Fight Back New Service is circulating the following May 1 statement by Jose Maria Sison, Chairperson, International League of Peoples´ Struggle.

Salt Lake City, UT – Shouts of “Stand up! Fight back!” echoed off the buildings of downtown Salt Lake City April 28 as more than 40 people gathered to celebrate working-class victories on May Day.

Phoenix, AZ – The historic statewide educator walkout entered its third day Monday, April 30. Tens of thousands filled the capitol once again in order to talk with legislators and pressure Governor Ducey to fully fund public schools.

Los Angeles, CA – This spring has brought a rising tide of protests in the in the primarily Chicano communities of East Los Angeles (ELA) and Boyle Heights. The community has taken to the street to protest privatization of public schools, for student rights, and against police terror. Preparations are underway for a powerful May Day protest that will unite the community on the many issues, with the main demands being “Legalization for all” and “No deportations.”

Labor and immigrants vs. billionaires and bigots

This year, International Workers Day on May 1 is important for the labor and immigrant rights movements. For over a year now, the people have faced an onslaught of attacks from President Trump’s right-wing administration. Trump’s White House wants to enact the agenda of billionaires and bigots at all costs, whether through tax breaks for the rich, or through cruel raids and deportations of immigrants that rip families apart.

Este año, el Día Internacional de los Trabajadores el primero de mayo es importante para los movimientos por los derechos laborales y de los inmigrantes. Por más de un año, las personas se han enfrentado a los ataques de la administración del presidente Trump. La Casa Blanca de Trump quiere promulgar la agenda de los ricos a toda costa, a través de exenciones impositivas para los ricos, o por redadas crueles y deportaciones de inmigrantes que destrozan a las familias inmigrantes.

New York, NY – On April 26, at 1 p.m., people gathered outside the New York City's Parks and Recreation Department (NYCPRD) building to hold a press conference and protest the NYCPRD's decision to move the annual International Workers Day protest to the North End of Union Square Park.

Phoenix, AZ – A red tidal wave is washing over downtown Phoenix, April 26, as the #RedForEd movement takes its demands to Governor Ducey and the Republican-dominated legislature. A week ago, 78% of the 57,000 educators who voted chose to walk out as a response to the lack of a realistic proposal from Ducey. His proposal, what he called last night his “final offer” uses a lot of unverified projections and moving monies from important programs such as health care and funds for the disabled and veterans.

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

Tucson, AZ – Last Thursday, April 12, Arizona Republican Governor Doug Ducey presented his proposal for salary raises to the movement of educators called Arizona Educators United (AEU). It did not take long for teachers and educational support professionals to reject the proposal based on suspicions of a lack of new funding streams and the lack of recognition for classified support staff.

Minneapolis, MN – The Teamsters Local 792 strike against J.J. Taylor Distributing, a beer hauler based in Minneapolis, continued into its ninth day April 17, with about 40 workers picketing all entrances into the company. Workers from several other workplaces and local unions joined Teamsters from J.J. Taylor on the picket line.

Milwaukee, WI – The Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA) has been fighting budget cuts and downgrades to public schools for years. Governor Scott Walker has been ruthlessly destroying the school system inch by inch and dollar by dollar. It is no exaggeration to say that every student, teacher, classroom and school connected to the Milwaukee Public School system (MPS) has been negatively affected. With hundreds of dedicated members spanning every school in the district, the MTEA has proven itself to be a committed and powerful force for justice within MPS. A force, it should be added, that is more necessary than ever as the school board releases a proposal for the upcoming fiscal period. The cuts are enormous and heartbreaking.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from trade unionists in the Philippines.

Memphis, TN – Members of AFSCME and other unions, along with civil rights activists, marched in Memphis, April 4, the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. King was in Memphis to support striking sanitation workers, members of AFSCME Local 1733, at the time of his 1968 murder.

Tucson, AZ – Thousands of red-clad educators, parents, youth and community members poured into the downtown area April 4, during rush hour. Several marches from nearby schools convened on the street corners outside of the Arizona State Building to send a message to Governor Doug Ducey and the legislature to increase teacher pay and restore the missing $1 billion from the state public education budget.

México City, México – Fight Back! interviewed leaders of the militant teachers union in Oaxaca, México – the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) Section 22. The interview was done on March 5, during the 18th Congress of the World Federation of Teachers Unions (FISE) in Mexico City. In this interview, CNTE Section 22 leaders talk about the history of militant teachers’ struggle in Oaxaca and their current struggles to stop neoliberal education reform while confronting serious state repression.

Minneapolis, MN – It may have been Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, but the sea of green in downtown Minneapolis was not a display of holiday revelry, it was a sign of an important labor struggle, as over 200 AFSCME Hennepin County Medical Center clerical and technical workers, along with supporters, picketed to demand a decent contract.

‘Strike fever’ hits the Garden State as teachers push back to protect health care

Jersey City, NJ – On March 16, public school teachers in Jersey City, New Jersey went on strike after months of frustrating contract negotiations with the city’s Board of Education. Their union, the Jersey City Education Association (JCEA), announced the strike to their nearly 4000 members late on the night of March 15.

Glasgow, Scotland – As of March 17, for the last month, lecturers across the United Kingdom have been on strike in response to changes in their pension plans. The employers’ organization, Universities UK (UUK) are attempting to abolish the lecturers’ existing pension plans, which guarantees retirement based on their salary. They want to replace this pension scheme with one that would be determined by the stock market, which is highly unstable and does not guarantee retirement. The University and College Union (UCU) has argued that this new scheme would make lecturers lose over £10,000 a year, and £200,000 by the time of retirement – equivalent to about $280,000.