Folks,
Greetings from the Burgh, where I am back on my feet and feeling a lot better after taking some time off as bereavement leave last month. I really appreciate everyone’s support, all of you who enabled me to take that time off.
$327 Short of Our Monthly Budget
While it was great to take some bereavement leave last week, I fell behind on fundraising for our monthly budget. Currently, I’m $327 short of our monthly budget. If you could help out, it would be greatly appreciated.
This money covers my full-time salary, our part-time staff, my health insurance, web hosting, and other expenses.
1,000 Michigan Autoworkers Strike
In Michigan, more than 1,000 UAW members walked off the job this morning at American Axle, a top supplier to General Motors.
In 2008, before the auto industry bailout, the longest-tenured employees at American Axle were making $ 29 an hour. Now, the top-tier employees at the manufacturer only make $22-an-hour.
Despite American Axle making $8.4 billion in profits over the last decade, wages have remained low. According to UAW, workers overall have seen their real wages cut in half of what they were in 2008.
Now, those workers are standing up and demanding a raise.
"Time's up. For 18 years, these members have built you an empire of profit while being treated like dirt,” UAW President Shawn Fain said during a livestream strike announcement late Sunday night. "They've taken wage cuts, benefit cuts, they've poured their souls into this plant.”
For more, check out the Detroit News
Wikipedia Volunteer Editors Threaten Strike
Last month, Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), which runs Wikipedia, laid off most of the engineering team responsible for moderating the content on the website. The move comes as staff at Wikipedia recently unionized.
Now, more than 600 volunteer editors at Wikipedia have signed a solidarity petition with the laid off workers and are discussing taking more drastic action. From the Register:
The Register was tipped off this week to growing unrest inside the Wikipedia editing community following the WMF's decision to disband its Community Tech team, the group responsible for triaging and developing editor-requested bug fixes, moderation tools, and workflow improvements through the long-running Community Wishlist process.
Wikimedia's internal forums have turned into a running argument over how editors should respond. Some are calling for editing strikes, while others want volunteers to stop handling vandalism cleanup for a period of time. There have also been discussions about replacing fundraising banners with messages criticizing the layoffs.
For more, check out the Register.
Dem Colorado Governor Vetoes Repeal of Hybrid Right-to-Work
For decades, Colorado has had a hybrid “right-to-work” law, which requires unions to first win one union election. Then, unions have to win a second union election by at least 75% to gain the right to bargain over whether or not each worker employed in the bargaining unit has to belong to a union.
This week, Democratic Colorado Governor Jared Polis vetoed the bill, demanding that unions come up with a compromise. It’s the second year in a row that the Polis has vetoed the bill.
“The veto is a slap in the face to every worker organizing for a better life,” said restaurant worker Michelle Mendenhall. “Again we were stymied by a politician protecting a system rigged to keep workers quiet, hold wages low, and make it really hard to form a union.”
For more, check out the Colorado NewsLine.
ICE Retaliates Against Hunger Strikers
In Tacoma, Washington, immigrants have engaged in a hunger strike as part of a growing movement of hunger strikes across the country. Now, community activists say that they cannot locate the hunger strikers, who have suddenly disappeared. From the Stranger:
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has transferred the leaders of a Tuesday hunger strike at the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) in Tacoma to an unknown location. Advocates say their removal was retaliatory.
The hunger strike was organized by 44-year-old Rogelio Enrique Bolufé Izquierdo, a Cuban-born NWDC detainee and leader of the grassroots group Unión de Secuestrados por ICE (USI), whose name translates to the Union of those Kidnapped by ICE.
Bolufé formed the group in April while detained at a CoreCivic detention center in Torrance County, New Mexico. He organized a hunger strike, which is why he was transferred to the NWDC in May. Now it appears he has been transferred again, says Josefina Mora-Cheung, director of organizing at La Resistencia.
The ICE detainee locator tool did not list Bolufé’s location; ICE did not respond to The Stranger’s calls or emails for information.
For more, check out the Stranger.
Construction Unions Back Data Center Job Push
Across the United States, mass movements have emerged to oppose the push for data centers. However, one group does support the data centers, America’s building trade unions. In debates around the country, unions have repeatedly blasted groups opposed to the data centers.
“We’re in a moment where we’ve got an industry again, something that’s birthed right here in America,” Jason Parker, president of the Virginia State Building & Construction Trades Council told E & E News.“Now all of the sudden everyone is against it. It’s hard to wrap your head around.”
For more, check out E & E News.
Minnesota Union Organizer Killed in Mosque Shooting
Finally, last week, AFSCME Council 5 Field Representative Khalid Abdi was killed in a shooting outside of a mosque in Shakopee, Minnesota. He was expecting his first child.
“Khalid will be forever remembered for his tenacious organizing spirit, his warm and inviting presence, and his unyielding passion and drive to fight for the working-class and all historically marginalized communities,” said AFSCME Council 5 President Bart Andersen. “His mentorship of countless workers, defending contract language and workers' rights, and the collective bargaining agreements he negotiated alongside workers will last a lifetime.”
For more about his life, check out the AFSCME Council 5 Facebook page.
News & Headlines Elsewhere
- After 11 dead at chemical plant in Washington State, union leaders demand an uncompromising investigation
- US immigrant rights groups mobilize across World Cup host cities amid ICE fears
- The New School once again rejected a bid to unionize all student residential education workers, continuing years-long dispute
- Rideshare drivers could unionize in Illinois under bill passed by General Assembly
- Labor union participation is on the rise even as U.S. companies spend $1.7 billion annually to halt union recognition
- An explosion killed 82 Chinese coal miners, BBC has an indepth look at the terrible rights for workers in Chinese coal mines.
Alright folks, that's all for today. Keep sending tips, comments, and complaints.
