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News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By staff

Protesters gather while a lead organizer speaks into a bullhorn facing the crowd. The gathered crowd holds signs with slogans including “No one is illegal on stolen land” and “Legalization for all! Solidarity with immigrants!”

By staff

San José, CA – On MLK Day, upwards of 600 San José residents came out to protest Trump's inauguration and fight back against his anti-immigrant agenda.

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By staff

Marching against Trump agenda in San José, California.

San José, CA – On MLK Day, upwards of 600 San José residents came out to protest Trump's inauguration and fight back against his anti-immigrant agenda.

The protest mobilized a broad array of progressive organizations in the South Bay, all united against Trump. The Silicon Valley Immigration Committee and Papeles Para Todos coordinated the rally and march.

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By staff

Striking Starbucks workers standing in front of their workplace.

San Jose, CA – On December 24, Starbucks workers took to the picket line at Capitol Square Mall, one of the busiest locations in San Jose. They joined more than 5000-plus workers across the country as part of a five-day Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) strike.

The strike comes after more than nine months of bargaining between Starbucks Workers United, the union representing the interests and will of the baristas and shift leads at unionized locations, and Starbucks Corporation.

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By Masao Suzuki

San José, CA – With just one day to go before the federal government runs out of funding, President-elect Donald Trump, with the help of billionaire Elon Musk, derailed a bipartisan agreement to keep the government running through March. This plan would have also added billions of dollars in disaster relief aid to help pay for the damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton earlier this year.

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By staff

San José, CA – Alrededor de 20 miembros de la comunidad se reunieron en el Centro de Paz y Justicia de San José, el 10 de diciembre, Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos, para honrar a Leonard Peltier, líder del Movimiento Indio Americano y prisionero político por casi 50 años.

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By staff

Protesters marching in the street.

San Jose, CA – On Wednesday, November 20, around 40 students gathered at San Jose State University to protest the incoming second Trump presidency and the university’s ties to Lockheed Martin.

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By staff

San Jose event demands freedom for Leonard Peltier.

San Jose, CA – About 20 community members gathered at the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, December 10, International Human Rights Day, to honor Leonard Peltier, American Indian Movement leader and political prisoner of almost 50 years.

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By Masao Suzuki

San José, CA – On Friday, December 6, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the survey of households showed that the unemployment rate for November 2024 increased to 4.2%, from 4.1% in October. This continued the trend of higher unemployment since bottoming out in April of 2023 at 3.4%.

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By staff

A vigil with portraits on the ground with candles around them.

San Jose, CA – On the evening of Saturday, November 23, around 30 community members gathered at Saint James Park to honor members of the trans community who are no longer with us, as well as the Palestinians who have been martyred over the past year. The action was organized by the San Jose People’s Pride coalition.

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By staff

San Jose protest against Trump.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

San Jose, CA – On November 6, a coalition of community organizations called an action against Donald Trump. Demanding no attacks on undocumented immigrants as well as standing against the genocide in Palestine, over 100 protesters gathered at the corner of Story and King Roads in San Jose the day after the election.

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By Masao Suzuki

San José, CA – On Wednesday, November 13, the Department of Labor’s monthly report on inflation showed that the increase in the Consumer Price Index, or CPI, ticked to 2.6% measured on a year-to-year basis, which smooths out monthly spikes or plunges. The so-called “core” rate of inflation, which leaves out food and energy prices (which tend to vary more than other prices month to month), was an even higher 3.3% measured year over year.

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By Masao Suzuki

San José, CA – On Friday, November 1, the Department of Labor published its report on new job creation and unemployment for October. While the unemployment rate showed little change, the report on net new job creation came in far below what was expected and was the lowest number since the recession year of 2020.

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By staff

San Jose students stand in solidarity with Palestine.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

San Jose, CA – On Tuesday, October 1, San Jose Students for a Democratic Society, Students for Justice in Palestine, and other organizations gathered in a speakout against the ongoing genocide as well as presenting their political demands to San Jose State University administration. Approximately 40 or 50 students attended.

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By staff

San Jose Against War holds rally to marks a  year of Palestinian resistance to genocide.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

San Jose, CA – On October 6 – a day before the anniversary of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood – 250 people gathered in front of San Jose City Hall to show their solidarity with the resistance in Palestine and their commitment to the movement for a free Palestine.

Signs bearing slogans such as “San Jose divest from genocide,” “Divest from Alphabet and Microsoft,” “Silicon Valley has blood on their hands,” “End U.S. aid to Israel,” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” were held by participants. Despite the record-breaking heat, the community came together with energy and determination.

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By staff

San Jose protest against the U.S/Israel war on Lebanon.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

San Jose, CA – On September 28, about 50 people gathered in front of San Jose City Hall to protest U.S. involvement in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and the ongoing genocide in Palestine. People joined together demanding end all U.S. aid to Israel and for San Jose to divest from companies directly tied to Israel.

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By Masao Suzuki

San José, CA – On Friday, September 13, the Biden administration announced a further escalation of the U.S. trade war with China. Tariffs—taxes on imports—of electric cars from China will be increased to 100%. This is meant to protect legacy U.S. auto makers from competition from Chinese electric vehicle or EV manufactures.

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By staff

San Jose, California vigil for U.S. activist murdered by Israeli authorities in the occupied  West Bank.  | Staff/Fight Back! News

San Jose, CA – On Friday, September 6, over 80 people came together in San Jose to honor the activist and martyr Aysenur “Aisha” Ezgi, who was murdered by Israeli authorities on the occupied West Bank. Protesters also denounced Israel’s invasion of the West Bank cities and the U.S.’s role in funding Israel’s genocide.

Protesters held signs reading “Victory to the Palestinian Resistance,” “End U.S. aid to Israel,” “Zionism = racism; justice for Palestinians,” and “I support Palestinian human rights.” The crowd could be seen by drivers, with honking in solidarity throughout the entire action.

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By staff

San Jose commemoration of the Chicano Moratorium.  | Fight Back! News/staff

San José, CA – On August 31, Silicon Valley Immigration Committee held San José’s 54th Chicano Moratorium commemoration at the San José Peace and Justice Center.

Around 50 people heard speakers on the August 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium and other issues related to the Chicano liberation and anti-war movements. The keynote speaker was Carlos Montes, co-founder of the Brown Berets, Freedom Road Socialist Organization Central Committee member, and co-chair of the FRSO Chicano, Latino and Other Oppressed Nationalities Commission.

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By Masao Suzuki

San José, CA – On Wednesday, August 21, the U.S. Department of Labor released an initial estimate reducing the number of net new jobs created from April 2023 to March 2024 by 818,000, or about 28%. This is the biggest adjustment since 2009, the year after the Great Financial Crisis. The adjustment was about five times as big as previous years’ adjustments.

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By Masao Suzuki, Freedom Road Socialist Organization

San José, CA – Average weekly earnings, adjusted for inflation, fell in July despite a drop in inflation. While average hourly wages outpaced inflation by one-tenth of one percent, or 0.1% ,in July, the average work week fell by three-tenths of one percent, or 0.3%. This meant the average weekly real earnings, which takes into account wage increases, inflation and the average number of hours worked, actually fell by two-tenths of one percent, 0.2%.

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