[[{“value”:” By Liam MacLean BOSTON — Tenants and supporters gathered on Saturday outside of an apartment building in Allston-Brighton to protest the refusal of their landlord, Fineberg Management, to engage in collective bargaining with the tenants.   “We are standing up together because individually, divided, the best we can do is beg. But together, we collectively bargain,” said Dan Albright of the Fineberg Tenants Union (FTU) and DSA. The protest was organized by the FTU with support from the Greater Boston Tenant Union (GBTU) and called attention to the continuous and arbitrary ..read more

[[{“value”:” By Vanessa Bartlett Graduate workers from BUGWU, Residence Life workers, and graduates from the class of 2024 picketed BU’s commencement ceremony on Sunday. Boston University’s 151st all-school commencement ceremony was disrupted by a walkout and picket organized in concert by both the Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU, SEIU-509) and the BU chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (BU SJP).  The class of 2024 has been through their fair share of trials. In 2020, they came into college during the height of COVID-19 pandemic precautions. This year, they were ..read more

[[{“value”:” By Vanessa Bartlett On Wednesday, an estimated 2000 people participated in a May Day rally with the Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU) to demand that the university provide serious responses to their contract proposals. But in a bargaining session the following day, the university continued to stall, despite some progress in the previous session. Rally participants begin marching from Marsh Plaza towards Bay State Road As the spring semester winds down, the university has been flailing to make up for the absence of grad students in classrooms. In an email sent to un ..read more

Democratic socialist State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven (27th Middlesex); Cambridge City Council Member Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler; Somerville City Council Members Willie Burnley, Jr. and JT Scott; and Medford City Council President Zac Bears, who represent almost a quarter of a million residents released the following statement: We stand in solidarity with the students practicing peaceful protest at Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Emerson, and Northeastern Universities, as well as all others across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the country. We unequivocally condemn the violent repression that t ..read more

[[{“value”:” by Vanessa Bartlett BOSTON – This morning, over 100 protesters at the Northeastern encampment were arrested after occupying Centennial Common for two days. Students chose to occupy the quad in order to pressure their university to disclose their financial ties to Israel, divest, and denounce Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. The Northeastern Liberation Zone encampment was bustling with activity ahead of mass arrests Northeastern University released a statement defending their choice to send police in riot gear after peaceful protesters. The administration claimed that hateful sp ..read more

[[{“value”:” In a narrow alleyway, roughly 200 student protestors stood shoulder to shoulder as riot police streamed in. Their heroic stand should inspire us all. By Henry De Groot THEATER DISTRICT – It’s been a long time since anyone called this part of town the Combat Zone. That name recalls a grittier Boston of the 80s and 90s in which peep shows and late night brawls characterized the neighborhood, although these have long since been replaced by throngs of tourists and a Tatte Bakery and Cafe with a view of the Boston Common.  Now this neighborhood – which runs from Downtown Crossing ..read more

[[{“value”:” By Vanessa Bartlett BU’s Reslife Union and Grad Workers Union gathered for a rally at Marsh Plaza on Friday BOSTON – The Boston University Reslife Union joined BU Graduate Workers on strike, walking out during the Boston Marathon weekend, which they describe as the busiest weekend of the year for Reslife workers.  “You may know, Halloweekeend, Saint Patrick’s Day are huge days and weekends. Marathon Monday is bigger than all of those combined,” said Jasmine Richardson, a second-year RA and junior at BU. “[RA’s] are incredibly valuable to making sure that Boston University is ..read more

[[{“value”:” CHICAGO – Speaking at an event on the first day of Labor Notes, workers from Essential Workers For Democracy (EW4D) announced a lawsuit by two rank and file members which they are bringing against the United Food and Commercial Workers international (UFCW). “UFCW’s system is rigged to keep certain rank and file members’ voices quiet, just as CEOs and corporations rig the workplace to keep workers’ voices quiet,” said one of the plaintiffs, Iris Scott, who is a grocery worker in Western Massachusetts and member of UFCW 1459. “We’ve seen how equal representation has transformed the ..read more

[[{“value”:”Rev. Blair Stowe, 4th year PhD candidate at BU School of Theology, pictured with her family. By Vanessa Bartlett Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU), represented by SEIU-509, have been on strike for over a week. This past Friday, members of BUGWU brought their loved ones to the picket line for a “family day”, to raise awareness for graduate workers who support a family on BU’s inadequate wages.  “When the annual cost of childcare for an infant exceeds my annual salary, it’s incredibly difficult to work 60 hours a week and have a child,” said Reverend Blair Stowe ..read more

[[{“value”:” By Vanessa Bartlett This past Wednesday, graduate workers from Boston University reaffirmed their intentions to go on strike starting Monday, March 25. A rally is scheduled for Monday at 12pm at Marsh Plaza.  On March 12, members of the Boston University Graduate Workers Union (BUGWU), represented by SEIU-509, voted 90% in favor of strike authorization. Graduate workers’ reasons for walking out are manifold.  Lacking childcare benefits, insufficient healthcare and dental benefits, and lack of job security protections leave many grads vulnerable, and many BUGWU members s ..read more