All Articles

Searches titles and body text

Kellogg’s Employees Back to Work »

August 19, 2014 | Steve Payne

The strategy of relying on a judge to get members back to work worked—but only after they faced 10 months without pay on a picket line.

McDonald’s Can’t Hide Behind Franchise System »

August 18, 2014 | Julia Kann

McDonald’s workers demanding “$15 and a union” have reason to cheer. A move by the National Labor Relations Board throws a big wrench in the corporation’s franchise system and could open the door to more worker organizing.

‘Flexibility’ Hits University of Wisconsin Custodians »

August 14, 2014 | Jason Lee

The fate of 26 custodians on a small University of Wisconsin campus isn’t isolated. It’s part of a trend: applying a market-based, private model to public higher education.

In North Carolina, Fast Food and Moral Mondays Movements Build Ties »

August 13, 2014 | Kerry Taylor

It was the rare meeting of Southern workers that struck a note of optimism. Fast food strikers, union members, and Moral Mondays arrestees have been turning out regularly for each other's fights.

NYU Grad Union Needs a Contract Campaign, Not Just a Contract »

August 11, 2014 | Natasha Raheja

Grad student workers at New York University are poised to regain a union contract, making them unique in the private sector. But will their new union be as democratic and social-justice-minded as its counterparts at public universities in California and Massachusetts?

Viewpoint: California Job Safety Weakened By ‘Friends of Labor’ Politicians »

August 8, 2014 | Garrett Brown

For their own protection, California workers and their unions had better start raising hell about the erosion of job safety protections since Democrat Jerry Brown became governor four years ago with strong labor backing.

Review: Private Equity Pillages the Economy »

August 6, 2014 | Eric Blair

According to the informative new book Private Equity at Work: When Wall Street Manages Main Street, private equity ownership of companies has led to fewer jobs, lower wages, weaker pensions, and rising inequality.

Don’t Leave Chants to Chance »

August 5, 2014 | Paul McKenna

Good chants matter. They’re sound bites, which is what the media seeks, so they can really get your message across. And when chants work, they express and embody collective power—so they help make your action work, too.

Illinois Workers Stop Moving »

August 4, 2014 | Jane Slaughter

Managers at Golan’s Moving & Storage in Skokie, Illinois, thought they had a surefire strategy to beat the Teamsters in negotiations for a first contract. But the plan backfired.

How to ‘Act Like a Union’ on a Labor-Management Committee »

August 1, 2014 | Charley Richardson

The union should approach every meeting of a Labor-Management Committee with the same mindset that it would bring to contract bargaining, never forgetting that management’s goals and the union’s are distinct.

Get a Degree at Starbucks »

July 31, 2014 | Samantha Winslow

When Starbucks announced it would help employees get four-year degrees, media praised the company’s altruism. Few looked at the fine print.

Much Improved But Unremarked, NYC Sick Leave Takes Effect »

July 30, 2014 | Jenny Brown

New York City workers can start using paid sick leave today, under a law passed in March with meager publicity. As a result, around 1.2 million workers are gaining the right to paid sick leave.

A Rank-and-File Appeal: ‘No More Tiers!’ »

July 29, 2014 | Sean Crawford

"As tier two workers we can scarcely afford to buy the vehicles we build!" wrote a GM worker to new UAW President Dennis Williams. "We are ready to stand up and be counted as the 2015 contract approaches." Co-workers signed a T-shirt to show they agree.

Taking a Bite Out Of Overtime Abuse »

July 28, 2014 | Jenny Brown

Overtime laws only get enforced if workers get organized to do so, and many workers are doing just that, beating back employer demands for longer days.

If the Post Office Wants Business, Try Postal Banking »

July 25, 2014 | Julia Kann

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has put another 82 mail processing plants on the chopping block, claiming this will save $750 million a year. But you know what could bring in 12 times that much money?

Pages