Anti-abortionists target L.A. women's clinics

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LOS ANGELES-On Sat., Aug 12, Operation Rescue (OR) attempted to close down nine abortion clinics in Southern California. The goal of the anti-abortionists, to close down many clinics simultaneously, was a new one for this region.

But pro-choice activists responded at all nine clinics where OR hit. They also kept watch over the more than 80 other clinics in the area that were threatened. This was the largest pro-choice countermobilization to date.

The pro-choice movement's task was made much more difficult by the police, who acted with glacial slowness in enforcing a state injunction that forbids OR's presence within 15 feet of any clinic.

At several clinics, the police played no role whatever; OR had no chance to block the clinics because of the masses of pro-choice forces involved. At a clinic on Pico Blvd., all the police could do was insulate OR leader Randall Terry from pro-choice supporters.

At other clinics, however, where OR was able to block one door (but not other access), the police took all day to enforce the on Saturdays. While the pictures showed OR "blocking" a clinic without any challenge, the fact that the clinic was closed was buried in the story. This was the kind of coverage presented in the Los Angeles Times and on several TV news programs.

These actions coincided with the trial of Randall Terry on charges of conspiracy for his role in OR's March 25, 1989, "Holy Week of Rescue." So far, in preliminary sessions the emerging issue of contention has been how continuously Terry and his defense team can wave the Bible in the courtroom-especially towards the jury.

The Bible waving exceeded the tolerance of the judge, who is a Mormon. He would not permit Terry's defense to stray from the simple facts of the case, in which a court injunction was violated.

For more information on how to help defend the clinics, call the American Civil Liberties Union pro-choice hotline at (213) 487-INFO.

SOCIALIST ACTIOI

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unionists organized a huge rally to express solidarity with CWA strike. Mark Schneider/Socialist Action throughout the state pulled in. When striking pilots, flight attendants, and machinists from Eastern Airlines marched onto the stage, the throng responded with a cheering standing ovation.

The explosive sentiment of the crowd was reminiscent of the early days of labor here. Women telephone operators first organized in Boston in 1912 and staged a successful strike—with large mobilizations—in 1919.

The rally, chaired by IBEW leader Miles Coavey, began with a moment of silence for picket captain Jerry Horgan, the union member struck down in New York.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was the keynote speaker and he fired-up the crowd with passionate oratory.

"We don't need a Stealth plan—we need a health plan," he said, referring to the half-billion dollar B-2 bomber being touted by the Bush administration. He referred to Dr. Martin Luther King's support for striking sanitation workers in Memphis when he was killed in 1968, and urged the crowd to win the scabs over to the union side: "I say to scabs—if you take somebody's $10-an-hour job for $8 an hour, there's a $6-an-hour scab waiting for you."

Significantly, this was the first time ever that Jackson addressed a labor gathering in update The Communication Workers of America (CWA) ended their strike against the Pacific Telesis Group (California and Nevada) after a tentative agreement was reached on Aug.

21.

On Aug. 27, an agreement was reached with Wisconsin Bell and Ohio Bell, (both subsidiaries of the Ameritech Group), but CWA officials announced that these workers will stay out until an agreement is reached with all five Ameritech companies.

Details of the yet-to-be-ratified agreements are sketchy, but union leaders say the contracts represent a significant retreat by the phone companies from their original takeback demands concerning health benefits and wages.

Meanwhile, over 125,000 communications workers remain on strike against Ameritech (Midwest), NYNEX (New YorkNew England area), and Atlantic Bell (MidAtlantic states).

sponse to Judy Coughlin, an international vice president representing striking Eastern Airlines flight attendants, and Jim Baker, from the United Mine Workers of America's Pittston strikers.