Labor 101: Socialists and the Labor Movement

Federal workers’ union rights have been terminated in the largest union-busting scheme ever.  The President of the United Auto workers is calling on unions to prepare to strike together on May 1, 2028.  The Trader Joe’s Union released an official statement calling out Israel and the United States for starving Gaza. Coffee shops, retail stores and a salvage business in the East Bay are organizing unions. There is a lot going on in the labor movement.

Would you like more background for understanding all this? Why have socialist ideas and unions always been intertwined? Why does socialist strategy require strong unions? What do socialists advocate for in unions? How can I get involved in the labor movement?  If these questions sound interesting to you, East Bay DSA is hosting another Zoom series of our “Labor 101: Socialists and the Labor Movement”. It’s a four-session discussion/reading group designed for DSA members and friends interested in discussing these questions. The readings are short; the emphasis is on discussing key questions. The series was created for those who don’t know a lot about the labor movement, but others are welcome.

We have offered the series many times in person: last spring we had our first Zoom series. DSAers attended from around the state, from Humboldt County to Kern County to Los Angeles County, as well as from the East Bay— it’s great to feel bigger than each of our chapter/city worlds. Participants included people involved in community organizing, people interested in organizing their workplace or industry, people who are in union jobs and wanted to talk about socialist strategy, and people who just wanted to know more. If you’re doing something like this in your chapter, or would like to, you would be especially welcome.

We will be meeting on Thursdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on October 30 and November 6, 13 and 20. Sign up here and we will send a Zoom link and a list of readings. Questions may be directed to David de Leeuw.