Labor Organizing

In The Future We Need, Erica Smiley and Sarita Gupta bring a novel perspective to building worker power and what labor organizing could look like in the future, suggesting ways to evolve collective bargaining to match the needs of modern people, not only changing their wages and working conditions, but being able to govern over more aspects of their lives.

A leader of the Starbucks and Tesla union movements shares stories from the front lines to help us organize our own workplaces and “better understand the aims and goals for a resurgent trade union movement and how workers all over the country can join in solidarity with it” (Senator Bernie...

In this classic account, historian Philip Foner traces the radical history of black workers’ contribution to the American labor movement.

From longtime labor organizer Jane McAlevey, a vital call-to-arms in favor of unions, a key force capable of defending our democracy. For decades, racism, corporate greed, and a skewed political system have been eating away at the social and political fabric of the United States. Yet as McAlevey...

A narrative that originates in the garment industry of mid-century New York, which produced over 80 percent of the nation's dresses at the time, Murder in the Garment District quickly moves to a national stage, where congressional anti-corruption hearings gripped the nation and forever tainted the reputation of American unions. Replete with elements of a true-crime thriller, Murder in the Garment District includes a riveting cast of characters, from wheeling and dealing union president David Dubinsky to the notorious gangster Abe Chait and the crusading Robert F. Kennedy.

The crisis of the progressive movement is so evident that nothing less than a fundamental rethinking of its basic assumptions is required. Today's progressives now work for professional organizations more comfortable with the inside game in Washington, DC (and capitols throughout the West), where they are outmatched and outspent by corporate interests. In No Shortcuts, Jane McAlevey argues that progressives can win, but lack the organized power to enact significant change, to outlast their bosses in labor fights, and to hold elected leaders accountable.

The astonishing story of immigrants lured to the United States from India and trapped in forced labor—an "eye-opening" "must-read" told by the visionary labor leader who engineered their escape and set them on a path to citizenship (The New York Times Book Review). ​ In late 2006, Saket Soni...

In this urgent expansion of her viral speech, Michigan Senator Mallory McMorrow details her unlikely journey into politics with a front-row seat to democracy at its breaking point—then outlines the tangible, proven steps that anyone can take to build community, fight for what's right, and...

This book is excellent for beginners or those new to learning about unions because it helps them gain an understanding of the subject matter. It discusses union types, structures, activities, and functions while analyzing the role that they play for their members. It does not support or oppose unions in workplaces, nor does it argue the topic from any perspective. The goal is simply to educate readers about unions so they can formulate their own opinions.

Rules to Win By: Participation and Power in Union Negotiations is a book for anyone who wants to understand how to build the power required to effectively challenge and reverse income inequality and attacks on democracy.

The story of a disillusioned generation that set out to reclaim its dignity and take on corporate America. This program is read by award-winning narrator André Santana. “André Santana's performance succinctly conveys the spirit of this audiobook about modern-day organizing and unionizing.”...

Three states. Fifteen cases. One industrial region built around the gate. For generations, the steel mills, foundries, and automobile plants of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan did more than provide jobs. They shaped police departments, courtrooms, unions, political organizations, neighborhoods, and the limits of what a town was prepared to place on the public record. In Cold Foundry, Julian Maddox examines fifteen documented cases from America’s industrial corridor—from the armed confrontation at Homestead and the Erie collar-bomb plot to the Imperial Avenue murders, the disappearance ...

In the long annals of sports and crime, no story compares to the one that engulfed the Luckman family in 1935. As 18-year-old Sid Luckman made headlines across New York City for his high school football exploits at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, his father, Meyer Luckman, was making headlines in the same papers for a very different reason: the gangland murder of his own brother-in-law. Amazingly, the connection between sports celebrity son and mobster father was studiously ignored by the press and ultimately overlooked for eight decades.

A timely, in-depth, and vital exploration of the American labor movement and its critical place in our society and politics, from acclaimed labor reporter Hamilton Nolan. Inequality is America’s biggest problem. Unions are the single strongest tool that working people have to fix it. Organized...

Everything you've been told about "trickle-down" is a story — and it's time to rewrite it. Pinata Economics exposes how modern inequality is deliberately designed: tax law and zoning maps, corporate playbooks and platform monopolies, campaign cash and offshore secrecy form a fortified piñata that lets the few hoard the candy while the rest of us swing at air. But this is not a lament — it's a blueprint. Combining clear historical analysis, cutting-edge policy tools, and a hard-headed political playbook, Pinata Economics gives you: A concise demolition of the "golden lie" of trickle-...

"Strike Back: A Guide to Organizing Workplace Actions" is a comprehensive guide that provides practical advice to help workers organize successful strikes and other collective actions. From assessing workplace conditions and readiness to building momentum and advocating for workers' rights, this book offers guidance to help readers achieve their goals. Whether you are a seasoned labor organizer or a first-time strike participant, this book is an essential resource for anyone looking to make a positive change in their workplace.

A moving and eye-opening look at the story of manufacturing in America, whether it can ever successfully return to our shores, and why our nation depends on it, told through the experience of one young couple in Maine as they attempt to rebuild a lost industry, ethically. From the...

Dive into the gripping history of organized labor and the relentless underdog fight for essential workers' rights. Perfect for an educational commute, this thought-provoking narrative traces the epic clash between everyday employees and powerful industrial titans. Witness the dangerous...

Discover the gripping labor history of how ordinary workers fought brutal conditions to win the modern weekend. Perfect for your daily commute, this inspiring historical narrative transports you from nineteenth-century coal mines to today's high-tech gig platforms. Experience the David versus...

Based on ethnographic research and reflective essays from worker-leaders and organizers, this book offers a rich case study of the factors contributing to the union’s successes and setbacks. It provides a practical organizing model applicable beyond Amazon, offering strategies to engage the workforce, sustain support and develop leadership. An essential toolkit for those navigating the complexities of evolving labour practices, with particular relevance for precarious workers and workplaces where access is limited.