Public Employee Press

Media Review
Happy Solidarity for beginners

How about giving a union friendly baby bib for the Holidays?

Start the kid off right even if she or he can’t read yet—parents will love it. And maybe by the time the child can read or be read to, you can give a T-shirt or a book like “Si Se Puede” about a son helping his mother on strike. All of these are available at www.northlandposter.com, 800-627-3082.

 Speaking of books, Union Communication Services offers “Our Community of Workers Coloring Book,” “Harvesting Hope: the Story of Cesar Chavez” and “Martin Luther King Jr. and the March on Washington,” as well as the always popular “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type,” a delightful child-ren’s book with a union message from cows threatening to go on strike for better working conditions on the farm. Go to UCS books for these at www.unionist.com or call 800-321-2545. And the AFL-CIO Union Shop has “Click, Clack Moo” as a feature length DVD or VHS at www.aflcio.org or 202-637-5000.

For more farmyard worker solidarity messages also try the ever popular “Chicken Run,” a hilarious animated story of organizing in the henhouse. For those more into the big city you might try my favorite “Newsies,” a full length Disney musical about child laborers organizing to form a union of newsboys in turn of the century New York City. For media that tickle the young unionists ear try “Ella Jenkins and a Union of Friends Pulling Together “CD or tape. Or consider “De Colores and Other Latin-American Folk Songs for Children” songbook and CD. Available at www.laborheritage.org, 202-637-3963.

Whatever your tastes, you’re sure to find a wonderful holiday gift to start young children off with a message of solidarity for the holidays. All these sites also have wonderful gifts for older children and teens, as well as adults, of course. And many of the children’s books, videos and audios are great for all ages. All and more from the above are available for loan at the DC 37 Ed Fund in Library Room 211 at the union hall.

For some great “Season of Solidarity” greeting cards, call 202-320-5588 or go to www.uslaboragainstwar.org. These cards are designed by Ricardo Levins Morales, who creates many of the beautiful posters offered by Northland Poster. The proceeds from these cards will go to the struggling Iraq union movement.

And to start the New Year off right, there’s the Industrial Workers of the World 2007 Calendar, which has some of the best labor history text and pictures to think about the past while planning our future (www.iww.org).  

— Ken Nash
DC 37 Education Fund Library
Room 211