Labor Notes
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| Labor Notes | |
|---|---|
| Name | Labor Notes |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan |
| Focus | Labor movement, trade union reform, rank-and-file activism |
Labor Notes Labor Notes is a project and publication that documents, analyzes, and supports rank-and-file organizing within the American trade union movement. It publishes reporting, strategy guides, and organizers' accounts, and it convenes conferences and trainings that connect activists from across unions, industries, and regions. Its work intersects with campaigns, strikes, and reform efforts involving workers, activists, and union leaders from a wide range of sectors.
History
Labor Notes originated in 1979 as a response to debates sparked by events such as the PATCO strike and political shifts during the Ronald Reagan administration, drawing attention from organizers involved with the United Auto Workers, Teamsters, United Steelworkers, American Postal Workers Union, and locals influenced by the Congress of Industrial Organizations tradition. Early contributors included activists who had worked on campaigns tied to the Coal Strike of 1977–1978, the UPS strike of 1997, and solidarity efforts with movements like those surrounding Solidarity (Poland 1980s), Solidarity movement (1980s), and the international labor network associated with the International Labour Organization. As the publication developed through the 1980s and 1990s, it covered major labor events including disputes at corporations such as General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Boeing, Walmart, and transport actions related to Amtrak and municipal transit systems like Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York). Labor Notes engaged with reform currents inside unions including the Rank-and-file Movement and documented clashes within federations such as the AFL–CIO, the Change to Win Coalition, and the SEIU reformers. Its history also reflects interactions with community organizations like ACORN, immigrant worker centers connected to United Farm Workers, and international solidarity with unions like the British Trades Union Congress and the Canadian Labour Congress.
Mission and Activities
The organization's mission centers on promoting worker self-activity and democratization within unions, supporting campaigns against employers such as Amazon (company), Apple Inc., McDonald's, and in sectors including health care employers like Kaiser Permanente, education institutions such as the City University of New York, and public sector employers represented by AFSCME locals. Activities include publishing investigative reporting on labor disputes involving corporations like FedEx and UPS, coordinating trainings for activists connected to unions like the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and organizing conferences that attract participants from municipal unions such as the Transport Workers Union of America and educational unions like the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers. It collaborates or exchanges ideas with organizations in social movements including Black Lives Matter, Mujeres Libres, and faith-based groups like Catholic Worker Movement where labor concerns overlap with community campaigns.
Publications and Media
Labor Notes produces a magazine, books, and online resources featuring reports, interviews, and strategy pieces involving figures or events like the Memphis sanitation strike, the Minneapolis teachers strike, and the Chicago Teachers Union strike. Its writers have covered campaigns at firms like Target Corporation, Nike, and Starbucks, and discussed union drives involving unions such as Communication Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Publication topics often reference historical labor scholarship and texts associated with authors or institutions like Barbara Ehrenreich, Eric Hobsbawm, Howard Zinn, Zinn Education Project, and archives such as the Walter P. Reuther Library. Media formats include print magazines, podcasts that interview activists from campaigns involving Fight for $15 and Living Wage Campaigns, and toolkits used by organizers in sectors represented by UNITE HERE and Service Employees International Union locals.
Influence on Labor Movement
Labor Notes has influenced reform caucuses and rank-and-file initiatives inside unions including reform caucuses within the Teamsters for a Democratic Union, Democratic Socialists of America-affiliated organizers, and local insurgencies in unions such as American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Its conferences have featured speakers and sessions drawing activists from campaigns like the General Motors sit-down strike legacy, the January 2020 UK strikes, and solidarity efforts with international unions including the Solidarity Federation (UK). The organization's coverage and trainings have been cited by organizers in workplace struggles at universities like University of California campuses, hospitals affiliated with Department of Veterans Affairs, and logistics centers operated by DHL. Influences extend to coalition work with groups such as Jobs with Justice, National Nurses United, and worker centers like Restaurant Opportunities Centers United.
Organizational Structure and Funding
The organization operates as an independent nonprofit with a small editorial staff and volunteer contributors drawn from unions like the United Auto Workers, United Steelworkers, and National Education Association locals. Funding typically comes from subscriptions, book sales, conference fees, and donations from individuals and foundations historically associated with labor and progressive causes, including philanthropic actors that have supported projects alongside entities like the Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and labor-friendly trusts. It partners with coalitions including Labor/Community Strategy Center and research institutions such as the Economic Policy Institute on events and publications. Governance includes an editorial collective and advisory boards composed of activists from unions such as SEIU and Teamsters.
Criticism and Controversies
Critics from established union leadership and conservative commentators have questioned the organization's strategies and alignment with insurgent caucuses, referencing disputes seen in high-profile fights like the internal conflicts within the AFL–CIO and the controversies that accompanied campaigns at employers such as Walmart and Amazon (company). Some labor scholars and officials from unions including the American Federation of Labor-affiliated leaders and managers have debated its tactical approaches compared with those endorsed by central bodies like the Change to Win Coalition. Controversies have also arisen over coverage of contentious strikes such as actions in the auto industry and public-sector disputes involving school board conflicts, where perspectives from reform activists clashed with those of incumbent union officials and allied political actors.