Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Labor

By Katherine Draken

Denver Starbucks workers on the picket line.

Denver, CO – On February 21, Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) organized a Strike Day of Action at the unionized Starbucks store on 16th Street in Denver, Colorado, to rally workers and supporters to demand the company stop stonewalling contract negotiations and bargain a decent contract with their unionized workers.

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By Andrew Josefchak

Minneapolis march against ICE.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 1000 union members, immigrant rights activists and supporters marched through Minneapolis’ Whittier neighborhood on Monday, February 16, to demand an end to ICE’s occupation of the city and for the defense of immigrant rights.

Marchers held dozens of banners with slogans like “ICE our now,” “Legalization for all,” and “Killer ICE off our streets.” The march began at Stewart Park, crossed a highway where the supportive honks of passing traffic temporarily drowned out the marchers’ chants, and ended at the intersection of Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street, where Alex Pretti was murdered.

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By staff

Teachers protest at United Federation of Teachers headquarters demanding more action to defend immigrants.

New York City, NY – On Wednesday February 11, in the frigid cold of Manhattan’s financial district, rank-and-file unionists held a speakout in front of United Federation of Teachers headquarters, while the union’s monthly delegate assembly was being held. The action sought to put pressure on union leadership to do more to support immigrant students, families and staff from ICE attacks.

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By Labor Commission, FRSO

In the Twin Cities, Trump’s drive for mass deportations hit a brick wall. The FRSO Labor Commission salutes the brave immigrant movement. The protests say it clear: “ICE out now!”

The thorns in Trump’s side are many. On January 23, 100,000 Minnesotans took to the streets in the 20-below winter. The state AFL-CIO joined the day of action. Union locals from the SEIU, UNITE HERE, ATU, and MFE showed out in a big way. About 900 businesses closed up shop. Most of these were small, neighborhood stores in solidarity. Many progressives called out of work to protest.

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By Chris Gibson

Participants in the “From The Classroom to The Shop Floor,” event at UCF.

Tampa, FL – UCF’s Students for a Democratic Society is taking steps to deepen its ties to organized labor and the working class by holding an event they dubbed “From The Classroom to The Shop Floor,” February 5, inviting representatives from local labor unions to explain their experiences organizing and labor solidarity to the students.

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By Megan Sweet

Striking Santa Clara, California nurses take on Kaiser Permanente.

Santa Clara, CA – On February 10, 80 nurses and healthcare professionals gathered in front of the Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center to demand Kaiser Permanente meet them in good-faith at the bargaining table.

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By Chase Heinen

Denver museum workers rally for first contact.

Denver, CO — On Tuesday, February 10, over 50 Denver community members showed their public support for the Denver Art Museum Workers United (DAMWU) as they prepare for another round of negotiations with the company later this month. Contract negotiations have continued for the past year and a half since the initial vote for union recognition.

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Por OSCL de Dallas

Greg Abbott es un enemigo de toda la vida de la clase trabajadora. Su administración ha supervisado brutales ataques contra inmigrantes, la criminalización de la protesta, ataques a la educación pública y el debilitamiento sistemático de las protecciones laborales en Texas.

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By staff

University of Utah campus and healthcare workers launch campaign

Salt Lake City, UT — On Saturday, February 7, over 100 campus and hospital workers at the University of Utah rallied to launch their “U for Who?” campaign. Workers are fighting to win parking stipends for all employees, safer staffing ratios for teachers and healthcare workers with compensation, respect for the university’s own meet-and-confer policy, and a sanctuary campus from immigration enforcement.

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By staff

Twin Cities labor rallies against ICE.

Brooklyn Park, MN – On a chilly morning, February 7, around 200 union members, union staff and community members assembled in a parking lot in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis which is home to many immigrant families and union members.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Dallas, TX District

Greg Abbott is a lifelong enemy of the working class. His administration has overseen brutal attacks on immigrants, the criminalization of protest, assaults on public education and the systematic weakening of labor protections in Texas.

As early as 2017 Governor Greg Abbott announced a call for legislation that prohibited both state and local governments from deducting union dues from public employees’ paychecks.

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By staff

 Movement of Rank and File Educators general assembly.

New York, NY – On February 4, the Movement of Rank and File Educators held their general assembly this month in Manhattan. Over 50 teachers came together to discuss how to organize around Black Lives Matter in their schools during the upcoming week of action.

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By Shane Hogan

Chicago press conference demanding divestment from apartheid Israel.

Chicago, IL – On Thursday, January 22, organizers in Anti-War Committee (AWC), Chicago, United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), and BDS Chicago braved the cold to host a press conference demanding that Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs divest state funds from Israel Bonds. They were joined by rank-and-file members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 to announce that they are filing their third ethics complaint against Frerichs for his investments.

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By Ryan Hamann

Milwaukee, WI – On the afternoon of January 31, more than a dozen activists gathered together at the call of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, and in response to a National Day of Action, to protest the inaction of Target around ICE. The protesters marched together into the store located in West Milwaukee singing “Which side are you on, Target, which side are you on?” before gathering near the entrance to read a letter addressed to Target’s CEO.

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By Kobi Guillory

Chicago Teachers Union "State of the Union" event.

Chicago, IL – Leaders and rank-and-file members of the Chicago Teachers Union were joined by community supporters on Tuesday January 27, as they celebrated recent and historical victories won by CTU and the movement to defend public education. They also recognized the need to build ongoing struggles against ICE, racist policing and for fully funded public services.

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By staff

Trade unionists in Seminole, Florida demand justice for Alex Pretti.

Seminole, FL – On the morning of January 29, around 20 union members and community supporters rallied outside of Representative Anna Paulina Luna’s office in Seminole, Florida. The Florida AFL-CIO organized the event to demand justice and accountability for Alex Pretti, a Veterans Administration nurse and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union member who was murdered by Border Patrol in Minneapolis.

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By staff

Nurses pose outside Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy's office.

New Orleans, LA – On January 26, nurses and community members gathered in freezing temperatures outside of Senator Bill Cassidy’s office. They demanded that he vote against increasing funding for ICE in a spending bill that is up for consideration in the Senate.

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By staff

NYC teachers march against ICE and in solidarity with Minneapolis.

New York, NY – The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) led a Midtown Manhattan rally and march of thousands through the bitter cold in solidarity with the people of Minneapolis, January 23. Many major local labor unions endorsed and attended the action, as well as many other progressive organizations.

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By Gemini Gnull

Tacoma, Washington march for immigrants and workers rights. 

Tacoma, WA – Over 1000 people gathered in Tacoma’s Firefighters Park, January 24, to protest the racist Trump administration. Protesters waved signs reading, “Fight for workers and immigrants’ rights” and “ICE out of Tacoma” while chants of “One struggle, one fight: immigrant justice, worker’s rights!” filled the air.

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By staff

Chicago trade unions and other progressive forces stand in solidarity with Minneapolis.

Chicago, IL – on Friday morning, January 23, nearly 100 people packed into Casa Michoacan for a press conference and rally. In solidarity with the broad coalition shutting down the Twin Cities that same day, speakers demanded the conviction of Jonathan Ross for murdering Renee Good, ICE out of Minnesota, and no more federal funding for ICE.

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