New Books Network Eric Blanc, "We Are the Union: How Worker-to-Worker Organizing Is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big" (Univ of California Press, 2025)
Jun 29, 2025
Eric Blanc, an assistant professor of labor studies at Rutgers University, dives into the revitalization of labor through grassroots organizing. He discusses inspiring stories, like a Starbucks employee fighting cancer while leading a union drive. The conversation highlights the rise of worker-to-worker organizing, its significance in empowering workers, and the challenges faced in modern labor movements. Digital tools and younger activists play crucial roles in expanding the scope of labor issues, merging economic justice with social causes.
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Salwa Mogadedi's Courageous Story
- Salwa Mogadedi, diagnosed with stage four cancer, chose to organize her Starbucks coworkers despite uncertainty about her future.
- Her story exemplifies the bravery and initiative driving the recent worker-to-worker union surge.
Limits of Traditional Organizing Models
- Traditional union organizing is cost-prohibitive and cannot scale to unionize tens of millions.
- Worker-to-worker organizing mobilizes workers directly, expanding leadership and making large-scale unionization feasible.
Workplace Atomization Challenges
- The decentralization and atomization of workplaces and communities make union organizing harder today.
- Workers often don't live or socialize near coworkers, requiring more active efforts to build trust and solidarity.
