Minneapolis, MN – Students, families and educators of Minneapolis Public Schools have been busy over the past month organizing the community to reject the Minneapolis Public School (MPS) district’s “Transformation Plan.”

The district’s plan, announced on September 15, would close around 15 of the district’s best schools starting in the 2027-2028 school year. In response, the educators represented by Minneapolis Federation of Educators, Local 59 (MFE 59) have been holding rallies and feedback sessions, and using every public forum they can, to raise their concerns with the plan and educate the community around the impacts the plan would have.

School workers like Dino Schipper state, “Each and every one of these schools are a unique community full of people who love them. I just started working at FAIR High School for the Arts, and already I’ve come to love the community there. It’s so special that we have an arts high school in Minneapolis, and shutting it down would be a huge loss. It serves as a safe haven for queer and neurodivergent students, and any students that have a hard time fitting in and feeling safe anywhere else.”

MFE 59 has been leading the fightback against these closures, with a presence at all five of the district’s feedback sessions and a large rally in the rain, September 15, outside of the Davis Center, where MPS is headquartered. MFE 59 member organizers handed out hundreds of “No school closures!” buttons to community members on their way to give negative feedback on the plan to the district. Rallies have also been held by Minneapolis Families for Public Schools, featuring speakers like school board candidates Shannon Gibney and Christin Crabtree and MFE 59 Teacher Chapter First Vice President Natasha Dockter.

News that Minneapolis school board directors Greta Callahan and Sharon El-Amin introduced a resolution to pause the closures made the crowd hopeful at the Roosevelt High School rally. The resolution goes further to call on the superintendent to perform a “comprehensive alternative plan to increase enrollment, strengthen academic and programmatic offerings, improve district stability, and identify options for the sustainable use of district facilities,” including pre-kindergarten and bilingual programs.

The resolution also calls for the district to refocus on enrollment and expansion instead of divestment, echoing the vision long held by MFE 59. Only 53% of Minneapolis kids are enrolled in Minneapolis Public Schools, and the proposed closures would continue the trend of decreased enrollment in the district, driving families out of MPS. The resolution will be voted on Tuesday, October 13, and Director Callahan has indicated optimism that she has the votes to pass it.

Pickets at sites targeted for closure are still planned in the upcoming weeks, as well as continued email pressure and actions at school sites by MFE members.

In a statement, Minnesota Workers United voiced support for the educators: “MWU sees this as another step towards the defunding of every public service working families rely on. It’s an attack on the people of Minneapolis and an attack on the future of high-quality public education in Minneapolis, fitting right in with the current billionaire agenda to attack Minneapolis and public schools.”

Follow MFE 59 and Minneapolis Families for Public Schools for action items and rally times.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Labor #Teachers #PublicSchools #MFE59

Minneapolis, MN – On the afternoon of Saturday, October 3, hundreds of community members rallied in downtown Minneapolis to demand justice for all victims of ICE violence and to drop the charges against anti-ICE protesters.

This action was endorsed by labor unions such as the MN AFL-CIO, SEIU local 26, MFE local 59, SPFE local 28, MNA, and MAPE, among others. This outpouring of support from the labor movement is of the spirit of class struggle in the Twin Cities, and that most of the Minnesota 15 are union members.

The Minnesota 15 are anti-ICE protesters who were arrested and had their homes raided in June of 2026. The federal indictment alleges that the 15 were involved in “conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer,” and other bogus charges. Despite public outrage in response to the repression of activists, the MN 15 and many others in the state are still facing charges related to community rapid response and constitutional observation practices they undertook during Operation Metro Surge.

There have not been major developments in the case of the MN 15 since their indictment. The indictees have all been limited in communicating with one another, making it difficult to use collective defense strategies often used by groups of people facing political repression at once.

As the rally prepared to march down the Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis Federation of Educators President Marcia Howard pointed out that the MN 15 are far from the only people who stood against ICE during Operation Metro Surge. Howard stated, “They could have got me. Did I stand up for my constitutional rights? Did I observe? Did I stand up for my neighbors? Yes I did and I would do it again.”

Other union and community leaders echoed the importance of solidarity between all people’s movements in the face of repression. Attendees of the protest expressed their intent to continue taking the streets to demand justice for all victims of ICE terror and political repression.

Updates about the case and actions in support of the Minnesota 15 can be found on Instagram @minnesota.15.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #MN15 #Labor #ImmigrantRights #AFLCIO #SEIU #MFE

Baltimore, MD – Licensed deck officers at Alaska Tanker Company (ATC) and Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) are fighting to turn their overwhelming 2024 union votes into first contracts. The companies, both owned by Saltchuk, have met the workers’ decision to organize with prolonged resistance and delays.

The officers, known as mates, voted to join the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P). They are seeking enforceable protections covering pay, benefits, safety and working conditions. Nearly two years after choosing their union, they are still fighting to get those agreements.

These mates are responsible for navigating large tanker vessels and handling the cargo, which can include up to 1.3 million barrels of oil on a single ship. They navigate tankers carrying the fuels that supply gas stations, airports and industry, and oversee the hazardous transfers that bring those cargoes ashore. Their labor connects the petroleum supply chain from port to port, and their decisions carry consequences for everyone aboard, as well as the ports and coastal communities along their routes.

In March 2026, the National Labor Relations Board unanimously affirmed the officers’ right to union representation in separate decisions involving ATC and OSG. MM&P renewed its demand to bargain, but the companies are challenging these decisions in federal court, as if the NLRB doesn't matter.

“Our commitment to our members is steadfast, and we will never falter in the battle to defend their rights,” said MM&P International President Captain Don Josberger.

The fight exposes a familiar obstacle facing newly-organized workers such as at Amazon and Starbucks: winning an election does not automatically make an employer negotiate a contract. Delay leaves management under control of working conditions while workers must keep organizing to enforce the decision they already made.

Despite that resistance, the mates have demonstrated that acting together can force the companies to retreat. In September 2025, management moved to downgrade healthcare coverage and increase workers’ premiums and co-pays. Officers challenged the changes directly while MM&P demanded bargaining over the unilateral cuts.

Within two weeks of the union’s demand, ATC and OSG reversed course, maintaining the existing health plans, premiums and copays. A September 19 campaign update from the union credited the reversal to the combined pressure of officers questioning management and the union demanding negotiations.

The healthcare victory protected workers and their families from higher costs. It also showed what collective action could accomplish before the first contract was in place. But the officers’ organizing extends beyond defending a single benefit. They are fighting for agreements that establish lasting protection.

MM&P has called for support from the broader labor movement. They have organized politicians, other unions, community organizations, academics and leaders of faith into a broad coalition. Through the Mates United campaign, officers and supporters are building public pressure on Saltchuk. A public petition demands that the company respect their choice and bargain first contracts. A separate faith solidarity letter invites clergy and lay religious leaders to join that demand.

Supporters can sign and share the public petition. Faith leaders can add their names to the faith solidarity letter. Academics can sign the academic solidarity letter. Everyone can follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram.

Ultimately, winning first contracts will depend on the mates’ collective action and the power they build aboard the ships. The officers are building organizing committees and bringing more coworkers into the fight, turning their overwhelming union votes into an organization capable of sustaining pressure across both fleets. Support from the broader labor movement strengthens that effort, but its foundation is the workers themselves. Saltchuk owns the tankers; the mates’ labor keeps them moving. By organizing together, they can turn that indispensable role into the leverage needed to win.

#BaltimoreMD #MD #Labor #MM&P #Contract

Anderson, IN – Teamsters at Coca-Cola Consolidated's distribution center in central Indiana have been on an unfair labor practice strike since September 2, and their fight has spread well beyond Madison County.

On September 22, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) announced that the strikers had extended their picket lines to Coke Consolidated facilities across Ohio, where more than 300 Teamsters refused to cross the line. Strikers from Anderson, Indiana have effectively shut off the company's Ohio operations at locations in Akron, Toledo and Twinsburg. A week later, members of Teamsters Local 377 in Youngstown began honoring the picket line as well.

The strikers are drivers and merchandisers for Coca-Cola Consolidated, represented by Teamsters Local 135. This is the first strike at the company's Anderson facility.

“These workers have made it clear that they won’t settle for an agreement that does not respect what they are worth,” said Dustin Roach, president of Local 135, in a press release. “With the support of hundreds of their Teamsters brothers and sisters, our members are prepared to continue their work stoppage until they get a fair deal. Management needs to stop their games and get people back to work.”

The workers' previous four-year contract expired on August 29. Members voted down the company's offers, saying they did too little to bring wages and health benefits up to industry standards. Bargaining for a new agreement collapsed after Coke Consolidated management committed many unfair labor practices, including sending company representatives to the table with no authority to bargain, failing to bargain in good faith, and making unilateral changes.

Teamsters Local 135 says that some workers at Coke Consolidated's Anderson facility earn less than the living wage for Madison County, which MIT's Living Wage Calculator puts at $28 per hour for a household of two working adults and two children. Coca-Cola Consolidated can afford a fair deal. The company is the largest Coke bottler in the United States, reporting $2.05 billion in net sales and $158.8 million in net income for the second quarter of 2026 alone.

Picket line extensions happen when striking workers set up picket lines at other locations of the same employer they are striking. Because the pickets target the struck company itself, they are lawful primary picketing.

The power of the tactic comes from union contracts. Many Teamster agreements contain “Protection of Rights” language that guarantees members the right to refuse to cross a picket line. When Local 135 strikers showed up in Akron, Toledo and Twinsburg, the Teamsters there, working under their own separate contracts, used their legal and contractual right to refuse to cross and stayed off the job.

The result: a strike of 48 workers in one Indiana town became a work stoppage of more than 300 Teamsters across two states.

In an IBT press release, Jeff Padellaro, director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference, said, “As long as management refuses to offer a fair contract, we will remain on the picket line. Teamsters around the country have Local 135’s back, and these extended picket lines prove our solidarity is as strong as ever.”

In Youngstown, Local 377 President Steven Anzevino told WKBN news that his members would stand with Local 135. “It's not our strike,” he said, “but we are honoring their picket line.”

Picket line extensions are not new, and Teamsters have used them for decades. However, since Sean O'Brien's election as Teamsters general president in 2021, the tactic has become a central part of the union's strike strategy. In the past five years, Teamsters have won strikes against US Foods, Breakthru Beverage, DHL, and other companies after making use of the tactic.

#AndersonIN #IN #Labor #Teamsters #Strike #Featured

Gainesville, TX – After a week-long strike, more than 350 workers represented by Teamsters at Safran Seats have won a three-year contract eliminating mandatory overtime. Members ratified the agreement October 1 with 93% voting in favor, according to the union.

Local 767 reports the agreement also restores the 80-hour bank, increases contributions toward 401(k), retirement and company-paid insurance, and provides wage increases that the union describes as historic.

The workers, who manufacture airplane seats for commercial airlines, began their unfair labor practice strike September 24 after rejecting a tentative agreement that retained mandatory overtime provisions. Workers on the picket line identified the provision, which they called “mando,” as a principal reason for voting down the earlier proposal.

One week after walking out, they ratified an agreement removing the requirement.

The ULP strike had started on Thursday, September 24. Just one week later, the company caved and quickly yielded to the demands of the membership.

Mario Hernandez, business agent and bargaining committee member for Safran Teamsters, stated, “We fought the company with everything we had and we came out victorious. That goes to show you that with a little unity anything can happen.”

#GainesvilleTX #TX #Labor #Strike #Teamsters #IBT767

Joliet, IL – Dozens of nurses and their supporters rallied in the pouring rain September 30 to call attention to Prime Healthcare’s closing of the Obstetrics and Special Care Nursery departments at Saint Joseph Hospital in Joliet, Illinois. Prime Healthcare is a nationwide “for-profit” corporation that is known for eliminating services that are not making enough money. These cuts affect working-class poor people the most.

Since acquiring Saint Joseph in March 2025, Prime has closed the inpatient pediatric unit, closed a 30-bed acute care for the elderly unit for a year, closed the post-surgical unit and is seeking to permanently close pediatric inpatient services.

According to 35-year Saint Joseph Hospital Registered Nurse Kim Craig, the matter is made worse, “because as doctors retired, they never replaced them.” Saint Joseph Hospital is licensed to 489 beds, but according to the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) they operate at 195 to 225 beds per day because of Prime Healthcare cuts.

But a core of registered nurses, members of the INA, are not taking it. On Wednesday, September 30, they rallied with community members calling for Prime Healthcare to not leave the 153,000 residents of the fourth-largest city in Illinois without critically needed healthcare.

“This is the last day for our unit to be open, we are officially closed as of tomorrow morning,” said Kim Craig, who works in the Special Care Nursery, “It’s horrible; half of our staff has not been placed. But the biggest part is, what are we going to do with all our moms and babies now? There is nobody in the Joliet area.” Prime Healthcare is making major cuts to the only hospital in Joliet.

Warehouses moved into Joliet, staffed by non-union subcontractors for Walmart, Amazon and other corporate giants. 4000 union employees at U.S. Steel and the 7000 union Caterpillar workers have lost their jobs, as both of those plants closed. Joliet Township Supervisor Cesar Guerrero talked about the union spirit in Joliet which lives on inside this core of INA leaders, who are fighting to preserve decent jobs, but also fighting for access to healthcare for Joliet.

The rally also heard from former INA staffer Michelle Couturier who was involved in organizing the INA strike against Saint Joseph Hospital in the early 1990s. This strike led to INA’s first contract with Saint Joseph Hospital. Couturier talked about the militant tactics and innovative strategies that the mostly women nurses used to win the contract.

The day before the rally, INA showed up at the hospital to bargain the effects of the most recent cuts. Even though Prime is legally required to bargain, they instead called the police on the union. Fortunately, the police that showed up did not make arrests and told Prime to work it out with the union.

“This community and our patients deserve a hospital within Joliet to serve Joliet. The mothers and babies of Joliet deserve to be able to deliver in a place that is safe, close to home and easily accessible,” concluded Christina Vanoskey, a Labor and Delivery Unit registered nurse.

#JolietIL #IL #Labor #INA #Nurses #SaintJosephHospital #Feature

Gainesville, TX – More than 350 workers at Safran Seats began an unfair labor practice strike on September 24, after their rejection of a tentative agreement for a next contract, which contained mandatory overtime provisions. The workers manufacture airplane seats for commercial airlines and are represented by Teamsters Local 767.

On September 18, the union members voted down the proposed tentative agreement. Local 767 bargaining committee members returned to the table, making it clear that an agreement retaining mandatory overtime provisions would be rejected, but Safran refused to offer a revised agreement removing the provision.

According to Local 767, Safran called on Friday, September 25, to arrange a meeting with the bargaining committee that morning. Committee members arrived at the agreed location, but company representatives did not appear. Several hours after the scheduled start, the company called to cancel. The Teamsters then filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board on September 24 alleging surveillance, coercive statements, and bad-faith bargaining by Safran.

Workers on the picket line repeatedly cited mandatory overtime, which they called “mando,” as the principal reason for rejecting the proposed tentative agreement. Many of the members on strike expressed that they were glad to have voted it down, pointing out that there are enough people who volunteer to work overtime so it didn’t need to be in the contract, and that they stand on their feet for ten-hour shifts, which is already hard or impossible for some workers to do. They also pointed out that during the companies 90-day probationary period, workers are not allowed to work overtime, and with this contract language, they too would be required to work overtime despite lack of full training.

The workers’ demand is straightforward: overtime should be voluntary. By rejecting the agreement and taking their fight to the picket line, Safran Teamsters are demanding a say over how much of their lives the company can claim.

#GainsvilleTX #DallasTX #TX #Labor #Strike #UnfairLaborPractice #Teamsters #Teamsters767 #SafranSeats

Los Angeles, CA – On Sunday, September 20, a group of 30 rank-and-file members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) union met at Magic Johnson Park in South LA. The Teamsters work for Republic Services and met to discuss strike preparedness for their upcoming contract expiration.

On September 30, the union contracts of roughly 3000 Teamsters Local 396 sanitation employees across different companies and yards will expire. These Teamsters haul waste across a large geography of cities in LA County, Orange County and the Inland Empire.

Over the past year, the workers have participated in organizing boot camps to give people the training to organize and prepare to strike; shop floor Teamster Thursday union huddles to build unity at work; and Sunday morning meetings at the park to prepare for contract negotiations and the possibility of going on strike. At this last Sunday park meeting, the rank and file discussed the importance of remaining united and in solidarity.

Shop steward and negotiation committee member Marcus Ford stated, “I thought the meeting went well and I’m feeling good about where we at. The rank-and-file members are solid and are ready to keep pushing forward and fighting for change!”

Members were angered after finding out the company intentionally allowed two weeks to go by with no negotiation sessions scheduled. Instead, they chose the final few days before the old contract expires, with much of the new contract still not negotiated. Rank-and-file member Sammy Carrera said, “We understand very well that the company is hoping to use this as a tactic and strategy against us. They hope to pressure us into the first offer thrown at us, but they are very mistaken. The members are activated and ready to mobilize. If the company doesn’t pay up, the trash will pile up!”

In July 2025, over 400 Teamsters at Republic Services in Boston were on strike for 82 days. Trash piled up all around Boston for nearly three months until the company finally gave in to the workers’ demands, including a 46% pay increase over the five-year contract. There has been lots of talk about how the company, in the case of a strike, has already begun making preparations for bringing in the Blue Crew. The Blue Crew is a group of Republic Services’ professional scabs who are ready to fly around the country to act as strikebreakers. They are brought in from out of town or sometimes out of state.

The members have been very clear with the company regarding an expired contract; no contract extension will be given, and members will only continue to work beyond the contract expiration date if negotiations continue in good faith. As of now, it is not looking too promising.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Teamsters #Labor #Teamsters396 #RepublicServices #Strike #Feature

Carrollton, TX – Workers at two DHL delivery service providers operating out of the same facility won unanimous union victories. The new union workers joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The vote followed a campaign marked by aggressive union busting and retaliation against worker leaders by management.

First, workers at Cartage Services voted unanimously for the union on September 15. One day later, September 16, DrivenForce workers also voted unanimously to join the union. Both contractors operate as third party delivery service providers that DHL subcontracts delivery services to. The victories came after weeks of organizing and a joint march on management on August 25, when workers from both companies demanded union recognition.

Cartage and DrivenForce are separate DHL delivery service providers, but their workers operate out of the same facility and are part of the same broader delivery operation. Rather than allowing the separate contractors to divide them, workers organized around their shared concerns and built support for union recognition at both companies. On August 25, workers from Cartage and DrivenForce marched on management together to make their demand for recognition directly.

After the workers demanded recognition of their union, management quickly responded with an aggressive union-busting campaign. Some worker leaders were fired, while others were placed on probation soon after the march. The workers facing terminations or disciplines were workers who had taken leading roles in the organizing campaign. Despite this, the workers continued organizing, talking with coworkers and preparing for their elections.

On September 15, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) held a union election for the Cartage workers. The result was unanimous. Every vote was in favor of union representation. The election win came despite the retaliation workers had faced during the campaign and demonstrated the depth of support and militancy of the organizing drive.

The next day, September 16, DrivenForce workers held their election. They also voted unanimously for the union.

These two DHL delivery service providers are the second and third such companies in the DHL delivery network to vote to join the Teamsters union, demonstrating that DHL and its union-busting program can be beat.

#CarrolltonTX #TX #Labor #DHL #Teamsters #CartageServices #DrivenForce

New York City, NY – The Alliance of Substitutes and Paraprofessionals (ASAP), a new group of militants within the NYC United Federation of Teachers, held a “Para RESPECT Check Town Hall” over Zoom on Wednesday, September 16.

The meeting was held to hear the voices of paras, the most underpaid education workers in the city, on the new “RESPECT Check” legislation which recently became law and which led to a controversial lawsuit against NYC City Council by Mayor Mamdani’s office.

The UFT successfully lobbied city council members for two years to win paras a $10,000 bonus check, which every city council member voted in support of. When the bill reached Mayor Mamdani’s desk, he decided to sue, because he believes it violates state law on collective bargaining. If Mamdani’s lawsuit succeeds, paras will not get the $10,000 check.

According to New York’s “Taylor Law”, all increases in wages for public sector workers must be won through the collective bargaining process, instead of through local politics. However, the UFT says that it wrote the language of the bill to avoid this problem. Meanwhile, paras wait in limbo to see whether or not they will receive the check.

Among rank-and-file organizers within the UFT, there wasn’t an immediate consensus on how to move forward. Some wanted to fight Mamdani’s lawsuit, others wanted to leave it and put more effort into rank and file organizing around a 2027 contract campaign.

The ASAP organizers recognized the heated nature of the moment and called for the town hall to hear the voices of paraprofessionals, those directly affected, on which direction to go next.

Over 50 educators joined the call, the vast majority being paras. Paras shared their thoughts and feelings on the RESPECT Check and other issues. Many voiced militant ideas about fighting for better pay and better working conditions.

Of the 14 different paras who spoke up at the town hall, nine supported the check and wanted to fight to retain it, while two did not. Three thought some other course of action should be taken.

Shamina Popy, one para on the call, said, “For me, the check is about more than just the money. It’s about recognizing the hard work paraprofessionals like me do every day for our students and our schools. We give so much of ourselves to support our students, and we deserve to have that work valued. The town hall was important because it brought us together and reminded us that we have a strong voice when we stand together. I believe we need to keep fighting for the check and continue making our voices heard.”

#NYC #NewYorkCity #TownHall #UnitedFederationofTeachers #Labor

Salt Lake City, UT – On Labor Day, September 7, dozens of community members gathered at the Utah Worker’s Center for a labor organizing and community activism discussion and a film screening. Attendees heard firsthand reports from the frontlines of the people’s movements in Salt Lake City.

Bryn Dayton, a rank-and-file Teamster and UPS worker, recounted difficult working conditions in warehouses amid automation and other challenges, and stressed the need for UPS workers in Utah to join the union and become involved.

Alondra Marquez, a campus worker and secretary of Communication Workers of America Local 7765, advocated getting organized and building the labor movement in Utah.

Local community organizers also invited attendees to get involved. Amber Grace of the Utah Anti-War Committee called out Trump’s war on Iran, pointing out that the aggression had led to heightened gas and grocery prices for working people.

“I think it's important to highlight the ways in which the labor struggle is intrinsically connected to the anti-imperialist struggle against wars which are currently terrorizing working people abroad while simultaneously making everyday needs like gas and groceries unaffordable at home,” said Grace.

Nova Morra of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stressed the need to connect the many attacks that the American government directs at countries abroad and against its own people, encouraging attendees to get involved in activism.

“Back in 2010, our organization was raided by the FBI for fighting back and standing up to bad government policies and their wars,” said Morra. “Today, I want you to join and continue that same fight with me!”

After the discussion, organizers dimmed the lights for a screening of Salt of The Earth (1954), a film recounting the real-life struggle of Mexican American miners in the 1951 Empire Zinc Company Strike. After a long and difficult strike, the workers prevailed; their consistent resolve and strong unity won a decent contract.

The event was organized by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, CWA-7765, and the Utah Anti-War Committee.

#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #Labor #FRSO #UAWC #CWA

Denver, CO – On Monday, September 7, more than 80 workers gathered near the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment office for a Labor Day rally under the slogan “Workers Over Billionaires!”

Emcees Katherine Draken and Miles Thompson started the rally with a brief history of Labor Day and some historic strikes in the United States. They stressed that the struggle still exists to this day, and it is important to continue to fight in the face of continued repression from the Trump administration.

Union workers and other community organizations with the Denver Coalition Against Trump gave speeches throughout the day, the first of which came from Kyle Burroughs, a UPS Teamster and district organizer for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We take the risk every day. We work all the jobs and we get nothing!” Burroughs noted that the biggest risk billionaires ever take on is the possibility of becoming members of the working class.

While many workers face dangerous working conditions every day, they receive little in return for their grueling labor.

A rank-and-file Teamster, Burroughs advocates for workers to take on the boss instead of seeking solutions through corporate collaboration with the union. “I believe that the unions need to fight. I believe that there are two sides in this class war,” Burroughs said.

Burroughs envisions a different future for the working class, one under socialism. “Socialism is how workers will turn this ugly thing into its opposite,” Burroughs said, referring to capitalism. “Do we think life will be better under socialism? We know it will be.”

Participants later heard from Naomi Wilson, a union barista with Starbucks Workers United. Wilson spoke about how Starbucks workers started demanding better conditions five years ago and how they have already built a union with over 12,000 baristas across the country.

“Our CEO brags about charging $9 for a coffee as he rakes in millions and travels to work in a private jet,” Naomi stated, highlighting the stark contrast between the owner and the overworked and struggling baristas.

Starbucks has earned a reputation as a company with one of the highest counts of federal labor law violations in modern history. Wilson says workers are fed up and are building a movement to fight back. “Our bosses think that we don't have the grit and determination necessary to win, but I know that when we stand together, we will win!” In Wilson’s view, workers around the country can stand with striking Starbucks workers by joining them on the picket line and boycotting Starbucks.

The crowd then marched to the Denver Elections Division, chanting “Get up, get down! Denver is a union town!” and “Billionaires don't save the day! Tax the rich and make them pay!” among other fiery rallying cries.

Mar Melendez with Aurora Unidos CSO spoke outside the Elections Division about her organization's struggle for immigrant rights and Chicano liberation. By mobilizing working people to defend their neighbors, CSO has freed eight detainees from the nearby GEO detention center. Melendez paid homage to the history of Chicanos in the labor struggle and spoke to the decades of exploitation faced by the working class. “Our history reminds us that dignity is never negotiated. It is fought for and it is taken from below– for the people, by the people,” stated Melendez.

On the way back to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the protesters shouted more chants while local protest band Notes of Dissent played songs such as Bella Ciao and The Hand That Feeds, as well as some improvised music.

Dr. James Walsh, an educator at CU Denver and a member of the United Campus Workers, highlighted that the crowd at this Labor Day rally is the youngest he has ever seen. He feels this represents a shift in the labor movement, stating that rank-and file unions, or, in his words, “unions that don't need approval from officials,” are the future.

The final speech of the day was delivered by Kate Biester of the Sheridan Educators Association. After their contract expired in 2025, the union fought to expand their next contract to include all school faculty instead of just teachers. Bookkeepers, bus drivers, custodians, computer technicians and more were represented for the first time in the district. “We must envision a new labor movement,” Biester said. “One that unites white collar and blue collar and workers of all types as labor!”

The prevailing sentiment throughout the protest was one of powerful struggles against the ruling class and pride in the union movement. Kate Biester urged people to “make this Labor Day yours and ours! For all of us!”

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #LaborDay #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters

San Jose, CA – On September 10, over 50 students, faculty and other campus workers rallied for labor rights on San Jose State University campus. Organized by the recently formed San José State Labor Coalition, the action sought to build solidarity with regards to core issues facing laborers such as low wages and hazardous working conditions.

United Auto Workers 4123-SJSU Head Steward Alex O’Neill told the crowd, “Somehow, there always seems to be enough money for wages and compensation at the top, but not enough for workers’ basic needs.”

California Faculty Association representative Michael Tal remarked on cases of union-busting from SJSU admin, “This semester, we had an issue with FAFSA [federal student aid applications] where multiple students had to drop out because they could not pay, while the chancellor racks in checks,” Tal said. “Our bargaining team is using port-a-potties to speak to management, which indicates a leadership that views us as less than equal.”

Teamsters Local 2010 Steward Vince Carrillo stated, “The CSU failed to follow their side of the contract and now we’re currently without one. It’s been three years.”

“When the president needs something done, they call us and we have to stop what we’re doing,” Carrillo continued. “We’ve got to keep up the fight because they expect more and more from us, and we’ve got to stick it out until we make it out on the other side better.”

Guadalupe Pallais of the CSU Employees Union (CSUEU) stated, “In 2022, I found myself in a difficult situation involving an assistant director. At CSUEU-SJSU, I was assured my rights and the value of being unionized.”

Pallais continued, “I share my story because I want others to know that unions work for their members, and they genuinely care about what we experience in the workplace.”

Lorena Segovia of Academic Professionals of California gave a fiery speech calling out CSU. “We are still in negotiations for the last fiscal year, and they are offering lowball offers while the SJSU president makes $546,000 a year. How the fuck can you make that much money, knowing that the staff who make that profit are struggling to survive? That shows that they are not here to support students, but to create a corporate structure where those at the top are making the most money, while everyone at the bottom is struggling,” Segovia said.

“We keep getting asked to do more with less, and we are expected to support our students. We deserve fair wages and fair working conditions!” Segovia continued. “We demand that the CSU recognizes the work and value we do and invest in the people that make the system work! We stand together, and we stand stronger as one.”

#SanJoseCA #CA #Labor #SJSLC

Denver, CO – On September 8, 75 people stood outside of the Frontier Airlines headquarters in Denver, Colorado with one message: give workers what they deserve. This group was composed of members from the community, various unions, and a group of flight attendants, all gathered to support the call for a better contract for flight attendants working for Frontier.

The flight attendants at Frontier are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the union that represents around 50,000 flight attendants across the country.

Flight attendants are crucial for travel today, handling safety checks and passenger service, as well as facilitating a smooth flying experience for travelers. Despite this, flight attendants working for Frontier are operating under a contract that was negotiated nearly seven years ago. The fight to bargain a new contract started three years ago, with many workers feeling unsatisfied with what the company has offered them. Frontier flight attendants are the lowest paid of all the major carriers.

Jen Sala, AFA Frontier president, stated, “It is important to have events with our flight attendants, so we are all motivated to get to the same goal line. We know that we all need a livable wage. We all need Frontier to come to the table. Events like this help motivate everyone around us and show Frontier how important it is.” Sala added, “Talk to your stewardess whenever you are on board,” and concluded by saying, “We would love to hear from you and would love to know you are supporting us.”

The contract fight is ongoing, and there are more events the AFA is putting on around the country in the coming months, including ones in Philadelphia, Orlando and Atlanta. The AFA plans to continue this contract fight until they get a contract the membership can get behind and vote for.

#DenverCO #CO #Labor #FlightAttendants #Frontier #AFA #AFACWA

Chicago, IL – On Wednesday, September 2, Teamsters Local 700 voted to approve a two-year contract with the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The final vote was a close 88 to 82. The strike lasted for two weeks before the administration gave into some of the demands of the workers.

The strike had come after a year of failed negotiations. Rank-and-file workers organized their own committee, Forest Preserves Teamsters United, which led the bargaining unit in voting down four tentative agreements. After two periods of contract extensions, the workers voted to strike. It was the first time the workers at the forest preserves had ever gone on strike. Many had never attended a picket line before. Despite the lack of experience, the workers were steadfast, frequently marching through the county building in downtown Chicago as a show of force.

The final contract has several improvements won by the strike. Overtime on the sixth and seventh day is now guaranteed. The mandatory weekend work, widely despised by resource management workers, will be reduced by 50%. Seniority will be respected for bidding on scheduling in landscape maintenance. However, no movement was made on the wage schedule.

Brannon Curtis-Wittenberg, a senior resource technician with the Forest Preserves, said the workers were “asking for fair wages compared to non-union employees. Our current step raises are about a tenth of what the non-union makes.”

For example, under the current wage schedule, a laborer in landscape maintenance receives just $1.78 in raises over nine years, with some annual step increases as small as 12 cents an hour. This is despite the recent $4.8 million budget increase due to a new allocation of tax money to the Forest Preserves.

Cal Filkin, a resource technician, commented on the main victory of the strike, saying, “Even if we didn’t achieve the economic changes to the contract that we needed, we’re not going back to work, tail between our legs. I believe the most consequential achievement is the changes we’ve affected in our members through this struggle: we self-organized across 20 work locations; we’ve empowered ourselves to stand up and fight; and we’ve proved to ourselves that we can fight and we can win. Nine months ago, we had none of that. Now, heading back into negotiations next year, we have a very credible strike threat.”

David Yokley, who works as a landscaper, said there was still work to do. “Going forward, we got a few small concessions, but gains nonetheless. But this is just the beginning. Negotiations begin soon, so we don’t have a lot of time to take a break. We're mobilizing right now, keeping people energized.”

When asked what his message to other union members was, Curtis-Wittenberg said, “Stay strong, talk to your coworkers. If your union is not as organized as you would like it to be, make it organized. It is your union.”

#ChicagoIL #IL #Labor #Teamsters #Strike #TeamstersLocal700 #Feature

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

Jerome Scott, a member of the LRBW since its founding, was there to join the discussion.

The documentary follows the founding of the LRBW by joining together different union caucuses led by militant Black workers. Each was at a different factory but soon realized they faced the same issues. All of the factory managements had racist practices, racist pay scales and dangerous work conditions.

By getting together and founding the LRBW, they were able to work on something bigger and learn from each other. They saw that the factory owners, the mayor, and the police were all on one side.

The organization also expanded into the community, colleges and schools. Having people who did not work in the factories on their side helped them in times of strikes, firings or arrests. With an organization uniting Black workers across industries, they had enough support to put up election campaigns for city office in Detroit.

After the movie showing, there was a question-and-answer session with Jerome Scott who recently co-wrote Motown and the Making of Working-Class Revolutionaries. The book details his experience in the LRBW. Scott filled in some details not mentioned in the documentary, like how they related to other groups, and the mistakes they made. Attendees talked more about the need to fight for people’s everyday problems, organizing at the workplace, and building the strategic alliance between the Black Liberation Movement and the struggle of the multinational working class for socialism.

The screening was put on by Resistance Cinema Atlanta, Atlanta Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Speakers talked about what their groups do and urged everyone to join.

#AtlantaGA #GA #Labor #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican

New York, NY – A new, militant group of rank-and-file unionists formed within the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) this week, called “ASAP – Alliance of Substitutes and Paraprofessionals”.

The new group, mainly consisting of members of the union’s reform caucus MORE (Movement of Rank-and-File Educators), was formed to meet a pressing need in the union. In the NYC Department of Education, substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and substitute paraprofessionals are the most neglected workers. So, union members are banding together to change this. In addition, the inequality in pay and conditions takes on a nationality, racial, and gendered character with many substitutes and most paraprofessionals being Black, Latino, immigrant and women.

While there are some groups which exist within the union to address certain specific issues that affect these education workers, such as Fix Para Pay, ASAP hopes to be the rank and file led option which really engages in militant fights on these issues.

Paraprofessionals are in the news lately, for many reasons. Most recently, Mayor Mamdani decided to sue NYC City Council for passing the Para RESPECT Check bill into law, which will provide a $10,000 bonus check for paras, which the UFT has been pushing for over the last two years. Additionally, the city’s Teacher Retirement System (TRS) attacked para retirees by demanding they make huge repayments due to a miscalculation on the part of TRS. Thankfully, this attack was partially routed by the UFT’s response via its legal team.

Meanwhile, substitutes do not have proper representation in the union. Most titles, such as teachers, social workers and paras, have their own chapters, whether based in the school or otherwise. Substitutes have no chapter of their own, which means there is no mechanism to formally represent their collective voice. Also, substitutes do not have representation on UFT’s executive board or at its delegate assembly, the union’s primary decision-making body.

Claude Copland, a member of ASAP and a substitute teacher in the Bronx, said, “As a long-term substitute teacher for almost five years now, I look forward to working with other subs and paras to help build a union that does not take any title for granted and wants to see the best outcomes for all their members.”

The Alliance of Subs and Paras vows to build the fight around these kinds of issues and will be holding related events.

ASAP is hosting a Para Town Hall, where paraprofessionals can gather to give their voice on what course of action to take with the recent lawsuit from the city against city council’s Para RESPECT Check. The event will take place over Zoom on September 16, at 6 p.m.

For more about the Alliance of Subs and Paras, follow them at: @nycsubparaalliance on Instagram.

#NewYorkNY #NY #NYC #Labor #UnitedFederationOfTeachers #Teachers

Chicago, IL – 100 nurses and their allies gathered outside the Cook County Pension Fund in downtown Chicago on Augurst 27 demanding the fund sever ties with Palantir, a surveillance technology company. National Nurses United (NNU), the largest union of registered nurses in the U.S., organized the Chicago protest, as well as seven others across the country.

NNU’s campaign to “Purge Palantir” comes as many hospitals establish deeper ties with the company. Some hospitals use Palantir to automate nurse staffing, laying off local managers and worsening working conditions. Other hospitals share patient data with Palantir, which then uses that information so ICE can target and deport immigrant patients.

“Union nurses cannot be silent when our most vulnerable people, babies and children, are being detained by federal immigration agents,” said NNU President Jamie Brown, RN. “While our patients and neighbors are living in fear of immigration raids enabled by Palantir, our hospitals are facing huge cuts, and our patients are facing mounting health care costs because of HR 1. Nurses aren’t just saying no to Palantir, but we’re calling for our public resources to go toward the benefit of working people, not billionaires and their corporations.”

Husam Marajda of U.S. Palestinian Community Network stated, “Per Palantir’s own admission, it serves to help fight ‘U.S. adversaries.’ This specifically means that Palantir serves war and terror. It means that Palantir gives technology to criminal governments and administrations like the United States and Israel and others, to commit war crimes. To kidnap and separate families. To cause destruction everywhere.”

Among Palantir’s backers and investors are the managers of various public worker pension funds, including the Illinois State Board of Investment and the Cook County Pension Fund. CTU Recording Secretary Vicki Kurzydlo explained, “We cannot tell our students and our families that we stand with them while our retirement dollars are invested in companies like Palantir, whose technologies are being used to target, arrest, and disappear people!”

Nurses and health care workers occupied the street for ten minutes. Organizers placed baby shoes in front of banners reading, “Patients over Palantir” and “Purge Palantir.” The shoes represented the over 500 babies that ICE has detained since 2025. Other protesters held notes that children wrote in ICE detention. Some raised umbrellas with big eyes attached symbolizing that nurses are “keeping an eye” on Palantir’s harmful activities.

NNU continues to organize against hospital funding cuts and Palantir. They fight for a better, healthier, future for all. One of NNU’s main calls is to, “Fund care, not billionaires.” You can sign the petition at the National Nurses United website.

#ChicagoIL #IL #Labor #NationalNursesUnited #Palantir #ImmigrantRights #ICE #AntiWarMovement

New Orleans, LA – On August 27, about 30 people gathered for a demonstration against Palantir, a data analytics corporation notorious for its use in mass surveillance and the Palestinian genocide. New Orleans Nurses United led the protest alongside National Nurses United (NNU) locals in seven other cities.

“We nurses are outside the federal building in New Orleans today because one in four people detained by ICE are taken to Louisiana detention centers,” said Hannah Miller, an ICU nurse and NNU member.

The crowd chanted “Purge, purge Palantir!” and raised picket signs that read “Palantir Out!”.

NNU chose to target Palantir in this coordinated National Day of Action because hospitals contract the corporation to manage patient information, including automated scheduling and management. Palantir is currently partnering with the Trump regime to target people for deportation based on Medicaid data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Trump and his fearmongers in Congress continue to send billions to corrupt CEOs who profit from violence and suffering. They have stolen more than a trillion dollars from healthcare for working people,” said Miller.

Nurses then occupied a busy street for over ten minutes and raised a giant banner that read, “Patients over Palantir!” They put stickers on signs and buildings informing bystanders on the dangers ICE and Palantir pose.

“We must unite to say no to Palantir making us work harder for less, no to Palantir arming masked thugs to kidnap our neighbors, no to Palantir enabling Israel’s ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, and no to Palantir everywhere!” stated Nick Michaels, an organizer with New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP).

Organizations that joined NNU in this demonstration include NOSHIP, Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP), and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #Labor #Nurses #NationalNursesUnited #Palantir #AntiWarMovement #ImmigrantRights #ICE