2026 Labor Notes Conference

Labor Song Swap and Jam 9:00pm - 11:00pm

Recovery/Sobriety Meeting 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Pub Quiz, Labor Edition 5:00pm - 6:30pm

International Guests Reception 6:00pm - 8:00pm

FILM: Who Moves America 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Building Density in the Open Shop 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Labor Song Swap and Jam: Fri 9:00pm - 11:00pm

Trainings That Engage and Inspire 10:00am - 11:45am

Tactics to Build Power 3:05pm - 4:50pm

LGBTQ+ Meetup 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Sexual Harassment: What It Is and How to Stop it 10:00am - 11:45am

How to Expand Your Reach as a Troublemaker 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Continuous Bargaining 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Grievance Handling: Best and Worst Practices 5:10pm - 6:40pm

FUN Solidarity Social powered by Federal Unionists Network 9:00pm - 11:00pm

Immigrant Workers Unbossed, Rising Up and Organizing 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Building Rank-and-File Unionism Around the World 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Friday Main Session 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Bargaining Tactics: Using Unfair Labor Practice Charges Strategically 10:00am - 11:45am

How to Spot an Unfair Labor Practice and What to Do with It 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Open Bargaining 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Overcoming Divisions 10:00am - 11:45am

Can Political Strikes Restore Labor's Power? 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Stewards' Skills: Organizing To Defend Our Rights 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Big Strikes, Big Power 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Assertive Grievance Handling 10:00am - 11:45am

Beyond Bread and Butter: Expanding What We Bargain For 1:00pm - 2:45pm

How to Build a High-Participation Contract Campaign 3:05pm - 4:50pm

No Work, No School, No Shopping: Organizing for Mass Disruption 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Fighting Against War from the Shop Floor 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Labor Notes 101: Conference Orientation 10:00am - 11:45am

Taking on Goliath: Tactics to Bring Amazon to Heel 1:00pm - 2:45pm

From Contract Struggle to Shop Floor Power at UPS 3:05pm - 4:50pm

From Israel’s Genocide to U.S.’s Deportation Sweeps: Workers Organize for a Better World 10:00am - 11:45am

Running Labor Candidates for Public Office—What it Takes to Win 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Fight ICE, Build the Union 3:05pm - 4:50pm

From Defense to Offense: Developing Power and Strategy for the World We Want 10:00am - 11:45am

Decoding Your Contract 1:00pm - 2:45pm

The Hidden Impacts of A.I.: Building Power in the Semiconductor Supply Chain 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Keeping the Momentum in a First Contract Fight 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Organizing Worker Cooperatives 10:00am - 11:45am

Assertive Grievance Handling 1:00pm - 2:45pm

How to March on the Boss 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Defending Your Co-Workers in Disciplinary Meetings 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Bring the Union Meeting to the Members 10:00am - 11:45am

Before, During, and After Negotiations: Step-by-Step Strategies 1:00pm - 2:45pm

For Elected Leaders: Building Democracy vs. Administering Bureaucracy 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Bargaining Tools: Using Your Caucus Time Powerfully 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Democratic Rights of Union Members: Free Speech 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Cross-Border Solidarity 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Best Practices and Tools for Building a Multilingual Union 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Secretos de un organizador exitoso 1: Vencer a la apatía 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Secretos de un organizador exitoso 2: Armar el equipo de tus sueños 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Secretos de un organizador exitoso 3: Convertir un problema en una campaña 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Untapped Pension Power 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Working with Media to Tell Our Stories 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Building Power in Grocery and Meatpacking 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Organizing in the Multiethnic Workplace 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Breaching the Non-Union Citadel: Southern Auto Workers Organize 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Building a Union Culture at Amazon 10:00am - 11:45am

Mexican Workers Fight for Justice/Trabajadores Mexicanos luchan por justicia 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Auto Workers of the World, Unite! 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Getting Unions Involved in New Organizing Campaigns 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Recovery/Sobriety Meeting 8:00am - 9:00am

Recovery/Sobriety Meeting 6:30pm - 7:30pm

App Workers on the Move 10:00am - 11:45am

Unions, Climate, and the Fight for Affordability 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Strategies for Reforming International Unions 5:10pm - 6:40pm

When Costs Rise, So Should Our Pay 10:00am - 11:45am

Health Care Is Broken But Not Broke 1:00pm - 2:45pm

The Labor Notes Podcast: Live! 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Dismantling the War Machine: Lessons from Pro-Peace Organizing 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Black Rose Anarchist Federation 9:00pm - 11:00pm

Building a Healthy, Activist Local Union 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Graduate Worker Organizing 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Whose Railroads? Our Railroads! Public Ownership Around the World 10:00am - 11:45am

Chokepoints for Supply Chain Workers 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Using the Railway Labor Act to Our Advantage 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Between the One-on-One and the General Meeting 10:00am - 11:45am

Bargaining When the Boss Says They're Broke 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Approaches to Bargaining Over Tech Changes 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Disabled Workers Meetup 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Inoculación 10:00am - 11:45am

Race and Labor 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Building a Strong Stewards Network 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Developing the Leaders Your Union Needs 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Beating Apathy 10:00am - 11:45am

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Beating Apathy 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Growing Your Leadership Team 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Building Trades: Jobsite Action 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Asian Unions Resisting Authoritarianism 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Simulated Bargaining: Techniques for New and Experienced Negotiators 3:05pm - 4:50pm

What to Do When the Union Breaks Your Heart 10:00am - 11:45am

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Growing Your Leadership Team 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Turning an Issue into a Campaign 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Black Workers Meetup 5:10pm - 6:40pm

UAW Member Action, Essential Workers for Democracy (EW4D) & IBEW CREW Reception 12 10:00pm -
13 1:00am

Winning a Strong Contract 10:00am - 11:45am

Winning a Strong Contract 1:00pm - 2:45pm

FILM: Partners: The Campaign to Organize Starbucks 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Asian and Asian Diaspora Meetup 5:10pm - 6:40pm

UMass Labor Center Social 9:00pm - 11:00pm

Tax the Rich! State Campaigns and Success Stories 10:00am - 11:45am

Fighting Oligarchy: Unionizing the Biggest Corporations 1:00pm - 2:45pm

The Biggest Union-Busting Effort in U.S. History: Federal Workers Fight Back 3:05pm - 4:50pm

TDU 8:30pm - 10:30pm

Fundraising for Union Reformers 10:00am - 11:45am

Building a Tax the Rich Campaign: The Nuts and Bolts 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Teatro de los oprimidos / Theater of the Oppressed 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Parent + Kids Meetup 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Building Unity Across Job Classifications 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Rockin' Your Rally and Picket Line 10:00am - 11:45am

Singing Resistance and More Songs for Protests and Pickets 1:00pm - 2:45pm

Open Mic: Great Labor Arts Exchange 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Labor Arts Meetup 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Continuous Bargaining 10:00am - 11:45am

Surveillance, Technology, and Speed-Ups: How to Identify Them and Fight Back 1:00pm - 2:45pm

What Will It Take to Win? A Conversation with Labor Movement Veterans 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Picket Signs that Pack a Powerful Punch 5:10pm - 6:40pm

World Cup Watching Party 8:30pm - 10:30pm

Lessons from Health Care and Hospital Strikes 10:00am - 11:45am

Dealing with Difficult Supervisors 3:05pm - 4:50pm

Winning Back Working-Class Voters 5:10pm - 6:40pm

Upping Our Strategy to Build Working-Class Power 9:00am - 10:45am

Talking Politics with Your Co-Workers 2:15pm - 4:00pm

State and Local Policy Campaigns: Building Labor's Power 9:00am - 10:45am

Industrial Policy: Union Visions for Our Jobs 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Dance Party 13 9:30pm -
14 12:00am

Bird Walk 6:45am - 7:45am

Getting Off the Grievance Treadmill 9:00am - 10:45am

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Turning an Issue into a Campaign 11:05am - 12:35pm

Solidarity Wins 9:00am - 10:45am

Unions Defending Democracy Playbook 11:05am - 12:35pm

Bargaining Fundamentals for a Strong Contract 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Case Study: Minnesota Bargaining and Organizing Coalition 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Teachers Fight Back Around the Globe 9:00am - 10:45am

Postal Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Austerity and Authoritarianism in Puerto Rico: Working-Class Resistance and the Fight Ahead 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Don't Wait for Recognition: Pre-Majority Unionism 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Utilizando las agencias laborales para fortalecer el poder de los trabajadores 9:00am - 10:45am

Thinking Like an Organizer 9:00am - 10:45am

Amazon Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Creative Tactics and Strategic Mischief 2:15pm - 4:00pm

How to March on the Boss 9:00am - 10:45am

UFCW/RWDSU Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

How to Keep Going: A Workshop on Organizing When It's Hard 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Forcing Corporations to Drop ICE 9:00am - 10:45am

AFSCME Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Inoculation 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Meet the Authors 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Amazon's Robot Revolution: Lessons from the Shop Floor 9:00am - 10:45am

Building Trades Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Melting ICE: Lessons from the Twin Cities 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Labor Solidarity and Strategy on Palestine 9:00am - 10:45am

Nonprofit Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Power in the NYC Mayor’s Office: What Can Labor Win? 2:15pm - 4:00pm

How Is Labor Building Political Independence from the Democratic Party? 9:00am - 10:45am

Palestine Solidarity Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Amazon Workers of the World 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Forging Ahead in Difficult Times 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Building Democracy in Contract Campaigns 9:00am - 10:45am

Labor-Community Alliances 11:05am - 12:35pm

Data Centers and Union Power 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Burnout: What We Can Do About It Together 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Using Health and Safety Committees in New Organizing 9:00am - 10:45am

Airline Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Essential Workers...

Strategies to Get a Solid First Contract 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Strengthen Your Local with a Fighting Health and Safety Program 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Higher Education Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Accessing our Power: Faculty and Staff Organizing on Campus 9:00am - 10:45am

Grad Labor Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Overcoming Generational Divides 9:00am - 10:45am

Manufacturing Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Engaging New Members 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Blue Collar Women Meetup 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Tenant Unions 11:05am - 12:35pm

¡Basta ya! Nos fuimos a huelga 2:15pm - 4:00pm

How to Break Your No-Strike Clause (And Live To Tell About It) 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Sustaining Ourselves as Organizers 9:00am - 10:45am

A Collective Response to Divisions in the Workplace and Beyond 11:05am - 12:35pm

Building a Member-to-Member Network 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Organizing Despite the Churn 4:30pm - 6:15pm

I've Been Elected, Now What? 9:00am - 10:45am

Queers Against Authoritarianism 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Building Your Contract Action Team 9:00am - 10:45am

SEIU Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Fighting Against Abusive Guestworker Programs 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Climate Jobs Organizing Strategies 4:30pm - 6:15pm

How We're Turning Our Unions Around 9:00am - 10:45am

Media Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Burnout: What We Can Do About It Together 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Communications Workers of America (CWA) Meeting 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Recovery/Sobriety Meeting 8:00am - 9:00am

French Unions in Struggle 9:00am - 10:45am

How to Lose Your Next Local Election 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Recovery/Sobriety Meeting 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Fighting the Wrongs of Management's Rights 9:00am - 10:45am

Co-ops meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Climate Change Is a Workplace Safety Fight 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Labor Educators 11:05am - 12:35pm

Public Sector Fightback 2:15pm - 4:00pm

The Emergency for Emergency Response Workers 4:30pm - 6:15pm

FILM: The Alabama Solution: Organizing Workers In and After Prison 9:00am - 10:45am

Workers Centers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

What the Boss Doesn't Want Us to Know: Building Rank-and-File Corporate Research Teams 2:15pm - 4:00pm

A.I. at Work: From Digital Workplace Tech to Contract Language 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Coordinated Bargaining 9:00am - 10:45am

Telecom Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Black Workers and the Public Sector 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Bringing Immigrant Workers into Union Life 4:30pm - 6:15pm

¡Nos protegemos! 9:00am - 10:45am

Transit Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Case Study: Reflections from the UCORE Network of Teachers Union Reformers 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Anticipating the Boss's Playbook: Strategies to Win Your Amazon Union Election 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Canadian Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

How to Have an Effective Organizing Conversation 9:00am - 10:45am

Labor Lawyers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Union Democracy La...

AFSCME Convention Delegates Meeting 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Building Relations with Cuban Labor Reception 8:30pm - 10:30pm

Conozca sus derechos como trabajadores inmigrantes 9:00am - 10:45am

Tech Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Entertainment Work...

You Can't Do It All Yourself: Learn It, Do It, Teach It 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Organizing Across Amazon Subcontractors 4:30pm - 6:15pm

The Fight for the VA: Veterans and Union Members Organize 9:00am - 10:45am

Caucuses and Contract Campaigns 2:15pm - 4:00pm

For Elected Leaders: Leadership Development and Building the Team You Need 9:00am - 10:45am

Fight the Boss, Fix the Climate 11:05am - 12:35pm

Dealing with Difficult Supervisors 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Running for Union Office 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Federal Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Turning an Issue into a Campaign 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Latino Workers Meetup 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Defending Your Co-Workers in Disciplinary Meetings 9:00am - 10:45am

Challenging Production Standards and Understaffing 9:00am - 10:45am

ILWU/IBU Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

How to Have a Good Meeting 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Organizing Across Language Divides 9:00am - 10:45am

Health Care Workers Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

MAY DAY STRONG

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Beating Apathy 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Reformers in Elected Office Reception 5:00pm - 7:00pm

EWOC Reception 9:00pm - 11:00pm

Collectively Fabulous 9:00am - 10:45am

Art: A Hammer to Shape the World 11:05am - 12:35pm

Just Cause 2:15pm - 4:00pm

It Can Happen Here: Unions vs. Authoritarian Attacks 4:30pm - 6:15pm

DSA Labor Reception 8:00pm - 11:00pm

Book Launch! Keep Going: A Guide to Organizing When It's Hard 9:00am - 10:45am

Pre-K-12 Educators Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

The Soul in the Machine: Resisting A.I. Pressure on the Character and Quality of Our Jobs 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Opening Up Bargaining 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Find Your Workplace Leverage—and Use It 9:00am - 10:45am

IATSE Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

For Elected Leaders: Staying Steady Despite the Noise 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Modelos efectivos: Comités de salud y seguridad 9:00am - 10:45am

Pensions: An Organizing Tool 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Moving from Research to Campaign 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Chinese Workers in China and the World 9:00am - 10:45am

Maintaining Unity in a Right-to-Work Shop 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Starting a “Labor Notes” in Your Country 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Dance in Labor Movements 8:00am - 9:00am

How (and When) to Start a Reform Caucus 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Listening Session: Strike While the Needle Is Hot 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Great Labor Arts Exchange Concert 9:00pm - 11:00pm

How to Build Power: From Acting Tactically to Thinking Strategically 9:00am - 10:45am

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Growing Your Leadership Team 11:05am - 12:35pm

Investigating Grievances 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Effective Worker-Led Health-and-Safety Committees 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Get Strike-Ready 9:00am - 10:45am

Union Staff Meeting 11:05am - 12:35pm

Doing Politics Differently 2:15pm - 4:00pm

Defending and Expanding Public Sector Collective Bargaining Rights 4:30pm - 6:15pm

Running for Union Office 9:00am - 10:30am

We Keep Each Other Safe: Protecting All of Us During Street Actions 10:45am - 12:30pm

Democratic Rights of Union Members: Know Your Rights 9:00am - 10:30am

Solidarity Wins 10:45am - 12:30pm

Sunday Main Session 1:00pm - 2:00pm

You Can't Do It All Yourself: Learn It, Do It, Teach It 9:00am - 10:30am

Steering Green Transitions 10:45am - 12:30pm

Getting Members Ready to Lead at the Bargaining Table 9:00am - 10:30am

Organizing the South 10:45am - 12:30pm

Heartbreak for Union Staffers 9:00am - 10:30am

Creative Tactics and Strategic Mischief 10:45am - 12:30pm

Mexico's Independent Union Movement: Challenges and Victories/El movimiento sindical independiente de México: De... 10:45am - 12:30pm

Women in Union Leadership 10:45am - 12:30pm

How We Organized Our Union 10:45am - 12:30pm

Beyond Rainbow Capitalism 9:00am - 10:30am

Union Fights on Mergers and Corporate Consolidation 10:45am - 12:30pm

Southern Workers Meeting 9:00am - 10:30am

People Over the Pentagon 9:00am - 10:30am

Bargaining a Yes-Strike Clause to Preserve Our Right to Strike 10:45am - 12:30pm

How to Form an Organizing Committee 10:45am - 12:30pm

Tenants and Labor: Unions Teaming Up 10:45am - 12:30pm

A Pro-Worker Approach to Trade Policy 9:00am - 10:30am

Organizing Remote and Scattered Workers 10:45am - 12:30pm

Fighting for Good Health Care for Working People 9:00am - 10:30am

Case Study: NewsGuild's Member-Leader Program 10:45am - 12:30pm

Recovery/Sobriety Meeting 8:00am - 9:00am

Casing an Employer: On-the-Ground Research for New Organizing Targets 9:00am - 10:30am

Strikes and the Law 10:45am - 12:30pm

Drafting Contract Language: 20 Worst Mistakes to Avoid 9:00am - 10:30am

Salts and Peppers: Get a Job, Organize a Union! 10:45am - 12:30pm

Your Caucus Won. Now What? 9:00am - 10:30am

Mieux S'Organiser Pour Gagner 10:45am - 12:30pm

Cómo luchar contra la desorganización del jefe 9:00am - 10:30am

Running for Union Office: How We Did It 10:45am - 12:30pm

For (Newly) Elected Leaders: Crash Course for Taking Office 10:45am - 12:30pm

Veterans and Military Families Meetup 9:00am - 10:30am

How to Have a Good Meeting 10:45am - 12:30pm

Know Your Rights for Immigrant Workers 9:00am - 10:30am

Building Trades: Internal Organizing 10:45am - 12:30pm

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Growing Your Leadership Team 9:00am - 10:30am

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Beating Apathy 10:45am - 12:30pm

How to Investigate a Safety and Health Incident 9:00am - 10:30am

Building the Union Through Strikes 10:45am - 12:30pm

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Turning an Issue into a Campaign 9:00am - 10:30am

Secrets of a Successful Organizer: Turning an Issue into a Campaign 10:45am - 12:30pm

FILM: We Build Power: Organizing Coalitions to Fight For Public Education 9:00am - 10:30am

Take a Closer Look: They’re Privatizing Your School 10:45am - 12:30pm

Mass Strikes: Past and Present 9:00am - 10:30am

From May 2026 to May 2028: Seasons of Class Struggle 10:45am - 12:30pm

Write a Story for Labor Notes! 9:00am - 10:30am

Songwriting for the Movement 10:45am - 12:30pm

Using Comics in Your Organizing 9:00am - 10:30am

Secrets of a Successful Social Media Video 10:45am - 12:30pm

Hospital Workers Building Solidarity 9:00am - 10:30am

The Role of Union Staff in a Member-Led Movement 10:45am - 12:30pm