Toni Gilpin

This was SO GOOD. Gilpin takes this story of a radical union and makes a case that politics is not a process that doesn't matter to the shop floor, but that in fact radical politics--Communism, even--can have deep influence on shop politics, and that cementing solidarity across racial lines is possible through keeping an antagonistic relationship with management at the forefront. And she does so in a way that keeps the story rooted with people, and not with organization alphabet soup (which, I acknowledge, is necessary for some parts of labor history, but is definitely a challenge for folks new to the field.)

It's so carefully done and just really revs me up and makes me excited for the possibilities of radical politics in unionizing and what is possible--it gives an image of the world outside of a UAW style of long contracts that management chips away at over time, and is so powerful to see the FE workers support one another's grievances again and again and again. Just so good, definitely check it out.

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Reread April 2021: Just as good if not better the second time! Gilpin just tells the story of the union so well and with so much care and attention to detail without losing the larger story. Absolutely still five stars; I bought a copy so I could annotate it and distribute it among friends, that's how much I loved it the first time and still love it. It really has shaped the way I understand union contracts, and I think it's just such a good introduction to good labor history. If you can get a hold of it, please check it out. It's just so good and a story told so well.… (mehr)