Plymouth, MN – On May 27, Minnesotans protested at Northrup Grumman, the fifth largest arms-producing and military services company in the world, to draw attention to their manufacturing and selling of the Longbow system for Apache AH64D helicopters which is used by the Israeli military to attack Gaza. In this month’s 11-day assault on Gaza the Israeli military killed nearly 250 Palestinians, including 66 children. The protest was the fifth Palestine solidarity protest in the Twin Cities area in the past three weeks.

Andrew Josefchak of the Anti-War Committee, explained the role of U.S. weapons to the crowd of 50 people standing outside Northrup Grumman in the rain, stating, “Of the $3.8 billion we send to Israel every year most of that is military aid. And that military aid has a condition – it has to be spent on weapons made here in the U.S, many of them made right here at Northrup Grumman. It’s like the government is sending a Northrup Grumman gift card, and Israel can only spend it in one place. So, our government is working hand-in-glove with these weapons manufacturers; our tax dollars are being funneled directly to the people in this facility here, which produces Hellfire missiles which are used to conduct air strikes on Gaza.”

Speakers represented activist groups like Women Against Military Madness, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Council on American Islamic Relations and faith leaders representing Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam.

At the end of the action the names of children killed in Gaza this month were read out loud and a prayer was given in Arabic and English for the children.

A coalition of local groups including American Muslims for Palestine, Anti-War Committee, If Not Now, and Jewish Voice for Peace organized the action.

#PlymouthMN #AntiwarMovement #Palestine #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarCommittee #NorthrupGrumman #MiddleEast

Plymouth, MN – AFSCME members from Local 2822 and other Hennepin County library and service center workers were out protesting for the second week in a row on Friday, April 24. The protests revolve around Hennepin County’s unsafe decision to keep some libraries open for curbside pickup of books even while businesses all around have been shut down and the state is under a Stay at Home order from Governor Tim Walz.

Driver's license expiration dates and library material due dates have been extended in this time as ways to keep people safe from the COVID-19 pandemic and avoid having to put themselves in public near other people. For several weeks, the AFSCME members have been raising serious concerns over being told to come to work or risk losing income despite not having been provided a safe way to do so. They are asking for an immediate end to curbside services until a time when it is safe and adequate measures have been taken.

Some protesters stayed in their cars and honked in support and others stood outside at safe distances from each other, wearing masks and gloves to stay safe. AFSCME 2822 President Ali Fuhrman gave a speech and led the crowd in a series of chants. Cars could be heard honking along in time with the chants.

In her speech President Fuhrman said, “Workers are being put at risk by being in this building. That’s why we are calling for an immediate closing of curbside services, and giving workers remote work to do.”

Fuhrman continued, “Why is the county focusing on giving a limited number of people curbside services while the people who really need us are in desperate need of internet and technology access? That’s where our resources should be going.”

AFSCME members and other concerned workers will continue to raise these demands and any others needed to keep workers safe as long as the pandemic continues.

#PlymouthMN #Healthcare #PeoplesStruggles #PublicSectorUnions #AFSCME #COVID19 #AFSCMELocal2822 #HennepinCountyPublicWorkers

Plymouth, MN – Last week, over 60 cars converged on Ridgedale Library and Service Center in Minnetonka to demand public health and worker safety. Now Hennepin County union library and service center workers represented by AFSCME Local 2822 and supporters will be gathering at Plymouth Library parking lot, 15700 36th Ave N, Friday, April 24, 12:30 pm to press their demands to: end library curbside pick-up program until the spread of COVID-19 is better understood in Minnesota; end the DMV drive thru window at Maple Grove Licensing Service Center, and delay drop box service at service centers until workers can process motor vehicle transactions remotely.

According to a statement form by AFSCME Local 2822, “People need safe remote access to educational materials, information and entertainment. Workers need safe remote work.”

Two weeks ago, Hennepin County opened non-critical services at eight libraries and one licensing service center. Library curbside pick-up and DMV drive thru services offer very limited services and pose a significant risk to public health and worker safety.

“No one cares more about the library collection and access to it than frontline library workers. But circulating materials that only a few patrons can access is not worth the risk to workers and the community,” Lindsey Fenner, library specialist at Hosmer Library in South Minneapolis, and AFSCME Local 2822 executive board member.

Hennepin County has the highest infection rate in the state. Circulating thousands of physical library materials, and processing motor vehicle transactions increases potential transmission of COVID-19 and unnecessarily endangers the lives of members of the public and library workers.

Guidelines for library materials sanitation and safe handling from industry-specific sources range from one day to 14 days for quarantining materials. The lack of conclusive research means that an abundance of caution should be used to protect worker and patron safety. Providing these non-critical services also takes away much needed PPE and sanitizing supplies from other critical services of Hennepin County.

Liz Knaeble, a worker at Webber Park Library in North Minneapolis said, “I have had to choose between going back to work where I am putting my health and perhaps my life at risk – I am 60 years old – and staying home, without knowing if I will have any money coming in. We get the message that our lives are not valued.”

Library workers are also pushing Hennepin County Library to focus more on providing innovative remote services that support more community members. Jayne Mikulay, a library worker and vice president of AFSCME Local 2822, said, “I am supporting my son with distance learning and we continue to see the digital divide with children and families not having access to technology. We are not supporting the communities that need the most support right now by focusing on picking up books. Holds for books are primarily placed by patrons who already have access to technology. I want to support my library community by doing what’s best for safety and what’s best for communities that experience the most disparities.”

AFSCME Local 2822 continues to demand for the entire pandemic period:

• Remote work for all non-essential workers; essential workers at risk or caring for those at risk;
• In the event no work is available paid administrative leave/COVID-19 leave OR
• Extended SLWOP so workers can access unemployment benefits and maintain full employment status for the entire Pandemic period;
• Truly voluntary reassignment process: No loss of income or benefits for workers who decline public facing work assignments;
• PPE and Hazard Pay for any workers working onsite and in the field.

#PlymouthMN #Healthcare #PeoplesStruggles #AFSCME #PublicSectorUnions #COVID19