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Unions Flex Political Muscle at the Democratic National Convention -- But Uber and Airbnb Lurk

Justin Miller The American Prospect
The labor movement's agenda was on full display at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Union delegates numbered roughly one-quarter of the convention’s 4,000-plus delegates. Still, there were stark reminders that labor has struggled to keep at bay the party’s coziness with corporations, especially those of the Silicon Valley disruption variety. Ride-hailing giant Uber—not unionized taxi cabs—served as the DNC’s exclusive shuttle service.

A Power Broker Who Wants Labor at the Table, Not on the Menu

Noam Scheiber The New York Times
lee Saunders, President of the 1.6 million American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers is not only a major leader in the AFL-CIO, but one of the prime supporters of Secretary Hillary Clinton.

Disrupting Uber

Vic Vaiana Jacobin
Driver-owned apps could end Uber’s exploitative reign over the ride-share market.

This Is What Progressives—Especially Labor—Can Learn From Bernie Sanders’ Campaign

David Moberg Working In These Times
If unions find better strategic partners outside the labor movement on a particular issue, they should proceed on the basis of their analysis of what is needed, not hold back and wait for labor unity. Too often a particular union’s political stance may reflect a private employer’s growth plans, not the general good for working people.

Union Leader Calls Rauner a 'Jackass,' Vows to 'Take Him Out' in 2018

Kim Geiger Chicago Tribune
Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, along with other trade union leaders addressed the Illinois delegation to the Democratic Party Convention and pledged support to Council 31, AFSCME who has threatened to go out on strike.

Interview: Busting the Myths of a Workerless Future

Chris Brooks, Kim Moody Labor Notes
Where’s our economy headed? Soon every factory worker will have to start driving for Uber, and the trucks will drive themselves—at least so the business press tells us. But Kim Moody, co-founder of this magazine and the author of many books on U.S. labor, paints a different picture. Chris Brooks asked him to cut through the hype and describe what’s coming for working people and the opportunities for unions. This is Part 1 of an interview with Kim Moody.

Teachers Arrested Protesting Police Brutality in the Twin Cities

Samantha Winslow Labor Notes
With 3,000 teachers gathered in Minneapolis for the American Federation of Teachers convention, the two Twin Cities teachers unions led a march to protest the recent police killing of an African American man, Philando Castile, at a traffic stop. Educators want to link their struggle for resources for public schools with the wider need for public investment in neighborhoods and cities, particularly for communities of color.