired contractors as temporary workers during the strike. Most employees at the company make between $25 to $35 an hour. The strikebreakers were offered an hourly rate of $200. “Many of them were brought in under false pretenses,” said Welch, “Some of the contractors didn’t know it was strike work and left when they found out. They said, ‘Man, I'm not crossing the picket line. I was told it was storm relief’. Of course, there were some that just didn't care, who just wanted the money.” AT&T also used managers, some of whom hadn’t done fieldwork in years, to compensate for its striking workforce. The corporation’s use of brand-new contractors and undertrained managers had predictable results. “They messed up so many jobs,” said Welch, “Since the strike ended, we’re going back and fixing so many of their mistakes. But that's the thing, they just wanted the money. They didn't care about the quality of work.” While AT&T floundered, its workforce was rediscovering a spirit of unity on the picket line. Since the 2000s, the company has split up the rank-and-file by creating “lower tier” roles such as Wire Technicians. The two-tier system had led to workers with similar jobs getting very different pay and conditions, a situation designed to sow division. CWA hoped to abolish tiers in the new contract but only achieved a partial victory. The TA consolidates three different wage scales for Wire Technicians into one [ 2 ] [ 3 ]. “Nobody wants to strike, but one of the silver linings is the camaraderie,” said Welch, “When you're on that picket line and when everyone is out of work, there is no job title. There is no disparity in wages, benefits, and job treatment. Everyone is the same and we are all fighting for equality, equity, and respect in the workplace.” The union’s call for equity and respect did not interest many North Carolina politicians. According to the CWA, only twenty-one state officeholders visited the picket line or made a public statement of support. This figure included only one Republican, a performance that speaks for itself. Democratic support for the CWA, though superior to what the GOP offered, was not impressive. Only twenty liberal officeholders backed the workers. Eleven were state representatives, amounting to 23 percent of the NC House Democratic Caucus. Ten percent of the party’s state senators backed the union. Weak support by Democrats was especially revealing since the strike happened in a swing state during a presidential campaign. According to polling averages, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are tied in North Carolina. The state is home to thousands of CWA members, who in turn have tens of thousands of friends and family. A visit to the picket line could have electrified this significant bloc of voters. Harris, Walz, Trump, and Vance all visited North Carolina between August 16 and September 15. None of them stopped by a picket line. The NC AFL-CIO held its annual convention a few days after the AT&T workers won their strike. Governor Roy Cooper spoke before the union federation, which CWA belongs to. Cooper warmly congratulated the union on its 30-day strike, which he hadn’t supported when it was ongoing. Josh Stein, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, offered half-hearted support for the CWA. During the strike, he agreed to meet with a few workers in a closed-door, no-press meeting. Stein asked what the union wanted in a new contract, enquired about the issues on the job, and agreed to a group photo in front of a CWA Local 3611 banner. Workers at the meeting said they offered Stein a picket sign to hold in the photo. He declined. The CWA offered warm thanks to the three Congresspeople, all Democrats, who publicly sided with the union. Welch said, “We will say Wiley Nickel, Deborah Ross, and Don Davis took action in support of workers. Those are the three who I will say are true champions of labor.” Work Cited “AT&T Southeast Strike Ends.” Communications Workers of America , 15 Sept. 2024, cwa-union.org/news/releases/att-southeast-strike-ends . DiMaggio, Dan. “AT&T Southeast Workers End Month-Long Strike.” Labor Notes , 30 Sept. 2024, www.labornotes.org/blogs/2024/09/att-southeast-workers-end-month-long-strike . DiMaggio, Dan. “AT&T Southeast Strike Nears One Month, With California and Nevada On.” Labor Notes , 19 Sept. 2024, www.labornotes.org/2024/09/att-southeast-strike-nears-one-month-california-and-nevada-brink-walkout .
- PILOT Advocate Visits Durham, Encourages Duke University to Pay Fair Share
Image credit: Appily On Wednesday, April 10th, activists met in a Durham church to learn about campaigns for payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) aimed at wealthy, tax-exempt universities. The event was organized by City Council member Nate Baker. The main feature was a conversation with Professor Davarian Baldwin, author of In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities Are Plundering Our Cities , a 2021 book about the political economy of higher education. Major universities like Yale, UPenn, and others have been pressured by grassroots campaigns into making PILOTs to their local communities. Yale pays $23 million per year and UPenn pays $10 million [ 1 , 2 ]. Taking note of these victories, activists in Durham are building a campaign that will push Duke University to contribute $20 million per year to city funds. The total value of Duke University's properties is unclear, so much so that the most reliable estimate comes from a 1998 article in the Duke Chronicle . The author, formerly a high official of the university, estimated that Duke University's properties were worth " somewhat over $900 million, theoretically obligating Duke to pay some $15 million in taxes across the county and the city. Of that, some $6 million would be payable to the city." [ 3 ] Davarian Baldwin is the Raether Professor at Trinity College and founder of the Smart Cities Lab. Image credit: X account of Davarian Baldwin The $900 million is worth $1.7 billion when inflation is taken into account. However, the $1.7 billion estimate is certainly too low. It does not include properties that Duke University has acquired since 1998, Durham's increased land values, and several other factors. What is not in dispute is that Duke University and Duke Health System paid only $3.7 million in property taxes in 2023 [ 4 ]. Most of the school's properties are used for educational purposes, making them tax exempt under 501(c)(3) rules. “Duke is an important partner in Durham that has some existing community programs and of course covers some of its own services. Nevertheless, we are essentially subsidizing Duke because they are not paying property taxes,” said Baker. “The cash-strapped city of Durham is, in other words, subsidizing a $12 billion-endowed university.” [ 5 ] According to US News & World Report , Duke University is the seventh best university in the US. The achievement is bittersweet since Durham Public Schools is ranked 55th among school districts in North Carolina [ 6 ]. For an elite university located in a community with poor educational outcomes, voluntary payment of property taxes offers a pathway out of injustice. Duke University may find itself looking at the example of UPenn, which sends $10 million a year to Philadelphia City Schools as their PILOT [ 2 ]. Image credit: Amazon During the talk, Baldwin observed that universities don’t often volunteer a PILOT. Payments to the community tend to be won by grassroots campaigns, such as when a movement called New Haven Rising brought Yale to the negotiating table. “Everywhere I go, the schools say, ‘He hates universities’”, said Baldwin, “But every year they put out mission statements talking about being a good neighbor to the community. I’m just holding them to that.” At Wednesday’s event, some audience members were skeptical that Duke University could be pressured to pay up. Baldwin pushed back. He said that universities get uncomfortable when their business, labor, and political practices are subjected to scrutiny. Since PILOT campaigns tend to involve a great deal of public education on these topics, schools often agree to make voluntary payments to shore up their status as a pillar of the community. City Council member Nate Baker. Image credit: Nate Baker Instagram “Go talk to 40 and 50-year residents. They have the receipts," said Baldwin, "They want to talk about their stories’”. Baldwin advised that the PILOT campaign should be led by long-time Durham residents and university workers, particularly the Black members in those groups. He also pointed out that the campaigns often gain allies on the City Council, who are attracted by the prospect of additional revenue. “What mayor doesn’t want more money?” asked Baldwin. Work Cited 1. Basler, Cassandra. “Yale Announces ‘Historic’ $135 Million Payment to New Haven.” Connecticut Public , 9 Mar. 2023, www.ctpublic.org/education-news/2021-11-17/yale-announces-historic-135-million-payment-to-new-haven . 2. Stellino, Molly, and Molly Stellino. “Activists Question Whether Wealthy Universities Should Be Exempt From Property Taxes.” The Hechinger Report , 18 Dec. 2020, hechingerreport.org/activists-question-whether-wealthy-universities-should-be-exempt-from-property-taxes . 3. Burness, John. “Dismiss Durham'S Idea to Tax Duke'S Dime.” The Chronicle , 15 Apr. 1998, www.dukechronicle.com/article/dismiss-durhams-idea-tax-dukes-dime . 4. Mungai, Mary. Durham City Councilman Proposes Duke Pay “Fair Share” in Property Taxes | the Durham VOICE . 14 Mar. 2024, durhamvoice.org/durham-city-councilman-proposes-duke-pay-fair-share-in-property-taxes/#:~:text=According%20to%20their%202023%20Annual,million%20in%20property%20taxes%20annually . 5. Duke University. Duke University’s Endowment . 2023, giving.duke.edu/wp-content/uploads/DukeEndowment.pdf . 6. “Durham Public Schools - North Carolina.” Niche , www.niche.com/k12/d/durham-public-schools-nc .
- Amazon Crime$ at RDU1
CAUSE is a worker-led union at Amazon RDU1 in Garner, NC. Dog Care For Corporate But Not DayCare for Employees? There are many parents struggling to afford child care on the pay we make at Amazon. The median cost of child care for an 8 year old is $8,000 a year, according to the Department of Labor , and childcare becomes more critical in the summer months when school is out. This gets even more complicated around Prime day where there is Mandatory Extra Time and a freeze on vacation time. While we struggle to figure out child care, Amazon headquarters in Seattle has onsite doggy day care and dog park. If Amazon can afford such luxuries we should be able to afford child care , and have our own childcare provided. After all, is it asking too much for our children to get more attention than dogs? Who is "Employee Relations"? Amazon's Global Employee Relations exist to police us while we form a union. According to their website, "the Global Employee Relations team promotes, safeguards, and advocates for Amazon's positive direct relationship with all Amazonians". This "direct relationship" is the isolated relationship we have with the screens, surveys and message boards at Amazon. What they don't want is for us to come together in a union like CAUSE. They are in the building to try their best to talk us out of it. But why try to stop us? Forming a union is legal, in fact it is a protected right for workers. Forming a union is the only way for workers to have a seat at the table to tell the corporation what we deserve. Why is Amazon so invested that they pay people over $100,000, or in some cases over $3,000 a day , to try to convince us to be satisfied with $39,000? What other right do you have that your employer will hold classes and trainings persuade you not to use it? Imagine if a team was flown in to to tell you not to vote, or not practice your religion. That is what is happening to us because it is just as much as of our right to form a union as to vote. Do not fear your own rights and freedoms. Fight the fear, join CAUSE. CAUSE Demands : Higher pay: $30 per hour for all Tier 1 & 2 Associates Increased time off: 180 hours & paid sick leave Longer breaks: 1-hour paid lunch This article was first published by CAUSE .
- "Duke Respect Durham" Promotes Fair Taxation of Duke University at Downtown Event
On July 28th, activists set up a table at CCB Plaza to canvass Durham residents about fair taxation of Duke University. Sunday's event was organized by Duke Respect Durham, a coalition of twenty community groups that are pressuring the university to make voluntary payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT). Duke University owns about 12 percent of land in the city of Durham [ 1 ] [ 2 ]. As an educational institution, the university is exempt from what would be tens of millions of dollars in property tax on its non-commercial holdings. Duke University and Duke Health System paid only $3.7 million in property taxes in 2023 [ 3 ]. According to Duke Respect Durham, the table at CCB Plaza saw plenty of foot traffic because of an open-air market on Foster Street. Handing out fliers and striking up conversations, the canvassers asked Durham residents, “What can Durham do with $50 million?” The most common replies were that a PILOT from Duke University should be used to fund Durham Public Schools, Durham Housing Authority, and GoDurham. The PILOT movement in Durham has been inspired by successful movements at Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, and other elite schools. In 2021, a campaign called Yale Respect New Haven pressured the university to increase its annual PILOT to $23 million [ 4 ]. In 2020, the University of Pennsylvania agreed to make a $10 million PILOT to Philadelphia Public Schools in response to criticism that the university wasn’t doing enough to promote education in its own backyard. The concession came after years of pressure from “ Philadelphia Jobs With Justice , a pro-labor nonprofit … [and] Penn for PILOTs, the first campaign led by staff and faculty members” [ 5 ]. At the July 28th event, one Durham resident said, “I know a lot of Duke professors. They choose to live in Chapel Hill because they want to send their kids to decent public schools”. The resident signed the Duke Respect Durham petition, along with dozens of other people who stopped by the campaign’s table [ 6 ]. According to Niche , an education website, Durham Public Schools is ranked 55th out of 115 school districts in North Carolina [ 7 ]. The total value of Duke University property is unclear. The most recent, reliable figure comes from a 1998 Duke Chronicle article in which a university public relations official estimated " somewhat over $900 million, theoretically obligating Duke to pay some $15 million in taxes across the county and the city" [ 8 ]. Adjusted for inflation, that property would now be worth $1.7 billion. However, property values in Durham have risen faster than inflation in recent decades. The House Price Index for Durham-Chapel Hill has more than tripled since 1998 [ 9 ]. If the index’s increase is applied, Duke University property would be worth around $2.9 billion, not accounting for property bought or sold since 1998. If that rough estimate is accurate, Duke University is exempt from about $40 million in property taxes each year [ 10 ]. The canvassers said that not everyone they talked to agreed with the PILOT campaign. A group of young men scoffed at the idea of Duke University paying property taxes and said the reason is because “That’s our alma mater!” According to Duke Respect Durham, the PILOT campaign is working to show people connected to Duke University that there’s no contradiction between having fond college memories and demanding that the wealthy institution help to fund basic public services like education, housing, and transit. With a $12 billion endowment, Duke University can certainly afford to pay its fair share. Work Cited “Duke Facts.” Facts , 23 July 2024, https://facts.duke.edu . “Durham: By the Numbers”. City of Durham , 2020, www.durhamnc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/34785/Durham-By-the-Numbers-English-FY20 . Mungai, Mary. “Durham City Councilman Proposes Duke Pay “Fair Share” in Property Taxes” The Durham VOICE . 14 Mar. 2024, https://durhamvoice.org/durham-city-councilman-proposes-duke-pay-fair-share-in-property-taxes/ Rayala, Sai. “City and University Officials Announce Six-year Commitment, Increases to Yale’s Voluntary Contribution.” Yale Daily News , 19 Nov. 2021, https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/11/17/city-and-university-officials-announce-six-year-commitment-increases-yales-voluntary-contribution . Stallion, Molly. “Activists Question Whether Wealthy Universities Should Be Exempt From Property Taxes.” The Hechinger Report , 18 Dec. 2020, https://hechingerreport.org/activists-question-whether-wealthy-universities-should-be-exempt-from-property-taxes . “President Price and CEO Albanese: Let’s Work Toward a Just Durham.” https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/dukerespectdurham . “Durham Public Schools.” Niche , www.niche.com/k12/d/durham-public-schools-nc . Burness, John. “Dismiss Durham’s Idea to Tax Duke’s Dime.” Duke Chronicle , 15 Apr. 1998, www.dukechronicle.com/article/dismiss-durhams-idea-tax-dukes-dime . “All-Transactions House Price Index for Durham-Chapel Hill, NC”. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis , 28 May 2024, https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ATNHPIUS20500Q . “Tax Rates.” Durham County , 2024, www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-f-z/tax-administration/tax-rates .
- Duke Energy Officials Admit “High Risk” of Key Element in Carbon Plan
Duke Energy’s 2022 promise to investors [ 1, pg. 18 ] that it will pour $75 billion into high-voltage transmission projects in its monopoly states by 2032 was belied recently when its expert witnesses admitted to NC regulators that building new transmission corridors could meet such local opposition “that you can’t move forward with it.” [ 2, pg. 167 ] [ 3, pg. 48 ]. The statements were made under oath during questioning at NC Utilities Commission hearings over Duke’s Carbon Plan. Although in 2022 Duke quietly indicated plans to build hundreds of miles of new transmission in eastern NC, this is the first time any specific plan was hinted at – along with the enormous risk to investors and ratepayers posed by such a gamble. Since 2022, NC WARN and eastern NC community groups have criticized Duke Energy’s secrecy. And we’ve warned its corporate and nonprofit allies that trying to seize land and bulldoze through farms, forests and communities runs the same risks that led to the 2020 defeat of Duke and Dominion Energy’s attempt to build an $8 billion fracked gas pipeline through the same region. At the hearings, two Duke witnesses finally shed a little light on its plans, indicating it might attempt to build a large high-voltage line from Wake County to New Bern, but no final decision has been made. Typically, before alerting the public about unwanted projects, Duke Energy quietly seeks to purchase land and to gain approval from local officials and other community leaders. That well-worn pattern led to ongoing outrage by residents of Green Pond, SC, where Duke is attempting to build a 4.5-mile transmission corridor [ 4 ]. The Duke witnesses indicated the risk for new transmission projects is high even when Duke already owns much of the right-of-way, thus lowering the need to seize land through eminent domain. Duke leaders loosely claim that much of any new and upgraded transmission infrastructure is needed for future renewable power, but NC WARN believes it’s mainly intended for Duke’s plans to build dozens of fracked gas-fired and nuclear power units. NC WARN supports necessary grid upgrades and improvements that don’t harm communities. Although our Sharing Solar proposal supports so-called solar farms, we want them equitably sited and built close to where power is used. Proposal For Sweeping Shift To Local Solar So far, the NC Utilities Commission has unofficially gone along with Duke’s high-rolling grid gamble – just as it has with plans for fracked gas plants and experimental nuclear reactors. According to its own testimony, Duke’s Carbon Plan strategies are very high risk, they’d drive up power bills year after year, and they’re far too slow to meet climate scientists’ demand to phase out fossil fuels this decade. The now-exposed risks and billion-dollar cost of the Wake-to-New Bern scheme amplifies the need for transparency, and for this state to expand – instead of suppress – low-risk, local solar-plus-storage (SPS). NC WARN and allies are proposing a sweeping statewide expansion of no-upfront cost SPS in a way that helps all power users, particularly those most in need. This Sharing Solar proposal is the fastest, cheapest and most equitable way to get North Carolina off fossil fuels [ 5 ]. All power users would share the benefits, and we’d all share the costs through our monthly power bills – just like we now pay for dirty, damaging power. We are convinced that rapidly expanding solar on roofs and parking lots is essential if this state is ever to get onto the right side of the climate crisis. This article was first published by NC WARN . Work Cited "Q3 2022 Earnings Review and Business Update." Duke Energy , 4 Nov. 2022, https://s201.q4cdn.com/583395453/files/doc_financials/2022/q3/Q3-2022-Earnings-Presentation-vFINAL-(with-Reg-G).pdf “2024 Carbon Plan Expert Witness Hearing Transcript, Vol. 11.” NC Utilities Commission , 26 July 2024, https://starw1.ncuc.gov/NCUC/ViewFile.aspx?Id=20de7107-1f8d-497f-8473-41b621328494 “2024 Carbon Plan Expert Witness Hearing Transcript, Vol. 12.” NC Utilities Commission , 29 July 2024, https://starw1.ncuc.gov/NCUC/ViewFile.aspx?Id=6e8e7c24-f201-49a7-996b-a7b7cf1e6a17 Runkel, Grace. “Neighbors Call for New Law as Duke Energy Looks to Build Transmission Lines Through Community.” Fox Carolina , 19 July 2024, www.foxcarolina.com/2024/07/19/neighbors-call-new-law-duke-energy-looks-build-transmission-lines-through-community “Sharing Solar Summary.” NC WARN , https://www.ncwarn.org/sharing-solar-summ/
- With Strong Backing From Labor, “Duke Respect Durham” Campaign Holds Kickoff Event
On September 14th, around ninety people gathered at Asbury United Methodist Church to launch a campaign urging Duke University to make payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to local government. The Duke Respect Durham campaign is backed by a coalition of labor and advocacy groups such as UE Local 150, the Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW), the Durham Association of Educators (DAE). According to the campaign, Duke University would owe an estimated $50 million in annual property taxes without its educational tax-exempt status. The coalition also claims that the university owns 10 percent of land in Durham, making it the city's largest landowner [ 1 ]. The school should pay a PILOT, the campaign says, since “Duke University benefits significantly from city and county resources, including public schools, transit, parks, infrastructure, and other public services and facilities.” Saturday's kickoff event began at 2 p.m. on the lawn of Asbury Church, located just north of Duke East Campus. Durham city councilor Nate Baker, an early backer of Duke Respect Durham, greeted newcomers and directed them to a sign-up table, snacks, and an informational poster about PILOT campaigns. USSW members in their trademark red shirts mingled with people who just moved to Durham and were looking to get involved in the community. Older community members chatted with young activists from Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Sunrise Movement. Duke Respect Durham comes in the wake of successful campaigns for PILOT at elite universities across the country. Brown University, Harvard University, and the University of Pennsylvania all currently make voluntary payments of $10 million or more to their local governments. In 2021, a campaign called “Yale Respect New Haven” pressured the university to increase its annual PILOT to $23 million [ 2 ]. At 2:30 p.m., the kickoff event moved into the sanctuary of Asbury Church to hear speeches from union leaders, an archivist, local politicians, and others. Bathed in light from stained-glass windows, Duke Respect Durham yard signs sat perched on chairs in front of the altar. Keith Bullard, a member of USSW, warmed up the audience. “I need everyone to dream really quick”, he said, “What could we do with $50 million dollars?” A few of the crowd’s proposals were outside the purview of local government, such as a raised minimum wage and universal healthcare. Other suggestions, such as increased funding for Durham Public Schools and Durham Housing Authority, were firmly within the power of city and county authorities. “If we can get this money, we can do some things with it. We can do the right things with it”, said Donald Quick, treasurer of UE Local 150, “We need this for our city workers. You know, a lot of us can’t afford to live in Durham.” After COVID struck, the annual raises given to Durham city workers were lower than the inflation rate for three years in a row. Since wages were already low, the real-terms cuts were devastating to the workers and their departments [ 3 ]. After conducting a “stand down” action in 2023 and rallying the public, UE Local 150 won a major victory in June 2024 when the city council approved $28.5 million in raises [ 4 ]. The union continues to urge that all city workers be paid at least $25 per hour. A speech by Christy Patterson, vice president of DAE, electrified the crowd in Asbury Church. She recapped the recent issues faced by Durham school employees – a bitter payroll dispute with the school board, loss of staff due to low pay, defunding by state government, and more [ 5 ] [ 6 ]. The audience roared its approval as Patterson described how DAE fought back in 2024. A major organizing drive lifted union membership from 15 percent to over 50 percent, the second highest of any teacher’s union in the state. Simultaneously, the union challenged a proposed school budget of $13 million. A campaign by DAE sent over 1,000 letters to the county commission and secured a record-high $26 million budget for Durham Public Schools [ 7 ]. “The way that we won that budget was we asked the people of Durham to pay up,” said Patterson, in reference to a 4.7 percent property tax increase, “So Duke, it’s your turn. Time is up. Duke, you have skated under the radar for too long and we won’t stand for it no longer!” Patterson’s thundering address was followed by mild-mannered remarks from J.T. Tabron. He is the county’s Assistant Register of Deeds and also participates in a project called Hacking Into History, which works to uncover Durham’s history of exclusionary housing practices. Tabron pointed out that, given Duke University’s past usage of racially restrictive covenants, a PILOT could serve as a form of reparations for the city's Black community. “Duke has been the second largest purveyor and user of these restrictive covenants in Durham,” said Tabron, “In Duke Forest alone there are over 300 of these that we have found in the public record filed between the early 1900s and the early 1970s”. A scanned image of a restrictive covenant appeared on the church screens. The crowd fell silent as Tabron recited the legal clauses used to forbid selling a home to anyone with a single drop of “Negro blood”. The lawyers had made sure to clarify that Black servants were allowed on the premises. The next image popped on the screen. The photo showed that one of the Duke Forest homes had sold in the 1960s for less than $30,000 but was now worth more than $800,000. Along with other Jim Crow measures, restrictive covenants blocked the accumulation of generational wealth in the Black community. During his speech, Nate Baker prepared the coalition for the counterarguments that the PILOT campaign would face from Duke University. The city councilor predicted that Duke University would argue that it was a key economic driver for Durham and therefore deserved its tax-exempt status. Baker responded, “Duke provides some benefits to the community, it’s true. But so do you, so do all of us. Working class people across our city are deeply engaged in making our community better. They run mutual aid groups, community fridges, they donate time and money to important causes … and they also pay property taxes.” Nida Allam was the final speaker at the September 14th rally. Currently serving as a county commissioner, she is the first Muslim woman ever elected to public office in North Carolina. Allam is a leader of the People’s Alliance faction in Durham politics, which represents an affluent, liberal, and mostly White constituency. She said, “We need Duke to understand that our residents and our neighbors are stepping up to the plate paying for these [property tax] increases that we need desperately for our students and our families. We need them to come to the table.” Allam’s speech was the first instance of an influential figure in the People’s Alliance supporting Duke Respect Durham. The campaign hopes that her support is a sign of things to come. City councilor Javiera Caballero and school board member Natalie Beyer, both endorsed by the People’s Alliance, sat at the back of the sanctuary and listened to the speeches. If the PILOT campaign gains momentum, they may be tempted to sign on. Work Cited “Homepage.” Duke Respect Durham , www.dukerespectdurham.org . Rayala, Sai. “City and University Officials Announce Six-year Commitment, Increases to Yale’s Voluntary Contribution.” Yale Daily News , 19 Nov. 2021, www.yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/11/17/city-and-university-officials-announce-six-year-commitment-increases-yales-voluntary-contribution . Elk, Mike. “Durham Public Works Employees ‘Illegally’ Strike for 1st Time.” Payday Report , 6 Sept. 2023, www.paydayreport.com/durham-public-works-employees-illegally-strike-for-1st-time . Moore, Mary Helen. “Durham Workers Rally for Better Pay, With City’s Minimum Wage Rising to $19.58 an Hour” News and Observer , 7 June 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article288952676.html . Moske, Nina. “Chronology of a Crisis: A Timeline of the DPS Salary Dispute.” IndyWeek , 9 Feb. 2024, indyweek.com/news/durham/chronology-of-a-crisis-a-timeline-of-the-dps-salary-dispute . Vaughan, Dawn Baumgartner. “NC Senate Passes Bill to Fund Private-school-voucher Backlog, but No New Teacher Raises.” News and Observer , 9 Sept. 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article292173605.html . Moore, Mary Helen. “‘Big Win for Our Children’: Durham Budget Will Help Schools Increase Teacher, Staff Pay.” News and Observer , 11 June 2024, www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article289072999.html .
- Dispatch from Palestine Demo in Raleigh on September 3rd
On September 3rd, around 100 pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered in downtown Raleigh to protest recent Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank. The protestors met at Moore Square for speeches before marching down Hargett Street and Martin Street. The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), Muslim Women For, and several other organizations promoted the rally through social media. The crowd assembled in Moore Square around 7 p.m. Tables for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the Green Party promoted various campaigns. The DSA table was adorned with campaign signs for Reeves Peeler and Mary Black, both running for seats on Raleigh city council. Off to the side, a woman named Kristy Wandle stood at a table piled with baked goods. She said she was raising money for the Eliyan family in Gaza. Cookies, scones, and Arabic pastries were laid out alongside pictures of the displaced family. Wandle commented that the Eliyan’s had sent her some of the recipes. The GoFundMe run on behalf of the family describes hopes of escape into Egypt, which costs $5,000 to $10,000 per adult [ 1 ]. Egypt, which has helped to blockade for Gaza for decades, has been ruled by US-backed dictators for more than 40 years. The first speaker mounted a concrete barrier and said, “Every day we’re waking up hoping for a ceasefire, hoping for an end to the bombings and the bloodshed. Yet, the United States and the Zionist regime have other plans. They have an intent to expand the genocide from Gaza to the West Bank.” Speaking into a megaphone, she continued, “On August 28th, Zionist forces launched a large-scale military operation across the West Bank raiding refugee camps in Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarem, and Tubas.” On September 6th, the New York Times ran an article with the headline, “10 Day Blitz Leaves Ruin in the West Bank” [ 2 ]. According to the piece, “at least 39 people [were] killed”, “an American woman who was protesting against an Israeli settler outpost was fatally shot”, and the “streets [were] so ravaged by bulldozers that cars were unable to pass”. Among those killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was Bana Laboum, a 13-year-old girl from Qaryut village. According to Haaretz, Laboum was “hit while she was in her family's home with her sisters” in the aftermath of an incident where “Israeli settlers threw stones and set fields on fire in the village” [ 3 ]. Victor Urquiza, a PSL activist, was the second speaker at Tuesday’s event. He said, “There are three individuals from Raleigh… who have travelled to the West Bank last month to help the poor Palestinians who are facing daily violence from fascist settlers and from the IOF”. According to Urquiza, one of the Raleigh residents was denied access to the West Bank. He said, “He is Palestinian and he cannot enter his homeland.” The crowd reacted with calls of “shame”. “The other two individuals were able to enter and have been volunteering in [a small village south of Nablus],” he said, “I have the privilege of being on the support team for two of the brave individuals who have left the comfort of their home in the United States to travel across the world where they’re facing daily violence.” There is precedent for Americans traveling to protect communities under attack by US-backed forces. In December 1980, four American nuns from the Maryknoll Sisters institute were raped and killed by the El Salvador National Guard, which was receiving military aid from the Carter Administration. A high official of the Reagan Administration, which came into office the next month, supported the atrocity since “the nuns were not just nuns. They were political activists” [ 4 ]. Aysenur Egyi, an American activist, was shot in the head by the IDF on September 6th. She was previously involved in protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline and helped to organize the Gaza encampment at the University of Washington. Hours later, Congressman Randy Fine (R-Fla.) applauded Egyi’s killing in a social media post. He wrote, “Throw rocks, get shot. One less Muslim terrorist. Fire away” [ 5 ]. The third speaker at the September 3rd rally was Ashraf Shawa, who was born in the Gaza Strip. The emcee for the event said that many members of Shawa's family have been killed by the IDF. He began with an acknowledgement of the JVP attendees, “Shalom to my Jewish brothers and sisters and peace and blessings to you all.” Shawa read a poem he’d written several days prior. An excerpt of the poem went, “Like every story ever written, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, a beautiful ending to a great struggle. Unfortunately, in every tale, the struggle is often romanticized, synthesized through media giants that create fairy tales to keep us entertained, portraying the challenges of a star that rises to their name.” The fourth speaker at Tuesday’s rally was a Green Party member, who urged the crowd to “Abandon Harris” and vote for either Jill Stein or Claudia De la Cruz. The spokesperson brought up the issue, which she said was raised by many critics, that voting for a third party would help to elect Donald Trump. In response, she said, “If you’re afraid of Trump, you’re asleep”. The representative of the Green Party said she opposed Trump but felt that both main parties were “capitalists and part of the war machine”. According to FiveThirtyEight , a polling website, Trump leads Kamala Harris in North Carolina by 0.6% [ 6 ]. Stein and De la Cruz don’t appear in the polling aggregate. An Insider Advantage poll from late August asked North Carolina likely voters if they planned to vote for “another candidate”. That option received 1.5% support [ 7 ]. A pol conducted by East Carolina University in late August found that the third-party candidate in North Carolina with the most support was Chase Oliver of the Libertarian Party, who was polling at 1%. Stein received 0.5% support, while De la Cruz did not appear [ 8 ]. The final speaker at the September 3rd rally was Hadeel Hamoud, a member of Muslim Women For. She focused on the re-election campaign of Mary Black, a member of Raleigh city council. Hamoud said, “Mary Black is a strong progressive advocate and a movement-centered member of the Raleigh city council. During her tenure, Mary Black prioritized people over profits. She supported and advocated for the ceasefire resolution that we demanded, that was demanded by thousands of people.” Black is running for re-election against Mitchell Silver, whose campaign has been generously funded by wealthy businesspeople in Raleigh. He raised about $55,000 between April and June 2024. Ten of Silver’s 25 top donors work in the real estate and construction sector. An outright majority of Silver’s 25 top donors are founders, chairpersons, presidents, owners, or CEOs at their place of work [ 9 ]. A recent opinion piece in the News and Observer observed that a major issue in the 2024 city council races is the Raleigh Comprehensive Plan, which is due to be rewritten by the next city council [ 10 ]. Black’s views on community-oriented development could explain the high degree of opposition she has inspired among Raleigh's business elite. It was quite dark by the time the crowd marched out of Moore Square with a police escort. Flags and hand-signs in tow, a hundred or so people spilled out onto Hargett Street. Familiar chants bounced off the walls of Raleigh’s urban canyons. “One, we are the people! Two, we won’t be silent! Three, stop the bombing now, now, now, now!” The organizers struggled to lead their chants with weak megaphones, but the crowd knew the slogans well enough to compensate. Ceasefire rallies in downtown Raleigh usually have a microphone connected to powerful speakers. While marching, the equipment tends to be in the back of a pickup truck, towed in a wagon, or carried by hand. That equipment didn't appear to be available on Tuesday. “Not another nickel, not another dime! No more money for Israel’s crimes!” On Hargett Street, an older man walking his bike down the sidewalk held up a fist in solidarity. The only negative interaction came when one man briefly yelled “Trump 2024!”. The majority of bystanders looked on with curiosity or indifference. Faces peered down from the brightly lit rooftop bar above a shop called Munjo Munjo, too silhouetted to be seen clearly. Pro-Palestine protests have occurred in downtown Raleigh almost every week for ten months. The demonstrations have ranged in size from the high dozens to the low thousands. The Raleigh protests are a major part of the most immediate, sustained movement against a US-backed war in the history of North Carolina. After the US invasion of South Vietnam in 1962, it took seven years for substantial protest to develop in North Carolina. By that time, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people had already been killed. When they finally materialized, the protests centered on the state's major universities. According to UNC University Libraries , “by the fall of 1969, [there were] mass demonstrations and protests by UNC-Chapel Hill students. By the spring of 1970, class boycotts targeting the U.S. war effort had become significant” [ 11 ]. For the first seven years of the Vietnam War, NC State was a “ quiet, business-minded college ” and major demonstrations began there only after the Kent State massacre in May 1970 [ 12 ]. At Duke University, it was considered notable when “a crowd of 88” protested in March 1970 [ 13 ]. Work Cited “Urgent Relief for Ali’s and Mohammed’s Displaced Family, Organized by Kristy Wandle.” GoFundMe , www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-relief-for-mohammeds-displaced-family . Abdulrahim, Raja. “West Bank Residents Survey Destruction as Israeli Forces Withdraw.” New York Times , 6 Sept. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/09/06/world/middleeast/jenin-israel-withdraw-destruction.html . Khoury, Jack. “Palestinians: Israeli Army Gunfire Kills 13-year-old Girl in West Bank Following Settler Clashes.” Haaretz.com , 6 Sept. 2024, www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-09-06/ty-article/palestinians-idf-gunfire-kills-13-year-old-girl-in-west-bank-following-settler-clashes/00000191-c8ea-d12d-a191-fbfa0ec60000 . Bonner, Raymond. “The Diplomat Who Wouldn’t Lie.” Politico Magazine , 19 Apr. 2015, www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/robert-white-diplomat-el-salvador-117089 . “Post on September 6”, X (Formerly Twitter) , www.x.com/VoteRandyFine/status/1832198747495002573 . “North Carolina: President: General Election: 2024 Polls.” FiveThirtyEight , 8 Sept. 2024, www.projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/2024/north-carolina . “North Carolina: Trump Leads Harris by One Point.” InsiderAdvantage , www.insideradvantage.com/north-carolina-trump-leads-harris-by-one-point-rounded-numbers-below-tabs . “North Carolina Election Heats up: Trump Leads Harris by 1 Point in North Carolina.” ECU Center for Survey Research. www.surveyresearch-ecu.reportablenews.com/pr/north-carolina-election-heats-up-trump-leads-harris-by-1-point-in-north-carolina-stein-widens-advantage-over-robinson-in-race-for-governor . "Mitchell Silver for Raleigh - Mid Year Semi Annual Report - Detailed Receipts", North Carolina State Board of Elections , 26 Jul. 2024, cf.ncsbe.gov/CFOrgLkup/ReportDetail/?RID=218665&TP=REC . Barnett, Ned. “Two 2024 Races Will Play a Key Role in Raleigh’s Vision and Future.” News and Observer , 15 July 2024, www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article289953744.html . “Vietnam War Protests.” UNC Libraries . www.exhibits.lib.unc.edu/exhibits/show/protest/vietnam-essay . “Activists and Authorities: The May 1970 Protests”. History Department of North Carolina State University, www.soh.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/1970-home . Curtis, Miranda. “Anti-Vietnam War Protest | Durham Civil and Human Rights Map”. Durham Civil and Human Rights Map, www.durhamcivilrightsmap.org/places/5-anti-vietnam-war-protest .