Category: Labor

Stop Death Threats Against Militant Trade Unionists in Columbia

More than 40 trade unionists have been killed this year in Colombia by para-military death squads. Every day, more union activists are threatened with death by these forces, who carry out the orders of big business and the political establishment.On Aug. 31, Jairo del Rio, the president of SINTRATUCAR (the union representing workers at the … Continue reading Stop Death Threats Against Militant Trade Unionists in Columbia →

Duluth Restaurant Workers Defeat Union-Busting Campaign

DULUTH, Minn. — On Sept. 21, the Pickwick Restaurant here agreed to settle with the union, and re-hire the workers it had illegally fired for union activity. This huge victory came on the heels of 12 grueling weeks of daily picketing by Workers United Local 99—the region’s hospitality workers’ union.The labor dispute began earlier this … Continue reading Duluth Restaurant Workers Defeat Union-Busting Campaign →

75th Anniversary of the 1934 Minneapolis Teamster Strike

by Bill OnaschLabor’s Turning PointToo often we mark anniversaries of wars, coups, or assassinations–necessary reminders of past set backs and affirmation of continuing the struggle. I was fortunate to be able to attend celebrations in Minneapolis July 25-26 that marked the 75th anniversary of the 1934 Teamsters strikes in that city--events that were full of … Continue reading 75th Anniversary of the 1934 Minneapolis Teamster Strike →

Support the General Strike in Honduras!

Down with the Micheletti Government! No Negotiations with the Coup-Makers![by James Frickey & Clay Wadena - The following article will appear in the July issue of Socialist Action newspaper. The article reflects the views of the Political Committee of Socialist Action.]On June 28, the Honduran army deposed the elected president of that nation, Manuel “Mel” … Continue reading Support the General Strike in Honduras! →

Boycott Stella D’oro

[by Marty Goodman]“No contract, no cookies!,” say strikers at the Stella D’oro bakery in the Bronx. This great labor battle has been raging in a working-class neighborhood called Kingsbridge since August. About 135 workers, mostly women immigrants from Latin America and Africa with a mixture of Italians and others, have taken on a union-busting outfit … Continue reading Boycott Stella D’oro →

Report on the Kansas City Labor Activist Conference

Troublemakers In Kansas City: The New Crises, New Agendas Conferenceby Bill Onasch, webmaster, kclabor.orgThe New Crises, New Agendas conference, held in North Kansas City April 3-4, was initially called by the kclabor.org website to discuss how the working class can respond to two great crises–economic and climate change. At about the same time, the folks … Continue reading Report on the Kansas City Labor Activist Conference →

Duluth Central Labor Body Resolution on the RNC 8

Resolution in Support of the RNC 8 and Stating that the Anti-Terrorism Act Should be RepealedWhereas, a free society is one in which people can organize collectively to improve their lives without fear of persecution by their government; andWhereas, the labor movement has historically suffered state intimidation and repression in our efforts to organize working … Continue reading Duluth Central Labor Body Resolution on the RNC 8 →

Chicago Factory Occupation Leads To Inspiring Victory

[by Andrew Pollack]The stunning victory at the Republic Windows factory shows that even in the midst of an ever-worsening depression, success is possible when workers are willing to do whatever it takes. During their six-day occupation of the plant, sitdowners repeatedly told the media that they were doing it for workers facing the same problems … Continue reading Chicago Factory Occupation Leads To Inspiring Victory →

Support UE Occupation Against Republic Windows

Support UE Occupation Against Republic Windows,Bank of America!Picket Bank of America Offices Around the World!Two hundred fifty workers occupied the plant of Republic Windows in Chicago on Friday, December 5th. The mostly Latin@ and African-American workers, members of United Electrical Workers Local 1110, are protesting their layoffs by the company without the 90 day notice … Continue reading Support UE Occupation Against Republic Windows →

A Workers’ Action Program to Confront the Economic Crisis

[by Andy Pollack]The liberals propose to tweak the Wall Street Bailout on behalf of the amorphous “taxpayers” living on a mythical “Main Street.” Revolutionary socialists, in contrast, start from the needs of flesh-and-blood workers, and rely on their class power to challenge ruling class attacks.For that reason our Action Program for this crisis begins with … Continue reading A Workers’ Action Program to Confront the Economic Crisis →

Behind the Wall Street Bailout: Workers Need An Action Program to Confront the Crisis

[by Andy Pollack]In September the Federal government effectively took over, in order to protect the bosses’ profits, the two biggest mortgage holders and the biggest insurer in the country, and proposed to give bankers $700 billion to rescue the industry as a whole, a sum to be overseen by the dictates of the Treasury Secretary.The … Continue reading Behind the Wall Street Bailout: Workers Need An Action Program to Confront the Crisis →

A Three Alarm Crisis

[by Bill Onash]Certainly the term "crisis" is overworked. Sometimes this suits the interests of the ruling rich, as Naomi Klein has ably demonstrated in such works as The Shock Doctrine, The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism. There are many serious problems confronting the working class that are chronic, endemic to Free Enterprise, requiring systemic change.But, while … Continue reading A Three Alarm Crisis →

Workers Overcome Divisions After Mississippi Raid

by David Bacon/TruthoutLaurel, Mississippi - In the recent raid of the Howard Industries electrical plant in Laurel, Mississippi, 481 workers have been detained for almost two weeks in Jena, Louisiana. Neither they nor their attorneys know when they will be formally charged, deported or released, and Barbara Gonzalez, spokesperson for the Bureau of Immigration and … Continue reading Workers Overcome Divisions After Mississippi Raid →

ICE: Nearly 600 detained in Mississippi plant raid

[by Holbrook Mohr/AP]LAUREL, Miss. — The largest single-workplace immigration raid in U.S. history has caused panic among Hispanic families in this small southern Mississippi town, where federal agents rounded up nearly 600 plant workers suspected of being in the country illegally.One worker caught in Monday's sweep at the Howard Industries transformer plant said fellow workers … Continue reading ICE: Nearly 600 detained in Mississippi plant raid →

Immigrant Rights Are Labor Rights

by Peter Rachleff*Today's critical labor struggles revolve around immigrants' rights, while today's struggles over immigrants' rights are grounded in workplace and labor organizing. Global, national, and local histories have woven these issues tightly together. In the U.S. we are seeing the beginnings of a multifaceted movement which engages these dynamically linked histories.Twenty-five years ago, U.S. … Continue reading Immigrant Rights Are Labor Rights →