The rally was held to protest an act of vandalism in which a slur for a Middle-Eastern or Muslim person was spray-painted on the garage door of the Bullet Cab Company, a local business owned by Mian “Mike” Ahmad, who is Muslim. As of this time no suspects have been identified for this hate crime.

Speakers led chants espousing the need for equality, and “freedom and justice for all!” After the speakers had their say Ahmad was presented with over $1000 from a GoFundMe campaign to pay for the graffiti cleanup. The space has since been painted over with a mural by local artists Cathryn Dagendesh and Adam Faeth which reads, “One community, one family, hate has no place here!”

Looking back, however, La Crosse has a history as a ‘sundown city’ during the heyday of overt segregation across United States. This history serves as a reminder that racist discrimination was far from contained to the southern states. The occurrence of this hate crime reminds us to remain strong against the rising tide of xenophobia and national chauvinism.

The perpetrator of this hateful vandalism was ideologically aided and abetted by those in the highest seats of power in the government and media. These figures are directly responsible for the actions of these and other people by providing a platform to normalize and incite the far-right, fascist ideology.

“While I am glad that so many people showed up to voice their support, including some prominent community members, we need to be proactive in our attempts to root out racist ideology of all kinds and not just reactively decry racism after the fact,” said rally attendee Jeremy Schroeder. “These types of people are mobilizing and becoming stronger every day and we need to rise to meet them or nobody will.”

The rally was organized by the La Crosse Interfaith Shoulder to Shoulder Network, Showing Up for Social Justice, and the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse (UWL) Campus Climate and was attended by such area notables as Mayor Tim Kabat and UWL Chancellor Joe Gow.

#LaCrosseWI #PeoplesStruggles #Islamophobia #Antiracism #BulletCabCompany

Chants heard at the rally included, “Hey hey, ho ho, who the heck is Juan Guaido? Hey hey, ho ho, you won’t get rid of Maduro!” Signs read “Hands off Venezuela!” and “No blood for oil!”

“I think that being out here, especially in this weather, helps cement just how important of an issue this is,” said attendee Elias Wall. “My hope is that at least a few people driving by will see our signs and perhaps rethink what they think they know about what’s going on, and that will lead them to want to educate themselves and look into exactly what the U.S. is trying to do in Venezuela.”

Response from passersby were mixed with roughly three quarters expressing support with honks, thumbs up, and raised fists. The minority of detractors were very vocal, however, spewing nonsensical phrases like “Make America great again!” and “Move to Venezuela then!” The majority of the American people are against another war, but a vocal and belligerent minority can be used by Trump and company to create an illusion of support.

Those of us who stand strongly against war must be equally vocal in our complete opposition to the United States’ long standing policy of regime change and attempts to destroy any country which strays from the U.S. path of global domination. We must stand in solidarity with those struggling for freedom from imperialist oppression in Venezuela and in all nations targeted by the U.S.

#LaCrosseWI #AntiwarMovement #Venezuela #PeoplesStruggles #JuanGuaidó

Aramark is known in La Crosse for its sweatshop conditions: low wages, unsafe working conditions, a high rate of production resulting in unnecessary injuries, and management that treats its workforce as less than human. Aramark also played its diverse workforce against itself, targeting the Hmong women who make up a significant portion of the workforce for harassment.

From the beginning of the campaign, local leadership knew they needed a united shop to succeed. The first event they organized was a potluck and discussion of demands at the Hmong Community Center in La Crosse, with translation provided for anyone that did not speak English well. From then on, the local leadership made sure their shop floor leadership reflected the diverse membership, and this was the lynchpin holding members together for the fight ahead.

Workers maintained their demands from day one: a significant wage increase, paid sick days, and no more tiers. Management wanted something different: a small wage increase, more expensive health insurance, and a third wage tier. They played the same old tactics, dragging negotiations that should last a few weeks on for months with the hope of denying union members the ability to build momentum. The UE responded that if management would drag negotiations on, that would be fine, but they would not sign any more contract extensions. Management accepted, and so started a two-month period of open shop floor struggle to have the demands met. The members stopped working to march on the boss and deliver a petition, threatened a mass demonstration at a corporate event leading to its cancellation, and organized countless t-shirt days and sticker days.

The culmination of this fight was the July 31 walkout. At 12 p.m., when both shifts were in the facility, 100% of the union workforce stopped working, punched out, and marched out of the building. After a bilingual rally calling on the workers to stand together and do whatever it takes to win, the workers marched around the building, behind a banner saying “Aramark: 21st century sweatshop.” Workers chanted, “Who are we? UE!” and “No contract? No peace!” When the march ended, the workers went back to work with their heads held high, for there was no denying that it was they who controlled the work place now, it was not the boss.

Two days later, when negotiations restarted, management backed off of their demands. They dropped their demand for a third tier, agreed to the wage demand, and even reached a compromise on health insurance. The bargaining committee walked away knowing that they could without hesitation recommend a yes vote. Their struggle had won everything they had demanded and then some.

“The employer gives you nothing,” said negotiating committee member Todd Weis. “Only when you stand united with your brothers and sisters, staying strong, can you get over that mountain.”

#LaCrosseWI #PeoplesStruggles #Aramark #Wisconsin

La Crosse, WI – 75 workers at Aramark Laundry Services staged a walkout during peak work hours on July 31. Members of United Electrical Workers (UE) Local 1121, the workers have been in contract negotiations for several months and have been stonewalled by management.

While the workers have taken bold steps in that time frame, including lunchtime rallies and a march on the boss to deliver a petition, this is their first shutdown of production for a prolonged period. Workers are demanding higher wages, paid sick days and no new wage tiers.

The rally was led by the local’s bargaining committee, along with supporters from nearby UE Locals and regional leadership. The rally was followed by a loud and energetic march around the property, with chants of “Who are we? UE!” and “No contract? No peace!”

Aramark’s industrial laundries are notorious for their low wages and unsafe working conditions. Many workers complained about work areas with temperatures reaching above 100 degrees during the hot summer months. Despite these brutal conditions, Aramark is a multi-billion multinational corporation, with their La Crosse facility servicing some of the most profitable companies in Wisconsin.

“We work for a 21st century sweat shop,” said Local 1121 leader Charlene Winchell. “Aramark is richer now than they have ever been. They are making billions of dollars with all of our hard work. We deserve a slice of the pie.”

When local president Jay Jamesson asked the rallying workers if they were willing to strike to meet their demands, a wave of hands shot up across the crowd. Negotiations are expected to continue this week.

#LaCrosseWI #UnitedElectricalWorkers #Aramark #Strikes

LaCrosse, WI – On Feb. 15 over 400 workers, community members and their supporters mobilized in less than six hours to say no to Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin as he showed up to speak at local plant. The governor had just proposed a ‘budget fix’ bill that would radically alter the political landscape in Wisconsin.

“He wants to take away our bargaining, or better yet, he wants to make our unions illegal,” said Joe Rox, an AFSCME member outside the Mannsted and Sons metal fabrication plant in downtown Lacrosse.

Walker proposed a fast track budget fix on Feb. 11 that would be voted on less than a week later. In it, he proposes to strip basic rights union members have to build their organization – dues check off, collective bargaining, security and recognition.

Teachers, janitors students and community members angrily chanted as Gov. Walker addressed a captive audience inside the plant.

Firefighters, exempted in the bill, have pledged their support of resistance. “Labor built the house, we are not going to let it burn,” said the Local Firefighters president, remarking that local presidents throughout the state have pledged to fight the divide and conquer tactic of the governor.

On Feb. 16, in downtown LaCrosse’s Riverside Park, over 2000 people gathered to hear speakers and fresh reports from Madison. Unfazed by the weather, families turned out in record numbers.

Republican state Senator Dan Kanpanke showed up. He attempted to speak, but as his wavering message enraged the crowd and he left. After the rally, organizers laid plans to go to Madison while students planned a walk out for the following days to come.

#LaCrosseWI #GovernorScottWalker #Wisconsin