(This talk was given by a Wisconsin Bail Out The People Movement leader at a UAW Local 95 Strike Fundraiser and screening of the film ‘Pride’ August 15, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. The event raised thousands of in-kind and monetary donations for the strikers who are still out. Strike Fund here: https://donorbox.org/support-strikers-at-local-_____-3-2-2-3-2-5-3?preview=1752589049)
Solidarity with the UAW Local 95 strikers in Janesville at Mercy Clinic and all of those that helped to organize this event. Many shared information, made donations and much more. Thank you.
We also are in full solidarity with workers on strike at W&W Dairy in Monroe, Wisconsin since last week. See Voces de la Frontera and Worker Justice Wisconsin for more information and they have offices in this building.
And success to the Pathfinders workers in Milwaukee fighting for union recognition! (@pfemployeecollective)
We salute the courageous Meriter Nurses, members of SEIU Wisconsin, who waged a successful five day strike from May 27-31, 2025, with strong union and community backing! This was the first strike win in SEIU Wisconsin history and one of the largest private sector union wins in the recent period in Wisconsin. This was done amidst an unrelenting anti-labor offensive in Wisconsin since 2011 with the implementation of the Jim Crow type laws Act 10, Right-To-Work (for less) and the elimination of prevailing wage laws and a barrage of related austerity measures. This set the stage for the current anti-labor offensive we are now facing nationally.
But in the midst of this austerity offensive, the Meriter Nurses boldy went out on strike and won with their allies. Check out the display board here that details how this was done. And the display boards about the real enemies of the people: the right-wing Bradley Foundation. And display boards with photos from the UAW Local 833 strikes at Kohler, Wisconsin labor history and the 2011 peoples’ occupation of the Wisconsin State Capitol.
These courageous actions by workers in Wisconsin and across the United States should be celebrated, studied and supported of course but with the unrelenting racist anti-labor and bigoted attacks by the Trump administration, other tactics need to be quickly implemented and escalated.
Just in the past week at least 400,000 workers within the Veterans Administration were given an illegal and immoral edict by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs Douglas A Collins that all collective bargaining contracts there were null and void. (AFGE) Collins just outright defied a court injunction and legal guidance. The EPA Secretary followed that up this week stating the collective bargaining contracts for workers within that federal agency were null and void. Both of these Secretaries plan on shutting down union offices within federal offices but this could be defied by union members occupying their own offices with patients and other community members. Our union offices belong to we the people!
With these types of attacks, in addition to emails, phone calls, elections and legal tactics, direct actions in all forms will need to be employed to stem the tide much less advance and win. Those fighting the ICE Gestapo – a legalized Pinkerton force – are an important model as are the students and workers on campuses nationwide engaging in pro Palestine actions. Other possibilities: Union Brigades defending the houseless, health care clinics, migrants and LGBTQIA events and the building of anti-fascist formations.
In May 2025 at the Convention of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) delegates Unanimously Passed a Resolution (https://cbtu.nationbuilder.com/):
… THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists call upon the National AFL-CIO to organize a Union Day of Solidarity and Rally against Trump’s anti-worker, anti-Labor, anti-American values policies, with a public rally to bring together union members, allies, and community organizations to stand in defense of justice, equity, and democracy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That this solidarity day and rally serve as a powerful demonstration of our collective resistance to anti-worker and anti-democratic agendas, and a call to action for building a future rooted in solidarity, inclusion, and respect for all working people; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That CBTU continue to work with local and national partners to oppose policies that threaten our members and communities, and to build a movement where working-class power is united, organized, and unafraid. (https://wibailoutpeople.org/2025/06/05/coalition-of-black-trade-unionists-demands-afl-cio-call-union-community-day-of-solidarity-rally/)
This type of resolution could be taken up by union locals, federations and councils everywhere and could include calls for education, training and organizing to build for direct actions including strikes, occupations and general strikes. Appeals could be made to the National Guard and military to disobey illegal orders and to not attack fellow workers. Unions could formally and physically support those defying the illegal takeover by federal troops of Washington D.C.
The ‘Pride’ film we are about to see depicts a period in the mid 1980’s after Ronald Reagan busted the PATCO air traffic controller’s union. Although there was a Solidarity Day in Washington D.C. and some other positive actions following this, the mighty class wide offensive by labor that was needed then didn’t happen and unions are still challenged immensely by this today. Conversely the racist war criminal Margaret Thatcher – infamously known for murdering at least 14 Irish Hunger Strikers – led the attack on the largely Welsh workers Miners Union in the U.K. and dealt it a severe blow.
But we’ll see in this film ‘Pride’ that a variety of forms of creative resistance took shape, were employed and were connected to other struggles internationally such as the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. These are models for what we’re facing today such as this very event being supported by many unions and community organizations as diverse as Trans Resistance Action Committee (TRAC) and Wisconsin Bail Out The People Movement.
AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!
SOLIDARITY FOREVER!
Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement 
You must be logged in to post a comment.