Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Labor

By staff

Saladin Muhammad is a veteran leader of the labor and African American liberation movements in North Carolina. He is responsible for coordinating organizing in North Carolina and Virginia for the North Carolina and Virginia Public Service Workers Unions UE Locals 150 and 160. Muhammad is building the fight against a North Carolina law, NC 95-98, which limits workers' rights to collectively bargain.

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By staff

San Francisco, CA – Protesters picketed Wells Fargo's global corporate headquarters in the financial district here, July 10. Progressives, trade unionists, students and professionals came together to put forth the slogan “Bankers got bailed out, workers got sold out!” to the busy lunch hour crowds. Their aim was to publicly denounce the giant bank for the actions it has been trying to take against the workers at Quad City Die Casting in Moline, Illinois.

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By James Jordan

Bogotá, Colombia – Liliany Obando is powerful. She is one thousands of Colombian political prisoners. For a year now, I have known Liliany through letters. We finally met face-to-face on three occasions, during a delegation sponsored by the U.S.-based Campaign for Labor Rights and the Colombia Action Network. I represented the International Network in Solidarity with Colombia’s Political Prisoners.

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By staff

Mick Kelly speaking at the podium, with a "We need jobs now" banner behind him

Pittsburgh, PA – A powerful march for jobs filled the streets here, Sept. 20, in the first major protest before the G-20 summit. Organizers estimate more than 1000 people joined the demonstration, which marched from the Hill district, the historic center of the city’s African American community, to Freedom Corner.

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By staff

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Workers holding a sign that says "SK Took Away our Healthcare"

Norma Trinidad and 20 of her co-workers stood in front of the Sears store on Dearborn Street in Chicago’s Loop, Sept. 18, handing fliers to people as they walked past. These members of Teamsters Local 743 are on strike against SK Hand Tools. They came to ask Sears customers not to buy the tools made by the SK workers.

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By staff

Chicago, IL – In the final days of August, members of Teamsters Local 743 accepted a new contract at the University of Chicago Medical Center. A month ago, the 1350 workers overwhelmingly rejected an offer from the employer which offered no meaningful pay increases or job security. With this support behind them, the bargaining committee returned to the table and emerged with significant improvements. 68% of their fellow workers voted yes on the new offer.

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By staff

Chicago, IL – Richard Lopez, once the overpaid $160,000-a-year president of Teamster Local 743, was sentenced to two years of prison on Aug. 27. His co-conspirators and former employees, Ted Bania and David Rodriguez, are going in for 40 months and 18 months respectively.

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By Stephanie Weiner

Photo of strikers picketing next to the street outside SK Hand Tool

Chicago, IL – As the strike at SK Hand Tool moves into its second week, it is clear it is picking up momentum. On Sept. 2 a contingent of workers went downtown to tell their strike story to U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who was in town to present a Labor Day speech.

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By staff

The strike by members of Teamster local 743 for health care at SK Hand Tool has attracted national attention.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters743 #Healthcare #SKHandTools

By Chapin Gray

In the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, leaders and organizers across the country are gearing up for the “They Say Cut Back, We Say Fight Back!” national conference planned for Oct. 3 in Chicago, Illinois. From California to New York, people who for the past years have been fighting back against cuts to programs that serve our communities, against home foreclosures and evictions and against plant closures will come together to share experiences and make plans to work together in the coming years.

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By staff

Teamsters with raised fists, on strike in front of SK Hand Tools

Chicago, IL – When the owner of SK Hand Tools in Chicago unilaterally cut off health care benefits for his employees, he provoked a strike. As a result, the picket line of striking workers on Tuesday, Aug. 25, was also a health care rally.

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By staff

A photo of Teamsters Local 743 member Kendra Mitchell, representative J Burger a

Chicago, IL – University of Chicago Hospital workers have come out strong to demand a fair contract from their wealthy employer. Over three days near the end of July, the 1400 members of Teamsters Local 743 voted down a contract offer from management. The resounding “No” vote – 93.5% against – was because the company’s offer didn’t address employees concerns about job security, healthcare costs and compensation.

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By Joe Iosbaker

Una mujer habla, y manta de SEIU Local 73

Chicago, IL – Hace más de tres anos que la economía se estanco, los trabajadores de la Universidad de Illinois han tenido que trabajar más por menos. Los Trabajadores del Servicio de Edificios-Building Service Workers (BSW) han sido los más golpeados, pues ahora hay 80 trabajadores menos. Es decir, que 80 fueron despedidos.

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By Redacción

Chicago, IL – Richard Berg es un sindicalista del ala reformista de los Teamsters. Actualmente, lo están amenazando con la expulsión del sindicato de aseo del Hospital de la Universidad de Chicago (HUC) Local 743. El es miembro desde 1988. Los bandidos que dirigen el sindicato quieren expulsarlo por el crimen de defender a los trabajadores.

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By Redacción

Trabajadora en huelga habla

Minneapolis, MN – “Después de 15 días de huelga, nuestro sindicato es ahora mucho más fuerte y más combativo que nunca. Logramos avances reales para los trabajadores de oficina en la Universidad de Minnesota,” dijo Phyllis Walker, la presidenta de AFSCME 3800, el sindicato de los trabajadores de oficina en la Universidad de Minnesota. La huelga realizada entre el 21 de octubre y el 4 de noviembre del 2003, tuvo como objetivo intentar parar recortes drásticos de beneficios de salud y también parar la propuesta para congelar los salarios de los trabajadores. Otro objetivo fue intentar lograr mas seguridad laboral. Esta huelga fue la primera en la Universidad de Minnesota desde hace 60 años.

Huelgistas marchan en el campus de San Pablo de la U de Minnesota

Estudiantes toman el edificio Morrill Hall para apoyar los trabajadores en huelg

Una huelgista

2 huelgistas

#MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesota #AFSCMELocal3800 #huelga

By Joe Iosbaker

Tom Terranova habla en una protesta.

Chicago, IL – “Nunca hemos tenido tanto respeto de tanta gente,” dijo Sirlena Perry, luego agregó, “y lo hemos Ganado.” La hermana Perry se refería a la campana del contrato para los trabajadores oficinistas de la Universidad de Illinois Chicago, UIC. Ella es la lider del comité negociador y la principal encargada del local 73 SEIU ( Union Internacional de Empleados de Servicios).

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By Joe Iosbaker

Mujer gritando consignas

Chicago, IL – Frente a la oficina del presidente de la Universidad de Illinois James Stukel, a la hora del almuerzo se reunieron 100 trabajadores, marchando, cantado y gritando.

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By Joe Iosbaker

Chicago, IL – El local 73 del Sindicato Internacional de Empleados de Servicios (SEIU) se encuentra en un combate sin tregua con la administración de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago (UIC).

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By Joe Iosbaker

Pero la lucha para defender a los trabajos sigue

sindicalistas marchan

Chicago Il.– El nuevo gobernador de Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, anunció que el presupuesto estatal falta $5 mil millones de dolares, una semana despues de tomar las riendas de poder.

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By Tom Burke

Madison, WI – La Red de Acción Sobre Colombia (Colombia Action Network en ingles) se reunió en esta ciudad en marzo 8, para desarrollar la campana de defensa de los trabajadores sindicalizados de la Coca Cola a través del boicot a esta bebida. Luis Adolfo Cardona, el compañero sindicalista que escapo del intento de secuestro, tortura y asesinato por parte de los escuadrones de la muerte al servicio de la Coca Cola, dio una charla sobre la grave situación de Derechos Humanos que sufren los compañeros trabajadores en Colombia.

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