Unions

Picture Books
[|//Click, Clack, Moo//] by Doreen Cronin (available in [|Spanish] and English). A barnyard struggle. Cows go on strike and the farmer is forced to negotiate. [|//¡Si, Se Puede!//] by Diana Cohn and illustrated by Francisco Delgado (bilingual English/Spanish). Tells the story of Carlitos and his mother, a janitor in a Los Angeles office building. She goes on strike with the SEIU "Justice for Janitors" campaign to unionize janitors. Carlitos organizes his classmates to make signs and and support the strike. After they win the strike, Carlitos and his mother show solidarity by joining other workers on strike. For teaching ideas, see Linda Christensen's "[|Justice for Janitors: Making the Invisible Visible]." (Site registration is free.) [|//That's Not Fair//] by Carmen Tafolla, Sharyll Tenayuca, Celina Marrowquin (bilingual). The true story of labor organizer Emma Tenayuca, beginning with her childhood in San Antonio, TX. Upper Elementary. [|//Kid Blink Beats the World//], by Don Brown. The story of the 1899 strike by the children who sold newspapers on the street. At one point in the story, //Kid Blink// tells the other kids, "I'm trying to figure out how ten cents on a hundred papers can mean more to a millionaire than it does to newsboys, an' I can't see it. If they can't spare it, how can we?" //[|We Are All Born Free]: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures// (grades K-12) - by Amnesty International. [|//The Universal Declaration of Human Rights - An Adaptation for Children//] - by Ruth Rocha and Otavio Roth.

Books, Films, Etc.
[|The Zinn Education Project] - Excellent description of films and books. The [|Wisconsin Labor History Society] has many good resources and books. [|The Power in Our Hands: A Curriculum on the History of Work and Workers in the United States] - by Bill Bigelow and Norm Diamond. Covers several labor struggles in U.S. history — including the 1892 Homestead Strike, the 1912 Bread and Roses strike, and the Southern Tenant Farmers Union — through role play, simulation, imaginative writing, and historical detective work. "[|Walkout]" - HBO film tells the story of the 1968 walkout by high school Chicano students in East Los Angeles to protest academic prejudice and dire school conditions.

Teaching lessons and websites about labor and human rights struggles
[|The Zinn Education Project] - ideas for K-12 grades, including: [|Curriculum on Labor History] - Includes a section on the modern labor movement and an excellent [|timeline on the history of the U.S. labor movement]. For those who need to justify teaching this in our "standards" dominated environment, there is a section that ties labor history to the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards. [|Labor History Lesson Plans] - a comprehensive and diverse list from the American Labor Studies Center [|Labor Matters] (grades 6-12) - from Teaching Tolerance. "This lesson draws on students' prior knowledge to help them understand the importance of the labor movement, and gives them buy-in that can drive further inquiry." [|Universal Declaration of Human Rights //full text//] (Article 23 is particularly appropriate to current worker uprisings) - Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948. Following this history act, the Assembly called upon all Member nations to publicize the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions..." //Questions one might ask students:// Poem: "[|Workers of the World Awaken!]" - by Joe Hill. For a writing lesson, ask students to:
 * [|1908 Textile Strike] - A teacher’s reflections about a curriculum unit on women’s rights contextualizes the history of the feminist movement within the broader struggle of people working for greater equality in the United States.
 * [|Power in Our Hands] (High School) - Role plays and writing activities project high school students into real-life situations to explore the history and contemporary reality of employment (and unemployment) in the U.S.
 * Lesson: [|Salt of the Earth] - The author describes how she introduces students to the classic 1953 film Salt of the Earth about a miners’ strike in New Mexico.
 * Why would the United Nations think it important to issue a declaration of human rights?
 * Why would they include the rights of workers in such a Declaration?
 * Do you think it is a good idea to protect people's rights?
 * How does the proposed legislation from Wisconsin Governor Walker compare to the UN Declaration of Human Rights?
 * Write notes about what they think the poet is writing about.
 * Write questions about what they don't understand
 * Note any lines that remind them of something that is going on now.
 * Write a summary of what the poem is about in their own words. Ask them to include connections to other things they have read, seen or heard about workers.

Labor History: Background Material & Resources
[|Labor History & Culture] - from the AFL-CIO. "America's union movement has a rich culture all its own, telling the story of working families in art, photography, theater, fiction, films and more." [|Triangle Factory Fire] - Resources for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of this tragedy that galvanized workers in their fight for better working conditions.

Songs of Labor and Uprising
[|Bread and Roses] - written by James Oppenheim, sung by Judy Collins. (Forever: The Judy Collins Anthology CD, Elektra Entertainment, 1997.) Inspired by the 1912 strike of mostly women textile mill workers in Lawrence, MA. Links issues of economic secruity and quality of life. Addresses the role of women in the struggle for justice. [|Something in the Rain] - by Tish Hinojosa. (Culture Swing CD, Rounder Records, 1992.) A song about a boy's little sister, who was poisoned by pesticides farm workers are exposed to. [|The World Turned Upside Down] - by Leon Rosselson, sung by Billy Bragg (Back to the Basics CD, Elektra, 1987.) The story of the 1649 revolt of the dispossessed in England who fought against the vested interest of the propertied. A vision of society that is cooperative and in harmony with the earth. [|Solidarity Forever] - by Ralph Chaplin. [|Union Maid] - by Pete Seeger [|This Land is Your Land] - by Woody Guthrie Also see [|Unionsong.com].

Articles, Opinion Editorials, & Commentary to Use in Classrooms
[|Larry Miller's Blog] - Larry Miller is a school board member in Milwaukee and Rethinking Schools editor. He posts current news and information at his blog. [|"Stop Walker's Sleight of Hand]" (high school) - by Ellen Bravo. A worthwhile read for parents, staff and for use with high school students. Lots of discussion about could be generated from the article on "freeloaders," "haves and have nots" and who should take responsibility for the crisis we are in. "[|This is What Democracy Looks Like!]" YouTube video (all ages) - Can be used for a discussion of what democracy is. It's not just the formal structures, but the long struggle in our country to make our democracy include all people. "[|Lessons for Wisconsin from the Flint Sit-Down Strikes of 1936-37]" - by Mark Naison. "Though the Wisconsin struggle is being led by government workers, and the Flint Strikes involved workers involved in automobile production, both movements took place during the worst economic crisis of their era and were fighting for the same goal- collective bargaining rights for working people through a union of their own choosing- and were much more about dignity and respect than about income." "[|Is 'Solidarity' Making a Comeback? Thoughts on the Return of a Long-Neglected Concept]" - by Mark Naison. “What is going on? Why are labor unions, which have been on the defensive for the last thirty years, able to mount this kind of movement? Why is Solidarity, out of favor for many years, suddenly back in fashion?” [|High school student Jacob Carrell's reflections] on being a part of the Wisconsin Worker Protests. - "... I stand with my mother, who has an incurable chronic illness. But she has healthcare. And for her benefits, I thank the union. I stand with my father who is a public employee. But he has a good education, and is compensated for his hard work. And for our families prosperity, I thank the union..." News video clip: [|Chris Hayes and Naomi Klein from The Nation explain why Wisconsin protests matter] - "Naomi Klein discussed how what Walker doing is a classic example of the Shock Doctrine, where politicians create a crisis and then using that crisis as an excuse to push through horribly unpopular economic policies. And as Hayes and Klein both explained, what ends up happening in Wisconsin is not only going to have local implications, but national as well." [|Wisconsin's Political Crisis Is a Good Deal More Serious Than Its Fiscal Crisis] - by John Nichols for //The Nation//. "So why is Governor Walker rushing to act now? Why is he doing so with a bill that massively extends his own authority over cabinet agencies while creating new positions to be filled by his political cronies? And why is he claiming that it is necessary to take away the collective bargaining rights of state, county, municipal and education unions in order to address the issue?" [|What's Happening in Wisconsin Explained] - by Andy Kroll at //Mother Jones//. Includes "the basics" about what's happening in Wisconsin, and daily updates from reporters on the ground in Madison. [|Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: Funded by the Koch Bros.] - by Andy Kroll at //Mother Jones//. From the article: "Charles and David Koch are conservative titans of industry who have infamously used their vast wealth to undermine President Obama and fight legislation they detest, such as the cap-and-trade climate bill, the health care reform act, and the economic stimulus package." [|The Best Resources for Learning About Attacks on Teachers & Other Public Sector Workers in WI] - by Larry Ferlazzo. An exhaustive list of articles, commentary, amateur video and news clips about the Wisconsin protests and their national implications. [|Are You There, Mr President? Madison is Calling] - by guest blogger and former Colorado educator Peggy Robertson, on Anthony Cody's blog at EdWeek. "This week, for the first time, I have hope. Watching the public workers of Madison, Wisconsin protest and ask to be heard made me sit up a bit straighter. The American people have a voice! I saw democracy in action." [|Wisconsin Power Play] - by Paul Krugman from the New York Times. "For what’s happening in Wisconsin isn’t about the state budget, despite Mr. Walker’s pretense that he’s just trying to be fiscally responsible. It is, instead, about power. What Mr. Walker and his backers are trying to do is to make Wisconsin — and eventually, America — less of a functioning democracy and more of a third-world-style oligarchy."

[|Shock Doctrine U.S.A.] - by Paul Krugman from the New York Times. "Here’s a thought: maybe Madison, Wis., isn’t Cairo after all. Maybe it’s Baghdad — specifically, Baghdad in 2003, when the Bush administration put Iraq under the rule of officials chosen for loyalty and political reliability rather than experience and competence."

[|Why is collective bargaining good for my classroom?] - by iTeachQ. "Having collective bargaining rights allows us to question dangerous policy, stand up for our students, and push for education practices that educate all of our student fairly, equitably, and adequately." [|Wisconsin Labor Group Calls for General Strike if Walker Budget Repair Bill is Approved] - by Steven Verburg at Larry Miller's blog. "Richard A. Epstein, a professor at the University of Chicago, said he sees a strong probability of a major strike because national labor leaders know that if they lose this battle in Wisconsin, other states will fall." [|12 Things You Need to Know About the Uprising in Wisconsin] - by Joshua Holland for AlterNet [|Cuts to Public Employees Would Punish Wisconsin's Economy] - by Jack Norman of the [|Institute for Wisconsin's Future]. "Gov. Scott Walker's plan to slash take-home pay for public workers would **destroy about 10,000 jobs** in Wisconsin's private sector."