Congress Extra: Authors give insights on the power, legacy and future of unions  

In a discussion that promises to energize and inform, celebrated writers Kim Kelly and David Madland will present their new books, both offering fascinating perspectives on the US union movement, to UNI Congress participants at a lunchtime question & answer session on 28 August. 

Kelly, who is moderating the Amazon organizing panel later that day, is one of the most watched labour journalists in the United States as well as a Council Member of the Writers Guild of America-East. She regularly contributes to Teen Vogue and her widely-acclaimed, character-driven book FIGHT LIKE HELL: The Untold History of American Labor was published last year. 

Madland is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American progress, a progressive think tank, which works closely with the American labour movement. He has been called “one of the nation’s wisest” labour scholars in the Washington Post.  His most recent book, Re-Union, provides in-depth analysis how unions are essential to all workers and the structural changes needed to ensure that all workers can have one.  Madland wrote a insightful survey of the US union movement’s challenges and opportunities for the UNI Congress, available on our documents page.

While the two authors take different approaches, their works both be seen as a call to action for union activists everywhere to keep growing our movement.  

The conversation with the authors will be moderated by UNI General Secretary Christy Hoffman. 

“One of the recurring themes of both Kim and David’s work is the continued necessity of unions in today’s rapidly changing climate for workers in the United States and beyond,” Hoffman said. “By looking at the history of unions, the bravery of workers and structures needed to shore up collective bargaining, we get a full picture of the movement’s past as well as its future, and I’m thrilled we can have this conversation at our Congress.” 

The event will start Monday at 13:00, room announcement will be made during the a.m. Congress session.