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Strike

Puerto Rico Unions Threaten Strike Against Austerity Budget

June 14, 2014 Yana Kunichoff, www.inthesetimes.com , , ,
Public union workers from a handful of unions across Puerto Rico have spent the last week blocking ports, shutting down thoroughfares and slowing public transit. But that may be just the beginning: In the coming week, workers are expected to vote on whether to hold a general strike across the country. The unions are standing against the austerity budget proposed this spring by members of the U.S. commonwealth’s General Assembly to deal with the country’s recent bond downgrade and looming payment of its debts to bondholders. The Fiscal Sustainability Act of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as the budget is called, would allow the government to bring in “emergency powers” to deal with the crisis. Under this authority, it could renegotiate all public employees’ contracts, liquidate unused sick days, and freeze salaries—thereby gutting workers’ collective bargaining powers. Privatizing the commonwealth’s electrical company, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, has also been placed on the table as an option for stanching the crisis; the emergency measures would also include closing 100 public schools. The budget must be passed on June 30 to coincide with the beginning of the 2015 fiscal year on July 1. And as that deadline nears, unions across the island have been escalating their protests.

São Paulo Unions Threaten General Strike For World Cup

June 9, 2014 Hannah Strange, www.telegraph.co.uk , , , ,
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Saturday claimed that protests ahead of the World Cup were part of a “systematic campaign” against her government, as São Paulo union leaders threatened a general strike to coincide with the opening of the tournament in the city. São Paulo, which is due to host the opening match on Thursday, has been paralysed by days of strikes and protests by subway workers which have led to clashes with police and deepened fears of chaos for visiting fans. The cost of staging the event - at an estimated $11.5 billion (£6.9 billion) the most expensive World Cup ever - has ignited public anger at economic woes, corruption and poor social provisions. But Ms Rousseff said that criticism of spending amounted to “disinformation”. “Today there is a systematic campaign against the World Cup - or rather, it is not against the World Cup but rather a systematic campaign against us,” she said, without revealing who she believed to be behind it. Police fired tear gas and beat back protesters at one São Paulo subway station on Friday night, leading Altino de Melo Prazeres Júnior, the head of the Union of São Paulo Subway Workers, to insist members would not be deterred and instead would reinforce their presence at key interchanges in the city.

Walmart Moms On Strike

June 6, 2014 Making Change At Walmart, www.makingchangeatwalmart.org , , , ,
Walmart moms—members of OUR Walmart—have been walking off the job since Friday in protest of the company’s illegal silencing of their co-workers who have been calling for better pay. Walmart mom Evelin Cruz of the Pico Rivera, CA store says: “I’m striking for Barbara, for Tiffany and for other moms who Walmart has tried to silence. Our families cannot continue to struggle on Walmart’s poverty pay and constantly changing schedules while Walmart and the Walton family make billions from our work.” The majority of Walmart moms are paid less than $25,000 a year – forcing many to rely on food stamps and other taxpayer-supported programs to survive. Working women – increasingly the breadwinners and decision makers in households – make up the majority of Walmart’s workforce and are often hit hardest by the company’s poverty pay. Walmart moms walked off the job this morning in Orlando (see photo), joining moms who have already walked off the job in Dallas, Pittsburgh, Southern California and the Bay area. More are expected to strike outside their stores in 20 cities today, including Tampa, Miami, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and the Bay area. The National Labor Relations Board’s historic trial prosecuting Walmart – which includes the illegal firing of moms like Barbara Collins – is currently underway. Barbara was trying to get more hours to put a few dollars aside for her daughter to go to college – when she was fired for striking against Walmart’s illegal retaliation against workers.

Hundreds Of San Francisco Transit Workers Call In Sick

June 5, 2014 Rose Arrieta, www.inthesetimes.com , ,
San Francisco commuters are being asked to find alternative transportation arrangements in Day 2 of a Muni driver sickout, affecting the operation of city buses, light rail, cable and trolley cars. Today, only 300 of 600 vehicles are operating, according to Muni spokesman Paul Rose. Yesterday commuters scrambled to find ways to and from their destinations in the surprise sickout that left two-thirds of the Muni system buses non-operational. Forbidden from going on strike over contract negotiations, drivers called in sick again today despite a strongly worded memo from SFMTA last night that warned, “Operators engaging in an unauthorized work stoppage or ‘sick out’ are not entitled to receive paid sick leave and further, may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.” Muni spokesperson Paul Rose said in a statement yesterday that about 400 out of 600 morning runs—both buses and rail car—remained parked on Monday. SF Bicycle Coalition tweeted this morning “Ride your bike today to avoid any #Muni delays.” The Transport Workers Union Local 250-A, which represents the 2,200 operators, is involved in a contentious contract dispute with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). The agency manages public transportation in the city, including Muni.

Walmart Moms’ Plan Strikes In 20 Cities Nationwide

May 31, 2014 Karen McVeigh, www.theguardian.com , , ,
Walmart workers and supporters in the trade union movement say they intend to stage a new series of protests over wages and conditions at America's largest private employer, in which they will target the firm's family-friendly ethic ahead of its annual shareholders meeting next week. Hundreds of so-called “Walmart moms” who work at stores across the US plan a number of strikes in 20 cities nationwide. Others will travel to Arkansas, the company’s home state, to provide a visual presence to shareholders, workers’ rights groups said on Thursday. The actions will follow a series of “Black Friday” rallies last year, which came after a House of Representatives committee report found taxpayers were subsidising workers at just one Walmart store to the tune of $1m a year in food stamps and other public-assistance programmes, because of the low wages they took home.

Pressure Mounts On Johns Hopkins To Pay A Living Wage

May 22, 2014 The Real News, www.therealnews.com , , , ,
JAISAL NOOR, TRNN PRODUCER: At the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore the starting wage is $10.71 an hour, and 1,400 employees--including some 15-year veterans--are paid less than $10.91. That qualifies a family of four for food stamps.That's why on Saturday, May 10, ahead of the expected resumption of contract negotiations, thousands rallied to demand the hospital pay more. HOPKINS WORKER: There is no reason for us at all to be getting food stamps, to not be able to have enough to take care of our children. There's no excuse for that. DANNY GLOVER, FILMMAKER: This is a call to action. This is a call to action. We are telling the administration at Johns Hopkins University/Hospital, to get into that tent with that negotiating room, to talk with these workers, to be there and support these workers. To these workers it's about building a community, a better community. NOOR: Two thousand healthcare workers represented by 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East walked off the job for three days on April 9 to demand a $15 an hour base wage by 2015. Hopkins offered a five-year contract with a 2 percent raise. The Real News spoke to striking workers on the picket lines.

Fast-Food Worker Movement More Energized Than Ever

May 21, 2014 Alyssa Figueroa, www.alternet.org , , , ,
“Walk out! We got your back! Walk out! We got your back!” shouted hundreds of fast-food workers and their supporters in a crammed McDonalds store. All eyes were on Marta, as she paced around behind the McDonalds counter trying to figure out if she could join her fellow workers on the other side. In unison, the workers continued to shout, “Walk out! We got your back!” News cameras flashed on Marta’s face, and organizers advised her over the counter about her rights. Marta walked over to consult her managers, sparking hope in the crowd that she just might do it. By this point, Maria, another McDonalds worker on duty, had already gathered her things in the back and walked directly out from behind the counter into a thundering crowd and several hugs, leaving the counter door behind her swinging enticingly. Marta continued to pace and talk to her managers, who shrugged at whatever she said. Then Marta disappeared. When she returned, her black purse was hanging on her shoulder and her sweater was draped over her arm. The crowd erupted —“¡Si se puede! ¡Si se puede!” (Yes, we can!) — as Marta pushed through the door without looking back. She clapped and danced as the crowd engulfed her with the chanting.

Dongguan Factory Strike: A Turning Point For Chinese Labour?

May 20, 2014 Chun-Yi Lee, www.economywatch.com , ,
Last month, tens of thousands of Chinese workers staged a massive strike at a shoe factory in Dongguan, lasting over two weeks and involving over 40,000 people. The strike was notable for both for its scale and substance – the workers not only demonstrated significant legal knowledge and political savvy, but also showed a wider sense of workers' consciousness. If China is the world’s factory, then one of its core production lines is playing up. Last month, mass protests kicked off in the southern manufacturing city of Dongguan. Some 40,000 workers went on strike, all from the same massive footwear factory operated by Yue Yuen Industrial, a supplier of shoes for global brands such as Adidas and Nike. It wasn’t just the sheer number of participants that made the Yue Yuen strikes so notable. These protests were a demonstration of Chinese workers' increasing sense of autonomy and their ability to connect with fellow workers and initiate large-scale collective action. Labour disputes in China occur more frequently than many people outside of the country realise. But thus far, strikes have mainly focused on wages. Winning a better salary was the goal and once workers had more money in their pocket they tended to be happy. Industrial actions didn’t usually to lead to longer-term campaigns organised by workers' committees with wider mandates. The leaders of many grassroots labour organisations in China had therefore been rather pessimistic about the prospects of increasing a wider sense of workers' consciousness.

Fast-Food Workers Kick Off Global Labor Action

May 17, 2014 Lisa De Bode, www.america.aljazeera.com , ,
The world’s largest protest of fast-food workers kicked off Thursday with workers demonstrating in 150 cities in the United States and more than 30 other countries. The protesters are demanding better pay in a global rallying cry against rising income inequality, continuing on the heels of an 18-month-long labor campaign for higher fast-food wages in America. In the U.S., organizers said thousands who wanted their pay increased to $15 per hour participated in the labor action and were joined by other McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and KFC workers in countries such as Brazil, New Zealand and Morocco, taking a stand for the first time, according to a statement from activist group Fast Food Forward, which is helping coordinate the protests. Kendall Fells, leader of Fast Food Forward, told Al Jazeera that the dozens of New York City workers who walked off their jobs in November 2012 have now launched a global movement to raise the wages of fast-food workers and continue the conversation on income inequality. “It’s a sign of the times, and people are struggling,” he said. "If we want to get the economy back on track, we need to get more money in the pockets of people. People around the country thought we were crazy to ask for $15, but now Seattle has [proposed] this."

Fast-Food Worker Strike About To Go Global

May 8, 2014 Bruce Horovitz, www.usatoday.com , ,
The fast-food worker movement for higher pay is about to go global. Workers from dozens of countries on six continents are joining the push for higher pay and worker rights, it was announced Wednesday at a press conference outside a McDonald's restaurant in Midtown Manhattan by Fast Food Forward, which represents U.S. fast-food workers. The group announced nationwide strike plans for May 15 -- a date which mirrors the $15 per hour pay they are demanding. On that same date, workers from dozens of countries on six continents will hold protests at McDonald's, Burger King and KFC outlets. It is not known how many workers will strike, but thousands of the nation's estimated 4 million fast-food workers are expected to take part in the one-day strike. "We've gone global," said Ashley Cathey, a McDonald's worker from Memphis, Tenn., who makes $7.75 an hour after six years on the job. "Our fight has inspired workers around the world to come together." For the fast-food industry, this seems to be the issue that just won't go away. It's expected to be front-and-center later this month when McDonald's hosts it annual shareholders meeting on May 22, in Oak Brook, Ill.

The Working-Class Mini-Revolts Of The 21st Century

April 29, 2014 Jeremy Brecher, www.counterpunch.org , ,
Forty years ago I published a study of peak periods of American labor conflict – what I dubbed periods of “mass strike” — called Strike! As I have updated the book for the fortieth anniversary edition, I have had the opportunity to review the strikes and labor struggles of the last fifteen years in the context of 140 years of American labor history. The start of the twenty-first century has seen a continuing decline in union membership and strikes. But it has also seen the emergence of unpredicted mini-revolts. Activists in the Battle of Seattle took over downtown Seattle, put an end to the millennium round of the World Trade Organization, and redefined the question of globalization for millions of Americans. The 2006 immigrant-rights demonstrations, the largest ever in the world with nearly five million participants, brought millions of undocumented immigrants “out of the shadows” and made immigrant rights a pivot of American politics. In the Wisconsin Uprising, the hundreds of thousands of participants occupied the state capital for a week, closed the Madison schools, and rang the tocsin for struggles nationwide against austerity and for labor rights.

30,000 Chinese Factory Workers Strike Against Nike Manufacturer

April 26, 2014 The Real News, www.therealnews.com , ,
The workers basically just want the company to make good on their obligations under Chinese law to pay social insurance costs. Many of these workers say they are owed a lot of overdue payments on the part of the company for basic things like pension funds, unemployment insurance, basic social welfare protections that are laid out in Chinese law under the newly reformed labor laws. You know, this is certainly not the only incidence in which a company has shirked on its obligations to pay. These violations of the social insurance [incompr.] payment laws are routine throughout the workforce. But these workers feel like it has reached such a crisis point that they are willing to go into the streets.

General Strike Grips Argentina

April 18, 2014 Andrea Germanos, www.commondreams.org ,
Over one million turn out for action to denounce government policies A 24-hour general strike gripped Argentina on Thursday, bringing many public services to a halt. Unions say over one million workers took part in this second strike the administration of Cristina Fernández has faced. The strike's focus was to denounce the country's low wage increases in the face of high inflation, as well as other policies, like cuts in utility subsidies and salary caps, critics say are unfair to workers and are fomenting social unrest. The strike stopped public transportation, forced the cancellation of flights, blockaded roads, and resulted in some clashes between police and protesters. From Spanish news agency EFE: "The strike has been a success from the outset," labor leader and congressman Nestor Pitrola said, adding that "a new stage has been launched" in the unions' struggle, "which began with the teachers strike and continues with this strike that seeks to define where the country is heading." Spearheading the strike was Hugo Moyano, head of the General Confederation of Labor, and former Fernández ally. Moyano said the strike was a sign of people's "anger and disenchantment," and that the president must respond to this message from the people.

Workers At Nation’s Top Hospital Strike For Fair Wages

April 10, 2014 Jaisal Noor, www.therealnews.com ,
We're here at Johns Hopkins Hospital. It's considered the top hospital in the country and perhaps the world. But today it's the front line in the battle against income inequality and the fight for a living wage. Hundreds of workers with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East walked off the job at 6 a.m. Wednesday after contract negotiations broke down. They say they will strike for three days against what they call poverty wages. The hospital did not respond to The Real News' request for a comment and has thus far not spoken to the media about the strike. They've previously said they're offering a fair wage and cannot afford to pay more. RHYMER: I'm asking for more money myself 'cause I'm taking four kids, I'm on public assistance, I get food stamps, I get Medicaid. And Hopkins has the nerve to say that they don't have the money. You're standing in front of two buildings they just built for $1 billion. They're buying up property on the east side to build more buildings. They got the money. They just don't want to give it out. And Maryland did raise the minimum wage to $10.10, but that ain't going to go into effect to, what, four years from now, and we're barely living now on what we got.

20 Detainees Released From Solitary

April 9, 2014 Not1More, www.notonemoredeportation.com ,
This morning, 20 detainees being held in solitary confinement at the Northwest Detention Center in retaliation for engaging in a hunger strike were released from segregation, due to the pressure of litigation. The released detainees include 25-day hunger striker Jesus Gaspar Navarro, who had been placed in solitary confinement following a stay in medical isolation after ending his historic strike. The ACLU of Washington and Columbia Legal Services had filed a temporary restraining order and injunction on behalf of these individuals, seeking a court order to halt the ongoing retaliation against detainees engaged in the hunger strike and related activities. Those released are happy to be out of isolation. The individuals released had been in solitary confinement since March 27, when United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers implied that detainees could meet with an assistant warden to discuss their reasons for being on hunger strike.
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