Tag: strike

NY Transit Workers Under Attack

NEW YORK—The contract between Transport Workers Union Local 100, representing 34,000 subway and bus workers, and the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), expired at midnight Jan. 15. The MTA is demanding a contract with three years of no raises, increased healthcare costs and other big concessions.The MTA’s demands are an attempt to make working people … Continue reading NY Transit Workers Under Attack →

Occupy, longshore workers challenge anti-union bosses

Time Magazine designated its “Person of the Year 2011” as “The Protestor.” To make clear that its reference was to what the editors considered the most important development of the year, Time added to its cover-page headline: “From the Arab Spring to Athens, from Occupy Wall Street to Moscow.” Its feature story began, “No one … Continue reading Occupy, longshore workers challenge anti-union bosses →

Reviving the Strike — How to win labor’s battles

Book Review: “Reviving the Strike: How Working People Can Regain Power and Transform America,” by Joe Burns, IG Publishing, $15.95. The holiday season may have come and gone, but it’s never too late (or too early) to find the perfect gift for that aspiring rabble-rouser in your life. Before you wrap up Joe Burn’s “Reviving … Continue reading Reviving the Strike — How to win labor’s battles →

Occupations unleash critical debate on capitalist crisis

<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]-->The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement has proven to be the political spark that ignited the pent-up anger and frustration of millions in the United States. It has awakened broad segments of the great majority who have suffered deeply from a decades-long tidal wave of defeats inflicted by a degenerating world capitalist order … Continue reading Occupations unleash critical debate on capitalist crisis →

Democrats divert Wisconsin workers into recall campaign

MADISON—On Nov. 19, over 25,000 people rallied at the Wisconsin State Capitol to kick off the electoral drive to recall Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefish. Petitioners began collecting signatures on Nov. 15 for a special election in the spring of 2012. To hold the election, 540,000 valid signatures of “electors” (those not … Continue reading Democrats divert Wisconsin workers into recall campaign →

UAW members approve concession-filled contracts

In late October, members of the United Auto Workers at the Big Three voted to approve concession-filled contracts under heavy pressure from the Administrative Caucus that rules the UAW. All three contracts maintain the devastating two-tier status of new and recent hires, and contain no wage increases for “traditional” tier autoworkers, no cost-of-living increases, and … Continue reading UAW members approve concession-filled contracts →

Wall St. criminals attack OWS; workers, students fight back!

NEW YORK—On Nov. 15, Wall Street’s front man, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, launched an early-morning blitzkrieg-style police raid on Zuccotti Park, the site of the two-month old Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. New York’s “thugs in blue” evicted and arrested some 250 non-violent protestors at 1 a.m. and seized their possessions. The growing OWS “people’s library” … Continue reading Wall St. criminals attack OWS; workers, students fight back! →

Occupy Oakland shuts down port and calls for blockade

OAKLAND, Calif.—The Occupy Oakland movement reached a new height on Nov. 2 when a “General Strike” drew more than 10,000 working people, students, and trade unionists—the 99%—to downtown. The mobilization grew to upwards of 20,000 as a diverse sea of people marched to the port of Oakland, where the ILWU workers honored their picket line, … Continue reading Occupy Oakland shuts down port and calls for blockade →

UAW ranks approve concession-filled contracts

In late October, members of the United Auto Workers at the Big Three voted to approve concession-filled contracts under heavy pressure from the Administrative Caucus that rules the UAW. All three contracts maintain the devastating two-tier status of new and recent hires, contain no wage increases for “traditional” tier autoworkers, no cost-of-living increases, and many work-rule … Continue reading UAW ranks approve concession-filled contracts →

West Coast longshore workers fight for their jobs

For the past five months the small town of Longview, Wash., has been the scene of one of the most militant labor battles in recent history. International grain exporter EGT, a Fortune 500 company, has attempted to open a new $200 million terminal on space leased from the port of Longview. EGT is attempting to operate … Continue reading West Coast longshore workers fight for their jobs →

Postal workers rally against concessions

CHICAGO—Thousands of postal workers and their allies held rallies outside 492 post offices across the United States on Sept. 27 to protest the recent announcement by Postmaster General Patrick Donahue that he would seek massive layoffs, union concessions, post office closings, and outsourcing. Postal Service management claims they need to make the massive cuts due to … Continue reading Postal workers rally against concessions →

Verizon workers go back to work without a settlement

After a two-week strike, workers at Verizon have gone back to work with only an agreement from management to continue bargaining. The 15-day walkout by 45,000 members of the CWA and IBEW at Verizon’s landline division on the East Coast was the largest strike in the United States since a brief strike of GM workers in … Continue reading Verizon workers go back to work without a settlement →

Sandy Pope campaign provides new vision for Teamsters union leadership

Thousands of delegates, members, and guests gathered in Las Vegas in late June for the 28th International Convention of the 1.3-million-member Teamsters union.  The assembled delegates were given a dazzling spectacle of a show that was fit for the city of sin. The incumbent Hoffa administration spent millions of dues dollars for a show that included … Continue reading Sandy Pope campaign provides new vision for Teamsters union leadership →

No recovery in sight for the jobless

The jobs and unemployment numbers released on June 3 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) paint a grim picture of the situation facing unemployed workers in the United States. According to some capitalist economists, the “Great Recession” supposedly ended in 2009 but the economy remains weak—with the housing, manufacturing, and construction sectors still flat … Continue reading No recovery in sight for the jobless →

A fresh look at a basic tactic of the labor movement

Joe Burns, “Reviving the Strike: How Working People Can Regain Power and Transform America,” Ig Publishing (May 31, 2011), 224 pp.Mainstream union officials in what remains the world’s richest country believe the strike is a quaint relic of bygone times, ineffective and even dangerous today. This reinforces their attempts to forge “partnership” with the employers.Some … Continue reading A fresh look at a basic tactic of the labor movement →

Chicago teachers union votes to oppose anti-labor law

CHICAGO—The executive board of the Chicago Teachers Union voted on May 2 to oppose a union-busting law passed by the Illinois Statehouse and Senate that would effectively eliminate seniority, make it close to impossible for Chicago teachers to strike, and limit collective bargaining rights.The vote of the executive board, later passed by the union’s house … Continue reading Chicago teachers union votes to oppose anti-labor law →

Illinois teachers-union leaders bow before the Democrats

by David BerntCHICAGO—State houses and governors throughout the U.S. have put forth bills aimed at cutting education, firing teachers, and curtailing their union rights. A similar bill pending before the Illinois Senate would virtually end teachers’ seniority for job security, severely limit their ability to strike, and allow school boards to unilaterally impose working conditions.But while … Continue reading Illinois teachers-union leaders bow before the Democrats →

Massive Wisconsin labor uprising fights all-out assault on unions

by Carl SackMADISON, Wis.—Tens of thousands of workers, students, and their allies from around Wisconsin and beyond have been protesting in Capitol Square every day since Sunday, Feb. 20 to save their benefits and collective bargaining rights.Schools have closed due to teacher absences and student walkouts, firefighters and prison guards have taken off work despite … Continue reading Massive Wisconsin labor uprising fights all-out assault on unions →

How socialists fought government repression in 1940s

by Jim GrilliIn light of the FBI’s recent attack on the civil liberties of antiwar activists in the Midwest, it would be useful to look back to a moment in history in which state-sponsored oppression served as a tool for silencing dissent.During the 1930s and ’40s, working people in the United States made tremendous gains … Continue reading How socialists fought government repression in 1940s →

General Strike in Greece

by Vangelis Itesis On Dec. 15, electronic media throughout the globe focused once more on the Greek crisis. The big news this time less involved rising bond spreads or other financial ratings than active human beings collectively fighting for a better life, for a life no longer subjugated to profits for a few. TV newscasters … Continue reading General Strike in Greece →