Building the Road As We Travel: New Political Coalitions and the Washington State Labor Council

[Excerpt] New political action often involves testing ideas and approaches that do not always come together immediately or as envisioned. The political agenda of the Washington State Labor Council was formulated as one of three fronts in a comprehensive strategy to help the labor movement gain momentum over the next decade. This agenda was shaped during a tumultuous period of highs and lows in the political climate of Washington. Before 1988, the labor movement participated in politics through a traditional COPE mechanism. They turned to a more activist approach and had stunning victories by 1993, only to face a more sobering situation with business victories in 1994. LRR asked Lynn Feekin, an associate editor with the Review, to explore the recent political action experiences of the council with its Research Director, Jeff Johnson

Economic Conversation: Converting Tanks in Indiana

[Excerpt] Since the summer of 1984, the Calumet Project for Industrial Jobs has been involved in a public campaign to save the Blaw-Knox plant in the Calumet steel region of Northwest Indiana. The process of organizing the campaign for conversion of the plant has been both difficult and challenging. There is precious little American experience to draw on for such an effort, and when the campaign, to its credit, attracted support from a broad range of concerned parties, it was hard to keep labor and community interests in the forefront. Based on our trials and errors, we would like to offer some practical insights for the benefit of others who may become involved in similar campaigns. We highly recommend union and community involvement in such efforts. If working people and community groups are to gain power in saving manufacturing jobs and developing this country\u27s future industrial policy we need to seize every opportunity for involving ourselves in local economic development decision-making

For the Public Good

[Excerpt] This early warning meeting began the labor and community struggle in Hammond, Indiana to save LaSalle Steel, a 350-worker specialty products steel mill owned by Texas-based Quanex Corporation. A year later, the plant would expand rather than shut down, the union at LaSalle would be stronger than ever, and the labor-community coalition led by the Calumet Project for Industrial Jobs would celebrate its biggest anti-shutdown victory yet

For the Public Good

[Excerpt] This early warning meeting began the labor and community struggle in Hammond, Indiana to save LaSalle Steel, a 350-worker specialty products steel mill owned by Texas-based Quanex Corporation. A year later, the plant would expand rather than shut down, the union at LaSalle would be stronger than ever, and the labor-community coalition led by the Calumet Project for Industrial Jobs would celebrate its biggest anti-shutdown victory yet.Issue_19____Article_4.pdf: 172 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020