Pledge to Strike Back on May Day

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Trump wants to re-open the economy on April 30, and many billionaires want us to risk our lives to prop up their corporate profits. We won’t die for Wall Street! We need to prepare for social-distancing workplace protests, rent strikes, and strikes to demand safe workplaces, support for the unemployed, health care for all, hazard pay, and suspension of mortgage, rent, and utility payments.

Sign the pledge to strike back on May Day here!

Actions to Take: 

— Organize your building with Rent Strike 2020 for mass non-payment of rent, mortgages, and utilities beginning on May 1! They can’t evict us all if we’re organized and ready to resist.

— Union leaders should help all workers prepare for strong coordinated workplace action (with appropriate social distancing) on May 1 to demand safe workplaces, hazard pay, Medicare for All and paid sick leave.

— Prepare for coordinated protests on May 1 at non-union workplaces as well. Begin organizing groups of the most determined workers to develop demands and petitions. Unions should actively support this effort and initiative union organizing drives.

— If they try to send millions of us back to unsafe workplaces, then on May 1 we will strike together!

— Using appropriate social distancing, everyone who agrees that we shouldn’t die for Wall Street should coordinate coming outside (or out your windows) at the same time to show solidarity with frontline workers and each other. We can hold signs with our demands, bang pots and pans, chant together and support each other.

Our Demands: 

  1. No return to work without safe workplaces, including PPE and social distancing. For workers to vote on whether or not to return to work.
  2. Hazard Pay of “time-and-a-half” for all frontline workers. Full sick pay for all workers who become ill or have to care for family.
  3. Suspension of rent, mortgage and utility bills with no penalty or requirement to pay back landlords or utility providers.
  4. Medicare for All NOW!
  5. Defend and extend union rights!
  6. For $2,000 a month government payments to all U.S. residents, paid for by taxes on the billionaires and big corporations.

Petition Launchers Include:

  • Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Council Member
  • Ryan Timlin, ATU Local 1005 President* – Minnesota
  • Derrick Palmer, Amazon walkout organizer in Staten Island
  • Marty Harrison, TUHNA EBoard* – Philadelphia
  • Sarah Dowd, NYC nurse and activist
  • Vanessa Bain, leader of Instacart strike
  • Justin Harrison, CWA Local 13000 Unit 1 Sect* – Philadelphia
  • Keon Liberato, President Local 3012 Teamsters/BMWE*
  • Chad Kieffer, AEA/NEA UA-FEA 965, At-Large* – Arkansas

* personal capacity

Sign the pledge to strike back on May Day here!

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