EW4D Mentioned In Steelworkers History Series

This month Garrett Brown, a former steelworker, journalist, and writer for the Stansbury Forum did a three part series on the Steelworkers Fightback reform movement in the 1970s. EW4D received a mention alongside UAW and IBT reform movements.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) has new leadership as does the United Auto Workers (UAW). In the United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW), America’s largest retail union, there is an active opposition called Essential Workers for Democracy. They had a big presence at the union’s most recent convention in April and are actively pointing toward the 2028 convention. 

Brown's series is essential reading for anyone interested in the reform movement. Brown notes many parallels to today's reforms.

The themes of all these successful efforts have been the same: membership participation and mobilization; defense and support of those discriminated against and harassed; coalition building within the union; strengthening links between labor and other social movements; and strong action, including strikes, to protect members on the job.