The boss hopes we'll let language divides make organizing a nonstarter, but it doesn't have to be. Learn how to build member power across multiple languages in your union and forge winning campaigns in a multilingual workplace.
"These kids don't want to work any more!" "These boomers ruined it all for us!" Generational divides are played up in the media, and show up at our workplaces and in our unions. This session will explore what's behind generational conflict at work, and share strategies for building unity.
Authoritarianism and corporate power converge through the system of courts and prisons to keep wages low, undermine organizing, and make profit. A clip from the award-winning documentary "The Alabama Solution" opens this session, spotlighting incarcerated organizers who are leading work stoppages against brutal repression inside Alabama prisons. Panelists will discuss the continuum from prison labor on the inside to sub-minimum wage temp work on the outside. Hear why organizing criminalized workers—in and after prison—is essential to building working-class power.
Bullying, conflict, and other divisions weaken us. The more united our worksites are, the easier it is to solve problems. In this interactive workshop we’ll practice member-to-member communication tools that help increase respect among co-workers, fight oppression, and respond collectively to workplace problems.
Unionized publc sector employment has been a critical source of stability for Black workers both historically and today. Austerity and attacks on public workers are a threat to this pillar of racial justice. Hear from Black workers about their experience in the public sector and why it's so important for fighting racial inequality.
Many of us avoid talking politics at work... but how can labor change the world if we can't even talk to each other about it? Do you have differences of opinion with your co-workers on immigration, war, who’s elected to run the country, you name it? Hear real stories and practical advice from workers who are finding common ground with their co-workers. Come share your stories and practice how these conversations can go better.
The bosses fear our collective power, so they try to pit us against each other, non-immigrant vs. immigrant. But the more workers are active in the union, the greater our power on the job. Learn how to build a union culture that welcomes and develops immigrant leaders, fosters open discussion to overcome divisions, and builds our collective power.
Join Latino activists to discuss how our unions can foster Latino leadership and address the issues affecting workers of color and our communities. How can we get our unions in gear and how can we build stronger connections across unions?
State repression isn't new for the labor movement, but the tone has shifted with the rhetoric of the current administration. Bosses are finding new ways to sow fear and distrust. Yet union activists are pushing back and getting stronger through organizing. Their experiences offer insight that can help us all prepare for the next wave of challenges.