Troublemakers Blog

September 10, 2018 /
Why have New York City public defenders been walking out of the courts in the middle of the day to hold spirited demonstrations in support of their clients? The outcry began last November when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were reported to lurk in the vicinity of the courts, targeting people as they entered or exited court proceedings. »
August 31, 2018 /
Earlier this week, the U.S. and Mexico announced an agreement to update parts of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Below we publish an English translation of a statement from Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, president of Los Mineros (the National Union of Mine, Metal, Steel, and Related Workers of the Mexican Republic), on the deal. »
August 31, 2018 /
It has become a movement mantra, as labor suffers betrayal after betrayal by Democrats and Republicans alike: union members should run for office themselves. Rhetoric on this subject is cheap and easy. But running successful candidates is not. Even labor activists with considerable skill and experience have found it difficult to win public office. »
August 30, 2018 / Bianca Cunningham
Why are some union leaders saying public sector workers shouldn’t have the right to strike? We expect it from conservatives like former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who told the Post that ending the state’s ban on public sector strikes would “turn New York into Venezuela.” »
August 17, 2018 /
Editor's note: This viewpoint is part of an ongoing debate about how unions should deal with free riders. Check out previous installments here. »
August 09, 2018 /
In 1965, in both Canada and the U.S., about 30 percent of the workforce was represented by unions. This figure, called union density, had been close between the two countries for 50 years. Often, density in the U.S. was a little bit higher than in Canada. But starting in the mid-1960s, our paths diverged. Union density in the U.S. began to fall, while in Canada »
August 08, 2018 / Chris Brooks, / Alexandra Bradbury
Unions in Missouri are declaring victory after voters shot down a Republican-backed “right-to-work” law by a hefty 2 to 1. The final vote count was 937,241 against the legislation to 452,075 in favor. »
August 07, 2018 /
Today Missouri voters are at the polls in a referendum to repeal the state’s “right-to-work” law, thanks to the heroic efforts of union members and allies who gathered 310,657 signatures last year to block implementation of the anti-union law until voters could decide »
July 27, 2018 /
Chris Brooks has written an important critique of the direct reimbursement proposal that I and »
July 25, 2018 / Chris Brooks
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Janus decision, a new approach to financing unions called “direct reimbursement” is gaining traction with Democratic politicians, academics, and even the New York Times editorial board. »

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