Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Labor

By staff

Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Country bus drivers, members of Amalgamated Transit Union 998, voted overwhelmingly to reject their contract and strike, June 29.

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By staff

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Minneapolis, MN – The Supreme Court agreed today, June 30, to hear Friederichs vs. California Teachers Association, which aims to gut public sector unions and would make the public sector ‘right to work’ nationwide. The court will determine whether public sector unions can continue to collect so-called ‘fair share’ or ‘agency fees’ from non-members who benefit from the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by unions, and could overturn the landmark case Abood vs. Detroit Board of Education.

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By Sean Orr

YES members picket signs outside the Hefter Conference Center.

Milwaukee, WI – More than 50 youth, teachers and community members gathered outside the Hefner Conference Center, June 25, to let County Executive Chris Abele know that Milwaukee does not support his attacks against our working class-communities. Abele was participating in a $20 a head 'public' luncheon at the extravagant UWM-owned mansion to answer questions about the Milwaukee Public School (MPS) takeover, the proposed arena deal, and his current dispute with the Milwaukee County transit union.

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By staff

Fight Back! News Service is circulating the following call of the All Workers Militant Front (PAME), a fighting organization of Greek workers, for mass protests June 23. DEMONSTRATION OF PAME JUNE 23 ALL TO THE STREETS

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By staff

Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME 3800 speaking to Board of Regents

Minneapolis, MN – University of Minnesota campus union workers, holding signs demanding “raises and respect“ held a press conference regarding the U of M proposed budget before testifying at the board of regents public budget hearing.

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By staff

Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago, IL – 5000 teachers and their supporters marched in the Chicago Teachers Union first major contract mobilization, June 9. Their slogan was “A Fair Contract and A Just Chicago,” continuing their tradition of fighting for the needs of the working class as well as their members.

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By staff

Interview with a striking teacher

Seattle teachers participated in a one-day walkout strike on May 19. Teachers on the eastern side of Washington state are participating today, May 21. While it is illegal for public school teachers to strike, hundreds of brave teachers, along with other school employees, will be walking off the job to demand that their schools be funded, and that budget cuts against them end now. Fight Back! interviewed Chuck Saari, a public school teacher in the city of Kennewick who is striking today.

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By Sean Orr

Milwaukee, WI – Late on the night of May 19, Wisconsin legislators made a surprise move to overhaul the state’s public school system. State Senator Alberta Darling introduced the “K-12 Omnibus Plan” during the final hours of a budget drafting meeting. While the overhaul attacks public education broadly across the state, it narrows the attack to Milwaukee. The plan is a aimed at the Milwaukee Public Schools system, the Milwaukee teachers union and the working class community that relies on Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).

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By Marisol Márquez

Seattle teachers demand school funding.

Seattle, WA – Thousands of public school teachers, librarians, staff and their supporters boldly took to picket lines for a one day walkout on May 19, demanding better work conditions. The walkout began at 8:00 a.m. and included a picket of local public schools such as West Seattle, Chief Sealth, Rainier Beach, Franklin, Garfield, Roosevelt, Ballard and Hale.

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By staff

Tampa APWU members and supporters rally.

Tampa, FL – Over 50 U.S. Postal Service workers and supporters participated in the national day of action here in Tampa, May 14. On May 20, the USPS union members' contract is set to expire. If the contract passes as is, American Postal Workers Union (APWU) members fear it will include more cuts to employee positions and take the only public postal service in the country and hand it to the private corporations.

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By staff

May 8 rally demand raises and respect at the University of Minnesota.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 150 University of Minnesota frontline workers, faculty and students rallied for raises and respect outside the Board of Regents meeting, on the McNamara Plaza here May 8. University Unions united – which is made up of AFSCME Locals 3800, 3937,3260 and 380 – and Teamster Local 320 organized the rally as kickoff for contract negotiations.

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By Richard Blake

Lead banner at May 1 march in Havana.

Havana, Cuba – On May 1, hundreds of thousands of Cuban workers marched through Revolution Square to mark International Workers’ Day. Marchers at the front carried the banner bearing the words of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC) declaration at their most recent Congress: “United in the construction of socialism.”

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By Ian Decker

May Day rally in Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City, Utah—On May 2, more than 100 people rallied in celebration of International Workers Day. The event, put on by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, drew a large crowd to the steps of the city and county buildings. The people gathered to show solidarity with workers, immigrants, national and international movements.

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By staff

Winston-Salem, NC – For the eighth consecutive year, hundreds of people are expected to join the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), AFL-CIO for a rally and march at the Reynolds American shareholders meeting on May 7 to demand the company finally act to ensure that their supply chain is free of human rights abuses.

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By staff

One injured by police

Dallas, TX – Two groups of protesters took to the streets of downtown here on May 1. One group, led by Mothers Against Police Brutality, Organized Rebellion and other local civil rights groups, was marching in solidarity with the people of Baltimore and against police violence in Dallas. The other marched in support of immigrants and against deportations. Before the night was over, the two groups were marching together.

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By Fern

Participants in Atlanta May Day event

Atlanta, GA – Two dozen activists from Florida and Georgia gathered here, May 2, where panelists gave a presentation about activism and May Day, followed by a group discussion.

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By staff

Milwaukee May Day protest demands immigrant and workers rights.

Milwaukee, WI – May 1, International Workers’ Day, several thousand marched here in defense of workers and immigrants.

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By staff

May Day march in Boyle Heights.

Los Angeles, CA – Undocumented Chicano and Central American students from Roosevelt High School led a militant May 1 march of about 400 people here on International Workers’ Day. The march included members of MEChA, and families, parents, and teachers in Boyle Heights. Viewed by thousands of spectators, youth supported by neighborhood families chanted, “Students support education and immigrant rights.”

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By Fabian Van Onzin

May Day march in Houston demands worker and immigrant rights

Houston, TX – There were a number of events here to celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1. First, the Houston Socialist Movement held a May Day speak-out with many groups. Leaders spoke about the need to end capitalism, build a socialist movement and make a revolution. They denounced the anti-worker, anti-immigrant and racist Republican Party in Texas, led by Governor Greg Abott. Speaker after speaker expressed a great sense of unity and hope for a socialist future. Later in the evening, there was a May Day dinner to build a spirit of solidarity amongst revolutionaries.

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By staff

Marching May 1 in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN – On May 1, the annual International Workers Day march for immigrant and workers rights merged in the streets with a Black Lives Matter march. During rush hour the combined march took over all lanes in both directions of major arterial streets as they marched downtown to the Hennepin County Government Center. Chants and songs alternated between the themes of immigrant rights, workers’ rights and Black Lives Matter.

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