Lincoln, RI – Nearly 400 food and beverage workers at Rhode Island’s Twin River Casino announced Wednesday afternoon, June 7, that they have voted to authorize a strike. The vote followed a rally in the Rhode Island state house last week, where Twin River workers announced their readiness to strike. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 26. The union’s bargaining committee announced that the results of the vote were 327 voting to authorize a strike to just 5 ballots cast in opposition.
Houston, TX – Assembling at the Guadalupe Plaza, angry family members and supporters marched through downtown Houston, June 7, demanding justice for John Hernandez.
Miami, FL – On June 25, at 5 p.m., protesters will take to the streets of Doral, Florida in front of U.S. Southern Command to demand that Trump shut down the torture prison at Guantanamo Bay once and for all. The march coincides with the International Day in Solidarity with Victims of Torture and will mark the 15th year since the first detainees were sent to the U.S. prison facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Since then, 779 men have been sent to Guantanamo Bay without trial and have been jailed without ever having been officially charged with any crime.
“The UPS operations manager held a meeting and asked who wanted to pray. After we raised our hands, he said that he would replace all of us”
Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today announced the filing of a lawsuit in state court, June 1, against UPS Mail Innovations and Doherty Staffing Solutions for firing multiple Muslim employees who wanted to pray during their break times, after previously having allowed them to pray.
Jacksonville, FL – Around 30 members of the Northside Coalition and the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) rallied in downtown Jacksonville, June 1, for community control of the police. Northside Coalition leader Ben Frazier spoke on why we need more police accountability in the city of Jacksonville.
Minneapolis, MN – About 100 people gathered at the Minneapolis federal building, June 1, to demand “Trump out now.” Organized by the Resist from Day One Coalition, speakers from the environmental, labor, student and immigrant rights movements blasted Trump’s policies.
Providence, RI – Over 100 Twin River Casino workers gathered inside the Rhode Island state house on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 30. The workers, who are members of UNITE HERE Local 26, gathered there to announce that they are prepared to strike if necessary to win a fair contract. The union represents nearly 400 food and beverage workers at the Lincoln, Rhode Island casino.
Minneapolis, MN – Organized by the Resist from Day One Coalition, a Trump Out Now protest has been set for 4:30 p.m., June1, at the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis (4th Street and 4th Avenue).
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, on behalf of its imprisoned General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat and all of its prisoners in the occupation prisons and its cadres and members in Palestine and exile, saluted Oscar Lopez Rivera on his liberation after nearly 36 years in Israeli prisons.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, on behalf of its imprisoned General Secretary Ahmad Sa’adat and all of its prisoners in the occupation prisons and its cadres and members in Palestine and exile, saluted Oscar Lopez Rivera on his liberation after nearly 36 years in Israeli prisons.
Chicago, IL – Union educators at Passages Charter School signed off on a tentative agreement Wednesday night, May 24, for their first contract since unionizing a year ago, narrowly averting what would have been the first strike of a charter operator in U.S. history.
Saint Paul, MN – More than 70 immigrant rights activists and concerned community members packed the May 24 Metropolitan Council meeting at a protest called by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). The Met Council oversees Metro Transit buses and trains as well as the Transit Police. The protesters held signs that read “Fire the cop,” “No more deportations” and “Metro Transit: Don't be Trump's anti-immigrant shock troops.”
St Paul, MN – Hundreds of trade unionists, supporters of immigrant rights, and other progressives have been filling the halls of the Minnesota State Capitol building today, May 24, after a Republican move that placed a host of anti-worker and anti-immigrant measures in finance bills. At one point more than 100 protesters assembled outside the office of Governor Dayton chanting “Veto everything.”
St. Paul, MN – On the evening of May 23, dozens of members of Minnesota immigrant rights groups occupied Governor Mark Dayton’s office in the State Capitol indefinitely to demand that he veto SF 470 – the Public Safety Budget Bill – which was passed by the Republican House and Senate the previous day. The protesters are planning to stay all night or as long as it takes to get the governor to veto the bill.
Chicago, IL – Union educators at Passages Charter School announced that they will formally strike – and hit the picket lines, on May 25, if they are unable to reach a decent contract agreement with charter management by midnight, May 24. Teachers voted unanimously to strike on May 4, but held off from setting a date in the hopes that management would move from a hardline stance that includes rock-bottom wages, elimination of maternity and paternity leave, opposition to greater financial transparency, and insufficient resources to support classrooms.
Washington, DC – The International Human Rights Defense Committee (CIPDH), a European organization of human rights lawyers and advocates, has criticized the FBI for the arrest of a Russian man, Stanislav Lisov. He has been held by Spanish police after he was arrested in January at the request of the FBI.
St. Paul, MN – Hundreds of teachers, along with supporters assembled in the State Capitol building rotunda, May 20, for a “Invest in Success Rally for Public Education.” Republicans control the state legislature, and have passed spending bills that fail to adequately fund public education. Governor Mark Dayton vetoed these bills, and observers say it is likely that education finance bills will have to wait for a special secession of the legislature.
Chicago, IL – AT&T workers in Chicago walked off the job and hit the picket lines today, May 19. Not minding the rain and recent cooler weather, many workers chanted, “No contract, no phone!” and “No raises, no peace.” The strike which involves AT&T workers across the U.S., is set to last for three days.
Washington, DC – The U.S. carried out air strikes against Syrian forces, May 18. According to coverage by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the U.S. “attacked one of the Syrian army’s military points on al-Tanf road in the Syrian Badia.”