the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Sep 4, 2023
Here are some strikes that are currently going on in the U.S. These strikes may remain isolated and separated today. But others could join them. New strikes arise almost every week.
Teachers from the Camas school district near Vancouver, Washington, went on strike on August 28. They were joined by Vancouver teachers in the Evergreen district on August 30. Teachers from both districts are focused on maintaining lower class sizes, redirecting funding for supplemental student programs like music and libraries, and providing better supports for special education.
“Teachers really want the district to focus on the things that will help their students,” said a representative for the Evergreen Education Association. “That’s what they’re most passionate about.” The school administrations prefer to issue press releases about the greedy teachers.
There are 460 strikers in Camas district and 1500 in Evergreen.
On August 30, teachers, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, and other support staff all went on strike and protested outside the central office of Washington Parish’s school district, in Louisiana, 50 miles north of New Orleans.
“This is the first time since I’ve been here 18 years that everybody, every department is represented here,” said one Washington Parish school bus driver. Another driver has worked for the system for nearly 47 years and only received one raise in his career.
A cafeteria worker said, “They give us a step raise every year which is $100 every year. You divide that by twelve, you take out taxes, you wound up with $6.42.”
Youngstown’s 400 teachers went on strike August 23 for a contract they can teach under. The State of Ohio took control of the district years ago and gave the administration total control over teacher assignments. Children’s skills have gotten worse, not better. The union wants teachers’ experience and seniority to be taken into account when decisions are made. “Our working conditions are their learning conditions,” say the strikers’ T-shirts.