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Understanding How to Revitalize the Labor Movement by Analyzing Alinsky’s Legacy

Mon, August 18, 8:30 to 10:10am, TBA

Abstract

At the AFL-CIO’s quadrennial convention in September, 2013, much ado was made about workers formally excluded from protection under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), as well as about the abject failure of the NLRA to protect worker’s rights in traditional workplaces. The top solutions discussed were about “making real alliances” and linking up with “the community.” In light of the discussions reverberating throughout the labor movement about “the community,” I argue a review of the strengths and weaknesses of the ideas first proffered by Saul Alinsky, often referred to as the ‘dean’ or ‘father’ of community organizing, are timely if not urgent. Critical engagement with Alinsky’s work is important because his legacy remains strong today. His work is particularly influential in the New Labor movement as many of the current leaders, notably the United Farm Workers (UFW), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union (UNITE-HERE), and by extension the remaining Change-to-Win Federation unions, were trained in Alinsky-like formations.

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