"Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in dozens of cities across Italy – shutting schools, disrupting trains and blocking ports and roads – in one of Europe’s largest nationwide protests against Israel’s offensive in Gaza."

These Mauser workers in Chicago are not only still on strike, but have extended their picket lines to California and Minnesota. They do the notoriously difficult work of using high-powered tools to clean and repaint drums used to transport chemicals, and they're demanding basic dignity and safety.

Around 500 people came out to this Townhall on fighting back against ICE, and an even bigger number—more than 700–signed up. The atmosphere was friendly, urgent, and focused on concrete organizing. At one point the room chanted “who keeps us safe? We keep us safe.”

Miguel Alvelo Rivera, director of Latino Union of Chicago, addresses packed auditorium for Northwest Side Townhall on fighting back against ICE: “Turn to your neighbor and say, ‘I am here for you like I am here for myself.’”

NLG Chicago just released a statement condemning federal agents for unleashing "severe violence on people protesting at the Broadview detention facility." Legal observers saw an agent "unholstering his gun" and "a van driven by agents almost running over a protester," NLG says.

New guide - How to Defend Members from Politicized Firings

Update: Willian has been moved to Michigan. It's unclear whether this was before or after a habeas corpus was filed in Illinois. His supporters are now trying to find him an immigration lawyer in Michigan.

Can't understand this current moment of censorship, workplace retaliation, and firings without understanding the past two years of censorship, workplace retaliation, and firings—as well as arrests and abductions—for expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

MAGA is swiftly channeling outrage over Kirk’s murder into efforts to attack nonprofits, discipline liberals and the Left. Democratic leadership seems uninterested in stopping them. @ahjohnson.bsky.social explains what’s at stake and who’s failing to act. inthesetimes.com/article/trum...

"As for our employers, our words have made you rich. Silencing us impoverishes the whole world."

"I think it’s really important for us to understand $150 billion were just inserted into this organization, into this terror organization, that would be as big as the fifth-largest army in the world." - Rep. Delia Ramirez

"Shalaby raised questions with his superiors about Donnison’s statement and even made an official editorial complaint, despite warnings from a colleague that he could be 'blacklisted' for expressing himself."

"Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel said in a new report today."

Great story about spray tan technicians and sugaring aestheticians unionizing. One factor that really pissed off the workers was a "widely despised" customer survey that instructs customers to numerically score workers, aka deputizing customers to snitch on workers. via @nataschaelena.bsky.social

Minnesota has a unique history of a Farmer-Labor movement, and the solidarity of this movement was parting of tipping the scales toward Teamsters 320 building and food service workers in their latest strike. Oh and Willie Nelson is the president of Farm Aid, the org that did this.

"Trepidation, Defiance and Déjà Vu Mark Mexican Independence Day in Chicago" by Lilia Fernández, UIC history professor for @inthesetimes.com "Organizers and residents have been, and are, largely moving forward with a mix of trepidation and defiance." 📷 Steel Brooks inthesetimes.com/article/mexi...

Willian Gimenez was abducted by ICE yesterday in Chicago. He had been part of a lawsuit against off-duty police and Home Depot employees for abusing day laborers. Latino Union says he was targeted for advocating for his rights as a worker. @bloomekatz.bsky.social and I report.

The press conference demanding the release of Willian Gimenez just now was devastating. His wife Mary collapsed right before it started and after a brief period of recovery was able to participate. This is how ICE abductions affect families, organizers said. The stress, trauma have physical effects

“The Department of Homeland Security has become the department of state terror, says Rep Delia Ramirez, standing in front of Broadview ICE processing center demanding release of Willian Gimenez, day laborer who organized against harassment.

Communities are out here at the Broadview ICE processing center demanding the release of Willian Gimenez who was abducted yesterday. Latino Union says he was targeted for his role standing up for day laborers being harassed by off-duty police and Home Depot.

"At Hyundai’s Georgia complex, three workers have already died in the buildout of the factory." via @lfelizleon.bsky.social

All of these workers were fired by Microsoft for taking action in solidarity with Palestinians, and they're STILL organizing to oppose their former employer's complicity with Israel's genocide in Gaza. That's dedication. Listen to this excellent interview by @maximillianalvarez.bsky.social

Police handcuffed and detained picketers at the Teamsters 320 strike of building and food service workers at the University of Minnesota. Update from Amie Stager workdaymagazine.org/we-cannot-wa...

The Teamsters 320 strike is going strong, even after picketers were detained. Teamsters are filing a ULP against the University of Minnesota for intimidation. Update from Amie Stager workdaymagazine.org/we-cannot-wa...

"Last month, I worked with a group of members to organize an immigrant defense training at our union hall, after persuading our officers to approve it."

Israel's strikes on Sana'a and across the northern Al-Jawf governorate are horrifying. What people in Yemen have had to deal with at the behest of the US and its allies is so cruel, so deadly and destructive, it's hard to find adequate words.

This is really good and important. Read it, please. By Laura Albast.

Teamsters 320 workers are on strike at the University of Minnesota! Waste management, groundskeeping, and food service workers started a rolling strike last night at the Crookston and Morris campuses. Isabela Escalona reports.

7 janitors who cleaned the Hennepin County Government Plaza were abruptly let go last week, no explanation given. They were all long-term janitors there, one since 1991. They're alleging age discrimination. At a press conference today, one worker was in tears.

"Deteriorating services, moms forced back from maternity leave, and more as federal workers lose formal union protections." — @sarahlazare.bsky.social via @prospect.org prospect.org/labor/trump-...

When I reached out to the EPA for comment on the dissolution of union contracts, their press spokesperson sent me a pretty unhinged response. This is who is leading the agency that's supposed to protect the public from polluters. prospect.org/labor/trump-...

Trump's efforts to dissolve union contracts affect 7% of all unionized workers in the US. The vanishing of CBAs, from the EPA to the VA, is already having material consequences: moms forced out of maternity leave, clerical staff answering VA call bells. My latest.

I wrote about what it means for nearly half-a-million union contracts to dissolve overnight. Union presidents were locked out of their offices. Moms are being forced to cut their maternity leaves short. Clerical staff are answering VA hospital call bells.

In a snap, Trump has attempted to vaporize collective bargaining agreements for about 7% of all US workers. @sarahlazare.bsky.social and our friends at @workdaymagazine.bsky.social explain what it means for workers to lose those rights at work. prospect.org/labor/trump-...

"There are two ways to earn wealth: take it or earn it. We earn it."

Huge crowds at the Labor Day rally at the Haymarket Monument in Chicago. Messages of “workers over billionaires” and “national guard out of Chicago”

NEW: In Chicago, a Teamsters local is striking in part to protect against federal immigration authorities. “It brings a lot of fear to our workplace." If they win, they’ll be the first Teamsters local in the country to adopt this language. @sarahlazare.bsky.social in @prospect.org:

This Labor Day in Chicago is not going to be your usual march. Workers will be rallying, in part, to send the message to the Trump admin: Don't send the National Guard into our city. No takeover of Chicago. This is part of the "workers over billionaires" mobilizations we've been seeing.

"Kentucky battery plant workers at the BlueOval SK Battery Park (BOSK) in Glendale have voted to join the United Auto Workers." Breaking news from @lfelizleon.bsky.social!

love this from @jennyhunter.bsky.social! excited to both be contributing to @solongdentalplan.com, a forthcoming book about depictions of unions and class struggle on television! (I had the pleasure of peer reviewing Jenny’s chapter and y’all are in for a treat!)

"Union representations in popular culture are sparse, mostly very old, and often negative." Yes, very true, especially in Hollywood.

Israel's deliberate killing of workers in a specific profession—journalism—is one of the biggest labor stories of our time. Hard to think about workers' rights without thinking of the basic right to stay alive while doing your job.

Nicolas Coronado, who's leading Teamsters 705’s negotiations with Mauser, made an important point. Mauser is being more accommodating to federal immigration authorities than it would likely be to other federal entities, like OSHA. “It’s not likely they’re letting in OSHA without a judicial warrant."

A Teamsters local in Chicago has been on strike for 11 weeks, with one of their demands being that their employer turn away federal immigration enforcement unless they have a signed judicial warrant. From @sarahlazare.bsky.social‬ with ‪@workdaymagazine.bsky.social‬:

“By going on strike, in part, for protections for immigrants, workers are showcasing a strategy to use workers’ most powerful weapon to protect union members. And if they win, they’ll be the first Teamsters local in the country to adopt such protective language.” — @sarahlazare.bsky.social

Workers at Mauser plant in Chicago have been on strike 11 wks and counting to demand protections against federal immigration authorities, among other demands. They want management to turn away ICE and DHS, unless they present a signed judicial warrant. My report from Teamsters Local 705 picket line.

A Teamsters local in Illinois whose workforce is 90% Latino is striking with the specific demand that the company turn away federal immigration authorities unless those authorities present a signed judicial warrant. Our friends at @workdaymagazine.bsky.social have the story:

Lots of great stuff in this review of a new book by Ricardo Levins Morales, including images from the Northland Poster Collective Archive, which includes art and oral histories. This is by Ricardo Levins Morales, made in 2006. workdaymagazine.org/what-does-th...

"Your guide to AIPAC Democrats’ fake Israel criticisms"

"What Does the Land Know? Ricardo Levins Morales on Art and Organizing" - read Amie Stager's gorgeous review of a new book by a beloved movement artist.