Back to Blog
October 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SEVEN, #6
IMMEDIATE DESTINATIONS:
Rapid City, SD
Butte, MT
Missoula, MT
Bozeman, MT
Spokane, WA
Winona, MN
To buy CDs - visit https://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid
For the latest medical updates: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney/journal
Hi there hellraisers!
Well, I'm out on the road in North Dakota with Evan Greer... and it feels good. My old friends Mark Froemke and Dave Kemnitz invited me to come to the 100th anniversary of the Northern Valley Labor Council and the ND AFL-CIO. I played this convention many years ago, and have always admired the ND labor movement. They're currently embroiled in a lockout of 1300 workers at American Crystal Sugar. These Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco and Grain Miller members (BCTGM) were locked out on August 1st. https://www.bctgm.org/ACS_Lockout.html
Now as the weather changes, and the harvest peaks, instead of negotiating ACS is spending millions on goonie security and imported scabs. And production is waaaaaaaaaay down. It looks like management has forgotten how the beets are processed into beet sugar, as they just can't seem to tell the scabs what they should be doing. The results have been fires, accidents and injuries. It's a huge source of frustration and occasional amusement to the loyal workers to watch the plant being trashed by incompetents.
Evan and I are traveling with Evan's partner, Erin Ryan Fitzgerald and their adorable 13 month old son Saoirse. Next weekend we are playing in Spokane, WA for the WA State Public Employees conference. In the meantime, we're going to do a few shows along the way. We'll be spreading the word about the ACS lockout and collecting funds to support the workers. North Dakota is a "right-to-work" (for less) state. Unlike their Minnesota colleagues, the locked out North Dakota workers do not receive unemployment benefits. As the lockout enters its third month, you can bet there is real hardship here in North Dakota. We're going to be passing the hat for these workers at all the rest of the shows on this tour. You can support these locked out workers by sending a check payable to:
BCTGM Relief Fund
c/o Local 167G
100 N 3rd Street - Suite 50
Grand Forks, ND 58203
If you have friends in South Dakota, Montana or Minnesota, PLEASE let them know that Evan and I are out and about and would love to see them at our shows!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND, 2011
Bruce's vigil
Rapid City, SD
Butte, MT
Missoula, MT
Bozeman, MT
Spokane, WA
Winona, MN
To buy CDs - visit https://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid
For the latest medical updates: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney/journal
Hi there hellraisers!
Well, I'm out on the road in North Dakota with Evan Greer... and it feels good. My old friends Mark Froemke and Dave Kemnitz invited me to come to the 100th anniversary of the Northern Valley Labor Council and the ND AFL-CIO. I played this convention many years ago, and have always admired the ND labor movement. They're currently embroiled in a lockout of 1300 workers at American Crystal Sugar. These Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco and Grain Miller members (BCTGM) were locked out on August 1st. https://www.bctgm.org/ACS_Lockout.html
 |
| Photo by Joe Lynde |
Now as the weather changes, and the harvest peaks, instead of negotiating ACS is spending millions on goonie security and imported scabs. And production is waaaaaaaaaay down. It looks like management has forgotten how the beets are processed into beet sugar, as they just can't seem to tell the scabs what they should be doing. The results have been fires, accidents and injuries. It's a huge source of frustration and occasional amusement to the loyal workers to watch the plant being trashed by incompetents.
Evan and I are traveling with Evan's partner, Erin Ryan Fitzgerald and their adorable 13 month old son Saoirse. Next weekend we are playing in Spokane, WA for the WA State Public Employees conference. In the meantime, we're going to do a few shows along the way. We'll be spreading the word about the ACS lockout and collecting funds to support the workers. North Dakota is a "right-to-work" (for less) state. Unlike their Minnesota colleagues, the locked out North Dakota workers do not receive unemployment benefits. As the lockout enters its third month, you can bet there is real hardship here in North Dakota. We're going to be passing the hat for these workers at all the rest of the shows on this tour. You can support these locked out workers by sending a check payable to:
BCTGM Relief Fund
c/o Local 167G
100 N 3rd Street - Suite 50
Grand Forks, ND 58203
If you have friends in South Dakota, Montana or Minnesota, PLEASE let them know that Evan and I are out and about and would love to see them at our shows!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND, 2011
SKULLETS
From March 2005 until last night, my friend and comrade Bruce Wolf has organized a Friday night vigil outside Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC. The vigil calls for an immediate end to the wars, return of the troops, funding for veterans' health and needs. For six and half years two-dozen to 200 people have gathered outside the hospital with signs, singing and chanting.
They never missed a single Friday. An amazing show of fidelity and devotion. The hospital is closing, and so the vigils come to an end. Unfortunately, the wars drag on. I still congratulate Bruce and marvel at this fantastic achievement.
___________________________________________________________
Brain Scans, etc..
When I get back to Pittsburgh on October 13th I'll have a new brain MRI. I hope I get good news. You can follow detailed medical news at https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney y
____________________________________________________________
Sweden/Denmark
Assuming I get the all-clear on the 13th, I'm going to go visit my husband in Sweden on October 15th... We're meeting in Copenhagen, where we went on our honeymoon, and visiting friends in Denmark and Sweden. I'll be there for his birthday on November 12th and then head back to the US for a wonderful family wedding in New Orleans.
________________________________________________________________
October birthdays & Family News
Casey Horne - Oct 5th, Dan Berlin, Jennifer McCahill, and Maureen Metcalfe - Oct 6th, Jan Boyd - Oct 9th, Jill Weldon Merrill and Bill Feeney - Oct 16th, Shelley Belusar and Steve Merrill on Oct 20th, Della Belmont McCahill -Oct 21st, Mason Avery Gailiunas - Oct 22nd, Carolyn Weldon - Oct 28th, Annie Dinerman - Oct 29th
I'll get to meet Julie's new grandson, Levi while I'm in Sweden! YAY!
Stetson Kennedy, Rest in Peace
Today in St Augustine people are celebrating the life and work of my dear friend Stetson Kennedy, who died on August 27th and will be sorely missed by all who had the opportunity to know him.
There's much more to tell, but no time to tell it.
Thanks for tuning in!
In solidarity,
Anne
Stetson Kennedy, Rest in Peace
Today in St Augustine people are celebrating the life and work of my dear friend Stetson Kennedy, who died on August 27th and will be sorely missed by all who had the opportunity to know him.
There's much more to tell, but no time to tell it.
Thanks for tuning in!
In solidarity,
Anne