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First Virtual Troublemakers School a Hit in Western Mass »

March 22, 2021 | Ethel Everett and Lydia Wood

The Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation joined forces with Labor Notes last month to organize a virtual Troublemakers School. Nurses, carpenters, grocery workers, teachers, and social workers met to share strategies and build solidarity.
Dozens of workers march behind a red banner in Myanmar. Some carry red flags.

Military Targets Workers as Repression Escalates in Myanmar »

March 19, 2021 | Tula Connell

At least two union members were confirmed killed by the Myanmar military this week and at least six workers were shot dead at the Xing Jia shoe factory in the Hlaing Thar Yar industrial zone Tuesday, according to union leaders.

Dispatch from Alabama: The Biggest Amazon Union Drive Yet »

March 19, 2021 | Luis Feliz Leon

BESSEMER, Alabama—On a chilly March day, the early-morning rush at a gas station recalls the bustling scenes of workers anywhere as Amazon employees shuffle into a convenience store for coffee and cigarettes.
A multiracial and multigenerational crowd rallies outside. Several help hold a large banner: "BLACK STUDENTS MATTER." Others hold signs: "WE WON'T DIE FOR THE DOE" and one wears a MORE T-shirt.

Viewpoint: A Year After Teachers Closed Them, New York City Schools Are Still Unsafe »

March 18, 2021 | Peter Allen-Lamphere, Annie Tan, and Andrew Worthington

During the second week of March last year, fears mounted that New York City was in the grip of a serious health crisis. On Thursday, the NBA postponed its season; on Friday, Broadway went dark.

No One Else Was Going To, So These Teamsters Saved Their Own Pensions »

March 17, 2021 | Alexandra Bradbury

“When Don first got his letter saying his pension was going to be cut 52 percent, it was one of those moments like when President Kennedy was killed and 9/11,” said Dana Vargo, spouse of a retired Teamster. “You remember exactly where you were.”
Women marching in the streets with red flags in Burma.

'If the Military Leaders Win, There Will Be No Unions': Myanmar Garment Workers on the Strikes Against the Coup »

March 11, 2021 | Ma Moe Sandar Myint, Ma Ei Ei Phyu, Ma Tin Tin Wai

Despite a vicious crackdown that has left scores of protesters dead, the worker-led movement against the military coup in Myanmar continues to rock the country.

OSHA Conducted Half as Many Inspections During Pandemic, Even as Complaints Increased »

March 11, 2021 | Brian Michael Doherty

According to a recent report, during the first nine months of the Covid-19 pandemic the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) received more complaints but performed far fewer inspections than usual.

Steward's Corner: Surviving Public Speaking—The Prepared Talk »

March 9, 2021 | Keith Brower Brown and Jane Slaughter

It can be scary to speak at a union meeting, a rally, or the meeting of an organization allied to your union. Luckily, it’s a proven fact that everyone can improve their speaking and become a strong advocate for the cause they’re promoting. Even a motion to adjourn!

Myanmar Union Federations Call for International Support Against Coup »

March 5, 2021 | Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar, Federation of Garment Workers Myanmar

As the Burmese military coup leaders escalated repression against the democracy uprising in the country this week, two Burmese union federations this week called for international pressure on their government.

Viewpoint: Who Invited Them? Employers Like Amazon Should Have No Say in How Workers Organize »

March 4, 2021 | Gabrielle (Gay) Semel

The ongoing union vote by 5,800 Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, has opened a window into the challenges workers face in unionizing. As the public is learning, the boss gets a big role in the process. It shouldn’t be this way.

U.K. Educators' Safety Struggle Rekindles Collective Workplace Action »

March 3, 2021 | James Kerr

Former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson famously said that “a week is a long time in politics.” In early January, even a week was too long, as current Prime Minister Boris Johnson performed a dramatic 24-hour U-turn on the question of schools reopening after the Christmas break.

Hong Kong’s New Union Movement Faces Big Challenges from Covid, National Security Law »

March 2, 2021 | Anna Tsui and Chris Chan

Hong Kong workers formed dozens of new unions as part of the mass protest movement against attacks on the city’s autonomy in 2019.

Myanmar Workers and Unions on the Front Lines in Fight Against Coup »

February 26, 2021 | Kevin Lin

Update: Late Friday evening, February 26 (local time), the Myanmar military declared most of the country's labor organizations illegal on public television, with the threat of arrests if their activities continue, adding

After Seven-Year Battle, Massachusetts Comcast Techs Win First Contract »

February 25, 2021 | Rand Wilson

After voting to form a union seven and a half years ago, Comcast technicians at the Fairhaven, Massachusetts, garage finally have a first contract. Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 2322’s new two-year contract was ratified by 79 percent of the eligible membership on February 3.

A Pandemic Nurse's Diary book cover

Book Review: A Pandemic Nurse’s Diary »

February 24, 2021 | Richard March

Reading the gripping A Pandemic Nurse’s Diary is like immersing yourself in a big-screen film.

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