US Labor Is Having a Movement Moment
The successful UAW strike was the latest sign that the union movement is having a moment. Amid so much gloom in the world, US labor has emerged as an unlikely bright spot with genuine dynamism.
19427 Articles by: Jonathan Sas
Jonathan Sas has worked in senior policy and political roles in government, think tanks, and the labor movement. He is an honorary witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. His writing has appeared in the Toronto Star, National Post, the Tyee, and Maisonneuve.
Jeremy Corbyn: “History Will Judge Those Who Had the Opportunity to Stop This Massacre”
Jeremy Corbyn argues that we need an immediate cease-fire to stop the slaughter of civilians in Gaza — and that the end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland shows how a cease-fire might pave the way to a just, lasting peace.
Should the Transition to Socialism Be Fast or Slow?
Socialists considering how to break with capitalism are confronted with a dilemma: support a gradual move to social ownership, so workers can build up the know-how to run those firms, or support a rapid transition so capitalists can’t sabotage the economy.
After a Historic Strike, UAW Members Have Ratified Contracts With the Big Three Automakers
United Auto Workers members have officially ratified contract agreements with the Big Three automakers following a historic six-week strike. The vote totals at Ford, Stellantis, and GM largely reflect worker satisfaction with big gains.
A Pro-Palestine Socialist Is Hoping to Unseat an AIPAC-Backed Congresswoman in Houston
In retaliation for their criticism of Israel, the right-wing group AIPAC plans to spend big to unseat the Squad in 2024. But in Houston, a pro-Palestine and democratic socialist candidate for Congress is taking the fight to an AIPAC-endorsed incumbent.
Blacklisted Communist Writer Albert Maltz’s Last Novel Will Finally Be Published in the US
When Communist writer Albert Maltz was blacklisted in the McCarthyist era, no commercial publisher in the United States would touch his novel A Tale of One January. A new edition slated for US distribution means his 70-year blacklist will finally end.
The “Human Shields” Defense of Bombing Gaza’s Civilians Is Morally Bankrupt
Apologists for Israel’s bombing spree of schools and hospitals in Gaza say Hamas is using the civilians there as “human shields.” But that justification makes no sense even if we accept the premise — in a hostage situation, you don’t just kill the hostage.
Progressive Governments Across Latin America Are Condemning Israel
From Chile to Honduras, Latin American governments are recalling ambassadors, severing diplomatic relations, and openly condemning Israel — a country with a history of propping up dictatorships across the region — for its crimes against humanity in Gaza.
In Orange County, a Police Union Tried To Take Down a Progressive — And Failed
From police associations to real estate interests, California power players are launching an aggressive strategy of recalling progressives in retaliation for votes they don’t like. In Santa Ana, Orange County, they just fell flat on their faces.
A New Album of Old Labor Songs Revives a Forgotten Era of Class Struggle
On the anniversary of songwriter and union organizer Joe Hill’s execution by firing squad, a new album revives early 20th-century labor movement songs, capturing the original spirit of loud, raucous brass bands.
Argentina’s Crossroads Election Reminds Us to Never Underestimate the Far Right
Argentina goes to the polls today to decide between the centrist candidate Sergio Massa and far-right libertarian Javier Milei. The stakes could not be higher.
The Swedish Left Failed the Vulnerable During the Pandemic
Sweden’s “hands-off” COVID-19 response was hailed by libertarians abroad but also by most left-wingers at home. Far from enlightened, the Swedish left’s approach combined deference to authority with a disturbing faith in national exceptionalism.
Fotografiska’s Museum Chain Is Turning Artists into “Value Makers” for Venture Capital
For-profit museum chain Fotografiska has opened a new Berlin location. It’s a miniature version of what Berlin has become — promoting a financialized, libertarian idea of creativity that prices out the artists who have given the city its character.
Real Public Investments in British Columbia Can Debunk the “Big Spending” Myth
Business groups will always carp about “overspending,” but in British Columbia the decline in public spending has been huge hit to ordinary people. The province should use its vast economic capacity to invest in making workers’ lives better.
We Can’t Grow Numb to Reports That the Rich Are Getting Obscenely Richer
Reports continue to reveal the thriving fortunes of the wealthy, which surged during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such reports should still have us up in arms — and we should put our outrage to work to dismantle a rigged system.
The Struggle for Palestinian Freedom Is a Struggle for Democracy Around the World
The steadfastness of the Palestinian popular struggle for universal freedom and dignity is pointing the way forward for movements for justice everywhere, from London to Cairo and beyond.
Nathan Fielder and Bennie Safdie’s The Curse Adds a Dash of Horror to Cringe Comedy
The new series The Curse, starring Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone as rich, clueless gentrifiers, follows a married couple filming an HGTV reality show. It’s a low-key cringe comedy that makes everyday selfishness and awkwardness feel like a horror movie.
Shut Down the Companies That Are Arming Israel’s War
For two decades, antiwar protests have been among Britain’s biggest social movements. Today actions against arms firms like BAE Systems are taking things one step further — materially disrupting the British state’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza.
Israeli Weapons Are Common to the Displacement in Nagorno-Karabakh and Gaza
Gaza and the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh share a history marked by slaughter, displacement, and broken promises from the West. They also have in common the influence of Israeli weapons, which have driven violence and upheaval in both regions.
Rich People in the US Have Been Allowed to Get Way Too Rich
The next time you’re struggling to pay your rent or afford child care, think about this: the uberrich in the US are now paying top dollar to cut in line to get health care and hiring rotating casts of nannies so one is always at their beck and call.