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Worker Rights

Federal Workers Organize Against Billionaire Power Grab

The second Trump administration has the federal workforce in its crosshairs. Spearheading the effort is Elon Musk (the richest man in the world) and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (not actually a government department). Trump and Musk have taken a shotgun-blast approach: instituting a hiring freeze, shutting down whole agencies, telling workers to stop coming in, offering buyouts to 2 million workers, ordering remote workers back to the office in violation of union contracts, and mass-firing workers still in their probationary periods.

Government Workers Rally To Send Fightback Message To Trump

Hundreds of government workers and their allies held a rally on Feb. 11 on the northside of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The focus of the rally was to protest the forced buyout of thousands of federal workers directed by Donald Trump’s executive order following his second inauguration on Jan. 20.  According to CNN, thousands of probationary federal workers have had their jobs terminated as of February 13. These workers, many of them members of the American Federation of Government Employees, are employed by various governmental agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Department of Justice, Transportation Security Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Education and more.

Utah’s Anti-Union Bill Sparks Outcry As Labor Movement Fights Back

A controversial bill in the US state of Utah, HB 267, is making its way through the state legislature, sparking intense debate and widespread opposition.  If signed into law, the bill would make it illegal for any federal agency in Utah to recognize labor unions or engage in collective bargaining with their employees. This sweeping measure would impact thousands of workers, including teachers, health care workers, emergency responders, and a variety of other workers employed by federal agencies. Many federal employees rely on unions to fight for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions.

A Cautionary Tale From The US Federation Of Worker Co-ops

In this episode of Punchcard, we speak to Rebecca Kemble, an experienced cooperator from the US, who is a member of Union Cabs Worker Cooperative in Madison and co-founder of the Solidarity Economy Principles Project. From 2009-2016 Rebecca was a member of the board of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, and in late 2024, Rebecca penned an article pointing a finger at the Federation for having drifted away from its grassroots cooperative movement origins, by centralising power and becoming unaccountable to the cooperatives that it claims to represent.

A Return To Basics: Rasmus, The ‘Neoliberal’ Turn, And Exploitation

Instead of the conservative motto, 'A fair day's wage for a fair day's work!' they ought to inscribe on their banner the revolutionary watchword: 'Abolition of the wage system!' Karl Marx, Value, Price, and Profit Today, the point that Marx made in his 1865 address to the First International Working Men’s Association is largely lost on the trade unions and even with many self-styled Marxists. The distinction between the goal of “a fair day's wage” and the goal of eliminating exploitation-- the wage system embedded in capitalism-- is lost before a common, but unfocused revulsion to the exploding growth of inequality. It is one thing to deplore the growth of inequality, it is quite another to establish what would replace the logic of unfettered accumulation.

After Resounding ‘No’ Vote, Letter Carriers Should Go On Offense

Members of the National Association of Letter Carriers have rejected a sellout tentative agreement by 71 percent, in a 63,680 to 26,304 vote. That’s a turnout of 48.4 percent—and more “no” votes than the total turnout of 63,452 votes for the last contract. This result is a rejection of the current national leadership and its approach. Hundreds of letter carriers joined the new network Build a Fighting NALC (BFN) in organizing the first real vote-no campaign in the NALC since 1978, working alongside the Concerned Letter Carriers and the Mike Caref for President campaign in a broad reform movement.

How A Worker Cooperative Is Mitigating The Stray Animal Crisis

The popularity of support animals attests to the mental health benefits of bonding with a pet, such as decreased stress, anxiety, and loneliness. According to the Mayo Clinic, having pets may also positively impact cardiovascular health and blood pressure control. Unfortunately, many animals that could be treasured companions never get that opportunity. This is especially true in the state of Texas. According to the animal welfare group Best Friends Animal Society, approximately 568,325 cats and dogs entered Texas shelters in 2023, and an estimated 82,681 of these animals were killed.

Federal Workers’ Unions See DOGE-Inspired Surge

In their aggressive bid to upend the federal government, Elon Musk and his lieutenants have, perhaps unintentionally, driven thousands of federal workers into the arms of one of the biggest enemies of their sweeping project. Organized labor. Unions that represent federal government workers are reporting significant increases in signups since President Trump took office and empowered Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” to drastically slash the federal workforce. The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal workers, added 5,575 new members in the first six days of February alone Organized labor. Unions that represent federal government workers are reporting significant increases in signups since President Trump took office and empowered Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” to drastically slash the federal workforce.

10,000 King Soopers Workers Strike At 77 Stores

Denver, Colorado - Unionized workers walked out at 5:00 a.m. on Feb. 6 in a two-week strike against 77 King Soopers stores in Colorado. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 struck stores in six counties that include the major cities of Denver, Boulder and Louisville. In the strike authorization vote, UFCW members voted 96% in favor. The Unfair Labor Practice strike was called after contract negotiations that began in October 2024 failed. The contract expired in January. Workers on the picket line say that Kroger, the parent company of King Soopers and a hugely profitable corporation, wants them to accept a contract that will take them backward.

Healthcare Workers Must Organize Collectively To Fight Trump’s Attacks

We are a little over a week into the second Trump presidency, and it is clear: his administration’s policies are a direct assault on health and well-being. From freezing critical research funding and blocking access to Medicaid, to expanding ICE’s reach into hospitals and rolling back environmental protections, these attacks will cost lives. As we have discussed, trans and nonbinary people will face increased barriers to care, immigrants will be deterred from seeking medical attention, and entire communities will be left at risk of untreated illnesses and potentially preventable outbreaks.

A Guide For Federal Employees Under Siege

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been inundated with messages from concerned federal employees. Many of you have reported disturbing developments involving Elon Musk and his inner circle—including private contractors from Musk's companies allegedly accessing sensitive Office of Personnel Management (OPM) servers and locking federal employees out of their systems. These actions raise serious legal and ethical concerns, and we must confront them strategically. I understand your fear and frustration. You’re being targeted because authoritarian leaders know that professional public servants—those of you who uphold the rule of law—are the greatest obstacle to their agenda.

USDA Inspector General Who Refused To Leave Post Escorted From Office

Last Friday, President Donald Trump purged several agencies of their inspectors general, demanding that at least 17 people in the role immediately turn in their work laptops and ID badges. One of those IGs, Phyllis Fong at the US Department of Agriculture, decided not to leave, believing the order to be illegal. According to a report from Reuters, she was escorted from the building today by security. Fong is a 22-year veteran of the inspector general office with the USDA. And while that multi-decade career is probably in part why the Trump administration axed her (something something swamp, something something career bureaucrat, etc.), she also likely carried among the most institutional knowledge of IG operations in the federal government.

Report Shows Understaffed Air Traffic Control On Night Of Plane Crash

A preliminary report on Wednesday night's crash involving a American Airlines commercial flight and a military helicopter revealed that the air traffic control tower in the vicinity of the accident was not staffed at "normal" levels, with just one controller handling a task that two employees ordinarily would have done in the high-stress job. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report on Thursday said the staffing at the time of the crash was "not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic." One controller was instructing helicopters near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport while also directing planes landing at and departing from the airport.

Public Service Unions File Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration

Today, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), represented by Democracy Forward and Bredhoff and Kaiser PLLC, filed suit against the Trump administration challenging efforts to politicize the civil service through illegal executive orders. The lawsuit asserts that President Trump illegally exceeded his authority in attempting to unilaterally roll back a regulation that protects the rights of civil servants. The suit also names the Office of Personnel Management for its role in failing to adhere to the Administrative Procedure Act in its attempts to roll back this same regulation.

Sewing Network Shows How Entrepreneurs Can Thrive In Place

Despite no formal sewing training and few successful entrepreneurship examples in her neighborhood, Pittsburgh-based entrepreneur Nisha Blackwell has spent the last 10 years using her love of sewing to show her community that successful entrepreneurship is possible. Her boutique bowtie company Knotzland, upcycling rescued textiles and materials into high-quality bows through a distributed production model, shows how small-scale manufacturing can bring new life to struggling neighborhoods.

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Urgent End Of Year Fundraising Campaign

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Keep independent media alive. 

Due to the attacks on our fiscal sponsor, we were unable to raise funds online for nearly two years.  As the bills pile up, your help is needed now to cover the monthly costs of operating Popular Resistance.

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