Tampa, FL – On December 19 and 20, UPS workers represented by Teamsters Local 79 and supportive community members attended a picket in Ruskin, Florida in support of Amazon workers who are fighting to form a union across the United States. Amazon workers say they are organizing to win job protection and benefits as well as a seat at the bargaining table.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the World Federation of Trade Unions.

The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing 105 million workers across the globe, extends its fullest support to the militant strikes being launched by the U.S. Teamsters Union members against the gigantic Amazon corporation. Thousands of workers at 7 Amazon worksites across the United States struck on December 19, and additional strikes are planned. The Amazon corporation continues its lawless and dictatorial campaign against its workers who want to join trade unions, and are demanding better pay and conditions. Inaction and paralysis on the part of the U.S. government in the face of this outrageous Amazon company conduct has pushed the workers to take this strike action.

Commerce City, CO – On November 14, Teamsters Local 455 released an email stating that “approximately half” of the Commerce City UPS facility will be closing and undergoing renovations starting on January 15, 2025.

Atlanta, GA – Today, December 19, Amazon workers in Atlanta joined the largest strike against the company in U.S. history. Called by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the strike calls for Amazon to recognize the workers’ union and agree to higher wages, safer conditions, respect and dignity on the job as part of a union contract.

Denver, CO – On December 11, members of the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) at Frontier Airlines held a rally outside of the Frontier headquarters in Denver. Flight attendants have been in mediation with the companies that refused to meet members' demands. American and Southwest Airlines flight attendants got their contracts, while Alaskan Airlines attendants voted down their proposed contract. Frontier and United have been in mediation with the AFA for more than six months.

Seattle, WA – Seattle Art Museum security guards, also known as Visitor Service Officers (VSOs) went on strike on November 29, and, along with community supporters, held a large picket and rally on Thursday, December 5. Seattle Art Museum (SAM) workers have been fighting for a contract for more than two years, through the independent SAM VSO union. The museum has refused to meet workers’ needs on retirement, wages and healthcare, and has not even accepted closed shop language, which would protect the union.

Minneapolis, MN – On November 22, over 100 union educators attended an informational event about Palestine, “Being an Educator in a Time of War and Genocide.” They braved a cold Friday night to attend, as well as attacks from backward groups outside their union, including smears from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Chicago, IL – On the snowy Thursday evening of November 21, the chambers of the Chicago Temple were heated up by the fighting spirits of over 1500 school staff, students and community members. The rally was organized by the Chicago Teachers Union to demand the settlement of its contract with Chicago Public Schools, which is made more urgent by Trump's intentions to dismantle the federal Department of Education.

Tampa, FL – On October 2, 355 University of South Florida (USF) employees discovered they would no longer be working for the state of Florida. Instead, beginning on December 1, custodial, groundskeeping and maintenance workers have a choice to work for a private dining and facilities contractor, Compass Group, or else find another job.

In 2023, Senate Bill 256 passed in the state of Florida. SB 256 is among the most anti-union labor laws in the country and effectively decertifies any unionized bargaining unit in the public sector that does not meet a bar of at least 60% dues-paying membership. The bill also makes it harder for workers to pay their dues by banning voluntary automatic payroll reduction.

Chicago, IL - On November 13, 1800 members of the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) went on strike against University of Illinois Health for continuing to refuse to negotiate a decent contract. Since June, the union has had 47 bargaining sessionswith UI Health, to no avail. In August, a week-long strike was held, but this did not stop management’s greed. The union wasleft with no choice but to go on an open-ended strike.

Minneapolis, MN – On November 4, around 730 longshoremen in British Columbia, Canada walked off the job and began a strike. The striking longshoremen are represented by the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (ILWU), Local 514 which is the foremen’s local.

Dallas, TX – Dancers from the Dallas Black Dance Theater (DBDT) held their latest picket, November 9, outside the Wylie Theater against their firing in August.

So, it happened. The racist, reactionary fool Donald Trump is returning to the White House, and Republicans will dominate Congress. The polarization of American political life is sharpening and deepening. Revolutionaries and progressives have some heavy lifting ahead of us.

There is going to be plenty of time to analyze what happened in the election, but on the morning after, some things are clear. The leadership and wealthy backers of the Democratic Party have only themselves to blame for the outcome. The Harris/Walz campaign was tone-deaf to the needs and aspirations of working people. In fact, the two words that they seemed unable to work into any of their speeches were “working class.” Instead, they offered a sad mixture of genocide in Palestine, combined with an appeal to college-educated, “never Trump” Republicans. And they failed.

Jacksonville, FL – Alrededor de 55 trabajadores de servicios de alimentos y miembros del Local 2941 de AFSCME se manifestaron frente a las oficinas de la empresa Chartwells el lunes en Jacksonville, expresando su descontento contra lo que describen como salarios de pobreza, falta crónica de personal y falta de respeto por parte de la gerencia.

Minneapolis, MN – The evening of October 27 was unseasonably warm late, with 200 workers picketing outside of Minneapolis’ iconic First Avenue club and music venue. The hospitality workers organized recently with Unite HERE Local 17 and are now in contract negations with First Avenue for their first union contract.

Jacksonville, FL – Around 55 food service workers and members of AFSCME Local 2941 rallied in front of Chartwells company offices on Monday in Jacksonville, speaking out against what workers described as poverty wages, chronic understaffing and a lack of respect from management.

St. Paul, MN – MAPE, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, is an independent union representing approximately 15,000 employees of the State of Minnesota. At their October 26 delegate assembly, MAPE approved a resolution titled “Supporting a Ceasefire and Divestment in Israel-Palestine.” It included strong steps towards divesting both MAPE and Minnesota’s State Board of Investments (SBI) from apartheid Israel. The MAPE Ceasefire Caucus organizing team had conversations with nearly every delegate over the last six weeks in preparation for the vote, which ended up with 82 for, 49 against, with 17 abstaining.

New Orleans, LA – On October 25, nurses at University Medical Center gathered on the corner of Canal and Galvez Streets for a one-day strike to demand safe staffing ratios, workplace safety protections, higher pay and improved benefits.

The strike began at 7 a.m. on Friday, when nurses joined the picket line outside the hospital. They were joined by dozens of community members, chanting loudly and proudly as they marched. Chants included “What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now!” Some signs read “If nurses are outside, there’s something wrong inside.”

Washington DC – Flight attendants at United Express carrier Mesa Air, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), are ramping up their fight for a decent contract as they enter the first session of federally mediated negotiations, under the supervision of the National Mediation Board (NMB). AFA filed for federal mediation in September to press forward on a new contract for 560 flight attendants.

Milwaukee, WI – On the morning of October 14, 40 letter carriers, their families, other union members, and community supporters gathered outside the downtown center for the United States Postal Service (USPS). The rally was called for by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 2, and it was held in conjunction with many other actions by other branches of the union across the country.