WINONA, Minn. – A Winona labor activist called on local people to join an online planning session Wednesday for the national general strike on May 1. Loval time: 7 p.m. Advanced registration required. Jenna Chernega urged participation “whether you are a long-time advocate or are looking for ways to engage with the broader labor movement.” Chernega, a sociology professor at Winona State, is the immediate past president of the statewide IFO professors union. The call, Chernega said, will update plans for the “No Work, No School, No Shopping” general strike and offer tools for local participation. The strike, she said, is important for:
> Protecting Education: Resisting attacks on academic freedom and ensuring our institutions remain open for critical thinking rather than corporate or political interests.
> Labor Solidarity: Standing with workers across the country in demanding fully funded schools, healthcare, and more.
> Democracy: Recognizing that meaningful action on the most pressing issues facing our country is only possible if we protect our democratic rights and the freedom to organize.
Bernie Sanders. Vermont senator, a transgenerational icon for People Power, will share his thoughts on how general strikes can change public policy gone wrong.
United educators
Among May Day Strong Coalition supporters: American Association of University Professors, American Federation of Teachers, Labor for Higher Education, Sunrise Movement, Students Rise Up, and Schools Drop ICE.