Who's Got the Power: The Resurgence of American Unions

(Hardback)

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An essential and timely guide to the changing landscape of the labor movement, from a veteran labor organizer

At the most inspiring moment for American unions in our lifetimes, Who's Got the Power takes readers on a journey through the resurgence of the American labor movement in the wake of a pandemic that changed everything. In the first two decades of the twenty-first century, unions seemed to be fading into history, with representation shrinking to levels unseen in over a hundred years. But the pandemic didn't just disrupt the workplace; it reignited a movement.

Longtime organizer and labor historian Dave Kamper details how labor reemerged with newfound strength, as workers across industries, from warehouses to classrooms, began to question the status quo and demand more from their employers. Interviewing workers and labor leaders across the country, Kamper captures the stories of those on the front lines, from Frito-Lay workers in Kansas and Chicago teachers, to Amazon warehouse employees in New York and Detroit auto workers, offering a compelling account of how, in industry after industry, workers realized they held the power to reshape the terms of their employment. Strikes, protests, and bold negotiations signaled the rise of a more coordinated effort to reclaim control over working conditions, and Kamper provides a front-row seat to a new wave of labor activism that isn't just about wages and benefits-it's about dignity and solidarity.

An up-to-the-minute look at a brand-new phenomenon, Who's Got the Power is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the seismic changes in American labor today.

Author Bio

Currently a senior strategist at the Economic Policy Institute, Dave Kamper is an organizer and writer with twenty-five years of experience working for unions in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Minnesota. Kamper has a PhD in history and his writing has appeared inJacobin, Labor Notes,and other progressive publications. He lives in Minnesota.