Eric Blanc

Ultra-Leftism Won't Help Free Palestine My interview with Bashir Abu-Manneh & Hoda Mitwally on how US activists can more effectively support Palestinians

"To help cut off US arms to Israel we'd have to more frequently work with people who don’t agree with us on everything. More leftists have to leave their comfort zone of being a powerless opposition, protesting on the sidelines, expressing outrage online"

www.laborpolitics.com/p/ultra-left...

I crunched the numbers: the three largest state organizations of the old Socialist Party were Washington, Oregon, & Wisconsin (controlled for pop size)

But only in WI did the socialists consistently lead the union movement, & only in WI was socialism's base broad enough for big electoral victories

The source for this data 👇

The fact that Germans were overall less likely to vote Socialist makes the rise of the "sewer socialists" in Milwaukee even more remarkable — contrary to what is normally assumed, their growth can't be attributed primarily to ethnic predispositions towards radicalism

Found some great research on immigrant votes for the old Socialist Party

Surprisingly, German immigrants nationwide were overall *less* likely than others to vote Socialist, while Italians were more likely to do

And Irish immigrants were by far the most anti-Socialist

I'm almost done with a new research project about Wisconsin's "sewer socialists" — who, as you can see below, were by far the strongest branch of the old Socialist Party

Lots of lessons for Zohran & NYC DSA

Trump Appointees Roll Back Enforcement of Fair Housing Laws

Trump wants to drag our country back to the pre-Civil Rights era

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/r...

Need more heroes like Paul Osadebe, one of the HUD federal worker whistleblowers standing up against Trump's destruction of civil rights protections

Trump Appointees Roll Back Enforcement of Fair Housing Laws

🚨 HUD whistleblowers and federal unionists reveal Trump’s appointees have gutted civil rights protections in housing.
Here’s what you need to know: 🧵
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/r...

Workers are striking across Italy today against Israel's genocide 🔥🔥🔥

Need a free speech movement ASAP

“Starbucks Is on the Ropes,” Says SBWU President Lynne Fox, Who Is Eyeing a Strike "Investors should know that if Starbucks continues to stonewall and fight with union baristas, they aren’t afraid to do what it takes to win the fair contract that they’ve earned," Fox writes. "This i...

Starbucks workers are threatening to strike nationwide if management doesn't grant them a fair contract

Everybody opposed to oligarchy & authoritarianism should be ready to go all-in to support their big fight this fall

inthesetimes.com/article/star...

The Institute for Public Knowledge is hosting author Eric Blanc
(@ericblanc.bsky.social) tonight at 5:30pm for a book signing of, "We Are the Union" (published by @ucpress.bsky.social).

You can buy your copy with us tonight!

#booksigningevent #nycevents #authorsigningevent

Looking forward to this crucial discussion Thursday night at 9pm ET/6pm PT — it's hosted by East Bay DSA, but anybody nationwide can join 🌹

Excited to announce a joint book talk this Fri, Sept 12, on the theme "Strategies for Revitalizing Labor" with Eric Blanc.Join us in person at the Janice H. Levin Building, 94 Rockefeller Rd in Piscataway, NJ or on Zoom at:
rutgers.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
@ucpress.bsky.social @ericblanc.bsky.social

Zohran Mamdani Can Help Rebuild New York’s Labor Movement As New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani will have a range of options to encourage large numbers of workers to unionize — essential both for improving working-class living standards in an unaffordable c...

Many thanks to Jacobin for re-publishing my piece on how Zohran can help make NYC a union town again

jacobin.com/2025/09/zohr...

Can Zohran Make NYC a Union Town Again? A Plan to Rebuild New York’s Labor Movement

Here's my new, long article on all the tools a Zohran administration could leverage to boost unionization

www.laborpolitics.com/p/how-zohran...

When it comes to boosting unionism, Zohran doesn't have to reinvent the wheel

He just has to revive the spirit of NYC's greatest mayor, Fiorello La Guardia

There are real dilemmas facing any attempt to boost NYC unionization

For instance, Zohran has to prioritize winning his core planks—& most unions are risk-adverse & refuse to seriously invest in new organizing

But it's a low risk high reward wager to try boosting mass unionism

Laws don't mean much if employers continue to flout them — which is why Zohran should consider doubling the staffing of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection

Doing so wouldn't cost the city anything, since the DCWP generally brings in so much $$$ from fines & licenses

Fear is one of the biggest obstacles to unionization

That's why it's so crucial for Zohran to keep throwing his weight behind the Secure Jobs Act as well as other bills to prevent unfair firings

It's morally justified and politically smart for Zohran pick a fight with Trump's buddy Jeff Bezos

New York City has the power to mandate Amazon to directly hire all its subcontracted drivers — making unionization with
IBT Local 804 much easier

A Mamdani administration could help make the construction trades predominantly union again by making sure Project Labor Agreements cover more city-backed projects

And he should back the Construction Justice Act to make it possible to scale up affordable housing with union labor

As mayor, Zohran could make it much easier to unionize in care work and non-profits by making sure all contracted services that receive city money do not interfere in unionization drives

Keep in mind that over 18% of NYC workers are employed by non-profits!

Zohran's most important tool for boosting unionization is his bully pulpit

He can encourage workers to unionize, provide them tools for getting started, denounce illegal union busting, and boost ongoing contract campaigns

Can Zohran make New York a union town again?

Only 1 in 5 NYC workers today is in a union — but a Mamdani administration would have powerful tools to turn this around 🧵

Opinion | Trump Is Wiping Out Unions. Why Are They So Quiet?

"Despite this assault on their existence, we have barely heard a peep from unions. Where is organized labor in the fight to maintain union jobs, stop the stripping of the safety net & lead the fight for democracy?"

@erikloomis.bsky.social asking the right question

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...

Crucially, we need Zohran's campaign to take the initiative to launch and coalesce this movement for an affordable New York — and not just hope that it emerges on its from below

To win Zohran's agenda, we need an organizing campaign that's not only both broader & more united than traditional pressure efforts

In key constituencies & districts it also has to be deeper—so that elected officials know they'll be booted from office if they don't get on board