Calendar

Come learn about continuing developments in the battle save the Berkeley Post Office, other Post Offices in the area, and the Postal Service from privatization, support our Occupiers and help us plan our next steps in opposition to the theft of our public commons.

The postal service wanted to sell the post office to Hudson-Mcdonald, a local developer. The City of Berkeley sued the post office to stop the sale. Hudson-Mcdonald backed out of the deal in early December.

Federal Judge William Alsup decided to dismiss the lawsuit in April because the Postal Service says it is not currently selling the building.  But we’re not fooled. The Postal Service could “find” a buyer at any moment. Fortunately, the Judge ordered the Postal Service to provide 42 days notice before any sale, so that the lawsuit could be refiled.

Check out the Community Garden at the Post Office.

In the latest developments, Berkeley has Declared War on Its Homeless, and an ordinance criminalizing the homeless came before the City Council on June 30th (see here and here) but was tabled until at least September.

Also check out our website and the Save the Berkeley Post Office website, and First they Came for the Homeless Facebook for updates.

BPOD is an offshoot of Strike Debt Bay Area, which itself is an offshoot of Occupy Oakland and a chapter of the national Strike Debt movement, which is an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street.

OTU’s Mission

The Oakland Tenants Union is an organization of housing activists dedicated to protecting tenant rights and interests. OTU does this by working directly with tenants in their struggle with landlords, impacting legislation and public policy about housing, community education, and working with other organizations committed to furthering renters’ rights. The Oakland Tenants Union is open to anyone who shares our core values and who believes that tenants themselves have the primary responsibility to work on their own behalf.

Monthly Meetings

The Oakland Tenants Union meets regularly at 7:00 pm on the second Monday evening of each month. Our monthly meetings are held in the Community Room of the Madison Park Apartments, 100 – 9th Street (at Oak Street, across from the Lake Merritt BART Station). To enter, gently knock on the window of the room to the right of the main entrance to the building. At the meetings, first we focus on general issues affecting renters city-wide and then second we offer advice to renters regarding their individual concerns.

If you have an issue, a question, or need advice about a tenant/landlord issue, please call us at (510) 704-5276. Leave a message with your name and phone number and someone will get back to you.

We, the General Union of Palestine Students, declare Palestine in a state of emergency and urge all of our community organizers and leaders to come forth as we rise with the uprisings, as we rise with Palestine in front of the Israeli Consulate.
As you may have heard recently, the situation in Palestine has been deteriorating. Within the past few weeks, Zionist forces have shut down Al-Aqsa and Al-Aqsa compound, forbidding all Palestinian and Muslim worshippers from their homes of prayer and restricting their rights to practice their religion in safety. Hundreds of Zionist settlers have stormed into Al-Aqsa, plunging Jerusalem and the greater West Bank into chaos. Zionist forces continue to violate and damage Al-Aqsa by burning down doors, setting fire to the rugs, and breaking the glass windows, flexing their control in complete provocation against Palestinians…leading to the murder of four Palestinian youth within the past few days and over 200 injured by snipers, rubber bullets, and gas inhalation. Our people of Palestine are frustrated, enraged, and resisting these constant acts of terror throughout the country. From Ramallah, to Nablus, to Jenin, and Al-Khalil, the Palestinian people are rising against the oppressive Zionist regime and defending Jerusalem. Along with the murder of our youth, Zionist forces have also demanded the demolition of their family homes in Ramallah, Surda and Nablus. Palestinian men and women have been surrounding each and every city day and night to protect the homes of their fellow people and to protect their cities from Zionist invasion.

We stand together in support of the Palestinian resistance against the oppressive Zionist regime and ask you all to stand with us. We need to stand united in front of the face of settler colonialism and echo the rage of our Palestinian people!

Flags, posters, and noise are encouraged.

Co-Sponsorers:
Palestine Youth Movement-PYM
The Freedom Archives

We’ve all seen the hordes of Canadian geese around the lake. They are an invasive, non-native species that have taken up residence, are shitting all over everything, and are depriving local wildlife of resources.

The City has installed a bird sanctuary on the west side of the Lake, but it is not sufficient to make up for the displacement of the indigenous bird population by the relative newcomers, the Canadian geese, especially since several Canadian geese have taken up residence in and around the housing previously designated for native species.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! It’s time to show those geese who’s boss! Bring your grills, your dogs, your stereos, your instruments, and your children! Let’s make sure those geese know the Lake is for the Town, not for foul-tempered fowl.

We will not be seeking a permit from the City; we are uninterested in the platitudes they give us with one hand to quash our dissent, while they use the other hand to build more and more open spaces for the geese to use at the expense of the wildlife who existed here prior to the geese’ arrival.

[[ Note: This protest may or may not be related to this cancelled protest ]]

Shonda, a member of the Oakland Livable Wage Assembly and otherwise cool labor organizer was
fired Saturday from the KFC at 28th & Telegraph in Oakland.

People shut down the KFC for many hours on Saturday with a picket and will continue the action today (Sunday).

KFC 28th & Telegraph is now closed for today. WE’LL BE BACK tomorrow at noon – a normally big day for KFC purchases. SHUT IT DOWN!

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) October 18, 2015

A statement from EBOC about Shonda and the action:

Shonda Roberts, a dedicated original member of EBOC (for over 2 years) was unjustly terminated yesterday afternoon. She has an impeccable track record in her former place of employment, KFC/Pizza Hut on 2800 Telegraph Ave, with 0 write-ups and many loyal customers who consistently go back to the store just to see her. For over 3 years, Shonda has been the best employee in the store, she is experienced, hard working and most of all, her energy is illuminating.

EBOC has always been a union and our strength comes from people power, especially because of AMAZING support from community and labor partners. Shonda’s activism reflects the best of Oakland, we cannot let this injustice stand. Yesterday, EBOC with support of our partners held a 7 hour direct action where we demanded Shonda’s job back. With the help of OPD, KFC/Pizza Hut attempted to stop our efforts, to no avail. Today at noon we are going back because that is Shonda’s next scheduled shift. Please join us there, and send to your networks, the bigger the turn out, the better.

Tweetpics from Saturday’s picket:

#Fight4$15 Stand up with fired organizer Shonda. #Oakland come out now. #KFC Telegraph & 28th pic.twitter.com/u6g9vEG4On

— Terri Kay (@TKOakWWP) October 17, 2015

#Fight4$15 #KentuckyFriedChicken just fired organizer Shonda. Need support @ Telegraph & 28th now. #Oakland pic.twitter.com/LiKu5G5jKp

— Terri Kay (@TKOakWWP) October 17, 2015

Fight for a $15 minimum wage to come to Berkeley sooner, not later.

Help plans for the City Council meeting on November 10th which will consider minimum wage proposals, and help with other projects.

Join in our attempts to create an effective Citizens’ Police Review entity with real powers.

We will have many important matters to discuss: please try to attend if you can.
�         Debrief Oct 11 event
�         Promote November fundraiser: we will  need all hands on deck!
�         Report on NACOLE conference and expert feedback on our ballot measure
�         Develop work plan for remainder of 2015.
�         Report on outreach efforts thus far

Note: We are meeting at Zing’s Cafe at 5:30 instead of at the Omni at 6:30 this time to allow members to go to the Berkeley Police Review Commission Meeting at 7:00 PM to advocate that Berkeley opt out of participating in Urban Shield police militarization exercises.

—–

Join the Oakland Privacy Working Group to organize against Stingrays being acquired by Alameda County agencies, for various privacy ordinances to be passed by the Oakland City Council, against the Domain Awareness Center (DAC), Oakland’s citywide networked mass surveillance hub, and against other invasions of privacy by our benighted City, County, and State Governments. We are also engaged in the fight against Urban Shield, and Predictive Policing

OPWG was instrumental in stopping the DAC from becoming a city-wide spying network, and its members helped draft the Privacy Policy that puts further restrictions on the now Port-restricted DAC.

Stop by and learn how you can help guard Oakland’s right not to be spied on by the government & if you are interested in joining the Oakland Privacy Working Group email listserv, send an email to:

oaklandprivacyworkinggroup-subscribe AT lists.riseup.net

For more information on the DAC check out

• DAC FAQ
• Oakland Wiki Domain Awareness Page
• Oakland Privacy WordPress

Monthly APTP meeting, held on every 3rd Wednesday of the month.

The Anti Police-Terror Project is a project of the ONYX ORGANIZING COMMITTEE that in coalition with other organizations like The Alan Blueford Center For Justice, Idriss Stelley Foundation, Community Ready Corps and Workers World is working to develop a replicable and sustainable model to end police terrorism in this country.

We are led by the most impacted communities but are a multi-racial, mutil-generational coalition.

After relentless actions, petitioning and calls, Shonda’s regional manager (Sal) sat down with the union and Shonda to discuss the terms of her return to work! Sal said the KFC management team met and decided the best move would be to offer Shonda her job back, and is set to return on Sunday with back-pay…

Community pickets!

Shonda Roberts, a dedicated original member of EBOC (for over 2 years) and the Oakland Livable Wage Assembly was unjustly terminated Saturday afternoon. She has an impeccable track record in her former place of employment, KFC/Pizza Hut on 2800 Telegraph Ave, with no write-ups and many loyal customers who consistently go back to the store just to see her. For over 3 years, Shonda has been the best employee in the store, she is experienced, hard working and most of all, her energy is illuminating.

More background.

There is a good chance that the only reason this is even appearing on a committee meeting agenda is because the sum is more than $100,000 otherwise the citizens would not have known of this. One might wonder if this purchase came out of the recent Urban Shield vendor weapons display. The Oakland Police Dept will say the shotguns they already have are old and overused – which is a tired argument. Municipal police departments are not supposed to be firing weapons aside from on the firing range and these weapons – if maintained – will last for a very long time.

From the resolution … “WHEREAS, funds are available in the General Purpose Fund (1010), District Command Administration Organization (108010), Supplies Technical and Scientific Account (52913), Undetermined Project (0000000), Community Oriented Policing Services Program (COPS) …” COPS?! Is that what residents considered community-oriented policing? Or would they consider proper rubber-soled walking shoes to be community-oriented policing?

This is about priorities and stockpiling weapons for the upcoming repression. When combined with the OPD request of $279,000 for 8 “paddy wagons” to be heard later in the day, OPD will be consuming over $400,000. Funds that this supposed cash-strapped city could easily direct elsewhere.

Either appear in person or contact the four council members who warm the chairs on this committee to say NO to these purchases: DKalb [at] oaklandnet.com; AGuillen [at] oaklandnet.com; LMcelhaney [at] oaklandnet.com; ACampbell-Washington [at] oaklandnet.com

Join us to fight for a livable wage for all Bay Area workers! We collaborate in principled reflection and action on what the Bay Area livable wage would be and where we are at on the right to a livable wage.

The Oakland Livable Wage Assembly builds Community and Power among those who seek higher wages and better work life conditions for area workers.

Our work together encompasses:

(1) The concerns of precarious, care and contingent workers,
(2) Campaigns to improve wages for low wage workers, and
(3) Efforts by unionized workers and unions to improve wages and quality of work life.

We share stories and information in an egalitarian and participatory way to build relationships and build the movement.

Oakland Livable Wage Assembly meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8:00 PM at the SEIU Local 1000 Union Hall, 436 14th Street #200, Oakland, CA

Please love and support one another ~ We have a duty to fight ~ We have a duty to win!

olwa.org

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1568668586707336/

 

Join the Oakland Privacy Working Group to organize against Stingrays being acquired by Alameda County agencies, for various privacy ordinances to be passed by the Oakland City Council, against the Domain Awareness Center (DAC), Oakland’s citywide networked mass surveillance hub, and against other invasions of privacy by our benighted City, County, and State Governments. We are also engaged in the fight against Urban Shield, and Predictive Policing.

OPWG was instrumental in stopping the DAC from becoming a city-wide spying network, and its members helped draft the Privacy Policy that puts further restrictions on the now Port-restricted DAC.

Stop by and learn how you can help guard Oakland’s right not to be spied on by the government & if you are interested in joining the Oakland Privacy Working Group email listserv, send an email to:

oaklandprivacyworkinggroup-subscribe AT lists.riseup.net

For more information on the DAC check out

• DAC FAQ
• Oakland Wiki Domain Awareness Page
• Oakland Privacy WordPress

Long-time McDonald’s shift lead and fast food union organizer Sandra Roman, who has worked at the McDonald’s at 4514 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland for over 2 years, was fired yesterday, Oct. 27th. In response, fast food workers, union organizers community supporters and clergy staged a 3 hour protest to demand that Ms. Roman be reinstated immediately. Despite heavy police presence, the demonstrators forced McDonald’s to close its doors for the rest of the night.

EBOC will be holding an action tomorrow to keep the pressure on, we are winning and are pushing forward further charges. The manager admittedly fired Sandra for demanding her legal sick days on the same day The City of Oakland sent a retaliation notification to the company. WE WILL MEET AT THE STORE TOMORROW AT 11AM and will keep the pressure on throughout the day. Please come out when you can tomorrow and let your networks know. We continue to win fights like these with support from the community and Sandra’s coworkers are fully behind her.

Ms. Roman is a mother of 4 children, and struggles every day to provide a decent quality of life for her family. Without legally-guaranteed paid sick days, she would have to make the difficult choice between missing a days pay or caring for her diabetic son. She has gone on strike 7 times in the past to demand a pay raise to $15/hour and the right to form a union, and is a well-known fast food organizer.

See you out there!

Halloween at Noon – Come to the Cal Bears football game and help build public support for People’s Park as a California State Park. Help save People’s Park and stop the housing plan.

Bring Signs! Bring your memories of People’s Park! Bring your aspirations for People’s Park!

SAVE CALIFORNIA HISTORY! SAVE PEOPLE’S PARK!

RALLY AGAINST THE STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT

The UC Berkeley Department of Architecture and Chancellor Nick Dirks has announced their housing plan to replace People’s Park. The Dept of Architecture has been trying to build student support for the housing department, as have the student staff of the Chancellor.

Nick Dirks knows that in 4 years, People’s Park can be taken away from the University and made into a California State Park.

People’s Park had previously not been part of UC Berkeley’s development plan, and was going to be left as a Park until at least the year 2020. UC Berkeley had spent funds looking into altering the Park’s landscape, and possibly placing a cafe on the lot. The Park was going to be changed, but left as an open space, just under tighter control of the UC.

But Dirks is currently aware that UC Berkeley cannot wait until 2020. In 2019, the Park would go to the California State Parks. Now UC Berkeley has changed plans, and is going to clear out the lot to develop a student housing complex.

The Community Democracy Project is your connection to direct democracy in Oakland! Convened out of Occupy Oakland in Fall 2011, we’re gathering steam on a campaign to bring the people back in touch with the city’s resources through participatory budgeting.

Picture this: Across Oakland, Neighborhood Assemblies are regularly
held in every community. People come together to tackle the important issues of their neighborhoods and of the city. At these assemblies, people don’t just have discussions–they learn from one another, from city staff, and they make fundamental decisions about how the city should run. They decide the city budget.

Democratic, community budgeting is a powerful step toward building strong communities, real democracy, and economic justice–and it’s being done all over the world.

The budget of the City Oakland totals more than $1 billion per year. Although part of the budget must be used for specific purposes, still over half of the budget–over $500 billion per year–consists of general purpose funds paid by the taxes, fees, and fines of the people of Oakland. The Mayor and the City Council decide the city budget, with minimal input from the community.

Working together, we will not only get a seat at the table–we will REBUILD the table itself. Participatory democracy is real democracy–join us to say: Local People, Local Resources, Local Power!

The Bay Area Community Exchange (BACE) Timebank promotes and facilitates the use of Time instead of money in the exchange of goods and services.

The foundation of the Timebank is a free, open source online directory, reputation and accounting system.

These exchanges help develop stronger, more resilient connections between individuals and community service organizations which participate in them, by improving communication and the distribution of skills and resources among our participants. We work to help people meet their needs regardless of economic status.

Please join our Meetup Group:

And our timebank at:
http://www.bace.org