Big Turnout for Troublemakers Schools
The big turnout for Labor Notes’ three Troublemakers Schools in New York (March), Chicago (May), and the Bay Area (May) indicates that union members are hungry to find ways to resist the economic crisis. The schools were far bigger than any previous ones—drawing 225, 175, and 270 people, respectively.
Each day-long school was built by a local committee that put in many hours of work on content, logistics, and outreach, planning workshops, speakers, and meals to feed minds and bodies. Though the registration fee was only $20, each school was self-supporting.
Plenary sessions looked at the meaning of the economic crisis and workshops were a mixture of skills, such as grievance handling and running for office, and bigger-picture issues, such as single-payer health care or municipal budget crises. In New York and Chicago, a worker from the Republic Windows factory occupation spoke.
The three schools were smaller versions of the biennial national Labor Notes conference—with the advantage that people unable to make the trip to Detroit could participate.
Some local unions paid for delegations to attend, and in other cases groups of rank and filers from particular locals used the school as a meeting place to plan their own agendas.
In each city the committees are making follow-up plans for more events. In Chicago, for example, a public sector solidarity committee was formed, with an email list. In New York, half-day workshops will take place later in the summer.
The next question is where to hold more Troublemaker schools in the fall. If you are willing to put work into a local committee, give us a call: 313-842-6262. Labor Notes staff will work with you.
