Peace and Freedom Party

The differences between jail and prison and between probation and parole are the key factors in a December, 2006, California appeals court ruling that restores the voting rights of as many as 100,000 people in county jails on probation.

Prison is an institution run by the Department of Corrections, while jail is run by the county sheriff. Likewise, parole is a state-imposed order, with parolees under the supervision of the Department of Corrections; probation is a county-imposed order, with probationers under the supervision of the Superior Court.

The appeals court has ruled that any person who is not either in a state prison or on parole following a state prison commitment has the right to vote. A person serving time in a county jail as a condition of probation is once again eligible to vote.

• We demand a socially useful job at union pay levels or a guaranteed dignified income for everyone.
• We support the establishment of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to alleviate poverty and homelessness.
• We call for a 30-hour work week for 40 hours' pay and abolition of forced overtime.
• We demand a legally mandated annual paid vacation of at least 4 weeks.
• We demand expansion and enforcement of job health and safety laws. We call for the restoration of all labor rights previously won by women and their extension to men as well.
• We demand paid parental leaves and time off work for childcare.
• No prison labor for private profit. Living wage and full union rights for any prison labor.
• Defend workers' rights to organize, form union caucuses, strike, and boycott.
• No replacement of striking workers.
• Federally-funded public works programs to rebuild the nation's infrastructure and restore the environment.
• International solidarity of workers against international capitalist schemes such as NAFTA and WTO in defense of jobs, wages, working conditions and environmental laws.
• International trade agreements must guarantee the protection of workers and democratic rights in all participating countries.
• A rank and file socialist-oriented labor movement to mobilize working-class people to assume ownership and control of the economy.

• Integrated, democratically-run schools with up-to-date plant and equipment and smaller classes.
• Teach the history of workers' struggles and labor's creation of society's wealth and progress.
• Multi-lingual and multi-cultural education at all levels.
• A federal law requiring and funding equal average per-pupil expenditures by every public school district, with extra funds for students with special needs such as disability or economic deprivation.
• Tuition-free higher education available to all.
• Restore cutbacks in public education and public library services.
• No school voucher schemes.