(New Forms of Worker Organization : The Syndicalist and Autonomist Restoration of Class Struggle Unionism) [By: Immanuel Ness] [Aug, 2014]

by Immanuel Ness

Bureaucratic labor unions are under assault throughout the world. Most unions have surrendered the achievements of the mid-twentieth century, when the working class was a militant force for change throughout the world. The decline of labor unions has exposed workers throughout the world to capitalist absolutism, where trade unions are unable to defend workers’ interests.As unions implode and weaken, workers are independently forming their own unions, rooted in the tradition of syndicalism and autonomism—and unions rooted in the tradition of self-directed action are auguring a new period of class struggle throughout the world. In Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, workers are rejecting leaders and forming authentic class-struggle unions rooted in sabotage, direct action, and striking to achieve concrete gains.This is the first book to compile workers struggles on a global basis, examining the formation and expansion of radical unions in the Global South and Global North. The tangible evidence marshaled in this book serves as a handbook for understanding the formidable obstacles and concrete opportunities for workers challenging neoliberal capitalism, even as the unions of the old decline and disappear.Contributors include Au Loong-Yu, Bai Ruixue, Arup K. Sen, Shawn Hattingh, Piotr Bizyukov and Irina Olimpieva, Genese M. Sodikoff, Aviva Chomsky, Dario Bursztyn, Gabriel Kuhn, Erik Forman, Steven Manicastri, and Jack Kirkpatrick.

Genres: Labor, Politics

Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Rohit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty okay survey of various labor struggles happening across the world that do not follow traditional models of unionism and/or espouse a radical leftist ideology. The analysis in most of the essays weren't particularly deep or even that interesting, but often tell interesting stories (particularly the essays on the IWW in the US and UK). Overall a good book if one is looking for an introduction to radical unionism.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. A bunch of these chapters were very interesting. I most enjoyed the chapters on IWW organizing at Jimmy John's and the cleaners campaign in the UK because it was much more about the ground and less about overarching strategy. Without getting into that much detail, I'd highly recommend this compilation and am looking forward to reading more of Ness' stuff in the future.

[Mills College Library]

331.88 N532 2014