AFGE Member Executed by ICE
By J. Matthew Catron
On January 24 a man named Alex Pretti was murdered on the street by masked agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, more commonly known as ICE.
Pretti was an intensive care nurse for the VA, an American citizen, and a member of AFGE Local 3669*. He was a Union member and a civil servant who was killed protecting a civilian.
*In the original email distributing this newsletter, I mistakenly identified Pretti as an AFSCME member. This error was also present in the email sent to presidents Boulware and Dinkins.
But more than that, the extra-judicial killings by ICE have demonstrated that the incumbent administration will do anything and everything to maintain power and control.
In a free society, nobody, not even criminals, should be executed in the street.
ICE operations in Minnesota, and indeed here in Philly, have nothing to do with immigration. They are part of an explicit, calculated agenda: A fascist takeover of the United States executed by hunting down marginalized people, immigrants or not.
The day before Pretti’s execution, Minnesota engaged in a General Strike. It’s an incredible display of working class solidarity not seen in this country in a very, very long time.
On Monday January 26, I contacted our Local President Anthony Dinkins and our District Council President Greg Boulware about mobilizing DC33 to organize with other unions a General Strike here in Philly, and I call on my fellow rank-and-file members to do the same.
We cannot stand idly by while these armed, undisciplined agents take control of our democracy from us.
2026 Local 696 Election
The election committee for the 2026 Local 696 election was appointed in the November General Membership meeting. Local 696 Constitution Article VI Section 4 states that the Election Committee must meet in December. We have received no word that this has occurred.
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Contact your Union Leadership |
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DC33 President Greg Boulware |
215-895-3303 |
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Local 696 President Anthony Dinkins |
215-895-3330 |
Meet The Rabble Rousers
Our ongoing virtual series, Meet the Rabble Rousers, continues every Thursday night. Contact us at info@696rabblerousers.com to register for these events!
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Meet The Rabble Rousers |
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January 29th 6:00PM |
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February 5th 6:00PM |
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February 12th 6:00PM |
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February 19th 6:00PM |
November 2025 General Membership Meeting
The Rabble Rousers’ unofficial notes from the November Local 696 General Membership Meeting are available at our Documents & Resources page here.
W-2s available
City employees are now able to access their W-2 forms. Campaign for Working Families is available for free or reduced-cost tax filing.
One response to “The Rabble: Minnesota Workers call for General Strike”
AFSCME, embrace general strike. People are being killed. Half measures not enough. Want armed goons on streets this Nov 3rd? And entering libraries at will, hospitals too? Not a joke.