Summer of Strikes—Plus, After Affirmative Action: On this episode of “Start Making Sense,” Jane McAlevey talks about unions, and John Nichols comments on the politics of education.

• July 7, 2023
• Posted in Class Struggle, Climate Change, Interviews, Labor Movement, Mobilizing, Organizing, Podcast, Strikes, Unions

Two nationwide strikes may be in the works right now. The Teamsters have been negotiating with UPS for a new contract, and the United Auto Workers have been preparing to strike at least one of the Detroit auto makers. These have the potential to provide swing-state voters with a political education in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Read More

Contract Talks by Teamsters and the UAW Have the Potential to Change Our Politics: Upcoming union negotiations can swing the 2024 election—and help rebuild democracy.

• June 25, 2023
• Posted in Labor Movement, Mobilizing, Organizing, Strikes, The Nation, Unions

Unions once played a central role in the political education of the working class. The Teamsters, who announced a 97 percent yes-to-strike vote by members on June 16, and the UAW have a chance to build on the brilliance of the teachers’ unions in Chicago and Los Angeles and educate everyday Americans on how to fight back and win what we need at work—and in our democracy. Read More

Winning Is Only the Start: Jane McAlevey on Building Worker Power: Jane McAlevey on the long-game of building union power through contract negotiations.

• June 9, 2023
• Posted in Class Struggle, Climate Change, Interviews, Labor Movement, Mobilizing, Organizing, Podcast, Strikes, Unions

In April 2022, Amazon workers in Staten Island voted to form a union. But a year after that historic victory, union members at the JFK8 warehouse still don’t have a contract, thanks largely to Amazon spending $14 million on union avoidance consultants. That may be shocking but it’s not unusual. When workers vote to form a union, it takes an average of 465 additional days to sign a contract with their employer. Read More

How Should Workers Respond to the Supreme Court’s Ruling in Glacier Northwest?: The court's ruling could have been much worse—and soon will be. Workers and unions need to be prepared.

• June 3, 2023
• Posted in Labor Movement, Mobilizing, Organizing, Strikes, The Nation, Unions

Today’s US Supreme Court ruling in the Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters case was a blow to workers—but not quite the knockout punch hoped for by the Chamber of Commerce. Despite the court’s 8-1 decision favoring the employer, the justices made a relatively narrow ruling, rather than a broad one weakening the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) even further. Read More

Power and Participation in Negotiations and Politics with Jane McAlevey: How to democratize union negotiations and build significant worker power by practicing transparent, big, and open negotiations

• May 23, 2023
• Posted in Elections, Interviews, Podcast, Strikes, Unions

Jane McAlevey talks with Gordon Lafer and Adolph Reed Jr. about the impact of negotiations as political education, for building strong unions and for rebuilding democracy. Listen here >>   Read More