Troublemakers Blog
September 13, 2022 /
A three-day strike by Wisconsin nurses is off this week, after SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin (part of the Service Employees union) and UW Health (the University of Wisconsin's medical system) reached an agreement on a path toward the potential recognition of the union. »
September 12, 2022 /
The Biden administration has pledged that “the United States will work with governments to strengthen ... the enforcement of labor laws, promote decent work, and support workers in exercising their freedom of association and collective bargaining rights,” as one of four pillars of its strategy to address the root causes of migration from Central America. »
September 07, 2022 /
Union democracy—defined as rank-and-file power—is the essential ingredient for restoring the power of the labor movement. »
September 07, 2022 /
Nurses at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin, will strike for three days next week. The strike comes in response to the hospital administration's continuing refusal to recognize the nurses’ union and growing frustration over compensation issues and deteriorating working conditions. »
September 01, 2022 /
The word “work” has been associated historically with “compulsion, torment, affliction, and persecution.” Why is this? The answer lies in our economic system. »
August 25, 2022 /
Starbucks Workers United just marked the one-year anniversary of its first organizing committee meeting. In that time, the new union has won union elections at 225 stores, covering more than 6,000 workers. »
August 12, 2022 /
At noon on July 17, my co-workers and I at the video game studio Tender Claws stepped away from our desks.
Two of our work-from-home colleagues walked into the office unannounced; our out-of-state colleagues joined virtually on a laptop. We passed out a letter and read it aloud together: “Dear management: we are proud to announce we are forming the Tender Claws »
August 01, 2022 /
A number of veteran organizers and labor journalists are publishing books this year that will be of interest to Labor Notes readers. Many of them participated in a "Meet the Author" session at the recent Labor Notes Conference. Here are a few books to check out or pre-order: »
July 27, 2022 / Alexandra Bradbury, / Sarah Hughes
Abortion: it’s a topic unions shy away from. The logic is, why go there? You might alienate conservative workers who otherwise share your workplace concerns.
And it’s true, you might—though the issue is not as divisive as the GOP makes it out to be. A solid 61 percent of U.S. adults is pro-choice. Among those aged 18-29, it’s 74 percent. »
July 13, 2022 /
We’re excited to welcome a new member to the Labor Notes staff: Courtney Smith!
Courtney worked on the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign in 2020 as a Black constituency organizer. She has also worked with families who were victims of police brutality, and as an organizer with the Lecturers’ Employee Organization at the University of Michigan. »