Union Archives - Public Seminar

Rats: A Cautionary Tail

The Rat with a Right to Free Speech

For decades, an inflatable rat has defended the rights of U.S. workers. Now, it turns out the balloon known as “Scabby” needs a union

April 4, 2023 • by Cassandra Brey

Scabby remains a fixture in the world of the union—much like real rats are a fixture of New York City....

Uncategorized

Banner Tales

Material culture and the making of solidarity

July 6, 2019 • by David Featherstone and Diarmaid Kelliher

The miners’ strike workshops were developed alongside an ongoing project called Banner Tales, which is a collaboration between geographers and Glasgow Museums staff. This work has encouraged us to reflect on the relationship between material cultures and the makings of solidarity. In both projects we have been involved in using banners ...

Education

Why Teachers Are Striking in Poland

Faced with the biggest strike since 1993, the Polish government suggested teachers get pregnant and collect a child-care benefit

April 12, 2019 • by Beata Zwierzyńska

“We want to teach, we want to work. Please, understand us.” —Teachers’ general strike in Poland, 2019 Poland’s striking teachers have three messages for the right-wing government of the Law and Justice (PiS) party: we care about the future of education, we are fighting for our dignity, and we are definitely fighting ...

Education

Teacher Insurgency

What Are The Strategic Challenges?

February 23, 2019 • by Leo Casey

The following post was the basis for a talk by Leo Casey, the Executive Director of the Albert Shanker Institute, which was delivered at “The Future of American Labor” conference held February 8th and 9th in Washington, D.C. There is every reason to celebrate the “Teacher Spring” strikes of 2018 and the more ...