Troublemaking Explodes in Bay Area

Coming together under the banner of “The Spirit of Wisconsin,” an army of troublemakers 325 strong descended on Oakland’s Laney Community College in mid-June.

The biggest Troublemakers School so far this year, the event brought together union members, staff, and community activists.

Pilar Schiavo of National Nurses United and Monadel Herzallah, president of the Arab American Union Members Council on Egypt, celebrated the democratic, grassroots activism that disrupted business as usual this year and spread across the world. The themes resonated throughout the day.

“When rank-and-file workers chose to adapt the demands of the revolution and take to striking in solidarity with the revolution, this changed everything,” Monadel said.

In Wisconsin, Schiavo said, communities and rank-and-file union members led the uprising, with official union leaders taking their lead from the people.

“This was member-to-member communication, not a call from a staff organizer or an email,” Schiavo said.

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Attendees had 24 workshops to choose among, including Nuts and Bolts of Workplace Organizing, Labor and Electoral Politics, Reform Efforts within SEIU, Immigration Reform and Labor Rights, and many more.

The group and one-on-one discussions zeroed in on the future of our movement.

“The school had a great mix of public and private sector workers, and gave us a space to talk about strategies and tactics,” said Bill Balderston, a retired Oakland teacher.

One panel challenged participants to think about alternatives to guestworker programs and enforcement-based immigration bills.

“Given how busy we all are, I really appreciated the chance to catch up in one place with other union folks and to re-energize,” said Joe Keffer, political organizer at SEIU Local 521.

Committees in Philadelphia and the Twin Cities are both working on Troublemakers Schools for September 17.