AFSCME 3800 says ‘Chop from the top’

Minneapolis, MN – On March 12, the University of Minnesota presented the report it commissioned on its management structure to the Senate Higher Education Committee.

Pensacola, FL – Activists and workers in 23 cities across Florida laced up their boots, grabbed their picket signs, and took to the streets on March 5 to protest the state’s now-infamous voter suppression laws.

Minneapolis, MN – Jessica English, a single mother of four who was homelessness, moved into an abandoned Wells Fargo-owned home in south Minneapolis last month. The home had been broken into and used as a drug house. But English, a student, writer, dedicated worker and volunteer with Occupy Homes MN, saw in it the potential of a place to raise her family.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people gathered here March 8, to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event, organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), included a showing of the film “With Babies and Banners: Story of the Women's Emergency Brigade”, about the powerful role of women in the historic 1936-37 Flint Sit-down Strike at General Motors.

Chicago, IL – “Israeli soldiers torture and kill! We say we won’t foot the bill!” This chant rang out in front of the building housing the Israeli Consulate here, March 6. Close to 100 people picketed, shouting their response to the March 2 death of 30-year-old Arafat Jaradat. An autopsy revealed that Jaradat died after being tortured during interrogation by Israeli security, sustaining a total of six broken bones in his spine, arms and legs; his lips lacerated; his face badly bruised.

Tallahassee, FL – On the morning of March 5, over 150 Black and brown Dream Defenders from across the state converged onto the state capitol here to deliver one important message to Florida Legislators and Governor Rick Scott on the first day of legislative session: the start of the “Dream Era.”

Minneapolis, MN – On March 8, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) will hold a celebration of International Women’s Day here. The celebration will include a showing of the film “With Babies and Banners: Story of the Women's Emergency Brigade”, about the powerful role of women in the historic 1936-37 Flint Sit-down Strike at General Motors – a key event in the fight to build unions in the U.S. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at 4200 Cedar Avenue S.

Gainesville, FL – The Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force has been working to stop wage theft in Alachua Coutny, Florida for the past year. Wage theft, or the stealing of earned wages, has increased during the economic downturn. Wage theft is responsible for stealing at least $30 billion a year from American workers. This crisis affects poor and immigrant communities the most, with over 60% of low-wage workers reporting theft of their wages each week. As a result, low-wage workers lose about 15% of their earnings each year to the bosses.

St. Paul, MN – A bill to double the welfare grants moved closer to passage, March 4, when members of the Senate Health, Human Services, and Housing policy committee passed Senate File 165. The bill doubles the cash grants for people receiving public assistance through the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP).

Milwaukee, WI – On Feb.21, the jury in the Derek Williams inquest decided to urge special prosecutor John Franke to press charges against three officers in connection with the death of Derek Williams,

Tallahassee, FL – About 15 people waved signs and chanted outside the Leon County Courthouse, March 1, to protest the wrongful conviction of Antonio and Rodrizgus Richardson, two brothers recently sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder.

Justice for Arafat Jaradat, Samer Issawi and all Palestinian hunger strikers

St. Paul, MN – On March 1, people of conscience gathered here during rush hour at a busy Saint Paul intersection, to show solidarity with hunger striking Palestinian political prisoners and to demand justice for Arafat Jaradat, who died Feb. 23 as a result of being tortured by Israeli security. Many passing cars honked in support of the protest.

Tallahassee, FL – On Feb. 26, 2012, African-American high school student Trayvon Martin was gunned down in Sanford, Florida. His murderer is George Zimmerman, a 29-year-old man who maliciously stalked the 17-year-old Martin under the grounds of his ‘looking suspicious.’

Protest demands the bank turn over vacant homes

Minneapolis, MN – 13 people were peacefully arrested Feb. 27 as they marched on Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, demanding the bank turn over vacant homes to community control and calling for fairer banking practices.

Chicago, IL – An Israeli legal theorist and former officer in the Israel Defense Forces spoke Feb. 25 at the University of Chicago. Professor Amos Guiora helped provide the justifications for ‘targeted killing’ programs like the one pursued by the Obama administration. 40 protesters, including ten from the campus’ Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), turned out.

Gainesville, FL – On Feb. 26, University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), allied with other student and community organizations, will organize a local action demanding justice for Trayvon Martin, a black youth who was brutally murdered by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida on Feb. 26, 2012.

San Diego, CA – Four men from Somalia – Basaaly Saeed Moalin, Mohamed Mohamed Mohamud, Issa Doreh and Ahmed Nasiri Taalil Mohamud – accused of raising money to help the Somali resistance group al Shabaab, were convicted of material support for terrorism-related charges here, Feb. 22. The defendants are facing maximum sentences that range from between 65 to 80 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 16.

According to a Feb. 23 report published by Korean Central News Agency, an important leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) military told the commander of U.S. troops occupying south Korea to stop plans for the provocative military exercises that are scheduled for March 1.

Chicago, IL – Joe Iosbaker, of the Anti War Committee here, denounced Pentagon plans, Feb. 23, to place a new drone base in West African country of Niger.

USAID head Rajiv Shah visited Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, Feb. 21. There he met with the Western-backed president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Despite U.S. claims of victory over the Islamist resistance group al-Shabaab, Shah never left the airport complex due to security concerns.