Dispatches From the Culture Wars — April 21, 2026
Portside
War on the homefront
War on the homefront
War on the homefront
labor
“An Optimistic Book for Horrifying Times”: An Interview With Labor Writer and Historian Dave Kamper
Workday Magazine
I think it’s possible to be an optimist about the labor movement and not be rose-colored glasses about it.
labor
CTU on Zohran Mamdani’s Election As Mayor of New York
Chicago Teachers Union
Running on a platform rooted in the realities of working families, including lowering the cost of living, expanding affordable housing, and uplifting the poor, Mamdani’s success is a clear signal of what’s possible
labor
Teachers Unions Leverage Contracts To Fight Climate Change
Grist
As federal support and financial incentives for climate action wither, this sort of local action is becoming more difficult but also more urgent, advocates say.
labor
DOGE Already Happened in Chicago: How To Resist Through Coalition Building
The Progressive
The practice of solidarity, the practice of coalition, those two practices are going to be critically important for how we withstand these moments. But not just for survival – to make a better path forward. Survival is one thing; living is another.
labor
‘DOGE Already Happened in Chicago’
The Progressive
The president of the Chicago Teachers Union spoke to The Progressive about the union’s new contract that will protect Chicago educators and students from the threats of the Trump Administration.
CTU Members Ratify New Contract With 97% Approval
Chicago Sun-Times
The contract is the CTU’s first without a strike or a strike vote in 15 years. The agreement sets lower class size limits, gives pay raises and could add hundreds of new staff members.
A Blueprint for Resisting Trump Education Cuts? Chicago Teachers Reach “Powerful” Tentative Contract
Democracy Now!
In a major labor victory, the Chicago Teachers Union reached a tentative agreement with Chicago Public Schools Monday night that reaffirms sanctuary school protections, protects the ability to teach Black history, and gives veteran teachers a raise.
labor
More Black and Latina Women Are Leading Unions — and Transforming How They Work
AP
Black and Latina women are driving labor union growth in the U.S. amid a decades-long decline in membership. In 2023, Black women’s union membership rate notched a slight bump from 10.3% to 10.5%, while Latinas went up from 8.5% to 8.8%.
How Portland Teachers Led the Longest K–12 Strike in Decades
Rethinking Schools
The seeds of our strike were sown 10 years ago. In the 2013–2014 school year, school district leaders demanded more than 75 concessions, including bigger class sizes, fewer workload protections, and cuts to healthcare benefits.
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