Minneapolis, MN – With the Minnesota governor’s stay-at-home order set to expire on May 4, and as COVID-19 cases are beginning to spike across the state, hundreds of Minnesotans are calling on Governor Tim Walz to resist the pressure from right-wing business groups and keep Minnesota closed until a time at which it is safe to reopen.

Chicago, IL – These are hard days for people the world over. The COVID-19 virus has forced billions of people to stay at home, bringing the global economy to a near standstill. At the moment of writing, nearly 3 million people have been confirmed to have COVID-19 across the world, and over 200,000 people have died.

Jacksonville, FL – Around three dozen cars joined a Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) protest on Friday evening, April 24, calling for a mass release of Duval County inmates in the overpopulated Duval County jail. Along with the JCAC, the New Florida Majority, Dignity Florida, Northside Coalition of Jacksonville along with other organizations and community supporters came out Friday evening for a caravan protest to demand that Melissa Nelson and Sheriff Mike Williams #FreeThemAll. The protesters taped signs to their vehicles that demanded the release of prisoners, to avoid the Duval County Jail becoming a death trap during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plymouth, MN – AFSCME members from Local 2822 and other Hennepin County library and service center workers were out protesting for the second week in a row on Friday, April 24. The protests revolve around Hennepin County’s unsafe decision to keep some libraries open for curbside pickup of books even while businesses all around have been shut down and the state is under a Stay at Home order from Governor Tim Walz.

Minneapolis, MN – On April 17, more than 60 cars, filled with union members and supporters, packed the parking lot outside the Ridgedale Library. This action, one of the few worker actions happening in Minnesota during this pandemic, is part of an effort by AFSCME Local 2822 to keep Hennepin County buildings closed and keep workers paid. Joining this protest were members of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, Saint Paul Federation of Educators, Teamsters Local 320, members of other AFSCME Locals representing workers in Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Saint Paul, and the University of Minnesota, and members of community organizations including the Anti-War Committee and Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar.

Tampa, Fl – On April 21 Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) had its most recent email-in for the University of South Florida (USF) to end unnecessary summer tuition fees. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person classes and certain activities at the USF are canceled for the summer semester. Instead of canceling additional tuition fees, USF is planning to charge them at a reduced rate. One of the fees Tampa Bay SDS demands be removed is the distance learning fee, which is a fee per credit hour of online courses. Tampa Bay SDS demands USF remove these unfair fees entirely for summer tuition due to the extra costs that they add to students during the pandemic.

New claims for Unemployment Insurance now total 27 million over the last 5 weeks

San José, CA – More than 4 million more Americans filed for Unemployment Insurance, or UI, benefits last week according to the latest Labor Department report on Thursday, April 23. This brings the total number of new claims over the last five weeks to 27 million.

Union demands: End library curbside and service center drive through, expand remote services and internet access

Plymouth, MN – Last week, over 60 cars converged on Ridgedale Library and Service Center in Minnetonka to demand public health and worker safety. Now Hennepin County union library and service center workers represented by AFSCME Local 2822 and supporters will be gathering at Plymouth Library parking lot, 15700 36th Ave N, Friday, April 24, 12:30 pm to press their demands to: end library curbside pick-up program until the spread of COVID-19 is better understood in Minnesota; end the DMV drive thru window at Maple Grove Licensing Service Center, and delay drop box service at service centers until workers can process motor vehicle transactions remotely.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by the Legalization for All Network (L4A)

New Orleans, LA – Community members and workers have come together to provide basic emergency relief to thousands of houseless people in New Orleans. After coronavirus locked down the city, they organized a group called Southern Solidarity. The organization works to make up for city officials’ failures in providing food, water and supplies to houseless people.

San José, CA – Earlier in the day, I glanced at oil prices and saw that they were down 40% for the day at about $10 a barrel. Pretty bad, I thought. Then after financial markets closed, I got a call about it. I looked and saw that the closing price was negative $37.63 and let out an f-bomb, the first of about a half a dozen in my three minute conversation.

Tampa, FL – Florida FRSO members are holding a webinar May 1, May Day, to highlight the struggles taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers, Teamsters, teachers and students will lead these discussions. Focus will be on the labor movement and the struggles of the working class as we navigate the pandemic. Speakers will highlight the steps they have taken to continue this struggle against the bourgeoisie who neglect the needs of the working class.

On April 20, Marco L. Valbuena, the Chief Information Officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines denounced the arrest of former Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao and 12 other volunteers and residents by elements of the Philippine National Police in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

Los Angeles, CA – Luis Sifuentes, of the community group Cento CSO states, “Due to the pandemic and Stay At Home order in Los Angeles, Centro CSO is organizing this year's May Day as a car caravan through Boyle Heights with our demands: Jail killer cops, defend public education, and legalization for all – along with demands for hazard pay, better protections for workers in the front lines during this pandemic and expand COVID-19 testing in Black and brown communities.”

Fight Back! is circulating the following statement from the Wisconsin District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

Saint Paul, MN – On April 17, hundreds of right-wing pro-Trump protesters flouted Minnesota's social distancing guidelines and shelter-in-place order to protest in front of the governor's mansion in Saint Paul. The protest’s main demand was for Governor Tim Walz to reverse emergency public health-related measures implemented to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus and to immediately reopen Minnesota's economy.

Fight Back! interviewed Charlotte Kates, International Coordinator of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, on the fight to free Palestinian political prisoners in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We ask that all of our readers to support this important effort.

New York, NY – While many people across the country have received the first wave of federal stimulus checks meant to provide immediate relief related to COVID-19, the undocumented community continues to be left out in the cold. Not only are undocumented families excluded from the stimulus package, but now New York governor Andrew Cuomo is blocking efforts to provide even limited financial aid to the immigrant community.

Unemployment rate heading to 20% in April

San José, CA – On Thursday, April 16, the U.S. Department of Labor released their latest report on new claims for unemployment insurance, or UI, benefits showing 5.2 million more people applied. This means that more than 22 million people have lost their livelihood in the last four weeks. The number of people actually collecting unemployment insurance benefits soared to 12 million, the highest ever.

Tallahassee, FL – Faulkner warned us that the past is not dead; it is not even past. In 1948 Laurie Dozier Sr., with a group of white male friends, started Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH). No Blacks were allowed even though Blacks paid a utilities tax that funded the hospital. Some Blacks who were denied admission died as a consequence.