(Papers to be published in Employment Rights & Employment Policy Journal)
The year 2010 marked 75 years since Congress’s historic passage of the Wagner Act. It also saw the publication of Professor Julius Getman’s important new work Restoring the Power of Unions: It Takes a Movement, which chronicles the rise of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE). Professor Getman describes HERE as the organization “that more than any other union [today], has focused on creating a spirit of movement.” He explains: “A ‘movement’ entails something more than money, members, and economic power… A movement requires activating and using the energies of workers. It means fostering solidarity across unions and occupations. It requires leaders who are willing to trust and who are committed to sharing power [. It] also requires a concern for issues beyond the economic well-being of the members, such as environmental justice, racial equality, and the rights of immigrants.” The monograph goes on to address pressing issues of labor law and policy, including the NLRB election process and the rights of striking workers, and to evaluate various proposals for reform. This program will be presented in an “author meets reader” format, with scholars engaging various aspects of Professor Getman’s work.
Business Meeting at Program Conclusion.