Milkman and Voss 2004

Milkman, Ruth, and Kim Voss. 2004. Rebuilding Labor: Organizing and Organizers in the New Union Movement. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press.

Milkman and Voss, Introduction

• Unions that have successfully ‘transformed’, process has usually started from the very top (7)
• local leaders who do not actively organize are run out
• obviously can have a chilling effect on internal dissension, has been criticized as relatively undemocratic
• lasting transformation, however, does require genuine rank and file participation
• union can be a social movement
• has gotten organizers from ‘60s and ‘70s movements
• importance of UFW example

Sharpe, “Union Democracy and Successful Campaigns”

• Cites literature to say that need top-down strategy and bottom-up buy-in
• BUT, critics (she uses Gruelle and Parker 1999) say that “internal democracy is the key to union power”
• Reasons why union democracy does not = power
• rank and file could democratically opt for servicing, and no organizing
• workers can’t afford to use trial and error to win campaign, need competent and experienced leaders and support staff