Miami, FL – UPS Teamsters across the country are participating in a nationwide moment of silence today, December 9, for #Frank Ordonez, the 27-year-old UPS package car driver killed in a police shootout after being taken hostage by armed robbers. Many Teamsters are questioning the tactics used by police, noting that the officers’ trigger-happy actions were not normal for a hostage situation and resulted in not only the death of Frank Ordonez but the death of union representative Rick Cutshaw and endangered the lives of many others.
Miami, FL – The busy holiday season for UPS Teamsters took a deadly turn on December 5 in South Florida. Miramar police shot and killed UPS driver Frank Ordonez while firing dozens of times into the side of a UPS truck he had been taken hostage in. They also killed a civilian who was nearby.
Chicago, IL – Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) members voted November 15 to accept the tentative agreement they won in the wake of their historic eleven-day strike.
Milwaukee, WI – El 3 de octubre, docenas de grupos y activistas en Milwaukee están organizando una manifestación para exigir un permiso para una marcha afuera la Convención Nacional Demócrata. Hasta ahora, el alcalde de Milwaukee, Tom Barrett, les niega el permiso a los activistas locales. Otros políticos y empresarios adinerados están cayendo sobre sí mismos prometiendo cerrar calles, interrumpir los horarios de trabajo y gastar decenas de millones de dólares en la celebración de la Convención Democrática. Sin embargo, a las personas locales se les niega un permiso de protesta para expresar sus problemas.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) General Secretary, George Mavrikos, against the coup in Bolivia.
New York, NY – Several dozen organizers and community members gathered outside the Philippine Consulate on 5th Avenue, November 4, to demand that the government of the Philippines release the 62 organizers of legal, mass organizations who were arrested Negros and Metro Manila.
Chicago, IL – Frontrunning candidate for the next general president of the Teamsters, Sean O’Brien, addressed the convention of Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), November 2. O’Brien, who currently leads Local 25, spoke about the future of the Teamsters. The election will take place in 2021.
Blaine, MN – The United Steelworkers (USW) said that about 220 hourly production and maintenance workers began a strike, November 1, against unfair labor practices at Carley Foundry, which supplies parts for customers in the aerospace industry and others.
Chicago, IL – Tonight, October 30, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) suspended its ten-day strike in the public schools, pending a back-to-work agreement. The House of Delegates (HOD) voted to accept the tentative agreement with the PSRP’s (Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel) providing lead-ership. These clerks and teacher aides are among the lower paid workers in the schools.
Orlando, FL – The Florida Education Association (FEA) union held their annual statewide Delegate Assembly in Orlando Florida October 17-19, at the Rosen Convention Centre, with 836 registered delegates from over 100 teacher unions across the state of Florida.
Fight Back News Service is circulating following Oct. 24 statement from the Provisional Committee of International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) – Latin America and the Caribbean.
Chicago, IL – Members of the Chicago Teachers Union members and SEIU Local 73 are in the seventh day of their joint striking. As of Friday, October 25, this strike under Mayor Lori Lightfoot is now equal in length to the strike under Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2012.
Chicago, IL – The joint strike by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and SEIU Local 73 continued October 18 and through the weekend as the office of Mayor Lori Lightfoot continued to refuse to meet the strikers' demands.
Chicago, IL – Picket lines went up at hundreds of schools across Chicago at 6:30 a.m., October 17. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) walked out for their third strike since 2012. For the more than 7000 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, this is an historic first strike, and the first against the new mayor, Lori Lightfoot.
Tucson, AZ – It has become tradition in Arizona to wear red and take selfies on Wednesdays to support the #RedForEd movement to demand that the legislature fully fund schools. However, since there are currently 2000 workers on strike at the Asarco mines, educators took selfies with Steelworkers and Teamsters on their picket line on Wednesday, October 16.
Tucson, AZ – The United Steelworkers (USW) said, October 11, that about 2000 hourly workers at five ASARCO LLC, locations in Arizona and Texas voted overwhelmingly to strike against unfair labor practices rather than to accept the Grupo México subsidiary’s so-called “last, best and final” offer.
