Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Teamsters

By staff

UNFI workers demand union recognition.

Lancaster, TX – In a bold display of unity and shop-floor power, warehouse workers at United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) in Lancaster marched on management this past Monday, November 17, to deliver a clear message – they are forming a union, and they want it recognized now. The UNFI workers have been organizing to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 745.

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By staff

Arlington, TX – Plans are moving forward for UPS to automate much of the work at its Lonestar Hub. UPS has framed the automation push as “Modernization” and has favored a “Better, Not Bigger” policy which means reducing overall volume while increasing profits for the company. UPS is anticipating a 6% gain in revenue per package as a result of recent changes; however, they also expect to see a decline of 8.5% in average daily volume. They expect to achieve this by focusing less on volume and more on transporting goods that bring a higher profit per package delivered.

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By staff

Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach addresses the striking dealers and dual rates outside of Horseshoe on Day 30 of their historic strike for recognition.

Shelbyville, IN – Thirty days into their historic strike for union recognition, the Horseshoe Indianapolis table games dealers and dual rate dealers marked the milestone the way striking workers always have: together, in solidarity, and in full public view.

At noon on November 15, striking workers and their supporters gathered for “Labor Day in November,” a large cookout held directly across from the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino. Despite being one month into a bitter showdown with casino giant Caesars Entertainment, morale on the line was high and the sense of momentum unmistakable.

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By staff

Workers fight back at the Shelbyville city council meeting as Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach speaks about the strike and the city’s disgraceful conduct.

Shelbyville, IN — The historic strike at the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino has taken a dramatic and scandalous turn.

Since October 17, table games dealers and dual rates—workers who deal cards part of the week and serve as floor leads the rest—have led a militant strike demanding that Caesars Entertainment recognize their union with Teamsters Local 135 and bargain over wages, benefits and working conditions.

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By staff

Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach addresses striking dealers outside Horseshoe casino, moments after the Shelbyville police illegally evicted the strikers.

Shelbyville, IN - The strike for union recognition at the Horseshoe Indianapolis Casino has now entered its fourth week, marking more than 23 days on the picket line for table games dealers and dual rate dealers. These workers, who greet one another each day with the call-and-response “One day longer” and “One day stronger,” are carrying out one of the most significant and courageous private-sector labor battles in modern Indiana history, and one of the only major recognition strikes seen in the United States in decades.

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By staff

Striking Horseshoe Indianapolis casino workers. | Fight Back! News

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.

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By staff

Horseshoe Indianapolis casino announce strike authorization for union recognition.

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.

Roach was joined by more than 50 dealers and dual rates carrying “Teamster power” signs and a banner reading “Respect is a Teamster contract.” After addressing the press, the group chanted, “Tick tock, you’re on the clock,” signaling the countdown to a potential work stoppage if management refuses to recognize the union.

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By staff

Brulin Teamsters and supporters rally at the picket line.

Indianapolis, IN — On October 9, striking Teamsters at Brulin Holding Company marked the eighth day of their unfair labor practice strike with a defiant rally outside the company’s Indianapolis facility.

Workers, fellow union members and community supporters filled the picket line with chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Brulin’s greed has got to go!” and “Hey Nelly, hear our call – stop breaking federal law!” The latter was directed at Brulin’s head of human resources.

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By staff

Brulin Teamsters on strike in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis, IN — Teamsters at Brulin Holding Company went out on strike in the early morning hours of October 1. The strike was called by Teamsters Local 135 in response to unfair labor practices committed by Brulin management during contract negotiations, which have dragged on for months.

With picket lines at all three company entrances, workers chanted, “What do we want? Fair contract! When do we want it? Now!” and “If we don’t get it, shut it down!” They also put up a giant Scabby the Rat inflatable at the front entrance on Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue.

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By staff

Striking University of Minnesota Teamsters march on campus.

Minneapolis, MN – After five days on strike at the University of Minnesota, late on the night of Friday, September 12, Teamsters at the U of MN announced that they had a new offer from the university which met all of their major demands. As a result, they ended their strike in the early hours of Saturday morning.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday September 12, at 5:30 p.m., Teamsters who work at the University of Minnesota held a large rally and mega march around campus demanding higher pay and for a contract expiration date during summer. 1400 Teamsters at University of Minnesota campuses began striking this week.

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By staff

people holding signs reading, "Teamsters local 320 on strike"

Minneapolis, MN – Roughly 1400 Workers at the University of Minnesota walked off the job on Monday night, September 8. beginning an open-ended strike. The workers are represented by Teamsters Local 320 and do grounds maintenance, facilities, dining services and many other important jobs that keep the university running.

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By Gabriel Miller

A group of workers and supporters hold signs that say, "Mausers Teamsters on Strike!"

Chicago, IL – 150 striking workers at the Mauser Industrial Packaging facility in Little Village were joined on September 8 by activists from the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) to support the months-long strike campaign for a decent contract.

Stronger protections against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are top of the priority list for the striking workers of Teamster Local 705, 90% of whom are Latino immigrant workers. Other key demands include fair wages to keep pace with inflation, consistent hours and breaks on the job, and employer-provided uniforms to protect employees from bringing toxic chemicals home to their families.

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By staff

A crowd stands in a park holding signs that say, "Protest Injustice" and "Unmask ICE!"

Jacksonville, FL – On August 29, the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance (JIRA) held a protest against Governor DeSantis's planned concentration camp within the Baker County Correctional Facility. The protest took place within the center of Jacksonville, at the city's own Friendship Fountain.

After JIRA mobilized over 700 people to Camp Blanding on July 19, Governor Ron DeSantis changed the location of the planned detention camp from Camp Blanding to the Baker County Correctional Facility. The site was previously shut down in 2021, with inhumane conditions being one of the cited reasons.

A JIRA speaker called the project the “Baker Cruelty Camp” rather than the “Deportation Depot” as Ron DeSantis has dubbed it, stating, “Let's be clear: people were tortured in this building. Guillermo Serrabi was held in solitary for 88 days – he was assaulted by a guard who ruptured his eardrum, and he was denied medical care. Ana Doe, a survivor of trafficking, was placed in solitary, stripped, restrained and sexually mocked by guards! This is this facility's legacy. This is what DeSantis is reopening!”

The Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance organized the event which drew support from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, Jacksonville Community Action Committee, Students for a Democratic Society, the UPS Teamsters Union, FloridaRising, 50501 Veterans, the Malaya Movement, and the Democratic Socialists of America.

As dozens of protesters gathered atop the hill at Friendship Fountain, Monica Martinez with JIRA said, “This cruelty doesn't just affect those who end up inside its walls. This puts a target on the back of every immigrant in northeast Florida. Right now, ICE is operating indiscriminately – kidnapping and attempting to deport community members regardless of their status, tearing families apart and terrorizing our communities.”

Martinez then talked about a person recently detained within Duval County: Diana Marcela Mieja, owner of a small business within the Springfield area of Jacksonville.

“This is not abstract!” Martinez said. “She was detained by ICE after a mental health crisis. She is a legal resident, a business owner, a beloved member of our community. This is who they are targeting! This is why we fight!”

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #ICE #JIRA #JPSN #JCAC #SDS #FloridaRising #50501 #Teamsters #MalayaMovement

By staff

Two people hold a banner that says, "Revive the Strike! FRSO"

Atlanta, GA- Hundreds of workers and community members gathered in Woodruff Park Monday afternoon, September 1, to celebrate Labor Day and declare their opposition to Trump’s agenda.

The rally and march, titled “Workers over Billionaires”, was endorsed by a coalition of over 20 unions and political groups including: Teamsters Local 728, Starbucks Workers United, the Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council, the Atlanta Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

The rally started with speeches and spirited chants denouncing Trump, ICE and the U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza.

“There is a war being waged on the working class right now. It’s not just led by Trump, but by his allies in the monopoly capitalist class. Like Peter Thiel at Palantir, Carol Tome at UPS, and Jeff Bezos at Amazon,” Teamster and FRSO member Alex Carson told the crowd. “As a UPS worker we are experiencing this war on the shop floor every day. It looks like Trump’s tariffs reducing our hours, it looks like management increasing harassment. All the while, UPS has pulled in record profits for the last five years.”

After speeches, the protest marched down Auburn Avenue to the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and King Center. On every block supporters trickled out of buildings to film the protest and join chants of “When workers’ rights are under attack, what do you do? Stand up, fight back!”

This protest occurred on the heels of Trump’s vow to send the National Guard to Atlanta and was but a small show of force compared to what awaits them should troops be deployed.

#AtlantaGA #GA #Labor #LaborDay #Trump #Teamsters #SWU #AFLCIO #AAARPR

By staff

A flyer for the Chicano Moratorium event in Los Angeles for August 30th, starting at 3pm at Sounds of Music on Whittier Blvd

Los Angeles, CA – On August 30, at 3 p.m., Chicanos, impacted families of police brutality, people raided by ICE and the FBI, along with supporters will in East Los Angeles, for a march, marking the 55th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium.

The march will begin at Sounds of Music record store, the site of what was once the Silver Dollar; a bar where many including LA Times reporter Ruben Salazar took refuge after LAPD and Los Angeles sheriffs mercilessly beat and attempted to disperse participants in the August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium. Salazar was killed by LA sheriffs. The moratorium’s demands were ending the Vietnam occupation and equality for Chicanos.

Tomorrow, a large coalition will be commemorating the 55th anniversary of this event and uplifting current demands such as stand with Palestine, ICE out of LA, Chicano self-determination, community control of police, and defend public education.

The coalition is made up of Centro CSO, Union del Barrio, Black Lives Matter: Los Angeles, Jewish Voice for Peace, About Face LA, UTLA, Teamsters, SEIU, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and United Families for Justice, which consists of police killing impacted families of Jeremy Flores, Francisco Núñez and Hugo Cachua.

“I believe it is important to commemorate the 55th Chicano Moratorium, because we once again find ourselves, as a people, in a crucial moment, where staying silent is complicity,” says Centro CSO member and security lead Derek Mejia, “People should be out in the streets on Saturday August 30, standing up against the ICE raids and with Palestine! It is important that we continue and maintain the long history of the Chicano struggle.”

The 55th commemoration will begin at 3 p.m. at the Sounds of Music record store, where attendees will begin marching, and ending at Salazar Park for a rally and entertainment starting at 4:30 p.m. That part of the event will take place at the Whittier Boulevard/Alma Avenue side of the park. The family-friendly event will have free food, water and entertainment.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #Chicano #ChicanoMoratorium #ImmigrantRights #OppressedNationalities #CentroCSO #UniondelBarrio #BlackLivesMatter #JVP #AboutFace #SEIU #Teamsters #UTLA

By Salem Chadwick

Public school workers are fighting for union recognition in Aurora, Colorado.

Aurora, CO – On August 19, Aurora Public School (APS) workers packed into their school's offices to demand the school board put an end to union busting and give all workers the right to organize a union.

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By staff

UPS Teamsters from Local 135 confront company CEO Carol Tomè at Plainfield, Indiana hub.

Indianapolis, IN – More than 60 members of Teamsters Local 135 rallied outside the UPS facility in Plainfield on Tuesday, August 19, as company UPS CEO Carol Tomé visited the site. The action put the company’s top executive face-to-face with UPS workers’ anger over rampant contract violations, illegal buyout schemes, and building closures that threaten job security and working conditions.

“Local 135 has a simple message for Carol Tomé,” said Dustin Roach, president of Teamsters Local 135. “We're done tolerating corporate games and illegal practices.”

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By Alex Carson

A worker signing a petition on a clipboard.

Atlanta, GA- On Tuesday, August 12, Teamsters out of Local 728 at UPS SMART hub presented a petition to management with the signatures of about 100 rank-and-file workers. The petition demands that UPS identify designated areas in the hub as shade or cool zones and educate all SMART workers of their rights to use such areas for cooldown breaks.

Cool zones were won as an addition to Article 18, section 27 of the 2023 Teamsters contract. But the gain has gone unrecognized in many hubs, including SMART, which is the third largest UPS hub.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On Thursday August 7, around 1400 facilities and dining workers at the University of Minnesota filed an intent to strike notice with the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services. The strike notice comes after the recent announcement of a 97% vote to authorize the strike.

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