Troublemakers Blog

March 17, 2020 /
Everybody is sharing their thoughts on COVID-19, so I thought I’d share mine. The anxiety in the air even has us laid-back folks on edge. »
March 16, 2020 / Dan DiMaggio
Across the globe, workers are taking action in the face of the coronavirus, pressuring employers to boost paid sick leave, suspend punitive attendance policies, and apply safety measures. While some companies have been proactive, too many have reacted only after workers forced them to. »
March 05, 2020 /
In this occasional series, film buff and labor historian Toni Gilpin recommends movies that depict working people and their lives on the job. »
February 24, 2020 / Dan DiMaggio
There’s only one living member of Congress who’s ever been invited to speak at a Labor Notes Conference (or for that matter, subscribed to this magazine), and he’s currently leading the polls for the Democratic presidential nomination. »
Silhouette of a line of people holding hands with rising sun behind them. text: "Join now to help lead the fight for UAW reform. UAWD Unite All Members for Democracy: UAW Member-Led Reform"
February 17, 2020 /
We have good news and bad news. The good news is that locals representing more than 60,000 Auto Workers (UAW) members have passed the Article 8 resolution calling for a special convention to amend our union constitution and mandate the direct election of top officers. It’s pretty astonishing to see just how quickly momentum built for this effort. »
GM strikers picketing on the road holding signs.
February 13, 2020 / Chris Brooks
Officials in the Auto Workers (UAW) have been working arm in arm with the Big Three automakers since the 1980s to increase productivity. So perhaps it was inevitable that union officials’ hands would find their way into the employers’ deep pockets. »
February 10, 2020 / Chris Brooks
University of California President Janet Napolitano proudly touted her opposition to Trump’s racist immigration policies before he even moved into the Oval Office. Now she’s following in Trump’s footsteps, threatening international students with actions that could lead to their deportation in an attempt to smash a wildcat strike at the university’s Santa Cruz »
Worker saying, "A. Philip Randolph once said, 'At the banquet table of nature there are no reserved seats. You get what you can take, & you keep what you can hold. If you can't take anything, you won't get anything, & if you can't hold anything, you won't keep anything. And you can't take anything without organization." Worker waves a flag "union power." Zoom out to boardroom with banner: "GenericCorp Celebrates Black History." Suited man says "I thought this would be more about jazz or 'brotherly love.'"
February 04, 2020 /
January 28, 2020 /
This is the latest installment in an occasional series where we evaluate the “union episode” of a television show. »
Dedham educators in red, on a picket line, with red and white signs.
January 13, 2020 / Barbara Madeloni
They stood on a picket line at the entrance to the school parking lot: seven educators out on strike for the first time. Public sector strikes are illegal in Massachusetts. But the night before, after two years of fruitless negotiations, the 300 members of the Dedham Education Association had voted overwhelming to walk out. »

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