Portside

An interview with historian Michael Honey about his new biography of John Handcox, a sharecropper, union organizer, and folk singer.

Boeing workers ratify contract in close vote. NYU graduate workers vote to unionize in overwhelming vote. In a contest between mobile capital and a skilled workforce the workers at Boeing were at a distinct disadvantage. At NYU after years of frustration due to unfair labor laws the UAW and the graduates students prevailed through skilled organizing and perseverance.

Should public school educators be as optimistic about the coming year as the rising stock prices of our numerous Fortune 500 corporations? Not so fast. As those entities earning record profits continue to shirk their responsibilities, the District is forced to balance its budget on the backs of the only individuals they have some sort of control over - their teachers.

The loss of pensions at Boeing marks a major setback for unions, as employers typically follow the example of other employers at the bargaining table in terms of what constitutes a reasonable demand. Since the financial crash, unions have given up pensions for new hires at large, profitable, industry trendsetters such as General Electric, Verizon, Honeywell and now, Boeing.

Socialists in Seattle: Kshama Sawant's Campaign Assistant Anh Tran interviewed by Andrew Sernatinger and Tessa Echeverria

In recognition of the anniversary of the death of Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain, a host of retrospectives will recognize both the raw potency of Cobain's songwriting and the tragedy of his heroin use and suicide. They will hide that Nirvana was a band of rebels.

It's easy to praise people who challenge governments of the distant past, and much harder to do so for those who challenge those who wield actual power today.

De Blasio is to the left of America's Democratic party, but he's no radical seeking to overthrow capitalism. Instead, he'll likely usher in progressive policies.