Not management – not the senior trades leaders – we, the workers, do! Consider: Measurable market share over the past 50 years has continuously declined “NET” across the trades. Density of trades workers vs. non-union workers is worse than market share and is the better measure for senior leadership’s failures over the same 50 years…. Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Union Organizing
Workers Own the Job – Work to Rule
Meanwhile on the Non-Union Side of Work to Rule –
Those who have taken the Labor Rising Foundations course on organizing know that we have a solid foothold with 17 non-union Facebook Groups. Combined “members” of these 17 groups total approximately 235,000. Part of an organizers mission! Those non-union group members interact to a high degree with our posts. They have followed the posts regarding… Continue Reading
WWOFD – What Would our Founders do?
Many of the founding fathers were not looking for trouble. An example is Archibald Barnes, 1888 First General President of the Tin-Knockers. Brother Barnes wanted the tin-knockers to be recognized as a valuable partner within the industry and with employers. Sound familiar? However, employers believed to their core that capital and labor had “nothing to… Continue Reading
The Building Trades “Our Movement – Our Moment” Convention Anthem: Yet Another BS Slogan?
Since Georgine in the 70’s right through to this year’s conference, we hear hollow slogans crafted for the masses. If the slogan was indicative of a strategy, it would be backed up with structure. We challenge you to go to NABTU website or anywhere and find structured strategy to back up “Our Movement – Our… Continue Reading
Brother Chris Smalls – Organizer for Amazon Labor Union
What a contrast to the Building Trades’ 60 year losing streak of market share. Brother Smalls is an organizer who was left to act on his passion and learned how to channel it. He witnessed and acted on an injustice to fellow workers consistent with what the Founder of the trades witnessed. He took concerted… Continue Reading
The Anniversary of The Crossing of the Pettus Bridge and Part 3 for Building Trades Members: Winning in the Trades
Before reading on, I strongly suggest you use the link below to listen to One More Bridge to Cross, a song composed by Joe DeFilippo and performed by the R.J. Phillips Band. The song commemorates this week’s anniversary of the crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge: https://soundcloud.com/hillipsand/one-more-bridge-to-cross?fbclid=IwAR2uus1smN5CLXS_pBut9W2kgAMBw0FTJ4Iyzwka8GshXtWQaSwTHDvnqr8 What happened on that now historic bridge is… Continue Reading
Organizer or Fraud –
Before we get into Labor Rising’s Part 3 discussion about the trades’ multi-decade losing streak & how to change it, I will respond to the numerous requests I’ve received through the years to provide some accounts of my direct organizing experiences and campaigns – some good campaigns and some not so good. Here is a… Continue Reading
The Passion of a Labor Movement Replaced by a Business Union Model In the Trades –
What drives a MOVEMENT defines its success. For many centuries, that very purpose and passion has been reflected in working people’s songs. In times of strife and secured justice in the workplace, the music has provided the anthem that advanced a MOVEMENT! Where can we find the songs of the trades? Thankfully, labor writers like… Continue Reading
The International Presidents of the Trades Have Given Themselves Up – Labor Leaders They Are Not – Not For a Long Time!
Labor Rising did not forget about part 3 on how the trades can quit losing market share & become a MOVEMENT again! However, we have been very busy these last few months with unions and Building Trades Councils around the U.S. Those leaders may take flack for working with Labor Rising, but they know the… Continue Reading
Brent Emons – Milwaukee BT – CCM – Hours –
Labor Rising readers meet Brother Brent. Brent is the creator and author of CCM (Complete Construction Manager), which was a Construction Manager exclusively owned by the Milwaukee Building Trades in the early 1990’s. In our next blog we’ll provide more detail on his bio, as well as how valuable these concepts are to address the… Continue Reading