The Only Commonality is Uncommonality: Progressive Protest from Below since the Mid-1980s

Noting the extensive number of progressive protests, mobilizations, and social disruption from below since the mid-1980s, not just in the US but around the world, this article suggests that what is going on is the expansion of the global economic and social justice movement, a bottom-up form of globalization. It suggests that this is, ultimately, a rejection of industrial civilization itself. And it points out, through an examination of the effects of climate change, that the continued existence of industrial civilization is imposing a burden on the peoples of the world that far outweighs its benefits, and suggests that protests will expand as more and more people understand the costs of industrial civilization

The AFL-CIO’s Foreign Policy Program: Where Historians Now Stand

The struggle to end the AFL-CIO’s foreign policy program, as part of the effort to build global labor solidarity, began in the late 1960s but has qualitatively escalated since 2010. This paper details these efforts, while showing the advances over the preceding ten years. Interestingly, while labor historians have provided some important contributions in the past, they have refused to engage with the work of Kim Scipes, a major writer in the field, ignoring his path-breaking work yet supporting some of his major claims. The question is asked whether historians in this sub-discipline are being taught to over-prioritize archival works from governmental and organizational collections while ignoring what is happening in the real world

Introduction to Section on Labor and Social Justice by Section Editor Kim Scipes

An introduction to this Special Issue of Class, Race and Corporate Power on Labor and Social Justice by its editor, Kim Scipes. This is a two-part series, with the second edition to be released in the October, 2017 issue of CRCP

Introduction to Part II, “US Labor and Social Justice,” By Section Editor Kim Scipes

An introduction to this Special Issue of Class, Race and Corporate Power on Labor and Social Justice by its editor, Kim Scipes. This is the second part of a two-part series, with the first being available here

The Epic Failure of Labor Leadership in the United States, 1980-2017 and Continuing

The organizational failure of labor leadership in the US is more than individual failures, which could perhaps be overcome by the election of new leaders. The author argues that the model of trade unionism that has dominated US unionism—business unionism—offers no viable way forward and must be replaced by another model— social justice unionism

Addressing Seriously the Environmental Crisis: A Bold, “Outside of the Box” Suggestion for Addressing Climate Change and other Forms of Environmental Destruction

Recognizing the severity of the environmental crisis facing humans across the planet, while focusing on the United States, this paper proposes a program that addresses the environmental crisis while providing for economic security for all Americans. It revolves around a drastic reduction of production, and a corresponding limiting of work by each person. It develops and put forth principles that any alternative program must advance, and specifically discusses the rationale for the program presented. In short, while not sure this program would ever be adopted, nonetheless, it is advanced to stimulate further thinking as to how human beings across the planet can mobilize to stave off the existential crisis we all face

Social Movement Unionism or Social Justice Unionism? Disentangling Theoretical Confusion within the Global Labor Movement

After the election of John Sweeney as President of the AFL-CIO in October 1995, activists and supportive intellectuals in the United States began thinking about how to revitalize the almost moribund American labor movement. A key part of this literature has revolved around the concept of “social movement unionism.” This term touched a nerve, and has garnered widespread usage in North America over the past two decades. However, most researchers using this term have no idea that it was initially developed to understand the new unionism developed by members of specific labor movements in Brazil, the Philippines and South Africa, a type of unionism qualitatively different from that found in North America. This paper argues that the term “social movement unionism” should be confined only to labor organizations developing the same type of unionism, wherever in the world such should be found. Accordingly, this concept should not be utilized in North America today as there are no labor centers or unions present that are developing this type of trade unionism. It is important to clarify this confusion because it is leads to incorrect understandings and miscommunication. Accordingly, the current situation—whereby the same term is used to refer to two qualitatively different social phenomena —theoretically works against efforts to build global labor solidarity. What about the progressive, broad-scope unionism emerging in North America over the past two decades? Taking a page from labor history, this article argues that the proper precedent is progressive unionism developed by the United Packinghouse Workers of America, CIO, and others, and therefore should be referred to as “social justice unionism.” An Appendix provides a measurement tool. The argument is empirically grounded and theoretically developed, allowing us to better understand trade unionism around the globe