This Week in People’s History, Sept 18–24

Movie poster for documentary film "The Sorrow and the Pity"
The Sorrow and the Pity Rewrites History (1969), The Dawn of Women’s Suffrage (1893), Millions Protest Global Warming (2019), Thelonious Monk’s Musical Signature (1954), An All-Star Cast Says ‘No Nukes!’ (1979), The Chicago Eight on Trial (1969)

Working Class to the Left of Rich on Economic Policy

The new research, said one union leader, provides Democrats with a "clear roadmap to winning back" working-class voters.

Presidential Immunity Didn’t Fall out of a Coconut Tree

The six Supreme Court justices who invented presidential immunity are not 'conservative.' A series of interventions by Federalist Society judges have rewritten the United States Constitution and democratic rules in favor of plutocratic interests.

Harsh Laws Are Being Used Against Climate Protests

Rather than safeguarding basic rights of freedom of expression, assembly and association, many countries are looking to outdated legislation or enacting new laws restricting peaceful protest and imposing disproportionate punishments.

The Armageddon Agenda - the Race to Oblivion

The next president will be making critical decisions regarding the future of the New START Treaty and the composition of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Given the vital stakes involved, such decisions should not be left to the president and close advisors.

Human Embryo Models Are Raising Ethical Questions

Dozens of labs around the world are striving to grow models of human embryos to study development, fertility and therapies. They are entering uncharted ethical territory.

A Prophet for the Poor

In order to build a mass movement for economic justice, Reverend William Barber argues, we need to let go of the idea that poverty is an exclusively Black or urban issue.

Taxing Unrealized Capital Gains of Very Wealthy

Middle Class Often Taxed on Unrealized Capital Gains

Harris Must Turn Infrastructure Jobs Into Votes

Reno’s building trades unions are mobilizing their members to support the Democratic nominee.

Haifa University Conspired Against Palestinians

Palestinian students arrived at the union’s office to submit their candidacy for elections. The administration slammed the door in their faces.
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Culture

food

Can You Go Broke Eating Fruit?

Ethan Freedman Ambrook Research
Some produce purveyors offer exorbitantly priced fruit and claim unparalleled quality — but are we mostly paying for a status symbol?

poetry

Counting the Dead

Susan Cossette New Verse News
Minnesota poet Susan Cossette addresses the ultimate misogyny—“Faceless, nameless shadows…/Now, we matter more in death.”

poetry

Sermon on the Mount 2024

Susan Cossette
As Minnesota poet Susan Cossette reminds us, watch out for prophets!

Labor

labor

Autoworkers Have Made Both Candidates Pay Attention

Alex N. Press Jacobin
Anyone wanting substantive discussion of jobs in last night’s debate was disappointed. But because of the UAW’s organizing and strikes over the past year, both Trump and Harris felt compelled to insist they were the best candidate for autoworkers.

labor

Boar’s Head Plant Shuts Down

Edward Carver Common Dreams
A union statement said the closure was "especially unfortunate" because workers shouldn't be punished for the deadly outbreak, but a deal protecting employees' livelihoods was reached.

labor

Boeing Machinists Strike

Jenny Brown Labor Notes
Workers in yellow jackets holding Strike Against Boeing signs. The rejected contract covers 32,000 workers in Washington and Oregon, members of Machinists District 751 in Washington and W24 in Oregon. Most work at the two plants near Seattle. It’s the largest strike in the U.S. this year.

labor

‘Hard No’: Boeing Workers React to Tentative Agreement

Jenny Brown Labor Notes
Hundreds of workers chanting “Strike! Strike!” at Boeing’s Everett, Washington, factory marched out during their lunch break on September 8, a few hours after the Machinists union recommended a tentative agreement with the company. They will vote Sep

labor

Why More Doctors Are Joining Unions

Lambeth Hochwald Medscape
With huge shifts over the past decade in the way doctors are employed — half of all doctors now work for a health system or large medical group — the idea of unionizing is not only being explored but gaining traction within the profession.

Friday nite video

video

School Lunch | John Oliver

John Oliver discusses school lunch programs in the US and why giving kids free lunch is in all of our best interest

video

How to Debate | Sarah Cooper

Same words, same voice, but Sarah Cooper brings a whole different perspective to The Debate