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 http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid
For the latest medical updates:  http://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.  http://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

Evan Greer and Anne Feeney in SD!

157 1/2 E. Main North St.

Rapid City South Dakota 

Price: $5

More information: 412-877-6480

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 2011

University of Montana

Evan Greer and Anne Feeney - music and workshops! - 12:00 noon

Missoula,  MT 

Price: Free!

More information: 412-877-6480

Tuesday, October 4th - 7PM

Anne Feeney and Evan Greer - Music for Hellraisers

The Depot

816 S Arizona

Butte, MT

more information: 406-723-7070

Wednesday, October 5th

Shakespeare and Co. Bookseller

Anne Feeney and Evan Greer singing IWW songs! - 7:00pm

103 S. 3rd St. W

Missoula Montana 59801

406.549.9010

Evan and I will be singing some wobbly tunes at this book signing with Bill Adler, author of the great new book about Joe Hill - The Man Who Never Died: The Life, Times and Legacy of Joe Hill - American Labor Icon

http://themanwhoneverdied.com/

Price: Free!

 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6TH, 2011

Anne Feeney and Evan Greer in Bozeman!

THE FILLING STATION

2005 N Rouse Ave

Bozeman MT 59715

US (406) 587-0585 

Price: $7 - 15 sliding scale

Details TBA! Come out to The Filling Station for some High Energy radical music! Please spread the word!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH AND 9TH, 2011

Spokane Convention Center

Washington Federation of State Employees Convention

October 11th, 7PM

Anne Feeney and Evan Greer in Concert

Dib's Cafe (Cloud 9 Union Theater)

$8-15 suggested donation

77 W 3rd St

Winona, MN 

507-457-3427

Bruce's vigil

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 http://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

Heads Up Pittsburgh! Big fun on Saturday, September 10th!

Here's some exciting news!

Come to the Pump House in the Homestead Waterfront on Saturday, September 10th at 1:30PM to meet someone very special, sing some Joe Hill songs with me, and buy a wonderful book!

My pal Bill Adler is coming to town with copies of his fabulous new book - The Man Who Never Died ... The Life, Times and Legacy of Joe Hill, American Labor Icon.  I met Bill in Sweden last year while he was doing research for the book. I was doing a concert at the Joe Hill house, and Bill came with one of Joe Hill's cousins...

There was a great article about Bill and his book in the NY Times last Sunday. He's making a little history of his own here, as I think he'll be known as the guy who found the evidence that exonerates Joe Hill.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/27/us/27hill.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=adler%20joe%20hill&st=cse

You won't want to miss this very special event.  I'll lead a few Joe Hill songs, and Bill will talk about the book, and gladly sign your copy!  Cash, checks and credit cards all welcome.

Looking forward to seeing you there:

THE PUMP HOUSE
HOMESTEAD WATERFRONT 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH

1:30 PM

FREE

Light refreshments provided 

(If you've never been to the Waterfront, the Pump House is located on the eastern end of the property, right along the river, just past Lowe's on the way to the Rankin Bridge exit.  It's well marked.) 

Need more information?  Call me:  412-877-6480!

Anne Feeney

http://annefeeney.com

http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid - Buy CDs!

412-877-6480 (cell)

"Anne Feeney is the greatest labor singer in North America." -- Utah Phillips

September 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SEVEN, #5

Coming right up - hope you DC, MD, VA folks will celebrate Labor Day with me at this wonderful venue, listening to these fabulously talented musicians!  Buy your tickets or donate now at http://annefeeney.com

You can buy or download my CDs by calling CDBaby - 1-800-BUY-MY-CD (1-800-289-6923) or clicking here:  http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid   You'll have your CDs in time for Labor Day if you order now...  I've got a lot of CDs in inventory, and since I'm not working, it's really a help if you order CDs.  Thanks to Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! for featuring War on the Workers on today's show!


Labor Day 2011 - I've packed this month's newsletter with lots and lots of labor news... I hope you enjoy it...

When will we quit glorifying greed?  Somewhere along the line some deep thinker in the GOP said ... "So why is it we don't take candy from babies?  It would be so easy..."  and a new spiral of the most disgusting rapacious avarice began... suddenly anything that might make a buck is fair game in the world of capital. But instead of shocking the conscience of the nation, this greed is enshrined in the pop culture, glorified by the corporate media ... making the bottom line an all-powerful mantra for our nation.  All sorts of despicable behaviors are accepted in the service of the bottom line.  Just disgusting.  Thanks to a rash of free trade agreements and the under-the-table machinations of the IMF and world bank a global restructuring begins.  Social programs, education, health care are disassembled globally.  Millions of people are forced into migration.  Capital moves freely across borders while immigrants are interned, punished, deported. Unions are declared irrelevant, and the race to the bottom is in full swing.

But these truths remain:

An injury to one is an injury to all.
The union makes us strong.

How much money do you think Verizon would have to make in order to offer better benefits to its loyal CWA workers?  How could their they force workers out on strike during a year of record-breaking profits?

This is a great article to read this Labor Day
http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/11832/verizon_strike_highlights_union_effect_on_middle_class_jobs/

And my old nemesis Conn Selmer is up to new evil... this time at its musical instrument factory in Eastlake, OH.  This company was the focus of my labor day message in 2009...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Local-2359-Eastlake-Ohio/170339503034839

My friends in the Pacific Northwest will want to support this struggle at Fred Meyer..
http://www.teamsters117.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=213876

I'm headed to North Dakota next month to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ND AFL-CIO.  Wouldn't you know one of the largest regional employers has locked out 1300 workers!  SHAME!
http://www.bctgm.org/ACS_news.html

And take a look at these feisty guest-worker students!  Give 'em hell!
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/08/state_department_probes_claims.html


Jen Wallis, the plaintiff in this wonderful whistle-blower case, is a great pal.  I couldn't be happier about this result!
http://ruln.blogspot.com/2011/08/bnsf-harassment-cost-over-30000000-in.html#comment-form

BNSF Harassment cost over $300,000.00 in whistle blower case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 16, 2011
BNSF Fined $150,000 Punitive Damages, $125,000 Compensatory
Damages, $22,917 Attorney’s Fees and 30 day’s back pay for Harassing
an Employee who filed an Accident Report under Federal Whistleblower Law.

The $150,000 punitive damages award is the largest thus far awarded
nationally under the new Whistleblower law.
On November 16, 2008, Jen Wallis, a BNSF Hostler employed in
Seattle, WA, sustained an on the job injury in which she injured her
knee. BNSF officials followed her to the hospital, attempted to go into
the room with doctors and staff but were not allowed to do so after Ms.
Wallis complained. Ms. Wallis filed a personal injury report with
BNSF.
Eight days later BNSF served a notice of investigation upon Ms. Wallis
requiring her to attend an “investigative hearing” after which employees
can be disciplined or even fired. Ms. Wallis retained William
Jungbauer to represent her in her claim for injuries under the Federal Employer’s Liability Act
(FELA).

Jungbauer filed her case in Federal Court in Seattle, and moved for a
protective order from the Court to protect Ms. Wallis from being
subjected to questioning and/or discipline in the “investigative hearing”
that BNSF had scheduled.

The Federal Court granted Jungbauer’s motion and BNSF was unable to
force Ms. Wallis to attend the “investigative hearing”. BNSF later
decided to hold the hearing anyway, even in Ms. Wallis’ absence.
BNSF assessed discipline of 30 days, deferred on Ms. Wallis and further
put 40 “Points” on her disciplinary record. BNSF calls such points
“Risk Identifier Points” and CLAIMS that such points are not used for
any harassment or intimidation purpose.
Congress had previously held hearings before the House Transportation
and Infrastructure Committee in October of 2007 during which the BNSF
“points system” was discussed by Jungbauer, who testified on behalf of
injured workers and by a BNSF vice president. Historic Whistleblower
protections were passed by both Houses of Congress and signed by the
President in 2007 and 2008.
Jungbauer then filed a Whistleblower claim against BNSF on behalf of
Ms. Wallis in Seattle, WA. OSHA investigated the BNSF system of
“points” and whether or not injured BNSF employees such as Ms. Wallis
were harassed or intimidated by such BNSF programs. Under the BNSF
program, workers who file injury reports that are “reportable to the FRA”
get 40 demerit points; workers who file reports that are not reportable to
the FRA get only 5 demerit points.
“This system punishes workers who file accident reports that are required
by law to be reported to the FRA. It is clearly an effort to discourage
employees from filing accident reports that are passed on to the FRA”
said Jungbauer.
Ms. Wallis settled her personal injury FELA case with BNSF over a year
ago for an amount that cannot be disclosed as part of the settlement.
Late yesterday the Secretary of Labor, acting through the Regional
Administrator of OSHA in Seattle issued the Secretary’s Findings and
Preliminary Order in Ms. Wallis’ case:
1. BNSF must pay back wages to Ms. Wallis of $21.00 per hour for 30
days;
2. BNSF must pay Ms. Wallis $125,000 for mental pain and suffering;
3. BNSF must pay Ms. Wallis $150,000 for punitive damages based
on BNSF’s “recklous and callous indifference” to Ms. Wallis’
legally protected rights under the Federal Whistleblower Laws;
4. BNSF must expunge from Ms. Wallis’ personnel records any
adverse references relating to BNSF’s suspension of Ms. Wallis for
future requests for employment recommendations.
5. BNSF must remove and destroy the suspension from Ms. Wallis’
record and must remove the 40 “points” and any other “points”
BNSF assessed against Ms. Wallis for reporting her injury;
6. BNSF must pay Ms. Wallis’ attorney $22,917.50 in attorneys fees;
7. BNSF must post Whistleblower Protection Information Documents
at all locations where employees are given information from BNSF;
and
8. BNSF must post a notice to employees signed by Matt Rose,
President of BNSF informing employees of their rights and that
BNSF will not use the “point system” again against employees who
report personal injuries.
“This is the most significant Whistleblower Decision in the History of the
Law” stated Jungbauer. “BNSF was directly scolded by Chairman
Oberstar of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in
2007 about the harassment effects of the “points system” . Perhaps
BNSF will now comply with the Federal Law rather than pay damages
and punitive damages to injured employees across the country. BNSF
needs to know that this is only the first of many cases that are already
filed or about to be filed across the country in which the “Point System”
and other programs and policies that harass or intimidate injured workers
will be at issue.”

And this is a wonderful article on labor forwarded to me by my friend Bill Barry:
 8 Union Victories Progressives Should Be Watching -- and Learning From ... 
By Eric Loomis

http://www.alternet.org/story/151974/8_union_victories_progressives_should_be_watching--and_learning_from

If Rick Perry isn't scaring you to death yet, read this...

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/8/8/114844/0135




AUGUST 24-28 IN MADISON, WI

http://democracyconvention.org/
Join me at the Democracy Convention in Madison.  A glance at this webpage should convince you to clear your calendar!


FAMILY NEWS/BIRTHDAYS

Dan, Monique and Sebastian off to Zimbabwe!
My son and his family started their Zimbabwe adventure yesterday.  They apparently don't have email or phone service yet.  It's small consolation to be able to keep the remote control and phone on the coffee table when it means that there's no Sebastian show starting here at 8AM daily...  Our months together here were so precious.

The family at Kennywood Park

Monique and Sebastian getting ready to cut into his 1st birthday cake!

I don't know how I'll make it until December, when I hope to see them again in Harare, Zimbabwe - I miss them all so much already.



Amy Berlin turns 30!

My beautiful Amy turns 30 on September 1st.  She's having a big birthday bash at the Kerrville Wine and Music Festival.   I'm twice as old as my daughter this year!


Big family wedding coming up!
Cousin Christina Mumphrey to marry Michael Schafer November 19th in New Orleans... Should be a wonderful celebration!

Radiation - 13 down, 2 to go..                                                                              

The mask goes on...

The laser lines up the spot

Bald again!

Cousins cruise -  I've got 8 cousins on the inland passage cruise to Alaska from August 25th- September 2nd... I'm pea-green with envy!  What a great trip that will be.  Still haven't seen Alaska or Hawaii...

September Birthdays....

Christina Mumphrey, Sep 3rd - Mary Grefenstette, Sep 11th - Kris Deelane, Sep 12th, Danny Donnelly and Faith Petric (96!), Sep 13th - Tod Faller, Sep 14th - Mardy Weber McCahill, Sep 21st - Kay McCahill Mumphrey, Sep 25th - Charlie Warren, Sep 27th


Thanks for reading another episode of the Fellow Travelers' Advisory ...  Your letters, emails, cards and support mean more to me than I'll ever be able to adequately express.  This mandatory slowdown has given me an opportunity to spend more time with my family and friends - a great gift at this time in my life...  Thank you for making it possible for me with your generosity and kindness.  Hoping to see some of you in DC on Labor Day, and all of you someday soon...

July/August 2011 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SEVEN, #4

Hi Folks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dan nuzzles Sebastian

College pal Shirley Myers decorates her daughter Hannah's 18th birthday cake

My son Daniel Berlin, my husband, Julie Leonardsson, and the fabulous Susan Lewis

Me with Julie!

Adam Moss arrives fiddle-in-hand -- ready to play!

My nephew Casey goes for the big one from the dock!

Janet Stecher enjoying the natural beauty

Weldon cousins enjoying a day with us....

My sister Kate got in the vacation spirit immediately!

Kimberly is about to give Whitey Bulger a swimming lesson!

Where did my grandson get these gorgeous blue eyes?

Saoirse, Erin and Evan

Hannah's 18th birthday!

Nice undies, Leila!

Chatting on the porch!

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain!

Sweethearts Amy Berlin and Mike Meadows

Leila Rovics broke hearts all week!

Music in the big room nightly....

14 July 2011
Portland, OR
Woody Guthrie's Hundredth Birthday/Bastille Day...


Well, it looks like I'm doing a summer 2011 issue of the Fellow Travelers' Advisory... It's too late to call this the July issue... and by the end of the month I'll be driving across the northern tier of the US back to Pittsburgh to start a new round of radiation treatments.  They've found another brain tumor and suspect that there are many more getting ready to hatch.  I asked them what would happen if I skipped this round of radiation and they said I'd probably be dead in two months.  It's hard to believe that when I look and feel so good.  But they say I've been overly fearful of the side effects of this treatment, and that if I get this radiation that I will feel good and last a good while longer... They are still talking about a cure, and haven't used the words "palliative" or "hospice" yet, so I'm happy for now.  I will lose my hair again (dammit!) ... I've been coming up with more reasons that it's good to be bald...

1.  That's not *my* hair in the salad!
2.  Less hair in the hot tub filter
3.  No "bed-head"
4.  Lighter pack - no comb, brush, hair care products...
5.  Hats fit better, stay on...
6.  More places to kiss..

Feel free to send me your top ten reasons that it's good to be bald...

The rainbow photo at the top of this was taken outside of Costco where we stocked up before heading up to my big birthday party celebration..

The view from the deck at our cottage....

What a serene and beautiful spot... and just off to the right was a babbling waterfall that fed into the lake!

My niece Kimberly enjoying a rare few days off from her hi-tech job at Bloomberg in New Jersey

Saoirse gives some mandolin tips to Sebastian....

My dear dear old friends Bill Deegan and Rosanna Lane preparing to fish off our dock...

Saoirse loved the baby pool!

David Rovics joined us all week providing great music and documenting it, too!

Jan Boyd and her husband Bill Erickson enjoying the music!

Amy and her dad, Ron Berlin, stalking the wily bass!

Now I'm on the west coast until the end of the month.  I was thrilled to see my friends Harry and Holly at the Oregon Country Fair...

Harry and Holly Stamper - Oregon Country Fair 2011

Brian QTN, me, Amy and Mike

After Fair we went to Pyx - my favorite Portland dessert spot!

I set off from Pittsburgh on the 4th of July with my pal Jimmy Kelly (on the right) and we spent our first night on the road in St Louis with Doug and Sandy Riggs and their wonderful family.  Doug's had an interesting adventure lately... He and Sandy discovered two honey bee nests inside the walls of their homes.  If you want a glimpse of what 20,000 bees in your walls might look like http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/263576/3/20000-bees-invade-Kirkwood-home

Just before I left I was treated to a lovely birthday season kick-off dinner hosted by my friends Irene and Bob McTiernan.  They gifted me with these lovely wind chimes, which adorn my deck now.

July/August Birthdays & Family News...

Birthday Girl, Monique Murad - July 23rd

Belated happy birthdays to Suzanne Beers (July 3), Michael Grefenstette (July 8), Kristen Grefenstette (July 9), Judy Lane McCahill (July 10th..   Happy happy birthday to the Duncan triplets (July 16th) and Erin Grefenstette Henninger (July 18th) and Emily DeFerrari (July 18th), Hilary Chiz (July 23rd), Jim McCahill AND Karen McCahill (July 25)  - I know Joanne Metcalfe is in there somewhere... just not sure of the date ... Susan Lewis (July 27th) and Marlo Mary Henninger (July 30th).  Then in August - Happy Birthday to Jeanne Clark (August 4), Steffi Domike (August 4), Cathy Weldon (August 7), Judy Wolfson (August 10), Janet Stecher (August 12), Gun Magnusson Forsberg (August 16th), Windy Cooler (August 28th), and Jonas Engstrom (August 31st).

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Curt DeBor, who died suddenly and too young at the end of May.  He was a very talented actor in Pittsburgh, and a friend for almost 50 years.  Also, my pal Laurie Postans from Victoria, BC passed quietly in his sleep on Sunday, July 10th.  He and his wife, Nell, joined me on the first tour of Ireland that I led.in 2009.  He was a very charming man, and he'll be missed by all who knew him.


Dan and Monique and Sebastian leave for Zimbabwe on August 9th from New York.  They'll be with me a couple days in Pittsburgh before they go.  I've sure gotten used to our near-daily visits.  We're already starting to plan a "Christmas in Zimbabwe" adventure.

My sister Kathleen has sold her house in New Jersey and she'll be hanging with me for a while in Pittsburgh.  I'm so happy and excited.  This also means I get Whitey Bulger the wonderdog in residence too!

Breaking medical news will appear at http://caringbridge.org/visit/annefeeney
You can buy my CDs and download full albums or single songs at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid

See you in September!