Folks,
Greetings from the ‘Burgh, where temperatures have dropped dramatically in the last 24 hours from 70 to 32 degrees.
Brazil Faces Retaliation as Lula Pushes Ukraine Peace Deal
Yesterday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin was receptive to having Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
Lula has a long history of brokering peace deals, successfully negotiating a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. in the early 2000s. Now, he is attempting to form a coalition of nations — that are not aligned with either foreign policies of NATO or Russia— to negotiate a peace deal.
Nations expected to be included in the coalition of peace brokers include Indonesia, Argentina, China, and India. Many Latin American countries are expected to be included in this coalition of peace brokers.
“It is urgent that a group of countries, not involved in the conflict, assume the responsibility of advancing negotiations to restore peace,” Lula tweeted.
However, Brazil is facing retaliation for trying to broker a peace deal. Yesterday, Germany announced that it was blocking a shipment of Brazilian-manufactured armored personnel carriers to the Philippines. Previously, Lula had helped to lead a group of left-leaning countries in Colombia, Argentina, and Chile to refuse NATO pleas to send arms to Ukraine.
For more on how Latin American countries are refusing to send arms to Ukraine in an attempt to broker peace, check out the Financial Times.
Donate to Help Continue to Cover Lula’s Push for Peace
Following the success and widespread acclaim both in the U.S. and Brazil of Payday’s more than 20 on-the-ground dispatches of the Brazilian presidential election (we even got invited to the White House to cover Lula’s first state visit), Payday is continuing to cover President Lula for Americans interested in what’s happening in Brazil.
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500 Hawaiian Healthcare Workers Strike
In Hawai’i, over 500 hospital workers, primarily housekeepers, food service workers, and some housekeeping workers, members of the United Public Workers, are on strike at three Maui County hospitals.
Workers say that pay structures at the hospital are unequal.
“We have people working 15, 20 years making less than the person coming in as the same position, as a new hire. So, a lot of folks who have been loyal to this hospital for years aren’t being appreciated,” UPW State Director Kalani Werner told Hawaii News Now.
Hollywood Studios Plan for a Strike
Finally, it increasingly appears that Hollywood movie studios and the writers union are headed toward a strike. From LA Times:
John August, a Writers Guild of America bargaining committee writer, told listeners of his “Scriptnotes” podcast this month that studios and networks are already preparing for what might happen — even though the WGA hasn’t decided on proposals for the talks.
“You see them opening writers rooms early; they are trying to get scripts in by May 1,” August said.
Some entertainment attorneys concur, saying studios are looking at scripts that were due after May 1 and trying to see if they can adjust those deadlines.
“Producers are bumping up those schedules with the writers, making sure as much is done as possible,” said Amy Stein Simonds, a partner in Pryor Cashman’s Media and Entertainment Group.
For more, check out the LA Times.
Strikes & News Happening Elsewhere
- In Argentina, bank workers have gone on a 24-hour strike
- Chicago union threatens Lightfoot with a strike just days before the mayoral election
- FedEx Pilot Leaders Approve Strike Authorization Vote
- Rutgers could face first faculty strike in its history — key union vote Tuesday
- YouTube Music Workers Strike in Austin Over ‘Anti-Union’ Return-to-Office Mandate
- University at Buffalo resident doctors and fellows launch union campaign
- Finally, SAG-AFTRA Mourns Orlando TV Reporter Dylan Lyons, Who Was Killed While Covering a Shooting
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Love & Solidarity,
Melk
