Really good newsletter on labor/union developments .. Amaia, could you do someting on the wall street campaign (related to 15m), see the first item? many thanks!! Michel ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Peter Hall-Jones <[email protected]> Date: Wed, Jul 27, 2011 at 1:28 PM Subject: New Unionism: The network is the vanguard To: Peter Hall-Jones <[email protected]> ** July 2011 * <http://www.newunionism.net>Work in Progress* This newsletter is produced by the *New Unionism Network* to promote organizing, workplace democracy, internationalism and creative thinking in the union movement. You can find out more about us and/or join us *here*<http://www.newunionism.net/join.htm> . *#occupywallstreet *Recent calls for activists to occupy Wall Street, starting September 17, are a deliberate salute to the spirit of Egypt's Tahrir Square. The idea originated with the folk at *Adbusters*<http://www.adbusters.org/blogs/adbusters-blog/occupywallstreet.html>, but it has been taken up and promoted by many other groups in the last few days. Competing slogans are flying thick and fast, but the central demand of the event is crystal clear. This is an explicit challenge to the corporate control of politics. The discussion is providing a wonderful, live illustration of network member *Dan Gallin*'s recent maxim: "The network is the vanguard." Will they/we reach the goal of 20,000 campers? Will unions have a presence? Will this be the turning point -- the American spring -- that people have been hoping for? These are *not* rhetorical questions. The event will be whatever we can make it. The all-important FaceBook group is here: * http://goo.gl/TYwDy* <http://goo.gl/TYwDy>. You can have your say on the key demand here: *http://goo.gl/Y9NbI* <http://goo.gl/Y9NbI>. Posters etc are here: *http://goo.gl/Gd2Zf* <http://goo.gl/Gd2Zf>. The collective twittering is here: *http://goo.gl/uxaBz* <http://goo.gl/uxaBz>. *Democratizing work: Why and how *Network member *Merrelyn Emery* draws on an international body of theory and practice to support her case for the democratization of work. This is vital stuff for unionists to understand, and Merrelyn has done a great job of demystification. In discussing how we can move things forward, she looks at the surprisingly simple world of organizational design principles, before going on to argue for an employee-centered redesign process. This is part one of a discussion in which she will argue that worker participation needs to be supported by binding enterprise bargaining agreements. By extension, in transition and in day-to-day practice, workplace democracy needs healthy, independent unions. *More…*<http://newunionism.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/democratizing-work-the-why-and-the-how/> *The SHIH of organizing* The first article in this series by *Rex Lai* was “The TAO of Organizing.” Translated literally, Tao means the way or the path. This second article focuses on SHIH - the ideal destination. *“Shih, a position of potential force—the position of a boulder perched precariously on a hilltop, say, or of a bowstring stretched taut. A tap on the boulder, the release of the bowstring, and potential force is violently unleashed…What matters is not following pre-ordained steps but placing yourself in shih and giving yourselves options.” *(Robert Greene, 33 Strategies of War). *More...*<http://newunionism.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/the-shih-of-organizing/> *Together at last!* Here’s one to watch. Down in New Zealand, a country with an unusually cohesive (though struggling) union movement, affiliates of the national union federation have launched an innovative thing called "Together". We’re calling it a *thing* because it doesn’t really fit into any of the usual drawers. It’s not a union, not an NGO, not an organisation, not a network, not an association, club, sect, faction, fraction, tendency or movement. What it is, above all else, is a potential solution to several of the quandaries that unions have been trying to solve for at least 10 years. In the Council of Trade Union's own words: *"Together aims to connect workers in un-unionised work places with the union movement and the union experience." *In order to do this, it provides *"...help with issues like workplace bullying, sick leave, holiday pay, employment agreements and sexual harassment". *In other words, Together is a national service for the "precariat" -- that rapidly growing cohort of workers who do not fit into the standard labourist model of industrial capitalism. Will this be "the missing link "-- a clear route between the precariat and the mainstream of the labour movement? If not, will it become the first step of something that evolves further? It is far too early to make any meaningful assessment of the project, but, as the great Anon once said: *"The best map in the world will not get you anywhere. Only going will get you there." **More...*<http://newunionism.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/together> * Power in Coalition **Richy Leitch* has reviewed several books on union renewal for this network. The latest is *Power in Coalition* by Amanda Tattersall (Cornell 2010). The book seeks a more analytical approach, in examining union–community coalitions. The author uses extended case studies to identify common elements, patterns of success and possibilities/ limitations. For Tattersall, it's not enough for unions to report their success stories – we need to reflect on *‘what’* worked, and *‘how’*. She argues that such coalitions are effective only when based on commonly determined goals, power sharing and building the capacity of participating organisations... *More*<http://newunionism.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/coalition/>... *An aside to members (you other lot close yr ears!) * <http://www.facebook.com/newunionism>Various folk in the network (hopefully including yourself?) have been continuing discussions on how to escape virtual reality. There's certainly no shortage of ideas flying about. Here's eleven, for starters. They're not listed in any particular order, and they're certainly not mutually exclusive. You can add to the list, or ask for more explanation, or explain your preferences, on the FaceBook group here: http://www.facebook.com/newunionism. (There's some cool and funny pics as well.) 1) We set up an NGO which does whatever work the Network's financial members decides is appropriate, in the name of New Unionism. 2) We set up an NGO to build the network and its resource base, seeking direct union affiliations. 3) We work with unions to set up occupational networks on top of existing structures. 4) We offer to provide keynote speakers on a range of topics for union congresses etc. 5) We form a New Unionism co-op so that financial members can provide services for the union movement (eg research, websites, speakers). 6) We don't decide anything... just aim to maximise discussions and build relationships, on the basis that this will naturally lead to meaningful results. 7) We use the U-Cubed model to set up small, linked groups at 4 different levels: workplace / regional / national and global. 8) We develop a New Unionism accreditation process allowing financial members/staff to audit workplace culture, and institute a Quality Mark for use by genuinely democratic organizations. 9) We start a global campaign, centred in workplaces and promoting unionism, to improve workplace culture. 10) We call for small teams of volunteers to work on implementing any/all of these ideas. Let them decide the structure they need. 11) We build an international democratic socialist party from the ground up, based on the Network's key principles. JOIN US <http://www.newunionism.net/join.htm> * and there's more... - A new way to union renewal?<http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=a_new_union_contract> - Economic democracy and new unionism<http://column.global-labour-university.org/2011/04/economic-democracy-idea-whose-time-has.html> - Building progressive grassroots online <http://www.netrootsuk.org/> - Airline unions form global alliance<http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/04/21/airline-unions-form-global-alliance/> - Workplace democracy pays off<http://www.bnet.com/blog/entrepreneurs/why-it-pays-to-run-your-company-democratically/1794> - Non-hierarchical work practices<http://self-org.blogspot.com/p/anti-hierarchical-artifices-for-groups.html> - Harnessing your email list<http://alexwhite.org/2011/06/harnessing-your-email-list-for-change-great-advice-from-movements-org/> - The OpenWatch project<http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/24/copwatch-and-openwat.html> - Work hours per week around the world<http://www.dailyhaha.com/linkout.asp?LinkID=5145&cat=news> - Social progress and economic reaction<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-kuttner/economic-gap_b_880091.html?ref=fb&src=sp> - Has technology changed organizing?<http://www.movements.org/blog/entry/q-and-a-with-marshall-ganz-on-technology-and-organizing-and-movements/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+movementsorg%2Fblog+Movements.org&utm_content=FaceBook> - New International for industrial workers<http://www.ocnus.net/artman2/publish/Labour_9/IMF-ICEM-ITGLWF-Move-to-Create-a-New-International.shtml> - And now there's AnonyMiss<http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/21/anonymiss-the-yin-to.html> - Astroturf on demand<http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/07/glenn-becks-syndicat.html> - What conservatives really want<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/what-conservatives-really_b_825504.html> - Mapping the production process<http://snuproject.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/mapping-the-production-process-organizing-and-transnational-shopfloor-networks/> - Better training presentations<http://www.digicast.com.au/blog/how-to-improve-your-training-presentations?utm_content=jeena.murphy%40workingwise.co.nz&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Read%20more%2E&utm_campaign=2011%20Learning%20Trendscontent> - U.A.W. organizing offshore<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/business/global/13uaw.html?_r=3&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y> - Work-related stress in Europe<http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1004059s/tn1004059s_5.htm> - Film: Not My Life<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/armand-f-pereira/globalization-and-modern-slavery_b_809765.html> - Government workers of the world unite!<http://www.economist.com/node/17849199?story_id=17849199> - Challenging the sweatshop norm<http://thetyee.ca/News/2011/01/05/OneTinyFactory/> - Cyberunions - MA Thesis<http://cyberunions.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/ma-iltus-dissertation.pdf> - Meet the Council of Global Unions<http://www.global-unions.org/council-of-global-unions.html?lang=en> - Products most likely made by child labor<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/18/child-labor-products_n_798601.html#s210960&title=13_Carpets> - China's wage growth over-estimated?<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2010-12/16/content_11712424.htm> - Short-time work and flexicurity<http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/press/eurofoundnews/2010/december/newsletter2.htm?utm_source=december2010&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eurofoundnews> - Global Wage Report 2010/11<http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/ilo-bookstore/order-online/books/WCMS_145265/lang--en/index.htm> - Precarious work in Latin America<http://www.icem.org/index.php?id=73&la=EN&doc=4151> - Prospect's partnership with KETAWU<http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-18924-f0.cfm> - Meet Anonymous<http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2010/12/more_wikileaks> - Got a social media strategy?<http://www.movements.org/blog/entry/how-to-craft-a-social-media-strategy-to-advance-your-cause/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+movementsorg%2Fblog+Movements.org&utm_content=FaceBook> *** *Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License* **<http://newunionism.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/tax-havens-and-globalisation/> *Feedback *This newsletter comes out every couple of months-ish. 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