Danielle Smith

Six thousand San Francisco educators won fully funded health care, sanctuary schools, and an up to 8.5 percent raise over two years by walking out for the first time in nearly 50 years.

After just four days on strike, February 9 to 12, they won their top demands—some of which the district had previously refused even to bargain over.

“It was hard and it was joyful and we f-ing beat them,” said Ilan Desai-Geller, a high school teacher who served on the bargaining committee and as a regional strike captain. “They found the money all of a sudden.

Overwhelmed by Strike, San Francisco Schools Found the Money for Top Union Demands

Main Image: 
Smiling strikers pose outdoors with a bright yellow banner handpainted "On strike for our schools" in red. Most people visible in this photo appear to be white or Asian women. Many wear UESF hats. Other visible handmade signs say "Boo Su, give us a fair contract now!" "Keep our counselors" and "Invest in oiur largest asset: children." Palm trees are visible against gray sky. Some people raise fists or a victory/peace sign.

Fifteen thousand nurses across 10 campuses in New York City’s three biggest hospital systems are on an open-ended strike. It’s the city’s largest nurse strike in decades.

Picket lines stretched for blocks at Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and New York Presbyterian hospitals on January 12, thronged with nurses plus Teamsters, hotel workers, and university staff showing solidarity.

Fifteen Thousand New York City Nurses Strike

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Three Black women nurses pose for camera; two are smiling, one looks determined. Two hold printed NYSNA signs: "Safe nurses = safe patients" and "STOP hiding the truth about your $$$" and the other holds a handwritten sign, partly covered, long text. Lots of red NYSNA hats are visible in the dense, upbeat crowd behind them.

Canadian postal workers are back on strike—again—as they fight to save a vital public service.

Joël Lightbound, the cabinet minister responsible for Canada Post, on September 25 announced drastic changes to the postal service, including an end to home delivery. The 4 million remaining home delivery addresses would move to community mailboxes.

The government would also drop a requirement to deliver mail five days a week, and lift a moratorium on closing rural post offices. The changes could cost more than 10,000 Canada Post jobs, postal workers say.

Canadian Postal Workers Strike Again

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A Black worker in postal uniform, wearing reflective shades and a sandwich board sign that says "CUPW Toronto Local, We demand a fair contract," raises one fist in the air and a flag on a stick in the other hand. The flag is only partially visible but includes the word "Justice." This person is standing up on something we can't see, a step or box. Smiling people around them are holding various banners and signs, some wear safety yellow. Variety in race and gender. In sunlight dappled by shade of tree.

Public school educators in 32 union locals across California are joining forces to maximize their power in a campaign called “We Can’t Wait.” It covers 77,000 educators—about a quarter of the California Teachers Association’s total membership—serving a million students.

The campaign started with 11 locals that worked to align their contract expiration dates for the end of June: Anaheim, Berkeley, Los Angeles, Natomas, Oakland, Richmond, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Twin Rivers. And it quickly spread from there.

California Educators Sync Up Negotiations for More Leverage

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Teachers in red picket alongside a road with “Fully Staff Our Schools signs”

The company wants to make new hires wait a year before they receive benefits, and to exclude them from the defined-benefit pension plan. Meanwhile the starting wage has risen only 6.7 percent since 2006.

Canada's 55,000 Postal Strikers Are Refusing to Throw New Hires Under the Bus

Main Image: 
In the foreground a burn barrel, one striker walking purposefully, one raising a fist. In the background a large crowd of strikers carrying "CUPW on strike" picket signs and wearing safety-yellow vests.