Statewide strike encouraged in Minnesota
By Mike Moen – Producer /Minnesota News Connection
With federal immigration agents showing no signs of leaving Minnesota, labour organizers want to display a large sense of solidarity in condemning ICE enforcement.
Major union partners are part of a push for a statewide strike planned for January 23rd.
Billed as a “Day of Truth and Freedom,” a delegation of labour offices calls on people around the state to – if they can – stay home from work or school on Friday, and not shop, either.
Mirroring what community voices are saying, union leaders say people in targeted neighbourhoods, including workers, are already forced into hiding regardless of their immigration status.
Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation AFL-CIO, hopes fellow residents take a stand.
“We need everyone to pay attention,” Glaubitz Gabiou emphasized.
“We think that on January 23rd, if we all stand together in solidarity and mass mobilization, we can get the attention of the folks who need to step in and make this chaos stop.”
Federal officials, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, appeared on weekend national talk shows to defend ICE activity in Minnesota.
But this month’s fatal shooting of Renee Good, along with social media videos showing aggressive ICE enforcement, is leading to more calls for the operation to end.
Glaubitz Gabiou notes they hope to send a message to all political leaders and notable businesses with influence.
Retail chains like Target face scrutiny for not being as vocal, even with some workers being detained while on the job.
Glaubitz Gabiou argues business leaders should not worry about retaliation from the Trump administration.
“Even our best and brightest business community leaders, who have invested in our community for so long, are a part of this pawn game that Trump is playing,” Glaubitz Gabiou contended.
While they are appealing to all elected officials, unions decry the federal government for reportedly investigating Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Officials claim Walz and Frey are impeding the operation with their criticism of ICE activity.
Glaubitz Gabiou countered that false labels are being applied to the pushback, saying the reality is people are buying whistles to alert their neighbours and film ICE arrests with their phones, noting it is rooted in peace, love and determination.
“It is true grit of the folks that are showing up,” Glaubitz Gabiou stressed. “The people who live in these neighbourhoods – these are not paid protesters. We cannot understate enough the amount of community support and neighbourhood support that has been built.”
