A Collective Bargain

A Collective Bargain is a non-fiction work by labor organizer Jane McAlevey that presents unions as essential institutions for challenging corporate power and protecting democracy. McAlevey draws from her extensive experience in the labor movement to outline strategies for effective union organizing and workplace mobilization. The book examines the historical decline of unions in America and confronts common misconceptions about organized labor. Through case studies and practical examples, it demonstrates how workers can build power and win significant victories through collective action. The text provides a detailed blueprint for rebuilding the labor movement, including specific tactics for organizing workplaces and conducting successful contract negotiations. It connects labor issues to broader democratic concerns, arguing that union strength is fundamentally linked to the health of American democracy. At its core, A Collective Bargain is both a practical organizing manual and a broader argument about the role of organized labor in addressing economic inequality and democratic decline in contemporary America.

Readers found McAlevey's arguments about labor organizing strategies compelling, but some felt the book reads more like a manual than a narrative. Multiple reviewers noted the detailed examples from real union campaigns were helpful for understanding practical applications. Readers appreciated: - Clear breakdown of organizing tactics and principles - Real-world case studies from successful campaigns - Framework for building worker power - Emphasis on deep organizing vs shallow mobilizing Common criticisms: - Writing style can be repetitive - Too focused on service sector examples - Assumes reader already supports unions - Limited discussion of gig economy workers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.28/5 (250+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (130+ reviews) Several union organizers commented that they use it as a reference guide. One Amazon reviewer noted: "This isn't light reading, but it's an excellent playbook for anyone serious about organizing." Multiple readers mentioned the book would benefit from more varied industry examples beyond healthcare and education.

No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age by Jane McAlevey McAlevey's earlier work details the specific tactics and strategies needed to build worker power through deep organizing methods and workplace-based campaigns.

Capital and Labor by Nelson Lichtenstein This examination of twentieth-century labor history illuminates the relationship between workers' movements and American democracy through key strikes and organizing drives.

Poor Workers' Unions by Vanessa Tait The text chronicles grassroots labor organizations that merged workplace issues with community organizing to build power among low-wage workers.

Revolt Against Labor by Nelson Lichtenstein and Elizabeth Shermer This analysis of corporate anti-union strategies explains how businesses systematically undermined organized labor in the United States from 1945 to the present.

The Death and Life of American Labor by Stanley Aronowitz The book presents strategies for revitalizing the American labor movement through examination of past successes and failures in union organizing.

🔹 McAlevey began her career not in labor organizing but as an environmental activist in the Adirondack Mountains, where she first learned crucial community organizing skills. 🔹 The book's organizing methodology draws from the CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) tradition of the 1930s, which focused on building "whole worker" relationships beyond workplace issues. 🔹 Union membership in the U.S. has fallen from 35% of workers in the 1950s to about 10% today - a core issue that drives the book's urgency. 🔹 The author has developed a signature "structure test" method for assessing organizing campaign readiness, which is now widely used by labor organizers across the country. 🔹 Before writing books about labor organizing, McAlevey worked as the National Deputy Director of the Healthcare Division at SEIU (Service Employees International Union), one of America's largest unions.