The big news last week was the United Auto Workers’ defeat in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and there’s been a lot of discussion since about what this means for the future of labor. Meanwhile, across the country, teachers in Oregon are proving that militant unionism isn’t dead yet, and that there’s a lot to be won if workers stand together and fight with the community by their side. Portland teacher Elizabeth Thiel gives Belabored some thoughts on what happened in her district, and what’s happening as teachers around the country decide that enough is enough when it comes to corporate education reform. Sarah and Michelle also discuss a new report on port truckers and wage theft, minor league ballplayers suing over wage violations, the U.S. government’s reliance on sweatshops, the strike by University of Illinois faculty, and why the Congressional Budget Office is wrong about the minimum wage.

News: