October 10, 2018

Critical Mass Oct. 20

by Eesha Williams
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There will be a Critical Mass bicycle ride on October 20 at 3 p.m. in Brattleboro. Critical Mass bike rides started in 1992 in California and have since spread around the world. Hundreds of people ride together in a group on roads, forcing cars to go at bicycle speed. They often chant, “Critical Mass, don't use gas!”

The ride will start at the Town Common. Photos of a Critical Mass bike ride in Brattleboro last month are at:

www.valleypost.org/node/1432

Details about the upcoming ride are at:

www.facebook.com/events/396911270843500

In other news from the Valley, nurses at the Greenfield hospital are urging people in Massachusetts to vote yes on “question 1.” Election day is November 6 but people can vote anytime after October 21. Details are at:

www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleev/evidx.htm

Question 1 would limit the number of patients that hospitals can force nurses to care for, thus making it less likely that patients will die. Many hospitals are non-profit, tax exempt organizations but they pay their CEOs high salaries. The CEO of one group of non-profit hospitals in Massachusetts, Partners Corporation, was paid $4.7 million in 2016. More information about Question 1 is at www.SafePatientLimits.org.

In New Hampshire news, on October 8 there was a rally in Manchester to oppose Trump's plan to privatize the postal service. More than 100 people attended the rally. Event organizers have a web site at www.nhaflcio.org. Postal workers are union members. Unions oppose Trump. Most private sector workers lack a union because companies routinely use illegal tactics to prevent workers from organizing. That's according to a study by Cornell University professor Kate Bronfenbrenner. Workers who join a union in the USA make an average of 27 percent higher wages. That's according to www.bls.gov.

In other news from the Valley, on October 4 the Vermont Land Trust announced it has permanently protected from development 956 acres of forestland in Newfane, about 10 minutes from Brattleboro by car.

In Boston news, about 1,800 workers are on strike. They work at Marriott hotels. They are asking the public to join them on the picket line on October 10 at 5 p.m. outside 425 Summer Street. There will be more opportunities for public support in coming days, unless the workers vote to end the strike. The workers have a web site at www.UniteHere.org.

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