San Jose, CA – On September 7, around 150 workers and their allies gathered at San Jose City Hall for a Labor Day rally and march. Organized by the San Jose May Day Coalition, the theme of the action was “Labor Fights Back,” and the program highlighted local unions that are waging ongoing campaigns and contract negotiations.

Unions represented at the protest included the Santa Clara County Association of County Educators (ACE), Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 21, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Locals 2015, 1021, and 521, and the South Bay Labor Council which represents over 110 different unions.

The program was emceed by Megan Sweet, rank-and-file member of ATU 265, and Riju Krishna, president of ACE.

Jean Cohen, Executive director of the South Bay Labor Council, stated, “Right now in the South Bay, in the Bay Area, in California, billionaires are taking over. And we’re not going to let them, because the blood of the labor movement is organizing.” Cohen continued, “There’s more than enough to pay people a decent wage, to ensure that we have a seat at the table to talk about AI and the future of work.”

“Whether it’s ATU or the Teamsters or the teachers or the nurses,” Cohen continued, “our fight is righteous and our fight is going to be what makes San Jose and Silicon Valley where anybody can live.”

IFPTE Local 21 is in a union coalition with AFSCME Local 101, representing over 4500 San Jose City workers. This coalition has been bargaining with the city since February and working without a contract for over two months. Krista de la Torre of IFPTE Local 21 stated, “When the city doesn’t adequately invest in its workforce, it impacts more than just the workers, it impacts the residents, it impacts the services our entire community depends on.”

De la Torrie continued, “At the bargaining table right now we are fighting for strong AI guardrails that project jobs and ensure human oversight of public services. We’re fighting for sound retirement benefits and protections against privatization and contracting out, because public services should remain public, accountable, and affordable to all of you.”

“A few weeks ago, our coalition of 4500 city workers held a strike authorization vote, and an overwhelming 97% voted yes,” continued de la Torre. “As we continue fighting for a fair contract, we are asking for our community to stand behind us. Because our working conditions are your service conditions, and our fight to protect public jobs is a fight to protect public services.”

Riju Krishna, president of ACE, stated, “We are fighting for more than a paycheck – we are fighting for dignity, for respect, for safe workplaces, and most importantly, the right to raise our families with hope.”

Krishna continued, “When they try to divide us by our jobs, our language, our race, our immigration status, or where we come from, what do we do? We stand closer together, because an injury to one is an injury to all!”

After the program, the crowd marched through the streets of downtown San Jose, holding signs saying, “We support city workers,” “Union strong,” and “Fight for workers’ and immigrants’ rights.” As passing cars honked in solidarity, protesters chanted, “When workers are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “Worker power!”

As the action closed, the emcees encouraged attendees to join the San Jose May Day Coalition to get involved in organizing future labor movement protests.

#SanJoseCA #CA #Labor #LaborDay #SEIU #ATU #IFPTE #AFSCME #Teamsters

Salt Lake City, UT- On May 5, over 100 city workers and supporters demanded a strong contract in front of the Salt Lake City and County Building as union negotiations continue. Organized under AFSCME 1004, Salt Lake’s city workers demanded no cuts to worker compensation and condemned the city’s proposal for its attacks on union rights.

Also at issue are benefits, longevity, weekend shift differentials and holiday pay.

In a rally outside the city council chambers, city workers and their supporters chanted, “Who makes the city run? We do!” Workers from other unions answered the call for support from AFSCME 1004, including CWA 7765, which represents both the University of Utah’s campus and healthcare workers and the SunTrapp, a local bar.

Wearing green AFSCME shirts and holding signs reading “Strong contract now” and “We make the city happen,” municipal workers and their many supporters in the wider Salt Lake labor movement and community filled the City and County Building as Mayor Erin Mendenhall attempted to justify an austerity budget and regressive tax increases.

After Mendenhall’s presentation, union organizers led the crowd in a procession through the city council’s chambers, the line of green AFSCME shirts demonstrating the deep solidarity among municipal workers, their resolve in the contract negotiations, and the strong support they enjoy from the community and trade unionists.

After the procession, the crowd rallied once more on the steps of the City and County Building, the city workers having demonstrated their will to stand up for their dignity in the workplace, and community members having affirmed their solidarity with the workers who keep Salt Lake City running.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #Labor #AFSCME

Grand Rapids, MI – The Grand Rapids May Day Committee organized a rally commemorating International Workers Day, Saturday, May 2, at Fountain Street Church.

Co-hosted by the May Day Committee chair, Tom Burke of IATSE 26, along with Ivan Diaz, candidate for Michigan State Senate District 29, the event started with songs of solidarity by Carsten Forester of AFM Local 56. After the music, local labor leaders and community activists spoke on meeting the attacks from the Trump administration. Many focused on standing in solidarity with immigrants and fellow workers.

Tom Burke told attendees, “We are coming together with unions and community leaders to stand with the workers of the world. We oppose the ICE raids and deportations being pushed by the Trump administration.”

Burke continued, “We celebrate the great victory of the unions and activists in Minneapolis/Saint Paul who forced President Trump and ICE to back down. We stand together with our immigrant neighbors in West Michigan. An injury to one, is an injury to all!”

A trio of educators from the Grand Rapids Education Association (GREA), Noemi Tobar Arellano, Kaitlyn Holmwood and Lucas Southwell, spoke of the devastating impact of ICE on the students and families in the community. They emphasized that it takes a village to raise a child and it will take a village to fight Trump's agenda.

Eduardo Montiel of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression introduced Andrica Cage, the mother of Samuel Sterling, who is a man murdered by the Michigan State Police. Cage stated, “When you see me out here fighting, come stand with me.”

Next, Tom Nieboer of IWW and AFSCME 435 reminded the audience that, “Unions bring power to the workers. It's time for workers to bring power to the unions!” After his speech, Lily Cheng Schulting, candidate for Michigan House District 80, inquired of all those elected, “When the power structures come to attack you, will you stand strong?”

Finally, special guest and candidate for U.S. Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, was introduced by IATSE 26-member, Josh Roskamp.

El-Sayed took the stage, starting with call and response chants. One of these chants was “Money out of?” and the crowd would respond with “Politics!” His remarks came at a time of rising prices and worsening cost of living crisis exacerbated by President Trump’s war on Iran. Speaking poignantly, he declared that “We have to take our democracy from the corporations who tell us what we cannot have,” and “We must build together with unlikely allies to achieve it.”

Closing out the event, Tom Burke again raised the call, “Solidarity!”

#GrandRapidsMI #MI #Labor #ImmigrantRights #GRAARPR #AFSCME

Minneapolis, MN – Over 1000 union members, immigrant rights activists and supporters marched through Minneapolis’ Whittier neighborhood on Monday, February 16, to demand an end to ICE’s occupation of the city and for the defense of immigrant rights.

Marchers held dozens of banners with slogans like “ICE our now,” “Legalization for all,” and “Killer ICE off our streets.” The march began at Stewart Park, crossed a highway where the supportive honks of passing traffic temporarily drowned out the marchers’ chants, and ended at the intersection of Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street, where Alex Pretti was murdered.

Pretti was shot repeatedly in the back while held down on the ground by masked federal agents agents, after stepping between the agents and a woman who they were attempting to pepper spray.

The march was headlined by the Minnesota AFL-CIO, and was endorsed by many local unions, including AFGE Local 3669, AFSCME Council 5 and Council 65, ATU Local 1005, IATSE Local 13, IAM District 77, IUPAT District Council 82, LiUNA Minnesota and North Dakota, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Minnesota Nurses Association, NALC Branch 9, SEIU Locals 26 and 284, UFCW Locals 1189 and 663, and UNITE HERE Local 17. Many community organizations endorsed the event and turned out their membership to march as well, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations — MN (CAIR-MN), 50501 Minnesota, Reviving Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE), Women’s March Minnesota, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC).

Speakers were unanimous in driving home the message that ICE occupation of Minnesota has not ended. Manuel Pascual, a member of MIRAC, spoke to the crowd from the back of a truck as the marchers took the streets, saying, “Just days ago, federal officials announced the end of Operation Metro Surge. Let’s be clear — that did not happen because they suddenly found compassion. It happened because people across Minnesota organized, spoke out, marched, and refused to stay silent. It happened because immigrant communities and allies showed courage. It happened because resistance worked.”

However, Pascual continued to note that the community fight against ICE continues, and spoke to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s agreeing to “unprecedented” levels of state collaboration with ICE, without details of this agreement being made public. Pascual said, “What we are seeing now is not a victory lap from those in power. It is a shift in strategy. A quieter approach. Deals being made behind closed doors. Policies that risk embedding ICE deeper into our local systems — into our jails, into policing, into everyday encounters — where harm becomes less visible but no less real. We must say clearly: we will not be fooled.”

Organizers noted that a decreased ICE presence in Minnesota also does not mean that the battle against ICE has ended on a national scale, and that just as millions marched across the country in solidarity with Minnesota, Minnesota will march in solidarity with any future city to see a large-scale occupation by ICE.

When the march arrived at the site of Alex Pretti’s murder, organizers handed out flowers to attendees so they could lay them in tribute at his memorial. The crowd was asked to repeat these slogans after the emcee: “We have a duty to fight for our freedom! We have a duty to win! We have nothing to lose but our chains!”

MIRAC plans to take their demands for an end to ICE terror and for legalization for all directly to Governor Walz, with a rally outside the Minnesota Governor’s Residence at 1006 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #Labor #AFLCIO #AFGE #AFSCME #ATU #IAM #MIRAC #CAIRMN #FRSO

Jacksonville, FL – On Saturday, August 30, workers came out in full force to demonstrate outside of Senator Rick Scott’s office in downtown Jacksonville. This rally, organized by the North Florida Central Labor Council and the North Florida Future Labor Leaders, was in protest to the onslaught on US workers by the current administration.

This protest was sparked by the AFL-CIO’s call for a “Workers' Labor Day.”

Union teachers, plumbers, longshoremen, electricians, logistics workers and city employees showed out and demonstrated the power of union solidarity. LJ Holloway, a rank-and-file member of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), led the chant: “United we bargain! Divided we beg!” Anyone in downtown Jacksonville could hear the echoes of the workers chanting, “Who’s got the power? We got the power! What kind of power? Worker power!”

Monica Gold, a middle school teacher and proud union member, told the crowd, “Within our building we have teachers, paraprofessionals and office personnel. We have maintenance workers, school bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians. And I think about how their victories are my victories, and how their losses are my losses, and that we’re so much stronger when we work together. I think it’s high time that we stop asking for things, but that we demand things.”

Many at the rally spoke on the Trump administration’s shameful attacks on unions and the working class as a whole, including the recent ruling on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Michael Sampson, an organizer and union rep for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) stated, “What we are seeing is the agenda of Donald Trump to starve us, to get rid of our unions, to get rid of the solidarity that we have with each other. Because he knows that having a union means having an organization, and having an organization of workers means having the ability to fight back against the agenda of corporate America.”

Shayne Tremblay, a union electrician and president of the North Florida Future Labor Leaders spoke on the need for solidarity, stating, “I believe that we need to take the winning strategy of solidarity that got us our unions, and we need to aim higher. We need to stand in solidarity, not just with our coworkers, but with every working person in this country. We need to organize all working people to turn this into a country that is for workers, by workers.”

The rally took place in one the most traffic-heavy parts of the city, and the workers got a plethora of honks and expressions of support from folks driving by.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #Labor #LaborDay #NFFLL #AFLCIO #ILA #AFSCME

Speakers at the rally will include representatives of unions and organizations fighting for immigrant rights and racial and social justice. Among them will be Marcia Howard, president of the teacher chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT); State Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega; Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Sara Nelson, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA).

Jovita Morales, an organizer in the Minnesota Immigrant Movement, said, “May 1 has always been important, but this year it matters more than ever. While the wealthy try to strip away our rights – attacking unions, slashing healthcare and education, deporting our neighbors – we are standing together, stronger than ever. We will not accept their cruelty. We will fight for the future our families deserve.”

Sorcha Lona, an organizer with Minnesota Workers United and a rank-and-file member of Teamsters Local 638, commented on the Trump administration’s attacks on organized labor, saying, “All of us in the May 1st Coalition are ready to stand up and fight back against the mass firings of federal workers, the attempts to eliminate their unions, and the efforts from Donald Trump and Elon Musk to privatize the federal government, which includes vital programs like Medicaid, Social Security and public education.”

At a moment of intense attacks on immigrants and workers from the Trump/Musk administration and their corporate backers, the May Day protest is going to show that working-class Minnesotans won’t be divided by our jobs or where we were born in our fight for a better future for all of our families.

Marchers will stand against escalating attacks on immigrants around the country including attacks on immigrants here in Minnesota such ICE detaining immigrants at workplaces from Saint Louis Park to Duluth; the Department of Homeland Security revoking the visas of at least 11 international students at the University of Minnesota, ICE detaining a hospital employee at the hospital where he works in Marshall, as well as other unjust immigration enforcement operations around the state.

The May 1 protest was initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Minnesota Immigrant Movement, Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, and Minnesota Workers United. It is co-sponsored by the following 50 organizations and unions: Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFSCME Local 34, AFSCME 2822, AFSCME Local 3800, Anti-War Committee, Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha, Council on American Islamic Relations-MN, Climate Justice Committee, Communities United Against Police Brutality, Communications Workers of America Local 7250, East Phillips Neighborhood Institute, Families Against Military Madness, Filipinx for Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice, Free Palestine Coalition, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Healthcare Workers for Palestine, IBEW 292, Indivisible Twin Cities, Indigenous Protector Movement, Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, MN8, Minnesota 50501, Minnesota Abortion Action Committee, Minnesota AFL-CIO, Minnesota BDS Community, Minnesota Federation of Teachers Local 59, Minnesota Immigrant Movement, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, Minnesota Workers United, Party for Socialism and Liberation – Twin Cities, Saint Paul Federation of Educators, Service Employees International Union Local 26, Students for a Democratic Society, Teamsters Local 638, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 663, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1189, UMN Graduate Labor Union-United Electric Local 1105, UNITE HERE Local 17, Veterans for Peace Chapter 27, Women Against Military Madness, Women’s March MN, Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-Sentenced Families Council – MN.

#StPaulMN #MN #Labor #ImmigrantsRights #MayDay #MIRAC #MWU #AFSCME #AFACWA #MIM #ADC

In 2023, Senate Bill 256 passed in the state of Florida. SB 256 is among the most anti-union labor laws in the country and effectively decertifies any unionized bargaining unit in the public sector that does not meet a bar of at least 60% dues-paying membership. The bill also makes it harder for workers to pay their dues by banning voluntary automatic payroll reduction.

Until recently, the USF workers were represented by AFSCME Local 3342 but now are among 68,000 public employees who have since lost their unions in Florida since the law passed. With the loss of unions, public-sector employees have no avenue to prevent privatization or changes to their employers’ and terms of employment. The aftermath for the 355 USF workers from SB 256 decertifying the AFSCME bargaining unit is unknown.

USF claims that it will save $320 million in costs over the life of the 15-year contract with Compass, and it is offering a signing bonus to workers who decide to transition to the new company. However, those who make the switch to Compass will lose their state pension retirement plan, which requires being a state employee. Additionally, the future of these workers’ pay is up to the Compass Group to decide unilaterally, now that the workers have no union. At the same time as the workers futures are uncertain, USF spent $47 million on a signing bonus with Southeast Services Corporation, a Compass Group subsidiary.

Since the loss of their unions last year under the new law, it is reported that around 2000 USF employees will no longer have collective bargaining rights to fight for higher pay, their pension, or their job protections. Another effect is that, with no union, the workers had no advance warning of the deal with the Compass Group and no way to stop it or bargain over effects on terms and conditions of employment if they wanted to do so.

#TampaFL #FL #Labor #AFSCME #Feature

Jacksonville, FL – Alrededor de 55 trabajadores de servicios de alimentos y miembros del Local 2941 de AFSCME se manifestaron frente a las oficinas de la empresa Chartwells el lunes en Jacksonville, expresando su descontento contra lo que describen como salarios de pobreza, falta crónica de personal y falta de respeto por parte de la gerencia.

“Como líder de cafetería, frecuentemente tengo que hacer el trabajo de tres empleados debido a la falta de personal y salarios decentes,” dijo Annette Taylor, vicepresidenta del Local 2941 y trabajadora de Chartwells por casi 30 años. “Y nadie de la alta gerencia tiene el respeto, o incluso intenta ayudar en parte a hacer llegar la comida a los niños a los que necesitamos llevársela”.

Chartwells, un contratista de servicios de alimentos privatizado con más de 1000 trabajadores en escuelas en todo el condado de Duval, actualmente ofrece salarios a partir de $13 por hora, el salario mínimo estatal. Los miembros exigen mejores salarios iniciales, con buenos aumentos salariales durante los próximos tres años. Según los trabajadores, el mes pasado, más de tres docenas de trabajadores asistieron la sesión de negociaciones cuando la empresa propuso recortar sus licencias por enfermedad. Los trabajadores dicen que su movilización tuvo éxito al lograr que la empresa retrocediera esa propuesta.

Los trabajadores encabezaron cánticos de “Chartwells Chartwells, no pueden esconderse, podemos ver su lado codicioso” junto con “¿Qué queremos? ¡Un buen contrato! ¿Cuándo lo queremos? ¡Ahora!”.

Las próximas negociaciones están programadas para el 30 y 31 de octubre, y el contrato actual expirará al final del 31.

Los miembros han discutido una posible votación para autorizar una huelga si no se logra llegar a un acuerdo.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #Labor #AFSCME

Jacksonville, FL – Around 55 food service workers and members of AFSCME Local 2941 rallied in front of Chartwells company offices on Monday in Jacksonville, speaking out against what workers described as poverty wages, chronic understaffing and a lack of respect from management.

“As a cafeteria lead, I often have to do the work of three staff members due to a lack of employees and decent wages,” said Annette Taylor, vice president of Local 2941 and near 30-year Chartwells worker. “And no one from upper management has the respect, or even tries to help in part of getting the food out to the children that we need to get it out to.”

Chartwells, a privatized food service contractor with over 1000 workers in schools across Duval County, currently starts wages at $13 per hour, the state minimum wage. Members are demanding better starting wages, with good pay increases over the next three years. According to workers, just last month, over three dozen workers showed up to negotiations session when the company proposed cutting their sick leave. Workers say their mobilization was successful at getting the company to back off that proposal.

Workers led chants of “Chartwells Chartwells, you can’t hide, we can see your greedy side!” along with “What do we want? A good contract! When do we want it? Now!”

The next negotiations are scheduled for October 30 and 31 with the current contract set to expire at the end of the 31.

Members have discussed a potential strike authorization vote if an agreement isn’t able to be reached.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #Labor #AFSCME

Although this is the first week of school, the UMN board of regents has already passed a resolution making the university endowment “politically neutral” in a bid to avoid accountability for t