News and Views from the People's Struggle
Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday May 24, over 500 mental health workers will walk off the jobs at three hospitals in the Minneapolis metro area. The striking groups include mental health coordinators and psych techs, along with other job classes that perform mental health work.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 70 protesters gathered outside the University of Minnesota’s Donhowe building for a demonstration in support of women’s and reproductive rights on Friday, May 20. The action was initiated by the UMN Twin Cities chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and raised demands for university administration’s action on women’s and reproductive rights.
Minneapolis, MN – Around 150 protesters rallied and marched in Minneapolis on May 14 to mark the 74th anniversary of Al Nakba – Arabic for “the catastrophe.” To Israelis, it's a day to celebrate “declaring independence” in 1948. To Palestinians, it's a day of mourning for the ensuing war when at least 750,000 Palestinian men, women and children were ruthlessly attacked, massacred, and driven from their homes by Zionist terror groups, and have never been allowed to return – in violation of international law. The Minnesota Anti-War Committee and American Muslims for Palestine organized the annual Al Nakba march to pressure for an end to the U.S.-backed Israeli occupation and apartheid.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 70 people joined an anti-war protest on May 7 to say no to U.S. wars. The action had a particular focus on calling for the U.S. to stop sending weapons and military aid to Ukraine and to stop escalating the conflict.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 1500 students and community members took to the streets, May 4, in response to the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court indicating their intention to overturn Roe v. Wade, effectively stripping hundreds of millions of Americans from their reproductive rights. The large crowd gathered outside the Humphrey School of Public Affairs on the University of Minnesota campus before marching to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s offices to demand that she take action to defend the abortion rights of her constituents. During the march, many cars passing by honked in approval and solidarity with the protest.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 300 demonstrators gathered on May 1 to march in Minneapolis for International Workers Day. The marchers gathered at noon near the Minneapolis Adult Education Center on Lake Street, in honor of the historic educators’ strike that took place this March.
Minneapolis, MN – Dee Knight’s My Whirlwind Lives is both a memoir and manifesto – chronicling more than five decades of anti-imperialist resistance and revolutionary engagement. “Being a revolutionary is like being a midwife for the future,” he writes. “While there is blood and pain, its essence is hope and excitement for a future we can begin to see ahead of us.”
Minneapolis, MN – 80 people rallied and marched, April 23, to celebrate Earth Day in Minneapolis, despite rain clouds. The was organized by the Climate Justice Committee and centered around important struggles in the ongoing fight for climate justice. The rally started outside a chain link fence surrounding the closed Roofing Depot factory that is subject of a struggle between the city government and neighborhood activists.
Minneapolis, MN – 40 people marked the anniversary of the Deir Yassin massacre on April 9 at 29th and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. April marks the 74th anniversary of the Deir Yassin massacre, in the Palestinian village where in 1948 100 men, women and children were systematically murdered by Israeli commandos. Every year Palestinians across the world mark Deir Yassin and demand the right to return to their homeland. The rally featured speakers from Veterans for Peace, Northfielders for Palestine/Israel, Middle East Peace Now, American Muslims for Palestine, and the MN Anti-War Committee.
Minneapolis, MN – On April 8, Hennepin County Administrator David Hough plans to fire or put on track to terminate over 150 workers for not being vaccinated. While union representatives of AFSCME 2822 are awaiting demographic data, past disciplines suggest the firings will hit workers of color and low wage workers the hardest.
Minneapolis, MN – On Sunday evening, March 27, Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) Presidents Greta Callahan and Shaun Laden announced that both teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) had ratified their new contracts. Laden is the president of the education support professionals’ local, and Callahan is the president of the teachers’ local of MFT.
Minneapolis, MN – Early on Friday, March 25, the striking Minneapolis teachers and education support professionals reached tentative agreements that will be voted on by union members. They have been on strike since Tuesday, March 8.
Minneapolis, MN – Around 40 people gathered in Dinkytown, off the intersection of 15th Avenue and 4th Street to hold a speak-out in support of striking Minneapolis educators on Saturday, March 19. The action kicked off with a round of chants, as onlookers passed by, some even joining the protest, and cars honked their horns in support, and speakers made their way to the mic.
Minneapolis, MN – On March 19, more than 80 demonstrators gathered outside Walker Library in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood to protest ongoing U.S. military interventions abroad, from U.S. troops deployed in Syria to the continued funding and arming of troops in Ukraine. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition.
On March 19, more than 80 demonstrators gathered outside Walker Library in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood to protest ongoing U.S. military interventions abroad, from U.S. troops deployed in Syria to the continued funding and arming of troops in Ukraine. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition.
Minneapolis, MN – At least 14 unions from Minnesota held a rally in support of the striking Minneapolis educators, March 20. The rally was organized by the Minnesota Workers United (MWU) Strike Support Committee, which is the sanctioned labor and community strike support committee of the Minneapolis educators’ strike.
Minneapolis, MN – On March 17 thousands of striking educators with MFT 59 and community members rallied on both sides of Lake Street, stretched out for about a mile, in Minneapolis in a mega picket outside Adult Education South and Transition Plus at the MPS Center for Adult Learning. After two hours of enthusiastic picketing and dancing, educators from other metro cities got on the MFT sound truck to send messages of solidarity to strikers.
Minneapolis, MN – At 6:30 a.m., March 14, around 100 workers at Minnesota Epilepsy Group (MEG) walked off the job and began a five-day Unfair Labor Practice strike. The striking workers are EEG technologists and EEG associates – union members represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota. When on the job, the MEG workers perform Electroencephalogram (EEG) tests to detect abnormalities in people’s brain waves and electrical activity in the brain.
Minneapolis MN – Teachers and education support professionals at Minneapolis Public Schools began a strike on March 8, shutting down the Minneapolis school system. Today, March 14, the strike continues as the schools remain closed for a second week.
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Minneapolis, MN – On March 12 a car caravan brought honks of solidarity to Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) negotiating committee members while they were in talks with the school district administration at the Davis Center after a week of being on strike.
