The reality of global warming and its catastrophic consequences are today beyond debate. But American labor is caught in an internal stalemate among those who fear job loss from efforts to deal with global warming, those who have not considered global warming an important union issue, and those who see the climate crisis as a call for immediate action and an opportunity for sustainable economic development.
THE AMBIGUOUS HISTORY OF LABOR AND GLOBAL WARMING
April 14, 2007 This is the second of a series of pieces on Labor and Global Warming. The majority of union members, like the majority of Americans, undoubtedly want action on global warming. But the US labor movement has particular structural problems that make it difficult to confront broad social issues like global warming…. Read More »
A BLUE-COLLAR UNION GOES GREEN
April 7, 2007 This is the third in a series of pieces on Labor and Global Warming. Given the stereotypes about blue collar workers’ attitudes about the environment, you might presume that the United Steelworkers would be one of the unions least likely to seriously address the problem of global warming. But in fact… Read More »
WHAT’S IT GOT TO DO WITH THE PRICE OF TORTILLAS IN MEXICO?
February 3, 2007 Hundreds of thousands of people marched through downtown Mexico City the last day of January protesting the rise in the price of tortillas and other staple foods. The march was filled with housewives beating pots and pans in the kind of “casarolazo” made famous by the resistance movements of Argentina. Supported… Read More »