A dive into national oppression, violence and trauma in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, FL – The United States has a notorious history with the national oppression of Black people. In the South, remnants of slave society exist as a constant reminder of this – Confederate street names, school names and monuments are physical reminders one encounters daily – but we see it also manifest in the social structure of the Black Belt South – the historically constituted nation of Black people in the United States.
Opposition to attempt at glorifying war crimes against Palestinians
Minneapolis, MN – Dozens of protesters gathered in front of Folwell Hall at the University of Minnesota, October, 18, to protest Student Supporting Israel’s event that hosted former Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers. The MN Anti-War Committee (AWC) organized the protest
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Oct. 17 statement from the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, Southern Mindanao Region (SMR).
Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Students for Democratic Society (SDS) held an immigration panel at the University of South Florida October 15, as part of their ongoing campaign for USF administration to not comply with federal immigration efforts on campus. Their demands for university non-compliance with DHS, the FBI and ICE come amid national student struggle against university complicity with anti-immigrant measures.
Minneapolis, MN – A coalition of Twin-Cities peace, anti-war and other organizations will hold a protest on Sunday, Oct. 21 as part of a nationally coordinated weekend of anti-war events in cities across the United States.
San Jose, CA – On October 15, the U.S. Treasury department said that the federal government budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2018 soared 17% from the previous year, to $779 billion. This was equal to 3.9% of the Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, the official measure of total production of goods in services in the United States in a year.
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.
Chicago, IL – Thousands of Chicago-area Teamsters may be holding a strike vote as early as November 1 as negotiations drag on between Teamsters Local 705 and United Parcel Service.
San José, CA – On Wednesday and Thursday, October 10 and 11, U.S. stock markets slumped, with the widely followed Dow Jones Industrial Average or Dow down over 800 points on Wednesday and another 500 points on Thursday. While the market did recover a bit at the of trading week on Friday, with the Dow up about 250 points, uncertainty about the bull market in stocks and the ongoing economic expansion are back.
On October 12, Turkish authorities announced that video and audio recordings confirmed that the brutal torture and murder of Washington Pos t journalist Jamal Kashoggi took place inside the Saudi embassy building in Istanbul. Kashoggi, a U.S. resident and Saudi citizen, disappeared almost two weeks ago after visiting the embassy to obtain paperwork to marry his fiancé.
Washington, D.C. – 12,000 members of United Steelworkers (USW) are moving closer to strike against ArcelorMittal. An October 12 statement from the USW negotiating committee at ArcelorMittal says, “Unfortunately, while our union has pursued every option to avoid a work stoppage, ArcelorMittal’s persistent, onerous and unnecessary demands for concessions may leave over 12,000 members with little choice.”
Minneapolis, MN – Educational Support Professionals (ESPs) rallied at the Minneapolis Schools District Headquarters to demand decent wages for over 1500 ESPs, October 9.
Fort Lauderdale, FL – Award-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has never been one to hold his tongue or shy away from even the most powerful figures. His films and articles often offer illuminating and entertaining critiques of American society, economics, and politics. Fahrenheit 11/9 is no exception. Moore’s newest film takes viewers on an exciting yet terrifying ride through the current American political landscape, and ends by placing viewers behind the wheel.
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!”
Washington DC – Teamster International Vice Presidents representing the Central and Southern regions have joined Sean O’Brien in pressuring Denis Taylor and the Hoffa administration to stop the ratification of the UPS contract. The vice presidents include Avral Thompson, Robert Kopystynsky, Tony Jones and Bill Frisky of the Central region and Kim Schultz and John Palmer of the Southern region.
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.
New York, NY – Several dozen protesters gathered in Herald Square on October 7 to mark the invasion of Afghanistan and protest the other wars the U.S. waging abroad. The war on Afghanistan has lasted 17 years.
Washington, D.C. – On Oct. 7, Principal Officer of Teamsters Joint Council 10 Sean O’Brien sent an open letter to the Hoffa administration requesting negotiations continue with UPS as well as an emergency General Executive Board meeting to discuss the issues.
