Mark Brenner

Will the Stimulus Stop States From Slashing More Jobs?

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Several women sit in the middle of the crosswalk, holding upside-down buckets that they are using as drums. One holds a flag that reads "SEIU 1199 New England: Health Care for All."
March 23, 2021

After the pandemic sent state and local budgets into a tailspin, public sector workers across the country were suddenly faced with furloughs, layoffs, and potentially deep concessions. Although federal stimulus through the CARES Act helped avert a budgetary freefall last spring, more than 1.3 million state and local government workers lost their jobs in 2020.

This Is Not a Drill: Bracing for the Trump Era

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November 17, 2016

Donald Trump’s win is the gut-punch finale to a surreal election season. For thousands of rank-and-file activists the outcome is even more bitter after the inspiration and energy stirred up by Bernie Sanders’ improbable campaign.

Unfortunately, we don’t need a crystal ball to figure out what a Trump presidency has in store for labor, especially with Republicans controlling the House and the Senate.

So You Think Your Workplace is Disorganized?

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June 16, 2016

An organizer has to learn to recognize the existing networks and natural leaders, who may be hidden in plain sight.

Organizers, Aim for the Bullseye!

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April 28, 2016

How can you move people from passive to active supporters of the union, and incorporate them into your core group of organizers?

With Second Strike Looming, Twin Cities Janitors Clean Up

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April 12, 2016

Janitors are building a coalition to confront the Twin Cities' extreme racial and economic inequality. Their new contract pushes wages for most of the workforce over $15 an hour immediately.

Chicago Strikes Again

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March 29, 2016

April 1 is shaping up to be a big moment for the Chicago labor movement, and once again, teachers are leading the charge.

Union Democracy Pioneer Herman Benson Turns 100

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October 23, 2015

Labor activists from around the country gathered October 3 to celebrate Herman Benson’s 100th birthday and pay tribute to the organization he founded, the Association for Union Democracy.

New York Hospitals On Notice

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May 08, 2015

Thousands of nurses poured into the streets of New York City, coordinating their contract campaign across 17 hospitals for the first time. Voting for strike authorization could come soon.

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