Howard Zinn, HTUP 2005 

Today we had the real privilege of meeting Howard Zinn, the author of 'A People's History of the United States'. Having started his working life in the shipyards, Howard became a bombardier in the US airforce during the Second World War, before he went to college under the GI Bill. He was, and remains, an anti-war activist, and a truly unique historian - more interested in analysing history through the eyes of ordinary working men and women, than Presidents or 'great men'.

Your Money or Your Life 

Had a great session today with David Cutler, who talked us through key issues in American health care.

About 15% of Americans, some 45 million people, are not covered by health insurance, and this number increases each year. One of the key factors in this is the rising cost of insurance premiums - while another factor is the undoubtedly the decline of the US trade union movement, which in turn has reduced the pressure on employers to provide health insurance.

You can read more about David Cutler's analysis of the US health care system, and the hard choices ahead for policy makers and public alike, here.

Snowed in.... 

Had three excellent sessions today - all very different, but all equally interesting and genuinely thought provoking.

Kicked off this morning with James Green, who took us through some of the key turning points in US labour history - the role of Samuel Gompers and the AFL (one of the precursors to the modern AFl-CIO), and the rise and fall of the Wobblies.

American labour history is a great untold story, and what really struck me is the parallels between the debates which took place over 100 years ago, and those taking place in the US trade union movement today.

James was followed by Steve Abrecht from the SEIU who talked about the union's capital stewardship programme - something that unions and the TUC in the UK have had some involvement in, but which Steve and his colleagues have taken to a completely different level. Steve's presentation, which focused on amongst other things the way that unions have influenced CalPERS and other big public sector pension funds to improve corporate governance and support the aims, values and interests of trade union members, linked to the final presentation of the day from Carolyn Doggett, executive director of the California Teacher's Association, and Beverly Tucker (the union's chief counsel).

Carolyn and Beverly talked us through some of the key political battles about to take place in California, as Arnold 'The Terminator' Schwarzenegger, launches an attempt to effectively dismantle public sector trade unionism. Part of his plans include the effective closing of the large public sector employees and teacher's pension funds in California (in no small part, due to the success unions have had in effectively influencing these funds). CTA rightly believe that this could set a precedent which would have an impact across the US - and indeed beyond (California is the fifth largest economy in the world as measured by GNP). You can listen to the union's response here.

Barker Centre, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA 

The HTUP had an open session today with Bob Ross, author of 'Slaves to Fashion'.

Bob talked about the re-emergence of sweatshops in the US since the 1970's; in response to increasing trade liberalism and globalization, the decline of the labour movement and the rise of the big retail chains. You can buy ethical clothes here!

Yesterday Brendan Gold, a member of the Australian Federal Parliament (and former HTUP participant), spoke in a session looking at the relationship between the Labour Party and unions in Australia. Last year Labour lost its fourth straight election, and Brendan's session came the day after the resignation of the Labour Party's leader, Mark Latham.

As well as further work with David Weil today, we also had a session with Chris Mackin, of Ownership Associates. Chris is a big advocate of employee share ownership and other forms of worker/employee ownership; something which has its routes in the co-op movement in the UK, and goes back to the Knights of Labour and National Labor Union in the US.

One big concern I have about ESOP's is that they are often floated as a way of digging companies out of trouble when all else fails - and little attention is given to how unions and their members can really use them to democratise the workplace. More widely, community and public forms of ownership have again often been used to bail companies or industries out of short term problems, only for these concerns to be returned to private hands when profits return.

As part of the Chris's programme next week, we'll be having a session with Steve Arbrecht of the SEIU on capital stewardship - covering how unions can use their pension and investment power to strengthen their ability to represent members, which should be really interesting.

National Lampoons building, Cambridge, MA 

New State House, Boston, MA 

Holocaust Memorial, Boston 

Went for a bit of walking tour in Boston today with Elaine Bernard and a few others off the HTUP. Ended up in an Italian Restaurant in the North End, just across a monument to Paul Revere.

Had a session today with the HUCTW, who have successfully organised the admin and support staff at Harvard University. The union, which is a local affiliate of AFCSME set about their organising campaign in a very different way than the norm in the US. You can find more info on their web-site.

Also had a session with Prof John Womack, who gave us a potted history of Mexico and its relations with the US. You can get updated labour news from Mexico here.

On a completely different note, here's something which will make you laugh (I would hope!) - cows with guns!

Had excellent session yesterday with David Weil at Boston University, who took us through a case study looking at the PATCO dispute with the Reagan government in the early 80's, which ended in some 12,000 air traffic controllers being sacked.

Also had a session with Richard Freeman, who I know from work we've done on the unionreps web-site in the UK (he spends about half of his time in the UK, working with the LSE).

After a few days of freezing temperatures, Boston is expecting a mini heatwave today (all the way up into the 60's), before it turns cold again for the weekend!

Today was the first full day of the HTUP. Highlights included a session with Tom Kochan at MIT, who took us through an overview of the challenges facing unions in the US and around the world. The central point of his presentation that 'more of the same' isn't going to be enough if unions are serious about restoring effective worker representation - and that new organising and recruitment strategies need to be complemented by a new vision capable of resonating with non-union workers. He also stressed the need for unions to identify and develop new sources of power to support workplace organising; to under go comprehensive structural reform; and to build sustainable aliances with community and other groups.

Arrrived in Boston yesterday (via Iceland!), to start the HTUP.

I'm staying about 5mins from Harvard Sq, just around the corner from Lowell House (see photo below).

Tommorow the programme proper starts - and I'll be posting regular updates over the next six weeks.

Lowell House, Cambridge, Ma 

Met yesterday with Manuel Cortes, the new Assistant General secretary at TSSA to discuss the union's possible involvement in a TUC pilot project, aimed at reactivating lapsed union members using direct-calling.

Yesterday was my last day in the office for some six weeks or so, as next week I will be starting the Harvard Trade Union Programme in Boston. The programme itself covers everything from organising and recruitment through to union structures and governance, so hopefully should give me lots of thinking space, and new ideas to bring back to my day job.