"The War Against the Working Class" (Upcoming Philadelphia Conference)

On September 27th, a day-long conference on "The War Against the Working Class" will be held at the Philadelphia Convention Center.

From the press release:

Progressive bloggers, union members, and activist group members will convene to learn strategies for bridging class divisions without sacrificing progressive values. The conference will emphasize, through a series of speakers, practical ways to communicate and reach out to the working class and the unemployed, by working on understanding concerns, priorities, and common goals. The deliverable is that individuals who seek cultural change, economic justice, and the upholding of the Constitution can understand and relate better to the basic economic and other needs of the struggling working class and find common ground.

With rare exception, the progressive movement does not emphasize working class and union issues. It's time to change that, and that is why this conference will be attended by bloggers, workers (union and wanting to be union), progessives and advocates.

Add to that a wonderful speakers list that includes: Richard Trumka (Second in Command at the National AFL-CIO), Jim Hightower (Texas Populist and Rabble Rouser), Kathy Black (President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women), Jeffrey Feldman (Author and Expert on How the Right Wing Frames Issues Against the Interest of the Working Class), Joe Bageant (Author of Deer Hunting with Jesus), Kia Franklin (of the New York-based Drum Major Institute, and an Expert on Why Civil Liberties Violations Threaten All Americans), and David Cay Johnston (Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Perfectly Legal" and "Free Lunch").

And there are more announcements to come of speakers and resources.

Sponsors and co-sponsors include:
BUZZFLASH Internet News Network
Co-Sponsors:
Keystone Progress
Democratic Talk Radio
Talk2Action.org
Progressive Democrats of America
OpEd News

The registration cost ($45, $22.50 for card-carrying union members) is extremely reasonable.