Monthly Archives: November 2022

Racine, WI December 14-17, 2022: Strike Solidarity School!

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Strike Solidarity School!

  • Sponsored by Building Unity, We Rise Fighting! Labor Podcast and UAW 180 _____________________________________________________

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022

UAW 180 Union Movie Night Fundraiser & Music (Bring Your Instruments!) 

All proceeds go to the strike fund! – 7-9 P.M.  (No one turned away for lack of funds.) 

  • Strikers and Children under 18 free 
  • $5 Students over 18 & $10 Suggested Donation for Adults 

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2022

  • 9-11 A.M. Art Build Set Up 
  • 1-5 P.M. Art Build (Make signs and banners for Solidarity Day!) 
  • 5-7 P.M. Dinner & Music (Bring your instruments!)
  • 7-9 P.M. Corporate Research Presentation by We Rise Fighting!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022

  • 9-11 A.M. Picket Line Vehicle Caravan Class by Building Unity
  • 1-5 P.M. Art Build (Make signs and banners for Solidarity Day) 
  • 5-9 P.M. Dinner & Music (Bring your instruments!)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2022 

  • 8 A.M. – 12 NOON – Solidarity Day Set Up 
  • 2 P.M. SOLIDARITY DAY RALLY followed by PICKET LINE SUPPORT

ALL EVENTS AT: UAW LOCAL 180 Hall, 3323 KEARNEY AVENUE, RACINE, WI

More information:

313-559-7074 (We Rise Fighting! – facebook.com/werisefightinglaborpodcast) or

262-631-5980 (UAW180 President Yasin Mahdi) or

buildingunitywi@gmail.com / https://www.facebook.com/buildingunitywi

Leaflet and All Labor Power and Supplies for the Solidarity School Union Labor (Active and Retiree) Donated

https://tinyurl.com/StrikeSolidarityInfo

Vehicle Caravan from Madison to UAW Solidarity Day in Racine, WI 12/17/22!

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Building Unity and other labor-community members will be at the Labor Temple in Madison December 17, 2022!

They are leading a vehicle caravan to Racine for Solidarity Day!

Gather at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 17, 2022 at:

Madison Labor Temple

1602 S Park Street

Madison, WI 53715

Depart at 11:30 a.m. for the Solidarity Day in Racine

– Feel free to outfit your vehicles with solidarity slogans for the strikers.

– If you’re a member of a union, bring solidarity signs such as “Educators Support UAW Workers!”

– And please bring non-perishable goods, gift cards, winter gear and holiday gifts for the children of the strikers.

UAW 180: https://www.facebook.com/uawlocal180

Questions about the Madison vehicle caravan or for more information,

contact Tim Cordon of Building Unity: 608-630-3633

buildingunitywi@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/buildingunitywi

MEDIA RELEASE: We Rise Fighting! Labor Podcast – All Out For UAW Solidarity Day In Racine, WI December 17, 2022!

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November 28, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Bryan G Pfeifer: 313-559-7074

Ric Urrutia: 720-207-8313

https://www.facebook.com/werisefightinglaborpodcast

We Rise Fighting! Labor Podcast to Join UAW Locals 180 and 807 in Racine, Wisconsin for a Solidarity Day to Support Strike at CNHi (Case Holland)

Members of the media team for We Rise Fighting! Labor Podcast will be joining a diverse array of UAW members on strike and their supporters for a Solidarity Day in Racine, Wisconsin Saturday, December 17. Some We Rise Fighting! members will be in Racine the week leading up to the strike to cover developments and assist with organizing work.

A 2 P.M. rally at 3323 Kearney Avenue in Racine, followed by vehicle caravans to the UAW 180 picket lines at CNHi (Case Holland) will take place December 17. About 1,100 members of UAW Locals 180 and 807 have been on strike against the multi-billion dollar corporations for seven months.

Momentum is growing for the Solidarity Day in Racine. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine tweeted out the December 17 flyer to his almost 1 million followers, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO sent out a statewide email and is sharing the information on its social media, labor federations and unions in many cities or regions in Wisconsin are sharing the information and a variety of community and faith-based organizations such as Building Unity are also helping to organize.

(https://www.facebook.com/wisaflcio) (https://www.facebook.com/mkelabor) (https://www.facebook.com/uaw578)

Vehicle caravans are now being organized across Wisconsin and the Midwest to travel to Racine December 17. Participants will leave from various locations and are bringing supplies for the strikers including non-perishable food items, gift cards, winter gear and strike fund donations. 

For interviews with UAW 180 leaders, contact President Yasin Mahdi at: 262-498-8217or president@uawlocal180.com.

For those that want to donate to the strike fund mail a check written out to “UAW Local 180” and mail to UAW 180, ATTN: President Yasin Mahdi, 3323 Kearney Avenue, Racine, WI 53403.Supplies such as non-perishable food items, gift cards, holiday gifts for the striker’s children and winter gear (hand and foot warmers, socks, hats and gloves) can be dropped off or sent to this address.

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Orinoco Tribune – Chavista Chronicles – Interview Camila Escalante – Brazil 2022 Presidential Race

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Caracas, September 30, 2022 (OrinocoTribune.com)—In this new episode of Chavista Chronicles from Caracas we had the honor of interviewing producer and journalist Camila Escalante. She is based in based in La Paz, Bolivia, but has been in Brazil for the second half of October to properly cover the pre and post presidential race in the biggest Latin American economy. She was in Sao Paulo at the time of the interview.
Camila Escalante is editor of Kawsachun News and Latin America correspondent for PressTV. Previously she work as Telesur producer and correspondent and has been for several years a leading voice on Latin American issues from a Socialist perspective, in English language.
The interview was conducted by Jesus Rodriguez-Espinoza, Orinoco Tribune’s founder and editor together with Saheli Chowdhury, Orinoco Tribune’s co-editor.

11/29/22: Press Release From the Railroad Workers United

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Press Release
Date: Tuesday, November 29th, 2022
For Immediate Release

https://railroadworkersunited.org/

For More Information, Please Contact:
LAS VEGAS, NV – RWU General Secretary Jason Doering  202-480-0587  jason.doering@nvsmart-union.org   
DES MOINES, IA – RWU Co-Chair Ross Grooters  515-689-3229   blet778lr@gmail.com SPARKS, NV –
RWU Co-Chair Gabe Christensen  775-682-0889  gabe.christenson@nvsmart-union.org RENO, NV – RWU Organizer Ron Kaminkow  608-358-5771  ronkaminkow@yahoo.com ATLANTA, GA – RWU Treasurer Hugh Sawyer  404-290-1961  hlsawyerjr@gmail.com POCATELLO, ID – RWU Steering Committee Member Paul Lindsey  208-317-7379  mplindsey208@gmail.com
CHICAGO, IL – RWU Newsletter Editor Mark Burrows  773-486-7001  potashpuller@gmail.com
MILWAUKEE, WI – RWU Steering Committee Alternate JP Johnson 406-491-1791 ironhorse8401@gmail.com
CHICAGO, IL – RWU Member Marilee Taylor 773-405-5246  marileetaylor@sbcglobal.net FORT MADISON, IA – RWU Member Jeff Kurtz 319-470-9990  ia.chairman@gmail.com SPARKS, NV – RWU Member Matt Parker 775-772-3675  mparker@bletnslb.org
TOLEDO, OH – RWU Member Matt Weaver 248-986-6079 bmweaver2624@frontier.com BOSTON, MA – RWU Member Nick Wurst 508-335-8633 nick@w-sts.com

Rail Workers Unhappy with Biden Call to Subvert Strike, Mandate Contract
Unfortunately, the “most labor-friendly president” has opted to side with Big Business and call for a thwarting of railroad workers’ right to strike. On Monday, President Joe Biden called upon Congress to adopt legislation that would mandate a contract and end the threat of any legally sanctioned rail strike from happening. This, although railroad workers have voiced a deep desire to strike in recent months. Rail unions representing more than 55% of railroad workers have voted down their respective tentative contracts with the rail carriers in recent weeks.  

According to RWU General Secretary Jason Doering, “Despite making record profits year after year, pumping up their stock prices to unheard-of levels, downsizing the workforce by furloughing 30% of the employees and becoming some of the most profitable corporations on Wall Street, the Class One carriers somehow cannot afford to provide sick time for their hard-working and dedicated employees.”   In September, Republican lawmakers attempted to end the strike threat with legislation that would preempt that possibility.

Senator Bernie Sanders was able to squelch that attempt just before the strike deadline on September 15th, literally paving the way for the Biden-Walsh brokered deal with the operating crafts and the Signal Maintainers. Ironically, now Sanders is telling Democrats not to deny rail labor its right to strike. “If the Biden administration has its way, Democrats will join Republicans in turning their backs on the needs of railroad workers,” states Ross Grooters, RWU Co-Chair. “Both parties would be taking away the ability of rail labor to determine their working conditions.”  

Railroad workers have been vociferous in their opposition to a contract that fails to address critical quality of work-life issues. In an opinion poll conducted by Railroad Workers United this past summer, an overwhelming number of railroad workers of all crafts, all unions, all ages, and all levels of seniority stated their opposition to the Presidential Emergency Board recommendations and their desire to strike in opposition to any contract based upon those recommendations.  

“The Tentative Agreements that the majority of union members had voted down are now being touted by President Biden, despite that none of them contain any sick time whatsoever,” according to RWU Co-Chair and conductor Gabe Christenson. “The ‘most labor-friendly President in history has proven that he and the Democratic Party are not the friends of labor they have touted themselves to be. These wolves in sheep’s clothing have for decades been in bed with corporate America and have allowed them to continue chipping away at the American middle class and organized labor. Except for a handful of progressives – notably Bernie Sanders – who have shown their willingness to fight for us, the entire political machine must be changed.”  

Under the terms of the Railway Labor Act (RLA), Congress has the option to take a wide variety of actions when faced with a situation like what we are seeing in this round of bargaining. According to RWU Treasurer Hugh Sawyer, “Joe Biden blew it. He had the opportunity to prove his labor-friendly pedigree to millions of workers by simply asking Congress for legislation to end the threat of a national strike on terms more favorable to workers. Sadly, he could not bring himself to advocate for a lousy handful of sick days. The Democrats and Republicans are both pawns of big business and the corporations.”  

Railroad Workers United will continue to fight for a better contract for railroad workers in this round and future rounds of contract bargaining. According to RWU Organizer Ron Kaminkow, we are in this for the long haul. Railroad workers are feeling their power, their potential. But we need dynamic new leadership capable of responding to the carriers’ attacks, and we need rock-solid solidarity of all crafts in order to achieve victory. In the month and years ahead, RWU will be organizing to achieve the solidarity, unity, and democracy we need to build a movement that can take on the big rail carriers and win.”  

RWU Co-Chair Christenson: “This announcement proves that the current state of two-party politics will never address our concerns and must be changed. While this latest turn of events is disheartening and most definitely is a setback, railroad workers will continue to fight for what we deserve.”

https://railroadworkersunited.org/

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Support Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Workers ON STRIKE!

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My relationship with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette predates my employment there by a couple generations. Both my dad and my grandfather were route managers in the circulation department. Newspapers were practically a piece of furniture in our house. My grandmother taught me to read using the comic strips in the Sunday edition.

When I began writing at the newspaper two years ago, I felt beyond fortunate to work for the same company where my dad spent so many years. I was excited to inform my community with well-reported daily journalism. And I was thankful that my newsroom had a union, which helped us have a voice in the workplace.

That union, the Newspaper Guild, and the unions that represent pressmen, typographers, drivers and advertising staff are now all on an unfair labor practice strike against the company that owns the PG, Block Communications Inc. Many of my coworkers, talented journalists dedicated to covering the communities in which we live and work, have gone more than 15 years without a raise. In 2020, the company illegally and unilaterally imposed new work rules, undermining years of hard work and negotiating between the union and the ownership. All we are asking is that Block Communications reinstate our 2017 conditions, come to the bargaining table in good faith, and meet the healthcare demands of our striking sibling unions at the Post-Gazette — the ones my dad and grandfather worked in so proudly.

Here are ways you can support our fight:

Thank you for your help,

Mick Stinelli

MEDIA RELEASE: Solidarity Day In Racine, WI for UAW Strike Support December 17, 2022

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November 28, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Bryan G Pfeifer: 313-559-7074

Ric Urrutia: 720-207-8313

https://www.facebook.com/werisefightinglaborpodcast

We Rise Fighting! Labor Podcast to Join UAW Locals 180 and 807 in Racine, Wisconsin for a Solidarity Day to Support Strike at CNHi (Case Holland)

Members of the media team for We Rise Fighting! Labor Podcast will be joining a diverse array of UAW members on strike and their supporters for a Solidarity Day in Racine, Wisconsin Saturday, December 17.

A 2 P.M. rally at 3323 Kearney Avenue in Racine, followed by vehicle caravans to the UAW 180 picket lines at CNHi (Case Holland) will take place December 17. About 1,100 members of UAW Locals 180 and 807 have been on strike against the multi-billion dollar corporations for seven months.

Momentum is growing for the Solidarity Day in Racine. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine tweeted out the December 17 flyer to his almost 1 million followers, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO sent out a statewide email and is sharing the information on its social media, labor federations and unions in many cities or regions in Wisconsin are sharing the information and a variety of community and faith-based organizations are also helping to organize.

(https://www.facebook.com/wisaflcio) (https://www.facebook.com/mkelabor)

Vehicle caravans are now being organized across Wisconsin and the Midwest to travel to Racine December 17. Participants will leave from various locations and are bringing supplies for the strikers including non-perishable food items, gift cards, winter gear and strike fund donations. 

For interviews with UAW 180 leaders, contact President Yasin Mahdi at: 262-498-8217or president@uawlocal180.com.

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Starbucks Is Illegally Firing Workers That Are Organizing Unions

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SBWorkersUnited

In my last email, I told you my story about why I decided to organize. Now, I want to tell you about how Starbucks responded to my organizing efforts.

Unfortunately Starbucks didn’t respect our right to organize a union, and after 13 years of service, I was fired simply because I wanted to have a voice and wanted my fellow partners to have a voice.

I was fired in the middle of one of my shifts. My manager at the time, who was brought in to bust our union, pulled me off the floor unexpectedly. I invoked my Weingarten rights and called my fellow union workers and union representative, who came down to my store.

Starbucks claimed to fire me for closing the lobby area without getting permission from my manager. Yet, the date they put on my termination papers was not even a day that I had been the shift on duty. When she was firing me, my manager couldn’t even look me in the eye or answer any question about why I was being terminated.

We filed an unfair labor practice charge for my termination, and the NLRB is now prosecuting Starbucks for firing me. While we are confident I will be reinstated, the damage has been done. Starbucks took away my income and my community when they terminated me in retaliation.

Starbucks is clearly targeting union leaders and using any excuse they can find to fire us.

I am one of now 15 partners in Buffalo, 8 of whom identify with the LGBTQ+ community, to be fired for unionizing, and over 140 partners nationally. Starbucks, how can you care about the queer community when you’re trying to take away our benefits, fire us, and silence us?

Starbucks must do better.

In Solidarity,

Sam Amato