Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Labor

By Daniel Ginsberg

Chicago, IL – Workers fighting back against economic inequality have something to be hopeful about. One of the largest and most powerful unions in the country, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, will begin mailing ballots early October for members to decide the next general president. Those fighting against concessions to employers and looking for a stronger worker movement are uniting behind Fred Zuckerman and the Teamsters United slate, hoping to unseat long-standing General President James P. Hoffa, Jr.

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By Daniel Ginsberg

Teachers and supporters rally at Saucedo School during one day CTU walk out.

Chicago, IL – Reminiscent of four years ago, the streets of Chicago may again turn red as tens of thousands of Chicago teachers prepare to strike over a concessionary contract when negotiations end on Oct. 11.

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By staff

Striking nurses on the picket line.

Minneapolis, MN – A majority of the striking nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association voted Oct. 3 to reject the latest contract by Allina Health. Nurses from Abbott Northwestern, Mercy, Phillips Eye Institute, United, and Unity hospitals will continue their open-ended Unfair Labor Practice strike.

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By staff

Striking nurses on the picket line.

Minneapolis, MN – A majority of the striking nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association voted Oct. 3 to reject the latest contract by Allina Health. Nurses from Abbott Northwestern, Mercy, Phillips Eye Institute, United, and Unity hospitals will continue their open-ended Unfair Labor Practice strike.

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By Daniel Ginsberg

Chicago, IL – Los trabajadores que luchan contra la desigualdad económica pueden tener esperanza. Uno de los sindicatos más grandes y más poderosos del país, los Teamsters, comenzarán a enviar por correo las papeletas a principios de octubre a sus miembros para que voten por el próximo presidente del sindicato. Los que luchan contra las concesiones de los empresarios y que quieren un movimiento obrero más fuerte están uniéndose junto a Fred Zuckerman y la lista de los Teamsters Unidos, con la esperanza de desbancar al actual presidente del sindicato James P. Hoffa, Jr.

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By staff

Cherrene Horazuk of Workers United for Nurses and president of AFSCME Local 3800

Minneapolis, MN – More than 200 union members and striking nurses rallied across from Abbot Northwestern hospital, Sept. 30, and then marched on the corporate headquarters of Allina Health to press the demand for a decent contract. The march was organized by the strike support committee called Workers United for Nurses.

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By staff

World Federation of Trade Unions 17th Congress to be held in in South Africa

Durban, South Africa – With the themes of “struggle, internationalism and unity”, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) is preparing for its 17th Congress in Durban, South Africa Oct. 5-8.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On the morning of Sept. 27, 400 striking Allina nurses from Abbott, United, Unity and Mercy hospitals, along with members of many unions and community supporters, rallied in the street in downtown Minneapolis, tying up early morning rush hour traffic. The rally was held in front of the hotel where General Mills was having its annual shareholder meeting.

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By Meredith Aby

WAMM stands with striking nurses

Minneapolis, MN – Members and supporters of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) picketed with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis on Sept. 25. The MNA went on strike at Allina hospitals on Labor Day.

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By Brad Sigal

AFSCME workers stand on picket line with striking nurses

Minneapolis, MN – More than 400 rank-and-file members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) joined the picket lines of the nurses on strike at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Friday, Sept. 23. They held a solidarity rally and walked the picket lines together with striking nurses, undeterred by the rain. Eight buses and many cars full of AFSCME members went together from the AFSCME Council 5 convention in Bloomington, which brought together AFSCME members from throughout Minnesota.

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By staff

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Minneapolis, MN – Thirteen members of WAMM (Women Against Military Madness) joined the striking Allina nurses on the Abbott Northwestern picket line Sunday afternoon, Sept. 18. WAMM member Margaret Sarfehjooy, a nurse at Fairview Southdale hospital said, “We understand the importance of community support for these nurses and Minnesota Nurses Association as Allina tries to bust their union.”

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By Meredith Aby

WAMM members on the picket line with striking nurses

Minneapolis, MN – Members of Women Against Military Madness picketed with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Sept. 11. The MNA went on strike at Allina hospitals on Labor Day.

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By staff

Striking members of Minnesota Nurses Association on the picket line

Minneapolis, MN – Picket lines at Allina hospitals remain strong as the first week of the strike by more than 4000 members of the Minnesota Nurses Association draws to a close, Sept 11. The open-ended unfair labor practices strike began Labor Day, and comes in response to an attempt by Allina to extract major concessions in nurses’ heath care.

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By Meredith Aby

Members of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee picket with striking nurses

Minneapolis, MN – Members of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee picketed with the Minnesota Nurses Association at Abbot Northwestern Hospital during rush hour, Sept. 8. The nurses went out on strike on Labor Day.

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By staff

Harvard workers vote to strike

Cambridge, MA – The union of the 750 food service workers at Harvard University held a briefing and rally on Sept. 7 to announce their intent to hold a strike vote. The union, UNITE HERE Local 26, has been in negotiations with the university administration since late May, and workers say that little progress has been made on their two major issues.

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By staff

Striking MNA members on picket line.

Minneapolis, MN – Nearly 5000 members of the Minnesota Nurses Association walked off the job at Allina hospitals, Sept. 5, Labor Day, in an open-ended unfair labor practices strike. Allina is pressing for concessions on the health care plans that would shift more costs to the nurses.

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By staff

(Fight Back! News/Staff)

Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds of Minnesota Nurses Association members, along with their supporters, rallied in Stewart Park Aug. 31 to show support for Allina Health nurses who are set to go on an open-ended Unfair Labor Practice strike on Labor Day. A broad spectrum of labor and community groups, including teachers, AFSCME, and Teamsters attended the rally.

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By Tom Burke

ATU members and supporters protest Grand Rapids area transit board

Grand Rapids, MI – 30 union bus drivers and their supporters rallied outside the meeting of the Interurban Transit Partnership – also known as the Rapids Board – the afternoon of Aug. 31, demanding a decent contract in negotiations. The board spent the past year attacking the bus drivers’ union and its leaders instead of dealing fairly with them.

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By Fern

Jacksonville, FL – About a dozen rank-and-file Teamsters gathered at a local bar in downtown Jacksonville to watch the debate for the upcoming International Brotherhood of Teamsters election. This October's union election will be one of the year's most important events for organized labor.

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By staff

St. Paul, MN – Nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association filed a 10-day notice of intent to strike with Allina Health Friday morning, Aug. 26. Nurses will begin an open-ended Unfair Labor Practice strike beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 5, Labor Day.

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