Labor Day actions take the streets coast to coast
DETROIT—Roughly 1,000 “Workers over Billionaires” marches and protests were held across the country on Labor Day to oppose the billionaire-backed Trump administration’s attacks on workers, their unions, and their families. The actions across the country included large demonstrations in Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and workers actually walking off the job and striking in Houston and Grand Blanc, Michigan.
Labor leaders around the country spoke out against the capitalist class and their bought-and-paid-for political cronies in Washington, D.C. for “rigging the government and economy” against workers—immigrant and non-immigrant, organized and unorganized—the dismantling of trade union rights, collective bargaining agreements, job safety programs, as well as cuts to renewable energy jobs, Medicaid and critical institutions for workers such as the National Labor Relations Board.
“This is a government that is by, and for, the CEOs and billionaires,” declared AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler at a massive Labor Day march in Los Angeles.
At Detroit’s Labor Day march and rally, several thousand trade unionists and their allies marched down Michigan Avenue to the historic Michigan Central Station in Corktown. The Michigan Building Trades Council, along with the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Service Employees (SEIU) were flanked by the Teamsters, Nurses, Letter Carriers, Teachers, Firefighters, Government Employees, Postal Workers, and a hundreds-strong “Labor for Palestine” contingent.
Shawn Fain, president of the UAW, spoke out fiercely against rampant corporate greed, so-called “free-trade deals,” and the billionaire corruption of our political system.
Connecticut
Labor Day in Connecticut kicked off on Friday as the annual Labor Day Breakfast hosted by the Connecticut AFL-CIO, filled the Operating Engineers hall in Hamden with scores of union members and leaders, allies and elected officials. The IAM, CWA, Marine Draftsmen and 1199 spoke of their recent strike struggles and victories and called for solidarity in the face of escalating attacks against the right to a union.
Following the breakfast, a press conference with Sen Richard Blumenthal magnified the message. Pledging to fight for workers' rights and calling for mass protests, Blumenthal said, “It is unprecedented in the history of the United States of America that so many rights and protections have been rolled back, lawlessly and recklessly, to the detriment not only of the working people directly affected, but also their families and other workers. Eliminating collective bargaining rights is not only illegal, it’s immoral.”
“President Trump is attempting to silence workers because he knows when workers have a voice, they’ll push back against his authoritarian agenda,” said CT AFL CIO president Ed Hawthorne. “But he’s not going to win this fight, because the American people know that union workers in the labor movement don’t just stick up for ourselves, but fight for everyone.”
New Haven Federation of Teachers president Leslie Blatteau emphasized, “Schools are the pathways to opportunity and the building blocks of a just society. That’s why we are collectively demanding that all elected officials stand with workers and students, not billionaires.”
On Monday, the teachers joined other unions and community leaders with CT for All to knock on the doors of working families in the town of Meriden.
Across the state dozens of Workers over Billionaires protests were held from New London to Stamford with the largest at the State Capitol organized by Indivisible and 50501.
Chicago
In Chicago, over 5,000 workers rallied at the Haymarket Monument, then marched for three miles including at Valor Equity Partners, headed by Antonio Gracias, who heads the DOGE Immigration Task Force, and Target in support of the Target boycott.
On Labor Day, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) joined the national boycott call of Target after the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU-AFT Local 1) passed a resolution last week, joining the boycott.
“This movement comes at a crucial moment—when American workers find themselves at the whim of billionaires and board rooms that are more invested in money over people,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT, at the Chicago demonstration.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union member and shop steward, spoke out with a call for “No Troops in Chicago” which the crowd shouted back to him. Then “Invest in Chicago” which the crowd of workers and their allies also chanted back.
Rev. Jamal Bryant flew in from Atlanta to be with the workers in Chicago, he said, indicating that the struggle is a national fight. He said he wanted to support the “most fearless leader in America,” the mayor of Chicago.
“If you want to fight for safety, don’t send in the National Guard—send in the teachers,” said Bryant. He highlighted the inequity when ICE agents make more than teachers. He then excoriated Target, which is on the receiving end of a national boycott for reneging on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies after Trump got reelected.
“When you mess with our workers,” he said, “you mess with America.” He pointed out that the price of Target shares had dropped and the CEO was compelled to resign. He then went on to call the giant corporations Target and Tesla “enemies of the people.”
“We reject a billionaire’s attack on our city, taking from Medicaid and education,” said Stacey Davis Gates, President of the CTU. “Solidarity is the antidote to white supremacy…Lincoln didn’t free us, we freed ourselves, workers! We built the United States as we’ve known it and now workers will protect it.”
Many religious and community organizations also joined the rally and march, including the Chicago Club of the CPUSA. Elected officials, city council members, Congress members, Cook County Commissioners, State Senators, and State Representatives were also present.
Houston
In Houston, hotel workers organized with Unite HERE Local 23 launched a first-ever hotel strike at Hilton America’s in Texas, demanding a basic $23 an hour minimum wage, safety improvements, more staffing, and better quality food, among other demands.
“Last year, Hilton America’s revenue increased by more than 15% to $3 billion,” the union said. “But workers are still struggling to make ends meet…We will be on the picket lines for 9 days to demand better wages because one job should be enough!”
“The workers are feeling this need urgently, so that’s why the decision was made,” said Franchesca Caraballo, President of Unite Here Local 23. “We have to take it up several notches here to turn up the pressure on this company.”
