I m sure there ve been times that they ve gored somebody s ox, leaving that person feeling like they ve been treated unfairly. And they ve done a tremendous job keeping out in front on issues, forcing the mainline labor movement to catch up. How much the publication has changed depends partly on perspective. Nonetheless, we see a labor movement that is struggling with itself to change. We also see a big shift in public opinion that now sympathizes with strikes like those at UPS and General Motors last summer.
More people seem to be sick of the political right wing and of pro-business politics in general.
To sustain the movement, Labor Notes organizes national conferences every two years to bring together a cross section of active unionists and pro-labor organizers. David Finkel is a longtime writer on labor and international affairs.