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A Bigger Tent: Can Richard Trumka Save the Labor Movement?

Amy B. Dean Boston Review
Trumka’s ambition to create connections between union members and non-union workers is still far from completely realized. Some say those links barely exist, even in blueprint form. Yet, his analysis points to an economy that is hurting all working people. This translates into a focus on immigration reform, ending mass incarceration and challenging inequality.

TONY MAZZOCCHI’S SPIRIT HAUNTS BIG OIL AGAIN

Steve Early Beyond Chron
Oil workers belonging to the United Steel Workers of America put-up picket lines in Northern California, Texas, Kentucky and Washington State this week. It has been 35 years since Tony Mazzocchi helped lead a strike against big oil.

Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, and Underprotected

African American Policy Forum African American Policy Forum
Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected is a new report by the African American Policy Forum and Columbia Law School’s Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies. The report is based on a new review of national data and personal interviews with young women in Boston and New York.

Group Appeals Mandatory Union Fees to Supreme Court

David G. Savage Los Angeles Times
The court case could pose a major threat to public-sector unions whose clout grew in the 1970s after the high court upheld laws requiring all employees who benefit from collective bargaining to contribute to the union. Although teachers and other public workers may refuse to pay dues used to support a union's political activities, they can still be forced to pay a so-called "fair share" fee that covers operation costs.

Marissa Alexander Released From Prison, But Still Not Free

Nadia Prupis Common Dreams
Initially facing 20 years in prison under Florida's "10-20-life" rule, Marissa Alexander's case focused national attention on the treatment of domestic abuse survivors by the justice system, particularly women of color, as well as Florida's mandatory minimum sentencing laws.

To Translate Humanity: Remembering Gaza and the Summer of 2014

Hadeel Assali Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership
The summer of 2014, when Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip killing well over 2,000 people, was marked with a heavy sense of helplessness for Palestinians around the world. Palestinian American writer and filmmaker Hadeel Assali remembers the summer of 2014 and the making of her short film, Shuja'iyah: Land of the Brave, to shed light on the humanity and nuance of of Palestinian people and stories.

Chicago Teacher Union Chief Blasts Rauner, Says Union Will Not Back Down

Juan Perez, Jr. Chicago Tribune
"Bruce Rauner ran on a platform about nothing," Lewis said Monday at a City Club of Chicago luncheon. "He's wasted no time attacking the wages of working-class people, attacking their labor unions and threatening massive cuts to social service programs, which help the most vulnerable people in our state.