Friday 29
After working for more than 14 months without a contract, members of the United Mine Workers of America walked out on the Pittston Coal Group in southwest Virginia last spring. The miners, who are still striking, were protesting the end of benefits for widows and retired and disabled miners, cutbacks in health benefits, and the hiring of scabs, among other things. Since the walkout, more than 3,000 arrests have been made, and fines exceedinging $13 million have been levied against the miners, who are in dire need of support and funds. Several Chicago-area performers–including Tribe, the Rootless Cosmopolitans, Mark Dvorak, Jim Desmond and Bill Pekoc, Women of the World, Jimmy T., and several surprise guests–are trying to help out with Miners’ Aid Chicago, a benefit at 9 tonight at the Czar Bar, 1814 W. Division. The suggested donation is $7, but you can give more if you want. T-shirts, buttons, and prints by UMW photographer Tom Johnson will also be for sale. Call 933-4900 during the day, 463-8968 at night.
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Since the beginning of the year, the Horizons antiviolence project has gotten more than 330 reports of antigay harassment; in the same period, the Chicago Police Department has only received 4. “I think this gap may–and I’m not sure–exist because the gay and lesbian community doesn’t feel comfortable with police in general,” said Police Superintendent LeRoy Martin in a very candid interview in last week’s Windy City Times. While Martin tries to figure out how to make the police more sensitive, Horizons has put together a support group for gay and bisexual male victims of antigay violence who are between 21 and 35 years old. They meet Mondays from 7:30 to 9 at 3225 N. Sheffield. It’s free. Call 472-6469 for more.
Thursday 5
