Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

ChicagoIL

By Joe Iosbaker

Members of the Chicago Teachers Union march against layoffs

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.

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By staff

Sarah Chambers, member of the Chicago Teachers Union bargaining committee.

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.

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By Tom Burke

Rev. Osagyefo Sekou and Rasmea Odeh.

Chicago, IL – The Chicago Teachers Union invited Rev. Osagyefo Sekou as their guest of honor and keynote speaker for a Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast on Friday, Jan. 15. Reverend Sekou became well known across the country when he travelled to Ferguson during the rebellion in August 2014, after the murder of Mike Brown. He defended the movement, and especially the youth, in their opposition to the militarized police repression.

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By Richard Berg

Rauner itching for a fight with organized labor

Chicago, IL – Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner abruptly broke off contract negotiations with the more than 37,000 State of Illinois union workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31. Rauner refused to negotiate any further, giving workers the ultimatum of a “last, best and final offer.”

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By staff

Fight Back! interviews Jeff Westberry, who recently traveled to Cuba to participated in Fourth International Seminar of the World Peace Council.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization

Protests in Chicago have been occurring for weeks in reaction to a mass cover-up by the Chicago Police Department, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State Attorney Anita Alvarez. LaQuan McDonald was a 17-year-old African American teen who was murdered – shot to death by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke in October 2014. Shortly after the murder, killer cop Van Dyke and the Chicago police tried to claim that McDonald had threatened the officer’s life. However, recently released police cruiser dashcam footage showed McDonald walking away from police officers as Van Dyke fired 16 bullets into his body. Many of those shots occurring as McDonald lay dying on the ground.

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By Joe Iosbaker

Chicago community vigil for Quintonio LeGrier.

Chicago, IL – A silent crowd of nearly 200 gathered across the street from Gwendolyn Brooks Academy in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood tonight, Dec 29, to remember Quintonio LeGrier, killed by the cops the morning after Christmas.

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By staff

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Chicago IL – 200 people gathered, Dec. 27, in the rain for an emotional vigil in front of the West Side home where a Chicago cop murdered Bettie Jones and Quintonio Legrier. The protest was called by Action Now, the community group that Jones had been active with.

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #policeKillings

By staff

Frank Chapman

Chicago, IL – Bettie Jones and Quintonio Legrier are the names of the latest victims of the Chicago Police Department.

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By staff

Mike Siviwe Elliot, Frank Chapman, and Gerrit Hatcher of the Chicago Alliance

Chicago, IL – Chanting, “How many shots? 16 shots!” the second walk-out in a week took the streets in downtown Chicago Dec 18. Protest organizers like Lamon Reccord and Rousemary Vega called for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign because he covered up the murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald for 13 months.

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