Alexandra Bradbury

‘Dirty Dozen’ Dangerous Employers Named for Workers Memorial Day

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Two people in respirator masks and white hazardous materials suits squat and look at each other over a bright orange bag labeled "hazardous"
April 26, 2023

April 28 is Workers Memorial Day, commemorating those killed, sickened, or injured on the job. As part of a week of events, today the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is releasing its “Dirty Dozen” report.

Every Union Contract Right Now Should Be the Best Ever

Alexandra Bradbury

If your union goes into negotiations right now and doesn’t win its biggest raise ever, you’re leaving money on the table.

Soaring inflation means it takes a bigger raise just to break even. And with unemployment low, labor has extra leverage to win more.

Dining hall workers at Northeastern University in Boston just approved a new contract that will raise them to $30 an hour by 2026—triple the $9 they were making in 2012 before they unionized.

Ten Years Ago, Chicago Teachers Gave Us All a Jolt of Hope

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Black-and-white photo of huge crowd of Chicago teachers marching through a downtown street. Many carry signs. One large banner says "CORE," which stands for the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators.
September 10, 2022

On the tenth anniversary of the Chicago Teachers Union’s groundbreaking strike, we’re reissuing our award-winning book How to Jump-Start Your Union: Lessons from the Chicago Teachers. This is the new introduction.

If you feel like your union needs a jump-start—whether you’re a longtime shop steward or just started your first union job—this book is for you.

Yes, Abortion Rights Are a Union Issue

Alexandra Bradbury
Sarah Hughes
Women march behind a giant banner. The part we can see reads "OUR ABORTION." Other signs visible say "If it's not your body, it's not your choice" and "Our bodies, our future."

Abortion: it’s a topic unions shy away from. The logic is, why go there? You might alienate conservative workers who otherwise share your workplace concerns.

And it’s true, you might—though the issue is not as divisive as the GOP makes it out to be. A solid 61 percent of U.S. adults is pro-choice. Among those aged 18-29, it’s 74 percent.

It’s good to see unions begin to overcome this fear and take a stand—because, contrary to the narrative, abortion is a labor issue.

‘Direct Action Revitalized Our Union’: New Canadian Postal Veep Has a Plan to Revive Militancy Coast to Coast

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A group of smiling people in yellow vests stands inside a cafeteria. Several hold signs "CUPW Local 730 stands with you." Many have their fists in the air.
July 14, 2022

A letter carrier who helped organize a militant campaign of refusing forced overtime has won national office in the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, with the goal of taking that direct action approach nationwide.

Roland Schmidt, president of the local in Edmonton, Alberta, won a national election in May to became CUPW’s third vice president in charge of internal and external organizing.

Videos from the 2022 Labor Notes Conference

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June 22, 2022

Wow! What an amazing weekend. Thank you to all 4,000 troublemakers who converged in Chicago June 17-19 and made this year's Labor Notes Conference incredible.

The energy you brought, the stories you shared, the connections you made, the ideas and plans you're bringing back home—that's what it's all about.

Special thanks to everyone who volunteered their time, interpreted between languages, donated money, spoke in workshops and panels, led meetings, and shared songs, poems, and art!

Videos from the 2022 Labor Notes Conference

Alexandra Bradbury

Wow! What an amazing weekend. Thank you to all 4,000 troublemakers who converged in Chicago June 17-19 and made this year's Labor Notes Conference incredible.

The energy you brought, the stories you shared, the connections you made, the ideas and plans you're bringing back home—that's what it's all about.

Special thanks to everyone who volunteered their time, interpreted between languages, donated money, spoke in workshops and panels, led meetings, and shared songs, poems, and art!

Labor Notes Conference 2022: It’s Gonna Be Big

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One masked worker speaks into a bullhorn as another looks on. Both look happy and young.
May 12, 2022

This year’s Labor Notes Conference (June 17-19, Chicago) will be one for the record books. About 4,000 people are coming—more than ever before—after a long wait.

There’s plenty to celebrate this year, starting with phenomenal new organizing wins at Starbucks and Amazon. Dozens of shop floor organizers from both companies will be there, including plenary speakers Amazon Labor Union President Chris Smalls (“We want to thank Jeff Bezos for going to space, because while he was up there we were organizing a union”) and Michelle Eisen of Starbucks Workers United.

Take Heart, and Take Risks

Alexandra Bradbury
Inside a warehouse three young people smile as they unveil a bright yellow banner that says "Amazon Labor Union, Vote Yes"

Nobody predicted this—we sure didn’t. What Amazon workers in New York pulled off was supposed to be impossible.

An independent union relying almost entirely on volunteer organizers beat one of the world’s biggest and most fiercely anti-union companies.

They did it with an eclectic mix of classic methods and throwing out the rulebook. Instead of organizing an underground campaign, they put up a recruitment tent right outside the warehouse.

Rest in Power Mike Parker, 1940-2022

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January 20, 2022

Mike Parker, the author of four Labor Notes books and a close supporter and key strategist throughout our 43-year history, died January 15 of pancreatic cancer. He will be hugely missed—remembered as a brilliant thinker, a humble and dedicated movement-builder, and a moral compass and mentor to generations of activists.

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