On this edition of Your Call, we’ll mark May Day by talking about the labor movements that are sweeping the country.
Workers in United States are more productive than ever, but since 1973, their wages haven’t kept up, according to the Economic Policy Institute. For many workers speaking up for better treatment, it’s not just about pay – it’s about dignity. Teachers have gone on strike in five states, and more are expected. What is the state of labor movements today? And what is the most effective form of organizing?
Guests:
Sarah Jaffe, independent journalist covering labor, economic justice, social movements, and politics, and author of Necessary Trouble: Americans in Revolt
Bill Fletcher, Jr., labor writer and organizer, former senior staff at AFL-CIO, author of Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path Toward Social Justice
Web Resources:
Sacramento Bee: 3 unions, 53,000 workers to strike at UC hospitals, campuses in May
Guardian US: The teachers' strikes prove it: the media is finally seeing America's new labor landscape
In These Times: Why Hundreds of Georgia Bus Drivers Just Staged a Massive Sickout
TIME: The Bloody Story of How May Day Became a Holiday for Workers
