From Claudia Hommel
To colleagues and activists,

If you are in Chicagoland, I hope you can attend an important civil liberties event this Saturday, details below. If you cannot attend but would like to learn more about the case and to endorse the defense, please contact me. An explanation of the case is given below the details for the evening event. ANYONE needing transportation assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me at 773-509-9360 (or at 773-450-9138 on the day of). Pre-rally dinner is being served at Maria's Mexican restaurant, 9440 W. Foster (just west of River Road, approached from I-190 or Lawrence Ave.)

In solidarity,
Claudia Hommel

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The Militant Labor Forum presents . . .
DEFEND Free Speech and Freedom of the Press
DEFEND the Militant Newspaper and the Socialist Workers Party against Utah Coal Mine Bosses' Lawsuit

Saturday, April 30th at 7:30 pm
CLARION HOTEL O'HARE
5615 NORTH CUMBERLAND AVE.
Chicago
(one block south of Blue Line station, Cumberland south
exit on the Kennedy Expressway/ I90-94)

In September 2004 the Co-Op Mine bosses in Huntington, Utah and their company union filed a lawsuit against the United Mineworkers of America, 17 miners involved in a union recognition fight at the mine, the Militant newspaper, the Socialist Workers Party and others. Come to a forum to discuss:
• The relationship between the bosses' lawsuit, the Co-Op miners'
fight, and the union organization of the western coalfields.
• The suit's challenge to freedom of speech and freedom the press.
What is so-called neutral reporting?
• Why defenders of the Constitution have a stake in defending the right of the press to cover public controversies involving job safety,
working conditions, and pay.
• Why the circulation of the articles by Tom Paine were an integral part of the American Revolution and the framing of the Bill of Rights.

Speaker: John Studer, Executive Director of the Political Rights Defense Fund which is coordinating the Militant Fighting Fund to
publicize the case and raise funds to cover the mounting legal expenses of The Militant and the Socialist Workers Party.

For more information: call (773) 890-1190
or write to chicagoswp (at) sbcglobal.net
Suggested donation: $5.00
Habrá traducción simultánea al español

If you would like to contribute to the fundraising effort please make your check or money order to 'The Militant Fighting Fund' and send it to:
The Militant Labor Forum, 3557 S. Archer Ave., Chicago, IL 60609

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The Militant Labor Forum presenta . . .
DEFENDAMOS la libertad de expresión y la libertad de prensa
DEFENDAMOS al semanario The Militant y al Partido Socialista de los Trabajadores en contra de la demanda judicial de los patrones de la mina de Carbón de Utah

En septiembre de 2004, los patrones de la mina Co-Op en Huntington, Utah y su sindicato pro-patronal presentaron una demanda judicial en
contra del sindicato minero UMWA, 17 mineros individuales en lucha por el reconocimiento del sindicato en la mina, el semanario Militant, el
Partido Socialista de los Trabajadores y otros más.
En este foro se explicará:
• La relación que hay entre la demanda de los patrones, la lucha de los mineros de la Co-Op y la sindicalización de los yacimientos del
carbón en el oeste.
• La amenaza de esta demanda judicial a la libertad de expresión y a la libertad de prensa. A qué se le llama informar de manera imparcial?
• Porqué es de interés de los partidarios de la Constitución defender el derecho de la prensa a informar sobre las controversias públicas
relacionadas a la seguridad en el trabajo, las condiciones de trabajo y el pago.
• Porqué la circulación de los artículos por Tom Paine fueron una parte integral de la Revolución Americana y de la formación de la Carta de los Derechos

Orador: John Studer, Director Ejecutivo del Fondo de Defensa por los Derechos Políticos que actualmente organiza el Fondo de Lucha por el Militant. Este fondo difunde el caso y colecta fondos para cubrir los gastos legales del Militant y del Partido Socialista de los
Trabajadores.

Sábado 30 de abril a 7:30 pm
Clarion Hotel O'Hare
5615 North Cumberland Ave.
Chicago
Colaboración sugerida: $ 5.00
Se proveerá traducción simultánea al español.

Por más información: llame (773) 890-1190
o escribe a chicagoswp (at) sbcglobal.net

Si quisiera contribuir a la campaña de fondo, mande su contribución a:
Militant Labor Forum, 3557 S. Archer Ave., Chicago, IL 60609
(Cheques a nombre del Militant Fighting Fund)

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EXCERPTS of STATEMENT by POLITICAL RIGHTS DEFENSE FUND, Executive Director, John Studer:

Defend Free Speech and Freedom of the Press!
The Political Rights Defense Fund urges support for the fight against Utah coal mine bosses' lawsuit.
Join PRDF in helping defend the Militant newspaper and the Socialist Workers Party

An important free speech and freedom of the press battle is unfolding today in Utah, growing out of union organizing efforts by coal miners at the Co-Op mine. The Political Rights Defense Fund urges defenders of these constitutional rights to join us in supporting the Militant newspaper and the Socialist Workers Party in this significant first amendment fight.

In September 2004, C.W. Mining, the parent company of the Co-Op coal mine in Huntington, Utah, and its in-house company union, the International Association of United Workers Union, filed a lawsuit against the United Mine Workers of America and 17 individual miners who are part of the year-and-a-half long battle to be represented by the UMWA, to win reinstatement to their jobs and to secure decent wages and safe working conditions. Also targeted in this lawsuit are newspapers that have reported on the labor battle as well as trade unions and numerous individuals who have backed the miners' efforts.

The Militant and the Socialist Workers Party are prominent among the defendants in this harassment lawsuit. Randy Dryer, on e of Utah's most prominent first amendment and freedom of the press attorneys, is representing them, along with his colleague Michael Petrogeorge. Dryer has long experience in defending newspapers and other print and electronic media in first amendment cases.

C.W. Mining, along with the company-run IAUWU, is charging the miners and their supporters, Utah's main daily papers, the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret Monring News, and the Militant, with engaging in a campaign of defamation. The UMWA and the miners are also charged with a series of unfair labor practices.

Twenty-four pages of C.W. Mining's 70-plus page lawsuit consist of alleged defamations by the Militant, a socialist newsweekly published in New York. The only charge against the Socialist Workers Party is the false accusation that it owns and controls the Militant. The lawsuit seeks one million dollars in damages.

Attorneys Randy Dryer and Michael Petrogeorge representing the SWP and the Militant filed a motion to dismiss the suit in federal district court in Salt Lake City, Utah, on February 28 (see links below). This is a frivolous lawsuit, as the memorandum in support of the motion to dismiss explains. It is designed to intimidate the miners and their supporters and divert time and energy away from their fight to win reinstatement at the mine, and to be represented by the United Mine Workers of America.
Through this suit C.W. Mining also seeks to frighten and bully newspapers away from covering this fight, or at least to push them to alter their coverage toward being more "balanced," that is, giving more space and prominence to the bosses' claims.

The Militant is a special target of this lawsuit because of the prominent coverage given this struggle from its inception in September 2003, and its steadfastness in reporting on what the workers involved have to say about it. The paper has responded to the attack, saying it "will not be intimidated or censored from covering this fight."

The Political Rights Defense Fund, which has organized defense efforts against attacks on political rights for more than thirty years, has offered to help spread the word about this fight and aid the Militant and the Socilaist Workers Party in responding.

This is a front line battle in the fight to defend freedom of the press and freedom of speech. At stake are the right of the press to cover contentious events like the miners' campaign to organize the Co-Op mine and the right of the media to write about and editorially speak out on such disputes. The Funds are urgently needed for the Militant Fighting Fund, which helps make possible the legal and public defense campaign against this suit. The defendants have filed motions to have the suit against them thrown out by the court. There is no indication, however, that this will be an easy battle or swiftly won. The mine bosses hope to get court backing for a long drawn out case with lengthy investigations and intrusive depositions, and to financially drain the defendants.

Your help is urgently needed to beat back this attack.

The best defense against this kind of lawsuit is a broad public campaign, where the issues at stake are clearly explained to expand and solidify support, accompanied by a vigorous legal defense.

How you can help
Help spread the word. Send a statement of support from yourself, your union, or organization.

Donate generously/. The costs of mounting the most effective legal defense are substantial and mounting. Your contribution will be used to pay for attorneys' fees and to print and distribute literature about this fight.

Send your support statements and checks today to the Political Rights Defense Fund, Box 761 Church Street Station, New York NY 10007. Please write your check or money order to "The Militant Fighting Fund ".

PRDF is also making available at cost copies of the legal briefs filed in the case - from the bosses' lawsuit to the answers filed by the Militant, the SWP, the 17 named miners, the United Mine Workers union and the two Utah dailies.

Related articles:
'Militant,' SWP file motion to dismiss harassment suit by Utah mine bosses www.themilitant.com/2005/6911/691103.html

'Militant' answers defamation lawsuit
Legal brief by socialist weekly, SWP backing motion to dismiss Kingston suit
www.themilitant.com/2005/6911/691150.html

Bosses, gov't use suits to harass workers movement
www.themilitant.com/2005/6911/691156.html