Portside

Once in a while, we – the volunteer moderators of Portside – take the opportunity to talk directly to us – the entire Portside community – about how we see things and how you can pitch in. Our thoughts, in brief:

Nearly two years into the recovery, Native American workers are contending with a labor market that would be considered catastrophic if it was reflective of the full economy.

Because meals are so important to the holidays, it raises our awareness of the issue, but hunger in our community exists 24/7

Hundreds of service workers from across the South gathered in Columbia, South Carolina, November 17-19 to launch the Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW).

The walkout involves bargaining units representing nearly 48,000 teaching assistants, researchers and other employees across the University of California’s 10 campuses.

Adjunct faculty at the New School in New York City enter their second week of a strike. The university advertises itself as socially conscious but has not raised adjunct pay since 2018, resulting in an effective 18% pay cut adjusted for inflation.

Starbucks has undertaken an unceasing union-busting campaign since the first cafe unionized a year ago. But if the 114 cafes that saw baristas go on strike yesterday for its annual Red Cup Day are any indication, the company won’t be victorious any time soon.

A coalition of railroad workers unions says the biggest rail companies in the U.S. have become far too focused on profits, and is calling for public ownership of rail infrastructure across North America.

For the first time, they could qualify as employees and enjoy benefits and rights that have been off-limits for years.

As worker organizing deepens the crisis of the corporatist regime, opportunities open to build a democratic labor regime. The question is whether the resources will be available to support a massive organizing campaign by independent Mexican labor.