Portside

If we agree that a revived labor movement—and more worker organizing—is essential to combat the far right or tackle economic inequality, then we can’t wait for union treasuries to open. It’s imperative to unite as much of the labor movement as possible with a broader Left to defend our entire democracy.

Despite the ravages of deindustrialization, the United Auto Workers remain the US’s most important industrial union. Members recently elected a new leadership promising democracy, militancy, and an end to corruption. But change isn’t coming easy to the UAW.

The UAW has 400,000 members and a strike fund of a billion dollars. The new leaders campaigned on a militant approach to organizing, internal democracy, and solidarity against tiers, similar to the leadership shakeup in the Teamsters in 2021. The Members United slogan was “No Corruption, No Concessions, No Tiers.”

Labor militants ousted entrenched leadership in the United Mine Workers in 1972, an historic breakthrough that led to setbacks and successes.

The UAW Members United slate won three regional director positions and could eventually win the other four top officer positions it contested, including the presidency.

Paul Schrade, 1924 - 2022, devoted his life to building an America and a California that enjoyed broadly shared prosperity and racial egalitarianism. It’s that for which he should be remembered.

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.