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Labor Day Book List

	A Collective Bargain: Unions, Organizing and the Fight for Democracy by Jane McAlevey "Since the 1930s, when unions briefly flourished under New Deal protections, corporations have waged a stealthy and ruthless war against the labor movement. Today, McAlevey argues, it's time for unions to make a comeback. Want to reverse the nation's mounting wealth gap? Put an end to sexual harassment in the workplace? End racial disparities on the job? Negotiate climate justice? Bring back unions." Also available on Libby.
	Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India by Sujatha Gidla "The stunning true story of an 'Untouchable' family who become teachers, and one, a poet and revolutionary. Gidla recounts his incredible life--how he became a famous poet, student, labor organizer … and charts her mother's battles with caste and women's oppression. Page by page, Gidla takes us into a complicated, close-knit family as they desperately strive for a decent life and a more just society." Also available on Libby.
	From the Folks Who Brought You the Weekend: A Short, Illustrated History of Labor in the United States by Priscilla Murolo "From indentured servants and slaves in seventeenth-century Chesapeake to high-tech workers in contemporary Silicon Valley, the book “puts a human face on the people, places, events, and social conditions that have shaped the evolution of organized labor,” enlivened by numerous full-page illustrations throughout from the celebrated comics journalist Joe Sacco." Also available on Libby.
	Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present and Future of American Labor by Steven Greenhouse "Award-winning journalist and author Steven Greenhouse exposes the modern labor landscape with the stories of dozens of American workers, from GM employees to Uber drivers to underpaid schoolteachers. Their fight to take power back is crucial for America’s future, and Greenhouse proposes concrete, feasible ways in which workers’ collective power can be—and is being—rekindled and reimagined in the twenty-first century." Also available as an audiobook on Libby.
	The Colored Conventions Movement: Black Organizing in the Nineteenth Century by Gabrielle P. Foreman "Well before the founding of the NAACP and other twentieth-century pillars of the civil rights movement, tens of thousands of Black leaders organized state and national conventions across North America. Over seven decades, they advocated for social justice and against slavery, protesting state-sanctioned and mob violence while demanding voting, legal, labor, and educational rights. Collectively, these essays highlight the vital role of the Colored Conventions in the lives of thousands of early organizers."
	Undocumented: How Immigration Became Illegal by Aviva Chomsky "Undocumented people tend to work in three different kinds of jobs: jobs that have been historically marginalized, like those in agriculture; jobs that have been downgraded from well-paid, unionized work to low-wage labor, like meatpacking; and newly booming job categories that underlie post-war consumerist prosperity like landscaping and childcare work. This book explores how “undocumentedness” is deeply embedded in global and national political and economic systems, and the concept itself must be understood and challenged in order to create a more just system." Also available on Libby.
	Blood Runs Coal: The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Works of America by Mark A. Bradley "An extraordinary portrait of one of the nation's major unions on the brink of historical change, Blood Runs Coal comes at a time of resurgent labor movements in the United States and the current administration's attempts to bolster the fossil fuel industry. Brilliantly researched and compellingly written, it sheds light on the far-reaching effects of industrial and socioeconomic change that unfold across America to this day." Also available on Libby.
	Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor by Kim Kelly "In this definitive and assiduously researched work of journalism, Teen Vogue columnists and independent labor reporter Kim Kelly excavates that untold history and shows how the rights the American worker has today--the forty-hour workweek, workplace-safety standards, restrictions on child labor, protection from harassment and discrimination on the job--were earned with literal blood, sweat, and tears." Also available on Libby.
	Antitrust: Taking on Monopoly Power from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age by Amy Klobuchar "Antitrust enforcement is one of the most pressing issues facing America today - and Amy Klobuchar, the widely respected senior senator from Minnesota, is leading the charge. This fascinating history of the antitrust movement shows us what led to the present moment and offers achievable solutions to prevent monopolies, promote business competition, and encourage innovation." Also available on Libby.
	Solidarity: The Past, Present and Future of a World-Changing Idea by Leah Hunt-Hendrix & Astra Taylor "From renowned organizers and activists Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor, comes the first in-depth examination of Solidarity--not just as a rallying cry, but as potent political movement with potential to effect lasting change. Offering a lively and lucid history of the idea--from Ancient Rome through the first European and American socialists and labor organizers, to twenty-first century social movements like Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter—the authors trace the philosophical debates and political struggles that have shaped the modern world." Also available as an audiobook on Libby.

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