Don Giljum
Don Giljum is a retired business manager of the Operating Engineers' International Union Local 148, a position he held for 27 years. He has also served on the executive boards of the Greater St. Louis Central Labor Council and the Missouri AFL-CIO.
About
- Don Giljum currently serves as treasurer of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer and teaches classes on labor studies and labor relations at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he and Judy Ancel – a University of Missouri-Kansas City professor – defeated a vicious attack on academic freedom and labor studies by right-wing propagandist Andrew Breitbart. Don Giljum also teaches at Southwestern Illinois College.[1]
Labor Campaign for Single Payer
Don Giljum was on Labor Campaign for Single Payer's Steering Committee as of May 14, 2023.[2]
Communist Party event
According to the Communist Party USA journal Political Affairs Margarida Jorge was keynote speaker at a People's Weekly World function in St Louis in April 2009.
Honorees included Lara Granich, Don Giljum and Maida Coleman.
- 17th Annual Hershel Walker ‘Peace & Justice’ Awards Breakfast Missouri/Kansas Friends of People’s Weekly World St Louis, MO April 25, Sat., 9:30 a.m.
- Keynote speaker: Margarida Jorge, Nat’l Field Dir HCAN (Health Care for America Now!). Awardees: Lara Granich, Exec Dir Missouri Jobs with Justice, Don Giljum, Bus Mgr Operating Engineers Local 148, VP of St. Louis Central Labor Council, Maida Coleman, former 5th Dist Sen & current candidate for mayor.
Contact for the event was Tony Pecinovsky of the Communist Party USA[3].
Labor Campaign for Single Payer
In 2009 Don Giljum, served on the Steering Committee of Labor Campaign for Single Payer.
Communist Party Herschel Walker award event
The Missouri Communist Party USA's Friends of the People’s World hosted their 18th annual ‘Hershel Walker Peace and Justice Awards Breakfast’ Saturday, May 8, 2010, at the CWA Local 6300 Union Hall, 2258 Grissom Drive (in the Westport area), St. Louis.
Newspaper Guild International President Bernie Lunzer was the main speaker for the event.
The honorees were:
- Tony Harris, President American Postal Workers Union (labor)
- Martin Rafanan, Ex. Director Gateway Homeless Services (community)
- State Senator Rita Heard Days, D-14 (public service)
- Clem Smith, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (civil rights)
The awards honor the memory of late Communist Party USA member Hershel Walker, a Missouri labor and civil rights activist, who died in 1990 at the age of 81. Walker’s life – which spanned 60 years of activism – ended tragically when hit by a car on his way to deliver petitions to save 4,000 jobs at the Chrysler Plant.[4]
Known attendees included Communist Party USA affiliates, Tony Pecinovsky, Jim Wilkerson, Zenobia Thompson, Lew Moye, Glenn Burleigh, Julie Terbrock, John Bowman, Joe Thomas, Jeanette Mott Oxford, Democratic Socialists of America member Joan Suarez, plus Mahrya Monson, Don Giljum, Jessica Pace, Jason Kennedy, Jennifer Rafanan, Solveig Paulson, Dr. Greg Miday, Roosevelt Stewart, Michael Vossler, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, Richard Von Glahn, Shannon Duffy and State Rep. James Morris. [5]
Communist Party speaker
Speak Progress is the speakers bureau of the Communist Party USA. Listed speakers, as of October 2014, included Don Giljum[6]
- Don Giljum is a retired business manager of the Operating Engineers’ International Union Local 148, a position he held for 27 years. He has also served on the executive boards of the Greater St. Louis Central Labor Council and the Missouri AFL-CIO.
- Giljum currently serves on the steering committee of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer and teaches classes on labor studies and labor relations at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he and Judy Ancel – a University of Missouri-Kansas City professor – defeated a vicious attack on academic freedom and labor studies by right-wing propagandist Andrew Breitbart. Giljum also teaches at Southwestern Illinois College.
- Giljum is also Organizing and Collective Bargaining co-chair for the St. Louis Jobs with Justice Workers’ Rights Board, serves on the executive board of the Missouri / Kansas Communist Party and is the treasurer of the St. Louis Workers’ Education Society.
St. Louis Workers’ Education Society
The St. Louis Workers’ Education Society (StLWES) opened its doors at 2929 S. Jefferson March 27. 2015, and welcomed organizers, rabble-rousers, activists and community organizations to its first annual open house fundraiser.
Secretary-Treasurer, was Don Giljum.[7]
Missouri comrades
Hannah Allison August 27 2018:
With Don Giljum, Cathy Sherwin, Megan Ellyia Green, Cori Bush Tony Pecinovsky and Maria Svart.
Mentoring Pecinovsky
Tony Pecinovsky with mentors Don Giljum and Gerald Horne.
References
- ↑ Workers Education Society, Officers
- ↑ Advisory Board and Steering Committee (accessed May 14 2023)
- ↑ http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/8247/1/361
- ↑ [ http://www.stlouisguild.org/headlines/?p=880St. Louis Newspaper Guild, Guild I.P. Bernie Lunzer to speak Saturday morning at CWA Local 6300, May 5th, 2010]
- ↑ [Martin Rafanan Flickr photostream, accessed Jan. 8, 2010]
- ↑ Speak Progress, Speakers page
- ↑ Tribune, Workers’ Education Society hosts open house for organizers, activists April 20, 2015 by admin in Labor News From Our Region by Riley Winters