Labor’s Partisans: Essential Writings on the Union Movement from the 1950s to Today

The top American writers on labor provide vital historical context for the current upsurge in union organizing

In 1954, the American labor movement reached its historic height, with one-third of all non-agricultural workers belonging to a union--and much higher percentages in the nation’s key industries. That same year, a group of writers and activists, many with close ties to organized labor, founded Dissent magazine, which quickly became the publishing home for the most important progressive voices on American unions.

Today, at a time of both resurgent union organizing and socialist politics, the need for this rich tradition of ideas is as pressing as ever.

With over twenty-five contributions by some of the nation’s most influential progressive voices, Labor’s Partisans brings to life a history of labor that is of immediate relevance to our own times. Introduced and edited by leading labor historians Nelson Lichtenstein and Samir Sonti, this essential volume reveals the powerful currents and debates running through the labor movement, from the 1950s to today.

Combining stunning writing, political passion, and deep historical perspective, Labor’s Partisans will be a source of ideas and inspiration for anyone concerned with a more just future for working people.

Nelson Lichtenstein is a professor of history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he directs the Center for the Study of Work, Labor, and Democracy. He is the author of many books, including Walter Reuther, Labor’s War at Home, and State of the Union.

Samir Sonti is an organizer and assistant professor at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. He lives in New York.