International Socialism Project

If the board decides to continue on a confrontational course,  the Chicago labor movement will have to come to the aid of our brothers and sisters at Proviso.

A recent article on this site analyzed the recent period in the US that many were calling Striketober. The purpose of today’s piece is to look at developments since then.

The purpose of this presentation is to examine Striketober, the series of strikes that received a great deal of media attention this Fall.

Since 9/11, thousands of taxi drivers have accrued massive debt largely due to the city artificially inflating the cost of taxi medallions, the permits required to drive a taxi.

It is the largest strike in the country since the Chicago Teachers Strike in 2019 and the largest private sector strike since the General Motors walkout in the fall of that year. This means that it’s important to follow this strike carefully.

Terrible working conditions and speed-ups in that industry have now led to an important workers struggle at the El Milagro tortilla factory in Chicago.

Today, a strike is taking place at the maker of products that everyone in the country knows. No more Oreos, Ritz Crackers, or Chips Ahoy! Nabisco’s on strike.

The general quiet of the current Chicago labor scene has been broken by two important events: the auto mechanics’ strike and the Naperville teachers’ contract battle.

The reality is that this strategy has failed. The person who the union leadership has been endorsing and donating to led the charge against the union.

Saturday’s rally highlighted many of the themes of the strike. There were about two hundred, mainly African American, strikers at the rally. There was great pride that not only had Stroger Hospital struck, but workers in all parts of the County system were also out.

There are some long hard strikes and lockouts taking place. There are not a lot of them, but they deserve our support and solidarity. They take  place in the overall context of a low level of class struggle.

The bi-annual Labor Notes conferences have become perhaps the most important gathering places for the left in the labor movement. The purpose of this article is to report on these meetings.

The bi-annual Labor Notes conferences have become perhaps the most important gathering places for the left in the labor movement. The purpose of this article is to report on these meetings.

The bi-annual Labor Notes conferences have become perhaps the most important gathering places for the left in the labor movement. The purpose of this article is to report on these meetings.

Labor law is not the main factor holding back the labor movement. Our movement is being held back by the lack of victories against the employer in the workplaces.