Workers Take Fight Back To Washington D.C.

Washington DC – Ten thousand militant workers and students gathered here, Sunday, Oct. 17, to rally and march at the Lincoln Memorial. The Million Worker March demanded living wage jobs, health care for all and an end to war and occupation in Iraq. The same demands were echoed by union organizers and labor activists across the U.S. The Million Worker March united the advanced – the grass roots of the labor movement who understand that those who fight back can win.

Four thousand union members took on the management of one of America’s most elitist bastions of the rich – Yale University. Fight Back! interviewed two leaders of the Yale Strike: Laura Smith, President of Local 34, which represents the Clerical and Technical workers and Shirley Lawrence of Local 35, which represents Service and Maintenance workers.

Using a variety of innovative tactics and gathering national media attention, 4000 union members took on the management of one of America’s most elitist bastions of the rich – Yale University. By combining some flexible tactics with impressive community support, union members represented by HERE Locals 34 and 35 were able to win major gains in wages and pensions. After working without a contract for two years, the workers went on strike Aug. 27 and struck for 23 days before settling.

Pedro Eusse is the Secretary General of the Food and Beverage Union, and the Secretary General of the United Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CUTV).

Rank and File Leads United Auto Workers to Victory

Less than one year after the Teamsters struck UPS, another giant strike has shaken U.S. capitalism. With 180,000 workers, the battle at GM was the biggest strike in 20 years. More than 190,000 more workers were idled when two parts plants in Flint, Michigan, struck for 54 days and won, the first major auto strike since 1970. These strikes show the worker's movement continues to build in strength. Workers are on the move again!

By Kosta Harlan

Tar Heel, N.C. – After over a decade of struggle the workers of the Smithfield Packing Plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina voted Dec. 11 to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). In a vote of 2041 to 1879 the workers put an end to the 14 years they have waited for union representation in the workplace. Ronnie Ann Simmons, a veteran of 13 years at the plant said of the vote, “We are thrilled. This moment has been a long time coming. We stuck together, and now we have a say on the job.”

St Paul, MN – The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, has voted to endorse the Labor Day mass anti-war march planned for the opening day of the Republican National Convention. The event will begin at the State Capitol at 11 am on Monday, September 1.

St. Paul, MN – Anti-war, low-income, labor and student activists have mounted a new legal challenge to Saint Paul’s policy of curtailing protests at the Republican National Convention. The lawsuit, filed in Ramsey County District Court by attorney Bruce Nestor of the National Lawyers Guild, seeks to open up additional areas for protest at the Republican National Convention.

Winston-Salem, NC – The opening round of what promises to be a hard-fought battle against big tobacco took place here, Oct. 28, as over 300 farm workers, trade unionists, religious leaders and students marched through the streets of downtown Winston-Salem chanting “Si se puede!” and “R.J. Reynolds escucha, el pueblo esta en lucha!” The march was called by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) to demand that R.J. Reynolds negotiate with the union over the oppressive conditions suffered by North Carolina tobacco workers.

Students and Workers Blast Censorship at UNC-Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC – A delegation of fifteen city and university workers, student activists and union organizers delivered a petition of over 500 signatures on Oct. 26 to the University of North Carolina System General Administration, charging that workers’ voices were being silenced at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The petition was addressed to Erskine Bowles, who is president of the UNC general administration, and who is responsible for all 16 state universities in North Carolina.

Chapel Hill, NC – Campus and city workers, union organizers and students held a press conference at the university here, Sept. 13, to denounce University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill administration’s censorship of an article on collective bargaining. In June, an article that described the growing statewide movement for collective bargaining rights was cut from the University Gazette, an official publication distributed to all UNC workers. The North Carolina Public Sector Workers Union, UE Local 150, organized the press conference to demand the article be published.

Williamsburg, VA – 150 Smithfield workers were joined by 1000 supporters here, Aug. 29 – in what was the largest demonstration in this city’s history – to demand justice for factory workers at Smithfield’s Tar Heel, North Carolina plant. Demonstrators met at a church to rally and hear both clergy and workers testify against Smithfield executives, then took to the streets with signs saying, “Worker’s rights are human rights,” and chanting, “Down with Smithfield, up with justice!”

Asheville, NC – “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” Over 40 students with the Justice at Smithfield campaign began their countrywide tour here with a spirited picket of a local Ingles supermarket. Ingles stocks Smithfield products from the notorious Smithfield hog processing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina. The Justice at Smithfield campaign will visit several major cities in the United States in a tour to raise awareness and build solidarity between trade unions, community organizers, student activists, and the Smithfield Tar Heel plant workers.

Cincinnati, Ohio – 450 union workers found themselves out of work at NuTone in Cincinnati, on Sunday, July 17. The manufacturer, NuTone, paid to have letters delivered to United Auto Workers Local 2029 members’ homes announcing the lockout. Workers set up picket lines at three plant gates and held cardboard signs saying, “NuTone locked us OUT!”

Minneapolis, MN – With the courtroom packed and many waiting in the hallway, attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild and the American Civil Liberties Union presented a case in federal court, July 9 on behalf of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. The Coalition is seeking a preliminary injunction requiring the city of Saint Paul to a issue realistic permit for the Sept. 1 anti-war march.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) convention ended on June 4. Even in its last hours, the reform movement showed it will continue to challenge the undemocratic methods of President Andy Stern. A slate of 13 rank-and-file members stepped forward to run for International Executive Board seats. This so surprised the officers that they had to scramble to print ballots. The vote counting went well into the evening, forcing their ‘victory party’ to start before the results were announced.

The largest union in the U.S., the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), begins its national convention the weekend of May 31, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Convention goers will have a very different experience from the well orchestrated ceremonies of past years. As delegate Sirlena Perry from SEIU Local 73 in Chicago put it, “There’s going to be big debate about how Andy has been doing things,” referring to the pro-business methods of SEIU’s president, Andy Stern.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Labor Commission of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.