Troublemakers Blog
November 17, 2016 / Jane Slaughter
“Fired Up or Burned Out?” asks a new slate running for office in the Detroit Teachers union (DFT). “Which one are you?” »
November 11, 2016 /
Many workplace activists were rightly terrified at the results of Tuesday’s election—Republican control of the Senate and House, combined with a president-elect who supports “right to work,” wants to deport millions of our Latino and Muslim brothers and sisters, and has made a career of ripping off communities, small businesses, and his own employees. »
October 31, 2016 / Samantha Winslow
Pulling the lever to tax the 1% is about as satisfying as voting gets. In three states this November, voters can thank teachers and other unions for giving them the opportunity. »
October 27, 2016 / Dan DiMaggio
A lot of us probably try to stay off the government’s radar. But this time, we appreciate the attention. In what may be a first, the top prosecutor for National Labor Relations Board cases recently cited a Labor Notes article. »
October 25, 2016 / Leah Fried
Extracting wins from the boss has never been easy—and union membership hovering at a low 11 percent isn’t making it any easier. But a good way to boost our numbers and power is to partner with people who are organized in other ways, building a broader movement as we build our unions. »
October 14, 2016 /
Have you ever tried to counter racist attacks with facts and reasoned arguments? Yeah, it never works for me, either.
That’s because racism isn’t rational—it’s emotional. When politicians and their media mouthpieces blame immigrants for crime, low wages, and unemployment, they’re casting the newcomers as a faceless crowd, stirring up feelings of fear, jealousy »
October 13, 2016 /
Deciding to strike is always a tough call—but with their orchestra’s survival on the line, the 67 musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra felt they had no other choice. On September 8, they walked out. »
October 06, 2016 /
Editor’s note: A month into their strike, 5,000 nurses at five Twin Cities hospitals are holding strong. A majority voted on October 3 to reject the Allina hospital chain’s latest contract proposal. »
September 29, 2016 / Jane Slaughter
The 15 stories gathered here are meant as an “instruction manual for other workers considering direct action.” Workers can learn, sometimes by negative example—because defeats and partial victories are common—“how to formulate demands and select representatives, the various strategies bosses use to coopt representatives, what to look for as signs that the boss »
September 28, 2016 /
In August the National Labor Relations Board ruled that graduate employees at private universities have the right to unionize. Cartoon: Daniel Mendez Moore
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