Portside

Unions must either demand a place at the table or be part of the meal

As we approach the ten year anniversary of the great recession, leading economists talk about where the next crisis might come from. Workers bear the brunt of crises, but they also could be the cause that provokes the system to falter.

A federal judge in Washington has struck down keys parts of President Trump's executive orders that would have made it easier to fire federal employees.

But Republicans Won’t Let Them Have It

Prior to the introduction of an increased minimum wage in Ontario, the business community spread fear that unemployment would rise. Instead the rate has hit an 18-year low. Next time business cries wolf, workers should just pushback harder.

As the Trump administration cracks down on undocumented immigrants, it’s urgent for worker centers and unions to organize to defend immigrant members.

Strikes have become a much weaker tool for unions, while management continues to lock out workers as a way to call the shots at the bargaining table.

A rarely used U.S. government data set shows that the rate of all private sector strikes arising from union contract negotiations has declined by over 60% since the 1990s.

The Trump administration already has been slowly dismantling worker protections, especially those enacted under the Obama administration.

The difference between these two systems of labor relations shows up in the different weight given to individual rights, such as freedom of speech, and collective rights, such as freedom of association.