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Fighting Times: Organizing on the Front Lines of the Class War
Deeply personal, astutely political, Fighting Times: Organizing on the Front Lines of the Class War recounts the thirteen-year journey of Jonathan Melrod to harness working-class militancy and jump start a revolution on the shop floor of American Motors. Melrod faces termination, dodges the FBI, outwits collaborators in the UAW, and becomes the central figure in a lawsuit against the labor newsletter Fighting Times, as he strives to build a class-conscious workers’ movement from the bottom up.
A radical to the core, Melrod was a key part of campus insurrection at University of Wisconsin–Madison. He left campus for the factory in 1973, hired along with hundreds of youthful job seekers onto the mind-numbing assembly line. Fighting Times paints a portrait of these rebellious and alienated young hires, many of whom were Black Vietnam vets.
Containing dozens of archival photographs, Fighting Times captures the journey of a militant antiracist revolutionary who rose to the highest elected ranks of his UAW local without compromising his politics or his dedication to building a class-conscious workers’ movement. The book will arm and inspire a new generation of labor organizers with the skills and attitude to challenge the odds and fight the egregious abuses of the exploitative capitalist system. litancy and jump start a revolution on the shop floor of American Motors. Melrod faces termination, dodges the FBI, outwits collaborators in the UAW, and becomes the central figure in a lawsuit against the labor newsletter Fighting Times, as he strives to build a class-conscious workers’ movement from the bottom up.
A radical to the core, Melrod was a key part of campus insurrection at University of Wisconsin–Madison. He left campus for the factory in 1973, hired along with hundreds of youthful job seekers onto the mind-numbing assembly line. Fighting Times paints a portrait of these rebellious and alienated young hires, many of whom were Black Vietnam vets.
Containing dozens of archival photographs, Fighting Times captures the journey of a militant antiracist revolutionary who rose to the highest elected ranks of his UAW local without compromising his politics or his dedication to building a class-conscious workers’ movement. The book will arm and inspire a new generation of labor organizers with the skills and attitude to challenge the odds and fight the egregious abuses of the exploitative capitalist system.
A radical to the core, Melrod was a key part of campus insurrection at University of Wisconsin–Madison. He left campus for the factory in 1973, hired along with hundreds of youthful job seekers onto the mind-numbing assembly line. Fighting Times paints a portrait of these rebellious and alienated young hires, many of whom were Black Vietnam vets.
Containing dozens of archival photographs, Fighting Times captures the journey of a militant antiracist revolutionary who rose to the highest elected ranks of his UAW local without compromising his politics or his dedication to building a class-conscious workers’ movement. The book will arm and inspire a new generation of labor organizers with the skills and attitude to challenge the odds and fight the egregious abuses of the exploitative capitalist system. litancy and jump start a revolution on the shop floor of American Motors. Melrod faces termination, dodges the FBI, outwits collaborators in the UAW, and becomes the central figure in a lawsuit against the labor newsletter Fighting Times, as he strives to build a class-conscious workers’ movement from the bottom up.
A radical to the core, Melrod was a key part of campus insurrection at University of Wisconsin–Madison. He left campus for the factory in 1973, hired along with hundreds of youthful job seekers onto the mind-numbing assembly line. Fighting Times paints a portrait of these rebellious and alienated young hires, many of whom were Black Vietnam vets.
Containing dozens of archival photographs, Fighting Times captures the journey of a militant antiracist revolutionary who rose to the highest elected ranks of his UAW local without compromising his politics or his dedication to building a class-conscious workers’ movement. The book will arm and inspire a new generation of labor organizers with the skills and attitude to challenge the odds and fight the egregious abuses of the exploitative capitalist system.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published September 27, 2022
19 people are currently reading
2268 people want to read
About the author
Jon Melrod
1 book15 followersDeeply personal, astutely political, Fighting Times: Organizing on the Front Lines of the Class War recounts the thirteen-year journey of Jon Melrod to harness working-class militancy and jump start a revolution on the shop floor of American Motors. Melrod faces termination, dodges the FBI, outwits collaborators in the UAW, and becomes a central figure in a lawsuit against the rank-and-file newsletter Fighting Times, as he strives to build a class-conscious workers’ movement from the bottom up.
A radical to the core, Melrod was a key part of campus insurrection at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He left campus for the factory in 1972, hired along with hundreds of youthful job seekers onto the mind-numbing assembly line. Fighting Times paints a portrait of these rebellious and alienated young hires, many of whom were Black Vietnam vets.
A radical to the core, Melrod was a key part of campus insurrection at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He left campus for the factory in 1972, hired along with hundreds of youthful job seekers onto the mind-numbing assembly line. Fighting Times paints a portrait of these rebellious and alienated young hires, many of whom were Black Vietnam vets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 4, 2023
I am very much honored by the reception that Fighting Times has recieved from so many people of diverse backgrounds and ages.
Some people email me, "Someone finally wrote a book about us and what we tried to accomplish." Other more youthful readers have emailed with comments such as "inspiring" or I am a Starbucks worker and union organizer and am learning so much about how to build a class conscious workers movement."
Most excting is news that C-Span Book and History TV is planning to cover, or perhaps co-produce, a Feb. 23d podcast sponsored by PM Press and Haymarket books. I am hoping this broadcast broadens the outreach of the book to people who may not have been interested before watching the podcast.
Some people email me, "Someone finally wrote a book about us and what we tried to accomplish." Other more youthful readers have emailed with comments such as "inspiring" or I am a Starbucks worker and union organizer and am learning so much about how to build a class conscious workers movement."
Most excting is news that C-Span Book and History TV is planning to cover, or perhaps co-produce, a Feb. 23d podcast sponsored by PM Press and Haymarket books. I am hoping this broadcast broadens the outreach of the book to people who may not have been interested before watching the podcast.
October 21, 2022
I didn’t expect this to be a page-turner, but it was really quite compelling. The author really was a hero of the labor movement, and the story was exceptional. Could use a lot more people like this guy.
July 3, 2023
4 stars. In ‘Fighting Times’, Jon Melrod has really crafted a compelling narrative detailing the tumultuous world of working-class union activism and labour movements, that left a lasting impression on me. Melrod has a really unique storytelling style and his unwavering commitment to social justice really shines through, w his work standing out as an exceptional testament to the power of collective action.
Through this book, Melrod really transports you into the heart of the union movement. Whether through organising efforts, the camaraderie among factory workers, the uncaring and at times outright dangerous attitudes and actions of the bosses, civil rights activism w the Black Panthers, or the struggles faced by those directly on the front lines, every aspect of this battle fr civil and workers’ rights is vividly portrayed. Melrod’s wealth of firsthand experiences and deep understanding of the subject matter shine through, making ‘Fighting Times’ an invaluable piece of work, especially fr anyone seeking to understand the challenges faced by labour movements and their profound and lasting impacts.
Melrod’s passionate advocacy fr social justice and his genuine dedication as an activist permeates the whole book. His solid commitment to improving the lives of working-class people is genuinely so inspiring, and he‘s definitely an unsung hero of the labour movement, and really brought about meaningful change. The book’s overall impact is pretty dang substantial, offering readers a powerful portrayal of the struggles and victories of a working-class union activist, and is a really great contribution to the labour movement’s legacy.
Through this book, Melrod really transports you into the heart of the union movement. Whether through organising efforts, the camaraderie among factory workers, the uncaring and at times outright dangerous attitudes and actions of the bosses, civil rights activism w the Black Panthers, or the struggles faced by those directly on the front lines, every aspect of this battle fr civil and workers’ rights is vividly portrayed. Melrod’s wealth of firsthand experiences and deep understanding of the subject matter shine through, making ‘Fighting Times’ an invaluable piece of work, especially fr anyone seeking to understand the challenges faced by labour movements and their profound and lasting impacts.
Melrod’s passionate advocacy fr social justice and his genuine dedication as an activist permeates the whole book. His solid commitment to improving the lives of working-class people is genuinely so inspiring, and he‘s definitely an unsung hero of the labour movement, and really brought about meaningful change. The book’s overall impact is pretty dang substantial, offering readers a powerful portrayal of the struggles and victories of a working-class union activist, and is a really great contribution to the labour movement’s legacy.
November 26, 2022
What a great book!!! It reads like a novel, with all the insights you could only get from an autobiography. It’s not a topic I gravitate to, but tried it based on a recommendation — I was not disappointed. Jon Melrod is able to deliver descriptions so clear, that he has you smelling what he smelt, feeling what he felt, throughout the book.
Once you get started, you can’t put it down… he takes you along through his detailed experiences. You essentially get to travel through time, back to the 70s and 80s, and get the behind the scenes stories (and pictures) of what it was like to work the factories, and fight for worker rights. Not only do you learn about this history, you walk away with an immense appreciation for factory workers, and union advocates (like Jon Melrod).
While not a genre that I normally read, I found great parallels to what is happening today, at corporations like Amazon and Starbucks, and I’m sure many others. It’s gotten me curious about a time in history that hasn’t been documented well, at least not in a way where I couldn’t wait for the next chapter.
Really a timely read, and will be a great stocking stuffer for friends. Going to check out his website next…
Once you get started, you can’t put it down… he takes you along through his detailed experiences. You essentially get to travel through time, back to the 70s and 80s, and get the behind the scenes stories (and pictures) of what it was like to work the factories, and fight for worker rights. Not only do you learn about this history, you walk away with an immense appreciation for factory workers, and union advocates (like Jon Melrod).
While not a genre that I normally read, I found great parallels to what is happening today, at corporations like Amazon and Starbucks, and I’m sure many others. It’s gotten me curious about a time in history that hasn’t been documented well, at least not in a way where I couldn’t wait for the next chapter.
Really a timely read, and will be a great stocking stuffer for friends. Going to check out his website next…
November 30, 2022
A first person POV of the union movement. Would make a gorgeous film.
October 25, 2022
Who knew that a book about the labor movement, in the down and dirty of a car factory, could be such a compelling read! Jon Melrod's book "Fighting Times" recounts a very personal story of labor and social activism starting fresh out of college, and he tells it with a good dose of humor. I had no idea that thousands of college educated kids worked side by side on the factory floor with working class folks. They did this, not to further careers and pad their pockets, but to push for fair pay, safer conditions, and racial and gender equity. I wish I was such a bad ass! It's hard to imagine at age 21 years old choosing to work a back breaking job, in dangerous conditions, and then spending free time holding meetings, printing papers, t-shirts and buttons to further a cause. It's hard to imagine choosing to be security for the Black Panthers during the volatile times of the 60's, or marching at the front of a group defending Native American rights with guns pointed at you. This was the life of Jon Melrod, a man who walked the walk. Read this book, not only for an insight into a little known slice of history, but because it's also a damn fine read!
June 13, 2024
Great Autobiography of a college graduate who led Anti- Vietnam War demonstrations, took an auto laborer job to become part of the rank and file, and ascended into Union leadership, then leaving the auto company in 1985 when it closed the branch permanently off shoring to France. Melrod is currently an immigration attorney having secured his JD after leaving the automotive industry.
October 15, 2022
A very timely and compelling read! 'Fighting Times' describes Jon Melrod's 13 year effort to build an anti racist and pro class conscious workers' movement at the United Auto Workers in the 1970's and 1980's.
So relevant to today's reborn union movement and the continuing fight for dignity! I am part of the 'older generation' and I feel Fighting Times is valuable for both today's young people and also those of us who have been around but still feel the need for a change in the current social order.
Lena
Sebastopol, CA
So relevant to today's reborn union movement and the continuing fight for dignity! I am part of the 'older generation' and I feel Fighting Times is valuable for both today's young people and also those of us who have been around but still feel the need for a change in the current social order.
Lena
Sebastopol, CA
October 26, 2022
A page turner! It read like an engrossing adventure novel but was history I didn't know about. Glad to have learned a lot from this book.
October 5, 2022
An excellent read that I encourage others to experience. It was truly a page turner from beginning to end. If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d feel like I was reading a suspense novel. A must read inspirational for young people who are wondering what they can do to help change the world.
October 5, 2022
After I read Noam Chomsky’s recommendation : “An inspiring guide to carrying the crucial struggle forward”, I decided to buy this book. I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend it to others. Please get it from your local independent bookstore.
October 28, 2022
A remarkably exciting and even suspenseful story of a rank-and-file activist on the auto assemblyline.
So many fascinating stories--the book pulls you along.
So many fascinating stories--the book pulls you along.
December 2, 2022
A fantastic page turner.
Jon Melrod recalls his younger years, through the late 60s into the mid 80s. During this time, Melrod was active in anti war movements, civil rights, workers rights & unionism.
I’ve always been one to try and get it in fellow workers heads’ that they deserve more. Jon’s tales of class solidarity, militant organization & sticking together have given me a lot of needed hope, lessons and tactics that can be applied to those around me.
A must read for any who are interested in the history of workers rights, human rights, organization, the history of auto workers/unions in the USA, etc.
Jon Melrod recalls his younger years, through the late 60s into the mid 80s. During this time, Melrod was active in anti war movements, civil rights, workers rights & unionism.
I’ve always been one to try and get it in fellow workers heads’ that they deserve more. Jon’s tales of class solidarity, militant organization & sticking together have given me a lot of needed hope, lessons and tactics that can be applied to those around me.
A must read for any who are interested in the history of workers rights, human rights, organization, the history of auto workers/unions in the USA, etc.
September 15, 2024
SDS Maoist autoworker? Sounds good to me!
Melrod’s story and experiences, as a downwardly-mobile graduate turned industrial worker and union activist, are fascinating, inspiring and at times very funny. He writes with a great honesty - Melrod admits his privilege in being able to choose to become a ‘regular worker’ unlike “the millions upon millions of working people, who face alienating, insecure, life-threatening, and toxic working conditions daily” who are forced to do it by economic necessity. I think this is very admirable as I worried it would potentially be a bit self-aggrandising, but it isn’t at all. I don’t know what else to say about it but it’s a book I’m very glad to have read. Also the book ends on a great Eugene V. Debs quote:
“To stir the masses, to appeal to their higher, better selves, to set them thinking for themselves, and to hold ever before them the ideal of mutual kindness and good will, based upon mutual interests, is to render real service to the cause of humanity.”
Recommend!
Melrod’s story and experiences, as a downwardly-mobile graduate turned industrial worker and union activist, are fascinating, inspiring and at times very funny. He writes with a great honesty - Melrod admits his privilege in being able to choose to become a ‘regular worker’ unlike “the millions upon millions of working people, who face alienating, insecure, life-threatening, and toxic working conditions daily” who are forced to do it by economic necessity. I think this is very admirable as I worried it would potentially be a bit self-aggrandising, but it isn’t at all. I don’t know what else to say about it but it’s a book I’m very glad to have read. Also the book ends on a great Eugene V. Debs quote:
“To stir the masses, to appeal to their higher, better selves, to set them thinking for themselves, and to hold ever before them the ideal of mutual kindness and good will, based upon mutual interests, is to render real service to the cause of humanity.”
Recommend!
February 15, 2023
If Jon Melrod talks they way he writes, then it is no wonder he did so well organizing blue collar industrial workers. No academic or leftist jargon, clear straightforward talk. As others have noted, this is a page-turner of a book!
I picked up this book because in some small way I was living a parallel life in Chicago. Jon worked with a Revolutionary Union newspaper called the Milwaukee Worker, I worked with a Revolutionary Union paper in Chicago called People's Voice. I too experienced people who went from student activism to workplace activism, which as Jon repeatedly points out required fighting both the company and the union bureaurocrats. I too was involved in national campaigns to "Throw the Bum Out" and "We Won't Fight Another Rich Man's War."
If I have a complaint about this 298 page book is that I wanted more stories. This is a fascinating read.
I picked up this book because in some small way I was living a parallel life in Chicago. Jon worked with a Revolutionary Union newspaper called the Milwaukee Worker, I worked with a Revolutionary Union paper in Chicago called People's Voice. I too experienced people who went from student activism to workplace activism, which as Jon repeatedly points out required fighting both the company and the union bureaurocrats. I too was involved in national campaigns to "Throw the Bum Out" and "We Won't Fight Another Rich Man's War."
If I have a complaint about this 298 page book is that I wanted more stories. This is a fascinating read.
March 19, 2025
Such an amazing read, not only because of how interesting and dynamic the plot is, but also the structure of the book, and the voice of the author. The pacing of this book is incredible and I can't help but imagine how great of a documentary it would make. Melrod speaks in such an accessible and relatable way, it's easy to forget about the decades that separate us. Can't recommend this book highly enough, its worth reading for anyone interested in activism, labor history, or even just the untold stories of Americans living through some of the most turbulent times in domestic US history, and particularly Americans who attempt to build the power necessary to effect change over the trajectory of history.
July 25, 2025
Enjoyed this and the often humorous accounts of battles won on the shop floor and rank and file organising under a political and charismatic leader. I appreciated the first hand detail and storytelling and got a sense of time and place from a part of the world that I had no knowledge of. The book is interesting in that it charts the author's rise up a significant local in the UAW but ultimately I was left wanting more to describe how that local's well organised union had to confront the trends of late capitalism, and to what extent their previous and historic substantial efforts made a difference in how workers experienced the Kenosha plant in the pivotal mid-80s negotiations and beyond (letterly admittedly after the author had left).
July 18, 2024
I read this book during a resurgence of social justice organizing because I wanted to better understand some of the tactics that movement elders used before us. The book was very detailed and provided a lot of the context I was looking for. Its focus on labor organizing and its intersection with racial justice was helpful. At times, it read more like a journal, and I would have liked a bit more of analysis.
4 stars because the language (as the author warns at the start) is outdated, his code switching when talking to POC is bizarre, and he has a funky comment about a Palestinian colleague.
4 stars because the language (as the author warns at the start) is outdated, his code switching when talking to POC is bizarre, and he has a funky comment about a Palestinian colleague.
November 26, 2023
Fighting Times tells the story of militant union class war in the auto industry. Jon Melrod, first a student activist in SDS and eventually chief steward of UAW Local 72, recalls his life in one of the most inspiring and amazing memoirs I've ever read. The stories in this book are genuinely interesting and engaging, so it's very easy to read.
I highly recommend it to left-wing, communist, socialist, student activist types who want to know what real labor organizing looks like.
I highly recommend it to left-wing, communist, socialist, student activist types who want to know what real labor organizing looks like.
May 5, 2024
Inspiring story about/by Jon Melrod about advocating for the working class through involvement in his local Union. He took on union roles in auto plants and doggedly fought for better working conditions and compensation despite strong resistance from powerful companies and anti-union bosses. He was also very involved in civil rights, anti-war and anti-sexism movements in his communities. The struggle continues.
November 29, 2025
This made me realize just how different the labor movement was pre and post Reagan. The stuff that goes on in this book, the things that Melrod and others are able to get away with, blew my mind. You just couldn’t do it today. So much of the success of Fighting Times required a friendly NLRB and a powerful, strong labor movement that we just don’t have anymore. You can even start to see that decline in the end of the book.
December 17, 2022
An excellent first-hand account of civil rights and labor activism in 1960's Madison and 1970's-80's southeastern Wisconsin. Remember Tom Joad's "I'll Be There" speech from John Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH? Jon Melrod uses bullhorns, newsletters, stickers, buttons and a whole lot of Ukrainian chutzpah to battle for much more in his FIGHTING TIMES! Very inspirational and highly recommended.
December 10, 2023
As a current blue collar worker, I found this memoir quite inspiring. Melrod's commitment to justice and building class consciousness and working class solidarity is very inspiring. The way he used his privileges to uplift black, latin, latin, and women workers provided me with a great example to aspire to.
October 5, 2022
This is an inspiring and highly relevant history of one young activist's fight to organize inside an auto plant in the 70's. Jon Melrod's determination and winning strategies provide great lessons for anyone who wants to make a change.
June 11, 2023
If you want an in depth look at radical organizing at an auto union in the Midwest, this is a must read. Extremely detailed yet never boring, Melrod shows the ins and outs of union politics in the 70s and 80s.
December 12, 2022
Outstanding history and guide to advocacy for working people. Well written, personal in context with the times. An important work that makes a captivating read.
July 5, 2023
Enjoyable to read, and important for us to remember that there is a history of militant workers standing up for themselves in the United States.
July 22, 2023
“Dissent has to be the lifeblood of the union movement. Without it, it gets stale.”
thank you jon for sending me a copy
thank you jon for sending me a copy
December 7, 2023
Interesting look at activism. Overall cool read.
August 17, 2025
spectacular, entertaining autobiography. written in a warm voice, helped me see what the future could be like again. deadeye dimarino lives in my head once or twice a day now
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews