PinnedRand WilsonBiography — Rand Wilson has worked as a union organizer and labor communicator since the early 1980s. …Politics4 min readPolitics4 min read
Nov 28Why Our Revolution Is Fighting To Make The Mass Democratic Party More DemocraticBy Rand Wilson and Henry Wortis (originally published in Organizing Notes, newsletter of Our Revolution Massachusetts on Nov. 28, 2023) Party reformers, including many leaders of Our Revolution Massachusetts (ORMA), are working to increase democracy within the state Democratic Party. The chief decision-making body of the Party is the Democratic…Democratic Party2 min readDemocratic Party2 min read
Oct 3Reformers vow to continue fight for a more democratic, grassroots-oriented partyContempt for party activists on display at MassDems convention… By Rand Wilson, Delegate, Ward 6, Somerville Thousands of Massachusetts Democratic Party delegates gathered on Sept. 23 in Lowell for what was labeled an “Action Agenda” convention. Sadly, there was practically no “action” to be had. Party leaders made no effort…Democratic Party3 min readDemocratic Party3 min read
Mar 31Can Labor Seize Its ‘Movement Moment’?Public support, resources, and organizing momentum make this a fertile time for union growth. If the labor movement digs in, workers and all who fight for democracy could reap the harvest. By Rand Wilson and Peter Olney [1] One measure of the labor movement’s relative power is the percentage of…Labor7 min readLabor7 min read
Jun 21, 2022Information & resources about the Teamsters’ 1997 UPS contract campaign and strikeStrike documents and posters Strike photosUnited Parcel Service2 min readUnited Parcel Service2 min read
May 23, 2022Stymied by signature threshold, reformers vow to press Mass Dems for changeQualifying signatures for full Mass Dems 2022 Convention vote on eliminating lifetime DSC members falls short Party leaders set unreasonable threshold for collecting signatures virtually, blocking convention vote on reducing unelected positions on the Party’s ruling body Reform-minded delegates attempted to pass a resolution calling for the elimination of unelected…Massachusetts2 min readMassachusetts2 min read
May 13, 2022Massachusetts Democratic Party rejects proposed convention resolution to make the party more democratic● Reformers propose drastic reduction in the number of unelected positions on the Party’s ruling body. ● Rules Committee refuses to lower qualifying signature threshold to bring resolution to convention delegates for a vote, while Party is restricting access to delegate contact information ● Despite obstacles, reformers determined to gather 500 qualifying signatures for a full convention vote — On May 4, sixty-eight delegates submitted a resolution to the 2022 Mass Democratic Party Resolutions Committee calling for the elimination of life-time positions on the Democratic State Committee (DSC), the Party’s leadership committee. These unelected members comprise about one-third of the committee’s membership. …Democratic Party3 min readDemocratic Party3 min read
Oct 28, 2021All of the candidates in Somerville call themselves “progressive” — so who should I vote for?The Somerville municipal election on November 2 is a potentially transformational moment for our city. We have the first open mayoral race in 18 years and an opportunity to elect six new members to the city council. Without a doubt, all of the candidates are sincerely dedicated to the betterment…Elections3 min readElections3 min read
Sep 30, 2021Five Basic Steps to Organizing a UnionEvery workplace is different, and while the needs of workers vary widely, below are some basic steps to winning collective bargaining rights and a union voice on the job. The US Department of Labor recently published its own Step-by-Step Guide to Forming a Union that’s quite similar. To begin organizing…Labor Unions4 min readLabor Unions4 min read
May 12, 2021How to Run a Union Meeting(Excerpted from AFL-CIO Publication № 81, revised April 1976) What Officers Can Do To Improve the Meeting 1. Start promptly! Establish the practice of starting on time. Give notice that the next meeting will begin promptly at 7 (or 8) o’clock. Then speak to some of the officers and members and…Afl Cio5 min readAfl Cio5 min read
