Comments for haskellwexler.com http://haskellwexler.com/WP the personal blog for Haskell Wexler Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:51:28 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on American Graffiti Tribute by Bob Mants http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=43&cpage=1#comment-29 Bob Mants Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:51:28 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=43#comment-29 For several years now I have been trying to locate Haskell Wexler.In 1963 his filming crew came to Southwest Georgia(Albany) to document the organizing efforts for the March On Washington. I was working as a field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.His crew was with us all the way to Washington. I would like to get in touch with him.My name is Bob Mants 282 Oak Drive Lowndesboro,Alabbama36752-4808. Phone :334/421-2427 For several years now I have been trying to locate Haskell Wexler.In 1963 his filming crew came to Southwest Georgia(Albany) to document the organizing efforts for the March On Washington. I was working as a field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.His crew was with us all the way to Washington.
I would like to get in touch with him.My name is Bob Mants
282 Oak Drive Lowndesboro,Alabbama36752-4808. Phone :334/421-2427

]]> Comment on Downey Studios – health hazards in our workplace by Steve Zeltzer http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-27 Steve Zeltzer Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:06:38 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280#comment-27 2/10/2010 Bell Speak-out On Downey Toxic Dump Site Labor & Community SPEAK-OUT! On The Toxic Nightmare In Downey February 10 (Wednesday), 2010, 7:00 PM 4850 Gage Avenue/Palm St., Bell, CA 90201-1409 Injured Downey Movie and Kaiser Workers along with community members will speak out about the continuing contamination and sickness at Downey Studios and the Downey Kaiser complex. IRG Downey developer and owner Stuart Licther promised to properly clean up the former Superfund Site which has now been named a “Brownfield” site before it was developed but workers continue to get sick at the Downey location. These workers will report on their long struggle to get healthcare and how they have been affected by this toxic contamination. This is not just an issue for the workers of the Downey site, but the community who have not been properly informed about the serious health hazards on the site and how they have affected people in the neighborhoods. These injuries were even reported in a front-page story in the August 2, 2009 Los Angeles Times but no ACTION has been taken to take of these injured workers and people in the community. (http://articles.latimes.com/2009/aug/02/business/fi-ct-downey2) It is time to let the public know that these issues have to be addressed and people have to be protected whether they are workers or people who live in the community. YouTube - Raging Grannies Bust Tesla Motors Inc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp1juQvw1Tc The California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day (www.workersmemorialday.org) and the workers along with the Dr. Larry Rose, the last doctor at Cal-Osha have called for a epidemiological study of all workers on the site and people in the community before any further development at the site takes place. We need to protect our health and safety and the health of the families in the communities. Come to the meeting to hear about what has been happening and what we can do about this health emergency. For further information call California Coalition for Workers Memorial Day at 323-535-4583 or 562-863-3097 E-mail: lvpsf(at)igc.org http://www.workersmemorialday.org 2/10/2010 Bell Speak-out On Downey Toxic Dump Site

Labor & Community SPEAK-OUT!
On The Toxic Nightmare In Downey
February 10 (Wednesday), 2010, 7:00 PM
4850 Gage Avenue/Palm St., Bell, CA 90201-1409
Injured Downey Movie and Kaiser Workers along with community members will speak out about the continuing contamination and sickness at Downey Studios and the Downey Kaiser complex. IRG Downey developer and owner Stuart Licther promised to properly
clean up the former Superfund Site which has now been named a “Brownfield” site before it was developed but workers continue to get sick at the Downey location. These workers will report on their long struggle to get healthcare and how they have been affected by this
toxic contamination. This is not just an issue for the workers of the Downey site, but the community who have not been properly informed about the serious health hazards on the site and how they have
affected people in the neighborhoods. These injuries were even reported in a front-page story in the August 2, 2009 Los Angeles Times but no ACTION has been taken to take of these injured workers and people in the community.
(http://articles.latimes.com/2009/aug/02/business/fi-ct-downey2)
It is time to let the public know that these issues have to be addressed and people have to be protected whether they are workers or people who live in the community.
YouTube – Raging Grannies Bust Tesla Motors Inc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp1juQvw1Tc
The California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day (www.workersmemorialday.org) and
the workers along with the Dr. Larry Rose, the last doctor at Cal-Osha have called for a epidemiological study of all workers on the site and people in the community before any
further development at the site takes place. We need to protect our health and safety and the health of the families in the communities.
Come to the meeting to hear about what has been happening and what we can do about this health emergency.
For further information call
California Coalition for Workers Memorial Day
at 323-535-4583 or 562-863-3097
E-mail: lvpsf(at)igc.org http://www.workersmemorialday.org

]]> Comment on Downey Studios – health hazards in our workplace by Steve Zeltzer http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-24 Steve Zeltzer Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:10:15 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280#comment-24 Video:Downey Toxic Dump Site - LA Press Conference With Injured Movie and Kaiser Workers http://blip.tv/file/2483914 Video:Downey Toxic Dump Site – LA Press Conference With Injured Movie and Kaiser Workers

http://blip.tv/file/2483914

]]> Comment on Downey Studios – health hazards in our workplace by Tammy http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-23 Tammy Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:21:52 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280#comment-23 This story is certainly shedding light on a horrible situation. I just wish someone would step forward to help us. This story is certainly shedding light on a horrible situation. I just wish someone would step forward to help us.

]]> Comment on Downey Studios – health hazards in our workplace by Sandi Trend http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280&cpage=1#comment-22 Sandi Trend Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:00:23 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=280#comment-22 Sharon Kramer wrote, "DOWNEY TOXIC INJURED WORKERS AND THEIR ADVOCATES CALL FOR US FEDERAL HEARINGS. 8/2/2009"; QUOTE: AND SO DO THOUSANDS OF OTHER US CITIZENS!!!. From the Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2007 "Amid Suits Over Mold Experts Wear Two Hats, Authors of Science Papers Often Help With Defense" http://www.moldwarriors.com/SK/WSJOnlineJan92007.pdf... From the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, "American College Of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, A Professional Organization In Service To Industry" http://www.moldwarriors.com/SK/IJOEH_Oct07_LaDou.pdf... "A Critique of the ACOEM Mold Statement, Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest" by James Craner, IJOEH http://drcraner.com/images/A%20Critique%20of%20the%20ACOE... Congressional and Senate hearings into the conflicts of interest - among those entities that establish US health policy over environmental exposures with the express purpose of limiting financial liability for insurers and employers - are OWED to the American public by our elected officials. DOWNEY TOXIC INJURED WORKERS AND THEIR ADVOCATES CALL FOR US FEDERAL HEARINGS. 8/2/2009 The exposure of serious illnesses caused by the privatized former military industrial complex in Downey, California is unfortunately not a unique situation. Film workers from IATSE, Laborers and SAG as well as hospital workers who are members of the SEIU at the Downey Kaiser Hospital complex have been seriously injured as a result of the lack of proper clean-up and in what we believe is a cover-up by the developer Stuart Lichter. The national privatization of US Federal toxic and radioactive dump sites and former military industrial sites including military bases has become a hidden national scandal. Workers and people living in communities on and around these bases and former toxic dump sites have become contaminated and sickened by the failure of the Federal government government to enforce the clean-up and properly supervise it. Instead under the "Brownfield" scheme, these sites have been turned over to private developers like Stuart Lichter with the promise that these sites will be "cleaned up" properly. The main goal of these developers is to put these sites into use as soon as possible to make a large profit. As we all know, cities and communities around the country who face very difficult economic conditions want to develop these sites for business and taxes. This however must not be done over the dead bodies of children, workers and members of the community. Although Senators Boxer, Feinstein and Los Angeles area Congressman Henry Waxman have been contacted many times and provided with extensive information about the danger of the Downey toxic/radioactive dump site they have refused not only to meet with the affected workers but to call any hearings and investigations about the failure of this national privatization program of toxic/radioactive dump sites. We, the following publicly call for Congressman Waxman to meet with the injured workers and to prepare and carry out US Congressional hearings in the Los Angeles area not only on the Downey toxic site but also how this living nightmare at these sites has been allowed to fester for many years around the country We also call for Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein to call hearings in the Senate as well. Finally we call on Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey who is subcommittee chair on the Workplace safety and Congressman George Miller who is chair of the Congressional committee on Education and Labor to also call hearings with testimony from injured workers around the country about the failure of the Federal and State government to properly supervise the health and safety protection of workers and veterans on these sites and other contaminated buildings such as our nations schools. Workers have contacted OSHA but OSHA has refused to do it's job in protecting the health and safety of these workers. Leonard Martin, Injured Downey Studio Worker former Executive Board IATSE 4 Gail Shephard, Injured Kaiser Downey SEIU UHW Member Dr. Ahimsa Sumchai Porter, San Francisco Dina Padilla, Injured Kaiser Worker and CA Director Of VOICES/BEST, Citrus Heights, California Sharon Kramer, Advocate, Escondido, California Carol Long, Injured Worker Poway, California Joe Bennett Steve Basile, Injured Worker Downey Studio Mary Trent, Cuyahoga Falls Ohio Steve Zeltzer, CCWMD San Francisco, California For information contact Steve Zeltzer Chair California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day www.workersmemorialday.org lvpsf@labornet.org (415)867-0628 This soapbox alert was posted by Sharon Kramer, Escondido, CA Sharon Kramer wrote, “DOWNEY TOXIC INJURED WORKERS AND THEIR ADVOCATES CALL FOR US FEDERAL HEARINGS. 8/2/2009″;
QUOTE:
AND SO DO THOUSANDS OF OTHER US CITIZENS!!!. From the Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2007 “Amid Suits Over Mold Experts Wear Two Hats, Authors of Science Papers Often Help With Defense” http://www.moldwarriors.com/SK/WSJOnlineJan92007.pdf... From the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, “American College Of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, A Professional Organization In Service To Industry” http://www.moldwarriors.com/SK/IJOEH_Oct07_LaDou.pdf... “A Critique of the ACOEM Mold Statement, Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest” by James Craner, IJOEH http://drcraner.com/images/A%20Critique%20of%20the%20ACOE... Congressional and Senate hearings into the conflicts of interest – among those entities that establish US health policy over environmental exposures with the express purpose of limiting financial liability for insurers and employers – are OWED to the American public by our elected officials. DOWNEY TOXIC INJURED WORKERS AND THEIR ADVOCATES CALL FOR US FEDERAL HEARINGS. 8/2/2009 The exposure of serious illnesses caused by the privatized former military industrial complex in Downey, California is unfortunately not a unique situation. Film workers from IATSE, Laborers and SAG as well as hospital workers who are members of the SEIU at the Downey Kaiser Hospital complex have been seriously injured as a result of the lack of proper clean-up and in what we believe is a cover-up by the developer Stuart Lichter. The national privatization of US Federal toxic and radioactive dump sites and former military industrial sites including military bases has become a hidden national scandal. Workers and people living in communities on and around these bases and former toxic dump sites have become contaminated and sickened by the failure of the Federal government government to enforce the clean-up and properly supervise it. Instead under the “Brownfield” scheme, these sites have been turned over to private developers like Stuart Lichter with the promise that these sites will be “cleaned up” properly. The main goal of these developers is to put these sites into use as soon as possible to make a large profit. As we all know, cities and communities around the country who face very difficult economic conditions want to develop these sites for business and taxes. This however must not be done over the dead bodies of children, workers and members of the community. Although Senators Boxer, Feinstein and Los Angeles area Congressman Henry Waxman have been contacted many times and provided with extensive information about the danger of the Downey toxic/radioactive dump site they have refused not only to meet with the affected workers but to call any hearings and investigations about the failure of this national privatization program of toxic/radioactive dump sites. We, the following publicly call for Congressman Waxman to meet with the injured workers and to prepare and carry out US Congressional hearings in the Los Angeles area not only on the Downey toxic site but also how this living nightmare at these sites has been allowed to fester for many years around the country We also call for Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein to call hearings in the Senate as well. Finally we call on Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey who is subcommittee chair on the Workplace safety and Congressman George Miller who is chair of the Congressional committee on Education and Labor to also call hearings with testimony from injured workers around the country about the failure of the Federal and State government to properly supervise the health and safety protection of workers and veterans on these sites and other contaminated buildings such as our nations schools. Workers have contacted OSHA but OSHA has refused to do it’s job in protecting the health and safety of these workers. Leonard Martin, Injured Downey Studio Worker former Executive Board IATSE 4 Gail Shephard, Injured Kaiser Downey SEIU UHW Member Dr. Ahimsa Sumchai Porter, San Francisco Dina Padilla, Injured Kaiser Worker and CA Director Of VOICES/BEST, Citrus Heights, California Sharon Kramer, Advocate, Escondido, California Carol Long, Injured Worker Poway, California Joe Bennett Steve Basile, Injured Worker Downey Studio Mary Trent, Cuyahoga Falls Ohio Steve Zeltzer, CCWMD San Francisco, California For information contact Steve Zeltzer Chair California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day http://www.workersmemorialday.org lvpsf@labornet.org (415)867-0628 This soapbox alert was posted by Sharon Kramer, Escondido, CA

]]> Comment on UCLA Commencement by Mark Hardin http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=275&cpage=1#comment-21 Mark Hardin Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:46:59 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=275#comment-21 A million congratulations, Haskell! ...and keep on blogging! We, your fans, always appreciate your posts; the causes you take up are invariably good and important ones. Take it up, take it down, but...well, you know! A million congratulations, Haskell!

…and keep on blogging! We, your fans, always appreciate your posts; the causes you take up are invariably good and important ones.

Take it up, take it down, but…well, you know!

]]> Comment on Crash inquiry by Jeff Wexler http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=268&cpage=1#comment-20 Jeff Wexler Sun, 24 May 2009 14:03:16 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=268#comment-20 Everyday there is more and more news about the consequences of chronic sleep deprivation ... almost every major accident seems to have fatigue and lack of sleep as a prominent factor Everyday there is more and more news about the consequences of chronic sleep deprivation … almost every major accident seems to have fatigue and lack of sleep as a prominent factor

]]> Comment on Vote NO on 400 Hours by Stan McClain http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=254&cpage=1#comment-19 Stan McClain Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:08:49 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=254#comment-19 Stan McClain Do any of you remember the popularity poll results from the Nixon Administration during the Watergate proceedings? … The White House released reports to the press which demonstrated a landslide opinion in favor of the President, yet virtually everyone you spoke to was displeased with him. This round of Union negotiations is reminiscent of those days gone by. So far, the overwhelming members’ view does not support the cut and dry 400 hour endorsement made by the negotiation team. More importantly the members are displeased that it was endorsed by the administration, prior to even discussing it with the membership. It was “presented” to the membership with the demeanor of a prison guard serving a jailhouse lunch to fresh inmates. It appears that the majority of Local 600’s membership is deeply troubled with the proposed contract and they are soul searching and sincerely trying to comprehend the long term effects of the negations. Overwhelmingly, each individual person can’t find it in their heart to vote Yes. The accumulation of all the No votes will probably be the dominate voice of the Union members. The big question is how will the Local 600 Administration deal with the member’s request? Perhaps now is the time for the Administration to start working on a “Plan B”. The members will need for them to work TOGETHER and present a new plan before a second round of negotiations begins. The members will want serious and sincere representation. The big question is not if the Local 600 negotiation team is willing and able to fight for the membership’s needs, but are they capable of taking a 180° turn with an open mindset? That is the question for both the members and the administration to plonder. Make no mistake… the confidence in the current administration is critically low. It’s up to them to sit quietly and listen with great care to each individual as they come forward with their views. Now is the time for the administration to listen…not dictate. Stan McClain, Past President, SOC Stan McClain

Do any of you remember the popularity poll results from the Nixon Administration during the Watergate proceedings? … The White House released reports to the press which demonstrated a landslide opinion in favor of the President, yet virtually everyone you spoke to was displeased with him. This round of Union negotiations is reminiscent of those days gone by. So far, the overwhelming members’ view does not support the cut and dry 400 hour endorsement made by the negotiation team. More importantly the members are displeased that it was endorsed by the administration, prior to even discussing it with the membership. It was “presented” to the membership with the demeanor of a prison guard serving a jailhouse lunch to fresh inmates.

It appears that the majority of Local 600’s membership is deeply troubled with the proposed contract and they are soul searching and sincerely trying to comprehend the long term effects of the negations. Overwhelmingly, each individual person can’t find it in their heart to vote Yes.

The accumulation of all the No votes will probably be the dominate voice of the Union members. The big question is how will the Local 600 Administration deal with the member’s request? Perhaps now is the time for the Administration to start working on a “Plan B”. The members will need for them to work TOGETHER and present a new plan before a second round of negotiations begins. The members will want serious and sincere representation. The big question is not if the Local 600 negotiation team is willing and able to fight for the membership’s needs, but are they capable of taking a 180° turn with an open mindset? That is the question for both the members and the administration to plonder.

Make no mistake… the confidence in the current administration is critically low. It’s up to them to sit quietly and listen with great care to each individual as they come forward with their views. Now is the time for the administration to listen…not dictate.

Stan McClain,
Past President, SOC

]]> Comment on Vote NO on 400 Hours by Rob Seidenglanz http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=254&cpage=1#comment-18 Rob Seidenglanz Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:30:58 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=254#comment-18 I strongly appose the new 400 hour rule. This will directly impact my family. This is just plain uncool. No 2 ways about it. I strongly appose the new 400 hour rule. This will directly impact my family. This is just plain uncool. No 2 ways about it.

]]> Comment on Woodstock Film Festival by David http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=231&cpage=1#comment-17 David Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:15:03 +0000 http://haskellwexler.com/WP/?p=231#comment-17 this is incredible. this is incredible.

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