UPS workers in Minneapolis expressed support for a city-wide general strike on Friday, January 23, to force the withdrawal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) paramilitary forces from the city and secure the prosecution of those responsible for the killing of Minneapolis resident Renée Nicole Good.
A coalition of unions and community organizations called for a city-wide “day of action” on Friday, urging residents to participate in “no work, no school, no shopping.” Workers interpreted the call as a general strike to use the power of the working class to shut down economic activity and oppose state repression.
However, the trade union apparatus has moved swiftly to suppress any independent action by workers. Teamsters Local 638, which has over 5,000 members in Minnesota and North Dakota, circulated a letter warning members that participation in a work stoppage would violate their labor agreements with the corporate bosses. “The collective bargaining agreement that applies to you includes a no-strike provision, so you are not legally permitted to strike,” the statement declared.
Yea if your uniIn has a no strike clause you’re just payIng a subscription for the company’s HR.
Not really how striking works. Most of the time you are striking after the contract has expired. Workers in Amerikkka are not organized enough for wildcat strikes. You would just have at tops 30% of the workforce ready to get fired even if they didn’t have no strike clauses. Also to strike legally you must have a ULP, anyway. Where we should be pushing labour currently is to work outside the legal framework as the NLRA is a whole system created to destroy worker power and solidarity.