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Feds Indict Minnesota Strike Organizers -- Haitian Immigrant Death Ruled Homicide -- POLL: Trump Losing Blue Collar White Voters

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Payday just had an exciting meeting with a fundraising volunteer today with a lot of experience raising money from unions, who is going to be helping us. Likewise, we have several media trainings and collaborative projects with groups in the pipeline.

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Minnesota General Strike Organizers Indicted

Earlier today, the FBI raided the homes of 15 members of the group Minnesota Direct Action. The group was heavily involved in anti-ICE activity and the planning of the Minnesota General Strike along with other unions, leading to fears that some union leaders could be indicted as well.

Those arrested were charged with various federal crimes, including “conspiracy to impede a federal officer, multiple counts of interstate stalking, interstate threats, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, multiple counts of assault on a federal officer, and destruction of government property,” according to a press release put out by the Department of Justice.

“As alleged, these defendants, which included members of Antifa groups, engaged in an unrelenting campaign of harassment and violence targeting federal and local law enforcement,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Their actions created a dangerous environment that threatened not only their intended targets, but the community as a whole. These arrests demonstrate the Department’s commitment to law and order and stopping organized political violence in Minneapolis and beyond.”

Minnesota activists say they suspect that the indictments could widen as the cellphones and laptops of all the activists were confiscated. Activists suspect the federal government is seeking the names of more contacts involved in this network.

American Federation of Teacher President Randi Weingarten, whose union backed the General Strike, denounced the actions.

“Today, the Trump administration is trying to criminalize those who speak up for their neighbors—trashing civil liberties, transparency and accountability—and then pepper spraying those who dare to call them out,” said Weingarten. “And while it hands out paper-thin indictments to protesters, it has failed to indict or even investigate the ICE agents who murdered Renée Good and Alex Pretti in cold blood.”

For more, check out the Guardian.

NYT Poll: Trump Losing Blue Collar White Voters

A new analysis of polling shows that Trump is losing support among blue collar white voters for the first time ever. From The New York Times:

“[In 2018 midterm elections]. working-class white voters approved of his management of the economy by margins of 30 percentage points or even more. Now, recent polls show them disapproving by anywhere from 14 to more than 30 points.

Mr. Trump’s approval on the economy has dropped across practically every group. But his cratering support among a loyal demographic that has served as the foundation of his political coalition for a decade has the potential to be among the most consequential developments of 2026, according to interviews with strategists in both parties who are involved in the midterms.

Polls now regularly show that a majority of white voters who did not graduate from college no longer approve of Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy. Examples of his low ratings include polls from Fox News (33 percent approval), CBS News (39 percent), NPR/PBS/Marist (40 percent), CNN (43 percent) and The New York Times/Siena College (47 percent).”

For more, check out The New York Times.

Crypto Mining Workers Win First Union Contract

As data centers and crypto mining operations expand rapidly in the United States, some unions are seeking to organize them. While many on the left have denounced data centers and crypto operations, IBEW Local 10 has praised the operations and sought to unionize them.

This month, they successfully won a first union contract with Greenidge Generation Holdings which does crypto mining.

“We had pay scales all over the map. We had guys who could do everything making $8 less an hour than a guy who could do 50% of the job,” said Ray Chelson.

For more, check out IBEW Magazine.

Death of Haitian Immigrant After ICE Release Found to Be “Homicide”

In March, Payday Report covered the death of Haitian immigrant Daphy Michel, who died shortly after being released by ICE into a community where she had no contacts and no way of getting home. As she had been detained in September, she had no winter clothing and died of hypothermia.

Now, the Allegheny County Corner has ruled that her death was a “homicide,” meaning that it was caused by the death of another person.

“When you release someone like that that far from home, it’s a recipe for disaster,” said her family’s attorney Joseph Murphy. “And don’t forget, these guys have cars. They were perfectly willing to drive down there to pick her up. They could have easily driven her back to Charleroi. It’s like a 40-minute drive. She would have been in her own environment. She wouldn’t have been sitting around a bus stop in September clothes in February, and she’d be alive now.”

For more, check out WTAE.

Links & Headlines Elsewhere

Alright folks, that’s all for today. Keep sending tips, comments, and complaints to melk@paydayreport.com

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