Milwaukee, WI – One year after the so-called Right to Work law was imposed by the state government on Wisconsin workers, Dane County Judge William Foust overturned it April 8, stating it was unconstitutional.

Minneapolis, MN – University of Minnesota officials are investigating a suspected outbreak of the norovirus in Minneapolis campus residential halls, according to workers there. Boynton Heath Services, the medical provider for students at the University of Minnesota, provided a notice to students yesterday that warned of “reports of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, in students at Frontier Hall,” a dormitory on campus.

Patras, Greece – The first day of the big March Against Unemployment, which will travel 220 km from Patras to Athens concluded with enormous success on April 4.

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) hosted a successful fundraising party on April 2 to build up for this year's International Workers Day march in Minneapolis. More than 60 people came together at 4200 Cedar for Mexican food, musical and dance performances, games and a raffle. It was announced that the party raised over $1000 toward the costs of the march.

Chicago, IL – In an historic showing of force and bravery, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) carried out a one-day strike on April 1. Over 25,000 people, some from as far away as Canada and Florida, participated by walking picket lines, speaking out on campuses and marching in the streets to demand justice for the workers and students of the Chicago school system.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from FENSUAGRO, the largest agricultural workers union in Colombia. Nidia Quintero the Secretary General of FENSUAGRO is attending the Labor Notes Conference in Chicago starting on April 1, the same day as the large teachers union protests in Chicago. DECLARATION OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF CHICAGO

Chicago, IL – A plan is in the works for April 1 protests across Chicago to oppose attacks coming down on working people and the oppressed, and rich people are extremely nervous about it. The school board, appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, has attacked the teachers, claiming that their upcoming strike is illegal and harms the children. But Rahm has less than a 20% approval rating, while the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has a 60% approval rating, and even more support among those whose children they teach.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following March 22 statement for the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)

St. Louis Park, MN – Over 140 workers at Golden Living Center Saint Louis Park Nursing Home voted on March 10, by more than an 80% majority, to join SEIU Healthcare MN. This group of workers faced one of the most intense fights from the boss, starting the moment they filed their cards with more than 2 to 1 support for forming their union.

Milwaukee, WI – Union members from multiple locals gathered here, Feb. 27, for the Milwaukee-based United Workers Organization (UWO) State of Our Unions annual event.

Minneapolis, MN – Wayne Wittman, age 86, a longtime activist in the labor and peace movements in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, died Feb. 23. Wayne suffered a heart attack while on a bus coming home from a labor meeting where he introduced a resolution that was passed. His wife Joan said, “He died doing what he loved to do.”

Saint Paul, MN – Teachers and staff from the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers organized ‘walk-in’ events at more than 50 public schools in the early morning before school started on Feb. 17. Each walk-in included an informational picket and short rally. Teachers wearing red, the union’s color, were joined by supportive students and parents in a show of collective strength by walking into school together for the day.

Chicago, IL – In response to the announcement of over 1000 layoffs of teachers and staff, the Chicago Teachers Union rallied, marched and occupied the Bank of America (BoA) on LaSalle Street, Feb. 4.

Chicago, IL – On Feb. 1, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) rejected an offer from the city. Management claimed their offer was generous to the teachers, but when the 40 teachers and working members of the bargaining committee looked at the language in the offer, they found more attacks on their students.

El siguiente mensaje es una respuesta a una serie de preguntas enviadas a Huber Ballesteros por James Jordan de la Alianza por la Justicia Global. Ballesteros fue detenido cuando estaba trabajando como negociador para el paro agrario nacional de 2013 en Colombia y es acusado de “rebelión”. Él también sirvió en el comité ejecutivo de Fensuagro (Federación Nacional Sindical Unitaria Agropecuaria), la federación de trabajadores agropecuarios más grande de Colombia y la Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), la federación laboral más grande del país. Firme la petición para la libertad de Huber Ballesteros, sindicalista colombiano y preso político Haz clic aquí para ver el video de esta entrevista con Huber Ballesteros

The following message is a response to a series of questions posed to Hubert Ballesteros by James Jordan of the Alliance for Global Justice. Ballesteros was arrested while negotiating for the National Agrarian Strike of 2013 and charged with Rebellion. He was also serving on the executive committees of Fensuagro, the country's largest federation of farm workers unions and the Unitary Workers Center (CUT), Colombia's largest general labor federation.