Occupy Central Vermont

The People’s Cafe continues!

Join us at Bagitos
(next door to the Savoy Theater in Montpelier)

Thursday, January 10 6-8 p.m.

Music: The Raging Grannies
Poetry: Cora Brooks, and
Conversation: Slow Democracy with Susan Clark

For performance information: contact David Klein 456-1978

Please join us to usher in 2013, evaluate our recent actions and discuss next steps: Saturday, January 5, from 3 to 5 pm in the Hayes Room of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier

Agenda:

Reviews:
– Walmart Actions (check out the DooOcc videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZyXOCM8zeY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9_0eTrtVY)
– Labor focus
– Newport 99% Trial
– New Economy Conference

Planning:

Short Term: reports on People’s Cafe, January 5 (David) and Movement Discussion, January 26 (Margaret)

Long Term:  Next Steps–a look at the year ahead: (Brian T.)

Wind up:  Announcements, etc..

Occupy Central Vermont, together with friends and allies, is returning to picket at the Berlin Mall Walmart

Saturday 12/15 and 12/22 from Noon to 2 PM.  (Note change in time)

As we did on “Black Friday,” we will be showing our support for the poorly-treated, low-wage Walmart workers who are starting to get organized around the country and fighting back against this corporate monster.

We will be leafleting and talking with shoppers.  We will also be showing solidarity with the garment workers in Bangladesh, where a recent terrible fire at a Walmart supplier took the lives of 112 workers.

Look for us where we were on “Black Friday,” right next to the Walmart entrance to the Mall.  If you heard about our very successful action on “Black Friday” but were unable to come due to Thanksgiving, come now! And we’d love to see everybody who showed up before, if you can.

Spread the word!   Please join us!  

Occupy Central Vermont.  Another World is Possible!  

Please join us Sat. 12/1 from 3-5 PM at the REACH/Onion River Exch. office at 138 Main St. (brick house across Main St. from the Kellogg-Hubbard Library)

Our agenda:

Introductions – 5 min.

Report Backs:

Walmart Protest, 11/23  – 15 min.  (see report below)

Upcoming Projects and Activities:

Further Walmart Protests and Activities – 15 min.
December People’s Cafe – 15 min.
“What Is a Movement?” Forum in January – 10 min.
Support For NEK Occupy Group – 10 min.
Taking Up GMO Food Issues?  Tar Sands? – 10 min.
Participation In Occupy Anti-debt Campaigns? – 10 min.
Media and Outreach – 5 min.

Discussion:

Looking Forward to 2013: Expectations and Strategies – 20 min.

Announcements and Soapbox

In conjunction with Black Friday Walmart worker support actions around the country, Occupy Central Vermont organized a picket line and leafleted shoppers on the “High Cost of Low Prices” outside the Berlin (Montpelier/Barre), Vermont Walmart. About 25 people total participated during the morning and afternoon picketing.  To our surprise, when we set up right next to the Walmart entrance, we were allowed to remain. The Old Socialist Labor Hall in Barre – where the new Central Vermont Food Not Bombs chapter was sharing food – was our appropriate base of operations.  We made some contacts with a few Walmart workers who were coming in to shop on Friday or came out to take our leaflets, and are planning to do some follow-up at the store. The article shown below is from Page 1 of the Barre-Montpelier Times-Argus, Nov. 24th.
[Click to download full size images.]

For reviews of the day’s events nationally, see http://www.thenation.com/blog/171435/biggest-strike-against-biggest-employer-walmart-workers-make-history-again and http://occupywallst.org/article/walmartstrikers-prove-99-can-fight-back/.

Click for full-size images.

This Friday, BLACK FRIDAY
Support Walmart workers!

Join us to take action in support of the striking Walmart workers!
Occupy Central Vermont (OCVT), Occupy Barre, and Food Not Bombs
have organized a day of protest and information and would like YOU to join in.

This year on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Walmart workers — with the support of unions and allies — are planning walk-outs across the country, the day when the retailer is most vulnerable to pressure. They are asking people like us in rural areas to take the initiative and organize our own solidarity actions. Locally, we have “adopted” the busy Walmart store in the Berlin Mall which draws shoppers around the region for our solidarity action.

November 23rd Schedule

8am
Carpools leave from Barre’s Old Labor Hall (46 Granite St.) to the Berlin Mall Walmart with banners and leaflets for a rally.

10am-2pm
Back to the Labor Hall where Food Not Bombs will offer lunch and the Raging Grannies will perform.

2:15pm
Carpool back to Berlin Mall Walmart for a second rally featuring the Raging Grannies and their Walmart props & repertoire. Occupy Central VT will also be showing and discussing a movie about Walmart.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Here is a leaflet about the events a Walmart for this coming Friday. Please distribute it widely. This leaflet was put together by Marie.

BLACK FRIDAY

Postponed from December 6th, due to a scheduling conflict at Bagitos.

Join us at Bagitos
(next door to the Savoy Theater)
in Montpelier
Thursday, January 10, 6-8 p.m. for Music, Poetry, Comedy, and Discussion:
Alternative Economics, Direct Democracy and more…
For performance information:
contact David Klein 456-1978

We’re continuing to meet the first Sat. of every month in Montpelier, and meeting a little earlier this time.

Please join us Sat. 11/3 from Noon-2 PM

at the REACH/Onion River Exch. office, 138 Main St.

(brick house across Main St. from the Kellogg-Hubbard Library)

Our agenda:

Introductions – 5 min.

Report-backs

1) Hardwick pop-up event 5 min.
2) Burlington spokes council last weekend 5 min.
3) First Montpelier People’s Cafe 5 min.

Upcoming projects & activities

1) Next People’s Cafe 10-15 min.
2) December 8th discussion at Montpelier library: “What is a social movement?” 10-15 Min.
3) Organizing in support of Walmart workers around “Black Friday” 20-25 min.
4) Other educational forums or activities? 5-10 min.

Open discussion 50-60 min. Topics to be decided.

     Facilitators’ suggestions:

• How should Occupy re-orient itself after the election?
• How can we resist fiscal austerity policies supported by both corporate candidates and their respective parties?

Other suggestions welcome!

Announcements and Soapbox 5 min.

Join us at Bagitos in Montpelier

(next door to the Savoy Theater)

Thursday, October 25, 6-8 p.m.

for Music, Poetry, Comedy,
Discussions of alternative economics & direct democracy
and more…

For performance information, or to sign up, contact David Klein at 456-1978.

Download People’s Café flyer here.

Minutes: Occupy Central Vermont – 10/6/2012

Present: Sue, Jay, John, Margaret, Marie, Dell, David K, Bear, Mitch, Brian T. Schuyler

Speaking Facilitator: John; Notes: Dell; Stack: Margaret

Reports Back: 

Sept.-17 in Montpelier:  12-1 at State House leafleting re: What Has Occupy Accomplished? (Jay and Heather) March to P.O.: People’s Mic; marched to Guerrilla Park (photo in Times Argus)

Sept.-17 in NYC: Marie with 40 Vermonters; “madness” with police presence blocking civil disobedience actions; 2 Vermonters arrested; worthwhile, peaceful.  Future possible Vermont actions: picketing Walmarts; bank focus.  (Marie gave a full report with slide show at Bagitos after tabling at Farmer’s Market).

Farmer’s Market (Sue): tabling, leafleting 3 or 4 times, with Keith McHenry (Food, Not Bombs) who had a meeting in Montpelier (interest among NECI students).  Satisfying—receptivity.

Film at Marshfield Library (Jay and Sue): Rise Like Lions (origins, early days of Occupy)—8-10 people

Financial Report (Sue):  $48.68 = current balance, mostly from donations at Farmer’s Market.  What do we want to do with this?  More 99% buttons: agreed.

Planning for future events:

            Occupy Hardwick:  pop-up (Sue) at Peace Park and “Footbridge Park”, either side of Hardwick Gazette.  Noon to 5 p.m..  Poster made and distributed, Nancy disseminate info in Hardwick.  Noon to 1: food giveaway, people’s mic (David); 1-3:15: concurrent workshops in two locations; 3:15-5 p.m.: G.A. to include an opportunity to pull together a discussion from workshops.   Needs: everyone bring food to give away; second banner/sign (Marie); folding tables (Dell, Sue); chairs; canopies (Dell, Heather?); 2 copies of schedule (Dell); garbage bags (Dell); rides (Margaret)

Info re: email lists: 1. “Discussion”: we can all post to it, for news, etc; 2. Old DAWG list: people who have been active; 3. OCV Core (old Basic Needs WG): 8-10 people who are most active now, for internal business; “G.A. Announce”: everybody who has ever signed up for anything—limited posts.  Brian will post Hardwick announcement.

People’s Café (David): October 25, 6-8 p.m. at Bagitos; Margaret will create poster; Entertainment: David as MC; music (Josh?); readings; Suggested topics:  alternative economics; direct versus representational democracy; the earth charter.  Sue would like two topics each time (one philosophical, one practical).  Margaret and David will create a sub-group to plan format

What is a Movement? (Margaret):  create an opportunity for dialogue re: movements, a public forum 12/8/12, Saturday, 3-5 @K-H Library, E. Mont. room– with video, short presentations from individuals re: different movements they have experienced (environmental–Brian; women’s–Margaret; civil rights—Sue; anti-war, peace (Jay, Joseph?); gay rights (Marie); Native rights (Bear); veterans?  Anti-nuke?   Plus: small group discussions (Roots of modern-day movements?  How can all our movements move together?)

Discussion: 

interoccupy.org—discussion around nationwide activities

Bear: Abenaki Issues:  frustration with Occupy (people get sick of arguing in activist groups); “co-occupy” perhaps; we need to find a way to cooperate, act together; Occupy wants fairness; Keep an awareness of Abenaki foundation here (Mississquoi, not “Vermont”).

Comments:

bring people together to find commonalities, possibly through book group(s)

I  hear there’s a lesson to be learned here from Native peoples.

99% means diverse voices within, hopefully we’ll hear from all

our symbol, Statue of Liberty, for Native Americans is symbol of destruction

Occupy procedures are intended to give equal voice to everybody

a lot of apathetic people at National Life; some 1% like Ben and Jerry’s can be brought in

ORCA media: can we use this resource?

Jay: “Debt Campaign”—article by David Graeber, author of recent book on the history of Debt (Brian will send out)

Announcements: 

• Two performances by Dave Rovics: E. Thetford harvest festival Sunday, and Thursday (10/11) WGDR studio @7:30 or 8
• Launch of Bill McKibben’s Road Show with Anais Mitchell, Saturday (10/13) at UVM chapel

Rally at Statehouse: anti-nuke, to show support for Public Service Board: late November

The last of the popup occupy events for 2012 will be Saturday, October 13, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Please spread the word. Here’s a poster you can print and hand out: Occupy Hardwick