Work/ Labor

Puerto Rico: Beatings at the Sheraton

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 05/22/2010 - 02:01

The Internationalist
May 2010

“Shock Force” Riot Police Assault Students and Workers

Puerto Rico: Beatings at the Sheraton

The militarized Shock Force of the Puerto Rican Police threw demonstrators to the ground, beat them with riot clubs and sprayed them with tear gas and pepper spray at the Sheraton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on the evening of May 20. (Photo: Xavier Araújo/El Nuevo Día)
The militarized Shock Force of the Puerto Rican Police threw demonstrators to the ground, beat them with riot clubs and sprayed them with tear gas and pepper spray at the Sheraton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on the evening of May 20. (Photo: Xavier Araújo/El Nuevo Día)

From our correspondent

SAN JUAN, May 20 – This evening, there was a picket of several hundred students of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and workers from a number of sectors, including port workers, university professors and many others. The picket was held in front of a fancy fundraising dinner for businessmen where Governor Luis Fortuño was to give a speech.

When several dozen students entered the luxurious restaurant of the Sheraton Hotel in the Convention Center where the event was being held and tried to go up to where the privatizing, anti-worker governor was scheduled to speak, the notorious Fuerza de Choque (Shock Force) riot squad of the Puerto Rican Police poured in and savagely beat the students, spraying pepper gas in their faces and in some cases directly into their eyes.

Bosses Agree to Negotiations, Sanitation Workers Return To Work

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 04/26/2010 - 11:51

Waste Management Sanitation Workers who service King and Snohomish County will return to work unconditionally at midnight to prevent a public health crisis and to minimize service disruptions to area businesses and residents.

“The public comes first,” said Ewart Grove Jr., a 25-year Waste Management employee. “We won’t stand by and let Waste Management break federal labor laws, but we also won’t let this company hold our community hostage to its illegal actions.”

Union representatives expect seven hundred area sanitation workers will resume normal operations Friday morning to catch up on the backlog created by yesterday’s work stoppage.

Pizza Time Strike Remembered

Submitted by pirate on Fri, 02/12/2010 - 20:55

On Friday Feb. 12, 2010, a small group of people braved the rain to remember the Olympia Pizza Time Strike of 2005. Pizza strike supporters held a banner at 4th and Jefferson streets demanding a “Living Wage, Health Care, Retirement, Paid Vacation, Sick Days… For All.” People who drove and walked by the banner generally agreed with it, while one guy said “go to Canada!” Participants noted that working conditions haven’t improved since the strike and lock-out happened five years ago.

Strike at St. Peter's Hospital

Submitted by pirate on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 16:07

The Workers are fighting against reductions in medical and retirement benefits and below standard wage increases.

 

Community Rally at 4:30pm at the hospital.

Syndicate content