Two Interesting Books For Union Members---And One Of Them Is Free!

 

The International Workers Institute (IWI) https://www.theoryandpraxis.eu/ has issued a new biographical book by George Mavrikos, the Honorary President of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).

The Wikipedia entry on George Mavrikos opens with the following:

George Mavrikos (born 1950) is the General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) in Athens, Greece. He is a leading member of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), and former member of Greek parliament. He is largely credited for having led the successful efforts to halt the decline of the World Federation of Trade Unions since the fall of the Soviet Union. Since his election as general secretary during the congress in Havana in 2005, the World Federation of Trade Unions has seen an increase in its number of affiliates and has successfully managed to recruit several trade union of importances in Western Europe.

The publisher's advertisement for the book states the following:

Author George Mavrikos draws from his extensive experience as General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) as well as his involvement in Greek trade unions, highlighting critical WFTU Congresses while shedding light on the ideological currents and political contexts that shaped the organization’s trajectory.

Mavrikos delves into his personal journey, from his upbringing in Greece to his various roles in trade unions, the Greek parliament, and his leadership within WFTU. He emphasizes the continuous struggle to create and defend the WFTU in the post-World War II era, amid the shifting international relations and the emergence of competing international trade union organizations. Mavrikos also addresses the contemporary challenges faced by trade unions, including the re-packaging of reformist arguments and the persistence of political corruption within certain trade union organizations, contrasting WFTU’s commitment to decolonization and opposition to imperialism.

The book can be ordered here.

Linda Burnham, Max Elbaum and María Poblet have edited the book Power Concedes Nothing and have made it available as a PDF that is downloadable for free.

An announcement from the editors says

The high-stakes 2024 election is already underway.

Organizing in Latin American-descendant communities, cross-racial alliance building, and tapping the energy of working-class constituencies has never been more urgent.

A new resource full of strategies and practical lessons in taking on those challenges is now available: A Spanish language Edition of key chapters from the 2022 book Power Concedes Nothing: How Grassroots Organizing Wins Elections. This collection is available as a downloadable PDF free of charge from Convergence Magazine here.

Power Concedes Nothing tells the stories behind the 2020 victory that won both the White House and the Senate and powered progressive candidates to new levels of influence. It describes the on-the-ground efforts that mobilized a record-breaking turnout by registering new voters and motivating an electorate both old and new.

Some of the most salient lessons of organizing successes and challenges emerged from Latinx communities. For this Spanish edition of Power Concedes Nothing we have selected chapters that illustrate how long-term commitments to organizing for workers’ rights and the safety and well-being of Latinx communities can also serve as springboards for robust voter engagement strategies.

Contributors include: Cliff Albright, Linda Burnham, Max Elbaum, César Fierros Mendoza, Stephanie Greenlea, Beth Howard, Andrea Cristina Mercado, Rafael Návar, Adelina Nicholls, María Poblet, Ai-jen Poo, Marcy Rein, Nsé Ufot, Diana Valles, Mario Yedidia.

An earlier announcement regarding this book said

The November 2020 US election was arguably the most consequential since the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln—and grassroots leaders and organizers played crucial roles in the contention for the presidency and control of both houses of Congress. Power Concedes Nothing recounts these on-the-ground efforts that mobilized a record voter turnout in 2020.

Camarada,

Las elecciones de 2024, de gran importancia, ya están en marcha.

Organizar en comunidades de descendientes de latinoamericanos, construir alianzas interraciales y movilizar la energía de los electores de la clase trabajadora nunca ha sido más urgente.

Ya está disponible un nuevo recurso lleno de estrategias y lecciones prácticas para afrontar esos desafíos: una edición en español de capítulos clave del libro de 2022 El poder no concede nada: cómo la organización de base gana elecciones. Esta colección está disponible como PDF descargable de forma gratuita en Convergence Magazine aquí.

El Poder no concede nada cuenta las historias detrás de una victoria que ganó tanto la Casa Blanca como el Senado y propulsó a candidaturas progresistas hasta nuevos niveles de influencia. Describe los esfuerzos en la práctica que movilizaron una participación electoral récord al inscribir a nueves votantes y motivaron a un electorado tanto mayor como joven.

Algunas de las lecciones más notables de los éxitos y desafíos del trabajo organizativo surgieron de las comunidades latinas. Para esta edición en español de El poder no concede nada, hemos seleccionado capítulos que ilustran cómo los compromisos a largo plazo para hacer trabajo organizativo a favor de los derechos de la clase trabajadora y la seguridad y bienestar de las comunidades latinas pueden servir como trampolines para robustas estrategias de participación electoral.

Les contribuidores incluyen: Cliff Albright, Linda Burnham, Max Elbaum, César Fierros Mendoza, Stephanie Greenlea, Beth Howard, Andrea Cristina Mercado, Rafael Návar, Adelina Nicholls, María Poblet, Ai-jen Poo, Marcy Rein, Nsé Ufot, Diana Valles, Mario Yedidia.

Saludos Solidarios,
Linda Burnham
Max Elbaum
María Poblet
Editores de El Poder no concede nada