Houston, TX – Close to 1000 people protested outside of a busy McDonalds restaurant here, April 15, to demand a $15 per hour minimum wage. As the large crowd marched from the University of Houston, a dozen police on horseback lined the median of Elgin Street. Upon arriving to rally in the parking lot, 15 more police guarded the entrances to the McDonalds.

St. Petersburg, FL – Over 3000 farmworkers and supporters from around the country gathered at Bartlett Park, March 21, then marched to demand workers’ rights. Some chants heard during the march were, “Up, up with the fair food nation! Down, down, with the exploitation!”, “One, we are the people! Two, a little bit louder! Three, we want justice for farmworkers!” and “J-U-S, J-U-S-T-I-C-E is what we want, is justice for Immokalee!”

Chicago, IL – Rank and file union leaders at the University of Illinois at Chicago, members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, are supporting a call for an elected, Civilian Police Accountability Council in Chicago.

Madison, WI – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed into law a ‘right to work’ measure, March 9, that impacts workers in the private sector. The law is expected to harm trade unions and depress wages.

Milwaukee, WI – Dozens of students, faculty and union members gathered at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, March 4, to speak out against the Republican-sponsored 'Right to Work' bill. With the legislation set to be signed by Gov. Walker on March 9, members of Progressive Students of Milwaukee, many who had participated in the protests in Madison, gave another show of solidarity to Wisconsin's private-sector unions.

Madison, WI – Right to Work passed in the Wisconsin State Assembly along party lines, 62-35, after a 24-hour debate. The bill is on Governor Scott Walker's desk.

Chicago, IL – In Chicago, people had good reason to celebrate on Feb. 24. Rahm Emanuel was denied reelection in the mayoral primary. He needed 50% plus one vote, but he received less than 46%. His main opponent, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, received 34%, and will face Emanuel on April 7 in a runoff. In addition, 19 city council seats will have runoff elections, an all-time high.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following March 2 statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

Madison, WI – Thousands of union members and their supporters converged on the Wisconsin state capitol building, Feb. 28, to oppose a Republican-sponsored ‘Right to Work’ measure that aims at undermining labor unions in the private sector. The rally was organized by the AFL-CI0.

Madison, WI – A group of workers calling themselves “ Defeat Right to Work in Wisconsin” have issued this statement:

Madison, WI – Thousand rallied, Feb. 25, on the steps of the Wisconsin Capitol. Hours later, hundreds chanted “Kill the bill” in the capitol rotunda while hanging banners and homemade signs. Later, dozens were ejected from the senate hearing room for shouting down Republican politicians trying to fast track the anti-worker law.

Madison, WI – Republicans pushed ‘Right to Work’ through the Senate labor committee, Feb. 24, and the bill will move to the Senate floor for debate Feb. 25.

Madison, WI – Thousands of people spent the day rallying against so-called ‘Right to Work’ legislation, Feb. 24. The anti-worker law could pass the legislature as early as next week.

Milwaukee, WI – More than 300 workers gathered in freezing weather here Feb. 23, to rally against proposed ‘Right to Work’ legislation.

Milwaukee, WI – More than 300 union members and their supporters took to the streets here, Feb. 23, to protest an attempt by Republicans to push through ‘right to work’ legislation in the Wisconsin legislature.

Milwaukee, WI – More than 300 union members and their supporters took to the streets here, Feb. 23, to protest an attempt by Republicans to push through ‘right to work’ legislation in the Wisconsin legislature.

Milwaukee, WI – Republican leaders have announced a special session to pass the anti-worker ‘Right to Work legislation this upcoming week.

USW Local 7-1 hits the picket lines against unsafe BP

Whiting, IN – At midnight, Feb. 7, 1100 workers at the BP refinery here went on an Unfair Labor Practice strike, citing the company’s poor record at keeping workers safe on the job. Steelworkers Local 7-1 joins the picket lines today as does the local union in Toledo, Ohio, bringing the total to over 5000 nationwide on strike as of today.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Feb. 3 statement from the Secretariat of the World Federation of Trade Unions.

Wisconsin on front lines

Milwaukee, WI – Plans to introduce so-called ‘Right to Work’ legislation are threatening to make Wisconsin the 25th state to eliminate all union contracts with mandatory dues as part of employment. Right to Work laws, now covering 24 states, particularly in the South but even in relative union strongholds like Michigan, weaken workers’ rights to collectively bargain, leading to inferior contracts and lower rates of unionization.