LaborTech 2010

Using Labor Media Technology Tools To Help Win Our Struggles

This three day conference is designed to teach locals and labor activists about media methods and options.

SATURDAY, December 11
9:00 - 9:30 AM
Registration - (McLaren 252) (Morning refreshments - Coffee, tea with bagels, sweets)

9:30 AM
Opening & Welcoming - (McLaren 252)
By:Committee Members &
Dorothy Kidd - USF Departmet of Media Studies

9:40 - 10:50 AM
Plenum
Social Media, Blogging, Communication Tools And Labor - (McLaren 252)
Hundreds of millions of people in the US and throughout the world are using social media and the Internet to organize and communicate. We will look how new communication networks are being organized and how labor is using these tools to get their stories out and build solidarity.

Steve Dondley - Prometheus Labor Communications
Alice Sunshine - California Faculty Association, Communications Director invited

Pedro Joel Espinosa - Mobile Voices Project MIDEPSCA
John Dalessandro - Writers Guild of America, West, Writer and Organizer on 2007-2008 strike
Charles Lenchner - Organizing 2.0

11:00 - 12:30 PM
Workshop I
(1) Using Media In The Battle Against Korea-US “Free Trade” Agreement (Room- )

The effort to defeat to educate labor and public against these “Free Trade” agreements has had some success with the recent failure of the effort to get a Korea-US Free Trade Agreement. This workshop will look at how media was used to fight this agreement.

Wes Brain - Brain Labor Report/Chair, Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice
Jim Lockhart - Campaign Against Korea FTA

(2) Using Cell Phones For Communication and Organizing (Room- )

Cell phones are becoming the main tool for communication for the mass of working people. These phones are now computers that take video and can be tools for broadcasting. This workshop will look at how we can use them in our struggle.

Pedro Joel Espinosa - Cell Phone Organizing/Mobile Voices-Voces Moviles
Nick Yale - member of Association of California State Supervisors (ACSS)
California State Employee Association.

(3) Building Interactive Websites (Room- )

Having a website is a basic requirement to organize our information and make having a portal that is both user friendly and interactive to build our networks will be focused on at this panel.

Steve Dondley - Prometheus Labor Communications
Miguel A. Cavallin - Retired CWA9412/Web Master/Media Site Developer

(4) Protecting Libraries, Privacy and Information Technology (Room- )

The protection of libraries against the privatization of information and the use of information technology for and against labor will be looked at in this panel.

James Jacobs - Stanford Library/International Documents/Radical Reference
Doug Ohmans - LaborNet Webmaster, Former OCAW Librarian

12:40 - 2:15 PM
Lunch Plenum (McLaren 252)

Defending The Internet, Democracy and Communication Tools
The power of the Internet is with us every minute of the day. The effort to protect democratic rights including the fight against monopolization for profit of the internet is a vital issue and this panel will look at the relationship of democracy to the new communication tools and networks.

Todd Davies - Lecturer Stanford
Dorothy Kidd - Professor USF Media Department
Chris Witteman - Media Lawyer, Public Media
Bruce Wolf - http://www.freemuni.org
2:30 - 4:00 PM

Workshops II
(1) Lessons And Practices Using Labor Video/Radio (Room- )

How is radio and video being used to expand labor media and information. This workshop will examine the work of laborradio.org, community access TV shows and community radio in getting our stories out. It will also discuss how to use flip phones.

Frank Emspak - Workers Independent News WIN
Stewart M. Ransom - ATU International
Sabrina Jacobs - KPFA
Ken Hamidi - Shout TV

(2) Streaming your rallies, conferences and TV shows (Room- )

Streaming your rallies, conferences and TV shows for the first time in history it is possible to stream our rallies, educational meetings and other events live and/or taped on the Internet. This will be a workshop on how to do this and work to build many labor channels.

John Parulis - Streaming video specialist, LaborTech Webmaster, Brightpathvideo.com
Toya Isabella Fernandez - Linefeed

(3) Culture, Media, Technology And Labor (Room- )

Art and labor are a must from rap to animation and even games on the Internet we will look at how artists can use the internet to get the word out.
It will also look at the ReelWorks international labor film festival as well as the Turkish labor film festival.

Colette Washington - CNA Communications
Funda Basaran - LaborFest Turkey, University Of Ankara
Jim Kelly - San Jose City College Labor Studies Coordinator/ReelWorks
Mike Daly - Ironworkers Local 377

(4) Free Open Ware Software and Content Management Systems (Room- )

What is open software and why should labor use this in their content management systems. This workshop will also look at droople and other platforms.

Steve Dondley - Prometheus Labor Productions

5:00 - 6:30 PM
Dinner (Student cafeteria is open until 7:30 PM)
7:00 - 9:30 PM
Music & Cultural Event ($10 for non-LaborTech registrants) (McLaren 252)

Music by: Colette Washington - CNA/NOC Communications Director
& Jack Chernos - AFM 6

Key Note Speaker:
Kevin Bracken - the Secretary Of the Maritime Union Of Australia MUA Victoria Branch and President of the Victoria Trades Council Hall which represents 400, 000 workers (speaking in personal capacity)

Toya Isabella Fernandez - Brazil and Media