The New Rank and File / Alice Lynd, Staughton Lynd.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Lynd, Alice, editor.

Lynd, Staughton, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Working class--United States--History.

Working class.

Labor unions--Organizing--United States--History.

Labor unions.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 262 p. :) ill. ;

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Ithaca, NY : Cornell University Press, [2018]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Much has changed for workers in the years since Staughton and Alice Lynd's classic Rank and File: Personal Histories by Working-Class Organizers was first published in 1973. The New Rank and File presents interviews with working-class organizers of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s who face the challenges of a new economy with the same determination and creativity shown by those profiled in the earlier book. Reflecting the increasing globalization of labor practices-and problems-The New Rank and File contains oral histories of workers in Guatemala, Palestine, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Canada, as well as the United States.In their narratives, rank-and-file workers from many different industries and workplaces reveal the specific incidents and pervasive injustices that triggered their activism. They discuss the frustrations they faced in attempting to effect change through traditional means, and the ways in which they have learned to advocate through innovation. In an incisive introduction, the Lynds set forth their distinctive perspective on the labor movement, with a focus on "solidarity unionism": making decisions on the assumption that we all may be leaders at one time or another rather than relying on static hierarchies. Their insights, along with true stories told in the organizers' own words, contain much to inspire a new generation of workers and activists.Jim BrophyTony BudakAndrea CarneyChinese Staff and Workers' AssociationCoalition of University EmployeesBill DiPietroKay EisenhowerRich FeldmanThe Frente Autentico del TrabajoMarshall GanzMia GiuntaMartin GlabermanMayra GuillenThe Hebron Union of Workers and General Service PersonnelHugo HernandezMargaret KeithElly LearyEd MannCharlie McCollesterVirginia RomanVicky StarrGary StevensonMike StoutManuela Aju TambrizJames TrevathanTriState Conference on SteelMauricio VallejosWorkers for Ford in Mexico

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

I. THE UNION'S INSPIRATION

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" / Starr, Vicky

"David conquered Goliath with five smooth stones. So it was with the Farm Workers" / Ganz, Marshall

"Working-class people have a very deep culture based on solidarity and trust" / Giunta, Mia

"The freight industry is going to be organized by members in freight" / Stevenson, Gary

"Instead of letting me go out alone, they went with me" / Hernandez, Hugo

"Certain folks call me a permanent rank and filer" / Eisenhower, Kay

"They're not scabs any more" / DiPietro, Bill

II. THE ASHES OF THE OLD

"I was devastated when the plant closed" / Leary, Elly

"I'm going down that hill" / Mann, Ed

"This society has declared war on black males" / Trevathan, James

"We needed something more than a labor-community-church alliance" / McCollester, Charlie / Stout, Mike

"One for one-Job security for the next generation" / Budak, Tony

III. ANYWHERE BENEATH THE SUN

"Necio para seguir adelante" (stubborn to keep moving forward) / Tambriz, Manuela Aju

"The worst that they can do is to put me in prison"

"We're not meant to be desk leaders" / Vallejos, Mauricio

"The power of the people is not just a slogan" / Roman, Virginia / Guillen, Mayra

"It was a bogus election"

"Women would make a beginning and then their husbands could join"

"Your health is not for sale" / Keith, Margaret / Brophy, Jim

IV. IN OUR HANDS IS PLACED A POWER

"Workers have to deal with their own reality and that transforms them" / Glaberman, Martin

"I declined to join the staff" / Carney, Andrea

"How do unions become concerned about the people who are outside the workplace?" / Feldman, Rich

"Other than having a baby, it's the most optimistic thing you can do"

"I felt that I couldn't stand on the sideline any more"

INDEX

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 26. Mrz 2019)

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781501728341

1501728342

OCLC:

1080550814