St. Paul, MN – As the transit strike enters its third week, more than 1,300 transit workers and their supporters rallied on the steps of the state capitol building, March 18. The rally drew from a broad cross section of the labor movement, including postal workers, University of Minnesota clerical workers, Teamsters and some of the building and trades unions.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 700 strikers and their supporters demonstrated here, March 12, to demand justice for workers on strike against Metropolitan Transit. The action was organized jointly by AFSCME Local 3800, a local of University of Minnesota clerical workers who were on strike themselves just months ago, and transit workers of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005.

Minneapolis, MN – After months of negotiations with the Metropolitan Council, 2200 Twin Cities bus drivers, dispatchers, maintenance and clerical workers went on strike at 2:00 a.m., March 4. The transit workers, members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005, last struck in 1995.

_Coca-Cola’s Denials of Human and Labor Rights Violations Exposed _

Chicago, Il – In a spectacular development, Colombian trade unionist Luis Adolfo Cardona can breathe easy again after winning political asylum in the U.S. Cardona escaped kidnapping and execution by Coca-Cola’s death squads in 1996. On Dec. 5, 1996, the day before union negotiations were to begin, a Coca-Cola death squad came to the bottling plant where Cardona worked and shot dead the lead union negotiator Isidro Gil. The same paramilitary gang kidnapped Luis Adolfo Cardona that afternoon, but he escaped using his skills as a semi-professional soccer player to tear away and dodge their attempts to shoot him down. Later that night, the paramilitaries, who work in collusion with the Colombian military, looted and burned down the union hall. A week later the paramilitaries appeared inside the Coca-Cola bottling plant while managers distributed resignation letters for all the union members to sign.

The following is a speech delivered by Phyllis Walker, the President of AFSCME Local 3800, at a Dec. 10 forum organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization. The program focused on the lessons of the clerical workers’ strike at the University of Minnesota, and featured talks by strike leaders. Many in the audience had participated in strike. The speeches were followed by a wide-ranging discussion on the strike, the state of the labor movement and the need for socialism.

On Monday, March 15, Coca-Cola union workers in Colombia began a hunger strike in front of the Coke bottling plants in Barrancabermeja, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Medellín and Valledupar. Juan Carlos Galvis, vice-president of the union in Barrancabermeja, has said, “If we lose the fight against Coca-Cola, we will first lose our union, next our jobs and then our lives.” William Mendoza, president of the union in Barrancabermeja, said, “This is the final battle and we're giving it all we've got. We need all supporters of human and labor rights in the U.S. to do the same!”

Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800, delivered the following speech in Detroit Sept. 12 to hundreds of labor activists attending a conference organized by the publication Labor Notes. AFSCME Local 3800 represents nearly 1800 University of Minnesota clerical workers, 93% of whom are women. As we go to press, Local 3800 has announced its intent to strike against a concessionary contract proposal.

Los Angeles, CA – On May 1, 15,000 Latino immigrants and their supporters marched through downtown demanding, “Legalization now! Stop immigrant bashing!” This immigrants' rights march was the largest in recent U.S. history. Enthusiastic demonstrators chanted, “We are here and we won't leave!” referring to recent Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) raids and deportations of workers without so-called 'legal' status. The march included union, community groups, and immigrants' rights organizations.

The ongoing massacre of Palestinians, by the U.S.-backed Israeli government has sparked demonstrations across the country. Protests have been held in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis, and many other cities.

Speech by Phyllis Walker, AFSCME 3800 president

St Paul, MN – An increasing number of local labor unions are speaking out against a possible war with Iraq. The following is a speech given by the president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3800, Phyllis Walker, at an anti-war rally Oct. 26, 2002 at the Minnesota State Capitol. More than 10,500 people attended that rally.

San Francisco, CA – Hundreds of Filipinos and immigrant families were joined by labor activists and many more supporters at the San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose airports on Feb. 19. They staged multiple press conferences in protest of new legislation requiring all airport screeners to be U.S. citizens. The actions coincided with the Feb. 19 federal takeover of the nation's airports. The demands for airport screener justice and for the safety for passengers served to expose the truth behind the recently enacted Aviation Security Act and the upcoming mass job losses for mostly Filipino immigrant airport screeners.

By Staff

Workers Take Fight Back To Washington D.C.

Washington DC – Ten thousand militant workers and students gathered here, Sunday, Oct. 17, to rally and march at the Lincoln Memorial. The Million Worker March demanded living wage jobs, health care for all and an end to war and occupation in Iraq. The same demands were echoed by union organizers and labor activists across the U.S. The Million Worker March united the advanced – the grass roots of the labor movement who understand that those who fight back can win.

Four thousand union members took on the management of one of America’s most elitist bastions of the rich – Yale University. Fight Back! interviewed two leaders of the Yale Strike: Laura Smith, President of Local 34, which represents the Clerical and Technical workers and Shirley Lawrence of Local 35, which represents Service and Maintenance workers.

Using a variety of innovative tactics and gathering national media attention, 4000 union members took on the management of one of America’s most elitist bastions of the rich – Yale University. By combining some flexible tactics with impressive community support, union members represented by HERE Locals 34 and 35 were able to win major gains in wages and pensions. After working without a contract for two years, the workers went on strike Aug. 27 and struck for 23 days before settling.

Pedro Eusse is the Secretary General of the Food and Beverage Union, and the Secretary General of the United Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CUTV).

Rank and File Leads United Auto Workers to Victory

Less than one year after the Teamsters struck UPS, another giant strike has shaken U.S. capitalism. With 180,000 workers, the battle at GM was the biggest strike in 20 years. More than 190,000 more workers were idled when two parts plants in Flint, Michigan, struck for 54 days and won, the first major auto strike since 1970. These strikes show the worker's movement continues to build in strength. Workers are on the move again!

Chicago, IL – More than one hundred people marched here, May 3, to protest the killing of Colombian trade unionists by Coca-Cola's death squads. Marching through the mostly Mexican neighborhood of Pilsen, many people on the streets chanted with the protesters or stood and applauded in solidarity with Colombian trade unionists.

More U.S. Special Forces are arriving in Colombia. Supposedly on a mission to train members of the Colombian military, they will be assisting efforts to guard a major oil pipeline owned by the U.S.-based multinational corporation, Occidental Petroleum. Insurgents who are fighting to free Colombia from foreign control often target the pipeline.