Grand Rapids, MI – 150 people protested here, March 15, against Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s plans to impose extreme budget cuts to health clinics, schools and other social services. The crowd chanted, “It’s not fair!” “Chop from the top!” and “They say cut back. We say fight back!” outside a health clinic serving mainly women and children on Cherry Street in Grand Rapids.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Twin Cities based Welfare Rights Committee.

Pero la lucha para defender a los trabajos sigue

Chicago Il.– El nuevo gobernador de Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, anunció que el presupuesto estatal falta $5 mil millones de dolares, una semana despues de tomar las riendas de poder.

Minneapolis, MN – “Not one dime in cuts to poor and working people! Make the rich pay for the budget crisis!” is the rallying cry of Minnesota's low-income families. As Minnesota faces a massive budget deficit, the Welfare Rights Committee is gearing up to go head to head with state politicians.

Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota's poor are going on the offensive against budget cuts and welfare cut-offs. Faced with a $4 billion budget shortfall, politicians want to balance the budget on the backs of poor and working people. Organizers of the Minneapolis-St. Paul based Welfare Rights Committee have announced plans for hard hitting demonstrations under the slogans, ‘No cuts to poor and working people. Stop the welfare cut-offs,” and ‘Make the rich pay for the crisis.'

St. Paul, MN – A team of Welfare Rights Committee members marched up with the ladder and put it against the iron gate of the Minnesota governor’s mansion, Sept. 24. Deb Konechne of the WRC climbed to the top. Surrounding her were dozens of angry women chanting “Hey Pawlenty, come out today! We have bills that you must pay!”

St. Paul, MN – Frente a una pancarta que dice, “Rescate del pueblo pobre y trabajador – No a los billonarios!” las líderezas del Comité por el Derecho de Asistencia Pública anunciaron una campaña para combatir el impacto de la creciente crisis económica en una conferencia de prensa el 29 de octubre. Acompañándolos en la actividad se hicieron presentes miembros del sindicato de oficinistas AFSCME 3800, el Comité Anti-guerra, Mujeres en Contra de la Militarización y otros grupos que luchan por la paz y la justicia.

Comunidades pobres y de clase trabajadora, ya azotadas por los cesos y reducciones dehoras de trabajo que resultan de la recesión económica, están a punto de sufrir aun mas como los gobiernos estatales y municipales empiezan a cortar los servicios de salud, escuelas y gobierno local, cosas necesarias para nuestras familias.

But the Struggle to Defend Jobs Continues

Chicago, IL – The state of Illinois is $5 billion in the red, according to new governor, Rod Blagojevich, who made the announcement one week after he took office in January.

Raleigh, NC – “We’re in the middle of an historic crisis,” the president of the North Carolina Public Sector Workers Union (UE 150), Angaza Laughinghouse, told Fight Back!. “It requires a historic response from unions, youth groups, faith groups and community organizations to develop the fight back.”

St. Paul, MN – Fifty protesters gathered on tax day, April 15, on the front steps of the Minnesota state capitol building to demand state government tax the rich and not balance the state budget on the backs of working and low-income people. Organized by the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bail Out, speakers included leaders of labor unions, low-income groups and anti-war organizations.

St. Paul, MN – The first legislative hearing on the Minnesota People’s Bail Out Act (House File 626) was held in the Minnesota House Labor and Consumer Protection Division Committee, March 20.

Minnesota – A broad coalition has formed to demand that the Minnesota legislature take concrete steps to protect low-income and working Minnesotans from the effects of the snowballing economic crisis. The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bail Out brings together union members, welfare rights organizations and others.

St. Paul, MN – While state officials announced a record $5.2 billion dollar budget deficit at the State Capitol here, Dec. 4 , about 25 members of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout were outside the room chanting, “Hey politicians, here’s the fix! Tax the rich! Tax the rich!”

St. Paul, MN – Standing in front of banner reading, “Bail out poor and working people – not billionaires!” leaders of the Welfare Rights Committee announced a campaign to combat the impact of the growing economic crisis at a press conference here, Oct. 29. They were joined by members of AFSCME Local 3800, the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness and other peace and justice groups.

San Jose, CA – On Sept. 5 the Labor Department reported that the unemployment rate in August rose to 6.1%, from 5.7% in July. This is the highest unemployment rate in almost five years. A week earlier a report from the Commerce Department showed that real income (income adjusted for inflation) fell in July for the first time since January, dragging down household spending despite a drop in savings for the month. These two reports show that the economy may be going into a downward spiral of falling income and spending, leading to more layoffs, which in turn cut incomes and then spending even more.

Poor and working class communities, already hit hard by layoffs and shorter work hours from the recession, are about feel more pain as state and local governments cut health care, education, and other social services that our families need.

Locked Out Workers to be Paid

As reported by Fight Back News Service on March 20, workers in the Patient Access department at UIC were locked out of their workplace for wearing t-shirts that opposed a recent decision to nearly double their workloads.

On March 20, starting at 7:00 a.m., 44 customer service representatives began to arrive at the Patient Access department at the UIC (University of Illinois – Chicago) Medical Center wearing matching purple t-shirts. Printed on their shirts in bold letters was the slogan, “Quality for patients, not quantity of registrations.” On the left shoulder was an 8 with a circle and a slash through it.

St. Paul, MN – Chanting, “Hey Pawlenty here’s the fix: Tax the rich, tax the rich,” more than 50 people rallied in front of the Governor’s Mansion here, June 30 to slam Governor Pawlenty’s plan to cut hundreds of millions from health care, education, local government aid and human services. The protest was organized by the Welfare Rights Committee and backed by the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.