by Jeff BoothBoston, MAAFSCME Local 3650 (personal capacity) Four high-profile, important union struggles ended recently. Wages, benefits, and working conditions were improved for hundreds of thousands of workers from the contract campaign at UPS, the UAW strike against all the “Big 3” auto companies, the largest healthcare workers strike in US history led by SEIU-UHWContinue reading “A BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE LABOR MOVEMENT?”
Category Archives: Issues & Struggles
UAW Workers’ Strike Wins a Stronger Deal—Missed Opportunity for More
“Though the final contracts are significant improvements compared to past concessionary contracts, there are still important unresolved demands and issues. Wage increases aren’t enough to make up for pay losses due to inflation and give-backs during the Great Recession. Pensions, retiree healthcare, and other benefits and protections are not restored for all workers. All EV production jobs still don’t automatically fall under the national agreements. And the contracts accept the closure of many facilities and subsequent job losses. The UAW could have fought for more, especially considering only a third of their Big 3 members were called out on strike. General support for unions is the strongest it’s been in 60 years, and there was overwhelming public support (by a 4-1 margin) for the strike.”
UAW Workers Can Win More!
Picket line at the Stellantis Mopar site in Mansfield, MA where 46 UAW members were on strike for 6 weeks in September and October. The site is at risk of closure, with the company planning to consolidate it with a facility in Fishkill, NY, where workers would be offered positions or have to forfeit theirContinue reading “UAW Workers Can Win More!”
Vote for Publicly-Owned Energy in Maine!
by Maine Branch, Independent Socialist Group On November 7th, Maine voters will be asked, “Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine?” The Independent Socialist Group supports the Pine Tree Power ballot question, and calls forContinue reading “Vote for Publicly-Owned Energy in Maine! “
UMass Amherst Grad Workers Struggle for a Fair Contract
by B.W. SculosRio Grande Valley United Faculty, TFA/TSTA, NEA member (Personal capacity)Edinburg, TX Union activity and popularity are on the rise across the United States. A major aspect of these increases is rooted in the tireless efforts of graduate student workers. Graduate students have organized new unions where they didn’t exist, particularly at private universities,Continue reading “UMass Amherst Grad Workers Struggle for a Fair Contract”
Meet a Socialist – Sept. 2023
by Ali SeniorBoston, MA Hello, people of the planet! My name is Ali and I am currently an animation student at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. My journey into socialism started long before I realized what I was looking for. I grew up in a relatively financially-stable, working-class home on Cape Cod. It’sContinue reading “Meet a Socialist – Sept. 2023”
Nationalize Yellow Trucking!
Corporate mismanagement destroys 30,000 jobs By Ronan FoleyBoston, MA Following years of financial crisis—and despite a $729 million taxpayer bailout from President Trump in 2020—Yellow Trucking has shut down and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The nearly 30,000 employees of Yellow, including 22,000 members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), have all been laidContinue reading “Nationalize Yellow Trucking! “
ISG In Solidarity with Striking United Auto Workers
On Friday, September 15th, members of the Independent Socialist Group (ISG) joined with United Auto Workers (UAW) and other supporters at a practice picket in Mansfield, MA. Following the expiration of their contracts Thursday night, 13,000 UAW members at assembly plants in Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio who work at the “Big 3” auto companies (GeneralContinue reading “ISG In Solidarity with Striking United Auto Workers”
Capitalist Crisis in Higher Education
by Jacob BilskySpringfield, MA Higher education in the United States is in crisis. Faculty, staff, and graduate students work precarious jobs for low pay as the cost of living rises. Meanwhile, Supreme Court decisions to stop student loan forgiveness and affirmative action, as well as universities raising tuition, make college education increasingly inaccessible to working-classContinue reading “Capitalist Crisis in Higher Education”
Maui and Canada Wildfires Show Capitalism Can’t Fix Climate Crisis
by Sophie SternAtlanta, GA Globally, this summer has been the hottest on record. In the U.S., heat is the number one weather-related cause of death, not storms or hurricanes—but storms are on the rise too as warmer temperatures provide peak conditions for extreme, disastrous weather. It’s becoming obvious to most people that the climate crisisContinue reading “Maui and Canada Wildfires Show Capitalism Can’t Fix Climate Crisis”
Independent Socialist Group 