Jacksonville, FL – Pensacola State Representative Mike Hill has introduced a bill in the state legislature, House Bill 97, titled the Soldiers' and Heroes' Monuments and Memorials Protection Act, that would stop local authorities from removing racist confederate monuments. Hill is an African American Republican. Hill acknowledges his lack of support in the Black community.

Jacksonville, FL – Students at a local Jacksonville high school are calling foul on a racist dress code policy implemented by administration last week.

Jacksonville, FL – There are around 8000 Central American immigrants and refugees making their way from Honduras and other Central American nations to the United States-Mexico border. Currently the caravan is over 1000 miles from the nearest border city. These are Central American immigrants and refugees escaping poverty and instability in their home countries due to U.S.-backed governmental regimes and violence fueled by U.S. interference. These immigrants and refugees have pleaded for humanitarian assistance and a better life. However, they have been met by Donald Trump and his racist presidential administration with disdain and hate. Trump has called the caravan a mix of “criminals and unknown Middle Easterners,” claims pulled from his own administration’s bigotry towards Central Americans and other immigrants. His administration has even sent thousands of troops to fortify the border.

Jacksonville, FL – On November 6, Floridians will vote on 12 amendments to the state constitution. Some of these amendments would have a far greater impact on the working-class and oppressed communities of this state than others. Several reached the ballot by citizens’ petition, while others were added by Governor Rick Scott’s majority-appointed Florida Constitutional Revision Commission, which met in 2017.

A dive into national oppression, violence and trauma in Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, FL – The United States has a notorious history with the national oppression of Black people. In the South, remnants of slave society exist as a constant reminder of this – Confederate street names, school names and monuments are physical reminders one encounters daily – but we see it also manifest in the social structure of the Black Belt South – the historically constituted nation of Black people in the United States.

“The IBT needs to respect the will of the members and go back to the bargaining table.”

Jacksonville, FL – Just hours after UPS Teamsters voted down their tentative agreement in record numbers, union chief negotiator Denis Taylor announced he would ratify the contract anyway.

“The IBT needs to respect the will of the members and go back to the bargaining table.”

Jacksonville, FL – Just hours after UPS Teamsters voted down their tentative agreement in record numbers, union chief negotiator Denis Taylor announced he would ratify the contract anyway.

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 – It didn’t take long for the Florida gubernatorial campaign to get extremely racist.

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.

The Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) recently joined the Fairway Oaks community in a struggle against environmental racism.

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.

Jacksonville, FL – On June 15, over 60 community members in Baker County, Florida held a vigil for Corey Lauramore, an 18-year-old killed on April 15. Corey, his two brothers and friends were lured to a mobile home on County Road 125 where upon arriving, they were met with gunfire. Corey Lauramore was shot in the face and later died due to his injuries. Previously, Corey and his family had been threatened by the same individuals on social media and other outlets while Baker County police refused to do anything about it.

Jacksonville, FL – At the close of business on Thursday, June 21, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Package Director Denis Taylor released a statement for Teamsters employed at UPS, claiming that a handshake agreement had been reached with the company. While not all details have been released, some 'highlights' were let out in the form of bullet points.

Coworkers allege retaliation

Jacksonville, FL – As the expiration date for the Teamsters-UPS national master agreement rapidly approaches, UPS management has moved to crack down on union activists fighting for a better contract. On June 8, the company terminated Dustin Ponder, a union steward at UPS in Jacksonville, Florida, elected earlier this year. His activity and involvement in the 2018 contract battle and last month’s strike authorization vote have many Teamsters believing this is a case of management retaliation.