Feature Archives

2/19: Concurrent rallies took place at three Bay Area airports to express solidarity for the thousands of immigrant airport employees who face termination under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act. As baggage screeners become federalized and new citizenship requirements come into effect, thousands of non-citizen workers stand to lose their jobs – 1,200 in the Bay Area alone. In Oakland, airport security companies informed their employees that “anyone who attended the conference should not show up for work again.” This statement follows the 1/22 firing of Marina Neri, a four-year screener who was targeted for speaking out against unfair working conditions. Full report from Oakland Last month, the ACLU and other groups filed suit in Los Angeles against the Secretary of Transportation over the citizenship requirements. Meanwhile, despite some controversy with smaller union affiliates, the AFL-CIO and other unions continue to support the federalization.

2/2: Close to 80 people came together outside the Union Square Macy’s store to protest (post-9/11) discriminatory firings by Macy’s. On 9/27, a customer berated Alia Atawneh for being Palestinian. She says her managers then pulled her in for a meeting, where they interrogated her many questions about her views including questions about her take on the 9/11 attacks. A week later Alia was fired. She wants her job back and is considering legal action against Macy’s. The picketers were demanding that Macy's apologize, provide monetary compensation and rehire Alia Atawneh. Join a solidarity protest at the Macy's in Valley Fair Shopping Center on Sun, Feb 24 at noon. Details

Tributes to the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. took place throughout the Bay Area this past week. Events included a demonstration against the war and racism in downtown SF on Jan 16, the day after MLK's birthday. See photos. On the observance of his birthday, hundreds of school children and community members met up with labor, Free Mumia, and peace activists to march in the rain from Caltran to Civic Center to honor and represent the legacy of his non-violent work for justice. Read more

Some alternative responses to the enduring nature of racism in the U.S. address outrageously disproportionate minority incarceration rates and the Black Panthers' platform.

Hundreds of hotel and restaurant workers and community supporters picketed and rallied at the SF Marriott Hotel on Fri, Jan 25th. Marriott workers told the crowd what a contract means to them - a dignity and a voice on the job, and the same benefits as all the other workers at large, upscale hotels in San Francisco. See video & hear audio. sfmarriottboycott.org

In an unprecedented move to ensure better patient care and working conditions, Gov. Davis enacted minimum nurse-to-patient ratio requirments for CA hospitals on Jan 22. The new rules spell out minimum numbers of licensed nurses needed to assure patient safety throughout the hospital setting, depending on the unit. Details

IWW Local 23 launched a new web portal to promote easy access to a broad range of news affecting workers. With this resource, the IWW hopes to brings together information from news agencies, activist organizations and labor organizations. Details

11/8 Charleston, SC: After an unrelenting campaign, victory for the Charleston 5 – union dockworkers charged with "inciting to riot" following a January 20, 2000 protest. Negotiated settlement report. When 150 longshore workers, members of the predominantly black ILA local 1422 and its fraternal Local 1771, picketed the loss of their jobs to a non-union stevedore company, they were attacked by 600 riot police in the port of Charleston, SC. The unions and its members were fined $1.5 million dollars, and 5 members were placed under house arrest and faced 5 years in prison. Worldwide demonstrations and port shut-downs had been planned for 11/14 in support of the Charleston 5. Video