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Talkin’ (Policy) Shop: Worker Voice
Policy Brief: Workers in the Boardroom
Policy Brief: Collaborative Labor-Management Committees

In hindsight, the biggest warning sign for the prospects of unionizing Amazon‘s Bessemer, Alabama, warehouse was, well, a sign: a large placard, posted by organizers outside the facility’s entrance, featuring Stacey Abrams dressed as Rosie the Riveter, declaring “We Can Do It!” through a COVID mask.

Adopting the failed gubernatorial candidate and progressive darling as the symbolic heroine of the campaign was part of an effort to link unionization to progressive causes—voting rights, racial justice and gender equity—that organizers thought would appeal to a predominantly Black workforce.

Stacey the Riveter” may have been a hit with Democratic politicians, who posed for pictures with the sign on visits to the facility. But not so much with the workers themselves. Abrams lost her election by 2 points; the union lost its by more than 30.

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Wells King
Wells King is the former research director at American Compass.
@wellscking
Recommended Reading
Talkin’ (Policy) Shop: Worker Voice

On this episode, Oren and Chris discuss the issue of worker voice and how to reform labor law to create new avenues for labor input from the shop floor to the boardroom.

Policy Brief: Workers in the Boardroom

Give workers a seat at the directors’ table

Policy Brief: Collaborative Labor-Management Committees

Give workers a collective voice on the job