On Wednesday, a group of more than 600 physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners held a one-day strike against their employer, Minneapolis-based Allina Health. The primary and urgent care providers work at over 60 clinics in Minnesota and Wisconsin and are organized with Doctors Council SEIU Local 10MD.
On October 15, a White House memo boasted a $13 billion investment in five Midwestern plants by automaker Stellantis. It also announced projects by Whirlpool, General Electric and others. Thanks to tariffs, Trump tells us, the prodigal sons of industry have returned.
But how does the scoreboard really add up for reindustrialization?
Not quite as advertised. These aren’t new factories; they’re old ones being retooled. Tariffs shoot manufacturers in the foot, since they drive up prices for supplies. Investing in new technologies takes skilled workers. This is a hard sell when ICE just deported over 300 Korean technicians from a Georgia car factory. Auto corporations, hearts full of liberal compassion, fear that “first they came for Hyundai.”
Colorado Springs, CO – On October 29, organizers with Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) gathered at a unionized Starbucks store in Colorado Springs to hold a practice picket in preparation to strike. Members of the Colorado Springs Labor Council, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Democratic Socialists of America joined the practice picket.
Springfield, IL – Four buses departed from the parking lot of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) headquarters at sunrise on Wednesday morning, October 29. They carried hundreds of educators, students and parents to the State Capitol in Springfield where they joined people from all over the state mobilized by the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT). All united to demand fully funded schools across the state.
New York, NY – On October 24, in Midtown Manhattan the NYC Educators For Palestine convened an event to launch their divestment campaign for the new school year.
The Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) for the Ccty of New York currently holds $112million of stock in Israeli companies. The “TRS Divest” campaign, made in combination with teachers in the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and the Professional Staff Congress of the City University of New York (PSC-CUNY), seeks to bring more teachers into the fold to organize against their retirement funds being invested in Israeli stocks, including notorious weapons manufacturers such as Elbit Systems.
Milwaukee, WI – On October 25, employees of Discovery World Museum, along with other union and community members stood together on a picket line to tell Discovery World management that they will not tolerate their refusal to recognize the workers union.
Rosemont, IL – Hundreds of people marched in the No Kings protest on Saturday afternoon, October 18, near O’Hare International Airport. At the head of the column was the leadership of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), including outgoing President Dan Montgomery and newly-elected President Stacy Davis Gates. Protesters demanded fully-funded public services and an end to Trump's federal invasion of Illinois.
Shelbyville, IN – At noon on October 17, the movement to unionize Horseshoe Indianapolis erupted into open action as the table games dealers and dual rate dealers walked off the job and launched a strike for union recognition with Teamsters Local 135. “Dual rates” split their workweek as dealers and floor leads.
Shelbyville, IN – Table games dealers and dual rates at the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino have authorized a strike for union recognition.
At an October 14 press conference, Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach announced that 92% of dealers and dual rates voted yes to authorize a strike. The vote, held on October 10 directly across from the casino, saw participation by a strong majority of both groups.