The Fight Against Amazon, AI, Robotics,& The IBT
'One flag for each laid off dev:' CWA Union workers stage unmissable protest for Xbox boss Asha Sharma
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/-one-flag-for-each-laid-off-dev-union-members-stage-unmissable-protest-for-xbox-boss-asha-sharma
It would be difficult to ignore …the giant inflatable rat on the lawn.A headshot of a giant inflatable rat outside the Bethesda office in Rockville
Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, News,GameDeveloper.com
August 12, 2026
Yesterday, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma paid a visit to Bethesda's office in Rockville, Maryland, to catch a glimpse of The Elder Scrolls VI.
To mark the occasion, Communications Workers of America (CWA) union workers staged a rather memorable protest by deploying a giant inflatable rat (known as 'Scabby'—a reference to the derogatory name for someone who might undermine the action of union members) outside the office and raising a sea of red flags to represent each person laid off by Xbox under the leadership of Sharma.
The CWA represents a vast number of Xbox employees spanning developers, artists, engineers, producers, user researchers, and the customer support staff behind some of Microsoft's biggest franchises, including Call of Duty, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and more.
According to a statement sent to Game Developer by OneBGS-CWA union member Nathan Hahn, the protest was designed to force Sharma to reckon with the human cost of the mass layoffs that have become the norm within Microsoft and other studios across the video game industry.
In July, Sharma confirmed plans to eliminate 3,200 jobs across Microsoft's video game division by the end of the current fiscal year—starting with immediate cuts at major studios including Obsidian, id Software, and ZeniMax Online Studios. It marked the fifth round of mass layoffs at Xbox in three years.
"We heard that Microsoft leadership was coming to our office this week, and decided to make our presence visible at the office to show how our developers have been impacted by these devastating layoffs," said Hahn.
"To show our presence, we put up posters around the office, but we were immediately told by management we couldn't have posters facing the outside of our cubes. Then, we brought in balloons so that they could see we were here, but inside our cubes this time. A separate team of laid off developers planted flags outside, one flag for each laid off dev. Each flag was a public reminder of how many people management cut from our teams—not just our colleagues and coworkers, but our friends at the end of the day.
"We're mobilizing to fight back against these layoffs not just to ensure impacted Xbox devs and testers get treated fairly, but to remind our company and game studios everywhere that layoffs like this cannot continue. If Microsoft leadership does not have the courage to do what's right for our studios to make the best possible games, it's up to us to stand up for each other and protect the future of our careers and the game industry."
The protest came just weeks after CWA members in the United States and Canada staged numerous 'Save Our Devs' rallies outside Xbox offices in both countries. More rallies are set to be held on August 18, 2026, outside Xbox studios in Irvine, Austin, Dallas, Seattle, Albany, Rockville, Hunt Valley, Montreal, and Minneapolis.
CWA labor unions in Canada and the United States have also taken legal action against Microsoft for allegedly mishandling its latest round of job cuts. In July, CWA Canada president Carmel Smyth told Game Developer the company "unlawf
It would be hard to miss the giant inflatable rat on the lawn.
www.gamedeveloper.comMumia Abu Jamal Remembers Dr. Johanna Fernandez; New Orleans Activists Speak Out Against ICE Detention Centers; Author Ian Lustick Examines Israel’s Lobby
…https://capitalismraceanddemocracy.org/2026/08/16/mumia-abu-jamal-remembers-dr-johanna-fernandez-new-orleans-activists-speak-out-against-ice-detention-centers-author-ian-lustick-examines-israels-lobby/
By Capitalism, Race & Democracy – August 16, 20264
Dr. Johanna Fernández, the Dominican American historian, prison abolitionist, movement scholar, and a voice on Pacifica Radio, died on July 30, 2026, after a years-long struggle with cancer. She was 55. Johanna’s primary political work for many years was as an active organizer and strategist with the campaign to free political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. We share Mumia’s commentary from prison, honoring her and her life’s work.
***
Louisiana has become a major center of the Trump administration’s ICE detention system and its attacks on immigrants. More than 8,000 people are being held in detention camps across the state. In New Orleans, activists have been rallying throughout the city to protest the raids and detention of immigrants and the broader Trump agenda. They spoke with Pacifica’s Capitalism, Race & Democracy about what is happening in New Orleans and across Louisiana.
***
Ian Lustick is the co-author of Israel’s Lobby, America In the Grip Of A Foreign Power, a new book about the role of the US in Israel and the merger of US and Israeli foreign policy and military industries. He spoke with Pacifica’s Steve Zeltzer.
We thank all of Pacifica’s sister stations and affiliates that contribute to the production of this show. Today’s program was produced by the Capitalism, Race & Democracy collective, with contributions from Steve Zeltzer, Ann Garrison, Polina Vasiliev, and Thomas O’Rourke.
You can find this and all previous episodes at our website “capitalism race and democracy dot ORG”. Make sure you click the subscribe button. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @PacificaCRD.
Thanks for listening.
Music:
Rebel Diaz – Free’em All
David Rovics – performed by Ai Tsuno – “Israel First”
Dr. Johanna Fernández, the Dominican American historian, prison abolitionist, movement scholar, and a voice on Pacifica Radio, died on July 30,…
capitalismraceanddemocracy.orgCalHR says it didn’t meet with CAPS UAW Local 1115 state scientist on unfunded raises before July
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article316858606.html#storylink=
By Corey Schmidt
August 12, 2026 4:47 PM
California Association Professional …Scientists-UAW Local 1115 members march around the block outside the California Department of Human Resources in Sacramento on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The California Department of Human Resources on Wednesday said it didn’t meet with the union ahead of July 1, a condition of a side letter agreement signed last year. HG BIGGS hg.biggs@sacbee.com The California Department of Human Resources on Wednesday confirmed it did not meet and confer with state scientists before their raises went unfunded last month — a condition of a side letter agreement made last year between the state and the scientists’ union. Paul Starkey, deputy director of labor relations for CalHR, revealed the shortcoming before the state Senate Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation during an informational hearing to determine how the raises went unfunded. TOP VIDEOS In the California Association Professional Scientists, UAW Local 1115’s contract, state scientists were scheduled to receive special salary adjustments on July 1 ranging from 3% to 5%. However, even though the contract was ratified by the Legislature and Governor’s Office, the raises were not included in the budget. The Governor’s Office previously said the raises were contingent on the Legislature funding the proposal that, according to a legislative analyst’s report, would have cost the general fund roughly $8.6 million. The subcommittee’s chair, state Sen. Laura Richardson, D-San Pedro, asked how the raises flew under the radar, given it was a previously agreed upon deal. Nick Schroeder, an analyst with the Legislative Analyst’s Office, said the Department of Finance didn’t include the raises in the budget nor give direct notice of its absence, saying the only indication of unfunded raises was the omission itself. Schroeder also said eliminating raises was not included in a list of solutions to fix California’s financial trajectory as an $18 billion deficit was projected by legislative analysts this January. California saw a surge in projected revenues — an estimated $25 billion higher than what was initially expected — in part due to artificial intelligence, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting, closing the deficit for the next two years. Representatives from DOF, including Program Budget Manager Rosanna Nguyen, also testified and confirmed the department didn’t include the raises in its proposal to the Legislature. State does not require the Legislature to fund raises, according to Starkey, but it opens the door to renegotiate union contracts, bringing forth questions about the strength these deals have if the state doesn’t follow through with promised funding. “It seems like ignoring a negotiated contract is as easy as choosing not to fund what you negotiated and agreed to in (a contract), so what good is the process if that’s all it takes?” said state Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, during the hearing. Starkey told lawmakers CalHR first informed the union raises were in jeopardy due to California’s financial strain by negotiating the side letter, which was signed in August of last year. They agreed upon included cost savings, like eliminating a telework stipend and also set guidelines if raises went unfunded, like requiring CalHR meet and confer with CAPS-UAW on or before July 1. Starkey said the budget was approved at the last minute, which made it difficult to meet with the union, which represents about 5,000 employees. The union was informed of the shift on June 30. “That would have been an impossibility because we didn’t know what the budget held,” Starkey said. This isn’t the only case of last-minute communication between CalHR and state worker unions to unfold this summer. The state informed another union, SEIU Local 1000, that nine of its contract proposals were rejected the same day the previous agreement expired, according to a filing by SEIU Local 1000 with the Public Employment Relations Board. Both Richardson and Seyarto said they intend to advocate on behalf of state scientists to get their raises.
California Department of Human Resources testified Wednesday before lawmakers about unfunded state scientist raises. Here’s what to know.
www.sacbee.comLabor Unions Rally Outside Delaney Hall While Families Wait to Visit Detained Loved Ones
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/newark/sections/essex-county-news/articles/labor-unions-rally-outside-delaney-hall-while-families-wait-to-visit-detained-loved-ones
A mother cries after being told that …visitation at Delaney Hall has been canceled for the day amid a labor union rally on Sunday, July 26.
On Sunday, dozens of union members joined community organizations outside the Newark immigrant detention facility, calling for the release of detainees, an end to alleged abusive conditions inside Delaney Hall and, ultimately, the closure of the center itself.
Gabriela Soto, the wife of Martin Soto, who was detained at Delaney Hall and transferred to the Elizabeth Detention Center, calls on the immediate release of her husband.
Sunday's labor union demonstration was the latest in a series of monthly rallies organized by Labor Eyes on ICE, a coalition of labor unions that argues immigrant detention is a workers' rights issue as much as an immigration issue.
A mother and her three young children approach the gate at Delaney Hall on Sunday to inquire about visitation hours.
Gabriela Soto is comforted by a volunteer after she announced that she has lost her pregnancy about a week ago. Her husband, Martin Soto, was detained in Delaney Hall before getting transferred to the Elizabeth Detention Center.
A mother cries after being told that visitation at Delaney Hall has been canceled for the day amid a labor union rally on Sunday, July 26.
On Sunday, dozens of union members joined community organizations outside the Newark immigrant detention facility, calling for the release of detainees, an end to alleged abusive conditions inside Delaney Hall and, ultimately, the closure of the center itself.
Photo Credit: Nicole Zanchelli
By Nicole Zanchelli
Published July 27, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Last updated July 27, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Children wait beside parents hoping for an hour with a father, husband or son held inside the Newark immigration detention facility. Volunteers unload folding tables, water, coffee, snacks and medical supplies beneath a hospitality tent. Labor union members unfurl banners reading “ICE out, free them all.”
Before long, chants through a megaphone echo across Doremus Avenue in Newark.
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What started as a small gathering of union members last summer has evolved into a ritual that blends labor activism and immigrant rights advocacy.
"This started with about five people a year ago," said Geoff Johnson of the Labor Eyes on ICE coalition and the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), which argue that immigrant detention is a workers' rights issue as much as an immigration issue. "The momentum has definitely built in the last three months."
On Sunday, dozens of union members joined community organizations outside the Newark immigrant detention facility, calling for the release of detainees, an end to alleged abusive conditions inside Delaney Hall and, ultimately, the closing of the center itself.
Representatives from HPAE Local 5094, OPEIU Local 153, URA-AFT Local 1766, PSC-CUNY, Newark Library Workers, Newark Teachers Union, Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union, New Labor, Workers United NYNJ, United Council of Academics (UCAN) at NJIT, and People’s Organization for Progress attended Sunday’s rally. Teamster members also made an appearance.
“We were here before the labor and hunger strikes, and we’re going to be here until it [Delaney Hall] gets shut down,” said Herb Chacon of HPAE Local 5094, who emceed the rally. “Unions should be anywhere a strike is happening, and that includes outside a detention center.”
Allegedly, hunger and labor strikes by Delaney Hall detainees began Memorial Day weekend due to alleged deplorable, inhumane conditions, such as the denial of medical care and finding worms in their food.
The strikes came to an end in late June, according to advocacy groups, after what Eyes on ICE coalition members claimed were retaliatory actions that included beating detainees, transferring detainees out of the facility, and placing them in solitary confinement. The Department of Homeland Security has maintained that there was no hunger strike and that no one was abused.
One of the Delaney Hall detainees, Martin Soto, was picked up by ICE on Feb. 1, 2026 while buying diapers for his 11-month-old son. On May 22, his wife Gabriela Soto, who was about four months pregnant with the couple’s third child, organized a press conference at which detainees detailed the alleged inhumane conditions and announced a hunger and labor strike.
Martin was allegedly singled out as the leader of the strike. Gabriela Soto and others said he was later transferred out of Delaney Hall and is currently held at the Elizabeth Detention Center.
Social media reports indicate that Soto is facing 10 federal charges since he was transferred to the Elizabeth facility. The ICE media office did not confirm nor detail these alleged charges.
"My husband is a good father. He's a good husband. He's a good person, and he doesn't deserve to have his name tarnished," Gabriela Soto said at Sunday’s rally. "When you're desperate, and you want answers, that's the only reason a strike happens."
Gabriela Soto, who took long pauses between her words, revealed that she suffered the loss of her pregnancy about a week ago, forcing the family to postpone plans to seek her husband's discretionary release.
"We need to show that the power of the people is what's stronger," she said. "We need to continue showing that we together are not going to give up.”
Local union members have organized a movement to write letters to the ICE Field Office asking for the immediate release of Martin Soto.
Throughout Sunday morning, speaker after speaker argued that the people filling New Jersey's detention facilities are workers rather than public safety threats.
“This administration has said time and time again, they go after the worst of the worst,” said Amanda Dominguez, an organizer with New Labor. “However, we keep seeing in New Jersey that we're getting workplace raids. This is an attack on working-class people.”
For many who gather outside Delaney Hall on the weekend, the work extends beyond rallying cries and protest signs.
Every Sunday morning since Father’s Day, Monmouth County resident John Weber drives a mother and her two children from Howell to Newark so they can visit the children's father inside the detention center. The trip has become part of his weekly routine.
"I pick them up at 8:15 a.m., we get up here around 9:15, and they get in line for an 11:30 a.m. visit,” Weber said. “I wanted to help, and now it’s just what I do on Sunday.”
The family that Weber drove to Delaney Hall was able to visit the husband and father. But several families arriving early Sunday afternoon weren’t so fortunate, as visitation was canceled allegedly due to the labor union rally.
At about 11:46 a.m., four unmarked black vans accelerated into Delaney Hall’s entrance while pedestrians were crossing near the gate.
Soon afterward, guards informed waiting families that visitation had been suspended. According to protesters standing beside the gate, one officer shouted, "No more visitation. You can thank these people."
GEO Group and ICE did not respond to questions about Sunday’s visitation hours. Organizers disputed any connection between Sunday’s peaceful demonstration and the visitation cancellation.
According to volunteers, about 40 to 60 people per unit visit Delaney Hall during the weekend. When families are turned away, volunteers simply apologize to disappointed loved ones and direct them to the hospitality tent.
Despite occasional tensions over visitation, Johnson said organizers believe maintaining a visible presence remains essential.
"Labor unions should be taking a stand on this issue publicly," he said. "Some folks don't like these protests because it can interfere with visitation. I'm sympathetic to that viewpoint, but I can't not be present and protest because there might be consequences.”
Union members and activists rallied outside Delaney Hall to protest the facility’s inhumane conditions and demand the release of those held inside.
www.tapinto.netLabor, Unions & The Fight For Black Representation, Against Redistricting, Slavery & Fascism In NOL
https://youtu.be/dSAFeh1wLm8
The frontal attack on the Black working class and people in the South and the fightback by labor and the trade unions was a focus of national panel held …during the Teamster National Black Caucus convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Speakers talked about the role of the trade unions, labor and the intensifying attacks on Black representation in the South, redistricting, union busting, slavery and the growth and dangers of fascism and the
The forum took place on August 13, 2026.
Speakers Included:
Valerie Jefferson – ATU 1560 President, fired by company for defending rank & file, NAACP Labor
Industrial Committee Louisiana Chair
Richard Hooker – IBT 623 Secretary Treasurer, Philadelphia & Fearless IBT Presidential Candidate
CC Cambell-Rock – Independent Black Journalist New Orleans Activist
Aubrey Stallworth – IBT 20 TBNC Chapter Toledo, Ohio
Clarence Thomas – ILWU Local 10 San Francisco Secretary Treasurer retired, Million Worker March Founder
Richard Bell, NAACP District A VP Louisiana Veteran's Chair
IBT 728 Steward, Member of Fearless Slate Carol Lang – AFT PSC Delegate, UFCLP
Additional Media:
New Orleans Activists At Pop Up Speak Out Against ICE Attacks, Concentration Camps & Fascism
https://youtu.be/szzZnbuCAew
Production of Labor Video Project
www.labormedia.net
The frontal attack on the Black working class and people in the Sou…
youtu.beLabor, Unions & The Fight For Black Representation, Against Redistricting, Slavery & Fascism In NOL
New Orleans Activists At Pop Up Speak Out Against ICE Attacks, Concentration Camps & Fascism
https://youtu.be/szzZnbuCAew
There are a growing number of regular protests in New Orleans protesting the ICE raids, concentration camps and fascism. These interviews took place on August 12, …2026 at one of the regular pop up rallies taking place around the City..
Production Of Labor Video Project
www.labormedia.net
Trump's Rebaiting Supporters Attacking IAM and Labor For Defending Cuba
https://www.help.senate.gov/rep/newsroom/press/chairman-cassidy-slams-far-left-union-for-colluding-with-murderous-cuban-regime-forcing-workers-to-fund-anti-american-propaganda
Chairman Cassidy Slams Far-Left Union… for Colluding with Murderous Cuban Regime, Forcing Workers to Fund Anti-American Propaganda
08.14.2026
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, slammed the International Association of Machinists (IAM) for colluding with the Cuban regime to spread communist propaganda and undermine America’s national security.
A recent bombshell report from the U.S. Department of State highlighted how the Cuban regime has co-opted labor unions to promote their aims. It also referenced a report that IAM officials used workers’ dues to promote Cuban propaganda. IAM officials organized an event on union property with David Ramírez Álvarez, a Cuban diplomat, who instructed workers on ways to support the Cuban regime and oppose U.S. policy on Cuba. Additionally, Kevin Kucera, a senior local IAM official, appeared in a video released by the Cuban Embassy urging Americans to protest in defense of “the solidarity of Cuba.”
For decades, the Cuban regime has engaged in schemes like these in other sectors to influence policymaking and disrupt American society.
“American workers should not be compelled to finance advocacy that advances the foreign policy aims of a hostile foreign power, particularly one responsible for the deaths of at least three U.S. citizens and one U.S. resident in international waters,” wrote Dr. Cassidy.
“These examples raise serious concerns that IAM Union officials have used their positions within the union to advocate for policy objectives promoted by the Cuban regime as part of a foreign influence scheme,” continued Dr. Cassidy.
Read the full letter here or below.
Dear Mr. Bryant,
As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, I am committed to ensuring that the dues American workers pay to unions go to improving pay and securing better working conditions. Recently, the U.S. Department of State released a report titled Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism, which outlines how the Cuban regime has cultivated influence within U.S. labor unions through trips to Cuba, strategy sessions attended by union officials, and other outreach efforts.[1] According to the report, certain International Association of Machinists (IAM or IAM Union) officials have embraced these efforts, including by participating in travel to Cuba and taking policy positions aligned with the regime.[2] I am concerned that IAM Union member dues are financing efforts to change U.S. policy related to the Cuban regime, a State Sponsor of Terror, instead of supporting American workers’ priorities.[3]
IAM Union has provided the Cuban regime with a platform to influence U.S. policy through the actions of at least one local IAM Union official and one union member. For example, they have organized or participated in a meeting as part of the U.S. Hands Off Cuba campaign to change U.S.-Cuba policy. This meeting was held at Machinists Hall, a local IAM Union hall, where David Ramírez Álvarez, second secretary at the Embassy of Cuba, instructed union members on ways to support Cuba’s policy priorities and oppose U.S. law related to Cuba.[4] During the same meeting, an individual identified as an IAM representative stated “the job now is defending Cuba in whatever way we can” while encouraging delegations to the island.[5] IAM District 190’s Area Director, Kevin Kucera, also attended this meeting.[6] One labor-focused delegation to the island includes tourist sites like museum and aquarium visits, “downtime in Havana beaches,” and “whatever else you want…”[7]
The Cuban regime has also used the IAM Union for propagandistic purposes. Speaking on behalf of IAM Union and the AFL-CIO, Mr. Kucera appeared in a video released by the Cuban Embassy urging Americans to protest in defense of “the solidarity of Cuba.”[8] The Cuban Embassy characterized his advocacy as support for ending the U.S. “blockade.”[9] In a separate video, Mr. Kucera welcomed two Cuban Embassy representatives to a meeting while advocating for a wholesale change in U.S. policy towards Cuba.[10]
Tom Brandon, the IAM Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the California State Conference, has likewise advocated for policies supporting the Cuban regime. He has been described as part of a team that worked to unanimously pass a resolution out of the California AFL-CIO convention urging the removal of Cuba as a state sponsor of terror.[11]
These examples raise serious concerns that IAM Union officials have used their positions within the union to advocate for policy objectives promoted by the Cuban regime as part of a foreign influence scheme. American workers should not be compelled to finance advocacy that advances the foreign policy aims of a hostile foreign power, particularly one responsible for the deaths of at least three U.S. citizens and one U.S. resident in international waters.[12] To that end, I request answers to the following questions by August 27, 2026 .
Union dues
What is the average amount of money each IAM Union member pays annually in dues?
In 2025, Kevin Kucera earned more than $165,000 in salary.
Were any of the political activities described above, or any other activities related to U.S.-Cuba policy, conducted during work hours or using union resources including but not limited to union computers, phones, office supplies, or other union-owned equipment?
Was Mr. Kucera reimbursed for any costs related to the above-mentioned political activities or any activities related to U.S.-Cuba policy?
Did the U.S. Hands Off Cuba Committee pay fair market value for its use of Machinists Hall? Did the event displace or conflict with any other scheduled or requested use of the Hall by workers?
Has the U.S. Hands Off Cuba Committee or the Cuban regime or an organization on their behalf reimbursed IAM Union or its members for any costs whatsoever?
Has IAM Union ever paid for any costs related to its participation in the U.S. Hands Off Cuba Committee?
Has IAM Union paid for, covered any costs, or provided in-kind donations (such as the use of space) related to any member of the Cuban regime participating in a meeting, strategy session, or other gathering for any reason?
Have IAM Union dues been used to cover the cost of or expenses related to trips by IAM members at any level to Cuba?[13]
If not, has the Cuban regime, Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP) or the National Network on Cuba (NNOC) covered the costs of these trips or reimbursed IAM Union for the cost of or expenses related to the trip?
Union policies and contacts
IAM’s mission states it is the “natural right of working people to enjoy to the full extent the wealth created by their labor.” However, Cuban workers are prohibited from forming independent labor unions outside of the government-controlled union and have faced repressive actions for attempting to do so. How does IAM reconcile its stated mission with advocacy by IAM officials or members in support of the Cuban regime or its policy objectives?[14]
The Cuban regime has a decades-long history of infiltration and espionage with the aim of influencing US policy toward Cuba.[15] Is IAM Union national concerned that its members might be the target of an influence campaign with member dues being used to advance the interests of a State Sponsor of Terror?
Does IAM Union maintain an official position regarding U.S. policy towards Cuba?
If so, does this position align with the position adopted by California AFL-CIO? If not, please explain any differences.
Approximately how many IAM Union member hours have been devoted to advocacy concerning U.S.-Cuba policy, including travel, meetings, lobbying efforts, public events, or other related activities?
How does that number compare with the time IAM has spent on contract administration or other issues related to collective bargaining?
Have any IAM Union members coordinated with ICAP or the NNOC regarding advocacy related to U.S.-Cuba policy?
If so, please describe the content and outcome of each conversation and the Cuban regime-affiliated, ICAP, or NNOC participants.
Have IAM Union officials or members at any level coordinated with the NNOC to adopt its model resolution language?[16]
If so, has IAM Union at any level paid any costs associated with the adoption of a resolution related to U.S.-Cuba policy? Has the NNOC, ICAP, or the Cuban regime paid any costs associated with the adoption of a resolution related to U.S.-Cuba policy?
Does IAM have any written policies or reporting requirements governing contacts with governments designated by the United States as State Sponsors of Terror?
If so, please provide copies of such policies.
Does IAM Union encourage its national, district, or local officers or representatives to use their IAM positions to urge American to protest or advocate on behalf of a foreign power and State Sponsor of Terror?
If such conduct is prohibited by IAM Union rules or policies, please provide a copy of that policy and any applicable sanctions.
To date, have any IAM Union officers, including local officers or business representatives, consulted with the Cuban regime, the Cuban Embassy, ICAP, or NNOC – including government, diplomatic, academic, or labor union leaders – regarding contract terms or other potential provisions that would impact how IAM Union structures its contract demands?
If so, please describe the content and outcome of each conversation and Cuban regime, Cuban Embassy, ICAP, or NNOC participants.
According to a former Cuban intelligence officer, at one time, “roughly 90 percent of ICAP personnel are thought to be DI (Cuban Directorate of Intelligence)-affiliated.”[17]
Has IAM Union conducted any vetting of its officers or members’ interactions with ICAP personnel or conducted background checks on ICAP personnel interacting with the union?
If not, is IAM Union aware of this concern?
Has IAM’s political action committee, including its California political action committee, ever made any political contribution or endorsement with the aim of changing U.S-Cuba policy?
Has anyone involved in IAM’s political action committee at any level coordinated with, spoken to, or considered the interests or advice of ICAP, NNOC, or the Cuban Embassy in making contributions to or supporting candidates at any level?
If so, please describe the content and outcome of each conversation and the Cuban regime-affiliated, ICAP, or NNOC participants.
Has any member of IAM Union met with federal government officials to advocate for a change in U.S. policy as it relates to Cuba?
If so, please provide the following information:
Number of meetings
Dates of meetings
Meeting attendees
Specific asks of IAM Union members in meetings
Any communication, including documentation, between such IAM union members and federal officials that occurred in addition to the meeting
Any communication, including documentation, between such IAM union members and members of the Cuban regime, the Cuban Embassy, ICAP, or NNOC – including government, diplomatic, academic, or labor union leaders.
Sincerely,
###
For all news and updates from HELP Republicans, visit our website or Twitter at @GOPHELP
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, slammed…
www.help.senate.govNew Orleans Activists Speaks Out Against ICE, Concentration Camps & Fascism
Waymo wins Newsom’s CPUC approval for drastic expansion in Los Angeles, Bay Area regions
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100028577903160
Waymo's new autonomous vehicle, called the Ojai, drives in Venice Beach on May 27.
Waymo’s new autonomous vehicle, called the Ojai, …drives in Venice Beach on May 27. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Times staffer Caroline Petrow-Cohen
By Caroline Petrow-Cohen
Staff Writer
Aug. 14, 2026 4:39 PM PT
Waymo’s robotaxis will soon roam a much larger portion of California as the company received approval to expand across 18 counties.
The California Public Utilities Commission gave Waymo permission to operate in San Diego and Sacramento, as well as in communities in Marin, Napa, Orange and Riverside counties, among others.
The approval will allow the Alphabet-owned company to more than triple its service area in the regions surrounding Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Waymo launches cheaper robotaxis in Los Angeles
May 29, 2026
“While Waymo is receiving its permits today, expansion will be gradual and guided by its safety framework,” said Waymo spokesperson Sandy Karp. “Waymo’s immediate focus is preparing to launch rider-only service in San Diego later this summer and continuing to validate its technology in Sacramento.”
On Friday, Waymo, based in Mountain View, announced the CPUC approved a letter from the company first filed in January. The new service area will eventually stretch from Santa Clarita and Thousand Oaks down to San Diego in Southern California, and from Sacramento to San Jose in Northern California.
The expansion follows Waymo’s launch of its new vehicle dubbed the Ojai, which is larger and cheaper to produce than the retrofitted Jaguar I-Paces that the company previously relied on.
Waymo rift leaves Uber’s robotaxi ambitions on shaky ground
Aug. 4, 2026
Waymo is well ahead in the robotaxi race, operating in more than 10 major cities while Elon Musk’s Tesla is still facing safety and operational glitches.
Zoox, Amazon’s robotaxi effort, launched its first paid, driverless rides in Las Vegas earlier this week.
Waymo’s self-driving vehicles, which utilize cameras, sensors and lidar, have driven more than 220 million fully autonomous miles. Data collected from miles driven shows Waymo is involved in an estimated 94% fewer collisions that cause serious injuries, Karp said.
A Zoox robotaxi is seen driving on November 19, 2025 in San Francisco, California. Zoox, the Amazon-owned robotaxi service, has begun carrying select riders in San Francisco after launching a free ride program in Las Vegas while it waits for regulatory approval to operate as a paid service. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
BUSINESS
Zoox to begin paid rides following first-of-its-kind regulatory approval
Aug. 10, 2026
Still, collisions involving Waymo vehicles have garnered public attention and criticism, including when a Waymo struck and killed a beloved neighborhood cat in San Francisco last year.
“We look forward to bringing the same mobility and safety benefits millions of Californians already enjoy to more communities, keeping local officials and residents informed every step of the way,” Waymo said in its announcement.
Some Unions Support Techno Fascist Ellison Family On Takeover Of Warner-Hollywood unions split: DGA, IATSE seek settlement while WGA fights to block Paramount-Warner merger
…https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2026-08-13/dga-iatse-want-paramount-warner-merger-settlement
Hollywood unions split: DGA, IATSE seek settlement while WGA fights to block Paramount-Warner merger
A close-up of a water tower with the Warner Bros. logo; nearby, the U.S. flag against a patchy sky
Two prominent unions are demanding a settlement in the battle over Warner Bros. (Mario Tama / Getty Images)
Meg James.
By Meg James
Staff Writer
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Aug. 13, 2026
Citing Hollywood’s already struggling production economy, two influential industry unions have jointly called on Paramount Skydance Chairman David Ellison and California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta to settle their antitrust fight.
The Directors Guild of America and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees — which represent a combined 200,000 union members — are turning up the political pressure to resolve the clash over the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, which has already carved deep divisions throughout the industry.
The DGA and IATSE’s unusual missive comes as Paramount has been trying to drum up support for the deal and while film projects reportedly are being put on hold. Paramount executives and others have decried the delay in deciding whether the deal moves forward. Bonta and Paramount are now poised to slug it out next spring in an Oakland courtroom.
“Our collective members are concerned about their futures, and the future of the industry,” DGA Executive Director Russell Hollander and IATSE President Matthew D. Loeb wrote Thursday in their three-page letter to Ellison and Bonta.
“We are aware of productions that have been put on hold or canceled altogether, leading to further reductions in available work for our members and other industry workers,” the letter reads in part.
The effort adds heat to a growing campaign urging Bonta to bend in his fight to block the industry-reshaping deal that would combine the Warner Bros. and Paramount film and television studios, HBO, CBS, CNN, HGTV and Comedy Central.
Earlier this week, California’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Xavier Becerra, said he favored a settlement. Republican Steve Hilton has criticized the antitrust lawsuit as being politically motivated.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who leaves office next year, has stayed above the fray.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 22: David Ellison, Chairman & CEO, Paramount Skydance speaks on stage during New York Upfront Partnership Event 2026 at Storied NYC on April 22, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Paramount)
HOLLYWOOD INC.
Inside David Ellison’s desperate fight for Warner Bros.
Aug. 12, 2026
Paramount did not immediately comment.
Bonta’s office, in a statement, said that while it appreciated “the opportunity to hear from workers and communities directly impacted by our work,” the coalition of 12 Democrat state attorneys general believes Paramount’s takeover of its larger Hollywood rival runs afoul of U.S. antitrust law.
“As it stands today, the proposed Warner Bros./Paramount merger will mean higher costs, less competition, lower wages, job cuts, and fewer movies and TV shows,” Bonta’s office said. “We remain committed to enforcing the law.”
The Writers Guild of America last month joined Bonta’s coalition in filing a lawsuit to try to upend the $111-billion transaction, saying the Paramount-Warner combination violates U.S. antitrust laws and would decimate the entertainment industry by erasing jobs and reducing pay.
At issue is the $81 billion in debt that Ellisonwould have to take on to pay Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders for the keys to the studios and HBO.
WGA leaders and others have warned that level of debt would choke the two historic studios, creating a more devastating sequel to 2019‘s combination of the Disney and Fox studios, and the 2022 takeover of Warner Bros. by Discovery.
Burbank, CA – February 23: A view of the Warner Bros. Studios water tower on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 in Burbank, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
HOLLYWOOD INC.
States sue to block Paramount’s $111-billion Warner Bros. takeover
July 13, 2026
The union leaders conceded they weren’t merger fans, and they stopped well short of asking Bonta to throw in the towel.
Instead, they listed nine conditions — including requiring Paramount to maintain its operations in Hollywood and a commitment to make film and television shows in the U.S. — as part of any settlement.
The unions want Ellison to make an enforceable commitment that Paramount and Warner Bros. studios each release 15 films into theaters a year. They also want a 45-day theatrical window so that cinema chains can continue their rebound.
Some of the DGA and IATSE terms may be difficult for Ellison to swallow. Already, Paramount is looking to shave expenses to come up with the $81 billion promised to Warner Bros. shareholders. Sources have said Ellison’s suggestion to move Paramount from its picturesque Hollywood campus is designed, in part, to attract financial incentives from another state, such as Tennessee, eager to help with a relocation.
the Warner Bros. Studios water tower
HOLLYWOOD INC.
Power, politics and a $2.8-billion exit: How Paramount topped Netflix to win Warner Bros.
Feb. 27, 2026
Among the conditions, the DGA and IATSE asked that Paramount’s and Warner Bros.’ motion picture units be kept as “as separate studios, with each studio maintaining its own production, distribution, marketing and exhibition groups as distinct divisions.”
One of the goals of the merger is to shave costs by consolidating overlapping business divisions and back-office functions.
The union leaders also want Warner Bros. television studio to operate independent from the Paramount and CBS production arms. They called on HBO to remain a linear television channel and available on third-party platforms, including Amazon.
Loeb and Hollander’s requests are designed to keep production jobs in the U.S.
They asked Ellison to commit to producing films and TV shows in the U.S. “at no less than the average percentage produced in the United States during the last five years” excluding 2020, the pandemic year, and 2023, when two strikes idled production.
“Our goal, with respect to the proposed merger, has always been to achieve an outcome that ensures a vibrant, competitive marketplace for the production, distribution, and licensing of film and television programming that serves the interests of consumers and filmmakers alike,” Hollander and Loeb wrote.
“We believe that these conditions, if secured through a binding agreement, will largely serve this purpose,” they said.
Bonta previously has said his preference would be structural remedies — divesting key business units — rather than “behavioral” compromises that could evaporate soon after the merger closed.
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Skydance Media CEO David Ellison attends the premiere of "Fountain of Youth" at the American Museum of Natural History on Monday, May 19, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
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In Hollywood, image is everything. And David Ellison has an image problem
May 21, 2026
Should the two sides fail to hash out a settlement with conditions, Loeb and Hollander asked Ellison and Bonta to seek an earlier trial date for the legal showdown.
A federal judge set a March 2 date — despite Paramount’s request to hold the proceedings in November.
Union leaders are asking David Ellison commit to keeping Paramount’s operations in Hollywood and maintaining historic levels of film production in …
www.latimes.comEffort Fails To Shut Down Teamsters National Black Caucus Convention In New Orleans: Report By Dr. Robin Cooper
The Teamsters National Black Caucus convention was being held in Ne…
youtu.beEffort Fails To Shut Down Teamsters Nat Black Caucus Convention In NOL: Report By Dr. Robin Cooper
Hundreds of California stonecutters fall ill with deadly disease ‘for a product we do not need’
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-08-12/600-plus-california-stonecutters-diagnosed-with-deadly-silicosis
A stone countertop fabricator wears a mask to help protect against …airborne particles which can contribute to silicosis.
A stone-countertop fabricator at a Sun Valley shop wears a mask to help protect against airborne particles that can contribute to silicosis in October 2023. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Karen Garcia.Clara Harter staff headshot at LA Times Photo Studio in El Segundo, CA on Wednesday, July 23, 2025
By Karen Garcia and Clara Harter
Aug. 12, 2026 9 AM PT
n who cut artificial-stone countertops in California are falling ill from an incurable and deadly lung disease at an alarming rate, a new study finds.
These workers are developing silicosis, a condition in which microscopic silica dust contained in the stone slabs they grind and polish is cutting up the inside of their lungs until the organs fail. Life expectancy can be extended through a lung transplant, but even then the fatal disease will continue to progress.
The number of silicosis cases reported in California has increased more than tenfold in less than four years — from 2019 through 2022 there were 47 cases; from 2023 through August of this year, there have been 571, according to data from the state Department of Public Health.
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Workers are also falling ill younger and experiencing a more severe and rapid progression of the disease, according to an analysis of the state’s data published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
“It’s become clear that this product engineered stone countertops … cannot be manufactured safely and economically,” said David Michaels, professor of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University and co-author of the study. “This is a product that we do not need that is damaging the lungs of hundreds of workers [in California] and probably thousands of workers across the country.”
PACOIMA, CA-SEPTEMBER 8, 2023: Leobardo Segura Meza, 27, who suffers from silicosis, an incurable lung disease that has been afflicting workers who cut and polish engineered stone high in silica, is photographed outside of his apartment in Pacoima. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
CALIFORNIA
Latino men account for about 98% of cases, and about half of the cases have been reported in L.A. County, according to the California Department of Public Health. The San Fernando Valley is the epicenter of California’s artificial-stone-cutting industry, where dozens of shops are clustered.
The state health agency identified 32 workers who had died of the disease since 2019. The median age of workers who were diagnosed with silicosis is 46, and the median age at death is 52.
“Silicosis among these workers is progressing much more rapidly than silicosis we’ve seen in other occupations,” which includes the construction and mining industries, said Michaels, who is also the former assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The affected workers identified in the study reported 16 to 25 years of silica dust exposure while on the job. The state has tracked data for 72 workers who have undergone lung transplants and 51 workers who have been referred for lung transplant evaluations.
“It’s leading to earlier deaths and severe disability,” Michaels said. “The percentage of workers who have either received lung transplants or who are awaiting lung transplants is astoundingly high.”
Sun Valley, CA – October 31: Stone countertop fabricator creates a cloud of dust while wearing a mask to help protect against airborne particles which can contribute to silicosis at a shop on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023 in Sun Valley, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
CALIFORNIA
California countertop workers died of a preventable disease. The threat was known years earlier
He said when OSHA first issued an industry standard of occupational exposure to silica in 2016, the fabrication of artificial-stone countertops was still very new.
“There was no investigation into those exposures,” Michaels said, “and the understanding of how much more severe these exposures were … has become very apparent in the last decade.”
In 2019, the California Department of Public Health identified the first known case of silicosis in a countertop fabrication worker.
Public awareness about the dangers of the disease began to spread more broadly in 2022 and 2023, but while lawmakers have called for new steps to protect workers, progress has been slow.
A proposed bill to tighten safety protocols at stone fabrication shops and publish reports of compliance was put on hold in 2024.
Then in 2025, California Senate Bill 20 expanded the state public health agency’s role in silicosis surveillance, outreach and education, and the department designated silicosis as a mandatory reportable condition in California.
Under this law, employers are required to take steps to protect workers, such as providing protective respirators and using water to suppress dust, when employees are cutting, grinding or polishing slabs. It also eliminated an earlier loophole that allowed stonecutting manufacturers to dodge safety requirements by claiming that protective steps weren’t feasible.
But some health professionals say more serious action is needed.
Looking at the rising numbers of silicosis cases, the Western Occupational & Environmental Medical Assn. submitted a petition to the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board in December seeking more meaningful change.
The association noted that although Cal/OSHA established an emergency regulatory framework for silica products in December 2023, compliance rates at artificial-stone fabrication shops are low.
“Cal/OSHA has cited 94% of inspected shops for violations, and 20% required emergency shutdown orders,” the petition states. “The roughly 140 shops inspected represent only about 10% of the estimated 1,342 fabrication operations statewide.”
The medical association pointed to the success of Australia’s nationwide prohibition of artificial stone containing more than 1% crystalline silica. Although Cal/OSHA doesn’t have the authority to ban the sale of the product, the association argued that it ought to ban its production and fabrication in the state.
In late May, the standards board voted to approve the petition and move forward with steps to enact emergency regulations. Staff are now working to draft language to prohibit the fabrication of engineered-stone countertops and similar products, which will need to be reviewed by stakeholders and approved by the board before it can be implemented.
Latino men who cut artificial stone countertops in California are falling ill from an incurable and deadly lung disease at an alarming rate, a new…
www.latimes.comHighlands Charter schools should be banned from operating after taking $180 million of taxpayer money that they weren't entitled to and haven't paid back a cent of that money!!! Zero prosecutions, why???? Where is the oversight to shut them down for good?? And Broad alum Jonathan Raymond …as the new superintendent. This must stop ASAP!!!!!
The adult charter school plans to appeal to the Sutter County Office of Education after Yuba City Unified rejected its petition.
www.abc10.comWaymo Is Growing Faster Than Ever. So Are Its Glitches.
As Waymo deploys more driverless cars to 15 U.S. cities and counting, its vehicles keep encountering new and unexpected situations that they have no script to handle.
…https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/technology/waymo-expansion-edge-cases.html
Waymo driverless cars are in San Francisco and 14 other metropolitan areas, including Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego and Tampa.Credit…Jason Henry for The New York Times
By Emmy Martin
Reporting from San Francisco
Aug. 10, 2026
Updated 4:37 p.m. ET
On July 4, more than 100,000 people packed San Francisco’s waterfront for a foggy fireworks show over the Golden Gate Bridge.
When they tried to go home, Waymo got in the way.
With crowds milling around, Waymo’s driverless cars blocked intersections and choked traffic. Some drivers were stuck behind the electric robo-taxis for more than three hours. Several Waymos had to be towed after their batteries died in the gridlock. At least two drove over exploding fireworks, with one catching fire.
Rose Peterson was inside the other. She and her fiancée had ordered a Waymo to return to their hotel. When the car stopped at an intersection, a man ran into the road, set a firework on the street and lit it. The Waymo drove forward, rolling over the firework as it exploded beneath the car.
Video
Rose Peterson and her fiancée were inside a Waymo driverless car on July 4 when it ran over a firework that someone had set off on the street.CreditCredit…Video by Rose Peterson
“We were just in absolute shock,” said Ms. Peterson, 30, who works in insurance in Walnut Creek, Calif. The car smelled like it was on fire, she said, but the Waymo kept going until it stalled at another intersection. She and her fiancée then got out and walked the rest of the way to their hotel, turning what was supposed to be a five-minute drive into an hourlong journey.
What Ms. Peterson experienced is what the driverless car industry calls an “edge case,” which are the unscripted situations that no one trained the robo-taxis to handle. The problem is that edge cases appear to be piling up as Waymo, the leading autonomous car service, rapidly expands.
Owned by Google’s parent Alphabet, Waymo has more than quintupled the number of autonomous cars it has on the road to nearly 4,000 today, up from about 700 early last year. Its vehicles are now in 15 metro areas, having gone fully driverless in Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego and Tampa in the past month alone. Each week, passengers pay for about half a million trips.
Amid that growth, Waymo has issued three federal recalls since December for software problems — including one where the cars drove into flooded roadways — compared with three recalls in the previous 22 months. Some edge cases have drawn headlines, including a December power outage in San Francisco that left nearly 1,600 Waymos frozen for at least two minutes.
A power outage in San Francisco in December left nearly 1,600 Waymos frozen for at least two minutes.Credit…Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu, via Getty
More cars in more cities means more chances to meet something the technology has never seen. That’s hard to fix because the cars often do not recognize they are in trouble and so do not request help, said Philip Koopman, a Carnegie Mellon University emeritus professor who specializes in autonomous vehicles.
“This technology struggles to know when it’s in a novel situation,” Dr. Koopman said. “And when it’s in a novel situation, it’s prone to overconfidence and spectacularly stupid failure.” Waymo’s answer has not been to solve the underlying problems, he said, but to hand control of the car to a remote human operator.
Sandy Karp, a Waymo spokeswoman, said the recent recalls were proactive moves and the rate of edge cases was decreasing as the company expands, adding “the ones that do occur inform ongoing improvements.”
The pace of driverless car rollouts has quickened, acknowledged Franklin Trujillo, who leads Waymo’s team that orchestrates expansion into new cities. The company can move faster into cities because the software it developed in one place increasingly works for the next one without having to be retrained for each locale, he said.
Waymo’s goal is for its technology to handle edge cases “regardless if we’ve seen them before,” Mr. Trujillo said. He pointed to the company’s safety record that showed 94 percent fewer serious-injury crashes than human drivers, adding, “we’re constantly learning, constantly improving our product.”
Waymo has nearly 4,000 autonomous cars on the road, including this one in Las Vegas. Credit…Tag Christof for The New York Times
For now, Waymo’s incidents have put the company in the cross hairs of officials and regulators.
Bilal Mahmood, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors who walked an hour to get home after the July 4 fireworks, demanded last month that the city’s emergency management, fire and transportation departments explain what went wrong at the event. Mayor Daniel Lurie also wrote to California’s transportation secretary asking the state to set operational standards for driverless cars during major events and emergencies, saying “regulating for typical conditions is no longer enough.”
On July 28, Mr. Lurie backed federal legislation that would require driverless car companies to staff a hotline for emergency responders and direct regulators to write a minimum standard for how emergency medical workers can move a robo-taxi.
Jonathan Morrison, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, also wrote in a July 8 letter that the agency had identified “a clear pattern” of autonomous vehicles interfering with police, firefighters and paramedics. “Emergency scenes are not rare or extreme ‘edge cases,’” he wrote.
Mr. Morrison has summoned driverless car companies to meetings to present fixes. His agency has started developing federal safety standards for driverless cars. Sean Rushton, a NHTSA spokesman, said the agency had already met with several driverless car developers.
Waymo’s failures were foreseeable, said Matthew Raifman, who leads research on policy and autonomous vehicles at the University of California, Berkeley. Tens of thousands of people converging at a marathon or a festival is just another normal weekend in a big city, he said.
“Some of the things that we’re calling edge cases are edge cases for autonomous vehicles, but not necessarily edge cases for transportation,” he said.
Image
Elliot Slade was riding in a Waymo with his fiancée in May when it entered a construction zone that had closed the right lane of the highway.Credit…Jason Henry for The New York Times
Elliot Slade, 31, a San Francisco resident, was recently involved in such a case. He and his fiancée were riding in a Waymo back to the city from an event in nearby San Mateo, Calif., in May when the car entered a construction zone that had closed the right lane of the highway.
The car began driving like a “frightened animal,” Mr. Slade said, swerving through traffic cones and accelerating to highway speed in the closed lane. It then wove past a truck and workers as California Highway Patrol officers hit their sirens and shouted, “Stop, Waymo!”
“We were freaking out,” Mr. Slade said, adding that he placed his arm across his fiancée’s chest “just in case we crashed.” He said he pressed a button in the car to call for support but no one answered until the vehicle exited the highway on its own. The couple got out of the Waymo and then took an Uber the rest of the way home.
Video
The Waymo car began driving like a “frightened animal,” Mr. Slade said. “We were freaking out.”CreditCredit…Video by Elliot Slade
Weeks later, Waymo recalled the software on some cars for entering freeway construction zones and pulled its vehicles off highways while creating a fix. The company resumed freeway routes late last month in Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area.
For San Francisco’s July 4 fireworks, Waymo had appeared prepared. The company sent an employee to the city’s Emergency Operations Center that evening and agreed to restrict where riders could hail its cars. Waymo also had a team that could take manual control of stuck vehicles, said Dean Crispen, San Francisco’s fire chief.
Yet more than two hours before the 9:30 p.m. fireworks show began, reports of stalled Waymos reached the center. Several of those cars ran out of battery power, but tow trucks were unable to reach them because of the traffic. The Waymos were not cleared for two hours, according to a letter from San Francisco’s emergency management department.
Waymo’s Ms. Karp said the July 4 traffic snafus “were caused by a number of factors” and that Waymos “contributed to congestion” in the Presidio neighborhood of San Francisco, adding that the company’s roadside assistance team worked with local authorities to clear the vehicles.
Waymo’s next major test in San Francisco is in October, when the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels take over the sky for the annual Fleet Week air show, which is expected to again draw crowds to the waterfront.
Stephen Sherrill, a member of the city’s Board of Supervisors, has called for a Sept. 3 hearing to better coordinate city agencies to preemptively address potential Waymo failures.
“Waymo is terrible at addressing traffic congestion under abnormal driving conditions during these large scale events,” he said in a statement.
Waymo’s Ms. Karp said the company “will be in close contact and coordination” with city officials about Fleet Week.
As Waymo deploys more driverless cars to 15 U.S. cities and counting, its vehicles keep encountering new and unexpected situations that they have no…
www.nytimes.comThe Fight Against Warmongers & Supporters Of Genocide: Kshama Sawant On Lessons Of The Election
https://youtu.be/s5Er2TVghUw
One of the most important class struggle election campaigns in the United States was in Seattle where revolutionary socialist Kshama Sawant was running against …Democratic Congressman
Adam Smith in the 2026 primary. Smith is a leading supporter of the war machine and genocide against the Palestinians and will head the Armed Forces committee in Congress if the Democrats
win the Congress and are able to take control.
While not winning a place in the primary, Sawant raised important issues and also faced both corporate media supporters of Smith and also abstention by large parts of the left who refused to
support the campaign.
Kshama Sawant talked about the support she received, the role of the union bureaucracy who supported Smith and the media and left. This interview was done on 8/7/26.
Additional Media:
The Kshama Sawant Campaign, Trade Union Bureaucracy and Labor Notes On Workers Candidates
https://youtu.be/Ru57_THIHXo
Kshama Sawant On May Day 2026 The Wars & The Democrats
https://youtu.be/j_6chjE4fTA
The US Israel War On Iran, US Imperialism, Democrats & Class War In The US With Kshama Sawant
https://youtu.be/_uqSSYaXVzQ
Kshama Sawant, The Fight For Socialism & Lessons Of The Seattle City Council Victory For Today
https://youtu.be/x7Qe3zfGoPc
Time to Stop The Wars Abroad & Win The War At Home: A UFCLP Panel With WA Socialist Kshama Sawant
https://youtu.be/c-BOmMBgv1Q
The US Israel War On Iran, US Imperialism, Democrats & Class War In The US With Kshama Sawant
https://youtu.be/_uqSSYaXVzQ
Kshama Sawant,The Fight For Socialism & Lessons Of The Seattle City Council Victory For Today
https://youtu.be/x7Qe3zfGoPc
Kshama Sawant,The Fight For Socialism & Lessons Of The Seattle City Council Victory For Today
https://youtu.be/x7Qe3zfGoPc
PO’s Guillermo Kane Interviews Kshama Sawant https://youtu.be/Y2Q1O-GI8dM?si=OyG6MOzANY4CJu1o
Production Of Labor Video Project
www.labormedia.net
Production Of Labor Video Project
www.labormedia.net
One of the most important class struggle election campaigns in the …
youtu.beThe Fight Against Warmongers & Supporters Of Genocide: Kshama Sawant On Lessons Of The Election
BlackRock Links to Terror Agencies Called Out
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/08/10/18887908.php
by Leon Kunstenaar
Mon, Aug 10, 2026 1:40PM
Protest at “asset” manager building draws an equal number of police
Protest at “asset” manager building draws an equal …number of police
.
Photos: Leon Kunstenaar
(San Francisco, Aug 8) – As a tin pot would-be emperor attempts to put his name on public buildings, currency, passports and spends hundreds of billions on wars of aggression and self glorifying monuments, he is monetizing the presidency and looting the nation’s wealth.
But it is a lot worse that that. He is committing crimes against humanity, perpetrating ethnic cleansing against those not of northern European ancestry. If trials like the post WW2 Nuremberg were held today he would be in the dock subject to conviction and hanging.
Immigrants throughout the country are afraid to go outside. Children coming home from school risk the trauma pf discovering their parents deported. People are routinely grabbed where they work. Even air travel risks arrest at airports.
Those who have been in the country for decades are taken, placed in horrific detention centers and then summarily sent to foreign countries.
But the racist, Nazi inspired administration cannot do this without the complicity from centers of corporate power profiting from the crimes. Enter BlackRock, investing in private prisons operators like CoreCivic and GEO Group. They also invest in spy tech companies like Palantir and General Dynamics.
Some, attempting to respect fundamental decency and respect for human right that this country is supposed to be about demonstrated at BlackRock’s Howard Street headquarters.
Speakers connected the dots and linked these issues to the struggle for a national and international united front against fascism.
It was a small action but helpfully given prominence by an equal number of police both in front the building and at the rear entrance.
Protest at “asset” manager building draws an equal number of police
www.indybay.org
