Community–Labor Coalitions for Progressive Change

Abstract

In the current neo-liberal economic and political climate, the labor movement faces immense challenges for survival and efficacy. As a massive redistribution of wealth upward has occurred, poverty is growing along with low-wage and insecure employment. The labor movement is developing new strategies that incorporate community organizing and local community issues into its issues as it organizes low-wage workers, often urban residents. Among these are living wage campaigns, community benefits agreements, and building regional progressive power. Many opportunities for collaboration with social work and involvement by social workers, particularly community practitioners, exist in these developments.

KEYWORDS:

• collaboration
• community
• labor unions
• labor–community coalitions
• social work

Notes

A broad literature suggests that globalization encompasses cultural, social, and political processes as well, but this discussion focuses primarily on the economic aspects of this process.

Updated figures through 2005 are available on the Website for Emmanual Saez: www.econ.berkeley.edu/~saez/index.html.

A useful Website that maintains information on local living wage movements is sponsored by Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN; www.livingwagecampaign.org).

For information on Community Benefits Agreements, The Partnership for Working Families sponsors a useful Website: www.communitybenefits.org.

Civic Leadership Institutes are assisted by the organization Building Partnerships USA (see www.building-partnerships.org). The national network of policy-action organizations is The Partnership for Working Families (www.communitybenefits.org).