3 Notes on May Day

I.

In solidarity with workers and worker movements everywhere, Hesperian celebrates May Day, International Workers’ Day, on May 1st. Although the US is one of the only countries in the world that does not recognize May Day, it was here where the celebration began, with the fight for the 8-hour work day in Chicago in 1886.  In honor of all workers who continue to struggle for justice at work and in the world, Hesperian will be closed on Friday, May 1st.

Hesperian staff members will join labor and immigrant rights groups in this year’s May Day rallies in San Francisco and Oakland. In the current economic climate where millions of workers are losing their jobs, forced to leave home in search of work or to accept contracts that slash their benefits and incomes, this May Day’s protests will be an opportunity for the Bay Area to defend the rights of all workers to safe jobs, a social safety net, and freedom from fear of destitution or deportation.

The San Francisco International Workers Day Rally 2009 is called “Workers Without Borders, United in Struggle,” and will begin in Dolores Park on Friday May 1st at 12 PM. The march starts at 2 PM and ends in the Civic Center Plaza at 4 PM. Download a flyer for the event here.  If you would like more information please call or email the organizers at (415)720-0159, (206) 312-9773, may1st09 [at] gmail.com The Oakland International Workers Day Rally 2009 is called "HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL: Legalization, Yes We Can!" and the program runs from 3:30 - 4:30pm at Fruitvale BART Plaza, followed by a march to City Hall.  Click here to download the Oakland flyer.

II.

Bay Area worker and immigrant rights advocates will have little rest after the May Day protests end.  On May 5th, the Berkeley City Council will vote on the “SweatFree Berkeley Ordinance” to prohibit the city from using taxpayer money to purchase goods produced in sweatshops.

A few weeks ago, Hesperian co-sponsored an event in support of this ordinance.  Two sweatshop workers (from Honduras and Puerto Rico) talked about the conditions in their factories and why Berkeley should join dozens of other US cities to support SweatFree municipal spending.

If Berkeley passes the ordinance, all contractors, subcontractors, and vendors who compete for Berkeley city contracts would need to sign a Sweat-Free Code of Conduct which includes a living wage, respecting the right to assembly, collective bargaining, non-discrimination, a ban on child labor, and providing safe working conditions. You can find the proposed SweatFree Berkeley Ordinance here.

Your support is needed to make sure the ordinance is passed at the Berkeley City Council Meeting on May 5th. Please call or email Mayor Tom Bates and the following Council Representatives, and let them know you support the ordinance.

Mayor Tom Bates (510) 981-7100 P (510) 981-7199 F mayor@CityofBerkeley.info	District 1 Linda Maio (510) 981-7110 P (510) 981-7111 F lmaio@CityofBerkeley.info
District 2 Darryl Moore (510) 981-7120 P (510) 981-7122 F dmoore@CityofBerkeley.info	District 5 Laurie Capitelli (510) 981-7150 P (510) 981-7155 F lcapitelli@CityofBerkeley.info
District 6 Susan Wengraf  (510) 981-7160 P (510) 981-7166 F swengraf@CityofBerkeley.info	District 8 Gordon Wozniak (510) 981-7180 P (510) 981-7188 F gwozniak@CityofBerkeley.info

The SweatFree Ordinance gives us, as taxpayers and consumers, a voice in the market by supporting companies that provide workers with living wages and benefits. It isn’t an earth-shaking change, but is a step on the road to a better world. These changes will be very important to the millions of workers around the world who are fighting for their rights.

III.
Hesperian’s book in development, A Worker's Guide to Health and Safety, will be another step on that road. This easy-to-read and heavily illustrated guide for workers, unions, women’s organizations and others will address the health hazards common to most manufacturing industries, especially those in “free trade zones” around the world.  The manual will focus significant attention on the "social hazards" of working in factories, including sexual harassment and other gender-related abuses, child labor, poverty wages, and other human and labor rights violations.

You can download the section Work dangers and solutions for free in English and Spanish. Please email your comments, suggestion, or questions to us at workersbook@hesperian.org. Your feedback can help us improve the material to better meet your needs.

Urgent: Indian political prisoner Dr. Binayak Sen's life threatened by authorities

On April 22, Dr. Ilina Sen released a letter (posted below) describing the denial of urgently needed medical care to her husband, political prisoner Dr. Binayak Sen. A doctor and human rights activist, Binayak Sen has been detained since May 14, 2007 for facilitating Maoist violence, charges that Amnesty International has called “baseless and politically motivated." Earlier Hesperian blogs describe Binayak Sen’s unjust imprisonment, and the Free Binayak Sen Campaign website has up-to-date information about the unfolding situation.
 
Please contact the Indian consulate in your area to demand that Binayak Sen be allowed medical treatment. See below for regional phone numbers or click here for full contact information.
 
Indian Consulate in San Francisco: (415)668-0662/0683
Indian Consulate in New York: (212) 774-0600/0699
Indian Consulate in Chicago: (312)595-0405/0409
Indian Consulate in Houston: (713) 626-2148/2149

LETTER FROM ILINA SEN
April 22, 2009

Dear friends,
I am writing to share some extremely distressing information that has just now come to light. We now have clear proof that the police in Chhattisgarh are actively interfering with Binayak’s need for health care. I will just go over the facts with you.

Binayak, hypertensive for many years, was diagnosed in 2003 with angina upon stress after he underwent cardiac assessment tests with Dr Ashish Malhotra, Raipur’s only doctor with a DM in cardiology, who practices in a private facility. The drug regime that he was on in 2007 and later was suggested by this doctor. He began to feel chest pain upon exercise, tingling in the left arm etc. sometime in Decembr of 2008 and in January-February of this year, when in prison. He informed the prison authorities of this, and when nothing concrete was done about it (the jail hospital anyway has no facilities), he informed the court about this. An application was filed I court on his behalf on 17.2.09, requesting that he be allowed to go for treatment to a properly equipped hospital of his choice, preferably CMC Vellore, citing section 39A of the Prisoners Act of 1894, according to which the jail Superintendent is empowered to send him for treatment to a facility of his choice, subject to the the prisoner or his family executing a bond and abiding by such conditions as the Superintendent may prescribe. On 20.2.09 the judge (11th additional district and sessions judge BS Saluja who is trying the case) ordered the jail authorities to get the opinion of a medical board on Dr Sen’s cardiac condition so that an appropriate decision on his application could be taken.

Binayak was taken to the Raipur district hospital at some time between 20.2 09 and 17.3.09, where the doctors who saw him suggested that he needed an ecg and echocardiography.
On 17.3.09 Binayak complained to the court that no action had been taken on his request for treatment, and was quite emotional when he said that it did not seem to matter to the court whether he lived or died. The judge who had built up this impressive correspondence was equally upset, and I personally met him after the evidence was over and the accused taken back to jail to convince him that a medical situation demanded something more than just creating records. The judge seemed mollified and on the 18th of March, asked Binayak in court which doctor he wished to see in Raipur who could determine whether or not he needed an onward referral to Vellore , and upon Binayak naming Dr Ashish Malhotra, passed an order asking the jail to have Binayak shown to Dr Malhotra in order to obtain a clear opinion about whether such referral for further investigation was needed.

Binayak was shown to Dr Ashish Malhotra on March 25. On the basis of the court order of March 18 the jail superintendent requested the police for providing security guards to take Binayak to see the doctor. Accordingly, an impressive busload of armed police took Binayak to see Dr Malhotra around 10 am, and I got a call from Dr M around 10.30 asking me to go there along with the old records. I proceeded to do this, and thus was present for most of the consultation. On the basis of the letter from the jail superintendent asking for a clear opinion on whether onward referral to CMC Vellore was needed, and on the basis of an ECG, Echocardiograph and treadmill test, he concluded that Binayak had Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), and referred him to VMC Vellore for Angiography for further assessment, to be followed by Angioplasty/ Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABS). I kept a photocopy of the prescription for my own records, since I was asked to pay for the procedure.

I went to see Binayak in prison on the 26th, and to discuss what the modalities of travel to south India would be. I was shocked when the Jail Superintendent said categorically that Binayak would not be investigated/treated in Vellore but in Raipur. Sensing that something was amiss, I put in an application under the RTI act asking to see all the correspondence between the jail and the doctors regarding Binayak’s treatment. It is this last lot of documents that has just come into my hands.

To conclude the treatment story before I come to this, the jail tried on the 31st of March, to take him to Escorts hospital in Raipur , and according to what we had discussed on my last jail visit, Binayak refused in writing to go there, saying that he did not wish to be treated in any facility in Chhattisgarh as directed by the jail superintendent , as he feared that his life might be in danger. This reply of his with a covering note that Binayak was refusing treatment was presented to the court on the 31st itself, seeking further directions. The court referred this to the public prosecutor asking him to file a reply within seven days. To the best of my knowledge, no such reply has been filed so far. Binayak has started on the new medication prescribed by Dr Malhotra (Atorva Statin) and reports some symptomatic relief.

To come now to the results of the RTI, I have now received Dr Malhotra’s original referral letter of the 25th, but also a second letter addresses to the Jail Superintendent, quoting a query from him and dated 26th March, in which he gives his opinion that the facilities for angiography are available in Chhattisgarh in Escorts, Apollo, Bhilai Main hospital, Ramkrishna hospital and two other places. He also writes that he referred Dr Sen to Vellore because the latter asked him for it. The problems with this are as follows:

• Why was this second query sent from the jail to Dr Malhotra ? If the jail superintendent sent such a letter, who was breathing down his neck to do so?
• This clearly constitutes total disregard for the court. The mandate to Dr M as specified by the court was to give a clear opinion about whether referral to Vellore was needed or not. The court did not ask Dr M about the length and breadth of medical facilities in Chhattisgarh.
• Dr M lied when he said that he had referred Binayak to Vellore because the latter asked him to do so. In any case, what conversation he may or may not have had with his patient is supposed to be privileged information.
• If a doctor not in the public sector payroll in anyway can be intimidated to this extent, what is one to say of doctors in Escorts, Apollo etc which are private medical franchises set up in the medical college (great examples of public private partnership, in which all human resources are public, the brand name and the option of onward referral are private)?
• Under these circumstances, Binayak is absolutely right to fear that his life may be in danger in any facility controlled by the state in Chhattisgarh.

In fact I am now worried that as Plan A of the police / prosecution (discredit Binayak and convict him in the legal case) shows signs of coming apart, they are now trying to resort to Plan B ( bump him off while in hospital in Chhattisgarh by just asking someone to inject air into an IV drip, for example).

I would like to appeal to all friends to ensure Binayak’s physical safety, publicize this matter, write about it, perhaps appeal to higher courts/political leaders. It is urgent.

I want to end by saying that what we are asking for - treatment at a hospital of choice - is not unknown in Indian judicial history. In fact even from Raipur Central Jail, the Shivsena leader Dhananjay Singh Parihar, in jail on a charge of murder, was sent at state expense to KEM hospital Mumbai, Shankar Netralaya, Chennai and three other hospitals for an assortment of ailments in 2003 . The police would like to portray Binayak as the biggest internal security threat they perceive. Are we going to let them get away with this?

Ilina

Who’s Talking about Single Payer?

With millions of uninsured people in the US, an international economic crisis, and a new administration committed to health care reform, we are now at a more critical time than ever to be asking; “How can we achieve affordable, universal health care in the US?”  “How can we make health for all happen here?”

While the Obama administration and the media have discussed many options for health care reform in recent months, one possibility has been consistently ignored: single payer health care.  Single payer, currently outlined in House bill H.R. 676, means that the government would be the only provider of health insurance for all residents of the US.

Unlike our current system, where a myriad of private health insurance companies drive up administrative costs and exact huge profits, care providers under single payer would bill only the government. People could freely choose where to go for care, and single payer would eliminate co-pays, deductibles, and employer contributions.  At the same time, additional taxes would be added to individuals and employers (see the Healthcare-NOW website for a clear explanation of how H.R. 676 funding would work).

Overall, the program would reduce health care costs for families and businesses, and could even be considered a key economic stimulus. Most importantly, it would guarantee the right to health and health care for all residents. Coverage would include primary health care, prescription drugs, mental health care, dental care, eye care, and long term care, among other provisions. 

Single payer models of health care have long proven effective elsewhere in the world, in countries such as Canada and Australia.  Closer to home, San Francisco’s universal health care program, “Healthy San Francisco,” has not only resulted in better health outcomes but also reduced costs for the city (see the 2009 report pdf). If it has worked in all of these places, why not in the US nationally?

President Obama, who as a state senator described himself as “a proponent of single-payer universal health care coverage,” has since argued that it is too impractical to dismantle the current insurance system. At his Health Care Summit on March 5, he initially invited no advocates of single payer, and only opened the dialogue to Rep. John Conyers and Dr. Oliver Fein of Physicians for a National Health Program after public outrage and pressure. Fein´s informative blog about the summit emphasizes the continuing obstacles to even discussing single payer as a serious option.  In a recent documentary by PBS, “Sick Around America,” mandatory for-profit health insurance was treated as the only alternative to the current system, and single payer was ignored completely.

In the face of these obstacles, we need to work hard to make sure the debate stays open and focused on what is most important: achieving health for all in the US.  In our opinion, this means at least keeping single payer on the agenda. To add your voice to the health care debate, visit the action page of Healthcare-NOW: http://www.healthcare-now.org/action/

Note: image from Healthcare-NOW's website

"Get Active for Earth Day" Contest 2009

Every year since the first Earth Day in 1970, communities have organized activities to restore our surroundings and improve our health. Earth Day is a fantastic opportunity to encourage discussion about environmental issues which affect health, both locally and all over the world. To help generate discussion this April, why not try a few ideas from A Community Guide to Environmental Health? If you don’t have a copy of the book, you can download the chapters for free at www.hesperian.org.

Which of the following tips did you try? Tell us and send pictures by May 1, 2009 to win a gift of books (worth up to $75.00) sent to health workers in your name, plus your own copy of A Community Guide to Environmental Health or any one of Hesperian's other titles! Send your Earth Day pictures and stories to ingrid@hesperian.org. We'll post the best ones on our site.

Tips on sustainable living from Hesperian’s

A Community Guide to Environmental Health

1. Plagued by fruit flies? Got a plastic bottle? Make a pesticide-free fly trap. (see chapter 5, p. 57)
2. Want to conserve water? Create a homemade drip irrigation system. (see chapter 15, p. 294)
3. Want more healthy fruits and vegetables in your diet? Try double-digging in your yard, school, or community garden. (See chapter 15, p. 311)
4. Need help controlling household pests the environmentally friendly way? (See chapter 17, p. 367)
5. Doing your spring cleaning? Make your own safer cleaning products. (See chapter 17, p. 73)
6. Want to make a grey water system? Get together with family or friends to construct a lovely wetland garden. (See chapter 6, p. 101)
7. Need some new life for an eroded patch of dirt? Make some seed balls and toss them on the ground – fun for grownups and kids! (See chapter 11, p. 205)
8. Want to put some worms to work? They will turn your food waste into rich soil for the garden. (see chapter 18, p. 400)
9. Mold growing in your house? Get rid of mold spores before they can trigger allergic reactions. (see chapter 17, p. 358)
10. Want to make your Earth Day dinner more fun? Cook your meal using a home-made solar cooker. (see chapter 17, p. 364)

Send your feedback to ingrid@hesperian.org by May 1, 2009 so we can share it with others - the best story/pictures wins the prize! We look forward to hearing back from you!

 

Hesperian Friends Stamp Out Hunger

Although millions of people around the world communicate via email and the internet, at Hesperian we still receive hundreds of letters each year via snail mail. Some of these letters are adorned with the most artistic and interesting postage stamps imaginable, especially those from Africa. Recent African stamp images include Mahatma Gandhi from Zambia, a soccer team from Ghana, health education messages from Uganda and Malawi, boxers from Kenya, the black rhinoceros from Ethiopia, anti-corruption messages from Nigeria, and exotic birds from Sierra Leone.

For several years, we have collected these stamps and sent them along to the Stamp Out Hunger Project, which began 30 years ago at the Koinonia Farm near Americus, Georgia, an intentional Christian community founded in 1942 by Clarence Jordan.

Since 2004, the Stamp Out Hunger Project has been managed by 3 residents of the Uplands Retirement Village in Pleasant Hill, Tennessee, all friends of the Koinonia Farm: Bob Winkler, who taught chemistry at Ohio University for 30 years; his wife Peg, who was a licensed clinical counselor and director of a 24/7 group home for emotionally challenged teenagers in Athens, Ohio; and Quessie Krell, a retired elementary school teacher from Illinois. Stamps are forwarded to them from all over the US and they organize them to sell to a stamp dealer. Proceeds are donated to 3 organizations working to alleviate hunger both internationally and in the US: Bread for the World, the Church World Service, and the Open Door Community that supports the daily needs of the homeless and other at-risk persons in downtown Atlanta by providing meals, medical assistance, and other services. In the 5 years Bob, Peg and Quessie have managed the Stamp Out Hunger Project, they have raised about $2,400.  

The senders of the stamps we receive at Hesperian come from some of the poorest communities in the world. Little do they realize that the stamps they have purchased with their meager earnings help contribute to the support of people living in dire circumstances in the richest country in the world. The global economy is indeed irrational, interconnected, and full of startling examples of solidarity!

If you would like to contribute to the project, please write for guidelines to (include an email address if possible):

Stamp Out Hunger Project
P.O. Box 221
Pleasant Hill, TN 38578