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  5. Awakening the Giant: The Revitalization of the American Labor Movement

Awakening the Giant: The Revitalization of the American Labor Movement

File(s)
Turner1093_Adler_Awakening_the_Giant_post_print.pdf (154.45 KB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/75301
Collections
ILR Articles and Chapters
Faculty Publications - International and Comparative Labor
The Worker Institute Publications
Author
Adler, Lee
Turner, Lowell
Abstract

[Excerpt] The key to the contemporary revival of the American labor movement is precisely a renewed mobilization of the rank and file. Based on our combined research and work in labor education and representation, we believe that large numbers of American workers, blue and white-collar, skilled and unskilled, professional, service and manufacturing, union members and non-members, are open and in many cases ready for expanded workplace and union participation. To be sure, mobilization by itself is not enough: also necessary are national union support, innovative and flexible strategies, and coalition building, and we highlight these as well. But expanded rank-and-file participation draws on the central union comparative asset - the membership - and is essential to the success of most other strategies as well. In this article, we present an overview of union revitalization strategies and three case studies of successful rank-and-file mobilization. Although not typical, these cases illustrate a variety of advanced union strategies in today's context, along with some of the barriers and resistance to be overcome.

Date Issued
2001-01-01
Keywords
mobilization
•
labor unions
•
labor movement
•
United States
•
revitalization
Related DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/102425890100700310
Rights
Required Publisher Statement: © SAGE Publications. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.Final version published as Adler, L. & Turner, L. (2001). Awakening the giant: The revitalization of the American labor movement. Transfer, 7(3), 466-480.
Type
article

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