Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

MadisonWI

By Caelyn Dallman

Madison, WI – On June 26, custodial workers for the Madison Metropolitan School District, represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (ASCFME) Local 60, rallied together at the Board of Education meeting to demand a $5 per hour raise that was given to almost all other hourly employees in the district. Since last October they have been raising their voices demanding the school board realize just how much they do for the district.

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By staff

Representatives of eight different organizations gathered in Madison at the stat

Madison, WI – Milwaukee organizations rallied inside the state capitol in Madison on Monday, June 12, to voice firm disapproval of the shared revenue agreement between Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Republicans. According to reports, the latest shared revenue proposal is scheduled to pass through both the state assembly and senate on Wednesday, June 14. From there, Governor Evers is poised to accept it.

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By Caelyn Dallman

Members of OPEIU Local 39 on the picket line

Madison, WI – The OPEIU Local 39 union workers, 500 strong, started their strike against CUNA Mutual Group, now formally rebranded as TruStage, this past Friday, May 19. The action is making history not only as their first strike in their 80-year long relationship with TruStage, but also as being the largest strike in the city of Madison since the Act 10 protests on the capitol a dozen years ago. After over 400 days of stalled bargaining processes, refusal to provide information, retaliation against union leaders, and TruStage’s bargaining in bad faith, workers were left with no other option but to strike.

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By staff

Michael Jones addressing a rally of teachers.

On Monday, May 15, Fight Back! interviewed Michael Jones, president of the teachers’ unit with Madison Teachers, Incorporated (MTI), which represents nearly 2700 educators employed by the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), to discuss current conditions and a recent week of action where teachers worked to rule. Fight Back!: How long have you been working in Madison schools?

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By Stephanie Spehar

Hundreds rally and march in Madison in opposition to the rise of anti-trans legi

Madison, WI – 400 people braved snowy conditions to join the Day of Resistance to Trans Genocide rally on March 18. The rally, organized by a grassroots coalition from southern Wisconsin, was held to demonstrate stalwart opposition to the recent flood of anti-trans legislation, rhetoric and violence across the United States.

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By staff

Rallying for reproductive rights in Madison, WI.

Madison, WI – On the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, January 22, Reproductive Justice Action-Milwaukee (RJA-M) joined the Madison Area Reproductive Rights Coalition for Healthcare (MARCH) for a march and rally of thousands in Madison, the Wisconsin capital city. The event called on people to vote in the spring primary Wisconsin Supreme Court election, but it also heavily emphasized that this fight is “Bigger Than Roe.”

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By staff

Madison, WI – On September 12, a tentative agreement was reached between nurses at University of Wisconsin Health (UW Health) and administration over management recognition of their union, represented by SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin. Nurses at UW Health had lost their union after their contract expired in 2014 and the administration refused to bargain, citing Wisconsin's “Act 10” law. The effort for renewed recognition was restarted as of 2019.

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By staff

Madison stands with Palestine.

Madison, WI – 200 people came out in Madison in the late morning of May 15, the 73rd anniversary of the Nakba, to stand with Palestinian people resisting genocide at the hands of the racist Israeli government. The demonstration took place on the steps of the Wisconsin State Capitol building. Over 130 people have been killed, nearly 1000 wounded, and many more thousands have been displaced from their homes in Israel’s most recent string of attacks that began on May 10.

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By staff

Madison, WI workers stand with nurses.

Madison, WI – Nurses at Meriter Hospital in Madison represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) are coming to what could be their final bargaining session with management from UnityPoint Health.

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By Alicia Spietz

Madison May Day caravan supports community safety and workers’ rights

Madison, WI – On a sunny May 1 afternoon which marked both May Day and A Day Without Immigrants, a caravan comprised of about 20 different vehicles made its way to the Capitol Square in a careful procession in support of a timely cause.

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