U of MN Students, Staff and Faculty Unite!

Minneapolis, MN – On April 28, the Save Our School and Chop from the Top coalitions held a community forum called “The People’s State of the University” in Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota. Initiated by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the event served to counter President Bruininks’ State of the University address (which was only presented as a written document online) with alternate viewpoints from the University community.

_Marchers demand legalization and equality, express outrage at Arizona's racist anti-immigrant law _

Minneapolis, MN – On May 1, about 4,000 people marched in the streets of Minneapolis for immigrant and workers rights. One march started from Martin Luther King Park in South Minneapolis and marched up Nicollet Avenue toward downtown. As the march passed through largely-Latino neighborhoods, more people joined the march on each block.

Minneapolis, MN – On April 26, 100 supporters of immigrant rights gathered at an emergency protest in downtown Minneapolis. They came together to voice outrage at the new anti-immigrant law passed in Arizona. Arizona's Governor Jan Brewer signed into law the most extreme anti-immigrant legislation in the country, (SB-1070) on April 23, provoking large protests in Arizona and outrage around the country.

Minneapolis, MN – Nine people were arrested here, April 13, at the office of Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar after refusing to leave her office. Protesters talked with Klobuchar by telephone. When she refused to make a commitment to voting against funding for the war in Afghanistan, the peace activists decided to remain in her office until they were arrested. Earlier, about 100 people rallied in front of the office.

Minneapolis, MN – Friends, neighbors and other supporters joined the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout at the home of Michel Kidd, April 9. Kidd has been fighting to keep his home for over a year. He has had enough of the mortgage servicer, Aurora Loan Services, stalling, changing terms, ‘forgetting’ about past agreements and items faxed and mailed several times and apparently refusing to negotiate in good faith.

Minneapolis, MN – On April 2, immigrant rights activists here announced plans for a big march on May 1, International Workers Day. The march will start at 2:00 p.m. in Martin Luther King Park at 41st Street and Nicollet Avenue.

Minneapolis, MN – El 2 de abril, activistas del movimiento inmigrante anunciaron el plan para una marcha grande el 1 de mayo, el Dia Internacional del Trabajador. La marcha empezara a las 2:00 pm en el parque Martin Luther King en la calle 41 y la avenida Nicollet. Los organizadores de la marcha dicen, “La lucha por una reforma migratoria comprensiva esta en un momento clave y vamos a hacer todo lo posible para tener la marcha mas grande que sea posible este ano para exigir la legalizacion e igualdad para todos. Los políticos en Washington DC están debatiendo sobre la reforma migratoria. AHORA es el momento para decir qué clase de reforma queremos: una legalización real para todos, derechos laborales e igualdad, y un fin a las redadas, deportaciones y a la discriminación.”

Minneapolis, MN – About 150 graduate student workers and their supporters marched across the University of Minnesota campus here, March 31, to demand a reduction in student fees. The march started at the Social Sciences Tower and proceeded to the central administration building – Morrill Hall. The march and rally was joined by members of AFSCME Local 3800, which represents clerical workers.

Minneapolis, MN – We have a social safety net that is nearly gone, and the politicians are stealing the last crumbs from the tables of our state's poorest families. Not only do they ignore our kids when they cut the budget, they try to hide the fact that children make up the majority of impoverished people in this country.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 600 people joined a Minneapolis anti-war march and rally on Saturday, March 20, to mark the seventh anniversary of the start of the U.S. war in Iraq with a call for an end to the wars and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Minneapolis, MN – 50 people gathered here March 7, to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event, organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), included speeches, a showing of the film The Eyes of the Rainbow - a documentary about Assata Shakur – and brief toasts from trade union, anti-war, student and welfare rights organizers.

Minneapolis, MN – About 500 union members, students, and faculty, came together for a spirited rally and march here, March 4. Organized by the Chop From The Top Coalition and the Save Our School Campaign, protesters first gathered at the central administration building, Morrill Hall, where Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800 was among those who addressed the crowd.

Out of Afghanistan now

Minneapolis, MN – About 75 people gathered here at the offices of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Feb. 18, to protest a new escalation of the war in Afghanistan. U.S. and NATO forces have launched an attack on the city of Marjah, a city with over 80,000 residents. Following the dispatch of thousands of additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, the attack on Marjah represents a new and bloody escalation.

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, Feb. 6, about 40 people gathered at the Minneapolis Labor Center to train for civil disobedience in support of the janitors of SEIU Local 26. The janitors clean the downtown office buildings of some of the richest banks and corporations in the country, but they have low pay and bad work conditions. Since the janitors' union contract expired on Jan. 8, a strike of the 4000 janitors – mostly Latino and East African immigrants – could begin at any time. The janitors are demanding “good, clean, green jobs” along with full-time work at a decent wage, safe and environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals and day jobs instead of overnight shift. Their employer is refusing to move in negotiations.

Minneapolis, MN – On Jan. 30, hundreds of janitors, mostly Latino and East African immigrants, held a spirited meeting at the Minneapolis Labor Center and voted nearly unanimously to authorize a strike. When the strike vote was taken, the multinational crowd chanted and held up signs reading “Yes! Sí! Haa! Ee! Oui!” ('Yes!' in English, Spanish, Somali, Oromo and Amharic). With the strike authorization vote, the workers can now strike if the union’s negotiating committee decides a strike is necessary to win their demands.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 workers, students and community supporters rallied at Morrill Hall, the central administration building here, Jan. 21, to oppose attempts by President Bruininks and senior administrators to balance the budget on the backs of staff and students.

Minneapolis, MN – Under the call of “Foreclose the war, not people's homes,” more than 100 people joined a protest here to mark the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Demonstrators gathered at the home of Leslie Parks, an African American woman who is fighting back against the attempt to foreclose on her home. Later, participants gathered at Saint Joan of Arc Church. The events were organized by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition and the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout.

Minneapolis, MN – Neighbors and supporters rallied at the home of Leslie Parks, Dec. 18, demanding an end to foreclosures and evictions. Parks has made it clear that she will not be foreclosed out of her home. This was the first public action since Dec. 8, when IndyMac/One West Bank temporarily locked Leslie out of her home.

Minneapolis, MN – Leslie Parks and her backers went to housing court Dec. 9 and filed papers against IndyMac/One West for doing an unlawful lockout. Leslie Parks had arrived home the night before only to find that all the locks had been changed on her home.