A beloved workers' rights organizer in Minnesota, known for *successfully* fighting against wage theft and labor trafficking, has been detained by federal immigration agents and is now locked up in New Mexico. His family is calling for his urgent release. inthesetimes.com/article/work...
In every possible way the vile detention camp in the Everglades is destructive and anti-life. www.tampabay.com/news/environ...
Although the Wagner Act was once the labor movement’s “magna carta,” today it is a toothless piece of legislation that has exposed the fallacy of the labor movement’s overreliance on the legislative process. From @josephamccartin.bsky.social:
A picture of a tweet by Marina Medvin with a picture of a woman on stage talking into a mic. The tweet reads, "Letters radicals at "Socialism 2025" conference are giddily discussing the destruction of America. This woman is a college professor." Ann Coulter retweeted this with a quote reading, "We didn't kill enough Indians."
Genocide was always the purpose. Genocide is still their preferred method of dealing with non-compliant people.
#BashTheFash #Decolonize
Added to this tens of thousands of Palestinian citizens of Israel live in towns and cities that don't even have any shelters. www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
The fall of twitter with the inability to trust any info presented, suppression of the left, let alone how Elon is likely directing the discourse being had is a bleak look at our feudal corporate future. Only really is worth popping in to see shit like this/witness Elon breaking the brain of his AI
Only a fighting unity with the socialist left and immigrant worker can bring victory. Make haste, American workers, you have very little time left!
American Workers, you are hundreds of thousands, millions; you cannot leave for anyplace; there are not enough passports for you.
Should fascism come to power, it will ride over your skulls and spines like a terrific tank. Your salvation lies in merciless struggle!
Mother Jones and two of her quotes. “My friends, it is solidarity of labor we want. We do not want to find fault with each other, but to solidify our forces and say to each other: We must be together; our masters are joined together and we must do the same thing.” And “I asked a man in prison once how he happened to be there and he said he had stolen a pair of shoes. I told him if he had stolen a railroad he would be a United States Senator.”
THE Mother for all of us, Mother Jones.
Wed 5/7 at UCB—Jaz Brisack in conversation w/Robert Reich. Brisak cofounded Starbucks Workers United & will discuss their new book about organizing at companies from Nissan to Starbucks to Tesla to Ben & Jerry’s. @rbreich.bsky.social @jazbrisack.bsky.social laborcenter.berkeley.edu/event/book-t...
Join us today if you’re in the Boston area at 3 by Harvards Science Center. As all the Harvard unions from custodians to grad students come together to demand real protections for non-citizens and workers
As labor’s organizing density drops below 10% shit like this answers the question, how much of this is self inflicted? But despite that all solidarity with the 1199 rank and file. You work too damn hard doing some of most important & thankless work to have leadership pull this bs especially now.
Hold up the discussion see if you missed anything and finalize buy in.
I guess last thing if something isn’t working, again be curious about why. Goal is to figure out what will work not cast blame or defend the effort for its own sake. Solidarity and hope some of this was useful.
To participation for anything should be as low as possible if mass engagement is the outcome you’re looking for. This is the reason why informal discussion is crucial since there should be no barrier or prerequisite experience to participate and share. Then the formal process can be used to
Critical but I’ve only seen them be able to do so much. Formal process from my experience should be secondary to informal discussion as means to build consensus. I try to imagine the average person and how they might feel in it and if they would feel engaged and empowered or frustrated. The barrier
A critical part of this too.
4. For outreach to get folks involved the hierarchy I’ve seen work goes like an in person 1:1 convo > a phone call > a text > a group message > an email etc. the more direct the outreach the better.
5. Structured well run meetings that respect folks time are
By Messaging, argument, or blame especially when they’re afraid. Building trust and relationships will help get you both unstuck. This often looks like being open about what you’re feeling and giving space for others to do similar. Getting the “story” and sharing about who they are is
2. From there be curious about what needs someone you may be in conflict with might be trying to meet. Generally approaching tense situations with curiosity instead of blame or projecting your own fears etc frees you up to actually get unstuck and problem solve.
3. People are not moved by usually
Want to share some scattered thoughts about how to meet this moment from my organizing and internal work. 1st identify yourself in the mix; ie whats coming up for me and how am I contributing. So am I scared and frustrated at things not looking like I want them to or think they need to.
Right now as we grapple with the current wave of reaction a look back on the 50’s and the red scare can show us one path forward. In a similar moment radicals and workers fought from below and made gains for justice
For those able, C.M. Lewis has compiled a great list of donation links/info to support union members in CA affected by the fires tearing across the state.
Photo from Chattanooga Times Free Press at the Volkswagen Chattanooga election watch party, Chattanooga, Tennessee, April 20, 2024
Photo taken at UAW Local 900 Ford strike picket line on the forth day of the Big 3 automakers ‘Stand Up Strike’ campaign, Wayne, Michigan, September 18, 2023
An excerpt from Ijeoma Oluo’s “Be a Revolution,” in which I express my first experience on a strike picket line with the UAW, along with a collage of photos of various UAW picket lines over the years
UAW Staff United’s strike picket line locations, dates, and times in New York City
I love the UAW more than I do my own union. My life was forever changed when I joined a UAW picket line. The admiration I have for this union was expressed in a book. This called strike by UAW Staff United hurts me greatly. I stand in solidarity with the staff workers who keep our unions running!
I’m on strike starting today! From my union:
UAW Staff United (USU), the union representing many United Auto Workers (UAW) International and local staff organizers in the Northeast United States, is on strike!
“…Massachusetts remains the only state where renter-paid broker fees is common practice. Councilors in Boston, Cambridge, then Somerville each recently filed hearing orders in their respective municipalities to get the cost of brokers put on those who hire them.”
from @sweetadelinevt.bsky.social:
Millionaire Delta CEO Ed Bastian CAN’T WAIT until there’s nothing to stop him from rolling back regulations that protect us and passengers.
A union contract is our ONLY protection against corporate greed and threats to our rights.
Now is the time to sign a union card and join our campaign.
If you have the means to donate, please help out my friend and fellow organizer Zach on his birthday today. He’s receiving treatment for a rare medical condition in his hand and could use the help. Thank you everyone and happy birthday Zach!
gofund.me/c898eb73
Josie!!!!!!!!!!!!! Miss you too! I’ll hit you up, I’d love to catch up soon
Been saying this to workers too recently. It’s like half the fun of organizing anyway