How Can Unions Defend Worker Power Under Trump 2.0? (Labor Notes)

 

WATCH: How Can Unions Defend Worker Power Under Trump 2.0? With an emboldened Trump in the White House for a second term, the ground has shifted dramatically for unions. The labor movement, like many institutions, is scrambling to devise strategies to build power—or even just survive—during these challenging times. This authoritarian consolidation of power is testing unions. What can unions do to survive in the second Trump presidency? What tactics and strategies can help unions organize larger numbers of new members and survive an all-out assault on labor and other rights? Here's how Jackson Potter, Vice President of the Chicago Teachers Union, put it at our Roundtable Series webinar this month with Haymarket Books and The American Prospect: "The labor movement is not even close to being extinguished. It just takes some spark, effort, initiative, and some vision and imagination to revive what seems to be dormant. We did that with CTU—in 2012, we engaged structures that had been moribund and petrified in bad practice, and revived them to a point where we were able to take on one of the most powerful politicians and beat him in Chicago. And that lent itself to a whole set of teachers taking action—even in red states, with the Red for Ed movement—and people were able to win big things that way." Read the articles so far in our Roundtable Series WATCH THE FULL WEBINAR HERE (Program starts at the 11:25 mark) Subscribe to the Labor Notes Magazine! In the December issue:  New York's Working Class Elects a Movement Mayor, by Luis Feliz Leon Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and the Democratic nominee, will be New York City’s next mayor, after trouncing former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a primary and general election double whammy. Volunteers were galvanized by Mamdani’s relentless focus on the affordability crisis and principled stand against Israel’s unfolding genocide in Gaza. Canadian Postal Workers Strike Again, by Danielle Smith Canadian postal workers are back on strike—again—as they fight to save a vital public service. “By staying on the job and continuing to wait for demoralizing offers, we show that we accept this, we’re not going to fight. So we decided we’re going out,” said Nova Scotia letter carrier Basia Sokal.  Indiana Casino Dealers Are Bringing Back the Recognition Strike, by Alexandra Bradbury There are no clocks in a casino, so the dealers all set their phone alarms for noon. Everyone was a bundle of nerves. Before work, a couple of people threw up. But when the cacophony of alarms sounded, everyone lifted their hands in the air, slammed down the lids on their games of baccarat, blackjack, craps, and roulette, and announced they were on strike. “It was more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt in my life,” said dealer Tera Arnold. “I had goosebumps head to toe.” PLUS: Articles published so far in our Roundtable Series: How Can Unions Defend Worker Power Under Trump 2.0?, a Stewards' Corner on welcoming immigrant members into the union, and more!  Get the Labor Notes Magazine — $30 a year for 11 issues.  If you'd like a bunch of copies to share with co-workers and members of your community, order a bundle, which starts at $50 a year to receive 5 copies a month! Subscribe by Tuesday, December 9, to receive our January issue!  Get Your Copy of the Labor Notes Magazine! In solidarity, Labor Notes Staff