Shut It Down
You can use PTO; that's not cheating. In Illinois, under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act which went into effect in 2024, Illinois residents are entitled to at least 40 hours of PTO per year with no questions asked, and no doctors notes required. Make sure you understand your rights in other states. Make an informed decision for what you can do on Friday.
Not everyone will be able to participate. You're not a bad person if you can't. But now is the time to stand together, and this is one opportunity for us to do that.
A general strike is one of the most direct ways for We The People to wield our power outside of the election schedule. We cannot vote our way out of this predicament. ICE has killed at least 9 people already this year and it's not even the end of January. How many people will die by November? Or by next January, when the November results take effect? 2026 needs to be a year of mobilization. Of standing together. It's not enough to hold signs on a sidewalk on your day off. It's not enough to schedule a permitted march, approved by the city. We have to hit them where it hurts this year. Where the people in power feel the most pain is in their wallets.
So if you can, Strike on Friday. Find a protest to attend instead of work. Gather with some like-minded individuals and organizers at a local library. Pack lunches, share snacks. Make signs together. Talk about your local political scene, or about future actions. Spread know-your-rights materials throughout your city. Whatever you do, stay safe, dress appropriately for the weather, and take care of each other.
If you haven't already, consider signing your strike card for a more sustained national action. There's a long way to go, but thousands of people are committing every single day. The organizers are operating in phases, the 2nd and 3rd phases are dedicated to coordinating mutual aid networks and establishing those specific demands. When we reach 11M committed strikers, that's phase 4—we shut it down until the established demands are met.
For now, let's take a day to stand together to show the goons at the top that we can, and we will. When you raise your fist on Friday know that I'm raising mine with you, as are countless others.
All power to the people.