Hi John!

We were all very touched by the California Air National Guard’s fighter jet flyover in honor of essential workers last Wednesday. As socialists, we love uplifting workers, especially with meaningless displays of extravagance.

In reality, there is no honor in being forced to work in dangerous conditions. It's just a crime committed by the capitalist class.

SV DSA stands in solidarity with the essential workers whose lives are not valued by capital during this pandemic. We know that these workers need material change in the form of hazard pay, PPE, and housing and food security, not expensive platitudes or empty valorization. When nurses protest the rationing of PPE, COVID-19 spreads in Amazon warehouses, and billionaires ignore safety regulations and put workers at risk, we see that capitalism always prioritizes profit over people.

We urge those who want to support essential workers to join us in agitating for better living and working conditions. We’ve compiled a COVID-19 resource page where you can learn more about our mutual aid efforts, like making masks, hand sanitizer, and more.

To get more involved, sign up for our next general meeting today, May 24, at 3:00pm. We are a volunteer-run, grassroots organization, and the more people that contribute to our efforts, the more work we can do! Hope to see you there!

In Solidarity,
Your SV DSA Newsletter Team 🌹

Join Us At Our Chapter Meeting!

Our chapter meeting is Sunday, May 24 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, featuring:

• A RED Talk on “How to Run for Office.”
• Vote on Chapter sign-on to this petition for Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, in light of Tara Reade's recent sexual assault allegation. This vote has been requested by the petition authors, who are fellow DSA members and publishers of this Medium post. Individuals can also sign onto the petition.
• Working group co-chair elections! You can nominate yourself by May 24 at 11:59pm, and you can request your ballot here.

To call in by Zoom, RSVP here. Draft agenda is here.

Union 101: Sign up for our Labor Workshop

Have you ever wondered about what labor unions are or how they work? The SV-DSA Labor Working Group is hosting a series of worker trainings for anyone interested in learning about unions and building worker power. Our first training will be focused on an introduction to unions and how to have an organizing conversation with your comrades. All members and comrades are encouraged to join whether they are currently members of unions or just interested in learning more. Please fill out this google form if you would like you join the Union 101 Organizer Training.

Hold PG&E accountable

This Thursday, May 28th at 10:00am, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC- the entity that “regulates” PG&E) is voting on whether to approve PG&E's plan to exit bankruptcy. We need to convince the CPUC not to do this! If PG&E is allowed to bypass the consequences of its decision to put profits over people’s lives, it will continue to exist as a murder corporation. It has a terrible track record; from being responsible for a gas line explosion in San Bruno to the inferno that burned through Paradise. If the CPUC denies PG&E this easy escape, we have a better chance of turning it into a state-owned public utility. Energy democracy is democracy, and part of justice for the working class! The more comrades who turn out against PG&E, the more power we have! To get more info (including help with talking points if you’d like to speak during the meeting), fill out this form. Check out our event page here.

Social Media Posting League

Do you like posting? Want to help run our Twitter and Instagram accounts? Join the Comms Committee at one of our weekly check-ins Fridays at 6, or at one of our work sessions Saturday mornings. No comms experience required!

Chat with an SV DSA Organizer

Are you new to activism and not sure where to start? We get that -- we were all newbies once, too. If you’d like to chat with someone one-on-one, we’ve got plenty of members willing to answer any questions you have and give you more information on our current projects and needs. Just fill out this form to get connected.