Tampa, FL – Over 40 Allied Ready Mix workers, represented by Teamsters Local 89, have been on strike since October 8. The workers are striking over a concession-filled contract, primarily because of proposed cuts to health care. The company has refused to negotiate with the union and a mediator will contact them again on October 22.

Tampa, FL – Over 30 University of South Florida students protested the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Oct. 9. The demonstration occurred at the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza on USF Tampa’s campus and was hosted by Tampa Bay SDS. Chants at the protest included “We believe her, we believe Christine!” and “Hell no, we won’t budge! We don’t want a rapist judge!”

Tampa, FL – Rank-and-file trade union activists from Teamsters Local 79 hit the gates, Oct. 8, getting petition signatures and handing out call-in information to pressure the IBT National Negotiating Committee into further negotiations with UPS. This comes after Denis Taylor and the Hoffa administration announced the ratification of the contract, despite it being rejected by the membership.

Tampa, FL – On October 4, over 20 students protested at the University of South Florida against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Students denounced the Trump administration for the mishandling of the accusations against Kavanaugh, their rushed FBI investigation, and Trump’s mocking and blatant disrespect for Christine Blasey Ford, one of the survivors. Protesters were also disgusted by the blatant rape apologism demonstrated by prominent Senate Republicans, such as Lindsey Graham.

Tampa, FL – With the vote count a little less than two weeks out, west Florida UPSers will be voting ‘no’ on the tentative agreement. Despite retaliation from the company, rank-and-file militants have been informing the membership of Local 79 throughout the contract negotiation process. Now that balloting information has been mailed out and the vote is underway they are making sure UPS Teamsters have received their ballots and voted.

Tampa, FL – Tampa activists protested at a Tampa area funeral home, Sept. 21, the location of the remains of torturer Jon Burge. The protesters demanded that the torture victims of Jon Burge be freed. They also called for the conviction of killer-cop Jason Van Dyke.

Tampa, FL – Members from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) from the Universities of South Florida (USF) and North Florida (UNF) held a Black Lives Matter event, Aug. 30, at the campus of USF. The rally was in direct response to the numerous instances of racist incidents and white supremacy on campus, including the placement of white-supremacist flyers on the MLK Jr. statue at the university, as well as the writings of racial slurs in a residential hall. The lack of acknowledgment and confrontation towards these problems by university administrators prompted members of SDS to demand accountability from USF.

Tampa, FL – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) announced it had come to a tentative agreement with UPS, June 21. The agreement has been criticized for givebacks such as the creation of two-tier driving and poor part time wages. One concession is in Article 6 Section 6, Technology and Discipline. The article currently states:

Tampa, FL – Over 1500 community members gathered, June 30, in downtown Tampa to protest the Trump administration's policy of separating undocumented children from their parents. This protest was part of a day of action called under the slogan of ‘Families Belong Together.’ This day of action follows the discovery that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been keeping undocumented children in cages in detention centers and forcibly separated from their parents. The protest advocated for the abolition of ICE, the reunion of these families, and the end of deportations.

Tampa, FL — On June 5 the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Package Division announced a big ‘yes’ vote for strike authorization at both UPS and UPS Freight. Teamsters voted ‘yes’ at 93.19% and 91.26% respectively.

Tampa, FL – Organized workers and student activists gathered at Centennial Park in Tampa, April 28, to celebrate the victories, past and present, of the working class.

Tampa, FL – As thousands mobilized throughout the country to denounce the April 13 missile attack on Syria by the U.S., France and the U.K., local anti-war activists organized a demonstration outside of MacDill Air Force base in Tampa. The demonstrators shouted anti-imperialist slogans for over two hours in front of traffic headed into the base. The slogans of “Hands off Syria!” and “No justice, no peace!” were prevalent in the rally. The event was candidly titled “Syrian Gas Attack = Iraqi WMD; We Don’t Buy the Lies!”

Tampa, FL – Two dozen University of South Florida students, workers and community members came together at the MLK plaza, at USF, March 29, to protest the police killing of Stephon Clark. Clark was 22 years old, a father, African American, and unarmed. He was murdered by Sacramento police when he was shot 20 times in his grandmother’s backyard.

Tampa, FL – Student activists gathered Feb. 12 to demand the University of South Florida administration make USF a sanctuary campus and push local Representative Kathy Castor to support a Clean Dream Act in Congress. The event was hosted by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and featured several speakers. Some of the topics addressed included why people immigrate here, Trump’s attacks on the undocumented and Muslim communities, and how to make USF a sanctuary campus. Students stopped to listen to speeches and join in the chanting.

Tampa, FL – Over 30 people gathered near Cooper Hall at the University of South Florida, Jan. 23, for a Donald Trump piñata bash. The event was put on by Tampa Students for a Democratic Society as a show of resistance one year after the inauguration of Donald Trump. Uniting under the slogan “Bash Trump’s racism and austerity,” attendance largely consisted of USF students but also included members of the Tampa community.

Tampa, FL – Over 400 people joined a protest in Temple Terrace, Tampa, Dec. 8 to denounce Trump’s announcement that the U.S. “recognizes” Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Tampa, FL – Fifteen activists and community members from Tampa Bay gathered on May 27 to demand U.S. hands off Syria and north Korea. The protest, organized by Tampa Anti-War Committee and Saint Pete for Peace, started at the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse and included a march to Curtis Hixon Park in Downtown Tampa. The event was called in response to President Trump’s attacks on Syria and his push for more action against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Tampa, FL – On April 30, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and other organizations will come together to celebrate May Day, or International Workers Day. The protest will be at 2 p.m. in Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa.

Tampa, FL – On the morning of April 7, President Trump ordered the U.S. military to attack Syria, firing over 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Syrian government targets near Homs, Syria’s third largest city. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that only 23 of 59 missiles struck intended targets, with the majority assaulting nearby villages. Syrian media sources are reporting at least nine civilians died in the attack, including four children.

Tampa, FL – Around 15 activists and community members gathered to oppose U.S. intervention and aggression against Syria. The protest was in response to the launching of 59 Tomahawk missiles on Shayrat Airbase as ordered by Donald Trump. This attack is the first time the U.S. has directly attacked the Syrian Arab Republic, but is not the first time the U.S. has attempted to overthrow the Syrian government.