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Why do we have seniority systems?
Seniority systems started with an attempt by workers to solve the problem of management favoritism and discrimination. This is a central belief of unions, that all workers should be treated equally and fairly.
A group of workers in the Town Hall complained to their steward. “There’s something in the air. I never used to get headaches but now I get them every day.” “I have allergies,” Mary says, “but now nothing I take stops me from sneezing. When I get home, things get better.”
“When did this start?” Tony Gramsci, the steward, asks. “I’m not sure,” says Mary, “but around the time it started getting cold.” “That’s right,” says Pete, “Right around the time we were told to keep the doors and windows shut because they were turning on the heating system.”
This online pamphlet on financial integrity in a rank & file union explains UE’s philosophy of honesty, financial transparency, and making sure that dues dollars are used to benefit the entire membership — and more importantly, why these values make for a stronger union.
The adventure story of the battles, betrayals and victories of American working men and women. Extensively researched, yet highly readable, history of the U.S. labor movement from the Civil War through the Eisenhower Administration.
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Published in 2020, “Them and Us Unionism” draws on UE history to identify five core principles of UE’s approach: aggressive struggle, rank and file control, political independence, international solidarity, and uniting all workers. Available as a 24-page booklet, PDF or on the web
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This new e-book by retired UE Director of International Affairs Robin Alexander tells the story of the partnership between the UE and the Mexican Frente Auténtico del Trabajo (FAT), a story that is a testimony to the power of rank-and-file solidarity.
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