Labor Desperately Needs a New Strategy

Abstract

The American political landscape could potentially have been transformed had unions made an all—in investment in new organizing after 2020. Instead, routinism prevailed. Despite a remarkable opening for mass unionization—driven by the pandemic, a tight labor market, Biden's pro—labor NLRB, deepening youth radicalization, and grassroots momentum from Starbucks and Amazon drives—funding for new organizing remained at historic lows, even with labor's net assets rising to a unprecedented high of well over $30 billion. Of those union leaders interested in issues beyond their narrow institutional fiefdoms, most stuck with backroom dealing with elected Democrats. Only a change in union strategy can defeat Trumpism.