May Day in New York City Part 1 — With: Professor Jeff Goodwin, Sociology Dept, NYU at a demonstration against student debt AND Arun Gupta, a founding editor, Indypendent newspaper, reporting from Union Square.

Occupy with Building Bridges as we acknowledge the blood, sweat and tears of workers, the workers who really create all the wealth and want it back. So, lock arms, unite and fight for the working class, for the 99%! Building Bridges Radio's National Edition is syndicated to over 45 broadcast and internet radio stations. Read More | Download Audio | More NYC May Day Coverage

Photo by Robert Stuart Lowden, LA-IMC

More US May Day Coverage: Boston, MA: 1, 2 | Los Angeles, CA | New York City, NY | Philadelphia, PA | Portland, OR | Riverside, CA | San Francisco Bay Area, CA | More from occupywallst.org

Hemispheric Coverage from Weekly News Update: Latin American May 1 Demos Focus on Minimum Wage

"A group of workers, now called New Seasons Market Workers' Voice, have been campaigning for a more democratic workplace for over 3 years now. When management made the decision to fire Ryan they weren't just getting rid of a 9 and half year committed staff member, they were attempting to silence the voices of their workers. New Seasons drew that line, now we are responding."

NLRB FINDS MERIT TO 13 UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE CHARGES AT ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP

A majority of workers at Ashland Food Co-op have been united since June of 2011 to improve their working conditions by organizing a union with United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 555. Ashland Food Co-op management learned of workers’ desire to organize and reacted swiftly with heavy handed tactics to try and sway workers away from unionization. The Employer’s actions included soliciting and promising to remedy grievances, providing benefits to employees that it previously refused to provide, disciplining union activists, threatening employees with more severe discipline if they voted for a union, instituting a rule that prohibited employees from discussing the union and then enforcing this rule only against employees who supported the union, and soliciting employees to sign an anti-union petition.

Image from Justice for Coop Workers -- Co-op Workers and UFCW 555

This Wednesday, February 29th [was] the national day of nonviolent direct action to shut down the corporations, especially those that comprise ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Occupy Riverside has called for a community-based picket line at the world's largest Walmart distribution center, Schneider Logistics, at 4100 Hamner Ave in Mira Loma, where workers are engaged in a struggle to recover stolen wages and ultimately, for recognition as a collective bargaining unit. Meet at 6:AM Wednesday at the corner of Riverside Dr and Hamner Ave, just south of the 60 freeway. From the Newswire: #F29 Promo Video | F29 SHUTDOWN THE CORPORATIONS CALL TO ACTION: Occupy Walmart! | Resolution in Support of Warehouse Workers at Walmart Contractor Schneider Logistics

From Portland, OR: Nice edited video of the F-29 day of direct action

Over 100 people gathered on valentines day outside of the NS Market on SE Division in Portland Or to stand in solidarity and for the just rehiring of a worker - labor activist (Ryan Gaughan) who was fired for a petty issue. Ryan was involved with organizing for workers rights, safety and labor issues at New Seasons where he was employed. He recently had been participating in "coffee talks" where management and workers discuss common important work issues together. Ryan was terminated [for what appears obvious to anyone who looks into this,] for his strong involvement in organizing at his job site, where he has worked at for over 9 years {7 years at this store on Division that terminated him.} Ryan, the community New Seasons customers, friends and labor activists are all asking management to give him his job back. Full Report | Video (25 min)

Related: CWA's Valentine's Wish to AT&T

El 18 de diciembre es el Día Internacional del Migrante y nos hacemos solidarios con aquellos que a nivel mundial proclaman los Derechos del inmigrante y los Derechos Humanos.

Heeding the call of Occupy Oakland, which called for a shutdown of west coast ports in response to the brutal eviction of occupy encampments nationwide, and in solidarity with exploited port workers and truckers, activists across the coast shutdown various port terminals.

Oakland: Occupy Oakland called for the December 12th West Coast Port Shutdown, "because we believe it is time the occupation movement begins to work together to carry through coordinated, pinpointed actions. We want to disrupt the profits of the 1% and show solidarity with those in the 99% who are under direct attack by corporate tyranny." In particular, the demonstrations were in solidarity with longshoremen, port workers and truck drivers.

Since there were attacks by police on demonstrators in other cities, including Seattle, San Diego and Houston, Occupy Oakland made good on its promise of solidarity, and extended the port shut down into the next shift at 3am. Occupy Oakland successfully shut down the Port of Oakland for three consecutive shifts. Port of Oakland Shut Down by Occupy Oakland | Port Shutdown Morning Shift (includes audio) | Oakland Port Closure (many pictures)

Portland: Hundreds of Occupy Portland protestors, activists and workers blocked entrances to shut down Terminals 5 & 6 around 6 AM today. Shortly before 8 AM, protestors cheered when they learned that Port of Portland officials had already shut down the terminals, and that the ports in Oakland had been closed. However, according to Mike Gardner, ILWU Local 8 in Portland, ILWU workers had been sent home without pay by Port officials. Photos of Shut down West Coast Ports/Occupy Action | Video 1: Port Blockade at 6:15 PM Occupy Portland | Video 2. Occupy Portland Port Blockade West Coast on 12.12.11 - Gate 5 | Bellingham Successfully Blockade Railway in Solidarity with West Coast Port Actions

Los Angeles: In solidarity with expolited port workers and truckers, about 500 militant occupiers and their friends shut down Terminal J of the Port of Long Beach, the home of SSA Marine, an investment of the criminal enterprise Goldman Sachs and the main stakeholder of the US government. The marchers were eventually split off from each other by the Los Angeles Port Police. However a group of 300 to 500 people successfully blocked a road that led to one of the SSA piers for a few hours causing traffic snarls and the like. Occupy the Ports - A Day without Goldman Sachs | Occupiers Close Port of Long Beach Terminal | Occupy The Ports Long Beach, part 1 by Robert Stuart Lowden | Occupy The Ports Long Beach, part 2

Related: An Open Letter From America's Port Truck Drivers On Occupy the Ports | cleanandsafeports.org | occupytheports.com

November 17th, 2011, was the national day of action for the occupation movement.  People around the country came out to take control of their streets, their cities and their lives.  In Atlanta, members of Occupy Atlanta teamed up with local labor organizers to bring real talk to Home Depot and Verizon Wireless.  This film shows the "mic check" at the Mid Town Home Depot in Atlanta.  Home Depot has a history of fighting against union organizing in it's stores and has spent large amounts of money to defeat the Employees Free Choice Act which would give workers an easier route to unionization.  Activists have also uncovered a anti-union video that Home Depot shows it's "associates" during working hours to dissuade them from any attempts at union organizing.  

This video runs 8 minutes and is a short version of an upcoming video that shows events from that evening and interviews with those involved.

Defend Occupy Oakland With The Muscle of Organized Labor

Police viciously attacked Occupy Oakland with tear gas, flash grenades and projectile weapons. Eighty five people were arrested. Scott Olsen, a 24 year-old Iraq war veteran, was shot in the head by the police with a projectile. Scott was seriously injured and was in critical condition.

In response, on Wednesday October 26, 2011 in reclaimed Oscar Grant Plaza 1607 people voted. 1484 voted in favor of the resolution, 77 abstained and 46 voted against it, passing the proposal at 96.9%. The General Assembly operates on a modified consensus process that passes proposals with 90% in favor and with abstaining votes removed from the final count.

With police violence in Oakland, New York, Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Boston, and elsewhere workers, students and others are asked to participate in the November 2 actions.

The following is important union support for the call for the general strike and mass protests. Read More | Related: We need you to join The Labor Outreach Committee of Occupy Wall Street!

Verizon workers as well as other unions and Veterans For Peace held a rally/march in solidarity with Occupy Boston and to protest against Verizon's corporate greed (the workers still don't have a fair contract). The rally started at Occupy Boston Dewey Square and included many labor speakers; then formed a large march to the Verizon Wireless store downtown. The march was spirited and vocal, and many onlookers showed solidarity. Read More & Pics | video of the rally speakers and then the march | photos | occupyboston.com

Twelve Thousand janitors organized by SEIU will strike beginning next Tuesday, Oct 18 unless the bosses settle by then. On Wed Oct 12, hundreds of SEUI members backed by Occupy DC supporters marched through rush hour traffic on I and K sts NW. SEIU, Occupy DC rally in the rain

Ashland Food Co-op has lead a disgusting attack on its own workers just because they want to form a union.

As a result of long deliberation unfair labor charges were filed touching on a variety of issues facing union supporters at Ashland food Co-op, including instances of surveillance and intimidation through coercion.

Dan Clay UFCW 555 president states "We support every worker in their freedom to organize, we at UFCW 555 believe the workers voices deserve to be heard and respected and look forward to working with Ashland Food Co-op employees to ensure democracy is protected."

IBEW Local 2222 members voted at their monthly meeting on Oct. 5 to support the occupations opposed to corporate greed in New York and Boston's financial districts.

Labor support for the occupations has been growing. On Oct. 4, the Greater Boston Labor Council passed a strong resolution in support of Occupy Boston. On Oct. 5, the Massachusetts Nurses Association rallied with occupation activists in downtown Boston while a large number of New York union members marched to join with the Wall Street occupation.

Several labor unions came downtown yesterday afternoon for a massive march in solidarity with Occupy Boston. Read More

Videos: 1 | 2

From occupywallst.org: On October 05, 2011, at 3:00 in the afternoon the residents of Liberty Square will gather to join their union brothers and sisters in solidarity and march. At 4:30 in the afternoon the 99% will march in solidarity with #occupywallstreet from Foley Square to the Financial District, where their pensions have disappeared to, where their health has disappeared to. Please note: The location of the march has been changed from City Hall to Foley Square.

From NYC Labor Against the War: As the Occupy Wall Street Labor Support/Outreach Working Group we support the struggles of the labor movement for economic justice. Therefore, we have been involved in actions of the locked out Teamsters at Sotheby’s, the postal workers resisting layoffs and postal service privatization, and telephone workers fighting for a decent contract. The following unions and labor organizations have expressed their support for Occupied Wall Street…"