Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

strike

By Jessie Proffitt

Colorado Springs Starbucks workers strike.

Colorado Springs, CO – On November 13, workers from the Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) rallied with their allies at a unionized Starbucks store in Colorado Springs to begin their “Red Cup Rebellion, ” strike against unfair labor practice. SBWU called this strike after Starbucks refused to finalize a union contract earlier in the year that would address worker demands for higher pay, better staffing, and address hundreds of unfair labor practice charges.

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By Carsten Forester

Moore Mechanical plumbers and apprentices picket outside the Shaw Walker Project in Muskegon, Michigan.

Muskegon, MI – On November 13, plumbers and apprentices working for Moore Mechanical Grand Rapids began picketing outside the Shaw Walker Project in Muskegon, Michigan. They were joined by other union members of UA local 174 as well as a handful of community members.

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By staff

Dallas Starbucks workers on strike.

Dallas, TX – On November 13, Starbucks workers who are represented by Starbucks Workers United (SBWU), an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), began and open-ended strike over unfair labor practices they say that Starbucks has committed. The SBWU workers say that Starbucks has been unwilling to bargain in good faith to reach a first contract with the newly formed union.

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By staff

Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach addresses the striking dealers and dual rates outside of Horseshoe on Day 30 of their historic strike for recognition.

Shelbyville, IN – Thirty days into their historic strike for union recognition, the Horseshoe Indianapolis table games dealers and dual rate dealers marked the milestone the way striking workers always have: together, in solidarity, and in full public view.

At noon on November 15, striking workers and their supporters gathered for “Labor Day in November,” a large cookout held directly across from the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino. Despite being one month into a bitter showdown with casino giant Caesars Entertainment, morale on the line was high and the sense of momentum unmistakable.

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By Carson Cruse

Striking UMC nurses on the picket line.

New Orleans, LA – On November 11, dozens of nurses represented by National Nurses United held a picket line demanding retention, an end to merit-based raises, and good faith contract negotiations. This three-day strike marks the fifth since University Medical Center (UMC) nurses won their union in December 2023. The New Orleans Nurses United is the first private-sector healthcare workers union to form in Louisiana.

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By staff

Workers fight back at the Shelbyville city council meeting as Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach speaks about the strike and the city’s disgraceful conduct.

Shelbyville, IN — The historic strike at the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino has taken a dramatic and scandalous turn.

Since October 17, table games dealers and dual rates—workers who deal cards part of the week and serve as floor leads the rest—have led a militant strike demanding that Caesars Entertainment recognize their union with Teamsters Local 135 and bargain over wages, benefits and working conditions.

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By staff

Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach addresses striking dealers outside Horseshoe casino, moments after the Shelbyville police illegally evicted the strikers.

Shelbyville, IN - The strike for union recognition at the Horseshoe Indianapolis Casino has now entered its fourth week, marking more than 23 days on the picket line for table games dealers and dual rate dealers. These workers, who greet one another each day with the call-and-response “One day longer” and “One day stronger,” are carrying out one of the most significant and courageous private-sector labor battles in modern Indiana history, and one of the only major recognition strikes seen in the United States in decades.

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By Genevieve Richard

Starbuck workers hold practice picket, preparing for the upcoming strike.

Colorado Springs, CO – On October 29, organizers with Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) gathered at a unionized Starbucks store in Colorado Springs to hold a practice picket in preparation to strike. Members of the Colorado Springs Labor Council, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Democratic Socialists of America joined the practice picket.

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By staff

Striking Horseshoe Indianapolis casino workers. | Fight Back! News

Shelbyville, IN – At noon on October 17, the movement to unionize Horseshoe Indianapolis erupted into open action as the table games dealers and dual rate dealers walked off the job and launched a strike for union recognition with Teamsters Local 135. “Dual rates” split their workweek as dealers and floor leads.

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By staff

Brulin Teamsters and supporters rally at the picket line.

Indianapolis, IN — On October 9, striking Teamsters at Brulin Holding Company marked the eighth day of their unfair labor practice strike with a defiant rally outside the company’s Indianapolis facility.

Workers, fellow union members and community supporters filled the picket line with chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Brulin’s greed has got to go!” and “Hey Nelly, hear our call – stop breaking federal law!” The latter was directed at Brulin’s head of human resources.

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By staff

Brulin Teamsters on strike in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis, IN — Teamsters at Brulin Holding Company went out on strike in the early morning hours of October 1. The strike was called by Teamsters Local 135 in response to unfair labor practices committed by Brulin management during contract negotiations, which have dragged on for months.

With picket lines at all three company entrances, workers chanted, “What do we want? Fair contract! When do we want it? Now!” and “If we don’t get it, shut it down!” They also put up a giant Scabby the Rat inflatable at the front entrance on Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue.

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By staff

people holding signs reading, "Teamsters local 320 on strike"

Minneapolis, MN – Roughly 1400 Workers at the University of Minnesota walked off the job on Monday night, September 8. beginning an open-ended strike. The workers are represented by Teamsters Local 320 and do grounds maintenance, facilities, dining services and many other important jobs that keep the university running.

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By staff

A group of nurses on strike holding picket signs.

New Orleans, LA – On July 15 and 16, nurses at University Medical Center struck for the fourth time in their year-and-a-half long contract battle. Workers and supporters picketed outside the hospital. They carried signs reading “UMC: Stop hurting patient advocates” and chanted “What do we want? Contract! When do we want it? Now!”

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By staff

A group of workers on strike carrying picket signs.

Duluth, MN – On Friday, July 19, striking workers were on the picket line at Essentia Health, Duluth Clinic 2nd Street. Friday marked the 11th day of an open-ended strike by around 700 Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Providers (APP) who formed a union in 2024.

The workers are demanding that management sit down with them and negotiate their first union contract, more than a year after they won their union election and formed a union. In February of 2024 the RNs at Essentia Clinics voted to join the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and soon after, in July 2024, the Advanced Practice Providers also joined MNA.

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By staff

A group of workers meeting in a parking lot.

Los Angeles, CA – Starting Monday, July 14, more than 500 Republic Services sanitation workers at Gardena and Long Beach yards honored a picket line extended from Teamsters Local 25 workers on strike at Republic Services in Boston, Massachusetts. The LA county workers, who are members of Teamsters Local 396, usually clock in and start working between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. When they saw a picket line outside of their yard in the early hours of the morning, they went home for the day instead.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, July 8 around 300 registered nurses working at clinics for Essentia Health In Northern Minnesota began an open-ended strike. The nurses are represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and have filed unfair labor practice charges against their boss Essentia Health. Management is refusing to bargain in good faith with the unionized workers.

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By staff

SEIU workers wearing purple shirts walking a picket line and holding signs.

Stillwater, MN – More than 80 healthcare workers at HealthPartners Stillwater clinics have been on strike since Tuesday, July 8. The workers are represented by the Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Heather Eggers is a medical assistant in family medicine with HealthPartners Stillwater. Eggers said, “We’re out here because there have been seven bargaining sessions, and the employer has come back with less than adequate compensation. We’re fighting for our wages over the next three years to be 5.75%, 5% and 4% and for better teaming benefits, floating benefits and other things that would help us do our jobs better.”

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By Eliza Schultz

A group of striking workers holding picket signs.

Chicago, IL – On Wednesday July 2, around 100 striking workers joined the picket line outside Mauser Packaging Solutions Steel Drum Reconditioning plant in Chicago. The facility has sat closed, with the operation halted and the gates locked, for almost a month as a result of the strike called by Teamsters Local 705 due to unfair labor practices committed by Mauser during the negotiations for a new contract.

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By Gage Lacharite

Tampa, FL – The picket line outside the Breakthru Beverages warehouse near Tampa, Florida stood strong Monday, June 23, despite intense summer heat and torrential daily thunderstorms.

Truck drivers for Breakthru Beverages in Florida entered their third week on strike last Friday as they continue their fight for union recognition and the return of their coworkers fired for union activity. 160 employees across the state walked out on May 30.

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By staff

Dallas, TX – This May, nearly 90 union drivers at Albertsons, represented by Teamsters Local 745, voted unanimously to authorize a strike, sending a thunderous message to corporate management – and it worked.

Within hours of the vote, Albertsons executives returned to the bargaining table and immediately backed down, dropping proposed contract language that would have allowed the company to deploy autonomous trucks without human drivers. The company also agreed to move on several key economic demands after months of stonewalling.

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