Jacksonville, FL – On January 30, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) organized a protest against Florida House Bill 1 (HB1/SB484): Combating Public Disorder. This bill is a 60-page document that prohibits and criminalizes successful tactics of people’s movements throughout history.

Chicago, IL – Talks continued between the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and the Chicago Public School System (CPS) Monday evening, February 1, even as the teachers prepared to announce a strike to start as early as Tuesday morning. The teachers have been fighting to keep schools operating remotely until a time when CPS offers a plan for in-person learning that is safe for students, staff and teachers.

St. Paul Park, MN – Teamsters Local 120 members at Marathon Refinery in Saint Paul Park have been locked out by Marathon management for more than ten days, after a 24-hour strike by the workers.

Tallahassee, FL – Florida State University’s (FSU) Presidential Task Force on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion recently released their recommendation to permanently remove the Eppes statue and change the names of Eppes Hall and B. K. Roberts Hall. On January 27, FSU President John Thrasher approved the task force recommendation. This decision comes after years of campaigning and struggle from FSU’s campus chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

Bessemer, AL – It has been less than one year since Amazon opened its new warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama and already the workers there have been fighting to join the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). More than 2000 workers at the Bessemer warehouse have already signed union cards and submitted them to the National Labor Relations Board, which in turn has authorized a union election to take place beginning on February 8.

Tampa, FL – On January 30, the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC), alongside other local organizations and around two dozen people gathered near city hall to demand that state legislators reject HB1, the repressive bill being proposed by Governor Ron DeSantis.

Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of January 28, members of the Young Workers Committee (YWC) of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council (MALC) hosted an online discussion with workers that dealt with organizing unorganized workplaces.

Fight Back New Service is circulating the following February 1 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Teachers demand safety before returning to classrooms

Chicago, IL – Students in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) stayed home and learned remotely again on Thursday, January 28. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) continued to demand that any return to in-person learning be done in a safe way. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had ordered all teachers back to the classroom on Wednesday the 27th but was forced to backtrack and tell parents to keep their kids home again Thursday.

On January 26, farmers from across India continued their protests against the anti-farmer laws. That day, Republic Day, marked the 71st anniversary of when India's constitution came into effect and is a major state occasion. Two months ago to the day, Indian farmers held the largest protest in human history. Since then, these farmers have protested continuously.

Chicago, IL – The past few days have seen GameStop and Reddit become the meme-of-the-week and take significant headlines. Some media outlets are saying the recent turn of events “isn’t funny; it’s stupid” while celebrity billionaires like Elon Musk crack jokes on Twitter. Redditors are claiming that they are crashing Wall Street, and yet the market is bullish as ever. What should we be taking from all of this? In short, we must seize this moment to educate about how the stock market works, who it works for, and how we can institute true changes that benefit everyday people.

Chicago, IL – Hundreds of Teamster locals are electing delegates to attend the 30th International Convention this June in the leadup to union-wide elections in the fall. The Hoffa-led executive board cancelled the planned convention in Las Vegas, citing COVID-19 restrictions, however delegates will still be meeting via Zoom to nominate candidates and amend the IBT (International Brotherhood of Teamsters) constitution.

Groups announce campaign to restore pages and to fight censorship

Minneapolis, MN – On January 22, Facebook disabled the main pages of two major community organizations, Peoples Power Assembly and Women In Struggle/Mujeres En Lucha, as well as activists around the country who have played roles in either group, including Puerto Rican activist Berta Joubert-Ceci; Greg Butterfield, Struggle La Lucha writer; Cheryl La Bash, co-chair, National Network on Cuba; Maggie Vascassenno, Los Angeles Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice; and others.

Fight Back! interviews Mark Burton, attorney for Colombian revolutionary Simon Trinidad who is a political prisoner held by the U.S. government. Simon Trinidad, also known as Ricardo Palmera, is a good man who has done nothing wrong. His only crime is to fight for the freedom and independence of his own country, taking the side of Colombian workers and peasants. Due to U.S. government repression, we are unable to interview Simon Trinidad directly. Check out the campaign to Free Simon Trinidad at http://freesimontrinidad.org.

New York City – Today, January 23, over 1400 dock workers and truck drivers at Hunts Point Produce Market ended their strike after six days of militant picketing. The tentative agreement was approved by 97% of the membership, with the largest wage increase in their history.

St. Paul Park, MN – On January 21, nearly 200 members of Teamsters Local 120 who work at Marathon Petroleum Refinery in Saint Paul Park walked off the job, beginning an unfair labor practice strike.

New York, NY – More than 50 people gathered in Times Square in New York City on Wednesday, January 20, in response to President Biden’s inauguration.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 people gathered near South High School in Minneapolis, January 20, to demand a People’s Agenda that immediately reverses the policies of Trump and meets the demands of working people, immigrants and oppressed nationality communities. The protest rally started with the chant, “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail! The whole damn system is guilty as hell!”

Milwaukee, WI – On January 20, the date of Joe Biden’s inauguration as the 46th president of the United States, the Brown Berets of Milwaukee led a rally and car caravan demanding the incoming administration take action to resolve issues regarding immigrants. The three broad demands were: 1) Put an end to the policy of family separation; 2) Close the concentration camps; and 3) Provide an immediate pathway to citizenship for the undocumented. Other demands were put forward that delved into more particular circumstances, but these three formed the thrust of the action.

Salt Lake City, UT – 100 people protested against the outgoing Trump administration and rallied for a People's Agenda at the Wallace Federal Building in Salt Lake City on January 18. The protest started with chants by emcee and FRSO member Adrian Romero: “Hey hey, ho ho! These killer cops have got to go! Hey hey, ho ho! The whole damn systems got to go!” The event was hosted by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Utah Against Police Brutality.