North American Solidarity Project union leaders at the Haymarket Memorial in Chicago, November 2019
Today is May Day, known across the world as International Workers’ Day, a day to celebrate and honor the struggles and victories of the working class.
May Day commemorates the arrest and trial of eight labor organizers and labor journalists who were falsely accused of being responsible for a bomb attack in Haymarket Square in Chicago in 1886. That year, workers across the U.S. struck for the eight-hour day on May 1; the rally in Haymarket at which the bomb attack occurred was protesting the police killing of strikers.
In 2004, a monument to the Haymarket Martyrs was erected in Haymarket Square, and UE members in Chicago have regularly participated in May Day activities at the monument, including the dedication of plaques by our international allies Zenroren (Japan) and Unifor (Canada).
This year, our allies FIOM (the Italian Federation of Metalworkers) will be honored with a virtual ceremony at 12pm Eastern / 11am Central / 9am Pacific time. This event will stream live on Facebook. Tune in here.
Later this afternoon, at 4pm Eastern / 3pm Central / 1pm Pacific, UE will be participating in the North American Solidarity Project webinar “Uniting Worker Voices from across North America.” Members of UE, Unifor, National Nurses United, the Utility Workers Union of America, ILWU-Canada, the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee and more will share their experiences on the front line of today’s struggles. Special guest Professor Rosemary Feurer will bring a historical perspective on the labor movement. RSVP here.
New Organizing Guide
The Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC), a joint project of UE and the Democratic Socialists of America, has published a guide to
help workers organize their workplaces. In Case of Emergency Fight Back provides a
comprehensive and concise overview of six proven tools that have helped workers win relief from unjust working conditions in their workplace.
Learn more about the guide and download from the EWOC website »
Sanders Chief of Staff Tells Western Region to “Keep the Pressure On” Congress
The American Rescue Plan Act, Bernie Sanders Chief of Staff Misty Rebik told delegates, is “one of the most significant pieces of legislation to happen for the working class in this country” in decades. “And that is because of you,” she added. “That is because of people like you who have been organizing day in and day out for decades now, demanding that we have a government for the people.” Read more »
Youth Climate Activist Tells Eastern Region: Put People Over Profit
John Paul Mejia, an activist and educator working with the Sunrise Movement, told delegates to the UE Eastern Region Council meeting last weekend that it is time to “change the definition of normal in society.” The Sunrise Movement is a youth movement dedicated to stop climate change and create millions of jobs in the process, through a “Green New Deal.” Read more »
Charlotte City Workers Demand Hazard Pay and Real Raises
City employees who kept the city of Charlotte running through the course of the COVID-19 pandemic are now asking city officials to rescue them. The Charlotte City Workers Union, a chapter of UE Local 150, held a press conference yesterday to demand hazard pay, real raises, shift differential and daily overtime. Read more »
Unity Secures Solid Contract Gains for UE Members at GE Appliances Factory Services
Despite having negotiated a one-year contract extension in June 2020, the Joint Bargaining Committee unions (UE, IBEW, IAM and UA) representing factory service technicians who work for GE Appliances Factory Services entered into early contract negotiations at the end of January. The unions secured a new 15-month contract with solid general wage increases, a freeze on health insurance costs through December 31, 2022, and other gains. Read more »
NC Mental Health Workers Demand Ongoing Hazard Pay, Safe Staffing
State mental health workers across North Carolina, having worked more than a year through the pandemic, are now demanding relief. Over 700 Department of Health and Human Services workers have signed petitions demanding restoration of hazard premium pay, safe staffing levels, and other safety measures. Read more »
UE Endorses Sanders College for All Act
On April 21, long-time UE ally Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the College for All Act, a bill which will implement the UE demand that Congress “pass laws implementing free public higher education and student loan forgiveness for all.” The legislation drew praise from UE members who work in higher education. Read more »
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