Books
“No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age” by Jane McAlevey
“A Collective Bargain: Unions, Organizing, and the Fight for Democracy” by Jane McAlevey
“Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell): My Decade Fighting for the Labor Movement” by Jane McAlevey
Links
The Commons Library – Jane McAlevey: Organizer Extraordinaire This comprehensive guide features key takeaways of McAlevey’s work and includes links to her books, articles, videos, podcasts, and workshops. It covers her emphasis on building strong democratic labor movements with engaged members who are organized to have power in workplace life and beyond. The Commons https://commonslibrary.org/jane-mcalevey-organizing-extraordinaire/
Jane McAlevey’s Official Website Her website features her “Organizing for Power” training program, which teaches core organizing fundamentals through a structured, skills-based approach. The site includes regular updates on her work, interviews, and commentary on current labor movements. Jane McAlevey https://janemcalevey.com/
Current Affairs: Jane McAlevey on How To Organize for Power This interview transcript provides a clear explanation of McAlevey’s key concepts, including the crucial distinction between “mobilizing” versus “organizing” and her concept of “structure tests” as essential tools for building effective worker power. Current Affairs Inc https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2019/04/jane-mcalevey-on-how-to-organize-for-power
Building a Revolutionary Movement: How to do Organising This resource summarizes McAlevey’s organizing methodology into 8 key points. It highlights her concept of “whole worker organizing” which recognizes that “people have whole lives, both in work and outside work, and everything needs to be taken into consideration” when organizing. Buildingarevolutionarymovement https://buildingarevolutionarymovement.org/2021/02/26/how-to-do-organising/
Jacobin: Jane McAlevey’s Plan for How to Build a Fighting Labor Movement This extended interview covers McAlevey’s life work and organizing philosophy, focusing on her strategy that “workers themselves have the power to organize and force significant concessions not only from their bosses, but from society as a whole.” Jacobin https://jacobin.com/2023/05/jane-mcalevey-interview-labor-movement-strategy-whole-worker-organizing-supermajority-leadership
International Socialism Journal: Jane McAlevey’s Organising Model Analysis This academic analysis examines McAlevey’s emphasis on the “old CIO tradition” of organizing “based on a method of mass collective action and high participation, anchored in deep worker solidarities and cooperative engagement in class struggle.” Isj https://isj.org.uk/mcaleveys-organising-model/
Labor Notes: Organize, Teach, Fight: Jane McAlevey This tribute highlights McAlevey’s legacy of teaching “deep organizing methods” and her belief that “workers had the power to radically transform society” through “time-tested tactics.” Labor Notes https://labornotes.org/blogs/2024/07/organize-teach-fight-jane-mcalevey-1964-2024
ResearchGate: PDF Analysis of McAlevey’s Organizing Model This academic paper examines key ideas from McAlevey’s model, including concepts like “power analysis,” “structural test,” “organic leader,” and “supermajority,” which have become commonplace terms in workplace organizing discussions. ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359928891_Jane_McAlevey’s_organising_model_is_it_a_rank_and_file_strategy
Against the Current: What Method of Organizing? This article analyzes McAlevey’s organizing method as spelled out in her book “No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age,” particularly focusing on her chapter “The Power to Win is in the Community, Not the Boardroom.” Against the Current https://againstthecurrent.org/atc212/what-method-of-organizing/
Jacobin: Jane McAlevey Knew We Could Win This tribute highlights her “Organizing for Power” training program as “one of her most innovative” contributions, reaching “tens of thousands of workers worldwide” and ensuring her ideas will continue to influence organizing approaches. Jacobin https://jacobin.com/2024/07/jane-mcalevey-organizing-for-power-trainings