Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds of workers, members of SEIU Local 26, rallied Feb. 17, as janitors walked off the job in a 24-hour unfair labor practices strike. The janitors clean the skyscrapers in downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul and office buildings throughout the suburbs. The strike comes after months of negotiations in which management companies have refused to budge on key issues for the union. The company wage offer is only 20 additional cents an hour and management is only offering to create part-time jobs. The union is pushing for a $15 minimum for all janitors and full-time work with livable wages.
Saint Paul, MN – Teachers and staff from the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers organized ‘walk-in’ events at more than 50 public schools in the early morning before school started on Feb. 17. Each walk-in included an informational picket and short rally. Teachers wearing red, the union’s color, were joined by supportive students and parents in a show of collective strength by walking into school together for the day.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 activists in the people’s struggle came together here, Feb. 12, for a Fight Back! fundraising event that netted over $1400. Local trade union, immigrant rights, anti-police crimes, student and anti-war leaders gave toasts praising the newspaper.
Boyle Heights, CA – A great show of unity and solidarity against police abuse took place in Boyle Heights, Feb. 12, with a spirited protest of over 50 people. The Mendez family, friends, neighbors, supporters, activists and Centro CSO members protested at LAPD Hollenbeck police station over the Feb. 6 killing of Jose Mendez, a Boyle Heights teen. Protesters demanded justice for Jose Mendez and an end to police killings of our Chicano youth.
Saint Paul, MN – 40 protesters demanded an end to deportations and an end to Wall Street’s wars outside a big-money Democratic Party fundraiser that featured presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, Feb. 12.
Arlington, TX – The Progressive Student Union at the University of Texas, Arlington (UTA) held a Dump Trump Piñata Bash, Feb. 9, to protest the presidential candidate's racism and xenophobia. Around 30 students gathered around a piñata made to look like Donald Trump. Some took pictures and others took videos, while still others took turns striking the piñata. Candy flew on the grass with each swing.
Los Angeles, CA – On Feb. 6, a 16-year-old Chicano teen, Jose Mendez, was shot and killed by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) by cops from Hollenbeck Division in the Boyle Heights community, located in the East Los Angeles area.
Jacksonville, FL – Members of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition and other community organizations are mobilizing for protests against Florida State Attorney Angela Corey later in February. Corey is responsible for incarcerating more Black youth than any other state attorney in Florida and for failing to serve justice in several high-profile cases. Corey's record includes failing to convict George Zimmerman in the murder of Trayvon Martin, and locking up Marissa Alexander for defending herself against her violent estranged husband. In 2015, Corey also failed to deliver justice in the case of D'angelo Stallworth, a UPS employee murdered by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO).
Minneapolis, MN – Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is organizing events celebrating International Women’s Day in cities across the U.S. The events will take place on or around March 8.
Outcome of the five-year war in Syria is critically important to resistance project
On Sept. 30, 2015, Russian planes began conducting airstrikes against rebel targets in Syria at the request of President Bashar al-Assad. This military intervention signaled a new chapter in the five-year war in Syria, which has pitted the country's national democratic government against foreign-backed rebel groups. Launched for the stated purpose of defeating the growing Islamic State (IS) insurgency, Russia's operations have also targeted U.S.-backed reactionary rebel groups.
Minneapolis, MN – Members of Jamar Clark’s family, community activists and artists will join together for the “Break the Silence! Honoring Jamar Clark Benefit Show,” on Feb. 9, 7:00-10:00 pm, at the Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway Avenue, Minneapolis.
The national democratic Houthi uprising strengthens the camp of resistance in the Middle East
Saudi Arabia's vicious assault on the people of Yemen continues nearly one year after its initiation – and there's no obvious end in sight. In March 2015, a Saudi-led military coalition largely made up of the other reactionary monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) launched a military intervention in Yemen. Called Operation Decisive Storm, this intervention began as a response to the overthrow of Yemen's corrupt government by the popular Houthi insurgency.
Chicago, IL – On Feb. 1, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) rejected an offer from the city. Management claimed their offer was generous to the teachers, but when the 40 teachers and working members of the bargaining committee looked at the language in the offer, they found more attacks on their students.
Minneapolis, MN: Around 30 people gathered here, Jan. 28, at May Day Bookstore to hear from Anti-War Committee activists about the Colombian peace negotiations in Havana, Cuba. Afterwards they discussed whether the Colombian civil war is coming to a close and what the significance of an end to the more than 50 year war would mean for the social movements in Colombia.
Hits FBI with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on Mamasapano Incident
Minneapolis, MN – “Over 60 Filipinos died and witnesses also saw the body of an American at the covert U.S.-designed Mamasapano operation one year ago, yet the U.S. has still not come clean about the extent of its role in the carnage. We are filing this Freedom of Information Act request with the FBI because the Filipino and American people have the right to know the full truth about this botched mission,” stated BAYAN-USA Chair Bernadette Ellorin.
Minneapolis, MN – Around 40 people marched in Minneapolis on Jan. 26 to mark the date 16 months ago when 43 student activists were forcibly disappeared from Ayotzinapa, México. The marchers demanded that the Mexican government account for the still-missing students, echoing the demand of the families of the 43 students in México. The students were last seen when police detained them in Iguala, México in September 2014. The Mexican government still has not provided a credible explanation of what happened to them or where they are.
The following message is a response to a series of questions posed to Hubert Ballesteros by James Jordan of the Alliance for Global Justice. Ballesteros was arrested while negotiating for the National Agrarian Strike of 2013 and charged with Rebellion. He was also serving on the executive committees of Fensuagro, the country's largest federation of farm workers unions and the Unitary Workers Center (CUT), Colombia's largest general labor federation.
Los Angeles, CA – In early 2014 there was hope that undocumented parents would be able to be protected against deportation, when President Obama issued an executive order to create Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Deferred Action for Children Arrivals, also known as DAPA/DACA. In 2014, 26 Republican governors, led by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, filed a lawsuit in federal court that blocked its implementation. The Obama administration filed a speedy appeal challenging the Republican-led lawsuit. The U.S. Supreme Court will hold oral arguments in April and issue a ruling in June 2016. Millions of people will be are anxiously watching this ruling. Centro CSO plans to continue fighting for Deferred Action and legalization for all in the East Side of Los Angeles.
