The 71% approval number undersells the shift. In 1981, when Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, approval was at 55% and falling. The political class read that as permission. Today's 71% hasn't translated into political action because the infrastructure to convert approval into organizing doesn't exist yet. The sentiment is there. The plumbing isn't.
The plumbing is the key word. Sentiment without infrastructure is just mood. The institution's job was to build the plumbing — and instead it built bureaucracy to protect itself. Same pattern every time a system forgets its purpose.
To develop a strong organizing program, we need a base of rank and file organizers. One way to do this is a popular education program that enhances the skills and understandings rank and of file activists. Such a program when done right encourages union members involvement in shop floor fights, organizing drives and community struggles. It could’ve also develop rank and file leaders to actually run the workshops. Popular education sharpens the understanding of the moment we’re in and what to do about it. As the old labor saying goes: educate, agitate, organize!
It can't be said enough, unions are the necessary avenue to fight authoritarian regimes like ours. The common and obvious situation to organize is in the work place, but one only has to look at Minneapolis renters strike to see unionizing (read uniting) can come in many shapes and forms. We really do need to organize now.
We can turn it around! We need to make striking normal again and win from the bottom up and to go that we need a strategy. I'm working through such a strategy here that I call the solidarity wedge: https://godfreymoase.substack.com/
On March 16, 2026, for the first time since the 1985 strike against Hormel[1] in Austin, Minnesota, workers walked out at a U.S. meatpacking plant, this time in Greeley, Colorado, just north of Denver.
On February 4 this year, after eight months of negotiations with JBS Swift, the members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 voted “yes” to authorize a strike.
The local was a hold-out following national negotiations by the UFCW with JBS, which signed a contract with 10 other locals in May 2025. But Local 7 said the wage package offered was inadequate given inflation, on-the-job hazards that were not addressed, and company harassment and intimidation of employees.
Sounds like a lot of anti-Trump discussion here, but my question is re: tariffs - UAW president Shawn Fain likes them, and I try to keep an open mind re: economic issues - wherever help is coming from for US workers, I want to listen and personally don't spend a lot of time hating one party or the other. Thanks for a great post!
I'm in the tech industry and would love to see broad unionization - but a lot of my coworkers in the industry (especially at larger companies like Amazon) are on precarious visas where losing their job means deportation. How do we get folks in these precarious positions on board with rocking the boat a little?
Just talk to them one on one about why it's important. Strategically though, that slice of workers is probably not gonna be taking a lead on organizing because of the risk they're exposed to.
1. The ever-present and seemingly never-ending corruption, theft, and misuse of members funds by people in leadership positions.
2. Forced Unionism which, while maintaining the appearance of a live labor movement, is more akin to having a coma patient on life support and has enabled entities to have unconstitutional monopoly control over federal employees under labor contracts even if a majority of those employees don't want such. They have no choice, and can not leave or chose another union if they want to keep their job.
Yes, thinking back to when unions were so mobbed up in the mid-century. Really wrecked the reputation of union leadership in that era, and how do we avoid that in the future?
Not just the past, unfortunately. A web search for "union corruption cases" might be informative.
My point being that the problem is persistent, and should be considered as a serious contributing factor discouraging individuals from joining unions, although they won't want to openly voice or admit it as a reason, especially to groups.
This is my experience observed throughout my working life as a tradesman and membership of various engineering unions in three different countries over several decades.
Workers unite and organize! Unionization is essential in these times.
Amen!
The 71% approval number undersells the shift. In 1981, when Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, approval was at 55% and falling. The political class read that as permission. Today's 71% hasn't translated into political action because the infrastructure to convert approval into organizing doesn't exist yet. The sentiment is there. The plumbing isn't.
The plumbing is the key word. Sentiment without infrastructure is just mood. The institution's job was to build the plumbing — and instead it built bureaucracy to protect itself. Same pattern every time a system forgets its purpose.
To develop a strong organizing program, we need a base of rank and file organizers. One way to do this is a popular education program that enhances the skills and understandings rank and of file activists. Such a program when done right encourages union members involvement in shop floor fights, organizing drives and community struggles. It could’ve also develop rank and file leaders to actually run the workshops. Popular education sharpens the understanding of the moment we’re in and what to do about it. As the old labor saying goes: educate, agitate, organize!
It can't be said enough, unions are the necessary avenue to fight authoritarian regimes like ours. The common and obvious situation to organize is in the work place, but one only has to look at Minneapolis renters strike to see unionizing (read uniting) can come in many shapes and forms. We really do need to organize now.
Good post.
We can turn it around! We need to make striking normal again and win from the bottom up and to go that we need a strategy. I'm working through such a strategy here that I call the solidarity wedge: https://godfreymoase.substack.com/
Solidarity with the Strikers!
An injury to One is an Injury to All!
….
Colorado Meatpackers Strike over Wages, Safety
—First U.S. Slaughterhouse Walkout in 40 Years
https://world-outlook.com/2026/03/19/colorado-meatpackers-strike-over-wages-safety/
On March 16, 2026, for the first time since the 1985 strike against Hormel[1] in Austin, Minnesota, workers walked out at a U.S. meatpacking plant, this time in Greeley, Colorado, just north of Denver.
On February 4 this year, after eight months of negotiations with JBS Swift, the members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 voted “yes” to authorize a strike.
The local was a hold-out following national negotiations by the UFCW with JBS, which signed a contract with 10 other locals in May 2025. But Local 7 said the wage package offered was inadequate given inflation, on-the-job hazards that were not addressed, and company harassment and intimidation of employees.
….
Sounds like a lot of anti-Trump discussion here, but my question is re: tariffs - UAW president Shawn Fain likes them, and I try to keep an open mind re: economic issues - wherever help is coming from for US workers, I want to listen and personally don't spend a lot of time hating one party or the other. Thanks for a great post!
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/07/nx-s1-5352409/trump-auto-tariffs-uaw-shawn-fain
I got a lot out of this viewing, highly recommend if anyone hasn’t seen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_(film)
I'm in the tech industry and would love to see broad unionization - but a lot of my coworkers in the industry (especially at larger companies like Amazon) are on precarious visas where losing their job means deportation. How do we get folks in these precarious positions on board with rocking the boat a little?
Just talk to them one on one about why it's important. Strategically though, that slice of workers is probably not gonna be taking a lead on organizing because of the risk they're exposed to.
The Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations: the Guardian managed to find a silver lining in the cloud.
US Union Membership Soared to 16-Year High in 2025 Despite Trump Assault
https://portside.org/2026-02-18/us-union-membership-soared-16-year-high-2025-despite-trump-assault?utm_source=portside-labor&utm_medium=email
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/18/union-membership-increase-trump-assault
You really have to hand it to the libs. They'll Baghdad Bob this shit until every last one of us is a penniless slave or dead in a camp.
Then there are the pair of elephants in the room:
1. The ever-present and seemingly never-ending corruption, theft, and misuse of members funds by people in leadership positions.
2. Forced Unionism which, while maintaining the appearance of a live labor movement, is more akin to having a coma patient on life support and has enabled entities to have unconstitutional monopoly control over federal employees under labor contracts even if a majority of those employees don't want such. They have no choice, and can not leave or chose another union if they want to keep their job.
Yes, thinking back to when unions were so mobbed up in the mid-century. Really wrecked the reputation of union leadership in that era, and how do we avoid that in the future?
Not just the past, unfortunately. A web search for "union corruption cases" might be informative.
My point being that the problem is persistent, and should be considered as a serious contributing factor discouraging individuals from joining unions, although they won't want to openly voice or admit it as a reason, especially to groups.
This is my experience observed throughout my working life as a tradesman and membership of various engineering unions in three different countries over several decades.
Thanks craig, eat shit!
Yes, attack the messenger but by all means do not address the message.
No one's going to debate you, charlie kirk. Jump up your own ass.
Great suggestions for strengthening unions. Essential for opposing fascism.
It’s interesting what this is connected with — why they don’t do it.
— Strong decentralization?
— Strong centralization?
— No pressure from below?
Usually people say it’s because there is no competent leadership, but it’s unlikely that the issue is about strong personalities.