Feature Archives

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 contract with the University of California (UC) expired on January 31st. AFSCME members (custodians, food service workers, gardeners, maintenance workers, shuttle drivers, and medical center workers), students, teachers, and community allies rallied at UCSC's Baytree Plaza on January 31st, then marched to the Chancellor's Office at Kerr Hall to demand justice for UC's lowest wage workers.

December 17th marks the 5th Annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. The day calls attention to hate crimes committed against sex workers. The Sex Workers Outreach Project conceived of the event as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River murders in Seattle, Washington. This day empowers sex workers and their supporters to come together to organize against discrimination and to remember victims of violence. A press conference on Monday on the steps of San Francisco City Hall (Polk side) at 11:30am will announce that the 5th Annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers will take place in Civic Center Plaza at 6pm.

From December 14th through the 16th, striking writers held picket-lines at the Disney Store on Post and Powell Streets in San Francisco from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The strike is against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade organization that represents the interests of American film and television producers. On December 13th, the Writers Guild filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against the AMPTP for its refusal to bargain in good faith.

As the largest private sector union organizing drive in Fresno’s history get underway, Community Medical Center (CMC) is being asked to agree to hold free and fair elections. CMC management has rejected the proposal for free and fair elections and has instead hired a union-busting firm that has implemented policies that threaten and intimidate union supporters. Unfair labor practice charges have been filed against CMC. On October 17 several CMC workers testified at a public hearing about what is going on at their workplace. This article is about the public hearing held by the Fresno Fair Election Commission to listen to the workers concerns.

UAW-QUAD writes, "Upon reading the UAW Local 2865’s summary of advancements made in the recent round of contract negotiations (emailed 10/4), one might think we made significant progress in improving our rights and benefits. It is apparent, however, that only small movement was made in the area of improving the rights of minority groups, while, generally speaking, disproportionate progress was made around the rights of the majority."

5000 nurses walked off the job at 15 Northern California hospitals on Wednesday, October 10 in a strike that's being called the largest in a decade. The California Nurses Association organized the 2-day strike after negotiations broke down with hospital operator Sutter Health. Nurses say they are striking to improve patient care and to protect their healthcare and retirement benefits.

On Saturday, October 13, 2007 the IWW will picket with striking workers from 12:00-5:00 PM in front of Metro Glass on 2121 San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley. Workers at Metro Lighting are striking over the unfair labor practices of the owners, Lawrence and Christa Grown, who last month fired one of their workers for labor organizing and whistle blowing over unsafe working conditions. They are demanding that all union workers be rehired with back wages and a pay raise for the retail workers who make almost half as much as their co-workers in the assembly shop in the back.