The Teamsters take on Amazon

Episode 27 with HasanAbi Sneak Peak

This week: resolution to the chaotic race for the New York City mayoralty, a bold and exciting new initiative from the Teamsters, and Obama throws his support behind Manchin’s plan for voting rights. And, of course, our weekly guest, for Episode 27: Hasan Piker, to discuss his political journey and career in alternative media.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost

Former president Barack Obama says he supports Sen. Joe Manchin III’s effort to scale back a sweeping voting rights bill in hopes of securing some Republican support

wapo.stObama endorses Sen. Manchin’s voting rights compromiseThe former president warned that without some of these voting protections in place, American democracy might not survive.

Years out of office, Obama continues to do the Democratic Party’s most critical work: manufacturing consent for a conservative political agenda. Courting Republican votes is the classic move that the Democrats use to justify the rejection of Medicare for All, a living wage, the Green New Deal, and other cornerstone leftist policies. Never mind the fact that the Democrats command a majority in the House and Senate now, as they did during Obama’s first term. Ultimately, with Democratic Senators like Manchin leading the charge for the rollback of voting rights — and with former “progressive” party icons like Obama greenlighting these efforts — it’s essential that we recognize the Democrats’ conservative proposals as the core of their political agenda, not as afterthoughts meant to appease their opponents.

On to the good news.

Lauren Kaori Gurley @LaurenKGurley

Scoop: Tomorrow, the Teamsters will announce the most ambitious national effort yet to unionize Amazon. The “Amazon Project” has been in the works for yrs & aims to use non-traditional methods to pressure Amazon into recognizing a union.

vice.comThe Teamsters Announce Coordinated Nationwide Project to Unionize AmazonIn an official resolution obtained by Motherboard, one of the country’s most powerful unions has declared an unprecedented effort to unionize Amazon.

In a deeply promising display of labor power and solidarity, the Teamsters have announced plans to organize for an Amazon union. As Lauren Kaori Gurley’s VICE piece on this plan points out, the news comes to us on Prime Day — a day marked by Amazon’s ruthless exploitation of its workers to fulfill a flood of orders. After the corporation rolled out a slew of union-busting tactics to stop unionizing efforts in Bessemer earlier this year, the Teamsters have developed plans for an “Amazon Division” intended to support and fund Amazon workers in their efforts to unionize. Between the U.S. and Canada, the Teamsters boasts 1.4 million members. They have the power to take on Amazon and win. Of course, we wish them the best.

We’re looking forward to hearing about the work of building an alternative platform and the political moment we’re living through with this week’s guest, Hasan Piker. Paid subscribers can join us for the video conversation when it drops through Substack on Friday. Everyone else: audio will be available Saturday through Substack, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, Spotify — wherever you get your podcasts.