Jacksonville, FL – A critical vote is underway on the largest private-sector union contract in the United States. Beginning on Sept. 11, hundreds of thousands of Teamsters at UPS and UPS Freight began receiving ballot information in the mail to vote on their respective tentative agreements, regional supplements and local riders.
Jacksonville, FL – On Sept. 5, over 50 people in Jacksonville rallied outside of city hall for the National Day of Action against Police Crimes. The event, organized by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) featured speakers from various local community organizations, including the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, the Black Commission, the Northside Coalition, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, and UNF Students for a Democratic Society.
Jacksonville, FL – It was a very violent weekend in Jacksonville. There was a shooting at the Raines High School versus Lee High School football game on Friday, August 24, and the following day, August 25, there was a shooting at the Jacksonville Landing during a video game tournament, leaving families and friends all over the city mourning. The Jacksonville city council typically meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, and although rescheduled due to voting in the statewide primaries, the city council meeting on Wednesday, August 29 was attended by many angry community members and activists that wanted answers.
Jacksonville, FL – On July 17, Dustin Ponder, the Florida Teamster union steward fired by UPS management for union activity, returned to work. After a month and a half-long campaign waged by Teamster militants and activists to get the steward reinstated, UPS caved to the pressure and offered Ponder his job back.
Jacksonville, FL – On July 13, around 45 people, including family members of Harold Kraai along with the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Jacksonville Progressive Coalition and other community members gathered for vigil in the San Mateo area of Jacksonville to protest against this police killing of an innocent civilian. Harolf Kraai was a 52-year-old mentally ill man who was gunned down by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer (JSO) cop Richard Futch on the morning of July 7.
Jacksonville, FL – On July 3, UPS management in Jacksonville deadlocked a local hearing over Dustin Ponder, a shop steward for Teamsters Local 512 who was terminated last month for union activity. Presenting scant evidence against Ponder, the company refused to give the steward his job back despite protests by Teamsters locally and across the country.
Jacksonville, FL – On June 21, the Teamsters announced reaching a tentative agreement ‘in principle’ with UPS. Headed by Teamsters Package Division director Denis Taylor, the union’s committee unveiled “highlights from the economics in the agreement” after months of closed-door bargaining.
Jacksonville, FL – About 150 people came out to a Trans Lives Matter rally, June 27, in front of Jacksonville courthouse to demand justice. The event was sponsored by many organizations including Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Coalition for Consent, Jacksonville Transgender Action Committee, Equality Florida, and Transgender Awareness Project. This rally was to honor the lives of the three black transgender women murdered here in Jacksonville.