Denver, CO – On Friday, September 29, United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 186, along with the AFL-CIO and other unions, held a rally at the Chrysler/Stellantis Parts Distribution Center where workers have been holding a picket line for the past week – since the auto workers strike expanded to the two Denver facilities.

The nationwide strike began on September 14, after the contract between the UAW and Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis expired. The UAW had previously voted by an overwhelming majority to strike against these “Big Three” automakers if they were not offered wages that would keep up with inflation.

Workers from several other unions joined the rally in solidarity with the striking auto workers, including members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Service Employees International Union, and Starbucks Workers United. Members of these unions took turns leading chants such as “What's outrageous? Poverty wages!” and “The unions, united, will never be defeated!”

Valerie Soto, a UAW strike captain, spoke to attendees about the union's demands of the Big Three, explaining how years of concessions had resulted in wages that haven't kept up with inflation, as well as a two-tier wage system that underpays newer workers. Soto declared, “We sacrificed to save the company, and now it’s time for them to pay us back. We are fighting to take back what was taken from us.”

Many attendees at the rally expressed the need for continued solidarity and support of the strikers. “Workers are stronger when we organize together, and we saw many different unions come support the pickets because we all realize that a victory for one worker is a victory for all workers,” said Keegan Estrella, a rank-and-file Teamster.

Workers held up signs that said, “UAW on strike,” “Record profits, record contracts,” and “United for a strong contract – end tiers” along the side of the road leading to the distribution center, where they received a steady flow of passersby honking in support. Spirits were high during the rally, with UAW members stating they were prepared to continue the strike until their demands were met.

#DenverCO #UAW #Strike #Solidarity

Milwaukee, WI – Outside the Mopar Parts distribution center in the Bay View neighborhood, striking workers of UAW Local 75 were joined in solidarity by a crowd of hundreds to aid in their contract fight against Stellantis. On the afternoon of September 27, the Milwaukee Area Labor Council (MALC) rallied workers, community members, and union leaders to the strike line. Representatives of this broad coalition included members of the CWA, Ironworkers, Teamsters, Educators, Laborers, UFCW, AFSCME, USW, and ATU, among other unions.

The distribution facility, a near century-long staple of the Bay View neighborhood and represented by a founding local of the UAW, has been targeted as a possible site for closure by parent corporation Stellantis. This is a part of a larger strategy by the Big 3 automotive corporations to cut labor costs and consolidate their holdings in the Midwest, at the expense of workers. On the picket line, workers are standing up against displacement from their homes, the constant reduction of their compensation in the face of inflation, and the possibility of being forced into an early retirement.

A crucial part of this plan by the Big 3 automotive companies is to maintain a tiered labor force. Nick Romano, the president of the Local 75 retiree’s chapter, spoke on the vital demand to eliminate tiers.

“There’s nothing worse than a union divider, than two-tier. There’s nothing worse! When that person comes in, they may be a little happy. After a period of time all it does is create divisions, arguments and animosity. So let’s get tiers out! They have got to go!” said Romano.

Local 75 workers led chants of “No contract, no parts!” and “When union jobs are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” to bring up the mood of the picketers on the rainy afternoon. Despite the gloomy weather, working class unity brightened the days of the workers and those gathered in solidarity. Romano, the head of the retired workers, impressed the long-term importance of solidarity among the striking workers in their fight.

“I can tell you this, the retirees wholeheartedly support the active workers. You came from us, and the future generations will come from you,” he said.

UAW Local 75 will be on the strike line from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday through Friday until Stellantis comes to the bargaining table with a better offer. They welcome and encourage support from any workers who wish to join them in their fight for a contract that meets their needs.

#MilwaukeeWI #UAW #Strike #Solidarity

Since taking office in 2017, President Moïse has been making power plays, including firing judges and parliamentary officials, while reinstating a repressive national military that collaborates with Haitian police. Together, they violently repress Haitian activists who protest election rigging, lackluster COVID-19 aid, and political kidnappings. This current round of protests is a result of the state's failure to organize new elections in October 2020, so there is currently no legislature and not enough senators to function. Still, the Haitian people are showing resilience through 2021, despite increasing repression from the government.

Moïse intends to use his new power grab to gift to Haitian compradors, local business owners, and for a contract with Coca-Cola, where 21,251 acres of fertile farming land will be used not for food that will go towards Haitian people, but for stevia, a sweetener ingredient for Coca-Cola. In a country where there are food shortages, this is in direct betrayal of the needs of the Haitian people.

Activists will gather at 6 p.m. on March 29 in front of the Coca-Cola sign on top of the Olympia Building in downtown Atlanta. They are led by Community Movement Builders in Atlanta and partnered with Leve Kenpe Pou Ayiti.

Activists are targeting Coca-Cola landmarks in the city in order to send a message to U.S. corporations to back off Haiti, while showing solidarity towards the Haitian people. Atlanta is the home and birthplace of Coca-Cola.

This is an international day of action, with other demonstrations happening in Montreal, Canada; Caracas, Venezuela; San Juan, Puerto Rico, and more around the world. To get involved and plan a protest for your community, you can register your city at https://levekanpe.org/

#AtlantaGA #solidarity #GA

Chicago, IL – On day nine of the strike by 4000 members of the Service Employee International Union Local 73, September 22, picket lines were dispersed to multiple locations across the medical center campus. Workers gathered by the dock entrances of the hospital, the Outpatient Care Center, the College of Medicine Research Building, the dean’s office of the College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry, and the Clinical Science Building.

In an act of trade union solidarity, UPS workers who are members of Teamsters Local 705 refused to cross the picket lines. As a result, numerous deliveries were halted, doubtlessly causing panic among management in the respective labs, clinics and academic departments. As each brown package car truck turned around and drove away, the strikers cheered and chanted, “What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now! And If we don’t get it? Shut it down!” The strikers were elated that they were able to strike such blows against the employer.

Referring to the mood on the picket lines, occupational therapist Cathleen Jensen, a vice president of Local 73, said, “Striking workers are very defiant; they feel confident that they are winning. Some are applying for the hardship funds, donated by other unions and community supporters, because obviously people have financial concerns.”

In the first week of the strike, strikers had concentrated on displays of unity among service, clerical, technical and professional employees with marches around campus and rallies in front of the hospital, the heart of the strike. Also, the Illinois Nurses Association had struck for seven days, returning to work on Saturday without a contract agreement. With bargaining failing to produce significant results, the Local 73 strikers have escalated tactics.

Respect us, protect us, pay us!

In conversations on the picket lines, many workers repeated similar messages about the aim of the strike: their concerns for universal PPE (personal protective equipment, such as face masks), fair pay, an end to outsourcing good union jobs, and the bottom line of dignity and respect. Many picket signs read, “Racism is a public health crisis,” which is a challenge to the language of a pledge by health centers in Chicago that the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System signed. Most of the strikers are Black and Latino, and most of the nurses are also oppressed nationality, mainly Filipino. The nurses and workers who died from COVID-19 at the hospital were also Black, Filipino and Latino.

In the afternoon, 20 strikers joined the Reverend Jesse Jackson and other faith leaders in a ceremony at the office of Governor J.B. Pritzker, where they laid flowers in front of his door to honor the 200,000 victims of COVID-19. The workers were there to press the governor to intervene in the strike. The governor appoints the board of trustees, the bosses of UIC management.

Vice President Jensen spoke about reverberations throughout the labor movement in response to this strike. “When we win, it will give other workers courage. We know that the nurses at Rush Medical Center are watching us to see what happens. A lot of workers in healthcare are discontented.”

#ChicagoIL #SEIU #Teamsters #UPS #solidarity #Strikes #SEIUStrike #ServiceEmployeeInternationalUnionLocal73

Chicago, IL – On day nine of the strike by 4000 members of the Service Employee International Union Local 73, September 22, picket lines were dispersed to multiple locations across the medical center campus. Workers gathered by the dock entrances of the hospital, the Outpatient Care Center, the College of Medicine Research Building, the dean’s office of the College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry, and the Clinical Science Building.

In an act of trade union solidarity, UPS workers who are members of Teamsters Local 705 refused to cross the picket lines. As a result, numerous deliveries were halted, doubtlessly causing panic among management in the respective labs, clinics and academic departments. As each brown package car truck turned around and drove away, the strikers cheered and chanted, “What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now! And If we don’t get it? Shut it down!” The strikers were elated that they were able to strike such blows against the employer.

Referring to the mood on the picket lines, occupational therapist Cathleen Jensen, a vice president of Local 73, said, “Striking workers are very defiant; they feel confident that they are winning. Some are applying for the hardship funds, donated by other unions and community supporters, because obviously people have financial concerns.”

In the first week of the strike, strikers had concentrated on displays of unity among service, clerical, technical and professional employees with marches around campus and rallies in front of the hospital, the heart of the strike. Also, the Illinois Nurses Association had struck for seven days, returning to work on Saturday without a contract agreement. With bargaining failing to produce significant results, the Local 73 strikers have escalated tactics.

Respect us, protect us, pay us!

In conversations on the picket lines, many workers repeated similar messages about the aim of the strike: their concerns for universal PPE (personal protective equipment, such as face masks), fair pay, an end to outsourcing good union jobs, and the bottom line of dignity and respect. Many picket signs read, “Racism is a public health crisis,” which is a challenge to the language of a pledge by health centers in Chicago that the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System signed. Most of the strikers are Black and Latino, and most of the nurses are also oppressed nationality, mainly Filipino. The nurses and workers who died from COVID-19 at the hospital were also Black, Filipino and Latino.

In the afternoon, 20 strikers joined the Reverend Jesse Jackson and other faith leaders in a ceremony at the office of Governor J.B. Pritzker, where they laid flowers in front of his door to honor the 200,000 victims of COVID-19. The workers were there to press the governor to intervene in the strike. The governor appoints the board of trustees, the bosses of UIC management.

Vice President Jensen spoke about reverberations throughout the labor movement in response to this strike. “When we win, it will give other workers courage. We know that the nurses at Rush Medical Center are watching us to see what happens. A lot of workers in healthcare are discontented.”

#ChicagoIL #SEIU #Teamsters #UPS #solidarity #Strikes #SEIUStrike #ServiceEmployeeInternationalUnionLocal73

Caracas, Venezuela – A delegation of members from the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) arrived in Caracas, Venezuela last week. Their goals were to learn what they could from Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution, exchange views on effective education and to show solidarity with the students, teachers and social movements of Venezuela.

The trip falls on the heels of a union resolution that was passed by the CTU Executive Board and House of Delegates. The resolution calls for an end to U.S. intervention in Venezuela. Delegation member and CTU Area Vice President Sarah Chambers explains, “Through major economic hardships, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro never closed a single public school or a single health clinic. This stands in stark contrast to our experience in Chicago, where Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed 50 public schools and several mental health clinics in a single year.”

The teachers’ delegation met with leaders from the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Communes, Ministry of Education, Adult Education Teachers, and students, as well as on-the-ground activists.

One important meeting was when the delegation sat down with Vladimir Castillo, the Venezuelan Director of International Affairs. They learned that Chavez started to talk about socialism in 2005, at the World Social Forum in Brazil, and that a few years after 2007 and 2008, community councils emerged as a result.

Community councils are comprised of around 100 families living in the same area, which estimates to about 400-500 people in total. Chavez also had communes in mind as a fundamental part of the new state. Communes are organizations encompassing several community councils. When communes began, there were a lot of difficulties to channel funds to them. They were neither part of the state nor corporations. They were just organized communities not able to exercise the full strength of their power. The government ended up creating a new set of laws, the Popular Power Laws, which allowed the government to provide money to them directly, which resulted in government-empowered communes.

Projects received different amounts depending on the needs and the scale of the projects. The funds would go to a communal account under the direct responsibility of two members of the communes, the supervision of the commune board, and the community as a whole. This is to ensure that the funds are being managed correctly and going to the stated projects.

Castillo stated that it was easier to form communes in the countryside, since many were naturally working together to farm and to produce goods. This also came naturally to indigenous people, since they often live in collective communities working together. The essence of communes was to produce goods and services, to obtain sustainability, and to address community issues in order for people to improve their own living conditions.

Castillo also told the delegation, “Our world of justice and love in Venezuela includes 2.6 million families receiving housing units for free or for a symbolic price. This means that 10 million people were set free from a life of deprivation and discrimination in the barrios [marginalized housing]. Dignified housing is a Venezuelan right. The economic war has decimated our salaries. We earn an average of $40 dollars a month but we are resisting. If someone would tell you that they can live with $40 a month, you would think they are crazy. Here you can live with $40 a month since so much is free or subsidized. Most of our utilities and what we need to live is free or incredibly cheap, such as electricity, water, gas, gasoline and housing. Once you own a house you do not have to pay taxes on it. Another program the government is implementing is the CLAP – Production and Delivery Local Committees. Boxes with food, lik