Hard-Pressed in the Heartland: The Hormel Strike and the Future of the Labor Movement

by Peter J. Rachleff

Hard-Pressed in the Heartland tells the heartbreaking but empowering story of a spirited local union trying to resist management's drive for concessions--while fending off a conservative national union leadership unwilling to support its own members. Going beyond academic history, it offers useful perspectives for rebuilding a democratic, militant, community-based unionism that can succeed where today's bureaucratic unionism cannot.

Genres: Labor, Nonfiction, History

144 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

Reviews

[Sam Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was often repetitive and I didn’t love Rachleff’s organization-I felt like we kept going back and forth in time.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly depressing book that shines a dark light on many of the problems of today's labor movement (where unions can become afraid of their own member militancy). Highly recommended read for anyone that's involved in the labor movement.